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Most Over Rated Films
Films I can to watch over and over
Reviews
We Were the Lucky Ones (2024)
Brilliant but shocking tale of a family's will to survive evil
In 1938, the Kurc family gather for Passover at the family home in the Polish city of Radom. They are a normal happy family despite the anti-Semitism that exists in the country.
When war breaks out and Hitler's persecution of the Jews intensifies and the family is split apart, scattered across Poland, the Soviet Union, Italy and Brazil. Once the war ends, the survivors attempt to find each other and reunite.
The series is engaging and at times hard to watch. How humans can have so much hate and commit such evil on men, women and children is hard for any sane person to imagine. But this is a true story and deserves to be told as a warning to all of us today, especially as such hatred still exists across the world.
The cast were all brilliant, especially Joey King who was outstanding as Halina Kurc. It is in fact hard to find any actors who didn't portray their characters exactly right and even support actors with lesser parts were all good. The director captured the right level of suspense, fear, and how the love of family can overcome the worst evil.
The only negatives were that it was at times hard to follow who was who and what was going on, but I suppose covering so many characters lives over a six year period is not easy.
My Name Is Sara (2019)
Engaging movie
This movie is based on the true story of Sara Góralnik, (played brilliantly by Zuzanna Surowy) who escaped the slaughter of her parents by Nazis in Poland, adopted the identity of a Christian classmate, and worked as a nanny on a Ukrainian farm throughout the war. It's made in association with the Shoah foundation and executive produced by her eldest son, Mickey Shapiro. But its cumulative impact is that of a thriller, and its most effective scenes are almost unbearably tense, as they revolve around a character who is escaping genocide by pretending to be something she isn't, and could be murdered if the truth gets out.
Sarah presents herself as "Manya." She could be found out unless she summons knowledge that will permit her to "pass" (such as crossing herself). So deft is the film's mastery of basic subjective filmmaking techniques that when Sara enters a small-town church, it's as if we're following a mouse into a barn filled with cats. Sometimes the movie turns the thumbscrews on the audience by letting us know that an uncomfortable moment is coming long before it happens, as when a woman tells "Manya" that she can't wait to see her again next week so that she can connect her with somebody who's known her since she was a little girl.
The Zone of Interest (2023)
So Boring
I wish I didn't have to use 600 words to just say boring. Why do IMDB insist on this?
The movie is like watching a home movie and it drags on and on.
In 1943, Rudolf Hess, commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp, lives with his wife Hedwig and their five children in an idyllic home next to the camp. Höss takes the children out to swim and fish, and Hedwig spends time tending the garden. Locals handle the chores, and the murdered Jews' belongings are given to the family. Beyond the garden wall, gunshots, screaming, and the sounds of trains and furnaces are often audible.
Höss approves the design of a new crematorium created by Topf and Sons. One day, he notices human remains in the river and gets his children out of the water where they have been playing. He also sends a message to SS personnel, chastising them for their carelessness in "picking lilacs", causing the plants to "bleed". At night, while Hess reads the German fairy tale of "Hansel and Gretel" to his daughters, a Polish girl sneaks out and hides food at the prisoners' work sites.
Hedwig's mother comes to stay, and is impressed and pleased by the material status her daughter has achieved. Höss receives word that he is being promoted to deputy inspector of concentration camps and must move to Oranienburg, near Berlin. He objects, and withholds the news from Hedwig for several days. Hedwig asks him to convince his superiors to let her and the children remain in their home; the request is approved. Before Höss leaves, a woman comes to his office and prepares herself for sex. Meanwhile, the Polish girl finds sheet music composed by a prisoner, which she plays on the piano at her home. Hedwig's mother departs unannounced after seeing the burning crematorium at night. She leaves a note that upsets Hedwig.
In Berlin, in recognition of his work, Höss is tasked by Oswald Pohl with heading an operation named after him that will transport 700,000 Hungarian Jews to work at the camps or to be killed. This will allow him to move back to Auschwitz and reunite with his family. He vacantly attends a party organised by the SS Main Economic and Administrative Office. Afterwards, he tells Hedwig over the phone that he spent his time at the party thinking about the most efficient way to gas the attendees.
As Hess leaves his Berlin office and descends a stairway, he stops, retches repeatedly and stares into the darkness of the building corridors. In the present day, a group of janitors cleans the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. Back in 1944, Hess continues downstairs, descending into darkness.
Clive Myrie's Caribbean Adventure (2024)
Brilliant
I loved this series, at last we have a positive view of Jamaica. All too often documentary makers concentrate on the bad side and highlight the crime and badness that undoubtedly goes on there (as it does in many other countries) such as the awful documentary a few years back by Trevor McDonald.
