xyscaling Reviews

Amazing Racer (2009)

Loved this Family Film

[11 February 2013]

Enjoyed Amazing Racer so much. Plus, since it is based on a true story, it is even better. If you enjoy family films, I think you will enjoy this one very much.

I thought the acting was great for a family film since sometimes, in this type of film, the acting can be a bit below par. Outstanding cinematography, production value, screenplay, and set design. Good music picks too.

We enjoyed the variety of several well know actors. Good to see Charles Durning one last time before his recent death. Cast just seemed to work together very well.

Facing the Giants (2006)

This one is a keeper !!!

[20 October 2006]

There have been so many positive, "underdog comes back" movies over the past few years, that I was very hesitant to go see this one. Boy, did I almost miss a jewel ! You know what I mean, they almost seem like they are fiction and they just seem to be too good to be true. They always have the phrase, "Based on a True Story",as part of the title and it makes you wonder just how much is added fluff.

Well, not this one!!

This is a fantastic film that is very real. If you are a believer, you will enjoy this film even more. It is so refreshing to see the positive use of prayer, faith and the love of God shown on the big screen.

One of the nice things about this film is that it is not just "based on a true story", it is a true story. Don't miss this one.

State Fair (1962)

State Fair 1962

[29 November 2005]

I see the reviews, I see the number ratings, I don't understand.

In my opinion this is an excellent movie. I'm not a movie critic, I don't have a degree in film arts or even drama. I'm just a retired high school math teacher. That said, I find so many things about this film to be so positive and endearing.

Pat Boone is great, Ann Margaret is beautiful and the the rest of the actors were so enjoyable. The songs and music are outstanding and best of all you can understand every word of every song. Yep, you guessed it, I'm an old guy, I'm 63 and I had the pleasure of seeing this film on its first run in the theater in Nashville, Tennessee. I loved it then and I loved it tonight after watching it for the first time in 40 years on the new DVD widescreen Cinemascope release. I still have the LP vinyl 33 1/3 RPM original movie soundtrack. Love it too.

Some critics seem to feel that everything is too polite, too sweet, too clean to be realistic, but I'll tell you, that's the way it was where I grew up 40 years ago. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did tonight. 10/10

So Dear to My Heart (1948)

Beautiful ! The way things were.

[29 November 2005]

So Dear To My Heart is such a wonderful movie. Full of hope and faith with a little fantasy and imagination mixed in. I love the simple loving family atmosphere shown in the movie. This was a time when friends and neighbors truly knew and loved each other and helped each other.

As we see so often today, those viewers under 40 years of age will probably not understand and might even be critical of the beliefs and priorities shown in the film. Those of us old enough to remember seeing it in the theater will love the feeling of being taken back to a time when simple things were the important things in life. I hope you enjoy it as much as our family.

Like Song of the South, it is not currently out on DVD in the United States, but fortunately I bought a laser-disc copy of the film several years ago.

Down with Love (2003)

I'm a guy but I loved this chick flick!!!

[18 June 2005]

This film was so much fun. I was in college in the 1960s and I just loved the costumes, cinematography, and the music. The "in" jokes were hilarious too. The story was funny and the actors were very enjoyable. The "retro" colors were beautiful in both the set design and the costumes. The use of full widescreen anamorphic Panavision was pure genius by the director.

This film, not to be taken seriously, but enjoyed as fun, just made my evening. I think I enjoyed it more than my wife. I had no idea what to expect, but when I realized what was going on, it put me at ease and I knew that this was a film I would enjoy. Caught myself laughing out loud on several occasions and I seldom do that at home watching this type of film.

Songcatcher (2000)

So much potential, so much sadness.............

[29 January 2005]

This movie had so much going for it. I loved the music, the cinematography, the acting, the sound, the production, but I was really disappointed in this film because it is nothing more than pro-lesbian propaganda. This was so very unnecessary in the story.

The film should have received an R rating because of this part. It was presented in such a way that made the mountain people look overly primitive. Much like early westerns made the Indians look dumb and like animals.

I loved the music and the related history that was sought in that regard. I did not like the alternate lifestyle push. As you can probably tell, I am a very traditional person and i like traditional values and movies. I believe this movie would have been so much better without the lesbian part.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Guess I'm too old to understand.

[15 January 2005]

This confirms something I learned a long, long time ago. Most of the time, you can not go by the critics in determining what is and what is not a good movie. Word of mouth from friends and/or family is the best guide for me.

I thought that "The Truman Show" was a weird movie for Jim Carey. Well, this one is even worse. Weird, weird....... I love time travel movies, but this is "mind travel" and not even fun to try and keep up. Every character in the movie is "sick, "sick".

Talk about a "mess." The character's lives are in the depths of absolute disbelief. If this is an Academy Award movie, then art has finally hit bottom. I notice that the lowest IMDb ratings were given by adults in my age group. Glad to see that my "1" is not alone here. Good thing that "Logan's Run" was fiction...

Time Changer (2002)

You will give it a 1 or a 10

[24 August 2004]

I always look for time travel movies at the video store. "Time Changers" caught my attention and someone at our local video store had even placed a "Recommended Viewing" sticker on the box-cover.

As I watched the film progress, I could not believe my eyes and ears. In this politically correct era that we live, I was amazed that this story was so well produced. Everything from the special effects to the acting, the costumes, the cinematography and even the sound were outstanding.

