James-Caviezel Movie Reviews
SIN NO LONGER HAS A HOLD ON US!!
the las temptation of christthe music has a particular texture, something special.
One Incredible EndingThis movie is witty, and the boxing scenes are done incredibly well, loaded with action. Diggstown is ultimately about one person's struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds with a never-give-up attitude. This is captured quite nicely, as you can't help but cheer for Honey Roy Palmer (Gossett Jr.) to beat ten different boxers in a 24-hour period.
The film portrays the con game at its best, and keeps you guessing at who will be the supreme con-artist. It has several twists and turns that keeps you on your toes (no pun intended-okay, maybe a slight boxing pun) to the very unpredictable ending. Diggstown is truly a pleasure to watch.
A good conman can leave town when he wants.Without giving the plot away, the whole film is a non-stop battle of wits between Woods and Dern who are ideally casted for the roles they are playing and allows them to flourih to the best of there ability.
Woods is the epitome of cool whilst showing a human side.
The Boxing scenes are superbly played out, finding the right balance between realism and humour.
Without spoiling the film the ending is one of the best i've ever seen in a film and captures the whole plot in a single moment which will have you cheering to yourself when the final fight is played out.
Without doubt i would recommend this film as a must have, it will keep you captivated even after repeated viewing which is rare for films these days.
A true Classic.
This movie's funny ...!!!The funniest fight was when 'Honey' Roy Palmer was fighting Sammy who got this brown bottle treatment! He kept farting and stinking the place up that he left the ring!
One Incredible EndingThis movie is witty, and the boxing scenes are done incredibly well, loaded with action. Diggstown is ultimately about one person's struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds with a never-give-up attitude. This is captured quite nicely, as you can't help but cheer for Honey Roy Palmer (Gossett Jr.) to beat ten different boxers in a 24-hour period.
The film portrays the con game at its best, and keeps you guessing at who will be the supreme con-artist. It has several twists and turns that keeps you on your toes (no pun intended-okay, maybe a slight boxing pun) to the very unpredictable ending. Diggstown is truly a pleasure to watch.
A good conman can leave town when he wants.Without giving the plot away, the whole film is a non-stop battle of wits between Woods and Dern who are ideally casted for the roles they are playing and allows them to flourih to the best of there ability.
Woods is the epitome of cool whilst showing a human side.
The Boxing scenes are superbly played out, finding the right balance between realism and humour.
Without spoiling the film the ending is one of the best i've ever seen in a film and captures the whole plot in a single moment which will have you cheering to yourself when the final fight is played out.
Without doubt i would recommend this film as a must have, it will keep you captivated even after repeated viewing which is rare for films these days.
A true Classic.
This movie's funny ...!!!The funniest fight was when 'Honey' Roy Palmer was fighting Sammy who got this brown bottle treatment! He kept farting and stinking the place up that he left the ring!
One Incredible EndingThis movie is witty, and the boxing scenes are done incredibly well, loaded with action. Diggstown is ultimately about one person's struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds with a never-give-up attitude. This is captured quite nicely, as you can't help but cheer for Honey Roy Palmer (Gossett Jr.) to beat ten different boxers in a 24-hour period.
The film portrays the con game at its best, and keeps you guessing at who will be the supreme con-artist. It has several twists and turns that keeps you on your toes (no pun intended-okay, maybe a slight boxing pun) to the very unpredictable ending. Diggstown is truly a pleasure to watch.
A good conman can leave town when he wants.Without giving the plot away, the whole film is a non-stop battle of wits between Woods and Dern who are ideally casted for the roles they are playing and allows them to flourih to the best of there ability.
Woods is the epitome of cool whilst showing a human side.
The Boxing scenes are superbly played out, finding the right balance between realism and humour.
Without spoiling the film the ending is one of the best i've ever seen in a film and captures the whole plot in a single moment which will have you cheering to yourself when the final fight is played out.
Without doubt i would recommend this film as a must have, it will keep you captivated even after repeated viewing which is rare for films these days.
