moviebuffgirl Reviews

Prozac Nation (2001)

Depressingly unwatchable

[2/10 · 23 May 2005]

This is truly one of the worst films I have seen in a long time. It is an insultingly petty portrayal of the agony that is clinical depression, a whiny self-pitying diatribe that fails to evoke even the shadows of sympathy each of us feels sometimes. We are all tormented to some degree by demons, and it is hard in contemporary society not to know someone who is truly tortured by their inner darkness. This cliché portrayal of one pampered self-involved girl certainly doesn't engender the kind of compassioned understanding this subject begs. Instead of illuminating the darkness within or offering insight into mental illness, this film makes you feel that the main character, Lizzie (played by Christina Ricci) simply needs to be spanked.

If you are watching this because you are a die-hard Christina Ricci fan (she is in virtually every frame), I recommend using the mute button. If you make the mistake of listening to the whiny dialog you may find yourself becoming depressed--not out of any compassion for these flat and unappealing characters--but out of sheer existential boredom and the fear that this film is making you stupid.

The film is overtly emotionally manipulative-- with the precision of a laugh-track, the incessant voice-over dictates how we should feel. The problem is, we are given so little excuse to imagine these characters in any way lovable, we do need to be reminded to care. To borrow a line from a missionary friend of mine "I really want to love everyone, but some people are just harder than others." Lizzy is definitely a challenge.

Within 90 seconds of the film opening we are confronted by poor little grade school Lizzy cutting herself with a razor-blade. This should be sad and affecting, but it's nearly impossible to emotionally engage since all we know of Lizzy is a short whiny voice-over where she informs us that she is upset at her father leaving. Instead of sad it just comes across as an equal mix of gross and boring, a good preview for the rest of the film. Lizzy's penchant for self-destruction eventually bleeds out to include the people around her who she carelessly hurts to varying degrees. When confronted by her furious roommate whose drunk boyfriend Lizzie accosted at a party, Lizzy whines her way out of it, explaining her betrayal as "an accidental blow-job." Later her articulate apology includes such deep insights as "I don't know, I'm just really f*cked up." Well said, Lizzy.

I have to admit I couldn't sit through the whole film, so perhaps it gets better (I don't think it could get much worse). The performances are all good and Anne Heche seemed promising as a therapist. But why waste your time? All these well-known actors have been involved in better projects, and if you'd like to see a meaningful film that deals with issues of depression check out Ordinary People. For an articulate and moving first person account of depression and mania read Kay Redfield Jamison's "An Unquiet Mind," which is a truly STUNNING piece of work. Stories of depression and mood disorders provide prime material for exploring emotional drama that unites or isolates us—these tales can engage human compassion or anger us into change. This movie was just too self-involved and stoned to do either.

Basically, a poorly-written script and truly unappealing characters transform what could have been a meaningful portrait of depression into a voyeuristic exercise in self-pitying mental masturbation. Truly a waste of a talented cast (Jessica Lange, Johnathan Rhys Myers donning a convincing American accent, etc.) Pop some Prozac and run in the other direction.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Fantastic true-story, lousy movie

[4/10 · 12 January 2003]

This fascinating story & fantastic cast are wasted in this sloppy self-indulgent slice of "Shpielberg." A hack script, Halmark-inspired score and sloppy editing render this potentially gripping movie slightly below average even as brainless entertainment. After a promising turn towards artistry and adrenaline in Minority Report, Spielberg seems to have slid back to his comfort zone of shlocky emotionally manipulative made-for-tv crapolla. While the moral ambiguity and basic plot are nonetheless interesting, seeing the stellar performances by Christopher Walken, Tom Hanks, and Leonardo DiCaprio (--who, despite a slight air of inappropriate cynicism seems to have finally recovered from his Titanic fame and returned to his roots as an emotionally gripping actor--) and the absolutely fascinating true story of Frank Abagnale Jr. rendered into 24 carat shlock is a truly unforgivable con-job. With a trendy wave to non-linear narrative Spielberg also guts the movie of any adrenaline value by revealing the outcome of the story in the first three minutes of film. In perhaps the greatest travesty of all, the natural humor of the story is exploited to the extent that it is about as subtle as a fart in an elevator.

