Wayne's World

• Title:  Wayne's World
• Director:  Penelope Spheeris
• Date:  1992
• Studio:  Paramount
• Genre: Comedy
• Cast:  Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere
• Format: Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"I've had plenty of 'joe jobs' - nothing I'd call a career. Let me put it this way - I have and extensive collection of name tags and hair nets." - Wayne Campbell

"Sometimes, I wish I could boldly go where no man's gone before, but I'll probably stay in Aurora." - Garth

"Aren't we lucky we were there to get all that information? Seemed extraneous at the time." - Wayne

Wayne's World  felt very much like a 1980s movie to me when I re-watched it, so I was surprised to see the copyright date as actually 1992. The story is about two best friends, Wayne and Garth, who live in Aurora, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The two have a local public access TV show that they film in Wayne's basement called, "Wayne's World", and the film was developed from the Wayne's World sketches on Saturday Night Live. However, in the film, the clips of Wayne and Garth doing their Wayne's World show are the least successful parts of the film (they are very dated, and often fall flat).

The strength of the film, the part that shines, and still works, is that it's a buddy film. But whereas most "buddy films" are cop films - Wayne's World is about these two guys, good friends, who are into heavy metal music, and not taking life too seriously. The film also continuously breaks the fourth wall, as usually Wayne, addresses the audience directly. Garth, normally the quieter and shyer of the two - also, occasionally, addresses the audience. The constant breaking of the fourth wall gives the film a surreal quality and an avant-garde edge. But that doesn't mean the film is overly serious. Quite the opposite - it's very, very funny. It's also filled with clips of great music, and a lot of singing (almost exclusively cover versions of popular music).

The basic storyline is that Wayne and Garth have this cable access show, Wayne's World, that they put together every week, more-or-less as a hobby, though Wayne, at least, would like to do Wayne's World as a career. One night, Benjamin Oliver, an unsavory ad exec is flipping channels and he sees the show. He thinks it's the perfect vehicle for his biggest client, the owner of a chain of video arcades called Noah's Arcade. He wants to move the show to a cable network, have Noah's Arcade sponsor it, and use it as a vehicle for, essentially, half an hour's worth of advertising for the arcade. Benjamin's plot works in that he gets Wayne and Garth to agree to his contract, though when Wayne gets on set he blows up and refuses to do product placement (in a hilarious scene in which at least half a dozen different products are prominently placed and used). Benjamin meanwhile sows discontent between Wayne and Garth, and gets Wayne to think his girlfriend is cheating on him. But it all works out in the end (well, in the third alternate ending).

But the film's point isn't really the plot. The characters, Wayne and Garth, and their close friendship - a friendship that is threatened but recovers - is at the heart of the film. Also, the idea of personal happiness being more important than money or what others call success is a subtext of the film. Yet, at it's heart the film is just very funny - and enjoyable to watch. Wayne and Garth's personal optimism and infectiously happy outlooks make the film enjoyable to watch. The frequent music, covers, and sing-alongs add to the fun.

Overall, one of the oddest things about the film might just be the frequent anachronisms. The entire set-up, the "Wayne's World" cable access show is something that barely exists now. However, a real-life Wayne and Garth these days could easily do their own show on youTube, or create a regular podcast. Wayne and his new girlfriend, Cassandra talk on landline phones that include a cord. Benjamin's client owns coin-operated video arcades. The famous, and awesome, sing-along to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" starts with Wayne putting a cassette tape into the car's tape deck (though later Wayne, at least, upgrades to an external CD drive). The film doesn't so much look dated as have moments of, "Oh, yeah, that's how we used to do things." Though, it's Garth who mostly correctly describes how he will bounce the special "Wayne's World" episode featuring Cassandra's performance off several communications satellites (which Garth mentions by name/number) - today such dialogue would be simplified to "bounced off several satellites") to Mr. Sharpe's limo to get her a  record contract. Even the three endings reference older films, such as Clue. It felt at times, like a window into the past.

Overall, I found Wayne's World to be enjoyable to re-watch, mostly because it was just so happy. Wayne and Garth's attitude towards women notwithstanding (Garth continuously talks about women as "babes" but can't get up the courage to talk to the pretty blonde he keeps spotting in their neighborhood.) It some ways the film was also like an updated American Graffiti in that it portrays a time and a place, though it's less serious in content and tone. Still, it's fun, just plain fun.

NOTE:  I normally don't mention DVD menus, but this one with the cable access opening is funny. Also, there are a number of hidden features on the menu (which looks like a cable TV on-screen guide).

Recommendation:  See it

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Next Film:  When Harry Met Sally...

The Truman Show

• Title:  The Truman Show
• Director:  Peter Weir
• Date:  1998
• Studio:  Paramount Pictures
• Genre:  Drama
• Cast:  Jim Carrey, Ed Harris, Laura Linney, Natascha McElhone
• Format:   Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Seahaven is the way the world should be." - Christof

"Cue the sun." - Christof

Imagine if your whole world - everyone you knew, every place you'd ever seen, every memory you had, was, in a sense - not real. Your very life had been manipulated from before your birth, and that all of this was completely unknown to you. That's the theme of The Truman Show, one of the most innovative and unusual films ever made.

Truman Burbank has an almost perfect life, living in the small island community of Seahaven. His wife is a nurse, and he works selling insurance. Truman sometimes dreams of going off on an adventure, or of being an explorer, but his daily life is quite dull, though perfect.

Then one day, as he's about to get into his car to drive to work, a studio light crashes to the ground, nearly hitting his car. Truman thinks it's strange, until the radio explains a plane flying over Seahaven began shedding parts. Yet, slowly, but surely, more and more strange things begin happening. Truman remembers a girl he was interested in, Lauren, the girl with a red sweater and a button that said, "How is it going to end?" but before he could really pursue a relationship with her, another girl, a cute blonde is literally dropped in his lap. Truman meets Lauren again at the library - and they try to run off together, but she is picked up and dragged away by her "father".

As we know from scenes in Truman's present - he marries the blonde, Meryl. But in his present, another encounter is harder to explain - he sees his father on the street. His father had died years ago, falling overboard and drowning when their sailboat was caught in a storm. Truman is disturbed by the encounter, and doesn't quite buy the explanations offered by his mother and his wife. He meets up with his best friend, Marlin, and they have a heart-to-heart. Yet we see the Director, Christof, feeding lines to Marlin over a hidden earpiece. As the conversation concludes, a man walks out of the fog and smoke. It's Truman's lost father. But we see this momentous event through the eyes of the Director and his technical aides - as he orders the fog machine to back off, orders the arrangement of shots and cameras, and even has the music fade up.

Then we see the title sequence of "The Truman Show" which explains that Truman was born on camera, he was legally adopted by a Corporation, that millions had watched his first step and his "stolen kiss" (with Lauren), etc. Next is a cut to a talk show, "Tru Talk", and an interview with Christof, the Director. Truman's entire life is a TV show - aired 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without interruption or advertisements. It's revenue comes from product placement - and everything on the show is for sale in "The Truman Catalog". The rest of the cast are actors, paid to interact with Truman. The Director manipulates everything to create "good television".

Yet, despite the return of his father, Truman continues to question, continues to push.

He walks into a travel agency - an agency with posters, not of beautiful island paradises, but of planes hit by lightening, and of dire warnings of other Bad Things that can happen to the unwary traveller. When Truman tries to buy a plane ticket, he's told there's nothing for two months.

Next, he kidnaps his wife and spontaneously drives off. He gets her to drive from the passenger seat with one hand on the steering wheel of the car over a bridge over water to the "mainland", something Truman himself is afraid to do. As they continue to drive, they hear sirens - and find an accident at a Nuclear Plant, with men in hazmat and fire-proof suits. A uniformed police officer tells them they can't continue - but the cop makes a mistake when Truman agrees to turn around and says, "You're welcome, Truman." Truman tries again to escape, but he's captured.

There's a clip of Christof explaining that Meryl will leave Truman and a new "love interest" introduced. And that he's "determined to have the first on-air conception" on the show.

But Truman has other ideas. He pretends to go back to his old self, continues to sell insurance, and "acts normal". But one night, he sneaks in to his basement, creates a sleeping dummy with a recording of snores, and hides in a closet, then breaks out through a hole. This is discovered by the Director, who's in his control room on the moon. First, Marlin is sent to find out if Truman is really sleeping (he discovers the deception). Then the entire cast and all extras are sent to search for Truman, they step in a long line, perfectly in time, arms linked, to a frightening sound reminiscent of goose-stepping. The group even has barking dogs. Having already ceased transmission, Christof is desperate to find his star. He uses the moon as a searchlight. Finally, even though it's too early, he turns on the sun.

Christof realizes the one place he hasn't searched is the sea. He finds Truman on a sailing boat, and begins transmitting pictures again. The audience begins to root for Truman's escape, especially Lauren who leads some sort of protest group that wants Truman freed. As Truman tries to make his escape, Christof orders a storm. When his orders to stop Truman escalate to killing him by capsizing the boat - the other directors and technicians finally protest and refuse. Christof increases the storm and Truman falls off the boat and into the water. Christof turns off the storm and Truman, not drowned, coughs up the water and makes it back onto the boat. At this point, Christof says he wants to talk to Truman.

Christof's voice appears to come from a break in the clouds.

"Who are you?" asks Truman.

"I am the creator of a television show that gives hope, and joy, and inspiration to millions," replies Christof.

