Posts Tagged ‘director’
Fame Movie Streaming
 |
Fame Movie Streaming.
Movie Title: Fame Fame is available for streaming or downloading. |
This Alan Parker film came out in 1980, after the director had frightened everyone with visions of Turkish Prison in MIDNIGHT Screech. But here we have a loving valentine to the kids of Modern York who dream of being performers at the high school for performing and visual arts. It’s a musical, but one where the songs and dancing arrive out of the kids naturally as they goof off or gain for themselves or each other. You gather to notice four years of high school, and about 8 kids who come varying levels of realizations about how hard the world really is when you want to be well-known.
Finally FAME gets the DVD treatment! A widescreen transfer, featurettes, and a unbelievable video commentary that shows 4 of the leads TODAY talking about their 15 minutes of notoriety as a star of FAME. It’s a fun experience to contemplate how they have ragged, and what they remember of the filming. Alan Parker is the true star of the commentary though! He gets to talk over the entire movie, but thankfully he’s witty and informative. My well-liked tidbit was the fresh name of FAME was HOT LUNCH! Okay… that would have been … wretchedness.
Best reason to maintain this? The music! You can notice the movie once, but I dare you to ever forget the title song “FAME”. My personal fave is “Out Here On My Maintain” for sentimental reasons. You’ll want to label up for dance, snort, and acting lessons after this one.
Buy,Download, Or Stream Fame! Click Here
See where all the hoopla started! Before the television shows, before the musical hit the stage … there was this gritty movie showing foul-mouthed kids trying to develop it in The Stout Apple. Or at least through high school!
Hello,
Buy,Download, Or Stream Fame! Click Here
I have not had the opportunity to concept the DVD version of Fame yet but I belief to order it, so someday soon! However, I idea it was worth my time to interject on a couple of the reviews that have been posted.
First: one lady commented that this movie was not fine for her child because of the language and nudity, so it deserved 1 star. Please imprint that this movie was rated R in the theatre, and is listed as Rated R here on Amazon. How noteworthy clearer does one need to be. Rated R MEANS not genuine for children. Do not blame the movie for your bad judgement. Do not exercise this review in deciding to steal the DVD.
Second: A gentleman commented that this movie did not beget all of the music from the fresh stage production. Well,unless I am improper, that would be because the movie came first. The musical expanded upon the movie, as did the television exhibit. So please know this when using his review.
Unbiased my two cents on the matter. 
Buy,Download, Or Stream Fame! Click Here
kettlebell women exercises
aluminum horse trailers
John Grisham’s The Rainmaker Discount.
|
|
John Grisham’s The Rainmaker Discount.
Compare & Purchase John Grisham’s The Rainmaker at Amazon by clicking here! List Price: —- Amazon Price: $9.99 |
John Grisham’s The Rainmaker Description:
- Amazon Sales Rank: #15600 in Movie
- Released on: 2009-03-02
- Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Running time: 136 minutes
Customer Reviews:
Great Movie, Fair Disc
The Rainmaker 2.35:1/Dolby Digital 5.1 Paramount Pictures
The first adaptation of a John Grisham tale that I’ve really enjoyed, “The Rainmaker”, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, looks at the life of a poor young Southern lawer, Rudy Baylor(Matt Damon, in a great performance) as he battles against an insurance company and it’s staff of lawers(led by Jon Voight).
Baylor is battling for Donny Ray Black, a young man who’s insurance claims have been turned down time and time again; Kelly Riker(Claire Danes), who lives in continuing fear of her abusive husband and Miss Birdie, an older woman who simply wants to keep her money from her greedy offspring.
This is really the best of the Grisham adaptations and I’m fairly positive it’s the hand of director Coppola that has it rising above the rest; the film is crowd-pleasing sure, but it’s also very smart and very well acted, with a lot of rich dialogue and some very interesting and entertaining characters. Danny Devito, as Damon’s aid, has a lot of fun in a great performance; like in “LA Confidential”, we’re seeing Devito as his absolute peak lately. He’s been picking bigger and especially, much better roles lately. Matt Damon’s first major performance in this film is also very well done, yet another in his line of subtle, wonderful performances along with “Courage Under Fire” and “Good Will Hunting.” Much like Damon’s last film “Rounders”, I also thought his narration in this film was well done and well written(by Michael Herr)
Overall, it’s an excellent film, well directed, acted and written. It’s a well-told tale by Ford Coppola and it’s highly entertaining. “The Rainmaker” was one of my picks for the top 10 films of 1997.
The DVD: Picture: Well, where there’s good, there’s also bad. It’s unfortunate that Paramount did an unsatisfactory job with this disc. Colors are not terribly well defined or vibrant; contrast is only fair; the whole disc looks, to my eyes, like an “okay” laserdisc would. There is definitely a noticeable amount of pixelization and some shimmering. It makes a point I was talking about with another person a couple of weeks ago all the more apparent to me. I said, “the best DVD material will absolutely blow your mind; at worst, it’ll make you shrug your shoulders and say, ‘well, that’s sort of okay’ “. “The Rainmaker” simply made me shrug my shoulders in dissapointment. It’s probably the least impressive picture transfer in my collection of discs, and that’s too bad since this is really a great film that deserves a great disc. In a time where Tristar is making discs that look as good as “Godzilla”, there’s no excuse for a film that’s not terribly old like “The Rainmaker” to look like this. It looked this way on my Panasonic A110. Hopefully, although I highly doubt it, people will have better luck on other players.
Audio:Pretty good. It’s definitely a dialogue film, backed by a nice, subtle score. Both are well recorded and pleasant to listen to. Nothing terribly mind-blowing. Again, the annoying problem is still there; you can not switch the audio during the film, only from the menu. Try during the film and you’re out of luck.
Menus: Very weak. The picture on the front of the box with some simplistic bordering and big, dull buttons.
Extras:Nothing. No 16×9, No Trailer, Not A Thing. Absolutely zero.
Overall: It’s a great film and if you liked the film as much as I did, it’s worth a purchase at some of the very low prices found on the internet, but after watching this disc, I would *definitely* not pay full price for it. If you’re considering it, I’d highly suggest a rental first, unless you like the movie itself as much as I did.
Film:**** Picture:* 1/2 Audio:** 1/2 Extras:Zero Menus:Zero
Overall Disc Quality:**
This is Damon’s show.
Matt Damon was a relative unknown when he was tapped to play the hero of “The Rainmaker”, based on a novel by John Grisham & directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It was a twist of fate that launched Damon’s career and definitely lifted this movie. (Ironically, Matthew McConaughey got his start the same way- being an unknown cast in a movie based on a Grisham novel.)
