Amadeus

Within the first few moments of Milos Forman's Amadeus, we get a clear glimpse into the mind of Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham). As the film wears on, the audience gets a further idea of how his demented mind works.

What makes Salieri's mind tick? Well, for starters, he has a consuming jealously towards fellow composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). It's not strictly because Mozart has more talent than Salieri. Pay attention to Salieri's face when he first witnesses Mozart's behavior. This is clearly the thought running through his mind at the time: how could a man of immature behavior also possess true ability?

It's not that Mozart doesn't give a damn about his talents. He's more oblivious to the impact his music has on people, especially Salieri. The one person he regrets disappointing is his own father. But even then he keeps it hidden from those around him.

The performances from Abraham and Hulce are both phenomenal and ideal contrast pieces. Abraham flawlessly captures the bitter resentment bubbling within Salieri. Hulce in turn effortlessly depicts Mozart not as the anguished artist but rather as the not-always-serious genius. (A far cry from Animal House, don't you think?) Boy, it must have been a tight race that year for Best Actor. (On a somewhat similar note, what ever happened to both of them?)

Amadeus is truly brilliant. Within the first ten minutes of this, I immediately regretted having not seen this earlier. Just watching this makes it very clear on how it won eight Oscars. If you haven't seen Amadeus yet, do yourself a favor and see it. You won't regret it.

My Rating: *****

The People vs. Larry Flynt

Apparently freedom of expression is an oxymoron. For crying out loud, it's in the Constitution. Some freedom.

Such a feeling is expressed in Milos Forman's The People vs. Larry Flynt. If you couldn't tell by the title, it focuses on Hustler publisher Larry Flynt. Flynt is portrayed by Woody Harrelson, a fine actor in his own right. Harrelson, in a fantastic performance, shows the many plights Flynt encountered with his wife Althea (Courtney Love, really effective) and his lawyer Alan Isaacman (Edward Norton, always good).

After Flynt gets shot and paralyzed, he starts to slip into Howard Hughes territory, shown both in and out of the courtroom. But earlier, he shows he's competent. One scene in particular where Flynt gives a speech comparing sex to war. It's one hell of a speech.

The People vs. Larry Flynt reminded me of Bob's Fosse Lenny. Both are about two men who were game changers in regards with the First Amendment. (Larry Flynt with publishing his magazine, Lenny Bruce with his comedy.) Though in a sense, they never wanted to conform to the morals of their times.

The People vs. Larry Flynt shows how expressive one person can be. (Then again, this is directed by the same person who made One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. ) The performances were great, as was the script by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. However, I thought it focused too much on some scenes and not enough on others. Still a damn fine film though.

My Rating: ****1/2

BOOK VS MOVIE: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

You know how some authors completely detest the film adaptations of their novels? The most notable example is Stephen King voicing his (ahem) "opinion" on Stanley Kubrick's take of The Shining. Rewind five years earlier, Ken Kesey was upset over how One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, his debut novel, was being treated as a movie.

Life at an Oregon mental institution is normal and under control. That is, until Randale Patrick McMurphy shows up. He enlivens the patients, throws the institution into chaos and turmoil, and tests the patience of Nurse Ratched.

Mental illness is a touchy subject in the media, but it definitely works in both the book and movie. The book is a stellar piece of literature, while the movie is a fine film. The performances are great as well.

What's worth checking out?: I'd go with both.