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Reviews
Hijack (2023)
Great, But A Step Too Far
What a ride! This was a brilliant series with a classic leading man in Idris Alba. Being a British film, few of the actors were familiar to me so Idris commanded a lot of my attention and he delivered an award worthy performance.
Of course there weren't always perfect skies on the common sense and believability flight path. Unfortunately there were some moments of turbulence with the script; and instead of a perfect landing and taxiing out, we got the cliched, "Surprise! The villain ain't done yet!" ending. But other than the rough landing, I was fully engaged and thrilled over the three nights I watched the series. Applause to the writers, cast, and crew for this first class flight. Bravo!
Heat (1995)
The Ending Flew Over My Head
This film is one of the very best of it's genre. This is the third or fifth time I've seen this movie since it first appeared in theaters. The first viewing left me in awe for the realism and action. This recent viewing was awesome because of the future star power on display with the likes of Natalie Portman, Dennis Haysbert, Danny Trejo, and Ted Levine making me chuckle at seeing them in roles other than what I've come to know them most for now. What a cast! What a great film in total!
There's only one major flaw in this movie for me and that is the ending. Once De Niro's character walks away from his new love at the hotel, Pacino's (a bit over the top acting) master detective character starts chasing De Niro's master thief character, and in my opinion, the movie runs into a brick wall. Instead of a cherry on top of a masterpiece dessert, the chef put a turd on it.
A middle aged detective in designer shoes instead of asking several uniformed cops posted with shotguns to follow him in pursuit of a suspect; he instead borrows one cop's gun and chases the suspect through a huge airport by himself. He doesn't even get on his radio to say what he's doing and ask for backup.
Maybe the detective is suicidal dealing with his divorce and suicidal daughter? Maybe the thief was suicidal because of the love he just lost and the murderous and impermanent toll his lifestyle is taking on him. Surely the thief had the upper hand in that airport setting and 9 out of ten times he just had to wait for the detective to walk into his sight. Instead, for some inexplicable reason, he leaps out of his cover to take a shot at the approaching detective and ends up dead along with my rating for that contrived ending.
The film's not quite a masterpiece but it's excellent filmmaking overall. 8 Stars!
Tom Jones (2023)
Beautiful, Fun Entertainment!
I've been watching PBS shows for fifty years, and I've been a financial supporter of PBS for about half that time. In all that time I don't know if Ive ever watched a Masterpiece series. Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of watching the movie "Belle" on another channel and soon after saw previews on PBS for "Tom Jones on Masterpiece" I Googled Tom Jones and got the quick details on the novel the show is based on. But to my great surprise, I somehow left Google thinking Sophia was the daughter of Black George etc. Etc.. I quickly paused the show after Black George appeared and did a more careful Googling of the novel. Then went back to enjoying the show and series.
The costumes were beautiful, the music inviting, the actors were wonderful, and I thoroughly enjoyed the series.
One day soon I hope to read the novel or see a version on screen that critics here loved in comparison to this they have panned. Thank you PBS. Thanks Masterpiece producers!
Konga (1961)
Good For Apebysmally Bad Laughs!
About a quarter of the way through this movie I had to go back and confirm why I recorded and wanted to watch this movie. I was surprised to see its IMDB score was only 4.5 stars. Other than for nostalgia, I have no desire to watch a movie below a 6 or 7 rating. I looked at the reviews and saw some high ratings, and I also saw some low ratings recommending it for amusement including music and comedy. I guess that's why I decided to check it out.
Yes I did get some belly laughs laughing at how bad the movie was. But not enough. I wasn't amused with any of the music either. If this movie were in black and white, you'd think this movie was made in 1933 and not "King Kong." Everything from special effects to script had me disbelieving this film was made almost 30 years after "King Kong" and 12 years after "Mighty Joe Young." In the end this movie just wasn't worth the time I devoted to watching it.
