Time Slipped By

Well I guess I let time slip by.

I know I haven't added any new reviews or any posts sine October but I am back in the saddle again. New posts are a coming.

I will be adding more posts regarding my thoughts on movie related subjects and will include some reveiws now and then.

Thanks for sticking with me while I disappeared to put some oreder into my life.

Until Next Time...

Cheryl

One of the Greatest Movies Ever Made - Dances With Wolves

Title: Dances With Wolves Special Edition
Staring: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene
Directed By: Kevin Costner
Rated: “PG-13” for violence and thematic elements
Copyright: 1990 TIG Productions Inc.
Running Time: Appoximately 3 Hours 56 minutes
Genre: Sweeping Epic, Drama

WINNER OF 7 OSCARS: Best Picture, Cinematography, Editing, Directing, Original Score, Sound and Writing.

Cover Description:
A “truly spectactular” (The New York Times) film that combines action, romance and breathtaking adventure, Dances With Wolves is “a cinematic masterpiece” (American Movie Classics) that is nothing short of “a triumph” (Roger Ebert)

Sent to protect a U.S. Outpost on the desolate frontier, Lt. John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) finds himself alone in the vast wilderness. Befriending the very people he’s sent to protect the outpost from, the Sioux Indians, Dunbar slowly comes to revere those he once feared. But when the encroaching U.S. Army threatens to overrun the Sioux, he is forced to make a choice – one that will forever change his destiny and that of a proud and defiant nation.

My Thoughts:
This is simply my favorite film of all time. I do not give it 5 stars because nothing is perfect although this is the closest to perfect I have found. When thinking about all of the elements that make up a great movie – writing, directing, acting, cinematography, scoring – you just can’t take any marks off for this movie. IF you haven’t seen it and you only listen to one review of mine, make it this one.

This is a true epic. Sweeping scenery, beautiful music, a terrific story, wonderful acting and great directing. The special edition DVD is absolutely wonderful. It contains never before seen scenes. It takes the movie to just about 4 hours but it is worth it. Have I said I just love this movie yet?

Okay if you don’t know anything about this movie you are in for a treat. Kevin Costner plays Lt. John J. Dunbar (not DumBear, you’ll get that when you watch the movie) a soldier who tries to end his life with a crazy stunt but ends up being viewed as a hero. Because of this act, he is awarded Cisco, a US Army Horse who you end up just loving and is allowed to choose any post he wants. He decides to be sent to a US Outpost on the frontier so he can see the frontier before it disappears. Upon arrival he finds the post deserted but decides to stay anyways, while the man who brought him there goes back to let the Army know what is going on.

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SIDEBAR: Robert Pastorelli, best known for playing the painter Eldin on the TV Series Murphy Brown, plays a small but memorable roll as Timmons, the man who takes Dunbar to the frontier. As Dunbar says in the movie, “He is quite possibly the foulest man I’ve ever met.” That line is not a lie. Pastorelli makes the most of his screen time and has you laughing out loud because it’s all funny when it isn’t directed at you.
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While waiting for the Army, Dunbar befriends a wolf who he names Two Socks. (When I say befriends, I mean as much as a wolf will allow). Dunbar also begins to to see signs of Indians, which he is afraid of. Finally he decides to go out to the Indians instead of being afraid and waiting for them to come get him. Now this is where the movie gets really good.

From here on out it is about his relationship with the Sioux Indians, falling in love with one of them, and finding out who he really is. It is terrific to see a man change into who he is supposed to be, and that is what you get here. Dunbar goes through many changes and grows tremendously all while building a strong relationship with the tribe, especially Kicking Bird (Graham Greene), Stands With A Fist (Mary McDonnell) and Wind in his Hair (Rodney A. Grant).

Kicking Bird, played brilliantly by Graham Greene, is the tribes Holy Man. He is the one who reaches out to Dunbar and tries to find out how many white men are coming. The relationship between Dunbar and Kicking Bird is a struggle but it is enjoyable to watch. While Kicking Bird’s main objective is to get information, he can’t help but admire and respect Dunbar for his actions and thoughts.

Stands With A Fist, played terrifically by Mary McDonnell is a white woman who was raised by the tribe. As a white woman, it is she who is expected to translate and help Dunbar and Kicking Bird talk. Watching her struggle with this at first is wonderful. It makes sense that this is who Dunbar falls in love with. The two of them have sparks flying off them and the passion between them is electric.

Wind In His Hair, played spectactularly by Rodney A. Grant, is the wild warrior who has a hatred for Dunbar immediately and tries to fight any feelings of like for him throughout the movie.

