P O R T L A N D - M A I N E
"After years of writing for various magazines such as DV,
Publish, and Computer Artist, I thought it was time to branch out. As Program Director for
WCTV, I've written and directed several television movies of my own, so I thought now
would be a good time to write about other people's movies. So here it is, "McMahon at
the Movies". Check back often and hit 'reload' for the latest reviews."
- Frank McMahon 
RATINGS:
Total Waste of Time
Hard to Recommend
Good Choice But Has Its Ups and Downs
Very Enjoyable - Well Worth Your Time
A Classic - Must See
Comments? frank@fmstudio.com
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The Avengers
As my girlfriend and I left the theater after watching The Avengers, her fists were
clenched and her brow was tense as she repeated the phrase "That movie just made me
mad…". What could illicit that kind of reaction? A movie could be bad, but to
instill anger in an audience member? Well the Avengers is probably the biggest come-on
followed by the biggest bust of the year. If you have seen the previews, you know that the
yummy cast and dazzling effects seemed to practically insure a good time. I couldn’t
wait. And it was a Warner Brothers movie..that means it’ll be out on DVD in a few
months and I can enjoy the film all over again, with supplements! Cool! Sitting down in
the theater tonight and watching the snazzy opening credits I was fretting that maybe I
shouldn’t give it four or five stars, because this was gonna be a movie I liked even
before I saw it. Wrong. After the well done title sequence the movie just stumbles
downhill fast, real fast. So much went wrong I hardly know where to begin, but since
it’s my job, I’ll have to start somewhere. First of all I am not familiar with
the Avengers TV show, it was slightly ahead of my time and the series doesn’t even
crop up often so I can check in. Maybe I am missing something, but there seemed to be very
little development of any of the characters. I know I have said that in many reviews, but
here it could not be truer. Within minutes, leads Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman meet up
and are thrown into their first case. But wait…who are these people? I assume secret
agents. But why are they matched up? The feeble plot centers around Sean Connery as
a…umm…weather guy…who can control when it rains and snows. Yikes, how
horrific. Connery is completely wasted and the only saving grace in his performance is
that several of his scenes have an uncanny resemblance to those in his Highlander series
of movies. I know that’s not much, but I was just trying to think of things to
entertain myself during the movie. Ralph Fiennes, after giving a fine performance in The
English Patient, slips back into his wooden boy act as seen in Quiz Show: he delivers his
lines as if this were a book on tape, charismatic delivery completely sucked out of his
body, leaving him a hollow fossil of his former self. Uma Thurman is the opposite, her
batting eyelashes are all attitude, however she has precious little to work with here.
Only in short snippets, such as when she is locked up in a straight jacket and trying to
talk herself back into reality, does she really soar with crisp dialog and divine facial
expressions. However these shining moments are too few, as she is typically just ducking
away from whatever asinine event is currently transpiring. What saves this film from one
star and bumps it up to two is the excellent production values, the sets and costumes are
heavenly eye candy. I really liked the whole look and style. Also there is some downright
snappy and well written dialog, which unfortunately is wasted in a movie that is destined
to sink pretty fast from the theaters. I am sure The Avengers looked good on paper and the
cast certainly would have been up to the task, but once again a lackluster script that
hobbles along aimlessly does in what could have been a cinematic gem. And those teddy
bears…what was that about?
Believe everything except your eyes. Actually scratch that, believe this review you are
about to read. Snake Eyes fails to deliver on several levels. Seeing a bad movie in a good
theater is especially distressing, because it only seems to amplify the mediocrity of the
proceedings. While Snake Eyes sure had some bone crunching audio on the big screen, it
rang hollow after the credits. The movie was a laborious exercise from the beginning, as
Nicolas Cage just annoyed the hell out of me. I mean he’s yelling and yapping like
some junkyard dog from the get-go and I just wanted to slap him. Please, Nic, play more
suicidal drunks! Just chill out! Brian DePalma who kicked it with the rowdy Mission
Impossible follows up that film with a lifeless, improbable adventure that steals
shamelessly from his earlier work such as Blowout. While including some neat camera tricks
as well as some flashback and flash-forwards through time, it is not enough to pull
together this unpolished script. Perhaps the main problem is the story is all about the
mechanics of the story. Who did what, to whom and where. But since the plot can be
sketched out in a few sentences, it is especially tiresome to see it stretched out to over
two hours. The bad guy is easy to figure out early on, and he is pointed out to the
audience halfway through the movie, diffusing any wisp of suspense the film could have
mustered up. After that the story just goes through the motions, it tries hard to get you
wrapped into the plot but you are never once pulled in. Cage and DePalma are talents and
lets hope they just put this behind them, as it is not going to be a bright spot on
anyone’s resume.
