Notes on a Scandal

Amazon.com

Gold stars to all for this taut psychological thriller based on Zoe Heller's novel that that gets more insidiously twisted as it unfolds. Oscar-nominated for her chilling performance, Dame Judi Dench gives a master class as schoolteacher Barbara Covett, a frumpy, friendless, and flinty spinster who lives with her cat. A formidable presence, Barbara is standoffish with colleagues and not one for students to trifle with (not that they'd dare). Cate Blanchett, also an Oscar nominee and winner of several critics society awards for her impassioned performance, costars as Sheba Hart, the new, overwhelmed art teacher who first becomes enthrall to Barbara after she steps in to help Sheba discipline unruly students. Barbara cultivates a friendship, and insinuates herself into Sheba's chaotic life, which includes her older husband (Bill Nighy), teenage daughter, and a son with Down's syndrome. Then, Barbara catches the reckless Sheba in a compromising position with a 15-year-old student (Andrew Simpson). Seizing her opportunity, the calculating Barbara does not turn her in. Rather, she wants to "help" her. "She's the one I've been waiting for," she writes in the journals she meticulously keeps, and which provide, in voiceover, her corrosive commentary. This all sounds very Fatal Attraction, but no boiling rabbits, please; we're British. Philip Glass's Oscar-nominated score accentuates the growing menace. Though there is little in these characters to admire, (one would think GLAAD would have something to say about the predatory turn Barbara's character takes), Notes on a Scandal is a compelling tour-de-force for its Grade-A cast. --Donald Liebenson

Notes on a Scandal Extras

Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench on their characters in the film

Beyond Notes on a Scandal

Book to Movie Adaptations
More Cate Blanchett Films
What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal: A Novel

Stills from Notes on a Scandal

Description

Academy Award(r) winners Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett give wickedly entertaining, Oscar-nominated performances * ? one as a woman consumed by her colleague's guilty secret, the other, a victim to her own dark obsessions ? in this sexy, stylish thriller. Dench mesmerizes as Barbara Covett, a teacher who rules over her classroom with an iron fist, yet leads a desperate, solitary life outside it. That is, until she meets radiant new art teacher Sheba Hart (Blanchett). Although at first overjoyed with her newfound kindred spirit, when Barbara discovers that Sheba is having an affair with a teenage student, her jealously and rage spiral out of control.

Customer Reviews:

Friendship redefined.......2007-09-12

I was looking forward to this film for the sheer treat of having Judy Dench and Cate Blanchett act together. This film is interesting exploration on human relationships, desires and hurt humans are capable on inflicting to each other. We encouter Sheeba, new high school teacher who seems to have it all: she is married, beautiful and artistic with a possibility of starting a new teaching career after staying at home to raise her son. But then, we learn that her life is not a perfect one: she is married to an older man and the intensity of their relationship is wearing off with her. Her teenage daughter has typical teenage problems (boyfriend anyone?), while her son requires constant attention due to his Down Syndrome. In all that pressure, Sheeba succumbs to the seemingly worry free relationship with the high school student - young, handsome and amazingly manipulative. And as these events are unrevelling, Judy Dench's character seems to see an end to her loneliness. Under pretense to be a friend, comforting colleague on her slippery slope of self-destruction, she is naively plotting to lure Sheeba into relationshiop, only to find out that feelings are one sided. And that is here is all falls to pieces. I would say that while seemingly unremarkable, this is a true story of everyday people's lives. It is a true description of all of our transgressions and how easy it is for all of us to find justificaitons for our own actions. Also the moral of the story - if you are looking to confide to anyone, find a good psychotherapist, your friends and colleagues will find a way to "jump" you for all the petty reasons they can come up with should you be foolish enough to confide to them.

Intense and disturbing...........2007-08-22

My husband brought the DVD home with the warning that "Notes on a Scandal" was supposed to be an intense and disturbing film. Disturbing it was indeed, but not in the way I thought it would be. I assumed that a plot involving a teacher's "affair" with a teenage pupil would be overwhelmed by the unsavory aspect of that dangerous liaison. While events do turn upon the sordid, ill-fated dalliance, it is shown to be the unappealing result of mental aberration on the part of Cate Blanchett's character "Sheba." Sheba is drawn into the affair because she is basically undisciplined and used to living a free life, although she has tried to be a devoted mother to the best of her ability. But when boredom and unhappiness overwhelm her, she is bereft of resources.

The other dangerous relationship in the film is the emotional obsession that an older teacher, Babara Covett, magnificently played by Judi Dench, develops over Sheba. It reminded me of a saying of St Francis de Sales: "There are many virgins in hell, but there are no humble people in hell." With all the overemphasis on the physical, we forget that there are other sins besides those of the flesh, and that pride and covetousness can also lead a soul down the primrose path. Barbara's determination to monopolize Sheba's affections is in many ways as insidious and dangerous as any carnal misbehavior.

Barbara (Dench) is a dedicated teacher who with one word can restore order in a classroom. Her amazing competence and intellectual superiority lead her to despise the world. She is a misanthrope worthy of Scrooge, yet the witty and brilliant reflections as recorded in her secret diary are chillingly amusing. Unfortunately, she has a habit of forming inordinate attachments to other, younger women, attachments which she erroneously idealizes as being spiritual friendships. True friendship has little to do with it, however. Barbara resents Sheba's family and when Sheba puts her children first, only then does Barbara report Sheba's criminal actions.

"Notes on a Scandal" is a revealing glimpse into the souls of two women, each narcissistic and possessed by different brands of lust. Rarely has real love been so starkly contrasted with inordinate affections as in director Richard Eyre's modern yet timeless melodrama.

You can't make a good movie with a bad book.......2007-08-21

Well, I haven't read the book, but it's probably airport trash. Barbara "Covett"? Bathsheba "Hart"? Steven "CONnelly"? We're talking Joan Collins level, or a bodice ripper that Fabio is on the cover of. I'm amazed that two great actors would find anything to give of themselves to this exploitative, prurient stupidity. Only in terms of taboo breaking does this film have any impact. Cate Blanchett makes out with a 16 year old, and Judi Dench is a vampiric,creepy,aging lesbian. Both are teachers at an English high school and Dench lures the confused Blanchett into a bizarre relationship using her knowldge of Cate's teen tryst as leverage. I don't know if these actors are stretching their boundaries or naive, or both, but if you like a good train wreck, oh, baby, is this the right flick for you.

