Reviews (19)

Movie Worth Seeing Again and Again!
I was pleasantly surprised recently to discover a gem in the foreign movie circuit I had previously never even heard of before. Hammers over the Anvil is a beautifully told story of awakening adolescence, love, regret and hope. Told through the narration of an adolescent and handicapped boy, the story is really about an ensemble of characters in an Australian town and their relationships with one another. Due mostly to the talented cast of actors in this film as well as the superb writing and direction, Hammers over the Anvil does something few two hour movies achieve - and that is compassion for all of the characters no matter how deceptively small a part each character plays. Russell Crowe proves once again that he was a very fine actor way before fame came his way and an equally talented cast of actors only adds to his performance. This is really the only film I've seen Crowe in where his leading lady brings in as strong a performance as he does. The result is truly one of those great movie romances that makes you wish for more. The scenery is breathtaking, the performances magnificent, the story beautifully written...this is one that I would buy for my personal collection to see again and again!

Coming of age story well worth a look ..
Ann Turner's "Hammers Over The Anvil" is a delightful coming of age story set in small town Australia and depicts Australian country life during the early 20th Century (1910). We watch as a young boy grows into a young man while sharing his unique perspective on life and those around him. The young man, who is crippled and uses braces and crutches to get around, shares his thoughts via narration and his life as we are guided through his world as his experiences it. By the end of the story, we gain knowledge of the inner boy, his friendships, family connections, loves, losses, and amazing ability to see past the socially acceptable conclusions toward the true meaning of many human behaviors.

The wonderful cast brings a rich fullness to each and every scene. The cast members speak with heavy Australian accents which will necessitate careful listening on most non-Australian viewers parts. Many viewers will rent/buy this film to see a wonderful early performance by a then up and coming Australian actor, Russell Crowe. Mr Crowe does not disappoint his fans and delivers a quality performance as he depicts one of the film's most likable characters. To the viewer's delight, the film's entire cast delivers performances that meet and, at times, out shine the high level performance of Mr Crowe.

"Hammers Over The Anvil" presents material which is at times adult in nature, but does so in a respectful and tasteful manner. The scenes which project this material are necessary to successfully depict the plot and its full meaning to the movie's viewers. I enjoyed this movie and know many of you will too.

Very Good Film
First I must saw that Russell Crowe MAKES any movie that he takes on and he becomes the charactor, making the movie not only believable, but real. In this film Russell takes on the role of a man who is everything in the eyes of a young boy and also in the eyes of a married woman. I feel like I can relate to this story. As a young boy growing up with no older brothers I longed for the companionship of men like East, and now that I'm older, married and may be having a kid on the way I realize that it's only because of my best friends like Larry, Joe, Walter and Bill that I am the person I am. Other than the fact that the filming is kinda rough I think the film is perfect.

A deep disappointment
Compare this movie to early Mel Gibson works such as Gallipoli and Tim; there is no comparison! Aside from the views of their naked rear ends; that is.

Probably the first give away was the co-production with the South Australian Film Board or whatever. South Australia is obviously trying to benefit from the fame of Russell Crowe. Just like Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Mel Gibson.

Sure, the scenery is great (but the location is obviously a single set, in rural South Australia. No faults there. Though where was the river he bathed his horses in?

Some actors overacted to spoil their mediocre performances. Local characters trying to become noticed - no doubt.

Having grown up in a rural (British) colonial village in the 1950s and having done research into the same place at the turn of the twentieth century; I was disappointed at the setting. Stone buildings belonged to the rich; everyone else built in wood(hence the denuded landscapes). It was obvious the set was a single establishment (probably a sheep run); though they tried to make it seem like an entire village. A pastor; though no visible church. The center of any colonial community.

How many shots of a nearly invisible night rider can one watch before it becomes dull (one, two?).

There was enough sexual scandal for an entire state; never mind a single village. Sure there was enough surreptious sex in these villages; but there was more than one location for this. More often it happened in creek beds or other natural locations - forget the dust and prickliness of a barn.

I was interested to read, that this was a collection of short stories - I have no doubt they are a better attempt at a portrayal of the story than the film.

It's Russell - Enough Said!
Aussie accents all the way but a good coming of age film. A young Russell (horseman) befriends a young disabled teen who's trying to please his own father (also a horseman) by becoming a rider. Father and son finally come to terms with the disability. Russell falls in love, loses love (she's married), goes through painful torment and suffering, wins her back the hard way. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

"Doesn't he know he's got the greatest gift anyone can have, the gift of laughter?" Woody Allen stars as filmmaker Sandy Bates, who, like John Sullivan in Preston Sturges's Sullivan's Travels, no longer wants to make comedies. As studio executives threaten to wrest control of his latest film, he reluctantly attends a weekend film-culture festival in his honor, where he is besieged by journalists ("I'm doing a piece on the shallow indifference of celebrities"), groupies ("I drove all the way from Bridgeport to make it with you"), and persistent oddballs ("Can I talk to you about my idea I have for a movie? It's a comedy based on the whole Guyana mass suicide").

After the exhilarating Manhattan, Stardust Memories was a dramatic departure that threw critics and fans for an outraged loop. But out of all of Allen's films, it is perhaps the one most ripe for rediscovery. It poses the same dilemma Stephen King would later tackle in Misery: What happens when a popular artist is held captive by an adoring audience that doesn't want him to change? The answer may come from an extraterrestrial, who in one of the many fantasy sequences advises the comedian, "You want to do mankind a real service? Tell funnier jokes."

The film is impeccably cast with Charlotte Rampling, Jessica Harper, and Marie-Christine Barrault (of Cousine/Cousine) as the three women in Sandy's life. There are also choice bits by Sharon Stone as a fantasy woman on a train, Daniel Stern as an aspiring actor, Louise Lasser as Sandy's overwhelmed secretary, Laraine Newman as an unimpressed studio executive, and Tony Roberts as Tony Roberts. My own aunt, Victoria Zussin, utters the film's most famous line as the patron who tells Sandy she loves his movies, especially "your early funny ones." --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Mid-period Woody that's both funny and thoughtful
When discussing the two things in this life that man has complete control over, Sandy Bates (Woody Allen) notes that only art and masturbation fall into that category. "Two areas in which I am an absolute expert," he slyly adds. I am so glad Woody included this line. I was just thinking that this film falls neatly into both categories.

Oh yes, it is definitely artful. The lush black and white, used so wonderfully in "Manhattan", makes a return engagement here (courtesy of cinematographer Gordon Willis, who again does fine work). Sure, filming in black and white in an era of colour photography can be construed as a tad pretentious, but Woody never lets that get in the way. He strips things down so completely, that you can't help but become engaged with the characters and the issues he's presenting. It's a fine artistic conceit, one that works beautifully. There's a certain surreal quality to the proceedings here, amplified by the jumbled film-with-a-film-within-a-film-within-a-dream-sequence structure. Patience will allow the understanding viewer to make sense of the narrative quite easily. Don't be put off by the art.

And sure, the film's themes are highly masturbatory. Can you or I relate to the problems of Woody's celebrity? No, not really. But I feel like I've been given an accurate backstage pass into his world. The army of fans and fanatics that constantly torture pure Sandy with their requests and admiration was portrayed beautifully. There's a definite feeling of claustrophobia that is tangible to the audience, when Woody is barraged by a flurry of autograph pads.

