The Majestic

Rating:
Summary: It aspires to be more.
Review: This movie tries to be a "feel good" movie, and at times it suceeds; however, it absolutely fails in the last 20 minuts of the movie.

I was quite impressed with Jim Carrey's acting. He has matured and developed from his Firemarshall Bill days on "In Living Color," and the crude gags of "Dumb and Dumber." He is following in Robin William's footsteps in being a comedia who has the passion and sense to be a serious actor. I have no quarrel with his abilities. In fact, all of the extras added to the feel that Lawston, CA was somehow the essence of every Norman Rockwell painting.

Moreover, I was impressed with the supporting actors. David Ogden Stires (Winchester on M*A*S*H), plays the town doctor so well, the actor becomes invisible in his part. Walter Landay, too, has evolved beyond his "Space: 1999" and "Misssion: Impossible" days. He is a late bloomer, but he evokes so many emotions. He played Luke's father perfectly. In fact, the congressional inquisitor Elvin Clyde, played by Bob Balaban (Dr. Chandra "2010") stokes the emotions of righteous indigation, despite having a minor role. The details are perfect.

Other technical aspects of the film, such as the cinematography, the costuming, and even the old 1940's rumblefish automobiles were spice to the eyes. It was a well prodcuced film, and the shots of The Majestic theater evoked fond memories of the Oakland Paramount or the old Alameda 3 art deco film palaces that I attended as a lad. I flet young again as I wastched this film.

I think where the film breaks down was in the the sub-plot realing to the communist hearings. I really did not relate to Jim Carrey's plight. In fact, it seemed out of place in the over-all story of an amnesiac making a difference in a small town. I think it would have been better to start the film with the hero waking up on the beach as an amnesiac (which is a classic birth image of water and forgetfulness), and leave it more ambigousous. Think about the tension as Carrey plays the piano and the ticket-take say "Yes, I taught him boogie-woogie,"" and then have the congressional inquisitors come to town!

Or another possible ending could have had Appleton REALLY be Luke Trimble. It would make the film layered and complex, and also be more emotionally satifying. As the film stands, it seems a mishmash of iron and clay. If they wanted a feel-good movie, then make it a feel good movie; if you want to make a staement against the communist witch-hunts, then make a statement. The two cannot be reconciled in the same movie.

There are three things to look for. First, in the black-and-white film "Sand Pirates of the Saharah," if you look closely and quickly, the idol that The Evil But Handsome Prince Khalid holds is the same idol from the beginning sequence of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Second, the electrical cables in the daytime outside sequence when the turn on the Majestic's lights for the first time are the same one used in "Back to the Future." Third, the town's main strip is the same one used in "Signs." If you hate the movie, at least you can keep your eyes peeled for this.

The DVD has one hilarious extra. They include the entire sequence of the black-and-white film "Sand Pirates of the Sahar" that you see in the movie. I grew up seeing 1940's reruns every Saturday on the UHF, and found this small segemt to ge a great tribute and parody of the old Errol Flynn films. Someone really has a good sense of humor!

Rating:
Summary: another Carrey movie, but not the best
Review: Jim Carrey is doing well in the funny role as usual, however this movie is not the best Carrey movie. It is long, or maybe too hollow, or maybe the pace is too slow. At the same time it focusses on just one, rather small place (Lawson), and the time frame is also short . Also there are some political undertones which I could not really always understand. As to the characters, they are are not too "live" actually (probably due to the amnesia that stikes Peter/Luke); I was not really impressed by Peter Appleton, Harry Trimble, Irene Teriwilliger, Emmit Smith, Sandra Saint-Clair, Adele Stanton and Lucille Angström Ichtville. The only interesting part of the movie is near the end when Luke (now Mrr Appleton again), reminds us of the 5th and 1st amendments of the Constitution of the United States.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining but with political overtones
Review: I liked this film.

