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PCR # 236  (Vol. 5, No. 40)  This edition is for the week of September 27--October 3, 2004.

This Week's PCR
Movie Review
"The Forgotten"

Movie review by:
Michael A. Smith

Three stars

Movies are rated 0 to 4 stars

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LA FLORIDIANA
 by William Moriaty
No column this week due to power outages in Plant City
THIS WEEK'S MOVIE REVIEW
"The Forgotten"
 by Mike Smith
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
Reviews of the latest CD releases from: Green Day, The Libertines, The Black Keys, The Concretes, The Faint
  by Terence Nuzum
COUCH POTATO
Fanzine Memoirs, Part 4....Not your file-stealing teen’s Napster....Michael Moore’s Slacker tour
  by Vinnie Blesi
ODDSERVATIONS
Guest Oddservations: Filmmaker Andrew Allan on the passing of Russ Meyer
 by Andy Lalino
SPLASH PAGE
Things I Didn’t Know but Probably Should Have – The Star Wars version....More Things, NON-Star Wars Related....Gruden has led us to the end....One Last Question
 by Brandon Jones
MATT'S RAIL
Debate? Not Really....He's King! He's Kong!
 by Matt Drinnenberg
MIKE'S RANT
Finally!....Love You Live....TagliaBOO....Meet The Beatles, Part 36
 by Mike Smith
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Sony Pictures     
Starring: Julianne Moore, Dominic West, Gary Sinise, Anthony Edwards and Alfre Woodard
Directed by: Jospeh Ruben
Rated: PG 13
Running Time: 1 hour 36 mins


Did you ever misplace your keys? I mean really lose them and tear the house apart looking for them? Then, when you finally find them, you don't remember leaving them there? Imagine losing your child the same way. That is the story of "The Forgotten."

Moore is Telly Paretta. Telly is in therapy, still grieving over the loss of her young son in a plane crash. Her psychiatrist (Sinise) is puzzled by one thing. All of the information he has points to the fact that Telly never had a son. The more insistent she becomes, the more the facts seem to prove her wrong. A photo she remembered of her husband, son and she now shows only two. Even her husband (Edwards) seems oblivious to the fact that a son ever existed. But Telly won't let the memory go. Even when she misplaces her car, or smells a cup of coffee she doesn't have, she never backs down from her memory. She runs into Ash Correll (West), who lost a daughter on the same flight. Or did he? Not only does Ash not recall having a daughter, he doesn't recall knowing Telly. Is she crazy? Delusional? Or is she just a grieving mother holding on to a memory?

"The Forgotten" could have easily been a one-note film, but thanks to the work of Julianne Moore, it sings. As Telly, Moore gives an outstanding performance. She refuses to let the memory of her son die, no matter what the cost. And she is surrounded by a group of actors who bring an air of believability to the story. West does a fine job as a man who slowly begins to realize the truth about his life. Sinise is solid as usual. Director Ruben keeps the story moving and the intensity cranked up. Part "Memento," part "Twilight Zone," the film holds your attention until the end.

On a scale of zero to four stars, I give "The Forgotten"  Three stars


This week's movie review of "The Forgotten" is ©2004 by Michael A. Smith.  All graphics this page are creations of Nolan B. Canova, ©2004, all rights reserved. All contents of "Nolan's Pop Culture Review" are ©2004 by Nolan B. Canova.