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Reviews
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
Much less than it's billed to be
Having read the professional reviews, I think I should feel somewhat incomplete or inadequate having come away from this movie feeling nothing more than disturbed and confused. Fortunately, I know I'm neither entirely unintelligent nor insensitive. This movie simply had none of the signs of greatness that the critics ascribed to it. It's exploration of a world of quirky characters, inoffensive sexual deviants and marginalized youth was nothing more than almost insightful, almost artistic and almost funny. Unfortunately (contrary to Roger Ebert's opinion), it was also offensive enough to be disturbing at just the moments you thought you might actually slip into the movie. These are the exploits not of a father who's afraid of losing his kids and an artist who reaches into the human soul, but of a series of emotionally empty adults, self-absorbed, unengaged parents and sadly lost children. The combination leaves you exiting the theater unamused, depressed...and angry that you invested even the $6 for a matinée ticket.
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)
So much talent...so little movie. A true non-starter
I've read many of the positive comments here but for the life of me the only word that hit me as I left the theater was, "Ishtar." For those of you who don't know or don't remember, Ishtar was a Warren Beatty film - also including a desert - that is on everyone's top 3 all-time worst movies. Maybe "Men Who Stare at Goats," (Great Title!! 1 Star for that) isn't "Ishtar" but only because it's shorter.
This is a non-movie. No premise for the movie, no rationale for the purposeless trip the main characters take, nothing that draws you into it. There were some funny routines but, honestly, I sat motionless through them still wondering what kept me sitting in my seat other than I brought two other people with me. But the funny bits (which, by the way, were not nearly as funny as, say, Steve Martin's routines in "Roxanne) were surrounded by lots and lots of really dead space, weak dialog and routines that start but never fully materialze.
Clooney seems to be trying to recreate "O Brother Where Art Thou" but there are no believable characters to anchor the film (and NO music!). And his comrade on his journey, a loser reporter played listlessly by Ewan McGregor, is neither funny enough, nor pathetic enough to carry the part. His range falls short of slapstick comedy by a lot.
Then there's the "social" message. The Iraq War, torture, arrogant Blackwater types sprinkled in as if to make this a funny movie that's really an angry movie. But it's not; and it's not enough; and the irony, the dichotomy is not handled well. Not succinct like "Catch-22" and not heart wrenching like "Life is Beautiful."
No, this movie just bounces around but it doesn't bounce high enough or often enough and it certainly didn't take me along for the ride.
The House of Eliott (1991)
Thoroughly enjoyable but let's not get carried away
The House of Eliott is a wonderful little vignette that is perfect for a small chunk of time every week. The acting is wonderful - sweet, actually - the story worth following, and, yes, the costumes are fabulous. But let's recognize it for what it is: "pastime" television. That is, a real good, real wholesome way to pass some time. Comments about the fabulous story, the wonderful script are way over the top. The story picks up and drops off problems with little or no transition; all conflict is resolved with a hug in under 2 mins flat - except of course for the major design disagreement, which is resolved over supper at the club! And the comment that you get any insight at all into how bad it was for the poor was clearly made by someone who has absolutely no clue how bad it was for the poor in England post-WWI. Very good that they included this component, so it wasn't all frivolous but still too clean, to tidy (plot-wise ) to get much credit there.
But I gave it a 9!! I think a show that carries good messages, touches on real problems, lets you sit down and enjoy watching week after week, and develop a relationship with the characters so that you look forward to seeing them again is damn good. Doesn't have to be more than that. "As Time Goes By" was among the best of this genre. This one, a little less so but still fully worth the time.