amabiliscasa's Reviews

Paparazzi (2004)

3/10

Ug

8 February 2007

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Ah, Paparazzi - where to start? So bad it's good. Entertainment in the form of Hollywood whining over it's lot in life - to be forever dogged by photographers - O NOEZ!!! Even I, a non-celebrity got the point of this celluloid tale: "Paparazzi bad! Movie stars picked on! Kill all the photographers!"

As bad as the paparazzi are, not every stinking one of them are the bloodsuckers that this film portrays them to be. These photographers were CRIMINALS. Just because a man carries a camera for a living does not mean that he's got a warrant for his arrest out for illegal possession of weapons, rape, etc. Give me a break. And if they're earning so much from their ambulance-chasing, why do they still all live like pigs in squalor? BECAUSE PAPARAZZI ARE EVIL CHILD KILLERS, REMEMBER?

The movie star (handsome-enough and little else Cole Hauser) is portrayed as a fresh-scrubbed, corn-fed farm-boy who had just made it big and is suddenly, mercilessly hounded by the press. The photographers apparently are willing to do anything to get a picture, even kill the source of their income, said maligned film star. A number of little details were there to make us sympathize with the celebrity. 1) He comes from the mid-west, and he's just made it big. 2) He's a family man with strong values. 3) He drives a modest car and lives in a modest home. 4) He's super nice to almost everyone, including the coach of his son's soccer team and the young grocery store clerk.

This film is basically Hollywood's revenge - everything bad about the paparazzi is magnified (because yes, I agree, they certainly are bad) and everything decent about the film stars is thrown up in our face (he just wants to watch his son's soccer game! The photographer is threatening his cherub-faced boy! O woe!)

I liked the celebrity character until he began plotting or allowing the death's of the paparazzi. Yes, they were scumbags. Yes, they deserved to be behind bars - maybe even dead. But since when does a movie star have the right to take justice into his own hands? Bo goes a little crazy, starts making like Rambo in real life and before we know it, every one of the shutter-bugs is sleeping with the fishes.

The last shot of the movie shows our noble hero smiling away at the flashing cameras, reveling in his fame - content now that all the OMGEVIL!photographers have been done away with. There's no business like show business...

1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Clue (1985)

7/10

I Didn't Do It!

2 February 2007

Clue is one of the most underrated (and unheard of) comedy films in the last 20 or so years. The cast is all top notch, and though the humor is rather broad, you can't help but laugh at the ridiculous plot.

Six guests - in famous characters from the board game - are invited to a spooky house for dinner by the mysterious Mr. Boddy. Wadsworth, the butler, greets them as they arrive, Yette, the maid, serves them champagne, Mrs. Ho cooks the dinner, and it's soon apparent that everything is not as it seems. Everyone has a story, a secret, and a motive. The end result? Murder!

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

There are three alternate endings for the film - the third being the best, in my opinion. On close inspection, it seems to be the one originally intended, as all the story lines are tied up. Try all three - each have very funny bits, even the weakest of them - "Mrs. Peacock was A MAN?!" You won't be disappointed by Clue.

1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

6/10

A departure from classic Disney

5 January 2005

That hits a few speed bumps and shows it, but is well worth watching. Atlantis - The Lost Empire is an imaginative and engaging film about an unfunded linguist who seeks to find the lost city of Atlantis. He is turned down by conventional establishments (i.e. the stuffy museum where he works in the boiler room) and is given his chance by eccentric millionaire Preston Whitmore and a team of explorers. It suffices to say that Milo and company, after much adventure and mishap, discover Atlantis, which is vastly different from anything they expected, and Milo gets more than he expected out of his adventure. I would give this film 6 out of 10 stars - its not great Disney, but it's certainly better than some of the other crap out there. I watch it whenever it comes on TV, which is a good indication of an enjoyable film, I think. It isn't really a film for children. The plot is often hard to follow, and the action may be too intense for very little ones. There is a very sweet romance which grows out of a friendship, so there isn't any kissy kissy to make "blech" faces at. The characters are human and funny, and there are some pretty good one liners in here. Worth the time, if you like adventure and comedy.

