Saturday, March 25, 2006

What Dreams May Come

Written by:
Richard Matheson (novel)
Ronald Bass (screenplay)

Directed by:
Vincent Ward

Made in:
USA in 1998

Actors:
Robin Williams .... Chris Nielsen
Cuba Gooding Jr. .... Albert Lewis
Annabella Sciorra .... Annie Collins-Nielsen
Max von Sydow .... The Tracker
Jessica Brooks Grant .... Marie Nielsen
Josh Paddock .... Ian Nielsen
Rosalind Chao .... Leona
Lucinda Jenney .... Mrs. Jacobs
Maggie McCarthy .... Stacey Jacobs
Wilma Bonet .... Angie
Matt Salinger .... Reverend Hanley
Carin Sprague .... Best Friend Cindy
June Lomena .... Woman in Car Accident
Paul P. Card IV .... Paramedic
Werner Herzog .... Face

Plot:
Soul mates Chris (Robin Williams) and Annie (Annabella Sciorra) couldn't be happier, having married each other and had two wonderful children. Unforutnately, tragedy strikes when they lose them both in a car accident, and then again for Annie many years later when Chris is killed in another accident. What Chris finds is a Paradise unlike anything he ever imagined, where he is guided by Albert (Cuba Gooding Jr.), the first doctor he interned under and is helped to see his children once again. Unfortunately, when Annie takes her life in despair, she does not venture to the same plane of existence. Taking it upon himself to rescue her, Chris ventures into the pit of Hell with Albert and a Tracker ('Max von Sydow' ) to save his wife from the damnation she doesn't even know she is forcing on herself. This is a beautiful story that reminds us that love is stronger than death. IMDB

Review:
This is one of my most favorite movies ever.

I am a fan of Robin Williams, but he isn't his comedic self in this movie. This is possibly one of his best serious performances ever.

The movie is so touching and beautiful.
I saw this movie after I studied Mythology at university and everything in this movie has such a strong symbolism. It is told well without being too pushy.

I cry all the way through this movie.
This movie really makes you think about fate and destiny, and finding your true soulmate.

I definately recommend this one.


Alien

AKA:
Alien: The Director's Cut (USA) (director's cut)
Star Beast (USA) (working title)

Written by:
Dan O'Bannon
Ronald Shusett

Directed by:
Ridley Scott

Made in:
UK in 1979

Actors:
Tom Skerritt .... Dallas
Sigourney Weaver .... Ripley
Veronica Cartwright .... Lambert
Harry Dean Stanton .... Brett
John Hurt .... Kane
Ian Holm .... Ash
Yaphet Kotto .... Parker
Bolaji Badejo .... Alien
Helen Horton .... Mother (voice)

Plot:
When commercial towing vehicle Nostromo, heading back to Earth, intercepts an SoS signal from a nearby planet, the crew are under obligation to investigate. After a bad landing on the planet, some crew members leave the ship to explore the area. At the same time as they discover a hive colony of some unknown creature, the ship's computer deciphers the message to be a warning, not a call for help. When one of the eggs is disturbed, the crew do not know the danger they are in until it is too late. IMDB

Review:
A classic!
A fun movie for everyone to see. A very thrilling film.

Even the bad effects and bad cuts/editing can't make this movie a bad one.

There isn't much that I can say - as there aren't many people who haven't seen it already.. so.. :)


Slashed Dreams

AKA:
Sunburst

Written by:
James Keach
James Polakof

Directed by:
James Polakof

Made in:
USA in 1975

Actors:
Peter Hooten .... Robert
Kathrine Baumann .... Jenny
Ric Carrott .... Marshall
Anne Lockhart .... Tina
Robert Englund .... Michael Sutherland
Rudy Vallee .... Proprietor
James Keach .... Levon
David Pritchard .... Danker
Randy Ralston .... The Pledge
Susan McCormick .... Susan

Plot:
A young couple decides to look up an old friend while vacationing in the woods of Northern California. While camping out, two strangers appear and briefly talk with the couple before leaving. Later that evening, the two strangers return to terrorize the young couple by subduing the man and brutally assaulting the woman. What other fiendish plans does the pair have in store for the innocent couple?

