Reviews by doudouce55

This is a cinematic adaptation of Auburn's play, which was 10/10. It required you to follow the story more, and the viewer had to imagine the father; also, the scenes were not all that evident in the play, as they were kept in the background, whereas in the movie, everything had to be shown so that the general public could follow the storyline better (and understand what the entire idea was on the whole).

A good adaptation, however not the best I've ever seen.

Animal control officer Walter Sparrow (Jim Carrey) is obsessed by a novel, The Number 23, which his girlfriend (Virginia Madsen) offers him for his birthday. Soon Walter believes the book was written about him, and his fascination increases.

The story was all right, although in the end, it was somewhat predictable.

While this was a highly recommended movie by many people who know my love for thrillers, I am disappointed in this recommendation. The ending is one of the stupidest, most "Hollywoodian" ending I've ever seen (so far). It's not worth spoiling, but let's just say I've seen better thrillers.

Jim Carrey doesn't show his best side in this movie, he sometimes looks as if he's about to laugh or do one of his comedy faces... (He IS NOT just a comedian, I do agree that his performances in Eternal Sunshine, and Man in the Moon, were great. I just feel that Number 23's performance was not as great as expected.)

Director Joel Schumacher on the other hand clearly shows his ability to still direct! (Incidentally Number 23 is ... his 23rd film, that is, if you count his TV productions, not just the movies.)

Love thrillers? Find something else. That's my opinion.
If you're watching just for entertainment, I suppose this is as good as anything else worth watching.

Orphan, Jean Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw) develops a special olfactory sense. After working in a tannery, he discovers the city and meets a girl that inebriates his senses. He then realizes that he has a destiny. He soon meets perfume-maker Baldini (Dustin Hoffman) and will reproduce perfumes for him. However, his work will take a dark turn as his search deepens for the ultimate scent.

While the book is very vivid and calls for the reader's imagination regarding the smells, and accurately describes the olfactory senses and odors one might encounter, the film obviously lacks this reproduction. (It *is* difficult to transfer odor on film! so this was to be expected.) Also, the book was more shocking than the movie probably because of the strong description of smells, and violent details.

That said, the film is nevertheless watchable, despite Hoffman's terrible overacting interpretation. Whishaw is a good casting choice as Grenouille, he is well directed and is not too much a "pretty boy" for the part.

The costumes, the period details, the images, the music - they do help in experiencing atmosphere, but it still rather limited because of the lack of correct interpretation or transcription of smells to the screen.

Worth watching once. For the sheer beauty of the photography work.

NOTE: I still recommend reading the book, whether before or after the film that is your choice. But read the book. A totally different experience.

"Nowadays" between New York and Los Angeles. A climatologist (Dennis Quaid) needs to find a way to save "the world" from global warming. His son (Jake Gyllenhaal) is hiding with a group of friends in the New York Public Library and is experiencing first-hand the major weather changes.

Special effects were all wonderful. I was only disappointed in the wolves: they did not look real at all.

Keep in mind when watching this movie that it requires a *lot* of suspension of disbelief. Most of what happens is beyond belief and rather predictable.

That said, it is still enjoyable entertainment, and Dennis Quaid proves that he is an excellent actor. Gyllenhaal is not the best, but the casting was decent enough for this movie.

Pure Hollywood entertainment. What else can one expect from a director like Roland Emmerich.

Maria (Penelope Cruz) and Sara (Salma Hayek) have good reasons to become bank robbers, and will get help from Quentin (Steve Zahn) and Buck (Sam Shepard). They soon will be wanted dead or alive.

While this requires a *heavy* suspension of disbelief, this movie is not as funny as it is thought to be. Its "action" side is rather limited, especially between the two actresses.

I do like Hayek as an actress, but do not care for Cruz's acting.

Fun entertainment to watch on a rainy day... or if you have absolutely nothing else to watch.

