Rating: Summary: Leonard Maltin just doesn't get it Review: Ignore Leonard Maltin's review above - this is no "satire". Far from winking superiority and cruel condecension, David Byrne deeply loves these characters for their absolutely unique art-form: gentle, American, small-town eccentricity. He stars in this film for the simple reason that he wants to introduce his beloved eccentrics to you personally. Byrne's stated artistic objective, to "elevate the mundane", here succeeds thoroughly: he grants even the film's most pathetic characters a grace and poignancy that no other modern filmmaker could match (though David Lynch's "Straight Story" shows promise). This movie is a treasure.
Rating: Summary: great movie, scant (but amazingly cheap) DVD Review: I've always enjoyed this quirky, different movie, and when it came out on DVD I rushed out to buy it, but to say the least I was a little disappointed by the quality of the DVD itself (chapter stops, full-screen movie, period). If you like David Byrne, the Talking Heads, or quirky little indie movies, drop this in your cart right now
Rating: Summary: Delightfully unbelievable... Review: This is, certainly, one of the finest films to ever be made. It has such a beautifully positive outlook; it is the only film that makes me optimistic about the fate of humanity. I highly recomend it, it is incredibly David Byrne.
Rating: Summary: Great movie, lousy DVD transfer Review: I previously gave this film a glowing 5-star review, but I forgot to mention the DVD-specific aspects. It really deserved a much better job; it's pan-and-scan only, no widescreen version on the flip side, no special features, no subtitles, no nothing. You can skip to given chapters, but that's it. That doesn't change the fact that it's a wonderful film that's worth buying and watching over and over again, and any DVD owner will still want the DVD version; it's just a minor gripe.
Rating: Summary: Witty and thought-provoking Review: The most wonderful thing about this film is that it's NOT entirely cynical. It portrays everyday life in suburban America as absurd, but in a sympathetic and often enthusiastic manner. Things are changing. New office buildings and factories and highways have a rhythm and life of their own. People share time by shopping together at the mall. Rows of prefab houses sprawl into previously undeveloped areas, creating a new frontier under the blue sky. "Who's to say it isn't beautiful?"It's a scary film. It presents this brave new world as inevitable, and you can see that it's not all pretty. If that were all it did, it would be tedious social commentary. But Byrne puts on his cowboy hat and plays anthropologist and tries to be one of this "bunch of people in Virgil, Texas" and understand what they're like from their perspective, and it ends up being really interesting. And, of course, the music is excellent. Highly recommended.
Rating: Summary: D.B's creativity and masterful artistry make this film great Review: As a result of my parents, I grew up listening to Talking Heads. I have always revered their music as well as David Byrne's independent successes, but this film stands apart from everything; it combines all the media which make David Byrne perhaps the most inventive and ecclectic artist of our time. David Byrne has created something that stands alone as one of the greatest films ever. This film may seem to be about "a bunch of people in Virgil, Texas". It is, but it is also much more. Within the context of the simple, but charming characters and stories there lie ingrained observations of modern American society. These observations are not necessarily negative criticism, but they are simply the way we are. They are "True Stories".
Rating: Summary: It ain't about Texas Review: A friend from the Lone Star state who saw this movie was upset because she perceived Byrne was making fun of Texans. I see it as making fun of America as a whole with Texas as the vehicle (it could have been Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska or Oregon, for that matter). This move crawls at places, but stick with it to the end because the talent show is not to be missed! Though his total screen time is less than ten minutes, Spalding Gray is great in this film, especially the scene at dinner. Anyone who does not possess the 'Heads album by the same name will rush to do so after seeing this. It's a winner.
Rating: Summary: Byrne and Talking Heads kick Review: Talking Heads was the best band to come along since the Beatles, and this movie shows that they can make a film as good as their albums. It's got very witty humor, beautiful songs (of several different styles), great acting (okay, weird acting), and gorgeous cinematography. This movie makes yuppiedom and the 80's a thing you won't forget. Spalding Gray will scare you, and David Byrne will give you nightmares. Kool.
Rating: Summary: just another one of Byrne's creative mediums of genius. Review: From make believe towns to fantasy sinarios and quirky humor this movie is a piece of art.
Rating: Summary: Often overlooked, always underappreciated Review: Every time i think of this movie, i can't help but smile. Such a psudo-enthusiasm for things like the local mall and the near death of Downtown at the time. The interstate and "track" housing... To the core, this movie seems to me to be the most sickly sweet cynical view of "modern life". I love that stuff. One of the best offerings of the decade, without a doubt. The fact that no one has seen it makes it even better. "What time is it? No time for lookin' back."
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