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Thecritic8282
Reviews
Gravesend (2020)
Laughable. Awful Writing.
I see the posters for this show all around Staten Island. These guys are a laughing stock - an embarrassment to the Italians. It's people like this that give all Italians a bad name. Ones who believe they are celebrities, but naturally, only in their minds. They are uneducated, narcissistic nincompoops who would rather keep pretending that they are actors rather than taking the time to invest in any sort of creative education.
This show is unwatchable. It should've been canceled after the first season, along with the rest of the cast, from ever acting again.
Willie DeMeo would be better off writing a letter of condolence to his audience, than another screen or teleplay. To call this guy an artist is an insult to real artists who actually know what they're doing. Total poser.
This is what you get when a bunch of guys with little education get in a room and BS an investor into putting any sort of money into awful writing like this. Give it to the poor next time fellas - it'll be put to better use!
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
Empty Drivel
Why the positive reviews? Well, it seems like it's rigged in favor of anyone who happens to be of the fairer sex, can hold a camera in their hands and yell "action."
C'mon everyone, are we serious? The protagonist turns into The Incredible Hulk after 2 hours of grotesque violence, graphic sex with no heart, and vapid dialogue, that would make even Mr. Rogers cringe.
What has happened to film over the past three years? Politics full stop.
I don't usually have such visceral reactions to films this intensely, but Love Lies Bleeding is by far one of the worst I've seen in my entire life. Full stop, it caters to a warped idealogy that tears down the expression of true art. I've seen lifetime movies better than this empty plot.
Now, the "auteur" here is no Kathryn Bigelow. Glass has nothing to say. The dialogue was contrived and profane for no reason. Soapy even. The protagonist was very unlikable. The sex scenes did nothing to entice me to keep watching. Ed Harris' character was cartoonish at best. It was a 2 hour weird for weird sake film that holds no social significance other than to scream "I am an angry female who can kill men, hear me roar! Blue is the Warmest Color (a fabulous film I might add) it was not!
Finally, what stands out as the worst part of this film is that it tries to be daring when in reality we've seen the same empty nonsense in other female driven screenplays: Saltburn, Nomadland etc. Characters with little to no personality. Man-hating female leads. Again, no imagination.
Oppenheimer (2023)
A poor attempt at filmmaking
The main issue I have with this film is that it fails to resonate emotionally. I am non sympathetic to Oppenheimer past his development of the bomb. I think everything else is window dressing and quite frankly, ultimately proved boring. There's nothing at stake - it would've been better had Nolan made this into a documentary.
You know a film is bad when the story is so thin that the director manipulates the canvas to add "texture" to an otherwise mundane story. I think the screenplay is very poorly written as it fails to connect emotionally with its audience. Both attempts result in a poor showing.
Lastly, I think Oppenheimer's love life, though pertinent to his character presentation, leaves little to be desired and alienates us with gratuitous sex for sex sake.
Nolan missed the mark and Oppenheimer is unworthy of a Best Picture nomination, let alone, Academy Award.
Another Year Together (2023)
Heartwarming second feature from a real talent
Filmmaker Dan Simon touches hearts with his award winning feature, Another Year Together. With an ensemble cast including Alexandra Turshen, the film follows three New York City couples from different generations within the same family. Funny, poignant and inspiring, this holiday movie is a true gem.
What stood out most was the cinematography, directing and chemistry between the actors. It's a film that is essentially a love letter to an innocent time when New Yorkers felt a little less cynical about life and the chaos that surrounds them. The holidays always inspire sentimental feelings to emerge and this feature asks you to remember to hold the ones you love just a little bit closer.
The Whale (2022)
Poorly done
I don't understand the positive reviews. The writing in this film is cliched. I find it annoying at the least that Hollywood rewards mediocrity simply because the topic is interesting/somewhat salacious. That isnt enough. I'm surprised at Aronofsy's choice to direct this film given his excellent body of work prior. He didn't pick up on the lackluster script? Surprising to say the least. One of the glaring problems in this screenplay is that it doesn't translate well from the stage. There's no revelations here either. I would venture to guess the stageplay is equally bad. We learn absolutely nothing about his (Fraser's character's) horrible existence other than he's miserable. I find it lazy on the part of the writer and producers who think this is a meaningful work. Lastly, Brendan Fraser overacted. He is a superb actor working with bad material. And was poorly directed which added to a lackluster performance. Not worthy of any accolades.
Lonely Boys (2016)
LOW BUDGET GOLD
The great parts about this film are too many to name, however it is a heartfelt romantic comedy that explores love and contemplation in the Big Apple. I highly recommend you give this little gem a shot!
Besides the great acting, the directing is superb. Dan Simon's debut film speaks to his New York sensibilities and desire to invoke a sense of longing for love in a city that seems all too devoid of it at times.
Shot with great care, the cinematography is clear and the sound concise. It is rare to see a film with such a low budget made to this high a quality.
Dan Simon is a filmmaker the world needs.
