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Reviews
Legacy (2000)
Compelling story, clumsily told
Legacy is a film about...well, I'm not sure, actually. It's about a lot of things - maybe too many things. That seems to be its major flaw. It's about a teenage girl battling her way out of the projects - or so we're led to believe. Nickcole Collins serves as the film's narrator, and we assume the story will be told from her point of view. That isn't necessarily the case. We're led on a journey that takes many deviations and detours. We learn about the history of poverty and hardship from which Nickcole is attempting to distance herself, but about halfway through the film, the filmmakers seem to get sidetracked with the more sensational stories of Nickcole's relatives - her down-trodden mother, unable to free herself from the mental bonds of poverty - her drug-addicted aunt - attempting to carve out a life for herself after years of 'dropping out' of life - and her long-suffering grandmother, who has been there to pick up the pieces of her children's self-destructive choices.
These are all very interesting stories in their own right, but after a point, I started to wonder what had become of Nickcole. We're briefly made aware of her progress, and are matter-of-factly told that she's made a major life decision - but we're not there to witness any of it. This is the danger of attempting to cover too much ground as a filmmaker - particularly when you're working with a limited budget. Lending obviously could not be in more than one place at a time, and it shows. For extended periods throughout the movie, we're left wondering what became of its principal subject.
There were also several editing decisions that I did not quite understand. At one point, we watch Nickcole's aunt grooming herself in the mirror before an important event, and rather than cutaway to still photos (a technique skillfully employed throughout the film), we find ourselves getting an impromptu behind-the-scenes look at one of the cinematographers - clearly seen in the mirror's reflection. This shot doesn't just last a split second - we can see the cameraman struggling to angle the camera in such a way that he cannot be seen by the viewer. This goes on for far too long. Why not find some creative way to conceal this botched shot while leaving the audio intact? Cleaning up that shot, and a few others, would have taken nothing more than time, effort and creativity.
That said, I truly enjoyed the subject matter. I found the stories depicted here rich and compelling. Each of them would have made for a great subject in their own right. In the end, this is a film that might have left a greater legacy in the hands of a more skilled filmmaker.
Following Sean (2005)
A Little Frustrating
This was a good film with some major flaws. I was drawn to the film because of its purported primary subject, depicted on the cover - Sean. I read the back-story, which serves as the premise for the new film, and assumed we'd be delving into the life of this compelling character.
While there were many satisfying tidbits throughout, we aren't introduced to 'modern-day' Sean until we're more than 20 minutes into the movie. This should serve as an indication of the film's primary flaw. Bottom line: For a film entitled, "Following Sean," we're not really given much time with the title character. We're left guessing about his true thoughts about his hippie upbringing, his parents' decision to allow him to experience said hippie culture unabated at such a young age, and many of the details of his adolescent years and early adulthood. We're given only fleeting glimpses of his parents, both in 1969 and 2005.
What the film fails to acknowledge is the basis for its own appeal - we're drawn in by that little child who is obviously in need of adequate parenting. What were his parents thinking? Why would they allow him to be filmed making references to using drugs at four years old? What sort of backlash did the film's release cause for them? Did it contribute to the breakup of their marriage? Do they wish they had done things differently? I never got the sense that the filmmaker got close enough to his subjects to truly answer any of these questions. Instead, we're given updates on Arlyck's life since the original film's release - almost in slideshow form at some points. It felt, at times, like getting a family update letter that had arrived at the wrong address. You take it all in on a curious level, while all the while realizing it wasn't really meant for your eyes.
We're also not given enough of the 15 minute original short. If we had known our subject, his parents, and even the filmmaker a little better, we could have invested in the updates on a deeper level.
That said, the film is nicely shot, and contains a great soundtrack. Its strongest suit is its title character. I only wish we'd gotten to know him a little better.
She's So Lovely (1997)
What is this movie?
This is awfulness. This is hideous. I have wasted 2 good hours of my life with this madness. The filmmakers (and actors) should be fined for this. What did I just sit through? Complete stupidity. There should be a warning before every showing of this film that you will experience deep anger, regret, fury, malice and a strong desire to harm the nearest person to you when you finish viewing this film. Why, God, why? I guess the lesson you take from this is, once you know just how bad it can get, you appreciate the merely "not good" ones. I am offended, appalled, disgusted and dismayed. This is the worst movie I have ever seen. Ever.
Old School (2003)
Disappointment
Maybe my expectations were a little too high coming in, but you would think a movie with Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Jeremy Piven and Craig Kilborn would provide a few more laughs. Will Ferrell was about the only funny thing about this movie--and even those laughs were few and far between. When will filmmakers finally realize that when we go to see movies like this, we're not looking for a compelling story? I don't really care whether or not a group of slackers are able to make good and create a counter 'Greek' movement of their own, thereby redeeming all geeks, freaks and outcasts for generations to come. I chose to see this movie because I needed a few good laughs. And that's exactly what I got--a FEW laughs. You would think they'd learn by now that you build a good comedy film around a comedian's talent. Let them shine. The story is secondary. You don't start with a bland script, and hope they'll infuse a little life into it. These funnymen obviously did the best they could with decidedly lackluster material. Big disappointment.
Great Performances: Three Mo' Tenors in Concert (2001)
Exceeded expectations!
Terrific urban response to the 'Three Tenors' phenomenon. I was a little skeptical at first, thinking it would be a mediocre retread of a classic concert series, but nothing could have been further from the truth. This was completely unique, original and totally entertaining. Covering such musical genres as gospel, blues, jazz, classical, Motown and more, the 'Three Mo Tenors' presented an extremely professional, moving, highly theatrical, and oftentimes comical musical smorgasbord with a very broad appeal. These are professionally trained singers with a unique ability to interpret varying styles of music, and interpret them well. I would heartily recommend it to music lovers of any kind. Makes a terrific gift!
Big Fat Liar (2002)
Likeable, if implausible family film
Who said it had to be believable? Do yourself a favor and turn off your ration before you sit down to view this film. You'll enjoy the experience much more. You'll find yourself forgiving some of the movie's more outlandish plot set-ups, and simply accepting it for what it is--a great family film. I appreciated not having to be concerned about "questionable elements" in a children's film for once. That, to me, is worth the price of the ticket. And it manages to maintain its wholesomeness without being obvious about it--older chidlren will enjoy this film. Enough good humor to keep adults interested. Very good film.