mforce Reviews

Deja Vu (2006)

Tremendously enjoyable

[7/10 · 8 August 2008]

I had never heard of this movie, but it appeared on cable and when I saw the cast, I figured "how bad could it be?". I thought it was terrific. Nothing of great dramatic or historical significance, of course, but who cares? Denzel is his usual infinitely watchable self, Val Kilmer is quirky with yet another interesting dialect and Adam Goldberg is fantastic. All three are smooth, assured and entertaining. A lot of posters and reviewers talked about how "unbelievable" the science fiction aspect of the plot was, but that never bothers me. Once I figure out what I'm supposed to suspend my disbelief about, I just do so and enjoy what the filmmakers are doing. I actually found this particular sci-fi plot quite intriguing and really liked having to try to follow its twists and turns through the action.

As has been said before, this is definitely a Sci Fi/ Film Noir/Action/Romance. How many of those have you come across? Highly recommended. Big fun and smart besides.

The Whole Wide World (1996)

I was astonished by the brilliance and beauty of this film.

[10/10 · 28 October 2001]

Before coming across this film on TV, quite by accident, I had never heard anything about it. I knew who Robert E. Howard was, because my husband grew up with his Conan stories, but I knew nothing at all about his life. I feel very fortunate to have thus stumbled onto this remarkable little gem without any prior expectations, the pleasure of discovery adding even more to what would have been, in any event, a delightful experience.

Vincent D'Onofrio is an amazingly gifted actor, completely different in every role but always intelligent, fascinating and compelling. This film is no exception and may be his best work to date. His performance is brilliant, filled with subtlety and nuance, fire and ice, joy and pain, madness, profundity and beauty. It is utterly mesmerizing. The depth and complexity of his portrayal is astonishing, from the flick of an eyebrow to the quiver in his voice to the awkward stride as he walks down a dusty street. He creates a character so unforgettable and so unique that it is difficult to believe he was a real person.

Renee Zellweger is a perfect balance to D'Onofrio. Her talent is well known, but I liked her better in this film than in anything else I've seen. Again, her characterization was complex, full of intelligence, sensitivity and intensity. The interplay of these two talented actors is a thing of beauty and a joy to watch. The script is literate and intelligent, the direction is perfect and the cinematography is stunning. For reasons I'm not sure I can explain, I found it reminiscent of "Shadowlands," another film of rare intelligence and exquisite beauty.

"The Whole Wide World" is altogether a wonderful and unusual film. I plan to own it and expect to watch it many more times in the future. I think a rating of 10 out of 10 is obligatory.