GaelicLass Reviews

Nora (2000)

Not Action Packed, Little Nudity But Great Love Story

[8/10 · 12 November 2012]

If you need a fast moving, action packed movie or one with the sexploits of nymphomaniacs running around, then this movie is not for you so please don't watch it just to rate this low or write terrible things about it; you have been forewarned.

This story is mainly about Nora and James Joyce's first 7-10 years together and the love that absorbed them, but it focuses mainly on Nora and her feelings and how it affects their relationship and his works.

A bit of knowledge of the writer's life will help you understand the background that is hinted at in the movie without a lot of detail. I stopped watching it 20 min into it to read up on what I didn't know about Joyce and then started from the beginning again and was thoroughly pleased with the movie as a whole.

Ewan McGregor is always good, especially when playing an emotional man. Susan Lynch does a good job and does it effortlessly as if she is really Nora, which usually works well when not using a popular actress whose identity overpowers the character.

There are a couple of steamy love scenes, but nothing that could compare to what's shown these days. It will be seen as slow by many but once you get into the story it picks up.

Overall, am emotional ride with James and Nora Joyce.

Ira & Abby (2006)

A Future Neil or Woody, Maybe?

[7/10 · 15 November 2011]

While looking for something with Jon Hamm in it, I stumbled upon his girlfriend, Jennifer Westfeldt's movie, Ira and Abby, and was so glad I did. While Mr. Hamm only has one line in it, the rest of the film kept me very interested in it.

Ms Westfieldt has written a wonderful comedy reminiscent of those of the last decade going back to the 20's, but even more of the sitcoms and movies of the 60's-90's. Writers like Neil Simon and Woody Allen kept us laughing at their comedies with the same wit and fast, sharp tongued dialog that Ms Westfieldt exhibits here in her film. Ever see Mad About You on TV? It's very similar in style to Ira and Abby, right down to it's Jewishness.

Ira is the epitome of the neurotic Jewish young man who can't seem to find happiness anywhere until he meets the quirky Abby and her happy, loving family who are old laid back hippies, much like the format of the TV show Darma and Greg. We just don't get great comedies like these anymore, in movies or TV. His parents are wealthy neurotic psychoanalysts in NYC, of course.

The beginning was slow for me, probably because I didn't like Chris Messina as Ira very much. Another actor would have been better in that role I believe, but no one springs to mind now and they cannot pay the big salaries that Woody Allen productions can. I hung in there hoping to see Jon Hamm and ended up hooked on it (being the lover of great wit that I am) and relished every last word and witty scene.

I loved the acting of the older, more experienced entourage with some greats like Robert Klein and Fred Willard, and the wonderful Frances Conroy. Judith Light did a great job with her part, as well as all the supporting cast of mostly seasoned veteran character actors. Jennifer really shone as the quirky girl reminiscent of Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow from Woody's movies. Jill Clayburg is another who comes to mind. They all managed the fast pace of the dialog under the masterful direction of David Clary who kept things moving at a quick pace and pulled good performances from everyone, but mainly Jennifer who was one of the least experienced actors in it.

I will have to rent Jennifer's other movies to see if they are as enjoyable this one; I have only seen snippets of Kissing Jessica Stein, but based on those I think I will prefer this movie more.

I think Jennifer has a great career in writing once she finds her own style. She has done a great job here and I look forward to the films in her future. Woody won't be around forever and we will need a replacement. I recommend this film to anyone who loves Woody Allen movies, especially the older ones.

The Kennedys (2011)

The Real Tale of Camelot

[10/10 · 26 June 2011]

I finished watching all 8 episodes which I feel is a must to properly review a production. Trying to do it after only one episode is not fair to it.

That being said, I found this series very interesting and highly enjoyable, yet sad. I grew up in the 50's and well remember everything about the Kennedys, the myths and the truths. It is impossible to cram everything about this large family into just 8 hours, but this did a pretty good job with the main points. I don't feel they played that loose with the historical facts because it is impossible to know everything about what happened in the inner sanctum of that great family.

