Has anyone else seen "Little Children," with Kate Winslet and Jackie Earle Haley? They are both nominated for Oscars for their performances in this film. For you guys who are Kate Winslet fans, you'll see a lot of her in this movie.... a lot.

I had no idea what the movie was about, except that it had to do with the families in the 'burbs. YIKES! Some families! I didn't know that "Little Children" was so dark. It's very good and worth seeing.

I liked it but found it very disturbing, which is the point. I don't think Winslet's performance was Oscar worthy, but it's good. Jackie Earle Haley just LOOKS so profoundly creepy that all he has to do is stand there and he fits the bill. He's good, too, but he won't take the Oscar home.

"Little Children" unfolds slowly as it lays down multiple story lines while allowing you to connect the dots. Throughout the film the sense of dread increases. With so many deeply flawed characters, it seemed to me they all were going to come to no good. I didn't see the end coming as it did.

Unlike "Letters from Iwo Jima," which also unfolds slowly, I was involved with these characters and the story and even though the pace is slow, at no time did my mind wander, as it did throughout "Iwo Jima." "Little Children" is an example of a slow moving film that captures you and won't let you go until the final scene when you hear the eerie creak of an empty playground swing.


P.S. Oooh! Oooh! There's a scene that involves a book club. On the sofa are three women, older than Kate Winslet, who are discussing "Madame Bovary." I was in a show off-off Broadway with 2 of the 3 ladies on the sofa, Crystal Field and Lola Pashalinski! I really haven't done much professional acting, so it was really neat to see those ladies together on the screen and to turn to my friends and say that I'd acted with them.