Reviews

I thought it was exceptional. Very telling about humanity. The performances were amazing. Very touching. And I did not think it was convoluted or hard to follow at all. If anything, I thought it was a feat. I hope that the film will get more exposure than it has. It is a movie that is very telling about humanity, and sometimes humans just don't want to face the truth about humanity. There were touches of comedy with the tale of the old publisher. And there were also hints of other famous films. The story of the server girl slave had hints of the film Soylent Green. And I thought that the storyline of the 1970s reporter was a bit remnant of Silkwood. It was amazing how everything seemed to weave together.

I saw Black Swan and it was without a doubt the most superb film I have seen in recent memory.It was perfectly paced. The acting was tremendous. The plot captivated from the beginning. It was visually spectacular and stylized very, very well. It made me think of how fragile the human mind can be, and how often we are our own worst enemy.

In short it had it all - and was not a piece of garbage like so many films made these days.

I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted film. Natalie Portman gave an Oscar worthy performance. Barbara Hershey was the quintessential passive-aggressive controlling stage mother with the right hint of bitterness. Also Oscar worthy. Mila Kunis was impressive. Nice to see Winona Ryder is a small but pivotal and role that stood out. And the guy who played the ballet director was perfectly creepy.

Gripping, heart wrenching, thoughtful, and pieced together brilliantly. Notice the subtle nuances of the filmmaker, how Cecilia's foot slips out of her shoe during the love scene in the library, or the piece of china sinking to the bottom of the fountain. The depiction of war is perhaps one of the most accurate in recent history, bringing the horror to full effect.

This provoking story gives everyone pause to reflect on the fanciful lies that children can tell, and the havoc they rake.

The acting is perfection. Sheer artistry. The chemistry between the two leads lends a great deal to the believability. The scene of their reunion in the tea shop, where Robby moves his hand is so telling.

Bravo to everyone involved.

Delirius has perhaps done the impossible. That is manage to blend equal parts cynicism and fantasy. These opposite qualities work off one another and result in a gem of a movie.

The smart observations of the celebrity industry are right on the mark. Yet the movie doesn't drown in satire. Human touches are smoothly interwoven into the plot. Most noteworthy is a scene when Steve Buscemi is desperately trying to attain approval from his sterile, rather nasty old parents. Also a standout moment is the scene that takes place at Kharma's hotel, when she first brings Toby there. It is amusing to see Buscemi's character Les become unraveled at Toby's success. Somehow the ending seemed so right, again showing hope and the good side of human nature among the muck of a mercenary, dog-eat-dog world.

The cast is excellent and the acting superb. This is a little cinematic treasure that deserves some recognition.

Honestly, I don't know how this director or any other could have done a better job. The costumes, set, actors, and special effects were superb. He managed to fit in Webber's classic score and bring intrigue to the plot. I was touched by the plight of phantom by the end.

In addition, I found Emmy Rossum's Gothic beauty a perfect fit for Christine. The rest of the cast is great, and standouts are Miranda Richardson as the stage manager who took pity one the phantom as a young girl and Minnie Driver who is a hoot as La Carlotta. She gives the role a garish vanity that is hysterical. And Gerard Butler was broke my heart as the Phantom.

Musicals are probably the hardest genre to tackle in this day and age but this film succeeds. I can't stand it when people expect a musical to have a plot on the same wavelength of say, "Terms of Endearment." Instead just relax and be taken in by the gorgeous visuals, stunning music, and touching storyline. I would recommend this to anybody of all ages.

The New Zealand Scenery was beautiful. The Production values were bad, but probably not so bad, I'm sure the budget wasn't huge. No worse than Bay Watch, Xena, or other syndicated series. Former seventies sex symbols Carter and Stevenson headline as newlyweds.

I liked it. I think Hutton had the spastic energy to carry of this particular role. I t is very interesting how someone like Hutton, once a headliner in huge pictures, fell into complete obscurity. The Judy Garland outtakes were interesting but she looks completely frazzled and exhausted. I have to say I like the way the original Indian number with Garland was put together, it is much more pleasing to the eye than the one in with Hutton.

