RDOwens Reviews

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Fabulous Dialogue

[5 January 2013]

I am a huge fan of David Mamet. He was required reading way back before he came to the silver screen.

This is probably his finest work. What better way to bring it to the movies than with this all-star cast? Pacino, Lemmon, Spacey, Arkin, Ed Harris, and Alec Baldwin! Fabulous.

The dialogue, and that's what makes this, is compelling. Sure, cursing is prominent, but the realism is needed to parse this tale of ethics in the business world.

For an office story, the action is quick. The story moves. Like all mysteries (if you are unfamiliar with the story), the characters are all suspects.

Casino Royale (2006)

Solid Reboot

[31 December 2012]

Bond was a staple of my youth. I watched all the Connery and Moore flicks. By the end of Moore's run, the series was tired. I was hopeful Pierce Bronson, who I always thought was a natural, would breathe life into the sagging franchise. Nope.

When the series was rebooted in 2006, I passed. I had moved on from Bond, not that I was ever a huge fan! Yesterday I downloaded all the Ian Fleming books onto my Kindle. I have decided to read them in order. I read Casino Royale. I enjoyed it. I then watched the 1967 film with Niven, Sellers, Allen, et al. It wasn't true to the story and was rather silly. I then decided to give this a whirl.

Worth it! First off, the reboot is fresh and exciting. While the Bond movie elements are there, this has a modern feel to it.

That could spell trouble for a story set amid the Cold War. The changes to the script to keep it fresh mainly worked. I would have preferred Baccarat to have remained instead of its replacement of Texas Hold'Em. Even so, the American cards looked odd set in Europe. Real poker cards would have been appreciated.

The story worked well. The ending was modified. It wasn't the worse change that could have been made, but Vesper did not need to be made whole. I did enjoy the non-suicide by pills angle. That was solid. I wasn't wild about how Mathis was handled. :( I like this version of the series, I think they did justice to the original story, and I look forward to the next one.

Casino Royale (1967)

Extraordinarily British!

[31 December 2012]

Extraordinarily British, yet loathsome.

This is the ugly stepchild of the Bond franchise. Financial squabbles (it always comes down to money, children) caused this production to turn farcical. It does not resemble Bond, James Bond in any way.

My interest here was to follow up to having actually read Fleming's first book. Frankly, it is difficult to even find the storyline in this two hour+ flick.

Playing off of the spy thriller genre using the "there can't be enough stars in one movie" approach to success, Casino Royale is purely 60s. One can imagine what the set was like.

For some reason, there are multiple Bonds in this movie. For the moviegoer, that is a struggle to rectify. A young Woody Allen and Jacqueline Bisset are a pleasant twist.

Forty-five years after its release, this is an interesting look at the period. I suppose anyone interested in the Bond franchise would be interested in having this in his book, as it were. Casual fans, however, will be disappointed as this is a rough watch.

Poirot: Hercule Poirot's Christmas (1994) Season 6, Episode 1

Not True to Original Story

[31 December 2012]

I just read Hercule Poirot's Christmas. Someone mentioned there had been a television version of the story. I looked at Netflix and sure enough, here it is.

There were many details changed from Agatha Christie's story to the small screen adaptation. Many of those were inconsequential, some for no reason at all, and others that were changed that affected the story. I would have much preferred a more authentic retelling of the story, which was good.

Why was Poirot in the house at the time of the murder? It is a ridiculous premise and one that would assuredly cause Ms. Christie to turn in her grave. Three main characters were omitted from the television reenactment. That removed the "love" story end of the tale. The planting of the case, the arrival of the diamonds altogether, and the attack cheapened the plot of this murder mystery. Those changes seem to me unneeded.

The omission of the characters could perhaps be explained away as financial if the addition of the "mother" at the end was not included. I suppose if one were not familiar with the original story this would pass as okay.

Dolphin Tale (2011)

Good Family Flick

[1 November 2011]

Today is All Saints Day. Because of that, my daughter had off from school. She also had a day off last week for a teacher in-service. My wife took the day off then to stay home with Beetle; today was my turn.

