Reviews

You don't expect a rom-com to deliver serious ideas, realistic lilfe lessons or Hitchcockian plot twists. I don't know why so many reviewers are down on this movie. It's a casual evening's entertainment featuring likable characters in a beautiful setting. Events that unfold are not, necessarily, realistic, but who cares? And you know it will all end happily. What did you expect?

For me, Benjamin Bratt and Brooke Shields were well paired. They looked good dancing together.

The young couple (bride and groom) were quite pleasant but were upstaged a bit by the group of, now mature, former college buddies who were attending the wedding.

Since I'm a generation older than the actors, they all looked quite youthful to me.

For me, the movie delivered. But perhaps some younger viewers find older actors engaging in youthful hi-jinks to be uncomfortable.

For me, this movie was an 8. I binge watched it. All the actors were good at creating a varied group of interesting characters, some of which reminded me of people I'd known.

The plot involves real-life problems: writer's block, union vs management interests, underfunded educational institutions, workplace burnout, entitled-feeling youngsters, worry over adult children's problems, pretentious forums, professional jealousy, and more. A central theme is the very real modern question of whose career path to follow when deciding where to live in the US. In 2024 it is still usually the husband's career which determines where the couple moves, while the wife picks up whatever job she can in that location.

I think that to get the humor in this movie it helps to have worked in academia. It may also help to have lived through middle age.

...whether you like the music or not. Personally, I can't stand punk rock. During the scenes where bands were playing I turned the sound waaaay down. But now I think I understand the punk trend a little bit as a reaction to the bland disco and pop elevator music of the day.

I ran into the movie on Amazon Prime and, since I was reading Alan Rickman's diary, knew that he never participated in a performance or theatrical endeavor unless he thought it had some sort of artistic merit. I wasn't up to the date in the book where he made this movie. I was in an earlier year at a point where was having dinner with friends includig the classical pianist and conductor Daniel Berenboim! So I just had to watch CBGB. And I was glad I did.

Watching this movie was my valentine to myself. It did not disappoint. Now I'll have to read the original Baldacci novel. At 1 hour and 40 minuites reviewers say it was a bit longer than the usual Hallmark Christmas rom-com. That was entirely appropriate. It could have made a limited series! Trekking from coast to coast over 4 days, there were lots of opportunities for interesting characters to interact and get involved with fascinating subplots. All the subplots wind up satisfactorily and there is a twist at the end. Some other reviewers did not like the twist but I don't see why. It went from one happy ending to yet another, equally satisfying, ending which had the added advantage of leaving the door open for additional adventures with these people in the future. And the movie as a whole carried throughout a Christmas theme of being kind and generous to your fellow voyagers you meet along the way.

As someone who loves Jane Austen novels, I laughed from beginning to end. I wonder if there is a mansion somewhere in England where an entrepreneur offers an Austenland-type experience for at least a weekend. I'd go if I had the money.

The characters and the satire were perfect! The guys who played "the guys" were especially good, having to play two roles: their Austen-era-novel character and themselves as actors when taking a break together.

I'm surprised I didn't hear about this movie when it was first released. Maybe it didn't get as much publicity as it should have because it was not high-budget or "serious" enough to qualify for lots of awards. Instead it was skillfully made for the purpose of keeping an audience entertained and feeling satisfied.

Not every princess meets a prince and lives happily ever after in his castle. This is a good alternative story. It's based on fact but just "based on". As an accurate representation of all the historical details and the Hawaiian culture, others have criticized it. My "8" is an assessment of the the movie as a decently told and entertaining story. If it inspires viewers to think more about the way the US acquired Hawaii as a territory, that's certainly a bonus. The actors are good, especially the young woman playing Kaiulani. The sets and scenery are gorgeous. The Victorian costumes are very -- Victorian! I can't imagine wearing those sumptuous, heavy clothes in the Hawaiian heat, but it appears they really did. Overall, well worth a viewing.

Here in the US, if asked, some people might remember that Shakespeare had written a play about Richard III. But I doubt that most knew that his bones had been found nor were aware of the historical importance this held for the British.

I was delighted to find this gem available on Prime. The story shows what ordinary people can do if they stick to a project, using brains and diligence! In the movie the time period felt like maybe a couple of years, whereas in actuality the effort took more like a decade, I think.