A true Classic.
This movie's funny ...!!!The funniest fight was when 'Honey' Roy Palmer was fighting Sammy who got this brown bottle treatment! He kept farting and stinking the place up that he left the ring!
Time-travel stories have always been problematic, demanding either an extra degree of credulity on the part of the audience or an extra level of explanation on the part of storytellers, which is invariably cumbersome. Frequency handles the troublesome time paradoxes by having John explain how, having altered his past, he now experiences both timelines, as if he's had two pasts that converge in his present. And as changes continue to be wrought in John's past, we see him becoming more and more confused. No doubt the audience can sympathize, at least those of us who try to follow the ramifications of the rapidly accruing time fractures. Luckily, the bond between father and son is so strongly realized in the deeply felt performances of both Caviezel and Quaid that you don't even need to consider the science fiction elements in order to enjoy the film. But if you can suspend your disbelief long enough to allow for the possibility of time shifts, you'll have a far richer experience. --Jim Gay
underrated classicIn 1969, fireman Frank Sullivan died in the line of duty, leaving behind his loving wife and 6-year-old son, John. But the past is about to change. In 1999, John uses the mysterious radio and clarity of hindsight to save his dad's life-a noble act that creates a devastating wrinkle in the fabric of time-that father and son must iron out together.
Frequency employs intense violence as the Sullivan boys try to thwart a serial killer. Persistent alcohol use and about 30 profanities also get in the way of this film's many positive messages.
The pluses? Seemingly insignificant actions alter lives forever (a reminder that behavior has consequences). Frank and John feel responsible for the ripple effect they have created and risk their lives to help others. Scenes model affection in marriage and issue a wake-up call to workaholics. With a soft spot for second chances, the film recognizes the value of healthy two-parent homes and makes a powerful anti-smoking statement.
Male bonding over electronic gizmos and baseball minutiae (specifically the '69 World Series) won't attract hoards of teens to the local cinema. Rather, they'll want to see Frequency for its mind-bending premise and sheer velocity.
One of those movies you'll watch over...and over...Frequency is the story of John's (James Caviezel) realization that he can talk to his presently dead father through his old radio. Through this new discovery, John saves his father's, Frank's (Dennis Quaid, who also gave a great performance in the wonderful movie Dragonheart), life, which triggers a series of serial murders. One of the new victims include Frank's wife, and John's mother. While trying to save the other victims, the two have to find out who the serial killer is, and stop him.
This movie is just a classic. It makes you laugh, makes you cry (I can't remember if I did, but just in case I did, I'll mention it anyway), and makes you remember how important the family is. I highly recommend this film. Oh, yeah, one more thing-I would recommend watching this movie twice or watching it with someone who has watched it before and can explain what's going on before passing judgement. Luckily, I watched this movie for the first time on home video and had my mom with me to explain things to me (she had already seen it in movie theaters). Also, if after watching Dennis Quaid's (as well as everyone else's) great performance, and you want to see another excellent movie he's been in, I would highly recommend Dragonheart, which is also featured on this website.
Gripping, Tense and Moving
Time-travel stories have always been problematic, demanding either an extra degree of credulity on the part of the audience or an extra level of explanation on the part of storytellers, which is invariably cumbersome. Frequency handles the troublesome time paradoxes by having John explain how, having altered his past, he now experiences both timelines, as if he's had two pasts that converge in his present. And as changes continue to be wrought in John's past, we see him becoming more and more confused. No doubt the audience can sympathize, at least those of us who try to follow the ramifications of the rapidly accruing time fractures. Luckily, the bond between father and son is so strongly realized in the deeply felt performances of both Caviezel and Quaid that you don't even need to consider the science fiction elements in order to enjoy the film. But if you can suspend your disbelief long enough to allow for the possibility of time shifts, you'll have a far richer experience. --Jim Gay
underrated classicIn 1969, fireman Frank Sullivan died in the line of duty, leaving behind his loving wife and 6-year-old son, John. But the past is about to change. In 1999, John uses the mysterious radio and clarity of hindsight to save his dad's life-a noble act that creates a devastating wrinkle in the fabric of time-that father and son must iron out together.
