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Reviews (15)

no title
I simply can't imagine why this terrific film is not available on DVD.If you like James Spader, and watch "Boston Legal", here is a chance to see him early on.This was one very, very, VERY strange film, with Spader and Mandy Patinkin, among others."Darkly funny" many critics said; and it was indeed dark, and perhaps, wryly humorous.A wonderful, stark fable about freedom . . . ?Do not see it alone, gather a bunch of friends, and be prepared for a great discussion afterwards.

Give This Movie A Chance
A grubby Spader is barely recognizable and proves why Hollywood needs a B Movie Awards Show; he really excels as this seedy soul living hand-to-mouth. And who knew Mandy has all those muscles! I found this sparsely decorated movie intriguing. With hardly any budget spent on plot, costumes, or musical score, and all of it put into the actors, I HAD to learn what became of this pair. Spader and Mandy are the music and they're random meeting is the chance. Like a piece of music that saddens you, yet holds your attention, so is this little movie. It plays out like it plays out; like life plays out for each of us.
OK.
This is an absorbing, but unforthcoming, film. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Feature Film-drama    3. Movie   

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Dolby
• NTSC

Reviews (6)

A Rich Delight!
I lush film of great intensity and subtlty.The relationships are intricate, and developed with admirable depth, particularly the character portrayed by Charles Dance, who combines passion with warmth, sensitivity and whimsy, and reveals the inner thoughts of the character to the audience with convincing candor- enough, but not TOO MUCH!A visual delight- a memorable adventure!!!

Waste of Time
Two couples come together in a romantic sort of Tuscan setting and have off-camera sex.Hijinks follow.All four characters are thin and uninteresting, so the "climax" just leaves the viewer uninterested and wishing there were something more to the film.The visuals, the countryside and buildings, are sort of catchy, but the characters and plot are hollow.Two good hours wasted.

nnice film about love and sex
I bought this movie without seeing it because it's from the creators of Angels and Insects which I enjoyed, and my gamble turned out to pay off pretty well.Not a fancy movie or a masterpiece of any kind, but a beautifully filmed and subtle film about the relationships between two couples.The scenery is really gorgeous, and I found the dialogue to be sparce but poignant and the sex to be tasteful and almost innocent.IT's almost a coming of age story about two middle aged couples who grow up the hard way.Nothing to die for, but an enjoyable and sensual film. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

Editorial Review

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Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Original recording reissued
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Reviews (46)

beautiftul, devistating, with a happy ending yet.
The DVD is as carefully put together as the novella, and the people in it look just as you hope and expect they will. A young man who has been studying the fauna of Africa--especially moths and butterflies---finds himself unexpectedlythe pennyless, but by no means useless, guest of a rich English family, and procedes to fall in love with the eligible daughter--who shares both a name and beauty with one of his surviving moths: Eugenia. Scott=Thomas, the best known of the actors in the movie, has what appears at first to be a minor role, but it doesn't stay that way.It is inmpossible to discuss some of the more important aspects of the story without giving too much away...perhaps it is enough to say: things are not what they seem (I think that's the name of one of Matty's ---Scott-Thomas's--stories). The movie should be rated R; I imagine it is...

A Study in Intellectual Cognitive Dissonance
In a ruthlessly subtle way, this movie documents the intellectual fault-line created in the Western World by the publication of Darwin's THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES in 1859 and the growing knowledge from geologic studies that the earth is unimagineably old. In literary terms, the "Humpty-Dumpty" of Authority has fallen off the wall of tradition and Harold Alabaster is appalled and terrified by the picture of a ruthlessly impersonal universe emerging from such findings, but thrilled by the advance of human knowledge that has revealed it. The comfortable Alabaster Family is totally unaware that their affluence rests upon American slavery and the exactions of the British East-Indian Company or that their behaviors have striking similarities with those of the social insects.One servant recognizes the similarity of slavery among the ants and that within the warring United States and "prays nightly for the success of Mr. Lincoln's cause." The portrayal of Mr. Adamson's and Eugenia's wedding night intimacy is a unique viewing experience. Edgar's endlessly boorish behaviors are analogous to those of the universe. This movie is a tribute to the incisive intellect of Andrea Susan Byatt, and can be experienced as a briliantly told story or an intellectual tour de force; however, the latter can be better comprehended by reading MORPHO EUGENIA (type of Amazon butterfly), the novella on which the movie was based.

