amantsdupontneuf Reviews

My Lady of Whims (1925)

average movie with the flapper girl

[6/10 · 9 March 2002]

clara's father hires a man to follow her to see that she stays out of trouble. clara catches on to her father's plans and toys with the man for the majority of the film. this is just a so so clara movie. it actually starts out pretty well, but the ending is not very satisfying. she has to make a decision between 2 men. neither one of them is at all appealing. reccomended only for true clara fans.

Dancing Mothers (1926)

"kittens" is the life of the party

[7/10 · 9 March 2002]

clara bow plays "kittens westcourt," a spoiled girl of wealthy parents. she spends her evenings dancing and partying all night long at clubs, which her father also attends. her mother stays at home wondering why her family is so selfish, and neglectful towards her. one day a friend tells mom to start living it up. she takes this advice and is soon off to the dance clubs herself. kittens and mother then proceed to compete for the same man's affections. above average clara bow film. she is not the lead actress in the film, but she has lots of screen time. clara is funny, full of energy, and just wonderful.

Titanic (1997)

classic hollywood epic

[9/10 · 4 March 2002]

this is a very good old fashioned hollywood epic. the two leads ~~ leonardo decaprio and kate winslet are ideally cast. their performances are good but not their best work on film. the two of them however do have wonderful screen chemistry which is essential to this film, because at it's heart "titanic" is a beautiful love story. the final hour of the film detailing the sinking of the ship and fate of the passengers is heartwrenching. the special effects are superb, but this is not at all what impressed me about this movie. films overdone with special effects today are plentiful. it's usually a sign that a good story is lacking. "titanic" has a good story though, in spite of what several people have said in their comments. it's not a masterful screenplay, but it can stand up well next to most of the great epics in film history. i don't think that james cameron was trying to duplicate orson welles here. this is a very entertaining film and it is really sad to see that so many people have rated it so lowly. more than 5000 people have given "titanic" a rating of "1" on this website. i refuse to beleive that most of those people actually think this film is that bad. a vote of "1" would mean that you can find absolutely no redeeming qualities in this movie whatsoever. if "titanic is "complete garbage" as some folks have said.... i'd be curious to see what other movies you have given the lowest rating to. as for myself, i didn't give "titanic" the highest rating of "10." i gave it a "9." it is a throw back to the kind of films that we rarely see come out of hollywood anymore. also... la confidential was not robbed at the oscars. i liked la confidential. i thought it was a real good movie. alot of people though, who have never seen a movie before 1990 might be overrating it a bit. there are several film noirs from the past that are more cleverly written than la confidential. besides, the people who are voting for the oscars are not some genius film students. they're no more intelligent than the average joe. so if you're gonna say that la confidential got robbed by losing to titanic, then you should realize that about 700 other pictures and actors over the last 75 years have probably been robbed as well.it's nothing new. prefering one film over another is a matter of personal opinion, and more academy members voted for titanic. this is not the world's greatest injustice, you guys. anyway.... anyone with half a brain knows that it was "the ice storm" in 1997 that got robbed, not "la confidential."

Hula (1927)

a good clara movie

[7/10 · 1 March 2002]

clara bow's beauty and wonderful appeal are the chief reason to watch this film. "hula" is not quite up to par with clara's best films but it is still enjoyable. she dances, she rides her horse, and pursues the man that she loves. this film is just over an hour in length and was directed by future oscar winner victor fleming (gone with the wind).the film moves quickly and clara bow has lots of screen time. if you like clara, i would reccomend "hula."

Mantrap (1926)

funny, beautiful, wonderful clara bow

[8/10 · 1 March 2002]

this is one of clara bow's best movies. she plays a girl from the big city of minneapolis who marries a man from a small canadian town. they move back to canada in a town called "mantrap," where clara proceeds to flirt with just about every man she meets. the story is rather good for a silent film, but it is clara's personality and stunning beauty that are the main assets in this film. if you are a fan of clara bow, this is definitely a film to check out ( if ya can find it.)

