DavoZed Reviews

Perfect Days (2023)

Not for Everyone

[8/10 · 1 April 2024]

This movie is a 2 hour class on living in the moment and cherishing those moments.

It's about someone who lives very simply and gets enormous joy from doing the smallest, simplest things.

The acting and cinematography are wonderful. The movie shows us the Tokyo that the people who live there see.

I kept thinking that something was going to happen to alter the mood or impact the central character but nothing really did.

The movie is about mindfuless. Appreciating what you have because it is enough.

It's a movie about our times. Even as many people are grasping for more and more, the answer to happiness is less.

Suze (2023)

Lame

[4/10 · 3 March 2024]

A decent story idea that is completely squandered here.

The story line, the dialogue and the acting are that of an average Hallmark movie.

Much of what goes on is simply improbable.

The boyfriend is INCREDIBLY dumb and a complete mismatch for the honours student daughter. The boyfriend jumps off of a water tower in a suicide attempt and comes away with no scratches and a minor foot injury.

The daughter is very angry and wants no one to visit her, for no apparent reason, even though she is away at university, in a distant city.

The mother is a mess and her grip on reality is that of a child. She is completely unaware that her daughter has applied to an expensive university, in another city and finds out only by accident.

Locke (2013)

Excellent

[9/10 · 24 February 2024]

A very unique story told in a very unique way.

Totally engrossing. There was never a moment when I wondered why I was watching this film. I had the English subtitles turned on, so that I wouldn't miss any of the dialogue, because the dialogue is very important.

I could nitpick some of the elements of the story and the ending but that would involve spoilers and I don't want to do that. The story is a completely unique and fresh one. Unlike anything that I think I have ever seen.

Tom Hardy is excellent and carries the entire movie. You'll see what I mean if you watch it.

I had never heard of this movie and found it by Googling for underrated movies.

What a find.

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Remarkable

[10/10 · 19 January 2024]

A remarkable movie.

A wonderful story, well written and well told. Great acting and great production complete the package.

This is one of the best movies I have seen in several years.

It is a complex story about human relationships and frailties. I found it hard to watch on a number of occasions because of the rawness of the story.

The movie is in English and in French with subtitles for both languages If needed. It is shot in the French Alps which are very beautiful.

The trial occurs in a French court and the proceedings of and the tone of the court is an eye opener and worth the price of admission by themselves. I would not want to face trial in a French court.

The complexity of the story builds through the movie and through the course of the trial. There is an outcome but it is ambiguous. Like life.

If you are looking for an easy movie, this is not it. If you are looking for a movie where all of the loose ends are tied up by the end, this is also not it.

Bright Star (2009)

Beautiful

[3/10 · 25 December 2023]

A beautiful, beautiful film.

Great writing, directing, acting and production.

The two leads are superb, as is the rest of the cast.

Campion is able to convey the love affair and the bittersweet nature of a love that can never triumph.

The remarkable spirit and character of Keats and Fanny Brawne shine out at us from the film.

Keats produced only 150 poems in his short life and his reputation is built on about 65, many of them written in the midst of their love affair.

There are complaints here about the film being too slow and boring. There are also no explosions, car chases or gunfights. If you were hoping for that as well.

12.12: The Day (2023)

Excellent

[10/10 · 21 December 2023]

This is probably the best film that I have seen in the last 12 months.

Maybe the best film I have seen in the last 5 years or more.

It is a type of movie that is completely wrong for me. I like small, indie and foreign movies, with a good but simple story.

This is a massive production, with dozens of major roles and a series of scenes / events over the course of a day.

It has an edge of the seat urgency to it, that pulls a person along, through the 2 + hours of the film.

I have done some quick Googling to try to confirm the accuracy of the events. It sounds like the film captures a strong sense of the events of the day, without being historically accurate.

The story, the acting and the production are excellent. The leads are unbelievably good, especially the actor portraying the evil Chun Doo-gwang character.

The Martian (2015)

Nonsense

[3/10 · 20 November 2023]

This is a completely nonsensical movie.

Mars is a frigid rock in the middle of nowhere. Without atmosphere, running water or soil to grow food. 8 months travel from Earth.

I can't imagine Matt Damon agreeing to star in this, as it completely destroys his professional judgment. Given the roles that he has had in the past, why would he agree to this piece of junk?

