Touted as the 'real' story of Arthur of legend, it is beautifully filmed and well acted. However, I found it to be a very typical man's movie. Guinevere is supposed to be near death from starvation and torture when found, yet the men fall for her, despite that she likely smelled and had bad breath, until later when fed and bathed. She remains scantily clad throughout, considering the windy wintry weather, even while bathing, again exposed to the wintry cold inside a sheer tent. chuckle. Who Guinevere is in the scheme of things is never elaborated. Then there's the oft inaudible or unintelligible dialog which is often difficult to understand and the storyline seems spotty at times. Much is not explained, or explainable in the time allotted. And there's the ending, typical mythology, showing Arthur marrying Guinevere and being proclaimed King, yet there are only a small band of people present, supposedly representing 'all' of Britannia. It seemed silly to me. But I did enjoyed the cinematography, the sets, and the gorgeous horses. It does offer a different take on the story, but not nearly enough.
Reviews
16 Reviews
Numb3rs
(2005–2010)
Refreshing
28 November 2010
I completely agree with vibeke-2's review, this is an excellent show, refreshingly intelligent and free from gratuitous profanity and gore. David Krumholz and Judd Hirsch are the best, though I think Rob Morrow's part could've been more developed by the writers. That being said, I looked forward to watching this program every week. The interplay of characters, tempo and the inventive lighting (cool blue/gray for the FBI office, warm tones for home and old university math dept office} make for a refreshing hour's time-out each week. I was sorry it ended its run last May. The math-explanation segments can go a bit fast, but are visually illustrated as well, invaluable for non-mathematicians like myself. *I've heard episodes are shown at universities to teach math.
Phenomenon
(1996)
Phenomenal!
13 September 2010
A very important movie. It attempts to express the power we all have within us. It also shows how often people chose not to use it.
It's an excellent script, very well executed. John Travolta was an excellent choice for the part, as are the other cast members; everyone gives their best. I could say more, but I'd rather not spoil it for anyone who hasn't yet seen it. It speaks to the heart and the spirit inside us.
See it. Listen to it. Think about it. Then see it again and think about it some more. Perhaps you can find something in it that speaks to you. I highly recommend it.
It's an excellent script, very well executed. John Travolta was an excellent choice for the part, as are the other cast members; everyone gives their best. I could say more, but I'd rather not spoil it for anyone who hasn't yet seen it. It speaks to the heart and the spirit inside us.
See it. Listen to it. Think about it. Then see it again and think about it some more. Perhaps you can find something in it that speaks to you. I highly recommend it.
If only we could!
11 September 2010
It's every adults dream, to be his/her young self again but with the knowledge gained as adults e.g.- "If I knew then what I know now...". Very funny, interlaced with real drama.
Wonderful episode, one of my favorites, with excellent performances by the young actors playing the adult stars characters in 12 yr old bodies. One could actually believe them to be their adult counterparts.
Star Trek TNG is my favorite show of the series, followed by Voyager. With a very elegant ship and excellent actors, TNG also quickly did away with the mini-skirt costumes, thank goodness, paving the way to more respect for the women of the future and for Voyager to break ground being the first to have several female characters in the major roles of captain, engineer and science officer. A great role model show for developing young women today.
Getting back to this episode, I found it one of the series most entertaining.
Wonderful episode, one of my favorites, with excellent performances by the young actors playing the adult stars characters in 12 yr old bodies. One could actually believe them to be their adult counterparts.
Star Trek TNG is my favorite show of the series, followed by Voyager. With a very elegant ship and excellent actors, TNG also quickly did away with the mini-skirt costumes, thank goodness, paving the way to more respect for the women of the future and for Voyager to break ground being the first to have several female characters in the major roles of captain, engineer and science officer. A great role model show for developing young women today.
Getting back to this episode, I found it one of the series most entertaining.
Gone with the Wind
(1939)
Still the Best!
10 September 2010
This is still The Movie that is the measure of all others. If you haven't yet seen it, you've been deprived. You simply must! It's movie-making history, as well as a lesson on the American Civil War.
Excellent in all categories: Story, Casting, Acting, Staging, Costumes, Cinematography, Special Effects, etc..etc... There's too much good to say about it. 'Just See It' from yourself. Vivien Leigh IS Scarlett. Clark Gable IS Rhett. ALL cast and characters are superb. Everything looks amazingly authentic.
It's long and has an intermission, so invite friends, have some wine and good eats, comfy seating and enjoy a great evening of theater.
Excellent in all categories: Story, Casting, Acting, Staging, Costumes, Cinematography, Special Effects, etc..etc... There's too much good to say about it. 'Just See It' from yourself. Vivien Leigh IS Scarlett. Clark Gable IS Rhett. ALL cast and characters are superb. Everything looks amazingly authentic.
It's long and has an intermission, so invite friends, have some wine and good eats, comfy seating and enjoy a great evening of theater.
Moulin Rouge!
