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MariaTeresa
Reviews
House of D (2004)
Quietly powerful, masterfully realistic, amazingly beautiful.
This film hit a nerve with every single person in the audience at last night's viewing, during the Philadelphia Film Festival.
The audience fell in love with it immediately and I personally reacted strongly to the plot changes. I don't want to give too much away, so I won't say how.
Those of us who were children during the seventies will find this film especially endearing, as it seems, being from that era, you find yourself back in your own inner child, experiencing Tommy's experiences from that perspective and that touches you even more.
I encourage everyone to see this film. It is a masterpiece, its value as a cinematic piece is beyond compare. I made the mistake of thinking there would be a Q & A and while preparing to ask certain questions, I thought to myself, "I won't be able to even speak after this, I'm so overwhelmed with emotion, and I loved this film so much".
Its not my favorite Robin Williams character, and I think his body of work worked against him in creating the suspension of disbelief. The chemistry and friendship between Tommy and Pappas works beautifully, though. If I'm not mistaken, his daughter has a major role in the film, and she does a fine job for a new-comer, and she has some of her father's screen presence, but her own spirit. I liked her, but didn't really feel she was right for that particular character. I wish I had known that she was his daughter, because some of the scenes would have been even MORE enjoyable to me, watching the father and daughter work together. Please do not take this as a comment to say I didn't enjoy their work or that their performances were anything less than stellar. They both did amazing work, but Robin William's daughter seemed so soulful, and she played a spoiled rich girl. Its a testament to Mr. Williams parenthood that his daughter carries such a strong energy. I would have absolutely appreciated her in a film like Whale Rider. I think it was the physical aspect of her, matched with a waspy mother, I'm not sure. I hope to see her in bigger things, and will look forward to her next performances. Its possible that I just expected her to be more french.
I'm going to emphasize the power of this piece. Its a quiet giant among independent films. I would like to congratulate every single member of a fantastic cast, who contributed performances that were surreal, they were so good. Tea Leoni is perfect and so in that character, that you really felt her angst, instead of just watching it transpire. David Duchovny should know that I have been transformed by this film and it touched me personally and deeply and for that I will always thank him.
Mr. Duchovny, I will forever regret that I did not get to tell you that in person. That I will never be able to thank Tea Leoni for that brilliant, fantastic performance. and that you did not get to hear the trembling in my voice at the catharsis I experienced in watching such a fantastically well written film, beautifully delivered by its cast and crew.
Beyond with James Van Praagh (2002)
James is the real thing
James' show served as an ongoing diversion from the same old daytime television blather. Its a shame it was canceled. James's readings on the show are less chaotic than his readings during a personal appearance, but that is the only major difference. Through the magic of editing, you get the same experience, only with less lapses and more content.
Despite the fact that there will always be some less enlightened people, who will always feel automatically entitled to make up unfounded assertions that he is a fraud, without proof, investigation, experience of, having been read by him, or any other psychic or knowledge of psychic phenomenon or how it works, James seems to carry on his wonderful work as a healer. James Van Praague was the only person who predicted the events of 9/11 a whole year prior to 9/11 and there is televised footage of him doing so.