Cinema Buff Reviews

My Little Pony: The Princess Promenade (2006 Video)

A Cerebral, Painfully Honest Piece of Cinematic Art

[10/10 · 28 July 2010]

William Faulkner once said, "The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life."

When sitting down to watch "My Little Pony: The Princess Promenade", I was forced to reflect upon Faulkner's quote. This movie, which almost does not deserve such a basic term - as if to imply that it could and should be compared with other such "movies" - involves the disruption of flower parade with the awakening of a 1,000-year-old dragon.

However, the plot is merely the MacGuffin for the emotional truths that reveal themselves in 50 rapturous minutes.

"The Princess Promenade" shows the typical Victor Dal Chele touches. The lyrical camera-work, complex story lines and ambitious themes immediately remind us of "Transformers: Go-Bots" and "RoboCop: Alpha Commando", not to mention his predecessor "My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas". However, his previous work now feels like mere preparation for this, his masterwork.

Earlier reviews have compared this film to the work of Ozu. Actually, the influence of a number of masters is evident here. He combines the artistic editing of Eisenstein, the visual innovation of Welles, the provocation of Fassbinder, the existential philosophies of Godard, and the frenetic surrealism of Luis Buñuel. These elements are merely jumping off points, though, for a unique style that future film scholars will refer to as "Dal Chele-ism".

But as any film-goer will tell you, style only goes so far. The reason "The Princess Promenade" deserves its place next to "Grand Illusion", "La Dolce Vita" and "Rashomon" is the emotional impact it achieves.

The story starts off light enough, making the viewer feel at ease. It is funny, often times hilarious. Then, it is revealed that the laughs are masking a deeper, more tragic subtext, and the emotional weight of this revelation induces tears in all who watch.

The third act is truly revelatory. I found myself first hating, and then embracing, humanity. And when I had unleashed all of my emotion at the world and society around me, the movie forced me to look within myself. It revealed that I, like everyone else, was ultimately an empty vessel, full of hope and longing but ultimately achieving nothing.

As I was ready to hang my hat, and admit defeat at this monster of a film, its denouement landed with a message of hope that would have been manipulative had the previous 47 minutes not laid the groundwork for this, its most logical resolution. As the last image faded, I felt hopeful for myself as a human being and for humanity as a whole.

And as the final credits rolled, I wept. I wept not only for the ponies and their plight with the dragon and the flower parade. I wept for myself, as I had not felt such an emotional charge from a work of art. I wept for the cinema, as a new standard has now been established in visual storytelling. I wept for Victor Dal Chele, who now stands tall as the premiere voice of our generation. And most of all, I wept for the world, which will never be able to match the painful honesty, blistering imagination and unending beneficence that Mr. Dal Chele has presented in this, surely the finest film of our generation.

Six Shooter (2004)

Exquisitely told story

[10/10 · 10 August 2006]

As far as short films go, this is near the top of the list. McDonagh (formerly a playwright, here making his film debut) is a master craftsman, able to play several levels at the same time. "Six Shooter" is shocking, heartbreaking and very funny, often simultaneously. The story, in a nutshell, revolves around four people, each suffering a very recent death in their families. As they each deal with the loss in very different ways, they collide with each other, sometimes with words, sometimes with more.

The cast is uniformly excellent, especially Brendan Gleeson as the sad-eyed protagonist and Rúaidhrí Conroy as a ticking time-bomb of a kid. McDonagh's pitch-perfect writing - while not approaching the near-apocalyptic absurdity of plays like "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" - is appropriately bleak. His direction is also assured, showing him to be a filmmaker to watch in coming years.

"Six Shooter" is available on iTunes for two dollars. If you can, buy it. It's truly a great work of modern cinema.

Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)

Very funny and clever...

[10 October 2003]

I got the DVD for free and didn't watch it the first few months I had it. After all, it was "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey". But while in the mood for something light, I put it in. What I got was a movie that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. If you're expecting "Henry V", you're going to be disappointed.

I don't remember much from the first film, which I saw many years ago, but I found this entry to be extremely enjoyable. While it has its jokes that fall flat, most of the time it delivers, and numerous times it's hilarious. The character of Death, a direct takeoff from Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" is used to great comic effect, as he plays a game of Twister and falls victim to "a Melvin". There is a game of Charades where Albert Einstein correctly guesses "Smokey and the Bandit 3". The two title characters congratulate God on Earth, as well as his other planets (and snickering when Bill mentions Uranus). It's absurdity will turn off some, but if the idea a band composed of Death, alien scientists, medieval princesses, and hip-hop dancing cyborgs instigating world peace through their music, then this movie is worth a shot.

