Rod Steiger gives the best performance of his career, even better than his Oscar winning performance in 'In The Heat Of The Night'. He plays an elderly Harlem pawnshop owner that mostly thru the use of flashbacks, we find out survived a concentration camp, but lost everyone he cared about. Going thru those horrors have made him bitter, angry, distant. His experiences do not give him empathy for the suffering of others, such as his customers. Instead he despises them. When he finally lets loose nearly 30 years of built up emotion, Steiger goes from fear, to compassion, to anger, to guilt and to rage so quickly and so seamlessly he should have won the Oscar for finale alone. Sidney Lumet directs brilliantly, from extended scenes in the pawnshop, to the gritty streets of New York, to the flashbacks of the incredible horrors of the holocaust. But aside from Steiger and Lumet, the rest of the film is a mess. Quincy Jones jazz score with upbeat tempo at downbeat times seems out of place, and in fact quite jarring at times. The rest of the cast give performances too over the top to mesh well with Steiger or the material, especially Jaime Sanchez as the pawnshop assistant. Geraldine Fitzgerald's character really provides nothing to the story. She exists just to show us just how out of touch with the rest of the human race the pawnbroker is. But we already get plenty of that from his interactions with his family, customers and assistant. The screenplay was good as a singular character study of this man, but some of the dialog was horrible. Apparently in 1965 New York everyone and anyone who spoke to an elderly man called him 'uncle'. And they keep saying it. Everyone who comes into the pawnshop or runs into him on the street calls him uncle. Nobody calls him man, dude, old timer, sir, mister. It gives you the feeling that the dialog was written by somebody trying to sound hip and up with the times but without any idea of how to do it, someone unfamiliar with the street slang of the day. But in the end I still recommend seeing it, especially if you are a fan of a great performance.
Reviews
15 Reviews
Hang 'Em High
(1968)
Starts out with promise.
31 January 2004
When Clint is wrongly accused, judged, and lynched, only to survive and set out to even the score, this film seems to be one of the best westerns ever made. It quickly bogs down with a terrible romantic subplot and the main storyline takes too many detours that lead nowhere. Some big name talent (Ben Johnson, James MacArthur, Dennis Hopper) gets top billing and are on and off screen so fast that their brief appearances leave you wondering why they even made the movie. The film drags on for two hours and in the end nothing is resolved. The romantic subplot then seems forced, and the way the film actually ends may leave you wondering why you just spent two hours watching it. It wouldn't have been so disappointing had the first half of the film not been so well executed as though it was leading up to something instead of nothing. 5 of 10
The Green Berets
(1968)
John Wayne on a soapbox
18 January 2004
Worst war movie ever. From the geographical errors (Vietnam was a jungle, not a forest filled with pine trees) to the acting, this was horrible. This was John Wayne preaching to the anti-establishment about the need for the war in Vietnam, nothing more. And it was completely ineffective at that. The screenplay would have you believe that the soldiers in the war were happy to be there, and that the department of defense had some achievable objective to the war as late as 1968. By the '68 Tet Offensive even Walter Cronkite had called the war unwinnable and that was enough for middle America. And John Wayne had such an ego and a blind loyalty to Nixon that he couldn't grasp why the public, including Vietnam vets, found this movie to be pathetic garbage. Platoon, The Deer Hunter and Full Metal Jacket are far better movies, and provide a far more realistic view of what went on.
Anne of the Thousand Days
(1969)
Interesting but flawed
3 January 2004
This is an interesting biopic of the ill-fated Anne Boleyn and her relationship with Henry VIII. The acting is top notch with Richard Burton, Genevieve Bujold, Anthony Quayle and the rest of the cast turning in great performances. But like most costume dramas that came out in the 60's and early 70's, it is too long and overproduced. The story is intriguing, even though we know the outcome, but it bogs down in the middle when the King tried political ploys aplenty to rid himself of Queen Katherine so that he could marry Anne Boleyn. It picks back up again near the end when the King then has to rid himself of Queen Anne (because she could not give him a male heir) so that he can repeat his own history and pursue the young Jane Seymour. This is better than many films of its genre, but nothing spectacular. 6 of 10
Paradise Hotel
(2003–2019)
Trash
4 August 2003
Fox has outdone themselves yet again. This show is pure garbage. If you want to watch women who think way too much of themselves act spoiled, bitchy, children, and guys act like self centered, wimpy, whiny kids that can be led around by their hormones and not their brains, then this is the show for you. As long as America continues to watch this scripted "reality" junk, it won't go away. And this is the worst, most pathetic of that genre. Quit watching, and maybe this trash will go away, and the idiots on the show will realize that their fifteen minutes of fame is fifteen more than they deserved.
