Conversations With God

Description

Based on Neale Donald Walsch's best-selling, acclaimed trilogy comes a film you won't want to miss! Starring Henry Czerny and Frances Fishers, Conversations with God is an entertaining yet practical exploration of perhaps the most spiritual experience a person can have, regardless of their faith. See why everyone is talking about this exciting, empowering film!

Customer Reviews:

Share it with friends and family........2007-09-12

Conversations With God was given to me by a friend. It had such an impact on me that I immediately ordered additional copies to pass on to others. This is a film that should not be missed!

Positive, heartwarming, new age drivel.......2007-09-07

Interesting movie with lots of heart and a very unique and compassionate look into the lives of homeless people. The movie is a drama and quite slow-paced, but did not bore me. The acting is decent and the story compelling enough to keep intrigued viewers from dosing off.

I agree with the previous reviewer who said that this movie is more of a story about Neale Donald Walsch's transformation from poverty and homelessness to best-selling author than it has anything to do with a conversation with God; however, the entire movie builds up to the "encounter" with God so the story is effective to the plot.

While most people who are familiar with Neale Donald Walsch's writings will relate to the content, Christians who are considering viewing or purchasing this movie (because of its title) should note that this is not presented as a "Christian movie" nor does it contain a Christian sub-theme. The "God" in this story is a "new age" concept, which basically has nothing to do with God in actuality at all, let alone a biblical view of God. To put it in basic terms for folks that have no knowledge of New Age philosophy, Neale Donald Walsch's god is, in a certain respect, "his consciousness" (his "inner voice"), not really an external deity. Walsch's teachings include a mix of monism (all is one and one is all), pantheism (all is God and God is all), and is heavily slighted by experience and emotions rather than words (doctrines). Walsch was once asked, "Are we all gods? Or all part of God? Or are we all collectively God?" to which he answered, "Yes, to all of the above!" (just to give you a sense of his logic) Walsch sometimes quotes Scripture (where it serves his opinion) but ignores context. His beliefs include an ideology that there really is no right or wrong, no sin, no Divine Father to son/daughter relationship and everyone is basically good (even Hitler will be in "heaven" according to Walsch).

Fortunately, these expansive views of New Age spirituality are not focused on in this movie so, if a person can set the detail that Walsch is "new age" aside, they will likely be able to find some positive insights from the film. At the very least there is a quality emotional element to the movie and, as a previous reviewer noted, one of the rare few films that focuses on the homeless and with such a positive, compassionate perspective.

Personally, I'm not a fan of "guruism" and that's exactly what Walsch has made himself (IMHO). My personal conviction is that a person who has been truly impacted by God does not rush out to sell that experience for a profit. Walsch, like virtually all new age authors, have made themselves fortunes off their generic value, Hodge podge smorgasbord of feel-good theology (much like many televangelists as well). In observing Walsch's personal beliefs, there are moments when he touches truth and says things eloquently enough, but again, his more elaborate reasonings on faith (most of which do not align with anything one might consider biblical Christianity) are not effectively covered in this film.

Decent film, emotionally satisfying, but certainly not Oscar worthy and Christians will not identify with the content.

Excellent.......2007-09-06

This Dvd was very thought provoking and inspiring. The Dvd format is excellent because I can teach my 8 year old vital life skills without him having to read the book. Also the scene preview feature is great because I can go directly to the scene that I want to discuss without tiring myself out or my son by sifting through the rest. Great product!

There may be more of a purpose to this movie that we realize..........2007-08-27

This movie was very well done, and Henry Czerny is remarkable in it. There is one scene in particular, where Neale is at his lowest and just desperate, which moved me to tears. When you watch the movie, you'll know just which scene I'm referring to. Czerny is superb throughout this film, and in this poignant scene especially.

As I watched this DVD, my husband came in to the room to sit with me during the last 20 minutes of the film. He watched quietly, then asked me "WHAT movie is this?" I told him, and although I read the Conversations With God books years ago, my husband does not share the same areas of interest that I do, so he had never heard of them. I explained the background of books and the author to him.

He wanted to see the entire movie, (which was surprising to me since this movie doesn't have a single explosion or car chase in it) so the next night I watched it again, this time with him. When it was over, he asked me if I still have the books. "Of course!" (I'll have those books forever). He asked me if I would find them so he can read them.

Now, this is a man who was raised Catholic and has felt disconnected from the church for quite some time. Not from God, but from church. There is a difference. I can't help but wonder if this movie will bring an entire group of people to re-discover these books.

Conversations with God.......2007-08-25

I enjoyed the books in the series so I was excited when I saw the video and ordered it immediately. The video basically recounted how Neale Donald Walsch hit rock bottom and pulled himself back up out of dispair and being a homeless person to someone with a bestselling book and financial freedom. The video was done in a series of flashbacks that were irritating after awhile. I was disappointed that the scenes with Walsh giving talks, he appeared facetious and extremely self serving in his lectures. I would never have bought the video if I had been able to rent and watch the video. It is not one that I would have especially wanted in my collection.

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"Isn't everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?"
Before Sunrise
Lovely movie in charming Vienna!
Been there, done that
Last Box Step In Vienna

Before Sunrise
Starring: Ethan Hawke , Julie Delpy , Andrea Eckert , Hanno Pöschl , and Karl Bruckschwaiger
Director: Richard Linklater
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
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ASIN: B00002E224
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Amazon.com

This romantic, witty, and ultimately poignant glimpse at two strangers (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) who share thoughts, affections, and past experiences during one 14-hour tryst in Vienna somehow remains writer/director Richard Linklater's (Dazed and Confused, Slacker) most overlooked gem. Delpy, a stunning, low-key Parisian, meets the stammering American Hawke, as the two share a Eurorail seat--she's starting school in Paris, he's finishing a vacation. Their mutual attraction leads to an awkward meeting (beautifully played by each performer), and Hawke suggests that Delpy spend his remaining 14 hours in Vienna with him.

Typically, this skeleton is as much plot as Linklater provides; as usual, he's more interested in concentrating his talents on observing the casual, playful conversations between his leads. His tight time frame allows the characters to say anything to one another, and topics ranging from politics to past romances to fears of the future flow with subtle finesse. The short time frame is also cruel, however, because beneath this love affair lies the painful reality that the two most likely will never see each other again and will be left only with memories--an idea Linklater drives home with an effective snapshot conclusion.

