Like you care what I think, right? But as one fan to others, I'm
just providing a slightly skewed review of the movies Vincent has been
in that I have seen. Let's face it, most critics are so unkind. But me,
well, I'm much nicer... about these movies, anyway. Usually I can find
something
wrong with almost anything if you give me a few minutes. It's the
Virgo editor thing. But I'm nice about these movies, since they've got
Vincent in them, doing his thing. Hopefully these reviews will help you
decide which movies are the best to rent, buy, or look for, since some
are hard to find. On to the reviews.
The Ascent
This movie really jumped out of nowhere and smacked me hard. It is
probably the reason this page is here. I was visiting my mother and searching
for something non-offensive on afternoon television, and this movie came
on the Odyssey network. I saw Vincent's name in the opening credits so
I watched it, and I am so glad he was in it and I did. I don't usually
like war-related movies, but this one has a slow, beautiful pace to it,
and the photography is wonderful. It is based on a true story. Vincent's
character is an Italian prisoner-of-war who keeps escaping. He charms visiting
British folk, irritates the mess out of the leader of the POW camp, expertly
navigates mountainous terrain, becomes a hero to his peers, and does pull-ups
in his solitary confinement cell. It's a good movie. Check it out. There
are also some other people and plot lines in this movie.
Back to list of films
The Christmas Path
I finally have my own copy of this (thanks, Dottie!) and got
to see it. I like this movie; in it, Vincent plays a not-so-perfect Christmas
angel (Balthazar) who is trying his best. He is sent to help bring hope
back to a little boy and the child's family as the holiday season approaches.
Of course, since it is set in the Christmas season, there have to be a
great many traumas, or, well, it just wouldn't be the holiday season. But
with Balthazar's help, it all works out okay. Vincent wears white in this,
and has lots of long hair -- even longer than mine -- in this movie.
Gotta be a wig, you can sort of tell. Anyway, this movie isn't
readily available anywhere, so watch the television listings in December
and check it out. There are also some other people in this movie.
Back to list of films
The Deadly Look of Love
Oh dear. I really didn't like this movie, and if Vincent wasn't in
it, I would throw the copy of the tape across the room. It says in the
previews that he is a 'lothario' in this movie, but his character just
seems too likable to be considered that. In this movie, he plays a guy
who is engaged but is still fooling around with this young chick who just
happens to be a psycho hose beast. Whoops. At any rate, Vincent's character
gets blamed for a murder he didn't commit, and the young irritating psycho
hose beast goes free. Oops, did I give away the ending? You would have
figured it out anyway. Despite everything, Vincent did a good job
in this movie, and the only reasons to keep the sound on at all are his
lines, and when he says, "mmmm..." deep in his chest. You ought to watch
it for that. Also, great clothes, suits, leather jacket and car,
and great hideaway cabin. There are also some other people and plot lines
in this movie.
Back to list of films
Alphabet City
This movie is very, very 80s. There are some sweet scenes with Vincent's
character and his wife and child. He wears some fab 80s garb and drives
a nice car. The writing and direction could have used a little tightening
up, but Vincent does his best with the script, and looks fab doing it.
There are also some other people and plot lines in this movie.
Back to list of films
High Frequency
All Vincent, all the time. Well, almost. About half. This is a cool
show, and one you could watch with kids or parents, except for a few cuss
words, which are pretty appropriately used. Vincent's character is alone
in the Alps, filling in for someone at a satellite station thing (pretty
technical language, eh?). He makes radio friends with a young boy, and
together they get into a great deal of mischief and international
espionage. Seriously. There are many, many scenes of Vincent's character,
who sports many days worth of stubble over his dimples -- talking, yelling,
playing drums, being sly, comforting, snuggling with Pierre -- a
bunny. Nice. There are also some other people and plot lines in this movie.
Back to list of films
Creator
This movie is actually very sweet. I just saw it recently.
Spano plays a grad student who falls over backward in love. His girlfriend
feels sick and thinks she is pregnant, but falls into a coma, and he begs
and pleads with her not to die, to just please wake up, and he entreats
the doctor and her parents not to pull the plug on her. It is SO sweet
and sad and convincing. He also champions the cause of his slightly
eccentric professor to his doubtful peers. I don't know if it is just that
I've always had this thing for grad students and eccentric professors or
what, but I liked this movie. There is nudity in this movie, but I'm not
saying who or what or when, or how much. Nope, not saying. It's a secret.
