Reviews
Upload (2020)
Too many loose ends...mild *spoilers*
I was pleasantly surprised having not enjoyed GOOD PLACE. There were too many dangling threads left unraveled though: WHO was that man trying to kill
"the angel"? Why did Nathan say, "I did everything you asked me to!" to the man in the elevator? What was that annoying black blemish under Nathan's lip in episodes 9 & 10? Looked like a cold sore but couldn't make up have covered it? WHY did Nathan still crash if Ingrid set the car to make him the "priority"?
So many questions!! Not sure if they'll all be addressed or not in S2.
The Walking Dead: Secrets (2011)
Morning After Pills a Farce
I found this episode to be pretty exciting, overall, with Glenn spilling his two "secrets" and Dale confronting Shane the way he did. Andrea was her usual annoying self but there was some real chemistry between her and Shane! When she reached over and grabbed his stuff and then he stopped the car and said "well come on over here then" that was HOT!! Andrea DOES seem to know what she wants at all times. Very assertive.
Now for the morning-after-pills scenario with Lori. I was ignorant as to how this medicine actually works so I looked it up. Turns out you DO NOT TAKE THESE PILLS ONCE YOU ARE ALREADY PREGNANT!!! Come on writers! Didn't you consult someone about this??? You have to take these pills 1-5 days POST intercourse with no protection!! So if you've had sex and not used a condom, or missed your birth control pill or were sexually assaulted then, and only then will these pills work. NOT once you have confirmed you are pregnant. Very disappointed that the audience will see this and think that this is an "alternative" to a positive test. So not so.
Shades of Blue (2016)
Shades of Bull "winkle"
But even BULLWINKLE is better... I tried, sigh. But after Thursday night's episode where she meets Ray cuz he suspects her and "wants answers" and she strips down to bra and he turns , telling her to get dressed and THEN....the camera pans behind her and LO AND HOLY BEHOLD there is a GIANT wiretap gizmo strapped to her back!!! Say what????? How stupid is that???? Did she WANT to get caught? Why would she allow that FBI guy to do that? All Ray had to do was a) sweep her with a metal detector or b)give her a hug after she's dressed and then he would have felt it or c) have his buddy hiding BEHIND Jennifer where the device would have been seen.
This was just the straw for me. From the first episode where she covered for her partner on a perfectly good shoot to faking the car crash I knew this series was doomed. And it's too bad because Lopez is not a bad actor and Liotto is good. Horrible writing.
The Back-up Plan (2010)
The Real Back Up Plan? Plan to Stay as Far Away as Possible!
I was really looking forward to this movie. My friend, Carlease, is in it and the promos looked funny. I knew I was in trouble, meaning I was NOT going to laugh very much, after the intro scene between the two main characters JLo and Stan. The whole cab thing...excuse me? You have at least 5 other cabs driving around behind them and they couldn't each simply flag another one down? Or at least make a comment about it? I found it rude that she scarfs down all the muffin samples and when the Muffin Lady calls her on her stuff, she DOESN'T even buy one? Just walks away? Rude!
He was dressed too tacky on that first date. She drank wine during dinner! Hellloooo! You may be pregnant and you're drinking? And later on in the movie when the pregnant buddies got together to celebrate with champagne? Huh? What kind of writing is this? Bad. Also bad writing was evidenced by the fact that we never know exactly what the relationship is between him and the Muffin Lady till way into the movie. Wouldn't the Jlo character be at least a LITTLE curious as to the status of this woman given her initial reaction? Wouldn't you ask that on a first date? Unbelievable.
At her grandma's wedding Jlo's character is constantly using the cell phone. Rude. Also rude was dipping all that bread in Stan's stew and then wiping her face with another piece of bread. That was not cute, only gross. Ewww....he should have taken one look and dropped her like a hot potato.
By the end of the movie (which was horribly predictable), I was just sitting there sadly shaking my head. The whole premise was unrealistic that a great looking guy is going to stick around after finding out the woman he's dating is having twins. That aren't his. For what?