The Presidio
(1988)
Worst chase scene in film history
29 March 2003
There isn't a lot to recommend this film. Sean Connery is an American military officer. Complete with Scottish accent. Meg Ryan is out of place as his daughter, and too old for the role she is given. Mark Harmon is a one dimensional actor and that one dimension isn't enough as a San Francisco police officer. What this basically comes down to is another police buddy picture with a bit of a twist, one is a cop (Harmon) and the other is military police (Connery). It's pretty typical stuff except that a great actor is miscast, an average actress is so far out of place her character should be in another movie, and a lesser actor is in the lead. The screenplay is predictable and the direction is almost absent. And as if that weren't bad enough, the worst chase scene in film history is present. A foot chase with Harmon chasing a suspect. Everything that can be thrown into the scene to slow Harmon down is tossed in right after the suspect passes by. People, flashing barricades, milk crates, luggage, and even a horse are thrown in Harmon's way during the chase that ends so routinely that a monkey could have written it.
The General's Daughter
(1999)
I Guess It Could Have Been Worse
28 January 2003
Though the film makers keep the solution under wraps until the end in this mystery about an apparent murder on a military base, it has a lot gone wrong that still shows up on the screen. Actually I am a big Travolta fan, so it pains me to say this, but his southern accent at the beginning of the film is more than a distraction it is so bad. Most of the rest of the cast seems out of place in the military. Andie McDowell is someone that I am not a fan of, but she actually gives the best performance in the film. The film follows the military cover up of the murder and as Travolta and McDowell, the films co-investigators and, as if this didn't seem like it rolled off the carbon copy press in Hollywood murder mystery's, former lovers. As in all films like this there are a lot of clues given to make you think you know whodunit even though you couldn't be more wrong. But at the end when the solution is finally revealed it shows just how routine a movie this is. It plays the old I know who did it but if I have a flashback now I will figure out who really did it game. And the film left itself wide open to possibilities but took the cheap, and cheesy way out, tacking on a whole subplot that we never knew existed until the very end. Too bad. If you can overlook Travolta's accent, James Woods and James Cromwell's miscasting, and a southern county sheriff storyline that is unnecessary as it advances the film none and is there only to make fun of southerners, then the movie is worth watching right up until the final 10 minutes. But that last 10 minutes kills it all.
Independence Day
(1996)
Horrible
22 January 2003
All the money piled up to make this movie and they couldn't get a screenplay without plot holes the size of Cleveland. The actors are a wide variety of good actors, and yet here, they show no chemistry. For instance Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum are two very fine, capable actors. But they share the screen in what should be the dramatic high point of the movie and it comes off as overacted and cheesy. The whole film is poorly conceived, poorly directed, not thought out at all, and has fine actors giving their worst performances ever. Bill Pullman and Mary McDonnell as the president and first lady make watching grass grow exciting. Skip this film. The sad part is I was excited to see this when it first came out. And I couldn't have been more disappointed by this big budget no brainer. 1 of 10
Red Dragon
(2002)
Stands up favorably to the others in the series.
13 October 2002
It seems some reviewers went in expecting this to be a Hannibal Lecter film. He is a character in this movie, but make no mistake about it, this is Edward Norton's film. He does his usual fine job of playing the beleaguered every man. Hopkins, as usual, is great. To think that there is no acting going on because some cannot see it is preposterous. Notice how he goes through most scenes without blinking. His trademark monotone voice in this character teeters between genius and insanity. Harvey Keitel and Ralph Fiennes give great performances. As does Emily Watson. Watch as she looks in a direction and never focuses her eyes on a particular object. That is great subtle acting at its best. Anthony Heald makes a tragically comical appearance, because we already know his fate in "The Silence of the Lambs". Frankie Faison makes his third Lecter film in this series and his fourth overall. Mary Louise Parker gets a minor role, but makes the most of it. As for the person singing the praises of Philip Seymour Hoffman, of course he is good at playing the no good reporter. It is the only role that he ever plays. His limited range is ultimately what hurts this film. We have seen him play this character time and again and by now we have all stopped caring what happens to him. They could have made this with Jude Law as Lecter, since it is a prequel to "The Silence of the Lambs" (not to mention a remake of "Manhunter"). But Hopkins created this character and plays him so well that he won best actor for the first film even though he was really in the supporting role. And why do people go to see this picture? Because Hopkins has created a character that has become larger than life through popular osmosis. 8 of 10
Signs
(2002)
A whole lot of nothing
27 August 2002
This film has some very good things going for it. Mel Gibson gives his best performance to date. Joaquin Phoenix, who played the evil, whiny, wimp in Gladiator convincingly plays the polar opposite in this movie. Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin are very talented young actors. M. Night Shyamalan proves to be a very good director. His camera angles and long shots build suspense very well. With all of that going for it, this is still not a very good movie. As good as Shyamalan is as a director, he is just as bad as a screenwriter. From the get go there is a plothole through the middle of this that makes the whole movie not make any sense. He gives us a priest from a religion that probably doesn't exist that has lost his faith, his ever faithful brother, alien obsessed son, and cute but spooky daughter. We meet the sheriff, the bookstore owner and wife, the man that caused him to lose his faith, and thru flashbacks, his recently deceased wife. There are a few other people in the movie, but not many. Shyamalan gives us an isolated area in Pennsylvania that seems borrowed from an old Twilight Zone episode. The lack of speaking parts makes it seem all the more isolated. And then he blows it by asking us to believe that a global conspiracy may be afoot. He tries to pay homage to so many films from Independence Day and War of the Worlds to E.T. and the famous bigfoot home movie that it comes off as hokey. The final scene just adds to the ever growing list of plotholes. And in the end we find that this far-fetched and plodding film is trying to tell us that life is not an accident and everything happens for a reason. Shyamalan just goes a strange and pointless route to get there. The Sixth Sense this isn't. 5 of 10
Ali
(2001)
The Greatest.
