Rating: 
Summary: Good book, crappy movie
Review: I liked the book this movie is based on. I like most of the actors involved with the movie. Except for a few of the flashback scenes starring Ashley Judd, I hated this movie. The plot is complicated by the ludicrous and entirely invented kidnapping premise. Terrible. Terrible. The one star here is for Ashley Judd who is beautiful and perfectly cast.
Rating: 
Summary: Ya-Ya and All Things Southern
Review: Thanks to the viewer from New York. I have read other reviews by this person and recognize the value of his/her voice. I do have some difficulty on his/her opinion when it comes to "Ya-Ya". The only advice I have is to re-read Wells, Conroy and Faulkner...and possibly Capote's short stories. And, if reading doesn't strike a chord, travel the south for a year or more. I have some southern relatives who speak as gracefully as the cast of characters in this film. There is mostly good dialogue...with only one or two scenes that make me wince. Anyway, hooray for Ashley Judd and Cheri Brooks. Taj Mahal's band tribute to the 40s in Lousianna is superb. I am not sure how another film could capture "southern" today and past in one. Wonderful wardrobe and melding of characters over time. Good blend of humor and drama. Hooray! I'll watch this DVD over and over!
Rating: 
Summary: We have a winner ...
Review: Our house has the competition to find the worst movie on earth and boy we have seen some poor movies. This one is not the worst however, as Camilla just cannot be beat for that. But this is pretty awful. Great cast, nice premise, but over indulgent directing. Cut 20 to 30 minutes out, make this film move and you'd have a winner, because it does have smart, funny and poignant moments. Slow, ponderous, turgid are words that come to mind.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Surprise
Review: I am a 26 year old male, and I thought that I would hate this movie, but I really loved it. It was funny, serious, etc. all rolled up in one. It is a great time for everyone. Ya Ya!
Rating:
Summary: Didn't care for it. BUT, I read the book
Review: It's hard to like a film adaptation of a novel. They just so rarely hit their mark. It is difficult to take a novel and transform it visually. But, I was not pleased. I felt like so many of the important elements were left out and some things were tucked in that weren't important.
Rating: 
Summary: Not divine
Review: I've had the book for a few months now, and bought it purely because it had Sandra Bullock on the cover, and not because I'd heard of the film. Then I found I couldn't get into the book, so it's been sitting in my bookcase. And then I came across the film on sale and bought it. I did enjoy this film, don't get me wrong, but the flashbacks annoyed me. There was no indication of when the flashbacks were coming, and suddenly you're catapulted back 20-30 years, and you're completely lost. The characters also aren't introduced properly, and you're confused in the flashbacks, and can't make the connection between the young Ya-Yas and the old Ya-Yas. Sandra Bullock's character gets pushed to the forefront, leaving the others to wallow behind her. Perhaps not one of her best known films (despite only being from last year, and I can't remember it being publicised), but she gives a strong performance in it. Another of my fave actresses just has to be Maggie Smith. And she's an absolute GEM in this film! Everyone says this is a chick-flick, but it seems too tedious to be a chick-flick. I couldn't even sit through some of the extras, and I love watching extras! Only buy this if you really have to. I would watch it again, but its definitely not amongst my favourite Sandra Bullock films.
Rating:
Summary: Shoot me
Review: The most boring movie of the year. Horrible. Men beware.
Rating:
Summary: The real deal!
Review: For one thing, this is probably one of the best films i have seen in a long time. I am from a southern home, Louisana to be exact, and for those of you who are unfamiliar with southern living, Ya-Ya sister hood is a REAL thing. Many people still "practise " this today. Maybe before some of you start downgrading this film because it isnt "real", should do some research. Feel free to email me, and I can send you loads of information about this. This movie really did hit home. Southern people are not "stupid", its just a whole different way of life compared to the way "yankees" do it. (i do live up north now). That is to say, ya'll wouldn't accuse someone from England as being stupid would you? Well, some might, but its just a whole different way of life, just like the movie. I loved it, and would gladly give this movie ten stars if i could. I really recommend this film.
Rating:
Summary: Poor Ms. Wells
Review: After reading Rebecca Wells' book of the same name I was very excited to see how the book came to life on screen. I totally adored this book and have read it more than once. This weekend I watched the movie and I can't believe how horrible it was. How could Ms. Wells allow Hollywood to slaughter such a DIVINE book. It was boring, slow moving and inaccurate to the book. They changed alot and completely added some things. For example, the ending where Sidda becomes a Ya-Ya, this NEVER happened and if you read the book you would understand that this would not have been an option for Sidda. Also, Sidda and Vivi did NOT go for a ride in an airplane. This scene in the book took place at a new shopping center where they were giving rides on an elephant. Sidda was afraid of the elephant, NOT of an airplane. Now, I understand that things need to be changed to make it easier to understand on film but this was going over bored. Why would they want to take such a wonderful book and so completely wreck it? I have lost respect for Rebecca Wells for allowing this.
Rating:
Summary: Two movies, one with Ashley Judd!
Review: There are two movies here. One stars Ashley Judd, seen in flashback as Viva Walker, an electrically vibrant woman that descends into a mental breakdown, casting all around her to the winds like pieces of confetti. This is a very moving short film with a typically brilliant performance by Judd. The mood of this short piece is filled with both flashes of shinning light and claustrophobic darkness as Viva Walker's instability slowly gets the better of her. The other film stars Sandra Bullock, who, to her credit, seems to recognize that there is a depth in the world she can't quite reach. Give her credit for the awareness of depth and for trying. Unfortunately, she is a mediocre actress that makes a frowning face and stamps her feet to display drama. For her, depth is a mild temper tantrum. This longer film also hosts a lot of accomplished actresses doing various versions of southern accents. These actresses, given names like "Teensy" and "Necie" are brought together to form a powerhouse ensemble piece. They are given a lot of dialogue that is meant to sound sometimes feisty, sometimes soulful and life affirming, but only manages to sound wildly writerly. Like in most movies today, produced by the powers in Hollywood, the South is a place of moon pies and amusing "characters", full of country wisdom and funny sayings. I would like to see, but so seldom do, the major studios deal with the South without turning it into a white minstrel show, laid out for the amusement of eastern sophisticates. Hey Hollywood - think Sling Blade for a truthful, non-condescending potrait I have heard this called the ultimate "chick flick." I suppose so. It is true that certainly the target audience for both the book and movie is certainly women. And, like in most movies and books that are written by woman for woman, all the female characters are given loads of perceived problems and depth, and are constantly struggling with a host of internal demons, nearly all of them caused by family relationships. The dream male in these works (in this case the grim James Garner) is simply a solid block of support, offering love always, processing no life or demons of his own, no passed that does not relate to the ever-dramatic female focus. In short, this film with Bullock is long, windy and filled with superficial characters simply absorbed with themselves. I give it five stars for the Ashley Judd movie, but take away three stars for the Sandra Bullock movie.
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