priscilla-hopkins Reviews

Closer (I) (2004)

Unlikeable characters in a movie you will love

[8/10 · 2 December 2004]

This movie is about four of the coldest, cruelest people who will ever meet, trying to experience the joys of love and intimacy. It is set into several scenes showing major changes in the character's relationships. The "in-between" parts are never shown. There is little in the way of action and much in the way of dialog. Its origins as a play are very evident. There is hardly anyone else of significance in the movie except these four characters. The writing and acting are engrossing. You will come out of the theater wanting to talk to someone about love, betrayal and relationships. Natalie Portman has grown to be quite and actress. Julia Roberts shows herself here to be capable of more than a pretty smile and lighthearted comedies. Jude Law is very attractive and you can see what these women see in him. Clive Owen is the real standout in the cast. His tormented, somewhat-less-attractive man is so desperate for love and affirmation, it practically bleeds through the screen. These characters fall in and out of love and lust, never really connecting.

The Mystery of Natalie Wood (2004)

Certainly got the mannerisms

[7/10 · 2 March 2004]

The vocal inflections and mannerisms on RJ and Natalie were picture-perfect! The actors must have studied hours of video to get those! The production used lots of stills of the actors, but I would have liked to have seen some live clips, as I had forgotten some of the very good movies she had done. I particularly would have liked to have seen some of her work as a child before "Miracle on 34th Street" made her a star. I also would have liked more clues as to who some of the people were in her professional life. Some of the main characters were identified, but many others were left up to the viewers imagination to fill in the blanks. At times the actors did not that closely resemble their real-life counterparts, and I had to wonder who they were. I really had no idea who the actor was suppossed to be that raped her, for instance. His full face was shown, as if to give the viewer a clue, but I couldn't figure it out.

Assassination Tango (2002)

Tango scenes dynamite, where did they fit in?

[18 February 2004]

The tango scenes were absorbing. But they seemed to be just kluged on to a movie about an aging, warm-hearted gangster. I kept waiting for something to tie these seemingly disparate plot lines together. Nothing ever did. See it to admire a great actor. See it to admire some wonderful dancing and scenery. Just don't try to make sense of it.

Love Actually (2003)

Charming, Actually

[9/10 · 6 November 2003]

This is a movie that makes you laugh, cry, smile and dream. What more could one ask of a sweet, silly, couple of hours? As soon as the scene with the aging rocker started, I knew I was going to like this film. I especially liked the way music was used to segue from one character's story to another. My only complainant was that there were so many stories, and I wanted to see more of some. I especially liked the one involving the new widower and his stepson, the rockers comeback, the one about the porn stand-ins, the one about the long-time marrieds facing a crisis in their marriage, and the impossibly-handsome PM. even some of the smaller parts were real standouts. The jewelry clerk who blocked for the kid at the airport, and Claudia Schiffer's cameo were charming touches. My preview audiences was sniffling at some parts, going "awwww" at others, and applauding at the end. Okay, it's sappy, but, heck, it's getting close to Christmas!

Waiting for Guffman (1996)

Now I've completed my collection!

[12 October 2003]

I had seen Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind, and Best in Show, and now the one I had missed, Waiting for Guffman. These are all movies you have to see more than once to appreciate. There is so much going on beneath the surface. They are not laugh-out-loud funny. There is some kind of deeper humor here that you have to really pay attention to to "get." I am glad I watched the deleted scenes on the DVD. Even on the first run through I knew that "Nothing Ever Happens on Mars" was supposed to have a companion piece.

The Women (1939)

What Dialogue!

[10/10 · 4 September 2003]

This movie's stage origins show beautifully in the dialogue richness and witty one-liners. Things come so fast, you will miss some sparkling cattyness if you let you attention wander for a moment! The fashion show sequence must have seemed a highlight when the film was made, but fast-forward through it now and get to the great dialogue!

Satan Met a Lady (1936)

Take it on its own terms

[1 September 2003]

I can practically recite "The Maltese Falcon" by heart, so I was intrigued by this alternate filming. I put the tape in and immediately went "What the. . . ." Then I picked up the box and saw the word "comedy." so I sat down and watched it on its own terms. It's a hoot. the trick is to never really think about the great Bogart version and just think of it as a send-up of the genre. It is much better this way. I especially the ditsy blonde secretary, and the bumbling gunsel.

