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French Connection II (1975)
Really, really bad.
At least the film crew and actors got a pay check from this drivel. I wish we could say the same thing for the viewers (and reviewers) of this nonsense. The plot was totally idiotic, the acting absolutely over the top, and Gene Hackman's performance was just an extreme reprise of his version of Popeye Doyle from the original French Connection. What a total loss of time and space this movie is. Is this what we watched in the 1970's? Watch this one at your peril because you'll never get the time back which you will have spent on this silly, exploitative trash. Dispite its big name (at that time) cast and crew, don't bother with this dreck unless you're evaluating really bad films.
The Dresser (1983)
A Master Class in Acting
"The Dresser" came out as a film 40 years ago, and it remains one of the best-ever films of its kind. The performances of Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay are absolutely phenomenal, and the supporting cast is wonderful, especially Eileen Atkins. This is a story of putting on a performance of King Lear, yes, but it is also the story of life, its joys and tragedies. I found one scene between Finney and Atkins to be especially heart-wrenching. I would describe this film as particularly mature and valuable to those who have seen some of life's ups and downs. By all means, see this film. I saw it uninterrupted and for free on YouTube,
Im Westen nichts Neues (2022)
The Horror of the 1914-18 "Great War." Nothing is changed in 2022.
Having just watched this great film's depiction of the muck, horror, and death of the 1914-18 Great War, I was shocked to see some of the practically identical images tonight on TV from today's Russian War on Ukraine. Germany sent its young men to their deaths in France in this current film just as the Russian Army is now sending its own and other young men to their deaths in Ukraine, The similarities are striking. Replace the film's German Kaiser and High Command with Russia's Putin and his General Staff and you have a picture of what is going on now in Ukraine. The violence and heartbreak in this film is being reproduced in real life all over Ukraine and the Former Soviet Union. At least the Kaiser abdicated. Putin? Death to all tyrants!
Better Call Saul (2015)
FAR TOO VIOLENT!
I have watched all 5 series so far of "Better Call Saul", each one darker and more violent than the previous one. There are no heroes or heroines in this series of episodes unless one takes into account the average working people seen mainly in the background. Granted, exposing the underbelly of the legal profession has its pleasures, but some of the programs in this series can call everything you value in life into question. In fact, I actually regard some episodes as psychologically harmful to normal people.
On a more technical level, a scene that perhaps should take up 10 or 20 seconds actually occupies 30-40 seconds of air time. This is practically a textbook definition of overkill. In summary, there are better ways to spend our time than by wasting it on this pseudo-artistic celebration of psychological and physical violence.
Casino Royale (2006)
Brain Dead Bond Flic
Total nonsense. Outlandish is too kind a word to describe this piece of silliness. Do not waste you time.
Being Napoleon (2018)
Learned a lot about re-enactors.
I learned from this rather overly long film that many re-enactors actively attempt to experience history, rather than merely to know history from books. Some of the re-enactors even wept as they remembered the trials and tribulations of those people from the past whose experiences they are re-enacting, especially the common foot soldiers who are largely overlooked or get just a passing mention in traditional history books. Very interesting.
Pretend It's a City (2021)
She's really not very humorous or witty.
As one listener indicated from the audience before asking her a question, he had never heard of Fran before that day. Me, too. Now I know why. Her so-called wit seems to consist mostly of wise cracks. I did chuckle once or twice while watching this, but I could have trumped that with a single episode of Seinfeld. Anyway, Martin Scorsese seems to like her, so she's got that going for herself.
The Death of Stalin (2017)
Sadly BRILLIANT
The Stalin-era outlaw motorcycle gang known as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was a scourge visited upon the Russian and other peoples. We cannot bring back the dead, but we can mock the perpetrators of crimes against the people and humanity. This film does that brilliantly. For those wanting to join in on that mockery, I highly recommend this film. It has a great cast and sharp dialogue.
Red Sparrow (2018)
Unpleasant, disturbing, shyte - normal people should AVOID!
The only redeeming feature of this movie was a chance to see a bit of Jennifer Lawrence in the nude - she's got a nice bod.. That's it. The rest of the movie was a depiction of duplicity, torture and sadism as carried out by the current version of the KGB. There are some formerly prominent actors in this movie - Jeremy Irons for one - but how they all must have needed the money to appear it this extremely violent and cartoonish movie. I felt that I needed a shower after watching this piece of junk.
The Shape of Water (2017)
Most unusual movie I've ever seen.
This movie could have been called "The Mute and the Monster", but that would not even begin to scratch the surface of what it's about. What do pie, Norman Vincent Peale, and the National Defense Service Medal have to do with each other? Nothing, that's what, but if you're observant - and not everyone will be able to be - you might notice the significance of each of those things in this movie. I'm not really sure I "liked" this movie, but I can see - I think - it's meaning. The acting is phenomenal. The story line is indescribable. It's a tour de force.of movie making.
Darkest Hour (2017)
Gary Oldman is brilliant as Winston Churchill.
Keeping in mind that movies are collaborative efforts, one can nevertheless say that this film's greatness is due in great part to the phenomenal performance of Gary Oldman. He totally inhabits the character of Winston Churchill. When people think of Winston Churchill in the future, they will see in their heads the picture of Gary Oldman.
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)
A Bollywood Jumble. In fact, a real mess!
I am shocked, dismayed, disappointed, etc. that this movie is somehow rated as high on these pages as it is. It starts out as a comedy, crosses over into serious tragedy (the partition), spends time as a rom-com (romantic-comedy), is definitely a beefcake vehicle for its star (Akhtar) and his muscular torso, and adds a pro-India, anti-Pakistan polemic into the mix. Oh, did I forget to mention the Australian "Sheilas"" This is like 9 different movies spliced into 1 long reel. It's got everything except Nazis, polar bears, and aliens from another planet. And long; oh my god it's long.
If this is the best that Indian film makers can do, they had better not give up their day jobs. But pleasedon't go into Information Technology. I have enough trouble with computers.
Atomic Blonde (2017)
Silly, cartoonish , so-called "spy movie"
After sitting through 1/2 hour of inane, violent and CGi-heavy previews of coming movies - including at least one from Spielberg - in my local "Regal" theater, I was not expecting much from Atomic Blonde. And that's what I got - nothing but cartoon-ish, over-the-top violence and ridiculous acting. Charlize Theron's role was absolutely silly, but I was hoping that James McAvoy, Toby Jones, and Eddie Marsan would make it worthwhile. They didn't. I was even willing to tolerate John Goodman's being in the film, but it was all to no avail. A movie for 14-year old boys. Maybe that was it's target audience.
The Exception (2016)
Good Premise, Average Execution
Christopher Plummer, Janet McTeer, and Eddie Marsan were excellent, but the film itself was just average. Even the little bit of sex and violence in this film was gratuitous, though the film takes place during WWII. Were all Wehrmacht officers rapists? I'm no expert, but I don't think so. Kind of disappointing.