RodReels-2 Reviews

Old (2021)

Careers Instead of Characters

[1/10 · 28 July 2021]

I told myself when M. Night Shyamalan made "Lady in the Water," I wouldn't waste my time seeing any more of his movies in the theater again. But I've been intrigued by his TV series, "Servant," and his Unbreakable/Split/Glass trilogy has its moments. So I broke my vow today, and boy am I sorry I did. What a mess this movie is. Intriguing concept poorly executed. Actors spouting some inane dialog. Characters apparently based solely on their vocational careers. The board game Clue kept coming to mind as I watched this Lost wannabe. And while I'll not give away what passes for an ending, I will say I found it tone-deaf as the world struggles with the nonsense of anti-vaxxers helping coronavirus variants thrive. All in all, this one grew "Old" fast.

Independent Lens: Sunshine (2010) Season 11, Episode 24

Well-Done Doc

[8/10 · 30 October 2010]

A warm, intimate view of a subject that has become, by the documentary's definition, less controversial over the years: single parenting. In fact, the term "single parent" is even less toxic than the old moniker, "unwed mother," which gets used less and less in our society. The documentary does not bore you with statistics or sweeping generalizations. Rather, it sees the issue through the personal lens of the documentarian, a single mother herself, who was also the offspring of a single mother. The doc does not shy away from presenting the views of people who hold firm religious beliefs on the issue. But since the people can be found within the families of the individuals being portrayed, their views are presented very sincerely and without presenting them as comic fodder. "Sunshine" does not present a political agenda, but I will raise one. I thought as I watched this about Dan Quayle running for office with George H.W. Bush and how during their 1992 campaign, one of the silly issues was the TV character Murphy Brown's single mother status and how Quayle objected to that televised presentation. Fast forward to the McCain-Palin campaign of 2008... and the pregnant unmarried daughter of the vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, was the televised presentation. Same political party. How times change.

Glory and the Power: Fundamentalisms Observed (1992 TV Movie)

Religious Right Up Close and Personal

[9/10 · 6 July 2008]

Fascinating, straightforward look at members of the religious right. Filmmaker seemed to have had unfettered access to places like Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. And rather than poke fun at them or goad them into arguments, he simply allowed them to unpack their theology and show you how they practice their faith. Depending on your own religious framework, you may laugh, nod your head in agreement, or be appalled by them. It is not unlike documentaries like "Jesus Camp," which came much later, but it does one seem to be very objective and lives up to its subtitle of "fundamentalisms observed." BJU practices what the narrator calls "separatist fundamentalism" even separating themselves from more well-known evangelical figures like Billy Graham and Moral Majority founder Jerry Falwell. Their differences with the culture on hot button issues like abortion, the teaching of evolution, and the role of women are well articulated.

More activist fundamentalists like Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry and Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries, are interviewed and shown in action, but the documentary seems less successful in regard to them. The film does not go behind the scenes with them and allow them nearly enough screen time to truly help the viewer understand where they're coming from. All in all, though, it is highly worth a look for those interested in the subject.

Bobby (I) (2006)

Grand Hotel: The Remake

[4/10 · 4 August 2007]

Early in the film, Anthony Hopkins' character makes a reference to having seen "Grand Hotel." It apparently is also a reference to director Emilio Estevez having seen the movie as well. Like that 1930's Oscar winner, "Bobby" is stuffed with stars of the day, each telling minor little melodramatic stories woven together by the slightest threads. This movie was ultimately disappointing because it seemed it could have been a great movie in more capable hands. Kennedy is definitely a great subject, but his life, candidacy, and even his assassination are poorly handled here.

The decision to have Bobby Kennedy appear only through grainy stock footage of the period (and not have him portrayed by an actor) truly hurts the film in the ending scenes. It's like a documentary is being played alongside the soap opera you've been watching. The two films don't go together. In fact, when it comes to movies where actors are interacting with the title character, "Roger Rabbit" seemed more realistic.

Many viewers are obviously touched by the words of RFK, which are spoken in unabridged form at the end of the film. But I was reminded of Pauline Kael's criticism of Sir Richard Attenborough's "Gandhi." She remarked something to the effect that the movie might have been better if Attenborough had not directed it on his knees. There is such reverence and "idol worship" attached to the project that the viewer doesn't get a fully-rounded portrait of the subject. I say that not to argue the greatness of Bobby Kennedy but to wish that his name had not been invoked as the title of this one. He deserves much better.