Frequency employs intense violence as the Sullivan boys try to thwart a serial killer. Persistent alcohol use and about 30 profanities also get in the way of this film's many positive messages.
The pluses? Seemingly insignificant actions alter lives forever (a reminder that behavior has consequences). Frank and John feel responsible for the ripple effect they have created and risk their lives to help others. Scenes model affection in marriage and issue a wake-up call to workaholics. With a soft spot for second chances, the film recognizes the value of healthy two-parent homes and makes a powerful anti-smoking statement.
Male bonding over electronic gizmos and baseball minutiae (specifically the '69 World Series) won't attract hoards of teens to the local cinema. Rather, they'll want to see Frequency for its mind-bending premise and sheer velocity.
One of those movies you'll watch over...and over...Frequency is the story of John's (James Caviezel) realization that he can talk to his presently dead father through his old radio. Through this new discovery, John saves his father's, Frank's (Dennis Quaid, who also gave a great performance in the wonderful movie Dragonheart), life, which triggers a series of serial murders. One of the new victims include Frank's wife, and John's mother. While trying to save the other victims, the two have to find out who the serial killer is, and stop him.
This movie is just a classic. It makes you laugh, makes you cry (I can't remember if I did, but just in case I did, I'll mention it anyway), and makes you remember how important the family is. I highly recommend this film. Oh, yeah, one more thing-I would recommend watching this movie twice or watching it with someone who has watched it before and can explain what's going on before passing judgement. Luckily, I watched this movie for the first time on home video and had my mom with me to explain things to me (she had already seen it in movie theaters). Also, if after watching Dennis Quaid's (as well as everyone else's) great performance, and you want to see another excellent movie he's been in, I would highly recommend Dragonheart, which is also featured on this website.
Gripping, Tense and Moving
The Civil War of battlefields and plantation houses is nowhere to be seen here. Instead we see the war as an improvised and largely blundering but very bloody feud among neighbors in the border state of Missouri. In this bucolic war zone--more than a little reminiscent of the Balkans in the late 1990s--the Taiwanese-born director Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility) traces the destinies of several young Southern bushwhackers (guerrilla fighters) as they experience violence, the seasons, and different kinds of love. Skeet Ulrich draws the aristocratic glamour role (and top billing), but he's overshadowed by Tobey Maguire as a first-generation American, the magnificent Jeffrey Wright (a shameful oversight at Oscar time) as a freed slave fighting beside his former master, and singer Jewel in a very natural acting debut as the young widow who graces all their lives. The title The Birth of a Nation was already taken, but by the end of this movie you feel it would have applied here. -- Richard T. Jameson
Important Piece of American Cinema
A Heck of a RideSet on the Missouri/Kansas border during the American Civil War, the movie faithfully recreates the story told by Daniel Woodrell in his wonderful novel, Woe To Live On. The book is worth reading for the dialogue alone and the movie is worth watching simply for James Schamus' magnificent screenplay: But there is much move to love about this movie.
The tapestry upon which the story of Ride With The Devil is painted is a violent one but, apart from some very graphic scenes, is more about human nature than anything else. Indeed, the depth of the violence only adds to the poignancy of the surprisingly frequent gentle scenes that occur in the movie. Tobey Macguire is perfect in the lead role, Jewel gives a surprisingly intuitive performance, and Jefrey Wright almost steals the show with his low-key, but passionate performance as a freed slave riding with a gang of white bushwhackers. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Macguire's nemesis, has a small part but is death himself. (His final confrontation with Macguire is brief and chilling --- and encapsulates the entire sense and sensibility of the movie.)
Sadly, this movie will probably go unnoticed by the general public since it seems to have had a limited release in the US and gone almost immediately from the theater to the rental market. Hopefully word-of-mouth will build interest in this truly remarkable American classic. Watch it --- but read the book too.