I realize that Americans are not very bright but come on, this is appallingly dumb.

I should just suspend my disbelief and enjoy the movie? Nonsense.

Why not take the story idea and do it justice. Show him actually struggling to survive, while he waits for the rescue mission from Earth.

That would have been a good movie.

Safe Place (2022)

Remarkable

[10/10 · 11 November 2023]

This is likely the best film that I have seen all year. Maybe the best film that I have seen in a number of years.

I don't know why it hasn't won every award available. I'm going to guess that some of that has to do with it being little known and Croatian.

The three main actors are remarkable, the story is heartbreaking and the film is a masterpiece. It is so good that I felt like I was watching a documentary.

The subject matter will scare or offend many but the handling of it is very good. Someone is trying to kill themselves and their family is focused on preventing that from happening.

The family's humanity is endless. The system's lack of humanity is terrifying.

Watch this film.

Addendum

It has won a series of awards. Mostly awards at film fests where it was screened.

There is a list of the award nominations and wins, here on IMDb. 40 + nominations and 20 + wins. In the film description posted by the film fest where I saw the film, they mention a few of the awards.

My comments are the same. This is a remarkable film, an extraordinary first feature.

Het zit in mijn hart (2022)

Brilliant.

[10/10 · 7 November 2023]

Making a movie about making a movie.

But not just any movie. A movie where all of the actors have intellectual disabilities.

It's wonderful to see the care that is taken to help the actors to fulfill their roles in the movie.

It's wonderful to hear them talk about themselves and their friends in the cast. One is reminded that these are real human beings, whatever their intellectual shortcomings, who feel the same things that we all feel.

It took a while to get on to the two realities. The movie that was being made and the movie that was being made about the movie being made.

I had to be careful to follow along, in order to not mix up what was happening in the movie and what was happening in the movie about the movie.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Brilliant

[10/10 · 25 October 2023]

This film is brilliant. A wonderful idea, brilliantly realized.

The actors in the film are brilliant. Keaton's performance is unbelievable, surely the best of his entire career. He is a man on the edge of a nervous breakdown and he pulls that off with aplomb.

Keaton isn't a likable character, he isn't playing someone that people can relate to? He's an actor. Get over yourself.

The film is frenetic and all over the place? Yes. Again, he's having a nervous breakdown as a result of trying to open a Broadway show, that will make or break his career going forward.

If other Hollywood movies had 10% of the juice that this one has, the theaters would be full.

Addendum - the director / screenwriter of this film has won 5 Oscars himself and his films have won eight. In just over 20 years.

This film won Oscars for best picture, best director and best screenplay.

Again, get over yourselves.

While We Watched (2022)

Canary in the Coal Mine

[10/10 · 22 October 2023]

A remarkable, fly on the wall documentary about one man's and one TV network's attempt to push back against the forces of fascism in their country.

India is a warning sign to all democratic countries who are facing right wing, populist, anti-democratic political movements.

Our democracies will not survive unless we fight back strenuously.

India is ahead of many countries in this regard but they are not as far advanced as Hungary, Turkey and Brazil.

If you care about the future of democracy in your own country, please watch this documentary and then get involved in supporting the survival of democracy at home.

Thank you.

Stop Making Sense (1984)

Very Good

[10/10 · 8 October 2023]

First there is the concert.

The frenetic energy of the band's performance was simply amazing. They and especially David Byrne were likely exhausted after 90 minutes of that kind of energy.

I don't know whether this performance was typical of the band because I don't follow them but I am assuming that it is.

Second was the film.

There must have been cameras everywhere and there must have been a great deal of thought put into the location of the cameras to capture the band's performance.

Very well shot and very well edited. Seamless, especially given that the film is the result of 4 concerts blended together.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979)

This

[10/10 · 7 October 2023]

I haven't a clue how any serious person could watch a Bond movie, given how completely improbable and empty they are.

This series is so incredibly good. So well written and acted and produced. The clothing, vehicles and settings are obviously out of date but excepting that, this is the real deal.

I watched it in just two sittings. I would have likely watched it all the way through but I started too late in the evening and it's 5 hours long.

It bears a lot of similarities to the British series, The Sandbaggers, so if you are a fan of that series, you should enjoy this one.

