Genres

Visitors Review

Neal Thompson 2012-05-19 21:55:38

10 out of 10 stars!

Haven't even finished part 1 and I can already tell you...if you miss thisyou will be missing one of the greatest events in entertainment history.No,not entertainment, profound, soul-searching drama with a cast who doesn'tjust perform, they give you 200%. They are flawless! And Nichols directionis mesmerizing.

Michael 2012-05-19 06:26:39

Epic. Phenomenal. One of the best films ever made

This will be the only TV miniseries to top Best Movies of All Time lists.The New York Times has considered the best screen adaptation of a filmever.Epic is a word to describe it. It goes everywhere and takes ineverything;its plot is impossible to summarize. Indeed, it is not even a 'plot,' itisan experience.It is an experience that will leave everyone who watches it moved andprovoked.We are all lucky that it is so accessible to us, and that HBO did not trytocut this down to a typical-length film.It is unlike any other film ever made.

JimF 2012-05-15 17:51:19

BRILLIANT ACTING & STORY;DIRECTION HEAVY-HANDED

Angels in America is an HBO adaptation of a Pulitzer prize winning stage play written by Tony Kushner, about the onset of the AIDS epidemic in New York City during the mid-80s. Director Mike Nichols wise choice in casting an ensemble of highly respected actors (Al Pacino as the despicable real-life attorney Roy Cohn), Meryly Streep, Mary-Louise Parker, Jefrey Wright and James Cromwell) to support the lesser-known cast who play the central characters (Justin Kirk, Ben Scenkman and Patrick Wilson) was an act of genius. Many of his cast members also play peripheral characters as well. Streep, for instance, in one of the supporting roles, plays the Mormon mother of one of the central characters. In a featured role, she is the ghost of executed American spy Ethel Rosenberg. And in a cameo, an Orthodox rabbi! For its strengths, Angels in America is blessed with absolutely brilliant and engrossing acting. Pacino's Cohn is so loathsome, yet his slow death is so excruciating one cannot feel at least a trace of empathy. His character is nearly over-the-top, almost like Pacino knew where the overacting boundary began, and came close but never touched it. Likewise, Parker's pill-popping Harper, walking a fine tightrope between reality and insanity is a treasure to behold. There is not any bad acting at all in the film.On its shortcomings, the film, even played out as a mini-series intended for measured doses, is overly long. When all loose ends appear to be tied up, the film continues for at least another half-hour, like a guest who takes his time departing after all the others have left the party. While the film's message was crystal clearly established during the first chapter, this final half-hour is used to editorialize the diode of hope and tragedy of the AIDS epidemic. Angels in America is obviously intended for a more educated audience, but nevertheless we are hit over the head to make sure we understand. I also feel Nichols' direction was a bit heavy-handed. When the narrative takes on a pseudo-spiritual context, it truly is a bit too much, with the special effects spectacle of the angel descending to earth, buildings imploding and so forth. For these failings, Angels in America loses a full star in my review.

2012-05-15 08:04:23

weary of the proselytizing

For a long time I have had this movie on my "list" of movies to watch because I liked what the critics had to say about it. The first hour or so was interesting, the struggle of choosing which comes first--your family or your lover. Then it progressed to the conflict between homosexual segments of the Jewish culture and Mormon culture and Reagan White House culture--and every character began to speak in what became monologues--even though it was supposed to be dialogue. There were a lot of profound thoughts--but the writer seemed to be intent on making every line of "dialogue" a profound thought--and wasn't content to limit each character to a few profound thoughts at at time but had to string them all together in long lines of dialogue that morphed into monologue. Unfortunately, when one character rattles on for five minutes at a time, those profound thoughts begin to sound like the jabbering heard in a room full of drunks. By the time I got to the second disk I was sick of their proselytizing and decided this movie is one of the worst bunches of crap I've ever listened to. Yes, AIDS is a horrible disease--I've lost friends to it. Yes, the world population is killing itself over prejudice. No, I'm not a Reagan Republican--I was a university student in California when Reagan was govenor of the state. He paid people to aim their guns at me--I've never forgiven the people in charge for allowing that to happen. Yes, there were good performances--and I applaud the actors for their work. However, I would not recommend this movie to anyone who isn't just a tad bit stoned.

