Monster's Ball - Original Soundtrack

Attend the Monsters Ball

Advantages: Good film with good acting
Disadvantages: Story a bit thin at times

Monsters Ball is a historical term for the ball's that used to be held the night before a prisoner was lead to his death sentence. A term thats probably not that effective here given that prisoners on death row are now treated to a much more dignified affair of only a meal and a quiet walk down the green mile. Lawrence Musgrove awaits his fate by drawing pictures of the guards who sit with him in his last hours. 2 of a three generation of death row guards from the one family take it in turns to oversee him. Hank and Sonny are father and son, and theirs is an instantly tense relationship, with the most obvious of those tensions coming from a wide gap in their attitudes. Hank, like his tyranically father Buck, is a racist, whereas Sonny appears to befriend some local African-American boys. Its just one annoyance that sets up ...

bilbob20 10.05.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Monster's Ball (DVD)

Monsters Wrecking Ball

Advantages: Good Acting, Well Directed
Disadvantages: Too raw for mainstream

Monsters Ball is one of those films that not many people had probably heard of until Halle Barry picked up the Best Actress Oscar earlier for her performance. It's one of those films that is small in scale and the kind that builds slowly. Of course there was the small matter of a full on sex scene between Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in the movie to contend with as well. Thornton plays Hank Grotowski, a correctional officer who resides over state executions. Among his staff is his son Sonny (Heath Ledger) and today they are executing Lawrence Musgrove (Puff Daddy/P.Diddy). Berry plays Leticia, the wife of Lawrence who only maintains contact for the sake of their overweigh son. In Hank's private life things are grim. His father Buck (Peter Boyle) is a racist and a bully who Hank has taken after, Sonny is more like a chore to Hank than ...

utero 18.01.2003 · Read full review
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Review of Monster's Ball (DVD)

Fun for all at the Monster's Ball

Advantages: Fantastic acting and a bleak, dark look and story
Disadvantages: Shouldn't be a 15

and moody, with lots of fading in and out of focus on the different characters. The editing was also quite effective, as it knew when to play out a scene in a single shot and when to change. The soundtrack, although not that memorable, certainly fitted the mood of the film and was very atmospheric. I thought the ending was strange; it felt like a part of the story had been missed off. Just as you are about to reach the conclusion, the film stops and lets you decide for yourself how it all ends. It certainly makes you think, and it's much better than a cheesy happy ending, but I felt that one further development would have been better (you'll probably know what I mean if you've seen it). Overall, I think that Monster's Ball is a powerful film, one that is certainly worth watching once or twice, although perhaps not one which you would ...

l-m-n-o-p 24.02.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Monster's Ball (DVD)