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kurtscarlson
Reviews
Elementary (2012)
Moody Blues
It took me awhile to warm up to this show that my significant other was hooked on. It seemed almost too hip - a tortured tattooed heroin addict genius living platonically with a beautiful woman while working for a world weary police captain, Aiden Quinn. Jonny Lee Miller plays the mumbling, brooding Sherlock who never smiles and seems as confused as the rest of us until he wraps it up in the final 15 minutes. Well, his denouement only takes 10 minutes. The final 5 minutes are devoted to a sappy, partial emotional breakthrough for one of the main characters. Lucy Liu's Joan Watson gamely tries to help Sherlock survive his unrelenting personal problems, including his scary family who stir things up every third episode. The characters' inner darkness is well reflected in their bleak surroundings, the windowless apartment, the colorless police station, and the grim emptiness of the big city where murders are an everyday reality. Elementary is well funded and ran for many seasons, so if you need a break from more cheerful faire, try it.
Collateral (2004)
A Gem with Cruise as the Heavy
This screenplay was an obvious winner with many great directors and actors considered for the film. The set-up is a perfect trap for Jamie Foxx's character, Max, a smart cab driver who should be doing more with his life. After making an intriguing connection with a beautiful prosecutor, Max is offered $600 to chauffeur a well dressed man, Vincent, played by Tom Cruise, who is "collecting signatures for a real-estate deal." Max is shocked when he learns that Vincent is actually killing his "clients," and frantically searches for ways to avoid becoming Vincent's final victim of the evening. The pace and tension build to a dramatic end with a very satisfying final camera shot.
The film is dark, philosophical, and believable. Everyone involved trained and studied for their roles and it shows. We can all understand the danger cab drivers face every shift, at the same time appreciating their opportunity to talk to strangers and gain something, maybe just a good conversation, maybe a nice tip. You never know who will climb in.
Civil War (2024)
A game on one's phone comes in handy during some of the slower scenes.
I too was intrigued by the trailer, hoping for some high level film-making. Who knew a civil war could be so boring? The journalists are a rag-tag crew of unlikable characters - the jaded pot-head, the wise old fat man, the naive kid, and the tired legend - on a leisurely drive to the capitol. They trade cliches, "I've never felt so scared...or so alive," and take lots of pictures, but are never seen sending in their work. Are they trying to let the world know what is happening, or just following the action? The movie doesn't take any chances trying to explain what has happened or who is doing the fighting. It's just a dangerous landscape with lots of poorly aimed shooting. It's a relief when they finally get to the Whitehouse for the finale. Too bad there's so little emotional impact.
Hundreds of Beavers (2022)
So 1700s Wisconsin!
My wife and I walked 2 miles through crisp February air to see a film we knew nothing about but was said to have won a bunch of awards. It was awesome! If you saw The Revenant and enjoyed all of the snow, but found it rather bleak, this is the one. The movie is divided into three parts, the struggle to survive, becoming a woodsman, and the final battle. Our hero nearly freezes and starves before learning the skills and acquiring the gear he needs to keep alive his hopes of winning the hand of an alluring furrier. There is no dialogue. French fur traders, native Americans, and animals communicate through grunts, growls, and frantic hand waving. The final set piece takes place in an industrial nightmare, the beavers' huge lodge constructed through deforestation. A dystopian show trial, a sabotaged rocket launch, and a Bond-like sled chase down an icy mountain bring movie to its exciting conclusion. It took four years to make. It shows!
The Giver (2014)
Just Go With It
This film is easy to like and made with a lot heart by Jeff Bridges and his friends. I didn't know the book so I enjoyed this film as its own creation. It follows a very earnest young man's coming of age in a future society engineered to avoid pain and suffering. Jonas learns his career path, his Purpose, at an elaborate public ceremony, a path which leads to his understanding of their society and its inhumanity. The look and feel of the movie is great, but for sci-fi buffs, there's too much fiction and not enough science. For example, how was the surveillance and tracking so weak? The film requires one to relax and enjoy the intense feelings it provokes and the discussions to follow.
Napoleon (2023)
Why We Go to the Cinema
This movie is the one we wait for - grand events, acclaimed actors, masterful direction, and a huge budget supporting production at an epic scale. When these elements come together, we get films that that become must-see spectacles to be discussed and dissected, the Ben Hurs and Cleopatras of their time. Napoleon delivers all of these elements and generates the expected level of scrutiny. The film transports you to Revolutionary France as it turns to a youthful military genius for protection and strength. As a fan of JP, I loved his humanizing of the great Emperor with odd eccentricities and inner weaknesses. After Bonaparte's promotion to General at a young age, Vanessa Kirby is certainly the hottest girl at a party and a case of love at first sight. The battle scenes are fantastic, with an emphasis on the use and power of artillery. The opening battle of Toulon, with Bonaparte's careful explaining and execution of his plan, is one of the finest action sequences you will ever see. Leaving the theater for the hour walk home, with the thermometer below freezing, it felt as though we were wearing a deep shade of blue.
