Epinions Recent Reviews for james_hess

Out to Sea

Mon, 10 Jul 2000 19:20:20 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - "Out to Sea" is a buddy film. "Out to Sea" is a formulaic buddy film. "Out to Sea" is a formulaic buddy film starring what may be the best known buddies currently--Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.

"Out to...

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas

Mon, 8 May 2000 12:22:03 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - It is spring, which means the summer movies are not far off.

So as prelude we get the rehash--"Gladiator", "U-571". Followed quickly by the pointless and dumb: "The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas".

How...

Me Myself I: Me Myself I

Mon, 24 Apr 2000 02:02:22 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Watching films and movies is one thing. Watching films and movies and reviewing them for the consideration of others is another. To be a critic is to bear a cross: One must sit through so much stuff so others don't have to.

At a certain point,...

28 Days

Mon, 17 Apr 2000 18:33:44 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Despite enduring successes the likes of William Shakespeare and Stephen King, writers in general get the short end of the stick when it comes to respect. Writers in general are viewed as a worthless lot: Liars, drunks, drug addicts, scum.

And...

Black and White

Fri, 7 Apr 2000 19:49:07 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - When I was in high school I had a teacher who, from the first day of class, took an intense dislike to me.

Why?

In time I came to find the source of this dislike was because of something called 'smarts'.

How's that? (I...

High Fidelity

Sat, 1 Apr 2000 11:38:43 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - I know I am going to get responses plenty with what about I am about to say, but I don't mind. Really. Because what I am about to say is true and accurate:

"High Fidelity" will be successful at the box office, will win with critics...

Topsy-turvy

Fri, 31 Mar 2000 19:11:23 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Film and movie director Mike Leigh, as I understand it, had his storytelling roots in theater. This fact in hand, one can readily understand his film "Topsy-Turvy": It is an homage to theater. It is praise of theater. It is an admission of love...

Erin Brockovich

Fri, 17 Mar 2000 20:13:34 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - If it is March it is time for the latest from Julia Roberts in her Strong Woman Role.

Oh, look: It IS March, so that means, yep, Julia Roberts in her Strong Woman Role. This time around entitled "Erin Brockovich": One part...

What Planet Are You From?

Thu, 9 Mar 2000 03:18:41 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Years ago, when I first started writing for publication a wise old bird gave me some sage advice: No matter how bad something may be find the good.

Finding the good can some times be harder than you would ever imagine.

Especially...

The Sixth Sense

Wed, 8 Mar 2000 03:21:05 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - For years Bruce Willis has looked for a role that would define him as a legitimate acting talent. (Who can forget "Hudson Hawk"?) He has, at last, found a role that defines him as legitimate and which may, forever, make him as a leading...

The Iron Giant

Wed, 8 Mar 2000 03:07:43 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Simply, "The Iron Giant" is an enchanting animated feature length film in the tradition of "E.T." about a boy who makes friends with a robot from outer space.

The robot--the Iron Giant--crash-lands in the late 1950s when...

Pitch Black

Thu, 2 Mar 2000 02:44:58 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Call me a card-carrying cynic if you will but whenever a film or movie, specifically one of a science fiction or sci-fi nature, opens on the vastness of outer space I know certain things will transpire in the next ninety minutes to two hours.

...

Girl, Interrupted

Fri, 18 Feb 2000 03:31:03 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Is it terribly sexist and misogynistic to make the pronouncement that "Girl, Interrupted", superficially, is a deliberately feministic, decidely emasculated, premeditated castration of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"?

Not...

Play It To The Bone

Thu, 17 Feb 2000 02:45:50 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - "Play It To The Bone" begins with a macho premise in search of a action/comedy plot and ends with an homage that would make Jake "Raging Bull" LaMotta sick. Physically sick.

I know it made me sick.

It made me...

The Cider House Rules

Tue, 15 Feb 2000 03:07:25 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Uninspired.

If one were to summarize the plot, the overall narrative, of "The Cider House Rules", one word would suffice:

Uninspired.

"The Cider House Rules" tells the story of an orphan adopted by his...

Bicenntennial Man

Sun, 6 Feb 2000 15:27:47 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - The late Isaac Asimov once noted (in his autobiography, I believe) that although he was rather prolific as a writer he never had a desire or sincere interest in writing for anything other than the printed page.

He validated this assertion by...

BBC America

Wed, 2 Feb 2000 02:54:12 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - The kid gloves are off. The tar and pitch are boiling. The chickens have been plucked and the feathers are ready.

Time now for the ugly truth.

Were it not for the BBC in America the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) would have very...

End of Days

Tue, 1 Feb 2000 02:47:53 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Momma said there'd be days like this.

Many years ago, when I first decided writing was something I wanted to do and do well, a wise old bird gave me three pieces of advice:

Write because you want to, because you enjoy doing...

The Hurricane

Mon, 31 Jan 2000 02:50:34 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Whenever a film or movie is preceded by the phrase "based on" or "inspired by" you know there is creative license at work, and that the film or movie that follows is not factual but a well-constructed lie, intended not as a straight...

Colorado State University

Sat, 29 Jan 2000 21:44:49 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Colorado State University (CSU) is located in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

A city of more than one hundred thousand non-transitory residents, Ft. Collins is a surprisingly clean and polite community.

As is CSU. A tree-lined campus with...

University of Northern Colorado: University of Northern Colorado

Sat, 29 Jan 2000 21:40:48 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - In the state of Colorado there are three major universities: The University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and the University of Northern Colorado, located in Greeley, Colorado.

More often than not, because the University of Colorado...

University of Colorado at Boulder

Sat, 29 Jan 2000 21:36:37 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - Comes a moment of truth: I graduated the University of Colorado at Boulder.

This fact in hand one might assume that anything I have to say about my alma mater would be nothing less than sycophantic.

Never assume anything.

...

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Sat, 29 Jan 2000 02:57:59 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - A writing workshop instructor once told me that interesting writing comes not from well-constructed heroes but appealing villains.

Maybe. This notion would go to explain the success of the novel and the film of the same name, "The Silence...

Angela's Ashes

Fri, 28 Jan 2000 03:04:01 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - I say this with equal parts pride and embarrassment:

This is the year of the Irish.

First there was Frank McCourt's book, "Angela's Ashes", a wonderful memoir of sorts that presents the Irish as they were and, more often...

American Beauty

Thu, 27 Jan 2000 02:57:22 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author james_hess - The emperor's new clothes will ride up with wear.

Really?

No.

Since before it was released to the great unwashed masses "American Beauty" was hyped, promoted, and marketed as a masterpiece.

But. . ...