Hardly the trite Gen-X bitch session that many '90s films using this approach become, the film feels more like a Bresson or Rohmer piece, containing sharp perceptions--and flawed humans rather than stereotypes. The protagonists' frank revelations and heated exchanges flow in a stream-of-consciousness style, and its no accident that Linklater set the film in Vienna, where Freud invented and practiced psychotherapy. --Dave McCoy

Customer Reviews:

"Isn't everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?".......2007-08-19

Sweet and charming, funny and poignant, plotless but meaningful, "Before Sunrise" (1995), the third movie of Richard Linklater, is dedicated to everyone who ever been in love, is in love, or never been in love but still dreams of it and hopes to find it. It is one of the very rare movies that is/should/will be equally interesting to teenagers, their parents and even grandparents. It seems a very simple little movie with no spectacular visual effects, car chases, or long and steamy sex scenes. Two young people in their early 20s, two college students (American tourist Ethan Hawke who is returning home after the summer in Europe and the French student Julie Delpy who goes to Paris to attend the classes in Sorbonne) meet on a train. They are attracted to each other instantly even before they start talking, they hop off the train in Vienna where they walk around exploring the city all night. They talk and fall in love. That's it, that's the movie. It could've been boring and silly but instead, it is a lovely, believable, clever, and moving romance that only gets better with each viewing (at least, for this viewer). High praise and my sincere gratitude go to the director and writers for delivering two charming characters, superb writing, always interesting and witty dialogs, two awesome performances, and the atmosphere of magic that falling in love is. Julie Delpy, who looks like a Botticelli's angel, is great in portraying smart, independent, and incredibly attractive young woman.

Before Sunrise.......2007-07-11

This intelligent and unconventional tale of talky romance borrows something from the work of French auteur Eric Rohmer, but "Slacker" director Linklater--a master of meandering conversation--puts his own stamp on the character-driven drama with searching, tone-perfect dialogue. As they wander the streets discussing love and sex, history and politics, Hawke and Delpy make attractive kindred spirits whose youthful, sometimes argumentative exchanges really seem to echo real life. Despite the R rating, "Sunrise" is an ideal film for teens, as it captures a sense of life's wondrous possibilities.

Lovely movie in charming Vienna! .......2007-03-10

This a lovely real-world love story where the characters meet on a train in Europe and decide to get to know each other better in a day and night stay in Vienna. They talk about interesting things, they stroll through beautiful places in Vienna and they fall in love!! It's so sweet how their relationship develops during the movie that you may think that the love of your life is waiting for you somewhere on an European train!!
I simply love this movie!

Been there, done that.......2007-01-10

I couldn't believe this movie when it first came out. I had a nearly identical experience in Austria (same as the movie) in 1971. The only difference was the gal was an American. It made me wonder who had been following us around. Sadly, i let her get away from me when we got back to the states. Mea Culpa.

I found it well done, and convincingly acted. The street scenes and infrastructure was as i remembered it.. Overall a top notch production - sadly ignored by the media and movie reviewers. Interaction between the two major characters was as i remember doing it.

Even Hawke's line about: "In a few years you'll be married... you'll wonder how things would have worked out with someone else you'd met.. look at this as time travel..". I actually used that line myself. Incredible parallelism. Basically i loved it..

Cheers

Last Box Step In Vienna.......2006-11-05

Richard (Artsy) Linklater, poet laureate of Gen-Nexters, is the kind of director who could be great - if he wasn't so lousy. He has a refreshing desire to take risks, defy convention, and flat out ignore devices that have served storytellers for millennia. In Tape he locked three people in a room and held them hostage, along with the audience. In Waking Life he merged morphing animation with stream of conscious dialogue to create a dream within a dream within a college freshman's philosophy term paper. In Before Sunrise he shows us a brief encounter, (characterized by the inappropriate illusion of intimacy frequently experienced when traveling), during which absolutely nothing happens.

Failure is commonplace, failing magnificently requires courage.

There are good things to say about Before Sunrise. Vienna looks lovely. Celine, Julie Delpy, looks equally lovely, and acts her part, what there is of it, beautifully. The film is replete with attractive train and trolley shots and even re-uses the marvelous Ferris wheel made famous in The Third Man, (a movie that actually had a plot). The Austrians on the bridge are funny, and the "milkshake" poem was wonderful.

Things crash quickly after that. Even the colorful street scenes, palm reader, belly dancing, etc. look blatantly staged, you can almost see the grips and gaffers stringing cables one foot out of the shots. Ethan Hawke needs to be told that his scruff does not give him that cool, dangerous Trotsky affect; it just makes him look like he sleeps in a culvert. Though his acting is workmanlike, he was the wrong choice for a film that depends entirely on the glossy superficiality and shared insanity of romance.

When two people speak and listen to each other, that's called a conversation. When interesting, well-developed characters talk to each other and do things to each other, thereby revealing themselves and being changed in the process, (and there's a cameraman on hand), that's called a movie.

When two-dimensional characters talk endlessly about whatever in a way that accomplishes nothing and only serves to explore the full extent of their two-dimensionality, that's called a Richard Linklater movie.

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Before Sunset
Walk me up when it's over, will you?
It grew with me
Beautiful Sequel Extends the Realism and Genuine Feelings From the First Film
Definition of Yummy, anyone?

Before Sunset
Starring: Ethan Hawke , Julie Delpy , Vernon Dobtcheff , Louise Lemoine Torres , and Rodolphe Pauly
Director: Richard Linklater
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B0002YLC24
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Amazon.com

In 1994, director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Waking Life) made Before Sunrise, a gorgeous poem of a movie about two strangers (played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy) wandering around Vienna, talking, and falling in love. Ten years later, Linklater, Hawke, and Delpy have returned with Before Sunset, which reunites the same characters after Hawke has written a book about that night. Delpy appears at the final book reading of his European tour; they have less than two hours before Hawke has to catch a flight to New York...and in that time, they walk around Paris, talk, and fall in love all over again. It sounds simple, perhaps dull, but it's written with such skill and care and acted with such richness that it's a miracle of filmmaking. On its own, Before Sunset is moving and wonderful; seen right after Before Sunrise, it will break your heart. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Before Sunset.......2007-08-01

I enjoyed this laid back, walk through Paris, movie. It would not have been quite so meaningful if I had not seen "Before Sunrise" first. That should be a must for all viewers. It gives "Before Sunset" the needed depth.

Walk me up when it's over, will you?.......2007-07-15

I didn't care for the first one and could barely stand this one. I like movies with some excitement and fantasy in them. Where is the entertainment in this movie? If I want to see two people blabbing on and on, I could like see them in this movie. Maybe that's the point of this stupid movie. Sorry, I take the "stupid" part back. It's just a dumb movie. I am sure it works for people who might have failed in relationships, people who are lonely, or people can't communicate. The world is full of folks who actually find meanings in a movie -- any movie -- even this one.

