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2 | Excellent | The book which is a kind of a sequel to an epochmaking book by Alec Wilder is simply indispensable to anyone who is interested in the field. It is both intelligent and entertaining, as a book on popular music should be. Highly recommended. |
2 | Great latin disco | I have only gotten interested in disco in the last few years, but now I am a huge fan. some of my faves include: Salsoul 12", P&P Records Best of, Disco Connection Series, best of WestEnd, & 12" Grand Series. However, even compared to these releases, this CD is the bomb. The first few tracks really jump out at you as infectious dance floor groovers. Although the tracks on this CD are clearly Latin in influence & style, on a musical spectrum I would put the music on this disc somewhat closer to the Salsoul sound than I would to Fania All-Stars disco-era salsa music. |
2 | Not quite Gone with the Wind. | It was interesting to read The Foxes of Harrow again, as a "senior citizen, since I was only in my early teens the first time I read...and enjoyed...the book. It is quite sensual, considering the year it was written. It has held up fine during the years. I probably understood the nuances better as an adult than as a teenager. Frank Yerby was a brilliant writer, and in this book he presents a balanced view of what white slave owners and their slaves faced during that pre-civil war era. I couldn't help comparing it with Gone With the Wind as I read it. |
2 | Wonderful! | I first read this book in 1962. Today, I can remember the characters as if I had read the book yesterday. A beautiful love story written in a gentler time. A story that will tear at your heart and conscience. Very moving! |
1 | inside not as good as the cover | The cover of this book makes the masks look intricate and impressive. On the inside, they look cartoonish. For a Halloween costume, I had more success by blowing up photos of Noh masks on a photocopier and then cutting out the eyes. |
2 | A book that long? Are you kidding me? | Yep, that was my reaction when I first heard of the girth of this book. I tend to believe that if you can't write a good story under 600 pages or a very little bit more, you can't write a good story period. I stopped picking up any book over 600 pages by authors I didn't already like years ago. And even though I really like the work of Lackey, Flint, and Freer, it did take me a few weeks to go get it and then read it. I read it in about two and a half days, a better pace than many a book half it's length. The characters are all worth reading about no matter who you fell most drawn to. The world is a little harder to adjust to than the run of the mill (DRECK!!) stuff that is usually based on northern European mythology were English is the norm and German and French are thrown in for 'culture' and 'scope'. Not only a good read but it has put any follow on's into the top portion of my must buy list. |
1 | Weak | This book was disappointing. It has too many major characters that are inadequately developed and too many plot lines to follow. The magic is an awkward add-in that the book could well have been written without.The first half of the book's plot, several of the characters, and the setting closely resemble one of C. J. Cherryh's Merovingian Nights stories, which was much better. |
1 | Sad | Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorite Authors. This book was such a let down, so much about nothing. The different plot lines were written by different people and you can tell where one picks up and one leaves off. it was a very irritating style.There are so many characters it's easy to mix them up. Some of the characters you never figure out why they are in the novel at all.It's too bad that I spent money on this book when I could have purchased a Mercedes Lackey Novel without help. |
1 | It drags | I tried a couple of times to read this book. Each time I stopped half way through. It dragged in places and was OK in others, but it's definately not up to Mercedes' usual standard. The book finally wound up in the "donate to the library" pile. |
1 | Mercedes wrote this? | I've been a longtime fan of Mercedes and own most of her Valdemar series. So, of course, I picked this book up at my local store. After wrestling through 50 pages, I gave up! I plan to sell it back to my local store ASAP- this is nothing better than a paperweight in my bookshelves. The worst part is, my boyfriend picked it up and tried reading it. Now he thinks that this is a good example of her work! |
1 | Dishonest! | A large part of this book has been cannibalized from an earlier series, Merovingen Nights, a shared world based on a novel by C.J Cherryh (Angel with the Sword). This fact is mentioned nowhere in the book or cover and no credit to C.J. Cherryh is given for the concept.This book is a pale imitation of the original sections of the series that Lackey wrote. In my opinion some of the best writing Lackey has done are in the original series. Unfortunately, the series was never completed and the books are now out of print. I find it sad that Lackey has to resort to presenting previously written work as new. Clearly, she has run out of original ideas and her best works are behind her. |
2 | Alternate Italian Renaissance Light History | Any book set in the Renaissance is pretty much bound to be a complex amalgam of plots and counter plots. This book lives up to its setting in history. I was cautious in approaching a book that was written by three authors, expecting writing dissonance and perhaps some plot danglies. But the authors did a very good job of developing characters and coherent plot. I didn't expect anything along the lines of a serious historial novel, and so was not disappointed. I would almost classify this as a Young Adult book because the majority of the main characters are in the process of coming of age. This is light fare that is well enough written and well plotted to engage your attention. Very light on the fantasy element, and light on characterization - - but don't think that any of the characters are cardboard cutouts. The plot is woven well enough and moves fast enough that deep characterization isn't missed. Well done entertainment. |
