Tesse Reviews

The Song Spinner (1995 TV Movie)

A lovely fantasy with a realistic moral...

[8/10 · 2 April 2000]

So, you want to teach your children about the evils of censorship but don't want to expose them to South Park: Bigger Longer, and Uncut? Try this sweet family film instead. In a land where sound is outlawed, a child hears music in her head, and with the help of a mysterious older woman, tries to bring music back to her culture before eternal winter and silence condemn them.

The metaphors in this movie are thinly veiled, but are veiled enough so that young children can understand the message without feeling like they've sat through a lecture. The acting is, for the most part, very good, and even if the dialogue sounds stilted at times, it works to move the story along and keep it quick. Standouts in the cast are Patti LuPone as the musical enchantress Zantalalia, Meredith Henderson as the strong and stubborn Aurora, and Brent Carver as Aurora's father, who initially distrusts his daughter's goals but slowly learns to appreciate them. This movie is excellent for the under 10 set, but it might not be fast-paced enough for teenagers.

The Pirates of Penzance (1985 TV Movie)

Adorable!

[9/10 · 14 October 1999]

One of Gilbert and Sullivan's finest, this production of The Pirates of Penzance shows off the wonderful hilarity of the book and music. Frederic (the very funny Jeff Hyslop), an honourable boy accidently indentured to a pirate instead of a pilot, has fulfilled his term of servantude, and now wishes to "exterminate" his former friends. He falls in love with the silly Mabel (Caralyn Tomlin), but when his old band of pirates come to kidnap Mabel's sisters, her father tells a lie to save them. As Frederic raises a police force to attack the pirates, he learns a shocking secret that will force him to rejoin his enemies and give up Mabel forever! But through some silly plot contrivances, everything ends happily.

This video recording of the live Stratford Shakespeare Festival production is ideal: all of the dance numbers are filmed from far enough away to show off the whole body, the acting is wonderfully and appropriatly silly, and all of the actors are excellently cast (I did feel bad for Pat Galloway; her Ruth was constantly being overshadowed by Hyslop and the incomprable Brent Carver, and she did do a very good job). The added lines and verses make the zaniness even more delightful, and the choreography works wonderfully. All in all, this would be a perfect recording of the stage play if the sound weren't so off: I had difficulty understanding some of the lines, and it was not due to poor enunciation. The sound system of the theatre must not have been up to snuff that night. Otherwise, a very enjoyable movie that is not inappropriate for children, and that parents can appreciate as well.

Lilies (1996)

Haunting and beautiful...

[10/10 · 2 October 1999]

Everyone does things they would rather forget. Lilies is about one man's horrible sin returning to haunt him, 40 years after the fact. As a rash child, young Jean Bilodeau did all he could to seperate gay lovers Simon and Vallier- not for any high-minded moralistic reason, but out of his own jealousy and desire for Simon. 40 years later, Bilodeau and Simon meet again, and witness their history performed by prisoners in a Quebecois jail. What results is heartwrenching and beautiful.

The cinematography of Lilies is flawless, moving effortlessly between 1952 and 1912 with lush, vivid colours. The performances are also excellent, with Brent Carver a notable standout as Vallier's deluded mother (as the movie is a play set in a jail, we see the male prisoners perform all of the roles, including the female ones). Jason Cadieux and Danny Gilmore are beautiful as the young lovers going through the awkward pangs of adolesense, coming out, and first love. A truly beautiful movie for anyone who loves a good cinematic experience, I cannot recommend Lilies enough.

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Absolutely adorable...

[9/10 · 30 December 1998]

This film is very, very cute, and I enjoyed it greatly. Half the fun is listening for Shakespeare's more famous lines slipping into regular conversations amongst the characters. The script is refreshing, funny, intelligent but far from lofty, and wonderfully penned by Tom Stoppard with his usual comic flair. The acting is remarkable and believable, and the story is sweet and original. I highly recommend Shakespeare in Love, not just for Shakespeare-philes, but for anyone who likes a good romantic comedy.

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)

Powerful stuff...

[9/10 · 5 December 1998]

This film, about two thoroughly different souls turning into each other, is one of the all-time greats. The writing is crisp, the acting is phenomenal, and the story is exquisite. I have read the book in both Spanish and English, seen the musical four times, read the script of the play, and watched this movie over and over again... I recommend it to anyone who wants a true powerhouse drama, not a schmaltzy tearjerker.

Psycho (1998)

Well made...

[8/10 · 4 December 1998]

This was well done, a must-see for Psycho-philes everywhere. It was nice to see the lines I knew so well from the original spoken differently, and the re-interpretation of the characters was fun to watch. My greatest complaint was the direction: van Sant's splices were random and not needed; if he'd wanted to do a shot-by-shot, he should have stuck to that and not changed so much. Still, this movie was enjoyable, and the ending had a nice bonus, so I can't complain too much. I recommend it.

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)

A short review of a cute flick...

[7/10 · 27 October 1998]

A very cute film, but "Adventures of Priscilla" was better. Still, there's nothing wrong with "Wong Foo," I enjoyed it. It just didn't stick with me when it was over.