It grew with me.......2007-06-08

I loved this movie. I remember watching the first one when I was a teenager and I loved it then. All the conversations where real and intimate. I hate movies where the two people fall in love and you can't really tell why because they hardly ever talked to each other. In Before Sunset you see how their words really effected the other person. I love the way they captured the realistic discomfort and timidness of meeting a lost love and through time seeing the longing of what could have been. Very realistic in its conversations and feelings. I loved it.

Beautiful Sequel Extends the Realism and Genuine Feelings From the First Film.......2007-05-16

I was a huge fan of Before Sunrise when it came out. I loved the simplicity and realism of two young people, who just met, walking around a beautiful European city like Vienna, and getting to know each other.

You might wonder what they have left to talk about in this film since they tackled so many subjects in the previous one. Believe me, they have plenty to talk about, and you wish that this film would never end.

The story takes place nine years after the previous film. Jesse is now a successful author who is doing a book tour throughout Europe. Paris is his last stop. He's sitting in a small book shop, answering questions from some readers, when he looks over his shoulder and sees Celine standing there. The film takes off from there as Jesse and Celine spend a few precious hours together before Jesse must be at the airport to make his flight.

Ethan Hawke (Jesse) and Julie Delpy (Celine) both co-wrote this screenplay along with the director. It's obvious that these two actors know their characters so well, that I'm sure that even they had spent those "nine years" wondering how it would end. Does Jesse come back for that six-month-later reunion? Does Celine? Do people, who really live so far away able to keep, what seems to be an unlikely promise?

I'm not going to relate anything else about the story here for those who have not seen the movie yet. This is a film where the thrill is in the journey, not the goal. Each step that Jesse and Celine make as they walk around Paris, is another step in that journey.

I recall telling friends about the first film and what it was about. They couldn't understand how a movie about two people walking around could be so good. But just like that first film, their conversations are so real and enthralling. I think part of the reason that it's so compelling is that when these two characters are together, they are themselves. There is no fakery or need to put on another face in order to impress the other. Perhaps because they are in a time crunch, they figure that there's no need to be anything other than genuine because they don't feel that they'll ever see each other again. There is a powerful scene in this film that is a recognition and a tribute to that "genuiness" and why they feel more comfortable with each other than with anyone else they've ever been with.

I've always said that sometimes the best stories are the simple ones. And this one is simple, yet again. These two simple, yet real characters, captivate the audience again with their genuine conversation that holds nothing back, and invites the audience to try and do the same.

Definition of Yummy, anyone?.......2007-05-08

This movie is a phenomenal collection to your movie library. It stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy who make the perfect match on screen. The movie is not meant to be fancy pants, but laid back and conversational.

It takes place on the streets of Paris, and Jesse and Celine meet by chance again after a nine year hiatus. They converse on topics broad and small. The denouement of the previous film, Before Sunrise, is worth the wait for the this sequel. I won't spill anything, but this is definitely a delightful, funny, and intellectual watch.

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Francis Ford Coppola's Underrated Masterpiece.
Flawed brilliancy
Paranoid Masterpiece
Gene Hacckman makes this one
The Conversation

The Conversation
Starring: Phoebe Alexander , Timothy Carey , John Cazale , Harrison Ford , and Frederic Forrest
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B00003CX9I
Release Date: 2000-12-12

Customer Reviews:

Francis Ford Coppola's Underrated Masterpiece........2007-09-07

You ask most of the world and they've heard of The Godfather DVD Collection (The Godfather/ The Godfather - Part II/ The Godfather - Part III) and Apocalypse Now - The Complete Dossier (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition), but not many of them have heard of this brilliant mastepiece. Made around the time Coppola did those movies.

Gene Hackman plays Harry Caul, a paranoid surviellance expert who runs his own company. After hearing a dubious message in the tape he goes all out to understand exactly what he's hearing.

This is brilliant filmmaking. Francis Ford Coppola scored with hits The Godfather and The Godfather II and this is just as worthy. One of the best and most underrated movies ever.

The DVD features two commentaries, one with Francis Ford Coppola, and one with editor Walter Murch. It also features a very nice Making OF featurette. A definite Must Have.

Flawed brilliancy.......2007-09-07

In-between The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), Francis Ford Coppola made this techno nerd favorite, a film he had wanted to make for years, but couldn't get the backing until The Godfather gave him the clout. Coppola has said this is the movie of his that he likes best, and Gene Hackman who stars as Harry Caul, the paranoid, nerdish surveillance snoop who suddenly develops a conscience, said it was his favorite role. In the case of Hackman, one can see why. He dominates the screen with a subtle touch and some serious acting skills. In the case of Coppola, well, I'm sure in his heart of hearts he knows he made at least three better films. And of course, "favorite" doesn't mean "best."

Because of some glaring plot holes and assorted implausibilities plus a slow pace, this film is not liked by some viewers. But it has a kind of haunting power, partly based on the studied camera work, and partly based on a chilling (and clever) story that explodes in Harry Caul's face and surprises the viewer. Also there is a nice underlying tension that Coppola develops and maintains that makes us want to know what is going on and to find out how it ends.

Cindy Williams of TV's "Laverne and Shirley" fame plays Ann, the wife of a Fortune 500 type exec who is being recorded as she has a conversation with a friend as they walk around Central Park. Harry Caul is doing the snooping. It isn't clear why the conversation is important, and even though we hear bits of it again and again, it seems innocent, although one notes, Cindy Williams isn't smiling. As the plot nears denouement, however, we and Harry Caul and the husband, who has hired Caul, realize something is being hidden behind the denotative meaning of the words that are spoken. Part of the intrigue is to catch the real meaning of what is said.

The plot holes? Well, it is unlikely that super secret Harry Caul would invite rival snoopers to his studio for a party. He is so paranoid about people knowing his business that he loses his girlfriend Amy (Teri Garr) because he won't give her his phone number or tell her where he lives. And the way he tears up his apartment at the end looking for the hidden bug is silly (but psychologically correct of course since he has gone full blown obsessive). Rationally speaking, he would be better off just moving. I understand that in the original script penned by Coppola, Harry owned the apartment building and that would explain why he chose to tear up his apartment looking for the recording device rather than move somewhere else. And think of the professional challenge!

Frankly I didn't mind any of the inconsistencies that viewers have pointed out. Yes, he would suspect that the pen put in his pocket by rival snooper Bernie Moran (Allen Garfield) might be a microphone, and, no, the hidden bug was NOT in his saxophone, but may have been in his eyeglasses (and anyway it doesn't matter). What I didn't like were the dream sequences that you couldn't separate from reality. I also didn't like the pristine clean toilet in room 773 that overflowed with bright red blood when he flushes it. Not likely, when you think about it.