Miss Beatrix Potter (Renee Zellweger), an unmarried, 30-something woman, has a great talent for drawing and an incredible imagination for stories. She presents her story and drawings to a publisher, who finally will bring to life "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" and many books will follow, Jemima Puddle-Duck, and Benjamin Bunny among many.
Her personal life is also presented: Mr Norman Warne (Ewan McGregor), the man in charge of publishing her books, will become a more important part in Potter's life.
Her finances will change as well, with the success of her books, and will allow her to purchase Hill Top.

This movie brilliantly portrays the life and success of "bunny book" author Beatrix Potter (1866-1943). The casting director couldn't have picked a better choice for the role of Beatrix in Zellweger, and Lucy Boynton as the young Beatrix.
Ewan McGregor, as Norman, is certainly not bad either, however his mustache got on my nerves!

I grew up with Peter Rabbit and the other animals brought to life by Potter, so it was refreshing to see a movie that showed not just the drawings but the animations of the characters. All was well done.

Brilliant movie, beautifully done. This is a must see.
NOTE: Be prepared to cry. I sure did.

Grisham has finally written a non-fiction book. He goes straight to the point, by describing the murder of Debbie Carter in the town of Ada, within the first chapters. He then continues on how the police caught the suspects, allegedly Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz; how Williamson got to Death Row through a corrupted justice system; how Williamson and Fritz never got a proper trial; how Williamson lost his mind (to say the least); how the prosecutor didn't present all the facts and didn't research *all* possible suspects; how important evidence is; how corrupted cops, judges, prosecutors, etc. are.

I already knew the American justice system was corrupted, and that MANY innocent men (and women) were sent to jail/death row because of bad trials. But reading it, and particularly reading Williamson and Fritz's story, is infuriating, and maddening.

It is refreshing though to see groups like the Innocence Project exist and do their best to provide new trials based on DNA testing to exonerate innocent men.

The testimonies of Ron's sisters, Annette and Renee, his older friend Bruce Leba, and several other contacts, add to the incredible injustice Ron has gone through his entire life.
Grisham delivers a moving, poignant story, which is almost a biography of Ron Keith Williamson, who many people still believe guilty of Carter's murder even though DNA testing proved his innocence!!

Extremely well researched, it is a well written book that is worth reading, and which may prompt you to take action, especially if you live in the USA.

I can't help but wonder, after reading this book, how George Clooney (who recently bought the rights to the book) will adapt this to the screen.

While my family and I thought the movie a useless piece of promotion (to say the least), Nataliegoestojapan's review is straight to the point.

The cast was excellent. Needless to say, Mirren is a brilliant actress and her interpretation of Queen Elizabeth is perfect (4 stars for her acting).

The movie still remains one of bad taste - in my opinion.

A physics professor (Timothy Hutton) finds a locked futuristic computer that contains files regarding his death... in five days. He is running against the clock trying to find who is out to get him, with the help of his daughter, his girlfriend Claudia (Kari Matchett), and one of his students, Carl Axelrod. But is the student behind the murder? is his brother-in-law? or is it Claudia's husband, Roy Bremmer?

Four episodes make up this mini television series, which is action-packed, and relatively credible, that is until episodes 3 and 4 where several plotholes appear. The ending is straight to the point, with no "Hollywood" scenes.

A good cast, good action, pure entertainment.

Fun to see, and worth watching on a rainy day (or night).

When she was a little girl, Tru Davies (Eliza Dushku) saw her mother murdered in front of her eyes. Years later, she wants to become a doctor, but due to a glitch, the only position available is one at the morgue; she decides to take it. She will work with Davis (Zach Galifianakis) and eventually meet Luc (Matthew Bomer) who, in time, will become her boyfriend.
Tru sees dead people come in the morgue, and in every episode someone asks her for help. That's when she goes back in time for a day, and tries to keep them from dying. That is, until Jack Harper (Jason Priestley) arrives.
Tru will also eventually come to find the truth about her mother's murder.

Great premise, great idea, good actors, fun plots... however it's still pretty much routine, until Jack shows up. Then the plots become more interesting, as were the development of the characters, especially Harrison (Shawn Reaves), Tru's brother.

Fox seems to be doomed with the cancellation of good TV shows, and Tru Calling is no exception. At least season 1 is complete, and is good TV entertainment.