But Clive's genuine love of the country, its people, food and music as well as the stunning beauty is what he allows his viewers to see.
We also get to see Cuba and the beautiful beaches of Barbados.
He explores his family roots and his genuineness is a welcome change from the way many modern presenters conduct themselves.
Loved this series, and Mr Myrie has gone up in my estimation, well done sir!
Rosewood (1997)
Sad, but true story of bigoted racist attitudes
1923 in a town in Florida called Rosewood. Despite the fact that slavery had ended many years before there is still hatred and racism towards African Americans. In this movie, a false claim made by a white woman starts a series of race riots that eventually leads to the mass slaughter of innocent black men, women and children.
Fanny, who has a history of cheating on her husband, has a rendezvous with her lover while her husband is at work. Fanny argues with her lover, who ends up beating her. Aunt Sarah and her granddaughter, Lee Ruth, overhear the argument and the subsequent beating but do not intervene. A distraught Fanny, despairing of explaining her injuries to her husband, leaves her house and calls for help. She then tells several townspeople that she has been beaten by a black man. The white residents readily believe Fanny's claim. Hearing of an escaped black convict named Jesse Hunter, a posse from Sumner and nearby towns goes to Rosewood to investigate. The black residents of Rosewood are quickly targeted by a white mob, including men from out of state and members of the Ku Klux Klan.
What makes this movie so disturbing is that it is based on true events. Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle and Jon Voight are all good as lead characters. Esther Rolle, Elise Neal and many other support actors are all first class.
I would recommend this movie, even though it is difficult to watch at times. It reveals how evil some men can be, but also how strong men and women cope with severe adversity.
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Too much silly comedy
I love James Bond movies, but this is not the best by a long way. Too much silly comedy (and not funny comedy at that) to be taken seriously.
OK I know James Bond movies are not meant to be dramatic classics, but compared to Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore tried to ham it up a little bit too much, especially in this movie.
Roger Moore should have continued to act more seriously as he had in "Live and let die" which was a good opening Bond film for him. In fact he would have done better had he continued playing Bond as he did Simon Templar in the Saint TV series.
There are a few good moments and Christopher Lee was a worthy Bond villain.
The Color Purple (2023)
Very well done
I thought I would be disappointed with this, because the original movie was so good and I don't particularly like musicals. However this was a brilliant movie and the music was far better than you find in most musicals.
Fantasia has always proved that she is an amazing singer, but she also proves how well she can act in this movie. All the other actors were also superb and especially Danielle Brooks who in my opinion deserves an Oscar for her amazing emotional portrayal of Sofia.
It also makes a nice change to see a movie with a strong black cast, great music and dancing and brilliant acting and direction.
Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)
Beautiful Movie
What a lovely film, so much emotion and very well told. The acting throughout was superb, but how they got the dog's to act so well I will never know.
Based on the true story of Hachiko a Japanese Akita dog who has gone down in history and remembered for his remarkable loyalty to his owner, Hidesaburo Ueno, for whom he continued to wait for over nine years following his owners death.
Hachiko would meet his owner at Shibuya Station every day after his commute home. Then on May 21, 1925, when his owner died of a cerebral hemorrhage while at work and from then until his death on March 8, 1935, Hachiko would return to Shibuya Station every day to await Ueno's return.
This movie captures the spirit of this story, but is set in the U. S. A. Richard Gere does a great acting job here and for a change this movie is family friendly with no bad language etc.
Walk the Line (2005)
Cashless
I am baffled by the good reviews on here. The movie started well with the tragic death of his brother and his tough seemingly uncaring father.
Then we move on several years and enter Joaquin Phoenix who is supposed to be Johnny Cash, but without the personality and talent. To say Phoenix acting is wooden is an insult to wood because that has more personality. He looks and sounds nothing like Johnny Cash. Compare this with Jamie Foxx in Ray who looked and sounded exactly like Ray Charles, so much so that you could believe that you were seeing the real thing.
Phoenix is nowhere near Johnny Cash and many of the other famous people cast are also awful. I thought the actor suppose to be Roy Orbison was Buddy Holly and the actor who was Elvis was even worse. Casting was sloppy but even if they had got this right it couldn't have saved this mess of a movie.
I was bored and confused through most of it and apart from Reese Witherspoon who stole every scene she was in the rest was just awful. And the portrayal of Cash made him appear weak, childish and unlikable.
