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Content by Kona
Commentateur n° : 39
Votes Utiles:
281
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Reviews Written by
Kona (Emerald City)
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Chilling, Nov 24 2009
Anne Osborne (Sarah Miles) is a young widow living in a picturesque seaside village in England. Her troubled son has fallen in with a bad crowd; he belongs to a secret society run by a bully who has his own very definite ideas about the proper order of things. When Anne decides to marry a merchant sailor (Kris Kristofferson), her son takes the news quite badly and turns to his pals for help.
This movie was quite controversial in 1976, and with it's graphic sexuality and shocking cruelty, it still is. Miles is well-cast as the needy widow but sometimes overdoes the cow-eyed trances and histrionics. Kristofferson looks the part of a rugged seaman and the two have great chemistry. The creepy boys' club provides some truly cringe-worthy moments as innocent young boys commit unspeakable acts, and this movie is not for the squeamish (especially animal-lovers).
Lovely Devon locations contrast nicely with the increasing tension and overall feeling of doom. An interesting and haunting movie for adults.
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Macabre Mary Poppins, Nov 20 2009
Walter Goodfellow (Rowan Atkinson), the vicar of a small village in England is too preoccupied and befuddled with his job to pay any attention to his wife (Kristin Scott Thomas), so she has an affair with her golf teacher (Patrick Swayze) while his kids are lost and in trouble. Then a new housekeeper (Maggie Smith) enters their lives and all their problems seem to disappear.
I didn't know what to expect from this movie and was puzzled in the beginning but ended up liking it. It's a dark comedy that's exceedingly dry and subtle, more sinister than comedic, and very British in tone. The cast, led by the marvelous Maggie Smith, is superb and they hold your interest even when the story is at times odd and confusing. The location photography is gorgeous. This is definitely not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but is ultimately sweet and clever. 3.5 stars.
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Poorly-written, Nov 15 2009
The fourth and final season opens with two very grim episodes showing the aftermath of Marissa's death. Then, however, it's hilarity all the way as romances bloom for young and old and the series concludes with happily-ever-afters for everyone.
In his commentary, the show's creator labeled this season "broad, romantic comedy," but for me, it was just ludicrous. The plot lines were dumber and crazier than anything in Seth's 'Atomic County' comic book. I think the writers knew the show was cancelled and decided to drop any pretense at serious drama and go for cartoon laughs. Taylor Townsend had no redeeming qualities, yet she became a leading character and love interest for Ryan, who lost his noble and heroic edge. Summer became a silly activist and acted like Seth's squabbling sibling. Julie became entangled with a buffoon billionaire and Ryan's once-loathsome-now-good-guy father, and her suddenly-15-year old daughter Kaitlin went from unlikable delinquent to selfless daughter and true friend.
It's all too much and insulting to loyal fans who loved the show since it's wonderful first season. They should have stopped after Mischa Barton left; the show was pointless without her. There are only 16 episodes in this set and limited extras.
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No Chrismakkuh? Ewww!, Nov 11 2009
The third season of The O.C. was a huge disappointment after the wildly successful first season and the pretty good second season. This year, the kids are seniors and college is on the horizon. Ryan, my favorite character, romances a dull newcomer, generally acts like a 40-year old, and has way too little screen time. Marissa, once the queen of Harbor School, is now in public school with some unsavory new friends. Summer and Seth spend most of their time bickering, as do Sandy and Kirsten. Only spunky Julie Cooper stays true to her character as she copes with new-found poverty and finds an unexpected new love.
What made the show great in the beginning was seeing Ryan adjust to the Newpsies and the on-again, off-again romances of the "Core Four" and their parents. Sadly, this season that all took a back seat to guest-star story arcs which featured unlikable and off-putting characters. Gone were the lavish OC parties and the joys of young love; instead we got a con-woman who preyed on Kirsten, a lowlife punk who moved in on Marissa, and Sandy's never-ending and terminally dull problems at work.
Even with all its shortcomings, this season is a must for OC fans and it does end in a surprisingly exciting finale. 3.5 stars.
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Surviving Myself
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de Jennifer O'Neill
Édition : Hardcover |
| Availability: Currently unavailable |
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Beautiful but a slow learner, Nov 7 2009
Jennifer O'Neill is best known for her long-time ads for Cover Girl cosmetics and her role in "The Summer of '42" that made her a star. Her memoir is very readable and often shocking, not for her anecdotes about her career but for her stunningly bad choices in the romance department. In her lifelong search for love she married nine times, rushing in and out of marriages, always choosing grossly unsuitable husbands, and never seeming to learn from her mistakes. She was at best a neglectful mother and put her children in serious harm's way.