The vast supporting cast all do magnificent jobs. It always startles me how Woody can get such natural (or when he needs it, intentionally artificial) performances from his actors. Special mention, of course, should be made for his three leading ladies. Charlotte Rampling as Dorrie, a women who's dynamic only two days of every month and destructive the other twenty-eight, gets the polarities in her character just right. There's one very Godard-like sequence, where jump cuts and dialogue help her portray her particular insanities. She is manic and frustrated, both to perfect degrees. Jessica Harper as Daisy gets to show off many of the same qualities. But there is a touch or morbidity there that shines through in her acting. And Marie-Christine Barrault as Isobel, a woman who's just left her husband to be with Woody, is charming and innocent, with just enough superficiality and brains thrown in so that you understand why Sandy falls for her.

Although not as out-and-out hilarious as Woody's "earlier, funnier movies", "Stardust Memories" does have its share of memorable lines (my favourite exchange: "What do you think the Rolls Royce represented?" asks one audience member to another after Sandy's latest opus is screened. "I think it represented his car," comes the befuddled reply). It also shows a willingness to experiment and push the boundaries of Woody's particular brand of filmmaking, so that an alien landing or an assassination attempt doesn't seem that odd (well, yes they do seem odd, but in the context of the world created, not so much). It is most definitely artful, and quite certainly masturbatory. But come to think of it, can't you say that about most Woody Allen movies. I guess this one just wears those qualities on its sleeve a bit more blatantly. Worked for me.

One of his best
Definitely one of his best. Personally I think it was originally panned because it was sort of proactively mocking its critics, due to the seemingly autobiographical slant of it. Woody Allen always insists his films are not autobiographical, though he does write what he knows. Here's a somewhat slow, very European movie from an American master of comedy, about a director known for his comedies, who's being panned because his latest movies are dark and European and not funny. It's as if Allen were making a movie about what was going to happen when said movie was released, which I don't think is intentional. But taken as intentional it would really **** off a pompous critic.

It's really brilliant, and just beautiful to watch being in Black and White. And- it is funny. Allen says in an interview with Stig Bjorkman that Stardust Memories is the closest he's ever come to exactly what he wanted to accomplish.

Woody's Best Film.
As a huge Allen fan I warmly recommend this movie. It's quirky, neurotic, romantic, and generally all of the things that make us love Woody so much in the first place. I know that Ebert trashed the film by saying that it was merely a spin-off of 8 1/2 but I disagree. This movie cannot be dismissed simply by saying its derivative and I think, although it may be blasphemy to say so, that it's a better work than the one by Fellini. Furthermore, Charlotte Rampling is absolutely wonderful in it.

Disappointed
Apparently this flick was trashed when it was released (extreme) and is adored now (also extreme). I do not understand movies and know nothing about foreign ones, so I can neither recognize nor comment on Woody Allen's influences. The less for me. However, I thought this movie was shallow and superficial. I thought it was well and interestingly directed, had a few good chuckles in it (but was hardly a laugh riot), had some interesting scenes (not many), but if this is the way Allen sees his fans (a lot of grinning idiots, devoted slobbering dogs, virtual freaks), the less for him. I am a fan of Allen and I like to think well of my heroes, not as demeaning, blase gods. And I prefer movies in color. And just for the record, I've had it to the teeth with Allen's private life, that's just what it is, a PRIVATE life. I know people who based on his life dislike his movies and have never even seen any! (And on the subject of decency, if I'd been Janet Jackson, I'd have shown them the other one, but I would NOT have apologized!) I did not think this movie was funny enough to watch again nor complex and subtle enough (like his more serious movies) to study. But (sigh) maybe I'll watch it again in 6 months and love it. I did that to "Manhattan Murder Mystery."

It is, believe it or not ya radges, Allen's bestest.
The Woodmeister himself has declared Stardust Memories one of his best movies, and I have to agree with the funny old ferret. Allen's early career consisted of laugh-a-minute slapstick comedies, which were wonderful (especially Love & Death in 1975); from Manhattan(1979) onwards he toned everything down a bit, replacing the slapstick with human drama, although always leaving in the priceless oneliners.

I feel that Stardust Memories(1980) is his best film because it manages to meld the comedy and drama together better than all of his other attempts. (I'm not a big fan of Manhattan, I think it's dull; Crimes & Misdemeanors is perhaps his second-best move-tastic motion picture.) There's some out-and-out hilarious comedy, which self-knowingly refers back to Allen's early comedic style, and the drama is complex and moving. There are moments of bad taste, and the film sometimes seems geared to patronise Allen's fans, but these are brave moves, and make it all the more memorable.

Beautifully shot, wonderfully acted, brilliantly written, astoundingly funny, powerfully touching, insanely insane, comically surreal, slyly self-referential, overtly recommendable to friends and family, oven-fresh and microwave-compatible.

PS Keep your eyes peeled for a blink-and-you'll-miss-it from a young Sharon Stone at the beginning. ... ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Chekov's Prophetic Play brought to the screen
This is a study of Russia at the turn of the 20th Century and focuses on the three typical classes of the period. The Russian Aristocracy, The rising Middle Class and the future of Revolutionary Russia are all implied in characters that gather at the estate of Ms. Rampling who celebrates amid the knowledge that the estate will be sold to pay debts. It is a long play and therefore a long movie(137 minutes). You have to be a literature fan to appreciate it and I would not suggest it to anyone who has not read the play or is not familiar with Russian history. Each character is longing for something beyond what is the current reality and it is a story of the death of a way of life and hints at change not necessarily for the better. It is beautifully filmed! It is also very quiet and you have to keep your ear tuned to the conversations. If you love Chekov, you will want to see it but you may or may not fall in love with it.

THE CHERRY ORCHARD FOR BEGINNERS
Maybe it helps to be unfamiliar with Chekov's work and therefore have no preconceived notions, but I found this British made drama to be absorbing and quietly powerful in depicting the sadness and futility of pre-revolution Russia. The story of a once wealthy family slowly accepting their loss of prestige and slendor blooms like a beautiful but lonely rose, and thankfully the depths of the drama never get very sloppy, sentimental, or even tragic.

