Vanessa Williams does well in the title role
937181
Being a huge fan of KOTSW, I was anxious for this new recording.  Miss Williams does wonders in the title role- she has the sexual allure and smooth, sultry vocal quality that former star Chita Rivera was somehow  missing.  Howard McGillan displays stunning vocal comand...but leaves one  longing for the heartbreaking musical interpretations of his predecessor in  this role, Brent Carver.  (I feel it is worth noting that Jeff Hyslop, the  only actor to play Molina on Bway who was not recorded, brought both  McGillan's vocal power and Carver's tear-jerking vulnerability to the  role).  Brain Mitchell does very well -however he somehow didnt' seem to  "own" this role as much as others I have seen him play.  It is  worth investing in this recording simply for Williams' dazzling new  interpretations of the score and for the material that is missing on the  Original Cast Recording CD that can be found here.
796688
I'm a huge Vanessa Williams fan. I remember when this album was playing on the airwaves in 1988. I was a senior in high school. I love three songs on this cd. The RIght Stuff(title of album),Darlin I,and Dreamin. I would recommend this to any Vanessa Williams fan. This album also holds a fond memory for me because this was four years after the Miss America scandal. She overcame that obstacle and has become the successful woman that she is today. She has done so many wonderful things since then. This album showcases her talent at an earlier time in her career. I received the cd four days after ordering it(yesterday). I was so excited to receive it. It's just a reminder of my teenage days.
638209
Irene Dunne stars as a widowed single mother who is engaged to teach the numerous children of the King of Siam.  Rex Harrison stars as the King, a man trying to bring Siam into the modern world and to find respect for himself and his country on the world stage.  Ultimately, he comes to rely on Dunne for her support and guidance to achieve his goals, and there is an obvious feeling of attraction that develops between the two.  Dunne delivers yet another solid, emotional performance as the independent woman who must learn to adapt to a new culture.  Dunne was always such a pro, yet surprisingly is not as well known today as other actresses from her time.  Harrison strikes me as an odd choice for the role of the King, but he grew on me as the movie progressed, and although I think he's not the best choice, he nonetheless delivers a credible performance.  Gale Sondergaard, a favourite character actress of mine, is very good and quietly effective as the King's ignored first wife, looking out for the interests of her son, the heir.  I don't know how much of the story is really true, but it is entertaining and a good look at another time and place in history.  It's an excellent production, and even if you've seen the musical, I'm sure you'll enjoy this version, too.
4529283
Set in the 1960s at an all girl school we meet Lydia (Masie Williams) who has a best friend in Abbie. They have it all as friends and a love of nature centring around an old oak tree. They have a mixed bag of teachers who seem to adhere to Victorian values and modesty principles - that is despite the burgeoning `summer of love'.

Then tragedy happens and Masie starts to have fainting fits - very soon the phenomenon spreads and she seems to be at the centre of it. Throw in a mum with issues (Maxine Peake) and a bit of the Occult, forbidden sex and deep rooted paranoia and you have the makings of a rather good story.

Maxine Peake is billed starring here, but she is not really on screen for a great period of time; Greta Scacchi as the dowdy Miss Mantel is though pure excellence in a performance dripping with understatement. I have seen comparisons to `Picnic at Hanging Rock' and even the events around Salem and the subsequent Witch trials. However, I think such comparisons may lead to expectations that may not be met. It is though a film that had a great idea and I think it could have been taken much further as it sort of peters out; despite that it is still on I can recommend.
812636
It's fun, but very straight. We liked Whitney Houston's role, her acting and her singing of course. Her white bf can only express his anger by randomly assaulting a totally innocent Latino kitchen worker with absolutely no legal, social, or economic consequences, but apparently he is sexy and a good man. We found the plot a bit disjointed, but also suspenseful and engaging. There are some late 80s/early 90s winter lake cabin sweater scenes with that special Folgers glow.
4927796
They may have been loose with time frames and facts but the movie in and of itself was enjoyable. Of special mention is the music and the acting. The selection of songs is good and its fun to have them performed by the actors. Overall the acting is good with Phoenix and Witherspoon shining.
668229
The Animal Kingdom sports some mighty terrific acting by a wonderful cast. The plot of this pre-code drama moves along at a very good pace; it could have been edited just a little but this is very minor. The cinematography is very well done throughout the film; and the choreography works best in crowded scenes including the surprise birthday party. There are two very minor disappointments: The quality of the print could have been a little bit better; and once or twice there was the very obvious and distinctly different noises of the two cameras that were rolling when a scene involved two people talking.