"Who am I?" asks Truman.

"You are the star," replies Christof.

Christof then tells Truman he has watched him since he was born, saw him take his first step, watched him cut his first tooth. Truman still is determined to leave Christof's giant television studio. He's awakened when his boat hits the wall of the studio, and he walks, apparently on water, around the edge, until he finds a stair case. Finally, Truman climbs the stairs and exits the door. Christof orders "Cease Transmission".

But the meta of the film is carried over into the credits which are listed in three parts: Truman's World, Christof's World, and the Viewers. Only the characters in Truman's World have names - other than Christof and "Chloe" in Christof's world characters are listed by their job description, "Control Room Director", "Network Exceutive", "Keyboard Artist", etc. Similarly, the audience members are listed by descriptions, "bar waitress", "Man in Bathtub", "Japanese Family", etc.

The Truman Show is a deep and fascinating film. Originally almost dismissed as a commentary on the "new" phenomena of Reality Television, it's actually a deeply philosophical film. The Director is God - he's created Truman's entire world. He controls all of Truman's encounters. If an actor becomes difficult or complains - they are removed from the show. New characters are introduced - giving the Director the show he wants - creating situations that Truman should respond to in predictable ways, such as dropping Meryl in his lap. Even what the actors say is at times scripted or suggested by Christof - such as Meryl insipid product placement lines (which she always delivers badly) or in a more serious scene, Christof feeding lines to Marlin to give to Truman. When the reality starts to break down, Truman's search to find Lauren, to escape to Fiji, is really an attempt to understand his world and discover who he really is. It's not accidental at all, that when Christof first speaks to Truman, it's a voice, from the sun, peaking out from clouds, after a storm. That's  a very Christian image. Though the entire story is of Truman's fight to push the boundaries of his world and control his own fate, rather than stay safe, in a world created for him. Christof loses his battle, when Truman wins.

Besides the Christian implications, there's another whole level to the film - the meta implications. Although the first half of the film stays in Truman's world, but often with lens hazing or a curved perspective (like the really old shots in films that indicated a character was looking through binoculars or a telescope), once he meets his father, we are introduced to Christof's World. We hear Christof defending his perspective. We hear Lauren, an actress named Sylvia, attack Christof on the "Tru Talk" call-in talk show program. And we see the audience watching the show and making comments - and eventually rooting for Truman's escape. It's a film, about a fictional television show, that shows us the director making that show, and the audience watching that show. It's just so meta it practically defines the term.

And in many ways, this seventeen-year-old film predicts in a non-specific way, our world of constant Social Media interaction. The give-and-take and interaction between viewers and makers of film and television via websites, social media, Live Tweet Events, etc. The creating of profiles to emphasize what we want others to know about us and de-emphasize or even hide what we don't want others to know about us. The putting on a friendly face, that can be an act as much as Truman's wife and best friend act a certain way towards him. Though, to it's credit, Truman's world isn't a totally paranoid or scary one. And in our world, Social Media does much good - giving voice to the voiceless, and in times of crisis turning us all into citizen journalists.

The Truman Show is an underrated classic and it is a film that really must be seen. I highly, highly, highly recommend this movie.

Recommendation: See it!

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Next Film: UHF

Tomorrow Never Dies

• Title:  Tomorrow Never Dies
• Director:  Roger Spottiswoode
• Date:  1997
• Studio:  United Artists / MGM
• Genre:  Action
• Cast:  Pierce Brosnan, Teri Hatcher, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yoeh, Judi Dench, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Colin Salmon, Geoffrey Palmer, Vincent Schiavelli
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format: R1, NTSC

"Mr. Jones, Are we ready to release our new software?"  - Carver

"Yes, sir. As requested it's full of bugs, which means people will be forced to upgrade for years." - Jones

"Gentleman, and ladies, hold the presses. This just in. By a curious quirk of fate, we have the perfect story with which to launch our satellite news network tonight. It seems a small crisis is brewing in the South China Seas. I want full newspaper coverage. I want magazine stories. I want books. I want films. I want TV. I want radio. I want us on the air 24 hours a day! This is out moment! And a billion people around the world will watch it, hear it, and read about it from the Carver Media Group." - Carver

Tomorrow Never Dies is my favorite Pierce Brosnan James Bond film, and it's one of the best James Bond films in the modern era because for once it has a relatively realistic premise - told in the high-action style of James Bond, of course. The film is about Elliot Carver, a media mogul played brilliantly by Jonathan Pryce, who isn't merely reporting events, or even spinning events to fit his own point of view, but actually causing the events his media group reports.

For once the opening gambit of a James Bond movie actually fits with the rest of the plot. One of the items up for sale at a terrorist bazaar in Russia is a satellite encoder, which can influence (or change) GPS data. James Bond manages to locate the bazaar, and launch and take away a plane loaded with nuclear missiles prior to the British Navy's missile destroying the bazaar and the terrorists who are shopping there. However, though the analysts see the encoder, and recognize what it is - they don't realize it wasn't destroyed and that Henry Gupta - a hacker for fire escaped with it.

The encoder is important because it allows the next major event to happen. A British ship, HMS Devonshire, is cruising in what it thinks are international waters off the coast of China. The ship is overflown by Chinese migs who insist they are only 11 miles off the coast of China. The Devonshire's captain double checks their position with GPS - and then they are attacked and sunk by a stealth ship. The British ship reports they were attacked by the migs, and gives their position before calling abandon ship. The survivors are collected by Stamper, Carver's thud and enforcer, and shot with Chinese ammo. Carver reports on the developing crisis - using the potential for war, to launch his satellite news network.

James Bond is sent to investigate - first to Hamburg, where he's instructed to get close to Carver's wife, Paris (Teri Hatcher), whom he had previously had a relationship with. Paris gives him some information, and is killed for her trouble by Carver. While investigating, Bond runs into a Chinese reporter, Wai Lin. Later it will turn out she's his opposite number, an agent for the Chinese security service. Bond's able to get the GPS encoder and escape from Hamburg.

He takes the encoder to the CIA, because it's an American device. Bond's CIA contact shows it to a tech, who confirms it could have been used to send the Devonshire off course. The CIA also arranges to drop Bond into the Ocean to find the ship's wreckage. The Americans assume Bond is jumping into international waters, but one of the British naval officers on the flight realizes he's actually jumping in to waters belonging to Vietnam. Meanwhile, Bond succeeds in his HALO jump. He find the Devonshire and runs into the Chinese woman again. The two are caught by Stamper, and brought to Carver. They escape, handcuffed together, on a motorcycle. Bond and Wai Lin end-up working together, sending warning messages to both the British and Chinese governments that Carver's playing them against each other, then head out to locate Carver's stealth boat.

Bond and Wai Lin plan on blowing up the stealth boat with sea bombs, but are again caught by Carver and his goons. Carver explains his entire plot - not only is he using the crisis he created to "sell papers" and successfully launch his news network - but he's working with a Chinese general. Carver's stealth boat will launch an attack on the British fleet (after some initial minor attacks on both fleets) it will then use one of the cruise missiles stolen from the Devonshire to attack Beijing - wiping out the current government and military leaders, except Carver's general who will be conveniently stuck in traffic. After setting up his new government, the general will grant Carver exclusive media access in China - creating a captive audience worth billions. In short, Carver is creating events, for ratings.

Wai Lin and Bond again escape Carver's clutches and manage to kill Carver and his muscleman, Stamper, and sink the ship before the cruise missile is launched.

Tomorrow Never Dies has several action sequences as well:  Bond and Wei Lin handcuffed together, on a motorcycle, riding through a densely-populated area while being chased by Carver's men; Bond using a remote control built into his (rather ancient-looking) cell phone to control his car; even Bond's escape from Carver in Hamburg; and the scenes on the stealth ship, of course. All the big action sequences one expects from a Bond film - and they are well done, technically, and because we care about Bond and Wei Lin - they work in the film too. The action sequences are not overly long, overly complicated, nor do they have effects that no longer work - everything looks really good. So the film satisfies on the level of what a Bond film should be. But what I really liked about the film was the villain and the plot. Elliot Carver is a totally unscrupulous reporter turned media mogul, who's incredibly psychopathic. Throughout the film we see him fire people for "mistakes" that aren't their own (such as the woman who's fired for not knowing what caused the power outage during his media launch party) or even kill any one who gets in the way of his plans, including his own wife. And, of course, he's willing to sink a British warship, cause a crisis, and risk world war - just to get what he wants, complete power. Throughout the film - Carver gets the best lines, as he explains how the press can not only manipulate events to suit their own corporate purposes - but in Carver's case, cause events in the first place. Pryce is delicious as Carver.

I also really liked Michelle Yoeh as Wai Lin - the Chinese agent who's a female Bond. Wei Lin is just as smart as James, and just as dedicated to her country. And I'd watch a film or two about her! Yoeh also plays the part brilliantly.

And, like all of Brosnan's films, the reoccurring roles of M, Q, Moneypenny, and M's aide, are all played by excellent regulars. I love seeing Judi Dench as M. Samantha Bond is excellent as Moneypenny. And I really like seeing Colin Salmon as Dench's aide - even when he has little to do as in this film. Geoffrey Palmer, Dench's frequent co-star in BBC comedies, also appears as a British Admiral. Having the new Bond family there, as well as Desmond Llewelyn as Q just makes the Bond film a Bond film, as well as adding that unique something they all bring to it.

