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Reviews
Shelter (2014)
Difficult to watch, but really well done!
Bettany doesn't pull any punches with this film, so don't expect some feel-good love story, and expect to feel really good about yourself when the final credits roll. This is a really nice piece of work, that speaks to how people end-up on the street, and why they stay; even if they decide to leave.
This piece is intended to make you re-think your views on homeless street people, and in my book does a really nice job. The film doesn't try to place the blame on anyone, which I really think brings the authenticity through.
I personally have not seen another motion picture that brought such resolution in my mind about street addicts; why they do it, how they got there, and what really our their choices once they partake.
Fracture (2007)
The movie is based on a terrible Hollywood misconception of the law!
This movie is completely based on the fact that a "Smoking Gun" must be required to put somebody away for murder. This simply not the case! The most important facts are in fact "Motive and Opportunity", so it makes this film into a total joke for anyone who understands the slightest about circumstantial evidence, and just how powerful it is in our legal system. The AD's character is completely unbelievable in that he would subject his entire career to this case when he has the ability to let the case pass to another attorney. The Anthony Hopkins character is completely unbelievable as well, that if a man that smart decides to take revenge on his cheating wife that he would subject himself to a lifetime in prison if his plan falls apart in the slightest?. A man this smart would understand that there were much better ways to do this, than the method he chose. The biggest courtroom moment was when Hopkins blurts out that the investigating detective was having sex with his wife, when in fact this piece of evidence would be much more condemning to him since it provides motive. Also, what were the chances that this cop would show-up to handle this case? This is LA we are talking about!! This movie is a JOKE! And a total insult to our intelligence as viewers. I gave this movie two stars because of the grandiose nature of it with a very good looking cast, otherwise I would have given it one. Too bad the script and plot was dribble!
The Homesman (2014)
Too Many Inconsistencies in the Story
This movie had so much potential, but I believe they tried too hard to make the film morose and tragic. Hilary Swank's character is supposed to be "plain"? Please! Look at the photo on the movie cover, that's plain? Trying to make Swank plain is a comical as the 100 movies where the boy cannot tell how beautiful his best-friend living next door is until the end when he see's her all dressed-up. Men are NOT fools like all these guys are in the film. I mean which woman were they looking at? If the woman being plain is critical to the role, as it appeared to be, then this character was extremely mis-cast, end of story.
Then all of the overly-tragic scenes are clearly added to provide marks to make the movie appear "more real", but what it does is make the movie incredibly inhuman and not believable. Every character in the film seemed to be sub-human without a bit of decency, with the exception of course of Swank, whom was plain and undesirable (see above). The movie does have excellent cinematography, and I believe the story moves like a movie about the West should move, however the film lacks a single character that is either believable, likable or understandable.
So much promise, so little rewarded.
Whiplash (2014)
As Over-rated As They Come
Yes, the acting by JK Simmons was very good, and yes the storyline was compelling regarding greatness, and how greatness is found and nurtured, or in this case abused.
The idea is our society is too friendly and politically correct to be able to develop great musicians. The interesting concept of the film is that the mentor is as important as the mentee, which of course we already knew, but the idea was that the mentor must be willing to push the mentee in ways or manners the mentee would not do otherwise. Very interesting concept that could yield hours of interesting debate over a bottle of wine and a cigar.
However, the movie does not behave like an Indy film, but like a Hollywood picture. There is far too much drama. The primary character (Andrew Nieman) bleeds no less than three times during the movie on his trap set! Seriously, bleeding! He gets in a car accident, rolls his car over, and runs to the recital he was late for while bleeding and unable to control his limbs from the trauma.
Then there's the complete lack of character development of ANY of the characters in the movie. Why is Andrew Nieman so obsessed with music that he breaks-up with his girlfriend because he thinks she will eventually get in the way? JK Simmons is good, but sorry, I don't know why he behaves the way he does, nor would his style ever be effective, or accepted at any college, private or public.
The idea that Charlie Parker became great because he had a symbol thrown at him is extremely trite and irrelevant to greatness. Again, this is not an accurate representation of the truth. The reason we don't have any modern Charlie Parker's is because our society doesn't care about Jazz music any longer, in fact it's the butt of many jokes. Jazz was played everywhere in Parker's day. You could buy a saxophone at JC Penny's for Pete's sake. Today, you can barely buy a saxophone at a music store. The fact of the matter is that people become great in areas that the people care about; football, basketball, baseball, and in the arts symphony orchestra. Yo-Yo Ma is one of the greatest cello players of all time. So did he become great because he had some dude yelling profanities in his ear? NO! How about 50,000 hrs of practice, and prospect of getting rich and being adored.
