tangojazz Reviews

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

A BURNED, OVERDONE MOVIE (TOO BAD).

[1/10 · 28 October 2020]

Horrible Movie. The worst. I would not watch this again. This movie attempted to correct the supposed failures of the "Last Jedi" and bring in the true version of "Star Wars", finally. It failed on both attempts. A better example would be accidentally getting a "rare" steak and telling them to take it back and cook it "well done." And then they BURN IT. And that about describes "The Rise of Skywalker." THE DEATH OF A FRANCHISE. FINALLY. R.I.P. STAR WARS.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

The 'ANTI STAR WARS" star wars.

[1/10 · 28 October 2020]

After due thought and consideration, "The Last Jedi" runs counter to everything the "The original trilogy" stood for. No real good guys or bad guys, bashing or degrading of the male heroes, negative feminist "woke" politics (as opposed to positive feminist "woke" politics) etc. BAD WRITING. A flat, uninteresting story that went nowhere. The destruction of Luke Skywalker. A lot of political speeches (why?) The most interesting part of the movie, where Kylo Ren and Rey might have joined as a third force against the Jedi and the Sith, was SQUASHED. Too bad, That might have saved the whole movie. This should have been the last Disney Star Wars movie.

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Star Trek discovery is a big waste of time.

[1/10 · 24 September 2017]

What a big waste of time. STAR TREK DISCOVERY is a joke. I could write a better episode or series. That's the truth, pal. I just didn't care for it, there was no feeling in it. And why make the first episode free and the rest to be paid? That shows the network has no faith in this program, and that answers a lot of questions. The people at CBS are idiots. I would rather watch the Star Trek fan films rather than this thing. A really big waste of money.

Mother! (2017)

A somewhat interesting movie about the dangers of "Drug Addiction."

[4/10 · 17 September 2017]

I have seen the Youtube reviews of "mother!" which have said that this movie is a metaphorical message about creation, god, Jesus Christ, etc. Really? I DIDN'T SEE IT THAT WAY AT ALL! The movie is really about the drug addiction of the lead character(a woman) as portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence. That's right, drug addiction. Every time Jennifer gets stressed out, she goes into the bathroom, takes some drugs, and then she feels fine. And then she hallucinates. As a matter of fact, the whole movie is just about her hallucinations from her drug abuse.That's all. Javier Bardem, who portrays Jennifer's husband in the movie, although not specifically stated, is probably a drug dealer supplying for their whole area. As a matter of fact, his clients are probably the huge group of people who visit them later in the film. Also, I want to say while the movie was mildly interesting, it was also incredibly boring. The teaser trailer for mother! was a complete lie. Mother! was portrayed as a "horror" movie, when as a matter of fact, it was a "boring" movie. Finally, about the drugs again. I would really like to know what drugs Jennifer's character was taking. Was it LSD? Was it Peyote? What?

The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan (1979 TV Movie)

Ripoff of movie "Somewhere in Time?"

[2/10 · 20 June 2017]

Well, is the T.V. movie "The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan" a very subtle ripoff of a similar movie called "Somewhere in Time?" I know, I know, "Two Worlds" was made in 1979, while "Somewhere" was made in 1980. So who's ripping off who? Or are they both adaptations of the novel by Richard Matheson called "Bid Time Return" which was written in 1975? Who cares? Anyway, both movies are similar with some differences. In "Two Worlds" Lindsay Wagner is the time traveler, whereas in "Somewhere" Christopher Reeves is a similar traveler. And both Lindsey and Christopher's characters escape into the past at the end. Both are examples of "Romance Science Fiction" of which there are very few movies made. And for good reason. Watch it and weep. Or not. Your choice. I gave this movie a two star rating because I felt sorry for it. Was I supposed to be moved to tears? NOPE. I liked the Star Trek episode "City on the edge of Forever" better because it dealt with romance time travel science fiction better than "Two Worlds."

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

I HATE THIS MOVIE! The worst Star Trek movie ever!