2012-05-13 02:08:04

Groundbreaking Epic!!

The Tony Award winning smash becomes an ambitious 6 hour mini-series. I've been interested in viewing this work for over 10 years. I'm not sure if the Broadway version is better, but if it's what I think, this is an acting powerhouse. It's a bold look at gay life and the AIDS epidemic in the mid-1980's. I found it incredible that Tony Kushner used a real life character (Roy Kohn) in a fiction story and it worked like a charm. Here's my review.Millenium Approaches - ***** stars!Clearly my favorite! The performances by Pacino, Streep, Wright and Parker were outstanding. The ending sequence is just breathtaking.Perstroyka - *** stars!The second part is somewhat disappointing in that it gets obsurdly ridiculous with Prior vision in heaven. The acting is still wonderful.Overall rating - **** stars for the wonderful performances by all. The music by Thomas Newman (Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile) is outstanding. He's probably the best composer in the business today. This is a moving story with unforgetable characters. It's a story you won't soon forget!

2012-05-12 15:46:50

Extended Great Partisan Poem

This review is from: Angels in America (DVD) This was a great movie, only it seems to have been written as one long poem, of which I could not understand a word of what Emma Thompson's angelic character was saying--Gibberish, Gibberish, Goo, Gibberish. The acting was of the finest qualtity. Meryl Streep(Hannah Pitt & E. Rosenberg) is a constant. One would have better odds criticizing her performances that are not excellent. I don't know any Jews , but I have often heard of the stereotype about Jews and guilt. Ben Shenkman did the stereotype more than justice as the guilt ridden gay Jew, Louis, who leaves his lover, Prior, when he finds out that he has A.I.D.S. His very anal over examining and judging everthing else, while well acted, was irritating. While not knowing which way to turn, he seemed to know what was at the end of every road. Al Pacino gave one of his best performances as Roy Cohn, the conservative, closeted gay king maker. Eyes never wondered while watching his performance. While many may have hated his character, none could hate his performance or fail to feel feel empathy at his suffering and death. Belize, the gay nurse was yet another gay angry at the world. He seemed to know everything about anything and was angry with what he knew. Jeffrey Wright(Belize) did well putting everyone in their place- guilting some, uplifting others, empathizing with more. His reluctant forgiveness of the just dead, Roy Cohn, and teaching Louis to forgive him was unexpected and welcome , considering all of Belize's apparent pent up anger at his perception of a world hostile and unaccepting of gays and all people who are different. Justin Kirk's Prior, played ever emotion to perfection. One could not help but sympathize when he suffered and related to his frustration. Cheated out of life and refusing to accept death he took the viewers everywhere from angry with God and the angels, not willing to accept heaven to accepting of the struggle to live for life's sake, his performance was nothing short of deserving to be on the same stage with Pacino and Streep. One of my main problems was the writing, though great as a script idea, was too poetic. Everyone seemed to be teaching a class with one subject, from a a book of poetry written by one angry writer. This movie was good at portraying different views but, for the most part, the views were different because the people were. One could feel that string of agreement running through the theme of the movie. We just had to wait to get there. The big costar in the room was the antagonist of all things traditional, represented by the anger at patriotism, Ronald Reagan, tradition, Biblical morality, etc, etc. There was no positive view expressed for either. Patrick Wilson's character 's views represented the closest thing to "the other side". Now Streep's character was a good Mormon, but was educated to the error of her ways ,as portrayed in the film. She did not surrender her faith totally.Streep was excellent as Ethel Rosenberg and Joe Pitt's mother, Hannah. Her Hollywood nickname should be "The Standard". Pacino did not have to pretend to be excellent as Roy Cohn. Mary Louise Parker, who played the pill-popping suffering, neglected, wife of Joe Pitt, did good as a spacy, wife, fed up with a husband at home with her, who did not want to be. Again, her lines , like most was total poetry. When not lashing her husband with her tongue, she escaped her marriage , by escaping reality. The place she went to ,though, served no purpose at all for the movie. As angry as Belize was at America, Capitalism and moral non-relativism, , he was only rivaled by Louis' guilt and certain examining every aspect of life. Louis(Shenkman)as a guilt ridden Jewish gay man , who new all except himself lit up the screen with his perfomance. Not knowing which way to turn after his crime against Prior, and by extension, everyone ill with A.I.D.S, he used nieve, freshly out of the closet, Joe, to asuage his guilt , until Joe falls in love with Louis and Ben discovers that Joe's paycheck is not signed by a member of the union. Great Movie. Too much poetry. Too one sided, as you know where the writers are going. No, and I do mean no, fair representation of opposing views. Not one full character represented the non-Hollywood, non liberal, non anti-Bibilcial view of homosexuality, suffering and compassion(except for Joe, but he was confused and bewildered throughout much of the movie). Anger was everone's motive. The portrayal of suffering from A.I.D.S emotionally and physically was revealing and educational. The goal of teaching those of us not touched by this disease-met. The goal of a great movie sometimes, is to take us where we don't want to go. This should include the screenwriters. PS. I absolutely loved the gospel song sang in the church, at the funeral, by the transvestite. If anyone knows, please leave a comment and let me know it that song is on the soundtrack before I purchase it.

