Movie Review: Dirty Pretty Things

Dirty Pretty Things

I've posted before that I like different cultures and that may be why I loved this film so much. Illegal immigrant hotel clerk Okwe finds a human heart stuffed into a room toilet. When he tries to tell his boss about it, he's told to mind his own business.

He rents an apartment from a woman trying to get her immigrant papers together. He sleeps when she's not there, but they have a quirky no talking in public friendship. She's not allowed to work or have any income whatsoever, so the hotel that employs both her and Okwe keep it all quiet.

Inside the immigrant community, someone discovers Okwe has medical knowledge and he gets blackmailed into helping his hotel boss do kidney transplants for immigration paperwork. His lady friend nearly gets discovered at the hotel and she has to find another job. Her new sweat shop employer takes advantage of her and in an attempt to escape the abuse she agrees to sell one of her kidneys.

We feel for these characters. Their lives get tossed and turned by circumstances of being born in the wrong location. They're just trying to survive and live a pleasant life. It's a world very far from Coos Bay, Oregon. Take a chance and explore it.

Bandon has the only DVD copy of this outstanding film.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301199/

Buy this DVD from Amazon:
Dirty Pretty Things

Gross Dog Thursday

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane

Shock comic Andrew Dice Clay plays a "detective" who works with entertainment clients. Truly if you know who Clay is you know the type of sexist jerk humor presented in this film.Lets just say it's not something I ever want to see again.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098987/

Amazon: The Adventures of Ford Fairlane

Absolute Zero

Where do I begin? This moronic view of science left me cold. ;) Seriously, the idea that anywhere on the planet could be absolute zero is preposterous! Let alone that we could "hide" from it in a lab. All this is supposed to happen in Miami, no less. I'd roll my eyes but they might freeze that way. AVOID!!

Library: Bandon & Coos Bay

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0451998/

Amazon: Absolute Zero

Baby's Day Out

John Hughes lost his mind or something. This piece of crap came from him and stars Joe Mantegna, Lara Flynn Boyle, Joe Pantoliano and Cynthia Nixon. Few of which you will recognize. Do not ask me about the stupid rehashed kidnapping plot, because I fast forwarded through just to see if anything amusing happened. Nope. Please, it's not even good for a kid. No way no how.

Library: Myrtle Point

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109190/

Amazon: Baby's Day Out

Die Mommie Die!

Cross dressing Charles Busch plays a Hollywood socialite who supposedly tries to kill her husband. This mixed up subplot upon subplot haphazard film felt like a college project gone very wrong. Look for the comedy stylings of Jason Priestley, rather, don't as he's as terrible as everyone else in this stinker.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322023/

Amazon: Die Mommie Die!

Movie Review: Happy Feet

Happy Feet

Robin Williams and Elijah Wood voice a pair of penguins who lead a rag tag (fugitive fleet?? no no wrong different story.. wait.. where was I.. ) Two groups of penguins find their food supply reduced and one oddball dancing emperor penguin figures out it's people that he thinks are aliens.

He goes on a quest to ask them why they're messin with the food chain and he gets captured and stuffed into a zoo. I'll stop there because to go further would be to spoil. Parent's might want to view this before showing their kids. It seems a little mature here and there.

One thing that bugs me about this whole thing is the magical thinking. Animal's can talk to each other but not to people. Plus the preachy we're ruining the planet stuff, while true, needs a better venue. I remember bugging my mother about only buying white toilet paper when I was a kid. Now you don't even see any other kind. Things CAN change, but the message here didn't make it clear what us alien humans can DO.

It's a cute musical animated story. Worth a couple hours of your time. Look for the DVD in Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora, Lakeside, Myrtle Point, North Bend and Powers.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366548/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Happy Feet (Widescreen Edition)

So many mediocre films, so little time

David Spade
Take The Hit

If you're fond of this crass comic stylings of this guy, you'll like his HBO comedy special.. I quit watching after a while. He held my attention for a moment then lost it. If you don't know his name, he's the blond short comic from "Saturday Night Live", "Just Shoot Me!", and currently on "Rules of Engagement". I'm not sure if that's been canceled though.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0233528/

Amazon: David Spade - Take the Hit

Dan in Real Life

Have you noticed that everyone seems to think Steve Carell rules Hollywood? I have few negative thoughts about him, it's just I think he's overrated. This film felt like a bad remake of While You Were Sleeping. Dan meets a girl out running some errands during the holidays and they hit it off. Turns out it's his brother's girlfriend. Nothing BAD about the film, I wish we could see more original stories that make us think something new.

