Reviews

I was recently introduced to this show by a friend and was left wondering why I've never watched it before. It's AWESOME! As a Chicagoan, the setting has an authentic feel and while I do recognize the Friends-esque setting, the characters are refreshing to me.

My favorites are Jane, Brad and Penny and, frankly, I could happily watch a show about those three alone. I love Jane (Eliza Coupe) and Brad's (Damon Wayans, Jr.) relationship - they are hilarious individually, but there's something magical about them together. They are amazingly kooky and have their own relationship shorthand, which is endearing. I can relate to Penny (Casey Wilson) on so many levels - she's just trying to get it right and she's so optimistic, even when everything goes wrong.

Max, Alex and Dave are good, too, but they don't pop for me the way the other three do. I do love that they didn't go obvious and flamboyant with Max. All six together do have a wonderful rapport.

Great show - I hope it's around a long time!

I loved, loved, LOVED this film. It was fun, witty, exciting and oh, so sexy! Director Liman delivered a fast-paced entertainment that had me grinning and laughing scene after scene. One of the things I love most about it is that it doesn't take itself seriously, so the viewer shouldn't, either. I was so surprised to see others commenting about how unbelievable it is, how implausible. Of course, it's unbelievable. But isn't that part of the "over-the-top" point of the film? From what I can tell, the film delivered almost all it promised along with a lot of surprises along the way. I also think it's a hilarious commentary on marriage and partnership and how hard it can be to lay yourself bare and share yourself and your life with another person totally. The message is delivered in an utterly outrageous way, but it's still there.

The Smiths entered their marriage for myriad reasons, primary perhaps for both in their minds being that they needed covers for their secret careers as assassins. Deep down, though, you could tell they really loved each other. When they find out that they've been living a lie for the past 5 (or 6) years, they are both hurt that they placed their trust in the other person and that trust was betrayed (ironic considering that they've both been doing an awful lot of lying) and to top it off, they've been ordered to kill each other by their agencies. They react to the hurt and betrayal (while carrying out their assignments) in the only way two volatile people with weapons training can. The result is the most beautiful demolition of a mini mansion ever conceived. I mean, really. The person that you are closest to can evoke the most passionate feelings in you that run the spectrum from deepest tenderness to flat out homicide. As much as you've wanted to hug and cuddle them, how many times have you also wanted to grab your significant other and choke him/her? This film takes it there and beyond. I think my favorite scene in the film was when the Smiths tossed away their firearms and went at it mano a mano and tried with all that was in them to stomp each other into the ground. I loved that! Mrs. Smith gives as good as she gets and I just cannot stretch my brain to fit Nicole Kidman (original Mrs. Smith) in this role that seemed to require so much physicality and attitude.

As to my feeling that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are a classic pairing, I don't think Mr. Pitt has burned up the screen this thoroughly with anyone besides George Clooney . . . and certainly not to this degree. Before this film, I wasn't what could be called a mad fan of either of them, but I liked them both. I am now ready to declare them the ultimate match of all the contemporary Hollywood stable has to offer. Not only are they both gorgeous, they're perfectly-matched in talent. I mean, you can toss two beautiful people together in a film and your results can vary (see Pitt and Julia Roberts in The Mexican), but this pairing was downright combustible. The script was good, but I think the film coasts by primarily because of the two leads. I really don't think it would have been this entertaining with Kidman. My first love will always be classic films and I'm so blown away by the pairing of Pitt and Jolie, I'm likening them in my mind to other classic pairings like Hayworth and Ford, Bogart and Bacall, Ladd and Lake, Hepburn and Tracy (okay, and Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas because I love them so much I just can't leave them out) - so natural, it just doesn't get any better. Pairings you will still be talking about for years to come.

Yes, there were holes in the story - it wasn't perfect. It would have been nice to have had the heads of both agencies revealed in the end for a face-to-face showdown and I personally found the way Mrs. Smith found out about Mr. Smith's day job to be a bit vague, but to me this is forgivable. It's not meant to be Hitchcock. I went with escapism and a bit of fun in mind and the film delivered that and more, so I'm happy. My personal definition of a "classic" is a film you can watch over and over again and never tire of the magic you get from it. I'll most likely see it one more time before it leaves the theatres and I'll be among the first in line when this DVD comes out just so that I can have it at home to watch over and over again.

