CURRENT MOVIES

Time for my 2 cents on this matter. If you are a Star Wars fan, you will like this movie. If you tend to dislike science fiction anyway (most critics), you will not like this movie. You also will not like this movie if you cannot watch it through the eyes of a ten year old. This movie is for KIDS folks. Don't try to watch it looking for "The English Patient". I love the battle droids and have been looking for models of them everywhere to no avail. Am I the only one who loves these little critters. Cool. Now lets get to the racism thing. I did not see any racism in this movie, Lucas says there is no racism intended. The actors say no racism was intended. So get over it. Some people look for racism behind every door, and if you look hard enough you will probably find it. Some people are just overly sensitive about any perceived slight. The actor who plays Jar Jar Binks is black and says there was never any intention to play a racial stereotype. The racial thing aside, some people just simply didn't enjoy the Jar Jar Binks character, to the point of revulsion. I just didn't see it that way. He was hard to understand at times, but heck I have a hard time understanding British sitcoms that are exported to the U.S. Bitch about British accents if you want, but leave Jar Jar alone. I did not find the character annoying. I am sure he was intended for comic relief, he is the clown of the bunch, and that's the way I saw him. Free Jar Jar! This movie left me wanting more. Who is Sidius? What is his story. He looks and sounds suspicously like Senator Palpatine. But Palpatine eventually becomes the Emperor, so does Sidius eventually become the Emperor? Questions. Can't wait for episode II now.

Brendan Fraser is the guy to watch. He has made some excellent role choices as of late; Blast from the Past, George of the Jungle, Gods and Monsters, whoa. Can't keep up with this guy. Excellent twists on the familiar mummy theme. Special effects are first rate. A couple of surprises in the film. Very enjoyable flick. Fun. DVD candidate.

People are always whining that there's nothing original in movie plots anymore. Well they haven't seen The Matrix. Keanu notwithstanding, this is a good movie. It's one of those where you are thinking right up to the end, like the movie Dark City. Action sequences are right up there with Terminator 2. Well worth watching. "Humans are a virus, and I am the cure". Love it. Definite addition to the DVD collection.

DeNiro is terrific. Billy Crystal is...Billy Crystal. A few yucks. DeNiro as the guilt ravaged gangster is hilarious. Billy's supposed comic highlight where he tries to act gangster-like was embarrasing. I like Billy Crystal. This wasn't his best. The best scene is early, when DeNiro is trying to close a stubborn trunk on a mob victim and he can't get it closed. He finally duck tapes it shut. Hilarious.

Siskel.... Ebert.... THUMBS UP.
June....Boy, where do I start with this movie. Right in the beginning there's a scene where the townfolk are out standing in the street, craning to spot Sputnik as it travels overhead. I remember the exact same scene from my childhood. Right then, I knew where this movie was coming from. This first artificial Earth satellite intrigues several local boys enough to start building, flying, and exploding small rockets. Remember, this is at a time when the U.S. was having great difficulties in getting rockets off the ground. We, my friends and I, also built and flew rockets as kids. Of course we had Estes to help us along. These boys had to manufacture their own rockets, engines, and fuels. Very inspiring. The kids win a science fair and get scholarships to college, with the lead boy ending up as an engineer at NASA. I too, was inpsired by the space race and attended engineering college. I didn't go to work for NASA but I did spend my entire carreer in the aerospace business building the weapons that enabled us to win the cold war. This movie strikes so many resonant chords for me, that it's like the movie is about me, and thousands of other kids who grew up in these times. I don't know who the actor is who plays the boy's father, but he is terrific! All the cast is up to snuff for this film, and not a big name among them. Makes no difference. This is a very enthusiastic 8 thumbs up for me! (I'm all thumbs for this movie.)

Siskel.... Ebert.... THUMBS UP.
June....I wast 13 when the Cuban missile crisis occurred. I remember it vividly. At 13 I was very knowledgeable about current affairs and world politics. (I get the news junkie thing from my dad.) I knew exactly was happening, and what was at stake. My dad and I looked over the plans for bomb shelters in Popular Mechanics and other magazines. We really couldn't afford it, and when faced with the prospect of living in a concrete cubicle for 20 years, and then emerging to a world totally ravaged by nuclear war, we decided on a different option. The "bend over and kiss your ass goodbye" option. Might as well be vaporized in the first blast than to linger. But, man, this was no ordinary bomb shelter. One could actually believe that someone could actually live like this for 35 years. I enjoyed this move a lot except for the shrill, arrogant, and totally dislikable character played by Alicia for most of the movie. Wanted to slap her more than once. Of course she finally comes around and becomes a real person, but by then I disliked her so much it was too little too late. I love the dance sequence. They say ballroom dancing is making a comeback. Looking at these two cut up the dance floor might convert a few more.

