Amovies

Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek lovey-dovey their way through this "To Catch a Thief" light-fare, while Woody Harrelson chases them. It's foolish to over-analyze why you might or might not like this film. It's agonizing to watch Brosnan's good looks marred by scruffy whiskers; it's just as agonizing to watch Hayek cavort in beachwear the entire movie. But the superstar of this film is ATLANTIS. Worth the price of a ticket any day.

Why would Oliver Stone ruin a perfectly good chance for an epic man's-man historical adventure and a woman's-man romance by all that bisexual stuff with Alexander and his men? We all know Greeks are loving guys and gals, but with the same sex, in an Epic Adventure? It will make women uncomfortable; it will make men's skin crawl. Save your money unless you just like to watch Angelina Jolie and Val Kilmer.

Will Smith can't save this fast fisted fight film that flags from first to finish. If you are expecting a film about fighting, think again. Think Malcolm X for the first hour. Think Black Muslim religion for the second hour. Then think over used crowd scenes, Africa, leacherous managers and help, slow motion photography, and Will Smith parading through Liz Taylor-style mate swapping for the remaining hour. To glorify these immoral icons is amazing. The only fighters who seemed REAL in this movie were the opponents who were actually BIG enough to be heavy weight champs. Smith is not. The best part of this film was too short, and that was Howard Cosell and Ali. Talk about chemistry. Voight does a good job as always. This is a lengthy, boring film. Ali said he was the greatest. This film is NOT.

ALL THE PRETTY HORSES (9)
Matt Damon in one of his better movies, a grown up Henry Thomas is perfect for this role, and the wonderful young actor Lucas Black: set in the great state of Texas, and my own West Texas, a vista to behold. These boys cross the Rio Grande for an adventure in Mexico with unsuspected perils and a love interest--Penelope Cruz. If you love westerns, you will enjoy this modern day western.
I really liked this movie. Lucas Black is worth the ticket price. While there are holes in this film, just follow the cowboy magic and sit back for a couple of hours of cowboy culture. It will win you over.

ALMOST FAMOUS (8 1/2)
I have no idea why I was so reluctant to go see this movie. The cinematography just looked bad to me in the trailers, the actors looked gross (as in 70's dirty), and no one who is anyone was starring. What a great surprise to enjoy this movie! Kate Hudson looks like her mom, and while VERY cute , (who briefly exposes her upper torso--what little there was of it) is still not as cute as her mother. There is only one Goldie. And Billie Craddup (SP) was amazing as the shy journalist on the road with 70's band Stillwater: not a bad band either. AND Frances McDormand just cannot make a bad movie. Remember Fargo? She is so believable in everything! Opening scenes are SO funny. Some good music from the 70's--however, I would have picked even better, GREAT music for this film. I'm not much of an Elton John fan. Entertaining film.

ALONG CAME A SPIDER (9 1/2)
Morgan Freeman (the only known star in this movie) as a comeback from hard times investigator, who helps the government and a family with a crisis situation. This is a movie that can't be discussed very much as there are more twists and turns and shouldn't be given away. Monica Potter. WHO is Monica Potter? One day a nobody. The next day, costarring with Morgan Freeman. There is something wrong with this picture!!! (Wonder what Charlize, Gwyneth, Angelina, and Helen think about that?) Good, good movie.

AMERICAN OUTLAWS (5)
Can't say it much better than this: Youth is wasted on the youth. Do you remember the great outlaw westerns with seasoned actors and actresses, like Lonesome Dove and Tombstone? Forget about any of that in this film. Just near beardless newcomers all the way. This is a fictionalized version of the Jesse James Gang with some shoot em ups and basically nothing exciting or dramatic or funny or adventurous or mysterious. Scott Caan is the best of the pitiful lot, but the plot is weak, the actors rangeless--no pun intended--and WHAT a perfectly good waste of Kathy Bates's talents. HER agent and she should be ashamed of themselves. What were they thinking? Give us the Kathy Bates of Misery. Hollywood is doing to her what they did to Shelly Winters. 5th grade girls will probably go wild for this pathetic interpretation of a Wild bunch. But then films, just as music, is being geared for this pre pubescent group. Get used to it. Go read a book instead. There 27 mild obscenities, 2 sexual references, 11 religious exclamations, no complete nudity, just bare chests and cleavage.

ANGEL EYES (7 1/2)
J-Lo (Jennifer Lopez) gives a surprisingly convincing performance in yet another of her typecast roles of tough cop. Jim Caviezel space-cases his way through 2/3 of this movie, but finally does a little acting. Without giving anything away about this plot, which it won't take you long to figure out, suffice it to say that it is an enjoyable movie, except for excessive use of the F word. J-Lo is really pretty good in this film about two families who try to come to terms with their pasts.

ART of WAR (The) (7)
As Wesley Snipes flicks go...here goes another. Full of action, a bit dark in the cinema department, rough housing (even women), this is a government undercover movie with the lovely Anne Archer and a wimpy Donald Sutherland as U.N. officials trying to second guess the Chinese government. Snipes is good again in his usual fast paced, leaping from tall buildings, and running after other tough guys sort of role. A "little" bar nudity, a "little" rough language. Men will love this movie. Women will tolerate it well, might even like it. I did. A fairly entertaining movie.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (5 1/2)
If you are up for Pinocchio meets the Wizard of Oz with a Humanistic message in a Futuristic format, then you are going to really go for this movie.
But in this lengthy and slow developing, leg crossing, uncrossing 2 1/2 hours, Steven Spielberg forgot to edit, John Williams' music was chockfull of too many eerie Ahhhh sounds, Haley Joel Osment has grown up a tad too much for this role in which he stands in a stupor nearly the whole movie, and Jude Law was painfully weird. Mistreated children will always pull on your heart strings. The special effects were mildly entertaining. And "IF" you take your children to this movie, don't be surprised when they start praying to the Blue Fairy rather than God. Leave them at home. Stay with them.