sftrojan Reviews

The Spanish Princess (2019–2020)

It just keeps getting worse and worse

[3/10 · 7 July 2019]

Historical timelines aside, from my history knowledge, the Tudor dynasty had enough drama without altering it to this ridiculous scale. I thought maybe the next episode would be better, but it continually goes from the trash bin to the garbage dump. Not even good performances. Watch at your own risk.

Durham County (2007–2010)

This is.....

[8/10 · 9 April 2019]

This is so disturbing on so many levels, it's brilliant! Triggers beware, but awesome!

Mrs. Wilson (2018)

A Hero's Journey Through the Eyes of a Saint!!!

[9/10 · 8 April 2019]

This is a brilliant story based on true events. Part British war time drama (they do it so well), part period piece (UK has a monopoly on doing it right), part surrender, and all true acceptance in the face of conflicting values...For one person to always do right by what she has and the choices she's already made and a partner with a vivid personality and great story teller who suffers from PTSD, she survives, makes choices, none in themselves heroic, but all true to her life. Inner peace saves the day in what must be one of many such circumstances.

Downriver (2015)

HOW IS THOS FILM WIDELY UNKNOWN???

[10/10 · 12 March 2019]

Wow! Admittedly, I do have a preference for art type films with raw (no pun intended) look at life in rural communities throughout the world. This is an excellent example at realism at its finest! Brilliant! Aside from some beneficial edits that would lessen the confusion, the film takes hold instantly. Gripping and honest. Everyone invoved are Superheroes, forget high budget!

The Snowman (2017)

Enjoyable afternoon, but could have been a bit better.

[6/10 · 7 March 2019]

Aside from apparently everybody in Norway speaking only English with an English dialect (good for old school filmmaking, but we're all smarter than that), it was a really enjoyable afternoon movie. Would love to have seen it on the big screen, it just had that feeling to it!! There were some shortcomings in the film, some of them were distracting, others permissible. I expected a little more, but overall recommend it on a cold, rainy day!

7 Days in Entebbe (2018)

Formula for a Serious Movie on Terrorism....

[3/10 · 6 February 2019]

Drama + Dialogue + Action + Interpretive Dance

I understand creative license and the smaller story changes, but even the Oscars no longer have an interpretive dance segment!

Shelter (II) (2007)

A Second Glance...

[10/10 · 8 January 2019]

Two straight actors, playing gay roles...hmm, but commiting to them fully....Incredibly well done!!! This movie, unlike most on the subject, is refreshing, contemporary and well written, directed and superbly acted. I originally gave this an 8; but on watching another supposedly well rated film on the subject - I realized that a realistic film that didn't include two adolescents in boarding school who face their first affection to the dismay of the rest of their society, needs a second look...And it deserves at least that! The lads inspirations are realistic, well played and adaptable. The regret is with Jeanie, the homophobic, single mom who thinks Zach's personal life is less important than other people's lives....But maybe that's realistic too!

Detour (I) (2016)

Many little faults, but....

[7/10 · 7 January 2019]

Ok, this is a rare review that I would normally give a film like this a bad review, I have to agree with others, it's well worth seeing. You may get distracted from time to time with details like a struggle with a large knife, in the living room, yet it's quickly outside flying through the clouded sky before cut back to the living room where the two are finally making it outside. This was just a poor choice in a few seconds of editing. AND LET ME JUST SAY: It's very refreshing to have new plot lines in a medium that often resorts back to prior projects.

Mary Queen of Scots (2018)

Add a Zombie and a Vampire and it may work for the CW Chan

[3/10 · 5 January 2019]

For a great actress (Ronan) who can't maintain a Scottish dialect; a script that is whimsical in all the unintended places; both an English and Scottish Court that are more multi-cultural than our new sworn Congress (and seemingly LGBT friendly!); the movie did get one thing almost right, the weather. As a fan of Anglo history, the Middle Ages and historical costumes, they did manage to at least get the last part right. I suggest waiting to see this movie until it gets to basic cable and then watching the CW series "Reign" on the same subject - it doesn't purport to any degree of accuracy and is far more entertaining!

A Twelve-Year Night (2018)

If You Need A Great Film (and want a bit of Porteño History)...

[9/10 · 29 December 2018]

This is an excellent film which I hope gets presented as the Foreign Language entry for any of the producing countries. Great for students of Spanish-Latin as the diagolue is poignant, but relaxed and at times juxtaposed with a few of the film's own Spanish subtitles.

