info-3508 Reviews

Midsommar (2019)

Example of the De-evolution of Cinema

[3/10 · 29 November 2020]

Well-shot, fairly well acted overrated tripe that borrows from better multi-genre films. Potential not actualized. Seriously disappointing.

SPOILER ALERT!

PLOT ISSUES: Dani won't be smiling when she realizes that she has to spend what's left of her 72 years prior to leaping headlong from a cliff living with the baby that Maja claimed that she could "feel" inside of her, sired by her ex-boyfriend whom she had killed. These people would have been arrested long ago. It's not empathy they're practicing, it's misinterpreted primal scream therapy combined with murder. Absurd.

BONUS WARNING: Misogyny disguised as feminism. Weepy, pathological young woman who has her boyfriend axed is only a "strong woman character" in the eyes of the misguided. There is no payoff here.

An American Crime (2007)

Disturbingly Good

[8/10 · 19 August 2020]

"An American Crime" is worth watching. Difficult to digest, well-crafted and acted. Strong performances from Catherine Keener and Ellen Page. Like going down a sinkhole. I had to research details afterwards, it was hard to believe that the events depicted were true. The resolution, or lack thereof, is masterfully handled. Painful, but an important work. Not a glossy Hollywood retelling. One of the most brutal true crimes in American history. There are no innocent bystanders. Truly tragic, and remarkable work.

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

Great Under-heralded Hitchcock

[9/10 · 29 November 2018]

Often overlooked for his later masterpieces, "Shadow of a Doubt," penned in part by Alma Reville (Hitchcock), is a brilliant, character-driven thriller that stars one of the great, also under-heralded, actresses of the time, Teresa Wright, paired fantastically with Joseph Cotton. The characters are full-bodied. The performances are subtle and affected in all the right places. The exchanges between Henry Travers and Hume Cronyn are spectacular, black comedy gold. One of the few from Hitchcock that might rightfully fall under the category of film noir. Set in filming location Santa Rosa, in the northern part of California that Hitchcock so loved, "Shadow of a Doubt" deftly captures both the innocence and dark crimes and deceptions of mid-twentieth century America. True suspense. This gem is not to be missed.

Where Danger Lives (1950)

Domergue Does Danger

[8/10 · 28 February 2018]

"Where Danger Lives" is a surprisingly complex film noir with a deliciously vicious undertow. Robert Mitchum, Claude Rains and Faith Domergue are superb. What stands out is that Domergue is the strongest performance, and perhaps because she bears the strongest character. Domergue is refreshingly overpowering. If we consider that Harlow was actually a seasoned actress prior to "Hell's Angels," Domergue is arguably Hughes' best discovery. Seductive danger with surprise twists, indeed.

The Exorcist (1973)

Exorcise This

[10/10 · 27 December 2017]

I'm long overdue for my review of The Exorcist. Brilliantly conceived by William Peter Blatty, a graduate of Georgetown University, he knew how to research and write the perfect exorcism motion picture. The acting is superb. The drama unfolds with artistry. The music is poignant, simple, sparse. The effects are proper, never over the top, and convey absolute terror. Two favorite moments occur between Max von Sydow and Jason Miller. A presentation worthy of the novel that inspired it, The Exorcist has been referred to by my colleagues as the scariest movie they've ever seen. I concur. The nature of evil is identified and exposed, hope is offered. The Exorcist continues to speak thus, such fear and wisdom, to the generations.

The Scarapist (2015)

The Scarapist Tantalizes and Torments

[9/10 · 27 December 2017]

I began watching The Scarapist and just couldn't stop. In true to suspense form, it held my attention and made me want to know what was going to happen throughout.

The sound design, music and much of the filming and editing were masterful. My favorite performances were R. Michael Gull as Sweenie, Jeanne Marie Spicuzza as Lana, and Bryn Hartnett as Phoenix. All of the characters were well cast.

I enjoyed the simplicity of the plot structure, and the complexities of the symbolism. The hypnosis scenes terrified me. The overall presentation is authentic, almost at times like a docudrama. A fascinating and highly creative approach to the subject and narrative.

The treatment is very unique, like nothing I've ever seen, and, certified in film studies, I research and watch a lot of motion pictures.

