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Reviews
Together Again for the First Time (2008)
Somewhat of a Christmas "surprise," and better than expected
Drama and turmoil (two key ingredients of any family Christmas, correct?) are difficult to combine with genuinely-funny comedy...but "Together Again for the First Time" does a credible job of blending disparate elements and creating solid entertainment.
The two parents are strongly cast, even though the characters themselves seem rather week and lily-livered, and most of the adult-children roles are played well.
Perhaps we've become somewhat numbed and don't expect much from Christmas cable fare anymore, but this little movie was genuinely engaging and is far better than most from the genre. Many scenes are laugh-out-loud funny (i.e., "fabric balls"), but many are also bitter and harsh in their cruel and honest reality.
I quickly found myself caring about several of the characters, something necessary for me if I'm to enjoy any sort of program. Lots of these guys hooked me early on, and I was sincerely interested in the outcome of their pending holiday disaster.
Catch this one when it comes on again (and I certainly hope it does). No, you won't be surprised by the formulaic ending, but I can pretty well promise you'll enjoy the ride along the way.
Twilight (1998)
Should have been titled "Whispering in the Dark."
I can appreciate what director/screenwriter Benton attempted to do with this film, but it falls well short of my expectations and hopes.
"Twilight" features an all-star cast, to be sure. But the depressing low-level lighting scheme, the slow pace, and the constant low-key verbal exchanges make for some pretty dull viewing.
This movie is chock-full of evil characters; they are too numerous to count. But by the time the primary villain is revealed, we've seen so many examples of vile behavior by each of the nasty people that we really don't *care* "who did it" anymore.
There are far better who-dunnit detective movies available for viewing; I certainly can't recommend this one to anybody. If you're a fan of Newman, Hackman, Garner, or one of the other principals, "Twilight" will simply serve to remind you that they've each done much better work in the past.