RechRo Reviews

Don Jon (2013)

Wait for DVD Release, then Watch on Mute

[2/10 · 5 October 2013]

I saw this last night, and learned sadly that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is not a writer. The trailers more than suggest that this will be an in-your-face movie about a guy with a porn addiction, and in that sense it does not disappoint. But if JGL bothered to go a little deeper (no pun) and tried to actually flesh out his characters instead of making them little more than cardboard cutouts and eye candy, this might've been watchable. It wasn't. I stayed in my seat because I had already paid the full price, but there were so many cringe-worthy moments that I was embarrassed for JGL and everyone who said yes to this movie. The dialogue was so trite and unbelievable--NO ONE TALKS LIKE THAT! Scarlett Johansson's character doesn't seem to have any dignity, as she just goes along with "Don" in whatever he wants to do. Julianne Moore was great, but she seems to have just been tacked on as a device to make Don seem like less of a jerk. Anyway, this just goes to show how far money will get you, because there is no way this would have been green-lit without JGL. It seems he needed an excuse to make out with Scar-Jo and Moore, and hey, who can blame him? But please, for our sake, make something with substance before releasing it to the world. I do hope he gets better if he chooses to keep writing/directing, because I'm a big fan of his acting.

Annie (1982)

A Heartwarming Classic for the Whole Family

[10/10 · 19 August 2013]

I've had the pleasure of catching this on Starz Kids channel a couple of times recently, and could not help crying every time. Aileen Quinn as Annie is simply adorable. Tim Curry and Carol Burnett make a wonderfully funny and evil team, along with Bernadette Peters as Curry's sultry love interest. Albert Finney makes a fine lovable grouch and Ann Reinking rounds out the principal cast as the warm, lovely mother figure. I can't believe the reviews I've seen knocking John Huston's only musical effort. The songs are great, the chemistry between the actors seems natural, and the film is wholesome. An ideal choice for a family movie night. Huston was legendary for bringing out the best in his actors with minimal interference, and I think it shows once again in this film. The creator of the Razzies, John J.B. Wilson, should have been gelded for allowing sweet little Quinn to receive a nomination for this performance, let alone a win. Shame on you, Wilson!

Poolhall Junkies (2002)

Warning: Only For People With a High Tolerance for Idiocy

[1/10 · 21 December 2009]

I don't hate this movie as much as I hate Mars Callahan. He is an awful person for allowing such precious film to be wasted. It seems to have all gone wrong during the writing process. Mr. Callahan forgot the most important rule about writing: Rewriting. And rewriting. And rewriting. The trivia section says he wrote this in two weeks. No kidding. The whole thing looks like improvisation. Bad improvisation. We get it, "Mars". You like to play pool. And you're good at it. That's about all I got from this series of pictures masquerading as a movie. The result was about as effective as giving the audience the finger.

What else can you expect from this? A bunch of bad jokes that shouldn't go beyond the locker room they're so lame. I didn't get anything from the characters, much less the "lead", the great Mars. He just came off as a douche. And Chazz Palminteri and Chris Walken do their best but two great actors aren't enough to save this Titanic mass of garbage from sinking. They might as well be bumping into walls for 120 minutes. It's too bad YouTube wasn't invented at the time this came out. Could've saved a lot of people a lot of time and energy and money...If you've read this and still decide to rent it, you deserve what happens to you.

Yes Man (2008)

Jim Carrey should go back to making comedies

[1/10 · 29 December 2008]

If Stoller, Paul and Mogel (the 'writers') needed toilet paper, they should've gone to their local supermarket for a roll of extra soft Charmins. This 'movie' (to use the term so loosely it's blasphemous), exploits Carrey's comedic talents to make money and possibly tarnish the art of film-making. It's perfectly fine if you go to a movie for laughs, or just to see something light instead of an 'Oscar contender'. What's not fine is how so many mediocre films similar to this seem to come out of a factory instead of someone's imagination.

What's bad about it? The story--what is the story? A depressed guy who says "no" to everything is encouraged to say yes--only he does it without thinking, making things worse. Cue physical comedy. Things go wrong. Time for moral. Cue montage. More physical comedy. Cue wrap-up scene. If I wanted to see something predictable I would have just stayed home and watched TV. I feel so bad about what I've just seen that I don't even feel like continuing this review. Please, stop supporting bad films. If you wonder at how Aaron Seltzer movies (Disaster Movie, Epic Movie, etc.) get made, it's because people continue to see them. I was coerced into buying a ticket to Yes Man, but I'm no less guilty than the ones who went willingly. Still, I feel I've been punished enough for having to sit through it.

Jim Carrey is too talented for trash like this. If you think your brain cells should not disappear and the size of your anus is just fine the way it is, do not see Yes Man because it will feel like a lobotomy and rape at the same time. If you absolutely need to dispose of 10 dollars, rent The Mask or Dumb and Dumber.

Revolutionary Road (2008)

Eagerly Awaiting the DVD release (it's THAT good)!!!!

[10/10 · 5 December 2008]

Just saw this movie. All I can say is: Wow! In this Richard Yates story portrayed through the lens of Mr. Mendes' camera, we enter the relationship of Frank and April Wheeler; a young married couple depicted brilliantly by DiCaprio and Winslet, who seem to be on the verge of marital and emotional collapse as their growing desperation and dissatisfaction with their town and their relationship leads them to think of an escape. There are some compelling, memorable, emotionally gripping scenes between DiCaprio and Winslet, which should interest acting students who wish to know what it means to be "in the moment". Additionally, there is the immensely talented Kathy Bates, whose humorous scenes balance out the heavily dramatic ones nicely and which are sure to leave a warm spot on your heart. Also adding humor to the movie is Michael Shannon as Bates' psychologically unstable son, who steals just about every scene he's in. There are moments where the dialogue can seem to feel cliché, but with everything else working so well, those moments can be forgiven. This is a film not to be missed. I've become a greater admirer of DiCaprio's acting ability as a result of this film, Winslet never disappoints, and Mendes adds another superb credit to his resume with this amazing film. December 26th. Save the date!!!

