...the favorite roles I would have loved to have played - and dates when I first saw the films in question.....
Jurassic Park III 3/8 2001 - Billy
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
THE BEST OF THE SERIES, November 28, 2001
It`s 2 bad that this film holds the number III behind its name... Because it is the best. Inventive, full of good humour and good acting. A N D special effects. It really should have been a sequel 2 the 93 blockbuster... THE LOST WORLD? There`s not enough sand 2 bury than one...Alessandro Nivola`s Billy is good, but his part should have been built up...
Running on Empty 9/1 1990 - Danny Pope
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
ALL-STAR-CAST FILM, November 25, 2001
River Phoenix, Christine Lahti and Judd Hirsch are all stupendous in this Sidney Lumet production. Unlike Hollywood, this is lowkey thriller/drama, but most of all it is River...It`s a GENIUS in work here... His work seems so simple... But it isn`t. He manages 2 show us his feelings through his expressive face... It`s a MAGICIAN in work.He lost the supporting role Oscar 2 Kevin Kline(I Fish Called Wanda), but of course... That was ANOTHER good performance.
Wilde - 22/2 1998 - Bosie
2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
JUDE AND STEPHEN DELIVER STAR PERFORMANCES, November 26, 2001
This is a superficial account on the life of the most famous homosexual ever, the master of poetry, Oscar Wilde.Instead of tragic intensity we are given a watered out love story which wouldn`t be so had the writer Julian Mitchell and director Brian Gilbert stressed the subject and moved 2 fast.Stephen lacks Oscar`s cynisism, but with Jude Law quite good without being brillant.
Moulin Rouge! 28/9 2001 - Christian
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
THAT GENIUS BAZ LUHRMANN..., November 26, 2001
He has done it again. He has made several steps from ROMEO+JULIET and made an exciting tribute 2 love in the 20th century. The songs are humouresly chosen and sung with great class by EWAN MacGREGOR and NICOLE KIDMAN. The supporting cast is also ace... This is what film is all about...It is so nicely edited 2gether; that Luhrmann; I can c Oscars, honory Oscars and countless awards in your horizon. U have taught the world 2 love musicals again. I thank u...As I said; a beautiful fable about love, hate and greed...And last(NOT LEAST): JIM BROADBENT is Oscarmaterial and his versions of Madonna`s Like a Virgin and Queen`s The Show Must Go On? Musical treats that must be viewed over and over and over(With Kidman and MacGregor of course...)
The Talented Mr. Ripley - 6/3 2000 Dickie Greenleaf
1 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
JUDE LAW STEALS EVERY SCENE HE`S IN, December 12, 2001
This i s over-the-top and on the stupid side. The plot and the gaytheme never reach catharisis; it`s only helped by the Italian landscape and the ever impressive Jude Law...
The Object of My Affection 6/5 1999 George
2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
SPECTACULAR SPECTACULAR, December 18, 2001
I`ve been every major character in this film. It really give some punches 2 most of us... The all-star-performances and sentimental(BUT GOOD) script and good direction makes this a reapeated treat...