I do know that Greg Kinnear did a remarkable job as John, to the point where I believed he was truly John and had to remind myself he wasn't at times. Katie Holmes did a very good job with Jackie considering she was a private woman who was rarely seen outside of her official role, so not a lot of info for Katie to help her in her role. All we have is hearsay. The other stars with outstanding performances were Barry Pepper and Tom Wilkinson, with a very big nod to Diana Hardcastle as Rose Kennedy. I have seen Barry before and he is a fine actor and deserves an award for this role as do Greg, Tom and Diana.

This movie was not about conspiracy theories and trying to figure out who assassinated JFK. It hinted at several possibilities and left it at that. What it is about is a family that pulled together in difficult times and took care of each other, which can be a rare thing in these days. It showed their progressive values and the contributions they made to bettering this country and it was so sad that was cut short. I will never forget either of the days those men were assassinated. Watching it all over again was very difficult for me.

My only disappointment was that the only other family member shown briefly was the daughter with the disability. Ted Kennedy was never shown and should have been since it was called The Kennedys and he went on to do great things, but I suppose time restricted that and he was young in the time period this was set.

This movie did it's job of entertaining people and if you don't look at it as "well, history says this or that" then you will enjoy it. It is not meant to retell history but to try to put personality's into public figures and show the difficulties faced by a large political family, the good and the bad. The direction and writing were superb, as well as the cinematography and I liked the way they went back in time to fill in some blanks; made it more interesting to me. I would recommend this to anyone who is not nit picky or highly critical. It is not a documentary, but a mini series about a family, that's all. I found little to criticize about the history element since they skimmed over important events that I lived through and they were pretty accurate. Books can have their own spin on things to sell them, so may not really be accurate either.

I give this an 8/10. This was more like a theatrical production than a TV one.

The View (1997– )

The View Still on Top of The Morning Talk Show Circuit

[10/10 · 16 March 2011]

I cannot understand the low rating this show has here on IMDb. I can only assume it is the mostly young, male population that is rating it. I happen to be a mature person who thinks this show is better than it has been since Meredith left. Most of the negative comments seem to be during or shortly before Rosie O'Donnell come on and the best thing they did was to get rid of her. I adore the addition of Whoopie and Sherri Richards as co hosts. They add some humor to the show while still tackling news of the day. It is NOT a news show, those are on before it, so they do an excellent job at mixing some news with entertainment and can be funny as hell when doing it.

I am pleased to see Barbara doing more shows now, but I am afraid of the toll it may take on her health since her heart surgery. She needs to rest more.

I am not a fan of Elizabeth Hasselbeck due to her vehement way of forcing her views on everyone. I wrote to Barbara that she is a bad example for everyone by over speaking and interrupting people while they try to give their opinions. She makes no sense sometimes, but she is the young element added to the show and can be fun at times.

I like when they do long hot topic segments, rather than cooking or some fluff required by their sponsors. They get very high profile guests, including the President, and it makes the show very worthwhile.

This show is in it's 14Th season which goes to show that IMDb voters have no influence at all on what people watch. It is merely a reflection of the cynical, nit picky youth of today who should either be at school or out working. This show is aimed at an older audience who happens to be retired or done raising their families, or the stay at home mom raising kids. I am so glad the naysayers who wrote negative reviews are not the ones who keep this show going.

Take a little time each day to enjoy "The View"!

War and Peace (2007)

A Dubbed Down Version of a Classic!

[6/10 · 19 February 2011]

I have to say that I watched this movie because of my love for Russian history and for Tolstoy. I was entertained yet, disappointed as well.

This series is based on the classic epic novel by Tolstoy and is a massive undertaking for any film company and this is a pretty good adaption. It tells the love story of several young aristocrats set against Napoleon's invasion of Russia in approximately 1812. There are a few war scenes, not many, but enough to know what is going on. While filmed in St Petersburg we don't get to see much of it due to it's limited budget I imagine. The focus is on the main protagonists and their relationships.

My main problem was with the casting of some of the leads. This was truly a multi European cast of actors coming from all over Europe, including Italy, Germany, Russia, Poland, with some Brits thrown in as well.

First of all, Clemence Poesy as Natasha wasn't believable to me. A young lady from an aristocratic family raised in the French style would carry herself much differently. Here she seems childish, bratty, and not especially beautiful, which she isn't in the book, but still she must show something that would attract as much passion as we are suppose to believe she does here. She certainly doesn't come close to the elegance and beauty of a young Audrey Hepburn in the 50's version.