JUDI AND CATE MAKE A GREAT TEAM.......2007-08-20

This movie showcases the superb acting talents of Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett. Ms. Dench is very creepy, very convincing as a chronically lonely, manipulative lesbian. I've seen better acting from Cate Blanchett but even her worst acting is better than what you can expect from most actresses. Bill Nighy also turns in a convincing performance as the cuckholded husband.

I did not find this movie shocking in its content or disturbing, although I cannot understand how a grown woman can find a spindly, scrawny boy sexually appealing. Ms. Dench's acting is what disturbed me. She reminds me of a spider in a web, patiently waiting to ensnare her prey. As a lonely, bitter spinster she successfully runs off every person she befriends with her "intensity". She is obsessive, possessive, grabbing, clawing, but her prey doesn't see it coming. If you appreciate great performances by great actresses, I highly recommend this movie. Dame Dench's performance is one you will not soon forget.

The only reason I gave this movie two stars is because I reserve five stars for movies that move me on an emotional and intellectual level, which this movie did not. I don't believe it was supposed to. Some movies are for entertainment purpose alone, and this is one. Nothing wrong with that. It will definitely entertain you.

What's hotter than an old dike..........2007-08-20

This film is one of those that deals with many so called taboos in our very puckered up butt cheek culture. Sex with minors and homosexuality. The movie was utterly believable and entertaining with stealer acting by dame Judi Dench who plays an old, doughtering lesbian that longs for companionship and possibly a bit more. She has her sights set on friend and colleague Cate Blanchett. There is a twisted love triangle...well kinda a trapezoid actually, anyway you get the idea, I love you, she lusts me, this person only likes this person as a friend sort of thing. The story is superbly written for the screen and the two main characters are fleshed out so well they are reminiscent of people you once knew or still know. The film don't go too far over the top and has lots of little plot twists that keep you glued to your little lazy boy wondering if this old lesbo is ever gonna score. I recommend this film for any fan of Dame Dench or adult themed movies. The only criticism I have for this film is the score was rather annoying at times when I rather thought the acting didn't need a music bed to come off dramatic.

Average customer rating:

A Great Screen Play!
Shallow and Frivolous
Chicago IS jazz hot!
Loved it -- Fantastic Music and Great Cinematography
Great Musical!

Chicago (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Christine Baranski , Colm Feore , Richard Gere , Catherine Zeta-Jones , and Queen Latifah
Director: Rob Marshall
Manufacturer: Miramax Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B00005JLSE
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Amazon.com

Bob Fosse's sexy cynicism still shines in Chicago, a faithful movie adaptation of the choreographer-director's 1975 Broadway musical. Of course the story, all about merry murderesses and tabloid fame, is set in the Roaring '20s, but Chicago reeks of '70s disenchantment--this isn't just Fosse's material, it's his attitude, too. That's probably why the movie's breathless observations on fleeting fame and fickle public taste already seem dated. However, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones are beautifully matched as Jazz Age vixens, and Richard Gere gleefully sheds his customary cool to belt out a showstopper. (Yes, they all do their own singing and dancing.) Whatever qualms musical purists may have about director Rob Marshall's cut-cut-cut style, the film's sheer exuberance is intoxicating. Given the scarcity of big-screen musicals in the last 25 years, that's a cause for singing, dancing, cheering. And all that jazz. --Robert Horton

Description

Winner of six Academy Awards(R) (2003) including Best Picture, and starring Academy Award nominee (Best Actress, CHICAGO) and Golden Globe winner (Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, CHICAGO) Renée Zellweger (BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY), Academy Award winner (Best Supporting Actress, CHICAGO) Catherine Zeta-Jones (TRAFFIC), Academy Award nominee (Best Supporting Actress, CHICAGO) Queen Latifah (BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE), Golden Globe winner (Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, CHICAGO) Richard Gere (UNFAITHFUL), and Academy Award nominee (Best Supporting Actor, CHICAGO) John C. Reilly (GANGS OF NEW YORK) -- CHICAGO is a dazzling spectacle cheered by audiences and critics alike! At a time when crimes of passion result in celebrity headlines, nightclub sensation Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) and spotlight-seeking Roxie Hart (Zellweger) both find themselves sharing space on Chicago's famed Murderess Row! They also share Billy Flynn (Gere), the town's slickest lawyer with a talent for turning notorious defendants into local legends. But in Chicago, there's only room for one legend! Also starring Lucy Liu (CHARLIE'S ANGELS).

Customer Reviews:

A Great Screen Play!.......2007-09-02

Chicago, the movie, was done so well, it makes a fellow want to see the play - as on Broadway!

Shallow and Frivolous .......2007-06-28

After many years of wanting to see this film, I finally got a chance to view it. I like musicals and loved Moulin Rouge, so I thought I'd give this one a try. However, after viewing, I was a bit puzzled at all the fuss and acclaim this movie received and continues to receive.

Chicago, while visually stunning and artistically impressive (in that the actors did their own singing), is a shallow, cynical, superficial, and unsympathetic story. Most movies rely upon story and plot for their strength; not so Chicago, whose only redeeming quality is the song and dance they put on.

The main problem with the story is that there are virtually no sympathetic main characters. To take that a step further, the main characters are all frauds, and the story's message is shallow. The two somewhat redeeming characters, Roxie's husband and the woman who is hanged, are both pretty much invisible and discarded in the film. Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are both in jail for murder, and both have hopes and dreams of making it, being a big star, and having people adore them, so they call upon a slimebag attorney, Billy Flynn, to help them out. Roxie and Velma take turns lying and deceiving each other so they can get the fame in Chicago. Roxie openly admits she cheated on her husband, is oblivious to the fact that he's spent his life savings to get her a lawyer, and uses every trick in the book (including pretending that she has an illegitimate child) to ensure that she is the center of the newspaper headlines. Velma is a conceited fame-hungry snob who bribes the prison ward and only sucks up to Roxie when she realizing she is losing the fame war. From here we have a battle over popularity, as the two think of shenanigans to steal the headlines from each other. Who will win out? Who cares.