They Shall Not Grow Old (II) (2018)

MASTERPIECE - Incredibly Rare Take on WWI

[10/10 · 27 December 2018]

It's hard to imagine that film stock that we've all seen before, taken over 100 years ago in black & white with hand crank cameras at varying speeds with simple wide-pan shots and no sound could be made into an incredible modern homage to an aspect of history that so many of us know little about. Peter Jackson took the time to scout the various battle fields to get the correct colors of each blade of grass, visited war archives to bring historically accurate sounds to silent lips, set up microphones in a field with practice artillery to get the perfect sound affects, researched every aspect of a soldier's uniform to bring realistic color, had actors from various parts of the U.K. to fill-in sounding background chatter and even called the British Foreign Service in the final days of post production for detailed dialects for the closing credits song and shot the film in 3D to boot!

Operation Finale (2018)

Other than a single objectionable line...Recommend

[7/10 · 20 December 2018]

Ok, let's get this out of the way.... Eichmann: We were told that German, our land of hope and possibility was being overrun... Peter: Yes, But there's a line. There isn't any line on hatred, either you are of the sort or not, there's no line on bigotry, either you're a bigot or you're not...I could go on, but it was merely a poor choice of words.

Ozark (2017–2022)

ABSOLUTELY NONSTOP INTELLECTUAL ENTERTAINMENT

[10/10 · 16 December 2018]

Ozark is a brilliant hybrid genre that hits a home run in each and every episode. Whatever mood I bring to watching it, is the mood I take away! Incredibly well created and written with Justin Bateman serving in episodes as director, the show captures every moment of a lateral fictional existence that seems all too normal yet crazy (not to mention laughing out loud hilarious) to not want to be a part of...Even if it's only an hour at a time.

Wanted (2016–2018)

Generally Good but Much Overlooked!

[8/10 · 6 June 2018]

I really liked the show and followed it closely, maybe too closely. There were a lot of details that were either ignored or overlooked. Ex. In the final episode, a mob hitman is chasing the two protagonists with a large rifle with a huge silencer; however, when he discharged the weapon, the whole South Island if NZ could hear it!!

Thirteen (2016)

If you've ever been a victim...

[1/10 · 18 May 2018]

Although a great cast and well directed, the series turns towards the unconscionable when they begin to blame the victim for her own abduction. Being American and the victim of a brutal attack in London, I can express that my experiences with the British legal system were much the same. Shameful.

A Sort of Family (2017)

Brilliant !!!

[9/10 · 5 April 2018]

Ok, honesty...I originally picked this film to help me while studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, but I watch many films. This one is terrific. I thought it was going to bring up "sons of the past" but it completely side tracked historical issues and had a very contemporary plot. It's a sad situation that can go many ways and while there is an excellent resolution, I didn't expect it, nor would I label it a Hollywood ending. It was original and very well done. Compassion for all the characters, even the ones you don't want to like. In the best tradition of Argentine filmmaking! Well done!

Devil's Pass (2013)

Unoriginal

[5/10 · 5 April 2018]

Not nearly as good as the Blair Witch Project, lacks the suspense and unbelievable as a story. The Russian Newsfootage (in Russian) added a farce to the film that may have brought some humor but needed better editing. The real story is much more exciting and certainly worthy of a better homage.

The Captive (I) (2014)

Oy.

[2/10 · 4 April 2018]

So much potential on a great premise and great film with at least a partial message and they screw it up! Firstly, they should have made the location more anonymous so the subject is more universal. Second, why convolute the dialog with gibberish? Thirdly, far greater impact could have been achieved with sane appearing antagonists. Fourthly, would a spouse blame a partner to the end about him/her leaving a 9+ year old child alone for 2 minutes at a vacant location when he/she would have done the same? Next, why weren't the police called to the scene to check for forensics? Lastly, plot goes crazy after we've already lost reality in the plot. Painful to finish.

Death in Buenos Aires (2014)

A Great Work in the Tradtion of Argentine Filmmaking

[9/10 · 2 April 2018]

This film is infinitely better than the 5-Star average it has received. While not a cinema blockbuster, it's more of an art house film with twist or two! Playing on the dark humor of films like "Relatos Salvages," this film, capitalizes on the excess of the 1980's exploiting everything we love to hate but can't wait to watch again! Part of its genious is treating difficult themes subtly while smashing them over our heads! Brilliant directing, writing and acting! I eaherly await Natalia Meta's next project!