Rating: Summary: Outstanding Performances! Review: In a time where America is on the brink of breaking down the walls of segregation of gays and straights comes a movie that provides not only historical educational insight but also an entertaining and beautiful view of delicate and powerful relationships! The first story is the most compelling of the three, Vanessa Redgrave gives a performance for the ages as a woman who loses her lover of fifty years only to endure an inappropriate battle with her dead lovers relatives. Brilliantly executed and directed, it pulls on your heart strings and makes you think just how terribly prejudice people can be for no reason at all. The second story is set in the confusing and often socialogically brutal early 70's featuring a group of lesbians fighting college campus politics. Michelle Williams plays a confused young woman who falls for Chloe Sgveny at the opposition of her fellow lesbian friends. It's not as emotional as the first presentation but it presents a good point on how people take someone too much at face value, losing sight of the soul they were in love with initially. The third segment is kinda fun to watch simply because Sharon Stone is very relaxed with her role. Ellen Degeneres doesn't fit the role she plays but I understand why she was in this. The intensity of the movie fizzles with the last segment unfortunately and doesn't depict as strong of an issue as the first two segments. Overall, considering this movie makes such a bold statement for homosexuals everywhere, it really makes you think a little bit about how future generations will continue to fight and change the way things are for gays and lesbians-making the world a better place for us all.
Rating: Summary: A look at relationships over time Review: There are 3 stories to this movie, with the setting being the same house for all three stories.The first story is set in the 1950's and shows the sorrow of having to keep a lesbian relationship secret. Vanessa Redgrave's utter destruction over the death of her partner and her being unable to show the full extent of her loss. From the hospital to the gold digging relatives, no one offers her true comfort for what she has rightfully lost and she must grieve alone. For me, the second story was the best. Set in the 1970's, it tells the story of a feminist who falls in love with a masculine dressed woman. The passion is overwhelming. There is a nude scene that really shows pure sexual passion. Michelle Williams potrayal of the feminist is a moving and wonderful thing to watch. The final story is about 2 women trying to conceive a baby. While I'm not sure about the chemistry between Ellen DeGeneres and Sharon Stone, I do think Sharon Stone gives a tender portrayal of a loving woman. I found the watching of the children in the park to be a little creepy and unnecessary. Even if you aren't a lesbian, just the acting and the emotions of relating to other women is worth the rental or purchase price.
Rating: Summary: Haven't I seen this somewhere before? And, why watch now? Review: 2 & 1/2 Stars Are you sure this isn't a prequel to The Hours? Or maybe that one was like the latest Planet of the Apes, a "rethinking" of If These Walls Could Talk 2. So why does anyone watch this stuff? The average, gender non-specific viewer: I was curious about a subject that is still (at least subconsciously) taboo. In particular, does DeGeneres' preference / experience allow her to portray a better lesbian character than a straight actress (or is she blaaah in either role)? The lesbian viewer: I want to immerse myself in the lifestyle. I'm looking for a character that I can personally identify with. ie. I wish to justify my choices through the gradual, public acceptance of a struggling and / or misunderstood, though iconic Hollywood stereotype. Personal note - I'll be sure to give a not helpful vote to anyone who doesn't share my values by agreeing that they love this movie. The college guy: Even though I won't admit it, I'm really only watching this (impatiently) so I can see chicks makin' out. Yea; hot girl-on-girl, that's the ticket! Bonus - If I watch it with one of the babes whos' pants I'm trying to get into, she'll think I'm sensitive, and let me score. The moral viewer: I was disgusted, but had to see how the other half lives. Why are those actresses wasting their talents on such trash? I'll never watch anything like that again (until next week). That about wraps it up. If you're mad because I reviewed the psychology of the subject matter more than the movie itself, well uuuuh, wasn't that the point of the flick anyway? That, and dead presidents. Besides, the other 72 reviews, to date, should give you enough idea of what to expect. I'll leave you with this thought: If These Walls Could Talk (2 / too), what would the walls in the closet say?
Rating: Summary: Best Movie Ever Review: This is the best thing I believe Ellen has done. The whole movie is AMAZING, and imparticular the third part of the trilogy with Ellen Degeneres and Sharon Stone; they complement eachother so well here. It took me a few times before I caught onto what I believe is the most important message in the movie. Kal and Fran (Ellen and Sharon) are discussing bringing a baby into a world with violence and prejudice. Fran: Our kid is going to be teased and have to defend us... Kal: Well, hopefully when our kid is old enough to know what discrimination is, the world will have changed a bit. Fran: And if it doesn't? Kal: And if it doesn't, is an interesting question because IT ALWAYS HAS.
Rating: Summary: Incerdibly Touching Review: I thought "If These Walls Could Talk 2" was great, with the great performances. Thank god for HBO, I've seen it many times on it, and it's sort of a guilty pleasure. I can't help but watch it everytime it comes on. I thought every story was very moving, with the perfect cast to pull it all off. I thought the first segment was very touching, but I couldn't really relate to it, so it was hard to really get into it. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the second and third segments. The second segment with Michelle Williams, Nia Long, and Chloe Sevigny were fantastic. It struck a chord in me, I realized how biased the world can be towards one another. I liked the irony of one lesbian being incredibly ignorant to another, because they weren't "lesbian" enough. It revealed to me how cynical we all can be. I disagree with a lot of the reviews about the third segment, I thought it was great! It was humorous and heart-felt. It is by far, Ellen DeGeneres's best performance. Sharon Stone was so comical, which the enitre movie needed. Ellen and Sharon had great chemistry, in my opinion. The seemed very believable, from the passion towards one-another, to the commitment of trying to conceive. They were a truly loving and commited couple, which I respected very much. I recommend this movie to anyone, lesbian, gay, bi, or straight, it's a terrific movie.