[1/10 · 23 July 2016]

Why did they have to blow up the starship "Enterprise?" AGAIN! I guess they had no original ideas for "Star Trek Beyond" so destroying the starship is the thing to do. Yeah, right. It makes up for a lack of imagination. Why the hell did Simon Pegg have to promote the movie in a short speech before the movie started? That shows "STB" is no good! It came off like the actress Virginia Madsen giving the opening speech at the beginning of the legendary sci-fi classic(laugh, laugh) movie called "DUNE." You're now literally begging the audience to like the movie! It doesn't work. A movie should be able to stand on it's own, without any speeches! No speeches, please! Adding insult to injury, the movie was filmed under "low light" conditions. Everything and everyone was filmed under low lights or in complete darkness. I couldn't see any of the fights at the beginning of the movie, because they were in the "DARK." Is this to make this movie appear or feel serious? It didn't work, because I couldn't SEE a lot of things clearly, because the movie was filmed "IN DARKNESS". Wasn't that the title of the previous Star Trek movie, which was called "INTO DARKNESS?" Thanks a lot! Lastly, the script for "Star Trek Beyond" (Beyond what, I don't know) was a rip off. Simon Pegg, you should be ashamed of yourself. The STB script was a partial copy (of key scenes) of an episode of Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda series. C'mon, Roddenberry fans, you ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. You know, that episode in the "Andromeda" series where an alien swarm race known as the "Magog" use their "swarm ships" to attack and board the starship Andromeda. "STB" uses that same scene. And other scenes. I was disgusted. I left after 35 or 40 minutes and read about the rest of movie in a synopsis on the Internet. In ending, I also hated the so called special effects, especially the one where the Enterprise is traveling through space. It looked like the starship was flying through space in a jelly mold. How dumb. I could go on and on. But I won't. Folks, don't waste your money.

Tarzan (1966–1968)

Stupid T.V. series, nonsense.

[1/10 · 5 June 2016]

Seen today, incredibly inept and stupid portrayal of Africa. Lots of racism. Totally unbelievable. At the time of this T.V. series, the late 1960s (1966 -68) the Angolan Civil War was happening, a proxy war that was fought in Africa between the United States and South Africa vs. the Soviet Union. So Tarzan, a white guy in his underwear with a hunting knife, is going to take on T-62 Soviet Tanks, 155 millimeter howitzers, machine guns, jet fighters, mortars, etc.? Just watching it now, it's obvious that everything was either shot on a Hollywood back lot or in the forests around the Los Angeles area. I wonder how the Black Panthers or the NAACP felt about this series. Something like this could not exist on television or the Internet today (Thank God). An ancient and outdated tale (published in 1912) that belongs in that time period and should stay there. Yes, I know there is a new Tarzan movie coming out this year. I wonder why. Yes, Tarzan, another ridiculous cartoon character that fights crime without a gun (like Batman).

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Move on! You just pick the "Batman" or the "Superman" you want!

[10/10 · 8 April 2016]

Yeah, I thought "Batman vs. Superman" was an excellent movie. Why all the hate and controversy? It was just a very entertaining movie. "B vs. S" was also a very profound, philosophical and dark look at "power." I liked that! The fans wanted the great graphic novel "The Dark Knight Returns" on film and they got it! Yahhhh!!!!!! "Batman vs. Superman" was an adult, realistic take on what would happen if superheroes really did exist and what ethical issues they would encounter as they used their powers. Great! As I watched "B vs.S" in the movie theater, I could almost hear Hegel and Nietzsche discussing it behind me. A joke! Just kidding! Look, if you don't like "B vs.S" there are other versions of these heroes you can like. Just pick one and MOVE ON. For instance, for Superman, there is: Kirk Alyn (1940s), George Reeves (1950s), Christopher Reeves (1970s), Dean Cain (1990s) and Brandon Routh (2000). Regarding "Batman" here are the choices: ancient bats Lewis Wilson and Robert Lowery (1940s), campy bat Adam West (1960s), weird bat Michael Keaton (1989), semi-serious bat Val Kilmer (1990s), embarrassing bat George Clooney (1990s) and serious Ninja bat Christian Bale (2005). Just pick one. AND MOVE ON.

Knight of Cups (2015)

It's great! It's just jazz, man, don't you get it?

