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shaneskiser
Reviews
Past the Bleachers (1995)
A story of loss and finding.
Richard Dean Anderson is really a good actor. He was great in MacGyver, Stargate, etc., but this movie reveals his skills outside the action hero genre. The movie is great, too. As mentioned in the other reviews, the spirit of the film deals with loss well, and the mystery keeps the interest keen. All of the acting is believable; the direction is strong. This is a refreshing story about humanity without being too maudlin or formulaic. Nicely done. Richard Dean Anderson is really a good actor. He was great in MacGyver, Stargate, etc., but this movie reveals his skills outside the action hero genre. The movie is great, too. As mentioned in the other reviews, the spirit of the film deals with loss well, and the mystery keeps the interest keen. All of the acting is believable; the direction is strong. This is a refreshing story about humanity without being too maudlin or formulaic. Nicely done.
Dazzle (1999)
Delightful
Dazzle is an enchanting balance of light-heartedness and innocent humor.
Surprisingly, the movie is cleverly woven. Nice touches include Tom as an author of children's books about faeries as well as Shakespeare's fairy play within the play, Midsummer Night's Dream.
The gnomes Oddkin and Bodkin impart amusement, keep the comedy cheerful, and provide balance for the mildly menacing antagonist, the Collector.
Melissa is disarmingly charming. Tom and Crystal share a believable chemistry. Ms. Martinet adds a touch of complication as both the skeptic science teacher, rival love interest, and, ironically, the school play director. Tom's publisher and son help with unobtrusive story exposition.
The movie is warm without being maudlin.
Highly recommended.
St. Benny the Dip (1951)
Redemption
Regarding the previous comment about being unable to see St. Benny the Dip as a parody of Les Miserables, I, too, do not see a parody. I do see, however, an homage to Les Miserable. There is in both works the common theme of redemption. In the same way the priest in Les Miserables covers for Jean Valjean and gracefully provides for him, so, too, does the priest in St. Benny the Dip provide for our three scoundrels, and that gracious act in the same way begins the process of redemption. True, Jean Valjean was not the scoundrel that Benny, Matthew, and Monk are, but they, like Valjean move from outside the law to inside the law.
Grace begets grace.