Jamesean Strangeness
This is one film I truly regret seeing in it's original release on the big screen, because of it's visual beauty and extraordinary art design. This is no ordinary prissy "costume drama". The directors didn't bother to go for precise period detail; instead they infuse everything (especially the costumes)with a hyper-colorful, almost psychedelic quality. Very strange. Music by the BalanescuQuartet has a disturbing dissonance and urgency which fit the story well.The film begins with a tribal drumbeat, and we see bright blurred images which resolve into what looks like a fertilty dance; a man is pulled half-reluctantly into the dance by a native girl. He kisses her... the word "ANGELS" scrolls across the screen. The image blurrs again and we see another swirl of bright colors as the drumbeats merge into a quartet ofviolent strings, and the scene emerges as a Victorian ballroom with men in stark black-and-white dancing with women wearing ballgowns as colorful and varied as --- butterfly wings. The words across the screen read "INSECTS." Brilliant. The man seen at the native dance is a Naturalist named Adamson who was shipwrecked on his way home from the Amazon. He is taken in by a wealthy benefactor, Reverend Alabaster. Alabaster and his multiplicative wife live like liege lords in a gorgeous English countryside estate, and preside over a brood of pale, flaxen-haired children along with a large andscarily obsequious staff of servants including an icygoverness, Mattie Crompton (Kristin Scott Thomas). The oldest girl, Eugenia (Patsy Kensit), attracts the eye of our hero (Mark Rylance), but she is clearly haunted by something in her past. Meanwhile, her older brother Edmund (don't know the actor's name but he's great)takes every chance he can to intimidate Adamson, to no avail, because the Alabasters are ultimately delighted to have him marry their daughter.But something is very very wrong... and this soon becomes clear to Adamson, who loses his innocence in the Alabaster Eden. The story, based on a novella by A.S. Byatt, is a bit V.C. Andrews by way of Henry James, but it worked for me.Sexy Shakespearean actor Mark Rylance and Kristin Scott Thomas are great, and you get to see the lovely former Mrs. Liam Gallagher's naughty bits. The pretentious pseudo-Victorian confabulations of A.S. Byatt couldn't have been brought to the screen to better effect. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Feature Film-drama    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

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Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Dolby
• Digital Video Transfer
• NTSC

Reviews (46)

beautiftul, devistating, with a happy ending yet.
The DVD is as carefully put together as the novella, and the people in it look just as you hope and expect they will. A young man who has been studying the fauna of Africa--especially moths and butterflies---finds himself unexpectedlythe pennyless, but by no means useless, guest of a rich English family, and procedes to fall in love with the eligible daughter--who shares both a name and beauty with one of his surviving moths: Eugenia. Scott=Thomas, the best known of the actors in the movie, has what appears at first to be a minor role, but it doesn't stay that way.It is inmpossible to discuss some of the more important aspects of the story without giving too much away...perhaps it is enough to say: things are not what they seem (I think that's the name of one of Matty's ---Scott-Thomas's--stories). The movie should be rated R; I imagine it is...

A Study in Intellectual Cognitive Dissonance
In a ruthlessly subtle way, this movie documents the intellectual fault-line created in the Western World by the publication of Darwin's THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES in 1859 and the growing knowledge from geologic studies that the earth is unimagineably old. In literary terms, the "Humpty-Dumpty" of Authority has fallen off the wall of tradition and Harold Alabaster is appalled and terrified by the picture of a ruthlessly impersonal universe emerging from such findings, but thrilled by the advance of human knowledge that has revealed it. The comfortable Alabaster Family is totally unaware that their affluence rests upon American slavery and the exactions of the British East-Indian Company or that their behaviors have striking similarities with those of the social insects.One servant recognizes the similarity of slavery among the ants and that within the warring United States and "prays nightly for the success of Mr. Lincoln's cause." The portrayal of Mr. Adamson's and Eugenia's wedding night intimacy is a unique viewing experience. Edgar's endlessly boorish behaviors are analogous to those of the universe. This movie is a tribute to the incisive intellect of Andrea Susan Byatt, and can be experienced as a briliantly told story or an intellectual tour de force; however, the latter can be better comprehended by reading MORPHO EUGENIA (type of Amazon butterfly), the novella on which the movie was based.

