The racing sequences are amazing (especially the sound), but the crashes were obviously staged by someone why doesn't understand how cars crash (wildly exaggerated). Penelope Cruz is a revelation and steals every scene she's in. Adam Driver requires you constantly suspend your disbelief (his acting is fine, he just doesn't look anything like Enzo - hard to understand how he was cast - I kept seeing Kylo Ren). This isn't a bad movie, but it's a melodrama about Enzo and his Wife/Mistress/Son/business, not a movie about racing. Unfortunately that melodrama isn't presented in a compelling, gripping manner. It's unfortunate, as they obvs had a ton of budget. It is GORGEOUS to look at!
Reviews
18 Reviews
Love Don't Cost a Thing
(2003)
Steve Harvey has no bottom
25 August 2022
Honestly I thought this was a fun movie until Steve Harvey showed up. And even then unthought it was fun. Until the condiment scene. The only way this scene makes sense is if Harvey wrote it himself, because that's about the best he can do. Fun movie - just FF past the Steve Harvey bits or you'll feel insulted.
Rollins is a MORON
20 August 2022
I can't stand Amanda always protecting her narcissistic sister, Kim, even when Kim basically frames her for murder. "She's my sister." NO. ONE. ...would continue to protect such a toxic sibling. This relationship is the worst writing across the entire L&O universe. They need to write an ep where Kim gets hit by a bus and dies a lingering painful death.
Painful
26 May 2022
If you know even the slightest about cars, this theme-of-the-week episode is an insult. Between creating non-existent "hill racer" culture (which CHiPs did as well), to deciding torsion bars are the hot ticket to make a wheezing Dodge handle, the writers obviously just phoned this one in.
You'll believe Andy...
28 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
...can make you cry. Because when he sings his good-bye - beautifully - there won't be a dry eye in the house. Just a really outstanding episode that proves The Office still has a lot of heart, even without Michael. And especially between Dwight and Jim.
Bar Rescue
(2011– )
Lowest common denominator
8 March 2022
The pacing, the teasers going into ad breaks and the repetition coming back are the cheapest, most cynical approach to programming. The subject is interesting but the greed to maximize ad time combined with being chintzy (save money) about the content makes it easy to feel bad about yourself if you watch an entire episode.
Ouch. Right in the feels
21 February 2022
This one kills me (in a good way)
16 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Regardless some inconsistencies with Monk's OCD behavior (and the fact that no foster agency would ever let him care for a child (however briefly)), the moment Monk realizes himself that it's not in the tot's best interest to be with him will crush even the most hardened heart. Watching Monk bond with the little boy may be some of the most endearing moments in TV history. This is easily a top-5 episode.
Fish Tank Kings
(2012– )
This will give you The Dumbs
11 September 2021
Just when you think that reality shows can't get any more stupid, along comes Fish Tank Kings. It is SO scripted and the people involved are so shallow and unintelligent that...... the three stooges look like Shakespeare. At one point in an episode someone points to the plans for an aquarium and says "...when we started the spec was 3'6"; but they put down 42 inches, so we have to adjust."
The Proud Ones
(1956)
Such a waste
28 August 2021
Boring and plodding. Robert Ryan is miscast as a good guy. A ton of money was obviously spent on this film, unfortunately none of it was spent on a script, or a story, or a director, or a score. This has about all half subtlety of a made-for-TV movie. The dialogue is on par with what you would expect from the neighbor kids playing "cowboys" in the field across the street. All the drama is very forced, and the acting is really wooden. To say it's "formulaic" implies way more creativity than is actually present here. One of the most cliché-filled movies I have ever seen.
Eaux d'artifice
(1953)
Staggering Visual Masterpiece
23 August 2021
I saw this on a fairly large screen as part of a MOCA exhibit in Los Angeles. I probably watched it four or five times that day. It is one of the most stunning films I have ever seen. It's breathtaking.
Sadly, every time I've seen it since, it doesn't sync quite right with the video format. You have to see it as a film projection (or find a source that gets around the mis-sync). Well worth it if you can!!!
