GroggyLane

Wow! This thing stunk!

When I saw the original Star Wars Holiday Special the day after my 7th birthday, I thought it was awesome! To a 7 year old starved for anyting Star Wars, it was awesome. Even today I wish I had a better copy than the one I got off Ebay. I do still watch it from time to time.

This effort was probably also awesome to 7 year olds. Hopefully 42 years from now they will be talking about the disaster that they loved that was buried and never seen again except for the bad copy they got off Ebay.

14 years ago when this film was made, I may not have thought much about it. I probably would not have watched it and certainly would not have gotten past the first 10 minutes.

9 uears ago when it was released, I would have viewed it much differently. Becoming a father changed the way I look at a lot of things.

Seeing it foe the first time today, this film scares the piss out of me.

First of all, I liked it. I liked it a lot. But a couple of things just made no sense at all. If you have not yet seen the movie.. SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

REPEAT SPOLIER ALERT!!! DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE!

1) To suggest that Bonnie suddenly stops playing with Woody and only Woody but plays with all the other toys the same as always is ridiculous. Makes ZERO sense. She is only starting kindergarten. If she was leaving out several members of the gang, I could buy that. If she was a little older.. ok. But specifically just leaving out Woody.. no way. That was too contrived to steer the plot in the direction the writers wanted. Lazy writing.

2) Gabby Gabby allows herself to be found at the carnival by a lost child. This kids parents are just going to let her keep a doll she found without turning it into Lost and Found? Are these the worst parents in the world? Well they did lose their child at a carnival, so maybe they are. Still not a good lesson for the kids in the audience. If you find something that does not belong to you, you turn it in to Lost and Found. YOU DO NOT KEEP IT! Once again, lazy writing.

Other than those 2 glaring items, the rest of the plot holes were easier to over look.

Sure it may not be Shawshank Redemption or The Godfather, but it really isn't bad at all. In fact, it is probably as good as the original which was awesome! I don't really get what people have against this movie. Is it sexism? Do people have a problem with a group of empowered intelligent women who can accomplish something without men being involved? As a father of a young daughter that's my favorite part of the movie. I think we need more movies like this that show that women can be intelligent, single and independent. A woman doesn't need some dumbass guy to be whole and complete. Is society still threatened by that idea? Seriously, is that what everyone's problem with this movie is?

OK let me clarify that summary line.. As a child of 7 starving for ANYTHING Star Wars, I thought it was awesome! As an adult of 44 lucky enough to possess a copy, I still like it for what it is. It's a memory. It's a memory of a simpler time. It's a memory of the love I had for what I still consider to be the greatest movie ever made! It's a memory of longing for the next film to release. It's a memory of seeing the original Star Wars in the theater. Also watching it reminds me of the attraction pre-shows at Disney World. It just brings back so much. Though it is corny and cheesy, and low budget, I love it! I always will. I wish I had a better copy.

OK, what is the conspiracy here? After all the bad reviews and negative buzz, I really had little intention of seeing this film. However, I found myself with nothing else to do this afternoon and my curiosity got the better of me. I had to see just how bad it could really be? The answer.. Not bad at all! In fact, I liked it! I liked it a lot! I'm not saying it's the greatest movie I've ever seen or anything, but it was really pretty good. I'm excited that they have decided to go through with the sequel. I won't let negative reviews turn me away next time. Maybe it was because I went in with such low expectations, or maybe, just maybe it really is a pretty good film after all. Which leads me to my conspiracy theory. I'm usually not real big on such things. I'm mostly an I'll believe it when I see it type of guy. But in this case I've seen it. So why all the bad reviews and negative press on an otherwise competent film? Is Disney trying to pressure Fox into selling back the rights? By hook or crook? I have to believe... maybe! I just don't see any other explanation. I was sitting there waiting for the thing to fall apart as the reviews had said it would, but it never did. It stayed fairly solid all the way through. The cast was good. The story was good. The effects were good. The script was OK. Even the editing was effective. In conclusion, I would suggest people actually see this film before believing what the press has to say. I think you will be glad you did.

