gja822's Reviews

Press Play (2022)

3/10

30 August 2023

Warning: Spoilers

Have anyone of writters used audio cassettes? Probably, but then they think facts and logic don't matter. Some "teachings" used to make such statements.

To name a few.

If one can play side B, don't you know that this rewinds side A?

The idea of a giveaway to get something eventually is quite religiously popular, there's no doubt in that.

Portable cassette players that automatically stop after each song?

Cassette players time and big smartphones time just four years apart?

After previous songs the main character (and her loved one??? Since he disbelieved her only before an earthquake) remembered perfectly her timeline, but after "side B" she forgets everything just like everyone else did.

Well, all this could have worked out if you didn't care of real world and its rules. Acting is good, music is nice although it could be much more of a character in a film about musical cassette.

But to make this script more logical and realistic is more difficult, I think impossible. Too many keypoints hang on such illogical stuff.

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Zhila-byla odna baba (2011)

4/10

poor, even if noble

8 July 2023

Even if there was a noble idea, but yes, it is mostly artless exploitation.

Inconsistent songs neither with studio quality nor with live truthness, flying camera with infinite depth of field without any sense, but sometimes good acting. Also without story or purpose. Many shots are like secondary copies of known art masterpieces. Weak and senless.

Almost no plot whatsoever.

Costumes just like from ethnographic museum. Clean and bright. At least not ironed.

I couldn't get a whole picture, the idea of anything. Some good scenes, some good acting. But that's all. Well, also there was greasy propaganda, that is called exploitation bu someone else. Some fashionable ideas put to become too obvious.

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Snap Out of It! (1951)

7/10

Nice story and dubious psychology

8 July 2023

Well, actors are handsome. Scenes are set O. K. Director of photography is fine.

But this psychology is of dubious quality. Of course, it's quite right that someone has a talk with Howard, but the message is shallow and obscure. The real problem here is sensing and thinking through your own emotions. It is difficult, especially at school age. It is true that your expectations can't match that of others. But "somehow" the principal haven't said a word of competence of ones that evaluate results. The principal encouraged somehow Howard, but not the way it is rational. His father made it better.

Dialogues are not of a school language too.

The age of actors of course is not the age of school students, but because of that the acting is not that bad (although stereotypical). It was interesting to watch those outfits and hairstyles.

So, for me this film is of hustoric and cultural value, and not of psychological at all.

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Anna (II) (2019)

3/10

illogical and stupid

26 December 2021

So stupid, also secondary. And as a toppping this modern operators' "feature" to turn on all light sources in a dayligt.

Entourage for the sake of entourage. Colours and sounds are O. K., acting is fine. (Not in all battle scenes althogh.) But no essense at all. And I am not saying a thing about cross-time "feature", let it be parallel universes with teleportation phones between the worlds.

If you can enjoy nothingness with a looks - the film could serve you nicely.

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The Darkest Minds (2018)

6/10

why not just a movie?

14 March 2021

Why it was not just a movie, but necessarily a series start? No final. Some chilidishness, plot holes, clichés - of course. But also some nice acting (why one does not like it from Harris Dickinson?), nice travel and rival story. The most disappointing for me was the end of the film. Why this script-, producers- trick? I did not want a series start when I started to watch this film.

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Geography Club (2013)

6/10

Not too bad

4 March 2020

The film is shallow. Sometimes you cannot believe the plot or characters. I liked the cinematography and music though. And closing credits are made quite nice :)

The main character is underplayed. Well, I mean the actor (Cameron Deane Stewart) did not cope portraying the character. And the film's script did not help in that. I do not see him really struggling for anything. On the other hand, Justin Deeley was more emotional while also not showing his difficulties (or the reasons for the actions). And I've not seen a "chemistry" between the two. Kevin is a great buddy to Russell, but not a boyfriend. Maybe Teo Olivares acting stands out a bit, it was really good (although his character is undeveloped also).

