Beloved

Rating:
Summary: 'Beloved' deserves both patience and praise
Review: My first viewing of 'Beloved' was in a local movie theater the night of its release - I had finished the book just hours before, and having declared it among the best I have ever read, enthusiasticaly awaited the film.

After this initial viewing, I greatly admired 'Beloved' the movie. Toni Morrison's fantastic novel is a expressionistic masterpiece, and though it carries fiercly cinematic imagery, its structure and style is abstract. I felt that Jonathan Demme and his cast had done a remarkable job of 'nearly' capturing Morrison's magic.

'Beloved', of course, deserved a second viewing; my roomate rented it and I sat down for a long overdue retread. Like so many great pieces of art, 'Beloved' became an absolute masterpiece in its encore, towering above the minor flaws I had been unable to look beyond when I viewed it in the theater.

Why? Because it's complicated. It's sophisticated. Even having read the book, Morrison's story needed getting used to as a film. Strangely enough, the two works (the book and the film) have converged in my mind; now, the final scenes of the film, much like the novel did, can bring me close to tears.

Johnathan Demme has fashioned a work worthy of Kubrick or Scorcese's best.

Rating:
Summary: WARNING: This is a fantastic movie, but some may be offended
Review: This is one movie that people either love, or dispise. The first few minutes of the movie are absolutely horrific. Many of the scenes could have been toned down a bit. The slavery clips are so shocking, many may be tempted to turn the TV off. (I know I was) This movie was so real, and so intense. It's not for anybody who gets sick easily, because some parts are hard to take. There are many scenes of unbelievable cruelty, violence and nudity. This movie did, though, pack an incredible punch. Oprah was fantastic, and Thandie Newton played her part extremely well. The music was emotional, and the entire film was phenomenal. You can feel the emotions of each character, and it really takes you for a ride. But, like I said, this movie is not for everyone. If you think you may not want to see it, I strongly advise that you do not. This movie can potentially be very disturbing.

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable, Unforgetable, Uncompromising, Indellible
Review: There is no category in which to place this powerful and captivating Epic. There is no similar film or story. This is the only one of its kind. Those of us who have experienced it's emotional chokehold have come away gasping. Beloved is a parable. On one level it tells a direct compelling and unusual story. But the beneath the the surface lies the true essence and the nervous system of the film. It's there for all, but some will refuse to see.

Rating:
Summary: THIS MOVIE IS WORTH A OSCAR
Review: TO MANY PEOPLE THIS MOVIE WASNT ALL THAT. TO ME I ANALYZED IT AND I CANT GET ENOUGH OF IT. I THINK IF PEOPLE WHO FEEL THIS MOVIE WASNT ANY GOOD NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEIR INTELECTUAL SPIRIT. IM ONLY 29 YEARS OLD AND I TRAVELED FROM LOS ANGELES TO SAN FRANCISCO JUST TO TAKE MY PARENTS TO SEE THIS MOVIE. IT WAS JUST SO POWERFUL AND IT HAD MY FULL ATTENTION. I THINK THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO SUFFER IN LIFE WILL RELATE WITH THIS MOVIE. TO SEE THE STRUGGLE SETHA OVERCAME WILL BECOME A MOVIE WHICH WILLMAKE U WANT TO WATCH IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AS FOR ME I CANT GET ENOUGH, THIS IS THE ONLY MOVIE IN MY LIFETIME THAT DREW ME TO IT OVER AND OVER IT WAS SO INTENSE I LOVE IT. IF YOU KNOW OPRAH U KNOW THAT SHE DELIVERS A SUPERB PERFORMANCE AND SHE WOULD POUR HER WHOLE HEART INTO SOMETHING IF IT DIDDNT MEAN EVERYTHING TO HER, AND THIS MOVIE IS WHAT SHE WANTED THE WORLD TO APPRECIATE AND LEARN FROM. I HOPE YOU GET OUT IF IT WHAT I DID! IT IS NOW ON VIDEO GO RENT IT I GIVE THIS MOVIE 6 STARS FOR THE MEANING BEHIND IT. I SO WISH THIS MOVIE WAS LESS EXPENSIVE FOR WHEN IT GOES ON SALE I WILL BUY IT FOR MYSELF AND MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY. THIS MOVIE BELONGS WITH THE COLOR PURPLE FOR IT'S JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER AND MORE INTENSE.

