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msree
Reviews
Pollock (2000)
Hard but worth it. A teeny bit spoilery.
Pollock was not an easy movie. I am glad I watched it, but it's not an experience I intend to repeat. I've always been intrigued by the idea of genius or greatness giving a person carte blanche to treat other people like crap. So often, the sacrifices that others make to/for the "great" person are undervalued or invisible. Lee Krasner deserves so much credit for making Jackson Pollock's success possible. Would he have been alive to break new ground in modern art without her? Maybe, maybe not. Ed Harris is one of my favorite actors. I don't necessarily seek out his movies, but his performances never disappoint. I find it amazing that he also directed this film. More amazing is that neither the movie nor his direction of it was nominated for any major awards. Every performance was perfect. My favorite scenes though were Pollock painting, the quiet passion of creation. Worth the pain he inflicted? I'm not sure.
Dear Frankie (2004)
Lovely Film
I'm not sure how I heard about this film, but I'm glad I sought it out. It's an almost perfect film. It draws you in slowly, bringing you into the characters lives gradually. You don't know everything that's happening from the get-go. You get attached to the characters the same way, gradually, almost without noticing it. The performances are wonderful, not overdone or contrived, just real. Half the "dialog" of the movie is non-verbal, the actor's facial expressions and body positions saying so much. And the excellence of Auerbach's direction is proved by its invisibility. You feel like you dropped into these people's lives, you watch them for a little while and then you leave. I'm glad I made the trip.
Eulogy (2004)
A Victim of Great Expectations?
My problem with this movie is that I expected it to be hilarious. With it's incredible cast how could it miss? But miss it did, badly. Hank Azaria? Piper Laurie? Debra Winger? Glenne Headly? Famke Janssen? Rip Torn? (not enough Rip) And Zooey Deschanel? In truth, I enjoyed all their performances; I disliked the dialog and direction. Almost everything seemed contrived at best and forced at worst. The surprises weren't very and the end could not come soon enough. The characters that were meant to irritate me did and most of the others did as well. As a survivor of a dysfunctional family, I enjoy DF comedies; this one seemed longer than my childhood.
Just Like Heaven (2005)
Enjoyable Romantic Comedy
This was overall an enjoyable romantic comedy. There weren't too many surprises and I figured out the twist immediately but it is a good movie. There are limits to this genre and this movie does not push them. It is still worth the time though because of the two main actors: Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon. They are both adorable and fun to watch and believable together. Supporting actors Donal Logue and Rosalind Chao are interesting actors playing interesting characters and I would have liked to see more of them. Oh yeah, the San Francisco backdrop is, of course, beautiful and I wouldn't want to give up that apartment either.
Serenity (2005)
Thank you.
Joss, Nathan, Gina, Alan, Adam, Jewel, Sean, Summer, Ron, Morena, Lani, Jack Green, Mary Parent, Universal and everybody else involved: THANK YOU! This is a wonderful movie. The dialogs is witty, the special effects are only what is needed (not overshadowing the movie), the plot is compelling and the characters are so real. The movie is accessible for people who have never seen Firefly and an amazing gift for people who have. The storyline answers a couple questions from the series, but still leaves plenty of areas open for future exploration. I hope enough people see this movie that we can have more. I hope this is not the end of our adventures in this 'verse.
The Hours (2002)
The Ultimate Chick Flick
A woman's life is like a set of scales, with her needs, wants and desires on one side and her loved ones' on the other. The sides go up and down constantly as things change from moment to moment. Some women's scales are permanently lopsided; their lives are either always focused within or always focused without. This movie shows us three women trying to achieve balance, trying to make themselves and their loved ones happy. It isn't always possible. This movie is one of my top ten films ever, but I don't know if I will ever watch it again. There is a scene in it that absolutely broke my heart. It hurts to even think of it now. I may never see it again but I am thankful for having seen it once.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
Not very spoilery, just a little.
The beginning of the movie threw me. They added something that wasn't in the book. I knew they couldn't fit in everything that was in the book, so the addition of new stuff was an unpleasant surprise. I didn't enjoy the intro as much as I might have because of this reaction. I decided at that point that I would just watch the movie without constantly comparing it to the book, just give it a chance. I loved it. Ford was as much fun as I expected and Marvin was brilliant. Alan Rickman as Marvin was inspired. The special effects were very good though I didn't like the way they handled Zaphod's extra head. I don't know if they are going to do the other books, but if the same people do, I'll see those films when they come out.
Must Love Dogs (2005)
Good Romantic Comedy
I will see a movie just for John Cusack, because he is always good, sometimes great. Enjoying the movie beyond his performance is a bonus. I enjoyed this movie. Diane Lane is wonderful; funny and believable and beautiful while actually looking her age. The supporting actors are great, particularly Christopher Plummer and Elizabeth Perkins and the amazing Stockard Channing. There are many funny moments in this film and most of them weren't given away in the trailer. I didn't give it a higher rating because it is a formula movie and we know how it's going to end. Unlike a lot of romantic comedies lately, it was worth the time it took to get there.