Before Night Falls
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VHS Movie Reviews of Before Night Falls
Movie Review: Powerful, Brilliant and Tragic
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this movie and I totally agree with the critics that it was the best movie of 2000. As powerful and brilliant as this movie is, it is also extremely tragic in regards to all the terrible pain and suffering that Cuban author Reynaldo Arenas had to endured only because he was gay and was dead set against the Cuban government. For his beliefs he was jailed,ridicule and tortured in the most inhume way. This film is not easy to sit thru simply because of everything that Mr.Arenas went thru in his life. Javier Bardem who I had never heard of before this movie does and an excellent job in capturing Arenas charecteristics and mannerisms as well. He gave a remarkable performance and was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor but unfortunately did not win which I thought was very wrong but then again we all know how much politics and red tape are in the Oscars evey year and the actor or actress that you think deserves the award ends up not winning. It is also sad to see when Arenas becomes infected with HIV and in end dies in his New York aparment alongside his lover played by Olivier Martinez. One performance that I thought was wonderful although very short was that of actor Johnny Depp as the charamistic and flamboyant drag queen Bon Bon. He was also just as good playing a stern and cold Cuban government official who interrogates Reynaldo Arenas about his true feelings for the government. The scene where Johnny Depp's character is sitting down in a chair and looks at Arenas and starts touching his penis until he gets an erection is quite intense although too short to really notice but you really do see him touching himself. Overall this movie is amazing and I highly recommended to anyone who cares to know about what really goes on in Cuba when you are thrown in jail and tortured only because of your sexual orientation and your beliefs of free speech which ofcourse they are forbidden in Cuba. Another good reason to see this great movie is because the whole cast is wonderful and they all do an amazing job with their roles. If you care about excellence in acting this one is a MUST see.Movie Review: A bit too long...............
Summary: 2 Stars
Ever since I saw edward scissorhands and sleepy hollow i realised who brilliant of an actor and Johnny Depp is and i soon came to realise as i watched more and more of his films that they were all terrific because of his fine acting.Your probably thinking ok so what has this got to do with "Before Night Falls"?
Well i'll tell you. I sat down to watch this film in utterconfidence that it would be an ok kinda film, not brilliant but ok. Johnny would only have a small part to play but ok it was worth a shot.
The first half an hour was good, the story of this little cuban boy. But what the most irritating thhing was the narration is almost completly not understandable.The voicce is so unclear, has the strongest accent ive ever heard and the man mumbles. I ended up having to watch the whole film with subtitles just so that i could hear what was being said.
Secondly the film is way to long and by the end last 20 minutes i couldnt wait for it to end. Don't get me wrong its not because i don't enjoy passsionate films or anything , its just it drags on and on and on and on.
I would say to anyone wanting to see this film only see it if you are spanish and can therefore enjoy the film without subtitles or if you are a true Johnny Depp fan but even if you are he has about 10 minutes of screen time if not that through the whole film.
Movie Review: Bardem Is Brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
This well executed film tackles the story of Arenas, a Cuban poet before and during the communist revolution. There are so many messages and so much social commentary that I wouldn't know where to begin. All I can say is; see this film.
Even if the homosexual content bothers you, you will be awed by the Spainard Bardem's acting, and the wonderful cuban music as well.
While I certainly think this would have been better in Spanish, it makes the grade nonetheless. There are lots of great Cuban, French, Mexican, Spanish and American actors, a killer soundtrack, plenty of food for thought, beautiful poetry being spoken, a unique approach to directing, put simply, just a great movie.
Movie Review: Only Johnny Depp was great, the rest, bad accents!
Summary: 2 Stars
Well, my first complaint with this movie is that it has too many Spanish dialogues when the movie is supposed to be in English language. Unfortunately, English subtitles were not provided on the VCD. It is very difficult to appreciate the movie especially when you can't understand half of what the characters were saying. I don't understand why they have to speak a heavy accented English when they could just do the movie in Spanish then just provide subtitles? On my opinion, only Johnny Depp did a fine performance in this movie although I don't understand why he'd allow himself to do a cameo on this kind of film. I'm sorry but it is not the kind of quality film I was expecting. I'm sure the book is a better version
Movie Review: Very inspiring
Summary: 5 Stars
Honestly, it took me three watches to truly appreciate this movie. I'm glad I did it. "Before Night Falls" shows the true gruesome reality of how homosexuals have been treated. Javier Bardem does not hold back. For this, he deserved his Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Those who have never lived through this or any kind of homophobic harassment may not believe that this really happened. It did.