Footloose

Stars: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer & John Lithgow

Director: Herbert Ross

Writer: Dean Pitchford

Genre: Drama

Running Time: 107 minutes

Year: 1984

Ah, an oldie but a goodie. A line used many times that fits perfectly when describing this movie. This movie created many memorable moments for fans of 80s movies which I am a huge fan of. Grades are for Acting, Plot and Writing and are out of 10 added up and given a percentage. Grade meanings are:

A+- Now that`s how you make a movie. Hide this from everyone else.
A- Great movie. Should be bought by all movie fans.
B+- Above average movie. Should be watched by all
B- Good movie. True fans of movies should buy. Casual viewers don`t need to.
C+- Average movie. Rent dont buy.
C- Ok movie. Rent if nothing else available.
D+- Bad movie. Rentable by someone who will watch anything.
D- Horrible movie. Don`t rent and don`t watch.
F- Is this a movie. Don`t even go near this movie.

Ok lets do it.

Main Actors:

Kevin Bacon- Played Ren McCormack which is my favourite of all the roles Bacon has played in his illustrious career. A fun character who is searching for a little fun in the tough world. He is trying to show that there is room for dancing and singing in the realm of religion. The scene where he stands in front of the board is moving and puts the whole movie into perspective. Grade: 8 out of 10.

Lori Singer- Not a bad actress but not as entertaining as her co stars. The scenes with her seem forced when she is supposed to be playing vulnerable or in love. The scenes that she stars in are the one when she is playing foolish and happy. Her best scene occured in the house with he father when discussing his music. Grade: 7 out of 10.

John Lithgow- The most veteran actor of the group plays the reverend and does an amazing job at it. There is not a moment with him that is not believable and feeling pours from everything he does. He portrays love, parenting, anger and pain all throughout the movie and is varying scenes. His best scene is the scene with his wife outside the dance. Grade: 9 out of 10.

Chris Penn- Thought of as a secondary star but in my opinion the most fun part of the movie. A joker type character who shows off a tough persona and a loving one all while portraying the lovable loser character. Best scene by him and my favourite scene in the movie is when Willard learns to dance while the sonf "Let's hear it for the Boy" plays in the background. Grade: 8.5 out of 10.

The Plot:

A fun and inventive plot that presents many fun moments. The scenes play out and present a touching story about how fun and music does not represent drugs and death. The music adds to the plot and helps to move along the story. Some songs such as "Let's Hear it For the Boy" and "Footloose" are memorable and are still listened to today. Grade: 9 out of 10.

The Writing:

This film presents many fun one liners like "Nice Dancing" after the big fight scene and many memorable scenes are written like the tractor chicken game. The writing is not the star however as the most memorable moments come from the songs. Grade: 7.5 out of 10.

Overall:

This movie is fun and a great representation of the movies of the 80s. The music is catchy and the actors are talented. The movie is worth watching and worth watching over and over again. Grade: 49 out of 60 which is 81%=A.

Until next time, Have fun and watch something great.

Sweeney Todd

Stars: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter & Alan Rickman

Director: Tim Burton

Writers: John Logan & Stephen Sondheim

Genre: Drama

Running Time: 116 minutes

Year: 2007

Johnny Depp and music, two of my favourite things in a movie that I have seen many times. I think that there was a period of time where I watched this movie every night for a month. Grades are for Acting, Plot and Writing and are out of 10 added up and given a percentage. Grade meanings are:

A+- Now that`s how you make a movie. Hide this from everyone else.
A- Great movie. Should be bought by all movie fans.
B+- Above average movie. Should be watched by all
B- Good movie. True fans of movies should buy. Casual viewers don`t need to.
C+- Average movie. Rent dont buy.
C- Ok movie. Rent if nothing else available.
D+- Bad movie. Rentable by someone who will watch anything.
D- Horrible movie. Don`t rent and don`t watch.
F- Is this a movie. Don`t even go near this movie.

Let's get to it.

Main Actors:

Johnny Depp- While this is a great movie it is not one of my favourite Johnny acting jobs. That is not to say that it is not great because it is, just not on par with some of his best. Sweeney is a sick and twisted person while still managing to be vulnerable and searching for love. The ability to portray two types of people in one is a Johnny Depp staple. The singing adds to the job that Johnny does and adds another element to the chracter of Sweeney Todd. Grade: 9 out of 10.

