Rating: 
Summary: Oh So Boring....
Review: How can a movie about such a fun and interesting period be so dull? This movie will put you to sleep. If you're too young to remember when glam-rockers like Bowie appeared on the scene and use this turkey as a guide, you'll be left wondering what all the fuss was about.
Rating:
Summary: Rayon Landmine
Review: Stumbling out of a Prague theater several years ago nauseous, I never would have thought that a movie made in my lifetime could be as pretentiously bad as "Legends of the Fall". Fast forward to a cool Los Angeles evening on Sunset Boulevard and there I was, staggering once again, stunned and bewildered after having seen the absolute cinematic disaster known as "Velvet Goldmine". This movie is a miserable failure on every level, save that of wasted glitter per square yard. Parts of this movie were so bad that I actually laughed out loud -- the film is so poorly made that it is unintentionally funny! This film is not smart, not beautiful, not hip, and the director should be publicly flogged for trying pass this bad joke of a movie off as any type of metaphor or other such weak-kneed theoretical nonsense. This 'film' is a mess and should be watched only for the occasional laugh.
Rating: 
Summary: Make no mistake
Review: Make no mistake about it: we critics are *not* confused about the anti-biographical Bowie and Iggy tale, just confused about the plot. The story mixes fantasy with true-life characters. It is indeed a beautifully directed and entertaining saga of glam-rock, but it should not be construed as historically accurate. Parts of the movie are very Rocky Horror-ish and all camp. You will definitely be entertained and won't want to miss any part of this alternative movie genre. I especially love the characterization of the former Mrs. Angela Bowie and her walk-in on the Bowie character and his black lover, snorting cocaine, buttocks bare and showing.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not great
Review: It's been awhile since a real rock and roll movie came out, so I've been looking forward to this one. For the most part, it lives up to expectations, glittering music video style cinematics, outrageous clothes, great music. If you want eye and ear candy you'll love this movie. However, sometimes the plot gets buried in all the style, and the constant flashbacks make it difficult to follow. This doesn't matter as much as it sounds, for this type of movie image IS everything. I do have one slight warning. This is not a family movie, it has much nudity and many sexual scenes. This is the type of rated R movie that is definately for adults only.
Rating:
Summary: what you see is gold
Review: A true masterpiece. Although the plot does become convoluted at points, it's excusable. I am a fan of Tim Burton, so I am drawn to films that are visually beautiful. This fulfills my every desire. Get past the weak characterization and the homosexual overtones and the drug use -- the have their purpose. Do not expect to watch a movie with this one, this is a portrait; it is a startlingly beautiful portrait depicting an era and a lifestyle (or varieties thereof) that were glorified.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece
Review: I have seen this movie several times, and each time it just gets better. The performances are excellent, the soundtrack simply rocks, and it makes a great end-of-the-century companion to "Citizen Kane". It is not as ground-breaking as "Kane," but it deals with the same themes: public vs. private life, the crumbling of an "empire," and the decadence resulting from an excess of wealth. Some people think it the film lacks plot and depth of characterization. It is true that it does not follow any sort "plot" in the traditional sense of a beginning, middle, and end, but other great films (Ingmar Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" and Fellini's "8 1/2" come to mind) are also being skimpy on the plot. Like those films, Haynes is trying more than just tell a story: he wants to evoke the same dreamy atmosphere that the era did. This is not a "History of Rock" special you may see on VH1; this is about the masks we wear as we go through life, and how easily these masks can be destroyed. Haynes brings up this idea with great subtlety and beauty. As for lack of characterization, it is true that the characters never really gel; we don't feel like we "know" them as we do in, say, "The Accidental Tourist." But again, the movie is not so much about its plot and character in the traditional sense, it is more a portrait of a particular time, and in this way Haynes has made a wonderful film. Simply watch it, and drop all expectations. Think of it more as music for the eyes, and not so much as the latest Julia Roberts enterprise. I've also read some of reviews making comments about the "homosexual acts." And all I have to say to them is: Welcome to the modern age! Gay and bisexual people do exist, and here's the big news....they...have....SEX! If you are uncomfortable with such "acts," then this is exactly the movie you should see!
Rating: 
Summary: mangle my mind
Review: This being my favorite movie, I would give it 5 stars automatically. But I realize that's not really what a review is about.
So. To be practical... No, it's not a perfect film. The style vs. substance debate is certainly something that comes into play here. (But really, isn't that what so much of glam rock was about--the creation of an image, a myth?) But we won't go into all that right now. Even with its flaws, there's just such heart in this movie. It's clear everyone involved cared about the project and had a good time of it. If something cannot be perfect, it should at least have passion behind it. And Velvet has that in heaps. Not to mention witty and perfect art direction, terrific music, and Ewan McGregor invoking all the punk anguish of Iggy Pop and Kurt Cobain together while singing a just-plain-intense rendition of The Stooges' 'Gimme Danger'.
It's a shimmering, loud, brash, tender, funny, wicked, manic, sexy whirl. A sequined and perfumed love letter to the days of dandies and woofters and glitter kids. And a lovely thing indeed to be swept up by, if you'll allow it.
Rating:
Summary: All glitter & gold & all the things Glam Gods are made of!
Review: Divine! An incredible feast! This has to be one of the best films of its genre I have ever seen. A mix of Glam, Rock, a Jim Morrison vibe, a touch of Goth, and a side of sex, all included with the substance of pure Bowie. The makeup and wardrobe are fantastic, soundtrack incredible, and photography gorgeous. If you are a Goth, or ever involved in the Glamrock scene of the late 80's to early 90's, you're going to love this movie. Kiss Fans to Marilyn Manson lovers will be able to relate. Besides, Jonathon-Rhys-Myers is beautiful! It's a MUST PURCHASE!
Rating:
Summary: Glam to the max
Review: For anyone who loves glam and wishes the early 70's would come back this movie is for you. Makeup wearing skinny boys with beautiful voices are everywhere. Jonathan Rhys Meyers gives an excellent performance only second to Gormenghast in my opinion. Ewan McGregor gives an excellent performance as well playing the Iggy Pop type character. Not to mention the cameo appearances by Brian Molko and the rest of the boys in Placebo which makes the movie worth it alone to hear them cover T-Rex's 20th Century Boy. The makeup, costumes and music in this movie are all top notch glammarific.
Rating:
Summary: Glittering Perfomances
Review: Jonathan Rhys Meyers creates a brilliant character with Brian Slade (a bisexual rock idol of the 70's), as does Ewan McGregor with the character of Curt Wild. The romance captured within the film is of glittering beauty and emotion, and to be honest, left me in tears at times from the absolutely heart-wrenching beauty of it all. Christian Bale also delivers an excellent performance as Arthur, a teenager filled with confusion and a need to find a place in his own world; Arthur becomes a character which most persons can identify with in the aspect of awkward teen angst. The portraits painted throughout the film are absolutely stunning! The actors and actresses all are wonderful within their roles, and various bands give cameos throughout the movie. (The Flaming Creatures aka Placebo, being most memorable for myself) The fantasy sequences and emotion-filled music and concert sequences add a great deal to the movie. The imagery is fantastic and beautiful. Not only is the storyline and poetic language administered in the film gorgeous ("The world has changed because you are made of ivory and gold. The curves of your lips rewrite history."), but the music adds a great deal of color to the movie. I'd seriously recommend giving this movie a shot; it's definitely worth it.
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