But none of this matters. This is an intriguing film with a significant theme, namely that the invasion of privacy has consequences, which is as relevant today as it was then. Look for a young Harrison Ford as Martin Stett, the exec's assistant, and for Elizabeth MacRae as a caloric-challenged seductress. But by all means see this for Francis Ford Coppola, one of the greats. The Conversation is rated #169 at the Internet Movie Database. It's a must see for Coppola fans.

Paranoid Masterpiece.......2007-08-08

Despite being released early in 1974 and failing at the box-office, "The Conversation" defied the odds by earning an Oscar nomination as Best Picture the same year that Coppola's more ballyhooed "The Godfather Part II" won the top prize and five other Oscars. Gene Hackman stars as Harry Caul, a surveillance expert who becomes emotionally involved in his latest assignment. Is the young couple (played by Frederic Forrest and future "Laverne and Shirley" star Cindy Williams) being targeted for murder by the executive (an unbilled Robert Duvall) and his assistant (a young and appropriately smug Harrison Ford)?

Having once worked a job that resulted in the death of an entire family, the haunted Caul oversteps his boundaries and begins to snoop into the case with shocking results. Hackman delivers one of his greatest, most understated performances as Caul, a man who lives a circumscribed life ruled by suspicion. He rides the bus, no doubt for fear that someone might have toyed with the brakes or planted a bomb under the hood.

"The Conversation" is a paranoid masterpiece that brilliantly captures the anxious mood of 1970's America.

Brian W. Fairbanks

Gene Hacckman makes this one.......2007-07-25

OK suspense flick, Gene Hackman keeps it together. Interesting to see a young Harrison Ford, though his acting isn't that great in this one. Hackman's character here resurfaces in Enemy of The State.

The Conversation.......2007-07-05

Made before he began work on "The Godfather II," Coppola's prescient, haunting drama is a brilliant character study set in a pungent atmosphere of paranoia and conspiracy. Hackman is the dark heart of the film, playing a profoundly solitary man tortured by guilt, complicity, and his own inability to trust anyone, including girlfriend Amy, sweetly played by Garr. Coppola's most artful film, "The Conversation" is dark, brooding, and mysterious, but absorbing nonetheless. Look for a young Harrison Ford in a key supporting role.

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WHAT IS TRUTH? Pontius Pilate
"If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell"
Not a "whodunnit"
A movie that truly belongs to world cinema's history
Required viewing at most film schools

Rashomon - Criterion Collection
Starring: Minoru Chiaki , Fumiko Homma , Daisuke Kato , Machiko Kyo , and Toshiro Mifune
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
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ASIN: B00003CXC6
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Amazon.com essential video

This 1950 film by Akira Kurosawa is more than a classic: it's a cinematic archetype that has served as a template for many a film since. (Its most direct influence was on a Western remake, The Outrage, starring Paul Newman and directed by Martin Ritt.) In essence, the facts surrounding a rape and murder are told from four different and contradictory points of view, suggesting the nature of truth is something less than absolute. The cast, headed by Kurosawa's favorite actor, Toshiro Mifune, is superb. --Tom Keogh

Description

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, Rashomon is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife. Toshiro Mifune gives another commanding performance in the eloquent masterwork that revolutionized film language and introduced Japanese cinema to the world.

Customer Reviews:

WHAT IS TRUTH? Pontius Pilate.......2007-08-18

It would be difficult to over estimate this movie's effect on college age movie goers of the early 60s. In that age of conformity it confirmed some of their worst fears: That they were being turned into vegetables & parents & elders shouldn't be believed. Truth was used simply as a tool of the powerful. Truth was an exercise of power; hence: Mutable. A few years later LA DOLCE VITA confirmed another suspicion that the behaviour of one's betters, when behind locked doors & away from the sight of their children, was atrocious. In this magnificent Kurosawa film set in 9th century Japan a nobleman & his wife traveling through a forest are set upon by a highwayman. The nobleman is killed, his wife raped & the whole thing is witnessed by a woodsman. The highwayman is later arrested & at his trial these incidents are examined & re-examined by having each of the 4 participants tell their version. The dead man speaks through the mouth of a medium. Each narrator relates the same incidents but in each telling the narrator becomes the protagonist & the nuances are different. How can one know the truth of anything? And with each telling the puzzle deepens & becomes more & more fascinating. A word of warning: The wife's voice is chalk on slate & you may find yourself hitting the mute button. Also the music is by a Ravel 'wannabe'. It's BOLERO written by a supremely untalented plagiarist. When the movie was first released here some exhibitors instructed projectionists to turn off the sound during long stretches without dialogue. (Ravel was revered by the beats of the time.) A stage version was produced on Broadway & later on many college campuses. And an American film version (THE OUTRAGE) was made with Paul Newman & Claire Bloom. RASHOMON as a concept entered the culture. Not to be missed.

"If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell".......2007-06-05

I usually watch many kinds of different movies, but I wasn't a fan of old Asian movies, at least not until a friend lent me this beautiful classic, directed by Akira Kurosawa. Now I know what I was missing...

"Rashomon" (1950), shot in black and white, is nothing short of stunning. The first scenes show us a priest and a woodcutter taking refuge in an old temple, in order to escape from the heavy rain. A third man shows up, and they start talking about a recent crime that troubles them. Despite the fact that these men were at the trial in which those involved were judged, they don't have a clue regarding what happened, due to the fact that they hear very different versions of the events that took place that fateful day. Will the truth ever be found out? And is there such a thing as truth, or an objective point of view?

This is the first film by Kurosawa I have watched, but it won't be my last. Highly recommended ! And... thanks, Rubén :)

- Belen Alcat, June 2007 -

Not a "whodunnit".......2007-05-19

Kurosawa's use of multiple points of view allows him to highlight the interpretive agendas of the various "tellers" of the story. There is no one "true" version that the viewer is supposed to be able piece together from the narratives. Rather, the story is about the way in which no one interpretation will explain the events adequately. The meta-narrative of the story is what's at stake for each of the tellers that make them tell differently.

Tojomaru, the bandit. All at stake for him is his reputation as a bad guy. He knows he's doomed, and that he'll probably be executed, so his story embellishes his reputation. He says he fights, subdues and rapes the wife, then fights and kills the husband because the wife demands it. He fights fairly, and, in spite of the wife's role in urging him on, only because he wants to. In his version, he must kill the husband, but is then betrayed by the wife, so in some sense he has been wronged.

