Reviews

I rented this film because of my interest in American history, and especially the somewhat weird story of the Mormons. This movie attempts to make some sense out of how Joseph Smith could turn his "vision" into a major world religion. It first focuses on the troubles the Mormons had in their settlement at Navuoo, Illinois. It portrays the trial of Joseph Smith. Within the course of that trial, Brigham Young stands up to tell of his conversion to Mormonism, and of his belief in the spiritual message of Smith. Then Smith is assassinated, and Young must deal with his own doubts about whether he has been chosen to lead the Mormons to a new land. Despite his grave doubts, he perseveres, and finally has a vision (that Utah is the place for his colony) that gives him confidence in the rightness of his leadership. Later, as crops are destroyed by crickets, he again doubts that he has truly been chosen--however, a miracle occurs, which cements his place in history.

I found the performances to be moving, and the story to be convincing and interesting. I would love to know whether Mormons believe that this is an accurate portrayal. Polygamy is a part of the story, but the reasons why this is central to LDS are not raised. The issue is not emphasized.

I'm sure people stay away from this movie because of its religious subject-matter, but it has a great cast and will hold your interest throughout.

This is biographical filmmaking at its best. Although it's a bit hagiographic, the film conveys entertainingly the outlines of Woodrow Wilson's public life. Alexander Knox portrays Wilson as a person who had great intellect, great passion for public policy, and enormous love for his family. The movie is especially good at bringing to life the characters whom Wilson crossed swords with. Clemenceau and Henry Cabot Lodge are especially vivid.

This movie is in splendid color, and of sufficient length to make it feel like an epic. I highly recommend it.

This is such a terrific movie, it's hard to believe that someone made it. It goes valiantly into the lives of the actual people on the other end of U.S. bombs. It explores issues that the media avoid for fear of turning off the American public. It stars at least two American icons, and portrays them as thieves. The only heroes are the Iraqis who are fighting Sadaam, and hoping for US help, but getting nothing.

I was blown away by this movie. There can't be a more perfect movie experience. You laugh, you cry, you are carried away.

Kate Winslet stars as a seeker after the truth. She thinks that she finds something meaningful with an Indian guru. Her white trash Ausie family thinks otherwise, and they kidnap her to have her deprogrammed by the number one U.S. deprogrammer, played by Harvey Keitel. This leads to a conflict in which each character explores, changes, figures out what he or she is looking for, or at least figures out what to next in their lives to fulfill them.

This is a movie with great sparks of humor, some wonderful laughs, some wonderful cinematography including some visual treats involving a third eye, or a lighted match. Just when you think the movie will get bogged down into a heavy discussion, it is lifted up by some surprise plot twist, or by characters going further than you dared thought they would go.

It carries you along, and you don't want it to end. After you think it has ended, there is a very satisfying coda, so that you know where the characters wound up after the transforming events of this film.

This is a great great film.

This film received a rare standing ovation at the New York Film Festival. People were overwhelmed.

It is called "Color of Heaven" and it focuses on a blind boy. The boy is loved by all in his family, but his father has had a tormented life filled with grief. He feels that caring for a blind boy will ruin his chances for a good second marriage, and for a family to care for him when he gets old. So, despite the attachment of others in his family to the boy, he tries to keep the boy permanently at a school of the blind, and then in a woodworking apprenticeship.

The sensual vibrant color images in the film--almost surreally technicolor--illustrate the boy's sense of the world. You become fully sympathetic to the boy, cry with him, long to be loved with him. The camera is totally inside the boy's sensibility. It is a luxuriant and fully satisfying journey to an unknown place.

I saw this at the Danish New Wave series at Lincoln Center. I had always wanted to see a depiction of life in Greenland, and this is it. The program describes the movie in this way: "The first feature film shot totally in Greenland - which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark - HEART OF LIGHT is the story of Rasmus (played by Rasmus Lyberth, a celebrated Greenlandic singer), a man sinking into a mire created by constant unemployment and alcohol. When one of his sons goes on a killing spree, Rasmus turns inward, searching inside himself for the answers to the tragedy that's become his life. He embarks on an extraordinary journey into Greenland's vast, snowy interior; there, amid the towering blue skies, clear light and mountains of ice, he will re-establish contact with the culture he has lost, finding in tradition the strength to cope with the modern."

