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Reviews
The Human Stain (2003)
Decent movie...A few changes and it would be a Great Movie.
I found this movie to have a very intriguing subject matter. A man, who appears white hiding the fact that he is black for 50 years, from everyone, including his wife of many years. The cast was top notch but I felt that Anthony Hopkins was totally miscast in this part. First of all, he speaks using his Welsh accent throughout the movie. However most distracting, for me at least, was that Hopkins is slightly over 5'8" and Wentworth Miller, who plays his character when he was younger is 6'1". Too much of a height difference for me to ignore.
Also, I never really understood his attraction to Faunia Farley who Nicole Kidman, plays a little too over the top for me. Besides being gorgeous, I can never really understand what draws Coleman to her. Sure, good looks are enough for most men but Coleman seems like a deeper person to me. Possibly, her appeal was the fact that she was hiding things, as was he. Still, due to her neurotic behavior, it doesn't seem like their relationship would have progressed that far. I just would have liked to have seen Faunia be more likable.
Anna Deavere Smith and Harry J. Lennix are both outstanding as Coleman's parents in the flashbacks. Ed Harris and Gary Sinise's performances are flawless, as usual.
Was it just me or did anyone else think Anthony Hopkins and Gary Sinise's dance scene was somewhat odd? I was waiting for them to kiss at any moment.
It wouldn't hurt to shorten the movie either.
'night, Mother (1986)
"Night Mother is an emotional roller coaster, if there ever was one.
It's gut wrenching, incredibly sad, funny in a few parts and completely shocking. I first saw this movie in my early 20's and it had a profound effect on me. I do not watch it much because it is very, very deep and extremely, depressing.
Jessie Cates, played by Sissy Spacek, is a middle-aged, epileptic living with her mother. She has had a traumatic, divorce in her past and a wayward son headed for prison. Due to her illness, she can't drive or hold down a job and has no hopes that anything will get better for her. Jessie, has after years of contemplating suicide, finally picked the night to do it. She has organized her personal belongings and put everything in order. Now, all she has to do is tell her mother.
Anne Bancroft, plays Jessie's mother, the blissfully ignorant, Thelma Cates. Who by her own description, is "a plain, old, country woman" who "just really doesn't think there's all that much to things". She is caught totally off guard when her daughter tells her, she is planning to kill herself that night. Momma Cates is so blatantly unaware that her daughter is unhappy that she even tells her where the gun is before asking why.
The subject matter and the way it's presented is so thought provoking that one doesn't even take notice of the fact that almost this entire movie consists of basically only two actresses.
I highly recommend this movie, just don't expect a happy ending.
Land of the Dead (2005)
This Movie is Horrible and NOT in a Good Way!
The good news: The last remaining survivors have gotten better organized. The bad news: So have the Zombies.
I really wanted to like this movie, but alas, I just couldn't. I'm am a huge George A. Romero fan but this movie was disappointing. No plot to speak of and no real character development either. Which are two of the things that have always made Romero's horror movies stand out. It seems he has replaced these things in this movie with furious activity and action.
In most of his earlier movies, there were small groups of people in simple settings, trying to survive. "Night of the Living Dead", a small group of people hiding out in a farmhouse. "Dawn of the Dead", survivors taking refuge in a shopping mall. "Day of the Dead", where a few military and scientists are in an underground shelter. In all these movies, the group of characters is small so there is a great deal of character development. Thus, you care about whether the people fighting the Zombies, live or die. Unfortunately, there's none of that in this movie, "Land of the Dead".
Dennis Hopper, gives a wonderful performance, as usual, but it's just not nearly enough to carry this movie. John Leguizamo,as "Cholo", does not do much for the movie though. Is it just me or do others out there prefer that virtual unknowns be cast in Romero's movies? I don't like associating well known actors to other movies. I find it distracting, for some reason.
At the end of the movie, Simon Baker's character "Riley" makes a sympathetic comment about the Zombies. Now, I don't know about you folks but I don't want to feel sorry for the Zombies, in my horror movies. It kind of ruins the dynamics, don't you think?? As Capt. Rhodes says in "Day of the Dead", "I don't want them to do anything but drop over!"
This movie is horrible! I still love you though, George. :)
Day of the Dead (1985)
Another George A. Romero Masterpiece!
A group of scientist and military are held up in an underground shelter after the Earth has been over-run by Zombies, who want to eat them. Some of are losing their sanity and one is collapsing from stress. They are running out of ammunition, liqueur (always a bad thing) and their equipment is hopelessly outdated. Think things can't get any worse? Wait until Capt. Rhodes takes over.
This is one of my favorite movies of all time, not just horror movies but all genres. It has it all, drama, suspense, comedy, horror and something few horror movies have...heart. Excellent plot, great character development and Richard Liberty's performance as the kooky, awkward scientist Dr. Logan was Oscar worthy, in my opinion. I have also always been drawn to movies with a strong female leads and Lori Cardille does a brilliant job as Sarah.
I Highly recommend this movie!