Recommendation:  See it

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Next Film: Top Hat 

The Three Musketeers

• Title:  The Three Musketeers
• Director:  Stephen Herek
• Date:  1993
• Studio:  Walt Disney Pictures
• Genre:  Adventure
• Cast:  Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O'Donnell, Oliver Platt, Tim Curry, Rebecca De Mornay, Gabrielle Anwar, Paul McGann
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  NTSC, Region 1

"You go back, and you tell the Cardinal, we will continue to perform our sworn duty, which is to protect the King, and we will use every means in our power to fight him." - Athos

"A remarkable woman - the most beautiful I've ever known, and the deadliest, which would explain my attraction." - Cardinal Richelieu

"D'Artagnan, would you be so kind as to redistribute this wealth? [D'Artagnan looks confused] Throw the coins, man, people are hungry." - Aramis

"This world is an uncertain realm filled with danger, honor undermined by the pursuit of power, freedom sacrificed when the weak are oppressed by the strong, but there are those who oppose these powerful forces, who dedicate their lives to truth, honor, and freedom. Those men are known as Musketeers." - the King

Disney's The Three Musketeers is a fun, adventurous, romp. Although there are lines here and there referring to the sorry state of the people of France, and the assassination of the previous King of France (the new King's father), it's not dwelt upon - at all. The result is this is a fun, light, frothy adventure film.

With the death of the previous King, and a very young new King on the throne of France, the evil Cardinal Richelieu is posed to take over France, and even aims to become King himself. Richelieu is played with considerable relish, and some chewing of scenery by Tim Curry, so you know it's going to be fun. Richelieu's opening move is to dismantle the Musketeers the King's personal and private guard. Told of the disbanding of the Musketeers, the men ceremonially burn their blue tunics and turn in their swords.

Three Musketeers refuse to give in, however, and become outlaws.

Meanwhile, Chris O'Donnell plays an arrogant young man who is on his way to Paris to join the Musketeers like his father. He gets into a duel with Girard, who believes he wronged his sister. The duel is, however, swiftly broken up and the young man, D'Artagnan, heads to Paris. Upon arriving he find a man in the destroyed former HQ of the Musketeers. Assuming the HQ has merely been moved, he asks for the new location. D'Artagnan learns that the Musketeers have been disbanded. He manages to get Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, upset with him and ends up with appointments for duels with each of them - at 12:00, 1:00, and 2:00, respectively.

When he arrives, late, for his duel with Athos, he meets the other Musketeers as well. The three are surprised to learn D'Artagnan has arranged duels with them all. And D'Artagnan is shocked to learn the three men he's agreed to fight are Musketeers. He finds no joy in killing a Musketeer. But there will be no killing - the Cardinal's guards attack and the four men fight back. The Three Musketeers are surprised by the young D'Artagnan's skill. They defeat the first group of the Cardinal's guards, then another group attacks. Athos urges D'Artagnan to leave and go home.

D'Artagnan, doesn't leave, gets separated from the group and is captured. But he frees himself from the dungeons and hears the Cardinal meet Mi Lady D'Winter - and hears their entire plan. Richelieu plans to betray France to England by signing a treaty with Lord Buckingham - his payment for this will be the throne of France. Mi Lady D'Winter will carry his terms, and the treaty to Calais. Somehow, though he hears the entire plan, D'Artagnan doesn't see Mi Lady D'Winter, or forgets who she is when he meets her later.

The Three Musketeers rescue D'Artagnan from the chopping block - literally, and they escape in the Cardinal's own coach. The four drink the Cardinal's wine, eat his food, and give his coin to the poor as they leave Paris. D'Artagnan tells the Musketeers of Richelieu's plot - and the Musketeers realize that if they can stop the spy and get the treaty, they will be able to prove Richelieu's a traitor, as well as saving France. Unfortunately, the Cardinal knows that D'Artagnan knows about his plot - he orders a 1000 gold coin bounty on the heads of him and the Musketeers. This makes getting to Calais difficult.

To make their travel less obvious, and to double the chances of finding the spy - the four split into two groups. Athos and D'Artagnan are attacked by bounty hunters. D'Artagnan offers to stay with Athos (until the bitter end, because they are outnumbered by men with guns, or at least, muskets), but Athos orders him to go on to Calais, knowing that finding the spy, stopping Richelieu and rescuing the King are more important than a single Musketeer's life.

D'Artagnan takes the surviving horse and heads off but eventually falls asleep and falls off his horse. He's picked up by a woman in a carriage - a woman he doesn't recognize. She's Mi Lady D'Winter. They go to the ship for her meeting with Buckingham. But Porthos and Aramis have reached the ship first, and have knocked out or killed the crew. The Musketeers end-up with the treaty, and D'Artagnan is again, rescued. Mi Lady D'Winter turns out to be Sabine - Athos wife, whom he kicked out and thought dead. Athos had regretted his decision to kick out his wife (he thought her an enemy of France and a murderer, she professed her innocence, he exiled her anyway.)

The next morning she's to be executed. Athos had tried to get her to tell him the rest of Richelieu's plan, but she refuses. At the execution, Athos stops the ax-man. Sabine reveals that Richelieu plans to have the King assassinated at his birthday celebration, that Friday. She forgives Athos for not believing in her all those years ago, then kills herself by jumping off a cliff.

The Musketeers and D'Artagnan rush to Paris, leaving "All for one and One for All" markers everywhere in their wake. At the birthday celebration, the four try, desperately, to find the assassin. He gets a shot off, misses, and the plaza fills with Cardinal's guards and Musketeers. D'Artagnan, meanwhile fights the assassin on a nearby rooftop. The battle moves inside as Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan, try to find and rescue the King and Queen from the Cardinal. They succeed, the Cardinal is captured, and the King admits D'Artgnan into the Musketeers.

Again, this is fun, light, adventure film. There's no serious violence. No one gets killed. The good guys win and the bad guys lose. In the middle there's lots, and lots, of sword-fighting to enjoy - as well as chases. The film's score is excellent, and the cast is good - if a bit young. The filming is gorgeous - and especially the greens just pop off the screen. The whole film has a very storybook quality to it. It's highly enjoyable, and not too deep. I recommend this, especially for families.

Recommendation:  See it!

Rating:  Four Stars

Next Film:  Thunderbirds

The Thomas Crown Affair

• Title:  The Thomas Crown Affair
• Director:  John McTiernan
• Date:  1999
• Studio:  MGM
• Genre:  Romance, Action
• Cast:  Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, Denis Leary, Faye Dunaway
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Regret is usually a waste of time. As is gloating. Have you figured out what you're gonna' say to your board when they learn that you paid me $30 Million more than others were offering?" - Thomas Crown

"It's obvious that you like men, but you never keep any of them around very long, either." - Thomas Crown

"Oh, well, men make women messy." - Catherine

"You really think there's happy ever after for people like us?" - Catherine

The Thomas Crown Affair is a fun, romantic, romp - in both senses of the world. Thomas Crown (Pierce Brosnan) is a very successful and rich businessman who has made his multi-billion dollar fortune by acquiring other businesses, then selling them off. The realities of such a source of income aren't explored - basically, he's rich, successful, lonely, and bored.

Catherine Banning (Rene Russo) is a highly successful insurance investigator and bounty hunter. She makes her considerable fortune collecting a portion of the recovery fee from high stakes art theft recovery.

Michael McCann (Denis Leary) is a cop, who - we find at the end of the film - would rather work homicides, or help abused women and kids then worry about a multi-million dollar art theft.

The film opens with Crown starring at a painting of haystacks in the Impressionist wing of a large unnamed art museum in New York. He apparently does this a lot, as one of the museum guards recognizes him and the two also make small talk. Meanwhile, the loading dock workers are surprised when a large crate is delivered. They are expecting an Egyptian sarcophagus, but instead a large Greek horse sculpture was delivered instead. Soon, a group of men break out of the horse and attempt to steal paintings from the museum. They are caught, but an investigation quickly indicates that a Monet, worth $100,000 million dollars is now missing from the museum. The Monet will be the McGuffin of the film - it also brings together the main characters.

Leary's Mike McCann, is a tough, wisecracking, swearing, New York City cop who would rather investigate a murder or do anything else other than investigate an art theft. But he's called in, and his initial sweep of the Impressionist wing, isn't successful - either in finding the missing Monet, nor in understanding how the crime occurred or what the thieves were trying to accomplish. But even Mike, appreciates the slightly twisted humor of the Trojan Horse being used to gain access to the museum.

During his initial investigation, Catherine arrives. Much more experienced in investigating art thefts - she corrects nearly every assumption Mike's made. They spark some. It's Catherine, who realizes that the showy and unsuccessful attempted theft was a distraction, so the Monet could be stolen by someone else - and she and Mike immediately suspect Crown.

The resulting cat-and-mouse game has Catherine and Mike attempting to catch Crown and get the Monet back. This is complicated by Crown's romantic pursuit of Catherine. Mike sees Crown's interest as a way for him to keep her off-balance so he doesn't get caught. Mike is also jealous of Crown - not necessarily simply his money and success, but he would like to become romantically involved with Catherine himself - though he knows she wouldn't be interested in a plain, blue-collar, cop like him, especially when she could easily have a rich, successful, businessman like Crown.