Review:
Maybe not as exciting as the plot outline that I took from the cover sleeve of the DVD. Robert Englund is in the movie for about 10 minutes at the end of the movie.

It really isn't that bad of a movie, but the beginning of the movie is much, much better than the 2nd part. The beginning is hilarious, very easy to make fun of.. and then it starts to drag a little.
The movie is very short, only about 76 minutes, but it could probably be about 30. :) The "terrorizing" scene lasts all of 2 minutes, nothing at all like I Spit on Your Grave.

Watch it if you have the chance, but not really anything to go out of your way for. Not really funny or scary or bloody or gory.. but some parts are amusing. :)

The music is hilarious, though! Pay attention to the lyrics. Some of the "traveling" music will bring back wonderful memories of Italian cannibal movies.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Graveyard Shift

AKA:
Stephen King's Graveyard Shift

Written by:
Stephen King (short story)
John Esposito (screenplay)

Directed by:
Ralph S. Singleton

Made in:
USA & Japan in 1990

Actors:
David Andrews .... John Hall
Kelly Wolf .... Jane Wisconsky
Stephen Macht .... Warwick
Andrew Divoff .... Danson
Vic Polizos .... Brogan
Brad Dourif .... Tucker Cleveland/The Exterminator
Robert Alan Beuth .... Ippeston
Ilona Margolis .... Nordello
Jimmy Woodard .... Carmichael
Jonathan Emerson .... Jason Reed
Minor Rootes .... Stevenson
Kelly L. Goodman .... Warwick's Secretary
Susan Lowden .... Daisy May
Joe Perham .... Mill Inspector
Dana Packard .... Millworker

Plot:
Based on Stephen King's short story about a Maine textile mill, where it's workers come into contact with something far more gruesome than anyone might expect. IMDB

Review:
Not a horrible movie, but that is by Hurly standards. :)

I don't find anything wrong with the acting, and it is a little humorous at times. A typical Stephen King adaptation. For me, the ending is awful, but most of them usually are.

Don't go out of your way to see it, but I think most people underrate it.

Swimfan

AKA:
Swimf@n (USA)
Swimfan85 (USA) (working title)
Tell Me You Love Me

Written by:
Charles F. Bohl
Phillip Schneider

Directed by:
John Polson

Made in:
USA in 2002

Actors:
Jesse Bradford .... Ben Cronin
Erika Christensen .... Madison Bell
Shiri Appleby .... Amy Miller
Kate Burton .... Carla Cronin
Clayne Crawford .... Josh
Jason Ritter .... Randy
Kia Goodwin .... Rene (as Kia Joy Goodwin)
Dan Hedaya .... Coach Simkins
Michael Higgins .... Mr. Tillman
Nick Sandow .... Detective John Zabel
Pamela Isaacs .... Mrs. Egan
James DeBello .... Christopher Dante (as James Debello)

Plot:
Ben Cronin has it all: the admiration of his many friends, a terrific girlfriend, and an appointment with swim scouts from Stanford. It's not easy; Ben must train for countless hours in the pool for a critical swim meet, work at the local hospital and find quality time with his high school sweetheart, Amy. His wonderful life is disrupted by the arrival of Madison Bell. The new girl in town quickly sets her sights on the impressionable Ben. While their first few meetings are innocent enough, the seductive Madison wants more. IMDB

Review:
Ehhh.. not a horrible movie. It could have been much, much worse!
It is decent for its genre. Unlike most movies like it, this one keeps me interested. It is a little different from other movies like it.
Even though everything works out in the end, it is an entertaining movie.

If you have the chance, watch it, but not something to go out of your way for.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Brokeback Mountain

Written by:
E. Annie Proulx (short story)
Larry McMurtry (screenplay)

Directed by:
Ang Lee

Made in:
USA in 2005

Actors:
Heath Ledger .... Ennis Del Mar
Jake Gyllenhaal .... Jack Twist
Randy Quaid .... Joe Aguirre
Anne Hathaway .... Lureen Newsome
Michelle Williams .... Alma
Valerie Planche .... Waitress
Graham Beckel .... L.B. Newsome
David Harbour .... Randall Malone
Kate Mara .... Alma del Mar Jr., Age 19
Roberta Maxwell .... Jack's Mother
Peter McRobbie .... John Twist
Anna Faris .... LaShawn Malone
Linda Cardellini .... Cassie
Scott Michael Campbell .... Monroe
David Trimble .... Basque

Plot:
A raw, powerful story of two young men, a Wyoming ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy, who meet in the summer of 1963 sheepherding in the harsh, high grasslands of contemporary Wyoming and form an unorthodox yet life-long bond--by turns ecstatic, bitter and conflicted. IMDB

Review:
What a fantastic movie.
When I heard about it, I figured it would be an okay movie, and then everyone started saying how great it was, and that it was up for an Oscar.. Then I just had to see it.

