Change Your Image
summer1111dg
Reviews
Deadly Messages (1985)
Suspenseful
This is one of my favorite movies. I love watching it. I think Kathleen Beller is perfectly cast as the naive heroine.
The basic plot is that Laura Daniels, a young, single girl living with her lawyer boyfriend in converted hotel apartment building -- one day discovers an old Ouija board on the top shelf of a closet by accident. She decides to start asking it questions. And she starts getting strange messages from the board.
It appears, however, that the Ouija board's previous owner was murdered - and messages from beyond warn Laura that she may be next. All around her are quite dubious of her supposed messages from the beyond.
The movie captures your attention instantly. And there are wonderful character actors who later went on to greater TV fame playing roles in the movie.
I love that the wind howls, branches fall on cars and there are spooky odd characters along the way. And you can't go wrong with a mental hospital playing a role in a thriller! And I especially enjoyed the owners of the motel! Deadly Messages is a fun way to spend a lazy afternoon.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Fun way to spend a Saturday
The Day After Tomorrow is an old-fashioned, wonderful, Saturday afternoon, popcorn movie. The special effects are quite good. Quaid plays Jack Hall. Hall is a government climatologist. A man who realizes that the earth is in far worse shape than people realize. But he cannot convince the Vice President that things must change.
As a sudden and catastrophic climate event unfolds -- life on earth changes in an instant. And the fun begins!
Quaid is perfect cast in the hero role. And he is well supported by an able cast. Jake Gyllenhaal as Sam Hall, Quaid's son does an effective job with his end of the story.
Frequency (2000)
Makes me cry every time I see it
I absolutely love Frequency. I cry every time I see it. It is a moving story. It is both a thriller and a love story. This time it is a love story between a father and a son.
Quaid is wonderful as the dad, Frank Sullivan. You fall instantly in love with him. You immediately share the son's desire to rewrite history and save his life if it is possible.
John Sullivan played by Jim Caviezel is absolutely perfect in his role. The movie is totally engrossing. It captures both your heart and your imagination straight away.
I also love when John gives stock tips to his childhood best friend! If only we all had the chance to know when to buy Coke or Microsoft! This is the type of movie you can watch again and again. It is just a lovely family movie.
Cold Creek Manor (2003)
Enjoyable thriller
Cold Creek Manor is a good thriller. The story is a familiar one of the city slickers moving to the country to change and improve their life.
One twist is that Cooper Tilson, played by Quaid is not the breadwinner in his family. That honor goes to his wife, Leah. Sharon Stone plays Leah. Stone underplays well in this role. She puts aside her sex kitten persona and embodies the role of wife and mom admirably.
Stephen Dorff as Dale Massie is quite good. He effectively comes across with a sense of evil and danger that is quite palpable. Quaid as always is effective in his part. This time it is as the beleaguered dad.
The thriller isn't the most exciting ever. But the movie moves along at a nice pace and does keep your interest.
In Good Company (2004)
Enjoyable
In Good Company is a well-made film on the corporate world. Topher Grace is excellent as Carter Duryea, business wunderkind. Dennis Quaid plays his role in the understated way it must be played. Quaid is such a dynamic actor that he clearly had to pull back to play against type.
Scarlett Johansson as Alex Foreman is perfectly cast as Quaid's daughter and girlfriend to Carter. Though I do think that their romance takes up a bit too much of the film at times. I think the best aspects of the film are where Carter and Dan interact. Carter is looking for the father figure he never had. But Dan is not looking to fulfill that role for him. Though by the end Dan does have a true affection for Carter.
Fatal Attraction (1987)
Excellent
Just as effective a psychological thriller today as it was in 1987. The theme is timeless and is well presented. Michael Douglas is perfect as Dan Gallagher, the philandering husband. And Anne Archer the flawless, loving, gorgeous, cheated upon wife, Beth. Glenn Close is impeccable as Alex Forest, the deranged other woman.
One failing of the movie is that there is never any worldly understanding of why Dan would ever stray from what is clearly a loving and fulfilling marriage. Why would Dan take such a foolish risk with his marriage and wonderful life? Even had Alex not turned into the most monstrous version possible of the other woman -- he was always putting his whole world at risk. And for what reason is never made clear.
