Thread: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!

Coffeecup, your responses were very funny and interesting!

My understanding is that one of the reasons USSR cinema was able to make some artistically outstanding films was that profit-making (appealing to the largest possible audience) was not a factor that they had to worry much about. Economically I think it did not matter much to the director or the actors if the film was seen by 5 million people or 20 million... I think they were just paid a regular salary regardless. But those who were considered outstanding in their field were rewarded with things like nice houses and better consumer goods than what regular people had access to. The result of the lack of commericalism meant that they could focus more on artistic quality and less about creating a block-buster.

My impression (not sure what Russian people think about this) is that from the 1960s and forward there was no serious requirement of ideological content of the film as long as the film did not outright critisize the government. But several USSR films that I have seen have plenty of hints at problems with the government, or they are making political statements that are placed in a sci-fi or historical context (to circumvent censorship.) Large parts of the world, including many capitalist countries had (and still have) restrictions against outright criticism towards the government, so it's not really that unusual.
But nobody would have tried to make an outright government-critical film and they wouldn't have recieved funding for it.

WARNING… Spoil Alert... "The Cranes are Flying" …Spoil Alert…WARNING

I know..."OMG it's a wall of English text...Rockzmom has lost her frickin' mind!"
It will be good practice for y'all. Get yourself a cup of coffee or tea, and relax.

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

Three things make me to dislike this movie.
First: silly and fake idea of the story.

This response surprises me. The first part of the story, we have the romance of Boris and Veronkia and then Boris signing up to go to war. He leaves his best girl behind and asks her to wait for him. This all seems very plausible to me.

Then we have Veronkia's parents dying in a scenario which seems very possible, so I can buy that one.

Next we have Veronkia getting married to Boris' cousin (Mark) who has always loved her and apparently took advantage of her (raped) and she had no choice but to marry him. What she should have done was ratted him out. Why, I don't know but she didn't. Her decision to marry him is a paradox. Yet, I could still buy this as it was a war time, she just lost her parents, and she was scared and in those days a woman was probably thought of as "dirty" or somehow wrong if that happened to her and she was not mentally all there, blah, blah, blah. And how would she explain not being a virgin any longer to Boris once he came home from the war?

Now, the little boy scene... that was one of the ones I had a little trouble with. The expression in the industry is “jumping the shark” and it means when the plot just gets to absurd. I could see her wanting to end her life after all of this... She hates herself for what she has done, what has happened to her and she has become…but the whole little boy wandering into the street exactly at the same time and her never really looking for his parents. That is a bit much for me to swallow.

Moving on, we have her husband (who we now know is a jerk) possibly two-timing on her and taking her most treasured possession in the world (besides her virginity), which of course was not in the apartment and blown to bits, because she took it with her to the air raid shelter. This (along with seeing him at the party) of course sends her over the edge and back to reality (finally, thank you) and gives her back the backbone you saw was missing...I can see all this happening as well.

I can also see the whole Mark buying his way out of the Army as we now know he is a real slime ball.

I also accept the ending with Uncle Fyodor siding with and taking Veronika over Mark as he really did like her all along and now he has proof his schmuck of a nephew really is a loser. This allows Fyodor to finally take Veronika back into the family.

And there you have it, a fairly realistic story line. If you just take out the little boy scene, the rest of it really does work and is very plausible.
(are ya wavering yet coffeecup?)



Have you ever heard of the Fighting Sullivan Brothers? I don't think the younger generation of Americans have so I am not certain how many foreigners know this story. I only know it because of my dad.
(he still has this poster)


The Sullivan’s were five brothers who all enlisted in the Navy for WWII on the ONE condition that they all serve together. Now normally the Navy separated siblings, but in this case, tragically they did not and all five of them were killed in action.

Now, if you saw a movie with a plot about 5 brothers all enlisting and demanding to serve together and the Navy just turning a blind eye and actually letting them and THEN, and THEN...they all die within 8 days of each other...if you saw that movie without knowing the story line really happened in true life, it would seem pretty fake and silly (kind of jumping the shark), wouldn't it?? And it might just ruin the entire movie for you because it just turned you off and no matter how good everything else was in the film, you could not suspend disbelief and forget that there was a movie screen in front of you.

