Rating: Summary: BEST Movie EVER!!!!!!!!!!! Review: This is the best movie I have ever seen. Hayden Christensen is such a great actor (and oh-so hot!!!). Every time I watch this movie I laugh, I cry, and I can't believe how great it is. Everybody in this movie is so good, and the location is gorgeous. I just love Hayden Christensen, he is just perfect. The DVD also has some interesting documentaries. I would recommend this movie to everyone, my whole family loved it. (Even my dad!)
Rating: Summary: HELP ME! Review: HELP ME! I NEED to know where this movie was filmed! Its location is absolutely amazing!
Rating: Summary: Movie worth seeing that got almost no attention! Review: I skipped seeing this movie in theaters because I hadn't heard anything about it. I wound up renting the DVD and I got a huge suprise. This film was very touching, it made me reflect on what I had in life, and where I am. Some people think it is very similiar to American Beauty in some respectsnd I too saw some connections, although there is a reason for this. The entire point of Dukos, and Alyssa's mom was to to show that this seemingly perfect neighborhood was just like any other. That everyone had their little secret, their little flaw. That thier seemingly perfect houses in fact hid something inside. I highly reccomend this movie, watch it with someone you love.
Rating: Summary: Lovely movie about LIFE Review: Although we know from all the press and the previews and from the beginning of the movie itself that the ending will be about death, this whole movie is about life. Kevin Kline wonderfully portrays a man who sees the end of his life but wants to do all he can to make repairs before he departs. His way of doing this is to build a house to repair his relationship with his son and to get rid of his many unhappy memories associated with the old house on the cliff.The movie had a great cast of actors who all played their roles to perfection. Sure, some of the plot twists were a bit "out there" or coincidental, but the whole film worked in spite of them. The terrific soundtrack only added to my overall enjoyment. "Life as a House" left me with lots to think about, which is always a good thing and to me is the mark of a good movie.
Rating: Summary: This movie should have just tried to be itself Review: I was interested in seeing this movie when I heard that A) it had a soundtrack by the band Guster, an unpopular group I`ve loved for years, B) It had this hot actor in it that I saw in a teen magazine, and C) it made my friend cry harder than she`d cried in a long time. I was more than a little dissapointed, and I don`t think it was just that I was expecting too much. What we have here is a major wanna-be "American Beauty"-even my sister and another reviewer on this page noticed the connections. Pointless sub-plots including the son Sam`s involvement with drugs, Sam`s more-than-a-friend interaction with Alyssa nextdoor, and her mother sleeping around with her friend Josh (And I still can`t figure out the point of that one.) The reason all that kind of stuff going on in American Beauty made it good was because the movie was so well-done and incredible that all the supposedly nasty details were more than forgiveable. You can`t just throw in some affairs and secret drug dealing and say "Look, we`ve got another American Beauty!" There were just too many similarities-Kline`s character that was too much like Lester and his continued narration afterhe dies at the end of the movie, the comic wacking-in-the-shower concept taken to a stupid level, and random nudity all over the place. For the most part I thought the screenplay was horrible, with the big exception of some shining moments, such as when George tells his son that he`s dying, the scene that generally jerked out the most tears. The dialogue contains good, in-depth insight into concepts that didn`t need to be incorporated into the story, like George`s childhood with an abusive father which was extremely cliche. I thought a large percent of the characters were badly casted. If Kline had to pretend to be Lester, he could have done a better job of seeming crazy in a loveable way like Kevin Spacey did. The way he did it just kind of clashed with the character the lines were asking for. I did, however, think that the actor of George`s son did a good job. His character goes from acting tough and untouchable to acting pathetic and clueless, in which he sometimes looked to me like a little puppy shivering in the rain. You could tell there were different sides to his character. I`m confident he`ll do well in the upcoming Star Wars movie, which might save the film from what`s-her-name`s undeveloped acting. So bottom line, there are some good things in this movie, and I think the creators could have done better by just sticking to their own ideas, and if you`re not too picky like I am (though I usually am not picky about movies at all, I just had to turn my nose up at this one) you might actually like it a lot. It got other reviews that were good, and I suppose the good parts of it are worth a rental price.
