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Reviews
The Night Agent (2023)
Entertaining But Profoundly Implausible
Gabriel Basso provides a solid performance as FBI agent Peter Sutherland. Basso has considerable depth and range. Moreover, his posture and physical affect are in perfect alignment with the various situations he finds himself in.
Luciane Buchanan, on the other hand, who plays the niece of two covert FBI agents is stiff, monodimensional; over-the-top insufferable, and undeservedly entitled. She offers some range in the final episode so she is capable of nuance. Perhaps the flaw is with direction. There are five directors; each responsible for two episodes.
The script and plot are a mess. There is misrepresentation over the various responsibilities of the NSA, FBI, Secret Service and CIA. Furthermore, a civilian is able to do things that no civilian would ever be permitted to do. Low-level FBI agents have direct contact with the president; something that would never happen in real life. For that matter, they also have direct contact with the White House Chief of Staff. That's never going to happen.
Finally, real conspiracies have very few conspirators - the smallest number possible to achieve their goal. There are just too many unnecessary conspirators.
The series IS entertaining. I watched all ten episodes. However, I note that the crew does not include a consultant; someone with government experience.
The series is based on the book of the same name by Matthew Quirk. However, the plot of the book involves finding out who is a Russian mole in the White House which seems greatly more believable than this series' conspiracy theory. Presumably the book does a better job in the realm of who does what with whom in the White House.
Time (2020)
Entitled Bank Robbers as Victims
According to Sybil Fox Richardson (AKA "Fox Rich") her husband is doing time due to racism and received an overly harsh sentence. "Just like slavery" she says.
With the caveat that I am a survivor of gun violence, I found the film and Mrs. Richardson infuriating. Moreover, the film is dishonest:
1. This was not Robert Richardson's first conviction. That was never mentioned.
2. The film would have viewers believe that this was an attempted robbery. It was an armed robbery, shots were fired, and the robbers were arrested later in the day.
3. Robert Richardson was offered a plea deal. He turned it down.
4. The sentence included punishment for an attempt at jury tampering. Mrs. Richardson visited two jurors, and attempted to coerce them into voting "not guilty."
5. Richardson gave birth to four more children (for a total of six) while her husband was incarcerated. Who is their father. The film doesn't even mention the other four. Just one near the end.
Yet, above and beyond the missing information is the promotion of the myth that Mrs. Richardson is a victim. She was victimized only by her own greed and stupidity.
At one point in the film she dares people to tell her "do the crime; do the time." Well, that's how the system works. What? Were we supposed to send this pair of armed robbers to Disney World?
At another point she says: "...one of the things that I committed to was that I would never let them get me like that again, would never give up my freedom, would never be subjugated to such inhumane treatment."
What does that even mean? A shootout? A proper person would say something to the effect that they will never again commit a crime.
At another point the woman is incensed that someone on the phone (a state employee) did not devote her full time and attention to her. Her response? "He's comin' home and they're gonna pay. They're gonna pay. They're gonna pay."
Really? Pay for what exactly? Not treating her as if the sun revolved around her presence? How were they going to pay?
Apparently, Richardson had a high-priced lawyer (possibly pro bono) assisting her in her quest for a parole for her husband. He tells her that the parole board "resents" her efforts to obtain parole through power. He counsels her to treat them as if she is asking for a favor. That brief conversation is one of the few moments of truth about this awful woman.
Richardson's idea of contrition was to apologize to members of her church. Throughout this film, Richardson never takes responsibility for anything. The message of this documentary should have been the consequences of violent crime. Instead, it's more like don't get caught because the white man's system is unfair.
There is no humility in Sybil Fox Richardson or this deceptive documentary. It certainly was not deserving of an Oscar.
The King (2019)
Superb Film - Just understand that it is fiction
For the record, these are Shakespeare's characters. There was never a Sir. John Falstaff. Moreover, only Shakespeare ever referred to the Prince of Whales who became Henry V as "Hal."
Having said that, this is Netflix's finest production ever. Everything is there. It all works. The cast is great. Chalamet is the perfect young king. The script could not be better. Cinematography is excellent, as is the direction. The scenery and sets are exquisite.
Moreover, there is great attention to small details. Not all of it is appealing but it is necessary.
Not all of this film is fiction. The battles actually happened and, of course, Henry V happened.
Netlfix has become a collection of mediocre content, cheaply produced outside the United States. It's really a shame that they did not devote themselves to more movies like "The King." Perhaps if they did, they would not be hemorrhaging subscribers.
Medieval (2022)
Impossible to Follow Gore-Fest
Apparently there are two sides determined to inflict as much pain, death and misery on each other as possible. To that end they are successful.
I am at a loss to understand the defining characteristic of each side, why they are trying to kill each other, and what they hope to achieve.
Actually, there is a third side represented by a hungry male lion who has developed an insatiable appetite for human flesh. Why there is a lion caged up in Bohemia and how he got there remains unknown.
The lion does have one remarkable feature. He is the cleanest creature in the entire movie. Makeup artists devoted considerable time and energy into making all the characters as filthy as possible. Were they not impaled on swords or pierced by arrows, they would surely perish from poor hygiene.
I am a huge fan of historical movies. This one is just an excuse to spill blood by variously gruesome means. Lots of amputations and trailing guts.
The Rebels of PT-218 (2021)
Awful to the point of being humorous
Production values: None
Direction: Abysmal
Acting: What acting?
Cinematography: Looks like it was filmed with a smartphone.
Script: Incoherent.
Eric Roberts looks like an 80-year-old meth addict.
Reminiscence (2021)
Insulting my intelligence
This story deserved a better movie in spite of some fine acting. The problem stems from the fact that it defines memories in a form that does not exist.
Our memories consist of what we have seen, heard, smelled, tasted and touched. Reminiscence relies, in part, on the notion that memories include things that we could not be aware of.
Moreover, the film constructs memories based on how others might view our experience.
For example, in one case a client seeks to recall where she lost a key through an examination of her memories. She unknowingly drops the key but we are expected to believe that she remembers having done so.
Ms. Joy should stick to writing.
Nomadland (2020)
Not many people will watch this more than once
I love Zhao's other notable work, The Rider (which also relies on amateur actors). However, the difference is that The Rider has an important story to tell. I cared about the characters. Moreover, it actually has a plot (imagine that).
None of the characters in Nomadland gave me cause to care very much about what happened to them or their fate. They are all volunteers. If this is intended as an examination of an alternate lifestyle then it is one characterized as people who, for the most part, have made some terrible choices.
The appearance - at least to me - is of a director trying to show everyone how clever she is. She may be. She cleverly bored me to death.