Jodie-4 Reviews

The Color of Money (1986)

You can't dispute the talent of those involved...

[31 May 1999]

It's funny, every time I think I don't like Scorsese, I see one of his flicks and my mind changes. He is the undisputed master of the shot, the king of detail. In the scene where Newman's cue hits the white ball and the cloud of chalk puffs out- my God, it was the most beautiful thing.

Beyond that, I admire any film that can make a game interesting. It was suspenseful and masterfully done. Newman is an absolutely fantastic actor, he's so comfortable on the screen. This is one of Scorsese's more accessible flicks, well worth the 2 bucks spent on the video rental.

Wild Things (1998)

More than just a skin flick.

[19 May 1999]

Having heard of the famous threesome/girl on girl action beforehand, I was expecting to find some soft core porn with a limited plot when some friends rented this one. However, I soon realized that it was much, much more than that. NO ONE could pick out all of the plot twists in this flick beforehand. Plus, I'm a sucker for any film which resolves itself during the credits. Well worth watching.

With Honors (1994)

A heartwarming and heartfelt tale of love and life

[19 May 1999]

I watched this movie through once, then rewound it and watched it again. I loved it both times through. This movie shows that you've got to choose how to live your life rather than just let it happen. It's a very "carpe diem" experience ;) It's also a perfect mix of comedy and drama, Patrick Dempsey and Joe Pesci kept the laughs coming. Not for the cynical or the bitter, enter it with an open heart and you can't help but be affected.

Pecker (1998)

Eddie's da man!

[11 May 1999]

I have to say, Edward Furlong was the vital character in this equation. Had he not been able to play his character so perfectly, without a even a hint of irony, the movie would have flopped. But his performance, in addition to the solid, crazy performances from the rest of the cast made it a great movie. Also, Waters was able to deliver his message successfully and (omigod) TASTEFULLY! (at least comparatively speaking). Great flick.

The Thin Red Line (1998)

Left me uneffected

[11 May 1999]

I should first warn that I haven't seen the entire movie, I walked out of the theater about 20 minutes before it was over. Not because it was bad or boring or pretentious. I got tired. That pretty much sums it up. I didn't care enough to stay, and there was no end in sight. It just kept going and going and going...nowhere.

Acting- great. Cinematography-breathtaking Plot- umm... I don't think there was one. The reason that there was no end in sight was because there wasn't a story. Yes, war is bad, but that's a THEME. Look for the beauty in the world, THEME. It's seems that there's an overload of themes and no plot to support it. Not worthy of the hype or the scorn- a non-entity.

Say Anything (1989)

This is what it's all about

[11 May 1999]

This is one of the best love stories I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. It doesn't condescend, it doesn't over complicate, it doesn't become more dramatic than is necessary for the film- it's simply a good love story. More writers should have this much respect for the genre. And how can you not love Lloyd?

Mallrats (1995)

Great flick from a great man.

[9 May 1999]

Kevin Smith is my absolute hero, but after first viewing this flick I was a little disappointed. I'd seen Chasing Amy the week before, and although Mallrats is very cool, it was just too different to make a comparison. However, after reading more about it and reviewing some of the dialogue, I watched it again and laughed my ass off. It's so wacked, but in a really good way. Kevin Smith is the master of the English language.

One suggestion though- I'm sure Jeremy London is a great actor in his own right, but he shouldn't have been in this movie. He seemed lost, like he didn't get any of the jokes. Jason Lee was incredible, and deserved someone better to be his sidekick. But all in all, it's well worth the time spent watching it (preferably more than once!)

Varsity Blues (1999)

A (pleasant) surprise

[14 March 1999]

I walked into this movie expecting a music video that featured drinking, sex and football, but was pleased to discover a well done and enjoyable flick. Although I don't live in Texas (far from it), from other reviews that I've read this captured the attitude towards football quite well, and it definitely captured the pressure felt by the players. Jon Voight was magnificent, and the final redemptive game was a worthy finish. Surprisingly good.

The Man in the Iron Mask (I) (1998)

Not worth the time or money.

[26 February 1999]

It always intrigues me that filmmakers can take a wonderfully intricate plot and turn it into an utterly unremarkable movie. DiCaprio's simply going through the motions, and although he's not bad, couldn't he at least TRY to master an English accent? The truly captivating performances come from the sub-plots involving the Three Musketeers, particularly Gabriel Byrne and Gerard Depardieu. Their performances are the only light in this otherwise dull picture.