Sally Hawkins was marvelous as Philippa. Adding the (mostly) silent spectre of the king to the screen worked extremely well to express what was going on in her head. Shonagh Price deserves credit as an actor for playing this part of her subconscious so believably.

Although this group of friends meets to watch Tom Brady play football, the humor depends on their hi-jinks. You don't have to understand the game.

Well, it helps to know that each team really has TWO teams in football, offense, which tries to carry the ball 50 yards into an endzonem and defense, which tries to prevent this. The teams take turns carrying and preventing. Tom Brady is a quarterback and in that role he plays on the offensive team, often calling the play in a game, throwing the ball or carrying the ball. The New England Patriots team which Brady plays for in this movie is the one wearing blue, white and red.

The four friends have gotten together this way at each others' houses for years but during this football season they actually have the opportunity to travel to Houston and see the Super Bowl (final game) in person. This is an adventure-filled weekend with lots of partying and humorous mishaps before the actual game on Sunday afternoon.

Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field are all superb actors who play well off each other and are in top form in this movie.

Whether he impersonates Marlowe well, specifically, I don't know and don't really care. I found the detective, as presented, likable and intriguing.

I thoroughy enjoyed the movie because it depended on interesting characters and plot rather than the non-stop action found in so many mystery movies today.

The 1939 Hollywood of legend was gorgeously reproduced. Diane Kruger and Jessica Lange were exceptionally well cast as ultra-rich mother and daughter. All the twists and turns eventually did lead to something. The bad guys got their due at the end. Marlowe survived. The movie was not a masterpiece but for me it was enjoyable, light viewing.

All the actors in this movie were quite good, keeping me watching until the very end. Rufus Sewell and Haley Atwell, especially, pulled me into their adventurous spy story and love life. But at the end I was left quite unsatisfied. As the credits rolled, on retrospect, there were just so many plot holes that the whole story was unbelievable. I felt like there should be an Episode 3 to somehow resolve everything.

I went to Amazon.com to read the book summary and user reviews, thinking that perhaps much had been simply lost or warped when translating the work to the screen. But no. At least one reviewer had the same problem with the book that I had with the movie.

Other reviewers on Amazon have spelled out the plot holes. I won't do so here so as to avoid a spoiler alert.

There are some fields of human endeavor where, to reach the very top of the field, a person must start as a child, will start to reach professional heights quite early, will do their best work between 16 and 25, and will be over the hill at 30 or so. Chess, ice skating, mathematics and gymnastics come to mind. Nadia Comaneci was 14 when she won Olympic gold in gymnastics. Since then, the age requirement has been raised to 16 within the calendar year. Tara Lipinski was 15 when she won Olympic skating events but the age minimum in the 2024 winter games will be 17. Athletic organizations have recognized that pushing a child to reach competitive heights quite early may be doing them a disservice in terms of their development and eventual happiness as a human being.

For parents raising a gifted child, providing a well-rounded upbringing while honing specific talents will involve a delicate balancing act. And of course the Williams sisters had an additional spotlight on them because tennis had been a predominantly white sport.

Since Venus and Serena turned out really well as human beings (as well as being phenomenal athletes) I was really curious to see how the parents had approached their training. Since the sisters were involved in the production I assume that the depiction is at least somewhat accurate. This Oscars "Best Picture" is not on as grand a scale as many prior winners but is still worth viewing.

The mind is a wondrous thing. It will try to make sense of the world, inventing all sorts of outlandish stories to explain a phenomenon when an effect does not have an obvious cause. From the reviews I have read, the detectives in earlier seasons of the series had to deal with this human trait, taking it into consideration when talking to witnesses and when thinking about motivation, just as the Jodie Foster character must in the current drama. Since her whole job involves maintaining rationality in an often irrational society, I can understand why she becomes impatient with her stepdaughter who is eager to explore her tribal heritage through stories and myths. That's a pity, though, because myths can add to our understanding of ourselves as humans.

I watched a very little bit of Season I but just couldn't get into the story even though Harrelson and McConaughy were both good actors. Both Jodie Foster and Kali Reis keep me coming back, though, in spite of the fact that the story is more than a little outlandish. Somehow, the scientists at the local bio-research station have managed to get themselves all flash frozen, naked, into one, giant, grotesque "corpsicle". Well, one managed to live for a short time after the "statue" was discovered. (Although a few humans have managed to survive incredibly cold circumstances, this one was truly beyond scientific believability.) One or more of the scientists had been acting strange in the past and some of the local people had had health issues, perhaps attributable to pollution from the local mine, but nothing on this scale.

