Angels in America

The story centers around Prior Walter (Justin Kirk) and Louis Ironson (Ben Shenkman), a gay couple that falls apart when Prior grows ill as a result of AIDS. But cancer is not the only thing invading Prior's life: He begins to have religious visions of an angel (Emma Thompson, Sense and Sensibility) announcing that he is a prophet. Louis, who doesn't cope well with disease and suggestions of mortality, leaves and starts a relationship with Joe Pitt (Patrick Wilson), a closeted Mormon who works for Roy Cohn (Al Pacino, Dog Day Afternoon)--the real-life right-wing lawyer, notorious for his ruthless behind-the-scenes machinations. Add in Joe's depressed and hallucinating wife Harper (Mary Louise Parker, Fried Green Tomatoes), his determined but open-minded mother Hannah (Meryl Streep, Adaptation), a fierce drag queen/nurse named Belize (Jeffrey Wright, Basquiat, reprising his celebrated performance from the Broadway production), and you've still only begun to discover the wealth of characters and storylines in Kushner's ambitious work.

The powerhouse cast (also featuring James Cromwell, Michael Gambon, and Simon Callow) is uniformly superb. The script has its weaknesses--some of the fantastic elements, including Prior's journey to Heaven towards the end, fall flat--but even what doesn't work is bristling with ideas and a ferocious desire to capture human existence in this time and place. --Bret Fetzer

Spotlight Reviews
Highly deceptive waste of time (2008-12-28)
Customer Review : 1
Well if I could have given this less than 1 star I would have.
It was hard to stomach the first minutes of the movie and we finally turned it off after the foul language, sexual references were getting to much.
It's not rated per the packaging but would easily have been "R" or "NC-17" if it had come out in the theaters.

Definately not a family movie and really doesn't seem to have anything to do with Angels, unless they are gay and/or use foul language every fifth word.

Too bad the packaging did not have any kind of synopsis or the like so I would not have wasted my time even starting the movie.

I'm suprised that it supposedly won a bunch of awards.
Don't waste your time. Don't be deceived.

The Infinite Descent (2008-12-11)
Customer Review : 5
When HBO dubbed this mini-series as an event, they wern't kidding. Clocking in at an astonishing six hours, 'Angels in America,' is nothing short of legendary. Each hour installment will literally take your breath away. It's as sweeping as it is lugurious. Mike Nichols does an amazing job at transitioning Tony Kushner's beautiful and sprawling play on film. I only wished the producers had considered releasing the film in two halves in theaters; now that would truely be an event.

'Angels in America' is about many things to many people. For the most part it is a historical account of homosexual life during the Regan era (1980s). There is an assembly of one of the most impressive ensemble casts ever from big timers like Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Emma Thompson to the equally "big" Mary-Louise Parker, Justin Kirk, Patrick Wilson, and Jeffery Wright; all do a phenomenal job in their roles-many have multiple roles. Though the film tackles AIDS in America which can prove to damning in its depressing portait, the film is nevertheless joyously hopeful.

Everything about this film is astonishing and top notch. No expense was spared. The production is excellent from shooting New York City to shooting the heavens; it's absolutely stunning. The dialogue is rich and complex and is just as beautiful as anything Shakespeare has written-only far more modern.

It's no doubt 'Angels in America' holds a special place in my heart. It's one of the rare films that speaks to me, and even though it's considered a mini-series, it's definitely one of my favorite films of all time, a classic! You will wowed! "Prepare! Prepare for the infinite descent!"

ANGELS (AND MORMONS) IN AMERICA (2008-10-13)
Customer Review : 4
If you are an adult Mormon in America, you will relate to ANGELS IN AMERICA. Tony Kushner has absorbed and filtered back more Mormon concepts and theology within the 6-hour boundaries of this film than any other Jewish American playwright. He is to be commended for the effort. He has done his homework. His personal interpretations of God (and/or the lack thereof) are not mine, nor need they be yours. But as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the past 50 years, I pronounce this film to be "virtuous, lovely and of good report". Do not get bogged down with the sex or language. See them for what they are: incidentals. Focus instead on the human (and spiritual) interaction in the face of AIDS, and by extension all disease. Add the kaleidoscopic variables of human interactions. After viewing this serendipitous masterpiece, thoughtfully witness, thoughtfully ponder, and thoughtfully ACT. Follow up with meaningful help to make the world a better place for us all.

What a waste (2008-10-09)
Customer Review : 1
It is a shame that such great actors would lower themselves and play in a movie that was so bad. Don't waste your money.

What More Can I Say? (2008-09-09)
Customer Review : 5
This is a very artistic, moving, funny, sad and whimsical adaptation of the play that will be a welcome addition to your DVD collection. Now just waiting for it to come out in Blu-Ray!