Genres

Visitors Review

2013-06-17 09:35:08

Not Enough Score

As I was watching the film the music of Mychael Danna's fantastic score began to come through and talk to the audience. Danna's music was telling us what the characters were not saying, but unfortunately the CD only contains two tracks of his work. Though there are nice songs for nostalgia, the CD could have been a great deal better with more of Danna's haunting, somewhat spiritual, music.

smakawhat 2013-06-17 03:35:09

Everything going for it but never makes it.

Set in the 70's in suburban Conneticut, it centres on a family that isgetting together during Thanksgiving. However this family and surroundingfriends are far from normal. With the husband having an affair, the kidssexually experimenting (nothing to gregarious) and doing drugs, this familyis not the only odd one on the block. The mistress's family is just as bizarre with 2 kids one, who I can onlydescribe as a weirdo, the other socially inept and only seems to enjoyblowing up his toys. In the climax of the film during an ice storm theparents are all at a party in which everyone is suppose to swap partners,while the kids make their own mischief.This was a film that had a lot going for it, nice direction, a unique story,a GREAT cast, but it just did not happen. None of the characters geled orhad any real emotion. The guard rail scene was particularly pointless causeI had no feeling for the characters involved up to this point (can't explainit or I'll give a key scene away). I am begging to wonder about the KevinKline theory:Kevin Kline - moustache - good movieKevin Kline - no moustache - bad movieKevin Kline does not have a moustache in this film. But this is not the onlyreason why this film is disapointing.Rating 4 out of 10.

Mable Greynote 2013-06-16 15:43:30

Please, if you like films...awaken from your dumb.

I will not keep you long. I just watched this film again this evening.I contain the passion that accompanies recent viewings. Someone pleasetell me that this film is not the most overlooked piece of art of 1997. Igo to "Blockbuster", and there it sits on the shelf, like the deformed babynobody wants to adopt. I think people forget that "period" pieces are notjust frilly sleeves and British accents. A "period" piece is a film thatattempts to capture the bygone. Ang Lee has a sense of nostalgic atmospherethat rivals my own dreams of the years that I actually lived through. Hisfilms seem more real to me than my memories. I have been to New Canaan, CT.I was born in Wilton, CT...a spit away. I vaguely remember the storm. AngLee's film, and Rick Moody's book, are more real than my infantile gasps atthe sounds of simple weather. I guess that is what all noble art becomes;not only the reflection of truth, but a certain truth itself...the only trueexpression of your own silent speculations. Truth because it was finallytold. Truth, because someone spoke for you (more eloquently)about thestorm. Their words sounded more genuine than the wind you remember.See this. It's better than what you just picked up. I'm almostcertain. Put down "Deep Impact", and trust a stranger. I will accept yourthanks in advance."Too-ta-loo": (my language for goodbye).Oh yeah. I'm also a little drunk. oops?

2013-06-15 21:30:25

ice cold

a great movie sometimes has a great cast and this one does. its shocking, powerful, disturbing and dramatic. its about messed up familes living in the 70's. the cast includes Sigourney Weaver(CopCat), whos having an affair with Kevin Kline(Life As A House) whos married to Joan Allen(The Contender) who the two have 2 kids Christian Ricci(Pecker) and Tobey Maguire(Ride With The Devil). Ricci likes to experiment sexually. Maguire goes off and has a party with Kaite Holmes(GO) and David Krumholtz(The Mexican), and Maguire has a thing for Holmes. Elijah Wood(North) plays the son of Weaver and Jamey Sheridan(tvs Law and Order:Criminal Intent). disturbing moments include Ricci and Weaver's son played by Adam Hynn Byrd(Hallowen:H20) in bed...

The Doomite 2013-06-10 21:00:20

*possible Spoilers* Did you ever notice...

