The Hours
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Movie Reviews of The Hours
Movie Review: amazing actors, wonderfull movie...
Summary: 5 Stars
It's really a pleasure to see all these great actos together in one movie. Spephen Daldry's "The Hors", about three women in different times is a beautiful masterpiece. Virginia Woolf (performed by Nicole Kidman) is in the 1920s writing her book "Mrs. Dalloway" (near of London), Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) is reading it in 1954 (in L.A.), and Clarissa Vaughn (Meryl Streep) is living the Mrs. Dalloway's life in the today-New York. This three women have the same character: They're living a life they don't want to live.
The film received 9 Oscar-Nominations, also for the best director - Daldry -, the best script - David Hare adapted very well Michael Cunningham's book "The Hours", and the best Film. It WAS one of the best films in 2003, maybe the best, with "Far From Heaven" and "Chicago" and "The Pianist". And the film with the most best actors: Nicole Kidman received an Oscar for her Virginia Woolf-playing, she makes herself little and small and ugly and you almoust forget it's Kidman who's there on the scope (perhaps also because of her wrong nose??).
Meryl Streep is laudable and brillant as Clarissa, there are small moments where you know she is a really great actress. For example the scene in the kitchen when Jeff Daniels is standing there and she beginns to crie, when she reallizes she is living a wrong life. Than you can see what's a real high-acting-level.
But actually the attraction, the best actress of the movie is Julianne Moore. Her performance is outsanding, and it's just not understandable why she didn't received an Oscar and just a nomination. With "Far From Heaven" and "The Hours" it's clear that she is one of the best actresses in our time. Maybe THE BEST. You can't describe her wonderfull acting...
A great actor-ensemble (also in supporting roles included Oscar-nominated Ed Harris - grand as ill poet and Clarissa's friend -, Toni Collete, John C. Reilly, Eelien Atkins, Miranda Richardson, Claire Danes, and many others) in an unforgettable film-event.
Virginia Woolf would be proud.
Movie Review: On (mind) Liberty
Summary: 5 Stars
Each day is connected through hours of momentums; and our non-stop thinking ushers our play. Writing-and-reading becomes an emblem to bridge these 3 women from time and space, and the story runs through a stream of their consciousness in a time warp, and a character twist (addendum).
There are 3 middle-aged women: Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) in 1928, Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) in 1951, and Clarissa Vaughan (Meryl Streep) in 2001. They each encounter stress in life, and what is hidden is an emergence of independence as we follow the characters' lives through progressive eras.
A culmination of this film is several kissing scenes: Virginia and her sister Vanessa, Laura and her neighbor, Clarissa and Richard. The kissing, different from a sensual affection, expresses outwardly how the compassion and the appreciation are released from the one who is going through a mind-remodeling. These scenes are suppressing and passionate at the same time.
I cannot argue that this film is a tad dark and tense to an emotional sense, but a good drama with layers.
Life in part is like the flowers Clarissa uses to celebrate the party. It conveys a sense of transient beauty; time peters out, we each live in hours, critical moments of life and try to enjoy with a content from the very bottom of all our senses and decisions.
Addendum:
The story links 3 women who are related to Woolf's novel, even including Woolf herself.
Virginia Woolf was engaging a novel "Mrs. Dalloway," which was read later by Laura Brown, a mother who eagers freedom herself. Clarissa resembles a modern variation of Mrs. Dalloway is a lesbian plans a party for her ex-lover-and-AIDS-poet, Richard.
Virginia and her illness can relate to Richard and his AIDS. Laura shares a character combination of Clarissa and Virginia, both strong and weak. Clarissa's care for Richard is similar to Virginia's husband, Leonard.
In a sense, it proposes metaphysically that we are poly-characters, with several shadows projected from different spotlights.
Movie Review: A darkly beautiful film
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Hours" is a sad, yet great story, of the lives of three women, who are living in different times. One is Virginia Woolf(Nicole Kidman) who is living in 1931, and is writing her book, Mrs. Dalloway. Virginia also has some problems though, in that she hears voices, and is also suicidal. The next is Laura Brown(Julianne Moore) who is living in 1949. She is a pregnant houswife, who has a loving husband(John C. Reily) and a young son. However, she is unhappy with her life for various reasons, and is contemplating suicide. She is planning to make a cake for her husband, and seems to be broken up about many different things. Then, there is Clarissa Vaughn(Meryl Streep), a lesbian who is planning a dinner party that night for Richard(Ed Harris)her ex-lover, who has just won the top prize for poetry writing, and is also dieing from AIDS. What makes the film work so well is the acting. A film like this requires that we care about the characters. The dialouge is well written and the acting is off the charts. Without brilliant performances, this film would not be nearly as good as it is. The reason acting is the key factor in this film is because 99% of the film is dialouge. There's no action, no sex, or anything other than the characters talking. That's just fine with me.