And it is every bit as good as everyone says.
It is a beautiful, sad, heart-wrenching movie.
Possibly one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen.

I don't think I could say enough good things about this movie.
I definately recommend it. It will completely suck you into the story and you will feel every emotion and struggle these two lovers endure.

They couldn't have picked any better actors than Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger to bring out the full potential of this movie.

An absolutely brillant film that everyone needs to see.

In the USA this movie has a rated R (have to be 18), in Sweden it has a '7' .. which means 7 year olds are allowed to see it.
Banned in Malaysia. (But what isn't?)

Critters

Written by:
Stephen Herek
Domonic Muir

Directed by:
Stephen Herek

Made in:
USA in 1986

Actors:
Dee Wallace-Stone .... Helen Brown
M. Emmet Walsh .... Harv
Billy Green Bush .... Jay Brown
Scott Grimes .... Brad Brown
Nadine Van der Velde .... April Brown
Don Keith Opper .... Charlie McFadden (as Don Opper)
Billy Zane .... Steve Elliot
Ethan Phillips .... Jeff Barnes
Terrence Mann .... Johnny Steele/Ug
Jeremy Lawrence .... Preacher
Lin Shaye .... Sally
Michael Lee Gogin .... Warden Zanti
Art Frankel .... Ed

Plot:
A massive ball of furry creatures from another world eat their way through a small mid-western town followed by intergalactic bounty hunters opposed only by militant townspeople. IMDB

Review:
Not an awful movie.
A very typical 80's-we-wanna-make-something-as-good-as-Gremlins movie.

The acting is typical 80's, as well as the plot and everything else.. :/
It wasn't bad.. but it definately wasn't good.
It was a very, very difficult movie to pay attention to.. I don't know how many times I got distracted and completely lost interest in the movie and started doing something else. :/

Panic Room

Written by:
David Koepp

Directed by:
David Fincher

Made in:
USA in 2002

Actors:
Jodie Foster .... Meg Altman
Kristen Stewart .... Sarah Altman
Forest Whitaker .... Burnham
Dwight Yoakam .... Raoul
Jared Leto .... Junior
Patrick Bauchau .... Stephen Altman
Ann Magnuson .... Lydia Lynch
Ian Buchanan .... Evan Kurlander
Andrew Kevin Walker .... Sleepy Neighbor
Paul Schulze .... Officer Keeney
Mel Rodriguez .... Officer Morales

Plot:
When burglars break in to a newly-bought house expecting to find money, they find its owners sleeping upstairs. The odds are against the claustrophobic mother and her child with low blood sugar when they are locked into the Panic Room, a room where they are "safe" from criminals. Unfortunately, they are locked in with the very money that the burglars want...and the burglars threaten to come in...or make the family of two come out. IMDB

Review:
A very decent movie. Not really anything wrong with it. The only thing that does bother me is the.. lack of intelligence in 2 of the 3 burglars, which I find a little hard to believe. The acting is okay and the plot is decent. A great movie to see if you have the opportunity. Lots of things always happening; it doesn't get dull and boring.

Catwoman

AKA:
Untitled 'Batman Returns' Spin-off (USA) (working title)

Written by:
Bob Kane (characters)
Theresa Rebeck (story)

Directed by:
Pitof

Made in:
USA in 2004

Actors:
Halle Berry .... Patience Phillips/Catwoman
Benjamin Bratt .... Tom Lone
Sharon Stone .... Laurel Hedare
Lambert Wilson .... George Hedare
Frances Conroy .... Ophelia
Alex Borstein .... Sally
Michael Massee .... Armando
Byron Mann .... Wesley
Kim Smith .... Drina
Christopher Heyerdahl .... Rocker
Peter Wingfield .... Dr. Ivan Slavicky
Berend McKenzie .... Lance