True, there's nothing really profound or groundbreaking here. But were you expecting there to be? It's simply a funny, clever piece of entertainment. The writers obviously had fun writing it, everyone there looks like they had fun making it, and I had a lot of fun watching it. Who could ask for anything more?

Young Frankenstein (1974)

One of the most well-crafted comedies of all time!

[21 July 2002]

The average Mel Brooks film is the equivalent of the Grab Bag. It is filled with numerous objects of various shape and size. Many are desirable, many are not. Numerous Mel Brooks films, including "Robin Hood: Men in Tights", "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" and "High Anxiety" amused me in points, but overall left me craving more of the desirable goodies. However, when he is in top form, like in "Blazing Saddles" and both stage and screen incarnations of "The Producers", he unleashes a treasure chest of comedy. Never is this more apparent than in his greatest film, "Young Frankenstein".

The plot lovingly pays homage to Mary Shelley's famous horror story while simultaneously spoofing it. Gene Wilder plays Dr. Frederick Von Frankenstein (pronounced "Frahnk-en-steen", as he duly notes), grandson of the famous scientist responsible for bringing the dead back to life. When it is discovered that his late grandfather left the estate to him, he travels to Transylvania to inspect it. Accompanied by Igor, a hunchback in denial ("What hump?"), curvaceous German assistant Inga, and haggard Frau Blucher (whose very mention of her name inspires the horses to neigh in fright...no matter where they are), Frederick finds himself slowly drawn into his grandfather's practice, much to the dismay of the nearby villagers.

The reason this film works so well is because, unlike other Brooks outings, this was very controlled. Its over-the-top moments are still done with more subletly than previous Brooks jokes (most are caught only through repeat viewings). The script, by Wilder and Brooks, is filled with with one small comic gem after the other. Brooks' direction is also at its best, as he crafts the film much like "Frankestein" director James Whale would have done it. The black-and-white cinematography shines almost as much as the cast. Wilder, Teri Garr's Inga, and Marty Feldman's Igor dominate the first half of the film, while Peter Boyle as the Monster, Madeline Kahn as Wilder's vain wife, and Kenneth Mars as the inspector with a wooden arm steal the show's later half. A notable cameo is a nearly unrecognizable Gene Hackman as a blind man.

There are so many moments in this film that shine, it is hard to choose a favorite. The hump joke? "Puttin' On the Ritz"? The blind man? "Put...the candle...back"? The brain depository? There are perhaps more classic moments from this film than any other film since "Casablanca". The fact that this film is more loved, more sharply written, and perhaps a better film than the target that it spoofs is truly a small cinematic miracle.

The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

Ah, the Coens...

[28 April 2002]

Joel and Ethan Coen are the Hollywood equivalent of that guy you know who tells you the most blatant lies with a straight face. He's probably joking, but...you never know.

They have made some of the finest, most well-constructed, and oddest films of the 80's and 90's. And through it all, they have fooled us left and right. They claim that "Fargo" is based on a true story. It is not. They claim that "O Brother Where Art Thou?" is based on "The Odyssey". They've never read "The Odyssey". They claim that their editor is the Oscar-nominated Roderick Jaynes, whom they have used for numerous films. They actually do all of their own editing, and Jaynes is a pseudonym they use.

Perhaps the most distinguished characteristic of the Coen films is their fascination with borrowing from a genre without completely imitating it. "Miller's Crossing" was a mob movie where the Coens made up their own slang. "The Hudsucker Proxy" was a slicked-up Preston Sturges screwball comedy. And now, with their latest, "The Man Who Wasn't There", the Coens have tackled 40's film noir.

The story centers around barber Ed Crane, played to subtle comic perfection by Billy Bob Thornton, who gets an unusual customer one day. A man with a plan. "Drycleaning. That's right. Washing...without water!" Crane is intrigued and wants in on the plan. All he has to do is raise $10,000.

There is much, much more that happens, but I dare not reveal any of the details. What follows is a smorgasbord of double crossings, murders, flying saucers, rambling philosophical monologues, and of course, haircuts. And through it all is Crane, nodding slightly, blowing an endless stream of cigarette smoke from him as if repel all that come near.