Someone Like You (2001)

Dumb as a cow--banal, sexist and dim-witted

[1/10 · 29 April 2002]

This movie is a great example of how Hollywood tries to disguise stupidity by giving it a good wardrobe and a stylish vocabulary. The fact that scripts like this actually get made gives me hope as a screenwriter--certainly I can't do worse than this offensive drivel. I am stunned that Ashley Judd would take on this piece of trash at such a privileged point in her career.

Watching cows is more fun. This movie falls flat as a comedy, and as social commentary it is truly ludicrous. As the self-pitying main character ridiculously named "Jane Goodall" Judd makes a trite and extended comparison between all men and polygamous bulls. The only thing more simple-minded than her sexist theory and pathetic self-pitying behavior over her fickle ex-boyfriend is that the filmmakers thought we would enjoy sitting through two hours of uninspired dialogue and emotional detachment. With the exception of Marisa Tomei's spirited performance and Naomi Judd's cameo as an over-achieving makeup artist, the movie is uniformly mis-cast: Judd who usually gives nuanced performances is here cardboard-cold and cutesy-cute, (Greg) Kinnear is flat (although he was fantastic in As Good as It Gets), and Hugh Jackman seemed more natural as a Wolverine.

What's worse than the self-pitying truly anti-feminist (proud women don't vilify men) insipidness of this film is tries to be not only amusing, but also "smart." The script is sprinkled with esoteric vocabulary and academic references--as though we are dumb enough to intellectually respect somoene talking garbage as long as they use proper diction and an erudite vocabulary. Additionally, it is full of pseudo-clever visual puns like the preponderance of food especially meat (the physical embodiment of Jane's objectifying view of men as chattel), the somewhat more subtle squirming frog (reminiscent of all those disguised fairy tale princes) and of course the obvious cows, cows, cows. Ashley Judd is cute doing cheers in her underwear, but next time she should pick a movie that inspires cheering.

For more entertainment, I suggest watching milk commercials. It does a body good.

If you are looking for a good romantic comedy, I recommend any of the following: When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, Fools Rush In, Bridget Jones Diary. If you need an Ashley Judd fix: Double Jeopardy for suspense, Where the Heart is for comedy (simple-minded but actually charming), Ruby in Paradise for drama.

The Conversation (1974)

Make sure your prosac is high enough! This is vintage Coppola but depressing without redemption

[3/10 · 30 March 2002]

The last scene of Hackman alone playing sad jazz in the wreckage

of his apartment offers a metaphor for the whole movie. Alienation,

guilt and impotence. While I would not reccomend this for anyone

looking for entertainment or spiritual uplift, it is certainly a well- made film. And there are legions of masochistic people who call

this portrait of helpless guilt and alienation one of their favorite

movies. The cinematography is truly magnificent and the movie is

vintage Coppola in its emotional restraint. However, it evolves so

slowly it makes Noh drama look like Jerry Springer. And don't

watch this unless an incredibly slow pace and unredemptive

despair is what you are looking for. If that's your ticket I'd make a

movie night of it with Blow Up, they are both in the same vein of

film.

Cookie's Fortune (1999)

Hillarious comedy southern-style smoked with a killer script!

[9/10 · 21 February 2002]

One of the most clever, truly witty comedies to come along in years. The characters in this movie are gems, as is the top-notch ensemble cast. Everything is hung on a ticklishly funny script. Although the dialogue is realistic, nearly every line is quotable! You would have to look to cult favorites like the Princess Bride, or back into the holywood archives of the "golden era" (where witty repartee reigned) to find a film which posesses this degree of consistent quality and verbal cleverness. Truly feel-good, top-notch entertainment. And also one of the few films to portray egalitarian black-white relationships without coming across as self-consciously politically correct or contrived. Bravo! Also, no cop-out into stylish violence to try to hook the bloodthirsty. Bravo! A view of rural southern life that is charming without being condescending. Bravo! Two thumbs and a full cup of coffee and wild turkey up!

The Claim (2000)

Bad script, terminally dull, waste of fine cast and location

[2/10 · 20 February 2002]

The screenwriter must have been autistic. Or perhaps the director,

who once had the emotional power to direct the scalding movie

Jude, grew so exhausted by feeling that he had a lobotomy.

In any case, they have both contributed to the stunning

accomplishment of turning an emotionally charged subject, an

extremely talented cast, a stunning location, and a dramatic movie

score into a finished product that conveys the emotional

resonance and flavor of a mouthfull of slushy oatmeal.

