Reviews

This is one of the better feel-good films of 1999 with Kate Capshaw leading an all-star cast about a small town and a love letter. First off, the scenery is beautiful, and anyone who sees this film and doesn't want to move to this location is crazy! For the cast, Capshaw is stunning as the lead actress who captivates the emotional roller-coaster role. Tom Everett Scott is charming as the "author" of the note throughout the film, and the always delightful Ellen Degeneres is hilarious! Blythe Danner and the actress who plays the bookstore saleswoman are both terrific, too. Although it was unsuccessful, the film is great as it is both short and sweet and well as very romantic. 10/10

This one, with "Almost Famous," ties for best film of the year. Steven Soderbergh's film about the drug war in Mexico and the U.S. is one of the most important and one of the best made films I've seen. The cast is comprised of one of the best ever in film: Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, and Catherine Zeta-Jones nail the emotional scenes perfectly and make this movie what it is. It amazes me how Douglas, Zeta-Jones, Don Cheadle, and the actress who is Douglas's daughter were overlooked for major Oscars. The great writing by Stephen Gaghan, which won an Oscar, was so pure and exceptional as well as Soderbergh's directing, which was also great for "Erin Brockovich." This film truly details the world's drug problem, and if it would be shown in high schools everywhere, Soderbergh's views might change the drug world as we know it. 10/10

I never watched the show during its run, but after it was cancelled I finally got the opportunity to see what a great series I missed out on. Based on the John Grisham novel and spun from the film, JoBeth Williams takes over Susan Sarandon's Oscar-nominated role as Reggie Love, a tough and caring southern lawyer. Williams' performance is very accurate and at times she so closely resembles Sarandon I forget I'm not watching the film.

The series is not much different from the film, and as a "courtroom drama," it doesn't focus only on the trials but also on the characters. The writing is so effortlessly wonderful that it amazed me to see how this one was axed.

The supporting players are very good, too. John Heard is great as a southern D.A., and his accent is very accurate. Polly Holliday is stunning as Reggie's mother and her performance is comparable to Tyne Daly's in "Judging Amy." Ossie Davis was terrific as the tough judge, which he played in the film as well.

The cast and writing for this short-lived series are exceptional and as a whole, "The Client" TV series is probably one of the best court shows and probably the best of the short-lived shows.

My Score: 10/10

Rosie Perez has been in great films: "Fearless" (Oscar nominations), "It Could Happen to You," and "The Twenty-Four Hour Woman." In this film, Perez is wonderful as a producer who juggles a man, a job, and pregnancy in her 30s. With a competent supporting cast including Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Karen Duffy, and Aida Turturro, this film, with a delightful screenplay and a highly-overlooked and exceptional leading lady, is one not to miss. (7/10)

I was excited about seeing "Billy Elliot" after its Golden Globe attention, and I was very pleased with it overall. The film is wonderful, the acting is exceptional, the writing and directing, too, are terrific. Jamie Bell leads as Elliot in this story of an aspiring dancer, and does so with integrity and brilliance. By learning to dance for the difficult role, his performance was very believable and effective. His Oscar snub still stuns me. Julie Walters was stunning as the ballet teacher. Her tart mouth and sympathetic portrayal was one of the best performances of the year and her Oscar nomination was very deserving. Through the amazing performances, writing, and directing, "Billy Elliot" is a masterpiece not soon forgotten. 10/10 stars.

Cameron Crowe gave himself a name with 1996's "Jerry Maguire," but forever will be remembered for his masterpiece, "Almost Famous." In this 1970's story of rock-n-roll, Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand, Patrick Fugit, Jason Lee, and Anna Paquin, among others, give astounding performances that make this film the best of 2000. Although shunned by the Academy Awards as the deserved best picture, the cast, writing, and directing make this film a must see. Kate Hudson stands out in the performance of the year as Penny Lane, a self-proclaimed "band-aid." Her charming facial expressions and gestures make her performance absolutely stunning. McDormand's portrayal of Crowe's mother is hilarious. 10/10 stars.

Before seeing "Wit," I knew Emma Thompson's acting history as a two-time Academy Award-winning actress, and therefore I knew her performance in this TV movie was to be brilliant. I was right. Thompson is riveting in this Mike Nichols HBO film that makes you laugh and cry with a renown professor dying from ovarian cancer. Her performance is so realistic it is hard to believe Emma Thompson doesn't have cancer. As probably the best TV movie performance of the year, wait for the Emmys to give Emma the Best Actress award.