There are also some other people and plot lines in this movie.
Back to list of films
Prophecy III: The Ascent
Vincent plays such a badass angel in this movie. It was great.
Great wardrobe, great hair, great tongue, great knife/heart grabber thing,
great black contacts! He really does evil quite well, and he says "monkey"
with the greatest of disdain. I like the way he tips his head to the side
when he is thinking about something. I was totally cheering for the bad
guys in this movie. I don't want to spoil anything -- but he leaves the
movie much too early. And hey, you need to get yourself emotionally prepared
for that. Christopher Walken was also good in this, and I had never really
thought much about him one way or the other. (What, another actor's name
actually mentioned in one of these reviews? *gasp*!) There are also some
other people and plot lines in this movie.
Back to list of films
City of Hope
This movie, unlike most of the others Vincent has been in, actually
received critical acclaim. And I liked it too. Most of it. Vincent's character
is a tough guy wrestling with family issues, his friends, a lack of funds,
a cop with an attitude, and life in general. He meets a woman in a bar,
and they talk a lot. They knew each other in high school, and eventually
hit it off. The writers gave Vincent's character some lines with the love
interest that are a bit hard to carry off -- most men just don't
EVER talk that way -- but he pulls it off. Their scenes together are sweet.
The ending, though... I'm not wild about it. I realize this kind of movie
is hard to bring to a close with satisfying resolutions for all, but...
If you peer down at the ending from the lofty heights of themes and
poignant symbolism, it is a strong ending. But, if you look at it head-on
from the mess of your oddly furnished living room, it is frustrating. There
are a great, great many other people and plot lines in this movie.
Back to list of films
The Unknown Cyclist
I finally got to see this movie. It's a really, really good movie.
All the actors do great jobs. It is really funny in spots, and very touching
in others. Frank, Vincent's character, is a homophobic guy introduced to
gay and gay-friendly people during the course of a bike marathon.
His wide-eyed stares of shock are priceless. Very well done all the way
around.
Back to list of films
Alive
I saw this movie recently, most of it... I didn't see the first part.
It was a really, really disturbing movie. I wouldn't want to watch it again.
The thought of those people living through such horrific circumstances
is... disturbing. The ones that did make it. Many, many of them didn't.
If it was a made-up story, that would be different. But since it really
happened... I don't know. To see them all so cold and hungry and miserable...
to see them lose loved ones... to see them realize that the search had
been called off.... Anyway. Vincent's character tries to provide
discipline and order to keep everyone and everything together as best as
he can. It is a very dramatic role, and he does a great job. But, I don't
like the outcome for his character in this movie (hint, hint). There are
strong dramatic performances by all of the cast.
Back to list of films
Blood Ties
Vincent plays another bad guy in this movie, and he shouldn't do that,
because he really makes me want the bad guys to win, so much. Tsk. He is
very bad in this movie... very frenetic, and gangsta, and very Italian!
He does lots of fun-looking drugs, and is rough with his girlfriend (lucky
cow), and waves a gun around, and is all-around naughty. Not that Italians
are like that. I don't mean that. I mean, I've heard that Italians
(especially Italian men) are very nurturing folk. I just mean it is set
in Italy, and Vin looks right at home there. I'll stop now before I get
myself into any more trouble. There are some other people and plot lines
in this movie.
Back to list of films
Indian Summer
Okay, see, everyone needs to see this movie. It's such a good film.
Vincent is SO AWESOME in this. He looks great, and he does cool things,
and he laughs and you get to see that smile, and those dimples, and, well,
it's good. He also plays the husband who just doesn't get what's going
on really well. But it's just a part in a movie, so you can't hold it against
him, ha ha. And his ex-girlfriend from his early teens is there, and they
have some sparks. She is definitely interested in having a go, and he seems
to be too. And, sorry, but no story of fish guts from Uncle Lou could deter
me from that. Anyway, do catch it if you can, it's a jewel. There
are quite a few other people (an ensemble cast, actually) and plot lines,
and a moose, in this movie.