(2001)
I walked out on this one.
10 September 2010
I am an artist, photographer, costume designer and love most anything French... but I hated this movie. I saw a preview in Vogue of the costumes and eagerly awaited the film, but was dreadfully disappointed in it. I walked out about half-way through, as I was feeling dizzy and sick from the incessant flash-and-dash editing, and the utter silliness of it. There isn't one scene that lasted long enough for my eyes to focus on it. The mix of songs, some stolen from other musicals, were staged in a blend of people and animation, and are awful. Though I was surprised to find that Nicole can really sing, while her costar cannot.
The story is taken from the real life of an actual French dancer, but what is in reality a tragedy of life cut short is here made into a comic travesty.
It's a different style film than others before it, but different doesn't mean better. I give it two thumbs down. Skip it.
The story is taken from the real life of an actual French dancer, but what is in reality a tragedy of life cut short is here made into a comic travesty.
It's a different style film than others before it, but different doesn't mean better. I give it two thumbs down. Skip it.
Cliffhanger
(1993)
It's a Cliffhanger alright!
10 September 2010
Breathtakingly Awesome Cinematography, especially in the opening credit shots! I give this one two thumbs up for story and entertainment value. There are a few minor things in the story that seem wrong, but still, this is a wild ride through the mountains, with actors that do a great job with their parts. Best I've seen of Sly. John Lithgow plays the cold-hearted villain to perfection. Michael Rooker is excellent as Sly's hot-blooded climbing colleague, and Michelle Joyner is superb as his girlfriend - her performance haunts me still! Janine is lovely and excellent, though her part is much like her NorEx character. The story is well-crafted and acted, with plot twists aplenty, and with the awesome cinematography, this one is well above (no pun intended) most other mountain flicks I've seen.
** I recommend viewing it on a BIG, Wide-screen TV!
** I recommend viewing it on a BIG, Wide-screen TV!
Cleopatra
(1963)
Epic entertainment. Elizabeth IS Cleo.
21 August 2010
Epic entertainment with Elizabeth Taylor an excellent choice for the part, even if she was older than the real Cleo. I enjoyed this movie very much. It illuminated historical events and personalities with color, clarity and passion. Cleopatra is portrayed as a real person, with intellect, ambition, and vulnerability, not just a lusty plaything. Multi-faceted characters, well-acted, with great cinematography, absolutely splendid sets, and music that is evocative and sultry, like Cleo, like Egypt. It's well-edited too, making a long and intricate story easy to follow. My only criticism is the usual casting of British actors in the roles of middle-easterners, which continues to today. Still, this is epic movie-making, very well done and well worth watching.
Salome
(1953)
Beauty and the Bible
21 August 2010
While this film does vary from the biblical storyline, it's worth watching for Rita alone. She's a vision in all her scenes and very good in her part, culminating in her 'Dance of the Seven Veils', which is a treasure. {I only wish it wasn't montaged with the death of the Baptist.} Rita never looked lovelier than she does here and her Jean Louis costumes are all drop-dead gorgeous. Stewart Granger is pretty good, better than usual, he and Rita having good chemistry here. It's well cast, with actors Charles Laughton and Dame Judith Anderson both excellent as King Herod and Queen Herodias. Arnold Moss is slithering as the evil adviser to Queen Herodias, though Alan Badel as John the Baptist seems more like a wild-eyed madman than a holy prophet. Though there are some filler segments that are not up to the rest of the film, still I think it's excellent entertainment.
Hidalgo
(2004)
Movie making at it used to be, Superb!
21 August 2010
THIS is why we go to the movies! Whether fact or fiction, this is an amazing story and an expertly made motion picture. It's a many layered tale, with rich characterizations, telling of multiple cultures involved in a fabled race. Superb cinematography throughout, with awesome scenery, sumptuous costumes, magnificent horses, gorgeous actors, etc, etc... It held my interest from beginning to end. It's not a traditional western in the sense that it does not take place only in the American west. Yet, it is a western in character. The added dimension of the Arabian desert makes for an even more spectacular and adventurous story. While it may be too intense for very young children, I'd still say it's good for all ages, as it is culturally educational as well as spectacular to watch. I highly recommend it, especially if you have a big screen TV.
FairyTale: A True Story
(1997)
Enchanting!
19 August 2010
I LOVE this movie. I first learned of this story while studying the history of photography in college. The story is true, except... well- watch the movie. :) While by today's standards we would not be fooled by the photos, still the healing impact this news event had on society back then after the horrors of WWI and the peoples' willingness to believe it are certainly understandable and wonderful. The film is perfectly cast and perfectly acted and expertly edited. The girls are delightful. All characters are well expressed, including the parents, and the stories within the story are so very real, and touching. The is a lovely looking movie, with special effects that look convincingly real and made me wish they were. :-D Gather your loved ones around you and ENJOY this movie together!
