The Great Gatsby (A&E) (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)While many of you may turn your nose at a movie version of perhaps the greatest American novel starring Mira Sorvino and Paul Rudd, I assure you the casting was wonderfully done. Sorvino fulfills the character of Daisy, somewhat ditzy, materialistic, and self-centered. And Paul Rudd has always been a wonderful actor (let's just pretend "Clueless" never happened). The rest of the cast is wonderful as well. As I mentioned in my review of the OTHER movie version of the Great Gatsby, I was disappointed that (among other things) there was no narrator. Nick DOES narrate this one. It is brilliantly accomplished as well, because he is only narrator at crucial moments where dialogue would otherwise be lost. This movie also includes the famous last words of the novel: "So we beat on, boats against the current, born ceaselessly into the past" which I feel is a crucial part to include in the movie. Scenes were also accomplished with more tact and finesse than the other. The important ones had more time to sink into your memory. It's shorter than the other one, yet you gain more from this version than the older. A&E does not dissappoint!

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Charlotte's Web (Widescreen Edition) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've seen several movie versions of CHARLOTTE'S WEB. The story of the friendship between a runt pig and a spider in the barn has been around entertaining children for dozens of years. But I have never seen a production that came even close to the new movie in theaters everywhere.
The recent release of CHARLOTTE'S WEB is simply amazing. I can't wait for the DVD to come out, and I'll really be disappointed if there isn't some in-depth special features regarding the making the of the film, particularly the computer animation aspects. Watching the animals talking and interacting onscreen was nothing short of magical.
There is an incredible shift from the human point of view in the film to the animal one that is almost seamless unless you're looking for it. I was, and it was still so effortless that the transition doesn't jar viewers at all. The handoff is smooth and remains highly believable.
My 9-year-old went with my wife and I, and even though he'd seen the story a number of times on DVD, he fell in love with it all over again. I loved hearing him laugh, and I couldn't help but remember the first time I'd heard CHARLOTTE'S WEB read to me by a schoolteacher.
The story is timeless and will always be around. But it's been waiting all this time for movie-making magic to truly unlock a way for audiences to watch it presented so much in the flesh.
No only is the video aspect so good, but the voice talent gathered for the film is outstanding. Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi, Oprah Winfrey, Cedric The Entertainer, Reba McEntire, and many other recognizeable voices (including Sam Shepard as the narrator) all contributed to this amazing experience.
If you want to have a great time and be a child again, go see CHARLOTTE'S WEB. If you want to bring delight to a child, take one with you. You'll be glad you did.

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The classic story of loyalty, trust, and sacrifice comes to life in this live-action adaptation. Fern (Dakota Fanning) is one of only two living beings who sees that Wilbur is a special animal as she raises him, the runt of the litter, into a terrific and radiant pig. As Wilbur moves into a new barn, he begins a second profound friendship with the most unlikely of creatures – a spider named Charlotte – and their bond inspires the animals around them to come together as a family. When the word gets out that Wilbur's days are numbered, it seems that only a miracle will save his life. A determined Charlotte – who sees miracles in the ordinary – spins words into her web in an effort to convince the farmer that Wilbur is "some pig" and worth saving.

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A Separate Peace (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)"A Separate Peace" is one of my favorite books. An absolutely horrible film version was made of it in 1974, so I knew Showtime's updated version was virtually guaranteed to be an improvement. An improvement it is... but it could - and should - have been better.
First the Good: The role of Finny has got to be one of the hardest parts out there to cast. The part calls for natural athleticism and tremendous charisma - a truly rare combination (especially in actors). Toby Moore was great casting. I have no idea who he is or where he came from. He had an almost impossible task, and he nailed it. The actors who played Gene and Brinker also performed admirably. If it had a script that stuck to the actual Knowles' story, this film might have been something very special.
Now to the Bad: Knowles' story is much more than a story about adolescent friendship and betrayal. It is about how a person can only find peace within himself when he is forced to face his own darkness. Finny, who knows only love and forgiveness, seems to be the only exception to this rule - and because of that, he is destroyed by his best friend. By the end, Gene makes peace with Finny and finally finds peace within. The writer and director missed much of these key elements. Important scenes are brought to life beautifully, but we never really get inside Gene's head, so we can't understand how or why he achieves a 'separate peace.'
The writers also decided to omit the other key theme of the book: Finny as a representation of peace in world at war. While Finny talks like he was rearing to go to war, he in fact is unable to do so - because of his leg, but also because it is not possible for him to hate (as Gene describes in the final 'you'd be terrible in a war, Finny!' dialogue). Alas, none of it makes it into the film.
All in all, it was great to see a terrific performance by Moore as Finny, as well as some great scenes from the book brought to life (The Headmaster's Tea, The Winter Olympics, The Trial). However, I will still have to wait for a film to be made that is true to the spirit of this American classic.

