johnryeh-49694 Reviews

GLOW (2017–2019)

C'mon Netflix bring it back

[8/10 · 28 November 2023]

Just because the pandemic shut things down, doesn't mean you should keep it shut down. This was a critical darling and well acted ensemble of a crazy concept.

I remember when the original show came on. This show captured the essence of the original but made it fresh and lively.

The show ended with some open ended storylines. While not wholly bad, I wanted to see how it would end. These characters were well crafted by the actors and the director and the fans should have a chance to see the story end. At least give us a far ending.

30 Rock did that, Parks and Rec did that, GLOW should do that.

The Holdovers (2023)

well done holiday movie

[8/10 · 28 November 2023]

This is an old school comedic offering. Grounded in a realistic story, believable characters, and beautifully shot in a real setting. Lots of guffaws in the theater. I smiled a lot but no belly laughs for me.

But as a kid growing up in the 70's, I identified with the time and place. I remember cloths like that, people with hair like that, and a general malaise that was settled over the country.

Giamatti is awesome as a curmudgeonly teacher. People can't teach this way today, for fear of angering students and parents. But lets be real here. This was a time when students had to bear more responsibility for their own work. Some of the best one-liners in this movie are when Giamatti is interacting with his terrible, spoiled students.

The new kid actor plays much older. And looks much older than he is. From what I've read he really was a student in the school. Somehow he finds a world weariness in his acting that shows edges of real disappointment and yearning beyond his years. Like the guy in his mid-thirties in a bar, telling his problems to a bartender. He still has hope, but life is grinding on him.

And lastly. Ms. Randolph is great here. She's the cynical cop from a great show, Only Murders in the Building. In this movie, she feels different and that speaks to her acting chops. She's a wounded, grieving mother who's still able to function and empathize despite her loss.

I could see Oscar noms galore for this film. Davine and Giamatti both deserve nominations. And I could see the argument for Best Director and Screenplay. I could see this as a dark horse for Best Picture too.

The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes (2022)

surprisingly moving

[8/10 · 7 November 2023]

For me personally, this movie resonated. I happen to like anime. Saw this was playing and bought a ticket without knowing what to expect. The sci-fi/fantasy trappings were just backdrop for an effective teen, romantic drama. The young characters were believable in their sincerity and their youthful mistakes. The boys search for his sister was the most moving element of the plot for me. It really reminded me of Graveyard of the Fireflies. There were real similarities between those two movies in the mourning for a lost sibling. That was the most moving thing for me. I identified with the female character's search ofr talent and artistry. That felt realistic and well done. I liked the ambiguity of the tunnel and what it really was also. It was there but mostly as a tool to forward the plot. And visually, it was very well animated and well done. For some people, I can see this film being too slow paced and boring. People looking for sci-fi action will not get it here. This is a teen romantic drama. And I thought, a very good one.

The Creator (2023)

it felt cutup and edited awkwardly

[6/10 · 12 October 2023]

The story was OK and didn't really tread on new ground. This is a rehash of a lot of Vietnam war movies but with sci fi imagery and elements. What would have made this more interesting would have been a deeper exploration of the AI as an aware being.

The romantic element also felt forced and unrealistic. Washington's character we learn near the beginning of the story is an unknowing betrayor of his love. They hardly touched on that dramatic element and that in itself could have been a cornerstone of the movie. But the reaction of her character especially at the end just felt forced and unrealistic.

And the end set pieces had continuity issues. Washington's hair changed all of the sudden. It didn't make sense and it felt as if large portions of the story lay on the cutting room floor. I could sense gaps in the timeline. And there were no explanations for why they were doing certain things within the plot. It was just more boring action movie tropes that have been done ad nauseum in forever.

All of the characters felt underdeveloped and the whole plot could have used another couple of rewrites. Disappointing scifi.

A Haunting in Venice (2023)

I believe in ghosts

[7/10 · 10 October 2023]

Fun, well acted, had some genuine scary, jump moments. A good time waster but not a great film. I liked this one a little more than Branagh's other Poirot films. They're all decent entertainment but I think I like other murder mysteries from television better. Give me a good Law and Order, True Detective, or Only Murders in the Building for better, more compelling mysteries.

I figured this one out pretty early and the reveal wasn't all that shocking. I thought Tina Fey wasn't utilized enough as a kind of sidekick trope. That's what I thought she was going to be at first, when her first lines were spoken. The look of this was great. The setting of an old mansion in Venice was a great scene setter. And old Italy is filled with ghosts. If you loved the original book, you may not like this so much. I wasn't and I think they could have taken this to an even scarier place. But oh well. I'm not the film maker.

