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Reviews
Christy: Choices of the Heart (2001)
Horribly acted, written and directed
As a fan of both the book and TV series (as well as a native Tennessean), I was very excited when I came across a continuation. I shouldn't have been, because this was nothing but a constant disappointment. Miss Alice had none of the strength of will that her character was defined by, Lauren Lee Smith was completely lacking in the sweetness and charm that made Kellie Martin in the title role, and the rest of the cast either over-acted so much that I actually winced or were simply forgettable. Even the cast members who returned from the TV series seemed as if they had lost all connection to the characters.
In perhaps one of the more offensive changes, all the effort that had gone into making the characters sound convincingly Appalachian was lost, leaving the cast with generic and fake 'southern accents'.
In short, this mini-series was terrible, the dialog was atrocious, plot contrived and the acting was painful to witness.
The Cheetah Girls (2003)
Decent Disney film
There is a lot to this movie that I both like and dislike. The music was alright, the acting could have been improved and the ending was possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen on a TV screen in my life. I'm sorry but NYC would NOT shut down for a dog stuck in a hole, and that police officer would have told her to go get the dog herself if she was so worried. Not to mention the fact that this life TV broadcast suddenly became a music video, and the emergency type folks hanging around magically knew the steps to the dance.
High points were the characters of Chanel and Dorinda. I thought they were both cute - although the supposedly southern girl was pathetically stereotyped and Raven Symone's hip-hop speak drove me nuts. Overall I'd say about 4/10 for this film, but it's good for the younger viewers who don't expect reality.
The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)
A sweet story of a teenage girl's travels through the Depression-era US
The Journey of Natty Gann follows teenage Natalie Sue Gann (Meredith Salenger) as she travels from Chicago to Seattle in search of her father.
After Natty's father Sol Gann (Ray Wise) was offered a job in Washington state he had to take it, leaving Natty in the less than tender care of Connie, their landlady (Lainie Kazan). However, after hearing Connie call the police for an 'abandoned girl' Natty runs away, unable to wait until Sol sends for her.
Over the course of her journey, Natty meets up with a knowledgeable young man by name of Harry (John Cusak), a group of rag-tag misfits with a rather mafia-esque 'you take care of us, we take care of you' motto, and a loyal 'Wolf' (which may or may not be a Husky, since everyone but Natty refers to it as a dog, and it is played by the dog of 'White Fang' fame) that seems to have a sixth-sense when it comes to danger.
Despite being made by Disney, Natty Gann is a cute movie without suffering the candy-coated sweetness of most recent Disney films. Overall, the good acting, great scenery and decent script make for an enjoyable film that everyone in the family can enjoy.
Hey, the star even swears four times!
Gone with the Wind (1939)
Wonderful movie, a complete classic. Not quite up to the book, but wonderful none-the-less.
Gone With The Wind is definitely a classic film, with an amazing cast from Cammie King (Bonnie) to Clark Gable (Rhett). The acting is absolutely incredible, brought together by the amazingly talented Vivien Leigh (Scarlett). They-with perhaps the exception of Leslie Howard as Ashley-brought new life to the characters, giving more depth to them than any modern actor or actress ever could, especially in the given timeframe. The music and amazing cinematography are breathtaking, creating such classic scenes as the field of wounded soldiers, and the infamous 'frankly my dear...' scene- a ground-breaking scene in and of itself, as it was the first time an actor swore on-screen. For a movie compacting twelve years into four hours, it is incredible. However, in contrast to the book you will find that many scenes, important to understanding the characters-Scarlett in particular-were left out, in favor of building up the rather detestable character of Rhett Butler. As well as leaving out two very important players in Scarlett's life-her two eldest children, Wade Hamilton and Ella Kennedy. Scarlett's feelings are often cheapened, leaving the viewer to think she is simply a selfish bitch, instead of a spoiled child trying to survive in a world that was suddenly cold and unforgiving, where her only friends are a woman she despises, the married man she loves, and a man who cuts her down at every opportunity. The film's saving grace is in the abilities of Vivien Leigh, as she managed to give life and depth to Scarlett that I cannot imagine any other actress capturing, then or now. Perhaps if there had been more time it could have been more true to the novel, but as it is it remains a classic. This movie will forever be my favorite, and it pains me to know we will never be able to recapture the magic that was Gone With The Wind.