Crown romantically pursues Catherine - dancing with her in a club, taking her home for a steamy session of sex, taking her for a flying lesson in his glider, and then taking her away for a weekend to his Caribbean Island get away. Their romance is intercut with the investigation by both the police and Catherine of the art theft. On Crown's side, his romance is intercut with sessions with his psychologist, played by Faye Dunaway. She points out his deep distrust of women.

Trust will be a re-occurring theme of the film. Can two extremely rich people really trust someone new? Especially when that person may have a reason to not be trusted? Catherine has trouble trusting Crown because not only did he probably steal the Monet - but he may be only using her affection to get away with the crime. For his part, Thomas Crown has reason to not trust Catherine - after all, she could find evidence of his illegal activities - and have him arrested.

The Thomas Crown Affair  is stylish, smart, bold, romantic, and steamy. The music is wonderful, though my (very cheap) copy seems to be missing some of the music. Setting the story firmly in the art world gives it a gloss that a similar romantic film in another setting wouldn't have. There's some wonderful direction of the initial theft, and Crown's crazy plan to return the Monet - let's just say, The Purloined Letter, and leave it at that. Brosnan is sexy, and plays his smart, rags-to-riches character well. Russo is also sexy and smart.

I enjoyed seeing this film again. It's more of a romance than a caper film - the stolen Monet really is no more than a McGuffin. Russo has excellent chemistry with both Crown and Mike. And the film has the last minute twist-that-isn't-really-unexpected that works for this type of romantic film. Overall, it's a great role for Brosnan, and I wish he would make more of this type of romantic film.

The Thomas Crown Affair is a remake of the film of the same name from 1968 starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. In my opinion, and I'm sure a lot of people would disagree with me - the modern film is better. Personally, I really dislike Steve McQueen - he gives me the creeps, and he's so icy and cold. McQueen's the type of actor I constantly expect in his roles to turn out to be a serial killer or something, and I just cannot watch him. Dunaway is also a cold actress, and I just can't see her playing a romantic role well (though in the 1960s, icy blondes were popular in romantic and suspense films.) Brosnan is much better as a romantic hero - and he gives Crown the depth of someone who is emotionally closed off, and what that costs him. Russo is the exact opposite of cold. Leary adds to the plot, giving the 1999 film a much more modern feeling.

Recommendation:  See it!

Rating: 3 out of 5 (Slightly predictable)

Next film:  The Three Musketeers (1993)

Shall We Dance? (Japan, 1996)

• Title:  Shall We Dance? (Japan, 1996)
• Director:  Masayuki Suo
• Date:  1996
• Studio:  Miramax
• Genre:  Drama, Musical
• Cast:  Kôji Yakusho, Tamiyo Kusakari, Naoto Takenaka, Eri Watanaka, Hiromasa Taguchi
• Format:  Color, Widescreen (In Japanese, with English Subtitles)
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"...There is a secret wonder...about the joys that dance can bring." - Spoken introduction

"Dance is more than just the steps.  Feel the music and just dance for sheer joy." - Sensei Tanaka

Shall We Dance (1996) and Shall We Dance (2004) have the exact same plot, but it is the Richard Gere film that is a re-make and Americanization of this Japanese film.  I actually saw both in the movie theater, and enjoyed them both.

The Japanese film starts with a spoken introduction about the reserved nature of the Japanese people, a nature than sees ballroom dancing with suspicion.  In a land where married couples don't hold hands, much less kiss in public, and would seldom if ever express love with words even in private, the act of dancing with a stranger is seen, well, as something perverse. However, this film is about ballroom dancing in Japan and the world-wide competitive dance sport.

Sugiyama, is a successful accountant, who has just bought a house for his family.  He works long hours and commutes daily to his job.  He is satisfied, if not exactly happy with his life. But it would never occur to him to change anything.  On the commute, from his train window, he sees a beautiful young woman in a dance studio - who seems filled with melancholy.  It takes a few tries for Sugiyama to work up the courage, but he finally goes to the dance studio to sign up for lessons.

Upon learning that private lessons are very expensive, he signs up for group lessons instead. His tutor is Sensei (teacher) Tanaka, an older, experienced, and patient teacher. The other students in the class include a slightly overweight man who's taking dance lessons to lose weight and hopefully meet girls, and a know-it-all type who's taken one dance class before with his wife, and now thinks improving his dance skills will impress her.

Also at the studio is Mr. Aoki, who works with Sugiyama at his office, and is a competitive dance hopeful; and a second teacher (Toyoko) who also hopes to be more successful at competitive dance.  Mia, the young woman Sugiyama saw in the window, also works there, but only gives private lessons.  Unraveling her story is as much of the plot, as are Sugiyama's growing skills at dance.

Sensei Tanaka works with Sugiyama and his fellow students, teaching them basic steps, and the ten competitive dances as well as a few fun, social dances.

At home, Sugiyama's wife and daughter notice he now seems happier, but eventually, his wife grows suspicious and hires a private detective.  Upon learning his secret is that he's taking weekly dance lessons, and he's not having an affair, his wife accepts it, but is confused. Remember that, culturally, ballroom dance isn't accepted.

As the students improve, there are montages not only of the dance lessons, but of Sugiyama dancing on the train platform, in a park (including in the rain), and even moving his feet in time under his desk.  Meanwhile, Mr. Aoki, slides through corridors and rows of desks with precise movements - but cannot find a good partner for competitive dance.

The second half of the film involves an amateur ballroom dance competition.  Due to various events, Toyoko will dance two traditional dances (Waltz, and Quick Step) with Sugiyama and the Latin dances (Rumba, and Paso Double) with Mr. Aoki.  The Latin dances are first and Aoki starts off doing what he always does - overacting, using "jazz hands", and wearing a ridiculous wig and costume.  A competitor turns the wig, so for the second dance he removes it and dances far better than he ever has, because he's not trying to be someone he's not. During their dances, Sugiyama and Toyoko are doing brilliantly, until Sugiyama's distracted by his daughter rooting him on from the stands.  He manages to step on and tear off Toyoko's skirt.  Needless to say, Toyoko is forced to default.

Sugiyama is appalled by this.  He gives up dancing and goes back to his wife and daughter. He's invited to a fair-well party for Mia, who's decided to return to Blackpool (England) and competitive dancing. Finally, though, he shows up at the very end of her party and she dances her last dance with him.  As they dance, other couples join in on the dance floor.

The Japanese, original, film version of Shall We Dance? moves at a slower pace than the re-make with Richard Gere.  But at times, this makes for a better film.  It's filled with fascinating characters, all of whom have their own stories, and all of whom are looking for something.  That it isn't until the very end that we find out all of Mia's story, makes her story that much richer.  The music also, is mostly traditional ballroom dance music.  "Save the Last Dance for Me" is used for montages.  Mia's theme dance song is "Shall We Dance?" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I  (yes, the Yul Brenner musical).  "Shall We Dance?" fits, but it will stick in your head for days after seeing the film.

Recommended:  See it.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Oz the Great and Powerful

Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country

• Title:  Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country
• Director:  Nicholas Meyer
• Date:  1991
• Genre:  SF, Mystery
• Cast:  William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Keonig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Kim Cattrall, Mark Lenard, Christopher Plummer, David Warner, Grace Lee Whitney, Michael Dorn, William Morgan Sheppard, Christian Slater
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"We believe it [the explosion on Praxis] was caused by over-mining and insufficient safety precautions.  The moon's decimation means deadly pollution of their ozone.  They [Klingons] will have depleted their supply of oxygen in approximately fifty Earth years.  Due to their enormous military budget the Klingon economy does not have the resources to combat this catastrophe."  - Spock

"Logic is the beginning of wisdom, Volaris, not the end." - Spock

"You have not experienced Shakespeare until you have read it in the original Klingon." - Chancellor Gorkin

"You don't trust me, do you?  I don't blame you.  If there is going to be a Brave New World, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it." - Chancellor Gorkin

Star Trek VI starts with a bang, but what at first appears to be a supernova, is in fact a man-made (well, Klingon-made) explosion of the Klingon moon Praxis.  This explosion causes a huge shockwave, which hits the Excelsior on patrol in the area under the command of Captain Sulu.  Once recovered from the shockwave hit, Sulu offers help, but the Klingons order him to stay outside the neutral zone.

There's a top-secret meeting at Star Fleet, where Spock reveals that over-mining and lack of safety precautions on Praxis caused the moon to explode.  This has poisoned the Ozone on the Klingon homeworld of Kronos, and the planet will be uninhabitable in 50 years.  Spock has worked with the Klingon chancellor, Gorkin, coming to an arrangement to de-militarize Star Fleet.  Gorkin and the Federation will work towards an uneasy peace.  Kirk, who has already indicated his agreement with the most militant of the Star Fleet Admirals, is charged with escorting Gorkin to Earth for a peace conference.

Kirk continues to tell pretty much anyone who will listen that he distrusts Klingons, and even notes in his private captain's log that he blames the Klingons for his son's death.

Kirk and his crew, including Spock, but minus Sulu (who is on the Excelsior still) precede to the point where they are to meet Gorkin's ship.  Once there, they invite Gorkin and his staff to a state dinner on the Enterprise.  The dinner is a difficult experience for all involved, but not a complete disaster.  Shortly after the dinner, as Kirk is settling in from a bit too much Romulan Ale, he's called to the bridge because of a radiation surge.  As Kirk watches helplessly, first one, then a second torpedo hit Gorkin's ship, seemingly from the Enterprise herself.

