KATE AND LEOPOLD (Theatrical Release USA 2001)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.5|5.0 Stars ìììì

Kate and Leopold—fun, clean—worth watching. Hugh Jackman does great in almost anything. He’s got charisma and looks. Hugh Jackman films always entertain. This movie is no exception; it’s true Hugh to the tee. Liev Schreiber turns into a surprisingly good casting choice teamed with Jackman and reminds of how well they interacted when cast as brothers in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Leopold (Hugh Jackman), an English Duke, invents things like elevators. Stuart Besser (Liev Schreiber) follows him taking pictures of the scenery. What Leopold doesn’t know is that Stuart Besser is his great grandson who has traveled back in time through a portal in the atmosphere near the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. So when Leopold follows Stuart to the then unfinished Brooklyn Bridge, he becomes caught in the future as he tries to save Stuart from falling from the unfinished side of the bridge. The story is ‘on’ as Leopold endeavors to adjust to the future.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director James Mangold for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Kerry Orent, Meryl Poster, and Bob and Harvey Weinstein for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Kate McKay (Meg Ryan), Charlie McKay (Breckin Meyer), Darci (Natasha Lyonne), J.J. Camden (Bradley Whitford), Uncle Millard (Paxton Whitehead), Dr. Giesler (Spalding Grey), Colleague Bob (Josh Stamberg), Ad Executive Phil (Matthew Sussman), Patrice (Charlotte Ayanne), and Otis (Philip Bosco).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s a film to love.

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Ben Meyers

CHICAGO (Theatrical Release USA 2002)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.4|5.0 Stars ììì

Chicago—based on the Broadway play of the same name—has terrific song and dance routines with an all-star cast. Richard Gere, Renée Zellweger show surprisingly good musical ability. Contains sexual references and sexual scenes.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) kills Fred Casely (Dominic West) because he told her he could pull some theatrical strings for her and after she has an affair with him, tells her he knows no one in show business. When her husband, Amos Hart (John C. Reilly), comes home she convinces him that he must tell police that Fred Casely was a robber and it was self-defense. But after police interrogation, Amos tells the truth. Roxie is angry, but confesses and is arrested on the spot. She is sent to a jail full of women who have murdered and is guarded by Matron Mama Morton (Queen Latifah).

Additional Thanks Check Credits

Thank you to Director Rob Marshall for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Jennifer Berman, Sam Crothers, and Julie Goldstein for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Bandleader (Taye Diggs), Stage Manager (Cliff Saunders), Mrs. Borusewicz (Jayne Eastwood), Police Photographer (Bruce Beaton), Sergeant Fogarthy (Roman Podhora), DA Martin Harrison (Colm Feore), Newspaper Photographer (Robert Smith), Reporter (Sean Wayne Doyle), Prison Clerk (Steve Behal), and Prison Guard (Robbie Rox).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. May not be a first pick for entertainment because it undermines belief in a reliable justice system and teaches that one can get away with murder and go on to not only make money on it, but become famous in the process. Be aware that this movie shows the darker side of humans.

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Ben Meyers

RABBIT-PROOF FENCE (Theatrical Release Australia 2002)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.9|5.0 Stars ìììì