The message basically projected in this film is that its legitimate to whatever it takes to get ahead in this world--lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery--and, in fact, it might make you a star!

Are we are suppose to root for two back-stabbing, deceitful, murderesses who walk over people just to get their claim to fame all because they can sing and dance? Or how about a double-crossing, pompous, lying, money-hungry lawyer looking for the next damsel charged with murder? No thanks. I say throw them all in jail.

Watching this film, I found it mystifying how so many people and critics could love this movie so much. Granted the story's plot has probably changed from the musical version on stage, but the movie version falls quite short of its glowing reviews. Moreover, how could this film have received six Oscars in 2002? I liken the Oscar committee of 2002 to the gullible Chicago citizens in the film, falling over and swooning at something that puts on a little song and dance. Maybe Chicago was the Academy Award's apology for Moulin Rouge not getting any Oscars the previous year.

If you want to see a musical that is vastly superior, has heart, style and substance, and better acting, see Moulin Rouge.

Chicago IS jazz hot!.......2007-06-08

One of the best musicals of all time. Rapid paced, great story line, great actors, fantastic scenery... I can't say enough about everything this musical has going for it!!! A definite for your collection.

Loved it -- Fantastic Music and Great Cinematography.......2007-05-17

This is one of my very favorite movie musicals. The songs are so great and so much fun!

My favorite part about this movie though, is the way in which it constantly cuts back and forth between simultaneous shots of what the characters are doing in the "movie" version and what they are doing in the "stage" version of the story. It is this symmetrical blending of the two arts that really appeals to me, and the cinematography is very well done.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, John C. Reilly, and Queen Latifah all put on award-winning performances. I was especially impressed with Gere's and Reilly's performances. (Lucy Liu's small part was nice simply because she is so gorgeous, LOL, but she really is only a brief side character.)

This is the best and most enjoyable stage-musical-to-movie adaptation that I have yet seen, and I highly recommend it. Is it the best movie-musical ever? Probably not, I'd have to vote for The Sound Of Music, but even so, I find myself watching Chicago more often than TSOM. And Moulin Rouge is even funnier than Chicago, but I still love Chicago's songs the best.

Great Musical!.......2007-04-10

This is the musical for people who hate musicals! My kids and I all belt out the words when the songs come--each song is so unique and original. This really is an incredible film--the acting is perfect--I love the casting. Catherine Zeta Jones is so powerful, as is Renee Z. Ruchard Gere is at his best, as well, which was a cool surprise!

Average customer rating:

Awesome Blu-ray title
IT WILL RAZZLE DAZZLE YOU...
Ersatz

Chicago [Blu-ray]
Starring: Christine Baranski , Colm Feore , Richard Gere , Catherine Zeta-Jones , and Queen Latifah
Director: Rob Marshall
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000KEG94C

Product description

The winner of 6 Academy Awards® (2002) including Best Picture, Chicago seduces like never before on Blu-ray's high definition disc. Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere and Queen Latifah, this "splashy, sexy, knockout" (Rolling Stone) sizzles in this spectacular new format. After committing crimes of passion, nightclub sensation Velma Kelly and spotlight-seeking Roxie Hart both wind up on Chicago's famed Murderess Row. But with the help of slick, defense lawyer Billy Flynn, these notoriously lethal ladies will soon become local legends! Get more than an eyeful of "razzle dazzle" in jaw-dropping 1080p, and experience every sultry, musical nuance with 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio. Set your senses free with Blu-ray™ High Definition.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Blu-ray title.......2007-01-28

This movie has the BEST audio of any Blu-ray movie, and far better than anything HD-DVD can offer. I don't really like musicals, but I wanted to experience the audio for this film and it was simply amazing, the picture was excellent too. Just make sure you have your HDMI cables hooked up correctly!

IT WILL RAZZLE DAZZLE YOU..........2007-01-21

This is a fantastic musical. From the beautifully designed sets, to the period costumes, to the show-stopping song and dance numbers, it will simply razzle-dazzle the viewer. The director and his singing and dancing troupe of stars simply pull out all the stops in this brilliantly executed musical.

The film, which provides a cynical and satirical look at fame and fortune, centers in nineteen twenties Chicago around two murderesses, Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger). Velma, who together with her sister, was a dance hall success, killed her husband and her sister when she caught them together en flagrante delicto. True to the maxim, however, that the show must go on, she goes on stage immediately after dispatching the two lovers, where she is promptly arrested.

Roxie Hart, an admirer of Velma Kelly, is married to Amos Hart (John C. Reilly), a good-hearted, regular Joe, but she longs for tabloid fame and fortune. She begins to have an affair with a man who promises that he could get her a stage gig only to find that he lied just to get her in bed. So, she ends up killing him. Her long suffering husband stands by his little woman as she is trundled off to jail to await trial. There, she meets her idol, Velma Kelly, who finds her hero-worship annoying.

In the jail, Matron "Mama" Morton (Queen Latifah) reigns supreme over the inmates, accepting bribes for favors. Velma Kelly, represented by star defense attorney Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), is in tabloid heaven. Roxie Hart, longing to be in tabloid heaven as well, gets her husband to retain Billy Flynn on her behalf. Before she knows it, she, too, is in tabloid heaven, playing the media like a violin.

The legal profession also gets a cynical slap in the guise of the slimy, fast talking Billy Flynn, who looks for the best selling point rather than for the truth. He understands the thirst of the media for the perfect sound-bite and he gives it to them. Guilty or not guilty, it doesn't matter. What matters to him, as a hired mouthpiece, is the media mileage he can get for his client, as well as for himself. To that end, he is the ventriloquist, and his client is no more than his dummy.

