rheaton-94697 Reviews

Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life (2018 TV Special)

The evolution of "comedy

[4/10 · 22 November 2023]

I always liked these two. The show basically has 3 parts. It opens with some good natured jabs at each other. Then each of them does a nostalgic bio using old family photos to tell their story. It's fun to remember the old times, movies etc that made Martin and Martin so appealing. The second portion of the show is musical. Short sings a comedic song with a piano player. Steve played his banjo with a Bluegrass band. Basically this seems like a time filler. Finally back to the "comedy". Unfortunately the show deteriorates into what seemed like an extended monologue from the Kimmel or Colbert late night show. A picture of every Republican politician you can think of is displayed so that pot shots can be taken at the man or his politics. The most common "issue" is how foolish and pointless it is to control the southern border. This show is in 2018. I wonder if they still see things as so "funny" now with their friends in charge. They weren't funny and I realized why. These two have evolved into ultra rich Hollywood liberals that no longer have any connection or understanding with their audience, the common man. So they are left with pushing the same Hollywood woke agenda that I believe is destroying comedy. If you're a fan of the late night propaganda TV shows you'll probably like this. Otherwise don't waste your time. It's just not funny. 4 stars for the opening act.

Dark Harbor (1998)

"Knife on the water" Hollywood version.

[6/10 · 3 September 2023]

I've been wanting to watch this for quite awhile since I really liked "Knife on the water". Dark Harbor is an obvious remake of the classic Polanski film so it's impossible not to make comparisons. The characters are much less interesting primarily because the tension that is created in the small confines of a boat doesn't really translate to an island. Rickman and Reedus put in convincing performances but something just doesn't seem right with the chemistry which may be intentional. The "surprise " ending caught me off guard only because the film was made 25 years ago. That's before such "twists":became almost mandatory for Hollywood films. It's a good film that will hold your interest but doesn't compare with the original.

See How They Run (2022)

Some good some not so good. Meh

[5/10 · 22 July 2023]

I'm not a "who done it" fan so ther is some bias here. But I am a big Sam Rockwell fan which is why I watched this film. The good: Very good acting and excellent cinematography in 50's London bring this film to life. There are heavy use of "flashbacks" which is an interesting way to tell and solve a murder mystery. The not so good: The story was a bit tedious and sometimes I found myself losing interest. Of course there is the mandatory Hollywood insertion of diversity characters that don't fit the time and place. Probably the most disappointing was it kept trying to be "funny" but just wasn't.

First Cow (2019)

The good the bad and the annoying.

[4/10 · 7 December 2022]

The good. It's a film about an unusual subject matter which happens in an interesting time and place.

The bad: The whole premise of the story is unrealistic. It's a valuable prize cow. Yet ithe owner ties it to a tree alone every night in a remote wooded area in 1820's Oregon. In reality that cow would be taken by a predator it's first night out there.

The annoying. Too much of the story takes place in almost totally dark spaces. It's virtually impossible to see what is happening. Even the daylight senes are drab, without contrast and difficult to follow. Movies shouldn't be a visual chore to watch. The story is somewhat interesting.but moves at a snail's pace. The suspense is limited by the fact that it's all a flashback, so you already know the ending. Don't waste your time.

Bullet Train (2022)

It's a video game

[2/10 · 5 December 2022]

Early on two gangsters argue over whether they recently killed 16, or was it 17 people. So we are treated to a flashback so we can count the true number of victims.. If you enjoy watching multiple people murdered in rapid succession by every means possible, this film is for you. I'm sure Pitt was paid a ton of money for this. But it is so disappointing watching him perform cartoon roles. Some will excuse this nonsense by calling it "light entertainment ". It's as shallow as it can get. I'm sure there is a generational gap with the audience here. If you're to old for video games I would pass on this one. What a waste of time.

The Conspirators (1944)

Not comparing with any other film

[4/10 · 18 October 2022]

It's just not a good movie. Slow, uninteresting plot muddled with far to many characters. Our favorites, Lorre and Greenstreet, have minor roles and are seemingly much less interesting when they play the good guys. The " love at first sight" romance is unrealistic but yet it is the main driver of the story. In the final "who done it" scene the entire cast is gathered around a roulette wheel. For some reason there are still more new characters being introduced to further confuse the climax. It's a terrible screenplay. Four stars is generous and given only because of Ms Lamarr's beautiful face. Don't waste your time.

