Reviews

Loved it immensely! I loved the way it took the Beatles music out of its usual, historical context and inserted it into another more contemporary context. The lead actor is a sort of "against type" prince but thoroughly charming; and his love interest is as enchantingly lovely as a princess. Lots of good Beatles music (even if only a few bars here and there of several tunes). The music is perfectly synced with the plot and the emotional ups and downs, the trials and tribulations, the pride and the guilt of its protagonist. The film is not so much about the Beatles as it is about collective cultural memories . . . and what the world might be like, what life might be like, what our relationships might be like if some one (or some few) iconic aspect(s) of contemporary cultural had never existed. Some critics have wondered why the film doesn't dig more deeply into the absence of the Beatles from the world; but ultimately, this film is (rightly) more about a small compnay of friends and family; it's close up and personal, more intimate than any sort of cosmic worldview -- thus, it's relatability. The flick is particularly nostalgic for those of us who grew up with the Beatles; but for younger folks, even if you're not very familiar with the Beatles or their music, try to enjoy it for its fairy tale sort of love story. Does the guy get the girl? Before the end of the film answers that question, there are a couple of other wonderful surprises -- one of which will make your jaw drop!

Masterful film-making; very good story-telling; wonderful acting. On the one hand, it's a Western (of sorts); and on the other hand, as the title suggests, it's a fairy tale (of sorts). The three main leads are terrific. Tarantino's eye for detail is superb. If you enjoy watching a master film-maker take his time to tell a story, . . . that is, if you love cinema, you will not be disappointed with this film. If you know your Hollywood history, the film is wonderfully immersive and will take you back to another time and place. If you don't know your Hollywood history, then please do just a little bit of homework before you buy a ticket. One of the best movies I've seen so far this year; but, admittedly, it probably won't be to everyone's taste.

Rian Johnson takes aim on all our preconceptions of what Episode VIII should be and blows them to smithereens. Good for him! It's time for the Skywalker hegemony -- on both sides of The Force -- to end.

I'm at a loss to understand why this film has garnered so many bad one-star reviews from supposed "ordinary folks" while the professional critics were a lot more positive about it. Personally, I had a lot of fun and enjoyed the film thoroughly. I'm glad I listened to those professional critics in this case. What a relief to see something so entertaining in a summer movie season that has been something of a disappointment so far. I was the only one in attendance at a 10:45 a.m. Sunday showing, but even then I wondered where everyone else was. Not even a couple more moviegoers? Then I read the reviews. Ignore the naysayers. Perhaps the film is not for everyone, perhaps there's been something of calculated campaign on the part of some activist group or another (for whatever incomprehensible reasons) to target this film for critical sabotage ... but I got a real kick out of the performances of the main actors; their chemistry, banter and quick, witty lines had me chuckling throughout. Plus, the special effects were much more than passable (even in this day of take-it-for-granted CGI); and the musical score and riffs on the original "Ghostbusters" tune enhanced the whole. The final credits and final tag/teaser scene after the end credits were entertaining as well. It's a complete package for a comedy. Go see the film.

As a Disneyphile of sorts, there was no way I was going to miss watching this film on the big screen even though I had to travel two hours via the Interstate through Kansas to the Kansas City metro area (appropriately enough since that is where Disney started his animation company) to get to the nearest theater showing it. The trip was worth it for me personally, but the film itself may disappoint others. Its quality is uneven; it needs the sort of polish and texture that the Disney organization would be able to give it. Don't expect something like "Savings Mr. Banks," the Disney film that dealt with Disney's struggles to get "Mary Poppins" made toward the end of his life. While the story of "Walt Before Mickey" is itself engaging, and the plotting, pace and dialogue not all that bad, the editing is uneven, the cinematography is uninspired, and the acting is just this side of wooden and amateurish. However, Thomas Ian Nicholas saves the day, practically carrying the entire film on his performance alone. His acting is earnest and sympathetic to the persona of a young and struggling Walt Disney; and the character he creates is believable and likable. In the final analysis, the film will never win any awards, but it has a lot of heart and wins the approval of those, like myself, who wish to see Disney (and the Disney legacy) treated in the sort of fair, even-handed, and yet respectful manner he deserves.