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Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
I used to think the 2nd IM movie was bad...
I get that it was shot during COVID. It had lots of money and lots of hard work that went into making it. I've worked years in film production and I know exactly what that is about.
BUT the story is just plain awful and, to me, the most glaring are ALL of the female characters. All that work with Ilsa, wasted. Hayley Atwell's paper thin introduction-then replacement for Ilsa. Vanessa Kirby's presence was ill conceived and pointless. Pom Klementieff part was very thin. Pom's fight scenes were pretty cool though. Her character was just thin. Very few lines and one of the most under developed antagonists in the movie. I haven't got a problem with any of these actresses. They are incredibly beautiful, charming and gifted actors. But the writing is super bad. There is also the imbalance of so many love interests, as well as the imbalance of too many antagonists and this is just the first half of the 2 part story to play off convincingly to Cruise. Again, good actors, crap writing. I would also add that the fight choreography with Esai Morales is "off". I'm not sure if they were struggling to make him look good and he wasn't up to it, the editing, the choreography or the shot design but it just doesn't hit the right beats and suspension of disbelief suffers. The chase scene with the mini Cooper is overworked and lame. The lead up to and the "big"(?) marquee stunt of Cruise riding over the cliff is overwrought as well. I did like the shot of him crashing into the train in a timely fashion but it's nothing that would save the movie for me.
I used to hate the overly stylized IM 2 with the preposterous end fighting scene where the motorcycles kept changing, the tires kept changing, physics kept changing, etc.,... (Nothing to do with the actual movie really but I heard that Dougray Scott lost the part of Wolverine because of him being in this movie and Cruise's inflexibility. The same inflexibility that lead to strife with reshoots with Henry Cavill on one of the superman movies. All over his mustache.) For an "action movie" it barely has a pulse, IMO.
Gimme Shelter (2013)
Great cast underutilized
The story is more than worth being told repeatedly. It's just not done very well. The excellent actors assembled here do not have much to work with... except for Rosario Dawson. She is a fiery, damaged, evil, bitter, ashamed monstrous, spiteful, twisted terror. It's not like she has an abundance of lines but she winds through the story... to a point.
The remorseful Brendan Fraser, the kindly James Earl Jones, the threatened Stephanie Szostak, the distraught Vanessa Hudgens, the concerned Ann Dowd and the supporting young mothers that feature a young Dascha Polanco (Orange is the New Black) and the head full of bad ideas. Emily Meade ( The Deuce). They all have remarkably little to work with and are a weak balance to Dawson.
IMO, it's a great performance for Dawson's professional reel but otherwise has a Hallmark tv movie production value.
No Hard Feelings (2023)
AWFUL
Jennifer Lawrence should fire AND beat up whomever talked her into doing this movie. It's SUPPOSED to be a co ed but it's sad and cringe inducing. The only, mildly redeeming moment ( still a cringy song choice) was the co er of Maneater.
Lawrence is better than this. Her big scene on the beach was just gross and horribly unfunny.
Matthew Roderick's character was creepy and his "look" accentuated this.
Laura Benanti is awesome but you wouldn't know it from this.
Ebon Moss-Bachrachhas been doing great work of late with NOS4A2, Andor, and The Bear but this is completely forgettable.
I heartily encourage you to keep walking past this one. I wouldn't even recommend it if all you wanted was to see Lawrence naked.
Paper Girls (2022)
Should NOT have been cancelled
I know. I'm late to the party. I just binged this entire season and was wondering when I could expect new episodes. Why Amazon cancelled this but ok's a second season of the AWFUL Wheel of Time makes no sense. Where is the discernment?
Yes this show shares similarities with Stranger Things but it was successful on it's own. Some bits at the end get a little melodramatic but tolerably so. They really do a nice job of throwing storyline curves.
The supporting musical score is really good and should not be ignored.
The casting is really good.
There is so much to appreciate about the writing. Suffice it to say it doesn't come off as dumbed down or superficial. There is plenty to look forward to for future episodes, that sadly, probably will not be created.