...The song playing in the background at the beginning of the movie, wherePaul Hood and his roommate are passing the bong at the boarding school? It's"Dirty Love" by Frank Zappa. What a subtle hint as to the flavor of thismovie! At the same time, it makes perfect sense in context, what with BenHood and Janie Carver in bed together, Mikey Carver and Wendy Hood makingout and later being caught with Mikey's pants down in the basement, Wendyand Sandy Carver in bed together, the key party, Paul Hood with Libbet'shead in his lap at her house, and that pathetic scene where Jim Carverscrews Elena Hood in his car. The whole movie almost reeks of "dirty love."This having been said, it's a very good movie, in my opinion. But prepare tobe shocked, and not just at the ending.

Graham Deans Williamson 2013-06-10 01:15:13

Great cast, great director - I wanted to like it so much more than I did.

Now here's a film with a lot going for it. The three interweaved storylinescould be three good movies on their own - a druggy 70s campus comedy withTobey Maguire and Katie Holmes, a coming-of-age deal with Elijah Wood andChristina Ricci and a dour satire on sexual morality with Joan Allen,Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline. But when they're all put together, theyseem to be an awful lot less than the sum of their parts.The acting cannot be faulted. Wood, in particular, puts in a career-bestperformance. His school presentation is a masterclass in nervy insecurity.Ricci gets one of her defining roles, delicately handling the story of asexually adventurous fourteen-year-old. Kline is fabulously bumbling as thesuburban husband caught between Weaver and Allen, both of whom are alsofantastic. This whole thread adds up to a sensitive meditation on changingAmerican values during the 1970s, where the storm outside and the constantflicker of the Watergate hearings in the background add to the sense of ahousehold under some kind of siege. Maguire and Holmes struggle manfullywith a subplot that goes nowhere and means nothing. Maybe it's the direction? In other films like this ('Magnolia' (1999), forexample) there are a lot of surface pleasures that offset the grindingmisery underneath, but here there are only a few flickers of such amusement(David Bowie and Antonio Carlos Jobim on the soundtrack, gorgeous frozenscenery, Peter Parker reading Fantastic Four). Ang Lee's films are generallyin possession of a big, beating heart, but that seems to be shut off here.Worse, at the end there's a tragic final twist that comes so completely outof nowhere and has so little to do with the main action that it just feelslike writer Rick Moody is merely mean-spiritedly putting the charactersthrough the wringer. 'The Ice Storm' is an easy film to admire, but a verydifficult one to like.

poolboy148 2013-06-02 08:53:29

COLD (possible spoilers!!!)!!!!!!!

The movie The Ice Storm focuses on the lives of adults and theirchildren while they all encounter a vicious ice storm back in 1973. Themovie is a lot to take in if you're easily uncomfortable with contentsuch as adultery, sexual experimentation between young teenagers, druguse, parents and their children with a great lack of communication, andchildish crimes such as stealing. With an ice storm and hardcorecontent for the characters to evolve off of, the movie was a lot totake in for me personally.We are introduced to characters that will take us on a blind tour oftheir different lives, but not so different when it comes down to thevery clear revelation that they all share one thing in common: they allhave issues. Some characters we can relate to (that alone is scary),some we can learn to like, and some we absolutely despise. However,underneath the characters that attempt to hold our attention lurks avery clear sign: people are not who they appear to be on the outside,rather it's the inner side that secretly desires to come out and beseen. The movie brilliantly delivers characters who must choose betweengoing with what they truly desire inside or ignoring the push oftemptation towards whatever it is they personally seek. Like thecharacters in the movie, we all have desires and want things. The movieis also there as a clear reminder that if we're not careful with whatwe choose to do with our forbidden lust, there are consequences thatcan do more damage than an ice storm itself. All in all, I did like the movie, but I found it to be depressing. I dorecommend it for anyone who enjoys a good drama. It is one of thosemovies you should see, but whether you like it or not will depend onyou. To watch this movie once a month is enough for me, but the sexyChristina Ricci brings out a hidden desire deep within myself to see itmore than once.-T.M