But the story is ever engrossing. And Fatal Attraction is a not to be missed classic.
Flight of the Phoenix (2004)
Great fun!
Dennis Quaid makes this movie fun. But the whole cast is wonderful. Hugh Laurie is also fantastic to watch. I love the scenes of him playing golf in the sand. The musical score is outstanding. And it adds a lot to the movie. The movie is an equal mix of action, adventure, human drama and humor. And it keeps your attention from start to finish. I love the ending in particular it is very exciting.
Giovanni Ribisi as Elliott is a stand out in his role as the outsider. And one of the best sequences in the whole movie is in the desert when they confront the marauders. It is a genuinely moving and memorable scene.
A magnificent, fun, exciting movie!
The Parent Trap (1998)
The Parent Trap, with Lindsay Lohan is better than the original!
The Parent Trap, with Lindsay Lohan is better than the original! I can't think of any other remake that I feel is superior to a fine original. But Nancy Meyer's version is better in every respect.
First off, Lindsay Lohan is a real talent. She is extraordinary in this challenging role. And unlike in the 1961 version, they did not make the twins hideous looking with horrible short wigs! And Nancy Meyers very wisely kept the camp part of the movie to about thirty minutes. She realized that the movie doesn't truly begin until the parents meet again for the first time. So she jettisons overdoing any camp hi jinx and quickly moves the story along to when the twins have switched places with each other.
Dennis Quaid is so wonderful as the dad. Ruggedly sexy and gorgeous he exudes manliness. His performance makes the movie. Natasha Richardson is not my favorite pick for the mom. She is surprisingly dowdy for a fashion designer. Her clothes, except for the dress she wore for dinner on the yacht are horrible. And her hair needed a color touch up. Her dark roots were so distracting throughout the movie. I didn't find it believable that a gorgeous man like Quaid would fall in love with this average looking woman.
Elaine Hendrix was outstanding as Meredith Blake. She is gorgeous and just catty enough. Her scenes with the twins were great fun.
Simon Kunz, as Martin, the butler and Lisa Ann Walter as Chessy, were standouts too.
Everything about the 1998 version was superior. Fabulous scenery and just a more fun version of this classic.
Goodbye, Columbus (1969)
Ali MacGraw's first movie
This was the introduction of Ali MacGraw to movie audiences. I can't think of anyone who could have played Brenda Patimkin more believably. She is perfectly cast, as the spoiled, self-involved, smart, gorgeous princess daughter of a wealthy Jewish family. No one plays spoiled, bright and beautiful better than Ali MacGraw.
I also love Richard Benjamin as her unmotivated, anything but ambitious suitor, Neil Klugman. He is the antithesis of everything Brenda and her family epitomize. The dichotomy is that while he espouses supposed disdain for all they represent -- he is more than willing to be seduced.
There is a classic scene where Neil is stuffing his pockets full of grapes and is caught by the younger sister. He tries to hide the fact that his pockets are gorged with luscious fruit. But she calls him out on what he is doing.
The romance is a departure for Brenda. Neil, though Jewish, is a forbidden fruit of sorts. He is not ambitious or destined to be successful husband material. Therefore he is a completely inappropriate choice of suitor for Brenda. This of course makes him all the more attractive -- at least temporarily for Brenda who is rebelling against her mother.
The Parent Trap (1961)
Family fun
The Parent Trap, with Hayley Mills is one of the best movies Disney ever made. It has held up through time b/c it is a classically themed movie.
Hayley Mills is a very talented child actress who more than holds her own in this movie. Despite being made in 1961, the magic of making Hayley a "twin" holds up well. I think that the first half of the movie, where the twins are at camp is way too long. It could have been cut by two thirds. It drags on for so long and all the viewer awaits is for when they switch places.
Finally the switch takes place and the fun begins. I love Charles Ruggles as the grandfather! But the movie would have been far better without the awful grandmother character.
