Change Your Image
Zaxx-2
Reviews
Best in Show (2000)
Clever! Hilarious! Imaginative! Original!
I loved this movie! Before seeing it, my wife and I had never heard of it and knew nothing about it. As soon as we had watched it, we watched it again! The second time I caught subtleties I missed the first time and laughed as hard! The casting is superb! Everyone is good! Watch for the background characters! My absolute favorites were Catherine O'Hara as "Cookie Fleck", Christopher Guest as "Harlan Pepper", Eugene Levy as "Gerry Fleck", Fred Willard as "Buck Laughlin", and Jim Piddock as the hilariously understated "Trevor Beckwith". But check out Patrick Cranshaw as "Leslie Ward Cabot"! The movie is about a group of people from various places in the eastern U.S. who convene for a dog show. The genius is the clever satire--always original, always illuminated with truth, and always revealing a sardonic affection and respect for the characters. I can't describe much more than that. But I highly recommend it. I'm still laughing.
American Beauty (1999)
Rich, powerful, a work of genius
I knew little about this movie before I saw it. I was amazed at its power, imagination, insights, revelations, and beauty.
The title has multiple meanings: the beautiful girl; the recurring theme of roses--cultivation of roses is one of Carolyn's gifts; the cynical idea that "American beauty" is plastic and meaningless; the transcendent concepts of the ubiquity of beauty, so magnificent as to be unbearable, beauty of people, beauty of something so simple as a bag floating in the wind, and the beauty of every moment of a stupid little life.
Annette Bening is wonderful. She masterfully reveals the vulnerability and beauty of a character in whom a less expert actress might well portray neither. Kevin Spacey is perfect for the part. All of the characters are portrayed as real believable people, of many dimensions, about whom one cares deeply and whom one can love deeply. The casting, acting, directing, editing, photography, script, and overall concept are excellent.
The most amazing thing of all is how people brilliant enough to create such a masterpiece can fail to comprehend the mendacity, corruption, and blatant immorality (Note: immorality is not to be confused with sexual misbehavior; morality is not to be confused with sexual prudery) prevalent on the U.S. national political scene at the time this movie was made. Some of these people--evidently--have given active support to some of the most corrupt and immoral politicians in U.S. history.
The explanation no doubt lies in a line from the movie: "Never underestimate the power of denial."
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Outstanding! Brilliant! Intelligent! Imaginative!
This movie is excellent.
The acting, casting, direction, filming, and especially the music, dialogue, and script are superb.
Willis and Osment are outstanding (many of their scenes are riveting!). So were some of the minor characters, notably the man who watches his daughter's video.
Numerous subtle touches were brilliant. E.g., Cole's mother was dressed less fashionably than the other mothers at the birthday party. This was revealing and sad. She desperately wanted her son, and probably herself, to be accepted. This made the event at the party even more tragic and her situation more horrifying.
Many of the minor elements were brilliantly imaginative, e.g. the tale of the girl with the video and the remarks by "Grandma".
Nothing is irrelevant or ill-conceived. Nothing is predictable. Nothing is sloppy; it's all very tight.
After the first viewing, I watched it again. I was even more impressed by its brilliance, subtlety, intelligence, and imagination.
Most movies bore me. I have a hard time getting through most of them. I prefer watching one at home so I can easily turn it off; I seldom watch an entire movie. I do not like "horror films"; I don't consider this to be one. I also don't like things that depend on the element of surprize; surprize is an integral part of this movie, but it is brilliant and beautiful to watch even when all the surprizes are known.
I'll be on the lookout for more of Shyamalan's work.
Why! oh why! can't Hollywood produce more movies of this quality and intelligence?
Le hussard sur le toit (1995)
A beautiful movie about honor, honesty, and courage.
This movie is about honor, courage, and honesty.
It is beautiful in many ways, including scenery and the typically French passion for precision of meaning in language.
However, its greatest beauty is its display of honor and how it guides the lives of the protagonists, Angelo and Pauline, and directs the unfolding of the story.
The epilogue suggests that Pauline's husband is also a man of honor.
Such subject matter is particularly appreciated by Americans, who in the past decade have been sickened by widespread dishonor in public officials, journalists, and the intelligensia. When honor, honesty, and courage are openly scorned and ridiculed, and deceit and intimidation are openly accepted, a movie which displays the value, importance, and magnificence of honor, honesty, and integrity, and shows them so beautifully, is thrilling and reassuring.
Driftwood (1997)
Observations of someone who liked the movie.
I liked this movie.
The acting was good and the story believable.
The woman had a morbid fear of abandonment and intended to keep the man at all costs.
The man's amnesia, though never explained, was credible, and so was his desire to leave.
Their sexual relationship was understandable and probably inevitable.
The story unfolded naturally, and I cared about the characters. I was never bored and never felt that the action was too slow. It held my interest.
I found the epilogue believable, ironic, likely, and haunting.