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thelawrences
Reviews
Jane Eyre (2006)
Seriously?
I can't believe that people are calling this 'the best out there' for Jane Eyre - it is completely inaccurate to Bronte's story, and while Ruth may be a good actress - she does a horrible job portraying the character of Jane. Once Ruth meets the Rochester character she flirts and simpers like a silly school girl! Where is the strong, logical young woman from the novel? Where is the person who holds her emotions in check, who examines all sides of a puzzle before making a decision? I just hated this - Blanche Ingram's character looked nothing like the description in the book, scenes like 'Adele's picnic' were added to the story line, and when we finally got to where Jane meets Bertha in the attic room - well, I just gave up. Bronte describes Bertha as pacing like a mad beast against the wall, almost unrecognizable as a human being, yet this adaptation has her sitting seductively at a breakfast table luxuriously dressed. She only rises to throw slurs in the Spanish language at Jane, rather than madly attacking her like an animal. If you liked this version - you need to read the book again.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
It's the STORY that gets you!
Oh Wow! When I first saw the trailers for Sweeney Todd, I had mixed feelings. I am a Depp fan, and although I have liked everything I've seen him in, I have avoided some of his movies for various reasons. I'm not necessarily a Tim Burton fan, but have enjoyed some of his work as well.
This movie drew me in a different way. I felt almost as if I HAD to see it, even though I didn't want to expose myself to the blood and gore that everyone was talking about. I went to the movie with only a skeletal knowledge of the storyline.
As I watched, the story and the characters really entranced me. I was surprised to look at my watch and see that 2/3 of the movie had passed with only 1 murder - and it wasn't nearly as bloody as I expected. That changed when Barker's chair became an assembly line for slit throats - with all the accompanying blood.
It's a very compelling story, Depp & Carter play their roles well. And Burton does a great job using Bower (as Anthony Hope) as the perfect counterpoint to the rest of what goes on in the movie.
My only complaint was a certain difficulty in understanding all of the lyrics of the songs given the dramatic music and the cockney accents used by the main characters. I guess I'll just have to watch it again and listen more carefully!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
like sitting under a cruciatus curse
OK, I simply cannot understand all the glowing reviews! "Separate the movie from the book..."????? Why in the world should someone have to separate a movie from the very book upon which it was supposedly based???? The reason I went to the movie was to see the things I loved about the book - except I didn't get to see them.
OotP has been my favorite of the books (except for perhaps the first one), and the majority of the stuff that made it so great was left out of the movie - or changed so drastically as to make it unrecognizable. Now, I'm the first one to admit that things must be cut in order to make the switch from book to movie, that's just the nature of things. But to take the very scenes that make the book special is just stupid - Fred & George's swamp, Umbridge supervising Harry's career counseling with McGonagall, Marietta with 'sneak' blistered across her forehead (in fact, they left Marietta out entirely, making Cho the villain), the fabulous chase through rooms in the ministry of magic before the battle scene, etc, etc. They did nothing to show how the 4 houses united with the teachers against Umbridge, nor did they show how fabulously the Room of Requirement was prepared for DA.
And on top of leaving things out, things were changed for no apparent reason at all. Harry & Dudley's confrontation occurs in an alley alone, not in the park with Duddikin's friends. The walk home is through the streets of suburbia - not a field of cheatgrass. Harry's patronus is supposed to be a fully formed stag (which is mentioned in the movie) but we don't see it - instead we see a wisp of cigarette smoke chase off the dementors in the tunnel (again, not an alley...) Why the changes? It wouldn't have made the movie any longer to make it the right way.
The movie was crap - I could have written a better screenplay - and I am *very* disappointed with Rowlings for allowing it.
Not only did I have to suffer through all this, the acting was sub-par in this movie, except perhaps by Helena Bonham-Carter, who was excellent.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
It's Still Pirates!
On the up side, it was Pirates! The main characters all were great in their roles, they have really settled in to the characters. We got to see more of Tia Dalma, and Keith Richards was wonderful as Captain Teague. I wish we could have seen more of him. Some of the developments in the "bad guys" were great as well. Of course the effects were spectacular, and there was plenty of humor thrown in to offset the drama/fighting. On the down side, a few of the CG scenes went on too long, particularly one of the sea battles, the view of Sparrow at World's End, the transformation of Calypso. I found the same problem with King Kong. What begins as an amazing scene eventually becomes boring and doesn't advance the storyline at all. I also didn't care for the ending, which I won't share here. It's not that I have to have a happy fairy tale ending, but just thought this one could have been thought through better. You will also hear you should wait through the credits for a special scene at the end. Let me just say that there are about 15 minutes of credits, and the extra 3 minutes of movie isn't particularly special. Just have someone who did stay tell you about it.
