I was so disappointed in this effort from Adam Sandler. I have loved most of his movies as far back as his idiot days of The Waterboy and the like. But I thought he had started to turn the corner with Click. Sure it still had kicks in the groin and fart humor, but there was finally message hidden in the crude humor somewhere. Sadly, there was no corner to be turned. This movie is utter regression. Scenes that had shooting fish with his butt and the gross concept of him "satisfying" every elderly lady who needed silky smooth hair in the salon was too much to handle. I'm talking over the top gross out for a Sandler flick. The one neat part for us middle agers was one of the "customers" in the salon was Mrs. Garrett from Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes fame. Lastly, I used to be a big fan of Rob Schneider. But now he has played an Asian(Chuck and Larry), a Palestinian, a Hawaiian(50 First Dates), and a Bayou Boy(The Waterboy) all with the EXACT same accent. Come on. There were several funny parts in this movie but I can not come up with one good reason to watch it again.
The Final Countdown seems to be two different entertainment options edited in to a fairly good film. What I mean is you have your Hollywood movie with the fascinating premise of a U.S. Navy captain facing the dilemma of the history paradox. When the U.S.S. Nimitz enters a temporal disturbance(cheezy effect) the ship is sent to Dec. 6th, 1941. Captain Yelland(Douglass) must decide whether to interfere with the imminent Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This piece of the movie is probably 3 stars. The second level of the movie is a documentary on super carriers before there was a History Channel. It was as if the second unit just filmed everything that happens on a carrier and they used as much as they could. For 1980, a lot of this stuff had not been seen before. As an example, I cite the scene where they do an in-air refueling of two F-14's. Not really necessary to our story. Lots of takeoff/landings and the part where one of the planes' tailhook won't come down so he lands with the arresting straps also very cool but off script. I would recommend this as a unique view of the time travel conundrum and for the very nicely shot documentary.
I got really worried when this started off like every other movie of this genre. Submarine travelling in the deep making some kind of electronic pinging sound(which they don't). But that isn't what troubled me. In the establishment shot it says they are in the Aegean Sea at 200 hours. They couldn't even get that right. It is said zero two hundred. That is how you do military time. No hours. Need the zero in front or it could be mistaken for 2000 which is 8 PM instead of 2 AM. Then there is the usual garbage like the leader of the seal team being called Captain but wearing the rank of a Lieutenant. The same collar device means captain in the other three branches but not in the Navy. Navy personnel do not salute indoors. Or uncovered. Or say Ten Hut to mean come to attention. In addition they are not wearing seal pins. Not sure what that is but it looks like air wing. Also, SEAL teams are not all officers. One only with the others being enlisted men. OK. Off my soapbox. The movie was terrible. They did have a pretty large special effects budget. Tons of real looking explosions. They do not seem to mourn the loss of their comrades very adamantly.