Hard to Like
If Woody Allen were to do another satire of Russian Lit (viz a viz Love and Death), he could do no better than to fashion it after this abysmal offering. I love Checkhov. I don't claim to have known him personally, but trust me, this is no Checkhov. I have no clue what the director was after: Comedy? Farce? Melodrama? Soap Opera? Well, he has followed several of those threads, but actual Checkhov? Nay, nay, I say.
To have assembled such a promising cast and to get such risible performances out of them must surely be some sort of achievemant in it's own right. I don't believe they give Oscars out for that, but they do give Harvard Lampoon Awards.
BEK

Chekhov's final masterpiece comes to life
Anton Chekhov's final play THE CHERRY ORCHARD (1903) comes to life in a wonderful film that truly exhibits the shear beauty that Chekhov imagined when penning this work. The film is well acted and the chemistry top knotch. It truly is a wonderful ensemble piece with excellent performances. The only trouble is it is a little lengthy and the screenplay fails to capture the intents of the original author at times. Nevertheless, it is well worth your time to drift away into the lives of some of the most interesting characters in turn of the century Russian theatre. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like Body Heat before it, D.O.A. demonstrates why thenoir thriller deserved to be broughtback--if done well. This movie, inspired by the 1949 Edmund O'Brien version, begins powerfully. A manstumbles into a police station to report a murder: his own. Writer Dexter Cornell (Dennis Quaid), anunhappy English professor at the University of Texas at Austin, has been poisoned. He has 24 hours tounveil his killer. It's a complex plot of forgotten dreams, dysfunctional relationships, and primarily bitterness. But it's soeffectively directed (by Max Headroom's Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton) and so powerfully acted, it draws its audience into its puzzling and dark, hopeless world. Meg Ryan, who teamed the previous year with her now-husband Quaid in Innerspace,demonstrates her range well. The year before she played a put-upon career woman, but here she iscompletely credible as sweetly youthful student Sydney Fuller, who has a crush on her professor and becomesembroiled in his tragedy, while falling in love. Other excellent performances include Rob Knepper as aspiring writer-student Nicholas Lang; Charlotte Rampling as Lang's creepy, powerful mother; Jane Kaczmarek asCornell's ex-wife, and WonderYears voice Daniel Stern as an ambitious fellow teacher. --N.F. Mendoza ... Read more

Reviews (7)

excellent film
This film rocks! it has a great story,great acting and a cool tone. Im not a fan of films that tell you how it ends at the start,but this is a sly @ stylish exception.It has fine camera work and direction.quaid and ryan are dynamite.

not exactly hitch
Although I liked this film, it's probably because I was an early teen when I saw Quaid and Ryan together in Inner Space. This remake is NOT directed well; it's perhaps the sloppiest directing job I've ever seen. Chemistry is nice between Quaid and Ryan again, but it kind of creeps you out that there's supposed to be an age difference here (I really don't agree that Meg is convincing as a 19-22 year old), and Stern is as menacing here as he is in Home Alone. The script is fairly predictable even if you haven't seen the original, and in general the point of this movie was to showcase the two main stars, not to make a good remake of a good but weird old movie.

A Parody of the Original
Unless you've seen the 1947 original, you can't appreciate this imitative parody. In the original film an ordinary man doing his ordinary job gets into a deadly situation. The original film is more credible in its events and characters. It may have been more believable to its audience.

This colorful version, whose everyday background contrasts with the original film, lacks the same credibility. While university professors may kill (Eichorn, Kaczynski), it is too much of a fantasy in this fictional example. Dennis Quaid has a little too much energy in him for a dying man.

One of the startling events in the original was to have the main character, the hero, die on screen. This was very unusual then, or now. This version could have been taken from MAD magazine.

TITLE SUGGESTS ALL
This is a remake of an old black and white film about a poisoned man who learns he has so many hours to live. Like a weird kaleidoscope of action and suspense finally dragged down by it's tiresome lack of identity. I didn't enjoy the original much either.

Not one of megs best!!
Lots of running around yelling, going nuts. Just very unrealistic. I would never go to see the movie at the theater. She has done much better quality movies. Neither she nor Quaid exhibit any acting talent in this movie ... Read more

Reviews (191)

A Puzzle for You to Solve.
Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling) is a middle-aged British mystery novelist. Burned out on writing and tired of the climate in London, she accepts an invitation from her publisher, John (Charles Dance), to spend some time relaxing at his villa in Southern France. The change of scenery gets her creative juices flowing, but shortly after Sarah has settled in, John's daughter Julie (Ludivine Sagnier) turns up with plans to stay. At first Sarah is annoyed by Julie's daring and promiscuous lifestyle. But gradually Sarah takes an interest in the young woman and allows herself to be sucked into Sarah's emotional intrigues.

There is a lot that I would love to say about this film, but the nature of "Swimming Pool" is such that I can say very little that will not spoil the film for those who have not yet seen it. "Swimming Pool" is an unusual and ingenious variety of mystery. I will say this much: Pay close attention. Things are not as the seem.

François Ozon's screenplay may be the best of 2003. It's certainly the most sinuous. I'm sure that some will say -not without some justification- that it's too clever for its own good. My one reservation about "Swimming Pool" is that it may be too subtle. Too much of the audience is left thinking that the events of the film are to be taken at face value. And the film doesn't begin to make sense if taken at face value. The audience is given enough information to figure out what has transpired. -But just enough. We do have to figure it out for ourselves. Normally, a film of this kind would explain itself a few scenes before the end. But François Ozon has chosen not to spell anything out for his audience. I enjoyed the puzzle. It's gratifying once it clicks and everything makes sense. But I fear "Swimming Pool" is too esoteric for wide audience appeal. I give it an enthusiastic recommendation, though. "Swimming Pool" is one of the most original, clever, and intriguing movies that I've seen.

The DVD: Previews are unfortunately unavoidable. Bonus features include one theatrical trailer and deleted scenes. Most of the deleted scenes are entirely inconsequential, but one actually confuses matters, so I don't recommend them. Dubbing is available in French. Subtitles are available in French, Spanish, and English. I sure wish there were an interview with writer/director François Ozon, but no such luck. There are more bonus features, including a commentary by Ozon (presumably in French), on the French Region 2 DVD 2-disc set for anyone who is interested.

understated psychological thriller
I had seen 8 WOMEN, the previous film by Francois Ozon, but that did not prepare me for SWIMMING POOL. Sarah (Charlotte Rampling) is a mystery writer vacationing at her publishers home in France. She's enjoying the peace and quiet, until the arrival of Julie (Ludivine Sagnier), the publisher's sexy teenage daughter. Where Sarah is repressed, Julie is a free spirit. The personalities of the two women clash at first, but Sarah is subtly inspired by Julie's impulsiveness. Things come to a head when both women develop an attraction to the same man.
The tone of the film is very cool and quiet throughout, and the casual viewer may miss the signs of Sarah's awakening. (Note how what Sarah eats changes throughout the film.) Both central performances are impeccable, and Charles Dance (GOSFORD PARK) lends able support as Sarah's slippery publisher.
The DVD package is disappointingly slim, I would have enjoyed a commentary or two, but the final deleted scene does help explain the film's surprise ending. Recommended for world cinema lovers.

Nudity, yes; get over it!
Wow! Swimming Pool is an intelligent, and fantastic film. Don't expect to be a passive viewer, and wait for everything to be explained to you. There is nudity. Enjoy it. Get over it. This is a film about a writer, who's become locked into a series of books she's sick of. At her publisher's house in France, she spends several days with writer's block. She creates a character, and writes the best book of her career. I recommend Secret Window starring Johnny Depp, to be seen with this movie!

I recommend this film
This film gets your attention from A to Z . Charlotte Rampling's
play is excellent and sustains perfectly an interesting scenario.
Ludivine Sagnier is not masterful but plays well her part.
Although this film has it's nude and erotic moments
you should buy another film if this is only what you are looking for.
The film is not a 'nail biter ' but, always intelligent and
sensitive, it will not let you down. The conclusion of the
film is not perfect, but certainly interesting.