So that plot compared to Cranes??? Cranes seems pretty resonable, no?
(come on coffeecup, your thinkin' I'm a little right now, ain't cha?)

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

Second: Veronika had no backbone whatsoever.

What about Anna from, The Lady with the Dog? That was a character without a backbone! Both characters felt guilt about cheating on their man, yet I did not feel anything from Anna's character. Anyway, throughout the film, Veronika has to fight her way to see Boris. There are three times that she does this. She is actually fighting a sea of people, swimming upstream, against the flow to find HER man! As if all odds are against her. It is a foreshadowing of things to come of course. Yet, she never gives up, this chick has moxie, she just loses it for a while.
(come on coffeecup, come on over to the dark side. It's okay, I have cream puffs waiting for ya.)

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

Third: the plot only aim is mental suffering and compassion. I don't see any difference if there was a maniac physically torturing a chained and strapped victim all the movie long. The only difference is that the victim would wish to escape while Veronica doesn't.

I think there are two times she does want to escape. Once when she tries to kill herself and once when she tries to leave him but Uncle Fyodor stops her. And, IMHO, the plot is also about how people deal with their feelings during difficult times.

Boris chose to enlist in the Army and serve his country even though he was young and could get out of serving while his cousin did just the opposite, he bought his way out. Was Mark against the war on principles? No, he just did not want to fight. Yet Boris, he wanted to serve. These are two very different character traits.

The film also showed a female doctor and made the reference to if she had been born a man (at least in the English subtitles it says that). In any case, it was interesting to me that they showed a female surgeon, Irina. Back then in the U.S., how many films had female surgeons? They were showing only female nurses.

Also, Uncle Fyodor had great depth as a character and the plot surrounding him and how he handled the situation of both his son and his nephew. He had lost his son to the war and now finds out his nephew had paid not to be drafted, would he be thankful or upset? This is a pivotal point. The character could have gone either way.

So this movie is really a study and reflection of human nature and how we as humans (notice I am not saying Russians) deal with life. HOWEVER, this film offers so much more. To me, this film has a depth to it “artistically” and I know that this is a hot topic right now. What is artistic? When I saw this film, I saw so much more than light on transparent celluloid. I saw all the art forms working as one to make magic. And with the exception of the little boy scene, to suspend disbelief. I was brought into their world. They were no longer two dimensional flickering images. They became real to me.

(Game, set, match.)

I'm tired now.

Okay... after that longggg posting...time for some fun! American TV style.

This was on last night and it was one of the best episodic shows I have seen in YEARS! The show is called "Glee" and it is brand new. From start to finish this episode was (as Johanna would say) BRILLIANT!

I found the opening clip (it is cut a little short so you miss the dad's comments) and a clip from towards the end of the show. I have no idea how long they will stay up on Youtube. I also have a link so you can watch the entire episode if you want. As it is only the 4th show in the series, I think you should be able to just watch it without much trouble.

IMPORTANT! NOW if you have NOT seen "Beyoncé - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"
music video, you NEED to watch that FIRST to really appreciate all the humor.

Beyoncé - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - watch first if you have not seen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mVEGfH4s5g

Glee - Single Ladies Opening of the show (quality not so great, but only one up right now)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHTuWtJY1Ww

Glee - Single Ladies (Football Team Dance) 09/23/09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U-Qz8yzxVQ

Glee SE0104 full episode
http://www.quicktvonline.com/2009/09/glee-s01e04.html

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Her decision to marry him is a paradox.

Guys, it's not a paradox. It's a paradox only for a modern man who doesn't care a hang that women, and especially innocent girls, can't act and see things the same way as men do; and that there were times when people had different morals. Also, such a man can't understand that if you've just experienced a bombing, are half-conscious, and a man takes you in his arms and carries you somewhere - if you're an innocent girl, all that DOES NOT yet mean to you WHAT he's going to do with you now! ESPECIALLY at those times.

Yet, I could still buy this as it was a war time, she just lost her parents, and she was scared and in those days a woman was probably thought of as "dirty" or somehow wrong if that happened to her and she was not mentally all there, blah, blah, blah. And how would she explain not being a virgin any longer to Boris once he came home from the war?