2012-05-10 10:43:03

There is not much to write about....

I have more then 300 DVD's.This one is the worse.I asked my friends who watch this film.ALL of them is agree with me.I am the ony one who finish the film to the end.Hardly recomended DO NOT BUY.

Cheryl Peterson 2012-05-09 19:12:10

Compelling subject and interesting visuals but oh, am I bored

Jeffrey Wright plays the most interesting and real character to me, butPacino is once again playing the same character he always plays, justthis time, one sick with AIDS. He seems to favor roles that call for aton of gratuitous foul language. I guess this is just too 'deep' forme, as I feel as tho I should have Cliff Notes handy to help meunderstand most of the pompous speeches. Meryl Streep shines, as usual.I just can't seem to stay awake thru this one... difficult to alwaysunderstand, like a Kafka novel, and it's hard for me to feel much forthose afflicted as the characters don't evoke much sympathy, even intheir suffering. Reminds me of 'Pulp Fiction' in this regard. Everycharacter in that movie could've been killed, and that would've beenfine with me. Yet, everyone said it was brilliant. Strange world.

2012-05-09 11:14:12

Amazing

This review is from: Angels in America (DVD) This series is simply amazing. Hard punching and almost surreal. It's very easy to watch, and it's so innovating. The actors are all fantastic, and just blow all the competition out of the water.

2012-05-08 17:15:34

Watch this

Angels in America is truly a wonderful piece of art. I was so deeply moved by every single episode that I actually had trouble focusing on anything else after I finished watching it. Mike Nichols manages to combine the finest poetry with the most atrocious actuality. The acting performances are also exceptional. I especially enjoyed Justin Kirk's portrayal of Prior Walter. He acts with such truthfulness and authenticity and truly manages to capture the thoughts of a desperate man who's not able to accept his own destiny. My thoughts are; if you'll only watch one thing this entire year, watch this.

MartinPh 2012-05-05 15:47:15

If you meet some requirements, you may find it the most moving thing you ever saw

