Home :: DVD :: African American Cinema :: Drama  

Blaxploitation
Breakthrough Cinema
Comedy
Documentary
Drama

Series & Sequels
Soul Cinema
TV & Miniseries
Eve's Bayou

Eve's Bayou

List Price: $9.98
Your Price: $9.98
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 5 >>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A powerful, haunting film
Review: "Eve's Bayou" is the deceptively simple story of a little girl's loss of innocence. Eve is the middle child of an upper-class black Creole family in Louisiana; her father, a doctor, is a compulsive womanizer, searching for the admiration he is denied by his beautiful but frigid wife. When Eve catches her father cheating on her mother, she wants to punish him, and in her rage, she brings about his destruction. Eve has the gift of Sight, which was passed on to her from her aunt; throughout most of the film she is unaware of her powers and only at the film's end does she begin to realize what she has inherited and the responsibility it brings with it. Eve's older sister is their father's favorite, she's his princess, the light of his life, and when her hero-worship of him takes on sexual undertones of which she herself, in her innocence, is unaware, she takes his violent reaction and repulse as a stunning rejection of her as a female and as his child. The acting in the film is superb throughout. Samuel L. Jackson is excellent as the doctor-father whose need for love and affirmation is so engulfing that he seeks it anywhere and everywhere; Lynne Whitfield is just right as his starched, immaculate and rejected wife; Debbi Morgan makes the most out of a great role as Eve's aunt, who drives men to their deaths without even trying, and Journee Smollett gives a knockout performance as the young Eve. Kasi Lemmons' sensitive direction lets the movie tell a powerful story without overdoing the drama or the emotions. A really impressive debut by an enormously talented director.

Rating: 0 stars
Summary: Eve's Bayou is extraordinary. Ebert says "Best of 97!"
Review: (I'm the movie's producer, not its "author," but read on.)

Kasi Lemmons' accomplishment in "Eve's Bayou" is astonishing. It's a lyric drama of surprising beauty, power and grace, and was both the first script she wrote and the first feature she directed.

Involving, intriguing, erotic, exotic -- I committed to produce "Eve's Bayou" after reading the first few pages: it marks the debut of an exhilarating new voice in American movies.

I believe it will repay your close attention. (The DVD itself has been getting good reviews for its quality and design, and included is the short film Kasi made with me that showed the financiers she could direct.) END

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Hauntingly Beautiful Film with Ghostly Atmosphere!
Review: A truly impressive and memorable debut by Kasy Lemmons. Beautifully acted and masterfully conceived of the supernatural on the bayou. An absorbing story that has an otherworldliness to it and that is what makes this film exceptional, everything from budu, fortunetellers and spells are interwoven into the story in a fascinating way. But also the acting is truly impressive, not a bum characterization in the whole cast, even the younger cast members are great. Lynn Whitfield delivers a powerful performance as Jackson's tortured wife who must put up with Jackson's affairs with other women to keep a stable household but yet is in denial of what is happening around her. Debbi Morgan is also memorable as Jackson's sister who has a supernatural gift. There is a scene where she explains the death of her second husband to young Smollett that is masterfully surreal, a gem of a scene that is a highpoint in the film, as is the powerful ending. Samuel L. Jackson delivers a powerful performance, he recuperated after a career slump after 'Pulp Fiction'. But heading this terrific cast is the young Jurnee Smollett, she plays a key role and carries the whole film on her shoulders. A lyrical drama with surreal undertones. A beautiful one of a kind film. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film an 8!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This film deserved more "press"
Review: A wonderful film, with terrific acting, against the beautiful backdrop of the South. It's nice to see an African-American film done by someone other than Spike Lee, that is so wonderful. There aren't enough good black dramatic films out there. Particularly good acting by the two young actresses that play the daughters.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: debi morgan
Review: debi morgan in my opinion walked off with this movie, she was like a panther, the way she moved throughout this movie with her brillant performance, and i must say samuel jackson was sooo sexy in this movie, in the scene he had with victoria rowell when he walked toward that bed my body shivered! the children were great but someone should have told jurnee to tone it down just a little, she was way over the top in her scenes, this movie is one of the greatest black films ever made!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Feel The Heat
Review: Eve's Bayou is a spectacular movie. The color and scenery is wonderful and the people are elegant and troubled. Even the character's names stir up visions of dark swamp water and sultry heat. The story is told and seen through the eyes of little Eve Batiste played by a wonderful young actress named Jurnee Smollett. Eve takes us deep into her world which is filled with colorful characters and complex personalities.Diahann Carroll is fabulous as the old fortune teller Elzora with her insane laughter. Debbi Morgan as Aunt Mozelle Batiste Delacroix is something to behold. Aunt Mozelle has promised her family that she will not use her "second sight" to tell fortunes, but neighbors won't let her keep her promise. They seek her out to find missing husbands anyway. Lynn Whitfied as the manor born wife is beautiful and poised as she tries to keep her family together in spite of her wandering husband (Samuel L. Jackson). Jackson is very sexy in this movie and his character has roving eyes as well as roving hands that don't stop even when he is caught in a compromising position by his youngest daughter, Eve. This starts a set of events that lead to the total destruction of an already deeply troubled family.Although this movie did not make history at the box office my guess is that it will become a cult classic. Years from now this movie will be viewed for what it is, a brilliantly produced film. You can literally feel the Louisiana heat from Eve's Bayou. Vannie

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Captivating story, mood-setting scenery and photography
Review: Eve's Bayou is a wonderful, dark movie. And the soundtrack is even better. The actress who plays the youngest daughter gives a strong, likeable performance.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Top 10
Review: Eve's Bayou is one of my favorite movies starring one of my favorite young actresses, Jurnee Smollett. You may remember her from On Our Own, a sitcom with her siblings all apart of the cast. The acting is great and the whole movie is a lot different(including the setting) than the usual stuff that comes out. Samuel Jackson is the loving, but adulterous husband and Jurnee doesn't like it. When she decides he goes too far she does the unthinkable to protect her family.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: check it out
Review: Excellent film. one in which the price has dropped to $5.50 at wall mart.

At that price it is cheaper to buy it than rent it.

David

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Mesmorizing
Review: Great movie and even better DVD. I watch this movie over and over and get absorbed into the many layers. The DVD's commentary is first rate and the short movie is terrific. Buy it now.


<< 1 2 3 4 5 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates