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jack-1079
Reviews
Magnolia (1999)
3. tme in 20 years and still a perfect 10.
Have I not changed through all those years?
Or is this such a perfectly told human story that it still can move me, give me goosebumps, tears and smiles?
I think the latter.
I realize this isn't for everyone, and expectations definitely will color our experience of things.
As I had seen this and loved it before my expectations were high, yet I am a very satisfied viewer tonight :)
This film is poetic, honest, daring. Paul Thomas Anderson was 29 when he made this film, I don't know how old he was when he came up with the idea or wrote it but that just makes me wonder in Awe, the level of emotional depth, and connection he had at such a young age.
Then the actual cinematic qualities he has put together with his directing of his brilliant actors, the music, the use of sound mixing, the camera movements... Everything and every item, motion and sound seems to have been placed where they are with intent and carry the story ever deeper...
If you haven't yet seen the film, it's time. And I envy you for being able to watch it for the first time :)
Please respect it enough and time it so that you are awake for the whole 3 hours like you are in the movies and don't divide it in 3-4 episodes falling assleep on the couch :) (as does my dear darling :)
And after you have seen film, do read the history and characteristics of the Magnolia. Of course it not just any pretty flower :)
The Guilty (2021)
Accomplishesexactly what it sets out to do... Perfectly...
I have nothing else to say about the quality of this film.
The rest of my comment is for the person who gave it a 1 complaining about police procedures and dispatch routines and tech not being accurate.
I understand you know a lot about this or maybe even work as an officer. I genuinely and respectfully thank you for the hard work you and your colleagues do for us all, it can not be easy to live with that day in day out...
That said, this IS a fiction. Although some realism can be in place I believe it's not a must. The purpose of a film is to tell a story to deliver emotions. And thus storytellers do make artistic choices that might not always reflect reality to tell their story.
Have you never seen a thriller where the bad guy stays down after being hit on the head with a baseball bat? Or a fight scene where two people can fight for 15 minutes inflicting incredible damage to eachother and still talk sensibly and walk out of it standing?
Car chase scenes that last 20 min that wreck a whole lot and the driver /heros survive...?
Dragons, and spaceships... People who don't leave the house when they knooow there's a ghost there?
These are all settings to create the stage to tell a story... Hopefully with some excitement and suspense... And well, that's why we choose to watch these types of films.
So I do understand you had a bad film experience because of your knowledge but if filmmakers have to keep everything realistic we wouldn't be watching fiction films / thrillers / horror etc. Because they would be boring and end in 5 minutes with the first crash or stab or laser blast...
Anyway... This was an awesome film that have me a lot of feelings and captivated me from start to finish and I think it's a masterpiece of storytelling and acting and directing... A few Oscar nominations would not surprise me.
The Misfits (2021)
Didn't have high expectations...
And I was still completely disappointed.
I'm not even gonna waste more time on this film but I would like to say, don't expect anything. This is a kind of silly robbery film with some slapstick humour and action inspired but falling way short of many other great films...
You wanna watch a real film in the style watch Snatch or Oceans 11, Lock, Stock... Even if it's for the 5th time any of those movies will not feel like a waste of time...
Upstream Color (2013)
For the 1&2 star reviewers who are upset with the 9&10 star reviewers
Ladies and gentlemen, I have rated this a 7.
Not going to go into why.
I don't see any 9&10 reviewers calling the 1&2 reviewers names or degrading them. So what's with the anger?
I love lots of different styles of books, music and films.
I played in a death metal band and screamed and growled almost impossible to understand lyrics.
One of my literature teachers heard one of our songs and asked me why so aggressive, messy and incoherent the music was. (It wasn't at all to me or our fans). I asked him to look at the water colour painting he had on the wall, it was one of his. I asked why the lines were blurred and colors mixed insrmtead of clear, sharp and defined lines; wouldn't that make the shapes and motives be easier to understand?
He just smiled and nodded.
If you don't like it, that's tooootally understandable. I don't like all the movies I watch either. And I might leave a comment about my experience.
But I really don't think those who did enjoy it have ANY need to lie or pretend as some of you have said, nor have anything to gain by writing an anaymous review here.
Hope we are more friendly here.
The Last Thing He Wanted (2020)
Great photography and design... Too bad the rest of the movie is so completely bad that you can't even appreciate that after a while.
