Rating: 
Summary: This has been my favorite film for years
Review: An incredibly uplifting story, funny, and superbly acted by every member of the cast; and it has a beautiful score to boot. One of the most inspiring films I've ever seen.
Rating: 
Summary: Holly :)
Review: Being a Holly Hunter fans is a great thing because you get to see many good movies you never heard of before. This movie was made just after her big break with Raising Arizona and Broadcast News. Holly Hunter plays Carnelle Scott, a small town woman with bad self-confidence. Her dream is to win the local beauty contest, and become "Miss Firecracker", like her cousin Elain did some years ago. The beginning of the movie made me think maybe it wasn't a very good movie, but it sure got better. Any movie with Holly Hunter is worth watching (except for Crash), and Tim Robbins, Mary Steenburgen, Alfre Woodard and Scott Glenn were very good too. It's not one of Holly's best movies, but it's good, and has funny characters. Any fan of the actors should see it (especially if you want to see Holly Hunter tap dance).
Rating:
Summary: "There's Always Eternal Grace"-Henley's Play Brought To Life
Review: Contemporary playwright, Beth Henley's ("Crimes Of The Heart") "The Miss Firecracker Contest" is brought to life and to the big screen. The film features an incredible Holly Hunter as the tramp of the town turned wanna-be good girl beauty queen Carnelle Scott. Carnelle was an abandoned little girl who was dropped off at her aunt's house in Yazoo City not more than a year old with ringworm, diaper rash and a bag of dirty rags. Deeply intense, Tim Robbins as cousin Delmount Williams (recently out of a mental ward) and the beautiful Mary Steenburgen as Elain Rutledge (a forever young beauty queen) grew up with young Carnelle in their household and under their mother's care and Carnelle is more like a sister to them than a cousin. After Carnelle works on her talent routine for FIVE years and then dyes her hair a bright red, she gets up enough gumption to enter the Yazoo City Miss Firecracker Contest! Enter Alfre Woodard as Popeye, the local seamstress that learned her trade at the tender age of four - sewing costumes and clothes for the Yazoo City's neighborhood bullfrogs! Carnelle hires Popeye to help her with her costumes for the beauty pageant. All Popeye wants to do is move to Elysian Fields (a funny and touching scene inthe movie) to forget about her troubles and eat ambrosia all the live long day. A week before the pageant, the carnival shows up in town with all it's pretty lights and fun rides. Scott Glenn as the carnie, Mac Sam has a romantic history with Carnelle and is certainly dying of lung and kidney failure when he shows up in Yazoo City in the year 1988. This year will be his last for a Firecracker Celebration. It seems Carnelle has a reputation around town and that she slept with any guy that crossed her path just so they would tell her that she was beautiful back in her younger years. EVEN a YOUNG Mr. Richard Fish from Ally McBeal (Greg Germann) makes an appearance as one of Carnelle's old lovers and is a total hick of a peanut throwin', hootin' and hollarin' idiot, by the name of Ronnie Wayne. Ann Wedgewood as emcee, Miss Blue and Amy Wright (Rose Leary from The Accidental Tourist) as hunch-backed beauty contestant Missy Mahoney also have small but great parts! If only Carnelle wins the Miss Firecracker Contest, she will finally feel the acceptance and satisfaction she has longed for all her life. Is it Carnelle's chance to shine? What happens between Popeye and Delmount? Does Elain leave her husband? Turn on, tune in and watch to see what happens! This movie isn't a chick flick by any means. It's really a TRAGECOMEDY with happy, funny, sad, and downright depressing moments that make you think...Hmmmmmm. Happy Watching!