I think that The Sandbaggers is still a better series, maybe the best series or movie about espionage ever made. The episodes are shorter, the writing is tighter and it has an edge about it that is missing here.

But this is as good or a close second.

Val (I) (2021)

Very hard to watch

[7/10 · 2 October 2023]

This is a window into the life of Val Kilmer and also into the world of celebrity.

For that alone, this is probably something that most people would benefit from watching.

The film has video that was taken throughout his life and photos for the times when there were no videos.

The video quality is all over the map in terms of lighting, color and sound and the editing is quite abrupt so the movie felt really choppy to me. The poster for the movie is an extremely apt representation of how the movie plays out.

I honestly couldn't finish the movie. Kilmer's condition / situation currently was just too much to bear.

11 Minutes (2022)

Why?

[9/10 · 22 September 2023]

After events like this, why is there still a single gun in civilian hands in the US?

61 dead, almost 500 hit by bullets and shrapnel and almost 900 total injuries.

All because of a single gunman.

What kind of event would be required to change American thinking on gun ownership?

I have watched episode 1 and it is very good. It's hard to watch because thousands of people were completely exposed, as a madman fired 1,100 bullets into the crowd that they were in.

The people who were there were traumatized and presumably will be for life. Many of them were shot and bear the scars.

Civilized nations don't have incidents like this. They take the required steps, so they don't ever happen again.

Save Me (2017–2019)

Excellent Series

[9/10 · 18 September 2023]

I will preface this review by saying that I've only watched 3 episodes. I will come back and update this review when I have watched more / the rest.

This is a very well made and compelling series about serious issues. The settings, the cinematography and the acting is superb.

The warning here about violence is not sufficient in my opinion. This is a very violent series. Maybe not by Korean standards but from the point of view of other films.

This is not a series to watch with young children, because of the violence and the mature issues that are dealt with. It should be acceptable for mid to late teenagers, assuming they can deal with difficult issues.

The violence and the shocks here are too much for younger children IMO.

The Quiet Girl (2022)

A Simply Wonderful Film

[10/10 · 17 August 2023]

A heartbreaking story, beautifully captured for the screen.

One of the very best films of 2022.

The script, the acting and the production of the film are flawless. I never thought for a moment that something that was said or done, didn't fit, didn't seem real.

The girl of the title is luminescent. I don't know why she didn't win every single acting award available last year. The actors playing the four adults, the two sets of parents, are also very, very good.

This is not a 4 or 5. Not a 6 or 7. I would accept arguments that it is an 8 or 9 based on honest beliefs that this or that was not well done.

Maybe the best film of last year.

The dialogue is in Irish with English subtitles.

Beeba Boys (2015)

An Excellent Movie

[8/10 · 12 July 2023]

This is a very well made, very well acted movie, worth seeing.

I have to assume that the 4.9 rating is because of significant pushback from the Indo-Canadian population in the Vancouver area.

The score in NO way represents the actual quality of the movie, in terms of the movie idea and the execution of it.

There is in fact a drug and turf war in the Vancouver area, involving Indo-Canadians. That is a fact.

It is unfortunate and it upsets the local Indo-Canadian population? Naturally.

If you are not Indo-Canadian or Indian, see the movie as it is a very well made, entertaining movie.

If you are Indo-Canadian, see the movie if you can accept that it is a FICTIONAL account of actual events and not a comment on your community.

The Terminator (1984)

Holds Up Very Well

[9/10 · 9 July 2023]

Saw this film in the theater again this week.

I expected it to appear at least a bit dated but I would say that the stunts and special effects haven't lost anything at all.

The story is a bit simplistic but the action is non-stop and very well done.

Arnold's acting was a bit robotic but of course he WAS a robot. LOL.

Biehn did a great job (as he did in Aliens) and is completely believable as the guy from the future, who was willing to trade his life to save another.

Hamilton was alright as the robot target / love interest. Her big 80s hair should have probably won a special effects Oscar.

Great to see it again. Try to see it in a theater if you can for the big screen impact of the stunts and special effects.

Past Lives (2023)

A Very Sweet Movie

[7/10 · 6 July 2023]

This is a very sweet movie. Very romantic and thoughtful provoking.

That said, it's probably not going to appeal to a broader audience because it is subtitled and because it is quite slowly paced. A third issue is that there isn't a happy ending, per se.

