Change Your Image
mdechene
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Wanted (2008)
The MOST VIOLENT movie I've EVER seen!!
Folks, if you are a squeamish movie watcher, forget this one! This movie is very fast paced! There are NO dull moments. There is no sex. There is just non-stop action! This movie is what I dubbed a long time ago as a "s__t kicker!!" The stars were all VERY good, except for Morgan Freeman. I thought that his character was weak & could have been played by anyone. (This is not the first time that I have seen Morgan Freeman play weak parts!)The plot twists to the point where there is a double plot, but it takes awhile to find this out. Please don't bother watching this movie if you are the type of person who likes to do other things while watching a movie. You will miss most of the plots!! This movie deserves it's "R" rating, but not for sex or drugs or cursing!
No End in Sight (2007)
Is It The Truth?
It's very hard to rate documentaries, especially documentaries that deal with the war in Iraq. I have become very disillusioned by my government leaders about most things and, especially, the war in Iraq. Thousands of good American citizens have lost their lives for a war that has always been about oil. The scenes presented in this documentary were presented well. It is up to you, as an American citizen, to determine just how you perceive the presentation. If only fifty percent of what was presented is the truth, then I say, dam the politicians in this country and dam those who do not have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to the inexperienced hierarchy in this GREAT land of ours!
Vantage Point (2008)
Just OK
This was definitely an action movie!! It is NON-STOP action! The story line is very much like the movie "Ground Hog Day" where it repeats itself several times. But, in this movie it is necessary. If the story line had not been repeated several times, it would have been impossible to understand it. It would have been a nightmare to film and have the audience follow. I'm not 100% sure that I understood the movie plot. But, I'll see it again when it releases on DVD. I was happy to see a lot of my favorite stars in the movie. Dennis Quaid looked REALLY old!! See what happens when you leave a wife like Meg Ryan?!! I rated it rather low simply because it did not impress me that much. Had it not been for being able to see some of "my stars" in it, I probably would have rated it at a "2."
Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)
Surprising Movie!
Normally, I would not have rated a movie this well. I am a very strong movie critic. I think I have only rated one movie at a 10 out of the more than 3000 that I have seen. This move started out slowly. It seemed that it had no place to go. There is a drastic change in the story line and things went from ehhhh! to absolutely great! Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro were SUPERB! David Duchovny meant nothing in the part that he played. The photography was excellent, though too dark at times. The direction was excellent. The two stars that played Halle Berry's children were VERY good. Sometimes I do not care for child stars, but these two played their parts as though their roles were real life. Give this movie a try, but be patient during the first third.
Into the Wild (2007)
Very Different!!
This film was well directed. The scenery was unbelievable. I did not know until the end credits that the film was based on fact. You think about the portrayal of the main character and wonder whether or not someone could really do what the film portrayed. Then, you find out that it really happened! In some ways, it seems like a life that one would like to live. On the other hand, you look at it and say that there is no way that you could live the life of the main character portrayed in the movie. It is REALLY food for thought. The main character was well portrayed. No great acting ability, just well done. The rest of the characters had small parts that one could judge as to whether or not they were bits of good acting or just a way to earn some money.
Heavens Fall (2006)
Just A Movie
Nothing spectacular about this movie. The actors played their parts as though they were there just for the money. The good thing about the movie was how it portrayed the bigot and racial hatred practiced by our fine USA citizens. And, went on as though their lies were the truth and with the conviction that no one could prove their lies to be false and prejudicial. I cannot say more about this movie and I yet do not have enough information to meet the required amount of sentences for the IMDb. So the rest of my presentation will be meaningless jargon. You may stop reading at any point. Mary had a little lamb. It's fleece was white as snow.
American Gangster (2007)
Well Done!!
The acting by Denzel Washington was superb! I believe that he enjoys playing this type of role ("Training Day," etc). Russell Crowe was very good. James Brolin made you really hate him. This usually means that the actor did a good job. Good direction. Good photography, a little dark at times, but well shot. Good story line that was interesting and easy to follow. Politics must have had something to do with the fact that the movie did not win any academy awards. The ending was somewhat surprising, but done well. In my opinion, Denzel Washington should have won the best actor award and that Russell Crowe should have won best supporting actor.
Moll Flanders (1996)
Ehhhh!!
Long movie. Direction good. Photography good. Robin Wright is beautiful. She was the "saving grace" of the movie. Stockard Channing and Morgan Freeman did not need to bother with their roles. Anyone could have played their parts. You sometimes wonder what well-known and/or talented stars are thinking when they choose to play certain roles. Do they REALLY need the money badly enough to lose favor with their fans?? Screenplay was OK. The movie progression was V E R Y slow! John Lynch, Moll's lover/husband played his role well. It rained and was cold the day I watched this movie, so I stuck it out to the bitter end. A nap would have been more rewarding!
Straight from the Heart (2003)
Sweet!