Siskel....First 25 minutes is a flat out triumph. Terrific anti-war film that presents an open-eye look at war. Technically superb. THUMBS UP.
Ebert....Spielberg has achieved the challenge. He shows you a war that you do not want to be a part of. THUMBS UP.
June....Ok, so they are calling this the most accurate portrayal of combat yet seen in film. I would have to agree on the visual level. Visually stunning, and hard to take. I got into an argument on a chat channel when I said that although visually stunning, the movie theater cannot possibly recreate the real thing because 1) there are smells to a battlefield that the theater does not reproduce (no smell-0-vision here); remember "... the smell of napalm in the morning" line; 2) if they were to jack up the sound to realistic levels, no one could stand to be in the theatre. An artillery shell exploding near you will cause your ears to ring for a week! A very worthwhile movie altogether with some of today's hot young actors, and of course Tom Hanks who has come a long way from "Splash". Definite laser disc material here.

Siskel....Liked Anthony Hopkins, didn't care for Antonio Banderas. THUMBS DOWN.
Ebert....I liked it. It's a nice break from the typical summer movie action. THUMBS UP.
June....Yet another incarnation of Zorro. Very well done, and this one has an added bonus - two Zorros!. Anthony Hopkins is great as always. Antonio does a good job, very believable as the masked one. Lots of swordplay, and all that stuff. Nice break from movies with modern weapons. Still doesn't make the impact that the Walt Disney Zorro did for me as a kid. I watch the reruns of those Zorro episodes now on the Disney Channel, and they look kinda cheap by today's standards, but even so they made an impact.

Siskel....nonstop action and noise. Almost amusing. Michael Bay dares you to relax. Blaringly intense. WEIRD THUMBS UP.
Ebert....Didn't care if the asteroid hit or not. Cut like a coming attraction. Too noisy. WAY THUMBS DOWN.
June....Annoyingly similar to "Deep Impact". Still can't buy them landing on an asteroid or a comet; at least not a billion miles an hour. How could anything survive the chaff coming off those objects. Rocks the size of small hills are impinging on these space vehicles. They would be instantly destroyed. Oh well. Lots of action. Bruce is Bruce. Bruce dies a hero and saves the world (what? again?). The destruction of Paris was good, but the rest of the effects were pretty hohum. I'll give it three stars just because that's what I gave "Deep Impact". However, I liked Deep Impact better.

Siskel.... Some gags work but the movie is ho-hum. Too much anal humor. THUMBS DOWN.
Ebert.... Fun and hilarious. Kids like anal humor. THUMBS UP.
June....I think they spent too much time dealing with Dr. Dolittle's acceptance of his ability to talk to the animals. The movie would have been more fun had they dealt with how Dolittle's life changes when the world recognizes his talent. The movie ends just as it's getting good.

Siskel.... The movie is so good I now plan to watch the tv show. THUMBS UP.
Ebert.... Totally confused at the end but I enjoyed the movie. THUMBS UP.
June....I think they did a good job of presenting the movie to an audience that includes non-x file fans. I am not the fanatic fan, but I have seen a lot of the tv shows. My favorite episode is the human-fluke mutation that goes porta-potty diving. The movie left far fewer unanswered questions than the tv series. I will be sad when the tv show ends.

Siskel.... No terror in this movie. Used dialogue instead of action. The Siskel and Ebert parody was petty. THUMBS DOWN.
Ebert.... Formula movie not well done. Not scary. THUMBS DOWN.
June....I enjoyed this movie. I think Gene and Roger are just sore about the parody of them, which I thought was hilarious. So this isn't Titanic. I would hardly call a $100 million plus movie a bomb, and it wasn't all that bad. As a true animal lover, I felt sorry for Godzilla and his children, although I knew in the end he would be killed. I saw the debut of the original Godzilla as a young lad (along with Rodin, and Mothra), and it left quite an impression on me. This movie will probably do the same for the ten-year olds of today. Stretches: someone makes the comment that Manhattan would be the perfect place for a lizard the size of the Chrysler building to hide. (What?) At one point they fired heat seeking missiles at Godzilla. (At a cold blooded lizard?). Further, I have yet to see a fire breathing lizard in nature. Also, at another point Zilla leans over and looks Broderick in the eye, nose to nose. I own two South American Iguanas as pets. When they want to look at something they turn their heads sideways and look straight on with one eye, not nose to nose. Highlights: a highway sign near the end of the movie that says "NYC CLOSED"; and later on someone asks, "Where did you find this guy?", answer, "He's from France." (Remind you of the "Coneheads"?) . This is one for the laserdisc collection.

