Dearra Reviews

Moonwalker (1988)

MJ's best work since "Thriller"

[10/10 · 27 July 1999]

The first time I saw this "film" I loved it. When I was 11, I was more interested in the music and dancing. As I've grown older, I've become more interested in the acting as well. While the first half is just a retrospective of Michael's career (from the Jackson 5 up to "Bad"), it was still entertaining to watch. The "Badder" sequence could've been left out, though the kids were pretty good. "Speed Demon" and "Leave Me Alone" were funny, especially when the police officer tells Michael, "I need your autograph right here", after stopping him for dancing in a no-dancing zone. But it's "Smooth Criminal" that's the icing on the cake. Joe Pesci did an excellent job as the toughie (and that hair was wild). The dancing is perfect, and so are the special effects. The only thing I could have done without was the spiders. Any fan of Michael's should see this, if you haven't already. I give it a 10+!

The King and I (1999)

Original still the best

[25 July 1999]

Poor Yul must be spinning in his grave; this movie is terrible. The only two things that kept me watching was the panther, and curiousity on how they would handle the ending (I must admit the I do prefer this happier ending, though). Other than that it was shameful. When "Whistle a Happy Tune" came on during the sea serpent attack I could not believe the stupidity I was witnessing. Some scenes were word-for-word from the original, and you can tell that the guy who's the voice of the king was desperately trying to sound like Yul Brynner (and failed big time). Now I can understand that some little items needed to be changed for kids to be able to follow (there is hardly any mention of there being more than one royal wife, Tuptim is presented as a slave flower arranger rather than an unwilling wife-to-be). The animation was fair, but not top quality. I'm glad I made my mother rent this instead of buying it, she saved her money that way. My simplest advice for those who want their kids to see a version of "The King and I": show them Yul, they'll thank you when they're older.

Amadeus (1984)

A masterpiece!

[10/10 · 19 January 1999]

Mix together timeless music with brilliant acting, and you'll have AMADEUS. The biographical tale of the world's greatest composer is told by his greatest rival (F. Murrary Abraham is fantastic as Salieri). Tom Hulce portrays Mozart to a T, and that high-pitched giggle will leave you rolling.

The movie is an emotional roller-coaster, going from wild parties to instant remorse over Mozart's death. Pleasant to watch as well as to listen.

Evita (1996)

A wonderful movie with powerful music!

[10/10 · 11 January 1999]

When Evita came out in 1996, it was like a breath of fresh air. Finally, a musical that wasn't animated! Madonna shines like a jewel, from her acting to her elegant clothes. Antonio Banderas deserves applause, too.

The music...one cannot praise it enough. Tim Rice's lyrics, combined with the harmony of Andrew Lloyd Webber, result into the beautiful and raucus melodies we hear. I never tire of listening to it. My compliments to you all on such marvelous work!

The Relic (1997)

Movie ok, book a LOT better

[7/10 · 10 January 1999]

On its own, The Relic was a fairly decent movie (but it scared the heck out of me at the theater). Compared to the book, though, it falls short of its brilliance. I was disheartened that FBI Agent Pendergrast was not in the movie; he was the best character in the whole book. The monster was ugly, no question about that (my congrats to Stan Winston's team). But without Pendergrast, the story wasn't as terrifying as the book. And with the movie killing off Dr. Frock and Gregory, there's no way Reliquary (the sequel to Relic) can possible be made; since those characters are key to the story.

Beast Wars: Transformers (1996–1999)

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!

[29 October 1998]

A favorite toy and series from the 80's gets a 90's makeover, and the result is superb. Millions of years after the war between the Autobots and Decepticons, the BEAST WARS are between their ancestors: the Maximals (good) and Predacons (bad). Instead of planes and cars, these Transformers are all animals, with the Predacons mostly insects (the remaining few are dinosaurs). The Maximals are mammals, birds, sealife, and one raptor (Dinobot joined the Maximals within the first 2 episodes). Some are familiar in name and face: the leaders, Optimus Primal (Max) and Megatron (Pred), have similar visages to their 80's counterparts. Characters aside, the computer graphics make the transformations more graceful, and the backgrounds more primal (excuse the pun). The Transformers are back again, and better than ever.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998 Video)

KING of sequels!

[28 October 1998]

THE LION KING II: Simba's Pride is the best straight-to-video movie ever! Unlike Disney's other s.t.v. sequels, this one has the punch like a theatrical release. The songs aren't dopey, and the plot is powerful. The animation is just as fluid as the original. And the characters are fantastic; Zira is the meanest villainess since Cruella De Vil. This is a must-have for anyone who was moved by the first movie. LONG LIVE THE KING!!

Godzilla (I) (1998)

Needs improvement, but a good first try.

[7/10 · 12 September 1998]

I'd like to consider myself a devoted fan of Godzilla, as I love the classic movies. While this new one falls short of deserving such revere, I do believe all the negative reviews are uncalled for. True, some of the casting left a lot to be desired (Pitillo and Broderick come to mind). But this Godzilla movie does something that NONE of the classic one did. It shows Godzilla as a creature, not a monster bent on creating havoc. As with all creature-features it's only natural to root for the decline of humanity at the claws of nature's creation. But here we're shown two creatures, humans and Godzilla, how are striving to survive. Humans attack Godzilla because he's (or she's) destroying our homes and businesses. Godzilla only attacks out of self defense, and later out of revenge over the death of its young. Aside from the National Geographic aspects, the special effects deserve an Oscar nomination, if not Oscar himself. Godzilla looked and behaved in a believable manner. Not since Jurassic Park has this occurred. One final note, for a 'pitiful, weak story' GODZILLA is in the top-five take of 1998's summer grosses. Roland and Dean, if you do a sequel as planned, really reconsider casting.