Rabbit-Proof Fence—loose rendition of a true Australian Aborigine story—is WOW entertainment. It has emotional appeal, one of the best of the 2002 films. This is Kenneth Branagh at his best along with outstanding performances by Evelyn Sampi, Tiana Sanbury, Laura Monaghan, and David Gulpilil.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Two young Australian Jigalong aboriginal sisters Molly (Evelyn Sampi) and Daisy (Tianna Sansbury) and their cousin Gracie (Laura Monaghan) are forced to leave their mother and grandmother for British enculturation, a project headed by Educator A.O. Neville who believes half-breeds can be ‘saved’ by the third or fourth generation if properly schooled. The three girls are sent to a school in the southern part of Australia. They form a plan to escape and begin the 1,500 mile trek back to their Jigalong home.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director and Producer Phillip Noyce for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers David Elfick and Kathleen McLaughlin for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Maud-Molly’s Mother (Nigali Lawford), Molly’s Grandmother (Myarn Lawford), Mavis (Deborah Mailman), Constable Riggs (Jason Clark), Nina Dormitory Boss (Natasha Wanganeen) Mr. Neal at Moore River (Garry McDonald), Police Inspector (Roy Billing), Miss Thomas (Lorna Lesley), Miss Jessop (Celine O’Leary), Matron at Moore River (Kate Roberts), Moodoo Daughter (Tracy Monaghan), and Olive/Escaped Girl (Tamara Flanagan).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This is a well-told, inspiring film.

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Ben Meyers

THE WATERBOY (Theatrical Release USA 1998)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.5|5.0 Stars ìììì

The Waterboy—is a classic Adam Sandler comedy fashioned for the teen/adult audience. It uses the same rags to riches theme that Sandler uses in many of his stories. Despite the use of suggestive themes, the film is good entertainment for the adult audience.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Thirty-one-year-old Robert ‘Bobby’ Boucher Jr. returns home on his John Deere tractor after losing his job as water boy for the University of Louisiana Cougar football team. He fails to find work and finally approaches Coach Klein (Henry Winkler), South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs, for a position as water boy. Coach Klein has no money to pay him, but Bobby says he’ll work for free. On a coaching day one of Klein’s football players begins tormenting Bobby and Coach Klein tells Bobby to stand up for himself. Bobby bulldozes the offending player down like a wrecking ball. Coach Klein tells Bobby that’s a great tackle and decides to hire Bobby as a football player. As a successful football player, Bobby’s life expands. He finds a way to an independence that he never could have predicted.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Frank Coraci for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producer Adam Sandler for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Helen ‘Mama’ Boucher (Kathy Bates), Vicki Vallencourt (Fairuza Balk), Coach Red Beaulieu (Jerry Reed), Derek Wallace (Lawrence Gilliard, Jr.), Farmer Fran (Blake Clark), Gee Grenouille (Peter Dante), Lyle Robideaux (Jonathan Loughran), Casey Bugge (Al Whiting), Paco (Clint Howard), Walter (Allen Covert), and Townie (Rob Schneider).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s a fun afternoon watch.

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Ben Meyers

PROJECT X (Theatrical Release USA 1987)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.7|5.0 Stars ììì

Project X has Matthew Broderick pulling off a fairly good performance as a United States airman saving experimental chimpanzees. It’s a treat to see chimpanzees interacting with humans. I’m surprised to see Broderick smoking on screen. It’s refreshing to see a very young Helen Hunt in this film.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

A trained chimpanzee named Virgil (Willie) who learns the art of sign language is supposed to be shipped to a zoo and is placed in an Air Force experimental lab instead. Airman Jimmy Garret (Matthew Broderick) bonds with the chimp and endeavors to save as many of the laboratory’s chimps as he can.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Jonathan Kaplan for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producer C.O. Erickson for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Goofy (Okko), Goliath (Karanja), Bluebeard (Luke), Teri (Helen Hunt), Dr. Carroll (William Sadler), Robertson (Johnny Ray McGhee), Sergeant Krieger (Jonathan Stark), Colonel Niles (Robin Gammell), Watts (Stephen Lang), Dr. Criswell (Jean Smart), General Claybourne (Chuck Bennett), and Hadfield (Daniel Roebuck).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s worth at least one viewing.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

AN AMERICAN TAIL (Theatrical Release USA 1986)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.2|5.0 Stars ìììì

