This is a pretty bad movie and I'm not surprised at its low rating. Script, direction, cinematography are all mediocre to bad. The only saving grace are the performances by Liam Neeson and Aidan Quinn, but they can only do so much to redeem a script that is so flawed. While the script is uniformly bad, the ending seems rushed, like the producers ran out of money. The whole plot borders on incoherence and stretches disbelief beyond the breaking point. Supporting actors are not great and it makes you wonder whether streaming is such a good idea. It's too bad that actors of the quality and achievement of Neeson and Quinn have to make their living this way.
Reviews
72 Reviews
The Regime
(2024)
Don't be fooled by Kate Winslet's presence
5 March 2024
This series is a stinker, a satire that's not the least bit funny. Blame the script and the direction. It's not really the time for a series about a crazy central European leader and her "unraveling" is simply not funny. Who thought this was a good idea? It goes a long way to confirming my opinion that the Wall Street Journal's television critic, John Anderson, is not reliable. He gave The Regime a favorable review and it looks like he is wrong, again. There is a lot of good shows on TV (not as many as there used to be), but this sadly is not one of them. HBO/Max itself is a pale shadow of itself nowadays.
Maestro
(2023)
A big miss
23 December 2023
Things I didn't like about this movie: the plot, the script, the (over)acting, the constant smoking, the black and white filming to indicate the past (gimmicky) -- the list goes on. In fact, I left after about an hour because I couldn't take it any more. Redeeming features? I didn't stick around long enough to find out. I agree with the reviewer who said why make a film about the last interesting pat of Bernstein's life? Cooper's A Star Is Born was entertaining (maybe it was Lady Gaga?), but this one just didn't cut it. Bradley Cooper is an interesting actor, but it will be hard to forget this film.
Anonymous
(I) (2011)
Of course William Shakespeare did not write the plays
3 December 2023
I've been on Oxfordian since reading Charlton Ogburn's book in the 1980s and a firm believer that it is preposterous that an untutored actor from Stratford-on-Avon, who purportedly retired to his hometown after his plays' success in London, was the author of these plays. A viewer's take on the film probably hinges on being an Oxfordian or anti-Stratfordian. Ultimately, as most everyone will admit, it hardly matters at this point. The dramatic liberties taken in the film also are just that. But it is laughable to me that people still take all the made-up nonsense about William Shakespeare seriously. I went back to this movie because Rhys Ifans did such a good job in Nyad, and he was once again superb in this role. Vanessa Redgrave was imposing as an aging but powerful Elizabeth. David Thewliss, Mark Rylance, and Derek Jacobi all took star turns.
Nyad
(2023)
Performances distinguish this film
2 December 2023
The actors' performances distinguish this film and raise it above the standard achievement movie. Annette Benning is great, but it is really Jodie Foster as Nyad's coach and friend who triumphs, as well as Rhys Ifans as the guide who plots Nyad's course. Foster is always excellent, but Ifans was a surprise after his less than scintillating performance in Notting Hill Gate. He has aged well and is totally convincing as John Bartlett. The story itself is well-crafted, making a 110-mile swim suspenseful even though you know the successful outcome. The supporting cast is all superb, starting with Eric Miller as the young Nyad's seedy swim coach Jack Nelson.
Timeline
(2003)
Great time travel story
13 November 2023
This movie deserves a higher rating, because it's an excellent time travel film with a great cast, led by Gerard Butler and Anna Friel. The novel by Michael Crichton is good, but depicting it in film is fabulous. So leave it at 5.6; Crichton's heirs are laughing all the way to the bank. The depiction of 14th century France is great, and both Michael Sheen as Lord Oliver and Lambert Wilson as Arnault are perfectly cast. But it is the love story between Marek and Lady Claire that steals the show and makes it memorable. Sit back and enjoy; they don't make films like this anymore, with a cast of thousands and great action scenes.
