Reviews

if we allow the magic and wonder to manifest! my favorite...a comedy? romantic/ adventure movie. a great and complementary cast. a cast such as this makes it an extra special film right from the get go. another movie that blends history and fiction it such a adventurous way that it undoubtedly leads people to understand that such sought after "relics" and treasures as the holy grail, spear of destiny, Excalibur, and others are metaphors for the mystical and spiritual...and is done in a heck of a more fun way than those literal dry, boring stories in religious or history books/movies! and if people take special attention they will have the sense (as in so many movies) that the girl and boy have "known" each other before...almost always recognized by the girl first. have fun with this lighthearted movie and contemplate on how much fun it would be to be engaged with your own adventurous quest!

the only reason i gave this an nine instead of a ten is probably just for the fact that they didn't have the huge budget some of these films have for specisl effects. and i really wish these movies i review would get the exposure they deserve.

was just that for me...simply irresistible! i couldn't help myself...i am a sucker for romance combined with magic...mix in the overlay of the sublime, and add a dash of the ethereal and you have the ingredients for a sumptuous recipe. the cast was excellent, the settings of the southern cross and the tom restaurant/creation were colorful and mystical. everyone waiting with baited breath in anticipation of amandas awakening and inspiration (to meet or supersede her dearly departed mother's expectations)to explode into full blossom...magic that runs in the female lineage of the family at least. it was time to for tom to stop stalling and sabotaging a relationship destined to be divine. amanda was determined to follow her hearts desire with or without tom, but as we all know the dynamics of a divine couple (as in soulmates), loving in harmony, can have an exponential impact on the changes necessary to restore the love and the light to the universe! it was evident to me this was a love that truly was meant to transcend time!

this film was the Golden Gate winner for 2004 Best Foreign Language Film. now comes on of my greatest pet peeves about the synopsis and reviews on the cover of a movie or book or whatever. it as if the people writing these reviews and synopsis' have either never even seen the film or are just blatantly obtuse or detached from the reality of human suffering. the New York Post described it as "powerful, beautiful, simply extraordinary". true it was "powerful",it went into great depth of the overwhelming fear of the oppressed, repressed , exploited people of a certain chaste of Afghanistan, generated through utilizing torture, every form of abuse, rape, humiliation, and intimidation. and there is nothing "simple" about this "extra ordinary" projection of life of the powerless people it portrayed. and it sure was out of the "ordinary" as far as standards go for the privileged goes, who on the whole do not experience the "extraordinary " atrocities and all forms of denigration these people experience in their daily lives. it was hardly "beautiful" as the women were subjugated to being summarily rounded up, imprisoned on a the slightest whim and then beaten, raped, buried alive, or as this one woman...stoned to death by a gleeful mob after being wrongfully accused of uttering obscenities. "Bold, Beautiful, Deeply Moving" (boxoffice (who in th e h*** are they)).i guess you could call it "bold" for them to interrogate, torture and execute by firing squad (at least they did not saw off his head in front of millions of eager observers, eh?) for filming a documentary on Afghanistan life. and we are all painfully aware that they absolutely do not appreciate satire...bombings, death follows? "Deeply Moving"...their sadistic militaristic manner in which they corralled and herded the woman and children that were at a gathering to beseech the government to allow them to work as they were starving to death. they were hosed down with torrents of water, fired routinely on by gunfire, thrown in cages, beaten, raped, and killed, woman and children alike. and i would say again, it was "bold" of them to raid the hospital, shooting and destroying everyone and everything inside as everyone that were able were fleeing in panic...patients and caretakers alike. there was an especially poignant shot of a severely crippled boy of about 5 years of age abandoned by the fleeing crowd as he desperately tries to hobble along in order to not be left behind. "Beautiful" (again) and so positively stated by the director.."filled with hope". "Hope"...Osama, the girl forced to be transformed into a role as boy so that she can go unescorted to work in order to bring home a watermelon and a few scraps of meet for the family, is just so filled with this "hope" as she "embarks on a terrifying and confusing journey" to avoid detection from the taliban (this is not the journey you or i may take after paying five to tens of thousands of dollars to some guru to become enlightened)...NOT!!! she is full of extreme anxiety, fear, terror (yes) and i would daresay she would have loved "confusing". this journey of hers took all of ten days from the time she worked for an old man (that dies because of this kindness),was "recruited" (forcibly ) into the talibans training camp for boys (10 yrs up, if not younger)where they teach you the qua ran's rituals such as how you wash your genitals in three different direction, (and allah help you if you didn't preform each ritual in the exact order and way in which they dictated1), to the time she is discovered. she is taunted, teased, hung from a rope suspended over a seemingly bottomless well (hysterically crying for her mother), after which she is jailed. at her trial she is sentenced to a marriage with the oldest, the most sadistic, most perverted man of the taliban who takes her home to be locked up along with the other woman and children he has abused to no end. her "journey" full of "hope" ends with her being all trussed up and presented to the creep who then asks her to choose which iron chastity belt she would like before brutalizing and raping her (at the age of 12yrs. remember) for the rest of her life. and that is just how the movie ends...just "beautiful" and full of "hope"! in all good conscious end here without mentioning the unfortunate husbands and sons who were forced to leave their families and homes, usually to never be seen again. it was certainly an eye opener for me in that these civilians would be abducted anytime day or night and anytime between, a rifle put in their hand, and sent off to some obscure place to fight the russians, Germans,Americans, whoever... all and all a "stunning" (Enteertaiment EWeekly), "Emotionally Charged" (Sceen International", and a "striking work of cinematic art"(Daily News). but i am sorry to say that i hardly found it "breathtaking" (Slant), but "extraordinarily" heartbreaking"!!! "NOTHING SHORT OF ASTONISHING" (N.Y. Times)...does that leave you with the impression it did me...that absolutely no one at the NY times watched this movie. i read this morning..."that the heart is an artist that paints over what profoundly disturbs you, leaving on the canvas, a less dark, less sharp version of the truth." i am an artist and i do not think so! this should be a required film to be seen be all those quo are either in denial or are immune to the many "inequities" that exist in the world since time immoral up into what is now the 21st century, submitted with the utmost respect and love... jamie jo Jesus