I had high hopes for this one. The first one was fair. There were problems, but all in all a good effort. This was the place where they would either bring it back or go completely in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, they went completely in the wrong direction. The Hobbit story is a good story. I read it when I was young and I know many others who did or at least tried as well. They only criticism I'd ever heard was that Tolkien could be a little dry. But it was a good story and there was no need to change it so drastically. I understand that they were trying to develop subplots in order to extend the story and stretch it into 3 movies, but please. I wonder if the people responsible for writing the screenplay ever actually read the book or just the Cliffs Notes version. If they had actually read the book, they would have seen that there was plenty of story there for 3 movies without ruining the story. But they didn't. So yes, they ruined the story. I don't post a lot of reviews, but in this case I couldn't resist. I guess we'll have to wait for someone else to come along perhaps 30 or 40 years from now to do it right. Until then we can watch the animated version and pretend this movie doesn't exist.

I gave it a 6 because the visuals and effects were very cool. The dragon was great. 6 might be generous. I give it about a 4 for what they did to the story and 8 for visuals. The average is 6..

OK so it's no Cars. Or actually, it's very much like Cars, but the Planes part of that world. That's the whole idea. The Brent Mustangburger character ties it together if there was any doubt. Some of the jokes are similar. Some of the sight gags are similar. But the story itself is actually superior. Rather than a story about a spoiled sociopathic jerk who discovers that he actually does have a heart, this is a story of an individual who is all heart and proves to the world that you can be more than what everyone else tells you that you have to be. The Skipper character is very much reminiscent of the Doc character but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Overall, it's a very inspiring story. Perhaps a little contrived, but it's a cartoon for kids. Lighten up! The jokes are good. The animation is good. My 4 year old daughter liked it and so did I (a 40yo man). As an inspiring story for kids to dream, work hard hard, and succeed, it is far superior to Cars in every way.

I write this review with a heavy heart. I am so disappointed in Disney. I shied away from this one for a long time due to the fact that I did not want to expose my daughter to a movie where the hero is a filthy stinking thief. We already have enough where the hero is a jerk and wins the girl. Now we have a criminal for young girls to dream about? Disney shame on you!! Well she saw the story at Disney on Ice so we had to get the movie. I have to admit, the animation was appealing. The songs were catchy and fun, The Princess was excellent. The story line was very good up to a point. It had such potential. Then they go and make a crook the hero? I don't get it? I say again, Disney shame on you!!

I write this review with a heavy heart. I am so disappointed in Disney. I shied away from this one for a long time due to the fact that I did not want to expose my daughter to a movie where the hero is a filthy stinking thief. We already have enough where the hero is a jerk and wins the girl. Now we have a criminal for young girls to dream about? Disney shame on you!! Well she saw the story at Disney on Ice so we had to get the movie. I have to admit, the animation was appealing. The songs were catchy and fun, The Princess was excellent. The story line was very good up to a point. It had such potential. Then they go and make a crook the hero? I don't get it? I say again, Disney shame on you!!

If this were supposed to be some kind of joke like "Spinal Tap" or "Best In Show", I'd say they did a fair job in creating this 'work'..

Unfortunately however, we are supposed to take this seriously as some sort of tragedy? The only tragedy is that the footage was ever found to be made into this disaster.

It's difficult to rate a documentary on acting, but as Treadwell was trying to act, I'd have to call it poor at best. What a fruit cake! I'd never say that anyone deserved what happened to Treadwell, but in this case it is tempting.

Don't waste your money or your time..

Makes you ashamed to be a human being in such a world.. What a group of intelligent, extraordinary, talented, gifted children with all the potential in the world and yet no opportunity what so ever... These children are just a few examples of millions who will be left behind by society because of who they were born to and where. Even in this country opportunities are so limited to the poor while the rich have every advantage. However, in foreign counties, often there isn't even the shadow of a chance.. Will there ever be a day when the field is level and people will be allowed to grow and achieve based on merit, talent, and potential? Where people will realize that this land belongs to everyone of us, no piece or parcel any more or less to one than another. Where people will reap the rewards of hard work and dedication, not birth right, entitlement, or inheritance.

Human nature prevents it I suppose, and always will. We should all be ashamed.

I had high hopes for this one. I really enjoyed Nightmare Before Christmas for what it was. This effort by Burton scarcely disappoints... However..