We tossed around a bunch of ideas of what to do today. We ended up selecting a simple lunch and movie. Beetle wanted a cheeseburger from Jim's Lunch, the local greasy spoon. She selected this movie for us to see.

I don't go to too many movies these days. It was $16.something to walk in the door for a 1:15 matinée. I used to go to matinées because they were less expensive. There was no ticket taker. No biggy as there were only a couple moviegoers at this time of the day. After splurging another $11 for pretzel bites and a fruit punch for my daughter, we sat down in a completely empty theater. That's right, not another sole for this entire flick. Sweet! The movie was fine. It was a homey feelgood movie. This is exactly my genre, but I have to admit it was okay. Lots of B stars here. Morgan Freeman was billed heavily, but only showed up halfway if not two-thirds of the way through the movie.

In the beginning there was a sign that indicated they were at South Beach, but the flick took place in Clearwater. I am unaware of a South Beach in that area. I wrestled with that the entire movie.

The next time I visit, I am going to go see Winter. She's a pretty kewl dolphin. While I recognize the importance of the work the boy did during the summer, I don't think it should have satisfied his educational requirement. Once again, education was portrayed in a negative light.

My daughter was totally into this movie. She rooted for Winter to accept the prosthetic at the end. What a good sole she has.

Watching this movie was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon with my daughter. We enjoyed it.

Bridesmaids (I) (2011)

Flat out brutal

[9 October 2011]

Every time one turns on On Demand recently, he is bombarded with commercials for this. As with all movies, they splice together the "funny" clips. It seemed like it could be okay. After all, I like Kristen Wiig. I am favorable to Saturday Night Live alumni.

My wife commented that she rented it one evening. The following day I decided to see if it was still available. Indeed it was. That was quite unfortunate.

The plot just never got going. It had the makings of being good. My wife commented that it was kind of like the female version of The Hangover. Except for the laughs. Seriously, this was brutal to watch.

I may have gotten a half chuckle once or twice. And that was all.

This was a waste of time and money.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Zany, but compelling

[9 October 2011]

I've been hearing about this flick since it was released. People quote it. People use images as avatars. There is definitely a cult following to it.

Last evening I could not sleep. I finally dialed this up on Netflix.

I liked it. I really liked it. It is very much in the offbeat camp of things. Jeff Bridges sometimes rubs me the wrong way, for some reason. Not in this movie. He nailed The Dude! Nice job.

The caper was interesting too. Zany, but compelling.

The Big Lebowski may not hit me quite the same way as others, but it is worth watching and having a few chuckles.

Ron White: You Can't Fix Stupid (2006 TV Special)

Good Chuckles

[26 July 2011]

I missed the Blue Collar Comedy phase. Foxworthy was never my kind of humor. More recently, however, I have seen some of the movies recorded on those tours. Welcome, Ron White.

Ron White hits my funny bone for some reason. He's crass. He's blue. He's chauvinistic. Yet, he cracks me up.

This show, recorded in Dallas, does it for me.

You're not going to get great insight to mankind by watching this, but you will get some belly laughs. Y'know, those deep laughs because he's nailed something. That's where the title comes from. He explained why you should marry for brains rather than beauty. You can get a face lift, breast enhancement, etc., but you can't fix stupid. Brilliant!

Ron White is guy humor. It's not that women can't enjoy it, because obviously from the crowd shots, plenty do, but White seems to tap into guys' psyches.

When you need a light show with some good laughs after he children are tucked away, this will hit the spot.

Freakonomics (2010)

Interesting Documentary

[25 July 2011]

A few of the issues addressed in the book are examined: cheating, paying students, crime.

The crime segment was interesting as statistics were actually used. I didn't quite understand how the percentages were developed for why crime decreased. I do find it interesting that Roe v. Wade is used to explain the reduction of crime in the late 1980s.

I guess I didn't quite follow the sumo controversy too carefully. That a match that doesn't much matter is "thrown" doesn't bother me. When an NFL team has secured a spot in the playoffs, it often doesn't play its stars in a meaningless end of season regular game. I liken the sumo situation to that.

