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Reviews
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
See this movie!!
Movies like this truly warm the cynical soul -- the acting is great, the lead actress a gem, and four people I know, in addition to myself, said they laughed so hard they risked making a scene.
Otherr reviewers can tell you the general story far better than I can, but briefly: A family that is coming apart at the seams goes on a road trip to California so their daughter -- an sort of ungainly, bespectacled ducking who could possibly, someday, in some way, be a swan -- can take part in one of those grotesque, glittery child beauty pageants. But Little Miss Sunshine is about so much more -- family, finding a connection with the people we're bound to, perseverance, being true to ourselves and the people we love. I'll stop before I get too cheesy. This movie is 100% worth the time and money.
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006)
creepy, psychological fun/thought-provoking
I have enjoyed all of the episodes I have seen with perhaps the exception of Crouch End, which lost me after about ten minutes. End of The Whole Mess was brilliant -- the direction and the writing were so, so good. Battleground has exquisite acting and I especially liked Road Virus Heads North --I found it mesmerizing, contemplative, and unsettling. It resonated with me far longer than the others I think because it is most like a real nightmare -- the really vivid kind that stays with you. The antagonist is unknown, not immediately indentifiable and unrelenting. I found it subtle and intelligent in its understanding of what is truly scary.
Sideways (2004)
I laughed, I cried, really!
A fantastic movie with wonderful performances all around. Paul Giamatti is probably one of the best actors around these days -- a compelling and deeply moving screen presence. The story, a journey of friendship and redemption, is well-crafted, and perfect for an adult, thinking audience.
The night we went, the only two seats left were right up close to the screen, on the side, so we had to sit staring upwards and sideways. The seats were so bad, we considered leaving and seeing the next screening. So glad we stayed - - about five minutes in neck pain was gone. Worth the price of admission, popcorn, and parking, ten times over.
'Salem's Lot (2004)
Intelligent, great characters
Not being too familiar with Stephen King's work and being a child of Buffy and other vampire camp, I have to say I was really blown away by this adaptation. It is intelligent, lyrical, and boasts wonderfully complex characters.
In fact, the characters and their relationships to each other and the town is so firmly developed that the vampire/supernatural/evil elements play perfectly as the allegory I imagine they were intended to be. Beautiful cinematography, nice direction, a rich script, and some delicious acting (especially Donald Sutherland and Andre Braugher). Check it out if you are looking for horror with some real substance.