Jennifer Hodgson

Not an easy movie to watch very awkward. I thought Julianne Moore was magnificant as Gloria. Spirited, generous and real. She was just looking for connection and gave herself too easily to the very emotionally immature and selfish Arnold. She gave him many chances and he always disappointed her. The scene with the family at her son's place was so awkward and then Arnold just disappeared without any explanation. His pathetic explanation was Gloria wasn't giving him enough attention. She gave him another chance and again he disappeared and left her stranded. The scene where she shoots him with the paint gun is priceless and she finally gets some closure. When she said no to the guy who asked her to dance it finally confirmed her decision that enough was enough. The last scene her dance to freedom was very hard won.

I just rewatched Stella for the second time. I did see it initially when it came out in 1990. Better Midler gives a stella performance as Stellar a barmaid who is almost proud of her roots and refuses to change and has no real awareness of her behaviour. This movie is far more complicated than it appears. Stella is charming and fun but lacks self-awareness. I guess you have to put the time frame into prospective it was 1969 when people just got on with their job and stayed in their groove in life. Stella meets a promising doctor above her class. He treats her very well and as an equal. Takes her on dates. Stella becomes pregnant and immediately plays the victim without acknowledging her role in the pregnancy. Stephen offers to marry her and supports any decision she makes. Stella falls in love with her daughter Jenny and sketches out a living selling cosmetics. Jenny meets her father and a whole new world opens up. Jenny is torn between her love and loyality of Stellar and new opportunities. I guess one could feel sorry for Stella but she chooses her life. Stephen continually offers her money and support but Stella refuses and hangs out with her old buddies. When Jenny's new friends mention Stella outlavish behaviour in Florida where Stella dresses up and dances with a barman it changes Stella's outcome. Stella hears that on the beach and feels embarrassed and realises she is holding Jenny back and rejects Jenny in the worst possible way. Jenny goes to live with Stephen and his new wife in New York. Jenny marries into society and in the last scene we see Stella peaking through the window watching her daughter getting married without even acknowledging to the security guard that that is her daughter and how proud she is of her. Stella's refusal to grow and her total sacrifice for her daughter determines her life stuck in the same old pattern when she could have had it all. Very sad. I guess the morale of the story is that while self reflection is hard it is totally worth it.

Very powerful movie about loss and grief. Very clever how it slowly unfolds. We don't actually see the accident but sense of something is not quite right. The relationship between the couple that lost their son is raw and authentic. The impact on their marriage is forever and they don't know how to move forward. Nicole Kidman's performance is very powerful and gut wrenching. The interaction between Rebecca (Kidman) and the boy that killed their son when he ran out of the open gate in the garden chasing the dog is very uncomfortable and confronting. Kidman shows a spectacular degree of forgiveness and compassion for the boy. Subtle beautiful movie with nothing forced. The ending is beautifully portrayed with the sense that the couple can eventually bring some sense of normality to their lives.

This is such a beautiful movie. It has a certain vibrancy and is totally authentic. Loved Mark Ruffalo's character as the down but not out movie producer who had it all at one stage. Happy marriage, financial commercial success but lost it through a breakdown in his marriage. Kiran Knightly sort of mirrors his breakdown through her own relationship but in the end gains so much more. She is a talented songwriter but doesn't really give herself credit for it. Mark Ruffalo's character encourages her to record an album in New York in the street with musicians. These scenes give a high vibe to the movie. Particularly loved the scenes with Knighly and Ruffalo sharing their play list on the subway and in a nightclub. Fun and uplifting.

When I first saw this movie in 1990 I loved it but on a very recent viewing I felt very differently about it. I still enjoyed it to a certain extent but found it very dated and old-fashion. Of course it was of a certain era that has no place in this century. I found Miss Daisy (Jessica's Tandy's) character without any redeeming qualities. She was mean, petty and stubborn and treated Hock horribly and didn't warm up to him until many many years later when she realised he was her only real friend and needed him. Hock was always cheerful and put up with her abuse as in those days he had very few options. Booie the Dan Akroyd character as the son barely tolerated his mother. It was a long movie but needed that time to develop the relationship between Miss Daisy and Hock. It was painstaking and not without a lot of effort on Hock's part. At the time the movie was very popular and from memory Jessica Tandy won the Oscar for best actress.

