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The Beer Kids
Reviews
Black and White (1999)
Tries too hard to be unique...
While the several converging plotlines were interesting (although somewhat incoherent) and some of the scenes didn't have much of a point, the well-written dialogue was pretty consistent throughout the film. Every character is a completely different person by the end of the movie. Tyson and Robert Downey have a hilarious encounter and the mostly rap-star cast provide a useful lesson in Ebonics. The only thing is, every situation is entirely predictable. We know what will happen to Dean. Ben Stiller's character doesn't do anything really unexpected. Downey gives his little secret away almost instantly. I saw this on the opening night with four other people in the theater, and the guy with me complained an awful lot.
And what's the deal with the skipping camera? Somebody's talking and a frame later they're moved a foot away or standing up or gone entirely. It's not stylish or cool; it's ****ing annoying.
DON'T pay eight bucks for this movie. It's very hard to predict who this will appeal to, since it's chock full of nudity and foul language, and there isn't enough to keep a mainstream audience interested. I was the only one that liked it in the least out of my friends that saw it. Teenagers will be bored, and others will be repelled by the excessive sex and swearing. This is truly a movie you should see for yourself. Just more proof that everybody perceives things differently.
One Tough Bastard (1996)
One of the best B-movie action flicks ever made.
I saw this movie on HBO about a year and a half ago, and I absolutely loved it. I've never heard of Brian Bosworth, who seems to be the typical American action movie star (he's better than Jeff Speakman by far, though). The throwaway plot in this film deals with the not-so-accidental death of North's wife and child at the hands of a couple of street hoods working for a Disney Dollars counterfeiter or an herbal tea smuggler or something. Johnny sets off in pursuit of the dudes and is led to Karl Savak (Bruce Payne from Passenger 57), the aforementioned bad guy.
There are some very well-done fight scenes here, and the story actually develops (somewhat) as North tries to lure his nemesis out of the woodwork by posing as another criminal, and is eventually offered a chance by Savak to avenge his family's death. The dialogue is laughable at points, mainly Bosworth's lines, but for the most part this movie is well-paced. Payne is right at home as the villain, and the showdown at the end is incredible. The supporting cast did well with what they had, also.
If you find this one at the bottom of a sales bin, you would do well to pick it up. Hell, I'll buy it from you. No rental store around Chicago has this film.
On Deadly Ground (1994)
Tune out the environmentalist preaching, and it ain't too bad...
While some scenes (particularly the "dream" sequence), get boring pretty quick, the action scenes are exciting enough to keep you awake through this movie. John C. McGinley and R. Lee Ermey are cool bad guys, but Michael Caine's pretty annoying. Usually the final fights in Seagal's movies are well-done, but there isn't really much of one here (no surprise). You'd probably be better off skipping the epilogue speech, since it brought to mind frightening flashbacks of biology class.
Out for Justice (1991)
Decent but predictable action thriller
Seagal's fourth flick (and fourth as a cop...hmmm) has him tracking murderous mobster Richie Madano (William Forsythe) as he blazes a trail of destruction across Brooklyn. The usual requisite bar room brawls and high-rise shootouts result. Although slightly slower paced than Under Siege, this one definitely delivers the action. The ending battle by itself is worth watching to the end. If you're at all an action fan, pick it up on a slow evening.