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Reviews
Fever Pitch (2005)
charming and entertaining
Most of the negative reviews of this movie have been written by male reviewers, most of whom seem to comment favorably on Drew Barrymore's appeal. For such a "successful" corporate striver, her character is way too ditsy. The appeal of this movie is Jimmy Fallon. As a female, I found his character absolutely adorable and imagine that were there such a creature, he would be irresistible. The character, an obsessive baseball fan, is hilarious; he's appealing because he's open about his obsession, self-deprecating; and, when it doesn't interfere with his Red Sox mania, incredibly sweet. And those long eyelashes! This movie works because of Fallon and his witty lines. There's no point in judging the depth of this movie or comparing it to other movies by the same film makers. It is what it is: a wonderfully charming and romantic comedy.
We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004)
Honestly Portrayed Relationships
In most Hollywood films, we get to see only the surface of
relationships, with no subtleties, no complexities, no emotional
underpinnings. "We Don't Live Here Anymore" is a huge and
wonderful exception to the patently false pictures that Hollywood
usually paints of marriage. The film is, simply, exquisite, probably
because it's based on literature, not on an original screenplay that
is primarily concerned with hooks, exciting action, unrealistically
passionate sex. Amazingly, we get to see the entanglement of two
married couples, fully understand where they are in their
marriages, and why, instead of the best intentions, things are not
going well. The performances are terrific! If you are looking for a
sappy, falsely upbeat film, this is not for you. If you are willing to
countenance an honest portrayal of relationships, touching and
even painful, into your life, this film is a must! Certainly it's one of
the very best films of the year!
The Corporation (2003)
mostly unenlightening
Having just seen the terrific Fahrenheit 9-1-1, I was looking
forward to this film. Alas. "The Corporation" is not really a film; it's
a seemingly endless parade of monologue snippets with pathetic
graphics in-between. In short, this is not a film. It reminds one of
mid-20th Century "educational" films, but is not nearly as
interesting. Ninety-five percent of this film is common knowledge
(and if you don't know that corporations have taken over everything,
then you are part of the reason why we have the evil government
we have). Five percent contained new information. Alas, this film
had no editor worth his or her salt. It was dreary beyond belief and
after two hours, my friend (who reached the same conclusion as I
did, but totally separately, since we do not talk during movies)
looked at me, we got up and made our escape. Michael Moore
has proved over and over that politics and information do not have
to be dull. He knows how to use images to make his point. This
documentary-maker doesn't.
Young Adam (2003)
A subtle thriller
This is a terrific film, wonderfully acted! It unfolds gradually (a la
"The Conversation") and when you realize the significance of the
opening scene, you want to see the whole film again. If you like to
be spoon-fed, need a linear plot line to understand what's going
on, this is not for you. The meanings of what we see and don't
understand initially (although we feel their mysterious pull) take on
a huge power, when we get enough of the clues to put things
together. The film is sexy but very true-to-life, not the kind of phony
sexiness we see in Hollywood films. This is cinema for literary
sensibilities.
From Here to Eternity (1953)
See the Re-Release
I was a kid when I first saw the movie. All I remembered is the beach scene, and I thought it was a lot longer in duration than it actually is. I went to see the re-release this week. Wow! Has this movie held up! The few chauvinistic remarks directed at women would not be acceptable today but reflect how things were at that time. This is a top-notch film in every way! The acting by the stellar cast is close to perfection (Sinatra, Lancaster, Kerr, Borgnine, Clift--I rate them in that order, but they're all excellent). The plot has huge forward momentum, particularly when we see the page on the calendar. This is a classic! See it again!
11'09''01 - September 11 (2002)
Tasteless Propaganda
I have never panned a film on-line, but I felt moved to do so, after seeing this one. One doesn't show up at someone's funeral and say to the bereaved, "My relatives died, so why should I care about yours?"
Minus the propaganda, there was little, if anything, that could be called "art." As the daughter of deaf parents, I was particularly annoyed by the use of deafness as a gimmick. Any deaf person feeling a vibration of that immensity would likely have investigated, not ignored it.
The word "chutzpah" comes to mind. As a writer, there are few subjects I would stay away from: the Holocaust is one; this is another. I wish these movie makers had not been so arrogant (and inept).
Mies vailla menneisyyttä (2002)
Charming and droll
This film is sure-footed at every moment. It's droll and sweet without in any way being sentimental. As is true of European as opposed to Hollywood films, the characters could be real people. If there is beauty here, it comes from inside the characters, imperfect though they are. Their imperfections make them human. It's impossible not to root for the main character, who does a wonderful job of making us believe in his lack of memory. If you like foreign films, definitely put this one on your list.