SPLICE 1.5***
“Splice” is the story of scientists taking a ‘slice’ of life (DNA) from several animal species and combining them with a ‘slice’ of the DNA from a human and seeing what kind of ‘spice’ they can get from such a very risky roll of the ‘dice’. Unfortunately for the scientist, things don’t turn out to well and the same is true for “Splice” which ,despite an attempt to ‘entice us with an interesting premise, and that’s about all, should have stayed on ‘ice’ and gone directly to DVD sales and rental.
This movie gets repulsive and preposterous in the first few scenes. Elsa (Sarah Polley) and Clive (Adrien Brody) are a biochemist couple who do experimental gene splicing for a big pharmaceutical corporation. They create two repulsive worm-like things they call Ginger and Fred, wrinkly, gnarly abominations like faceless and limbless pigs, which are supposed to be the wonderful new source of a wealth of proteins and enzymes usable for medicines. Against their corporate boss's prohibitions, Elsa sneaks off and goes one step further: She grows a new species that blends various animal DNA with human DNA. The thing that comes out looks like a giant man-eating tadpole, or a flying snake. In time it gives birth to a little fledgling that grows up into a kind of bald, sweet-faced gir, then young woman, on spindly bird legs. Actually a better description is a female creature from the hips up with an odd shaped face and bald head, that has chicken legs from the hips down with a particularly nasty pig-like tail that conceals a dangerous talon. She is named Dren (that’s Nerd spelled backwards), and she has a very accelerated grow rate and quickly goes from a baby to a child to a squeaky adult ( she can’t talk because her vocal cords are bird-like).
Some of the many problems with the movie have to do with the fact that the characters change their basic personality and nature without any apparent motivation. Dren goes from precocious to hostile to flirty. Sarah Polley performs a gruesome surgery on Dren which, although it serves a plot point, is way out of character and Adrian Brody does something that is just plain disgusting (the audience let out an initial huge groan, then laughed really loud, an uncomfortable, “I can’t believe it’s happening” laugh, which I’m sure was not the intended reaction).
No matter how you slice it, “Splice” is a interesting concept that goes terribly wrong … very poor writing is the chief culprit plus a sellout of the integrity of the film, what little there was, for a “Hollywood” ending that was intended to stir up the horror movie fans but, instead, just ends up being horrible.
Clark
Monday, July 26, 2010
SPLICE 1.5***
“Splice” is the story of scientists taking a ‘slice’ of life (DNA) from several animal species and combining them with a ‘slice’ of the DNA from a human and seeing what kind of ‘spice’ they can get from such a very risky roll of the ‘dice’. Unfortunately for the scientist, things don’t turn out to well and the same is true for “Splice” which ,despite an attempt to ‘entice us with an interesting premise, and that’s about all, should have stayed on ‘ice’ and gone directly to DVD sales and rental.
This movie gets repulsive and preposterous in the first few scenes. Elsa (Sarah Polley) and Clive (Adrien Brody) are a biochemist couple who do experimental gene splicing for a big pharmaceutical corporation. They create two repulsive worm-like things they call Ginger and Fred, wrinkly, gnarly abominations like faceless and limbless pigs, which are supposed to be the wonderful new source of a wealth of proteins and enzymes usable for medicines. Against their corporate boss's prohibitions, Elsa sneaks off and goes one step further: She grows a new species that blends various animal DNA with human DNA. The thing that comes out looks like a giant man-eating tadpole, or a flying snake. In time it gives birth to a little fledgling that grows up into a kind of bald, sweet-faced gir, then young woman, on spindly bird legs. Actually a better description is a female creature from the hips up with an odd shaped face and bald head, that has chicken legs from the hips down with a particularly nasty pig-like tail that conceals a dangerous talon. She is named Dren (that’s Nerd spelled backwards), and she has a very accelerated grow rate and quickly goes from a baby to a child to a squeaky adult ( she can’t talk because her vocal cords are bird-like).
Some of the many problems with the movie have to do with the fact that the characters change their basic personality and nature without any apparent motivation. Dren goes from precocious to hostile to flirty. Sarah Polley performs a gruesome surgery on Dren which, although it serves a plot point, is way out of character and Adrian Brody does something that is just plain disgusting (the audience let out an initial huge groan, then laughed really loud, an uncomfortable, “I can’t believe it’s happening” laugh, which I’m sure was not the intended reaction).