The characters of Andrej and Pierre (Alessio Boni and Alexander Beyer) seem very unemotional and stiff, especially Boni who doesn't seem at all passionate. This may be due to the fact that while they spoke English in it-you could tell from reading their lips-their voices were dubbed by British people more than likely due to their heavy Italian and German accents, Bonni being Italian and Beyer German. I have seen Boni before and he is a fine actor when allowed to speak for himself.

The rest of the cast is good, with some fine older character actors included; Malcolm McDowell and Brenda Blethyn are marvelous. All of the actors are well known in their respective countries and some have made American or British movies before so they are recognizable to me. I loved the Russian general, Kutuzov, played so well by Dmitri Isayev, a fine character actor.

The screen play seems written with the thought that the film will be dubbed and subtitles shown in many countries (I watched the Spanish subtitled version). The sentences are kept short to allow time for the viewers to read the captions; I find this very annoying. Not all the actors are dubbed; some actor's voices were used, accents and all.

I love the story of War and Peace, so I watched the entire thing anyway and suggest you do the same if it is a favorite of yours. So far, I haven't seen a version I really love so I will have to make do with what we have so far. I prefer this version to the badly cast American version of the 1950's. Only Hepburn did a fairly good job in that film, possibly because she was born into a European aristrocaratic family and knew how a young woman would act. It did have a better screen play, in my opinion.

To dub or notto dub? I prefer subtitles, added after the fact. Amricans, in general, do not like dubbing which is probably the reason it was never released here in the States, but many European countries use it a lot, although I hear that is changing.

A Fish in the Bathtub (1998)

Sweet Little Movie about Older Love

[7/10 · 2 February 2011]

This movie will not appeal to young people who think their grandparents are dinosaurs and their lives don't matter a bit. But, for all those beyond puberty you will enjoy this sweet, sensitive movie about getting old and being married. It moves at a slower pace than a younger audience can handle. The music is from the 40's and sets the tone of the piece as a bevy of excellent older character actors go through the emotions of a long time couple looking back at their lives and wondering if they are happily married after all these years.

I think this movie should be required watching for anyone getting married. The children from the family also look at their own lives as they watch what their parents are going through and wonder, should they also be re considering their own situation.

I watched this to see some real old pros at work again together and I was not disappointed. I haven't seen Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara (Ben Stiller's parents for those that don't remember them) together in many years. Add in the wonderful Doris Roberts and the then young upcoming actor Mark Ruffalo and you have a nice round cast. If you decide to watch it without high expectations you will have a nice surprise.

Outpost (2008)

Twilight Zone Revisited

[8/10 · 1 January 2011]

I have read the reviews here about how Outpost compared to other movies or video games, but being of a different generation I found this was reminiscent of the old Twilight Zone episodes. Not a lot of information is given, much left to the imagination, but eery and creepy nonetheless.

A mysterious man hires a team of mercenaries headed by DC (Ray Stevenson) to find a an old WWII bunker in the forest giving very little information about why he wants it found. These men accept the job because of the money involved. It turns out this bunker was an old Nazi bunker abandoned after the war, but not entirely as the team finds out experiencing some strange goings on there. I don't want to spoil it for you by giving too much away, except to say that during the war some strange things were being done there by the Nazi's on their own men. Enough said!

This movie doesn't have the budget to have the CGI or FX that most do, so they rely heavily on mood and acting, which worked for me. I felt the actors did a great job with what they were given...especially Ray Stevenson, as DC, who has been a favorite of mine for many years and the main reason I watched it. The supporting cast was just as good as Ray working together to form an ensemble piece.

I liked the bleak desolate feel to the scenery; considering the subject matter, it added to the tone of the movie. The musical score, by James Brett, was also appropriately haunting. The only negative thing I have to say is that the first half hour was a bit slow for me and that time would have been better served developing the character's backgrounds. Again leaving much to the imagination, this information does come out eventually making you realize these men are more than mere mercenaries allowing the viewers to develop feelings for this hardened group. For viewers expecting a story to move at record speed the beginning might be annoying, but hang in there, it picks up.

As I had no expectations at all of this movie due to it's horror genre basis thinking it would be the typical blood and gore of many of this type, I was more than pleasantly surprised with how it turned out. If you are or were a Twilight Zone fan, you will like this movie quite a bit.