The Wonderful World of Disney: Once Upon a Mattress (2005) Season 47, Episode 8

Carol Burnett Shines

[8/10 · 19 December 2005]

I'm only writing because of my disagreement with one of the other reviewers. Carol Burnett shines in this rather uninspired remake of the Broadway musical. Having once seen her play Princess Winifred, it is a pleasure to see her take the older role of Queen Aggravaine. She always has a way of taking an ordinary line reading and making it funny with her unique delivery. She should garner a supporting actress nod from someone, (Emmies, Golden Globes, anyone?) Tommy Smothers was great as the mute king, and Matthew Morrison and Zoey Deschanel were serviceable in their roles. Mixed reviews, however, for the two leads. A younger Tracey Ullman would have been great in this role, but she does seem a little old for it now. All in all, she gave it her best shot; and she does have her moments. But I would have preferred to see Sarah Jessica Parker's take on it, and I would have much preferred if Disney had left the stage musical intact instead of omitting roles and songs. Now that this has aired, would someone please release the 1964 TV version that gave Carol Burnett to the world? I haven't seen it since childhood, and I would love for my own children to experience this musical as it should be experienced...not this bland Disney remix.

Jefferson in Paris (1995)

Jefferson in Plaster of Paris

[4/10 · 18 November 2005]

The lavish production values that you generally find in a Merchant/Ivory film are all here, but this is an exceedingly dull take on what could have been a very lively affair. I agree with an earlier poster that it makes no sense for the story to be unfolding through the eyes of an African American family and yet their own ancestor, Sally Hemmings, has barely a role to play in the proceedings. There is not much clarity to be found in helping the audience understand the motivations of any of these historical figures. And I was very bothered by the accents of a number of the characters. Nancy Marchand sounded very British for what one assumes is a French nun. And both Gwyneth Paltrow and Greta Scacchi seemed to be trying out different accents in various scenes. In fact, Gwyneth is very poorly served in this biopic. Her role as Thomas Jefferson's daughter, Martha, is written in such a manner that we never get a handle on who she really is. One moment she is slapping a slave, and another moment, she's deploring the whole system of slavery. Nick Nolte performs the role well enough but doesn't ever make us truly care for Jefferson or any of his exploits. Very disappointing all in all.

Topper Returns (1941)

He Shouldn't Have

[1/10 · 29 October 2005]

Having watched the mildly amusing antics of the first Topper movie and vaguely remembering an enjoyment of the Leo G. Carroll television series, I was unprepared for how terrible this episode of the long-running ghost story was. Joan Blondell as the ghost is constantly making wisecracks, none of which can be regarded as witty. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson is thoroughly wasted in a role that is overtly racist. Falling down a well not once, not twice but three times only to be inexplicably clubbed by a seal, has to be one of the low points of his comic career. The murder mystery angle is worthy of a bad Scooby Doo episode. And the whole thing seems only barely tolerable as fodder for the Mystery Science Theatre treatment.

The Sandpiper (1965)

The Soap-Wiper

[6/10 · 9 October 2005]

Richard Burton dials down the angst quotient from his previous year's role as a defrocked priest in "Night of the Iguana", and Elizabeth Taylor begins warming up for her later role as Kate in "Taming of the Shrew". The music and the scenery make the film compelling enough to watch, but the psychological and theological ramblings are strictly for the soap lover. Eva Marie Saint, as the hurt wife, has a few good scenes but not nearly enough to salvage the drama. And it's fun to see a young Charles Bronson in a beatnik role. The whole effort ranks several notches above "The VIP's" and other Burton-Taylor vehicles but all in all, "The Sandpiper" is a long boring day at the beach.

HealtH (1980)

Nashville, Jr.

[6/10 · 13 August 2005]

"HEALTH" never comes near the brilliance of Robert Altman's earlier political satire, "Nashville"; but it has its moments. I found it interesting because of the good characterizations from all of the participants, but bringing it all together into a unifying theme seems to be absent from this Altman effort. The movie starts out promising but seems to lose steam before its hour and 45 minute running time is over. The ending disappoints because the outcome is so obvious from the first few frames. Still the viewer can have fun along the way: Lauren Bacall lifting her hand for purity and then sometimes inexplicably dropping off into oblivion; Paul Dooley lying at the bottom of the swimming pool as a campaign stunt; Dick Cavett relaxing in his hotel room watching The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Granted you would have to be a certain age to appreciate that last joke. Still, one wonders what was in Altman's mind in creating this film. Since it was made in 1980, I would think it would be a veiled criticism of Ronald Reagan's ascension to the presidency. But it never stretches itself far enough to really make that point. So I may be reading more into it than is intended.

