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belleek78
Reviews
War of the Worlds (2005)
Blown away
OK. First things first. Husband and I went to see this film today. TOTALLY blew me away. We loved this movie. It was tense, suspenseful, scary, it was...WOW. We debated not going because of Tom Cruise's very public ridiculousness, but ultimately decided his personal life wasn't going to keep us away from a Spielberg movie (whom we both admire).
Now I realize that opinion's are as different as the people who have them. And I realize that not everyone is going to agree with everyone else. BUT (ok, here we go) to those of you who are criticizing Dakota Fanning for her screaming and shrieking, I have to ask "WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU????" THE CHILD IS 11!!! She is witnessing the most terrifying thing in her life!!! She is seeing her neighborhood destroyed! Her father in a petrified stupor after seeing people vaporized! She is seeing man in his most animalistic behavior!!! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT HER TO DO??? "oh, look. Monsters are destroying everything I hold near and dear. Oh drat. Here come the aliens, coming after me again. Oh dear, someone is holding a gun to father's head so they can steal our car - blah, blah, blah. Shall we have tea?" You guys are insane if you think you wouldn't be needing to change your pants if this kind of thing went down in your neighborhood! Give me a break! Yes, Cruise's character is a butt. He's a blue collar man with emotional issues towards his re-married ex-wife and the kids he doesn't connect with. Yes, his son is a butt. He's a teenage boy with emotional issues towards his divorced parents and a dad he isn't quite sure he wants to associate with. And yes, the daughter, while not a butt, does have issues and a few emotional problems. Yes, there is a shot of someone taking digital pictures and using a camcorder after the lightening storm causes everything electrical or battery operated to stop. So what? Here's your chance to list it as a goof on IMDb. Your so eagle eyed, YOU go get a job as a film editor! You don't like how Spielberg tells a story or directs the characters or the direction he takes the movie in? SO WHAT! YOU go get a director's hat and bull horn and make your own movie!! Lord, love a duck people! It's a movie! It's escapism! We went to see this movie because we wanted to be entertained. And you know what? It entertained the heck out of us!! It sucked us in! We bought it! I'm a mom of a 10 year old daughter and when Rachel (Fanning) started losing it that first time, my eyes were full of tears for that child. When Robbie (Chatwin) was being a smart mouth toward his dad (Cruise) I wanted to smack him! When those stupid machines started rising from the earth and zapping whatever moved, I about crushed my husbands hand! When Rachel and Ray are in that basement and that thing comes looking for them?? Good Lord, I was holding my breath. (That darn Spielberg.) And I beg to differ with the "critics" out there who said Cruise's character couldn't care a less about his kids - were you watching the same movie? From moment one, once the invasion started, his only thought was to keep those kids from harm and get them to the only place he thought they would be safe - with their mother. When Robbie would not take no for an answer about watching the Army fight the machines and Ray is screaming at him to come back with him to where he left Rachel - oy. A father having to choose which child to save. The emotion on his face was about as real as you could imagine. Meryl Streep gets an Oscar nomination for playing that kind of role in "Sophie's Choice" - while Cruise gets his teeth kicked in about how unconcerned he acts towards his kids.
Oh well, as I said everyone has their own opinion. So do yourself a favor. See this movie and form your own opinion. Those who complain they spent full price to see it - boohoo. Ever hear of a matinée? Go see it. Love it or hate it - whatever. At least see it for yourself!
Corner Gas (2004)
Corner Gas is a hoot and a half!
I'm a late comer to the genius that is Corner Gas. I received Season One as a "whoever picks the most Oscar winners right wins a DVD" prize from my Canadian brother-in-law. I don't think I could love this show more if I tried - it is magic. The writing, the gags, the characters - OH MY GOSH - is there a funnier group of people around? I don't theenk so. You have Oscar, the proverbial grouch; (reminds me so much of my mother in his insanity, it frightening) "Don't come crying to me when you want a fuzzy lobster." Emma, the put-upon wife who has all the qualifications for sainthood; "Oh, Oscar! Don't leave me! I don't know what I'd do without you....HA, HA, HA! I almost made it through." Brent, (oh wise one, I bow to you) the station owner; "You have to admit, I do have a certain shirt powers." Hank, his best friend; "Maybe if you guys would heckle me, I could learn some snappy comebacks." Davis and Karen, the Chief of Police and the rookie; Karen: "I don't think you should try scalping." Davis: "Why? Because I'm a Cree man?" Karen: "No, because scalping's illegal." Lacey, the newbie at the Ruby; "I don't know what magic coffee fairy you all are used to, but here you have to pay for the coffee." and MY HERO, Wanda - the queen of sarcasm and witty retorts; "Hey Big Phone! Why don't you answer your big phone!" Droll, clever, witty, sarcastic, fresh and funny, funny, funny. Do yourself a favor. Do whatever you have to do to snag a copy of season one - it is well worth the money. And if you don't find yourself watching it over and over, well, I'll move to Wollerton - ptuie!
Ocean's Twelve (2004)
Why so negative?
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, right? Good, because here's mine. I thoroughly enjoyed Ocean's 12!! I was wary to see it after reading so many negative comments here at IMDb, but am I ever glad we went to see it. Some of the negative's I take exception to, were the one's that said "nothing was stolen in this movie" and "the whole plot of the movie was a kid's backpack being stolen". With much respect I would like to ask these people: Were you paying attention AT ALL? Yes, something is stolen - two very valuable something's are stolen! Were you nay sayers, per chance, a)in the bathroom, b)getting a refill on your popcorn, or c)yakking on your cell that you apparently missed some crucial moments while they were happening? The cast is superb - yes, you can tell they are friends in real life and yes, the arrogance, silliness and comfort level comes across on the screen. So what? You'd rather see a movie where you can tell the actors can't stand one another? Yes, "Tess" portrays "Julia Roberts" - but what makes it funny and tolerable is that her portrayal didn't work. Yes, there is a "lost in translation" moment that you wonder, what the heck? - but towards the end, you see what the point to that was; "Danny" and "Rusty" didn't want "Linus" to have much of a role in the big heist. Yes, there is a Frenchman who does a break dancing scene - but the break dancing is pivotal to what he is attempting to do, and the Frenchman is one of the main characters! And personally, I liked the flashback scenes. Yes, the plot is tricky, and oh my gosh, you have to actually pay attention (what a concept, huh?) to keep up with the story. The nerve of this director, to actually expect movie goers to THINK ON THEIR OWN! Are there slow moments in the movie? Yes. Are there plot twists? Yes. Are there funky camera angles? Yes. Is this a worthwhile movie to spend two hours with? Absolutely. But that's my opinion. Best advice I can give to anyone is go see the movie for yourself. Don't plan your movie watching activities on the comments of others - not even mine! If YOU think it looks interesting or fun - go see it!
Cellular (2004)
Very enjoyable
My husband and I saw this movie last night, and were extremely pleased by it. The movie starts with a bang immediately and keeps going! We found it well written, well acted and well directed. It's suspenseful and quite thrilling. I thought the actor's characters were right on target - the self centered young man, the distraught and frantic mother, the tired cop waiting for a retirement he's not quite sure he wants, and the baddies - whooo boy! In this movie, the baddies are without any redeemable features - the kind that you yourself would like to beat the tar out of!! Speaking of beating the tar out of someone, wait until you get a dose of the lawyer - egads. The movie is fast paced with nary a dull moment. The action scenes were great, and the building of the tense moments was very well done. Drama, suspense and with a touch of comedy - what more are you looking for in a movie?