jjd430 Reviews

Flashbacks of a Fool (2008)

It really pulls you in

[8/10 · 1 November 2009]

This flick is starting to hit the US cable movie channels. I had never heard of it. I came away moved and impressed by this Daniel Craig project. "Shake your hair girl with your ponytail. Takes me right back..." OTHER: I found myself getting the female actors mixed up, but that's really my only problem with it. They look alike. The SA location fooled me completely and looked great. A refreshing change from the usual gritty rowhouse environment in which many British movies of this type are set. The film "Wish You Were Here" pushes similar buttons as this flick. Loved Ruth's 1970's wardrobe and the arcade that was apparently the center of life for these teens back in the day.

Loved the director's economy of actors. Most others would have had that arcade FILLED with extras cluttering up the scene. But in a memory, are there any extras?

The Minus Man (1999)

Autistic Serial Killer?

[1/10 · 18 June 2008]

This movie with a strong cast that I never heard of popped up on a cable movie channel tonight. I loved the promise of the basic plot, but the way Owen Wilson's character was presented (he comes across autistic, learning disabled, and asexual) makes it totally laughable that he would be crafty enough to formulate the rationale and resources to kill people.

I'm surprised that Wilson didn't see what was happening during filming and demand a new direction with his character. He's terrible in this. I wonder why this flick suddenly pops up on high rotation on the cable movie networks. Wilson surely wants to forget about it. Jeanane Garofalo is pretty entertaining in it. So her fans should watch it, and maybe film students who want a good chuckle.

Tape (2001)

Not too thrilled with it

[4/10 · 28 February 2007]

After having watched it last night on cable, I have a few issues with Tape.

-I couldn't suspend disbelief. I would've kicked his butt and fled the room with the tape instead of going on and on and on in verbal circles with the screwball.

-The casting of Leonard was awful because he's a dead ringer for Jim Carey. This became more distracting as the film became darker. I might've forgotten it but one of Leonard's eyes tend to drift in different directions, thus heightening the expectation of comedy.

-Uma doesn't appear until the last 45 minutes of the film. If I found her more likable it was because I saw less of her than the other two.

-There isn't an ounce of dark humor in the film. No relief for the audience from the, um, tedium.

-I felt like I was trapped in a room with Spaulding Gray and his evil twin. Incessant yapping.