tiggermagoo Reviews

Summer of '42 (1971)

when we're vulnerable, we don't alway act rationally

[10/10 · 15 July 2006]

I saw the theatrical release of this film. I was eighteen. I had a date and had to pick out a movie to see. I didn't know anything about this film. The name grabbed me. And then...

I had a Dorothy in my life when I was fourteen. Her name was Sandy Ferko. She was twenty-one, and I went to her wedding and stood in line to kiss the bride. She had makeup on and smelled wonderful, I was a smitten young teenager.

All this came back as I watched this film. I completely identified with Hermie. Jennifer O'Neill was beautiful, I knew what Hermie felt.

I have this film on DVD now, and my perception of the character's motivations haven't changed since the original viewing. I still choose to believe that Dorothy's motivations are based in the kindness of her character.

Hermie was a bit of a nerd, but a complete gentleman, someone who, even through his uncontrollable desire, could still empathize and sympathize with someone else. His friendship with Oscar is completely believable of the way young teenage boys talked and related when I was a boy.

Near the end of this film, there is a scene that lasts for nearly ten minutes with a complete lack of dialogue, yet it fits perfectly, and passes quickly. In today's action packed quick moving scenes with smart-assed and witty dialogue, this film is a refreshing and artistically pleasing change of pace.

The Weather Man (2005)

Boring!!!!

[3/10 · 26 February 2006]

I'm clinically depressed and get maudlin over just about anything, but even though this film tries to evoke those sentimental emotions, it couldn't. It did however succeed in putting me to sleep several times. I really like Nicholas Cage, but it seems I either really like his movies, like Red Rock West and Wild at Heart, just to name two, or I hate them like 8MM or Snake Eyes. While this film tries to be emotionally mature and possess depth, to me the script is superficial and the storyline shallow and boring. Cage's character in particular is inconsistent, a pre-separation scene showing a confident, insensitive self-centered character, other times sniveling and depressed, yet others a concerned sensitive parent. All in all I'd say it is a pseudo-intellectual film made for a pseudo-intellectual audience.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Fight movie with a wallop of a punch to the gut!

[10/10 · 29 January 2005]

Million Dollar Baby just came to our fair city this weekend, so I had to go see it. I'm leery of seeing a film when my expectations are so high, it's usually a letdown. Not in this case. I left the theater over an hour ago, and my eyes are still puffy and my nose is still stuffed and running. This is Clint Eastwood's best performance since playing Bill Munny in Unforgiven. In this movie he plays Frankie Dunn, a grizzled old fighter who now owns a boxing gym and trains young fighters. Morgan Freeman is perfect in the role of his sidekick, another old ex-fighter, taking care of the gym for Frankie, while Frankie takes care of him, for reasons that become known during the film. Same type of role he had in Unforgiven as Ned Logan. But the person who really shines in my opinion is Hilary Swank. This film is going to get her noticed. She was good in "Boys Don't Cry" and OK in "Insomnia", but in this she is simply terrific. She talks Frankie Dunn into managing and training her, against his better judgment, a decision that will have lasting consequences on his life.

Without giving too much away, one of the things that made this film so gut-wrenching for me was that it wasn't sentimental, and didn't fall into the trap of having to have a happy ending, rather the ending is about making choices and dealing with tragedy. We may all fantasize the happy ending,we fantasize because it so rarely happens; but if we live long enough, we all have to deal with choices and decisions in tragic situations.

Well, my nose is running again as I urge you to please go see this film, I think it will be worth your while.

Central Station (1998)

rehashed storyline creatively told

[9/10 · 8 November 2004]

In reality, there are a finite amount of interesting story lines to tell. What makes one movie telling the same storyline more worthwhile to see is a combination of creative expression, in depth character development, superb acting, exquisite photography, and believability, or the ability to persuade the moviegoer to suspend disbelief.

How many times have we been exposed to a retelling of Shirley Temple's Heidi, where a young non-related child falls into the life of an old curmudgeon, and teaches that curmudgeon to enjoy life and/or develop morals and values? Too many times for me, so I was reluctant to see this film. It would have been a shame had I not.

There are many creative twists and turns along the way to keep the suspense level up in this film. The photography in Rio is OK, but once out in the Brazilian countryside, it is fantastic. At the end of the film, there is little doubt but that the way this story turns out is how it would have had to turn out. The character development of Josue is a little weak, but that of Dora is superb. And you will see a lot of films before you will see an acting performance like Fernanda Montenegro's as Dora again.

This movie thankfully is not overly sentimental, that would get in the way of the story, it is just a great film to watch and enjoy. 9 of 10.

Gorky Park (1983)

A great period piece mystery

[9/10 · 16 October 2004]

I am not a big fan of William Hurt, but his plodding acting style is perfect for the plodding Moscow city police inspector he plays in this movie. It's fascinating to see how heavy the old Soviet Union bureaucracy was.

Spoilers herein: The last 45 minutes are filled with a great many twists that keep the viewer engaged, and it's definitely a film with a Socialist point of view, the protagonist a mundane Soviet bureaucrat, the antagonist an American entrepreneur. Yet, as with all good mysteries, it's the suspense and drama that make this film so good. Lee Marvin, Brian Dennehy, and Ian Bannen play their parts equally well, and Joanna Pacula probably has her best role in this film as Irina. Vote: 9 of 10.