No matter how you slice it, “Splice” is a interesting concept that goes terribly wrong … very poor writing is the chief culprit plus a sellout of the integrity of the film, what little there was, for a “Hollywood” ending that was intended to stir up the horror movie fans but, instead, just ends up being horrible.
Clark
“Splice” is the story of scientists taking a ‘slice’ of life (DNA) from several animal species and combining them with a ‘slice’ of the DNA from a human and seeing what kind of ‘spice’ they can get from such a very risky roll of the ‘dice’. Unfortunately for the scientist, things don’t turn out to well and the same is true for “Splice” which ,despite an attempt to ‘entice us with an interesting premise, and that’s about all, should have stayed on ‘ice’ and gone directly to DVD sales and rental.
This movie gets repulsive and preposterous in the first few scenes. Elsa (Sarah Polley) and Clive (Adrien Brody) are a biochemist couple who do experimental gene splicing for a big pharmaceutical corporation. They create two repulsive worm-like things they call Ginger and Fred, wrinkly, gnarly abominations like faceless and limbless pigs, which are supposed to be the wonderful new source of a wealth of proteins and enzymes usable for medicines. Against their corporate boss's prohibitions, Elsa sneaks off and goes one step further: She grows a new species that blends various animal DNA with human DNA. The thing that comes out looks like a giant man-eating tadpole, or a flying snake. In time it gives birth to a little fledgling that grows up into a kind of bald, sweet-faced gir, then young woman, on spindly bird legs. Actually a better description is a female creature from the hips up with an odd shaped face and bald head, that has chicken legs from the hips down with a particularly nasty pig-like tail that conceals a dangerous talon. She is named Dren (that’s Nerd spelled backwards), and she has a very accelerated grow rate and quickly goes from a baby to a child to a squeaky adult ( she can’t talk because her vocal cords are bird-like).
Some of the many problems with the movie have to do with the fact that the characters change their basic personality and nature without any apparent motivation. Dren goes from precocious to hostile to flirty. Sarah Polley performs a gruesome surgery on Dren which, although it serves a plot point, is way out of character and Adrian Brody does something that is just plain disgusting (the audience let out an initial huge groan, then laughed really loud, an uncomfortable, “I can’t believe it’s happening” laugh, which I’m sure was not the intended reaction).
No matter how you slice it, “Splice” is a interesting concept that goes terribly wrong … very poor writing is the chief culprit plus a sellout of the integrity of the film, what little there was, for a “Hollywood” ending that was intended to stir up the horror movie fans but, instead, just ends up being horrible.
Clark
Friday, July 23, 2010
INCEPTION 4.0****
“Inception" is near “perfection” and a rare “exception” to the usual intellectual action type film. It is an excellent and breathtaking movie that may be one of the only films released so far this summer that lives up to its hype. It is a highly original film that holds your attention until the ending credits roll.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a genius when it comes to dreams and the subconscious and how they can be manipulated in the most amazingly spectacular way. He, with the help of a remarkable team of sleep/dream experts, works his way into people's dreams and their subconscious and steals what people value most, ideas, and does so without them knowing about it. In this, his last assignment to possibly clear his name ( he has been charged with the death of his wife) he is assigned not to steal an idea from someone, but rather to plant an idea inside that person's mind. The idea to be planted could change the world in many ways… most of them positive..some of them lucrative to the person hiring Cobb who has the power to clear him of the pending charges.
Inception has a multi-layered plot, and I mean this quite literally. It focuses not only on the emotional turmoil of the lead character, Cobb, but at the same time thrusts the audience into multiple levels of action that often are happening simultaneously….with each level very distinct from the other, but all finely connected. Director Christopher Nolan ( “The Dark Knight”, “The Prestige”, Memento”), who also wrote the screenplay, challenges the audience to keep up, and rewards those who can with a breathtaking spectacle, one that has the capability of leaving you awe-struck.
There is a star-studded cast, includingf Leonardo Dicaprio ( “Shutter Island’,”The Departed”), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“500 Days Of Summer”), Ellen Page (“Juno”), Marion Cotillard ( “La vie en rose”, “Public Enemies”, “Nine”), Cillian Murphy ( “Redeye’, “Batman Begins”), and Michael Caine ( “Batman Begins”, “The Dark Knight”), along with some amazing photography, special effects, and thrilling music provided by none other than Hans Zimmer, who was also set the mood for Nolan's previous film, The Dark Knight”.