I found everyone in the film so intriguing and intresting. The film is two hours, but I felt as though it could've gone on for another two hours and I still wouldn't have been board.
Another highlight of the film is the beautiful score from composer Philip Glass, whose music makes the scenes complete. It fits the film too, because most of the music is like someone gradually gaining anger or frustration, and then exploding or wanting to explode.
Nicole Kidman won Best Actress for this film at the oscars, and rightfully so. She is great as Virginia...but everyone else is equally great. This is such a complete cast.
"The Hours" was my second favorite film of 2002, only behind Steven Spielberg's brilliant masterpiece "Minority Report". This film is one that you see, and cannot forget.
Movie Review: An Elegant Tapestry
Summary: 5 Stars
I went into the theatre without a great deal of enthusiasm, expecting three remarkable divas to do a great deal of talking elliptically with many pregnant pauses accompanied by meaningful staring into space. It is fair to say I am not imbued with delight at Virginia Woolf's style of writing. I am happy to have to discard my unkind premonitions and admit a delight and awe for "The Hours." It is a visual treat from the beautiful English countryside to the lush palms of 50's suburban L.A. to Clarissa's funky brownstone in 2001 New York City. And the ladies! Nicole Kidman's slat thin, gawky strained and repressed Virginia Woolf, Julianne Moore's tragically unhappy but luminescent Laura Brown, and Meryl Streep's teetering on the edge of despair, Clarissa. All three were magnificent, and it is difficult to choose among them. Ms. Moore's tremendous restraint gave a powerful, suffocating tension to her role that overwhelmed me with its brilliance. My companion thought Ms. Streep was radiant. But I certainly wouldn't want to slight Ms. Kidman who said so little, but showed so much. Her scene with her servant (who clearly intimidated her) insisting that she must purchase ginger for treats was masterful comedy. She was trying to be firm while almost fainting with revulsion at the sight of the servant carving raw meat in her kitchen.
The supporting cast were each a star in their own right, they were so perfect in their roles. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of how much Ed Harris must have enjoyed the all-out bombastic role of Richard, the poet dying of AIDS. I hope the costumier, Ann Roth, is awarded her Oscar for the beautiful authenticity of the attire. She even remembered that silk hose, lovely as they are, DO tend to wrinkle. The score, while charming, got a bit intrusive at times. There was a moment or two when I felt a strong desire to say, "Live for the moment! See the sun, your child, and your lover right now and rejoice--your life is not that bad" but I was quickly swept back up (or down) into the magic.
-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer
Movie Review: Unbelievable Hollywood Magic
Summary: 5 Stars
did u notice that almost all of the 1-star reviews of this movie are from guys? i wonder why...(plz notice that i'm being sarcastic). children who reviewed it and called it "boring" sadly must not be mature enough to understand the plot. but don't feel bad, i understand. i'm 13, and i think that this is one of the greatest films ever made. tons of people i know turn away from this movie because it focuses on the lives of three lesbians. but that really shouldn't turn you away, because it's an excellent movie, and beautifully shot.nicole kidman portrays writer Virginia Woolf... in an Oscar winning role. Troubled, annoyed, spiteful Woolf appears in the first scene, committing suicide. the scene is amazingly shot, very well done. my favorite scene in the film containts Kidman as Woolf--the one where she and her neice have a funeral for a dead bird...soudns corny, i know, but it's really beautiful. Woolf's scenes take place in the 1920's and 40's.
julianne moore plays Laura Brown, a character who, in her prime, lived in the 1950's. Devoted (?) mother, wife and terrible cook, Brown soon discovers that her best friend is about to have her ovaries removed. Perhaps she's TOO good of a best friend...Brown happens to be reading a book by Woolf, entitled Mrs. Dalloway. if you ask me, moore should have at least been nominated for this role.
Meryl Streep (who, i'll have you know, is the greatest actress of ALL time) portrays Clarissa Vaughn, friend of a dying poet who has AIDs. She's determined to throw him a party, but on the set date, he says he doesn't want to go. Vaugn is forced to endure the horror and pain of watching her only male lover jump out of the window. Streep's character lives in modern day times, and I think she should've gotten an oscar nomination for this (then of course, I think she should get nominated for everything she's in...and win the awards, too!)
words can't express how beautiful this film is. the message, the art, just everything! wonderfully done, superb acting, and a movie that was nominated for BEST PICTURE...and should've won.