Plot:
Catwoman is the story of shy, sensitive artist Patience Philips (Halle Berry), a woman who can't seem to stop apologizing for her own existence. She works as a graphic designer for Hedare Beauty, a mammoth cosmetics company on the verge of releasing a revolutionary anti-aging product. When Patience inadvertently happens upon a dark secret her employer is hiding, she finds herself in the middle of a corporate conspiracy. What happens next changes Patience forever. In a mystical twist of fate, she is transformed into a woman with the strength, speed, agility and ultra-keen senses of a cat. With her newfound prowess and feline intuition, Patience becomes Catwoman, a sleek and stealthy creature balancing on the thin line between good and bad. Like any wildcat, she's dangerous, elusive and untamed. Her adventures are complicated by a burgeoning relationship with Tom Lone (Benjamin Bratt), a cop who has fallen for Patience but cannot shake his fascination with the mysterious Catwoman, who appears to be responsible for a string of crime sprees plaguing the city. IMDB

Review:
What a God-awful movie. :/

We didn't start watching it until 20 minutes into the movie, and it seems that we missed absolutely nothing of the plot.. because nothing had happened yet. But technically.. nothing really happens in the movie at all...

I'm not a fan of Halle Berry, but she was absolutely awful in this movie. Not saying any of the other actors did any better, but I don't understand how a supposed serious actress could do something like this.

The plot was horrific.. and the acting was.. even worse.

We only watched it for.. not even 20 minutes, and it was possibly the worst 20 minutes of movie history. Even worse than You Got Served!!!

It is very difficult to watch, because of how stupid Halle Berry looks in this movie, trying to act like a cat.. Rubbing catnip all over her face.. it is just.. sad really.. :/

I would be so embarassed if I had any ties to this movie.

Please avoid this movie.. :/ The only reason we saw the 20 minutes of it is because we were going through the channels and found it on one of the movie channels. And we only stopped to watch just to see if it was as horrible as everyone says it is, and it only took about 2 minutes of watching to realize that it is..

Possibly one of the worst movies ever made. A very pathetic movie.

Friday, March 10, 2006

The Lord of the Rings

Original title:
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Written by:
J.R.R. Tolkien (novel)
Fran Walsh (screenplay)

Directed by:
Peter Jackson

Made in:
New Zealand / USA 2001-2003

Actors:
Liv Tyler .... Arwen
Karl Urban .... Eomer
Stephen Ure .... Gorbag
Hugo Weaving .... Elrond
David Wenham .... Faramir
Elijah Wood .... Frodo
Thomas Robins .... Deagol
Andy Serkis .... Gollum/Smeagol
Harry Sinclair .... Isildur
John Rhys-Davies .... Gimli
Dominic Monaghan .... Merry
Viggo Mortensen .... Aragorn
John Noble .... Denethor
Paul Norell .... King of the Dead
Miranda Otto .... Eowyn
Bruce Phillips .... Grimbold
Bernard Hill .... Theoden
Ian Holm .... Bilbo
Bruce Hopkins .... Gamling
Ian Hughes .... Irolas
Lawrence Makoare .... Witch King/Gothmog
Ian McKellen .... Gandalf
Cate Blanchett .... Galadriel
Orlando Bloom .... Legolas
Billy Boyd .... Pippin
Sean Astin .... Sam

Plot:
Read the book!

Review:
I decided to just review all three movies together ... I mean.. I don't think I could think of 3 different sets of things to say for three awesome movies that are supposed to be one long movie anyways.. :)

But.. If you haven't seen these.. then.. you need to!
And make sure you only see the director's extended versions. But make sure you fast forward through any part with Liv Tyler in it...... :/
She bothers me, and she really, really bothers me in these movies. I wish they would have picked anyone else for the part than her. Okay, enough about her, I could go on all day about her role in the movie....

The rest of the cast... they couldn't have picked a better cast.
And my female crush is my most favorite character in the movie... Miranda Otto as Eowyn! She is such a beautiful, strong character.

But anyways ... make sure you see it..! :)
Possibly one of the best directed movies ever. Can't say enough great things about how Peter Jackson handled these films. And if you have the chance, make sure you watch all the extra material on the DVDs.