Elvis (2022)
Garbage Director Alert
How do they let this LSD-esque movie get made? Moulin Rouge - Disaster. Great Gatsby - Disaster. These films, if you want to call them that, can be used to induce omissions from terrorists at Guantanemo - thats how visually tortoruos they are.
Luhrman shouldnt be allowed to direct traffic. He overuses camera movement with no purpose. His costume people made Tom Hanks look like a bloated ice cream man character from ME. A 5 year old's birthday party. The cinematography is awful - dreadful color saturation, cartoonish lighting etc.
I think the Hollywood woke establishment oughta quit selling cheapened, bloated, uninspiring crap to people when we are expected to pay top dollar at the theater. It's insulting beyond belief.
1917 (2019)
Masterpiece
Sam Mendes is a genius. He is a master of nuance and pacing. This film grips you 5 minutes in and doesn't disappoint. A war epic for the ages! Why on earth didn't this film get nominated for best editing from the Academy?
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
What is happening to the movie business?
Top Gun Maverick had so much potential, but I came home with a pounding headache from all the terrible cliches, sappiness, thin plot, and annoying melodrama. If anyone in the movie business cares anymore, please stop making crap and charging $20 a ticket for it. The only good parts were the actual action. But when the mission suceeded in the third act, it just fell into trite formula. And where was a new musical score? And why bring back the 1980's music in 2022? Didnt they budget for this issue? I digresss.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Another pretentious movie from PT
It pains me to say this, as I love to exercise belief in and exude positivity when it applies to auteur filmmakers, but this film was a disaster from Act 1 onward.
The problem is the writing. Not the disjointedness, the attempt at surrealism, acting, soundtrack or cinematography. This is an experimental film at best and it fails miserably. It's not whimsical, thoughtful, endearing or smart. It's a poor attempt at storytelling. Period.
Worse, The Academy nominated this for Best Original Screenplay. Why???? On what grounds? Political? Name recognition? What? You mean to tell me this rises to the same level of art as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? American Beauty? Network? The Social Network? All oscar winners. No this film was not even close.
I'm tired of this industry's wokeness. I'm tired of the pandering to artists simply because they're known and well-liked. Or who give to political organizations that are respected by the majority of the industry. This sort of nonesense has to stop. A crap movie, by a pretentious director who is so out of ideas and talent, yet thinks he can continue to fool and get passes from the public simply because he occassionally breaks the mold. Sorry. Not a fan anymore. Strike 1. Inherent Vice - Strike 2. Phantom Thread and this Licorice Pizza mess was the last straw.
Don't Look Up (2021)
Masterpiece
This is clearly a landmark film. DiCaprio is genius, as is Lawrence, and the satirical writing is superb. Great commentary about a self indulgent society facing certain demise. Bravo!!!!
Chronicle of a Serial Killer (2020)
Joke
Straight to the trash. Terrible directing and acting.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Rubbish
There was no storyline therefore it was extremely boring to watch. Not to mention, the sock scene was totally pointless.
The King of Staten Island (2020)
Ignorance Defined
Here's the problem with this film. The writing. It's absolutely horrendous. The fact that studios are funding this garbage based on name recognition alone suggests that the film industry in America has become nothing more than a third arm for social media.
I Care a Lot (2020)
Enjoyable Crap
Implausible - Not funny - Juvenile plot structure. How does this movie get made???
Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
Unintelligible and Meandering
Utter rubbish. Tired of people getting recognition for terrible acting and poor story construct.
First Reformed (2017)
Awful
Schraeder misses his mark. The film has too much of an agenda. A priest radicalized is a decent premise but this film is very contrived. It ended up being a metaphor for sexual frustration.
Entourage (2015)
Self-indulgent Dicks
Entourage the series had a great storyline, however this movie was a poor attempt at resurrecting the past success of the show. The director couldn't direct, the jokes fell flat and it was a complete waste of time.
Yesterday (2019)
Hogwash
Sappy, idealistic none sense that doesn't hold up for two hours. It's not even an interesting concept and shouldn't have been made.
The Irishman (2019)
C'mon! One trick pony!
Sorry to say this but between the lackluster screenplay, self-indulgent directing, stereotypical mob acting, and an all too familiar plot, this film lacked ingenuity and excitement. Netflix should stop financing lousy movies!
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
WTF
What happened to Story? This film is self indulgent, retrospective rubbish. It rambles on and on and on without a clear understanding of ANYTHING other than that it takes place in Hollywood. Really????
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
STOP the hype NOW!!!!!
Words that come to mind after watching this film include: Contrived, boorish, superficial, overacted, and a complete waste of the material. The public deserves better than to watch a two hour retrospective about the lives of people who were unwilling to share the real truth about themselves. In short, this film was an insult to the audience.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
STOP the hype NOW!!!!!
Words that come to mind after watching this film include: Contrived, boorish, superficial, overacted, and a complete waste of the material. The public deserves better than to watch a two hour retrospective about the lives of people who were unwilling to share the real truth about themselves. In short, this film was an insult to the audience.