[10/10 · 13 March 2016]

Terence Malick does for this movie "Knight of Cups" what jazz pianist Keith Jarrett does for his compositions. How? Like Jarrett (when he is doing his solo concerts of free jazz) Terence took a few ideas and a bare outline and improvises on it. And what a great improvisation it is! Or rather, his actors (Christian Bale, Kate Blanchett, Natalie Portman etc.)improvise on the ideas. And so does Terence Malick's cameraman, the Academy Award winning Emmanuel Lubezki, who I believe also improvises (on the camera shots). It takes a group of top professionals to make a movie as risky as this one. Risky in that there was no shooting script at all for this movie. That's right! It's like going treasure hunting without a map. Some people may find the movie hard to figure out. To me, "Knight of Cups" was not hard to understand. "Knight of Cups" is divided into chapters, and infers by narration and visual cues to the story and plot (however minimal they were). Mick LaSalle, movie reviewer for the San Francisco Chronicle says that "Knight of Cups" creates a feeling of joy and transcendence through visual means. It really does. I will say that the movie communicates those qualities in impressionistic terms. "Knight of Cups" alludes to that joy without directly sayng it. Is Terence Malick the son of Stan Brakhage, that American innovative filmmaker who first experimented with this style of film making? "Knight of Cups" is hard to describe, you have to see it. Oh, there is the general description for the movie audience of a screenwriter (Christian Bale) who loses his perspective on life and tries to get it back, but the movie is much more than that. As the M&M review team on YouTube has said, the movie was a two hour meditation. Go see this remarkable movie and meditate on it.

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)

"The Witch" was stupid and it is not a horror movie.

[1/10 · 27 February 2016]

I was expecting to be frightened out of my mind, to have nightmares, to see homicidal witches around every corner....No. After seeing "The Witch" last week, as the packed crowd for the evening showing laughed at the ending credits, my conclusion is that "The Witch" is an unbelievably ridiculous and poorly done drama set in seventeenth century New England. The movie was about this overly religious Puritan family consisting of a father, a mother, a baby (which gets kidnapped at the beginning),some twins, a son, and a teen age daughter. They get kicked out of a conservative religious congregation for being too "conservative." The family get banished to a dark and creepy forest where they get their butts kicked by their own fear and stupidity, and then later on get knocked off one by one (except for the teen age daughter)by a group of homicidal "killer" witches. I hated the whole damn family and didn't feel sorry for them at all. At all. First of all, this is my blow by blow description of why I hated them. First of all, there were the twin children who screamed and ranted throughout the picture like a bunch of god damn idiots. They were a big annoyance and distraction throughout. Why? Because they took me right out of the movie whenever they showed up on the screen. I felt like getting up and telling them to shut-up several times. I hated the extremely pathetic, needy mother. I thought the hulking, clueless dopey father was a moron. I was stunned at the stupidity of the son who had no sense of the danger he was in. I felt sorry for the daughter who just let everybody run over her. A lot of things in "The Witch" didn't make any sense. Like when the family's baby was kidnapped at the beginning of the story, you would think they would run back to the town they had left and gotten the police to help them (which is what you normally would do in a situation like that). They didn't. I felt no sympathy for these people. And the ending was too idiotic to be believed. The teen age daughter gets turned into a naked crazy witch who flies in the air, laughing (with other, flying naked witches). Huh? What was that all about? The ending felt like it came from another movie. Well, like a Ken Russell movie from 60s and 70s (if you know who he is). See this movie at your own risk. Or not.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

A good half and half attempt to balance the old and new Star Wars.

[6/10 · 6 January 2016]

Like I said in the summary, "The Force Awakens" was a good attempt to balance the new and the old, or to create a bridge from the "Original Trilogy" to the new "Disney" Star Wars. I hoped that the best "Star Wars" movie was yet to come (which didn't happen). My initial enthusiasm compelled me to see it twice at that time. J.J. Abrams did an above average job in reestablishing the tone and feel of a real "Star Wars" movie. And also, it reached out successfully to both the older and newer fans. The critical acclaim and box office receipts showed that the TFA was a success. Of course, now, we have to take into account the opinions of the "haters" and/or "trolls" who have trashed TFA. I would only have to say that "if" the "Star Wars" they want was realized (as I understand what they were saying), it would no longer be "Star Wars" but it would be something like "Battlestar Galactica"the 2004-2009 TV series, which would be totally different and not "Star Wars." I would say the negative opinions of these "Haters" and/or "Trolls" would be better served by petitioning Disney for a possible "better" director that they want for the "Star Wars" genre like for example like Francis Ford Coppola or Kenneth Branagh. In addition, they could also ask for a screenwriter they could see as acceptable like David Mamet or Paul Schrader, or somebody like that. But as it is, J.J. Abrams did an O.K. job with "The Force Awakens." It could have been a lot better, though. May be the force be with you.