An American Tail—an animation film to love again and again—is built for the adult and child audience, it’s clean, nicely cut, rightly told down to its last written letter. The voices are perfect, the animation great. This film deserves applause for Director Don Bluth’s work (Land Before Time, The Secret of the NIMH). On the critical side, the song Never Say Never seems not well set in this film and some parts of this animated film flow slowly.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The Ukrainian Mousekewitz family are constantly under attack by cats. So, Papa Mousekewitz (voice of Nehemiah Persoff), in the middle of a Hanukkah celebration, decides the family must go to America because it is rumored there are no cats in America. They catch a boat to New York City and find that cats are a universal fact of life.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Don Bluth for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Kathleen Kennedy, David Kirschner, Frank Marshall, and Steven Speilberg for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Mama Mousekewitz (voice of Erica Yohn), Tanya Mousekewitz (voice of Amy Green), Fievel Mousekewitz (voice of Phillip Glasser), Henri (voice of Christopher Plummer), Warren T. Rat (John Finnegan), Digit (voice of Will Ryan), Moe (voice of Hal Smith), Tony Toponi (voice of Pat Musick), Bridget (voice of Cathianne Blore), Honest John (voice of Neil Ross), and Gussie Mausheimer (voice of Madeline Kahn).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This a ‘must see’ animated film for all ages. It is re-watch-able.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (Limited Release in New York, City New York USA 1962)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.9|5.0 Stars ìììì

To Kill a Mockingbird—is the perfect example of producers, directors, actors, and script writers working as a team to perfectly catch the nuances of the original writer’s intent. This movie is THE classic story of Hollywood. Everything works in this movie.

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images

Storyline

The 1930s Maycomb, Alabama story is narrated by Jean Louise “Scout” Finch (Mary Badham) who acts as the young daughter of Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), a lawyer assigned to defend a black man accused of raping a white woman.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Robert Mulligan and to Producer Alan J. Pakula for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Dill Harris (John Megna), Sheriff Heck Tate (Frank Overton), Maudie Atkinson (Rosemary Murphy), Mrs. Dubose (Ruth White), Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), Calpurnia (Estelle Evans), Judge Taylor (Paul Fix), Mayella Violet Ewell (Collin Wilcox Paxton), Bob Ewell (James Anderson), Aunt Stephanie Crawford (Alice Ghostley), Boo Radley (Robert Duvall), and Mr. Gilmer (William Windom).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. Definitely. It’s one of the top 100 films one must see.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST (Theatrical Release Australia USA 1992)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 2.6|5.0 Stars ìì

Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest—serves the 4-year-old audience with great music and simple animation. Director Bill Kroyer needs to move on to other work because he has potential to make really good films. Sheena Easton’s song “A Dream Worth Keeping” didn’t seem well placed in this movie, but the song itself is good.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The fairy Crysta (voice of Samantha Mathis) lives with other fairies in FernGully, a rainforest that is a safe haven for fairies. Crysta believes there are no humans left anywhere until she meets Zak (voice of Jonathan Ward), a human logger. Crysta shrinks Zak to save his life and the story is ‘on’ as the two are swept up in a fight against good and evil.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Bill Kroyer for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Robert W. Cort and Ted Field for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Hexxus (voice of Tim Curry), Pips (voice of Christian Slater), Batty Koda (voice of Robin Williams), Magi Lune (Grace Zabriskie), Ralph (voice of Geoffrey Blake), Tony (voice of Robert Pastorelli), Stump (voice of Cheech Marin), Root (voice of Tommy Chong), Goanna (voice of Tone Loc), and Knotty (voice of Townsend Coleman).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. Better choices for entertainment are: An American Tail and The Rescuers.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

CAMP X-RAY (Sundance Film Festival Park City Utah USA 2014)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì

Camp X-Ray—a film about Guantanamo Bay—elaborates on the acting skills of Kristen Stewart as she interacts with Peyman Moaadi, who plays a detainee at the camp. The film is worth watching as a low-key examination of challenges involved in female military service, following operating procedures when involvement of heart seems to be called for, and how to address the human factor in such environments.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline 

Amy Cole (Kristen Stewart), a young woman who joins the United States Army 8 years after September 11, 2001, receives an assignment to Guantanamo Bay Prison as a prison guard. She makes an unlikely friend in the process.