In addition, there is a tie-in to the "regular" murder of a young woman some years ago.

Of course there are various, complex, reasons why disparate factions in the community might want each other dead. But what could have been used, on purpose or by accident, to bring about the improbable mass murder/suicde?

OK, here's my theory. The group have been analyzing frozen microbes of all sorts to learn more about the earth's history and the evolution of life. I think they managed to thaw one out which infected them all so quickly that they all went crazy simultaneously and dashed out, naked, onto the ice and into a shallow pool. The infection ran its course and died out (hence no longer able to infect anyone else) but the damage was already done so that the men just thrashed around, terrified, until the temperture got colder, fixing them in place.

Well, that's improbable. But let's see if the real ending comes out any better.

*** Addendum after Episode 4: My guess for the ending still holds but I have reduced my rating from 6 to 5. Almost every character in this story hallucinates and/or has vivid, traumatic memories. That's OK but the show looks like it is trying to keep viewership simply with shock value -- just offering additional nasty, unpleasant scenes without much in the way of real clues or in-depth understanding of personalities. For example, the town's mental health facility manages to "lose" a client who has voluntarily checked in, not even noticing when she walks out (and ultimately freezes to death).

*** Addendum After Episode 5 -- This episode actually advances the plot with real actions and revelations. When it comes to motivation, there is a reason the corporate mining interests might wish the scientists to be dead. Foster and Reis have found a way to access the ice caves where the earlier, related death of a young woman took place. One of the bad guys gets killed off and is also put out of the running as the murderer.

My theory of how the scientists died, however, still holds, even though officials in this episode declare they died due to a slab avalanche. This is ridiculous because to get a slab avalanche (or any kind of avalanche) you need a decent incline and the scenery all around the scientists' lab was flat as a pancacke. IF the conclusion next week manages to tie up all the story threads in a sane, logical manner, I might raise my rating back to 6 again.

*** Addendum After Episode 6 (Final)

What a ridiculous final episode! I'm changing my overall rating to a "1" because I can't make it a "0".

The episode starts with the detectives preparing to break into an ice cave without proper equipment or skills to survive such an endeavor. A sane person would not explore a regular stone cave without a proper guide! And our two detectives have been previously presented as super-competent people.

And the plot goes downhill from there.

I'm changing my review from "Has Spoilers" to "No Spoilers" because, ridiculous though the "ending" I created above is, it's no more outlandish than the pseudo-science and actions that are presented in the real script. The whole Season 4 has been nothing more than an excuse to create a bunch of gory, gruesome scenes.

What a waste of good, acting talent!

When I first heard about this concept I thought, "How on earth could that work?" But yes, it actually does. I'd forgotten that the French have a worldly, dour, sarcastic streak. Sam actually fits in better than you would think.

However, we are now past the third of six episodes. The story line still keeps adding new characters without really getting anywhere. Although the little boy just introduced is really cute, the concept of him being some sort of messiah is truly ridiculous. Hopefully this is a red herring.

The "bad guy", Philippe, remains shadowy, elusive and his role in the plot quite confusing. It isn't the proliferation of subtitles, folks. I speak some French, and, believe me, the subtitles are not the main problem.

*** Addendum, after Episode 4: Not much to add. More characters, more twists. I now think the reason Sam stayed in France after his wife's death was to continue keeping an eye on Teresa. He had not been able to turn her over to a responsible father and had also grown genuinely fond of her. Minor plot note -- At the end of this episode "the kid" gets turned over to someone who we hope is a decent, responsible human being. He whistles the Col. Bogey march which the kid recognizes. That's a march whistled by the British armed forces and was also the theme music in the US film "Bridge over the River Kwai", adapted from the novel by Pierre Boulle. Boule also wrote "Planet of the Apes" which was published in the '60's and which one of the characters in the series, while at the Post Office, mentioned he is looking forward to receiving soon. I can't remember who had that book on order! It probably isn't a clue, anyway.