2013-06-01 23:38:44

An extreme disappointment... Except for Elijah Wood

With all of the outstanding actors in this film, I was expecting something quite spectacular... and was sorely disappointed. The characters in this film -- with the exclusion of Elijah Wood's -- are ugly, boring, hurtful, selfish and brooding. Dysfunctional doesn't describe the families in this movie; these people are just plain sick. Archetypes of soulnessness, they spend the entire film invading each other's boundaries and betraying one another. Woods character -- a bright, endearing teen who sees the world through his own literary and artistic lens -- is the only highlight in the entire film, and fans may want to see this movie just for his performance. [Be prepared, though, his character doesn't survive the film.] Everyone else in the movie wasted their talent on decidedly repulsive characterizations. Gad, this was awful!

anonymous 2013-05-31 11:58:35

Dull and pointless but it does have its moments

I found most, if not all of the characters in this movie to be completelyunlikeable and unworthy of much sympathy. Even the father whose son isaccidently electrocuted is not very admirable. While this movie wasn'tintended to paint a rosy picture, did it have to be so damned visuallygloomy as well. A truly depressing outing.

thegouch23 2013-05-31 00:07:43

The Victims of Spoilhood

Set in upscale, suburban New Canaan, Connecticut in 1973, The Ice Storm(based on a novel by Rick Moody) is a scathing social criticism of thevalues and ideals of upper-class American society during that timeperiod. With the background for the movie being the Nixon Watergatescandal, the corruption is portrayed as extending all the way into theAmerican Home through a short glimpse into the lives of two families:The Hoods and the Carvers.Both families have two children (Carvers: two sons, Hoods: one son, onedaughter), and appear perfectly normal and supportive at first glance.However, through a series of common experiences, and through the waythe families struggle to communicate both within and with one another,it becomes clear there are deeply rooted problems. Director Lee usesthe children to exemplify the failures of the parents, and theirmistakes reflect heavily and harshly on the adults in their lives. Theadults also make their own mistakes, and these are depicted as farworse - for as adults, they should know better. Their struggles indealing with their children are at times almost comical, and show theirlack of proper parenting skills. As a criticism, this structure isflawless, comprehensive, and unrelenting throughout. Except for a fewfleeting scenes, the irresponsibility of the adults dominates thescreen.Of course, all these events are building up to a climax of epicproportions. The saying, "a stitch in time saves nine," comes to mindwhen discussing this movie. Had any of the adults taken the propersteps of good parenting anywhere along the way, the events that unfoldwould not have occurred. Like the failed parenting of the adults,however, it's too little, too late. Bad parenting, selfishness,lavishness, sexual promiscuity, greed, lack of communication, andfoolishness lead these adults to make mistakes within their lives, thelives of their children, and the lives of their friends. And come theclosing credits of this incredibly well directed, well acted film, theyare the ones left to pick up the pieces.

2013-05-28 04:46:25

Ang Lee's best film, hands down

"The Ice Storm" is a gorgeous adaptation of Rick Moody's novel of the same name. It is expertly acted, with a stellar cast: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen, Elijah Wood, Tobey MacGuire, Christina Ricci--to name just a few. Without going into too much detail about the film's plot, I will say that it is set in the 1970's, is very much a critique of that era in middle America; it is a story that addresses bleak issues, is told within a bleak setting--a winter ice storm, and pretty much functions as a study of moral ambiguity carried through two generations: we see the parents struggle with life-decisions, just as we see their children do this, as well. It is a beautifully told story that, despite its tragedy, never falls into sentimentality. And remarkably, I think it is a story that is mostly about redemption and forgiveness.Not a light film by any means, but an absolutely rewarding one in every sense of the word. Why this didn't win Best Picture I couldn't say, except perhaps that it's *too* smart for the Academy to digest.

