Movie Renter's
Guide
Current Movies - Part 14 - October, 1996
By John E. Johnson, Jr.
Ratings: | ||
Extraordinary | ||
Good | ||
Acceptable | ||
Mediocre | ||
Poor |
White Squall",
Hollywood Pictures, 1996, Color, Filmed in Panavision and
presented at measured aspect ratio (laserdisc) 2.32:1, Surround
Sound, Dolby Digital (AC-3), 2 Hr 9 min, Rated PG-13; Jeff
Bridges, Caroline Goodall; Twelve teenage boys sign up, or rather
their parents sign them up, to spend several months on a sailing
vessel, as the crew. Their parents want them to learn discipline
and build character. What they end up with is the adventure of
their lives as Captain Christopher Sheldon (Bridges) takes them
on a 12,000 mile voyage half way around the world. Some of the
youngsters have emotional problems and are loners, but the open
sea, with its dangers and thrills, bonds them, and it takes all
their skill to battle the final storm . . . the white squall. The
film is based on a true story, and like most movies based on real
life adventures, it is quite entertaining. I get the feeling that
all kids would benefit from being in a group that is faced with
challenge that they have to deal with as a unit, perhaps not as
dangerous as this one, but something with slight risk, and having
a strong leader to identify with.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | (the AC-3 has lots of rear effects) |
Photography: | |
Violence: | what nature provides |
Sex: | no |
Language: | mild |
"Mulholland
Falls", MGM, 1995, Color, Filmed spherically and
presented at measured aspect ratio (laserdisc) 1.76:1, Surround
Sound, Dolby Digital (AC-3). 1 Hr 47 min, Rated R; Nick Nolte,
Melanie Griffith, Chazz Palminteri, John Malkovich; In 1950's Los
Angeles, Max Hoover (Nolte) heads a special police squad that
operates outside the norm, that is, they throw undesirables
(gangsters) over the edge of Mulholland Drive (calling it the
falls). A young woman is murdered, and films exist . . . films of
General Thomas Timms, the Chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission and the girl, in compromising positions. Hoover sets
out to prove that the General has complicity in the crime, and to
find the rest of the films which show his own involvement. The
story takes us to the Nevada proving grounds, and to another
secret that the Air Force and the FBI will do anything to protect
(it is not very flattering to either of these agencies). There is
sort of a "Film Noire" look to this movie, except that
it is filmed in color, and the transfer is soft, taking into
account the natural lighting.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | |
Photography: | |
Violence: | shootings, beatings |
Sex: | yes, nudity |
Language: | the "F" word and other vulgarities |
"The
Birdcage", United Artists, 1996, Color, Filmed
spherically and presented at measured aspect ratio (laserdisc)
1.76:1, Surround Sound, Dolby Digital (AC-3), 1 Hr 59 min, Rated
R; Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, Nathan Lane; This
is Mike Nichols' (and Elaine May) interpretation of Jean Poiret's
stage play "La Cage Aux Follies". Armand Goldman
(Williams) and Albert (Lane) are a twosome, directing and
starring, respectively, in crossdressers musical numbers at The
Birdcage, a nightclub. Armand's son Val, decides to get married
to the daughter of the vice president for the Coalition for Moral
Order, Senator Kevin Keeley (Hackman). Following the death of the
president of this coalition, who was found in bed with an
underage girl, the senator decides that he wants to meet Val's
parents, and then announce the marriage plans in order to assuage
the press. Since Keeley does not know that Armand and Albert are
a gay couple, Val asks them to play it straight for one night.
Another Nichols masterpiece results, and Lane's portrayal, as a
straight actor, of a gay man attempting to appear straight, is
priceless.
Entertainment: | (however, be forewarned, the movie wallows in stereotypes) |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | (the AC-3 track is not very good; better to use Pro Logic on this one) |
Photography: | |
Violence: | no |
Sex: | no |
Language: | the "F" and "S" words |
"Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead",
Mirmax Films, 1996, Color, Filmed spherically and presented at
measured aspect ratio (laserdisc) 1.78:1, Surround Sound, Dolby
Digital (AC-3), 1 Hr 55 min, Rated R; Andy Garcia, Christopher
Lloyd, Gabrielle Anwar; Where do they get these movie titles?!
