Always

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!
Review: This remake of A Guy Named Joe is far superior. Guys would call this a chick movie but it's a story about friendship, love, and rebirth. Richard Dreyfuss and John Goodman are a riot.

Rating:
Summary: Fly to the Heavens
Review: John Williams never seems to lose sight of what kind of film he is scoring. No matter what the subject his is tackling he manages to find the humanity and spirit of it. His score for "Always" is one such example. The main theme is reflective and sad. One the envokes losing someone who was loved, but at the same time having the courage to let go and live. Williams may not have had the best film to score, the film itself has many flaws, but standing alone this is a fine album that is worth the buy.

Rating:
Summary: this is Spielberg's worst film.
Review: Made the same year as Ghost. Always was the thrid teaming of actor Richard Dreyfuss and Director Steven Spielberg,(after Jaws and Close Encounters of the Thrid Kind) but this movie is entirely forgettable as there is a weak script, full of characters we don't care about, and the love story is really corny and unbeliveable. John Goodman is miscast in this movie while Holly Hunter plays a thankless role too.

Rating:
Summary: I thought this was Spielburg's finest flick...
Review: The acting was wonderful. A solid cast with Dreyfuss, Hunter and Goodman. The messages were potent. If you're one of those deep thinkers, you'll like those little quiet "meanings of life" messages that are interwoven throughout the movie.

Hep, the angel says to Dreyfuss, (paraphrasing) Einstein knew time was a funny thing, but he didn't know HOW funny it was.

Surely, this is a reference to Mr. E's famous quote, "To those of us who are committed physicists, the past, present and future are only illusion, however persistent."

"Always" is a movie about perfect, unconditional love. According to Angel Hep, the only pain we carry with us to heaven, are the memories of the love we could have given away on earth, and didn't.

There are many layers to this movie. It's quite something.

Rating:
Summary: The master doesn't "Always" get it right.
Review: I love Spielberg movies. He is a director in an echelon all by himself. Much of the negative criticism about his work is that his pictures are too happy: good wins over evil. That is the very reason Spielberg's films are so successful. The catharsis is always complete. However, even Speilberg can't save some films. Such is the case with ALWAYS.

The film stars three great actors (John Goodman, Richard Dreyfuss, and Holly Hunter), has some of the most beautiful natural scenery in any Speilberg film, and a special appearance by Audrey Hepburn. The movie has a great beginning. At first viewing I thought to myself, "This is going to be awesome, a movie about Forest Service pilots and Smoke Jumpers! No one has ever done anything like that before." The great humor during the first thirty minutes (subtly making fun, among other things, of movies and even Speilberg himself) further deluded me. Of course, I knew Richard Dreyfuss' character was going to die, but I thought the movie was then going to focus on how the people in his life coped after his death. I was partially right, but wasn't counting on him to continue starring in the movie as an "unseen" spirit. After his character's final moment alive on Earth, the movie went downhill like a plane on fire. It quickly left its humor and adventure, entering the territory of the non-believable, extremely sappy, romance. From then one out there is very little hope. There are a few memorable scenes: Holly Hunter "cooking" dinner, the dead bus driver who is revived, and the final shot of Richard Dreyfuss walking out of the film. However, these scenes don't feel right together. The feel like different pieces of a jigsaw puzzle glued together: they fit but don't really belong. Even the master can't ALWAYS save a film.

Rating:
Summary: Angels not ghosts reminds us love ALWAYS triumphs
Review: First, compare this masterpiece to "the 6th sense". One is an uplifting story of reality where good does triumph, the other is a dark, sordid, dangerous lie about angry, departed spirits.

This film is one of Spielberg's finest on the same level of Saving Private Ryan because of its truthfullness, and the reviewers who missed this, I hope I can explain why. We all have loved ones, and most of us have lost some at some point in life, that they could come back on a special mission as angels (not wander aimlessly in place) is a fascinating concept not without merit. The film stays true to this throughout. Certainly this is Richard Dreyfuss' and Holly Hunter's best movie. Its beautifully filmed and has awesome aerial action sequences that remind us all of the dangers the forest fire fighters go through. Now then, you have Richard D losing his life to save John Goodman, NOW THAT HAPPENS IN REAL LIFE.