It started out like a ride of The Haunted Mansion at Disney World. Unfortunately, I must have missed the unload a couple of times and went around perhaps one time too many. I enjoyed the ride, but at only 76 minutes... it was still perhaps a few minutes too long none the less.

Burton builds an effective love triangle that truly makes you develop feelings for all three corners, and in the end, leaves you feeling sad for one of the three despite an attempt at creating resolution.

If ever the description of porn with a plot applies, this is it. Bordering on child pornography! Larry Clark should be ashamed. I don't know what twisted retarded teens this film was patterned after, but I know it wasn't like this when I was growing up not so long ago. These actors must be pretty hard up for jobs to have accepted these parts. I wouldn't even want my name associated with such a load of crap! I'll give credit for dialog, filming and editing, but if you believe this story line is close to reality, you are pretty twisted as well. Even if there is some dark corner closely resembling this, I surely don't care to watch it. Larry Clark and all those involved are sick #@$%s! You may have careers in the valley with straight to video releases that go to the back room..

I think that editors are a good thing. When writers and directors are new and lacking in success, a good editor can build on great inspiration and make a story something truly special. The problems start when a writer or director becomes famous. Either they become too powerful to allow those necessary little tweaks, or no one has the guts to even suggest them anymore. Well, I'm no writer! That much is plain to anyone reading this. However, I also have no reason to fear M. Night Shyamalan. He could probably take me in a street fight, but the chances of that ever happening are pretty slim. I run too fast! So here goes... I thought Signs was a good movie. I thought it could have been a great movie. The build up of suspense was there. The story kept viewers interested. We liked and cared about the characters. But the cheesy aliens buried it. Was this movie actually made in the 70's and left in the can for 30 years? I felt that the build up was leaving the audience guessing if there really was an invasion at all. Was it all just a hoax, or some unexplainable phenomenon? That uncertainty was the best part of the movie and if we had been left with that, I'm sure some would have cried "Rip Off!", but I also believe that this film would have been hailed rather than panned..

It's hard to put a finger on why this film was beaten up so badly. It was actually fairly enjoyable in many ways. The acting was good. The idea was great. The only thing I can think of wrong with this movie was Lucius. Joaquin Phoenix did a great job with the role he was cast in, but there was something not quite right about that character. Lucius was a little too creepy. I wasn't buying the idea that the cute young girl was digging him in the beginning. It just didn't add up. It's disappointing when a movie with such potential falls short. I believe that a more charismatic personality, or at least some personality on the Lucius character would have made all the difference in allowing the audience that most basic necessity.. Suspention of disbelief!

I just finished seeing Troy and I was a little disappointed. The acting was good, top to bottom. The action was great!! The potential for epic was all there! Then Hollywood steps in and ruins it as usual. Perhaps one of the greatest love stories ever told, and yet the romance between Paris and Helen just wasn't enough? In the usual attempt to separate Brad Pitt from his shirt, a love story is created for Achilles as well. A completely unrealistic and impossible love story. It makes no sense at all, but gives women a reason to want to see this movie, I guess. Why not just cast Pitt as Paris, or Hector? You get Brad's clothes off with a woman, then get on with the story. That could have made sense. Then Eric Bana could have played the commonly regarded homosexual Achilles. Bloom was a perfect weakling as Paris, the lover not the fighter. Bana was great as Hector and could have been just as great as Achilles. Pitt was the real loser here. He was great, but just in the wrong role. Or what Hollywood turned into the wrong role by making it more "woman friendly".

Hollywood, why do you always have to ruin a good story? Why do you always have to spoil a great plot? Why do you have to leave great performances too soon forgotten? Women are smart enough to like a movie because it is a good movie. You give them too little credit and make us all suffer.

The marketing on this film was terrible causing many to pass it by when first released. The previews were completely misleading as to what the film was really about. But for those of us lucky enough to stumble upon it one way or another, we few were rewarded with what should be considered a classic. It is beyond me how this film has been rated so poorly. I can only imagine that many of those voting have not actually seen it. That is a true shame. I personally consider it a solid 9 and easily deserving of being ranked among the top films of all time. If it had been promoted more accurately in its original release, or if those voting would actually take the time to view it, I believe it's rank would reflect this. I had to vote 10 in an attempt to compensate for the error of others.