Old Joe
Joined Sep 2000
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Old Joe's rating
When I was a young boy, I could always remember seeing parts of a movie that starred 'Superman' (aka Christopher Reeve) and having a very dreamy, almost surreal ending. 20 or so years later, I have finally had the chance to catch up with it. The film in question was 'Somewhere In Time', a typically corny romantic movie, that is badly acted (especially by my late movie hero Reeve), has a contrived storyline (based on a crazy form of time travel), while the direction from Jeannot Szwarc is to put it bluntly, disgraceful.
I have mentioned before that I really hate wasting my time reviewing movies that I find have played me for an absolute idiot, and sorry to those romantic movie fans out there, but that is what this film did to me. I wish I could have my time, money and choice back, so I could go to another section of the movie store and pick a better movie to watch.
It is sad to realise that this was Christopher Reeve's second movie after 'Superman', and for me I could tell that. Reeve seemed to look like he was trying to be his superhero character in a film that he simply could not be. His facial expressions were all wrong, especially when he looks at the portrait of the beautiful Else McKenna (Jane Seymour) and desires to be with her. Richard Collier did not have x-ray vision, but the movie seemed to want to make him believe he did. In my opinion, this was Reeve's most unconvincing movie role in his career. For Reeve though, he mentioned that this was one of his other favorites movies to work on. That is hard for me too accept.
"It is 1980 and I am back in time to stop the making of this movie". Sorry, just a joke, because I could not take those sections of the movie seriously at all. I will leave you with my rating and then go clean up the stench of the vomit that this movie left me with. What a sickening experience 'Somewhere In Time' really was.
CMRS gives 'Somewhere In Time': 0
I have mentioned before that I really hate wasting my time reviewing movies that I find have played me for an absolute idiot, and sorry to those romantic movie fans out there, but that is what this film did to me. I wish I could have my time, money and choice back, so I could go to another section of the movie store and pick a better movie to watch.
It is sad to realise that this was Christopher Reeve's second movie after 'Superman', and for me I could tell that. Reeve seemed to look like he was trying to be his superhero character in a film that he simply could not be. His facial expressions were all wrong, especially when he looks at the portrait of the beautiful Else McKenna (Jane Seymour) and desires to be with her. Richard Collier did not have x-ray vision, but the movie seemed to want to make him believe he did. In my opinion, this was Reeve's most unconvincing movie role in his career. For Reeve though, he mentioned that this was one of his other favorites movies to work on. That is hard for me too accept.
"It is 1980 and I am back in time to stop the making of this movie". Sorry, just a joke, because I could not take those sections of the movie seriously at all. I will leave you with my rating and then go clean up the stench of the vomit that this movie left me with. What a sickening experience 'Somewhere In Time' really was.
CMRS gives 'Somewhere In Time': 0
I have to say that writing about Scary Movie 2 is a painful experience, but not as painful as actually watching the ridiculous film that we are given by Keenan Ivory Wayan and his crew. To put this movie in perspective, it was supposed to make me laugh, right? I did not laugh once, which shows where it fails for me.
So I am not going to deeply analyse this film, just tell you that it is not funny, has virtually no moments of greatness, the performances are pretty poor from all involved (including the Wayan brothers, Anne Faris, Malcolm in the middle star James DeBello, Tori Spelling, in a career destroying role, James Wood and Natasha Lyonne). While the direction of the film lacks any sense and is just one contrived mess in my view.
To learn that acting legend Marlon Brando was going to accept a role on this film almost made me faint from shock. Thankfully the great man was not well enough to do so, because if he had have been a part of this terrible conglomeration, I believe it could have cost him more than his health. Scary movie (2000), the very original movie spoof, was a surprise in the cinemas, taking off some of the great horror movies of our time much better and was more to my liking. Yet with that film, I could only enjoy it once as it ran thin on me after that. This is the sort of comedy where you are either going to love it or hate it. I hate it with an absolute vengeance.
So my rating? CMRS gives 'Scary Movie 2': 0
Reason?
Sorry there is nothing here to really get your hopes up about this film. After turning this film off four times in disgust, the best part about this movie was seeing the closing credits, knowing that it was finally over and I was out my misery.
P.S. Now seeing that there is a 'Scary Movie 3' out, I just sit, cringing in silence, hoping that this is the end to these bad movies. If I had one request as a movie-watcher, it would be that I could have those 100 minutes of my life back. I am disappointed that will not be happening. A friend warned me that this would happen. Why, oh why did I not listen to him? I am such an idiot!