Caution, spoilers ahead:

I am not someone who uses this adjective often, but there is no

other word for this film but boring. The story itself is potentially

shocking. A young man from Dublin is so exhausted and discouraged by the trek out to the American west that he carelessly

sells his wife and daughter for gold. Twenty years later, when he

has it all-- enormous riches, a town he founded, local respect, a

sexy mistress-- his wife comes to find him. Yet in striving for

understatement, Michael Winterbotom gives us two hours of

emotional muteness. The learn very little about any of the

characters, and oddly enough, such supple actors as Wes Bentley

(the captivating Ricki Fitz in American beauty) and Sarah Polley

(consistently good, and notably poignant in The Sweet Hearafter)

come across as frankly uninteresting. Even Milla Jovovich, whose

stilted speech and little girl "sexy" posturing I usually find tiring (I

still think her squaking performance in the 5th element was her

best to date) was unusally subdued.

This is the danger of literary adaptations. I haven't read the original

Hardy (and this certainly does not encourage that impulse) but

doubtless the characters that seem so alternately silent and

predictable on the screen would have more depth. I am sure that

there are more than a few short flashbacks to the crux of the whole

story-- the scene of desertion and what that disertion meant. The

central problem with Winterbottom's film is that it really means

nothing-- the wife forgives him, the daughter doesn't know. But

there is that little issue that TWENTY YEARS pass. As portrayed in

this thin script, the late Dillon is just too good a man, too just a

man, to have SOLD his family without ever once trying to find them,

and without ever once trying to explain himself.

I can't overemphasize how good the cast is-- even the model who

makes her acting debut as a young Elena is absolutely stunning

(and it doesn't hurt that she is one of the most gorgeous women to

cross the screen in recent memory!). Natasia Kinski, Sarah Polley,

Wes Bentley have all proven their acting chops. Solely on the

strength of his performance of Dillon, I am eager to watch all 16 of

Peter Mullan's previous films.

If you are going to watch this movie, I'd suggest doing so in

summer. That way you might enjoy watching the snow swirled

screen and hearing the howling of wind passing through the place

where the films emotional core should be. Personally, it left me

cold.

Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000)

MISS IT! plodding sensationalism

[3/10 · 12 October 2001]

Last month (Sep, 2001) the Atlantic Monthly ran an article addressing the new trend of slow and hyper-stylized novels masquerading as self-proclaimed "literary novels." If the article had instead focused on plotless movies that aspire to be "films" this would have been a prime example. The only thing that kept me from voting this a 1 was the uniformly excellent cast and a the wonderful character of a zesty blind woman (played by Cameron Diaz) and a charming dwarf (an actor I'm not familiar with).

The problem with this self-consciously styled "women's art movie" is that it is neither particularly artistic nor particularly insightful about women (although there have been many insightful films done about women by male directors, this is not one of them). The film flirts with a trendy collage format that flickers between different points in time and threads them together by the forced conceit of a suicidal brunette who acts as a time marker. The compelling idea of interlaced stories is here made merely distracting--there are at least 5 main characters (I'm probably missing somebody), its just too hard to keep track of their relationships let alone figure out how their stories are interrelated.

The connections are hardly meaningful anyways-- example-- Cameron Diaz is the blind pianist alluded to in a brief anecdote of Calista Flockheart's to her dying lover in one story of the movie. Cameron Diaz is also tutoring the daughter of the man who was a one night stand for Holly Hunter in yet another story.

The movies main offense is in trying so hard to be "smart" that it is forgets to be entertaining. The editing is AWFUL. Apparently whoever was doing the final cut was taught that focusing on a character spacing out for minutes at a time would prod viewers to imagine what the characters were really thinking. I found myself wondering what the DIRECTOR was thinking. This is truly the stuff bad literature is made of. Skip it. If you enjoy the idea of overlapping stories I suggest the Blue, White and Red series (Blue with Juliette Binoche is especially fine and Red is thought provoking). For a B-grade shmaltzy movie that is still infinately more enjoyable than "things you can tell by looking at her" try Playing By Heart. At least the Angelina Jolie vignette is consistently interesting. For a more sincere "womens movie" try steel magnolias, "fried green tomatos," or "Angelina's Line."