Helena Bonham Carter- Her portrayal of Mrs. Lovett is spot on and king of keeps you guessing about her loyalties throughout the movie. Her desperate search for love makes her much like Sweeney himself the only problem is that she harmed those Sweeney loved. The twist that she would do anything to get Sweeney was played great by Helena and for that alone she deserves to be recognized. Grade: 8 out of 10.

Alan Rickman- Playing the judge in this movie puts Alan into the role that he fits best. The villian who is out for himself and will do anything to get it. His acting is great but many of his characters seem to be the same all the time. Not focusing on that i enjoyed the character and enjoyed every time that Alan was on the screen. Grade: 8.5 out of 10.

The Plot:

The plot to this movie is well thought up and exciting but not original to the movie. The idea that all the characters can be considered bad and that there are not just black and white but shades of gray is great. All the characters do what they do because of the search for love. Grade: 8 out of 10.

The Writing:

This is written well enough but truthfully it does not deserve that much credit because it does not need that much writing. It is not original and many of the lines were probably already written in the play version of the movie. Any additions have to be congradulated though. Grade: 7 out of 10.

Overall:

A twisted movie that brings about many feelings. There is humor, love and death all rolled into one and that makes this film accesible to many different age groups and many deifferent types of people. Grade: 40.5 out of 50 which is 81%=A

Until next time, Have fun and watch something great.

Edward Scissorhands

Stars: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder & Dianne Wiest

Director: Tim Burton

Writers: Tim Burton & Caroline Thompson

Genre: Drama

Running Time: 105 minutes

Year: 1990

Ok another Johnny Depp and another of my top five favourite movies along with Benny and Joon which I have already done and three more which I hope to get to today. Grades as always for Actors, Plot and Writing out of ten, added together and given a percentage. Meaning of grades are as follows:

A+- Now that`s how you make a movie. Hide this from everyone else.
A- Great movie. Should be bought by all movie fans.
B+- Above average movie. Should be watched by all
B- Good movie. True fans of movies should buy. Casual viewers don`t need to.
C+- Average movie. Rent dont buy.
C- Ok movie. Rent if nothing else available.
D+- Bad movie. Rentable by someone who will watch anything.
D- Horrible movie. Don`t rent and don`t watch.
F- Is this a movie. Don`t even go near this movie.

Ok, here we go.

Main Actors:

Johnny Depp- This is the movie that made me see the amazing facial acting of Johnny Depp. The range of emotions that Johnny is able to convey through simple looks is astonishing. He can seem sad, hurt and lonely at the same time while being happy and this can all be seen in his face. Edward does not speak a lot but when he does the pain in his voice tells a life story that can make anyone feel for this man. One of the best acting jobs of all time. Grade: 10 out of 10 and only cause I can't give it higher.

Winona Ryder- A wondeful actress in many movies that I have seen but just does not live up to the abilty I have seen from her. The scenes that she is in feel almost false and she is unable to make me care. The one scene that she is good in is the hugging scene between her and Edward but even in that scene it is more about the pain in Edward's face and not about her. Grade: 6.5 out of 10.

Dianne Wiest- Well this is an interesting one since I can't be sure if her acting is supposed to be fake or if she is just not that great of an actress. Since I cannot be sure I will assume it is a little of both and give her a middle type mark for her portrayal of the Avon Lady. Grade: 7.5 out of 10.

The Plot:

Tim Burton is a freaking genius and it is shown in this movie. The idea of a man with scissors for hands is not the amazing thing here because that is not what the movie is truly about. This is a movie about acceptance and fitting in. The town is unable to accept Edward because he is different and in the end he is cast from the town. The views of the world are shown in this movie as so many people would react this same way to someone different and many societies have acted this way in the past. Grade: 8.5 out of 10.

The Writing:

Relatively well written and the dialogue helps to move the story along. However, the story does not need the writing as much to help carry along the meaning. The main character barely speaks and uses his facial expressions instead of his words. When the words are used it helps but as i said they are not the big factor of the movie. Grade: 7.5 out of 10.

Overall:

The movie is a wonderful feel good experience that the whole family can enjoy. Overall Grade: 40 out of 50 which is 80%=A.