Masago, the wife. She has two interconnected motives: she needs revenge and appeasement of guilt. As a victim of a rape, she was shamed before both her husband and the bandit. She must try to exact revenge on the bandit, yet her husband spurns her as she tries to seek this revenge. In order to receive satisfaction, she must incite the fight (as she is reported doing in every version). It is important that in her version, the two men aren't actually seen fighting, because her agenda is to take the blame for the death of her husband away from herself. She deals with this by simply losing consciousness, then waking and finding her husband dead and the bandit gone.

Takehiro, the husband. This one is primarily driven by his culpability. He got himself tied up and then killed. He has to explain it somehow in honorable terms. It's very important that his story does not include a fight with the bandit. The husband was vain and proud, and losing the fight would be quite dishonorable. His version ends in suicide, as he owns up to his failures - but only after rejecting his wife (by not running after her), who "let herself get raped."

The woodcutter. Although his version is the most complex, having elements of all the others, his main motive is simple: to avoid being asked where the knife is (he denies having seen it at the inquest). Yet he is torn, repeatedly saying "That's a lie" to all the other stories. When he finally does tell his whole version, he describes the players as being full of pity, regret, fear and horror: all emotions that he must have gone through while watching the encounter. Further, his story must include a fight between the two men (which is disorganized and messy, concluding with "I don't want to die!"), because the husband must die by a sword wound and not a dagger. At the end, the wanderer gets the woodcutter to all but confess to having taken the dagger. Whether he took it from the husband's chest or picked it up from the ground is not known, but watch Takashi Shimura's face at the moment the medium speaks of having the dagger pulled out. The expression is one of horror, but is it horror over his own actions?

The woodcutter has both the most and the least to hide. His "crime" was being a witness, and then stealing evidence; he may be impeding justice by more or less corroborating the bandit's story - i.e., a "non-dagger death." Yet this impediment might not be that significant, considering Tajomaru's reputation and likely fate anyway. He must hide the fact that he's a thief, yet we can believe that he'd put the money gotten from the theft to good use. After all, he has six mouths to feed. I guess I distrust him the least, and believe that his lie hurts the fewest people. I suppose I'm highlighting what I value in the character (and in life) by making this interpretive decision. And that's why I also don't mind the ending (which some have felt is sentimental or out of step with the tenor of the film). In taking the abandoned child home, the woodcutter is compensating for his ill-gotten gains, and thus restoring balance to his karma.

But just maybe the woodcutter saw nothing (as in his first telling), and his second version was a fantasy of his own creation, made to appease the enormous guilt he feels at stealing the dagger. As the wanderer says, "We all want to forget something, so we create stories. It's easier that way."

A movie that truly belongs to world cinema's history.......2007-04-11

Sometime during the 12th century in Japan, three men, a woodcutter, a commoner and a priest, find themselves under the ruin of the Rashomon as they seek shelter from the heavy rain. As they wait for a break in the weather, they discuss the trial of the bandit Tajomaru, accused of killing the samurai Takehiro after having raped his wife. But was it what truely happened? The more we listen to the witnesses, the further we seem to drift away from the truth....

As I read reviews here and there, I quickly realized that there were basically two sides: the enthusiasts (the majority), some of which almost implying that there just can't be anything to complain about since this movie is widely considered as one of the most important in cinema history. And then there are those who are quick to argue that this movie is overrated, even boring. So, are the former just name-droppers in select parties, hoping to pass for the artsy-witsy type? Or are the latter either ignorant or trying to be hipper than hip by going against the greater number's judgement?

I think the main issue here is that those two sides just aren't talking about the same aspects of the movie. If there's one thing that's undeniable about Rashomon, the movie that truely revealed its director to the world, earning him a Golden Lion in 1951 at the Venice Film Festial and a honorary award at the Oscars, is that at the time of its release, this movie broke grounds both technically and in terms of story-telling. Maybe the most famous of those technical "innovations" is the pointing of the camera directly at the sun: to us now, it may comes as completely anticlimatic, but this was breaking one of the biggest taboos at the time

But maybe the one aspect of this movie that immediatly impressed the most was the storytelling, this presentation of several perceptions on what happened that fateful day, leading us only to accept in the end that the factual truth, because we couldn't experience the events first hand but only through the eyes of the various witnesses who all played a part in them, is forever lost to us. Such use of subjectivity to present a singular fact to the audience, therefore shaking their confidence in what they have actually seen, continues to this day to influence movies. Surely, if Rashomon hadn't been made, another director would have done just the same, but the first happens to be Kurosawa, and whatever one's appreciation of this movie is, the fact remains that, for those reasons alone, it deserves our utmost respect

But does it deserve our love? Now that's the hard one. It is certainly not an emotionally engaging movie: you're never really brought to care for the characters, which is probably the one reason why I couldn't give it 5 stars, no matter how much of a piece of history that movie is: I just need to emotionally connect with a movie at some level to be fully engrossed in it, and Rashomon just doesn't do that for me. However, it definitely is an intellectually engaging movie, and relatively short. The multiple layers in the visual, the acting, the philosophical statements all almost make up completely for it, and it ends before the lack of emotional ties leads you to lose interest in the story

Also, if you are after a Kurosawa movie which will entertain you from the word go, you would be far better off watching "Seven Samurai" or even "The Hidden Fortress". Rashomon lacks this fun factor - on the surface: dwelve on it some and the irony of the woodcutter's second tale, between Tajomaru's child-like glances and the swordfight's parody, which come in direct contrast with the others' tales, and in particular Tajomaru's own, can definitely qualify as funny, although it is much more likely to bring a soft chuckle rather than an outright loud laugh out of you

You may be put off by other details: the lack of dialogues for one. I would however argue that more dialogues wouldn't have been necessary, nor would they have shed anymore light on the case. What the director wants us to know without being put into words transpires through clever camera work, precise use of space and of the elements the environment provides (weather conditions, light, shadows of the foliage, etc). What may also grate on your nerves is what may pass as overacting (in particular in Mifune's and Machiko Kyo's cases): that being said, for one, acting standards in Japan are slightly different from those in the West. What I mean by that is that what they consider good acting may often be considered as unnatural and overacting by us. There's also another explanation: we aren't witnessing the facts as they actually happened. In a sense, the characters involved in this deadly affair are all, as they testify, performing, hoping to convincingly present the events in a way that will best serve their interests and, in the words of the others, they are but mere puppets who are made acting to suit their needs. No wonder therefore that a sense of surreality permeates these performances