Quite popular successful teenager as Russell (science - O.K., sports - could be a star, girls - several at a time willing to be with him)? Only his problem may be in not having many friends. And Kevin... So kind, almost pithless and team's leader? It's not a comedy nor a drama. I see no character to identify with in this movie. I even see no conflict. Well, some decisions have to be made, but that's all.

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Mr. Mercedes: Burning Man (2019)

Season 3, Episode 10

2/10

Totally * ending after nice season

7 January 2020

The season was quite nice. But this final eposide is a total disaster! Dull, empty, unbelievable. Also daughter line?.. For sentimental housewives? The fire? Kiddo line? Visions? Nothing meaningful, but full of secondary time-fillers. Disappointing to the full. Just not to continie the series?

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Life (I) (2017)

4/10

What a waste

7 April 2019

So much potential in plot, greatest actors, fine graphics, O.K. photography. But. The director's work is awful!!! Script is not developed, characters are sketchy. So pitty for actors they happen to work with this so called director.

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Den of Thieves (2018)

3/10

Almost just bad

20 March 2019

The plot is awful and unplausible. Almost none likable characters (or at least life-like). The acting is as it's B-level series near to its shut-down, you know all these rappers who think they can do all the actors stuff without much effort. Two reasons I give it 3, not 1. Near the end of film there is some nice plot twist and some semi-nice action (but semi- should be said, timing is not great). The second reason is almost likable character of Pablo Schreiber. And his acting. It's good. I'd better not saying a word of Butler's character, may be it's my problem, but it gave me nothing but disgust. Just like his characters in many other movies. Undue cruelty... And unempathic (or unbelievable acting of empathy). Something between cruel youngster gang (senseless cruelty) and sociopath. So, I hardly could stand the first part of the film, but the last minutes of (overlong) movie somehow eased my reaction.

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Man in an Orange Shirt (2017)

5/10

Quality is somewhat uneven

28 October 2017

Well, there was much fuss about this film. With intriguing shots from it and a bunch of positive replies (not sure, could it be named "reviews" or not). So, I was looking forward to watch the film.

At first it has some nice views and picturesque shots. But as time went Obvious acting and directing weaknesses stood up. Some characters are very believable, others are not, some scenes are touching, others are too artificial.

When I started to watch it I haven't known that it's a short series. So, may be my expectations were above adequate level (although I can recall better made series). After the first episode ended, I restated my expectations. But again the second episode disappointed me. Characters became even more unpleasant. But at the end I realized that there's one more disappointment — the second episode is the last one. So, it occurred the story has less logic and less characters' depth than that in rumours were made about it.

Many buts. Wrong expectations. But it has it's nice sides. Acquaintance with new interesting actors (sadly without any "chemistry" between main characters from my point of view). Picturesque shots, some novelty of the story.

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The Magnificent Seven (2016)

5/10

Weak and disappointing

17 September 2017

I had some expectations on this film. I saw Fuqua to be good once, it features some of my favourite actors like Ethan Hawke or sometimes good Chris Pratt. But... No, this film is no good.

It lacks action, it has no character's development, it has no logic in its evolution. Even likable characters or reasonably well-made jokes are absent. Or drama. Anything is bleak! Even picturesque landscapes looked false on that senseless dramatic background. Just once for the whole film I could have some senses for characters and this was only because of music (nothing special also apart from one or two episodes).

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War on Everyone (2016)

2/10

Weak, secondary, just cheap

4 February 2017

Warning: Spoilers

The film is awful. As said commentator moive_dood earlier, it's full of dull clichés (of pretending "original art" films I can add).

Well, comedy is just a name. I'm not too into those names, so it's O.K. for me to not even try to be smiling at such "comedies".

But this film is _nothing_, absolutely nothing. It's void of anything. A couple of pretending lines about philosophy, some referencing books, colours... Plot... O.K. plot with some absurdity, but till 9 minutes before the very end. Trashing of all intentions. Or may be that's the laugh? Stupid cliché about justice and "poor innocent kid revenged"?

The "**" from me is for semi nude scenes with Theo James and Alexander Skarsgaard (unfortunately not simultaneously, but even that couldn't get "***" from me).

Even technically colours are bad, the picture is full of artefacts and so on.

Well, one more reason for "**" and not "*" is a hint of anti-political-correctness.

Sometimes nice music is not suited at most of situations in this film. Drugs... Yes, life is dull and irreal, solipsism is above all... But why in this irreal world of no time (old phones, new TVs, old music, new ISIS...) drug taking is so detailing realistic? Hate that.

The thing that killed the film for me is it's final of course. "Poor kid touched their hearts and God helped them". Awee. Starting with total cynicism approving it all the way you can't, just can't end like this. It's not only stupid it's just off the taste. Cheap in the sense of thoughts.

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Divergent (2014)

6/10

Not too bad

14 March 2016

I like the movie. More or less. Beautiful cinematography, rather good tempo. Good-looking actors. Of course, there definitely are gaps in the plot, and dialogues could be better...

My main discourage for the film was the casting. As I've said, good faces, some of them are new. That's good. But acting is not good. I almost can hear the director's headache of dealing with that human material. In some point of viewing the film I've been thinking of Theo James as good actor, but to be honest, he is good only with the tremendous efforts of the director and editors and being on the background of worse actors. Much worse. The biggest disappointment is the main character played by Shailene Woodley.

I get the idea of casting young actors. And I understand that it's hard to find good ones. But she even is not as good-looking as Theo James! Why was she chosen?

Concerning the plot. It has weak points. (Not too many as The Matrix, of course.) The romantic line is too obvious and too disappointing for me. She is just in the age of majority and he is her tutor with notable experience. But I can tolerate all of these. More dislikes I have about the idea of future series of films in advance of doing the first one. Money above all?

But, as I stated, not too bad.

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Father Brown (1974)

3/10

Weak TV series

14 December 2013

These TV series are poorly made. I do not mean the technical side, with respect to age of the series and TV format it could be considered satisfiable.

I mean, actors' playing is bad almost for all of them. Sometimes the plot lines are vague and characters are unbelievable.

May be, one of the strong sides is that acting doesn't always look like theatrical performance. We get some interesting views and interiors.

I am not a good reader, so I've considered to watch this version. And I've got nothing. I couldn't assemble the plot, I can't understand the clerical point of view, I do not believe in acting. Just a few personal features and authors statements are well pronounced.

I wouldn't keep this historical TV production in my archive.

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Boys Life: Three Stories of Love, Lust, and Liberation (1994)

7/10

Not bad

30 March 2013

Actually, films are rather different. Although they're all light in some way. And sharing the main technical problem — directing. I see, the directors are not mature enough, but the acting, and the picture, and even the script (at least, the third film) — all that seems to be of better quality than directing. Too much drama, action gaps ans so on. But the stories are good. Characters are believable and are the ones I could like. All characters are modest, and not having much social activity. Gay teens problems are stated convincingly and being solved in an optimistic way. I like the third film the most. There are too much awkward situations in the second, and may be there could be better acting in the first one.

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Der letzte Zug (2006)

6/10

not excellent director

31 January 2013

The film is good, but somewhat sluggish. On the one hand something always happens, on the other — there's no sense of dynamics, nor feeling of hanging emotions. Music is not quite appropriate. It doesn't help enough, it's too subtle. Acting is good. May be not superb, but good enough to believe in characters. I suppose the main guilt for film being not excellent lies on director. For example, the scene with 'Ode to Joy' must have been made more dramatic, the acting there was (or could be) very good, so, the problem is in directing. May be my expectations were not right and the idea was to make one feel the ordinariness of evil. Nonetheless I want something more than just depiction of historical evil. And I see no answers, even no honestly stated questions. May be, though, my willing to get that questions is a good result of watching the film?

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