Library: Bandon, Coos Bay, North Bend & SWOCC

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480242/

Amazon:
Dan in Real Life

Dirty Work

Norm MacDonald can't seem to find a job so he starts doing revenge for money. America's sweetheart Bob Saget in reality has a blue soul and embraces it tightly in this rather scummy comedy. I did laugh, but not enough.

Library: Bandon & Coos Bay

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120654/

Amazon: Dirty Work

Diggers

This quirky almost black comedy left me wondering what the filmmakers were trying to do. It's the story of clam diggers who engage in bizarre side relationships around their working class community. Maura Tierney and Paul Rudd star as brother and sister and seem to be the leads, but it's got a more ensemble quality. It almost made its' way out of the Soso into the Watchable category. Look over the IMDB and Amazon comments and see if you might like it.

Libarry: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469897/

Amazon: Diggers

Movie Review: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Steve Martin and Michael Caine team up as a pair of con men who bilk rich folks out of their money. Playing roles where they get to goof around suits these two to a T.

Look for Martin to play a mentally deficient man that just makes you cringe and laugh at the same time. The ever classy Caine tries to save one of the girl's his partner has targeted.

Realizing the town isn't big enough for the both of them, the two con artists make a bet and the loser has to leave. The title truly tells the character of this pair.

Pick up this DVD in North Bend and look for VHS copies in Coos Bay, Coquille and Bandon.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095031/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Movie Review: Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia

Peter O'Toole stars as the unnoticed British soldier who impresses and trains Arab fighters to help harass the Ottoman Empire. With it's sweeping exotic desert scenery, this film explores the cultural differences from his native lands and those where he's charged with teaching.

As depicted on film, the British Empire failed to take the pulse of countries they colonized. Lawrence cut through that by being regarded as insignificant. No one expected him to accomplish much.

He battles the unforgiving desert and his own demons and sense of loyalty. When he started to succeed many discounted him suggesting he'd "gone native" by wearing the traditional dress of his fighters.

I'm confident you'll enjoy the film, but be aware it's rather long and has some slow bits. Pick up a VHS copy at these branches: Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora, Lakeside, Myrtle Point and Powers. Find the DVD in Coos Bay and North Bend.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056172/
(please look for lots more details about the film. This blog is meant to just give a taste of movies and I leave a lot of the facts to others. I'm more about volume. )

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Lawrence of Arabia (Collector's Edition, 2 discs) - DVD

Dog Days Do Over

Death at a Funeral

This Brit black comedy left me unimpressed. A huge dysfunctional family gathers for the funeral of a man it turns out seems to have been gay. Everything that could go wrong, does repeatedly. I dunno, I suppose I could see making fun of a truly solemn event but none of it worked for me. Avoid it.

Library:Bandon & Powers

IMDB:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795368/

Amazon: Death at a Funeral

Detonator
"Death Train"

This RIDICULOUS Pierce Brosnan made for TV movie has a sequel I did NOT get from the library. Lets just take a wild guess it's as bad as this one. A bunch of baddies hijack a pair of trains in an effort to blackmail counties into paying them to NOT detonate nuclear weapons inboard. Sounds like a Bond plot but definitely didn't execute like one.

Library: Dora

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106689/

Amazon: Detonator

Movie Review: 10,000 BC

Please read last Friday's post that I just wrote today:Movie Review: Doctor Who

10,000 BC

I'm not sure what story they were attempting to tell with this film. This whole mythos that "native" peoples were more connected to something that they could tell the future and people's destiny kinda rings FAKE to me. It's a story of a tribe who hunt mammoths in our past.

A mystical tribeswoman predicts that whoever kills the mammoth will gain the right to a beautiful girl child found among her murdered family. One young boy loves her deeply, but he's not the best hunter. So on the hunt, he gets caught in a net and dragged along with a mammoth. He accidentally kills the beast and his hailed as a hero.

