This movie was not understandable to me and it grossed over Fifty Million at the box offices. Needless to say, the trailer-makers and preview creators were able to make some sense of it so that viewers showed up and paid. But beyond that success, who can get congratulated for a "that kid can climb anywhere through the duct system" adventure that has the deaths of every bad guy guaranteed except for one who gets his house burnt down as a not-so-severe punishment. Ski-masked FBI agents (don't bother with showing up at 6:00 am at "Make-up"), hooded hostages, and sweat shirt hooded young killers all correctly cover their faces so as to not have to convincingly act. One "good guy"--a police lady--was shot and killed; no other good guys died. The good guys wore white bandages and the bad guys wore black clothes and masks. This was a real Western if I ever saw one!
Reviews
5 Reviews
Death Before Dishonor
(1987)
ahead of its time
4 October 2011
Good casting and good plot. Modern movie watchers can say "predictable"; however, they've seen lots of action films SINCE 1987 that make plot elements here rather familiar. Don't you think? They acted like marines; everyone was fit and could do the wall climbs, etc. People seemed to be willing to do things not for money--that was a bit unusual, to the end that the "good guys" won! It was patriotic, sure, but in this age (2011) of from the top-down complacency, this patriotism comes across as welcome, I'd say. Good Action. Only the blond photographer lady seemed miscast to me. As you can see from the high score, I liked it!
Jimmy Hollywood
(1994)
comedy film "Jimmy Hollywood" with a soul
21 November 2010
The film is now 16 years old; perhaps writing a review isn't important. Yet, because of the sincerity of Pesci's character, and the development of a purpose for his life, and his willingness to abide Christian Slater's "slow" character, we gain appreciation for Mr. Pesci personally. He does not falter in his faithfulness to his lady-friend, even though a younger Hawaiian lady comes his way and they get "liquored up" together. Anyone who has had items stolen and yet received no favorable police-work outcome will agree with the character's frustration over theft of the car stereo and decision to make public the facts of local crime. All the sideshow techniques by "Jerico" as they escalate demonstrates the insatiable progressive desire of the public for increase in excitement over just about anything. Pesci understood Hollywood, its deterioration, its aberration and yet he loves it still. He lost his Hollywood star count on Richard Widmark who, in some ways, is as serious a role portrayer as Mr. Pesci is here. The scene where the advertisement on the bus bench has been graffiti-ed is poignant, as is the concluding scene where the portable TV battery is running low, just as the prospects of the SOS is also about deflated. I don't advocate vigilantism, but the process of getting new police chiefs takes years, doesn't it?
Chicago Cab
(1997)
The cab driver goes slower than my fast forward sometimes in this film
3 July 2007
As the years go by this cabdriver gets less and less for the rides he's giving. Lousey tips! Oooh! Seeing the movie for the fourth time now prompts a review. This driver I always like; but riders in there with him--quite a few, I don't. I must fast forward so as to not sit in there sharing the same cab with these "inconsiderates".
The cabbie is even-tempered and tries to help people, perhaps too much. One is a "Steve" who happens to be a deli chain executive fortunate to have the full attention of his date. He seems responsive and only later when she leaves does this man reveal the true intentions he has about her--she is meaningless to him; she is being, classically, "used". In this film, the driver suffers the same fate: he is used... used by a crack head to score dope; used by a woman who has car trouble and causes trouble for the driver of her cab. Then, too, a body shop wants $185 to put on a new rear door pull with ash tray, thus perhaps totaling more than Dillon the driver's total take for the day. He boldly takes it upon himself to often assist. He buys a young woman a donut, informs "Steve's" date she is a plaything, and while a woman ascends normal steps back to her apartment following a rape and subsequent abrupt discharge from the police station, he sits in his cab still serving her by watching until she's through the door. Sometimes he's physically touched by his fares and hates it; but with the architect who sings Tannenbaum better than any German ever would he extends a handshake that seems never to end.
This movie is telling he how I might be as a taxi driver. Those I'd try to get to their destinations and away from at the soonest are people-types I, this time, found myself fast-forwarding through. Some others I'd replay to hear certain phrases over again--for these folks I do visiting!