Ang Lee is a genius and it doesn't surprise me that he masterminded such a film so rich in tradition, with an excellent blend of reality and fantasy. After Eat, Drink, Man, Woman, I expect no less from him and he has certainly delivered as expected here.

The only thing I'd change, as a Michelle Yeoh fan, would have been to focus more on the motivations and history of the characters of Shu Lien and Mu Bai. But it looks like the brilliant Mr. Lee is going to oblige me since he's already looking into a pre-quel -- I can't wait!

This is also the sort of film the world needed to see to that honors an often misunderstood genre; that of the world of martial arts, its magnitude, depth and complexity . . . and its simplicity. I fear that within Hollywood, and by extension the film-goers, it is often tossed around as just a form of action as it is so visually beautiful. This film digs deeper so that it's not so much about martial arts(even though the form is treated with more respect here), it's about love, honor, pain and dreams.

Hopefully, with the showing this film made at the Academy Awards this year, the industry will take a closer look at the film making talent outside of the US and allow us to honor more films such as this one.

Could be due to the fact that I love "cerebral" films!

I actually went into this film with no "expectations" other than it would be enjoyable to examine the pairing of Kristin Scott Thomas (my favorite actress) and Harrison Ford (one of my favorite actors). I didn't expect to see a lot of action. I didn't expect to see a huge mystery. I didn't expect to see a lot of intrigue. I believe that this was the right thing to do, because I wasn't raising the bar before I saw what was offered.

What I saw was something of an intellectual examination of grief, acceptance and renewal. The film constantly asked questions that had no set answers - I think this was part of the allure for me. I was very interested in the characters and the different ways they approached the same loss - although it wasn't the same for them, individually.

Kay was content in her marriage. Not delirious, not ecstatic -- content. She'd had an inkling that Cullen had possibly had affairs here and there, but her personal background (upper middle class Eastern) and her profession (politics) were such that you just don't discuss things like that, or even admit them to yourself out loud - hence, she was able to "recover" a bit more quickly than Dutch. She used this tragedy to re-evaluate her life and re-determine what was important. I believe she chose happiness.

Dutch was happy in his marriage. As far as he knew, things were great. He was attentive and he spent time with his wife and he saw no signs of discontent within her. The added factor to this was his profession. His job is to know when people are lying to him. His inability to accept the betrayal was compounded by the fact that also couldn't accept that he didn't know what was going on right under his nose - in his own home. Therefore, it took him a lot longer to let go.

I thought the performances by both actors were wonderful. I thought it was a very nice change of pace for Ford - it sort of reminded me of his Regarding Henry role. And, I haven't yet seen a bad performance out of Scott Thomas in 13 years of following her career - I think she's very much underrated and I think she achieved much with this performance. As her character lets go, she just gets more and more radiant throughout the film and her acting is just that much more powerful.

I think that, more than anything, the general public wasn't exactly ready for such an introspective film and so it may read as boring. I think it's a crime, because there are a lot of messages and lessons within the film that are extremely beneficial.

Truly the most innovative and unique soap to ever hit the small screen. With the powerful talents of Nancy Lee Grahn, Lane Davies, Jed Allen, A Martinez, Marcy Walker and Stephen Nichols, Santa Barbara dared to do what other soaps wouldn't and couldn't. This show brought new meaning to the word "fresh"! It's demise was extremely premature and it is sorely missed!

It is truly the action of an unstable mind to think that hijacking a bus full of innocent children would lead to undying devotion from the person for which the act was executed to impress. Bruno actually had the nerve to look shocked when he found several branches of the police department were trying to catch him.

After watching this film you can't help but wish Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell had made more together. It is truly a treat to watch the two masters in action!

I love this film! Bette Midler and Dennis Farina are hysterical as the warring ex's who find they still love each other. Controlling your parents, no matter how hard you try, is an impossible task. Paula Marshall's character was beaten even before she started.

