ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES (Theatrical Release USA 1991)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.1|5.0 Starsììì

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves—another resurrection of Hollywood’s love for the continual remaking of ancient legend—rates as a good film for action, a poor film for acting, and a sub-par film for casting. Kevin Costner looks good for the part of Robin Hood, but plays a lame rendition of the hero partially due to the casting mistake of pitting his less aggressive personality against the personalities of Morgan Freeman, Sean Connery, and Alan Rickman.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner) escapes from a Jerusalem prison with friend Peter Dubois (Liam Halligan) and the Arabian Azeem (Morgan Freeman). In the escape Peter Dubois is mortally wounded and requires a promise from Robin to protect Marian Dubois (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), his sister. When Robin returns with Azeem to England, he finds the Sherriff of Nottingham has destroyed Robin’s home properties, hung Robin’s father, and has plotted to steal the English crown from King Richard (Sean Connery). What can a person do under these circumstances? Robin joins forces with Little John (Nick Brimble) and methodically begins to undermine Sheriff Nottingham’s power base while keeping contact with Marian Dubois.

Additional Thanks

Good Work for Director Kevin Reynolds. Thank you to Executive Producers Gary Barber, David Nicksay, and James G. Robinson for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Will Scarlett (Christian Slater), Mortianna (Geraldine McEwan), Lord Locksley (Brian Blessed), Guy of Gisborne (Michael Wincott), Fanny (Soo Drouet), Wulf (Daniel Newman), Bull (Daniel Peacock), Duncan (Walter Sparrow), Bishop of Hereford (Harold Innocent), Much the Miller’s Son (Jack Wild), and Kenneth of Cowfall (Michael Goldie).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. The script’s lame lines detract from its watch-ability.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

JUDGE DREDD (Theatrical Release USA 1995)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 2.8|5.0 Starsìì

Judge Dredd works on a straight forward, well-displayed action story line. While Sylvester Stallone has the perfect ‘look’ for Judge Dredd, he plays his character as Sylvester Stallone and it doesn’t work in this film like it has worked in previous films. Rob Schneider makes a fun and interesting offset to Stallone as the character, Fergie; but, the amateurish directing takes a deep and cutting toll on this futuristic movie.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

In the year 2080 humans live in mega cities policed by ‘judges’ who not only arrest offenders but also serve as judge, jury, and executioners. Judge Joseph Dredd comes under false accusation for murder and needs to clear his name.

Additional Thanks

Fair Work for Director Danny Cannon. Thank you to Executive Producers Edward R. Pressman and Andrew G. Vajna for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Rico (Armand Assante), Judge Griffin (Jürgen Prochnow), Judge Fargo (Max von Sydow), Judge Hershey (Diane Lane), McGruder (Joanna Miles), Ilsa (Joan Chen), Olmeyer (Balthazar Getty), and Miller (Maurice Roëves).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. It ‘kind of’ works like a cult classic. The movie has its own interesting appeal, fair to good action scenes; but it doesn’t deliver like we expect a Stallone film to deliver.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

SUPERMAN (Theatrical Release USA 1978)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.4|5.0 Starsììì

Superman—an origin story—starts its small flirtation with ‘this may be an interesting movie’ in its opening scenes. By the time this farm boy is ready to leave the farm, the cheesiness is irretractable. After the romance scenes with the bad-spelling Lois Lane, any hope that Christopher Reeve 'shoulda’, coulda', woulda'’ played romance better than superhero movies flies out the window.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia 

Storyline

Superman finds himself and his true purpose on planet Earth.