A King in New York (1957)

Second-Rate Chaplin

[4/10 · 15 July 2005]

I was very disappointed in this movie and surprised to see it so highly rated by IMDb viewers. I think you have to want to like this film a great deal in order to find much joy in it. I can see why Chaplin's own story would tip some folks toward giving it the sympathy vote, but face it, if this were, heaven forbid, the only Chaplin film you had ever seen, wouldn't you come away from this wondering why he was regarded as such a comic genius? It has intermittent moments of satirical insight and a broad range of targets in its send-up of 1950's American culture. But Chaplin did it with so much more balance between entertainment and enlightenment in films like "The Great Dictator" and "Modern Times" that this one suffers greatly by comparison. Cheap-looking sets, relatively no-name actors, and a rather rushed pace in far too many scenes keep this "King" off my list of royal Chaplin experiences.

Pat and Mike (1952)

Far from Pat

[10/10 · 12 July 2003]

I add a comment because I think so many comments on this movie miss the mark. Watching this again after Katharine Hepburn's death, I was struck with how far ahead of its time this star vehicle was. Not only does it capture who she was, but it expresses a truth about women's equality that is not always fully evident in her body of work. Pat turns the tables on Mike. She owns him. She made him. And where would he be without her? There are instances in many of Hepburn's works where even her feminist leanings cave in to the conventions of the times. But in this one, she stays strong. She no doubt falls in love with the man of her dreams, but she doesn't do so at the expense of sacrificing any of her other dreams. Great fun flick from Tracy-Hepburn and one of my all-time favorites.

Viva Villa! (1934)

Fake Deaths and Fabricated Lives

[2/10 · 31 March 2003]

From the hokey dying scenes (and there's more than one in this turkey) to the purely fictitious stories told about this Mexican legend, this old movie just doesn't hold up. Lauded in its day for performances that now seem ridiculously silly, this is one Beery bad biopic. Outside of some good stunt work and passable scenes of battle, there's not much to recommend it. And somebody tell me what's with the artist who will never draw a bull and Pancho Villa who seems to have a phobia of pigeons? I got so tired of this dumb running gag that before this movie was over, I was not chanting "Viva, Villa!" but "Die, Pancho, Die".

Alice (1990)

Unexpectedly Charming

[7/10 · 30 August 2002]

Mia Farrow excels in this unexpectedly charming fable. I think if people happened upon this movie not knowing it was a Woody Allen film, they would be more than pleased with it. Knowing it is Woody, maybe many fans hold it to a higher standard. True, it's not anywhere near being his funniest or greatest film. But I think it is a well-cast, well-shot, well-produced, and even well-written tale. Knowing it's history, I was not expecting to like it nearly as much as I did. But I did, and I look forward to seeing it again. Mia really is underrated as an actress, isn't she?

Road to Perdition (2002)

Killer Movie

[10/10 · 13 July 2002]

Sam Mendes follows up "American Beauty" with one of the most stylish meditations on violence to ever hit the screen. Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law and a kid no one knew, Tyler Hoechlin, make up the formidable acting talent. Conrad Hall creates some of the most compelling cinematography in recent memory. And Thomas Newman turns in another lush and lively score. This is so much more than a gangster shoot 'em up. In the style of "Godfather", it is a slowly paced but methodical study of family systems caught in cycles of violence. It's "Bonnie and Clyde" era setting makes for a few humorous scenes, but there's a rare (dare I say heartwarming) quality to the father-son story and a maintained sense of tension throughout the piece that sets the movie on its own course. Plotwise, there are few surprises; but there is still a satisfaction derived from watching this plot unfold. It is as rich as the stories of "Bible history" that are appreciated by the eldest son. Don't go expecting to see next year's Oscar winner. Go just because you love the movies.

The Train (1964)

Frankenheimer's Best

[10/10 · 8 July 2002]

After learning of John Frankenheimer's death, I realized there was only one movie of his in my personal video collection that I had not yet seen. So I sat down to watch it. Little did I realize that it would be his best. This movie is amazing. Paul Scofield and Burt Lancaster are so good in their respective roles. Though complicated, the action is never difficult to follow because Frankenheimer knows where to let the camera linger and how to use a close-up to inform the audience. I was saddened to sign on to imdb's daily poll and see that this film is not even listed in the choices for Frankenheimer's best. Many of his later and more inferior works are however (Reindeer Games, The Island of Dr. Moreau?) Even "Seconds" is more deserving of inclusion than those two turkeys. At least its nice to know that judging from the other comments here, a whole bunch of viewers have put it in the position I think it deserves--Frankenheimer's best.