2 | JUST GREAT | So it was long, and it was a slow read, big DEAL. Ms Lackey and cohorts have spun a gripping, involved tale of GREAT characters, involved PLOTTING and lots of FUN. I read for pleasure and this was a pleasure. I was always looking back to keep things straight, but it was FUN. I lost most of two nights sleep because I couldn't put it down. This team should write lots of sequels, and I WILL BUY THEM ALL.Be warned, if you pick up this book and start reading you will suffer. Yours friends and family will think you have run away, and you have, To Venice, where you can spend a ripping vacation in you mind. The lady has won me back. |
1 | Ok at best | I didn't make it half way through the book before I gave up on it. It just seemed to go on and on and on.... I usually like Mercedes Lackey, but every once in a while, she makes a bobble, and this was one of them. I think the book whould have been a lot better as either two books or one greatly pared down book. |
1 | This book has already been written | Mercedes Lackey contributed to a series I'll refer to as the Merovingian Nights Series, set in a universe invented by C.J. Cherryh. Mercedes's ORIGINAL contribution to the Merovingian Nights series is a far better read. The Shadow of the Lion was a major disappointment to me, not to mention I could have spent my money more wisely on another book. There should have been a warning posted on the cover or flap that if the reader has read the Merovingian Nights series, this book will offer very few surprises. Shame on you Ms. Lackey! |
1 | Too many cooks | The book had a plot line that meandered like a dog in a fire hydrant warehouse. The characters were as flat as the paper they were writen on. The authors collaboration worked as well as a mixture of a heavy smoker in a fireworks factory. It is very obvious it is a collaboration and it needs the hand of a better editor. If I had bought the book instead getting it at the library I would be demanding my money back for getting such a good example of why popular fiction is looked down upon. 1 star is being generous. I enjoyed other works by the authors and am severly disapointed in this collaboration. |
1 | This is Merovingian Nights ,not a new book | mergovian nights was the original series this muddled piece of work is based on. entire chapters and plots are lifted from those books, its unreal.the original books are much better, the loss of Retribution Jones, turning her into a minor wimpy character, was a great loss of a strong voice. i found most of the characters a poor imitation of the original series.having been to venice, i can state this book did not take me there, i had trouble belivieng it was venice, not paris.M lackey has written some fine books, why she put her name on this is a mystery. |
2 | Fantastic! | Fantastic book! I was kept on the edge of my seat from beginning to end! This book is definitely going to be the start of an excellent series. The novel is based back in Venice, just around the decline of the Byzantium era. My favorite characters were without a doubt Manfred and Erik.This book is an excellent buy! |
2 | Tells of a Venice where magic is alive | Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint & Dave Freer's Shadow Of The Lion is set in 1537 and tells of a Venice where magic is alive and two vagabond brothers are posed to influence its changes. A monster has been loosed on the city; and it's up to an unlikely band of individuals to join in defeating the danger. |
1 | an OK read, but not what I expected | I am a devoted fan of Mercedes Lackey, and I have read nearly all her books, and this book is by far, my LEAST favorite. i was tempted to quit half-way through, but i didnt, which helped, because alot of things that seemed completely irrelevant, made sense at the very end. the main problem with the story is that there are WAY too many characters, as in a hundred, its hard to keep track & even care about all of them. It has alot of plot & story, and it can be difficult to keep track of at times. Its not a BAD read, its just... very busy, with many many many characters. It was an OK read, but not what I expected. |
2 | Wonderful book | I love this book, it has different kinds of projects that you'll enjoy, and the charts are neat, I love it!!!!!! |
1 | Disappointing | Over the years I've bought several Dionne Warwick albums that I've listened to with great enjoyment. I find this particular excursion, however, a sad disappointment. It just doesn't work. The instrumentals almost seem like parodies of Vegas back-up arrangements. Miss Warwick sounds as if she is out of her element. And the sound quality is mediocre. Ms. Warwick is a singer that I respect and admire. But this particular album does little to burnish her legacy. |
2 | Unheard talent | Being a huge fan of Green Carnation and Agalloch, I decided to pick up this album and their "Heart Of The Ages" album at the same time. Honestly, this album seems like exactly what you would get when you cross those two bands. Impressed? Yes, overall this album was pretty awesome. The dark atmosphere was perfectly created. The female vocals in my opinion were better than the male vocals. A five star review is out of the question because the male vocals in fact were not very impressive at all. At times, I was so impressed with the background elements that I just wished the male vocals would just stop. Overall though, this album was a great purchase and is a must have for any fans of Agalloch, Green Carnation, or Katatonia. |
2 | Keeping Irelands History Alive Through Song | This CD captures the essence of how the Irish Soldier, during the War Between The States, passed on their history from Ireland. Prison Ships is an EXCELLENT song telling us how the Irish were persecuted and sent far from their homes to Australia. This is a great original effort along with Soldier Boys, Angelus Bells, Welcome, and the title track Rock of Erin. I think the 69th Pa did a superb job with their first effort. ALL proceeds go towards Civil War Battlefield Preservation and Educational Projects that the 69th Pa are well known. This CD is a pleasant change from the other Civil War CDs available. If you like traditional Irish Music, this one is a MUST. Keep up the good work. |
