Change Your Image
pajeme1956-1
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
What/If (2019)
Just a big mess
The phrase "hot mess" can't be applied here. It's not even lukewarm. Renee Zellweger is about the best thing in the show - but even after a few episodes, you realize her character is one dimensional, and there's only so much even she can do with a badly written character. So after you reach that point where the best thing in the show is no longer watchable, there is no point in going forward.
Green Book (2018)
About as good as movies get
It held my interest. It was well acted. Perfectly cast. A good story. Well directed. I don't get the criticism that has been flung at this movie.
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Not one hummable song - and not much to hold your interest
The original had songs that we sang over and over. The music in this poor, pale thing doesn't even rate - it's like elevator music. What happened to songwriting talent in Hollywood? The answer is "It's dead." - at least in this movie, it is.
I'm so glad I didn't pay money to see this in a theater. No matter how hard Disney tried to protect the original, they failed miserably. In theory, this should have worked, but the music was all wrong - it was slow moving, and it was way too long. I don't know if it was the script, the editing, the direction, or a combination of all three - but this movie just lay like a dead skunk in the road. Sad -- all that collective talent and this is what they came up with?
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
Kind of unremarkable - but in a way I liked it
The story was certainly not the usual stuff movies are made of. I liked the story, and it was full of quirky characters. But something was off -- it was a combination of things that were not in sync: the acting was too low key or monotone, the editing, directing, and script were all unremarkable. It's not a terrible movie, and I kind of liked it. But in the right hands, it could have been better. I truly don't get the Academy Award nominations for the acting.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Totally entertaining
It may not be historically accurate - no film is. What this is, however, is entertaining. Compare this to A Star Is Born - and there is no comparison. Rhapsody entertains - A Star Is Born does not.
A Star Is Born (2018)
Would not recommend this to anyone
It is a muddled, mediocre, hot mess. I find it hard to believe it was nominated for so many awards, and find it incredulous that it has won any awards!! I had read where this version was not like any of the previous versions -- but guess what folks - that's a lie. This is the same rehashed story as the other remakes. And this story it isn't all that interesting to anyone outside of the entertainment industry.
My biggest complaint is the editing - this could have been tightened up a lot and perhaps someone could have written some interesting scenes.
As far as acting -- Gaga did a credible job. Certainly better than Bradley Cooper.
The music is atonal, melancholy and without imagination. All the songs are like listening to someone whine in a monotone.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Why do people think this is a love story?? It's absurdly off the mark.
The passage of time has not helped this movie. It's a horrible script that is held together with some decent acting. But my God - this is a hot mess of a movie. If this was filmed in an adult bookstore, it would make more sense -- but why are we trying to pretend this is a love story? They aren't making love -- they having a quick shag and one of them doesn't want to be around the other afterwards. I hear straight women carrying on about how this is wonderful love story and so romantic. It makes me wonder what their marriages must be like.
The Favourite (2018)
A constipated movie
It should have been an interesting movie in theory -- but this was terribly mishandled. I mean, how many times can you show people striding down a long dark hallway from one bedroom to another and expect the audience to be interested. So much repetition, so slow moving. The acting was good - oftentimes excellent - but the script was a mess, the direction was haphazard and it was historically a train wreck.
Dangerous Liaisons (1988) was a similar type of movie - and is a great example of how to do a drawing room comedy/drama. The Favourite is a good example of what not to do with this genre.
Book Club (2018)
Mediocre, at best.
Such a waste of everything. All those actors with all those awards - and this is what they came up with? So out of touch with the real world and how older women in the real world behave and talk and look, etc., etc., etc.
Allied (2016)
It missed the mark - could have been better
Was there ever a doubt as to how this film would end? Not at all. Pitt and Cottillard are easy on the eyes, but so wooden. Particularly Pitt. I never thought he was a true "actor" - more of a awesome male specimen -- and this film did nothing to change my opinion of him. Nice to look at, but no range in his acting ability. She on the other hand is a good actress, but I think the direction and the script boxed her in this time.
The CGI wasn't necessary for what is essentially a drawing room drama and they were terribly noticeable and distracting. The costumes were incredible -- but almost over the top for two people in their stations in life. It's hard to conceive to a military man being able to afford such suits and topcoats in war-torn London. And his wife would have similarly had to be frugal in her clothes by necessity. But not in Hollywood -- money is no object when it comes to dressing these two.
I'd rather watch Casablanca again.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)
3/4 of the movie stinks -then Cher comes and saves the move and finally Meryl appears
Horrible script, bland directing. There was no reason that the Meryl/Donna character could not have been in this movie. Killing her off ruined an opportunity for her and Cher to have some scenes together throughout the movie, instead of artificially sticking them in at the end. A huge waste of talent.
The Greatest Showman (2017)
Truly entertaining
Damn the critics! This is good, solid entertainment. It held my interest and I was caught up in the singing and dancing. I liked it a lot better that most of the other movies I've seen this year.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Call Me When It's Over
Classic example of what can go wrong with a good story and good acting when in the hands of the wrong editor and director. Good editing could have improved this movie a lot. There was zero chemistry between the two leads. I didn't for a moment believe that either of them were obsessed with the other. There was too many redundant shots of bicycle riding to nowhere, and "let's go swimming" scenes that really added nothing to the story. However, all of the scenes were beautifully filmed.