Two Federation officers, wearing gravity boots, and darken helmets, beam to the Klingon vessel, Kronos One, and kill anyone in their way, before attacking Gorkin.  They then escape.  The gravity boots were necessary because the torpedo shots had disabled the Klingon ship's artificial gravity.

When the Klingons threaten to fire on Enterprise in retaliation, Kirk surrenders his ship.  He then takes McCoy with him to Kronos One. Gorkin is injured but not quite dead.  McCoy tries to save him, despite his lack of knowledge of Klingon anatomy, but Gorkin dies anyway.

Kirk and McCoy are arrested by the Klingons for killing the Chancellor.  Though Defense Attorney Worf attempts to fight the good fight, they are found guilty almost immediately. Evidence against Kirk includes his private log entry about blaming Klingons for the death of his son. Kirk and McCoy are sent to a Klingon prison planet to mine dilithium.

Meanwhile, Spock attempts to find out who really orchestrated the attack on the Klingons, and killed Gorkin.  Piece by piece, he works it out with the help of others on the Enterprise.

I don't want to go into details of how Spock solves the mystery, because that would really spoil the movie.  However, he does uncover a conspiracy between a few Star Fleet officers and Klingon hard-liners to get rid of Gorkin who had really wanted peace between the Klingons and the Federation (that is, his plans were not a feint or something designed to lure the Federation into "a false sense of security" before a Klingon attack.).

Spock then rescues Kirk and McCoy from the prison planet, and they go off to try to prevent an assassination attempt at the new peace conference at "Camp something".  With some help from Sulu and officers on the Excelsior, the Enterprise crew succeeds in saving the Chancellor's daughter, now the new head of the Klingon Empire and thus saves the peace conference.

In his closing monologue, Kirk notes that his crew will make a final cruise (his last line is, "Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning," a quote from Peter Pan) then return to Earth to stand down for retirement and a new crew will continue to explore where no man or no one has gone before.  The closing credits include the signatures of the original Enterprise crew (Shatner, Nimoy, Kelley, Doohan, Nichols, Keonig, and Takei).

Star Trek VI is essentially a murder mystery with cold war trappings.  Klingons quoting Shakespeare and a reference to The Manchurian Candidate are thrown in as well.  But though that may seem to sound like it's not that good a movie, I actually enjoyed it.  I found Star Trek VI to be fun - really fun.  First, no one dies in this film.  OK, the Klingon chancellor dies, but really - he's playing the part of a murder victim, in a story where our heroes must solve a crime.  But it's not like Wrath of Khan where Spock dies, or where the Enterprise herself is destroyed.  As is frequently the case with Star Trek, the trappings of the film are definitely Cold War.  The Federation is clear the US/the West and the Klingons are clearly the Russians. Even the guard on the prison planet introduces it as a "gulag" (Russian for "prison") and speaks with a Russian accent.  The Klingon chancellor who genuinely seeks peace is Gorkin, very similar to Gorbachev.  And the incident that starts the film, the explosion on Praxis, was clearly inspired by the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor disaster in 1986.

What is surprising about the film is the amount of prejudice and hatred we see from characters we know and care about.  It isn't just Kirk who "hates Klingons".  Throughout the first half of the film, all sorts of nasty remarks are made about the Klingons, from "They don't place the same value on life as us," to "Did you see the way they eat?"  It was really quite disturbing.

But what makes the film work is the murder mystery aspect.  Again, we know Kirk isn't guilty - but the evidence seems indisputable.  So not only must Spock discover who did it - he must discover "how did it", which is always more interesting. And Spock makes for a fine detective, he even quotes Sherlock Holmes, "An ancestor of mine maintained that if you eliminate the impossible, whatever remians, however, improbable must be the truth."  Yes, that's right, Spock refers to Holmes as an "ancestor".  Which suggests that in the Star Trek universe Sherlock Holmes was real, and that quite probably he was the result of a time traveling Vulcan experiment (and yes, I want to see that story!) Anyway, I enjoyed the mystery aspect, and Spock, step by step, figuring out what happened, how it happened, and ultimately - who was really responsible.

I hadn't seen this film probably since I saw it in the theater when it originally was released, and I remembered enjoying it then.  The DVD copy I watched, I actually picked up second-hand a year or so ago.  I think at the time, especially with Chernobyl, Glasnost, and Perestroika, and Gorbachev fresh in people's minds - the Cold War plot would have had more meaning.  Now it seems like set dressing.  However, what really caught my attention was that Praxis was destroyed by over-mining and lack of safety precautions, resulting in an environmental disaster that would, eventually, destroy the Klingon homeworld.  That the Klingon Empire spent so much on the military and arms it couldn't even do anything about it, also caught my attention.  Because both those things seem much more appropriate now - and not in Russia.

Recommendation:  See it
Rating:  4 out of 5
Next Film:  Shall We Dance (Japan, 1996)

It Could Happen to You

• Title:  It Could Happen to You
• Director:  Andrew Bergman
• Date:  1994
• Studio:  Tri-Star Pictures
• Genre:  Romance, Comedy
• Cast:  Nicolas Cage, Bridget Fonda, Rosie Perez, Isaac Hayes, Red Buttons, Stanley Tucci
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"A promise is a promise."  -- Charlie Lang

"Hey, we've got a cop [that] gave a waitress a $2 Million dollar tip!" -- Reporter

The original title for this film, reportedly based on a true story, was "Cop Gives Waitress $2 Million Tip", which I like better than It Could Happen to You.  However, the film is still an enjoyable feel-good movie.  The film has a fairy tale feel to it, especially when it cuts to "Angel" (Isaac Hayes) who provides some narration to explain the plot and the characters.

Charlie Lang is a cop in Queens, New York.  He's happy in Queens and enjoys his job as a police officer.  One day he and his partner are in a coffee shop for lunch, when they get a call.  They are unable to get their lunch, and he's short for paying the bill (two coffees).  The waitress, Yvonne, offers to have the coffee on the house, but her attitude almost suggests that she thinks Charlie is trying to get out of  the bill because he's a cop.  Charlie explains that he can pay for the coffee, but not a tip.  He then tells her he feels really bad about being short, and promises her that he will split his lottery ticket with her if  he wins, and pay her tip the next day if  he doesn't.  She thinks he's a goofball and doesn't expect to see him again.

Yvonne, meanwhile, is having the worse day of  her life when she first meets Charlie.  She had gone bankrupt that morning, when she couldn't pay the $12,000 on her Mastercard (run up by her ex-husband).  Technically, she's only separated, not divorced, because she can't afford a divorce either - and thus by New York law she's responsible for her husband's debt on her card in her name.  She also has a terrible boss who berates her and charges everything he can against her check (from her missing time due to the bankruptcy hearing to customers walking out without paying their check).

That night, Charlie discovers to his surprise that he and his wife actually won $4 Million with the lottery ticket.  Charlie's not sure what to do, but he wants to give the waitress the $2 Million he promised her.  He goes back to the coffee shop the next day, and Yvonne is her normal self -- kind-hearted, sweet, and warm. Charlie is impressed.  In the end, he gives her a choice -- her tip, or half what he won in the lottery.  Thinking he won nothing, she still plays along and says - half of the lottery ticket money.  Then Charlie tells her he's giving her $2 Million.

Charlie continues to be a cop, because he enjoys it, and he's in a Korean grocery when he realizes the place is getting robbed.  He tells his partner, then sneaks in through the back as his partner covers the front.  He's able to stop the robbery but gets shot in the shoulder during the tussle.  He's decorated for bravery and retires.

Charlie is quickly getting bored out of  his mind since he's not working.

Meanwhile, Muriel, Charlie's wife, a ambitious, spiteful, greedy woman, is wildly spending the money.  She talks Charlie into going on a millionaires cruise in New York harbor.  He goes with her, but gets off the boat when he sees Yvonne.  The two miss the boat, but have dinner together and dance.  The next day they go out on a "date".  Meanwhile, on the cruise, Muriel chats up an investment broker who tells her he's made $44 Million with his investments.

Tensions rise between Charlie and Muriel, and eventually she demands a divorce.  Unhappy, and miserable, and realizing he no longer has anything in common with his wife, Charlie agrees.  He ends up going to the plaza hotel.  Yvonne meanwhile is having her own problems -- her ex, not satisfied with asking her for money over the phone, shows up at her apartment.  When she can't get him to leave - she leaves, and goes to the Plaza Hotel.

Needless to say, Charlie and Yvonne run into each other.  But their "tryst" becomes front page news.  Muriel gets an expensive lawyer to demand the lottery money.  Charlie offers her his half, but explodes when she also demands Yvonne's money.  The case goes to court and Charlie and Yvonne lose.

That night Charlie goes to see Yvonne at the coffee shop.  She's bought the shop, but without the lottery money she won't be able to hold on to it.  Charlie asks her if she cares for him.  Yvonne realizes she does.  The two hold each other and make tentative plans to move to Buffalo.  While they are taking, the character of  Angel comes up to the window and mimes eating.  Yvonne lets him in, and feeds him some soup.  The man takes photos of the couple with a miniature camera.  However, he doesn't expose them; rather with the headline of  "Their Darkest Hour", his article is about the kindness the two show towards a stranger, even while mired in their own problems.  The next day, tons of  letters arrive at Yvonne's coffee shop, with small amounts of  cash and checks ($5.00, $10.00 each etc).  In all, the two end up with a $600,000 Good Samaritan fund.  Yvonne keeps her coffee shop, Charlie goes back to the force to be a cop, and the two of course marry.