Jewel was SO amazing :)
The Civil War of battlefields and plantation houses is nowhere to be seen here. Instead we see the war as an improvised and largely blundering but very bloody feud among neighbors in the border state of Missouri. In this bucolic war zone--more than a little reminiscent of the Balkans in the late 1990s--the Taiwanese-born director Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility) traces the destinies of several young Southern bushwhackers (guerrilla fighters) as they experience violence, the seasons, and different kinds of love. Skeet Ulrich draws the aristocratic glamour role (and top billing), but he's overshadowed by Tobey Maguire as a first-generation American, the magnificent Jeffrey Wright (a shameful oversight at Oscar time) as a freed slave fighting beside his former master, and singer Jewel in a very natural acting debut as the young widow who graces all their lives. The title The Birth of a Nation was already taken, but by the end of this movie you feel it would have applied here. -- Richard T. Jameson
Important Piece of American Cinema
A Heck of a RideSet on the Missouri/Kansas border during the American Civil War, the movie faithfully recreates the story told by Daniel Woodrell in his wonderful novel, Woe To Live On. The book is worth reading for the dialogue alone and the movie is worth watching simply for James Schamus' magnificent screenplay: But there is much move to love about this movie.
The tapestry upon which the story of Ride With The Devil is painted is a violent one but, apart from some very graphic scenes, is more about human nature than anything else. Indeed, the depth of the violence only adds to the poignancy of the surprisingly frequent gentle scenes that occur in the movie. Tobey Macguire is perfect in the lead role, Jewel gives a surprisingly intuitive performance, and Jefrey Wright almost steals the show with his low-key, but passionate performance as a freed slave riding with a gang of white bushwhackers. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Macguire's nemesis, has a small part but is death himself. (His final confrontation with Macguire is brief and chilling --- and encapsulates the entire sense and sensibility of the movie.)
Sadly, this movie will probably go unnoticed by the general public since it seems to have had a limited release in the US and gone almost immediately from the theater to the rental market. Hopefully word-of-mouth will build interest in this truly remarkable American classic. Watch it --- but read the book too.
Jewel was SO amazing :)
A spirited adventure.Jim Caviezel stars as Edmond Dantes, a rather poor and uneducated man who has a life that his rich friend, Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce) envies. Dantes has just been promoted to captain of his ship after he and his crew returned from a brief, unanticipated stop in Elba, where Napoleon had given Dantes a letter to give to a "friend." Mondego is particularly jealous that Dantes' fiancee is Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk), their childhood friend who has grown into an utterly beautiful woman.
Mondego sets out to destroy Dantes life by telling French officials of the letter, which leads to Dantes' arrest. He is banished in a prison located on an island rather far from the mainland. As the years pass, another prisoner, Faria (Richard Harris), actually tunnels his way into Dantes cell. With his help, Faria believes they can dig to the outer wall, and in return, he will teach Dantes how to read, write, and fight with a sword. As soon as he makes his escape, Dantes plans his vengeance against those who betrayed him.
There's actually a LOT more plot than what I've stated, which probably already sounds hefty, but there are a lot of things I'd rather not give away. While not without some flaws, The Count of Monte Cristo is rousing entertainment and is probably the best period piece adventure in recent years (personally, I found it more enjoyable than The Patriot, Rob Roy, and The Last of the Mohicans).
The film's first seventy minutes represent marvelous entertainment, consistently gaining momentum with every scene that goes by as we grow more and more compelled by the story. The film stumbles only slightly in the third act, when Dantes eventually encounters all those who destroyed his life so many years ago, and sets in motion a plan for his own vengeance. It's in this lengthy segment that a few moments drag (but only a few) and some scenes feel a little hard to swallow (that Pearce's Mondego wouldn't recognize Dantes). The climax feels a little silly, in that seemingly all the lead characters pop out from nowhere to either fight or reveal long-held secrets.