The internal struggles of the characters is just one of the added measures that makes this film glorious. This is not a typical Western and it is not filled with lots of action and cgi. The strength of this film lies in its characters and the writing. These are well-defined characters who grow before your eyes. They have a depth that most movies don’t bother with anymore.

There is so much more to this movie but I feel I have already said too much. It is a fiction movie and as such uses creative license, some of which has caused people to get angry. It is not meant to be historically accurate. It is meant to entertain and that it does. It pulls you into the frontier and that time in our history. It allows you to see and feel what that time might have been like.

I just can’t say enough how great this movie is. Don’t let the length of the movie turn you off. The length is one of its strengths. Get the movie, get comfortable and get ready for a treat. It is worth every minute.

My rating: 4.95 Stars
DVD Bonus material: extended version, never before seen scenes, featurettes, commentary, and more

Get Dances With Wolves Now!

Kevin Costner Movies
Bull Durham - Waterworld - Dragonfly

Mary McDonnell Movies
Passion Fish - Mumford

Graham Greene Movies
Huck & The King Of Hearts - Last Of His Tribe


Enjoy,
Cheryl

Enjoyable Crime Drama - Stone Cold

Title: Stone Cold
Staring: Tom Selleck, Mimi Rogers
Directed by: Robert Harmon
Rated: ‘R’ for violent content, some sexuality, nudity and brief drug use
Copyright: 2005 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Running Time: Approximately 87 minutes
Genre: Crime Drama

Cover Description:
Tom Selleck is perfect (The Hollywodd reporter) and Mimi Rogers sizzles in the eerie and riveting homage to the “Bogart-style” 1940’s tough guy film noir, brilliantly set in modern day.

Selleck is Jesse Stone, a former L.A. homicide detective who left behind the big city and an ex-wife to become the police chief of the quiet New England fishing town of Paradise, Massachusetts. Stone’s old habits die hard as he continues to indulge in his two favorite things – scotch and women. When a series of murders take place, he’s forced to face his own demons in order to solve the crimes.

My Thoughts:
I liked this movie. It is a made for TV movie based on a novel by Robert Parker. IT has a small town, laid back, slow feel to it but that just adds to movie. I must say up front that I really like Tom Selleck and I think he is great for these types of movies (and westerns too). He is great at relaying a slew of emotions with a simple look on his face. He is the perfect tough guy with sensitivity.

Selleck is Jessie Stone, the police chief of Paradise, Massachusetts. Stone is an honest, laid back man who drinks too much and broods a lot. As for women, he really has only one steady (but is also unable to let go of his ex wife who calls all the time) in the film and doesn’t indulge as much as the cover description states. He is sexy, quiet and tough which the women in the movie seem to love. You can tell he is respected, even by those who don’t like him.

It’s hard to tell you too much about the movie itself because I don’t want to give anything away. Suffice it to say, there are murders that seem random and violent and are a shock to the town. There are personal tragedies that Stone must face while trying to solve these murders as well.

This following might be a bit of a spoiler but not a bad one as they let you know who the murderers are fairly early on in the movie. They are a rich couple who think they are totally cool and above others, who amuse themselves by stalking and murdering random people. I just kept shaking my head and laughing at them because they were just so weird. The really scary part is that there are probably people just like them in the real world.

Stone catches on to them in the middle of the film and thus begins a bit of a game between the three of them. Nothing right out in the open but it is interesting anyways. They each have agendas towards the others but act as if nothing is going on. You start daydreaming about how you will deal with them if you were Stone, but in the end you are happy with what Stone has in mind.

There is also a terrific smaller side story involving the gang rape of a high school girl and I think it is wonderful how they fit this story in. The way they resolve this story line is a bit disappointing but getting to that point has its moments including one of the best audience pleasing scenes in a movie. They give the story enough screen time to make it real but not enough to take away from the main story. It also gives you a better glimpse into the type of man Stone is, which is to say that he is exactly the type of guy you would want in your corner if this happened to you or someone you love.

They could have gone into a little more personal detail about the characters especially Stone, but maybe that just adds to the mystery. Mimi Rogers plays a small but memorable roll as the lawyer representing one of the boys accused of the gang rape. She is outspoken, intense and sexy and tries her best to arouse Stone. Jane Adams of Fraiser fame is an absolute joy to watch as one half of the murdering duo.

This is not a million dollar action movie, or blockbuster. It is simply a good film that gets its strength from the characters. It is kind of slow moving at times but that just helps get you into the attitude of Paradise, Massachusetts.

I’m not quite sure why it has a rating of ‘R’. There is not much violence or sex. It is probably because of one scene where a high school boy is smoking pot. IF you are in the mood for a good film that doesn’t get your heart rate pumping and you like true dramas then this is the film for you.

My Rating: 3 Stars
DVD Bonus Features: Beneath the surface of Stone Cold featurette

***Get Stone Cold Today!***

Tom Selleck Movies
Quigley Down Under
Three Men and a Baby

Mimi Rogers Movies
The Rapture


Enjoy,

Cheryl

Disappointing Action Movie - 7 Seconds

Title: 7 Seconds
Staring: Wesley Snipes
Directed by: Simon Fellows
Rated: ‘R’ for violence, language and brief sexuality
Copyright: 2005 Micro Fusion and Sony Pictures
Running Time: Approximately 96 minutes
Genre: Action Thriller

Cover Description:

Action star Wesley Snipes (the Blade trilogy, U.S. Marshals, Passenger 57) is a professional thief whose high-stakes caper goes murderously wrong in this excplosive, brilliantly unpredictable crime thriller. Captain Jack Tolliver (Snipes) is an ex-Delta Force commando leading what should have been a clockwork-perfect armored car heist. Instead, he ends up with a priceless Van Gogh painting – and one of his crew ends up held hostage by the sadistic Russian gangsters who muscled in on the heist. Tolliver’s only option: a suicidal rescue mission where enemies become allies, your best friend can be your worst nightmare, and survival is the deadliest are of all.

My Thoughts:
I really like Wesley Snipes and I really like action movies. This movie disappointed on both accounts. I had to wonder what Snipes was thinking in doing this film. I still think he is a great actor and could draw people into theaters, so why do a straight-to-video movie. Truthfully I didn’t even read the cover before renting it because it was Wesley Snipes but even if I did I would have still rented it.

The movie starts out ok with a really ingenious armored car heist, which of course goes bad and turns into a pretty neat car chase. After that, the movie seems to fizzle out.

There is not much dialogue and I think the writers put more effort into the heist than the rest of the film. The acting is pretty bad all around, although I think Snipes did what he could with what he as given.

The directing is frazzled and just plain weird. I didn’t like it much at all. I think the director was trying to add action to the film by his style of directing but to me it just made things worse.

Given the right attention, this movie could have been great but I get the feeling everyone just wanted to get it released as soon as they could. It has potential, but in my opinion, everyone involved in it just fell flat.

I had trouble getting through the whole thing. If you are a die hard Snipes fan then you might want to rent it, but I don’t give any guarantees as to whether you will like it or not. It just might be worth renting simply to see the beginning because the heist is definitely one of the most intelligent and ingenious I have ever seen.

Don’t expect much and marvel at the heist and you just might not feel like you’ve wasted your time watching it. Only buy it if you are an avid fan who must have a copy of every movie your favorite actor has made regardless of how good they are.

My Rating: 1.5 Stars
DVD Bonus Features: nothing of interest

Get 7 Seconds Today!

Wesley Snipes Movies
Passenger 57
Demolition Man

Enjoy,
Cheryl

Emotionally Charged Epic - Alexander Director's Cut

Title: Alexander Director’s Cut
Staring: Collin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Anthony Hopkins
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Rated: ‘R’ for violence and some sexuality/nudity
Copyright: 2004, 2005 IMF Internationale Medien und Flim GmbH & Co. 3 Productions and Warner Bros. Entertainment
Running Time: Approximately 167 minutes
Genre: Epic Action

Cover Description:
Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone presents a breathtaking new cut of his sweeping epic film Alexander, the true story of the world’s greatest warrior. Using footage never seen and dramatically reshaping dozens of scenes, he brings to life the overpowering forces and fierce personalities that forever changed history.

Driven by a craving for his father’s (Val Kilmer) love and the brutal ambition of his mother (Angelina Jolie), Alexander (Colin Farrell) faced massive armies in Persia, Afghanistan and India and was never defeated. “Fortune favors the bold” Stone powerfully demonstrates in this bold new film Alexander Director’s Cut.

My Thoughts:
First, I must admit that I knew virtually nothing about Alexander before watching the film. I don’t know if that is relative but it might be. Throughout the movie I kept waiting for something to show me why this guy was so great and deserves a movie about his life. It turns out his greatness is simply because he fought a lot of battles and never lost. So now I know…and I don’t really care.