The plot is a classic David-vs-Goliath story- fresh out of law school Matt Damon sues an insurance company for denying treatment to a family with cancer. Ultimately Damon triumphs- the righteous cause succees and the system works. Damon is a major talent, as evidenced by his performance in this film. He’s shy, unsure of himself, but basically a good person committed to doing what’s right.
I wasn’t too impressed by the rest of the cast- Claire Danes is a talented actress but fails to shine here. Danny DeVito is okay as Damon’s law partner, and Jon Voight comes across as a none-too-interesting arrogant villain. The rest of the cast? Nobody stands out- this is Damon’s show.
What impressed me about “The Rainmaker” was its hard, unflinching portrayal of the legal profession. A lawyer’s life is not glamorous and does not necessarily guarantee a huge paycheck. Those quick to criticize lawyers ought to take some law courses before they open their mouths- the road to becoming a lawyer is rough and a considerable commitment of both your time and financial resources. Despite his law degree, Damon’s financial picture at the beginning of the film is decidedly precarious.
Watch “The Rainmaker” along with “A Civil Action” and “Erin Brockovich” to get a pretty good idea about the way the law works & how courts give the little people an avenue to even up with big shots like corporations and insurance companies. Watch this movie in particular to see a terrific performance from Matt Damon.
Heartwarming. Satisfying. Vindicating. Heroic,
I wasn’t expecting much when I dropped this 1998 movie into the DVD player…
There is a lot to commend itself. Matt Damon gives a convincing performance of a wet-behind-the-ears lawyer who finds himself with a big case on his hands just as he passes the bar exam! Danny Devito is slimy, shady, sarcastic, and sleazy (in other words, perfect Devito) as Damon’s partner.
The main story involves a poor family whose son is denied needed medical treatment for leukemia. The sleazy Big Insurance Company has denied his claim and betting that they will not press the matter. They bet wrong! Our hero, guided by some unlikely supporters and a sympathetic judge (Dixon from Alias), come to the rescue.
The pieces fit together quite nicely. Justice is served, bad guys are taken down, and Matt Damon establishes himself as an unlikely, unwilling hero and endears himself to the pretty girl in the process.
Nothing wrong with this story or this film. Very delightful and satisfying in every respect.
Stream Anne of Green Gables – The Sequel Online
 |
Stream Anne of Green Gables – The Sequel Online.
Movie Title: Anne of Green Gables – The Sequel Anne of Green Gables – The Sequel is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Anne of Green Gables – The Sequel |
First of all, “Anne of Green Gables– The Sequel” is merely the Canadian name for “Anne of Avonlea”, as it was renamed in the States. I search for a lot of reviews here which slam the third movie, but that was “Anne of Green Gables– The Continuing Sage”. I won’t argue with this slammage, but the Amazon DVD offering at tell here seems, by the title and the photo, to be “Anne of Avonlea/Anne of Green Gables– The Sequel”. So on to my review:
I reflect this movie is a gem; peaceful intensity and charm. You can read a million reviews of that aspect here: I’m concentrating on the disc quality, since no one else seems to.
First of all: this disc is a “flipper” (you have to flip the DVD over in the middle of the movie), but people accustomed to changing tapes in the middle of the exhibit on the ancient VHS version aren’t going to order that distinguished when they have to do the DVD equivalent. I know I didn’t.
Buy,Download, Or Stream Anne of Green Gables – The Sequel! Click Here
That said, the represent quality is the worst I’ve ever seen. Yes, the *worst*. Worse even than when Sullivan set the new miniseries out on DVD. The transfer is exceptionally grainy, and the opening credit montage, with seaside vistas of shoreline and ocean, has sinful compression-artifact induced pixellation: there are horrible globs of blocky-looking areas in the ocean, in the rock, even on Megan Follows’ face. It is shaded that a fair narrate like this has been marred by such an unprofessional transfer.
My advice is not to steal this disc. Sullivan Entertainment fooled me once when they sold me the first version of Anne of Green Gables “Digitally Restored” on DVD and it looked terrible. Shame on them. They fooled me twice when they save out a “Collectors Edition”, and I assumed that they were so embarrassed by the see of the modern that surely they *must* have remastered it. Shame on me. They fooled me a third time with Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel, which is supposedly “Digitally Restored”, too, but honestly looks more like an MPEG-1 VCD than a DVD. And all three releases are for the ridiculous designate …to us Stateside fools.
I was a trusting fool. Don’t be fooled like I was. Withhold your VHS tapes, no matter how veteran. Avoid this release like the bubonic plague, and hope that a video distributor like Buena Vista with *some* standards for quality gets the rights to this film, and is able to do it just. I am very disappointed, and Sullivan Entertainment will *never* again salvage any more of my cash.
The fresh mini-series of “Anne of Green Gables” ended with Anne (Megan Follows) on speaking terms with Gilbert (Jonathan Crombie), but tranquil the only person in Avonlea who does not know that the two of them are meant to live happily ever after. “Anne of Green Gables” is adapted by writer-director Kevin Sullivan from the second, third, and fourth novels in the series, drawing primarily on the last one, “Anne of Windy Poplars” for her experiences teaching at a girl’s school. There is also a major subplot regarding a rich widower who seems to offer Anne everything she has ever wanted that is largely Sullivan’s creation; Morgan Harris (Frank Whisper) is considerable older than Anne’s other beau in the series. The indispensable thing is that he keeps the ending of “Anne of the Island.”
Buy,Download, Or Stream Anne of Green Gables – The Sequel! Click Here
I am positive most of you savor all of the Anne books and the first two films, which means the explain is why you should also take up the DVD versions. The respond is simply the director’s commentary. There are a few missing scenes, several of which are alternative takes, and some behinds the scenes calm photographs, but the chief charm here is listening to director Kevin Sullivan talk to the film’s editor about the production (she does not have grand to say; I deem she was there to give Sullivan a true person to talk to during the almost four hour film) . From this commentary you will learn where many of the scenes were shot on PEI but mostly around Toronto (we tracked down several of them on the high-tail home from PEI, including THE BRIDGE), what he took (and why) from the three Lucy Maud Montgomery novels this film was based on, Dame Wendy Hiller’s accident that almost made her end the film and the scene she insisted Sullivan shoot for her, and loads of other lively puny details about the production and the performances.
