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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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The Beauty Academy of Kabul
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/ ... cademy.php
Quote: <i>Beauty Academy</i> is sometimes funny; mostly due to its oddly uninformed visiting teachers, and sometimes upsetting, due to three all too well informed visiting hairdressers who had themselves fled Afghanistan twenty years prior. The Afghan-Americans experiences returning to their drastically altered birthplace as mediators, translators, and teachers stand out in rich contrast to the clear clash between New York salonists and Kabul housewives. <i>The Beauty Academy of Kabul</i> opens with archival footage of swank runway shows and an established Afghani aristocracy. Anyone watching <i>Beauty Academy</i> will certainly see the loss, but they won’t feel it.
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| Sat Apr 08, 2006 4:47 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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Brick
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/Brick.php
Quote: What Johnson is successful in accomplishing is a tight narrative with a fresh outlook on language, sound, and image. Brendan recruits The Brain (Matt O’Leary) to help him with the case, and the two occasionally exchange information and plans. The Brain often asks Brendan for information on future tactics, and often Brendan admits he’s clueless but looking to ruffle some feathers. Their language is highly stylized and rhythmic, and as Brendan begins digging around high school drug rings looking for head honcho The Pin (Lukas Haas), the landscape becomes more surreal. At one house party Brendan fishes out information from Laura in outright rhyme scheme, and at another point the pit-patter of his shoes are matched only by the slow lobbing strides of muscle chasing him off the school grounds.
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| Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:03 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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The Top 10 "Best of the Rest" Oscar Nominees: 1985-1994
http://www.worldofkj.com/articles/Other/Top10I.php
Kiss of the Spider Woman (1986)
The Color Purple (1986)
Hannah and Her Sisters (1987)
A Room with a View (1987)
Dangerous Liaisons (1989)
Working Girl (1989)
Beauty and the Beast (1992)
The Crying Game (1993)
A Few Good Men (1993)
The Piano (1994)
Feel free to check the link at the bottom of the page, join the Oscar Nominee Viewing Club Dr. Lecter started if you're interested. 
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| Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:29 am |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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The Nororious Bettie Page
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/BettiePage.php
Quote: Ms. Harron’s focus on a woman who left nary a paper trail outside of her photographs renders a straightforward biography shallow. Gretchen Mol does her utmost best to deliver the fun filled smile and religious sentiments of the famous cult figure, and Mol succeeds quite well in regard to the frisky fun and naïve nature of the biography’s heroine. There’s no emotional conflict however, there’s just a bunch of admittedly sweet and fun nostalgia shots. The movie is engaging in the same way the pictures were, and Mol is at her best flashing a smile and peeking over the spaghetti strap of her black bra swathed shoulder. The Notorious Bettie Page is much like a fashion photograph. It is fun to look at and not nearly so profound.
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| Sat Apr 15, 2006 3:22 pm |
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makeshift
Teenage Dream
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 12:20 am
Posts: 9247
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dolcevita wrote: The Nororious Bettie Pagehttp://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/BettiePage.phpQuote: Ms. Harron’s focus on a woman who left nary a paper trail outside of her photographs renders a straightforward biography shallow. Gretchen Mol does her utmost best to deliver the fun filled smile and religious sentiments of the famous cult figure, and Mol succeeds quite well in regard to the frisky fun and naïve nature of the biography’s heroine. There’s no emotional conflict however, there’s just a bunch of admittedly sweet and fun nostalgia shots. The movie is engaging in the same way the pictures were, and Mol is at her best flashing a smile and peeking over the spaghetti strap of her black bra swathed shoulder. The Notorious Bettie Page is much like a fashion photograph. It is fun to look at and not nearly so profound. 
I'm really looking forward to this.
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| Sat Apr 15, 2006 3:24 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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Friends with Money
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/ ... hMoney.php
Quote: Friends with Money is at its best when acknowledging similarities between the women’s experiences despite their financial situations, and it is at its poorest when trying to craft their floundering and stumbles into something more than a statement of “this is just how it sometimes is.†The film is supposed to explore with relevancy the woman's mid-life crisis but somehow doesn't quite make the leap beyond show-and-tell. It is uneven, redundant, and bitter where it had the potential to contextualize. But perhaps it’s true that there’s no higher calling to personal fulfillment?