American Splendor (2003)

A world I know little about

[14 August 2003]

I just saw this at an advanced screening. I am not into the world of graphic novels, and was not aware of the protagonist's story. I enjoyed the mixing of the real-life Harvey and his friends. It was interesting to see the movie, play, and the real characters flashing back and forth. The portrayals were quite good. The wife's part was underdeveloped. His friend Toby could have been a story all in himself, and I would have enjoyed him being a bigger part of the film.

Seabiscuit (2003)

Good adaptation of book

[8/10 · 5 August 2003]

I nearly always like the book better than the movie, and this was no exception. The story of the author and her fight with disease also is deserving of an extra on the DVD. All that said, the movie stood well on its own. The cinematography was great, but those jockey-mounted cameras or whatever they were sure made for some jerky race scenes. Having been one of those pre-teen girls that were crazy about horses, I recognized that statue of Seabiscuit in the paddock scenes, and kept wondering why they didn't CGI it out. I found that distracting. When I heard Tobey M. was cast as Red Pollard, my reaction was "What the. . . .", so I was pleasantly surprised that he did such a good job. Casting the younger version of Red with the boy from "Will and Grace" seemed unnecessary. He did just fine, but really didn't look much like the older version of the character. Seems some makeup and lighting tricks on Tobey M. would have been more seamless. Jeff Bridges did seem a bit "Tucker-like" in this, but portrayed his character well. There was quite a bit missing that was in the book, but I guess time limits make that inevitable. Hope the DVD includes some of the obviously deleted scenes.

Winged Migration (2001)

Awesome filming of everyday creatures

[9/10 · 22 June 2003]

I highly recommend this movie. No car chases, no boy-meets-girl, just astounding cinematography of flocks of migrating birds and the beautiful scenery over which they fly. Jaw-dropping how-did-they-get-such-beautiful-shots. There was even a shot of the eclipse we saw in Africa, and (sob) the Twin Towers. These wern't rare species, quite of few of them I see everyday. I still take time to watch flocks flying in formation, even though there are enough Canada Geese around here to have most people classify them as pests. They still look magnificent to me. After seeing this movie, their awesomeness is compounded. Everyone who sees this will have a new appreciation for these creatures among whom we are everyday.

Only the Strong Survive (2002)

Hard to Keep from Singing Along

[8/10 · 6 May 2003]

Seeing all these familiar faces and hearing all of those familiar tunes was a trip back to an exciting time in American music. The most difficult part of watching this movie was to control the urge to sing along and to keep my fingers from snapping and my hands from applauding. Several others in the audience couldn't fight those urges!

Jaws (1975)

Holds up very well

[16 April 2003]

I read the book first, way back when. The movie is actually better than the book. Now, how many times can you say that? The sequels were dreadful, but every time I see this first in a series, I am amazed anew at what a good movie it is. Even if the reason you don't see the shark much is that the models didn't work very well, it is a good way to present the "monster." While watching this movie, I always feel myself fearing those yellow barrels. The structure of interspersing light, comic moments among the scary ones only adds to the fear. The craft displayed in this movie is downright Hitchcockian.

A Mighty Wind (2003)

Straight-out hilarious

[15 April 2003]

Where do I even begin to describe what was funny about this film? The Yiddish-speaking Swede? The catheter salesman? The insufferable former sit-com star? The oh-so-earnest folk trio? The long-suffering female half of a romantic-folk duo with the crazy male partner? The not-so-clean-cut-and-sunny members of a "New Cristy Minstrels-type" troupe? The most significant kiss in the course of history? The way all of this was presented in a straight documentary form as if all of this was perfectly normal? There were just too many high points and wacky characters to pick anything out. This is something that has to be seen to be believed!

Head of State (2003)

Lighthearted Fun

[7/10 · 5 April 2003]

I was an extra in this movie and was excited to see how it turned out. While this is not Academy-award winning material, it made me laugh several times quite hard. One of the best jokes was in the opening credits. The one thing I wondered, how on earth did they get Robin Givens so harsh-looking? In person she is a petite, friendly, lovely sweetie-pie. I wonder if she knew what Chris Rock was doing to her? Bernie Mac stole the movie, and his part is quite small. There were several characters (the superwhore, the meatman) who were so underdeveloped you wondered what they were doing in the movie in the first place. The movie went by quickly with plenty of laughs. It was a fun evening during which one doesn't have to think too much.