Change Your Image
bturner008
Reviews
Molly's Game (2017)
So Terrible it's hard to Watch
A typical Aaron Sorkin over-spoken dialogue that is as difficult to swallow as it is to listen to. There's no continuity and the monotone, staccato script is horrible. Chastain is so bad in the lead, you root for her to be caught and prosecuted soon in order for it to be over....
The real Bloom shouldn't be able to profit from her illegal activities which is clearly demonstrated in the movie. Just another daughter of a rick parent turning to illegal things thinking that the fact she made a lot of money makes it OK and something to be admired. And in this case, it is represented by smart-mouthed women showing deep cleavage and arrogant attitude to make them look tough.
The Whale (2022)
GREAT COMPLEMENT OF PERFORMANCES
Brenden Frazer's brilliant performance is superbly supported by Hong Chau - who balances her love and disappointment for Charlie's condition..... But the film's overall balance comes from the equally brilliant performance by Ty Simpkins, as Thomas, a struggling young missionary. His desire for his own repentance and forgiveness related to past choices in his life mirrors Charlie's anguish..... Thomas desperately wants to help Charlie to repent from his self-inflicted damage almost as a proxy for his own repentance and forgiveness .... Simpkins and Chau deliver the most genuine characters who viewers will grow emotionally close - maybe even closer to than Frazer's lead.
Mary Tyler Moore (1970)
If You Steal, Steal from the Best I Say
One of the most overrated sitcoms ever ... The show is a complete rip-off of The Dick Van Dyke Show from format, story lines and character profiles ... Cases in point: 1) Equal time between work and home life, 2) Tyranical boss, 3) Quirky neighbor and best friend, 4) 2-person workmates - one married, one single, 5) Story lines centered around conflict with boss and whining of co-workers, 6) Business centered around entertainment business, and 7) Mary stutters during uncomfortable time (mimicking Dick) - just to name a few ... They even stole scenes including the final episode with the famous group hug - a complete rip-off of a scene in "A Ghost of A, Chantz" from the DVD Show episode ... Acting was very over the top and unrealistic in tone ... This was even worsened with the over inclusion of the unappealing Rhoda and Phyllis characters ... Lastly, unlike Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore was just not funny, not even in the slightest - and mostly not even in her own show.
Marriage Story (2019)
Modern-Day Ripoff of "Kramer vs. Kramer"
First of all, Adam Driver is excellent and rightfully deserves any and all awards directed his way ... That's the end of it - storyline is too familiar and particularly resembles "Kramer vs Kramer" but more from the adult-to-adult relationship instead of Kramer's father-to-son approach ... Scarlett Johansson is more sympathetic than Meryl Streep character but you still root for Driver's prevail in the divorce settlement ... Despite what you read about the movie's ending, it's not a happy and continues to represent how selfish and arrogant that divorce is.
Midway (2019)
Not as Good as Midway - 1976 version
Sorry to disappoint all those who felt this was a great movie, but it doesn't compare either dramatically or historically accurate as the 1976 movie version of the same battle. It seems to be only a version stemming from a book written by the lead code-breaker in an attempt to beat his own drum ... Attempts to decry its better than Pearly Harbor is lost due to the horrible movie PH was ... It places its main heroics on the Edwin Layton (intelligence) and Dick Best (bomber pilot) instead of the more historically accurate focus on John Waldron (squad commander not portrayed in the movie) who's instincts actually led to the discovery of the Japanese fleet ... The portrayal of pilot Wade McClusky correctly showed his discovery of a solo Japanese destroyer which he followed to eventually catch up with the fleet ... The movie also did a terrible job of setting up the strategic battle plans both from the American and the Japanese points of view ... It failed to emphasize two major elements of the battle - 1) After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese thought it had damaged all the US carriers, 2) Admiral Nagumo's hesitating twice when preparing his carrier's planes first to be configured for an air attack, then changing for a land attack, only to change back for the air - which lost all time to counterattack the US - which destroyed not only his carrier but the majority of the Japanese fleet ... Lastly, while including Doolittle's Raiders, it did an inadequate job of reflecting on their heroics of bombing Tokyo knowing they didn't have enough fuel to return to any carrier or American base but left to crash into the ocean hoping to be picked up ... While this was not definitively part of the battle of Midway it contributed to the Japanese defensives and air support being incapable of proving what it needed for Midway.
Last Man Standing (2011)
Better Cast, Better Show
Best move was no more Molly Ephraim and her constant mugging and humorless sarcasm ... Never felt her casting melted with the look of personality of who were supposed to be her sisters...
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Not Worth the Hype!!
Saw the entire 10-episode series of season 1 and was left unsatisfied.... Plot is too simple with many scenes borrowed from other movies (ie IT)... Other than the child actors, there's not one sympathetic adult character in the series... Each episode spends 90% of time trying to set up plot and simply comes up short on delivering any dramatic end... Does a good job of correlating adult characters' issues with childhood experience - shifting between current and flash-backs - but storyline is too scattered.
The Good Doctor (2017)
A Great Show - Thanks to Highmore's Performance
Probably the best TV series on broadcast television today. Good stories despite less than interesting characters. Seems to go way out of its way to display "diversity" - which generally means less white, and particularly less white men - in the cast. The problem is that the number of women, hispanics, asians, blacks etc, is way too disproportional to reality and particularly to demographical hospital management and surgery operations in this country. This results in uninteresting and nauseating personal relationships that are forced.
Inception (2010)
It's Finally Over
In a lifetime of watching movies, the hardest I had getting through a whole movie was one called "The Sicilian" (1987). That was until I saw "Inception." The 148 minutes of sitting in my seat during its showing was worse than when I had a 16 hour flight to Australia with needles and pins running in my back and legs the whole way. Cillian Murphy is fabulous but our local high school could have supplied a better ensemble cast.
The story was conceptually all right. But DiCaprio's headlining the movie helped to make it a disaster with his all of his excessive, over-dramatized, wide-eyed looks and theatrics. He's neither a sympathetic or interesting character. Put him in a suit, slick back his hair, and grow a little facial stubble, but he still looks like a teenager pretending to look like a grown up.
2 Broke Girls (2011)
Worst Show on Television; Possibly Worst Ever
This has got to be the absolute worst show on television, possibly ever. Not only is the show not funny but the constant gag lines, mostly sexual innuendo, are ridiculously crude and, most of the time, pathetic. In fact, there would be no laughter at all if it wasn't for the recorded laugh box that seems to be pushed every 3 seconds. The two lead "actresses" are horrible and their incredibly nasal delivery makes it even more difficult to listen much less watch. No sympathy or appealing character in the whole show that would make you want to tune in. After the first five minutes of the show you'll be checking the Prevue Channel for any ball game that might be on - even Home Shopping Network would be more entertaining.