His father left the group years before and was branded a coward. Apparently, the group had problems with those they thought had the ear of the gods. So after the heroic mammoth struggle, the tribe sets out to try and fight the bad guys.

They come across another group of people and it turns out the boy's father had been there and taught one of their people his language. So they re-think the coward bit, but many are captured and enslaved by the baddies. They decide to create a slave revolt and overthrow the god like leader.

It struck me as a weird combination between Stargate, 300 and The Clan of the Cave Bear. Any one of those films were better, but this still flowed along enough to be watchable.

Check out copies from Bandon, Coos Bay or Myrtle Point.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443649/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
10,000 B.C.

Couple of Old So and So

Divine Madness

Bette Midler has a beautiful voice and she's a comic genius. I simply don't like her choice of most songs. I LOVE The Rose, but most of the rest of what she sang didn't really thrill me.

Her comedy bits are really great as well. Very dirty though. Not for kids AT ALL. I love bawdy humor like that.

Honestly I think any fans of hers would like this pre Beaches Midler with its elaborate sets and costumes. I just can't recommend any higher rating as I didn't enjoy most of it.

Library: Coquille

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080634/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Divine Madness

Doctor Strange

OK, this isn't OLD, but it definitely is a soso! Apparently it's a comic that I'd never heard of and animated from Marvel Entertainment. I enjoy a good adult cartoon, but this convoluted plot and hokey story just failed to move me.

A doctor witnesses some monsters crash around a city while some strange fighters kill it. Apparently, normal people aren't supposed to be able to see this. After the emotionally unstable doctor tries to kill himself these mysterious monster fighters send him to Tibet to gain spiritual insight.

Understanding a plot doesn't necessarily mean it really makes sense. I get the good versus evil stuff, but the faith testing seemed shallow and contrived. I get Batman more. He's a rich guy with toys. Spiderman is every man thrust into the super hero role. Dr. Strange comes off as egotistical self indulgent jerk roped into fighting darkness. I didn't identify with him or care what happened.

Library: Bandon

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910865/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme

Movie Review: Baby Mama

Baby Mama

Again, the trailer made this look really stupid but when I started watching I just laughed and felt charmed. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler make an outstanding comedy team.

Fey's character gets bad news from her doctor saying she can't have a baby. So she goes to a surrogate place run by Sigourney Weaver and arranges to have a woman implanted with her eggs. Poehler shows up with her white trash "common law" husband and Fey is just so grateful to have a child she doesn't ask any questions.

Yeah, like that's gonna happen. Ah, well, it's comedy it doesn't have to be rational. Do look for hippy dippy Steve Martin as Fey's boss and a few scenes with Greg Kinnear who plays a white collar professional turned blue collar business owner.

Look for the DVD in these libraries: Baondon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora, Myrtle Point, North Bend and Powers.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0871426/

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
Baby Mama

Movie Review: Doctor Who

Doctor Who

This Brit series reinvigorates an old show that originally aired in the 60's, 70's and 80's. I've only see a few episodes from those years before the fourth incarnation of "Doctor Who" played by Tom Baker. I think I've seen all his episodes and many of the later doctors like Peter Davison and Colin Baker.

This series starts with Christopher Eccleston as the first (new) season Doctor Who. He's quite convincing in his role as the last of his alien race known as the Time Lords. His companion Rose Tyler played well by Billie Piper in both season one and two, charms with her young English shop girl perspective.

David Tennant takes over the lead in season two. Rose and the Doctor traipse about the universe solving alien problems in a blue "police box" that looks a bit like a large phone booth. It's rather complicated but they all do such a good job you pick up what's going on fairly well.

Or maybe that's just me. I love this show and science fiction in general. I liked both seasons and enjoy the behind the scenes special features. Though the Brit's show this to their kids, some American parents might feel uncomfortable with the death and violence. Use your discretion.

Bandon has both seasons on DVD, but look in Myrtle Point for the first.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436992/

Buy these DVDs from Amazon:
Doctor Who - The Complete First Series
Doctor Who - The Complete Second Series

Movie Review: National Treasure 1 and 2

National Treasure

National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

Both films feature Nicolas Cage as a treasure hunter who searches for a stash of artifacts set aside by the American founding fathers. It plays up their Masonic connections and involves secrets and intrigue.

