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BeornTheBee-man
Reviews
The Producers (1967)
Funny funny movie
In this one movie, Mel Brooks simultaneously satirizes Nazis, Hippies, and Broadway, with a funny plot involving a would-be con artist (Zero Mostel) and his unwitting dupe (Gene Wilder).
The songs, written by Mel, are unbelievably funny; from the Broadway show tunes to the psychedelic rock send-ups, his renditions are dead-on.
It's only 88 minutes long, and in a way that is good, as it keeps the jokes coming non-stop. Take an hour and a half and have a good laugh.
Spider-Man (2002)
Very good, but could have been just a little better
I'm a comic book collector, with tons of Spidey experience, so that can't help but influence my review. On the one hand, they got a lot right. I've seen a lot worse when it comes to comic book adaptations. They treated this with some reverence. On the other hand, there were aspects that seemed to not be entirely well thought out. I won't go into detail, but it could have been just a little better. A few plot holes, and a little bit of summer blockbuster hyperbole that wasn't really necessary. I would have liked to give it at least 8, but I gave it a 7 out of 10.
Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)
Weak
Not very funny. Tries to be a spoof of channel surfing and TV, but the jokes are kind of cliched and generic. Don't be fooled by the box. which says "tons of stars". Granted, there are a few people in there, but mostly they are "stars" of the like of Rip Taylor, Steve Allen, whatever. Not really big stars, just known. I'll list the big stars - Michelle Pfeiffer, Carrie Fisher, Arsenio Hall, Ed Begley Jr., Howard Hesseman. And they appear only for a few minutes each in very sporadically funny sketches. SNL is, in general, much funnier sketch comedy than this movie. I give it one * out of four.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Confused
This movie has the quirky style Rushmore, but ultimately doesn't know whether it wants to be a comedy or a drama. The family itself is a caricature, so we shouldn't take them seriously, but then again the movie rarely made me actually laugh. The storyline is material for a drama. The cast does a good job, if they are trying for a dramatic tone. But how do we care about such ridiculous characters? Overall, seems like an attempt to use a style where it doesn't work. Watch Rushmore if you want to see a good movie by these guys.
Armageddon (1998)
There's bad and then there's Armageddon
I know that there are films you have to not think too deeply about, but this goes WAY beyond the limits of "disbelief suspension". The characters are one-dimensional. The actors phoned in their performances, realizing what a piece of crap it is. Except Billy Bob, who was beleievable as a NASA guy. Most movies without scripts end in about 70 minutes, somehow this one drags on for 2 1/2 hrs. By the end, you are exhausted by all the quick cuts and explosions, and not in a happy way but in a weary "I survived Armageddon the movie and I didn't even get a t-shirt" kind of way.
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
Funnier than the first
This movie is hysterical. The first one didn't make me laugh much, this one had me going the whole time. I think it's because the first one relied more on shag jokes and nostalgia, whereas the writing in the second is stronger material throughout. Best of the three.
The Mummy (1999)
Does plot matter to you? If so, stay away!
What follows is a bit of a spoiler.
Stupid. EVERY TIME Brendan Fraser pulls the trigger on his 1930's revolver, somebody goes down. Even when he has one gun in each hand, and is running for his life. Sometimes, many people go down, from one shot. Even more inexplicably, the people who are trying to kill him earlier in the movie suddenly decide to become his allies later. They don't seem to mind that he killed 20 of their friends with about 6 bullets in the boat scene, and he doesn't seem to mind that they tried to kill him.
All style and no substance.
Where the Buffalo Roam (1980)
Bill, not HST
Bill didn't come across anything like HST in his writings, but instead as Bill Murray. It's just the "Bill Murray show" with the name HST added to it. This also seemed true of the portrayal of Lazlo. If you ever have read Fear and Loathing and want to see something that tries to approximate the book, get the Johnny Depp movie. If you watch this one, be aware that it uses HST's writings as a plot device for it's own intentions.