peters159-1 Reviews

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The Shawshank Redemption. Long life.

[10/10 · 7 November 2006]

What can one say about the Shawshank Redemption that hasn't already been said. I remember when it came out but refused to see it because of the title although I am a big fan of both stars. Besides, I had gotten so burned by critics saying that this movie is a four star or that one only to go and see them and find that the movies mentioned were ordinary or most certainly not the four stars the critics gave them. Even Roger Ebert is guilty of this. So, because of bad information I usually wait for the DVD to come out and that's too bad because I'm denying a good movie some money it could use in it's theatrical release. But so many movies coming out just isn't worth my money. I saw the Shawshank Redemption in rental and turned around and bought a copy. I like prison movies anyway from the TV movie Against the Wall, the story about Attica to the Chicano epic Bound by Honor to the great OZ my all time favorite prison story. The Shawshank Redemption transcends most prison movies because it has heart and is told in such a leisurely fashion that you can absorb it and enjoy the art and superb dialog and the brilliant acting without feeling hurried. Many posters have already commented on this wonderful movie and although I wouldn't say it's the greatest film ever made I do enjoy it and am glad that it's in my library.

Poseidon (2006)

Poseidon, an intense and gripping ride

[5 October 2006]

Some posters have dismissed Poseidon as just another bad example of movie making. I enjoyed Poseidon. True, the people who put this project together knew that the audience would be familiar with the old version - the Poseidon Adventure - it's been around on T.V for years. Naturally the new version would jettison that old hoary story, and rightly so. This new version, sleek at 98 minutes, was just what the producers and director wanted, a fast intense escapist movie. And they delivered! I survived a hurricane at sea and watching Poseidon was child's play compared to reality. We were stuck in the hold of the Navy ship for three days. Three days of sheer terror. Three days where food and nourishment meant nothing, you just wanted this torture to end. Torture because the ship always! seemed on the verge of capsizing, and I'm not talking 98 minutes but 24 hours every day we were locked in that foul smelling hold. Grown men crying, yelling, praying, and just making a noise that you wished would just stop. Locked in a hold where the ventilation seemed to have stop, where all you could see in the dimly lit interior and smell was unwashed bodies and great fear. And fear ruled! And fear has a strong and powerful odor. Believe me.

When the ship wasn't about to capsize we seemed to be on a great roller coaster headed to the very bottom of the Pacific. And I could see was great and powerful waves covering us. Even I felt like crying. I didn't, not because I couldn't cry because I was too petrified to do it. Imagining the tidal waves crushing what now seemed a small noting in the water. If that doesn't clench your sphincter nothing will. Anyway, when the forth day came and storm passed the ocean was as calm as could be and we were allowed to come up for air. Air.Nothing smelled as sweet as clean air. The ordeal over all I wanted to do was shake the hand of every man above who fought bravely for our very lives. That wasn't forth coming as I never found out who the crew was. Because of that hurricane several cites in Japan suffered great damage. One couldn't believe that we actually lived through all that. I saw The Poseidon Adventure after but was not moved or reminded of my ordeal. Poseidon brought all that back to me. I suppose time had something to do with this but I could relive the episode without trauma.

Some have been awfully short with Poseidon but when I think of that god-awful Titanic of 1997 I wonder just where people's heads are. I have three versions of the Titanic, the 1953 version, the 1958version called A Night to Remember, which, incidentely was the best version and also the most accurate. Based on Walter Lord's book A Night to Remember is littered with facts from eye witnesses and unlike the 1997 version - who took outrageous liberties with the sinking of the great ship- A Night to Remember didn't have to diddle with the facts to make it interesting as well as a chilling reminder of man's arrogance against the elements.

Perhaps if the producers of Poseidon had paired Amy Rossem holing Kurt Russell's firehose it too might have made Billion dollars.