Never saw it. Heard about it. Saw the clips on the Oscar telecast. Knew the famous
lines such as "Frankly my dear, I don’t give a rat’s ass" (I’m
paraphrasing). But never actually sat down to watch the film. Until the recent rerelease,
where I not only got to see it, but on the big screen no less. First the bad news, and
maybe it was the theater I saw it in or the age of the film, but the audio certainly could
have been a little cleaner. Especially considering this new version is supposed to have
digitally enhanced sound. I found it quite scratchy and it certainly took a while to get
used it. The good news? What a great movie! From a technical standpoint the remastered
print looks gorgeous. Very vivid and colorful as it practically leaps off the screen. As
for the story and acting, Gone With The Wind hooked me in from the first scene to the
last. The most remarkable thing I noticed is how present day it seems. I mean it is a
period piece but it has such contemporary dialog and vibrant performances, it hardly seems
like a film from the 40’s. Rather it has the look and feel of a production filmed
last week! For those of you who have missed this classic, take it from me, get out to the
theater if this limited run showing comes to your town. It is a long movie, with an
intermission, but you will definitely be entertained.
Clocking in at a seat squirming 170 minutes, Saving Private Ryan is what usually
happens with most Hollywood movies, get the brightest talent together and hope that is
enough. It’s not. The script for the most part is all setup, Tom Hanks must locate a
soldier, played by Matt Damon, because his other three brothers have been killed in the
war. They need to make sure Mom has at least one of the litter left. A team is assembled
and lives are risked and lose to save the soldier. Never mind the implications of the
task, they are never truly explored. Heck, even the Star Trek films discussed the good of
the many outweighing the good of the few. It’s all about the quest, and what follows
is proceeding with the task at hand. Now I know this is a war movie, but there is way too
much action. Battle scenes drone on and leave little emotional impact other than a gore
factor. In fact the first half hour is a fierce battle with characters we hardly even know
yet. Had director Steve Spielberg flip-flopped the intro, spending the first half hour
telling the stories of these men, then sending them into battle, it would have been much
more engaging. As for the battle scenes, they are well done from a technical standpoint,
but since we care little about the under developed characters, the cinematic impact is a
little hollow. Scenes straight out of a Hallmark greeting card start and end the movie,
and are based on Private Ryan years and years later. I wasn’t moved, because I knew
even less about Ryan than the lead characters. Tom Hanks does a serviceable job and the
direction is visually interesting. But Saving Private Ryan is a ponderous exercise and
left me dry eyed with every emotion curve ball it threw. The fact that I was more involved
with a movie like GI Jane tells me that Spielberg should have spent a little more time
expanding the character’s scope and tightening up the disorienting action sequences.
Michael Moore is up to his old tricks again. His film Roger and Me took an unblinking
look at unemployed factory workers in Flint, Michigan. Here the framework is around
Michael’s book tour, but he manages to stop in several places just long enough to
cause trouble. If you have seen Roger and Me, you know the act: barge into a corporate
lobby and try to get upstairs to talk to the CEO. The sad part is, until the last scene,
Michael never makes it past the security guard and maybe an assistant of an assistant.
Cornering a person who works in the lobby has none of the bite that some of the scenes in
Roger and Me had. Despite the fact that Moore is much more organized this time around,
armed with yearly profit margin totals, information about layoffs and checks for eighty
five cents, "to pay the first worker’s hourly wage when they move the plant down
to Mexico". Funny on paper, but embarrassing when presented to entry level employees.