So I am not going to deeply analyse this film, just tell you that it is not funny, has virtually no moments of greatness, the performances are pretty poor from all involved (including the Wayan brothers, Anne Faris, Malcolm in the middle star James DeBello, Tori Spelling, in a career destroying role, James Wood and Natasha Lyonne). While the direction of the film lacks any sense and is just one contrived mess in my view.
To learn that acting legend Marlon Brando was going to accept a role on this film almost made me faint from shock. Thankfully the great man was not well enough to do so, because if he had have been a part of this terrible conglomeration, I believe it could have cost him more than his health. Scary movie (2000), the very original movie spoof, was a surprise in the cinemas, taking off some of the great horror movies of our time much better and was more to my liking. Yet with that film, I could only enjoy it once as it ran thin on me after that. This is the sort of comedy where you are either going to love it or hate it. I hate it with an absolute vengeance.
So my rating? CMRS gives 'Scary Movie 2': 0
Reason?
Sorry there is nothing here to really get your hopes up about this film. After turning this film off four times in disgust, the best part about this movie was seeing the closing credits, knowing that it was finally over and I was out my misery.
P.S. Now seeing that there is a 'Scary Movie 3' out, I just sit, cringing in silence, hoping that this is the end to these bad movies. If I had one request as a movie-watcher, it would be that I could have those 100 minutes of my life back. I am disappointed that will not be happening. A friend warned me that this would happen. Why, oh why did I not listen to him? I am such an idiot!
The issue presented in the Australian movie 'Angel Baby' is one that is very close to me. I am talking about mental illness and how destructive any of them can be to individuals that get it. I have been affected by both depression and a mild case of schizophrenia (the illness that is shown here) and the highs and lows that come with those illnesses. This film is important as shows what it takes to overcome a mental illness and what affects they can have on your life and those around you.
A funny, haunting love story, 'Angel Baby' tells the story of two lost souls, Harry and Kate, who fall in love against the odds and find hope strength in each other to accomplish the impossible. Full of humour, compassion and hope, Angel Baby is a testament to the power of love and a roller-coaster journey to the magical fringes of the human psyche.
There is a lot to like about and take in with this movie. The writer /director Michael Rymer has bought a very interesting Australian movie to our screen. The story that we get here is one that is probably not all that uncommon, but is not known in our community. It accentuates the difficulties that people have when they are battling any mental illness and what rash choices they make when they are unable function mentally. This story also had the wonderful aspects that show Kate's obsessions of seeing messages from a TV game-show, while I am glad that the story shows both Kate and Harry choosing a life that they are probably not able to keep in complete control of because of their mental illness issues.
Then as director, Rymer makes some very impressive moves. I love how the movie makes us as the audience feel like we are experiencing what the mental illness is like that both Kate and Harry actually have. I believe this mainly through the extraordinary camera work that is used, with all of its different views and angles. This aspect of the movie is helped by its cinematographer Ellery Ryan, who captures it all perfectly. I also love the choice of scenery used in 'Angel Baby', such as the shots of the city and the grand 'West gate bridge', which is used to great effect in the film.
The leading cast to this movie was outstanding. Harry (John Lynch) and Kate (Jacqueline Mackenzie) are wonderful on screen together. They were both very convincing as both very mentally ill patients and it is through their performances that I believe this. There were some very real moments (well that is what they felt like for me) in this film where I believed these actors were suffering a mental illness for real. One such incident is when Kate is totally taken aback by being hit by kid skate-boarding at the local shopping centre. What I saw was a haunting sort of vision, one that I can relate to, and one that I was glad too see.
The rest of the cast is pretty good as well. Harry has concerned friends, the Goodman's. Morris (Colin Friels) and Louise (Deborra-Lee Furness) both show at individual times that they are truly concerned with the situation they find Harry and his girl in. Their son, Sam Goodman, (Daniel Daperis) was another important character, who has a terrific scene with Harry, about being unable to sleep one. What Harry helps Sam out with is ironic, considering the situation that we see Harry gets himself into.
I watched Angel Baby and 'Cosi', (another Australian movie, which deals with mental illness) back to back. Cosi was not as good as Angel Baby in my view, but the two films are completely different. One is from a totally serious point of view, while the other is coming from the comedic perspective about mental illness. I am still yet to see the classic Australian film 'Shine', starring Geoffrey Rush. But from what I have been told, it must be another worthwhile movie about how mental illness affects people, even brilliant and successful individuals.