Clerks II (2006)

Clerks fans SHOULD be disappointed

[1/10 · 20 September 2007]

Anyone who saw this film, whether you are a Kevin Smith fan or not, and liked it must be brain-dead. It felt like Mr. Smith was behind on his bills and needed to make a quick film to make ends meet. The first Clerks, and a couple other films of Smith made me believe he knew how to write dialog. Well, I was fooled. What's wrong with the film? Where do I start? How about the 19-year old "nerd". Does anyone believe this guy? And the actress who plays Dante's wife is just unwatchable based on the lines she's given. The only "funny" parts involve Jason Mewes because I kept wondering if he was actually that much of a jerk in real life.

Since he titled it "Clerks 2" it will no doubt be subject to comparison with the first film, which, despite it's flaws, felt genuine. With this film I kept feeling as if Smith was next to me as I watched, punching me on the arm every time he wanted to get a laugh out of me. I'm sorry, the donkey show was a big letdown. The romance between Dante and his boss was not set up right. I just wasn't invested in the characters. And if it wasn't bad enough, who else but Ben Affleck makes an appearance. Quite frankly, this movie gave me a severe case of diarrhea (both mental and physical) the moment I saw the stereotyped 19-year old nerd, and seeing Affleck was no help. I would suggest that those with high IQ levels not watch this film, as it will lower it significantly (I had to watch three hours of Flavor of Love just to get it back to normal). If you want to remember how great Clerks was, RENT CLERKS. Number 2 should have been released where it belongs: in the toilet.

Snow Day (2000)

Not worth it

[2/10 · 27 December 2005]

I am ashamed to admit I went to see this in the theater when it first came out. My uncle, cousin and I were the only ones in there. The guy in charge of the projector actually turned it off. It was so embarrassing. Calling this a "kid's movie" doesn't excuse it for being a bad movie. The acting is just, unbearable. I would burn all the copies and the negatives. This should have gone straight to video, or perhaps only shown on the Disney channel. Unless you have kids that can appreciate effortless, unfunny movies, or you yourself are a masochist who enjoys torture, then don't watch this. If you are a Chris Elliot fan, rent Something About Mary instead. Unless, of course, if you have kids.

The Rules of Attraction (2002)

Worse than Dawson's Creek reruns

[1/10 · 27 December 2005]

This is pure trash. If you can keep watching after the first twenty minutes then something is wrong with you. James Van Der Beek is unwatchable, but I guess that's not entirely his fault. The script is--was there a script? It's so bad it seems like a poor, poor improvisation. I wouldn't use the script (if there was one) as toilet paper. Save your dignity, save your sanity, save everything you cherish about yourself and don't watch this "film". I'm guessing whoever financed this was either under medication and forgot to take his pills, or perhaps there was a contractual obligation that couldn't be compromised. Either way, there's just nothing good to say about this film. It's unfortunate that teenagers have to continually put up with being portrayed this way.

Young at Heart (1954)

A Classic in my book

[9/10 · 27 December 2005]

There are some moments where the dialog seems untrue, almost forced. But you can forgive that, considering this is the 1950's we're talking about. Sinatra was great at portraying loners who are lonely, and he does a wonderful job here. Devastating at times, pure joy at other times, this is a pleasure to see. If you're wondering whether to spend your cash on this or, say, Cannonball Run 2, then, well, take a friend with you to help you decide. Unlike Cannonball, you will not have to endure a tasteless "movie" with an equally unwatchable Tony Danza. This film may not be included in the top ten list of Classics in the magazines and TV shows that rate movies, but it's certainly worth some recognition.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

Not just for war buffs

[10/10 · 27 December 2005]

This is definitely one of the best films of the past thirty years. It's good to see the harsh reality of war revealed as it is, not how some people want to glamorize it and be patriotic about it. Devastating, compassionate, realistic. Yes, it's pretty long, but it's worth watching every minute. De Niro at his finest. If you don't know whether to rent this or say, Showtime, well, maybe you don't know much about movies. The music is perfect in setting the mood. It's even got some humor in it. So sit back, relax, and get ready to see one of the films that attempts to show what it was really like in that war, although perhaps no one can really tell you what it was like, unless you were in it.

Johnson Family Vacation (2004)

Not worth your time

[27 December 2005]

I expected this film to be bad, and it met my expectations. You can clearly see the effort of the filmmakers and the actors to be funny, but it just comes off as annoying. The jokes are lame. I found it difficult to merely smile. Cedric should stick to stand-up. As for Bow Wow and Solange, who told them that they could act? It's amazing this ever got made. I would have rather spent my time at the library reading up on capital punishment. Obnoxious, unfunny, just a very long headache. Exaggeration to the point of excess (even over-the-top stuff can get too ridiculous), it's just not worth it. Save your money and your dignity. Rent The Kings of Comedy instead, where Cedric shows how funny he really is.

Spanglish (2004)

Simply great, enough said

[8/10 · 27 December 2005]

I have just seen this film and I think it's just great to watch the whole way through. It's the best I've seen from Adam Sandler in a long time (I also hear Punch Drunk Love is good). One of the things I appreciated was that there were no long speeches in front of a crowd like in his previous stuff. The Hispanic culture was portrayed well. The only thing that annoyed me was that Tea Leoni's character was too one-dimensional. It's a great family film. Sandler usually does some cheesy movies, but this is quality movie making. You will find yourself rooting for him in this one. Folks, see this film, you won't be disappointed.