The razzle-dazzle musical numbers move the story along. Catherine Zeta-Jones is terrific, looking impossibly beautiful and showing off her musical theatre background to great advantage with "All That Jazz" and "Cell Block Tango". Queen Latifah is outstanding as the sly and voracious Mama Morton, who goes whichever way the wind is blowing. She also has a show-stopping musical number, "When You're Good To Mama" that is simply memorable. Renee Zellweger, though not a professional singer or dancer, shows that she can sing and dance with the best of them.

The men also shine in this musical. John C. Reilly, as Roxie's long-suffering husband, also has a terrific number, "Mister Cellophane", that is truly heart rending and poignant, as well as metaphoric. Richard Gere gamely rises to the occasion in his first musical, making the slick Billy Flynn character an integral part of the film with his "Razzle Dazzle" number and his tap dancing.

I love this top notch, clever film, finding it hugely entertaining. It deserves every one of its six Academy Awards, including that for "Best Picture". Director Rob Marshall deserves kudos for this brilliantly directed, seamlessly edited, musical masterpiece. While it is a fairly faithful screen adaptation of Bob Fosse's Broadway musical, it has Rob Marshall's contemporary imprimatur on it. It is a film of which he can be justly proud. Bravo!

Ersatz.......2007-01-08

"Captain Kirk, the approaching probe will destroy Earth if we do not respond with whale sound!" "O.K., send them some." "The sounds will be real but it will just be gibberish." "Well people watched `Chicago'; what make you think the probe is any more discerning?"

The plot line by (Maurine Dallas Watkins) is a killer; it is all about the whimsical world of killing. Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) killed her husband and sister. Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) shoots her boyfriend Fred Cassely (Dominic West) dead. And a whole bevy of sleazy babes that killed their significant others. They kill a few songs. And the plot was never alive.

It is possible that the play may have had some redeeming social value. However by the time it was hacked up for this movie the only thing of value is the fast forward button. And again just because the movie has the appearance of a play does not give it any virtue.

If you do like murder and music then you may prefer "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (1982)

Average customer rating:

A Great Screen Play!
Shallow and Frivolous
Chicago IS jazz hot!
Loved it -- Fantastic Music and Great Cinematography
Great Musical!

Chicago (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Taye Diggs , Cliff Saunders (II) , Catherine Zeta-Jones , Renée Zellweger , and Dominic West
Director: Rob Marshall
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009RGBS
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

A Great Screen Play!.......2007-09-02

Chicago, the movie, was done so well, it makes a fellow want to see the play - as on Broadway!

Shallow and Frivolous .......2007-06-28

Chicago IS jazz hot!.......2007-06-08

Loved it -- Fantastic Music and Great Cinematography.......2007-05-17

Great Musical!.......2007-04-10

Average customer rating:

Brilliant, sympathetic portrait of Wilde
Oh people, please!
WILD ABOUT WILDE
Excellent
It's a wild Wilde life -- and a fascinating film

Wilde (Special Edition)
Starring: Stephen Fry , Jude Law , Vanessa Redgrave , Jennifer Ehle , and Gemma Jones
Director: Brian Gilbert
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005V5NU
Release Date: 2002-03-19

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant, sympathetic portrait of Wilde.......2007-09-04

It's my understanding that this website is for the purpose of judging the films, not the morals of the individuals portrayed, pro or con. Given the subject matter, it's hardly surprising that nerves were struck and many reviews here are more about judging Wilde's lifestyle than the film.
Everyone is going to have his own views on the subject so I'm going to stick to reviewing the film as much as I can and leave the rest to others.

I've been a big fan of Wilde's plays for a long time but didn't know much about his life other than what was common knowledge--the scandals and imprisonment. So part of the enjoyment of this film was learning more about him---his marriage, his children, and the circumstances that led to his trial and downfall.

Steven Fry has been quoted as saying that this is the role he was born for and who can disagree with that? He is incredible. If one were to entertain thoughts of reincarnation it would be easy to speculate that Oscar, in the afterlife, might have chosen just this person to come back and show the world his side of the story, with immense charm, enormous intelligence and bountiful compassion. He is physically huge, very impressive and his amazing immense sweet smile rivals that of Santa Claus. Then there is this deep powerful but velvet voice (my words are inadequate to do him justice....) He won my heart in the first few minutes of the film. (I read that he has narrated the audio book version of the Harry Potter series, which makes me want to run out and buy them.)

It's impossible to fit the life of such a complex person into a two hour time frame and so choices have to be made. Since homosexuality was what brought Oscar down, it has to be shown and it's my feeling that the amount of screen time devoted to the affair with "Bosie," Oscar's amour fatal, and the way their relationship is shown is entirely appropriate. The choice of Jude Law as Bosie was a perfect one--who else could have seduced this intelligent man into making the choices that ruined him and his family. Law is so gorgeous (once People magazines' choice of "sexiest man on the planet") that I didn't mind at all seeing his nude body no matter what he was doing, or with whom. :-)

Vanessa Redgrave adds her special spice to the role of Wilde's mother, no mousy type herself. The supporting cast is all perfect.

As others have mentioned, this is not the foppish dandy that many have imagined Wilde to be, but a man of immense stature and compassion who seems to have done whatever he did for love. As such it gives us enormous sympathy for him. As a woman I do have to wonder about his wife, and how his choices affected her. Wouldn't it be interesting to have heard her side of the story? And the children? That might have to wait for another film, one that I doubt will ever be made.

Oh people, please!.......2007-07-22

This is a lovely biographical movie that is well acted and totally enjoyable in every way.
I just want to ask, what were the people who wrote reviews complaining about seeing a few scenes of man on man sexuality expecting? This is the true story of a man who was prosecuted for his sexual orientation and you imagined we would get to see nothing about that?
There is nothing explicit about this movie and I'm straight, by the way.
Just enjoy the story and stop making it seem like gay porn.