Siskel.... Writing rescued the standard plot; Duvall and Freeman are good. Not as good as I would have liked. MARGINAL THUMBS UP.
Ebert.... Good performances but standard disaster plot. Hoping for something better. MARGINAL THUMBS DOWN.
June.... Once again Roger you overweight troglodyte, you missed the call. This movie is worth seeing just to see the great special effects. Very realistic and true to science as far as I could tell. Very scary because it could happen. My only objection was that there should have been more special effects. They only showed NY City and a couple of small towns being swamped by the 1000 foot tidal wave travelling at faster than the speed of sound! They should have shown more. The NY City sequence was unbelievable. They could have shown the Washington landmarks disappearing under the tide (like Independence Day). They could have shown the shock wave knocking an airplane or two out of the air. They could have shown a ship or two doing the Posiedon thing. Another problem I had -- these people were notified a full year ahead of the cataclysm that it was going to happen. Why did people living in coastal cities wait until the day before Armageddon to pack up and leave for higher ground, clogging the roads, and getting nowhere? At the first notice, I would have packed my bags and taken the first train, plane, automobile, rickshaw, or mule train out of town!!! I would have taken up residence in the hills of Arkansas within a week. What idiots. They deserved to die. This is one for the laserdisc collection.

Siskel.... NOT REVIEWED.
Ebert.... NOT REVIEWED.
June.... Well I like Patrick Swayze. I Loved Ghost and Roadhouse. This is a pretty good action movie, with most stunts involving at least one semi-truck, and any number of assorted other vehicles. Gun running, kidnapping, big explosions, smashed trucks; your typical male testosterone movie. I liked it.

Siskel.... Pathetic. Not a witty moment in the script. BIG THUMBS DOWN.
Ebert.... Bad, bad screenplay. Junk. THUMBS DOWN.
June.... I saw the original Odd Couple while a college student in the late 60's. That was a funny, funny movie. This movie sucks. Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, and Neil Simon??? Who woulda thunk. I gave this movie two stars just because Walter Matthau still makes the world's best CURMUDGEON!!!!

Siskel.... Cheap sentimentality. Even worse than Odd Couple II. BIG THUMBS DOWN.
Ebert.... Starts well but loses its way. Steven Seagal is the highlight of the movie and shows where the film could have gone. THUMBS DOWN.
June.... I agree with the Steven Seagal comment. I like Steven Seagal movies. Maybe he can't act but noboby makes Karate moves like Steven. He is always getting picked on (remember 'In and Out'), but in this movie he is making fun of himself, acknowledging the barbs. Funny stuff. Unfortunately, that's the only funny thing about this movie. Billy Crystal has way more talent than this movie demonstrates.

Siskel.... Boring. Standard outer space soap opera. THUMBS DOWN.
Ebert.... Cornball. Murky. THUMBS DOWN.
June.... I am one of those viewers who is old enough to have watched the original Lost In Space when it was aired for the first time. Cheap sets. Silly effects. And the dastardly Dr. Smith. This movie just doesn't capture the feel of that series. The updated robot was good. The casting is AWFUL! Casting can ruin a movie, and it ruins this one. Matt Leblanc as the over-testosteroned pilot was so sexist as to be unbelievable. Hopefully those kinds of attitudes won't exist in the future. And William Hurt, come on Bill lighten up! I don't think he cracked a smile in the whole movie. Commander Robinson from the series exuded some WARMTH, some PERSONALITY. Hurt is a good actor but he sucks in this one. Another coulda been. Nevertheless, this is one for the laserdisc collection.

Siskel.... This movie is a masterstroke of story telling. Leonard Dicaprio is absolutely transcendent and totally captivating. THUMBS UP
Ebert.... This is a glorious Hollywood epic. Virtuoso performances; well acted. Spectacular detail. THUMBS UP
June.... This is a FABULOUS movie. In the top five of all time! There are not enough superlatives to describe this film. If bad casting can ruin a movie, then this one demonstrates what great casting can do. The casting is absolutely perfect, every single character is a perfect fit. Before seeing the film, I wasn't sure I could believe the love story; but I did, and it was absolutely believable. On my first viewing of this movie I predicted it would break $500 million U.S. Box Office. Based on that number, I predicted it would pull in $1 billion overseas. Add to that the video, cable, and tv rights; I predicted this movie would easily gross $2.5 billion dollars. You may call me Kreskin, because all those predictions are coming true. This movie is just outstanding. If you miss this one, you are missing what movie making is all about. This is one for the laserdisc collection.

Siskel.... An impressive, serious movie. Take your kids. STRONG THUMBS UP
Ebert.... Didn't feel the usual Spielberg emotional spark. THUMBS UP
June.... No emotional spark? Roger, you fat slob, apparently you wouldn't know emotion if it bit you on the ass. This is a truly emotionally uplifting movie, and yet I heard a couple of African American commentators criticizing it for some perceived imperfections. Get a life! If this movie doesn't do more to promote the black cause than anything else out there, I will eat the script. If anyone can watch this movie, and not get emotional at the inhumanity these folks suffered (or at Anthony Hopkin's Oscar-winning speech in the Supreme Court), then they don't deserve to be called human. This movie should be required watching for all school children (and anybody who lives in the south, especially South Carolina). Another one for the laserdisc collection!

Siskel.... Emotionally uplifting. Extremely well acted BIG THUMBS UP
Ebert.... Thumbs up for the script. Original idea. THUMBS UP
June.... Not only written by two 20-year olds, but also starring them! (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.) A couple of relative unknowns showing Hollywood how it's done. I love Robin William's manic comedy, but his acting is even better. Robin should have won an Oscar for 'Dead Poets Society' in 1989 but oh well (he lost to Daniel Day Lewis for 'My Left Foot'). Maybe he will get it this time. The man is the definition of genius. This must be a woman's movie since 2/3 of the audience I was in was female.

Post Awards Comments:
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck won the Oscar for Best Screenplay.
Robin Williams won his first oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Siskel.... A wonderful film from James L. Brooks. Helen Hunt is delightful. A lot of heart in the story. THUMBS UP
Ebert.... Dislocated script. Attempt at happy ending failed. Soppy. MARGINAL THUMBS UP
June.... Marginal thumbs up? Once again Roger, you fat slob, your excess fat cells must be clogging up the arteries in your brain. The writing in this film is like listening to music. It just flows. And you can't get any better acting than that shown here. So what is your problem Roger. Lay off the cheesburgers. Jack Nicholson performs his usual star turn as a hilarious obsessive-compulsive curmudgeon; I especially like the part where he falls in love with his nemesis, the dog. Helen Hunt gives an Oscar caliber performance. Greg Kinnear proves that he CAN act. This must be an older folk's movie since 2/3 of the audience was over 60.

Post Awards Comments:
Jack Nicholson won best actor at the Golden Globes, and the Oscars.
Helen Hunt won best actress at the Golden Globes, and the Oscars.
Greg Kinnear lost out for best supporting actor to Burt Reynolds at the Golden Globes (a close call, but Burt was very good in Boogie Nights), and lost out to Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting) for the Oscar.
(All these awards for a "marginal thumbs up" movie, Roger, you moron!)

ARCHIVES

First time I saw this movie I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. Had to go back three more times to get it all in. I normally don't care too much for Jeff Goldblum but the rapport with Will Smith makes this movie more palatable and I actually liked Jeff in this one. There is just no stopping Will Smith. I love the scene where Will punches the alien in the face and says 'Welcome to Earth'. Judd Hirsch is good and I can't leave without complimenting Bill Pullman for his performance. The critics lambasted his 'president's' rallying speech near the end of the movie; they must be jaded because it was very moving to me. And besides Bill is from my hometown of Hornell, New York; probably the only famous actor to be from Hornell (actually, Bob Crane, from Hogan's Heroes fame, was also from Hornell). He returned for a hometown visit recently and from all accounts was a real down-to-earth person, who has not been perverted by fame, fortune or Hollywood. (I have this on laserdisc.)

This movie has gotten terrible press, and I don't know why. Do the critics hate Kevin Costner or what. This is a good movie. A bit long (3 hours +) and a little slow in places, but not the dog the reviewers make it out to be. The story is quite interesting; the book was good and the screenplay is well done. I love the sweeping panoramic outdoor shots which fill this movie, including the final battle scene with Costner's thousands facing the bad guy's thousands. I give Costner credit for not doing formula movies just to make money, which he obviously could. He takes chances and he has vision. (Future laserdisc purchase)

The critics are saying that maybe Bond has run its course. Maybe not guys, the movie has grossed over 100 M so far; not peanuts. Brosnan is the best Bond since Connery and just keeps getting better. I will never tire of the gadgets, cars, and neat spy stuff that James Bond uses, and this one is full of them. But then I'm 49 going on 14. (Future laserdisc purchase)

A fun movie if you can keep up with the accents. Box office should be better for this one too, but maybe people just don't know it's out there. Even so, it will make money for the producers. At least it got nominated for a Golden Globe, but didn't have a chance against the terrific competition.

