The Reivers (1969)

I suppose this is meant to be a heartwarming coming-of-age deal… Instead it's a ho-hum and sometimes disturbing tale about a kid being dragged to a whorehouse and getting in the middle of southern racial tension and nearly getting killed in a knife fight. Yep - good clean fun.

C-

Insomnia (2002)

Pacino looks EXHAUSTED in this film. It was so convincing (along with the camerawork, which made me feel just the right touch of disorientation) that I felt tired and was dying for a nap during some scenes. I was mentally encouraging Pacino to lie down...just for a couple of minutes.

Swank did a wonderful job with a bland role – didn't succumb to the temptation to "make the part her own," but instead seemed to play the girl as she was written, and ended up doing it just right. Williams, on the other hand, nearly got in the way of effective storytelling – but that could be the fault of the screenplay. It seemed to me that his part was beefed up from the original. All in all, a good film which succeeded especially with Pacino's convincing performance.

B+

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Ambitious film about servicemen nervously returning to their homes…and the reaction of their families and their hometown. The refrain of this film could be "you can't go home again." But it's also hopeful.

I think that the filmmakers could have tightened it up; part of what makes it such a looooong movie (nearly three hours) is fluff. But, for the most part, a moving and, I imagine, utterly new subject for Hollywood.

B

Orange County (2002)

Earned only intermittent chuckles from me. I'm not sure how they pulled all the second-tier star power for the extra roles (Catherine O'Hara, Chevy Chase, Lily Tomlin, John Lithgow, Ben Stiller) the only one that made sense to me was Kline, as he's starred in lots of films for the director's daddy. Just a throw-away teen comedy.

D+

The Winter Guest (1997)

One day following four pairs - two 12ish boys skipping school, a boy & girl in their teens doing the same, two old women traveling to a funeral, and a mother & her grown daughter. It's cold and the landscape is put to beautiful use - such a frigid place. The story feels a little too slowly paced, but there are many moments of loveliness.

B+

The Producers (1968)

Some situations were clever, while most were predictable and over-the-top. The casting is perfect, though.

B-

The Great White Hope (1970)

Interesting look at racism and the days of early boxing, but no one changes their minds - it's whites against the blacks all the way. And what did "Jefferson" see in that pale excuse for a white woman? She must have had hidden depths, I suppose.

C+

Minority Report (2002)

The story is so inventive and the visuals are outstanding – it had me awe-struck. A penchant for poetic justice is the weakness here. But, this film should be seen and earns a thumbs-up for its sheer newness.

B+

The Thirteenth Year (1999)

Standard low-budget crap, only this time the popular boy who befriends the geek is turning into a merman. Yep, they're officially running out of ideas.

D-

Shanghai Express (1932)

Nothing much - just Dietrich as a reformed prostitute doing her darndest to get back the man she loves. There's also some political intrigue & murder thrown into the mix.

C+

Tess (1980)

Overlong, but surprisingly interesting. The big problem is that Polanski cast Kinski as an English peasant...with a decidedly German accent. Come on! And she also lacks all trace of personality – a marionette could have filled in for her admirably. One has to wonder if this film would have been made had Polanski not received the book from his soon-to-be-murdered wife, Sharon Tate, at their last meeting.

C

Spy Game (2001)

Unnecessarily confusing picture which would like me to believe that there are only two amazingly well-trained unselfish agents in the CIA…the rest are either easily duped imbeciles or smarmy jerks who take pleasure in making others look ridiculous.

Redford's character draws out yarns about his "boy scout" protégé to such a degree that it seems he's forgotten that time is of the essence and instead imagines himself in a rocker in front of grandkids.

C

Chocolat (1989)

Sleepy film chronicling a short period in the lives of a French colonial family in South Africa. All the true action takes place right beneath what is actually presented on screen -- if you like things to be spelled out for you, skip this film, because it expects you to put in some work in figuring out what is meant and felt. I'm not even sure I've worked out all of the subtext -- but I do know that the houseboy, Protee, was the most mature presence in the film. Despite the fact that he was a servant without the right to shower indoors, he radiated dignity and only broke his calm once – alone. Beautiful work.

B

The War Zone (1999)

This is an emotional wrecking ball. Normal family welcomes a new child. Mum's tired but content, Dad gets on well with everyone, very loving to Mum. Older sister & brother are friends. Could almost be considered a horror film in that the secret at the center of the story crashes through all this normalcy and leaves one gasping in shock. So morose and sullen and gray. I almost couldn't stand it and yearned for it to end. It was well-done and well-acted...but still, it was so horrible.

C

Hondo (1953)

I'm neither a big western nor John Wayne fan, but this film really worked for me. Nearly the only thing getting in the way of my enjoyment was Geraldine Page – she was horrible. I liked the manly-men Wayne and the Apache chief a lot. I also liked the thought that a brave little boy could earn the respect of those warring with his people.

