donaldnwolfe Reviews

Foe (2023)

Atmospheric Nonsense

[4/10 · 9 January 2024]

I kind of liked the grim but artistic cinematography - relentlessly depressing but beautiful. The actors do a nice job portraying anguish but their dialogue is unrealistic and inconsistent. The plot is absurd. I guessed the primary "twist" early on and the final twist makes no sense at all - the shadowy government behind the machinations central to the plot has an incredibly dumb approach to solving humanity's crises. It's sad to see Saoirse Ronan's talent wasted in such an undercooked mess of a movie. Watch this film if darkness, anxiety, weeping and out-of-place, underlit sex scenes are your thing.

Ghosted (I) (2023)

Entertaining

[8/10 · 25 April 2023]

As you should expect for an action comedy, there are many ridiculous elements in this movie. It's fundamentally absurd but not much more so than, say, a Bond movie. But unlike a Bond movie, it doesn't take itself seriously. Indeed it's farcical but it is peppered with several exciting action scenes, interesting cameos, exotic locations and sets, and best of all, some credible chemistry between the lead characters. There's a running joke throughout the movie about the sexual tension when they interact, and I fact it's easy to believe that the two leads actually have something going on. Maybe it's just because they're both so sexy but it worked for me.

Yellowstone (2018– )

Sick - Time to Stop Watching

[2/10 · 16 November 2022]

I faithfully watched Yellowstone the past 4 seasons, often reveling in the same twisted glee that millions of other viewers have experienced as major and minor characters cruelly insulted, bullied, deceived, humiliated, harassed and murdered one another with no hint of remorse. Yesterday, at about the same time that Trump was heralding his next round of political chaos, I watched the first episodes of season 5, in which the Duttons and their minions once again expressed, through tongues and bullets, utter disregard for the will or wellbeing of anyone who stood between them and their control over a piece of ground stolen by their ancestors. In truest MAGA fashion, using government positions to bludgeon opponents, veiled in cloaks of outrage about threats to their "freedom," they ran amok without a care for anyone and anything, including physically and psychologically tortured children, threatened wildlife, native Americans and everyone deemed to be an "outsider." I finally had to look in the mirror and admit to myself that the popularity of Yellowstone's extremely toxic characters is an indictment of America's fundamental character, and my own. I won't watch anymore. It's truly sad that this show - a celebration of cruelty and selfishness - is so popular. I'm ashamed to have been sucked into its vortex for so long.

Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022)

Major Heart

[9/10 · 1 July 2022]

I almost didn't watch this movie - the title and premise didn't seem promising. But when I decided to try it for 10 minutes I quickly discovered its charm, which is strongly enhanced by excellent performances by the core cast. The movie brought back some poignant memories of being a young man and struggling to discover what I wanted to do and whom I should love. It really rings true and is genuinely heartbreaking, in the sweetest way.

The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022)

Excellent

[9/10 · 21 January 2022]

Critics have been unduly hard on this show - many seem wired to dump on hyped-up shows just to prove their worth I guess. I like this series better than Mandalorian, which is also good. I especially enjoy the way it fills in some of the holes in the Star Wars story - really adds a lot of color to events on Tatooine in Star Wars episodes 5 and 6. Episode 3 of Boba Fett was one of the best segments in the entire Star Wars oeuvre - very exciting. Ming-Na Wen is simply outstanding whenever she's on screen.

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Deadly Dull

[3/10 · 28 December 2021]

My wife and I were compelled to fast forward through a couple of scenes in the latter half of the movie. Unbelievably slow and boring, which might be tolerable if there were a strong finish, but the ending is weak and predictable. I'm baffled about the high position of this movie on most critics 2021 favorites lists. If it wins a bunch of Oscars I'm giving up on critics and awards. Lest you think I'm a natural hater, I am not - I love movies and typically give higher than average ratings to most of what I watch, including a great many art-house films, which this is. This story and its characters are simply not compelling.

Don't Look Up (2021)

So Funny So True

[10/10 · 26 December 2021]

An incredible cultural satire. One of the best movies I've seen in a long time. I wasn't expecting much but it was great. Ostensibly an apocalyptic movie but the comet threat is just a setup to satirize how people act in the face of a common problem - black humor of the best kind. A disturbingly accurate depiction of our pandemic culture.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Argh

[6/10 · 27 December 2020]

I badly want to give this movie a strong positive review but honestly I think giving it a 6 rating is generous. I love the character and Gal Gadot - if they were the sum total of the movie I'd give it a 10. Sadly there is the absurd construct that brings Steve Trevor back to the future, a chief villain who's an irritating nutbag rather than a sinister threat, a dozen or so flubbed connections between scenes and plot points, and special effects that seem surprisingly low budget although they apparently aren't. I sincerely hope the creators step it up for volume 3, which I eagerly await.

