Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Sorry, this movie sucks

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

a film about refuge of past. and fear for future. a great role for Ian McKellen and an exercise for Brandan Fraser to escape from its usual characters circle. a movie who seduce. not only for story but for its melancholic atmosphere. it is like respiration of late autumn - soft, bitter, delicate. a film who not only present the final part of a life, a part of memories, need of the other and social ingratitude but the fall of a world. and that is great in this case. Lynn Redgrave, Ian McKellen, the precise delicacy and high inspiration of Bill Condon are pillars for a special confession of a way to discover the existence and transform it.sure, Brandan Fraser is not the best option for Clayton but his blank performance is useful in that puzzle. maybe, for define better the profound flavor of a world in its sense search.

This superb biographical film of the B-movie director James Whale (Frankenstein 1931, Bride of Frankenstein 1935, The Invisible Man 1933 and Show Boat 1936) has been put on my shelf for many years after my first viewing almost 10 years ago. I have no background information about the director and his works neither, but the worldly- famous Frankenstein franchise has no international barrier here, the interlinked amalgamation of the monster in his film and the director's own later years is a magic maneuver, which includes the identity reversal of the creator and the monster, its sociological overtone reflects vividly in our epoch. The strong cast is the cornerstone of the film, Ian McKellen finally has achieved the performance of his lifetime, he has devoted himself whole-heartedly as the wrenched director on his preordained destiny and emancipated an empowering dominance all over his scenes, his skillful theatre experience enhances both the pathos and the momentum of his tragic fate, which come so strong as to leave me unprepared for an emotional thrust. Brendan Fraser as the opposite drop-dead gorgeous gardener, exudes an angelic attractiveness which has lost in all his subsequent films. Alongside with Sir McKellen, the late Lynn Redgrave also received her second Oscar nomination for her role, the trustworthy maid who annotates the most sophisticated human emotion mixed with unrequited passion, admiration, jealousy, desperation and many others from a rather plain character, which is a textbook epitome of interpretation a supporting role. Another linchpin of the film lies firmly in its Oscar-winning script, full of witty remarks which could be a tug-of-war between sardonicism and sympathy, by comparison Bill Condon's directional capacity is being overshadowed. Anyway, Gods & Monsters has become one of my all-time favorite now.

"Gods and Monsters" released in 1998, but set in 1950's Hollywood, boasts some fine performances. Ian McKellan plays film director James Whale, most known for directing "Frankenstein" and a few sequels. The aging Whale becomes infatuated with his young hunky gardener, played by Brendan Fraser. Fraser is playing very much against type here, considering what roles he was known for then and now. Fraser plays Clayton, a man who has some ambition about becoming an actor. Lynn Redgrave is also on hand, playing Whale's stern maid. Redgrave's performance is a hoot -- she plays it very much over-the-top, but it works great for the role (she received an Oscar nomination). This film, on the surface, seemed to be about the aging gay guy (McKellan) versus the young good-looking straight guy (Fraser). While this plays into every stereotype about gay men (they lust after every straight guy -- which is nonsense), I was pleasantly surprised that it is about so much more. Clayton seems to long for a father figure, having never been close to his own. He seems to find that a bit in Whale, although we are never sure whether his attempts to please Whale are self-serving (his ambition) or that he really may like him as a friend and father figure. The film has an odd ending and takes some twists and turns, so I won't give all that away, but a few notes about the performances. Some comments seem to suggest Brendan Fraser was miscast. I disagree. While it's true he has to hold his own next to two veteran actors of stage and screen (McKellan and Redgrave) his role is far more complex and difficult than either of the two leads. It is a shame Fraser hasn't done more dramas. Anyway, this is a decent film with good production values. Even if you are turned off by the subject matter, open your mind enough to give it a try.

"Why do you take care of him, Hanna?" "It is my -job-." Hanna -has- a job.Old Jimmy has his -freedom-."I -loved- making motion pictures." He loves his freedom. But he cannot -stand- it.Addicted to creativity, the narcissistic self-stimulator will not so easily come to terms with the loss of his capacities."You must please excuse me, but I am blind." "Alone, -bad-. Friend, -good-." "So what did you think of the movie?" -I- thought it was truthful.