Reviews

This if the first movie I've given a 10 to in years. If there was ever a movie that needed word-of-mouth to promote, this is it. A $4 Mil box is a disgrace. People don't know what it's about. If you have any appreciation for the Blues, or just a good use of excellent music, that alone is reason to go see it. How many people knew Jackson could sing, and damn fine too. You hear books and movies taunting that they're about salvation. After seeing this, you'll never be able to forgive such trivial use of the word. Yes, it's gritty, sexy, down home truth, bizarre and in-your-face real. Isn't that the best reason to see a movie? Those that get my meaning won't stay away from seeing this another week.

Listed on IMDb under the primary title of Return to Sender (2004) by pretty much unknown to me Danish director, Bille August (except for The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones), is about a woman on death row who is going to let herself be executed in order to protect some one else. Excellent performances by Danish stunner, Connie Nielson (the reason I rented the movie) who never looked better than here in understated prison makeup, and Aidan Quinn (as a letters from death row inmates bounty hunter) in a tight script that starts off like it's going to be an evils of capital punishment vehicle, but turns into something else, which I can only call the value of truth without giving too much away.

It was only released in the US on DVD last November, but set here and filmed here and in Denmark. There aren't any external reviews in English, and only one review on IMDb that panned it. I'd have gone to see this in the theater. 7+/10.

It is a great example of how a movie can have all the parts (except story) well done, and still be a looser in my never to be humble opinion.

It has five good minutes concerning the sub-theme of the movie (better to be lucky than good) stretched out at the beginning and the (genuinely Hitchcockian) end, which were indeed good, but the rest was like a 2 hour situation comedy without the comedy--either type of which are forever on my s#*tlist. "Let's watch the stupid people do stupid things so that we won't feel so stupid ourselves." It's right up there with slapstick; it was painful to watch at times.

How this ever got to be considered among the year's best is beyond me, and if it hadn't had Woody Allen's name on it, it wouldn't have been.

Excellent movie/casting. But it's not a political, pro/anti-war movie. Its view of the Corps is amoral.

But it does appear to be making a judgment in the climactic scene at the airport tower.

The two major players aren't individuals, but rather the ground forces and air power--the latter being mostly off screen and which the movie apparently takes a dim view of, at least in that situation. The Gulf War was the first, and maybe last, war almost exclusively fought and won by air power.

The Iraq war has corrected that. And for those who believe these wars were for oil, why did we leave Iraq and Kuait then? Why aren't we taking the oil from Iraq now? Over the years, that's been one of the most absurd, knee jerk responses on the approved talking points list.

This takes the original victim of Communist Chinese brainwashing and makes him instead the victim of an evil multi-national conglomerate. What a Hollywood crock. Look at the painting in the boardroom at the end. I call it "Celebration of Pollution", and it's symbolic of how over the top Demme has taken this movie. Some good performances by actors that have been brainwashed themselves.

No wonder Demme hasn't had a decent film since "Silence of the Lambs". Maybe that was before he succumbed.

For those who think multi-national corporations are the primary source of evil, consider this: Would you rather have corporations controlling businesses with government oversight, or government controlling them with government as its own watchdog.

I was very disappointed that Gene Hackman took this role. Neither his character nor this movie could have been more over the top if he'd have worn a swastika (never mind that the first thing Hitler did was to confiscate all guns). It's not often you get to bash evil greedy corporations and ultra-evil gun manufacturers all in one fell swoop. I'm sure everyone involved sleeps well in their gated estates (manned by well armed security guards), dreaming dreams that reinforce their elitist bias.

A lot of talent in and behind the scenes wasted.

I enjoyed most of it except for the major flaw, i.e. the scene that brought to mind Neo and and the interminable Mr. Smiths in Matrix Reloaded, only this was more so. It turns into what can only be described as absurd filler. I don't get it because there's nothing to get, but still worth seeing for the rest of the film and maybe Pt. 2 wont' resort to such cheap "thrills" (although David Carradine as Bill has me wondering.)

A genuine tribute to Rock & Roll. Black has done for battle of the bands movies what Depp did for pirate movies--righteously sticking it to MTV in the process. The kids interaction with him are a totally unexpected bonus. (You'd think he would have credited Meat Loaf though, who he looked and sounded like a lot when he wasn't doing AC/DC.)9 out of 10.

The flight sequences and cinematography are superb, and the story is excellent. This may be Charlton Heston's only role where is doesn't play excessive melodrama. It was Kim Basinger's first big role before her starmaking role in the Natural.

It NEEDS to be on DVD.

This is the best comedy I've seen in several years. But they didn't spend any money pushing it (It opened 2 weeks ago in 9th!) I didn't even know it had opened. The cate is great and the plot doesn't wear thin all the way to the climax that's a cross between Dr. Strangelove and Magnolia. If you don't see it this weekend (third week--Apr 19th), you'll probably have to hunt it down or wait until it comes out on video/pay-per-view.

This is Walter Hill's second major collaboration with Rye Cooder, the other being Streets of Fire. It's a great introduction to delta blues music via a compelling story and an authentic and outstanding sound track. It's my favorite delta blues album of all time. I do regret that they left the cuttn' heads music from the climax off of the CD, presumably because it was R&R or not structured enough. Apparently a lot of people didn't think that scene fit with their delicate intellectual sensibilites.

It's got Dolby sound, it ought to be on DVD!

The Music is the star of this film and the final stage number is the real climax to the movie. The supporting cast members have most of the good lines, but the hero and damsel in distress are well cast to remain sort of above the fray. There are many one or two liners as you can see in the quotes, many of which you have to see delivered to appreciate them. The story is only a vehicle for this well dubbed Rock & Roll Fable. Walter Hill and Ry Cooder should do more than this and "Crossroads"--which does for the blues what this does for R&R.

One more quote which will be my epitaph:

"No matter what it seems Tonight is what it means To be young."