I first saw this movie when it came out in 2002. I have not seen it since so I don't know how much it has aged. It is such a universal theme that I doubt much, much like Seinfeld. I remember being intrigued by the movie. Indeed Diane Lane is gorgeous and Richard Gere being Richard Gere handsome and charmastic. Indeed Diane Lane had it all but she didn't quite realise it. Temptation got in the way big time and what she thought was a mere sexual fling turned into a life changing event that changed the couple's life forever. Giving her lover the snowglobe came across as selfish and totally unaware of her husband's feelings and totally stupid. One would miss a snow globe!!! One frank discussion and a moment of self control would of saved the couple a lifetime of regret. Was Diane Lane's character selfish or just took the good life for granted and made a bad judgement call. Indeed a very bad judgement call. The ending was very ambigious but I thought it was excellent. I hoped that they didn't turn themselves in as apart from easing their guilt what would be the point. It was a crime of passion. As the wife said who is going to know and the husband replied we know. There lies the ugly truth. They know and their wonderful life would never be the same again. The peace of mind, the trust and to a certain extent the love. This movie is certainly a cautionary tale.

Al Pacino gives the performance of his life in this hard hitting movie about selling real estate in the old-fashion sense where people would visit your home. It is dynamic stressful as all get out and in your face. The legendary speech by Alec Baldwin addressing the team with threatening abusive language sets the tone for fear and aggressive tactics. Middle aged men threatened with extinction do not handle the confrontation well and immediately seek out solutions not all ethical and seek out collaborations with their fellow workers to protect themselves. The cast is terrific with the late Jack Lemmon who truly gives a very edgy performance. As well as Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin. The tension never let's up. Anyone who has worked in sales or been abused at work can relate to this movie where people feel like caged rats looking for an exit. The ending is truly confronting seeing the fear in Jack Lemmon's eyes desperately trying to get the protection of the Al Pacino character who hasn't got a clue about what is happening. An edgy journey not to be missed.

I watched this movie at the cinema a couple of weeks ago. I believe it is on Netflix. It didn't last long at the cinema. I thought it was intriguing and very typical of working in a corporate finance company. Very competitive and cut-throat. The dynamics of a so called loving relationship changed abruptly when Emily got the promotion and her partner didn't because she worked harder and was better at the job. Luke couldn't accept that and acted like a spoilt brat sabotaging Emily telling lies trying to slander her name knowing the Truth. I thought the movie was very timely and modern depicting the tension in the workplace beautifully. Emily was totally blind sided by Luke's insecurities. The ending was very dramatic. Luckily Emily was able to re-establish trust with her boss and was able to move on from Luke hopefully without too much collateral damage.

I have seen this movie a few times as I have the DVD and it never disappoints. I saw it yesterday on the big screen and it has certainly passed the test of time. It is very glamorous and beautiful to look at. Matt Damon plays Tom Ripley who dreams of a better life and gets the opportunity of a lifetime meeting a rich American businessman who wants his son to return to America from Italy. Tom Ripley playing a piano rectial at a posh event wears a borrowed jacket and when asked about it pretends he knows Dickie Greenleaf and agrees to go to Italty to persuade Dickie to go back to America. Tom Ripley immediately becomes seduced by the life of Dickie and girlfriend Marg (played beautifully by Gwyneth Paltrow. Dickie and Marg welcome Tom into their lives and have no idea how potentially dangerous and determined he is to have their lifestyle they obviously take for granted. When Dickie and Tom are in the middle of the ocean in a row boat and Dickie says he doesn't want to see Tom for a long time and calls him boring Tom attacks him and in his defence Dickie fights back. This starts a dangerous cat and mouse chase as Tom takes on Dickie's identity in order not to be caught for Dickie's murder. He does that beautifully enjoying the high life and no-one suspects him except Marg, even though he had everything to gain. Maybe because he seems so innocent and charming. Even Mr Greenleaf doesn't suspect him even after only meeting him a couple of times. Such is Tom's charisma and deceit. The movie keeps you in suspense wondering how far Tom will go to cover his tracks. The ending is gruesome and unnecessary and shows that Tom will stop at nothing to have the life he has always wanted. Excellent movie.

Have seen this movie a few times over the years and saw it again last night. I have always loved this movie and one of Madonna's best roles in a movie as she essentially plays herself at the height of her fame. She plays the mischievous charmastic Susan who is victorious at the end of the movie returning precious earrings with the equally interesting Roberta (Rosanna Arquette) the bored housewife intrigued by Susan. The movie moves at a good pace highlighting vibrant New York. Aidan Quinn plays the nice guy Dez. Leslie (Laurie Metcalf) Roberta's sister-in-law is equally funny and interesting. This movie is fun and uplifting and it never takes itself too seriously. It is still vibrant after all these years. A blast from the past.