The Evening Star

First of all, after having read some of the other comments on this movie, let me say one thing before anything else. When Terms of Endearment ended, I believe it was supposed to be around 1973, not 1983/Present day like someone else stated. Because of that, Melanie's age was accurate. Second of all, I saw The Evening Star before I even saw Terms of Endearment because I'm only 14 years old and was not alive yet to have seen it in the theatres and at the time Evening Star came out, had not even heard of Terms. I saw the Evening Star, absolutely LOVED it, memorized every line, and have seen it 83 times and counting. In response to another user comment, such "hokey" lines like Teddy's to Melanie, "I remember hugs, lots of hugs, mom was big on hugs", are not "hokey" at all! Lines like those really stir up the past accurately. He is describing his mother basically, and the character of Emma was a very warm, loving person who cared for her kids more than anyone else in the world. "I guess she just wanted to hold on to us for as long as she could" follows that. Not hokey - Touching. Anyone who would think that is "hokey" probably thinks that the Jerry Springer show is a touching, good family kind of program. Overall, the movie was one of the best I've ever seen and equally matches Terms of Endearment. One of the best sequels of our time! Shirley MacLaine played Aurora beautifully as she did the first time around, Marion Ross did a fabulous job as Rosie and really brought her character to life. Remember, in Terms of Endearment, Rosie had only a few lines. She was played by another woman and was in no way a main character. Marion Ross had to create that character all on her own and did a fabulous job. Miranda Richardson as well, Juliette Lewis, Mackenzie Astin, everybody. I think they all did a fantastic job. Jack Nicholson was a small part in the movie, yes, but the beach scene is what really brings it all to life. I love that movie just as much now as I did the first time I saw it.

Now when this movie first came out, no one really saw it. Critics gave it bad reviews. Part of the issue was the original Terms of Endearment was made back in 1983. So when some of the cast came back 13 years later, it can lose some of its box office draw. However, the time that passed actually made this movie more believable as the characters had also aged. Shirley MacLaine reprises her role and does a nice job, trying to raise her dead daughter's children. The movie stays grounded by dealing with everyday issues as well as getting older and the trials of a non-traditional family. Paxton plays a nice role in this film adding a little flare to the shadowing plot of Shirley MacLaine's character getting older. Nicholson's return, although brief, helped this film round itself out. See this one only if you see Terms of Endearment first.

Best Scene: Nicholson and MacLaine re-living the past on the beach.

Evening Star is a pointless return to the tragi-comic life of Aurora Greenway, heroine of the vastly-superior "Terms of Endearment." Sequel lacks the smartly realistic writing of the original, and is full of hokey lines such as "I remember hugs... mom was big on hugs," in a failed attempt to channel some of the rich characterization of the original. Much of the acting is quite good - MacLaine is, as usual, eminently watchable, Juliette Lewis does another of her typically strong turns, and never has Marion Ross been given a better opportunity to demonstrate her surprising range. Still, credible acting and an 11th hour appearance of (an embarrassed-looking) Jack Nicholson can only do so much for this contrived mess, and one cannot help but wonder why they couldn't leave well enough alone.

I was kind of disappointed. I was expected the same from the sequel with the role of Aurora Greenway played by Academy Award Winner Shirley Maclaine again. Of course, Jack Nicholson won his second Oscar for his role as her lover. In this film, Aurora deals with troubled grandchildren who she helped raise because the father was absentee. One grandson is in prison and her granddaughter is as stubborn as her daughter Emma played by Debra Winger was. Also Miranda Richardson plays a Texan friend that wanted to raise Emma. Also Marion Ross is cast in the role as Rosie Dunlop, Aurora's maid or housekeeper. There were some changes like ROsie lived at the house but Marion Ross earned a Golden Globe nomination and probably would have earned her Academy Award nomination if the film got better reviews. Marion does an excellent job in making us care so much for Rosie.

Terms of Endearement is one my my favorite movies. Evening Star was entertaining, but not as good. (Some of the situations seemed contrived) But....

The scene at the end when Aurora is surrounded by her family during her last moments was very touching to me. My grown daughter was watching the movie with me and I eased into the kitchen to weep, and I, slightly embarrassed, told her I was having a "mommie moment." I saw this film on TV not too long after my own mother died. She would have loved to have gone that way,peacefully, at home, with her family around her. Me too, for that matter.