The Last Days of
Disco
The X-Files
Saving Private Ryan
Psycho
Stepmom
Shakespeare in Love
**** The Last Days of Disco: I hadn't been to the movies in a while, then caught two in a week. The first was "The Last Days of Disco". I liked the music and the premise and remembered Chloe Sevingy from Kids. This is a real talker, but if you are the kind of person who can watch the Real World and would be even more interested in a Real World filmed in the 70's (who wouldn't?), then definitely check this movie out. The smile you'll get from the scene on the subway at the end alone is worth the ticket price!
*** The X-Files:
Whoa. I guess it depends about how you feel about David Duchovny, but I'd pay to
watch him read the newspaper. Seriously, this is an awesome adventure movie and
the added static between the lead characters is just gravy. I was afraid that
they might leave too many loose ends for my taste, but thankfully I left the
theater satisfied. The storyline was so cool, it's definitely a must see for
those who stay home on Sunday nights and for those who don't.
***½ Saving
Private Ryan: This was some movie. I don't know how Spielberg does it, but I
was crying in the first half hour. While I'm not Dawson, you have to give the
guy some credit. With the help of really loud sourround sound, this movie makes
you feel as if you are part of the war. And that isn't even the depressing part.
The really tear jerking part is that while I was in a theater freezing watching
people's heads being blown off, I realized that that isn't even a truck in
Saugerties compared to what real soldiers went through.
**½ Psycho:
This was a pretty good movie. I definitely was scared and enjoyed the hour
and a half sitting in the theater, but it is not something that you'll rave to
your friends about. I hadn't seen the original in a very long time, so I enjoyed
watching the well-known story unfold, and I always think that Vince Vaughn is
delicious, even if he's a sociopathic lunatic. I guess it was worth my 6 bucks,
although all I really got out of it was a bunch of terrifying nightmares and the
desire to rent Hitchcock's version.
* Stepmom: Ugh. I guess that I
should have known better, but this was even worse than I expected. I thought
that this movie was going to be the type of movie that is corny and that you
know isn't the 'best' ever but you really like anyway. I was very wrong. The
dialogue was predictable and trite and just plain awful. The characters were
stereotypes and boring. I don't think the idea of a quarreling and distrustful
extended family immediately becoming happy and loving once some one gets cancer
is even entertainable. Although that doesn't even scratch the surface of why it
was so bad, I hestitate to continue for the sake of the value of your time and
suggest skipping this one.
*** Shakespeare in Love: I think that I was
a little disappointed by this flick because I had rather high expectations. SIL
had a fun plot line and it was interesting to see how this interpretation of
Shakespeare develops his plays. There were quite a few laughs and watching a
well-executed farce is rare and enjoyable. While the film was entertaining and
the ending was surprisingly good, I think that this movie had greater potential.
The supporting cast was excellent (particularily Ben Affleck and Ruppert
Everett) and I think a little more of them and a little less Gwen would have
done a world of good.