6 January 2002
Director Michael Mann and star Will Smith don't just show us Ali, they take us along with him. They take us through the most turbulent years of Ali's life. A lot of people will still see the man as a showboating draft dodger. But he was and is more than can be defined in any single sentence. The man is flawed like all human beings are. And agree with him or disagree, love him or hate him, you have to respect the fact that he stood by his principles even when the United States government tried to change him. From the opening sequence Michael Mann proves he is the right director for this movie, and Will Smith proves he is the right man to play the champ. If the Academy doesn't recognize both Jon Voight (playing Ali's friend, yes friend, Howard Cosell) and Jamie Foxx, with Smith and Mann, then there is no justice and Oscars are a fraud. Also Giancarlo Esposito, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Mario Van Peebles are in top form. 10 of 10.
The Net
(I) (1995)
Unwatchable
30 August 2001
Are you kidding me? This movie is terrible. The plot twists can be seen a mile away by a blind man. There are big enough holes in the plot that a semi could be driven through them. Sandra Bullock is a charming actress, but the question is why would she make this movie? Dumb question, the answer of course is for a truck load of money. The script resorts to every cliche ever used in a thriller. From unnecessary chases that move the story along not at all to authorities that don't believe a word the victim says, we have seen this all before. And quite frankly, we have seen it done a hell of a lot better than it was done here. I can't even watch this movie because it is so methodical in letting you know what is going to happen next. It is just irritating.
The Piano
(1993)
Great parts to a fair film.
4 July 2001
This film has some great things about it. Holly Hunter, Anna Paquin, Sam Neill, and Harvey Keitel are in top form. Director Jane Campion does a remarkable job. The cinematography catches the beauty of New Zealand perfectly. The problem lies in the script. It is slow moving, plodding, and rather predictable. And within its tight confines, the characters don't get a chance to grow. All in all, this film has some interesting and intriguing parts, but the whole is not as good as the parts. 6 of 10
The Godfather
(1972)
The greatest movie ever made.
3 July 2001
Francis Ford Coppola achieved perfection on film with this great work. He directs so subtly that he makes it seem simple. But watch the subtleness of the scene outside the hospital when Michael (Al Pacino, at his best) lights the cigarette of Enzo the baker. One quick shot of Michael's hands, and they aren't shaking, and we know that he was born for the family business. The great Marlon Brando ad-libbed the films most important scene, that in the garden with his grandson, as the Don dies in peace, ironic for a man that lived such a violent life. The moody cinematography of Gordon Willis is the best ever caught on film. And the score by Nino Rota (I know the Academy didn't believe it belonged entirely to Rota, but who cares what the Academy thinks?) is a classic. The rest of the cast, which includes Robert Duvall, James Caan, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton, Abe Vigoda, Richard Castellano, Richard Bright, Alex Rocco, Richard Conte, John Marley and Sterling Hayden is in top form. Every film and television show about the mafia since this one has borrowed or outright stolen from this film. It is a story of profound depth, an American tragedy, told in three acts, and this, the first act, is the best. And yet at its root, it is a very simple story, as Don Corleone prepares his children for the lives they will have to live and the world they will have to live in. It can be summed up as family values, mafia style.
Shadowlands
(1993)
Attenborough's best directorial effort.
24 June 2001
This film is Richard Attenborough's best directed film. Unlike Gandhi, it had no ambitions of being a grand scale historical epic. It actually played to Attenborough's strengths as a director, which are story and character development. Of course some fantastic performances from some great actors helped him out immensely. Debra Winger was nominated for an Oscar, and she was great, but we already saw her play the same disease in Terms of Endearment. Anthony Hopkins should have received an Oscar nomination for his incredible multi-layered turn as C. S. Lewis. His lifelong bachelor that falls in love and then questions his own theological beliefs when he grieves is the polar opposite of his most famous role, Hannibal Lechter, and yet he is just as convincing. With Hopkins in the lead, and Attenborough's attention to detail, this movie is one of the most overlooked films on every top 100 list, or in the case of this site, top 250 list. If you like movies that have stories, characters, and atmosphere, this is for you. 8 of 10.
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