Change Your Image
dchristrev
Reviews
Born in East L.A. (1987)
Everything about this one is great!
I love everything about this movie, funny, touching (with the woman, her kids and the oranges) and everything else. But what I love most about this movie is Kamala Lopez. When she adjusts her dress and flips her gorgeous hair, I am left a helpless, drooling idiot. She is one of the most gorgeous women I have ever seen. It is my opinion that Latinas have the most beautiful bodies in the world. From Salma Hayek to Jennifer Lopez to Miss Nude Universe Mercedez, these Latina women are the reason why cavemen chiseled on walls (to borrow a quote from Greg Kinnear in As Good As It Gets). I love them, one and all! Anybody else out there love the Latinas? Let me hear ya say, yeah!!!
Les aimants (2004)
I like it!
And I absolutely adore Isabelle Blais!!! She was so cute in this movie, and far different from her role in "Quebec-Montreal" where she was more like a man-eater. I think she should have been nominated for a Jutra. I mean, Syvlie Moreau was good, but Isabelle was far superior, IMO. Pelletier has done fine work for his first time out, and I noticed he snuck in a couple of his buddies from Rock et Belles Oreilles, Guy A. LePage & Andre Ducharme. It was fun to see them in this, I didn't know they were going to appear.
I don't think I've seen a romantic comedy from Quebec that I didn't like, and this one is as good as any I've had the pleasure to see. And if you're in the states and wondering how you can get a copy of the DVD, www.archambault.ca delivered it to me in less than a week.
Elles étaient cinq (2004)
Another good effort from Quebec...
Powerful stuff. I thought the ending was especially poignant. No resolution for the girl who moved away to NY, while the rape victim is finally able to take her first lover. I was touched by that. I thought the story of how the various people affected by such a tragedy attempt to come to grips was handled with care & realism. It seems every year now, the Quebec film industry comes up with at least a few excellent pieces of work. Add "Cinq" to that prestigious list. I believe Jacinthe Lague was nominated for a best actress Jutra (Quebec equivalent to the Oscar). BTW, I happened to be in Montreal when they handed out the Jutras. It was cool because the best actress award was the last one given. A nice variation from the norm of placing more importance on the best actor prize.
Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)
Mixed Bag...
I could see where this movie would make a better than average play. But let's get down to the nitty gritty here...
Good points: The Grandma and Grandpa characters were hilarious!
Not so good points: In the theater where I viewed this movie, many moments that were supposed to be serious or dramatic got unintentional laughs, even groans! Some of the dialogue was so corny, I almost couldn't believe the actors actually uttered the words. I didn't think the humor was particularly "over the top", but the dramatic moments, especially in the church, were definitely in that category. I understand there are some people in this world that need that brand of uplifting, but I found it almost too much to stomach. For me, the most "real" part of the movie was when the daughter stops to talk with her junky mother.
Overall, not for my taste at all, but if you like an "up vibe" story that will blind you with its attempts to wrest your emotions, by all means see it.
The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)
Pupkin or Bickle? No, Penn Creates His Own
I preface by saying that I am very partial to the great character studies of the late 60's through the 70's. And, having read reviews on this site before seeing "Assasination" I had some expectations for an experience like none since that era. I wasn't disappointed.
I believe that Sean Penn is probably the only actor of his generation who could tackle this project. He is brilliant, and I don't say that about actors today. Of course, they don't make films like this anymore, so I can't say enough about how well everyone involved in this has done. IMO, Penn's performance evokes DeNiro's Rupert Pupkin character in "The King of Comedy" more than Travis Bickle. But I also feel that Penn has created his own lasting character here. I can't wait until this amazing piece of work is available on DVD. If you want to have a unique cinematic experience (or as close as you can get in today's Hollywood) and have the patience for something more than the same old tired blockbuster vehicles, SEE THIS ONE!
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
If your review is too long....
you probably don't like teen sex comedies anyway. If you write more than 10 lines about this classic, you are taking it way too seriously. This is the King of Teen Sex Comedies, period. Anything that follows is/was a pretender or copycat. And I'll never understand why someone would spend so much time and space critiquing a film they don't like, from a genre they obviously don't appreciate. Virtually every actor plays his part realistically. I still get a huge kick out of Belushi's speech about the Germans bombing Pearl Harbor. Or "Do you mind if we dance with yo dates? Or "mine is bigger....my cucumber." Lots of classic lines. Just enjoy it!
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
Things like the "Prison Rap" make this one worth the effort
I can put up with the over-indulgent flatulence/feces jokes to see stuff like the inspired "Prison Rap" with Dr. Evil and Mini-Me...and I'm not even a rap fan! From the Babes shaking their booties, to the part where they have to "bleep" out what Dr. Evil is rapping (I swear I hear him say "splooge" in there!) it is by far my favorite part of the movie.
Austin movies are all pretty much pop culture fests wrapped in the guise of film-making anyway, and you can't take it too seriously, of course.
Fans familiar with Mike Myers' interest in hockey may recognize the sweater/jersey that Mini-Me is wearing during one part of the prison rap...behind the giant bling-bling chain around his neck is a Toronto Maple Leafs logo! Leave it to Mike to sneak that in his movie.
I enjoyed this one at least as much as the first two...love it when Fat Bastard is hanging from the wire and says "Oh, isn't this magical!" It's moments like that keep me coming back to the A.P. trilogy. Oh, and Beyonce is a total babe! Not much of an actress, but what a Babe, and what a voice too!
Deliverance (1972)
Still Creepy After All These Years!
Those who are disappointed that this fine film is not more violent, or whatever it is that you think is missing, you probably do not have the attention span necessary to enjoy most films, like Deliverance, that are more subtle in their delivery. The creepy quotient is high in this and I think it is partly because it is driven by the sense of isolation and not necessarily by the level of violence. And who cares if the canoing scenes sometimes don't look altogether realistic. That's hardly the point. One of the other reviewers makes a good point that the scene of the crime will soon be wiped out by flooding, which I think is one of the creepiest aspects of the film. Besides, the actors took some tremendous risks in filming some of those scenes, so I think that kind of criticism is unfair to say the least. Also, this film was nominated for Best Picture in 1972, but the Godfather won that year, so no chance there, although the other pictures nominated probably were not the equal of Deliverance, so if the Godfather had not been in the picture, who knows? It would be difficult to argue against the nominees for Best Actor that year, but perhaps they could have nominated Reynolds for Best Supporting? Of course, then he would have been competing against Pacino, Caan and Duvall from the Godfather, who cancelled each other out and Joel Grey won for "Cabaret" Tough call.
Johnny Be Good (1988)
Not very good, but not as bad as some comments here!
Maybe you have to appreciate the type of humor that makes this movie funny for me. I sometimes enjoy the stupid, throw-away lines that are liberally sprinkled throughout this one. For example, when Robert Downey Jr. is talking to the two girls in the motel room, his description of a previous sexual encounter is hilarious and odd as only RDJ can make it.
There's a lot about this movie that doesn't work. But I choose to focus on what is funny. Over the years, I have repeated many a line from this stupid flick. Like "What's shaking' coach....coach, how do you feel" or "UCC is your only move, UCC is your ever most GROOVE!"
One thing that stands out for me is the use of footage from the 60's classic "Putney Swope" which happens to be a film written and directed by RDJ's father, Robert Downey Sr. But most people wouldn't even pick up on that! For those that did, or wondered where they had come across the scene at the drive-in before, that's what it was. Robert Downey Sr.'s character even makes a comment about how bad the movie is. An insider's joke, perhaps.