Reviews by gypsyflair

The film's script is heavy on dialogue. But because of the story's thematic depth, the issues are interesting and insightful, and the script never seems talky. At the heart of the story is the subject of mendacity, of lies and not telling the truth. There is considerable emotional pain, expressed as anger, resentment, and sarcasm. The story, originated by Tennessee Williams, goes against its era, in that it contradicts the virtues of traditional family values and capitalism.

Acting here is classic, fearless. Burton and Taylor have rarely been as good as they are at digging so deep into these characters that, especially with Burton, we can't imagine these people being anyone else. It takes a little to get used to Segal and Sandy Dennis (the latter because her character isn't quite as "deep" as the others), but then again their characters are the uncomfortable outsiders, "us" as one might say (however, as the play peels the layers away from the characters they're all rotten and ultimately very vulnerable instead of just "normal").

The wide angle shots of the Texas plains are gorgeous, and the star power overwhelms in this masterpiece of George Steven's distinguished career. The story slowly and methodically unravels the characters and shows their strengths and weaknesses. The performances are nothing short of magnificent. Hudson and Taylor are dynamic and have great chemistry together. The supporting actors are good as well, but the best performance belongs to James Dean, in his final role before dying tragically young. Every scene he is in is so heartbreaking, so painful, and so tender it moves you every time you see him.

"East Of Eden" is billed as a modern-day story of "Cain and Abel," between good and bad brothers with one of them feeling rejected by his father. The small Biblical account of the two brothers only mentions an offering they both gave God and then saying the brother whose offering wasn't accepted went out in a fit of jealousy and killed the other.

True, the "offering" by "Cal" (Dean) and its rejection by his dad "Adam" (Raymond Massey) leads to a climactic scene near the end of the film, but - this is just an assumption - most people viewed this simply as a story between "good" and "evil" pertaining to Dean and Davalos' characters.

I didn't see either of those guys as either the "good" or "bad" brothers. In fact, this film story is unusual in that every main character's personality begins in one direction and, as the film progresses, ends in almost the opposite. Nobody is as they first seem.

Brilliant cast of well-known Hollywood icons in hard-hitting treatment of story that focuses on the hopelessness exhibited by many middle-class teenagers who were too young to recall the pains of WWII, but saw daily reminders of the threat of "the bomb", as well as inequities around them.

James Dean stands out as the troubled kid whose parents keep "moving" to escape their community's effects of their son's strange behavior. Equally great are the performances of Natalie Wood as a "wanna-be-bad-girl" who is hurt by her parents' implications that she is a "tramp"; and the child-like Sal Mineo, who lives in a mansion with a maid, but feels the pains of neglect from never-present parents.

If you like anything to do with Frankenstein then this will only compliment your choice. It takes us into a more believable world where this idea to create life began, developed and took off making us recall the subject of its start-up in the cinemas. Sean Bean is perfectly cast and does a remarkable job lending credibility to the premise and as the series unravels, he brings even more than that. Entertaining and involving with strong images, it is a must see for fans. I like to snack during movies and this one had me eating double-roasted sunflower seeds (home made) with great satisfaction.

Definitely one of my favorite Caldecott winners! The illustrations are perfect and precious. It's all very cute-sy, but I love that. It's amazing how much a simple nursery rhyme can change since 1945, but it was great fun reading a previous version of many of them. My favorite would have to be:
"Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was black as tar.
And everywhere that Mary went
They thought it was a b-a-a-r."

Love it!

I feel as though children who celebrate Christmas are filled with visions of Santa. But, the story of Baboushka does not discuss elaborate gifts, rather meager gifts that are equally as precious. Furthermore, it shows children that it is okay to never give up hope. The book has religious undertones, but it is not overly religious. I think it would be a good book to read to children in order to enlighten them about folktales in other countries, as well as provide them with another character to admire besides the ever-present Santa Claus.

The artwork in this little book is so astonishingly lovely and vivid, I somehow ended up with two copies of this book. I'm not complaining; I will just share one copy. The text itself retells Spenser's The Faerie Queene, so that, with the artwork, makes this book pretty darn awesome for a Second Grade History class.

This one was not one of my favorites. I honestly thought it was more goofy than anything. Was hoping for something with a bit more to it than this - and it was the most heavy handed Grimm tail that I've read so far