Thornton's performance deserves immense recognition. In a typical film from the Coens, overacting is abundant. Indeed, the supporting cast (of whom the most notable are Frances McDormand, Tony Shalhoub, Michael Badalucco and Jon Polito) are firing on all cylinders, delivering every line like it may be their last. Thornton, however, sees his world crumbling around him, and he barely flinches. His Ed Crane is a natural poker player, one who shows nobody what he is feeling.

Like most Coen films, it is a visual treat. Roger Deakins' black-and-white cinematography shines with the nostalgia of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Various shots, such as a car flying through the air in slow motion and a pair of doors opening to reveal a brightly lit death chamber, stick in your mind long after the theater lights come up. Carter Burwell's score is haunting, as with most Burwell scores, and it blends beautifully with the sonatas of Mozart and Beethoven.

And as expected with the brothers, the script is a marvel. The Coens are never one to take a cheap shot, and they always manage to leave you at a point where you have no idea where the film will go. The script zings with dialogue that perfectly represents the paranoid, post World War II era. And the plot contains small tricks to make its audience smile (Crane, during one of his voiceovers, is interrupted by a phone call. After about 10 minutes of surprising plot twists, he is back at his house, and the voiceover continues).

This film ranks amongst the Coens best. It is not as original as "Fargo", as intriguing as "Blood Simple", or as funny as "Raising Arizona", but it is a large success on all scales that make the Coens two of the most beloved filmmakers in modern Hollywood.

Unhappily Ever After (1995–1999)

Interesting idea falls flat

[26 February 2002]

I have watched a few episodes of this show on late night syndication, and I found myself in the odd position of being intrigued and disappointed at the same time.

The show revolves around the type of family that inhabited pre-"Ally McBeal" Fox Channel shows. We have the stereotypical wife who loves to shop and think illogically. We have the son who can only rely on his hand to console him. We have the daughter who inspires the laugh track to go nuts with wolf whistles just by stepping out onto the stage.

When these characters are around, the show has two modes: predictable and offensive. We see that the son is going to get slapped in the face by the popular girl at school, and we wonder where the humor is in him accidentally killing the mailman (who we find out later is his actual father).

The show takes a slightly more interesting turn, though, in its central character. The father. In other shows, the father has been the most logical figure of the household. He is the one that holds the insanity together. In "Unhappily Ever After", however, the twist is that the father is the crazy one. A couple of times each episode, he sits down on the couch and gets half-assed advice from Mr. Floppy, a hallucination of a stuffed bunny that he had in his childhood.

This part of the show is where I get intrigued. This is an interesting and original idea, with numerous possibilities. Unfortunately, the writers don't know what to do with it, and consequently let the idea become the joke. Mr. Floppy (who is given life thanks to voice-over king Bobcat Goldthwait) has no other purpose in the show than to tell crude jokes and brag about his charm.

It is a shame to see such an idea go to waste. "Unhappily Ever After" had the potential to be one of the most original comedies of the 90's, and instead turned into a cheap and predictable retread of the "Married With Children" formula.

Jazz Seen: The Life and Times of William Claxton (2001)

An documentary different from the rest!

[7/10 · 6 October 2001]

William Claxton is a name that is known throughout the world of jazz. There isn't a magazine about jazz that hasn't printed a picture by him, a jazz record label that hasn't used a cover by him, and a photography book that isn't complete without one of his pictures in it. He captured the soul of jazz like no other.

In "Jazz Seen", we find out stories about Claxton, what people think about his work (all good, I assure you), and interesting facts about his life.

This documentary was directed by Julian Benedikt, who proved in his earlier film "Blue Note" that he loves jazz dearly, and therefore loves Claxton's work. The documentary uses little stock footage and no voiceover narration from some celebrity. This fact alone distinguishes it from most of the documentaries out there. All we hear is Claxton, the people who knew him, and the sweet sound of jazz. It makes for a more riveting documentary.

While the documentary is slow at parts, it still keeps one's interest throughout its 90 minute length (with commercials when watching it on Bravo). It provides an interesting look at jazz that isn't often seen...the eye.

1998 MTV Movie Awards (1998 TV Special)

At some points, brilliant!

