you're so cool ... and so stupid

Average rating: 7.25

Tokyo Raiders {Dong jing gong lüe} (2000) - "Is anyone who he says he is in this caper that moves from Hong Kong and Las Vegas to Tokyo? Takahashi (Tôru Nakamura) doesn't show up in Vegas for his wedding; his disconsolate bride, Macy (Kelly Chen), heads home for Hong Kong and finds Yung (Ekin Cheng), an interior decorator, waiving a check of Ken's that has bounced. She leaves immediately for Tokyo to find her businessman boyfriend, and Yung tags along. Ken's flat is teeming with members of a gang led by Takeshi Ito (Hiroshi Abe), who are also looking for Ken. John and Macy escape, with the help of a crew of look-alike cuties who work for Lin (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), who claims to be a private investigator. He too is looking for Ken. Where is Ken, why has he disappeared, and who will find him first? "
length: 1 hour, 58 minutes

source: I own the DVD
I watched it because: Tony Leung Chiu-wai is on the must-watch list
IMDB: 5.8/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 53%
my IMDB: 7/10

MPAA rating: PG-13

notable quote: "Morons! ...messed up my hair."

directed by: Jingle Ma

my notes: insane, stupid, funny, and kind of wonderful. Leung plays off his handsome suaveness beautifully. He captures a unique mix of (the cartoon) Inspector Gadget, Val Kilmer's supremely unselfconscious silliness in Top Secret! (1984), and some Sean Connery James Bond vibes. He is comical, terrifically skilled with martial arts and flying, and always manages to keep his hair looking smooth.

    Cheng was a surprise to me. He can hide his light under a bushel, but when he lets it out it's powerful stuff. I also liked Abe as the jittery, wacked-out mob boss Ito

overall:  recommended

 

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) - "It sure is fun when Charlie Brown and his Peanuts pals get together for the big Halloween celebration. In fact, it's downright spooktacular. ....
    "This Halloween is very special for good ol' Charlie Brown. He's finally been invited to a party! Snoopy gets to join the fun, so look out, Red Baron! Linus will find out once and for all if the Great Pumpkin will rise up out of his pumpkin patch 'with his bag of toys for all the good children.'"
length: 25 min.

source: I own the DVD (set)
I watched it because: it's that time of year again

    previously reviewed here
IMDB: 8.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 90% Audience: 85%
my IMDB: 9/10

MPAA rating: TV-G

notable quote: "'You don't believe the story of the Great Pumpkin? I thought little girls always believed everything that was told to them. I thought little girls were innocent and trusting.'

    'Welcome to the 20th century!'"

directed by: Bill Melendez

my notes: cute, clever, and sweet, this is such a sweet memory of childhood. I love it.

Daytime Emmy Award nominee:
• Outstanding Children's Program—Lee Mendelson, Melendez 

• Special Classifications of Individual Achievements—Melendez (director) 

• Special Classifications of Individual Achievements—Charles M. Schulz (writer) 
overall: highly recommended

Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) - "Detective Riggs (Mel Gibson) tries to settle down with his pregnant girlfriend, Lorna (Rene Russo), while his partner, Murtaugh (Danny Glover), comes to grips with the marriage of his pregnant daughter, Rianne (Traci Wolfe), to fellow cop Butters (Chris Rock). But they find themselves and their families targeted by Chinese mobsters, led by Wah Sing Ku (Jet Li). Riggs, Murtaugh, Butters and private eye Getz (Joe Pesci) decide to go on the offensive before the gangsters get to their loved ones."
length: 2 hours, 7 minutes

source: I own the DVD (set)
I watched it because: I've seen the rest of the series this summer, and wanted to get the whole experience at once
IMDB: 6.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 53% Audience: 64%
my IMDB: 6/10

MPAA rating: R

notable quote: "You sure picked a strange angel, baby. But I got the message."

directed by: Richard Donner

my notes: it starts in such a wonderfully intriguing way, with the Van Halen-spewing, flame-thrower-wielding, armed-with-automatic-weapons guy. Just too bad that energy couldn't continue. This is a slog. Far too many random, "heartfelt" moments at the most implausible times. I'm also not a huge fan of Chris Rock in this mode, particularly when paired with the abrasive Pesci. I did enjoy Rene Russo (she kicks butt) and of course Jet Li (gorgeous, strong, and flexible).

    Roger Ebert's review is here, by which I was amused and charmed. "Martial arts fans will enjoy a newcomer named Jet Li, who has a lot of neat moves."

overall: very mildly recommended

It's Magic, Charlie Brown (1981) - "Taking advantage of a newly acquired magic tricks kit, Snoopy decides to put on a magic act. For the finale, he turns Charlie Brown invisible, but he can't change him back right away. While Snoopy searches for the counter spell, Charlie Brown struggles with this bizarre problem, but realizes that he has a golden opportunity to finally kick Lucy's football. "
length: 24 minutes

source: I own the DVD (set)
I watched it because: it's on the Great Pumpkin disc
IMDB: 7.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A%
my IMDB: 7/10

MPAA rating: [approved]

notable quote: "You two'd better settle down. The owner of a cat next door just called. He complained about the racket that you two were making. He says it's upsetting his cat, and for you two to stop this racket."

directed by: Phil Roman

my notes: this is a "special feature" on the Great Pumpkin disc. I think I've seen it before, though it was not memorable. It's pleasant enough, but it didn't knock me over like the holiday entries. I did particularly like Snoopy's giggles. 

Primetime Emmy Award nominee: Outstanding Animated Program—Lee Mendelson, Bill Melendez
overall:  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Tokyo Raiders]