Heading in to this movie, I was expecting a large cheese factor based on what the cable info button told me about the flick: "A washed up baseball player heads home following the death of an old friend." I don't think that captures the spirit of the movie at all. Firstly, I wouldn't really refer to Billy as a washed up baseball player. You would at one point had to have been someone to earn the right to be called washed up. We learn in the movie that he quits AA ball when he drops a flyball and his team loses. Not much of a ball player there. I will agree that he is washed up, but as a person. Secondly, I wouldn't really call Katie an old friend of his. She was so much more. It started with her being his babysitter, then friend, then teacher, and then lover for a few brief days. Then she is out of his life for I'd guess around 15 years. With that aside, their story is nicely done. The whole time I had a nostalgic "The Big Chill" feel inside when everyone gets together to remember their suicidal friend but this movie was different since Katie was a large part of the flashback sequences. Jodie Foster was outstanding as usual and steals every scene she is in. Mark Harmon is at his best once he is given the ashes, you sense he understands the mission but would rather not have to deal with it because he could possibly have ended up like Katie. I would recommend this movie. There are a lot of 5 * reviews here but you have to know it's not one of the greatest of all time. There are a couple of really cool bit parts in this one. Watch for Helen Hunt as Billy's grown up pregnant sister and also the seductress who gets to Jonathan Silverman is one of the aunts from Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
As I watched this movie, I was amazed at just how far Drew Barrymore has come. She really hit rock bottom in the early 1990's getting constantly cast as the "bad girl" in nearly every flick she was in. Her image didn't start to take a turn for the better until "The Wedding Singer". But I digress. Drew was a just a little too weird in this movie. I know she had some mental health issues, but what exactly was she rebelling against? Her parents seemed to be ultra cool, she was a high schooler with her own wheels and freedom to do almost anything she wanted. I was a little confused by Chris O'Donnell character also. He seemed to be very happy in his role as the "parent" to his two younger siblings and his goal of being an astronomer. But I guess the movie isn't called "Mad Love" for nothing. He is a better man than I for putting up with the mood swings Casey would go through on their escape trip. When she got their car wrecked I surely would have lost it. When it became clear that she really did need medical help, he still refused to take her back but by that time, I guess he felt that they were in to deep. Like I said, this isn't one of Drew's better works. You would have to wait a few more years after this movie for that
This movie was wrong on so many levels. It was as expected though. Jessica Simpson flat out can not act. We all knew that. But she wasn't the worst singer trying to be actor in this flick. That honor goes to Willie Nelson. His lines were mechanical and painful to hear. There had to have been someone better that auditioned to play Uncle Jesse. The paper thin plot line was about equal to one episode of the TV show in strength. It basically serves as an excuse to drive the General Lee all over Georgia to some VERY sweet stunts with a secondary purpose of letting us see Daisy show off her assets. Note that the boys seemingly drive all night to Atlanta to get the core samples tested but when they run in trouble with the law, Daisy shows up to save the day immediately. Just a minor complaint. Possibly most annoying was the character of Billy Prickett, the towns favorite son and four-time winner of the road rally. He not only looked exactly like Ben Stiller's character in Dodgeball, he was played the same. There was some entertainment value to this movie. I did enjoy it to some extent and got exactly what I was expecting.
What a poorly conceived chronicle of Pink Floyd or as the crazies in this tome call them "The Floyd". It starts off at Wish You Were Here telling us how the album was a tribute to original Pink Floyd front man Syd Barrett but not explaining that he was forced out of the band due to drug induced mental health issues and that is why "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" was written for him. The major theme of this DVD is the increasing control Roger Waters exuded on the band in the song writing and producing. By the time The Final Cut was released in 1983, the other members of Pink Floyd were basically studio musicians for The Roger Waters Experience. With that in mind, EVERY bit of concert footage used (lots) was from tours AFTER his departure from the band. Horrible. The concert footage is almost ruined by the copyright info overlay that looks like it was made on a Commodore 64. Waters does come across as the big jerk in the two 10 second interviews they show of them. I would have liked to hear more of Waters and Gilmour's opinions on the music instead of the cover band. Interesting that after Waters' departure from the band, they go on to have their lone #1 album on both sides of the Atlantic while most fans can not name a single song by Waters off his solo albums. The other annoying part was the star rating of each album as it is discussed. They gave every Pink Floyd album during a twenty year stretch 5 * except for The Final Cut. I am a huge fan but COME ON!!! Stay away from this and watch any other Pink Floyd title.
