pyotr-3 Reviews

Joe Bell (2020)

Best movie of the year. A powerhouse performance by Wahlberg.

[10/10 · 23 July 2021]

This is definitely the most powerful film of the year. Mark Wahlberg plays a father who wonders if he did enough to help his gay son, who has killed himself. Reid Miller does an incredibly beautiful job playing the gay son. Together, you really do believe they are father and son, which adds greatly to the tension and the beauty of the film.

Beautifully filmed in Utah. At the end of the movie we see the real Joe and Jadin Bell, and we quickly see that the actors were well-chosen for their parts.

If you have known families that lived through suicides due to anti-gay bullying, you know that the situations shown in the film are indeed realistic, though you may wish they went into greater detail. Alas, movies are too short for great depth, but this movie delivers great emotional depth.

Little Women (2019)

Greta Gerwig's best work yet

[10/10 · 31 December 2019]

It feels like a very fresh & modern take on a story from the 1860s. Beautiful to look at and wonderfully acted. It is fast-paced for a story of that era but I didn't mind that. There were too many charming characters, beautiful homes, and too much lovely music to let trivialities bother me.

Cats (2019)

One of the most magical, beautiful films I've seen!

[10/10 · 23 December 2019]

This movie is so wonderful! I am gob-smacked by all the negative reviews and I have to suspect there is a campaign to down-vote this film. It is a joy to watch. It's 200 times better than seeing it on stage. The cast is 100% gold. And the performances are ALL very special, especially Judi Dench and Jennifer Hudson. In my theater everyone adored it, and there were audible sobs everywhere when JHud sang Memory. I can't imagine anyone giving it less than 9 stars. Everyone I know loved it and can't wait to go see it again.

Frantz (2016)

A beautiful movie, full of unexpected turns

[10/10 · 23 April 2017]

I could watch this movie a hundred times just to see the beauty that is in it. It may be the most beautiful movie I have ever seen. But it is much, much more than that. It is a fascinating historic film about a very important time and place that Americans know far too little about. And it is a romantic mystery. The actors in the film are among the best on earth and everything about "Frantz" is first-rate. But the reason that most people will love watching this film is because it is so full of twists and turns that keep the audience guessing. I doubt that anybody will ever predict how the film ends. After you leave the theater you will realize that the ending made sense, but you will never guess it ahead of time. I fell in love with almost every character in the film.

La La Land (2016)

The best of both old and new Hollywood. Astonishing!

[10/10 · 18 December 2016]

This is one of the best movies I have seen in my 62 years. How often do you hear a theater audience burst into applause in the first 5 minutes? From the spectacular opening of the film you realize that you aren't in Kansas anymore. Anything can and does happen in La La Land. The story involves a young aspiring actress (Emma Stone) who meets a jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) who is determined to open a jazz club. It should be noted that Gosling actually did his own piano playing in the film! But it is Emma Stone who steals the show here with fabulous singing, dancing, and acting. Emma just graduated to the Great Actresses Club with this performance.

The relationship between the actress and pianist has its ups and downs as they seek their dreams. There are moments so beautiful that I wept for joy. I may have to watch this movie many times. It is pure bliss.

This movie is hard to describe because it has charming old-fashioned elements yet it is at the same time super-modern. But above all it has a mountain of talent, a great deal of intelligence, and a beautiful heart. You will love it.

Moonlight (I) (2016)

A brilliant movie for hardcore movie fans

[10/10 · 25 November 2016]

This is one of the most stunning movies I have ever seen. Really well-made and brilliantly acted. The characters are all so well-developed that you ache for all of them. The mother makes horrible decisions which make life hell for her son, yet you find yourself empathizing with her, too. And when a drug seller shows the boy attention that the boy badly needs, you see that he is a beautiful soul in spite of his drug sales. It's a very complex group of characters, and you really feel the pain of the boy as he struggles to survive. I think at least 5 actors in this movie merit Oscar nominations. The acting really is extraordinary. This is not an action film, but there is some very real violence between teenage boys. It is quieter than most American movies, and more intense.

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)

Better than the original movie

[10/10 · 19 July 2016]

I enjoyed the first Ghostbusters movie, and it had a wonderful cast, but this remake takes advantage of improvements in special effects and the cast is equally as good.

I thought Kate McKinnon and Chris Hemsworth were so hilarious!! I can't wait to buy the DVD so I can watch it over and over.

Apparently some anti-female organization is asking people who haven't even seen the film to go online and make up lies about this film. If you listen to those people, you'll miss out on a great comedy. There is nothing controversial about this movie. It's just great fun.