I was reminded of Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, especially the scene at the window between Joan Fontaine and Judith Anderson, and some of the early film noir, like This Gun for Hire and Possessed.

The Scarapist is what one might refer to as psychological horror, as it is truly terror that gets under the skin. So grateful that the filmmakers chose to execute The Scarapist. It gave me a great deal to think and feel about.

Tangerine (2015)

Unwatchable

[4/10 · 8 October 2017]

I'm not so concerned with "high-concept" in motion picture as in the execution of it. So much hype surrounded this film. Long-standing indie journalists and industry professionals urged me to see it. I tried. I realize that we're talking about hotbed issues. Well, controversy may be enough to sell a movie, but it isn't enough to make it great, or even good. The movie felt amateurish. The acting was so bad that I found it unwatchable. David Lynch is correct. Here is an example of how the motion industry has effectively destroyed itself. The emperor isn't wearing any clothes. Renaissance is needed.

Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

Women deserve better

[4/10 · 11 October 2015]

Women deserve better movies than this. Vapid, superficial. Some moments play out like a Julia Roberts' photo-op: teeth, smile, pout, tears. Emoting is not enough. One never gains a sense that Katherine Watson experiences any personal connection or passion for the subject she teaches. Characters are more like advertisement than three dimensional. Lacking depth. As if stereotypes could replace meaningfulness. Could have been a compelling movie that captured an era and expressed real stories of real women. Ginnifer Goodwin is the better part of this disaster. Would love to see an authentic treatment of the subject, which would require inquiry with actual people of the period. Disappointing. Missed opportunity.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

Living Truth in Dead Poets

[9/10 · 18 May 2015]

Well-acted drama. Very touching. One cannot help but feel empathy for this "phalanx of pubescence," struggling at the peak of their youth with self-identity in a world of privilege, pressure and conformity. Their new English teacher, Mr. Keating, is the perfect muse to aid them in exploring a more profound and inquisitive existence. To "live deliberately." To love language, and poetry. To discover its meaning in their own lives. And "Dead Poets Society" illustrates what a great teacher Mr. Keating was. His students learn, and reveal by way of demonstration, one of the most valuable lessons in life: courage, truth, integrity and honor. It stands as the best evidence of Keating's innocence, dedication and ability. Cinematically brilliant, well-conceived.

The Black Dahlia (2006)

Analysis into the bad...

[3/10 · 17 November 2012]

I have been studying "The Black Dahlia" to understand what went wrong. The main characters are flat. Even less prominent characters are like wallpaper. They are simply not engaging. The actors seem to have been selected for their looks, not their internalization of the roles. Their performances do not capture the times, and thus are not adequately developed and authentic, more like caricatures.

The costumes were well-selected and the locations were brilliant. I wish other elements of "The Black Dahlia" connected in this way.

The plot zigzags with convoluted subplots, like a story looking for direction and purpose, never finding it. Nearly every scene explains events, rather than depicting them. The horrific and infamous death of Elizabeth Short, instead of serving as the primary theme, comes across as mere inconvenience to all who stumble around it.

The tone of the movie is odd. The lesbian club scene with K. D. Lang panders with over-the- top camp, and takes the viewer out of the story. It could have, instead, served as an opportunity to offer something meaningful about homosexuality in post-WWII Los Angeles. The camera work during the Linscott pre-dinner is completely out of sync with the rest of film. The dinner scene, instead of inciting dread, plays out like black comedy. Even the confrontations in the third act are more humorous and campy than effectively dramatic.

The movie eliminates the subtle, heroic qualities Bleichert, and those of the broken Blanchard, found in the James Ellroy novel upon which this movie is based. Ellroy's Elizabeth Short is as cunning as she is desperate. Kay Lake is the true genius, and Madeleine is a villainess one cannot help but find at once curious, charismatic and loathsome. These masterful dimensions are unfortunately lost in the film.

"The Black Dahlia" could have been something special. Ellroy's novel is provocative and compelling. Perhaps in different hands, Ellroy's deft, albeit fictionalized, vision of this notorious, mysterious and brutal crime might be properly realized.

