Tag: 1996

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Movie Review

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco (1996) Movie Review

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco – Movie Review

Lost in San Francisco

Director: David R Ellis

Writer: Chris Hauty, Julie Hickson (Screenplay)

Writer: Sheila Burnford (Novel)

Cast (Voice Talents)

Plot: When adventurous pets Chance, Shadow, and Sassy are accidentally separated from their vacationing humans, they’re left to fend for themselves on the mean streets of San Francisco, searching for the “golden bridge” that will take them home.

Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco starts when Chance, Sassy and Shadow learn they are going on a family vacation. However, Chance gets restless and escapes his airport cage, leading to the three missing the plane. They look to return home, which sees them travelling around San Francisco.

Meanwhile, dog catchers are searching for any dog to take. Elsewhere, the three pets meet fellow strays as Chance starts to wonder if his owner still has a place for him. They must travel through the big city in hopes of finding their home and avoiding the people chasing them.

Verdict on Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco is a continuing family adventure. This time the three pets find themselves lost in the big city. Here they face different threats from rival dogs and dog catchers all to return to their owners.

This movie is just as fun as the original, only using the new setting perfectly. It shows the darker world that strays would need to live in. The threats continue to show the peril the pets find themselves in. This continues to be fun and one everyone can enjoy.

Final Thoughts –Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco is just as enjoyable as the first movie.

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Movie Review

The Crow: City of Angels (1996) Movie Review

The Crow: City of Angels – ABC Film Challenge – Comic Book Movies – O (O’Barr) – The CrowL City of Angels – Movie Review

City of Angels

Director: Tim Pope

Writer: David S Goyer (Screenplay)

Writer: James O’Barr (Comic Book)

Cast

Plot: The spirit of the Crow resurrects another man seeking revenge for the murder of his son.

Runtime: 1 Hour 24 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Crow: City of Angels starts as we return to the broken city. Ashe Corven (Perez) and his son have been murdered by gangster Judah Earl (Brooks). Meanwhile, Sarah (Kirshner) has started having nightmares about a crow returning once again.

When Sarah meets Ashe, it unleashes him back into the world. Ashe goes in search of the gang members responsible for his family’s murder. It doesn’t take long for him to track them down and make them pay.

Verdict on The Crow: City of Angels

The Crow: City of Angels sees another victim of a senseless crime returning from the dead for revenge. This time we follow a father determined to get revenge on the game that murdered him and his son. However, the gangster isn’t willing to go down without a fight.

This movie doesn’t reach the high standards set by the first movie. However, the aesthetic look of the movie feels the same. The dark city makes this feel like a world that has many stories of tragedy. Judah Earl becomes the most interesting character in the movie, despite being the villain. His way of running his underground crime gang and his out-there beliefs and traditions make him as deadly as they come. Outside of this character, a lot feels more of the same with a less charismatic leading star.

Final Thoughts – The Crow: City of Angels is more of the same without the same spark the original brought.

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Movie Review

Eraser (1996) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Action – E – Eraser (1996) Movie Review

Eraser

Director: Chuck Russell

Writer: Tony Puryear, Walon Green, Michael S Chernuchin (Screenplay)

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vanessa Williams, James Caan, James Coburn, Robert Pastorelli, James Cromwell, Patrick Kilpatrick (Nessie)

Plot: A Witness Protection specialist becomes suspicious of his co-workers when dealing with a case involving high-tech weapons.

Runtime: 1 Hour 55 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Eraser starts as we meet Johnny Kruger (Schwarzenegger) who helps people in witness protection get safety. He will eraser their past to give them a future. When John gets assigned to protect Lee (Williams) who has become the target of everyone involved in a high-tech weapons deal.

Johnny wants to make sure Lee knows he is the only one that she can trust, when he learns that one of his own DeGuerin (Caan) has turned on the department, looking to frame him for the murder.

Thoughts on Eraser

Eraser is an action thriller that will dive into the world of high-tech weapons deals and the man that can make people disappear for their own protection. As he finds himself needing to use all his skills to keep a witness alive after she uncovers a disturbing truth. The story will show how people will need protectors in life when they need to uncover the truth. As well as how a web of conspiracy will leave people needing to turn to people for trust and safety.