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Based on the novel by John Knowles, A SEPARATE PEACE tells the coming-of-age story of the students attending an all-boys prep school.With the possibility of being drafted for World War II, the boys try their best to graduate before the draft and encounter many obstacles along the way.

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The Line of Beauty (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Directed by Saul Dibbs, this opulent adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty - his decadent coming of age novel about love, class, sex and money set in the hypocritical Thatcherite Eighties - is indeed a feast for the eye. Beautifully acted, with a spot-on affinity for detailing time and place, The Line of Beauty replicates Hollinghurst's hedonistic themes and the moral quandaries of Nick Guest (Dan Stevens), the titular middle-class outsider in this world of privilege.
As with the book, this film adaptation begins in 1983 when the young twenty-year-old Nick Guest is asked by his friend Toby Fedden (Oliver Coleman) to come and stay with his family in their sumptuous Notting Hill home in the Kensington Park Gardens estate. Gerald Fedden (Tim McInnerny) is a sycophantic Tory Member of Parliament who is on the rise, and is basking in the glory of Thatcher's economic policies. Gerald lives with loyal wife Rachel (Alice Krigg), his daughter Catherine (Hayle Atwell), and Toby.
Nick's comes from a provincial, terribly middle class background - his father is a humble antiques dealer - but he is welcomed into the Fedden family like a type of surrogate son and over time, he becomes a kind of minder to the neurotic and troubled Catherine. Nick is wined and dined, enthusiastically partaking of the family's lavish parties and political dinners, trying to impress them in their superficial discussions on literature, art and antiques.
Nick tries his best to promote civility amongst their affluent boredom, but he's unsure of his footing in this opulent, prosperous looking-glass world. In fact, Dan Stevens plays Nick with a kind of wide-eyed, eloquent fury, always nicely mannered, but forever hidden is the ever-present pretension and affectation, and as he gazes hopefully into the gilt arch of the hall mirror, this troubled man finds it reluctant to give its approval.
Nick constantly has to remind himself that he is doing this all for pleasure, yet when he falls in love with Leo, (Don Gilet) a lusty black cockney and socialist council worker, he finds himself caught in a Jamesian-like dilemma, wedged between the powerful, privileged life led by the Feddens and their friends, whilst also having to face the stark realities of Eighties Britain - the vast unemployment and the rise of AIDS.
The second and third episodes of the series feature Nick's relationship with Wani (Alex Wyndham), a long-lashed Lebanese millionaire playboy. While working as a creative consultant on Wani's new magazine, Ogee - named after the curve that is Hogarth's line of beauty - Nick is introduced to a world of non-stop threesomes, moneyed decadence, and cocaine-fueled days and nights. And of course this all culminates in the beautifully recreated coke-fuelled dance with "The Lady" herself, the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher (Kika Markham).
This BBC adaptation follows Hollinghurst's book pretty much to the letter, although in some instances, the film fails to catch much of the subtleness and nuance of the source material. The scenes involving Nick's sex and coke binges in the toilets and bedrooms of his grand surroundings seem hurriedly cut short, and the pivotal scene of the dreary piano recital fails to capture the tiniest social shenanigans and inherent boredom of all the guests as well as it could.
Also, when the Fedden's take Nick on their holiday to France, the pacing slows a bit, but thankfully picks up speed again in readiness for the final dénouement, the penultimate dance with The Lady. The cast is solid throughout, but Stevens is without a doubt the standout, imbuing Nick with a neediness and an obvious desire to be loved. He speaks his emotions and is in need of reassurance of his place within the Fedden household. He exists in a limbo space of not quite belonging, and in innocence of the dark undertones of the world he has entered.
Amidst the euphoria of first love, champagne and high society parties, the young graduate witnesses political scandal, deception, and the ultimate hypocrisy towards his sexuality, and that of his bretheren. The unsaid mantra is that it doesn't matter what you do, as long as you keep it quiet and do it in private. The Line of Beauty is indeed a richly textured coming-of-age story, and accomplished adaptation of a classic work of literature set against the backdrop of a ruthless decade of change and transformation. Mike Leonard October 06.


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Adapted by award-winning writer Andrew Davies from Alan Hollinghurst's Booker Prize-winning novel, this three-part saga is set during the Thatcherite 1980s. A story of love, class, sex and money, The Line of Beauty crawls deep under the skin of Thatcher's Britain, seen through the eyes and experiences of a young, gay man, from the euphoria of falling in love to the tragedy of AIDS. Framed by the two general elections which returned Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative government to power, the series unfurls through four extraordinary years of change and tragedy.

