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Reviews
Silverado (1985)
watered down western
Kinda dull plot, poor direction & editing, clichés left and right, and it really isn't the epic western it aspires to be. The performances are pretty good, although Glenn has some trouble acting hurt. Costner does his usual devil-may-care Jeff Bridges impersonation, Dennehy is over-the-top, Danny Glover does what he can in a tired role, Linda Hunt is always fun to watch, and Jeff Goldblum, as was his mien for the 1980s, totally steals the show as Slick. Most of the characters remain fairly thin, with the ones in black hats relying entirely on comic-book personas. Costumes are kinda lame, with the hats seeming to rely on what was available in department stores of the 80s. Rifles shoot tiny holes in people, the good guys never miss, and the music is far too ambitious. Once Upon a Time in the West this is not.
Big Fish (2003)
sentimental bullhockey
Tim Burton has made a number of films I really like (Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, Pee Wee's Big Adventure), but this is not one of them. The son trying to figure out his father is a wholly unlikable character. If I were his dad, I'd disown him. Like everyone else in the picture, he is successful, very clean cut, and middle class. In fact, these words can be used to describe the film in its entirety, and I don't mean that as a compliment.
It's possible that the Burton films I like were carried by quirky actors like Johnny Depp and the young Winona Ryder. As good as he was in Trainspotting, Ewan McGregor has become a dull, middle of the road, mediocre actor. His role in the midst of these extended fantasy sequences is too bright-eyed, too naive to be at all involving or interesting. The only reason I was able to sit through this entire picture was the presence of Steve Buscemi, in a relatively small role.
How a film is able to involve a lot of carny sequences and remain pure as the driven snow is beyond me, but I think the more important question is WHY would a director do this? Tim Burton's film has a very Disney-fied quality to it, everything is squeaky-clean sweetness and love once initial misunderstandings are overcome. There is not nearly enough humor in this film to make it worthwhile. Burton's wide-eyed fantasy world has become unbearably boring.
Shen jian dong shan he (1981)
Kung-fu Snow White
This kung-fu version of Snow White is unbelievable. Was it made for kids? Hard to say. A fleshy egg pops out of the pregnant queen, weird demons plague the kingdom, evil sorcerers try to take over, the hero fights with a weird bloody body. This film is low-budget, and if that's a plus for you, check it out. The sets are wonderful and the special effects are very funny (the dwarves are regular-sized actors, shot from above). Most of the effects involve optical-printing, which wasn't done very skillfully, so the sequences are a little out of focus. Nevertheless, this is one of the most entertaining kung-fu movies I've ever seen. The soundtrack consists of the themes to Battlestar Galactica, Starblazers, and some 80s P-funk.
Valerie a týden divu (1970)
features the best beehive on film
This is the best "girl gets her period" film I've ever seen. The week she comes of age, Valerie sees sex through many lenses. It is a very confusing time for her, full of danger and sensuality.
The film makes great use of color and music. The entire feature has a dreamy quality, not least because of the relentless and uneven symbolic representations. This film should be shown to every teenage girl, who should then go back and watch it again and again as she ages.
Chicken Run (2000)
Feminists rejoice!
Chicken Run (2000) is a good film for kids. A female figure, a hen named Ginger, is the heroine. She organizes the hens in order to escape their prison. The two male chickens are fibbers and not as helpful as they at first appear to be. Ginger, however, manages to encourage them enough to make them useful. The roosters do their part to help save the day, along with all the hens, but they don't take over the operation. There are no princesses in this story, no helpless females awaiting a man's rescuing arms. There is some romance, but it is egalitarian and modern. No Victorian values here (George Lucas must hate this movie; in his version, the rooster would come in and single-handedly save the day). This film boasts great stop-motion animation by Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Parks. It is extremely funny and might just teach kids not only compassion for animals, but also that women can save the day. Loosely based on The Great Escape (1963), this film is not a mish-mash of clichés and poorly written dialogue. It is clever enough to entertain kids and their parents or babysitters.
Antz (1998)
Anti-feminist nonsense
This story makes no sense. The story of the anthill has been completely perverted to suit the gender expectations of Hollywood generally, and in particular that of Pixar, a division of Lucasfilm. It's not especially surprising that Lucasfilm has all these gender hang-ups, it's just really annoying. Antz is a very traditional story. The princess realizes the error of her ways, is threatened by the bad guy, is saved by the hero, and plays a small role in saving her people. But the movie isn't about her, it's about the underdog. He is the one who has an idea, leads the adventure, uncovers the evil plot, leads the ants to victory and saves the day. Oh yeah, and he gets the girl. In a real anthill, there are no heroes. The collective is the hero. Individuals can't do anything. The anthill is a poor metaphor for the power of free will. It is the Queen who holds the power, such that it is, in an anthill. There are no generals, no husbands. The female leads the entire community. The worker ants are female, the soldiers are usually female. The male ants are the small drones or princes, whose sole job is to mate with a princess, and fly away with her to start a new colony. There is no way for a male to seize power; this is unheard of in the insect kingdom.
Why was the anthill even chosen for this story? Any truth about the anthill is immediately dispensed with. The communistic tenets of the collective are discredited. The power of the female is also tossed out the window. The only remaining fact in this movie is that an ant can lift many times its own bodyweight. Any kid that sees this film is going to get a very poor idea of what goes on in an anthill. So would I recommend this movie for kids? No. It's one long cliché, first of all. It's also anti-feminist and the animation style is already dated, and not for the better. There is serious product placement in the form of Pepsi products. Basically, I couldn't find any redeeming qualities lurking in the shadows of this lame movie. Skip it and rent Chicken Run.
Bollywood/Hollywood (2002)
Go watch a real Bollywood film.
This movie was so pointless and boring. It has nothing of the lust for life that makes real Bollywood cinema so inviting. The film is full of cliches and the story is downright dull. The script and cinematography are nothing special. Don't bother with it.
A Thousand Clowns (1965)
Jobs are for Jerks
Although this film sometimes becomes rather stagey, it's worth a watch. The verite-style outdoor scenes break up the interiors with a musical and very 1960s approach. Our hero Jason Robards is something of a bohemian, which gets him in trouble with social services because he's assumed the role of dad for his nephew. He has a wonderful free style and approach that is enviable. This film becomes a tragedy as Robards struggles with authority, society, and convention. I find the ending rather troubling.
Mo toi (1983)
if it weren't for that dead dog....
This movie would have been better without the actual dead German Shepherd. Did they kill the dog for the movie, or did they just happen to have one? It's not a fake prop, it's just sad.
There is a great scene with the monk trying to exorcize the demon.