Reviews

My husband and I saw this movie the day it premiered in Los Angeles. The movie trailer and buzz, plus the music, attracted our attention. We love all music from the 60s and 70s, and especially anything by James Brown. We've always lived on the west coast, so neither of us had heard of Petey Greene (Don Cheadle) or his manager, Dewey Hughes (Chiwetel Ejiofor). We did a little internet searching when we got home to find out Greene had been married, had children, and worked all his life as an activist for social reform by reintegrating ex-convicts back into the community and getting them jobs. All that wasn't important to the film but was interesting to know about Greene's real life. Lends more credence to the reason for his story being told. TALK TO ME is a well-made biopic that I'd highly recommend to family and friends.

What a fantastic script. The words Adrienne Shelly put down on paper are funny and crisp. Her sweetly preposterous story unfolds to create a charming cast of characters - the abused wife (Keri Russell), the homely lonely-heart in search of Mr. Right (Adrienne Shelly), and the happy-go-lucky only interested in Mr. Right Now (Cheryl Hines). All three characters are waitresses at Pete's Cafe, a hole-in-the-wall truck stop best known for its specialty pies.

At first glance I was reminded of the 60's television show "Alice." But soon the story took off in its own quirky direction.

Veteran actor Andy Griffith portrays a curmudgeon horoscope reader who just happens to also own of the restaurant.

I loved this colorful movie, and lament that such a wonderful storyteller was silenced so early in what looked to be a promising career. We're all diminished by her loss. Hopefully over time this little film will gain cult following and will remain in the forefront of the minds of moviegoers.

As I write this review I'm reminded of a song Andie McDonald sang in the John Travolta movie, MICHAEL. It goes like this:

"Pie, pie; Me, oh, my; Nothing tastes sweet, wet, salty and dry; All at once 'o well it's pie; Apple! Pumpkin! Minced an' wet bottom; Come to your place everyday if you've got 'em; Pie, me, 'o my; I love pie"

APOCALYPTO is an excellent film. Visually stunning. Intense. Moving. Adventurous. Action-packed. Insightful. Historical. Interesting. Sensual. Entertaining. Massive. Gut-wrenching. Suspenseful. Mystical. Frightening. Intricately detailed. Ingeniously written and directed. Brilliant. Exotic. Lush.

This film knocked my socks off - a well-told, coming of age story about supporting family and community. We watched the DVD at home on our 37" screen television, and still the picture was beautifully pristine - the panoramas, jungles, waterfall, city sets, costumes and makeup brought us right into the action. Normally I avoid movies that smear the screen with blood and gore. Not this time. It was essential for realism. We're going to look for this in the movie theater. It's so detail oriented I'd enjoy a re-viewing on the big screen.

I can't imagine all the actors spoke Mayan as their native language, and probably most spoke some dialect of Spanish. I don't know how Mel Gibson learned enough Spanish to direct the native actors. Perhaps good storytelling is universal. He certainly succeeded. I never once wondered where the camera was or how a particular shot was captured, e.g., the jaguar.

I particularly enjoyed the mystical aspects. We all have an inner voice. Had our hero listened to that inner voice perhaps his family and villagers could have avoided their plight.

My husband NEVER, ever watches a movie with subtitles, but he didn't protest and never left the room once the film began. We both agree the Mayan language brought authenticity to the story.

APOCALYPTO is intense, once seen it's hard to get out of your system. I had to come here immediately after viewing to express my enjoyment.

Bravo, Mr. Gibson. We're looking forward to your next film.

We love Academy Award winning actor Denzel Washington, so we try to see his movies because we can expect a well-told, well-acted story. However, the trailers for Deja Vu did not even come close to preparing us for this thriller. We missed seeing it in the theater. How lovely it would have been to see beautiful Paula Patton on the big screen. Nonetheless, it proved to be an enjoyable rental! The love story beautifully unfolds as Denzel's character becomes involved with a mysterious woman. The clues he uncovers never gives the story away. And the explanation of the secret technology was just scientific enough to keep us interested without going over our head. Good job.

The finale answered the last scientific question, which made the journey worth the investment of time. And, for us, it raised the entire film to a score of 10. Nice work!

Found this gem in Hollywood Video today. What a sweet, uplifting film. Watched the movie, followed by the director's cut. (And, yes, Elden, I listened until all three of you stopped talking.) It's always helpful to know the director's intention after seeing a film. Makes for a more complete experience. The director's point of view often helps to verify I didn't miss key points in the story. This was one of the best director's reviews because Randall Miller and friends explained the variations in lighting between three different parts of the film, and discussed how they were able to assemble such an impressive cast. Loved the film. Bravo!

Saw the movie last weekend. One of the better Bond flicks because of fine performances delivered by Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, and Rick Yune (who doesn't get enough credit -- what a babe!). Interesting plot twist of dual identities and lots of action, but I was slightly annoyed that I knew too much about the flic from advertisements and promotions. Next time 'round keep some of the action under wraps, like which Bond woman is the "good guy," the laser scene, the flipped over car chase. Don't give too away!