Mistress America (2015)

"Mistress America" is the "I Love Lucy" of the 21st Century!

[10/10 · 12 September 2015]

Yes, that's right! That's what i said. "Mistress America" is the "I Love Lucy" for the 21st century. Greta Gerwig (Brooke) as Lucy and Lola Kirke (Tracy) as Ethel are the two goofy friends getting into all sorts of trouble without thinking things through, much like "Lucy" and "Ethel". Except for one thing. Brooke and Tracy, as Lucy and Ethel's grandchildren, have inherited the psychological self awareness of Ram Dass, Timothy Leary, Wayne Dyer, and countless other gurus of analysis."Mistress America" is a psychological drama comedy where all the characters are "aware" that they are "aware" of what they are doing and what they are thinking all the time, and they say it. Take for example when a spiritual guru advises Brooke to settle a score with an old classmate. Brooke goes to confront her the classmate, who is now married to her former boyfriend. What follows is a cross between an "Encounter" group and comedy sketch between them and several other people, who mostly all reveal their subconscious motives. If you have ever been to a therapist or attended a self-help group, you will understand this movie.

Inside Out (I) (2015)

The greatest psychology cartoon ever made!

[10/10 · 25 June 2015]

A great movie that appeals equally to children and adults. Not once did I turn away from the screen, which to me is a sure sign of the movie's greatness. "Inside Out" is movie about the inner psychology of girl child named Riley from her birth to about eleven years old. The engine that drives the movie is the psychological changes that occurs when Riley's family moves from their home in Minnesota to the San Francisco Bay Area. The changes are represented amusingly enough by cartoon characters called Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger and Fear, in both Riley and her parents. To be honest with you, I had some reservations about seeing "Inside Out." The previous features I had seen about psychological change in people were pretty serious affairs: "Steppenwolf" adapted from the novel by Herman Hesse and starring Max Von Sydow, and "A Dangerous Method" directed by Horror Meister David Cronenberg and starring Viggo Mortensen and Keira Knightly. Movies definitely not for kids. So, I said to myself, how will Disney make a movie about such a loaded subject? Easy. Stay away from topics like mental illness and pathological criminality, and stick to child and family psychology. Throw in a lot of humor and cartoon slapstick, and you have a movie that talks about emotional growth without the more serious consequences (Although the movie does surprisingly goes to some pretty dark places in the mind, like the subconscious). Comedians Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling and Lewis Black give outstanding performances as the various emotions that, for me, carry the movie. Go see this wonderful movie about "Psychology 101" and also, be entertained.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

"Mad Max, Fury Road" A movie that screams in your face from start to finish...

[3/10 · 4 June 2015]

It is the loud, crazy, insane, overwhelming, bizarre, grotesque and sickening "quick cuts" version of the original "Road Warrior" movie. "Mad Max, Fury Road" is the "Road Warrior" for the 21st Century. Will "Mad Max" be nominated for best picture of the year at Academy Awards time? I hope not. Look, if I was a pure action movie fan, I would give this movie at "10" out of "10" all the way. But I'm not. But you see, I also happen to be an up and coming writer myself (at least I think I am) and I just noticed something. There's no story! There's no plot! Only bizarre and nutty scenes being thrown at you at high speed in your face! Again and again! Isn't that great? Isn't that a movie? You know, "Mad Max" reminds me of another movie. What movie is that? DUNE! You know, that boring and nonsensical piece of trash directed by David Lynch! Oh, that one! I have concluded that "Mad Max, Fury Road" is the super high speed version of "Dune". Mad Max takes the weirdness and sickness of "Dune" and accelerates it to 200 miles an hour! "Hooray!" "Isn't that a fantastic and original idea?" You know, George Miller, the director of Mad Max, should redo "Dune" next. I would pay good money to see what George Miller would do to "Dune". Or has he done it already? Is "Mad Max" really "Dune" in disguise? I have to say, though, "Mad Max" was very entertaining. But that's it. Without a plot, without a story, all I got was a one dimensional roller coaster ride through hell. And is that what all these violent and crazy movies are good for? Are they just roller coaster rides now? It seems that they are.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

