Loving Annabelle (2007)

A Brilliant Conflict

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Why is it that too many Indie films and gay/les films shoot themselves in the foot when given any opportunity? If this film (and others of its ilk) are supposed to be an "answer" to 'Hollywood,' then the first place to start might be to avoid the hyper-simplistic characterizations so blatant throughout this film.The movie was pretty much well acted and well directed and produced, but the utter slackness in the script writing just blew all that away. Please, anyone could have come up with that "bad girl" character on the first try, likewise the Mother Superior, except that I don't think that anyone could have come up with such an inferior representation of the latter even in the first effort. At one point in the movie the M Superior physically indicates that she has carnal knowledge of the professor from some time ago. But she calls the police upon discovery of a likewise episode from that same person. Just leave out the scene of M Superior's affection towards the teacher by way of reminiscing and avoid the confusion. Or explore/expiate it, either way.The summary describes a girl "wise-beyond-her-years" connecting with a teacher who taught a class for high level students. So then, even having availability of the teacher's beach resort at their disposal (and alleged super smarts to begin with), these two protagonists chose that the disposition of their love affair occur right there in the dorm, where anyone could walk in at anytime. As was well pointed out throughout the entire movie.Right.Aside from the fact that this scenario should have taken place at a college or university so as to avoid advocating statutory rape, (to some of the other reviewers; paedophilia involves prepubescents, not the case here at all) I am just greatly annoyed at the typical Hollywood slackness of script writing in having the 'drama' in their movie based upon incredibly stupid and utterly inane actions of the protagonists. Even if this from a supposedly "different" movie.Because of the good production and decent acting (occasionally pretty good) and a decent story line otherwise, I might recommend a watch, and if you watch TV all the time, you might not notice the crash at the end as a crash.

Loving Annabelle is a film that seems to polarize viewers into two camps (see the comments on this site)--those who see it as a love story between two consenting individuals, and those who see it as a story about "stalking" and "immorality". If the primary purpose of the director was to force viewers to confront their feelings about an emotionally charged topic, then well done.I liked the film except for the ending, which is not to say that the ending ruined the film for me. Throughout the film I thought the action was leading down a fairly predictable path, but I liked the writing because in many ways it avoids the obvious clichés.The story takes place in a Catholic school--certainly one of the most repressed and structured environments. And the school environment takes place within the framework of American law, with all its legal restrictions. The story is set up so that a conflict must arise--legally, if not otherwise. The story reminds us that the law is unbending and unforgiving--without regard to intention or feelings, whereas humans are emotional and sometimes place love above all other considerations.The titular role of Annabelle was very strongly played. Other roles were portrayed well, though the action was very centered on Annabelle, the student, and Simone, the teacher.I also thought that music was used very well in this production. It did not overpower, but aided the mood in the scenes.

Well, I'm usually not the one to write reviews, but for this particular movie, I felt, I just had to put my opinion into words.My overall impression is that it's like a strictly religious Christian writing a gay story: the moment they find each other, they met instant retribution.I watched "Loving Annabelle", because of the lesbian relationship the story revolves around, and I was mostly disappointed with it. First, apart from both main characters being female, the story has nothing to do with lesbian relationships. It could have been told with Simone being a man, and it wouldn't change anything. It's especially surprising, given the number of lesbian/gay awards this movie got. As long as they are teacher and the student the story would be the same.I tried finding some character development in there, but what I found instead, that there are no real characters. Except for Simone and Annabelle, all the characters are but a single role, a single stereotype, without any story of their own. Annabelle's friend never do anything but does their simple role, one plays the weak kid, one the normal and one is the traitor. No emotions, no original thoughts, they have nothing. The main characters are better, but even them lack any character development. Annabelle tries to seduce Simone multiple times, and both of their reactions are remain the same, except that in the end Simone gives in. All the relationships are determined by the "role" of the character, and they doesn't even felt real, except for the one between Annabelle and Simone.Now let's talk about the most disappointing part, I'm talking about the ending, of course. This movie consist of a beginning, an overly long first part, where Annabelle tries to seduce Simone, and an ending. I mentioned the first part so where is the second one? That's a good question, and I'd like to know the answer as well. One thing is sure, it's not in the movie. Either the creators thought it was more "artistic" that way, or they had other problems, but this ending simply does not close the story properly, it's only like a commercial break, and the story was left unfinished forever.But even this miserable ending is unreal, amateur, and full of holes. Let's start with the scene where Simone and Annabelle just got caught by the headmaster. Apparently they don't lock the doors here, and apparently the headmaster can enter any teacher's room, without even knocking. Ever heard of privacy? Well, they got caught. Not when having sex, but in the middle of changing. While that might be enough to get a divorce, changing clothes is hardly a criminal act, and if that's so, why is the police there? Where is the evidence against her? And we know, that the headmaster lady is a relative of Simone, so what kind of person sends her relative to jail, without even hearing her out? And even if they were to caught in the middle of the act, and photographed too, Annabelle's parents are still big shot politicians, who would be happy to bail out Simone, if they can prevent a scandal in exchange.Soooooo... I give 5/10 to this movie, and I give those points solely because of scenes, where the girls making out, and the other erotic one. Noting else in it deserves anything.

I'd been swamped by excellent to average reviews about this movie for 3 months. Recently I decided to watch this movie.Boy did I make it late? This is a kind of movie which grows slowly till you realize "its all over you". There have been varied reviews on this movie on IMDb and thanks to all of them for making my mind.I m truly moved by the music of LA. Songs like # All over Me know which include lines like "If your heart is cold my sheets are warm, will shelter through the storm, will shelter you All through the storm". These kinda songs take up the momentum of the movie.I must congratulate the LA team for coming up with this piece of art. Another song # Broken is wonderful with its waves and beats it makes me say wow on lines like "Don't look back, baby" and "Lingering images and starry eyes, Amazing grace with electrolytes! "There are great songs too like # Gravity and # I'm not giving you up.This is one movie, get lifted notches with its music and songs.Above all the humane message given by this movie keep lingering long after it is over by its "amazing grace with electrolytes"