Im Westen nichts Neues (2022)
A Very Contemporary AQOTWF
I watched this film while donating plasma at my local Red Cross. It was a good choice, as I couldn't move my arms for 2 1/2 hours, so I was glad it was a film which didn't make me tear up. The original 1930 film hit me much harder, with it's strong character development and poignant scenes, especially the ending. This one is an amazing special effects tour de force, without much regard for historical accuracy or subtlety. My favorite scene is the opening battle in which a terrified young soldier fires his rifle aimlessly amid his fallen comrades, followed by the gathering, transporting, laundering, mending, and reissuing of uniforms to the newest recruits. If you want to see rare WWI French tanks in action, without much sentimentality, this is your film.
Black Mirror: The Entire History of You (2011)
Ouch!
I watched this for the first time today at my local Red Cross. As a double needle plasma/platelet donor, I couldn't move my arms and had no choice but to relax and let the story unfold. What an appropriately uncomfortable way to experience the darkest sci-fi imaginable. The opening scene underscores the artificial nature of life in the protagonist's work world. That evening's gathering appears to be more human, with the attendees conversing and making eye contact, a refreshing respite from today's staring at cellphones. But soon the Grain technology begins to unleash its capabilities on the mere mortals. I was shaking as the screen went black. Fortunately the kind Red Cross attendant dialed up a heart-warming Tom Hanks flick for my final hour. Whew!
To Die For (1995)
Future Hall of Famers Show Early Brilliance
Youth is a wonderful thing. Kidman and Phoenix are mesmerizing in their first career making roles. Each connects powerfully with the camera, Nicole's eyes fiery and alluring and Joaquin's vacant and hopeless. The rest of the cast are great as well, with fun performances by Illeana Douglas as the sarcastic figure-skating sister and Wayne Knight (Newman!) as the bemused small-town station manager. The movie is beautifully shot with fantastic colors and symbolically powerful settings. Subtle looks deliver big pay offs . Even Walter the dog relies on his gaze more than his mouth. The ending of this discomforting look at media fame is poignant and satisfying.
Irresistible (2020)
Wait, what?
Awesome cast, well shot, good premise, politically balanced...so why not a higher rating? I knew nothing going in and was delighted to find the political battle set in my home state, Wisconsin. There were cheese curds and a fish fry, but the accents were wrong and all of the townsfolk were acting strangely. Finally, at the end, the reason is revealed, but it's a long slog to that pay-off. It would have been more fun to be in on it from the start while watching these powerful political pros get reeled in with all of their cash. Congratulations to Jon Stewart and the cast for getting this made. It's an important message.
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Psychedelic Romp
Ambitious but uneven take on our fascination with violence. Lewis, Dangerfield, and Harrelson shine, while Jones, Sizemore, and Downey Jr. Are hard to watch. The 50s sitcom satire is so disturbing, you'll never hear a laugh track the same way again. My favorite scene is the unstoppable wall of prisoners rolling toward the warden while his doomed guards blast away with little hope. It reminded me of the classic film Zulu. The ending was too predictable and easy - Stone could have used more Tarentino. I felt the same way about the ending of Platoon, a cliched slo-mo sequence parodied to such great effect in Tropic Thunder.
Ozark (2017)
Sometimes Dark is the Best
Ozark deserves all of the acclaim. The setting is fascinating and the decent into hellish madness exhilarating. The acting is some of the best you'll ever see as the actors appreciate their good fortune to be a part of this production. The ending is satisfying as Ruth stays true to her self and the Byrds fail to protect their children from the brutal cycle of violence.
Ojing-eo geim (2021)
Psychedelic Asian Dystopia
Squid Game lives up to the hype. The "artistry" of slo-mo gore set to beautiful music is mesmerizing and easier to watch than you might wish. The size and impact of the sets, such as the Escher stairs and the massive bunks, are truly impressive. This is a well-funded production bringing the writer's vision to life. That the characters and acting style are based on traditional Eastern theater only reinforces the dreamy surrealism. Forget the political analysis. Money is power and some folks are desperate. This is a bad dream in the best sense. You'll want to tell others about it.
The Twilight Zone: It's a Good Life (1961)
It's Good He Made this Television, Real Good
Serling's scariest episode teaches us that cowardly pandering is no way to go through life. Innocent little Anthony insists that people and animals like him; those that don't meet a horrifying end. In retrospect, which one of us might have the courage to pick up the fireplace poker and take a swing? Someone thought that once. I wonder who that was? Did they save the world, or go on fire?
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
Who knew!?! The perfect antidote for 2020!
Sometimes we discover a movie apparently made by first timers that bubbles over with enthusiasm and loving care. This is one of those, and more surprisingly, not fueled by ingenues, but by film veterans. The fabulous costumes, stunning scenery, great singing, heartfelt acting, and strong script are very well done. This is one to watch every year, but you'll never forget your introduction to Volcano Man, JaJa Ding Dong, Lion of Love, and the Song-A-Long!