pjames10 Reviews

The Holdovers (2023)

As honest a film I've watched in a while.

[9/10 · 15 November 2023]

I remember reading about a fellow who said, the times of sarcasm, lazy cynicism, the cheap protections we use in our day to day to buffer us from the pain and disappointments in life must be discarded. This was the first thought that came to me after watching The Holdovers.

I didn't know what to expect when I started watching it. What initially felt like the usual boarding school dramedy, suddenly fell away and left another kind of film that, while still using the cliched "gruff teacher shows callow student his potential", was totally unexpected.

There was something so honest, truthful and innocent here, despite the heaviness of each character's underlying story. It was the stripping away of artifices in a time of upheaval (that is seems innocent in retrospect) that made this a film one to want to live in... pain and all.

PS: Soundtrack is perfect!!!

Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union (2021– )

The interviews paint a complicated and insightful picture of our first Black president.

[9/10 · 10 July 2022]

What can I say other than thank you for creating a doc that presents Obama from how others see him. And that is the most truthful thing... how others see you. And not just those who champion him, his detractors and critics get their turn. At the end of the day, a remarkable achievement. All presidents and powerful men deserve this treatment.

Last Exit: Space (2022)

A sobering yet enlightening perspective on the hurdles of space exploration

[8/10 · 16 March 2022]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video as it illuminates one of the key factors that throws a shadow over the technophiles dreams and desires to explore space. The fact is we aren't ready to even make the journey. Not just the lack of actual tech to take us to even the closest of planets a mere 4 light years away but as a species, as thinking animals we have not even moved past the limits of aggression and violence as revealed in "the Russian experiment" (no spoilers).

Truth is, for all our aspirations, we are still a poor example of a higher life form and are only just entering anything close to intelligence (tech gadgets don't count. We might as well still be rubbing sticks together for fire). Deep space exploration is a whimsy, the fantasy for men who think they've accomplished something. Such hubris should be an embarrassment. We still have a lot of exploring to do... in the space between our ears.

11/8/16 (2017)

A MOMENT FOR FUTURE HISTORIANS TO PONDER. POWERFUL.

[9/10 · 9 June 2021]

Watching this doc in 2021 is somewhat like uncovering a time capsule containing moments of the past that I'd wanted to forget. But the more I watched, the more something shifted in me. It was seeing the very normal, very hurt people that voted for trump without the lens of the four years of his presidency. Seeing them before the long list of actions that would drive them to extremes of anger and violence. The film reminded me how much we ALL were tired of the American status quo, tired of politicians who came in with big talk of making things great or change we could believe in and not bringing the goods. America is poorer, more divided and angrier after trump but with 20/20 hindsight, I don't think anyone would have changed their vote.

Some people shake the world to bring about change. Some people shake the world to break it and the only ones who suffer are the ones hanging on to survive. The film captures the parenthetical moment before everything shifted . For some, the air was full of hope and for others (like me) the air was stale with resignation. No matter... for that alone, I'm grateful to be reminded of the time. An excellent piece of historic work.

I May Destroy You (2020)

Spectacular television. Hits as hard as Euphoria

[9/10 · 1 July 2020]

As a person decades past the supposed relatable age (lets just say I remember when MTV was a big deal), this show does my head in. Its funny, dark, well written, far better than a lot of stuff other people leaving reviews seem to like (Girlfriends? Sex in the City? Puh-leeze.) But then again if thats any indication of their tastes, its no surprise. This is raw and real stuff. Keep the trite TV for when your mom comes over. This is for people who don't have a problem with a little discomfort and challenge.

Photographing Fairies (1997)

A superb film about fairies BUT NOT FOR LITTLE GIRLS WHO LIKE FAIRIES!

[9/10 · 28 June 2020]

My friend's daughter has a thing about fairies, so I recommended this film to her as one I remembered as being very good (the last time i'd seen it was back in the 90's... on VHS).

I watched it again in 2020 and was blown away how great the film was. Thoughtful, magical, melancholic, and maybe even a little scary, it was much more than I remembered. But then I got to a lovemaking scene (two actually) and thought about my friend's 4th grader. Oops! Gonna call her tomorrow and tell her this is not for little kids. But she'd like it... maybe. People are funny.