Good,,but,,,what just happened?
This movie was good but what just happened? Why is Julie two different people? One in braces and the one we saw all through the movie. Are they one in the same? Why is she waving at both of them ? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Set in Harlem and New Orleans in 1955, this supernatural thriller stirred a brief controversy when released in 1987 because some scenes featuring Lisa Bonet (then a popular cast member of The Cosby Show) were considered too sexually explicit to be rated R. The edited material was restored for the unrated video release, and the movie now makes a fitting double bill with Fallen, with its similar plot about a sullen detective (Mickey Rourke) who is hired to find a missing person by a shady client with pointy fingernails named Louis Cyphre (Lucifer, get it?). Rourke's investigation leads him into an underworld of voodoo and forbidden desires, and as the mystery unfolds director Alan Parker fills every scene with conspicuous style and atmospheric excess, compelling critic Pauline Kael to observe that, "Parker simply doesn't have the gift of making evil seductive, and he edits like a flasher." And yet, this movie does cast a spell of its own (Roger Ebert's review was considerably more charitable), and the performances of Rourke, De Niro, Bonet, and Charlotte Rampling are well suited to the ominous mood. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (71)

The genius of Mickey Rourke...
is fully evident in this late 80s Alan Parker film, an overlooked classic if there ever was one. In my opinion, no one then or now could do the job portraying detective Harry Angel that Rourke did. He captures every nuance of the character perfectly, running the gamut from emotional wreckage to physical haggardness. How someone so gifted could let said gift get away from him the way Rourke did is a mystery almost as compelling as the one serving as the subject of this film.

The basic storyline is deceptively simple; Harry Angel is a down and out post WWII New York detective hired by a shadowy figure to find a missing singer, one Johnny Favorite. That search leads him from New York City to the bowels of the Louisiana bayou, and it's that setting that gives the film so much of its powerful atmosphere. Things are not as they seem, and the story becomes stranger the further along it goes...

Alan Parker did a fantastic job of using muted colors to convey the sense that this story is not taking place in our time, but rather one of a recently faded past. Visually, the film transports you to that place and moment in a way that few "period pieces" manage to accomplish. Add in his notorious attention to detail, and you have little doubt that you are seeing the deep south of Louisiana as it was in the 1950s.

The other major performances (Robert De Niro, Charlotte Rampling, Lisa Bonet, Brownie McGhee) are wonderful in their own right, but IMO, this is Rourke's show. A modern classic!

Good old Louisiana spooky film noir.....
Angel Heart never quite got the critical acclaim it deserved. Long before Mickey Rourke was reduced to doing Iglesias music videos, he actually had something of an acting career. In this, perhaps his best work, although not his best known, he plays an amnesiac private investigator sent on the trail of a 1940s crooner/singer named Johnny Favorite. While some of the plot twists are pretty evident to modern viewers (some later films have used similar twists to further their own plots), they were quite novel at the time of the film. The eerie film-noire atmosphere gives everything a sinister, seductive feel, and, while you can pretty much ascertain the identity of the PI's patron (Cypher), the identity of the elusive crooner remains a shocker at the end. Also, if you are a jazz fan, the eerie jazz of Trevor Jones provides a suitably melancholic atmosphere to the film. Lisa Bonet, the Cosby show's wild-child, performs admirably as a voodoo priestess who is also the daughter of Favorite, and the eventual lover of the PI. Rourke is great, as he was in those days, reflecting more emotional range than he was allowed in more notable films in which he participated, namely 9 1/2 Weeks and Wild Orchid. De Niro oozes diabolical smugness and a certain sinister quality that you just cannot quite put your finger on (yeah, if you READ the name of the guy, you know what he is...but those seeing the movie didn't have that luxury until the end credits ... MUCH better in this role than Pacino), and this is one of my favorite roles for him. The film works in a little bit of everything darkly occult, from benevolent, poor but soulful black-folks in voodoo cults, to rich and powerful white-folks with their secret devil worship to keep them rich and powerful. Set against the mysterious bayou backdrop of New Orleans, which only serves to enhance the spooky atmosphere, this film is a classic for anyone who is a fan of film noir.

A CRISP, CHILLING TREAT OF THE OCCULT
Let's see. A mesmerizing Mickey Rourke in his element. A brief but blood-curdling cameo from DeNiro sporting overgrown fingernails, dark flowy suits and a baritone drawl. A starkly bold turn from the beautiful Lisa Bonnet who exudes sexual abandon..

Cut to the chase, Angel Heart is a riveting psychothriller with cojones. It absolutely boggles me, then, why this is not the cult classic that it so richly deserves to be!

What begins as a fairly innocuous sleuthing adventure quickly takes on the contours of a supernatural drill, replete with mythological and biblical symbolism, as our private-eye discovers the true nature of his horrifying engagement.

Trevor Jones' riveting score and Parker's immaculate direction could be some of the reasons why this grand nightmare lingers in your thoughts long after the credits have rolled, but whatever the motivation, I highly recommend getting a hold of this classic with an unforgettable twist.

Angel Heart
This is definitely one of the creepiest movies you'll ever see and the ending is a shocker. Set in 1955, a private detective named Harry Angel (played my Mickey Rourke) is hired by Louis Cyphre to find a long ago crooner named Johnny Favorite, who owes him something. The search leads Angel to a dark underworld of voodoo and strange murders. In his search for Favorite, Harry goes to New Orleans, where he runs into Epiphany Proudfoot, played by Lisa Bonet. As Harry gets closer to the truth of Favorite's whereabouts, things just get weirder and weirder. And Louis Cyphre turns out to be Harry's worst nightmare. And the title is an excellent play on the movie's denoument. Overall this is a great creepy thriller.

The DVD extras are also interesting (see the Mickey Rourke interview, is tragi-comic).

fantastico
a wonderful little piece of film noir that will be right at home in any horror or suspense fans library. well done alan parker ... Read more

Reviews (37)

An outstanding courtroom drama
I agree with the other reviewers that Paul Newman gives the best performance of his career in this intense, well-designed film. There are numerous scenes which are shown without a cut, providing the viewers with an uninterrupted examination of the actors' interactions. Some include (without giving away too much): Newman's character (Frank Galvin) in conflict with the judge's actions toward the court proceedings, Newman and Warden preparing for the trial and the circumstances weighing heavily against them.
All the supporting actors are excellent. Among the noteables: James Mason as the powerhouse defense attorney with a malicious underhand, Milo O'Shea as the unsympathetic judge, Jack Warden as Newman's friend, mentor, and seemingly sole supporter, Charlotte Rampling as Newman's girlfriend with a shady side to herself.
There are a few plotholes and moments of overly dramatic "courtroom hysterics" within the film. Overlook them and enjoy an otherwise very strong movie.

The Very Best of Its Genre
Simply put there is no American film of this genre that comes close. Director Lumet darkly captures the naked power and corruption of the American civil trial system. Actors O'Shea (the judge), Mason (the 'prince of darkness' defense counsel) and Charlotte Rampling (whose shock is best left unrevealed) are the epitome of the seedy wheels of what passes for justice and 'love'. Newman, an alcoholic with one last prospect, struggles for redemption against mountainous odds, giving the most honest performance of his career. Warden is Newman's essential wiser alter ego. This film is no less than that rare cimematic device -- the allegory. Each character represents a larger truth -- in addition to Mason, O'Shea, and Rampling, Joe Seneca as a black, ancient (degraded) doctor for the vegetative plaintiff; Catholic archidiocese bishop Ed Binns up to his collar in fraud; a nationally-renowned physician with secret blood on his hands; and a simple honest woman who wanted nothing more than to be a nurse - Lindsay Crouse in a career performance. And there is the superb Mamet writing throughout. This is a courtroom thriller that will nail you to your seat to the very end. And absolutely true to life -- my view, at least, after 20 years as a lawyer. I also teach law and never miss a chance to show this film to my students. An amazing cinematic achievement, disturbing in its implications.