Three of the best films ever made.

Thursday, March 9, 2006

Saw II

Written by:
Darren Lynn Bousman
Leigh Whannell

Directed by:
Darren Lynn Bousman

Made in:
USA in 2005

Actors:
Donnie Wahlberg .... Eric Mathews
Shawnee Smith .... Amanda
Tobin Bell .... Jigsaw
Franky G .... Xavier
Glenn Plummer .... Jonas
Dina Meyer .... Kerry
Emmanuelle Vaugier .... Addison
Beverley Mitchell .... Laura
Erik Knudsen .... Daniel
Tim Burd .... Obi (as Timothy Burd)
Lyriq Bent .... Rigg
Noam Jenkins .... Michael
Tony Nappo .... Gus

Plot:
Jigsaw locks 8 or 9 unlucky people in a booby trapped shelter and they must find a way out before they inhale too much of a lethal nerve gas and die. But they must watch out, for the traps that the Jigsaw has set in the shelter lead to death also. IMDB

Review:
I really, really liked this one. I almost prefer it over the first movie!
It has more gore, blood and scare than the first movie. The first movie was more about them figuring out clues and trying to get out. This second movie was more about death, etc.. I definately recommend the movie! I like the story, I like how it ends, and I like the way it was told. The only things I don't like were: the really dumb SWAT team members, and the way the Detective acted through the whole movie, he just made me mad. Maybe just bad acting on Wahlberg's part..?

Make sure you see it!

Mitt liv som hund

AKA:
My Life as a Dog (Canada: English title) (USA)

Written by:
Reidar Jönsson (novel)
Lasse Hallström

Directed by:
Lasse Hallström

Made in:
Sweden in 1985

Actors:
Anton Glanzelius .... Ingemar
Tomas von Brömssen .... morbror Gunnar
Anki Lidén .... Ingemars mamma (as Anki Liden)
Melinda Kinnaman .... Saga
Kicki Rundgren .... moster Ulla
Lennart Hjulström .... konstnären
Ing-Marie Carlsson .... Berit
Leif Ericson .... farbror Sandberg
Christina Carlwind .... Fru sandberg
Ralph Carlsson .... Harry
Viveca Dahlén .... tvättande kvinna
Arnold Alfredson .... Mannes farfar
Fritz Elofsson .... Mäster
Didrik Gustavsson .... Arvidsson, dying old man befriended by Ingmar
Jan-Philip Hollström .... Manne, the boy with green hair

Plot:
Ingemar lives with his brother and his terminally ill mother. He may have a rough time, but not as bad as Laika - the russian dog sent into space... He gets sent away to stay with relations for the summer. While there, he meets various strange characters, giving him experiences that will affect him for the rest of his life. IMDB

Review:
Many people have recommended this movie, saying how wonderful it is. But Fredrik always never liked it, so I never really had a chance to see it. I think Fredrik then discovered that he never liked it because as a teenager he was forced to watch it in school, so that made him dislike it.

It was shown on TV the other day, and it was a very, very good movie.
Very moving, very emotional, and very well done.

It is a fun movie, and even though so emotional, it is very funny at times, too.

I definately recommend this one. I recommend it for anyone over 18 years, because I think you need that mentality to fully understand everything the movie represents.

A very beautiful movie.

Language is in Swedish, but I know this one is pretty popular so it shouldn't be too difficult to find a copy with subtitles or even dubbed.

Saturday, March 4, 2006

City of Angels

AKA:
Stadt der Engel (Germany)

Written by:
Wim Wenders
Peter Handke

Directed by:
Brad Silberling

Made in:
Germany & USA in 1998

Actors:
Nicolas Cage .... Seth
Meg Ryan .... Maggie Rice
Andre Braugher .... Cassiel
Dennis Franz .... Nathaniel Messinger
Colm Feore .... Jordan Ferris
Robin Bartlett .... Anne
Joanna Merlin .... Teresa Messinger

Plot:
Seth, an angel watching over Los Angeles, begins finding his job difficult as he falls in love with Maggie, a beautiful heart surgeon. She becomes interested in Seth, and soon his not-quite-mortal state seems a barrier rather than a gift. A choice must be made between celestial duty and earthly love. IMDB

Review:
I absolutely love this movie.
There is nothing in this movie that I would change, it is completely perfect how it is. I am not a huge fan of Meg Ryan, but she does a great job in this role along beside Nicolas Cage.

