Rating: 
Summary: Worth a look, but not for the reason you think
Review: SIRENS tells the story of a preacher man and his wife who meet a controversial painter and his female subjects. The film makes its point about the side of us that does what's right because we won't get away with doing what's wrong. Newcomer Elle Macpherson, playing a free-spirit, tickle-enthusiast model, would have stolen the film even without disrobing. Heck, Macpherson gained weight on purpose for her SIRENS role; how many stars would be willing to look less than their best, and in the nude, no less? If lingering nudity doesn't make you uncomfortable, SIRENS is worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: The minister, his wife, and four nude models
Review: SIRENS, released in 1993, is a beguiling film that pokes fun at the sexual repression that may result from an overactive religious zeal. Hugh Grant, as the Anglican minister Anthony Champion newly arrived in early 20th century Australia, is asked by the bishop to pay a call on a local artist, Norman Lindsay, and to beseech him to withdraw from exhibition a painting considered scandalous. Horror of horrors, it includes bare-naked ladies.Anthony and his young spouse Estella, played by Tara Fitzgerald, arrive at Lindsay's estate to find the artist, portrayed by Sam Neill, busily painting away. Norman's earthy wife and three resident female models serve as his inspiration, and clothing on the four is, more oft than not, unabashedly optional. This in-your-face display of live, nubile flesh leaves the Reverend rather tongue-tied and confused (as only Grant can play it). At first, wife Estella shares her husband's righteous indignation. Then, the lush, humid, tropical surroundings and free-spirited lifestyle of the Lindsay estate, along with the presence of a hunky handyman, begin to work their liberating magic on her repressed desires. (A very nice touch is the representation of Temptation as a large serpent that slithers through occasional scenes unnoticed by anyone but the viewer.) It all sounds potentially raunchy, but never is. Rather than being a manipulative, licentious debauchee, Neill's on-screen persona is one of an amused, live and let live observer of human nature - a sort of detached Hugh Hefner. There's an abundance of casual nudity, but it's almost artistically presented. The sexual nature of a couple scenes is more sensuous than bawdy. And, one of this film's undeniable attractions is real-life model Elle MacPherson, who plays the role of one of the uninhibited SIRENS, and who shows an eyeful. Boy, does she ever. It's an amusing and well-done adult, fairy tale.
Rating: 
Summary: A little deeper into Sirens > a different interpretation
Review: Spoiler alert: You might not want to read the following if you haven't seen the movie yet. Most of the reviews of Sirens at Amazon focus on Elle, the nudity in the movie, and themes surrounding the Church's stance against freedom of expression. A few reviewers have touched intelligently on some of the biblical, Atlantean, and Homeric symbolism that suffuses the movie. Only one reviewer, who happened not to like the film, touched on what I consider to be one of the most telling elements of the story: that Tara Fitzgerald's character Estella cheats on her husband, Hugh Grant. The reviewer thinks this is a problem, and it is, because Estella is a clergyman's wife. This should require some explaining, as Estella changes a great deal in a short amount of time during the film. The cover of the movie shows Hugh Grant and Elle McPherson in poses suggesting a light-hearted romantic comedy. The movie is actually completely about Tara Fitzgerald's character's journey. What are the clues? The movie starts with Estella both flirting with and rebuffing a sailor on an ocean liner. Hugh Grant is not in the scene at all. The movie follows Estella much more closely than any of the other characters and at key moments we even see hallucinations as Estella sees them: when she imagines herself naked in church and most importantly, when she "dreams" that the sirens are baptizing her (with water that turns to blood, no less, at which point she "wants to wake up") toward the end of the movie. The offensive painting for which Estella and her husband travel to Sam Neill's house shows a woman crucified in Christ's place, signalling that the female lead, not the male, is the protagonist. But is the movie about Estella's sexual awakening? Not really. It is not until after she awakens from the dream described above that the viewer learns the ship on which Estella sailed was the Titanic (look above her head when she and Hugh Grant are on the train leaving Australia--it is the same ship shown throughout the film). What could this mean? Estella is drowning in the wreck of the Titanic. As she is dying she experiences the events in the movie, a mix of Ulysses' sailors drawn to their watery graves by the beautiful sirens, a magical trip to the island of Atlantis (Australia), and religious rumblings of the moral tension between fidelity and self-expression. The "mission" to convince Sam Neill not to exhibit his blasphemous painting represents Estella's fight to stay alive. When she and her husband accept that they will not change Sam Neill's resolve (including the fact that he has painted Estella), Estella is giving up her grip on life. Look at the expression of relief and release on her face in the movie's very last scene before fading to the sirens on the rocks. With a seemingly slapped on ending in which Estella and husband leave some of their sexual repression behind them, voila: you have a movie that viewers enjoy but is quite a bit deeper, as well. Check it out, it's beautiful and brilliant!
