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little_lover666
Reviews
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
It's a Wonderful Movie
Sweet. So very very sweet. The quality and style of James Stewarts performance in this movie cannot be underrated. His quick wit and dry delivery are perfectly coupled with Capra's directing style and the result is a magnificent piece of artistry that has withstood time and critics alike.
The scene where Mr Gower smacks a young George round the head and makes his ear bleed, for me, provides the most insight into his true character. Trapped in his little head, George faces yet another taste of the constant battle between right doing and wrong doing. A way of thinking that embedded itself into his character and ends up being his greatest strength, and paradoxically, his greatest resentment.
But he wears it well.
I was given a copy of this film as a gift from a dear friend 9 years ago. Sadly this friend is no longer in my life. But I remember unwrapping my Christmas present at the time and thinking "why'd you give me this? Musta been on sale at Woolworths".
Today i know. My friend was George Bailey.
Great Performances: Jesus Christ Superstar (2000)
Not for me Glenn Carter
I adore this musical in general. Having taken part in an amateur school production some twenty odd years ago (eeek!) I have a special place in my heart for the passion of the music and the awesome talent of its creators.
However, Glenn Carter left me cold. Unfortunate that a tremendously 'generous' role can be so robbed of its potential by the wrong casting selection. Jerome Pradon tickled me as Judas Iscariot. In the opening scene i'd wondered if the guy could actually hold a note to save his life, but as the play moved on, i became quite fond of his squeaky wails... and thought his acting ability to be actually quite admirable.
The costume and set design in this (modified for film) version did it for me, truly bringing the meaning of the historical recreation to light in modern times. Though i did chuckle somewhat at the decision to put JC in ancient loin clothes for the crucifixion after purposefully choosing a grungy style for all characters up til that point.
Renee Castle was a little non-committal as Mary Magdalene ("I don't know how to love him" is a gorgeous piece of acoustic artistry and although not anyone with a mediocre voice could pull it off the way she did... for me, Castle lacked the passion and pain necessary to really do it justice), and i would've soooo enjoyed King Harrods fabulous cabaret scene more if Rick Mayall sang some of his lines rather than scratched his way through a rocky verbalisation of what is otherwise usually a 'rockin' in the isles' delight to experience.
Fred Owens as Caiphas 'almost' had it on a couple of occasions, but croaked a little too much to rate as really impressive. But Michael Schaeffer as Annas was superb. As for Tony Vincent in his role of Simon...? Ohhhh. Cute!!! Really.
Still. JCSuperstar is and always will be the best Rock Opera ever made. Timeless and difficult to perform -without- making an impact regardless of how bad it's casted.
Love this musical.
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
From a Mothers perspective
It didn't change my life. I watched this film 'hoping' to feel something, and i did. From a Mum's perspective, i cried a little and held my son while he slept. But then i do that often. I love my child and work daily on letting him go to be the person it was intended for him to be... As did Mary. But the movie was just another representation of a story i've heard related before. No more no less. It didn't disturb my outlook on life, nor affect my spirituality. This particular event in history 'just was' because it 'needed to be'. And so be it. And so this movie was (re-)created to remind us of this, and I hope it bought peace and freedom to those who felt it had to be made.... again.
From a personal perspective, it's a thought provoking message and i personally care little how many times and in what format it's conveyed... It's one that'll never go away. If it makes one more person realize that the 30 pieces of silver can -never- be returned, then fine. A worthwhile venture in realisation of consequence. But the most important reminder that i get from the story is that JC is me and I am him...with one notable difference. He accepted it. But i can work on it. As a statement on my own expanding belief system, this comment is well and good. As a comment on the movie and it's 'worth', my statement falls silently, and causes not even the merest ripple against the ocean of opinions that will be cast over this piece of artistic representation for some time yet. It is what you want it to be.