luccastrel Reviews

Trail of the Pink Panther (1982)

To Peter Sellers, the one and only Inspector Clouseau

[18 August 2001]

Blake Edwards plays tribute to the late Peter Sellers in this movie. Although the film fails to be as hilarious as previous Pink Panther films, it still manages to make us laugh. The film is full hilarious of cut/paste sections of previous movies, such as the August Balls (Harvey Korman) scene. But the best are the "massage" and the "lighter pop-out" scenes. Some may say that this is not a tribute but an attempt to take out more money. I believe it is not. Watch "Curse of the Pink Panther": That one is really an attempt to cash more money.

Vacation (1983)

A barrel of laughs

[9 August 2001]

This is a funny movie in every aspect. First of all, Chevy Chase is an innate comedian. In this and all of the following "Vacations" we see Clark W. Griswold, a dedicated family man who cracks down to the pressure of having his family vacation brought to the ground. Both Beverly D'Angelo and Randy Quaid are great as secondary actors, playing Chevy Chase's wife and cousin by marriage respectively. But one of the great performances of this film goes to the late Imogene Coca. In this movie, she plays the obnoxious Aunt Edna who, with her nagging remarks, drives everyone in the family crazy. Don't miss this movie for nothing. And specially, don't miss the hilarious elegy that Clark Griswold gives while leaving Aunt Edna's corpse in the backyard.

Seinfeld (1989–1998)

It's the greatest sitcom ever

[23 June 2001]

SEINFELD, a show about nothing, has gone down in history as one of the most humorous sitcoms ever. What I particularly like about this show is the characters: They are all obnoxious at one point of the series, but still you have to admit that you'll love them. Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer (the best one) make every episode a barrel of laughs. Add up other characters like Kenny Bania, J. Peterman, Mr. Pitt, the Soup Nazi, Jackie Chiles, Uncle Leo, Poppie, and "George Steinbrenner" and you got yourself a show that will make you laugh in every episode, regardless of how many times you have seen it. But one of the greatest aspects of this show are the clever allusions put together in an episode. They have made fun of movies like Apocalypse Now, Midnight Cowboy, The Godfather, The English Patient, etc. They also make fun of topics like abortion (the episode where Poppie and Kramer discuss if a pizza is a pizza in the oven or before). This makes this show the greatest in history *****/*****

The Truman Show (1998)

Good Philosophical Drama, but Jim Carrey's a miscast

[28 February 2001]

I saw The Truman Show in the theatre and in cable. I thought I was going to find a movie like other Jim Carrey movies with a great deal of laughter but lacking plot deepness. In The Truman Show there is more, a true question of the real existance of our world and it raises questions such as are we really seen like Truman was? Still, I feel that Jim Carrey is too much of a comedy actor to make a drama. Most critics believed that this was going to be another Ace Ventura. Yet this movie lacked almost all of the Carrey bag of jokes so it was a dissappointment to most Jim Carrey die-hard fans. The movie could have gone farther if there was another actor

Havana (I) (1990)

Good

[28 January 2001]

This was a good Sydney Pollack movie, although the relationship between Lena Olin and Robert Redford could have more spice. Redford's role seems uninterested in politics (just like in Out of Africa's Finch-Hatton was). Great ending at the New Year's Eve Ball (I had Godfather II flashbacks). Altogether, a good movie. 6 out of 10

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Shocking...

[4 October 2000]

I saw this movie on cable a few days ago. i have to admit that before seeing this movie, I had always felt aloofness towards the "ape movies" that were released in the late 60's and 70's.

This movie made my think of several things: Views on religion, politics, Darwin, etc. Charlton Heston made his part well, although he is not such a great actor.

The ending scene is shocking, but there seems to be a flaw in the plot. How the hell didn't Chuck Heston realize he was on Earth when the apes spoke to him in US English??

Moon Over Parador (1988)

Great Parody

[18 July 2000]

Paul Mazursky succeeds in criticizing and making a parody of a third world country, in this case, represented by the imaginary nation of Parador. Richard Dreyfuss does his best by playing the part of his life, Paradorian President Simms. Sonia Braga and Fernando Rey are excellent in their roles of mistress and butler/aide respectively. It also serves to show, very bluntly, how the CIA worked in Latin America. Great cameos by Dick Cavett, Ed Asner, Ike Pappas and Director Paul Mazursky himself as the dictator's mother.

Toys (1992)

Interesting yet whimsical

[13 May 2000]

This 1992 Barry Levinson film was not able to "take off" because of the terrible critics. Yet TOYS proves to be a greatly imaginative film with excellent visual effects but this movie suffers from an undisciplined script. The "disorganized" actions involved somewhat baffled critics, Leslie (Williams) seems to be too whimpish to combat the General and, speaking of the devil, we even have a scene where Michael Gambon explains how, being an American General, he sounds so British. Bottom line: Good and Imaginative

The Untouchables (1987)

A deserved Oscar for Sean Connery

[16 March 2000]

The Untouchables seems to be one of the best modern day gangster films, Brian DePalma style. It accounts the troubles Elliot Ness (Costner) has battling against corrupt Al Capone (played superbly by DeNiro). Sean Connery, as Malone, adds power to the film bybeing the old, experienced cop (performance that won him an Oscar). This is a great movie, the shootout in the Odessa steps is simply marvelous and Capone at the end with his line "You are nothing but a lot of talk and a badge". This is great De Palma

Frantic (1988)

Great Movie, Polanski's done it again

[9/10 · 15 March 2000]

I saw "Frantic" at my local theatre 12 years ago. I bought the DVD version and I still enjoy it. As a great Roman Polanski admirer, I like "Frantic" because of its tremendous suspense and rising action characteristic of a Polanski thriller. This is definitely film noir territory at its best. Harrison Ford and Emmanuelle Seigner at their best.

Out of Africa (1985)

One of the Best Movies I have ever seen

[10/10 · 15 March 2000]

OUT OF AFRICA is based on the memoirs of Danish writer Karen Blixen (pen name, Isak Dinesen) in a coffee plantation in present day Kenya. It explains how this brave woman overcomes the stereotype of a dainty, colonial British lady by running the coffee farm while her husband Bror Blixen (Brandauer) led a life of hunting and infidelities. Meryl Streep is great as Karen Blixen. She manages to maintain the realistic Danish accent through the whole film. Redford is great as Denys Finch-Hatton, the Etonian hunter who keeps companion in her loneliest and hardest. But the real attraction of the film is he outstanding photography of the African landscape together with the sweeping John Barry soundtrack that is probably the most beautiful movie soundtrack of the 1980s. OUT OF AFRICA will be regarded as Sydney Pollack's asterpiece and a Classic of our times.