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michelef1
michelef1's stats
- Review count4
- Helpfulness votes1
- First reviewMarch 22, 2009
- Last reviewMarch 21, 2011
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
michelef1's Reviews
Overall rating
5
/
5
No Plain Jane
PostedMarch 21, 2011
michelef1
from New York, NY
OK, so I'm a 60+ year-old guy and I never read the book and I wasn't looking forward to this "chick flick." Much to my surprise I really enjoyed it. The first 30 minutes or so, setting up her tale of woe, is very Dickensian and I kept thinking "It's been done better." But when the adult Jane came into her own independent self, I was mesmerized by a luminescent Mia Wasikowska. Photographed in full Pre-Raphaelite mode, the mood was tense and romantic. The director wisely skipped the "terrible fire" scene featured in earlier film versions. Dame Judy Dench gives an excellent, subtle supporting performance. Yes, women near me were in tears-I wasn't crying, but I did have a smile on my face from seeing a very good movie.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Cairo Time Any Time
PostedAugust 15, 2010
michelef1
from New York, NY
I had the great fortune of seeing this movie followed by a Q&A session with writer/director Ruba Nadda and lead actress Patricia Clarkson, but I'd fallen in love with the movie even before they came up on stage. This is contemporary romance told in the style of the great romances of the late thirties. There is dynamic tension in the setting ( a noisy, hectic Cairo), the politics (Muslim, Christian, east and west), and in the relationships. Clarkson is radiant, and delivers a subtle, bravura performance. The director allows the camera to linger on her, and Clarkson's face acts with the slightest of movements, a hint of a smile, an ever-so-slightly raised eyebrow, a quiet sigh. Alexander Siddig is seductive (not seducing), a gentleman, not a macho man acting like one. By the time the husband enters the frame, you feel as though he is the interloper breaking up a relationship. I'm glad I saw this before seeing "eat love pray" because I suspect this writer/director/actress combo got it right in a small film, while Hollywood will get it wrong with a big name/big budget/big promotion summer event movie. Go see "Cairo Time" any time.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Too bad they don't show shorts before features!
PostedFebruary 22, 2010
michelef1
from New York, NY
If these come to a theatre near you, definitely check them out. Two humorous and three serious, with a full range of geography and social issues covered. Who knew the Swedes could make a comedy? Too bad they don't show shorts before features in the theaters these days (instead of those annoying commercials!). Most of these shorts will never be seen, which is a shame.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
All 'round cute movie not for the faint of heart
PostedMarch 22, 2009
michelef1
from New York, NY
I could watch Amy Adams all day. Her face is so expressive that you believe she is feeling everything the words/plot/action suggest. The sibling relationship between her and Emily Blunt is completely believable. This is a cute but not cutsie movie, with a warm heart although the subject is somewhat dark. Alan Arkin reprises his character from that other Sunshine movie (for which he stole the Oscar from more deserving performances). I was surprisingly pleased by the movie and recommend it.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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