Freakonomics is thought provoking. For that, it is recommended. Treat yourself to an interesting flick.

Comedy Central Roasts: Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget (2008) Season 1, Episode 6

Insipid Comedy

[25 July 2011]

I like roasts. I like comedy. I am not offended by blue comedy.

I did not care for this.

First off, Bob Saget isn't exactly my kind of comedian. Yes, I am aware his comedy is different than his Full House persona. He was about the highlight of the show.

John Stamos hosted. I suppose that is forgivable given their careers. There isn't much forgiving the stream of comedians who followed.

Most of them were C+ comedians at best. All worked blue. It seemed like the F-bomb was required. One here or there would have been no problem, but it was some people's act.

Why was Cloris Leachman on the dais?

Love Norm Macdonald, but his set was awkward. Would have liked to have seen Sarah Silverman at the lectern, not taped.

What was most horrific, however, is that the comedians worked from very visible scripts, often reading their jokes. Really? This is how you are going to present yourself on national television?

Don't waste your time on this rubbish.

Charade (1963)

Hepburn and Grant Whodunit

[25 July 2011]

This was a cute 60s whodunit with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Supporting roles were James Coburn, Walter Matthau, and George Kennedy.

It had a twist or two, but nothing particularly eventful. Hepburn was all this movie needed. Grant was aging by this time, although his charm was still present.

Set in France, Hepburn was about to divorce her husband when he happened to be murdered. It seems he had a stash of cash that a list of hoodlums wanted. One by one they came to get it from Hepburn, who knew nothing of it. One by one they began dying. By the end, she figured out all and a happy ending was had.

Fun movie for a light-hearted evening.

The Bourne Identity (2002)

Decent thriller

[25 July 2011]

I like thrillers. This was an action-packed thriller that held my attention. I had wanted to see this for a number of years. It seems like it has only been recently that I have spotted it on the tube. Until then, only the sequels were shown. I have something about watching series in sequence.

I thought the premise was a bit forced. I don't really understand why we wanted to get rid of Bourne to begin with. Just because a hit went bad is a reason to kill him? Other than that, it was a fine movie.

Lots of action, good visuals.

It seems like Bourne is akin to a modern day James Bond.

The Mystery of the 13th Guest (1943)

B Movie Disaster

[25 July 2011]

Perhaps I am not as well-versed in movie history as others are. I don't know what a Monogram film is.

I like mysteries and it was recommended in Netflix. I was surprised to see it only lasted an hour. Of course, well before the hour was up I was grateful for that fact.

This is not a good movie. It's akin to a bad short story; you just have to finish even though you know it's not going to get any better.

The grandfather dies and the folks who were at dinner 13 years before begin dying off. Who is responsible? We eventually find out, but there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why that person is responsible.

The dialogue is insipid. The acting is not good. The lighting doesn't seem too good either. There's the hard-edge detective and the campy one-liners. It just didn't work.

Spare yourself; there are better movies out there. There's nothing about this that I find worth sitting through.

Stones in Exile (2010)

Rock Filler

[24 July 2011]

Great band. Great album. Mediocre documentary.

This is a patchwork of stills, video, and voice overs looking at the iconic album Exile on Main Street.

The beginning was excellent staging the setting of how the Stones were forced out of England due to tax issues. Taking up residence in the South of France would lead them to cut this great album.

But that is when the documentary began to drift. The story was cut with lots of recreations. Truly. Grainy black and white video with actors who are supposed to resemble the Stones are frequently cut in.

What I would like to have seen (heard) is more music. Seriously.

Perhaps gathering the band together, not scattered as they were (save Mick and Charlie) would have permitted more dialogue and insight into the creative process.

Crossplot (1969)

Silly Late 60s Mod Film

[24 July 2011]

This really wasn't a good movie.

Roger Moore in his pre-James Bond days, one can easily see him taking on Bond here. It is reminiscent of Pierce Brosnan waiting his turn for the role.

I've always enjoyed Moore's other roles. He was always charming. He is here too. Unfortunately, the script is weak.

There's lots of late-60s hair, fashion, and context here. For that, it is an interesting look back.

