Kate & Leopold

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=80 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="04000500dvldtc.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Reel Movie Critic.com</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reel Movie Critic.com"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Kate & Leopold</B>   |   <A HREF="id1937.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pearl Harbor"><U>Pearl Harbor</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id1941.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Petit Freres"><U>Petit Freres</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id1939.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Planet of the Apes"><U>Planet of the Apes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id1938.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Pledge"><U>The Pledge</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id1940.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Princess Diaries"><U>The Princess Diaries</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="041d2c00dvldtc.png"> <div> <B>Home Pages for</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/index.htm"><U><B><U>Movies</U></B></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/index.htm"><U> </U></A></FONT></div> <div> <B><U>      </U></B><A HREF="http://www.newbookdiscounts.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.newbookdiscounts.com/"><U><B><U>Books</U></B></U></A></div> <div> <B><U>           </U></B><A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelforless/id364.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelfor"><U><B><U>Travel</U></B></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelforless/id364.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelfor"><U> </U></A></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelforless/id361.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelfor"><U><B><U>Great Web Sites</U></B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=400 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> Kate & Leopold</div> <div>  <IMG SRC="ac7638c0.jpg" border=0 width="99" height="140" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/b00005v0x8/reelmoviecriticc">Buy Soundtrack from Amazon.com</A>  </div> <div> <B>DVD <script language="JavaScript"> function popUp(URL,NAME) { amznwin=window.open(URL,NAME,'location=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes,toolbar=yes,resizable=yes,width=380,height=450,screenX=10,screenY=10,top=10,left=10'); amznwin.focus();} document.open(); document.write("<a href=javascript:popUp('http://buybox.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=reelmoviecriticc&link_code=xsc&creative=23424&camp=2025&path=/dt/assoc/tg/aa/xml/assoc/-/B0000640VN/reelmoviecriticc/ref=ac_bb1_,_amazon')><img src=http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/associates/remote-buy-box/buy1.gif border=0 alt='Buy from Amazon.com' ></a>"); document.close(); </script> <noscript> <form method="POST" action="http://buybox.amazon.com/o/dt/assoc/handle-buy-box=B0000640VN"> <input type="hidden" name="asin.B0000640VN" value="1"> <input type="hidden" name="tag-value" value="reelmoviecriticc"> <input type="hidden" name="tag_value" value="reelmoviecriticc"> <input type="image" name="submit.add-to-cart" value="Buy from Amazon.com" border="0" alt="Buy from Amazon.com" src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/associates/add-to-cart.gif"> </form> </noscript>  </B></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="501" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="495"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="20" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="495" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>Kate & Leopold </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Wingdings 2" ><B>êêê</B></FONT><B>1/2</B>  (PG-13)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Reviewed By George O. Singleton</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="549" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="545"><div> You light up my room… </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="580" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Kate: Meg Ryan</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Leopold: Hugh Jackman</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> J.J.: Bradley Whitford</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Stuart: Liev Schreiber</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Charlie: Breckin Meyer</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Hector: Colen Hawkins</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Ester: Ebony Jo-Ann</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Director: James Mangold</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>30 Second Bottom Line</B>: A modern day NYC scientist discovers a time portal and travels back to 1876. Upon his return to the present day, he inadvertently brings back one of his ancestors, his great-great grandfather. After an incapacitating accident lands him in the hospital, separating the two, the scientist must find a way to return his relative during the next time portal opening or he will cease to exist because he could not have ever been born.