The critics like this movie, apparently more than the public based on its box office. A very 40's movie. Detectives, plot twists, and plain good acting make this a good one. The Australian actor Guy Pierce (once seen as a drag queen in 1994's 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert') is definitely a standout along with Kevin Spacey and Russell Crowe. This is definitely a better movie than the box office demonstrates. This is a movie my mother would like. Won a Golden Globe for best actress in a drama.

The graphic shots of people performing for the porno cameras may make some people blush. Apparently they have never seen the real thing. In my audience the loudest laughs came from the senior citizens watching, including a high number of little ol ladies, bless their hearts! Burt Reynolds is just terrific as the head porno dude. When he loses his temper and blows up at his star Dirk Diggler, you can just FEEL IT! Deserves an Oscar nomination. Yes, Burt Reynolds of 'Smokey and the Bandit' fame. And Marky Mark, the boy can definitely do more than just model underwear (he models prosthetics in this movie). Just terrific stuff. This is NOT a movie my mother would like. Burt won a Golden Globe for best supporting actor, go Burt!

Another movie the critics were not kind to. I loved it. Saw it three times at the theater. Chris Tucker as the crazed disc jockey is an absolute riot. Must have been on uppers for this one. Will we see more of Chris Tucker? Yes, yes, yes. (I have this on laserdisc.)

I am not a big Jim Carrey fan, never cared for Jerry Lewis either. But this movie has a LOT of laughs. The courtroom finale is a gut-buster. And the outtakes at the end are as funny as anything in the movie. I remember watching Jim Carrey on the very first episodes of the TV show 'In Living Color' and I said then that this was the guy. This was the guy out of the entire cast that was going to make it big. (See I told you so.)

I love science fiction, so I rarely see a bad one. I guess most people just don't get the satire on fascism in this one. But even if not, there are some great effects with the big bugs. I especially like the giant ones that unearth themselves and spit gallons of acid at their victims, and the bugs that spray bug spittle into space to shoot down invading space vehicles. A total biological weapon. Cool. (Future laserdisc purchase.)

I grouped these two together because they both involve aircraft and tons of action. Together they were the best two action movies of summer, 1997. If you like aircraft, explosions and non-stop action you will like both of these. Yes Virginia, the plots are a little strained in places and Air Force One doesn't really have an escape pod but these are just movies so GET A LIFE! (I have both of these on laserdisc.)

Although I think Robin Williams is an actor of the first caliber, this movie certainly doesn't showcase his talents. But still, a funny little piece of fluff. The kids will love it (the $85 M box office says it all). Innocuous.

Nathan Lane and the British comedian Lee Evans make a good team, in the nature of the three stooges (the mouse makes three). Lots of sight gags and slapstick ably done. The auction is fairly hilarious. I saw Lee Evans guest on Johnny Carson, oops Jay Leno, the other night and he was absolutely manic. Kind of like a British Robin Williams. I think we will see more of him.

Definitely better than III. I and II are still the best with II winning the prize for me. No really memorable roles in this one but some neat effects and who can resist Sigourney's butch act.

More water than Titanic! I felt water logged after seeing this movie, not a single dry shot in the entire movie. Adequate action movie. I liked the jet skis cruising through the high school. And Ed Asner, where the heck did he come from? Minnie Driver again; first Good Will Hunting and now this. No sex in this one though.

Put me to sleep. Walked out with an hour to go, and this one won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Yuck. I thought I must have been the only person around with this opinion, and then who should announce her dislike of the movie? None other than Elaine Benis (aka Julia Louise Dreyfuss). Thank you Seinfeld. I am NOT ALONE!

Don't get me wrong. I like Tom Cruise. But he always plays the same character-- he is always loud, arrogant, cocky, pushy, over the top testosteroned. Just the kind of person in real life that turns me off. That character works for a hot jock fighter pilot, because in real life they are just like that. He is a good actor ("Born on the Fourth of July", "A Few Good Men"). But this was just one too many of same characterisations for me. Somewhere in the middle of the movie he gets on his petulant high horse and acts so immature that I couldn't bear to watch it. I stopped the tape, rewound it and took it back to the video store.

This comes as close to an argument against free expression as I have ever seen. Satire or not, the violence in this movie will, or should, make you sick. I like violence in my movies as much as the next guy, but this is.....it's just too much. I watched about half an hour, became totally revulsed, and rewound it. Horribly demented flick.