csela33 Reviews

Sex and the City (2008)

I had such high hopes...

[6/10 · 11 June 2008]

I thought, this is a sure-fire winner - the series was brilliant: funny, romantic, insightful, and we were left wanting more - ergo... great movie. What I got instead was sappy, uninspired writing; I actually rolled my eyes a couple of times, and I love chick flicks! These characters would never utter some of those lines. After developing such strong characters over the course of the series, someone fell asleep behind the wheel and completely short changed the viewers.

Also, the movie is messy, trying to cram way too much into the alloted time, ending up with shallow plots all the way through. The only character plot line I believed was Samantha's. I missed the men in this movie, someone sucked the very life out of them. And finally, Jennifer Hudson's role could be neatly snipped out of the movie without it making a difference. I love her, but the role as written is way too cliché'd for even a fine actor like herself to make any sense out of.

Saving graces: Kim Cattrall's performance and delivery, the fashion and the moments between the girls.

The Constant Gardener (2005)

Spellbinding and infuriating

[9/10 · 17 September 2005]

Speaking as someone from Kenya, this movie provided a great visual, political and emotional picture. The director's jagged camera work, so potent in "City of God", was most suitable for this environment. Many remarks on this film say Tessa (Rachel Weisz' character) was in a small village in Kenya. Actually the work she and the doctor were doing was in the capital city of Nairobi, in a "shanty town", similar to the havelas in Rio. So all the chaos and filth exist not too far from the middle class homes, and, in fact, the president's State House. The vibrant colors of Africa contrasted beautifully with the cold grays and blues of Europe. The director gave equal camera-time to the native people and their true-to-life environments as he did to the sprawling, breathtaking landscape. Many movies that take place in Africa often focus on the scenery and wildlife, and leave the Africans on the periphery.

I appreciated the gritty, human and revealing performances by all the cast, especially the two leads. Again, having lived in Kenya, I can't tell you how accurate the portrayals were (the diplomatic corps, the aid workers, the local politicians, the government employee looking for a death certificate..). I can't wait to read the book.

The United States of Leland (2003)

Almost a masterpiece *One Spoiler*

[8/10 · 15 October 2004]

What a great piece of work. For those who thought this film was slow, I assume you must not be great fans of Shakespeare or watch C-Span. This movie doesn't spell anything out for us, and we have to spend time listening, observing, picking up nuances... all things a good movie or book make you do. Leland and the rest of the cast are all tied together in some way, everyone going through there own private hell, absolutely disconnected in their modernity. Everyone is trying to break out of that dreary numbness that a purposeless (upper middle-class)life can fill you with. Some try to leave, others have affairs, others actually escape to other countries, some choose drugs. Leland in my opinion *SPOILER ALERT* seems to have committed the murder in an attempt to actually do something about it. To help a helpless member of society escape. And in his numbness... feels nothing afterward. John Mayer talks about "Numb is the new deep"... something to think about.

Excellent performance from Ryan Gosling, a sensitive, brooding character with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Something a lot of youngsters feel these days.