1 | A couple of positives. . . | . . .but not nearly enough to counter the negatives.First the positives:1) Some brilliant photography. One just can't get around this.2) Some truly likeable characters and character development -- especially several of the minor characters.There! That is two stars worth!Negatives:1) Spotty directing, which offsets the quality of the photography2) No earthly resemblance at all to the (true) book from which the story is supposed to have been taken3) A boring, and over-the-top gay agenda (along with any one of a number of similar "far-left" issues, poorly cobbled together4) A view of the Virgin Mary, which, while not openly portrayed offensively in the film, is bound, nonetheless to offendIn short, the bad outweighs the good. Skip this one. |
1 | This is a bad one | This is a really bad movie. The characters are one dimensional, the acting is sluggish, the dialogue is banal and contrived, the directing is awful, but worst of all, the script is terrible. The screenplay oozes simplistic simple minded notions of political correctness and insight where there is none. Audrey Wells purports to have written a complex and surprising story with unexpected twists and turns, but what she has produced is a shallow and unsatisfying film with no real purpose other than to make the fairly obvious point that life is full of surprises and unexpected outcomes. Gee - what an insight. The characters are completely unsympathetic and the only thing that makes this film watchable at all is the backdrop of Cortona. This film entirely misses the point of the book and I just hope the author was well paid for allowing her book to be associated with this awful movie. |
1 | Terrible | Typical Hollywood movie trying to push off moral values that the average american does not believe in. This movie is slow and does not even make much sense at all. Hopefully most people do not live like this and if they do they would be considered weird.Do not waste your time with this movie! |
1 | Under the tuscan sun | to be honest I expected a little more from the movie. it was too mellow and somewhat boring. |
2 | leave your seat and hop a plane!!! | I saw this movie at a sneak preview and will see it again when it comes out just because I know a few people who need to see this movie. This movie is a tune-up for the soul. If anyone has been down on thier luck or not so lucky in love this movie will pour some sweetness into that bitter place. I laughed, I cried several times this movie evoked that youthful part inside me that needs to be awakened every so often. With the beautiful cinematography and portrayal of the people you want to leave your seat and hop a plane for Tuscany. I heard so many people saying that as they left the theatre. Go see this movie and laugh and cry all at the same time. |
1 | A great idea! | Hey gang, let's pool our resources and get the rights so Mystery Science Theater can talk us through this one!I'm telling you it would surpass even Manos, Hands of Fate for sheer yuks. The cheese, the schmatz, the dishonesty, the cluelessness, the pretention of this flick just begs, begs to be put out of its misery. |
1 | Stinks | This movie was terrible. If there was an option for - stars I would go there.Read the book it's much more entertaining! |
1 | Disappointing | Having read Under the Tuscan Sun three times, this movie was very disappointing in the way that a beautiful story became a run of the mill chick flick. As beautiful as the scenery was, the movie made Tuscany lose it's charm and warmth that I received in the book. |
2 | Very Uplifting and Fun | I really enjoyed Under the Tuscan Sun. Diane Lane is wonderful in this movie. Sandra Oh is great as her friend dealing with motherhood. Watching the scenes of Italian countryside is wonderful. Watching Diane Lanes character as she gets over her divorce, and moves to a foreign country by herself is inspiring. |
2 | Heart warming movie | I saw the movie last night in a preview showing. I found it to be very charming. The best part of the movie by far is the cinematography. Tuscany and Italy in general are both places that I have never been before but just seeing this movie makes me want to go there all the more. I felt that the story line of this movie has a few holes but otherwise is very entertaining. My reccomendation would be to see this movie in a matine or wait until it comes out on video. |
1 | YAWN! | I eagerly anticipated watching this movie, as I thoroughly enjoyed the book; however, the movie shares only a passing resemblance to the book. It gets 2 stars because I enjoy Diane Lane and Tuscany is gorgeous, but other than that the movie was dull, Lane's character is nothing short of pathetic, and the ending is trite. |
1 | Does not follow the book much. Had to insert all the PC garbage. | Not bad entertainment...but the book is better, at least according to my wife who chose the movie after reading the book. |
2 | Enjoyable escapism | Fun and light but, a bit unrealistic. Just let go and enjoy! Diane Lane and Sandra Oh are great! Linsay Duncan steals the movie! |
2 | Movie night | Well, this was a perfect ending to a long busy day. I ordered the movie under the Tucson Sun to sit back and relax. It was very very enjoyable. I'm saying all this in a long-winded way because this review requires I write 20 words. This is actually kind of a pain because I am turned off about writing anything about these. But it was a fine purchase. |
1 | Nice scenery, but MAD CHEESIE storyline | I was pretty darn cheesed out by this movie. It's definitely nice to look at, and Diane Lane is a very lovely woman. However, the characters were all sugary sweet cheeseballs, and Diane Lane's character had no spine.Sandra Oh was great, as usual. |
1 | The Book is WAY Better..and That's all You Really Need to Know! | Don't waste your money on a DVD unless: 1) You just want to see beautiful Italian scenery (and it is gorgeous!) or 2) You actually enjoy watching a whiny, sniveling, pathetic female character waiting for a man to fulfill her life. Doubt if the author was thrilled with this version of her story. BUY THE BOOK!!! It's a great read. |
