Reviews

What a memorable gem of a movie!! I thought this film deserved every one of its seven Academy Awards it got. After viewing this film again I'm just stupefied why didn't Meryl Streep win Best Actress in this movie. The role of Karen Blixen was very complex and she performed it beautifully. This is probably right up there with "Sophie's Choice" and "Kramer vs. Kramer" both Award winning performances for her and this is right there with "Bridges of Madison County" and "A Cry in the Dark".

Syndey Pollock hit the nail right on the head with this classic beautiful cinematography. The acting is excellent by Streep, Redford, and Klaus Maria Brandeur. I liked the scene when Karen (Streep) wants her servant to address her by her name and he said "You are Karen, Sabu". I also loved the owl that she had in her room - it was a small one, but it was so cute and I loved it.

If you have a chance to rent this movie, please do - it is a classic. I love the beginning line "I had a farm in Africa" it was so moving!!

I saw James Cameron's Oscar winning epic Titanic and I saw a mesmerizing piece of art unfold before my eyes. I couldn't believe how this movie just came together. The visual effects were outstanding, the costumes were brilliant, the cinematography was wonderful, and (yes believe it or not!!) excellent acting.

In my opinion Kate Winslet made this movie and deserved her Oscar nomination for wonderful performance as Rose. Kate Winslet is truly one of the actresses for the future she has already had two Oscar nominations and she is only 23!! She was brilliant but it wasn't her absolute best (her best is Jude see it for all you Kate watchers she is wonderful in this movie). If it wasn't for Kate Winslet this story probably wouldn't have worked!! Leonardo Dicaprio was wonderful and he should've had more award praise for his performance but it wasn't his best also (What's Eating Gilbert Grape and he was nominated for that!!). Now Gloria Stuart was good but I thought Kathy Bates should've gotten in instead because her character stayed real!!

All those people who sat such bad things about Titanic are crazy because what's not to love. I know everybody is tired of the song "My Heart Will Go On" is a wonderful song and it fits the movie perfectly. This is a gem of a movie and when Rose looke up and saw Jack up there while she was going down with everybody was so pivotal because she them jumped onto the deck and saw that her life whole would be everything she is with Jack not with an arranged marriage with a controlling jerk (played brilliantly by Billy Zane!!) remember when Molly Brown (Kathy Bates) asked him at the dinner table are gonna cut her meat for her!!

This was such a materpiece and the only drawback was why did the older Rose just throw the gem into the sea it was puzzling but that still doesn't mean that this movie gets a 10!!!

I rented "Deconstructing Harry" and I thought I was going to be disappointed and I was wrong. This is probably one Woody Allen's top five movies. This movie has so many hilarious moments and some excellent acting Judy Davis is always wonderful as Lucy the angst-ridden mistress but I was surprised by Kirstie Alley was so awesome as Joan the ex-wife and I'm sure she had probably the most satisfying scene so she told Harry (Woody Allen) off.

The script was wonderful and was so well thought of it wasn't the best from Woody Allen but probably his best since Husbands and Wives (featuring Judy Davis also!!). Woody Allen is a wonderful director and a good actor as well he played probably the second biggest jerk of 1997 (Jack Nicholson played the biggest in As Good As It Gets see my review for that also!!).

Woody Allen is wonderful and even though I don't like him as person however I enjoy his work and I'll continue to watch his work as well although Celebrity was just a little disappointing Deconstructing Harry was still a wonderful movie and I enjoyed the separation of fantasy and reality a lot. It's kind of like what I said earlier I don't like him as person but I enjoy the Characters and his movies and we should just enjoy the movie and worry about his real life because we all have this about us that other don't like and people have things that we don't like. On that note I give this out of a 10 I give it an 8!!

I watched As Good As It Gets and I am so impressed with the versatility of Jack Nicholson he was so phenomenal as Melvin Udall he was the lock for best actor playing an obsessive-compulsive romance writer. James L. Brooks delivers a real good movie here with terrific performances by Greg Kinner as the gay neighbor Simon and Shirley Knight as Carol's mother and Cuda Gooding Jr. was excellent also. Greg Kinner in my opinion was the surprise also he was wonderful and deserved his Best Supporting Actor Nomination.

Now one thing I was puzzled with was Helen Hunt she was good however her character (Carol)was almost like Jamie (her character from Mad About You) and the hand motions and it just seemed that it wasn't the stretch that would give her an Oscar for. But that is my opinion.

In closing this movie was a wonderful movie and Jack Nicholson is outstanding I can't really remember a movie he was bad in I mean he was wonderful in Mars Attacks!, Ironweed, A Few Good Men (YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!), Terms of Enderment, REDS, One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, can go on and on! Keep up the excellent work Jack!!

I saw Elizabeth and I enjoyed every bit of this royal masterpiece. The riveting cinematography and the acting in it was outstanding. Cate Blanchett who delivered probably the performance to beat for the Oscars for best actress was so mesmerizing as the "Virgin Queen". Blanchett showed how a blind and carefree young woman and grow up to be a strong and fearless leader of England. There were excellent performances also by Geoffery Rush, Joseph Fiennes, and Sir John Gielgud, This movie was excellent and I hope that Cate Blanchett walks home with the gold for it!!

"The Ice Storm" was in my opinion one of the best acted movies of 1997 (L.A Confidential , The Wings of the Dove, and As Good As It Gets were the others). Once again Ang Lee's talents as a director was ignored again by the Academy (ex. 1995's Sense and Sensibility"). It is too bad that he was shunned again by the Academy for this movie was not even nominated for a single Oscar for its efforts in cinematography, screenplay, directing, and in the main acting categories.

