Love Actually (Widescreen Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Jump For Love!!
Review: when i saw this film, first things that popped in to my mind are The Terminal and the album U2 All That You Can Leave Behind. the film started in the airport's arrival area and the tone, in an instant, was establish. the message of the whole movie was communicated and the simple yet complex concept of love was explained in the first 2-3 minutes of the film. though this would not be eligible for a criterion release, i have learned to like this film for its direct approach. no gravy-like or cotton candy coating. this film is a compilation of the simple truths and realistic presentations of love---- happy, thrilling, unpredictable and sometimes sad. visually, the film contains high and low points. the plot, not really as magnificent as Shakespeare, but this is all i need... a nice break...

audio and OST (which i purchased separately) are commendable.. while video may need a little improvement but nevertheless at par and i consider above average in presenting this vivid aspect of one of the two strongest emotion (anger being the other one).

this dvd is not in my priority list for purchase this season but boy i was glad to have it. thanks to the edited korean release info i was absolutely forced to get the R1 instead... nice companion for xmas..


Rating:
Summary: Just a little too silly really.
Review: I am usually a fan of the work of Mr Curtis but this film feels like an explotation of a rather tired working theme.
It has elements of all the other films and trys to encapsulate "Modern Britain" rather cheesily, with Hugh Grant as a Tony Blair style PM. Unfortunately he comes across as more the average bumbling, Biology Teacher and his developing romance with his Cockney Char Lady is just a touch too "Eliza Dolittle", the Char Lady is played just a little too corsely aswell; the "F" word is not a comedic tool.
There are some strong perfomances here though, Emma Thompson is truly cracking. The scene when she secretly uncovers her husbands betrayal of her is poignant, painful and exquisitely pitched. Andrew Lincoln, (Fans will remember him as "Egg" in the brilliant "This Life" on BBC TV) pining away for the love of his best friends wife is astonishingly engaging in his portrayal of the pain of the unrequited love, it's a shame Kira Knightely lets him down by being so utterly wet and ineffective, no real disply of anything other than cliched, embarassed, twittering, midle class women.
Liam Neesom is of course brilliant and Colin Firth is a classic as the tortured grieving man. There is a lot to like about this film but it just trys too hard to captilise on Curtis's past success and the strengths of it's good actors; it gives the poorer performers more to do than they can handle or convey too.
As a result there is too much going on and the film doesn't really seem to know if it want's to explore a little more serious drama or build up the comedy segments (incidently I think it's time British films stopped assuming that adding a few quiant British expletives is all that is needed to raise the roof in America - it's old news to our America cousins!).
This is a pleasent enough and hopeful film but it's a bit of a mess and ever such a tad cliched.
The romantic view of rainy, cosy, London is very grating in it's "Mary Poppins" approach too.

Rating:
Summary: The actors deserve the five stars... (plot/subplot so...so)
Review: I enjoyed this film. It has hilarious moments... but also some sad ones... (none gratuitous, mind...) and is very well balanced...
I thought I would not like it..., mainly because of some critics in amazon... so I must beware next time... (the same happened incidentally with "Gosford Park"... wich I also enjoyed despite the criticisms...).
Do not want to sound patronizing... (I may be grouchy but do not like snobs...) but it seems audiences does not like large casts and interloping/twined plots/subplots... and THAT probably is silly because that's the way LIFE is... EVEN IF IT FEELS CONFUSED SOMETIMES... SO WHAT?... the actors are superb and believable all through it.

RECOMMENDED TO BE JUDGED BY YOURSELVES...


Rating:
Summary: pure entertainment
Review: i've watched this film multiple times and loaned it to friends who have watched it multiple times. one reviewer dissected the movie and seemed anoyed by the racial overtones. poor soul. if he only new that in most of the rest of the world people judge each other on character and personality not the color of their skin. get this film and you won't regret it. i think it's one of the best romantic comedys ever made.

Rating:
Summary: In-your-face left-wing propaganda
Review: All you need to know about this movie: Liam Neeson's character finds out that his 10- or 11-year-old son is in love. What does the father say? "So what's her name? Or is it a he?"

In other words, political correctness run amok.

Forget the blatant left-wing digs at the "bully" American president -- this pic feels like a full-blown advertisement for interracial relationships. You won't see a photo about this on the box, but one of the many absurd plot lines concerns the poor pathetic white man pining over the beautiful white woman whom his black friend has married. And of course the movie ends with Denise Richardson kissing a black guy and exclaiming how "hot" he is.

The whole things feels like a heavy-handed and even patronizing attempt to boost the self-esteem of black folks...

And while we're add it, why don't we do the same for fat chicks:

Hugh Grant falls for a girl with a large bottom -- fat girls around the world can now feel better about themselves.

Right... this movie tries hard to be uplifting, but in the end it is simply insufferable.

Nowhere near as good as "About a Boy" -- easily Hugh Grant's best film -- or even "Notting Hill."

Pass on this load of hooey.