Shadows on the Wall | Reader Reviews

READER REVIEWS ’05

Films only seen by Shadows readers...
Most reader reviews appear on the regular review pages.
On this page: CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS | DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN
THE GREAT RAID | HOSTAGE | THE UPSIDE OF ANGER

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last update 12.Dec.05

Christmas With the Kranks

dir Joe Roth
with Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd, M Emmet Walsh, Erik Per Sullivan, Cheech Marin, Jake Busey, Austin Pendleton, Tom Poston, Felicity Huffman, Patrick Breen • 04/US
release US 24.Nov.04, UK 3.Dec.04

Laurie T, Minneapolis: "I read the book [John Grisham's Skipping Christmas] - thought it was hilarious, and the movie wisely follows the book quite closely. It proves that Christmas can't really be skipped! The whole cast and crew obviously had fun making this movie and it shows. Gee, another holiday classic? It really is worth seeing. I laughed so hard I was nearly crying watching him attempt to eat his fruit after a botox treatment." (19.Dec.04)

Diary of a Mad Black Woman

dir Darren Grant
with Kimberly Elise, Steve Harris, Shemar Moore, Tamara Taylor, Lisa Marcos, Tiffany Evans, Cicely Tyson, Tyler Perry, Terrell Carter • 05/US
release US 25.Feb.05, UK tbc

Donna Carter, Wisconsin: 3.5/5

"I wasn't quite sure what to expect of this movie when I went to see it, but I rather like watching Shemar Moore on the soap The Young & the Restless, so I figured since he was playing a good guy on this show, it couldn't be ALL bad. Kimberly Elise (Helen) did an awesome job. (Wow! she's beautiful!) Shemar Moore (Orlando) was the perfect good guy (of course). Having seen Steve Harris (Charles) on the TV legal show The Practice it wasn't difficult to see him reprise his role as an attorney, but it was nice to see him play a broader role. The movie was a bit more religious than I expected (but it fit), and it wasn't as corny as the previews made it out to be. I enjoyed it." (20.Mar.05)

The Great Raid

dir John Dahl
with Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Joseph Fiennes, Connie Nielsen, Craig McLachlan, Clayne Crawford, Sam Worthington, Marton Csokas, Kristian Schmid, Matt Doran, Kenny Doughty • Miramax 05/US
release US 12.Aug.05, UK tbc

Laurie T, Minneapolis: "Awesome and powerful. We both studied the whole thing, and were aware of the death march, but never connected the whole McArthur returning thing and the fact that we abandoned our troops - awful! It was a powerful movie - and well done. We loved it. A good history lesson - one that I hope we never repeat." (29.Aug.05)

Hostage

dir Florent Emilio Siri • scr Doug Richardson
with Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollak, Ben Foster, Serena Scott Thomas, Jonathan Tucker, Jimmy Bennett, Michelle Horn, Marshall Allman, Rumer Willis • 05/US
release US/UK 11.Mar.05

Donna Carter, Wisconsin: "Bruce Willis cried more in this movie than I think I've ever seen him cry. It wasn't a bad movie, insofar as keeping ones' interest. It was a bit gory for my taste, but it wasn't as bad (gore-wise) as others I've seen. Some of the scenes were kind of cliché for the genre. The ending was typical. I don't feel like I wasted the matinee cost on it, but I wouldn't spend for a regular price ticket. Let's just say it didn't grab me. I wouldn't not recommend it, but if someone asked if I recommended it, I'd probably shrug and say it all depends on what you like. The house was cool." (13.Mar.05)

The Upside of Anger

dir-scr Mike Binder
with Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, Erika Christensen, Evan Rachel Wood, Keri Russell, Alicia Witt, Mike Binder, Dane Christensen, Danny Webb • 05/US
release US 11.Mar.05, UK tbc

IndigoJen, Los Angeles: "I expected something more along the lines of Tin Cup - a comedy with tinges of drama - so I had to adjust my expectations when I realized that this was more of a drama with tinges of comedy. I loved both Kevin Costner and Joan Allen as two middle aged, cynical, life-worn neighbors who find refuge in each other's company, and the varying relationships she had with her 4 daughters (Erika Christensen, Keri Russell, Alicia Witt, and Evan Rachel Wood) rang pretty true. I liked the theme of what prolonged resentment can do to a person, but I was a little disappointed with the resolution to the surprise twist in the film - wrapped up a little too neatly for my taste, and there were a few gaping holes (What happened to the 1st baby? Why is one of the daughters named Popeye?). Fortunately, the performances made up for my problems with the story line. And one of these days, Joan Allen will get her much deserved Oscar!" (15.Mar.05)