jedp2 Reviews

A Quiet Place (2018)

Simplicity is more frightening than gore

[9/10 · 15 June 2018]

Slashed throats . . . Why in hell are you going to open that door when 5 other buddies died in the past 5 minutes? . . . It's the formula we're used to seeing over and over . . .

Now the producers take under 15 million dollars, film in virtually 3 or four locations, have about 3-5 minutes of actual dialog for feature length film(!), all based on a simple concept, sound . . . what are some of you people whining about? Less is more in my book! I've seen all the usual techniques of horror and I'm sure I'll see even more in my day but the abject stress this film creates in almost every moment as a simple family tries survive is brilliant in its simplicity . . . in a virtual silence!

At first, the sign language thing was annoying, subtitling the signs. Until you find out why. And your most base human fear as a parent is the safety of your kids. One innocent mistake . . . just a simple playful sound . . . one of the most distressing scenes I've ever seen in a movie! That, folks, is the ultimate horror . . . and it doesn't get any easier for the next hour or so.

(To those who had a timing problem) Yes, the time span indicated by "Day XXX" up into the 400's may cause some review bites. It basically would have worked just as well in a week time span by starting off "with child" instead of a year+ period. But that's just nitpicking. "Day 437" (or whatever) didn't even register as a problem until reading other reviews. You want logic? Watch a movie about Aristotle, Socrates or Plato. Ever heard of willful suspension of disbelief?" That's what movies are made for!

We're never told why or how this scenario occurred but who really cares? We know how the "Walking Dead" came about. Everyone's infected but they don't "turn" until death. Why? Who really cares? (No undead in this one, though! Just real human beings in a silent predicament.) Enjoy the tension for a couple of hours. Put yourself in their place. How would you handle it? Very quietly I hope . . .

Finally, Kleenex. No more elaboration. And if you don't think the last 30 seconds or so won't make you fist pump a couple of times . . . well, Freddie Kreuger is probably the ghoul of your dreams . . .

The Blacklist (2013–2023)

If it's your thing!

[9/10 · 3 May 2018]

From the first episode (spoiler?) when Red (Raymond Reddington played by James Spader) kneels down on the FBI Headquarters Logo in their lobby to give himself up, it's been a rollercoaster! There are so many sub-tensions in the story lines, it would be impossible to cover. You never know quite what to believe: "Who's your daddy?" You're never quite sure for quite a few seasons

Sometimes "John Doe No. 127" (Title of episode and the position on the Blacklist) has nothing much to do with the central story. But a few are integral. Many are just fillers, I believe. But each week listening to Red's recollection of a past jaunt in Timbuktu savoring vodka-pickled dates with a glass of Beaujelais under a harvest moon is priceless! (Spader and JFK Jr. were close friends he recollected once on a talk show so his upper classed attitudes come from real life!) But his story on the show is even more enthralling as it progresses.

Good watch especially if you're planning on catching up from the beginning. And I'm still waiting for the important answers. That's what keeps me watching every week!

Maya & Marty (2016)

I click for Glick!

[8/10 · 21 June 2016]

Love AGT and now the following Maya and Marty. Not a blockbuster but a mildly funny respite from the crazy world. The clear winning segment of the show is the totally obnoxious Jiminy Glick lightly scripted impromptu back and forth with that week's guest and watching them try to hold it together with the genius of Short's arguably finest characterization.

All in all, I would have to agree the script writers fall just a little short but the state of TV with wall-to-wall reality shows and the like, M&M fills a niche when glitz and glamour or the overdone sitcom hammers the audience incessantly. Two likable artists applying their craft once a week, nice formula. If you prefer "Wives of . . ." and scripted reality, have at it.

Burn After Reading (2008)

Nice semi-intelligent farce

[8/10 · 4 July 2009]

A refreshing, dark comedy (in a funny sense) with intricate twists and turns. No "cliche" easy one-liners here but a well-acted character study with range and comedic depth unlike anything you're used to seeing from Hollywood these days. Malkovich is pretty much the only character that shows resemblance to former roles but his intensity and absurd situation keep with an edge needed to keep the action interesting. Pitt like you've never seen him before. Clooney with a swagger but very vulnerable underneath it all. No "Oceans XX" for either of them. But in a cleverly written comedy of circumstance reminiscent of a Moliere romp, the film is a "grotesque" tapestry of good writing, interesting relationships, foibles galore with a little bit of 21st Century Tarantino poignancy thrown in for good measure.