Rating:
Summary: It scared me and made me physically sick.
Review: Where should I start...I almost walked out of the theatre after the first three minutes. I still can't see the reason for mangling the dog. Eventhough it was obviously not a real dog, it still made me cringe as though I had just received the nastiest paper cut ever. The visual metaphors were clear and made their point. I guess I thought something with this title would have been a more "feel good" film than it was. I had no idea what the film was about when I went to see it on the cruise ship of which I was a passenger. Just a totally weird, deep, deep, movie with hidden meanings everywhere. It gave me the shivers! The only other movie in the world I can compare it to is "Eraser Head" because that was super-weird, too. This movie ("Beloved") took me off guard and, well, I wasn't ready for the movie and had not prepared myself before watching it.

None-the-less, this film will definitely be part of film classses across the USA in the very near future. It'll be a classic...I can see it now...a midnight cult movie where actors act out the movie like they do at the "Rocky Horror Picture Show."

One last word: "Creepy."

Rating:
Summary: This film is a masterpiece!
Review: Beloved is a tale of a former slave who is haunted (literally) by the unrested spirit of her dead baby daughter. The terrible secrets which lie within the story are slowley revealed as we learn the disturbing past of this former slave womens life and her incredible struggle for her very survival and freedom. Beloved is an intense supernatural drama which gives us a small taste of the horrors of slavery as well as the physical and psychological terrors that went with it. Beloved is a work of art.The photography, screen play, music, and performances are first rate. I have not seen the DVD version of the film yet, so I cannot speak to the quality of the DVD transfer. The movie, however, is awsome.

Rating:
Summary: Worth Revisiting!
Review: I was absolutely unprepared for this story. I expected something of a love story, which it was, but it was so much more. It was one of those stories which I was not able to guess what would happen next. I find this unusual for today's stories. The acting was wonderful and the actresses were beautiful. Oprah, by the way, was somewhat of a chameleon, one moment looking old and the next looking like a teen-ager. I am disappointed that the marketing of the film was not more truthful. I avoided it simply because it looked like "Color Purple II." It haunted me so much that I had to watch it a 2nd night in a row, and found it to be just as riviting. I agree that the Academy overlooked it. On a personal note, my home is originally Cincinnati, and I loved seeing "Shillitos" and the "Baldwin" family.

Rating:
Summary: Destined to be a classic
Review: It is very difficult for me to express in writing what "Beloved" means to me. I went to see this movie on October 16, 1998 with an audience who totally missed the point. I have never heard more nervous laughter in my life. I proceeded to see the film once-a-week for the next four weeks (for a total of five viewings) and continued to be disappointed by the audiences with which I saw it. I soon found a message board on the computer where people were discussing their feelings regarding "Beloved" and quickly realized that the problem with the audience was that they were allowing their own ignorance and impatience to spoil what could have been an infinitely moving cinematic experience for them. The film's angriest detractors were those who did not understand it and, upon hearing explanations for what they did not understand, had to come to grips with the idea that they did not want to understand it. Contrary to what many film critics said, the film does have an emotional release after its nearly three hours of buildup. The critics may not have paid enough attention to find that release, but that does not mean that you won't.

A word of caution to those who plan on renting this film, you MUST pay attention to the ENTIRE movie. Too many people half-ass their way through this film without looking for the deeper meaning. A deeper meaning which I found to be as plain as the nose on one's face. All of the clues to solving the puzzle which is "Beloved" are provided by the film itself, if only one has the patience and persistence too look for them. When the film is over, if you have paid attention, you will find that the moral of the story is one that the generations that have spanned from that time to this must carry with them.

As a final note, I would like to add that I am one of those who believe this film was ridiculously snubbed by the Motion Picture Academy. How anyone could deny Kimberly Elise an award for her performance as Denver is beyond me. Contrary to the belief of many established film critics and armchair critics alike, Denver is truly the character who holds this film together and a lesser actress might have let that power run away from her. Elise provides the strongest acting performance in a film full of unforgettable actors. Beah Richards has the pleasure of playing the most life-affirming character in the film, Danny Glover shines as Paul D, Oprah Winfrey surprisingly defies assumption and delivers a powerful performance, Lisa Gay Hamilton brings emotion and life to the young Sethe, Thandie Newton brings just the right amount of otherworldly quality to her role as the spirit of a child incarnate, but none of these come close to the power and pensiveness of Kimberly Elise's Denver.

Please rent "Beloved." Please watch "Beloved." Please give "Beloved" a chance. This film deserves to be seen and felt and enjoyed. Allow "Beloved" into your heart and mind and it will not soon go away. Take my example. I first saw this film October 16, 1998, and still a day does not go by that it does not haunt me. I did not see a better film in 1998 and I believe I shall not see a better film for many years to come.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Everyone that worked on this film were snubbed at the Oscars. That's all I have to say.

Rating:
Summary: It just was too slow
Review: Despite all the hype, this film just bottoms out on proactive-viewer-approval