Heavenly Creatures

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking, Disturbing
Review: "Heavenly Creatures" is probaly one of the most disturbing films I`ve ever seen. It is a very different and unconventional movie, mainly because it`s story is so bizarre, and the fact that is based on real life events just makes it even more frightening. Knowing that two seemingly innocent young woman are heartless and deranged enough to murder one of their mothers in cold blood is what really got to me. "Heavenly Creatures" on the surface may not seem very dark, but it is. It is a graphic focus on two unhealtily close girls during the 1950`s, and how their imaginations are so distorted, it ultimately lead to a grisly murder. Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey`s performances are incredible. Winslet probaly gives the best performance of her career in this film. "Heavenly Creatures" sort of has a split personality to it. There are vivid scenes of a magnificent fantasy world created by the two protagonists, that is filled with extraordinary but eerie images. Practically everything about this film is unsettling, even the most pleasant aspects. All of them are drowned by a truly disturbing and grim tale of two friends and their journey into the depths of a delusional world that tragically destroyed their sense of reality.

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking!
Review: 'Heavenly Creatures' is the true story of two school girls in Christchurch, New Zealand who murder one of their mothers when the two families plan to separate them.

Juliet Hulme and Pauline Rieper (later revealed in the trial to be Pauline Parker, as her parents never married) quickly become best friends when Juliet's family moves to Christchurch in 1952. Pauline's family is working class; Juliet is a high-class girl. They're both lonely and creative. Their friendship becomes more obsessive and surreal every day, as they mix reality and fantasy: They create a kingdom called Borovnia, where bloodspill is common and Mario Lanza and Orson Welles make appearances. It is to this world they retreat when they wish to forget the upsets and pains of real life. Juliet and Pauline's parents soon enough become the enemies of the girls, when they plan to separate the girls. Juliet and Pauline will do anything to stay together, Pauline cooks up the idea of getting her own mother out of the way, and you can guess where it goes from there (I won't give away any more of the plot).

The acting in this film is first-rate and marvelous. Kate Winslet, as always, is elegant and gorgeous. Melanie Lynskey is wonderful as Pauline; her body language and mannerisms add much to the story. In the space of only one and a half hours, you feel as if you know Juliet and Pauline as well as they know each other.

(It should be noted that Juliet is now an author, working under the name of Anne Perry. Pauline is now running a children's riding school in England and goes by the name of Hilary Nathan. There are many informative sites on the internet about both the film and the real life events. If you are interested in seeing them, drop me an email at [e-mail] and I'll gladly send you the URLs.)

Rating:
Summary: Powerful, imaginative
Review: This is one of my all-time favourite movies.

I am a fan of Peter Jackson's other movies (from the gorey, tasteless schlocker's like Bad Taste and Meet the Feebles, to his light-hearted comedies like Forgotten Silver) but this is by far his greatest achievment.

It is really quite hard to describe the particular elements that make this such an impactful movie. Kate Winslet is stunning. The characters are developed in such a way that we really care and sympathise with them.

The most important aspect of the DVD, however, is that it contains the UNCUT version of the film. Now perverts, settle down. Miramax cut some character-developing scenes for its initial US release. Those have been re-inserted. Nothing shocking, just vital to understanding the characters. :)

I guess all I can say is I'd highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: sticks with you
Review: Heavenly Creatures. It has the sort of beautiful tracking shots and pristine images of beauty interlaced with claymation fantasy sequences that looks like what would happen if the art sensibilities of a painter crisscrossed with the storytelling skill and photographic eye of a filmmaker. Director Peter Jackson has this command of colors, shape, form and also story, characters, plot that make Heavenly Creatures not only a dazzling visual experience, but also a story that resonates long after you see it.

The story, which is based on fact, about 2 murderous New Zealand girls, is amazingly well-developed. It is slow moving but the characters come through strongly. I think that Pauline and Juliet are two distinctive movie characters as film comes. The drama never lowers into melodrama and the film could have made the characters black and white visions of evil or insanity. Instead the girls are neither. They are simply confused, insecure, and a little brainwashed by their own obsession with each other to the point where they have little control over themselves.

The acting is simply incredible. Kate Winslet is a remarkable actress and many of us have known it for a long time. Her performance is nothing short of astounding. She creates a
convincing, albeit eccentric and exaggerated character in Juliet- rich, unpretentious, brilliant, and obsessive. Melanie Lynskey I didn't enjoy as much (her character is unpleasant, no fault to the actress), but she is an ideal lonesome, darker counterpart to
Juliet's near manic. Her facial expressions seemed to say it all... her anger at her mom, dad, Jon, the world which she felt was trapping her.

Though I had a few reservations after I saw this (too slow, too ambiguous), ultimately the message that sometimes good people do inexplicably shocking things, and the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's directing have stuck with me.

Heavenly Creatures is worth seeing, and worth loving.