WILD ABOUT WILDE.......2006-12-26

"WILDE"

Wild about Wilde

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

Richard Ellman wrote an unconventional biography of Oscar Wilde which looks at the brilliant, witty and tragic life of the Irishman who died a shameless death and has only recently been reinstated to the world of literary accomplishment. This book was in turn made into a wonderful movie which gives us Wilde's rise to fame as an in-demand author and public speaker to his downfall and imprisonment because of his homosexuality. Stephen Fry is amazing as Wilde. Portraying the author as he takes a wife, despite his own sexual bent, and producing children, Wilde comes across even more enigmatic than before. It was while he was married that Wilde discovers his true sexual identity and this leads to a very public affair with the vain and rebellious Lord Alfred Douglas (Jude Law and yes he gets naked). Wilde's private life leads him to downfall and puts him in prison on the charge of "gross indecency", a term for homosexuality at the time.
"Wilde" is a solid and stolid drama about Oscar Wilde, after realizing his homosexuality, Wilde goes through a series of lovers until he finally settles on the pouty, spoiled and good-looking Lord Alfred. With this union, all hell broke loose and this intelligent movie shows the trials and tribulations of one of the world's wittiest authors. Brian Gilbert's direction makes Wilde come beautifully alive in a movie not easily forgotten.
So what is different about this movie as compared to others about Wilde? It shows his creativity, his genius, his obsessions, and his downfall in a tragically beautiful way. It is literate and superior to anything that has come before it and will likely remain a milestone for those who want to learn more about the man. The ironic twist showing Lord Douglas convincing his lover to bring a libel suit ageist his father knowing it is doomed to fail seems to show the whole conviction of Wilde in a new light and that it was Wilde's pride which lead him to self-destruction.
Wilde's attraction to Lord Douglas was the catalyst for his doom. It was this relationship that would destroy his career, his family, his health yet even after it was all done, Wilde returned to Douglas. What was the reason for such appeal? The movie shows it to be a combination of masochism and romanticism. Jude Law's portrayal of Douglas is painful--not the acting, the character. He is a rebellious adolescent who is extremely handsome and sometimes charming. His temper tantrums and verbal attacks against Wilde simply made the author love him even more.
Little is held back in this wonderful film. We see Wilde and Douglas in male brothels and we se Wilde engaging in voyeuristic habits. Wilde is shown as a father who was too much into his own work to pay attention to his children and he refused to publicly admit that he was homosexual and because of this he was doomed to disgrace.
As Wilde, Fry is marvelous--vulnerable and scathing. He showed that even though he knew that his relationship with Douglas would come to no good, he was powerless to resist the man. He captures Wilde's poise and sheer imposing physical appearance. Law is hypnotizing as Douglas and as much as you want not to like him, you can see what Wilde loved him so. In depicting the shadow side of yearning, "Wilde" becomes a classic study of a great Irish writer.

Excellent.......2006-11-10

The film was great, the price was great, it arrived unbelievably quickly. Thank you!

It's a wild Wilde life -- and a fascinating film.......2006-10-01

I have somewhat conflicting opinions about this film, just as I have conflicting opinions about Oscar Wilde himself. No one can dispute the fact that Wilde was a literary genius; ample proof of this is found in the successful rehabilitation of his work in reputation long before the aspects of his infamous lifestyle became acceptable to even a minor fraction of society. If, as hardly seems possible, you aren't aware of the scandal associated with Wilde's downfall, this film spares the viewer few of the most intimate of details (in other words, there is male nudity - and plenty of it). It's a brave film, featuring a most accomplished class of actors and actresses turning in terrific performances, but it doesn't feel perfectly complete to me. Rather than delivering a flamboyant Oscar Wilde who truly reveled in his own audacity, this Oscar Wilde seemed subdued and sometimes even haunted by the lifestyle he led. While his wit is demonstrated quite often, this didn't quite seem like the young man who became the toast of London before he met with his first literary success and reveled in the danger inherent in his forays into the London underworld of homosexuality. Maybe it's just impossible to capture the true spirit of this most singular of men, but I just felt as if this film tried to cast Wilde as something of a victim led astray by all these pretty young boys and a man doomed by his own nature, and I don't completely buy into that.

I was also somewhat disappointed by the fact that Wilde's writing played only an incidental role in this story. We don't get a very good sense of the shocking nature of The Picture of Dorian Gray to Victorian society, apart from the comments of young Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas (Jude Law) upon his introduction to the author, and Wilde's successful plays provide little more than short moments in the sun for Wilde to receive the cheers of appreciative audiences on opening nights. There's basically no commentary on the relationship between Wilde's writing and his life.

I don't want to sound too negative, however, as I think this is a wonderful film. Stephen Fry makes for a wonderful, albeit subdued, Oscar Wilde, but Jude Law turns in a much more memorable performance as Bosie. With his flamboyant nature, sudden mood swings between devil-may-care flamboyance and taciturn childishness, and natural coquettishness, he dominates one scene after another. Wilde, in fact, becomes something of a pathetic creature at times, a helpless instrument in the hands of a young seducer whom he must suspect will ultimately lead to his downfall and disgrace. Certainly, there was little chance of keeping this extended dalliance a protected secret, but one cannot blame Bosie's father - evil brute that he was - from seeking Wilde's destruction. The irony, of course, is that Wilde engineered his own downfall, as it was his decision to sue the Marquess of Queensberry for libel (and to thereby perjure himself in court) that led to his arrest for gross indecency.

I certainly can't admire anything about Oscar Wilde's personal life beyond his brave determination to be nothing less than who he truly was, even when that meant facing two back-breaking years of manual labor in prison. I do admire his genius, however, and I don't think there's any doubt that his exploits influenced the society of his day and age.
He helped define one era and ushered in the dawn of a new one. Most of all, he was just bloody fascinating. Any movie about his life would be noteworthy, and this one is certainly that.

Frank Lloyd Wright: A Film By Ken Burns and Lynn Novick

Average customer rating:

Great Film!
Frank Lloyd Wright
Really a Wonderful Film...

Frank Lloyd Wright: A Film By Ken Burns and Lynn Novick
Starring: Philip Bosco , Edward Herrmann , Sab Shimono , and Julie Harris
Director: Ken Burns , and Lynn Novick
Manufacturer: Pbs Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000BITUH0
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Customer Reviews:

Great Film!.......2007-08-28

This is a wonderful film for FLW enthusiasts or just your general history buff. The film contains a pretty unbiased account of FLW's personal and professional scandals.