Additional Thanks

 Thank you to Director Richard Donner. Thank you to Executive Producer Ilya Salkind for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Jor-El (Marlon Brando), Otis (Ned Beatty), Perry White (Jackie Cooper), Pa Kent (Glenn Ford), 1st Elder (Trevor Howard), Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), Non (Jack O’Halloran), Eve Teschmacher (Valerie Perrine), Vond-Ah (Maria Schell), General Zod (Terence Stamp), and Ma Kent (Phyllis Thaxter).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. Christopher Reeve provides the glamour, but good looks alone don't make good movies. Better films in the superhero genre are: Director Christopher Nolan’s Batman series and Director James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

V FOR VENDETTA (Theatrical Release USA 2005)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì

V for Vendetta—a wannabe action drama—seems to desire to rub elbows with movies like Batman, Hellboy, Avengers, and Guardians of the Galaxy; but falls short because of content and scripting. The metaphors, such as character Guy Fawkes, devout British Catholic from 1606 C.E. placed in the year 2020 C.E. and costumed in a black/white theatre mask, are difficult to interpret. Questions relevant to the storyline are ambiguously hinted at without necessary links to answers, such as the difficulty understanding why ‘V’ is allegedly burned. The main character’s real name or real character is never revealed other than a ridiculous insinuation at the end of the film that ‘V’ is every man. That statement inevitably places the film into the category of a piece of art that haughtily claims every man’s enjoyment while actually appealing solely as a piece of art created for the haute couture clientele. The question of why this particular story is relevant or worth telling seems unclear. Is the story entertaining? No. It misses its purpose. It’s a message movie without a clear message.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The United States is trying to recover from its second civil war. Europe is in the middle of battling the deadly St. Mary’s Virus while Britain’s new ruler, High Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt), in Hitler-like, grand plan fashion, assassinates immigrants, political opponents, homosexuals, and atheists. V (Hugo Weaving), badly burned in a hospital fire, puts on a Guy Fawkes mask, calls himself V (for Vendetta), starts blowing up land marks, kills people he believes to be responsible for his condition, enlists the help of British TV network representative, Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman), and this fractured story is on.

Additional Thanks

Really Good Work for Director James McTeigue. Thank you to Executive Producer Ben Waisbren for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Finch (Stephen Rea), Deitrich (Stephen Fry), Creedy (Tim Pigott-Smith), Dominic (Rupert Graves), Lewis Prothero (Roger Allam), Dascomb (Ben Miles), Delia Surridge (Sinéad Cusack), Valerie (Natasha Wrightman), Lilliman (John Standing), and Etheridge (Eddie Marsan).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. If your mind is such that it becomes fixated on a white theatre mask and not much else, this dark action drama may be for you. There are much better films based on DC comics such as Director Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins or The Dark Knight.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

SNOW DAY (Theatrical Release USA 2000)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 2.9|5.0 Starsìì

Snow Day—Chevy Chase, Mark Webber, Jean Smart, Zena Gray and Chris Elliot—turns into a light high school romance that just doesn’t have the power to make us care about it. Comedic elements seem familiar, trite. The basic idea is good, but fails to deliver on screen.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Syracruse, New York schools close down due to snowfall and school children range the street looking for fun.  Hal Brandston’s (Mark Webber) love life is a little complicated and the free snow day could be better if the snow was left in the streets rather than plowed away.

Additional Thanks

Fair Work for Director Chris Koch. Thank you to Executive Producer Raymond Wagner for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Snowplowman (Chris Elliot), Randy Brandston (Conner Matheus), Natalie Brandston (Zena Grey), Laura Brandston (Jean Smart), Lane Leonard (Schuyler Fisk), Claire Bonner (Emmanuelle Chriqui), Mr. Zellweger (Iggy Pop), Tina (Pam Grier), Chad Symmonz (John Schneider), Tom Brandston (Chevy Chase), Wayne Alworth (Josh Peck), Chet Felker (Jade Yorker), Principal Weaver (Damian Young), and Bill Korn (J. Adam Brown).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. Like a loosely packed snowball lacks force, this movie lacks impact.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER (Theatrical Release USA 2003)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.3|5.0 Stars ììì

Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over—fairly good—but the conclusion of the story seems to ruin the rest of the movie due to the script lines. This film, due to the computer gaming theme, works for children; but for the adult, there’s not much there to keep one in the entertainment seat.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara) is sent into a computer game created by his Grandfather’s (Ricardo Montalban) arch nemesis, Toymaker (Sylvester Stallone). His purpose is to rescue his sister, Carmen Cortez (Alexa PenaVega), from the game and to shut down the game in twelve short hours. As usual, Spy Kids rely on team effort to successfully outmaneuver the enemy and win their games.