Until next time, have fun and watch something great.

Tickle Me

Stars: Elvis Presley, Julie Adams & Jocelyn Lane

Director: Norman Taurog

Writers: Elwood Ullman & Edward Bernds

Genre: Musical

Running Time: 90 minutes

Year: 1965

First time to review a movie that is not Johnny Depp. This should be fun. Ok as always my grades are for actors, plot and writing and are out of 10. They will be added together and a percentage grade will be given. Grade are listed below:

A+- Now that`s how you make a movie. Hide this from everyone else.

A- Great movie. Should be bought by all movie fans.

B+- Above average movie. Should be watched by all

B- Good movie. True fans of movies should buy. Casual viewers don`t need to.

C+- Average movie. Rent dont buy.

C- Ok movie. Rent if nothing else available.

D+- Bad movie. Rentable by someone who will watch anything.

D- Horrible movie. Don`t rent and don`t watch.

F- Is this a movie. Don`t even go near this movie.

Ok let`s get to it.

Main Actors:

Elvis Presley- In this movie Elvis plays Lonnie Beale a sweet talking rodeo rider who takes a job at a ranch for rich women during his break from the circuit. Everyone ho watches Elvis movies know that they should not expect much from the actors since the movies are done more for the songs. Elvis is above average here when compared to his other movies and actually is quite pleasant to watch at points. Grade: 7 out of 10.

Julie Adams: Julie plays Vera Radford the owner of the circle Z ranch who sees Lonnie and hires him based on looks and nothing else. A typical actor in an Elvis movie who, while not boring the audience, does cause them to forget to be entertained. Not a total bust but pretty close. Grade: 5.5 out of 10.

Jocelyn Lane: Plays Pam. the Elvis girl in this movie. I could say look above but at least she had a bit of innocence and seemed to play a little change in character throughout the movie. Grade: 6 out of 10

Jack Mullaney: Plays Stanley Potter the best friend of Lonnie who is not smart enough to know his own job at times. This is a big surprise for an Elvis movie as this man kept me entertained at all points and actually was able to portray a true character while staying true to the physical comedy he does best throughout the movie. Grade: 8 out of 10.

The Plot:

Typical Elvis plot of a singing cowboy who falls for a girl and ends up getting her in the end. The side storyline is seen through Pam. Her great-grandfather left a treasure in a ghost town and she is looking for it. This causes a group of crooks led by the sheriff to try to kidnap her but they are ultimately stopped by Lonnie. A weird storyling but actually entertaining at most points. Grade: 7.5 out of 10.

Writing:

Instead of writing I will grade the songs for an Elvis movie since writing is almost absolete. Not the best Elvis songs in this movie but they are fun to listen to and keep Elvis fans happy. Grade: 8 out of 10.

This movie is not meant to be a great acting or writing movie. It is meant to keep people entertained and at this it passes. Elvis fans will love it anyway.

Overall grade: 42 out of 60= 70% which is a B

Until next time. Watch something great tongiht.

Secret Window

Stars: Johnny Depp, Maria Bello & John Turturro

Director: David Koepp

Writers: Stephen King & David Koepp

Genre: Mystery

Running Time: 96 minutes

Year: 2004

Ok lets get to another Johnny Depp movie. I grade my movies on a school type system. I rank actors, plot and writing out of ten and then add them together, divide it by highest possible score and get the percentage then give my grade. Here is the ranking system:

A+- Now that`s how you make a movie. Hide this from everyone else.

A- Great movie. Should be bought by all movie fans.

B+- Above average movie. Should be watched by all

B- Good movie. True fans of movies should buy. Casual viewers don`t need to.

C+- Average movie. Rent dont buy.

C- Ok movie. Rent if nothing else available.

D+- Bad movie. Rentable by someone who will watch anything.

D- Horrible movie. Don`t rent and don`t watch.

F- Is this a movie. Don`t even go near this movie.

Now on to the movie. This movie was based on a Stephen King novel so it was bound to have suspense but what audiences got was a pleasant surprise to the low budget King adaptations we are all used to.

Main Stars:

Johnny Depp- Some of the best acting I`ve seen from Johnny as he played Mort Rainey a twisted disturbed killer who does not realize he`s a killer. Playing two personalities of the same person during the final scenes was impressive and showed the versatility of Johnny. Grade: 10 out of 10.