Frank Lloyd Wright.......2007-07-15

I have never really understood the man (frank lloyd wright), behind the master teacher he ultimately became.... and in this film I have been profoundly surprised and impacted by his life's story.
I would recommend this film to anyone. It is a sensitive and brilliantly made documentary, laced with beethoven's music throughout, and impeccably built together, frame by frame on film, as Mr. Wright's buildings were.
As the documentary progressed, ultimately building to a tender yet impactful crescendo, this man's life's story brought tears to my eyes when it was over. Mr. Wright was an incredible human being....despite devastating loses he had to endure,he had the courage and fearlessness to tread a path no one ever dreamed possible, yet he did.... and during at ime where it was almost impossible to be 'free.' I loved this film. Please do not miss it.

Really a Wonderful Film..........2007-04-16

.
Yes, this is a really wonderful film in many ways:

of course Ken Burns has achieved his style with his historical presentations: the photographs and old films; the music; the narrations and commentaries, etc. But in this particular film they all come together and gel in a remarkable way--probably due to the subject matter of Wright himself.

Wright himself said that he recognized Beethoven as a master architect as revealed in his musical architechonics: in this film, Burns coordinates mostly Beethoven's music with visions of Wright's buildings: a masterful and moving audiovisual combination.

Wright was a very remarkable man of genius. If he had been born in England or Germany, for example, he probably would have had a more successful career than he did, for here he was persecuted like Oscar Wilde for his aberant sexuality. This bogus-Puritanical hypocrisy hindered his career, and he was therefore unable to produce as much work as he could have otherwise.

In any case, he synthesized Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts aesthetic, Sessessionist, Jugenstil, Japanese, and Bauhaus into the most unique visions of architecture the world has ever known.
.

Average customer rating:

"Brilliant"
I think its been misrepresented somewhat
no title
The start and the end of political documentary...
Sometimes you need to fill in the gaps

The War Room
Starring: James Carville , George Stephanopoulos , Heather Beckel , Paul Begala , and Bob Boorstin
Director: D.A. Pennebaker , and Chris Hegedus
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B0002JUXDS
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Amazon.com essential video

Documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker (Don't Look Back) and Chris Hegedus shot behind-the-scenes at command central for Bill Clinton's 1992 election campaign and came up with this film. You won't find the kind of daily damage-control and skirt-chasing indirectly alleged in Primary Colors, but the filmmakers do give us a strong sense of the uphill battle of a presidential campaign. The center of the film is really James Carville, who steered the machine for Clinton's '92 run and who comes across in this film as a deeply passionate, complex, and somehow timeless man who could have fit into any chapter of American history. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

"Brilliant".......2007-01-15

This is a great film to see what is conducted behind the scenes to win a presidential campaign. Great film for students to see two political campaign managers at work. This film also showed these two guy's human side and at the same time funny.

I think its been misrepresented somewhat.......2006-12-02

This is not a film of the inner sanctum of Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign as claimed but a film of his head campaign managers office. You will see some discussions on issues. Nothing very controversial. You never see any real important decisions made and you see almost nothing of Bill Clinton.

If you are interested in elections you probably will get some feel of how a modern campaign feels but little about much else.

no title.......2006-03-13

Well, I sure could have skipped this one. I well remember the critics raving over this on television, but why is beyond me. Mostly, I was just plain bored. There simply was no depth at all, just bunches of short takes and wise cracks. Bush was just downright dirty, making insults and slurs all over the place, something I do not consider an appropriate attitude in a man who would be President. And it is interesting that in one of the reviews it was noted that Mary Matalen, the deputy manager of Bush's campaign and very acid-tongued (maybe she wrote some of the slurs Bush used), is now the wife of James Carville, top strategist for Clinton's campaign, and basically the star of the movie. But all the scenes were focused on the funny quip, the bon mot, no long scenes of the nitty-gritty work, or any answers to any questions about Clinton either, for that matter.

The start and the end of political documentary..........2006-01-21

Though 'Primary' introduced the political campaigning doco, 'The War Room' surely is the apex of the genre.

Part of the highlight of the doco is Stephanopoulos, who is captured as he is - preening himself and agreeing with others ideas/suggestions.

As with the Clinton campaign, Carville steals the show. Whatever your convictions (and mine are on the other side of politics) it is impossible not to respect Carville for his character and beliefs.

I dont want to spoil it for you, but Billary wins...

Sometimes you need to fill in the gaps.......2005-12-30

While I found the glimpses into the inner workings of the 1992 presidential campaign of Bill Clinton to be interesting and well worth watching, it was a bit disappointing. Campaign manager James Carville and Communications Director George Stephanopoulos demonstrate their skills at political maneuvering. Even though Bill Clinton was a masterful politician, these two men got him elected. While both of them show their hard-boiled political fronts, they also show their human sides. Stephanopoulos openly talks about how nervous he is and Carville cries when he thanks the staff for their hard work.
There are two main weaknesses to the presentation. The first is that many parts will be incomprehensible to anyone who does not already know a great deal about the events. For example, there is mention of the relationship between Carville and Mary Matalin, but it is never truly explained. The incongruity of the political strategists of Democrat Bill Clinton and Republican George Bush having a romantic relationship in the middle of a presidential campaign is not emphasized as much as it should. If you were not aware of the depth of that relationship and who they are, then that segment will be little more than a flyby.
The second main weakness is that your perspective never reaches the level of the "fly on the wall." At all times, it is clear that you are seeing into the campaign only to the extent that they want you to see. It would have been better if they at least sometimes made it appear that you were seeing workings of the campaign staff that they would have preferred not be seen. I was especially disappointed with the response to the Gennifer Flowers incident. Clinton and his campaign staff handled it very deftly, yet we really don't see what they did. This contrasts with an incident later in the campaign when Stephanopoulos fields a call from someone who is threatening to expose what they claim is another Clinton infidelity. In this case, he supposedly fathered a child with a black woman. Stephanopoulos tells the person politely but firmly that:

*) At this point no one cares.
*) If you break the story, you will never work in the Democratic party again.

