alabamagetaway Reviews

Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000)

Pretty good as an acting recital

[4/10 · 21 June 2005]

"Hanging in thin air" says it about as well as I can.

There weren't enough points of connection between the stories to keep that part of it interesting. Each story trailed off to an ambiguous and inconclusive segue in to the next. Some of these were tied together later, though.

I've heard the same things said about the work of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

However, the cast did a fine job with a dubious script.

My favorites: Glenn Close, Kathy Baker, Holly Hunter, Amy Brenneman, Danny Woodburn. Oh well, Cameron Diaz, too.

Matt Craven was wonderfully smarmy, although it wasn't quite believable that any woman, even a blind one, couldn't spot that at 100 paces away.

p.s. Paul is right, it's not strictly a chick flick. It speaks to men as well, to the extent that it finds its voice.

Molly (1999)

Sweet and Funny, but Derivative

[5/10 · 17 June 2005]

A lightweight film, but engaging. I think that the actors did their jobs well, given the flimsiness of the script. I don't regret the time that I spent watching it.

It is, however, a knockoff - virtually a remake. I see that I'm far from the only one who recognized "Charly" / "Flowers for Algernon" in this. I wonder how they got away with it, presuming that it was presented as original work.

Those who complain about credibility ought to know that the original story by Daniel Keyes was presented and published as science fiction. And of course, in 1959, far less was known about the mentally challenged. The biggest credibility problem I had was the depiction of Venice with clean streets, nobody passed out on the sidewalk, and windows without bars. Then again, it's a MOVIE.

Either an editor or the script girl (excuse me, continuity director) was a little careless here and there, but to be more specific would make this a spoiler.

I found it amusing that the more sophisticated (and sexually aware) that Molly became, the more prominently her breasts were shown.

The Stepford Wives (2004)

Lighten up, people

[30 April 2005]

Many of you seem to be missing the point. It's not a remake. It's a send-up, a parody of the original. It's a COMIC STRIP, OK?

We may disagree about how funny it is, but that's beside the point. I didn't think it was hilarious, but it was funny enough that I enjoyed myself. And, the cast were obviously enjoying themselves! Actually, it's as much a parody of our times as it is of the original movie.

There were enough plot twists and surprises to keep it interesting. Layer upon layer of uncertainty about who's what and what everybody's real motives were kept my attention.

And, yes, this version made the women as unlikeable as the men. To me, that's the film's best quality. Nobody is spared from the skewer!