Léon: The Professional (1994)

Deeper than the descriptions

[9/10 · 10 December 2008]

This movie has so many levels to it any description doesn't do it justice. The juxtapositions of what assassins should be concerned with, what little girls should be protected from, what evil men do to create chaos in this world, . . . Too many well-thought out interactions between characters to do the film justice with descriptive words. If you do not experience vile anger, compassion for killers, heart-felt paternal wishes to whisk this child from adult evil or the need to cheer ruthless revenge without guilt, then you are simply not human. The depth and presentation of these characters by excellent, superb acting is only overshadowed by the writing of this masterpiece.

Juno (2007)

Sometimes it ain't all it's cracked up to be . . .

[9/10 · 11 April 2008]

I hate all the hype and build up for "monster" movies with all the trailers and promos and by the time I see the product of the babbling, it's too often a let down. And "Juno" was not a "monster" in respect to the scope of Hollywood standards because it was an indie. It wasn't made to dazzle but to tell a story, maybe moralize a little sometimes asking rhetorical questions and finally preaching to us subtlety that both good and bad decisions don't necessarily resolve into the exact dreams or nightmares we expect. Kind of like real-life.

"Juno", fortunately, was not one of those over-hyped let downs by my own standards and I was impressed by the delicate balance of scripting and excellent presentation by all the actors especially Ellen Page. I had previously run across her in "Hard Candy" which is equally as compelling for this young actress as she commands your attention with her delivery and expression and in this vehicle, she is no less engaging with the skill of a seasoned veteran in a role.

It's a story about a teen but is far superior to any teen movie I've ever viewed. I recall "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" from years ago with the very serious undercarriage of moral dilemmas mixed with humor and reality. "Juno" took a good "teen" movie the step further with a slightly more complex tact but just as entertaining.

Cashback (2006)

Sometimes the loveliest gems go undiscovered . . .

[9/10 · 23 March 2008]

Stumbling across gems is my favorite form of movie-watching. Sure, we can watch the box office receipts rise and fall but every now and then when you don't follow the trends and venture into non-box office hits, you stumble across well-intentioned films like Cash Back. It's a fine balance of the "American Pie" league of films--without the excessive guffaw material--and a lyrical fantasy of a talented artist making his way through twentydom after losing his first love. The fine texture of this film in between the respectable "juvenile humor" drawing it all together into a quite entertaining film is a welcomed experience in this climate of "anything that titillates makes money" film-making. The "American Pie" Franchise is very entertaining on a different level. But "Cash Back" is a symphony of humor intertwined with a better degree of redemption.

I avoided wasting my time watching this film because of the trailer which portrayed a teen comedy aura which I have to be in the mood for. But I was pleasantly surprised by the poetic license applied to this tale (I will not reveal the repeated mechanism used throughout the film) but it adequately gave dignity and a lyrical examination of one man's struggle with the most elusive emotion known to Mankind.

If you're into fast-paced drama or "a joke a minute" belly laughs, this film is not for you. It has a distinct heart, just enough "belly laughs," and a pathos that will draw you in. It's not so much a "teen film" as it is a fine character study well done and meaningful that affords a few moments of tension-relieving humor to take the edge off.

The Mist (2007)

Directorial Triumph

[8/10 · 9 March 2008]

Since I first viewed "Carrie" on the big screen, I became an instant fan of Stephen King and his work because of the detail to his characters. I relentlessly pored over "Salem's Lot" then "The Shining" and appreciated the intensity of "Cujo" as a diversion from the Man vs. Spirit to the Man vs. Nature, or the specific animal in that instance. Of course the Man vs. Machine was melded against an unknown spirit in "Christine" and "Maximum Overdrive." But one thing I've noticed in quite a few of King's works is the tendency to sputter on the ending especially on his longer works like "The Stand" which I started one Sunday night long ago and called in sick that Monday to finish the 1,000+ page novel I was so engrossed in I couldn't put it down.