Such a shame.... ( yes, that is a Talk Talk reference)
From: Strangers in a Strange Land (2023)
Season 2 starts with a whimper
I recently binged the !st sea6of From and enjoyed it. The plot wasn't laboriously drawn out like it is with many shows like this. I eagerly signed up for the free week of MGM+ so I could stream season 2. These first two episodes are awful. Especially the characters of Julie, Fatima, the melodrama with Christi and her new "guest", Boyd's confusion, etc, The first two episodes absolutely wallow in it. These characters I listed are poorly written and I do not blame the actors. I'm inclined to leave that at the feat of the writers and maybe the director of these two episodes. Some of the acting by the people on the bus is pretty bad however.
Anyway, I'm sitting here watching episode 3 and it seems to have settled down and started moving forward again. Fingers crossed for the rest of the season.
Untold (2021)
Not a great documentary story - Just tiring and weird
EVERYBODY seemed to feed into this weird story. The perpetrator is a disturbed individual and that is NOT an indictment of all people that have similar issues. It goes beyond that. Then, of all people, this person goes to Dr. Phil. There had to be a financial payday there and probably a drama payday as well. Teo fed into it by describing her as "the love of his life" which is bizarre as he never met her. He can't escape that one. The sports media frenzy packaging this bio around a story they did not fact check and then alternatively tore him down, not for being weird but speculating about his sexuality which had nothing to do with it either way. It's a cautionary tale for everyone. Do your job, don't do weird, manipulative, deceptive things, don't indulge in media hype, don't pretend you had a deep relationship with someone you never met. Have some level of discernment.
Basically it's a documentary that leaves you with a vague sense of desultory unease. Just like a few other Netflix documentaries.
Adrift (2018)
It's rare that I refuse to watch a second more of a movie
But the beginning of this movie establishes Woodley's character as reckless and over her head in the wilds of the Pacific in both time lines of the pre and post accident narrative. Sam Claflin just seems like an idiotic simp, smitten with her affected joie de vivre. I avoid clowns like this in real life.
I can usually over look a lot if I like the characters, or have sympathy for them like Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor in The Impossible but I just can't here.
Chaos Walking (2021)
The middling reviews are fair.
No, this is NOT a great movie. The bones of a great movie were there but it was poorly realized. I really liked Doug Liman's Swingers and Go but he has been involved with some stinkers like Jumper and I see he is slated to direct a remake of Road House (what a horrible idea) with Jake Gyllenhaal rumored to be attached. Run away Jake, don't walk.
The fantastic cast of actors cannot save this movie. Tom Holland and Daisey Ridley are their usual appealing selves. Mads Mikkelsen is pretty great, in everything else, but is given VERY little to work with. David Oyelowo (my respect for him is growing, he just needs the right role) is given much more eye candy special effects and is a good mix of insanity and twisted religion but it, effectively, goes no where. Cynthia Erivo is another treasure, absolutely squandered in this. I really liked her in Bad Times at the El Royale and in The Outsider. Ray McKinnon is also an understated treasure who is similarly squandered.
The one notable cast member who I think is repeatedly mediocre at best is Nick Jonas. I don't go for pop musical acts but I do recall he and his brothers had something going. He should probably stick with that. His role, like all the others in this movie was weak and he did less than nothing with it.
The plot is thin and very slow in being rolled out. Time better spent ACTUALLY developing the story.
For those who felt similarly I do have a recommendation:
Check out Pandorum (2009), it's a sci-fi story with a very good and dynamic cast, a balanced and compelling story with great action.
The Dig (2021)
The Best Film I've Seen on Netflix in a Long Time.
So many films are being dumped to streaming platforms that feature a list performers right now, but most of them are sub par. I like Ryan Reynolds but 6 Underground, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, Red Notice and The Adam Project are either completely forgettable or such light confections of purely empty calories they are not truly satisfying. Tom Hanks in Greyhound. Rosamund Pike in The Wheel of Time. Otherwise great actors in poor production quality or films that just feel remarkably unfinished, unpolished for actual release.