Rating:
Summary: Haunting and horrific drama
Review: Haunting and horrific drama that recounts the true life event of two young schoolgirls, Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme. When the friendship between Pauline and Juliet turns to obsession, Pauline's mother frightens them by destroying their friendship. Then the two girls decide to do something evil, and the unimagginable, the two girls decide to kill Pauline's mother. After the death of her mother they where jailed for beating to death Pauline's mother in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1954. The film opens two years before the murder, and follows the friendship as the two teens become obsessed with each other, going away into a rich fantasy life. They create a complex, medieval kingdom where they run away to their dreams lovers and romantic egos. Detailed morphing and animation effects vividly express the shared inner fantasy world, while ingeniously camerawork creates the sensations of hysteria and excitement that the girls experience as their obsession becomes uncontrollable. Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey surprisingly give strong performances, for their first film debut as the, quite, odd Pauline and the pretty, intelligent, upper-class Juliet. Bizarre crime story is stylish and fearfully powerful.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely breathtaking...
Review: Recently, I was fortunate enough to have my fiance introduce me to this movie. Its one of her all time faves, but she wasnt sure if I would like it or not. Truthfully, neither was I.

Good LORD, I loved it.

Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynsky were absolutely phenomenal; the story was at once disturbing, brilliant, and cute; the scenery was breathtaking, and the direction showed that Peter Jackson was brilliant long before making LotR.

All in all, if you enjoy movies that make you think, you'll love this. I loved it when I saw it, but after having a while to process it, and mull it over, it's become an instant favorite.

This movie at times has a VERY David Lynch-type vibe to it, and as I said, will definitely make your head spin.

I dont think I could possibly recommend this movie more. SEE IT!

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking, Disturbing
Review: "Heavenly Creatures" is probaly one of the most disturbing films I`ve ever seen. It is a very different and unconventional movie, mainly because it`s story is so bizarre, and the fact that is based on real life events just makes it even more frightening. Knowing that two seemingly innocent young woman are heartless and deranged enough to murder one of their mothers in cold blood is what really got to me. "Heavenly Creatures" on the surface may not seem very dark, but it is. It is a graphic focus on two unhealtily close girls during the 1950`s, and how their imaginations are so distorted, it ultimately lead to a grisly murder. Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey`s performances are incredible. Winslet probaly gives the best performance of her career in this film. "Heavenly Creatures" sort of has a split personality to it. There are vivid scenes of a magnificent fantasy world created by the two protagonists, that is filled with extraordinary but eerie images. Practically everything about this film is unsettling, even the most pleasant aspects. All of them are drowned by a truly disturbing and grim tale of two friends and their journey into the depths of a delusional world that tragically destroyed their sense of reality.

Rating:
Summary: Disturbing and Brilliant!
Review: "Heavenly Creatures" is a little known movie from New Zealand directed by Peter Jackson(director of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy) and starring Kate Winslet(actress from acclaimed 1997 film "Titanic"). The film is a true story about two girls living in the 1950s in New Zealand. The girls both have wonderful imaginations. They dream and write of knights, kings, and princesses. But after a while the girls become more than just friends. Their parents believe that it is not healthy to love a friend of the same sex in that way or form. It is at this point that the girls plan a scheme that will scar them for the rest of their lives.
The film will be considered disturbing to just about everybody (unless of course you are an active member of the Manson family) so if easily shooken the film is not meant for you. But every one else should check this flick out!

Rating:
Summary: Peter Jackson's Best Film
Review: If you haven't noticed, this guy knows how to make a movie. This is his best, in this reviewer's humble opinion. It will knock you out. The performances are wonderful, as is the direction and the art design. Jackson really gives you something to look at.

Heavenly Creatures is based on a true story of two teenage girls who murder one of the girl's mother. The two girls share a special closeness - too close for their parents who fear lesbianism and endeavor to keep the girls apart.

In order to depict the girls' special relationship, Jackson uses his cinematic magic to create another world where only they are real and everyone else is an animated statue. These scenes are truly dazzling and make this film a must for true fans of great cinema.

Rating:
Summary: disturbing, intense, interesting introductory movie....
Review: This movie, based on a true story, and set in New Zealand, during the 1950's; features the introductory performances of Kate Winslet (of numerous movies) and Melanie Lynskey (currently seen as Rose in Two And A Half Men). It's a disturbing movie, about an "unnatural" friendship that develops and the "fatal" consequences for the mother of Lynskey's character. As the two young women plot their murder, they develop a fantasy world; populated with older movie and music stars; including Orson Welles and Mario Lanza. The man portraying a young Orson Welles was particularly, and unncanny was his resemblance, well cast. It was fairly sensual in places, which surprised me; given that there was little, if any nudity, although according to Craig Hosada, of the book "The Bare Facts Guide" there is, but it's brief, and may have been "lost" to "modification" for the smaller screen. This doesn't detract too much from very emotional performances, by Winslet and Lynskey, [which made there characters very sad, at times, as they yelled and cried a lot] but also made them strangely sympathetic. Winslet was clearly the more "sophisticated" one, but Ms. Lynskey held her own, as the plain[er] looking, but equally strange, highly emotional, young woman. I'm not sure if a sequel would be in order, given that each is doing many different things now, but it would be an interesting idea to see them "several years on". Overall, not a bad film, not a great film, and certainly a place to start for both of them.