The collision of the Andrea Doria as well as other sea tragedies reminds us that with all our technology we are nothing against an angry sea - or ocean in this case. I see where three sailors wrote a book about their ordeal in a hurricane at sea and wondered why I never thought of doing the same thing. I have to admit I just didn't want to think about it for a great while and when I did get around to excepting it the time seemed past.

Try looking at Poseidon for what it is escapist entertainment meant to be intense and nothing more. For some strange reason I kept thinking about the movie Deep Blue Sea. It too is intense. The only thing missing in Poseidon is the great line from Deep Blue Sea. " You stupid bitch!"

I give Poseidon 10 stars. It's doing what it set out to do.

Love Actually (2003)

Love Actually

[10/10 · 27 September 2006]

I saw Love Actually on TV and liked it. I like it so much that when it came on I watched it again. Unlike so many posters here I didn't find it putrid, boring, or not well put together. It made me feel good!. It made me know that there are all kinds of love and although there were several stories bounding around I found every one of them interesting. I was not disappointed in the director or his material. I think that you have to let yourself go when watching this movie. One story showed that love can conquer all even if you "don't know the language." Many poster here seemed to hate this movie, I found it uplifiting, funny, and very romantic. I give this movie 10 stars. And I watch it every time I get the chance. P.S. I also bought the soundtrack. It helped the movie immensely.

Serenade (1956)

Serenade, Lanza's swan song

[6/10 · 5 September 2006]

Poor Mario Lanza. I say this because his awful screen career was what did him in. A noted Opera singer who was in The Great Caruso observed that all Mr Lanza wanted to do was sing. MGM did him a disservice and his manager did a greater blame for filling the young singers head when he should have been taking more singing lessons and more engagements like the Hollywood Bowl concert. And should have stayed far away from the siren song of MGM. Mr Lanza had a great voice but alas it was, as he was, undisciplined, he only had 18 minutes of voice. He could not sustain it in a full scale opera. Of course, when MGM had a contract you were at their mercy, and when Mr Lanza's antics became even too much for the great studio they dropped him as quickly as they signed him. And left him for the sharks to devour. And I mean the "boy,s". Pay up now! There was no threat of breaking his legs, they just pulled the plug on him on night. And that was that. Still, it was nice that Warner Bros gave him a chance to sing. And that's why I like Serenade. They really gave him the great chance. Who cares about the plot, Hollywood was always buying James M Cains books and the ignoring the real plots, look at Mildred Pierce, Veda was an Opera singer but in the film she ended up singing some silly ditty called Oceana Roll. Anyway, the original plot to Serenade was too hot for movies at that time. Mario Lanza's life was a real American tragedy and I hope that someday someone will really film his life story - wart's and all - Now, that would be something. Serenade. Thank you Mario Lanza, you showed us what you might have become in that film Too bad for the ending.

Topkapi (1964)

Topkapi: You can't beat success

[26 August 2006]

I just finished watching Topkapi and am always taken in by the story. I saw Topkapi when it opened and it was a huge success. It has not lost it's luster yet. Melina Mercouri made world splash in her international hit Never On Sunday directed by her later to be husband Jules Dassin. Although I follow movies and Riffi was released during the great international movie exchange I forgot that it too was directed by Mr Dassin. Jules Dassin had to leave the US during the McCarthy era and unlike so many film personalities who were destroyed was able to continue directing in Europe. He was Lucky. He directed good and great films and met the mercurial Ms Mercouri. I see where Tom Cruise and Brian De Palma tried using this theme in a Mission Impossible movie, but me not being a fan of Cruise didn't see his turkey. I'm sorry to see how the international movie exchange has dried up, movies from Japan, France, England and Europe were daily fare now all we seem to get is fodder and dreck from the US studios. And "borrowing" from American directors. Too bad. I'd like to see some American director "borrow" the oiled wrestling scene,the blue noses and annal retentive in this country (the US) would have a s******g hemorrhage. This scene alone shows just how much the world thinks of human bodies, they see no shame in the erotic event. Anyway, Topkapi is still one of my favorite films and once in a while I'll drag it out and enjoy it immensely-again. If you haven't see Topkapi you owe it to yourself. Have fun!!!!