[31 August 2001]

Now, I may be biased because I am a huge fan of Samuel L. Jackson, but I enjoyed this movie awards show than any since 1994. Jackson was a host with a lot of charm and humor (especially in the "Dawson's Creek" spoof and his conversation with John Travolta). Of course the "Best Male Performance" and "Best Female Performance" awards are robberies, but watching "The Making of Leonardo DiCaprio's Acceptance Speech" with Andy Dick as the director and everybody having been beat up on the set was priceless. Makes you wonder how MTV knew Leo would get it. Hmmmmm. Other than that, I wasn't too p***ed "Titanic" won (although I'm a "Good Will Hunting" fan myself), and the rest of the awards were pretty fair. I was glad to see Lifetime Achievement Award winner Clint Howard get the recognition he deserves (I was also happy to see his family, include famous director/actor brother Ron in the audience), and was happy to see that the Best New Filmmaker Award is still a very respectable award that shows that MTV is somewhat serious with the ceremony. Bravo all around!

Session 9 (2001)

A relatively good piece of horror!

[8/10 · 13 August 2001]

"Session 9" is the latest graduate of the "Blair Witch" School of Horror Filmmaking, which has bred such digital camera films such as "Series 7" and "The Last Broadcast" (which actually preceeded it, but no matter). "Session 9", fortunately, is near the head of the class on this list. It may be flawed, and may not be very original, but it does not disappoint.

The plot centers around five men who are given a job to clear the asbestos out of an abandoned sanitarium. If they get it done in a week, they each get a $10,000 bonus. The group really needs this job, so they are all too willing to do it. Unfortunately, tensions start rising, and...this place...is not...what it seems.

This film was shot entirely with digital cameras, but it is not the spew-inducing style that had "Blair Witch" fans running to the bathrooms. The film's visuals are very controlled and handled well. The fact that "Session 9" is able to tell its story in a more realistic format WITHOUT sacrificing style singles it out from others in its league. A big factor is the sanitarium, which is a wonderful location, filled with many dark hallways and drab, vacant rooms.

The true assets of this film, though, are the characters. After seeing "The Others", with its cardboard-stock residents, I was pleased to see men that I understood and cared about. The cast, which includes Peter Mullan, David Caruso, Brendan Sexton III, and co-writer Steven Gevedon, flesh out their characters and make them real. Believe me, that is the ONLY way that you can ever get scares out of a movie. When we care for the characters, we get scared with them.

Overall, "Session 9" is not perfect. There are a few loose ends, and the ending, while very surprising, did not fully satisfy me. Still, it was a rousing bit of entertainment. It felt real, it was effective in providing scares, and I walked into the blistering sunlight, thankful that I am perfectly sane, and do not remove asbestos for a living, for fear of ever having to go to a place like that.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)

Ummm...wow!

[10/10 · 3 August 2001]

I am so happy to see a certain trend that is slowly evolving. The movie musical...IS...REBORN!!! The most popular genre since the beginning of sound in motion pictures gave a last, dying cough in 1972 with "Cabaret", and then died. Since then, we were reduced to musical films that, although they were good at best, could not really be classified as "a classic". Then, when "Evita" came out in 1996, we started seeing the hand of the movie musical burst through its grave. Now, the musical has stood up, brushed itself off, and is back!!!

"Hedwig and the Angry Inch" is the latest in a string of wonderfully new and inventive movie musicals that started with the aforementioned "Evita" and "Everyone Says I Love You", and have evolved into "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "Dancer in the Dark", and "Moulin Rouge". Now, we have Hedwig, an East Berlin transvestite rock singer. Bold. Defiant. Yet very vulnerable. Hedwig (played with true gusto by the writer/director John Cameron Mitchell) is not only the most sympathetic character this year, but oddly enough, the character that audiences can most identify with.

Hedwig and her phallic symbol band will never reach the big time because all of the songs that she wrote were stolen by new rock idol Tommy Gnosis, who was a former lover. Instead, she is forced to play at Bilgewater's all over the country. Still, although she has been thrown away, she still rocks, rolls, and really knows how to please a crowd.

And so does this movie. It is an interesting blend of musical numbers, flashbacks, animated sequences, and, just when you think the movie could not get any more interesting, a sing-along. And although I hate to admit it, at the bottom of my breath, I was singing the words. I could not help it. Stephen Trask's songs are infectious. They get inside of you and bring you into the story.