John Turturro- Played John Shooter a Mississippi farmer who turns out to be nothing more than a figment of Mort`s imagination. He manages to be menancing and scary while not raising his voice. This adds a creepy factor not seen by many actors. Is commanding and controlling through his voice which is a great thing for an actor. Grade: 8.5 out of 10

Maria Bello- Mort`s wife Amy is seen seldom but impacts the other characters when she appears. Maria`s acting is good but seems to fall short when acting alongside Johnny in almost all her scenes. The ending scene with her death is not played as good as it could be. She does not seem to convey the true surprise and fear of seeing what her husband had become. Grade: 6.5 out of 10.

Plot:

The plot of this movie is top-notch which is no surprise since Stephen King did write it. A man that lives alone and is going through a divorce begins to be harassed by a man claiming that his story was stolen. Mort denies he stole the story and this begins a chain of events including the death of his dog and the burning of his old house. Mort believes his ex wife`s boyfriend Ted is the one who hired Shooter but soon learns how wrong he is. The ending is a bit of a shocker as it turns out that Shooter is not real and that Mort`s other personality is doing the killing. This new persona takes over and Mort(Shooter) goes on to change the ending of his story by killing his wife and her boyfriend. This plot is enthralling and the shock ending adds a lot to the movie. Grade: 9 out of 10.

Writing:

The writing is done by a classic author and while I`m sure that the book is better the movie still holds up. The movie delivers some memorable line including the statement of: ``the only thing that matters is the ending and this one is perfect``. Not the best writing I`ve seen from King but still a fun bit of dialogue and some superb scenes. Grade: 7.5 out of 10.

Overall this movie is a great watch and something for any Johnny Depp and Stephen King fan to watch.

Overall Grade: 41.5 out of 50= 83% which is an A.

Benny & Joon

Stars: Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson, Aidan Quinn & Julianne Moore

Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik

Written by: Barry Berman & Lesley McNeil

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Running Time: 98 minutes

On a personal note this is one of my favourite Johhny Depp movies and since Johnny is my favourite actor that means this must be one of my overall favourite movies. I've decided to do my reviews on a grading type pattern. I will grade the main actors, the plot and the writing. I will not judge the directing because I wouldn't know if it was good or not anyway. At the end I will give an overall grade of the movie. 

Main Stars:

Johnny Depp- As always Johnny does a superb job in this movie. His playing of an eccentric man is hilarious while at the same time heart warming. He seems to be able to make you laugh even during intense moments. Facial expressions have always been his go to acting job and that did not change in this movie. The look on his face while Benny explained that Joon was mentally ill was priceless. Grade: 10 out of 10.

Mary Stuart Masterson- A good job here by the leading lady. At time I began to actually think she may be mentally ill. Her acting is top notch throughout and the little things are what makes it great, such as remembering to do hand movements like she is in pain even during the funny park scene.Grade: 8 out of 10.

Aidan Quinn- What probably should of felt like the leading man was downgraded to the co star because he was out shone by Johnny. That does not mean that he did not pull his own weight. The scene when he kicks Sam from the house and fights with Joon is amazing and pulls me in and makes me feel for him. Grade: 7.5 out of 10.

Julianne Moore- Character she plays is not seen much but plays a pivotal role in the outcome of the other characters. Her acting is limited more by the flat chracter then by her ability. Even with this fact I still enjoyed each moment that she is on the screen. Grade: 7 out of 10.

The Plot:

The plot of this movie is well executed and thought up while being a little corny at times. Seems like forced sappiness but the acting and writting save it from seeming like a family channel movie. Overall when a plot can make you feel for all the characters and care for the outcome I think that is definitely a pass. Grade: 8 out of 10.

The Writing:

The writers of this movie deserve to be commended on there incredible job. The one liners are hilarious and well placed. The imspirational speech by Sam and the fight between Benny and Ruthie are well written and cause feelings to form when you least expect it. The final scene was perfect and leaves the audience knowing that everything is going to be okay in the lives of these character: Grade: 9 out of 10

Overall:

This movie is a great feel good romantic comedy which leaves the audience wanting more of these characters. Grade of the Overall movie is 49.5/60=82.5% or an A.

Until next time, Have fun and watch something good.