So much hype and very little substance behind it I'm afraid, unless of course your used to watching Marvel superhero movies, so you've become abundantly inept at recognizing a good film unless it slapped you in the face. Which of course, JK Simmons does slap Peter Parker, I mean Andrew Nieman :)
Mr. Brooks (2007)
As good Costner can Get
This is a well written, conceived and acted film, certainly recommended.
It's a unique thriller/mystery with unusual characters and plot developments. One almost needs to watch it twice to understand everything that just happened.
My biggest issue with the film is that it cheats when trying to trick you about the final outcome, somewhat like the sixth sense did making it appear the Bruce Willis was their therapist. I guess all magic tricks have some slight of hand otherwise I guess it wouldn't be any fun, and there is definitely slight of hand which disappointed me since the film showed so much promise. I believe there was a really good way of handling the end much better, but alas I did not write the screenplay nor was anyone asking me to. Good film none the less, nice to see Demi Moore actuality act again.
Gravity (2013)
Worth Going to but....
I really like this film, and I believe that most will enjoy it, so I highly recommend the movie for people to go and see, but is this movie great, like people are calling it? Certainly not! Is it great because it's technically excellent from a cinematic perspective? Yes, but the story telling of this film really falls short in the second half of the picture, and it's only 90 minutes long. Sandra Bulluck could not carry the film on her own, and I'm aghast at anyone who says she did. To say she deserves an Oscar is quite ridiculous because the film tapers off so quickly when she becomes lead that they had to bring Clooney's character, Matt Kowalsky back for a "cameo" to make the film interesting again, and I'm a person that really likes Sandra Bulluck. Her best line, "I've got a bad feeling about this mission" was completely setup by the Kowalsky character as well.
Great cinematography, great story telling for 45 minutes, but almost an absolute bore for 45 minutes. One of the biggest issues with comedies is that are almost always funny during the setup portion of the film, but cannot hold anything during the remaining portions, and Gravity Unfortunately befalls the same fate. This movie has allot of parallels to the film "Open Water", which was compelling throughout. The cheesy Hollywood ending of Gravity just shows to this day that brass in Los Angeles still have not guts and had to make this movie more palatable for the general public when more than any film (maybe) I've ever seen demanded a different outcome.
The Descendants (2011)
Unusual Hollywood Movie that Film "Buff's" Will Enjoy
If you enjoy well made "real" movies that develop real human emotions and portray characters as real people; you will enjoy this movie. However, if you enjoyed canned movies with the same dialogue and hollow character development and shallow plots then you will not appreciate this movie at any level. Also, when Hollywood attempts to make a "real" film, it ends-up being political tripe or condescending film that tells you how you are supposed to feel about societal issues, and this film amazingly does not contain that Hollywood garbage.
The reviews that I read (even the positive ones) neglect to understand the lead character as a person; he is recognized as a frugal workaholic, but what most loose is that he is simply a man running his life in the best manner that he can. He attempts to provide for his family without relying on his past (he is the executor of nearly a billion dollars of land that has been handed-down from several generations), he works very hard in an attempt to provide, he's honest, dedicated and truly adores what he has in his family.
Does he make his wife and children feel loved on a daily basis? Is he worried that he isn't doing enough? Does he think he needs be someone else? The answer of course is no, but how many of us can admit that we are not exactly the same way? This character is very real. He attempts to lead his life in the best possible manner that he knows yet everyone around him is telling him that he did it wrong, yet each person claiming he's flawed is in fact significantly more flawed in the manner in which they handle themselves.
This movie is about real people, real emotions, real human behavior, and a man at the beginning of the film believing that his ideals were wrong all along, but coming to grips through the film that he has been true to himself and his family, that each person is accountable for their own decisions, and will continue preserve in the only manner that he knows.
Fruitvale Station (2013)
Marred By Pretending to be Documentary
This movie was not about getting to the truth of what happened to Oscar Grant, the film is about creating a sympathetic viewpoint regardless of the ramifications. The producers have every right to do whatever they want if they are making sure we understand the film is complete fiction, which of course they don't and the movie does.
What happened to Oscar Grant is truly compelling, but I thought the story would have been really interesting if it was told through eyes of both men involved; Oscar Grant and Johannes Mehserle (the Bart Policeman whom shot him). To see how each persons life was tracking and how each of them ended; one physically and the other metaphorically.
I think the story would hold more credence if it told both sides, and would actually make both men sympathetic; thusly putting the emphasis on Oscar Grant; whom gave-up the greater, but as it is the movie irritates you for attempting to manipulate you with the race card. Why do we have to always fall back on that? Why can't it be about two people?