This won the Academy Award for worst movie ever made. It is craptastic. Similar to the other reviewers, I spent 8 years in the Navy on submarines and had to laugh out loud several times during this. Between this movie and Crimson Tide, one would think that the Commanding Officer of a U.S. submarine is at the whim of the XO(Crimson Tide) or JAG(this movie) to be relieved of command at a moments notice. I know it's the movies but 3 men picking up a 3500 pound torpedo plus a submarine that can withstand a direct torpedo hit AND a mini-sub loaded with C-4 AND take a Tomahawk through it's belly is ridiculously ridiculous. There is one point in the movie where one of the men is calling off depths as the boat is going down and he says passing 1600 while in the camera shot the depth gage shows 1026. If the people who make the movie don't care, why is the viewer supposed to? Watch the end credits and you will see the entire crew who worked on this travesty are Russians, every name ends in -ov. I'm sure the US Navy had NOTHING to do with this garbage. Lastly, you DO NOT salute on a submarine or when not wearing a cover(hat). Maybe they should have paid a Navy vet $20 to be the technical advisor.
This is a must see for any 1980's movie nostalgia fan. It has everything you want in your trip down memory lane -- the soundtrack, a valley girl, a cool robot, Star Wars references, and Tom Skerritt who appeared in 94% of the movies from the decade(I may have made that up). The best part of this movie is the strong young cast in some of their earliest roles. You have 22-year old Tate Donovan playing a spoiled high schooler Kevin who barters with his father to receive a new Jeep for going to camp. Lea Thompson who lives and breathes for camp yet somehow gets wooed by Kevin in to sneaking out past curfew. Kelly Preston as the combo Valley Girl/perfect SAT's here in a minor role. The surprise for me was Joaquin Pheonix(credited as Leaf) in his firt major film role. I didn't even recognize him until someone pointed it out then it's perfectly obvious. He does very well here as the robot lovin', Star Wars quotin' 12 year old who ends up saving the mission with his brave space walk. Lastly, we have 25 year old "high schooler" Larry B. Scott as Rudy the mission specialist. He is better know as Lamar from the Revenge of the Nerds franchise. Shockingly the special effects were actually decent. For 1986 the shuttle scenes and even the action sequences trying to retrieve the oxygen from space station Daedalus were well done. There was a little bit of the people speak slower in space stuff but just a minor thing. Overall, this is an enjoyable trip down memory road for the Gen X crowd.
This movie was so close to being really good yet our director seems to veer off course at every important point. I did love our introduction to Gray and Sam the brother/sister duo whose lives are so intertwined that several people mistakenly think they are a couple. As an aside, I did not know Heather Graham could dance so well. Back to the story. When they learn of the couple thing, they both get mildly weirded out and decide to find a partner for their sibling. Gray has shockingly amazing success on their first try when they run into Charlie in the park and she sets her up with Sam. Those two hit it off so well that we get a quick wedding. This sets off some biological explosion in Gray that has her suddenly feeling like she's gay. Dr. Sydney, her therapist(Sissy Spacek) can't seem to help. Luckily, Gray has befriended a super nice taxi driver Gordy who gives better advice than Merlin the Magician. Without giving too much away, that's your story. Bridget Moynahan was great but Alan Cumming as Gordy probably gets the most laughs. But is this comedy? Tough to tell. That's where I have a problem with the directing. Everything turns out too cute as Gray struggles with her "coming out". I don't have a problem with it not being realistic as some point out, I would just like it to be consistent instead of all over the place.
Over the years I've seen many Woody Allen films, many copycats of Woody's format and now with Promises! Promises! I've seen where Woody got his idea as we see Tommy Noonan as the writer, producer, and star of this film as the ultra-neurotic Jeff Brooks, who is so stressed out, he can't manage to make love to his wife Sandy played by Jayne Mansfield. You read that right. Sound like Woody? Having been born after Jayne died in 1967, I have never seen anything she had ever done. I gave this one a chance because of a line in a famous Seinfeld episode from Season 4. But I digress. This movie is not good. The only really interesting character is Claire Banner who is staying in the cabin adjacent to the Brooks'. There is a ridiculous scene where King Banner (Mansfield's real life husband at the time) performs a weight lifting exhibition in a tux at his birthday party. The ladies seemingly get their hair done every day. Finally, the reason most people watch this is Jayne bearing her bountiful bosom. Honestly, she is sexier with her clothes on as she fills a dress niceley. They must play the same 5 second clip of her topless 5 times in this movie. I hope all movies from the early 1960's weren't like this.