Synopsis:
Jim Carrey plays Peter Appleton, a Hollywood film writer who is accused of Communist affiliations. He knows the accusation is going to ruin his career as a writer. In coping with this realization he gets drunk, goes for a drive, gets in an accident, and hits his head. The knock to the head results in temporary amnesia. When he is found, he is taken to the town of Lawson, CA where it just so happens that the town has lost 50-60 young men in World War II and one of them, Luke Trimble, just happens to be a spitting image of Jim Carey's character. The father of Luke Trimble, Harry Trimble (played by Martin Landau), happens to see Peter (though Peter has forgotten his name and his past life) and believes that his son whose body was never found in the war has returned home.

Harry owns The Majestic, a now defunct movie theater that doubles as their home. Well, Luke's return to Lawson creates something of an uproar as all of his old friends and his old flame, Adelle, played by Laurie Holden, all renew their relationships with him. Luke helps get The Majestic running again only to have one of the movies that he wrote play in the theater. When it does, his memory finally comes back.

What I haven't mentioned is the counter-plot that is running throughout the whole movie. The Communist Activities Committee (that isn't the actual name, I forget it now) is trying to find Peter Appleton for being a Communist sympathizer. Well, it just so happens that Harry dies the night that Luke/Peter realizes who he is. The day they bury Harry is the day Peter reveals himself to Adelle and the Communist Activities Committee finally finds him. When they find him it is a big social event and the entire town of Lawson is disillusioned by it.

Peter has to testify before the committee. Adelle tries to convince him to deny the charges but when they separate Peter seems to be willing to read a statement saying he has severed his ties with the communists and then rat out several other Hollywood figures. Well, Adelle gives him a gift as he leaves, a copy of the U.S. Constitution and a letter from Luke. This affects Peter and he ends up denying the charges and facing down the committee. When he faces down the committee he is raised back up to a hero in the eyes of Lawson and Adelle. He ends up returning to Lawson, running The Majestic, and marrying Adelle.

My Comments:
I liked the film because it had some memorable characters and made normal people the focus of the film rather than larger than life individuals. The Usher for the Majestic, Emmitt Smith played by Gerry Black was one such character. He was simple yet profound. I like characters like that. Also, Harry Trimble, played by Martin Landau, was also a simple and profound character.

When the focus of the movie was on Lawson and the feelings of a town that has suffered so much, the movie made a great statement on the consequences of war and the importance of relationships in our lives.

When the movie switched back to the obvious political statement of Jim Carey's character before the investigating committee, the movie lost some of its glow. Movies that have to tell you what they are trying to say often miss the point.

Overall, the movie was fun to watch. The tension that floated in the background from the individuals looking for Peter Appleton kept the movie moving even though it wasn't integrated as much as it could have been.

Rating:
Summary: Sabotaged by its own style
Review: A surprisingly good performance from Jim Carrey, a heart-warming story from Michael Sloane, and some beautiful direction from Frank Darabont are undermined here by fatally languorous pacing. Just as in "The Green Mile", Darabont gives us way too much time to think about what might happen, and given it's such an old-fashioned story you can easily work it out. Of course, movies aren't always about twists and surprises, but when you find yourself predicting it shot for shot and anticipating dialogue line for line by the end of the first half hour, there's something seriously amiss. It isn't helped by Mark Isham's insistently saccharine score washing over every scene, relentlessly reminding you that every second moment is meant to be "achingly emotional." It's almost as if they don't trust the actors or the script. Ironically, the musical safety net just forces us out: we're never allowed to fall into the story, to forget for a moment that it's a movie we're watching and feel things out for ourselves. Quite simply, it never gets real. The result is film which feels artificial, an academically interesting, intertextual, introspective Capra homage at best. And as much as we love Capra, there's a reason they stopped making films like his: cinema has moved on. It doesn't mean audiences are any more or less sophisticated these days. It just means they have been taught to have different expectations. And while filmmakers shouldn't pander to those, they ignore them at their peril. It's a shame this film isn't better, because there's a really good story here - an important story about patriotism, freedom, American democracy, and the kind of state-sanctioned lunacy inflicted in their name. But as presented, "The Majestic" makes them seem like antiquated heirlooms of a fondly remembered age - notions we can take out, dust off, briefly smile at, then just as quickly forget.