Girlfight (2000)

CHAMPION movie! Cinematic GREAT, Classic in the making

[10/10 · 12 October 2001]

This is an overlooked GEM. Believable and eloquent dialogue,

phenomenal cinematography, honest character portrayals-- an

incredibly crafted masterpiece. This movie is a success on so

many levels-- as a slice of life, as a story of triumph over adversity,

as a portrait of toughness and rage, as a romance, and as a piece

of damn fine entertainment. SEE IT! But if you need to know more,

like maybe what Girlfight is about... Diana is an inner-city teenager with a huge chip on her shoulder

and rage towards her father whom she blames for her mother's

death. Her father pays for her brother, Tiny, to take boxing lessons

to "prepare him for the world," but he scoffs at the idea of Diana

undergoing training. In secrecy, and using brash and even

dishonest means to finance her goal-- Diana sets out to become a

boxer. She fights tough but fair, and learns for the first time in her

life to have pride at her own accomplishments. Her unflinching

determination to be a great boxer both enriches and complicates

her life. It also leads to the greatest fight of her life--against her

family, against the man she loves, and against her own fear.

It is rare that a movie so honestly captures the nuance of love and

hate in a family, in friendships, and in love. And that a film

transcends sensationalism and a political agenda to truly portray

the struggle of youth. A triumph!!!

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

FANTASTIC! Laugh your knickers off! A great surprise!

[9/10 · 10 October 2001]

I couldn't make it through 5 pages of Hellen Fielding's novel, which seemed to me superficial and self-pitying. And Renee Zellwiger has never been one of my favorite actresses. So I flicked on the movie expecting to only watch a few minutes before sleep. Instead I was laughing myself senseless half the night!! Renee was absolutely pitch-perfect--I think she should have won an Oscar.

Her comic timing was PERFECT. The whole movie was so well-directed and well-edited that I don't think there is a moment that I would change. The sound-track was amazing, and like the movie laugh-inspiring and energizing. From the script to the cinematography to the details of costuming, everything was FANTASTIC. All of the supporting characters were also well-fleshed out and riotous. WATCH IT NOW!

Bounce (2000)

Worth missing

[5/10 · 10 October 2001]

A well-intentioned but neither innovative nor insightful movie.

However, if anyone on the planet still needs to be convinced that

Gwyneth Paltrow is a phenomenal actress, this stunning

performance is as good as any. Ben Affleck tries his hardest in

this acting stretch, but sometimes he falls short, especially next to

the pitch-perfect Paltrow. Despite their alleged turbulent off-screen

affair, there is a remarkable lack of chemistry on-screen between

the two stars. Their attraction for one another, (especially the

swaggering Affleck for Paltrow's courageous yet vulnerable Abby )

is simply not believable. Additionally, the somber movie's

occasional attempts at humor were for the most part unsuccessful. As a portrait of loss and a showcase of Paltrow's

acting talents it works quite well. As a believable love story both

quirky and ultimately redemptive, it is a dismal failure. Also, on a

superficial note the only way to describe the way Paltrow looks in

this movie is to steal a disparaging quote from my grandmother--

in lank brown hair and clothes that emphasize her bony physique

the sometimes luminous Paltrow looks "like death warmed over."

I'm having problems pinpointing exactly what it is that sucked

about this movie-- was it the writing, the editing, or Affleck's

somewhat wooden performance? In any case, it's one to miss. If

you need a dose of Paltrow in a more thoughtful humorous vehicle

(and in a more flattering shade of brunette!) try "Sliding Doors." For

a believable and at times even poignant performance by Affleck try

"Chasing Amy."

Steel Magnolias (1989)

Dramatic MASTERPIECE, Nearly perfect (cinematography is forgettable)

[9/10 · 28 July 2001]

This is one of the most fantastic dramatic movies I have ever seen. The way it gives voice to the fierce and loving bond between women, the love and anger between mothers and the daughters they cherish, the humor and spice of southern life, is simply SUPERB. The script is one of the finest I have ever seen brought to screen. Funny, sad, real, natural and yet more condensed into the essence of meaning. The whole movie is infinately quotable. But warning: you must be willing to cry because it is one of the most tragically beautiful character-driven movies I have ever seen.

The story of a group of small-town southern women who are tied together by their honest understanding of each other's flaws, their shared sense of the absurd, their fundamental goodness, and their fierce love for one another. It is a story of a luminous and charming young woman, named Shelby (played by an impossibly beautiful young Julia Roberts--who got the part on her dramatic talents alone, the casting directer considered her freakish-looking or at least "not at all pretty enough to play Shelby") who marries the man she loves (an unarguably handsome young Dylan McDermott). Shelby is loving and loved and wants nothing more than to have a child, a simple enough desire for some but considerably more of a challenge for Shelby, who has an extremely weak body and severe diabetes.

