Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.

Roman Sampson One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

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

SnoopyStyle This autobiographical movie follows the life of Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas (Javier Bardem). It starts with his childhood in 1943. After the victory of the revolution, he gains friends and success as a young writer in Havana. It's heady days of a sexual revolution until his homosexuality is deemed dangerous. He tries to escape to America but is imprisoned. His writing gains some popularity outside of Cuba. In prison, he is surprisingly valued by the other prisoners for his writing skills. He writes his novel in between writing for everybody else. Bon Bon (Johnny Depp) is a transvestite inmate and Lt. Victor (Johnny Depp) is their vicious guard. Arenas becomes part of the boat lift exodus and arrives in New York.Javier Bardem is simply amazing. His presence is incredible. The movie is a bit long. The early childhood has interesting stuff but is not strictly necessary. It could have started around 1960 after Castro marches into Havana. It could be a bit more interesting style-wise. Johnny Depp is a little weird and seems out of place. Through it all, there is the great performance from Javier Bardem.

gradyharp Visual artist Julian Schnabel was the perfect choice for bringing to the screen the richly colorful life and times of Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas (1943-1990). BEFORE NIGHT FALLS began as a book, Arenas' memoir, translated and released in 1993: time has aged the eloquence of this memoir but has not marred the impact of the brilliance of the writing. Arenas wrote with a degree of truth and keen observation that makes his moments of antics with his characters like comic relief in a Shakespearean play. The screenplay was written by Lázaro Gómez Carriles, Cunningham O'Keefe and Julian Schnabel who with great homage to Arenas made his life as narrated by Arenas, in an inextricable mix of his memories, dreams, nightmares and pure fiction. He grew up as poor, naked illegitimate child, joined Castro's Cuban revolution and became an intellectual, employed in the public library. After discovering his gay sexuality, he soon shares in the regime's inconsistent persecution. His work and life become dominated by the mix of temptation, fear, betrayal and man hunting in both senses. Finally he makes it to Manhattan, only to get caught in another trap for which there is only one tragic escape in the end - his death from AIDS.Arenas had a gift of distilling Magical Realism, transforming even the radical ugliness of Castro's Cuba into the topical paradise so beloved by Cubans everywhere. This cinematic version lets the viewer experience that rich literary output of one of the most exciting writers of the last century. For example, 'Walking along streets that collapse from crumbling sewers. Past buildings that you jump to avoid because they will fall on you. Past grim faces that size you up and sentence you. Past closed shops, closed markets, closed cinemas, closed parks, closed cafés. Sometimes showing dusty signs, justifications: "CLOSED FOR RENOVATION," "CLOSED FOR REPAIRS." What kind of repairs? When will these so-called renovations be finished? When at last will they begin? Closed... closed... closed... everything closed. I arrive, open the countless padlocks and run up the temporary stairs. There she is, waiting for me. I pull off the cover, and stare at her dusty, cold shape I clean of the dust and caress her. With my hand, delicately, I wipe clean her back, her base and her sides. In front of her, I feel desperate and happy. I run my fingers over her keyboard and suddenly it all starts up. With a tinkling sound the music begins, little by little, then faster; now full speed. Walls, trees, streets, cathedrals, faces and beaches. Cells, mini- cells, huge cells. Starry nights, bare feet, pines, clouds. Hundreds, thousands, millions of parrots. A stool, a climbing plant, they all answer my call, all come to me. The walls recede, the roof vanishes, and you float quite naturally. You float uprooted, dragged off, lifted high. Transported, immortalized, saved. Thanks to that subtle, continuous rhythm, that music, that incessant tap-tap.'Javier Bardem completely inhabits the poet that was Arenas - a performance so delicately nuanced that it remains one of the great moments in cinema. He is ably supported by Olivier Martinez as Lázaro Gómez Carriles, and incidental roles by Johnny Depp, Sean Penn, Diego Luna, Jerzy Skolimowski, Hector Babenco and a host of other fine actors. This is one of those films that remains a standard of the industry and certainly Javier Bardem will never be forgotten for his inhabiting the essence of what made Reinaldo Arenas a great writer. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp

wes-connors Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls" initially impresses as an extraordinarily photographed film, by Xavier Perez Grobet and Guillermo Rosas; their use of color is especially beautiful. For someone unaware of the subject (as I was), the narrative is sometimes confusing. The film is a biography of Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas (1943-1990), who is played by Javier Bardem. Mr. Bardem's characterization is about as convincing as they come; he gradually "paints" his role into your viewing consciousness. And, he carries the story through some rough waters. His performance is definitive "Best Actor" material. Also, watch out for Sean Penn, under hat and make-up, as he gives young Reinaldo a lift, after the boy leaves home. Later on, during a prison sequence, Johnny Depp essays a couple of amazing characterizations, as "Bon Bon" and "Lieutenant Victor"; Mr. Depp's acting, and his decisions regarding his successful career, are quite admirable. Handsome Andrea Di Stefano (as Pepe) and handsome Oliver Martinez (as Lazaro) are among Bardem's "Best Supporting" boyfriends. In sum, Mr. Schnabel, Bardem, and the photographers deserve accolades for this good nightfall.Additionally, investigate writer Reinaldo Arenas (as I did): "I am that child of always / Before the panorama of imminent terror / Imminent leprosy, imminent fleas / Of offenses and the imminent crime / I am that repulsive child that improvises a bed / Out of an old cardboard box and waits / Certain that you will accompany me…" ******** Before Night Falls (2000) Julian Schnabel ~ Javier Bardem, Oliver Martinez, Johnny Depp

edwagreen A wonderful interpretation of the late Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas by Javier Bardem makes this film worthwhileIt appears that this great writer was just destined for a life of tragedy.From the time of living with an outrageous grandfather to his university years followed by enthusiasm leading to disgust with the Castro Administration, Bardem has the right appeal as the intellectually vulnerable youth who chose homosexuality as his way of life.From the time of trumped up charges against him for allegedly molesting a youth, it was all down-hill in his life with his eventual escape to New York followed by a fatal illness.This film reinforces the idea of the closed society of Cuba's Castro.