That's a very good explanation, Rockzmom, and especially the latter; it was actually her main reason, I think.

and her never really looking for his parents.

Oh, Rockzmom, if you only knew how many kids were getting lost then! They just were not able to say where are they from and what is their surname and the parents' names, so how could one look the parents then? Then again, there was no Internet or TV there, so the search would not be something easy. And finally, I think she did try to find his parents; but it is soooo obvious that the director doesn't show that in the film.

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

If the government gave money for a movie and did not get any profit in the box office, the government just covered the expenses by selling more missiles or fight planes to some third world countries.

You forgot to mention how these "sellings" were occured: USSR gave to some third world countries that equipment, but the money for those deals USSR never got. And modern Russia just canceled majority of this debts. Just guess who was paying in result. (И извини, конечно, Кофечашко, но если ты действительно так считаешь (что Советское правительство наживалось за счёт продажи оружия на странах третьего мира), то ты дурачок, ну а в противном случае ты просто ...)

Originally Posted by Оля

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Her decision to marry him is a paradox.

Guys, it's not a paradox.

Maybe I should have stated a "moral paradox" or an "ethical dilemma?"

Example: the conflict between a moral injunction and a duty that cannot be fulfilled without violating that injunction. For example, take the situation of a parent with children who must be fed (the duty), but cannot afford to do so without stealing, which would be wrong (the injunction). Such a conflict between two maxims is normally resolved through weakening one or the other of them: the need for survival is greater than the need to abide by the law.

In the case of the movie, Veronika has been raped by Mark. She is in love with Boris and is to marry him (the duty), yet she has the shame of what has happened to her (the injucntion). Can she really marry the man that just raped her ? Can she face Boris again knowing he will find out she is no longer a virgin? Can she face Boris' family knowing that she has betrayed Boris and married Mark? Can she face them if she tells them what Mark has done? She is in a no win situation. She has a need for survival.

Originally Posted by Basil77

... Just guess who was paying in result. (И извини, конечно, Кофечашко, но если ты действительно так считаешь (что Советское правительство наживалось за счёт продажи оружия на странах третьего мира), то ты дурачок, ну а в противном случае ты просто ...)

Мне очень жаль, что я задел Ваши чувства, уважаемый Базиль. Я не знал, что на форуме есть люди, которые из своих личных средств финансировали всю советскую военную промышленность, и их может сильно ранить тот факт, что страны, в которых людям нечего есть, до сих пор не выплатили им дивиденды. В следующий раз, когда мне захочется пошутить я буду использовать в качестве объекта шутки только медведей и балалайки. Надеюсь Вы не были руководителем совхоза по разведению медведей или школы обучения медведей игре на балалайках.

I can honestly say... I have never seen any of these movies!!!

Worst of the Worst
Counting down the worst reviewed movies of the last 10 years
(if you want to learn more about these movies here is the link http://www.rottentomatoes.com/guides/wo ... the_worst/)

