Change Your Image
scottdpearson
Reviews
Fever Pitch (2005)
A Classic (and great!) Romantic Comedy
What I expected: A rather lame overly-stereotypical portrayal of a sports-mad guy and an equally lame stereotypical portrayal of the gal who likes him yet suffers while being second banana to his overly zealous support for his favorite sports team.
What I got: An even-handed story where both guy and gal end up admitting -- to themselves and each other -- that they each have passions in their lives yet each can forgive the other to save the love they share.
Sounds sappy but with the nonstop humor and terrific performances this story works! Barrymore is classic Barrymore: that perfect blend of sweet, strong, and adorable. We expect that from her and she delivered.
But Fallon is the nice surprise in this film. He brings to the role the perfect blend of sports nut combined with the appreciation for the normal things in life, like caring about kids and his girlfriend. Fallon delivers his lines with subtle perfection. He can be caring ("You just ran across the field for me!") and in the same breath be obliviously blinded by his love for the Red Sox ("How did the grass feel? Kinda spongy?") at the same time. Fallon's portrayal "made" the movie. Hopefully, this movie marks the beginning of a better film career for Fallon, something beyond the over-the-top sophomoric humor typical of SNL alums (i.e. Will Ferrell).
In short, a movie that could have fallen victim to stereotypical male vs. female characters rose above that limitation and provided nonstop spot-on humorous lines, most delivered with brilliant subtlety by Fallon.
Hey, I saw this with my wife -- not a baseball fan -- and she loved it as much as I did. It's neither a "Guy Flick" nor a "Chick Flick". It's a terrific make-you-laugh flick. Go see it!
Twister (1996)
The worst dialog and acting of any movie ever.
First the good news: the special effects for the tornado scenes are fun to watch. That is the end of the good news.
Now the bad news: the other ingredients of this half-baked film suck more than any F5 tornado ever could. The dialog is so bad, it's painful to listen to. And the acting -- from the lead actors to the supporting cast -- is so bad that I am embarrassed FOR them.
How any of the lead actors were ever hired to do other films is beyond me. Yeah, they had a terrible script to begin with but unless the director was holding their children as hostage in order to coerce the alternatingly wooden and over-acting. I can only hope that they were victims of poor final editing. Maybe they thought the lame dialog )(in EVERY scene) would be patched together in some sort of coherent fashion. But noooooooo. The editing not only failed to help the dialog, it made it even worse. Way to many unnecessary close-ups added emphasis to the goofy dialog.
By the way, both the character of "Dustin"/"Dusty" and the supporting actor who played him should have been sliced and left to die on the cutting room floor. The fact that HE ever went on to make other films makes me want to put my left shoe up for an audition against him.
If the tornado effects weren't so good, the film would be entirely unbearable. The plot is pathetic. The dialog is lame. And the acting is mind-numbingly poor.
Friends don't let friends rent this movie -- or even view it for free on television!
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Lame disaster movie
This has got to be the most lame disaster movie in a decade. The premise of global-warming-leads-to-new-ice-age is ridiculous. And even the actors in the movie respond as if they are just going through the motions of reading lame dialog. It's almost bad enough to be considered a spoof of disaster movies. The only thing worth watching in this film are some of the special effects. The drastic change in weather and tide, shall we say, in NYC is pretty interestingly portrayed. But the results of those same phenoms are unbelievable even in the context of the movie. Does anyone -- even the director -- believe that the Statue of Liberty would still be standing after that? It's insulting to the audience and it pulls the rug out from the rest of the movie. Nothing else has any credibility after that -- even when trying to suspend reality for the sake of enjoying the movie. So the whole movie is lame, lame, lame. And so far as this movie being a "statement" about the danger of global warming, it does more to highlight the absurdity of that argument than the opposition could ever achieve.
Catwoman (2004)
Don't Bother
Halle Berry as CatWoman is lousy. She is obviously trying too hard to outdo Eartha Kitt's rendition of the feline superhero..., and she falls way short of the mark. Too bad the producers of this film didn't go with talent instead of looks. There were other actresses better suited to the role who would have contributed more to the character than striking a pose now and again with boobs. It's a real shame that such a legendary character wasn't given a better chance to "come alive" on the big screen. Perhaps the film should have used state-of-the-art computer-generated animations (ala Shrek) instead of actors. This movie could bring about the end of the comics-turned-blockbuster trend.
Jersey Girl (2004)
"Almost" worth seeing but not quite.
Ben Affleck is the weak link in this movie. He delivers yet another "flat" performance which holds down the overall quality of the film. The film also suffers from an identity crisis of sorts. It can't decide if it wants to be about the romance life of a widowed father interrupted by his little girl's needs or a story about a self-centered, mover-shaker who gets kicked in the teeth when he loses his high-profile, high-paying publicist job and has to learn to live the blue-collar life of his family roots. This self-conflict in the story line combined with Affleck's overacting problems prevent the film from being a hit. However, that said, the little girl (Raquel Castro) is a standout. She nearly salvages the film all on her own. But Liv Tyler's performance is mixed. She is captivating and adorable, but she is trapped in a conflicted role. Her character alternates between a sweet romatic interest and the kind of gal you would never want near your young daughter. Another nice surprise is George Carlin's performance as Affleck's blue-collar father. His mix of understanding and condemnation for Affleck's conduct is played perfectly. But in the end, the film is a victim of poor writing, poor directing (in so far as committing to a specific story line), and Affleck's high-school-quality performance. If you really want to see the film, wait until it hits your dollar theater so you won't feel fully cheated.