Part of the problem may be that he is no longer a renegade filmmaker, now he is a widely
recognized celebrity. Not that the film is a total loss, the best bits are when Moore is
on stage doing monologues and telling stories during his tour. If this were a concert film
with more of these bits, I probably would have liked the movie better, since Moore not
only has good yarns, but knows how to pace and deliver them. One very good emotional
moment is when a woman comes to get her book signed and after a few random questions from
Moore reveals that she got laid off today and beings to break down. Powerful stuff. But
for every scene like that, there are five throw-away clips such as Moore having his
personal assistant apprehended by the police (not very funny). In the end, Moore is
grasping at straws, things are not quite as bad as they were during the time Roger and Me
was filmed, so he has to dig even deeper. And typically, such as a midnight meet with
disgruntled book store employees, he comes up short. The last scene, Moore actually gets
in to talk with the head of Nike, to discuss the fact that underage minorities in third
world countries are actually putting together America’s favorite running shoe. But
since he is invited in, and even presented with a pair of shoes, the banter seems too
relaxed to be confrontational. The most telling moment is when Moore himself is asked by
one of his crew about his book, wondering what he thinks about it being marketed by a
corporation. He jokingly says that he hated corporations until his book made the New York
Times best seller list. Michael, welcome to the American Dream.
Sure the movie is funny, but unlike the previous movies by Peter and Bobby Farrelly,
Dumb and Dumber and Kingpin, this film has a heart. It’s really a sweet romantic
movie, with several scenes of hilarity mixed in. I’ve seen way too many movies with
underdeveloped characters, but the Farrelly’s, even for a silly comedy, take a little
extra time in the beginning of the film to do some developing. So within 10 minutes you
are really feeling for the geek, Ben Stiller, who has a crush on the girl, Cameron Diaz.
This makes the rest of the movie that much funnier, since these outlandish situations are
happening to real people, and not Airplane/Hot Shots-like characters. Stiller does a great
job of playing the straight man. His searching for something to hold on to during the
insanity that prevails is engaging. Cameron Diaz as well plays it straight against many
characters and her comic timing is simply perfect. While you may have seen the previews
and thought this was a laugh a minute yuk-fest, the movie is something more. The laughs
are actually further apart and mixed in-between is a refreshing story of two people who
really should be together. See this movie with a crowd if you can, like the recent movie
The Wedding Singer, this is one flick that becomes 10 times better enjoyed as a communal
experience.
Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas star as teacher and student, receptively, in a
tired remake of the Zorro saga. As much action as there is, I was surprised to see quite a
bit of comedy mixed in. I always have a bone to pick with action movies that take
themselves too seriously and the creators of Zorro rightly diffuse the tone with some
hilarious moments. Sadly it is not enough, as the film just doesn’t have enough to
pull you in. Every character is right off the bad guy / good guy shelf, so there is little
variation. The two leads have had some sparks in other films, but here they are less than
engaging given the soggy material. About the only shining feature is Catherine Zeta-Jones,
who captures Antonio’s heart. She is gorgeous to look at and lights up the screen
with her feistiness. However aside from a rollicking sword fight with Zorro, even she is
not enough to save this tired epic. I’m not even sure what went wrong, as all the
elements seem to be in place. Perhaps, that was the problem. Maybe they needed to mix the
formula up a bit, bring it up to date and take some chances. But as it stands now, and
unlike the legend, this Zorro will quickly fade from memory.
Anyone hoping to see a fond homage to the disco era should look elsewhere. Disco is a
key element but set in the background, unlike a movie such as The Wedding Singer, where
the music and style from that era infused every scene. Here the decade plays second fiddle
and little attention was paid to defining the time. Aside from a few costumed people,
everything looks pretty 90’s, from the clothing to the hair styles. In fact, if not
for the constant stream of disco music, this story could have taken place last week.