I cry all the way through this movie, it is one of my most favorite films. And the film has one of the best soundtracks ever made.

It is romantic, very romantic, but very, very good.
I do recommend the movie for most everyone. Females would probably enjoy it over males, because of the romantic aspects.

The movie has a big spiritual theme running through it, it contains a lot of mythology, but it is very beautifuly portrayed.

The ending is so sad, yet so perfect. Even though you know what is going to happen before it does, it is still so beautiful and so sad, and not overdone.

Raising Arizona

Written by:
Ethan Coen
Joel Coen

Directed by:
Joel Coen

Made in:
USA in 1987

Actors:
Nicolas Cage .... H.I. McDunnough
Holly Hunter .... Edwina 'Ed' McDunnough
Trey Wilson .... Nathan Arizona (Huffhines) Sr.
John Goodman .... Gale Snoats
William Forsythe .... Evelle Snoats
Sam McMurray .... Glen
Frances McDormand .... Dot
Randall 'Tex' Cobb .... Leonard Smalls
T.J. Kuhn .... Nathan Arizona Jr. (as T.J. Kuhn Jr.)
Lynne Dumin Kitei .... Florence Arizona

Plot:
Colourful and unconventional slapstick comedy. Ex-con Hi and ex-cop Ed meet, marry and long for a child in the wilds of Arizona. When Ed discovers she's barren the God-given solution is presented: to snatch a baby from a set of quins. Thus begins a series of kidnappings, capers and rum goings-on that revolve around the helpless yet universally-loveable child. Hi's convict friends, his boss, and even the Lone Biker Of The Apocalypse become involved in the ever-twisting plot in the quest to own the baby. IMDB

Review:
An absolutely hilarious movie! And a perfect role for Nicolas Cage.
Very fun and full of laughs.

You really feel sorry for the main characters in their attempt to have a child. Even to the point of reasoning out their kidnapping. :)
A great movie, I definitely recommend it!

Panic

Original title:
Bakterion

AKA:
Pánico (Spain)
Panic
Vivi invidieranno i morti, I (Italy)

Written by:
Víctor Andrés Catena
Jaime Comas Gil

Directed by:
Tonino Ricci

Made in:
Italy & Spain in 1976

Actors:
David Warbeck .... Kirk Dude
Janet Agren .... Jane
Roberto Ricci .... Professor Adams
José Lifante .... Sergeant O'Brien (as José R. Lifante)
Miguel Herrera .... Doctor Vince
Eugenio Benito .... Father Braun
Ovidio Taito
José María Labernié .... Colonel Rudrige (as José Maria Labernie)
Fabián Conde .... Borracho (as Fabian Conde)

Plot:
A scientist's experiment with a deadly bacteria goes awry and leaves him horribly deformed. The monstrous man then runs amok in his town. IMDB

Review:
A very, very bad movie!
But so easy to make fun of! It would be a perfect movie for MST, but unfortunately we had to think of our own funny things to say during the movie to make it not so painful while sitting through.
The location is supposed to be in England, and it is dubbed into English.

The acting isn't that bad, but very entertaining. There are some very pointless shots, and some bad editing.

There is a great cinema scene where there is complete darkness for about a minute, and you don't get to see anything that happens.. and there is a giant rat in a sewer that you see for a couple of seconds and it never shows up again ... and it seems that they want you to think that all the houses in England have large square holes in a wall in at least one room in each house that leads right to the sewer system.

A very, very strange movie, and it does well by jumping right into the main plot. But the movie drags a little too much.. :/ The entire movie probably could have lasted 30-40 minutes.. but instead it is 90 minutes.. :/

An easy movie to make fun of, but don't watch it if you are the least bit tired, I, myself, fell asleep about 3 different times near the end.. :/ :)

Thursday, March 2, 2006

Pay It Forward

Written by:
Catherine Ryan Hyde (book)
Leslie Dixon (screenplay)