A grand film of triumph over failure
This film is one of the best in Paul Newman's stellar career, and he carries it convincingly with a spare, taut, no-frills performance. His Frank Galvin, an alcoholic has-been attorney with a bleak future is a defeated and pathetic figure, reduced to appearing at funeral homes during visitation hours to hustle business from bereaved family members. Even when long-time friend Mickey Morrissey [Jack Warden] hands Galvin a lucrative case on a silver platter, his star witness disappears to an unknown Caribbean island after having promised to testify against the hospital and Catholic Church for malpractice. Galvin's determination to see the case through is the first step to his recovery from the bottle and self-pity. The comatose woman's sister and brother-in-law who he represents in court have lost confidence in Galvin, he seems overmatched by the glib and polished Ed Concannon [James Mason] who represents the interests of the Church, and he has incurred the wrath of a biased, mean-spirited judge [Milo O'Shea]. To make matters worse, his girlfriend Laura [Charlotte Rampling] is little more than a Trojan horse in the Galvan camp and her true intentions come to light only after Mickey stumbles on the truth quite by chance. The movie was filmed under Boston's gray, overcast skies and has a gloomy forecast for Galvin in his quest for redemption and reward for a man who has been defeated by life but makes one last attempt to get off the deck and regain his self-respect and stature in his profession.

the film lets down the star
THE VERDICT is one of Paul Newman's most celebrated performances. He plays a down-at-the-heels lawyer named Frank Galvin who lucks his way into a big case involving two doctors who have been horribly negligent, sending a young woman into a coma.
Newman wonderfully gets at Galvin's desperation, and how he fights through an alcoholic haze. It's a thoughtfully worked out performance centered around Newman's wonderfully expressive eyes. Sadly, the rest of THE VERDICT could be taught in a Courtroom Movie Cliche 101 class. The lone lawyer vs the big firm (led by James Mason), altered documents, surprise witnesses, shenanigans by the hospital, it's all here. Even though I enjoyed the acting and the Boston atmosphere, I saw a lot of the plot coming.
The cast includes Jack Warden as Newman's only friend, Joe Seneca, Lindsay Crouse, Wesley Addy, and a chilly Charlotte Rampling as a mysterious woman who crosses Newman's path. The commentary by director Sidney Lumet is of the "everybody was great/this is where we shot" variety.

A Monumental Cinematic Treasure
THE VERDICT may date back to 1982, but few courtroom films since then can come close to matching the powerful production in this near perfect film written by David Mamet and directed with tension, grit, and tenderness by Sidney Lumet. Paul Newman's performance as the alcoholic has-been lawyer called upon to try a case of medical malpractice is one of the finest acting performances in history. He is more than ably abetted by his sidekick Jack Warden. The lawyer for the defense is the haughty and evil James Mason and the real surprise in the cast is Milo O'Shea in a terrifyingly real role of a smarmy Judge. Charlotte Rampling, still one of today's finest actresses, plays the understated love interest. Minor roles become major when they are in the hands of such gifted actors as Lindsay Crouse and Julia Bravasso. But one unsung hero of this fine film is the cinematographer who manages to make every shot appear like a Renaissance painting, so sensitive is he to light and shadow and frame composition.

THE VERDICT is a powerful story of the underdog's struggle for truth in the judicial system and as such is a reminder of how the Law, when stripped to its essentials, is there to protect us. There is no pat ending, only a feeling of breathlessness as all of the details of the story are left to our imagination - well, almost. A strikingly powerful, meaningful, brilliantly executed film. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A masterwork!
If you are slightly cerebral, decadent and love the autumn color of Ireland and the personal stories based on the analisys of the subtle feelings instead of "special effect" and action, this is a film for you not to be missed.
I'm sure you'll love.
Great soundtrack and photography!
I consider it a neglected masterwork.
Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (71)

The genius of Mickey Rourke...
is fully evident in this late 80s Alan Parker film, an overlooked classic if there ever was one. In my opinion, no one then or now could do the job portraying detective Harry Angel that Rourke did. He captures every nuance of the character perfectly, running the gamut from emotional wreckage to physical haggardness. How someone so gifted could let said gift get away from him the way Rourke did is a mystery almost as compelling as the one serving as the subject of this film.

The basic storyline is deceptively simple; Harry Angel is a down and out post WWII New York detective hired by a shadowy figure to find a missing singer, one Johnny Favorite. That search leads him from New York City to the bowels of the Louisiana bayou, and it's that setting that gives the film so much of its powerful atmosphere. Things are not as they seem, and the story becomes stranger the further along it goes...

Alan Parker did a fantastic job of using muted colors to convey the sense that this story is not taking place in our time, but rather one of a recently faded past. Visually, the film transports you to that place and moment in a way that few "period pieces" manage to accomplish. Add in his notorious attention to detail, and you have little doubt that you are seeing the deep south of Louisiana as it was in the 1950s.

The other major performances (Robert De Niro, Charlotte Rampling, Lisa Bonet, Brownie McGhee) are wonderful in their own right, but IMO, this is Rourke's show. A modern classic!

Good old Louisiana spooky film noir.....
Angel Heart never quite got the critical acclaim it deserved. Long before Mickey Rourke was reduced to doing Iglesias music videos, he actually had something of an acting career. In this, perhaps his best work, although not his best known, he plays an amnesiac private investigator sent on the trail of a 1940s crooner/singer named Johnny Favorite. While some of the plot twists are pretty evident to modern viewers (some later films have used similar twists to further their own plots), they were quite novel at the time of the film. The eerie film-noire atmosphere gives everything a sinister, seductive feel, and, while you can pretty much ascertain the identity of the PI's patron (Cypher), the identity of the elusive crooner remains a shocker at the end. Also, if you are a jazz fan, the eerie jazz of Trevor Jones provides a suitably melancholic atmosphere to the film. Lisa Bonet, the Cosby show's wild-child, performs admirably as a voodoo priestess who is also the daughter of Favorite, and the eventual lover of the PI. Rourke is great, as he was in those days, reflecting more emotional range than he was allowed in more notable films in which he participated, namely 9 1/2 Weeks and Wild Orchid. De Niro oozes diabolical smugness and a certain sinister quality that you just cannot quite put your finger on (yeah, if you READ the name of the guy, you know what he is...but those seeing the movie didn't have that luxury until the end credits ... MUCH better in this role than Pacino), and this is one of my favorite roles for him. The film works in a little bit of everything darkly occult, from benevolent, poor but soulful black-folks in voodoo cults, to rich and powerful white-folks with their secret devil worship to keep them rich and powerful. Set against the mysterious bayou backdrop of New Orleans, which only serves to enhance the spooky atmosphere, this film is a classic for anyone who is a fan of film noir.

