kitt-3

I was disappointed in this one. Its one bright spot is its lead cast: Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner. Unfortunately, the movie spends an hour screwing around with the aged astronauts in training, and then when we finally get into space, everything is woefully ridiculous and predictable. And this is coming from a guy who's a softie for astronaut movies. I even felt a twinge by the astronaut self-sacrifices in the maudlin "Deep Impact". But no heart in this movie.

Rather than disappointing yourself with a poorly directed (Eastwood) fictional look at NASA, just rent "The Right Stuff" (which also doesn't monkey with history the way this one does) or "Apollo 13".

I also thought the movie was a comedy, but the laughs were regrettably few and far between.

I didn't really like this movie. Like most Jane Austen books-into-movies I've seen, you know what the end should be right at the beginning of the movie. But this telling doesn't have the humor of the others, and is actually quite unpleasant, reminding me more of "Jude" (though not that depressing) than of "Sense and Sensibility". I thought the acting was fine, I just didn't really like any of the characters. I guess I'd have to chalk it up to bad directing.

I'd like to see the BBC miniseries of "Mansfield Park" and see if that's any more enjoyable. Actually, after having sat through the BBC's "Pride and Prejudice," which was quite enjoyable, but over 5 (!) hours long, I think I might hire someone to cut out all of the dancing and unnecessary scenes before I took it on.

Based on the true story of Alvin Straight, a 73-year old man who traveled six weeks on a lawnmower to visit his ailing brother. A G-rated film by David Lynch, you say? Indeed. Lynch's style, including some long, disturbing shots, really amps up the tension in this film. I kept expecting some ear-slicing psychopath to show up in a Cadillac, but it never happened. The film is more G-rated than "2001" is, but it ain't for the kiddies, either.

This is a really fun and touching film. After seeing it, I felt like going on a walk down a deserted highway myself, just taking in the world one step at a time. Alvin meets an interesting assortment of characters along the way, some whom he helps and some who help him. Sissy Spacek plays his mentally disabled adult daughter, the most Lynchian character in the movie. And does a bang-up job, I might add.

It's refreshing to watch a simple movie where you're rooting for the guy to get his lawnmower into that barn by the side of the road before the rain starts. And lots of (to help you feel like you've been on a lawnmower for a few weeks) sweeping shots of beautiful farmland that make you want to move to Iowa and drive a tractor. If it's in your neighborhood, definitely take an evening or afternoon and go see it.