i realize i would be hung, burned at the stake, tortured, crucified, stoned to death, and more if republished this in iraq..if not now? at least then. and if we don't once aging rally ourselves to do something about these injustices now...then when?

hearken people...the angel's ain't singing glad tidings of joy but rather communicating through whisperings in your head that cause you to go insane or manipulate susceptible religious fanatics (the devil's minions) to kill others or themselves. pyriel, an angel even more evil than lucifer, has arisen to power and is on an undaunted mission to destroy all of us humans (after all we're just a bunch of monkeys) and to sew some new seed. now i am not one to think that all angels do not possess a soul, any more than i think that all people possess a heart and soul, but i do find it to actually be a tad bit pertinent and there has to be at least a measure of truth to angels pyriel and zophael and some humans method of madness...insidiously that of genocide...humans killing other humans out a sense of superiority over the others ethnicity, culture, belief system, and out of greed and power...sound familiar? what with all our new technology and the gross overpopulation of the earth we could very well be on our way to a not so nice ending...fueled by new and already existing wars (over oil) and skirmishes (from unintentional or intentionally plotted misunderstandings). we are living one of the most stressful moments in history with a very shaky economy (well the masses of poor probably do not notice to much difference).where religious fanatics and patriarchal based religions...oh yeah...that would be all of them, and corrupt politicians and greedy, power hungry individuals who are hoarding the wealth at the expense of everyone else. the devil (and for all we know that might be the controlling, manipulative, jealous entity that calls himself god that is in the bible, torah, qua ran or it could be those damn popes, bishops, and priests, etc. who rewrote a book for there obvious agendas.) has only to fuel the fire of discontent with alcohol "spirits" and drugs and increasing mental illness so that our Armageddon would just be perceived as us doing it to ourselves. oh, the good parts of the movie...danyeal, the son of Valerie Rosales and arch angel daniel, along with his girlfriend, Magdalena, are the two people who are going to change the course of the inevitable end for us monkeys into a pleasant one. they have the assistance of the "reformed" archangel gabriel at crucial moments (i am not personally satisfied that it isn't for altruistic motives...but he does blaze out into a coven of white doves into the radiant, bright light of god at the end. and courageous efforts of the morgue doctor, the encouragement from Mary who was a unwilling host to evil previously, and the sacrifice of his mother's and father's lives. anyway...a good reminder that we should all get serious about love, peace, justice, happiness and all the good stuff happening. and remember we need a beautiful planet to live on, so tread lightly...i am pretty sure there is no other place quite like it. so monkey's...monkey see..monkey do. be the change you wish to see. imagine all the people..! submitted with the utmost love and respect!