This is certainly an above average commentary track and fans of the film will not be disappointed. It would be nice if the DVD features closed-captioning, which I like to turn on while doing the director’s commentary, but despite this rather curious omission, I deem fans will savor this addition to their collection. Besides, it is not like we have not already glorious distinguished memorized the entire prove. Final Note: If you recognize the opening scene of “Anne of of Green Gables: The Sequel” or whatever it is being called this time around) you will peer Anne Shirley bicycle by Dalvay by the Sea, the “White Sands” hotel from the “Avonlea” series. I mention this because I stayed at the hotel for a couple of days at the commence of my honeymoon on PEI, where I picked up both of the “Anne” DVDs after seeing the musical version of “Anne of Green Gables” in Charlottetown.
pneumatic conveyor
as seen on tv store
A Bug’s Life Movie Streaming
 |
A Bug’s Life Movie Streaming.
Movie Title: A Bug’s Life A Bug’s Life is available for streaming or downloading. |
This is probably not going to surprise anyone– This is simply an marvelous DVD, in every scale. The first disc contains the movie itself, which is transferred from its modern, digital source. The represent quality is improbable. Not one position comes up during the movie, not one scratch appears– because this wasn’t transferred from film. This is the procedure A Bug’s Life should be watched. The colors are extraordinary, luminous and disagreement eachother perfectly. The sound is also unbelievable– this movie challanged my 1.5 surround system perfectly. Unlike some other movies I’ve seen, where the two rear speakers are only feeble about twice in the movie, A Bug’s Life uses them almost constantly– You can hear the crickets and cicadas all around you in many of the scenes, Hopper’s gang are flying at you from behind; Even with a simple scene like the “Royal Huddle” the ant’s footsteps are coming from around you. The first disc contains a Cinemascope widescreen version and a pan-and-scan version. I’ll have to say that if you don’t have a widescreen TV (I don’t), you probably should forget about the widescreen version here as it is aspecially cramped. Besides, the PSP version was edited digitally in a very special method, even described on this DVD– you hardly miss anything in the PSP version because of that special editing. If anything, you actually salvage to explore more detail. Also on the first disc are two special audio choices, Music Only (icy) and SFX only (VERY cold), and a director’s commentary (quite icy, although not the best I’ve heard. John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich seem to talk too great about the chronicle, which sometimes makes it sound as if they’re honest describing what you already discover on conceal.)
(I’m not going to give review to the movie itself here– In short, it is definitly a 5 star movie!)
The second disk is where the sincere fun begins. I’ve never seen so many extras, with so many choices to determine from. It’s almost confusing– You not only catch to perceive how they made the movie, you gain to literally inspect how they developed EACH AND EVERY character in this film. It’s wonderful. You can also hear how they edited the sound, discover how they made the PSP version so obliging, recognize how they made the outtakes at the extinguish (and also observe the outtakes by themselves, spruce, tubby veil and with no credits to interrupt), notice an interview with the characters themselves (which is simply hilarious), and… Ogle Geri’s Game in all its glory. And there’s even more.
Buy,Download, Or Stream A Bug’s Life! Click Here
Basically, if you don’t have this DVD, you WILL rob it. Otherwise, what’s the point of having a DVD?
A BUG’S LIFE is truly a movie that the entire family can relish. It is adorable, comic, and it has a message that everybody can recount to.
The DVD is astonishing, wonderful, fantastic! The transfer (the first ever completely digital transfer), is simply fantastic. It is like you can near into the conceal and touch the characters. The cinemascope animation is truly ravishing, and the transfer expresses it beautifully. The sound is extraordinary. You feel like you’re in the bugs’ world.
This DVD has the most astounding dwelling of extras I have ever seen. It takes you through the entire process of making A BUG’S LIFE…I’ve gone through “preproduction” and the first half of “production” and it took me an hour and a half…I composed have three sections left! What is more incredible is that every extra is inviting! Truly an outstanding, obvious to be groundbreaking disc. Disney, why can’t all of your DVDs be like this!
Buy,Download, Or Stream A Bug’s Life! Click Here
A MUST HAVE!
asus eee touchscreen
digital rebel xsi
Lost in Translation Review.
|
|
Lost in Translation Review.
Compare & Purchase Lost in Translation at Amazon by clicking here! List Price: —- Amazon Price: $2.99 |
Lost in Translation Description:
- Amazon Sales Rank: #1521 in Movie
- Released on: 2008-09-11
- Rating: R (Restricted)
- Running time: 103 minutes
Customer Reviews:
Lonely Days, Lonely Nights
Bill Murray is Bob Harris, a once popular American actor who now, in his middle-age, has found more acceptance and money from the people of Japan than from his own country. He arrives at a prestigious hotel in Tokyo and is given a royal treatment by his greeters and hosts. He is by himself in the land of the rising sun, his wife and kids having stayed behing in the US while he travels across the globe to do some liquor commercials. This Tokyo excursion will take about a week, and the monetary reward will be quite handsome. Contrast this with Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), who is at the same hotel tagging along with her photographer husband, John (Giovanni Ribisi), as he does a multiple-day photo shoot. John is at work most of the time, and so Charlotte is by herself at the hotel, her attempts to keep from being bored proving fruitless. Both Bob and Charlotte are married people, but they are also very lonely people, and that is what “Lost In Translation” is all about.
Bob and Charlotte catch glimpses of one another at different places in the hotel, and finally decide to converse in earnest at the hotel bar. The entire plot of the film is about these two people getting to know each other. The story revolves around them. In fact, the story *is* them. Bob, in his early-fifties, is old enough to be Charlotte’s dad, but that doesn’t matter here. It’s not about age. It’s about the place, and the points that each of these people are at in their lives. Bob loves his children very much, but we do not sense he feels the same for his wife. We hear her on the phone when she calls him, and the same weary sentiment seems to flow from her voice. They are becoming a couple in name only. Then there’s Charlotte & John. Both are young, and both are self-possessed. John is into his photography to the point of neglecting Charlotte. But we get the idea that even if gave her more attention, Charlotte might not really warm up to him. She has issues of her own. If Bob is going through a mid-life crisis, then Charlotte seems to be going through a young-life crisis.
“Lost In Translation” is about being alone. Loneliness doesn’t always mean that someone is physically separated from loved ones or from people in general. One can be alone in the middle of a crowded room. Such is the case with Bob & Charlotte. They’re in Japan for a week. They don’t really speak the language. Bob’s wife is in the US, and Charlotte’s husband is always at a photo shoot. The two lost souls find each other at the hotel, spend time with one another, and even sleep in the same bed together. But we know that while this is providing a small comfort for the time being, it is not a lasting solution to their problems. And we also understand that both Bob and Charlotte — even if Bob’s wife were in Tokyo with him, and John was by Charlotte’s side all the time — would still be lonely. Their life struggles lie deeper than what one person can provide, especially the persons they have chosen to settle down with.
