maddalenar Reviews

Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)

An almost "perfect pitch" movie of a very rich - definitely upper class - widow who buys a theater and hires Hoskins - definitely not upper class - to run it for her.

[9/10 · 5 December 2005]

Let me state up front that I am a huge fan of Judi Dench and I believe that she deserved the Oscar for Mrs. Brown and not Helen Hunt for As Good as it Gets. The Academy realized its mistake and subsequently gave Ms. Dench an Oscar for best supporting actress for Shakespeare in Love...but it is time for a Best Actress Oscar.

I have read a number of reviews by men who found all sorts of itsy bitsy things wrong with it....such quibbling. This is not a "chick flick" movie but a woman reigns supreme. In addition to a fine cast and equally fine acting, the opening credits are worth the price of admission. Add to that the costumes and music and you have an all-around one hell of a movie.

To watch Dench and Hoskins in action is to watch actors at the "top of their game". Yes, the movie may be a bit too long...I believe most stories can be told in 90 minutes...and some characters could have been a bit more "fleshed out" but, having said all that, I give it 9 3/4 out 10 or 3 3/4 stars out of 4.

The Warrior Class (2007 Video)

A defense atty falls in love with his chief witness...who is a junkie...and married to a psycho connected to the mob.

[4/10 · 18 November 2005]

This movie was just too painful and too amateurish to watch. It bears all the marks of a beginner director/writer and mainly inexperienced actors. I had to force myself to stay seated in my film discussion class out of courtesy and respect for the moderator who had chosen the film. Attendees in the two rows behind me were laughing through the ending of the film...which was to be this suspenseful showdown of the attorney and the husband. Alas, this film will consider itself lucky if it makes it to a DVD! The director/writer - a former attorney - should perhaps watch a TV show like Without a Trace and learn how to build suspense, create believable characters and care about them.