The Quiet American
DVD released 2003
Running Time: approximately 101 minutes
running time seemed like: 100 minutes
**** out of 8 stars

I suppose it's part of my generation, but I've always been interested in stories about the Viet Nam war. The Quiet American takes place in the timeframe between the French involvement in IndoChina and American involvement. If the events in the movie have any factual basis, that's the best part of the film. The American backing of an independent general is a great bit of intrigue if it's true.

Unfortunately, the movie centers around a love triangle. Watching a Brit put on the niceties of a 1950's gentleman while defending the honor of his girlfriend just doesn't interest me. Stick with the politics and intrigue, or get nitty gritty with the jealousy. Michael Caine is his usual excellent droll self, Brendan Fraser is very credible, and Do Thi Hai Yen creates quite the enigmatic heroine.

Overall, this movie is watchable. It needs more edginess to be more than a B movie. Watch it if you're bored.

Six Feet Under Season 1 Disc 1
DVD released 2002
Running Time: 58 minutes per episode
*** out of 6 stars

This is cute. Unfortunately, it fits into the sitcom mold with a set format each episode. Scene one...somebody dies. The rest of the show revolves around how the funeral home deals with the new dead body and their own foibles.

The family problems are good fodder for entertainment. The characters are interesting, and the dialog is well written. Let's see, aimless drifter, gay businessman, derelict widow, and drugged up teenager, a delightful family. Lauren Ambrose is a refreshing and interesting actress. The rest are OK.

This show is no Sporanos, but it's better than most network TV.

The Lake House
2006
Running Time: approx. 105 minutes
Running time seemed like: 125 minutes
***** out of 7

Here's a date movie for couples who love logic puzzles and love stories. Two people, separated by two years but able to communicate through a mailbox "time portal", and united by a scruffy dog, try to bridge their temporal separation. This time warped story stretches the suspension of disbelief like Anna Nicole in spandex. I have seen a variety of posts mentioning continuity problems throughout, but they do little to diminish the movie.

Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, both understated and mediocre actors, fit this movie well. This movie is all about the mind-bending story line, and the cinematography. Some devices shouldn't have made their way into this production (like the revolving door camera stolen from Sexy Beast and I'm sure others), but the interplay between the 2 separate time elements were very well done.
If you have ADD, don't watch this flick. The shots are long, languid, and luscious. Unfortunately, it drags a little compared to most films made today. That's where it loses stars in my ratings.

At last, a chick flick that actually makes oone think. Be sure to pick this one up.

Coming soon...Six Feet Under.

Spanglish
*** out of 5
DVD released in 2005
Length of movie - approx 131 minutes
How long did the movie seem to take? - approx 115 minutes
Extra features on DVD - Don't know...just watched the movie.

I stand in awe of James L. Brooks. He has again crafted a wonderful story out of a pig's ear, pardon my bad metaphor. Take these elements...Adam Sandler, three child actors, Cloris Leachman, and a title like Spanglish...and tell me the words insipid, vapid, waste of time or mind-numbing don't come to mind. Mr. Brooks, however, has snatched Harry Met Sally from the jaws of Big Daddy. He avoided the easy cliches and tired devices to make a funny, touching, entirely enjoyable story.

Ignore the first scene, apparently, Brooks couldn't avoid all of the tired devices. Tea Leoni is the star of this show. Her overly competitive, spastic, neurotic character steals the show. I can't, for the life of me, remember her in any other role, but her name sure rings a bell. I'll certainly remember her after this. Sandler didn't ruin the show, he was atypically serious throughout. Paz Vega is great eye candy. Cloris Leachman is her usual delightful character actor. The child actors will appear again, I'm sure, but this isn't a movie to remember them by.

Brooks takes this movie to the brink of the saccharine abyss several times. Each time, he saves us from this punishment with a new surprise. This is a great date movie. It loses a couple of stars because it's not exactly high theater. But if you're looking for some light entertainment that doesn't require much of your brain...this is it.