*** Addendum after Episode 5. -- Some events finally move the story along a bit. It turns out it is Philippe who now has the kid, Zayed. Not good. I didn't catch that in Episode 4. Episode 5 tells us that everyone wants Zayed because he is able to not only create codes instantly but break any code immediately upon seeing it. Now, that's scientifially impossible because some codes are based, not just on logic, but on a pre-determined key or algorithm. So a code-breaker would have to be telepathic or omnipotent. Or able to plug in to The Omnipotent. But that's exactly what people seem to be saying that this kid can do! At this point the plot seems to have crossed over into fantasy. I'm still keeping my rating of 8 for now. But episode #6 will have to really present a good ending to get the whodunit back on track and wind it up.

*** Addendum After Episode 6 (Final)

What??? A meaningless "Deus Ex Machina" ending using an all-powerful US/UN representative??? I'm changing my rating to "1" since I can't make it "0". What a waste of good actors and beautiful scenery! And although Zayed ends up "safe" (we assume), his existance is never, really explained. Basically, he's been an absurd excuse for a bunch of people to run around spying on each other and shooting each other for 6 episodes. Clive Owen created such a good character that I hope someone writes a REAL detective story and casts him in it in the future.

This was a really crazy movie. Good actors. Colorful characters. Interesting post WWI and roaring '20's world. Based on some actual happenings. Lots of action. The problem? It was so crazy and frantic that I never actually became engaged with any of the characters or the overall plot.

It wasn't a totally terrible film. I did watch until the end. It just wouldn't be my first choice if I were recommending something to watch this evening. And that's a pity because along with the madcap twists there was a real message which could be applicable to our society, today.

I'm not sure how I would go about fixing this. I don't think slowing the pace would be appropriate. Adding more "humanizing" dialog might help.

Christmas can be a difficult time for someone who is grieving. Even for individuals who do OK for the rest of the year, the holiday season augments the feeling of loss when a loved one is no longer with us. So hats off to Dan Levy for creating a movie centered around this situation! We must carry on with life, regardless, right? So Levy's character makes the semi-sensible, semi-crazy decision to go, along with a couple of friends, to see Paris at Christmastime, staying in the apartment his deceased husband had leased in order to meet up with a new infatuation. The friends, also, are working through some emotional problems at this time of year. What could possibly go wrong? It is said that tragedy and comedy are actually quite close to each other. This movie is a good example of that. Mixing the two is not easy. Other reviewers have already pointed out some flaws. But this story is a great alternative for viewers who cannot bear to watch another cotton-candy, happily ever-after, Christmas rom-com.

I'm old enough to remember Cary Grant starring in numerous hit movies. I was vaguely aware that he came from an impoverished English childhood and was one of those movie stars who seemed to have a different spouse or girlfriend every time you read about them. So I binge-watched this limited series and was glad I did. Other reviewers have been disappointed that only one spouse, Dyan Cannon, was featured. However, to incorporate all the other failed relationships would have required multiple seasons and been a grueling experience! Since the poor guy really did have an absolutely horrendous childhood, it was no surprise that he had relationship problems in adulthood. In my opinion, his shrink should have spent less time with LSD therapy and devoted more energy to exploring the types of behavior and communication skills that lead to long-term, in-depth relationships. Archie had no decent role models from whom to learn! I thought all the actors did a good job of portraying the real people they represented. When I watch a biopic, I am not looking for a typical comedian's imitation of a celebrity, re-creating all of their features, body movements, exact voice, quirks, etc. Obviously a tall, thin actor would not look right playing a well-known person who was short and fat, or vice versa. However, past casting the basic "type", I appreciate a performance that captures the person's personality and essence, regardless of whether or not the actor is a physical dead-ringer.

These parents weren't just eccentric and DYS-functional, they were MAL-functioning and truly dangerous for their kids! By supporting each other, the siblings managed to live to adulthood. This is the kind of plot you would expect to see in a fantasy or horror movie, but, dismayingly, it was based on an autobiography. I felt angry throughout the whole story, not just at the parents, but at society as a whole which failed to notice that something was gravely wrong and intervene. (Granted, at one point a hospital did call in a social worker but was unable to complete their effort when the father grabbed his daughter and bolted.) Other reviewers have criticised the ending. I felt it was appropriate in terms of what was best for the character/author to keep her own sanity and go forward positively with her life. As the movie viewer, though, I wished the screenwriter/director could have worked in something to give more serious weight to the movie as a whole. The parents should not have been viewed as just eccentric non-conformists. And the story should have been presented as truly tragic rather than a series of offbeat, slightly humorous events.