It is strange to call this a sequel to the somewhat entertaining 100 Girls from 2000 but there isn't really a better word. None of the characters carry over but the theme is the same as well as the style. If you think you want to see both of them, I'd recommend watching 100 Girls first because it is layed out a little better for understanding. Here we have Sam, our hopeless wannabe artist who on the worst day of his life meets Hope(Mary the paralegal from HIMYM) who manages to restore his smile. Through a convoluted set of circumstances, Hope falls into a state of depression that Sam can't seem to pull her out of. Sam gets to know all the women in the building as he tries to discover what is bothering Hope. Wait, I forgot to mix in some snot, porn, and private parts jokes. I guess it got a little corny there for a bit. Then it's happened--Hope has finally snapped out of her doldrums to profess her love for Sam, turns out her depression was for far more philsophical reasons than even Socrates could understand. But now Sam has lost his smile again. And in a completely not surprise ending...well, give it a watch. It is actually not as bad as Im making it sound.
Fred Savage is definitely trying to emerge from the stereotype of being the kid from Wonder Years. I will say he has a bit more success here than he did as Number 3 in Goldmember, though thats not saying much. Strange casting choice as our lead, Steven, since it feels not only unbelievable that he would be with Chloe in the first place, but also his transition into the nymphomaniac his best friend pushed him into. She just seems to be everything he wasnt. Add in the great advice and not so role model behavior from Jack on relationships and you have yourself a soup sandwich of self-esteem. Luckily the bartender somehow has some influence on Steven and gets him to see the error of his ways. I'm not sure what to make of the ending. Maybe I have become so programmed to want everything in a neat little package with this happened to so and so and they lived happily ever after but we get none of that here. We are left to wonder what happens to gold-digging Jack and Alexis (Amy Adams before her career exploded)and even more, what does Amelia do? This isnt a bad movie like you might expect, worth a watch if you are a fan of anyone in the cast.
I will get to the figuring it out part in a bit. I thought the story was a little too out there. The movie is set in 1960 and Hobbs' wife has been dead for 15 years we are told. That coincides with the end of WWII. How much medical knowledge of cancer and how many medical resources during war time are we expected to think were devoted to treating the wife of a janitor in war torn England? Michael Caine's acting is strong enough to generate sympathy for his cause and purvey his deep love for his wife. Why is Miss Quinn(Demi) speaking in a British accent? We are told twice during the movie she is an American who studied at Oxford. Now back to the figuring it out part. Do you know why we are finding it difficult? Answer: it's insane. Our janitor struggles to make it down the vault passageway for his first trip using her phone call as a distraction and dumb luck with the security man eating a crumpet at the exact right time. Remember we are talking about 4000 pounds of diamonds. How many trips do you think that would be pushing a single cart across a MARBLE floor without damaging it? I won't elaborate as to make this a spoiler but I was a little disappointed. The story was a little more than a heist flick. There was the social commentary on the health care industry, glass ceilings, and blood diamond oppression in South Africa. Maybe they were biting off a little more than they could handle in one hour and 45 minutes. Nice acting by all, I especially liked Joss Ackland(Bill and Teds Bogus Journey, Red October) as Sir Ashtoncroft. Give this movie a chance despite my minor rants here, it is a decent watch.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I tossed this in my queue. I was born in 1970 so maybe I was trying to see what I missed. Answer: not much. As others have mentioned, the 3D thing kind of ticked me off. Perhaps a note or something on the info page for this movie should mention the need for them. Since this is Super Bowl weekend and there are glasses available at the grocery story for the half time show and tomorrow's episode of Chuck, I went and got some. Didn't help. Could not get the 3D effect to work with the glasses upside down, backwards, one eye open, no eyes open, etc... Now that I've read the Wiki article, it states the movie is not shown in the traditional red/cyan filter format so I'm even more confused. When the 3D doesn't work, it makes some of the scenes look all the more ridiculous like the pool cue and the shots at the amusement park. This movie has many of the same elements of a porn movie, except worse. The same repetitive soundtrack, HORRIBLE editing, paper thin story, bad acting. The only 2 people who have a story are the ad exec and his stewardess and their "ending" does not exactly mesh too well within this movie. Don't even get me started on the fetishly freaky lamp sex scene. That's right, 3D sex with a lamp. I wish I could say something positive but I have racked my brain and it's drained. As a side note: This was the most profitable 3D movie of all time. (wiki)