This is a wonderful showcase for Kristin Scott Thomas' talent -- incroyable! Her Anna Gibson/Sister Gabriel is exquisitely conflicted. Her 1993 Chicago Film Festival win for this film was quite well-deserved. Amanda Redmond is fantastic as Anna's sister-in-law, Lynn, and I adored Madeleine Christie's Sister Godric. Must see!

Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner are perfect as secret agents who get roped into a job while on maternity leave. The plot is formula, but they make it work. Stanley Tucci's 'Muerte', the comically clueless two-bit thug who tries again and again to try to do damage to the agents, is absolutely hysterical.

I know this was intended to be a drama, but for the most part I couldn't stop laughing. Oscar and Mimi's love/hate affair is twisted, absurd and extremely entertaining, especially after Oscar has to depend on her for care. Peter Coyote is deliciously callous. I couldn't really take Emmanuelle Seigner seriously. Hugh Grant is slightly spineless and a bit of a cad at times -- his stammering charm isn't exactly serving him well here. Kristin Scott Thomas is perfect as usual, but somewhat underused until the last 10 minutes of the film which is worth sitting through the other 129 minutes if only for the shock value. Interesting twist to the end -- has to be seen to be believed, but both actresses carry it off amazingly well.

Philippe (Patrick Bruel) and Daniel (the wonderful Francois Cluzet) are being asked to give up their freedom to help an acquaintance, whose predicament they are partly responsible for. Wonderful film!

Ete packs a great deal of moral and ethical examination into its 82 minutes. The language bounces around between French, English, Romanian and some Bulgarian and I think this adds to its charm. Beautifully acted by both Kristin Scott Thomas and Claudiu Bleont. Lucian Pintilie is a brilliant director and screenwriter -- he deserves more exposure than he gets. Very strong film!

As someone who usually keeps abreast of Antonia Byatt's work, this novel somehow escaped me and I saw the film first instead of the other way around this time. In the case of this film, Kristin Scott Thomas (a brilliant actress) was the draw. The film started out innocently enough with the ennuyes riches, the surly siblings, the whispering servants and the gentile (clueless) visitor. However, the secret, once revealed (and quite graphically, I might add) made me go vertical in my seat! Quel choc! REALLY a must-see!

Quite possibly the most fascinating documentary ever to make my skin crawl. The lense is so close that half the time you don't even know what you're looking at, but it is impossible to draw your eyes away. Highly recommended.

TEP is like a long cool drink of water after crawling across the Sahara to classic film buffs who have been too long deprived of that certain cinematic magic! Not only is it beautifully photographed, but the characters are perfectly portrayed. If you're looking for the film to be a mirror of the book, you will be seriously disappointed. Instead, it is an excellent "companion" to the book, and I think that is what Anthony Minghella intended. Ralph Fiennes is probably the most beautiful man in the world; not to mention a brilliant actor. Juliette Binoche is the posterchild for vulnerability and childlike enthusiasm. And, of course, I'll go see any film in which Kristin Scott Thomas is featured. She simply must be THE best actress since the likes of Deborah Kerr. So much was promised with this film, and so much is delivered!

Absolutely sumptuous film! The scenery in itself is worth watching it. It is definitely better than the book -- Redford makes all the right changes. The story is great and extremely well-acted. Most people I've talked to focus on the relationship that develops between Annie and Tom, but I think the main story here is the relationship between Annie and her daughter, Grace. There isn't much chemistry between Kristin Scott Thomas and Robert Redford, but there is plenty between Scott Thomas and Scarlet Johannson -- a brilliant veteran actress and a promising newcomer. I'd definitely recommend it.

Wonderful film! Clara (Kristin Scott Thomas) and Jean (Michel Albertini) are a wealthy society couple. Unfortunately, since Jean travels constantly for his business, Clara is neglected. She inadvertently draws the attention of Jean's business partner's 17 year old son, Virgil (Thomas Langmann) and they begin an affair. The film is very funny and quite touching -- also very important in Scott Thomas' career as it was one of her first starring roles in French films. She subsequently won several awards for her work in this film.