Mostly fluff and silliness, but it's fun enough to hold someone's interest for a few hours. I liked the intrigue and hacking in the first film better. Though the second featured some interesting international travels and interaction with the president. I'm sure they were setting things up for a third film.

Powers has a copy of the first film on VHS and look for the DVD for that in Bandon, Myrtle Point, Coos Bay and North Bend. Coos Bay, Bandon, Myrtle Point and North Bend also have copies of the DVD for Book of Secrets.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368891/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465234/

Buy these DVDs from Amazon:
National Treasure (Widescreen Edition)
National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets (Widescreen)

A break from Tuesday Tradition

Normally I review soso films on Tuesday, but I decided to do add a Gem to the week. I might do the same thing on Thursday too. We'll just play that by ear.

Babe

They subtitle this the "gallant pig" and while I didn't put that up in the top, it fits nicely. If you're not charmed by this little tail (spelling intentional) of a big hearted pig who learns to manage sheep. He makes friends easily and finds himself at a competition going against world renowned sheep dogs.

James Cromwell plays the farmer with an understated air of confidence. Lots of people voice the animals and for the most part the film depicts live animals. I avoided seeing this thinking it would be silly and hokey. I just loved it.

Check out Bandon for the DVD and Bandon, Coos Bay, Dora and North Bend for the VHS.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112431/

Buy this DVBabe (Widescreen Special Edition)
D from Amazon:

Movie Review: Back to the Future Trilogy

Back to the Future Trilogy

Michael J. Fox at his youthful best in this silly time travel tale through family history. In the first film, he goes back in time and messes up and then fixes his parents relationship. Film #2 (the weakest of the 3) he goes into his own future and messes up and fixes past and future events. Finally in the third, he and Doc Brown go into the past and try not to mess things up.

It's way less complicated than I made it out to be. Check out all three and pop a lot of popcorn and have a movie night. I said all I needed to, so this is just gonna be a short review. Christopher Lloyd plays Doc Brown. With notable performances by Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover as Fox's parents.

Coquille and Coos Bay have the complete series on DVD. North Bend has all 3 on VHS individually. Powers, Bandon and Lakeside all have the first one on VHS. If you just want to get one of the films, the first is the best.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/ #1
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096874/ #2
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099088/ #3

Buy the DVDs from Amazon:
Back to the Future - The Complete Trilogy (Widescreen Edition)
Back to the Future
Back to the Future II
Back to the Future III

Movie Review: Jaws

Jaws

Some friends and I were talking about sharks today and I just got the urge to review this film. I saw it as a child when it first came out. It's silly now, but I remember being afraid of swimming in the pool. Thankfully that fear has subsided, but man is this a scary flick.

A huge shark terrorizes a small tourist town beach. A biologist, a sheriff and a fisherman set out to find and kill the beast. It turns out to be way bigger than they expect and with amazing understatement, they realize "We're going to need a bigger boat."

Roy Scheider plays police chief Brody who hooks up with marine biology guy Richard Dreyfuss and fisherman Quinn played by Robert Shaw. These men make you feel they're really fighting a bad ass killer shark.

Just for the emotionally driven action, I'm gonna call this a gem. Since it's an old film, practically every library has a VHS copy. These include: Powers, Lakeside, Coos Bay and possibly Bandon. (the code is weird on that copy) North Bend has the only DVD copy.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073195/

Buy this DVD from Amazon:
Jaws (30th Anniversary Edition)

Dog Day!

Dodge City

Errol Flynn should stick to piracy. He tries to help clean up a western town by becoming sheriff and curbing the one major bad guy. I dunno, too many plots going on at once. First there's a bunch of rustler types mistreating Indians that we don't see, then good guy Flynn guides a wagon train (with cattle) to Dodge City and finally he intervenes on a cattle deal gone bad with the first rustler guy (major bad guy).

Others from IMDB found more to like about the film. Read what they have to say and decide for yourself.

Library: Myrtle Point

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031235/

Amazon: Dodge City

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

I hated this film as a cohesive piece but tiny little bits could have grown it into something worthwhile. A distraught mother of a boy in a coma purchases an android boy that the company promises will bond to her just like a real child. She follows the instructions and indeed the robot connects. He's treated like her child until the real boy wakes. Then the artificial boy gets ignored. He runs away and has interesting adventures.

