Reviews
Toot Whistle Plunk and Boom (1953)
Greatly entertaining and educational
The other reviewers are correct, this is a great little movie. I remember watching it on a 16mm projector in jr hi music class. I'm glad to have it on DVD (bonus feature on Fantasia 2000) to share with my kids.
I would make one clarification. This movie is not about music history, but rather the principal characteristics of each family of musical instruments.
Toot = Brass Family / Whistle = Woodwind Family / Plunk = String Family / Boom = Percussion Family
This is a great introduction to musical instruments.
Freaks and Geeks (1999)
We love this show!!!
My family and I never miss this show. We have been waiting for it to come back. Please NBC, DO NOT CANCEL THIS SHOW!
The last show NBC had that we loved this much was JAG. They dumped it, CBS picked it up, and now it is a hit. Please don't let this one get away!!!
The Matrix (1999)
Great Film
Thought provoking, entertaining, new, fresh, a very great film. Superb special effects that serve the story, not vice versa.
I don't quite buy all of the symbolism attested to in these pages, but a film like this lets you draw your own conclusions.
See the film, search your own heart. Have you found Neo for yourself?
The Out-of-Towners (1999)
Entertaining Film
Almost didn't see this, based on reviews here. Glad I did, it was a very entertaining film, with many genuine laughs. The only way I can explain the ton of bad reviews here is that I think the movie industry tries to hype every movie as if it was the absolute best ever made. It raises our expectations too high.
This isn't a "great" movie, or a "blockbuster," but is was solidly entertaining throughout.
Tarzan (1999)
Very Good Movie!
My family really enjoyed this movie. It may be a little intense for very young children. The scenes dealing with the parents' death and the villain's demise, as well as some of the chase sequences may be a bit much for them.
My only complaint, and this is with most movies these days: Why is the music mixed so loud that you can't hear the words being sung? We're waiting for video so we can watch it on TV with CC turned on to get the words.
All in all this is a very exciting movie with genuine laughs along the way. Much more than I can say for a certain wild western movie this summer.
Wild Wild West (1999)
Oh Please...
What a waste of material and talent. This COULD have been a clever little movie. Instead it is one long bore.
I didn't want to look at that character with the ear horn more than once, or any of the rest of the maimed menagerie of wounded war veterans either!
The few times that I actually laughed, it was because I couldn't believe they put such a lame line or scene in the movie in the first place - case in point, the puppy doing the "RCA" pose.
Guarding Tess (1994)
Great Movie
A well written, well acted movie. Highly under rated and under appreciated. Great characters, great dialogue. Cage and MacLaine are excellent. I am normally no fan of MacLaine. See this movie and enjoy!
Simon Birch (1998)
Good movie - Wrong rating!
This was a very touching movie, with a nice message.
HOWEVER, there is NO WAY this movie should be rated PG. It definitely should have been rated PG-13. There is "adult" material, and the language is much stronger that a PG rating warrants.
If you have young children, be advised.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Emperor has no clothes!
Let me say at the outset that I am a Star Wars Fan. I own all three original movies on video and have watched them many, many times. Watching Phantom Menace made me realize that while all of the Star Wars movies are entertaining, none of them are particularly great movies.
People complain about the lack of character development in this movie and they are right. But the original characters are all very two dimensional as well. I remember watching SW for the first time and regretting it when Obiwan was killed because I didn't think we had gotten to know his character.
People complain about the quality of acting in this movie, and the are right. But Mark Hamil was never in danger of winning an Ocsar either. And let's be honest, it's not the best work of Harrison Ford's career.
I don't understand people's complaints about the amount of computer animated creatures in this movie. It makes no difference to me whether a creature is computer drawn, a manipulated puppet, or a guy in a suit. None of them look particularly real to my eye. Who hasn't watched the first three movies and noticed creatures that looked like cameos from the Muppet Show?
But, as a Star Wars movie, this one was very entertaining. It answered a question or two and raised a few more. It is wonderfully made, and very fun to watch. And one final note: I did not find Jar Jar as annoying as many folks did. The creature that drove me nuts was that undersea king who kept shaking his cheeks and slobbering.
Armageddon (1998)
Be serious!!!
I wasn't going to rent this movie, figuring it would be a waste of time. I decided to take a chance on it, and I discovered I was very wrong. It was a colossal waste of time. I kept laughing out loud at how absurd it was. As I told my kids, "Beauty and the Beast" is more believable! I am a Sci-Fi fan, and willing to suspend my belief - but this was completely incredible. From the ridiculous refueling fiasco, to the landing on the asteroid, to the flying armadillo (and the list goes on and on), it was totally absurd! I would expect that any junior high kid with a decent collection of action figures could write a more plausible story!
The Jungle Book (1994)
A fun movie
A very enjoyably movie, it's kind of Aladdin meets Indiana Jones. It's a little intense for very young children. But overall a nice family action film.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Deep insight into human relationships
I love this movie for its depth of insight into human relationships. I am amazed that two young men could write this film. Yes, I could do without the continual bombardment of foul language, but I believe it to be honest to who the characters are. I am saddened to read comments from other viewers who seemed to have completely missed the point. And for those folks who pointed out in the "Goofs" listings all the math errors they could find, put down your slide rules and calculators and notice the people in the film! It's a shame this movie came out the same year as "Titanic," because it deserves Best Picture. I bought this video because its message touched me deeply.
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Not Bad
Not a bad movie, but would be very confusing to none Trek fans. First Contact was much better.