Bubbly, sumptuous, and clever - I loved every minute of "Down With Love". The costumes and sets were gorgeous and the theme was a nice break from all the sarcastic, grim, and violent stuff that is mandatory for films of today. The split screen montage of sexual positions was brilliant, and the musical number at the end was genius. I drool when Ewan McGregor sings. As with Moulin Rouge, his voice is fantastic. The scene where the editor gets hit by the bed and the gadgets go crazy in the apartment was also a stand out. Great cast, great fun, and something different. I'm down with Down With Love!

A great representation of our gritty and ruthless industrialized world in the future. Worn out and tired crew waiting to return home encounter a deadly creature that leads to their destruction, all in the the name of the comapnies greed. Sound familiar? Not too far from our world of today at all.

Weaver is magnificent, the scene where she flips out at Ash and slams him against the wall is brilliant. Holm was so convincing as Ash, the droid who leads the crew to their destruction that I wanted to hit him throughout the whole film. And the rest of the supporting cast, such as Cartwright and Skerrit pleading to be let back into the ship as the carry Cane with the disgusting creature attached to him are great as well.

A classic.

This movie isn't horrible, but it is a clear rip off on many levels from the Sixth Sense. For starters, the spooked out and somber little boy with the glazed eyes - a clear rip off. The thing about the tape was interesting, but it bugged me. I wanted to know more, like what the hell was so wrong with this freakish girl Samara who was so wretched the mother had to push her down a well. And Samara supposedly died in 1978. So why the hell was the mother wearing a laced up Victorian dress when she tossed her in?

Finally, this last point really bugged me. What the hell is a little kid like that calling his mother "Rachel" for? Is that supposed to be cool or something? That this supposed tough, hardened, independent, career-driven single mother insists on having her kid call her by her first name? That made me want to vomit. I know it sounds petty, but for somereason it really, really irritated me. It was like they were trying to make the mom cool, like they were trying to make this movie cool.

Instead of being scared I was annoyed. if you want to be scared, try The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, or Helter Skelter - a true story that will have you shivering.

It's kooky, goofy, slapstick, and silly and it always makes me laugh and feel good. The plots are hysterical and all the characters are quirky and endearing. I like the Ropers a bit better than Mr. Furley but Don Knotts did a great job taking over. And Pricsella Barnes, though not as humorous as Suzanne Sommers when playing Chrissy at her nore clueless and bewildered moments, is just as sexy and capable. But it is John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt who really carried the show and made it successful for the long haul.

The humor was so simple yet so fun, before things got too mean and sarcastic. What entertainment is supposed to be, something to fall into and forget about life's problems. Long live "Three's Company!"

Charles emotes the larger than life screen presence of past female movie legends such as Lana turner and Susan Hayward with his hysterical portrayal of faded fictional Hollywood star Angela Arden. The whole cast is deliciously funny, and movie is both a sexy romp, slapstick treat, campfest, and a delightful homage to vintage Hollywood melodramas. My favorite moments are Angela posing on the staircase claiming how she can finally be free of her past, Angela in the swimming pool with her over-the-top bathing cap, and Angela living it up at her husbands funeral reception. Audience favorites were Angela tossing a letter opener at her daughters face and Angela tripping out on LSD. And also Angela getting it at both ends from the hot movers.

The whole cast was great, and Jason Priestly seemed very comfortable planting a kiss on Angela's son Lance.

I saw this at The Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and the audience reaction was great. I had a chance to speak to Charles afterwards and he was wonderful. His love of Hollywood and his adoration of classic movie queens translate to wonderful comedies, and he is a creative gem.

By the way, a shiver almost went up my spin when "FILMED IN HOLLYWOOD, USA" flashed across the screen at the end in pink, vintage fifties letters. Terrific!

The plot may be farfetched, but hey, in a way technology is already dictating our lives. So maybe the premise of The Stepford Wives isn't so farfetched after all. Katharine Ross and Paula Prentiss give convincing performances as two modern women of the Seventies baffled by their new surroundings. Tina Louise was wonderful as Charmaine, very convincing as the bored trophy wife turned Stepford wife. The movie is disturbing in that the look of it goes back and forth from being a Wella Balsam shampoo commercial of the seventies to an episode of the Twilight Zone. A movie that could only be made at that point in time, the height of the womens lib movement. Because of that, the Stepford Wives works!!