Sadly, every time I've seen it since, it doesn't sync quite right with the video format. You have to see it as a film projection (or find a source that gets around the mis-sync). Well worth it if you can!!!
Simply incredible
20 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILER ALERT!!!
This episode is one of the best hours of television ever filmed.
Robert Sean Leonard gives a performance that is at once powerful and poignant - and utterly believable. His scene with Ann Dudek where she dies is likely the best death scene I've ever managed to see and it utterly ripped my heart out.
This episode is one of the best hours of television ever filmed.
Robert Sean Leonard gives a performance that is at once powerful and poignant - and utterly believable. His scene with Ann Dudek where she dies is likely the best death scene I've ever managed to see and it utterly ripped my heart out.
Tenet
(2020)
!!!parc elbarehpicednI
15 December 2020
I can scarcely think of a movie that puts so much effort into being impossible to
process. Unintelligible dialog (worse than Interstellar if that's possible). Could not possibly make me care about the characters. A good $10M must've been spent getting Brannagh's chew-marks off the scenery. I could hardly care enough to watch this movie once without the notion of having to watch it a second time in order to "get it"? Yeah good luck with that.
Craigslist Joe
(2012)
Genuinely, Honestly Inspiring and Uplifting
22 April 2018
It will restore your faith in humanity. I was absolutely blown away by this documentary just now. The level of generosity, humanity, compassion and empathy shown by the people Joe meets in his journey around America present a far different picture of us than what you're seeing on the news and on facebook. I simply cannot recommend this highly enough!
And I'm out.
16 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILERS AHEAD
The most ridiculously unsatisfying end to a most ridiculously crappy story arc culminates with Rick going out of character toward Nagen - who is a known sociopath.
There's just so much wrong, such crappy writing, no character fidelity. I'm genuinely embarrassed that I've stuck with for so long after it went to pot. I feel like an idiot.
No more.
The most ridiculously unsatisfying end to a most ridiculously crappy story arc culminates with Rick going out of character toward Nagen - who is a known sociopath.
There's just so much wrong, such crappy writing, no character fidelity. I'm genuinely embarrassed that I've stuck with for so long after it went to pot. I feel like an idiot.
No more.
Interstellar
(2014)
"Frequency" re-imagined in space.
9 November 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Interstellar is gorgeous to look at, and with lip-reading skills and hearing protection, fun to see. However, the soundtrack is so utterly overwhelming (drowning out dialogue in MANY instances; many people around me were covering their ears. Just too much. Just too precious. Very strange, as apparently Nolan went to various theaters (The Chinese in particular) to screen it to adjust the sound before the opening. He must be deaf.
The pacing of this film is off too - with some scenes being interminable and other, seemingly important parts being totally glossed over. The build up is massively let down. When I realized where he was - if I'd not already sat through 2.5 hours of this - I'd have walked out. It was like Nolan just threw his hands up and commanded "Ok tie all this together!" Very disappointing.
It is being touted as an updated, improved 2001: A Space Odyssey. Nothing could be further from the truth (though there are many moments (sonically and visually) that are fairly obvious Kubrick homages). No - this is an updated, VASTLY improved version of "Frequency." Let's see if anyone is talking about Nolan (or Interstellar) in 35 years.
Mackenzie Foy is brilliant as Murphy, and is easily one of the best "child" performances I've ever seen. McConaughey delivers too. In fact, all of the acting is extremely good and very convincing.
The special effects are stellar. Visually - I often was amazed to remind myself that I was looking at CGI. It IS well worth seeing in a theater on a big screen. I might wait a week or two to see if they can get the sound balance fixed. (I saw it at the Cinderamdome in Los Angeles, 70mm Film. In fairness, the sound issues illuminated that the 'dome has an AMAZING audio system - zero distortion, and easily as loud as MANY concerts I've attended).