this movie was delightful, insightful, and touched my heart in special places. the quirkiness of the film was funny...like when peter's sister is seen with take out Chinese food at peter's house eating a whole pickle in between bites of the Chinese food, when peter walk's out the door and crosses himself upside-down, the theater being the exterior of a church, and many more little sightings of the sublime. one of the messages in this film was a yearning for the honesty of spirit, to be able to reveal your true self without pretensions as portrayed by marcus thomas' character peter and amy smarts character grace and really all the character's except for j.w. crawford's character as kirk...there has to be at least one protagonist. it was so cool to see patty duke play as twins again and she is such a great actress and person. whoever did the casting for this movie did a superb job...really. all the actors genuinely gave earnest and heartwarming performances. it is just amazing to me that such an all star cast such as this one would do a movie they most likely felt was not going to reach a large audience. the final scene was touching and quirky at the same time. there were many subliminal references to Christ and getting up to speed for our parts in a evolution of consciousness on this planet. i will probably have to come back and add more as i wish the people who produce, direct, crew, act on such good films to get the recognition they deserve and promote this movie so that it could somehow reach a greater audience.

whereas i have had many spiritual experiences throughout my life i so agree with bill's assessment that religions dogmas, doctrines, and fanatics have been the cause of more wars, deaths, torture, greed, intolerance, etc. in the world. it's hypocrisies are blatant and violent. books such as the bible, quaran, torah, ad infinitum were written by men whose motivation was to control, manipulate and repress huge masses of minorities. the totally and ruthlessly deny, squash, and almost totally obliterated the feminine divine part of the equation. the instances he used in this film were superb; his message clear. religions promote such a degree of violence intolerance, and downright stupidity...that along with politics, they very well could bring about the end of the world through a self fulfilling prophecy. there total disregard for the people that do not believe in their version of god is an outrage! how people, especially otherwise intelligent human beings, could buy into these trappings is almost incomprehensible. and another thing...i know it and bill knows it...those charlatans that are making a profit preaching at the expense of god, Jesus, and the goddess that gave birth to him (oh, that's right...they don't mention anything about any women) really do not believe in god, Jesus, and heaven or hell or they would not be acting, speaking, or living the way they do. and hitting on the eastern belief systems...how is it that they require so much pain and suffering to become enlightened...i believe some of us are challenged and evolved enough through our life experiences, love, guidance, introspection, and non violent discipline to learn to be nice, considerate,and kind. karma...let us stop the cycle of abuse...how many people are allowed to be beaten, tortured, and abused millennium after millennium before we feel safe from that convenient excuse that when bad things happen to good people and bad people get away with murder or worse it is god's will or your karma. instant karma, where one experiences the same degree of pain as they impart might have it's benefits. not all people of these different religions are as dangerous as the religious right and not all the clergymen, priests, popes are scoundrels...in fact most aren't. but they are inadvertently causing a negative impact on the big picture...how to restore the earth to a "garden of eden". put an end to these horrific wars, to establish peace through diplomacy, and achieve happiness through love, tolerance and a willingness to approach life's issues with an open mind. the issue of this documentary targeted established religions that have, out of the desire for greed and power, have caused such misery and grief that are future could very well be a dim one. fortunately, i am an eternal optimist's and have enough hope, faith and love to foresee a pleasant future for the planet rather than this Armageddon thing. kudos to bill and the people who had the courage to produce this documentary! thank you and blessings on you.

kudos to the writers and director of this movie and to the people that nominated it for an academy award in order to get this film into the limelight! the movie of and itself was not remarkable to me. what was important was the purpose of producing it... to raise peoples awareness of the continued atrocities occurring throughout are world in our generation, this time in India. jamal's mother ends up slaughtered in just another religious riot...this time against muslims by i do not no who (but that should be irrelevant by this time as religious fanatics committing decimating other fractions and whoever falls in their wake have been committed by almost every religion i know). his bother and him along with talick (his love and third musketeer) end up orphaned children in the slums only to become victimized by unscrupulous and downright evil men who exploit them for money first through by begging for money on the streets and the prostitution. they have no moral limit and go to such tortuous extremes as to burn out a potential beggar boys eyes with acid. his brother is corrupted...had little alternative not to be, talick becomes an abused and imprisoned sex slave to a very rich, high ranking gangster, and jamal goes through his childhood as best he can by scamming off of tourists. when jamal gets chosen as a candidate for "who wants to be a millionaire" Hindi style he gets set up and betrayed by the host/producer of the show and is arrested by the police before the last question to be aired the following night. he is then summarily tortured and interrogated...on the grounds of cheating on a game show?!! he does get released and reunited with the love of his life...but come on people...why are these atrocities still occurring through the world in our very life times??!!!! a very good effort to raise the populaces awareness level yet once again and i surely hope it has some sort of impact on those that are still third eye blind! love and peace!