In short, you should go see the movie just to hear the amazing songs...and see the wonderful performances from Mitchell and newcomers Miriam Shor and Michael Pitt...and the incredible style from Mitchell's directorial debut...and...well, you get the picture. Just see the movie.

Troops (1997)

In a way, brilliant.

[9/10 · 19 July 2001]

Many friends of mine belong to that special club: The club that can recite from memory all things "Star Wars". I do not quite have the knowledge of the Blessed Trilogy to join that club, but I still get most inside jokes that jab at that groundbreaking trio of sci-fi fantasies. Still, based on the recommendation of one of the members of that aforementioned club, I downloaded this ten-minute film off of the Internet, and I am so glad that I did.

The premise is rather simple...Take "Star Wars" and filter through the documentary style used by the TV series "Cops". The story centers around stormtroopers ("Troops"...Get it?) who live on the planet of Tatooine, which any amateur "Star Wars" fan can tell you is the homeplanet of the trilogy's hero Luke Skywalker.

The small brilliance of this film, though, is that it takes its premise, and really runs with it. It does not just let the idea be the joke. Instead, it runs an interesting parallel storyline with the first film in the trilogy, suggesting that the so-called sabotage by the Empire was indeed just a big misunderstanding. And when you add some hilarious performances and some surprisingly good special effects, it's a wonderful blend that makes "Troops" near the top of the list of "Star Wars" send ups (and there have been quite a few, believe me).

Hobgoblins (1988)

Ummm...Well...Aww, forget it!

[1/10 · 19 July 2001]

To quote the chorus of the Broadway musical, *The Producers*, "We can't believe it! You won't conceive it! How did he achieve it? It's the worst show in town!"

The "he" that I refer to is Rick Sloane, who is somewhat notorious for his "Vice Academy" series. This was one of his first films, and the fact that he served as the director/writer/producer/editor/cinematographer/cameraman says a little something about it. This film shares its premise with the almost-as-bad "Wishmaster", in which you get to live out your fantasies, which is good, but then get killed by little rubber creatures, which is bad. These creatures, which are the "hobgoblins" that the title refers to, look like the rejects for a "Critters" film. The acting is laughable, the special effects are neither "special" nor really "effects", and the directing/writing/producing/editing/camerawork is second-rate.

I would go into the film farther, but it does not deserve it. I will say this last thing, though: "Hobgoblins" is not available on video, and there's a very good reason for it.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

An interesting update!!!

[22 November 2000]

Who honestly has not seen the original "Grinch" cartoon? The wonderful message, the fantastic imagery, and Boris Karloff's legendary narration made it a Christmas classic (when I sang the theme song for a high school Christmas choir concert, a couple of years ago, the audience instantly recognized and loved the song). So, when I heard that there was a live-action remake in the works. I though of only one word: "How?" That seemed to me at the time to be the most impossible story to remake in live-action. While other people were excited, I was incredibly skeptical. That is why I was so pleased with this new version. Basically, there are two reasons that this is a film to be seen. The first is obviously Jim Carrey. I have been a big fan of his work since his breakthrough in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective". Even if the film that he is making is not very good, he manages to give 110% in that role. This role will most likely be listed as one of his best. To play a character that is as firmly rooted in children's minds as Mickey Mouse, Harry Potter, or The Wicked Witch Of The West is a tremendous honor for an actor, and Jim Carrey knows this. He plays each scene, each LINE like it is his last. He commits his face, his voice, and his body fully to this role. It does not take too long to forget that Jim Carrey is simply playing the Grinch. You believe that he IS the Grinch. That is only the second time that Jim Carrey has done that to me ("Man On the Moon" being the first). The other notable aspect of this film is the art direction, which is simply breathtaking. Since the town of Whoville is enclosed in a snowflake, the crew has taken great pains to show us a place that is not of this world. All of the noses are microscopic, the buildings are bent, and the cars are more suited for a circus than a city street. This film belongs on a list with other films such as "Star Wars", "Metropolis", and almost every Tim Burton film as a movie that created a incredibly good-looking world. This is the type of film that you could spend the entire time just looking at the corners of the screen and still be entertained. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" has a central message in it which states that "Christmas is not something that is bought in a store." Well, this film shows that a good movie is not something that is bought in a store. Most of the Hollywood that I have seen consists of filmmakers who either (1) wonder why their "artistic" film did not appeal to a wide audience, or (2) why their summer blockbuster was widely made fun of. Both types should study this film, which manages to be cheesy and wonderful at the same time, and is going to be hugely successful, judging by the opening box-office.