20 out of 37 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Sabrina (1995)

Just as good as you-know-what

27 September 2004

Warning: Spoilers

*SPOILERS* Yes, I, a self professed Audrey Hepburn fan, say that this adaption is just as good, if not better than the original. The structure and story of the film is fundamentally the same, but changes are made in just the right places, to modernize the film, give it a Cinderella/real life feel. The results speak for themselves. Some of the best touches are: 1) Sabrina's transformation Sabrina not only becomes grown up and beautiful, (she is genuinely gawky in the beginning) but she has a knowledge of the world and an appreciation of life and beauty that makes her seem wise in her young age. She isn't as tortured as she was in the original (no suicide attempt - I always had to suspend disbelief at that point in the original - she didn't seem that torn up in the first place to kill herself.) 2) Linus Linus is better developed than in the original. Harrison Ford was the best possible choice to come after Bogie (both being action/adventure stars in a rare romantic role.) He is shown to have more than one side - (rather than just cold, then good). Bogie is great, not to be replaced, but Harrison Ford is good, good, good. Linus has different sides, and his feelings come through a little more. 3) Side stories are expounded More so than in the original, side elements like David's relationship with his finacee, Sabrina's relationship with her father, the servants lives, and Sabrina's life in Paris, are really shown more than the original, and this makes us really care about them. 4) A longer ending - we actually see what Linus and Sabrina say to one another after they have both confessed they love each other, something I always wanted Bogie and Hepburn to do. Some things that could have been better: 1) David William Holden was so good as the playboy - so smooth. When he let down that tennis net, any women would have surrendered. Kinnear is attractive enough, and he displays enough of a fly boy attitude that we know what sort of life he leads, but Holden was so convincing that anyone could see why young, innocent Sabrina would fall for him. 2) "Isn't It Romantic" The exclusion of this song wasn't the best decision - the song they use instead is nice, but I just expect to start hearing those lovely strains. All in all, this is a very good movie - one of the things I like best about it is the quietness of it - it doesn't constantly try to bombard us with romantic surprises and such, but it lets the characters get to know one another and lets us get inside their heads. Very good - 7 out of 10 stars.

3 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Monarch of the Glen (2000–2005)

7/10

Funny in a quiet kind of way

19 September 2004

Monarch of the Glen is a quiet kind of comedy, with a good helping of drama, a bit of sly, smirky humor and a pinch of sentimentality. It doesn't seem to be widely accepted, probably because there is no sex or violence. Sheesh, I can't even remember hearing a four letter word. The characters are real, they are funny and the show is engaging. One of the nice things about this show is that everyone gets a chance to shine - not just the young attractive leads. Golly, middle-aged and gray, is actually portrayed as cool! (Gasp!) Molly, the mother, is viewed as attractive - she has a life beyond being the mother. Even the "servant types" have their bits. It's not rock solid, Monarch does get a little "soap opera-y" every now and then, what with a missing daughter or brother turning up, but it's a far better thing to watch than most of the rubbish on the tube today.

46 out of 49 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

A Wrinkle in Time (2003 TV Movie)

7/10

See if You Are Not Afraid of a Few Modifications

12 May 2004

A Wrinkle in Time - where do I start? The book, in itself, is one of the most fabulous, imaginative, fantastical stories ever penned. Madeleine L'Engle is a writing genius. The book opened up whole new worlds for me, and taught me (in the forth grade) that it was all right to have imaginings beyond anything ever heard of. Now, close to graduation, I watched this, excited, but prepared to be disappointed. I rarely was. This was a fine production - the child actors quite good, I thought - no gorgeous child actors were cast, and I noticed no huge personality changes. Meg doesn't wear spectacles, and there are other similar changes. The end is a bit altered, but it didn't bother me too much. This is a good adaptaion, but not for L'Engleites. You need to be flexible - one form is a novel, one is a film. A book can be directed toward a small group of people, but a film has to be marketable to everyone. See it if you like fantasy and enjoy Madeleines books.