The Burial
(II) (2023)
Better than advertised
28 October 2023
I'm not a big fan of Jamie Foxx, but he does a great job in this film, capturing the ambivalent motivations of a star attorney. Tommy Lee Jones sometimes seems like he's phoning in the performance, but at the end of the day he comes through convincingly as a tired, aging entrepreneur. Race is an important issue, but the film doesn't clobber you over the head. The anti-corporate slant is a bit overdone, but certainly seems justified in this case. The Canadian owner seems evil, but perhaps he really was. Certainly the postscript about his being deposed and the firm going bankrupt follows the plotline.
Joe Pickett
(2021– )
Miscast and dull
29 May 2022
I've read all the Joe Pickett novels by C. J. Box and of course I was looking forward to this series. I couldn't finish watching the first episode. Everyone is miscast. Joe Pickett is dull and not too bright, Marybeth looks more like a cheerleader than a lawyer, and Missy -- best left unsaid. Dialogue is wooden, direction is clumsy. It is a problem when you have your own picture from reading books that the actual casting will turn out different, but these choices are exceptionally bad. Even the scenery looks fake (photoshopped?).
Reacher
(2022– )
Willa Fitzgerald is a real discovery
7 February 2022
Most reviews are focused on Reacher actually matching his description in the book and Alan Ritchson is quite good in the role, but Willa Fitzgerald, who comes across as both winsome and tough as a deputy, sometimes steals the show. Dimples and a southern drawl help. Can't argue that the show is great, but it is entertaining and one of the few new series I've binge-watched.
The Gilded Age
(2022– )
Horrible CGI
26 January 2022
Can't argue with the negative comments about poor script, wooden acting, etc. Didn't see a mention, though, of the terrible CGI effects, which were so bad they were distracting. Animated films look more realistic than the cardboard cutout sea scenes or views down 61st Street. So let me add that to the list. Costumes are great, though.
Dune
(2021)
Bad script, terrible movie
30 October 2021
Producers clearly have the ambition to enter Dune into the pantheon of science fiction epics, but whereas Star Wars and Lord of the Rings have drama, suspense, sympathetic characters, wit, and charm as well as special effects, this film just has special effects. Characters are one-dimensional, dialogue is wooden, humor is totally absent, as is suspense. The whole thing is pretentious and overly solemn. The good actors (Timothee Chalamet is not one of them) have no chance to shine. Long and boring, with two stars only for the special effects, which are impressive but useless.
The Marksman
(2021)
Give Liam a break
22 August 2021
Many of the critical comments (and the relatively low rating) seem to revolve around the film not meeting a viewer's expectations. Fair enough, but it just underscores the flawed premise of the imdb ratings, which have grown increasingly unreliable. This film doesn't break new ground, but it is solid entertainment. Doesn't have enough action to make it an action thriller? Too bad. Taken on its own merits, it's watchable, reasonably compelling, and has great scenery. Liam Neeson is always good, and the kid and villain are quite good.
Blood and Money
(2020)
Tense drama is a welcome relief from action films
6 August 2021
Tom Berenger is on the screen virtually through the whole movie and he totally inhabits the role of a tired, old reforming alcoholic. The other major character is the Allagash itself, which is why the original title was better suited to the movie. It is European in its pace -- very slow -- but it gives the audience a chance to savor the scenery. The viewer comment that this would get a higher rating if it was a Nordic movie was spot on. The crooks are stupid, in the mode of Elmore Leonard stupid -- nothing unbelievable about that. Kristen Hager, an underappreciated actress who may get a breakthrough in Condor, is winsome and convincing as the diner waitress.
The White Lotus
(2021–2025)
Believe the bad reviews not the hype
13 July 2021
It must be the weak script and poor directing that can make reliably good actors like Connie Britton and Steve Zahn seem so uninteresting. This is neither funny comedy nor exciting drama, but something blah far away from both. The Murray Bartlett character is catatonic, and the idea of sitting through six episodes with Jennifer Coolidge is, uh, not appealing. The newlyweds are pathetic. Can't believe this was hailed as must-see TV. You don't have to wonder whether TV reviewers are paid off, but how much.
