Rating: 
Summary: This Movie Stands in Hallowed Company
Review: The only movies in the last ten years that match American Beauty's quality of acting, script-writing and cinematography are Saving Private Ryan and perhaps Fight Club. And like all other true classics, the story is one that evokes not one but many emotions in the minds of those who experience it.This movie is not about life as we'd like to have it, or life as we think some imaginary character would have it - it's about life as it *is*. And like life itself, parts of the movie will make you fall out of your chair, while others will make you fight back tears or even anger. This is a superb film.
Rating:
Summary: A Future Classic
Review: The wonderful drama with just the right amount of comedy to keep you alert and captivated
Rating: 
Summary: Kevin Spacey will keep you watching...
Review: What are we (as an audience) supposed to make of a film that shows Spacey masturbating in the shower in the first five minutes? Obviously we are dealing with a perverted family, but we're also dealing with a very serious message that Ball (inadvertently?) stated. The things I saw in this movie reminds me of what I see (or hear about) in the real world. It suffers from cliches at times (can't Hollywood dock the "f" word?) and it is not for prudes, but this movie has a fine point even though watching it is difficult. Anyway, Spacey, Benning, and Bakula are peerless here. I am truthful with my MPAA reasons, so this movie is rated R for profanity, suggested sex, gore, violence, nudity, drug use, sex references, simulated sex, and mild adult situations. There is so much beauty in the world...
Rating:
Summary: Transcendant...really...
Review: There are some moments in time where you begin to ackowledge the fragility of life. Sometimes it comes in the shape of a personal experience, or you might witness it through someone else's lives around you. Or in this circumstance, a lesson may also become revealed in a piece of art. I must admit that when I went to see "American Beauty" upon release in the theatres, I knew that I was going to see a film that was really groundbreaking. I heard all the buzz on TV, read about it online and in the papers, but considering I am a world-class skeptic-I had to see the evidence for myself. Well, I was totally astounded. I think that "American Beauty" is a deeply moving film on so many levels. At its core, I suppose it is a film about redemption, or possibly self-redemption. But there are so many other issues that the film brings to the surface:Distant family relationships, teenage maladgustment and alienation, love versus sex, vanity versus true happiness, amung many others. And the true strength of the film is that these issues are brought up in a very honest eloquence, mainly due to a terrific assemblage of characters by Alan Ball and a really fantastic cast of actors. Each character is very different on the surface, but upon examination, they are all struggling with very similar issues of identity, some fairing better than others. Another great thing about the script is that each character is given the opportunity to really confront their problems, and we get to see how their decisions tend to bleed into the lives of those around them. Its not difficult to identify with these people, because their situations are so common in all our lives. But I think that it isnt often that a film can capture so many truly moving moments, however hilarious, heartbreaking, or disturbing all at once. The movie also has a lot of style. There are many repetitious uses of symbols and irony, gorgeous cinematography, a deeply moving and complimentary score by Thomas Newman, and a real sense of tension through editing and environments. I cant think of a movie in the past decade that really succeeds at defining it's own "look" as AB does. There are slow motion shots, weird camera angles, strange uses of color, but all integral in the quest to push the film's agenda. There are a lot of moments in "American Beauty" that really transcend what is being offered in modern moviemaking. It is a very concise, quiet, funny, sad and monumental film all at the same time. It is terribly entertaining on one hand and heartbreaking the next. And in my opinion, it deserves all the attention it received, even just for having the audacity to bring up the issues that it did. But to do it with the sensitivity and elegance that it accomplished is truly extraordinary. The DVD is really great. The behind the scenes part on the menu is mediocre, but i really enjoyed watching the movie with the commentary by Sam Mendes and Alan Ball. They really communicate what it entailed to bring the script to life, technically and artistically. Its pretty fascinating.
Rating: 
Summary: Another cliched look at Suburbia.
Review: Yes, everyone is having some type of crisis in this movie, after all they live in Suburbia don't they? The actors do a good job with the material provided, but the script is so loaded with cliches that no amount of acting ability can bring the characters to life. 'The Ice Storm' provides a more detailed (and believable) look at suburban families in crisis. 'American Beauty' on the other hand tries to substitute cynicism for insight. This is pretty commonplace these days. It gives screenwriters the chance to congratulate themselves for 'deep' material and film critics the chance to use terms like 'dysfunctional family'. It doesn't make a great movie however. Worth a rental if you haven't seen it, just to see what the buzz is (or was) about.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Fabulous
Review: Few films have that cult genre, mystic philosophic appeal, world-class acting, tantilizing music, and overall top notch production qualities all rolled into one. American beauty brings fringe movie making thought to the main screen. One of the few movies I can watch more than once (this and Starship Troopers).
Rating: 
Summary: Complete waste of my time.
Review: What is this crap? If you're into artsy-fartsy movies you'll like this. I say, leave symbolism to the symbol-minded! The Oscars are smoking something.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good but Doesn't Top The Sixth Sense
Review: "American Beauty" offered a lot to us but I think "The Sixth Sense" was better because it had better acting and it was more suspenseful......"American Beauty" was good, but in my opinion it didn't "shine" like some movies do
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Short of Amazing
Review: This film had "Dreamworks" written all over it ... IT IS A BEAUTIFUL FILM. It certainly deserved every Academy Award it got, and was one of the most deserving "Best Picture" award-winners of the decade. It is a dark-spirited film, but is yet a mesmerizing drama. Final word? If you can buy it, buy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost perfect.
Review: AMERICAN BEAUTY is a rare, unique and original film that can only be made at least once a decade. It's dark with a lot of twists and yet, at the same time, lighthearted and humorous. AMERICAN BEAUTY takes place in a modern-day suburban American town. It basically revolves around two particular families living next door to each other in a quiet neighborhood. The first family: the Burnhams - Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), Carolyn Burnham (Annette Bening), and Jane Burnham (Thora Birch). Lester is the father, and he is going through a mid-life crisis. He has even fallen in love with Jane's new friend, Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari) by her beauty. Caroyln is the perfect mother who has to have everything perfect - everything and everyone. Jane is the rebellious teenager who can't seem to appreciate anything her parents give her or do for her. Family number two: the Fitts - Colonel Frank (Chris Cooper), Barbra (Allison Jenny), and Ricky (Wes Bentley). The Colonel Frank is the father, a retired US miltary colonel who is hard on his son - to the point of abusive - and even though he claims his son is a homosexual, he is actually a homosexual himself, though you don't really find that out until the end. Barbra is mainly silent throughout this film, and doesn't have a lot of lines so you can't really know what her character is like, though she often forgets and is lost in her daydreams a lot. Ricky is the son, and he films everything that is beautiful or interesting to him - which is how he and Jane meet, because he was filming her all the time. He also is very confident and calm about everything, and is afraid of his father, though he never likes showing or admiting it. A beautiful film about a man in his mid-life crisis and falling for the beauty of his teenage daughter's best friend. The ending is very surprising, and the film didn't really live up to all of my expectations.... The bonus added stuff to AMERICAN BEAUTY is really good, but couldn't they have just added the special edition stuff to the same video tape as the movie itself because then this wouldn't have to be a double video. Oh well. This is still a very good movie, and I really recommend it. But I don't think it really deserved all those Oscars. I really think THE SIXTH SENSE still should've won Best Picture. But all in all this is a great film! A must-see.
| 