Old Henry (2021)

Old style western with a more interesting story than most.

[8/10 · 2 August 2022]

Excellent cinematography gave you the real feel of how bleak life was in 1906 Oklahoma. There are enough clues for you to guess where the story goes but there's still another twist at the end. Great performances by Nelson and Dorf and interesting that the cast has zero women in it. Also loved the fact that there was no hidden Hollywood "messaging" in the script. Just a good story with plenty of action. Best film that I've seen in quite some time. Highly recommended.

Kings of the Sun (1963)

Yul is cool but the rest...

[4/10 · 24 July 2022]

This was made back in the day when Hollywood used all kinds of Caucasians to play Native Americans. The miscasting is so bad it's downright comical. Chakiris who is the Mayan chief, sports a pompadour that is right out of West Side Story. Richard Basehart as the high priest wearing his grandma's wig, please. Yul Brynner is the only performer that is somewhat believable. The Mayan subject matter is interesting only because it's different. But the story is very predictable. The Royal Hunt for the Sun, also from the 60s, covers similar subject matter but is much much better movie. Apocalypto this isn't. I recommend a pass on this one.

The Spanish Prisoner (1997)

Far Far Fetched

[5/10 · 18 April 2022]

Surprised at all of the great reviews. I'm a Mamet fan and thought this was more fantasy than keen deception. Please explain how one temporarily changes a deadbeat bar and restaurant to appear to be a posh private club for the ultra rich ? And our suspect isn't suspicious when all one has to do is sign a "membership form" to instantly become a member of this exclusive millionaires club. And the "deception " goes on and on getting more implausible until it's laughable by the end. There must be a ton of gullible people out there to fall for this schlock. Very disappointing. My 5 stars is for the beginning when there was still a thread of believability.

The Dig (2021)

Good film but another victim of revised history.

[6/10 · 27 March 2022]

Interesting movie, well acted and great filmography.. I really liked the way the story was told in a continuing roll of very short scenes. It held your interest without relying on long dialog. I wondered why at the end they didn't tell you what happened to the characters in real life like many historical films do. So I researched the story and realized that many in the supporting cast either didn't exist or were portrayed completely differently than the real people involved. Unfortunately the true story has been converted to yet another vehicle for Hollywood woke messaging. In this case even the gay twist was true it has nothing to do with the story. This seems to be a requirement for all Hollywood films now even at the expense of rewriting history. But I guess if they can make Hamilton into something he was not anything is possible. What next, General Patton in high heels?

The Silent Partner (1978)

Nice Canadian Movie

[6/10 · 28 December 2021]

I'm not a big Gould fan but he was casted correctly here. Plummer as versatile as ever is excellent as the cold expressionless criminal. Candy makes a non comedic appearance and appears to be about half the size of the Candy that we all loved. It's an unusual plot with plenty of twists to keep it interesting. Gould seems to be spiraling downward out of control by the end. But one final twist and a drag appearance by Plummer has it all working out for the better. Fun movie. Just enough sex and violence to remind you of the 70's. Definitely worth a watch.

Trouble in Mind (1985)

Like a Comic Book

[6/10 · 30 November 2021]

Fast paced, interesting characters and cast. Dirk Blocker has the best combover you will ever see. Keith Carridine's look evolves into something pretty amazing. Always good to see Devine. Definitely a hidden gem. Go see it you won't be disappointed.

The Machinist (2004)

Bale does it again. He never disappoints.

[8/10 · 12 November 2021]

Seriously an Oscar caliber performance by Mr. Bale. I've never seen him in a role that wasn't convincing. Just the appearance of his physical body alone will tell you how dedicated he is to his craft.

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Or as Mr Quayle said." It's a terrible thing to lose your mind". It's a dark tragic film that you just can't turn away from. So complex and hard to fathom yet it all comes together at the end. My 7 stars should probably be higher but I grade lower than most. Highly recommended. Give it a look see.

Intrigo: Dear Agnes (2019)

Not quite Hitchcock

[5/10 · 9 November 2021]

A touch of "Strangers on a Train" which is one of my all time favorites. But these people aren't strangers at all. The plan is on, its off, it's on and off again. You'll have to watch to see how it finishes. Enough plot twists to keep it interesting. Drags a bit like all of these Intrigo stories do but worth a look see.