The Devil's Advocate (1997)

Giving the Devil his due

[10/10 · 15 August 2006]

So many films have been made showing the Devil in so many different forms that it was nice to see Pacino as just another human. Of course, this isn't the first time that the Devil has been portrayed as just a man, Ray Milland did a wonderful and sinister turn in Alias Nick Beal and Walter Huston played the role with abandoned glee in The Devil and Daniel Webster. Even Ray Walston did a merry turn in Dam Yankees. But it took Pacino to really ham it up and make us enjoy every minute of it. Since I really don't believe in "the devil" I just enjoyed the story and Pacino and even Theron, I just wish she had done something! with her first name. It's a nice fantasy, and yes, vanity is by far my favorite sin. :)

The Core (2003)

The Core. Stop the center, I want to get off!

[10/10 · 11 August 2006]

I know, I know. I've just read the first poster and boy! was he brutal, calling The Core the worst movie ever made. Not so! Think Armageddon and a host of others with the same theme. I didn't find anything offensive about The Core, it was just another "end of the world" theme movie. But The Core has done something to me that no other "end of the world" movie has done. It has shown me that I most be claustrophobic. I watched this movie on a pay-per-view channel and decided to buy the film. But when I tried to watch the DVD again I found that I could only watch it in clips. It took me three days to watch the entire movie. I found it terribly intense. Armageddon doesn't do that to me although I like the theme. We know that Bruce Willis is going to save the world so we just sit back and see how he does it. But The Core really had suspense and I was impressed with the special effects. I don't think it's the worse movie ever made. I like it. For the worse movie ever made just pick out any! Steven Spielberg film. There really bad.

Man on Fire (2004)

Denzel's done it again......

[10/10 · 25 July 2006]

I hadn't noticed but looking at my DVD collection it seems that every other film I have is a Denzel Washington movie. The actor is phenomenal! The only other working major movie star working today that I would call phenomenal would be Al Pacino. He's another actor that will not disappoint. I won't go into a litany of names of Denzel Washinton films but Man on Fire is among them. It's kinda shame that I don't go to the large complexes anymore and usually wait 'till a movie is out on DVD (the public has become overly rude, ill mannered and thoughtless- cell phones, etc.) Much has been written on this board about this wonderful movie and I can only say that like most I can't get over how well the whole thing works. I'm a huge fan of Tony Scott and have an idea of his work. I also like his brother Ridley Scott. Anyway, Man on Fire is right up there with Washington and Scotts best pictures. And Dakota Fanning is right up there with Washington. Violent but an enjoyable experience. I give it a ten. Coda: oft times American writers seem to enjoy putting down Mr Washington's movies. When usually the public will flock to the very movies that have been given a "thumbs down" or some tepid review. I find that puzzling.

Running Scared (2006)

Running Scared - See it!

[10/10 · 25 July 2006]

I've read several posts about this movie and because of them I rented it. Although it's violent and bloody beyond belief it's entertaining. What! Yes, the above sentence is conflicting, to say the least. Anyway I seem to have had an advantage about the star, I had never seen or heard of him, no, I passed on The Fast and the Furious. You've got to be kidding! Not my kind of movie. The kid who played Oleg was frightening and the aside middle plot - the child molesters - blew me away with their silky sleaziness. I don't know, today so many movies are violent and bloody but for some reason they seem to be the one's to see. I'm also thinking of 25th Hour although it wasn't really a bloody flix it was engrossing and the stuff that movie buffs live for. I recommend this to anyone who likes movies and are adult enough to handle this plot. I give it a 10

25th Hour (2002)

Spike Lee at his best

[10/10 · 21 July 2006]