The Dig is different. First of all, great cast. I also had no expectations on the story. The film style makes some, to me, nods to the work of Terence Malick but more gently so. While the world is opening it's eyes to the horror that World War II becomes, these characters cling to notions of decency, remembrance and the legacy we all leave behind.
Lily James has a small part in this but I am becoming such a huge fan of hers. From Downton Abbey, Baby Driver, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Dig, and (the amazing transformation) in. Pam & Tommy.
Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes are excellent in their understated longing performances.
It's not an action film by any means but if you are looking for something deeper, more contemplative and not empty calories I would recommend it. Hope you all enjoy it.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
Flawed but could have been much better
I'm not sure what changes were made to Grindelwald's character following the ouster of Depp and the divide that seemed to minimize Katherine Waterston's role as well. I really like Mads Mikkelsen and hold him blameless as well as Jessica Willams. Ms. Williams was wonderful but I suspect her character was created as a substitute for Tina Goldstein absence. "Lally" Hicks is a good character but just appears out of no where as a powerful ally. A rich character and very ripe for further exploration in the franchise.
Creedence's story is almost entirely gutted. Nagini never appears or even a reference to their relationship. Creedence just largely lurks and broods in the background.
The introduction and significance of the Qilin was ham handed as well. They are just suddenly fighting over it at the start of the movie with almost no mention of the last events in Paris in the previous movie. Supposedly, according to the timeline, 5 years is to have separated the events of this movie from the previous one... ? What happened there? Of course, in the Crimes of Grindelwald, reference to events during WWII are indicated. I guess Grindelwald and or his supporters rile up things for WWII but that is just very loose conjecture and material for a future book.
The ONLY place I think the movie was successful in is establishing the loneliness of Albus Dumbledore. Between this and the eventual meeting of Aberforth and Creedence (which was unsatisfying as well) it's a very sad movie.
In total, it's a very awkward movie and could have been a lot better.
The Silencing (2020)
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME. DO NOT BE SWAYED BY THE CAST
DO NOT WASTER YOUR TIME. DO NOT BE SWAYED BY THE CASTING. The movie starts out with a possibly interesting premise but at a certain point, it ceases to make sense, the characters become incredibly stupid and if you came he looking for a investigative/procedural type plot, it loses ALL credibility. It reminds me of another terribly movie called Blue Steel (1990). Like this movie, Blue Steel features a woman police officer who begins the movie looking to "prove herself" or "show she can do the job" and then proceeds to be so incompetent... Annabelle Wallis' character basically becomes a POS and should never be a police officer, when it's obvious the writer wanted her to be gray character but still somehow respected(?). At least the last half of the movie is really bad. Thankfully I watched it for free on Amazon and I'm still so annoyed that I've gone out of my way to write this review on both Amazon and here on IMDB. I've done one or the other but never both.
American Underdog (2021)
OK but Invincible is a much better movie
Writing this as I watch the film. Feel free to skip over all my issues with Anna Paquin's hair. LOL!
I like Anna Paquin but they should have fired whoever did her hair. It's horrible to look at and death to any sense of desire. (Believe me. I don't really care about hair styles BUT damn. I'm going way out of my way to make this point.) I mean she is SUPPOSED to be nailing Warner with a love at first sight thing and it just IS NOT HAPPENING. I mean I even stopped watching to google pictures of Brenda Warner to confirm what they may have been going for and it's not even close.
1:13:00 finally a different haircut. A little better but still kind of hideous.
At the end, the film completely reverts back to actual film footage (which might confuse anyone unfamiliar with the real life people depicted). True to form Brenda had kind of a hideous haircut but it didn't look as bad on her as it does on Anna. It also show that, eventually, she grew it out and looked so much better. Both She and Anna are much better looking in real life.
