Hoss Reed (BrotherReed)
Lynchburg, VA
Hoss' Recent Reviews
The Boondock Saints
R
Tarantino by way of Guy Ritchie but without the panache, character dimension and lyrical dialog those films possessed. The Boondock Saints is a mashup of 90's crime movie ideas sloppily edited together. It has scenes that work, but these mostly fail to build to anything more than each could alone. Duffy's decision to cut to the aftermath of an assassination each time one is about to take place takes the wind out of these scenes so there is never any tension. For all this griping, the movie isn't terrible. It has enough going on to keep us entertained, if only because of Willem Dafoe's overacting and Rocco's joke-telling. Mostly the problem is it feels flat, and the more I think about it the less I like it.
My Neighbor Totoro
G
There's a certain magic and whimsy very specific to Miyazaki's films. There's always a point where you feel like a kid again, and there's usually also a point where you wonder if you're on shrooms (for me this was when the catbus arrived). Totoro is a little low key in comparison to some of this director's other films, but there are some truly outstanding moments, and I loved the overall warm and trusting tone of it. The mother, however, has one of the most mysterious and convenient of movie diseases; hospital bound with no apparent symptoms.
Hoss' Favorite Movies
Jurassic Park
PG-13
My dad took me to see this movie in theatres when I was just a wee lad, and I loved him for it. Still do, I suppose. I've long been a fan of Godzilla and any man vs. overgrown beast flicks, but this one is by far the best. Rooted in a pseudo-scientific explanation that's not too hard to swallow, this was the first movie to put dinosaurs and man back together and make us believe it. The suspense sequences are extremely well done and the dinosaurs look amazing, but I think what sets Jurassic Park apart from other inferior pictures (like its unfortunate sequels) is that there is a certain sense of awe and wonder of the creatures here. The T-Rex as the mighty predator, the brachiosaurus as the gentle giant, and of course the raptors as the cunning hunters - there's a kind of majesty about them, and yet at the same time they are the most earthy, animal-like incarnations I've ever witnessed. In addition, the characters are very well-drawn and likeable, with Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum in particular giving magnetic performances amd a lot of memorable dialog. With minimal gore and a low body count, Jurassic Park is an adventure movie, not a horror flick. Even at 6 when I first saw the film it didn't bother me at all. I recommend this to anyone as a magnificent and groundbreaking film, but more than that, it's just a darn good time. Isn't that why we watch movies in the first place?