The final hour of the film is possibly one of the most complicated but fascinating action sequences ever put on film. You have to constantly be paying attention to all of the layers of what’s happening . And without spoiling anything, what this film is about, and what makes this film so great, is the layers….the dreams within a dream that are simultaneously occurring.. Once you have seen this you will know what I am talking about.
Please note that you must to go to this movie prepared to think, to use your intellect ,so that you can meet the many challenges presented by such a complicated story…but by doing so you can fully enjoy the many dimensions of this remarkable film.
“Inception" is near “perfection” and a rare “exception” to the usual intellectual action type film. It is an excellent and breathtaking movie that may be one of the only films released so far this summer that lives up to its hype. It is a highly original film that holds your attention until the ending credits roll.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a genius when it comes to dreams and the subconscious and how they can be manipulated in the most amazingly spectacular way. He, with the help of a remarkable team of sleep/dream experts, works his way into people's dreams and their subconscious and steals what people value most, ideas, and does so without them knowing about it. In this, his last assignment to possibly clear his name ( he has been charged with the death of his wife) he is assigned not to steal an idea from someone, but rather to plant an idea inside that person's mind. The idea to be planted could change the world in many ways… most of them positive..some of them lucrative to the person hiring Cobb who has the power to clear him of the pending charges.
Inception has a multi-layered plot, and I mean this quite literally. It focuses not only on the emotional turmoil of the lead character, Cobb, but at the same time thrusts the audience into multiple levels of action that often are happening simultaneously….with each level very distinct from the other, but all finely connected. Director Christopher Nolan ( “The Dark Knight”, “The Prestige”, Memento”), who also wrote the screenplay, challenges the audience to keep up, and rewards those who can with a breathtaking spectacle, one that has the capability of leaving you awe-struck.
There is a star-studded cast, includingf Leonardo Dicaprio ( “Shutter Island’,”The Departed”), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“500 Days Of Summer”), Ellen Page (“Juno”), Marion Cotillard ( “La vie en rose”, “Public Enemies”, “Nine”), Cillian Murphy ( “Redeye’, “Batman Begins”), and Michael Caine ( “Batman Begins”, “The Dark Knight”), along with some amazing photography, special effects, and thrilling music provided by none other than Hans Zimmer, who was also set the mood for Nolan's previous film, The Dark Knight”.
The final hour of the film is possibly one of the most complicated but fascinating action sequences ever put on film. You have to constantly be paying attention to all of the layers of what’s happening . And without spoiling anything, what this film is about, and what makes this film so great, is the layers….the dreams within a dream that are simultaneously occurring.. Once you have seen this you will know what I am talking about.
Please note that you must to go to this movie prepared to think, to use your intellect ,so that you can meet the many challenges presented by such a complicated story…but by doing so you can fully enjoy the many dimensions of this remarkable film.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
WINTER’S BONE 3.5***
This film tells the sad, harsh story about some of the poverty-stricken people living in the Missouri Ozark’s back country who are trying to scratch out a living on poor soil and even worse personal resources. So it is no wonder that the making and selling of meth is embraced by some as a way to make money and get by. Their poor lives before meth had a certain dignity in the hard struggle for survival in an uncaring world that had passed them by or never allowed them to catch up, either or both . What great harm the meth business does is shown and acted brilliantly, as it pushes these already at-risk people lower down the chain of life than before.
A young girl of 17, Dee Dolly, having to be much older than her years, beaten up and beaten down, wary of those around her but needing their help, and with 2 young siblings and a helpless mother to care for, she learns that her drug-making, drugged-out father has disappeared and missed a court date for a drug arrest. The most important task of her life then becomes finding her father before they lose their meager home to a bondsmen, … her father put up the home as security for the bond. As sorry as the home place is, it’s all they have in the world and she intends with all her heart and soul to do whatever it takes to keep it and her family together. As the story moves forward through this drug subculture, the pride, family loyalty, code of honor and toughness of the people are revealed.
Such a grim and foreboding task the daughter has, with imminent harm threatening from around every corner and behind every door on which she knocks, even those of relatives. Determination can get you far, but only so far unless you get a few breaks, and that long quest for a decent break is what keeps the viewer's eyes glued to the screen. Bleak, stark, harsh, mean, cruel...all those tough adjectives are present in full force throughout her search, but present also is her eternal fire of human spirit and family duty that never quits.
