Philadelphia

Rating:
Summary: Gripping And Compelling
Review: "Philadelphia", based on a true story, is one of the best releases of 1993, starring Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Mary Steenbergen, Antonio Banderes, and more. Its production was extra crutial being that during the time of release, many were still severely fearing AIDS. The producers accomplish every scene wonderfully. The movie's portrayal of AIDS and its victims is very accurate to reality. The plot was written beautifully, though sad. It explores more than just AIDS; it explores discrimination against those who have it and against homosexuals. Such combination remains ahead of its time. The plot becomes more interesting as Andy Beckett's lawyer becomes more educated about such issues and begins changing his beliefs about them. Its emotional impact is intense, never held back for a second. It forces audiences to feel the events. The movie is more than entertainment; it's also educational.

Tom Hanks's Oscar winning performance as Beckett is heartwrenching. His every drop of heart and soul was poured through his performance. His previous hardcore research about the lifestyle, the disease, and the actual events is obvious. This is one of many movies that proves that Tom Hanks is one of the best actors in history. Denzel Washington's performance as Beckett's lawyer is beautiful. His acting skill proves very crutial in his character's personality and point of view. All other actors, major or minor, also perform their roles wonderfully. Everyone, including Hanks and Washington, offers their own useful emotional prospective to this movie.

Bruce Springsteen's Oscar winning song "Streets of Philadelphia" is a beautiful way to begin the movie. Its dark theme matches the plot perfectly. It also offers new prospectives to the movie. This song will be a classic in the following years. The original score was also composed beautifully(not by Springsteen), giving the movie more intensity and emotion.

The make-up team's research of AIDS and its victims proved highly crutial. Their work on Tom Hanks was highly accurate to reality. There were no flaws to the physical symptoms, ranging from skin tone, changing hair color, lesions, and eyes.

"Philadelphia" is a great movie for those looking for a powerdrama. This is sure to please audience for many years to come.

Rating:
Summary: sad
Review: This movie is very good. And it is a very sad movie as well, get your tissues ready.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent film!
Review: Denzel steals the show here as a character resistant to growth, but who experiences it before our eyes. Just a terrific film.

Rating:
Summary: Ah Andrew, Ah humanity!
Review: All of the praise which this film has received and continues to receive is well-deserved. After seeing it again recently, however, I now think that the film's social issues have become, in the minds of many people, more important than its artistic issues whereas I see them as being of equal and inseparable importance. With all due respect to all the male AIDS victims when this film was cast, none of them could have achieved what Tom Hanks did in the role of Andrew Beckett. I presume to suggest, therefore, that this is a work of art which addresses truly serious issues which include but are not limited to AIDS within our society.

That said, the basic plot focuses on Beckett's wrongful termination by his law firm employer after its managing partner Charles Wheeler (Jason Robards, Jr.) and his senior associates learn that Beckett has AIDS. (He had not previously informed them.) He is represented in court by Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) who runs a highly-visible, high-volume firm which specializes in representation of individuals seeking damages such as those which result from automobile injuries. Miller is a homophobic when he first meets Beckett (who seeks him out) and declines to represent him. Later, he changes his mind for reasons which are best revealed in the film. All of the acting is first-rate. The film's dramatic impact is largely explained by the fact that Demme (with strong support by Hanks) was determined to treat an immensely complicated and sensitive situation with appropriate style, grace, taste, and respect. He and his associates succeeded.

Hanks received and deserved an Academy Award for best actor. My own opinion is that Neil Young deserved the Academy Award for best song which was awarded to Bruce Springsteen. Better yet, they should have called it a tie. Both deserved it. Given all the copy cat and sappy "music" which is composed for most films, Young's "Streets of Philadelphia" and Springsteen's "Philadelphia" are not only uniquely powerful but enduringly haunting. My favorite scene is the last one which allows extended emotional involvement of the audience. No dialogue. No theatrics. Given how Andy Beckett's personality and character are presented in the film, this is precisely the way he would want his story to end.

Rating:
Summary: Might just change the way you think
Review: Philadelphia deals with a big, big tacky theme. It's about homosexuality, homophobia, AIDS, justice and death. Before that scares you off, though, it's handled in such a manner that even those with the most delicate senses won't be offended.

Philadelphia chooses to forgive instead of judge (Which is ironical, since it's basically a court-room drama.) It chooses to include instead of exclude, and the theme of tolerance works without being sappy. I'm not a homophobe but I'm not a liberal, either. Still, with the exceptional screen writing and extraordinary acting by Hanks and Washington, I could see from homosexuals' viewpoints without judging or disliking them in the least. I have to say this movie changed my perception quite a bit.

Oh, and that scene with Tom Hanks and the opera... I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I was so completely caught up in this character, I felt a pain in my heart like a twisting knife. If you've ever lost someone you love prematurely, you'll know what I mean.

Every aspect of the movie worked just fine. Especially the delicate juggling between the accepted homophobic viewpoint of the times, and the struggle gays and lesbians have to make to simply live and love.

Emotional catharsis, impact, entertainment, whatever you're aiming for, I can promise you that Philadelphia won't fail.

Rating:
Summary: AIDS and the mainstream audience
Review: This movie features heroic performances by Denzel Washington, Antonion Banderas and, of course, Tom Hanks. Jonathan Demme's direction is brilliant and each time I see the movie, I discover something new about Demme's method of telling this story.

The movie is not perfect. Some of the pacing of the courtroom scenes misses somehow. While Tom Hanks's character's family is movingly supportive and loving, the movie would have been still more realistic if it had somehow portrayed some tension in the family, sadly more characteristic of the situation of gay men and their families.