I especially love the cast. Each one is brilliant. Very funny, and very smart. This movie is so smart. You will love it!

The Lobster (2015)

A complete waste of time

[1/10 · 29 May 2016]

I thought I would enjoy this film since I enjoy a good quirky comedy that makes a statement on society. But I only enjoyed the first half of the film.

The first half was quirky and clever, at least somewhat. But the second half was very difficult to sit through. It felt sadistic, cruel and even sick. I had to divert my eyes a few times. The humor was completely gone. And it seemed to me that there was no point to the movie at all. In short, it was a waste of two hours. And while nobody can agree on what happened at the end of the movie, it was sickening and horrifying to watch. No humor & no point.

Colin Farrell did a good job acting and it was fun seeing him heavier, not a hunk. But unless you enjoy pointless acts of cruelty, you should avoid this one.

Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015)

Hilarious feel-good film for all ages

[10/10 · 20 March 2016]

This movie is the ultimate New York City life film and it is a great date film! Sally Field & Max Greenfield are both perfectly cast as an older woman and the young man she becomes smitten with. Field really does deserve another Academy Award for this fantastic performance. Comedic acting of this high caliber is not easy and is rarely found, and she uses her drama chops here, too. Just brilliant.

I found that this film left me feeling very good about life. It doesn't matter what happens in the end, the people we meet along the way can help bring us back to life and that is a good thing. Tyne Daly and Natasha Lyonne are also terrific in their roles. The entire cast shines. As does the City of New York itself.

I think everyone will leave the theater with a smile in their heart.

The Danish Girl (2015)

A surprisingly beautiful and heart-warming true story

[10/10 · 27 December 2015]

As with all true stories, this film is fictionalized but it is based on real events of a century ago. The story of one of the first people to ever attempt to change genders, it is a reminder of how far we have come in understanding those who feel they were born the wrong gender.

Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander both deserve Oscars for the heart-rending, real performances they give here. I felt like I was in their real home with them, coming to grips with situations with them. I already knew Redmayne was an extraordinary actor, but I did not know Vikander. She has a quality much like Jennifer Lawrence which makes you just fall in love with her as she lovingly grapples with her husband's dilemma, realizing that she must support him.

The story is presented in such a beautiful manner, it is a joy to watch. That was surprising. Perhaps it is the sign of a superbly-made movie. Everything about this movie is top-notch, and the entire supporting cast is remarkable. I had no idea I would love this movie as much as I do.

Stonewall (2015)

I expected to hate it, but I loved it

[10/10 · 27 September 2015]

Having read so many hostile reviews about this film I expected it to be horrible and historically inaccurate. One reviewer asked "Where was Marilyn P. Johnson?!?" So I expected the worst. But the movie started and BAM! There was Marilyn P. Johnson, Big as you please. So I quickly saw that some negative reviews are by people who didn't see the movie. I believe that making a handsome white guy the main character of the film is what is making some people angry. The film is full of black, transgender and lesbian characters, except for the Mafia & Police, who were all white then and they are all white in the film. Having read some good books on Stonewall, I'd have to say the film depicts the Stonewall riots in a very accurate way. Practically none of the accusations I have read in hostile reviews are justified. I hope everyone sees this movie. There is one scene in which one main character (who is not white or cisgender) pours out her heart because nobody wants her. It is a very powerful scene which everyone needs to see.

Love Is Strange (2014)

One of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen

[10/10 · 7 September 2014]

I was not ready for how beautiful this movie is. I had no idea it would be so moving. There is a lot of humor in it, but it is overwhelmingly beautiful. Beautiful to look at. Beautiful to listen to. Beautiful to feel. Alfred Molina, John Lithgow, and Marisa Tomei bring incredible depth to their roles. They inhabit their roles with striking honesty and warmth. And the young man who plays Tomei's son is wonderful in that role. So much happens in this film that it is amazing that the film only runs about 90 minutes. Great acting. Great directing. And great music. The use of Chopin's Berceuse throughout the movie sets a magical stage that you will never forget. Go see this film to see how beautiful a film can be.

C.O.G. (2013)

A nice rainy day film, with humor and the rottenness of the world

[10/10 · 29 December 2013]

I really liked this film because the main character reminded me of myself at that age: a bit naive about the world, clueless about how privileged I was to have gone to college, and terrified of recognizing the fact that I was gay. Jonathan Groff is such a pleasure to watch, you could justify watching the film as an excuse to look at Groff for 85 minutes. But he really does perform the role well here.