What makes It Could Happen to You such a feel good movie and a step above the average romantic comedy is that Charlie and Yvonne are just good people.  On one of their days together, the two buy an entire bag full of subway tokens and treat everyone to free rides home.  Yvonne's first impulsive act when Charlie tells her she's won and he's giving her the money is to treat everyone in the coffee shop to free ice cream on their pie.  Charlie gives a few bills to a homeless guy as he and his wife walk into one of the  expensive shops when she goes on her first spending spree.  Both both are just kind, wonderful people who liking helping others.  Charlie loves his job as a beat cop because he can help people.  He also mentors and plays stickball with a group of street kids on his block.  Yvonne, also, is a good person even though she's gone through some tough times and bad luck on her own.

The style of  the film is very much like a fairy tale, and like any good fairy tale it has a good lesson about showing kindness to strangers and not being selfish.  I highly recommend this movie!

Recommendation:  See It
Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Shrek Forever After

Robin Hood Men in Tights

• Title:  Robin Hood Men in Tights
• Director:  Mel Brooks
• Date:  1993
• Studio:  Columbia / Tri-Star
• Genre:  Comedy
• Cast:  Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, Amy Yasbeck, Tracey Ullman, Megan Cavanagh
• Cameo Cast:  Patrick Stewart, Dom DeLuise, Dick Van Patten, Mel Brooks
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R2, PAL

"Let me introduce you to my best friend, Will Scarlett." -- Little John
"Scarlett is my middle name.  My full name is Will Scarlett o'Hara. ... We're from Georgia." -- Will

"And why should the people listen to you?" -- Prince John
"Because, unlike some Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent."  -- Robin

"We're men, we're men in tights.  Tight, tights!
Always on guard, defending the people's rights.
When  you're in a fix, just call for the men in tights."  -- "Men in Tights", song and dance number (Cast)

Robin Hood:  Men in Tights came out as a parody of  Kevin Costner's Robin Hood:  Prince of  Thieves, but actually also parodies the classic 1938 Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn.  There are also some references to the ITV series, Robin of  Sherwood (aka Robin Hood - the one starring Michael Praed and Jason Connery).  But with a new Robin Hood film in theaters (Starring Russell Crowe, and directed by Ridley Scott) and a new Robin Hood TV series (starring Jonas Armstrong and Richard Armitage) - this parody actually almost seems to work better now than when it was originally released.  Some references no longer really work, but Cary Elwes is the perfect Robin Hood.

In this version of the tale, Robin is captured in the Holy Land during the Crusades, and thrown in a dungeon.  There he meets Asneeze, who help him get free.  The two led a revolt freeing all the prisoners.  Thankful to be freed, Robin promises to look up and help Asneeze's son, Achoo, when he arrives in England.  In England, Robin finds his family's castle being repossessed and the local villages being burned.  He vows to rescue England from tyranny.  Soon he's put together a merry band:  Achoo, Blinkin (Robin's family's blind servent), Little John, and Will Scarlett.  In a parody of  Flynn's Robin Hood, Elwes' Robin brings a wild boar (rather than deer) to Prince John's feast.  He sees Marion, and they fall for each other.  After a fight with John's men, Robin, rescued by his men returns to the forest and begins training the villagers.  Also, in a scene straight from The Adventures of  Robin Hood, John decides to lure Robin into a trap with an archery contest.  As in the Flynn film, Robin arrives at the archery contest, dressed as an old man.  But it is John's archer who splits Robin's arrow.  Shocked, Robin checks the script to see -- and discovers he gets another shot.  He uses a patriot target-seeking arrow, and blows up the another arrow.  Robin is captured and John threatens to hang Robin, if Marion doesn't marry him.  She's about to do it, when Achoo saves the day, shooting Robin loose from the hangman's noose.  King Richard (Patrick Stewart) arrives and knights Robin.  Robin and Marion are "quickly married" by Rabbi Tuckman (Mel Brooks), and start their new life.  Robin appoints Achoo the new sheriff of Rottingham.  At first the villagers protest, "A black sheriff?"  But Achoo responds, "Why not - it worked in Blazing Saddles," -- why do I get the feeling Brooks was waiting the entire film to use that line?

Elwes has a pencil mustache, like Flynn's from The Adventures of  Robin Hood, and the costumes are also vintage the 1938 movie.  Several scenes from the 1938 film are also parodied, notably Robin bringing the deer/boar into the Prince's feast, and the archery contest scene.  Also, Robin has a habit of starting long speeches - which quickly bore his audience.  In one, he starts, sounding like Flynn, and ends, sounding like Churchill.

From Robin of  Sherwood - we get the opening sequence of  the flaming arrows being shot from English longbows (in silhouette).  Also, the character of  Achoo, seems to be drawn from Nazzar, though he's a lot more chatty.

But, Robin's jibe that, "at least I can speak with an English accent," is aimed straight at Kevin Cosner - who's really awful accent (and inability to do one) was a major problem in Prince of  Theives.  Unfortunately, though Elwes does an English accent perfectly -- most of  the rest of  the cast is American and sounds it.  The worst is Richard Lewis, who just does a bad job as Prince John.  (What is it with Prince John, anyway?  Nobody seems to get him right!  I swear, Doctor Who had the best Prince John I've seen in the story "The King's Demons").  But yeah, Robin Hood should definitely not sound like he comes from Iowa, and that was the trouble with Cosner's film.

However, though funny in parts, and filled with some excellent honest-to-goodness sword-fighting scenes, this isn't the classic Mel Brooks of  The Producers, Blazing Saddles, or Young Frankenstein.  I did like that it drew on all the Robin Hoods to date, and, again, with two new Robin Hoods out there, it's worth watching again, but overall a bit disappointing for Mel Brooks.

There is a lot of  excellent music in the film -- the Robin Hood Rap is fun, the title number of  We're Men, We're Men in Tights, is hilarious, and even Marion's Theme is quite sweet.

Yes, I do have an R2 version of  this film.  I couldn't find an US/ R1 / NTSC version anywhere when I bought it.  However, you can now find the film as part of  the boxed set of  Brook's films.

Recommendation:  It's OK, but not stellar.
Rating:  3 out of  5 Stars
Next Film:  Roman Holiday

The Ref

• Title:  The Ref
• Director:  Ted Demme
• Date:  1994
• Studio:  Touchstone
• Genre:  Comedy
• Cast:  Denis Leary, Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis, Christine Barenski
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Great, I hijack my f...ing parents!" -- Gus (Leary)


"From now on the only person who gets to yell is me, Why?  Because I have a gun, OK?  People with guns can do whatever they want.  Married people without guns, for instance, you -- Do not get to YELL!  Why?  No guns!  No guns, no yelling." -- Gus


"Eat, don't annoy me, it's Christmas."  -- Connie


"I'm in hell.  Connecticut is the fifth ring of hell!"  -- Gus

The Ref opens with a series of shots of Christmas in a Connecticut suburb.  Everything looks perfect, there's even snow and children looking into shop window displays.  But then we meet Caroline and Lloyd Cheshire, who are seeing a marriage counselor.  Their squabbling and put downs of each other are so bad they annoy their marriage counselor.  We also see a cat burglar who is trying to break into a safe in one of the huge homes in the small town/suburb.  The break-in goes wrong -- first he's sprayed with cat urine, then he sets off the alarm, and the cops are alerted.

Gus, as we later learn, is stranded without an getaway car, since his partner was frightened by the alarms and ran off, so he takes a woman hostage in a convenient store, looking for a ride.  He, and the Cheshires never expected what would result.

Like all good screwball comedies, from a simple plot - a criminal trying to escape, huge events occur and the film is extremely funny.  Most of  the film takes place in the Cheshires' house, with a few cutaways to the incompetent police manhunt for the criminal.  (For example, the police chief, who is competent, finds a surveillance videotape of Gus from the robbery.  He shows it to his men once, but is interrupted by a phone call.  When he returns, they've recorded a James Stewart movie over the surveillance footage.)  The Cheshires, with their bickering, arguing, and put downs, drive Gus nuts.  When their extended family arrive for Christmas dinner - the family politics get even worse.  Yet, it the midst of the chaos - Gus' presence allows everyone to get things off their chest.  When Lloyd, who seems to be the calmest one in the group, finally explodes - it's great.  And the honesty, not to mention Gus' prodding, might have oddly enough saved their marriage.  One can see Caroline and Gus giving up their "safe and comfortable" life, moving to California, and opening another restaurant (closing their restaurant several years earlier had started a series of events that was now bringing them to brink of divorce).  Meanwhile, their son, a budding criminal himself, may have been scared straight by Gus - who honestly tells him he doesn't want that type of  life.

The film is laugh out loud funny.  The characters seem very real, if a little over the top.  The sarcastic dialogue is underscored by the sarcastic and ironic nature of the entire film:  this little Connecticut suburb may look perfect, but everyone is hiding secrets, everyone is nasty and mean, and no one treats anyone else with any respect whatsoever.  There is a lot of swearing and bad language, and some adult concepts as well.  However, the film is brilliant.  Denis Leary is incredibly funny, and brings out the best of everyone around him.  I have seen The Ref  more than twice, usually with many years between seeing it, and every time the film surprises me with it's fresh humor.  Also, The Ref  has some heart to it, that's extremely unexpected.  Caroline and Lloyd are already in marriage counseling - yet Gus, as raw as he may be, is a better marriage counselor for the couple than Dr. Wong, the counselor they see at the beginning of  the film.  Gus also manages to get everyone in the family to honestly confront the issues they have with each other, rather than quietly ignoring them and pretending to be nice.  This truly is a brilliant comedy!