The film suffers a bit in the story development. The relationships with Zach, Brenda, Hud, the HY-Vee coworker (he is a nice touch but should have ended up on the cutting room floor in favor of other story elements), the college coach (ditto on cutting room floor, despite being played by Adam Baldwin), the arena football coach (somewhat superfluous despite being played by Bruce McGill), the rams offensive coordinator and Dick Vermeil all seem superficial and hollow. Which seems to be the fault of the writing and editing. They, IMO, spend too much time on the faith aspect but it's kept muted during most of the movie. Suddenly, at the end, you are pounded over the head with it. I know it's a common fixture of underdog stories but it just isn't balanced well. Somewhat humorless. It would benefit from either a script re-write and/or a re-cut version. Yes there is a movie here, it just wasn't fully realized. I mean. I think Invincible is, overall, a much better film and gets to Vince Papale and Dick Vermeil's characters a hell of a lot better.
Recommended for family entertainment, especially if you're a bit of a bible thumper. Good for football fans. Great cast, albeit underutilized. I'm a harsh critic so I'm only giving it a 5 but if you are looking for some light entertainment, a decent football story and you like a dab of Christian faith- You'll rate it much higher, I'm sure.
Euphoria: Stand Still Like the Hummingbird (2022)
Scary Zendaya
Great performance by Zendaya and well supported by the rest of the cast. Such circumstances can be much worse. I'll leave that to the series writers where it ultimately goes. Just saying there is a tone with the writing that stays in limbo that is a little frustrating. How does she get away from the robbery? How does she possibly avoid the police chase? (The keystone cops thing just didn't work) How does she avoid her creepy doom with the woman she owes 13k? The drama and manipulation with Jules, Elliot, Leslie and Gia. Then the almost comical outing of Nate and Cassie. Burning this many bridges is going to destroy you unless she is, somehow, one of these teflon coated people who somehow always lands on their feet. Which is possible, in which case, the writing does not quite live up to it.
The History of Future Folk (2012)
I took a few stars off BUT...
I just finished watching this on Netflix today, 1/2/22. Although the film has obvious production value issues it has an undeniable quality to it that most films lack. It is a complete story. It has a beginning, middle and end. It may be predictable and somewhat unoriginal as a sci-fi film. The special effects are nothing special. Not everyone is a name actor with impeccable skills and exceptional beauty. They obviously didn't have the budget to produce the most crisp cinematography.....BUT, as the story puts forth, music saves all. No I am NOT a folk enthusiast but there is an artistry, a sense of humor and warmth to the story and music. The best comparison? The first thing that comes to mind is Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny which had more money in it's production budget but similarly hokey or dated special effects that added to the humor and appreciation of the music. The History of Future Folk is not rated, and in this case is more suitable to general audiences with maybe a not toward PG here and there whereas Pick of Destiny is rated R. Admittedly, Future Folk may not be to everyone's taste and certainly don't expect to be dazzled by eye candy special effects but it really is a well done, feel good story that entertains. You really could see a lot worse. I know I certainly have.
I use to work in film and television in a number of capacities. None of the films or tv shows I worked on were much good and definitely nothing I felt proud to be a part of working on other than a paycheck. I think I would have felt differently working on this movie. Watch it if you have an interest in music, watch it for it's light quirky humor, watch it if you like Tenacious D, watch it you want to see something with your kids, watch it if you want to see an honest, feel good story that isn't taxing at all.
The Wheel of Time (2021)
I feel kind giving it 4 stars
I was always dissuaded by friends who read the book series to steer clear of it. If this is an accurate adaptation, now I know why. I do love the fantasy genre but this production is a mess. Yes, with any world building, there is a learning curve and I am not some impatient douche who needs things hand fed to him. I will watch it but it's tough going. The various factions make little to no sense. It's taken until episode 4 to get anywhere with regards to the Aes Sedai. The Children of the Light are inexplicably sadistic. The dialogue is truly awful. The special effects are 2nd rate at best. IMO there are at least two fantasy adaptations in recent years I thought did a much better job and still were cancelled. Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series and even the mess that was Shannara was better than this. If you are looking for something to fill the void left by Game of Thrones (yes I read the books and yes, they were better) this is definitely not going to do it.