100 Whiteout (2009)
99 Glitter (2001)
98 Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005)
97 Boat Trip (2003)
96 All About Steve (2009)
95 Lost Souls (2000)
94 The New Guy (2002)
93 A Sound of Thunder (2005)
92 Babylon A.D. (200
91 Surviving Christmas (2004)
90 Dragonfly (2002)
89 Basic Instinct 2 (2006)
88 Kaena: The Prophecy (2004)
87 Testosterone (2003)
86 Pavilion of Women (2001)
85 Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector (2006)
84 Thr3e (2007)
83 Doogal (2006)
82 Supercross: The Movie (2005)
81 Extreme Ops (2002)
80 Big Momma's House 2 (2006)
79 The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
78 Deck the Halls (2006)
77 Date Movie (2006)
76 Johnson Family Vacation (2004)
75 Son of the Mask (2005)
74 Envy (2004)
73 Gigli (2003)
72 Broken Bridges (2006)
71 College (200
70 New Best Friend (2002)
69 The Cookout (2004)
68 Yu-Gi-Oh: The Movie (2004)
67 The Hottie & the Nottie (200
66 The Fog (2005)
65 Swept Away (2002)
64 Corky Romano (2001)
63 Yours, Mine, & Ours (2005)
62 Serving Sara (2002)
61 Good Luck Chuck (2007)
60 The Perfect Man (2005)
59 88 Minutes (200
58 Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
57 Godsend (2004)
56 Because I Said So (2007)
55 The Celestine Prophecy (2006)
54 Harry And Max (2005)
53 Modigliani (2005)
52 The Bridge of San Luis Rey (2005)
51 Fascination (2005)
50 Dirty Love (2005)
49 In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (200
48 BloodRayne (2006)
47 Soul Survivors (2001)
46 Material Girls (2006)
45 My Baby's Daddy (2004)
44 Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009)
43 Darkness (2003)
42 House of the Dead (2003)
41 Zoom (2006)
40 Down to You (2000)
39 Miss March (2009)
38 Happily N'Ever After (2007)
37 Code Name: The Cleaner (2007)
36 The Whole Ten Yards (2004)
35 Deal (200
34 The Haunting of Molly Hartley (200
33 Delta Farce (2007)
32 Deuces Wild (2002)
31 The Covenant (2006)
30 Fear Dot Com (2002)
29 Bless the Child (2000)
28 Rollerball (2002)
27 Battlefield Earth (2000)
26 Kickin' It Old Skool (2007)
25 Meet the Spartans (200
24 Texas Rangers (2001)
23 The In Crowd (2000)
22 Disaster Movie (200
21 Epic Movie (2007)
20 Crossover (2006)
19 Half Past Dead (2002)
18 The Master of Disguise (2002)
17 Twisted (2004)
16 Daddy Day Camp (2007)
15 Alone in the Dark (2005)
14 Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)
13 Constellation (2007)
12 Killing Me Softly (2002)
11 Merci Docteur Rey! (2002)
10 Witless Protection (200
9 Redline (2007)
8 3 Strikes (2000)
7 Strange Wilderness (200
6 Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)
5 National Lampoon's Gold Diggers (2004)
4 King's Ransom (2005)
3 Pinocchio (2002)
2 One Missed Call (200
1 Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002)

Originally Posted by Оля

if you only knew how many kids were getting lost then! They just were not able to say where are they from and what is their surname and the parents' names, so how could one look the parents then?

That is such a tragic result of the war! I am so grateful my country was not affected -- but it took in lots of orphans whose parents could not be located. Probably USSR was the worst affected country, but Germany and many other countries also had lots of lost children.

I remember a very touching Russian film about a group of Russian WW2 orphans who lived with a Moslem couple, don't remember the name of the film unfortunately, but it was good. From Germany there is "Suchkind 312" (Lost Child 312 - loose translation) which has been made into a film twice. A woman is on a refugee train and loses her daughter while she leaves the train to get some milk. The train leaves without her and in the chaos of the war, nothing can be done to re-unite them. These stories really caught my imagination as a child. All so tragic and actually, most of these children are still alive! Here are some such stories:

Suchkind 312 --- A German heart-wrenching classic about a mother and daughter who got separated during the last months of the war.


"They called her Leni" True story about a 1950s German girl who discovered that she was really Czechoslovakian, and went there.


Kyra and Shurik - True story about a nurse who adopts an orphan called Shurik during the siege of Leningrad. Both starve and freeze due to the blockade...


"Hitlerjunge Salomon" aka Europa, Europa.. A horrible TRUE story about a Jewish orphan boy who first fights with the Red Army, then gets adopted by a German couple who sends him to a Nazi boarding school. The man is still alive and lives in Israel.


EDIT -- I found the Russian film I was talking about earlier. "You are not an orphan". But no subs unfortunately..

Смею посоветовать вам фильм Долгие проводы. Я про фильмы не умею говорить, особенно на языках не моих, итак просто перепишу его synopsis, вот:

Саша был смыслом всей ее жизни. Теперь, когда сын подрос, у нее появилось больше свободного времени - и она позволяла чуткому Николаю Сергеевичу ухаживать за собой. После летней поездки сына к отцу, она стала замечать в Саше перемены. Тайком прочитав письмо его отца, поняла, что сын хочет уехать. Ей не хватило мудрости для правильного поведения и понимания не своей жизни. А Саша оказался тоньше и сильнее матери. Поняв, что мать страдает, он отказался от своего решения.