This is probably Bill Murray’s most understated performance, and it works brilliantly. He lets you in on Bob’s emotions without betraying too much sentimentality. He conveys so much with just a smile, a frown, his body language, or simply the look in his eyes. He should get an Oscar nomination for this. Scarlett Johansson, who left me unimpressed in the movie “Ghost World” a few years ago, is excellent in her role here. She portrays Charlotte as a deep, troubled, yet intelligent young woman and, like her co-star, does it without overstating it. She spends much of her screen time walking around a hotel room in her pink panties, and does it so simply and matter-of-factly that it becomes both vulnerable and sexy at the same time. Johansson is definitely an actress to watch for in the coming years.
Sofia Coppola has succeeded in creating a sliver of time & place with “Lost In Translation”. It creates two of the most realistic characters to ever grace the cinema. You forget this is a movie, and start to really care for these people as though they really exist. And you get the feeling that this is a single, solitary moment that will be over with and then fondly remembered by the characters for a long time to come. This sweeps over you before the film is even over, much like when you are in the middle of a special occurence or event in your own life, and you stop and think about the fact that at one point – very soon – it will cease to be the present, and will instead become only a nostalgic memory.
And there you have “Lost In Translation”
A classic for grown-ups
This movie is slow paced. However I didn’t find it boring at all. I loved the scenery and the small glimpses into everyday Japanese life, all meshed together with this love story of two people brought together by loneliness and uncertainty, with a musical soundtrack that brings out the best in all of it.
After watching this film, the first thing that sprang to my mind was that I’m so glad I don’t rely on Amazon reviewers to make a decision about whether I am going to see a film or not. That’s almost as dumb as asking a fifteen year old to sit through it and not go crazy or pass out. This film is too mature, dealing with grown-up questions, situations and problems that the kiddies here have yet to grasp.
Bill Murray’s character is going through a midlife crisis; Scarlet Johansen’s is tormented that she cannot seem to discover her purpose in life. Both are trapped in a place where they know no one, and understand nothing. They gravitate to one another and fall into a kind of love that is very unique, but also not at all uncommon under the circumstances. They don’t pursue it physically, because they live in a real world with real consequences and have to respect the promises they made to people they both still love.
No kid fresh out of tenth grade will ever be able to comprehend these emotions… no wonder most of these reviews are from people who were bored stiff. “No sex? No violence? This movie SUCKS”, seems to be the way it works with these Amazon reviews.
Too bad. Maybe when they all grow up they’ll get it. I recommend this movie to grown ups who like minimalist dramas and romantic comedies. If you’re expecting a samurai to jump out with a sword, pass this movie up. This film is about human emotions.
Marvelous – subtle, moving; one of the great films of 2003
I saw Translation for the first time and liked it, but didn’t really know what they saw in the movie that was so beyond-belief spectacular. But alas, I believe that every movie deserves a second chance, so recently I sat down and experienced director Sophia Coppola’s Lost In Translation again.
Lost in Translation tells the story of Bob Harris (Bill Murray in a role tailor-made, if not even Heaven-sent for him), an American movie star that comes to Tokyo to film a whiskey commerical for which he will be paid 2 million bucks. Staying in the same Tokyo hotel is Charlotte (Scarlett Johanssen, radiant and mature at only 18), a newlywed tagging along with her rock photographer husband, John (a typically awkward Giovanni Ribisi). Along the way, Charlotte and Bob run into each other and begin a ‘brief encounter’ that profoundly affects them both.
When the movie hits you right, it’s a pure pleasure from its unassuming start (a beautifully lit shot up Johanssen’s underwear-clothed behind) to its ambiguous but meaningful ending. It begins as a comedy of culture clash, Harris sarcastic and confused at the Japanese when entering his hotel, and even more befuddled in a hilarious scene where he shoots the whiskey commercial. Coppola delivers Bob into her movie with the impression that it’ll be all about him, but Charlotte enters the story, and we’re never quite the same. Scarlett Johanssen plays Charlotte with just the right amount of emotion that her initially morose and soul-searching character doesn’t seem silly. At one point, she tearfully admits over the phone, “I don’t know who I married.” Bob, on the other hand, seems to have it made, but Murray lets a current of loneliness run across that memorable face. He gets comical faxes from his wife about bookshelves and carpet samples, but he gives off the impression that he’s come to the point where he doesn’t even care anymore. Bob is certainly alone for a time in Tokyo, but Murray alludes that things at home aren’t too hot either.
For the first third of the movie, director Coppola displays her first brave choice in filmmaking by keeping Bob and Charlotte apart. Upon my first viewing of Translation, I wasn’t convinced of Coppola’s choice to keep the movie so predominantly low-key, but I’ve realized that there’s a reason for it. The movie sustains this amazing vibe that doesn’t stunt its progress, but propels it with a driving fluidity. A few times, though, Bob and Charlotte do see each other without officially meeting. One time in particular occurs in a crowded elevator – the two glance at each other, faintly smile, and possibility is born. The first section of the film doesn’t just serve to show its two characters completely apart – it makes you think of how many life-changing connections you’ve missed in the past by just being passive and solitary.
The two meet and begin voyages out into the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, and the film takes on a perspective that differs from its earlier view. Before, we saw Bob Harris and Charlotte, respectively, at their most private and vulnerable. While out on the town, the film seems to sit back and just let them have fun. Thank God, for Bill Murray’s rousing rendition of Elvis Costello’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” is a blast. During this time, it seems that Bob and Charlotte have forgotten their insomnia and loneliness, but it’s not gone forever. Even during their night on the town, we see moments where they sit silently, pensive and confused. The movie is a comedy in some sense, but it escalates into a pervading tragic feel. At one point, Charlotte says to Bob: “Let’s never come back here again, because it will never be as much fun.” They had fun, but only in the sense of putting off more loneliness.
It takes a while, but the motivations of each character become fully-realized in a marvelous scene where Bob and Charlottelay fully-clothed in bed together. Here, they handle the ‘big’ questions in life, and not “Where did you go to college?” or “What did you want to be when you were little?” but “What is my purpose?” and “Does marraige get easier?” I was amazed at the honesty of the character’s responses. Bob relates to Charlotte the experience of having children and the ongoing struggles of marraige, but a tinge of fear and apprehension runs through his speech. Charlotte hasn’t really figured things out for herself yet – she says she’s tried just about everything but hasn’t found that niche. Coppola’s screenplay makes the statement that both are in the same exact emotional limbo. Charlotte is confused and worried, but Bob is regretful and washed-up. In a way, these two are some form of deeply odd soul-mates. That is the heart and soul of Coppola’s amazing work.