Jamesean Strangeness
This is one film I truly regret seeing in it's original release on the big screen, because of it's visual beauty and extraordinary art design. This is no ordinary prissy "costume drama". The directors didn't bother to go for precise period detail; instead they infuse everything (especially the costumes)with a hyper-colorful, almost psychedelic quality. Very strange. Music by the BalanescuQuartet has a disturbing dissonance and urgency which fit the story well.The film begins with a tribal drumbeat, and we see bright blurred images which resolve into what looks like a fertilty dance; a man is pulled half-reluctantly into the dance by a native girl. He kisses her... the word "ANGELS" scrolls across the screen. The image blurrs again and we see another swirl of bright colors as the drumbeats merge into a quartet ofviolent strings, and the scene emerges as a Victorian ballroom with men in stark black-and-white dancing with women wearing ballgowns as colorful and varied as --- butterfly wings. The words across the screen read "INSECTS." Brilliant. The man seen at the native dance is a Naturalist named Adamson who was shipwrecked on his way home from the Amazon. He is taken in by a wealthy benefactor, Reverend Alabaster. Alabaster and his multiplicative wife live like liege lords in a gorgeous English countryside estate, and preside over a brood of pale, flaxen-haired children along with a large andscarily obsequious staff of servants including an icygoverness, Mattie Crompton (Kristin Scott Thomas). The oldest girl, Eugenia (Patsy Kensit), attracts the eye of our hero (Mark Rylance), but she is clearly haunted by something in her past. Meanwhile, her older brother Edmund (don't know the actor's name but he's great)takes every chance he can to intimidate Adamson, to no avail, because the Alabasters are ultimately delighted to have him marry their daughter.But something is very very wrong... and this soon becomes clear to Adamson, who loses his innocence in the Alabaster Eden. The story, based on a novella by A.S. Byatt, is a bit V.C. Andrews by way of Henry James, but it worked for me.Sexy Shakespearean actor Mark Rylance and Kristin Scott Thomas are great, and you get to see the lovely former Mrs. Liam Gallagher's naughty bits. The pretentious pseudo-Victorian confabulations of A.S. Byatt couldn't have been brought to the screen to better effect. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Movie   

Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (6)

A Rich Delight!
I lush film of great intensity and subtlty.The relationships are intricate, and developed with admirable depth, particularly the character portrayed by Charles Dance, who combines passion with warmth, sensitivity and whimsy, and reveals the inner thoughts of the character to the audience with convincing candor- enough, but not TOO MUCH!A visual delight- a memorable adventure!!!

Waste of Time
Two couples come together in a romantic sort of Tuscan setting and have off-camera sex.Hijinks follow.All four characters are thin and uninteresting, so the "climax" just leaves the viewer uninterested and wishing there were something more to the film.The visuals, the countryside and buildings, are sort of catchy, but the characters and plot are hollow.Two good hours wasted.

nnice film about love and sex
I bought this movie without seeing it because it's from the creators of Angels and Insects which I enjoyed, and my gamble turned out to pay off pretty well.Not a fancy movie or a masterpiece of any kind, but a beautifully filmed and subtle film about the relationships between two couples.The scenery is really gorgeous, and I found the dialogue to be sparce but poignant and the sex to be tasteful and almost innocent.IT's almost a coming of age story about two middle aged couples who grow up the hard way.Nothing to die for, but an enjoyable and sensual film. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Foreign Film - Spanish/Misc Sa   

