MdnightRadio7L

Now, I don't say this very often, but Gods and Generals was frankly the most god-awful film I've ever seen. I never walk out of films-- And I mean *never*-- but after two hours of horridness, I probably would have exploded if I had sat through the rest of it. The directing was weak, the script was ridiculous, the acting was terribly depressing (especially given the cast), and the most exciting parts of the whole thing involved the fake (and fake-looking) beards plastered to the actors' chins. It looked as if Chia Pets were taking over their faces. One of them even had a life of its own-- it moved around on the bloke's face from shot to shot. If there had been just one thing to redeem this film... well, that's wishful thinking. It's not even amazingly historically accurate. I have to say that I can't even think of a rating to give Gods and Generals. Thoroughly a depressing effort (if it can even be called that...).

There really is no other way to describe this film than amazing. Ok, and marvelous and lovely and one of the most completely wonderful films ever. Visually, it's nothing less than stunning-- the direction is fabulous-- and the acting is superb, both Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor positively shining in a set of incredible performances. Truly a marvelous film-- two words: SEE IT.

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love and be loved in return."

the thing that really bugged me about this film is the fact that it really wasn't based enough on Shirley Jackson's great novel The Haunting of Hill House to claim that. The characters names were the same, and, with the exception of Luke, pretty much as written by Jackson, but the whole story was absolutely nothing like the book. While it was an ok, although slightly overdone, film, I was disappointed in its departure from the original story.