1 | Terrible stinker! | What a stupid movie! There was nothign admirable in the main character. What the heck was she thinking in sleeping with a man she hadn't even known for a day! That is not realistic at all. The whole storyline had no logical sequence. Stay away from this movie. |
2 | Good Movie | I love the full screen edition of the movie. I do not like the movies that is half screen. I like this movie because it reminds me that there is life after divorce or any other life altering event. But we have to move forward to achieve it. |
1 | Couldn't Watch | I have been looking for this movie for a long while. It came and I put it in to watch it; it stopped playing 3/4 of the way through!!! I tried it in all of our devices and it did the same thing each time! Very disappointed!!! |
2 | A Very Pleasant Story | Diane Lane gives a great performance in this romantic/fantasy driven movie. I know many people dream of going to another place to escape the pressures of daily life and this movie does that for you. If you like romantic movies in a far away land then this movie is for you. |
2 | Feel Good Movie | Absolutely loved this movie. Great message ... unbelievably good things can happen ... even later in life. Breathtaking views of Italy ... This movie never loses its magic. |
1 | If you read the book, don't watch the movie! | I really enjoyed this book, but I was very disappointed by the movie. Rather than a story about the Italian countryside and the adventure of remodeling a home in a foreign country, this movie was about a divorced woman looking for love and her gay friend's dramatic life. Blah. I had wanted to see the charming Polish workers and the quaint Italian villages that were an important part of the original story. Oh well, this wasn't the movie for me. |
1 | If you liked the book, you will not like this film. | Unfortunately, the screenwriter completely changed the story of Under the Tuscan Sun. True, the main character did buy a villa in Tuscany. However, this story primarily concerns Diane Lane's trauma of divorce and trying to find herself in Italy. The film has very little about the trials of her renovation of the villa. Most importantly, the film says nothing about the book's description of life in a small Tuscan village and the people who live there. I was very disappointed in the film. |
2 | The biggest surprise of the year! This film is a marvel! | We'll I'm not usually one to go to see comedy-romance films but my girlfriend insisted and I was persuaded by the fact that Diane Lane (one of my favorite actresses) was starring in it. Honestly, this is a very good movie. It is one of the best surprises of the year. The film is edited in a way that never makes it seem boring or long-winded and the film is very (I mean very) entertaining, with some great dialog and some excellent comedy and well-timed laughs. A few times I was uncontrollably laughing it was so funny. The acting was amazing with Diane Lane giving one of her best performances in the lead role as Frances Mayes. The film looked great and had an excellent soundtrack as well. I recommend this film very much indeed, even to guys because it isn't cliched and slushy in the same way other romantic films are. It sure makes a great date movie - Under The Tuscan Sun is a marvel! |
1 | Guys miss this one | Gentlemen miss this movie. As a married man I am consigned to the fact that I must watch certain movies that are geared towards the ladies, I am okay with that. Having suffered through most of said type of movies, I can say that this particular movie is a truly a painful experience without any humor to help. All this movie does is follow a sad and lonely woman around Italy and waste the two hours that is the movie running time. Do not buy this movie for the lady in your life because then you will be forced to watch it. |
2 | One of the best chick flicks ever | Diane Lane is perfect. Plays the full range of female - bold, timid, snotty, exuberant and everything in between. Watch it! |
2 | Relationships in Tuscany | This is a lovely movie set in the stunning beauty of Tuscany. It deftly explores several types of relationships from that of a recent divorcee, to the break up of a gay union to young lovers in a Romeo and Juliet type romance. The divorcee finally discovers that a meaningful relationship doesn't depend on one person but a variety of people. Well worth seeing - you will enjoy it! |
2 | Quite a change from the book | Yes, you get lovely views of Tuscany and yes, she is renovating a run down villa. Otherwise, it is pretty much a new story. For those who loved the book, just make that mental adjustment and start with a fresh slate and you will enjoy the parallel blossoming in the movie of the woman and her house.I took off one star since it put my husband to sleep, but I found it a pleasant enough romance with good scenery. The main character is lovely and the various subplots such as the Polish laborer romancing a local girl expands the story to pull in the younger audience, I presume. |
1 | Beautiful People. Beautiful Scenery. Not so beautiful Plot | Beautiful Scenery. Beautiful People. Thin Plot. Diane Lane is gorgeous in this film and her performance was excellent - she just needed a better script to work with. Her friendship with the men who remodel her house is one of the good things in the film. Much of the rest of the film is just too much escapism for me. Why do movies seem to always portray the solution to pain and heartache as running away and starting a new life? I would think that if I was hurting - the last thing I would want is to be thousands of miles away from my closest friends and family. And in a new culture, where I didn't speak the language? |
