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Men, Women & Children (2014)
Torturous
No spoiler here:
I won't waste anybody's time repeating anything already stated herein, so will just "cut to the chase."
The acting and directing were generally great throughout, but the screenplay is mediocre and the dialog downright *horrendous*. This film is usually touted as being a dramady (with its so-called "comedy" being towards the black end of the spectrum), but that is merely the studio and the film's financial backers hoping to at least recoup their investment - a wish that is highly unlikely to become reality given that the finished product actually plays as a strangely failed experiment and delivers to the audience little more than a deadly combination of pretentiousness and genuinely horrific *boredom*. If this maddeningly plodding movie moved through its paces any more slowly than it already does it would wind up being projected in theaters in *reverse*. I'm being serious here.
Honestly I'm a BIG fan of Reitman and pretty much all of the principal cast members, I really, really and truly am. But other critics are right about this one - spare your own life; you have much better things to do with it than to force yourself to sit through this life-draining mess.
Living 'til the End (2005)
WONDERFUL little adult fable that lingers on long afterwards...
I'll spare you repetition of what others have already said about this lovely little film.
Yes, there is one particularly mishandled camera shot. Yes, it's an independent film made on a relatively low budget. Yes, it's theme of love and hope persevering through the difficulties of illness and other obstacles has been portrayed in countless made-for-TV films that we've all seen a million times on the Hallmark Channel (and/or Lifetime, Oxygen, etc.). But THIS one is different - VERY different.
Jaime Ray Newman's looks are as beautiful as is her acting ability, and in this film she's simply a sheer joy to watch. Although Sean Maher is equally good looking and has great acting skill, he may slightly over-act in his portrayal of lead character Jack Whilton - he occasionally reminds me of Jim Carey when he does - for all practical purposes the ENTIRE cast is exceptionally good, often brilliant. With the exception of that one mishandled shot, the scenes are all very engaging and shot in a way that helps capture and sustain your attention from beginning to end. The music is perfectly suited to the content. And although the ending has an ironic twist, when it comes upon you you will find yourself thinking that you won't be able to say that the film maker didn't warn you (and I'll just leave it at that, so as to not provide you with a "spoiler" ;-)
Even the PACE of this little movie is VERY good - a RARITY these days, even in BIG-budget films... which is indicative of good directing and producing. Which leads me to writer/director/co-producer Amanda Goodwin:
I always LOVE to see people rise up from the ranks of unknown actors in low-budget B (or even C) movies into the roles of screenwriter, director or producer. It tells me they LOVE movies and the craft of making them. This love is ESSENTIAL to truly fine, emotion- producing films that have a meaningful PURPOSE to their existence. ANYONE can make a technically proficient feature film. But VERY FEW people can make one that allows you to truly suspend your disbelief, believe in and actually CARE FOR if not love the characters and really FEEL for them and the situations that they find themselves in. This movie makes you feel like you want it to last LONGER, because you genuinely want to see MORE of the characters and their relationships with each other. Amanda Goodwin is the person who has accomplished all of this. If you take the time to watch this film and review her past work you will see what I mean.
Living 'Til the End is a fine piece of dramatic film making that creatively and engagingly portrays the extent to which our neurotically-driven "modern mental illnesses" so often get in the way of our finding and hanging on to true love, sometimes to tragic endings. It will linger in your mind long after you have seen it, and it's the kind of movie that you'll want to see more than once in order to explore the characters more deeply - their portrayals are THAT good. If you're looking for a really unique, sweet yet thoughtful and insightful drama about life, death, love and ADULT angst, I HIGHLY recommend THIS one.
The Polar Express (2004)
Still the BEST 3D movie ever made
This movie was SO good in the IMAX 3D format - far better than the standard 2D version - that it will cause you to think that it must have been made first in IMAX 3D and THEN converted to the "standard" format (not so)!
I have seen this movie in both formats; it is the IMAX 3D version that gets so many accolades and is the version that so many people love SO much. The unique animation style is indeed very interesting to watch, but it is the IMAX 3D conversion that enables the viewer to truly relate to the characters and EXPERIENCE the movie rather than just passively "watch" it. The 2D version comes off as typical holiday "fluff," while the IMAX 3D version is a genuine "tear- jerker" that will amaze both kids and adults, no matter what your age or religious affiliation may be.
If it ever comes around again in the IMAX 3D format and you haven't yet seen it be SURE to go, whether you've already seen the 2D version or not. You won't regret it - nor the somewhat increased ticket price that you may have to pay - and you will leave the theater understanding how it revolutionized the theatrical movie presentation industry by demonstrating exactly HOW good 3D - especially IMAX 3D - can now be. And you will NEVER forget it.