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Reviews
Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002)
Fun for all ages
As family movies go, it doesn't get much better than this. Great special effects, a storyline that keeps moving along at a fast pace, excellent actors (including Antonio Banderas and Ricardo Montalban), and hilarious in-jokes that poke fun at other movies along the way. Even the credits are good -- don't dash out at the end of the movie or you'll miss some cool bloopers. At the showing that I went to, everyone was laughing at different parts: Kids, teens, adults, and seniors, because there was something for everyone. Recommended.
The Country Bears (2002)
See it for the music, not for the story
I went into this movie with low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised. It's actually less of a storyline movie than a loose shell to hold together some song & dance numbers, like an old-style musical. There are lots of cameos with famous artists from Elton John to Bonnie Raitt, Brian Setzer, Queen Latifah, and Don Henley, and a mix of musical styles so it's not all country. Plus there are some cute musical in-jokes here and there which the older people in the audience will get (if any of them actually go see it). I can also see this movie having some good replay value on video, as some of the musical numbers are excellent. The movie's weakest points, in my opinion, are in the story & plot, which feels rushed and silly, despite some good comedic performances by the actors (I always enjoy Stephen Tobolowsky's work, and Christopher Walken is always a pleasure to watch). Another strong point was the special effects, as the bear's faces and bodies portrayed emotion extremely well. But even with that, sometimes I'd be thinking during the movie, "Okay, enough of the silly sight gags and Keystone Cop chase scenes, let's get another musical number going." Overall, I'd give the musical parts of the movie an 8 out of 10, and the plot/story about a 4. But I'd definitely be willing to go watch it again.
Kissing Jessica Stein (2001)
Delightful
This is a wonderful and funny movie about an uptight New York woman who tentatively takes a step towards satisfying her "bi-curiosity." But the true charm of this movie is the dialogue and characters. They're well-drawn, believable, and memorable. Plus everything is done with a light touch that keeps you laughing at just how humorous humans can be. Recommended.
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
A good swashbuckler with an appealing cast
I got tickets to see an advance screening of this movie via the St. Louis Film Festival. Walking in, my expectations were quite low, since I'd looked all over the web and had been unable to find *any* reviews for this movie anywhere, which usually means that the movie's going to be awful.
I have to say though, that I was quite pleasantly surprised. It was great entertainment! I have to admit that I haven't read the original story any time recently, nor seen any of the other movie versions within the last few years, so I didn't have any expectations about what was supposed to happen in the story, or which characters would live or die. I just remembered vaguely that this was a story about a guy who's put in prison for decades, and slowly digs a tunnel out, inch by inch over the years. The movie does indeed have that, and you do get a sense of the rage at false imprisonment, along with the extraordinary patience and frustration that would be required for such a task. Then after that part, a whole new "Treasure Island" section of the movie opens, with entertaining characters and swashbuckling swordfights. This is an adventure yarn that carried me along at a nice pace, and, like "Three Musketeers", has sections where it adds the right amount of humor into the mix, so that you know that it's not taking itself too seriously. I and everyone else in the audience laughed along with the movie in certain parts, and the characters were well-drawn enough to care about. Plus there was some excellent talent in the cast, ranging from Richard Harris to Guy Pearce of "Memento" to James Frain (the Spanish Ambassador from "Elizabeth") who I especially enjoyed.
On the downside, the movie does feel like it's been heavily edited here and there, arranging and rearranging certain sections. In parts, it's difficult to follow some of the dialogue as it seems that a chapter or two of the book have been mashed into a quick monologue that covers the high points. The lines by the Count's sidekick character (Luis Guzman) also feel a bit out of place at times, like they don't fit with the flow of the rest of the movie. And one sword-fighting scene is edited with a dizzying "Gladiator" blur, that though entertaining, doesn't seem to quite fit with the rest of the movie either. But after all is said and done, I left this movie with a sense of, "Wow, that was a lot of fun!" and I'm looking forward to seeing it a second time!