snu_grad Reviews

Taken (I) (2008)

Good but with problems

[6/10 · 22 February 2009]

I tried to like this film, and at times, I did. It has some great moments. Overall, it's a pretty good action picture, despite what I call the "Rambo" plot: one make takes on the world - and wins! It's certainly an exciting, edge-of-your-seat nail-biter. But...I have traveled to Paris with my sister and as soon as the girls went looking for cabs, I said to myself, "No. You don't just hop in a cab with a cute stranger. In fact, you should have reserved a shuttle and had it waiting for you." It kind of bugged me that the girl's mother or stepfather (himself a world traveler) hadn't thought of doing that. Combine that with her friend being a complete airhead, and they didn't stand a chance. I thought they'd at least make it to the 'party' the cute guy from the cab had invited them to before they got nabbed.

Enter Liam Neeson. Great actor, does a good job with the material he's given, and is very convincing. But after he found the bad guys in record time and had escaped being killed, run off the road, arrested, beaten up, or otherwise stopped for about the 4th or so time, I could no longer suspend disbelief at the incredible luck he had. Yes, we want him to win and the bad guys to pay, but come on. Virtually no setbacks from start to finish? No one's that lucky.

For what it was, it was a pretty good ride. But if you want to see an action movie with a whole lot more, I would recommend "Gran Torino."

The Fountain (2006)

I didn't get much out of it

[3/10 · 23 November 2006]

I did not enjoy this movie. Normally, I love movies that make you think on your own. I don't even mind those that jump around (Memento, Donnie Darko, etc.), mess with your head a little, and make you curious where the director is going with it. But with The Fountain, I just kept waiting (and waiting) for it to make sense. I wish there had been a little more continuity or something to explain how the 3 stories tied together, and I felt like it didn't come together in the end.

As often happens, trailers make a film look its best. If only this movie had lived up to the trailers and told the story I hoped it was going to, I might have liked it. On the plus side, the music was beautiful and the performances engaging. But the story just didn't satisfy.

As a side note, had I known beforehand that this was by the man who directed Requiem for a Dream (which has to be one of the strangest, most depressing movies I've ever seen), I would not have bothered going.

Scary Movie 4 (2006)

Mildly disappointing - but I watched it till the end

[6/10 · 5 May 2006]

There were some good bits, but this was not nearly as funny as its predecessor, Scary Movie 3. The only movie I had seen that they spoofed was The Village, but I knew enough about the others that I got most of the jokes. I just thought most of the gags were lame and the script was lazily thrown together. *I* could have written better comedy! I like Leslie Nielsen as the dim-witted president, an extension of most characters he has played since "Airplane!". And Dr. Phil was a fun addition.

To me, the funniest scene was when Cindy and the dead Japanese boy were speaking 'Japanese'. I was the only one in the theater that found this hilarious. (They just kept saying one-word Japanese brands and items, like "Suzuki! Teryaki! Fujitsu!" and pretended they were really saying something. Very silly.) And Brenda - back from the dead once more! - had some funny lines. But it just wasn't enough to carry the film.

I miss George!! :(

The Jewel in the Crown (1984)

A Stunning Piece of Craftsmanship!

[10/10 · 12 January 2004]

This miniseries is compelling, well-told, beautifully filmed, and superbly acted. With a powerfully moving script, it tells the story of the complex relationship between the British and Indian people at the end of British rule of the subcontinent. It has history, romance, action, mystery, and even a mild dose of sex and violence. ;-) It definitely has something for everyone.

I cried, laughed, was amazed, and said "Oh my God!" and "I knew it!" several times. I was glued to the screen and later watched my favorite scenes a second or third time.

Absolutely its only shortcoming was that there were no subtitles. Being as old as it is and with the many accents, it's sometimes a bit hard to make out the exact lines. But it's so easy to follow (yet never dull) that I was never lost. If A&E ever re-releases this with enhanced sound and subtitles, I'll snag it up in a New York minute! Even my husband (who normally hates British films) really enjoyed this. He hated to miss a minute; by Chapter 3, he was utterly hooked.

See this wonderful piece of work if you can. It's well worth every hour.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

WOW!

[19 December 2001]

Peter Jackson has done what many thought impossible: bringing to the screen the most popular, most imaginative, best-told novel of our time. In the interest of length, there were certain parts that were eliminated or abbreviated, but the feeling is definitely there. People familiar with Tolkien will not be disappointed, and those who have not been introduced to these enchanting tales will be no less spellbound. The dialogue quite often comes directly from the book, which was also a big plus to me. I am anxiously awaiting the next two installments.

One word: BRAVO!!!

Disco Beaver from Outer Space (1979 TV Movie)

LOL Funny!!

[23 September 2001]

I saw this years ago when VCR's were indeed rare among my friends of 20-ish movie and TV buffs. We watched this on a regular basis and laughed our -- well, we laughed a lot. If you liked SCTV, early SNL, etc., you'll enjoy this closet classic. It's first class satire, not politically correct, and ridiculous, but most of all, it's funny. I still love that awesome theme song! If you can find it, rent it. (And remember, "if you carry your books funny...")

The Terminator (1984)

First action picture I ever enjoyed

[15 April 2000]

I first saw this at the theaters with my future (and still) husband. (Guess he was getting tired of the "chick flicks.") While not your typical date movie, I had never seen an action picture, outside of the Star Wars series (if those are considered action-?). I was amazed how much I loved it. It has non-stop excitement, tense action, and good acting. Arnold is certainly at the top of his game here, as is Michael Biehn (and he's really cute, too). I had always thought action pictures were shootings, car chases, and most importantly, bad dialogue delivered by bad actors! Terminator introduced me to the genre and helped convince me that some action pictures actually do have a decent script and can be very good movies.

I have one question about the sequel to this film: Why? To "wow" us with newer, better special effects? As is often the case, the sequel is can't top the original, which stands on its own merit without further explanation. Let the audience draw its own conclusions--we've all got brains, thank you!