2013-05-27 14:53:12

Almost--- but not quite

Look, I think Ang Lee is a fine director, but this film misses the mark despite aiming for the right target.Lee effectively uses a melancholy, wintry backdrop -- along with the Watergate scandal -- in his attempt to convey the post-60s disillusionment that existed in the bleak and almost-cozily forlorn early-70s... I can almost see Mary Richards driving thru the snow with songs by BREAD going "bwwwwooonggggg--- bwwwwonnggggg...."Almost.Unfortunately, the wonderful opportunity to capture this now-so-distant era wound up being reduced to a cliche`d cartoon. The acting mostly isn't very good (even from good actors) and the dialogue seems forced and trite in its efforts to feel "to period".Sure, THE ICE STORM is considerably better having been shot in the '90s than it would have been had it been filmed in, say, the self-conscious '80s when any period picture felt illegitimate (such movies tended to be much more sincere in the '90s), but the overall texture of the thing is off. It all feels more than a little pretentious.... It's not the subject-matter; it's the execution.Ang Lee clearly had the right idea in mind with this movie, and the physicality of it is near-perfect. But the effect is undermined by what feels like too desperate an effort to be "meaningful", rendering the "My God, what have we done to our children??" type finale more silly--- and ultimately ringing hollow--- than anything else.Worth a look, to be sure, but the script is dire.

tedg 2013-05-19 04:59:06

The Little Chill

Spoilers herein.Family dramas are a special problem in film. That's because the core of whatwe know and have come to expect was developed in the theater (and now onTeeVee). Family interactions are something invented by society -- usuallyfilm merely reinforces the major, theatrical form merely adding in theperspective of the day. Right now that is narcissistic pseudoirony (`Meetthe Parents,' `You Can Depend On Me') which is rather boring.Lee is a serious student of cinema, and when he does something it is withthe intent of advancing his ability to convey through images. That's why hechose the simple family drama, so that he could explore breaking thetheatrical conventions. The theatrical way, for instance would have lots oftalk, lots of emotional texture and some shouting. Think of `Who's Afraid ofVirginia Wolf?' Think of any number of dying lover movies.The problem is not simply one of being cinematic because one has to overcomesuch deepseated expectations of who carries what ball and when. Thisexperiment could not have been possible without Kline, just as `Sense'couldn't have been attempted without Thompson.So we have as much of an imagebased little drama as possible. Watch thisonce with no sound to see how carefully it is constructed. Everything is soquiet and still. All the theatrical dynamics we know that are there are keptunder the surface. The brilliance of the approach is that rather than fightthose dynamics, he references them. So we know what the bicycle/shopliftingdeal is all about without having it marched out as would normally be thecase.To my mind, Ms Ricci today is an uninteresting artist. But here, she is usedeffectively as the visual anchor for everything. In fact, one can almosttease out the narrative with her voice over `It was the winter of...' Thiswould be the case in normal dramas, like `Virgin Suicides,' but thankfullyis indirectly referenced here with her masked as a liar. Veryclever.His technique is to establish our world not in the family but in a recentpast, one which is entirely defined by visual metaphors. This man knows whathe is doing. My objection is that Lee tries for too little. What he does isdone well, but I would rather he took bigger risks and transported mefurther and tinkered with my mind and soul and possibly damaged some actorsand property. This is too great a talent to be gentle with.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 4: Has some interesting elements.

silverzero 2013-05-18 18:32:39

Observational look at 70's suburban life. Solid and true to life, but not re-watchable.

The Ice Storm is a dissection of suburban life with a `winter storm' climax,hence the title. It has a very large cast and for that reason it can'tsimply focus on one character. If one sub-plot reaches a climax they quicklyswitch over to another story, so it's observational but not participatory.Despite the fact that there are a number of different characters, they allmanage to nicely develop. Kevin Kline shows his acting range here and does well as the sleazy,cheating husband. Given that he was in a lot of comedies that same year(Fierce Creatures, In and Out, Wild, Wild West) this is a pleasant surprise.In one of Joan Allen's breakthrough roles she also shows her acting depthand gives a very humane performance. Sigourney Weaver is delightful is asuper b*tch. The youger actors are every bit as good in their roles aswell. Apre-Spiderman Tobey Maguire does well as the hormone driven son. ChristinaRicci is also good as a 14-year-old seductress, as is a pre-Frodo ElijahWood. The least known of the younger cast, Adam Hann Byrd is very impressivehere. He already proved is acting ability in Little Man Tate as JodieFoster's son and he is very convincing here. Too bad his career sort ofvanished. The only person who didn't impress me though was Jamey Sheridan as SigourneyWeaver's husband. He only makes his first full appearance at about 20minutes from the end and even then, he doesn't make much of an impact.The Ice Storm is very true to life in its vision of adult and adolescentlife. The film does end a bit too suddenly but it proves the point that lifedoesn't stop after a tragedy. But still, they could have gone into a bitmore detail there. Overall, The Ice Storm is a hugely impressive and muchly underrated film. Ithas some flaws but with a cast like this, what's on screen is never boring.7.6 out of 10.