Editorial Review

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Features

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (46)

beautiftul, devistating, with a happy ending yet.
The DVD is as carefully put together as the novella, and the people in it look just as you hope and expect they will. A young man who has been studying the fauna of Africa--especially moths and butterflies---finds himself unexpectedlythe pennyless, but by no means useless, guest of a rich English family, and procedes to fall in love with the eligible daughter--who shares both a name and beauty with one of his surviving moths: Eugenia. Scott=Thomas, the best known of the actors in the movie, has what appears at first to be a minor role, but it doesn't stay that way.It is inmpossible to discuss some of the more important aspects of the story without giving too much away...perhaps it is enough to say: things are not what they seem (I think that's the name of one of Matty's ---Scott-Thomas's--stories). The movie should be rated R; I imagine it is...

A Study in Intellectual Cognitive Dissonance
In a ruthlessly subtle way, this movie documents the intellectual fault-line created in the Western World by the publication of Darwin's THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES in 1859 and the growing knowledge from geologic studies that the earth is unimagineably old. In literary terms, the "Humpty-Dumpty" of Authority has fallen off the wall of tradition and Harold Alabaster is appalled and terrified by the picture of a ruthlessly impersonal universe emerging from such findings, but thrilled by the advance of human knowledge that has revealed it. The comfortable Alabaster Family is totally unaware that their affluence rests upon American slavery and the exactions of the British East-Indian Company or that their behaviors have striking similarities with those of the social insects.One servant recognizes the similarity of slavery among the ants and that within the warring United States and "prays nightly for the success of Mr. Lincoln's cause." The portrayal of Mr. Adamson's and Eugenia's wedding night intimacy is a unique viewing experience. Edgar's endlessly boorish behaviors are analogous to those of the universe. This movie is a tribute to the incisive intellect of Andrea Susan Byatt, and can be experienced as a briliantly told story or an intellectual tour de force; however, the latter can be better comprehended by reading MORPHO EUGENIA (type of Amazon butterfly), the novella on which the movie was based.

Jamesean Strangeness
This is one film I truly regret seeing in it's original release on the big screen, because of it's visual beauty and extraordinary art design. This is no ordinary prissy "costume drama". The directors didn't bother to go for precise period detail; instead they infuse everything (especially the costumes)with a hyper-colorful, almost psychedelic quality. Very strange. Music by the BalanescuQuartet has a disturbing dissonance and urgency which fit the story well.The film begins with a tribal drumbeat, and we see bright blurred images which resolve into what looks like a fertilty dance; a man is pulled half-reluctantly into the dance by a native girl. He kisses her... the word "ANGELS" scrolls across the screen. The image blurrs again and we see another swirl of bright colors as the drumbeats merge into a quartet ofviolent strings, and the scene emerges as a Victorian ballroom with men in stark black-and-white dancing with women wearing ballgowns as colorful and varied as --- butterfly wings. The words across the screen read "INSECTS." Brilliant. The man seen at the native dance is a Naturalist named Adamson who was shipwrecked on his way home from the Amazon. He is taken in by a wealthy benefactor, Reverend Alabaster. Alabaster and his multiplicative wife live like liege lords in a gorgeous English countryside estate, and preside over a brood of pale, flaxen-haired children along with a large andscarily obsequious staff of servants including an icygoverness, Mattie Crompton (Kristin Scott Thomas). The oldest girl, Eugenia (Patsy Kensit), attracts the eye of our hero (Mark Rylance), but she is clearly haunted by something in her past. Meanwhile, her older brother Edmund (don't know the actor's name but he's great)takes every chance he can to intimidate Adamson, to no avail, because the Alabasters are ultimately delighted to have him marry their daughter.But something is very very wrong... and this soon becomes clear to Adamson, who loses his innocence in the Alabaster Eden. The story, based on a novella by A.S. Byatt, is a bit V.C. Andrews by way of Henry James, but it worked for me.Sexy Shakespearean actor Mark Rylance and Kristin Scott Thomas are great, and you get to see the lovely former Mrs. Liam Gallagher's naughty bits. The pretentious pseudo-Victorian confabulations of A.S. Byatt couldn't have been brought to the screen to better effect. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Movie   