Benny and Joon - 11/2 1994 - Sam
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
THE 1 THAT INTRODUCED ME 2 JOHNNY, March 15, 2003
Benny and Joon is a charming piece of filmmaking.... It is outstanding because it`s warm, funny and first rate handled by cast and crew. Surprises stand in line - jepp - it`s a little masterpiece:)(:
King Kong - Jack Driscoll - 14/12 2005
5 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
What?????, February 16, 2006
What a lovely 90 minute film that lies within these 187 minutes...... To me the 2005 film only works when it sticks close to the original of 1933. The cast is great though, but sadly Kong is just one of many monsters on the island and the most exciting scene is the escape from frightened dinosaurs.... The excape from the insects were cut in 1933 because it took attention from Kong. Why didn`t they learn??? In 1976 Kong is a great beast with almost human qualities - sort of a missing link. Here he is back being a gorilla of oversize and it is a puzzle why Ann is not killed by his rough treatment of her early on. The Jimmy-Hayes relationship goes nowhere and they could easily have been omitted. The 1976 film has great locations, while this is a blue-screen effort and u see it much too often. I mean several cliffs and stones in the shape of a gorilla? It's enough with Skull island... Ann`s vaudeville tricks and their Bambi-moment in New York is BAAAAAAAAAAD... The New York sequences should have been better, but the Empire State Buidling-scene survives... The sacrifising of Ann is both good in 33 and 76, here - it's dramatic, but the first sight of Kong is just shadow.......And magical moments are far between because Jackson doesn`t dare to slow down... In the 1976 film we get to love Kong.... Here... well we don`t.... It`s a great actioner, but I wish Jackson could have relaxed a bit.... It's funny the way Denham refers to Fay Wray early on("but she`s shooting over at RKO") Many people feel Kong is a racist. But that`s insane... Of course he warms up to a whiteperson - she`s a novelty - a new thing to him..... He is just curious and collects her as a prized possession. But it is an OK contribution to the myth of Kong. It's NOT the best Kong, but it's OK in a trilogy of the giant....
Taking Lives 13/1 2004 - James Costa
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Great - juuuuuuuuuuuust GREAT:-), January 13, 2005
A wellwritten script, good production values and ace craftsmen in front and behind the camera, makes this thriller a treat. It may not be on the level of "Se7en", but it works pretty well nevertheless. The thing here is that when u see it for the 1st time, it`s hard to sit through because it is a nervebreaking experience... After several viewings you just gasp and thank the people behind this... it is a continiuing enjoyable experience, the characters are fascinating and it doesn`t overstays its welcome... not even after several viewings... THANKS:-)
Dead Man - 5/4 1996 William Blake
1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
JOHNNY LEGEND, July 12, 2004
Dead Man.... is haunting.... irritating... comic.... mesmerising... all thanks to Johnny Legend(oops), I mean Depp - and a good cast and crew.... It`s a smoky and mythical journey, traveled by an ill-fated book-keeper named William Blake... Johnny Depp and his moon-face is incredable.... There has never really been anyone quite like him... and never a western... quite like this 1.... It is something u should never miss.....
Nick of Time - 16/6 1996 - Gene Watson
1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Hitchcock would have loved filming it, July 12, 2004
... yes this is in HIS tradition(working against the clock - bizarre mix-ups... - yup - working within a strict disciplin)...Johnny Depp is in his first REAL mainstream role; but fortunately - it is a good 1... And an interesting 1. If u r one of those who must have fires, explosions, Vin Disel; stay away... As for the rest of us... Let`s sit down and enjoy a good suspenser:-))))
Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl - Jack Sparrow 22/9 2003
1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
It`s Johnny`s show, July 7, 2004
This is entertainment par excellance... until they search for the leading lady; then it just gets corny.... Johnny Depp IS GREAT as Jack Sparrow and homages to old pirate-films are a delight(The Crimson Pirate)... But the idea of ghosts etc... PHEEEWWWWWW
Titanic - 13/2 1998 - Jack
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
As a blockbuster a 5, July 12, 2004
... but as an account of the ship and its demise... a 2....Here we got a Romeo and Juliet-story on-board the Titanic with a cliche-ridden dialogue-("I can fly.....") prologue and epilogue... What Cameron really should have done - STORYWISE - was to let the ship and its passangers speak for themselves...
We are not unbeknownst 2 her story, so why mock us Mr Cameron??? As a fiction however; it is great - if on the trashy side. The authency of the Titanic and production values are first rate. The music by James Horner(and the humming by Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjeb?)was a milestone at the time....The photography of the wreck!? - a must-see....
