bclark-45143 Reviews

Nope (2022)

Veering Dangerously Close to M. Night Shyamalan Territory

[4/10 · 2 November 2022]

I have had a "theory" for a long time that the success or failure of movies in this day and age can usually be directly related to the quality of the screenplay - usually the story or the plot. I mean, cinema technology nowadays is fantastic; editing, cinematography, special effects are all great, and acting is usually decent. But it really comes down to the story, doesn't it? I mean, it either makes sense and holds together or it doesn't, and that to my mind is the failure of "Nope".

"The Sixth Sense" was a tremendous movie with its once in a lifetime twist ending, but since then Shyamalan's output has been at best mediocre. I mean, come on, movies like "Signs" or "The Village" or "Lady in the Water" are cringe-inducing. How does this guy keep getting studios to put up millions of dollars for garbage like that? It really seems as though Shyamalan had the one great inspiration with "The Sixth Sense" and has made a career of people hoping he has another one like that in him.

I am a little concerned that Jordan Peele's career is following the same trajectory. "Get Out" was tremendous, a deservedly big hit and award winner, but he has not lived up to its standard with "Us" and "Nope".

I kept waiting for plot threads to come together and for the movie to stay true to its own internal logic, but it just didn't. This was one of those movies where, when it ends, you just kinda go "Wait! There must be something more to this. Is that really it?" Having said that, Peele does succeed in creating an atmosphere of forboding, and, just like "Us" I enjoyed watching it even though I was in the end disappointed. He has a LONG way to go before he reaches the depths to which Shyamalan has fallen; let's fervently hope he rights the ship long before then.

Beast (I) (2022)

Not as bad as it could have been

[4/10 · 17 October 2022]

I must admit, seeing the trailer with the shot of Idris Elba running away from the lion and closing the car door just as the lion jumps at him got me interested in seeing this movie. I got it from my public library, which means I didn't spend any money on it!

Let's face it, the whole raison d'etre of "Beast" is the climactic showdown at the end, Elba single-handedly takes on a big-ass (although apparently burnt and wounded) lion all by himself with nothing but a butcher knife. All the rest of the plot is just killing time for the end and the few other scenes where the lion is attacking Elba and his family.

I didn't expect much beyond a few thrilling scenes like that and that is what I got. I thought Elba was great in "The Wire" but I don't think he's gotten a movie role worthy of his talents and charisma yet (THIS sure isn't it).

Yes, plenty of stupid choices by the characters in this movie (had I watched it with other people in a theater I suspect we would all have been either laughing or hollering at the screen, as some of the choices of characters reminded me of some crappy "Halloween" or "Friday the 13th" ripoff).

Plus, the battle at the end did kinda remind me of the bear attack in "The Revenant," although it sure seemed as though this lion could have killed Elba in about two seconds (hello - one chomp on his neck woulda settled the issue).

Lower your expectations to a suitable level and this isn't the worst thing you could spend 90 minutes on!

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Two beautiful people but nothing happens!

[2/10 · 11 October 2022]

My wife and I were watching this on DVD the other day. I kept waiting for the plot or story to begin...and waiting...and waiting. Finally I glanced at the time counter on the DVD player and goodness gracious we were already an hour and 1/2 in and as far as we were concerned the movie hadn't really even started yet! I get that the back-and-forth between Kelly and Grant was clever and the setting was gorgeous but beyond that this movie was indeed sleep inducing. The VERY thin plot was as obvious as could be. I'm not sure why I need to keep adding words and more words because my review is too short?!

Deliver Us from Evil (I) (2014)

I Didn't Hate It

[6/10 · 7 July 2022]

Well, I was afraid to expect too much from this movie, and with that mindset going in, I can say that DUFE at least matched and probably very slightly exceeded my hopes. Certainly there are some A List actors here - Eric Bana (pulling off pretty successfully a Bronx accent), Edgar Martinez, Olivia Munn (who unfortunately is basically wasted in a cliched portrayal of the worried wife at home). I found this engaging enough. It didn't insult my intelligence, and even though the various parts of the story here don't REALLY hang together and there are a few basically pointless sequences, this was a pretty decent flick to not think too heavily about and just try to appreciate the professionalism.

Licorice Pizza (2021)

Sweet and Funny and Real

[9/10 · 4 June 2022]

I wasn't sure what to expect but boy I loved this movie! The two leads deliver pitch-perfect performances in which what is going on underneath the surface is at least as important as the :outward" action. I wasn't especially enamored with "The Master" or "Inherent Vice" but here Anderson reaches new heights. I also must say I really enjoyed how we never really figured out what the deal was with that stalker hanging around the campaign HQ. Sure, the stalker knows why he's standing there but that doesn't mean that WE (being sort of in the shoes of the two leads) know.

Not to be missed.

Moonfall (2022)

WOW Was this bad

[2/10 · 7 May 2022]

WOW was this bad. WOW was this bad. WOW was this bad.