This movie does not try to fool you into thinking it is something it isnt. Around the first 15 minutes of the film are spent at the pool of the private resort giving you the sights like the traditional pool scene in every episode of Love Boat that takes place after you meet that weeks guest start boarding the Pacific Princess. But I digress...Here we meet Jack and Ben, two pretty lucky guys who have their own suite, no worries, and the ability to get drinks on their vacation. The antics that ensue are reminiscent of dozens of other movies(and maybe some Scooby Doo cartoons). It is entertaining enough to hold your interest, barely. People to note here are obviously Johnny Depp in his next role after Nancys boyfriend in Nightmare on Elm Street. He does show a lot of that charisma that has become his trademark. We also have Callahan from the Police Academy series in a great part for her. But the one I liked was Andrew Clay (pre-diceman moniker). I dont think he acts in his movies. He IS the character in the movie. Here is Curt could easily be named Ford Fairlane and you would not know the difference. Enjoy.
I have not been this disappointed in an ensemble cast movie since I watched Dr. T and the Women. In order for this movie to work I really think the director should have made us want to like Meg Ryan's character of Mary a little more. I just couldn't muster up the sympathy for her that was needed to make this boring story matter. I know it's called The Women and there is a female director but the very bold move of having no male characters in the movie did not work for me nor my wife. It felt like they had to work hard to ensure we never saw the unfaithful husband, the jerk of a dad who fires Mary, or the boss who is going to fire Sylvie(Annette Bening), or the father of Edie's(Debra Messing) baby. I get the concept, it just didn't work. I don't know if there was a larger role written for Carrie Fisher but she was reduced to near cameo status here. My wife and I could not make it through the movie in one sitting, we had to watch the last 10 chapters on a second day because we had been put in a catatonic state. The other point I'd like to make is what did Meg Ryan do to her face? Her upper lip no longer moves due to injection. When she talks, it's like Kermit the Frog's mouth, stiff as cardboard. She has been one of my favorites for a long time, but I almost feel let down by this one. To conclude, if you are going to call the movie The Women and have zero male characters(save a newborn baby at the end), why on earth would you have the story leading us to believe that Mary is going to take her husband back? Obviously I'm male and even I don't think he deserved a second chance here after what Eva Mendes' character put Mary through. I know I'll probably get blasted for this review, but I did want to like this movie, I did.
This movie has a lot going for it. Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway both are very entertaining as Liv and Emma, best friends for 20 years whose relationship runs into troubles when they are both scheduled to have their dream weddings on the same date at the same place they've been planning since they were 6 years old. The story starts off with us getting to enjoy just how much they care for and support each other as evidenced by Liv's covering for Emma wearing an old gown to their gold digger friend's wedding and then supposedly giving her a "hand me down" that was brand new. That's what best friends do. But then the movie takes a kind of nasty turn to some Home Alone type antics when the girls get nasty with competition after their wedding dates are mistakenly scheduled on the same day. Some of this is funny but a lot of it was just too contrived. I really loved the way Liv's husband knew just how to handle her and what to say at the right time, especially with his beautiful Smurf comment. Watch for Kristen Johnston (who has dropped a lot of weight since her great role in Music and Lyrics). She was great in this. Candice Bergen plays her part as the wedding planner much the same way she played the mother in Sweet Home Alabama -- stiff and prudish. Would have liked to see more from her. There are several laughs and it is definitely worth seeing the meaning of true friendship and how they were lost without each other. Nicely done, especially Anne Hathaway. Who knew she could dance like that?