I say stay away. Sure Lopez looks beautiful, but that's about it. Oh, wait a minute, the birthing scene was rather chuckle-worthy.
Affinity (2008)
Very, very, very disappointing!
Having just read the book, I was really looking forward to the film adaptation.
What a disappointment. The film felt extremely rushed, with no development of the characters. I did not for one minute believe the "affinity" between Selena and Margaret and so, consequently, felt nothing about the ending. Which did NOT do justice to the book. More time should have been spent showing the relationship between Margaret and her family members, for instance. And more emphasis on Selena's previous life and Peter Quick. And, lastly, more about that awful prison and what the women had to endure.
Read the book if you want "the real deal" and to be suspended in excitement, suspense and terrific writing!
Cadillac Records (2008)
A Must See!
First of all, Darnell Martin is a woman (not a man as one reviewer mistakenly identifies her)and the phenomenal writer/director of this outstanding movie.
I had a very visceral reaction to this movie---from the moment Muddy Water's records in the studio with Little Walter and on to Beyoncé's musical covers of the infamous Etta James. The scenes between her and Adrian Brody were provocative and moving. This is Beyoncé's tour de force! Before this movie, I was unfamiliar with Muddy Waters', Howlin' Wolf's and Little Walter's music and am so grateful to have been educated to the sounds as well as to Chess Records. Sent me straight to Wikipedia, I must say! If you enjoy music, you won't be disappointed.
Trade (2007)
Riveting and Disturbing
I was at the edge of my seat during the whole movie. Would the brother,Jorge, (Cesar Ramos) lose track of his sister? Would Kevin Kline finally believe him and help him? Would the Polish woman exact revenge? Whew! There were also times I had tears in my eyes. To realize that this is something GOING ON RIGHT NOW, FOLKS, UNDER OUR NOSES. And I wouldn't be surprised if it's not happening in our "suburban" neighborhoods. Like the one in the movie.
Things rang pretty true for me until the scene where Kevin Kline looks in the back seat of his car and finds a furry present. How and WHEN did Jorge accomplish this act? He was supposed to be FOLLOWING the kidnapper and Kevin so when did he procure that cute little rascal? That really rang false for me, as much as I LOVED the sentiment and gasped a grateful "ahhh!" It really didn't make sense. Otherwise, great film. And Cesar Ramos is a fantastic young actor. I was impressed that this was his first film.
The Man I Love (1946)
Ida Lupino is a Tour De Force!
My favorite of the movie was the "bitch-slappin'" scene where she is on the staircase knocking some sense into neighbor Johnny's head. What a hoot and what a total surprise! And right in front of her wanna-be gangster boyfriend, Nicky! I cheered and clapped myself silly. Fine film,lots of plot twists and turns. San, the piano player, was a dour disappointment. Too stiff and unemotional for me. Looked a lot like Charleston Heston, too. Ida Lupino's gowns were simply divine and she looked simply fine in them. Great costuming for the whole cast. The neighbor's wife, Gloria, was hilarious with her anti-Mom comments that were decidedly politically incorrect. All in all, great fun.
Lost in Translation (2003)
Lost in Boredom
This is the second Sofia Coppola movie I've wasted time and money on...never again.
Bill Murray was insipid and uninspiring as an actor. Scarlett was beautiful and luminous. The relationship was farfetched. The Tokyo scene and soundtrack was cacophonous. Many people walked out of my theatre. It is a MYSTERY as to why this movie got so many nominations. Stay home and wallpaper your bathroom. I guarantee it will be a much more interesting use of your time.
Bad Santa (2003)
See it for Phyllis Diller if nothing else!