2 | Very charming warm movie on a cold winter Saturday afternoon | This movie is very warm toned and sincere. I really give a lot of credit to film makers who can create a romantic comedy that is not contrived and unoriginal. Under the Tuscan Sun is a fresh romantic comedy that has a heart.Of course this is not a masterpiece that will change your perception of life and leave you breathless, but it will leave you smiling for at least a half an hour after it is over.Also, it has a really good point. So many times we force things to happen in our lives and and become totally frustrated in the process. It is indeed so much easier to just "fall asleep and let the ladybugs crawl all over you". You will see what I mean when you watch the movie.Highly recommended enterntainment. |
2 | Great Movie | My only complaint is the length of time it took to arrive. Could not use a gift as planned. Somehow, shipping needs to be speedier!!! |
2 | Great movie for you and your gal friends to watch together! | Pop the popcorn. Open a bottle of wine. Call your girlfriends and to come over and watch this movie and have a little party. This is a great girl movie!! Diane Lane is great in this movie and it really is all about her....and she carries this movie so well. You will enjoy meeting the people that come in and out of her life on her journey through life and her journey to Tuscany. Call your friends and let this movie entertain you!! |
2 | Enjoyable & Light | When I go to the movies, I go to relax and enjoy a break from everday life. Who cares if it is realisitc or not. Being a romantic comedy buff, I found this movie entertaining and refreshing. Anyone who wants to enjoy a light movie will enjoy this film. |
1 | Boring!!! | This is supposed to be a romantic comedy, yet there are no comic moments. I could see the potential for comedy, but it just wasn't there. Maybe it's Diane Lane or maybe it's the director. I kept wondering if Lane was playing a teenager or an adult. I couldn't get involved with the character at all. She seemed to be faking it all the way through. I would've given no stars, but I thought the Italian countryside deserved at least 1 star. |
2 | Charming surprise... | This is such a feel-good film. Diane lane does a wonderful job playing the woman who leaves behind everything and starts over new. The people she meets, the scenery, the neuroses are all charming in their own way. Where Eat, Pray, Love failed, this film succeeded. A woman sets out to find herself after a personal disappointment, but rather than the whiny arrogant character of Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love, Diane Lane's character has a relatable warmth and energy despite her situation. i highly recommend this film for a rainy day. |
2 | Opposing View of Divorce | The heart break and loss from a womans point of view,abused by the court system, robbed of her hard earned home and possessons to a new and very different life in a strange country and different culture. Ms. Lanes best effort in an attention holding and often surprising, recovery. Beautiful scenery and superior directing make this one of movie lands best kept secrets. |
1 | Undercover? | I thoroughly enjoyed watching another T.V. while this show was playing out in the family room. The wife got a good night sleep and didn't even bother to replay the part she missed. After complaining, Hollywood Video gave us a comp, so all in all, we felt like we got our money's worth. |
2 | Good flick | Yes i'm a guy and yes i enjoy chic flicks from time to time,so sue me.This is a good film from Diane Lane(best known for her great performance in Unfaithful)which was also the first flim i recall her having a main staring role.I won't get in to deep to the story but she is a recent divorcy,whom feels she can't go on living in San Fransico,so her 2 gay lesbian friends convince her to go on an all gay trip to tuscan(italy).While there she becomes intrigued by a 300 year old italian home,mind you nothing works,and its in pretty sad shape.So she hires contractor's to help her with her project,and all along the way she runs into various men whom you think she'll develop an attraction to and maybe more but it never pan's out.So thats all i'll give for now,watch for yourself.Although it seems a little slow in places it's an entertaining little piece of film none the less. |
1 | Boring | This movie was very boring and hard to get into. I started falling asleep in the first fifteen minutes. It's a very chick flick type of movie and I suggest men do not see it. |
1 | Are you KIDDING ME???? | Frances Mayes sold out! She sold the title of her best seller book to hollywood and they used it to create romance novel drivel! It contains very little her sweet, beautiful tribute to Tuscany. What a shame! While I liked Diane Lane I was completely disappointed in this movie. |
1 | Boring, Drawn Out Movie | I watched the movie before reading the book. The movie was so bad that I felt compelled to read the book to see if it could redeem itself. The characters as depicted in the movie were very one dimensional and I just didn't care about them or what happened to them. The book tells a totally different story than is depicted in the movie and is SO MUCH BETTER. |
2 | Magnificent movie! Diane Lane shines! | A truly magnificent movie. Diane Lane shines in her role as Frances Mayes in this funny, sweet, enjoyable piece of great entertainment. The director makes this movie so engrossing and enjoyable that it is impossible to not be drawn into the wonderfully realized 3D characters and the brilliant played out scenes. The scenic locations help and so does the likable characters. Make no mistake... this is a magnificent movie. |
2 | Exceptional film - genuinely funny, moving and entertaining | Genuinely funny and moving - exceptional film.This is an exceptional film that shows that no matter what life throws at you, the human spirit can survive and make a comeback. I love films that show you the inner strength of the human spirit and peoples faith. The film is genuinely affecting - it is funny, very moving and it looks exceptional on a big screen. Most of all though this film entertains without resorting to cliches and melodrama. Diane Lane is exceptional and deserves Oscar recognition for creating such a three dimensional and believable heroine. The acting from everyone is first rate and the direction is fresh and infectious. An exceptional film! |