It's just a simple film in a way: a young man sets out to break away from the world he knows to see if he can make sense of it. And it appears his family has cut him off so perhaps he had no choice. There are some little moments that will go over the heads of straight people, some of whom watch the whole movie without catching on to the fact that Groff's character is gay (read the comments on YouTube and IMDb). Gays watching the film will figure that out from the bus ride at the beginning of the film and the way he responds to anti-gay slurs thoughtlessly tossed out by straight passengers. Even though there are so many un-likable characters in the story, it's kind of oddly beautiful to watch. I could watch this film many times.

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

The best movie of 2013

[10/10 · 26 December 2013]

I saw this film twice the week it came out. It is magical and glorious. It made me feel so good I had to see it again to figure out why.

"12 Years A Slave" and "Philomena" are incredibly wonderful films which I regard as must-sees, but "Saving Mr. Banks" hit me in a way that I almost think was religious. The impact of the film is encapsulated in an amazing scene near the end of the film in which Walt Disney tells Pamela Travers why Mary Poppins is so important to him. I don't want to say more or it would be a spoiler, but watch for that scene and don't get up to go to the toilet then!! It is so beautiful.

There is a great deal of humor in the film, much of it due to Pamela Travers' eccentricities, but we see very serious flashbacks throughout the film which help us to understand why the Mary Poppins stories were so important to Travers. Colin Farrell does an Oscar-worthy job of portraying the father in those flashbacks.

Yes, they changed the true story a bit to make this movie. Apparently Disney and Travers never went to Disneyland together and certain other details were changed. But a lot of it is very real, and they used tapes of meetings between Travers and the Disney folks to recreate some key conversations. At the end of the movie, as the credits roll, they actually play one of those real tapes, so you can see that what you just saw was not unlike the reality of those meetings. I have read a great deal about the making of this film and P.L. Travers and I am impressed with the trouble they went to to make this film. Travers was far too complex to portray her thoroughly in this film, and I forgive the filmmakers for changing certain details. The end result here is far more beautiful than a straight, 100% true bio-pic would be.

Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, B.J. Novak, Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson and little Annie Rose Buckley did wonderful jobs portraying their characters. You will want to see this film over and over again.

Philomena (2013)

A perfect film, with great humor and a great true story

[10/10 · 28 November 2013]

It is not often that a film comes along with a perfect balance of humor and drama, but "Philomena" does just that. It's the true story of an Irish woman whose little boy was sold by nuns to rich Americans, and her attempt to find him 50+ years later.

Judi Dench is her usual brilliant self, and the film is surprisingly beautiful to watch due to the spectacular fall color of Ireland and some beautiful scenery in the Washington DC area as well.

When Philomena goes to America she is the ultimate curious visitor. She goes up to a Mexican worker in a restaurant and says something like "Oh you're from Mexico!? How marvelous! In Britain we don't have Mexicans. We have Indians instead!" And she manages to say things like this with such clear absence of malice that you can't help but love her. She is a bit of a British Edith Bunker, which is the source of a lot of humor, and like Edith she has a heart of gold with no guise whatsoever.

The story is a true one, so there is no need to hammer out any message. The true story just speaks for itself, and it rings very true.

I think I could watch this film 100 times and never tire of it. It is that brilliantly made. People of any age would love this film. Even kids. There are some adult jokes, but it's never vulgar so I would let any age see it.

This movie reminded me of another great film about nun-run homes for Irish girls who had babies: "The Magdalene Sisters." These films reveal a system which is thankfully gone now, but it is important that we know about them.

I think this is a great feel-good film. And if it doesn't win a slew of Oscars I will be shocked. A GREAT film.

The Butler (I) (2013)

One of the great movies of this decade

[10/10 · 16 August 2013]

"The Butler" far surpassed my expectations. I expected a cavalcade of stars stealing the show and offering no depth, but it was not that way at all. The focus is always on Forest Whitaker as the butler and he is brilliant.

The movie starts out on a plantation near Macon GA where the main character learned about the powerlessness of blacks in America in the early 1900's. But an elderly white woman taught him the skills of serving white folks in a no nonsense manner that eventually gave him skills to serve in the White House.

Years pass and a conflict grows between the butler and his elder son. We see the events of the Civil Rights Era unfold with father and son taking opposing positions on how to gain equality. The scenes of the Freedom Riders and other events of that era are very powerful. They show the horror of those events in a way seldom seen on film until now.

