Rating: 
Summary: Ugh
Review:
reading all the wonderful reviews, i had high hopes for this movie.
Result: utterly disappointed. waste of time and money.
Rating: 
Summary: BEAUTIFUL!
Review: I am THRILLED this is coming out on DVD!
I haven't seen it since the late 80's/early 90's.
It's really beautiful!!!=^..^=
Rating:
Summary: Timeless
Review: I first saw this movie on VHS 'way back in the 80's when it was on VHS. Finally out on DVD! I've watched so many thousands of movies. Some are hated, some are loved, some just stab right through you. This is one of those. After watching it the first time I had to have it, bought it from the rental store. Can someone be defined as a 'loser' if they don't know or acknowledge it? The character of Polly Vandersma defines this. In today's PC environment she is might be defined as completely lacking the self-awareness we grasped in the 70's. Polly doesn't fit in, in the way we all want to. She doesn't fit in the working world at all, working as a clerical temp yet lacking the essential skills. Yet, here she is working for a small gallery selling abstract art. "A cute awareness" indeed! The woman who owns the gallery appears to possess the qualities that Polly would want to admire and emulate. She is beautiful, graceful, educated and oh, so articulate. Trouble is, Polly discovers a past lesbian relationship when a young artist appears. The larcenous collaboration between these two becomes pivotal when Polly, in her childlike honey, confronts this. Polly's hobby is photography, a form of self-expression for her, and again, she lacks the sophistication to realize the artistic value of her work. It has never appeared to her that her photos might be worth showing to others. This work appears as a revelation to her employer and her employer's lover in the end. After seeing this movie dozens of times, the kind condescending attitude of her employer has changed my attitude toward her. I've come to find her a quite sad character. She knows enough to appreciate art, yet also is aware that she hasn't the talent to create what she appreciates. There is such a shock when she sees the body of Polly's work, when Polly doesn't grasp their signficance! The character of Polly appeals to all of us in her awkwardness, in her lack of 'sophistication' by society's standards. She has an inherent honesty and goodness that are childlike, a frank admiration for her employer that is tragically destroyed. I think we all enjoy seeing the pomposity of others exposed, the 'emperor having no clothes'. I wore out three VHS copies of this, loaning it out to people. I don't watch this movie too often, though I know every scene. One has to be in the right mood for it. It is perfect on a rainy day, for someone in a dreary mood. To describe it as unique seems inadequate. There truly is nothing else like it--it's an event. I've enjoyed watching people watching this movie, seeing their reactions. The character of Polly has so many universal traits; some people will laugh awkwardly, some will nod in recognition. I am so very delighted that this movie has finally made it DVD where it will receive the permanence it deserves. There is a running commentary in the special features by Rozema that I wish I'd seen years before. Though this film is set in the late 80's it is contemporary enough that it doesn't seem dated. The performances are amazing, the casting flawless. This was Rozema's first film, and I still feel is her best. A keeper.
Rating:
Summary: Timeless
Review: I first saw this movie on VHS 'way back in the 80's when it was on VHS. Finally out on DVD! I've watched so many thousands of movies. Some are hated, some are loved, some just stab right through you. This is one of those. After watching it the first time I had to have it, bought it from the rental store. Can someone be defined as a 'loser' if they don't know or acknowledge it? The character of Polly Vandersma defines this. In today's PC environment she is might be defined as completely lacking the self-awareness we grasped in the 70's. Polly doesn't fit in, in the way we all want to. She doesn't fit in the working world at all, working as a clerical temp yet lacking the essential skills. Yet, here she is working for a small gallery selling abstract art. "A cute awareness" indeed! The woman who owns the gallery appears to possess the qualities that Polly would want to admire and emulate. She is beautiful, graceful, educated and oh, so articulate. Trouble is, Polly discovers a past lesbian relationship when a young artist appears. The larcenous collaboration between these two becomes pivotal when Polly, in her childlike honey, confronts this. Polly's hobby is photography, a form of self-expression for her, and again, she lacks the sophistication to realize the artistic value of her work. It has never appeared to her that her photos might be worth showing to others. This work appears as a revelation to her employer and her employer's lover in the end. After seeing this movie dozens of times, the kind condescending attitude of her employer has changed my attitude toward her. I've come to find her a quite sad character. She knows enough to appreciate art, yet also is aware that she hasn't the talent to create what she appreciates. There is such a shock when she sees the body of Polly's work, when Polly doesn't grasp their signficance! The character of Polly appeals to all of us in her awkwardness, in her lack of 'sophistication' by society's standards. She has an inherent honesty and goodness that are childlike, a frank admiration for her employer that is tragically destroyed. I think we all enjoy seeing the pomposity of others exposed, the 'emperor having no clothes'. I wore out three VHS copies of this, loaning it out to people. I don't watch this movie too often, though I know every scene. One has to be in the right mood for it. It is perfect on a rainy day, for someone in a dreary mood. To describe it as unique seems inadequate. There truly is nothing else like it--it's an event. I've enjoyed watching people watching this movie, seeing their reactions. The character of Polly has so many universal traits; some people will laugh awkwardly, some will nod in recognition. I am so very delighted that this movie has finally made it DVD where it will receive the permanence it deserves. There is a running commentary in the special features by Rozema that I wish I'd seen years before. Though this film is set in the late 80's it is contemporary enough that it doesn't seem dated. The performances are amazing, the casting flawless. This was Rozema's first film, and I still feel is her best. A keeper.