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
(1968)
Forever poignant
16 June 2021
I saw Alan Arkin's breakthrough movie when it came out and it has stayed with me more than five decades. I can't match the searingly personal recollections in an earlier review, but Singer's poignant helplessness is universal. Arkin, of course, went on to star in numerous films; he is an immense acting talent. As the rating currently stands, the film is terrifically underrated. Maybe it is perceived as too old, but I suspect the relevance this movie had for us in 1968, when young people felt profoundly frustrated with hopelessness, has simply been missing for succeeding generations.
The Last of the Mohicans
(1992)
What more do you want from a film?
15 December 2020
Action, romance, fabulous cinematography, powerful music, charismatic performances. Daniel-Day Lewis pitch-perfect as ever, Madeline Stowe radiant in her best role. Virtually flawless. I've watched it maybe a dozen times and get drawn in every time, last night being the latest.
Hillbilly Elegy
(2020)
Gritty film shows America's grim underside
6 December 2020
Who knows why this film about hardscrabble life in Appalachia rates only a 6.7, but I suspect it is political, like everything else in this country. J.D. Vance's original book also came under fierce criticism for being too sympathetic to a class of people generally categorized as deplorable supporters of Donald Trump.
In the film, Glenn Close and Amy Adams give Oscar-worthy performances as Vance's grandmother and mother. Rarely has an actress submerged herself so completely in a character as Close, who makes you think you're watching a documentary. Adams is also superb, though her role may be underwritten.
It's odd this movie should be viewed as political, given that director Ron Howard is an outspoken liberal. The depiction of boarded-up windows and drug addiction that blights so much of the Midwest is sadly all too true. The writer, director and actors deserve credit for courageously bringing it to life.
In the film, Glenn Close and Amy Adams give Oscar-worthy performances as Vance's grandmother and mother. Rarely has an actress submerged herself so completely in a character as Close, who makes you think you're watching a documentary. Adams is also superb, though her role may be underwritten.
It's odd this movie should be viewed as political, given that director Ron Howard is an outspoken liberal. The depiction of boarded-up windows and drug addiction that blights so much of the Midwest is sadly all too true. The writer, director and actors deserve credit for courageously bringing it to life.
Ratched
(2020)
heap of nonsense
22 September 2020
Over-stylized, under-scripted, misdirected, contrived. Who needs a prequel to understand why Nurse Ratched became the person she was in Louise Fletcher's wonderful portrayal in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? Perhaps there will be flashbacks to explain her inscrutable motives in the opener, but who has the patience to wait for that? Rather go watch Cuckoo again.
Hachi: A Dog's Tale
(2009)
Dog is fantastic, Richard Gere is wonderful
28 July 2020
Hachi, the dog, of course, steals this show, which I've now seen several times. Presumably there are at least three dogs involved playing the puppy, the mature Hachi, and old Hachi. They are all fantastic. What strikes me every time, though, is Richard Gere's performance. I've not been a big fan of Gere's over the years, since seeing American Gigolo when it was first released. But he is so natural in this film and so clearly having real fun with Hachi, that it is a totally winning performance. Two small points in the Plot Summary: Carl did not teach Hachi to fetch. Rather, as Ken said, Hachi would fetch when it meant something, so the only time he fetched the ball was when he was trying to keep Parker from going to work, mysteriously knowing what was going to happen. Secondly, describing Joan Allen as a bossy, jealous wife kind of misses the point. Many couples decide against having a dog because one of them objects, and in fact she is won over when she sees how happy Hachi makes her husband.
The Rocketeer
(1991)
Underrated adventure, great stars, terrific soundtrack
4 January 2020
Hard to fathom this rating or the lack of a sequel for an adventure yarn that has everything. No, it's not perfect (hence the 9) but it offers thrills, suspense and outright adventure. Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly (in her early plumpish phase), Alan Arkin, and even Timothy Dalton are all well cast and convincing. The James Horner soundtrack at least equals the best of John Williams. Special effects are totally convincing. I saw it once again on cable last night, after seeing it perhaps a dozen times since its release. I'll be watching it again.
