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Angel Eyes

Angel Eyes

List Price: $14.97
Your Price: $11.98
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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: ZZZZZZZ ...
Review: Huh? What happened? Why is she chasing those guys? What does that have to with anything? Is that guy a ghost or does he just act like a zombie? Is there a point to the abusive dad? Is there a point to anything in this movie? Not that I could see, but it did work better than taking an Ambien before bed. I must have missed the movie everyone else here reviewed because this one is a real disjointed snooze of a film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Caviezel's Oscar-caliber performance
Review: Actors covet those roles that allow them a wide range of emotions. In "Angel Eyes," Jim Caviezel runs the emotional gamut. Lopez who spotted him in "Thin Red Line" demanded him for the film and should be credited for much of the film's quality. I watched the film in the theatre without high expectations the first time and was blown away. Before it left town, I went back 2 more times. The DVD was on my Christmas list last year; and I've probably watched this 11 times, and it doesn't lose its appeal for me.

The film deals with some of the heaviest personal emotional issues. Sharon Pogue (Jennifer Lopez) comes from a family where the father hit the mother. Those who have the luxury of being unacquainted with family violence may comment that the movie doesn't seem to be about anything; but in reality it is about the deepest of issues, the love for your parents and loathing men who hit women. With Victor Argo's somewhat stiff father and Sonja Braga's multi-layered performance as Sharon's mother, we see a family trying to heal, but not quite getting there.

The other major issue comes from Catch's perspective, dealing with loss. How having those closest to you ripped away in an instant can take your sanity and send it to the stratosphere. So is Caviezel a little spacey, a little creepy? You bet. The scene at the end of the film where he finally talks in the graveyard to his wife & son is so emotionally powerful. He talks about all of the minutes of our life and how this memory or that memory was "a good minute." And Caviezel NAILS this performance. If Oscars were given solely on merit, Denzel Washington would have gotten his for something other than "Training Day" & Caviezel would have his for "Angel Eyes."

The supporting cast are also marvelous. Shirley Knight who was twice nominated for an Oscar ("Dark At the Top of the Stairs" [1960] & "Sweet Bird of Youth" [1962]), does a masterful job as the mother of the woman who died in the car accident. Jeremy Sisto as brother Larry, (Clueless [1995]) who himself becomes a wife beater, is alternately interesting & repellent. Monet Mazur who was a drug user with Johnny Depp in "Blow" and hit on Josh Hartnett in "40 Days & 40 Nights" does a great job as the abused sister-in-law. Sharon's partner Robby played by Terrance Howard also has great levels as a prospective father, horny friend, and good cop. One of the reasons this film is so good is that it gives all of the supporting roles a range of levels on which each actor delivers.

When Catch & Sharon go into the jazz club, Catch is drawn to on stage by the lure of the trumpet. The haunting theme he renders is also the music used in the "Moulin Rouge" film.

The DVD version really does have little to offer other than digital playback over the video cassette. There are no deleted scenes, no cast interviews, and a less-than-interesting acting resume for the principles.

Step by step, this movie builds toward the emotional climax. Lopez is rejected by her family only to find acceptance and love with Catch; while Catch accepts the loss of his family and new life in his love for Sharon. Jennifer Lopez is superb! Supported by the issues of loss & family violence, "Angel Eyes" becomes more than just a romantic film, but is deeply moving. I call very few films "brilliant," but for me, "Angel Eyes" is brilliant, one of the best! Don't miss it!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: J-Lo Goes Slightly Off-Beat Romace
Review: You may not like her. You may not like the name of J-Lo, which turns up everywhere such as music industry and some magazines. And frankly, I don't, either. But I am ready to admit that Jennifer Lopez can act, and act better than we usually think. Just see her turn in "Out of Sight."

So, I watched "Angel Eyes." J-Lo plays a tough cop Sharon, whose devoting attitudes to her hard jobs and her honest character easily wins your sympathy for her, and also that of a mysterious guy named 'Catch' (Jim Caviezel). 'Catch' for some reason to be revealed later in the film, keeps on watching over Sharon in the similar way with the angelic Nick Cage in "City of the Angels." But, the initially supernatunal tone of the film is slowly changing into a more mature, slightly off-beat romance between these two characters.

As you know, 'Catch' has some enigmatic past, which Jim Caviezel deftly realizes with his expressions of eyes. Though he sometimes looks sleepwalking, the fact is that Jim is just acting to show that he is hiding something from Sharon, which is, of course, to be disclosed.

