Amadeus

Oh. My. Gosh. I don't know what to say about this movie except that it is excellent. Watch this movie. It was positively moving. The way that this movie takes Mozart's life and presents it is astounding. Whether all the bits are fact, fiction, or a combination of fact and artistic interpretation (which I'm sure it is, to an extent), it doesn't really matter. It was incredible.

I found the actress who played his wife to be mildly annoying. There was nothing wrong with the way that she acted -- at least I hope. I chalk it up to her doing a fine job of acting, and the script being written that way.

I actually watched the director's cut, and there was nothing too terribly wrong with it. There is one scene, where the protagonist of the film, Salieri, has made his demands as to how Mozart can get a particularly high-falootin' position in the emperor's court, as musical trainer to the emperor's niece. Mozart is in desperate need of the money, but he won't show his work, because he is too proud to have his work critiqued. He is of the attitude that he knows it's the best (and he is quite accurate in thinking so), and everyone else does, too -- what is the need to show his work? This pride causes him to not get the job. His wife comes, unbeknownst by Mozart, to the court, to show his work to get him the job. Salieri is reduced almost to tears simply by looking at the original work, and is so moved that he is inclined to give Mozart the position, but his jealousy gets in the way, and he tells Mrs. Mozart that her husband cannot have the position without "service" from her. We all know what is implied, and she is told to come back alone that night. Of course she protests, but when she sees that there is no other way, she does so. She shows up that night, and, without being told to, begins to remove her clothing. All the while, I was internally shouting at Salieri, "Make her stop!" He didn't, sadly.

Aside from that, there is a lot of language, which I found quite surprising, and 95% of it is from Mozart himself.

In any case, don't watch it with kids -- they'll be terrified of the opening -- and that reminds me, there are fully naked men in the opening. The opening is in an asylum. It's excusable in context, considering that there is nothing sexual about it. These men are completely insane.

So, aside from that, there is nothing too terribly wrong with it. But still, don't let the kids see it. They won't understand most of it, and what they see might actually scare them. I mean, I'll have nightmares... ;)