Reviews

In the early days of movies on cable, they used to air the same movie repeatedly over the course of a month, as if it was a film with daily showings at a movie house.

Although LOVE STREAMS barely scratched at a theatrical release, it did find its way onto cable, and I came upon it by sheer serendipity. And I was captivated, going on to watch it 10 or 12 times before its run was up. I have not seen this film since (I saw it on cable in 1984) but I remember it vividly.

I generally don't write 'spoiler' IMDb comments, but this film is destination cinema, you will watch this film because you elect to do so, and as such (and likely as a serious film buff or student of cinema) you will not mind hearing comments in advance to point out devices or moments of note.

My favorite scene is the one where Gena Rowland's character announces that she's going to Europe - on her own. That's significant because she's so utterly out of control, you fear for her.

There is a scene at the airport. It is easy to envision how this looked in the script...

/cut to THE AIRPORT. The filmmakers have no budget. There is an absolutely blank interior stage. To indicate that we're at the airport, there is a simple length of tall chain link fencing. Standing near the fence, GENA ROWLANDS is poised expectantly, waiting alone - nearly dwarfed by a comically huge and chaotic pile of luggage. She is attempting to hire a porter, but the porter does not speak any English.

PORTER Sorry Madame, I do not speak English.

GENA Just listen to the sound of my voice. You *will* understand me.

* * *

That's it. What I love about this film is that the airport scene is played exactly as it might have been played on the stage, and in context of the film, it works. There's no airport. But as you watch the scene, you are there. Stage to screen and yet again stage... and it works.

* * *

This film is about relationship, and relationships. It is stunning work and deserves to be seen.

I can't remember who recommended this film to me but they promised me it was astounding. I am going to mention two scenes here, and neither one is of any import toward spoilerism... so I am checking off that spoiler box but feel free to read, no real spoiler ahead.

I can easily see where it's waaay over the heads of some viewers, but I didn't find it murky, disjointed or incoherent. Instead, I found it vivid, intense, powerful, art film to the max.

I agree with the other comments praise of the breathtaking soundtrack, it's sheer genius... and I commend the film for being entirely unique and yet reminding me of some other films:

Blade Runner

Strange Days

Children of Men

Apocalypse Now

The Fifth Element

-- and here I slightly disagree with other comments, it's not the same film again as Donnie Darko - but it carries on D Darko's theme of time and fatalism. And I totally loved Donnie Darko. In fact, maybe I'm weird, maybe my taste for some reason connects with under 18 year old boys (even though I am waaay out of that demographic) but those are all top ten favorites of mine.

Southland Tales is a standout because I'm being forgiving, I'm giving it a ten even though there was a scene I would have cut - the Patriotic Singer on the airship during the climax. Too reminiscent of the DIVA in The Fifth Element -- and that awful, super-hifalutin experimental quartet sound behind her was just unbearable.

I'd love to see the original 160 minute cut, but I'd be happy to see a tighter edit too, and that singer can go. At a similar point, there was also an oddly stilted moment during the dance sequence when Mandy Moore and Sarah Michelle Gellar tangoed... which was wholly unnecessary - would be so easy to cut these sequences out and sharpen the climax. They looked unrehearsed and uncomfortable, or possibly it was ad-libbed.

Still this is a mind-blowingly good film and encouraged some amazing acting out of its astonishingly diverse cast. Brilliant screenplay - actually reminded me of the writing in the Crying Game, and amazing camera work. So well done, so unexpected. So sorry this was released at the wrong time of year and was panned by some of those classic big gun critics. Sorry they didn't get it. The future is NOW.

What's it all about, Jenny? Usually I write my comments about a film right after viewing it, but this time, I've taken some time to think it over. Also, I generally take pains not to offer spoilers. After due consideration, since the film is no longer in theatrical release and already heading to PPV, there's no harm. If anything, my comments should hopefully help. It's not too late. See this.

Let me start by saying there are VERY funny moments. According to IMDb the film got limited release in two theaters, and various sources including IMDb disagree on whether this release date was Sept 23 or Oct 2. So something is awry.

My boyfriend and I remember seeing bus ads, seems like LOTS of them. And we caught Jenny doing talk shows to promote the pic - I even remember the clip they chose (of her overall excellent physical comedy throughout the film) trying to jump into skintight jeans so it seemed like the film was a regular theatrical release. I mean, do you normally put bus ads all over LA for a film that only releases in two theaters?

Generally, if a film's successful, everyone applauds the director. If the film flops, people blame the script. But sometimes direction, casting, and/or bad acting can sometimes undermine an otherwise worthy screenplay. And IMHO this happened with Dirty Love. With different direction, this property could have been developed into the distaff version of Alfie.

Jenny's lead character struggles to find truth, and a higher form of love, than what she's found on the Sunset Strip. The bad dates she ends up on are insightful and comedic. Reading the other comments, there is disagreement on the drug scene, I think this is subjective, I found it on-the-floor hilarious. And accurate. I felt like 'been there, done that' and the ingenious sexual quirk of the pervy date (I won't spoil this) was hysterical.

There's also a scene of Jenny's Aunt Flo showing up, and she has to run to a supermarket for 'supplies'. Once again I had a strong deja vu "been there/done that" sense, and I was laughing hysterically when she ran into her gorgeous ex boyfriend while carrying a giant box of sanitary pads. The blood gag was run way over the top, but still hilarious. One thing: grown men who love gory slasher pix are grossed out to the point of squeamishness by the sight of menstrual blood, so that may have been the deal-breaker (if a deal got broken)...

