Rating: 
Summary: A search for healing
Review: Tragedy mars the background of nearly every character in Shipping News, a very good but not perfect video made from Annie Proulx's book of the same name. The widowed Quoyle (Kevin Spacey) and his daughter head off with Aunt Agnes (the inimitable Dame Judi Dench) to the old abandoned family homestead on a heartlessly barren piece of rock on Newfoundland's coast, hoping to begin their lives anew.
Rating: 
Summary: A great movie with a good story - check it out!!
Review: With the quick, thoughtless movies coming out these days, some people are looking for a film that has great acting with a good story to go along; "The Shipping News" falls in this catagory. Based upon the award winning novel by E. Annie Proulx, a great (feel good) film was created. With solid acting performances by the entire cast, the role of our hero "Quoyle", played perfectly by Kevin Spacey, is the story, of a man that comes into his own, by getting a second chance in life. What makes this film so great is that there is a little bit of Quoyle in all of us, and when we have that break-through or rediscovery about ourselves, there is a feeling that is undescribable, this film shows and gives you that feeling. The film takes place mostly in beautiful Newfoundland, showing a more primative look at life. Not needing the special effects or gore to promote sales in place of a plot, The Shipping News delivers a film that you will find yourself wanting to watch again and again. I recommend this film highly!
Rating:
Summary: a good one
Review: A movie you didn't hear a lot about, but very much worth seeing. Of course the cast is great, but the character development, picturesque location, and careful directing is what made the picture so likeable. Out of 10 it's about a 7.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and inspiring!
Review: If you loved the sweet poignancy of American Beauty, there will be room in your heart for this one too. The Shipping News is less cluttered than American Beauty and it stays with you like comfort food. This movie is about a broken man with nothing in his life - no joy, no love - who is overwhelmed by the first warm body to take notice of him. He "wakes up" for the first time with Petal and they have a daughter that his world turns around. Unfortunately, Petal's world turns around every other man and she leaves a long line of lovers in her wake. She does some despicable things before her sudden death and leaves Quoyle awake, but utterly bereft, with only his daughter to whom he cannot explain these terrible events. He moves with a long-lost aunt to Newfoundland to start life anew and there he begins to blossom into more person than he's ever been in his life. Even while discovering that life can hold hope and beauty, he is learning that his heritage has branded him a certain kind of person. The end of the movie sees Quoyle rise about his past and his heritage to take confident steps into a new life full of promise. This wonderful movie renews the hope that there is indeed something in life for everyone, that even the broken can become whole again. An inspiring journey of the heart filled with devastation, hope and healing. It's one of my favorite movies of all time!
Rating:
Summary: A great movie with a good story - check it out!!
Review: With the quick, thoughtless movies coming out these days, some people are looking for a film that has great acting with a good story to go along; "The Shipping News" falls in this catagory. Based upon the award winning novel by E. Annie Proulx, a great (feel good) film was created. With solid acting performances by the entire cast, the role of our hero "Quoyle", played perfectly by Kevin Spacey, is the story, of a man that comes into his own, by getting a second chance in life. What makes this film so great is that there is a little bit of Quoyle in all of us, and when we have that break-through or rediscovery about ourselves, there is a feeling that is undescribable, this film shows and gives you that feeling. The film takes place mostly in beautiful Newfoundland, showing a more primative look at life. Not needing the special effects or gore to promote sales in place of a plot, The Shipping News delivers a film that you will find yourself wanting to watch again and again. I recommend this film highly!
