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Reviews
Body Bags (1993)
Two hours of my life I'll never get back
If your IQ is above room temperature run from this bomb as fast as you can. A blank TV screen is better than watching this. Try reading a book--any book.
The name John Carpenter caught my attention, although the words 'Made For TV' gave me serious pause. Nonetheless, I gave it a try, remembering my pleasure at 'Escape from New York' and 'The Thing.' 'Starman' was good, and even the original 'Halloween' was not bad.
Here we have a sometimes great director at the helm of amateurish scripts apparently written by a first year screenwriter's class filling an assignment to badly copy Stephen King.
'Body Bags' is painfully dreadful. Avoid it at all costs.
Nip/Tuck (2003)
Hardly what plastic surgeons do
That is merely the framework for a great show pushing the envelope in many directions. Each visually shocking scene, whether from violence or graphic surgery, is nicely balanced by humor and/or character development--good pacing. Not at all what I expected and was not a hit with me until, more than halfway through the first show (give it a full hour) I found myself checking the clock--not from boredom but from fear it was going to end.
It's not perfect but it clips along at a pace that keeps you from noticing the unrealistic plot holes. And naturally some willing suspension of disbelief is required but this is not a problem.
The first season ends next week (10/21/03) but make a point to watch the reruns--it will definitely be back and you'll want to be prepared.
You Can't Take It with You (1938)
Just never takes off
This is one of my favorite plays when well done. This movie is not. It is flat all the way through. These are good actors, but it seems like a readthrough where each one waits for the other to read his line then reads this one back with no true interaction. The zaniness and quirkiness never comes to life. Painfull for me to admit about this cast--many of my favorites, including the director--but I have seen better performances of this work in community theater.
The River Wild (1994)
So much better if Streep were not in it
If Meryl Streep were not in this movie it would have been much better. She is seriously talented but badly miscast in this role and did it indeed badly. Kevin Bacon is good as the psycho and David Strathairn is his usual excellent self in a supporting role. But we see way too much of Streep doing her "I'm a great actress so this must be good" routine dragging down the story. See Glen Close in Fatal Attraction to see a great actress working the role rather than a good actress ruining the piece as Streep does here.
Dave (1993)
Not great art but great fun
Kevin Kline is very likeable and believable as the "Everyman" thrust into a difficult situation. But, in a small part, this may be Charles Grodin's best work as an actor (he also writes and directs [usually] well--generally much better than his acting.)
Although the basic premise is nonsense the writing and direction quickly get you involved enough to dismiss that and the story builds credibly after that. A good film for couples to rent--you should both enjoy it.
The Big Knife (1955)
Don't bother
A sadly inferior precursor to "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" this film drags on and on, occasionally reviving your interest only to put you through more selfindulgent maundering and obvious but patently overdone plot points.
It may list as 111 minutes but feels like three hours of painfully wasted time.