Directed by:
Mimi Leder

Made in:
USA in 2000

Actors:
Kevin Spacey .... Eugene Simonet
Helen Hunt .... Arlene McKinney
Haley Joel Osment .... Trevor McKinney
Jay Mohr .... Chris Chandler
James Caviezel .... Jerry
Jon Bon Jovi .... Ricky McKinney
Angie Dickinson .... Grace
David Ramsey .... Sidney Parker
Gary Werntz .... Mr. Thorsen

Plot:
Young Trevor McKinney, troubled by his mother's alcoholism and fears of his abusive but absent father, is caught up by an intriguing assignment from his new social studies teacher, Mr. Simonet. The assignment: think of something to change the world and put it into action. Trevor conjures the notion of paying a favor not back, but forward--repaying good deeds not with payback, but with new good deeds done to three new people. Trevor's efforts to make good on his idea bring a revolution not only in the lives of himself, his mother and his physically and emotionally scarred teacher, but in those of an ever-widening circle of people completely unknown to him. IMDB

Review:
This is a good movie, the first time you see it.
One of our movie channels showed this movie over and over and over and over and over ... to the point where I hated this movie.. :/

But watch it! Watch it only once, and it is a really, really good movie.
It is a simple, fun, good morale movie. A very emotional movie with a good cast.

I do recommend it, and it is a good movie, but it can still get annoying after awhile.. :/

American Beauty

Written by:
Alan Ball

Directed by:
Sam Mendes

Made in:
USA in 1999

Actors:
Kevin Spacey .... Lester Burnham
Annette Bening .... Carolyn Burnham
Thora Birch .... Jane Burnham
Wes Bentley .... Ricky Fitts
Mena Suvari .... Angela Hayes
Chris Cooper .... Col. Frank Fitts, USMC
Peter Gallagher .... Buddy Kane
Allison Janney .... Barbara Fitts

Plot:
Lester and Carolyn Burnham are on the outside, a perfect husband and wife, in a perfect house, in a perfect neighborhood. But inside, Lester is slipping deeper and deeper into a hopeless depression. He finally snaps when he becomes infatuated with one of his daughters friends. Meanwhile, his daughter Jane is developing a happy friendship with a shy boy-next-door named Ricky who lives with a homophobic father. IMDB

Review:
Such a fantastic movie.

I didn't want to see it when it came out, I didn't think I would like it.
But Fredrik wanted to see it and thought it would be an excellent movie.
I finally decided to rent it one night, and it ends up (like always), that I love the movie, and he thought it was "okay." :) That always happens.

It is such a simple movie, but holds a lot of depth.
A perfect cast that does a terrific job. I love Annette Bening, and she does such a good job in this movie.

I'm not sure if there is anything in this movie that could be made any better than it already is. The movie confronts many realistic struggles in normal day lives. Not a family movie, but definately something that every family member needs to see.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella

Written by:
Joseph Schrank (teleplay)

Directed by:
Charles S. Dubin

Made in:
USA in 1965

Actors:
Ginger Rogers .... Queen
Walter Pidgeon .... King
Celeste Holm .... Fairy Godmother
Jo Van Fleet .... Stepmother
Stuart Damon .... Prince
Pat Carroll .... Prunella
Barbara Ruick .... Esmerelda
Lesley Ann Warren .... Cinderella
Joe E. Marks .... Aide
Don Heitgerd .... The Herald

Plot:
Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical retelling of the classic fairy tale. Cinderella is a teenage girl forced to do all of the menial tasks in the home she shares with her coldhearted stepmother and homely stepsisters. One day when home alone, Cinderella shares a cup of water with a thirsty and handsome traveler, not realizing until he continues on his journey that he is the crown prince of the kingdom. Shortly thereafter, the king and queen invite every young maiden in the kingdom to a royal ball so that the crown prince can find a girl to marry. Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters go to the ball, leaving Cinderella behind to wish about how her life could be. While she is daydreaming, she is visited by her fairy godmother, who makes it possible for her wishes to come true. IMDB

Review:
This is one of my most favorite movies ever!
It is such a fun, simple Cinderella version. It is a classic and I think everyone should see it. Guys would probably think it silly and "gay." And most younger females might like it, and older females would probably think it is silly, too, I guess. I find it charming and romantic. I love the songs, it is such a great musical. And yes, I even end up crying through it. I grew up watching this, and I still sing along with all the songs. It is a fantastic movie! A true classic!