Simon-109 Reviews

Viva Laughlin (2007)

Different and fun, fun, fun!

[10/10 · 19 October 2007]

The critics are ripping this one apart but not many have seen more that what those of us who tuned in last night, saw. I like it and enjoyed it.

I like daring shows and I can't think of not too many things more daring than singing along Elvis, Jagger and Blondie in national television. The acting is pretty decent and the show is tremendously entertaining.

The questions would be, how long can't Viva Laughlin! maintain the entertaining factor? How many good songs that are familiar to their target audience can they find to shoehorn into the script? That is not an easy task.

I am not sure of the answers, but what I know is that I am tuning again next Sunday and that I am recommending the show.

Dreamgirls (2006)

This is no Chicago

[7/10 · 26 December 2006]

This is a good movie by any standard, and under the same criteria, not a excellent one. The movie is saved by its great musical numbers but the story drags and revolves around the same conflicts and troubles leading to a fast ending that does little to resolve much of content in the extraordinary build up.

The public did applaud and I had to make an effort not to, specially after one gut wrenching performance by Jennifer Huston, who owned this movie right and left. It wouldn't had feel too honest.

It was good to see Eddie Murphy back in which would be another of the redeeming factors of Dreamgirls.

Dreamgirls is a good movie but is no Chicago.

Cambalacho (1986– )

Brilliant

[12 June 2004]

Technically this was a soap opera, a latin soap opera. If all soap operas were made the way Cambalacho was made, they would probably have to give an Academy award for best soap opera. That is how good and different this show was. Fernanda Montenegro gave an incredible performance, and the rest of the cast was just perfect. During a few months while attending college this guys made my laugh my butt off every weekday at 1 pm. No matter how tough school got I always had my Cambalacho hour. I still miss them.

Too bad that after all these years, the rest of Latin America hasn't got a page from the Brazilian manual on how to make TV.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (2003)

Repulsive and boring

[1/10 · 28 April 2004]

Not much to say but that is easy to see that Bartley and O'Briain made good their masters money. Lies, lies and more lies. Just another cry of the chorus that over and over sing the same lie: "There was a revolution in Venezuela". What really happened in Venezuela is that the corruption cancer finally reached the top and that the worst of the worse finally reached absolute power. Of course reality is more grotesque than any fiction (and believe me this documentary is pure fiction and lies), so if you really are interested in knowing what is going on in Venezuela, just spend 3 or 4 days in the country and if you get out alive you will have a better sense of the reality than by watching this propaganda film. This documentary is based in a false premise, as Chavez seizes the airwaves (TV and radio) any time he likes. I'd say the revolution is over televised. Thus this whole documentary is a big, fat, long and boring fallacy.

Our Lady of the Assassins (2000)

Wish it was in any language but Spanish

[3/10 · 24 March 2004]

One of the reviewers thought that some people might have been turned off by the subtitles, among other things. In my case it was quite the contrary. I wished throughout the length of the movie that it had been in any language but Spanish. Had it been the case, the very bad acting would not have been so painfully obvious to me. Other big turn off was the use of digital video. I was expecting much, much better. Big disappointment. 3/10

Spider-Man (2002)

First Action Classic of the 21st Century 11/10

[10/10 · 6 May 2002]

Having never been a big Spiderman fan, I went to see this movie

for the pure enjoyment of attending a Sam Raimi movie. Hoping

that Mr. Raimi would go back to his roots and would be kind

enough to deliver one of his amazing production (and apprehensive of course, after The Gift and that baseball flick he

also did and also after the assumption that his hands would be

somehow tied after being confided with such a high budget).

Boy, where my expectations to be blasted throughout the movie

theater! Haven't had such a good time in a movie in years. This

was Sam Rami at his best and Spidey can count me among is

many fans from now on. Everything was right in this movie and

many many things were excellent. Way to go Sam!!!

I believe that my fellow movie watcher somehow agree with this

appreciation since at the end of the movie most of the audience

broke in a solid applause. And this is South Beach, Florida I am

talking about, where is not exactly cool to applaud anything or

anyone, and hardly anyone stays for the final credits.

Kudos to Raimi, Maguire (I hope that the franchise will hold to him

for as long as it lasts) and the lovely Dunst.

I am going to see it again tonight! ...and then again.