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent and funny film, inspite of overworked theme.
Review: The "bohemians free sexually repressed from their hangups" theme has been done, and overdone, before in film. Here it works due the light touch used throughout. Hugh Grant and Tara Fitzgerald are presented as an intelligent, but restrained, pastor and wife, not dour and glowering. The church is disturbed by the work of a local artist and Grant is assigned the task of staying at the artist's home in order to talk some sense into him. Unfortunately for Grant, the household consists not only of the artist and his wife, but several local girls serving as models who spend most of their days and nights frolicing unclothed. It's clear from the beginning that Grant has his work cut out for him. There's a real atmosphere of sensuality that pervades the movie, but it's not dependent on just nudity or sex. If you're looking for softcore porn, look elsewhere. If you're offended by nudity, look elsewhere. If you like well written, well acted, slightly laid back comedies, then this might be for you. And yes, Elle MacPherson looks stunning, clothed or not, and she can act as well. DVD quality is only fair to good, but this is a keeper in my book.
Rating: 
Summary: OK movie, average DVD
Review: The picture quality of this DVD is not the best. It is not widescreen or restored in any way, so there are a lot of examples of 'shudder' when the camera moves around. The extra is a short bio of the main cast members. Nothing else! The movie itself, as has been stated in previous reviews, is an interesting look at painter Norman Lindsay and how his work was viewed by the general public. There are some beautiful scenery shots (and I'm not just talking about the ladies).
Rating:
Summary: Magical movie
Review: This is a beautifully done, magical movie. The video quality of the DVD is fairly good but not great. There are many times when non-moving images (background walls, etc.) become static and "refresh" only twice a second: very distracting when you watch for it. It is also in the less desirable non-anamorphic widescreen, with two-channel stereo. Rachel Portman's score is gorgeous, and at times sounds more like Ralph Vaughan Williams than RVW does himself (aside from the actual RVW piece used in the film). The picture transfer is clean. It deserves a better digital transfer, however. Still, better than VHS.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful, Witty Comedy
Review: This is a fantastic film that I can watch again and again to catch all the nuances and references to Biblical and philosophic ideas. Each of the main characters gives one of their best performances. There is a logical progression of events that lead one along the paths of the ideas that are being debated. Sam Neil and Hugh Grant give great performances as adversaries. Elle McPherson plays well against Tara Fitzgerald. There is something for everyone of every opinion but it is beautiful, there is a plot, and it makes you think. Who could ask for anything more. Recommended for everyone!
Rating:
Summary: Finally !
Review: This is a Hugh Grant movie that a guy won't mind watching (fast-forwarding through, to view specific scenes). And it definitely ain't because of HIM !
Rating:
Summary: So I'm an Elle fan... Hugh Grant was great, too.
Review: This is definitely one of those "don't watch it with your kids" movies. There are quite a few scenes with nudity and no real overt sex, but enough implied sex that aren't just for anybody. I'm a fan of Elle and although this movie went a little slow here and there, it was a very good buy. I bought this one after seeing it on cable and decided it was worthy to be in the collection. Australia is beautiful. The women are beautiful. The subject matter is at times abstract, and at times, intense beyond belief. The church telling an artist to no longer paint the overt sexuality of his times, his life... well, it does certainly make for good subject exploration. The minister (Hugh) sent to give the message to the artist and his lovely wife are drawn by these luscious frolicing sirens into that sexuality. They are changed forever. Excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Elle is amazing
Review: This movie does a great job of combining beautiful women, landscape and acting. Elle does a wonderful job of acting, especially for her first major role. The film allows us to see the great location. The movie also has some great actors, Sam Niel & Hugh Grant, who do a great job of interjecting some comedy into this movie.
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