Although not explicitly referred to in the movie, Steel Magnolias seem to be the southern women themselves-- both beautiful and resilient. These are women who have grown up together, their lives and personalities intertwined.

The cast is pitch-perfect and uniformly superb. Olympia Dukakis, Dolly Parton and Shirley McClain are FANTASTIC-- embodying their flawed and loveable characters with fiery warmth. The luminaries are too many to list-- both Julia Roberts and Sally Field deserved oscars, and I am usually a harsh critic of both of them. (Field is frequently too 'cutesy' for my taste and her eyebrows quivver like a hound dog, and although I think Roberts has talent she has frequently made nearly unforgiveably poor choices such as Runaway Bride, Pretty Woman, Conspiracy Theory and the like). However, both Field and Roberts are simply OUTSTANDING. If this movie doesn't make you weep, you should get your tear-ducts examined.

My only criticism, (and as someone who really really loves the art of film, this is a biggie) is that the cinematography is forgettable. In terms of setting dramatic mood it does a good job of pretending to let you eavesdrop on key moments. It is not intrusive. But in a movie of this dramatic scope, there were times when I wished the camera gave a more intimate angle, peered into people's faces and followed their gestures or symbolic details. In other words, the literary or artistic dimension of the way the film was put together seemd somewhat flat to me. This was the ONLY thing that detracted from what was otherwise one of the most moving and well-done dramas I have ever seen.

Chungking Express (1994)

THIS IS ART! Funny, quirky, engaging, full of life, New Wave

[9/10 · 21 July 2001]

Fantastic! See it to prove to yourself that cinema can be art, see it for the action, intertwined love stories, and charming characters played by a luminous and beautiful cast. And it is SO FUNNY!! Definately not a movie that takes itself too seriously, this movie has something for everyone. You will never view the expiration date on canned fruit or hear the song "California Dreaming" the same way again. Fans of the French new wave (I admit, Goddard's "Breathless" is a personal fave) will be truly delighted. Everyone else should be charmed, or at least visually enchanted by the unique camera work and dazzled by the attractive and talented cast. Both romantic narratives hinge around chance meetings near a fastfood place, Chungking Express. I found the second story more compelling than the first, but both are excellent, and the cast is truly remarkable. Faye Wong, in her film debut, is truly one of the most charming gamine's to grace the screen since Audrey Hepburn. The character she plays is lazy, dishonest, and a practical stalker, and yet she is such a girlish kindhearted dreamer it is impossible not to love her. (She is an extremely successfull rock singer, and sings the haunting cover of the cranberries song that plays throughout the movie.) Tony Leung, one of the most ruggedly handsome men on the planet, plays the object of her consuming affection. He is a lovelorn cop whose stewardess girlfriend tires of his quiet decency and seeks a more exciting match. Takeshi Kaneshiro of boyish charm and enchanting eyes plays another lovelorn cop. He is destined to have one night of flirtation with a dangerous woman, played by the enigmatic Bridget Lin who is known as "the Garbo of Hong Kong." Their story skirts the underworld, complete with failed drug deals and the justice of bullets. I generally hate violent movies, and cringed at Pulp Fiction, but even the seedy first story in Chungking Express it is not really violent or shocking. The only thing that kept this from being a solid 10 in my book was that the first story (with the blonde Chinese garbo) was kind of confusing and inconclusive. For anyone who sees this movie-- do you get what is going on with the random white guy who the blonde chinese woman kisses then kills? What is the kitten symbolism? Please drop me an email if you get what's going on in that scene. This is one of the most visually engaging movies I have seen in years, and certainly one of the only movies I have seen where hand-held camera is used in moderation and used WELL. The scenery, especially in chase scenes is a gorgeous impressionistic blur. The use of reflection and shadow is fantastic. It truly presents a new vision of the world, one which resonates long after the last scene, one which seems to refract into the retina of the soul. This is a truly quirky movie. It is slightly reminiscent of the Blue, White, and Red series but is truly unique. (Despite his name arrogantly desplayed all over the video case, Tarantino has nothing to do with this film except that he provided financial baking to have it released in the states. Director Wong Kar Wai is a true artist of film and makes Tarantino's work look like campy self-aggrandizing shallowness)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

See it! But what's up with the ending?