I was surprised to see Phyllis Diller. She was hilarious and never said a word. I liked the movie, laffed my butt off at times, but found it uneven in parts. Perhaps this was due to the re-editing that I understand had to take place in order to avoid an NC-17 rating. For instance (possible spoiler *alert*)what was that Hindu guy upset about? Why was the he messing with Billy Bob out in the parking lot after giving him the evil eye in the bar? Was he accusing him of being gay? After seeing him having sex with the bartender in the car? I didn't get that. I also didn't get Bernie Mac's character eating the oranges and smoking all those cigarettess! Was that supposed to be funny? It was...unusual to be sure. He was pretty understated. I didn't like that ALL of the black characters in the movie were killed off...come on, this is almost 2004, don't the movie producers know better by now? That was a standard joke 10 years ago,(that if there was a black character he or she'd be gone halfway through the movie) but it just keeps getting reinforced. ("Kill Bill" comes to mind...Vivica Fox was taken out within 15 minutes or so)I can't believe it. But, I digress. I thought Billy Bob's girlfriend in AZ looked quite a bit like the woman bartender in the first town where they pulled the scam. I thought it was the same person at first. I didn't *get* the ending, either! Did the cops come to the house BEFORE they went to the department store? I realize a lot of answers may be on the message boards, but I wanted to get my impressions down before I forgot them having just come from the movie. Lastly....is it just me, or is every single movie these days a walking advertisement for cigarettes? In the first 5 minutes, some major character is lighting up. Very disturbing. I believe I noticed in the credits that some major cigarette company had contributed to the film.
All in all, in spite of all of my questions and comments, I'd recommend it if you have a sick sense of humor and don't mind hearing excessive profanity spouted towards and around child actors appearing in the movie.
Irréversible (2002)
Revenge Not Quite So Sweet
I purposely haven't read any of the reviews here just so my thoughts could be clear and untainted about this movie. There was one thing I liked about the movie (the telling from backwards to forward), but mostly I found this movie to be irritating, unbelieveable, maddening and unsatisfying. First, I gotta just get this out of the way, who were those two men at the beginning? Secondly, and here comes a SPOILER folks, Pierre kills the wrong man which is so, so deeply unfulfilling to me as a moviegoer! The rapist was a misanthropic, cruel and despicable human being. For him to continue living just sucks! And the camera work while in the club was so dizzying it made me sick and had me sighing and squirming in my chair willing it to stop! The savage beating of the so-called attacker seemed very fake to me. The same shot, shown over and over again, to give the effect of someone being beat to death. The much touted rape scene was nearly unbearable,however. I didn't realize it was 9 minutes long---it actually seemed longer. It was very "authentic" looking, certainly. But, I couldn't help but wonder: where were the tears of pain, indignation and shame that should have been flowing from Alex's face? Was this simply poor acting? And...no blood, although the rapist stated she was bleeding. If you're gonna shoot a scene so graphically, anyway, why not show some bloody fluids on the ground as he pulls away? Finally, the "ending" (really the beginning) was really a let down. BORING. After thinking about it long and hard, I came away thinking that ultimately this movie was misogynistic, racist and homophobic in its presentation. Alex's brutal attack was NOT avenged and that makes me wonder just what it was the filmmaker was trying to say. Want a good rape revenge movie? Go rent "I Spit on Your Grave."
About Schmidt (2002)
It's About Time!
I absolutely LOVED this movie! I never tired of seeing Jack's tired, worn, heavily lined face in every frame of the movie. The man positively embodies this role. I wasn't bored for one second. All of the performances were good and best of all: not one character lit up a cigarette for the entire movie! Yayyyy! The second best part was his "connection" from afar. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. It's about time we see a Jack Nicholson movie that showcases his true talent...not just the smirks, winks and broad metaphorical guffaws he so often portrays on screen. Go see this movie. You won't be disappointed.
Ruby's Bucket of Blood (2001)
You Need a Mop for this One
First of all, what's up with the title of the bar? Where did that come from? Secondly, what was up with that husband? He seemed downright hostile towards her and for what reason? She cooked for him, looked good for him and was a hard worker. What was his problem? I kept waiting for some answers and none came. And that ending! Please! Just where did she think she could go and not get found? What a terrible example for her daughter. The introduction of the gay theme was interesting, but it went NOWHERE. Still...I loved watching Angela Bassett, one of my favorite actresses.