Yes, this is one of the very worst movies I've ever seen and I'm only minimally better having seen it unless I win a trivia game jackpot one day by answering a "Konga" question. So take my advice and join a "Konga" line dancing away from this film.
Gunsmoke (1955)
Almost As Good As It Gets!
I'll get to the point. In my six decades of watching television series, "Gunsmoke" is one of the absolute very best. I've only started watching the series the past three years and just when I think it can't get any better, it does. I just had the pleasure of watching the "Matt's Love Story" episode which is one of the very best episodes of any series in television history. I laughed, I wanted to cry, I was redeemed, just like the main characters in this episode.
I'm a tough critic. While this episode was a resounding ten stars, I can't give the series a ten because of the constant need to suspend disbelief. One being Matt gets shot and nearly beaten to death so often he would be dead or permanently disabled after the first season. After twenty something seasons the man's body must look like Swiss cheese and he's certainly brain damaged.
Next is Matt's failure to hire enough deputies, or failure to deputize citizens in certain situations, or his failure to organize posses in certain situations. I know he's a hero but he can still be a great hero without going it alone most of the time.
Finally, I don't know how many episodes I've watched the past three years, but I've seen more romance in this one episode than I've seen in all the other episodes with his longtime lady friend Miss Kitty. For those reasons, I...I...just realized there's no mayor in Dodge either. I don't recall ever seeing a mayor. I guess that makes it easier for Matt to be autonomous, but that's another suspension of disbelief. There probably should be a sheriff too...Anywho, I say 8 1/2 stars.
The Menu (2022)
I'll Have More of What You're Serving!
Thank You! This is what good writers should be writing, good director's should be directing, and good producers should be producing. All in a sub-two hour package. Although I'm one who has no problem with a great four hour yarn. Another twelve to thirty minutes of well written humor, suspense, and horror would have been well worth it for the movie itself, and for the audience.
I was expecting the predictable based on the title and the previews, but I was pleasantly surprised instead. I was mostly able to enjoy the ride without having to suspend disbelief.
The movie was pretty well cast, and Ray Fiennes was brilliant. "Yes Chef!"
The Raven (1935)
Generation Gap Reviews
When I viewed this movie as a child it was "possibly" worthy of the lofty ratings it has gotten here in IMDB. But looking at this movie again through my middle aged eyes, it is just gawd awful. I mean, when it ended I was ranking it with some of the worst movies I've ever seen. I thought to myself "Plan 9 From Outer Space" was more entertaining than that, and I immediately looked it up to see if I rated it the last time I saw it some ten odd years ago. I found I hadn't rated it but the overall rating of 3.9 Plan 9 is higher than what I'm giving this film.
Some of the acting, the makeup, the props, the script: bad, bad, bad, bad in the eyes of any generation.
The bottom line is that the ratings should reflect how the average population would receive a film, and I doubt many Generation X, Y, Z, Millennials and what not would rate this film much higher than the 3 stars I gave it.
Belle (2013)
Love & Justice
My only regret was not seeing this film in 2013, in a movie theater, on a big screen. It was beautifully written, directed, and produced. The entire cast was superb. In particular, I was delightfully introduced to actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson is a gem who always delivers when I see him on screen, and Sam Reid is a star. As soon as I heard his character's voice and felt his passion, I knew it was Reid. I had recently finished watching season one of the AMC series "Interview With the Vampire" in which he stars.
If a movie moves me emotionally throughout, it has to be great. I was in love with Dido. I was in love with Davinier, I was in love with Dido and Davinier (DiDavinier), and I loved Lord Mansfield when he rendered his decisions and love and justice prevailed.
I give it 8.5 stars, enjoy!
Elvis (2022)
Elvis: The Rhythm & the Blues
Wow, what a very pleasant surprise! It was not the movie I expected. I still can't believe they actually went there with "The King of Rock 'n Roll." The movie was at its best when intertwining young Elvis and star Elvis with his black music star influences performing and encouraging him. It's clear that the embracing, and reinterpretation of black music by young white male musicians helped to bring black and white relations a little bit closer in America in the 1950s heading into the Civil Rights era.