So, if you like Johnny Cash or if you like watching good movies I would give this one a miss.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
There are only 3 Indiana Jones movies
I love Raiders of the Lost Ark from 1981, I like the second movie Temple of Doom from 1984, the fourth movie Kingdom of the Crystal Skull from 2008 was awful, but this movie Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is even worse.
The opening part of the movie is the best with a digitally de-aged Harrison Ford although his voice sounds older. I thought this was going to be a good movie, but after the initial scene it all went downhill. Director James Mangold seemed all over the place and nothing like the skillful way that the original movies were directed by Steven Spielberg.
Harrison Ford is still great as Indiana Jones but in this story, he is retiring from his job, and he has become like a bitter old man, he is even dull when teaching archeology.
This movie is more about the annoying Helena, played by the equally annoying Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She is unlikable, a thief, and happy to leave her godfather to die at the hands of the villains.
The story is so full of flaws it is laughable at times. Indy is wanted for a murder he didn't commit, yet he is dropped off at the airport by old friend Sallah, played by the brilliant John Rhys-Davies, who shouts out go get em Indiana Jones, yet there is no one at the airport, no police, n security and he sails through and boards a plane for Tunisia. Also exactly how Sallah knows that Helena has gone to Tunisia to sell the Dial is not explained, probably because you can't.
Also when Indy and team take a boat and leave the villains in a non working boat, the villains somehow know where Indy has gone and arrive soon after he does in Sicily????
There are the usual modern nods to the PC fans, like having Shaunette Renée Wilson playing a black head of a C. I. A team in 1960s American?? Antonio Banderas Plays a small part barely worth his turning up for.
The ending is just silly, time travel and Indy acting so un-indy like it is ridiculous and the final with his being reunited with Marion, played again by Karen Allen is pointless and overly soppy.
I could say more but watch this yourself and see if you like it, I didn't.
Jackie (2016)
Very well made movie
I'm surprised to see any bad reviews of this film on IMDb.
As someone who remembers the Kennedy assassination I thought this was an excellent portrayal of what happened and an insight into Jackie Kennedy.
Natalie Portman did this brilliantly, she looked right and she managed to do the voice and accent perfectly.
This movie also captured the emotions that this poor woman must have gone through, and I found out things about her that I never knew.
The film focused on Jackie just after the assassination, and also earlier times, such as her televised tour of the White House. The way that the film mixed with the actual footage was excellent.
The rest of the cast did a good job and Caspar Phillipson was almost perfect as JFK, if a little short. John Hurt captured the pathetic priest who could offer no comfort.
Peter Sarsgaard, didn't quite fit as Bobby, but this didn't detract to much.
I found this a thought provoking film and a really good portrayal of Jackie Kennedy and what she went through following the assassination of her husband.
Spencer (2021)
Awful Movie
This film is one of the worst movies I almost saw. I couldn't watch more than half of it. In fact I almost turned off after 5 minutes of a beginning that was a load of pointless scenes with the most irritating background music I have ever heard.
The director has produced a load of complete rubbish. Was he someone on work experience or drunk?
Diana is portrayed as unhinged and mad, talking to a scarecrow and ghosts. Kirsten Stewart is a good actress, but she gets this completely wrong, although it could be the bad director.
It is painfully slow, pointless scenes, the acting is just bad throughout and the dialogue consists of whispering or shouting,
William or Harry must be embarrassed to see their family shown in such a way. I do wonder what the motive behind this movie was?
I would have given no stars if I could have.
Everest (2015)
Boring
So boring I cannot find anything much to say about it. Yes it is a true and tragic story, but the movie makers made it incredible dull to watch.
I have to use 600 words so ....
On the morning of May 10, 1996, climbers from two commercial expeditions start their final ascent toward the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. With little warning, a violent storm strikes the mountain, engulfing the adventurers in one of the fiercest blizzards ever encountered by man. Challenged by the harshest conditions imaginable, the teams must endure blistering winds and freezing temperatures in an epic battle to survive against nearly impossible odds.
Ji xian feng (2020)
Sorry Jackie
This is the only Jackie Chan movie that I turned off before the end. Jackie is good as are some of the supporting cast, but there are far too many shoot outs and car chases.
The things that make a Jackie Chan film great are all missing from this awful movie.
Apparently I have to fill in more characters which is a stupid feature that IMDB needs to dispense with. I prefer shorter reviews myself so why make people fill in more than necessary?
Just to satisfy this silly rule...
Jackie Chan actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for his slapstick acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts, which he typically performs himself. Chan has been acting since the 1960s, performing in more than 150 films. He is one of the most popular action film stars of all time.
