Epinions Recent Reviews for ispeakup

Yes. Hyundai

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 22:05:17 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - Years ago, KMart had an advertising campaign that used the tag line, "Yes. Kmart." This was before Target's French pronounced name was a part of the American lexicon. The reason why the slogan worked was because those two words were pregnant...

District 9: District 9 Creates a New Social Habitat for Science Fiction Filmmaking

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 03:05:27 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I have not been to the movies in a very long time, and sadly, I don’t think that I’ve missed anything. But every now and then passionate filmmakers remind me of the artistry of collective work, like District 9, that sneaks up on you and...

If You're a Writer, This is the Year To Buy This Book.

Sun, 6 Sep 2009 15:16:57 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I wish I could say that the reason you haven’t read many of my reviews over the years is because I’ve been too busy with my novel to write them, but it’s not the case. I have spent a lot of time writing, but for others, for pay...

Canon's "All-in-One" is All That and Some.

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:38:28 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I rarely write about gadgets, possibly because I’m a gadget-phobe, or because too much work goes into drafting an article on techno-junk (I’m not quite a geek). I’m not sure I believe that more is better, but I’ve been...

Jolie's Changeling Changed My Opinion of Her

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 17:33:29 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I don’t watch the Academy Awards, in principle. I realize that the Academy is almost computer-like in how it doles out the naked gold statue, and its transparency in deliberating is also obvious. If you’re a really good Actor...

Slumdog Millionaire: It is Written: Oscar Bound Whether it Deserves it or Not

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:30:22 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I have never been to India, but I have seen the slums of the Philippines and Brazil enough to know that the setting for this film was real. You would have to be Dick Cheney to not feel sympathetic about the plight of life’s forgotten...

It's Cheap, Therefore I Buy, I Like, Therefore, I Type.

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:57:01 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - Okay, so I can't fix things. I fancied myself a DIY-er (Do-it-Yourself)-er so started to take the key pads off of my laptop to clean underneath, and made a big mistake. My advice: start with keys that you don't use much. After...

Original, Soulful, and Ticking Towards Tragedy

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:33:09 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - Having loved stars, particularly women, who have had the dare to live larger than life, this Amy Winehouse has lately captured my attention. I bought her album only last week, because I had committed myself to liking her style. I rarely buy CDs and...

Let's see..........Juno?

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 17:51:20 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - It is a sad state of affairs in American film when a well-acting cast and a decent script portend the Oscars. In my day, it wasn't enough to complete a film and make it appear realistic - you had to have that something else to take it to a...

A Time Crunch X a Time Warp = a mild, but good film classic

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 03:17:09 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I like Russell Crowe like I like Jimmy Stewart, although they play different characters. However, when it comes to feeling what's going on in each actor's head -- both deliver. Where Jimmy fretted aloud, Russell Crowe's expressionless face yields so...

Charles Baxter - The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot: A Reality Check for All Writers and a Dim Portrait of Us as a Whole

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:21:58 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - Charles Baxter's name meant nothing to me until now. After reading this beautifully written non-fiction "how-to" that ends up being a diatribe against contemporary writing, I will likely read his novels now. Like the premise of his book, "The Art of...

Not worth a Second Read, but, just in Case, Read it S-L-O-W-L-Y.

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 04:05:06 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - "A Certain Justice" is quite deceptive in its forumulaic apporach to the mystery genre, as it would appear to be an easy who-dunnit. A highly regarded (but friendless) lawyer (Think Faye Dunaway in "Network") has made enemies in her life, and it would...

Prince Squash Starter Kit: Makes you Feel Like a Pro - Before you Learn How to Play Well!!

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:36:44 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I have tried to make losing weight fun all of my life, to no avail until I bought the Prince Starter kit. To give you a bit of history, I did a long stint of jogging about 7 miles three times a week, and never stretched the way I should have and got...

Bed-Ridden Time Travel in a Fictitious Book that Might Yield the Truth

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 16:06:55 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - For those who have read about my quandary about whether or not to subscribe to Vanity Fair (http://www99.epinions.com/con
tent_38984846980),
you'll consider me a hypocrite. I am, slightly. I love the English classics because of their command over the...

Umberto Eco - The Name of the Rose: Murder and Intrigue in a Monastery - Oh My!

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 12:01:26 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - Okay - my mother, quite the intellectual, suggested that I read this book because she found it very intriguing. I did too, for different reasons. Translated from Italian, it is a heavy read and not for the light-hearted mystery reader. The actual...

This is Perfect for the Lazy

Tue, 3 Jul 2007 14:46:31 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I am so lazy that even with my low income I have a helper come in twice a month to clean. She might be out of a job soon. The things I hate to do most are vacuuming and scrubbing the kitchen floor. As a new holder of the Roomba scheduler, I am so into...

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer: This is the Reason Why I Don't Watch Action Films

Tue, 3 Jul 2007 13:46:40 GMT

rating: 1/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I grew up in the age of comic books, and adored the Fantastic Four. To see them characterized this way is sacrilege. I went with a friend who adores all things inane and superficial, and as he was visiting, I didn't quibble with him about his choice...

The Devil Wears No Clothes.... (Somebody Tell Him/Her).

Thu, 6 Jul 2006 01:30:07 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - So, I got your attention. If this is a great film, then this is a real indictment of the state of films in our country, and I can't wait until somebody makes a film out of "A Confederacy of Dunces." I didn't hate it, but I can't help but thinking that...

Crush Won't Bowl you Over... but I'd Give it a Go.

Wed, 5 Jul 2006 20:41:22 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - I've glanced at the other reviews of this film, but refused to be intimidated by their dour opinions of a film that I believe is actually quite thought-provoking. First of all, it's a British film, so it doesn't follow the Hollywood "pitch the movie in...

You Can't Touch This

Sun, 23 Apr 2006 18:07:00 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - There exists a class of people who love what others might consider "hard-to-digest" novels because it gives them an air of intellectual superiority. I felt that way about A.S. Byatt's "Possession," which I loathed, probably because I didn't understand...

What's to Celebrate?

Sat, 22 Apr 2006 02:02:48 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - For fans of Isabelle Huppert, eat your heart out. For fans of good films, go elsewhere. This does not a suspense film make. I generally love all things French when it comes to film, but I can't help but feel that the director of this film was...

Like the Government - This D.C. Hotel Doesn't Work

Sun, 5 Feb 2006 15:47:44 GMT

rating: 1/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - Let's face it. I rarely come to this site except when I feel like writing about films I like or loathe, or when I want to vent, so you can take this review with a grain of salt because I am venting. The hotel was forewarned that they would get a review...

Nightmare at the Bonaventure: The Script

Sat, 3 Dec 2005 15:06:03 GMT

rating: 1/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - If you want a night to remember, stay at the Westin Bonaventure, although, regretfully, the memories might haunt you forever. I had to stay at the Bonaventure on business, and it was a nightmare. After flying from the East Coast, jet-lagged, and in...

Once upon a Time, there was a place called "Hollywood."

Mon, 23 Jun 2003 13:19:27 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - This review is written for those who still harbor a romantic notion that right can overcome might, t...

Can I Loathe the Director... but Like the Film?

Sun, 17 Nov 2002 22:30:04 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author ispeakup - Elia Kazan is one of the most enigmatic directors of all time. His list of successes on film is highly impressive (“On the Waterfront,” “Splendor in the Grass,” “Pinky,” “Baby Doll,” A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,”...