I just watched the remake of THE PRODUCERS. I am left speechless. Who, in their right mind would even attempt such a silly idea? I watch the original periodically and still laugh a lot, but this thing is ridiculous. I saw the play in London this year and found it wonderful. The acting superb, staging brilliant etc. I am a fan of both Nathan Lane and Mathew Broderick and can't understand how they allowed themselves to be so miscast. As far as Will Ferrell trying to do Kenneth Mars' part, it's laughable(and not in a good way). Anyway, if you want to see how funny something can be go get the original because it's arguably the funniest film ever made.
Reviews
8 Reviews
King Kong
(2005)
Time will tell
2 April 2006
In fifty years this dismal, drawn out, farce will have been long forgotten, as the first remake has been, but the original will still be as powerful and moving and wonderful as ever. I was at a retrospective of the original at a local art theatre. Half the people there were in their fifties and the other half were under twelve. I was amazed at how the kids still screamed and how they adored this classic of film making.
This latest thing is a joke. All situations were contrived and I found the leading characters about as exciting as oatmeal without raisins. Oh well.
This latest thing is a joke. All situations were contrived and I found the leading characters about as exciting as oatmeal without raisins. Oh well.
Sideways
(2004)
Why doesn't someone just give these guys a dope slap and tell them to grow up?
22 December 2004
Warning: Spoilers
I really, and I mean really, expected to like this movie. It was filmed near my home and everyone I talked to told me how great it was. Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy but what I saw was a pushing forty guy still whining about how tough life is and mooning over his ex-wife who dumped him two years before, and a Don Juan who doesn't want to commit to his fiancé but ends up simpering and crying how he can't stand to lose her. I wanted to give them both a slap sort of like Cher does in "Moonstruck" and say "GET OVER IT". Maybe times have changed but most of the guys I know were more together than this at eighteen. I wouldn't want to know either of these two.
The only bright spot is Virginia Madsen. It's really good to see her again. She doesn't do enough. She's the only one in the entire movie who has any backbone and is beautiful besides.
The wine is the real star of this film. You know whoever did the screenplay has a deep love of wine that comes through with shining colors.
To sum up. It's great to see a movie without CGI and shootouts but I would truly have liked to feel some compassion for the characters.
The only bright spot is Virginia Madsen. It's really good to see her again. She doesn't do enough. She's the only one in the entire movie who has any backbone and is beautiful besides.
The wine is the real star of this film. You know whoever did the screenplay has a deep love of wine that comes through with shining colors.
To sum up. It's great to see a movie without CGI and shootouts but I would truly have liked to feel some compassion for the characters.
A little disappointing
16 November 2004
As another reviewer has pointed out we all know who dies, why, and who kills them. Therefore I won't go into that. I'll only say that I was pretty disappointed in the overall quality of the movie. I found it rather brooding and ponderous. I felt that everyone was trying to create a serious work. Ech. I found the entire production rather oppressive. These are people on holiday yet no one smiles at any time. Where's the old clever and wryly humorous Poirot? I still love this series. The use of the art deco settings and the rather jaded and decadent characters is always a pleasure to watch. The Egyptian scenery is truly breathtaking. My real problem is that I didn't really like or care about any of these characters.
The Village
(2004)
A plethora of unrealized potential
3 August 2004
This is one of the most beautifully produced and finely photographed films I've seen in years. It is eerily haunting at the beginning and you have the niggling fear that you are in for an interesting experience.
Lo and behold, within about forty minutes you find it's all silliness and smoke. I can suspend my disbelief as well as the next guy but after being raised in the woods of Pennsylvania I defy anyone who is blind to run at full speed for more than two steps without running headfirst into a large birch tree. Yet we are supposed to accept that the blind heroine can not only accomplish this feat, but kill the "monster", and magically find her way back home again. Hogwash! Other than a ridiculous premise, mediocre character development and total unbelievability it was a waste of what could have been a truly wonderful movie in the horror genre. What a cop-out. As my wife said as we were leaving (she who never says a bad word about any movie) "That movie sucked" Everyone around us seemed to agree.
Lo and behold, within about forty minutes you find it's all silliness and smoke. I can suspend my disbelief as well as the next guy but after being raised in the woods of Pennsylvania I defy anyone who is blind to run at full speed for more than two steps without running headfirst into a large birch tree. Yet we are supposed to accept that the blind heroine can not only accomplish this feat, but kill the "monster", and magically find her way back home again. Hogwash! Other than a ridiculous premise, mediocre character development and total unbelievability it was a waste of what could have been a truly wonderful movie in the horror genre. What a cop-out. As my wife said as we were leaving (she who never says a bad word about any movie) "That movie sucked" Everyone around us seemed to agree.
Bug
(2002)
It's a small world
16 January 2004
Wow! I'm shocked to learn that it's a small world and that we are all interconnected. What a waste of 88 minutes. John Dunne put it much better in one sentence. "No man is an island." The acting wasn't bad. The kids gave it all they had but at times the thread got so thin I couldn't follow it and the only real "hero" in the film ends up in jail after being tormented by a meter maid. I don't know. I just don't get it. Oh well.
Who Is Cletis Tout?
(2001)
A pleasant silliness
20 August 2003
Watching a movie like "Who is Cletis Tout" is rather like drinking diet cola. It tastes good and doesn't really hurt you. The acting and fun of it make up for the plot holes you could drive a truck through. Some of the reviewers have compared it to "The Usual Suspects", but that's sort of like comparing a pencil drawing to a Picasso. "Suspects" was an incredibly tight, well written mind twister. This is just a fun way to spend a couple of hours. The really fun part of it is to see how many of Allen's quotes you can pin down. For an old time film buff like myself it was a fun challenge. Too sum it up, if you want a pleasant evening, rent this film, sit down and "fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night."(Betty Davis)
Event Horizon
(1997)
scary nonsense
3 August 2003
At first glance Event Horizon seems like a very scary sci-fi tale with good special effects. After the subsequent viewing however, I notice that almost all of what comes to pass is total nonsense and pretty much just gratuitous gore. The basic precept of the gravity drive is quite interesting and could be made into an excellent creative, if given to a competent writer. Unfortunately there do not seem to be any in Hollywood at the moment, so they come up with a story that makes no sense. "Nameless horrors beyond hell." Yeah, right. Like what? Being sliced and diced? Steer clear. Fit only for stalk and slash fans and people who don't expect much coherence from their entertainment.
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