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Reviews
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
So fake
I though this would be an action-packed movie, one of those you just don't care whether things are possible or not. But after 15 minutes it was so fake, so boring, so unreal that I gave up. I confess I walked away. The agent is SO conspicuous to start with. Any stupid guard would be suspicious just at looking at the guy. You then get to a garage, some hot chick is under a car fixing it, and in an instant you get her trust. Hmm. And then you have some implacable persecutor, a classic car chase that looks more like a ballet.
I guess making an action movie nowadays is getting rather difficult since it appears everything has already been invented and done. The most incredible stunts and the most unlikely as well. But the line to be crossed is exactly to make incredible things be plausible in the context of the movie and engage the audience. That did not happen with me here. It looked just like a 007 for the poor of mind.
Narcos (2015)
Boring
I don't quite get why a nasty character like that gets so much attention from film makers. Anyway, it would be worth for the thrill and action. But no, this series is not about this. Overdoing the Elite Squad formula, there is a lot of voice over and very little real action. I watched half a dozen episodes and was really bored. I went to Wikipedia, read how the guy died and got free from the series.
The direction does not add adrenalin to the film, and Wagnoer Moura is not convincing the role of a blood thirsty drug dealer. He looks more like a family man protruding his belly to make it look bigger. One nice touch though is that most people speak the local language, what, I guess, it adventurous when aiming to an American audience that is used to all nationals, including ETs, speaking English all the time.
John Wick (2014)
Every famous actor has to pay his bills
In the wake of Matrix, Reaves is Wick, still The One. Bad ass feared by all falls in love and retires. Just to come back to action to avenge the death of a ... dog? This may be the only creative idea in the whole movie. The rest is just brainless shooting. Our all powerful hero doesn't have any specific strategy for his revenge, just shooting a lot with a range of different weapons. The cast is full with known faces. But given the script did not cost much in terms of imagination, we could have had, at least, one fat-lipped big-boobed barely-clothed character to make things a bit more fun. And the end? Well, not that surprising given the fact that put all the killing in motion. My advice? Avoid this at all cost. If you miss Reaves kicking ass, go see Matrix I again.
This Is the End (2013)
One of the most stupid films I've seen
I read a few positive results for this movie, and decided to give it a chance, especially because it was rated as comedy. I must say the only smile I managed to produce was when the film was over. I guess the relatively high score of this film is because it gets reviewed by people who like this kind of humor.
For me it was total boredom. It is a mix of adolescent-type movie with warm friendship feelings, reunions, whatever. It starts silly and evolves into total nonsense. In summary you spend most of the time with the main characters yelling around because something is burning, falling down, or chasing them.
Even Eurotrip was more fun than this crap. Avoid it at all costs.
Jobs (2013)
Lame, lame, lame
The film starts with Jobs entering an auditorium under a light that gives him some sort of sanctity, just to receive, moments later a standing ovation (from Apple employees, that apparently were expected to do that anyway). Apart from the characterization, great work by Kutcher, the film is slow, jumps from scene to scene with no clear sequence or reason. And worst of all, the music. You get this kind of epic, grandiose music a lot, probably trying to bring the audience what the action fails to deliver. In the end, neither the genius nor the scoundrel are clearly depicted. You are much better off watching the Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999).
The Three Musketeers (2011)
3 fools and a boy
The original story is a dense drama, with action - good action! Several movies have told the story, more or less successfully. This one not even tried to tell the story. It just borrows the characters and the motto from the book and delivers brainless action. This is a sort of teen musketeer version, with D'Artagnan looking 15, in love with a false blonde. Then, airships. Nothing could look less XVII Century than this foolishness. A waste of a few good actors like Christoph Waltz, Til Schweiger and Milla Jovovich. Even if you like the approach, the big problem with the movie is that there is no tension. You just know that everything will come to a happy and easy end. Use your time to read the book - the original thing.
Der Rote Baron (2008)
One of the worst character movies
I was drawn to this movie by the idea of having Red Baron's story told by the Germans. Bah! It is not even spoken in German, but in accented English. This already reveals the intent - appeal to a wide audience.
I'll be brief because the movie doesn't deserve much time spent on comments. The acting is laughable, and I'm sorry for Til Schweiger who appears to be the only real actor in the set. I guess after all everybody has bills to pay at the end of the month. The storyline is weak and will not reveal a thing about Red Baron's character - I don't think he was a spoilt brat walking around in a loose jumper with no respect for hierarchy and discipline. Most of the time the pilots seem to be in some sort of country club enjoying life and not in a war.
The movie itself is a sequence of scenes that do not relate clearly with each other. Action sequences are cheap CGI. I ended up with the impression that money was out, and the final battle scene was never produced and cutting was done by the janitor.
My advice: go watch anything else.
Vivement dimanche! (1983)
Funny, surprising, very intelligent
Truffaut did some beautiful movies and this, along with La femme d'à coté, is a favorite. The B&W gives the film ambiance, Fanny Ardent gives the film grace. She's the heart and soul of the film and is in very good company. The plot is smart and full of twists - will keep you hooked to the end. What initially appears to be another passion crime unfolds into the secret relationships of the deceased, into the underworld, and into the many abilities of a secretary that happens to be in love with the boss. The movie is very instigating in showing a feminist approach to crime solving, where, surprisingly, the heroin is ready to stand rather strong abuse. Well worth bearing the legends if you can't handle French.