Reviews

Although "City of Angels" is not a great film, it has its charms. Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan are attractive and likeable actors. The script is far-out and illogical, but if you are willing to go with the flow, the movie grows on you. It is too bad that the ending is so weak, since the movie has some good things going for it. Dennis Franz is wonderful in a supporting role and the romance is very touching. Overall, this is a fairly charming movie because of the skill of the actors. However, put your brain on hold when you watch this one.

I was not wild about "The Full Monty" for many reasons. I, too, could not understand 50% of the characters' lines. I did not find the relationship between the ne'er-do-well father and his son to be that touching because the father does nothing to promote his son's welfare. He exposes his son to sleazy values and frankly, the son would be better off with his mother and her boyfriend than with this wastrel who smokes like a chimney. I did enjoy the sight gags and I felt sorry for the plight of these unemployed men. However, the part of the movie that I enjoyed most of all was the wonderful music in the background. I am still hearing "Hot Stuff" in my head.

"Jane Eyre" has been done so many times that it takes a certain amount of daring to film it yet again. I love the novel, although it is too drawn out at times, especially during the part that deals with St. John and his family. This is a pared down version with only the essentials remaining. The perfomances are excellent, with the exception of Adelle and Blanche, who are somewhat stiff. The actor who plays Rochester is fierce and rather obnoxious and Jane is both plain and proud, which is appropriate to their characters in the novel. One criticism that I have is that the romance between the protagonists seems to spring out of the blue. There is little build-up to it. Still, this production has some very fine qualities and I especially enjoyed the acting of the two leads.

"Bowfinger" could have been so much better if Steve Martin had gone for a little more subtlety and a little less heavy-handed humor. Most people who see this movie will compare it with "Ed Wood," which was superb and much better written. This movie lacked heart and warmth and it was only intermittently funny. Martin winks at the audience with his "in" jokes, but this gets tedious after a while. The performances were OK, but the movie as a whole is a disappointment.

This movie is so rich in its themes, its acting and in its look that it is difficult to sum it up in a few sentences. "Eve's Bayou" is a triumph of intelligent filmmaking. The story is told through the eyes of a ten-year-old girl who knows too much for her years. We are voyeurs as we watch the tragic disintegration of a family. These are people who seem to have it all: good looks, money, and status. The father is a doctor, the mother is a great beauty and the children are adorable and precocious. Unfortunately, the father, played brilliantly by the great actor, Samuel L. Jackson, has a weakness for women and drink. His love for his children does not make up for his cruelty to his wife. Lynn Whitfield does a nice job as the insecure and neurotic wife who doesn't know what to do about her philandering husband. Debi Morgan is wonderful as Jackson's psychic sister, Mozelle, and the children give amazing performances. The look of the movie is spectacular. The bayou country of Louisiana is beautifully photographed and it serves as a sharp contrast to the tempestuous life of this troubled family. How tragic that we are our own worst enemies. People who have it all so often throw it all away.

"Central Station" is a beautifully acted film that cast a spell on me. The two main characters are complex and intriguing and I grew to care about them very much as the movie progressed. There aren't enough superlatives to describe the acting of Fernanda Montenegro. She plays a worn-out and cynical harridan who reluctantly becomes involved in the life of a street-wise child whose mother is suddenly killed. Montenegro's body language, her facial expressions, and the nuances of her speech are all tremendously evocative and effective in expressing Dora's loneliness, pride, toughness and vulnerability. The actor who plays the independent and adorable child is also outstanding. Montenegro and Oliveira play off one another like two old pros. The is a road picture with depth and heart. It is one of the best foreign films of recent years.

Kudos go to all who participated in making this wonderful film. Vanessa Redgrave, as usual, is perfect as an aging dowager who settled for the "safe" path in life instead of seeking adventure and taking risks. When her old flame reappears, she reevaluates her choices and second-guesses the paths that she chose. The film also has a sub-plot about a shell-shocked World War I veteran who is in emotional torment and is inconsolable. The film works on two levels. It shows the interaction between proper British people who speak politely to one another, but the viewer senses that there are fierce and passionate undercurrents and important thoughts that seems to be unspoken. In addition, the film is a clear indictment of the stuffy and snobby British society of Post World War I England, in which a party could be of such importance that a person's reputation could hinge on its success. There is also a feminist slant in the movie. Can a woman who spends her time at home making parties and pleasing her husband ever feel fulfilled? Did Mrs. Dalloway make the right decision in "playing it safe" in life? That is up to the viewer to decide. Meanwhile, revel in the fabulous nuanced performances, the witty dialogue and the beautiful cinematography. This film is a triumph.