Back to list of films
Deathlands: Homeward Bound
This movie was great. Really. Very entertaining. It did have some violence
and blood squirting around, which always squicks me out, so I had
to look away. You'd think after all of my surgeries and medical procedures
the sight of that wouldn't bother me, but it does. Especially when the
violence was directed toward Vincent's character, Ryan. And there was quite
a bit of that. He played a great hero, very strong, yet vulnerable, but
only to a select few. The theme or message of the movie is that you can't
keep running from your past, you have to deal with it, even if it doesn't
seem like a good idea at the time. Okay, have I been nice long enough?
Good. This movie made me want to rant and rave... So the rant finds
a home in my review. Here it is.
Okay, see, it is not fair. It is not fair for everything so good to be concentrated all into one person. To have that talent -- it makes you feel like you know the character, and with even subtle looks or gestures, it makes each character sensitive and smart and portrays them in a way you can identify with -- and that deep rumble of a voice, and that jawline, and those eyes, and those lips, and those dimples, and that smile... not forgetting that chest, and those hands, and that height, and that hair, and . . . ! It's not fair. It seems all of that might be spread around to several different people, so the rest of us might have a chance to experience it in person. But no, Vincent got it all. I may rant, but I'm glad he did.
I'm through ranting for now. Sorry about that. Had to say it, though.
This movie's script was wonderfully tight, with some great comedic bits,
and one of the greatest lines ever... "It's an ass worth saving."
Hopefully this movie will re-run many times, and hopefully the SciFi
network will make more of them from the series of books. It might be a
good idea to hop on over to their
website and let them know that we'd like to see more movies from that
series. (I grabbed this from their website, hope they don't mind: SCI FI
CHANNEL: If you have suggestions or comments for our Programming Department
about the SCI FI Channel or any of its shows, please contact: program@www.scifi.com
). There were also some other people, plot lines, and mutants in this movie.
Back to list of films
Dead Silence
A great film, should have been released in theaters rather than straight-to-video,
in my opinion. It was shot in a short space of time, but you would never
know it. Vincent's character is a detective who is busy solving a case,
protecting a little girl who saw too much, and doing a bit of delicate
repair work on a broken-up relationship. You do realize I am way
over-simplifying things here, right? This film's plot has some
good twists and surprises in it, and I don't want to spoil anything. But
I will say that his character wears such great clothes in this, he looks
great, really, and he has a switchblade at the ready when things need to
be ripped open, which I always find attractive in a man, ha ha! Time
for me to get my hands on my own copy of the DVD.
Back to list of films
The Rats
This is an interesting movie with some icky parts. Not for those of
you who do not like or cannnot handle the thought of being overrun by evil
rodents. There is a flying ear. Ew. Okay, enough. Vincent's character works
with a team to try to stop the invasion and runs into quite a few problems
(and big rats) along the way. Okay, I cannot lie, I haven't seen
ALL of it. I watch parts and try to skip through others. I once spent a
short time in a place with rats in it, and they were not the Hollywood-trained-with-a-rat-wrangler
kind. Anyway, Vincent's character is very sweet to the heroine and
to her little girl. The three walk together hand-in-hand, but
what really happens to all those rats? There are A LOT of RATS in
this movie.
Back to list of films
Medusa's Child
Okay, this is a good movie. A bit long, but very good. Vincent is a
super-heroic pilot in this movie, and he is going to face the problems
and prevent disaster no matter who tells him to do otherwise. The
title is a bit misleading, since neither Medusa or children show up. Which
is a good thing. There is political intrigue, and a sassy heroine for Vincent
to argue with and then work together with and then have sparks with. Sigh.
And he is going to try to help save the world. Defiantly. Against all odds.
All while he is looking very, very nice in his pilot's uniform. There are
some other people and plot lines in this movie, but of course, if you don't
know it from reading these reviews by now, they are not the part
of the movie I am reviewing in these reviews! This movie was previously
terribly hard to find, but sometimes Lifetime television, WE, or Lifetime
Movie Network will have it. Check it out. It is about four hours long.