But thankfully, such flaws are only mild and hardly detrimental. This is a well-acted, well-written, and surprisingly well-directed tale of revenge. As Dantes, Caviezel excels, making a believable transformation from a kind-hearted, innocent man to one whose heart has been hardened through so many years. Guy Pearce chews the scenery quite well as Mondego; he seems to be having a great time playing the greedy antagonist. It's nice to see that Pearce, who usually plays likable characters (as in L.A. Confidential and The Time Machine), is up to the task of giving us a villain to hiss at.
The other performances aren't quite as vital, though Richard Harris is good as Faria, and Luis Guzman is often hilarious as Dantes' right-hand man (the scene where Guzman tells Dantes how to handle the massive amounts of gold they just found is the biggest laugh I've had all year). Dagmara Dominczyk is pretty decent, though her acting is mostly overshadowed by her beauty, a back-handed compliment, I suppose.
The Count of Monte Cristo actually doesn't feature that much in the way of adrenaline-pumping action. Despite all the claims this is a swashbuckler, there are only three swordfights (and one knifefight), and each of these scenes last no longer than maybe two minutes. But the appeal of this film isn't in the action, it's watching a plot that unfolds with little twists and turns that, though often expected, engaged me because I cared about the situation and the fate of the characters.
There was obviously a lot of work put into the way this film looks. The cinematography is gorgeous and the sets are magnificent, with splendor I have rarely seen rendered so well in period pieces. The film was directed by Kevin Reynolds, who may yet have a career again after his critical disaster, Waterworld (which actually wasn't half-bad). Highly recommended, The Count of Monte Cristo is great fun all the way.
**** 1/2 out of *****
A Pirate Flick It's NotIt includes everything else you need to keep you watching. There is good acting, good scenery, and a good plot. The worst part of the movie is the lack of thrills it provided when secrets were finally being let out. That's why this movie is not considered a thriller but a straight action flick.
Fantastic Swashbuckling TailThe Count of Monte Cristo tells the tale of Edmund Dantes. A man that is imprisoned for a crime by his best friend Fernand Mondego that he did not commit. He spends 13 years in jail at the Chateau'If.(thats not how you spell it but it's close enough for me) It's there that Edmund meets a fellow prisonman that trains him in literature, economics, and swordplay. Dantes gets out of jail then goes a spree for revenge to get the men who put him jail.
This is a great story of revenge. Jim Cavaziel is perfects as Dantes. He does a great job. He has a swagger and plays Edmund great when he poor and when he's rich. He shows his abilities as a good actor because of the different levels to the character. I'm really impressed with him and hope to see him more in the future.
Guy Pearce is good as Fernadn Mondego. I was first impressed with Pearce in L.A. Confidential. It's good to see him finally showing his acting abilities again. He plays a great bad guy. You can't stand his character and that's because Pearce plays him so good.
This is an awesome tail of revenge. If your a diehard Dumas fan you won't like this. I'd reccommend the Richard Chamberlin version for you. However if you like a fast paced tail of revenge full of swashbuckling this is the film for you. It's a great action film that reminds us why we go to the movies: To Be Entertained. You'll like this one.
A spirited adventure.Jim Caviezel stars as Edmond Dantes, a rather poor and uneducated man who has a life that his rich friend, Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce) envies. Dantes has just been promoted to captain of his ship after he and his crew returned from a brief, unanticipated stop in Elba, where Napoleon had given Dantes a letter to give to a "friend." Mondego is particularly jealous that Dantes' fiancee is Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk), their childhood friend who has grown into an utterly beautiful woman.
Mondego sets out to destroy Dantes life by telling French officials of the letter, which leads to Dantes' arrest. He is banished in a prison located on an island rather far from the mainland. As the years pass, another prisoner, Faria (Richard Harris), actually tunnels his way into Dantes cell. With his help, Faria believes they can dig to the outer wall, and in return, he will teach Dantes how to read, write, and fight with a sword. As soon as he makes his escape, Dantes plans his vengeance against those who betrayed him.