$114 million in an opening weekend, Amazing! What a tough act to

follow for The Attack of the Clones.

Spiderman is already the first action classic of this century.

Thirteen Days (2000)

Brave beautiful film

[9/10 · 2 February 2001]

One of the user wanders how much more interesting this film would have been had it showed the motivations of the Soviets for placing nuclear war heads in Cuba. I believe that, on the contrary, one of the greatest merits of this film resides in not doing so. This way Thirteen Days places the viewer in the same position of the protagonists of the missile crisis thus creating a wonderful deal of suspense and avoiding the temptation of making a political manifesto, this for pure cinematographical value. From the historical point of view Thirteen Days teaches the new generations, and reminds the old ones, how brave, valiant and invaluable for the survival of the civilization itself JFK's behavior was, for which the entire world (including Russians and Cubans) should and will ever be grateful. This is a legacy worth preserving. After so many years, who cares about the bad guys anyway?

Living in a country that is currently under the threat of communism and under great influence of Castro's regime, I would certainly had loved to see Castro trashed in a Hollywood production, but this would have been a too easy way out for the scriptwriter and certainly would not had made a better movie.

I give Thirteen Days 9 stars. One star less for Costner's annoying accent.

Vale Tudo (1988–1989)

A Television Masterpiece

[8 May 2000]

Very few people from English speaking countries will have the chance to see this masterpiece of television production. Brazilian television has long time ago, found the way to dignify the soap opera production to the extent that almost anyone can enjoy viewing them, thanks to its excellence from both the technical and the intellectual points of view.

Vale Tudo is one landmark of such trend. The struggle to survive of Raquel (played Regina Duarte in such a wonderful way that you can't help but to fall in love with her) and her lover Ivan (Antonio Fagundes), a middle class moral sound couple in Sao Paulo at the late 80's, deeply sunk in a moral and economic crisis, is enhanced by rich and beautiful dialogue and great image for video. Their worst enemy, besides the lack of money, is Maria de Fatima, Raquel's daughter, brilliantly played by Gloria Pires, a reckless teenager decided to do whatever it takes to be rich, which is what she equals to success. As you can see this is nothing but the archetypical latin soap plot. It is the actors, the script and the meticulous production what makes Vale Tudo such a great work.

Some characters mentioning Odette Roittman (Beatriz Segal) is one of the most classy villians ever, her sister Celina (Nathalia Timberg)the perfect alter ego to Odette, Helininha (Renata Sorrah) and most of the rest of the cast made this series an unforgetable experience. Kudos to Rede O Globo and to the whole cast of Vale Tudo, so far Vale Tudo is the ultimate TV series.

Cruel Intentions (1999)

It wouldn't have looked that bad hadn't it be such a clumsy copy

[3/10 · 24 April 2000]

It wouldn't have looked that bad hadn't it be such a clumsy copy of one of the greatest films of the last half century. Dangerous Liaisons.

Ryan Phillippe, did a talented but rather unoriginal repetition of John Malkovich's Vicomte de Valmont, still he is the best this film has to offer. Sarah Michelle Gellar is greatly appreciated for not trying to imitate Glen Close's performance (she is obviously aware that she has not Mr. Phillippe's great talent for imitation), but despite the display of respect towards "la Marquise de Mertuil" that that fact alone signifies, her performance still sucks, in this or in any other context. The rest of the cast did ok, but Swoosie Kurtz!!!???, shame on you for endorsing this disrespectful and horrendous film. And don't get me wrong, I like teen films and some of them have provided me with great pleasures (The Faculty, the "Scream" series and even the first part of "I know what you...bla, bla, bla' series), is just that seeing one of my favorite films ever so disrespected and poorly recreated revolves my stomach ...way beyond my control.

Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

Gets better by the minute, despite the Cruel (but clumsy) Intentions of some ...

[10/10 · 24 April 2000]

I have read the novel, seen the Milos Forman's Valmont (greatly vindicated by Cruel Intentions) and nothing compares with the great interpretation of Frears, Close, Malkovich and Pfeiffer, give to this history, what a great film this is. This film is all of those guys at their best and more.

I read a comment by a user were she said that she felt like throwing her TV through the window, my advise to this DG's fellow lover is to keep the TV set, get rid of Cruel Intentions' DVD and forget about it. That way you will be able to enjoy Dangerous Liaisons, as much as you like, as often as you like and with many friends as you like. It will be beyond your control.