This movie really reflected an Adam Sandler in transition. Sure he started off as a workaholic family neglecting man. But he still seemed like Billy Madison/Happy Gilmore. Given the power of the remote, he does things like kick people in the nuts and fart in his bosses face. Seemed pretty old school and standard comedy fair. I guess this is what I was expecting from this movie since it was marketed this way. But then the director changes his mind. The theme starts to get more serious and take on life lessons. A stretch from where it started. Don't get me wrong, I think it was a good change but it just doesn't seem to fit. Henry Winkler was great as his dad. The scene where he rewinds to the last time he saw his father was very sad. Then they seal the deal by telling you he wasn't there when his dad died. Also nicely done was the scene at his son's wedding where he is fumbling while try to figure out exactly what he has missed this time. The moral of the story is solid and one worth turning into a film. I'm just not impressed with the path the director took us down to get there.
The movie did not disappoint. On the Marvel scale, I would place it real close to the joy of watching the first Spider Man and as far away from Eric Bana's Hulk as you possibly can. The opening action sequence was a delight. They were able to introduce you to Tony Stark the person with just a few minutes of banter and then wallop you with the action that already makes you really like this guy. I loved the part where he is being interviewed and the woman says that he is compared to Da Vinci and he says, that's crazy because he doesn't paint. Don't know why thought it was funny. I initially thought Academy Award winner Gywneth Paltrow had been miscast as Tony's assistant but as they expaned her role I realized that they had made an excellent choice. She didn't try to steal any scenes and it was clear throughout the movie that Tony/Iron Man was the star. Of course you can dissect the story as much or as little as you want but it does hold together enough to support the fun of watching this movie. With the couple hints at sequels in the movie, I only hope it becomes reality.
I had heard so many bad things prior to watching this movie that I almost took a pass. I really wanted to see it though because it was a huge deal here in Detroit when they were filming scenes locally. That turned out to be a dud. About the only part I could attribute to Detroit was the car chase that was filmed indoors. That was the old Train Depot here. What I found weird about the movie was it really didn't have an identity. It sets up as a sci-fi thriller with the genetics and GATTACA type themes. I liked the scene where the clones were reading Dick and Jane. After the scene where we see Michael Clarke Duncan getting his liver removed (I think he was great in this small part), the movie decides to change it's mind and become Terminator 4. The special effects just take over and our two naive, 15 year old mentality clones manage to elude a team of special forces hit men who have rocket cycle, choppers and access to the electronic networks that no one can escape. Yet Lincoln and Jordan do. Mind you the special effects are not cheesy it's just that they dominate the second half of the movie making you forget the original story line. The movie is entertaining, I just wish it didn't have that massive chasm that I felt between the two parts
This had to have been the strangest senior trip I have ever seen. No group activities and the kids keep running into each other all across Manhattan, you know because it's such a small place. I don't know how anyone can look at Scott Baio and not immmediately think Chachi or Charles in Charge. In this movie, he does change it up a little bit and play the intelligent focused teen who knows exactly what he wants. The other stories get mixed reviews. The ones who just drank or wanted to get prostitutes were pretty lame. Note a young Jason Alexander (George Costanza from Seinfeld) as the guy who vomits on the bus. The lady who sang for Mickey Rooney really belted it out. The one couple I identified with were the two who wanted to see "everything" in Manhattan. I tried to do it in a day and it is just impossible. During their tours, the scenery shots show the twin towers of the World Trade Center about 5 or 6 times. It just made me think...there used to be no way to take a scenery shot of lower Manhattan without including them then films like Spiderman felt pressured to edit them out and now film makers try to avoid having to deal with it. Sad...