1 | Stupid movie | I was extremely disappointed with this movie. The story had no sense of direction. It seemed too badly glued together, as if the scriptwriters were just adding more things as they went along, saying, "we'll make her a divorced woman...and then we'll make her go on a gay tour...and oh wait, let's make her have no morals and have sex with a man she hasn't known for even one day...and lets make her flirt with the married real estate man." All in all, the story turned out to be pretty stupid with nothing to admire in the main character. |
1 | If it was not for Diane Lane.... | If it was not for Diane Lane, this movie would have been a total loser. It's a swindle. It's advertised as "romantic comedy", when there is little (if any) comedy. It's boring, it portrays the Italians with all the cliches available. Blegh! |
1 | Tuscany steals the show | This title was on my Amazon recommended list, and since I never heard of it before I decided to pick it up.In short, I think ANY movie would benefit from being set and shot in Tuscany Italy. This one did. Without the beautiful backdrop - I don't think I would have watched the whole thing. A patchwork story-line, left me with the feeling that it had a lot of interesting bits and pieces BUT it appeared that they were put together for no apparent reason.It just wasn't believable.Maybe rent it |
1 | Diane Lane feast... | Man, hardly have I watched a movie this long (one hour and 53 minutes) that portrays the leading character in every (I mean, every!!) single scene, every single second of the whole movie!This is a bonus if you are a Diane Lane fan (and who is not? The woman is simply gorgeous, besides being a very good actress!), but otherwise youl will be imersed in a chick flick all along, and a bad one by the way, one that will lead you absolutely nowhere. |
1 | Ho-Hum | One of the biggest disappointments I have seen in some time. My main complaint is when I see a theatrical trailer for a movie, and that rrailer implies the movie is a comedy, and then the movie does not deliver what the trailer seems to have promised, I hit the ceiling.There are characters in this movie who's inclusion makes no sense since they don't advance the plot and don't really come off as amusing either.The whole premise of buying a house in a foreign country in which you barely speak the language makes no sense either.I don't know -- maybe it's me -- it seems like the time would have been better spent watching a travel film on Tuscany.Ho-HUM!! |
1 | barely cosi cosi (so so) | This might be an ok movie to watch on a weekend when you're bored and have absolutely nothing better to do. Of course it's nothing like the book. It's terribly contrived with some very unlikely scenes. For example, there's this one scene where the long-haired Chinese man that shows up for an extended visit after his girlfriend dumps him actually gives birth. That just can't happen in real life!! Guys can't get pregant (yet)!! Anyway, forget about the movie. Read the book. |
1 | Cute but typical | So-so at it's best. Great scenery. Good-looking men, but so typically "chick-flick" despite the true story. Diane Lane's character is a disillusioned divorcee who takes a trip to Italy and on a whim decides to buy a house in the local area. Intitially, there is frustration as the maintenance and upkeep of the house becomes overwhelming, but in time, her curious neighbors become very close friends and she eventually becomes intertwined in their cheerful lives. In a country where love and passion is so rampant, why does she feel so lonely? When wil her true amore come into her life?Cute flick, but not much depth to the story with very typical characters. The cinematography is lovely, though. Great flick for an empty afternoon. |
2 | Great movie! | Under the Tuscan Sun was such an enjoyable movie.Diane Lane is just great in the starring role. |
1 | Horrible Movie!!! | I absolutely HATED this movie. It was SUCH a waste of my time. The first ten minutes made the movie seem worth watching, but then the storyline, along with my desire to watch it, fell dramatically after that. It was not worth my time! I couldn't wait for the credits to come. I found myself fast forwarding through parts, just to get through it quicker. The main character, Diane Lane, annoyed me. Plus, the storyline was depressing. Nothing ever went right in her life. I don't see what other people see in it. I would not recommend watching this movie, unless you actually like being bored senseless. |
1 | not worthy to be a chick flick | First, this movie has nothing to do whatsoever with the book except for the title. That said, once again Diane Lane plays someone who is supposed to be sympathetic as if she's a sociopath. Really - when she looks serious, you think she's about to kill someone. When she's happy she looks like she just did. Then you have the fact that nothing that happens in the movie is realistic at all -- except, if someone like Cameron Diaz were in the title role, we'd probably not care and even enjoy it. I feel used and cheap after being duped into watching this movie and I'm no longer going to waste my time on DL's films. She doesn't deliver. If she plays a Black Widow, I'll watch. If she plays another sensitive caring woman, I'll hurl first. |
1 | Gutless garbage | "Under The Tuscan Sun": Ridiculous, nauseating doggerel with terrible acting; ineptly, superficially, and condescendingly trawling all the most banal cliches about Tuscany and Italy, divorce and midlife. The main actor nervously grimaces her way through the film, struggling to portray the appropriate level of smug, self-congratulatory self-pity the worthless character and script call for. I'm sure the book was bad, but it can't have been this bad! The camera is permanently fitted with a vomit-yellow "Tuscan" lense filter (perhaps the Tuscan sun wasn't Tuscan enough?), which they forgot to remove when the scene shifts to Rome and (how imaginative!) the Amalfi coast. You've never seen the white marble of Rome's Vittorio Emmanuelle monument looking so yellow... I mean Tuscan. One of the worst movies ever, and therefore quite worth a look. |
