Reviews

This movie seems to have a great talent with documentary-style filming. It's so real that it's as if the filmmakers just let the cameras roll while Bill McKay was on a campaign run. However, this is not real. This involves Robert Redford in an overlooked performance as Bill McKay, an idealistic lawyer who runs for Senator of California to upset an old and creaky warhorse Senator named Crocker Jarmon (Who's really a Crock). This film takes you from the beginning when the idea comes about to the time of the debate (Which is one of the great climaxes of the film) to election night, to the results. If only electing a President in this country were this easy. Robert Redford makes his role the best that it could be. Here's a man that goes through so many parades, interviews and handshakes and yet he still has the same ideals that people love, want, and need. This is a great movie and is worth watching (Especially during a time of election). Michael Ritchie's documentary-style filming is exceptionally and tastefully well done and the rest of the cast (Including a few appearances by Melvyn Douglas) shines along with Redford.

I have never seen such a bad sci-fi movie in my life. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if this damages John Travolta's career somehow. His acting, along with Barry Pepper's and Forest Whitaker's (Whitaker's usually a very talented man) is wooden and has no personality at all. Don't even get me started on the plot. This film rips off everything from Star Wars to other films. I think the biggest mistake this movie made (Besides bringing the book to the big screen, which is quite a good book if you take the time to read it) was hiring B-Movie director Roger Christian to take the helm. I guess the rule of thumb here is to never give a B-Movie director to direct what could have been a potentially good movie. Christian, on the other hand has worked with microscopic budgets. Give him an $80 million dollar budget and look what in the crap nebula happened (Sorry, just had to quote from the book there). Besides, this was a man who helped out as a set director with the first Star Wars film (The '77 one) and was a second assistant director on the highly successful first prequel.

I guess what I am trying to say here is: DON'T SEE IT. Literally, as I was walking around the movie theater here at home and saw people going in to see it, I said to myself, "Why do they torture themselves like this?"

Just don't bother. If you want to see a good sci-fi film, just dust off the Star Wars tapes and have a great Saturday night that way.

Aside from Arthur and The American President, this movie is one of my all-time favorite films. Neil Simon wrote a perfect script that really brings out the best in this film. After her boyfriend deserts her, Paul McFadden (Played to perfection by Marsha Mason) is devastated and spends the first few minutes crying over it. In the middle of the night, a mysterious stranger comes along and claims that her boyfriend sublet the apartment to him. This stranger is played by Academy-Award winning actor Richard Dreyfuss as Elliot Garfield, a struggling actor who is frustrated most of the time over Paula's antics. Let me tell you something. Richard Dreyfuss's Oscar for this film was well-deserved. The way he acted out this role was silly as well as serious. Finally, the last player we have in this film is Paula's daughter Lucy (Quinn Cummings). I have never seen such a impressive performance by a child. Lucy almost seems like she is grown up in this film.

Although it takes a long while before they eventually fall in love, the path the movie takes is enough to keep you smiling.

RENT THIS ONE!! Do not wait. This is a film I highly recommend.

After seeing Margaret Sullivan and James Stewart hit it off so well in The Shop Around The Corner (A film that is the ultimate in charm), I looked forward to seeing their early film together, The Shopworn Angel. This film was sort of a disappointment for me, even with James Stewart in it (One of my all-time favorite actors).

James Stewart plays a WWI soldier who is sent to New York for basic training. After being nearly run over by well-known actress Daisy Heath (Margaret Sullivan), he asks Daisy to pretend to be his girl just to impress his friends at the camp, but then a real romance forms.

I have one question for this film and that is, what romance? There was little to no chemistry between Stewart and Sullivan that I could see.

Stewart fans, take warning. Watch with caution.

I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't send in my comments after I saw this film. This was an extremely enjoyable film. As a fan of Edward G. Robinson, I can say with great enthusiasm that he doesn't disappoint. Bette Davis is up to her smart-as-a-whip self which makes it even more entertaining. Humphrey Bogart puts on a role of a scheming man that makes him look better than he already is.

Near the end, the film started to derail a bit and got a bit pointless, but it was all in good taste. It was also well-directed with Michael Curtiz at the helm. I couldn't imagine anyone else directing this. Boxing fans and movie buffs, see this film immediately. This is one film you will not want to miss.

Parents, when you take your kids to see this film, be warned. They may enjoy it, but for you it might be a real torturefest. I saw an advance screening of the film and it was pure torture. It starts off with a cartoon short called "Pikachu's vacation" (Although I wouldn't actually call it short because it ran 22 minutes). Then the movie came on which ran about 76 minutes. It involves a pokemon named Mewtwo which wants to take over the world with his biologically engineered super-Pokemon. Parents, be prepared to answer your kids about what DNA is because that term is used heavily throughout the film. Parts of this film seemed like a science documentary. The ending is very corny and the whole movie itself was not worth it at all.