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| Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:58 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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American Dreamz
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/ ... Dreamz.php
Quote: Make no mistake about it, <i>American Dreamz</i> is not a political satire. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Imagine a world replete with meaning created outside of the mise-en-scene, and that world would be the downfall of <i>Dreamz</i>’s relative reality. The <i>Dreamz</i> landscape is not one of absolutism but rather one where the absolute is made if it looks really good on TV, or if one thinks one would look really good on TV in his or her own mind. This is the Machiavellian world where everyone doesn’t just want their 15 minutes; they want forever.
Last edited by dolcevita on Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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| Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:12 am |
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getluv
i break the rules, so i don't care
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 4:28 pm
Posts: 20411
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Great review Dolce!
I can't wait to see AD next week.
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| Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:22 am |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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Akeelah and the Bee
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/ ... theBee.php
Quote: Corny? It's true. <i>Akeelah and the Bee</i> is like going to an amusement park where one must choose between the gleaming fluorescent steel of the newest roller coaster, or opting for the rickety old wooden one held together by superglue and tucked away in the back corner. The drops won’t thrill as much, you might get a little whiplash, and there aren’t any loops, but when one’s done there’s a vague satisfaction mixed with nostalgia. There’s nothing here that hasn’t been put to screen before, and Akeelah’s story of little-girl-done-good isn’t particularly fresh. Nevertheless, Atchison’s fondness for the power of youthful innocence and determination is easy to enjoy, and it harkens back to classic family favourites of triumph and virtue. At the very least, like the oldest coasters, there probably won’t be as long a line to get your seat.
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| Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:19 am |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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Hoot
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/Hoot.php
Quote: In many ways, <i>Hoot</i> is thrice-fold enwrapped in complex issues. Unhappy families, coming of age, and environmental advocacy. But it is anything but a depressing story. Roy is faced with questions of self-empowerment, and for the first time assumes responsibility and pride in his own actions. Against the Floridian landscape of wild birds and bromeliads, Roy forges new best friends and learns about other people’s less supportive experiences. He comes to appreciate what he does have, but also learns to help others whenever he can. He discovers how to take a stand for what he believes in, and devises several creative ways to do so.
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| Sun Apr 30, 2006 12:39 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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Tribeca Film Festival Short Reviews
05.01.06: Hammer and Tickle: The Communist Joke Book: http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/ ... Tickle.php
05.02.06: Black Sun: http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/BlackSun.php
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| Thu May 04, 2006 9:48 pm |
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getluv
i break the rules, so i don't care
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 4:28 pm
Posts: 20411
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So dolce, aren't you seeing UNITED 93? Because I really want your opinion.
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| Thu May 04, 2006 9:51 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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Tribeca Film Festival, Short Reviews:
05.03.06: Comeback Season: http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/ ... Season.php
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| Mon May 08, 2006 10:54 am |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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The Proposition
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/Proposition.php
Quote: Often in the experience of Westerns, one forgets about the other Anglo frontier...Australia; but not John Hillcoat and Nick Cave. The two men are the respective director and scriptwriter/composer for The Proposition. They pool their talents to create a space of decay and abandon where even ambition and morality fester with the rancid smell of flesh wounds and swarmed flies. The Proposition is nothing if not a study in fluid violence and dark tones. The film is heavily managed by the director, and the words carefully chosen for its screenplay. Expect a visceral experience at the very least.
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| Wed May 10, 2006 12:23 pm |
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Gulli
Jordan Mugen-Honda
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 9:53 am
Posts: 13403
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I've just started reading your reviews dolce and very impressive I have to say. Even the ones I disagree with I consider very well written and thought out. Keep up the good work man.
_________________
Rosberg was reminded of the fuel regulations by his wheel's ceasing to turn. The hollow noise from the fuel tank and needle reading zero had failed to convay this message
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| Wed May 10, 2006 12:47 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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Gullimont-Kyro wrote: I've just started reading your reviews dolce and very impressive I have to say. Even the ones I disagree with I consider very well written and thought out. Keep up the good work man. Thank-you Gullimont. I try. I'm always happy to hear that you readers enjoy the reviews and get something out of them.
You pretty much summed me up perfectly there. What I lack in insight, knowledge, and confidence/flare I try to compensate for with hard work and consistent writing.
Thanks again, uh, man! 
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| Wed May 10, 2006 2:02 pm |
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Squee
Squee
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:01 pm
Posts: 13270
Location: Yuppieville
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dolcevita wrote: Gullimont-Kyro wrote: I've just started reading your reviews dolce and very impressive I have to say. Even the ones I disagree with I consider very well written and thought out. Keep up the good work man. Thank-you Gullimont. I try. I'm always happy to hear that you readers enjoy the reviews and get something out of them. You pretty much summed me up perfectly there. What I lack in insight, knowledge, and confidence/flare I try to compensate for with hard work and consistent writing. Thanks again, uh, man! Yes, man, I totally agree with Gullimont-Kyro, man. You're the man, Dolcevita. _________________Setting most people on fire is wrong.Proud Founder of the "Community of Squee." 