When the action starts, we quickly meet the somewhat bohemian Tom Collier (Leslie Howard) who happily owns and runs The Bantam Press, a small independent publishing company. He lives with his girlfriend Daisy Sage (Ann Harding); Tom and Daisy snub the conventional wisdom of the time that a man and a woman had to be married before they could live together. Tom's father Rufus Collier (Henry Stephenson) has nothing but disdain for Tom's lifestyle; but it is the pretty society girl Cecilia "Cee" Henry (Myrna Loy) who steals Tom from Daisy when Daisy is away for a while. In fact, as the picture begins, Daisy is sailing into New York harbor that night only to find out that Tom, who she still thinks is her man, will be marrying "Cee" very soon.

Daisy certainly does take it very badly, although she admits along with Tom that they never had any real strings attached to their relationship. Tom still wants to be friends with Daisy and see her from time to time; but Daisy angrily refuses and Tom leaves without even taking his belongings. After Tom marries "Cee," he never sees his old friends anymore; his quirky butler and friend "Red" Regan (William Gargan) stays on--but only for a while. "Red" can't take the stuffiness of life in Connecticut with "Cee" and Tom so he leaves just as "Cee" has convinced Tom to fire him anyway.

Tom eventually simply shows up at Daisy's Manhattan apartment and they quickly rekindle their friendship--and their old flame, too. Tom doesn't tell all of this to "Cee;" but "Cee" decides to test how everything is going  by throwing a surprise birthday party for Tom--and "Cee" makes sure to invite Daisy as well as Tom's old friends "Franc" Schmidt (Leni Stengel) and Joe Fiske (Don Dillaway).

What happens at that party? "Cee" has also invited a man who has not so secretly wanted her for a long time, a fellow named Owen (Neil Hamilton)--how will he figure into all this? Will "Cee" and Daisy get along that night? What will happen if "Red" has trouble on his new job and wants to return to his old job working for Tom and "Cee?" Watch and find out!

The DVD comes with nothing in the way of extras except scene selection; but with these budget DVDs that's the way it goes, I guess.

The Animal Kingdom showcases the fabulous talents of Leslie Howard, Ann Harding and Myrna Loy. Look for a wonderful performance by William Gargan as "Red" the butler, too. Most if not all of the plot could even take place in these times so the film remains relevant despite the passage of time. I highly recommend this film for classic movie buffs; and of course people who are fans of the actors in this movie will want this DVD as well.
2276695
Here is a movie with two great stars in it.  They are both my favorites when it comes to movie going.  I have practically all of Johnny Depp's movies and Angelina Jolie's movies at home.  This was quite a surprise to me, it kept me from leaving the room, which I do occasionally when I'm watching a movie at home, but this one I did not care to put on pause.

I gave this movie a five star rating, mainly because it was quite suspenseful.  Jolie was her usual sexy, casual self, Depp kept his  self image here, his role as a tourist was well played.  This movie kept you guessing when are we going to see the mystery man that gangsters and officials are looking for.  If I mentioned that it had a surprise ending, I hope it would lure movie goers to buy and see this movie and enjoy Depp and Jolie together on the screen.
320748
"The Hours," based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Michael Cunningham, is a movie about three women, all of whom have a kinship to Virginia Woolf's character of Mrs. Dalloway. The three women, played in three different eras, are Virginia Woolf herself, Laura Brown, a fifties housewife, and Clarissa Vaughan, an editor living in contemporary New York.
Nicole Kidman is superb as Virginia Woolf. She captures Woolf's brooding intensity and recurring madness to perfection, and her vulnerability makes one's heart ache. Julianne Moore turns in another fine performance as Laura Brown, a suburban housewife who is depressed in spite of having a loving husband and an adorable little boy. Brown feels that she must escape or kill herself. Finally, Meryl Streep is Clarissa Vaughan, a successful editor who lives with her female lover. Clarissa also spends a great deal of time tending to Richard, a close friend who is dying of AIDS.

Stephen Daldry does a fine job of eliciting sensitive and compelling performance from a very fine cast, and the screenplay is faithful to the book without following it slavishly. However, the background score is too loud and intrusive, as if the director wants to emphasize that these people are going through major crises.

In addition, for those people who are not familiar with Virginia Woolf's life and writings, it is unclear why Laura Brown and Clarissa Vaughan are so unhappy. Laura may be bored with her life, but it is hard to understand why she could not have found some accommodation less drastic than the one that she ultimately chose. Clarissa's angst is also puzzling, since she has a full life, and is surrounded by people who love her. She is an attractive, vivacious, intelligent and successful individual. Her life matters.

