Tom's Time-Travel Movie Reviews

[Tom]

Title: Clockstoppers
Year: 2002
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Rating: PG
Length: 94 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 3, French: Dolby Digital 3
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Jesse Bradford
French Stewart
Paula Garces
Michael Biehn
Robin Thomas

Plot:
Director Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek™: Insurrection, Star Trek™: First Contact) deftly mixes laughs with thrills in the sci-fi adventure film Clockstoppers. Zak Gibbs (Jesse Bradford, Hackers) is an ordinary teenager who suddenly obtains extraordinary powers when he stumbles upon a mysterious wristwatch-type device that can literally stop time in its tracks! To Zak, it's the pefect gadget to impress Francesca (Paula Greces, Dangerous Minds), the beautiful new foreign exchange student at school. But to those more passionately familiar with the incredible timepiece—a hapless scientist (French Stewart, 3rd Rock from the Sun) and his sinister boss (Michael Biehn, The Terminator)—the ultimate power of the entire world literally lies in the hands of whomever possesses the amazing apparatus. They want it back—at any cost—and that's when Zak and Francesca find themselves unwittingly swept into a thrilling, high-tech race against time!

Awards:
Extras:
Closed Captioned
Featurettes
Music Videos
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

For a Nickelodeon movie it is rather fun. For the most part the time-stopping is done well, although they break there own "rules" only to have a "see what funny things we can do when using hyper time". Especially the scene in the night club where there are helping their friend by moving him around. To do these dance sequences they would have to hold him in one position for minutes when considering their speed relatively to the rest. The whole routine should have taken them hours or even days to do. So not so much fun as they seemed to have doing it. Another scene which breaks their rules is the car chase scene where both parties are in hyper-time. Because of an accident, the good guys fall out of hyper-time. But why were also the bad guys suddenly back in normal time?
Other than that I had fun watching it.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Blast from the Past
Year: 1999
Director: Hugh Wilson
Rating: PG-13
Length: 112 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35, Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 3
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Brendan Fraser
Alicia Silverstone
Christopher Walken
Sissy Spacek
Dave Foley

Plot:
Meet Adam Webber (Brendan Fraser, The Mummy, George of the Jungle), born and raised in a bomb shelter with his mad scientist father (Christopher Walken, Pulp Fiction) and his sherry swilling mother (Sissy Spacek, JFK). Adam's simple childhood has been filled with Perry Como records, The Honeymooners re-runs and good old-fashioned family values. Now, 35 years later, Adam is about to emerge into a bewildering modern world in search of supplies and a simple girl from Pasadena. Instead, Adam meets Eve (Alicia Silverstone, Clueless) a modern LA woman, jaded about life and burned by love. The result is "an engaging romantic comedy that's charming, funny and hip!"

Awards:

Saturn

1999

Nominated

Best Supporting Actress

Sissy Spacek

Extras:
Closed Captioned
DVD-ROM Content
Interactive Game
Production Notes
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

I know it's a little stretch to include this in my time-travel marathon, but for me this has a little time-travel movie feeling to it. The fallout shelter is the "time-travel" device. And we have people out of their time in a fish-out-of-the-water scenario.
I always loved this movie. I think it is too bad that Alica Silverstone didn't make more romantic comedies.
This was also the movie that I really took notice of Christopher Walken the first time. He is just fun to watch as Adam's dad.

Rating:

[GSyren]

Just thought I'd pop in here and mention some time travel titles in my collection that I think haven't been mentioned, in case anyone likes to check them out:

• Journey to the Center of Time
• The Sticky Fingers Of Time
• Timerider
• Thrill Seekers (aka The Time Shifters)
• The Flipside of Dominick Hide
• Crime Traveller

I'd especially recommend The Sticky Fingers Of Time as it is a somewhat different time travel tale.

[Tom]

Title: 12:01
Year: 1993
Director: Jack Sholder
Rating: PG-13
Length: 94 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Jonathan Silverman
Helen Slater
Nicolas Surovy
Robin Bartlett
Jeremy Piven

Plot:
Jonathan Silverman (Weekend at Bernie's, Brighton Beach Memoirs) is Barry Thomas, and Barry is having a bad day... over and over and over again. That's because Barry is caught in a "time bounce" – an atmospheric phenomenon – that occurs when his employer, the high-tech company Utrel, has an experiment that goes haywire. Spared from the effect of memory loss by an electric shock at the moment of the time bounce, Barry is the only one at Utrel who has the power to change the course of fate. And to Barry that means saving the life of the woman he loves, research scientist Lisa Fredericks (Helen Slater, City Slickers, Ruthless People).