Don Juan DeMarco - 15/8 1995
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
...Johnny at his most magnetic, July 12, 2004
I think I`ve written that line before... But who cares? This is a well written, amusing piece of entertainment.... You`ll love the interplay between Brando and Depp... Miss Dunaway`s character is under-developed, but overall - a good film... It brings u back to the days of Valentino and make-believe... Look out for the ill-fated Selena in the restaurant scene....
The Phantom of the Opera - 26/12 2004
0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
COLLOSSAL, March 20, 2005
... and fortunately, unlike Evita 1996, the moviescript DOES allow the characters to speak a little bit. It is quite apparent however that its virtues are theatrical and not cinematic and the style is borrowed from the excellent Moulin Rouge 2001. However, The Phantom of the Opera contains wonderful ORIGINAL music and libretto, as Moulin Rouge didn`t. What remains a letdown is that the Lloyd Webber`s phantom is not diabolique enough. It all ends rather corny, over the top and overlong. Examples are the abduction of Christine by a HORSE in the Paris sewers and Raoul belting out his despair, tied by the Phantom in the finale. There are compensations however in the sets, music and performances, but Lloyd Webber should have given the screen adaptation a moore bloody treament on the gore side hehehe. Why I am attacking Mr Webber? Well, it is QUITE apparant that the director`s hand has been tied here and that the 2004 movie production is Mr Lloyd Webber`s vision of his brainchild on the screen. Sad to say, I much more prefer the Claude Rains/Susanna Foster/Nelson Eddy version, made
The Ring - Noah 27/2 2003
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
wow, March 15, 2003
It IIIIIIIIIIIIIS haunting and it DOES have momemts of thrills and power... But a classic it will never be... Why??? It doesn`t have the ingredients of an intelligent script a`la SCREAM unfortunately... And the the finale??? Well it is for the squemish, but it needn`t be in the picture. It indicates only that a sequel is coming up....
Before Sunrise - Jesse - 23/8 1995
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
ÈTHAN AND JULIE GREAT, November 25, 2001
Ethan and Julie are great as Jesse and Celine. It is a beautiful told piece of filmmaking where the dialogue is the important factor. It`s so realistic and u remember similar experiences dangerously close 2 those in the picture. A minus is the streets, backalleys and parks of Vienna. They look quite cleansed of the underworld creatures.But this is a treat...
Interview with the Vampire Lestat - 13-14/1 1995
1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
TOM`S BEST 2 DATE!?, November 25, 2001
Ì first got the attention 2 this production when River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on October 31 1993 and that h e was to have played the interviewer...In addition author Anne Rice gave Tom Cruise the trashtreatment when she learned he was to play her beloved Lestat. S h e wanted John Malkovich. Indeed, when the film premiered, she splashed a great "sorry" 2 Tom published `round the world.
Because this IS Tom Cruise`s film. He owns it. He is formidable as we say. As are newcomer Kirsten Dunst. The problem is that when Tom is absent, we miss him. We miss his EVIL... Brad Pitt`s Louis is a SULKING character and we really think he overstayes his welcome...The production values are high, but at times theatrical AND THAT in a BAD way. So my overrall impression is that the intensity and interest are gone when Tom is missing...It is a thousand pities that he didn`t get the Oscar for this...
Dogfight - Birdlace - 6/5 1992
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
RIVER EXCELL AGAIN, November 25, 2001
This little film is a real treat. You`ll find actors depending on no production values whatsoever.... just the talents God himself gaveèm...And in front we have River Phoenix and Lili Taylor playing 2 people at odds with each other. They come 2 LIKE and respect each another and the dialogue is never corny...No wonder why River has such cult. His careerchoices were ace...It`s in the same vain as BEFORE SUNRISE actually...