i happened upon this movie at the local library in half moon bay, California which just happens to be the location of maverick's. it was an inspirational experience in hope, faith, and accomplishment. it encourages one to go ahead and "ride" the most challenging of waves that one may face in life. it felt like a reflection of my own life except for the fact that i got stuck somewhere on the crest of the wave. i have begun to even more appreciate a lone person's struggles under a sometimes hostile and fragile environment to accomplish their dreams...she is a scientist as well. her spiritual beliefs guided her on her path through life.

if a movie such as this action adventure is a bit on the mediocre or (hopefully unrealistic side) i look for the sublime. these people were specifically chosen by aria...none of it was random. it precluded that she knew the future. it was just not how she controlled and executed her agenda in an extremely technological fashion, it was also how she did it. the deaths she caused were done with malice and to an extreme degree...such as the guy who was electrocuted. a normal electrification could not take place just through her use of technology. it would have also have to have an highly evolved consciousness. what makes it a step above some action adventure thriller movies is the writers inferences or analogies of Jesus and the 12 apostles, the suggestion of experimental medical projects since she had the information on the twins all the way back to a least their birth, and knew their personalities, all of which no normal or highly technological computer or even the most intelligent human profiler could do. for these reasons i found it entertaining and a tad bit thought provoking movie to watch. and i liked the end in which the secretary of state urgently suggested that we should reevaluate our over the top and very scary controlling home security enforcements...for this reason i feel like it should be required viewing for every politician and pentagon pal!!!

did you notice the prominent gold madonna and child statue on top off the church in the primary shot of the film...significant and subliminal. damn...i have to write more. good action film...nothing stellar, although entertaining. same ole' same ole' where in the second and third renditions of a particular film such as this where the significant female love is dismissed in the following sequels (like in all the james bond movies). where do they (the girls) all go? and the man hero goes on with his conquests. okay...i personally like luc besson because he was involved with the film fifth element. very good statement for the concern for the environment.

when there is a required previewing in high school to watch something...this title should be on the list. come on everyone...get on the love train. these actors and producers are going through an awful lot of effort in order for you to get it....do you get it yet? if not...watch this movie over and over until you do. please indulge yourself and absorb this message into your very being. you know...everyone else can present you the usual review. i am asking you to please understand and absorb the subliminal. it is up to you to find your own truth and to help others on their way. i especially like the ball of "unthinking" myself. one of the main themes out side of the one on self acualization is their commitment to the enironment.

the fifth element is love...leeloo (milla jovovich)comes from another more highly advanced planet as a last ditched effort to aid human beings into a spiritual evolutionary quantum leap into a kinder more gentle future and by countering evil with the help of some friends with the elements of earth, wind, fire, water...and love! fortunately for her she has convinced at least one person of her intent and purpose...and luckily for her and all mankind it happens to be her soul mate. (like the mythological Jesus...it is not that simple to even get get one soul to believe in you...is it?) it is a stunning and remarkable movie with so many engaging characters...and i love ruby rhod played by chris tucker. diva plavalaguna (maiwenn lebesco) sings an otherworldly opera song that was better than any traditional opera i have ever heard. and the scene with the guy (whose name i couldn't find in the credits) who comes to the door to rob corbin dallas (bruce willis) is so quirky and funny. actually the whole movie, every millimeter of it, was outstanding and entertaining. unfortunately for humankind their is a large populace that have yet to get the message. it does show that an individual or a small group of people can accomplish the most exciting explosive changes in our universe. this was a dramatic undertaking by all persona involved. i have a lot of faves but i think this is my #1 favorite...the chick being the "supreme being" thing and all..."all for one and one for all"!

this is another movie appearing in recent years trying to raise people's awareness to the divine feminine...this time through the black Madonna. it is inferred that the spirit of Mary is strong in lily...that she may very well be a significant proponent in reintroducing Mary in a dynamic way in the not so far future. i was impressed by all the characters and related to may strongly, an empath who has taken on the weight of the world on her shoulders. but as time goes on and the pain of others suffering including the very earth herself, one can only handle so much. i liked august's gentle statement that everyone/everything desires love. lily sends out tons of love to the bees and they do not sting her. lily grew up in the the 60's when the civil rights movement in America was in full swing but was rarely enforced and minorities...woman, every ethnicity but white, poor people, usurpers of the status quo...and blatantly disregarded by a majority of America. many courageous people risked going to jail, their lives...and many did die. growing up without a mother and living with an abusive father she makes her escape to the place that was her only reference about her mother. it turns out to be a haven from the abuse and neglect of the outside world. with the sister's and family and friends she gradually heals and she gets the answers she was looking for.look for the sublime in this movie and you will find lots of surprises and revelations. peace and love!