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Archives
of Movies on Video
xxxxx
Critics Choice for the Top
Movies of the 20th Century
xxxxx
Movies
are listed by date of review starting with the most recent at the top.
Due to Illness of the Editior this Section has fallen behind, we are attemting to catch up.
Oceans
11
PG-13 ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Vanilla Sky
R ... 1
xxxxx
Spy
Game
R ... 3
xxxxx
The
Heist
R ... 3
xxxxx
Life
as a House
R ... 3
xxxxx
The One
PG-13 ...1-1/2
xxxxx
Jurassic
Park III
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Planet of the Apes
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Pearl
Harbor
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
The Score
R ... 2
xxxxx
Rush Hour 2
PG13 ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
A.I.
Artificial Intelligence
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Laura Croft: Tomb Radier
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Swordfish
R ... 2
xxxxx
DR2 (Doctor Doolittle 2)
PG ...1
xxxxx
The
Animal
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Bridget Jones's Diary
R ... 3
xxxxx
The Tailor of Panama
R ... 3
xxxxx
Driven
PG-13 ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
The Mummy Returns
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
A Knights Tale
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
TomCats
R ... 1
xxxxx
Blow
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Enemy at the Gates
R ... 3
xxxxx
Heartbreakers
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Road to Redemption
PG ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Mexican
R ... 2
xxxxx
Recess:
School's Out
G ... 2
xxxxx
3000
Miles to Graceland
R ... 2
xxxxx
Traffic
R ... 3
xxxxx
The
Pledge
R ... 3
xxxxx
The
Wedding Planner
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Valentine
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Hannibal
R ... 3
xxxxx
Thirteen
Days
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
A
Family Man
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Quills
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Thirteen
Days
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Mercy
Streets Recommended Viewing
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
102 Dalmations
G ... 2
xxxxx
What
Women Want
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The
Vertical Limit
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Into
the Arms of Starngers
PG ...3-1/22
xxxxx
Men
of Honor
R ... 3
xxxxx
Little Nicky
PG-13 ... 1
xxxxx
Red Planet
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
The 6th Day
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Charlie's Angels
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Book
of Shadows Blair Witch Project 2
R ... 1
xxxxx
Bedazzled
PG-13 ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Pay it Forward
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Lost Souls
R ... 2
xxxxx
The Exorcist
re-release
R ... 3-1/2
xxxxx
The Little Vampire
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Lucky Numbers
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Goya in Bordeaux
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Luminous Motion
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
The Contender
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Luminarias
R ... 2
xxxxx
Get Carter
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Meet the Parents
PG-13... 3
xxxxx
Shower
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Love and Sex
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Exorcist
R ... 1
xxxxx
Remember the Titans
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Almost Famous
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
An Affair of Love
R ... 2
xxxxx
Urban Legends
R ... 1
xxxxx
Woman On Top
R ... 2
xxxxx
Duet
R ... 2
xxxxx
Bait
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
The Interview
R ... 3
xxxxx
Committed
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Nurse Betty
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Five Senses
R ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Watcher
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Highlander End Game
R ... 1
xxxxx
Godzilla2000
PG ... 2
xxxxx
The Crew
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Art of War
R ... 2
xxxxx
The Life and Times of
Hank Greenberg
NR ... 3-1/2
xxxxx
Bless the child
R ... 3-1/2
xxxxx
Butterfly
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
The Cell
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
Space Cowboys
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
The Patriot
R ... 2
xxxxx
Coyote Ugly
PG-13 ...1-1/2
xxxxx
Hollow Man
R ... 1-1/2
xxxxx
The Replacements
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Rocky and Bullwinkle
PG ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Perfect Storm
PG-13 ... 3
xxxxx
Me, Myself and Irene
R ... 1/2
xxxxx
Chicken Run
G ... 3-1/2
xxxxx
Thomas and
the Magic Railroad
G ... 3
xxxxx
What Lies Beneath
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Nutty Professor II
The Klumps
PG-13 ...1-1/2
xxxxx
Dinosaur
PG ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Titan A.E.
PG ... 2
xxxxx
Sunshine
R ... 3
xxxxx
Shaft 2
R ... 2
xxxxx
Shanghai Noon
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Big Momma's House
PG-13 ... 1
xxxxx
Gone in 60 Seconds
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Mission Impossible
2
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
The Basket
PG ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Battlefield Earth
PG-13 ... 1/2
xxxxx
I Dreamed of Africa
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Gladiator
R ... 3
xxxxx
Where the Heart Is
PG-13 ... 2
xxxxx
Frequency
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
Keeping the Faith
PG-13 ... 2-1/2
xxxxx
U-571
R ... 2
xxxxx
Contact
Us
Feedback and Advertising
Info...
xxxxx
Contact Marie
Asner
Let us know what you
think...
xxxxx
Report Dead Links
Feedback...
______________
R ... 2
xxxxx
WOMEN ON TOP
2
Rated R
Website: www.womanontopmovie.com
"Woman on Top" has a double meaning in this film
written by Brazilian
writer Vera Blasi. It is deemed a fairy tale on love, cooking and control.
Director Fina Torres ("Oriana") allows the camera to dwell on the
star,
Penelope Cruz ("All About My Mother") to the extent that other actors
are
almost ciphers. I say, "almost," but Harold Perrineau, Jr.
("The Best Man")
steals every scene he is in. The soundtrack by Luis Bacalov (he
won an
Academy Award for the music to the Italian film "The Postman")
is also
dazzling.
"Woman on Top" has Cruz as Isabella Oliveira,
married to Toninho
(Brazilian actor Murilo Benicio). They own a restaurant and Isabella's
cooking makes the enterprise a success. However, Isabella has problems.
First of all, she is prone to motion sickness so never rides an elevator,
has
to drive a car herself, and in bed, wants the top position. Toninho
takes it
all in stride, but when he flirts with the customers, Isabella decides to
take a break from the marriage and find herself. Her cooking skills
are top
notch, so why not try them elsewhere, such as San Francisco? Enter
Isabella's good friend, the transvestite Monica (Perrineau). They were
childhood friends. Monica helps Isabella get a job and soon Isabella
finds
herself not only with a top-rated cooking show, but also with a potential
boyfriend (Mark Feurerstein from "Rules of Engagement.") Toninho
discovers
where Isabella is and comes to bring her home, but not without resistance.
What to do?
Penelope Cruz is a well-known actress, having won the 1999
Spanish Goya
Award for her role in "The Girl of Your Dreams," and she is quite
good as
Isabella, who is seeking her own place in life. Cruz is in the
shadows,
though, when on the screen with Perrineau who attacks the role of Monica with
relish. This "Monica," has a comment for everything and acts
like a one-man
Greek chorus. Others in the cast you would recognize are John De Lancie
("Q"
on television's "Star Trek: Next Generation") and Anne Ramsay.
Photography
is colorful and reminiscent of a 1940's Technicolor "B" picture
set on the
Coast. The colors hit you in the face. This comedy is about
sex and there
are innuendos galore. Isabella sniffing a chili pepper or walking down
the
street with every man within a mile radius following her is part of the fairy
tale. We are to believe the last part of the film is in San Francisco?
Still looks like Brazil to me. There are parts of the story concerning
praying to a sea goddess that are part of religious beliefs in the Bahia
coastal area of Brazil. You may have trouble understanding Brazilian
accents. One nice thing about the film is that for families who exist
on
fast food, a look at how a real cook prepares food can be a wonderful
experience.
Be aware of profanity, goddess worship and sexual situations.
Copyright
2000 Marie Asner