Before we started I told my darling... "Good actors and the title reminds me of very good films:
There will be Blood, We have to talk about Kevin, Things we lost in the fire..."
So I imagined this would good... It was far far from good... I was almost ashamed for all those involved.
The Last thing he wanted.
What was the last thing who wanted?
Reading a screenplay won't give an idea of the end result to actors... The film comes together with the directing, photo, light, set design, styling, music and of course editing... Seems to me the actors read an intriguing story and believed the director to pull it off... Well she dropped the ball... I mean really everyone else in the team seems to have delivered. Great visuals, good sound design, editing also was very smooth... Without a director having a clear vision and style this just became a huge mess.
Had I been Netflix I would have taken the losses and not released this film. A scandal by any measure... Poor William Dafoe I'm thinking, must be thinking "worse decision of my career"...
Had I been the director I would have used my own money recut this film to make it right. I really think it could have been a lot better...
One thing I loved was reading the funny reviews here... You guys killed me. I was laughing out loud... So thanks so much for that :)
This Is the End (2013)
This is the worst!
Seriously... what were they thinking? This starts like it might have some real humor, but it flops real quick... no character nor story development... just a bunch of idiots being scared and doing stupid things... Its in fact as if they did smoke a lot and wrote a silly movie and thought the day after, "hell I bet we can make this and people would watch it just because we are in it". I stopped half way through and thats very very very rare that i do that. Yeah its as if a producer lost a poker game or something... I feel; and i'm not often this way; bitter. That these kind of ideas can be made into a film... I mean there is an guest appearance by Emma Watson AND Rihanna! Seriously... Does a name or two really open doors to hell?
So, hope you make the right choice for you... Peace. L.
Munger Road (2011)
This one actually made me think...
... think, why doesn't IMDb have a possibility to vote a big fat ZERO!
This is THE SINGLE WORSE FILM I have EVER SEEN! : ) Seriously... I kept smiling and shaking my head... and I watched it just to be amazed at how its possible to make a so VERY un-intelligent, un-scary, un-feasable film... And yesss... WITHOUT what almost EVERY FILM has... A Frigging ENDING!!! To be CONTINUED?!?! ARE YOU JOKING??? : )
Im really sorry but please please... don't do it again!
All of you who voted this to 4.5 rating are a shameless bunch who do not respect those others who do have talent and start by making low budget films that actually say something, mean something, scare you some what : )
You will only achieve that people who are looking for a semi decent horror flick for a low brain activity night to watch this and be sooo under stimulated that we will come and have to recover by bleeding the film here...
There are about 4-5 of us here... And about 20 "good ratings"...
I mean some people even rated 8-9-10 stars : ) So this movie is as good as Seven? Magnolia? Star Wars? Matrix?
Its Reeeeaally pitifull...
Sorry... had to get it out! : )
Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Just raw art in every way! So that its frightening in its honesty.
Jacobs Ladder drills straight down to your thalamus from the start.
Based on what might partially be a true story, the film takes the viewer into the out of control mind of a war veteran.
Tim Robbins delivers an amazing character, we care for, worry for and be afraid with. The directing is also very masterful yet never more than what it needs be, keeping the viewers focus on the story, instead of fancy lights or film tricks.
Maybe this one touches me personally but I rarely I deem a film worthy of a 10... Wish I could go back in time and watch it for the first time. Enjoy!
The Apparition (2012)
Not even a good try...
As if the writer/producer had a somewhat original idea for a supernatural movie. Got sooo excited that they quickly cast a couple of pretty people with decent acting skills and hired an alright film photographer & director and started making the film.
And then they couldn't wrap up the story logically, excitingly or even mysteriously and left it with a "sorry folks sometimes the good guys...." ending...
Its very disappointing to see some peoples talent get wasted by lousy scripting and decision making. The actors probably got their names blemished by their choice to act in this movie... hope they get another chance.
It made me feel a bit like the disappointment i felt at the end (or more like the entire last season) of Lost. Such an interesting idea and development and such a hairbrained ending scenario).
This film is worth a watch for those interested in the genre, just because i like the original idea in the beginning. Don't expect anything and keep expectations way low and maybe you will enjoy it a bit more than i have.