As much as I have always enjoyed and appreciate this movie, the ending always leaves me a little blue. This a powerful movie with a lot of truthful insight to love and relationships, but the conclusion seems to suggest- to me, anyway- that we all get trapped in cycles, and that most relationships well fall apart eventually. That being said, the movie is wide open to interpretation, so surely other viewers might find it more uplifting than me. It's worth seeing for Jim Carrey alone, who is far more sincere in this role than most of his starring vehicles. He's capable of great dramatic moments, and it's rare to see him playing a part that doesn't go over the top. Kate Winslet is equally impressive, but her character can get a little frustrating at times. All in all this is a very strong film, very well made- but don't expect a perfectly happy ending.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Baby Boom
(1987)
Diane Keaton does her best, but the movie doesn't deliver. (Pun intended.)
1 December 2015
First of all, Diane Keaton is always worth watching, she can make even a lousy movie somewhat watchable. And she does her best with role as a workaholic yuppie who inherits an infant, but sadly, the movie starts to lag and the story becomes predictable. Baby Boom actually begins with some strong comic scenes, I especially liked her funny passionless relationship with Harold Ramis, but halfway through the laughs are gone, and the second half of the movie is almost entirely melodrama. Drama is fine, but melodrama is my term for slow and unsatisfying. The movie has a sweet message about making professional sacrifices for the sake of a family, but then again, not every woman needs a child to be happy. As others have pointed out, there are definitely some mixed messages here for career women.
Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow
(2015 TV Movie)
A worthy addition to the Jim Henson tradition!
1 December 2015
First things first, this is definitely a kids movie, but it's a kids movie that Moms and Dads will find themselves snickering at. I ended up seeing this movie twice over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and appreciated it even more the second time. There are some slapstick moments for the kids, but there are also some very sophisticated one- liners sure to go over the younger heads. Mary Steenburgen is great as usual, and I especially enjoyed her flirtation with the Sheriff. Of course the Monsters are the star of the show. They're ugly and adorable at the same time, and they have fantastic interplay with the child stars. Some of the special effects toward the end are a little cheesy, but overall the movie looks great, with a beautiful forest setting. I found it worthy of the Jim Henson name and a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving!
Love the Coopers
(2015)
Middling holiday movie
29 November 2015
Some great actors are lost in the shuffle in a movie that doesn't really feel distinct from any other lukewarm holiday ensemble movie. Marisa Tomei and Alan Arkin, for example, are two of my favorite actors, but they really don't get much to work with in Love the Coopers. And Diane Keaton is basically just revisiting a performance that she already gave in The Family Stone ten years ago. There are some amusing moments throughout, but then again, some of the story lines area just unnecessary. And joking about elders with senility? These gags are both tired and insensitive. If you're looking for a holiday movie that doesn't feel quite so much like a clichéd studio product, I recommend going back to Christmas Story or Elf.
Elf
(2003)
Classic- one of the best Christmas movies ever!
29 November 2015
How this movie is "only" rated 6.9 is a mystery to me. Everybody I know young and old, who has ever seen it fell in love with it. For me personally, Elf is up there with Miracle on 34th Street and It's A Wonderful Life- not just a great Christmas movie but one of the eat family movies you'll ever see. Will Ferrell is hot and cold when it comes to his film work. I've enjoyed maybe half of his movies, but the other half are unfunny duds. (Bewitched, Kicking and Screaming, and Semi-Pro come to mind.). Elf is probably his very best work ever- and also just happens to be his most innocent, childlike character. The supporting cast is wonderful, too. James Caan is a great, grumpy comic foil, and Bob Newhart is perfect, as always.
National Velvet
(1944)
Dated but still fun and inspiring
27 November 2015
Elizabeth Taylor is one of my favorites, and this is her breakthrough performance, worth checking out simply for the chemistry between her and Mickey Rooney. Even in their youth, both stars had remarkable timing and charisma. Hard to believe that in just a few years innocent little Liz would be burning up the screen as Maggie the Cat!
The racing sequences are both remarkably dated, and breathtaking for the danger they depict. Apparently 70 years ago horse racing was extremely dangerous- and from the looks of it, stuntmen and horses alike had some rough tumbles on the set of this movie. (Hopefully, nobody was seriously injured, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn otherwise.)
The racing sequences are both remarkably dated, and breathtaking for the danger they depict. Apparently 70 years ago horse racing was extremely dangerous- and from the looks of it, stuntmen and horses alike had some rough tumbles on the set of this movie. (Hopefully, nobody was seriously injured, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn otherwise.)
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