But Holly Hunter is devastated, so Richard comes back to reinvigorate her life she deserves. What's beautiful is that Richard realizes that there is beauty in all of us, in that if you REALLY LOVE SOMEONE, you will want them to be loved, and if you can't be there to do this, there is uniqueness in other people that can fill this need. Richard realizes that Holly is, yes "his girl", but that that doesn't mean she couldn't find love with another person for the remainder of life--its not a competition in order to have something unique, we are all unique, its "apples" and "oranges". The exclusivity arrogance that Richard thinks makes him the "best" pilot is really not that but self-confidence, and when he takes Brad Johnson's character under his wing (pardon the pun) he realizes as a responsible LEADER that he needs to infuse his courage into him. Its an amazing thing to watch Richard/Holly/Brad change before your eyes on the screen.

The ending for me is what makes this film one of the greatest films, ever. I didn't expect it actually. My eyes water recounting it. Read no further if you haven't seen the film!

But it is realistic and true-to-life. A team of "Smoke Jumpers" are trapped by fire in the mountains. Brad must fly and water bomb drop to shield them to escape to a nearby river. Holly Hunter is a pilot, so she hops in and flies the mission for him! She will NOT stand to see him die. Now that's LOVE. And determination. WOW! That's realistic--women are known when the time calls for it to---display tremendous courage when required, for example when my mom and I were driving in fog she hit the brakes before hitting a truck and her FIRST INSTINCT was to extend her arm to stop me from flying into the windshield; now THAT'S HEROISM. Holly's character is of the same mold, she flies the mission and Richard talks her through it, the Smoke Jumpers are saved in the nick of time but her plane is hit and she is going down...into the water. She finally gets through to Richard in the process but doesn't want to live anymore...she doesn't budge from her seat. Richard talks to her and tells her she has a life to live, others are counting on her and he helps her to the surface! I believe that. I know for a fact that in your hour of need goodness will come through for you, she reaches the surface and runs to Brad Johnson.

What a great movie true to life!

Rating:
Summary: FALLS FLAT
Review: A hot shot dare devil pilot just loves to take chances in fighting fires. His best friend and his "girl" are chatterboxes who verbally spar with one another until ad naseum. Our hero decides to take one chance to many an the predictable happens. He leaves "his girl" in total grief and his best friend stunned. Oh, and he failed to tell "his girl" that he loves her.

You have three good actors and a predictable, sappy story which even they can't rescue. Sure, the scenes are great and the action good but the story never gets off the ground. Our hero's return to say goodbye makes you want to say so what? Holly Hunter's character was not convincing. She sounds like a hot shot one moment and then a little girl the next. Even Dreyfuss and Goodman didn't pull off their roles convincingly as dare devil pilots. The best that can be said for this film is that it falls flat though it had great potential with some fine actors. It is an average run of the mill B movie which is good for a rainy or snowy day.

Rating:
Summary: Always
Review: This movie is geared to max out a woman's emotions. I still hurt just thinking about this movie. Such love, such depth, such loss, such humour! And Audrey Hepburn adds the final classy touch to this poignant movie. Gotta have it in the collection! Also, made me think about and realize that some of our national heroes don't get much recognition. Never thought about what a pilot does to help put out fires and what they go through in training. Way cool!

Rating:
Summary: Loved it then -- love it now
Review: First time I saw this movie I was pulled to it in a very mystical way. Some may call it soft compared to the strength of some of Spielberg's work. However, I prefer to view it as another example of the well rounded capabilities of the creative genius. No, it's not the epic tragedy of "Schindler's List" or "Amistad", rather it's as the Beatles put it ... "a silly little love song ...?" All part of the human tragedies both epic and personal.