Anyway, now that we know the title of this movie may promise more than it delivers, how is
the film itself? Quite charming. It sort of sneaks up on you, the first half seems like
random vignettes that don’t necessarily mesh together. But after a while the
characters start to define themselves and the snappy dialog keeps things going along at a
great clip. Suddenly you are wrapped up in the lives of these people. Whit Stillman, who
also wrote/produced/directed Metropolitan and Barcelona, does a fine job of taking us
inside the bar scene world of two young woman, played by leads Chloë Sevigny and Kate
Beckinsale. Chloë’s quiet demure makes for delightful conflict against Kate’s
prim condescending attitude. Both girls give great performances and are captivating to
watch. Other characters are introduced into the mix and a plot starts to emerge around the
second or third reel. Kind of surprising, because the movie appears to want to be a
character study and then dovetails into an intricate investigation. As for the disco
element, most of the scenes take place in a club and we are treated to a constant stream
of music. It becomes a bit much and it seems the filmmakers are perhaps trying to cram a
lot of hits in. But it is never overly distracting and the story rolls along quite well,
so the stream of music is less noticeable. This is one of those movies that may slowly
grow on you. A day or two later you might think back over key scenes. It’s a subtle
tale but with some smart sensibility and heart flowing gently under the current. There are
also issues brought up and the way the characters sit around and discuss them is very
engaging. Last Days of Disco may not be a disco era tribute per say, but it is rich with
great performances and a delightful slice of life from a time not so long ago.
Spanish director Pedro Almodovar (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Woman on the Verge of a
Nervous Breakdown) serves up a complex plot that involves adulterous activity, double
crossing, and plenty of sex. While the plot is certainly intriguing, there seems to be way
too much of it. A policeman corners a robber, who is really innocent, a fight ensues, a
gun goes off, the innocent man goes to jail, the policeman is left paralyzed, the man gets
out of jail, vows revenge, entices the policeman’s wife, etc., etc. It continues on
and on as the movie plays out like one big chess game, really centering on how the lives
of these characters will cross over and over again. We never really get too personal with
any of the leads and that is too bad, they are all in a complex situation that begs to be
explored emotionally. But instead it is on to the next plot twist. Even the ending of the
movie seems a little flat. The opening takes place with a woman giving birth on a bus, the
ending, same thing. The arc completes itself but rather than introspection, we are given a
quick bit of dialog and on to the credits. This was a moment for the characters to pause
and reflect, and like the rest of the movie, they didn’t pause nearly long enough.
Live Flesh has some good moments and some good sensuality mixed in with a bouncy plot, but
overall I wasn’t engaged with any of the leads, and the ending, which should have
been an emotional upheaval, left me dry-eyed.
Why are all the characters in Armageddon shouting? I swear the first half of the movie
has everyone yelling over everyone else. And it’s not because there are asteroids
hitting NYC and they have to talk over the sound, it’s just because maybe the trite
dialog sounded a little shallow in the rehearsals and the director wanted to punch things
up a bit by having everyone launch dialog like a missile rather than have it roll off of
their tongue. Bruce Willis plays Harry Stamper, an oil rig expert who is recruited by NASA
to fly a space shuttle up to an asteroid heading towards earth, drill a hole in it and
toss in a bomb. His ragtag team must be sent up with him of course, you know, to save the
world and all. Liv Tyler is Willis’ daughter, who is being courted, much to the
dismay of Willis, by Ben Affleck. Tyler seems like she is inserted into the film only for
her natural splender. Every 20 minutes or so, between action sequences, she pops up, her
pouting lips filling the frame, conveying a sense of angst at the thought of her father,
and boyfriend, up there in space saving the world. Also inserted every so often are shots
from around the world, nations all over the planet, waiting to see if they will live
through this (or at least live through another Aerosmith song screeching through the
soundtrack). These segments showing people in China and France and other countries are
shot like crass TV commercials, and gave me a sense of peace, knowing that I live in a
world where I can place a call for ten cents a minute, anytime, day or night. Armageddon
is not necessarily bad, in fact it has some good laughs, touching moments and great
action. So why do I feel so violated? I like a guilty pleasure as much as anyone, but here
I think everything from the flying flags to the hero’s mission was so contrived and
designed so carefully that I felt like I ate Chinese food, an hour later I was hungering a
real movie. I actually enjoyed parts of Deep Impact earlier this Summer much more (Deep
Impact was the same plot, studios are preplanning so carefully that the sequels arrive
only a few months later) and I think that movie had much more to say about the real drama
that could unfold should this event actually happen. Armageddon is more than just a
brainless action film, it is a brainless action film very carefully constructed to be a
brainless action film. While it may be a good ride, grab the handrails and enjoy it while
it lasts, because it rings very hollow after you get off.