This feels like the 90s movie, with some cool weapons creations that shoot through walls, like pulse weapons. Arnold Schwarzenegger is wonderfully over the top in the movie, being the action star, we know he truly is. James Caan in the villainous role works well too, knowing he has the ability to talk his way out of anything. Eraser is a great fun action movie.

Final Thoughts – Eraser is great fun, with Arnie doing what he is great at.

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Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Romance – P – Phenomenon (1996) Movie Review

Director: Jon Turteltaub

Writer: Gerald Di Pego (Screenplay)

Starring: John Travolta, Kyra Sedgwick, Forest Whitaker, Robert Duvall, Jeffrey DeMunn, Richard Kiley, David Gallagher

Plot: An ordinary man sees a bright light descend from the sky, and discovers he now has super-intelligence and telekinesis.

Runtime: 2 Hours 3 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Phenomenon starts when George Malley (Travolta) and everyday man in a small town, that works with everyone in the town sees a bright light descend from the skies. Over the next couple of days, George starts to notice changes in himself, becoming incredible smart, solving problems and taking in information instantly.

George starts to help the town out with more of their problems, with his intelligence turning into telekinesis, making more government heads heading towards the town, as his friends start to want to learn more from him.

Thoughts on Phenomenon

Thoughts – Phenomenon is a fantasy romance which will follow one man that gets an incredible gift to change, gaining intelligence and powers that he starts to use to help people, while others want those powers to study, for their own gain. This is a movie that will show how just because someone can gain new abilities, their heart will be in the right place, to help the people around him, but people will always want to get their own hands on this power, no matter how much that will cost for the person with the new skills. It does have plenty of heart and will show the changes that come along with everything he does for his community. John Travolta plays the leading role well, showing the positive side to him, with everything his character does, when we meet the supporting characters, we get a great set of characters that will give us plenty of laughs along the way.

Final Thoughts – Phenomenon is a nice fantasy romance, about doing the right things in life.

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Movie Review

The Craft (1996) Movie Review

Director: Andrew Fleming

Writer: Peter Filardi, Andrew Fleming (Screenplay)

Starring: Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Rachel True, Skeey Ulrich, Christine Taylor, Breckin Meyer

Plot: A newcomer to a Catholic prep high school falls in with a trio of outcast teenage girls who practice witchcraft, and they all soon conjure up various spells and curses against those who anger them.


Tagline – Welcome to the Witching Hour

Runtime: 1 Hour 41 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Halloween Treat

Story: The Craft starts when Sarah (Tunney) moves to a new school, she must go through the usual troubles a new student goes through, getting the attention of the high school jock Chris (Ulrich) as well as the three outsiders Nancy (Balk), Bonnie (Campbell) and Rochelle (True) who the school believe are witches.

Sarah does become friends with the group, with them using their witchcraft to cure the problems they are facing in life, be it guys, bullies or personal injuries, turning their lives around.

Thoughts on The Craft

Characters – Sarah is the new girl in the school, she tries her best to fit in, which sees her getting caught in the middle of people trying to impress her, with the high school jock wanting to make her his latest victim, while the three outsiders want to welcome her into the group, she does have a power which the others want, which helps her fit in with the other three. Nancy is the true outside, the rebel of the group, she does look like the typical goth you would expect to be involved in witchcraft. Bonnie does have her own problem with her life, an accident which left her burned, she is closed off to the world, until the spell lets her become free. Rochelle is a diver that suffers her own bullying, because of her look, there is racial motivation behind her bullying and just like the rest, they get to learn more about her life, once things change.

Performances – Robin Tunney is great to see in the new girl in class, she shows how difficult it will be to fit in, while Fairuza Balk shows us just how on edge her outsider character is. Neve Campbell is great in the hiding from the world role, showing how people hiding have secrets people don’t ask about, with Rachel True completely the group with ease, to show the four have chemistry that adds to the friends.

Story – The story here follows four high school students that start to dive into witchcraft with consequences that they enjoy to start with, but soon things become more deadly then they expect, tearing them apart until the power in them has gone. This is a story that does throw us into the ideas of needing to fit into school to start with, how the outsiders will have their own interests, where they shouldn’t be judged to start with, only it does show how outsiders will go to extreme lengths to try and make themselves feel better about their lives.

Fantasy/Horror – The fantasy in this film focuses on the reality of witchcraft, showing how the powers can get out of control, with horrific consequences between the four friends.