Recommendation:  See it! (Not for young children)
Rating:  4 of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Roberta

L.A. Confidential

• Title:  L.A. Confidential
• Director:  Curtis Hanson
• Date:  1997
• Studio:  Warner Brothers, Regency Entertainment
• Genre:  Drama, Mystery, Film Noir
• Cast:  Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, David Straithairn, Simon Baker (Credited as Simon Baker Denny)
• Format:  Widescreen, color
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Come to Los Angeles... there are jobs a plenty and land is cheap..."  -- Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito)


"I admire you as a policeman, particularly your adherance to violence as an adjunct to the job." -- Police Captain Dudley Smith to Lt. Bud White


"How's it going to look in your report?" -- Det. Lt. Exley
"It'll look like justice.  That's what the man got, justice." -- Lt. Bud White

LA Confidential is a brilliant modern film noir.  The film weaves deep layered characters into a complex plot of police corruption, graft, drugs, and murder.  All the actors give brilliant performances.  Russell Crowe, in an very early role, is Lt. Bud White, police captain Smith's "enforcer" with a soft spot for abused women.  Watching his journey from tough guy and bruiser to someone who actually starts to figure out what's going on and who stops just following orders and starts to think -- even when solving the case leads right back to the police department -- is a joy in this film.  Guy Pearce is the college-educated "new cop" who isn't afraid to testify against other dirty cops, as long as it allows him to get ahead.  But he too has to make decisions -- does he "do what he's told, and reap his reward" or does he follow a more difficult path and expose the corruption he and Bud have uncovered?  And brilliant as always Kevin Spacey as "Hollywood Jack" Vincennes, who's a technical advisor on the TV cop drama "Badge of Honor" (think "Dragnet") and partners with tabloid reporter Sid Hudgens (Danny Devito) accepting payments to pass along info about upcoming busts so the reporter can photograph them.  Sid, a pioneer in bottom-feeding tabloid journalism, and publisher of the tabloid "Hush-Hush" regularly gives Vincennes gifts and bribes, as well as passing along information.

The film weaves a complicated plot, starting with the beating, in the LA lock-up of several Mexican-Americans, resulting in the expulsion of several bad cops and meeting our characters and seeing how they react.  Vincennes is  transferred between departments and temporarily taken off  "Badge of Honor" as Technical Advisor.  White refuses to roll on his partner, or become a snitch.  Exley not only offers up info as a snitch, but gives advice on how to get to other cops, though this gets him a promotion - it doesn't endear him to the other cops.  After "Bloody Christmas" but before the trial even starts, there's a mass shooting at the Nite Owl coffee shop, one of the victims is White's disgraced partner.  The hunt for the killers leads to three young black men, who are brought in, questioned, escape, and then are caught again and killed.

However,  all three of our main characters soon realize that the three men, though guilty of kidnapping and raping a young Mexican girl, aren't guilty of the Nite Owl killings.  And, again, the investigation, though it also involves a millionaire who's running a high-class call girl outfit of girls "cut to look like movie stars" and heroin, ultimately leads right back to the police department.  I don't want to spoil the ending for those of you reading this who haven't seen this brilliant Noir film.

This film starts with a sarcastic voice-over, by Danny Devito, describing the bright, sunny, perfect California that's being sold as an image -- only to expose a dark, dirty, and very corrupt underbelly.  Irony underlies a lot of the picture (such as showing the ground-breaking ceremony for the Santa Monica freeway "LA to the beach in 20 minutes").  But the characters also present an opening image that changes throughout the film -- Bud White starts as a tough, an enforcer, a brutal cop, albeit with a soft spot for battered women and kids, but he develops, putting together a lot of the clues leading to an explanation of  what really is going on.  Exley seems like the college-educated "new cop" who won't be able to hack it in the field - yet, he also manages to prove his smarts and his investigative chops, as well as his ability to handle violence when needed.  Vincennes, "Hollywood Jack" has somehow lost his way.  Asked, "Why'd you become a cop?" He answers, "I can't remember".  Jack is like the tough, hard-boiled, cynical protagonists of a lot of Classic Noir.  Yet, like those protagonists, his journey in the film is to discover that he can't turn a blind eye to the corruption around him any more, especially when he inadvertently causes a young male actor/hooker to get murdered.  There's more to Jack than the smoothness one first sees.

The film is set in the 1950s, but the historical detail, though there, is not at the forefront of the film.  The score is fantastic from Jerry Goldsmith's original instrument themes, to the use of period music by Johnny Mercer and Dean Martin.  The film also gets physically darker, as the characters discover the true darkness around them.

I highly, highly recommend this film.  It has brilliant acting, brilliant writing, a dense, complex plot, and the feel of a true Noir film, but made in a modern style.  The film is very intelligent -- both the writing and dialogue and the plot.  And, though violent and bloody at times, it's still quite, quite worth seeing.

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating:  5 of 5 Stars
Next Film:  League of Extra-Ordinary Gentlemen

Goldeneye

• Title:  Goldeneye
• Director:  Martin Campbell
• Date:  1995
• Studio:  United Artists (MGM)
• Genre:  Action
• Cast:  Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Robbie Coltrane, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Judi Dench
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"If  you think for one moment I don't have the balls to send a man out to die, your instincts are dead wrong.  I have no compution about sending you to your death.  But I won't do it on a whim."  -- M

"Need I remind you 007, that you have a license to kill -- not to break the traffic laws." -- Q

Goldeneye is Pierce Brosnan's first Bond film and he does a marvelous job -- Brosnan plays to his strengths, giving Bond a core of  steel and toughness, that isn't all that nice.  With Brosnan's portrayal --the charm, clothes, and air of sophistication are a thin veneer at best that covers an icy man.  The villainess in this film is Onatopp, a Russian pilot and assassin, who can kill men by squeezing them until they stop breathing.  Yet, she  isn't all that different than Bond -- both are functioning psychopaths -- Bond more functioning than Onatopp -- who clearly gets off  on violence and killing.

The Bond franchise re-invented itself  with Brosnan, bringing in Judi Dench as the new female "M" -- and she has more balls than any previous M.  Dench is wonderful as the hard-hitting head of  MI 6.  Samantha Bond is excellent as Moneypenny -- able to give as good as she gets to Bond, and turning down his habitual offers. Desmond Llewelyn is back as Q, but fun and light-hearted.

The plot of  the film involves a stolen Russian satellite weapon, an EMP-generator code-named, Goldeneye.  But unlike the cold-war plots of  Bond vs. Russia or China -- the first half of  Goldeneye involves Bond trying to figure out who has the weapon.  Suspects include a Russian arms dealer named Janus, a runaway general, or the two programmers who escaped the disaster when the weapon was stolen and its base destroyed.  Bond eventually discovers Janus is none other than Alec -- an old friend and MI6 agent who's not dead as Bond thought but has gone rogue.  Alec's working with one of  the programmers from the Siberan installation.  Bond ends up working with the other one, a female computer programmer named Natalia.  She's tough, smart, and although she sort of  falls for Bond's charms, she seems to know his involvement with her won't be permanent.  They eventually end up in Cuba where Bond and Natalia destroy the satellite antenna and also cause the actual Goldeneye satellite to burn up in the atmosphere.

But it's a typical Bond film in that there is plenty of  action, vehicle chases, flying bullets, and gorgeous women.  The nice thing about this film is the women are all strong:  M, Moneypenny, Onatopp, Natalia  -- none are just mindless pretty faces.  But at the same time, this isn't some "feminst counter-strike" at Bond -- the film hits all the line items one has come to expect from a Bond film.  It's highly enjoyable, if a bit long.  And Pierce Brosnan is gorgeous.  Drop dead gorgeous.  Plus he's talented and lights-up the screen, with presence and magnetism.

Recommendation:  See it!

Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars

Next Film:  Green Lantern:  Emerald Knights

Galaxy Quest

• Title:  Galaxy Quest
• Director:  Dean Parisot
• Date:  1999
• Studio:  Dreamworks Pictures
• Genre:  SF, Comedy
• Cast:  Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Robin Sachs
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"For the past one hundred years our society had fallen into disarray, our goals, our values had become scattered, but since the transmission we have modeled every aspect of our society from your example and it has saved us.  Your courage, and teamwork, and friendship through adversity.  In fact, all you see around you has been taken from the lessons garnered from the historical documents."  -- Mathezar

"Jason, we’re actors, not astronauts." --Gwen

"Did you guys ever watch the show?" –Guy

"Ducts? Why is it always ducts?" –Gwen

Galaxy Quest is a great movie -- it's funny, it has an original plot, and the special effects and make-up still stand up twelve years later.  Galaxy Quest is the story of a group of actors from a science fiction television series who suddenly find themselves on a real spaceship created by a group of aliens after watching their tv series, or "historical documents".  The film begins at a convention for the "Galaxy Quest" TV show which is filled with the cliches about costume-wearing fans.  The actors don't really like each other but are their because they are desperate for work.  Jason Naismith (Allen) even over-hears a group of  guys in the men's room poking fun at him.  He goes home, gets drunk, and the next morning goes to what he thinks is a gig with the Thurmians.