I don't think they could have found a better actor to portray Elvis. Well...they surely could have found a better singer. A couple of times I thought Austin Butler put a hurtin' on my ears as old Elvis. Disregard this opinion if old Elvis was actually that bad. But Butler's looks and charisma were almost always on point.
The great Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker: While watching the movie I thought it was a bad portrayal. I've always believed the Colonel was a deep southerner type. I was so disturbed by Hanks' portrayal that I immediately researched Colonel Parker. Turns out, Hanks' portrayal might actually be brilliant. With that information, I still don't like Colonel Parker or Hanks' possibly brilliant portrayal of him, lol!
Finally, the ambitious filmmakers also mixed in a couple of Hip Hop tunes into the soundtrack of an Elvis film! And it worked!
I really think they could have added another hour to this good film, and if the time were used wisely, it possibly could have been great. A big "Thank You!" to all involved in making it happen.
Amsterdam (2022)
I Can't Stop Smiling!
I've just finished watching this film and I'm feeling great. I have a big smile on my face and I'm refreshed and tingling all over. Coincidentally, the last movie that made me feel this way was "The Suicide Squad" that also starred Margot Robbie.
Am I in love with Margot Robbie? Possibly. For me she's the Raquel Welch of this generation, although she is a far more talented actress. But that has little to do with my review.
This was one ambitious, star-studded movie with a message that parallels the perilous politics of the U. S. and the world today. Did the filmmakers fulfill their ambitions? No! They fell a little short. But I'm very thankful for their attempt.
I think the plethora of stars in the cast was a distraction in light of the lack of meaty and memorable roles for them. I'm a war movie buff and two star studded movies that come to mind are "The Longest Day" and "Apocolypse Now."
Decades later I clearly remember the moments and lines of the likes of John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Red Buttons, and Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper. Of the secondary stars of "Amsterdam," I won't remember them or their lines, but I will certainly remember Taylor Swift getting thrown under a bus (car actually) early in the movie. That's about it. A waste of star power in the film, but maybe not in boosting ticket sales.
I think the primary stars did very well with what they had to work with. You know how I feel about Robbie, and I think this was the best I've seen of John David Washington. You could say the same for Anya Taylor-Joy, Rami Malek, and Andrea Riseborough too.
That brings me to Christian Bale. He was marvelous. But was he intentionally channeling Peter Falk's detective Columbo for his character? Was it me? Joke on us. I dunno. It worked.
Finally, Robert De Niro is one of my all-time favorite actors. But in my opinion, his acting has not aged well. In its stead is his political activism and that amongst other things may be the reason for some of the lower reviews. I gave the film a solid seven stars. The filmmakers shot for the stars but landed on the moon, and that's pretty good.
Starman (1984)
No One is Safe on a Hostile Planet!
Still some forty years after watching this movie for the first time, and a a few times since, this great movie has this old man tearing up at times throughout, and bawling at the end.
It's not a perfect movie, but it comes closer to perfection than most. I'm huge on believability and there are scenes in which suspension of disbelief could be avoided with some simple tweaks, but everything else makes up for it.
This viewing, I realized that the original background music was perfection. A quick check revealed that the original score was nominated for a Golden Globe. It just pulls at your heartstrings throughout the film, and especially at the end. I don't think I've ever "experienced" a better match in a film.
Finally, has there ever been a better ending in Sci-Fi? I I think not.
C'era una volta il West (1968)
Half a Masterpiece
There have been four feature films that have put me to sleep in all my years. "The Lawnmower Man" and "What About Bob" had me snoozing in the theater when they came out; and I could never make it through several home viewings of "Citizen Cane" and "Once Upon a Time in the West."
Once again I was out cold last weekend at about an hour and a half into the slow buildup of "Once Upon a Time in the West." At that point I thought the movie makers couldn't get out of the way of their own "brilliance" in order to make a great film.