Black Swan (2010)

Merci, Aronofsky

[9/10 · 12 January 2011]

Darren Aronofsky's films have remained among my favorites since I first saw "Pi" at the 1998 American Film Market, after its much-lauded success at the Sundance Film Festival the same year. What Mr. Aronofsky winds us into with "Black Swan" is a darkly-mirrored glimpse not only into the world of ballet, but the world of the artist in general. While extreme and demented, Nina's perceptions and experiences, both real and imagined, help the viewer to recognize and understand the triumphs and sacrifices involved in the pursuit of one's creative dignity and self-expression, at moments, at the cost of one's family, health and well-being-- even oneself. Perfection, or its striving, like all other endeavors, comes at a price. One must transform. Merci, Mr. Aronofsky, you've provided us with a legacy devoted to passion, creation and destruction, and the relationship for us with all of these. Were it not for virtues, we would be lost.

Sex and the City 2 (2010)

List Ridiculous

[3/10 · 11 November 2010]

What can one say about SATC2? There were some fun fashion moments, and a few genuine attempts at irony. The overall storyline was banal. Most of the one-liners were tiresome to terrible. I've made a List Ridiculous of ten of the worst moments:

1. CARRIE: "York? What happened to Goldenblatt?"

CHARLOTTE: "It's the Middle East."

CARRIE: "It's the new Middle East."

CHARLOTTE: "It's the Middle East."

2. CARRIE: "You knew when you married me I'm more Coco Chanel than coq au vin!"

3. The whole big fat gay wedding. Really.

4. CHARLOTTE wears off-white vintage Valentino while baking cupcakes with 2- and 5- year-olds. I say fair game on the hand prints. In fact, she was practically begging for it.

5. SAMANTHA's behavior throughout. Especially in Abu Dhabi. Enough said.

6. That SAMANTHA's assistant didn't up and walk after witnessing her boss shove hormones up her @$%& and, to add insult to unsanitary injury, use a touch screen. Seriously.

7. "Interfriention"? That's so bad I'm afraid to contemplate it.

8. That these spoiled women freak out about a $22,000/night charge on a first-class hotel suite without for a minute considering that one day's wardrobe for each of them costs more than that.

9. A five-carat black diamond? "Because you are not like anyone else"? After cheating with her former fiancé? This is no only ridiculous, it's ludicrous. These people deserve each other. Thank God they are not like anyone else. The world would collapse from greed, childishness and stupidity.

10. SAMANTHA: This $&^*%#! economy. We need to go somewhere rich!

I wanted to like this film. Or at least not hate it. My favorite thing about SATC 2: Carrie's opening outfit. But that's a long 2 1/2 hours for all the other rubbish. MIRANDA gets some kudos for attempting class, but loses points for shouting "Abu Dhabi Doo" out of a limousine. If you like the SATC franchise, you may give it 4 out of 10... at the most.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Ray of Sunshine

[10/10 · 22 April 2007]

Finally, just when you fear that the studio industry has all but killed the genuine filmmaker, save perhaps David Lynch, you see a ray of light. A bunch of talented people got together and told a simple story involving complex characters with a beginning, a middle and an end. No flash, no gimmicks, no "look-at-this-new-fangled-cinema technology-and-fancy-camera-work" bogus to cover up lack of substance. No "it's made to seem just like an indie" fakery. The cast delivers truthful and unforgettable performances, creating a family that is functional in their love and support for one another, no matter how messed up their lives and circumstances may be. Abigail Breslin as Olive wins before she enters the competition, bringing joyful innocence into a world of sorrow. "Little Miss Sunshine" takes the crown by not competing with the typical two- hour commercialism. There is hope.

Angela's Ashes (1999)

Please, read the books...

[6/10 · 5 May 2005]

The joy of the author's verse, as well his uniquely ironic, heartwarming and witty perspective even in the worst of times, is an exceptional and rare inspiration hardly captured in this weak account which merely grabs for the Oscar. The cinematography only adds to the movie's dismal tone. In a country as glorious as Ireland, one can only surmise that Alan Parker refused to include even one sunny, green, lush and hopeful day. As an Irish-Italian-American, it is tragic to see films that persist in presenting overrun stereotypes of the "victimized" Irish, like the "Mafia" Mediterranean. Though members of both groups have undoubtedly suffered individually and collectively, revealing their respective strength and preservation is far more compelling. Watch Jim Sheridan's "In America" instead.