The cast is perfection. And while none of these folks would be welcome for dinner at my house, they are so convincing in their greed and fear that actress Jennifer Lawrence's perfectly drawn heroine stands out vividly with her embodiment of hope and justice. What Lawrence does as Ree Dolly is a minor miracle. Standing before some very scary people (many of whom are blood relatives) makes you wish you could be like her. In Ree, through the acting of Lawrence, we have one of the strongest female characters recently seen, one who, by her sheer will, suggests what could be accomplished if all of us could live each day as if our life depended on it.
This is an Independent film, so you’ll have to seek it out. It has a “R” rating primarily due to the language, and violence…. It’s a soft “R” ..could just as easily been a “PG-13”
Clark
This film tells the sad, harsh story about some of the poverty-stricken people living in the Missouri Ozark’s back country who are trying to scratch out a living on poor soil and even worse personal resources. So it is no wonder that the making and selling of meth is embraced by some as a way to make money and get by. Their poor lives before meth had a certain dignity in the hard struggle for survival in an uncaring world that had passed them by or never allowed them to catch up, either or both . What great harm the meth business does is shown and acted brilliantly, as it pushes these already at-risk people lower down the chain of life than before.
A young girl of 17, Dee Dolly, having to be much older than her years, beaten up and beaten down, wary of those around her but needing their help, and with 2 young siblings and a helpless mother to care for, she learns that her drug-making, drugged-out father has disappeared and missed a court date for a drug arrest. The most important task of her life then becomes finding her father before they lose their meager home to a bondsmen, … her father put up the home as security for the bond. As sorry as the home place is, it’s all they have in the world and she intends with all her heart and soul to do whatever it takes to keep it and her family together. As the story moves forward through this drug subculture, the pride, family loyalty, code of honor and toughness of the people are revealed.
Such a grim and foreboding task the daughter has, with imminent harm threatening from around every corner and behind every door on which she knocks, even those of relatives. Determination can get you far, but only so far unless you get a few breaks, and that long quest for a decent break is what keeps the viewer's eyes glued to the screen. Bleak, stark, harsh, mean, cruel...all those tough adjectives are present in full force throughout her search, but present also is her eternal fire of human spirit and family duty that never quits.
The cast is perfection. And while none of these folks would be welcome for dinner at my house, they are so convincing in their greed and fear that actress Jennifer Lawrence's perfectly drawn heroine stands out vividly with her embodiment of hope and justice. What Lawrence does as Ree Dolly is a minor miracle. Standing before some very scary people (many of whom are blood relatives) makes you wish you could be like her. In Ree, through the acting of Lawrence, we have one of the strongest female characters recently seen, one who, by her sheer will, suggests what could be accomplished if all of us could live each day as if our life depended on it.
This is an Independent film, so you’ll have to seek it out. It has a “R” rating primarily due to the language, and violence…. It’s a soft “R” ..could just as easily been a “PG-13”
Clark
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
PLEASE GIVE 3.5 ***
This is an extremely well written and acted movie that showcases the imperfections of people, and the good and the bad of social situations and society as a whole. Catherine Keener's character and her husband (Oliver Platt) run a furniture resale shop. She carries an enormous self-imposed guilt in her because they stock the store by buying from family members stuck with deceased loved one’s things…furniture and all.. who have NO idea of its value . Keener and Platt buy on the cheap and then resell them to arrogant metrosexual types for many times the purchase price. Keener spends her time trying to scrape off the guilt by doling out money and doggie bags to the homeless.
There are many interesting characters in the film .Rebecca Hall (uptight Vicky from Vicky Cristina Barcelona) plays the dutiful granddaughter taking care of her 90 plus year old monster granny . Granny’s key job in the film is to get closer to dying so that Keener and Platt can take over her apartment and expand - the ultimate dream for a NYC resident. Hall's character is the budded flower - just waiting to bloom as soon as granny dies..
The mean-spiritedness of the grandmother is matched only by the vile spewing from Amanda Peet, , the other granddaughter who is self-centered and bitter. Peet's character often says just what she is thinking which adds a whole new dimension to most conversations! There are some terrific scenes and moments and characters in the film. Adding considerable to the mix is Keener/Platt's daughter, Abbey, who is a smart, insightful teenager. Oh, and she is also mad at the world and bitter about a zitty complexion and being slightly pudgy which makes finding the perfect designer jeans her ultimate dream.