Wyatt Earp
(1994)
Truer to the real man
19 August 2010
This is an epic western movie and much truer to the real story of his life of than any other. The cinematography is excellent. The sets, props, costumes, characterizations and dialog, all seem so very authentic that, watching it, I felt like I was really there, living it. Everyone does an excellent job in their parts. Wyatt and his brothers are shown in the varying facets of their humanity, as are their women. Wyatt's early life is shown, which sets the inner core of his adult personality. Kevin Costner looks startlingly like the real Wyatt too. If you like westerns, but want yours served up like a banquet, not a slice of pizza, than this is your movie.
Flawless script, Brilliant acting.
19 August 2010
This is one of my favorite ST-TNG episodes. I found the script flawless and the premise gripping. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The climax and ending are brilliant. In my opinion, the writers did their best work here. It's a match of wits in this story, highlighting the core traits of the main characters and of the intergalactic races. Guest star Sloyan is excellent. Stewart does some of his best work as Picard. {Though this episode is of a serious nature, Data has some humorous and endearing moments.} Burton, as LaForge, has thoughtful commentary on analytical thinking. The visuals and special-effects are superb, as only ST can do. I've seen this episode several times in reruns and I don't tire of it. If you are a Star-Trek fan, but haven't yet seen this one, you should. It's one of the most celebrated episodes of the series.
Sideways
(2004)
Exceedingly Boring, except for Ms. Madsen
27 July 2010
The ONLY shining thing in this movie is Ms. Virginia Madsen's performance. When she leaves the screen, so does anything else worth watching. The rest is a very slow, mediocre road trip into the lives of two guys who are mostly forgettable. Though Paul Giamotta's character has some redeeming aspects. Thomas Hayden Church's character is a complete cad. He contrasts completely with Paul's and I couldn't figure out why these two guys were friends. Thomas' character nearly ruins Paul's. The wines and wine locations are barely highlighted, not enough for me anyway. The cinematography one would expect in such a lush region, well, wasn't. Have plenty of wine on hand to get through this film, though watch it for Ms.Madsen, but be prepared to wait a while until her character fully comes to light. Or, you could start watching about 45 minutes in.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
(2010)
Don't waste your money
25 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I thought this film was supposed to be a human version of the delightful animation sequence from the 1940 film Fantasia. It's not, except for one very poorly done scene. The short animated version* is infinitely better.
This movie is just another collection of dizzyingly fast-paced special effects, with ill-researched and erroneously applied symbolism, and a convoluted plot line that borrows from a dozen other stories and movies, with little redeeming value. Their research appears to have been gleaned only from comic books. It felt like a manic eating binge after which one wants to purge.
There are attempts at messages but they get lost in the maze of visual confusion; and the climax and ending, well, I was just glad it was over. This film could not make up it's mind what it wanted to be.
The young actor who played the apprentice left much to be desired, being marginally funny at best, with slurred speech and mannerisms that are annoyingly distracting.
There's many a contradiction here, about magic, love, and the uses and limits of power.
What is the point of this movie? None, except to make a lot of money off impressionable young kids, who will leave the theater with minds that have been overloaded and then wiped out.
Disney's magic is no more. I'm glad I went to the matinée and didn't waste the cost of regular admission.
*NOTE: A contributor to the FAQ says the movie is truer to the original poem. But apparently he's never read it. In fact, the movie is a total fabrication while the animated version is true to the poem.
This movie is just another collection of dizzyingly fast-paced special effects, with ill-researched and erroneously applied symbolism, and a convoluted plot line that borrows from a dozen other stories and movies, with little redeeming value. Their research appears to have been gleaned only from comic books. It felt like a manic eating binge after which one wants to purge.
There are attempts at messages but they get lost in the maze of visual confusion; and the climax and ending, well, I was just glad it was over. This film could not make up it's mind what it wanted to be.
The young actor who played the apprentice left much to be desired, being marginally funny at best, with slurred speech and mannerisms that are annoyingly distracting.
There's many a contradiction here, about magic, love, and the uses and limits of power.
What is the point of this movie? None, except to make a lot of money off impressionable young kids, who will leave the theater with minds that have been overloaded and then wiped out.
Disney's magic is no more. I'm glad I went to the matinée and didn't waste the cost of regular admission.
*NOTE: A contributor to the FAQ says the movie is truer to the original poem. But apparently he's never read it. In fact, the movie is a total fabrication while the animated version is true to the poem.
The Secret Garden
(1993)
Enchanting
31 May 2010
A work of ART. I cannot say enough good things about this film. True to the treasured children's book of the same name, it's author would've been very pleased. Highlighting the contrast between the huge, old, dusty halls of the manor and the healing power and beauty of sunshine and fresh air in a garden. It pays homage to the Earth and those who love her. Excellently cast and acted, beautifully filmed in authentic and amazing locations, with a gentle score. It's magic will cast a spell on you. Perfect family fare or for yourself or someone you love. As a artist, photographer and gardener myself, this is one of my favorite films. I HIGHLY Recommend it.
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