There's actually a LOT more plot than what I've stated, which probably already sounds hefty, but there are a lot of things I'd rather not give away. While not without some flaws, The Count of Monte Cristo is rousing entertainment and is probably the best period piece adventure in recent years (personally, I found it more enjoyable than The Patriot, Rob Roy, and The Last of the Mohicans).
The film's first seventy minutes represent marvelous entertainment, consistently gaining momentum with every scene that goes by as we grow more and more compelled by the story. The film stumbles only slightly in the third act, when Dantes eventually encounters all those who destroyed his life so many years ago, and sets in motion a plan for his own vengeance. It's in this lengthy segment that a few moments drag (but only a few) and some scenes feel a little hard to swallow (that Pearce's Mondego wouldn't recognize Dantes). The climax feels a little silly, in that seemingly all the lead characters pop out from nowhere to either fight or reveal long-held secrets.
But thankfully, such flaws are only mild and hardly detrimental. This is a well-acted, well-written, and surprisingly well-directed tale of revenge. As Dantes, Caviezel excels, making a believable transformation from a kind-hearted, innocent man to one whose heart has been hardened through so many years. Guy Pearce chews the scenery quite well as Mondego; he seems to be having a great time playing the greedy antagonist. It's nice to see that Pearce, who usually plays likable characters (as in L.A. Confidential and The Time Machine), is up to the task of giving us a villain to hiss at.
The other performances aren't quite as vital, though Richard Harris is good as Faria, and Luis Guzman is often hilarious as Dantes' right-hand man (the scene where Guzman tells Dantes how to handle the massive amounts of gold they just found is the biggest laugh I've had all year). Dagmara Dominczyk is pretty decent, though her acting is mostly overshadowed by her beauty, a back-handed compliment, I suppose.
The Count of Monte Cristo actually doesn't feature that much in the way of adrenaline-pumping action. Despite all the claims this is a swashbuckler, there are only three swordfights (and one knifefight), and each of these scenes last no longer than maybe two minutes. But the appeal of this film isn't in the action, it's watching a plot that unfolds with little twists and turns that, though often expected, engaged me because I cared about the situation and the fate of the characters.
There was obviously a lot of work put into the way this film looks. The cinematography is gorgeous and the sets are magnificent, with splendor I have rarely seen rendered so well in period pieces. The film was directed by Kevin Reynolds, who may yet have a career again after his critical disaster, Waterworld (which actually wasn't half-bad). Highly recommended, The Count of Monte Cristo is great fun all the way.
**** 1/2 out of *****
A Pirate Flick It's NotIt includes everything else you need to keep you watching. There is good acting, good scenery, and a good plot. The worst part of the movie is the lack of thrills it provided when secrets were finally being let out. That's why this movie is not considered a thriller but a straight action flick.
Fantastic Swashbuckling TailThe Count of Monte Cristo tells the tale of Edmund Dantes. A man that is imprisoned for a crime by his best friend Fernand Mondego that he did not commit. He spends 13 years in jail at the Chateau'If.(thats not how you spell it but it's close enough for me) It's there that Edmund meets a fellow prisonman that trains him in literature, economics, and swordplay. Dantes gets out of jail then goes a spree for revenge to get the men who put him jail.
This is a great story of revenge. Jim Cavaziel is perfects as Dantes. He does a great job. He has a swagger and plays Edmund great when he poor and when he's rich. He shows his abilities as a good actor because of the different levels to the character. I'm really impressed with him and hope to see him more in the future.
Guy Pearce is good as Fernadn Mondego. I was first impressed with Pearce in L.A. Confidential. It's good to see him finally showing his acting abilities again. He plays a great bad guy. You can't stand his character and that's because Pearce plays him so good.
This is an awesome tail of revenge. If your a diehard Dumas fan you won't like this. I'd reccommend the Richard Chamberlin version for you. However if you like a fast paced tail of revenge full of swashbuckling this is the film for you. It's a great action film that reminds us why we go to the movies: To Be Entertained. You'll like this one.