Reviews
Sparkle (1976)
Unforgettable
I watched this movie every chance I got, back in the Seventies when it came out on cable. It was my introduction to Harlem, which has fascinated me (and Bill Clinton) ever since. I was still very young, and the movie made a big impression on me. It was great to see a movie about other young girls growing up, trying to decide whom they wanted to be, and making some bad choices as well as good ones. I was dazzled by Lonette McKee's beauty, the great dresses they eventually got to wear, and the snappy dialogue. As someone being raised by a single mother as well, I could really identify with these girls and their lives. It's funny, these characters seem almost more real to me than Beyonce Knowles!
She's the One (1996)
Polished, Perfect
This movie succeeds where The Brothers McMullen and The Sidewalks of New York do not. In my opinion it is one of the best romantic comedies of all time. Maxine Bahns and Mike McClone from TBM rejoin Ed for this movie, and this time they get it right- almost as if the first movie were just a practice run.
At first it was hard to adjust to Jennifer Aniston out of her Friends role, but after getting over it I appreciated her timing and delivery as much as ever. When she tells Mike's character that she doesn't know if she could survive another of his "down cycles" it is as great as anything from Friends.
I'm a big fan of both Ed and New York, and this movie shows how wonderful both can be.