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Jeffrey-147
Reviews
Ragnarok (2020)
Engaging; Well acted; Interesting; Lovely scenery
I must be pretty hard to please with Netflix series, as I've started watching maybe 15 of them, and often couldn't get through even one episode. Travelers, Better Than Us, and now Ragnarok kept me thoroughly engaged. My main expectations are acting, script, and characters. Special effects, silly storylines, and action sequences are a no-go for me. So don't look here for sensations, just a slowly evolving story with interesting characters and enough eye candy for extra measure.
The back story about environmental damage is a bit cartoonish, but global climate change on its own doesn't make for a rapidly evolving storyline, so something more sinister in the short term was needed.
Messiah (2020)
Raised my hopes; then dashed them
Why would they go to the substantial effort to create a series that could have been great, and then make it stupid? I feel betrayed and disappointed, as the first two episodes of this series actually showed some potential. But midway through Episode #3 it introduced some plot elements that were so utterly insipid, I could no longer watch. Previous to this, the script and acting were quite good. So maybe I'm not qualified to write a review? Too bad. No matter how good the remaining episodes might be, they threw it all away. Life is too short.
Vantage Point (2008)
Imponderably bad movie
Have you heard the one about the angst-ridden body guard who failed in his mission, and almost decides to give up, but is searching for another chance to redeem himself? Well, in case you missed it, here it is again! I reserve my lowest rating for movies that are really, really bad, yet inexplicably take themselves seriously. The acting in this movie was actually quite good for the most part, which makes it even worse... because it makes you think, "Why would they go to such trouble, and waste so many people's time,to make such a colossally bad movie?" There are cartoons that defy the laws of physics and they're funny. This movie took until the last 30 minutes or so before I started laughing out loud at it... But then I start feeling depressed, and start thinking about other imponderables, like Budweiser beer, and country music, and Donald Trump, and the people who rated this movie with more than one star. And then I think that if this movie can even exist, then humanity is doomed, and no secret service agents are going to come to the rescue to bail us out. -
Syrup (2013)
Surprisingly engaging;
I liked this movie, and am mildly surprised at the preponderance of negative reviews. I'd have to say that most of the negative reviewers seem to have been looking for something that's not there.
This movie came across to me like a comic book... so much so, it's hard for me to imagine this is not what the writer and director were aiming for. Don't look for an explicit message or plot line. And don't look for "realism" (whatever that means). I don't think there's really a "message", or "takeaway". I think the medium is the message (whatever that means).
So... How like a comic book? I'm not sure how to say it... Each scene represented a discrete locale, as if a single panel. No jerky camera movements. In some cases the setting had a surreal quality.
The action and editing is choppy, jumping awkwardly from scene to scene, leaving you puzzling about what just happened in the previous panel that would lead to the present situation. There's no vector to the story line, and you can't predict where the plot will be going. It just happens... And there are unaccounted for gaps in time, when major events must have transpired, yet the viewer doesn't witness them. In fact, there's not a clear sense of the passage of time. It just happens.
The characters know exactly what to say at any given time, as if there were a balloon over their heads providing the dialog. They exhibit no uncertainty, and seem somewhat one dimensional; even enigmatic. I found the dialog terse, punchy, and engaging, and in some cases starkly missing. And they are always perfectly dressed. Where do they live? Where do they get their clothes? Who is their tailor? Don't even ask.
The characters don't really evolve much. For some movies, this is a fatal flaw. I didn't see it that way here, especially because I envied their complete sense of place.
The acting was expressive when it needed to be, but was also flat at times as well. Finally, the lead actors are what I believe is referred to today as "eye candy"... It made for pleasant viewing.... for me, at least.
As a few of the other positive reviews have noted that the style might appeal to you, or it might not. I suggest you give it a try.
Midnight Run (1988)
Witty, poignant, & engaging and absolutely wonderful
This film has vaulted unexpectedly onto my 'all time Top Ten' list. Until recently, I had seen it several times, but never from beginning to end. Within the past month, I've now watched the entire movie three times. My enjoyment of it continues to increase with additional viewings, which places it in a very rare category. I thoroughly agree with other user reviews who regard it as radically underrated.
This is brilliant comedy. In the manner of Shakespeare comedies, it has many implausible (or impossible!) plot devices that both define and enhance the character of the movie, yet there are many poignant and moving moments as well.
The comedy is droll and intelligent. The characters themselves rarely laugh, and yet, there are so many hilarious lines, delivered with brilliant timing. It's just magnificent.
The script is excellent, with not a wasted word or superfluous scene. (And the profanity, by the way, referenced in a number of other reviews is very much part of the film.) Every role is perfectly cast, and perfectly played. The musical score is also superb.
Finally, after several viewings, I'm 'blown away' by the scene involving the daughter... the expression on her face, captured so magnificently in the cinematography, and the lighting, is one of the remarkable moments in all of cinema in my experience. This may sound like hyperbole... You be the judge.
Gloria (1999)
Definitely worth watching.
I looked this movie up on IMDb, because it had only 1-1/2 star rating on our UVerse movie guide, and I thought this must have been a mistake. (After all, they didn't even have Sharon Stone listed in the cast. But the IMDb reviews are low as well.