Life and death have many facets and in this movie Spielberg demonstrates again the breadth of his story telling ability. Obviously, I'm quite a fan of Spielberg's -- the irony of it all was I loved the movie from the first time I saw it, a long time ago. I didn't find out it was Spielberg's until some time later when I thought-- "should have figured." It always was and always will be one of my favorites.

Having experienced events similar to this movie almost two years ago, the movie now has a more personal meaning. Within days after my loss, the movie was aired on cable. It movie moved me again in a deeper way. On August 17, 2000 I ran across the movie (quite by accident.) I was looking for "I Claudius" at a reasonable price. Now available on DVD, I ordered the series. Then I remembered my other favorites --"Duel", "ET", "Henry V", and "Always" and decided to replace my aging VHS copies, where possible, with DVD. In a rush I opted for overnight delivery. Later, realizing how stupid I was,

I knew that an order placed late in the day was not likely to arrive "next day". That meant the order was not likely to leave Amazon until Friday. BOY was I really stupid, paying those overnight charges for an order not likely to arrive until Monday August 21. Checking the status of my order, my suspicions were confirmed. Oh well live and learn. Well it's now Monday and the order hasn't arrived. Checking the order status I thought -- "I'm not paying those high shipping charges now!" Following up on the shipping costs I became aware Amazon had reduced the charges which made me feel better. I scrolled back up to see when I was to expect the order. There it was -- the arrival date had been delayed again to tomorrow August 22, 2000 -- two years to the day when Michael died in the car accident.

So, all you jaded critics take care. This "silly little love movie" has meaning to those singular hearts that hurt. Steven Spielberg is not too big to tell the small tales for us too. Tales that in some mystical way touch the heart.

Rating:
Summary: Some souls burn brightly even after death.
Review: Let's face it, there's damned few chances in life to root for the dead guy. And when the deceased is a fire fighting hero, a pilot and Richard Dreyfuss, you know your have to love him. But before I become too premature, let's lay the groundwork. Actually that term is only half correct for "Always", as a lot of the action takes place in the air. You see we are dealing with airborne smokeys, fire fliers who pilot Air Tankers and dump thousands of gallons of water on forest fires for little pay, even less public recognition and no future.

So there's no prizes for guessing the outcome when we are introduced to one of the more reckless pilots, Pete Sandich, who is in a non-committal relationship with a beautiful Radio operator back at base, Dorinda Durston, played by Holly Hunter. But before the inevitable, tragic accident, we are treated to some quite romantic scenes. The best of which involves Pete gifting his love with a stunning white cocktail dress. The timing could have been better as she then has to dance with every roughneck fire-stomper in the base.

Pete's best friend, the improbably named Al Yackey, is played by John Goodman. He actually has the best role in the film and whilst he does offer much comic relief, there is much more meat on the character's bones than just humour. In fact he is an integral part in putting all the pieces back together following Pete's death.

Interestingly, the story doesn't really take off until Pete is ashes to ashes. You see the afterlife is not all cheese and biscuits, laying back on fluffy clouds. There's work to do, inspiring the living to be the best they can be, or at least to stop being such losers. Pete gets some on the job training from an angelic supervisor called Hap, (Audry Hepburn), and is then pushed out into the world to assist a wayward member of Gods great flock.

This particular sheep is called Ted Baker and he gets one of the best descriptions in any film when Dorinder claims he is not her type, (too much twisted steel and sex appeal). You see, it's Teds destiny to be with Dorinda and hers to be with him. Unfortunately, Pete doesn't work that out for some time because he is too busy trying to be a part of Dorinda's life.

There's a lot of room for emotional moments in this film, so don't forget the tissues. I love the whole idea of the film. It's great to watch Richard Dreyfuss weave his magic with a touching script. And John Goodman is the perfect buddy for, first Pete and then Dorina. In the end we have to forgive Ted for wanting to take Pete's girl. It is hard because we can see Pete is still desperately in love with her. But when he turns the corner and starts pulling for Ted, we can't help but follow.