It seems to me that to be able to experience the full depth of thisproduction, you need to meet a few requirements. First, you need toknow that this is a PLAY. Like in any play, texts are delivered thatyou will not easily hear in everyday life (nobody makes up 'AntebellumInsufficiently Developed Sexorgans' as an alternative interpretation ofAIDS during a split second in mid-conversation). Shakespeare isn'trealistic in that way, Oscar Wilde isn't, Ibsen isn't, and nor is TonyKushner. All of them are however extremely realistic in that theyhighlight essential aspects of the human condition in ways no othermedium can achieve. Second, you need an ability to look beyond thesurface. Reading reviews of AinA I'm stunned at how simplisticallyliteral some people take it (maybe that explains why you've got Bushfor president over there?). This play isn't about gays, it isn't aboutAIDS, it isn't about Jews and it isn't about Mormons. Its theme is thenecessity for people to change, the scariness of change, while most ofus would prefer to just let things stay as they are. That's what LouisIronson wants and makes him run away from his sick lover (considerthat: the superficially leftist intellectual is in fact a thoroughconservative, more so than the apparently conservative Joe Pitt).That's what the angels want: unchangeable status quo; all the humanhistory making tempted their god to leave heaven, and they want himback. This is the crux of AinA's undeniable political agenda: it setsout to show how conservatism of necessity thwarts and corrupts humannature. Oh yes, that's a third requirement: you really shouldn't belongto that curious group of people who consider the bible a god-givenrecord of factual happenings rather than a piece of ancient mythology:you are likely to be shocked. Kushner's fantasies on biblical themesare very original indeed, and fit into a long tradition ofreinterpreting ancient mythology in contemporary contexts. The churchcould learn a thing or two from him.Personally, I was very deeply moved by the experience of watching this(as I was by the play nearly ten years ago). I'm sure that, unlike somepeople seem to think, you don't need to be like the gay men portrayedin AinA to be able to stand it, let alone like it (a ridiculous notionanyway: as a gay man I constantly watch movies about heterosexuals, andam often touched by them). I'm a Dutchman, I know New York only from afew brief visits, and though I'm gay my lifestyle has very little incommon with that of the men in AinA; none of that prevented me frombeing deeply engrossed in this story. Its themes, as said, areuniversal (if you doubt that this play is essentially about YOU, theclosing scene ought to convince you otherwise; if that scene makes youcringe, as I saw somebody complain, you've not really been watching).Its texts are wonderfully written, unafraid of pathos, farce andintellectualism alike, and fiercely direct in their expression. Theacting of the whole cast is formidable. Pacino may be redoing previousroles (Devil's Advocate sprang to mind), but boy, does this Roy Cohnhave clout, and in the end, how peculiarly difficult it is to reallyhate him… Patrick Wilson is the perfect pretty boy with a dark secret,and knows how to bring his torment across. Marie-Louise Parker at timeshas you wondering if she's really been taking pills (and I mean that asa compliment). There simply can't be another Louis than Ben Shenkman(that role was seriously miscast in the Dutch theater production I sawin '95), and Justin Kirk plays his taxing role with utter conviction.Jeffrey Wright goes all out on his ex-drag-queen-with-an-attitudecharacter, and yet succeeds to remain believable as a person. Streepand Thompson are no less great, but I really feel the laurels in theend belong with Parker, Shenkman, Kirk and Wilson. To top it all off,the imagery is beautiful and full of fantasy, without going overboardon bloodless digital effects (it is still a play, remember). Theatmosphere is often subtly and hauntingly unreal. And Thomas Newman'sscore – well, like any truly good music, words cannot do it justice.

Cristian 2012-05-05 11:34:27

This was the most depressing hallucination that I have had... but I am happy of having had it

