The acting in this film is fascinating and the cast is absolutely stellar. It's an interesting story and certainly would have deserved a 9 were it not for two major flaws that are common in movies these days but taken to absurd excess here. First, the sound. It was so muffled and echoey, and the music and sound effects were so overwhelming, that my friends and I missed at least a third of the dialog. Since the drama depended on the dialog, this was a serious error in judgment. At times, it was obvious something very humorous was occurring in the dialog, but the entire audience just sat in confused silence trying to figure out what was going on. And then there were the frequent changes in scene. Just as you are settling into a scene, suddenly the story jumps to a different city, with different people, in a different decade. Between the inaudible dialog and the frenetic changes in scene, the film was often difficult to follow. I look forward to watching this with subtitles to see what I missed.
Reviews
24 Reviews
Marriage
(2022)
Slow and boring (with brilliant acting)
15 June 2023
The acting is brilliant as you would expect with Nicola Walker and Sean Bean, but the dialog and plot are depressing and boring. Plus the theme song is excruciating, just astonishingly painful. If your life us too much fun, and you need something to bring you down, this is your ticket. No Despondex needed. Also, if you want to talk someone out of getting married, get them to watch this show. I imagine the show creators had a meeting where they discussed how much they could punish the audience and still get the show made. Interesting experiment, but leave me out of it. Give this one a miss. Life is too short.
What was supposed to be interesting?
20 May 2023
I kept falling asleep during this movie. Although the characters are appealing, the attempts at humor are just stupid, and the plot is simpleminded. I found the first film in this series witty and entertaining, but this is a nothingburger. How could so much talent and money produce something so lifeless? The writing was probably done by the studio's accountants - they have a formula that makes money, and they're sticking to it. Toward the end, they must have realized what a piece of garbage they'd created, and tried to save it with a heartwarming subplot. Too little, too late. One has to wonder if the glowing IMDB reviews were written by the accountants.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
(2022)
Clever and funny
1 November 2022
Not for hard-core Marvel fans who sabotaged the rating by loading lots of ones. If you're bored by long battles with over-the-top special effects, but are still intrigued by the superhero genre, this might be for you. Tatiana Maslany is always a pleasure to watch, although this light role is not as compelling as her work in Orphan Black. Her occasional breaking of the fourth wall is hilarious and not overdone, as it is by Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool. Tim Roth is entertaining as Emil Blonsky / Abomination. The writing is clever and funny and makes fun of the whole superhero entertainment industry.
The Politician
(2019–2020)
Amusing plot, compelling actors
28 September 2022
The plot is clever and amusing, and I was surprised at how good the acting is. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Bette Midler, and Judith Light get a chance to turn in powerful, mature performances that exceed expectations, and the rest of the cast is also outstanding. Midler's brash Broadway schtick was never my cup of tea, but she plays a more well rounded character here. I love the changes in tone and character development from episode to episode. The predictable cynical commentary on politics is fleshed out with interesting moral ambiguity and agonizing over choices. Serious issues are addressed but there are many hilarious moments.
The Lost City
(2022)
Unbelievably Boring Dialog
27 March 2022
This formulaic movie could have been mildly entertaining. The plot, acting, scenery, direction, etc. Weren't that much worse than a lot of the stuff put out by Hollywood. However, there was one fatal flaw. The dialog was mind-numbingly boring, stupid, and pointless almost all of the time. Were these professional writers? My wife, friends and I walked out saying, "What were they thinking?"
Getting stale but two great strengths
7 December 2021
The story line is getting repetitive, and all the characters are still rather unlikable, but the show has two things going for it: the constant snide, disgusting, clever metaphors (especially from Roman), and the brilliant variations on the musical theme.
The Vast of Night
(2019)
Brilliant beginning, trite denouement
19 January 2021
Witty, fast-paced dialog; great acting, direction, cinematography - the first part of this film is hugely entertaining. The acting, direction, and cinematography continue on a high level. However, at some point you realize the plot is heading in the direction of a trite cliché, and the witty repartee disappears. So sad. Definitely worth seeing though.
Jumanji: The Next Level
(2019)
Best scenes are outside the game
29 December 2019
In the scenes outside the game, Danny DeVito is on fire - so funny and fascinating! And it's always a treat to see Marin Hinkle, Danny Glover, and Bebe Neuwirth. Inside the game, the most interesting characters are played by Rhys Darby (the manager in Flight of the Conchords), Rory McCann ("The Hound" in Game of Thrones), and the ostriches. Lots of manic action that will appeal to children, as expected.
