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Reviews
Igby Goes Down (2002)
A Poor Hommage to The Catcher in the Rye
While I liked the cast in this film, I cannot say that Jeff Goldblum did anything spectacular. Ryan Philippe plays the same character in all of his films, and by far, the acting highlight was Kieran Culkin, who did what he could with what he was given.
But as far as plot and screenplay goes, I couldn't tell if Burr Steers was actually just a big fan of J.D. Salinger's or if because of restrictions, he was trying to update Catcher in the Rye with a cast of pointless "phonies" who enact a lot of random life dramas without the seriousness and feeling of Catcher. The similarities between the film and book are unavoidable, so Steers will have to deal being scrutinized by Catcher fans. Readers understood and empathised with Holden Caulfield. Viewers will only stare in dumb awe and try to make connections that aren't there as Igby's pointless drama unfolds.
If you want to see why Hollywood should never make Catcher in the Rye into a film, go see Igby Goes Down.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)
Juliette Binoche is such a doll!
Saul Zaentz is my hero. I really enjoyed this film, even though Day-Lewis's "Transylvanian Count" accent grated on my nerves at times. Lena Olin is at her finest and Juliette Binoche proves once again that she can completely transform herself. She is not her character from Blue, (although she swims in that film as well), and she is not Hana from the English Patient. She is merely Thereza, a simple Czech girl. This movie is also worth seeing, for the effects used in the failed revolution scenes. I believe that Tomas and Thereza were added to actual archival footage of the uprising. It's a nice movie about the intricacies of relationships and how men and women relate to each other with a tumultuous Communist backdrop. Tomas could remain true to himself and not sign the retraction, but he never could stay true to his wife. "How heavy life is for me."
Pretty Baby (1978)
Pretty Baby is a glimpse into the decadence of New Orleans' history
How sad this movie was, for all of the characters involved. I thought Brooke Shields was excellent as a pre-pubescent nymphette, as Nabakov would say. And I think her acting verged on the almost absurd because she was caught somewhere between childhood and adulthood. Poor Violet, caught tragically between two worlds. But this film and its nudity, were far from disturbing. Louis Malle made the whole piece a sort of decadent, decaying artwork, which is exactly what New Orleans is. You can almost smell and touch the oak trees and plants that are overtaking Bellocq's house. I think that the key to this film is that one must watch it objectively instead of subjectively. The movie is a reflection of the Storyville era of New Orleans. If Malle had covered Shields, it would have been like Michelangelo being forced to cover his Sybils in the chapel; Something beautiful and poignant would have been lost. Watch this movie for a glimpse into the past of New Orleans, but don't forget to read the back of the box before you rent. It IS about prostitution.