When I resumed watching the movie the next day, the film suddenly became masterpiece theater. The second half of the movie was equal to any other great movie I've ever seen. Unfortunately, I have to grade both halves of the movie as a whole. Therefore 5 plus 10 divided by two = 7.5. I feel more comfortable rounding down to 7 here. Overall it's a classic for sure.
Invisible Agent (1942)
All's Well That Ends Well!
This movie did end well.
I spent the first half of this movie drowning in an invisible sea of incredulous comedic schtick. It was painful to watch. I guess the wounds of early 20th century movies fester in the 21st century. That schtick probably went over big back then, but I doubt most viewers today find it as amusing.
I prefer my secret agents not put themselves, and others, in peril because they can't wait an hour or two to shower; or in peril for romantic reasons in regards to a woman he just met, and her suitor; or in peril out of sheer stupidity; or in peril just for laughs.
Well known Agent 86 of the "Get Smart" series got laughs through clumsiness and misfortune. Agent 007 of the James Bond films got laughs with his quick wit. But the Invisible Agent has little discretion or self control.
Obviously the writers felt the need to make "The Invisible Agent" as funny as the original "Invisible Man," but they missed the mark by a very wide margin. They chose forced comedy at the expense of credibility.
All wasn't lost however. Aside from the unfortunate slur of Asians in order to legitimize Peter Lorre in the role of a Japanese spy, the second half of the movie was quite decent.
All's well...
My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
Shockingly Disappointed!
I was scanning the cable guide for movies to record over the next week. I found three and "My Beautiful Laundrette" was one of them because it was a familiar title and it was rated five stars. I was shocked that it was made way back in 1985 and I had never seen it.
When I saw the title many times in the past, I thought it was some French film. But after reading the movie description, I couldn't wait to see how they made a great movie out of owning a laundromat.
The best thing about the movie for me was when I realized that the strikingly handsome familiar face on the screen was a young Daniel Day Lewis. It didn't get any better than that. Really, it didn't.
It was a good B movie. But, come on folks. Five stars? The best actor was the now great actor Lewis before he came close to reaching his potential. Other than Lewis and maybe the cinematography, everything else was, well, cheesy; and I'm only nibbling the cheese at two and a half stars out of five, or five stars out of ten.
Duel at Diablo (1966)
Good But Far From Great Western Entertainment
I love westerns and was excited to see this movie starring two of my favorite actors, Portier and Garner. Somehow I never had the opportunity over six decades to see this decently rated film (IMDB: 6.5). My expectations were high from the start but were unfulfilled at the end.
Portier and Garner delivered, especially with what they had to work with. I commend all the other actors as well except the female lead, Bibi Anderson, and the casting of the infant that was the offspring of her character, Mrs. Grange, and the Apache chief Chata. Anderson had no chemistry with actor Dennis Weaver, Garner, nor the child who was unconvincingly the offspring of Mrs. Grange and Chata. A few additional tweaks to the script and direction, and this film could have been a bonafide hit in the range of 8 stars.
The Killer Shrews (1959)
Was I Not Entertained?
No, I was entertained! Maddening dumb scientists, a lovely daughter, a handsome sailor, a jealous rival, and two incidental cast members to get the party started. Surely the writers of the sitcom "Gilligan's Island" were influenced by this movie. Instead of headhunting natives the cast(aways) struggle to survive the attacks of mutant shrews. Being a new and big fan of the old TV series "Gunsmoke" reruns this past year presented me with an added bonus.
I had two other shows I was eager to watch so my intention was just to get a look at those mutant shrews for a good laugh. But I was hooked and certainly entertained for a couple of hours.
Buck and the Preacher (1972)
This Movie Has Aged Well!
