LeonardOsborneKael

I think you could live a thousand years and never see a more brilliantly made cinematic work. Literally every scene is eloquently written and masterfully filmed. The visual tone exactly matches the content of every moment of the film. You very rarely see such technical virtuosity coupled with such depth of human interaction. ALL the performances are spot on. The movie takes an unflinching, unvarnished look at vulnerability and love and loss and the way of the world for young people growing up in our time. You've known these kids -- maybe you WERE one of them. Alternately brutal and magical -- FOXFIRE is an absolute masterwork in every way. A vividly beautiful, heartbreaking inspiration.

As I recall, the book "GAME CHANGE" was accused of ridiculing Sarah Palin. I'm sure many of the over-sensitive could take that away from the movie, too, but I absolutely did not. In fact, seeing this movie gave me not only a more detailed view of what happened but it also brought me to some serious admiration for Ms. Palin. There are a lot of laughs - it was a crazy situation at times - but the movie clearly illustrates how presidential campaigns have become a form of guerrilla warfare. What the film does best is show Ms. Palin's astonishing gifts as a public speaker and political activist. Julianne Moore gives a truly miraculous performance - there were many times when I thought: "How can that NOT be the actual Sarah Palin!" Before I saw this movie I had chalked most of Palin's success up to her good looks. I realize now that there is a genius of a certain kind in her. The movie makes that clear but very objectively shows her at her best and at her worst. She at times appears to be a monster - though no more so than any person who takes on leadership and responsibilities and has learned how to seriously kick butt. As has often been pointed out, men are forgiven for this far more readily than women. Sarah Palin has the one trait that's universally admired among humans and has been since before the Pleistocene: guts. You have to respect that - and the fact that she's coming from a place of deep personal conviction. If she had only grown up in a metropolitan setting and gotten a standard university education, who knows where she could be today? That's the sad and astonishing reality: her limitations seem to be due to the simple reality that she grew up in a very small town and did not get a very thorough education. I came away convinced that, had she been around in simpler times (maybe the early 1800s) she might well have become the first woman president - a hundred years before women had the right to vote! Lookout Annie Oakley! Eva Peron has nothing on Sarah. Great movie! It works because it remains at all times focused on the humanity of all the characters. The political efforts are merely the stage for each character to play out his or her true nature. I highly recommend this to Repubs and Dems alike. You will LOVE it!

Every now and then a show comes along that just goes its own way -- fearless -- provocative -- dazzling! This is one of those rare treats and you have to hope that its audience finds it while this absolute miracle is still on the air. These people trust their maddest impulses and what you get is not only hilariously funny but also outrageously original and profoundly entertaining. Just when you think you know who these characters are they stun you with another of their many hidden "facets". Chloe (Krysten Ritter) is always in danger of running away with this one -- you just almost never see a performance this outrageously over-the-top that is also so beautifully nuanced ... but not so fast -- June (Dreama Walker) can turn it way, way up at any time and so can James Van Der Beek -- or possibly anyone in this all-pro cast -- who knows?