Editorial Review

Read more

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (46)

beautiftul, devistating, with a happy ending yet.
The DVD is as carefully put together as the novella, and the people in it look just as you hope and expect they will. A young man who has been studying the fauna of Africa--especially moths and butterflies---finds himself unexpectedlythe pennyless, but by no means useless, guest of a rich English family, and procedes to fall in love with the eligible daughter--who shares both a name and beauty with one of his surviving moths: Eugenia. Scott=Thomas, the best known of the actors in the movie, has what appears at first to be a minor role, but it doesn't stay that way.It is inmpossible to discuss some of the more important aspects of the story without giving too much away...perhaps it is enough to say: things are not what they seem (I think that's the name of one of Matty's ---Scott-Thomas's--stories). The movie should be rated R; I imagine it is...

A Study in Intellectual Cognitive Dissonance
In a ruthlessly subtle way, this movie documents the intellectual fault-line created in the Western World by the publication of Darwin's THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES in 1859 and the growing knowledge from geologic studies that the earth is unimagineably old. In literary terms, the "Humpty-Dumpty" of Authority has fallen off the wall of tradition and Harold Alabaster is appalled and terrified by the picture of a ruthlessly impersonal universe emerging from such findings, but thrilled by the advance of human knowledge that has revealed it. The comfortable Alabaster Family is totally unaware that their affluence rests upon American slavery and the exactions of the British East-Indian Company or that their behaviors have striking similarities with those of the social insects.One servant recognizes the similarity of slavery among the ants and that within the warring United States and "prays nightly for the success of Mr. Lincoln's cause." The portrayal of Mr. Adamson's and Eugenia's wedding night intimacy is a unique viewing experience. Edgar's endlessly boorish behaviors are analogous to those of the universe. This movie is a tribute to the incisive intellect of Andrea Susan Byatt, and can be experienced as a briliantly told story or an intellectual tour de force; however, the latter can be better comprehended by reading MORPHO EUGENIA (type of Amazon butterfly), the novella on which the movie was based.

Jamesean Strangeness
This is one film I truly regret seeing in it's original release on the big screen, because of it's visual beauty and extraordinary art design. This is no ordinary prissy "costume drama". The directors didn't bother to go for precise period detail; instead they infuse everything (especially the costumes)with a hyper-colorful, almost psychedelic quality. Very strange. Music by the BalanescuQuartet has a disturbing dissonance and urgency which fit the story well.The film begins with a tribal drumbeat, and we see bright blurred images which resolve into what looks like a fertilty dance; a man is pulled half-reluctantly into the dance by a native girl. He kisses her... the word "ANGELS" scrolls across the screen. The image blurrs again and we see another swirl of bright colors as the drumbeats merge into a quartet ofviolent strings, and the scene emerges as a Victorian ballroom with men in stark black-and-white dancing with women wearing ballgowns as colorful and varied as --- butterfly wings. The words across the screen read "INSECTS." Brilliant. The man seen at the native dance is a Naturalist named Adamson who was shipwrecked on his way home from the Amazon. He is taken in by a wealthy benefactor, Reverend Alabaster. Alabaster and his multiplicative wife live like liege lords in a gorgeous English countryside estate, and preside over a brood of pale, flaxen-haired children along with a large andscarily obsequious staff of servants including an icygoverness, Mattie Crompton (Kristin Scott Thomas). The oldest girl, Eugenia (Patsy Kensit), attracts the eye of our hero (Mark Rylance), but she is clearly haunted by something in her past. Meanwhile, her older brother Edmund (don't know the actor's name but he's great)takes every chance he can to intimidate Adamson, to no avail, because the Alabasters are ultimately delighted to have him marry their daughter.But something is very very wrong... and this soon becomes clear to Adamson, who loses his innocence in the Alabaster Eden. The story, based on a novella by A.S. Byatt, is a bit V.C. Andrews by way of Henry James, but it worked for me.Sexy Shakespearean actor Mark Rylance and Kristin Scott Thomas are great, and you get to see the lovely former Mrs. Liam Gallagher's naughty bits. The pretentious pseudo-Victorian confabulations of A.S. Byatt couldn't have been brought to the screen to better effect. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Movie   