I put this in a category with "Ryan's Daughter." It's overwrought, over worked, and in 20 years, nobody will remember this film.
Lady Bird (2017)
In 20 years nobody will remember this movie
It was an OK movie. The acting was solid, but the pacing was so slow. I felt like the whole movie was a series of unconnected vignettes created for the purpose of showing that that writer had a couple of minutes of good dialogue. But when strung together, these scenes (or vignettes) didn't really deliver much of a story. Glad I saw it on Netflix and didn't spend $14 bucks in the theater on this.
Dunkirk (2017)
A hot mess
I hated this movie. It did a horrible job of telling an important period in history. the script was amateurish. However, the biggest problem was the editing. I can't believe this is on any "best" movie of the year list.
Fences (2016)
Some good acting, but not a good movie
Viola Davis and Mykelti Williamson were very good - but the pacing of the film was so slow and cramped. There are films out there with great acting - but the movie itself isn't good. This is one of them. Not every stage play should be put on film. What's good on stage doesn't always translate to the screen.
Unbroken (2014)
Nothing to rave about.
There is nothing original about this movie. It merely takes scenes from other movies to extremes. I saw bits and pieces of Bridge Over the River Kwai, Cast Away and of course American Graffiti -- the standard way to end a so-so movie in Hollywood is to have a 1 minute summary of their characters lives. It might have been unique and satisfying at one time -- but it's not in this case.
Standing on its own as a movie - apart from the book -- it is an OK movie but nothing great. But if you compare the movie with the book, it sadly missed the mark. The book is inspirational -- and the most fascinating part of the book was the post-war years. Instead, the movies focuses (perhaps over-focuses) on the WW II aspects of the book. Perhaps Ms. Jolie-Pitt will decide to make a sequel that really gets to the meat of the story.
In the meantime -- save your money -- this is truly a rental.
Man of Steel (2013)
Like watching a bad video game for 2 hours
Absolutely hated this. Some parts of the story line were pretty good, but the special effects and battle scenes were incredibly amateurish and over done. Years ago, I had a game called Rock 'em, Sock 'em Robots. This movie reminded me of that game. On and on, and just when you think it's over, there's more of the same. Just badly done special effects, trying to paper over the lack of any real substance. Especially bad is the tornado scene. In 1939, they depicted a tornado better in the Wizard of Oz than they did in this movie. As for the acting -- this movie doesn't require great acting. I thought everyone handled their parts fairly well. And Henry Cavill did a reasonably good job. He certainly has the looks. But, I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone.
Safe Haven (2013)
God awful Hallmark Movie pablum
Lasse Halstrom much have been desperate for money to grind this piece of garbage out. What a waste of 1 hour and 55 minutes of my life. Wooden acting, predictable story, cardboard characters. There is nothing redeeming about this movie. Wait. I stand corrected. Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough are easy on the eyes. He's a slightly better actor than she is. And she can't act at all. I predict that this will the bridge for Josh Duhamel to finally break into the big times -- on either the Hallmark Channel or Lifetime Movies. And Julianne Hough should resolve to go back to Dancing With The Stars. I can't figure out what purpose of making such a mediocre movie. This is the best they could come up with??
The Boys Are Back (2009)
It's Hallmark Movie Channel meets Lifetime Movie Channel
It's just so uninteresting. While watching the movie, all I could think of was "Poor Clive Owen. Stuck in this awful mess." He was supposed to be this tyrant of a father, yet I never saw any proof of this. The only way you would know he was mean was because other character kept telling him so. I felt like the scenes where he was so mean and nasty were left on the cutting room floor, and we were left with a sanitized version. I felt like I had seen this movie on Lifetime or Hallmark Hall of Fame. Or perhaps they blended the two together and came up with this. Commercials would have made a huge improvement.
It was choppy and uneven in most places, and yet, occasionally there would be a wonderful scene that was stuck in now and then. The movie did have some beautiful scenery and cinematography of Australia.
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Mind numbing in its stupidity
There is no reason for this entire movie. Other than the acting, which was good, this movie is a total waste. The story has too many flaws and holes in it. 3:10 to Yuma is every bit as uninteresting as The Assassination of Jesse James. It's overwrought, loaded down with the same thing over and over -- long periods of tough talk, followed by shooting their way out of an impossible situation. Then more chatter followed by another implausible escape from death. It has all the cartoonishness of an Indiana Jones movie. If they had just shot Russell Crowe when he first gets arrested, the director could have called it a day and saved us all 2 hours.
The Departed (2006)
Departed is example of what's wrong with movies
Bad, bad, bad. All that big named talent and they were terrible -- sleepwalking through a horrible script that was never ending in its repetitiveness. Poorly directed -- it was like a junior college student's idea for a movie. It needed to be 30 minutes shorter.
Hasn't this movie been done before -- and done better? This is clearly a movie that was done by committee -- and not a committee of people who love movies.
I still maintain we will never see Matt Damon in a love scene with a woman. Reason: he's not a good enough actor to play a heterosexual leading man. It would be too much of a stretch for him.
I want my money back.