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Reviews
Don't Look Up (2021)
Is Science Science Fiction?
As a person who attended a scientific college, this started to look interesting, but when elected officials got involved went south. Acting excellent and better than similar sci-fi film of 30 years ago, the failings of officials is not very humorous these days. Part funny, part scary but worth a Netflix watch.
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
Grest actors can't save improbable plot
Angela plays firefighter with trauma from failing to save 3 victims. The other characters didn't make sense to me but the bad people were really mean. To try to save.the boy who has seen bad things before his own eyes makes for good possibilities on who to trust. Other characters and their issues bounce around too much, but film worth staying to the end, Bil H.
Ride Like a Girl (2019)
Wonderful
As an American visiting Australia I never heard of this film until speaking with an Australian Jockey who said I must see it. Twioof my daughters showed jumpers in the USA and I showed saddle bred horses.
I never realized how much effort and practice necessary and how dangerous racing can be for jockeys. To see a woman defy 150 years of male only cultural barriers and actually enter Australia's premium race seems impossible.
To see how a family with 10 kids and no mum grow and survive is truly uplifting. This is a secret movie which deserves worldwide distribution
Aquarela (2018)
Noisy and not comprehensible
Nature is and always has been more powerful than the plants and animals that inhabit it. This Russian film has some pretty scenes but the backround noise and music are disquieting. Yes global warming is real, and suffering takes place and the face of despair is real. I have no idea what the writers and directors are trying to do.
Don't waste you time with this one.
Us (2019)
Giberish but Scary as Hell
As I loved Jordan Peele's "Get Out" I wondered what his follow up would be like.
Yes it's horror, yes it's scary, yes the actors are good, but the story makes no sense at all. Everyone has a good and bad side in them, but to stylize them into alternate beings for some purpose could have been interesting, but here it is all jumbled up. Yes I can point one finger at a person, and three are pointing back at me, but not everyone has a multi psychotic alter ego. I've been to that park in Santa Cruz in 1999 with my young children, but to make ever going near a fun park or the beach, or to have luxury hobbies and stuff to make them appear shallow is done much better in many other films.
Maybe I too dumb to get it, and not a mental health professional, but this film is nuts, slow and boring, but too scary for any one with kids. They will be scared the rest of their lives.
Sorry Jordan, but try again. I know you have talent, but get a good story next time.
At Eternity's Gate (2018)
High School Editing
Amatuerish Camera, annoying music, more like piano tuning. I pity the actors. William Defoe tried his best. I pity him and the other actors who suffered such a pompous attempt to make a movie. The colors of Van Gogh's work were great. Best to see at the museum in Amsterdam.
Hurricane (2018)
Who Hates Poles?
In 1940 the Polish Ambassador to the USA cut the ribbon on the Pulaski Skyway between Newark and NYC. In 1941 when I was six years old, I met him and his wife a former Follies girl, as was my mother, living in a basement apartment next to the 3rd ave El. I met their 2 sons one of whom was a pilot who flew American warplanes in the Pacific. He sent me pictures of P-51s. Unfortunately he was killed fighting the Japs.
In America Polish people were well regarded, and my best mate in high school was Polish, and ended up being my room mate as a college freshman.
I did not know the 303 story till I watched download of this story. Poorly written but well acted.
Maybe the Brits remembered from history class that Pulaski helped General Washington's troops fight the Brits in the revolutionary war and still considered America a colony, and Poland a throwaway?
Brave Polish service in WW2 needed to be told even if poorly written and directed.
Kin (2018)
Love those future guns
Dennis tries to be a good dad, but his lazy adopted son just scavenges junk to sell to scrap dealers while paying hooky. He discovers a space weapon left over from an old Predator movie and then the fun begins. As a former Nevada politician, Tahoe and Reno are in Washoe county. Ending a surprise, but have to squirm a lot thru too many boring parts. The young boy and Zoe are great, others ordinary.
The Equalizer 2 (2018)
Poor Directing
Denzel and other performers are great, but film jumps about and drags in several places. Great to see parts of Boston but better in travelog and not an action film.
A pseudo car fight and a western style finale can't save it. Save your money and watch on tv for free.
The Con Is On (2018)
Not as bad as some thought
This is not a good movie to see if you have a drug or alcohol problem. Tim Roth is chugging Vodka in too many scenes, and various people pop pills or cut cocaine as their need arises. Gambling and theft is a way of life and many icons are smashed. I laughed out loud a few times.
Some scenes shot at Chateau Marmont where John Belushi snorted his last snort.
Anti Hollywood and Movie star madness of any generation. If you are in the industry, forget it. Has very cute dog who was the real star!
The Only Living Boy in New York (2017)
Charming
I can't understand why so many people rated it so low. The graduate was great when I saw it 50 years ago, and this is fascinating in today's world. As one character says people are different now. But they are not! Overactive desire in the young man and anger that he can not find an outlet and does not know what to do with his life is classic. People are human with the same passions and desires over the ages, and neurosis and alcoholism is nothing new. I was born in NYC and love to see the city and its vibrancy. 3 of my wives were from New York and I understand relationships, so I feasted upon how the story develops. Yes too slow for some and not enough nakedness for others, but real humanity is there. Acting good and New York far more interesting than Philadelphia. Film reviewers be damned. Bill in Singapore