mbat19

Coming off the highly successful 1984 summer olympics and seen as the hearthtrob of the games, Mitch Gaylord took his shot at the movies with this pic. The plot, such as it is, has Gaylord playing a gymnast, quite a stretch, who meets the new girl in town Janet Jones who is the only thing worth looking at in the movie, as they train for the olympics with a strict coach. Guess what, they fall for each other too. Obvious plot, dumb writing, clichés everywhere. Only if you are a fan of gymnastics, Mitch Gaylord, or Janet Jones and even then there are other choices out there. This and Kurt Thomas' Gymkata were the two and thankfully the only 2 gymnastic movies released. We were spared a Mary Lou Retton and a Domonique Moceanu movie luckily... My rating is one only because there is no zero

when a reporter covering what he thinks to be a small time break in at democratic headquarters, realizes that there is cia and federal govt involvement, he prods deeper and with his partner uncover a cover up that leads all the way to the oval office. Based on the bestselling book, All the Presidents Men, moves with such a quick and exciting pace, it seems like good fiction. That it is based on truth makes the movie that much more watchable. Redford and Hoffman ARE Woodward and Bernstein. The two have such great chemistry together as does the rest of the cast. Robards does a great job as publisher Ben Bradlee who lets the young reporters run with the story, seeing where it will go and advising the youngsters with words of wisdom. Overall, a very well done version of the events of watergate and the reporters who broke the story

At the start of world war one, young German schoolboys are excited to go off to war, for the glory. Their professor gives an impassioned speech to save the fatherland from the invaders. The reality becomes very different however with trench warfare, mud, rats, trench foot, disease, sickness, boredom offset by bloody violence. After returning for leave and to visit his sick mother, he returns to visit the profesor and his students. The professor, expecting him to proclaim the glories of fighting for the fatherland, is shocked and horrified when he tells his true horror story. Of course no one believes and the professor goes on his propogandanistic rants. In the end he goes back to the front and in one of the classic finales spies a butterfly.

it is shocking to find out that this book was banned at one point as was the film, because it sends the message, the true message of what war is and the hell that it brings. the movie itself is a classic. Be careful what version you see as this film has been butchered in the past with editing. Look for the complete film.