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Sharpe's Justice (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)1814 - the war is over, and Sharpe, like many other unemployed soldiers, goes back to England to seek work. He is assigned to Yorkshire, where he was born, as head of local yeomen serving a corrupt cotton mill baron that oppresses the workers. As Sharpe discovers things are not as black and white as they seem, which side will he choose? The people he left 20 years ago, or the establishment that's fed him for all those years?
This is an original story, not based on any of the novels, but it's interesting for a couple of reasons. One is that it firmly establishes that the TV Sharpe at least is born in Yorkshire - a given, because of Sean Bean's accent, but in the books he was supposed to be a Londoner. Another, more historical reason, is that it deals with the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars in England, which Cornwell never did get around to doing. It is true that the countryside was filled with many now jobless soldiers, and also true that the Industrial Revolution was starting to make its presence felt. While the labour movement may not have started this early, it's still an interesting look at the times. But is it Sharpe?
As much as I'm not fond of Sharpe's previous return to England (see my review of "Sharpe's Regiment"), I find myself liking this one, just to see Sharpe's backstory being developed. We find out more about how he grew up, his regret at not knowing who his mother was, and how uncomfortable Sharpe is with the war hero image that he's earned. As an added bonus, we get to see the incredibly beautiful and sexy Caroline Langrishe back as Lady Anne Camoyne, whose skills at political intrigue pull Sharpe out of the fire yet again. I'll even forgive them for adding the estranged Jane Sharpe to the mix, as the little minx actually shows a little fire of her own (the last scene with Sharpe here is particularly harsh).
If the series had ended here it would have been a fine coda (albeit with a few loose ends). But we know it doesn't, not when there's the biggest of battles to fight. So it becomes just a little filler in between "Revenge" and that little contretemps at Waterloo...

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Sharpe is back in England with his reputation fully restored. He is ordered to the north where he is to command the local militia in a troubled town. It is here that Sharpe faces an agonizing decision - whether to side with the town's corrupt gentry or to support his own kind, the rough and tough of the world who are abused by their superiors.

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The Andromeda Strain Miniseries (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Short Review:
It's bad.
Long Review:
I don't blame the actors, I believe they did what they could with the script they had.
I think the special effects were adequate, some of the tech stuff was a bit overdone and detracted from the story. For example, a lab technician running the tests would have been more realistic to me than a computer that can run any imaginable test immediately by voice command.
The subplots were waaaaaay out of control. By having so many side stories, the main story was diluted and couldn't build a sense of urgency.
The preachy environmentalist message changed what might have been an enjoyable sci-fi drama into yet another in a long line of 'save the Earth' movies. Don't get me wrong. I like the Earth. I really do. It's one of my favorite planets. I just don't need to be clubbed over the head with yet another environmentalist lecture. I think the movie as a whole would have been much better off without it.
If those were all the failings, I probably would have given this 3 or 4 stars. I could have suspended disbelief and enjoyed the show. But...
The wormhole/time travel element was so incredibly bad that it killed the movie for me. The story would have been so much better if they had just left the origin of Andromeda as an unknown. Simply say 'It came from somewhere in space.' and be done with it. But, if you're determined to use time travel as a story element, at least don't cause a paradox.
Minor Things that Irritated Me:
It appears that to be an effective doctor or scientist, one must be young and attractive. I suppose that anyone who is old, fat or just plain ugly could not possibly be of any help finding a cure to an infectious disease.
The 'cure' confused me. The progress of Andromeda was shown by the water and vegitation turning brown as Andromeda killed it. When the benevolent virus was released and consumed Andromeda, everything turned green again... did all the plants suddenly come back to life? Will the animals? Will the people?
I have a little problem with the idea that the sterno drinker who takes a bottle of aspirin a day and vomits huge amounts of blood was casually invited over to the fire station for a poker game. In my experience, the destitute and chronically ill are either a) hospitalized or b) shunned. I don't know, maybe it's a Utah thing.
In Conclusion:
This movie had a lot of things going for it. Unfortunately, it could not overcome a horribly ill-conceived script.

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Based on the best-selling novel by Michael Crichton, the A&E mini-series event The Andromeda Strain arrives on DVD in this special 2-disc collection!Two-time Academy Award nominee Mikael Salomon (Band of Brothers) directs a powerhouse cast, including Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order), Christa Miller (Scrubs), Eric McCormack (Will & Grace), Ricky Schroder (NYPD Blue), Andre Braugher (City of Angels), Viola Davis (Disturbia), and Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) in this thrilling sci-fi adventure.When a mysterious virus is brought to earth by a returning satellite, an elite and dedicated squad of scientists assembles to search for the truth and stop the mutating killer before it ends life on earth.Presented by three-time Academy Award nominee Ridley Scott (American Gangster) and Primetime Emmy Award winner Tony Scott (Numb3rs), The Andromeda Strain includes all 4 televised hours, contains exclusive bonus materials and features Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound.Own the action-packed epic today!

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