Maureen O'Hara as Margaret McKendrick is perfect casting. A fiery, Boston beauty and she is more than a match for Mitch.
Brian Keith, as Mitch Evers is great casting too. He is wonderful as the rugged, no nonsense father. Joanna Barnes is a perfect villain as the gold digging fiancƩe.
Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
A Christmas Classic
"Christmas In Connecticut" is a gem of a Christmas movie classic. While lesser known than some others -- it is nonetheless a delightful way to spend an evening at holiday time. I watch it every year.
Barbara Stanwyck is perfectly cast as, Elizabeth Lane, the single, career girl. Way before it was popular, Stanwyck embodies the single girl on the rise. Her NYC apartment, and her friendly "uncle" restaurateur around the corner typify the single girl in the city existence. She can't cook yet she writes a homemaking column for a magazine!
Dennis Morgan is also perfectly cast as our wartime hero, Jefferson Jones, who wants to meet the amazing Elizabeth Lane. After being lost at sea, all he wants is to spend Christmas in a "real" home. Which sets up the delightful, madcap story that evolves. It is fun from beginning to end. We should all have an Uncle Felix too!
Love Story (1970)
Ali MacGraw rocks!
This is the quintessential 1970's romantic movie. It is one of the all time favorite romance movies of the era. Harvard, Radcliffe, Boston, rich boy, poor girl -- it has everything. Oliver and Jenny meet cute. And, Ali MacGraw is at her best playing the cocky Radcliffe girl. Who is her own way is really the one who is the snob. She may be poor but she is an intellectual snob!
Ryan O'Neal is at his most handsome and most charming. He was born to play the rich boy "prepster," OliverBarrett. It is a classic romance with all the usual pitfalls.
It is wonderful to see the use of Boston and Harvard as the backdrop. And I just love the improvised scene of Oliver and Jenny playing in the snow,on the empty football field. It is one of the all time great movie scenes. It is just music playing in the background and these two beautiful actors improvising a lovely scene of young lovers playing in the snow. Even doing snow angels to boot!
The Women (1939)
Classic!
The Women is absolutely one of the best movies of the era. It is such a fun movie to watch over and over. A classic chick flick!
And, most remarkable in that there are no male actors in the movie -- yet you feel their presence throughout.
The young Joan Crawford is perfectly cast as the gold digging "other woman."
Norma Shearer, while not a beauty in any sense of the word, does a fine job as the beleaguered wife. Though I think it might have been better cast with someone lovelier in the lead role.
But it is Rosalind Russell though who absolutely steals the movie. She is delightful to watch!
Laura (1944)
Hauntingly beautiful
I think Gene Tierney is at her most beautiful in "Laura." She is a stunningly beautiful woman and it is very believable that the detective would indeed fall head over heels in love with her just from her portrait. As the detective spends more and more time in her apartment -- rummaging through her letters and diary -- he begins to form a bond with the lovely Laura. Det. Lt. Mark McPherson becomes in fact, quite protective of her.
Clifton Webb is perfectly cast as Laura's benefactor and suitor. He is unique actor who is able to convey condescension and smugness like no one else.
I am not as fond of the casting of Vincent Price as the "pretty boy" boyfriend though. Perhaps too many memories of him in more typical horror roles later on ruin it for me. But it is Tierney who mesmerizes in her performance. You can't take your eyes off her when she is on screen.
What About Bob? (1991)
Fabulous and fun!
"What About Bob?" is one of my all time favorite movies. I never tire of watching this delightful comedy. It is Bill Murray's best performance. The dynamic between him and Richard Dreyfuss is perfect and makes the movie such fun to watch. Bill Murray's characterization of the neurotic Bob is on target. And as Bob becomes more whole in personality -- healing b/c of the interaction with Leo's family -- Leo descends into a jealous-madness. The dichotomy is so amusing to watch.
But it is Bob's relationship with Siggy, Leo's son, that is the sweetest unfolding - and is the main cause of friction with Leo. Bob's ability to effortlessly charm his whole family drives Leo to distraction. One of my favorite scenes is where Bob has Siggy teach him how to diveĀ
priceless!