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| Wed May 10, 2006 2:11 pm |
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Gulli
Jordan Mugen-Honda
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 9:53 am
Posts: 13403
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dolcevita wrote: Thanks again, uh, man!  Methinks I shall go with sexless platitues from now on.
_________________
Rosberg was reminded of the fuel regulations by his wheel's ceasing to turn. The hollow noise from the fuel tank and needle reading zero had failed to convay this message
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| Wed May 10, 2006 2:28 pm |
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Neostorm
All Star Poster
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 2:48 pm
Posts: 4684
Location: Toronto
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Gullimont-Kyro wrote: dolcevita wrote: Thanks again, uh, man! Methinks I shall go with sexless platitues from now on. Or just add a wo before the man next time  
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| Wed May 10, 2006 2:48 pm |
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Dr. Lecter
You must have big rats
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm
Posts: 92093
Location: Bonn, Germany
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Glad you liked The Proposition, Dolce. I want to se that one, the plot sounds very intriguing and Guy Pearce is a good actor. Too bad, I have no clue when and whether it will be released here.
_________________The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!
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| Wed May 10, 2006 4:56 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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Art School Confidential
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/ ... ential.php
Quote:
There’s something frustratingly grating about qualitative evaluation, and Art School Confidential snarkily reminds us that one man’s refuse is another man’s treasure.
Such is the case for Terry Zwigoff’s newest film, which is about a young boy coming of age against the backdrop of a New York City art school.
Last edited by dolcevita on Mon May 15, 2006 2:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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| Sun May 14, 2006 1:41 am |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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The Top 10 "Best of the Rest" Oscar Nominees: 1995-2004
http://www.worldofkj.com/articles/Other/Top10II.php
Quiz Show (1995)
Secrets and Lies (1997)
As Good As It Gets (1998)
L.A. Confidential (1998)
Life is Beautiful (1999)
The Fellowship fo the Ring (2002)
Gosford Park (2002)
Gangs of New York (2003)
Spellbound (2003)
Master and Commander (2004)
Feel free to check the link at the bottom of the page, join the Oscar Nominee Viewing Club Dr. Lecter started if you're interested.
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| Mon May 15, 2006 1:41 am |
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A. G.
Draughty
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:23 am
Posts: 13347
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I'm glad you rescued Quiz Show from obscurity, that was very well reviewed at the time but seems to have been forgotten by most now.
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| Mon May 15, 2006 2:18 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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 The Da Vinci Code
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/DaVinciCode.php
Quote: One’s love of the book will make or break the big screen experience of Professor Langdon (Tom Hanks) and his sexy, yet intelligent, French female accomplice Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou) running through the streets of Paris and London. I for one didn’t finish the book. In fact, the book found its way to the bottom of the shelf a good year ago before any major revelations were even unearthed in its pages. This is not to say I didn’t know the ultimate themes and narrative tricks of the book, as for an individual not to know such water cooler chat would require living in a cave just south of Assisi. The Da Vinci Code is a typical thriller. It adopts the prescribed style of ending each chapter just short of a story arch’s climax only to pick up said character’s situation three chapters down the line. It is an obsessive little piece of fiction that tosses about fun iconographical readings of artworks and uses those readings to further a suggestive plotline of a grande male gendered conspiracy. That’s it.
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| Fri May 19, 2006 3:13 pm |
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dolcevita
Extraordinary
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 16061
Location: The Damage Control Table
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An Inconvenient Truth
http://www.worldofkj.com/reviews/Galia/ ... tTruth.php
Quote: Whether one agrees with his positions or not depends entirely on how one views the few moments in the movie where the ex-president-elect mixes personal experience with global catastrophe. Yes, his election win/loss comes up, and he uses the opportunity to reflect on how he feared he’d failed to get his message out. That doesn’t stop Mr. Gore from taking a slam or two at his opponents. His quips are seamless within his largely a-political rhetoric. He uses personal adversity to illuminate on dedication to reversing global warming, and his personal experiences inevitably incriminated those whom he felt personally did injustice to his person and views. He doesn’t split down party lines in An Inconvenient Truth, but he certainly splays a couple individuals in two.
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| Thu May 25, 2006 12:45 am |
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