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Reviews
The Boy Who Cried Bitch: The Adolescent Years (2007)
No One Should Even Care
The Boy Who Cried Bitch: The Adolescent Years is a god-awful little nightmare of a movie that has no relationship whatsoever to the excellent 1991 film starring Harley Cross. Different director, different character names, unrelated plot. This atrocity simply steals the main title and for the next 99 minutes inflicts the viewer with boredom and mindless violence without any motivation at all.
Another reviewer has stated that this movie provides "a realistic and true sense of what MOST American families go through". Well, that is only true if most American families count psychotic killers amongst their members. Additionally they state that the actions of the main character mirror similar actions due to what they perceive to be a general "economic downturn". I'd remind them that the family in this film is very wealthy, and money or lack thereof is no problem. Nor is purchasing a mansion for a summer getaway any type of financial burden for them. No one in this film family has a job, as they are independently wealthy. This is definitely NOT a study of "middle America". It does NOT show the "real deal", and the movie nails NOTHING "on the head". If this is indeed the directors first effort, then may it be his last effort as well. Have the creativity to come up with an original title instead of literally swiping the main title of a previously released, unrelated, little known, albeit great film.
Yeah, I guess it's filmed well, and the acting is OK, but it's all for naught. By the end of the story no one will really care as no understanding or even twisted empathy for the main character has ever been developed. If there was even a scant overall viewer desire established by the nine other people who wasted nearly 100 minutes of their life watching this, it is a desire for the main character to die horribly so the whole thing will finally and mercifully end.
Dein unbekannter Bruder (1982)
Dull, Duller, Dullest
This is a German film that starts off slow, confusing and dull and remains slow, confusing and dull right up to its abrupt ending. I didn't care about anyone or anything that happened during this film. There was no character development here. The plot sounded interesting enough and usually films taking place in Nazi Germany or during that time tend to be interesting. This was not interesting in the least. If you enjoy guessing at what may be going on; If you love to wait for a plot to kick in; If you easily become tempted when the DVD box describes something as a "taut psychological thriller"; If you are suffering from insomnia, then this film is recommended to you.
Asphalt Zahov (2000)
The Most Awful Stereotypes
I suppose this is well made, but it leaves the lasting impression of the Jews as murderers, devoid of feeling, evil in nature, liars, the most awful stereotypical characteristics and therefore a most incomplete film. Jews are shown running over a small child then attempting to leave the scene. In another story, the Jewish landowner has an affair with his female Arab worker and then ends up shooting her dead to protect himself, then lies about it. The Jews are shown not treating their workers very well. Twice during the film we hear the Arab say to their fellow Arab, now an outcast, "go live amongst the Jews, maybe you can get some work and a place to stay". This is ultimately an anti Jewish film and I do not recommend it except to anti Semites.
The Best Man (1964)
An Excellent Morality Play
Gore Vidal's "The Best Man" is one of my favorite films. Though written at a time when political conventions still mattered, the subject matter is still very appropriate. Basic moral questions are asked and soul searching by the thoughtful viewer takes place. How far would you go to win? Would you knowingly slander a political opponent with false information to gain the upper hand? How much of a candidates past is relevant today?
The cast is brilliant. Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Lee Tracy, Ann Sothern, all are wonderful. Mahalia Jackson makes a cameo singing her heart out at a pre-convention gathering. One of the candidates is rumored to have had psychological problems. Womanizing is another issue. There are homosexual rumors flying around concerning another candidate. Another candidate is a racist.
What is really interesting is Vidal's take on the supposed "two party system". In this movie, there is only one party, as the candidate to be nominated is according to the former President "almost certain to become our next President". This is prophetic on Vidal's part, as the two major party's today have drifted so similarly close to each other on many issues, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish them.
To correct the other reviewer of this film, Cliff Robertson does not play a bachelor candidate. Edie Adams does a great job playing his attractive wife.
"The Best Man" is great film, nearly as relevant today, as it was over 40 years ago. Now, if it was only available on DVD.
The Village (2004)
An Absolute Bore
Finally after a week of daily trips to the video store I had the opportunity to rent this film, which is constantly unavailable. What a letdown. What a stinker. What an utter bore. What a sleeper in the sense that it made me want to go to sleep. What a waste of time and money. What was it all about anyways? This was the most drawn out, overbearing, gut wrenchingly dull film I've seen in the longest time.