Although it is not deep enough to win academy awards, this movie has good actors and a decent plot based on a true story. Some reviewers have felt uncomfortable because it features gambling. However, Jerry has realized a true flaw in the state lottery and correctly calculated a strategy which will earn profits over time. This reminds me of a line by W. C. Fields who, when a woman asks him, "Is this a game of chance?", replies, "No -- not the way I play it -- no, it isn't". (Of course, in that movie, Fields was simply cheating, not following the rules.) Inevitably, other people realize the flaw, also, complicating matters and requiring our heroes to remain nimble and resourceful. Overall, the movie provides the viewer with an entertaining evening and a happy ending.

After reading about this movie on AARP's "Movies for Grownups" pages I knew I'd like it. And it did not disappoint. Wonderful actors who we don't get the opportunity to see enough of! Gorgeous cinematography! Subject matter I can relate to! Low key humor! But the IMDB reviewers who say children would be bored stiff are correct. It is short on action and long on introspection. It helps to have had a fair amount of adult life experiences to be instrospective about. Lito says he had never planned to return to this part of the world and you suspect it had been a struggle for him to escape to parts of the country offering more opportunities for advancement. Faye mentions she had been a bush pilot in other states, giving you the impression she is no longer flying, -- perhaps not entirely by choice since her current calendar still features small aircraft. You wonder how much she misses it. Although the story does not offer any "smash-bang" ending, the nature-loving protaganist goes forward with an interesting, rewarding activity and you get the feeling that, as one person says during the movie, "We'll be OK." I'll be watching for more films by the young director/producer.

...with glorious background music by Leonard Bernstein. That's the best short summary I can give. Early in the movie Lenny tells Felicia that they are well suited for each other because they both enthusiasticlly embrace all the varied backgrounds, cultures and experiences leading to what they have become. And this is true. They are both exceptionally creative souls whose differences nourish each other's ingenuity rather than causing conflict. Mostly. Even though he is bisexual while she is heterosexual, this does not prevent them from falling deeply, passionately and everlastingly in love. Although they have an open marriage, they both also want children and a loving, stable family. Easier said than done! It's mainly Felicia who manages to create the stable part. As the children grow, that's difficult with Lenny indulging more and more "openly" in the open part. Even in today's less rigid society that would present challenges. Of course, the shared lives of this duo was partially responsible for some of Lenny's wonderful music. But watching their struggles my heart really ached for them.

Instead I watched it on a really small screen. With an almost nonstop action movie like this, switching quickly between/among numerous subplots, you need really expert pacing so as not to lose your audience. In the theater I think the pacing would have totally held me but on my laptop my mind wandered every now and then. I did love the movie, though, with all the crazy characters in all the insane alternate universes. What a tour-de-force on the part of all the actors! Plus, I cared about the main characters and their problems in the main, "real" universe. Hats off to the writers who were able to sucessfully combine their realistic story with the far-out fantasies in the multi-universe! Overall, this was a fun romp and a very satisfying experience.

I watched about a third of this movie, then went to IMDB to see if other people found it the giant waste of time that I did. It's fascinating to see that some people truly enjoyed the negative emotions it aims to evoke! The main character is so messed up I don't know if anyone could get him out of the quagmire he's made of his life. His friends/business associates/enemies (often hard to tell one from another) aren't much better off. Pitiable! In real life it's generally healthiest to avoid individuals and groups like this if you can't change them. So why on earth would anyone want to spend time watching the people in this movie? For those who truly do get off on negativity, the creators did a very skillful job; so I gave it a 5.

...am I the only person who, after watching it, was totally depressed? I'd wanted to see it for a long time and it certainly lived up to its hype. It should certainly have won all kinds of awards. The central theme of generation gap and cultural gap is universal and even more meaningful today than when it was made, in this ever more quickly moving world. So I think people will appreciate this work for a long time to come. But the histories were so devastating, the relationships so incompatible, the lives so unhappy that at the end I was left feeling down. Yes, there were some successes in finally understanding and reconciling but overall it just made me feel like most family relationships are doomed to be unhealthy ones and happiness not a viable expectation.