Translation has great comedic flair with Murray’s wonderful work, but it’s also perhaps one of the saddest and most moving films I’ve seen in a long time. It’s some form of a romance, too, but it’s not about when they’ll kiss or when they’ll hit the sheets. It also has that Affair to Remember vibe too, where the journey of two souls that find comfort will eventually have to come to an end. Its end, though, defies classification, as does the rest of the film. Coppola simply lets her two amazing leads do the work. When the film does arrive at its final, ambiguous moment, it all just seems perfect. The catchy Japan-pop soundtrack that runs brilliantly throughout the film begins to play, and I find myself with a huge regret: that I won’t be able to savor the subtle chemistry of Bob and Charlotte, and that a flat-out masterpiece in American film is at its end.
Streaming 11:14 Online
 |
Streaming 11:14 Online.
Movie Title: 11:14 11:14 is available for streaming or downloading. |
“11:14″ is writer/director Greg Marcks’ first feature film, and it is a fresh and riveting sight at the randomness of life, and how our lives interconnect amid the chaos of it. Starting with the imaginative titles, it’s keeps one’s interest for all of its 85 runt length. All the action takes status on a single night in “Middletown”, which represents any runt USA town, the kind that closes up by 9 PM. Only 10 characters (as well as an overworked policeman and 2 paramedics) are left to obtain a position so clever one can peek this film several times, and be entertained by it.
Buy,Download, Or Stream 11:14! Click Here
The ensemble cast is astonishing, with Patrick Swayze (wearing a “tubby suit” to conceal his athletic physique) as Frank, the father of devious wench Cheri (Rachael Leigh Cook) and husband of Norma (Barbara Hershey) . There is honorable interaction between Buzzy and Duffy, 2 convenience store clerks, superbly played by Hilary Swank and Shawn Hatosy. Others in the graceful cast include Henry Thomas as Jack, Clark Gregg as the beleaguered cop, and Stark Sands, Colin Hanks, and Ben Foster, as 3 kids out for a night of fun and mayhem.
Filmed on a shoestring in 26 nights in Altadena, California, Marcks was only 24 when he wrote the script, and filmed it a year later. He is very explain, and the agreeable DVD extras include informative commentary by him, as well as a “making of” featurette, deleted scenes (the final one is terrific), and more. The music by Clint Mansell is also spacious and adds mighty to the film. Marcks says about the randomness of life that “perhaps there is a larger obtain…but we’re incapable of seeing it”, and the film is also about choices, whether or not one takes responsibility for those choices, and how they affect other people. Though some may pick up this film too bizarre, it is is a shimmering debut for Marcks, and I eagerly view forward to seeing his future work.
Buy,Download, Or Stream 11:14! Click Here
Its a shame that I never even heard of this movie except by chance on amazon.com’s list of “best movies you’ve never even heard of” (or something like that) . As I read the list of actors in the film, I was surprised how this one fell through the cracks. It has Henry Thomas, Patrick Swayze, Barbara Hershey, Hilary Swank, Colin Hanks, Rachel Leigh Cook, and the always pleasant Sean Hatosy. With a cast like that, how did it not gain the kind of media attention that “Shatter” got?
Maybe because it was made by a debut “Generation X” director, Greg Marcks. Like “Donnie Darko” director Richard Kelly before him, Marcks got shafted on the publicity machine. I saw “Shatter” in theaters and really liked it. But for all its clever coincidences, I found the account quite unbelievably contrived (as the film characters are connected in surprising ways, which takes area in the grand megatropolis of Los Angeles) . When I read the description for “11:14″, it sounded a lot like “Demolish” but came out a year or two earlier. After watching it, let me squawk you…I have never had such a mind-blowing experience watching a film before. This film had me riveted as I watched how all the myth segments plunge into spot. By the raze of the movie, I was like “whoa!” Lustrous, man. Absolutely knowing!
Like the movie “Rupture”, this one involves a couple car accidents and the ways the people fervent are all connected to one another. To affirm any more is to destroy the film experience. All I can say is that the performances were really generous. I’ve been a fan of Henry Thomas since “E.T.”, since he is the same age as me and I related to his Elliot character serve then. He’s a first-rate actor who deserves to be in more films. Patrick Swayze in this reminds me of the cramped but pivotal role he played in “Donnie Darko”, which leads me to wonder why he’s playing in such minor roles, being directed by Generation X director. Barbara Hershey, another actress I like from the 1980s, seems to reprise her role in the film “Lantana”, but this role is simply too exiguous, but she manages it well. However, I assume this film showcases the talents of Sean Hatosy, who is becoming one of my well-liked actors by how well he makes his facial expressions. From “Soldier Girl” to “Faith of My Fathers” to “11:14″, I really hope his career launches into more leading man site or at least a buddy film. He is definitely the actor to witness.
When the final scene occurs and all the pieces drop together, I was so amazed by its brilliance that I had to glimpse it again, and then again with the director’s commentary track. This is a film that I would’ve seen in theaters had it been better publicized and distributed. As far as first films go, you can’t gather better than this. Like director Richard Kelly, I maintain Greg Marcks is another one to notice. If you enjoyed “Rupture” and “Memento”, you’ll probably worship this film as well. And memo to Hollywood…don’t be terrified to capture risks on unconventional storylines. This movie far exceeds the formulaic action/romantic-comedy/suspense films you dish out to audiences year after year. This film leaves a lasting impression and really blows your mind away with its implication. Its what every viewer wants to experience when they explore a movie.
quietcomfort 3
ear force x4 dolby digital
Baby Boom Lowest Price!
 |
Baby Boom
Product: Baby Boom Lowest Price! List Price: —- Amazon Price: $2.99 Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available |
- Amazon Sales Rank: #3728 in Movie
- Released on: 2009-12-16
- Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Running time: 111 minutes
She Did It Her Way!
This review refers to MGM’s DVD edition of “Baby Boom”…..
They call her “The Tiger Lady”. She’s a woman of the 80′s.She’s a high powered ad exec,with a six figure income,has an apartment to die for, which she shares with her significant(but slightly dull)other(also a six figure income),and is about to become a partner in the firm.She’s J.C.Wiatt,a real go-getter. She has it all. Or does she?
Diane Keaton turns in a touching and funny performance as this dynamic woman, whose life is suddenly turned upside-down by a surprising inheritance. No, not money or a family heirloom, this inheritance is “Elizabeth”….a bouncing bundle of joy who melts the heart of the Tiger Lady and will melt yours as well.A toddler was not part of J.C.’s plan.How will she juggle her career and motherhood? And what about romance,can that ever be part of her future now? It doesn’t look good. But when life hands J.C. Wiatt lemons(and a baby)…she does it her way…she makes applesauce!
Written by Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer(who also directed), it is a nostalgic look back at the evolving baby boomer.A marvelous supporting cast includes Harold Ramis, Sam Wanamaker,Sam Shepard, and James Spader as the protoge from hell. It’s a sweet and funny feel good tale. The music by Bill Conti gives the perfect feel to the story.
