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Reviews
Puss Bucket (1991)
Judas and Corny are visited by an alien Virgin Mary... yeah...
This movie is in fact the worst movie of all time. Although I have not seen every movie ever made, I find it impossible to fathom a movie worse than Pussbucket. I am writing this review solely as a warning to benefit mankind. Do not, for any reason, see this movie. The plot is implausible to the extreme; the two main characters, Judas and Corned Beef (affectionately dubbed "Corny") live in a cottage in a field with their grandmother, whom we never see. Within the first minutes of the film, they are visited by an alien spaceship which blows off the roof of their cottage, a fact which they never seem to notice. One of the aliens poses as the Virgin Mary to convince our protagonists to cleanse the human race by killing demons and sacrificing their pus (hence the origin of the title, which is misspelled by the movie makers). What ensues is an agonizing romp involving the slaying of scientologists, sleazy hookers, and coats pulled on a string. The budget of this film is made clear by shoddy camera work and special effects that could be duplicated by two ten-year-olds with camcorder. I cannot stress enough that no viewer should waste an hour and 45 minutes of their life to see this film.
Friends (1994)
A wonderful comedy with lovable characters
The long running "Friends" was a carefree comedy that well deserved the recognition it received. The writers always created a plot that would draw the viewer out of the stressful real world into the carefree NY of "Friends." There was always some witty line or humorous event in the show that could get a laugh, which is, after all, the point of a sitcom. The real magic of this show, however, came not from the writers, but from the characters and the incredible chemistry they shared. It seems unlikely that a spoiled, rich, pretty girl, an uptight, clean-freak, formally fat chef, a dorky paleontologist recently divorced from his lesbian wife, a sarcastic son of a cross-dressing father who is bored with his job, an Italian playboy from a large family who loves eating sandwiches, and a singer-songwriter masseuse who lived in a box after her mother killed herself could be thrown into the same world and come out friends, but this eclectic mixture makes for variety and creates situations that could not happen on any other show. Occasionally "Friends" becomes formulaic, as with the mandatory dating between friends, but the characters are endearing, and throughout the course of the show, the viewer comes to love them. The character quirks of "Friends" are so endearing, that they have shaped American society. Where would we be without Joey's favorite pickup line "How you doing?" The show is humorous because the characters are flawed, thus they are real. Their flaws may be exaggerated for entertainment purposes, but the viewer can still relate to the characters, because (aside from the fact that they magically earn a living by going to their job about once a month) they are real. The show deserved it's success because of the unique, yet real, characters it created, which are now inseparable from our culture.
I'll Be There (2003)
cute but implausible plot
"I'll Be There" has a cute but implausible plot, mediocre acting, and terrible sound quality, which would not be completely horrible in an ordinary movie, but in a movie that's entire purpose is to allow the lead actress to show off her voice, it's a disaster. The plot is quite obviously put together merely so that Charlotte Church can sing, but the poor recording quality of the movie does not even let the plot follow through with its motive. Charlotte Church's beautiful, first class voice is completely butchered. The movie would be worthwhile just to here her sing if someone on the crew had managed to obtain decent recording equipment. As this is not the case, it is a bit of a waste of time. The plot is cute enough that it can keep the attention of the viewer, and Charlotte Church plays her part fairly well. She has a very pretty face that lights up at the right moments and aids the movie considerably. Otherwise, the acting is mediocre, and the movie is not worth wasting money on.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
The greatest thing you'll ever watch is Moulin Rouge!
I don't understand how anyone could hate this movie! It is my favorite movie of all time. Admittedly, the plot is cliché, but no one can claim that the plot keeps the movie from being unique. I have never seen anything remotely similar to Moulin Rouge. It is an incredible feast for your eyes; the set and costumes have such vibrant color that if they were the only good thing about the movie, you would still be entertained. The script is wacky and amusing, but also sentimental and moving. The acting was real; my heart broke for Christian every time he was jealous or hurt, because the pain on his face was real. Ewan McGregor is a phenomenal actor, and has the most pleasing male voice I have ever heard. Nicole Kidman is also superb, both as an actress and a singer. The movie moves quickly, but is easy to follow as long as you pay attention, and certainly keeps you from being bored. The songs, though familiar modern tunes, are blended and arranged in an original way, that could not be conceived by anyone other than a genius. Moulin Rouge never fails to excite, amuse, enthrall, or captivate me. I have seen it four times now, in the past 2 months, and have never managed to make it all the way through without crying. Despite the borrowed songs and cliché love story that drive the film, I have never seen a more original production.
Down with Love (2003)
Fun, good music, but mediocre laughs.
Good satire on Doris Day, and as usual, Ewan McGregor's voice is fabulous. However, there are occasionally large periods of time between laughs, and the ridiculous plot is at times distracting. Because it is mocking the lighthearted Doris Day movies with completely implausible plots, the movie does not take itself entirely seriously, which makes the senseless plot have a definite point, but also keeps it from being a truly great film. Acting and singing is excellent, especially on the part of Ewan McGregor, who does a wonderful impression of Rock Hudson and never fails to melt into a role. Renee Zelleweger is cute and sweet as usual. If the movie weren't worth watching for the singing, which it is, it would be worth it for the complete unfolding of the plot by Renee at the end of the movie, which is simply hilarious.