Each second, each minute, each hour, each day, each week, each month,each year, each century, each millennium, the human been cant stop ofmoving. The world must go on. The world must move. The wold cant stopof moving. The sciences, the technology, the arts, all cant stop ofmoving. The world have a past, have a present, have a future. And uscant stop of moving. Wars begin and end, and begin again. New illnessesarrive, few of those they have cure. Hunger, destruction, selfishness,in all the world, cant stop of moving. Who knows if it was this wayfrom the beginning? You know it was in the 80s. You know it was at2003. You know that it was today. Will it be this way in the future?Did the world finish or will we have a future?AIDS hit all the world in the 80s how is now, as a terribleuncontrollable monster. Tony Kushner's "Angels in America" portraits itin USA in the 80s. In this way begin an entire reflection of historicalproportions of the same USA, relation it with religion, politics andsociety. If we we examine only this part, we can watch only a movie ofhistorical topics, but "Angels in America" is more than that becausetalk in an universal language, and that's why is so effective. Besidesof that, "Angels in America" mix it whit and charming fantastic storyas an analogy of faith and beliefs. This TV film, divided in two parts,each one of three chapters, told us the story of normal people. A gaycouple, one of them has AIDS. The other works in politics. For otherside we find to Joe and Harper. Joe works in politics too with RoyCohn, a respected but at the same time hated lawyer. Harper is aparticular housewife, who never go out and want to have a good maritallife, but she doesn't have it. Certain situations and encounters goingto introduce us new characters, some of them can cross the walls andsome have wings too. In this way, for more than five hours, give us oneof the best analization of the human been and it society in the XXcentury and at the same, a reflection for th actual time. For theactual world."Angel in America" counts with excellent performances (All of it), withEmma Thompson (As the Messenger), Justin Kirk (As Prior), Ben Shenkman(As Louis), Patrick Wilson (As Joe), Mary-Louis Parker (Who is a realartist as Harper. She is really terrifying and unique. Incredible),Jeffrey Wright (As Belize), Meryl Streep (As a lot of characters, allexcellent in them, but mainly, as Mother Pitt) and Al Pacino (As RoyCohn). "Angels in America" is a fantastic portrait, not only of USA; istoo of the actual conflicts between us and the world. How us preparethe future. You can take a lot (Really, a lot!!!) of ideas from thismovie. But the important is not read this commentary, the important isee it and feel it in all it splendor. "Angels in America" have all theingredients to make it a masterpiece in all the meaning of the word,and is too, an important achievement to take it count, not only forUSA, too for all the world. I don't know if the end of this world isnear or far, the only thing that i know is that we must moving, but notas always. Moving for good. No matters all the intolerance and AIDSthat exist, if we have will, maybe we can make it. Maybe until is thisbeginning.*Sorry for the mistakes...well, if there any.

loydmooney 2012-05-05 03:39:43

in the end, tripe

Perhaps it doesn't help to have seen both this and Touch of Evil on thesame night. Nichols is such a lightweight against Welles. Having readall the comments, nary a dissenting one except this, obviously I andeveryone else are in opposite camps. For a gay play, I guess it has itpoints. And for spurts of decent dialog, ditto. But there is not asingle scene I would remotely ever want to see again, and worse, verylittle of this movie made much sense.When put alongside scene afterscene of Welles that I will and have watched ten and twenty times,about all it proves for me is that Mike Nichols, with the exception ofthe graduate has never made a single movie of any class. The rating ofeight two creeps very close to that of Citizen Kane, and strikes me asridiculous. The worst thing about the film is that it simply wandersall over the place, the best is that the crazy woman of Mary LouiseParker bubbles with a manic intensity worthy of a lot of the streetpeople you see and hear babbling to themselves, almost as though shehad taken dictation. All in all, you would have to pay me mucho moolato sit through all six hours of this baby again. But glad apparentlythat there are plenty out there it wowed.

2012-05-04 13:59:32

classic

An amazing film, Meryl Streep as Ethel Rosenberg haunts me. Jeffrey Wright as Belize has got to go down as the greatest actor of his generation.

2012-05-03 14:28:31

Wonderful movie

This review is from: Angels in America (DVD) This is a long movie but well worth the time. It's thought provoking, insight and even humorous in parts. Money well spent.

turing77 2012-05-03 05:39:05

What is going on here?

I mean, really, what is going on? This movie is damned near unwatchable.Imade it through both parts by sheer dint of willpower, and by the hopethatthe critical raves (which were almost universal) would, at some point, bevindicated. My hopes were unrequited. There is one decent thing aboutthismovie: Al Pacino's acting. That's it. The writing is awkward and clunky;thepolitics are so blatant as to be preachy; the performances are, exceptingPacino, tepid (Emma Thompson) to downright awful (Mary-Louise Parker);andthe film is, overall, a soporific. Why, then, all the encomia? EitherMikeNichols has incriminating photos of Tom Shales, or some party line isbeinghewn to. My bet is the latter.