It makes me so sad their are plans to remake this as a modern day farce or joke filled comedy, with Nicole Kidman supposedly starring.

Brilliant! Purely entertaining! Fantastic camera work! I saw the stage version and enjoyed the film just as much! The opening camera work where we follow Velma (Zeta-Jones) on stage is so well done, as is the camera work throughout. The cast is superb. I was especially surprised by Zellweger's big voice and perfect flapper image, as I was by Queen Latifah who was so much fun as Matron Momma. The costumes and dancing shone, my favorite numbers were Roxie's song and the cell block tango!

If they keep making musicals like this and Moulin Rouge, they have my money every time!

Sure this film is dramatic, affected, and soap opera like. And that is exactly what makes it so splendid! It is so much more sweeping and engrossing than the films of today, and makes for a striking contrast when viewing it.

The four lead actresses are wonderful, even the perky Sandra Dee. Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner are heartbreaking. And Lana Turner is more beautiful than words. That lady was a true movie star in every definition. From her breathtaking looks to the way she carries herself, she is a movie goddess!

Truly captivating entertainment to escape into, and a superb classic.

This flick is entirely engrossing, and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Very entertaining.

The performances were great. Over the top? Sure! It's an adventure film for crying out loud! But the whole cast was believable in the context of the movie. Everyone had something to offer. Carol Lynley played having a nervous breakdown to the hilt. Stella Stevens was sexy and saucy as the ex-hooker. Gene Hackman intense as the crusading preacher. Borgnine showing a full range from tough to showing his weakness. And one more thing. To the people who have had nothing good to say of Shelly Winters, their full of crap. Her performance was nothing less than touching and heartfelt, and she deserved the Oscar nomination.

As for the effects, considering the film was made in 1972, the scene where it turns over is still pretty awesome.

People can't go in being all critical and looking to find things wrong with it, comparing it to modern day technology. Open up and loose the cynical outlook.

A classic disaster flick full of great conflict!

White Oleander has some of the best performances to be seen that I can remember. I agree with many that Michelle Pfieffer has given one of the best performances of the year. And Alison Lohman is very natural and unaffected by trendy behavior exhibited in so many young hollywood actresses these days. The rest of the cast is excellent as well. I left the theater thanking God I didn't have to be shuffled through foster care or group homes.

To the person who criticized the film for "glamourizing blondes", I totally disagree. It think it portrayed blondes as becoming increasingly rare in our changing cultural landscape, affirming LA's massive and ever increasing Latin community. Astrid's being jumped in the group home and being called "punta" shows an underlying antagonism towards blondes, and I beg to differ that anyone with 10 dollars and an hour of time can be blonde. They are just a person with unconvincing bleached hair.

The ultimate monster movie that took years in the making, Satan's Menagerie has a superb assortment of creatures for the viewer's pleasure. Especially intriguing are the beautiful Elektra and the mysterious Arcon. A great late night flick to snuggle up with a blanket and some popcorn. Think along the lines of The Outer Limits, The Blob, or great seventies classics like Empire of The Ants. Elvira should snatch this one and put it one the late night fright show. By the way, making the thing was a total hoot, and at times frightful as well!

i saw this film years ago when I was a kid (the eighties) and never forgot it. It was the height of gang wars in the eighties (Crypts and Bloods etc.) and all you saw on the news and talk shows was gang violence. The theme of being trapped is always an effective one, and worked well in this film. It scared the crap out of me. And of course I never forgot the ice cream man scene. For the very few people who said it was not believable, think of all the children on the news who have been killed by drive-by shootings. And also keep in mind this film was made way before cell phones, so losing communication was very believable, and happened to the whole city of New York in 76, the same year this movie was made! Very effective and gritty in a seventies way(think Taxi Driver or Looking for Mr. Goodbar),before films got all pretty and had all this perfectly fake lighting and computer hocus pocus you nowadays.

