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Reviews
War and Remembrance (1988)
Maudlin - Very depressing account
Unlike "Winds of War" (a mostly historically accurate take with well developed characters and story line), W&R starts with some promising episodes, but soon descends into interminable, grotesque scene after scene - nearly unwatchable by the last several episodes. War is hell, certainly, but to be successful - particularly over 12 episodes - a drama must have some relief. W&R has none.
One Night with the King (2006)
Saturday Morning Cartoonish
This was insultingly inane and cartoonish.
A story that could have been interesting and compelling, was presented on a moronic level. Very little actual history was presented, just vignettes of "village life" that did little to enhance the story, just appeared cute and smarmy. While the character of Hadassah (Tiffany Dupont) is quite pretty (and she's a fair actor) the writing is atrocious, leaving me not caring about her at all. The only interesting character (and he's a genuine "character") is John Rhys-Davies - who plays Hadassah's uncle Mordecai. Even he, though, has few good lines.
I found my interest flagging in the first ten minutes and after another thirty, I ejected the DVD.
All in all, a waste of 40 minutes of my time that I'll never get back.
In the Bedroom (2001)
Plodding....
While this movie was wonderfully acted (and I appreciated the central theme), the direction fell far short. The pace was excruciatingly slow - to the point I nearly turned it off after about 20 minutes. I was glad I didn't later - but the whole experience was distressingly diminished by the pacing.
Adaptation. (2002)
Not a gem, but a clunker
This film was not only uninteresting - It was BORING. It represents what Hollywood is putting out these days - a blend of insider blather, sugar coated with sensationalism and sex - to the rhasodizing of the sycophantic press and other acolytes who depend on the industry for their living. The screenplay was disjointed and unbeliveable, Nick Cage and Meryl Streep just showed up and hit their marks, and despite his Academy Award for this effort, Chris Cooper didn't impress much either. I was very disappointed.