vikram-ry123 2013-05-18 03:45:20

A Sensible Movie That Explains Oedipus Complex In An Easy Way.

The Ice Storm is a metaphor of country life. I do not read the originalnovel by Rick Moody; but I think the film is an appropriate adaptationof that novel. Every plot is very carefully drawn in the film. A masterwork by director Ang Lee that I will never forget. The movie is like afact file of hundreds of truths of our daily life. Every character inthe film is a part of us. The storm begins with Paul Hood (Tobey Maguire) reading Fantastic Fourcomic book in a late night empty frozen train. The movie is mostlyabout the relation between two neighboring families lives in a suburbtown. The characters are very life-like that I suddenly feel everythingis just happening in front of me. Ben Hood (Kevin Kline) is the father of two child Paul Hood (TobeyMaguire) and Wendy Hood (Christina Ricci). The irony is that both ofthe child are in their adolescent and their parents are unable to guidethem at this stage. The same thing we can see in the Carver family.Janey Carver (Sigourney Weaver) and Jim Carver (Jamey Sheridan) havetwo boys Sandy Carver (Adam Hann-Byrd) and Mikey Carver (Elijah Wood).That very night all the guardians went for an ironical Key Party thatmake them funny and irresistible to control their basic instincts. Andthe children are children, they follow the way that showed by thesociety and misguided by their parents. Young Wendy (Christina Ricci) is a grown up girl of 14 and she is inher adolescent but her parents hardly care to guide her in proper way.Paul (Tobey Maguire) 18 years old boy successfully controls his lustinspired by reading Fantastic Four comic is very sentimental. AlbeitBen (Kevin Kline) his father tries to tell him about the duties of agentleman but he fails to make him understand appropriately. Ben has abitter relation with his wife Elena (Joan Allen) that comes as anopportunity to grow an extramarital relation with his next doorneighbor Janey Carver (Sigourney Weaver). The ice storm changed everything in a single night. Janey leaves theparty with a young man to fulfill lust and desire. In the lustful latenight game played by all the mature men and women of the society whereBen acts like a fool and humiliated. Same night Jim Carver, Janey'shusband and Elena Hood Ben's wife become out of control of their basicinstinct. The film concluded in a poetic justice with a sacrifice of 14 years oldMikey Carver died in an accident in the ice storm night due to hiscareless parents. Next day Ben found the dead body. And Elena found her14 years old daughter Wendy and young Caver boy Sandy (Adam Hann- Byrd)sleeping naked in Caver's house. Caver family lost their one son andHood family realize that how much careless they are? In a particular scene of this movie carries a good lesson. One dayElena sees her daughter riding bicycle that reminds her own teenageyears and next day she rides the bicycle and entered into a shoppingmall and stole some products to enjoy her young age behavior but caughtby the shop kipper and humiliated. The irony shows the young girl Wendygets the same behavior like her mother. The movie is very practical and worth to watch.

