Change Your Image
adwalt
Reviews
Chicago (2002)
Musicals may come back with this one.
This film may ignite the industry and audience back to musicals. The film maintains the stage show's presentational style, has lots of color and movement like Moulin Rouge but has strong identifiable characters and strong story.
The performances are excellent the dancing spectacular and comic elements work well; this is the first movie I have seen in a long time where the audience applauded at highlights during the film. Most of the score is intact although fans of the original show will miss every omission from this exceptional Kander and Ebb score the performances of all that remains is a feast for the eyes and ears - who knew Richard Gere could sing?
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rene Zellweger and Queen Latefah are wonderful in their roles with excellent singing and dancing performances. Gere does an excellent job with his songs. John C. Reilly (is there a film out without him these days?) is excellent as the husband without a clue and is wonderful in his `Mr. Cellophane' song.
Rob Marshall's very cinematic direction and choreography is unique, exciting, stylish and original but retains elements of the Bob Fosse original. This film is so good I can forgive the cutting back of `Mary Sunshine' and her `A Little Bit Of Good' song. And the cameo by original Velma, Chita Rivera, was short but appreciated.
Sister Helen (2002)
A documentary that slowly involves you with its subjects
This is truly a documentary of love about a fascinating character, her outlook on life and her extended family. The filmmakers spent three years taping Sister Helen at her halfway house and managed to capture so much wonderful material that you can not help but feel you know Sister Helen and her "boys." The house holds 21 recovering addicts each with a story almost as involving as Sister Helen's. The ending scenes are particularly involving and emotional.
Sister Helen's story of marriage, addiction and loss reveals a very complex character who's tough love is at all times funny, touching and endearing.
The film is a amazing in the way it tells its story in wonderful slice of life sequences which develop into a story that is almost as clear as if each scene were scripted and acted by the best. The honesty (and obvious dishonesty) of the "clients" is very involving as you learn of their fears and watch their attempts to grow.
You will never forget Sister Helen, Robert, Moe or poor Ashish(spelling?).
Doomsdayer (2000)
A no budget James Bond wantabe.
An action picture with lots of explosions , no production values and flat acting in a plot that is only an excuse to blow up things.
The film looks to be a video transfer in 16:9 format with lots of artifacts in the result, but I must admit I could not watch the thing to the end to see what equipment was used.
The story is a mish-mash of revenge, saving the earth, and the diabolical villain wanting to blow up the earth. The "story" is not helped by the flat performances by a host of actors who have appeared in a large number of good films; Brigette Nielson, however is the name above the title and does not seem to have learned a thing about acting during her career.