Change Your Image
catherinehg
Reviews
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Just as impactful today
Life is no respecter of human plans. While an amazing portrait of postWWII transition, these three guys could be from Afghanistan or just three guys facing traumatic life changes from any cause. What I especially like is real world look at marriage with both ups and downs. After years of playing dutiful wives, Myrna Loy finally gets to tell it like it is -- "how many times did I tell you I hate you."
BTW, I'd nominate the cheapie wedding at the end of this film as the most affecting wedding on celluloid. My Best Friend's Wedding, Love Actually and others may have had a bigger budget, but this one IS love.
Cruella (2021)
Loved everything except the plot and the writing.
I can rave all day about the art direction, music, costumes, actors but I don't recommend it and wouldn't let anyone under 15 watch it on a bet! Glorified murder and revenge, setting up the mean and inhumane as the definition of genius, and the pervasive determinism that says that one is not only fated but entitled to be bad if one has a bad childhood. Cruella is just another teen bully from the Dr. Phil show.
The Candidate (2010)
Perfect writing, acting and directing
I see a lot of "sniffing" reviews. The kind that write this off as an episodic tv show flashback. The Twilight Zone might be the correct genre, but that is no reason to denigrate the piece. I am willing to bet that this one will hold up as well in 50 years too.
The Cotton Club (1984)
Encore addition suffers from heartbreakingly uneven acting talent
Oh what this could have been! The supporting cast left me awestruck. Diane Lane was a revelation. But Richard Gere gets a lot of screen time for his usual mannerisms and only acts his socks off in one scene, leaving Diane looking like she's in a Coppola movie and he isn't. The super failure is Nicolas Cage who can't decide if he's Jimmy Cagny or the drooling brain dead. For a film built around two sets of brothers, you can't picture Cage and Gere coming from the same gene pool.
Watch it for the dancing. Watch it for rest of the cast. Just fast forward Gere and Cage.
The Mephisto Waltz (1971)
Wonderful premise ruined by two bad casting choices
I love this film and have seen it often. But each time I have to scream at the screen. Who in their idiot mind would cast Jacqueline Bisset as the plain housewife having to compete for her husband's affection? Who would believe Alan Alda as a tragic figure seduced by his potential to fulfill old dreams?
Laavor et HaKir (2016)
Sweet, wonderful and allegorical with SUPERB acting
What happens when you throw yourself off a cliff 100% reliant on your faith with no parachute? Michali does, arranging a wedding for a groom To Be Provided by God. Is she crazy? Bargaining with God? Being a fool? And what should those around her do? Humor her, support her, or try talking sense to her. If you enjoy this as an Israeli chick flick fine. As character study even better. But for ensemble acting it can't be beat. Ive watched the last 15 minutes at least a dozen times. It made me think of Norma Desmond..."We had FACES!"
Hollywood Wives (1985)
Wallow wallow wallow
Never have I seen such great talent assembled for such dreck! A guilty pleasure that's all pleasure, Jackie Collins spins nasty rumors with deft improbability to create the National Enquired version of Hollywood. All it's missing is Elvis alien love child.