SAVE THE LAST DANCE:
Can't waste my time or money
SERENDIPITY (7)
As if this movie hadn't already been done at least a dozen times...think
Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, and The Graduate; then, you will
have Serentipity. But these actors aren't Hanks, Ryan, Ross, or Hoffman.
John Cusack tries WAY too hard throughout this movie, and Kate Beckinsale
fails to energize her role as she appears in some rather shallow screen
moments. These two have no chemistry--NO CHEMISTRY. There ARE
some funny moments without Kate though. Molly Shannon has a small
quirky, but NON Saturday Night Live-ish, role, and Jeremy Piven sparks
up the screen with his supporting role of Cusacks's best friend.
This film was shot in NYC, mostly during the winter. There are no
WTC shots. Some language, some fleeting-raw moments.
SEXY BEAST (0)
Ben Kingsley is what appealed to me about this movie. I never
got to see him. In the first 10 minutes, I heard so many F words
tucked inside an unintelligible Australian, I think, dialect, that I just
had to walk out. Forget this artsy film. At least, that is
how it is billed. Do NOT waste your money. You won't "get it."
I went across the hall and caught another flick.
SHAFT (3)
Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go see this movie unless you want to hear
Muh Fuh about one million times. A violent movie. Lots of action.
Samuel Jackson and Vanessa Williams. What a lame role for her. Expect
to hear the theme music ALL thru the movie in different riffs...
SHALLOW HAL (8)
Short and weird, shallow and stupid, Jack Black and
Jason Alexander star as Saturday Night Live disco boy rip offs who are both
too infantile to get beyond a woman's appearance to form any meaningful
relationship...that is, until self-help guru Anthony Robbins gives Hal a bit
of hypnosis and brainwashing to get him to see only the inner beauty in every
person he sees. Wow! The gift of a lifetime. Hal sees the
gargantuan sized Gwyneth Paltrow as a skinny beauty, but of course
she isn't. Hal has to face the truth! This is a funny film at the
expense of the obese, but with a great moral in the end. Only one F
word, but lots of sexual references and a little nudity. Is that like
being a little pregant? Oh well...Rusty liked this one, too.
SIMONE (8)
SMALL TIME CROOKS (8 /1/2)
A Woody "Sorry" Allen movie. How could I be so disgusting
as to support such a vulgar incestuous rat? But, sigh, I did.
And lo and behold, it was such a charming movie. Woody drives me
nuts, as he is one of the homeliest creatures on God's green earth, wimpy,
that hair or lack of it...DO SOMETHING WITH THOSE STRANDS WOODY, shave
it, toupee it, wear a sack, anything...as he stammered and stuttered his
way through this movie until I wanted to scream...still he is Woody Allen.
Funny. But Tracy Ullman: the darling of this movie...is so adorable
and talented,you just don't want the movie to end. Her character
smacks of the same savoir faire or je ne sais quoi or something or other
as Stockard Channing's in Where the Heart Is. More of her please.
A nice part for the ever prissy Hugh Grant. A very funny movie.
But of course in the offbeat Woody Allen sense.
SNATCH (2)
The only thing good about this movie is trying to understand what
Brad Pitt is saying when he talks. This is a dumb movie, full of
profanity and underworld junk. Waste of time. I was bored with
this movie. Besides, the cinematography is technologically challenged!!!
SOMEONE LIKE YOU (7 1/2)
Television talk show host Ellen Barkin, in her usual sleazy role,
surrounds herself with a team of talented young assistants & producer
types (all deeply troubled by the male/female, cow/bull relationship),
all who help her land important guests. The cute Ashley Judd manages
to show us nearly every cute part of herself: Put your clothes BACK
on Ashley. You are too classy for this. Greg Kinnear in a repeat
Sabrina role. Marisa Tomei trash talking friend of Ashley, profoundly
troubled as well by this cow/bull analogy. Hugh Jackman wins
kudo's for his role of the seemingly typical BULL. I laughed out
loud several times at this movie.
SPACE COWBOYS (9)
Why does Clint Eastwood still look so good? He's 70+ for crying
out loud. And how can they make Tommy Lee Jones so cute? And
in spite of their smaller roles, Donald Sutherland and James Garner are
adorable as well. Anyone, who doesn't like this movie just doesn't
like the movies. Lots of "age related" humor. Funny.
Entertaining. I hope these guys work for another 20 years!!!
I loved this movie.
SPY GAME (6 1/2)
I hate to say it, but I am about ready for Redford
to retire from being in front of the camera. Ouch--it hurt to say that. But,
these last couple of movies have just not done the king of the screen much of
a favor. If you like movies that are mostly dialogue and recounting the
story for you, full of flashbacks, and rather episodic confusion, then take
this one on. I was diappointed. Brad Pitt was a disappointment.
And the time line was just WEIRD. Makeup can't make Redford look 20- 25
years younger and who are they trying to kid with Brad Pitt being 20-25 years
older? Rusty fell asleep in this one.
SPY KIDS (8 1/2)
STUCK ON YOU
(9) Whether
it's the Coen Brothers or the Farrelly Brothers, those brothers are
comedic-gifted. Be ready for some pretty absurd stuff. Listen closely, or
you will miss some of the best lines of the movie. Matt Damon and Greg
Kinnear are conjoined twins who have not let that stop them from being all
that they can be. We both really liked this movie.
Not my normal movie fare, but I took my grandchildren to see this
one.
The real test is when the movie is over and one of them says:
YEAH.
And the other one yells: I want that movie.
This is a fun movie full of adventure about a brother, sister, mom
and dad
all involved in espionage. With a family moral at the end.
Hooray for Hollywood.
SUMMER CATCH (6)
A sappy little, quasi love story shot in beautiful Cape Cod that
centers around the local lawn boy, professional BASEBALLER wannabe
played by the ACTOR wannabe, Freddie Prinze Jr.
Helloooooo??? Acting school Freddie. It's NOT too late. Directors
and camera people are convinced that we can be happy just to LOOK at Prinze,
who does nothing more than smile, act surprised, and stand around. BIG
BIG YAWN! Lots of skin and several male frontal and behindal shots in women's
thongs. Would REAL men baseball players be seen like that? Harumpffff!
But the supporting cast overshadows the stars in this lame little movie
with some great one liners. The boys seemed to have a great time in the
theater with this one. Is that more than enough information for you, gals?
You've been warned.
1 F-word, 1 profane hand gesture, 12 scatological terms, 7 anatomical
terms, 9 sexual references, 13 mild obscenities, 2 religious profanities,
5 religious exclamations.
SUPERNATURAL (8)
This series gets a slow start, but I'm learning to like it more and more. Two brothers work their way across the country in search of their father, but along the way, they exorcise demons, kill spirits, and just generally clean up what's considered SUPERNATURAL.
SWORDFISH (8 1/2)
John Travolta in yet another one of his heartless, evil villain
roles (why would he hide that dimple with hair?); Halle Berry gets naked
yet again (that girl needs to eat some fried chicken and mashed potatoes!
); Hugh Jackman as a man under stress (he's good!); Don Cheadle, as a government
agent, chases the bad guys (I can't figure out why he gets so much work).