Reviews

LeDoux has the best model of consciousness This is a short film about Joe, his career, his music and his insights into the brain. His early research identified the amygdala as key to understanding threats and the emotional response of fear. His research explains how emotions are processed in the brain. In the documentary he talks about becoming more attracted to the study of consciousness. Indeed his most recent book is about consciousness and cognition and neurobiology and biology. It is called the 4 Realms. Joe LeDoux has such keen insights into what makes us tick and this film provides insight into what makes him tick.

If you are an avid fan or just interested, this documentary is a must see. It bounces back and forth between 1995 and 2005 with stops all in between.

There is a wonderful MTV clip announcing their first tour along with great shots of world tours, early tours and many, many behind the scenes looks at life. This includes segments on life on tour buses. Life wandering around Moscow; life in the studio. There is a rich segment on the Smart Studios itself, the different recording and tools and gizmos. You get a feel for for the making of their special sound, for example, some songs have more than 120 tracks - just in one song.

You get a sense of the individuals, especially Steve Marker, who seems to shy away from the spotlight. Butch Vig has two grown daughters! Duke Erikson is cool. Shirley Manson is on screen the most, but not always the center of the light.

There are a bunch of wonderful back stories about the 3 boys finding, meeting and getting to know Shirley. A great quote about when they first started to work together and Shirley just started getting into the groove and Butch, Duke and Steve, the 3 producers were at a loss for how to direct her. Luckily, it all just worked out.

My wife and I watched this movie with a new convert last night. This may well be my favorite movie of all time, but, it certainly our favorite movie. Why? First because it is a complex soufflé of whimsy, cerebral humor, physical humor and a wonderful story. Second, because it has very tangible street scenes in Paris. Third, it is a nice jumble of buddy movie, boy meets girl, adventure, hero story. Rebecca Ryan is "supercompetent", which always appeals to me.

My previous favorite movie was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid. While the great parts are still great, there are the self indulgent and incongruous musical numbers which I had edited out of my memory. No problem with American Dreamer. I have seen it 4 time since I get the DVD last fall. The movie is very well paced and should keep the attention of today's teens. The cars and airlines and fashions are totally 80's, but, the humor and characters are timeless.

I strongly believe this is JoBeth Williams and Tom Conti's best work and I have a fantasy about a sequel - perhaps a metaphor for the mending of relations between France and the States.

This execellent movie contains both a very large story and many small vignettes providing context for each other. The large story is the Czech resistance to the Nazis and the consequences of being associated with them.

The well developed and lesser developed characters exhibit such a wide range of the human goodness and evil. This movie will pull you in quickly and lead you thru our best and worst sides. The hapless and the resourceful weave in and out of a rich tapestry.

Much of the movie is set in a small town with its curses and blessings. This provides a rich context for the many strong characters to thrive. Many gratifying relationships develop.

The is a strong undercurrent of the randomness of war. Stupid mistakes and petty actions that have tragic consequences.

The DVD has a fun extra of the start and crew's visit to Hollywood in hopes of the best foreign film Oscar of 2003.

This movie is painfully slow and has no plot. It conveys the lives of a group of laid off boatworkers. One of the older ones is sincere in his attempt to get a job. There may be some social commentary here, but, it is muddled as nobody is painted in a very sympathetic light.

I do not understand why it had a 7.8 when I decided to watch it. I watched the whole tedious thing and built expectations for a huge redeeming payoff. No luck. The IMDb rating has always been such a good match for my tastes. Anything above 6.5 was worth watching.

And my wife says Javier Barem does not even look good in this movie. He's not my type, so, my agreement does not mean much.

Sigh. I give it a 1.

I loved this movie. It was a powerful love story - about true devotion; giving oneself over. And it had a wonderful obsessive mystery plotline. This was one of the best movies I've seen this year.

Marissa Tomei gives a really great performance - someone who is finally really in love, but with serious reservations about the sanity of her new love.