Noticing an earlier review, I was alerted that the director of "The Mist" and "The Green Mile" were one in the same, "Mile" being in my top ten all-time movie favorites and now I will always look to see if this director is interpreting another King work for the screen. I'll still watch it if he doesn't, but I will make time for his movie because he is a great complement to Mr. King's end game dilemma of sorts. Better than the first iteration of "The Mist" but not by much. The ending--although different from almost any other King or non-King movie I've ever seen--sealed the deal for me: heroes are not always infallible even when they have best interests at heart . . . just like in real life.

The Final Cut (2004)

Latecomer Evaluation

[7/10 · 27 January 2008]

I don't completely understand the negative reviews of this film because I thought films (except for documentaries) legitimately use the "willfull suspension of disbelief" to accomplish their goals of entertainment. Granted, not everything in this film makes perfect logical sense and could have been written just a little better (or maybe suffers the fate of all literature to film shortcomings) but I absorbed the film as a morality/ethics dilemma rather than a logical tale of facts and relationships. I do concede the ending left me a little wanting for resolution.

Good questions were touched upon in a less than preachy head slap because of the low key acting presentations. And Williams has always held my attention in any of his work to date. This one is worth watching if you're not a detail critic, though it's not as badly crafted as some would make it seem.

The Brave One (2007)

Standard Fare with Good Tension

[8/10 · 15 December 2007]

After seeing Foster in "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane," and then in "Taxi Driver", my crush has existed until this day even with the comments of her possible sexuality as if that would make any difference in admiring her work. I've always kind of liked the "tomboyish" woman as opposed to the "dainty, frail" woman and "The Brave One" gives me the best of both worlds in a standard fare vehicle of vigilantism film where you can root and swoon at the same time--if you like the same "tea" I do in movie watching. And I get just as enthralled when watching a more feminine Aniston or such. To each his own for whatever reason and real life doesn't count in movie fantasy.

What counts is great tension throughout a movie even if you suspect you know how it's going to end. But good acting distracts from predictability. Both lead actors nail their performances and, although, a somewhat predictable plot, just how things are resolved between the two characters would probably not happen but this is a movie meant to entertain, draw you in and provide some closure so you can breath a sigh of relief at the end with "justice" done however mangled you consider it. Real life doesn't afford such closure; that's why movies are made. "Suspension of disbelief" and "rooting for the underdog" are what we pay to see and I got my money's worth from Jodi and Terrence plus more.

If you want a mystery, this is not for you. If you're into "innocent until proved guilty in a court of law," watch Greta Sustern or court TV regularly. If you want to "put yourself in her place" and decide how you would handle similar situations (without the ramifications) and you are a fan of Foster's talent, you won't be sorely disappointed. And I do want to see more of Terrence Howard's acting in future projects.

Spanglish (2004)

Intelligent, thoughtful, immersing

[10/10 · 27 January 2007]

I rate movies in my Top 10 by repeat watch-ability. I have seen this one so many times on DVD and HBO and I always stop on it if channel surfing. Soem people can write novels on a single piece of artwork after staring at it for hours and whatever this movies has, its worked that same magic within me. The subtle humor, the range of interesting personality conflicts, the superb acting and, most of all, the technique of bringing things to a brink and then backing off when most other cinematic features think gratuitous nudity, language, et. al., is the paycheck people always want, is refreshing. I like a little nudity but when Flor is standing in the beach breeze and he tells her forcefully to get out of it, I got the message (and the thrill of seeing Paz!) in my imagination while appreciating his wholesome choice to remain true to his vows. She is one the most beautiful women to the eye and in her character and that ideal was preserved while providing one of the most empathetic moments without real sex I've ever seen in a movie before.

Frailty in human characters, well-acted by all, balanced comedy/drama so well-blended a neurosurgeon couldn't separate it and an approach to telling a story that makes you wish you were part of the cast/crew, that's what this has. A unique meld of writing, directing, casting and acting!