But if one is seeking high drama, a good caper, or anything particularly intelligent, this is not your movie.

Ocean's Eleven (1960)

Rat Pack Cool

[24 July 2011]

I am usually a guy who likes originals to retreads, classic to modern, etc. Yet, the original Ocean's Eleven I think is inferior to the remake of 2001. There, I said it.

It has the same flavor of hipness. Perhaps I am too young to appreciate it all. Yes, Sinatra, Dean, Sammy et al. are cool. There just seems to be something lacking here in comparison.

No, this was never intended to be a masterpiece. It was the Rat Pack having fun in their playground. It shows. There is singing here, that thankfully the new guys refrained from. I wasn't terribly impressed with the lip syncing.

The Red Skelton scene was funny.

The heist was and build-up to it was less exciting.

Nevertheless, it was fun to see Vegas from 50 years ago. It was different. I always enjoy the vibe of the early 1960s films and that was very much on display here. I am sure in its day, this was cool.

Fun for nostalgia's sake.

Dial M for Murder (1954)

A Perfect Classic

[24 July 2011]

A Hitchcock masterpiece!

The perfect murder fouled by a simple mistake. There's always a flaw.

While the plot is straightforward and a great suspense movie, what does it say that a cheating wife wins out in the end? Hollywood liberalism early on.

Ray Milland and Grace Kelly are masterful here as is Hitchcock. This is a classic and should not be missed. This movie is what the dreadful Michael Douglas movie A Perfect Murder was based on.

I love these 1950s movies. The style is missed. The simplicity of the tale told here is wonderful. It is a far more compelling movie than most released these days without all the special effects.

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

A Funtastic Caper

[24 July 2011]

While I am not a George Clooney fan nor a big Bred Pitt fan, I think they did very well in this flick. An all-star cast that created a wonderful vibe in "cool", this is a signature movie of the decade.

Heists are always fun. It's great to see how the caper unfolds.

The double story is a nice touch.

Andy Garcia plays his role convincingly. The story is a bit far- fetched, but interestingly crafted.

Don Cheadle is wonderful as the explosives expert. It was nice to see Matt Damon take a supporting role despite his high profile at the time.

In the way of modern movies, this left the storyline open enough for a sequel, which did come.

The Informant! (2009)

Interesting Odd Unknown Movie

[10 July 2011]

I was flipping through HBO On Demand when I came across this movie. I had never heard of it . . . or at least I didn't think I had. While not a huge Matt Damon fan, I find that I usually lie the movies he's in. Yes, an oddity.

Anyhow, I tuned in. It's a quirky flick. Based on a true story, Damon's character narrates throughout. It took me a while to realize that this wasn't going to be an Erin Brockovich story.

As the tale unfolded, I realized I knew a little bit of the story as I recall reading about it back when this occurred.

This is not a great movie, but it is interesting enough to view. It fits the time when you want something that isn't pure comedy, but don't want to think too hard while viewing.

The Hangover Part II (2011)

Formulamatic Sequel

[9 July 2011]

My wife has been cackling aloud for the past two weeks since she saw The Hangover on cable. She has been jonesing to go see the sequel. That was this evening. Ugh.

The plot seemed so slow. Sure, there was a good line or two, but the story was just so played out, far-fetched, and tired. Unlike the original, this seemed uninspired. There should not be a third in this series.

It's been a bit since we have been to the theater. At $10.50 a pop, wait for the rental in a couple months because you just may want to turn it off.

Having said all that, Stu's singing of Allentown was genius.

For Love of the Game (1999)

Decent Love Story, Good Baseball Flick

[1 July 2011]

I shouldn't like this movie . . . it's a chick flick and it has Kevin Costner in it. Yet, I'm attracted to it for some reason. Probably the baseball angle. Vin Scully is masterful. I like how the love story is intertwined within the baseball game.

For all of Costner's faults, he makes pretty good baseball movies.

You earn gravy points with your woman for watching something she likes, and you get to see Yankee Stadium. It's pretty good all the way around in that sense.

The storyline is pretty flat, the ending is predictable, but it is still a decent way of spending two hours or so.