Another point that may be annoying is the lack of resolution: sure, the image the woodcutter walking away with the baby under sun that is at last shining forth provides for a hopeful note. But the movie, through the camera angle during the testimony scenes at the court, puts you in the position of the judge, of the person who is there to seek out the truth. Yet you are forced to admit in the end that you'll never find it

But then the next question should be: do we need to know? Tajomaru, whatever the role he played, has, from what we are told, killed other women already: even if his role in this affair remains unclear, his fate, now that he is in the hands of justice, shouldn't. The samurai's wife, whether she has encouraged this violent act or not, will live a life of shame, a fate maybe worse than death. The samurai will cannot be brought back to life anyway. As for the woodcutter, even if he has taken the dagger to resale it, his generosity towards the child certainly more than redeems the theft

Interestingly enough, Kurosawa, it seems, never thought of Rashomon as of one of his best movies. And as for myself, I tend to agree with that statement, if only because it isn't too engaging on an emotional level. Still, Rashomon remains a movie that should be watched by any aspiring film-maker as well as any person more or less interested in the art of film-making in general. But I would also definitely recommend it to anyone not afraid of rather depressing yet tinted with hope, philosophical statements, and willing to spend the necessary time to reflect on it afterwards and possibly treat themselves to more than one viewing

A last word on the DVD itself: I've only watched the Criterion Collection edition of this movie, and I don't think I'll ever need another one. The restored transfer's quality is absolutely superb, even though I am tempted to say that the image faired better than the sound. The translation, from what little I can judge, is adequate; I have, however, only listened to the English dubbing for a hanful of scenes, so I can't say much, apart that it seemed terribly out of sync sometimes. The extras are all insightful, be it Robert Altman's introduction, the documentary extract on Kazuo Miyagawa, the cinematographer, or the audio commentary by Donald Richie. Also, the booklet that accompanies the single disc contains the two short stories on which the script was based, which is a most welcome addition

Required viewing at most film schools.......2007-04-10

In the Bible, Pilate asks, "What is truth?" and, as Roger Bacon puts it, "would not stay for an answer."

I felt a bit the same way after seeing this remarkable film by Japan's celebrated film maker, Akira Kurosawa. It is set in 12th century Japan, and while most viewers would say it examines the nature of truth and finds it slippery, I think it more properly examines the nature of the feudal Japanese society.

We have as representatives of that society, a priest (Minuru Chiaki) and a woodcutter (Takashi Shimura) sitting out a rain storm in a place called Rashomon. It might pass for a ruined Greek temple except that its pillars and roof are made of wood. The priest and the woodcutter declare that they just can't understand it. They shake their heads and stare at the ground. Along comes a commoner (Kichijiro Uedo), a cynical man who asks what it is that they cannot understand.

They have witnessed an investigation into the death of a samurai, Takehiro (Masayuki Mori). He is in some ways the equivalent of a medieval knight. He has a horse and lady, Masako (Machiko Kyo). The accused is an infamous outlaw named Tajomaru (played brilliantly by Toshiro Mifune, who obviously had a lot of fun with the part). He tells his story. He admits to having his way with the lady, but lets the court know that she liked it so much that she began to embrace him while her husband was tied up watching. Afterwards he says that she insisted that they fight over her. Tajomaru obliges. He cuts the rope holding Takehiro and they sword fight. Tajomaru wins.

Next the wife tells her story. It is different of course. This causes the court to get a medium (Fumiko Honma) to tell the story from the point of view of the dead Takehiro. His story is different yet again. Finally the woodcutter reveals to the priest and the commoner that he saw the whole thing, and he then gives his version, again different of course.

The commoner has some terrifically cynical lines. Here are three:

"It's human to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves."

(To the priest:) "Not another sermon! I don't mind a lie if it's interesting."

"Man just wants to forget the bad stuff, and believe in the made-up good stuff. It's easier that way."

He speaks for the natural or animalistic man.

His counterpoint, the priest, opines, "If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell."

He speaks for moral man.

Near the end of the film a baby is discovered crying. The woodcutter, who has five or six children of his own, takes the baby home.

He represents civilized man.

Masako represents the samurai's view of the nature of women when she is heard to say, "A man has to make a woman his by his sword."

What impressed me most about this film is the way Kurosawa was able to create an emotional atmosphere in each of the sittings. "In the Grove" we feel the trees and the light that sparkles through the leaves, and the disturbed serenity. At Rashomon in the rain we feel the men isolated and waiting, and in the sterile court scene we feel the severity of the tragedy.

Death of a Salesman/ Private Conversations

Average customer rating:

A piece of art
Obviously a collective dvd.
This is an utterly classic dramatic work
Searing drama
Story about a Salesman who Travels but...Never Arrives

Death of a Salesman/ Private Conversations
Starring: Dustin Hoffman , Kate Reid , John Malkovich , Stephen Lang , and Charles Durning
Director: Volker Schlöndorff , and Christian Blackwood
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00007ELDP
Release Date: 2003-01-28

Amazon.com essential video

German filmmaker Volker Schlöndorff's 1985 production of Arthur Miller's most famous play appeared squarely and quite hauntingly in the middle of the go-go economy of the Reagan-Bush years. Miller's story, set during the post-war boom period of the late '40s, concerns an aging, traveling salesman named Willy Loman (Dustin Hoffman), who despairs that his life his been lived in vain. Facing dispensability and insignificance in a heated, youthful economy, Willy is not ready to part with his cherished fantasies of an America that loves and admires him for personable triumphs in the marketplace. But the reality is far more pitiable than that, and the measure of Willy's self-delusion and contradictions is found in his two sons, one (Stephen Lang) a ne'er-do-well gliding on inherited hot air and repressed feelings, and the other (John Malkovich) a mousy, retiring sort unable to reconcile--or forgive--the difference between his father's desperate impersonation of success and the truth. Schlondorff's remarkable cast explores Miller's rich subtext to great effect, though Hoffman--despite giving us a new model of Willy to contrast with Lee J. Cobb's definitive portrayal a generation before--is a bit insect-like and shrill in his approach. Malkovich, Lang, and Kate Reid (as Willy's long-suffering wife) are perfect, however, and the production is atmospheric and strong. --Tom Keogh

Description

Willy Loman has spent his entire life believing he and his family are bound for greatness. Struggling day to day as a traveling salesman, Willy begins to lose touch with reality and drifts away into the past. Meanwhile his family, including wife Linda and sons Biff and Happy, attempts to cope with Willy's self-destruction and the still-lingering ghosts of the past. Arthur Miller's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning play is brought to the screen with a powerhouse performance by Academy Award-winner Dustin Hoffman, who earned Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for this role. The stellar supporting cast features Kate Reid, Charles Durning, Stephen Lang, and in his first breakout role, John Malkovich as Biff, all guided by internationally-acclaimed director Volker Schlondorff (The Tin Drum) and a haunting score by legendary composer Alex North (Spartacus).