Additional Thanks

Best Work for Director and Producer Robert Rodriguez. Thank you to Executive Producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Gregorio Cortez (Antonio Banderas), Ingrid Cortez (Carla Gugino), Grandmother (Holland Taylor), Donnagon Giggles (Mike Judge), Cesca Giggles (Salma Hayek), Gary Giggles (Matt O’Leary), Gerti Giggles (Emily Osment), and Arnold (Ryan Pinkston).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. For kids, it’s a cool flick; but the conclusion needs re-writing.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

JAWS: THE REVENGE (Theatrical Release USA 1987)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.5|5.0 Stars ììì

Jaws: The Revenge—the 4^th sequel to Jaws—is indeed slightly better than Jaws: 3-D; but it is not enough of an improvement to raise or lower the Ben Meyers’ star rating. Some scenes seem poorly timed with excessive energy poured into the drama (such as the grieving Mother scene). We kind of got it already. Dennis Quaid did not reprise his role as Michael Brody and neither did John Putch reprise his role as Sean Brody in this final film of the series.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Sean Brody (Mitchell Anderson), the youngest son of Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) from Jaws and Jaws 2, takes care of his mother, Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary), from Jaws, Jaws 2, and Jaws: The Revenge while working as a policeman. At Christmas, he sails out to separate a log from a buoy and dies from a Great White shark attack. Ellen becomes convinced that the shark is on a revenge killing crusade to eliminate her family. After Sean’s funeral, Ellen travels with her oldest son, Michael Brody (Lance Guest) and his wife, Carla (Karen Young), to the Bahamas to live with them. The Bahamas should be a safe place for her family as the waters are too warm to support shark life. But, several days later a Great White shows up in the Bahamian waters. Ellen and her new friend, Hoagie (Michael Caine), become embroiled in a bitter shark battle that lasts through the rest of the film until the last Jaws shark is vanquished.

Additional Thanks

Good Work for Director and Producer Joseph Sargent. Thank you to Associate Producer Frank Baur for his help in making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Carla Brody (Karen Young), Hoagie (Michael Caine), Thea (Judith Barsi), Louisa (Lynn Whitfield), Jake (Mario Van Peebles), Young Sean Brody (archival footage of Jay Mello), Clarence (Cedric Scott), William (Charles Bowleg), Mr. Witherspoon (Melvin Van Peebles), Tiffany (Mary Smith), Polly (Edna Billotto), Mrs. Taft (Fritzi Jane Courney), and Mayor (Cyprian R. Dube).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. The first Jaws movie is the best of the four. If one desires to complete the series to date, this currently as of 2019, is the last movie of the series. But, for time and money, this one can be passed due to its mediocrity. The original energy for the series seems to have long since passed...however, there is always that unexpected surprise built into another sequel or prequel that could surpass everything made to date. This film lacks the Spielberg touch.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (Theatrical Release USA 1989)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.6|5.0 Stars ììì

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, despite its box office success, and good/suitable story, does not spark as much interest, as other films within this genre set (like Harry and the Hendersons or The Princess Bride).

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Ron Thompson (Jared Rushton) accidentally knocks a baseball through a window of inventor and neighbor Wayne Szalinski’s (Rick Moranis) house. The baseball hits Mr. Szalinski’s shrinking machine. The machine functions. Ron Thompson’s older brother, Little Russ Thompson (Thomas Wilson Brown), insists that Ron retrieve the baseball. He hauls his little brother to the Szalinski home where Amy Szalinski (Amy O’Neill), the oldest daughter, and her little brother, Nick Szalinski (Robert Oliveri), answer the door. All four children walk upstairs to retrieve the baseball, encounter the machine, and are shrunk to a fraction of their size. The rest of the story involves their perils and tribulations as they attempt rescue and restoration.