I found this video fascinating, but I remembered and understood the events that unfolded. If you for any reason do not know the fundamentals of what is happening, then you will spend a great deal of time puzzled by what you see.

Average customer rating:

Brilliant dialogue and setting!
Aside from the dramatic interracial implications...
A STORY THAT ROCKED THE NATION
Just Unbelievably Awesome!!!!!!!!
Sally Hemings: Excellent Story Told of Love, Betrayal and Oppression

Sally Hemings: An American Scandal
Starring: Sam Neill , Carmen Ejogo , Diahann Carroll , Mare Winningham , and Mario Van Peebles
Director: Charles Haid
Manufacturer: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B0007LPS7W
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant dialogue and setting!.......2007-09-04

Having watched the movie several times, Sally Hemmins is a great eye opener for those who are not familiar with US history especially during the slavery era. The events and story line were pretty consistent. The other version of Sally Hemmins filmed by Nick Nolte wasn't impressive. But the casting, dialogue, costumes, scenery and most of all the depiction/irony of Southern Slavery of 'Sally Hemmins: Ana American Scandal' is/was brilliant. I'll give definitely give it 5 STARS.

Aside from the dramatic interracial implications..........2007-08-20

of President Jefferson and his concubine/slave Sally Hemings, there remains a rather usual story of a widower who transfers his well-known affection for his young deceased wife to her equally beautiful sister. Sally Hemings and Martha Jefferson were half-sisters and it was said that they looked rather alike. Sally came to Monticello with the marriage of Martha to Thomas Jefferson.

It is easy to point up the hypocrisy of Thomas Jefferson, the author who wrote so eloquently of freedom in the Declaration of Independence while denying to others, but initially Jefferson did seek the end of slavery in the 13 colonies. During the days of the Continental Congress he urged the abolition of slavery as part and parcel of the newly created United States, but was persuaded to drop the cause when the southern states threatened to bolt and withdraw their much needed support in the inevitable clash with the the crown. Following the Revolution Jefferson no longer persued abolitionist ideology

As a person ages, they often become more conservative and careful in their beliefs. This was true of Jefferson. He also held a strong belief in NOT concentrating or centralizing the powers of the government but rather to give the greater authority to each State to govern itself in the newly formed confederation. Although Jefferson's ideas would give way to Madison and the Federalization of the states; many still cling to the idea of decentralized government; the south in particular used this dictum again and again during the civil rights era in order to maintain their segregationist laws.

What can never be known is the true nature of the relationship between Sally Hemings and Jefferson. Sally Hemings was Jefferson's property and with no personal freedom or rights. We know that Jefferson instructed Martha Jefferson Randolph, his daughter by Martha Jefferson, to free Sally & her children upon his death. Many speculate that this was based on his love and affection for this steadfast woman with whom he shared much of his life and by whom he had a number of children.

A STORY THAT ROCKED THE NATION.......2007-07-01

As a genealogist, I collect period movies. This is one of the first movies I ordered. This story is only one of many stories that occurred during the slavery peiod in this country. Because it was Thomas Jefferson - that made it big history. There were several slave owners who not only bed their slaves, some fell in love with them. The acting is excellent and the movie is very relevant. I highly recommend it.

Just Unbelievably Awesome!!!!!!!!.......2007-03-20

I ordered this movie and it came within a just a week. I love it. I culd watch it over and over again becuz i've been searching everywhere 4 this movie dying 2 c it again; I remember the movie from when it came on CBS back in '99 or 'oo. Tina Andrews did her research well and I love the way Sally Hemings was protrayed in the film. She's beautiful (thanks to Carmen Ejogo) and intelligent as well as feirce and kind at the same time. She's quite confident of herself. I also liked the way Jefferson was portrayed. It's almost completely believable to me-it's nice 2 hav an imagination. The other acters like, Diahann C., Mario V.P., Mare W., Amelia H., and Klea S. are great as well. I wish it culd hav gone into detail about her mother's, Betty, life and her Sally's two youngest sons, Eston and Madison. If you're interested in good entertainment of or the scandal of the U.s. 3rd president, you shuld seriously consider viewing this movie. I really like it and I am sooo glad I own it.

Sally Hemings: Excellent Story Told of Love, Betrayal and Oppression.......2007-03-08

This movie was excellent. It was much better than the version that came out in the early '90's. If you love period films than you will definitely love this historical piece. This is the perfect example of people caught between privilege and oppression. Excellent!!!

Average customer rating:

Too Long, but worth a rental
Wonderful Movie, but a bit long
BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS OF THE RICH AND INFLUENTIAL
It was a'right
Aristocrats Review

Aristocrats
Starring: Serena Gordon , Alun Armstrong , Geraldine Somerville , Ben Daniels , and Julian Fellowes
Director: David Caffrey (II)
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000G6BM0K
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Amazon.com

At one point during The Aristocrats, the dutiful, devoted, yet rather dim husband of Louisa Lennox cannot find the word to describe the magnificent party they are attending. "Resplendent," his wife offers. That pretty much describes this impeccably mounted BBC miniseries.

Based on the biography by Stella Tillyard, The Aristocrats vividly re-creates "a different world" that would eventually be shattered by rebellion and bloodshed. "The much pampered" Emily Lennox narrates her family's history, as tumultuous as it was charmed. The Lennox sisters, Caroline (Serena Gordon), Emily (Geraldine Somerville, and as an older woman, Sian Phillips), Louisa (Anne-Marie McDuff), and Sarah (Jodhi May), were of royal blood and they mixed with royalty. Part 1 chronicles elder daughter Caroline's "small rebellion" that tears her family apart. Against her father's wishes ("I would sooner let you sell fish in the street," he thunders), she marries for love Henry Fox, a politician who is 20 years older. Caroline is banished from the house and her sisters' lives. Part 2 charts the misfortunes of sister Sarah, who as a child was a favorite of the king and is later courted, but ultimately rejected, by his heir. She becomes "an inconvenient woman," scandalizing her family with her indiscretions. Part 3 makes the last reel of Gone with the Wind look like Singin' in the Rain as bittersweet reunions, sibling rivalries, death, infidelities, and revolution take their tragic toll.