There is a scene in Out of Sight where star Jennifer Lopez is sitting in her house and
must get up to answer the door. She slowly rises and strolls over wearing, for no apparent
reason, a Dolphins football jersey and a delightfully snug pair of sweat shorts. The
camera momentarily lingers on her perfectly formed derrière, practically giving the sweat
shorts a life of their own for one brief, shining moment. That, ladies and gentleman, was
the only scene I truly enjoyed in the entire one hundred and twenty three minutes of Out
of Sight. Actually, scratch that. There was also another scene late in the film where Ms.
Lopez wore a divinely fetching shade of metallic lipstick. That was pretty saucy. OK, so
there were two moments I truly enjoyed in the entire movie. And sadly that is not nearly
enough to recommend this film, a slowly paced crime drama that was full of potentially
interesting characters doing the most uninteresting things. The movie stars George Clooney
as a compulsive bank robber who breaks out of jail and falls for a by-the-book FBI agent,
played by the aforementioned Jennifer Lopez. Now I have nothing against George. In fact a
second viewing of Batman and Batgirl, or whatever that movie was, showed that he can be a
dashing leading man. His acting chops are there, no trouble in the handsome department and
the head jerking has slowed as of late, perhaps due to his advancing age (recovering
head-jerker Michael Keaton has a cameo in this film, man, get those two in a room
together!). But here, like most of his big screen performances, the material does not
exactly challenge him. The movie rolls around at a ponderous pace, and while there is no
doubt the two leads will eventually kick off some bed sheets, what happens before and
after is a mishmash of poorly drawn characters who offer little of anything. As for
Jennifer Lopez, she is certainly one to watch. Just not in this movie. Although she is
pretty captivating, she doesn’t really have too much to do here, except stay a step
or two behind George. But she has a bright film future. If she can stay away from ER cast
members and giant snakes (Anaconda) and latch on to some meaty roles, she will run with
it. I’ll pass on Out of Sight but I’ll keep an eye on Jennifer’s next move.
She has the talent and screen presence to make it as a major player. Not to mention
looking great in sweats.
I’m a sucker for Disney films. If you think about it, movies like The Lion King
are really just a bunch of pictures that someone drew. That’s it. The fact that these
drawings, adding in voice, sound and music, can move an audience, is still pretty amazing
to me. And no recent film in memory can move an audience like Mulan. I hate to even call
it an animated film, because it transcends the genre, it is funny, awesome, and
heartbreaking in a very grown up way. While kids will love it, adults will be swept up as
well. It reminded me a bit of Braveheart. While there are no direct references, there are
common themes such as standing up for yourself and trying to win a losing battle, no
matter what the odds. The movie has many memorable moments, including an amazing battle
scene that had a theater full of small fry completely silent and transfixed. The music was
delightful and extremely catchy. It made me want to grab the soundtrack. The best part of
the movie was the purity of the story. Gone are all the Disney in-jokes (Hercules), real
world references, and smarmy villains. Mulan gets down to basics. A girl. On a quest.
Simple as that. Yet very complex. And that is the beauty of Mulan. See it.
X-Files, A Perfect Murder, The Truman Show, Two
Girls and a Guy, Bulworth, Godzilla, Deep Impact, The Spanish Prisoner, Lost in Space, The
Horse Whisperer and more...
Starship Troopers, Boogie Nights, Gattaca, U-Turn,
The Full Monty, G.I. Jane, Copland, Red Corner, The Edge, In and Out, Contact, Men in
Black, Lost World, and more...
Anaconda, Smilla's Sense of Snow, Devil's Own,
Crash, Lost Highway, Hamlet, Microcosmos, and more...
Evita, Scream, Larry Flynt, Jerry Mcquire,
Michael, English Patient, Star Trek, Ransom, and more...
Emma, Trainspotting, Big Night, Basquiat, Heavy,
Tin Cup, Lone Star, A Time to Kill, Bound, and more...
ID4, Twister, Mission Impossible, Hunchback of
Notre Dame, Eraser, Phenomenon, Striptease, and more...
Copyright 1998 Momentum Publishing