Yes there is nice scenery; yes you will see actual Greenlandish actors depicting life in Greenland. But beyond that the film holds little interest. Rasmus's finding himself is triggered by encountering a wacky mystic amid the snowbanks and glaciers, who reveals something that connects Rasmus with his past. It's a plot device both silly and so-what.

After the picture, Rasmus Lyberth, who depicted Rasmus, did some singing, which should have been in the movie to make it more enjoyable.

I went with low expectations, and came out really having enjoyed this movie. Griff and Pete, members of a fraternity at USC, are having an affair. Griff is closeted, and still lives at the frathouse. Pete has left the frathouse, and is on the verge of coming out. He want more from Griff than just sex. Griff is unwilling to have a real relationship (complete with dating, dining, acknowledging a partner), but does not give up on pursuing Pete. Pete even gets Griff to meet him at a gay coffeehouse. Then comes the gaybashing incident that changes everything.

The guys in this movie are handsome and believable. The frathouse scenes seem real--they let you understand the camaraderie that make people want to be part of frats, but at the same time deprive them of the room to be themselves. The gaybashing is an overused plot device, but it works to make this into a poignant movie about the dilemmas faced by gays who want to fit in, don't want to risk being open, yet need affection along with sex from another man.

Totally engaging, over-the-top movie. Weaves together the story of Son of Sam with a bunch of neighborhood men and their girlfriend/wives during a few weeks in one summer. Totally exciting moviemaking, very sexy, you can feel their sweat. Riveting and mesmerizing. Great use of music. Cross-cutting to make you feel like you're all over the city at the same time. A great film.

This movie takes all the hilarious elements of the TV show and adds curse words and sex. It is as funny as you want it to be. There's even poignancy at the end, as Kenny ascends to heaven. You'll love it.

I was ready to laugh when I sat down to see this film, but the laughs were few and far between. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Go figure. Something about Mike Myers has always struck me as being funny and poignant. Ordinary-looking guy with great sense of humor makes good. I guess I'm a fan. I really enjoyed watching him get into his characters.

Mini-me is a classic conception; I could watch the interaction of Dr. Evil and Mini-Me forever.

The best parts of the movie were the reaction shots after Austin said a laugh-line. I love the drawn-out pause that followed each of those lines, as Austin and his listeners are embarrassed--Austin knowing that he's said something naughty and that no one laughed, and his listeners trying to decide on a reaction.

I also enjoyed the Frau's countdown.

I really enjoyed watching this flick--I just don't remember laughing a whole lot out loud.

I thought that this would just be a horror film; I didn't realize it would be a goppy, gooey, disgusting horror film. Not believable enough to be scary. It affected me more as a gross-out than anything else. Acting was adequate. I note that it was filmed in Austin; might have been more enjoyable if some local Texas color were thrown in.

Yeah right! Vince Vaughan is from Brooklyn; he can do no more with his life than be a chauffeur; the only apartment he can get is a rathole under the el. And a beautiful rich lawyer has no other man in her life; she falls for him.

And the reporter played by Mrs. Will Smith is a totally absurd concoction. Not for a second is she believable.

Anne Heche does her best and is good despite the silly character. And Joaquin Phoenix is compelling. But the script comes out of some dopey Hollywood cookie-cutter. The music, the New York locations, the depiction of the Malaysian government, are cliches. It's a dumb dumb film.

It probably says more about me than about the film, but this film, for me, is the greatest ever. It's a sad sad commentary on the degradation that men and women go through as their desire for human contact sinks into a craving for the carnal. Starts out hilarious, melodic, hypnotic in the scenes with Candice Bergen, Jack Nicholson, and Art Garfunkel (a really good actor!). Turns horrific and ends with a frightening scene as Rita Moreno goes down down down on Jack Nicholson. Watch the wallpaper go up up up in that last scene! Do see it.

This was one of the best movies of 1998. Ally Sheedy is brilliant. The world of a photographic magazine provides a great backdrop for the story of a young woman discovering her lesbianism. Honest look at drugs and sex; the camera doesn't hold back. But the movie is also extremely funny.