Kevin Recommends
kmabarrett recommended this 4 days, 17 hours ago
Pros: Pretty close match to the book. Strong performances by DiCaprio and Maguire.
Cons: Was it just me, or was every male in the movie wearing clothes that didn't fit (too small)? Didn't really like the music - too modern and didn't fit the rest of the movie. The movie was more about delusion than romance; not sure that matched the book.
kmabarrett recommended this 4 days, 18 hours ago
Pros: Carries on the ST:TOS tradition. The new actors are starting to own the roles. Big screen feel. Lots of action. Starting to feel the comedy which defined the TOS.
Cons: Another remade story line. When do we get to "new"?
kmabarrett recommended this 4 days, 18 hours ago
Pros: more than twice as many years as the original series, so it had time to develop more character(s); some absolutely classic episodes and story arcs. MANY deep / powerful stories.
Cons: Rarely had the humor of the original series.
kmabarrett recommended this 2 weeks, 3 days ago
Pros: A classic on gaining / keeping political power. Very enlightening about politics in the era of the city-state ruled by a handful of families.
Cons: My edition is a direct translation and so has all of the flowery language of the Renaissance Era. I'm not convinced of the books applicability in an age when you can't gather your opposition and just strangle them all. It's called murder now.
kmabarrett recommended this 2 weeks, 3 days ago
Pros: Lots of funny lines / banter; lots of action and great special effects. Much better than IM2, but not as original as IM1. RDJr still rocks the role.
Cons: A bit of a long movie, but I'm not sure what could have been dropped and still have it make sense; the final scene was too large a scale and the suits were too small to visually follow all of the action.
kmabarrett recommended this 3 weeks, 5 days ago
Pros: It's short. It's well written. It's had new words (I had to look up). At least now I'm ready for the new film.
Cons: While it may be a classic, in the end I felt: "Who cares?" Rich white people in the 1920's. Again, who cares?
kmabarrett recommended this 1 month ago
Pros: Decent enough story with pretty good special effects.
Cons: Some scenes did not make a lot of sense (but they looked dramatic, so who cares). Tom is a bit old for this type of role.
kmabarrett recommended this 3 months, 1 week ago
Pros: I don't think this was meant to be a "comedy", but it does have some tremendously funny moments. Eastwood transitioning from Dirty Harry to more generalized conservative bad-ass.
Cons: Not very realistic tactical action. The men were always bunched too close together. Good for movies, bad in combat. But what do I know, I wasn't a Marine.
kmabarrett recommended this 3 months, 1 week ago
Pros: Douglas makes an excellent robber baron. Sheen back when he was trying to be an actor instead of a personality.
Cons: Stealing vast sums of money probably isn't this easy. Daryl Hannah could have been any other attractive actress. She didn't really seem to add anything to the role / film.
kmabarrett recommended this 3 months, 1 week ago
Pros: Now I see what all the fuss with the movie was about. Longer than the movie, but with a great deal more texture. I was surprised how similar both leads were in this and the movie version (which I saw first). Cons: I have seen the movie version several times and now I feel I should watch this an equal number. And I really must read the book...
kmabarrett recommended this 3 months, 1 week ago
Pros: Moves much faster than the BBC series. Knightley is beautiful and Macfadyen is brilliant in emerging from his taciturn manner.
Cons: The wealth of the Bennett's is not well portrayed, and so Mrs Bennett's scheming seems over the top. It's developed better in the series.
I now feel I should read the book...
kmabarrett recommended this 3 months, 3 weeks ago
Pros: A decent bio of Bill Walsh. As a 49er fan, it was fun to read about the dynasty years.
Cons: Not really much about coaching or drafting or management. I never realized Walsh was such a borderline manic depressive.
kmabarrett recommended this 3 months, 3 weeks ago
Pros: Lots of interesting cultural information. Very fast, easy read - also funny.
Cons: Not much on Shaolin or Kungfu.
kmabarrett recommended this 4 months, 1 week ago
I'd say it was one of the greatest anti-war novels of all time.
kmabarrett recommended this 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Pros: Craig makes 007 dark, brooding and older - but now seems to own the role. Vintage ride rocks! Continues to move Bond away from camp comedy (Moore) and back to action (Connery).
Cons: Long film and slows down in places. Another actor and re-boot seems inevitable. We can't have an "old" Bond.
kmabarrett recommended this 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Pros: Brolin in a great role becomes W. Damning endictments of Powell and Rice (if the portrayals are accurate).
Cons: I'm sorry your daddy didn't show you enough love. (Actually, I have NO sympathy for the real W.)
kmabarrett recommended this 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Pros: Realistic military action writing. Great SciFi is always about the people, not just the technology.
Cons: images of technology (tanks and vehicles) are crude compared to the book cover.
kmabarrett recommended this 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Pros: A great fairy tale romance movie. The two leads are terrific. The female bff is also great.
Cons: A suggestion of child abuse in a fairy tale. No deleted scenes which are hinted at in the promo.
Great line: "I looked up and the light was on."
kmabarrett recommended this 5 months, 4 weeks ago
Pros: Spielberg's excellent imagery of the Civil War and of President Lincoln. Day-Lewis' Oscar deserving portrayal.
Cons: Makes modern day Congress (House) seem gentlemanly.
kmabarrett recommended this 6 months ago
Pros: Bruce has hair!! Seriously, this is a classic and remains the definitive one hero against the terrorist/criminal gang world. I still love watching it at X-mas (for the music).
Cons: None. Seriously, practically created the genre!