Rating:
Summary: "I got used to being invisible"
Review: One thing is clear to me after watching this movie; I have to read the book for which Annie Proulx won a Pulitzer. This is an amazing story, with complex characters and which shows the idiosyncrasy of a population that is unknown for most of us. The movie shows how a broken man can heal with the help of loved ones and friends, even in an extremely tough place to live in.Quoyle (Kevin Spacey) had a disastrous childhood, with a demanding father that specialized in pushing him over the edge without giving him any love. As an adult, he works in the print of the Poughkeepsie News as an ink setter and has no one in this world. One day he stops at a gas station and Petal (Cate Blanchett), who was fighting with her boyfriend, gets into Quoyle's car and says: "Let's go". Quoyle has such a need for a little love that he falls right away for Petal, she gets pregnant and they have a baby. But life is not easy for Quoyle; Petal sleeps around without any shame and does not take care of her daughter. To make matters worse, in a period of a few days Quoyle receives a phone call from his father telling him that he was killing himself and his wife, Petal runs away with their daughter and dies in a car crash, and Quoyle's aunt shows up at his house and steals the ashes of his father. After getting back his daughter and being at a total loss as to how to go on, Quoyle ends up moving to Newfoundland with his aunt and daughter. Here he meets new people, a different culture and new challenges that will change his life. The photography in this movie is absolutely outstanding, with scenes that leave the viewer breathless. The other aspect to praise, besides the great story, is the cast, in particular Kevin Spacey and Cate Blanchett. Even though the latter has a brief appearance, her role is so convincing, that she deserves credit for the overall outcome of the film. Julianne Moore plays Wavey, the owner of a day care center in Newfoundland that has lost her husband right before giving birth to their child. She does a good job in this role, but I have seen her do better in other scenarios. I am really looking forward to reading the novel and be able to determine how good the movie is in comparison to the book.
Rating: 
Summary: You guessed it -- not as good as the book
Review: As a Kevin Spacey and Julianne Moore fan, I intended to see this movie when it first came out, but it fell through the cracks. Then I read the book by E. Annie Proulx and loved it so much that I couldn't wait to see it unfold on screen. Sadly, I was disappointed. The movie felt like a series of scenes from the book without the emotional fabric to connect them in a meaningful way. Major characters were left out (how about Quoyle's younger daughter, for one?) for no good reason, and the beginning was blown through in such a hurry that you could hardly get a picture of what Quoyle's life was like.
In many places, plot points were underexplained to the point that I wouldn't have understood them if I hadn't already read the book and had the background knowledge to apply to them. I wanted to like this movie -- I TRIED to like it -- but in the end, I didn't.
Rating:
Summary: Shipping News grows on you, then explodes
Review: The first time I saw this film I was basically unimpressed except for the artful direction and beautiful scenery. Then I found myself watching it again and I began to get drawn into the film and finally, by the end of the second viewing I had become so engaged I started studying the movie! The movie is about a shy, broken man named Quoyle(Spacey) who is knocked off his feet by Petal(Cate Blanchett) who then proceeds to torture him until she is killed and he moves off to Newfoundland with his long lost aunt, Agnis Hamm(Dame Judi Dench)and little girl Bunny(played by 3 little sisters, sorry I don't remember their names). I have watched it so many times now I can't count, and I have read many reviews, and ordered the book. Spacey's acting job here is quite superb, I think better than any he has ever done. I've never seen an actor act bashful before and look convincing, but he sure pulls it off. Scott Glenn surprised me in this movie. He plays Jack Buggitt, Quoyle's boss at the Gammy Bird in Newfoundland. Glenn stirred emotion in me which is not an easy accomplishment. The film will slip by you if you let it, but will burst into full art before your eyes if you give it a chance. This movie has even caused me to learn about Newfoundland. I say a movie deserves 5 stars when it causes me to open up a geography book.
Rating:
Summary: My Guess Is...
Review: ...like the seal flipper pie, once you get past the realisation of what you're actually eating, it--like the movie--ain't all that bad. I'm a huge fan of Julianne Moore, so I was pleased to see her flex some rather interesting acting chops in this one. Dame Judi Dench is excellent here, as well as Postlewaite and the little girl who played Qouyle's daughter. It is, to say the least, a fascinatingly quirky, albeit inspirational story on the level of Hallestrom's own The Cider House Rules: the Newfoundland culture and language reminded me a bit of how funny I thought the world presented in the movie Fargo was....this, my friend is a great movie because they have captured the experience and life up there. I thought that when Quoyle gets the Hitler's Boat story from that couple and when the town has the funeral for the editor both hilarious...and when Quoyle's aunt decided to face her demons in that ol' house, and she fares well, and the house finally takes it's final, fantastic journey...that is pure brillance. I liked the film greatly. I suggest you take the time to view it and savor it's story telling like I have. You will not be displeased.
Rating: 
Summary: There are worse movies.
Review: At least you don't feel stupid and violated by devoting two hours of your life to this one. There is tragedy, anger, gentleness, healing. Blanchett is remarkable in such a tiny role; Julianne Moore is a revelation, conveying a great deal in every moment of screen time. In fact, everyone acts circles around Spacey as he chooses to be minimalist almost to a fault. I did read the book but oy vay. The movie is an improvement.
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