amazme3's Reviews

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

10/10

26 June 2004

Warning: Spoilers

Any of you cowards who voted 1/10 and obviously did not watch the film deserve to be duped by an ignoramus named Bush. In fact, what gave you the right (other than American free speech and press) to voice your opinion without sampling the object you are commenting on?

Before I wrote this piece, I did see the film on opening night here in San Diego and was actually surprisingly entertained and also appalled by the coherent and logical points made in this documentary.(I can't remember the last doc that I actually saw). Now, I feel compelled to see some of Michael Moore's other works. Yes, this documentary is clearly Bush-bashing, but it is well-founded Bush-bashing, as he deserves to be bashed by any thinking and alert and cognizant life form who has pondered his "stolen" presidency to date. The film has a clear message and "plot", which every intelligent American should at least consider, as I believe all the footage was not altered. No part of this film seemed extraneous. *** spoilers *** I especially liked the revealed (expected)reluctance of Congressmen to enlist their sons or daughters to fight in Iraq, and I was unaware of Baby Bush's typically idiotic reaction (caught on tape) after hearing of the WTC attacks on 9-11-01. *** end of spoilers *** I applaude Moore's courage and frankness in producing this view of the Bush agenda, and shame on Disney for refusing to release the film, as they now appear cowardly and are about to cry at the thought of how much this film will clearly gross at the box office. I expect this masterpiece to encourage a higher percentage of people to vote come November. I look forward to seeing the media's take on this film in the coming days. My rating (as if you didn't guess): 10/10 !

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O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

2/10

What a waste of time!

21 July 2002

Though I am not a Clooney fan, I saw this movie on the recommendation of this girl I met. What a joke of a film! The acting was average or overdone. The plot was pedestrian and predictable and boring. There was no clear direction in the movie. To compare this piece of garbage to Homer's Odyssey is ludicrous. I think the Odyssey has not been produced on film because of its complex structure and Hollywood's general ignorance of this classic epic. People who have not read the Odyssey will be mislead by the film's advertised similarities to Homer's timeless work. Unlike Homer's brilliance in content and presentation and organization of his long poem, this waste of viewer's time is a below-average attempt to be funny and entertaining. Clooney as usual exposes his average screen skills. I fail to find any redeeming features in this movie, and it deserves its failure at the box office. I give this flick a 2 of 10 score, and I am being generous!

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Hiroshima (1995 TV Movie)

10/10

Intelligent and provocative and of highest quality

2 February 2002

I found this masterpiece of a film by perusing the cable tv guide. Being a war history enthusiast, I was drawn to the content of the movie, only to realize that the production and actors and characters and images and storyline were equally well done. None of the performers are big celebrities, but that fact takes nothing away from their incredible performances and likenesses to the true people they portrayed. Kenneth Welsh as Harry Truman and Wesley Addy as Sec of War Stimson dominate with memorable renditions, but the entire cast deserves almost equal praise. I was not aware that President Truman was on a battleship when the uranium bomb descended on Hiroshima. The attitudes of American and Japanese leaders were nicely shown, and Truman's portrayed thoughtfulness and decisiveness were impressive. One of the infrequent 10's of my movie history. The docu-drama format gave the piece an even more realistic appeal.

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Absence of the Good (1999 TV Movie)

7/10

A watchable suspense yarn

28 July 2001

I liked this movie overall, with its strengths being the cohesive plot, a mystery that continued to the denouement, decent performances by the actors, and real-life subplots in the background. However, no acting awards are expected for anyone here, and the musical score was nothing special. Also, I appreciated how the storyline made one think and stay focussed to keep track of how the criminal investigation proceeded. I actually felt like I was following around these detectives on the case and able to understand their thought processes as more clues were obtained. 7 out of 10.

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Lucas (1986)

5/10

Slow, generally boring, with an irritating lead

22 July 2001

This movie had its strengths, particularly the likeable characters and the theme of the little guy against the rest of society, but the lead actor playing Lucas, Corey Haim, was not easy to relate to. He is a smart small guy in high school, but he is eccentric enough to be irritating and it is difficult for me to find any sympathy for him. His attempts to become the romantic interest of Maggie, played by Keri Green, are understandably unsuccessful. It was also comical to see him try to try out for the football team. The plot of this film progresses slowly, and the reasons I watched the film to the end were some of the likeable characters/actors as they appeared in 1986: Charlie Sheen, Courteney Thorne-Smith, Wynona Ryder. I disagree with most of the reviews I read, giving this film a 5/10 (being generous).

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Remember the Titans (2000)

9/10

Inspirational and well-done

24 June 2001

This is one of those long films that maintains its quality from start to finish. I especially enjoyed the football theme, but it had much more to offer. Denzel Washington and Will Patton provided recognizable star quality and had brilliant performances, and the rest of the cast was equally effective in all the roles. The plot gracefully combines themes of the team spirit, racism, fighting against adversity, tragedy, principles versus friends, and comedy. The ending was predictable, but nonetheless entertaining. The different personalities on the football team complemented each other, and the struggles to work as a team were effectively conveyed. I wonder how close the film's characters reflected their real counterparts. 9 out of 10.

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Suspect (1987)

8/10

Good performances and storyline

23 June 2001

This production was a well-done piece of work. Solid performances by all the cast, especially Cher and Quaid, flow throughout the film. There was sufficient suspense and mystery to keep my attention, and the attraction between Cher's and Quaid's characters adds another dimension to this quality movie. I was especially impressed by Cher's abilities and attractiveness in this suspense yarn; I should view more of her works. This film was entertaining and thoughtful, with a cohesive plot and very believable characters, set in the reality of the nation's Capitol. An 8 out of 10.