Karakter (1997)
So Glad I Stayed Up To Watch It!
I was flipping through the digital cable guide and saw that this was coming on in 5 minutes. I had read and remembered a review from years ago. I said, "hmmm....I'll check it out for a few minutes. See if it grabs me." An hour later I was enthralled, but terribly sleepy! I popped in a tape and finished watching the movie the next night. Wow. What acting. That guy with the underbite turned out to be so sweet and caring. The woman at his office.....her acting was evocative. She was in love with him! And he with her! So who was the guy at the beach? Why didn't she explain earlier? (I think it was her brother...)
Rent this or even buy it. It's a keeper. There's another good Dutch film about a boy and his father who look for work on a farm. The name escapes me, but it, too, was excellent.
Slow Burn (2000)
Get Me Some Ice So I Can Cool Down
WARNING: SPOILERS WITHIN
Based on some of these recommendations, I rented this movie over the weekend. I kept waiting for the "payoff." I kept waiting for Minnie Driver's Trina to get sun blistered like her cohorts. Why was her so complexion so creamy after growing up in the desert? This was so, so faulty and unbelievable. You never saw her with sunscreen (not that it would help in that desert sun!) Anyway, I thought she was a terrible actor. Was she trying to be seductive during the bellows scene when they were trying to solder the car part? She had the same deadpan expression on her face! And now I learn that Josh Brolin is her real life paramour??? My main frustration, however, are the loose ends. Just what happened the night her mother was supposed to run off with Marcus? Did Trina really shoot her mother? Didn't we see an earlier flashback where the mother shot Marcus after telling him neither she nor Trina was leaving with her? And what's up with the rocks-diamonds-switch? Who made the switch? Duster or Marcus? When? And, finally, just where the hell did Marcus put the diamonds? Did he swallow them? Or were they scattered over the desert? Oh, one more thing: why didn't she just keep SOME of the diamonds in her pockets? I was actually yelling at the screen and that doesn't happen very often. As for Duster's little "leave it all in the past" speech, I kept asking just what would her plan be if she did leave the desert? She has no id, has never been to school, has very few skills, no references, no money. How would she survive? Do not, I repeat, do not waste your time on this movie. Look for GREED, as I plan to do.
À ma soeur! (2001)
Much "adieu" about Nothing
Tres dreary, n'ece pas? (Pardon my french...) Anyway, kept waiting for the "unsparing," "bold," "unique," "hard to watch" features of the film I had read about in the reviews and was sorely disappointed! At times it was interminably slow-paced. I did think Anais favored Greta Garbo in the eyes, however. The ending was truly a puzzle and very unclear. I felt like I had just wasted an hour and a half of my precious time. And it was so beautiful outside...I could have been taking a walk, shopping, sipping on a milkshake, munching on a cookie...you get the idea. Anything but trying to decipher the meaning of this movie.
The Center of the World (2001)
Sexy Movie, but Unattractive Characters...and What's Up With the Ending?
I did not like this movie. Primarily because of all the hideous closeups that the director chose to impose upon the audience. I do not care to see zits, freckles, pores and eyeballs up close. It did not seem to add to any of the scenes. It was merely distracting. I found Florence to be only mildly attractive and a terrible dancer to be a stripper. Music was terrible, too. And yet....there was something very provocative, erotic and sexy about the film. For all of the nudity, we still did not see his penis. Why not? I thought the introduction of the new character was interesting, but it went nowhere. ========= *SPOILER*========================TO FOLLOW===> Someone please email me and tell me about the ending. I thought they had split up? Was that his imagination or did he actually go back to the strip joint and buy a lap dance from Florence? The reason I am puzzled is because she seems to be wearing the same toenail polish and outfit and saying the same words. Still, it would have been kind of neat for it to end that way.
====================End of Spoiler=========================> By the way, that guy is the creep that was in "Boys Don't Cry."