Later he discovers he really was on an alien ship - and he and his crew end up on the ship too.  Before long they are involved in a war between the Thurmians and Sarris a bug-like alien who has been destroying their civilization because he can.  Jason attacks Sarris's ship but it's a disaster, and the Protector is damaged.  They go to an alien planet to get a replacement Beryllium sphere (engine part), and Jason fights a pig monster and a rock monster.  But soon Sarris has the upper hand again, capturing Mathezar, the Thurmian leader, and trying to kill everyone on the ship.  Jason explains about being actors, and Galaxy Quest being a tv show - then creates a distraction while the guards are taking them away.  Everyone splits up with different tasks to do to rescue the dying Thurmians and get Sarris's crew off  the ship.

Finally, Jason has his third space battle with Sarris, and succeeds.  But is it too easy?

After something I'm not going to spoil, because I loved it so -- the Protector returns to Earth, and our "actors" make a triumphant appearance at the Galaxy Quest convention.  Jason rescues the crowd from another of Sarris' men - which the crowd assumes is a great effect.

Jason also works with three of  the Galaxy Quest fans via a transmitter - when he needs help sneaking around the ship.

Galaxy Quest, in a way, is a complex movie.  Each of the actors, playing actors, had three roles to play - their characters in the 1982 TV show, themselves as typecast actors in the 1990s making ends meet by convention appearances and opening electronics stores, and the characters the Thurmians think they are - as all of  the "actors" try to work things out in the science fiction plot of being on a space ship and fighting a war.  It's a bit to wrap your head around -- but the film works well because everything in it feels real and true to the story.  It's not a nod-nod wink-wink breaking the fourth wall type of comedy at all - the story itself  is a good science fiction story with a lot of action and a lot of comedy.  There are also serious parts - such as the torturing of  Mathezar, the death of Qualleg, and Jason's growing realization that the entire mess is his fault - that are handled well.

The other question in this film is:  "Who are the real fans?"  And actually, the fans in the film aren't the convention guests -- but the Thurmians.  These are a people who, first, are very innocent, child-like, and naive.  Yet, at the same time, they had the vision and scientific skills to look at something on a TV show and actually build it and make it work.  They also more or less abandoned their own culture to adapt that they saw in the "historical documents" - sort of  anthropologists gone native to the extreme.

However, it is interesting that the fans at the convention are shown as stereotypical fans, buying tons of merchandise, wearing costumes, asking technical questions of the actors, or if "Commander Taggart and Lt. Madison had a thing."  But when the movie returns to the convention at the end -- the fans in the audience are for the most part wearing T-shirts and jeans, in other words, dressed "normally", and waiting for Jason and his crew to appear and speak.  In the end, the film isn't poking fun of  science fiction and media fans - it's celebrating them.

Recommendation:  See it and own it!
Rating:  5 Stars
Next Film:  Gaslight (1944)

The Full Monty

• Title:  The Full Monty
• Director:  Peter Cattaneo
• Date:  1997
• Studio:  20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures
• Genre:  Comedy, Drama
• Cast:  Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"When women start pissing like us, that's it, we finished, Dave, extincto."  - Gaz

"I like you.  I love you, you bugger."  - Gaz, to his son, Nathan

"And they won't say nought about your personality, neither, which is good, 'cause your basically a b.....d."  -- Dave

The Full Monty took the upper Midwest by storm, much to the shock of  Hollywood and perhaps even the film's makers.  First released as an "art house" film -- it became a blockbuster in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio, and probably other "rust belt" states as well.  Critics praised the film and it moved from "art house" slots to main theater venues.  I saw the film when it came out and I remember how excited the crowd was.  But, the thing is, the success of  the movie had to do with the fact that audiences in the Midwest, in steel towns and auto manufacturing towns could identify with the story.

The Full Monty isn't really about stripping.  It's a film about a group of unemployed steel workers.  The film opens with a promotional film about Sheffield, in England, a place that is attracting workers, full of attractions and night life, and is built on steel.  The comes the caption, 25 years later, and the film starts in earnest.  The mills are shut down, most everybody is unemployed, and the few who have found jobs are working low income service jobs, such as security guards at the local superstore or at the abandoned plant.

One night the Chippendale male dancers come to town and perform for one night only at a women's only night at the local "workingman's pub".  Gaz is disgusted he can't go in for a drink, but when his pal Dave tells him his wife's inside, Gaz decides to pull her out by sneaking in through the bathroom window.  Dave is to accompany him but can't get through the window.  Just as Gaz and his son are heading into the pub, three women come into the men's room.  Gaz hides, and watches as they check their make-up and chat.  Then he sees one of  the girls stand and pee in the urinal (something she learned at "girl guides" she says).  Gaz is shocked.  The next day at Job Club, the unemployment center, he's complaining about how useless he feels.

The men are poking fun at the Chippendales, when someone points out how much money the one night made.  And Gaz comes up with a plan -- getting his mates together as their own "Hot Metal" strippers.  No one seems to take his idea seriously, but when his ex-wife and her new husband threaten to sue for sole custody of his son unless he comes up with 700 pounds, Gaz becomes more and more persuasive.  He holds try-outs, but only gets one guy that way.  He sees his old boss, whom he doesn't get on with, at a ballroom and recruits him.  But mostly, it Gaz, his friend, Dave, and guys from Job Club.  In total, the six men decide to teach themselves how to dance, and find a venue so they can make their money.

But again, the heart of  the movie isn't in the stripping.  And it's not the "humor" of  a group of  overweight, too old, or too skinny steel workers becoming male strippers.  The tale is in the people, and the little moments of characterization.  Gaz and Dave are walking along and they find a guy, sitting in a car, that's not working.  Dave gets the car started, failing to notice the hose running from the tailpipe inside the car.  The guy inside rolls up his window, Dave walks back to Gaz - then notices, and pulls the guy out of the car.  At one point he argues with him, throws him back in, then pulls him out.  The guy ends up being one of  the six.

It's moments like Gerald, Gaz's boss, who goes to Job Club every day because he hasn't told his wife that he lost his job.  She finds out when everything, including the house is repossessed, and she throws him out -- the same day he received the notice that he'd got the job he applied for at a different factory.

Even Gaz's story is about his need to continue to see his son, rather than just trying to make some money.

But the film is also very funny, with great music, which prevents the dire situation of the characters from being too much.  And, again, plant closures, families torn apart, increases in crime, desperation, are all themes anyone from a one industry town like Detroit, Cleveland, or Pittsburgh of the 1970s can identify with.  But the humor prevents it from becoming too much.  In a sense it's a question that asks, "What if?" as well as "What would you do?"

In the end, despite a near arrest, and various problems, the six men all go on stage and strip.  And, as they promised, they do "go for it" and bare it all (tastefully shown from the back).  But it's the characters that make the film.  Though the freeze frame at the end is really a brilliant way to end the film.

Fair warning - like Billy Elliot and The Commitments this film has plenty of swearing and blue language.  It's not for young children for that reason.  It's a film for adults, but not in the sexy sense.

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating:  4 of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Galaxy Quest

Dante's Peak

• Title:  Dante's Peak
• Director:  Roger Donaldson
• Date: 1997
• Studio:  Universal
• Genre:  Action, Adventure, Romance
• Cast:  Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

Dante's Peak is a typical  disaster movie, but that isn't a slight against it.  Pierce Brosnan is Dr. Harry Dalton, a vulcanologist, who is sent by the US Geologic Survey to the sleepy town of  Dante's Peak in the Cascade mountain range to check to see if the mountain is about to turn volcanic.  His early investigation leads to some warning signs, but his boss, Paul soon arrives and urges caution - since a false alarm could be an economic disaster for the town.  'Course, Paul doesn't seem to think about what having the volcano explode will do to the town.

After a week of  intense study, Paul decides that they can monitor the mountain remotely, and they will leave the next morning.  Harry and Rachel (Hamilton) have a last date on the town, only to find sulfur in the town's water -- a sure sign of  an impending eruption.  They go to pick up Rachel's children from her home, only to discover they have gone to their grandmother's cabin up the mountain.  The second half of the movie is the more traditional action-oriented part -- with plenty of narrow escapes and heart-break, as the situation goes from bad to worse to worst.

But at the end of  the day, Harry, Rachel, Rachel's two kids, and the dog survive.  Paul doesn't.  The crew of geologic survey interns does, though.   Actually, for a disaster movie, there isn't as much death as one would normally expect (as in most big Hollywood disaster flicks where huge casts of  famous people die horribly).  There are deaths, mostly of  the stupid -- and pretty much off camera or near off camera (the film has a PG-13 rating).  But it's also typical in the Hollywood disaster movie tradition in that Harry is a bit of  a "Cassandra" figure -- he keeps predicting the mountain will blow, which it does spectacularly, but he isn't believed until it's almost too late to do anything about it.

There's also a bit of romance between Harry, who lost his girlfriend Marion to another volcano they were studying four years previously, and Rachel who's divorced.  Brosnan and Hamilton have good chemistry and the two children and dog aren't nearly as annoying as they could be.  Overall it's a fun, exciting movie with good special effects.  Enjoyable to watch, especially as an escape (in a good way) or "popcorn movie" experience.

Recommendation:  See it - for the fun of  it.
Rating: 4 out of  5 Stars
Next film:  Dare Devil