Reviews

There are so many poorly made, self-conscious and annoying so-called art house films out there, and then there is this gem of a movie. I sincerely hope it gets a U.S. art cinema release. It's not often I am still remembering the characters, the passion of the heart, the location and faith awakening all in one post-viewing memory.

The actors are all uniformly true to to their characters, and really excellent at involving us in their personal tests of faith and moral dilemma. The orthodoxy of their faith, positioned against a seeping modern day sensibility surrounds us as effectively as the location photography transports us (American audiences) to a world we know little about.

A friend told me to see "this lesbian movie." It's not that. It's a story of girls in a repressed society dealing with their first sexual awakening and affection confused bonding as a portion of the story of immersion in their faith and how it transforms their relationship with each other in their involvement with a strange, mystical and salvation-seeking non-Jew.

This is a uniformly excellent film. In the openness of the locations and the beautiful music, the closeness of the camera work puts us in a claustrophobic male-dominated society, just at a moment in time when women are establishing their place in their religion and in their society.

I spend a lot of time in theaters. It's not often I come away with a feeling I have truly experienced a romance with faith, with the human heart and with the written word so totally in one film.

Congratulations to the filmmakers and actors. I sincerely hope this movie finds its best audience in American theaters.

(I am not Jewish and was deeply moved and intrigued by the religious material presented)

FINALLY! April 20 in NY and then it moves around the country. It's about time that this movie gets played in movie theaters.

Tilda Swinton, Amber Tamblyn, Timothy Hutton, Melissa Leo, et al turn in very special performances. Amber won Best Actress at Locarno, was nominated for a Film Independent Spirit Award and it was well-deserved. The screenplay won at Sundance.

It's a tragic story, but one that needs to be told, so that people talk about this issue and how to deal with the education and support of young girls who have similar experiences.

Don't miss this. Also, note that it will only go out to a few screens at first and those who don't go on opening weekends will miss the chance to see it the second weekend. Small indie films like this rely totally on word-of-mouth and opening weekends.

If you want to see it in your town, you MUST ask your local art house theater owner to request it from the distributor.

Unfortunately, this seems to be so under marketed that there is no website yet, so you must go to Regent Releasing, http://www.regentreleasing.com for any information.

I had never seen Joshua Jackson before. What a talent, and what a nice surprise. His is a masterful performance of a young man turning the corner from being mired in his thinking to one who awakens before our eyes. This cast is absolutely perfect, from Juliette Lewis' free spirit, to Louise Fletcher's supportive, but somewhat helpless grandmother, to an absolute, don't-miss-this Oscar performance by Donald Sutherland as the aging grandfather whose illness is getting the best of him. Roger Ebert & Richard Roeper have talked about their hope Sutherland gets another good role, because he's such a fine actor. This is the role, this is the year, and I hope the world discovers this little gem of a movie in the glut of big studio releases and marketing. It's rated R for language, but it's barely an R. Because of the discussion of suicide, it's really just a PG-13. Find this movie. You'll have to look for it, because it's being released in the small indie art house market. It should be in every multiplex in America.

My wife and I saw this for the third time at the Miami Gay & Lesbian Festival, although it's not really a "gay" film as some would expect. While it is painted on a backdrop about a gay young man, this is a classic murder comedy in the best European tradition, from a writer/director with a tremendous future. Andrew Litvack has created a fresh, original, funny and mature screenplay and populated it with wonderful onscreen talent guided with a sure and confident hand. What was amazing to me is that every time I have seen this film, I find more wonderful surprises in subtle looks, photos on the wall, costumes, etc. Normally I do not have the patience to sit through a film twice, let alone three times! I will be pleased if offered the opportunity to see it again. It's truly a wonderful film.

This is one of those gems which often are overlooked for years. I hope that is not the case with this truly outstanding effort. Fanny Ardant gives a reading on Maria Callas that is nothing less than superb. This should have gotten her nominations at every festival and showbiz awards group. The fire and passion in her eyes, the ability to have even the slightest facial change reflect fleeting passion and torture in her soul in full - and I mean FULL - closeup. This director has a quirk in his style, in that he often glosses over things we wish to know, but in this case that does not hurt the film. The friendship between Fanny and Jeremy Irons (also at his finest) is fully realized, warts and all, and Irons' romantic gay relationship is treated as real and honest, not just some "we're here and we're queer" in-your-face political statement.

The music is brilliant, Callas' voice never sounded better. The lip-synch near perfect. The sound has been enhanced and re-recorded in a fabulous way. AND THE WARDROBE. Chanel, Chanel, Chanel, and Fanny Ardant wears it like she was born wearing Chanel.

Joan Plowright turns in another wonderful character and the look and feel of this film is terrific.

Do NOT miss this film if you love opera, Callas, Ardant, Irons, or just plain good filmmaking.

Sacchi is the best Bogart impersonator ever... dry and droll as Sam Marlowe. The music from award winning composer George Duning [From Here To Eternity, Picnic, The World of Suzie Wong], the cinematography of perfect locations [including the famous Ambassador Hotel] are all right on target as famous tv director Robert Day [Kojak, Streets of San Francisco, The Avengers] guides the most endearing group of well-known character actors through a spoof of every dark detective film every made. See this if you loved all the old serious flicks and have a sense of humor... this one is a hoot.

This is a surprisingly good collection of some of the best moments in terror, horror and suspense from the early days of film right up until this film was produced. The effective use of Donald Pleasence [famous for Halloween] and Nancy Allen [Dressed to Kill] as hosts, sitting in a darkened theater, is aided by a seamlessly edited grouping of clips by Greg McClatchy and supported by a very expensive sounding and well composed score by John Beal. Don't miss this! I know it is available on VHS, and Laserdisc, I'm told a DVD is forthcoming.

This film represents a breakthrough example of the change that took place in the early 1980's in both cinematic and music quality for terror/horror films. Directed by Tobe Hooper [Poltergeist] and produced by multiple producers, including Mace Neufeld [Patriot Games, Clear & Present Danger] the fabulous cinematography and lighting is enhanced tremendously by one of the finest orchestral scores of the period. Composer John Beal captures the complete essence of a demented carnival funhouse after hours as a pair of teenagers find their prank turned into a night of terror. Find this score and buy it!!!