magnetic84 Reviews

Beer Barrel Polecats (1946)

Unreal, but it's the Three Stooges.

[7/10 · 17 August 2000]

This is a humourous Three Stooges short. Do not take lessons in making beer from the Three Stooges. The short drags in parts and is not funny in parts. Watch it if you haven't anything better to do. The Stooges were starting to show their age in the 1940's, and this is one of the better one's from that time.

Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942)

Too much propaganda.

[5/10 · 15 August 2000]

This was the first of the Universal Sherlock Holmes movies and the first WWII one. There are many silly jokes about Holmes not adapting to WWII London. The plot itself is interesting except for all the anti-Nazi propaganda. Couldn't Universal have followed the Fox films with something set back in the late 1800's? If you are interested in anything Sherlock Holmes or you are into WWII propaganda, see this movie. Everyone else, see something else.

Big Business (1929)

Absurdity.

[9/10 · 15 August 2000]

This classic Laurel and Hardy silent is definitely one of their best. Sound is not necessary to realize how absurd the concept of selling Christmas trees door-to-door in California is. The film drags a little bit at the beginning, but picks itself up incredibly fast to be incredibly funny. This is a must for everyone.

Reflections on 'Citizen Kane' (1991 TV Movie)

Good, but not insightful.

[6/10 · 14 August 2000]

This is a decent documentary on Citizen Kane. It is filled with plenty of interviews with directors commenting on it. There is a lack of interviews with people who worked on it. While I realize that many are dead, it still would have been nice if they had old interviews with Welles or any one else who worked on the movie. If you want more info on Citizen Kane, I recomend listening to or reading This is Orson Welles by Peter Bogdanovich.

The Matrix (1999)

Whoa!

[8/10 · 14 August 2000]

This is a must for anybody. The Matrix works both as an action movie, but also as a thinking man's movie. This is one of the best movies to combine the two together. The acting is incredible all around. Carrie Ann-Moss, Laurence Fishbourne, and Joe Pantaliano are incredible. Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith is perfect as the emotionless Government Agent trying to find Neo. This was also one of the most underrated roles of 1999 and Hugo Weaving deserved some award for his work. The only acting dissapointment is Keanu Reeves. If only he could have worked at lowering his accent, he would have been better.

The Wachowski Brothers wrote an incredible script with likeable characters, especially Mouse, Trinity, Tank, and Switch. SPOILER The death's of Swithc and Mouse are relatively sad due to the fact of likeable characters. END SPOILER. So, if you have't seen this movie, go see it now. You will not be dissapointed.

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Good Hawks movie, great screwball comedy.

[9/10 · 14 August 2000]

Bringing Up Baby rightly deserves to be considered one of the best movies of all time. This classic screwball comedy contains all the essentials, including a strong-willed woman and a lower man. This film though isn't director Hawks's best. Hawks typical theme of a group of professionals is very vague here. Hawks seemed to of skipped the rest of the group of archaeologists and decided to just focus on Grant's character. Hawks would have been better showing what Grant's actions caused on the rest of the group a little more. Now to acting. It is terrific all around. Grant and Hepburn are terrific with all the phyisical stunts and with the word humor, especially Hepburn. If you haven't seen it, go see this movie now.

Obsessed with Vertigo (1997 TV Movie)

Could the restorers be any less interesting?

[8/10 · 11 August 2000]

This documentary is incredibly informative, both about the movie Vertigo and the restoration in 1996. Two small complaints: - The restorers are some of the most unitnteresting people on the face of the earth. - The use of the spiral effect in the opening sequence of the documentary is just way too cheap of a rip-off of the original movie. It was not necessary at all. All those small things a side, this is required viewing for any Hitchcock buff or any lover of movies.

Scary Movie (2000)

Gross, but funny parody.

[7/10 · 6 August 2000]

This is kind of a spoiler for all of you who don't want to know what happens. This is an extremely funny parody of the recent slew of teen slasher films, with bits thrown in from calssic slasher films and other films out of the genre altogether. The movie follows the plot of the original Scream very closely, while adding some scenes from I know what you Did Last Summer. Cheri Oteri is great as Gale Thunderstorm. The facial expressions on the killer's mask add to the humor. The killer's identity was no big surprise, driving away with Gale Thunderstorm at the end.

There are also a few too many penis jokes in the movie, some of which a few people might vomit at. Also, the gay jokes go on way too long. The film stereotypes African Americans, which is odd considereing it was directed by an African- American. Well, if you can stand all those downsides, have a fun time at the movies.

American Beauty (1999)

Dark, but pretentious comedy.

[8/10 · 6 August 2000]

This is the type of film Manny Farber would probably call Termite Trash. The movie tries too hard to be a great movie. But it still succeeds as great Termite Trash. Director Sam Mendes, best known for the recent production of "Cabaret" on Broadway, gives a great directorial debut. His theme of people adapting in a changing world comes out clear. All the actors are terrific. The camerawork, the music, the set, most everything. Three things that weren't necessary: - All the nudity, including two butt-naked guys and two topless women. None of it was necessary or added to the plot. -All the roses. They just don't work. - Lack of motive at the very end of the movie. Anyone who has seen it knows what I mean.

Otherwise see this movie and have a great time at the movies.