Natural Born Killers (1994)

This film has been wrongly accused!

[10/10 · 13 May 1999]

I recently had the pleasure of watching Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers" and I must say that this is truly a gem of a film. I am seventeen years old and a junior in high school, and so I have heard quite a bit about how this film has corrupted us and turned us to violence. I feel that the problem is that this film is being wrongly accused by people who have not even seen it. My mother, when I mentioned that I rented it, responded by sticking her finger in her mouth in a gagging gesture. She has not seen it yet, nor will she ever. That is truly sad, because I believe that "Natural Born Killers" is a true declaration of how our society has become.

The film traces Mickey and Mallory Knox, two mass murderers who kill 52 people on their honeymoon. The movie is not about the killers, as the title implies. For in the film are Wayne Gale (played by Robert Downey, Jr.), a tabloid reporter who will do anything to get a good story for his show "American Maniacs", and Jack Scagnetti (played by Tom Sizemore), a cop who will do anything to get his name known around the nation. The film is about how these two fellows are able to turn Mickey and Mallory into national events. The two murderers get numerous disciples and fan clubs (one teenager says to a news program, "Sure, killing is wrong, but if I WERE a serial killer, I'd be Mickey and Mallory!"). The tagline of the movie is, "The media turned them into superstars," and that is what the film is about. This film, with its remarkable style and powerful message, is a wonderful movie for our time and one that I believe should be seen by those who are able to be open-minded enough to understand the true message that's being said here.

Go (1999)

Not a bad Tarantino-esque picture!

[8/10 · 3 May 1999]

"Pulp Fiction" was obviously a groundbreaking film, and with groundbreaking films comes less groundbreaking ripoffs. We've had a long list of "Pulp Fiction 2"'s that don't measure up to the original. It seems that the only type of movies that can rip off "Pulp Fiction" and still capture the essence of what made the first so good are movies directed by Quentin Tarantino and/or based on an Elmore Leonard novel ("2 Days in the Valley" was amusing, but lacked depth and thought). That's why "Go" is such a pleasure. Sure, it's predictable at times (the "no hands" rule with the "champagne" was broken? I saw that coming from a mile away) and at times a little hokey (Did Simon really need to discover Tantra in the hotel room?), but it still has what makes "Pulp Fiction" so great: Witty dialogue (the discussion about the "Family Circus" comic strip is hilarious) and a complex plot that interwieves its characters perfectly. I hope that director Doug Liman and screenwriter John August do more projects in the future, hopefully together.

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

PURE, UNBRIDLED MASTERPIECE!!!

[10/10 · 22 April 1999]

To All Who Read:

I saw "La Vita E Bella" (known to us Americans better as "Life is Beautiful") two weeks ago. I still have not been able to get it out of my mind. "Life is Beautiful" is why we go to movies. It makes us think, it entertains us, and it stays with us long after we've left the theater.

Roberto Benigni wrote, directed, and starred in this gem of a film. He has a joy of performing that I haven't seen in any actor since James Cagney and the plot and dialogue moves along in a Chaplin-like fashion. I believe that Benigni will be the Chaplin for the 21st century, and I, for one, will greet him with open arms.

"Life is Beautiful" is one of the best films of the year and also one of the best films that I've ever seen. It's a true masterpiece. Once in a while there's a film that sort of fills a void for me after I see it and makes me wonder how I went along with life before this movie. This one is one of them.

The Birth of a Nation (1915)

Pure genius!

[15 October 1998]

I saw this film for the first time two weeks ago. The main reasons that I bought it was because it's THE landmark American film and it was only five dollars. If nothing else, it would've looked good on my video shelf. So, I watched it and I was completely blown away! The fact that in 1915 this man (D.W. Griffith) could have made a THREE HOUR LONG SILENT FILM and actually make it worth watching! I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. I was surprised at the accuracy of the Lincoln assassination. This is a breathtaking film, and I know that not everybody will enjoy it, but I'm sure that everybody should at least give it a chance. I give it a "Better than 'Saving Private Ryan'" rating! That's how good it is in my book!