A CRISP, CHILLING TREAT OF THE OCCULT
Let's see. A mesmerizing Mickey Rourke in his element. A brief but blood-curdling cameo from DeNiro sporting overgrown fingernails, dark flowy suits and a baritone drawl. A starkly bold turn from the beautiful Lisa Bonnet who exudes sexual abandon..

Cut to the chase, Angel Heart is a riveting psychothriller with cojones. It absolutely boggles me, then, why this is not the cult classic that it so richly deserves to be!

What begins as a fairly innocuous sleuthing adventure quickly takes on the contours of a supernatural drill, replete with mythological and biblical symbolism, as our private-eye discovers the true nature of his horrifying engagement.

Trevor Jones' riveting score and Parker's immaculate direction could be some of the reasons why this grand nightmare lingers in your thoughts long after the credits have rolled, but whatever the motivation, I highly recommend getting a hold of this classic with an unforgettable twist.

Angel Heart
This is definitely one of the creepiest movies you'll ever see and the ending is a shocker. Set in 1955, a private detective named Harry Angel (played my Mickey Rourke) is hired by Louis Cyphre to find a long ago crooner named Johnny Favorite, who owes him something. The search leads Angel to a dark underworld of voodoo and strange murders. In his search for Favorite, Harry goes to New Orleans, where he runs into Epiphany Proudfoot, played by Lisa Bonet. As Harry gets closer to the truth of Favorite's whereabouts, things just get weirder and weirder. And Louis Cyphre turns out to be Harry's worst nightmare. And the title is an excellent play on the movie's denoument. Overall this is a great creepy thriller.

The DVD extras are also interesting (see the Mickey Rourke interview, is tragi-comic).

fantastico
a wonderful little piece of film noir that will be right at home in any horror or suspense fans library. well done alan parker ... Read more

Reviews (71)

The genius of Mickey Rourke...
is fully evident in this late 80s Alan Parker film, an overlooked classic if there ever was one. In my opinion, no one then or now could do the job portraying detective Harry Angel that Rourke did. He captures every nuance of the character perfectly, running the gamut from emotional wreckage to physical haggardness. How someone so gifted could let said gift get away from him the way Rourke did is a mystery almost as compelling as the one serving as the subject of this film.

The basic storyline is deceptively simple; Harry Angel is a down and out post WWII New York detective hired by a shadowy figure to find a missing singer, one Johnny Favorite. That search leads him from New York City to the bowels of the Louisiana bayou, and it's that setting that gives the film so much of its powerful atmosphere. Things are not as they seem, and the story becomes stranger the further along it goes...

Alan Parker did a fantastic job of using muted colors to convey the sense that this story is not taking place in our time, but rather one of a recently faded past. Visually, the film transports you to that place and moment in a way that few "period pieces" manage to accomplish. Add in his notorious attention to detail, and you have little doubt that you are seeing the deep south of Louisiana as it was in the 1950s.

The other major performances (Robert De Niro, Charlotte Rampling, Lisa Bonet, Brownie McGhee) are wonderful in their own right, but IMO, this is Rourke's show. A modern classic!

Good old Louisiana spooky film noir.....
Angel Heart never quite got the critical acclaim it deserved. Long before Mickey Rourke was reduced to doing Iglesias music videos, he actually had something of an acting career. In this, perhaps his best work, although not his best known, he plays an amnesiac private investigator sent on the trail of a 1940s crooner/singer named Johnny Favorite. While some of the plot twists are pretty evident to modern viewers (some later films have used similar twists to further their own plots), they were quite novel at the time of the film. The eerie film-noire atmosphere gives everything a sinister, seductive feel, and, while you can pretty much ascertain the identity of the PI's patron (Cypher), the identity of the elusive crooner remains a shocker at the end. Also, if you are a jazz fan, the eerie jazz of Trevor Jones provides a suitably melancholic atmosphere to the film. Lisa Bonet, the Cosby show's wild-child, performs admirably as a voodoo priestess who is also the daughter of Favorite, and the eventual lover of the PI. Rourke is great, as he was in those days, reflecting more emotional range than he was allowed in more notable films in which he participated, namely 9 1/2 Weeks and Wild Orchid. De Niro oozes diabolical smugness and a certain sinister quality that you just cannot quite put your finger on (yeah, if you READ the name of the guy, you know what he is...but those seeing the movie didn't have that luxury until the end credits ... MUCH better in this role than Pacino), and this is one of my favorite roles for him. The film works in a little bit of everything darkly occult, from benevolent, poor but soulful black-folks in voodoo cults, to rich and powerful white-folks with their secret devil worship to keep them rich and powerful. Set against the mysterious bayou backdrop of New Orleans, which only serves to enhance the spooky atmosphere, this film is a classic for anyone who is a fan of film noir.

A CRISP, CHILLING TREAT OF THE OCCULT
Let's see. A mesmerizing Mickey Rourke in his element. A brief but blood-curdling cameo from DeNiro sporting overgrown fingernails, dark flowy suits and a baritone drawl. A starkly bold turn from the beautiful Lisa Bonnet who exudes sexual abandon..

Cut to the chase, Angel Heart is a riveting psychothriller with cojones. It absolutely boggles me, then, why this is not the cult classic that it so richly deserves to be!

What begins as a fairly innocuous sleuthing adventure quickly takes on the contours of a supernatural drill, replete with mythological and biblical symbolism, as our private-eye discovers the true nature of his horrifying engagement.

Trevor Jones' riveting score and Parker's immaculate direction could be some of the reasons why this grand nightmare lingers in your thoughts long after the credits have rolled, but whatever the motivation, I highly recommend getting a hold of this classic with an unforgettable twist.

Angel Heart
This is definitely one of the creepiest movies you'll ever see and the ending is a shocker. Set in 1955, a private detective named Harry Angel (played my Mickey Rourke) is hired by Louis Cyphre to find a long ago crooner named Johnny Favorite, who owes him something. The search leads Angel to a dark underworld of voodoo and strange murders. In his search for Favorite, Harry goes to New Orleans, where he runs into Epiphany Proudfoot, played by Lisa Bonet. As Harry gets closer to the truth of Favorite's whereabouts, things just get weirder and weirder. And Louis Cyphre turns out to be Harry's worst nightmare. And the title is an excellent play on the movie's denoument. Overall this is a great creepy thriller.

The DVD extras are also interesting (see the Mickey Rourke interview, is tragi-comic).

fantastico
a wonderful little piece of film noir that will be right at home in any horror or suspense fans library. well done alan parker ... Read more

Amazon.com

This brooding, operatic movie about Nazism makes Cabaret look like wholesome family fare. The family in The Damned is a symbol of German society circa 1934. The Krupp-like steel magnate Baron von Essenbeck represents the spineless establishment. The Nazis kill the baron, then frame one heir apparent, a socialist (married to the stunning Charlotte Rampling). A bearish, boorish Essenbeck representing the SA, the Nazis' early goon squad, takes the reins. But Hitler murdered the SA in the 1934 "Night of the Long Knives," providing The Damned with its bravura action scene, a Nazi massacre at a gay SA orgy. The winning Essenbeck is the murderous, pedophilic, transvestite, mother-rapist Martin (sharp-featured Helmut Berger), who represents Nazism. Though he's better in director Luchino Visconti's 1971 Death in Venice, Dirk Bogarde is classy as Martin's stepdad. The Damned got an Oscar screenplay nomination, and Vincent Canby called Berger's Martin "the performance of the year." --Tim Appelo ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Twilight of the Industrialists
"The Damned" is an entertaining soap opera concerning the destruction of a German Industrial family during the early years of Hitler's consolidation of power. There are many very good performances in this movie such as Dirk Bogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Helmut Greim, Charlotte Rampling (seen in the recent Swimming Pool), and especially Helmut Berger who is evil personified as Martin Von Essenbeck. Luchino Visconti directs the movie with operatic opulence though there are a few sections in the movie that tends to slow to a crawl. Despite these moments, you will find yourself immersed in a compelling story. I have to agree with other reviewers who are critical of the sound, as I occasionally activated the subtitles to catch what was being said.