True Detective (2014– )

great mystery tv

[9/10 · 18 July 2023]

Big fan of Seasons 1 and 3. Season 2 was entertaining and a solid detective yarn but didn't quite measure up to Season 1's intensity and acting. Season 3 wasn't nearly as crazy and intense as Season 1 but Ali arguably turned in a better performance than McConaughey. And Mr Alright Alright Alright was amazing.

The villain was so evil, bizarre, and frightening that he stole the entire show. And the directing by Fukanaga was memorable. Especially in a scene where the McConaughey character has to escape a black neighborhood with a white supremacist. That was insane.

Ali's character going back and forth between old age and as a young man really showed a lot of range and emotion. A much more subtle and difficult performance. He had to inhabit the same man but with years of anguish and regret mixed in during the older age scenes was a marvel. Truly a great acting job.

Really looking forward to Season 4. Didn't realize it was coming out this year. Jodie Foster is an interesting choice. Maybe she's Hannibal's Clarice at the end of a disappointing career? Would be interesting to see a Silence of the Lambs reference.

Joy Ride (2023)

stupid, predicatable, and funny as heck

[8/10 · 7 July 2023]

I was cackling and guffawing through this. I could predict every plot point and yet I wasn't bored at all. A by-the-numbers raunchy comedy that worked.

Hsu has been a roll. From her ATT commercials, to Mrs Maisel, to Everything EVerywhere, and now this, she's starting be a must-watch star for her comedic stuff. The other cast members I hadn't seen before but they were all pretty good.

I think one of the reasons, this worked for me was I know people like this. There are two people in my office who kinda of act like these characters, the KPOP nut and the stoner art chick.

Worth the price of admission.

Asteroid City (2023)

I got bored

[4/10 · 26 June 2023]

Wes Anderson knocking off Wes Anderson. His last two movies have been about 20 minutes too long and don't follow any plot lines thoroughly. It's all Wes Anderson style with no Royal Tennenbaums likable story. The movie has too many stars and too many plotlines. Nothing is finished in a satisfying way. Skip it.

This movie wasted Tom Hanks and could have created an interesting melodrama between him and Schwartzman's character but doesn't. Then it sets up a kids vs. Govt storyline that completely disappears halfway through. Then it sets up a Schwartman/Johanssen love story that vaporizes into thin air. Overlying all of that is the story within a story that just feels contrived and wastes too much time on art school contrivances. This movie needed a few more rewrites and a couple more months in the editing room.

And, I'm pretty tired of the Wes Anderson schtick. It was new and great in Royal Tennenbaums and held up in Moonrise Kingdom. But now its just boring. Come up with a new schtick man.

Devs (2020)

hard sci fi worth the watch

[9/10 · 21 June 2023]

If you're into pure science fiction and art, this show is for you. This is an involving, enduring murder mystery with a sci fi heart that will keep you guessing. Not your typical run of the mill show. The acting is both interesting and disturbing. This is Offermans most interesting acting job. He makes me conflicted. His likeability as an authority figure mixed with his complete lack of morals makes him a hugely interesting choice for this role. I want to like him, but you really shouldn't. The lead Mizuno completely works as a nerd girl struggling with the mystery dealt to her. And the rest of the cast is very strong.

The visuals and use of sound are outstanding. The philosophical and moral choices reminded me a lot of reading the Dune series of books when I was a teenager.

As a modern art fan I look for unique and interesting visual imagery. This has it in spades. The cinematography and surreal nature of the images is both creepy and beautiful. From the giant girl statue to the field of trees with light rings to the image of Pills hand reaching from a completely different angle from her face is just mind blowing and creatively arresting.

This is a great show.

Violent Night (2022)

A fun time waster

[6/10 · 11 December 2022]

This movie is dumb, silly, and really gory. But I guffawed several times. The running joke of Santa being this crazy, tough guy is basically the whole movie. The craziness of seeing Santa crush people to merry holiday songs was bizarrely entertaining. Action fans will enjoy it. But there's not much else to the whole thing.

As a story this movie falls way short in terms of character development and plot. Harbour and Leguizamo are solid actors, but I wish they had developed the characters a whole lot more. They created the beginnings of a back story and then left it unfinished. The same with the family in whose house the story takes place. And the plot was predictable and been done before. Think Die Hard meets Kickass.

Not a Christmas classic. Certainly not a well written movie. But worth a break from holiday shopping at the mall.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

It was alright.

[7/10 · 18 October 2022]

Maybe it helps to see it after all the negative reactions. But I didn't think this was all that bad. It's just more Star Wars and the lead actor had Ford's pluckiness from the first one. He was also more idealistic and energetic in his delivery but that can be attributed to being a younger person than Ford was in the first Star Wars. He's a less world weary character than what we saw in the original film. Not as bad as the critics and Star Wars purists are saying. At least not to me.

