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MidwestMagazine.com^SM

This is our MM "Movie Review" SECTION. Each month we will feature Movie Ratings By: Ed, Jane, Tracy & Paul.

The MM "Movie Review Section" is sponsored by:

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 Ed

Jane

Tracy

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Lowest possible rating (one star) Not Recommended

Wait till it's out on video (two stars)

Worth seeing (three stars) Recommended

Super entertainment value (Highly Recommended)

Two Popcorn Buckets UP (Two or more of our reviewers have given this movie a four-star rating.)

"Planet of the Apes - 2001"

Awarded By: Ed

Director Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" begins with the crash landing of a pilot lost in both time and space. This movie cost over one hundred million dollars to produce, and it is evident not only in the quality of the story and special effects but also in the attention to detail taken with the makeup.

Don't monkey around - go see it today!

Type of Flick: Action / adventure / sci-fi

Rating: PG-13

Cast: Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Paul Giamatti, Michael Clarke Duncan, Mark Wahlberg and Estella Warren.

"Swordfish"

Awarded By: Ed

One of the world's most dangerous men is hired by a government agency steal six billion in unused government funds. He needs to coerce a computer hacker recently released from prison to help him do it. In return, the hacker can regain custody of his daughter and start a new life. I found the action in this flick to be well placed and the car chase scenes were great.

Type of Flick: Crime Thriller

Rated: R for violence, language & nudity.

Cast: John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Vinnie Jones, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle & Sam Shepard.

"Evolution"

Awarded By: Ed

A meteor crashes carrying alien substance in the desert. The aliens soon evolve faster than a New York minute, and might take over the world if something is not done quickly. Our heroes - lead by a community college science professor (played by David Duchovny of X-Files fame) try to save the world. If you liked Ghost Busters, you should enjoy this one.

Type of Flick: Comedy with a Sci-fi twist

Rated: Rated PG-13 (Has sexual humor).

Stars: David Duchovny, Julianne Moore, Katherine Towne, Sarah Silverman, Orlando Jones & Seann William Scott.

 "Animal"

Awarded By: Ed

After receiving organ transplants from a variety of animals, a man begins to take on some of their crude attributes - This one was kind of a disappointment... Not recommended.

Type of Flick: Comedy

Rating: Rated PG-13 (Has some very crude sexual humor. - Not recommended for children.)

Stars: Rob Schneider, Colleen Haskell, Edward Asner & Cloris Leachman.

Awarded By: Ed

In the movie Meet the Parents, Ben Stiller's character, Greg Focker (yes, that's his last name) tries to impress his future in-laws but gets into one jam after another through no fault of his own. Greg wants to marry his girlfriend Pam Byrnes (played by Teri Polo). However, he has yet to meet her family. Pam's sister Debbie is getting married and so Greg goes along, wanting to ask the father's permission since that is what Jack (Pam's father) would expect.

All I can say is BE PREPARED TO "LOL". Robert De Niro is great as Jack Byrnes, Pam's ex CIA interrogator father who Greg thinks is a retired rare flower dealer. Pam's mother is played with the appropriate level of ditzyness by Blythe Danner.

Type of flick: Comedy

Rated: PG-13

Stars: Robert De Niro - Jack Byrnes

Ben Stiller - Greg Focker

Blythe Danner - Dina Byrnes

Teri Polo - Pam Byrnes

James Rebhorn - Larry Banks

Run Time: 108 minutes

Awarded By: Ed

Director Cameron Crowe has created the young rock journalist character of William, a high-school kid who the folks at Rolling Stone Magazine hire over the phone (thinking that he is in his twenties) to cover the rock & roll tour of a hot new band. The leader of the band calls William "The Enemy" because the last thing he wants is for the fans to really find out about what actually goes on behind the scenes. After a while, William becomes less of a reporter and more of a participant in the '70s music scene.

Type of flick: Drama

Rated: R - for language, drug content and brief nudity

Stars: Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson

Run Time: 120 minutes

Awarded By: Ed

A nearly dead broke producer, Steve Martin, uses every trick in the book to make his "last chance" movie about aliens coming to earth as rain drops and calls his movie "Chubby Rain". Star power, equipment and props are no problem, as he comes up with one lame-brain scheme after another to aquire them all.

Type of flick: Comedy

Rated: PG-13

Stars: Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Heather Graham

Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

 

Awarded By: Ed

Child psychiatrist Bruce Willis trys to help a boy who is being terrorized by ghosts but is too frightened to share his problems with the psychiatrist. In a word - "WELL-WRITTEN".

Type of Flick: Horror

Rating: PG-13, for intense material and violent images

Stars: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams, Donnie Wahlberg and Mischa Barton

Run Time: 1 hour 57 minutes

Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Awarded By: Ed

The force returns as George Lucas continues the Star Wars saga by coming out with the first in a trilogy of prequels to this famous sci-fi series. Although I am a big fan of the first three Star Wars films, I felt somthing was definately lacking in the character developement as well as the dialoge in this movie. The special effects were great, but where is Han Solo when you really need him? I have a feeling that the best is yet to come in episodes II and III.

