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Reviews
Arranged (2007)
A fairy tale for the politically correct of all ages and creeds
It's hard to say why this movie is not as bad as it sounds. The story of two teachers , a young Muslim woman and an Orthodox Jewish girl, who become allies against the stereotypes they encounter and who end up best friends, sounds like a Hallmark tale--all sugar and spice and everything nice. And the idea of arranged marriages working out well for both sides is also somewhat of a cliché. However, this movie somehow manages to be heartfelt and it contains some nice moments. The two young actresses are very convincing in their respective roles and the atmosphere in the Jewish family is captured quite accurately...maybe because the writer/director knows that milieu well.
It's refreshing to see such a positive depiction of a traditional Muslim family in the climate of so much anti- Muslim propaganda. But they seem too good to be true. And the ending suggests that it is women who really "rule" the world by manipulating their "weak" husbands, a very annoying stance to say the least, and one which does not fit the film as a whole.
This is a nice little film which would have done better had it avoided some of the very stereotypes it sets out to dispel.
Tempting Fate (1998)
A science fiction movie with a twist
This little known made for TV movie is a small gem. In the guise of yet another version of an episode in the cult TV show "Sliders", what we get instead is a philosophical and psychological meditation on the idea of free will and about the choices we make in life.
As the characters find themselves in a parallel universe-- L.A without crime and traffic jams-- they soon discover that this paradise is really a totalitarian hell. The twist here is that this hell is the product of psychatry and its wish to make people "even".This "evening out" leads the loss of individual freedom and diversity.
The movie does not boast a star cast or elaborate effects. Its appeal lies in its humane view of the human predicament. The only thing I found disturbing is that the two "different" characters end up in a community of "freaks" in the parallel world.
All in all, a "small" movie with an interesting message and some moving moments.
The Beguiled (1971)
The Beguiled: Gothic cinema at its best
This movie is not what it appears to be. Clint Eastwood is not Dirty Harry or a "cowboy" here. The movie's appeal comes from its careful manipulation of atmosphere and theme. It's a Gothic tale set in the Civil War and as such all the film's "action", or lack thereof, takes place inside a house populated by Southern Belles of all ages and shapes.
The horror comes from viewing the whole story through the eyes of the Clint Eastwood character. Seeing him stranded in the house and held captive by the women is a very "beguiling" experience indeed. And who is "beguiled" here exactly? Are the women beguiled by Eastwood's incredible looks? Are we, the viewers, beguiled by both his sexual allure and the potential deviant sexualities it unleashes? Or does "beguiled" refer to what the director does here-- holds us enthralled for a short space only to (maybe)let us go? Don Siegel does all of the above in one of the most memorable and disturbing films I had the pleasure of watching.
Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
An original adaptation of a classic
This adaptation of the novel proves to be both original and entertaining. Without losing any of the uniquely Dickensian spirit of the novel, this film version manages to create a new take on a Dickens classic. By having Vincent Crummles,a relatively minor character in the original, take center stage and become the narrator/presenter of the opening and closing scenes of the film, the director offers his own slant on Dickens's love of theatre and theatricallity. To that end, the choice to cast Dame Edna as Crummles's wife is a brilliant one.
The other casting choices are also excellent. I found Jamie Bell's performance as Smike moving and accurate. What a far cry from "Billy Eliot", although his performance in that awful movie was the film's only saving grace.
This is a lesson in how to adapt a classic novel. Brilliant, fun and moving. I highly recommend it and not only to die hard Dickens fans.
D.E.B.S. (2004)
Funny and smart: a parody with a twist
I saw D.E.B.S in a "Sci-Fi Film Festival". But this is definitely NOT a sci-fi movie. Rather, it is a brilliant parody of both James Bond movies , Charlie's Angels, and high- school flicks. It is fast- paced, amusing and very funny. But even more so,the film is subversive on many levels: It questions accepted gender roles and sexual behaviors, high- school popularity contests and "scores" of all kinds.The S.A.T score for one is presented here in a new light. What exactly is being measured becomes one of the main messages of the movie.
The cast is brilliant and the interaction between the characters is very convincing despite the highly parodic nature of the scenes. Unlike other parodies which poke fun at the American scene without really hitting the mark(like American Dreamz),D.E.B.S is both an extremely funny and light - hearted movie as well as offering a biting critique of American society.