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The Red Violin (1998)

9/10

a film to be remembered

21 June 2001

I can not say enough good things about this movie masterpiece. Like the film "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc", "The Red Violin" contains the rare mixture of drama, music, mystery/suspense, a great cast all the way around, good attention to detail, a good ending, and a cohesive tale that tells a story over a lengthy period of time.

The different time epochs and cultures displayed in the movie were all done with quality, and I enjoyed the different languages (English, Italian, French, German, Chinese) and subtitles during the course of this film (I speak some of all of these tongues except Chinese).

An appreciation of violin music also developed in me as the movie continued, as well as that of violin players and the history of the instrument. I even am considering giving the instrument a go at it.

As some of the viewers have commented, I also am appalled that "The Red Violin" did not receive an Oscar nomination for best picture/best producer/best director. This film is truly a masterpiece that should linger in the memories of any appreciative person lucky enough to discover this under-publicized film. What a tremendous oversight by whoever claims to recognize works of art at the Academy.

9 out of 10.

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Double Tap (1997)

7/10

Definitely worth watching

19 June 2001

This film was a pleasant surprise to watch. Heather Locklear was realistic and hot as the tough FBI agent with an introspective demeanor. She shows her range, with performances from this film to the cheesy Melrose Place. However, really, do FBI agents actually look like her and Gillian Anderson? The plot was believable and fast-paced, with Stephen Rea as the methodical/conscientious/efficient thug-killer. Some of his hits were pretty imaginative. The score could have been better, as well as the supporting cast. 7 out of 10.

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Conspiracy (2001 TV Movie)

8/10

Realistic, well-made, somewhat flat story line

20 May 2001

This film was a good production: good acting all around, realistic scenery and uniforms, and an interesting premise. However, the plot, although true-to-life and probably quite accurate, failed to keep my interest for the entire movie. The story was based on records of a pivotal meeting of top German officials during WWII, a gathering that purported to obtain unanimity for how Jews would be purged from German society and Europe. The events, all held at some mansion, were interesting, specifically the different perspectives and morals among the various members of the official get-together, and the story flowed well throughout the film. I felt, though, that the movie dragged a little in length, given the relatively simple story. I gave this overall well-done production an 8 out of 10. It is definitely recommended viewing.

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Cheaters (2000 TV Movie)

9/10

Fun, Dramatic, and Thought-Provoking

12 May 2001

Cheaters is clearly one of the best films I have had the pleasure of viewing. First, the subject matter is intriguing and realistic, with a startling statistic at the end that 80 percent of high school students today do cheat. In high school, I helped others cheat here and there for fun, and I never needed to cheat. In college, I cheated on a test, was caught, and suffered the consequences, but I recovered and got a decent grade in the class and never cheated in school again. In real life, it is unfortunate that some people have no conscience and can cheat at will; being caught in the act helps define what the person's morals, if any, are. The commentators who allude to Bill Clinton's public lying as the reason some people will do the same are pathetic. It is the person himself who needs to decide his actions. This film features very good acting by the entire cast, both the veterans and newcomers. The portrayal of high school reality is quite accurate. However, the most sorry character was the person who blew the whistle on the team. How the rich high school seems to get the best resources and thus perform well at competitions like the scholastic contests is very unfair and upsetting, but in an opportunistic society like ours, this scenario is to be expected, and another example of how life truly is not fair in general. I scored this movie a 9 out of 10.

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The Contender (2000)

6/10

Above average political film--not much more.

28 April 2001

The relatively slow plot of this film and the average performances of most of the actors make it just a slightly above average work. Gary Oldman (I didn't even recognize him at first) was believable and brilliant, Jeff Bridges played the casual Commander-in-Chief well, and Sam Elliott was an effective Presidential Aide. However, Joan Allen again was the uninspiring and expressionless actress she usually is. Even Mariel Hemingway in a very brief part did a better job. I can not believe some viewers even considered Mrs. Allen as a best actress nominee. Two other aspects of the film were watchable: the reasonable explanations at the end, and the accuracy of the general workings at the White House and the Capitol. Overall, though, the potential of this movie was not realized.

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American Psycho (2000)

8/10

A Smart Satire

26 April 2001

This movie was an entertaining, provocative, and well-done piece of work. Christian Bale was rivetting as the lead man, and I was so relieved he was chosen over the feminine DiCaprio. In fact, Dicaprio is not even in Bale's league, as Bale was the perfect choice for the character of Bateman. The humor in the movie, subtle at times, and usually witty, was memorable, as were the twisted, erotic, and honest thoughts of Bateman. This film's commentary of the New York society, in terms of the image-is-everything motif, is depicted with skill and tenacity. I, too, think Bale should have received an Oscar nomination. In fact, the whole cast deserves praise.

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Never Been Kissed (1999)

8/10

Serendipity

31 March 2001

Expecting an average film, I was very happily surprised at the overall quality of this movie. Drew Barrymore played a believable character quite well, and this is the best performance I have seen from her. Her supporting cast was also very good, and the themes of high school's potential unfairness and many challenges were displayed, as well as the relative triviality of high school in the grand scheme of life. This production was entertaining, realistic overall, and touching at times, thanks to the excellent acting in a relatively simple plot. For those reviewers who did not like the film for inaccuracies and technicalities that they pointed, get a life!

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Man with a Gun (1995)

7/10

definitely worth watching

28 March 2001

I read the comments before seeing this flick, but I disagree. This film is effective in its combination of a reasonable plot, worthy acting, a good cast, and violent as well as soft segments. The two roles played by Jennifer Tilly were believable. Michael Madsen did a great job as the thoughtful tough guy. Also, the theme of loyalty or lack thereof gave the film more meaning.

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