Brexit (2019 TV Movie)

As an American, this film tore my guts out.

[8/10 · 9 January 2019]

I'm also an ad guy who's spent his share of time in offices beating up strategy on white boards, so I was sucked right in and saw a bit of myself. The lead character Dominic was like most of the folks in media industries that serve some great big unseen master. We put our noses to the grindstone, put our hearts on the paper for the elusive "win", yet we overlook the damage we potentially could be causing to the world. And what damage they have done. I found out things I hadn't known before, like the role of the Mercers being behind both big data companies, thus guaranteeing their influence on the referendum. And that is where I started to pull on my guts. That they had not only done it to England but had done it to America; manipulated politics, empowering an element of society that we should be leaving in the dark cellar of the 20th century. The fear of the other on an ever shrinking world controlled by ever more powerful and terrible titans is a regression. But the story is still being told and we will know the conclusion... maybe. I highly recommend this film and leave one thought: In this ever more loud and volatile world, we must listen more than we talk.

Knowing (2009)

A little hokey but well worth it.

[8/10 · 29 December 2018]

Sure, there's a couple of cheesy moments and leaps of faith but so what? Sci-fi meets pseudo religious iconography is bound to require some leaps of faith. Still, Nick Cage does his thing and the movie had me sitting on the edge of my seat for most of the way through. Far better than I expected and the end may very well move you as it did move me a bit.

The Grand Son (2018)

DARKNESS LIES IN THE HEART OF HOLLYWOOD

[8/10 · 6 December 2018]

I was in a mood to watch a trifle about the pretty blond people of Hollywood being cruel... and this movie filled the bill. Sure, there were some logic holes (how many days until a body goes ripe?) but I was willing to overlook them because it was so damn pretty to watch. And yes Charlotte, there is a dark soul behind the gates of Olympus and the blood looks just as black under the moonlight.

If you liked The Day of the Locust and Sunset Blvd., consider this their B-list progeny.

Baskets (2016–2019)

I think it's brilliant!

[9/10 · 8 October 2018]

I just discovered Baskets and I've been sucked into the absurd Galifanakis world in the most wonderful of ways.

First off, no laugh track. Why would a show so funny need one? I just played a gag about feet washing three times just to make sure I understood how and why one line could be so funny (it was the balloon).

I'm leaving this short and sweet, If you laughed at SCTV, Kids in the Hall, or go to Wal-Mart just because the people, you may like this... a lot.

Rampage (2018)

What the summer is all about!

[10/10 · 24 June 2018]

No need for a long review. This is what summer movies are all about. A dark theater, too much A/C and then a screen full of over-the-top mindless awesomeness. You'll grin, you might even scream and when it's all over and you walk out on the sidewalk, you'll feel everything is right with summer.

The Sandlot (1993)

If you think The Sandlot is good, go watch the far superior Stand By Me.

[5/10 · 28 March 2018]

I rarely feel the urge to comment on movies but after scanning the other reviews, I have to say Im kind of embarrassed for them. This movie is cute but poorly written/directed. It had all the elements for being a wonderful and nostalgic look back at childhood but became a hallmark card schmaltz fest of corny behaviors and dialogue that barely sounded like 12 year old friends.

Very few films capture this dynamic but Stand By Me was much closer to the truth of childhood (I also want to include 400 Blows, but I haven't seen that in a while).

On your next rainy day, do a triple feature run and get back to me.

How I Live Now (2013)

A beautiful and harsh look at the outcome of a nuclear event.

[8/10 · 10 November 2013]

It could have been plague or zombies or Godzilla, it doesn't really matter. What matters is how life is affected after X event, how does society function, who will you be afraid of, how will you be affected? This film is admirable in it's telling of one such scenario. The young actors are all excellent in this sometimes harsh, sometimes beautiful but always engrossing film. It's not any one genre as I'd thought when first walking in, it surprised me by touching on all the things that life can take you through over a span of time. It's sensitivity reminded me of my first loves, it's brutality of a recent episode with the NYPD. I highly recommend this film.