The story and dialogue are very good and the acting is simply wonderful. I never thought for a moment that I wasn't looking at actual people, living out their lives. A big part of that was that the actors are unknown to me and the acting was so good.

The cinematography, the locations etc are also very good. A beautiful movie visually. I had some minor quibbles with the timeline but nothing that was glaring.

For people that enjoy movies that explore inner feelings and relationships, this movie should be enjoyable for you.

That said, there is no nudity, no sexuality nor profanity.

Venus (III) (2016)

Wonderful Documentary

[9/10 · 29 June 2023]

I ran across this film on one of the streaming services that I subscribe to.

I wasn't sure what to think but I came here and saw the reviews and decided to take a chance on it.

It offers remarkable insights into the thinking and experiences of young women who are having sex.

I am a beyond middle aged male and I would have welcomed the information in this film, in order to be a better partner for the women I have known.

The filmmakers did a very good job of keeping the film's dialogue within a range that should be tolerable for most viewers, including older teenagers.

The female participants are very honest and frank and held very little back. Their participation is remarkable and admirable.

The last 10 - 15 minutes of the film involves considerable nudity. It is all in one piece at the very end of the film.

I would say that it didn't add anything of significance to the film and can be skipped if a viewer doesn't want to see it.

The Bridge (I) (2006)

Interesting Documentary

[8/10 · 29 June 2023]

This documentary won't be for everyone because of the mental health issues discussed and because it shows people actually jumping off the bridge.

That said it was interesting to hear family and friends of jumpers interviewed and understand the level of their mental illness prior to jumping.

Most of the jumpers had talked about killing themselves and even killing themselves on the bridge, for a considerable amount of time.

The filmmakers had their cameras trained on the bridge for an entire year and had footage of people getting ready to jump, people being "rescued" before they could jump and people jumping.

There was even an interview with a survivor, as some people do survive the jump.

The film doesn't show bodies being recovered, just the people as they jumped over the railing.

Women Talking (2022)

The Story Is Nonsense

[5/10 · 19 March 2023]

I would say that the average rating here of 7 (March 2023) is accurate for the acting and the production qualities of the film.

There are some great actors in the movie and some very good acting. The movie is beautifully shot and the farm, buildings and clothing fit the narrative.

All of that said, the story makes little or no sense and the ending is fantasy that simply defies reality. The women are illiterate, they have no money and they don't even know where they are or where they're going. They have nowhere to go and no one to support them when they get there.

Leaving the colony under these circumstances would simply never happen. It's impossible.

The screenplay won an Oscar? I'm going to guess that the script won because of the subject matter of the it, rather than the quality of it. Won because It was a script about men's bad treatment of women and it was written by a woman. It's a MeToo win. A political win.

I am an enormous fan of Sarah Polley. She is a wonderful actor, director and writer but this is simply not her best work.

This movie and the script that it's based on is simply not very good.

The women's ONLY choices were limited to staying and keeping the same arrangement or staying and insisting on better treatment.

It would have made a far better movie to see them stay and fight for better treatment.

That would have been a harder / much harder movie to produce?

Of course.

The World After Us (2021)

A Sweet, Sweet Movie

[9/10 · 14 February 2023]

6.2 After 285 Votes? Seriously?

A sweet, sweet movie about real people struggling with real issues.

The issues are all cliche, the ending is too pat?

I guess a person could see it that way. Or they could just watch the film and enjoy it.

I loved the characters and the actors who portrayed them.

I wondered as the film went along, how it was going to end and manage to pull together all of the loose ends. But it did. Or tried to.

Life is messy and we don't always have or get all of the answers.

I felt hopeful at the end. That in spite of everything, we survive and life goes on.

I really liked the movie.

The Stranger (1991)

Remarkable

[10/10 · 9 February 2023]

A wonderful story, well told.

A simple story, really but so well told.

Remarkable characters and dialogue, well acted.

It kept me guessing until the final scene. It kept the characters in the film guessing as well.

What an ending.

I have not seen any of his other films and now must find them and watch them.

This one was about to disappear from the streaming service that it was on, so I watched it, not knowing if I would get through it.

I was absolutely glued to the screen for the entire film.

I haven't seen a better film in quite a while. So much of what is produced now is just empty filler.