Editorial Review

For Ursula Le Guin's devoted following, the 2002 remake of the 1980 film based on her novel may not be the stuff dreams are made of. This new adaptation omits some of the original's most memorable developments (the racially equalized "grays" and the alien invasion). Lucas Haas stars as George Orr, a "little lost boy" haunted by his dreams, which, he claims, alter the present unbeknownst to anyone but him. James Caan (more menacing than was Kevin Conway in the original) costars as the self-promoting Dr. Haber, the therapist assigned to treat the suicidal young man. This "very productive relationship" most benefits Haber, who attempts to manufacture George's dreams "to fit some useful function." The requisite unforeseen consequences ensue. Lisa Bonet is ravishing, but less impressive as George's skeptical public defender who may be the girl of his dreams. The foreboding mood is enhanced by Angelo Badalamenti's score, which recalls his haunting work on Read more

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Reviews (45)

A Personal Favorite
For once I must disagree with some of Amazon's top reviewers (a rare occasion). This version of "The Lathe of Heaven" stands alone from the book (you don't need to read the book to understand the movie). The characters and plot are deep and moving. Due to the depth and development of the mood it is slow at times, but it never becomes dull. It is original, refreshing and a touching love story runs as an uplifiting undercurrent. Even those who don't like Science Fiction, or don't "get" the book will enjoy this film.

Brilliant, will keep you thinking about it for Days!
I never read the original novel, but I've seen both this version and the 1980 version.This, with James Caan, I found to be one of the most stimulating and thought provoking films I've ever seen.The Davidson version of 1980 I found to be cheesey and extremely disappointing.This is a must-see film, IMO.

Lathe of Heaven
I'm not familiar with the novel nor have I seen the earlier adaptation and so I had no preconceived expectations for this movie.Granted, since it's an A&E production, I wasn't expecting it to be first rate, and it certainly isn't.In terms of production quality, the movie is quite good.The story, on the other hand, although an interesting concept, really was somewhat dry and predictable.The dialogue was kind of lame at times, too.In the end I can't say that it's that bad of a movie, but it's certainly not a movie that I'd recommend going out of your way to watch. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Horror / Sci-Fi / Fantasy    2. Movie    3. Science Fiction   

Editorial Review

Strangely reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's Read more

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Reviews (15)

Good flick...but rent it....
Although I am no fan of Sean Penn, I found UP AT THE VILLA an interesting and well executed story.The protagonist is played by Kirsten Scott-Thomas, who demonstrates again that her strength lies in her ability to play a relatively honest and forthright woman who manages to get into one compromising situation after another involving fornication. Scott-Thomas' character in VILLA seems to have a penchant for becoming involved with the wrong sort of man, and in spite of her comment that she is not likely to engage in the same foolish acts she committed when she was younger, she does exactly that. Supposedly, she acts as she does in part because of her attraction to Penn's character, although as far as I am concerned there is no chemistry between them at all, so her statement rings hollow. This film is a thriller as opposed to a mystery. The only mystery is how can a woman who is so beautiful and smart do such stupid things? And yet, I cared what happened to her, so as she slipped down the slope, I hoped that somehow she would land on her feet. Whether she does or not is a matter of interpretation.
Way too much spare time
UP AT THE VILLA illustrates the mischief one can get into when burdened with too much spare time.
Without Kristen Scott Thomas ? 2 Stars
If there was ever a need for evidence that one great actor/actress cannot carry a mediocre film, "Up in the Villa" satisfies that need. Kristen Scott Thomas is asked to carry nearly the entire load in this film and she does marvelously; however, the story itself is pedestrian and the essence of stereotyping and clich�.Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Feature Film-drama    3. Movie