Tautly directed by Jack Sholder (A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge, The Hidden) and co-starring Academy Award® winner Martin Landau (Crimes and Misdemeanors), 12:01 is a spirited sci-fi thriller you'll enjoy again and again! It's Back to the Future meets Groundhog Day!

Awards:
Extras:
Commentary
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

This TV movie came out the same year as Groundhog Day and has a similar premise. A day repeats itself and only one guy remembers the previous time loops. I always thought this movie was made to profit from the release of Groundhog Day. But now I have read that Groundhog Day supposedly stole the idea from the 12:01 PM short movie which came three years previously, which itself was based on a short story written in the 70s.
Overall I enjoyed this movie even though it has its weaknesses. The main weakness is the lead Jonathan Silverman. I don't like his performance in this movie. Helen Slater on the other hand did a good job with what she was given.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: The Man with Rain in His Shoes
Year: 1998
Director: Maria Ripoll
Writing: Rafa Russo (Writer)
Rating: 15
Length: 92 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Lena Headey as Sylvia Weld
Douglas Henshall as Victor Bukowski
Penélope Cruz as Louise
Gustavo Salmerón as Rafael
Mark Strong as Dave Summers

Plot:
Out-of-work actor Victor Bukowski (Douglas Henshall - This Year's Love) is desperate to stop his ex-girlfriend Sylvia (Lena Headey - Face) from marrying another man.
Then, miraculously, he is given a second chance to go back and correct the mistakes which led to their relationship breaking down.

But will turning back the clock really change anything at all?

Set against the colourful backdrop of London's Notting Hill, IF ONLY is a magical and hilarious romantic comedy with a fantastic cast which also includes Charlotte Coleman from FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL and Neil Stuke from television's GAME ON.

Awards:
Extras:
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

When I first saw this movie, I find it dull for the most part, but picking up at the end. It was about the same this time around. I decided to rewatch this movie now when I saw that Lena Headey is starring in it. The last time I didn't know her yet.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Samurai Commando: Mission 1549
Year: 2005
Director: Masaaki Tezuka
Writing: Ryo Hanmura (Original Material By), Harutoshi Fukui (Screenwriter), Yasushi Matsuura (Screenwriter), Kiyoto Takeuchi (Screenwriter)
Rating: 15
Length: 87 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1, Japanese: DTS 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Yosuke Eguchi as Yusuke Kashima
Kyoka Suzuki as Rei Kanzaki
Haruka Ayase as Nohime
Masatô Ibu as Dohsan Saito
Hoshi Ishida

Plot:
460 years in the past, modern-day soldiers have to stop both the greatest warlord in Japanese history and his special-attack unit.

What would happen if a modern-day self-defence force unit slipped back in time and faced a large army under one of history's greatest generals? Modern soldiers with the latest in weaponry unite with a medieval army in this giant spectacle of action entertainment.

Starring Kazuki Kitamura from the Japanese epic 'Azumi', Samurai Commando: Mission 1549 is Asia's latest action hit. Based on Ryo Hamnura's original story TIMESLIP, Samurai Commando brings the story into the 21st Century.

Awards:
Extras:
Featurettes
Interviews
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

You have to take a lot of things at face value, but then it is an enjoyable little movie. Also a lot of familiar faces for me (e.g. from the Death Note movies, Great Teacher Onizuka live-action series, Cyborg She and Ichi).

Rating:

[Tom]

Happy Accidents (2000/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia MGM Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Brad Anderson Writing: Brad Anderson (Writer) Length: 111 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78, Pan & Scan 1.33:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Subtitles: English, Spanish

I was just going through the first few pages of this thread to replace some of my old reviews where I only used an overview without any other details with my new review template. Doing this I stumbled across this short review. I remember that I am not the only Marisa Tomei fan here, so I was wondering, if anyone else besides me has seen this movie? I can really recommend it. I even double-dipped after I had trouble reading the first DVD on most DVD drives. It's a entertaining romantic comedy with a time-travel twist.

[Hal]

I've just added this to my Wishlist.

Tomei was simply remarkable in My Cousin Vinny!

[Jon]

She is one of my favourite actresses, but modern rom-coms really annoy me! She was wonderful in In The Bedroom... that sounded a bit wrong, but we can but dream. She was also fantastic in The Wrestler.

[Hal]

Well, I don't really think of My Cousin Vinny as a rom-com, but more of a comedy/courtroom drama.  Was there romance going on...sure, but I don't think that was the main theme of the film by any stretch.

This is one of my all-time favorite comedies!  Probably becasue I am a native New Yorker, but have lived in the South for 33 years, so I appreciate both "cultures".

"No self-respecting Southerner eats instant grits!"

Blast away.

[Jon]

Just reading the pattern of replies I can see why you thought I was including Vinny, but I wasn't. I love that film! No way is it a rom-com. No, I meant Happy Accidents. Tomei got best supporting actress for Vinny and many people think it was a mistake the Academy couldn't admit to. Bollocks. She was captivating in it. Whether she deserved such an accolade, I don't know, but she clearly enamoured the voters as much as she did me! 

[Antares]

Tomei got best supporting actress for Vinny and many people think it was a mistake the Academy couldn't admit to. Bollocks.

This is one of those ridiculous urban myths. When the actor gets the envelope with the name of the winner, the other nominees are not listed. If you look, you can obviously see that he is reading the name as written. And I seriously doubt that Palance even knew who she was at that time, after all, it was one of her earliest performances as a lead.



[ Watch on Youtube ]  [ Full Screen ]

[Rogmeister]

I also like Marisa Tomei...and you're right about her Oscar win.  I believe there are people at the Oscars who tabulated the ballots and know who should win...and if a mistake is ever made, they will correct it immediately before the show continues.  No, I haven't seen Happy Accidents yet.

[Jimmy]

One of my favourite website who isn't about movies and their analyze of this. BTW it's the first forum I became a member of in 2001 (and was on their email list back in 97).

Marisa Tomei awarded Oscar by mistake?

It's the kind of website you can pass a lot of time on, so if you loose a lot of time there today because of me sorry

[Tom]

Peggy Sue Got Married (1986/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia (United Kingdom) Director: Francis Coppola Writing: Jerry Leichtling (Writer), Arlene Sarner (Writer) Length: 99 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 1, French: Dolby Digital 1, German: Dolby Digital 1, Italian: Dolby Digital 1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 1 Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Stars:
Kathleen Turner as Peggy Sue
Nicolas Cage as Charlie Bodell
Barry Miller as Richard Norvik
Catherine Hicks as Carol Heath
Joan Allen as Maddy Nagle

Plot:
If you could live your life all over again, would you change anything? Kathleen Turner, portraying Peggy Sue, gets the chance to answer this tantalising question in Francis Ford Coppola's acclaimed romantic comedy. Co-starring Joan Allen, Nicolas Cage, Helen Hunt, and Jim Carrey, PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED is a humourous, heartfelt fantasy about the golden opportunity almost everyone has longed for at least once.

Awards:
Won:

American Society of Cinematographers Awards (1987)		Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases (Jordan Cronenweth)
BMI Film & TV Music Awards (1987)		BMI Film Music Award (John Barry)
National Board of Review Awards, USA (1986)		Best Actress (Kathleen Turner)

Nominated:

Academy Award (1986)		Best Actress (Kathleen Turner)
Academy Award (1986)		Best Cinematography (Jordan Cronenweth)
Academy Award (1986)		Best Costume Design (Theadora Van Runkle)
AFI (1986)		100 Years... 100 Laughs (2000)
Golden Globe (1986)		Actress in a Leading Role - Musical or Comedy (Kathleen Turner)
Golden Globe (1986)		Picture - Musical or Comedy (Paul R. Gurian)
Saturn (1986)		Best Actress (Kathleen Turner)
Saturn (1986)		Best Costumes (Theodora Van Runkle)
Saturn (1986)		Best Science Fiction Film

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

I haven't watched this movie since I first got it in 2003. I was not so impressed with it then. I didn't remember anything about it when I rewatched it now. It is a nice enough movie but far from being a favorite of mine.
It is a romantic comedy without being funny or romantic (in my opinion).
You can see here early appearances by Nicolas Cage, Jim Carrey and Helen Hunt.

Rating: