spelaeologus Reviews

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Lily Gladstone -- wow!

[10/10 · 22 October 2023]

I'm still feeling the impact of this movie days later -- bitter, brokenhearted, exasperated. LDC is at his best once again (felt slightly sorry for his character and deeply frustrated at his cowardice) DeNiro, with impeccable skill, makes you absolutely hate his insidious community/family influence. And best of all, Lily Gladstone. It was as if she played several characters all by herself in this depiction... her eyes alone should earn an AA. Her tragically, lovingly, suspiciously long piercing gazes and her vocal silences... WOW!

Very little stereotypical background music in this movie, instead Osage rhythms and singing. Acts of violence are swift, breath-taking, and dramatic! Story is laced with bigotry, extravagance and corruption of white people pitted against the Osage people, particularly and personally focusing on Molly (Gladstone), who deeply loved Ernest while he was slowly poisoning her and helping with the systematic killing of her entire family... true stories -- double-WOW!

This is now one of my top two period pieces of all time!

The Suicide Squad (2021)

LOVED IT!!

[10/10 · 16 August 2021]

Crrrrazy(!), Funny far beyond my expectations, Incredibly imaginative and a little bit Lewd (almost Deadpool style). I immediately fell in love with the characters (the second wave of Suicide Squadders). My new favorite anti-hero (second only to Harley) is King Shark -- Stallone was the perfect voice!

Old (2021)

Sloppy writing!

[3/10 · 26 July 2021]

I'm a fan of M. Night Shyamalan, but this movie was just bad. A great idea for a movie was wasted on disjointed, sloppy writing... not even the strong cast, individually or collectively, could rescue it. There were two brief moments, during the entire film, where the story rose to the level of "maybe-okay". The film just failed on so many other levels, it was a waste money and time...

God's Not Dead 2 (2016)

No one cares!

[1/10 · 29 March 2018]

Trying so very hard to be relevant today is not working for this or any other Christian-themed movies... the writing is on the wall for you cult-members... your entire set of beliefs (and movies) are literally locked in the guillotine ready to be excised... for good reason!

Magellan (2017)

Ehh....

[3/10 · 18 January 2018]

Another thoughtful plot ruined by an inexperienced cast of writers/producers/director/actors. If you want your movie to be taken seriously by the audience, then YOU take it seriously in preparation and execution - newsflash(!) it doesn't require a big budget.

This was yet another lazy attempt to explore an endlessly fascinating situation.

47 Meters Down (2017)

Nearly Ridiculous...

[2/10 · 8 July 2017]

Two adrenaline bursts in this movie... one star for each. I secretly love MM, but when the writers, producers, and director take on a project like this (diving w/ sharks), they really need to AT LEAST have an inkling about how diving affects people and shark behavior... I was snickering throughout instead of gripping my arm-rests like I should have been:

#1 47 meters is the threshold of "maximum safe depth" for (deep) recreational divers and since not all divers have exact physiology and these characters were novices and freaking out, being at that threshold itself would have killed them quickly.

#2 Sharks in general are not attracted to iron-based "aka human" blood (they are attracted to copper-based blood "mainly fish") - they will attack regardless on occasion but not because they heard your heartbeat and thirsted for your blood even from 5 feet away.

(I'll limit this list to 3 items) #3 Sharks do not like the sound of bubbles in the water... in fact it scares them and is akin to the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard (for us) so 100% of them leave the area when they hear it. No, their hunger does not counteract their discomfort.

But I get it, you can't make a movie about terrifying sharks that behave in their natural, unobtrusive ways - the movie needed shock value. It's just that experienced divers like myself are lost on the ridiculousness of the action and those who don't dive now won't go near the water in fear of marine dangers that aren't real, at least as were portrayed by this film.

Still, it wasn't a complete waste of 89 minutes... MM is still gorgeous! And who's this Stuart guy anyway!?

The Dish & the Spoon (2011)

Touched those who've been hurt...

[10/10 · 25 April 2013]

This is one of the best independent films I've seen in a long time. Greta Gertwig shines with depth and lightness of being at all the crucial points in the story. I absolutely loved this film! Olly complemented her character and her needs so well that I couldn't help myself from hoping they'd run away together. To Alison's credit, she didn't let that happen, but that was, in my opinion, the second most powerful swing in the movie... and the most emotionally crushing moment. First place in moments where your heart-strings are plucked took place within the words, "I want ten of you..." Nearly took my breath away, and I can still feel tears welling up just thinking about it.

See this movie - and see it for the simple sadness that Ms. Bagnall conveys. Bring your tissues and have a companion there with you, you won't regret it.

Hope Springs (2012)

Some plots aren't all about you... c'mon people!

[9/10 · 10 August 2012]

It's always interesting to read people's reviews of movies and instead of getting a review, we get a paragraphs full of narcissism, relentless scrutiny, and disappointment. What reviewers have to understand is that yours is not the only perspective on what makes a good movie, in fact, good.

The problem is, genuine realism is lost on those expecting the standard Hollywood-esque, brushed-canvasses, flawless plot lines, and riveting dialogue. Life is rarely like that and when a movie comes along that depicts some real-life humanity, with all our human idiosyncrasies and vulnerabilities, it gets dissected because a few outspoken individuals are expecting reality as its portrayed in Reality TV and not reality as most of us know it, as it really is.

This movie captured the tenuous nature of intimate relationships and all the things we don't say to each other. It is uncomfortable for most of us to be that exposed and vulnerable with another human being, and that is what Hope Springs capitalized on better than many other films of this genre. The communication difficulties Jones and Streep exhibited were masterfully portrayed. The dialogue wasn't always fun and lively, but that's what added to the authenticity of the plot and the main developing theme. If you're looking for mindless entertainment, something easy to digest, there's plenty out there. If you're up for a healthy dose of reality and a powerful, vital message, then give Hope Springs a viewing. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Happy film hunting!