catgirl667 Reviews

Valley of the Dolls (1967)

Read the book first...or instead

[6/10 · 28 January 2010]

Overall analysis: Campy and probably doesn't make too much sense if you haven't read the book (even though they diverge from the book, but I digress...)

Sharon Tate gets a lot of credit for this film, mostly because it was her breakthrough role and she was brutally murdered so shortly afterward, but the real acting talent in this film is Patty Duke.

She captured the role of Neely O'Hara so perfectly and so much better than her co-stars captured their characters that I couldn't help but be impressed. Everyone else was kinda boring.

I'm keeping this short and sweet...this is all I have to say about the film.

My Name Is Bill W. (1989 TV Movie)

Obviously a made-for-TV movie

[15 June 2007]

The dialogue was melodramatic and trite. Scenes and scenes of crying and complaining and way too much, "I want to be sober, Lo, really I do!" was just a bit too over the top for my taste. The histrionics were verging on comedy. It was quite obvious that it was a made for TV movie.

That said, I have to admit that it was a nice tale of how Alcoholics Anonymous got started. The bar scene in Akron, OH, displays accurately, not just the creation of AA, but also why people who are trying to stay sober need something like AA.

Overall, it wasn't that bad. There was plenty of eye-rolling on my part,but generally speaking it was nice. I don't think that I will watch it again, but if I'm bored and flip through to the Hallmark channel,I might stop and watch a bit.

Down in the Valley (2005)

The first hour is great, the second hour, not so much

[7/10 · 14 November 2006]

The first hour of this movie was deeply engrossing. Harlan was a wonderful romantic living by the "cowboy code," while Tobe was convincing as a rebellious teen pushed to the edge by her father's over-protectiveness. The naiveté that exists both in Harlan's simplicity and Tobe's youth ignites a brilliant chemistry that has made me unconsciously scout out local gas stations for my own Edward Norton-look alike cowboy to make out with on the way home from the beach. I fell in love watching this movie. Not with anyone or anything in particular, just the concept of a chance encounter that leads to fun and a passionate romance. Not many movies can have that kind of effect on me. I wanted Tobe to run away with Harlan. I didn't get scared of Harlan when he stole the horses or taught Lonnie how to shoot. If anything, I thought that he was being a better father figure that Wade was. The first hour was long and drawn out enough (it felt like two hours), that it could have been its own movie. The second hour was different. The second hour hardly made sense. The second hour was filled with allusions to separate plot lines that must not have made it into the final cut. In the second hour, the claims that the DVD jacket made of Harlan not being who he seemed were revealed without the fanfare or shock the we might more or less expect from an Edward Norton film. It could best be described as an "oh, well" moment. Couple that with the fact that we are led on an uninteresting chase through the hills of the Valley, and this movie ends up leaving you an "oh, well, that was interesting" feeling and a definite craving for the first hour. As if I could make another complaint, the movie was so slow placed that it felt much longer that its 114 minutes.

Gigli (2003)

It truly was awful

[2/10 · 20 October 2006]

I only rented this movie because it did so horribly at the theaters. I thought that it just might be so bad that it's funny. This movie is an exception to even that rule! They took a classic movie plot: gangster kidnaps cute kid, a gorgeous woman appears, and the hilarity (and action and romance) ensues. Only they jacked it all up: instead of cute kid, we'll go with a retard. Instead of gorgeous woman, we'll make her a lesbian, so we don't have to explain why she's unavailable--plus, it'll make her even hotter! It was almost sad, especially since it was the beginning of the end for Bennifer I, and there was so much hype around the movie. The only thing that makes this movie worth seeing, and makes a great story to tell at parties, is the "she makes my penis sneeze" line. Now THAT was funny! And, since you'll be the only person you know that's seen the movie, it will always be a fresh and original joke.

Dot the I (2003)

Not quite another Memento

[6/10 · 18 October 2006]

I didn't think it was that bad, but the whole reason that I wanted to see it was because the DVD cover called it "This Year's Memento." I can see where they draw the connection, but the movie was too short, and the love affair was not torrid and psychologically wrenching enough. It was worth seeing, though. And who's ever heard of a Brazilian guy named "Kit Winter?" The reason it's so frustrating that this movie wasn't that good is because it really could have been! A little trippy editing and cinematography, a more passionate love affair, Barnaby being a little bit more likable, lengthen it a bit, give us more clues to make us feel really stupid that we couldn't figure it out. Then have it be this closet move that no one's ever really heard of until they see it at Blockbuster and the one guy that you know that's seen every movie tells you that it's mind-blowing, and you'll have "this year's Memento." But then again, if ever year has to have a "Memento," then I think this one fills the void for 2003 pretty well.

V for Vendetta (2005)

Did I miss something?

[4/10 · 11 October 2006]

I feel terrible! Everyone keeps talking about how great this movie is, and I didn't care for it. Did I miss something? I'm serious. I loved the Matrix, but I thought this was boring. I was really annoyed by the fact that V imprisoned Evey, and as upset and ready to die as she was, as soon as she found out it was a ploy to break her by V, all of a sudden she was happy about it? That makes no sense. I'm really interested to know why this movie was so great. I'm not trying to bash it at all. I think I must have missed something. Could someone please tell me what I am missing so I can love this movie too? I was really excited to see it in the theater (and bummed that I had to wait 'til it came to Blockbuster), and then I didn't get it. :(