rbowles-2 Reviews

The Julie Andrews Hour (1972–1973)

One of the best variety shows EVER

[10/10 · 16 June 2006]

I am lucky enough to have the entire series on DVD which was transferred from VHS tapes. This show was on when I was in high school and we never missed. It is so good to see these shows again with the commercials!!! These were taped off a set in Pensacola, FL, as the 'station identifications' note. A few impressions...I'm amazed that a show like this could be put together every week. There is an amazing segment on the show with Sammy Davis, Jr. in which they do a medley of 7 or 8 Broadway show numbers, all with different sets and costumes, this takes up one entire segment of the show! I've also decided that Julie Andrews and Harry Belafonte should have had children. What beauties those would have been. I was amazed again at the beautiful, rich blend of the voices of Andrews and Cass Elliot. Probably my favorite episode of all was the one with Robert Goulet (who had a finer voice than this man in his prime?) and Joel Grey.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

Tight as a drum

[7/10 · 13 June 2006]

What I like most about this movie is the economy of it's writing and directing. There really isn't a wasted moment, nothing extraneous and that is what keeps the pace crackling and makes the movie watchable in every moment. It also has one of the GREAT ensembles ever. Carmen Maura as Pepa keeps herself on that verge for an hour and a half without ever really falling off the edge, it is a beautifully modulated performance. Maria Barranco as Candela is another performance that teeters on the edge of falling off into an emotional rubble but somehow manages to keep it together. Those two are delightful in every moment they are on screen. We can't forget Julieta Serrano as Lucia, the one truly crazy, post-breakdown woman in the story who brings a quality of self-awareness to her role that makes it a bit heartbreaking. She knows she is nuts and can't do a damn thing about it. And then there is VERY strangely attractive Rossy de Palma as Marisa, a virgin who needs nothing so much as she just needs to get laid to mellow her out. These women are all superlative, but Guillermo Montesinos as the Taxi Driver nearly steals the movie out from everyone and gives certainly the best male performance in the film. You have to see him to believe him.

Zelary (2003)

Vivid and Beautiful

[10/10 · 12 June 2006]

I once asked a film critic friend of mine how he decided a movie would receive his highest rating. He told me that when a movie is beyond criticism, it is worthy of the highest honor. I feel this way about "Zelary". I saw it in the theater when it first came out and saw it again recently on video. The single element that is most striking about this movie is the cinematography which is vivid and beautiful and kept taking my breath away. And quite honestly, those panoramic shots of Zelary and the surrounding mountains reminded me of where I grew up. There are three performances that are perfect. Anna Geislerova as Eliska/Hana won a couple of international acting awards for this performance and totally deserved them. Her nuanced and subtle transformation from reluctant and slightly belligerent 'refugee' to a loving and sensitive wife was a fine example of measured, well-thought out acting. Gyorgy Cserhalmi as Joza is equally as fine and Jaroslava Adamova as Lucka is one of those characters we can't wait to see again. Highly recommended for beautiful cinematography, fine acting and a great example of cinematic storytelling.

Yesterday (I) (2004)

Near perfect film

[9/10 · 12 June 2006]

I hadn't seen this film until this past weekend and was totally captivated. It is rare that a movie, especially when watching it at home, can make me forget about my surroundings but this one did. I appreciated it's quietude and simplicity which allows the viewer to understand the personal devastation of this illness rather than getting wrapped up in the noisy politics of it all. It was great to see Leleti Khumalo again. I saw her on Broadway years ago, 1988 I believe, in a South African musical called "Sarafina!". She was as luminous then as she is now, but her performances couldn't have been more different. One was energetic and youthful, in "Yesterday" she is dignified, patient, focused and absolutely lovely. This is a movie I will look forward to seeing again.

Zus & Zo (2001)

Emotionally very odd

[6/10 · 2 June 2006]

As I watched this movie, I found that rather than being a knock-about comedy which I thought it was going to be, it became very emotional and thought provoking. I didn't know if at the end I should feel happy, sad, disturbed, satisfied or just what. Maybe that is the way it is supposed to be since so oftentimes, life is exactly all of those things at once. The performances are sound, I especially appreciated the work of Jacob Derwig who plays Nino in a performance that is so focused in on a man's struggle to do what is right for himself it is positively inspiring. Sylvia Poorta as Michelle, one of the sisters, also gives a really lovely performance. I wish I knew what the title means. Does anyone know what Zus & Zo means?