Rating:
Summary: And you thought THE TRUMAN SHOW was overrated.....
Review: Once more Jim Carrey makes a bid to be taken seriously as an actor. First the overrated, whimsical slop that was THE TRUMAN SHOW and then the above average biopic MAN ON THE MOON in which nobody learns anything, because nobody knew much about Andy Kaufman to begin with. THE MAJESTIC is Jim's third shot at mainstream respectability, and though it wants to be a Capra homage, despite Carrey's good performance the movie is sloppy, tiresome, poorly constructed and has enough sticky sweet sentiment to have diabetics upchucking for a week.
Carrey plays Peter Appleton, a Hollywood screenwriter in the 50s who finds himself blacklisted just as his career is starting to take off. Not surprisingly Pete is none too pleased about this so he decides a spot of drink driving is called for. He soon crashes his car off a bridge, escapes virtually unscathed and ends up in a small town called Lawson with a severe case of memory loss. Here an old man (Martin Landau) mistakes him for his son, Luke Trimble; a missing WW2 hero. This miracle inspires the town to reopen the town's long defunct Majestic movie theatre and rediscover the joy in their lives. Give me a break!
Director/ producer Frank Darabont must have spent many days umming and ahhing over this project, but then somebody probably pointed out to him that he still needs to work until Stephen King writes another novel set in a prison. So Frank took the sensible route and made this Crapraesque slop. Please Steve, get typing and spare us from Frank making more movies like this!!

Rating:
Summary: Good old fashioned entertainment
Review: When I think of Jim Carrey, I think of someone bending over and talking out of his butt. Unfortunate, but true. However, "The Majestic" should finally shake that image out of people's minds if they give the underrated film a chance. This is simply a majestic film - from the period feel and the directing, to the standout performances, including Martin Landau, who *should* have been nominated for an Academy Award.

Carrey is well cast as the anonymous Everyman who wanders into the right place at the right time, and it saves his life. He is sweet and good hearted, and even in the "frame tale" that begins and ends this film, he doesn't fit into the typical Hollywood mold precisely. Unrealistic? Perhaps...but so what? I personally welcome a movie that hearkens back to the simpler times and values of the postwar era once in a while.

People who should buy this film include fans of the director ("Shawshank" and "Green Mile"), fans of Carrey, fans of romantic simple films, and fans of McCarthy era period pieces. This is a film that many generations can enjoy together.

Rating:
Summary: contrived and painfully slow
Review: The director of The Majestic also directed my favorite film of all time -- The Shawshank Redemption. I also really like Jim Carrey, Martin Landau, and the beautiful Laurie Holden. On top of that, I saw The Majestic with friends at a free screening at the nicest theater I've ever been in.

Given the same conditions, I enjoyed seeing A Knight's Tale (free screening, great theater, friends, some funny parts), even though it's a silly movie I would never rent. These conditions couldn't save The Majestic.

With a great director and great performances, what made The Majestic horrible? It has to be the story. The Majestic was written by Michael Sloane, whose only other writing credit is co-writing Hollywood Boulevard II. Ever heard of it? I hadn't, but reviews say it's bad and monotonous, like The Majestic.

The Majestic is a 152-minute flim with a 90-minute story. After Jim Carrey gets amnesia, nothing happens for a full hour. I remember seeing the camera pan across the town and appreciating the cinematography for a split-second, but wishing I was tired enough to fall asleep until things picked up. Eventually we flash back to the evil UAAC people who are looking for Mr. Carrey, and there is hope that something may happen soon, but we immediately go back to the small town with nothing going on for about another half hour.

Finally, we get to the courtroom scene, and I'm praying that the movie will redeem itself. It was ridiculous. Jim Carrey keeps talking and talking, continually interrupting the judge who is banging away with his gavel, telling him to be quiet, telling him he's out of order, threatening him, etc. Is he removed? No! The banging just goes on and on to the point of utter absurdity. I eventually expected Jim Carrey to return with, "I'm out of order? This whole court is out of order!"