[9/10 · 29 December 2000]

The action in this movie is explosively beautiful. Quite simply, its a violent and magical ballet the likes of which I have never seen before. The script is taught, the acting pitch-perfect, and the cinematography some of the most lush in recent years. But, WHATS UP WITH THAT ENDING? It was a real artistic and dramatic letdown. Although the tall-tale nature of the story necessitates the suspension of disbelief early on (somewhere around the first Spiderman impersonation, where one of the fighters runs up a wall), aside from the fight scenes the rest of the movie maintained an element of reality. The creative direction was so masterfull that it transformed potentially ludicrous fight scene where characters leapt like flying monkeys between trees into something of acrobatic beauty and near artistry.

Sure, my desire for a feel-good American Holywood schlocky ending was somewhat deflated (I'll leave out why for those of you who havent seen it yet). But what I'm most upset about is the very last scene between Jen and Lo--not the dialogue, which is forgivably predictable, but the image of Jen flying off into the world, spinning like some music video image. She looked like a milk bottle, and the ridiculousness of the over-the-top literalism of the fable turning into reality just left me with a lingering bitter taste despite what was ultimately a feast of a movie. Does anyone know about Chinese legends/folk history or what the sources for this movie were? Im really perplexed about the decisions in the last quarter, the directions that each of the parallel love stories took. Please let me know if you have any comments: [e-mail]

A Call to Remember (1997 TV Movie)

Touching but not gritty or schmaltzy story of holocaust survivors

[9/10 · 5 July 2000]

Kudos to Blythe Danner and the rest of the strong cast for making a touching, believable story of holocaust survivors. 60 members of my family were slaughtered in the holocaust and I generally don't enjoy watching movies about it. However, this story dealt not with the tragedy and horror of that actual experience, but the legacy of survivors. Set in 1960's suburbia, the Tobias' story focuses on their relationship with their two sons. This is no Shine, however. The Tobias' are as loving and highly functional as two human beings could be after what they have been through. Yet their resilience is not overplayed-- their love for their children is sometimes crushing, their fear smothering. And the central conflict of the movie revolves around their difficulties letting go with the past and behaviors that allowed them to survive in the camps, but cut them off from living fully in a peaceful situation. Overall, the story reminded me of Maus meets Ordinary People, somehow escaping the minor key of each. Those looking for a gritty holocaust tale, or high melodrama should look elsewhere. Although the fine acting, sturdy script, and poignancy of the story kept me in a steady flow of tears, this is primarily a life-afirming story. I highly reccomend it!

Chasing Amy (1997)

Hilarious, poignant, sad, hopeful-- Love story for the '90s

[10/10 · 5 July 2000]

A movie everyone of the gender-bending sexually-questioning generation should see. Forget about whether or not you like the actors, or if you've been turned off by Kevin Smith's cartoonish over-the-top humor in the past. This is truly a work of theatrical art that aspires to literature. It's also pretty damn funny, and I'm a generally a fan of the highball wit school (Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn movies and bantering period pieces) who'se bored by slapstick shenanegans. The script is sharp and funny, but unlike earlier Smith efforts (such as Mallrats) it doesn't puncture its momentum with pointless barbs and meandering side plots. Even Jay and Silent Bob, who I found exhaustingly dumb in Mallrats, come off as quirky and amusing in their short cameo.

What raises Chasing Amy into a realm of its own is its sharp focus on matters of the heart. It explores the complexities of love, sexual definition, and the communities of "straight" and "gay" in 1990's NYC. Chasing Amy follows the intense connection between people that sometimes crosses assumed boundaries into erotic attachment. Quite simply, its about love. And comic books, and quick wit, and drinking and smoking and sex and sadness and more comic books. And its DEFINATELY worth watching.

The Princess Bride (1987)

Adventure, true-love, shmaltzy wonderful comedy

[10/10 · 8 May 2000]

A total cult classic! I've seen this movie about 20 times since it came out. But its so good there are definately support groups for people like me. If only I could stop watching it long enough to get to one... Wildly romantic, wonderfully funny, fantastic, creative, with great characters (Billy Crystal's mad max is classic). And the script is a gem. I'm not going to argue it as high art, but it is as great campy fun as it gets. And it is a very good movie, too. An all fingers and toes up affair.

