In reply to JokerSwan

Rating: Null/10 (25 November 2003)

Further to my recent comment...
Describing a movie as "fragmented" is by no means a term of abuse. Life is fragmented and we are all loosely interconnected. No one can understand the complex, extraordinary, mundane, obsolete connections that there are in the world.
American Independent Cinema thrives on ambiguity; on keeping stories open ended; on not explaining everything; on discontinuity; and on fragmentation.
Wile I am by no means even suggesting Love Actually is independent (I'm sure we all know it's a colossal British picture marketed very wisely to certain demographics at this time of year), it shares some small similarities. Its skill may be in drawing in people outside those demographics as well.
Finally being a fan of certain actors is a fact of life, a common obsession. Yet cinema is not made up of its stars, but of its characters. It is the moments and the scenes that make up a film. And in seeing a film for a certain luscious actor detracts from the true essence of cinema. Furthermore in an ensemble film it is about all the actors, not just one.