Glory (1989)

one of the greatest films of the 80's

[10/10 · 25 February 2002]

a beautiful and deeply moving film concerning the first black troops to fight for the north during the civil war. mathew broderick portrays robert gould shaw, a 25 year old colonel in charge of the 54th massachusetts. denzel washington, in an oscar winning performance plays a runaway slave who joins the regiment to fight. morgan freeman also stars, and as usual he is wonderful in his role. the whole movie is breathtakingly beautiful. try to see it in widescreen if you can. the music score is another huge plus. james horners music fits perfectly with this wonderful film. "glory" is based on a true life story. one of the most important stories in american history.

Sherlock Jr. (1924)

the master of perfectly timed gags

[10/10 · 24 February 2002]

one of the greatest comedies ever made. filled with incredibly inventive ideas and spectacular stunt work. this film is nearly 80 years old and can still make todays audience laugh out loud. buster keaton was much more than just a great comedian. he was a genius story teller as well. when buster was at his best as he was in "sherlock jr", his films were a work of art. there are only a couple of comedies that i would give the highest rating to. this is one of them.~~~~~10/10

The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)

i loved every second of this movie

[10/10 · 23 February 2002]

a very absorbing story. in spite of it's nearly 2 hour and 50 minute running time, this film is never dull. it is in fact one of the most beautiful movies that i have ever seen. the 3 leads... day-lewis, binoche, and olin are all fantastic. the music is haunting and outstanding. the cinematography is amongst the finest ever captured on film, and the ending is absolutely unforgettable. i would highly recommend this movie to anyone who prefers an art film with and unusual ( but beautiful) love story.... to the countless box office winners that could have well been written by the average 12 year old. the end of the world can't be too far away when films like.... "the matrix" and "fight club" are rated higher than phillip kaufman's "the unbearable lightness of being". a near perfect film 10/10

Two Women (1960)

another great De Sica film

[9/10 · 23 February 2002]

very sad film by vittorio de sica (famed director of "the bicycle thief.") the first two thirds of the film move slowly, but it's still very engrossing. the final third of the film is pure cinematic tragedy. sophia loren won the oscar for best performance for a lead actress in this movie, and i beleive that she dearly deserved it. prior to seeing "two women" i had no idea what a terrific actress she was. her role as the mother desperately trying to shield her daughter from the horrors of the world is one of the finest that i have ever seen. this is a truly heartbreaking and beautiful film.

Sansho the Bailiff (1954)

beautiful and tragic

[10/10 · 23 February 2002]

kenji mizoguchi is clearly one of the greatest film makers that ever lived. i would rate this film as his all time best. slightly ahead of "ugetsu" which is also superb. "sansho the bailiff" is one of the most devastating portraits of human suffering that i've ever seen on film. a mother is seperated from her 2 children. she is forced into a life of prostitution. the children are sent to a slave labor camp. years go by, and it seems unlikely that the 3 will ever be reunited. mizoguchi's film looks like a collection of great masterpiece paintings. it is gorgeously shot in black and white. i love every last frame of this sensational film.~~~~~ hmmmmmm, let's see.....10/10

L'Atalante (1934)

just plain beautiful

[10/10 · 23 February 2002]

jean vigo's l'atalante is a genuine masterpiece. some of the most beautiful images ever filmed appear in this extraordinary movie. the entire film has a dreamy poetic feel to it. anyone serious about film as an art form should put l'atalante at the top of their must view list. if vigo had lived a long life i believe that he would be mentioned in the same company as hitchcock, kurosawa, ford.

Our Hospitality (1923)

top notch buster

[8/10 · 23 February 2002]

very good buster keaton film. perhaps not as funny as "sherlock jr." ( his masterpiece, in my humble opinion) but extremely entertaining none the less. the long train sequence is funny and full of some creative ideas. the scene where buster tries to intervene with the fighing married couple is hilarious. the stunt work, especially at the end of the film during the waterfall scene is amazing and frightening to watch. i absolutely could not believe my eyes during that scene. how in the sam hill did he do it? it's amazing that buster wasn't killed during some of his movies. i would highly recommend this film to anyone who likes great comedy. it is easily funnier than any picture being made today.

It (1927)

clara has definitely got "it"

[8/10 · 22 February 2002]

this is a very fast paced and cute comedy starring the beautiful clara bow. the plot is fairly routine for it's era, but clara gives this film a real boost. she's especially appealing in a scene where she is making funny faces at her friends baby. the scenes at coney island are also fun to watch. and check out the subtitles with the 1920's slang. pretty funny stuff.