It's ludicrous for a person to "bond" to a single robot in the shape of a child. First, people grow and change and have different needs. Second, even if they did have the same needs over their lifetime, they would eventually die. Leaving the "bonded to only one person" robot on their own.

Steven Spielberg could have interjected some of himself into this and found a way to explore the concepts of A. I. with the more intriguing bits OR he could have started from the bizzare and interesting ending and went from there. So many missed opportunities. Avoid this stinker.

Library: DVD Bandon, Myrtle Point, Lakeside VHS Dora & Powers

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212720/

Amazon: A.I. - Artificial Intelligence (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

About Schmidt

Kathy Bates made me laugh, but she couldn't drag this film out of the dumpster for me. Jack Nicholson stars as a crusty old fart forced to figure out who he is as he retires. Really sad that when I've seen a film I can hardly remember it. That always indicates to me it's a crap fest.

Library: DVD Coos Bay, Bandon, Powers & Coquille VHS Coquille, Myrtle Point, Lakeside & Coos Bay

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0257360/

Amazon: About Schmidt

Movie Review: Blade Runner

Blade Runner

You'd think being a science fiction fan I'd love this film. I do like it, I just don't get the violence. Murry and other people explain over and over that the replicants have an emotional age equivalent to a child of four, but still, I don't see why they are so angry and vicious.

So the plot involves humanoid creations that seem quite realistic with flesh and bone. They have a set day when they are to expire built right into their cells. Four of these fake humans come to the Earth trying to find answers. Harrison Ford stars as the cop assigned to find these replicants and kill them.

Rutger Hauer leads the androids. He tries to extend their lives by contacting the man who built them. They're clever and manipulative. They find places to hide within the gritty Los Angeles future society.

Much of the dark, overpopulated future dismayed me. I'm not so naive as to think that we'll live in a Star Trek universe where things are all neat and clean, but this went a bit far the other way. It indeed has an unmistakable look.

Not a film for younger children either. But if you're grown up enough for some violence, grab some popcorn and have a view.

Find the DVD and VHS in Bandon and several copies on tape in Powers, Coos Bay and Myrtle Point.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/

If you're a big science fiction fan, many consider this a classic worth owning. Though there is some contention over which version is best. Pick what you like:
Blade Runner - The Final Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Blade Runner (The Director's Cut)

Movie Review: A Dog of Flanders

A Dog of Flanders

The library has a more recent version of this film that I have not seen, but this 1959 film held my interest throughout. I'm a sucker for dogs maybe.

An artistic boy and his milk delivering grandfather find a dog badly beaten along the side of the road. They bring him home and though they have barely enough to eat themselves, they nurse the poor thing back to health.

The boy dreams of being an artist and names his dog after the pet of his favorite artist. It feels like a true story but apparently it's from a novel. A grouchy struggling artist sees the boy and takes him under his wing. Giving him paints and a knife to begin creating paintings.

Though his grandfather partly thinks painting is a wasted profession, he loves the boy enough to let him be himself. Eventually selling some of his things to help the boy buy some art supplies.

The whole family should enjoy this film about a dog, a boy and having a burning desire to be who you are. The film stars a young David Ladd with his artistic mentor played by Theodore Bikel. Donald Crisp plays the boy's kindly grandfather.

The library has one DVD from Bandon, and VHS tapes in Coos Bay and North Bend. There's also a 1999 remake that I haven't yet seen.

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052745/

Buy this DVD from Amazon:
A Dog of Flanders

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Okay! I'm not completely back but sort of. My laptop still has problems and we got a new fan on order. I still watched a ton of films over the last several days, but I just flaked on the posting.

For a while I was using my man thing's PC and it just didn't work for my posting style. I had to tinker and configure and it never worked "right." I'm glad to have the laptop to use, even tho the fan growls and grinds and could just give up at any second.

I'll post a movie review, tomorrow, Tuesday January 5th. I'll get the data all ready so it will be easy to do first day back and all. I'll also fill in the data I missed on previous postings. Thanks for your patience. Yeah, like you had a choice heh.