Rating: 
Summary: The Majestic: A Movie About Movies
Review: Not many period movies can successfully capture the spirit and flavor of an age. Director Frank Darabont has done so in THE MAJESTIC. What Darabont has done was to capture the spirit of an age that never truly existed on the American scene. His slice of life is a odd mixing of the innocence of small town life from LEAVE IT TO BEAVER with the more gritty politicizing of a country torn by the unfounded accusations of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. This mixing is not a bad thing either. It takes guts and skill for any director to make two movies in one, and there will always be critics who repudiate any such attempt. But there is no inherent flaw within the attempt. Judging such a movie is no more difficult than judging any movie. Did it combine the disparate parts in such a way as to make the attempt pleasing? This movie stands as a model for future directors to emulate should they decide something similar.
Jim Carrey plays Peter Appleton, a successful movie lover and script writer who, in his college days, had the misfortune to join a club to impress a girl, only to find out years later that some communists joined as well. When his membership becomes known, he is blacklisted from working again. At this point, the movie is on target to address the issues that other and similar films as Woody Allen's THE FRONT did. These issues dealt with whether it was morally and legally justifiable to condemn people based only on their alleged membership in organizations that may or may not have included communists. In the real world, the reputations and lives of hundreds of innocent Americans were ripped apart based only the the rabid accusations of the then politically correct witch hunters who saw communists at all levels of American society. THE MAJESTIC could have focused tightly on that but director Darabont placed Carrey in a car accident which robbed him of his memory so that he had to seek a new life in a small town. Darabont's vision of small town American life was taken not from real life but from other movies about small towns. Carrey's adopted town, called Lawson, was full of kind people only too willing to help a stranger. Of course, there is the inevitable romantic complication between a girl and the man that she and the rest of the town assume is the same man who went off to war ten years ago only to die. Carrey returns as that man. I had only a little trouble accepting that the resemblance between Peter Appleton and the dead war hero Luke Trimble was so close as to fool nearly everyone. When Appleton enters town as an amnesiac, the movie changes focus, not the abrupt about turn of suddenly reversing direction on a one way street, but rather that of merely changing lanes on a three lane highway. It is interesting that Carrey plays Appleton-Luke as one who really might be the revived hero. As Luke, Carrey restores not only the dilapidated Majestic theater to its former glory, but also the shattered collective soul of the town that now can welcome back the return of one of its lost sons to the war. Of course, his former identity is revealed by the slimy representatives of the film industry who want to send Appleton's pinko rear end to jail. As Appleton goes on national television while being forced to read a prepared statement implicating himself as a communist, director Darabont borrows from Frank Capra to allow Appleton to clear his good name by quoting from the Bill of Rights. Other critics of this movie find a great deal of fault with such obvious use of other directors' works, but the problem does not lie in the genesis of Appleton's impassioned speech defending the constitution, but rather in assessing its impact on the film, and by implication, on the audience. Do all the various parts to an admittedly many sided movie work? Frankly not all, but most do. I had a more difficult time accepting the abrupt about face of the town in cheering en masse their hero at the end when just before they abandoned him. But perhaps this collective about face is the point of the movie. If Jimmy Stewart or Jim Carrey can argue passionately about the rights of all Americans to speak their minds, then maybe those who did not think so at the beginning of the film, will change their mind at the end.
Rating:
Summary: I Was Shocked
Review: I have never been a huge Jim Carey fan, in fact the only reason I watched this movie is because it was the only one out I hadn't seen. Turn's out I might just have been wrong about Jim Carey, his preformance in this film was outstanding! It turns out the man can actually act he's just had junk roles before now! The movie itself is beautifully done, from the set's to the acting to the cinematography I can't say enough good things about this one!
I must say this film was completely underrated, it's 110 percent better then most of the Oscar movies this year! The plot is compelling and unpredictable and totally moving. You'll be missing out if you don't check this one out!
Rating: 
Summary: Worst Movie of the Year
Review: What a fool I was not to trust the reviewers. I rarely get mad, but I must admit that I was very [angry] for having wasted [my money] and 2 and 1/2 hours of my life to this piece of... whatever. It's all Jim Carrey mugging, Martin Landau looking really old, and corny political speeches and untruthful sentimentality. I suppose it is retro Frank Capra, but this film is pathetic as compared to classics like "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," or "It Happened One Night." It's really not just stupid to compare them. It's wrong.
Rating: 
Summary: Phenomenal...Reminds me of Jimmy Stewart
Review: Ok, I never thought I'd say this, as Jimmy Stewart is my favorite actor from my favorite movie (It's a Wonderful Life), but I truly believe Jim Carrey is becoming a modern-day Jimmy Stewart, that is, if he keeps doing movies like this one and The Truman Show. I thought this movie looked interesting when I first picked it up, but I was absolutely blown away by it. It truly deserves an Academy Award, together with his acting and Martin Landau's. It's about a Hollywood film writer (Carrey) who, after falsely being accused of being a "communist" during the famous "Hollywood Blacklist" scandal time, he gets into an accident where he bumps his head. He awakens on a beach with amnesia. A good samaritan takes him into town to help him and he becomes mistakenly identified as one of the town's long-lost, believed dead, war heroes. Again, it was moving, riveting, interesting and just all-around great. There is no violence or obscenities. Makes you wish that times were still like that, where being a good person still mattered. I hope they keep making movies like this and that Jim Carrey keeps making movies like this. I never liked him when he did those silly "Pet Detective" movies, but as a dramatic actor, (with some comedy), he is superb.
