D2: The Mighty Ducks.

Review #869: D2: The Mighty Ducks.

Cast:
Emilio Estevez (Gordon Bombay), Kathryn Erbe (Michelle McKay), Michael Tucker (Mr. Tibbles), Jan Rubes (Jan), Carsten Norgaard (Wolf "The Dentist" Stansson), Maria Ellingsen (Maria), Joshua Jackson (Charlie Conway, #96), Elden Henson (Fulton Reed, #44), Shaun Weiss (Greg Goldberg, #33), Matt Doherty (Les Averman, #4), Brandon Adams (Jesse Hall, #9), Garette Ratliff Henson (Guy Germaine, #00), and Marguerite Moreau (Connie Moreau, #18) Directed by Sam Weisman.

Review:
Though the first film isn't technically a great piece of film, it was at least (to me, anyway) a moderately entertaining movie that had some sort of charm to it, even among its hokey-ness. Maybe it was the hockey, or maybe it was just the way it flowed. But with the sequel (and its bizarre title), there doesn't seem to be as much faithful charm. It seems to be more a movie muddled it wants wants to be. There is nothing that seems convincing (in both characters and plot), with no real motivation to care about this team trying to win (the Junior Goodwill Games, of course). Norgaard is moderately entertaining as the villain (did you expect Iceland as the final opponent? Me either), fitting his nickname of "The Dentist" as well as one can. The slapstick and hockey don't really stand out from what you might expect, not really being entertaining enough to talk about (roping an opponent isn't as cool as it seems), going through the motions you'd expect. As a whole, it's a mediocre Disney film that would be good to watch once, but it isn't anything special enough to want to watch more than that.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Diner.

Review #561: Diner.

Cast
Steve Guttenberg (Edward "Eddie" Simmons), Daniel Stern (Laurence "Shrevie" Schreiber), Mickey Rourke (Robert "Boogie" Sheftell), Kevin Bacon (Timothy "Fen" Fenwick Jr), Tim Daly (William "Billy" Howard), Ellen Barkin (Beth Schreiber), Paul Reiser (Modell), Kathryn Dowling (Barbara), and Michael Tucker (Bagel) Directed by Barry Levinson (#383 - The Natural)

Review
Diner was Barry Levinson's directorial debut, and his first set around the city of Baltimore (He would make three others based on the city such as Tin Men, Avalon, and Liberty Heights), this being set on the turn of the 1950's. This is a very fun film to watch, this a movie that doesn't need much of a plot to work, it's a series of events that are pretty funny but also brilliant to watch (I like this one brief scene where Reiser complains over the word nuance. It's a short scene, but it exemplifies how random conversations get between friends, even over the stupidest things) The main five actors are great, they function well with each other, and that's the point of the movie. It's just a bunch of friends reuniting with one another for the wedding of one of them, but it's not about the wedding, it's a collection of moments between friends, a movie that feels natural, a movie that has fun and it's a movie that certainly delivers.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.