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Garden State, Napolean Dynamite, Badasssss!!!, We Don't Live Here Anymore, Kinsey, Maria Full of Grace, Motorcycle Diaries, Sideways, The Sea Inside, The Quiet American, The Woodsman, Born into Brothels, Redemption, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, Dandelion, Mean Creek, Walking Tall, Underworld, Under the Tuscan Sun,The Terminal, Love Actually, Passion of the Christ, Bright Leaves, Bad Education, Saints and Soldiers, Elf, Cat in the Hat, Brother to Brother, On the Outs, Hiding and Seeking, Robbing Peter, Woman Thou Art Loosed, Down to the Bone, Chisholm: Unbought & Unbossed, Yesterday, Red Lights, Tarnation, Primer, Unknown Soldier, Haunted Mansion, Santa Clause 2,
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton, Station Agent, Both Kill Bills, 25th Hour, Matchstick Men, Monster, Mystic River, Down with Love, The Barbarian Invasions, Laurel Canyon, Iris,
Soul Plane, Bruce Almighty, Italian Job, Pieces of April, Whale Rider, Four Feathers, Cheaper By The Dozen, Big Fish, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Shadow of the Vampire, Stevie, Naked States, Kissing Jessica Stein, The Pianist, How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, Duplex, Anger Management, One Hour Photo, When a Man Loves a Woman, Lawless Heart,
Barbershop 2, Blue Car, Bringing Down the House, Legally Blonde 2, Straight Story, House of Sand & Fog, That's Entertainment 1 & 2, The Last Picture Show, Secret Window, Tie Me Up Tie Me Down, Mostly Martha, Searching for Bobby Fischer, Chisum, Drumline, The Shootist, From Justin to Kelly, Daddy Day Care, I Spy, Cold Creek Manor, Miracle,
2 Fast 2 Furious, Hulk, Maid in Manhattan, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Recruit, Dance With Me, Rules of Attraction, Tears of the Sun, American Dream, Fahrenheit 9/11, Waco: Rules of Engagement, Weather Underground, Endurance, Yves St. Laurent,
Riding Giants, Fellini: I'm a Born Liar, Bowling for Columbine
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CLOSER
(liquid sex)
Wow. A highly uncomfortable movie for all the right reasons...
This is what I refer to as a little slice movie. A movie that takes one small slice from life and completely consumes it. This is much harder to do than it would seem and very seldomly do American movies even attempt it. It requires that all the talents involved are dead clear on how to nail what they’re chewing on or all is lost.
All, mercifully, is found in Closer. A love triangle - plus one - and then no one else; no other side stories, no other twists and turns. Mike Nichols, surely one of our best directors of actors, directs this perfectly, with every script line perfect and the four leads giving some of their very best performances.
Within the Closer slice is room for interpretation - also a good sign. The Goddess’ sister thought Jude Law was a good guy in this and Clive Owen was a jerk. I thought Clive Owen was simply a decidedly harsh pragmatist and Jude Law was a weak man in love with romance with no real ability to connect to anyone. Those differing views make this a great movie. A good story is one thing, but a good story told with bullseye accuracy that leaves each person to see their viewing of it in a different way is a great movie.
Jude Law is earnest and intelligent and Julia Roberts is stunning. But there’s a reason why Clive Owen and Natalie Portman are getting all the critical nods.
Portman was an extraordinary child star, fearless and unerring in her ability to find the truth in her work - and she is now rapidly becoming one of our best actresses. These days, if she wants a part and she’s at all right for it, I don’t know why she wouldn’t be your first call. She is still that magnet for truth, but with every part she gets more fearless and more interesting. I love this actress and can’t wait to view her future filmic contributions (if you liked her in this and would like to see her in something totally different but every bit as fun, check out Garden State).
Clive Owen. Be still my heart. Since Croupier, the Goddess has had her eye on him as the sexiest thing on two feet. When he is on screen, I dare you to look away. He is absolutely phenomenal - sexy, direct, dark, can find his place and focus in any kind of material, the camera loves him - and so do I! Can’t wait to see this again on video and replay a couple of his scenes from here - a couple of times - if you catch my drift... All four of these actors hold their own as well as anyone on film, but Clive Owen soars. If this dude gets any hotter, the film will melt. He is exciting on so many levels that if he is handled correctly (and the Goddess would volunteer for that job!), I don’t see why he couldn’t become a legitimate superstar.
Okay, I’ve drooled enough. Great script, wonderful acting, superb direction. Closer is worth getting closer to. It is a wonderful film. Bravo.
Additional Note: Guys, I would say that this is a chick film, but if your chick wants to see it, things might go well for you later on, if you know what I mean. Let your woman rent it. You won’t be sorry....
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DANNY DECKCHAIR
Well, what a pure treat this little Aussie film is! As I write this, I am still basking in the warmth of this sweet funny charming movie.
All you Ned-Divine types, you hopeless romantics, you folks who love anything Australian, it’s a Australian romantic comedy! And it’s starring that guy who was Hugh Grant’s roommate in Notting Hill!
Danny Deckchair starts off sweet, funny and unique and never lets up. Nothing saccharin about it. Very real, very lively and - it’s only been a minute or two but I’m sure - unforgettable.
Though adhering fairly closely to the time-honored romantic comedy formula, Danny Deckchair’s specifics are completely its own. How do you get our hero from his stuck life to a new city, a new beginning? Past efforts have included everything from amnesia to falling off a train. But Danny leaves differently, by way of a wildly oversuccessful experiment involving tying huge balloons to a deck chair and sitting in it. And his return is almost as good.
In fact, Rhys Ifans’ presence alone is quirky enough to change up any film’s routine. He is so likable and yet so quirky that you almost feel like you are sticking it to the establishment by liking him.
Miranda Otto is deeply attractive. She looks completely right in that little town and the way she gets more beautiful as she blossoms in Danny’s gaze is utterly beguiling. And how many people are really beguiling these days?!
The script is tight and happily tricky and the score is - what else? - charming!
I sometimes wonder how much longer and how much trickier it will get in our crasser years to make a magical, little, feel-good film like this - not innocent and not jaded, genuinely charming you off your feet.
But with a good bottle of bubbly and a good friend, this little gem right here could last you for a while. A surprised and delighted bravo.
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