The first time I viewed Grey Gardens, I was as mesmerized as the other people who have written comments. So many elements of this film are fascinating, there are so many things going on there. The ultimate passive-aggresive relationship of the mother and daughter. So co-dependent. One moment Edie is blaming Edith for her loneliness, the next she is about to swim in the ocean and saying out loud how she hopes her mother does not pass on anytime soon, she would miss her. Yet one has to wonder if Edie really wanted to leave so badly, why didn't she? Maybe Grey Gardens was where she most wanted to be after all.

Edie never leaves the home or rarely sees anyone, yet she still has the rich, white woman's concern over her weight. It is hilarious to see her peering at the scale through binoculars. When you see pictures of the women as young beauties, it takes your breath away. Edie is still a beautiful woman, and her coquettish behavior at times makes her seem like a young lady.

The language is entirely witty and it is hilarious to see the two women go on and on. Favorite comments -

"France fell but Edie didn't. Edie never fell for anyone." "Why didn't you marry Getty?" "I'm a staunch character! S-T-A-U-N-C-H!" "Lost in a sea of green leaves. I'll never see that scarf again." "This is the revolutionary outfit." "You don't say luh-ove! You're not Czechoslovakian!" "All I need is to find this Libra man!"

The cats and racoons are a site to see, as is the faded mansion. A wonderful window into the world of two compelling characters, their lives, and their memories. Yes it is at times sad, but at the same time, these two are fabulous!

It wasn't so bad. The leads were attractive. Richard Tyson is a real sexpot, and Sherilyn Fenn as the pretty blonde at times looks like Madonna from her "True Blue" period (remember the slicked back platinum hair?). Louise Fletcher is creepy as usual. It was strange to see Kristy McNichol, who I think of as the cool tomboy or wholesome girl playing a trashy, slutty drifter. Although I actually think she pulls it off. Definitely a late night movie.

This is one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen. It is very real and grisly looking, not polished with the horrible artificial lighting you see nowadays in films. Bobby and Helen are addicts whose lives are going nowhere, they just can't get out of their destructive lifestyle. The scenes of the characters shooting up, tricking, and hanging in the brutal streets of 1970's New York are very realistic. Makes "Trainspotting" look like a Disney cartoon.

Jill Clayburgh gives a brilliant performance as a married wife and mother left for a younger woman. The movie touches all the different emotions felt and her rebirth as an independent individual. The scene in which Erica's husband tells her he has been cheating is great, and when Erica turns the corner and breaks down is really something to see.

This movie was made when divorce was still a hot topic and women were just coming into the workforce and still tied into identifying themselves through marriage. But the film is still relevant today (we all deal with rejection of one sort or another). The rest of the cast is superb and there are great shots of New York circa 1978.

Ten stars.

After viewing this film I have a whole new respect for Julia Roberts. I have always thought most of her films have been vacuous and sappy (but for the most part I can't stand romantic comedy no matter who is in it). This movie is inspirational and touching without any cliches or same old formula. Julia's performance as Erin illustrates the frustration and hardships of an individual who feels trapped and devalued by society due to lack of skills and opportunity. The rest of the cast is superb as well, especially Albert Finney.

And what an amazing story. Erin is a woman to be admired. As someone who is concerned with our environment, I hope this movie helps to raise peoples awareness of environmental health. Not only toxic water, but air pollution, increased asthma, climate change, etc.

I'd be glad to see this movie grab awards. They would be well deserved.

I was amused by the film and thought it was interesting how most of the action is centered around female characters (a la Xena, Charlie's Angels, etc.) and the cinematography was beautiful.

But the story is rather childish. I was really annoyed at how everyone kept giving that bratty girl Jen more chances to clean her act up when she had no respect for anyone, whether it be her lover, Jade Fox, or the warrior couple. If these warriors were so smart, why did they keep giving her more chances? She was so irritating and petulant I wish someone would have killed her already, and smashed her stupid comb while they were at it.

And since when can martial arts experts fly like Peter Pan?! The whole time I was watching that all I could think about was Tinkerbell. That really ruined a lot of the fight scenes.

If you want to see quality Chinese films, check out "Farewell My Concubine" and "Raise The Red Lantern". But most of the viewers here won't - because lets face it, it is men who like the special effects.

I'd say it gets six stars.