Movie Renter's
Guide
Current Movies - Part 13 - September, 1996
By John E. Johnson, Jr.
Ratings: | ||
Extraordinary | ||
Good | ||
Acceptable | ||
Mediocre | ||
Poor |
"Nixon", Hollywood Pictures, 1995,
Color, Filmed in Panavision and presented at measured aspect
ratio (laserdisc) 2.32:1, Surround Sound, AC-3, 3 Hr 11 min,
Rated R; Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, Paul Sorvino; This is an
astonishing film, but if you are not familiar with the historical
events upon which it is based, you should look them up in the
library copies of newspapers from those times before you watch
it. Richard Nixon held greatness in his hands, and was undone by
a political burglary (the Watergate incident). Although he was
the only U.S. President ever to resign office, that does not
disguise the fact that he was also one of our most brilliant
politicians, as evidenced by his oratory and books. If he had
simply confessed and said, "I'm sorry," the country
would probably have forgiven him for getting caught at the type
of covert inter-party spying that all political groups have done
in one form or another. The movie is powerful, moving, and
frankly scary (just look at the names of the people who are being
portrayed). Oliver Stone did a wonderful job of directing, and
Hopkins' interpretation of Nixon is fantastic. The music is
great, thanks to John Williams, the editing superb, the
photography . . . everything came together to make this what is
destined to become a legendary motion picture.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | |
Photography: | |
Violence: | film clips of war |
Sex: | no |
Language: | bad... the expletives were not deleted |
"The Juror", Columbia Pictures,
1996, Color, Filmed in Panavision and presented at measured
aspect ratio (laserdisc) 2.32:1, Surround Sound, 1 Hr 58 min,
Rated R; Demi Moore, Alec Baldwin; Annie Laird (Moore) accepts
jury duty for the trial of a mobster in a contract killing. One
of the mob, "The Teacher" (Baldwin) tells her that she
has to convince the jury to acquit; otherwise her son will be
killed. She tries to tell the judge, and there is an implication
the judge is in on the jury tampering. She tries getting her best
friend to help. The friend "commits suicide", and Annie
then takes matters into her own hands. The ending is quick,
explosive, satisfying.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | |
Photography: | |
Violence: | mob execution style |
Sex: | yes, nudity |
Language: | "F" and "S" + |
"Dracula: Dead and
Loving It", Castle Rock, 1995, Color, Filmed spherically
and presented at measured aspect ratio (laserdisc) 1.78:1,
Surround Sound, 1 Hr 30 min, Rated PG-13; Leslie Nielsen, Amy
Yasbeck, Mel Brooks; Well, all the characters are here: Count
Dracula, Renfield, Jonathan Harker, Lucy, Professor Van Helsing,
and the setting is appropriate: foggy London in the late 1800s.
It is supposed to be a comedy but fails in my opinion, because
there are too many scenes that could be spliced directly into
some of the classic Hammer Films of the 1960s. One scene will be
funny, then the next is serious, then the next one funny, then
serious, etc. A little too intense here and there for PG-13, I
think, but not enough for R. For example, Lucy is killed by
Dracula (comedy?) and is buried, becoming one of the undead
herself. Harker is assigned the task of pounding a stake through
her heart. He is repelled and asks Van Helsing if there isn't any
other way of destroying her. Instead of saying something really
funny, that I would expected of Brooks, like, "Well, some of
my mother-in-law's pot roast would do it, but she lives in
Trenton, and there's no time", he says something to the
effect of cutting off her head. That is not funny. It's ghastly,
and so is the fountain of blood that gushes into Harker's face
when he finally does the deed. Nope . . . the movie is a bummer.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | |
Photography: | |
Violence: | neck biting, blood gushing |
Sex: | sensuality |
Language: | no |
"Sense and Sensibility",
Columbia Pictures, 1995, Color, Filmed spherically and presented
at measured aspect ratio (laserdisc) 1.76:1, Surround Sound, 2 Hr
16 min, Rated PG; Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh
Grant; Another Jane Austen story is brought to the silver screen.
In 19th century England, the Ferrars family patriarch dies,
leaving the estate to his first son. Even though the father
requests that his in-laws be taken care of, a greedy sister talks
the son out of it, and this puts the in-laws (the Dashwood
family) out in the cold and essentially penniless. As was, is,
and will be, rich families like their sons to marry into wealthy
families, and therein lays the story. Edward Ferrar (Grant) falls
in love with Elinor Dashwood (Thompson) - remember, now, these
are in-laws, not blood relatives - and Colonel Christopher
Brandon (Rickman) falls for Marianne Dashwood (Winslet). Brandon
doesn't have a problem with his family, because he is in control
of the estate, but unfortunately, Marianne is in love with
dashing Mr. Willoughby, who is threatened to be disinherited if
he pursues. On the other hand, Elinor returns Edward's
affections, but he has given promise to marry another some five
years before. This is a movie for the ladies, so rent it for her,
and it will be good for two Stallones and one Van Damme,
including 63 exit wounds.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | |
Photography: | |
Violence: | no |
Sex: | no |
Language: | no |
"Heat", 1995, Warner Brothers,
Color, Filmed in Panavision and presented at measured aspect
ratio (laserdisc) 2.32:1, Surround Sound, AC-3, 2 Hr 51 min,
Rated R; Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer; Neil McCauley (De
Niro) is a brilliant bank robber, and Vincent Hanna (Pacino) . .
. just as smart . . . is trying to catch him at it. The film
opens with McCauley's gang stealing several million dollars worth
of negotiable bonds from an armored truck, and then for the next
two and a half hours, we see the plans develop for a
sophisticated bank heist. Along the way, the personalities of
these two individuals, who we know will ultimately clash, are
evolved in full detail. The film is much too long. It should have
been edited down to 1 Hr 51 mins. However, as the movie jacket
exclaims, the bank robbery does indeed contain some of the best
action scenes ever filmed. The AC-3 track, in particular, adds a
great deal to the overall effect.
Entertainment: | |
Video Quality: | |
Audio: | |
Photography: | |
Violence: | extreme |
Sex: | no |
Language: | the "F" and "S" words |
Other rental videos viewed but not formally reviewed:
"The Substitute": (the principal is selling cocaine; that's a new twist) "The Crossing Guard": (the director should stick to acting) "Down Periscope": (much funnier than I expected) "City Hall": (crooked mayor, crooked judge, honest assistant, but no surprises) "Diabolique": (needed more introductory footage to the characters)
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Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity
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