Monster's Ball

Rating:
Summary: She Shoots Him!!!
Review: Right about the time the stars fade out and the credits start to roll--she shoots him. Seriously. Think about it. Watch the movie again and think about it. And while you are at it, ask yourself why it was called "Monster's Ball?!"

Rating:
Summary: It has a few moments worth seeing.
Review: The best thing about the film is its juxtaposition of starkness [vomiting, suicide, sex, vehicular homicide] with ambiguity and ambivalence [is he still a bigot? can she stand him?]. Hollywood can't usually summon or handle ambiguity, even though it suffuses life. But I agree with the previous reviewer's comment about Halle Berry deserving an Oscar for having screen sex with Billy Bob and not running around screaming EWWWWWWW. Berry is good in a few scenes but not Oscar-caliber. (For example, does she do anything comparable to any work from the likes of Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Angela Bassett, Meryl Streep? No, no no no. She won because it was a year someone decided to acknowledge black actors. Not that there's anything wrong with that.) A downer of a movie but with several moments worthy of your time.

Rating:
Summary: Gripping, Authentic, Anti-Hollywood Movie
Review: Monster's Ball gives us an Anti-Hollywood movie, a movie that excels not with eye candy and fads but with brutal realism set in a starkly portrayed southern USA.

I watched Monster's Ball with my wife, who constantly tried to guess out loud what would happen next. She was wrong every time. It's that kind of movie. It's not trying to twist and turn the plot, but it is unexpected because it's not clichéd. Also see: Anti-Hollywood movie.

In the wrong hands, this film could have done the usual Hollywood thing: start preaching about the death penalty or racism. It didn't do that. It told a story about two people who are escaping their painful lives by joining together. The movie has a very explicit sex scene. It is shown so raw and real because the director needed to prove that Hank was not taking advantage of Leticia or raping her. The scene showed us that Hank and Leticia's only refuge from the pain in their lives was when they bonded sexually. If we hadn't seen the actualization of the two characters in the throes of their passion we would have questioned the relationship as it warded off threats the rest of the movie.

It was obvious that many pitfalls lurked in their paths. The film navigated these in a way that intrigues the viewer. Again, it is unpredictable.

This is not a feel good movie. The execution, explicit sex scene, and heaviness were too much for my wife to enjoy the film. I, on the other hand, appreciated what this film did with the story. I really enjoyed the minimalist dialogue. When I look to sum up this film in my mind, I say: here we have a very earthy story that gripped me for the entirety, had no discernable flaws, and was very well performed.

And ironically, the outstanding performance by Halle Berry in a very Anti-Hollywood movie earned her Hollywood accolades in the form of the Oscar.

Rating:
Summary: Lucky Actress
Review: What a coexistence that Halle Berry gets the Academy Award the same year Denzel and Sidney are honored. She can also be glad it was a weak category.

Rating:
Summary: Halle Berry At Her Finest
Review: Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thorton, Sean "Puffy" Combs, and Heath Ledger star in this powerful drama "Monster's Ball". Its plot is brilliant! Every chain of events has its unique flavor. Such deep topics give further respect to the filmmakers because few have dared this. It combines tragedy, racism, love, loneliness, sadness, and struggle. Its intensity keeps everyone listening and watching closely to every detail. The acting is wonderful. Halle Berry deservingly won her Oscar for 2001's Best Actress for her role as Leticia, a struggling waitress whose husband was died in the electric chair and whose son was unexpectedly killed in a hit and run. Her breaking down scenes her heartpounding. Billy Bob Thorton's role as Hank, a death row security guard who changes his racist views through Leticia, is magnificant. The chemistry between the two actors is present. Sean "Puffy" Combs and Heath Ledger's small roles are equally as heartfelt as Berry's. "Monster's Ball" is a wonderful movie for those looking for a deep, heartfelt drama. This will not disappoint its viewers.

