Reviews

Princesca is a film which shows a more realistic view of what people who are trans gender go through. The film is based on the true story of Fernanda Farias de Albuquerque who was a transsexual who moved to Milan to have a sex change operation. The film stays true to the story and right from the beginning the film it shows the harsh reality that conflicts with the stereotypical Hollywood films. The film definitely has more of a dark and gloomy feel throughout. In addition the film has some styles about it that make it almost seem as if it is more of a documentary then a fictional story.

The movie is made better through the main actress Ingrid de Souza. She plays the part very well and even though some of the characters qualities are not very easily understood, the audience can still little by little come to understand and know the character of Fernanda through Ingrid's work.

The film also touches on the differences between transsexuals and transvestites. These differences can be seen through the characters of Cholla and Fernanda. This film is most definitely not a happy uplifting film. It portrays the real life struggles that actual people go through. All of the actors do a great job of bringing the story to life and the cinematography and lighting and sound also help to make this film a very good piece. If you are a fan of more serious dramatic films that deal with lesser seen topics such as transsexuals or transvestites, I believe you would like this film.

Normal is a good movie that tastefully handles the difficult topic of people who go through sex changes. Given the taboo nature of the topic in film I was surprised to find that Normal does a good job of representing the real life problems and trials that people who go through sex changes experience. It also does a good job of showing how it affects the families too. In addition, Normal changes and shows a different type of love story. one rarely seen in films. The relationship between Roy and his wife is dealt with very well and the actors do an excellent job of representing their situations. The films soundtrack and cinematography are also very good. They seamlessly flow through the film however they add but never distracts from the plot or action taking place on screen. The acting is superb in the film and Wilkinson does an amazing job at capturing the feeling of the role. Overall I feel the film is very interesting and covers a difficult topic very well. It's not the type of movie I usually watch but I did enjoy it none the less. If you like more serious dramatic pieces I believe you would enjoy this film.

Beautiful Boxer is an excellent film that combines a compelling story that does a great job at portraying a not often seen subject and deftly filmed and choreographed boxing matches. The film focuses on portraying the true story of the life of a boxer in Thailand. the fact that the film is based on a true story and that many of the events n the film actually happened add to the films impact overall. the director did a good job with the art direction and the cinematography is especially great during the boxing matches. there are many times throughout the film where i was struck by how much more real these fights seemed than some found in major Hollywood movies. the character development is also good. we can see how important it is to have confidence in your self and to never give up on your dreams. Overall I would definitely watch this movie again and if you like action movies with deeper stories I recommend this film.

Just like a woman is a light comedy about a man who lives a secret life as a cross dresser. When it was made the movie was given an "r" rating but besides the taboo nature of the subject of "transvestites" there is nothing in the movie that makes it deserve such a rating. If I was to rate it I would at most, give it a PG-13 rating in America because of the sexual references. Even so, the subject matter is not really dealt with in a serious or overly dramatic way. Since the movie deals with a main character who is a Transvestite one would think that the writers of the movie would try and spend a little more time creating a more specific portrayal. However due to the fact that there are many different types of transvestites and the fact that the story changes and the main character also changes, it can become very confusing to the audience to try and understand what a transvestite is. The story itself is rather simple and the outcome is a little too easy to predict. Overall I thought the film was good. It does provide an interesting look into a way of life that is not accepted by society and how the people feel about themselves and the people around them. If you like simple comedies I would recommend this film.

French twist is a lighthearted comedy which centers around three characters in a love triangle not often seen in mainstream film. When it was made in 1995, this film was very controversial in America due to the nature and portrayal of sexuality in the film. However it was accepted more openly in Europe at the time. Now however the film and its subject matter, while still controversial to a point, are much more accepted in America. The characters in the film are good. Not incredibly deep but they are not two dimensional. You do feel for them and care for their feelings. And the film does a good job of having you care for each of the characters at some point or another during the film so that it is hard to pick sides and root for a single character. This film does a good job a showing the double standards between woman and men. Furthermore being a comedy it makes it easier to take in the once "edgy" and still somewhat controversial subject matter of the film. The theme throughout the film is that of love. The film tries to show that love does not depend on one's sex but rather on the people themselves. This is made clear many times through the movie. The topic of the film may seem rather heavy but the director and actors do an excellent job of keeping the movie light and comedic. There are plenty of points throughout the movie that were both surprising and rather amusing. Overall I think that the movie is definitely worth watching. It is a funny comedy and it does make you think. If you like lighthearted comedies which are outside the norm, you will enjoy this movie.