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:</B> In 1876 Count Leopold (Hugh Jackman) is under pressure from his aristocratic relatives to marry into wealth to maintain their status, as the family is running out of money. Leopold has not found a career or a woman he loves, so he is figuratively adrift at sea. </div> <bR> <div> During ceremonies for the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in the late 1800's, the photographers are taking pictures using exploding flash powder. Leopold notices one man (Liev Schreiber as Stuart) who appears to have a box which does the same thing, but it is much smaller in size-with a flash <I>inside</I> camera. </div> <bR> <div> When Leopold pursues him, the man escapes. He shows up again at an engagement party where Leopold plans to announce his intended bride. This time when the chase ensues, Leopold catches him at the top of the Brooklyn Bridge and when Stuart falls through the portal, with Leopold gripping his hand, both are brought back to modern day New York City.  </div> <bR> <div> Kate (Meg Ryan) lives in an old apartment building above Stuart, her former lover. When she hears loud noises from his apartment, she walks down the fire escape, enters his apartment through a window and sees Stuart with Leopold. Over time, Kate gets to know Leopold and an extended family of sorts develops when Leopold gives some advice to Kate's brother Charlie (Breckin Meyer), who makes all the wrong moves to attract women.</div> <bR> <div> Kate is a high powered executive in a publicity firm who deserves to fill the vacancy left by her boss J.J. (Bradley Whitford), who will soon take an overseas assignment. While she may twist her values with respect to how movies should end after showing them to test audiences, she has the highest values in her personal life. J.J could be a person that she <I>might</I> sleep with, but it would be after she got the promotion rather than <I>to get</I> the promotion. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell Me More About It</B>: A person can light up a room by simply arriving, sticking around once they have been recognized or by <I>leaving</I> the room. It all depends on how you feel about them. <I><B>Kate & Leopold</B></I> is fun, a romantic movie along the lines of <I><B>Serendipity.</B></I> It's different in that it has a more realistic feel and is not so dependent on far-fetched chance events to move the story along. This is in spite of the fact that there is a science fiction element to the story. Luck plays a role, but conscious events are the deciding factor in how the movie progresses and ends. </div> <bR> <div> At the time of this review, the soundtrack has not been released, but the song by <I>Sting</I> has that haunting feel of romance of the best work that he has done. </div> <bR> <div> Hugh Jackman delivers one of the best acting performances of the year. We know we are looking at a fantasy yet we feel he is adapting to the current NYC, while at the same time knowing that he has to go back to 1876 and find a way to find himself. Things that his character does in 2001, using the personal values of 125 years ago, speak volumes to custom and manners. It could be standing when a lady enters a room or writing a note to let her know of his amorous intentions. </div> <bR> <div> While Sandra Bullock may be the Princess of cute, Meg Ryan retains her crown as the Queen. When this project was in the early planning stages, in the mid-1990's, Bullock was to star and produce it. And not meant as negative in any way, with Meg looking a little older, and having been around the block a few times emotionally, there is a depth to the "cuteness" that she brings to the love affair she has with Leopold. Even the relationship with her brother Charlie is meaningful as is the subtlety and strength she shows balancing her female values of not sleeping her way to the top. </div> <bR> <div> Liev Schrieber plays Kate's ex-boyfriend, who finally learns how to grow up. If there is something special about this movie, other than the value it brings in an entertaining and warm story, it's that two new leading men, Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber, will make their mark as strong actors. Both generate intense love scenes that don't require bare skin in movies such as <I><B>Spring Forward</B></I>, <I><B>Swordfish </B></I>and <I><B>Someone Like You</B></I>. <I><B>Kate & Leopold</B></I> was planned as a Valentine film for 2002 but by bringing it out early, we have the pleasure of an early Christmas present.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="621" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> Rated PG-13 for brief strong language</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> George O. Singleton © 2001</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> <A HREF="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com"><U><U>George@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> Mini Filmography </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Bradley Whitford: West Wing- TV</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="286"><div> Meg Ryan: <I><B>Proof of Life</B></I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="286"><div> Hugh Jackman: <I><B>Swordfish</B></I></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Liev Schrieber: <I><B>Spring Forward</B></I></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="286"><div> Breckin Meyer: <I><B>Rat Race</B></I></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="286"><div> Ebony Jo-Ann: Pootie Tang</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="286"><div> Colen Hawkins: Debut</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> James Mangold: <I><B>Girl, Interrupted</B></I></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>