The Last Days on Mars (2013)

Mars is dark and far.

[8/10 · 2 November 2013]

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I was completely so immersed, in the middle, I googled what the moon light from Phobos and Deimos (the moons of mars) might look like during nightime on Mars. This movie is dark and far, far away. And one day humans may take the trip. This movie tells it in a really terrific and sca manner. amazingly. Last Days of Mars' post effects were top notch (i read cinefex, so I should know) and like I said, had me immersed in the reflected night illumination of a foreign moon(s) and awakening in the light of a distant dawn of our sun and it's so familiar spectrum.

Well thought out, the writers really spent their time thinking about this manned journey to mars and made it a human story, a survival story and a horror stor on a completely next level... Mars. Remember Jurassic Park when Jeff Goldblum said "life finds a way?" Let me say it's applicable to this. Life on Mars is terrifying. Thumbs far up

Submarine (2010)

Try to NOT see yourself in this film!

[9/10 · 16 September 2013]

I won't be saying anything more revealing about this SUBMARINE that others haven't already said far more eloquently and insightfully. But I will say that despite being 50 this year, this film took me back to 17 and Marirose, the dark beauty with the head of curly hair wearing combat boots and smoking clove cigarettes. It took me back to the rush as she passed by my front stoop. It took me back to the taste of our kisses... not milk, Polos and tobacco mind you but not too dissimilar. It took me back to the strange way I looked at the world, the quirky poetry of a young mind seeing out from the hormones, moving me from thoughts of undying love to suicide. It took me back to that crazy time when it was all young and this was the love that would break me forever (jeez, I'm even thinking like that kid as evident by this writing!) I've had my heart broken so many times since but that first heartache will be the sweetest... kinda like this film.

The Colony (I) (2013)

It coulda been a contender....

[4/10 · 22 July 2013]

instead of the dud, which is what it is. It had everything going for it, a good cast, a decent idea, hell, even the music borrowed from the right sources but the writing... man it fell short. In my estimation, this could've been something special, what with the cannibal horde and all. The first time you see them, they are doing some heinous cannibal deeds... I like! Problem is, they quickly devolved to howling zombie caricatures. A little piece of exposition from Fishburne is supposed to explain they've "gone feral" yet they get dressed, carry weapons and know how to butcher. He missed a great opportunity to give us cannibals with dark, twisted, barely human dialog. Imagine the things you'd say once you've thrown off the guise of civilization? All you'd say/do as you killed, chopped, tucked into a thigh steak, kicked in doors, etc. Too bad the director/writer dropped it on this one. "It coulda been somethin' Charlie!"

Orphans (1987)

A wonderful, wonderful film.

[9/10 · 19 May 2013]

What can I say but the very ending gave me two tears (one for either eye)again. I remember seeing this as a video rental (as did so many others.) I've always considered Matthew Modine an excellent actor ever since watching "Visionquest" (don't knock it, a great coming of age film!) in HS so I've watched pretty much all of his movies. When I saw this in the store I had no idea what it was going to be about. All I know it was excellent. I've read how some were underwhelmed by the "staginess" of it, I think one reviewer even mentioned the "stage acting." Uh, no. I have to disagree. This was a brutally real, human story that cut me to the quick, especially the end. Truth is, I don't have any different opinions that other fans haven't already mentioned in reviews. I just had re log in to say how much this film moved me... again and maybe one day folks will do films this intimate and powerful.

The Devil's Ride (2012– )

Embarrassing from episode one.

[3/10 · 2 June 2012]

I give it a three points because if you ride anything, you're better than 99% of the haters who just flap their lips and talk trash, so they get three points on that alone. But that's it. The show made me embarrassed to watch. From the "old ladies" imagining themselves rubbing shoulders with Mafia Wives at some imaginary reality show dinner, to the guys themselves who, despite their dangerous looks, would be quite at comfortable walking through the mall buying school clothes for their daughters and shopping at Costco for bulk rate toilet paper. All the posturing and "keep it moving copper" talk is like high school boys who smoke cigarettes and imagine themselves dangerous. Any one of them act as if they could bounce me from here to Tijuana, but that's the thing...it's an act. Flying colors and getting 86'd. Oooo! We got some bad asses over here! Guys, ride home, fire up the BBQ and drink in the driveway while your kids ride bicycles up and down the cul de sac. The tough biker guy thing isn't working and you should be ashamed to sign onto that show. (ps_ I rode with some guys back in the 90's, called The Flying Squirrels. We weren't tough but then again, we never pretended to be.)