The Two Popes
(2019)
Revelatory
21 December 2019
Anthony Hopkins and the scriptwriter accomplished something I never thought possible - they made Benedict XVI sympathetic. Jonathan Pryce showed a depth never expected in his nuanced portrayal of Jorge Bergoglio. The script no doubt soft pedals the reasons for Benedict's resignation, but it does face the controversy over Bergoglio's role during the Argentine dictatorship. The movie is splendid, with all the pomp of the church rendered in fastidious detail, the better to contrast the Franciscan humility of the new pope. The wry wit, the sense of connection between the two men, the pivotal moment in the church - all make this an outstanding film. The church still has so far to go and swamp does not begin to describe the pit of corruption in the curia. It will no doubt take more than a generation and perhaps several popes to get it on the right track.
Yesterday
(III) (2019)
Boomer dream
1 December 2019
The current imdb rating probably reflects a rather humdrum romcom as seen by younger viewers. For boomers, it's hard to give this homage to the impact of the Beatles anything but a 10. The contrivance of an alternative reality manages to distill in a fresh way just how the miracle of this rock group affected the world. As one of the characters says at one point, a world without the Beatles is poorer, and this movie drives home the point in a poignant fashion. For those of us who remember the first appearances of the Beatles, who followed their musical evolution through several iconic albums and who now are moved not just by nostalgia but by the force of the lyrics and and music, this is a powerful film. And while the love story is lame, the film offers some hilarious moments rediscovering the Beatles and sending up the music industry.
The Professor and the Madman
(2019)
Great script, wonderful words
22 October 2019
I love my unabridged Oxford English Dictionary and I loved the book by Simon Winchester. Against all odds, this film lived up to both. Two masterful actors, bad boys shoved into Victorian manners, brought these quirky characters to life. But it was the script, credited in part to John Boorman, that carried the film, using the power of words that the OED celebrates. Mel Gibson and Sean Penn get their share of great lines, but even Jennifer Ehle as Murray's wife gets a star turn. Everyone else is great, too (Eddie Marsan makes the most of his small role!).
Don't waste your time on this crummy sequel
13 October 2019
It's not just a question of high expectations, the sequel to Breaking Bad is disappointing because it's lousy. A hash of flashbacks, flashbacks within flashbacks, followed by flash-forwards in a dizzying, convoluted mess. The director apparently thought he could keep the viewer on track by providing different haircuts and/or different stocking caps for poor Jesse. A number of plot lines are introduced and never followed through on (cut for length?), but the viewer hardly notices it in the mishmash of time changes. I'd mention a couple but I don't want a spoiler alert to keep people who haven't seen it from wasting their time. Does the movie have glimpses of the taut drama and gallows humor that distinguished Breaking Bad: Yes. Is it worth slogging through two hours for them: No. Stay away.
The Man in the Iron Mask
(I) (1998)
Magnificent valor!
26 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This is the exclamation of the chief of the guard when the four musketeers in full uniform and the man in the iron mask charge around the corner to rush to certain death from the muskets of the king's guard. Fortunately, those guardsmen shared the chief's admiration and fired at the musketeers' feet and over their heads so that they remained standing when the smoke cleared. It is the climactic and thrilling scene of a film that has so much going for it, it earns at least 8 stars despite its flaws. The swordsmanship, the French chateaux, the villages, the cobblestones -- it is so clearly filmed on location because these things cannot be duplicated or substituted. And yes, an all-star cast if you can accept Di Caprio's flat American accent in not one but two historical characters. But Malkin makes no effort either to speak anything but American, so that only Depardieu sounds French while Byrne and Irons speak that nondescript British that passes for Americans speaking a foreign language. The cruelty of the iron mask is as chilling in technicolor as it has always been.
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