KID DR

I am a long-time fan of the Monkees, and was prepared for a big let-down. I was surprised with the wittiness of the script, but mostly with the likenesses of the actors portraying the members of the group. Aaron Lohr in particular, was almost phenomenal in his portrayal of Micky. What he lacked in appearance he made up for in personality, even in the mannerisms with which he sang the lyrics. I think he was the best, by far, but all these young actors were so believable that I [almost] forgot I was watching a portrayal. It was a credit that the real Monkees had some input into this film, even adding the songs. This made it all more real. Each band member's personality was explored to the depth possible given the 2-hour time limit of the film. Mike was the stoic practical one; Davy the prim and conservative English heartthrob; Micky the high spirited clown, and (my personal favorite) Peter the sweet spiritual hippie. A great effort was made in producing this film. Note- the subtle reference to Liquid Paper used by Mike in one scene. (His mother actually invented Liquid Paper). It was a well thought-out, well-done film, which certainly left THIS Monkee fan a Believer.

This movie has American Beauty beat all to hell. Denis Leary is outrageous. The family dynamics here are witty and just plain hilarious. They really push the envelope with this one, i.e., "Well why don't you sleep with him and get us all off the hook", Caroline talking to her mother-in-law. HILARIOUS!!! Personally, I think this one beats American Beauty.

I love Nicholas Cage, but this movie is like a trip into a dark labyrinth. The very concept is disturbing, and I can't imagine anyone really enjoying this film unless they have sado-masochism in their character. I'm open minded. I saw Se7en and liked it. Pulp Fiction is one of my favorites, for godsakes. But it's the fact that this kind of activity occurs on a daily basis in dark, cold, dank corners of our country that makes it real, and therefore very quietly horrifying.