Harison Ford as Han Solo

Type of Flick: Sci-fi

Rating: PG, for violence

Stars: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake

Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Frank Oz and

Samuel L. Jackson

Run Time: 2 hours 12 minutes

Awarded By: Tracy

This movie deserves a 5 star rating!

This movie is based on the autobiography of Homer Hickam Jr. who appears to be destined to follow in his father's coal mining "shoes", but breaks the barriers and follows his dreams to build rocket ships and launch them. It is also a story about a father and a son and their relationship. It was a very touching story, one that I think the entire family will enjoy. - Tracy

Type of Flick: Drama

Rating: PG, for language, sex and alcohol use

Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern

Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Awarded By: Ed 

Ron Livingston plays an overworked programmer trying to help solve Y2K software bug problems. He gets a "take this job and shove it attitude" and does not seem motivated at work. After talking to two hatchet men, which the company hired to downsize some of his buds out of a job, he tells the consultants that he is basically farting around all day (doing about one hour of work per day). They take this to meen that he is upper level management material, but is not getting "chalenged". They sugest that he get a big promotion, while his buddies get fired. His personal life takes off when he meets a lovely waitress played by Jennifer Aniston. People all around me in the theatre were laughing out loud (LOL) at some of the scenes involving what goes on at his office. I would say that if you are like Dilbert, and work in a cubicle, when you see this movie you will also LOL - Ed

Type of Flick: Comedy

Rating: R, for language and brief sexuality

Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Ron Livingston, Gary Cole 

Awarded By: Ed (Enough with the flashbacks already)

Awarded By: Paul (Says it was too long and boring)

Story of an Army Infantry Division moved in to capture an island during the fierce World War II battle of Guadalcanal. After I saw this movie, the old Irwin Star tune came to mind "WAR - What is it good for? Absolutely Nothin' ". - Ed

Type of Flick: Action/Adventure

Rating: R (violence and language)

Stars: Nick Nolte, John Travolta, Sean Penn, George Clooney, Woody Harrelson, Bill Pullman, John Cusack

Run Time: 2 hours and 50 minutes  

Awarded By: Ed

Awarded By: Paul

OK - Here's the deal...

You and two of your buds run across a single engine plane which has crashed leaving a dead pilot and a large bag stuffed with over four million dollars in cash.

Would you:

A) Call Dennis Rodman and tell him you are ready to party with him and Carmen Electra "until the cows come home".

B) Buy a case of ripple and kick back with a dozen video rentals.

C) Call your broker and place a "buy order" for tons of YAHOO stock. - Ed

Type of Flick: Drama

Rating: R

Stars: Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, Bridget Fonda

Run Time: 2 hours and 1 minute 

Two POPCORN BUCKETS UP !

Awarded By: Ed

Awarded By: Paul

Jon Voight plays the coach of a Texas high school football team. This one may not win any Oscars - but if you like football and grid-iron action you will love this one. - Ed

Type of Flick: Drama

Rating: R - strong language, sex, nudity, and some drug use

Stars: James Van Der Beek, Jon Voight, Amy Smart

Run Time: 1 hour 46 minutes

Awarded By: Ed

Spike Lee hits the bulls eye with this visually compelling flick about the "Son of Sam" murders, and how some people in New York City were effected. - Ed

Awarded By: Ed

Great acting on the part of Rene Russo and Pierce Brosnan make this one worthy of the admission price. If you like psychological mind games - you'll like this one. - Ed

Awarded By: Ed

Awarded By: Paul

Good story line and great special effects. If you like movies like Raiders of the Lost Arc, you will love this one. - Ed

Awarded By: Ed

I'm a big sci-fi fan, and loved this one. It is all about virtual reality. The writing was fantastic. You get drawn into the story and the plot has so many twists and turns it keeps your interrest. - Ed

Awarded By: Ed

I was hoping for a movie as good as Farris Bueler's Day Off, but this one just doesn't cut it. This "dark comedy" stars Matthew Broderick as a screwed-up high school teacher. - Ed.

Awarded By: Ed

NO-STARS - Awarded By: Chris

Chris thought that the whole movie was unbelievable - especially the scene where they are hanging from the cable of a tall building, swing over to the other building and yet survive.

I say go see it if you are a 007 fan. - Ed

Awarded By: Ed

Awarded By: Paul

Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburn are great in this Science Fiction / Action movie - Ed.

Awarded By: Tracy

Mira Sorvino plays an architect, who falls in love with her blind masseur Val Kilmer. She convinces him to undergo an experimental surgery to repair his vision. This is a movie with a message to contemplate, and a most provocative massage scene, was a "chick flick" that had some flaws, but overall it is one worth seeing. If not for a good cry, it should make viewers appreciate their own sense of sight, and it might even inspire a few to actually look at what they see. (Based upon a true story.) - Tracy

Awarded By: Tracy

Awarded By: Ed

Awarded By: Paul 

About a non-conformist medical student who challenges the institution of the medical profession with his use of humor to heal. This is based on a true story. Of all the Robin Williams movies, I believe this is the one to see! - Tracy

Awarded By: Ed

Awarded By: Jane

Awarded By: Paul

If you like government conspiracies check it out. - Ed