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russnickm
Reviews
Godzilla (1998)
he balance, the GOOD outweighs the BAD.
I am a certified Godzilla fan. I must add, though, that I have been disappointed with the many "Godzilla" sequels that followed the original black and white classic (Am I the only one who wonders why the Japanese can invent a computer that fits on your thumbnail but can't seem to make a movie!!!). The original message was so pertinent to the day: think of Raymond Burr's opening remarks about this menace being so new and so horrible that it can destroy a city in no time and could leash-out at anytime at anyplace in the world; who could not identify Godzilla with the bomb? Anyway, this new version was exactly that: NEW! The special effects were superb (A big-screen video game of sorts), Godzilla sleek and gigantic, and the twists and turns (literally) of the plot were brilliant. I did find the acting, however, a bit wanting: in my opinion the movie was great in spite of Audrey's "performance" which was just a bit worse than Broderick's (Compared to the excellent job of New York Italian Lucy!). All in all, see it, enjoy it, and remember: Big is BETTER!
The Nanny (1993)
Pure, perfect comedy
One day I didn't change the channel after THE GOLDEN GIRLS went off on Lifetime and I sat for thirty minutes and had the best laughter at a sit-com I've had in YEARS! What a delightful show. I was hooked and haven't missed an episode since. I love the Jewish stereotype humor (Being Italian, there are so many similarities between our two crazy nationalities...) and Fran Drescher is stunning. Every character is needed and not one is superfulous. I kept waiting for the re-run of the FIRST episode and when it finally came on I was so intrigued at how the characters had believably grown over the years with their parts. In case you never saw the final show -- Fran and Maxwell marry, she has her twins, CC and Niles Marry, and they move to California -- don't miss it: it's hysterical as well as a tear-jerker. There's an added treat at the end when ALL the characters come on-stage for a sort of Broadway-like grand finale, all this while the live audience went wild. This sit-com is an oasis in the otherwise desert of contemporary, medicore, and un-funny sitcoms of the 2000's.
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
Uneventful made historic
Around 1525 Henry VIII fell hopelessly in love with his wife's newly acquired maid-of-honor, Anne Boleyn. A seemingly uneventful, probably unimportant infatuation changed the history of England radically and the history of the world forever. Who in Great Britain at that time ever dreamed that the events unfolding in their king's castle was about to change their lives so much. And it's true. Henry VIII, fascinating in himself, probably didn't even realize what his love for this woman was going to mean. Has there ever been a more tantalizing historical figure to study? This man moved -- literally -- heaven and earth to win the heart of this reluctant, uncooperative, insignificant girl. And no one plays Henry better than Richard Burton, combining wit, cruelty, and selfishness in one unforgettable character. This movie is such a charmer, even if it does take some historical liberties. Bujold is superb as the spiteful, spoiled Boleyn. But even in her transformation in this film is tragedy: she goes from the crown to the block with such speed that even her "head" must have spun! Any student of Tudor history, or anyone just wanting to see a good-old-fashioned epic, will love this movie. I like to think that Burton comes the closest to portraying what Henry VIII must have really been like. But even if you don't like history, Tudor England, or the stars in this movie, watch it anyway. You'll be glad you were born when you were and NEVER the object of a king's love.
The Godfather (1972)
Once is never enough!
Last Thanksgiving the WHOLE family was sitting at the table, eating, drinking. My cousin shouted in from the living room, "The Godfather's on," and it was, on regular TV complete with edits and commercials. Anyway, it's safe to say that every person in that house that day saw The Godfather a hundred times and the comments were, "My God, I've seen that so many times..." and within ten minutes everyone was in the living room, holding dishes in their hand, eating standing up, watching this movie that everyone knew inside out, everyone quoting from the movie as the actor's spoke, and so on. Trivia facts shared, general info on the movie, and EVERYONE glued to the picture. THAT is the sign of a great movie. If a movie can hold this kind of hypnotic magic, even after all these years, it has succeeded in the art of story-telling. Perhaps no other movie has this attraction like Godfather I. So, don't feel silly if you are seeing this movie for the tenth time (Or the hundredth time). It's always a winner.
Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
Like good wine, this movie improves with time!
