THE BLIND SIDE (2009)

 

Written & Directed By: John Lee Hancock  Based on the book “THE BLIND SIDE: EVOLUTION OF A GAME” By: Michael Lewis  Cinematography: Alar Kivilo  Editor: Mark Livolsi 

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Kathy Bates, Quinton Aaron, Tim McGraw, Kim Dickens, Lily Collins, Ray McKinnon, Irone Singleton, Omar J. Dorsey, Adriane Lenox

The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

LOVE, LIZA (2002)

 

Directed By: Todd Louiso Written By: Gordy Hoffman  Cinematography: Lisa Rinzler  Editor: Katz & Anne Stein 

Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Jack Kehler, Stephen Tobolowsky, Erika Alexander, Sarah Koskoff, Kelli Garner 

Following the unexplained suicide of his wife Liza, a web designer turns to gasoline fumes and remote-control airplanes while avoiding an inevitable conflict with his mother-in-law.

RICHARD JEWELL (2019)

 

Directed By: Clint Eastwood Written By: Billy Ray Based Upon the article “American Nightmare: The Ballad Of Richard Jewell” By: Marie Brenner  Based Upon The Book “The Suspect” By: Kent Alexander & Kevin Salwen  Cinematography: Yves Belanger  Editor: Joel Cox 

Cast: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, Ian Gomez, Nina Arianda, Mike Pniewski 

During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, security guard Richard Jewell discovers a suspicious backpack under a bench in Centennial Park. With little time to spare, he helps to evacuate the area until the incendiary device inside the bag explodes. Hailed as a hero who saved lives, Jewell's own life starts to unravel when the FBI names him the prime suspect in the bombing.

ABOUT SCHMIDT (2002)

Directed By: Alexander Payne 
Written By: Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor 
Based on the Novel By: Louis Begley 
Cinematography: James Glennon 
Editor: Kevin Tent 


Cast: Jack Nicholson, Kathy Bates, Dermont Mulroney, Hope Davis, June Sqibb, Howard Hesseman, Harry Groener, Connie Ray, Len Cariou 


Warren Schmidt has led a safe, predictable life working in the insurance industry in Omaha, Nebraska for many years, yet now faces retirement. At the same time, he is forced to take a hard look at his wife, his life, and his relationship with his estranged daughter. An often hilarious series of events follow as Schmidt embarks on an unpredictable RV journey to attend his daughter's wedding in Denver, Colorado

THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS (2015)

Directed By: Stephen Herek 
Written By: David Paterson 
Based on the Book By: Katherine Paterson 
Cinematography By: David M. Dunlap 
Editor: David Leonard 


Cast: Sophie Nelisse, Kathy Bates, Octavia Spencer, Bill Cobbs, Julia Stiles, Glenn Close, Billy Magnussen, Zachary Hernandez 


A feisty foster kid's outrageous scheme to be reunited with her birth mother has unintended consequences in The Great Gilly Hopkins, an entertaining film for the entire family. Gilly Hopkins has seen more than her share of foster homes and has outwitted every family she has lived with. In an effort to escape her new foster mother Maime Trotter's endless loving care, Gilly concocts a plan that she believes will bring her mother running to her rescue. But when the ploy blows up in Gilly's face it threatens to ruin the only chance she's ever had to be part of a real family.

JEFF OF THE CINEFILES & UNFINISHED BUSINESS : HALL OF FAME: FILE #39: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2012)

Written & Directed By: Woody Allen 
Cinematography By: Darius Khondji 
Editor: Alisa Lepselter 

Cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Coitllard, Corey Stall, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Tom Hiddleston, Michael Sheen, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Nina Arianda, Lea Seydoux, Carla Bruni, Allison Pill, Gad Elmaleh

DICK TRACY (1990)

Directed By: Warren Beatty 
Written By: Jack Epps Jr. & Jim Cash 
Based on Characters created by: Chester Gould 
Cinematography By: Vittorio Storaro 
Editor: Richard Marks 
Music By: Danny Elfman 
Production Design: Richard Sylbert 


 Cast: Warren Beatty, Charlie Korsmo, Madonna, Gleanne Headly, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, William Forsythe, Dick Van Dyke, James Caan, Kathy Bates, Estelle Parsons, Michael J. Pollard, Seymour Cassel, James Keane, Charles Durning, Allen Garfield, Charles Fleischer, Mandy Patinkin, Paul Sorovino, Catherine O’Hara, Colm Meaney, Henry Silva, Mary Wornov

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (2008) (Remake)

CAST: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connolly, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, Kyle Chandler, James Hong, Robert Knepper, John Cleese

Directed By: Scott Derrikson
Written By: David Scarpa; Based on the original Screenplay: Edmund H. North
Cinematography By: David Tattersall
Editor: Wayne Wahrman

Now I will admit I didn’t see the original but I know it is held by many as one of the better science fiction films ever. Even by today’s standards it would be considered slow but the acting great at leas that’s what I heard and one day I will watch it to see for myself but for right now I will review it’s inferior (As Usual) Remake or re-imagining

Now I like the films downbeat nihilistic end of the world message that it stays true to until the end of the film before finally copping out at the end. Which greatly disappointed me because if it had stayed on it’s track I could at least give it credit as original.

