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Reviews
Zoya (1995)
Not usually a fan of Danielle Steele, but...
I admit that I usually despise Danielle Steele miniseries, but this is one that I feel amazingly tolerant towards.
Believable? No. Historically accurate? Not even close. Still, it's a fairly innocuous way to pass an afternoon should you chance upon in on Lifetime (where it used to appear with some frequency).
I will happily admit that I started watching it because Bruce Boxleitner was my first television crush (this was way back in his Scarecrow and Mrs. King days), but once I got into the story, I realized that it was like an entire soap opera compressed into four hours. If you are wanting to watch something and admire the acting and the riveting dialogue, look elsewhere. If you want a few hours of mindless but still entertaining popcorn fun, this might be for you.
PS--It's interesting to note that the daughter in the movie is played by a very pre-Alias Jennifer Garner.
Scarlett (1994)
What the heck!?!?
I think the main problem here was that no one was willing to forgive this thing for not being GWTW. I am a huge GWTW fan. HUGE. I read the book on which this mini-series was supposedly based. I didn't like it, but I didn't hate it either. Then came this THING. The original cast of GWTW made their roles their own, so it was hard to accept these new people, even though I really like them in other stuff. Then, to make matters worse the plot veered wildly from that of the book (which did only a fair job of sticking with the "real" character's true nature). By the end it was a bizarre, non-GWTW, non-Scarlett creation. At the time it originally aired I was extremely disappointed. Then I watched all eight hours again the other day and I decided that it really wasn't that bad IF you don't think about it having anything to do with the original. Think of it as a costume piece where the characters just happen to share the names of some people in a really famous movie. In short it was rather well done for a mini-series. The acting was above par and the story was, well, I'll say passable. Although is was extremely annoying as the GWTW sequel, taken out of context, it's not that bad.
Gone with the Wind (1939)
I LOVE THIS MOVIE
Yes, I realize that it is a completely inaccurate picture of the "Old South" and yes, I realize that the racist undertones are offensive to many modern-day viewers. It doesn't matter. I saw this movie when I was seven and fell in love with the pretty dresses. Since then I have come to appreciate the sheer scope. Vivien Leigh gives a stunning performance--one of the best ever and it's great to just lose yourself for a while in the moonlight and magnolias myth that GWTW cemented in the minds of the American public. If I want to watch something of historical value I don't watch. I read a book, but for sheer entertainment value, nothing beats Rhett and Scarlett (even though I've seen it more than 50 times!).
Titanic (1997)
A little perspective, please
The night I saw this movie I thought, "You know, this was a pretty good movie." Then all the mass hysteria, Leonardo- worshipping scariness began. I thought that there must have been something incredible that I had missed- How could everyone else love it this much? Then I realized that for the most part, people are sheep and will like whatever they are told to like. Yes- it was an enjoyable movie. The effects were good (Not Star Wars good, but good) and I like Kate Winslet (as long as she remains fully clothed) but the story was sorely lacking. My thirteen-year old sister could have come up with that plot. In addition, it was approximately 17 hours long. I think that if we all step back and view this phenomenon reasonably, we will see this phenomenon for what it really is--a movie that was entertaining once, but nothing big in the grand scheme of moviedom (or life, for that matter).
Star Wars (1977)
The adventure of a lifetime
Star Wars is a movie that can be enjoyed by everyone--moms,dads, kids, dogs. OK, the acting's not always phenomenal and there are points when they needed to have passed out crackers to go with the cheese, but all in all, this movie is the ultimate E-ticket ride. Just the trailer for the re-release special edition gave me chills and I am living for May 21! Star Wars is fantasy, plain and simple. It doesn't try to be anything more than that unless you want it to. Just sit back and enjoy. And watch Darth Vader kick some serious tail!