This is an extremely well done film, a “Woody Allen” type film but better than most of his, especially as it reflects on NY City . It is very clever, funny, has great believable characters and provides an interesting and insightful look into the real doings of NY City life.
It has an “R” rating which is on the soft side.. some language and sexual situations… but a startling opening sequence of many, many breasts being Mammogrammed due to one of the granddaughters (Hall) being a technician for that procedure.
It’s an Independent film, so you have to hunt for it but it’s worth the effort.
Clark
This is an extremely well written and acted movie that showcases the imperfections of people, and the good and the bad of social situations and society as a whole. Catherine Keener's character and her husband (Oliver Platt) run a furniture resale shop. She carries an enormous self-imposed guilt in her because they stock the store by buying from family members stuck with deceased loved one’s things…furniture and all.. who have NO idea of its value . Keener and Platt buy on the cheap and then resell them to arrogant metrosexual types for many times the purchase price. Keener spends her time trying to scrape off the guilt by doling out money and doggie bags to the homeless.
There are many interesting characters in the film .Rebecca Hall (uptight Vicky from Vicky Cristina Barcelona) plays the dutiful granddaughter taking care of her 90 plus year old monster granny . Granny’s key job in the film is to get closer to dying so that Keener and Platt can take over her apartment and expand - the ultimate dream for a NYC resident. Hall's character is the budded flower - just waiting to bloom as soon as granny dies..
The mean-spiritedness of the grandmother is matched only by the vile spewing from Amanda Peet, , the other granddaughter who is self-centered and bitter. Peet's character often says just what she is thinking which adds a whole new dimension to most conversations! There are some terrific scenes and moments and characters in the film. Adding considerable to the mix is Keener/Platt's daughter, Abbey, who is a smart, insightful teenager. Oh, and she is also mad at the world and bitter about a zitty complexion and being slightly pudgy which makes finding the perfect designer jeans her ultimate dream.
This is an extremely well done film, a “Woody Allen” type film but better than most of his, especially as it reflects on NY City . It is very clever, funny, has great believable characters and provides an interesting and insightful look into the real doings of NY City life.
It has an “R” rating which is on the soft side.. some language and sexual situations… but a startling opening sequence of many, many breasts being Mammogrammed due to one of the granddaughters (Hall) being a technician for that procedure.
It’s an Independent film, so you have to hunt for it but it’s worth the effort.
Clark
Sunday, July 4, 2010
TOY STORY 3 4****
Year after year, Pixar releases movies that leave audience's jaws on the floor. Toy Story 3 is no exception. Pixar has crafted their most emotional outing yet. We've grown up with these characters , so there's already a built-in connection. We care what happens to these toys. It's a world we're all familiar with: not just because the films have been around for 15 years but because everyone has had toys and (probably) grown out of them.
Pixar has done a simply beautiful job of finishing this series. It's always been fun to see the way the toys handle different aspects of life that are stressful for them: birthday parties, Christmas, yard sales. But having their owner, Andy grow up and about to leave them for college is something totally different. While many of the toys resign to their fate or even embrace the possibility of going to a daycare facility, Woody's unflinching loyalty reminds us of why we love these characters so much in the first place. And these reasons are reiterated to great effect in the final, amazingly written and executed scene. And along the way, there's heart to spare, hilarious comedy, clever writing, and intense action sequences . These toys have to run the gauntlet on their adventure, and it makes the "no toy left behind" policy even more affecting.
The animation is simply beautiful . The 3-D is well-implemented and utterly unobtrusive. There are no gimmicks here; Pixar doesn't make things pop out of the screen to justify the heightened ticket prices. 3-D just makes everything look that much crisper and more gorgeous. The voice cast is phenomenal as always. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are still the perfect leading pair, and all their support is hilarious. TS3 also continues its tradition of great villains. . This time, we get a terrifying pair in the form of the cute and cuddly Lotso ( a purple teddy bear ) and the horrific, droopy-eyed Big Baby.
Simply put, Toy Story 3 goes above and infinitely beyond one’s highest hopes and expectations. It tugs at the heartstrings in a genuine way…there's no emotional trickery being pulled here. Pixar's focus has always been on the story, and with their latest masterpiece, they've brought their first story to a beautiful, fitting close.
AND this is great for viewers of ALL ages… from 4 to 84.
