is
the best, 1 
is the
worst. (I reserve the right to use more than 1 if I think it is appropriate.)As you can tell, I couldn't make it as a critic, but I will tell you what I think of the latest movies, music, and other entertainment related items.
Latest Movies:
5 is
the best, 1 is the
worst. (I reserve the right to use more than 1 if I think it is appropriate.)
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - I wasn't sure what to expect;
some reviews said this was a bad movie, others said it was the best movie ever made. It doesn't quite live up to
the hype, but forget about that and just enjoy the movie. The movie is about how little Anakin Skywalker (later
to be known as Darth Vader) comes to be a Jedi, there is also a story about a trade dispute between the "Trade
Federation" and the planet of Naboo. Two Jedis come to help settle the dispute, but things don't go as planned.
It seems that the Trade Federation has formed an alliance with the as-yet-unknown evil emperor and his apprentice,
Darth Maul. This is the beginning of the rise of the Empire. While trying to help settle the dispute, the two Jedis
are forced to land on a planet for repairs. While they are there, they run into young Anakin Skywalker and recognize
that the Force is strong with him and that he should be trained as a Jedi Knight. Lots of amazing visual effects,
and the action and story pick up with the exciting pod race scene. Definitely one movie to see this summer.
The Matrix - In a word, overrated. "The Matrix" is a good movie, not great by any means, but
certainly OK. Keanu Reeves is a computer hacker that has stumbled across something that gets the attention of the
ones in charge of "The Matrix". There is also a resistance faction trying to rescue him. Some pretty
good special effects and action.
Analyze This - This is one you should see. It is very funny, but be warned that there is a healthy supply
of a certain four letter word. Robert DeNiro is a mob boss and Billy Crystal is a psychiatrist. Billy Crystal accidentally
runs into one of DeNiros "employess" and gives him his card. When DeNiro decides he needs to see a shrink,
he goes to see Crystal. Of course having a mob bosss as a client makes for some interesting situations.
Twin Dragons - Another old (1992) Jackie Chan movie that has been dubbed in English and relaeased
here. Jackie plays twins that were seperated at birth. One is a street-smart thug, the other is a concert pianist
and conductor. Their paths cross and creates some funny moments. Not quite as exciting as some of his other films,
but enjoyable nonetheless.
Never Been Kissed - Drew Barrymore stars as a editor at a newspaper waiting for her chance to be
a reporter. The head honcho at the newspaper gives her an assignment to go undercover as a high school student.
She only has bad memories from high school, so she looks at this as an opportunity to do it over again. With a
little help from her brother, she becomes one of the "popular" kids, at the expense of someone who befriended
her on her first day. She also starts to fall for one of her teachers. It's a light story with a predictable ending,
but it was kind of fun.
Payback - Mel Gibson is a bad guy, well at least a not-so-good guy. He helps a friend rob some gangsters
of their drug money and they agree to split the take. His friend betrays him and takes off with all the money.
Mel comes back looking for his half of the money ($70,000). There is a lot of violence in this movie, but also
has some very funny moments along the way. Very well done and worth going to see.
Saving Private Ryan - A very powerful World War II movie. It is a long movie, almost three hours.
This is about a small group of soldiers led by Tom Hanks going to look for a Private Ryan. Ryan had three other
brothers in the Army and they were all killed. It is the job of Hanks and company to find this remaining Private
Ryan and make sure that he gets home alive. There is a lot of blood and violence, meant to show the tragedy of
war. This is a movie that stays with you for a while and makes you think about the sacrifices made by the people
involved in the war.
You've Got Mail - Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are basically reprising their roles from
"Sleepless In Seattle". This time they have a email relationship. They met in a chat room and now they
correspond by email and they never give each any personal details (that's the way they want it). They are both
living with their respective boy/girlfriends. Meg Ryan runs a small childrens bookstore, and Tom Hanks is the head
of the brand new multi-mega-bookstore opening just up the street. They meet and Meg Ryan finds out that he is the
one opening the new bookstore and takes an immediate dislike to him. They still don't know that the other is their
email pal. Eventually they decide to meet, and ...there is a little twist here, I won't ruin it for you. There
is little doubt about how this movie will turn out. It was a mildly entertaining movie, no real surprises, no great
deal of antagonism either.
Mighty Joe Young - A young girls mother, and a gorillas mother are killed. The young girl and the
gorilla grow up together and become good friends. This gorilla is different, though, he has some recessive gene
that makes him huge (2000 lbs, they say in the movie). The gorilla (Joe) is kept secret for a while, until a a
researcher (Bill Paxton) comes looking for a "legend" he's heard about in the jungle. The publicity endangers
Joe because poachers will be hunting him, and he is brought to America. Not a bad movie, but Joe just doesn't have
as much personality as I thought he would.
The Waterboy - Adam Sandler is a waterboy that takes his job very seriously. He's a little slow;
he's 30 years old and still lives with his mother (Kathy Bates). The coach of his team fires him and he ends up
as waterboy for a losing team at a low budget college. His new coach (Henry Winkler) actually has a little respect
for the new waterboy, and tells him to fight back when the players pick on him. When he does fight back, everyone
learns what a great tackler he is. You can guess the rest. And it is a pretty funny movie.
Star Trek: Insurrection - Not the best Trek movie, but far from the worst. There was plenty of action
and humor. The cast of the "Next Generation" gets together to resolve a "property dispute"
over a planet that acts like a fountain of youth. If you like Star Trek at all, then you'll like this. It is about
as good as one of the better TV shows.
I am looking for more good music related Web sites also, email me if you know of any.
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