The Midnight Sky (2020)

Solaris Part 2

[5/10 · 27 December 2020]

I like George Clooney but I'm not sure why he's attracted to films in which practically nothing happens. Solaris is a good example. Clooney says that Midnight Sky is Gravity meets Revenant - those are two other movies that were sterile, grim and ultimately uninspiring. The scenery in Sky is a bit interesting, Felicity Jones is interesting and there's a mildly satisfying revelation at the end, but it all seems rather disconnected, nihilistic and, much too often, unrealistic.

Cats (2019)

It's Good

[9/10 · 25 December 2019]

Honestly I don't get all the hate and negativity about this. I saw an article this morning commenting about the actors' loss of dignity for appearing in this movie. The only people who should fear for their dignity are the critics and trolls who rushed to judgment long before the movie hit theaters and the ones who followed them like sheep. Huge nasty pile-on. I can understand how Cats isn't to some peoples' taste. I saw the original show on Broadway long ago and wasn't terribly impressed, mainly because the Andrew Lloyd-Webber music is pretty weak. Basing a musical on whimsical T.S. Eliot poetry is high concept from the get-go, but it benefitted greatly from conversion into film, while retaining its theatricality. The costumes and the actors inhabiting them were excellent, especially Francesca Hayward, who was absolutely luminous in the lead role. There were five in our party when we saw the film, including three who hadn't seen the theater version - we all thought it was excellent. I lost not one iota of respect for anyone associated with this film, but my respect for film critics in general has fallen to a new low.

The Witcher (2019– )

Surprised

[9/10 · 22 December 2019]

I wasn't initially enthusiastic about this but having watched the first three episodes today, I'm very excited about seeing the rest. If you decide to give it a try, watch at least through episode 3 before you conclude - episode 3 is awesome! Compares VERY favorably to GoT. I like the fact that although it's a sprawling epic, there is a tighter focus on a few central characters. Magic is a more significant element than it was in GoT, to good effect. There are occasional aspects of contemporary culture that I found incongruous and distracting, but that's growing on me.

Bombshell (I) (2019)

Great Acting

[9/10 · 22 December 2019]

The message delivery is quite heavy-handed and pedantic at the end, but the first 90% of the film does an excellent job of illustrating the difficulties women face when harassed in the workplace. The acting is superior - especially Theron's portrayal of Megyn Kelly, for which an Oscar should be awarded. I highly recommend this movie and if Fox lovers can't handle the truth, that's hardly a surprise.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

Happiness

[9/10 · 21 December 2019]

I was 24 when the first Star Wars movie came out - it blew my mind. I soon heard that George Lucas envisioned a 9-movie epic story, but after Empire Strikes Back, it seemed like the rest of the story would never be told. Now it's been told (although not exactly as Lucas dreamed it, which possibly is a good thing - no disrespect). I'm 67 now and very happy to have witnessed the entire cycle in real time. The character of Rey is the zenith of the franchise and Daisy Ridley perfects that character in this movie. It's an extravaganza. See it.

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Well-Acted, Engaging

[8/10 · 20 November 2019]

Matt Damon, Christian Bale and Caitriona Balfe thoroughly inhabit their characters - that's the best thing about this movie, I think. Each of them has multiple scenes in which they are alternately charming and sympathetic. I was a teen when the historical events depicted in the movie occurred, and I remember some of them, which made this especially interesting to me. Occasionally the film falters when it succumbs to cliche, for example when it depicts the relentless efforts of Henry Ford II's kissing, sniveling right-hand man to undermine our heroes. But when the focus is in the lead characters and the road racing, it's a strong pic. I recommend it, especially if you have any interest in international racing history.

Last Christmas (2019)

Charming

[7/10 · 11 November 2019]

Emilia Clarke is always such a charmer in a romantic tragi-comedy, including this one. Even though her character is a self-absorbed underachiever for most of the movie, you can't help but root for her. There's a pleasing twist (which I more or less figured out before it was revealed). Nothing heavy here, but my wife and I had a great date and enjoyed this movie.

Midway (2019)

Nail-biter!

[8/10 · 11 November 2019]

This movie is like Pearl Harbor (the Affleck/Hartnett one) but with a lot less corniness and glamor, and a tighter focus on the challenges faced by the armed forces in the Pacific in the aftermath of December 7. The battle scenes are more gripping than any I've ever seen in the big screen. A few times I found myself wringing my hands so hard that they hurt. This is a very straightforward war movie - one that illustrates the sacrifice of war veterans like few others.

Captain Marvel (2019)

One of My Favorite MCU Movies

[9/10 · 10 March 2019]

This is not quite the cultural touchstone that Black Panther was, but it's a better movie. Like Panther, it succeeds in teeing up the next Avengers movie, but it does so in a more direct and powerful way. The story of Carol Danvers' self-discovery unfolds unconventionally, but ultimately its convoluted elements coalesce and the newly mature character who emerges in the finale is probably the most badass figure in the MCU. The movie packed in just the right mix of humor, action, nostalgia, humanity and fantasy - something for everyone. I plan to see it again soon.