Customer Reviews:

A piece of art.......2007-07-03

Death of a salesman is one of the best samples of the american drama that reflects the real life of the dream that is not even reached by american people.

I love Dustin Huffman play but all the characters are amazingly builded which make the sense of being at the teather.

Obviously a collective dvd........2007-02-08

Death of a salesman is the show, which is being put on somewhere in the world almost every day of the year. It's so multi-dynamic and close to real life that it can hurt you for real. Beside the genius playwriting, this movie is an excellent performance of that. Dusting Hoffman, John Malkovich, Kate Reid, Stephen Lang they all have done superb job portraying their characters. Although I am not into literature, capable enough to pay homage for a play like this one, I for certainly recommend this movie for everyone to collect. A must have movie.

This is an utterly classic dramatic work.......2005-10-29

Sparse sets set-up the huge dramatic energy of this deceivingly simple story. Every actor and actress is outstanding and
the power, range, and depth of the performance is incredible.
Bristling with raw force, the drama digs through the layers
of mid-america near mid-century, creating a powerful historical
testament. The stars were aligned for Miller, Hoffman, Malkovic and the rest for this dynamic theatre. Pathos.

Searing drama.......2005-09-14

Dustin Hoffman is Willy Loman, the salesman who's come to the end of his rope as the illusions he's always believed in come crashing down on him. This was filmed originally for TV off the stage, with no attempt to make it into a "movie." It's a very great play, done extremely well here. I think I still might like the 1951 version with Frederic March as Loman a tad better, but Hoffman adds another feather to his cap. (Neither March nor Hoffman can top Lee J. Cobb's portrayal of Willy in the original 1949 stage version.) Kate Reid plays his harried wife Linda, John Malkovich is Biff, and Stephen Lang is Hap.

The "Private Conversations" piece, back-stage doings and interviews, is a let down after watching the movie. It completely knocks the wind out of the sails of the performance just seen.

Story about a Salesman who Travels but...Never Arrives.......2005-02-23

+++++

This movie is about hard-working, traveling salesman Willy Loman (Dustin Hoffman), a man whose life has become a permanent nervous breakdown. He's about to lose his job, he can't pay his bills, and his sons Biff (John Malkovich) and "Happy" (Stephen Lang) don't respect him and can't seem to live up to their potential. His wife (Kate Reid) still loves him but she is caught up in a state of "bitter helplessness." Willy, now in his sixties, wonders what went wrong (after all, his dream of monetary success should have come true by now!!) and how he can make things up to his family. He is now indeed a "low man."

A talented, sensitive director (Volker Schlondoroff) with a topflight main cast (stated above), under the supervision of the original author who penned the Pulitzer Prize-winning play in 1949 (Arthur Miller, Oct. 1915 to Feb. 2005) on which this movie is based, make this movie an unforgettable viewing experience. The emphasis of this entire movie is on the excellent performances.

Hoffman (who won an Emmy and Golden Globe for this role) gives a standout performance in this movie as the bewildered Willy who now is suffering a crisis, a kind of "success mania." Malkovich gives a superb performance as Biff, the son that Willy has decided to transfer his failed ambitions too. Also look for Linda Kozlowski of "Crocodile Dundee" fame in a small but sharp role.

Finally, the DVD extra called "Private Conversations" is a ninety-minute documentary with the entire cast that especially features Hoffman, Malkovich, Miller, and Schlondoroff.

In conclusion, this is an unforgettable movie with outstanding performances that's based on an award-winning play. Thus, you can't go wrong in watching this movie!!

(1985; 2 hr, 15 min; made for TV; full screen)

+++++

Average customer rating:

Everyday human interaction
What is the point of this?
Interesting idea that falls way short
straight-faced hilarity
Killing Me Softly With These Things...

Coffee and Cigarettes
Starring: Roberto Benigni , Steven Wright , Joie Lee , Cinqué Lee , and Steve Buscemi
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002I83Z4
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Amazon.com

Now here is a movie that's practically perfect for DVD. Shot over many years with eccentric actors, Jim Jarmusch's collection of black-and-white vignettes is as uneven as a collection of music videos (without songs). Even with the dull spots and the drop-dead-hip ambiance, there's something touching about this parade of frazzled people holding on to their coffee and cigarettes like life rafts--especially in the final sequence with Taylor Mead. There are some severely misconceived pieces, but the best are a treat: Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan in a hilarious Hollywood encounter, Tom Waits and Iggy Pop getting off on the wrong foot in a funky diner, and Cate Blanchett doing a dual role as herself and a jealous cousin. Bill Murray can't save one underwritten piece, but Jack and Meg White are amusing in an absurdist blackout. Use the Scene Selection menu, and revel in the fetishizing of java and butts. --Robert Horton

Description

Celebrated writer-director Jim Jarmusch (Mystery Train) serves up this witty and intoxicating brew that's "as addictive as caffeine" (Richard Roeper, "Ebert & Roeper and the Movies") and "as buzzy and ephemeral as, well, coffee and cigarettes" (LA Weekly)! "Sneakily delirious [and] way cool" (Time), this "funny cluster of eleven stories" (Rolling Stone) delivers "inspired eccentric match-ups" (The Hollywood Reporter) from an incredible all-star cast, making Coffee and Cigarettes an absolute must for fans of film, fun and fantastic wit!

Customer Reviews:

Everyday human interaction.......2007-09-13

This film is a collection of eleven vignettes the cover what happens after the big meal, the calm with just the after-dinner coffee and cigarettes. This is not meant to be as satisfying as a meal, but it lets us enjoy the interaction when people just meet and share some time together to catch up (or not).

Jim Jarmusch uses an all-star cast to show us the entertainment in everyday human interaction. Although some combinations seem obvious (like Meg White and Jack White), some seem almost contradictory (like Steven Wright with Roberto Benigni), while others are simply odd (Cate Blanchett with Cate Blanchett). Regardless of the pairing, we hear recurring themes which blend the stories together as well as connect us with the stories. A viewer would be hard pressed to find a conversation that he or she hasn't heard or had before.

This is an off-beat film, but it is thoroughly enjoyable. I would recommend taking a moment to revel in our casual meetings, as shown here over coffee and cigarettes.

What is the point of this?.......2007-09-05

You see names attatched to a movie such as Bill Murray, Steve Buscemi, Cate Blanchett and Alfred Molina and you think that could be a really killer combination if they did it right. Jim Jarmusch completely squanders this opportunity and instead delivers one of the biggest blights on any of these actor's resumes. What a waste of talent and film.

