karow55 Reviews

Laws of Attraction (2004)

Can't wait for the DVD!

[10/10 · 6 May 2004]

Good movie, in spite of what the c(ynics)ritics might have you believe! Moments of laughter, a few of tears; what more can you ask? Is it Tracy/Hepburn? No, and neither would they be 50 years on!

As for all the comments of cliche, and "seen it before" you can pick pieces of anything since the Lumiere's or Edwin Porter and say that; it's like saying a writer was borrowing from Shakespeare. What isn't? When it comes time to rate things, it's "would I go see it again" and "will I buy it" and for this movie, it's "yes" to both!

Irish Dreamtime has done very well by my standards; "Evelyn" deserved a lot more credit than it received from all quarters. I hope the company continues to follow it's heart, I like where they're going!

Beyond Borders (2003)

A story that needs to be told!

[10/10 · 13 April 2004]

A message movie, intended to bring home to those lucky enough to have seen it exactly the things that have made so many squirm while watching it. To those who object to the romance tied around it, how else could you get something of such expanse made? Hollywood has used romance as the drawing card to fill the seats for message movies for almost 100 years now..."Hearts of the World" comes to mind. Hopefully in 85 years this will be viewed as a triumph like that movie is! I saw in one review someone take exception to "having a child only to leave it behind". As a Vietnam era veteran, I object, as I am sure do all those men and women before and since who have left a child to serve; for someone "called" to do relief work, if anything it's a bigger gesture, as they don't have someone telling them they have to go!

Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003)

Wonderful documentary!

[10/10 · 18 October 2003]

Lots of information, lots of clips, and something that might set the record straight on things that most people won't read enough to find out! I saw this at the Glenwood Arts Theatre and took my nephew, we both enjoyed it. I laughed and cried, he laughed and learned. Definitely one to buy when it becomes available! Now I have to hunt up "The Kid" as my nephew wants to see it!

Dogma (1999)

Top 25 all time!!! Or higher!

[9/10 · 17 March 2003]

This wonderful film was my introduction to Kevin Smith and still my favorite of his Jersey films. For me, this delightful romp with Jay and Silent Bob, along with Linda Fiorentino, George Carlin, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Alan Rickman and the perfect stroke of casting genius, Alanis Morisette as God herself! This poke at "Churchianity" rates with Griffith's "Intolerance" as a medium of message; but under Smith's touch as writer/director your ribs will ache, you will laugh 'til you are in tears, while your mind is going "hmmmmmm, he's got that right!!!". THANK YOU KEVIN!!!!

Hell's Angels (1930)

Still a great movie!

[12 February 2003]

Having just watched my VHS of this and wondering if it was out on DVD yet, I came to the IMDB to check and saw a comment about how hackneyed and awful this movie was, with the worst traits of the silent movies...lol! For those who don't know, this WAS a silent movie, and Hughes took so long trying to perfect the aerial sequences that sound came along, so then he had to try to rework everything else into sound, delaying things even further. Hughes was a "bit" of a perfectionist, ala Chaplin with "City Lights" and for every wonderful thing that does, it creates dozens of others you have to deal with as well... My favorite story of the making of this movie (recalling across 30 years from a book by Donald Dwiggins called "The Stunt Pilots" involved Paul Mantz (one of the lead pilots, later to die making "Flight of the Phoenix" after being the king of the Hollywood pilots for over 30 years) and Jean Harlow waiting in an airport restaurant for Hughes to fly in from somewhere and Mantz placing a nickel Coca-Cola bottle under a table leg before Hughes arrived and telling Harlow to "watch this". Hughes arrives for the meeting and being the perfectionist but also a bit ?, he never says anything about the table, never looks under it, but spends the whole lunch trying to eat with one hand and hold the table level with the other....

Napoleon (1927)

One of my two favorite films...

[10/10 · 5 January 2003]

I have two favorite films, and have never been able to decide that one or the other is the better. One is Abel Gance's "Napoleon"; the other is Griffith's "Intolerance". For two such wonderful films to have been created so early on in the history of cinema; to have their vision so clearly recognized without the aid of an entire studio of electronic artists or even a spoken word is a testimony to the talent of everyone involved, but especially the two men who brought them to life.

Intolerance (1916)

One of my two favorite movies...

[10/10 · 5 January 2003]

I have two favorite movies, both "silent" and have never been able to decide between them. One is Griffith's "Intolerance", the other is Gance's "Napoleon". Completely executed visions of the two directors, they are both head and shoulders above most efforts of our time, without the benefit of the computer graphics no one seems to be able to go to screen without today.