Considering it's budget and the dedication of the production team, I believe it is worth 8 out of 10 stars for producing this unexpected likable film. I have read a sequel may be coming out soon; I hope so.

Framed (2009 TV Movie)

Charming Gem of a Movie

[8/10 · 1 January 2011]

This BBC production, shown in the US on Masterpiece Contemporary, stars Trevor Eve (Waking the Dead, among many other fine productions) as Quentin Lester, a senior curator from the National Gallery in London, is given the task of storing the art masterpieces somewhere during repairs on the leaky plumbing at the Gallery which threatened to damage them.

The artworks are taken to a mining cave in Wales where they had been previously stored during WWII for safe keeping until they could be returned one by one to the Gallery. There Lester meets a community of colorful characters along with a young boy whom he believes shares his interest in art. Their teacher, played so charmingly by Eva Myles, introduces herself into his life and eventually Lester becomes an integral part of the community during his stay there.

The movie is full of mishaps and adventures, many of which involve a family who are experiencing some financial difficulties. The children in the family rally around their mother trying to find a way to help the family out during their father's absence resulting in some of the most memorable scenes.

The scenery alone is an artwork unto itself with beautiful vistas frame the village and it's town folk. It is heartwarming how everyone comes alive with the arrival of the art and a lonely, solitary man finds his true self along with them.

The acting here is superb with standout performances by Eve, Myles and especially the young children. Don't miss the elderly sisters played by Margaret John and Gwyneth Petty; they are adorable.

This little movie is fantastical and lovable, reminiscent of movies like "Waking Ned Devine" or "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain". Enjoy this gem for the treat it is.

The Tourist (I) (2010)

No "To Catch a Thief" Here!!

[4/10 · 17 December 2010]

I have never rated any movie below a 5 on this site, but there is always a first time. I never thought it would be a movie starring one of the greatest actors of our time, and one of the most beautiful actresses around. It also starred some of my other favorites like Paul Bettany, Rufus Sewell, and Timothy Dalton. Sadly, we don't see enough of Sewell and Dalton.

We decided to see this movie even though the critics gave it very poor reviews, trusting instead the 81% favorable user ratings on another site. I never thought in my wildest dreams that a movie with the credentials of this one might be bad....but, it was. Boring, in fact. Those 81% must be Angelina fans happy to be seeing her in anything or Depp lovers, even.

By now you probably know the storyline about a beautiful, mysterious woman, (Jolie), who becomes involved with some mysterious goings on starting in Paris and moving on to Venice. She meets a man (Depp) on a train (an old plot ploy) and takes him to her hotel in Venice where she kisses him and then promptly leaves him to sleep on the couch. Then the real action starts..a gangster is after a man he think is some one who stole from him, instead finding a mild mannered math teacher, simply a tourist. The scenery in Venice is gorgeous and helps make up for some plot holes. The story is so muddled that the scenery doesn't help enough.

Hmmmm....at this point I thought, OK, between the scenery of Venice and Jolie's beautiful dress in the opening scenes, this movie is trying to revive the international caper with gorgeous clothes, romance, and witty dialog genre that "To Catch a Thief" did so well in the 1950's, or even "Charade". If that is what it was trying to be, it missed it's mark! Depp can't hold a candle to Cary Grant's performances (in both movies) and Jolie is no Grace Kelly, even though she tries very hard to be the next ice queen...and never to Audrey Hepburn, a one of a kind actress who will never be matched, in style or wit.

Nothing about this film worked well. The cinematography was just OK, the writing was terrible, and the direction was missing. In one scene what was supposed to be a long, slow romantic approach to each other was interrupted by a song that was far from romantic. In another, Depp's attempts at humor fall flat. The few times Jolie spoke, I wasn't sure what kind of accent she was trying to do, only figuring out through other sources what nationality she was supposed to be.

Think what you will of Angelina, but I don't see her as a serious actress. She is just beautiful, and extremely frail looking in this role, not sexy at all. I love Depp but he has rarely gone for the romantic leading man role. He should stick to what he does so well, the quirky, character driven roles.

I read somewhere that this was supposed to be a comedy. Maybe in Neverland! What was the Foreign Press thinking when they were giving nominations to this movie in the field of musical and/or comedy? And, for what...? They missed their mark, too!