Cold in July (2014)

Could have been a good one.

[3/10 · 20 September 2021]

The first half of this movie is very intriguing. Interesting twists to the story creates questions that are not a easily answered. Shepard and Johnson are very good in heir roles but we're probably embarrassed by the final product. Unfortunately the story degenerates and really makes no sense at all. The holes in the plot become enormous as it slides into just another "action" film with the big shootout at the end. Very disappointing.

Apartment Zero (1988)

People are complex.

[8/10 · 8 August 2021]

I saw this movie 25 years ago and liked it. I learned the movie trivia game that they play throughout the film and have played it myself many times over the years. This is a very good movie. What it tells the viewer is that there are many sides to each person. We are all multifaceted and can't be defined by a single characteristic. This is so different than current films that seem to instantly define characters. " He's gay, she's black, they are violent etc." It's probably my favorite performance by Firth. Bochner is also excellent and watching it again made me wonder why he never had a bigger movie career. All of the tools were there. It's definitely worth a look see. Highly recommended.

The Woman in the Window (1944)

Nice twist at the end.

[6/10 · 4 July 2021]

A good story that seems somewhat unbelievable at times but comes together in the end. It's a good movie, I just rate things a bit lower than most. It's one of EG's more humble roles with great support from Massey and Duryea. Definitely worth your time.

The Statement (2003)

Very interesting true story

[7/10 · 10 May 2021]

Caine does another great job in this one. He is very convincing in a true story that is almost hard to believe. The fact that former French collaborators, the church and the mafia operated in cahoots for decades is somewhat mind boggling to me. Caines character keeps moving and so does the story complete with a plot twist at the end. Highly recommended.

News of the World (2020)

Three stars for the cinematography

[3/10 · 10 May 2021]

The story could have been interesting but it's not. This is just yet another vehicle for Hollywood messaging. The people who settled in Texas were all just outright evil. Anti racism, workers rights and even anti Naziism are covered in each stop along the journey. Other movies with a similar theme like either True Grit, The Searchers, and more recently The Hostiles, are all 100 times better. Don't waste your time with this snooze fest.

The Tamarind Seed (1974)

So Slow

[4/10 · 26 March 2021]

Literally devoid of any action whatsoever until a 2 minute scene near the end. It's all dialogue. Who is watching who and why. The "twist" at the end is so obvious I thought that there is no way it could end like that. But it does. Don't waste your time, it never gets any better as it plods along.

Blue Iguana (2018)

Upbeat and well paced

[6/10 · 20 February 2021]

Good acting. Rockwell always comes through and Ferdinando keeps the action going. Unusual soundtrack is also very well placed. British humor is funny when you can understand it. Definitely worth a look for an action comedy not to be taken seriously at all.

Intrigo: Death of an Author (2018)

Just relax and enjoy.

[6/10 · 13 January 2021]

A little slow paced but enough twists to maintain your interest. I actually liked the Benno character. Cool calm and collected. The ending could have been a bit more powerful. But at least it had an ending unlike so many of the schlock stories that are put on film these days. Worth a look.

Knife in the Water (1962)

A better ending.

[7/10 · 8 December 2020]

The skipper turns himself into the police. While driving home he sees the hitcher on the road once again. In his rage he runs him over causing a crash which kills his wife also.

The Missing (I) (2003)

Good story but just too unbelievable

[5/10 · 25 October 2020]

Acting was very good. The witchcraft angle was a bit different. The screenplay moved with action to hold your interest. If you can believe that a grandpa and a disgruntled mother can rescue a dozen female hostages and then kill about 30 banditos and Indians in the process, then this film is for you. It would have been much more believable if the numbers of bad guys and hostages were reduced by about 80%.

Light of My Life (I) (2019)

It's all been done before and better.

[3/10 · 24 November 2019]

I usually like Apocalyptic movies. This one has no pace. No interesting characters or story line. I stuck it out just to see how it all ended. Boy was that a mistake and waste of time. The opening "story" is painfully boring, and trust me it doesn't get any better. The female lead is a talented young lady but Casey has a habit of making films with no ending. You will feel shortchanged with this one.