Fans will find this a fascinating and tragic tale and though the author claims to have changed her ways, I hope husband #9 keeps a suitcase packed.
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charming, Nov 3 2009
As the story opens, young Ali is picking up his sister's shoes from the repair shop. On the way home, the shoes are inadvertently lost and Ali must tell his little sister Zahra they are gone. The family has no money for new shoes and Ali fears they will both be beaten, so they don't tell their parents but come up with a plan: Zahra will wear Ali's shoes to school in the morning and he will wear them in the afternoon.
This Iranian film is absolutely charming. We see the world through the children's eyes...the harsh realities of their poverty and the contrasting luxury Ali sees when he helps his father as a gardener. Ali risks serious consequences by sticking with the plan and Zahra's heart longs for the beautiful shoes of her classmates. The children who play the leads are natural actors, completely believable and sympathetic; sadly, this was their only movie.
I couldn't wait to see what would happen next and the long-distance race at the end is really exciting. Highly recommended, but keep the tissues handy. (In Persian with English subtitles.)
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Adorable, Nov 1 2009
Willie is a lonely 9-year old growing up in rural Mississippi in the forties. Then he meets his first real pal, his wonderful dog Skip, who gives him the confidence to make friends, play sports, and grow up.
Anyone who has ever loved a pet will love this movie. Just the title is enough to tell you it's going to be sweet and sentimental and it is, but not overly so. Talented Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle) plays Willie with so much innocence and spirit that you believe everything he does. Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane play his parents and of course, there is Skip, the irresistible Jack Russell terrier who will surely melt your heart.
Subplots including WWII, segregation, and moonshiners are all seen through a child's eyes and there is the same sense of wonder that made To Kill a Mockingbird such a remarkable movie. This is, of course, a tear-jerker but it's a good cry. Highly recommended for the whole family.
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Hauntingly beautiful, Oct 30 2009
The story opens in 1942, as Hermie (Gary Grimes) and his pals are spending a lazy summer on Nantucket. As fifteen year olds, they are at that awkward age where they desperately want to be with girls but don't know what to do with them. Then Hermie meets the lovely Dorothy (Jennifer O'Neill), a 20-something army wife, and falls head over heels in love.
Screenwriter Herman Raucher's autobiographical story is a true classic of it's kind, thanks to sensitive direction by Robert Mulligan (To Kill a Mockingbird), Michel Legrand's Oscar-winning score, and the stunning beauty of Jennifer O'Neill. She isn't the world's best actress and only has 12 minutes of screen time, but is so impressive she takes your breath away. Gary Grimes is sweet and sincere as young, impressionable Hermie. The theme music is tender and touching and unforgetable. This coming-of-age movie bears no resemblance to today's current crop of horny-teen movies. It's funny, gentle, and sad. Highly recommended.
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May the VeggieForce be with you, Oct 16 2009
Dean is a withdrawn teen living in a wealthy suburb where his only friend is Troy, his drug dealer. When Troy dies, a school bully kidnaps Dean's little brother to force him to find Troy's stash.
What a terrific movie! I loved it and I think I could see it again and again and still see new things. Although the "alienated teens with self-absorbed parents living in luxury" plot has been done before, there was nothing cliché about this script. The story constantly surprised me and was quite intense and exciting. The cast is full of big stars: Glenn Close plays Troy's shell-shocked mother, Ralph Fiennes is a spaced-out groom, John Heard plays a tough cop, Allison Janney is Dean's mother obsessed with selling VeggieForce, Jason Isaacs is another parent oblivious to his child and the list goes on. Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot) is the star, however, and he's quite wonderful as the pill-popping, long-suffering Dean.
The movie is a dark comedy/tragedy with a fresh look at the emptiness behind the picture-perfect homes of suburbia. Highly recommended.
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"I shan't be forgotten.", Oct 13 2009
As the story opens, a British traitor is talking about the beginnings of his rebellion at a posh public school in the 1930s. In a flashback, we follow classmates Guy and Tommy (Rupert Everett and Colin Firth); Guy is struggling with hiding his homosexuality and Tommy is a budding Marxist.
This fictionalized story of infamous spy Guy Burgess' youth is a fascinating look at that very British institution, the public school with its young aristocrats luxuriating in their privileged lives. Though the movie moves very slowly and has little action, I still enjoyed the ambiance and the gorgeous scenery in and around Oxford. Everett and Firth are amazingly young and give excellent performances. It is interesting to note a youthful Earl Spencer playing one of the students (good job!) and some filming was even done at Althorp, the Spencer home.
On the downside, the story fails to fully explain why Guy became a Russian spy and his "old man" hair and make-up are truly ridiculous, but I still recommend the movie as an enjoyable look at traditional school life. 3.5 stars.
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