Settings – The film shows us the high school settings, which shows people trying to get their own identity, with the homes proving to have different secrets about their lives.

Special Effects – The film does use the effects when it comes to seeing how the spells are cast, we have plenty of floating and smoke machines to show this happening through the film.


Scene of the Movie – Things just went up a level after the beach night.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – The bullying is what we have seen before and doesn’t seem to happen anymore.

Final Thoughts – This is a fun witch filled movie, it could well be the very best witch movie of the 90’s, as a genre that needed something fresh bought to it.

Overall: Best Witch Movie

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Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – 90s Movies – G – The Glimmer Man (1996) Movie Review

The Glimmer Man – Seagal Unleashed

Director: John Gray

Writer: Kevin Brodbin (Screenplay)

Starring: Steven Seagal, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Bob Gunton, Brian Cox, John M Jackson, Michelle Johnson

Plot: Two cops are forced to work together to solve a chain of mysterious killings by a killer nicknamed “The Family Man”.


Tagline – LAPD Lieutenants Cole and Campbell are on a serial killer’s trail – and in each other’s way!

Runtime: 1 Hour 31 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Glimmer Man starts when Lt Jack Cole (Seagal) moves to LA, taking up a role working with Detective Jim Campbell (Wayans) as the pair are assigned to looking a serial killer known as ‘The Family Man’ who kills and leaves their victims in a religious ritual position.

As the investigation continues, Jack finds himself clashing with Frank Deverell (Gunton) who has control over the police, while the mystery about his appearance in the city plays a part in looking for the truth about the serial killer.

Thoughts on The Glimmer Man

Characters & Performances – LT Jake Cole moves to LA, transferring to the LAPD, he has a secret past that his new partner doesn’t know about and wants to learn more about, even if he is coming off like a calm peaceful officer, one that plays by the rules and wants to solve any crime he sees, when he is pushed he will unleash a deadly fighting side, which will see him leave countless bodies in his way, using his shady connections to find the truth. Steven Seagal gets to play a role that is everything you would expect to see him play, he gets to keep his calm side of the performance, while ending up letting his action side shine during the fight scenes. Detective Jim Campbell is the local that gets assigned to work with Jake, he doesn’t want to get to know each other personally and isn’t as open minded to the ideas of Jake’s, even though he ends up trying them out, he is hiding his sensitive side from the world, always trying to prove he is a real man. Keenen Ivory Wayans works well in this role, this does have more comedy side to everything, but he doesn’t ever hit the full-blown comedy that could have been given to give the film more laughs. Frank Deverell is the powerful man that is looking to cover up his stepson’s actions, which will only lead to him losing the power he once had over the police force, forcing his hand against the pair of cops. Bob Gunton does make this character work well, as we know he will bring a well-spoken character to life with ease. Mr Smith is the connections that Jake has, a connection that will hold secrets to his past, secrets that could expose just how dangerous he is. Brian Cox is everything we want in this role, well-spoken and blunt through each of his interactions.

Story – The story here follows a pair of new partners in the police force looking to track down a serial killer, only to find themselves getting caught up in something much bigger that will see themselves targeted by the criminals behind some of the murders. This is a story that uses the ideas of how serial killers could capture the attention of other criminals that could use their kills for their own benefits, which is interesting, while being disappointing at the same time, as we don’t get much into the investigation of the serial killer, focusing more on the battle of power between the men at the top. We do have to go through what could be a series of attempted twists in looking for the truth, which will see the bigger picture being unfolded slowly, which will keep us guessing to the true motivation behind everything, only the final reveal isn’t hinted through the film.

Themes – The Glimmer Man does give us a film that could be investigating a serial killer, but ends up falling flat, because it turns into a bigger political actions going on, while we do get to highlight how Steven Seagal is happy to get involved in the action sequences, the hand to hand combat scenes being the highlight of the film. IMDB does suggest this to be a comedy, but if it is, it does miss a lot, despite Keenen Ivory Wayans trying to get a laugh with lines along the way. The big city setting of LA does help for the film, showing how different criminal activities could happen around the city.


Best Parts

Steven Seagal fighting scenes.

Dislikes

Not focusing on the serial killer

The comedy missing too often

Final Thoughts – The Glimmer Man is an action film that lets Seagal unleash his fighting skills, even if the story can get lost along the way.



