Reviews

6 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
Hunger
Hunger (II) (2023)
8/10
A Parasite-adjacent feast...
3 September 2023
I went into Hunger with no expectations and little advance knowledge of what it was about. I came away impressed, although the movie's flaws do come to the fore more in its second act. Hunger is sumptuously filmed, well-acted, unsettling and cynical about both modern capitalism and five star dining.

It is difficult to type the names of the principal Thai actors here (especially since I chose to write this review on an iPad-I don't recommend this!) So, I'll apologize for being more vague than usual...please don't let that dissuade you from checking Hunger out on Netflix. The lead actress is very compelling, with a performance that draws you in. The celebrity chef who recruits her into his extravagant, amoral world of hyper expensive private dining experiences is like a combination of Gordon Ramsay, David Chang...and Robert DeNiro's "Lou Cypher" from Angel Heart. This movie's critique of capitalism in general and the super rich in particular would make this an excellent companion in a double feature with Parasite, although obviously that Best Picture winner is superior. But if you're looking for gorgeous shots of food pared with a dark take on the world of excess (culinary or otherwise), you will probably enjoy Hunger. The second act is not as tightly plotted or fast paced, but it all comes together entertainingly in the final 20 minutes.
0 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Glass Onion
Glass Onion (2022)
8/10
Funnier than the first movie...
3 January 2023
GLASS ONION delivered pretty much exactly what I expected--a "White Lotus-esque" satire of clueless rich people in a gorgeous locale that involves a murder mystery. I love Daniel Craig's "Benoit Blanc" and it's obvious that he enjoys the heck out of playing the character, although I notice he toned the accent down quite a bit in this go around.

I preferred the mystery elements in the original KNIVES OUT and I think that movie also has stronger performances overall. For example, GLASS ONIOIN has Leslie Odom Jr., but not only is he barely recognizable, Rian Johnson barely gave him enough to do, which is disappointing. But in terms of set design, costuming, overall direction and the sharpness of the satire, GLASS ONION is definitely better. And you don't have to trek out to a theater to see it, although the big screen would probably amplify the set design more. I enjoyed it!
0 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Sharp Stick
Sharp Stick (2022)
3/10
A character study that forgets the study part
31 December 2022
There's a lot of Lena Dunham haters out there, but I'm actually not one of them, even though I think she's not as clever a writer as she seems to think she is. Nevertheless, I enjoyed TINY FURNITURE, I thought GIRLS was a worthwhile show, her direction of the INDUSTRY pilot was strong. All I'm doing here is establishing that I can be objective about Dunham's work...

Okay...so SHARP STICK. I did not enjoy it. It is a character study of a naive, but damaged young woman named Sarah Jo. She's a 26-year old virgin who had to have a hysterectomy in high school. (My wife endured a similar ordeal, although somewhat later in life, so that part of the story moved me.) But the way Sarah Jo is written came off as completely false to me. Her journey of sexual discovery would have been more interesting if we the audience could determine what exactly of value she learned about herself? She has a dysfunctional blended family that we learn almost nothing about. Why are they the way they are? Is that really Jennifer Jason Leigh and what is she doing here? The sex scenes aren't sexy, the scenes that should be comedic are flat or just plain baffling and at the end of the movie it felt like Dunham thought she had made some grand statement about female sexuality and personal discovery, but I was just confused and kind of grossed out. Skip this if it shows up on your Hulu home page.
17 out of 21 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
The Fabelmans
The Fabelmans (2022)
7/10
Great at Times...but Padded
28 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Steven Spielberg is the greatest American filmmaker alive or dead, period. But because of that, I'm not afraid to admit that I sometimes judge his films unfairly. (For instance, I will insist until the day I die that the middle act of Saving Private Ryan drags it down into the middle ranks of Spielberg's filmography, but for most filmmakers it would be the high point of their career.)

THE FABLEMANS is not at the level of E. T. (which it occasionally echoes and comments on), JAWS, SCHINDLER'S LIST, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS or even LINCOLN, but it is obviously Spielberg's most personal film and one of the few on which he has taken a screenplay credit. You want to know what formed Spielberg's love of the movies, and what shaped his point of view? Here it all is lovingly spelled out for the viewer, with Spielberg's typically brilliant but not showy direction, terrifically acted by a crackerjack cast. It will tug and your heartstrings, but is generally not mawkish. My only issues with it are that THE FABLEMANS does not possess the subtlety of Spielberg's best works and because it is a "small" family drama the bluntness of some of the film's points appears more obvious than it would be in one of Spielberg's epic blockbusters. The movie hurtles through about 15 years of "Sammy Fableman's" adolescence (as the older Sammy, Gabriel Bell probably deserves an Oscar nom), yet while sometimes the story feels padded, other times it moves past an interesting story point or a potentially compelling character too quickly-I thought Seth Rogen's "Uncle Benny" was especially underwritten.

The movie is about 2 hours and 20 minutes and while it is all time well spent, a tighter focus might have made it a masterpiece. Wait for the appearances by Judd Hirsch and (no misprint here) David Lynch. They have three scenes and one scene respectively, but I thought they had the most electrifying moments in the film.
2 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Hachi: A Dog's Tale
Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)
6/10
9/10 for pet lovers...maybe a 4/10 for anyone else?
22 December 2022
I enjoyed HACHI because it delivered everything I was looking for in the moment. And yes, if you don't feel like crying, then give this a hard pass! It is based on a true story probably familiar to dog lovers, but be forewarned that almost all the details (except for the dog's name and behavior) have been drastically reworked for American audiences. The dog's co-stars are Richard Gere and Joan Allen, who are both fine, but neither really has much to do other than lean into their usual on-screen personas (him: sexy, charismatic but a little bland; her: smart, sexy & prickly). This is an okay, sentimental tearjerker, good for the Holidays or for canine fans, but otherwise unremarkable.
2 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Friendsgiving
Friendsgiving (2020)
4/10
Game cast misses the mark
25 November 2022
I am usually a sucker for a holiday "friend-and-family-get-together-and-all-hell-breaks-loose" comedy, but FRIENDGIVING, despite a talented cast and a great setup, manages to disappoint. The jokes aren't sharp, the drug humor feels tossed off and unimaginative and the movie pulls it's punches when it should go for full on farce. Kat Dennings (your mileage may already vary) seems torn between playing her part and her usual lazy schtick. Plus, the ending just descends into unearned and somewhat icky sentimentality. But a minor thumbs up for Jane Seymour, still looking great and the only actor who seems to grasp the movie that this SHOULD be.
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Clear your history

Recently Viewed