But stronger and more impressive performance comes from Jennifer Lopez, whose character Sharon Pogue has left her painful past behind, and you will learn that it is related to her family. When Sharon recollects one of her best memories before her estranged father, Ms. Lopez's acting talent is shown undeniably, revealing the tormented heart of the apparently tough policewoman. That moment alone can deserve some respect for her.

As a whole, the film has some tendency of chaging tones too much, making inconsistent movement from one scene to another. You don't imagine a love romance between a secretive man and a female police officier right after your seeing a rain of gunshot from the gangsters on the street. To make matters worse, the film, for all its good acting, shows actually little depth about the character of 'Catch.' His 'secret' is sufficiently presented, but the film tends to rely on atomospheric presence of Jim Caviezel when his character should be drawn more convincingly with substantial materials. How is he living? Did he really forget his past? His inside is too vaguely described for us to believe his magnetic personality. That's why the origin of the name 'Catch' turns out disappointingly explained.

As for Jennifer Lopez's character Sharon, she is a believable one enough for us to feel sympathy for her. The film is brave enough to refuse to give a sweet, sugar-coated outcome about the father-daughter relation. In spite of its film title, which suggests some supernatural aspect, "Angel Eyes" succeeds most in presenting this realistic view on family though it also gives moderately intriguing atomosphere between 'Catch' and Sharon. But the latter part, I think, somehow fares less effectively, partly because no matter how an actor plays a mysterious person, he/she should be given a human side to the character. Angel Eyes are surely enticing, but as far as the human's romance go, it is the personality that attracts the other people. There is romance in this film, I know; we just want it more straightforward.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Psychological snoozer
Review: Not much psychology or thrills in this lumbering "psychological thriller". At least it's better than the likes of A KISS BEFORE DYING and RAISING CAIN.
Early on we get to see cop Sharon Pogue (Jennifer Lopez) bash a skinhead's skull on the hood of her car. Later she almost becomes the victim of a drive-by shooting and is saved by a mysterious man known only as Catch (Jim Caviezel). Catch makes his home in a bare warehouse and no known records of him exist.
Predictably, Sharon wants to find out more about his past, but Catch can't, or won't remember, or is he hiding something? Do you even care? But unbeknownst to both of them they have met before and you know what happens next...
ANGEL EYES features good performances by the two leads, but the movie's convoluted plot leaves viewers wondering what the point of the movie really is. Not only that, the camerawork and cinematography are relatively soft for much of the film, but during the police scenes the camera crew resort to NYPD BLUE style camera tilts and the ending is lousy and completely unsatisfying. But one thing's for certain: Lopex sure knows how to fill a police uniform.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Enjoyable and Mysterious
Review: Sharon (Jennifer Lopez) is a Chicago cop. She's just one-of-the-guys to her male partner and fellow cops. Being a beautiful woman makes it necessary to be a tough cop. The dating life is also not so easy for her. A mystery-man calling himself Catch (Jim Caviezel), shows up one day, just in time to save Sharon from a bullet in the face, risking his life for a total stranger. This isn't too out of the ordinary for Catch. He's one in a million. He speaks his mind, is honest, helpful, just a nice-guy, do-gooder. He does those nice things that we don't normally bother with: helping someone who left their headlights on, telling someone that their keys are still in their front door, delivering weekly groceries to a woman in a wheelchair. He's unlike most city folk, or anyone, for that matter. Sharon and Catch slowly become involved, but Catch is making the rules, revealing nothing of himself or his past. But, his past will be revealed.

