keyser-7 Reviews

Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

fabulously funny

[5 March 2003]

This movie was such a surprise. It had "straight to video" loser written on the box (well, not literally), and instead, it proved to be one of my favorites, which I now force all my friends to see (proving that I am a loser -- not the movie). This movie is totally tasteless, wacky, and merciless; in short, totally hysterical. A lot of people thought it was a "Waiting for Guffman" rip-off, but I thought it really used the mockumentary form to its greatest potential and showed originality. Kirsten Dunst is so talented and shows off her comic dead-pan; really enjoyable performances from Brittany Murphy (who already showed off her comic stylings in "Clueless"), Kirsty Alley (who seems to be channelling this role in her new scary PierOne commercials), and even Denise Richards (who knew she could be funny?). Allison Janney can be dry and sarcastic with the best of them and transforms utterly with every role she takes; it's impossible not to love her in this one. A fun ensemble with an excellent script. Definitely an underrated and worth-seeing comedy.

The Life of David Gale (2003)

decent movie

[7/10 · 23 February 2003]

This film ought to be predictable. The screenwriter includes enough details to hint at the ending that one ought to know the ending by twenty minutes into the film. That being said, I totally didn't, so it was a compelling watch. Heavy handed, admittedly, and Kevin Spacey has one long monologue about death that seemed particularly strained, but overall, strong performances, compelling movie. Definitely better than the pretty harsh reviews gave it credit for. Kate Winslet does a great American accent! Worth seeing, especially if you're at all interested in the issue of capital punishment. But it's even better in the quieter moments that aren't really central to the film -- like David Gale's interactions with his friend and colleague Constance, played to perfection by Laura Linney who I hope someday will get an Oscar for something because she's so talented.

Once and Again (1999–2002)

Amazing

[24 January 2002]

This show is an inventive, well-written show with well-drawn characters and the finest performances I've seen on television. It makes you realize that the networks could be putting on quality shows like the ones HBO has made such a splash with in the past couple of years. Sadly, ABC hasn't been fiscally rewarded for it, since Once and Again hasn't really found a broad audience, so I'm afraid they're probably going to cancel it. Kudos to the writers, directors, producers, and performers on this show. It truly is an artwork, and many episodes have been breathtakingly well-written and moving. Happily, I think this show will only do great things for the careers of the actors in its cast, and they well deserve the exposure and the chance to show what they can do when given the opportunity with such excellent roles.