Rating:
Summary: Viewer's ball is more like it
Review: Amazing subtext, undercurrent, things left unsaid, motivations hinted at but never spoken of. This is an amazing film. I was hesitant to see it truthfully. As my husband aptly put it, "Halle Berry deserves an Oscar for having to pretend to have sex with Billy Bob." :-) But, it was truly a gripping film. Heath Ledger's performance was stellar. Billy Bob was wonderful as always--he's a freak, but a good actor!--and Halle was amazing. Don't miss this!

Rating:
Summary: On DVD in either R-rated or unrated version
Review: This quiet, sedate film is a powerful observation on human emotions as well as a unique love story. The plot is rather thread-bare, mainly concerning the gradual acceptance between a distraught widow and a prejudiced prison guard in an impoverished town. But the payoff is tremendous. The moment when he accepts her, and the much later moment when she accepts him (in a shining moment of acting that earns Halle Berry the Oscar), are transcendent. The direction by Marc Forster is rather minimalist and meditative. Dialogs are sparse and softly-spoken (this could have been a silent film). There isn't any discourse on racialism or any social issue. It doesn't offer any acts of heroics, any moral declaration, or any simpleminded resolution. This film is ALL about atmosphere, mood, psychological landscapes, perceptions -- things that are hard to put into words, plots, or dialogs, and can only be handled by the most skillful of filmmakers. This is one of two types of films that usually bores the average viewer: the type that uses too much visual, aural, and editorial pyrotechnics (such as "Citizen Kane"), and the type that uses too little. MONSTER'S BALL is the latter, and it requires an attentive, observant viewing. There is one graphic sex scene that quite effectively (perhaps a little too effectively) shows how the two protagonists use sex to escape from their depression. If you like meditative films of this type, such as LEAVING LAS VEGAS, GEORGE WASHINGTON, EYES WIDE SHUT, etc., add MONSTER'S BALL to your must-see list.

Two DVD versions of this film have been released. The now-discontinued 2002 release has the R-rated version of the film and two audio commentaries (one of which features Halle Berry). The 2003 DVD release has the director's signature on the cover, and has the unrated version of the film, but only one audio commentary -- newly recorded, but without Halle Berry. The unrated version contains a more explicit version of the graphic sex scene, and is apparently the "director's cut."

Rating:
Summary: A Winding Emotional And Psychological Trip Of Discovery
Review: This is an extraordinarily well made movie with astounding performances from Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton. A black woman and a white bigoted man fall in love. It's a controversial story of bigotry and compassion, hatred and love, hopelessness and faith, tragedy and redemption. We can learn from our mistakes and a cruel person, even a bigoted man, can change. Perhaps there is some decency to the human spirit after all.

Rating:
Summary: Sometimes ambiguity can be beautiful
Review: Berry plays the wife of a death row inmate (P. Diddy or whatever his name is now) and Billy Bob the warden responsible for carrying out his execution. Both deliver beautifully subtle performances of seemingly simple characters but with complex emotional histories. Heath Ledger and Peter Boyle deliver nice supporting roles as the warden's son and father, respectively. Peter Boyle's southern accent wasn't entirely convincing though (I think he's from Philly). Ledger, from Perth, Australia, was actually more believeable to me as a southerner. The film is unsentimental and morally ambiguous, leaving much open for the viewer's interpretation. Nicely photographed by Roberto Schaefer and mesmerizing but not overpowering score. Contains rather graphic sex scene for an R-rated movie. Apparently, they had to cut some parts out to get the rating. If you think Halle Berry is hot, you won't be disappointed. Ambiguous ending is strangely satisfying.

Rating:
Summary: This won an Oscar?
Review: This terrible and trashy story won an Oscar? I have one thing to say to those who wont to see it-hold on to your stomachs!

If you want to see graphic suicides, unecessary violece and cruelty, subpar acting, unappealing characters, a story filled with holes, pornographic sex scenes, etc. ad nauseum, then go and see ths. ...