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The Notebook [2004]

starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
directed by: Nick Cassavetes

February 07, 2005
In an adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' novel, Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson) stars as Noah, a young man who falls in love with rich girl Allie, and the two embark on life together.

Described by critics as one of the most romantic films in years, Nick Cassavetes romantic drama justifies the plaudits with a wonderful directed film about love and relationships, with heart-warming moments along with dramatic and humorous encounters.

The story of the young couple is very sweet, if somewhat corny. Though with imperfections and complications along the way, the plot drives itself away from the norm, to deliver a sweet and realistic approach to relationships.

The direction helps achieve a good realistic approach but also ... Read More:

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Woody Allen Collection Vol. 3 - The Purple Rose Of Cairo/Hannah And Her Sisters/Radio Days/September/Another Woman

starring: Woody Allen, Tony Roberts, Denholm Elliott, Dianne Wiest, Jack Warden
directed by: Woody Allen

January 22, 2007
In an adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' novel, Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson) stars as Noah, a young man who falls in love with rich girl Allie, and the two embark on life together.

Described by critics as one of the most romantic films in years, Nick Cassavetes romantic drama justifies the plaudits with a wonderful directed film about love and relationships, with heart-warming moments along with dramatic and humorous encounters.

The story of the young couple is very sweet, if somewhat corny. Though with imperfections and complications along the way, the plot drives itself away from the norm, to deliver a sweet and realistic approach to relationships.

The direction helps achieve a good realistic approach but also ... Read More:

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Paris, Je T'Aime [2007]

starring: Steve Buscemi, Natalie Portman, Gerard Depardieu, Bob Hoskins, Nick Nolte
directed by: Gus Van Sant, Isabel Coixet, Wes Craven, Christopher Doyle, Vincenzo Natali

February 04, 2008
I am not usually a fan of short films, but Paris Je T'aime is a surprisingly good collection of *very* short (about five minutes each!) films about life in Paris. There are eighteen films in all, and, predictably enough, some are better than others. Yet the overall quality was very good, and a few were outstanding. Most of them have something to do with romance or love, but other than that the collection is diverse. There is comedy, tragedy and even horror. Most of these films manage to actually tell complete stories in a mere five minutes.

I especially enjoyed Steve Buscemi (in a non-speaking role) as a pathetic tourist who makes the mistake of staring at an arguing couple in a Metro station. Also very good was a tale of vampire love. This ... Read More:

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Hope Floats [1998]

starring: Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick Jr., Gena Rowlands, Mae Whitman, Michael Paré
directed by: Forest Whitaker

April 19, 2004
I rarely bother to write reviews about films I don't like, preferring to celebrate those that I do. However I make an exception for this film because I think people should be warned.

Dull, cheesy, nauseous tripe. Unlikeable characters (even Sandra Bullock), no humour and zero chemistry between the leads. I have to stress that this is not a romcom, it is a tragic tale of ghastly people, the heroine is a doormat and the hero a stalker.

You would have to pay me a considerable amount of money even to watch it again, never mind give the dvd house room.

If you are of an extremely (stress extremely) sentimental disposition, you might enjoy some of it. But if you have an iota of cynicism, or like your romance light, or if you've ... Read More:

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Taking Lives (Director's Cut) [2004]

starring: Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke, Kiefer Sutherland, Gena Rowlands, Olivier Martinez
directed by: D.J. Caruso

September 27, 2004
It's a film of no great merit and is distinctly run of the mill generic genre stuff. It has a strong start, and plods along well enough until it's illogical ending.

The film has one good shock in it that fans of Kevin Bacon in the first Friday the 13th might find familiar.

Keifer Sutherland (third credited) appears in about three scenes totalling about three minutes of screen time.

The movie has already started to evaporate from my memory as I write this the day after watching it. I did enjoy it as I wasn't expecting much and it's better than the terrible Bone Collector which also starred Angelina Jolie. It seems to be based on a generic airport-fiction crime book so you can expect that level of quality from this film.

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Something To Talk About [1996]

starring: Julia Roberts, Dennis Quaid, Robert Duvall, Gena Rowlands, Kyra Sedgwick
directed by: Lasse Hallström

January 08, 2001
This is another classic from Julia Roberts. Dennis Quaid, Robert Duval and the rest of the cast did not disappoint. What do you do when you find out your husband is cheating on you? I am sure we all have different answers to this question but Grace played by Julia Roberts decided to take action that was of such comedic proportion that will leave you laughing so hard. If you have ever been betrayed in any way you will sympathise with her and understand why she had to act the way she did. Of course Robert Duvall playing the father of Grace did not share this understanding as coming from the old school he believed a woman's place is in her husband's house no matter what he does to her. This movie although very funny and comedic, deals with a lot of serious issues in relationships: ... Read More:

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The Skeleton Key [2005]

starring: Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sarsgaard, Joy Bryant, John Hurt
directed by: Iain Softley

October 06, 2008
This is an intelligent and unusual supernatural thriller. Set in pre-Katrina New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta (there is an excellent use of its locations), it stars Kate Hudson as a caregiver who is given the job of nursing the invalid husband (John Hurt, who as a recent stroke victim, doesn't speak a word in the whole film) of Gena Rowlands, who live in an creepy old house in a plantation. Soon it becomes clear that the Hurt character knows something terrible that he is unable to say. This is only the beginning of a very creepy, unsettling thriller. There is a very intelligent final twist, that holds up on second viewing (many viewers, I suspect, will not get the twist on first viewing). I don't remember seeing such twist in a movie before, but in its supernatural implications ... Read More:

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Two Minute Warning [1976]

starring: Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes, Martin Balsam, Beau Bridges, David Janssen
directed by: Larry Peerce

September 01, 2008
This is an intelligent and unusual supernatural thriller. Set in pre-Katrina New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta (there is an excellent use of its locations), it stars Kate Hudson as a caregiver who is given the job of nursing the invalid husband (John Hurt, who as a recent stroke victim, doesn't speak a word in the whole film) of Gena Rowlands, who live in an creepy old house in a plantation. Soon it becomes clear that the Hurt character knows something terrible that he is unable to say. This is only the beginning of a very creepy, unsettling thriller. There is a very intelligent final twist, that holds up on second viewing (many viewers, I suspect, will not get the twist on first viewing). I don't remember seeing such twist in a movie before, but in its supernatural implications ... Read More:

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Playing By Heart [1999]

starring: Angelina Jolie, Dennis Quaid, April Grace, Patricia Clarkson, Gena Rowlands
directed by: Willard Carroll

June 15, 2006
I wondered what made such a superb ensemble appear together in a single movie. Sean Connery, Gena Rowlands, Madeleine Stowe, Dennis Quaid, Angelina Jolie... the list goes on and on, and I'm counting several Oscar winners and nominees. What made them all come together; money? Hardly. After watching the movie, I came to the conclusion that all these guys must have agreed to do this because the script is excellent. Good actors like to play interesting roles in good movies; it must be that simple.

To be honest, I only watched this because I saw Connery's name on the board. I was amazed. I really HATE "chick flicks", and there's a lot of talk about love and life and that sort of thing here... it's a movie made for girls, no less. So what made me like it?

1. The acting is ... Read More:

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Paulie [1998]

starring: Gena Rowlands, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Bruce Davison, Trini Alvarado
directed by: John Roberts

July 04, 2005
Lovely DVD! One for the whole family to enjoy. I'm happy enough for my kids to watch the latest blockbuster action movie with its inevitable violence, but it's great to find gems like this that they can also enjoy - films which are just, well, nice!