What makes The Majestic so truly horrible is that so much talent was wasted on a worthless script.

Rating:
Summary: Not great, but good!
Review: This is not a movie I will strongly reccomend you to watch. But if you are a Jim Carrey fan, you may love this movie, but the movie runs about 2 and a half hours. And I feel that this is one of the movies, books, music, etc that doesn't dervse 5 stars but 4 stars. But if you like to watch movies about 2 hours and 30 mintues, I also reccomend Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. As the movie opens, Peter Appleton (Jim Carrey) is a movie writer. Until he gets into a car crash, and doesn't remember anything when he wakes up. He goes to a town, and is mistaken for Luke Trimble, who has been missing for a long time. Of course if mistaken is the right word. Matt Damon (in an uncredited role) voices Luke Trimble only once in this movie. There are two things I feel that are important to know before you wach a movie (for the first time). One is to know how long the movie runs. And two, know what the movie is rated. This movie got a PG rating. So I will leave it up to you if you want to let your kids/teenagers watching this. Like I said earlier I give this movie a lukewarm recomention.

Rating:
Summary: Black Listed Amnesia Case...
Review: Peter Appleton (Jim Carrey) is a man who is happy with life as he lives it in Hollywood as an up and coming screenwriter. He is nonchalant about the world until the day he becomes black listed as a communist sympathizer. This results in him losing everything in his life including his girlfriend. Peter ends up at a local bar where he gets drunk while pondering his hopeless situation and later leaves to go for a drive along the coast. The drive ends with a crash and amnesia when he wakes up nearby a small idyllic coastal town. Majestic is an upbeat drama about friendship, film, love, moral issues, memories, and much more that will entertain and charm the audience.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and Whimsical Film!
Review: I found this rather light-hearted romantic comedy quite entertaining, and one of the aspects I enjoyed most about it was the unusual dramatic direction in which comedian Jim Carrey seems to be going with such efforts as this one and his recent triumphant portrayal of the title character in "Truman". Once again Carrey neatly uses his considerable talents in more subtle ways than when chasing laughs in such slapstick efforts as "Ace Ventura, Pet Detective" or "Dumb and Dumber", and the result here is a very pleasing, and much more mellow movie.

Of course, Carrey is supported in all this with a whimsical story and a strong supporting cast, including veteran character actor Martin Landau as the father so desperate to find his lost son he is left clutching at the straw Carrey's character represents. ALso terrific are Bob Balaban and Hal Holbrook. Also noteworthy here is the lovely Laurie Holden, who delivers a wonderful and fairly complex performance as a no-nonsense woman whose heart slowly finds itself surrendering to Carrey's lost boy charm. Expect to hear much more from her in the near term future, as she has absolutely everything it will take to be a major leading lady.

Of course, this is a 1940s type movie, much like the feel-good stuff Hollywood once seemed to discharge with impish regularity from noted directors like Frank Capra and many others as well. And the use of the Hollywood blacklist here adds strength and purpose to the character's amnesia and recovery that it otherwise wouldn't have. After all, the fact that he was running away from something is a critically important aspect of the story, so using the blacklisting of artists so common in the early fifties is an interesting sidebar to the events transpiring on the screen.

However, I found the Washington hearing sequences to be out of place and much too shrill to be included with the movie. I believe the issue could have been handled in another way and not detract from the main story line being developed and grown before us. This ends up being a bittersweet statement on life, and how one can make it be what one wants and needs it to be, if only one has the strength, courage, and imagination to live it at the edge, taking the risks needed to make it work. I found myself smiling as the final credits came up, and glad to have witnessed Carrey's growth into a much more substantial actor and artist than I had thought he was capable of being. Hopefully he will continue along these lines, taking the risks he needs to take to fulfill his beckoning promise as a dramatic artist.