"Stars Wars" - The No Good Movie (The Phantom Menace)- Part I

[1/10 · 7 May 2015]

The absolute worse. When I saw the "No Good Movie" (The Phantom Menace) when it first came out years ago, I didn't know what to make of it. After seeing it, I said to myself "Aww, it was O.K. I guess" and that was it. I didn't see it a second time (unlike the original and the two sequels)and forgot about it. And now, years later, I know why. "The Phantom" was incredibly unmemorable. Like who cares about it? It didn't excite my imagination and it didn't make me think about it all the time (unlike the original). That's it! I said to myself. I didn't care about the characters and the story was boring. Being a writer myself now, I can say George Lucas did not think through his story. Unlike the "Original" the "No Good Movie" did not speak to a person's heart. The "Phantom" did not reach into mythology and make us ponder the eternal questions of human existence. The "No Good movie" did not touch upon the "eternal questions" brought up by the original "Star Wars". The questions are: why we are here, what is our purpose in life, what is the struggle between good and evil, etc. The original "Star Wars" movie addressed these issues and has become timeless and immortal in status as a result. Which is why "The No Good Movie"(Phantom Menace) will be forgotten and remembered as example of how not to make a movie. Sad but true.

Goodbye to Language (2014)

"Goodbye to language", is the worst movie ever, worse than "Jupiter Ascending".

[1/10 · 5 March 2015]

Oh my God, what did I just see! What was the point of Godard showing us a guy using the restroom four or five times? And hearing it too! Gross!!! Yuch!!!! Previously, Godard had been one of my favorite film makers, the man who made such Science Fiction classics like "Alphaville". I had previously seen Godard's previous film "Film Socialism" which I thought was very abstract, but had a good point to it. But this movie, "Goodbye to Language" I would say, literally, should be flushed down the toilet. This movie is ridiculous. Until the gross parts came along, "Goodbye to Language" had some really excellent and metaphorical ways of describing the condition of our world today. I will say Godard showed us a different way of using the 3D special effects that I have never seen before. But, you see, the "restroom" parts ruined the whole movie for me. Godard must be really "losing it" in his advanced age. Is Godard trying to say "life" is full of crap or what? Or is he just full of crap now? I walked out of the movie after about an hour. I just couldn't take it anymore. Don't see this movie unless you need a refresher in "toilet" training.

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

This movie "Jupiter Ascending" was rushed through and underdeveloped

[1/10 · 8 February 2015]

Well, what can I say? If we were to judge a movie strictly on "ideas" and cinematography, "Jupiter Ascending" would get a "10" (out of ten). But, we, or I, judge a movie on the whole "results". J.A. fails miserably on the "results". First, the good (what little there is of it). The first 20 to 30 minutes of J.A. beats any version of David Lynch's movie "Dune" hands down, all the way. Unfortunately, it's the last 1 hour, 30 minutes of J.A. that sinks it into the bowels of the earth. Now, the bad. The movie came off listless and flat, like it was rushed through production without a thought (and probably was). Mila Kunis was absolutely the wrong actress for her part. Mila looked like she was sleepwalking her way through the movie. Any other actress (Sienna Miller, Jennifer Lawrence) would have brought life to the part. Channing Tatum played a good soldier, but he needed to speak up, because I couldn't hear what he was saying sometimes. Sean Bean also looked like he was "phoning in" his part, and also had trouble speaking, basically mumbling his words. The story was overly complicated, and needed to be simplified. I couldn't tell what was this and that on the screen half the time. There was a lack of suspense in the story, and no sense of humor. Overall, I got the feeling that "Jupiter Ascending" was really saying the message "I don't care, I don't care" over and over again. well, I don't care either.