The Time Traveler's Wife
(2009)
Chick Flick
24 July 2010
Don't be fooled by the time travel aspect - this movie is not sci fi. It merely uses the accident of a time travel genetic quirk in the main character to add pathos to a romantic relationship. Everything about the film (plot, acting, photography, music, editing) seems very conventional and old-fashioned, except for that one little quirk. That being said, Rachel McAdams is cute and endearing, and the girls have that girlish intensity that can always steal a scene. Eric Bana seems like a real nice guy, but I don't think he can carry a movie. There are some poignant moments, but the emotions never get out of hand. So if you're in the mood for an old-timey style movie that offers no surprises, doesn't make you think, and is comforting and bland, enjoyable but not exciting, this one's for you. Just the antidote for our crazy times.
City Island
(2009)
Funny plot, great acting, marred by sappy shtick at the end
2 May 2010
It's always a pleasure to see great actors doing their stuff, even if the vehicle leaves something to be desired. Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies put their heart and soul into this project, with pretty convincing Bronx accents and characters. Those of you who find the constant screaming unrealistic - you don't know too many families from the boroughs. The plot was funny and moving, although you could see most of the punchlines and dramatic moments coming from a mile away. What really bugged me was the degeneration of the movie into the most obvious, predictable, sappy shtick during the last 20 minutes. That part was apparently written as a play rather than a film. It was calculated to evoke a strong audience reaction, and it worked, judging from the people around me in the theater. It would have been more appropriate for a crowd-pleasing scene in a Broadway comedy. OK for that kind of thing, but it was a jarring jolt from interesting to tedious for me.
Kick-Ass
(2010)
Chloe Moretz steals the show
25 April 2010
The best scenes by far involve pint-sized Chloe Moretz in an homage to Uma Thurman of Kill Bill. In addition to her action scenes, there is some very funny dialog with her father, played by Nicolas Cage. Otherwise, it's a cute concept and interesting plot, but a lot of the dialog and acting fall flat. But there are enough exciting action scenes and moments of cleverness to keep you going through the boring, silly parts. Seeing a film like this makes you realize how great the writing was in the Kill Bills, and even in sappy movies like the Spiderman series. Part of why I saw this film was Christopher Mintz-Plasse in the cast, because of Superbad. His quirky personality adds something to the movie, but he's kind of wasted here. Here's hoping the sequel will be centered around Chloe Moretz!
WALL·E
(2008)
Definitely a kids' movie
14 July 2008
This movie seems to have everything going for it: a great story, a truly lovable lead character, a plot in the classic sci-fi style, amazing animation, lots of clever little visual jokes and allusions, interesting character development (Eve). The problem is the jokes aren't really that funny, and, most seriously, it's lacking any real drama. The tone is almost always kept on a very bland, non-threatening level. The movie starts out strong, on Earth, where the most accomplished, realistic animation takes place. Also, in the early scenes, the music is actually interesting (Louis Armstrong!) When the movie leaves Earth, though, it becomes more like a cartoon, and the music gets extremely bland. The group I went with were all very disappointed, based on the rave reviews we'd seen. The classic Disney movies like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Pinocchio had real drama! I guess they're considered too scary for kids nowadays. (By the way, don't expose your kids to any of those scary fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel - you'll warp their little minds!) Anyway, I recommend seeing this movie because it's a unique achievement, but lower your expectations.
Beautiful turkey
5 March 2007
I feel conflicted about this film - it is one of the most beautiful films I've seen, and provides insightful looks into a lost culture. There was an early scene of men in caps and moustaches sitting around a table, with a woman serving, and an accordion playing, that brought tears to my eyes, just because of the way it captured a way of life that must be incomprehensible to many today. It presents the lives of the characters as being inextricably bound up with the life of the village, another lost concept in today's world. Symbolism is always fun but it seemed a little dated. The fatal flaws of the movie to me were the lack of any compelling dramatic drive, and a total lack of humor. I never felt like I knew any of the characters beyond very basic universal things like grieving over the loss of a loved one, etc. The people were stick figures in the director's tableaux involving natural disasters, war, etc. The film was just one beautiful tragic scene after another, with no involving narrative thread and no humanity. As a result, it seemed very abstract, irrelevant to the lives of real people. In the end, I was too bored to finish watching it.