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Fabulous Mind F***

[10/10 · 4 February 2000]

Most people who hear the premise smile and scratch their heads-- clever, brilliant, bizarre. I went in hearing the hype and expected a good flick, but was skeptical. However, my critical glasses crashed to the floor because I was laughing so hard. It was funny, ironic, and idiosyncratic. I expected it to be bizarre, and thought provoking, but I didn't expect it to be so goddamn hilarious. If you breathe oxygen and have ever fantasized about leaving your body for, say, 15 minutes, you should check this out. John Cusack and Cameron Diaz are both virtually unrecognizable, and here dramatically redeemed for flaky flops they've been in the past. John Malkovich is superb as expected, the writing is kooky beyond belief, cinematography interesting, direction dead on. Fabulous. Thumbs, hell, all fingers, toes too-- way up.

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Brief critique-- 9/10 Excellent drama and lyric insight

[9/10 · 27 January 2000]

I came to the film with low expectations. I was simply stunned by how good it was.

Angelina Jolie is an absolutely PHENOMENAL actress. Her performance alone is worth watching the movie for. But unlike show-stoppers like Marissa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinnie," merely shines the brightest light in a luminescent cast.

The cinematography was innovative, but not distractingly so-- "Girl Interupted" shines primarily for its dramatic power, not as a mind-blowing work of art. It will not explode your vision of the mundane world in the same way that "American Beauty" might, but it will certainly probe you to question your way of seeing the world-- at least psychologically.

Winona Ryder challenged my preconception of her, and proved herself as more than a pretty-girl. Her performance was convincing as Suzanna, a confused high-school graduate who is eloquent and insightful on paper yet unable to a rticulate her own desperate melancholy.

The movie takes place primarily in the women's ward of a mental institution and follows the dynamic friendship between Lisa (Jolie's character) and Suzanna. Lisa is a kinetic, dynamic personality who cuts right to the "truth" of things. Her "truth" knows no boundaries and she is a controlling person prone to violence. Her piercing insights about people and social recklessness led to her to be institutionalized as a sociopath.

This is not a depressing film. Rather, it is suprisingly life-affirming. Not cloying, not sacherine, but not inpenetrably dark, either. Anyone seeking an angst-ridden portrayal of abuses in mental institutions should check out Jack Nicholson's "One Flew Over the Cuckoos nest."

This film has little of the violent anger of that old classic. Yet it does echo some of the ebulience, the defiance of authority and embracing of freedom at sometimes incalculable cost.

Performances by Whoppie Goldberg (in a serious and nuanced role) and Vanessa Redgrave were excellent, as expected.

With the exception of a few holywood gimmicks, predictable cuts and music, this is a nearly flawless film. Dead-on dramatically, and excellently scripted and based on an eloquent true-story by Suzana Keisen, this movie offers a glimpse of one intensely personal experience of truth. Without the quotation marks, dark cynicism, or pretensions that revelation so frequently entails.

Antonia's Line (1995)

Quirky! Excellent! See it, here's why

[10/10 · 17 January 2000]

Rarely does a movie embrace life as fully as "Antonia" (also known Antonia's Line). It was the deserving winner of the Academy Award for best foreign film in 1995. Quirky, unexpected, funny, frightening, and ultimately beautiful, Antonia's line is a portrait of hope that successfully escapes being saccharine. There are moments of violence and despair, but beauty endures. It portrays 3 generations of independent women, and the matriarch of their unusual family, Antonia. Antonia left her small village before WWII and returns years later with her grown daughter. Antonia has an opinion on everything, and smiles as she points out the colorful village characters to her cosmopolitan artist daughter who is amused by everyone from the town busy-bodies to the tradition of drunk men peeing on the church wall. However, Antonia manages to carve out a place for herself by embracing love when she finds it, and opening her arms to the needy outcasts and oddballs that are victimized by cruel villagers.

This film also offers a wonderfully refreshing depiction of love in all shapes and sizes-- connections between mentally handicapped loners, romance between women, elderly romance. It does not sensationalize these unusual couplings, rather it highlights the giddy delight that is two human beings connecting. This is truly a movie about self-made "family," lonely souls that find each other and live together with loyalty. However, one graphic rape scene and a few other (naratively essential) scenes of violence make it inappropriate for young or sensitive children. It is overall, however, not gritty or depressing. Rather it is a portrait of hope made more real by addressing the presence of shadows.

Both "My life as a Dog" and "American Beauty" are reminiscent of the kind of beauty and humor you can expect from this film.