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mstahl29
Reviews
Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean (2012)
Dreamy, Mushy and yes...beautiful!
I was born in April of 1956. The real James Dean hadn't been dead for a year yet and so I hadn't seen his movies or his images until my teen years. The real James Dean was OK looking, but James Preston's James Dean is the stuff of dreams and fantasies that stay in your head longer. The softer character portrayal and erotic sensual man on man scenes are nothing shameful to watch and you see the beauty of both the inside of Dean's (and Preston's) spirit and what made Jimmy as himself. The flow of this movie stayed in it's artistic, sensuous style and to me, that was the beauty of it. It was like getting an intimate glimpse into someone's life you didn't know much of before, but now you feel privileged for the knowledge of it if that makes sense. All the actors did a good job, but it was the relationship between Dean and his roommate that I wanted to see and wasn't disappointed. I can watch this film over and over because of it's sensitive, alluring presentation presented so nicely by James Preston.
Spin the Bottle (1998)
Holter Graham sizzles in this movie!
This is a great movie because of the relationships of all involved as they come together again. I love all the people, but I wouldn't have chosen Mitchell Riggs to play the main character Ted. He is rather bland in both looks and acting compared to everyone else. Holter Graham makes the whole movie worth watching with his rugged good looks.I wish more time was spent on Holter's character Jonah than on Ted. The three girls have a good relationship, yet jealousy thing going too, which is good.The relationship between Ted and Jonah is more explored here than in other movies of this type, (say The Secaucus Seven)and that is another plus about this movie. Watching Ted and Jonah together takes the male friendship thing to a new sexier level if permissible by guys.
A Good Woman (2004)
Helen Hunt is magnificent!
I'm familiar with Oscar Wilde, but not this particular play, but from beginning to end this movie captivated me. It's luxurious settings, both indoor and out as well as the superb cast with Tom Wilkinson and John Standing, both whom I enjoy in movies such as "The Governess" and "Mrs. Dalloway". What can I say about Helen Hunt except her performance was perfect. I loved everything in this movie and it let me totally escape into it's story of a loose woman (Helen Hunt) who has worn out her welcome from many wives and they wish her to leave so she sets off to Italy to start a new life and runs right into her past (a daughter she abandoned as a baby)and yet everything works out beautifully in the end. Great story!
Les belles Américaines (1990)
Not that bad really
I just purchased a VHS copy of this movie and I'm a Lara Flynn Boyle fan anyway. I liked the Paris scenery shots and the interior shots of the beautiful hotel where the mother (Joanna Cassidy) and daughter (Lara Flynn Boyle) stayed and the indoor café shots. The plot wasn't that important to me, I mean a middle aged Frenchman/doctor having an affair with both the mother and the daughter seems normal (if you watch enough French movies, which I do) for Parisian theme, but I think the mother was in it for loneliness and the daughter to have a man spend money on her so she could continue her wild ways and if a love fling happened in the meantime, that was fine with the daughter. When you think of Paris, the last thing that comes to your mind is behaving and keeping your morals. These two women were out to have fun and any Frenchman loves women who love to have fun. Between the sights of the city, cafés, attractive Parisians and cast members, I think this movie was quite enjoyable and not meant to be taken seriously. There is non of the usual little "lets make fun of them" jabs between the French and the Americans which happens in many other movies of this type. Everyone gets along and this compliments the atmosphere of this movie. I liked it.