damiella Reviews

Playing Mona Lisa (2000)

funny, sweet, charming

[8/10 · 7 January 2003]

While it's tempting to dismiss this as just another chick flick with just another up-and-coming young adult actress, PLAYING MONA LISA is different in a lot of ways. For one thing, the writing is terrific. Characters are well-developed, their relationships are complex and engaging, and just about everyone in the film oozes charm (especially Alicia Witt, who is just terrific). For another thing, the film does not follow the traditional romantic comedy formula and still comes to a satisfying conclusion.

And this movie is also DAMN funny. One scene in particular, which involves drug use, is so hilarious. I laughed so hard my dog was giving me funny looks.

PLAYING MONA LISA is enjoyable from the first second to the last. Just go rent it already!

Life as a House (2001)

Life as a film that wishes it was American Beauty

[10 May 2002]

Overall, I enjoyed this movie, so I will try not to be *too* harsh. There was some good acting and some very good writing going on.

However.

There were elements that felt terribly contrived, the main one being the charaters' transitions. There seems to be a theme of "I'm a bad person, now I'm a good person" going on here. People do not change so extremely so quickly. American Beauty is more "I'm a mixed-up person" all the way through. Which is why it works better than Life as a House: it is more realistic. Some other similarities between the two films: angst in affluent suburbia, troubled marriages, revenge at the office, unusual neighbors, unruly teenagers, and a male voice-over at the end to tie the whole thing together. Both films even have a "look closer"-ish tagline and Scott Bakula in a minor role. Even the music is similar. Spooky.

Nevertheless, Life as a House just does not weave all these dramas together as well as its blueprint, 'Beauty', did.

The other thing about this film that is a bit annoying is how it seems to really squeeze the tears out of you. It's pushy about its tear-jerker quality.

Having said all that, it's still worth a rental. It's a well cast film with a decent script, which is saying a lot compared to a lot of the rubbish released these days.

Out of 10? 6 1/2, maybe 7. Okay, 7.

Wings of Desire (1987)

perfection

[10/10 · 25 June 2000]

I can never be a film-maker because of Wings of Desire. It is such a stunning work, I know I could never match it, much less exceed it. I have never seen a film that spans such great heights (pardon the pun) of the spiritual, the social, emotional, political and existential. It's the most gorgeous love story I have ever encountered and its anguish and exilaration is unparallel. But enough of the Critic-Speak. This movie shows the loneliness and wonder of being alive and if you remain unmoved by it, you must have no soul.