Reviews

Lots of campy, dark humor and incisive commentary here in ABC's new runaway hit. I find it to be a really good night time "soap opera" to preface your work week.

Namely, any problems you might have in your own life pale in comparison to the active dissonance in the lives of these title characters. Nicolette Sheridan's plasticity and Eva Longoria's petite prettiness but vapid character aside, I find that Marcia Cross's caring obsessive compulsive controlling and Teri Hatcher's bumbling sweetness shine in their roles as desperate and very sympathetic suburban housewives. Kudos to Felicity Huffman in the role as the high powered executive who finds herself relegated to removing pea stains out of her husband's collared shirts.

This show is nothing like Touched by an Angel or anything insipid delivered on the Pax network. It is instead a deep reflection on how complicated it is to to be human. How do we find moments of consolation in those dark moments of desolation? How do we connect to ourselves and others?

It just so happens, Amber Tamblyn as title character Joan Girardi, (one of my personal favorites since her days as Emily Quartermaine on General Hospital) plays a cynical teenager who sees God. But God doesn't perform miracles. And he/she looks a little different every week. Joan is just trying to figure out who she is, like any of us she's digging around "in the trash trying to find something that matters." Joan's family is going through some real stress in Season 2 with the lawsuit against the oldest son Kevin who was left permanently paralyzed after a drunk driving accident...

Not being particularly religious, I feel incredibly drawn to the questions and issues this show raises every week.

Incisive writing, compelling acting. I can't remember what I was taping Friday nights.

I saw this film, the director's first attempt, when it debuted at the Philly Film Festival in 2002. I found it to be VERY disappointing. Without giving too much away, the director takes a clichéd Bollywoodian approach to very strong themes of sexual abuse, revenge and violence.

In the Q& A period following the film, the director admitted that some of the events were based on his true experiences, he explained as well that he had wanted to avenge a close friend through the story he portrayed. It is quite clear that he was much too emotionally close to resolving his own demons when he made this film. As a result, the film is extremely naive. Being passionate about cinema and world cinema in particular, I walked away incredibly frustrated.