mary george

How refreshing. A man with copious amounts of artistic license wrote a screenplay about a woman. (I had to wonder how far off it was from the novel, and can only imagine Gray turning over in his grave, watching a misogynist manhandle his work.) Sure. It's all about the treacherous and lust-driven gal, with a mind that develops so slowly that she sees things too late. Oh. And let's not forget that she only has a heart for her father - using the term loosely, of course - and Absolutely. No. One. Else. A dud of a cinematic work, prosaic in superficial theme. An honorable mention goes to the setting, however, much as it tried, to compensate for lack of truth and depth.

One of the best movies ever made. I watch it every couple of years.

It had me smiling all the way through. . . if you're looking for a feel-good movie with genuine human interactions that build brotherhood, respect and trust, then give this movie a go. Kevin Hart went above the call of duty to bring his character to life, and Brian Cranston did just exceptionally, as well. So many funny scenes, and some poignant, too - but what an absolute pleasure to see how humorous antics reveal how big the heart really is.

The movie was built around the love of two young, black adults and the life of their unborn child, in a place where the malicious effects of racism bring the father down - to prison. A brilliant first two-thirds, replete with compelling dialogue, setting and characters, whose dynamics were polished and genuine. Had the last half hour shown more of the extended family, and the attorney, all of whom fade into nothingness, and had the music not overplayed the same score, this movie had the potential to be one of the years best. (Authors have beta readers. Maybe it's time movie producers have beta viewers. Hmmmm.)

An overreaching, sometimes wacky, satirical and factoid-based movie about Dick Cheney. If you recall the era and felt the nails on the chalkboard back then, this movie does a pretty darn good job of rehashing all the cringe-worthy things this guy did. A bit heavy-handed with the artistic license - a Vietnam vet is the fictional donor of his aging heart - nevertheless, we do get to see what a rotten heart really looks like. For some reason the Hollywood powers that be felt obligated to confer with those who knew Cheney, and there is no mistaking the vice made quite a few enemies. However. None of it ever explains Powell's testimony, nor why he didn't hold that little vile of anthrax. Or whatever biochemical du jour Dubya thought it should be. Or maybe that was Rummy. . . . all in all, now we know - surprise! - how lawyers can spin Unitary Executive Theory into something that doesn't look one iota like democracy.

Overall, a well-paced story about a troubled, gifted black man. Wonderful dialogue and acting, all set in a very real point in our country's history. Some of it, yes, was a bit schmaltzy, and Doc Shirley could be a bit too ostentatious and elitist, but show me a movie that doesn't lack the edits that it needs, that would make less more. I also disagree with critics who say this was too much about the white man. Clearly they disregard two things, 1) what white men did to snuff racism and unequality, and 2) the white main character's own dealings with racism. Sure, it was a back man's struggle. Most media has that point of view. But I, for one, am okay with this particular outlier, because it clearly shows an un-black man working for the black man - in more ways than one - and few stories do that. I'm fine with this proportion.

If ever a movie mirrored a novel, this would be it. A much-loved nanny, Chloe, is imbedded in the turmoil of the family's personal breakdown. It is a touching portrayal of a young woman, filmed in black and white, which, to me, adds an eerie elegance to all of the vignettes of this lovely Mexican and the still lifes most affecting her. In the end, it reaches places of uncharted empathy that are sure to haunt. If not inspire.

The melodrama suited the costumes. The dialogue befit the cinematography. The story might have corroborated some historical accuracy but the characters were too unlikable, the pacing erratic, and overall - a disjointed production that tried to seduce with lame erotica. Lesbian 'romance' would have made for a good sub-plot, but here it demanded an awkward priority in the story, only to flail like a balloon shrinking out of air.