Change Your Image
debirobson
Reviews
Fag Hag (1998)
Gave it 20 minutes and hit rewind...
I should know better than to believe what's on the box at the video store. I rented this one, and the friend that came over to watch was so disturbed by the previews that I wasn't sure we'd get through the movie. We both gave it a chance, but after about 20 minutes, I hit rewind. Didn't catch either of us and just seemed to keep getting dumber.
Oh well! It was $2.50 for 4 days, so nothing really lost:)!
Peaches (2000)
Empty calories, but tasty
This movie has no point except to expound on the fact that it has no point. There are a few reasons to sit through it, though.
1. The three mates have the funniest hand gestures down. The script has them playing off one another really well.
2. Justin Salinger's character, Frankie, had me on the floor laughing. Really well played.
3. Kelly Reilly as Cherry could not have been more cute.
I didn't say they were great reasons, but they were good enough.
Born Romantic (2000)
Nothing new, but darned fun getting there.
This is a typical everyone's looking for love type of story. It's predictable, has a happy ending, and lots of great British accents (very important for us anglophiles).
There are three points that would make me own this film: 1. Adrian Lester was BRILLIANT. He's a philosopher cabbie that shuttles the main characters through the movie. He's deep, he's human, and he's got his own issues. I loved him. 2. Jane Horrocks was good in an unusually straight forward role. No faces, no voices, just Jane. 3. There is a scene with Tabasco sauce that had me almost on the floor. Worth the price of admission.
It's not a "great film" and won't bear up under analysis. But it's a heck of a lot of fun.
Musíme si pomáhat (2000)
Amazing: Funny & Sensitive
I was concerned going in to this movie that any "Dark Comedy" about Nazis & World War II would be unable to avoid some degree of tastelessness. I was absolutely wrong.
The movie centers around a Czech couple, a Jewish neighbor that they hide, and an old-friend-turned-Nazi-collaborator. Juggling the two sets up plenty of farcical situations and the director plays these up for laughs. However, the film does not shy away from the pain and suffering encountered by all of the characters. There are painful scenes of Jews being removed from their homes and Nazi soldiers terrorizing the Czech people. They add realism but don't detract from the humorous nature of the film.
The most amazing thing about the film is that it doesn't take the easy road in its characterizations. The Czech couple is not noble and holy. The Nazi Collaborator is not the root of all evil. All of the characters are treated as complex human beings doing the best they can to get through an impossible situation.
One of the most amazing and touching movies I've ever seen.
Iedereen beroemd! (2000)
An amusing romp
I saw this at the Seattle International Film Festival with subtitles. Anyone that has seen "The Full Monty" will recognize themes here.
1. Industry screws over the worker. 2. Worker hatches wacky scheme to redeem himself and save his family and hopefully make lots of money. 3. Worker recruits hapless former co-worker to help with the wacky scheme.
The new twist is that the father is obsessed with his daughter becoming a singing star. To this end, he kidnaps Belgium's top pop star and as ransom demands that his new song be performed on National TV, preferably with his daughter singing it.
It's a fluffy piece but thoroughly enjoyable. Just like "The Full Monty" you're cheering for everyone in the end.