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Reviews
The Master of Disguise (2002)
A Cinematic "Save the Cat"
I rented this movie because I needed ideas for a "disguise" movie I'm writing, but I stopped watching after the first 10 minutes. The film had all the hackneyed beats: the wimpy hero who has yet to grow into his powers; the save the cat moment when he cheers up a small boy by letting him play with his dog; the "slings and arrows" when he is bullied by the character who steals his girlfriend. There's no problem with the beats (they are the foundation of every successful movie) but they stood out like lumps in oatmeal. And they were neither funny nor dramatic not believable. This movie was a waste of a talented comedian and I wondered why it was so bad. Then I remembered that Happy Gilmore Productions is Adam Sandler's movie and, except for "Punch Drunk Love," all of Sandler's movies are sloppy and juvenile and not very funny. Watch this movie only if your are besotted with Adam Sandler's humor (?) otherwise give it a wide berth. If only Carvey had had the strength to say no.
Death Wish (2018)
Not the Same Rush As the Original
This movie was better than I expected but I did not get the same rush out of Bruce Willis' performance as I did from Charles Bronson in the original. Bronson was not a great actor, but he exhibited the pain he experienced better than Willis and also the revenge. This version seemed more by-the-numbers and did not move me. This is a movie through which you are supposed to experience the hero's pain and revenge vicariously. I felt it with Bronson. I loved it when he put the bad guys away. But Willis just shot people like he was going down a check list/ It could be worth seeing if you did not see the zBronson version. No, I take that back. Rent the Bronson version instead.
211 (2018)
Bored After 10 Minutes
This was a mishmash of a movie. Wooden acting. Unrealistic. Bad plotting. Starts with a woman typing frantically on computer during a download. Why? Then people get blown up and killed for no apparent reason. Then the movie begins with a contrived situation about bullying so some kid can go on a ride along because it's in the script. After that, you have the tried and tired daughter and estranged father conflict. I like Nicolas cage. I think he's made some great movies -- i.e. Face/Off and Family Man -- but nothing worthwhile in at least 10 years. And worst of all, the acting was like planks of wood interacting. I could smell the ham from my computer. Someone obviously owed someone else a big favor otherwise this movie would never have been green lit.