1 | A WALTZ OF SCHMALTZ ~ AMORE' ABORE' | Under the Tuscan Sun, sounds like a dish at Macaroni Grill, and the movie itself plays like a pre-processed plate of bland Italiano. Implausable plot, rediculous faux feel good moments.Diane Lane is so better than this cheesy little movie ..its Money Pit meets The View. Lets invent a new genre of movies, lets call this Terra Cotta Trite.I wont divulge the plot, because you can't prove a negative. Lets just say that if you want to see Diane Lane at her best, Unfaithful is a better bet.If you enjoy film that insults your intellect while shooting pretty scenes country side, then by all means enjoy! |
1 | Trite, weak, thin, fake, demeaning, | The story is probably a wonderful love story; but, to get there you must suffer through the paper-thin character of a woman with no depth, no self, no mind..., or an actor who cannot portray a woman worth watching and not worthy of real love. |
1 | Families / Christians BEWARE | I rented this movie thinking it would be a sweet, romantic, relatively clean movie that I could enjoy watching. However, I was absolutely offended by some of the content of this film. In the first 15 minutes, you're introduced to a lesbian couple as they greet each other with a kiss on the mouth, and then announce that they're having a baby together. In the same scene, the main character uses the f--- word and it sounds like it was inserted into the script simply for the shock value. Also, there's teenage (and adult) premarital sex. Overall the film has a very casual attitude about sex and shows some rather graphic scenes for a PG-13 film. It's just another attempt by Hollywood to get us all comfortable with homosexuality, promiscuity, and a general idea of "If it feels good, do it." I would strongly advise against seeing this movie, especially with kids. |
1 | Horrible Movie!!! | I absolutely HATED this movie. It was SUCH a waste of my time. The first ten minutes made the movie seem worth watching, but then the storyline, along with my desire to watch it, fell dramatically after that. It was not worth my time! I couldn't wait for the credits to come. I found myself fast forwarding through parts, just to get through it quicker. I don't see what other people see in it. I would not recommend watching this movie, unless you actually like being bored senseless. |
1 | Good Fun? | This is a fun movie if you like the romantic comedy.Why 1 star?? There is a scene where an old woman calls ayoung German couple "facists". The irony is, the old lady is Italian. Whoever wrote the scene doesn't own I history book Iguess. That's a little on the predjudice side for me and it didn't belong in a comedy. I'm glad the couple weren't African-American, I wonder what she would have called them.Don't support this garbage by buying it, loan it from your library. |
2 | A Woman finds herself in Italy | Francis just got divorced from her husband, and is depressed. Her best friend realizes this and because of her pregnancy cannot go with her lover on a romantic tour of Tuscany, so they offer her the tickets for the trip instead.At first Francis does not want to go to Italy, but eventually decides to go. She soon finds that Tuscany is just what she needed and sees a house that she then buys to her friend's astonishment.With a bunch of friends including a former model, a bunch of Polish construction workers Francis asked to fix the house, and a neighbor she starts to heal. It also doesn't hurt that while she was in Rome she met a man that does not turn out to be Mr. Right, but turns out being good for her self-esteem.A very good movie about starting over |
2 | Is this really a 'chick flick'?????? | I think TUSCAN SUN is a study in what is so wonderful about the Tuscany and Cinque Terra part of Italy.....Diane Lane is a favorite of mine. Ever since I saw her in COTTON CLUB I have liked her. I guess in some minds the story could be conjured up as a chick flick. And why? because she gets a divorce from a guy who apparently is having a midlife crisis??? or is it because she packs up and heads off on a gay holiday provided by two lesbian friends?...But this is how she finds the abode of her dreams!.....Actually more like a nightmare.I think it is a film that deserves the accolades it has gotten, but not because it would only be appreciated by 'chicks', but by anyone who loves Tuscany the way I do.The cast of characters in TUSCAN SUN was a study in why I love to sit and watch the parade go by when I travel. It is one of the facinating parts of travel for me.....locales are not the only thing exotic about it all. |
1 | IS OK...I GUESS | THIS MOVIE WAS GIVEN TO ME BY A FRIEND, THOUGHT I WOULD ENJOY IT, AND IN A WAY I DID, I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SEE IT NOT BUY IT.THE SCENERY WAS AMAZING, THE STORY WAS A BIT DOWN. SAW IT ONCE DONT CARE TO SEE IT AGAIN. MY OPINION OF COURSE. |
2 | Not Bad...for a chick flick | Interesting!! This film takes place in Italy and surrounds itself with a character who recently gets divorced, and finds herself, at the urging of her friends (who happen to be gay) to get away from it all and take sometime to herself...little do they all know (including her) that she ends up going out there, and never coming back to the States to live. This is a story of a woman who is looking for more in life than just the normal basic stuff. She wants to live her life to the fullest and really enjoy what the world has to offer her. Good film, great message for all!! |
2 | Under the Tuscan Sun | If you like romantic movies, this is the perfect one for you. But, please don't cry! It was a gift for someone else, eventhough I personally had seen it. It arrived just in time and I could keep track (via UPS) where it was, since I purchased it being in Puerto Rico. |
2 | Diane Lane and Under The Tuscan Sun | This is a good movie. It had the misfortune of coming out around the same time as Julia Robert's feminist 'Mona Lisa Smile' and being sometimes confused with that film by critics. This is not a feminist, male-bashing movie. And it isn't entirely a 'chic flick' either. Diane Lane is apparently very picky about the roles she plays and the films she appears in. This is another good choice for her.There are plenty of reviews here telling what this film is about. I'll simply tell you that I bought the DVD for my wife, but I usually watch it with her. It is a good movie. |
