24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely women, lousy film, worse dialog, February 19, 2010
This review is from: Cynara (Amazon Instant Video)
In keeping with her previous movie, Claire of the Moon, director Nicole Conn has included plenty of smoldering glances, lots of walking on the beach, smoking and drinking, and inane dialog (more like narration in this instance, as well as the puzzling question of whether, in spite of the apparent attraction, these women actually like one another). Some segments are absolutely lovely, but the movie is disjointed above and beyond the intended feel of vignettes. The stereotypes of 19th century rebel-without-a-cause butch/femme roles make the characters painfully predictable and the lack of plot a given. On the other hand, if the intended purpose of viewing is to watch impeccably dressed, beautiful women kissing and undressing, look no further.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A work of Art - well beyond bourgeois romance, September 13, 2010
This review is from: Cynara (Amazon Instant Video)
I strongly disagree with the detracting reviews of this film.
The subtitle of Cynara is: "Poetry in Motion". The direction and acting in this film is remarkable, with the models (Melissa Hellman and Johana Nemeth) gracefully fitting their acting, and movements, to the rhythm and sensuality of the screenplay.
This is not a romance for vulgar interests. It is an elegant adaptation, in fantasy, of Lord Byron's immortal poem: "She Walks in Beauty." (see below)
The scenes include a lesbian sculptress creating extraordinary feminine, sensuous sculptures, and, music (including one of Suzanne Cianni's solo piano pieces
Pianissimo) which leads the viewer to the climax of the love scenes. The nudity and pose, of the models, are tasetful and erotic, relying on flowering suggestion rather than explicit display.
The two models are a pinnacle of physical feminine beauty in our age, and, statuesquely beautiful, in any measure of art, from any age.
For those of you who are not familiar with Melissa Hellman and Johanna Nemeth, they are favorite subjects of Judy Francesconi's superb (lesbian interest) photography.
Visual Sonnets. I will upload one of Ms. Francesconi's exquisite photographs (which I own) of these two models. The photograph adorns the cover of a classical music album by the same name of the photograph: "Dreams of Desire."
Dreams of Desire
If you are searching for mediocrity in sensual gratification, this is not the film for you. However, if you can appreciate art, poetry, music and physical feminine beautfy taken to its highest form, and, woven together into a classic adaptation, then you would find it hard to surpass the excellent performances, screenplay and imagery of this film.
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
- Byron
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Art and Poetry, November 23, 2010
This review is from: Cynara (Amazon Instant Video)
If you like movies that are done more for art than for story writing, I believe you will love this movie no matter what orientation one might be. It is as one person said, "Poetry in Motion". It appears to be based on a poem, "She Walks in Beauty" by Byron.
However, I like a love story with a plot and dialogue, and this is not that type of movie. It is a love poem, not a story with dialogue and plot. It is for that reason that I can only give it a 3 star.
The film itself was black and white, but faded. It looked like a picture where the sun has hit it so much that it faded. The audio isn't very good either. I had to put the speakers all the way up in order to hear it. Finally, the bottom portion of the film was chopped off, so sometimes I would see partial heads and bodies if the scene was on the bottom. Don't know if this is Amazon's problem or the film itself.
One very positive thing I can say is that the love scenes made you feel like the two main characters really loved each other, unlike other "lesbian films" where the actors don't do a good job of acting as true lesbians in love. This is a beautiful lesbian art film, but one I would not want to watch more than once even though I love independent, provocative, foreign, "artsy" type films.
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