Change Your Image
Sarge-23
Reviews
John John in the Sky (2000)
Surprisingly good
I saw this in the video store and was intrigued by what the story was supposed to be. Rented it and watched it last night. It was surprisingly good, somewhat similar to, if you will, "This Boy's Life" with Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio. If you pay attention, you'll see that there are quite a few things going on in this movie. The character's interactions all seem very true-to-life. This is a story which involves you and makes you think about how things were in the setting and times of this story, and about how people relate to each other, their relatives, and their friends. You can't help but empathize with the effervescence and optimism of youth, and you also get to see the pitfalls when the hopes and dreams of youth are not realized. Fortunately, you also get to see that the events that take place in life don't necessarily have to be linear, and there can be many twists and turns in the road. Very much worthwhile to watch. It's classified as a "family" movie, but it's probably not for the very young children (less than 12). This isn't Oscar stuff, but I still give it 3 out of 4 for the fact that it involves you and the story content.
Tears of the Sun (2003)
Director's Comments
First watched this movie with the director's comments and the Africa Fact Track on, then watched it again just for the movie with it's own voice and sound track. Liked it very much. This was worth it just for the director's comments alone! Antoine Fuqua's commentary was fascinating. Him speaking of the interaction of the actors/actresses with himself, the set, the advisors, and his thoughts on the military and their role and also about the subject matter of the movie. Worth it just for that. I give it a 9.
Hart's War (2002)
A different WWII POW movie.
I thought Hart's War was an excellent movie. It touched a lot of areas, and was very entertaining. Much better than We Were Soldiers (which was pretty unrealistic - - most of the soldiers in Vietnam were young guys barely out of kidhood who did NOT have wives) or Black Hawk Down (a standard horrors-of-war movie). This movie was thought-provoking and had plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. Have to read the book, now.
Ninth Street (1999)
Very unique film, a unique slice of Americana, circa 1968
This is an extraordinary film, a unique slice of Americana, circa 1968, as seen through the eyes of two down-and-out gentlemen, ex-war vets and ex-vets of the life of a small-town haven of good-time society, catering to African-American personnel from an Army base in the heart of the midwest. The movie gives us a synopsis of the history of this place, which began with WWII and runs through the Vietnam war. The primary focus is on the life, events, and characters who inhabit this town at the time of the beginning/middle of the Vietnam era. Although the majority of the actors and actresses are African-American and are not necessarily well known, the performances are first rate; from the two winos to the town pimp, to the older women who offer sage advice, and the priest (Martin Sheen) also. The black-and-white tone of the film only seems to add to the "authenticity" of it. This movie is a real treasure, and anyone who is a true moviephile will appreciate it and it's place in video history.
Twin Falls Idaho (1999)
Fascinating, poignant movie, well-done for the subject matter.
Twin Falls Idaho is a fascinating, poignant movie, very well-done for the subject matter.
I consider myself to be: (1) the average movie-goer who likes movies just because they're movies, (2) a person who likes many different genres of movies (action, love, sci-fi, foreign, drama, comedy, etc.), and (3) a person who doesn't judge a movie by it's budget or lack thereof. This being said, as a person who thinks of conjoined (Siamese) twins as something rare and somewhat unfortunate as a human occurrence, and whose first two thoughts of Siamese twins are those joined at the head whom Dr. Benjamin Carson separated, and also as unfortunate co-individuals seen in circus sideshows, this movie was very moving to me. The logic behind the actions of the twins, and the events that happened to them and how they coped with them seemed to be truthfully rendered with sensitivity, yet honesty. The teenaged mother who bore them, and whom they sought out; the prostitute they longed for; their trepidations at interacting publicly in society -- these things were all brought home with numbing sincerity for the audience to observe for themselves.
For these reasons, I thought it was a very, very good movie. Different, thought-provoking, but very, very, good. I also have absolute NO qualms with the acting jobs done on everyone's part.
Hoop Dreams (1994)
Very moving.
Simply outstanding. This documentary spoke to more than just the overlying story of the two young men who followed their overriding dream by doing what they deemed necessary, with the film itself chronicling their true-life tribulations along the way. It also spoke to the thousands of young, urban, inner-city youth who try to follow a path laid out for them via desegregation court orders, bussing from inner cities to far-flung suburbs, all in the hope to receive better educations via superior academic and athletic facilities. One of the most poignant scenes showed Arthur and William both alighting from the bus that has carried them from Cabrini-Green to a seeming Heaven (the Catholic high school in the suburbs where they matriculated), and trudging through the snow up to the entrance to the school, after a bus ride of more than an hour, starting at 6AM. The effort shown in this one act speaks volumes for the dedication these very young adolescents had toward attaining their goals, as well as the hopes their parents had for their future well-being. The true-life events detailed throughout the rest of the documentary enhanced and heightened the emotional triumphs and failures as seen through the eyes of these two youths and those closest to them.
At the same time, one could also see the ruthless, non-forgiving side of competition, and how it could be used to manipulate those participating in it.
This was and is truly one of the most outstanding documentaries of all time. I would urge anyone, anyone at all, regardless of their background relating to sports, to sit back and watch this documentary, and to try to see it, feel it, through the eyes of the protagonists. It is unforgettable.
Crash (1996)
Fascinating, sexy, thought-provoking.
Crash rails at the sensibilities. It's a fascinating study of outlandish sexual fetishes and behavior put on film. Some users have made comment that the characters were too emotionally detached. I'm of the school of thought that this was done on purpose by the director. Taking the focus away from character development allowed the audience to absorb the utter grotesqueness that was the hallmark of this movie. The premise, though outlandish, was not looked at through a jaundiced eye.
The acting was outstanding. A lot has been said about the performances of James Spader, Holly Hunter, Rosanna Arquette, and Elias Koteas. Deborah Unger's performance sent chills through my spine, as possibly the most seductively sensual/sexual portrayal I've seen. She more than held her own with the aforementioned players. This was the first film I had seen her in, and after seeing her since then in two other films, I don't understand why she possibly isn't a bigger star than she is. Each of her characters has an undercurrent of intense sensuality that literally leaps off the screen. Certainly, her character in Crash was the most sensual of all.
Crash is for broad-minded people who like movies, and who enjoy seeing what well-made movies with different ideas or premises can be. Outlandish, yes. Outstanding, and certainly memorable, yes.