So he's a skin head grown up and can fantasy drum with the best of them! So he swears when little kids march by, smokes in the cab of another driver who sports a Malcolm X cap and doesn't allow smoking; so he pulls out and just about creams the outside of his cab... he's still an utterly decent guy. It's the horror of Christmas approaching those lonely ones--for whatever reason--who is the "killer" in this movie.
He tries to understand people yet not intervene in their lives; he can't be considered a friend to any, and yet he tries, in his way, to give them whatever dignity and politeness they are attuned to receiving from this stranger. He's no actual confidant.
I would ride in this man's cab. I would give him an extra $10 because he obviously has an enlightened soul, and, well, let's face it: it's getting close to Christmas!
The cabbie is even-tempered and tries to help people, perhaps too much. One is a "Steve" who happens to be a deli chain executive fortunate to have the full attention of his date. He seems responsive and only later when she leaves does this man reveal the true intentions he has about her--she is meaningless to him; she is being, classically, "used". In this film, the driver suffers the same fate: he is used... used by a crack head to score dope; used by a woman who has car trouble and causes trouble for the driver of her cab. Then, too, a body shop wants $185 to put on a new rear door pull with ash tray, thus perhaps totaling more than Dillon the driver's total take for the day. He boldly takes it upon himself to often assist. He buys a young woman a donut, informs "Steve's" date she is a plaything, and while a woman ascends normal steps back to her apartment following a rape and subsequent abrupt discharge from the police station, he sits in his cab still serving her by watching until she's through the door. Sometimes he's physically touched by his fares and hates it; but with the architect who sings Tannenbaum better than any German ever would he extends a handshake that seems never to end.
This movie is telling he how I might be as a taxi driver. Those I'd try to get to their destinations and away from at the soonest are people-types I, this time, found myself fast-forwarding through. Some others I'd replay to hear certain phrases over again--for these folks I do visiting!
So he's a skin head grown up and can fantasy drum with the best of them! So he swears when little kids march by, smokes in the cab of another driver who sports a Malcolm X cap and doesn't allow smoking; so he pulls out and just about creams the outside of his cab... he's still an utterly decent guy. It's the horror of Christmas approaching those lonely ones--for whatever reason--who is the "killer" in this movie.
He tries to understand people yet not intervene in their lives; he can't be considered a friend to any, and yet he tries, in his way, to give them whatever dignity and politeness they are attuned to receiving from this stranger. He's no actual confidant.
I would ride in this man's cab. I would give him an extra $10 because he obviously has an enlightened soul, and, well, let's face it: it's getting close to Christmas!
Judge Dredd
(1995)
A rising star but, alas, he wears it a little crooked.
4 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
My first reaction to the film was wishing I had a cycle like that and that I could fit into the uniform Judge Dredd wears. Totally cool, and in the future -- the time portrayed in the film -- that word "cool" will likewise still be useful. Then it hit me, that tell-tale sign I've adopted as a result of my watching many a film: when the name of the Lord gets thrown around EARLY in a film, it's just a short matter of time that any moderate reference to Christianity will sink to debauch at those hands of the movie screen writers. And case in point: when cannibals show up, they are New Testament-quoting fiends. The "star" of the film, I feel, must rise to the level of censor over the content (words, especially) that are thrown about by its speakers. Speaking of loud speakers, somehow -- it is said -- there was an off-stage, real life romp by one Mr. Stallone with a female who he gave the very loud special request "Slap me, slap me". A "spoiler" to this is that the entire crew heard his amplified voice during that sex. I like it when Stallone's cycle doesn't work, or start right up. It lets me know that the future won't be perfect, even if I don't -- and I know I won't -- live to see it. On this screen I always trusted Judge Dredd, though "dread" earmarks him as causing "anxious or fearful anticipation" to Websters readers. Comic or not, many of the scenes were, thanks to an artful sidekick whose stage entrance is from within a nonworking spaghetti machine. Max Von Sydow is wise and dignified but loses his Social Security benefits towards the end of the film. Since we can't "audience participate" and help with taking up a collection, we will just have to wish him well and give him comfort that his prize pupil, the eminent Judge Dredd turns out, in the end, in a way that would make him very proud. So, I give it an "eight"; without the fore-mentioned ecclesiastical objection, it would have surely been, in my mind that is uncluttered by many "tens", a TEN!
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