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Bobbygoode
Reviews
A Sound of Thunder (2005)
Sound of a Thunderous Bad Movie
I remember reading this short story by Ray Bradbury, and was captivated by its thought provoking brilliance, as warning about time travel (as if that will ever come to pass) as well as an intriguing adventure for well heeled hunters... so I was extremely excited to see that it had been made into a movie. Welllllll... the spirit of the story was destroyed on just about every level - awful, absolutely incoherent story, awful dialogue, awful, awful awful effects (in the age of Lord of the Rings - how dare they!). Even awfuller acting, especially by a British girl doing a bad job of playing an American. One bright spot - Ben Kingsley was brilliant in the midst of this bizarre muck. (SPOILER ALERT) The original story - highly recommended - was adequate for a film, perhaps a short film, because it showed immediately the dramatic effect of disrupting the most mundane item millions of the years in the past. In Bradbury's story, when the time traveling hunters return, they find that language is a bit off, different people are running the country... obvious that somebody on the safari had screwed up. Why not just go in that direction? Really a shame. Too bad Spielberg didn't handle this one.
Captain Kangaroo (1955)
Additional thoughts and notes on "C.K."
Yes, a very gentle show I grew up on. Note: early name of his residence was not "The Captain's place" as previously mentioned but "The Treasure House". Also left out in some early comments was Grandfather Clock, a very bizarre talking... grandfather clock, bestowing wisdom... Bunny Rabbit was a hand puppet, and wore glasses... a number of classic picture books were read, some in pre-filmed packages, most memorably Mike Mulligan's Steam Shovel. The Captain was ingloriously booted off CBS in the mid-80's, doubtless declared an anachronism by some bright young twerp, especially in the era of multi-media Sesame Street. But what a trusted figure; I remember the Thanksgiving day after Kennedy's assassination, he recited parts of what was to be JFK's Thanksgiving address to the nation (he was killed less than a week before). He also was always on hand for those famous Thanksgiving parades in NYC, Detroit and Toronto. And my black and white TV did not reveal whether Mr. Greenjean's jeans were actually green, but I always loved that his real name was Lumpy Brannum, a nature know-it-all who was another great grown up.
Antwone Fisher (2002)
It will grab you
It took a while to get rolling, as it seems to keep taking 1 step forward, and 2 steps back... but I defy you to have a dry eye at the end. Not a particularly unique story, but it's always uplifting to learn of someone's survival and triumph over some really horrible situation - the worst being simply not really wanted - and this is made all the more remarkable because it is written by the main character himself. Denzel does a superior job as the friendly Naval shrink with his own issues, but who knows just how to deal with this special case, and newcomer Luke does a remarkable job of growing before our eyes. The beautiful Salli Richardson is magnificent in her low key role as Washington's wife. And wow, Joy Bryant - what a beauty, what a talent - is simply striking as the patient girlfriend (why her character hooked into this kid early on is not really made clear, but she becomes his Rock of Gibraltar by the end). A really marvelously told story - touching, and feel-good triumphant, well directed by Washington in his first go-round. Mucho Academy Award action coming this way. Highly recommended, but you gotta stay with it.
Deliverance (1972)
One of the Great Guy Films
Of course the "meaning" is crystal clear - the difference between "civilization" - the world of golf, suburban homes and air conditioning - and the wild, where the only law is survival of the fittest, can be paper thin, and these 4 yuppies crossed the line. The great irony is that these city boys get nailed by the wilderness that their brethren are about to erradicate. The movie is one of the great icons of the last 30 years - jam packed with chilling moments, funny bits of guy talk, as well as campy scenes and dialogue. I think the film making is in fact remarkable - the cast was on their own on the river (get the dvd for details); some beautiful scenery was captured as backdrop, and eventually we go along on a Disney ride gone wrong - a hair-raising adventure. Burt Reynolds, playing Lewis, by far the most intriguing character, peaked in this film; the rest of his career unfortunately has been pretty much exploitation (well, till Boogie Nights). The other three obviously each have had sterling careers and are terrific together. This is a bona fide classic, a must-see.
Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
Superb and Devastating
Yes we've seen children-on-the-run films, but such glib commentary demeans this true life drama and its implications in real life. This magnificent and tragic story is yet another must-see in re:the little holocausts that have gone on, even in the most "civilized" nations - in this case Australia. What a touching story of three girls, marvelously portrayed by unknown young actresses, who escape from a horrific government policy, initiated by white supremacist Australia pre-Hitler and Nazi Germany. It is odd to say this is beautifully filmed in the Australian outback... and Kenneth Brannagh, echoing his recent portrayal as Heydrich in "Conspiracy", plays white evil incarnate - a prim bureaucrat diligently doing his government job's mandate - to cleanse Australia of "half breeds" in a most heinous (if not deadly) fashion. It is compelling from beginning to end, and the epilogue is most chilling and bittersweet. Superior and meaningful film making.
The Sky Is Falling (1999)
Moving and Sweet
I must say I was captivated by Dedee Pfeiffer's self effacing performance as the young girl who foolishly thinks her life is over at 28. It was quite moving, and all the quirky characters and incidents were a nice comedic counterpoint. The film is very "chick" - but I (a middle aged guy) loved it. It was extremely well produced, and the soundtrack I'd like to buy. Pleasant, adorable, touching, sweet, and ultimately very "feel good" - yes, it has a great affinity to "It's A Wonderful Life", down to the Christmas season time frame. And what a nice supporting cast of wonderful actors. Indeed, underrated - both the film, and the very capable Ms. Pfeiffer. What an expressive face she has. At first I swore it was Cameron Diaz, but I knew it wasn't. Very much recommended to the late teen, early 20s set especially.