Rating:
Summary: Predictable, but still entertaining.
Review: Most of us aren't used to seeing Jim Carrey in a serious role, but he did an admirable job as a man accused by the government of being a communist. He becomes involved in a car wreck and upon waking (far away from the crash site) has no idea of who he is. He is then mistaken for a popular town-boy lost in WWII. Confusion, mayhem, tragidy, and love are all presented in his new life. Great supporting cast, especially Martin Landau who is great in just about every movie he does.
Rating:
Summary: Jim Carrey im ashamed of u!!!
Review: WEll i have 2 words for this movee it [STINKS]!!!i rented this movee thinking it would have some humor in it.It didnt even have one little joke and that is just sad 4 a movee having Jim Carrey in it.This was ur worst movee ever.omg it seemed like it took 3 hours it was sooo slow. The plot of the movee was the only good thing about it but they just didnt play it very good.This is one for drama fans if u like movees that try to make u cry but dont then ull love this piecew of [poo].i wouldnt even use this piece as target practice it stinx so much.Jim carrey never do a drama like this again its ok 2 do one like the truman show that was an awesome moovvee but the majestic [stinks].God Bless America
Rating:
Summary: Don't analyze it...just enjoy it
Review: I guess you just can't please everyone. I'm sure most of the people that hated this movie, loved "The Cable Guy" and "Me, Myself and Irene". Anyone that says that Jim Carrey should stick to comedy roles probably also missed some "lousy" dramatic movies with Robin Williams, Tom Hanks, Kevin Spacy...This is a great family movie. Unfortunetly, because of some bonehead reviewers that usually means it will do poorly at the box-office. I doubt if there will be any Oscar's coming to The Majestic, but I give Jim Carrey high marks in this movie as I did in Dumb and Dumber. My therapist said it's OK to watch a sappy movie sometimes.
It was about 15 minutes too long. Eh, I went and got dessert in the middle.
Rating:
Summary: A great movie for the family.
Review: This is one of the few movies out that you could easily let the family see. A great performance by Jim Carrey, along with a bunch of classic actors. I would definitly recommend it. There is very little foul language, no sex scenes. I think the closest thing to offensive was a short bar scene. If you haven't seen it yet, do it.
Rating:
Summary: Mr Darabont has created another wonderful movie.
Review: Mr. Darabont, the man behind The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile has created another feel good movie. The Majestic is about a man named Peter, played by Jim Carey, who gets into an accident and gets amnesia. A man, played by James Whitmore (Brooks from Shawshank), finds Peter on the beach. He then takes him to town, where Peter is identified as Luke. Luke is a man who could do no wrong. The towns rememberance of Luke is that of a God, and Peter/Luke must try to get his memory back, while the town believes he's Luke, Peter is not so sure. Although this story is a little far fetched, basically all of Darabont's movies are, it is a wonderful story that at times becomes a bit predictable. It doesn't have the "BANG" of an ending like Shawshank, but still contains a story that is definitely worth watching. The acting is superb, Carey is outstanding, along with a very strong support from everyone is the movie. The cinemetography is average. The music is outstanding, it definitely helps the movie and brings out emotion from the characters. The DVD is very good. It's on par with the other Darabont movies. There isn't a lot of add-ons, which is always a dissapointment. Overall...I think this may not be worth a purchase, but definetely worth renting. I did give the movie four stars...cause I really do love the movie, but its not the kind of movie that I'd pop into the DVD player at random. Definitely not like Shawshank. Rent it. Watch it. Love it.
Rating: 
Summary: Painfully long
Review: No one has slammed this movie hard enough, from what I can tell. First off, the issue of Jim Carrey. He's a funny guy. Can also act. We knew this. But to have him do neither in this movie is unconscionable. There's nothing in his character that Jim Carrey could give any of himself to. As has been said here before, anyone could have been in this role, thats how uninvolving it is. Next, the historical angle. Are we to believe that HUAC or any other red baiters of the period acted like this? I know politicians and government people are dumb sometimes, but these FBI guys and commie hunters are pure caricature. Speaking of politics...what is the politcal message in the picture? There is one, but it's a very simple one. You should be able to say whatever you want and people die for that right, as they certainly did in WWII. At one point, one character says its your right to be a communist or something, which spurs Carrey's character to step into the role of defender of the Constitution rather than a Hollywood hack. For me, whats the good in saying this? Communists, in case you havent read Marx, want to take your liberty. So why should anyone feel proud of the characters ability to preserve the right to be a subversive?
Finally, the structure of the picture itself. Way too long. The drama doesnt start bulding until an hour has passed. Tear jerking is employed, but actually, that was the only part of the movie I liked...when the movie focuses on the tragedy of losing loved sons and daughters in a war, and the elation that would be felt when they come back alive. Youre going to have to bring your Suspens-O-Matic to the viewing to process all the disbelief youll be experiencing regularly....the whole town following the reunited lovers...the whole town waiting at the platform when Carrey comes back from Congress...oh, phooey. This is clean family fun, I will admit, if youre an adult without a brain or a high tolerance level for the inane you might finish this two and a half hour affair. Thsi will be Jim Carrey's last film for a while.
|