I'm not a fan of Spike Lee. I almost always avoid his films. He usually hits you over the head with his racism and hatefulness so I was totally surprised when I finally saw 25th Hour. For once Lee just became a director,to me, and an excellent one at that. 25th Hour shows that Lee could have become one of America's greatest directors but his personality and negative outspokenness have killed any interest anyone might have in seeing his movies. I have been told that Son of Sam is truly not to be missed, but I avoided it because of Mr Lee's personality which bleeds throughout his films. In the 25th Hour he is quiet and lets his actors shine, and shine they do. Edward Norton is such a gifted actor that one wishes one could see more and more of him. Rosario Dawson is doing just fine and of course, Phillip Seymore Hoffman is always a pleasure to watch. All in all 25th Hour is soooo mesmerizing and so complete that you know that it's the very reason you go to movies. To see something real, for a change. The score is haunting and the cinematography is perfectly right for this film. It is one of my favorite films and I am truly sorry that the Academy passed over this fine film for one of it's awards. A must see for movie buffs and fans.

Sweet Dreams (1985)

Sweet Dreams, sweet acting

[10/10 · 13 July 2006]

I just watching Sweet Dreams again and am still happy to see good acting. God knows that in today's market good acting - in the caliber of Jessica Lange - and good scripts and high production values are sorely missing so it's always a treat when all one has to do is pull out the DVD, sit back, and enjoy. I've read other posts about this film and can only say that the producer's approach to the singer was what the picture needed. Perhaps Miss Clines early singing and rise in country music was just too mundane or had been done too much before to make this story work. I liked his approach which dealt only with her close relationship with her husband, Charlie Dick. Needless to say but both Jessica Lange and the always dependable Ed Harris did an excellent job with their roles and we got carried away with their love affair. Sure, he was an abusive husband and probably a woman chaser but then Patsy Cline was no saint herself and as she pointed out in the film she and Charlie deserved each other. She thought they made an excellent pair. Naturally Hollywood glamorized their relationship as this was a romantic film. Some posters have pointed out that they found fault with Miss Lange having to lip-sync Patsy Clines original recordings but I found that refreshing as, after all, the story was about Patsy Cline and not about some talented amateur actress. And as for lip-sync, one of the biggest Hollywood stars of the 40's did just that. Rita Hayworth's actual voice was never used in her musicals, and she and her studio built her reputation on musicals, but she pulled in huge audiences who loved to look at this glamorous woman (not)singing in Tonight and Every Night, Down to Earth and the 20th Century Fox musical My Gal Sal. No one cared that she didn't sing. Ann Blyth who was an excellent soprano was engaged by MGM for their version of The Helen Morgan Story but used Gogi Grant's voice, why? because at that moment in time Miss Grant was a popular recording artist. What made that experiment misfire was that Helen Morgan was closer to Ann Blyth's voice. Ava Gardner made quite a few musicals where her voice was dubbed, she didn't like the process and refused to do anymore musicals where she couldn't use her own voice; she refused The Helen Morgan Story. It's nice that some screen actresses think that their voices are professional enough to get by in films but after looking at these films one has to concede that a true professional voice was the way to go. an good example of this is I'll Cry Tomorrow starring Susan Hayward, Miss Hayward insisted on using her own voice in the MGM film and although her acting was top notch, which was expected, she still sounded like the amateur she was. That film could have used a good professional voice. Anyway, I thought that Jessica Lange did an outstanding job as an actress in Sweet Dreams but was glad to hear Patsy Cline's voice. This technique was used to advantage in Piaf: The Early Years, you got to see a good story with a good actress but you also got to hear the glorious singing from the world renowned singer. It's like getting two for one. Sweet Dreams deserved more than it got by reviewers and audiences. A film that did exactly what it set out to do. Worth watching again, and again.