Welcome to the Space Show (2010)

Incredibly imaginative but too long...

[6/10 · 10 January 2015]

The most imaginative anime film I have ever seen. I just saw this "wonder" tonight at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. This film had an interesting and slow beginning which left you wondering what this movie was about. There was a strange conflict at the start between some fantasy creatures which was short and quick, and then opened into an extended bucolic Japanese family scene in the countryside centered on the life of a few school kids. Then surprise, the kids are transported into space on a galactic adventure which literally boggles the imagination and leaves you glued to your seat. But, the movie goes on too long. About 35 to 40 minutes too long. The film makers should not have "tacked on" the Star Wars type mini adventure at the end. It was overkill, it was not needed, really. But, like I said, it is the most imaginative anime I have ever seen. And I just know there was a ton of animators and art students in tonight's audience. I can't describe this movie, you just have to see it.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

Reader's Digest version of "Lord of the Rings"

[7/10 · 22 December 2014]

What the heck. I'm giving the "Five Armies" seven stars. Why? Because I was riveted to my seat the whole movie, anxious to see what would happen next. The opening scenes of Smaug the dragon attacking the village was among the most spectacular scenes I have ever witnessed in the movies. Coming in second to that scene was Galadriel, Saruman and Elrond fighting the "ghost" soldiers. Truly spectacular. Unfortunately, after that, "Five Armies" changes into something like a video game. The plot is compressed (like the articles and stories of Reader's Digest). The presence and gravity of the original LOTR is absent. And the whole movie is CGIed to death. The whole thing feels "rushed". If only the "Five Armies" had continued the momentum of the first two exciting action scenes, we would of had a different movie. But I guess, the people involved in making "Five Armies" wanted to end the "Hobbit" series real quick(and make a lot of money).

John Wick (2014)

If Satan ruled the world...the most vicious action movie, ever.

[10/10 · 30 November 2014]

It's Keanu Reeves greatest movie, ever! I can't believe how many people Keanu (John Wick) killed in this movie! Maybe 80 or more, I lost count. And over a dog! Yes, Keanu as the Anti-Christ, the most evil out of the evil, a destroying hell's angel, a veritable force of nature! Never have I enjoyed cheering on the bad guy (John Wick) so much. And it's also how he did it! Sometimes shooting the 80 or so bad guys each two or three times in the head and chest (John Wick had a lot of ammunition). I have not seen this much raw, explosive action in a long time. "John Wick" felt like an amped up version of the Arnold Schwarzenegger action movies like "Commando" or "Raw Deal" but even more so! This has to be the most nastiest, nihilistic, existentialist, insane, outrageous, ironic, comedic, repellent and vicious action movie ever made! Guns, guns or more guns. It might make you throw up! And unbelievably, it might also make you laugh! There's also some great acting in this movie, by the way, from people like Willem DaFoe and Ian McShane.This also has to be the most Anti- Russian movie America has ever made. Russians left and right are being killed by the bushel full! So go see "John Wick" now, if you've got the stomach for it. And treat your pets with kindness, or John Wick will hear about it! Finally, what would John Wick do to Batman?

Maleficent (2014)

The Gloria Steinem version of "Sleeping Beauty?"

[10/10 · 31 May 2014]

So, watch out, all you guys out there! "Maleficent" is the "Gloria Steinem", women's liberation, revised version of "Sleeping Beauty". And it's great! A movie told from a women's point of view. Pretty refreshing, I would say, for an industry that still won't make a stand alone "Wonder Woman" movie(probably due to sexism). I was surprised by Angelina Jolie's acting in the movie, she showed a great range and depth that I had never seen in her before. Also, some parts of "Maleficent" reminded me of other movies and possibilities. Angelina's flying sequences reminded me of the movie "Man of Steel". Angelina as "Super Woman" or "Wonder Woman?" Or Angelina as an "X-Woman?" The special effects, or fantasy effects if you want to be specific, were incredible, they pulled me into the movie from the first scene and left me there. The girl playing "Sleeping Beauty", Elle Fanning, portrayed Naivete and Innocence to the hilt. This movie was a good compromise between the adult and children's audience. If "Maleficent" had gone too far in the direction of either group, it wouldn't have been as good (or as popular). In ending, I would say it is a great movie, the best movie Disney has ever done, but if you're a guy (like I am) be aware that the movie has a definite opinion about the empowerment of women. Go see it.