It's true that if you have not done what the Bible tells you to do and accepted Jesus as your savior, and you do not believe in heaven and hell, you probably will not like this movie. That said, however, if you have ever been a servant of the Lord, and like many of us, you have become somewhat complacent, you will get a complete renewal and positive feeling from watching this film. It's that good.

I am so glad that we live in a free country and I can believe the Bible without being frowned upon for what I believe.

The Rundown (2003)

Great home theater demo material!!!

[2 August 2004]

Wow!! I loved the cinematography. The editing was fantastic. Kinda like a Tony Scott film but better. Look for the "pullback" from the river to the top of the cliffs where they show the bad guys in their jeeps......Great shot. The sound was fantastic. Constant use of deep, deep, bass and full time surround channel material.

The characters were as believable as they could be in this type of unbelievable action thriller......... funny too, but not stupid. Good story line. Excellent ending.......

If you have a home theater, you should at least rent this title and enjoy the workout it will give your sub(s) and surround speakers. The video quality is pleasing too.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Much better, much funnier, much more action!!!

[30 June 2004]

The second (not the third) time is the charm. More of everything this time.

More action, better CGI, more "tounge-in-cheek' jokes, more romance, more fun, better sound (and more of it), I loved it.

Although I enjoyed #1 and the new adventure that we experienced, #2 has so much more for everyone to enjoy. It's funny how Spiderman does not take himself too seriously. A much better film.

PLUS, it's a real widescreen Panavision film. When it comes out on DVD, don't even consider the Pan-and-Scan version, you will miss 40% of the action!!! Imagine the closeups only showing a couple of eyeballs instead of the whole scene. Better yet, go see it at the theater, today!

A Summer Story (1988)

Oh my, did this one throw me for a loop!

[7 March 2004]

What a great story. Excellent acting. I watch my old VHS copy about once a year. So very sad, so realistic, so human. I stumbled on this one day while watching a partially recorded copy of the movie. The tape ended about 20 minutes before the end of the movie. I could not believe it. I closed my shop and immediately went to the video store and rented it to see how it ended. Probably not to extreme except for the fact that I'm an "action","sci-fi", "fantasy" kind of movie lover.............I can't recommend it highly enough, and easy 10+.

I don't think you will be disappointed.

A Summer Story (1988)

Wow, This guy (me) loves this movie!!

[4 March 2004]

Too many people are missing a great story and a great movie.

Since I discovered this movie during the Summer of 1996, I've watched it about once a year. I was completely drawn into the story and the characters. So beautiful and so sad. I could not believe the way things ended. I was so very, very sad.

I wish it was out on DVD, but I can still watch my old VHS copy and have heartaches just the same. I gave it a "10" as I am seldom "moved" by this type of story. Being an action, sci-fi, and thriller type of guy, I think it speaks highly of the film that I enjoy watching this story over and over.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Funny Face (1957)

Love that Audrey!!!!

[7 February 2004]

Outstanding. Beautiful. Classic. What a real lady!!!

The photo sequence in Paris has never been topped. Such a 10+ movie, I can just watch it over and over. Those are kind of strange adjectives and comments from me, especially since I'm a Sci-Fi, action, fantasy kind of movie fan.

This makes me wonder, will we ever have another Audrey?? Maybe an actress who is even close? To think that she thought she had: 1. A square face, 2. A big nose and 3. Big feet. That just shows how human and natural she really was..........

What a surprise for me to find this movie. I had never even heard of it untill it came out on DVD. S'Marvelous!!

Lost in Translation (2003)

Outstand picture quality adds a lot.

[6 February 2004]

Wow, what great cinematography of Tokyo at night. Looks almost like high definition.

What a paradox. I am a Sci-FI, fantasy, action movie type of guy. By all odds, I should not have enjoyed this movie. Forget that, this movie was outstanding. The acting was so genuine. If you have ever been in a similar situation, alone, for whatever reason in a big city, you will understand the feelings so well conveyed in the movie.

I did very, very much appreciate the fact that the couple had a wonderful personal relationship without having to have a physical relationship.

Secondhand Lions (2003)

Love the "vintage" autos!!

[5 February 2004]

If you ever had a granduncle or grandfather like either one of these two, you will just love the movie. Lots of fun and lots of nostalgia.

A funny family film with lots of good common sense. I'm sorry to say, many "youngsters" won't understand what I mean. I guess that's why it got such high points from the "older" members here.

Open Range (2003)

The sound of gunfire is fantastic!!!

[21 January 2004]

Great movie, great acting.

Even the "slower parts" are there for an excellent reason. You will love the movie.

As strange as it sounds, there were two things that made this movie much better than average: 1. The rain and thunder on the DVD are absolutely REAL !!!

2. The gunfire is the BEST I've heard in any western!!!

The Great Santini (1979)

This IS the "way it was"!!!!!!!!!

[8 November 2003]

More common than not, even though it looks rather mean in these "politically correct" times, this is the way many families were back in the 50s.

The racial conflicts shown were very realistic and I'm sad to say did happen in the southern state in which I grew up. This movie does a good job of showing how the head of a family, the Dad, was "expected" to act.

Even though we are lead to believe he was a monster, we never found out that his son grew up to be a doctor of highest esteem.

What a Girl Wants (2003)

Very, very enjoyable...........

[12 October 2003]

Amanda is a great actress. She is not the typical unbelievable, over the top, "glamorous" Hollywood star. She looks like the girl next door. Her acting is very realistic.

The movie is funny, enjoyable, and interesting. I wondered why the highest score was from folks in my age group. Now I know.