I watched this movie not remembering anything from when it was released, couldn't recall what the trailers contained so I had no idea what it was about. The way the wife was setting it up, I was expecting a kind of Royal Tennenbaums. I was glad she was wrong. While I think there are a lot of elements in this movie that don't work, the majority do. Of course, per the new requirement, you had to have the happy gay person. But they worked and you liked them more than anyone else in this movie. I'm not sure why we are supposed to think that Everett is considered the black sheep of the family. The movie did not set this up very well. Everyone in the family can not stand Meredith when she is with Everett. After the dinner scene where she insults the entire family and the gay community, you would think they were done with her. But by the end of the movie when it's the next years Christmas and she has switched her love to Ben, suddenly she's OK? I just didn't see the transition. Of course Amy has to fall in love with ambulance boy too. I was a little surprised they didn't play up Sybil's illness a little more. Maybe the directior was trying to keep everything a little light and keep this mostly as a comedy but I'm sure they could have elicited a few tears with a well writting scene involving her passing. Not that it needed it but you do get really attached to her during the movie, especially after she stuck up for Patrick and her son during the awkward dinner scene. Overall, I did enjoy it. There is enough here to entertain and Luke Wilson probably steals the show. He's no Baldwin brother ;)
I have been a big Reese fan for years now but had never heard of this movie until I found it while making a Reece list. I was stunned. What a phenomenal acting performance put in by such a young woman on her first movie. She was outstanding. Unfortunately, the story/script is the weak point of the movie. Besides the budding love affair between Dani and Court and the awkward tryst with Maureen joining the action, there is not much going on here. I thoroughly enjoyed the on-screen time the young couple shared. From the first scene at the watering hole where instead of being a shy nude 14 year old, she chews Court out telling him unless his name is Foster, he better be leaving. The usual cheese factor had to enter the movie. It seems to be required. When Dani leaves for her late night rendezvous at the pond to meet Court, the out of nowhere storm brews up and her mother's "spider sense" starts tingling and she has to run outside in the storm to find her overly independent daughter when she takes a bad fall and receives a concussion so we are forced to worry whether she will lose the baby. Somehow, the bump on the head led to instant toxemia. Medical miracle I say. One of the final scenes where Dani goes fishing with her old man and we finally get to see some of that daddy wisdom when he advises her that her sister is for life and probably needs her more than ever was actually done very nicely. Sam Waterston added a nice touch here in his pre-Law & Order days. I have to say this movie comes highly recommended. Try to look past the slightly thin story and just enjoy the rising star that was Reese Witherspoon.
While the story may not be the most elaborate and detailed ever scripted, it is a pleasure to see unfold. It is always a joy to see a film where the couple can and does convince the viewer that they love each other beyond all bounds. I would consider that point to be the main theme of the movie though I think they set out hoping it would be the bridging of the gap between father and daughter. It really feels like Jane Fonda is just a minor sub-plot here. My favorite scene is when Dabney Coleman first meets Norman and asks permission to sleep with Chelsea. I felt genuine anxiety for him. With the main story being the eternal love of Norman and Ethel, I would consider the second focus to be the evolving friendship of Billy and Norman. Of course, one can feel the allegory of how this never happened with Norman and Chelsea, I feel it just pushes her story further down the agenda. All things included, this is a great movie. Beautiful scenery and some fine acting with a good story is very enjoyable. If you want some proof of just how much it was about the acting, look at the cast in the closing credits. There are only 6 or 7 people listed yet you feel like you got to feel so much more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of 4 teenage girls who must survive their first summer apart as they go on their separate adventures. I initially thought the movie was going to be more like Now and Then (Demi Moore, Rosie O'Donnell) with the story being told over 20 years but I was surprised when it didn't. The scenes that were filmed in Greece are breathtaking. The water is so blue and the white-washed buildings as the backdrop make the visuals all the more splendid. I particularly enjoyed Lena's tale the most here. Her transformation was completely believable as the innocent girl back home is "born" on her travels abroad. Very well done. Of the others, I also enjoyed Tibby's. While she set out to make a documentary (boring film ;) of what happens at the local chain market, I think she gained the most during the summer. With Bailey entering her life and teaching her how precious it is, she gained much perspective and used it when Carmen first comes home. When Bailey explains how it's the little things that make our lives special whether it be Dragon's Lair or whatever. What an acting job by this young woman who played Baily. The other 2 stories were also enjoyable, but not at the level of the first 2. As a middle-aged man, most would think I wouldn't have enjoyed it but I did. While I was watching, my son's 13 year old friend walked in and said, "This is an awesome movie, you're going to love it". So to all that think the male genre wouldn't appreciate, there are 2 votes against ;) I'm thinking about reading the book...enjoy.