Benjamin 2012-05-02 13:38:17

Absolutely riveting

This one has it all! That may not be saying much for a story that takesover six hours to tell, but I have to admit, I could not tear myselfaway from it. It has suspense, tragedy, comedy, angst, inspiration,desperation, everything. I will be ordering it first thing in themorning. Exceptional performances by the entire cast, but you expectthat from such high caliber talent like Pacino and Streep. I should saythat I was very impressed by Justin Kirk's performance, since he gotsnubbed by some award nominating committee, which I thought was aninsult since his performance had depth and dimension on a par with therest of the cast. I was simply blown away by this story and if youhaven't seen it, do so! Set aside enough time to get through the wholething or you'll be climbing the walls waiting to see what happens next.

marcosaguado 2012-05-01 22:28:08

The Truth As An Allegory

A cocktail of jolts, emotional and cinematic, on television. Can youbelieve that? First time in my life I've been glued to the TV (I grewup in Spain) I was amazed, compelled, moved and ultimately so happy.Things that used to happen to me but in a movie theater. Extraordinaryperformances a masterful direction and some glorious writing made itone of the most rewarding film experiences I've ever had, and I was athome. I don't want to get repetitious about the matter but I'm sure itinfluenced the effect it had on me. I could cry loud without refrain, Icould laugh as hard as I wanted. The allegorical truth of the Angels inAmerica were allowing my truth, the truth of my feelings, to come out.It allowed me to "see" my own feelings. Meryl Streep disappears behindeach character in such a riveting way that I completely forgot that itwas her, the mother, the ghost, the rabbi. Cohn's death in the hands,mind and heart of Al Pacino is absolutely shattering. He clings ontohis life without being able to admit it. I've never seen anything likeit. Mary Louis Parker, Justin Kirk, Jeffry Wright and the rest of thecast are just sublime. I will wait a couple of months and then I'mgoing to see it again. What about you?

jpm610 2012-04-29 10:09:58

A long labor of love.

HIGHS--Wonderful adaptation, lovely and accommodating score by James NewtonHoward. Strong performances from Al Pacino and Patrick Wilsonespecially.LOWS--Strange costume design. I'm not sure how well all of Kushner's wordstranslate to the big screen. Maybe some (i said "some") of thecinematography should be included in that critique. Editing. 352minutes?? Are you supposed to have two intermissions in a film, onlykidding.PARTING IMPRESSION--Most viewers will not view 6 hours at a time so expect to see it insegments. Though I love an epic as much as anyone, not sure every scenewas necessary. Overall a worthy screening, but I have to say, thegay-dying-of-aids scene/plot is likely starting to wear thin on viewersof all perspectives. I realize Tony Kushner penned this well before"Philadelphia", "And the Band Played On" and others were released.Still, it should be mentioned... More to filmmakers than film buffs. Amoving, passionate story. Al Pacino is riveting and a delight to watch.Booo-yah. Seven out of ten.

Vincentiu 2012-04-28 20:41:49

Gorgeous trip

It is not a good, bad, ugly, wonderful or ordinary film. It is only apersonal experience, a piece of "catharsis" and a occasion tounderstand yourself. The acting, play, script or director vision areskin of a precious thing, secret, subtle and ineffable. "Angels inAmerica" is, in fact, a film about nothing. The subject must be nothomosexuality, AIDS shadow, crisis of family, society or America, themoral crisis or the illusion of words, facts, gestures, sentiments. Notthe madness or a type of love are the important problem of this moviebut the science to accept reality and accept yourself.It is a blasphemy to say great words or a form of hypocrite spirit but,for me, "Angels in America" is a perfect construction. Every detail(music, casting, images) are elements of a complex definition ofeverybody. A form of self-discover and anatomy of desire.So, it is not a movie (and this label may be dangerous for spectator'shope) but a gorgeous trip in soul's worlds.