Можно посмотреть отрывок из фильма сюда: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no1jzz05tvI

(Кстати, «она позволяла чуткому Николаю Сергеевичу ухаживать за собой» звучит очень странно для меня, а для русских нормально?)

Originally Posted by Zubr

Смею посоветовать вам фильм Долгие проводы. Я про фильмы не умею говорить, особенно на языках не моих, итак просто перепишу его синопсис (краткое описание/содержание, аннотацию), вот: <...> Можно посмотреть отрывок из фильма [s:29h892v8]сюда[/s:29h892v8] здесь: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no1jzz05tvI

(Кстати, «она позволяла чуткому Николаю Сергеевичу ухаживать за собой» звучит очень странно для меня, а для русских нормально?)

1)
Несовершенный вид: можно посмотреть здесь/там, ходить здесь/там
Совершенный вид: обязательно посмотрите сюда/туда, пойти туда/сюда

2)
Фраза нормальная. А что в ней смущает?

Саша был смыслом всей ее жизни. Теперь, когда сын подрос, у нее появилось больше свободного времени - и она позволяла чуткому Николаю Сергеевичу ухаживать за собой. После летней поездки сына к отцу, она стала замечать в Саше перемены. Тайком прочитав письмо его отца, поняла, что сын хочет уехать. Ей не хватило мудрости для правильного поведения и понимания не своей жизни. А Саша оказался тоньше и сильнее матери. Поняв, что мать страдает, он отказался от своего решения.

The main idea of the film is monstrous for me. A mother is a life, and a death, is a death for an individuality will.

Originally Posted by Звездочёт

2)
Фраза нормальная. А что в ней смущает?

Кажется, в ней местоимение собой указывает не на мать, а на Николая Сергеевича.

Аааа.
С точки зрения грамматика ты, вообще-то, прав. Хотя из-за контекста я эту ошибку не заметил, и вряд ли кто из носителей (если только он не очень щепетилен) заметит.

Originally Posted by Zubr

...(Кстати, «она позволяла чуткому Николаю Сергеевичу ухаживать за собой» звучит очень странно для меня, а для русских нормально?)

Если бы местоимение собой указывало не на мать, а на Николая Сергеевича, то фраза звучала бы так: она позволяла ...Николаю Сергеевичу ухаживать за самим собой.

Originally Posted by Lampada

Если бы местоимение собой указывало не на мать, а на Николая Сергеевича, то фраза звучала бы так: она позволяла ...Николаю Сергеевичу ухаживать за самим собой.

Ммм... думаю, это не обязательно. Просто выражение распространено, и глагол "ухаживать" в таком контексте применим обычно к женщине. Поэтому ясно, о чём идёт речь.

Originally Posted by Звездочёт

Хотя из-за контекста я эту ошибку не заметил, и вряд ли кто из носителей (если только он не очень щепетилен) заметит.

Я не вижу тут ошибки. "Она позволяла ухаживать за собой". Совершенно нормальная фраза. С точки зрения грамматики она не ошибочная, а двусмысленная. Но с точки зрения контекста тут никакой двусмысленности нет.

I met Kenny Johnson YEARS ago when I first started to study film in LA. His son, David, attended the same college I was at and we were in several classes together. At that time, Kenny was filming his TV mini-series "V" and it was the first location set I "remember" being on. Interestingly enough, there is a remake of "V" coming out this year on ABC yet he has nothing to do with that remake as the studios own the TV series rights!

For all of you SciFi buffs, he will be in Moscow in a week!


http://www.kennethjohnson.us/Classes.html (English)

http://www.cinemotion.ru/cinemotion/main_article_cont
Кеннет Джонсон — создатель, сценарист, продюсер и режиссер таких сериалов, как «Невероятный Халк» и «V», римейк которого выходит в этом сезоне на одном из главных каналов США — «ABC». Кеннет неоднократно был номинирован на различные премии, в том числе на Премию Гильдии Сценаристов. В 1996 году он получил награду журнала «Sci-fi Universe» за многочисленные достижения (Lifetime Achievement Award).
29 октября. Кеннет Джонсон. «Создание пилотного эпизода. Как рождаются сериалы»
Мы предлагаем вам уникальную возможность лично встретиться с автором, работавшим более чем над 10 сериалами.

Вы сможете узнать:

В чем специфика сценария пилотного эпизода?
Как написать сценарий пилотного эпизода так, чтобы заинтересовать продюсеров и каналы?
Как представить персонажей и ввести в пилотный эпизод завязки будущих сюжетов?
Какие идеи имеют потенциал развития на протяжении нескольких сезонов?
Какие элементы обязательно должны быть в пилоте?
Насколько проработанным должен быть мир сериала до написания пилота?

Кроме того, у вас будет возможность задать другие интересующие вас вопросы.

Мастер-классы проводятся по адресу: Москва, Филипповский пер., д. 8, стр. 1. (м. Арбатская, Кропоткинская) с 19 до 22 часов.

Стоимость одного мастер-класса составляет 4 200 рублей. При ранней регистрации (до 11 октября) — 3 500 рублей.
Стоимость посещения двух мастер-классов Пола Брауна — 6 200 рублей.
Стоимость посещения трёх мастер-классов — 8 500 рублей.

Подробную информацию вы можете получить по телефону +7 495 411–74–77 (Лиза Вайнер), e-mail: courses@cinemotion.ru

Let's talk a little bit about Russians invasion to Hollywood. Couple-three days ago I was in a store and saw a DVD box from which an unshaved man wearing a horn-rimmed glasses fixed with a tape looked at me holding tightly in his hands a guitar and a sword. My mind was flashed with the memory of the movie I've seen ten yeas ago. I grabbed the DVD straightaway and put myself into the stream of the movie entitled "Six-String Samurai".

Six-String Samurai is a post-apocalyptic kung-fu-rock & roll road movie depicting America where guitar-slinging swordsmen wage battle to succeed a recently deceased Elvis as the king of Lost Vegas.

Even though the movie start point is the fact that a Russian nuclear bomb made the US to be a desert and during some scenes the main character defeated the Red Army, these points are just the screenplay features which I am sure were not intended to put a black spot on Russia but to put the main character in more troubles than one can expect.

So, if the Red Army is not the Russian invasion to Hollywood I am talking about, what else in the movie the Russian invasion is? It is the music! The entire movie is accompanied with the music by the Russian based band "Red Elvises". You even can see them in the movie: the guys with "nice shoes".

Some fun stuff: Red Elvises being Russian speak English in the movie's scenes while the actors for Red Army general and lieutenants being non-Russian speak Russian with remarkable accent.

The power of good acting, of an audience, and a big screen.

Last night, I attended a film festival and was reminded of a few things.

First, I was reminded that sometimes you really need to see a movie in a movie theater WITH people to properly experience and appreciate the film. To have people around you sniveling and crying. To hear them laughing through their tears. Or muttering “that little slut” at the same time you are thinking it.

Secondly, I witnessed firsthand how good acting can save a movie. Last night I witnessed something amazing. During one of the screenings a film which started off really poorly, bad sound, bad camera work and even some really poor casting (two adult siblings … one was Hispanic and the other was Black... the audience actually laughed at that one)… and yet… part way through this film… magic happened. The audience, who was ready to rip this film apart, fell in love with this film and was actually crying at the end and it was all due to the acting.

I have seen this particular film before, yet never with a large audience and never on a large screen. So for me this experience of seeing it with people was new and very interesting. It actually changed my perception of this film. I now understand WHY this film does so well in festivals. Before, last night I just could not for the life of me understand why it had won awards. Technically, the film is a train wreck (I should be fair and say it is by a first time director). The acting I always thought was fairly good, yet I had no idea it sucked people in SO much that it help people to forgive all the negative things. During all the other films screened last night, there was NO audience reaction and yet with this film, there was right from the start (as I mentioned they laughed at the bad casting) and then when the main star came on, she drew the audience in and made them care about her and forget all about the bad technical work and focus on her. Her body language. Her lines. Her. And the audience fell for her hook line and sinker. I would not have believed it if I had not seen and heard it with my own eyes. People laughing out loud at all the right moments in the film and then crying at the end and then finally trying to laugh through their tears when she delivered perfectly two final witty lines.

This actress saved this film and now after seeing this film WITH and audience and in a big theater, I finally understand WHY it does so well.

Finally, it makes me wonder about other films we have been discussing. Would I change my mind about them if I had seen them in a theater with an audience???