ChristopherRice Reviews

Only You (1994)

This movie was, and forever will be, awful

[1/10 · 21 March 2005]

I like romantic comedies. Roman Holiday is in my top three movies of all time. I love Italy. This movie is putrid. The reason? It is a god awful story, horribly constructed, and utterly unbelievable. In order for any romantic comedy to work, you have to believe why the two characters love each other, you have to believe that they were meant to be together. This generally works best when the love is slowly built up, even if the time period covered is very short (as in one day for Roman Holiday). With this film, we're supposed to believe this woman is in love with a man because of a name? Give me a break! We're supposed to have sympathy for this ditz who's willing to leave her fiancé in the lurch because of a name? We're supposed to believe that Robert Downey, Jr. falls in love with her in 5 minutes, when this woman clearly has psychological problems? This doesn't even get into all the clichés, Tomei's bad acting, etc. Best part of the film is the glimpse or two of Italian scenery. I'm shocked Jewison even agreed to direct this film with such an obviously flawed script. I guess he thought he had "Moonstruck in Italy," and that he could make it work.

Wrong.

Babe (1995)

An astounding film

[17 December 2003]

I was dragged to this film by my girlfriend (now wife) when it first came out in fall of 1995. I had zero interest in what seemed to me nothing more than a kids movie. I recall sitting in the theater before the movie commenced, looking at my watch and estimating the time it would end, when my life could begin again after this rude 90 minute interruption.

Then the film began. The moment Babe said a tearful goodbye to his mother as she was being led off to the slaughter house ("Pig Paradise", the narrator says), I was hooked. What stood out to me was not the tearful "Goodbye Mom", but the fact that after we see Babe's mom loaded into the truck, the camera goes back to Babe, siting in the corner of his industrial pen, sobbing profusely. This moment, maybe 90 seconds into the movie, is filmed so well, so perfect, that instead of coming off as melodramatic, it is heartrending. I know that word is used often to describe this film, but I do not know how else to describe it. This is one of many "heartrending" moments in this beautiful film.

This is by far the best childrens film I have ever seen, but it really is a mistake to even call it a childrens film. It is simply a great film. A film that shows how wondrous things can happen as a result of common decency; how any individual can triumph if they believe in themselves; how vital is the help of family and friends in life's arduous journey.

This a film not to be missed. It should have beaten Braveheart.

Roman Holiday (1953)

The Perfect Film

[28 June 2002]

Roman Holiday is the most perfect film ever produced. Humor, romance, slapstick, dialogue, and most of all, poignancy. I had never seen an Audrey Hepburn film until a few years ago when my girlfriend (now wife) picked it up on video and said I would like it. I'm a big Gregory Peck fan, so I was like sure, I'll watch it. From the moment Audrey first appeared as the delightfully charming Princess Ann, I fell in love with her. I know that's a commonly used phrase when describing Audrey's performance in this film, but I don't know how else to describe it. I literally fell in love. I'm not a big fan of romantic comedies, and I think most movies are worthless crap that have done more to destroy our culture than advance it. But my god this is the best film I've ever seen! I've probably seen it 10 times now, and every goddamm time I see it I fall in love all over again and in the end my heart is left broken. Audrey and Peck's chemistry is magical. The scenery is beautiful, even in black and white. Dammit, even Eddie Albert is wonderful! Every time I watch this movie I want to hold Audrey in my arms and kiss her and never let her go. I never felt this way about a stupid movie. But I can't help it. I refuse to own it. Why? Because I would spend all my free time watching it, to see if maybe, just maybe, this time they'll end up together. I end up catching it every few months on AMC, after which I'm in a funk for a few days. I know this sounds ridiculous, but this is the only movie that hits me so deeply, so passionately. I'm almost angry that it does so, but what can I do? "Well, life isn't always what one likes, is it?"

What also bothers me is why these two never worked together again? Does anyone know? Please tell me. After Roman Holiday, I've found every other Audrey film to pale in comparison. The major fault of all of them is the lack of chemistry she shares with her costars (grouchy Humphrey Bogart in Sabrina; the laughable Gary Cooper in Love in the Afternoon; a decent effort by George Pappard in Tiffany's; the "I-bet-I-can-be-more-suave-than-you" performance of Cary Grant in Charade; I could go on forever). Audrey is wonderful and beautiful as usual, but the films are generally poor. Peck went back to the gritty hero roles (and was perfect in all of them), while Audrey was pawned off to every Hollywood romantic lead. I just don't get it. But then again, I don't think I'll ever get Hollywood.

Mindwalk (1990)

Intellectual Romp

[23 February 2001]

I love this film. The movie calls itself a film for passionate thinkers, and I couldn't agree more. The discussion regarding the differing philosophies (Cartesian vs. Systems Theory) is engaging, and the physics lesson is incredible. Where the film does fail is in the ultra-liberal philosophy that is never challenged. The film would be more engaging if Jack Edwards (Sam Waterson) was as conservative as he claimed to be. In fact, the film's dire warnings about the ozone layer and global warming have been widely disproved this past decade; and Sonja's (Liv Ullman) political philosophy of the community rather than the individual, the unity of systems over the interaction of different parts, and her whole anti-growth pitch is pure communism, or at least it's damn close. There was never a discussion on how her ideas threaten individual freedom and liberty, or how much power should a government have over a society and its people. It was a lecture rather than a debate. The anti-nuke discussion was humorous to me. All that time talking about the horrors of Hiroshima; I've got one word for Sonja: Nanking. If you want to compare and contrast brutality, bring it.

Don't get me wrong, this is a great film and her ideas were interesting (although totally wrong). I would gladly watch it again ad again. I think I might tonite.