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This film (which originally premiered on HBO) offers an interesting premise, but a rather boring sci-fi story. Try to imagine if Hitler had won WWII. It's now 1964 and most of Europe is still under Hitler's iron fist. But believe it or not, that's not what this film is really about. The story is actually a mystery, involving the death of a high Nazi official and the investigation by an SS officer (Rutger Hauer) and an American reporter (Miranda Richardson). What they uncover is predictable.The filmakers lacked the know-how to follow through on a plot, that could have been more interesting than what you see on film. Richardson and Hauer have seen better acting days, so don't expect any Emmy-award winning performances here. I think you should just dust off your old copy of War and Remembrance and put this one up in your attic.
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This horror movie is actually more enjoyable than you'd expect. It's sort of a spoof of horror films, such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Last House on the Left. Rory Calhoun plays Vincent, an elderly farmer, who is more than what he seems behind his mask of kindness. His own personal motto is "It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent's fritters", and he follows through on that motto quite often. So what happens to some of the people that have disappeared coming through his county? Hey, a guy's got to eat something!Calhoun (not the most reliable of actors) offers a hysterical performance, reminding me a lot of some of the backwoods folk in Russ Meyer's films. It's made with the same technique used in any schlock flick, but it has the similar hyper-kinetic humor as Meyer, or for that matter, the Zucker Bros. (The Naked Gun). You might honestly find some enjoyment in this film, strange as it may seem, considering what breed of film this is.
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A highly interesting story about paraplegics, and the process of rehabilitation of the multi-varied people in a multi-ethnic center. The depiction pays close attention to three particular men. A writer (Eric Stoltz), who is not only trying to rehabilitate from a recent accident, but is also trying to carry on an affair with a married woman (Helen Hunt); a braggart (Wesley Snipes), who constantly boasts of his past sexual conquests ; and a tough-talking bigot (William Forsythe), who carries on a bickering friendship with Snipes. All three learn eventually to cope with some of their disadvantages, and learn some new advantages that they never had before.This is not as maudlin as it sounds. It offers three dynamic performances by Stoltz, Snipes and Forsythe (the latter two make a great team) and a realistic setting, showing the hardships and the successes of the three men. Of the three roles, I'd have to say that Forsythe offers up the most convincing one. It's a fine directorial debut for directors Neal Jimenez and Michael Steinberg and a wonderful tale and despite what appears to be a tragic premise, is actually a very uplifting escapade. There is nothing about it that is either dull or maudlin.
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If you're in a really bad mood, this isn't the "comedy" that's going to cheer you up. An obnoxious film, with an all-star cast, involved in one of the dumbest stories in recent memory. The plot involves various characters, who all seem to be on a losing streak with life. Things don't help when this group is accused of the murder of a wealthy socialite.The only laughs are at the very beginning...for about fifteen seconds! The rest of the time, you have to watch as John Candy, Sean Young, Cybil Shepard and Richard Lewis wallow in bad slapstick for an hour-and-a-half. The only real crime involved here is how they blackmailed such a fine ensemble into doing this picture.
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There have been many attempts to capture the spirit of the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns. Most have tried and failed. This is no exception. Mario Van Peebles is the good, comic Denis Leary is the bad and Christopher Lambert (Highlander) is the really ugly! The old western story has been updated to South America, now involving a bunch of drug dealers and mercenaries on the hunt for some hidden cash.The ads make it look like you're in for a slam-bang rollercoaster ride, but what you get is a mindless merry-go-round of violence and bad dialogue. Lambert and Van Peebles are not my favorite actors, and Leary should have stayed on the stand-up circuit (or maybe in just The Ref). Rent an old Eastwood movie, if you want an exciting action picture.
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Many action films have great chase scenes. This film practically invented them. This detective yarn involves the exploits of loose cannon, "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman), who has a passionate hatred for drug dealers and smugglers. His main target is the malevolently clever Frenchman, Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey) who is a more level-headed prey than the hunter Hackman. When Hackman gets too close to Rey's operations, Rey sends an assassin (Marcel Bozzuffi) after him. However, it proves a difficult task, when Hackman turns the tables on Bozzuffi and attempts to kill the killer. That's where the great chase scene comes in.Winner of five Academy awards (including Hackman for Best Actor), this is superb action filmaking by William Friedkin. Besides the great performance by Hackman, there is a capable supporting cast that includes, Rey, Bozzuffi and Roy Scheider as Hackman's partner, who seems to keep Hackman's temper on a leash. It's a real winner!
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One of the best satires of the 20th-century, Charlie Chaplin parodied Adolf Hitler and took on his fascist regime, during a time when doing such a thing was considered risque. Chaplin portrays both dictator Hynkel, and a Jewish barber who is mistaken for Hynkel. The little barber finds himself at first under the thumb of Hynkel, then finds himself leading a fascist government that only he can bring down, with just a few simple words.Except for the sermon at the end, this is almost Chaplin's masterpiece. He offers a wonderful performance in his first talkie and has an able comic cast to support him. The best is Jack Oakie as Napoloni, a pompous Mussolini-like dictator who is constantly trying to upstage Hynkel. It's sad to think that this cherished film nearly ended the career of the beloved "Little Tramp". However, that's certainly not the case today. Chaplin uses his similarities to Hitler (including their famous mustaches) to extraordinary comic heights. If you would like to see Chaplin at his best, try this one on for size.
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