Apparrently Mr. M. "Night" Shyamalan seems to think he is a legend. He must be since his name is above the name of the movie, just like in films like "Steven Spielbergs ET", "Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather" and "Martin Scorcese's Taxi Driver". He is so legendary that he puts a 3 minute film of himself in the extra segments on each DVD; films from his childhood showing how brilliant he was even then as an actor and director.
The fact is he is very over rated. Until his body of work grows to the lengths and consistency of true greats, the addition of his name to the films titles will only be an act of ego not legend.
This movie was a waste of time. Yeah, the acting was good. The directing was fine. The production was very nice. But it left me with a feeling of "that's it???", when it all was over. Boooooooooorrrrrrriiiiinnnnngggggggggg.
Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973)
The most realistic portrayal of Hitler ever
Alec Guinness becomes Hitler, and it is the most realistic portrayal I've ever seen. Derek Jacoby and Anthony Hopkins come no where close to this in their respective films, Inside The Third Reich and The Bunker. This is like a color camera capturing Hitler speaking in English. It is frightening yet has touches of humor, especially when the announcement of Hitlers death is made to the other residents of the bunker, you see a pretty blond woman reach for her small case containing cyanide capsules and cigarettes. She chooses the cigarettes and she and everyone else in the room light up. The most memorable line in the film is Hitler trying to conjure up some of the old charismatic magic of the past, addressing a young captain played by Simon Ward. "The Gods give their love only to those who demand the impossible. Mankind is ruled by will, by determination. When the will is thrust by genius, it generates a force which throughout history has proved irresistible"
Vanilla Sky (2001)
Maybe Tom Cruise's Best Performance
Vanilla Sky is a very strange, difficult, somewhat confusing, and different type of movie. I applaud Tom Cruise for taking the role, and he comes up aces. Many will not like the film and apparently most did not. Anyone interested in the science/theory of Cryogenics will find this film fascinating. Throughout the film I kept asking myself is this real or just imagined? I was not sure if I was witnessing dream sequences, or if what I was watching was supposed to be what really occurred. For me it all became clear in the end, which I loved. If you want to see Tom Cruise in a role where he is not playing Tom Cruise like he is in all of his other films, give this one a try, but go into it with an open mind.
The Rainmaker (1997)
Raimmaker is good, but a bit too similar to Verdict
I greatly enjoyed the Rainmaker and have seen it numerous times. I must say however, that one of the reasons I like it so much is that it is so similar to the Verdict starring Paul Newman from 1982, which I loved. I am honestly surprised that there were no lawsuits regarding the two films, as I see simply names changed, characters made older or younger, etc. Matt Damon plays young, naive Rudy Baylor, a lawyer with no experience. Newman plays Frank Galvin, burnt-out alcoholic lawyer. Danny Devito plays the Jack Warden role. One case focuses upon a boy stricken with leukemia in which the insurance company will not cover a bone marrow transplant. The other film's focus is upon a woman who enters a hospital to give birth and is given the wrong anesthetic. The surprise witnesses are similar too. And the verdict in both films is extremely similar with both juries asking to be allowed to increase the monies awarded. Mr. Grisham probably thought that no one would notice 15 years later. Most didn't notice. I did.
White Hot (1988)
So Bad That It's Good
Robbie Benson has made a career out of over-acting and acting poorly. In this bad film I believe he also directs as well as stars in it. All of the acting in this film is bad. The characters are not sympathetic at all and it is just so stupid that I enjoyed it thoroughly! Danny Aiello as the mob boss, Tawny Kitaen as the girlfriend, the dude from TV commercials as the best friend, the "slick' drug dealer "Butchie", it's all so terrible. This should have a special spot on the cult classic shelf.
Heartbreak Hotel (1988)
This is a great movie
This is pure fantasy. As an Elvis fan it made me think what if Elvis had been confronted with his past towards the end of his life? The end of the film I found to be sad as we all know what happened to him and wished it were otherwise. The music is very good, as are the performances. This is in my top 30.
The Hidden (1987)
A Hidden Gem
I totally recommend this to fans of Sci-fi and horror and action. It features one of the all time great car chase scenes feraturing a Ferrari and a terrific pounding metal song by Shok Paris, "On Your Knees". This film is really violent and gory but the story is interesting and it is very well done. It didn't make much of a splash when it was released in the late 80's but it's definitely worth your time.
The Boy Who Cried Bitch (1991)
This never appeared on video
The Boy Who Cried Bitch was an extremely limited release film from 1991. It was playing in one theater in Manhattan and I saw it four times. It features a terrific performance by Harley Cross as the disturbed child. The film is very depressing. It never was released on any format and I rarely find other people who know anything about it. I'd love to find a copy. I highly recommend this film.