The DVD is presented in widescreen(1.85:1) and the sound is in Dolby Digital stereo surround. The picture is good. Not the shaprest I’ve seen on a film this recent, but a nice view.The surround sound is nice. The music and dialouge both clear and disguinishable.There is a theatrical trailer and it may be viewed in French(also stereo) and has subtitles in French and Spanish, but none in English. If you are interested in this film and are needing English subtitles, there is a German edition(PAL)with English captioning out there. I did not see it sold here at Amazon though.
“Baby Boom” is a fun romantic comedy that was nominated for Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture(Comedy/Musical) and Best Actress(Comedy/Musical).4 stars.
Thanx and enjoy……Laurie
DIANE KEATON IS MAGIC
Baby Boom remains one of my favorite silly movies — featuring so many enticing and amusing elements, it is like a terrific turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving, with loads of mayo. Diane Keaton, always one of my personal favorites, displays her usual charm and actually makes you laugh out loud at many points throughout. Her Tiger Lady is one of the best caricatures of a shark-like corporate female ever, and her blossoming softness, courtesy of that adorable baby girl, is a joy to behold. The settings, from the hustle-bustle of a cheerfully skewed Manhattan office and environs, to the Christmas-card perfection (but don’t be fooled!) of a Vermont farmhouse, pull you in, and add color to a predictable but funny plot. Sam Shepard lends his trademark subtlety and attractiveness as a Vermont vet. This movie is hard to resist.
Engaging Performance by Diane Keaton
As anyone who has walked a mile or two knows, life is about choices and making decisions. And a lot of that has to do with realizing and setting priorities, because– as a wise person once said– You Can’t Have It All. It’s the lesson we all learn in our own way in our own time, according to our own personal situation, and director Charles Shyer examines one of them in his amiable comedy, “Baby Boom,” starring Diane Keaton.
J.C. Wiatt (Keaton) is a high-powered businesswoman on the fast track to success; she knows what she wants, has set her priorities, and a partnership in the firm for which she works is on the horizon. Her live-in significant other, Steven (Harold Ramis), is of a like mind-set, so they complement one another’s life style perfectly. Marriage and/or having children is in neither of their respective vocabularies. then one day, J.C. “inherits” a baby, the child of a distant relative (a cousin she’d met only once) who has been killed in a tragic accident, and suddenly, J.C.’s world is turned upside down. Keeping the baby is out of the question, of course. Or is it? For J.C., it just may not be as simple as it seems, initially. She’s been living life on her own terms, but now she is once again faced with choices, decisions and setting priorities. And along the way, she learns one of life’s most important lessons: The fact that the lesson never ends.
There’s some amusing moments and some insights to be gleaned from Shyer’s film, and overall it’s a pleasant, enjoyable experience. It is not, however, an entirely original idea, and Shyer laces it with stereotypes and cliches to boot. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though. If his characters are stereotypical, it’s because they reflect a certain realism. J.C.’s boss, Fritz Curtis (Sam Wanamaker), for instance, typifies the image of a dedicated, hard-core businessman whom you get the feeling has to consult his day planner to work in an appointment with his own family. A stereotype? Perhaps. A reflection of reality? Definitely. The same can be said for Sam Shepard’s character, Dr. Jeff Cooper, who personifies the general image of one in his situation. And again, it is a reflection of reality, stereotypical though it may be.
Even the cliches are handled in a way that makes them fresh enough to work within the context of the story, and be appreciated– especially by those in the audience who may have experienced any of the situations presented here. When J.C. fumbles with a diaper and becomes frustrated with her own inexperience and incompetence with such things, it’s cliche, but it also rings true-to-life. The important thing is, it’s all well presented and actually pretty funny stuff, even if it isn’t anything new.
Shyer wrote the screenplay, along with Nancy Meyers, and one angle they may have failed to cultivate fully has to do with Ken, the character played by James Spader. As J.C.’s in-house adversary, also striving to climb the corporate ladder, it may have been intrinsically more interesting had the character been a woman. The fact that Ken is a man, again, makes this particular situation fairly cliche; whereas a competitive conflict with another woman, considering J.C.’s predicament, would have expanded the avenues of possibility to a much greater extent, and certainly would have provided a more imaginative perspective.
The main reason the film works as well as it does, however, is because of the engaging performance by Diane Keaton. In J.C., she creates the antithesis of Annie Hall, but even at her most demanding there is a hint of vulnerability in J.C., a softness to that hard exterior edge she uses to shoulder her way through the business world. Keaton gives you a real sense of the conflict she’s experiencing, and though it’s lightheartedly rendered for the most part, you understand the underlying seriousness of it all. And the scene in which she vents her frustrations and bares her soul to Dr. Cooper is classic. Keaton’s work is without question the highlight of the film, and what really brings it to life.
The supporting cast includes Pat Hingle (Hughes Larabee), Britt Leach (Verne), Kim Sebastian (Robin), Mary Gross) Charlotte, Patricia Estrin (Secretary)Victoria Jackson (Eve), Jane Elliot (Park Mom) and Linda Ellerbee (Narrator). An upbeat, entertaining film, “Baby Boom” may not be particularly memorable, but it does provide some laughs, and at the same time says something about the value of being given the opportunity to question the things we “think” we want. Kind of like saying “Never say never.” After all, who can say with any certainty where destiny may lead any of us? It’s something a film like this may make you consider, inbetween the chuckles. It’s the magic of the movies.
Stream Hatari! Online
 |
Stream Hatari! Online.
Movie Title: Hatari! Hatari! is available for streaming or downloading. |
HATARI! may be the most palatable of the Howard Hawks/John Wayne collaborations (their other pairings produced the classics RED RIVER and RIO BRAVO, and the RIO BRAVO ‘remakes’ EL DORADO and RIO LOBO), and is exceptional in several ways; at 157 minutes (2 hours, 37 minutes), it may be one of the longest ‘buddy’ films ever made; nearly all of the animal ‘chase and capture’ sequences alive to the loyal cast members (professional handlers serving as stunt doubles were only rarely worn) ; and the filming began with virtually no script (which was written based on the ‘on location’ footage in Africa, after the cast returned to California) . At 65, director Hawks was calm in top invent, and the risks he took paid off…HATARI!, despite it’s length, is never listless!
