Movie Reviews - R
Raiders of the Lost Ark: When I first saw this movie, I had no idea what it was about beforehand. Wow. It was so cool, I just couldn't believe it! Of course, I was only like 13 years old. But even now, this is a damn cool movie. Say whatever you will about Steven Spielberg, the man does have talent. He wouldn't be "rich and powerful" if he didn't.
Rainman: I don't think I've ever seen this all in one sitting. Actually, I'm not sure how it ends... but I'm pretty liberal as to adding things on this list. I guess it was good, but I wasn't blown away or anything.
Raising Arizona: The kind of movie you either love or hate. I didn't really love it or hate it though, it was just "ok".
Ramblin' Rose: Life isn't fair.
Ransom: Mel Gibson's character is a real sniveling, wishy-washy, "I want my mommy" type for most of this movie. People who head large corporations just aren't like that. He finally pulls through at the end though - that was more like it!
Rapa Nui: I really liked this movie for the same reason many people didn't like it. It was strange. It portrayed the ancient easter island society as childlike, and I think that is probably most true. A lot of the stuff in this movie is based on fact, of course, nobody really knows what this ancient society was like.
Ratatouille: This is what happens when a lot of smart people spend a lot of time on a common vision. If you didn't like this movie, there is something wrong with you. Go seek help. I mean it. Now.
The Real Dirt on Farmer John:Really a neat movie to watch. This kind of oddball farmer always had a fascination with film, and as a result filmed much of his own story through the years. It certainly helped that it was an interesting story... I really grew to like Farmer John, but by the end, I had the feeling that the whole operation had lost a bit of the magic because of their success. I mean, I like the fact that they made it work, but most of the interesting parts of the film were the parts where things were all screwed up, and seeing how he had to learn to change to deal with it all. After it was all working, it was just like a routine business. Maybe life is like that in general?
Real Genius: One of those movies that "spoke to me" when I was a high school freshman. Ya, smart people are cool... I KNEW it.
Rear Window: A pretty decent film I must say. I think this is my favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie, although I haven't seen them all. This one of those few movies which has "aged well", it doesn't look all goofy and tired after 45 years.
Red Dawn: I really liked this. I know most people thought it was just silly, but I thought it was done really well. The characters were all well drawn, and their reactions to the "extreme circumstances" were true.
Reds: I saw this in a theater when I was really young. I didn't really understand it, but I remember being proud that I sort-of enjoyed it since it was an "adult movie" (and NO, it didn't have naked people doing naughty things)
Red Violin: A unique and well made film. This follows the story of a particular violin, from its fabrication in the late 1600's to its sale at an auction, present day. I liked the way the movie skipped around from past to present, and replayed one scene from a variety of viewpoints. The movie just had a general "cool feel" to it that's hard to describe.
Repo Man: This movie has more classic lines than... well, than most other movies. It's unfortunate that all movies can't be made with this much class, and with this much carefree attitude.
Requiem for a Dream: Stunning and original (which, as a quote from me is neither stunning nor original). A sad and scary movie about the desperate places people can reach. I didn't feel like crying at the end of this movie, though the end... and in fact the whole thing... was utterly depressing (which was a good thing). I just felt generally sad, perhaps questioning how far I was (or any of us were) from the state of the characters in the film. Pretty far, I hope. It was a difficult film to watch, but that's exactly what made it so worth watching.
Return of the Dragon: Had the best sound of all the Bruce Lee flicks. A great punch-fest all throughout. Loved the fight with Chuck "wolfman" Norris at the end. For a brief time in my life, this was my favorite movie of all time. Either this or "the Chinese Connection" was Bruce's best film.
Revenge of the Nerds: A classic, but still pretty stupid. One of those movies that will have you laughing and shaking your head at the same time.
Revenge of the Nerds II: So, if they already got their revenge in #1, why do they need to get more revenge? The nerds go national in this ridiculous attempt to squeeze money out of the public.
Ring of Bright Water: Consider this: A man from the city decides to buy an otter and move to Scotland in order to write a book about marsh arabs. He paints a cabin, then befriends a lady doctor and convinces her to row a boat while he harpoons a shark. While the man gone on a business trip, the otter is bludgeoned to death by a farmer who explains, "I thought it was just an otter." If this sounds like a great idea for a movie... you're too late, it's already been done.
The River Rat: I saw this some morning on TBS or something. I don't really remember much about it, just that a very young Martha Plimpton was in it, and it was set on a river. Hmmm. It was decent, but my life isn't changed because of it.
A River Runs Through It: Not nearly as good as hiking the CDT through Montana.
The Road Warrior: It's Australian for post-apocalyptic hero.
Robocop: If you see this, try to see the directors cut. I don't know what all changed, but one scene in the beginning (where the machine goes haywire and kills the executive) was changed. In the original cut, the machine shoots for like a minute solid, until its guns run dry. I guess "somebody" thought that was just too gruesome.
Robocop II: I know I saw it, but I have no idea what exactly transpired.
Robocop III: I'm not sure I saw this, and I don't really care to find out for sure. I'm sure it was stupid.
Rob Roy: I like movies like this - they're set in a period, but don't try to be "epics" or something. This movie is worth seeing just for the quotes from the Cunnigham character: "Love is a dung hill and I am but a cock that climbs atop it to crow", etc.
The Rock: Hollywood will use any excuse these days to show explosions and car chases. Why do they even bother with a plot or character development in these movies? Oh, that's right... they don't.
The Rocketeer: His legs would get fried by the exhaust!
Rocky: Rocky loses.
Rocky II: Rocky wins!
Rocky III: Rocky loses... then wins!
Rocky IV: Rocky wins again!
Rocky V: Rocky is too old to fight.
Roger and Me: One thing this movie doesn't really address is the just stupid decisions US car companies have made, which in-turn have caused their decline. And who pays the price for that?
Romancing the Stone: I'm trying to think of something cynical to say about this movie (because I'm in that kind of mood right now), but it's not coming to mind... so, I guess it was an OK movie.
Rosemary's Baby: Would've been better if... um... shoot, I can't remember exactly how the movie ended, but it would have been better if I did the ending.
Roxanne: Women can be so damn superficial.
The Royal Tenenbaums: Fun movie about a family of characters. Every character in this movie has some serious "issues"... but they're all so wacky one just has to laugh. Something about this movie reminds me of how sometimes when you fly from Cleveland to Chicago, you have to go through Atlanta - Is that funny or sad?
Rumble in the Bronx: Super Jackie Chan punch-o-rama! Who cares if there were mountains in New York.
Run Lola Run: See Lola Run. and run. and run... Kind of like the Autobahn of movies - fast, loud, German, and you never know what's coming around the next curve.
Rush Hour: I was waiting for this - Jackie Chan does a Hollywood movie. That's about all I can say about it too. Yes, I liked it. It wasn't amazing or anything, and Jackie wasn't over-the-top unbelievable (like he sometimes is... shoot, he has to be pushing 50 by now). It was fun though, and that's about all I expected.
Rush Hour 2:$
Rushmore: An interesting movie, with a complex character at the center of it. On top of that, Bill Murray isn't a nutcase.
Russsian Ark: The cool parts were cool, and the boring parts boring... probably a lot like the Hermatige itself. This movie is one long uninterrupted, unedited 90+ minute scene, and it's worth seeing just for that (as long as you can get beyond the fact that the "guide" is total freakazoid!)