Chan is one of the most recognisable and influential film personalities in the world, with a widespread global following in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres. He has received fame stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Chan has been referenced in various pop songs, cartoons, films, and video games. He is an operatically trained vocalist and is also a Cantopop and Mandopop star, having released a number of music albums and sung many of the theme songs for the films in which he has starred. He is also a globally known philanthropist and has been named one of the top 10 most charitable celebrities by Forbes magazine. In 2004, film scholar Andrew Willis stated that Chan was perhaps the "most recognized film star in the world."
The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021)
Well acted but too much profanity
This movie was very well acted, especially by Andra Day, she looks and sounds so much like Billie Holiday, much more so than Diana Ross did in Lady sings the blues.
All supporting actors are very good at each of their roles, but the movie has far too much profanity throughout to make it enjoyable to watch. I don't understand the modern trend for this as it is unnecessary, it doesn't make the movie more realistic, it detracts from the story.
I would have given this more stars mainly based on Andra Day's acting but the swearing spoils it. Oddly the movie even has more profanity than the original script.
Coming 2 America (2021)
Just not funny
This could have been great, it has many of the original cast, Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley and James Earl Jones. But whoever wrote the script needs to look for a new job, it is awful.
The story is silly, no one would just accept that they had a son based on hearsay with no DNA test. And as others have said, a woman drugs and rapes a man and its OK? Also it is 99% based in Africa not in America so the title makes no sense.
Jermaine Fowler is irritating with zero charisma and Leslie Jones must be one of the most annoying people on film.
I gave 2 stars for the music, but that's about it.
Beyond Paradise (2023)
It doesn't work!
What makes Death in Paradise such an amazing program is the incredible scenery, the music and the characters.
Beyond Paradise has awful stories and totally unbelievable characters. The Jethro accents are not appropriate for a series supposedly set in Devon and it is very soap opera-ish. The Sally Breton character was annoying on Death in Paradise, so why anyone thought this spin-off would work I do not know.
Although Kris Marshall was Ok as a visiting detective in Death in Paradise, it was not him that made it a great series. In fact towards the end of his stint on the show his relationship with Sally Breton's character made it a bit too much like a soap opera and his over acted fake emotion was not believable at all.
Death in Paradise is an escape from the drudgery of England because it is set in The beautiful Caribbean. Beyond Paradise being set in the south west just doesn't have the same impact. And although Cornwall is nice, we just don't have the weather to give it the wow factor.
The story lines of Death in Paradise are quite good, some are better than others, but I don't watch it for the stories, it is more about where it is filmed.
A spin off featuring Officer Dwayne Myers, DS Florence Cassell or DS Camille Bordey would have been much better, maybe set on another Caribbean Island.
In fact for me, Kris Marshall's Humphrey Goodman was not the best detective on Death in Paradise. I know everyone will have their favorites, but I would rate them as:-
1. Ben Miller as DI Richard Poole
2. Ardal O'Hanlon as DI Jack Mooney
3. Ralf Little as DI Neville Parker
4. Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman
At the start I didn't really like Ralf Little's character but he has grown on me. Plus Death in Paradise has Elizabeth Bourgine and Don Warrington.
So more Death in Paradise please, but no more of the awful Beyond Paradise.
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022)
Whitney who?
Could they have found an actress that looks less like Whitney Houston? Does the casting director even know who Whitney is or what she looked like?
Whitney was stunningly beautiful, she had poise and an personality that on stage drew you to her. Sorry, but the actress (Naomi Ackie) might have been wearing the same clothes but she looked nothing like her and was just awful. Her eyes were much to big and popped out, her mouth too big and the false teeth looked false,
From a far far distance, maybe you could have been watching Whitney, (although her dancing was stiff) but up close it was absolutely nothing like her. In fact the lack of resemblance distracted from the story itself.
The strange thing is Stanley Tucci looked like Clive Davis and Tamara Tunie looked like Cissy Houston, even Ashton Sanders was a passable Bobby Brown, so why did they get it so wrong with Whitney?
At the end they show the real Whitney which showed just how much Naomi Ackie did not look like Whitney.
Great Balls of Fire! (1989)
A poor impression
This could have been a great music biopic, it had great music and a good story, but what ruins it is Dennis Quaids poor impression.
He gurns his way through with the worlds worst overacting that I have ever seen. Jerry Lee had charisma and his live act was mesmerizing, but Quaid reduces it to a ridiculous circus act.
Winona Ryder was very good though and the music was great.
