Vincent-11

Cut off the intro and the epilogue bits -- start with the landing craft headed for the beach and end with the scene in the street, and you'd have a pretty good movie. I just resent it when Spielberg pulls out some kind of emotional 2x4 to repeatedly hit me over the head, saying "feel this way," "ok now this way." Lacks subtlety. I feel like I'm being very purposefully yanked around rather than being allowed my own reaction to the words and images.

I have great respect for American History X. Norton's performance is stunning and worth all the accolades he's received for it. (Besides I'll watch any movie with Jennifer Lien just to hear her voice.) Good to see Beverly D'Angelo playing against her "Nat'l Lampoon Vacation" role.

As to the movie as a whole, however, I felt it tried to pack too much into too little time. I wasn't as convinced with the transformationS of Norton's character as I might have been. I also felt that the ending was unnecessary drama. Rather than conveying a message of hope and transformation, we're left, I guess, with the adage that "violence begets violence." I would rather have seen the cycle of racial violence left broken as it had been in the prison.

It seems that Cameron did a decent job of recreating the physical atmosphere of the ship. His attention to detail is noteworthy, but the movie is so overdone. Are we to believe that some extremely recognizable art works went down to the bottom with the rest of Rose's belongings? Is it really necessary to have Rose swimming through freezing water with what?, an axe in her teeth? Does the jilted fiance really have to start firing bullets at the height of the crisis? It is so easy to rattle off a number of pictures from 1997 that were so very much better, starting with "The Sweet Hereafter," "L. A. Confidential," "Good Will Hunting," and "As Good As It Gets." There are many more before we ever get to this one.

"Bad" does not even begin to accommodate this terrible effort. Probably made for some pathetic budget, what this movie lacks in appeal it makes up for in offensiveness. Fake, boring, ridiculous also come to mind. Not the brightest spot on either Rob Morrow's or Hector Elizondo's resume.

I'm too much of a S. M. Gellar fan to not like this movie, but it's impossible to watch it without making comparisons to 1988's "Dangerous Liaisons." In that context, this film, while adequate, just doesn't measure up. Ryan Phillipe is no John Malcovich (not even close) and Reese Witherspoon is a good ways from Michelle Pfeiffer. Only Gellar puts in a performance that might even approach that of Glenn Close. Needless to say the supporting cast doesn't match Keanau Reeves and Uma Thurmann. This flick's ok, but if you want the real deal, look for the much better movie.

This is a strange piece of film to "rate." It's only 26 seconds of some of the most historic (and gruesome) film ever captured -- by chance as much as anything. One wonders what the results would be these days when every third person on the parade route would be wielding a cam-corder.

I am finding "The Ice Storm" difficult to ignore even though several days have passed since I viewed it. Few performances by a cast are as brilliant, especially among the actresses -- Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Christina Ricci. But the material .... ouch! There's not a likeable character here. Instead, there's a web of folks who can only be called "damaged" -- "dysfunctional" is just too clinical for this crew. Not even Tobey Maguire's character gets off easy. I respect the work, but I'm still trying to decide if I could even "like" this one.

The transformation of Joan Wilder via the acting of Kathleen Turner is simply marvelous. However, the best part of the film is the script. There are so many little quips and asides that make the movie come to life. This effort is Diane Thomas's only credit. She died young (auto accident), and before there was time for us to enjoy any more of her work. This movie is a good example of how everything depends on the screenplay first. The sequel, "Jewel of the Nile" has none of the witty brillance of this one.