Tea with Mussolini (1999)

Really enjoyable

[10/10 · 28 December 1999]

This film may be the highest peak in the rather roller-coaster like directorial career of Zeffirelli, with a little help of course from this amazing cast of extremely well polished diamonds.

Zeffirelli has used again the eternal Italian film resource, a charming child,(Cinema Paradiso, Ladro di Biscicletta, Life is Beautiful, Profumo di Donna) and again it worked and so well.

I give this film 10 points just because I enjoyed it so much, and because of Cher, I love her so much. Viva le Scorpioni!

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

Almost feel guilty for liking it so much

[10/10 · 28 December 1999]

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was one of the classics films I always wanted to see but never did until a couple of nights ago, all raped up in my sheets, all alone at home, while my other half is away in Miami on Christmas holydays.

I surely enjoy all sort of tense and intense films, but this was a real banquet. I felt like I was a mute invitee in this game-party, and I was as emotionally and even physically tired at the end.

I don't think I have ever seen anything better, and almost feel guilty, of liking it so much. Almost feel guilty for having felt for Martha and George.

Needless to say that all alcohol will be gone down the drain when sweetie is back home.

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)

Worst of the worst

[1/10 · 1 November 1999]

After seeing Tim Burton's Ed Wood I felt the need to see Plan 9. I should have kept my need unfulfilled. This film is so bad that is not even funny. Actually is rather sad if you felt (as I did) some sympathy for Ed Wood after seeing Bruton's film.

Although, this is a rather unique film as I seriously doubt that anyone can ever make a film as bad as this one ... no matter how hard some people might have tried.

Drácula (1931)

There is always a reason...

[10/10 · 13 October 1999]

History goes that power struggle between Carl Leammle Jr. and Paul Kohner was a bitter one. When Leammle Jr. was appointed Executive Producer in his father owned Universal Studios, Kohner was relegated to produce Spanish version of U's films that were then popular before doubling, and even though Leammle Jr. is credited as the producer of the Spanish version of Dracula, it seems that he had little or nothing to do with it, being all the responsibilities on Kohner's shoulders.

Kohner, knowing very well the ways of the big U, took advantage from the fact that his production was relegated to late hours shooting, making his crew able to see and improve everything that Tod Browning's shot for the English version. Kohner also was better trained to make lot efficient utilization of the studio's resources, a studio that by the way Browning always found irritatingly chaotic as opposed to MGM the house of his biggest hits ... and latter failures.

This, then, might be the reason why the Spanish version is always regarded as a much better film than Browning's. Too bad Lugosi couldn't speak any Spanish (his English wasn't that good, though).

Armageddon (1998)

Puzzling

[6/10 · 6 October 1999]

Although I hated Steve Buscemi's character, it was by far the most interesting of the whole film. It is puzzling how can Bruce Willis sometimes give such great interpretations as in the Sixth Sense and some others let his career be bumped by roles like the one in Armaggedon. Great special effects though.

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

A whole new film, and a very good one.

[9/10 · 21 September 1999]

Never mind how good the original was (or is), this new film is more an adaptation than a remake, since the original plot would not have worked today. Brosnan might not be McQueen (neither is he Connery or Moore) but he did a very nice, believable and contemporary Thomas Crown, as he has done a hell of a good James Bond.

For those who want to see the original TCA, my advise is go to your local Bolckbuster. If you want to see a very well made and charmy action-romance-mystery film get to the movie theater and have a nice time.

The Dark Side of the Sun (1988)

Weird, very weird

[19 August 1999]

Although I have always regarded Brad Pitt as a good actor (and still do) I never understood what was his purpose in participating in such a senseless mess. This is a very incoherent film, bad acted, bad directed and bad filmed. I had the misfortune to see it once (and never again) through a local cable channel and I though it was one of Pitt's earliest work and never thought about it again. Now browsing in IMDb I find out, in much amazement, that it was shooted in the same year as Seven Years in Tibet and Devil's Own and just one year before Meet Joe Black, and the only explanation that comes to my mind is that Pitt wanted to spend is vacation in a fancy European beach while making a profit of it. Good for you Brad, bad for us, though. Looking forward to see Fight Club.