Reviews
I See You (2019)
A Real Stinker
Others have written that they were distracted by the surgical or chemical alterations to Helen Hunt's face that make every one of her onscreen appearances painful and off-putting. But, even if she still looked like a normal human being nothing could save this odd and ugly film. It simply does not make sense and it doesn't help that there is not a sympathetic character in the movie. Some films are just awful. And this is one of them.
The Power of the Dog (2021)
Not For Me
Although The Power of the Dog has received highly positive reviews on this site and others I must demur. I found the story and the pace of the movie to be so dragged out that I had to fight bouts of boredom to watch it to the finish and this in spite of the earnest performances by the actors in roles that were, sometimes, just plain silly. In particular I found Kirsten Dunst's character to be wholly unsympathetic, clearly not the intention of the writers or the director. As for Benedict Cumberbatch, what was most remarkable about his performance was how expertly he was able to slip into the walk and accent of an early 20th Century American cowboy, albeit one supposedly with an Ivy League education. Otherwise what he gives to the role was very often only grimaces and glares and not the Oscar-class acting described by many other reviewers. For this, I blame the director and not Mr. Cumberbatch.
What I took away from this movie is that one must come to it already a Jane Campion devotee and she delivers what her fans want from her. As one who isn't caught up in her hype, I did not like this movie much at all.
No Time to Die (2021)
A Dreary Unhappy Film
I wish this film was better. Daniel Craig brings all his best chops to this Bond epic but it is a sad, miserable movie that attempts to make up in dragged out chase sequences to cover for the fact that the script itself is unworthy of Fleming's fiction and Bond's previous incarnations. For an action movie with a lot of running, shooting, and killing, it seems, at its heart, disjointed, strangely dull, and unexciting. To be honest, for me it was a waste of time and money.
Jupiter Ascending (2015)
I like All The Actors, Dislike The Movie
Fans of Channing Tatum's chest will enjoy the first third of this expensive flop. Otherwise, spend your time elsewhere.
The Clovehitch Killer (2018)
They Don't Make 'Em Any Worse
This miserable film has another distinction besides its terrible script and half-hearted acting: It drags, horribly. I have absolutely nothing good to say about it except that I hope that all who participated in the making of this film had good intentions. Any such hopes were not realized. This flick is not merely boring it is silly. I wasted my time on it and for that I am to blame and grudgingly give the movie two stars.
The Whole Truth (2016)
No surprises here!
I am an admirer of both Keanu Reeves and Renee Zellweger (whose plastic surgery has left her largely unrecognizable!) but this is not one of their finer efforts. I am no sleuth but I had successfully figured every one of the wobbly plot twists long before we had them revealed to us. In fact, I had pretty much deduced who-dunnit and why well before the halfway point of this film. All in all, I was very disappointed that I had given my time to this clumsy movie. I can't recommend it.
The Drop (2014)
Top-Notch Film
This is one of the best crime films I have seen in a couple of years. The mood is sustained, the dialogue is crisp and to the point, and the acting is of the highest caliber! I cannot fault this film on any count except that part of the ending was so unexpected that I am still wondering if I have figured it out. However, all the other parts of the puzzle make perfect sense and I thoroughly enjoyed being led by the nose through this maze. I recommend it to anybody who likes good writing, great acting, and a sustained dark tone that has bright spots in unforeseeable places.
Things Heard & Seen (2021)
Really very disappointig
I suffered through this, hoping that there would be resolution full of scares at least. Instead, it just drifted off without even adhering to its own major plot points or even its theological ones. Not a good film and I am sorry I wasted my time on it.
The Casual Vacancy (2015)
Not As Good As I Expected
The acting is good and a with complex plot from Rowling but over-all not worth my time. None of the characters were really appealing or convincing (except for the dead ones) and I could not really engage with the story-line. Considering everything, i can't recommend this film. I stuck it out it the end but finally I was sorry I bothered.
The Perfect Host (2010)
David Hyde Pierce is very, very good.
One of the better psychological torture films i have seen. Pierce is wonderfully convincing and Crawford is splendid. I don't want to say much more but I was thoroughly caught up in this movie, start to finish. I recommend it.
Unhinged (2020)
The fact that the heroines is a klutz....
The fact that the heroine is a klutz is the primary reason I could not give this film a higher numerical rating. For the first 95% of the movie, if she has an opportunity to foul up she grabs it. For that we must blame the writer(s). Her turn-about at the end did not convince me one whit. On the plus side, a dirigible sized Rusell Crowe is enough to scare anyone half to death and I thought his performance and motivations provided by the script were the best things in this piece of horror cinema. I don't write the move off entirely, but it could have been a lot better if the female role had been presented as less of a spoiled brat of an idiot.
