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Reviews
La jetée (1962)
A movie that changed my film-watching life
I first saw La Jetee in (surprise!) a film class in 1994. I was amazed. The style of the film, the cinematography, the chilling plot were all superb. I had never seen a film quite like this, and it gave me a greater appreciation for cinema in general.
About a year later, when I started to see previews for 12 Monkeys, I wondered if it was going to be based on La Jetee. Sure enough it was, but unlike most Jetee fans, I won't bash 12 Monkeys. The two are considerably different in production, plot, and scope. 12 Monkeys, like any Gilliam film, is a fine bit of sci/fi.
Jetee is probably something best enjoyed by the true film buffs, who won't find it boring or have to compare it to Monkeys. That's fine. Not everyone who likes to read books likes Joyce's Ulysses, although its often viewed as one of the best novels ever.
I, for one, am glad I had an opportunity to watch this film in the right setting, without the baggage of the knowledge of Monkeys. Its impact on me was amazing, and it probably set me down the path of the film snob that I am now. (Not that i don't watch any bad films - see the Mangler 2 review for details). But after watching a lifetime of Porky's, American Ninja, and Yentl, films like Jetee remind one that film can actually be art.
The Mangler 2 (2002)
Devoid of purpose, entertainment, or redemption
After surfing for something to watch at 1:00 in the morning, I stumbled across this piece of trash on one of many HBOs. Having not seen the first one, I figured I wouldn't be lost by just jumping into this "sequel".
Following the film, I thought, how awful. I then checked out IMDB, to see what others had thought. At the time, the film was ranked third on the worst list. THIRD! Of all movies, of all time! We're talking Godfather-quality on a negative scale. High praise indeed.
I'm not sure it is the THIRD worst movie ever created by homo sapiens in over 100 years of filmmaking, but certainly on a scale of 1 to 10, there is no other option but to give it a 1.
Derivitive? Of course; but that is not its worst offense. No person choosing to watch this would think that original ideas were bound to flow from it. Cheesy? Of course. Stupid? Without a doubt.
Clearly its greatest crimes are: being overly self-conscious as a "teen-horror" film in 2001, and frankly, just boring.
The cliches are too numerous to count, and the amount of times it referenced "hip" new technology or recent culture was horrific. You think your high school graduation picture looks dated now? Just imagine how antiquated this film will look 10, if not five years from now.
Lance Hendrikson - all that can be said is, "make check payable to..."
Finally - was I the only one who really, really hated the cook? His accent, which was supposedly French-Canadian (didja see all the fleur-de-lys?, didja?), magically transformed into some sort of California mush throughout the film.
All in all- horrible. To those who defend it - it really was that bad. Really.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Beautifully shot - needs some editing
It's hard to argue Spielberg can't shoot a beautiful picture. Rarely, if ever, has a film so accurately portrayed the horrific consequences of war.
That said, despite excellent acting jobs by the cast, the film suffers from a frequent Spielberg curse - that of the oh-so-obvious moral theme and the dreaded "bookends".
The scenes of the old man weeping at the end of the film, in my mind, ruins its message. Clearly, after the scene on the bridge where Miller (Hanks) tells Ryan (Damon), "earn this", we can see all of the evils and horrors this man has absorbed and will carry for the rest of his life. It is unnecessary to see the older Ryan, fifty years later, having proved he took his captain's words to heart.
Ultimately, it's still a great film - and one that's worth seeing, if not for all of the actors, who were somewhat unknown at the time.
It is not, however, worth seeing Ted Danson in any way, shape, or form.