The Ice Storm (Widescreen): Amazon.ca: DVD: DVD

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Amazon.com Essential Video

Asian American director Ang Lee sums up America in the early 1970s by focusing on the arrival of the sexual revolution in the 'burbs. Isolationism within a family, consumerism, and selfishness are personified by a cast that captures the self-obsession within two New England families. As the children struggle awkwardly with adolescence, their parents stumble through sexual experimentation. In the days of Watergate and Vietnam, society is breaking boundaries and ignoring convention. Following suit, these families are eschewing polite barriers and social taboos, with disastrous results. The "ice storm" of the title refers not only to a natural phenomenon but is a (rather heavy-handed) metaphor for a pervasive emotional temperament. The entire cast delivers textured, finely nuanced performances. This movie lingers in the psyche not only for the scope of the tragedy at its conclusion, but for Lee's often humorous and stingingly accurate assessment of pop culture. Based on Rick Moody's novel, this won the best-screenplay award at Cannes in 1997. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Description

When a self-centered husband's relationship with his wife and mistress grow cold, it takes a wife-swapping "key party" and a freak ice storm to clear the air and change their lives forever. Director Ang Lee offers a compelling look at a controversial era.

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Customer Reviews

104 Reviews

5 star:		(69)
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3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
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Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (104 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars A "Chilling" Portrayal..., Dec 24 2008

By

Laurel-Rain Snow "Rain" "Rainy Days" (Fresno, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ice Storm (Widescreen) (DVD)

The Ice Storm (Widescreen) is representative of those iconic days when the "me" generation explored all things daring, and it also depicts chillingly that the selfish behavior of the adults can have dire consequences.

Kevin Kline, Joan Allen and Sigourney Weaver are the key adults in this film, which highlights one holiday season in a Connecticut community -- with the festive dinners and holiday parties -- and reveals the superficial lifestyle of those who are bored by the surfeit of material possessions and the absence of meaning in their lives.

Even though the film was made in the late nineties, the production seemingly transplanted the viewer completely into that time. Like a flashback -- or time warp -- we can glimpse the lives of those disenchanted characters and really feel their malaise.

The youngsters are portrayed by Tobey Maguire and Christina Ricci, among others, and while they, too, are delving into sexual pursuits, they also seem to be going through the motions.

In the story, we see how a dangerous ice storm, which happens on the same night as an adult key party and while the young folks are left to their own devices, renders havoc for everyone concerned.

I had seen this movie a few times when it first came out, but when I watched it again this week, I felt "chilled" to the bone.

Laurel-Rain Snow
Author of:
Miles to Go, etc.

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4.0 out of 5 stars KALEIDOSCOPIC-CRYSTAL VIEWS & MORALITY SHARDS, Dec 16 2008

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NeuroSplicer (Freeside, in geosynchronous orbit) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME) (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Ice Storm (Audio CD)

The ICE STORM is one of the best films ever released. Ang Lee proved to be one of our great contemporary film directors and he sure did justice to Rick Moody's book. In fact, most people who enjoyed both will tell you that, surprisingly, they prefer the film over the book. One of the main reasons (besides great directing and solid acting) is the unforgettable music.

From the opening titles, Mychael Danna's hypnotic melodies take you effortlessly two generations back, in affluent yet creepy American Suburbia. Unfortunately, the opening titles theme is NOT included in this release (hence the star withheld). I would have loved to be able to listen to it while driving without Paul's (Tobey Maguire) monologue on top but no luck.

The same is also true for a number of memorable instrumental pieces. In fact, Mychael Danna's pieces on this soundtrack are limited only to Tracks 1-3. The rest are songs from the era that make a small or greater appearance in the movie.
Nevertheless, Danna's composition and execution are so powerful that this soundtrack deserves a place in your life.

Indeed, "the void we emerge from. And the place we go to when we die".
Everything in between is music.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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1.0 out of 5 stars All atmosphere and no content, April 18 2003

By

Francois Tremblay (Montreal, QC Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Ice Storm (Widescreen) (DVD)

The Ice Storm is one of Alison's favourite movies. It is, I've been told, a masterpiece. This, however, seems to come more from the seventies atmosphere that the movie immerges itself in than any merit of the story.

Tobie McGuire is as far as we get as a binding force : I say this because he opens and closes the movie, much like good High Dramas do. In fact, it has all the trappings of a High Drama : voice-overs that purport to enlighten, characters who mingle in dramatic ways, children with unusual views on life, and so on. What it has to say - family is the only stable thing in our lives, while proceeding to completely destroy this addle-brained premise, and that existentialism consists of doing whatever one wants, whenever good or evil - is insane, and so is the happenings. All the adults are immature, cheating ..., and all the children are typical rebellious, drug-addled brats.

The story ? There is no story, only stereotypes which evolve in a context of growing doom, and then an ice storm (which provides us with the best thing in the movie - the visuals of ice and icicles), and then... a cheap resolution.

The credits were in alphabetical order, and we can understand that. No one was necessary at all.

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