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Reviews
Little Children (2006)
a student film just above crap
The worst movie I have seen this year. This is student film-making at a very mediocre scale. waste of time, effort, money. Who is nominating this for awards? I am totally astonished by it. I suffered through this. It rivals ALL THE KINGS MEN in this years pap. KATE WINSLET should be ashamed of herself for the performance, hell, for even saying yes to taking the roll. She is so much better than this. THe ladies, mothers, at the beginning of the movie - terrible terrible terrible. Laughable use of narrator. OH MY GOD why am I even writing my time writing this? but I have to use up ten lines of text to get this up on IMDb. So here I am, filling space, wasting time, just like Little children. DO not see this movie. Do not waste money. If nominations are given for it. I will never watch another movie again in my life (joking). but I will move to mud hut where there is no electricity.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
conflicted
I did enjoy this. I need to say that right off the bat, entertaining, hilarious in parts. The film does loose steam, and becomes a one-joke movie and this is where I believe I have problems with it. And the problems I have with it emerged only upon chatting about it with friends. What BORAT shows and completely takes advantage of is the kindness and politeness of Americans. Here is a guy who, by all rights, should be tossed out of most situations he's in... But watch it again, think about it some more... the victims (frat boys aside, idiots) they really have a tolerance, a welcoming nature that Cohen exploits (not that it's not funny) but I'm conflicted with how I'm reacting to the movie.
The Girl in the Café (2005)
a gem
So very wonderful to watch a film that begins understated and remains so throughout. No Hollywood here! Just wonderful storytelling. And wonderful performances. Bill N. is really a multi-faceted actor. Saw him a number of films and I have to saw he embodies all the characters brilliantly. The way I came upon this film was when I was watching the emus and Kelly Mcdonald wins best actress... Nearly asleep during, I decided to take spin around the dial and there, it was, Girl in the Cafe on HBO... Wasn't planning to even watch it, in fact I had all intentions of switching back to the Emmys... Next thing I know I'm lost in the story and have watched the whole thing. Sign of a great story, right?
Half Nelson (2006)
Brilliant
I'll say right off that this is as close to a 10 as I've seen in a long long time. With the exception of the music frequently overpowering the scenes, making it seem like a music video, the movie was amazing... Favorite scene.... FREE TO BE YOU AND ME with the parents, and the brother. Wow... that family dynamic was so perfectly rendered that I thought, end it, end the movie now, and when it didn't end I was like whoa we're in trouble.... but no. The movie had such a fine inconclusive conclusion that I applauded at the end. When is the last time you applauded at a film's ending. Also, Gossling's confrontation with Frank, not knowing exactly how to respond really showed filmmakers at the top of their craft. Including the editing.... Not a wasted frame.
American Cannibal: The Road to Reality (2006)
One of the best films I've seen in recent years...
Of the 12 films I saw at The Provincetown Film Festival (known for always having a strong slate of gay and lesbian films) American Cannibal (neither gay nor lesbian) was without question the most cutting edge, the most provocative and the best money I spent at the festival.
The film focuses on two writers who get caught up in pitching a reality TV show to the pornographer who is behind the Paris Hilton Sex tape... The writers are so lovable and so human and, like many of us, have to take a job for the money. The consequences are sad and shocking.
It's been five days since I saw it in our tiny little p-town theater and I cannot stop thinking about it. Like great works of art this film has stayed with me, this film inspired me, this film is one that I've been telling everyone about. Fabulous entertainment. It plays as a historical document of what is going on in popular entertainment. American Cannibal... We are eating ourselves to be entertained.