Back to list of films
Goosed
This is a cute, silly movie. Jennifer Tilly, the woman with the really,
really large chest (no, really) and the really unique (and/or irritating,
depending on your point of view) voice is a woman with a mission to find
a doctor named Steven. Not too bad of a quest, I'd think. She finds
a few (sort of). Vincent plays one of the boyfriends she finds, a
lead singer and guitar player named Steven, who is the frontman for the
band "Medicine Man". She decides this counts as him being a doctor
(I would too) and they get together. It's really convenient, with him living
right next door and all. She eventually drives him crazy, you know, in
a bad way, and he breaks up with her, but he still comes around to visit
the twin boys they had together. And they stay friends, in fact she stays
friends with most of her ex-boyfriends and they all hang out, which has
to be the most unrealistic part of this movie. Ha ha. This movie is like
whipped cream... not especially vital for life, but lots of sticky, naughty
fun. It is silly and light, with quite a few famous cuties hiding in it.
Probably will only ever be available on vhs, but worth the search and the
buy. Oh, also, Joan Rivers is in this movie, before she had that totally
scary facelift.
Back to list of films
Texas Rangers
Vincent is so barely in this movie that I was really disappointed.
He is a bad guy again. It's cool. Go, bad guys. Couldn't he have shot/manhandled/disrespected/beaten
up a few more people for some additional screen time? Come on, you Rangers
are all way too serious anyway. I'm kidding. It was a pretty good movie,
I think, since I am not really what you'd call a western-watching kind
of girl. There are a lot of other people, especially dudes that other people
tell me are nice looking, in this movie, and the plot has an interesting
little twist.
Back to list of films
Betrunner
This is a dramatic short film, and it gives you an inside look at a
Angela, a betrunner (someone who takes bets on horse races) in a busy casino.
But, the hectic pace, the constant flow of money, and the tension and excitement
of choosing winners starts getting to her, and pretty soon she is in over
her head with a load of problems to deal with. Addiction is never easy
to handle, and the addict is usually the most oblivious to the problem.
It would be difficult to be around so much money and not become addicted
to getting a little of your own. That's why I don't work for a bank!
Anyway, this very nicely, tightly constructed short has its share of memorable
characters, from the slightly creepy lady who cleans the bathrooms to the
menacing 'boss' to the couple with the lucky troll. Check it out.
Back to list of films
Tony and Bobby
This award-winning short is really good, it will make you laugh with
its premise of 'who's-on-first' confusion -- but in a slightly tougher
neighborhood and set of circumstances. How the two actors managed to memorize
all of those lines and names, and deliver them without cracking up, I will
never know. It gave me an extra laugh, because I am absolutely the worst
at remembering names and who is doing what and why. As far as I know, it
has not been distributed nationally yet, but hopefully it will be someday.
Vincent was the director, producer, and editor for this short film.
Another review of Indian Summer
Check out this review for The Rats
Detailed reviews of City of Hope
A review of Prophecy 3, The Ascent
Other bits of reviews:
“Even if you haven’t seen the earlier films in this series, this one is strong enough to stand on its own – and if you have seen them, it manages to bring the trilogy to conclusion. Anyone who likes apocalyptic films should take a look at this one.” -- Apollo Guide, regarding Prophecy III
"City of Hope (1991, John Sayles) Sayles weaves together many strands--there are some 36 meaningful speaking roles--in a story of how life, work, race, and politics connect in a modern New Jersey city. Joe Morton is poignant as a black alderman who tries to effect change but is efficiently pushed toward the system, and Vincent Spano is lost and touching as a man whose father supplies him with a job, but not with an occupation." -- From Ebert's Top 20
"An actor of striking intensity, Vincent Spano's work displays his versatility as both a comedic and dramatic talent. His aggressive approach to his craft and proven ability have consistently delivered measurable performances." -- from the bio page of 'The Unknown Cyclist'
"While we can have nothing but respect for the bravery of both Ted and Janet Harduvel, Afterburn is basically just another up-from-adversity TV movie. But this one is redeemed by the complex performances of Spano and Dern-they give Afterburn the emotional weight its real-life subjects deserve." -- Ken Tucker, reviewing 'Afterburn' for Entertainment Weekly
Just in case you wondered, I ditched the background on
this page so the reviews would be easier to read.
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