Additional Thanks

Good Work for Director Joe Johnston. Thank you to Executive Producer Thomas G. Smith for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Big Russ Thompson (Matt Frewer), Diane Szalinski (Marcia Strassman), Mae Thompson (Kristine Sutherland), Tommy Purvis (Carl Steven), Don Forrester (Mark L. Taylor), and Gloria Forrester (Kimmy Robertson).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. It is a simple story and has its entertaining moments, but has a weak portrayal.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

HEAVYWEIGHTS (Theatrical Release USA 1995)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.7|5.0 Stars ììì

Heavyweights—not particularly heavy in content—turns into a ‘just for fun’ film, an afternoon, fill-in-some-time watch.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Overweight Gerry Garner’s (Aaron Schwartz) parents sign him up for a weight reducing summer camp. Gerry Garner—not in the least interested—arrives in camp, makes friends, and begins to settle in for a great summer. However, his great summer is rudely interrupted when the camp goes bankrupt and the owners sell to Tony Perkis (Ben Stiller), a hard rolling, goal oriented, military-styled manager who takes the camp to a whole new level of efficiency. Tony Perkis’ punitive, marshaling style moves the camp kids to revolt and the show is on with a ‘who’s really going to run this camp’ theme.

Additional Thanks

Really Good Work for Director Steven Brill. Thank you to Executive Producers Judd Apatow and Sarah Bowman for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Nicholas (David Goldman), Sam (Joseph Wayne Miller), Cody (Cody Burger), Kenny (Allen Covert), Roger Johnson (Tim Blake Nelson), Mrs. Maury Garner (Nancy Ringham), Camp MVP Pitcher (Bobby Fain), Pat Finley (Tom McGowan), Josh Burnbalm (Shaun Weiss), and Lars (Tom Hodges).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. It’s a ‘kill some time’ watch with no ‘take away’ perks other than seeing Ben Stiller’s artistic side working full throttle while he works to enhance his role as an athletic instructor.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

U-571 (Theatrical Release USA 2000)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 2.7|5.0 Stars ìì

U-571—a disappointing, entirely fictional submarine film—offends the British NavaI forces with its presumption that Americans enabled Britain’s acquisition of the Enigma coding machine and documents. The casting department fails to establish a good, charismatic team that is so necessary to pull a movie from mediocre to great.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The German submarine boat U-571 is known to carry a coding device and books for sending coded German military messages during World War II. American submarine S-33 is ordered to capture German U-571 and retrieve both the coding device and the code books. The German submarine U-571 is disabled by the Americans and part of the crew of the American submarine S-33 board the German submarine U-571. After they have boarded the U-571, their own submarine is scuttled by a second German submarine which is in the area. The Americans are stranded aboard the German U-571. They submerge and engage the second submarine in battle. During the battle the German U-571 sustains damage, but the Americans are able to repair the submarine to the point of enabling travel. As they make their way back to England, a German destroyer intercepts them. Battle engages. The submarine submerges. The German destroyer drops depth charges. The U- 571 surfaces and enables sufficiently to fire a last torpedo to destroy the German destroyer. The Americans flee the U-571 in a lifeboat with the coding machine and coding books secure.

Additional Thanks

Fair Work for Director Jonathan Mostow. Thank you to Executive Producer Hal Lieberman for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Lieutenant Andrew Tyler (Matthew McConaughey), Lieutenant Commander Mike Dahlgren (Bill Paxton), CPO Henry Klough (Harvey Keitel), Lieutenant Pete Emmett (Jon Bon Jovi), Major Matthew Coonan (David Keith), Captain Lieutenant Gunther Wassner (Thomas Kretschmann), Lieutenant Hirsch, (Jake Weber), Seaman Bill Wentz (Jack Noseworthy), Seaman Ted ‘Trigger’ Fitzgerald (Tom Guiry), and Seaman Ronald ‘Rabbit’ Parker’ (Will Estes).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

