The intricacies of emotions that erupt while yearning for love and understanding can be a roller coaster ride. "A Marriage" was another recent film that pursued deeper examination of relationships within the confines of the human condition. This film left me wrung out in that very satisfying way that "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff" did, and in the way that only exceptional writing, directing and acting can.
Criticized for being overwrought, I believe that overstatement is sometimes a device that vaults the ordinary to the exceptional. Zendaya and Washington carry their weight with admirable prowess.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Chilling
30 October 2004
I am 57 years old. I've seen many films in my lifetime. I am not easily frightened or upset by movies. I am partial to drama and documentaries. I can count on one hand the films that I have found to be so deeply disturbing, that I later regretted seeing them.This film is among them. It is possible to "see too much" in this life, and once seen, some sights remain trapped in your head FOREVER short of getting a lobotomy, or being
hypnotized. Leaving the theater that day, I honestly felt as though I had actually witnessed several murders. I was really shaken by the horrific realism of this cinematic event. I was sorry that I had seen the film, but it was too late to retract the terror that, even today, still remains in my memory. Some things are so
emotionally damaging, that perhaps they should be left alone. This film was so powerfully unsettling for me, that I feel a need to warn others of the emotional impact. This speaks well of the directors skill at scaring movie-goers, but
approach with caution please. This is a very heavy movie. The Honeymoon
Killers is another film that I regret seeing. Would that I could forget that
nightmare!
hypnotized. Leaving the theater that day, I honestly felt as though I had actually witnessed several murders. I was really shaken by the horrific realism of this cinematic event. I was sorry that I had seen the film, but it was too late to retract the terror that, even today, still remains in my memory. Some things are so
emotionally damaging, that perhaps they should be left alone. This film was so powerfully unsettling for me, that I feel a need to warn others of the emotional impact. This speaks well of the directors skill at scaring movie-goers, but
approach with caution please. This is a very heavy movie. The Honeymoon
Killers is another film that I regret seeing. Would that I could forget that
nightmare!
Desert Bloom
(1986)
Heartbreaking Triumph
14 December 2003
A powerful and heartbreaking portrayal of what it is like to walk on egg shells in a household inhabited by an alcoholic husband and father.
The story deftly renders the awkward and secretive moral climate around alcohol, sex, and infidelity in post- WWII America. Unflinching in his lack of sensitivity, John Voight nonetheless succeeds in winning a kind of sad sympathy for his post-combat nightmares and his tortured reality. Jo Beth Williams, Annabeth Gish, and Ellen Barkin give outstandingly moving performances that could only be described as remarkable. John Garfield gives a subtle and important performance in a wonderful supporting roll.
This film was one of those sleepers that came out of left field, and knocked me down! It is a noteworthy American film, tragic, touching, and ultimately triumphant. It is truly unforgettable.
The story deftly renders the awkward and secretive moral climate around alcohol, sex, and infidelity in post- WWII America. Unflinching in his lack of sensitivity, John Voight nonetheless succeeds in winning a kind of sad sympathy for his post-combat nightmares and his tortured reality. Jo Beth Williams, Annabeth Gish, and Ellen Barkin give outstandingly moving performances that could only be described as remarkable. John Garfield gives a subtle and important performance in a wonderful supporting roll.
This film was one of those sleepers that came out of left field, and knocked me down! It is a noteworthy American film, tragic, touching, and ultimately triumphant. It is truly unforgettable.
Powerful reflection of unique responses people have to life.
4 February 2002
This film has real staying power. I saw it when it was released, and I've never forgotten the story, nor the powerful performances given by the cast. I thought it was a very "heavy" film, but there were also several moments of hilarity. To be fair, I believe that "the human condition" should be rendered in all of its complicated forms, both sunny and tragic, and this film really "imitates life".
Both heartbreaking and heroic, only a handful of other films have succeeded in touching me in the profound way that this cinematic experience did. "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter", What's Eating Gilbert Grape", and "Inside Moves" all come to mind as vividly and personally as this film did. I was also very impressed with the fact that Paul Neuman, directing his own wife and daughter, could achieve such stunning performances, without familial emotions muddling the final product. I've been waiting for years to catch this movie on late night TV, since it does not seem to have been released for resale!
Both heartbreaking and heroic, only a handful of other films have succeeded in touching me in the profound way that this cinematic experience did. "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter", What's Eating Gilbert Grape", and "Inside Moves" all come to mind as vividly and personally as this film did. I was also very impressed with the fact that Paul Neuman, directing his own wife and daughter, could achieve such stunning performances, without familial emotions muddling the final product. I've been waiting for years to catch this movie on late night TV, since it does not seem to have been released for resale!
Miranda
(1948)
Delightful Magic!!!
4 February 2002
I remember seeing this film as a very young boy, and I've never forgotten the mesmerizing magical effect that it had on me. I also saw "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid", but I think "Miranda" was the better of the two films. Although a black and white production, the "special effects" used for the mermaid's tail are still eerily alive in my mind all these years later. Glynis Johns was really funny as the aquatic sea babe. I fully appreciated the more recent Ron Howard film "Splash", in it's own way. I am not at all sure if "Miranda" inspired this modern story, but it's not important, since both stand on their own humorous cinematic merits. I've been wishing, and praying, and hoping to find "Miranda" in the video classic section of my local film rental establishments for years to no avail. I'm not sure if it is available, but it would be a real kick to see it after all these years!
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