When I was thirteen years old my high school did FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and I immediately was hooked on Jewish tradition and Russian history. When the movie came out I was probably the first to see it in Philadelphia. Back then big movies like FIDDLER were still shown on enormous screen movie theatres which looked like opera houses, all adding to the entertainment. Norman Jewison succeeded in bringing the taste and feel of 1905 Russia to the story; no detail was overlooked either in Jewish culture or Russian background; even more, he combined laughter with tears in so many of the scenes. At the time, the movie was considered a bit long (The ending sequence of the heart-breaking eviction of the Jews from Russia comes to mind), but not by my standards. The academy-award winning score and orchestrations by John Williams is excellent and this was not an easy task, bringing the Broadway show to screen. All-in-all, I am hard pressed to find flaws in this movie and each time I see it it's better. I have had FIDDLER nights where I show this movie to friends and the reward is to hear how much the movie is loved by everyone, no matter how many times we see it over the years. Please, rent it, buy it, WATCH it, and love it. And let yourself be lost in this masterpiece of an epic.
Rasputin (1996)
Movie's Accuracy is offset by obvious omissions
For once, after all the nonsense written and shown about the infamous Grigori Rasputin, this film makes an excellent effort at accuracy and objectivity. The characters look incredibly like the historical people they play: Alexis (The heir and narrator), the Tsar (Masterfully played by Ian Mc Kellam), the four daughters; unfortunately, the character of the Empress, Alexandra, is terrible; not only does she not look like her but portrays none of Alexandra's personality (Unlike the excellent job done by Janet Suzman in Nicholas and Alexandra). The movie is breathtaking in its on-location shots, especially St. Petersburg and the interiors of the palace. With so much effort put into accuracy, though, I don't understand how, with the climax of the film, Rasputin's murderers are incomplete: it was not just Felix Yussupov but the Tsar's nephew and favorite, Grand Duke Dmitri, who pulled off the killing. This movie completely excludes Dmitri. Still, if the viewer is just looking for an above average account of the strangest period in history (Without looking TOO close), this movie will do the trick.
Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)
The best so far on the Last Tsar and Tsarina of Russia.
When Robert Massie's monumental work, Nicholas and Alexandra, first came out in the last sixties, I was amazed he was able to get as much information as he did on a subject that Soviet Russia was petrified of. It became a sort of standard for all future researchers on the fall of the Romanovs. The movie soon followed and it, too, was fairly accurate. Obviously, it was impossible to cover so much of a story in a three hour time-frame, but some important details of Nicholas' and Alexandra's reign was missing: where was Anna Vyburova? Where was Elizabeth Feodorovna, Alix's sister? These might seem small criticisms but they did play a significant part in the story. I was amazed by how much they matched actors appearances with their historical character: Michael Jayston is a spitting image of Nicholas, physically as well as his personality. Laurence Olivier is quite perfect as Count Witte, Janet Suzman is also a mirror image of Alexandra. The movie could have benefitted from more music in the background, especially at crucial moments. I kept waiting for a swell of instrumental music and... Nothing! Fortunately, I saw this movie when it first came out on TV and remembered the scenes that were cut when it came out on video (Why these scenes were cut is beyond me: The deciding vote creating the Bolshevik Party where Stalin and Lenin meet; a touching scene where Nicholas explains to Alexis the meaning of "war in the Balkans (July 1914)" and not to worry; Alexis' fall on the bob-sled on the steps in the house in Tobolsk and after Nicholas' scolds him he shouts in tears, "Why did you abdicate for me? I could have helped Russia!" All in all, however, it's the best we have so far on this period of history and a must-see for all Romanov students.
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
In my opinion, a flawless work of art!
Everyone has a favorite film; this has been mine for thirty years. I went to see this masterpiece of cinema when I was in eighth grade and thus began my love affair with Tsarist Russia. From the opening scene of Alec Guiness' story to its last spoken line ("Ah, then it's a gift!") everything revolves around the effect of the Russian Revolution not on a nation or city, but on very individual lives: Yurii, Lara, Tanya, Victor... The intriguing play of the change of seasons along with the strange fate of circumstances that go to make up events in our lives is brilliantly brought out: from Yurii's adoption into the Gromyoko family and marrying Tanya ("He's your brother now...") (The hint of incest), from the strange turn of circumstances that bring him into the world of the mysterious and beautiful Lara, the outbreak of war and the horror of the thousand mile long Ukranian front. Again, Maurice Jarre's academy award winning theme (He had to search high and low for a balalaika band-orchestra) spins in and out, now happy, now sad. I would recommend anyone who is in love to see this film. The sets (Done mostly in Spain) are incredible, including an authentic street in Moscow complete with a Saint Basil's Cathedral in the background and a tram car; snow scenes that will literally chill you in your seat, just to whet your apetite with a few. Don't hesitate for a minute to enjoy this truly escapist entertainment.