Jazz: A Film by Ken Burns (2001)
Average at Best
This is really not a very good film, and wow is it terribly boring. I mean, really? What can I say but way too much Louis Armstrong and way too much Wynton Marsalis. Who died and made him Jazz King anyway? Why does anyone care what he says? He actually said that Armstrong was the greatest musical mind since Bach! Umm, does Marsalis know that after the baroque period of music came the classical period dominated by two small individuals named Beethoven and Mozart. So Armstrong is not only one of of the greatest musical minds in history, Bach was too!
10 episodes of Jazz, and the last segment starts in 1962. That fact right there tells you how much of a mess this series is about Jazz. They compared Cecil Taylor to Beethoven, then they go back to talking about Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong, AGAIN! Then you have to listen to Marsalis! Ughh! Why?? How could someone possibly screw this easy documentary up so bad? Jazz music is a wonderful, wonderful form of music, and sadly this film series is awful and largely thanks to Wynton Marsalis.
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Not worth the hype.
This was a decent movie, with a really good story that people need to be aware of, but the screenplay and the technical quality of the movie is quite average, maybe below average.
This movie is a joke really, to be considered for awards when you consider it's terrible blue- screen scenes that are nearly Saturday Night Live quality, sets that are so low quality you can almost swear it's the same set that Let's Make a Deal was shot-on earlier in the day. Then there's how the plot is so painfully obvious after the first 10 minutes of blue-screen work. Like the ill-fated UN caravan "saving" a list of people that was carrying Don Cheadles family; obviously this was doomed from the beginning! Then you couldn't have the "Family Jumping off the Roof" scene that was so ineptly setup.
Cheadle, as usual does a terrific job, so what's new? Does this a great movie make? GIVE ME A BREAK. This movie borders on the verge of being a "B" movie it has so many problems, but because it's about an important topic everyone is SCARED of giving it a proper review. On a level of topical importance the movie is off-the-charts, but I'm sorry people, that's what documentaries are made for. I give the movie a 7 and not a six because it did do a good job of providing a personal and a national story at the same time, which is usually not done very well with most movies that try to achieve telling a story of such magnitude. But let's get this straight, this film is no "Welcome to Sarajevo", "No Man's Land", or "The Killing Fields."
Citizen Kane (1941)
Mesmerizing Film
I did something I never do....I watched this movie twice, in the same day! Roger Eberts commentary is excellent, he points out things that I thought I noticed, but wasn't sure what I was seeing, and much, much more.
The film is really timeless in it's plot and story development. Essentially the story is that we all tend to love ourselves too much, and presented with too much money we demonstrate this fact abundantly, and to the excess of exactly how much money we have. People obsesses about the parallels with Hearst. This film is NOT about Hearst! It's about you! It's about me! Stop trying to analyze pictures from the outside looking in. These films are intended to move you....let them.
The technical aspects of this movie are really quite astounding as well! To this day there isn't many films that can even come close to it's photographic wizardry. The depth of field in every shot allowing the viewer to look all over the screen (like a digital picture), and using backlight and forelighting to move the viewers eye from one area of the screen to another is nothing short of brilliant! The visual juxtaposition is....I'm sorry, it's good. Let's just leave it at that! Watch it on DVD in HD, watch the commentaries to truly understand everything that's happening....if your not amazed at the accomplishment of this film from 1941....burn your TV!
Open Water (2003)
Inovative Concept. Really well done. A Film lovers Must See.
This movie is wonderful! It's bright, it's unique, it's well acted, well written, well directed, and the best praise I can heep on this movie is that it doesn't appear to be low budget.
The second I started watching it I thought, "It feels just like a documentary." I was captivated immediately.
The character development, the ignorance of Hollywood stereotypical directing, editing, and dialogue is simply wonderful. This is absolutely the freshest Movie I've seen in quite some time. The quality exudes Hollywood, but all of the ideas don't.
I will say though, this is a movie for people who enjoy Film Making and don't require Hollywood story lines and Hollywood production to enjoy the product.
The Swimmer (1968)
Very interesting look at human selfishness
This movie is about the selfish motivations that we all have, and that if you follow those emotions your life will eventually fall apart....not matter how attractive, or intelligent or charismatic you are.
The key indegredient to the movie is how Ned Merrill (Played by Burt Lancaster) behaves at each venue he attends. He makes promises that he really has no strong intention of keeping just to make someone happy for that moment and make him appear "nice" in their eyes. He's also kind to everyone by giving them flattering compliments that he really believes, but not as strongly as he states them.
Furthermore, he says things like, "Why don't you come over tomorrow and play with my girls." or "I'll go out to lunch with you every day, and I'll be your protector", or "Let's you and me go away together for a couple of weeks."
He lived his life very selfishley, for the moment, and really had no regard for the future, or the consequences of his actions.
What's really special about this movie is that if we are honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that we all are naturally like Ned. We all have those emotions.....it's just how your react to them is what matters. Like Ned, or with some self control and respect for the loved ones in your family who you've made commitments to.