Far From Heaven
This beautifully realized melodrama works on all levels. It is indeed a tribute to the glossy soapers of the 1950's (mainly those directed by Douglas Sirk), but it is also much more. The themes are as current as ever, and the film could have taken place now.(However, one comes away feeling glad that it did not.) The cinematography is breathtaking, and the sets and costumes are so beautiful that they actually play a role in the film. So does Elmer Bernstein's dramatic and lushly romantic musical score. The stellar cast shines, using the same stylized form of acting that would have been used in the 1950s. Above all, there is the lovely and always watchable Julianne Moore in the leading role. Her tender and moving performance was much deserving of the academy award nomination that she received. Three cheers to writer-director, Todd Haynes, for his gift to all those who recognize art in the cinema!