"The Butler" is brilliantly acted and filmed. It is a great pleasure to watch as it has many joyful and fun moments in it, but above all it is a true story that should never be forgotten. For young people it is an excellent history lesson, and for older persons it is a great opportunity to see some events which we read about but never experienced viscerally, such as the sit-in protests, which were never covered well in mainstream media. Media showed groups of black students sitting at restaurants in the white sections. They didn't show them getting beaten by white thugs who came after the cameras left.

Some reviewers of this film clearly don't get the film at all. I can't imagine how they fail to see this as anything but one of the best movies of recent years. That it is.

Les Misérables (2012)

A masterpiece! Spectacular!

[10/10 · 30 December 2012]

I was ready for this film to be fabulous due to the incredible talents involved in making it. But being unfamiliar with the story before seeing the movie, I was unaware of how beautiful this story is. Jean Valjean is a hero of the first order. A man who was down and out, but when a priest offered him amazing help, it changed his life.

The film is different from the stage show, or so I've read, but it actually adds some things from the book that the stage musical left out. (I've been reading about it nonstop for 3 days now.) And this film is spectacular to watch. Stunning! The cast is superb. If Hugh Jackman & Anne Hathaway don't win Oscars it will be a crying shame. Aaron Tveit is especially good as well.

This film is quite long, yet when it came to an end all I could think was "Gosh, I wish it was longer!" I didn't want it to end. I will probably go see it again next week. It's THAT good.

Any Day Now (I) (2012)

Brilliant film with an unforgettable performance by Alan Cumming

[10/10 · 16 December 2012]

After the movie ended, the entire audience stayed long afterwards, stunned and devastated by what they had seen.

I expected to be able to predict the ending of this film, but I was very wrong. It was completely unpredictable.

The relationship between Cumming's character and the lawyer was very touching, though it did require an actor of Alan Cumming's massive talent to make the relationship believable. Cumming deserves an Oscar for his performance. I can not imagine that any other actor will surpass Cumming's magic here.

The story takes place in 1979, a year I remember well because I always say it was my favorite year, and I think that they captured the look and feel of 1979 very well.

This is a very beautiful movie that everyone should see. A great story, well acted, and one that will be commented on for years to come.

Goyband (2008)

A fun film about the old Borscht Belt

[10/10 · 16 March 2012]

I love this movie. It was made with a low budget, yes, but it's more entertaining than most huge budget films, and it has a terrific cast! Adam Pascal is incredibly talented, and here he has enormous charm and humor as well.

Few films have captured the Borscht Belt days of the Catskill resorts as well as this one. "Mr. Saturday Night" with Billy Crystal also captures this era well. Sadly, most of these resorts have closed their doors now, but these films give a fun glimpse of the fabulous resorts that once nurtured generations of America's greatest comedians and musicians.

This movie is a fun way to spend a couple of hours, and you'll be glad you saw it. I don't understand why some people rate this great little movie so well. I suspect that this has more to do with those people wanting big, flashy Hollywood foolishness. As for me, I give this movie 10 stars for its clever story featuring truly talented actors and a nice, wholesome story that even a vulgarian like myself can enjoy!

Jhootha Hi Sahi (2010)

Brilliant film with a great ensemble cast!

[5 November 2011]

I love this movie so much I am buying copies for all my friends and family. John Abraham is such fun to watch in this beautiful film!! The music is especially nice, with brilliant choreography.

I love the inclusion of all kinds of people in the cast. This is true life in London, but it is too-seldom seen in films. I believed that all of these people were friends, and the way they interacted with each other was very genuine, and very supportive of one another. Beautiful.

I love that I was not sure what was going to happen next. I thought I knew, but I was mostly wrong. It holds your interest and the climax at the end was fantastic! Very scary. I won't spoil the ending for you, though.

John Abraham is the greatest actor and talent I've seen. I wish he were better known here in America because he sets such a good example. But whether or not that happens, he is a brilliant and good man and I thank him for his wonderful works and his loving heart. He makes "Jhootha Hi Sahi" a complete joy to watch.

I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

Hilarious fun... Jim Carrey's best film in many years

[9/10 · 17 January 2011]

I had some great laughs at this film. It's so raucous that at times it's hard to believe it is a true story, but it is.

I thought that Jim Carrey was made for this role. It required someone whom you can believe would hurl himself off a wall or down an escalator or would fake his way into jobs he has no qualifications for. Carrey pulls off those characters brilliantly. So this role was a chance for him to really strut his stuff and be as crazy as he wants.