Jennifer Lopez plays her character as real as anyone could. It's an emotional ride for her character dealing with this man-with-no-past as well as her own family problems. A great performance. Jim Caviezel (also staring in Frequency and The Count of Monte Cristo) keeps you guessing. Who is this character he plays? He kinda looks like a bum, but you'll be surprised as his true character slowly unravels.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Slow moving but beautifully crafted
Review: I have to confess that I was a bit dubious about borrowing this DVD from my local library but the blurb on the case looked intriguing and as there was nothing on the telly worth watching, I thought, "what the heck!"
All I can say is, "what a little gem of a movie." Jennifer Lopez is a damn good actress, I don't care what anyone else thinks, but that girl is multi-talented. Not only she can act the socks off the likes of Gywneth Paltrow, she has the added bonus of being a red hot singer too.
The plot is quite complex but surprisingly easy to follow. Lopez plays a dedicated cop called Sharon who has her fair share of emotional demons to cope with, along with a stressful job, an over protective partner, and a dysfunctional family life that is just getting worse. James Caviezel plays Catch, a mysterious young man who comes into her life abruptly, saving her from a gun toting assailant. They know each other but are unable to voice this knowledge because they are perfect strangers...aren't they? The story steadily moves through Sharon and Catch's lives as they come to terms with secrets, family ghosts and their blossoming love for each other. This is an unusual love story, with great camera angles, and the flash back between past and present is done with a ghost like subtly that makes you shiver. And no, Jennifer Lopez doesn't burst into song every five seconds, in fact it is James Caviezel who has the musical ability, playing jazz on a trumpet in an elegant downtown bar as Lopez watches on in delight. Also the musical score is great which makes this film all the more watchable.
All the cast in this film are great, right down to Bob the stray mutt that Catch takes in and gives a home.
This is a smart film for smart people. So if you aren't smart, don't bother watching it, you won't understand it, and you might hurt your brain cells in the process.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Angel Eyes... Great!
Review: Excellent movie. I am not a big Jlo fan but this movie did impress me. Very natural, down to earth with excellent (and realistic) family dynamics involving her character's family. A great film to watch!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Probably not worth seeing.
Review: One thing about Luis Mandoki's *Angel Eyes*: it's certainly better than his previous *Message in a Bottle* . . . but that's no great distinction. In any case, Kevin Costner isn't in it, which helps the movie considerably. Instead, we get Jim Caviezel (who really needs to change that last name) doing an excellent Montgomery Clift impersonation. We also get Jennifer Lopez, aka "J-Lo", who is supposed to be a tough Chicago cop . . . though her only stab at realism from a physiological standpoint is that she occasionally ties her flowing, bleached-blond hair into a no-nonsense bun. Otherwise, she looks too much like a glamorous Hollywood actress to pass the reality test, what with her perfect make-up and perfectly aerobicized body, to say nothing of the camera's suspiciously soft focus whenever she's on close-up. J-Lo's competent performance seems to have shocked many Amazon reviewers: but she's always been a decent enough actress. But it does help when one actually LOOKS the part. If she wants more respect for her acting work, she's gonna have to sacrifice some of that lacquered-on glamor; or, conversely, go the Catherine Deneuve route and insist on parts in which she won't have to dress down. As it is, the total effect compares to the idea of Marilyn Monroe walking into class as the new English teacher. By the way, the movie's about the relationship formed between J-Lo and Caviezel (named "Catch" for no clear reason) who manage to save each other's lives at various contrived points in the plot. Turns out that Catch, a trenchcoated space-case, was a former jazz musician who has recently lost his wife and son in a car accident. The flashbacks indicate the family life was idyllic -- a VERY unlikely circumstance for a jazz musician. Also unlikely is J-Lo's romantic interest in the guy: I can think of no intelligent woman who'd be attracted to someone behaving this creepily, nor would she cherish taking on all the traumatic baggage of a man with a dead family. And the heavy subplot about J-Lo's formerly abusive father savors of "The Lifetime Channel". And the intermittent action sequences with the police are designed to stave off boredom. And so on and so forth. I give the movie a second star because it at least has the virtue of not being hysterical: the sobbing and screaming are kept to a blessed minimum.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: enjoyable love story
Review: my wife and i watched this movie this week and enjoyed it very much. i had read some reviews before hand and after watching it don't get where some people thought this was a ghost story. but in a way it was a ghost story of hurts in sharon's and catch's life not some strange ghost story. this is just a very good love story that made you sad and happy. my wife did a lot of crying during this movie and i have to admit it was a good enough story that i was also a big cry-baby during this one. so if you like a plain good old love story and like having a good cry get this one.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Beautiful movie
Review: I was skepical of this at first. I wasnt sure if I really liked Jennifer Lopez as an actress. After watching this movie all skepisiam was gone. this has become of my favorite movies. It a very touching tale of a women police officer who is dealing with demons of her past and in the mean time falling in love with a mysterious man who happens into her life. Little does she know but this is a man who life she saved. The help each other heal old wounds and fall in love. A truely touching story. Grab your tissue if you plan to watch this on and most of Enjoy!


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