Rating: Summary: A wonderfull, heartwarming film Review: One word: AMAZING. this movie did everything a true great movie is supposed to do. It made me think, it made me cry... it grabed my heart with both hands and twisted it around and around. The awsome cast of caracters were truly a memorable bunch, and their characters were without a doubt portrayed to perfection. The music did wonders to help the movie along, wisking you away with their bitter melodies and lilting beats. It is one of my favorite movies of all time, with an ending that will etch itself into my memory for years to come.
Rating: Summary: Life as a House Review: I walked away from this movie affected more than I have been from a movie in a long time. Great Performances by a great cast, and a message to live by. A reminder what is really important in life..
Rating: Summary: If you watch no other dramatic movies this year..... Review: This movie is a compelling story of modern American cultural society, multiple marriages, estranged family members, and a incredible story of one man's struggles to rid himself of his demons of the past while attempting to save his son from the same fate. The story is moving, funny, sad, joyous and with a surprise stunning ending that shows that if Life is a house, Kevin Kline managed to leave behind a home that symbolized an atonement for two generations of sorrow and anger. IF you live with troubled teens, have children from multiple marriages or have ever found yourself set adrift in the modern economic times, this movie will touch you as few I have seen I the last year. DON"T MISS THIS MOVIE...............
Rating: Summary: Hilarious! Review: I haven't laughed this hard in years, especially after reading the glowing reviews that people are giving this trainwreck of a movie. Let me first say that I do actually enjoy dramas that require you to think, and don't even mind the occasional tearjerker. I think "American Beauty", "Terms of Endearment", etc. are excellent movies. I heard this movie compared to those and so my wife and I gave it a shot. We laughed out loud throughout the movie because it is THAT BAD! I will admit that the acting is great. But the script is ridiculous. How can people say that they found it believable? How about when the angry neighbor turns out to be the solicitous, gay "john"? How could the kid prove that? The guy would just deny it and continue with the lawsuit. Angry, litigious neighbors aren't scared of teenage boys with idle threats. Anybody knows this! Then there's the teenage girl that wants to shower with the boy but "just be friends". Yeah right! But the best part is the ending with what the boy decides to do with the house. It's worth it to rent the movie just to see how lame and ridiculous the ending is. My wife and I laughed so hard. I stood up and clapped and yelled at the tv "Yes. That is the worst movie I've seen in my whole life!!!" If you don't mind being spoon-fed every Hollywood cliché imaginable, you'll love this movie. PS Does is not bother any of you glowing reviewers that the boy did not honor his Dad's dying words about the future of the house?
Rating: Summary: A fine drama well worth your time Review: A classic drama, with all of the traditional elements designed to pull at your emotions! It has been some time since one had the use of such a broad cast of talented actors. This particular cast's ability to make the audience believe in their characters really makes the difference in this film. Kevin Kline is in one of his best roles ever as the father who is given the chance to re-evaluate his life and family through the lens of his terminal illness. Kristen Scott Thomas shines as Kline's ex-wife who realizes that her former husband really did care for her while they were married - and that his feelings have not changed. Hayden Christensen brings incredible screen charisma and talent to his portrayal of Kline's disconnected son. One can hope he is allowed to do the same with his role in the upcoming Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. Watching Kline deal with his illness is, obviously, the main point of the film. How he deals with it, from a touching scene with a nurse early in the film, to his method for reaching into the abyss that has swallowed his character's son allows Kline to really showcase his superb acting talent. It is unfortunate that the Academy did not acknowledge his performance when making the nominations this year - he certainly was up to Oscar® standards. A fine ensemble cast rounds out the film, with such notables as Mary Steenburgen and Scott Bakula adding nice touches throughout. Some interesting side stories keep the movie from bogging down, as some dramas often do. It remains just the slightest bit unpredictable as it winds its way to the emotionally surprising, yet fulfilling ending.
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