Originally broadcast on Mobil Masterpiece Theatre, The Aristocrats is presented on video in a three-volume set. Anglophiles will find it difficult not to take in all 246 minutes in a single sitting. But the peerless ensemble and rich production ensures rewarding repeat viewings. --Donald Liebenson

Description

Decades of history unfold in a dazzling saga of privileged lives and sisterly devotion

As seen on Masterpiece Theatre

With characters, drama, and romance vivid enough for a masterwork of fiction, this story is all the more fascinating because it is true. Based on Stella Tillyard's acclaimed biography that "made history sexy again" (London Sunday Times), it paints an intimate portrait of 18th-century upper-class life in England and Ireland through the eyes of four beautiful high-born sisters. Caroline, Emily, Louisa, and Sarah Lennox were great-granddaughters of a king, daughters of a cabinet minister, and wives of politicians and peers. Well-educated, strong-minded, and distinctly individual, they take charge of their own lives, tempting scandal with their unconventional ideas about love, marriage, education, and fidelity.

Starring Serena Gordon, Geraldine Somerville, Anne-Marie Duff, Jodhi May, Siân Phillips, Alun Armstrong, and Julian Fellowes in a sumptuous BBC production.

Customer Reviews:

Too Long, but worth a rental.......2007-09-14

I liked this, it was a good chronicle of an English aristocratic family in the 18th century spanning a few generations. Of course it had some beautiful scenery and nice production values, I didn't find it as interesting as Pride/Prejudice or Wives/Daughters and the Dickens miniseries though.

One glaringly bad thing is the passage of years in the characters is not pulled off very well, all of them seem to be the same age for the first 5 episodes and then in the final episode all of a sudden everyone goes from 30 to 90! It was tough to follow what was going on due to that shift. Also most of the actors are fairly ugly to look at, like the salaried BBC ones on their television series. All in all worth the watch but I wouldn't watch it more than that like the above mentioned series.

As others have mentioned it's interesting for the first 2 discs but I gradually lost interest in the story, the final episode I watched while doing other things, this series falls into the Walmart/Titanic syndrome, all things for all people, too sprawling a story that loses it's punch after one sitting.

Wonderful Movie, but a bit long.......2007-08-14

I just watched this movie. I thought it had a great beginning and was completely enthralled with it....but then then movie just kept going and going. I particularly did not care for the last installment. I think that could have been summed at the end of the fifth installment with the narrator just telling people what happened. Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. The costumes are WONDERFUL, and I have to say that the did the makeup really well. The sisters really did seem to age even though played by the same characters (at least until the last installment). If you like period pieces, this is a must see. It is so much better than the Buccaneers.

BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS OF THE RICH AND INFLUENTIAL.......2007-08-01

It is always so very amusing, interesting, entertaining and fun to peek, behind the closed doors, at the lives of the rich, famous and socially well-connected. In this opulently produced, wonderfully directed and acted 3 DVD set (consisting of two episodes each and running about 98 minutes each) of a BBC Masterpiece Theater production, we certainly get a really good look at the privileged lives of England's Lennox, family from the 1700s to 1800s. This mini-series is mainly about the l five (5) very independent, pampered and well read Lennox sisters and about their lives, loves, successes, failures etc., as written by Stella Tillyard and as seen through the eyes of one sister Emily Lennox marvelously, in this presentation, narrated by Sian Phillips (as Emily Lennox, in her dodge.) This family was very well connected being related to royalty and having the advantages that goes with those "good connections". However, having "good connections" does not always necessarily make one immune from all of life's "nastiness". So it was with the Lennox family; they had their share of rebelliousness, indiscretions, scandals, deaths, lusts, heartaches, betrayals, political and personal intrigues, etc. that are wonderfully shown and dramatized in this mini-series Of course, all of the aforesaid tribulations make for a fascinating true story especially as presented in this production. No, I have not read Tillyard's book; therefore, I won't do the comparison thing. All that I can say is that this mini-series is splendid and that it kept this viewer very well entertained.

The sets and recreation of the era(s) are simply marvelous--BBC is really so very good at doing these so-called "costume epics". This presentation certainly maintains their lofty standards! "The Aristocrats" is indeed so marvelously rich in its details as is exhibited in the production ranging from the costumes, wigs, carriages to the lavish sets. To be rather cliché: It was almost as if I were there! As expected, the acting is outstanding too.

It was a'right.......2007-07-26

I like historical films and generally enjoy them, but I found Aristocrats to be merely okay. The infidelity, and the abusive wife/husband situations (such as that suffered by Sarah) were just sad. The cluelessness of the Aristocrats who had everything and yet remained ignorant of the plight of the commoner a little difficult to take. It was nice to see the costumes and the relationship of Sarah develop. Overall this was an OK series with a few shining points, but I think I'd have liked it better if I had cared more for the main characters. Most of them were tough to sympathize with.

Aristocrats Review.......2007-06-12

The Aristocrats is a very well-made and enjoyable series for anglophiles and history buffs alike, as it tells the true story of four strong-minded sisters, "great-granddaughters of a king, daughters of a cabinet minister, and wives of politicians and peers." The beautiful settings of England and Ireland complement the fascinating story of the sisters and the upper-class society in which they live, and which they often challenge.

Average customer rating:

material girls
A cool movie!
Not as Pleasant as Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Pulled.
Not the best :-l
Same cookie cutter, but still cute

Material Girls
Starring: Hilary Duff , Haylie Duff , Maria Conchita Alonso , Anjelica Huston , and Brent Spiner
Director: Martha Coolidge
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000JFY05W
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Amazon.com

Glamour girls Hilary and Haylie Duff (featured in Lizzie McGuire and 7th Heaven, respectively) star as cosmetic heiresses Ava and Tanzie Marchetta, whose lives get turned upside down when their deceased father's company is accused of selling toxic products. Wouldn't you know it, Ava and Tanzie decide to go all Erin Brockovich and investigate. Material Girls should be awful--but it isn't. It's not a great film, it may not even be a good film, but it's more watchable than it has any right to be, thanks to the confident and thoughtful guiding hand o