2013-05-17 18:31:10

The Ice Storm

"The Ice Storm" centers around two neighboring families, the Hoods and Carvers during a winter in the 70's. Kevin Kline of the Hood family plays Ben, a self centered husband who is having an affair with his neighborJaney played by Sigourney Weaver. They indulge in their loveless affair as Ben's wife Elena played by Joan Allen finds herself yearning for her inner youth and trying to escape her boring life. At the same time both families teenage off springs are experimenting with sex and drugs. Wendy(Christina Ricci), the daughter of Ben and Elena fools around with Mikey played by Elijah Wood. Tobey Maguire plays Paul who wants the beautiful Katie Holmes even if drugs are involved. This all happens as an ice storm approaches and climaxes at a "key swapping" party during the height of the storm and a tragedy. The Ice Storm is set when the sexual revolution was in full swing and many changes were coming upon America. This film clearly shows how little communication and connection there is between the family members and overall all the people. For example, when Ellijah Wood's father comes back from a business trip to greet his son, Ellijah replies that he didn't even notice he was gone. Janey barely even moves her eyes from her magazine to greet her husband. Throughout the film we barely ever see anyone in a conversation they are deeply involved in. The sense of isolation and sadness runs rampant throughout. Each of the characters is so immersed in their own vices and affairs that they live in their own world, and pay little attention to the others. Mikey and Wendy either fool around or awe at the TV, but they never have much to say to each other. This is the sad state people are entering, one where they feel alienated and unable to express themselves. This applies to the parents just as much. After some sex, Janey doesn't permit Ben to talk about his golf because she feels she already has her husband for that. There is no real affection between the characters. When Elena tries to have an affair with Janey's husband to retaliate for her husband's affair, it is devoid of passion and rather clumsy. The film features excellent cinematography of the cold atmosphere and the beauty of the ice storm. Each of the actors plays their parts righteously cold. None of them are very likeable but this shows just how disconnected each of them are. Ben is so full of hypocrisy and shallowness, that when he finds his daughter having dry sex with Mikey he lectures and preaches to even though he was there to commit an affair. However it is the final moments of the film where he releases his tears due to the tragedy that just happened and that he has just realized how truly pathetic his existence is. One of the best characters in the play is that of Christina Ricci's. She becomes sexual with other boys because it gives here a sense of power and control. From her mere facial expression we sense she is lonely and hardened. Tobey Maguire plays his character with creepy aura. The final 15 minutes of the film have little dialogue , but are emotionally filled as a terrible tragedy strikes. The Ice Storm is such an important film because even though it is set in the 70's it is still relevant today. While many families appear to have stability and happiness, underneath they are not. The people in society are becoming disconnected and isolated through a loss of communication and boredom of their lives. They indulge in sins and pleasures just to break from their apathetic lives while damaging their self worth and morals. Ice Storm shows the deterioration of the traditional American family and relationships between people effectively with subtlety rather than making it over the top and sensationalist. A great film of how family has changed and the effects of loneliness and lack of expression.

Maksimilijan Bogosavljeviæ 2013-05-04 06:39:44

This ain't a feel good movie

Contain SPOILERS!!!The lack of warmth and care these characters offer to each other is sographically depicted that it's actually uncomfortable to view. Largeparts of "The Ice Storm" feel like watching your hosts have a 'silenttreatment' argument during your visit.Two fairly well-off families, Hoods and Carvers live in close proximityto each other in early '70s suburban New Haven, CT. Their livingexpenses are taken care of, as both husbands hold good-paying jobs, sothey devote a lot of their time and energy to more unusual pursuits.They're family friends, attending snooty parties together and hangingin the same circle. Yet, that doesn't stop Ben Hood (Kevin Kline) fromengaging in a sexual affair with Janey Carver (Sigourney Weaver). Hiswife Elena (Joan Allen) with whom he occasionally attends couplestherapy suspects something is going on and has every proof short ofcatching them in the act, but seems already too much out of love toeven bother properly confronting him. For their part, Ben and Janey are also just going through the motions -their love making is devoid of any emotion or excitement that theyactually end up driving each other back to their original mates. Afterone of their encounters as they're laying in bed he starts telling herabout his golf game and problems at work. "Ben, you're boring me" - shestops him - "I have a husband, I don't particularly feel a need foranother". In cold exchanges like this one, and there's plenty of thembetween all characters, they demonstrate the full extent of theirdetachment from everything and everybody. All seem to be in constantsearch for something, but have no clue what, where and how.Hood offspring, 16-yr old stoner Paul (Tobey Maguire), who compared towhat the other three kids are into looks the be the best adjusted one,is away at private high-school and his strange 14-yr old sister Wendy(Christina Ricci) along with Carver sons, a spaced-out flake of a kidMikey (Elijah Wood) and silent militant Sandy (Adam Hann-Byrd) are allequally weird and screwed-up, younger versions of their parents.All parts are richly observed and really give the actors something tobite into - and they respond with fabulous performances. Kudos todirector Ang Lee and writer James Schamus for successfully bringing thestyle, the issues and the atmosphere of this period. This is a powerfulcharacter study.