2 | Uplifting and Beautiful | The scenery in this film was breathtaking- the countryside, the house, the people, the food- the way of life in general was just inspriring.What made this movie great, though, was the romance between Frances and Marcello. In any typical romantic comedy, the broken-down and lonely Frances would have met Marcello and all her problems would have been solved. The end. But in this film, Frances thinks her life has turned around and that she has found the answer to her prayers....but, like in real life, this is not the case.I liked this movie because it didn't sugar-coat anything, but at the same time it was very uplifting. |
1 | OH MY GOD! | One sunday afternoon, I sat down to watch this movie with my girlfriend, and sat back awaiting stimulating entertainment.... HOW WRONG COULD I BE!What a complete load of utter complete inane useless rubbish this movie is...it is only funny if you are over 60 and like to sit in a cinema in a sleeping bag discussing being an old aged lesbian with nothing better to do than watch drivel with no point and a plot as predicatble as a an predicatble thing in a very predicatble place!I will not even offer this for re-sale, as I am so looking forward to destroying it in the most imaginative way possible....any ideas??? |
1 | Make Sure the Format is in Your Region | I'm such a goof! I automatically assumed that the format of this DVD was for North America Region. I was so excited when it came in, I opend the package and went straight to my player to watch. Opps! I discovered that the PAL format is not readable on my player. Though, I am aware of the many video formats out there, I still assumed that this DVD was just like any other DVD or Blue Ray that I have pruchased.The PAL is for countries like Japan and Europe, I confirmed my findings when I red the back information of the DVD package.Good thing that I have an adopted daughter in France, she will like this DVD. It's just her format! :-)Please be carefule when purchaseing video's on amazon...read carefuly that the format is for your country or else you may end up disapointed. |
2 | Lightweight but enjoyable | A review below lists several stereotyped characters in the movie, and to be honest, that's a fair critique. But Diane Lane is such a good actress, and Tuscany is so beautiful (similar to central California -- now I understand why California is a "Mediterranean" climate) that I was able to forgive the clichés and the fact that I could basically stay one step ahead of every plot twist. I only wish that they had shown the transformation of the villa, a la "This Old House."OK, so maybe I also wish they had shown a little more of Ms Lane's body. So sue me for being honest. |
1 | For MEN only | maybe they are clever enough to figure out why these actresses,directors, producers, etc. are still in circulation.This film is not only BORING BORING BORING but also an INSULT to everyone ... except perhaps the Far Eastern looking "actress" who gets to play the "friend" of the protagonist, and who fairly deliberately ruins what was supposed to be a one night-stand (one-night lay to be more precise) anyway, on the part of the slow, but dark-looking Italian HOD (hunk of the day, my abbreviation, he-he). Don't worry, a bearded, rugged looking American is going to fill the Italian's rubber shoes ... Sorry for italianizing and americanizing but there is more than enough of that going on in the film, at least on the DVD version.The film forgot to elaborate on the potential dangers of adult owls snatching kittens though, as it's a romantic, and not a realistic view of the world, and it was definitely not meant to be a horror flick. Then again, some of the scenes are pure horror. |
1 | Under the Tuscan Sun | This was one of the most predictable, syrupy, twisted excuses for a movie I have seen in a long time. Based on unlikely premises, this movie is about a woman who gets the very raw end of a divorce (we're supposed to feel sorry for her within the first 3 minutes of the movie) and then takes a vacation (courtesy of her gay lover friends) and buys a villa in Tuscany based on a whim. Somehow she has enough lire to fix things up, enough moxie to make friends with Italians (?) and live in a small town. In case the audience doesn't "get" that men are cruel and heartless, she has yet another experience with a philandering man whom she has fallen for (but never bothered to tell him). Finally her pregnant gay friend from San Francisco (now herself jilted by the 'man' in her relationship) comes and delivers her baby in Tuscany, creating a 'family' that our protagonist always wanted in theory. Gimmie a break. This movie rates one star because the scale doesn't go lower. |
1 | Boooring..... | This was the most boring movie and the most wretched performance I have ever seen from Diane Lane. All she did was sigh through the first 45 minutes. |
2 | It was pretty good, but could have been better. | I gave this movie 4 stars because it was a good movie. However, it is quite depressing at times. Diane Lane just can't catch a break. It is kinda slow, but I'm very pleased to have seen it. |
2 | A really fun, smart and sexy movie! | This was a GREAT and FUN movie. It was so funny and touching, yet did'nt have the 'cliches'. It was well acted by Diane Lane and it looked fantastic! A great fun movie! Highly recommended! |
2 | The most entertaining film of the year | This movie was so entertaining. I was in stitches from laughing so much - it was so funny and enjoyable. Diane Lane was incredible in this film. She is such a good actress and here she proves that she is funny as well. This is one of the most entertaining films I have seen all year. Brilliant stuff! |
1 | wrong formAt | I may have read the description wong but the DVD won't play. States wrong source. In small letters on the box it says it's the UK version. Can't fiind by receipt so I can't return it. I was really looking forward to sharing it with someone special. :( |
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