I'm not sure I've ever seen any Roland Emmerich movies before. Boy, I sure won't make that mistake again. I thought that perhaps this might be some good old-fashioned popcorn eating silly fun.

WOW was this bad.

The plot such as it is seemed to be "borrowed" from a number of other movies...the alien kinda reminded me of "Arrival," there was a little "Contact" in there, even a little "Aliens." Didn't expect such cheesy special effects.

Run. Run fast and don't look back if somehow you have the opportunity to see this.

Last thing. Why on earth do all this guy's movies last well over two hours?? Does he really think he's making an "epic" every time out?

Dune (2021)

I appreciated this more than enjoyed it

[5/10 · 3 April 2022]

First off, I am not by and large a sci-fi fan and I have never read the Frank Herbert book. However, I really enjoyed "Arrival" and I didn't HATE "Blade Runner 2049" although I did consider it somewhat pointless.

So having said all that, I liked this well enough. I appreciated the technical achievements, the cinematography and the special effects, and I was generally able to follow the plot.

So, here are some - I don't want to call them "gripes," let's call 'em observations: I find a lot of sci-fi silly when it comes up with all these silly names (and I have a hard time picturing the actors not cracking up saying some of them).

I don't think Timothee Chalamet had the "gravitas" for this oh-so-heavy bit of business (but maybe having this scrawny kid as the star is kinda the point). Same thing with Zendaya, to me she's just some kid.

Funny thing is, my all-time favorite movie is Stanley Kubrick's "2001." It doesn't have the problems that movies like "Dune" have, and it doesn't have some "story" as much as a grandeur myth about the universe. It suggests much more than shows (or spells anything out with boring obvious exposition); plus in "2001" you have a great, great filmmaker at the absolute height of his powers.

So, I guess this was an acceptable translation of "Dune" to the silver screen.

Pieces of Her (2022)

There's a good show in here somewhere

[3/10 · 29 March 2022]

This seemed intriguing but rapidly became silly.

1. In the first episode when Toni Collette slices that guy's throat and it becomes clear that there's much more to her than her daughter ever knew, I was expecting her to be a CIA agent or something. Instead we are expected to believe that her character, having seen this happen ONCE in a very chaotic situation THIRTY YEARS PRIOR, would amazingly acquire the ability to act like James Bond.

2. After a few episodes I was half expecting Bella Heathcote to be revealed as a CIA agent herself or something. I do not care for shows or movies that take presumably "normal" folks who find themselves in crazy situations and then suddenly turn into James Bond herself.

3. Maybe the cancer meant more in the book but it seemed somewhat pointless in the TV show.

This wasn't really BAD...I felt I had to watch till the end to see if the payoff was worth it, but it really wasn't.

The Great Gatsby (1974)

WOW, was this bad

[2/10 · 13 March 2022]

Where to begin?

Robert Redford is disastrously miscast as the lead here. No real sense of danger or even any depth to his portrayal, no sense at all of what Gatsby had to endure and what he had to do to get to the position he is in.

The pacing is deadly slow; shots and entire scenes go on (and on and ON) far longer than they should have, and for god's sake, how many utterly unmotivated and pointless zooms are there in this movie?

Lots of instances in which characters do or say things and you have no idea why.

Look, I'm just not willing to spend anymore time explaining just how bad this was, but I think it was literally one of the worst movies I've ever seen.

Being the Ricardos (2021)

How is it possible that Sorkin's screenplay wasn't nominated??

[7/10 · 17 February 2022]

I'm a little too young to really remember "I Love Lucy" but I have certainly always been aware of it, and of course Lucille Ball's various sitcoms which followed. I was not aware of the business about Lucy being a communist but I do recall reading about the controversy over her pregnancy. I know quite a number of reviewers have taken issue with the liberties Sorkin has taken with the timeline of various events, but as I was watching none of that detracted from my enjoyment of this movie. Kidman's performance was awesome, although I do agree with those who found her makeup/prosthetics distracting.

But for me by far the most enjoyable part of "Being the Ricardos" was Sorkin's screenplay and the witty, crackerjack dialogue. It reminded me of screwball comedies like "Bringing Up Baby" and "His Girl Friday." How Aaron Sorkin was not nominated for Original Screenplay is absolutely beyond me. Damon Runyon himself would've been proud of such a work. When I mentioned above that I thought Kidman's performance awesome, a VERY large part of that was due to the words Sorkin had her saying (and same goes for Simmons and the rest of the cast).

Very enjoyable. Highly recommended.

The Real Charlie Chaplin (2021)

Brilliant

[9/10 · 19 December 2021]

It is of course not possible to fairly and accurately sum up any life, much less a life so consequential, controversial and famed, in a two hour movie, but tell you what, this is a brilliant look at one of the most famous figures of the 20th century. If you have ANY interest in the life and work of Charlie Chaplin, see this movie.

