Quick Hits 9/3

I watch way more movies than I fully review on this blog. Mostly it is because I don't feel like typing out a full entry every day, and most of the time I forget what I want to say about it by time I am on the computer again. So a new concept, just give a really short run down of some of my recent viewings, similar to the reviews available from users on Netflix.

When Harry Met Sally
1989 - Romantic Comedy - Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan
This is one of the most famous romantic comedies, but I really didn't find it that funny. There are a few cute moments that put a smile on your face but I wasn't cracking up. That doesn't mean I didn't like it. It is a very well put together movie asking the question "Can men and woman be just friends?" Of course it doesn't answer the question but it shows how the two main characters deal with it. Meg Ryan is totally adorable in this movie and I can see why she became a big star after this. When it comes to romantic comedies you could do a lot worse than this one.
3 out of 5 Stars

In the Heat of the Night
1967 - Crime Drama - Sidney Portier, Rod Steiger
A classic movie right here, winners of several Oscars including Best Picture. When a murder happens in a small southern town they arrest the first black guy they see, but he turns out to be a homicide detective from Philly. So the racists sheriff is forced to put aside his prejudice and work with the detective to solve the crime. This movie is 42 years old and puts basically everyhting put out today to shame. The scenes between Portier (the black detective) and Steiger (the racist sheriff) are fantastic. You can really tell how much it bothers this racist white sheriff to know that a black guy is so much better at his job than he is. In addition to the acting the investigation into the actual crime is fascinating and keeps you on your seat until the very end.
4 out of 5 Stars

Judge Dredd
1995 - Sci Fi Action - Syllvester Stallone
Here is a movie based on a comic book that was made before that became a huge fad in Hollywood. Which is odd because Judge Dredd is by any standards a very obscure comic. There were a lot of movies made in the 90s that were hollow action flicks, Judge Dredd is one of them, but it is a pretty fun example. It is the kind of thing you could watch over and over again when you want to see some mindless action and explosions. What impressed me most was how good the special effects looked. There are very few effects scenes that looked dated. My big gripe with the movie is a lot of the characters, and a lot of Stallone's dialogue, were made to be overly cheesy. If they would have had it be more realistic with fewer lame one liners it would have been a better flick. If you want to turn off your brain and relive some 90s action fun check it out and watch Stallone and Rob Schneider take care of the bad guys.
3 out of 5 Stars