Andy Garcia plays Jimmy the Saint, a retired gangster who is
hired for one final job, to scare the wits out of a young man who
is about to propose to the same girl that a mob boss'
child-molesting, nut-case son wants to marry too. Jimmy contracts
with four friends, one of whom is a nut-case himself and ate
fecal matter in prison on a bet (isn't this a nice story?).
Things go very wrong, and now the five must run for their lives.
This is one of the most disgusting films I have ever had the
misfortune to watch, so, dead or alive, one thing NOT to do in
Denver is see this movie. Perhaps there should be a new movie
rating category: "Z" - no one is admitted.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | (incredible AC-3, but unfortunately, you have to listen to the foul language too) |
Photography: | |
Violence: | extreme |
Sex: | sights and sounds from a pornographic movie theater |
Language: | horrifying |
"Up
Close and Personal", Touchstone Pictures, 1996, Color,
Filmed spherically and presented at measured aspect ratio
(laserdisc) 1.81:1, Surround Sound, 2 Hr 4 min, Rated PG-13;
Robert Redford, Michelle Pfeiffer; Tally Atwater (Pfeiffer) wants
to break into TV broadcasting, and Warren Justice (Redford) gives
her a chance at a Miami station. He becomes not only her mentor,
but her lover (gee, what a surprise), and as her talent moves her
to another city, the two of them have to balance their affection
with careers. The first half of the movie is pretty slow, but the
action picks up on side 2 and 3 when Atwater is caught inside a
prison during a riot, and Justice takes off for the Panama Canal.
There were a lot of scenes where they have been away from each
other for awhile, and I kept expecting the tired old slow motion
run into each other's arms, but no, the film was a half hour too
long as it was.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | |
Photography: | |
Violence: | prison riot |
Sex: | about as much as you see on network TV |
Language: | the "F" and "S" words |
"Fargo", Polygram, 1996, Color,
Filmed spherically and presented at measured aspect ratio
(laserdisc) 1.78:1, Surround Sound, 1 Hr 38 min, Rated R; Frances
McDormand, William Macy, Steve Buscemi; In 1987, car salesman
Jerry Lundegaard, low on cash, decides to have his wife
kidnapped, and the ransom to be paid by his rich father-in-law
Wade Gustafson. He hires two thugs to pull it off, but a major
problem occurs, and the body count, which was supposed to be
zero, climbs to seven. It is a chilling tale (literally, since it
takes place in North Dakota and Minnesota during the winter), and
by all accounts, a true story except for the names. The police
seem to take a much different attitude about the incident than
you might find in a Die Hard type movie. The police chief, Marge
Gunderson, is seven months pregnant and still working a full
shift. This, plus a wry sense of humor that the director has
thrown in, makes Fargo quite a unique film.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | |
Photography: | |
Violence: | graphic |
Sex: | yes, bouncing up and down on motel beds |
Language: | the "F" and "S" words |
"Twister", Warner Brothers and
Universal Pictures, 1996, Color, Filmed in Panavision and
presented at measured aspect ratio (laserdisc) 2.32:1, Surround
Sound, AC-3, 1 Hr 53 min, Rated PG-13; Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton,
Jami Gertz, Cary Elwes; Jo (Hunt) is only a child when an F5
tornado rips through her Oklahoma farm and kills her father.
Years later (current time), she has become a scientist, studying
and tracking these horrific storms. Bill (Paxton) shows up at her
outdoor lab, requesting that she sign the divorce papers, and has
brought his new fiancee Melissa (Gertz) along. Tornadoes begin
erupting, and the fun begins as everyone, including Bill and
Melissa, chase the "Twisters" all over Oklahoma. Jo's
team has constructed "Dorothy", which is a tank full of
metal sensors that they hope to get into the twister for
measurements. Dr. Jonas Miller (Elwes) is a competitor with his
own device and chases the storms along with Jo. The storms, the
scientific competition, and the eminent signing of the divorce
papers, all make this one heck of a story. The digital twister
special effects are stupendous, and after having nightmares about
it, I realize Twister is a pretty scary movie.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | |
Photography: | |
Violence: | nature at its worst |
Sex: | no |
Language: | the "S" word |
Other rental videos viewed but not formally reviewed:
"Georgia" (meanders too much)
© Copyright 1995, 1996, 1997
Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity
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