Cara-8

As a devoted reader of Regency romances, I was delighted to see a movie about the scandalous Regent himself and his much-lamented marriage to Caroline. And I'm pleased to say this movie lives up to my expectations. Sure, Richard E Grant will never look like the extra-large Prince Regent, but who cares? Here we get gorgeous costumes, wigs, palaces and mistresses, and a fun soap opera which we can pretend is a good-for-you historical snob-picture. Now back to my Regencies!

The only impressive thing about "Down to You" is just how amazingly bad it is. There is no plot, no characters, the jokes aren't funny -- a complete waste of five minutes, not to mention two hours. Henry Winkler is good, but even he can't keep this from being a likely candidate for worst movie of the year 2000.

"Celebrity" is an amazingly fake movie. For example:

1) Branagh is faking an American accent, pretending to be Woody.

2) Judy Davis's character is an (apparently) fake high school English teacher who thinks Chaucer wrote "Beowulf."

3) Davis's character is also an (apparently) fake woman who doesn't feel a twinge of regret that her lavish wedding was spoiled.

4) Woody Allen is faking having any new ideas to make movies out of.

Too bad...

"Dick" is the funniest movie I've seen in years. I laughed through the whole thing, and believe me, I don't laugh at much. It's about as close to the perfect satirical comedy as you can get. The acting is great, the directing is brilliant, and the script is to die for. SEE IT!!!

This movie is a lot better than its trailers! It pulls no punches, makes fun of everyone, has a very wicked sense of humor, has some great acting, and is funny!!! What a delightful surprise.

This is one kid's movie the adults love even more...it's got great songs, tons of humor, more celebrity cameos than can sanely be believed, and lots of wordplay, horseplay, and froglegs. It's about everything and nothing, and is far better than anything the muppets have done before or since.

Oliver Parker, director and adaptor of the recent "Othello" with Laurence Fishburne, has struck gold with his latest film, "An Ideal Husband." He has perfectly adapted Oscar Wilde's witty play for the screen, created a movie that is both successful cinematically and true to Wilde. Minnie Driver, Cate Blanchett, Jeremy Northam and Rupert Everett are perfection. This movie is terrifically funny, sumptuous, romantic, and (above all) intelligent. What a treat!

The BBC and A&E have done it again. TOM JONES is intricate, daring, surprising, funny, and has more fresh air than one might expect of a literary adaptation. Brian Blessed is a revelation as Squire Western, looking more like a Hogarth caricature than seems humanly possible. The rest of the cast are energetic and well-suited to their roles, and the result, at five hours, will surprise many who only know the rascal Tom Jones from the Albert Finney film... There's a lot that that short movie left out, and it will at times remind you of Dangerous Liaisons...which of course was written later... Anyone want to bet that Choderlos de Laclos read Fielding?

"The Governess" is one of those films you want to like--an independent effort to tell the story of people we rarely here about, the Jewish community in Victorian England. But instead of telling their story, or the story of Rosina (played by an excellent Minnie Driver)as she discovers herself and her love for photography, it spends all its time on an improbable romance. It's really rather demeaning for the beautiful, intelligent, young Rosina to fall so absolutely in love with her employer (Tom Wilkinson). To be blunt, he's not young, not at all good looking, not kind, and a lot dumber than she is. The romance, in other words, never works. And why, may I ask, do all female coming-of-age films have to center on love and sex? I expected a lot from this film, and I'm afraid I was quite disappointed.

"Green Eggs and Hamlet" is like the title suggests--wild, wacky, and fun. The writing and acting are much better than you would expect from a version of Hamlet as Dr. Seuss might have written it. Let's just say you won't believe it till you see it.

This film version of "Persuasion" is simply brilliant. It not only translates Jane Austen's novel in a way that is both faithful and insightful, but it is also a real film--not just a filmed novel. The pauses, the silences, the things unsaid are more important than what is happening in the foreground. And it's just a bonus that the foreground is often so funny! The cast is delightful, from the amazing Amanda Root, to the gorgeous Ciaran Hinds, and the ever-so-funny Sophie Thompson. There are a few small mis-steps, such as the casting and writing of the eldest sister, Elizabeth. But you won't find any version of Jane Austen closer to perfect than this.

For all its faults, this "Hamlet" has one thing above all the other versions: Nicol Williamson's amazing interpretation of Hamlet. He doesn't fit the image of young Prince Hamlet that we all have, but he'll win you over until you can't imagine anyone else in the role.

Why do filmmakers do remakes of good films? Why do good actors act in them? And why does everyone bother, if they aren't going to be great? This version of "Gloria" isn't bad, isn't good, and is mostly notable for a certain amazing dress.

Newsies didn't find its audience in the theaters, but it's not for lack of quality. For years movie musicals were terrible. "A Chorus Line," "Annie" and all the rest had no idea how to use space, how to bring the passion of the music alive on film. But Newsies changed all that. The choreography and dancing are brilliant, and Menken's music is some of his most fun. And where else do you get to hear Christian Bale sing, and see Bill Pullman dance? A wonderfully energetic, exuberant film that should have been a smash hit.