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Reviews
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds (2016)
Remember Carrie Fisher This Way
I saw this last month at the AFI. Funny, witty, charming, sad, tragic...all of this...now even more sad and tragic with Carrie's passing today. I am so glad I saw this while she was still living. It was filmed over a year ago, but it was so moving and touching. My heart goes out to Debbie, we all thought she'd pass before her daughter. You made a difference Carrie and you left a legacy of your own behind. This documentary is about a mother and daughter, a famous mother and daughter at that. They went through so many hard times, yet there were wonderful times as well. Both are legends in their own right. Two legends in the same family.
Miracle in the Rain (1956)
Call Me Jaded, but this was All Wet
If this movie had been made in 1941 I think I could forgive it, but it was made in 1956. Times had changed. Movies had changed. But this movie seems stuck in the fantasy mode of the early 40's. I wanted to like it as my friend loves it, but I found it so corny and clichéd and unbelievable that I just couldn't accept it. Props to the actors, Jane and Van were fine, Eileen Heckart was the only one who really made her role real and believable. The actress playing the mother was too young. The actor playing the Father at St. Patrick's Cathedral was too handsome. I kept waiting for him to become the new love interest. Props for filming in Central Park and St. Patrick's.
The L.A. Complex (2012)
It really DOES show LA life!
I admit, when I first happened upon this show late in this season, I rolled my eyes because it was so cliché about all the bad stuff that happens in LA to actors. BUT, then I realized, it's cliché because it is true! I lived in LA for 17 years and saw most of these story lines actually happen. PLEASE pick it up for Season 3!!!! I am pleased with they way they handled the Finale! Again, I have witnessed these stories, these characters, first hand during my own time in LA. I hope they continue and I hope more people start watching this show. Where most of the reality shows now are pushing the sob story for ratings, the LA COMPLEX just shows them as they happen. Kudos to the cast and crew and writers. AND, though I know it's filmed in Canada, good location shoots!!!
Overlord (1975)
A gentle, heart-wrenching look at one soldier's story.
I just saw a screening of this movie and was blown away by it. A simple story told in a "did they film this or is it archival footage" masterpiece. So many movies try to tell a story and piece together bits and pieces of newsreel footage. Woody Allen's "Zelig" and "Forest Gump" put the characters into old newsreel footage. Stuart Cooper created a whole story and filmed new scenes, combined them with archival and newsreel footage to create a haunting and beautiful film. Simple yet telling, the story of one soldier's preparation for WWII and his ultimate participation is riveting. The performances are quiet yet real. The footage found and the new footage filmed are seamless. The director and cinematographer found old German lenses and created the look to match what was filmed back in the 1940's. Criterion and Janus Films are releasing this gem and I hope every serious film lover will go see it. Not seen in the US on the big screen since it was filmed in 1975, now is the time for it to take it's rightful place. With war still an ugly reality and lonely yet brave soldier's giving their life for the country every day, this is a testament and tribute to those who believe in fighting for your country. Patriotism!
East Side Story (2006)
Finally a Gay Feel Good Movie
I saw this last night at the NewFest GLBT Film Festival and LOVED it! If this is a first time effort, we can expect wonderful and great films to come. Everything about this is appealing! Cast, plot, writing, directing, music, sets, costumes, but most of all - heart! There is so much love and care and hope and dreams fulfilled alive on the screen. If Sandra Bullock were a gay man this would be her film. I laughed, feared, hoped and smiled so much. For me, this was the type of film "Brokeback Mountain" could have been. I think this should be required viewing for every person who has felt bias and hatred toward another minority. What we don't understand we fear and what we fear we try to destroy. I hope every person involved in this film continues to share their gifts with us. I hope this film finds the right distributors to get out there and let the world see what can only be described as a true gem of a film. Watch out world, these talented people are on their way! Kudos to all!
Forgiving the Franklins (2006)
Turning Back Time, Sort Of
I just got back from the GLBT Film Festival at the AMC Loews 34th in NY. A friend told me about this film. Audience response was very positive! Lots of good solid laughs as well as some quiet moments of realization. Top notch in every area. A movie that makes you think, and then makes you realize how lucky we'd all be if we could turn back time and live without shame or guilt. I imagine this will come close to, if not win, the audience favorite award! What was most surprising was the fact the the movie appears to start off as a satire and then slowly weaves into a genuine commentary on the negative and sometimes violent reactions of the very group it started to satirize. There isn't any mean spirited humor at the expense of one group, just a slow realization that we would all be better off if we just went back to the gentle innocence that we all started off with.