Therefore, although the acting in "The Hours" is absolutely dazzling, I suspect that the message may be a bit cloudy for some viewers. Still, I urge you to see "The Hours" for the wonderful performances by a very talented cast.
4947568
First, I love Jennifer Aniston.  She does a great job with a Southern accent.  Here, like in "The Object of My Affection," she plays someone messing around in the wrong relationship.  "Good Girl" is a drama, with some more tragic than dark humor.  This is a good movie.  Jennifer Aniston makes this movie; but the whole cast is good.  "Unfaithful" starred Diane Lane as a rich gal cheating on her husband.  "Good Girl" is about a small town store clerk who cheats on her husband.  Aniston's character here is completely different than anything on "Friends."
1206533
This was the first time i got to hear what vanessa hudgens sings like, since i had never seen the high school musical movies she starred in.
she sings well and i like this album. its got a lot of songs to make you sing and dance, and feel better. it has a few slow songs that make you think like the track ''paper cut'' which is one of my favorite songs on the CD. after hearing the album i became a fan of her music. she like so many disney stars release music albums for their fans and vanessa is no different here but she has talent and knows how to make an album you can feel better to while listenting to.
3762230
Robin Williams is a great actor, but it's not often you see him doing something other than comedy.
Williams plays Sy Parrish, the local photo lab guy.  To his customers he's happy and jovial, but underneath he is serious need of help.
The movie takes you through Sy's mental unraveling and is good pyschological thriller.
The ending was a bit strange, and made you sit back and wonder what all happened.
But overall it was an enjoyable movie.
3838917
This movie is about two friends who re-unite with their childhood friend, who's a girl.
They both end up falling for the girl, who has grown up has grown up to be a strong and attractive woman.
One guy is a priest and one is a rabbi, which creates an interesting set of circumstances.
I like the actors, the excellent dialog, and the camera work; the close-ups.
And, of course, I love Jenna Elfman, as the leaving lady.
If you like romantic drama/comedies, you may like this.
I kept watching it until my 3 day rental was up.
1041199
As the actors are new comers, I knew I was taking a chance in purchasing this film.  It was a chance that I am glad I took.  I was a good twenty minutes into the movie when I realized that the plot seemed familiar to me. The movie is a version of Romeo and Juliet.  The actor, Arjun Kapoor, seems as though he's done this before.  There was no overacting, no cheesiness.  The actress, Parineeti Chopra, also did a great job.  I really liked her character, Zoya.  The girl she plays in the movie is fierce.  She and Parma (Arjun's character) are like the male and female versions of each other.  It makes sense they fell in love.  They are both passionate and impulsive.  They both have hair trigger tempers.  Parma is a rich kid who is trying to live up to his grandfather's expectations, to no avail.  This causes him to act recklessly.  Zoya is the only daughter, amongst sons, of doting parents.  She has aspirations of entering politics.  Both have hated each other since childhood due to family political rivalry.  At the beginning of the movie, all the way up to the intermission, Parma is not that likeable.  Zoya herself, while more likeable, was no wilting flower.  She would pull a gun in the blink of an eye.  She could use a lesson in impulse control.  The twist between the two in the middle of the movie is something that I did not see coming.  That's saying something for Bollywood movies, which can be kind of predictable.  After the intermission, the two must grow up a little and cooperate.  As I am not from that part of the world, it took me a while to figure out that the families were against the relationship not just for political reasons but also for religious reasons.  I don't really understand such passionate disapproval, although I do know that those views exist in the world.  The amount of gunfire employed to show their disapproval was astounding.  Also, I was baffled that both families so readily rejected their previously beloved children over this issue.  I know that exists in the world too, but still, it is baffling to me.  Having said all that, I really enjoyed this movie.  The songs were really good.  There wasn't too much joyous dancing, which would have been out of place in such a plot.  The acting by Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra was super for two people who are new to the profession. The ending was a surprise, given how Bollywood, like Hollywood, loves happy endings.  But, it fit the movie.  I like a movie that keeps me thinking about it after the movie has ended.
1886138
Nicolas Cage does a fine job in this film. He plays his role with the utmost sincerity.  John Cuzak who plays the heinous murder, whose actions leave you shaking your head at such evil, does a good job as well.  But the rest of the acting in the film is most unremarkable.  Well, actually, I cannot fault the lead actress, Vanessa Hudgens, whose character was nearly a victim and the woman who got away and wrote the book upon upon which the film was based.  You will think about this move, with a shudder, for some time to com.
4677521
I watched this movie, and listening to the first few notes I thought the composer had copied Rachel Portman's score from Only You, which I love.  The more I listened, and the more similar the music sounded to the theme from Only You, I realized that it must be Rachel Portman.  And it was.  This isn't bad.  It's unoriginal, but just like the music from Only You, it's light and whimsical and very pretty, although this type of music does seem more fitting to travels through Italy (in Only You) than the middle of New York City--I don't feel quite the same whimsy walking around Manhattan as I do in Tuscany.  Oh well, it's still good.
1741810
I didn't know what to expect when I started Air The Musical but I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it.  Oh, it's not an Oscar worthy effort but I found myself watching intently only once checking how much time was left in the movie and that happened when I was interrupted.  The acting was really pretty good.  I felt emotions for the characters.  The music was also nice once I got past the poor lip syncing.  I do enjoy happy endings for the most part.  I recommend it.