                                               

No. The Hunt for Red October or The Spy Who Loved Me present significant entertainment that far surpasses the entertainment value of U-571.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

JETSONS: THE MOVIE (Theatrical Release USA 1990)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 2.9|5.0 Stars ìì

Jetsons: The Movie—one of the worst cartoon to film makeovers made—kills itself with preachy animal messages. All an audience wants to see when a childhood cartoon is remade is a terrific revisit to the past. The Jetsons, originally, was a terrific futuristic cartoon. This movie takes that cartoon, extends it into a longer film format, and ruins it with a preachy, tiring message with no new futuristic 'baubles' to dazzle the eye. The music, which should have supported the film, dominated it. The movie ended as a promotion of the music. An audience may wonder if they went to a concert rather than a movie. For the script writers of this film: We get it that we have to be good to animals. Next time, let’s be good to the audience and give them the Jetsons as it was meant to be and tell the musicians that if they want to be famous, perform on the open stage and stay out of the film industry.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

George Jetson (voice of George O’Hanlon), who has a great job, a great daughter and son, and a loving wife, gets transferred to a head position of an asteroid’s drilling plant with the assignment to keep production at optimal levels, but finds that there are problems with consistent sabotage. Jetson discovers that the plant is not environmentally friendly to the planet’s animal habitat and works to correct the situation.

Additional Thanks

Fair Work for Director William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Thank you to Executive Producers William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Mr. Spacely (voice of Mel Blanc), Jane Jetson (voice of Penny Singleton), Judy Jetson (voice of Tiffany), Elroy Jetson (voice of Patric Zimmerman), Astro (voice of Don Messick), and Rosie the Robot (voice of Jean Vander Pyl).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

No. There are better animated features out there like Tarzan, Toy Story, Zootopia, and A Bug’s Life.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

GREASE (Theatrical Release USA 1978)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.1|5.0 Stars ììì

Grease—a good dancing film—plays off a raunchy script. Parents don’t be fooled by the PG-13 rating. The basic theme is: you have to be a wild girl to be a cool girl and if you want the guy of your dreams, you’ll have to bend some of the rules. Rated as one of the best films of 1978 by a series of reviewers, it barely makes a 3-star rating by Ben Meyers due to poor moral messages sent to teen-age audiences.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Over the summer, Danny Zuko (John Travolta) falls in love with an Australian girl, Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John), but when Danny goes back for fall high school classes he has to leave her. He tells her that love is eternal and returns to his high school gang. When he finds that Sandy goes to the same high school he attends, the love story with its typical ups and downs is on.

Additional thanks

Good work for Director Randal Kleiser. Thank you to Producers Allan Carr and Robert Stigwood for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Rizzo (Stockard Channing), Kenickie (Jeff Conaway), Doody (Barry Pearl), Sonny (Michael Tucci), Putzie (Kelly Ward), and Frenchy (Didi Conn).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. It has a unique artistic flavor, but is considerably more mature than expected.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

A MONSTER IN PARIS (Theatrical Release France 2011)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.1|5.0 Stars ììì

A Monster in Paris—an intriguing, offbeat French animated film—features an oversized flea with a terrific singing voice. The downside of the film is that it plays at the edge of a message movie rather than an entertainment piece and would appeal to the adult more than the child.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Parisian businessmen become involved with a scientist who mixes potions to turn a flea into a 6-foot mutation. A female musical entertainer includes him in her act due to his musical abilities.

