Reviews
The Matrix (1999)
Absolutely loved it
I usually don't like science fiction based movies, but I absolutely loved The Matrix. I was stunned by the special effects and the plot was incredibly interesting and had my attention the whole way through. This movie is the first film, in a very long time, that did not make me glance at my watch to figure how much time I had left before I could leave. Could a woman actually like kung fu and guns? Mix in Keanu Reeves and I have to say yes, yes they can. I am going to go back and watch this film to get the finer points of the film that I may have not caught the first time around. I can't say it's The Usual Suspects, but it's still one helluva a movie. GO SEE IT!
Hands on a Hard Body: The Documentary (1997)
I absolutely loved it!
I went and watched this movie last night with no expectations whatsoever and came out of the theater loving it. I was enthralled with this film from the beginning to the end and never once lost interest. I heard about this film from a director who raved about it at the Texas Film Festival (Texas A&M University).
I loved the people in HOAHB because their personalities were so distinct and so real that they came across as unique characters. I come from a small town in Texas and I swear that I know a person that is like each and every one of those people in the contest. You have the woman with no teeth who would be like the woman in my town that would cause trouble at our high school for absolutely no reason at all. You have the winner who's so much like a good ol' boy that it's funny. You have the young man in the Bug who has dreams of pursuing a career in Hollywood as a stuntman. I guess because I could relate to the film it was that much more entertaining especially because I could pinpoint people in my town that are so much like the people in the film.
I think anyone watching this film will be thoroughly entertained regardless if they're from Texas or not. I loved this film and will be recommending it to all my friends!!!
Stepmom (1998)
My humble opinion...and I do have one!
I think this film was okay-nothing great about it but nothing horrible as well. It was predictable, a "chick flik," humorous, heart-wrenching, and sweet. Julia Roberts portrayal of a bitch was quite interesting to watch since I really haven't observed her in too many roles like that. Susan Sarandon was great as the children's mother and incredibly realistic in her love and protectiveness for her children. The children, especially the little boy, were adorable and made you want to reach out and protect them from all of harm's way. Ed Harris' role as father/ex-husband/fiance was good-natured and sweet but he disappears in the second half of the film. The film, halfway through, begins to develop the story between mother and stepmother and all the complications that go along with it. In the end, all doesn't fare well, but ends on a predictable note. But that's okay because we all just like to go to the movies to be entertained, right? I cried more in this film in the last 20 minutes than I did through the entire 3 hours of Titanic. They did a great job on pulling those heartstrings!
Hurlyburly (1998)
If you're not a fan of Spacey or Penn, don't go see it!
I adore Kevin Spacey and have to admit that the reason I went to see Hurlyburly was because I was anxious to see his newest film. I was in for a surprise; I did not enjoy the film as much as I expected to. The performances in the film were excellent but the film itself was not so great. I was sorely disappointed with the result after much anticipation. Sean Penn and Kevin Spacey do an excellent job of portraying their characters; however, the film just flops once Eddie, played by Penn, is alone with the other characters other than Mickey, played by Spacey.
I was bored by the end of the film and ready to bolt out of my seat even though I was pretty certain that there were several scenes with Kevin Spacey left. I have never left a movie but I was incredibly tempted to do so during this film. It wasn't the complex language, the characters, or the actors that made it so incredibly dull; it was the plot, itself, that just didn't rise out of an acclaimed Broadway play. I believe the greatness of the story got lost between the translation somehow.
I wish I could say that I loved this film but I can't, obviously. I'm just attempting to be honest and unbiased when I say that it was definitely not worth going to the movie theater for. Rent it on video where you can easily turn it off or fall asleep and not feel guilty.
2 out of 4 stars
Titanic (1997)
Definitely Overrated
I do not understand what the hoopla was over this film; it was a decent movie that I would watch once, but I would never go back to see it again and again and again. I will not be renting this one on video because it is not worth watching it if you have already seen it. I think we all know what happens in the movie: a guy and a girl fall in love even though they are worlds apart, the boat begins to sink, do the lovers survive? Since the ending is already known without having to view it even once, I am curious to know what drew so many people to see it numerous times. The story-line was sometimes no better than one of those nickel romance books and perhaps that was what drew the audience it did? There was nothing spectacular about the acting; on the contrary, I found all of the performances, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, quite uninspired and boring. Leonardo DiCaprio does a much better job in This Boy's Life and Kate is wonderful in Sense and Sensibility. I think this movie is one of the most overrated films of '98 especially when L.A. Confidential was released in the same year.
Looking for Richard (1996)
Liked it more than I thought I would...
I am, to say the least, NOT a fan of Shakespeare, but Al Pacino's documentary helped me to understand how actors go about to portray Shakespearian characters. Through this, I felt more drawn in directly with the play and therefore, more intrigued and entertained. The documentary was a little scattered at points but it was also interesting to see how actors like Pacino and Kevin Spacey go about representing their characters. All in all, I thought it was definitely worth a look if you are a Shakespeare fan and only worth it to non-Shakespeare fans if you want to begin to understand his plays.
Pleasantville (1998)
Liked it but didn't love it
Pleasantville was an interesting concept and turned out to be a better film than I originally thought. The only time I thought it went a bit too far was when the writer tried to recreate the whole court scene in To Kill a Mockingbird and also when they tried to do the whole black and white v. colored a la how it was in fifties society. It was still a pretty good film and I would definitely recommend it to people. The actors did an excellent job and Paul Walker is definitely a cutie!
Pleasantville (1998)
Liked it but didn't love it
Pleasantville was an interesting concept and turned out to be a better film than I originally thought. The only time I thought it went a bit too far was when the writer tried to recreate the whole court scene in To Kill a Mockingbird and also when they tried to do the whole black and white v. colored a la how it was in fifties society. It was still a pretty good film and I would definitely recommend it to people. The actors did an excellent job and Paul Walker is definitely a cutie!
Basic Instinct (1992)
One of my favorites
I have watched this movie many, many times and it's still one of my favorite movies. Sharon Stone is absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing in her role and Michael Douglas is handsome and vulnerable throughout the movie. I wish more movies were made along these lines. The sex scenes were a bit graphic but I thought it was done in good taste. Go see it if you haven't yet.