I'm flummoxed! It's far from the miserable film described in some of the other reviews. If you listen to them, you might miss an enjoyable film experience. Sharon Stone is excellent, the child actor is excellent. The other characters are incidental and don't matter much, but they are generally good as well. The story is engaging enough... .and even if slightly contrived, in places, who cares? I recommend you give it a try.
Hugo (2011)
Engaging, Wonderful, Entertaining
In 50+ years of film-going this is one of the most engaging movies I've ever seen. What ought to be said about it has already been said by other reviewers, so I won't repeat. I was mostly curious as to what people who DIDN'T like it found to criticize. Glancing through their comments, the principal objection seems to be that it was "boring", which leads me to wonder why someone who COULD think this would have wasted their money on it in the first place?
So, as a useful guide, here is a list of movies that were awarded 9 or 10 stars by reviewers who gave Hugo 1-star. If you tend to like the following films, there's a good chance you'll be wasting your time on Hugo. For anyone else, I hope you enjoy it at least half as much as I did, which will be a lot: Enter the Dragon (2006), Puss in Boots, Hunter Prey, Spartacus: Vengeance, The Crazies, Skyline, Hannibal Rising, The Mayor of Hell, etc. You get the idea.
Marigold (2007)
Predictable, but unpretentious and entertaining
I'm less engaged by movies that pretend to be more than they are, and fail. This one promises little, and delivers more. It's an unpretentious, even if contrived, love story, featuring an egocentric American girl who learns humility under adverse circumstances. There are generally sympathetic, even if predictable characters, picturesque settings, beautiful faces, lively dances, and engaging music. Eye candy throughout. Provides a somewhat antiseptic window into Indian culture... but at least it's something. Not a bad introduction to Bollywood musicals, either.
I'm grateful not to be so sophisticated and urbane in my tastes that I'm unable to enjoy it. It's just simple fun; nothing more.
Angel-A (2005)
It retained my interest: My empirical test of a good film.
I would re-emphasize that the script, acting, cinematography, and direction are all excellent, making the movie well worth watching. The plot premise has been used before, but so what? It's a universal tale that bears retelling. This version has enough unexpected twists and turns to retain the viewer's interest (mine, at least!). The movie failed for me only at the very end... but provided enough rewards to justify my "8" rating.
I don't find Disney endings satisfying, and so was disappointed with the final plot twist, especially since the moments leading up to it were filled with so many emotional changes of direction. Drat! It could have been a contender!
The movie ostensibly speaks to universal aspects of human nature that any viewer could relate to who has ever felt despondent, or worthless, or for whom the pain of living has overwhelmed the joys. If the message of the movie is that it's possible to change the course of one's life (with effort, of course), and to recapture a lust for living, then the Disney ending is not only superfluous, but disappointing, as it essentially undermines the greater message of the film.
I will admit that part of the reason the ending didn't work for me is that I never bought into the romantic love between Angela and Andre. I felt a lot of emotions watching the film, but romantic love wasn't among them. If you believe that true love conquers all, then.. well... maybe... But the movie didn't need to end "happily ever after" in order to end poignantly and satisfyingly. Angela did not need to be "in love" with Andre in order to feel the panic and angst of impending separation as she was about to be wrenched back to wherever she came from. I would have been more willing to believe that she was in love with life itself than with a single person. Similarly Andre didn't need to be in love with Angela in order to have discovered self-love, self-respect, and a renewed commitment to living, through Angela's adroit, prescient intervention. I was perfectly willing to believe that Andre's newly re-invigorated heart could find love again, as was predicted (incorrectly, as it turns out!) by Angela.
Finally, we are treated to many on-screen minutes of Angela's lithe, athletic body and preternaturally long legs, but too little time on her face, which I kept wanting to see more of. Maybe she's a better actor with her body than with facial expressions. On the other hand, the close-up of the two of them in the mirror, when Andre has his moment of epiphany, is an all-time cinematic highlight in my view.
Short Cuts (1993)
Greatly overrated
My wife & I stayed up late to view this film, based on enthusiastic reviews. We were misled. Simply stated, it's a waste of good acting that left us with a disturbing impression of "Why bother?". Several of the characters are interesting. Most are not. A brilliant portrayal of an uninteresting character is, in the end, uninteresting; so is watching a potentially interesting person do and say uninteresting things. Why bother?
This movie follows the same general approach as many modern TV dramas, with several parallel, slightly intersecting story lines. One IMDb reviewer writes:
"...(Altman) weaves all these disconnected scenes together like common strands of rope." (As crudely as the film is edited, however, I think a plate of linguine would be a better simile)
Another writes:
"the ending doesn't disappoint," (er... My impression is that they couldn't figure out HOW to "end" the various story(?) lines, so they just chopped off a few of them at the ankles, leaving the rest unresolved. The various resolutions were not only disappointing, but manipulative, and just-plain ludicrous in some respects. Although Altman tries to build to an earth-shaking conclusion, the movie just senselessly fades away.
"...a rare gem: A Hollywood movie of artistic enormity.". Yes... well.... My dictionary says that enormity means 'the quality of passing all moral bounds; excessive wickedness or outrageousness.' While this accurately describes the film in some respects, I doubt if this is what the reviewer intended. In fact, the artistry is banal, perhaps best enjoyed by those who believe the word "enormity" refers to size.
I tend to agree with the comments of those who gave it one or two stars. In light of the generally good acting, though, I'll give it three.