As a DVD, it is pretty much barebones. I would have treasured some extras.

This movie probably did a great deal to bring AIDS awareness to mainstream audiences. It is a fine work and everyone should see it.

Rating:
Summary: The Beast Has Finally Hit Home
Review: Although Philadelphia is not the sort of film that I would normally buy for my collection, being too sentimental for my personal liking, it is nonetheless a very powerful and important film, that everyone should watch.
Aids was an epidemic that took some time to get noticed outside the gay community, initially the most affected, and as such, as far as movie subjects were concerned,it was largely ignored by mainstream cinema and Hollywood.
The most famous film to deal with Aids at that time was Longtime Companion, but this movie was largely considered as a 'gay' film, and as a result did not quite acquire the distribution and the wider audience that it deserved.
But when HIV and Aids started to affect Hollywood and members of its 'club' then the mentality started to change drastically.
It took the deaths of Rock Hudson, Brad Davis, Tony Richardson, Anthony Perkins and others for Hollywood to wake up to the beast that was slowly creeping up its iron doors.
Philadelphia was primarily the result of this awarness and alarm that gripped the movie industry.
Jonathan Demme's film had such an impact at the time that it got nominated for the Oscar and landed its star Tom Hanks a deserved best actor award (and Bruce Springsteen won his Oscar for the song 'Streets of Philadelphia).
In addition to it being very well directed and acted ,it is a very important film for several reasons,
The fact that Tom Hanks, a loved actor worldwide,a VIP member of the Hollywod club and straight, played the dying gay man with such convincing force, it brought worldwide sympathy to the character, and as a result an increased tolerance,and a deeper understanding and recognition of the problem of AIDS,no longer a fringe virus confined to a 'minorty group', but an epidemic that can affect everyone.
It is also a shout of defiance at the conservative establishment, and can be looked at metaphorically as any fight for justice from any group of minorities, be it sexually or culturally different.
For these reasons Philadelphia is a landmark film with a bold and heartfelt message, as death, love too should be indiscriminate about age, faith, culture and yes gender.

Rating:
Summary: Why are you reading?? Buy this movie...
Review: I cried during this movie. I'm not usually moved by films but this did it in such a profound way. Should be apart of everyone's DVD collection.

Rating:
Summary: Movie with human touch
Review: THis is great movie and I loved it.It removes the apprehension and hat we have for homosexuals and people who suffer from AIDS.The movie is not just about lawsuits and prejudice but also about human acceptence.Gays are just like us but only have different hormonal instincts.If we can forgive everyone who are not gay for their human weakness why not accept gays as they are.Great acting by Tom hanks but the spotlight is Denzel as well who is equally great in acting.Hats off to both of them ...Great actors

Rating:
Summary: Demme Opens Our Minds, Our Hearts, Our Eyes, and.. the Door
Review: This review refers to the Columbia TriStar DVD edition of "Philadelphia"....

In 1993 Jonathan Demme had many critics eating their words, as this breakthrough film dealing openly with Gays and AIDS become a box-office smash. Audiences were more savvy, then they were given credit for. Demme brings us a story that is stirring, heartwarming and intellegent. One that opened our eyes, hearts and minds to this devastating illness and the community it so affected.

Tom Hanks plays a brillant attorney, working for a top law firm, who seems to be on top of the world. He is not however, on top of the world. This young brillant attorney has been sticken with the AIDS virus, and when his symptoms begin to emerge, he is fired from the firm. The reason he is given for his removal from the company..."an attitude problem".

After many attempts to gain legal counsel, to help him fight the firm in a discrimination suit, he finally gets some help from an unlikely source. Denzel Washington is an attorney of another sort. He's "That TV Guy", a personal injury lawyer, who has not only gone up against Hanks in court, but is also a bit of a homophobic himself.

So we watch, mesmerized, as surrounded by the love and support of his family, and his lover(Antonio Banderas), he fights as the disease progresses, and as they fight this landmark case in court. Another transformation that is remarkable to view is that of Denzel Washington, opening his mind and heart As he gains an understanding to his clients lifestyle and the disease itself.

The Cast is no less than brillant.Hanks recieved Best Actor from Oscar as well as The Golden Globes and The Berlin Film Festival. It also includes Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards and Mary Steenburgen. Some critics, again, thought that the lead characters were wrong for the part. They likened that having Hanks and Banderas playing homosexuals, is the same as having whites play black roles. However, I personally feel that Demme made the wise decision as this film, the first of it's kind, was a story that needed to be told, and told well. Using Box Office draws, brought the audiences in. They not only loved the film but were gifted with a new awareness and understanding. So Five Stars to Director Demme for opening the door.

You may also remember the wonderful music that came out of this film. Bruce Springsteen recieved an Oscar for Best Original Song("The Streets of Philadelphia"), and also was honored with a Grammy and a Golden Globe. There is also the beautiful closing song by Neil Young "Philadelphia", a terrific socre by Howard Shore and we are also treated to some beautiful music by Mozart and Giordano.

The DVD is presented in Widescreen(Anamorphic), the sharpness and clarity of the picture is excellent. The sound, also excellent,has the choice of Dolby Dig 5.1 or Surround, go to the set-up for this. It may be viewed in French and Spanish, and has subtitiles in Spanish and Korean. On the back of the case(mine anyway) it says there are some production notes, I was unable to locate these in the menu. There are no other Special Features.

This is a film, that defines courage in every sense. It is a film that you may even see the toughest of men wiping a little tear from their eye. It's okay guys, go ahead, we LIKE that!

Thanks and enjoy.....Laurie