ABCs at the Movies: The Doubles Round!

[Ellemeno]

Got a 4.6 out of 10 at IMDb - that's a pretty good "mediocre meter." 

Tagline: Every town is... Hometown U.S.A.

[oilgun]

IMDB Comment: 'It's All About Love' is a true oddity. It feels almost like someone recorded all the strange ideas that came into their head for a week, and chose a common topic, i.e. 'Love', and wrote a screenplay from their notes.  But that's not to say it's a bad movie.  In truth, I quite enjoyed it, although I came out of it feeling like I'd woken up from a dream, or possibly a nightmare.  It's quite unsettling.  The plot is both incredibly simple and incredibly complex:

John (Joaquin Phoenix) goes to New York to get a divorce from his famous figure skating wife, Elena (Claire Danes). While he's there, he notices that Elena seems to be in the middle of a vast conspiracy, and together they try to escape it, rediscovering their love at the same time.

The film is set in the near future, although it doesn't really need to be. I like the future in this film, because it's not radically different (except for flying Africans...go figure) but feels like twenty odd years from now. In the near future, people who are lonely or suffer a great loss will often drop dead. And the people of the near future merely walk over their bodies.

John and Elena are Polish, although they don't need to be. It adds certain poignancy, two foreigners not quite in place in a world that keeps putting them out of place.

Joaquin Phoenix and Claire Danes, while both very good (I think...it's hard to tell in a film as strange as this) could possibly have used some accent work. At times they speak with no accent at all, and it seems to distract.

On that note, I would like to point out how brilliant Claire Danes is. Ever since I saw Brokedown Palace, I have been astounded by her acting ability (although, that said, she doesn't do heart-wrenching crying very well). I won't spoil it, but under the circumstances of what happens to her character(s), she's incredible.

Also thrown into the mix is Sean Penn playing John's brother. I honestly couldn't see why he was in the movie, except maybe to oversee all the weather changes (think a far more subtle, low budget Day After Tomorrow with more meaning. For instance, it snows in New York in July, and there are days when all the fresh water freezes) I'm not saying it's a bad point, but another end that wasn't loose, but still needed tightening.

As I mentioned, the plot is incredibly complex. It twists a fair bit, until it seems to cut all things loose and start a new movie some twenty minutes before the ending. Still another way this movie unsettles me.

Visually, the film is stunning. It looks like a far more mainstream film than it obviously is. And while the film is beautiful, it still feels hard to watch, like there's something dreaded under the gloss.

If this reads as an ambiguous review, that's probably a good thing. I like this movie, quite a lot. But I also dislike it. It's easy to see why the DVD cost me $10.

I also like the fact that I own this movie before America even get an official release date. As an Australian, always open to release dates getting pushed back by three months, or movies being on DVD in America for about a year before we even get a theatrical release, this gives me a strange sense of superiority.

An incredibly strange movie and most certainly not everyone's cup of tea, I'll have to be careful of who I recommend this movie to. But see it yourself, as it's a movie that deserves an audience, just a very select one.

==Comment==
I saw this film and it is indeed incredibly strange. 

==ASIDE==
Does Matthew have an inner ear problem or something? 

[Fran]

From a review at IMDb:

This movie will never turn Roger Ebert's crank....

[MaineWriter]

from IMDb:

The film's title invites the irresistible observation, and convenient movie review, "Krakatoa is West of Java." The movie's story is likewise without direction. For what seems like an interminable length of time, the volcano Krakatoa spurts and sputters -- you are teased by the threatening eruption. During this time, the film should be providing its great characterizations; so, you really care about the people who are soon to be blanketed with volcanic lava and/or tsunami waters. That doesn't exactly happen.

Some of the special effects are explosive. Stars Maximilian Schell (as Captain Hanson) and Diane Baker (as Laura) are fine performers, who seem to be trying their best with the material. Brian Keith (as Connerly) is wasted. Sal Mineo (as Leoncavallo) is the best supporting player; though the director cuts away from him a little too soon following a nice "goodbye" scene with father Rossano Brazzi, it shows the most unused potential. Mr. Mineo resembles Marlon Brando in pensive medium shots -- too bad he didn't get more Brando-caliber scripts.