Real Steel (2011)

Real Steel -aka- The Hollywood Machine

[3/10 · 9 January 2012]

I like robots. I like robots that fight. So if I had gotten my full dose of fighting robots I might've been nicer to this movie. But I didn't get what I wanted. What I got was a trifle of a film that pretends to give connection from a kid that I was sick of in the first 5 minutes. I really did NOT like that whining, overacting slimy kid. The fact that I had to sit through painfully cheesy scenes with that little ham actor and Hugh Jackman made the whole thing barely watchable. By the way Hugh, what the hell kinda accent was that? So, chessy acting, predictable story, hack writing, good (not remarkable) special effects and yet this drivel went on to make $256 million, not including licensing, which I assume will be gigantic when Real Steel 2 comes out!?!? I'm not upset, just disappointed.

The Adam Carolla Project (2005– )

Unashamed, unselfconscious and hilarious!

[7/10 · 2 January 2012]

I got into this show while hanging out with my fire chief, handyman brother in-law ('nuff said on hitting a target audience!) He loves it so much he's dvr'd the whole season and it ended up sucking me in too. It's not so much a "how to" show as it's "watch these idiots (meant fondly) do a days work." When I think about reality TV and what it's done to people, seems to me some folks go through life as if they are starring in their own reality show. They look at the world through the screen of their smartphones, disassociated, uninvolved, cynical... symptoms of a post-reality TV mindset. I don't get that strange ugly effect from The Adam Carolla Project. I don't get the same "phoniness." Don't get it twisted, I understand the artifice that's inherent in cutting together this genre (I saw a thing on cable about it) yet the crew is authentically dysfunctional, distracted, dense, lazy and funny as heck. I hope Adam Carolla cops another house. I may renew my cable (or I could wait 'til I'm back with my sister and her husband and watch it one shot!)

The Karate Kid (2010)

Karate Kid made 176 million dollars?

[3/10 · 25 December 2011]

If you'd never seen the original, if you'd grown up thinking Justin Beiber was the pinnacle of music, if McDonalds is fine dining, then this movie is your cup of tea. This is as formulaic as... well, let's just say everything is seen from a mile a way. That might not be bad. Sometimes the rousing Saturday matinée movie that gets the audience cheering in unison is just what the spirit needs. This just left me feeling cheated. It's poorly manipulative, actually pretty far fetched. If you feel like watching something brainless, corporate and IMO machined to death, watch this.

PS- I don't want to seem the hater but this drivel made almost 200 million? Don't our kids deserve better than this? God knows they need it.

Babylon (1980)

maphubaird hit it on the head..

[7 August 2011]

Look, I'm glad I saw Babylon. Low budget cult, yes. And as my man maphubaird said, it takes itself a little too seriously. For me, The film had 4-6 gorgeous, modern shots. Shots that showed the East End ( Might has well as been the Bronx the same period) in it's long lensed and well framed "bald reality." Yet, the story was clumsy. Only the blazing of a big head on my part assisted in long term watching of "Babylon" . BUT!!! I will celebrate the soundtrack in the fullest as well as big up the "winding section" That was some of the most loping and genuine film I'd ever seen.

Bottom line, I watched a third generation video tape dub (EAT ASS MPAA!) and still thoroughly enjoyed this film. And to tell the truth, a good 89% of my friends would enjoy it too( I know the "gorilla in the midst" in me liked it.)

We all like these stories, these immigrant, overcoming odds stories... Just let's not be predictable. Maybe This film was a victim of it's time and misguided white influence, maybe it was the hack writer from Quadrophenia. All for naught.

The energy is there, it's just the timeless art that's missing. More good shots, less cliché, more BK reality and Babylon would be as prescient now as it was in the 80's.

ps-Big Up if you came here from the Don Letts interview!!!