Early in any film we unconsciously decide whether we're gonna like, or not like a picture. That fleeting window of opportunity for the filmmakers to catch our fancy? For me, seeing both male leads from the syndicated TV series Mutant X got my interest and sort of blew it for me at the same time.

We see Victor Webster (Richard) first. My mind didn't immediately shout "Brennan!" (his character on Mutant X) but then Forbes March is on screen, and now I'm seeing double... Jessie? (Forbes' character on Mutant X) -- hey, wasn't that Brennan? Then Victor Webster is back on screen and now I'm sure, omigod, it's BOTH of them. I spent the next 15 minutes waiting for Vicky Pratt (Shalimar from Mutant X) and then started to think about the casting decision...

Were they sitting around one Saturday morning when Mutant X cam on and before you knew it, everyone was thinking "Hey, what about these guys?" It was weird and disruptive that they were both in the cast, Victor Webster in the more plum role... and Forbes March is just dropped flat.

This is an example of where the film bottoms out, the whole setup of Jennie and her friend out shopping leads up to their seeing Forbes March in the shoe store. Big buildup, it should have been more than a throwaway 'point'... he's too strong a leading man personality to toss over so heartlessly.

Then there's the matter of Carmen Electra. One of the other comments sums her up, I also did not even recognize her! OMG, she acts? Really? She was mind-alteringly different and unbelievably consistent. She stayed in character, so unlike anything I've ever seen of her.

Lochlyn Munro was also sadly under-utilized. I would have had him switch roles with Eddie Kay Thomas (simply too young to be believable as Jenny's savior and buddy) Lochlyn could have struck gold in this.

And poor Kathy Griffin seemed rushed, and her makeup was bad, or the lighting was bad, or something was weak in that scene... again, it could have been so much better. Maybe she just phoned it in, I dunno, in my heart I know that also could have been better. There were many uneven moments like this.

Yes, I would have done so many things differently. But all these great people are in the film, and the film does take an insightful looks at all the pitfalls a girl can get into as an every-day Barbie (they use that term themselves in the context of the film) trying to work in the fashion and entertainment worlds in the wilds of Los Angeles. You really don't know what weird drugs people might slip you, you might run into your vindictive ex EVERYWHERE, his new girl *will* be the bitch from hell, you will get set up on weird and awful blind dates (VERY FUNNY loser magician is my favorite) and your friends, while imperfect, will look out for you.

That's the whole point. This movie could (and probably did) play in Peoria.

They don't make 'em like this any more. Hollywood at its cheesiest. Inside jokes a la vaudeville and a talking horse, maybe a year before Mister Ed --> could this have been the idea for Mister Ed? The world was a simpler place then. The middle east was the land of Ali Baba and his 40 thieves. Flying carpets, genies, wild curved swords and glamorous babes.

Nothing was politically correct or historically accurate. Everyone is in silly costumes that they either take seriously or appear to be having a great time with. It's all very silly really, but that's all good, this was a feel-good Saturday Matinée classic. This is the last period of studio pictures, and this film has the feel of a lot of films from earlier times, but the consciousness of the hip early sixties as well, and the sets are imaginative - evocative of the middle east and maybe India, just authentic enough that you buy it, but the whole thing is a romp - you can't take it seriously, but watch this film and realize that after watching a film like this, viewers had more of an idea of what the middle east was all about than they probably had before.

I'm not familiar with either of the lead lovers, but am familiar with Dick Shawn, and I have to say, this is a great silly piece of old Hollywood, I watched it on FMC and really got into it, if you like campy comedies, you'll love it, I sure did.

We ran to the theater for opening night of Team America: World Police tonight.

Last night we stayed home with Eurotrip from Netflix. I have to admit that although the two funniest parts of Eurotrip had me laughing much, much harder than any single moment of Team America, hands down I'm glad we caught Team America at the theater and netflixxed the other. This is a film that needs the big screen. At least for a first view.

This is not a spoiler, everyone knows there's a puppet sex scene in Team America, and it was the funniest scene. There is also an advanced degree of southparkian (or is that really Trey Parkerian?) scatological humour, foul language, and dead fowl. Most of the charm of this film is its visual humour.

The fun is in the lush interpretation of real-life imagery through the lens of single- frame animation. The more clever and low-tech the animators' solutions, the more fun the film became. And overall, this is a wicked sendup of action movies - genre afficienados will not be disappointed.

The film tells the story of how mild mannered Broadway actor Gary Johnston is recruited into Team America in order to save the world. I can't get over how much he began to look like George Michael, and then morphed into some sort of buff Kurt Russell type. He goes through a lot of changes. The range of emotion the puppets evoke is genius.

The marionettes are great, the sets are fantastic, and although many things are going to offend many people, it's a fun film, the theater was packed - it was a raucous opening night crowd - and fun was had by all.

But, the animated opening sequence of Eurotrip set my brain on edge to expect ha- has, while the opening of this film was ultimately the opening of an action pic, so I'm wondering if I would have laughed harder at the funny bits if my brain had been prompted to expect comedy in that critical first minute where the subconscious decides whether a film is going to suck or not. Film students and big producers reading this: take note and beware.