Finally, regarding whether or not The Damned has in fact been edited to an R rating. I saw this movie in a theater when it was first released, and while I will concede that my memory may be flagging, I honestly do not recall any scene that has been trimmed. I believe that the X rating in 1969 is a reflection of the moral standards of the period. This movie includes issues of rape, pedophilia, and incest which were taboo in movies during this period. Think of the landmark X rated movies such as "Last Tango in Paris", and "I am Curious Yellow". In both cases, seen by today's rating standards, these two movies only warrant an R rating. I believe "The Damned" falls into the same category.

Mesmerizing
I was quite young when The Damned was originally released, but remember the controversy when it played on television in the mid 70s. The DVD release was my first opportunity to see it, and I did so with apprehension. I have seen Pasolini's "Salo" and wished I hadn't, and I still don't have the nerve to watch an "Ilsa" movie, so I wasnt quite prepared for what turns out to be a lush and gorgeously photographed family psycho-drama. Its a difficult film to wrap around, I felt a lot of the dialogue was dull and mundane and on second viewing I had to watch it with the closed captioning on just so I could absorb the first half hour. Im not very familiar with Italian filmmaking styles but I can see the influence of this movie in Coppola's The Godfather, from the "look"* down to the story structure and pacing. Not understanding the historical significance of some of the background events, the burning of the Reichstadt and the night of the Long Knives, didnt make my first viewing any easier. But Ive watched it 4 times in the first month of release and I am very happy with the purchase of the DVD and feel I have received my entertainment dollars worth. Its a big fat scandalous family saga!

*"the Look" of the damned is nothing short of beautiful: the clothes and fashions of early 1930s Europe, the oppulance of the Von Essenbeck's home, the use of the color red against sombre tones. Mesmerizing!

Yuck
Wallowing around in all of the sensationalism is an interesting story--about how the German upper classes tried to use Hitler and wound up being used by him--and how a lucky few, particularly the Krupp family, lived to tell about it and keep getting rich . . .

Unfortunately, this story gets lost because of two things--the Marxist viewpoint of the script, which sees Hitler as the natural product of capitalism (Hitler was the product of a lot of things, but he wasn't natural and whatever the numerous flaws of this particular economic system, it has yet to produce a fascist dictator is this country) and Visconti's determination to prove just how bad the Nazis were by piling on the perversions, never more so than in the character played by Helmut Berger, the cross-dressing, child-molesting, drug-abusing, mommy-loving Nazi. Apparently, just oppressing the entire German population, murdering six millions Jews, and starting World War II just wasn't wicked enough--to make sure we really hate the guy, he has to shoot up and wear nylons as well . . . Saddest of all, the film completely lacks the combination of epic sweep and intimate storytelling that characterizes Visconti's best films, such as SENSO and THE LEOPARD. It moves like lead, is lit like a campy horror film, and reduces one of the great evils of world history to camp. And that is a crime against art.

GREAT FILM - VERY BADLY PRODUCED DVD
Oh, how disappointing! This is such a great movie and it deserves better treatment. As somebody already pointed out, the sound is aweful, but the compression as well is so low en. It just looks aweful! Shame!

EXCELLENT ... DVD!
I posted earlier in anticipation of this DVD and my expectations were far exceeded! Thank you Warner Bros! By now you've probably read the plot about a rich, decadent family's empire crumbling in sync with the rise of the Nazi party. This DVD is the ultimate way to experience the film!

First off, this is indeed the UNCUT VERSION, don't let the R rating fool you. It runs 157 minutes (as compared to my old 147 minute VHS tape), and according to the MPAA ratings database, this uncut version was resubmitted this year and received an R rating (it was originally X-rated in 1969). Way to go WB DVD giving us this classic in all it's uncut, shocking glory!

Also, the quality of the DVD is probably as good as it's going to get! No need to complain when we've got a widescreen uncut print on our hands, right? The movie is old so it's not going to look clean and crisp and new like a DVD of "Daddy Day Care" or "Gigli." I'm just glad it's out on DVD now and I hope that in this format the movie will now be discovered by people who haven't yet seen it.

Maybe I'm hyping it up too much, and I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me and find the movie too boring, but it takes its time and after watching it, you look back and everything you've been exposed to in the film seems like an unsettling dream. That's entertainment! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

One Of The Better Nordic Movies
This is an excellent movie. As noted by other reviewers, the soundtrack is excellent, and the acting is first rate.

Skarsgard never seems to miss in any film, but in Aberdeen, his performance as a lost alcoholic groping towards recovery is so good it is on a par with fellow Swede and Cannes Film winner Per Oscarsson's stunning and seminal 1966 performance as a starving writer in Henning Carlsen's Hunger.

Lena Headey is remarkable as the talented yuppie with a host of skeletons in her closet. It should also be noted that Ian Hart's performance as the humble, self effacing truck driver Clive is great. He functions as the perfect match and foil to both Skarsgard's and Headey's characters. The final scenes of the movie are powerful, and reminds me a lot of some aspects of the personal life of the great Danish director, Lar Van Trier, who won much deserved accolades for his near perfect execution in Breaking the Waves.

Like many Nordic films, Aberdeen isn't shy about nudity as viewers should be aware that there are numerous sexual scenes and frontal nudity.

Painful, touching film about bruised family relationships
The situation: Kaisa, one tough lady (for good reason, as the film makes clear later on) is asked by her dying mother to bring her father back for one last visit. Kaisa has her work cut out for her, because her father is a difficult case- drunk, surly and bitingly sarcastic to boot. He's more than an equal match for Kaisa...and that's saying a lot.
This situation could make for simple sentimental pap in the hands of the wrong director but here it turns out to be a very believable and watchable movie - although it won't be to everyone's taste. The relationship and years of bad feelings between Kaisa and her father lead to moments which are sometimes painful to watch. If you want a fun, escapist movie, far engaged from hard reality, don't pick this one up. But if you're willing to watch a movie with some bite to it, you should find this one well worth watching. An extra bonus: The music is absolutely wonderful, not the sort of usual background music that tries to tweak the viewer's emotions.

A good film...
If you want to see Lena Heady's breasts exposed, this is the film to watch. But besides the numerous unnecessary topless scenes (which aren't too bad) this film is very intriguing...the human spirit tries to break through walls of addiction, frustration and isolation... now isn't that what a "suspense" drama should be about?

A Great Film
Abderdeen is a wonderful film; I actually saw it on the Sundance CHannel months before it came out (I love Sundance CHannel) and found it thoroughly enjoyable. THe plot is realistic if a bit sporadic and inconsistent in its flow (which suits this particular story). THe cinematography is wonderful and the shot compositions are extremely well-done...for anyone seriously interested in learning the craft, this is a movie to definitely own on DVD.

