Change Your Image
Tiny-11
Reviews
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
THE WORST MOVIE OF ALL TIME.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz - Oh, I'm sorry! I must have dozed off. I was watching Star Wars: the Phantom Menace. If you want to get some deep sleep, see George Lucas' latest installment of the Star Wars saga. There is not a single aspect of this film that held my interest, not even the special effects. As is the case with all computer generated effects, they got boring after a couple minutes. I hope Mr. Lucas reads these comments, because if this is the direction he's headed in, his gold mine is going to run dry. A TRADE FEDERATION?! Give me a break!! I've seen Congressional meetings more interesting than Dennis the Phantom Menace!
Frankenstein (1931)
Not the book
Forget about Mary Shelly's novel. This is pure Hollywood, at one of its greatest moments! "Frankenstein" is one of those films that speaks not of its original inspiration, but of its director. James Whale has created a cinematic masterpiece, surpassed only by its sequel. It is a shame that Karloff's interpretation and Jack Pierce's make-up have for the past 70 years overshadowed the novel. At the same time, however, both men gave the monster, and the movies, an entirely new personality. Besides, what would we have if all movie makers stuck unwaveringly close to the original source? Nothing very original, I'm sure. If you want the book, read the book. If you want a good scare, or laugh, or cry, see the movie.
Gods and Monsters (1998)
More than just gay vs. straight.
Originally, I thought this would be a film of gay man versus straight man. It is. But much more than that, it is a film that speaks of human strengths and weaknesses, one that studies with quirky charm and quiet strength the scenario of man versus man.
Without getting maudlin or preachy, "Gods and Monsters" goes about telling its story about ignorance, frailty, and unconditional love, the very themes that ran throughout most of James Whale's life and films.
Bill Condon has created a poetic masterpiece, a wonderful answer to the question "Can't we all just get along?". Ian McKellen as James Whale is fascinating and absorbing, his facial expressions and body movements mesmerizing. He does not give a stereotypical "queen" performance. Rather, his James Whale is a dignified, yet tortured man. Lynn Redgrave is comical for the most part as Whale's maid, though she does lend a certain down to earth quality. It is Brendan Fraser, though, who steals this film. As Clay Boone, Fraser holds his own in McKellen's formidibal shadow. He does not provide a stereotypical performance either. Boone prooves to be as dignified and monstrous as Whale.
The few problems I had with the film where two gimmicky scenes, one showing Boone's surrender to a request of Whale's that he pose "like a statue", the other a dream sequence that has Whale walking among his fallen comrades in the trenches of World War one, and one flashback on the set of "Bride of Frankenstein", a scene tainted by Arthur Dignam's awful portrayal of Ernest Thesiger.
Eventually, "Gods and Monsters' proves two things: that we are all at once superhuman and sub-human, and that Hollywood can still show this in a beautiful way.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)
A very brave effort; a very bad result.
Francis Ford Coppola and Kenneth Branagh make a very brave effort in retelling Mary Shelly's story, especially in a time when all anyone recalls is that the monster's name is Frankenstein, and that he had a flat head. It's too bad the effort fell as flat. The film starts with promise, then takes a nasty and predictable turn when Dr. Waldeman is murdered. What follows is just another uninspired gory romp, trying to disguise itself as a true retelling of Frankenstein. This movie bares no more resemblance to the original novel than any other incarnation. Kenneth Branagh needs a kick in the teeth, Coppola needs to return to his glory days as a brilliant film maker, and De Niro needs to ask himself why he keeps taking on such awful roles. If these guys were to make a film of the life of Christ, they would have Him climb down from the cross and kick some Roman butt, and still claim accuracy.