Rating:
Summary: "There's Always Eternal Grace"-Henley's Play Brought To Life
Review: Contemporary playwright, Beth Henley's ("Crimes Of The Heart") "The Miss Firecracker Contest" is brought to life and to the big screen. The film features an incredible Holly Hunter as the tramp of the town turned wanna-be good girl beauty queen Carnelle Scott. Carnelle was an abandoned little girl who was dropped off at her aunt's house in Yazoo City not more than a year old with ringworm, diaper rash and a bag of dirty rags. Deeply intense, Tim Robbins as cousin Delmount Williams (recently out of a mental ward) and the beautiful Mary Steenburgen as Elain Rutledge (a forever young beauty queen) grew up with young Carnelle in their household and under their mother's care and Carnelle is more like a sister to them than a cousin. After Carnelle works on her talent routine for FIVE years and then dyes her hair a bright red, she gets up enough gumption to enter the Yazoo City Miss Firecracker Contest! Enter Alfre Woodard as Popeye, the local seamstress that learned her trade at the tender age of four - sewing costumes and clothes for the Yazoo City's neighborhood bullfrogs! Carnelle hires Popeye to help her with her costumes for the beauty pageant. All Popeye wants to do is move to Elysian Fields (a funny and touching scene inthe movie) to forget about her troubles and eat ambrosia all the live long day. A week before the pageant, the carnival shows up in town with all it's pretty lights and fun rides. Scott Glenn as the carnie, Mac Sam has a romantic history with Carnelle and is certainly dying of lung and kidney failure when he shows up in Yazoo City in the year 1988. This year will be his last for a Firecracker Celebration. It seems Carnelle has a reputation around town and that she slept with any guy that crossed her path just so they would tell her that she was beautiful back in her younger years. EVEN a YOUNG Mr. Richard Fish from Ally McBeal (Greg Germann) makes an appearance as one of Carnelle's old lovers and is a total hick of a peanut throwin', hootin' and hollarin' idiot, by the name of Ronnie Wayne. Ann Wedgewood as emcee, Miss Blue and Amy Wright (Rose Leary from The Accidental Tourist) as hunch-backed beauty contestant Missy Mahoney also have small but great parts! If only Carnelle wins the Miss Firecracker Contest, she will finally feel the acceptance and satisfaction she has longed for all her life. Is it Carnelle's chance to shine? What happens between Popeye and Delmount? Does Elain leave her husband? Turn on, tune in and watch to see what happens! This movie isn't a chick flick by any means. It's really a TRAGECOMEDY with happy, funny, sad, and downright depressing moments that make you think...Hmmmmmm. Happy Watching!
Rating:
Summary: Incredible cast makes you care about the misfits they play
Review: Holly Hunter, Mary Steenburgen & Alfre Woodard are three of the most remarkable actresses around today. This is a tour-de-force for each of them. Tim Robbins & Scott Glenn are wonderful as well. This is the biggest collection of weird, wacky and downright strange misfits ever gathered together. In the beginning you will wonder why you are watching this film, but by the end you will have been charmed by the characters and truly care about them. This film shows you what really incredible actors can do. It's one of my all time favorites.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible cast makes you care about the misfits they play
Review: Holly Hunter, Mary Steenburgen & Alfre Woodard are three of the most remarkable actresses around today. This is a tour-de-force for each of them. Tim Robbins & Scott Glenn are wonderful as well. This is the biggest collection of weird, wacky and downright strange misfits ever gathered together. In the beginning you will wonder why you are watching this film, but by the end you will have been charmed by the characters and truly care about them. This film shows you what really incredible actors can do. It's one of my all time favorites.
Rating:
Summary: you must see this movie
Review: I just watched this movie the other day and i must admit in the beginning i was wondering where my brain had went to. As it progressed it got better and eventually had me engrossed in the life of Carnelle. Alfre Woodard is great. Although i do not care for Mary Steenburgen she was good in this movie. I absolutely love Tim Robbins. He is my favorite actor, so of course i loved his role as the black sheep brother, Delmount. All in all this is a must see and i highly recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a quality film.
Rating:
Summary: Finally it's on DVD!!!!
Review: I love this movie. I don't know why I even ever watched the movie on the first place, I guess just 'cause my mom bought it at a yard sale a few years ago and we had it to watch. Well, it's become one of my favorite movies of all time. The only bad thing is that it's hard for me to see Holly Hunter as anything else but Carnell Scott or Alfre Woodard as anything but Popeye in any other roles. If you like it, the DVD is a must have. I wish it had more features like commentaries by the director/cast. But it's better than nothing.
Rating:
Summary: A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
Review: I've been waiting ages for this to come out on dvd, having worn out my vhs copy ages ago. Touching and hilarious all at once, full of quirky characters and brilliant performances by Holly Hunter, Tim Robbins, Alfre Woodard, Mary Steenburgen, and Scott Glenn. An unknown gem!
Rating:
Summary: A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
Review: I've been waiting ages for this to come out on dvd, having worn out my vhs copy ages ago. Touching and hilarious all at once, full of quirky characters and brilliant performances by Holly Hunter, Tim Robbins, Alfre Woodard, Mary Steenburgen, and Scott Glenn. An unknown gem!
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