Reviews

I admit I hesistated in seeing a film about bugs, since I loathe (and dispensed)many of them, but let Disney animators put a pair of huge eyes, a wide smile and brightly color species of the bug kingdom and you get a plethora of cute-looking, talking Circus bugs, and a blue ant colony with just 4 appendages. Oh well, it's Hollywood, it doesn't have to make sense. When I finally saw it, I bought the DVD. As with many Disney films, the sidekicks are often more interesting than the main character, and I truly enjoyed watching the luckless Circus bugs meander throughout the movie (the gibberish speaking Tuck & Roll, really were funny). If you've seen enough Disney movies, than you know most of the plot structure is formulaic, and the villains often meet their demise in the rain. This one is no exception. What you do get is that little bonus at the end of the film, that's clever in every respect.

That's the only way I can describe this movie. I'm surprised it only has a 7.3 rating. As a movie of great emotional depth, it deserves at least a 9. The three leads are portrayed beautifully by Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin. Maybe this type of film is considered to be too "artsy" for the typical Hollywood crowd, but those of us who enjoy being entertained yet having our hears & minds challenged will certainly find pleasure in viewing this type of film. A somewhat slow-paced but equally intriguing picture. Definitely one of Philip Kaufman's best, and one of the best films in the history of cinema.

My problem with this show was that some of the students, save Arvid, were too good looking to be consider "nerds". So they didn't "look" like social outcasts, but as those IHP students will tell you, Appearances are deceiving.

When it first aired, my interest in the show was Dr. Johnny Fever aka Howard Hesseman. Johnny Fever teaching kids brighter than himself, now that's hilarious. But it worked, not as Dr. Johnny Fever of course. Hesseman portrayed sub then permanent teacher Charlie Moore and gives the students lessons you can't learn from textbooks. And those are often, the most difficult ones to learn. For me, one of the best sitcoms of the 1980's.

I remember seeing this program on a now-defunct PBS station, KQEC in San Francisco. That was back in 1987, the Reagan-Yuppie years. The performers were speaking Shakesperean lines but, unlike dramatic actors, were purposely screwing up his words with glee. Then the more I watched, the more I enjoyed it and waited for PBS to air it again. It was part of a Great Performances "Live from Lincoln Center" production and I was lucky enough to see it in its entirety. Since then, I became an instant Flying Karamazov fan and have followed their progress. What an amazing cast of talent in the show; jugglers, baton twirlers, acrobats, fire-eaters and so forth. If Shakespeare ever saw this adaptaion of his light comedy, he would be spinning in his grave, with hilarity.

I've watched this movie 4 times. What so unusual about that is, that I am for capital punishment. Based on actual events, this movie recounts the transformation of a man sentenced to death by guillotine or in French slang "widow". While he awaits to be executed, he performs "community service" for an army captain's wife.

There are two love stories I found in this movie. The most obvious one, the captain and his wife. He has so much faith and trust in her, that even as people rumour about his wife, he defends her to the bitter end. The other love story is that of human kind. Madame La, is fully aware of the horrible act the prisoner has committed, but she has enough guts and gumption to prove that behaviors can "change".

This movie leans towards anti-capital punishment but it does not preach that at all. Madame La, like Dead Man Walking's Sister Helen Prejan, is capable of seeing through even the worst evil, and finding compassionate remorse in their fellow human beings. I don't necessarily agree with them but I must admire them for they truly understand the best and worst of human nature. Maybe that's why I watched it so many times.

What was this movie about? I don't really know but I had fun watching it. Two nerdy college kids have a car break down and they find shelter in a nut house, okay an alien nut house. I know this move has achieved "cult" status, and its well deserved. Tim Curry, who was great by the way, will forever be known as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, and the Broadway-style songs ensure a new freakish generation will want to sing-along with the "Time Warp" characters. Have fun with this movie, it's just a jump to the left.......

Contrary to its title, this is not a movie about children in an unnamed century. Instead this movie is about the love/hate relationship between French writers Alfred Musset and George Sand. They are two souls who have a mutual and affectionate understanding of one another until a voyage to Italy reveals their true nature. Passion, envy, trust, betrayal and forgiveness are all brilliantly encompassed in the relationship between Musset and Sand.

I enoyed this movie, though some may find it dull and slow. You may need to be a die-hard romantic or like well-costumed period dramas to watch this movie. My harshest criticism for this film would be that of it's length and even though I enjoyed the turbulent relationship shown in this film, there were times when I thought that their affair had ended for good only for them to reconcile a few scenes later.

This movie is handsomely photographed with wonderful costumes by Christian LaCroix and most magnificent of all, the actors don't seem like they're acting at all. Juliette Binoche is spectacular, both beauitful and natural in her potrayal of Sand. Benoit Magimel is splendid as Alfred Musset. Don't expect historical accuracy, and if you're a romantic at heart, you will not be disappointed.