Additional Thanks 

Thank You to Director Peter Sattler for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Emmy Ellison, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, David Gordon Green, Sophia Lin, and Lindsay Williams for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Newscaster (Nawal Bengholam), Ali (Peyman Moaadi), Ransdell (Lane Garrison), Rico (J.J. Soria), Detainee #1 (Mark Naji), Detainee #2 (Anoop Simon), Cole (Kristen Stewart), Bergen (Cory Michael Smith), Jackson (Ser’Darius Blain), Mary (Tara Holt), IRF #1 (LaDell Preston), IRF #2 (Daniel Leavitt), and Mahmoud (Marco Khan).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s an interesting cultural exchange in the most unlikely and unsuitable conditions.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

AN AMERICAN TAIL: FIEVEL GOES WEST (Theatrical Release USA 1991)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.4|5.0 Starsììì

An American Tail: Fievel Goes West—not as high-spirited as An American Tail—seems to have lost the imaginative freshness of the first film in the series. The music and singing stand among the best in animation films, the animation is as good as the original film, but it just doesn’t have the entertainment value of the original story.

Film Poster Courtesy  of Wikipedia

Storyline 

Fievel’s (voice of Phillip Glasser) family continues to have challenges with the cats and decides to move west. They find that there are challenges wherever one lives and the west is no exception to this rule.

Additional Thanks 

Thank You to Director Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells for their directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Kathleen Kennedy, David Kirschner, and Frank Marshall for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Wylie (voice of James Stewart), Mama (voice of Erica Yohn), Tanya (voice of Cathy Cavadini), Papa (voice of Nehemiah Persoff), Tiger (voice of Dom DeLuise), Miss Kitty (voice of Amy Irving), Cat R. Waul (voice of John Cleese), Chula (voice of Jon Lovitz), and Frenchy (voice of Jack Angel).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. Watchable for the songs. But, besides that, it seems to lose it in imagination.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

GOOD WILL HUNTING (Theatrical Release USA 1997)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.5|5.0 Stars ìììì

Good Will Hunting—one of the best films since Barton Fink—has Matt Damon cast with Robin Williams in an award-winning story. Director Gus Van Sant’s work is creative and well done. There is some sex, sexual references, and language in this film.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Will Hunting (Matt Damon), who is a college janitor, sees a remarkably difficult math equation posted on the college hallway’s chalk board that one of the professors, Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård), posted as a challenge to his graduate students. Will solves the problem with ease and leaves the answer on the chalkboard. When Professor Lambeau finds the problem solved, he asks all of his students who solved the problem and no one comes forward. Professor Lambeau posts an even more difficult problem on the hall’s board and Will starts to solve it. Professor Lambeau sees him solving it and wants to talk to him to tell him what an ingenious mind he has, but Will apologizes and runs. Professor Lambeau goes to the janitors’ office to inquire about Will. After some initial misunderstanding, Professor Lambeau finally gets Will’s name and finds, after tracking him, that he is in trouble with the law. The professor talks to the Judge about Will and makes arrangements for Will to be in therapy and to study mathematics. The show is ‘on’ as Will works through difficult mental challenges to establish a better life.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Gus Van Sant for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Su Armstrong, Jonathan Gordon, Bob Weinstein, and Harvey Weinstein for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Chuckle (Ben Affleck), Tom (John Mighton), Krystyn (Rachel Majorowski), Cathy (Colleen McCauley), Morgan (Casey Affleck), and Billy (Cole Hauser).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. The film is for the mature adult audience.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

MORTAL KOMBAT (Theatrical Release USA 1995)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.4|5.0 Starsììì

Mortal Kombat—serves a niche market, the huge “Mortal Kombat” gaming fan audience. The film does credit in depicting the video game’s storyline.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Shao Khan shows interest in invasion and conquer of Earthrealm. Rayden (Christopher Lambert), the god who defends Earthrealm, handpicks warriors to defeat Shao Khan’s ambitions.