B

About a Boy (2002)

Wonderful, wonderful film. I'm thinking about having my own little festival to award it all the prizes for which it should have been nominated. Hugh Grant is just marvelous playing against type as the shallowest, laziest person EVER.

The film is not easily categorized as I laughed a lot, cried a couple of times, and felt quite reflective when it was all over. This is a real winner.

A

The Entertainer (1960)

There was quite a bit I didn't understand (like, why does the entire country CARE about their son as a prisoner of war?) and the parts I did understand I hated. Very shrill and depressing bit of cinema with a lecher as leading man. Ugh.

D

Bed of Roses (1996)

Extremely romantic fellow chooses Masterson to heap his affections upon. She comes loaded with a tragic background that's really not all that tragic, when you come right down to it...lots of people have it just as bad and worse. But, she feels "different" and can't respond to his affections and blah blah blah.

Tries its darndest to tug the heart-strings, but all I could see was the over-preciousness of the scenarios and the stupidity of the female lead.

C-

Any Given Sunday (1999)

Interesting story buried in imagery and so many cuts that I often couldn't tell exactly what was happening (especially during game sequences). Overlong by an hour and Stone hits every cliché there is...young hot shot who learns to be a team player; threatened old player who learns to step aside gracefully; old coach who learns some new tricks from young hotshot; bitchy manager who softens up enough to jump up and down while holding a fluffy dog… At least they were even-handed with the nudity!

But, I've finally learned for GOOD...I hate Oliver Stone and his ever-moving camera.

D

Tape (2001)

A slacker does his best to press his old high school friend into doing something he doesn't want to do, while also pushing all of his buttons. Recognizably uncomfortable theme of how it feels when your old friend no longer "fits." Really takes off when Uma Thurman joins the guys. Terrific acting throughout.

B-

Scream 3 (2000)

Decent, entertaining wrap-up to the Scream franchise. No big "jump" scenes, though -- wish it was scarier.

B-

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

Wrap-up of the preceding View Askew films (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy & Dogma) and the funniest of them by far. The cleverest thing on the screen is the Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season scene.

B-

Torch Song (1953)

The male lead single-handedly breaks apart the "sensitive blind man" stereotype. Looks MATTER to him, dammit, and he's not going to take some broad's and all of his friends' word that she's a looker...he only wants one he KNOWS FOR SURE is turning all of the sighted-boys' heads. How can he accomplish that? By dating a star, baby!

Overly colorful (and I'm talking actual magenta/fuschia color, here) melodrama that is short and watchable, but altogether forgettable.

C

The Sandlot (1993)

My kids loved it. Me? Not so much. Easy enough to watch…but full of barely passable child actors and scenes which are meant to be heart-warming, but are instead over-done.

C

Les Miserables (1935)

Pretty good, if judged on its own…but if compared to the source material, it's weaker than kool-aid. Fantine's a poor widow…not a single mother reduced to whoring; Marius stomps for prisoners' rights...he isn't part of the revolution; Eponine's a secretary, not a wretch in rags. Still, March is good and Laughton succeeds in the difficult task of conveying the side of Javert that makes the audience understand and somewhat sympathize with him.

B

The Official Story (1985)

Although this film regards a subject about which I know nothing, the fact doesn't change that people are still people -- regardless of circumstance. People are paranoid and angry and confused and powerless. Families misunderstand each other and children are irritating even as we love them more than our lives. I got involved -- mainly through the amazing acting ability of Norma Aleandro (the lead). Good film.

B+

Desert Rats (1953)

Strict English leader comes in to whip his Australian command into shape, against their wishes. I don't know how historically accurate it is, but Rommel's featured and the strategy is mildly interesting. It just seems subdued and drawn-out and I felt apart and little invested in the people.

C+

Divorce American Style (1967)

Started right in with screeching and didn't let up for at least a half hour (until the unfortunate couple decided it was splitsville). More a horrifying jab at the state of marriage in America than "comedy." I wasn't really rooting for either of the childish leads and felt only revulsion for the serial marrieds they meet along their journey.

D+

Flash (1997)

Story about a boy and the horse he loves. Has to battle every horrible stroke of luck imaginable, including the proverbial "bad man." But, ultimately he & the horse are left standing while others cheer. Very heavy-handed family film.

D+

The Sum of All Fears (2002)

Takes a while to get going, but not bad. I liked Freeman and Schreiber a lot, but had a bit of trouble buying Affleck as a smarty.

C+

The Shaggy D.A. (1976)

A five-minute plot stretched to fill 90 minutes at about the caliber of a Hong Kong Phooey episode. Still – HKP was amusing & so is this film.

C+

Ballad of a Soldier (1961)

Heartwarming & heartbreaking.

We follow a soldier struggling to get home on a short leave and watch him as he interacts with those he encounters on the journey. By the 10-minute mark, I loved this guy and wished him everything good the world has to offer.

A

Mona Lisa (1986)

Confusing ugly nightmare. And it was kind of seamy, too.

C-