Little Nikita - 28/12 1989 - Jeff
4 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
2 LEGENDARY STARS IN A SO-SO FILM, November 25, 2001
December 28 1989 I first saw this film and became an instant fan of RIVER PHOENIX. Teamed with great Sidney Poitier it is a cold-war thriller and at times - a good one. But in the end it goes over the top and it quickly lost its importance when the cold war vanished... soon after the films completion...However, it is a treat for the fans of these stars and the supporting cast are great especially Caroline
Ed Wood - 17/9 1995
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
JOHNNY EXCELLS - AGAIN, April 26, 2001
The reason I saw ED WOOD was because of Johnny Depp. I like his careerchoices(Benny and Joon, Dead Man, Nick of Time, Don Juan deMarco - though not from 1997 and on). ED WOOD is a magical piece of moviemaking - a beautiful motion picture fable about a man who made motion picture trash. The production design, performances etc make this an all-time classic.
Gladiator - 19/5 2000 - Commodus
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
A GLADIATOR OF A FILM, April 22, 2001
Well. While I saw it last year, films such as Caesar and Cleopatra, Ben-Hur, Spartacus, Quo Vadis? and Cleopatra rolled in my head. But this was different. A real characterisation of a person who longed for a family reunion in Valhalla. And even better; the action/spectacular scenes never interfered with the story but served its purpose... It is a magical piece of work and a good swansong for Oliver Reed
Speed - Jack Traven - 12-13/8 1994
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
IT TOOK A NEW LOOK ON THE ACTION-GENRE, June 27, 2000
SPEED was T H E blockbuster of 1994. It had a poor sequel though. But anywho; What make this film a classic and above all A GOOD FILM is that it follows the old principal of the 3-time-rule made by European fairytale-collectors(Griem, Asbjornsen & Moe and their kind)that the hero/heorine was go through no less than THREE - yes - 3 ordeals in order to solve a specific problem. This and a SPEEEEEEDY(funny) and andrenalin-filled script makes u NEVER going to get bored. SPEED started off a lot of Bomb-films, including DIE HARD 3 and BLOWN AWAY. It also rocketed Keanu Reeves as an actionstar(finally finding his level) and Sandra Bullock, supporting actress from River Phoenix`last THE THING CALLED LOVE 1993
My Own Private Idaho - Mike - 21/6 1992
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
NOT JUST A VEHICLE FOR RIVER, BUT A GREAT FILM, June 27, 2000
I caught the attention of River Phoenix in late 1989 when I saw him in LITTLE NIKITA. A few weeks later I saw him in RUNNING ON EMPTY and realised that this was t h e protagonist for my generation. In MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO he plays the hustler Mike Scott longing for normality("I never had a normal dog") and the supposed safety of a long-lost mother. River Phoenix excells in his best role(with Birdlace in DOGFIGHT), but he is helped by a strong cast including Keanu Reeves(his best ACTING role until he chose a wise careerchoice by accepting the actioners SPEED and THE MATRIX), Udo Kier, William Richert and Flea. Director and screenwriter Gus Van Sant has spiced this little film with symbolic touches that enhance this product, made for little money and with no apparent happy ending. Unfortunately, it seems that Gus run out of ideas after this film(note the use of clouds in his EVEN COWGIRLS SINGS THE BLUES and Marion`s showerscene in the remake of PSYCHO). And GOOD WILL HUNTING? It lacks the great style of IDAHO and his art-house films.
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO may be the very k e y film concerning my generation and our seeking for stability, safety and meaning of life.
William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet - 18/3 1997
THE BEST SHAKESPEARE ON CELLULOID, June 19, 2000
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE`S ROMEO + JULIET is by far the best Shakespeare adaption of the screen. Baz Luhrmann`s production is lush and the chemistry of acting, production design, costume, sets, sound and music is spellbounding. This film is repeatadely a treat and borrows its premises from MTV. But it works and it works fine. Leonardo DiCaprio is at his magic best. It takes u back to the "sweet" age of your teens when love was first discovered and u thought that no one could have experienced the trauma of this crazy feeling more A L I V E then urself... This film brings back that feeling. It may be my favorite film...