43 out of 48 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

9/10

Delightful, A Film That Outdoes Itself

16 September 2003

I rented this film, having seen some photographs from it, and having read the play (which is my favorite of Shakespeare's), so I did not really know what to expect. I was floored. I laughed and cried, I got goosebumps all over and found a new film to add to my list of favorites. This is something special. Kenneth Branagh is just perfect as the eloquent Benedick, bringing out shades of heroism, humor, wit, romance and gaiety in his performance. Emma Thompson is hilarious from her first lines ("God help the noble Claudio! If he have caught the Benedick, it will cost him a thousand pound ere he be cured!") and she perfectly captures Beatrice wit and wisdom in her performance. She and Branagh have real chemistry, and the films most exhilarating scene is when she and Benedick admit that they love the other, and both give free reign to their emotion; Benedick by splashing through a fountain, and Beatrice by swinging like a little girl again.

Kate Beckinsale and Robert Sean Leonard are quite good as fair Hero and the passionate Claudio, bringing a bit more life to the romance of the two. Claudio was properly gullible and hot-blooded, sentimental and quick to act, and Hero was gentle and modest, laughing at her cousin and obeying her father, a calming influence on her betrothed. I also enjoyed Denzel Washington's Don Pedro - he seemed always in control, honorable and solicitous of everyone, as the Prince should be. Richard Briers was also very good as Signoir Leonato, Hero's wise and gentle father. Michael Keaton was very funny - so over the top; I had never thought that much humor could be invested into the character of Dogberry, the constable, though sometimes I want to fast-forward his scenes and get back to our two couples. Very badly done was John the Bastard, played by Keanu Reeves as very wooden and one-note. He looks as if he is ready to stab someone in every scene, instead of being devious and calculating. The scenery is beautiful, and Patrick Doyle (who composed another one of my favorite films and scores, Sense and Sensibility) really outdid himself with the music. The best examples of this are the song "Sigh No More, Ladies", the opening sequence, the fountain/swing scenes, and Hero's first wedding. A wonderful introduction to Shakespeare, and a truly enjoyable film for those long aquatinted with the Bard. Ere you watch anything else, see this truly excellent film!

0 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Seabiscuit (2003)

8/10

Seabiscuit is a Champion

2 September 2003

Far better than most of the trash in the theater this summer, Seabiscuit is a wonderful film about a beat up racehorse and the amazing life he and his handlers lead. I repeat - this film is also about his handlers. Don't think that this is a film solely about horses - it is about the people whose lives he turned around, about the hope and pleasure he gave Depression-weary America, and, yes, much of it is about Seabiscuit, as well.

The film aims for greatness, but strikes the wire just short. Far better than most of the films out today, it is good enough to make grown men cry and people to jump out of their seats (personal experiences, both). The race scenes are thrilling, and some of the best scenes are of Red Pollard (played to the hilt by Toby McGuire) and Seabiscuit recuiperating together at Ridgewood Farm after devestestating injuries that could take them both from racing forever. It would be a very good idea to read the book either before or after you view this, depending on whether you want to know what happens. The book is every bit as dramatic as the film, and gives a good inside view into some scenes that may not otherwise be understood or shown(i.e. The $20 loan for instance, or Red Pollard's explosive personality and sense of humor and friendship with George Wolfe) All in all a very good film, a good summertime movie, especially now that we have Funny Cide to cheer for, in a humorous parallel of events - a silent, pessemistic trainer, a race that got away, and a rematch we are waiting for (Funny Cide vs. Empire Maker). Dispite what critis and others say, though not great, this is a very good film.

0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

The Scarlet Pimpernel (1999–2000)

7/10

No Matter What Anyone Tells You, This IS a Good Film...

