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No matter how many times it's shown during the Christmas season, I just can't get enough of this film. This immortal classic stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has spent all his life trying to succeed, spending most of it trying to help his small town. He is now contemplating suicide, since his life seems to be falling apart around him. Who should appear but Stewart's Guardian angel, Clarence (Henry Travers). Travers has been sent to show Stewart what the world would be like if he hadn't been born. It turns out to be more frightening to Jimmy than what is happening in his old life.Call it corn if you must, but like fine wine, this keeps improving with age. Director Frank Capra and star Stewart really pulled it off. With touches of humor provided by Travers (as well as Frank Faylen and Ward Bond as "Bert and Ernie"!) and moments of sentiment from Capra, Stewart and Donna Reed as Stewart's wife Mary, this film is continuously a holiday favorite.
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A Christmas holiday film, this one is just as good as It's A Wonderful Life. The lovable Edmund Gwenn portrays an elderly department store Santa, who claims he's the one and only Kris Kringle. He helps a child (young Natalie Wood) believe in the spirit of Christmas, as well as her workaholic mother (Maureen O'Hara). He even goes on trial (in some of the funniest scenes in the movie) to prove he's Saint Nick.This is a charming comedy classic that also profits from good performances (including Oscar-winning Gwenn) and a witty screenplay from director-writer George Seaton. Wood is the standout, as a little girl who acts more adult than any of the grown-ups in this picture. This is one classic the kids will enjoy.
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I know you've heard all the hype for this film and seen the huge promotion for this live-action remake of the famed Disney animated classic. The question is: Is it any good? The answer: Yes and no. First a brief synopsis. The notorious Cruelle de Vil (Glenn Close) steals the 15 adorable puppies of Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita, who are owned by the happy couple of Roger and Anita (Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson). The despicable Close wishes to use these 15 pups and 84 others to make a Dalmatian fur coat. However, she didn't count on Pongo and Perdita actually attempting a rescue of their dognapped pups. This rescue endeavor is done with a little help from various other animals, of course.The good points and the only reasons to see this in the first place are:
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Despite all the hype and huge promotion, this Who Framed Roger Rabbit wannabe misses the mark entirely. Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes (Bugs, Daffy, Elmer, etc.) team up for a basketball game against some cartoon baddies. That's basically all there is to the whole muddled mess.Despite some good special effects and a surprisingly decent performance by Jordan (true, he's not doing Hamlet, but he can work with animated characters that aren't really there), this suffers from a limp script and plot. The Warner Bros. characters aren't doing anything you can't see in a ten minute short film. The annoying cameos from the likes of Bill Murray and Seinfeld's Wayne Knight just seem to add insult to injury. The kids wishes to see this film will probably be the only reason you should shell out six bucks for this monstrosity.
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The eighth entry in the Star Trek series, this one is the first film that stars the Next Generation entirely and does not feature any of the original series members. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) travels back in time to the mid-21st century to battle one of Trek's most infamous enemies, The Borg. The cybernetic, ant-like race is attempting to destroy all humankind, by taking over Earth in the past and preventing an event called First Contact. This is where a second story unfolds.Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Leforge (LeVar Burton) attempt to help a future space pioneer (James Cromwell) make the first space voyage using light speed. The problem is that Cromwell, an idol of billions in the future, is an alcoholic, who is doing this for his own self-interest. Meanwhile, Stewart, Worf (Michael Dorn), Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Data (Brent Spiner) battle the Borg on board the Enterprise. The creatures are attempting to take over the ship, in hopes that they can use it in their quest for domination over the Universe.
One of the more intricate and complex of the series films, this one also adds a bit more humor to the usually serious proceedings. Cromwell and Spiner provide some good moments, while Stewart and Alfre Woodard as a tough scientist give fine dramatic impact to the story. Alice Krige is a sight to see as the Borg Queen, and the special effects are great as ever. It does have a few slow spots that tend to dampen the pace of the story, but other than that, it's one of the better releases that has come out this winter.
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This film, which features an all-star ensemble, attempts to spoof two Sci-Fi genres. The first is the 1950's B movies about alien invasions. The second is the gung-ho-let's-kick-their-ass type of films like Independence Day. Tim Burton (Batman) directs this homage to the popular Tops trading cards, and the plot is simplicity itself. Aliens who claim to be on a peace mission, turn out to be not so nice after they liquidate congress. So, many of America's finest (but not brightest) humans do battle against the invading little creatures. Among them: The President of the US (Jack Nicholson), the first lady (Glenn Close), a pipe-smoking scientist (Pierce Brosnan), an ex-boxer (Jim Brown), a flaky new ager (Annette Bening), a Kansas farm boy (Lukas Haas) and his senile Grandmother (Sylvia Sidney), etc.Well, this isn't the uproarious comedy that I was expecting. In fact, most of this Airplane wannabe's humor falls flat on its back. On the one hand, the actors seem to be having a ball with the roles they play, including Nicholson in a dual role as the President and a sleazy Las Vegas salesman. On the other hand, most of the actors chew up the scenery down to the core, leaving you with nothing incredibly appealing. Some of the performers, who get some pretty high billing, are only in for ten minutes tops throughout the entire movie. Danny DeVito is in and out of the film so quick, you barely even remember he was in the film in the first place.
If their is anything that redeems this, it's the great Burton visuals, which do a good job at capturing that 1950's B movie feel. The aliens are funny for awhile, but like many of the actors in this, they wear out their welcome quickly. So, should you go see this? Only if you desperately need a cure for insomnia.
The film that George Lucas claimed inspired Star Wars, this epic from Akira Kurosawa deals with a young princess (Miko Uehara) and her faithful general (AK favorite Toshiro Mifune), as they make a dangerous journey back home. Joining them on their adventure are two bumbling thieves (the obvious inspirations for R2-D2 and C-3PO), who are attempting to make off with a share of some gold Uehara and Mifune are bringing with them.A combination of Kurosawa's splendid action epics and Buster Keaton slapstick comedy, I can understand the influence this had on the Star Wars saga. My favorite scene is in a prison camp, where the prisoners rise up and overthrow their captors, giving the two stumbling thieves a chance to escape. This is right up there with The Seven Samurai and Ran.
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