Rating: Summary: honest, sweet, and relatable Review: i thought this was a really good movie. The third part with ellen and sharon was my favorite and the part that i identified with the most. i love the part right before the love scene when ellen asks sharon why they are watching TV. i love how sharon turns the TV off. it is so cute. i have always liked 'Thank You' by Dido but this movie made me like it even more. i didn't relate as much to the second part but thought that all the actresses did a great job. the first part was sad and i'm glad that they put that in the movie. one of my favorite movies!
Rating: Summary: If This Bathroom Could Get a Word In Review: I've got the pitch for IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK 3: Pro-choice lesbians who are politically-active athiests! Cher and Sharon Stone survive a Sam Peckinpah-styled shootout when crazed religious fanatics open fire on them for helping poor confused young girls into the local abortion clinic. When Chloe Sevigny, their adopted daughter, dies in the attack, Cher and Sharon decide to instead turn their attention to removing all crosses and nativity scenes from America. Just as the religious fanatics take aim at them at the last nativity scene, Ellen Degeneres appears as angel to stop the violence and magically transform all Americans into loving, tolerant gays and lesbians. The abortion debate essentially disappears since children must now be shipped into the States as the populations growth drops to zero. Unfortunately, none of them now believe in God or angels, so they open fire on the angel and the entire world is destroyed in a ripping special effects climax. You can't tell me that wouldn't be more entertaining or informative than anything in the first two WALLS films. I had the same problem with the first WALLS film that I had with this one: drama sidestepped to make a political statement. Most of the America isn't gay or lesbian, so the film could've been more interesting by seeing reactions to the characters' lesbianism in families and work and so forth. Instead, we see that lesbian relationships can be just as cutesy and bland as the most lame straight love stories. The horrible injustice of the first segment could've been cleared up through a simple will. The second was the most interesting. The third was like watching a Hallmark card commercial at one frame per half-hour. HBO has all the tools to make a daring, provocative film. Maybe someday they will.
Rating: Summary: * * A lesbian masterpiece!!! ** Review: This is by FAR one of the greatest lesbian movies I have ever seen!! I laughed and I cried. I loved it! In my opinion, this was Sharon Stone and Ellen DeGeneres's BEST performance yet!! I liked the whole movie but the 3rd segmet was my absolute favorite. Fran and Kal (Stone and DeGeneres) were the most adorable Lesbian couple. They were sweet and funny and complimented each other well. I have watched this about 30 times and it never gets old. They are a middle aged lesbian couple struggling to have a baby, via artifical insemination. The things they go through to bring a baby into this world are difficult, but they have each other to lean on through it all. Their love is very real and believable and they have a few steamy moments with each other that are very *HOT* : ) I highly recommend it if you want great movie to curl up with on a rainy day. I like to watch it alone because you can really get into the charachters of the movie. You start to feel like you are right there with them. The only thing I wish is that it was LONGER!! Especially the last segment with Ellen and Sharon. It would have made a *GREAT* movie. It ended too soon, but I loved every minute of it!!!!!!!!!!
Rating: Summary: Most authentic Review: I believe that this movie depicts the most authetic lesbian relationships that I have seen in a long while. It was genuine and moving and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see real women in real relationships!
Rating: Summary: Compacently bad. Review: I caught this on HBO one night. And the three segments, though varied in subject matter, were all quite bad in quality. The first segment is about an old lesbian whose partner dies. She has no legal rights to her partner's will or estate, and the vignette basically examines this. Vanessa Redgrave stars and I think she won an Emmy for this, whatever that means. Critics have called it the best, but I find it to be the most lifeless and limp- perhaps because of its supposed prestige. Redgrave never uncovers her character's loaded feelings of grief, frustration, and longing and instead comes across as a sort of grumpy victim, though I don't exactly blame her given the stifling staginess and uninteresting script. It's a boringly conceptualized segment. The second segment is about lesbian hippies. And this is the best one. Michelle Williams and Chloe Sevigny give awesome performances. I didn't know too much about either actress prior to seeing this segment, but I'm dang impressed by their work here. Chloe Sevigny is amazing as a butch biker. She creates a lifeforce onscreen in the exact way that Regrave did not. It's too bad that the segment is terribly written and the sex scenes are way overdone (complete with high pitched guitar solos straight out of a bad porno). But the acting makes it worth it. The last segment is colorfully directed and well acted by Ellen DeGeneres (note how I'm excluding co-star Sharon Stone from this assessment) but undeniably unsexy and creepy given director Anne Heche's faux lesbianism. Let's face the content itself though: moments of hilarity, attributed to DeGeneres's comic timing, mixed with moments of Pier 1 vapidity and rambling monologues and annoying, vacuous characters. If These Walls Could Talk 2 consists of three segments with diverse subject matter but of very uniform bad quality.
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