Additional Thanks

Good Work for Director Bibo Bergeron. Thank you to Executive Producers Nadia Khamlichi, Adrian Politowski, and Gilles Waterkeyn for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Francoeur (Matthieu Chedid), Lucille (Vanessa Paradis), Raoul (Gad Elmaleh), Madame Carlotta (Julie Ferrier), and Emile (Sébastien Desjours).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. The film lacks imagination.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

CATWOMAN (Theatrical Release USA 2004)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.1|5.0 Stars ììì

Catwoman—a lame, laugh-out-loud farce—with actress Halle Berry looking great on screen, but definitely not the best casting choice for this film, shows her as too bashful and ‘silly’. Sharon Stone fails to produce the ‘stone cold’ persona she needs to portray while Benjamin Bratt just tries to hold what’s left of this movie together.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Patience Phillips (Halle Berry) who works for an age rejuvenation company as an artist and graphics designer finds that the age rejuvenation product her company is planning to market is harmful to the human body. Caught eavesdropping on the findings of the head laboratory scientist and his recommendations to the company’s owner, Patience Phillips is murdered. She washes up onto a rocky beach where a pack of cats surround her. The pack leader walks toward her and breathes into her a type of special cat breath.  Immediately her eye changes to a cat’s eye and she eventually awakens as if nothing has happened. After returning home, she finds that she has been transformed into a different creature and gradually assumes the persona of Catwoman.

Additional Thanks

Good Work for Director Pitof. Thank you to Executive Producers Bruce Berman, Michael Fottrell, Robert Kirby, Benjamin Melniker, and Michael Uslan for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Tom Lone (Benjamin Bratt), Laurel Hedare (Sharon Stone), George Hedare (Lambert Wilson), and Ophelia (Frances Conroy).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. If the only thing in a movie you appreciate is glamour and sexy looks—without much of a story—then the cameras in this film are all over sexy and glamour and not much else.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

GLORY ROAD (Theatrical Release USA 2006)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.8|5.0 Stars ììì

Glory Road—the question of ‘why is this important’ wreaks havoc in this film from start to finish. The movie has a good story line and fair acting; but, it’s not easy to follow the characters due to poor character development and lack of character depth. Add to the mix, multiple character names and you’ve got a difficult to follow script.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Don Haskins (Josh Lucas) coached for an all female basketball team before transferring to an all-male basketball team at Texas Western College, El Paso, Texas. The Texas Western Miners team needs serious bolstering and Don Haskins builds a team comprised of five white players and seven black players. His disciplined training leads them to win the 1966 NCAA Men’s Division Basketball Championship Game.

Additional Thanks

Really Good Work for Director James Gartner. Thank you to Executive Producers Andy Given, Chad Oman, and Mike Stenson for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include:  Bobby Joe Hill (Derek Luke), Jerry Armstrong (Austin Nichols), Adolph Rupp (Jon Voight), Moe Iba (Evan Jones), David Lattin (Schin Kerr), and Mary Haskins (Mary Deschanel).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. An audience may ask, “Why is this particular story more important than all the other stories out there and what is the reason behind spending millions of dollars on this movie versus other movies?” The film doesn’t score high on informative value, entertainment value, or moral lesson value. It’s just a ‘fair’ sports movie. For your money, Draft Day is a better pick.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

JAWS 3-D * (Theatrical Release USA 1983)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.5|5.0 Stars ììì

Jaws 3-D—low grade entertainment value—has it points, but it is not the best film of the series. The acting is fair but the script lacks realism. It is not clear why the choice of 3-D is made other than the minor upsurge in popularity in the 1980s for 3-D filming. Know that the Ben Meyers' team did not view this film in 3-D and cannot comment on the cinematographic quality of this film. Listen for one of Calvin Bouchard 's (Louis Gosset, Jr.) script lines that could become a meme.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

A female shark and its single offspring take refuge in Orlando SeaWorld Park’s underwater tunnels. Mike Brody (Dennis Quaid) takes down the female shark.

Additional Thanks

Good Work for Director Joe Alves. Thank you to Executive Producers Alan Landsburg and Howard Lipstone for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Sean Brody (John Putch), Dr. Kathryn ‘Kay’ Morgan (Bess Armstrong), and Philip FitzRoyce (Simon MacCorkindale).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. If Jaws fans want to finish the series, buy that ticket. If you want a really good thriller, skip it. It lacks the quality of the first and second Jaws movies.

*Also known as Jaws III

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers