Movie Reviews: "Amelia" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 10-24-2009, 03:12 PM

Movie Reviews: Amelia

The famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart may have been regarded as a fascinating figure and overdue for a movie about her, but most critics have not found this movie very fascinating at all.

As Lou Lumenick comments in the New York Post: "Considering this is the first-ever theatrical biopic of Earhart, she deserves better."

Claudia Puig in USA Today says that the problem is, "We don't get a sense of what propelled her to such courageous heights. Familiar platitudes, headline montages and voice-over pontificating bog down the story in superficiality."

It's worse than that, says Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal. As played by Hillary Swank, he writes, "we get a protofeminist with a frozen smile spouting free-as-a-bird slogans from a bird-brained script. The film struggles to stay aloft, and may soon vanish, like its namesake, without a trace."

And Michael O'Sullivan in the Washington Post adds: "Look, nobody's asking for a miniseries here, but at times the movie feels more like a History Channel documentary -- respectful to the point of reverential -- than a rip-snorting yarn."

-IMDB News

catlover79 · 10-24-2009, 09:25 PM

I remember seeing two made for TV movies about Amelia Earhart - one was with Diane Keaton and the other was with Susan Clark (Webster). I'm kind of surprised this is the first theatrical movie about her.

Marvo301 · 10-24-2009, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I remember seeing two made for TV movies about Amelia Earhart - one was with Diane Keaton and the other was with Susan Clark (Webster). I'm kind of surprised this is the first theatrical movie about her.

Amelia Earhart really was a bigger than life person and lead a fascinating life. It really is surprising that this is the first big screen movie about her. Hollywood usually loves a good bio-pic.

catlover79 · 10-24-2009, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

Amelia Earhart really was a bigger than life person and lead a fascinating life. It really is surprising that this is the first big screen movie about her. Hollywood usually loves a good bio-pic.

PLUS...(SPOILERS)

This is the THIRD major character Hilary plays that is killed off (Boys Don't Cry, Million Dollar Baby, Amelia).

browneyes106 · 10-25-2009, 02:08 PM

Most of the reviews I read have pretty much been the same. Some reviews have said that Hilary's acting is good but the story in the biopic isn't great. Biopics are usually hits or misses in Hollywood. I will probably see this when it's on DVD.

catlover79 · 10-25-2009, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by browneyes106

Most of the reviews I read have pretty been the same. Some reviews have said that Hilary's acting is good but the story in the biopic isn't great. Biopics are usually hits or misses in Hollywood. I will probably see this when it's on DVD.

ponytail · 10-26-2009, 06:23 AM

I saw the movie Saturday. I thought it was good. You know what is going to happen. Hillary did a fine job. It's not a great movie but I enjoyed it. Too bad a lot of the younger generation doesn't know who she is. I overheard a kid say, "I think she flew a plane."

10-24-2009, 03:12 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,136	Movie Reviews: "Amelia" Movie Reviews: Amelia The famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart may have been regarded as a fascinating figure and overdue for a movie about her, but most critics have not found this movie very fascinating at all. As Lou Lumenick comments in the New York Post: "Considering this is the first-ever theatrical biopic of Earhart, she deserves better." Claudia Puig in USA Today says that the problem is, "We don't get a sense of what propelled her to such courageous heights. Familiar platitudes, headline montages and voice-over pontificating bog down the story in superficiality." It's worse than that, says Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal. As played by Hillary Swank, he writes, "we get a protofeminist with a frozen smile spouting free-as-a-bird slogans from a bird-brained script. The film struggles to stay aloft, and may soon vanish, like its namesake, without a trace." And Michael O'Sullivan in the Washington Post adds: "Look, nobody's asking for a miniseries here, but at times the movie feels more like a History Channel documentary -- respectful to the point of reverential -- than a rip-snorting yarn." -IMDB News

10-24-2009, 09:25 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	I remember seeing two made for TV movies about Amelia Earhart - one was with Diane Keaton and the other was with Susan Clark (Webster). I'm kind of surprised this is the first theatrical movie about her.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

10-25-2009, 02:08 PM	#5
browneyes106 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 01, 2008 Posts: 6,094	Most of the reviews I read have pretty much been the same. Some reviews have said that Hilary's acting is good but the story in the biopic isn't great. Biopics are usually hits or misses in Hollywood. I will probably see this when it's on DVD.
	Last edited by browneyes106; 10-25-2009 at 06:22 PM.

10-26-2009, 06:23 AM	#7
ponytail Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2004 Location: In Happy, Healthy, Wealthyville Posts: 4,273	I saw the movie Saturday. I thought it was good. You know what is going to happen. Hillary did a fine job. It's not a great movie but I enjoyed it. Too bad a lot of the younger generation doesn't know who she is. I overheard a kid say, "I think she flew a plane."