Amazing Film
I saw Aberdeen at a film festival last March. It is an all around wonderful film. I fell in love with the characters and their journey to Kaisa's mother. Also, the cinematography is brilliant. Such as the scene with Kaisa and Clive eating at the restaurant-wonderful shot! Everyone must find a way to see this film! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A feel good series
My Uncle Silas series 2 staring Albert Finney is a great look at the relationship that can develop between a young boy and his older although not especially wiser great uncle. As Uncle Silas, Finney is excellent at showing his great nephew Edward, played wonderfully by Joe Prospero, the way not to carry on as a proper gentleman. Although set in England in the time before World War 1 the stories and the lessons that they teach are timeless. Take the time and sit back and relax and enjoy the delightful tales that playout in this series. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ordinary Thriller Featuring Irons, Whitaker, & Rampling
The title of "The Fourth Angel" refers to the Revelation, but the whole content of the filck has little to do with the Bible. It is about Jack Elgin, a British magazine editor whose wife and daughters are killed by hijacking terrorists. Now Jack turns an avenger to gun down all those responsible for the deaths of his beloved.

It sounds familar, and it is familiar. But the point is its casting for Jack is played by Oscar-winner Jeremy Irons, who is getting more and more character actor as seen in "Dungeons and Dragons" and "The Time Machine." In this film, thankfully, he avoids hammy acting, delivering pretty a decent one.

The problem is, I think, that casting itself, however. I don't beleive in the idea of one-man army (especially when formerly he was a man in suit) who can eliminate the trained terrorists. If it is Arnold or Sly, well, that's another story, but the guy who can play the love of Lolita so convincingly cannot play such kind of part.

More intersting is the supporting actors. Forrest Whitaker appears as FBI investigator while Jason Priestley is clad in suit, posing arrogantly like any gvernment agents are required to do on screen (which is incredibley shot in widescreen). But the most surprising part is the inclusion of Charlotte Rampling who is still gorgeous. It is always good to see her, and hear her say "Matey" to Irons' hero on yachet, but she is not required to do much.

And the story is clumsily told (though it goes fairly smooth), and the awkward conclusion is saddled with most heavy-handed flashbacks that would question the intention of the film. There's little action that thefilm can boast of, and the shoot-out scenes (too brief) are not well conducted. Some good ideas are there, like showing a pretty daughter of a terrorist, but that doens't amount ot much because the film somehow forgets about it in the course of its 90 minutes running time. Regardless of the urgent matters about terrorism suggested here with its serious tone, this film fails to deliver, deliver whatever it wants to.

After disturbing opening, becomes ridiculous...
This movie was dropped from U.S. release after Sept. 11th. It should have been dropped for just being dumb. After a traumatic opening sequence where Irons loses his family in a hijacking, the movie spirals into unbelievable twists as Irons tracks down those responsible. Honestly, after the past few years, can anyone believe that finding terrorists is this easy? Makes you wonder what Irons and Whitaker are doing with their careers and confirms (for those who doubted) that Jason Priestly can't act.

Iron Thriller
Jeremy Irons has played in good and bad movies but his acting is usually quite good. This movie is one of his better roles. He plays a husband and journalist. He loses part of his family when terrorist hijack the plane while they are going to India. He decides to go after the killers when they are released without punishment. He uses the resources of a journalist and some hints from the CIA to track them down. What he doesn't realize is he is being used by the CIA to clean up their involvement. He receives assistance from an FBI agent well played by Forest Whitaker. All in all a very good movie. Not constant action but a good action thriller with excellent production values, sets, music, and direction. If you like movies were an average person takes matters into their own hands to protect their family or to get justice, you will enjoy it. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Wine and Whine - Interesting Perspectives
Rosanna Arquette directs this documentary (originally on Showtime) about the problem actresses over the age of forty have getting quality roles. There's a lot of truth told here, but the routine becomes exhausting after twenty minutes. In nearly every scene, groups of actresses (Diane Lane, Teri Garr, Holly Hunter, Meg Ryan Sharon Stone and more) are shown partying with wine in hand and complaining about the big male Hollywood thugs who only look at their tits. To be fair, there is truth to this, but the general atmosphere is a non-ending complaint fest. Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave (both solo interviews) add some needed class with their own interpretations of what happens when an actress reaches a certain age, but they are few and far between. It was also hard to believe that Redgrave cannot afford to retire. Whoopi Goldberg is refreshing with her funny, no-nonsense, laissez-faire observation about the realities of life.

However, the actresses interviewed forget that there really are some women with talent over forty that are working. How about Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchette, Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, Jessica Lange, Naomi Watts, Gena Rowlands, Anjelica Huston, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Jodie Foster, Emily Watson, Patricia Clarkson, Ellen Burstyn, Kathy Bates, Diane Keaton, Annette Bening, Helen Mirren and Sissy Spacek? I like all of the actresses in this documentary, but they are not the best of Hollywood. When Debra Winger does appear near the end of the film, we find yet another interesting take on an 'older'actresses life. It seems to put the entire film in perspective and a surprising one at that. It would be interesting to see a follow-up documentary to hear the responses from the aforementioned actresses after hearing Winger's point of view.

Celebrities' Humanity
Rosanna Arquette heads up this exploration of the pressures, choices and sacrifices that female actors face working in the entertainment industry, particularly as they hit 40 and begin being overlooked for certain roles. Debra Winger is the example of a pioneer in this battle because of her decision to bow out of the industry while still in her prime.

Director:Rosanna Arquette
Starring:

Credited cast:
Patricia Arquette .... Herself
Rosanna Arquette .... Herself
Emmanuelle Béart .... Herself
Katrin Cartlidge .... Herself
Laura Dern .... Herself
Roger Ebert .... Himself
Jane Fonda .... Herself
Teri Garr .... Herself
Whoopi Goldberg .... Herself
Melanie Griffith .... Herself
Daryl Hannah .... Herself
Salma Hayek .... Herself
Holly Hunter .... Herself
Anjelica Huston .... Herself
Diane Lane .... Herself
Kelly Lynch .... Herself
Julianna Margulies .... Herself
Chiara Mastroianni .... Herself
Samantha Mathis .... Herself
Frances McDormand .... Herself
Catherine O'Hara .... Herself
Julia Ormond .... Herself
Gwyneth Paltrow .... Herself
Martha Plimpton .... Herself
Charlotte Rampling .... Herself
Vanessa Redgrave .... Herself
Theresa Russell .... Herself
Meg Ryan .... Herself
Ally Sheedy .... Herself
Adrienne Shelly .... Herself
Hilary Shepard .... Herself
Sharon Stone .... Herself
Tracey Ullman .... Herself
JoBeth Williams .... Herself
Debra Winger .... Herself
Alfre Woodard .... Herself
Robin Wright Penn .... Herself
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Five stars for content -- whole lotta collective wisdom
I salute Ms. Arquette for doing something original: piercing the facade of the successful actress stereotype and inducing a plethora of fascinating and accomplished women to speak openly about their life experiences. The film works well at a number of levels -- personally I am not AS interested in acting per se as I am in creativity in general, and there was