Reviews

I thought it was very good, and thought the end just kind of petered out, but if you go back and re-watch certain scenes where they talk about the book and painting, the ending gets better. I do think the ending could've been improved, but the message is there, especially if you turn up the volume to hear the women speaking. I thought Amanda Seyfried was very good, and it was great to get a surprise of the great Rhea S from Saul. Everything is explained in the movie, but not easily followed. George tells the students at the exhibit to look at the hands in the boat slipping off, just like the ending. The explanation by Floyd of picture on the book and then the one of Heaven and Hell painting let us know he's transitioning to hell (fire and the upside down cross). It was a strong movie and the ending could've been better, but it's good.

Amazing season. Love this show and it didn't disappoint. Can we please give Laura Linney her Emmy now? Brilliant work, especially her breakdown in the van. Jason Bateman manages to be such a fine actor, he mines a character that could've easily fallen into just the brooding silence of Ray Donovan's Schreiber (of which I am not a fan at all) into far more. He really dug into Marty and the scene where they have it out in front of the hilariously doomed therapist is almost up there with Tony and Carmella's fight in their pool house in Whitecaps. Ruth is wonderful, and the real tourdeforce was the actor playing Ben. I've not seen him previously, but he was wonderful. Helen, so glad we got to see more of her and I'll miss her. Wendy was right in Season 2, but she's way wrong here and I presume it will cost them even more in Season 4. If that is the final season (which I hope it isn't), the kids are now at odds with Jonah now realizing just how ruthless and kingpin mom is, and who knows what he may do with that. Darlene I love but the scenes with Wyatt, well, had to fast forward for fear of projectile vomiting. Wish they hadn't done that, but looks like we will get Ruth, Wyatt and Darlene vs Marty and Wendy next season and I will be here for it! Bravo.

I give it a 5 for the movie but the acting makes me go to 7. This is not Kramer v Kramer for a new generation. In terms of family drama, it's not Ordinary People either. By far. Driver is deservedly the talk of the film for an amazing performance, and indeed, everyone does fine work. But, for me, I didn't like either of them. They're both selfish, self-indulgent, narcissists who chose the right profession for that personality. ScarJo is very good, but a raving B. Toward the middle, we get some perspective to supposedly justify a little of her anger and why she's tired of suppressing what she wants for him, but not so much. I judged her as a mother breaking up a family when she was not in a marriage that needed to end with people who loved each other.

***(SPOILERISH) *** It was infuriating to have him forced into paying for bicoastal living, associated travel costs, pulling a kid out of school, making a father commute like that cross country to spend time with his kid plus try to work, , the money wasted on legal fees- all for what? A good mother would have saved that money for her child's education and not squander it. We never got to see why therapy didn't work for them, did he reject giving her the spotlight for a while to allow her to feel more fulfilled? It seemed like it should've been doable. That's what made it harder to watch- her anger was not justifiable in my judgment and breaking up her family didn't seem justifiable. Moreover, her character ticks off every misogynistic stereotype of a woman- a shrew, malcontent, raging raving and impossible to make happy. I know there are those who will say she felt more fulfilled so that was worth it, near her looney family, but I think she's someone who 2 years later would be unhappy again in CA, just as she was before she met him. One of those who will always be dissatisfied. So it's hard to watch a movie, a real downer of one at that, about people who aren't that likable, although he was more sympathetic than she. Again, Ordinary People, Kramer, Terms of Endearment to name a few, all have people you care about and someone sympathetic to root for. Great performances all around here, though.

I took this as an allegorical tale about parenthood at its core and the effect every parent's choice has on their children. Liv and Hugh both made the best choices they thought for their children, beginning with moving there to flip the house to make money. Liv's decisions were clearly colored by what I presumed as a supernatural ability which she inherited (and, as pointed out, her girls inherited from her) and that was further influenced by the house. This house is alive and, like malevolent beings in stories, morphs reality to inveigle its victims. The house prayed on LIv being a good mom to twisting it to make her believe she could not let her beloved children out in the cruel world - they were safer with her in that house. Hugh, it turns out, was the most selfless of parents in turning inward to repress every emotion and keep the harsh truth from his kids, and in finally making the ultimate sacrifice to be with Liv and Nell and hopefully set his other kids free. Of course, it turns out his inwardness had the reverse effect on their feelings toward him because they never knew the why- just like any parent does the best with their child (or a good parent does anyway) and hopes the child sees that their choices, although not perfect, had their best interest at heart because they loved them.

I don't know what others expected in the ending since it was made clear the house would always defend itself and do further damage otherwise. Hugh and Liv absorbed all the evil given out so that no one else had to endure the pain, although Liv did orchestrate Nell's death. And the Dudleys respected the power of the house and made their best decision as parents to be with their deceased children and keep them united forever. I thought it was poetically quite a good ending. I hope there's a season 2. This cast was outstanding, except I did not care for Henry Thomas. If they were not such incredible actors, the story would never have worked as well as it did. Nell and Liv are particularly superb, and the Bent neck Lady and the penultimate episode are standouts.

Excellent film.SOME SPOILERS****** Dated because of the 70s coke & disco scene & women more newly experienced free sexuality, but still relevant. It's an emotional wallop of a film. I don't understand those who castigate it as a moralistic tale- it's the telling of a true story so this is non- fiction, people. This is mostly what happened. If you are a heroin addict, you might OD. If a woman takes home strangers, she may pay the consequence. Just fact, no fiction. And those who see it as a woman's punishment for her sexual freedom I think missed the boat here- Theresa THINKS she is being free to be herself by her going against everything her parents taught her, but in fact, she is just desperate, isolated and self- destructive. Deluding herself into believing that she is exercising individuality but embarking on a descent that's deeper and deeper with each humiliation, each meaningless, lonely night. Her work can't fulfill the void left by her physical and emotional scars. Just like her sister, she couldn't stand a man who actually really liked her or loved her. She needed rejection, humiliation, and abuse to validate her own feelings of not being worthy of it. She was not a strong heroine who used her sexuality for pleasure for herself and left a wake of men in the dust- she was the dust. The book is clearer on that than the movie. Keaton is spot on- can't imagine anyone else embodying the qualities of fragility and vulnerability yet making us feel contempt for her often at the same time. She's a top caliber actor. Everyone is wonderful in this film. And the ending- well, you just can't shake it. It's heart-stopping, literally. Berenger I believe said he had nightmares after himself. It is absolutely one of the most unforgettable endings in film. Leaves you slack- jawed in its horror.And the fact that its a true story, all the more.

Hang on because this episode just flies at 150 mph from start to finish. Wow! This episode to me just made this show go from really good to as good as the Sopranos! I just loved every minute of it. Ely's Judas to Nucky is unreal. The jail scene with Chalky (brilliantly acted), the scene with Jimmy getting his bad-ass on, and the end- I don't know how Nucky didn't propose to Margaret right there! Who wouldn't want that woman on your side! The story lines this season rock! AMAZING show. Amazing. Thank you Marty and Mark from those of us still in mourning that the Sopranos are gone! I can't wait to see what happens next.