I've seen this movie twice between the 70s and 90s and it was better than I remembered it being. Since his death, I've been watching everything Poitier when I find it on air. Ruby Dee, Harry, and Sidney were as great then as their legacy now. Yes, I rolled my eyes sometimes after some unbelievable scenes (a pet peeve of mine), but it was a good western with much needed black historical representation, and the viewers who have rated it here for IMDB have gotten it right on average. It's definitely moved up a bit on my list of favorite Poitier movies.
Hugo (2011)
A Good, Feel Good Movie
I saw that Hugo had a 4.5 star rating on HBO Max so it was a must watch movie. 4.5 stars for me would be the equivalent of 8 or 9 for IMDB. It was a good movie but overall I rate it a solid 7. At the end it fell a bit flat for me in the writing department.
Mil gritos tiene la noche (1982)
The Best Movie Experience I've Ever Had!
I saw this movie when it came out as a part of a double feature with the movie "The Incubus." Both movies were scary, funny, and mediocre. With that combination, it didn't take long before the audience members were the stars of the show. It was the perfect storm and the audience participation was off the hook. It was a mixed crowd talking back at the screen, talking to each other, and howling with laughter during both films. God, I wish it had been recorded! When the lights came on after the second film we all filed out with smiles on our faces and appreciation for the experience and each other.
I've never even come close to that kind of experience again, but several years later my friends and I wandered into a free showing of some cult film after watching a Prince movie. It was my second greatest experience at the movies. The audience participation was off the chain for "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Incubus (1981)
The Best Time I've Ever Had At The Movies!
I saw this movie when it came out as a part of a double feature with the movie "Pieces." Both movies were scary, funny, and mediocre. With that combination, it didn't take long before the audience members were the stars of the show. It was the perfect storm and the audience participation was off the hook. It was a mixed crowd talking back at the screen, talking to each other, and howling with laughter during both films. God, I wish it had been recorded! When the lights came on after the second film we all filed out with smiles on our faces and appreciation for the experience and each other.
I've never even come close to that kind of experience again, but several years later my friends and I wandered into a free showing of some cult film after watching a Prince movie. It was my second greatest experience at the movies. The audience participation was off the chain for "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Donnie Darko (2001)
A Very Pleasant Surprise!
7.5 Stars! I wasn't expecting this future star studded thriller to be this good. My only problem with the film I watched was the low volume voices in key scenes - especially the rabbit. I like to use closed captioning while watching TV but it mostly didn't work for some reason. At some point while watching I remembered that "Donnie Darko" was the answer to some trivia questions over the years that I definitely got wrong. Now I know!
The Suicide Squad (2021)
Not A D.C. Movie Guy, But...
This was one of the very best films I've seen in this genre. It made me laugh, tear up, and tingle all over a lot. I needed that. Margot and Idris were amazing. It deserves a near 10 for this genre, but I didn't feel good giving it an 8 "overall", so I split the difference. I dreaded seeing the preview at the end for the next film because experience tells me that it's likely to be a disappointment or dud; but I can't wait to find out. Fingers crossed. Bravo to the writers, filmmakers, and entire cast!!!
The Undead (1957)
So Underrated!!!
I hadn't seen this movie since I was a kid in the early 70s. I rediscovered it a week ago. I was expecting a terrible movie after seeing the low ratings from various sites. But I'm proud to say that this was a darn good low budget movie. The Sci-Fi/Horror premise is very sound. There was a good mix of humor and horror. With a few minor tweaks here and there, I think a modern high tech remake of this film would be awesome. Hell, I think a Broadway musical version would be awesome too. Sign me up!!!
Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Big Disappointment!
This movie has the highest suspension of disbelief moments that I've seen in a movie in a long time. Just unbelievable!
The other bad thing with this franchise is the incredibly young human crew. Surely you can sprinkle in some midway to, or close to, retirement age personnel in the crew. Those types are only shown in the upper ranks of Star fleet or as elder statesmen. Surely in this Star Trek future, 80 should be the new 50 or something like that.
No wonder things are always getting screwed up. The whole crew is young and dumb, and ...