Ewan McGregor and Rodrigo Santoro were superior in their roles, as was the entire cast. The film really gave you the feeling you were in the middle of these real live situations. Of course most laughs revolved around Carrey, but in order for his antics to be believable or funny you have to have really good supporting characters. They were totally superior supporting characters.

I won't ruin the ending. Suffice it to say it is quite full of surprises all the way to the end. If you are looking for a hilarious and unpredictable film like nothing you've ever seen before, go see it!

Sebastian (1995)

A pleasant film to watch, if not a dramatic one

[9/10 · 31 December 2010]

I found this film very delightful to watch. It brought back many memories of my youth, which was not so different from that of Sebastian. Some reviewers give the film bad reviews due to the lack of drama in the film, and I can see how some people would expect much more from the film, but I still enjoyed it. True, at the end I was thinking "Is that all there is?" But the 2 main characters were so very, very appealing that I didn't mind. And the scene of them taking a bath together is definitely a must-see!

Nicolai Cleve Broch is one of the sexiest actors working today. The main drama of the movie is waiting to find out whether or not Broch's character is gay, too. I will not tell you whether he is or is not.

The Country Teacher (2008)

A film of stunning beauty

[10/10 · 2 July 2009]

How often do you get to see two actual cow births in a film? The scenes of farm life in the Czech Republic are a wonderful opportunity to visit another world and escape our own mundane concerns. The entire film is gorgeous to watch and provides terrific escapism in so many ways.

A young man leaves Prague to go teach in the country. The audience wonders why he has made this move. As he settles in to his new living quarters, which is a small bit of a room in an old woman's house, with only a sheet hung up for privacy, we wonder how long anyone could possibly live like this. Then we meet the varied characters of the village, and we are impressed by the respect and kindness the country teacher has for the villagers. He seems to sincerely care for them.

Then an old lover of his comes to visit. He proves to be a highly disruptive force, and things begin to go wrong in the country teacher's life. Will the troubles unleashed by the unwanted ex-lover's visit cause all of the country teacher's good work to unravel? Will the country teacher have the self-control to keep himself out of trouble? Does he really care for the villagers? Will this story have a sad or happy ending? I won't tell you. But few people would predict the ending of this film correctly, which makes it all the more interesting.

The actors in this film are sublime. Especially the 3 main characters. "The Country Teacher" will stay in your thoughts long after you leave the theatre.

Grey Gardens (2009 TV Movie)

A great re-creation of a fascinating story

[10/10 · 2 May 2009]

Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange give shockingly brilliant performances as Big and Little Edie Beale, so perfectly realized that you forget whether you are looking at the actors or the real thing. Brilliant! This film fills in many of the gaps left by the documentary and the Broadway show. It reveals a bit of what there was just not time for in those depictions of their story.

Malcolm Gets and Arye Gross deserve plugs for their perfect performances as well. Gets and Gross are always a joy to see. I wish we had been shown what happened to Gould in later years. Gross, who was so brilliant in "Big Eden," is under-used here, but he is still just right for the role.

All in all this film is gorgeous to watch. The music is superb. The camera-work is perfect. Bravo to all involved in creating this lovely film.

Milk (I) (2008)

Great man, Great film, Great performance by Sean Penn

[10/10 · 28 November 2008]

"Milk" is the best film of 2008, hands down. Anyone unfamiliar with the story of Harvey Milk and his murder needs to know it. Those of us who have already read a ton of books and articles about Harvey Milk, and seen the award-winning documentary "The Times of Harvey Milk" will find a side of Harvey we had not seen before in this movie so the film really is a must-see whoever you are.

The performances by the entire cast are perfection... a notch better than even the best of films. I believe this is due to the story of Harvey Milk, who inspired so many of us and changed the lives of millions of us for the better. Harvey himself surely inspired these great performances. Once you have seen Harvey's smile, and heard Harvey's words, and seen Harvey in action (as we all can do by watching "The Times of Harvey Milk" documentary) you can never see the world the same way again.

Sean Penn's performance as Harvey could not be bettered by any actor living today, so we owe him a great debt for making this movie, and giving his heart and soul to the role. I believe it is Penn's most mature yet also most lovable role ever. I wanted the movie to go on and on, because I felt like I was actually there in San Francisco in 1978-79. Gus Van Sant recreated that world perfectly, and Sean Penn showed us the potential of this very real man with this unique ability to inspire and transform us. Gus and Sean have each earned a very special chamber in Heaven for giving us this beautiful tribute.