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Reviews
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Nostalgia and good acting
Nostalgia and good acting Make this movie a fun ride. It's not the greatest story of the MCU but past characters from the previous iterations of the franchise deliver. I was not expecting Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield to play as large a part as they did. It really made a difference in my assessment of the movie. Tom Holland has some great moments. Tobey is as solid as ever. What a powerhouse actor Andrew Garfield has become. I hope he is nominated for the Tammy Faye movie but he really puts a lot into this resurrection of his Peter Parker (even though his Spider-Man films were the weakest of the three versions, not at his fault). I hope they don't use the same terrible wig for Benedict Cumberbatch in the next movie, yikes! That's really the worst thing about this movie. It may not be the best written or directed Marvel movie, but it's solid and a heavy hitter on nostalgia and humor, and the acting from the three Peter Parkers gives it the extra edge, especially if you appreciate the multiverse aspect of the story.
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Excellent, directors cut recommended!
The theatrical release is a good piece of work but the Director's cut is exceptional. Definitely worth the extra 30-40 extra minutes. There are subtle but noticeable differences that really add to the story. I haven't read the book yet but I can't wait to. Mike Flanagan does with this film what Kubrick failed at with The Shining, which is to create an emotional connection to the characters for the audience.
The Secret (2006)
Worthless piece of garbage
Let me save you some time. It's 1.5 hours of terrible introduction to one of the most cliche concepts in human history and then the introduction ends and the actual story never begins. The End. Wtf did I just watch?
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
The best Star Trek with the worst lead actor
I Love this series. I think it has the best characters and stories of any Star Trek series. However, I am not a fan of Avery Brooks's acting. It is bad, even by Star Trek standards.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)
A fictitious intimate view inspired...
...by the 2000 documentary. Jessica Chastain really puts her heart into this role. She is subtle as a young Tammy but really manages to parlay that girl seamlessly into the more flamboyant and still innocent seaming woman with a true heart of gold that the real Tammy was.
It's compelling, paced well, has amazing set design, the best 80's costume design Ive seen since the 80's, impeccably acted (Andrew Garfield is wonderful as well), and perhaps the best motion picture I've seen since the "Before Times".
That being said, it has NOTHING on the documentary of the same name released in 2000 (narrated by RuPaul). 80% of the real facts and drama aren't even addressed in this film. But as a film, it really delivers.
Ancient Aliens (2009)
No, no, just...
...no. Facepalm of the century. The first episode is called "evidence". It is laughable. The closest thing resembling evidence is conjecture, at best, based on modern illustrations of what these so called experts tell us they read. They get around the legal ramifications of their lies by not outright telling you that they are fact, rather they pose ubiquitous questions and say things like "that sounds like an alien whatchamacallit" or "that is proof by indication". Whaaaaaat???????
The tag line for this show should be 'If you can't explain it, it MUST be aliens!' Pure drivel! This show has no educational value other than to serve as an example of how not to educate.
Don't Call Me Bigfoot (2020)
A couple of anthropology novices...
...speculate on modern day "sightings" with nothing more than "feeling" as evidence and high school level editing. It's embarrassing and would be totally hilarious if it weren't frighteningly misinformed and misleading. It's worse than Ancient Aliens.
Six Feet Under (2001)
One of the GOATs
If you were to pray to your chosen deity to hand deliver you the most perfect pilot script of television ever written so that you may reap the benefits of it's greatness, it still would be crap compared to the pilot of Six Feet Under.
The Problem with Jon Stewart (2021)
Heart, empathy, true journalism, sprinkled with humor
When you invest as much time and energy as Jon Stewart has in helping people who he personally didn't know until he heard of their plight and have been absolutely screwed over by the government at large that placates to the average voter about how much they care but doesn't deliver on their so called intent to honor those who ended up paying untold sacrifices, then you can criticize. I found the opening episode extremely informative and the humor wasn't pointed and belittling as is the case with most shows of this ilk and Jon's previous gig. Odds are if you are so critical of Jon Stewart and his position, you've never sacrificed your time and reputation to truly help an entire group of people who suffered through horrendous injuries because they selflessly gave their time to help others and who have been forgotten by a society that claims to care for them.