Clark
Year after year, Pixar releases movies that leave audience's jaws on the floor. Toy Story 3 is no exception. Pixar has crafted their most emotional outing yet. We've grown up with these characters , so there's already a built-in connection. We care what happens to these toys. It's a world we're all familiar with: not just because the films have been around for 15 years but because everyone has had toys and (probably) grown out of them.
Pixar has done a simply beautiful job of finishing this series. It's always been fun to see the way the toys handle different aspects of life that are stressful for them: birthday parties, Christmas, yard sales. But having their owner, Andy grow up and about to leave them for college is something totally different. While many of the toys resign to their fate or even embrace the possibility of going to a daycare facility, Woody's unflinching loyalty reminds us of why we love these characters so much in the first place. And these reasons are reiterated to great effect in the final, amazingly written and executed scene. And along the way, there's heart to spare, hilarious comedy, clever writing, and intense action sequences . These toys have to run the gauntlet on their adventure, and it makes the "no toy left behind" policy even more affecting.
The animation is simply beautiful . The 3-D is well-implemented and utterly unobtrusive. There are no gimmicks here; Pixar doesn't make things pop out of the screen to justify the heightened ticket prices. 3-D just makes everything look that much crisper and more gorgeous. The voice cast is phenomenal as always. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are still the perfect leading pair, and all their support is hilarious. TS3 also continues its tradition of great villains. . This time, we get a terrifying pair in the form of the cute and cuddly Lotso ( a purple teddy bear ) and the horrific, droopy-eyed Big Baby.
Simply put, Toy Story 3 goes above and infinitely beyond one’s highest hopes and expectations. It tugs at the heartstrings in a genuine way…there's no emotional trickery being pulled here. Pixar's focus has always been on the story, and with their latest masterpiece, they've brought their first story to a beautiful, fitting close.
AND this is great for viewers of ALL ages… from 4 to 84.
Clark
Friday, July 2, 2010
TOOTSIE 4.0 ****
If someone ever wanted to write a textbook on how to make the perfect movie comedy, this film should be the number one reference point. The 1982 film “TOOTSIE” became an instant classic and is just as funny today as it was 28 years ago. I love this movie because no matter how many times you watch it, there is always something you never noticed before. Sidney Pollack's terrific, right-on direction perfectly brought together all the elements of this winning story about an unemployed actor/acting teacher/waiter named Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) who, despite being a wonderful actor, cannot get work as he has earned a reputation for being "difficult." Desperate to earn $8000.00 in order to produce a play that his roommate (Bill Murray) wrote, he dresses in drag and auditions for a role on a soap opera and actually gets the part. Complications ensue and I will not disclose them to you because a lot of the joy of this film is encountering the surprises and dilemma . Everything works perfectly in this film which has a lot of heart that grows as the movie peels back feelings and relationships
Towering above everything is the amazing performance by Dustin Hoffman as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels. Hoffman is completely believable and amazingly comfortable as a woman As a matter of fact, his screen time as Dorothy is the strongest part of his performance. The film is so well-cast it's incredible. There are so many fine actors at work here that it almost becomes a contest of who can steal the scene first. Bill Murray gets his share with his improvised lines. His lamenting of the state of his plays during a party scene will have you howling. The icing on the cake was director Sydney Pollack agreeing to play Hoffman's agent. They only have a few scenes together, but they are among the film's best. Others in the cast include Charles Durning, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, and Geena Davis.
“Perfection” it is… and furthermore and simply put there is no other way to describe this film other than an American masterpiece.
If you seen it before, relive a fun experience. If you’ve not seen, you have a wonderful discovery in store.
Clark
If someone ever wanted to write a textbook on how to make the perfect movie comedy, this film should be the number one reference point. The 1982 film “TOOTSIE” became an instant classic and is just as funny today as it was 28 years ago. I love this movie because no matter how many times you watch it, there is always something you never noticed before. Sidney Pollack's terrific, right-on direction perfectly brought together all the elements of this winning story about an unemployed actor/acting teacher/waiter named Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) who, despite being a wonderful actor, cannot get work as he has earned a reputation for being "difficult." Desperate to earn $8000.00 in order to produce a play that his roommate (Bill Murray) wrote, he dresses in drag and auditions for a role on a soap opera and actually gets the part. Complications ensue and I will not disclose them to you because a lot of the joy of this film is encountering the surprises and dilemma . Everything works perfectly in this film which has a lot of heart that grows as the movie peels back feelings and relationships
Towering above everything is the amazing performance by Dustin Hoffman as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels. Hoffman is completely believable and amazingly comfortable as a woman As a matter of fact, his screen time as Dorothy is the strongest part of his performance. The film is so well-cast it's incredible. There are so many fine actors at work here that it almost becomes a contest of who can steal the scene first. Bill Murray gets his share with his improvised lines. His lamenting of the state of his plays during a party scene will have you howling. The icing on the cake was director Sydney Pollack agreeing to play Hoffman's agent. They only have a few scenes together, but they are among the film's best. Others in the cast include Charles Durning, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, and Geena Davis.