Buy,Download, Or Stream Hatari!! Click Here
The memoir focuses on a season with a team of professional hunter/trappers, capturing animals for zoos and circuses. With a breathtaking opening scene of a rhino stir, costing them the expend of traditional driver, ‘Indian’ (legendary actor Bruce Cabot), the ‘family’ dynamic is swiftly established, with rugged Sean Mercer (Wayne) both boss and father-figure to the group. As he and the rest of the ‘family’ (Red Buttons, Hardy Krüger, Valentin de Vargas, and Michèle Girardon) meet ‘Indian’s’ replacement, ‘Chips’ (Gérard Blain), Mercer has an even bigger headache to deal with; splendid photographer Anna Maria ‘Dallas’ D’Allesandro (Elsa Martinelli) has arrived, to shoot a magazine spread. A ‘traditional’ Hawks leading lady, ‘Dallas’ is feisty, sultry, and attracted to Mercer, and the older man, depressed with the ease by which she fits into the group, as well as his believe stirrings, tries to develop it certain that romance has no state on his agenda (in worthy the same manner as he did with Angie Dickinson in RIO BRAVO…and with the same results) .
While some elements of the sage are dated and politically mistaken (shooting a baby African elephant, even as a ‘mercy killing’, would be a major offense, today, as it is an endangered species), the combination of spectacular ‘hunt’ sequences, and the warmth and easy camaraderie of the cast in the subplots fabricate HATARI! a rich, rewarding experience.
Buy,Download, Or Stream Hatari!! Click Here
A major plus for the film is a very atypical Henry Mancini regain, combining tense, African-influenced themes for the chases, and the very laughable ‘Baby Elephant Walk’ to punctuate ‘Dallas’s’ relationship with her adopted pachyderm ‘children’. The baby elephant scenes are film highlights, as is the rocket hold of a tree filled with monkeys, and both rhino chases (which clearly shows Wayne in some loyal anguish!)
From the opening rhino sequence to the closing ‘Honeymoon’ scene, HATARI! is a ample entertainment, and escapism at it’s best!
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this movie since I was a child. And it is unruffled one of my all time favorites. I hope Paramount is making a DVD in the come future, cause my venerable VHS tape is handsome customary out and won’t do it any longer. Although John Wayne is mostly famed for his western movies, he’s best in Non-westerns. His exprssion when Martinelli asks him how he likes to kiss is priceless. I Like IT!! Howard Hawks was an favorable director and never in the 160 minutes the movie is humdrum. The action scenes are moving, the comedy scenes are laughable. Don’t touch it when you treasure Stallone or Van Damme, but it is a must when you care for Beneficial Dilapidated Hollywood!!
motorcycle alarms systems
social anxiety treatment
Watch Ned Kelly Online
 |
Watch Ned Kelly Online.
Movie Title: Ned Kelly Ned Kelly is available for streaming or downloading. |
I watched this film because of the actors on the billing, not incandescent what to put a question to, and came away deeply touched and with a unusual respect for Heath ledger. This is a very touching movie, a gritty witness at the lives of the Ned Kelly Gang, a group of four friends pushed to become outlaws due to the injustices their family suffers in colonial Austrailia. It is a pleasing and tragic tale. The actors have done a surpurb job, portraying not brash larger-then-life characters, but realistic people who have suffered and yet have to go on, tragic heros whom you have to feel for by the slay of the film. Ledger gives a confident and broken-down preformance, unlike any other share he has done before. It isn’t a role in which I would have expected to view him, but he definately suceeds and shows his versitality as a serious actor. The Irish culture portayed against the Austrailian landscape gives the movie a surreal quality, and a scrutinize at a historical era not usually understanding of. This is a breautiful dramatic peice you’ll not want to miss. Very well worth it in my view.
For most people Down Under, the name Ned Kelly elicits feelings ranging from arrive religious devotion and hero-worship to the most bitter, deep-seated hatred. Like many figures who have reach to be regarded as well-liked heroes, there has been the accretion of a lot of record to the name of Ned Kelly, which can obtain getting to the accurate man a broad order.
Buy,Download, Or Stream Ned Kelly! Click Here
The movie, Ned Kelly, is based in the southern spot of Victoria, (it was filmed unbiased outside Melbourne), and follows the Kelly Gang through the unjust imprisonment of Ned Kelly (Heath Ledger) and then his mother after unfounded accusations from a Victorian Police officer. Other injustices are committed against the Kelly’s and their friends, which only increases Kelly’s choose to hit aid. The film climaxes in the last stand made at Glenrowan, and the tragedy that it was.
The movie is excellently shot and uses the scenery of Victoria well to give an atmosphere and aura of colonial roughness contrasted with the well-to-do nature of the British middle and upper classes at the time. The film simply looks nice, as well as uses right historical sites. For example, the scene where Ned Kelly leaves prison is the gate to the Primitive Melbourne jail, (that section is now a building devoted to tertiary education) . It is worth a visit, if you are ever in Melbourne, as the hover where Kelly was kept is quiet intact and start to the public.
Buy,Download, Or Stream Ned Kelly! Click Here
The principle actors are all edifying in their roles and they bring off the Irish character of the Kellys and their friends well. Orlando Bloom is pleasant as Kelly’s friend, Joe Byrne. Accurately shown to be fluent in Cantonese, Bloom brings Byrne to life. Heath Ledger does an admirable job of portraying Ned Kelly in the details, bringing to light what motivated and drove Kelly, as well as the emotional struggles that Kelly might have gone through. Laurence Kinlan and Phil Barantini deserve mention as well for their parts as Dan Kelly and Steve Hart respectively, and the protrayal of their tragically short lifes and their courage at the extinguish.
The movie is a mountainous memoir, and brings a man and his friends to life. It is an respectable overview of a complex figure and it attempts to expose what the dependable man was, and in most respects succeeds in doing so. The movie does presents one “interpretation” of the Ned Kelly anecdote, and presents him in a very clear light. The director, Gregor Jordan, is very initiate and just about this, saying that he hoped people would be encouraged to rep out more and fabricate their have opinions. The movie also takes some liberties with the facts, but these do not overly affect the region or its value as a Kelly movie.
If you have never seen or read about Ned Kelly, then I would suggest that one read a book called Ned Kelly: A Short Life by Ian Jones, (available from Amazon) . Read it before you discover the movie and it will back you understand where the movie is coming from and where the movie is drawing its material from. Secondly, the book will maintain in information that is either not given in the movie, or could be easily missed. This information would provide a greater notion of why Kelly does things in the movie.
For example, the reason for the siege at Glenrowan is not terribly certain in the movie, though it is indirectly alluded to in a couple of scenes. One scene is when Kelly and Byrne are writing the Jerrilderee Letter, and Kelly warns people not to “attempt to reside” in Victoria. The second scene is when Francis Hare, (Race), is addressing his officers and warns that the Kelly Gang have been elevated as leaders of a “movement” that threatens the very structure of the colony of Victoria. What the book reveals is that Kelly and the Gang were trying to commence an uprising, and reduce the rail at Gelnrowan to abet them in this. It was not fair an attempt to extinguish as many officers as they could for no right reason. They also had supporters ready to rise in the residence around the town, and there were worries after the seige ended that they would smooth cause anxiety.
