Rrose S Reviews

American Beauty (1999)

"This film's ****

[1/10 · 22 November 1999]

Bad cinema indeed. This movie was a torture to sit through, and I did find myself putting my coat over my head more than once as one of those ridiculous voiceovers started.. It's noting but pointless cynicism and 'satire' aimed at nothing in particular, because there aren't any real people in the film. What a disaster, and I'm irritated to see that Mendes has managed to fool so many into thinking he's taking risks by directing a bunch of walking cliches through a plot full of gaping holes. Go see "Being John Malkovich" if you're looking for a film to make you think; this one doesn't presume its viewers are capable. Perhaps Mendes is right about that; I see this piece of nonsense is ranked #2 on the 'best-of' list.

Three Amigos! (1986)

Fred Asparagus, where are you now?

[10/10 · 22 November 1999]

This movie is just pure mad genius. And it's so quotable. Never trust a film critic who doesn't find 'Three Amigos!' a laugh riot; it's one of the few good things that came out of the mid-80s.

Try not to get into too much troubles, okay?

Speaking Parts (1989)

Thoughtful, challenging, and not without humor..

[12 October 1999]

Terrific. I hadn't seen any Egoyan films before, and I'd read some criticism that led me to expect it to be an incredibly depressing experience - but it wasn't; not at all. I really enjoyed his insistence on reminding you that you're watching a film & interest in how cameras affect human interaction..

Plus, for me there was a lot of humor in it! I don't think you should be worrying about whether it's appropriate to laugh at some scenes - I could hardly keep a straight face every time the goth boy/aspiring actor/hotel staffer was onscreen. Smart, witty, highly recommended.

Naked (1993)

Bratty and not half as smart as it wants to be.

[17 September 1999]

Some smart person called this film "a pretentious load of stagey, contrived codswallop," and I'm quoting that because I couldn't have thought of a better way to put it. A maddening, annoying movie with completely unsympathetic characters - whoever thinks one's got to feel sympathy for Johnny must only be able to watch movies by identifying - as I couldn't stand his incessant chattering, worse than Vincent Gallo in "Buffalo 66." Furthermore, what's this nonsense about calling him philosophical? There's no continuous argument he's carrying on throughout the film, no cohesiveness to his banter; it's nothing more than baiting people and p***ing them off. That's pretty much what the whole film did, for me, and it pointed out (if nothing else) that p***ing off other characters, or the audience (throwing in some sick moments of violence against women for added edginess, or whatever), is cheap, dull, and unchallenging.

In Dreams (1999)

If you don't expect it to fit a genre, it's a much better film.

[17 August 1999]

I liked this movie, quite a lot. Reading scads of critical pieces and user comments, I get the feeling so many viewers really *wanted* it to be a "Silence of the Lambs" sort of film that they didn't stop to look beyond those standards. I read a critique of it in "Film Comment" magazine, perhaps the June or July issue, which (rightly, I think) lamented the sloppy reviews and lack of audience response for this beautiful picture. I thought it was much more about Claire's "madness" (and I do mean "madness" with quotes) and how it's treated/dealt with/misunderstood by the male characters.. For one, the scene in the asylum where she tears the covering from the walls recalled, to me, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper"; I don't know if this was intentional, but thinking about that story made my viewing of the film a lot different. How does Vivian fit into the mess? I'm not yet sure; would need another viewing. I'd watch it again and recommend it, at any rate.

Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)

our hero? not quite.

[2 January 1999]

Can I just say that this movie made me feel like the worst cynic ever made? I felt so sorry for pauvre Mlle. Roxane, who gets duped and jerked around through the whole film (while M. Cyrano is romanticized), that I didn't have much sympathy left for our hero. Let me see, Cyrano worships her & yet thinks it's perfectly ok (no, gallant) to trick her into marrying Christian? Of course she must only care about appearances; how could she be an object of worship if she had a brain? (I can hear the replies now: 'Lighten up!' Sure, sure. I told somebody I laughed at the end of this movie & yes, that crossed the line into absurdity..)