Reviews

My first inclination was to assume Atlantis was done with CGI. But then I came across the year it was made and realized that the technology didn't yet exist in 1991. We were still at the level of "The Mind's Eye" then, an experimental cartoonish attempt at computer animation in a video set to techno and released at Radio Shack if you remember. No, this is real footage, and it is perfect and amazing. It certainly isn't something I could sit through at a theater, but is suitable for meditation and falling asleep. There is no dialog, putting the movie in the same genre as "Samsara" and "Baraka", but a completely underwater experience. The symphonic and ambient music is very easy to listen to, but if it isn't your thing you can always just turn the volume off and play your own music. It's an incredible accomplishment in cinematography and something you can keep around to play at bed time.

I am outraged that these poor panda bears were put through so much torture to make this movie. Fortunately, the evidence is caught on tape. What you are about to see done to these animals for the sake of entertainment may shock you! The bears are shot at, dragged off of a bridge, tossed over a waterfall, dangled over a cliff, and virtually starved to death. The makers of this film as well as anyone who watches it should be ashamed of this dangerous and gratuitous exploitation of such poor helpless creatures. I have already alerted my congressman, Greenpeace, Ralph Nader and my Mommy. Hopefully a follow-up movie can be made showing the capture and incarceration of the producers...what? The bears are actually robots? Oops....

Never mind the violent plane crash deaths, bloody suicide, venomous snake attack, and other undisclosed disturbing subject matter. You won't mind or even seem to notice with the relaxing vacation-like mood the movie creates along with Sam Shepherd's cool 'whatever' attitude. This film follows Walter Faber on a relaxing voyage of air and sea around the world as he fatefully keeps stumbling into people that are somehow connected to his ex-fiancé, Hannah.

The film will reach a point where you will understand what has happened, thereby even the climax is rendered anti-climactic. But don't worry about that. Just Sit back, relax, and enjoy the movie. All I can say is that Hannah has information that would have best been disclosed from the get-go (trust me), and that Julie Delpy is very sexy!

Apparently touched by God, a young man named Juvenal (Skeet Ulrich) experiences episodes of Stigmata (spontaneous bleeding from five wounds just like Jesus after being crucified) and is able to heal the sick. Juvenal's first reaction to this phenomena is to hide in solitude. But then he decides to go on TV and signs a book deal with the help of evangelist/con-artist Bill Hill (Christopher Walken). His holy gift also helps him bag sexy music promoter Lynn Faulkner (Bridget Fonda), who doesn't seem to mind that his powers go away after they sleep together. This all may seem far-fetched at best. But then the Lord does work in mysterious ways.

It seemed a bit dark in '77, but today it may even cheer you up! It takes at least a half-hour to understand what's going on in this movie so here's a head start:

The guy with the hat and goatee (Carroll) is a song-writer/playboy and son of a millionaire. Watch him because he wants to sleep with most of the women in the movie. The crazy woman in the taxi is married to... is that really Harvey Keitel? Yes. You'll never believe it! He is the employee of the millionaire who is, incidentally, Uncle Jessie from the Dukes of Hazard.

If I were Carroll I would have gone for Sissy Spacek, who likes to clean house topless throughout the movie. But he still makes enough tracks to be considered a hero of the sexual revolution.

The music throughout the movie sounds a little like Dan Hill, but it gets you in a good 70's mood so that you can enjoy the atmosphere this movie creates. Look for Sissy Spacek's pants that match the wallpaper and definitely check out Harvey Keitel's pipe!