demimonde_nc Reviews

Le divorce (2003)

NOT a comedy, yet not very dramatic. An odd movie.

[6/10 · 28 August 2003]

My husband and I saw this movie last night. Both of us for some reason were

expecting a comedy -- and it wasn't until about halfway through the movie that I was able to completely give up on it turning into one. There were perhaps three moments at which the audience laughed (one of which I found quite sad and not funny at all!)

First I will say that I thought the acting was very good and the casting, except Matthew Modine in a strange role, was well done. However, I can't recommend

the movie overall because I didn't find it compelling and almost completely

devoid of real emotion.

The plot involves two sisters, one visiting the other in Paris, and while most of the action focuses on one sister and her romantic adventures, the other sister is kind of left in the background, even though her story might have provided more emotional depth to the story. Weighty events occur but are treated pretty lightly - - I don't want to give anything specific away, but let me say that if these kinds of things happened to *my* family, there would be a lot more uproar and reaction!

I gave the movie a 6, only for effort, and for casting and acting ability. I guess the overall disappointment we felt stemmed from the movie not seeming to be a

comedy, nor a tragedy, nor a romance, nor a drama, nor an adventure movie. It contained elements of all of these, but they didn't hang together well at all. If you like watching Kate Hudson smiling adorably, you might enjoy the movie, since

she does this frequently. If you want a movie that successfully blends emotion, drama, and levity, may I recommend "Lovely and Amazing" instead?

Swordfish (2001)

A waste of time AND money

[2/10 · 24 January 2002]

I think my title says it all. I found this movie to be a predictable

excuse to blow up expensive scenery. A car chase? Buildings

blowing up? Yet another nutty mastermind with a mindless army of

terrorists at his disposal? This movie did not need to be made; it

offers nothing new. My husband and I could tell after ten minutes it

was a waste of a rental, but we stuck it out anyway, and it never got

any better. If you are looking for something truly gritty, try Arlington

Road or Fight Club instead. And if you just want to see things blow

up, Terminator 2 did it much better, and with more cleverness.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

Utterly disappointed by plot/characters

[1/10 · 20 June 2001]

Yes, Angelina Jolie is a really beautiful woman with a nice figure.

However, that seemed to be the ONLY reason to see this movie.

They really padded her chest, which I guess was understandable

considering Lara Croft's impossible figure, but the padding was

so obvious it was distracting!

The plot was horribly contrived, even for a movie based on a

videogame. This movie tried to be on the level of Indiana Jones

and the Mummy/Mummy 2 and failed miserably. My husband

turned to me 30 minutes into it and apologized for suggesting we

see it. We did not leave but the movie was in general so

predictable, we could have and would have been no worse off. The

acting jobs were OK, but with such a throwaway plot, who cares?

There's nothing new in this movie, nothing you haven't seen

before. You definitely get more out of playing the game than

watching the movie.

Twice Upon a Yesterday (1998)

Clever and romantic, a bit of a twister

[8/10 · 20 June 2001]

This is far from the brainiest movie I've ever seen. But I admire

romantic movies with unpredictable outcomes, and this one falls

in that category. If you are looking for the dark psychology of Fight

Club or the all-out strangeness of Being John Malkovich, look

elsewhere. If you are a movie snob or are into gritty realism, you

will HATE this movie. IF, however, you did like Sliding Doors,

Mystery Date, Notting Hill, or (I hate to say it) Chances Are, you

should come away from this movie totally satisfied. I enjoyed it

enough to watch it last night when I came across it on some HBO

channel, though I had seen it already a year ago, and I guess that

says something.

Xanadu (1980)

Cheesy but a guilty pleasure!

[7/10 · 11 May 2001]

If you "dig" 70s/early 80s nostalgia, this is one of the BEST movies

to watch. Roller skates, Bee Gees hair, ELO soundtrack, and Olivia

Newton-John. The plot is sketchy but the movie has some

highlights -- particularly the 1940s big band flashbacks and the

1940s vs. 1980s scene. Don't expect anything deep or plausible --

it's just good clean fun.

Mystery Date (1991)

A wacky movie that many people overlook

[2 May 2001]

Saw this movie in college, thought it was hilarious, and somehow not very many people I've asked have seen it. Did you like the paper boy in Better Off Dead? (also riotously funny) Then you will like the flower boy in Mystery Date. It's true, if you are into reality and seriousness you will NOT like this movie. But if you like a bit of ridiculous fun, and watching someone dig deeper into trouble, (*for example, if you liked Meet the Parents) you would like this! NOTE: The girl in it was the girlfriend in Meet The Parents last year. It's weird that she made MD 10 years earlier. She doesn't look THAT much older to me.

Will & Grace (1998–2020)

All the right elements converge

[20 October 2000]

There's not a weak character in the show. Grace's optimistic but insecure character is the perfect foil for Karen's gleefully sharp cynicism. Will's "straight acting" regular guy is a good match for Jack's purposeful flamboyance. Will and Grace are the couple who aren't a couple, friends who can never be more, and Jack and Karen are the perfect partners in crime, fueled by Karen's husband's money and a total disregard for the feelings of others. Karen is my favorite character. A classic line from her: "Oh, I know what guilt is. It's one of those words people toss around that means absolutely nothing... (pouring a drink) like (mocking voice) maternal, or addiction." SEE IT!

Plump Fiction (1997)

Overall a funny parody, one hysterically funny scene

[7/10 · 20 September 2000]

My sister and I watched this movie, having seen and enjoyed all the films it parodies. We thought as a parody it was pretty funny. The last scene set in the diner quite literally had me doubled over laughing -- I had to watch it again to see if I missed anything. The Juliette Lewis character was the best. She was dead on. (I hate Juliette Lewis, by the way, so I really enjoyed seeing her ridiculed

Clockwatchers (1997)

I liked this offbeat film

[29 June 2000]

Not as daffy as Office Space, less artsy and bizarre than Being John Malkovich, but bears similarities to both. (I liked all

three.) The beginning is slow, and like the heroine you feel like you're holding your breath. But stick with it... if you can hang on for ten quiet minutes, Parker Posey's character splashes into the calm of the heroine's life and makes things interesting for her and for us. Did you see Welcome to the Dollhouse? This is like Welcome to the Office