Rating: 
Summary: A fairy tale, but also a concise history of the 60's
Review: Perhaps the joke about "not remembering the 60's" is true, as no one else seems to have noticed that this film is a deft and concise summary of the events of the late 50's and 60's.The way that conservatives describe the 50's and 60's show that they don't really understand what happened. As clearly depicted in this film, the 50's had their values straight, BUT no one knew why! The extreme events preceding the 50's - the two world wars, the depression, and the subsequent cold war - all required conformity purely for survival. When you are at war, anyone who is "different" is a potential traitor. The cold war perpetuated this state of events, because it prevented society from returning to a normal peacetime where there could be individual freedom. This meant that traditional values and ways were never explained, and reasons were not given. The children who grew up in this militaristic peacetime ("boomers") were not given reasons for any of the rules and rigid ways of doing just about everything. Pleasantville clearly depicts this - the guy must give the girl a "pin" at a certain point in the relationship, people had to wear certain clothes and not other clothes, and on and on. I remember all of this rigidity. The result was the explosive rebellion of the late 50's and 60's. Since no reasons were given for traditional values and ways of doing things, the result was - just as in the movie - that everything possible was tried, and relativism was born - "every idea is just as good as any other idea". Those of us who had some sense (and who actually did try everything) came to realize through experience why the traditional values were created in the first place. Others are still out to sea about all this - as evidenced by amazing comments in the customer reviews on this site, like the one that says "sometimes adultery can be just as good as fidelity" - the rationalizations the mind can make are incredible - can you imagine that person saying "sometimes robbery can be just as good as generosity" or "sometimes racism can be just as good as tolerance"? I don't think so. So, in the 50's and 60's, the young discovered art and literature primarily outside of the traditional system, since the rigid conformity of the times did not allow any freedom of expression or thought - which are essential for art and literature. This is depicted in the film, even the most famous of 60's rebellion novels, "Catcher in the Rye", is included. But, in the 60's and in Pleasantville, with no traditional value system, the "baby was thrown out with the bathwater" and self-destructive behaviors crept in along with the joy and freedom. Responsibility and altruism were casualties of the rush to self-exploration. The reaction of those in authority in the 60's clearly indicates that they themselves did not understand the reasons behind traditional values, as evidenced by grim condemnation being their only reaction to events. Small wonder that they did not properly explain things to begin with, when they themselves did not understand them. All this is depicted in Pleasantville. Even the civil rights movement is present in miniature, complete with the reasons why it was so attractive to the "boomers" to begin with. So, in the film, and in the 60's, we have a rigid and conformist society that explains nothing about its core values (in the film, only trivia is taught in class). When the young, who are not set in their ways, explore freedom and creativity, they do so in a vacuum, because their society cannot give them any guidance and meaning. The result is the whole string of problems mentioned in the beginning of the film - divorce, alienation, crime, and emptiness. But since the filmmaker - like the boomers in the 60's and the young people of Pleasantville - has still never understood the reasons behind traditional values, his only possible statement is that the changes were for the best, since the only alternative for him is the rigid conformity of the original Pleasantville. Note that the authorities in charge of Pleasantville cannot give any good reasons in favor of their point of view, and have no commentary about the changes other than condemnation. This parallels the general distaste in our current society for anyone who claims to have answers - because it is assumed that those answers are simply calls for rigid conformity and unquestioning obedience. So, despite the apparent existentialist purpose behind the film, nevertheless viewing the film can be very valuable to conservatives in seeing why the 60's happened the way they did, and why the participants felt they were right (and righteous) to do what they did. And most importantly, it shows that - for the last 40-50 years, what has been most missing in our society is clear explanations of the reasons behind traditional "family" values. Unfortunately, it may be too late - only because there may no longer be any venue in which this explanation can take place, as neither the media nor the educational system would allow such explanations that threaten their self-serving point of view.
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant Satire - Not For Right-Wingers!!
Review: Pleasantville is beautiful to watch and also a brilliant social commmentary. The Pat Robertsons of the world will tell you that control is how to stamp out "evil". Yet the prohibition didn't end the use of alcohol, and countless laws haven't stopped adultery. Forced conformity will only create a situation where free will is stifled, but it will not make them into "good" people. Only when human beings are allowed to explore and choose freely will they grow and mature. Not surprisingly, this film gets bad reviews from conservatives and fundamentalists who despise any choice besides the right to bear arms :) Pleasantville shows that the idyllic world of 1950's tv (and the righ-wing) was just a fantasy, portraying a cleansed, edited version of reality: no minorities, misfits, poor or other unwanted. The residents of Pleasantville only become true human beings after being allowed some freedom from the limits of their pretend world. Of course this freedom cuts both ways, but that is what free will allows. Great special effects, excellent performances by Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon and Jeff Daniels. Definitely one the the best films of the decade!
Rating:
Summary: Witty and charming!