Nine Perfect Strangers (2021)
Enjoyable for fans of great acting
I liked the story well enough. I didn't read the book but I saw some of the major developments coming after a couple episodes. The acting is good all around, especially Bobby Cannavale, Michael Shannon and Regina Hall as they really sink their teeth into these roles. Nicole Kidman goes in and out of one of the worst Russian accents I've ever heard and sports a terrible wig but she is good in her role despite these pitfalls. The direction is fine and cinematography is beautiful.
The Color Purple (1985)
Excellent!
It's rare for a film adaptation to really capture the core materials essence. In 1985, Steven Spielberg accomplished that with this absolute masterpiece. In my opinion this is his best film and I'm a big fan of his work. 11 Oscar nominations and 0 awards. It's a travesty. Out of Africa is a good movie but I've never had the urge to ever see it since I first watched it. On the other hand, The Color Purple is a film that demands attention! The entire cast give their heart and soul to their performances and it shows. Full of all the emotions you didn't know you had and amazing quotable moments, it's one of the most human stories ever committed to film and one of the most soul-feeding. The cinematography is one of the best I've ever seen to date. I'm really tired of reviews from people that don't have a spirit or even know about the novel. It's a work of fiction. Some elements aren't going to be super-realistic based on that factor alone. Get a grip. It's a beautiful film with a beautiful message of hope over adverse circumstances. It's not that strange. Truth has often proven to be stranger and more unbelievable than fiction.
The Rose (1979)
Norma Rae who?
Someone on here wrote a thorough review and wrongly assessed that Sissy Spacek won over Bette Midler for the Oscar. That is incorrect. Sissy spacek won (and deservedly so) the following year. Sally Field won for a fine performance in Norma Rae but Bette Midler was more deserving IMO. That being said, everything about The Rose is spectacular! A loosely based biopic on the life of Janis Joplin with elements of Bette's own career beginnings sprinkled in. The words "tour de force" come to mind in regards to Midler's performance. Just WOW!
Stepmom (1998)
By no means perfect, but perfectly good
One of those movies with a great story, great acting, some of the direction choices are the only thing that dings it for me. Those that think it's not realistic enough fail see what art is. Art is not about total realism, it's about a representation of feelings. This film does that in spades. Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts play masterfully together and will leave you in tears if you have any humanity at all. WARNING: Do not watch if you aren't prepared to feel all the feels!
Mankind: The Story of All of Us (2012)
History?
I would have a lot more respect for this series if Jesus weren't repeatedly mentioned as a marker for the timeline in multiple episodes. There is no valid historical evidence for the existence of Jesus. Otherwise, not bad but could use a little more detail on some of the episodes.
Only Murders in the Building (2021)
Martin & Martin at their best
Steve Martin is a box office comedy powerhouse; Parenthood, The Jerk, Bringing Down the House, Housesitter, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,Trains Planes and Automobiles,The Three Amigos, Little Shop of Horrors, Bowfinger, Father of the Bride.
Martin Short is a comedic legend who's credits are long but not as illustrious.
These two are amazing in anything they do together. Martin Short SHINES IN EVERY SCENE! Steve Martin plays the straight man with him, as usual, to perfect comedic affect!
The direction is nostalgic to a time when every tv show wasn't all about the most Sex appeal you could jam pack in just because everyone is so effing horny for no reason, yet it's surprisingly fresh.
I'm not the world's greatest Selena Gomez fan, but she is quite good in her role and I find the generational gap element not too forceful or fake.
This is an "Instant Classic".
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
WE CAME TO SEE THE MONKEY AND WE GOT IT!
Yes, the human storyline was terrible and it was poorly and swiftly put together with the least amount of effort that's possible and it shows. Bad. Just bad.
That being said, after a year of depressing as fork movies, I wanted to see the mother flipping monsters and this movie delivers in spades!! People complaining about the terrible storyline need to hush their pompous mouths. You're watching a movie about a 150 foot gorilla fighting a fire breathing underwater dragon. How much disbelief do you need to be suspended before you can just zip your flipping mug and enjoy something for what it is? This might be the most impressive and extensive CGI I've ever seen! It's a visual treat from start to finish. More than worth the admission for Godzilla and Kong.
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
They both suck
Monsterverse, snyderverse. Who gives a sh**? They both suck. I did like how Steppenwolf was up updated. Effects on him were great. The visuals for the rest of the movie are sooo "video gamey" and not at all up to par with its Marcel counterparts.
The real problem with this and the theatrical version (and most of the DCEU) is pacing. 4 hours? The entire 1st hour was a snooze-fest.
And is with the ending? The whole Bruce Wayne dream sequence had me so confused. It would have been more well received as an after credit scene.
No. Just NO! DCEU needs to start all over again. The cast is great. The direction, production, VE, artistic everything is just so OFF it doesn't do the comics 'JUSTICE'. And after the huge let-down and absolute drivel that was WW84 (the first Wonder Woman was the best movie of the DCEU so I had high hopes) IM OUT! I won't be participating anymore.
The Big Lebowski (1998)
It's everything!
It's a film noir, it's a buddy flick, it's a stoner comedy, it's an art house film, it's a mystery, it's just, like, your opinion, man!
Iconic.
Jeff Bridges gives his most memorable performance, John Goodman gives his best performance. Supporting roles are expertly cast by the casting director, EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER IS PORTRAYED BY THE ACTOR THEY WERE MEANT TO BE PORTRAYED BY.
Every choice made by the Coen brothers is made with the utmost consideration. The details of the era are spot on, the plot and script are top-notch (vulgar, yes but that's the world they are writing in and for so if you don't like profanity then go watch something else without the profanity and leave the real art to those of us who appreciate it). It's not the most original idea, but the characters and dialogue are GOLD.
"Do a jay", lay back on that rug that really ties the room together, in your private residence, man and enjoy the adventures of The Dude. It's "The Royal Wee"!
The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot (2018)
Not what you expect...
...well, he does kill Hitler and then Bigfoot. But the movie isn't about those particular events. It's a character drama ABOUT the man who killed Hitler and then Bigfoot. Excellent acting by both leads, interesting take on a deep character dive with a super-cheesy, fantasy backdrop. Unlike anything I think I've ever seen and that's a good thing!
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Lazy
Lazy script, lazy special effects, lazy 80's ingratiation. There were a few acting moments that stood out but I just wanted it to be over with. The villains are villains of circumstance, they have no real substance or menace and it takes forever for the minuscule threat that they do pose to come to fruition. Such a let down, considering that the first Wonder Woman movie was the best of the new era of DC films. I mean, it was no masterpiece, by any means. But at least I liked it enough to give it more than one viewing.
The Box (2009)
Intriguing, not perfect
The premise alone is worth multiple discussions. Acting is solid (accents could use some work), direction as well. It becomes a little convoluted as it progresses but not near as much as most modern films. It's not boring like the "bread and circuses" commentators I see here want to make it out to be. Pay no mind to the mindless. It's not perfect but definitely entertaining and underrated.
Dracula (2013)
Blah, I sure hope it gets better
While the cinematography and costume design seem very lavish, the directing and music are scarily generic and bring an almost "cheap" feel to the entire show. JRM serves as a more than capable lead. None of the other characters do anything to peek the slightest amount of interest which, in my opinion, is the most important job of the pilot episode: make the audience care about the characters and what happens to them next! The plot is a contrived mess of modern political and corporate corruption and revenge that fails to translate to the era in which it is set and script is cringe worthy to say the least. Why these writers feel the need to "dumb-down" and "sex-up" is beyond me. The audience deserves much more stimulating characters. It could get better, but I'm not holding out too much hope. It served to remind me why major network dramas are losing interest compared to cable programs. I was reserving a little hope for Dracula, seeing as how NBC managed to give us Hannibal. Dracula has all the makings of an intelligent series and still has potential in the hands of better writers. I hesitatingly give it 3 stars based solely on the costume and set design and the talents of JRM, who in all honesty gives his least memorable performance in years.