Mamet is known for his razor-sharp and cryptic dialogue. In this movie, the dialogue is simply cryptic. You end up scratching your head, wondering what all the critics are fussing about. This movie does not bore, but it does not mesmerize, either. I feel sorry for the protagonist, who is in way over his head, but I find the plot to be extremely implausible and even irritating. "The Spanish Prisoner" had possibilities, but it annoyed more than entertained me.

"The Winslow Boy" has everything that is lacking in most movies these days. It has impeccable acting, a witty and sharply-honed screenplay by David Mamet, and an engrossing story. The boy in the title may or may not have stolen a trifling sum of money. However, his sister and his father fight in court for the family honor as if the child had been accused of murder. Is such a fight worth the notoriety that it brings the family, not to mention the financial and social sacrifices that the family suffers? It is up to the viewer to decide how far a person should go if he feels that his family honor and good name is at stake. All the performances in "The Winslow Boy" are outstanding. Go see it.

"Rushmore" surprised me with its excellent acting, hilarious screenplay and genuinely poignant moments. This film has a freshness and an originality that is seldom seen in movies anymore. Jason Schwartzman is brilliant as the weird yet endearing Max, a character that you have to experience to believe. The supporting cast is uniformly excellent. I guarantee that anyone who sees this film will not soon forget it.

"Life is Beautiful" is not meant to be taken literally. Those who criticize it because it is unrealistic are missing the point of the movie. To me the movie is saying that in the face of the irrational Nazi juggernaut, one has to react with humor and denial to survive. To give in to despair would be to hand the Nazis an immediate victory. The performances and the cinematography are fine. My problem is that a little of Begnini goes a long way. His incessant chattering got on my nerves fairly quickly and although he is a likeable person, I found his personality grating. He made a courageous movie, but I didn't love it as much as I admired his bravery in tackling this subject in such an original way.

There's a lot to love in this movie. Gwyneth Paltrow is luminescent, Geoffrey Rush is hilarious, Judi Dench is magnificent in a small role and the script is clever and witty. Rupert Everett and Ben Affleck are under-used, which is a real shame, since they are both so talented and charismatic. It's a literate movie with a lot of "in" jokes. "Shakespeare in Love" is entertaining without being moronic or condescending. What kept the movie from really enthralling me is the lead, Joseph Fiennes. I would have liked a more striking male lead, someone with more subtlety and shading in his acting to match Paltrow's wonderful performance. It is a good movie, but not a great movie.

What a disappointment and what a waste. Nora Ephron has made a trite movie that is more appropriate for the '50s than for the '90s. This movie has a thin plot and shallow characterizations; the script is tepid and predictable. When I walked out of this movie, I forgot about the characters within five minutes. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no chemistry between Hanks and Ryan. Do you get the picture yet? Put this one at the bottom of your list.

"Living Out Loud" is not a conventional love story. It is a movie about people who must learn to cope with great losses and with low self-esteem. Hunter and De Vito give their usual excellent performances and the script is above average. "Living Out Loud" offers no simple answers to life's problems. The movie is about working out what path in life seems right for you and having the courage to take the necessary steps to reach your goals.

"Antz" is a marvelous blend of brilliant animation and wacky humor. The physical look of the picture is stunning. The voice-overs are enormously entertaining, especially Woody Allen as "Z." The social commentary about conformity versus individualism will be totally lost on young children. "Antz" is geared towards older children and adults who will get the political allusions and who will appreciate the musical oldies that provide background for the action. This movie was pure fun.

The strongest aspect of "Apt Pupil" is the sinister performance by the versatile Ian McKellen. He is an actor of great range who mesmerizes the audience. Brad Renfro holds his own as the young man who is obsessed with Nazism and insinuates himself into McKellen's life. The relationship between the unrepentant Nazi and the middle-class high school boy is fascinating, as is the study of the nature of evil and how seductive it can be. However, the plot has very large holes and the ending is melodramatic and heavy-handed. How much better it would have been had the movie-makers opted for a more subtle approach. In spite of its plot contrivances, "Apt Pupil" is worth seeing for McKellen's bravura performance. He is an amazing actor.