I thought Clarke's character was a surprising and tragic choice and maybe that's why people don't like it. Game of Thrones hangover maybe. But all in all I thought it was an entertaining movie. Not the best Star Wars film but certainly better than the Lucas prequels.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Not bad

[7/10 · 5 July 2022]

Passable entertainment. The Leia characyer is a little annoying and spoiled, but I can get past that. First three episodes are solid. Kept me in binge mode.

Enola Holmes (2020)

Just fun and entertaining

[9/10 · 4 July 2022]

Surprisingly funny and an interesting way to use Henry Cavill. Brown is very solid, with tons of charisma and goofy innocent charm. I like detective stories and this is a fresh take on the genre.

Lightyear (2022)

Solid afternoon time waster

[7/10 · 24 June 2022]

Not the best Pixar movie but just as good as most action movies out there.

Characters were earnest and of course visually, it was pretty stunning.

It did get a little repetitive but that's science.

Booksmart (2019)

Don't get the 1 star reviews

[8/10 · 20 June 2022]

Enjoyed this. Superbad with girls? Maybe, but this stands on its own. Great performances and great use of camera. The compositions in the frame and use of slow motion is awesome.

Reservation Dogs (2021–2023)

I remember being a teenager

[8/10 · 7 June 2022]

Even though I'm not native American, this spoke to me. As an immigrant American kid, there's this hollowed out feeling where you're trying to belong, trying to find your way, but you also have this foot in another world. That's what I got from this.

Teenagers attracted to being so-called tough guys but really just being young immature knuckleheads. You can see the adults just letting them slide even though they know the kids are up to no good. The same way adults in my neighborhood looked the other way when we drank beer and screwed around in the basement.

I have growing respect for Waititi. His trademark humour is there.

Veronica Mars: Years, Continents, Bloodshed (2019) Season 4, Episode 8

Solid season. Deserving of the Veronica Mars title

[8/10 · 6 February 2022]

Solidly acted. Tragic in the sense of the earlier seasons. Maybe a little too convoluted but it works.

Lots of conservative trolling here. Pretty honest take in my view.

Cowboy Bebop (2021)

Not another fan hater.

[7/10 · 21 November 2021]

I own the original series and movie DVDs. Yeah I'm old but still a fan. I enjoyed this and thought it was a solid new interpretation. The action was fun, they looked and sounded like the original characters, the comedic beats made me smirk, and I appreciated the new inventions.

Is it as good as the original, I agree with the other fans. Its not.. But if you're not a fan and are new to this universe, give it a try. It's pretty fun way to binge an afternoon after raking leaves.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

better than the original but I think I'm super heroed out

[5/10 · 7 August 2021]

I'm not seeing what everyone else is getting. Lots of great reviews from critics and users alike. To me it was just another comic book action movie and I'm getting tired of it all. Come up with something new. The shark was kinda entertaining and there were a few funny moments, but Pete Davidson, Nathan Fillion, and Flula Borg were wasted. Very meh.

The Man Who Planted Trees (1987)

Surprisingly Moving

[10/10 · 5 February 2021]

I saw this film at an animation festival anthology that came through the University of Maryland in 1988. I just thought, "awesome cartoons for a Sat night at the movies." That's what most of the people in the audience went in thinking. Another drunken Sat night in college. And for the most part, that's what it was.

Until this film came on. No one expected this from the last film of the night. A half hour tale of a quietly heroic man, trying to right a small wrong in his own quiet way. A giggling, silly, post teen audience was turned into a respectful hushed group. I was certainly moved. I looked to see what others in the audience looked like as they left the theater. Its as if we all had attended the eulogy of a great man. No one was silly. No was giggling. We were all moved by a transcendent film experience.

This film moved me so much I spent the next ten years looking for it off and on. I finally was able to track down the drawings and it was the Societe Radio Canada that had been shipping those drawings all over the world. I got a chance to bring that exhibition down to MD, and saw those drawings up close.

We also invited Frederic Back down for an artists lecture. It took him 5 years and over 5000 drawings to make that film. In his own way, Back was an artists reflection of the main character himself. Truly an amazing artist, a brilliant piece of film making and a message we need right now about environmentalism and the purpose of human kind.

Knives Out (2019)

fun time at the movies

[9/10 · 29 November 2019]

I enjoyed this a lot. Clever, interesting and plausible in its logic. I enjoyed the deception put forth by the characters. I can usually tell where something is going and was genuinely surprised by the hole in the hole of the donut.

Some people might hate the politics of it, but I thought it gave a good dig at both sides while still being fairly liberal. FOX watchers will hate it, which I can see as kind of fueling the negative reviews.

What can also fuel the negative reviews. is all the positive hype about it. Too much enthusiasm from the critics can hurt a movie sometimes. Viewers go into the theater expecting too much.

Things never live up to the hype and this one didn't live up to it for me. But I thought it was still pretty solid and entertaining. I'm not sorry I spent some money on this one.