Anderson Falls (2020)
Dreadful, on every count
This film is dreadful, on every count; writing, directing, acting, and special effects. How could anybody spend money to make this trash? How would anybody dare to take money for participating in this trash? I would like to throw in a few spoilers to fill out this review but it is pointless. Nothing additional I might say could ever ruin this mess anymore than the people responsible for it have done from start to finish..
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Tiresome beyond tolerance
I shall be brief: For a film that has all the possibilities of being a truly dramatic exercise in story-telling, this sequel is slow, slow, slow, the endless tedium interrupted occasionally by scenes of brutality and pain. I managed to stick it out only to check and see if Sean Young was used here as Rachel. My biggest disappointment, however, was with Jared Leto ,one of my favorite actors. I thought his performance here was listless and wholly without passion. He can do much better than what he gives us in this broken-down wreck of a movie. As for the rest of the performances, they were not memorable although I must admit that it was amusing to see Harrison Ford so deeply immersed in his role.
Case 39 (2009)
Love Renee Zellwegger, This Film Not So Much
Renee Zellweger is a convincing performer in any role she's given. However, she is not asked to offer much in this film other than to look perplexed then terrified. I joined her in being perplexed but I was not terrified. In all candor, I wasted my time here. Sorry to say.
Who Am I - Kein System ist sicher (2014)
Completely Caught Me.
I was wholly ensnared by this film. It was done with humor, style, and obviously a lot of fun for all concerned. I can't say much more or I might reveal too much. All I can say is, Watch it. You'll love it!
Dark Places, Deadly Illusions (2021)
Slow, draggy, and entirely unconvincing
The writing is terrible, the acting is uncommitted, and the conclusion is infuriating. One of the worst films I have seen this year. Whoever is behind this mess should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves
Father Ted (1995)
One Of The Ubsung Great Ones
Possibly, one of the funniest TV series ever to appear, certainly out of Ireland. Although I am America-based, I have enough relations from Ireland, and know enough immigrant Irish clergy who have run American Catholic churches for generations to know how ruthlessly on-target these shows were. My churchy friends simply could not believe me when I told them about "Father Ted". The most likely response was, "They wouldn't dare!" But dare they did!
Capitani (2019)
Infuriating
The police in this series are of such astonishing incompetence that i watched to the finish merely to vent a lot of built up rage. The police subordinates are incapable of obeying direct orders, the title figure spends a lot of his time wandering around in locales that make him unreachable by his subordinates or people in need of police attention. An the subplots are just plain silly, if not usually distasteful.
Really. just plain terrible. Avoid this series for your mental health!
Gringo (2018)
Not the greatest but quite satisfying
I have watched lots of worse caper movies but this picture has a good cast and a reasonable a quotient of suspense. The situations and the resolutions of those situations are often implausible but that does not detract from this little marvel of moral and ethical ambiguity. I liked it!
Wander (2020)
A Miserable Waste of Time.
The cast is giving it the old college try, but the plot is just plain silly. As far as conspiracy theory movies go, this is among the worst I have come across. Always like to see Tommy Lee Jones even in a mess like this. As for Aaron Eckhart, spread mustard on him and and call him a ham sandwich in this movie. He has done a lot better. The three stars I gave it are for effort, not for result.
Echo Boomers (2020)
Pure Drivel!
An unbearable, lengthy pastiche of whining by despicable young adults who feel cheated because adulthood has not arrived gold-plated and wrapped in pretty silk bows. By halfway through, I got tired of the carping and complaints , not to mention the greed and disloyalty on all fronts. and began speeding through scenes that showed people engaged in conversation. Bluntly, I was uninterested in anything these fictional characters had to say.
This film was demoralizing and depressing. Even their crimes were too nasty to be enjoyed. Skip it.
The Strangers (2008)
Run For Your Life
Run for your life---to get away from this move. Nothing wrong with the acting, considering the minimal amount that is required (tremble, gasp, scream, sniffle) but this is simply a nasty little exercise in slow scares, that, because they are so slow, don't scare. I paid money to rent this on this on Amazon Prime. I really regret it.
Uncle Frank (2020)
Something I did not expect
An extremely powerful film with superb acting by all concerned. I found myself both moved to tears nut also felt enormous satisfaction with the ending. This is a wonderful movie.
Just a word about one of my favorite actors: Margo Martindale does not have a large part but her role is critical, in my view, in making sense of the story line and she is, as always, superb!
The Selling (2011)
A Real Horror!
Unfunny, unsuspenseful, and unworthy of anyone's time. I gave it two stars because I know that everybody involved in this project had high hopes, both for a better film and an improvement for their careers. And I wish them well. But, without further ado, I simply must declare that this is one of the worst movies I have seen in the past decade. Just move along, there is nothing happening here.
Crazyhead (2016)
Very, very entertaing
I did not expect much but this series continued to surprise. To say more is to blurt out spoilers. I really did enjoy it!