I don’t know why Keanu Reeves choose this movie. After THE MATRIX trilogy. He doesn’t need the money. You would think he would be more picky but maybe he doesn’t get sent the best but at least he seems to have found his genre. He is actually good in the film as he doesn’t have to speak much and most of the acting required is physical. So that his stiffness actually works for him in the role since he’s supposed to be playing a alien. But I will admit his acting has never bothered me or phased me as most of his projects are more studio popcorn fare then deep independent or dramatic films.

The Scary thing is that he is also one of the highest grossing Sci-Fi and fantasy actors. The only other actors I can think of with as much clout in the genre nowadays are Will Smith, (whose son Jaden co-stars in the film) Christian Bale and strangely Vin Diesel. What happened when Sci-fi heroes used to be intelligent and nerdy now they are all studly but you have a hard time necessarily believing the intelligence.

As usual there is plenty of time spent on glorious impressive special effects so much that you get whole sequences of just showing it. There is nothing too noteworthy the directing is basic and doesn’t set itself apart.

The film introduces a quirky family situation to the film. In which Jennifer Connolly is a stepmother to a child whose mother died when he was a bay then she arrived his father who was murdered in a war. It’s really the only personality that the film has.

Jennifer Connolly who is fast becoming the queen of melancholy movies. but she always seems to star in movies that should be hits but don’t quite make it even critically like DARK WATERand RESERVATION ROAD. I love her as a actress she just needs the right director to see her as they’re muse like David Cronenberg. There is no reason she couldn’t have a career like Kate Winslet or Angelina Jolie. I wonder if she should shift to action films so she could be like Milla Jovovich (Herself the lower budget equivalent of Angelina Jolie)

I Don’t really have much to say about this film I’m sure it serves up it’s audiences needs but is barely entertaining it’s a movie that just plays and you stare at it time to time but it’s a film that’s better to just have on as you do other things and tend to check back on time to time trust me you don’t really miss anything doing it.

In The end the film comes off as a big budget message film informing us to take care of the planet before we are taken care of permanently. We fail it, it will fail us. And to make sure we get it the studio spent over $100 million dollars.

Skip it.

GRADE: D+

THE WATERBOY (1998)

Starring: Adam Sandler, Henry Winkler, Allen Covert, Larry Gillard Jr., Fairuza Balk, Kathy Bates, Clint Howard, Rob Schneider, Lawrence Taylor, Jerry Reed, Blake Clark, Jackie Titone

Directed By: Frank Coraci
Written By: Tim Herlihy & Adam Sandler
Director Of Photography: Steven Bernstein
Edited By: Tom Lewis

I know. I am going against fellow critics some of of my movie loving friends. Who feel adam sandler is an abomination on the free world of film. Because he has almost the same schtick in all of his films. The funny weird voice the nice guy/violent asshole with the heart of gold, With Anger Management issues which coincidently ended up being the title of one of his worst movies in my opinion.

I actually like Adam Sandler movies his schtick doesn't bother me. At least no more then any other comedian. Most stars have schtick or habits that they use in there acting even the dramatic actors. It's just depends on how much of the schtick you can take. I mean look jerry lewis did the same thing with his "Hey lady" and his yelling and his retarded way of talking and he's a comic god genius in france. Eddie Murphy does it and still earns 20 million a film. So why can't sandler. He started out with what seemed to be comedies based on sports then cast his net a little bigger.

I also admire how he gives his entourage from both Saturday night live and his college days jobs as actors, writers and directors. He keeps it funny and he has the same instincts as Quentin tarantino to take a retro actor or rather a popular actor from the 70's or 80's and give them substantial parts that they excel in. henry winkler, david hasselhoff, Carl Weathers, Woody harrelson he also seem's to be able to get big name stars to appear in his films to play roles you would never think of them in. Actors who are more known for drama. Steve buscemi, Harvey Kietel, Winona Ryder, Peter Gallagher, Jack Nicholson, Kathy Bates, Patricia arquette, Reese Witherspoon And not only do they excelbut they seem to have a good time doing it.

The Waterboy is the first adam sandler movie I saw in a theater. I was a bit of a movie snob back then it had me cracking up from beginning to the end.

The plot is a college waterboy who has alot of pent up anger ends up joining a college football team. Because of his amazing tackling abilities. Even though he is a man child controlled by his overprotective mother.

I loved lawrence taylor's cameo and his speech about staying away from crack. because when this film came out and I saw it a week before he had been busted for smoking crack. This film is appealing and a good ride perfect for teenage boys and the child we all have in ourselves.

GRADE: C+