54 (1998)

Not too shabby

[23 February 1999]

This is, by no means, going on my 1998 Top Ten list, but I'm willing to cut it some slack. I thought it told the story quite well, and captured the rise and fall of Studio 54 wonderfully. The performances were all good, but it's Mike Myers that impressed the hell out of me. In this film he proved himself to be an actor, and a damn good one. Although I anxiously await the new Austin Powers flick, I hope that Myers keeps taking roles that force him to stretch his limits.

The English Patient (1996)

A disappointment

[23 February 1999]

I entered this film expecting a work of genius, so perhaps one of the reasons I found it mediocre was that I had such high expectations of it. However, my problem with the film goes beyond its length, it relates more closely to the way the characters in the film were developed. Anyone who's read the book knows that "The English Patient" has little to do with the actual English patient, and more to do with Hana, the French Canadian nurse attempting to recuperate from the war. It is in her relationships with the people surrounding her that is the true heart of the story, but Hana's character was left sadly unexplored in this film. The importance of her relationship with Kip (and Kip's character) suffered most greatly in the translation from the page onto film, and it was a shame that the audience lost much of the original point of the story.

Catchfire (1990)

A painfully ridiculous flick.

[23 February 1999]

Throughout this movie, I found myself shaking my head, awed that a movie could be so horribly bad. All Dennis Hopper did was create his fantasy, then film it. "Dull, unintelligent man gains complexity by sparing the life of a beautiful artist, forcing her to have sex with him and then winning her heart". I don't have a problem with that in itself, but he attempted to justify it by throwing in some "artistic expression" which was laughably misplaced. Jodie Foster's character had potential which was left largely untouched, many times she edged on being complex, but unfortunately most avenues went unexplored. Dennis Hopper's character was, well, flat. Never before have I winced while watching a film, but did repeatedly during this one. The kicker was when "The End" flashed up on the electronic message board. Ouch. What a mistake for all involved.

New Nightmare (1994)

Craven at his best.

[8/10 · 2 February 1999]

Just when you think Freddy has gotten as boring and predictable as he could possibly be, Wes Craven throws a curve ball that rejuvenates the series. This was perhaps the first original idea to find its way into a slasher flick in some time. And although I must remain loyal to the original, this was definitely the scariest of all the nightmare movies. The previous sequels resorted to cheap gore tactics, where as this one is more frightening psychologically than anything else. And kudos to Miko Hughes, who definitely wins the prize for "best child actor in a mentally questionable role"- could the casting be any better?

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

You'd think they would have learned from "Congo", but NO......

[1 February 1999]

There's a very simple fact that the creators from this flick missed out on- if you trade in the plot for some impressive sight gags, you'll be left with a bad movie with good fx. If they'd stuck closer to the plot of Michael Cricton's novel, the product would have been a deep, intelligent movie with good fx. I was deeply disappointed that the real issues that Cricton brought up were largely ignored. Besides that, most of the movie was downright silly. A pathetic movie when compared to the original and when you consider the quality of the material and talent they had to work with.

Chain Reaction (1996)

The dangers of having a lack of respect for the audience...

[1 February 1999]

As an aspiring filmmaker, I'm usually willing to forgive the few continuity errors and implausibilities that pop up in most movies. However, this was nothing less than ridiculous. Although it would take MUCH to long to list out the many errors in the script, I will mention one of the most glaringly obvious ones- after the nuclear blast, Keanu and Rachel wandered out of the shot covered head to toe in white dust, and into the next spotlessly clean. HELLO! Isn't someone supposed to be watching for these things? And let's not even MENTION the good old, "geez, let's see if I can outrun the nuclear explosion on my MOTORCYCLE" part. The only reason I can think of that Morgan Freeman ended up in this picture is that he lost a bet and this was his punishment.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

John Carpenter would NOT be pleased...