The first time I saw this, I was with an aviation camp and we went at night to see this. About 45 minutes into the film, I fell asleep and did not wake up until the end credits. It was not out of boredom, but rather the tiredness of flying planes and telling dirty jokes at 1AM (Typical stuff at an aviation camp). Anyway, I gave Saving Private Ryan another try and it still didn't go with me. The action sequences at the beginning were okay, but the flashback technique did not work for me. At about an hour and 35 minutes into the film, my attention span shrunk. This did not really seem like Spielberg at all. The storyline seemed very boring. It was mostly a series of very long fights.

With big summer blockbusters and special effects all around, how could the muppets fit in? The answer is: Very well! In this entertaining film, Gonzo believes that he is a space alien after he receives messages from outer space. This prompts government agent K. Edgar Singer (Jeffrey Tambor) to go after him. What follows is a funny and wild muppet movie that I think little kids will enjoy.

And for you old Muppet alumni, see this film ASAP. I believe it is one you will enjoy. WALDORF AND STATLER RULE!

Jon Voight stars in this film about Noah and the Ark he must build. The story takes place before the building when violence has overcome the planet and God wants to destroy everything and start over. He tries it (unsucessfully) with asteroids, but that does not help one bit. He decides that he must flood the earth. The interesting thing is that you hear God's voice (Of course we've heard so many variations of it). Mary Steenburgen turns in a wonderful performance as Noah's wife who supports him all the way on this adventure. The special effects in the 2nd part of the mini-series was simply amazing. The building of the boat and the loading of the animals was an amazing spectacle for the eyes. The flood, however was something else. (Even though it only took place for 5 minutes or so).

Don't miss this one!

This film is one of the best I have seen this year. Sean Connery puts in a good performance by playing Robert "Mac" MacDougal, a world renowed art thief. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Ginger "Gin" Baker, a worker for an insurance agency who convinces her boss to let her work with McDougal. Oh, she does all right, and in a big way. The story can make your head spin as it is misleading and confusing. The skin-tight outfits on Zeta-Jones are awesome. Ving Rhames puts in a good word by playing Thibedeaux. He works for Connery's character and provides all of the humor in this film, basically (Although there is very little humor).

Don't miss this one. This is a must-see.

Being that I was a fan of the original, I found this film to be a complete disappointment. Who thought that they could remake the Out-Of-Towners? It was a stupid move actually. George and Gwen Kellerman are now George and Nancy Clark (Played by Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn). This time they are left with empty-nest syndrome after their son leaves for London. With nothing to do, George needs to go to New York because of a job interview that he desperately needs being that he was let go from his previous job after 23 years. The only thing is that Nancy doesn't know this. But she does nearing the middle of the film. A few jokes are resurrected from the original and still bring a smile to those that watched and enjoyed the original. Other than that, the rest of the movie is a complete disappointment from start to finish.

Don't rush so fast to see this one. It is better to wait until it comes out on video.

I found this movie to be quite good. Although some people call this movie the "Grumpy Old Men And The Sea" it is hilarious at the right moments and soft at others. Matthau and Lemmon are two great actors and if you like one or both of them, be sure not to miss this film.

This film really shows the flip side to the political market. Jack Lemmon and James Garner (No, Walter Matthau could not make this film because he was filming I'm Not Rappaport at the time) turn in fine performances as two rivaling ex-presidents on the run from assassins. The film has some good humor and the way these two pass around insults is hilarious. The whole journey from start to finish is a laugh riot all around. Go rent it quickly. Don't miss this one.

This is film is one of the best because of the content it has. Forrest Gump is a dim-witted young man who goes through three turbulent decades unknowingly while searching for his childhood friend, Jenny. What he goes through will amaze and astound you. He goes through the Vietnam War, Watergate, the 60s, and so much more. What is amazing in this film was the special effects used to incorporate Hank's character into this film. ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) takes the credit for it and what they do is an amazing job.

Don't miss this film. Go out and rent it tonight.

I remember seeing this movie when I was about 6 or 7. Back then it was my most favorite movie. I definitely couldn't let go of it. Looking back, it still remains as one of my favorites, but in a list of many others. Joey Cramer plays David, a 12 year old that becomes missing in 1978, then he appears once more in 1986. He hasn't aged in those 8 years. When David 'comes back' however, a flying saucer is found, entangled in electrical cables. The film itself was a good one. Not only because of the main character, but you also had Paul Reubens giving the voice of a character named Max, a computer aboard the ship. He gives some funny quips throughout the film that are worth chuckling at. Sarah Jessica Parker also makes an appearance as Carolyn McAdams, a person trying to help David.

Don't miss this film. I am surely going to go out and rent it to remember it.

