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Reviews
Soldier's Girl (2003)
An Important Movie
I definitely felt "Soldier's Girl". It reminds me in almost every way of the discrimination caused towards African American's at one point in time. Except, it's somehow more baffling that America didn't learn from its past mistakes and tried to bar an entire group of people, until very recently, who were interested in protecting their country like everyone else, from being able to express themselves freely in the army.
"Don't Ask Don't Tell" is a really unintelligent policy. The fact of the matter is, somewhere along the line, someone may find out that one of their dorm mates may not be heterosexual. Completely on accident. And once this happens, the amount of harassment and abuse they will face could be insurmountable. Especially when you realize there are no rules to stop this and no one to run to, because these homosexuals aren't even supposed to exist. When you think about it, it's sad, and in some cases, disturbing.
"Soldier's Girl" does a great job of showing the audience what can happen. There are accurate and powerful performances by the two leads and the supporting cast, and the movie is just long enough to get its point across without making you over-analyze it.
Overall, this movie comes highly recommended. I think everyone should watch it at least once.
Princesa (2001)
Powerful and Emotional
"Princesa" can be a tough film to watch. It is a film about a "travesti" from Brazil who becomes a prostitute in Italy in order to pay for her surgery.
But the path she treads isn't an easy one. As you watch this film, you have to wonder if this is the same kind of thing that happens to most of the people in her same situation. Is this the tough reality they must face? A lot of the most powerful scenes are built around exactly that kind of thing and it often feels as if the film slows down at these moments just so the viewer can take it all in with a bit of extra time to think about it all.
This film is definitely not for everyone. While it is a good film to try and understand the kind of trials transgender people have to face to get what they want, a way to be accepted by society through a sex change surgery, there are many scenes that depict what some would consider graphic interpretations of prostitution. Other than that, I highly recommend this film, as it gives us a view of one of the most underrepresented demographics in all of cinema.
Normal (2003)
An Amazing Heartfelt Special
"Normal" took me completely by surprise. Usually, a television only broadcasted movie means that this film wasn't even good enough to be shown in the theater. But that's not the case at all. "Normal" tells the story of a man who should have been born a woman. At first, the premise doesn't seem so different than "A Beautiful Boxer". However, what makes this story special is that the main character is a middle-aged man who has been married for 20 years, has two children, and a solid job where he is in line for a promotion. You can only imagine the reaction his wife, co-workers, and the community had when they found out the secret he's been hiding for decades. That's the premise, and as you follow along with everything that happens on screen, you'll be amazed at how fluidly and realistically it flows.
This is a perfect example of a "what if". What if this happened in your neighborhood? What if this was your uncle or father? What would you do and what would happen around you? Honestly, whatever happens, it probably wouldn't be too different than what happens in "Normal".
A lot of the credit goes to the actors here. Jessica Lange and Tom Wilkinson give an amazing performance as husband and wife. The kids do an exceptional job, as well. To back it up writer and director Jane Anderson plots out this movie painstakingly, lingering at just the right moments and pulling away at just the right times.
Overall, I highly recommend "Normal" to everyone. If you consider this a niche movie just because it handles transgender themes then your missing out because this is one of the most touching and pure love stories I have ever seen.
Beautiful Boxer (2003)
A Story Everyone Should See
"A Beautiful Boxer" tells a touching story of a girl born into the wrong body, and who, through boxing, would eventually be able to become one through surgery. It's a story about overcoming one's fate.
Nong Toom was interested in dancing, putting on girl's makeup, and wearing woman's clothes from a very early age. His mother comments at the very beginning of the story that it was "just a fad", but it soon becomes clear that this isn't a phase; it's just the story of boy who should have been born a girl.
The writing and filming is solid and so is the pacing with the exception of a few moments. But what makes this film rise above its technical merits is its heart. The acting is superb. At some points, you forget that you're just watching a movie because it's clear that the actors, especially Nong Toom's Asanee Suwan, are really becoming their characters. Thanks to this, we get a plethora of heartfelt moments and really get a feel for a subject area that is relatively untouched, transsexuals. Sometimes transsexuals get a bad rep, but the fact is that these are real people who have to overcome the exceptional struggle of coming to term with their own gender identity while the people around you despise you, bully you, and at times make your life a living hell because they don't really understand.
Overall, Nong Toom is an exceptional movie with a psychological edge that is harshly realistic. I recommend it to everyone, because I believe it's a story that everyone should be familiar with. Transgenderism isn't as rare as people think.
Gazon maudit (1995)
Better than Expected
"French Twist" is a film that is full of surprises from the very beginning to the very end. A comedy made in France in 1995 gives us a plot that asks any man what he would do if his wife fell in love with a lesbian. The premise is hilarious and so is this movie. As a comedy it works very well. The characters, and their plights, are funny because the actors in this film give surprisingly good performances. Victoria Abril, who plays Loli the housewife, does a great job in giving such life to her character while bringing enough emotion to make such a ridiculous affair believable. The rest of the cast does a great job as well, especially Alain Chabat, who plays the husband. He's a scum, but at some point in the movie, Alain is able to turn his character around and make the audience feel his plight.
Kudos should also be given to both the director and writer. Only a talented writer could forge a script that flies by quite smoothly regardless of its ridiculous premise and only a talented director could translate such a script onto the screen with few hiccups. On that note, I must say that I appreciate the pace of this movie the most. It lingers in the areas it should just long enough for the characters to develop before moving to the next plot twist. And boy, are there a bunch of those! Really, the pacing is what makes this movie such a joy to watch.
Overall, "French Twist" is a very solid movie, and a really good comedy. If you have any interest in movies that stretch past sexual orientation or are just looking for some quality laughs, I highly recommend this.
Just Like a Woman (1992)
More Insightful than I Thought
"Just Like a Woman", released in 1992, is a film about a very successful 30 year old guy, played by, Adrian Pasdar, who is climbing up the food chain of the bank he works for. Oh, and he's a transvestite. After his wife unexpectedly returns home to find a bunch of female clothes (that aren't hers) all around his room she throws him out of the house, because, of course, what else could he be doing besides sleeping around? The story begins when he rents an apartment from a woman in her 50s, played by Barbara Walters. One thing leads to another and they start to see each other as something more. The story is really about their relationship and how they come to cope with the fact (if it's even possible) that he likes to wear woman's clothes.
While this movie does have its moments, delivering a few chuckles here and there and some solid performances, I think the most interesting thing about it is how it delves into the area of transvestism, looking upon it in a realistic way. For some, transvestites are something that most people only hear about or only happen to see when walking downtown. But "Just Like a Woman" gives one of many possible insights into how a straight male actually thinks about it and thinks about his obsession. In one part he says something along the lines of "I'm not gay; it's just that I like wearing woman's clothing." And for this reason, I recommend this movie to anyone who's interesting in finding out a little bit more about a realistic interpretation of a transvestite and their own psychological struggles, with a laugh or two.