[3/10 · 1 February 1999]

Normally I wouldn't go to the trouble of commenting on a horror movie sequel, because it's usually assumed that they're BAD, and if you watch them with a healthy disrespect, they can be very fun and enjoyable to taunt/laugh at. However, this chapter of the ongoing Halloween saga came close to gumbing up everything the original stood for. In the very first movie, Dr. Loomis said (very pointedly I might add), that Michael Myers was evil, and this tries to explain why (doing a bad job of it I might add). In my opinion, he was much scarier when he was just a blood hungry freak. The whole goth/cult thing was unnecessary and a desperate attempt to throw a new curve into the Halloween equation. The result was a boring, predictable movie that was not scary and not bad enough to be funny.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

A surprisingly good sequel to the classic

[30 January 1999]

A big fan of the original "Halloween" by John Carpenter, I entered this flick expecting another cheap, play by play copy of the other slasher movies that have been released lately. I was pleasantly surprised to find a scary, exciting movie with good acting and a fairly decent script. For the first time, the heroine (Laurie Strode) did all the right things, and this drew the series to a satisfying conclusion. In the end, just when you think she's about to do something stupid, she delivers with what you've been hoping she'll do all along. Very cool flick indeed, now we just have to hope and pray that no one attempts to bring Michael back again- it's time to let him rest in peace.

Lord of the Flies (1963)

Very impressive.

[20 January 1999]

Having just completed the novel, I was eager to see the film adaptation, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well William Golding's ideas were captured. It isn't very often that a movie can help you understand the book better. All of the actors were wonderful, particularly the four leads. They nailed the characters of Ralph, Jack, Piggy and Simon dead on. I was also pleased that the director didn't attempt to re-create the "conversation" between Simon and the Lord of the Flies, it would have been nearly impossible to make it as effective as it was in the novel. In general, it was very well done and well worth the time spent viewing it.

Being Human (1994)

Not an easy film, but...

[8/10 · 16 January 1999]

I can see why some people would have trouble enjoying this movie, but if you accept the premise and allow the time to examine each story, you'll find that it's worth your while to watch it. I was especially affected by the last stop on the evolutionary scale... it seems that slaves want to be free and free men choose to be slaves.

The Spanish Prisoner (1997)

Were we all watching the same movie?

[10 January 1999]

I watched this movie a few hours ago, and while I did enjoy the ending, I found it only mildly entertaining, and the first half was almost painful. Sure, it had lots of twists and turns, but you have to wonder about the total stupidity of some of these characters. Some of the dialogue is downright stupid. Watch it at your own risk.

The Negotiator (1998)

Good Casting

[9 January 1999]

I'll admit, this wasn't a revolutionary flick, but you could basically stick Spacey and Jackson in a room together and have them talk for a few hours and it would be good. So, rent it just to watch two masters at work, and to enjoy some tense moments.

Before Sunrise (1995)

Definitely in my top ten...

[10/10 · 5 January 1999]

Never before has conversation been this interesting! This movie is so realistic that you almost feel like you're eavesdropping... all the little nuances of a beginning relationship are captured, from the nervous glances in the listening booth to the awkward proposal of the first kiss. Never does this wander into cliches, it sticks to its own pace and captures the magic between this couple. I have never felt so personally involved in a movie- when the sun rose I felt like crying. I was screaming, GET ON THE TRAIN JESSE!!! And yet it ends realistically, without fully satisfying the audience with the "yay everything's perfect" ending. However, it's an appropriate ending, and leaves you wishing for a sequel you know will never come. Filmmaking at its best, Linklater deserves a lot of respect.

Afterglow (1997)

Not worth the time or money.

[29 December 1998]

This movie is boring and pointless. Lara Flynn Boyle was dumber than a stick, Nick Nolte wasn't remotely attractive and Johnny Lee Miller should have fallen off of a much much bigger bridge. Yes, Julie Christie did a good job, but it couldn't save the movie. I was left feeling completely unaffected and slightly annoyed that I'd wasted two hours.

Titanic (1997)

Unremarkable.

[28 December 1998]

Totally over-rated. DiCaprio sucked when you consider his ability, Winslet played her cookie cutter heroine, and the plot was so simplistic it was almost silly. Sure, great, wonderful that it had awesome effects and an impressive set, but as a movie I found it to be lacking.

The Trigger Effect (1996)

One of the worst movies I've seen...

[2/10 · 28 December 1998]

There are few things I hate more than being beaten over the head with the message a movie is trying to get across. The creators obviously became so wrapped up in conveying an interesting theme that they forgot about the importance of the other aspects of a good movie (character development, action, a PLOT)...This had potential- good actors, rising tension (in the beginning) and an interesting situation to be delt with. However, it soon became a downward spiral of events that were unbelievable and unoriginal. It became downright silly. The ending was so contrived it made me laugh. Even the acting didn't save this- I didn't care about these characters or what happened to them. This one will be *remembered?* as a movie that had potential but was unable to deliver.