Rating:
Summary: At last!
Review: I have waited years for this to come out on DVD. One of my favourite films of all time (if not my favourite), I've only had a very poor copy I taped from the television years ago. When it was first shown at the Cannes film festival, the critics gave it a standing ovation (totally unheard of). A beautiful story, wonderfully acted and filmed. A truly magical experience, so why did we have to wait for so long? - second hand tapes have been changing hands for quite large sums, so its obvious there was a demand for it.
Slightly mysterious, but very grounded, the story is touching in many ways. The basics are spelt out in the other reviews below, so I won't repeat them. But I will repeat my praises for it- this is a MUST HAVE independant Canadian film, rarely seen at the Cinema anywhere, and surely one of the best films missed by most people. BUY IT NOW.
Rating:
Summary: At last!
Review: I have waited years for this to come out on DVD. One of my favourite films of all time (if not my favourite), I've only had a very poor copy I taped from the television years ago. When it was first shown at the Cannes film festival, the critics gave it a standing ovation (totally unheard of). A beautiful story, wonderfully acted and filmed. A truly magical experience, so why did we have to wait for so long? - second hand tapes have been changing hands for quite large sums, so its obvious there was a demand for it.
Slightly mysterious, but very grounded, the story is touching in many ways. The basics are spelt out in the other reviews below, so I won't repeat them. But I will repeat my praises for it- this is a MUST HAVE independant Canadian film, rarely seen at the Cinema anywhere, and surely one of the best films missed by most people. BUY IT NOW.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly simple and touching
Review: I saw 'Mermaids Singing' the first time when I was 20, back in 1988, and it captivated me SO much that now, many years later, it continues high on my list of favourite films. Maybe because Hollywood seems to be running out of original ideas. Maybe because producers try simply 'too hard' (don't tell them I said that, I am an actor) to tell a story. Either way, this film took me in quickly and kept me in until the last possible second (through very smart end credits). What I like the most about this film is its symbolism. It does not try to tell you what 'the most beautiful painting I have ever seen' looks like by showing you one. Rather, it uses a glowing painting, something that can only be bestowed us from Olympus itself! (Granted that most people I had sit to watch this film with me never understood why the picture glowed...makes one feel as alone as Polly, the main character in the film) To date, this film remains MY little secret, one I watch alone, in my own sacred space, to rejoice in! To work on a film like this is a real actor's dream!
Rating:
Summary: At Last!!!
Review: I've been waiting years for this beautiful, charming, but sadly out-of-print film to be released on DVD. A small, intimate, delicate story, both quirky & poignant, it transports the viewer to the inner landscape of someone the rest of the world would quickly dismiss, if it notices her at all in the first place. And it reminds us of the riches that exist within the most ordinary looking, seemingly uninteresting people we pass by each day. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: At Last!!!
Review: I've been waiting years for this beautiful, charming, but sadly out-of-print film to be released on DVD. A small, intimate, delicate story, both quirky & poignant, it transports the viewer to the inner landscape of someone the rest of the world would quickly dismiss, if it notices her at all in the first place. And it reminds us of the riches that exist within the most ordinary looking, seemingly uninteresting people we pass by each day. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: smart and sweet
Review: Terrific movie. Sweet, smart and clever, with a wonderful score employed Leo Delibes' opera.
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