Murder in the First (1995)

Based on a true story

[10/10 · 26 June 2006]

Based on a true story. How many time have we seen this on may movies when we know from the beginning that the screen story is really almost based on the "true" story.Loosely based. In 2001 A Beautiful Mind boasted that it was "based on a true story" but the screenplay deliberately left out the character's homosexuality, and worse than that turned his hispanic wife into a wasp. And Jennifer Connelley won a Academy Award for her role, no less. Before that year Denzel Washington gave a powerful performance in The Hurricane which was based on the account of the boxer Hurricane Carter and the critics lambasted the movies saying it did not stand by the complete facts and therefore was counterfeit. So you see "based on a true story" can have it's drawbacks. And reading some of these posts it's clear that some viewers really thought that Murder in the First was counterfeit because it did't stick to the facts completely. Well, it's a movie, and a darn good one. I saw it on the big screen and was completely taken with Kevin Bacon's performance, although Gary Oldman's name drew me to see the movie. I didn't know who Christian Slater was. Anyway, I remembered that powerful film and finally decided to get the DVD. I'm still bowled over by Kevin Bacon's performance and wondered, like others, why the academy passed his performance by. Lord knows that Brad Pitt could have been bumped for his lame performance in Twelve Monkeys. And James Cromwell was not even the star of Babe and really didn't do anything special in that movie in 1995. Anyway, in spite of the knit picking Murder in the Firse is a truly wonderful movie experience, and well worth viewing. I can only hope that some poster's won't take "based on a true story" so literally. Sometimes movies have to have licence.

North and South, Book II (1986)

North and South book one and two

[23 June 2006]

Better late than never. I do not watch T.V. I try, I really do but then the commercials come on and you soon forget what you're suppose to be watching. Anyway, my favorite niece came to town and asked me if I would tape north and south for her, before I knew what I was getting into I said yes. It took several days, a week, I think, before the first installment was over. By then I was in shock because while taping the series for her I "paused" over the commercials. I was exhausted when I finally handed her the tapes. But something had happened to me. I liked what I saw. I was looking through my "movie catalog" and noticed that both books were available on DVD. I bought them. I like a good story and North and South were very good TV adaptations. The production values were outstanding and the costumes, especially for the ladies, were a real eye treat. And yes, I read the first book and although there were differences it didn't stop me from enjoying the mini-series. The scope of the undertaking outdoes Gone With The Wind and the acting was up to anything the movies might offer. One of the things I like about north and south was how they didn't avoid the slavery issue as so many films about that era does ( I never could figure that out.) Anyone who likes a good story told at an interesting pace should love north and south. It should not be missed. Thank you.

All the Pretty Horses (2000)

Better Late Than Never

[7/10 · 16 June 2006]

After seeing Matt Damon carrying "The Rainmaker" I sat up and became a real fan of the actor. In that movie he impressed me greatly. I decided to see what was he doing next. I read where he was slated to star in All the Pretty Hourses so I got a copy of the book to see what it was all about. I liked what I read and was looking forward to see Matt Damon in the effort. When I read where Billy Bob Thornton was to direct I became ecstatic, I remembered his acting and directing in Sling Blade. Later, I read where there was trouble with the length of All The Pretty Horses at the producer threatened to cut the movie. Mr Thornton's version ran almost 4 hours, the released version to theaters was 117 minutes. Of course I went to see the movie and could see that it should have been longer. Any movie buff could see that. What perplexes me is how studios and produces can contract certain directors and then butcher their completed work. Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time in America suffered a humiliation when the studio decided to cut his film drastically; it lost it's meaning, and money. Later, the DVD restored version, 225 minutes, came out and was instantly received by customers. Thank God David O. Selznick stuck to his guns with Gone With The Wind. And look at how much money that! made. Like some others I hope that some one one day will be able to assemble the 4 hour version of All The Pretty Horses so that those of us who love movies can at least see what we've missed. I think we deserve to judge the movie for ourselves. Who knows, we might be missing a masterpiece.