Grave of the Fireflies
(1988)
Powerful antiwar statement
2 January 2007
Like many others, I was emotionally destroyed by this film. I'm writing this a day after I saw it and my eyes are getting misty again. Surprising for a cynical old misanthrope such as myself. The character of the little girl is incredibly endearing and believable. While I was watching it, I wondered why such a gifted film-maker would tug at the audience's heartstrings in such an unrelenting, manipulative way. Then it became obvious - beneath the surface is a fierce, white-hot hatred of the politicians and military leaders who are willing to destroy lives in the name of ideals or "national interest". The absurdity of Japanese goals during WWII is made clear by the final shot. There is also some interesting implied criticism of the brother, who I feel was a symbol for well-meaning leaders who may have sound tactics but misguided strategies. If the welfare of others is in your hands, you'd better be not only well-meaning and honest, but smart. Maybe listen to people who know what they're talking about once in a while, instead of just going it alone.
I caution anyone who is feeling fragile and depressed that if you're going to see this film, you'd better have some pretty good coping mechanisms. Especially if you have kids.
I caution anyone who is feeling fragile and depressed that if you're going to see this film, you'd better have some pretty good coping mechanisms. Especially if you have kids.
Running with Scissors
(2006)
Left me cold
29 October 2006
I would have left the movie halfway through if I hadn't been with people who liked it. The movie is based on real incidents, but it's so over the top it didn't feel real at all. I have some psychological background, hang out with a lot of psychotherapists, and have known seriously crazy people, so it's not that I think people like this don't exist. But in the film, the only characters who seemed consistently human were Augusten's father (Alec Baldwin) and the young Augusten (Jack Kaedin). (Although Evan Rachel Wood was an intriguing diversion - very sexy with a wicked sense of fun). There were a few amusing moments, but the overall tone of the movie was grim, bizarre, and nasty. What a waste of an outstanding cast! As I watched them go through their turns, I just felt like I was watching an acting class. This was brought home during the credits, when a couple of people were shown just sitting there, not acting, not talking. Those few moments were more entertaining than the previous 2 hours.
King Kong
(2005)
Flawed B movie
29 January 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is definitely worth seeing, but it's a deeply flawed B movie. The special effects crew took over large parts of the movie and went to great excess. Why have 5 dinosaurs in a scene when you can have 100? Why not inject a jarring, irrelevant, grotesque horror movie sequence in the middle of sci-fi action adventure, just to show off your special effects cleverness? Some scenes went on so long you kind of lost interest after a while. That being said, it is a far better film than lifeless special effects yawns like Matrix 2; I, Robot; Batman Begins, and Star Wars 3; because of the outstanding performance of Naomi Watts and her poignant relationship with Kong. The ship's crew were quite good also.
I, Robot
(2004)
At least the robots get to think
15 August 2004
Remember the good old days when movie protagonists were allowed to have interesting dialog? I guess that's considered box office poison these days. We can now be thankful the movie industry has figured out a way to get intriguing characters into films: add robots. The machines stole the show here - other than their designer, they were the only creatures who showed any signs of intelligence. When the humans spoke, the movie fell to the lowest common denominator with a thud. That being said, the overall look and feel of the film were excellent, and the story was interesting and thought-provoking. The action sequences were so silly they were unintentionally amusing.
Love Actually
(2003)
A few wonderful moments
24 November 2003
I guess everyone goes into this movie knowing it's going to be light and sappy, but it was a lot lighter and sappier than I expected. There were too many storylines - each one wasn't explored enough to build any drama. As others have pointed out, the movie was loaded with clichés and predictable attempts at humor. Somehow Emma Thompson managed to insert some power into the film with her few minutes. Those moments still haunt me a few days after seeing the movie. However, all the cute little scenes don't hang together. Most of the time I felt cheated by the movie even if I snickered at many of the scenes. Seeing Hugh Grant as Prime Minister was a hoot. This is a movie to get at the video store when you can't find anything else.
The Matrix Reloaded
(2003)
Huh?
25 May 2003
How could a company with this many resources and such a great concept make such a lifeless movie? About once every 10 or 15 minutes something vaguely clever or witty happens - the frenetic activity seems like a desperate attempt to keep the audience awake between those rare moments. There are some interesting scenes near the end where you learn more about the history and nature of the Matrix, so it isn't a total waste. What a painful price in boredom to get to that payoff!
Prelude to a Kiss
(1992)
Unusual film, worth seeing for the principals
6 April 2003
I agree with another reviewer this could have been a much more interesting film. As it is, it's a silly, slightly icky fantasy with marvelous acting by the two principals and Sydney Walker. Some very poignant moments with Alec Baldwin, and Meg Ryan is irresistible as always. What a waste of Stanley Tucci! Definitely worth seeing.
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