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
Only Half a Movie
The movie has a very good cast for the most part although I'm increasingly disappointed by Angelina Jolie's work. This movie is a bare bones story and decidedly lacks meat or depth. I suppose it's possible that the pandemic grossly affected the production and perhaps reshoots were not possible. It just feels incomplete, definitely under developed for ALL the characters and plot. It feels like it might have been better at the script level but the finished product is very lacking. I would not recommend it to anyone as it is completely forgettable and not entertaining.
Nobody (2021)
Not what you hoped for, less than John Wick
With someone like Odenkirk you would hope for something darkly humorous but are only rewarded with the shallowest of brush strokes. Connie Nielsen and Michael Ironside are barely considered in roles completely beneath them. Christopher Lloyd's character barely has a pulse.
There are plenty of good action sequences that are the equal of any John Wick moments but eventually go over the top in a numb way that is supposed to be amusing but just... isn't. Odenkirk brings the action but leaves you hanging otherwise.
And then there are the legions of ubiquitous Russian mobsters tearing around an urban American landscape with impunity.
Just re-watch any of the John Wick movies instead.
Cursed (2020)
Muddled at best
The cast is good, Katharine Langford and Peter Mullan in particular but the writing is just not there. There are scenes where the dialogue is awful. It goes no where or opens plot holes and they linger on it as opposed to cutting away. You have a cast of classic characters who are quite different than other movies or literature, which may be a sign of a new direction and creativity. But that has not appeared after the first few episodes. It's all just jumbled up with no rhyme or reason. The production values seem sound but the story is woefully... off.
As I love the genre, I will finish the season. I do like to parse out what was done well and clarify what went wrong but I'm continuing with some effort to get past the bad parts. A less patient person might just give up at this point and I would not blame them at all.
Fathers & Daughters (2015)
I would rather have stayed bored than take a chance on this one.
This movie has problems
They keep talking about Russell Crowes character having mental problems when they only show he has some sort of seizure disorder related to the car accident. And it's not just the legal spin of a contested custody battle.
Amand Seyfried's character howerve DOES have mental problems which makes her life as a social worker all the more ludicrous. Crazy, immature and unlikeable. Run Aaron Paul, don't walk... but of course, in this pathetic melodrama, he doesn't.
I'm honestly sick of seeing Bruce Greenwood in small, underdeveloped roles like this. I just watched the directors cut of Doctor Sleep (it's not worth it to see, btw) in the hopes his role had more material (yes, I read the book and know it wasn't a big part-then why cast him in it?).
I want my 1hr and 56m back even though I saw it for free.It replaced my boredom with a dull empty feeling. I would rather be bored.
Breakthrough (2019)
Overwrought
Do not be fooled by the cast. I like Topher Grace, Dennis Haysbert and Mike Colter and they do all they can with the material BUT Chrissy Metz and Josh Lucas are goofy and melodramatic. The actor playing the drowning victim is not good. During his rescue, he is supposed to be unresponsive but you can see his hands moving purposely. Then there is the heavy handed Christian dialogue with the awshucks it's got nothing to do with me being a cop, emt, nurse or doctor IT MUST BE THE LORD crap. I'll do one SPOILER but I'll leave a gap if you want to stop reading..In sum, the film will give you diabetes for it's cloying, saccharine sweet packaging.
The kids BIG revelation is that he now is not a ball hog on the basketball team and passes the ball.