Review: I very much wanted to watch this movie when it was screened in Singapore in 1998/9, but was prevented from doing so by my busy schedule. However, recently I had the privilege to watch this video on CD. Beyond the simple and easily-understood plot, I find a disturbingly strong and genuine message in the story. It was in a conformist world that the 2 children Bud and Mary Sue found /helped find true "liberty". Ironically, the liberty the citizens of PLEASANTVILLE was but a hoax conjured by social beliefs and refusal to accept changes. And it was easy to capture the message as the ignorant ones are still in B&W (Notice when Mary Sue turned to technicolor, for those who are against the sex part of the movie...) It seems natural and indeed it is, that every human being has a potential to discover their gifts to the fullest, yet may be conditioned to choose to bury them by lies which appear rosy. Under the façade? Only something less desirable. Another aspect touched on which I felt was worthy of mentioning was the unsettling discontentment of people, because of the difficulties they face in an imperfect world, and try all they can to look for the long-anticipated UTOPIA, thinking that human effort would be more than sufficient to establish something long lasting and perfect. Well, no. The movie with its succinct message: People are stifled as a result. The movie provokes interesting questions about life, yet at the same time highlights the impossibilty of utopias on Earth. In fact utopia-seekers are pretentiously denying their attitude of escapism. So to all looking for PLEASANTVILLE, stop looking, and learn to accept change.
Rating:
Summary: Great, Too Great!
Review: When '90s teens David and Jennifer (Maguire and Witherspoon) get zapped into the perfect suburbia of the black & white '50s sitcom, Pleasantville, what results is a "visionary adventure" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) that Siskel and Ebert give "Two big thumbs up!" Pleasantville's perfect people includes a mild-mannered soda jerk (Daniels), a socially repressed mom (Allen) and a father who always knows best (Macy). But, when '90s pop culture clashes with '50s family values, chaos ensues, turning the town of Pleasantville upside down and black and white into color.
Rating:
Summary: wow
Review: This film is simply gorgeous, not only in the visual aspect, but in the plot. Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon play their parts beautifully, and Joan Allen as their TV mom does a job that should have been worthy of an Oscar nomination. As I mentioned, the film is visually stunning, with the switch from color to black and white and back again a wonder to watch. Pair that with the wonderful script, and you have a movie worth watching over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: A Symbolic Creative Masterpiece!
Review: I am overwhelmed by how much there is to be said about this movie; but the bottom line is that it is one of my few personal favorites! I'm eager to talk on and on describing this movie, but i'm sure other reviews have done so and I'd rather just get to the point. On its surface, "Pleasantville" is a fun, sunny story about finding bliss in life; and that alone is great. But what drives the film home is its symbolic undertones and messages concerning society and human nature. It's not only about character development; it's about social development--and it's themes are profoundly intriguing. AND, it's a pure delight to watch and be enchanted by! The cast is SUPERB across the boards, but most notably Joan Allen as a 50's-citcom mother on a journey to discover her true and complete self; I honestly have never seen a better female performance in my humble opinion! Where were ya on that one, Academy?? A MUST SEE!
Rating: 
Summary: Steaming caca (in vivid brown)
Review: This is one infuriating movie. A pleasant premise (and the goodwill of an unsuspecting movie audience) is turned on its head and exploited for what turns out to be the filmmaker's banal political opinions. Nothing in the second half of this movie is supported by the tone of the first half. I had a days-long disagreement with a friend about this movie in which I came up with a long list of inconsistencies and absurdities. I invite you to start your own list. But I will say this: It's a beautiful movie to watch (the transformations from black and white are gorgeous, and there's no denying the visceral power of the very first image of spot color), and Joan Allen, as always, rises above everything she's given. That's what makes it all the more frustrating. What a waste.
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Film
Review: This is an original and most definately worthwhile film. If you haven't seen it I strongly reccomend picking it up. It stars Tobey Maguire (who does an AMAZING job) as David a teen who loveds to watch the LEAVE IT TO BEAVER style television show Pleasantville as an escape from his not so perfect family life. And his sister Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon) just happens to be in the way when they are magically transported into pleasantville. David is as happy as can be but Jennifer...well...she isn't. While David settles into a regular lifestyle there, Jennifer stirs things up a bit around town. Soon the people are transformed into colour from their feelings inside and some people are predgudiced toward them. It plays out a bit like history. Soon David is the one standing up for the people of pleasantville and to find out what happens you'll have to buy this movie. In a nutshell this is a film about two rebellious teenagers who liberate the people in a conformist society. once again I strongly reccomend this film!
Rating: 
Summary: A surprisingly good film!
Review: This film is fun. It comes across as dull as hell but when you've finished watching it, you'll be inclined to thinking that was a pretty good way to spend 2 hours. That cannot be said these days for a lot of films, so check it out. I really enjoyed the fiona apple video also.....it pretty cool!
Rating: 
Summary: For Ages 0-12
Review: It is difficult to imagine that so many moviegoers have been captivated by this massively pretentious, mind-numbing excuse for a film, but perhaps moralistic spoon feeding is making a comeback. Writer-director Gary Ross could not have gone much further in pounding home every heavy-handed point of this infantile fantasy except, maybe, to have inserted explanatory subtitles for the audience, whom he must obviously believe cannot think for itself. With the exception of the first ten minutes or so when David and Jennifer, the main teen characters, are in "real life" and provide us with occasional moments of hilarity and entertainment based on genuine human frailty, the film is devoid of any redeeming humor. Pleasantville is, nonetheless, astonishing and amusing for its ability to take its two-dimensional, blatantly transparent self so utterly seriously for a full hour and twenty-five minutes. Nevertheless, outstanding performances by Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, William H. Macy, and Don Knotts, who provides the only true comic relief herein, salvage Pleasantville from massive walkouts in theaters and rotting on the video store shelves. For diehard fantasy buffs, however, Pleasantville may be just your cup of schmaltz.
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