This is one of the better disaster films. This time, a 747 in-flight is skyjacked by clever thieves (You will be surprised at who they are) who want the precious art that is on-board the private jet. Everything starts to go wrong, especially when the 747 hits an oil rig and sinks to the bottom of the ocean. What begins is a fight for survival and an astounding rescue mission. Jack Lemmon is the daring pilot this time and he does a mighty fine job at it. There are a couple of other names in this film like Olivia DeHavilland and others.

Go rent this film. It is good for a Saturday night.

After "Airport", we approach the sequel, "Airport 1975". This one is well worth in. Not only do you have a good storyline (A 747 involved in a mid-air collision with a private plane). But you also have some good names on board this flight. Charlton Heston turns in a good performance as well as Karen Black, playing Nancy Pryor, the stewardess that must get the plane down for a safe landing via help from the radios. George Kennedy once again plays the gruff Joe Patroni and believe me, he does stick around for a long time.

Another dont-miss film. Go rent it.

This film is one that is overlooked by many people. I found it to be quite enjoyable, however. The Kellermans, George and Gwen make a trek from Ohio to New York that is supposed to go the right way. Waiting for them in New York is a job interview for George which would propel him at his job at a plastics company. As soon as the plane takes off, nothing goes right. Some of the hilarities include the plane being diverted to Boston, a crowded train, a mugging and much more. All of these also revolves around a taxi strike happening in New York.

Don't miss this one. It is one you will enjoy.

If you thought your home airport was like this, think again. On a snowy night at Lincoln International Airport, things start to go wrong including annoyed residents that have planes flying over their houses, a stuck 707 jet and a bomb-laden 707 in the air. The acting in this film is incredible. Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin turn in wonderful performances. Although he is on-screen for a fairly short time, Van Heflin does a great job of playing an insane bomber.

Don't miss this one. If you are trying to get used to disaster movies, start with this one.

Forrest Gump is one of the movies that actually has a well-written plot. Forrest Gump (played by Tom Hanks) is waiting for the bus one day. He is sort of dimwitted, as he has an iq of 75. But as people sit next to him at the bus stop, he goes through so many events that happened through his life, it makes you think that you were actually there with him. This film is absolutely phenomenal. I saw this in 3rd hour English today and this film just went and tugged at my heart strings. This movie was so realistic that you could actually FEEL Forrest's sadness, joys, and even the adventures that he went through in his life.

This is one I definitely plan to see again.

Charlie Gordon (Walter Matthau) is the guy who can't seem to let go of horse racing. The debts pile up high on his head. So, he decides that it is time for him and his brother-in-law to take a trip out on the open seas. His brother-in-law, Herb Sullivan (Jack Lemmon) whose wife passed away reluctantly tags along. It is not until they board the Westerdam that it is realized that Charlie signed them up as dance hosts. What follows is some hilarious antics not only on the open seas, but on the dance floor. And a sweet love story also comes along too. People criticize this movie for the pointlessness it brings. It is actually quite funny, but seems to be geared more toward the seniors' group. I think this movie was quite good. Rent it for a weekend and just see.

People may think of this movie as a dumb parody to politics, but it is actually funny. The political market today is filled with scandals and every other bad thing you can think of. This movie shows that there is a funny side to politics. Jack Lemmon and James Garner are hilarious in their roles as President Russell Kramer and President Matt Douglas, two ex-presidents on the run from assassins. On the way, they moan, and complain which happens to be quite hilarious. Never underestimate the power of politics. Sure it may be boring, but it can also be funny. This is one movie to rent for a weekend. If you do, be prepared for a hilarious weekend.

Well-written, well-acted, and just an awesome movie is what I can say about Titanic. I didn't go to the movie on my B-Day in March, 1998 to see Leo. I went to see it because I was curious as to what all the hoopla was about. What I saw just took my breath away. It was absolutely incredible how one man can have such an impact on any film. And that man was James Cameron. There was such detail and such accuracy with the sinking of the ship (Including the blinking out of all the lights on board). The post-sinking just went through my bones like a cold chill. I couldn't believe it. People frozen to death, people in lifeboats still calling to see if anyone is still alive, and the final scene with Jack in it. Because of this film, I am studying as much of the Titanic as I can. This movie will remain a classic for years to come.

An excellent movie for all to see. Sure, it may be educational and boring to some, but it is worth watching. The songs are great and it is interesting to see how the Declaration of Independence was created for our freedom. The casting for all the characters was an excellent choice. William Daniels does a great job as John Adams (With aggressiveness like that, who can argue?) Howard Da Silva plays the humble Benjamin Franklin who plays a crucial part throughout the movie. David Ford (John Hancock) is an interesting casting call for this movie.

All in all, it was well-liked by me and should be seen by those who are history buffs and those who are just interested in the movie.

Hey, it's better than sitting through U.S. History class.

Rory Aronsky