Because I have to use 600 characters, which is stupid I will add .... You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
Too much love drives a man insane
You broke my will, but what a thrill
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
I laughed at love when I thought it was funny
But you came along and you moved me honey
I've changed my mind, this love is fine
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
Kiss me baby, woo, it feels good
Hold me baby, ooh, yeah, you gonna love me like a lover should
You're fine, so kind, I'm gonna tell this world that you're mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!
I chew my nails, I twiddle my thumbs
I'm really nervous but it sure is fun
Come on baby, you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious great balls of fire.
Respect (2021)
Thought provocking Biopic
First of all I'd like to say that Skye Dakota Turner did a wonderful acting job as young Aretha, a talent to watch out for in the future I am sure.
Jennifer Hudson was perfect as Aretha and I cannot imagine anyone else playing the part as well.
The story was interesting and did not hide any of the more unsavory side of her life, such as her being made pregnant at 11 or 12 and her husband being abusive towards her.
But the singing was just amazing and Jennifer Hudson really pulled it off in a way that I never believed anyone could have done. The scenes of her recording at Muscle Shoals was especially good.
My only criticism is that it is a little too long and seemed to drag a bit especially at the end.
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1983)
Timeless music and genuine talent
There are so many great moments in this celebration that I had to give it 10 even though there were some negatives.
Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Junior Walker were all superb, singing and performing some of their timeless music.
Stevie Wonder performed a great medley of some of his many hit songs.
Diana Ross ended with the show with Supremes Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, although it was pretty much all Diana taking the limelight.
Highlights for me were The Temptations and Four Tops as they performed some fantastic hits and the cross over battle was superb.
The Jackson 5 performing for the first time together in 8 years with Jermaine was wonderful and then Michael took center stage and performed his iconic Billie Jean. This was the only non-Motown song performed, but it is the performance that stands out for many.
The only negatives were the pointless inclusion of Adam Ant, Linda Ronstadt and a few others who added nothing to an otherwise momentous event.
Skyfall (2012)
The name is Bored, James Bored!
What an awful movie masquerading as a Bond film.
Daniel Craig looked like an old, unshaven bricklayer rather than a suave secret agent.
Javier Bardem was the one of the worst Bond villains, better suited to a bad Batman movie.
Judy Dench was as awful as ever, the only good thing is that this was her last attempt at M.
Apparently Moneypenny has become black and a field operative rather than the secretary that she has been since Dr No. And the flirty chemistry between her and Bond is now a full blown affair?
The story line was pointless, hard to follow and showed a totally incompetent Spy agency acting like untrained schoolchildren. The new Q so incompetent that he let someone easily hack into the computer system.
So many plot holes and inaccuracies that this could be several pages long. Someone else pointed out that Bond waited for the Asian girl to be shot before easily taking out everyone there, something he could have done before she was shot, and not something any Bond from times past would have done.
I know Daniel Craig gets rave reviews from critics and from some newer movie goers, but to those of us who have watched Bond from the beginning, he just isn't James Bond. He is a different character is each of his movies, but none of them is James Bond.
I consider this to be the worst Bond movie ever made. Some say Die another day is, but I would watch that movie over and over again, whereas once was enough for this dire excuse of a movie.
Quantum of Solace (2008)
OhOh Dear!
What exactly was that? It sure wasn't a Bond Film.
As others have said it was a poor copy of the Bourne movies, direction was sloppy and hard to follow, the story disjointed and pointless and the acting????
I cannot see Daniel Craig as Bond, he lacks any sophistication or humor. His acting seems to be changing his facial expression from looking as if he swallowed a wasp to being totally bored.
Judy Dench acts more like a strict schoolmistress than the head of a government spy agency.
Olga Kurylenko was Ok and Gemma Arterton was good but not in the movie much, she was the most like a Bond movie character though.
The villain was???? Well what exactly was he, apart from dull and pointless.
The Bond theme song was the worst I have ever heard and I like Alicia Keys, but this was dire.
This movie rates as one of the worst Bod movies ever along with Skyfall which is even worse.
Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
Would give zero if I could
Awful for all the reasons others have said on here. Mary Queen of Woke or History Sci-Fi would be more accurate titles.
One of the worst movies ever made.
No Time to Die (2021)
Better than I expected
I have not liked Daniel Craig's portrayal of Bond. For me he lacks any of the sophistication and humor that I associate with Bond. He also looks wrong, more like a builder than a secret agent.
However I admit that in this movie his acting is first class. I enjoyed elements of this film. Léa Seydoux was good and Ana de Armas outstanding for the short time that she was in the movie. Lashana Lynch didn't work and I hope she is no the next 007, if she is I will not be watching.
Sad that both Bond and Felix Leiter died, is this really the end of Bond movies as we know them?