1 September 2003

...if not a very good adaptation. Yes, the film deviates a little from the book, but what adaptation does not? (i.e. Sense and Sensibility, An Ideal Husband, Gone With the Wind, etc.) Some guidlines for watching this oft-critised film: do not expect a line-for-line, blow-by-blow, true-to-the-nth-degree page to film adaptation. Take the film on it's own, and enjoy it as the solid show it is. Do expect an exciting, romantic, wickedly funny trilogy. The costumes a quite good, and the music adds quite a bit, being rather good. The story of The Scarlet Pimpernel is well known, so I won't bore you by recounting what you already know, but I will say this - I and those who have watched with me found ourselves laughing at the exhanges, loving Sir Percy, and cheering on Marguerite. I have read the book, and can say that Richard E. Grant brings a vivacity and new depth to the Pimpernel, and Elizabeth McGovern, though not always outstanding, is wholly adaquate as the passionate, willful and dedicated wife of Sir Percy, Marguerite St. Just. Just watch this film, and enjoy it for what it is. I know I did.

18 out of 21 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Black Beauty (1994)

8/10

Beautiful, Moving

7 December 2002

Black Beauty is, (at least in my opinion,) one of the most underrated films of all time. It seems to be widely ignored, for the reason that it doesn't seem to be targeted at any specific age group or audience. For the people that pass it by because it seems boring, or another childrens book adaptation, try it, it really is a wonderful picture. Anyone who likes animals, period pieces, or stories of courage and love would especially like it. The costumes, carriages and scenery are beautiful. And the horses! This movie is a horsepersons dream. The scenes featuring the horses were breathtaking...colts racing over green grass, a filly and pony trotting together, their sinewy legs moving together in smooth rhythm, an elegant black stallion rearing up; they were all absolutely beautiful. My favorite scene was the scene in which Beauty is being broken -(being taught to carry a rider). The wonderful line - "But once I discovered that he and I, that the two of us could become one, this business turned out to be perfectly glorious!" - the music swells, and the horse takes off, racing across the green, and everything else turns to a blur. (I get goosebumps thinking about it!)Kudos to the voice of Black Beauty - I don't know who it is, but he really made the picture. (And the horse, too - he was wonderful, a gentleman.) All in all, a beautiful, moving picture that no family should be without a copy of.(Some parts are sad.) Seven out of ten stars.

39 out of 42 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

10/10

Wonderful, Spirited Adaptation of Jane Austen's Novel

1 December 2002

Warning: Spoilers

I borrowed "Sense and Sensibility" from a friend and watched it on their recommendation, not expecting to like it very much. It looked boring, and a little flat, even though I generally like this sort of film.

Surprise, surprise, I watched it three times and loved it. Emma Thompson did a truly superb job on the screenplay, as evidenced by her Oscar win. The entire film is bright, cheerful, and romantic. The sets, scenery, and costumes are a feast for the eyes; they truly transport you to 1800's England. Thompson does a wonderful job portraying the sensible, reserved Elinor and Hugh Grant is quite good as the bumbling, ernest, but lovable Edward Ferrars. Their love story is really quite sweet. For myself, however, the most interesting charecters were those of Marianne Dashwood and Colonel Brandon. Kate Winslet absolutly stole the picture as the passionate, impulsive Marianne, and was the personification of young love and innocence. Alan Rickman was likewise terrific as the handsome Colonel who longs for Marianne. His subtle performance speaks of Brandon's long hidden inner passions which make him Marianne's soul-mate from the very beginning.

SPOILER

One of my favorite parts of the film was the poetry reading scene at Barton Cottage, wherein Marianne begins to display faint signs of affection for the Colonel. It was very sweet, and tells volumes about the way courtships were conducted in the past. Marianne and Brandon, so obviously ment for each other, finally getting together - and then the wedding of the two, when they emerge from the church, arm in arm, beaming at each other, so obviously truly happy at last, for me that was the most romantic scene in the film, and a truly great movie moment. If you haven't seen "Sense and Sensibility" yet, I highly recommend it. I give it 9 out of 10 stars - it may seem a little slow to some and is definetly not for the unromantic or unsympathetic. A solid show, nevertheless.

4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

amabiliscasa

Reviews

Tell Your Friends

Recently Viewed