2013-05-03 22:10:02

DECEPTIVE KALEIDOSCOPIC VIEWS & SHARP MORALITY SHARDS

The Ice Storm is one of the best films ever released. Ang Lee proved to be one of our great contemporary film directors and he sure did justice to Rick Moody's novel. In fact, most people who enjoyed both will tell you that, surprisingly, they prefer the film over the book. One of the main reasons (besides great directing and solid acting) is the unforgettable music.From the opening titles, Mychael Danna's hypnotic melodies take you effortlessly two generations back, in affluent yet creepy American Suburbia. Unfortunately, the opening titles theme is NOT included in this release (hence the star withheld). I would have loved to be able to listen to it while driving without Paul's (Tobey Maguire) monologue on top but no luck.The same is also true for a number of memorable instrumental pieces. In fact, Mychael Danna's pieces on this soundtrack are limited only to Tracks 1-3. The rest are songs from the era that make a small or greater appearance in the movie.Nevertheless, Danna's composition and execution are so powerful that this soundtrack deserves a place in your life.Indeed, "the void we emerge from. And the place we go to when we die".Everything in between is music.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

2013-04-23 16:35:22

Another dysfunctional suburban family

I have loved every Ang Lee film I've seen...Sense and Sensibility, Crouching Tiger, Brokeback Mountain and Lust,Caution. So I had high expectations for this, especially with the stellar cast.I kept thinking I'd seen the film before---it reminded me a lot of Revolutionary Road, another look at morally bankrupt suburban Connecticut families...even to the point of the hasty, clumsy sex in the car between the two neighbors. That was directed by Sam Mendes, another good director from another culture. One wonders what fascination this bit of Americana holds for these foreigners...Are they so eager to see the dark side of our culture?The first time I saw a film about the underside of the affluent white suburbs was back in the 60's I think, with Robert Redford's brilliant film, Ordinary People, starring Mary Tyler Moore and I think Timothy Hutton. That was a real breakthrough in showing how things weren't as pretty as they seemed on the surface. But gee, that was a long time ago...and I think we've all gotten the message. I don't know when the novel from which the book was taken was written...perhaps it had relevance at that time. But to me, this is just rehashing the same old ideas and I don't see that Lee adds anything to our understanding about the scene at all. Lot of stupid sex among the adults and the kids, lots of alcohol and drugs and talk about the meaninglessness of life, or whatever was in that comic book that Toby McGuire kept reading. Boring, pretentious stuff.The actors are all very good and they the best with the material.It is better than Revolutionary Road which I really hated...at least these characters have some redeeming values.

Rastagrrl 2013-04-23 03:07:39

A behind the scenes look at how disturbing people can be when unhappy.

The Ice Storm directed by the amazing Ang Lee, portrayed charactersbattling addictions from alcohol and sex to hide their true pain ofwhat was tearing their families apart so quickly. This movie isdefinitely one that only needs to be seen once in a while. It leavesyou wondering, "how can people really act that way to others theylove?" Sadly life brings situations like that all the time. When yousee it on screen though it fills you with sadness and leaves youheavyhearted. The night the Ice Storm took place left the movie in ashocking sadden standstill. None of the addictions and betrayal addedup to the death of a young boy, a death that could of been stopped ifthe adults acted like ones. Basically, the movie leaves me frustratedbut it was done well letting you really see in to all the charactersthoughts and emotions.