Westside Video
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Events
  • Merchandise

You Don't Know Jack, directed by Barry Levinson (Nick)

11/4/2010

0 Comments

 
Al Pacino gives a great performance as Dr. Jack Kevorkian, with other solid performances from John Goodman, Brenda Vaccaro, Susan Surrandon, and Danny Huston in this real life story of Dr. Kevorkian's uphill fight for everyone's right to their own life: their right to choose assisted suicide. The movie gives you Jack's side of the story and shows you the people around him that were there along the way for the dramatic ride. The film starts out with Jack at the hospital watching his wife laying in bed on life support. He says she had the same look of pain on her face as his mother did when she was struggling to die. This was the inspiration that lead Jack on his crusade for the people's right to their own life, and death. He didn't want to let anyone else have to suffer at the very end of life, and believed it was abhorrent to let someone suffer or to starve them to death by cutting their feeding tube in a hospital. He found his way more humane. At the time assisted suicide was legal in Europe, but not in the states, so what he was doing was unprecedented in the United States and, in the film, the backlash brews as he is persecuted for his politics. HBO got it right again with this great biopic.
Picture
0 Comments

Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, directed by Mike Newell (Ashlyn)

11/3/2010

0 Comments

 
Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time is another movie based on a video game, but this time it's made by Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer, who brought you the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise. Unfortunately, there's no Johnny Depp this time around, but the magic and the action are still present through great direction from Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Donnie Brasco).

For adults, this movie is going to be...well...okay. It's got the requisite heartthrob in Jake Gyllenhaal, the seasoned actor paying his mortgage in Ben Kingsley, and a smokin' hot leading lady in Gemma Arterton. Somehow, the producers were unable to find any Persians to be in the movie, and, since Ben Kingsley looks the most like he could maybe be Persian, the other actors all affect a British accent to follow his lead. It's actually kinda cute if you're not worried about the racist aspect. The action is pretty captivating, and there are pretty sparkly things in the sand. I barely remember the story, but I had fun watching the movie, and the actors did a general good job. The stunt guys deserve a commendation for the free-running stuff. The humor is more geared towards kids, but still funny. Overall, this was an enjoyable experience, but nothing to write home about. Play the video game for real thrills.

For kids, this movie is going to be kind of awesome! There's good action that's not scary enough to give you nightmares, there's a love story that's never too mushy, there are exotic animals, and there's an awesome weapon that everybody's fighting over. Plus, you'll never see the twist coming! I definitely recommend it for the 15 and under crowd.

Once you're done with the movie, pick up the video game for Playstation and XBox systems and be wowed.
Picture
0 Comments

    Authors

    Reviews are written by Westside Video employees and customers- in other words, by people like you. If you have a review you'd like to share, submit it via email or in store!

    Archives

    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    November 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

an integral part of the
California Film & Cultural Center
(831) 607-WEST -- PO Box 381, Santa Cruz, CA 95061
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Events
  • Merchandise