Badalamenti, Angelo

• Straight Story, The (1999)

  [4/10]

  "Imagine how bored would you get driving a riding lawn mower across Iowa? Now imagine watching a movie about a 73-year-old man driving a riding lawn mower across Iowa -- a serious movie, not a comedy. Now add a folksy violin ditty on an endless 30-second loop for 110 minutes of 5 mile-per-hour lawn mower adventures and you have The Straight Story."

• Wicker Man, The (2006)

  [4/10]

  "Perhaps another male lead could have given a more plausible performance, but then you would also have to deal with the pathetic script that makes even talented women like Ellen Burstyn sound like a brainwashed robot. Then again, perhaps we should leave well enough alone, just enjoy classic cult films on their own merits, and use big-budget Hollywood money make something altogether new."

  Average score: 4.00