The Witcher: Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials (2019)
Disappointing
I have not read the books and was disappointed by the one game I played. I just finished the first season of the Netflix series and was bored by most of it. As I have background in film/tv, love fantasy fiction and gaming, I pushed myself to finish it. As a profession, learning about Witchers is not the problem. Explaining why they are shunned was an issue in the first few episodes but the whole political picture was murky as hell. You also barely had any idea who the kingdoms were or where they were in relation to the characters, the forest Cirri takes refuge in for a short time, the role elves play in this world, etc. It's not like a series like Game of Thrones where the politics were firmly established even though it was material a little too dense for the erm....dense. The "law of surprise" (WTF is that? ) introduced in the 4th episode made no sense. Then it sort of comes together with the adventures of the bard and the witcher but that doesn't last and isn't very good either. The dreaded Nifgardians (sp?) are not really developed as antagonists which always upsets the balance. Queen Calnathe seems to be a major ahole. It's all so muddled. I thought The Legend of the Seeker tv series was similar in scope and execution but was much better done even though Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth books began to bore me personally but I still read about a dozen of them. As with some tv series, they need some time to find their footing and The Witcher sort of finds it towards the end but it's still weak IMO.
Midway (2019)
Over The Top 'MERICA/UselessCameos/Ed Skrein has a horrible accent
The title of this review about does it. GUNG HO mindlesslessness. Dennis Quad's character arc as Halsey is that he gets the shingles. Harrelson as Nimitz learns to trust his intel officers. and Ed Skrein hits the screen in a ridiculous rendition of a NY(?) accent that softens somewhat as his lines become fewer and fewer. It's basically a live action cartoon rather than a detailed accounting.
For the people who are going to scream that I'm unpatriotic or know nothing about film making; I worked in film and television for 20 years, my uncle was B-17 pilot in Europe (later becoming a General in the Air Force Reserves), a cousin who served with the marines in the Pacific, my father was an F-86 pilot during Korea and a US Ambassador, we have a West Point grad in the family, a Navy Captain and many friends who served and still do. So yes, Veterans Day means a lot.
Be well all.
Stranger Things: Chapter One: Suzie, Do You Copy? (2019)
One specific gripe
What an ABSOLUTE MISTAKE it was to attempt an homage to the Phoebe Cates scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Even straight women admit that's iconic. Poorly rehashing it with a twerp sporting a pencil thin, pubescent mustache and a wig that defies even 1984 reason does not cut it. This definitely should have ended up on the cutting room floor. Worse than amateurish and chewed the scenery like nothing I've ever seen. I can't believe they conceived it, shot it, edited it and STILL thought it was a good idea for release.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Part 33 (2019)
An unsourced psychotic break for 3 of the main characters.
Rollins, Benson and Carisi have lost their minds and should all be relieved of duty in real life. In a series that should distinguish itself as a police procedural drama, this episode descends into knee jerk melodrama.
In the scenes where Rollins talks about her childhood, Liv talks about the terror of her own rape/torture and Carisi talks about his haunting domestic violence call from his past; the issue is that NONE of that should have any bearing on the present case. All of this is THEIR personal PTSD issues being projected. They are all compromised as investigators. In this case, all three with a bias against men. Other men. Not Tommy.
Tommy was a jerk* (I used a different word but IMDb filters flagged it), Tommy did not lock up his gun. Trying but not criminal. If you are adverse to jerks* or gun owners who do not lock up their guns, you probably shouldn't date them, let alone marry them. If this manifests after marriage, you separate and then divorce, you seek out the help of family, friends and authorities if necessary. This is true for both men and women.
It's natural to want to help people who claimed to be abused, especially if you have been abused or witnessed abuse firsthand yourself. BUT you listen to both sides, you look at evidence, you talk to others point of views, you ask questions to clarify/test the accounts, etc BEFORE you start drawing conclusions. You have to understand the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning. I'm sure this is often unpleasant but anything else is lazy, incompetent and half-done* at best. This episode just stirs melodrama and injects "what about-isms" which are unrelated.
I'd say the writing of this episode is lazy, incompetent and half-done* at best, legitimizing dysfunctional behavior in adult relationships. It's neither entertaining or informative but detrimental as an exploration of a social ill.
Chicago Med: Ghosts in the Attic (2019)
What is going on?
This season has pushed the limits with melodrama and this episode is especially awful with doctors AND nurses unprofessional conduct. Yes, I know it's a TV show but ffs, make an effort.