fresh-4

if there were any justice, this would be the sleeper hit of the summer season. whether or not it finds its audience, kevin costner should feel very proud. this is a rich, moving, funny, utterly gripping and honest film experience. beautifully acted, written, directed and shot. i'm not usually a fan of westerns, but this one held me from start to finish. it's genuinely character based, you care about the people, and every beat of the film feels full of life and true. costner deserves enormous credit for bringing such a vibrant and compelling work to life. most impressively, he doesn't 'hog' the picture. he gives it over generously to robert duvall, who is superb. it's a wonderful film, full of carefully observed details, and heartbreaking moments. and it was a pleasure to witness a summer movie audience engage so deeply with such a thoughtful and intelligent epic. great work, kevin!!

i caught this kooky little horror film on cable the other night. it held up pretty well. the notion of scientist turned monster is obviously familiar, but it actually managed to be creepy and suspenseful..wished the guy had found a pair of gloves before touching all those poor people. i also loved the 'nightmare' sequence when he's exposed to the deadly gas, and dreams of beakers and flying white mice. kewl! how odd that it was directed by a musical comedy song and dance man. this is a fun 50's -ish horror tale, with delightful over the top acting. and it's really short. which is something.

not having read the book upon which this film is based, perhaps i don't have the same point of reference that others do. but i was floored by this film...the powerful performances, vivid direction, and the intelligent and haunting script. it has stuck with me, and has had the same emotional resonance that films like 'ordinary people' and 'my life as a dog' had. bravo to all, and particularly to the fine and committed work from the cast. alison lohman, michelle pfeiffer, robin wright penn, cole hauser, renee zellweger and patrick fugit are superb. penn and pfeiffer in particular do some of their bravest and finest work here.