Masterful Movie

I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

I have seen this movie many years earlier, and now I can say that this topic about women prison camp during WW2 has already been made some decades ago. Let me talk about them: FIVE GATES TO HELL, SEVEN WOMEN FROM HELL and also THREE CAME HOME. So this movie is not so new...But it is a very exquisite film that is worth viewing. The performances are outstanding. We can also think of BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI. That's all I wanted to say about this feature. It's a shame that the director - Bruce Beresford - is not more known worldwide. He is a very effective film maker.But that's for another comment.

Paradise Road is based on a true World War II story of a boat load of women and children fleeing the imminent Japanese occupation of the then British colony. The boat is sunk and survivors made it to the shore of an island that was already occupied by the Japanese military, where they are herded into a brutal prison camp. Brutal World War II prison camps have been portrayed before, but this story is unique because to keep their spirits up the women manage to organize an a capella vocal group that performs classical music for the prisoners. The camp officers and guards join the audience.I disagree with critic Roger Ebert who found the story line to be less dramatic than it could have been. I found the story gripping from the opening scene of a British high society ball in Singapore in which the British elite expressed their prejudices about Japanese and their erroneous belief that the Japanese army will be no match for the British military. It lost interest only after the war's end was announced. The film ended at that point without going into what the camp was like during the 2 weeks after the Japanese surrendered but before the victors reached the camp.All the cast performances were very strong. Many of the cast had important parts and all gave very strong credible performances. Glen Close was excellent in what I would call the lead role, the concert organizer and conductor.Although the action takes place in 1942-1945, the film was made in 1997. The prejudices that existed in the 1942-45 period are included in the film, but the 1997 sensibilities are expressed in making the Japanese military roles multidimensional, rather than pure evil. The only sadist was the Japanese Captain who was a member of the Japanese equivalent of Nazi Germany's Gestapo.

I found this movie touching, beautiful and inspirational. Three elements, which I love in any movie are combined into one: War, music, and the strength of women.There were some brutal moments, some funny, some surprising, and moments where I was moved to tears. A strong ensemble cast, great directing, and fabulous scenery combine to make a memorable film.Of course there were some historical inaccuracies as there are in any film, and faults in the script. However, I'm perfectly willing to overlook them in light of the fantastic performances by the actors, strength of the story, and beautiful music. Some of the music includes Elgar's Cello Concerto, Bollero, and Dvorak's New World Symphony.Glenn Close was wonderful as always, and you can recognise Cate Blanchett's star potential. Even then she stands out from the cast. I also adored the performances of Julianna Margulies, and Jennifer Ehle who is fabulous in everything she does.I recommend others see it- It's my favourite film!

If I was going to describe this movie in one word, the word would be atrocities.I think men who are assigned to the seeing after of POW's, especially female POW's, are particularly inept, and not good for much else, and probably realizing this, and being angry about it, are experts through their anger, in the field of designing, and applying atrocities.The courage, and resourcefulness, of these ladies was impeccable. Even when faced with what seemed to be the most dire of circumstances, they were able to maintain their digninty.The music they created through the expertise of Glenn Close's character, was unique to say the least, and also enjoyed by their keepers, I believe to such an extent, that they were spared at least some of the indignities they would have had to suffered.I've watched this movie several times, and although there are a few places where it seems to get a little slow, it is still a very enjoyable film, because these slow places are essential to the movie as a whole.I couldn't write this without mentioning Frances McDormand. She is so versatile, and in this movie, she proves once again, that there's nothing she can't do!