I remember seeing this in the movie theater....

[oilgun]

From IMDb:
"Nerds in love." One of my favorite "guilty pleasures"
Guilty because I know if I admit how much I like it, I might lose some cred as a film buff. But it's a great fairy tale, Anne Bancroft's brief scenes are funny, and Tate Donovan is a man I can get behind! The scene where the nasty superficial gal crushes his ego at the bar must really hit home with a lot of men. And say what you want about Bullock, but here she shows why she became a huge star with her megawatt smile! But my favorite is Mary Mara, a great character actor given a chance to play a broadly funny, well, broad. If you ask me, Pretty Woman is overrated and this movie is underrated!

[southendmd]

AKA Mannequin Two: On the Move

IMDb:  OK, it's bad, but not too awful.

Even though this is a pretty badly made movie, it's something that I just enjoyed when I was a kid. I think because I was in my princess and "damsel in distress" phase.

Watching this movie now, it is pretty ridicules. I mean, the whole history back flash in the beginning, now I know this is a movie and it is supposed to be fairy tale like, but the peasant girl having a beautiful dress and cape with perfect hair and make up? Just didn't make sense. The knights were complete wusses when in real life they were trained to take a sword through a gut and continue in battle.

And the acting, yes it's pretty bad. But again, this was just something that I enjoyed as a kid. For the kids, just let them have fun with it. But as a movie for adults in a serious train of mind, just ignore it.

[oilgun]

AKA Mannequin Two: On the Move

I can't believe Mannequin spawned a sequel!   It makes you wonder about all those "good scripts" that float around unable to get produced.  I feel the same way when I go into one of those remaindered "Giant Book Sales" and see all the crap that's being published. Is it realy difficult to get published?  Publishers don't seem very discriminating to me. 

This is a really slow round isn't it?  People must be busy.

[MaineWriter]

This is a really slow round isn't it?  People must be busy.

Yes, I am! LOL...but since I can play again...

[MaineWriter]

from IMDb (bold is mine):

Dennis Quaid plays Travis Child a skirt-chasing (yet lovable) guy who is constantly sleeping with married women and getting in trouble with the law. His sister straight arrow Amanda (Kristy McNichol) tries to keep him out of trouble but can't do it. She tries to get policeman Conrad (Mark Hamill) to help her...but has Travis gone too far?

If you've heard the title song you basically know the outcome. This is a dull, totally predictable, by the numbers drama. I was one of the few people who actually paid money to see it in a theatre in 1981. I remember the snickers coming from the audience during the "dramatic" scenes...especially at the ending. The only thing that made this endurable where Quaid and McNichol. They effortlessly give out good performances and make this somewhat interesting. Also McNichol play a singer and she was a good singer so she belts out a few songs. Also, in case any one is interested, Quaid bares his butt in this one. Hamill is just terrible...but it's not entirely his fault. His character is badly underwritten and he's just there to provide a love interest for McNichol.

So...this is pretty bad story-wise but worth catching if you like Quaid or McNichol. Or you can just listen to the song and get virtually the entire movie in three minutes. Pretty much forgotten...and for good reason. I give it a 5.



(I actually found this poster at a website called "cinema masterpieces"! LOL)

[oilgun]

From IMDb:
Not as bad as you would think from an Arm Wrestling movie
Author: Shinjiro Kusanagi from Osaka
I actually quite liked Over the Top. The story of the kid and Stallone was pretty deep if you look at it closely. The idea of Arm Wrestling being a major part of a movie sounds stupid, but Stallone plays it pretty well. Some of the acting in this is pretty bad, but some of it is pretty good. Also, the sound track a excellent (Sammy Hagar - Winner Takes It All was the best). Overall, I give it 3.5/5 for being a good movie, but not excellent


==ASIDE==
Just got back from seeing part 1 of the stage production of NICHOLAS NICKLEBY!  It was fantastic!  I sat there with a big smile on my face for three hours.  Can't wait for part 2 tomorrow night!