The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew (1983)
Wives do to get it, you hosers!
OK, this movie came out the year I graduated from High School, and I'm not from anywhere near Canada, and I never watched SCTV. I can't even remember the first time I saw it - but I never forgot it. My now 15 year old grew up playing "STEAMROLLER".
Then last weekend we saw the VHS for sale at a garage sale for $2, and brought it home. We watched it that night, and we can now be reassured that Doug and Bob will be remembered through a new generation. While my kids didn't laugh as much as my husband and I, they did laugh - and I've noticed the phrases, "beauty, eh?" and, "you hosers" have begun sneaking into their conversation. I couldn't be happier!
P.S. The "plot" is irrelavent, and if you can't see that, well, take off hoser!
Happy Feet (2006)
Misadvertised and boring
OK, the movie Happy Feet gets the 2 points - 1 for the music and 1 for the graphics. The rest of it stank. The plot was predictable, and I was actually looking forward to the "tense/scary" scenes others mentioned so it would at least wake me up. Didn't work.
The film was a vehicle for a very strong left wing environmental message about the evils of humans with our polluting and over harvesting of natural resources - we are the source of all the problems in the world.
Saw this flick with my husband, 2 kids - aged 15 & 11, and our friends (one with a master's degree in Nature Science) and their two kids - aged 13 & 9. Not one of us enjoyed ourselves. Live and learn, I guess. The "anti-religious" themes were not specific at all, more a jab at tradition and generation vs. generation.
So, unless you are a big PETA or GreenPeace supporter, I would avoid this movie. It is not a cute and funny movie about dancing penguins.
One Night with the King (2006)
Worth seeing, but watch out...
Was excited to go see this, hadn't seen any trailers for it and found out about it quite by accident. But since the story of Esther is my favorite Bible story, we went right out Saturday afternoon with my 11 year old daughter. It was a good movie. I thought the acting was well done, the costumes fabulous, the music well suited to the story, and the scenes were amazing - especially in the palace. I want a bedroom like the King's - note to While You Were Out! However, I have to say that it was a little confusing, and I think it would be easier for someone who didn't know the story of Esther! I kept expecting certain things to happen, and then something else would happen. Or some character that isn't in the biblical account would have a major type role and I had a hard time placing him in the story. It stayed pretty true to the main story though - nothing that really went against the biblical account.
Anyhow, I think the movie is definitely worth seeing - and if you are very familiar with the story - remember that this movie was based on a historical fiction book, so it is one more step removed from the book of Esther in the Bible. Allow yourself to watch the story as it unfolds, and take away from it the main point - which is the same as the book of Esther.
Nacho Libre (2006)
Muy Hilarioso
OK, this was a very funny movie. Fans of Jack Black or Jared Hess will be very happy. Nice writing, an actual plot (a plus over Napoleon Dynamite), Lots of family fun. The theater was packed and for good reason - I heard lots of laughing out loud throughout the film. If you liked Jack Black in School of Rock, you will like this as well. Jack Black does some singing, some songwriting for this one too, and much of the remainder of the music is by Danny Elfman, great work! Stay through the closing credits for another hilarious song. The other actors, although unknown for the most part, are perfectly cast. The movie never slows down, is just the right length, a perfect comedy.
Over the Hedge (2006)
Hilarious!
This was a great movie! I can't imagine it not appealing to all age groups, our group went from 10 to 42 and we all loved it. Based on a comic strip, it remains faithful to the characters in the comic even while pulling together an entertaining plot & character interaction. Almost like a prequel to the comic strip. Voices were terrificly cast, some almost unrecognizable - others obvious and playing off that lack of subtlety. Rarely does a movie make me actually laugh out loud, but this one did. Great family film that shows all the strengths and flaws of family. Very little "potty humor" - it doesn't have to rely on that because so much of it is actually funny. Highly recommended.