Godzilla (2014)

Not exactly the "Godzilla" movie I was expecting...

[1/10 · 16 May 2014]

So O.K., Godzilla is making a ton of money at the box office. So O.K., Godzilla has a great script. But something is missing. GODZILLA! "GODZILLA" doesn't appear for most of the movie. But the movie is named "GODZILLA" it's about him, right? So where is he? It turns out that GODZILLA is a bit player in his own movie. It's like having a movie called "DRACULA" and Dracula only appears in the last 10 minutes. The movie feels flat and very downbeat in attitude. There's a definite lack of dynamism in the whole production. In other words, it doesn't move you. I really did not care what happened to the characters on the screen. Compare this movie to the vastly superior "Pacific Rim" where the scene of the little Japanese girl running away from the huge monster in Japan had a definite impact on me. The acting in Godzilla was horrible. The fighting scenes between the monsters were boring. Who cares. Boring. When I start to think I could have done a better job in directing and producing a movie I'm seeing, there's something wrong with the movie. Go watch "PACIFIC RIM".

Fantasia (1940)

Uneven in quality; what's great is great, what is not is mediocre or weird

[5/10 · 9 February 2014]

Having rented a DVD and seen "Fantasia" for the first time in my life, I will say this: what is great in "Fantasia" is great, what is not great in "Fantasia" is mediocre or just plain weird or underdeveloped. First, let's start with the great. "Night on Bald Mountain" and the following "Ave Maria" are stunning. Those two cartoon segments should have been part of a separate movie altogether, blowing away all the contemporary "Horror" Manga comic stuff coming out of Japan. I never seen a cartoon before show the sides of "Good" and "Evil" in such contrasting manner, with a strong depth of spirituality. "Sorcerer's Apprentice" is a great Mickey Mouse feature that should have been made into a separate movie. That's segment's strong messages of "consequences" of one's actions is outstanding. The rest? The other segments are not worth talking about, because Warners Brothers Bugs Bunny and Co. did that stuff 20 times better and with a sense of humor. In ending, the uncut version presented here, with the narration, well, let me say this, the narration is not needed, it only slowed things down.

The Shanghai Gesture (1941)

"The Shanghai Gesture" is out of this world.

[10/10 · 2 February 2014]

I just recently saw the best version of "Shanghai Gesture" lent out to the San Francisco Film Noir festival from the collection of Martin Scorcese. What a picture! It reminds me of something David Lynch would do in the present day (but more crazier and weirder). Actually, it's not weird. It's really a picture about a horribly dysfunctional family situation. Gene Tierney is the most beautiful I have ever seen her in a movie. Victor Mature is totally wacked out and gonzo as the decadent Dr. Omar. And actress Ona Munson is hilarious and incredibly bizarre as Mama Gin Sling (she looks like a character out of a Flash Gordon movie). Why do I give it a ten? Because it is a totally original and bizarre movie that defies convention and enters the world of the surrealistic and the campy. I never would have thought of the ending, you know where Gene Tierney gets killed by her own Mother, who we find out is Mama Gin Sling. Never would have guessed it. Totally original movie.

Gravity (2013)

Thrilling movie, but empty, not Science Fiction

[4/10 · 20 November 2013]

The movie "Gravity" kept me glued to my seat. My attention was firmly focused on the adventures of "Sandra & George", which is what the movie was really about anyway. Oh, granted, the special effects attempted to project a feeling of being in "outer space" which worked somewhat (I didn't see it in 3-D). There was something missing. The thing that was missing was the "awe and mystery" (I'm paraphrasing the opening description of the old sci-fi series "The Outer Limits") of outer space. I wasn't really transported anywhere, which is what you want in a sci-fi movie. It felt more like a thriller to me that just happened to be in outer space. "Gravity" was more about the "Perils of Sandra Bullock" than any kind of science fiction. A roller coaster ride without any inspiration, just a ride. The old sci-fi movie that is somewhat similar to "Gravity" called "Capricorn One" was more closer to what the movie makers intended. Oh well.