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Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – 90s Movies – C – The Cable Guy (1996) Movie Review

Director: Ben Stiller

Writer: Lou Holtz Jr. (Screenplay)

Starring: Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann, Jack Black, George Segal, Diane Baker, Ben Stiller

Plot: A lonely and mentally disturbed cable guy raised on television just wants a new friend, but his target, a designer, rejects him, with bad consequences.


Tagline – Once you’re hooked… you’re his.

Runtime: 1 Hour 36 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Funny, Creepy Stalker Movie

Story: The Cable Guy starts when Steven (Broderick) is getting used to his new apartment after breaking up with his girlfriend Robin (Mann), he wants cable installed, which sees a strange Cable Guy named Chip (Carrey) arrive in his apartment, becoming too friendly for his own good.

Steven reluctantly accepts the friendship of Chip, who gets too close interfering in his life, sometimes for a good time, others when he isn’t asked, only to make things in his life worse, which leads to bad consequences.

Thoughts on The Cable Guy

Characters – Steven Kovacs is a normal guy that has been going through relationship struggles, he has a big project at work and hangs out with friends, this is until he wants to get cable installed, when he befriends the cable guy, that starts to take over his life. Chip is the Cable Guy, he is awkwardly friendly and soon turns into a stalker of Steven’s he will not accept no for an answer always bringing something to Steven, until he gets much darker in his actions. Robin is the ex-girlfriend that is trying to put things back together with Steven, she knows he is a good man and willing to give him a new chance.

Performances – Matthew Broderick is great in the leading role, he shows us just how much of a normal guy he is, trying to be nice, not willing to waste time on bad people. Jim Carrey gets to go full blown over the top, he gets all the laughs, spinning the stalker character into somebody who is dangerous, but has a comic side to him. Leslie Mann works well as the love interest, without needing to do as much as the two leads.

Story – The story here follows a normal guy that gets an overly friendly Cable Guy turn up in his life, which soon turns into a deadly stalker situation that spirals out of control. This does take a fresh look at the stalker story, where we get to see a more humorous version of the idea, while still have the reality of the deadly behaviour. We do follow the normal trends of being friendly with a sinister nature and things slowly getting worse, be it the invasion of the personal and professional life, that starts to get worse over the problems they face. It is more about the tone that is different to anything we have seen before.

Comedy – The comedy here comes from Jim Carrey being completely over the top, it is great to watch because he is let loose to do what he wants through the film.

Settings – The film does keep us in the everyday settings showing us just how Steven if a regular person that suddenly gets a stalker in his life.


Scene of the Movie – The karaoke.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – We could have seen more of the tension between Steven and his friends with Chip.

Final Thoughts – This is a funny version of the stalker story, Carrey is excellent saving this film from being just like every other one we have seen before, gets endless laughs through the film.

Overall: Jim Carrey at his very best.

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Movie Review

Keanu Reeves Weekend – Chain Reaction (1996) Movie Review

Director: Andrew Davis

Writer: J.F. Lawton, Michael Bortman (Screenplay) Arne Schmidt, Rick Seaman, Josh Friedman (Story)

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Morgan Freeman, Rachel Weisz, Fred Ward, Kevin Dunn, Brian Cox, Joanna Cassidy

Plot: Two researchers in a green alternative energy project are put on the run when they are framed for murder and treason.


Tagline – Reaction Time 8-4-96

Runtime: 1 Hour 47 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Simple Actioner

Story: Chain Reaction starts in a world where energy sources are running low, where scientists Eddie (Reeves), Lily (Weisz) and Paul (Freeman) are working on an alternative energy source using hydrogen, which proves to be a success, until somebody sabotages their project causing massive explosion.

Eddie and Lily find themselves targeted by an FBI investigation, leading them to go on the run to clear their names and prove who was really behind the explosion, a path which shows many different sides to the people they worked with.

Thoughts on Chain Reaction

Characters – Eddie Kasalivich is one of the scientists that has been working on the hydrogen project, he has cracked the problems they were facing and always looks after the people working on the project with him. He narrowly avoids being caught in the explosion, learning of the foul play involved with it, getting framed in the process. He goes on the run to prove he had nothing to do with the explosion and the research was for the greater good for humanity. Paul Shannon is the man that gets the funding for the project, he knows that is free energy could cause problems and is the connection between the truth and the escape. Dr Lily Sinclair is working on the project, which sees her being framed, going on the run with Eddie, learning more about the truth behind what happened. We also have the FBI agents who are following the basic clues, as well as the people who were behind the explosion looking to clean up the loose ends.

