Reviews

This is one of those films that I will always tune in to watch if it is on TV. I highly underrated film with one of my favorite endings. The characters are great, and while it isn't a classic film, it is a great movie. Highly enjoyable.

It is no 'Moulin Rouge', however 'Chicago' is still a very entertaining film. I thought the casting/acting was great, although Richard Gere seemed a little overmatched in the singing department. The fact that the musical numbers are all in Roxie's imagination threw me off for a second but I got over it. All of the musical pieces take place (primarily) on stage, so it doesn't have the same flow as other musicals in which the actors in scene break into song. Still there were a couple of numbers that had the crown applauding, and the film kept me engaged the entire time.

Recommended for anyone who like musicals. If you don't enjoy that type of film, I don't believe that this is the movie that will convert you.

A very boring film. I think that I missed out on the delight of watching the downfall of Bob Crane because I wasn't around when it really happened. I just wasn't interested in the slightest, and never got involved. There were a couple of interesting moments, but this is a film for people who were interested in the Crane Debacle when it first happened, or people who are Schrader fans. Not recommended.

As an adaptation, this film fails miserably. The story isn't there, the characters are all over the place, their personalities turn 180 degrees at any second, and the film is a disappointment overall.

However, if you look at this film as a Collection of Scenes, as a sort of sit back and enjoy the view movie, then it is very, very intriguing. There are at least three scenes that are unforgettable if not genius, and the camera work and direction is inspired.

All in all, I like to say it is a more tragic, darker 'Dazed and Confused'. Being that it is darker, you don't really become involved with the character and that is the major drawback. Roger Avary did an amazing job directing the film, but he, perhaps, would have benefitted from having someone else write the script.

A definite rainy day rental.

This film had many very interesting moments, and an amazing performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. Unfortunately, the revenge story and the Leo/Cameron Diaz story line sinks the film, as does their on-again/off-again accents. This film would have been better served if it focused on Bill the Butcher and life in the Five Points. The picture looks amazing and one can see why it took so long to make. Unfortunately, you can also see that the script was a work in progress even through filming.

I wouldn't recommend 'Gangs of New York', however it wouldn't make a horrible rental, if just to see Day-Lewis and some of the cinematography.

The most amazing thing about this film is that it drags... and it is only 89 minutes long. This is a film with no positives. There is no reason to watch this film at all. It tries to be campy, but even fails at that. I would love to know what people were thinking when they decided that this script was remotely close to be even adequate.

I think the key to enjoying this film is a person's age. I only viewed Hogan's Heroes on reruns, and didn't witness the rise and fall of Bob Crane, and I think that may be why I didn't connect with the film at all.

The acting was great, however the direction was very heavy handed, and there were a number of scenes that seemed completely unnecessary or that ran too long. This film would have made a nice hour long biopic, but at two hours, it was very boring.

Not since the opening thirty minutes of Saving Private Ryan have I seen a more intense piece of filmmaking. Terrific acting (Ellen Burstyn should be given an Oscar right now), hyperkinetic editing, and a tremendous score by Kronos Quartet (who also worked on Heat), Requiem for a Dream is an amazing, disturbing film. It's power made it one of the best films I have ever seen, and one film that I never want to have to watch again.

I was surprised at how well this film pulled off the task of bringing Ol' William to the modern day. This film was successful because of the tremendous acting and the striking visuals. The flair of the visuals (which has an art/euro film feel to them), along the reduced running time (about 2 hours), will hold the attention of even the worst Shakespeare-phobe. On a side note, it is interesting how the director chose to combat (what many scholars see as) the homosexual undertones of Hamlet and Horatio's relationship by giving Horatio a girlfriend, a character that is not in the original play, and a character that has no lines in the film.

Whipped is at it's best when it focuses on the three guys and their "scamming". Their dialogue and situations are, at times, very funny. However, once Amanda Peet's character comes into the picture, the film loses its momentum. The story is predictable, the situations are boring, and the film strains to get laughs. It ends predictably but offers a few more laughs. Whipped is a rental, at best. It's a good party flick, some good laughs, no need to pay close attention, and decent spaces of blah to talk or run out to get more beer. (6 out of 10)

For the first time in my life, I felt like a New Englander. While watching the students stroll around the woods, I couldn't really feel for them. First of all, they have all of these lights but they won't walk at night. I have been lost in the woods, and when you want to get home, you fight sleep and work to find your way. Also, whenever I am walking and am arguing with someone, I tend to walk faster; I don't stop, sit and pout like these babies did. Their constant stopping and camping seemed like the horror film cliche of the girl running upstairs rather than out the door.

This isn't to say that I didn't like the movie, it was OK (thanks to a great ending). And despite my complaints, Blair Witch deserved the hype and box office gross because it was something new. Unfortunately, knowing Hollywood, rather than seeing this as a desire for fresh, original ideas, they will decide that what we want to see is Blair Witch sequels.