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Paul W.S. Anderson for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Danny Simon and Robert Engelman for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Kang (Robin Shou), Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby), Shang Tsung (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), Sonya Blade (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras), Kitana (Talisa Soto), Kano (Trevor Goddard), Scorpion (Chris Casamassa), Sub-Zero (François Petit), Reptile (Keith Cooke), Fighting Monk (Hakim Alston), Art Lean (Kenneth Edwards), and Chief Priest (John Fujioka).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. If you love Mortal Kombat games, you will most likely love this film.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

HITCHCOCK (American Film Institute Fest Los Angeles California USA 2012)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.4|5.0 Starsìììì

Hitchcock honors the Master of Suspense during the time that he decides to make the movie Psycho. The script, masterfully written, deploys well because it reveals the close relationship Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) had with his wife, Alma (Helen Mirren), and the importance that relationship has in propelling his career forward. A particularly poignant scene has Hitchcock telling Alma that Psycho is stillborn without her input. While many directors—Nolan, Spielberg, Jackson, Miller, Scorcese, Ridley Scott, Bigelow, Coen Brothers, Wachowski Brothers, Leone, Coppola—possess tremendous ability to invoke and synthesize emotion, music, and intellect through entertainment, Hitchcock has wonderful ability to invoke suspense. Director Sasha Gervasi does a great job of bringing John J. McLaughlin’s script to the big screen.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia 

Storyline 

Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins), after getting accolades for his film North by Northwest with Cary Grant, decides to break form and make something more daring. He chooses a Robert Bloch novel Psycho as the basis for his next film. The rest of the film details what goes on behind the scenes in making Psycho, how an apparent failure ends as one of Hitchcock’s most renowned movies.

Additional Thanks

 

Thank you to Director Sacha Gervashi for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Ali Bell and Richard Middleton for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Janet Leigh (Scarlett Johansson), Whitfield Cook (Danny Huston) Peggy (Toni Collette), Lew Wasserman (Michael Stuhlbarg), Ed Gein (Michael Wincott), Vera Miles (Jessica Biel), Anthony Perkins (James D’Arcy), Barney Balaban (Richard Portnow), and Geoffrey Shurlock (Kurtwood Smith).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This becomes one of Anthony Hopkins' best films and tells a piece of Alfred Hitchcock's life that audiences may not know.

Video Critique Available Here

Ben Meyers

MORTAL KOMBAT: ANNIHILATION (Theatrical Release USA 1997)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.5|5.0 Stars ììì

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation seems much improved over the first Mortal Kombat film. The improvement partially revolves around a more imaginative script, better fight scenes, increased action scenes, and more storyline. Director John R. Leonetti seems to have a better grip on the story than the previous director, Paul W.S. Anderson. Kudos to script improvement by writers Brent V. Friedman and Bryce Zabel.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline 

Shao Kahn (Brian Thompson), who is fusing Outworld and Earthrealm together, kills Johnny Cage (Chris Conrad). The rest of Earthrealm’s warriors find there are bigger fish to fry when they find Kitana’s (Talisa Soto) mother, Sindel (Musetta Vander), is back from the dead and is queen of Shao Khan. There is an Earthrealm mortal combat to fight that needs to result in an elimination of Shao Khan so that Earthrealm can be restored to its beauty and peace.

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director John R. Leonetti for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Carla Fry, Alison Savitch, and Brian Witten for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Liu Kang (Robin Shou), Rayden (James Remar), Sonya Blade (Sandra Hess), Jax (Lynn ‘Red’ Williams), Shinnok (Reiner Schöene), Jade (Irina Pantaeva), Motaro (Deron McBee), Sheeva (Marjean Holden), and Nightwolf (Litefoot).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. The script and fight scenes are better than the last film.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers