Reviews

It has taken me 24 years to see this film, and I couldn't have chosen a better time to do so. Vivien Leigh is STUNNING in this film, outshining her performance in GWTW ten fold. At any other time in my life, I may have seen Blanche as a crazy, one-dimensional dame, but now, oh, now I see her as a multi-faceted character with real humanity and soul. She is not crazy, but beautiful in her heart-rending quest to find stability. Though the film is somewhat stagey, there is some magnificent camera work and there are some impeccable shots of Vivien Leigh, in particular. Karl Malden as Mitch also delivers a stunning performance.

That is a very strong claim to make, and as you all can see (for those of you who HAVE seen this great film), I am so enamored of it that when DPS came out 9 1/2 years ago, I casually picked up the nickname "Neuanda" (chosen by one Charlie Dalton, a character in the film), and haven't let go of it since.

It is extremely important to tell all of you who have not seen this movie that your experience with DPS will not remotely mirror what I went through when I first encountered it. Some of you will love it, some of you will loathe it, while others, still, will have mixed reactions.

And that is the beauty of it (and the beauty of moviedom, in general).

I was 15 years old and emotionally poised to receive a movie of this calliber. I was young enough for it to become a part of my still malleable soul, and old enough to understand the gravity of its message . I can only hope that something similar will happen for all of you who have yet to see it. The movie's message is a simple one, but profound and enlightening, just the same. Please take the 2+ hours to experience it, and relate it to your life the best way you know how. That is all I can ask.

Carpe Diem and Enjoy.

...I must contest the previous review. Though this film is admittedly quirky, it has an underlying message that is both hilarious and poignant. And with a soundtrack that includes Seal, Tori Amos, Grace Jones and Wendy and Lisa, I suggest seeing it for the score alone.

I first saw this in 1993 when it had just been released on video. Since then, my obsessive tendencies have lead me to see this film upwards of 100 times. I now own it, because I wore out my local video store's copy. The actresses have created something truly special in their vignettes about love, life and death. My hat is off to them all.

This film deserves kudos for trying to update Frederick Knotts genuinely intriguing thriller, "Dial M for Murder", but it just doesn't pull it off. For a genuine thrill, with less 90s attitude and more thought-provoking sequences (notice how 90s filmmakers TELL the audience everything--they assume we won't get it on our own--Andrew Davis is guilty of this in his version), check out Alfred Hitchcock's version with the immortal Grace Kelly.

Michael, a.k.a. "Roger" Moore has done it again. After almost a decade since his stunningly depressing "Roger and Me", he delivers an equally acerbic, yet slightly more comedic account of David vs. Goliath in corporate America. Never hiding his roots or his purpose (he's from Flint and he's mad), he weaves a tale of real Americans who are on the skids and at the mercy of lying, cheating, scheming corporations (and, ultimately, the gov't). Check out the scene at Media Play, with inspired editing, of Michael and a PR woman who is not all that she seems. I found myself cheering and clapping throughout the film. Hurray, Michael!

So rare is it that a brand new show can be so good on its official coming-out episode. Few come to mind: "Frasier", "ER", and "The Wonder Years". But here we have "Sports Night", a television show that could have easily slipped into the cliche doldrums of sitcomville, where they resort to lame jokes and typical stereotypes about how boys will be boys, and how sports are only part of "a man's world". But Aaron Sorkin, creator and exec. producer of this television gem, does everything but resort. To watch this show is to remember what entertainment is all about--good chemistry, great acting, and incredible writing. To watch the first episode of "Sports Night" is to experience expertly manic camera work, volatile dialogue, and realistic relationships, with a dash of over-the-top humor to allow the actors to play with their stellar comic/acting abilities. It's no wonder that this is produced, in part, by Imagine Entertainment, the brainchild of another great producer and entertainer, Ron Howard. I cannot recommend this enough.

Denis Leary delivers a smashing dramatic performance in this stunningly told , stunningly filmed story about a man who must choose between what is legally right and what is morally right in a world of superficial loyalties and unfeeling violence.

The bright shining light of this film is that they actually commissioned actors who can dance! None of the usual edit, cut, placement of legs, then cut to c/o of face--Vanessa L. Williams can dance (as well as everyone else in this film). The only draw back (and this is not minor) is that though there is an attempt at a plot, it is generally full of holes and somewhat cliched. However, if you enjoy watching GOOD ballroom dancing, this is a great film--it's well-balanced.