King Kong (2005)
Way too long
Okay, overall we liked this movie, but it had a couple problems that dragged it down. The special effects were incredible, but like a bad SNL skit, they went on forever. So what started as this amazing, spectacular scene soon became boring and didn't move the story forward at all. Also, Kong was a little bit too humanized emotionally such that some scenes were sappy and stupid. Other scenes completely defied logic. I know it's a movie and all, but come on, we're not idiots. One more thing - I thought it was a little more violent and particularly disturbing than your typical PG-13 movie - I don't think I will let my 10 & 14 year old daughters see it. If they had cut an hour from some of the special effects and sappy monkey scenes, it would've been a 10.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
draws you right in
I really liked this movie - it was so bizarre it just drew me right in. Todays CG technology really plays up well in this type of film, and the characters were well cast. The movie is close enough to the Gene Wilder version to be comfortable, yet adds enough new information (mostly from the book) to keep the attention. Depp's portrayal of Wonka is more disturbed than quirky - you actually feel a little sorry for him, and the boy playing Charlie does an excellent job. My kids loved it as well (aged 10 & 14). The characters of the other children invited to the factory are quite well played, very similar to the original. You get a glimpse into Wonka's past, a little understanding of what has made him the way he is. Note: you will either love or hate the Oompa Loompa music sequences...
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Lots of action, some laughs, but not great
OK, I wasn't all that sure about this movie before seeing it, expecting some kind of high voltage "War of the Roses." But this was different. Positive: The chemistry between Pitt & Jolie was good, lots of good one-liners, and over the top action scenes. Negative: Was never sure who the good/bad guys were. The "bad" guys (more hired, trained killers?) couldn't shoot the broad side of a barn with their automatic weapons, while Pitt & Jolie could overcome 20+ of these guys with their handguns and a few automatics stolen from dead guys. The ending was odd - I really expected a "Bonnie & Clyde" type ending, considering the odds against them toward the end. Conclusion: I would've liked this movie better if there had been clear defining lines of good & bad guys.
Westender (2003)
Not the worst movie, but close.
I'm one of those people that, once into a movie, must see how it ends. Good or bad. The fast forward button on my DVD player couldn't go fast enough through this movie.
I agree with other comments on this movie: Not bad acting, but not great acting, long drawn out scenes of someone walking through forest/desert, no character development and forced dialog. When I watch movies as bad as this one I actually feel pain for the person who spent $8.00 for a ticket and $10.00 for popcorn and pop to watch it. My 99 cents I paid even seems a little too much.
DL
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Satisfaction
I have to say that I have very clear memories of seeing the first Star Wars back in '77 in the teeny tiny theater in my teeny tiny hometown, but that since that time I have not been a particularly big fan of the series. I barely remember the next two installments and found Episodes 1 & 2 to be remarkably unremarkable. So I didn't have the highest expectations for Episode 3.
I was happily surprised. I thought the movie did an excellent job tying things together. I think the thing I was most impressed with was the portrayal of Anakin by Heyden Christensen. It was easy to see his motivation for joining the dark side, in fact most people could sympathize with him. He also did a great job indicating that he never felt he was joining with evil, he completely deceived himself that he was fighting for the greater good in order to appease his conscience over the evil acts he perpetrated.
Why not a 10? I think they could have cut about 20 minutes of excess scenes from the movie without losing anything. And I found Grievous a pointless enemy. Not sure why he was there.
Sahara (2005)
A lot of fun if you suspend your sense of reality
I've never read any of the Dirk Pitt movies, but I really enjoyed this movie. I thought the 2 story lines were woven well, the Dr's mission gave it somewhat of a "noble" cause, and surprisingly it was incredibly "clean" (regarding language and sexual content) which is always a plus for me. Some of the fight scenes stretched the bounds of reality (why can't the bad guys ever hit anything, even though that's what they're trained to do?) The characters were engaging and fun to watch.
If you go to the movies for some deep message or moral, skip this one. But if you want to go just for a couple hours of escapism, Sahara does the trick. If they make another Dirk Pitt film, I'd go see it - assuming McConaughey plays the lead - in fact, I might just have to try reading one of the books!