I must also admit that I truly enjoy epic films and I generally don’t think they even need to be extremely well written, acted or directed for me to like them. There is just something about these types of film that pull me in and get me hooked. This movie was no different. While I wouldn’t say it is a great film, I would still recommend it. So here is what I think.

The directing was kind of weird. The movie jumped back and forth through time and even though it stated the new times, I still found it a bit confusing. I think there was too much movement with the camera for my tastes as well. It is best if you just watch the movie without thinking or trying to figure anything out. By the end of the movie, all will soak into your brain and it will all make sense.

Of course there are huge battle scenes with plenty of blood, which seems to be a staple of these types of films. There is a definitely unique battle scene in India where the Indians use elephants instead of horses. I liked that because it is different and interesting. There is a terrific shot that would make a great poster of a horse and elephant rearing up while facing each other. If you like battle scenes that are raw and seem un-choreographed then this movie will not disappoint you. These are not giant ballets with swords, instead these are bloody, blurry, real time visions of what being in a battle was like.

Colin Farrell does an okay job as Alexander. He does a great job with facial expressions and his eyes just seem to shine with emotions. Personally, I don’t care for Alexander. I don’t think he was a great man, he was not very good at keeping his troops happy, and he just seemed pretty selfish. So if that is what Alexander was like, then maybe Farrell did a better job acting than I am giving him credit for. Farrell just didn’t seem to take over the screen like he should have.

At first I had trouble with Angelina Jolie playing Alexander’s Mother, but after a while it just didn’t matter. I must say that I am probably biased because I simply love Jolie. As Alexander’s mother she is weird, exotic, full of emotions and just wonderful. Her accent is a little weird but it adds to the mystique of this woman. She is a strong woman, who knows her place, but refuses to remain quiet.

She is not anyone I would even consider as my mother, she is obsessed with snakes and filled with ambition to make her son the greatest King ever, no matter what the consequences or costs are. She believes Zeus is Alexander’s true father and not King Phillip, which she pound into Alexander’s head. Which is probably why Alexander goes thorough his life acting like he is a God himself.

Val Kilmer does an excellent job portraying King Phillip, Alexander’s Father. Phillip is a giant bully, who says what he wants and acts however he feels regardless of what others think. He doesn’t respect Alexander or show much love until Alexander tames a wild horse and then his love is still conditional. He seems a bit crazy or mad and just wants to go through life drinking, bedding women, and talking about all the glory he will bring to his kingdom.

King Philip dies when Alexander is 20 throwing Alexander into the position of King before he is ready. Alexander spends the rest of his life trying to impress his dead father and longing for respect and love that he will never get. Going farther than his father ever went seems to become his main quest in life, which is why I believe he comes across as so selfish.

Homosexuality plays a quiet role in this movie. There is no secret made of Alexander’s love for his male friend, Hephaistion (Jared Leto), whom he seems to ignore. He professes his love to Mike but then takes a wife to give him an heir and beds another man. Personally, I felt sorry for Mike because of the way Alexander treated him.

The sexuality is low key and subtle but the point is there without question. There are two scenes where a man kisses a man but it is not really sexual. I am saying this just in case you have a problem with homosexuality between men.

Anthony Hopkins lends his talents narrating as the older version of one of Alexander’s most trusted warriors. He is telling the story as he saw it. Hopkins is as always, wonderful. Even with the make-up and prosthetics he still exudes the greatness that makes him who he is. Without a doubt, he makes the most of the small role given to him.

This is a fast paced, action filled movie with interesting and entertaining characters. The writing, directing and acting is adequate, with some better than others. If you like to get caught up in another time and place then you will enjoy this movie.

Other reviews I have read are mixed. Some hate the movie, some enjoy it even with its flaws. Some say it is historically accurate, others say Stone put his emphasis in the wrong parts. I have only come across a few reviews that say it is not worth watching.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you. If you are an Alexander fan (seems to be quite a few out there) then you are likely to enjoy the movie but wish for more details on what made the man so great. I say give it a try. You can always turn it off if it is too horrible to watch.

My Rating: 2.5 Stars
DVD Bonus Features: Commentary by Oliver Stone, featurettes, cast interviews & more

***Get Alexander Director's Cut Today!***

Colin Farrell Movies
Tigerland
Phone Booth

Angelina Jolie Movies
Gia (Unrated Edition)
Playing By Heart

Val Kimer Movies
The Doors (Special Edition)
Top Secret!

Anthony Hopkins Movies
The Edge
The Silence Of The Lambs (Criterion Collection)


Enjoy,
Cheryl