Performances – Keanu Reeves doesn’t do anything wrong in the leading role, he doesn’t get too much to work with as he just doesn’t get loose on the full action side of things. Morgan Freeman and Rachel Weisz are strong enough without being let off the lease for their full potential.

Story – The story here follows the aftermath of an explosion within an energy research facility, showing how two of the scientists become the suspects who must prove their innocence. This is an interesting idea for a story, using the ideas of a new energy source that could become free and friendly to the world and how people would want to control this. The whole fugitive angle is everything the director is known for works without being too serious with how it unfolds. This is a routine story, with the number of twists thrown in along the way.

Action/Sci-Fi – The action does give away the biggest scene in the opening explosion, while the rest is more just chases, that never feel like they are edge of the seat in anyway.

Settings – The film is set different locations starting with Chicago facing the explosion, while the rest shows the more secret locations a project like this could happen around.

Special Effects – The effects have dated now, with the opening explosion does not look realistic in anyway.


Scene of the Movie – The escape the explosion.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – The rest of the tame chases.

Final Thoughts – This is an action film that gave away the biggest moment too early and ends up plodding along at a slow pace, while trying to get over a bigger message.

Overall: Easy Going Action

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Movie Review

Matilda (1996) Movie Review

Director: Danny DeVito

Writer: Nicholas Kazan, Robin Swicord (Screenplay) Roald Dahl (Book)

Starring: Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Embeth Davidtz, Pam Ferris, Paul Reubens, Tracey Walter

Plot: Story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher vs. the worst parents ever and the worst school principal imaginable.


Tagline – Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.

Runtime: 1 Hour 38 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Perfect for Kids

Story: Matilda starts as the Wormwood family, father (DeVito) and Mother (Perlman) have their second child a daughter they name Matilda, they leave her at home while they go about their days, as she is left alone she starts to travel to the library between the ages of 4 and 6. Wanting to go to school Matilda finally gets her wish, when her father meets Trunchbull (Ferris) the principal of the school, a horrible woman that will torture and perform Olympic sports on children to punish them.

Matilda thrives in her first class under the calm and sweet Miss Honey (Davidtz) who is the first to see the genius that Matilda has as she looks to fight back against Trunchbull.

Thoughts on Matilda

Characters – Matilda is the sweet little girl that is nothing like the rest of her family, she is smart, a genius in fact, she has looked after herself at an infant age, she finally gets to attend school, later than the rest of the children, this doesn’t stop her kind nature helping change the school for the better. Mr and Mrs Wormwood are the parents of Matilda, they don’t really care about Matilda the way most parents would, leaving her to fend for herself, not letting her genius thrive. Miss Honey is the nice friendly teacher, one that anybody Matilda’s age would need to get through her education. Trunchbull is the principal of the school, she is beyond strict, she will punish the children by performing Olympic sports on them, javelin, hammer, shot putt or discus, she is one of the most frightening people you would ever meet in life.

Performances – Mara Wilson is a delight to watch as the young Matilda, she gives us all the innocence needed to make her character one you want to succeed. Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman are both great as the parents, Embeth Davidtz gives us such a king characters, while Pam Ferris does give us one of the most frightening characters in any kids movie.

Story – The story here follows an incredible young girl that once she is free from her family with school learns about her own abilities that will help her fight back against anybody who isn’t nice to each other. This is a Roald Dahl story and one of the few that became a big thing in the 90’s, next to Witches, when movies were getting made from his work, this story works because it shows the difference between the pure innocent kind-nature little girl and the evil that is the principal that enjoys making children pay. This is a classic story of good facing evil and sending the clear message about treating people equal in life.

Comedy – The comedy in the film comes from how the bad characters are treated in the most part, you will laugh when they get what they deserve.

Settings – The film uses a couple of settings, Matilda’s house, which has held her back, the school which is a mix of bright colours when Trunchbull is around and black and white, when she is around, as well as the clutter filled house that Trunchbull lives in.


Scene of the Movie – Unleashing the powers.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – The cake sequence.

Final Thoughts – This is a delightfully fun kids movie, one that I grew up watching and it nails the comedy, the performance and the message it is trying to send.

Overall: Delightful.