Overall, I found this movie to be fairly enjoyable. I really enjoyed Julia Stiles performance and how she seemed to transition during the movie into someone taking over her grandmother's place at the head of the family since her father clearly was not the person to do this. The theme of the best friend/secret love was a little tired and transparent here but I did like the part when he professes his love for her and she "doesn't know what to say" and he replies, "you just said it". But of course our man will swallow his pride and overcome this intitial setback. Shirley MacLaine--I swear she has to be typecast more as the crotchety old mother/grandmother figure more than Arnold is an action hero. She plays this EXACT same character in this movie as Bewitched, Rumor Has It, Guarding Tess, Steel Magnolias, and Terms of Endearment. The only movie she has recently done to not follow this is In Her Shoes. All that said, I enjoyed her performance here. She just says what she wants and gets away with it. Randy Quaid seemed like the same character from Vacation series. I would recommend this movie to those who enjoy a family roles coming of age type experience
My major gripe with this movie was how strictly it attempted to adhere to the book, even though that's what I wanted it. Confused? I bet. There were things they included in flashbacks that I thought were just there to throw a bone to those who have read the book. They made absolutey no sense to someone who hadn't. I would bet there was not a single person who hadn't read the book who was able to pick up anything about the monk's and the Bishop's past. The flashback left me kind of confused. I could cite several of these but I think you get my point. I'm not sure why they changed some of the other things also. Like Langdon being at a book signing when the French police grab him. This throws the whole timing of that evening off since he was at his lecture, then says he was supposed to meet Sauniere and waited for an hour...etc. Just didn't flow right. A little more detail on his "escape" from the Louvre would have been nice too. The book did a nice job here. Also omitted the gun standown at the DaVinci painting. Changed the ending....blah blah. Still enjoyed the movie but left feeling they could have done so much better.
"The Exception, not the rule.." refers to a line repeated throughout the movie but I thought it could also refer to the recent trend of these all-star cast movies not being equal to the sum of their parts. There is a long history of let downs like Dr. T and the Women. Though this movie isn't great, it is at least enjoyable and bucks that trend. It is very slow starting with an awkward attempt to introduce you to the interwoven cast of relationship misfits with very few laughs. But it does improve with Scarlett Johansson turning in one of her better performances. You may not like what she stands for in this movie, but she makes you believe it anyway. As you look at the credits you see a list of names that have starred in many movies but you will be surprised at who "stars" in this movie. It is Ginnifer Goodwin playing Gigi, the hopelessly gullible one-date machine. She is the bright spot in this movie and her scenes with Alex (Justin Long) provide enough spark to keep the flame of the rest of the film burning. I'm not sure if the script was written for her to be the focus or it just developed into that but she was excellent. Look for Kumar as a gay friend of Mary(Drew Barrymore in a just above cameo status appearance) and a nice short performance for Kris Kristofferson. The movie ends with the neat wrap-up for all the characters with a kind of Love Actually feel. Some get what they thought they wanted and others get their freedom, but everyone seems happy. Overall I think this movie lacks an identity, not sure whether it is a comedy, drama, or social commentary as evidenced by the scene where the editor has decided to cut from a heart attack at a wedding reception to a party scene with a cold transition. Just strange editing.
