The Adjustment Bureau

               IMDB gave this film 7 out of 10,  I would put it more in the range of 7 out of 100.  Oh it has some good to it, but it's just not the kind of good that the above average movie go-er is looking for.  It takes place in present time with a wanna-be spooky future tone.  Fooling only the most pedestrian of movie fans.  Being based on a short story by Phillip Dick, who also wrote Minority Report and Blade Runner It was a diappointing ada-aptation.  Speilburg or Ridley Scott most likely would've done fine but any studio who hires George Nolfi to direct a sci-fi, suspense thriller with a porly executed love story twist is making a big mistake.  I am sorry to see such a poor film with Matt Damon.  He's good in it but that's like smelling real good but being stuck in shitbox.             

               So this is it in a nutshell.  Damons character Dave Norris loses touch briefly with a behind the curtains team who from what I could gather are a higher evolved version of humans who alter little thing in our daily lives in order to keep everyone on a predetermined path.  Norris disrupts this in his life and get's to see behind the curtain. He is allowed to return to his life with the knowledge of this secret because the future holds important things for him as a leader of the people.  And this is all wrapped around the, they won't let us be together love story, that the director (what was his name again????? oh well, who wants to be remembered for crap) should have toned way down. To bad we all know Damon already from such great performances, I will at least remember how bad this one made him look.                  

             This borderline b movie is now available to rent but my bet is it will likely be streaming live for free very soon.  My rating is 3 out of 10 and that's not counting Damons contribution 'cause I'm sure he's not counting it.

                  

  

Misery. Directed by Rob Reiner.

          I first saw this film when it was released in 1990, I believe that would've made me 14 at the time.  It stars James Caan of Godfather fame and Kathy Bates.

           Oh I should let my readers know right off the get go that any film that is'nt still in theatres is subject to spoil. I will try not to give to much away but no promises.  This is one of those rare gems that is based on a book but is just as good....... almost.  Based on a novel of the same name by our good friend Stephen King this movie version had to be, well it did'nt have to be but it was toned down a notch.  No doubt to reach a wider audience or to please the studio fluff muffins.  Kathy Bates plays the role of her career as a Nurse with a questionable past who live secluded outside of a mountain town who is obsessed with the author of the Misery novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan).  When Sheldons car becomes snow bound after finishing the last installment of his Misery series he is rescued  by (you guessed it obsessed fan) and he wakes up in a hospital bed but not in a hospital room, if ya know what I mean.

           One example of tone down from book to film is when obsessed fan finds out that Paul has been out of his room and must not allow that to happen again and in the movie she breaks one of his ankles however in the book, the audience is treated to a full on hobble by axe.

           This film being one of Reiners last crowning achievments (that I can think of) is an edge of your seat suspense thriller that will entertain. It's one of those movies that you won't mind watching again.

           I would give this movie an 7 out of 10 with marks down on details from the novel being to audience friendly and marks up for acting (primarily Bates) and for sheer enjoyment and dark tone.

           If you've seen the film I highly recommend the book, it's short for a King novel and oh what a ride.

This will be the place to get a real Movie review.

Check back for my review of Misery.  An older film based on the nove by Stephen King. And how the book and movie compare.  This will be the first of many Book to Movie comparisons on this exciting adventure into the mind of a real critic.