A very good movie unfortunately let down by poor sound editing and pacing errors. Generally - a movie with problems as large as this wouldn't rate above a five - and that's even more disappointing - it's just a few (albeit large) issues away from a nine.
Obviously - there'll be a sequel.
The pacing of this film is off too - with some scenes being interminable and other, seemingly important parts being totally glossed over. The build up is massively let down. When I realized where he was - if I'd not already sat through 2.5 hours of this - I'd have walked out. It was like Nolan just threw his hands up and commanded "Ok tie all this together!" Very disappointing.
It is being touted as an updated, improved 2001: A Space Odyssey. Nothing could be further from the truth (though there are many moments (sonically and visually) that are fairly obvious Kubrick homages). No - this is an updated, VASTLY improved version of "Frequency." Let's see if anyone is talking about Nolan (or Interstellar) in 35 years.
Mackenzie Foy is brilliant as Murphy, and is easily one of the best "child" performances I've ever seen. McConaughey delivers too. In fact, all of the acting is extremely good and very convincing.
The special effects are stellar. Visually - I often was amazed to remind myself that I was looking at CGI. It IS well worth seeing in a theater on a big screen. I might wait a week or two to see if they can get the sound balance fixed. (I saw it at the Cinderamdome in Los Angeles, 70mm Film. In fairness, the sound issues illuminated that the 'dome has an AMAZING audio system - zero distortion, and easily as loud as MANY concerts I've attended).
A very good movie unfortunately let down by poor sound editing and pacing errors. Generally - a movie with problems as large as this wouldn't rate above a five - and that's even more disappointing - it's just a few (albeit large) issues away from a nine.
Obviously - there'll be a sequel.
Outstanding (but too short!)
11 August 2011
I was prepared to pan this movie, but about an hour in caught myself thinking, "this is *incredible.*" I'm nearly certain this is the only movie I've taken my time to review - and it is largely because it was sooooo good.
This is an excellent "founding" for the universe the Planet of the Apes takes place in. Like another reviewer, I found myself wishing this movie was a bit longer (and I can't remember EVER thinking that). It almost feels like a tease.
The CGI is pretty well flawless - Avatar was cool, but it was creating a cartoon world, so you couldn't compare it to anything to really tell how well they'd pulled it off. In this film, they're recreating things you can see in the world around you and they do it so well it requires ZERO suspension of disbelief (and - unfortunately - I spend a lot of time trying to spot the artifacts/quirks/errors of CGI). You will believe in intelligent apes! The characters are believable (and I always love John Lithgow), though they could've been better fleshed out, and their relationships could've been better established. This is where an additional 10-15 minutes would've come in very handy (and been very welcome).
I really loved the little nods to the original Planet of the Apes via a few of the names and a few quotes. I love that stuff.
For as fantastic a story as this is - it's entirely believable - and that may be the biggest accomplishment here. I can't believe I'm about to type this, but I'm really looking forward to the next installment(s) in this story. I was sorry when it ended.
This is an excellent "founding" for the universe the Planet of the Apes takes place in. Like another reviewer, I found myself wishing this movie was a bit longer (and I can't remember EVER thinking that). It almost feels like a tease.
The CGI is pretty well flawless - Avatar was cool, but it was creating a cartoon world, so you couldn't compare it to anything to really tell how well they'd pulled it off. In this film, they're recreating things you can see in the world around you and they do it so well it requires ZERO suspension of disbelief (and - unfortunately - I spend a lot of time trying to spot the artifacts/quirks/errors of CGI). You will believe in intelligent apes! The characters are believable (and I always love John Lithgow), though they could've been better fleshed out, and their relationships could've been better established. This is where an additional 10-15 minutes would've come in very handy (and been very welcome).
I really loved the little nods to the original Planet of the Apes via a few of the names and a few quotes. I love that stuff.
For as fantastic a story as this is - it's entirely believable - and that may be the biggest accomplishment here. I can't believe I'm about to type this, but I'm really looking forward to the next installment(s) in this story. I was sorry when it ended.
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