 Teen Movie Critic is a Dream Machine SiteThe Dream Machine --- The Imagination of the World Wide Web |
| Teen Movie Critic is a Dream Machine Site The Dream Machine --- The Imagination of the World Wide Web |
| Home | About TMC | Brothers and Sisters | Directors | Alphabetic Index | Guest Critics | Hall of Flame | Other Film Sites | Feedback |
 Buy this poster at  |
Well, the muppets are back. Better than ever? I wish! The same old muppets are once again doing the same old stuff they did on the Muppet Show. This time, they are doing a send-up of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic pirate story, about buried treasure and the hunt for it.Unlike the other muppet films, this has more appeal for kids than it does for adults. Yes, there are a few jokes that adults will enjoy, but not enough to keep their interest in the movie going. Come to think of it, the kids I saw in the theater were pretty restless and some seemed so bored, that they looked as if they'd fall asleep at any moment. The human actors (including Kevin Bishop as Jim Hawkins) are simply around for scenery. They have nothing special to do except say stupid lines and basically, get beat up by puppets. However, Tim Curry makes something out of his role as Long John Silver. His accent is authentic enough to have him pass as a pirate and his body language is superb. The only treat I found in all the old muppet humor is Curry's performance. As for Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat, I think it's time to retire them to the old toy chest for awhile.
 Buy this poster at |
An amazingly action-packed little film, made by young newcomer, Robert Rodriguez (Desperado) for a mere $7000. The story follows a guitar playing musician (Carlos Gallardo), who comes to a small Mexican town, where he is mistaken for a brutal prison escapee. He's chased around by the cronies of the local crime boss, who want the escapee killed. The Mariachi hides out in a bar, owned by the beautiful Domino (Consuelo Gomez) with whom he falls madly in love with.An arresting film, that is better than your average low-budget feature and is more entertaining than any action-packed gore fests Hollywood produces. The acting isn't brilliant, but it ain't half-bad either. Especially Gallardo's performance as the title character. He can be both charming and brutal in the same scene. The cinematography is excellent. The dream sequences in the film have an amazing surreal quality to them. True, this is no Citizen Kane, but Rodriguez's debut film is something that should not be overlooked by the modern moviegoer.
 Buy this poster at |
A rather boring, political satire, about a conservative, folk-singing senatorial candidate, that knows how to manipulate both the media and the public, this film is made in a pseudo-documentary style, not unlike This is Spinal Tap. However, the many punches at conservative politics become stale after awhile and the only message I got out of this is "Conservative's bad, Liberal's Good", which in the balance of politics is only a half truth. The star-director, Tim Robbins, is charismatic in the lead, but his directing style here is a bit of a copy of Altman's techniques. Check out Robbins' Dead Man Walking instead. The story, direction and acting are much better.
 Buy this poster at |
This is interesting film, based on Kurt Vonnegut's classic novel, about one Billy Pilgrim (Michael Sacks), who becomes "unstuck" in time and space. The story follows Sacks WWII experiences, including the famed fire-bombing of Dresden, as well as his domestic life after the war and his life on the planet Tralfamadore.Occasionally draggy, but mostly on-target look at the horrors of war and the effects they have on the people who must fight the battles. Sacks is superb in the lead, as well as some of the supporting cast, like Valerie Perrine. Ron Leibman is noteworthy as a deranged American Soldier. The film is not for everyone's taste, and should be recommended to people who are familiar with Vonnegut's work. But it's one of the many interesting and bizarre films that should be seen more than once to be appreciated.
The Dream Machine --- Network Services
...the best independent ISP in the Twin Cities