Mr. Skeffington (1944)

Voice Register Theory

[4/10 · 6 July 2002]

I have a new theory about Bette Davis movies. When she speaks in that low, husky, smoke-induced voice register, I love the movie (All About Eve, The Letter, All This and Heaven Too). When she speaks in her high voice register (Of Human Bondage, Mr. Skeffington) I grow weary of her character and start to dislike the whole film as a result. I'll try out my theory on some more Davis films, but for now, it works. I watched this because I knew she had been Oscar-nominated for it. But I'm not so sure what Hollywood must have been thinking. It's another example of rewarding the high-minded nature of a film's subject matter rather than the actual merit of the subject's handling. Her character is so unlikeable throughout the movie that when in the final scene she is reciting her husband's mantra that no woman is so beautiful as when she is loved, you can't help but want to scream at the screen, "Oh yea, how about when she tries to love in return." Yes, this is pure soap, but it's not helped any by Bette's squeaky high voice. Sorry I sat through this one.

Shock Corridor (1963)

Schlock Corridor

[6/10 · 3 July 2002]

Agree with most of the comments made here about the film. Fuller comes up with some imaginative film techniques to keep this low budget effort watchable. While it is silly on a large scale, it is notable for some of its social commentary. To have the black patient at the asylum spouting the same kind of racial epithets that you could hear espoused by some of the white politicians of the era makes you more fully aware of the level of insanity at which their fearmongering arguments are made. Nice touch in an otherwise overly manic effort. Compare this with "Twinkle, Twinkle, Killer Kane" or "The Ninth Configuration" -- another 'inmates in the schlock corridor' movie which had its own brand of social commentary.

Lilo & Stitch (2002)

Strange Concoction

[5/10 · 21 June 2002]

I'll not fault Disney for trying something new, but this strange concoction of a movie left me ambivalent. My 9-year-old laughed in places and appreciated the overall message of inclusion, but even he had to admit that it was more than a little on the weird side. The broken family relationships that begin the story make this cartoon much too dark for small children. The theatre was of course filled with small tykes due to the Disney brand. They didn't seem to pick up on the pop culture references, nor did they laugh all that much at the antics. The behavioral problems Lilo and Stitch exhibit near the beginning of the film (biting, hitting, spitting, etc.) ought to make any parent think twice before taking an impressionable child or at least be prepared to talk it through. All in all, its not as anti-children as "Antz" or "Shrek", but its far from being the funfest that the media fanfare seems to be promising.

The Pilot's Wife (2002 TV Movie)

Faithful Adaptation

[8/10 · 15 April 2002]

Christine Lahti turns in her usual excellent performance in this above average TV-movie based on the bestselling novel. It helps that author Anita Shreve co-writes the screenplay. Campbell Scott and Alison Pill turn in good supporting performances. Filming in London and along the Irish coast provides much-needed atmosphere, evoking much of the book's intrigue. All in all, this was treat for a lover of the book. Rarely does what's on the screen match the mental pictures you gain from the reading. I have thought about this book a great deal since Sept. 11, 2001. And the movie only adds to its reputation as a serious meditation on cause and effect.

The Magnificent Ambersons (2002 TV Movie)

American Tragedy

[7/10 · 19 January 2002]

I feel like I have to comment on this movie because of the rather indefensible comments of several reviewers. "The Magnificent Ambersons" is one of the great American tragedies; and its translation to the screen still remains a tragedy. I thought this A&E version was a lovely attempt although as Madeleine Stowe reportedly said before the production aired, they still didn't do it justice. If my understanding is correct, they were working from Orson Welles' original script which he was not allowed to bring to the screen in 1942. The tragedy of this production is that it is never quite as great as that flawed 1942 version, and so the informed viewer is left wondering what it would have been like to see Agnes Moorehead and Joseph Cotten play the final tragic scenes instead of Jennifer Tilly and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. I didn't think either Tilly or Meyers were particularly perfect for the parts; but they were neither as bad as many reviewers make them out to be nor as great as I remember Moorehead and Cotten to have been. So watch both screen versions, combine the two in your head, and you'll have one of the greatest movies never made.

