Reviews by nataliegoes

Stylized movies usually bother me. The "style" usually takes away from the story. But this story is perfect for this. I've watched this movie several times, and it has stayed fresh with each re-watching. The sex scenes are truly erotic, the sad scenes are very melancholy, and the happy scenes are ... melancholy too. Really enjoyable, while being good cinema at the same time.

Cute movie, with all the references you want to the tv series you remember. And with an updated feeling, that makes it a little edgier and hipper. Unfortunately all these gags can get in the way. The plot was pretty thin, and took forever to get anywhere. The characters are good, and I eventually became quite attached to them. Didn't hold up well to a second viewing, although there are some great quotes that still remain hysterically funny.

The history of 3 generations of Chinese women who lived through the changes from ancient empire, through civil war and the Cultural Revolution, into the Bureaucrat Nation that it has become today. The history of the grandmother is fairly short, from concubine to respected wife of a physician. The mother's is longer, from revolutionary to persecuted bureaucrat. And the author's story is the longest, from child or the Cultural Revolution to expatriate. The story stays involving and brings the Chinese culture into a real perspective. The story usually contains all the sides of gray and confusion that real life does, the end seems a little too black and white. Still, hugely interesting and a good read.

Nice book about a not nice subject. The book is the story of how everyone comes to grip with the brutal murder of a young teenage girl. It deals with the emotional turmoil of her family, friends, town-members and her murderer. And especially the murdered girl herself. The perspective is a little unique, and the characters are interesting and familiar.

The story was well written and interesting. The plot moved along nicely, and the characters were well done. My only complaint might be that the villain was a little overdone. The setting in Afghanistan and the culture was additionally interesting.

I have read several things by Japanese authors, and unfortunately the style tends to escape me. In the case of "Kitchen", two short novellas in one book, this was the case as well. Her stories were a little sweeter, and less harsh than other Japanese authors, but still lacking in something. Perhaps I am too conditioned to Western Novels, but these never seem fulfilling, and most importantly to me, I never become attached to the characters.

I hadn't watched this movie since it originally came out in 1990. At that time I thought it was lovely, spooky, charming and I liked that it didn't have a "happy ever after" ending. But having just re-watched it, I found it a little less charming and found the pace a bit slow. However, Dianne Wiest's performance was still fresh and fun. She steals the show.

The intricacy of weaving story, where one person time travels and the other does not could easily become complicated and leave the reader frustrated. But the author was able to overcome this problem, and the story evolves beautifully. I also liked her new perspective on it, and throwing out all the rules you know about time travel (yes, you have already been indoctrinated in a certain way). The relationships are wonderful, rich and believable in surreal surroundings.

I love a movie that can make me cry, but not many actually succeed. The plot is overly dramatic and everyone is a little too beautiful. But it made me cry and cry and blubber all over the place. The next morning I watched it all over again...and I have never done that before or since. I'm not sure I recommend it, I just know I really like it.