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
entertaining, but not amazing
As a fan of the books I was thrilled to see the movie coming out. I went to see it and was both pleasantly surprised and mildly disappointed - if that's possible. As the book doesn't really have any underlying plot or character motivations (other than survival at times) the movie had to add some elements to carry the movie along. These didn't bother me too much, as they were, for the most part, very similar in feel to the books. While seeing the movie I thought they had included a lot from the other books in the trilogy, but when I got home I re-read the book and found that wasn't the case. I think what disappointed me were the many hilarious lines in the book that got left out of the movie, for no apparent reason. I also didn't really care for Rickman's portrayal of Marvin, who seemed more of a smart aleck than a manic depressive. Worth seeing, but could've been better.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Never Give Up
(very minor spoilers) I had to add this to my previous comment after reading a more recent review here on IMDb. The review stated that Christian fundamentalists hated the movie because it showed the true hypocrisy of the Warden, along with his oft quoted Bible and the stitched verse on his wall "Judgment cometh..." behind which he kept his ill gotten gains. But I am a Christian conservative who loved this movie for that very reason. It shows that God looks at the heart. The Warden had a wicked heart, regardless of what came out of his mouth and what he hung on his wall - and clearly his judgment did come! Andy was kind at heart, offering friendship and help to any who would accept it, and well, he got what he deserved in the end. When Red gave up trying to pretend something before the parole board, trying to tell them what they wanted to hear and instead just spoke the truth, he gets his parole. Both Andy and Red refuse to give in to the despair of prison life - instead doing what they can to bring a bit of beauty to the prison. Andy never loses his humanity, and helps Red find his again. They keep hoping till the very end, but don't just sit around waiting for justice, but actively seek it. The ending makes the movie.
My husband will not watch it - having a strong aversion to "prison flicks" but I have seen it several times, and reading some of these comments has made me want to see it again.
It is one of my all time favorite movies - I never get tired of watching it since I went out and bought the DVD. The first 30-45 minutes are full of heavy language and prison violence, but that only makes the contrast between those who have given up their humanity and those who have held onto it. Not appropriate for young children, but for those able and willing to look at the reality of life - it is beautiful!
Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002)
Good family movie
I didn't like this one as well as the first installment (although both kids aged 7 & 10 liked it better) but it was still an entertaining film that really stressed the value of family and the importance of fighting for it.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
A good movie with balanced plot and action
Thought this movie was great. No one can blow things up like Star Trek! And the storyline was well told, with good character development. Plenty of "out loud" reactions from the full theater - laughs, groans, sounds of shock. My biggest complaint? Deanna Troi spent most of the film looking like she was crying or about to cry - even in scenes where she should have been the confident professional she's supposed to be. Go see it.
Spider-Man (2002)
basic review
We thought this movie was great fun. Family friendly, fun to watch, no surprises but very entertaining. Willem Dafoe makes a great villain, and Maguire does well as both Peter Parker and Spiderman. We really liked how they showed the spiderman character developing, learning to use his powers, etc.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
This movie was unique, and therefore kind of interesting.
I've never seen a movie like this, so it gets points for originality anyway.
But I have to say I didn't really enjoy the show. It never completely pulled out of the jarring weirdness that made it so different.
I personally wouldn't recommend it unless you're a big fan of one of the major stars. The music was the best part of the whole thing.
It was also pretty depressing whenever you thought about the actual plot, and it never really pulled out of that. I don't go to the movies to be depressed.
Nicole Kidman was great - in fact the acting was fabulous all around, but I never could get fully into it. Kinda boring for me.
Return to Me (2000)
A great date movie!
I loved this movie! I was already an X-Files Duchovny fan, now I'm hoping that since he's not doing that anymore, he will put extra effort into movies like this one. It was an interesting premise, dealt with sensitively and with humor. Very believable characters. One of those "make you laugh, make you cry" movies. Go see it.
The Green Mile (1999)
Not what I expected
I have to say that I held off a long time to watch this movie, because in spite of all the hype and good reviews, I expected it to be just another "prison movie". But we finally sat down to watch, with the understanding that we were shutting it off at the first indication of a prison rape scene. Surprise! There weren't any! The characters were interesting, realistic, and I got attached to them. It was a great story!
Spy Kids (2001)
why we loved this film
We took our 2 daughters (9&5) to see this and we all really enjoyed it. There is a very strong pro-family message, lots of adventure with no lethal violence or profanity. There was also the added benefit of some characters who started out bad and ended up reforming and joining the good side. Highly recommend it!