The Missing (2003)
An unnecessary story with even worse dialog
I had high hopes for this film based primarily on my admiration of Ron Howard's prior body of work, but my hopes were dashed by a lousy script, marginal acting, and generally a story that didn't really go anywhere. The tale was so trite that it didn't really warrant being turned into a film. Man leaves family to live with Indians. Man returns to see abandoned daughter twenty years later. Man not at all repentent. Daughter not at all forgiving. Grand-daughter gets kidnapped by Indians. Army can't help in time to save child. Non-forgiving mother accepts help of non-repentent father to track grand-daughter's captors in hopes of reclaiming grand-daughter before she is sold into servitude in Mexico. The storyline goes flat from that point on. The tracking of the captors is standard fare. And the dialog between the father/daughter is supposed to be reflective and supposedly healing during the tracking, but it comes across as neither. It's flat. Why Tommy Lee Jones is considered an A-list actor is beyond me. Here was his chance to truly convey some emotion on the screen in a subtle yet powerful manner, but he failed miserably. Put him back in his element: surrounded by special effects that distract from his lack of acting ability. Cate Blanchett's performance was "okay" but it was like a joke without a punchline: it was hanging out there waiting for the dialog and the other lead actor (Jones) to make it meaningful. On the whole, don't bother seeing this film. I hope Ron Howard rebounds and returns to making memorable films worth my $8 plus popcorn and soda.
Frida (2002)
Story is captivating! Salma is superb!
Salma Hayek doesn't merely "play" Frida Kahlo. Salma Hayek "is" Frida Kahlo! Her performance in this film is absolutely mesmerizing and will most certainly result in an Academy Award nomination for Salma. (If you've seen film, I also encourage you to search for a photo of Frida Kahlo on the internet and see for yourself how Salma is nearly an identical twin to the real Frida!)
Salma's performance is emboldened by the fabulous performances by the supporting cast. Alfred Molina as Diego Rivera, Frida's husband and world-class artist, is every bit as convincing in his role as Salma is in hers. The chemisty of the two characters comes alive on the screen and by the time the film ends, you feel like you've had the both of them living at your house for years since you "know" them so well.
The film chronicles Frida's life over a span of about 30 years. Characters float through her life and the world changes around her. But Frida is consistenly Frida: strong-willed, envisioned, and hardened -- all the while maintaining the heart of a passionate, sensual woman.
The one piece of deception in this film is the fact that Antonio Banderas is listed on the movie poster (and marquis, too, at my theater), but if you blink you'll miss him in the movie! His role had about two lines and about 30 seconds of screen time. The role could easily have been played by a novice college freshman theater student. But Antonio's presence, or lack thereof, neither helps nor hurts the film. It's almost a non-role. But don't see the film hoping to see Antonio.
The same is true for Ashely Judd. Her screen time is slightly longer than Antonio's and the scene in which she appears is a key one for the film, but -- as with Antonio's role -- anyone could have played the role. Ashley's character itself was not of importance; just the way that character was acted upon by Salma's character was important. So don't go to the movie hoping to see Ashley doing much. You will be disappointed.
All that said, Ashley and Antonio are non-factors in this film but who cares? Salma Hayek carries the entire film -- period! Salma is absolutely captivating!
Another wonderful aspect of this film is the manner in which it was filmed. The director, Julie Taymor, has created a film that brings as much pleasure to the eye as it does the mind. Taymor uses creative, flowing camera shots that swirl you around the scenery (without giving you vertigo). The camera angles capture the mood of every scene beautifully. The film has a look-and-feel similar to a European "artsy" film, but it doesn't go overboard nor abuse that sultry texture. The "artsiness" of the film in fact strengthens the film because the texture of the film is a reflection of Frida herself. The film wraps itself around Frida just much as Salma wrapped herself around Frida. It is a beautiful marriage of colors, textures, and sound.
I highly recommend this film for all adult viewers, but it is not a film intended for children. The nude scenes and language alone should preclude chilren from viewing this film. But the film's storyline and themes would not entertain children even without the nudity and language. So leave the kids at home and enjoy this film with an adult friend.
This film gets my two thumbs up. I have no doubt that after the Oscars -- which will certainly shine a bright light on this film -- Frida will have a resurgance of popularity that may even surpass the immediate popularity it is now enjoying. And rightfully so. It is a classic beauty.
Office Space (1999)
The absurdities of working in "The Cube" are hilariously portrayed.
This movie is PERFECT! Though it will be especially appreciated by white-collar workers who have worked in cubicles, ANYONE who has to put up with nonsensical company policies and moronic bosses will relate to this movie -- and laugh their *ss off. Phrases in the movie, such as "Didn't you get the memo?" and "What would you do if you had a million dollars?", become instant classics. This movie catches the essence of every employee's never-ending compromise between doing what "makes sense" versus just "going along" with daily life on the job. I recommend this nonstop comedy to everyone of every age -- with one exception. If you NEED your current job, DO NOT see this movie. It just may inspire you to quit and find a better place to be!