Joan Allen gives a real strong performance as the tortured and neglected wife Elena Wood and deserved to get some kind of recognition like a Best Actress nomination at the Golden Globes or Screen Actors Guild Award Nomination, and especially an Oscar nomination. Sigourney Weaver played a brief but stinging role as the unhappy Janey Carver and should have been nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. Christina Ricci displays such talent and maturity well-beyond her seventeen years and should have gotten in if Sigourney Weaver didn't. Tobey Maguire and Elijah Wood were stellar in this movie and they have terrific futures ahead of them and Adam-Hann displays that talent just as well. Kevin Kline's role was wonderful in his performance and even though he wasn't going to get recognition for this movie it was an excellent effort.

Probably the best examples of movies that didn't involve high glamour special effects and mindless violence to make it entertaining. When I left the theatre I was completely quiet for about minute because it left a very icy feeling that we all should be happy that our families love us and that we should be thankful for the love we have and not to take life for granted because it could be taken from us in a flash.

The Ice Storm was a beauty and it was too bad that this movie didn't get recognized properly but I'll leave this movie with a perfect 10 and say that this was one of the best if not the best movie of 1997!!

Curtis Hanson directed the 1997 nostalgic film "L.A. Confidential" and boy did he ever hit nail on the head with classic. This was probably one of the best acted films of 1997 (The Ice Storm and The Wings of the Dove were the others!!). This film kept you in suspense throughout the whole movie. It was too bad that this nostalgic masterpiece didn't get more recognition by the Academy for this piece of art. The acting was superb! Guy Pearce should've been nominated for Best Actor for his role of a by-the-book cop who tries to crack a very complex case this role was a very big stretch for this Austrailian Actor. Kevin Spacey once again shows us his talents with another spot-on performance and is probably the best character-actors of the 90's and was spotless in this movie!! James Cromwell was every bit as good as he was in "Babe" by playing the villainous cop in this movie and was outstanding here in L.A Confiential. Russel Crowe did an excellent job playing the role as a hot-tempered cop and should've been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for this movie!! Of course, no L.A. Confidential critique would be fulfilled without talking about Kim Basinger's stylish and outstanding performace by playing the Lana Turner-like hooker Lyn Braken. Kim Basinger deserved to win for her performace and after years of heartbreak for this talented actress she finally gets her crowning glory and it was a well-deserved win for her. I believe that this movie deserved the Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress and probably should've won more. I believe that this movie was a work of art and Curtis Hanson got some well-deserved recognition for his wonderful work. I would definitely recommend you rent this movie as soon as possible!!

Angelina Jolie hit a home run for this spot-on performance as the lost soul of Gia. I believe that Angelina Jolie showed not only when that Gia was a lesbian model but a lost soul who just wanted to be loved and cared for. Other movies should take note on how to make a biography by watching this. It wasn't a over-hyped star but a real actress doing the part. Maybe Demi Moore should take some acting lessons from her.

I think that Helena Bonham Carter's Oscar nomination was well deserved and she should at least a Golden Globe or Screen Actors Guild Award for it. However, Alison Elliot was the surprising performance in this movie. She brought surprising strength and life to a role that could have been just another frail victim. She should have been nominated for a Golden Globe and especially an Oscar nomination for this role she was ten times better than Minnie Driver was and Elliot should've gotten her nomination. If you thought she was good in The Wings of the Dove she was just as good in "The Spitfire Grill".

When it comes to the Oscar Race I hope the Academy voters don't rule out this gem!! I thought this was Robert Redford's best work since Out of Africa. I really hope that "The Horse Whisperer" doesn't get overlooked especially for screenwriting and for its breathtaking cinematography. Kristin Scott Thomas was wonderful in this movie but Scarlett Johnson was exceptional and she could be mentioned among the Best Supporting Actress nominees. Remember Academy voters please don't forget to recognize this movie!!

I absolutely loved every glorifying minute of this epic!!! This movie had everything you'd want.. a dashing adventurer falling in love with a breathtaking British aristocrat. Adventure, a tragic love story, love lost and found, hope dashed and then found bit by bit, emotion so strong you couldn't help but cry!! This is what movies are about and the interesting thing was there was no cheesy ending and it dove so deep into the human spirit. Ralph Finnes delivered the strongest performance of his career (if it wasn't for Geoffery Rush for "Shine" he would've won!!), Kristin Scott Thomas was the breakthrough performance in this movie she deserved her nomination and I would've had no problems with her winning Best Actress, Juliette Binoche deserved her Oscar - she was the support that is needed in this movie, and Willem Dafoe was at his best in this movie and he should've been nominated for Best Supporting Actor!! This movie deserved every award it got and I believe this movie is the best movie of all time. Anthony Minghella hit it big with this triumph of a movie with epic proportions!! I have seen it ten times and I'll see it ten more - it is type of movie that I can watch over and over and not get bored!!!

I don't really care about what people say. I think that Sharon Stone really deserved this Academy Award nomination and I hoped that she would win. I knew she wouldn't though. This is Sharon Stone's best work and I think this role really showed that Sharon Stone is an Actress not just a bimbo. Sharon Stone as Ginger McKenna and she electrified the screen and I think that she will someday win the Oscar!!

Though Kate Winslet was wonderful in "Titanic" and deserved the nomination (and probably the Oscar for it also!!). This role as Sue Bridesmaid and this role should have meant a nomination for this role. I really believe that Kate will very soon get that Oscar if she can continue her wide range of roles!!