Uprising (2001 TV Movie)

Riveting Historical Drama

[10/10 · 5 November 2001]

On the night the Emmys awarded "Anne Frank" the best miniseries of 2000-2001, NBC began airing yet another WWII-era epic which has to be the odds-on favorite for the trophy next year. This is as fine a miniseries as I have ever seen. David Schwimmer, Leelee Sobieski and Hank Azaria are all highly believable in their roles as Jewish resistance fighters. Donald Sutherland and Jon Voight turn in fine performances in lesser roles. And director Jon Avnet delivers a compact, credible piece of little-known history regarding the Warsaw ghetto uprising. For a small screen effort, one has to be amazed at how closely the style resembles that of big screen efforts like "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List". All in all, a well-done miniseries that deserves a second viewing. How often can one say that about any miniseries.

Falling in Love (1984)

Where's Thelma Ritter When You Need Her?

[2/10 · 3 September 2001]

Can't believe all the positive comments about this movie. It is a dreary exercise in having nothing to say. It's like a romantic comedy without any romance or any comedy. De Niro and Streep make it watchable, but how much better would it have been if they had actual characters to portray? As it stands, they play two boring people who meet and leave their loving spouses presumably because they are bored and/or boring and end up with each other so that they make one boring couple by the end of this boring movie. If only some great character actor could have been added to the mix -- Thelma Ritter, Rosie O'Donnell, Peggy Cass, anybody -- Just give us someone to alleviate the tedium.

The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)

Luke 3:10

[9/10 · 27 June 2001]

Having just watched this movie again after seeing it in its original theatrical run back in the early 80's, I can truly say I was more impressed by it the second time around. Several comments here have pointed out the nuances in the film. Let me point to one more. Rarely has a movie used a passage of scripture so effectively. Billy Kwan (Linda Hunt) mentions to Guy Hamilton (Mel Gibson) at the film's beginning Luke 3:10. His simple rephrasing of it is, "What must we do?" It's a question that haunts the character throughout life. I went back and reread it after the movie. John the Baptist has just called the Pharisees a brood of vipers for not practicing their religion with any measure of compassion. In answer to their question "what must we do?", he instructs them to share their excess of clothing and food with those less fortunate. Billy dies tragically in the film while hanging a banner which reads "Sukarno, Feed Your People." It is the poverty and oppression of the people which drives Billy throughout his brief life, even as he recognizes the futility of his own efforts.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

Disappointment

[6/10 · 16 June 2001]

OK, so I love the musicals from "Little Mermaid" to "Hunchback". That's my prejudice. I even like the cute, furry animals who talk and take on other human characteristics. But I tried to give this movie the benefit of the doubt. After all, I thoroughly enjoyed "Emperor's New Groove," which was a major departure for Disney. And I even rated "Dinosaur" higher than most audiences did.

But "Atlantis" is a major disappointment. Reminds me of Disney's "Black Cauldron" and "Black Hole" days. For all its supposed sophistication, the animation seems a throwback to those earlier and less successful Disney efforts. There is far too much reliance on human characters, who when carefully examined, are less human than those cute furry animals. Come on, the setting is pre-WWI, and we have a multi-cultural crew (a black doctor, a Hispanic woman mechanic). Talk about your history re-writes.

An earlier reviewer remarked that the plot would go over the heads of most children. It would go over the heads of most thinking adults as well. For example, when they first meet the Atlanteans and experience their abilities to speak any of the world's languages, Thatch makes the comment that it's some sort of dialectical code like the tower of Babel. Well for students of the Bible, the tower of Babel didn't involve any kind of code. Those people couldn't understand each other's languages. Babel was the opposite of what happens in Atlantis, but there's never really any logical explanation given as to how the Atlanteans trapped at the bottom of the ocean have managed to learn all the languages of the world. Oh, the movie tries to give explanations, but not logical ones.

Ordinarily, I would drop my arguments and say it's just a children's movie, but since Disney seems to be aiming toward making it something more, then logic should apply. And in this case, it doesn't. The entire plot of the Atlantis crystal-curing culture versus the evil white capitalists seems more at home in a bad episode of "Captain Planet".

Blackboard Jungle (1955)

Didactic, Not Dramatic

[6/10 · 16 June 2001]

I would never want to take away from the importance of this film to its time and subject matter. Others have alluded to this more eloquently than I could. But I would like to point out that the film is rather flat by today's standards. It is often the case that films which are seriously important to their times rely so much on getting across their moral points that their dramatic cores are not fleshed out in a way that truly involve the viewer.

I think that is the case with this movie. You watch it for its importance and for its early screen appearances by various actors. But at some point in the viewing, you discover it's not all that good as drama. It's didactic, designed more to instruct us than to entertain us. That's not necessarily bad. But it's not necessarily good either.