“Perfection” it is… and furthermore and simply put there is no other way to describe this film other than an American masterpiece.
If you seen it before, relive a fun experience. If you’ve not seen, you have a wonderful discovery in store.
Clark
KNIGHT AND DAY 3.0*** (close to 3.5***)
“Knight and Day” may be one of the most fun times you'll have at the movies this summer. Fasten your seatbelt and just ride on “Cruise” control. It's non-stop action, entertaining, mysterious, thrilling, full of surprises and just plain fun.
June Havens (Cameron Diaz) is an average perky beautiful blonde who accidentally runs into the charming and mysterious Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) at the airport and is swept into a series of wild and dangerous adventures when Roy turns out to be a secret agent fighting rogue elements in his own agency . . . or maybe HE's the rogue agent . . . it depends on whom you or June believes. The initial sequence after the chance meeting at the airport is a well done action packed and hilarious scene on the plane with Cruise doing his action thing in the cabin while Diaz is in the bathroom considering whether she should flirt with Cruise and is totally oblivious to the mayhem going on outside in the plane. This sets the tone for what turns out to be a FUN film.
Cruise and Diaz play off each other off very comfortably and both are terrific in their roles. The chemistry between them is excellent. Cruise does what he does best as the super (sometimes almost TOO super) secret agent. But here he’s not always so serious…he’s funny with great comedic timing , poking fun at his "Mission: Impossible" character with tongue-in-cheek wit . Diaz scurries around as an a supposedly average non-hero thrust into an almost “impossible” series of events and constantly being baffled but managing to keep up with Cruise. ….. she is funny, warm, beautiful, and spunky.
Knight and Day" is a delightful action/romance movie that will make you laugh and feel good. It's a pleasant diversion from the stresses of our day-to-day routine… a really fun time at the cinema that doesn't ask a lot of you and offers an enjoyable ride. Yes, we've seen it all before, but it worked pretty well then, and it works pretty well now.
It’s rated PG-13 and is okay for the kids.
Clark
“Knight and Day” may be one of the most fun times you'll have at the movies this summer. Fasten your seatbelt and just ride on “Cruise” control. It's non-stop action, entertaining, mysterious, thrilling, full of surprises and just plain fun.
June Havens (Cameron Diaz) is an average perky beautiful blonde who accidentally runs into the charming and mysterious Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) at the airport and is swept into a series of wild and dangerous adventures when Roy turns out to be a secret agent fighting rogue elements in his own agency . . . or maybe HE's the rogue agent . . . it depends on whom you or June believes. The initial sequence after the chance meeting at the airport is a well done action packed and hilarious scene on the plane with Cruise doing his action thing in the cabin while Diaz is in the bathroom considering whether she should flirt with Cruise and is totally oblivious to the mayhem going on outside in the plane. This sets the tone for what turns out to be a FUN film.
Cruise and Diaz play off each other off very comfortably and both are terrific in their roles. The chemistry between them is excellent. Cruise does what he does best as the super (sometimes almost TOO super) secret agent. But here he’s not always so serious…he’s funny with great comedic timing , poking fun at his "Mission: Impossible" character with tongue-in-cheek wit . Diaz scurries around as an a supposedly average non-hero thrust into an almost “impossible” series of events and constantly being baffled but managing to keep up with Cruise. ….. she is funny, warm, beautiful, and spunky.
Knight and Day" is a delightful action/romance movie that will make you laugh and feel good. It's a pleasant diversion from the stresses of our day-to-day routine… a really fun time at the cinema that doesn't ask a lot of you and offers an enjoyable ride. Yes, we've seen it all before, but it worked pretty well then, and it works pretty well now.
It’s rated PG-13 and is okay for the kids.
Clark
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