Reviews by nataliegoes

I'm not sure I agree with either of the previous reviews. Yes, there is a lot of sex in this movie and most of it only detracts from what little plot there is. It's just there to make you uncomfortable, and if you thought this was Red Shoe Diaries you are wrong. This is not a movie to arouse you. I assume it is suppose to make you uncomfortable, laugh, think and maybe be interested in the people. But it did all those things in such little doses that it didn't work. It was just weird and a uninteresting.

I was pleasantly surprised by this film. I thought this was going to be an outright blasting of Queen Elizabeth in the aftermath of Diana's death. And I didn't find that to be the case. If you went in thinking she was an ogre it probably wouldn't change your mind. Of course it wasn't particularly flattering to her as well. But for fair minded people it gave them a lot to think about. And it reminded you how hard death is to deal with, regardless of the circumstances. And it may be even harder to deal with when you didn't like the person. Very thought provoking.

It seemed like an interesting plot, with great actors. Yet somehow it just never affected me. The story is of a young man (Hoffman) dealing with the suicide of his wife, or trying not to deal with it by getting high on gas fumes. The movie tried to do it in such a minimalistic way that I got bored (and I have more patience than most folks). Sorry, can't recommend it.

I've watched a few movies lately about mental illness and this was a refreshing change. Anthony Hopkins character was definitely mentally ill, but he played it small. The illness was in his head, not splattered across the screen. And Paltrow's character who has to deal with the drama of his brilliance and illness, not to mention the fear that it might happen to her as well, was done very nicely. The play/script was well written and believable and thought provoking. I quite enjoyed this movie.

Thank goodness for Anthony Hopkins, or else this movie would have been a complete waste of time. Unfortunately he wasn't in every scene. There was no chemistry between Pitt and Forlani, of course with good reason. Brad Pitt's character was just completely unlikable, or at best cold. I can't decide whether to blame it on the script or the director. And it was much too long, and the last half hour just dragged. The cinematography was nice, and watching all the pretty people in pretty settings were nice. But if the story ain't there, then prettiness doesn't help.

This is a slightly odd movie that just never comes together. I knew it had a Rock-n-Roll soundtrack, and went into it with an open mind. But there's too little of it, so when it does happen it seems strange. And the princesses costumes are so contemporary, but nothing else is. And the flash backs are also unsettling. The actors are all great, but the plot is so mundane and the writing so dull that I just can't recommend this movie.

Howard Hughes was a brilliant, rich lunatic. And this movie made me realize that he was probably always mentally unstable (where I thought he had gone crazy later in life). I thought the acting was very good, and although I am not a fan of Leo, I really believed he was Howard Hughes. My problem with the movie was the length. I think Scorses could have made his point about Mr. Hughes mental problems with much less film time. There have been many movies about OC people, and I think the general public understands it fairly well. I felt like I was being talked down to about it. It was far more interesting to see how the people in his life had to deal with it. I think they could have cut an hour off this movie and I would have liked it better.

From moment one I never believed anything that was happening in this movie. I kept thinking "that would never happen" over and over. From the very first thing you learn, that a person with OCD would be so comfortable with people that he could be a conman. Its got a great cast and a great director, so I must have a problem with the plot (and therefore the book). If I hadn't been watching this movie with other people I probably would not have stuck it out to the end. But maybe you can suspend your disbelief, I just couldn't.

Bill Bryson is best known for his travel memoirs. I loved one of his books and was quite disappointed by two others. This is somewhere in the middle, but agreeably so. His memories of his childhood in Des Moines, Iowa are sweet and silly. And the nostalgia for life gone by could easily have been too sappy. But the absolute joy he has for his hometown comes through, without being sugary. Some of the later chapters were a little to slap-sticky for me to rave about this book, but I did enjoy the overall book.

From the award winning book of the same name, The Hours is the story of 3 women from 3 different times in history and how they survive a single day. Each of them has to come to terms with their own depression. This movie moves very slow and determined and works so hard at capturing a nearly hopeless feeling that it very well can lose the watchers interest. You must have patience and a willingness to be absorbed by the mood to enjoy this movie.