justin_caise_iii Reviews

Stand by Me (1986)

Very disappointing for a best 182 film

[1/10 · 14 February 2016]

I cannot believe this film is so highly rated! A terrific disappointment. It is impossible and unrealistic, but not presented as fantasy. The dialogue for twelve year old's is corny and stupid at times, or else ridiculously adult and philosophical. It is for the most part poorly acted, predictable and badly directed. Kids in Oregon in the fifties didn't behave like New York hoodlums. The cheesy ending, telling what happened to his friends was a cop-out and there was no resolution of the threat from the Cobras leader. There was also no resolution of Gordie's problems with his father and dead brother either. Altogether boring and a waste of time.

Smoke (1995)

The movie contains a spoiler!

[1/10 · 2 September 2012]

It spoiled two evenings, because I couldn't bear to watch it in one go. A real waste of some good actors. Hurt and Keitel do their best with their trite, boring lines, but they have nothing to work with in plot, story and dialog. Most of the other acting is worth a finger down the throat. Especially awful is the little scene with the aunt. She doesn't even qualify to be an understudy in a high school play. The pacing is supposed to be moody, but it's just slow and boring. The story is a lot of sentimental claptrap -- black/white feel-good. I would be considered a liberal, but I could not stomach the smarmy, sickeningly sweet racial aspects. It's clear that all the time wasted "up in smoke" is meant for the movie atmosphere, but it is just obviously juvenile. The writer and director should be staked out on the ground and covered with syrup like this movie and left for the ants.

I have usually found some value with movies having a 7 or better, but this one destroys my faith in the IMDb ratings. I suffered to the end because of the 7.6, but next time I'll know better.

Unfaithful (2002)

Overall, sufficient tension

[7/10 · 5 January 2011]

I was quite pleasantly surprised at Richard Gere's performance in a role other than THE hunk, although he is a little over the top, goodie-goodie as an ideal husband and father. Diane Lane is hot and convincing in her emotional struggles. Olivier Martinez is more than adequate as the French lover: interested, but realistic, knowing the fire will fade. The story is rather trite and dime store romance, but the characters and their motivations are well handled to produce a nice tension, despite the predictability. Even the non-ending is predictable, but better than having the moral dilemma resolved. I don't understand some of the negative reviews and their obsession with and disapproval of the "sex scenes", which are not excessive and are integral to the movie. There is clearly lust, but well handled and very little skin is shown to produce the desired effect. It is not a soft-porn or sex film at all, just as Clockwork Orange is not a film about violence; neither could be made without showing the motivations for the characters and the storyline. Critics must never have experienced the insanity and thrill of real lust and the excitement of spontaneous sex in semi-public places. The movie works as far as I'm concerned.

Betty Blue (1986)

Really Fantastic

[9/10 · 21 December 2010]

I mean that in at least two senses: that it is very good and that it depicts realistic fantasy (or fantasy realistically). In some of the other reviews there are objections to the unreality of this movie and many other movies are also knocked for lack of reality. This is NOT a documentary! Long ago I heard the phrase, "the willing suspension of disbelief" in the context of viewing theatre. This movie is ART, not a news reel. I loved the craziness of the characters and empathized with their struggles. They are extremes to illustrate thoughts and emotions, not "real people". Take them metaphorically as struggles we go through in lesser degree and appreciate the movie as such.

I liked what one reviewer suggested, that the movie was really just the second book that Zorg was writing, "a play within a play". Maybe? In any event I found it very powerful and enjoyable, even if "unbelievable".