Also, the book presents a more balanced context to the movie. It is not revealed in the movie that Kelly had accelerate with an older bushranger, (bandit), when he was in his teens and learned a lot from the older man, (such as bush craft and bushranging) . It was from this older man that Kelly learned the value of a wide wait on outrageous among the general population. This was helped a lot when the Kelly Gang burned a bank’s mortgages, (the farmers got their loans cancelled and their farms free) .
Overall, the movie is pleasurable, and I enjoyed it immensely. It is a touching memoir, and one may need to witness it in the dismal to conceal the tears, 
. The narrative is one worth telling, and the cast and crew of this movie have told the anecdote well. I would only recommend reading the book as well for the reasons above. Like him or despise him, it is undoubted that Ned Kelly makes a grand movie and will remain in the accepted imagination for generations to advance.
gps and hiking
sennheiser rs 130 headphones
Malice Review.
|
|
Malice Review.
Compare & Purchase Malice at Amazon by clicking here! List Price: —- Amazon Price: $2.99 |
Malice Description:
- Amazon Sales Rank: #19140 in Movie
- Released on: 2009-01-19
- Running time: 107 minutes
Customer Reviews:
Totally Underrated: A Brilliant Movie
Leonard Maltin, who usually agrees with me (!), gives this movie only 2 1/2 stars. The Amazon reviewer says it doesn’t make much sense and is full of McGuffins! Well, they’re both way off base this time. McGuffins? Try to come up with even one good one, and you’ll have something that most thrillers don’t have at all. Come up with several, as does MALICE, and you have a totally brilliant thriller. Yes, the serial killer subplot was thrown in–for laughs, maybe? No matter, it served its purpose of deflection, setting up the main character, and even — horror of horrors! — filling time while time needs to be passing by in order for the main plot to mature. The movie was touted as being from the same director who brought us SEA OF LOVE, which to my mind is an immediate turn-off. But it shows–as William Goldman shows so clearly in his books–that the same director can be quite different depending on the screenplay. MALICE has a great screenplay, so all the director had to do was film it. Of course, I exaggerate, but wait a moment–look who he had to work with: Nicole Kidman, Alec Baldwin, and Bill Pullman. Each turned in a totally outstanding, memorable performance. Pullman had the hardest role and he pulled it off. Kidman is one of the greatest actresses of our generation. Baldwin was good as usual, and we especially have to thank the casting director for choosing him for this role, which seems to be “pure Baldwin,” if you know what I mean (e.g., most Bogart movies are “pure Bogart,” as if there were no one else who could possibly play that role, including George Raft as Rick in CASABLANCA). And even Peter Gallagher shows up here in an early role that makes a strong impression. George C. Scott is perfect, as always, in a cameo role. Nicole Kidman does not seem to be all that impressive through most of the movie, but she’s playing a role, and playing it to the hilt, as we find out later. She gets her chance to show what she can do in the last fifteen minutes, and you can see her incredible range, her ability to focus the film, the depth of her resources as an actress, which she exceeds only in her bravura role in TO DIE FOR. All in all, MALICE is one of the finest thrillers of the 90s, and my prediction is that it will become a major cult favorite and be reissued sooner or later on DVD.
See It Once For The Story, And Again For The Acting
MALICE is one of those movies that you simply MUST see more than once to believe. The first time through, MALICE is a great psychological thriller, with twists and turns through a plot that contains rape, murder, life-and-death trauma, and a fight to the death…all within the first 45 minutes. The second time through, though, provides a look at all the things you might have missed the first time around…and a chance to savor an outstanding performance from perhaps the most underrated actor in Hollywood, Alec Baldwin.
Bill Pullman plays Andy Safian, an associate dean at a small New England college outside of Boston that’s currently under siege by a serial rapist who claims his latest victim as the film opens. Nicole Kidman plays his wife Tracy, a volunteer in the pediatrics ward of St. Agnes Hospital. They’re renovating a Victorian house and need $14,000 for the plumbing. Enter Alec Baldwin as Dr. Jed Hill, a former high school classmate of Andy’s, who’s brand new in town and needs a place to stay. Andy needs the money, Jed needs a room, so the two hook up and soon Jed is sleeping upstairs in the Safiens’ home…usually not alone, and his sexual escapades are grating on Tracy’s nerves. The rapes continue, Andy is fingered as a suspect, and in the midst of it all, Tracy collapses with a ruptured ovarian cyst. Jed operates to save her life (after a night of drinking and wild partying), but renders her unable to bear children…leading to a malpractice suit from Tracy and an incredible soliloquy on surgeons with a God complex from Jed during the deposition.
But once the first half of the film is over, things really start to roll. Without revealing the rest of the plot, suffice it to say that as Andy, Tracy, and Jed all try to start their lives over again, their fates become inextricably entangled.
The movie is worth seeing once as a thriller. But the second time around, Baldwin’s mesmerizing performance is what stands out. Jed is charismatic, seductive, and as charming as a cobra as he weaves his spell over the Safiens. Baldwin’s ability to jump from utterly charming to incredibly chilling in the blink of an eye is on full display here; it is truly the performance of a lifetime.
See it once for the suspense, and again for the acting.
Twisting and Entertaining
Proper enjoyment of this diverting little feature requires not knowing the plot twists, so I’ll try to not spoil that enjoyment in praising this film.
I join Roger Ebert in not being able to think of another film that throws in a serial killer as just atmosphere – I watched this movie when it first came out a decade ago, then again on DVD yesterday, and I had completely forgotten the part about the serial killer.
Aside from the fact that George C. Scott and Anne Bancroft have left us, it would be difficult to assemble a cast like this wouldn’t it? Alec Baldwin, Nicole Kidman, Bill Pullman, Anne Bancroft, Gwyneth Paltrow, George C. Scott, Bebe Newirth, Peter Gallagher all contribute to this film.
I love to watch films of any genre and any country and the sensation I like to have at the end of the viewing experience is “satisfied” – in the same way that I’d like my palate and belly “satisfied” by a good meal. This screenplay twists and turns, but rather than in a Charlie Kaufman “hey-look-at-how-many-unexpected-twists-and-turns-I-can-put-in” kind of way this story moves in a way that wraps up loose ends in a “satisfied” kind of way.
Especially used, this DVD can be had for a song also. It’s a satisfactory way to pass a couple of hours.