This is the kind of movie that makes you remember your childhood, when movies did not have to contain sex, violence and cursing. I am an action loving, shoot & kill movie fan. Every once in awhile, I need a movie like this one in order to make me realize that there is love and tenderness in the world. The two lead characters, Teri Polo and Andrew McCarthy, did a wonderful job playing their roles. The direction was good. The photography was EXCELLENT. The horses were GORGEOUS! Yes, I am a horse lover! I had no idea, prior to seeing the move, that the screenplay is mostly about horses. Some rainy or snowy day, when you are forced to stay inside, find a good friend and watch this movie together.
The Legend of Butch & Sundance (2004)
Forget It!!
Story line was pure crap!! It was a Hollywooder all the way. No room for fact here! The stars were absolutely crummy! Rachelle Lefevre was the only saving grace. She plays a character named Etta who is the girl friend of BOTH of the main characters. How STUPID can we be? Right?!! She did a marvelous job up against the two (so called) stars. Even if you have nothing else to do some day, do not waste 89 minutes of your day on this one. Of course, we must consider that it was "made for TV." This should be enough to keep you away! Photography was pretty good. Direction was totally stupid. Thank God that we know the REAL story of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!!
In the Valley of Elah (2007)
Well Worth Watching!
This movie is at its best because of the superb acting by Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron. The are other less significant actors, but that cannot match that of Jones and Theron! The story is good, but slow. It keeps your interest and makes you hesitate stopping the movie at all. Not even for a pee break! The directing is very good. There are some scenes within the movie that can be dubbed "typical Hollywood," and would not happen in real life. As is so typical with Charlize Theron, she plays a role where you almost do not recognize her. She is SO GOOD at doing that! Tommy Lee Jones plays a subdued character compared with his usual roles, but he is really good at this one.
Rendition (2007)
See It If You Prefer
Not that great a flick. What is nice is to see Hollywood finally has some fortitude in writing and portraying terrorism for all of its savagery. Right after 9/11, no one in Hollywood dared make a movie about terrorism. Typical of the squeamish head-in-the-sand Americans! Let's not be proactive about terror. Let's hide from it and act as though it does not exist. We do that with all of the things that affect our lives! This was not a movie to be seen more than once. The acting was poor, the direction was poor, the story line was, at times, fragmented and the photography was typical Hollywood, and not very good. Keep on making terrorism movies, but let's put a little more thought into it. We are targets of terrorists! It does well to have us CONSTANTLY reminded of same.
Margot at the Wedding (2007)
Unbelievable!
I am a great fan of Nicole Kidman! I cannot believe that she read the script for this movie and actually decided to star in it! It was one of the strangest, oddest, and most stupid movies that I ever watched! The plot was awful, the acting was idiotic, the direction was poor, the photography made no sense and the portrayed sexual scenes were totally unnecessary! What a waste of film! I certainly hope that Nicole regrets having starred in this piece of crap. I have already expressed all of my opinions about this movie, but I must keep on writing because IMDb requires at least 10 lines of dialog. So, I'll just say that I do not think that anyone should waste their time watching this movie. Why did I? Because I LOVE Nicole Kidman!!
Chaos (2005)
Excellent Flick!!
This story line was absolutely fascinating! The stars were outstanding! Wesley Snipes, who usually doesn't play very interesting parts had a smaller than usual part in this movie. He was really very good at what he did! Best part I've seen him play for a long time! I was relunctant to rent the movie when I saw that he was a star, but I rented it because I love Jason Stathom. I was not disappointed. The action scenes were well done & edited to perfection. I usually rate movies without mercy! This one did not deserve any criticism! If you are a Statham or Pillippe fan, you won't want to miss this great flick! Cannot figure out why it took me until 2008 to discover this 2005 film!!
Double Indemnity (1944)
Good acting! Good story line!
I saw this movie about 6 years after it was released. Never saw it again until February of 2008. I expect a lot from movies and I am quick to criticize. I thoroughly enjoyed this "old" classic! Fred Mcmurray & Edward G. Robinson both played very different roles for this era. They were superb! If you've never seen the movie, it is worth a viewing. If it's been awhile since you've seen it, see it again. For me, it was as though I had never seen it. I knew the stars and I knew the plot, but that's about all I remembered. I would really like to see what the movie would be like if it were remade 2008 style! This is a black and white movie. No color is really needed. The stars make it all happen.
The Departed (2006)
Excellent flick!!
Typical Scorcese film: "Black," violent, lots of blood, twisting plots! If DiCaprio doesn't get an Oscar for this part, it will be a shame. If you remember him in a swell role in "Gangs of New York," you'll be amazed at how he tops that role in this film. And...I'm not a Dicaprio fan! Usually, when you see a flick loaded with stars, it's a pretty good sign that it's not worth seeing. Not so here! Nicholson is his typical scroungy hateful self. Great job on his part. Matt Damon, whom I absolutely do not like did a great job at being a worthless rat! One of my favorite stars is Mark Walberg. I was disappointed that he was given such a small role, but watch out for him in the end of the movie!!!!