I am a firm believer that mental illness is an issue in society that is culturally misunderstood by most people. I believe this because people are either misinformed or misdiagnosed, or they immediately dismiss a person with such a problem, saying either 'they are making excuses for themselves' or 'they should just snap out of it'. I personally hate that point of view as it is not only arrogant, but it is also a very naïve point of view in my opinion. I say that compassion should be shown instead of criticism, while understanding and sensitivity should be learnt instead of straight dismissal and sheer arrogance.
I guess my only criticism of Angel Baby is that it has a very limited cast, but perhaps that was a deliberate move, to show both Harry and Kate, for as long as they could. I would have preferred a bit bigger cast. I am glad that we were able to see all sorts of ideas, visions and images presented about how mental illness can affect people in 'Angel Baby', and are eternally grateful that an Australian movie is willing and daring enough to show it. For that, I thank the makers and actors from the bottom of my heart.
CMRS gives 'Angel Baby': 4.5 (Very Good Brilliant Film)
A funny, haunting love story, 'Angel Baby' tells the story of two lost souls, Harry and Kate, who fall in love against the odds and find hope strength in each other to accomplish the impossible. Full of humour, compassion and hope, Angel Baby is a testament to the power of love and a roller-coaster journey to the magical fringes of the human psyche.
There is a lot to like about and take in with this movie. The writer /director Michael Rymer has bought a very interesting Australian movie to our screen. The story that we get here is one that is probably not all that uncommon, but is not known in our community. It accentuates the difficulties that people have when they are battling any mental illness and what rash choices they make when they are unable function mentally. This story also had the wonderful aspects that show Kate's obsessions of seeing messages from a TV game-show, while I am glad that the story shows both Kate and Harry choosing a life that they are probably not able to keep in complete control of because of their mental illness issues.
Then as director, Rymer makes some very impressive moves. I love how the movie makes us as the audience feel like we are experiencing what the mental illness is like that both Kate and Harry actually have. I believe this mainly through the extraordinary camera work that is used, with all of its different views and angles. This aspect of the movie is helped by its cinematographer Ellery Ryan, who captures it all perfectly. I also love the choice of scenery used in 'Angel Baby', such as the shots of the city and the grand 'West gate bridge', which is used to great effect in the film.
The leading cast to this movie was outstanding. Harry (John Lynch) and Kate (Jacqueline Mackenzie) are wonderful on screen together. They were both very convincing as both very mentally ill patients and it is through their performances that I believe this. There were some very real moments (well that is what they felt like for me) in this film where I believed these actors were suffering a mental illness for real. One such incident is when Kate is totally taken aback by being hit by kid skate-boarding at the local shopping centre. What I saw was a haunting sort of vision, one that I can relate to, and one that I was glad too see.
The rest of the cast is pretty good as well. Harry has concerned friends, the Goodman's. Morris (Colin Friels) and Louise (Deborra-Lee Furness) both show at individual times that they are truly concerned with the situation they find Harry and his girl in. Their son, Sam Goodman, (Daniel Daperis) was another important character, who has a terrific scene with Harry, about being unable to sleep one. What Harry helps Sam out with is ironic, considering the situation that we see Harry gets himself into.
I watched Angel Baby and 'Cosi', (another Australian movie, which deals with mental illness) back to back. Cosi was not as good as Angel Baby in my view, but the two films are completely different. One is from a totally serious point of view, while the other is coming from the comedic perspective about mental illness. I am still yet to see the classic Australian film 'Shine', starring Geoffrey Rush. But from what I have been told, it must be another worthwhile movie about how mental illness affects people, even brilliant and successful individuals.
I am a firm believer that mental illness is an issue in society that is culturally misunderstood by most people. I believe this because people are either misinformed or misdiagnosed, or they immediately dismiss a person with such a problem, saying either 'they are making excuses for themselves' or 'they should just snap out of it'. I personally hate that point of view as it is not only arrogant, but it is also a very naïve point of view in my opinion. I say that compassion should be shown instead of criticism, while understanding and sensitivity should be learnt instead of straight dismissal and sheer arrogance.
I guess my only criticism of Angel Baby is that it has a very limited cast, but perhaps that was a deliberate move, to show both Harry and Kate, for as long as they could. I would have preferred a bit bigger cast. I am glad that we were able to see all sorts of ideas, visions and images presented about how mental illness can affect people in 'Angel Baby', and are eternally grateful that an Australian movie is willing and daring enough to show it. For that, I thank the makers and actors from the bottom of my heart.
CMRS gives 'Angel Baby': 4.5 (Very Good Brilliant Film)