If I could summerize the plot for you I would, except there is no plot. It's little segments of actors, usually two to three sitting around talking about nothing in particular while drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. Usually the majority of the conversation has to do with doing so. It's as if Jarmusch just invited some friends over to a coffee house, set up a camera and rolled film just to see what would happen. "What's my motivation in this scene Jim?", "You're drinking coffee and you're smoking and whatever else pops into your head.". I can imagine that's pretty much how it happened.

Cate Blanchett acts opposite herself and was the only actor that I was interested in watching really, cause she actually acted and played a character. Most of the others just kind of showed up and didn't perform, they just improv, but it's hard to do that when you're working with no material.

Trust me, stay away from this mess. It boggles my mind that this actually got distributed in any shape or form. If there were no big names in it, you would have never heard of it and it would be better for it. You'd be better off having coffee and cigarettes with your friends. Even if you don't like coffee and don't smoke you would still have a much better time.

Interesting idea that falls way short.......2007-08-20

I think this set of vignettes was a great idea but fails because of a lack of real substantive creative material. The participants generally suffered from bad timing and they seemed lost. The settings were canned and awkward and sterile whereas places where people consume coffee and cigarettes are generally interesting.

I believe the creator was counting on the hipness of himself and his cool creative crowd to carry the day, but that's not a substitute for a script, or good dialogue, or having the scenes come to some kind of point or resolution.

I'll put it on when I want to fall asleep or when I need to vacuum.

straight-faced hilarity.......2007-04-23

humor like this is so rare and so wonderful. there is no action to speak of, just conversations at tables, which lets the actors really do their stuff. it is amazing to see them work. if you need to see car crashes and explosions, this is not for you, but for those who appreciate subtle, hip comedy and fine acting it is highly recommended.

Killing Me Softly With These Things..........2007-04-11

"Coffee and Cigarettes" (2004) written and directed by Jim Jarmush is a very simple movie shot in B/W. It is a collection of eleven shorts where famous actors, comedians, rock-stars, and musicians played themselves. They drink coffee (lots of it), smoke, and talk. While each segment is short, we still can learn a lot about human nature.

Whether you like the film or not, does not even depend on whether you like coffee and cigarettes. I quit smoking many years ago but I love coffee (I prefer it strong, hot, no sugar, thanks) and I still remember that it was fun to sit over a cup of coffee and cigarette with the friends and talk about movies, books, plays, music, art, life...

Of eleven shorts, six were wonderful. I read some comments and was surprised that there are so many negative opinions. Some viwers think that the movie was slow - I did not even notice how the time flew. After I finished watching it, I started all over and watched the ones that I loved for a second time. The best, IMO are "Somewhere in California" with Iggy Pop and Tom Waits, "Cousins" - (Cate Blanchette plays a dual role - herself and her not so successful cousin); "These Things Will Kill You" (Joe Rigano, Vinny Vella, and Vinny Vella, Jr), "Cousins?" - easily the best in the bunch (Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan), "Delirious" - the funniest (RZA, GZA, and Bill Murray), and the final one, the elegiac "Champagne" - (Bill Rice and Taylor Mead)

Average customer rating:

Interesting Look at Relationships in Split Screen
Loved It
Clever and smart
Anyone know if there's a soundtrack for this movie?
it was ok

Conversation(s) With Other Women
Starring: Aaron Eckhart , Helena Bonham Carter , Yury Tsykun , Brian Geraghty , and Brianna Brown
Director: Hans Canosa
Manufacturer: Arts Alliance Amer
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000JJ5G4W
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Description

At a New York City wedding reception, two guests, seemingly strangers, become entangled in a sexually-charged battle of wits. But as the night carries on in a cigarette smoke haze, the nameless couple's repartee deepens to reveal the passion of their two decades past love affair. Unfolding entirely in split-screen, director Hans Canosa's feature debut is an unconventional and poignant love story.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting Look at Relationships in Split Screen.......2007-08-06

I heard some good reviews about this film that I decided to check it out. Plus, there are two great actors (Aaron Eckhart and Helena Bonham Carter) who finally get to share the screen together. When the split screen started between Eckhart and Carter, it was a little challenging to keep up. But, the script really perked my interest in following between two unnamed characters. Slowly, the plot unravels in the conversation which is refreshingly new. Often times, many films go straight into spelling everything out rather than let the audience piece it together in a drama like this. You can really sense the chemistry between the two and the dialogue is smart and never drags. Well, I don't want to ruin it so I will leave it at this. Discover this rare gem from a slew of predictable romatic comedy/dramas.

For extras on this DVD, the interview with Eckhart and Carter together is a treat. You can really sense that both actors really enjoyed working on this film together. Also, the difficult questions were asked and Carter answers them quite honestly with shear wit. Eckhart gets stuck answering the questions afterwards and unfortunately cannot match Carter's wit. However, Eckhart does shed light on some more personal aspects which parallels with the movie that some will find interesting.

Loved It.......2007-07-24

Although the trailer had caught my attention, and Aaron Eckhart is always a reason to see a movie, I was a tad reluctant to watch "Conversation(s)..." Shooting a whole movie in split screen seemed to me like a gimmicky move, that would ruin a picture. I was wrong. Eckhart and Carter are a delight to watch, as a couple that seems to meet at a wedding and have a one-night stand--only to reveal that their relationship is not what it initially seems. The screenplay is just lovely: funny, painful and very real; and the split screen... well, let's just say it works.

Clever and smart.......2007-07-23

Unlike some of the reviews, I found this movie to be clever, quick paced, and cute. It had some bittersweet comedy thrown in for good measure and it played as very credible and honest. One review found the characters to be repellent, but I found them to be real and flawed, as we all are. It is short as the action takes place over only a few hours, but they are poignant and satisfying moments. The split-screen was not a distraction at all and I found that at times it seamlessly allowed me the chance to enjoy this movie on another level. To explain; if you think about it, we don't interact with others with tunnel vision, we take in the whole surrounding area. Having the unique cinematic opportunity to see both reactions simultaneously gave it a more intimate feeling, adding to the reality and the integrity of this well written movie. I would not buy it as it is not something I'd care to watch over and over - this is a slice of life, a few hours between two people. I don't know about you but I don't want to re-live conversations over and over. But as a rental, it is a welcome respite from the usual Hollywood fare. The special features highlight was a light hearted chat with the two actors.

Anyone know if there's a soundtrack for this movie?.......2007-06-02

I loved the soundtrack and the songs played in this movie - does anyone know if there is a sound track available?

it was ok.......2007-05-30</