Respect (2021)

Powerhouse, amazing, moving portrayal of the Queen of Soul

[9/10 · 4 December 2021]

Jennifer Hudson absolutely knocks it out of the park with her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in "Respect". Considering she is in virtually every shot in this movie, much less every scene, as another reviewer said, she doesn't imitate "Ree" as much as she inhabits her. She'd better make room on her mantle for another Oscar. The film itself is respectful but as far as I can tell pretty honest about her life. It doesn't whitewash her troubled marriage, her proclivity for being a diva, or her struggles with alcohol. When I sat down to watch this, without being the biggest fan of Aretha Franklin in the world, I thought "Wow! Two and a half hours. I hope this isn't gonna be boring." Not to worry. A terrific movie that I expect will get a bunch of Oscar noms.

Old (2021)

How does M. Night Shyamalan keep getting financing for his movies??

[1/10 · 29 November 2021]

An interesting concept, I may have to check out the "graphic novel (in my day we just called them "comic books")" this waste of time is based upon. I would surely think this is gonna be a leading contender for multiple awards in this year's Razzies. I really do not know how Shyamalan keeps getting people to put up millions of dollars just so he can crank out this garbage, Maybe enough of his movies do a decent business at the box office. Maybe there are still enough people out there hoping he can recapture the magic that made "The Sixth Sense" so special. But, my goodness, twenty years later, shouldn't it be clear by now that he was a one-trick pony?

After Life: Episode #1.5 (2019) Season 1, Episode 5

Absolutely Brilliant

[10/10 · 1 November 2021]

I can't imagine that many people find "After Life" to their taste, but I just think it is brilliant, funny, absurd, sad, touching, and most of all REAL. Ricky Gervais has surrounded himself with terrific actors. As I write this (1:00 am on November 1st, 2021, I have just watched episode 5 of season one. I'm really fighting the urge to at least watch episode 6, but I have to work tomorrow morning! When, towards the end of this episode, Sandy tells him "Tony, you're breaking my heart." Wow, it just hit me right in the heart.

Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013)

There's a damn fine movie in here somewhere

[7/10 · 31 October 2021]

I have got to hand it to John Ridley and the producers of this movie. Once it became clear that the filmmakers were going to be unable to obtain the rights to use any of Hendrix' music, a lot of people, I would think, woulda packed it in. Having said that, even though I think that that issue was kinda the kiss of death keeping this movie from being really good, it was eminently watchable with some terrific performances, especially by Andre Benjamin in the title role. I do think that the decision to concentrate on this one year period in Hendrix' life and career was pretty darned clever and somewhat ameliorated the lack of Hendrix' music. A very interesting take on Ridley's part, and if you have any interest in Jimi Hendrix, this is worth checking out!

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

SO slowly paced

[5/10 · 25 June 2021]

I have not read the book and so I was only familiar with this movie in the most general sense. I grasp that this movie is almost sacred to a lot of people, and Atticus Finch is considered one of the all-time great movie heroes, but geez the performance is pretty one-dimensional.

Throughout the movie I kept thinking that Mulligan was stretching out scenes way too long by lingering on shots pointlessly.

On the plus side Peck's performance DOES carry a real moral authority and all three kids were great. I'm glad I finally saw this; prods me in the direction of reading the book.

The Remains of the Day (1993)

One of the greatest movies I've ever seen

[10/10 · 21 April 2021]

Two performances for the ages. Serious, subtle and ultimately heartbreaking. I've seen "Remains" a couple of times before and I just rewatched it tonight, and even though I knew how the movie ends I still was hoping against hope that Stevens would make a different choice and let his feelings out. Quite a few excellent reviews of "Remains" on this site, so I'm just gonna shut up except to say if you've never watched "Remains," please do; you're in for a real treat.

The Informer (2019)

Why Did I Watch This?

[3/10 · 13 March 2021]

Not sure what prompted me to watch this. I do think Rosamund Pike and Clive Owen are good actors but boy, this didn't involve me at all. I didn't care about the fate of the protagonist at all. I have heard of Joel Kinnaman I guess but this just didn't do it for me at all.

Julia (1977)

A Near-Perfect Movie

[9/10 · 8 March 2021]

This hearkens back to the glory days of Hollywood. Jane Fonda is every inch a movie star, yet also delivers one of the finest (maybe THE finest?) performances of her career in "Julia." The sequence on the train is a marvel in understated tension; Lillian really has no idea what is going on, but feels she has no choice but to trust the people that keep showing up in her path. Oscar-winning supporting turns by Vanessa Redgrave and Jason Robards, too. This is the kind of movie that grown ups can appreciate. Not to be missed.

Klute (1971)

They don't make 'em like this anymore

[8/10 · 26 February 2021]

This is a movie for grownups, and not just for the subject matter or the "R" rating. In the mess of today's super heroes sequels upon sequels and brainless rom-coms, the intelligence and maturity of all concerned is a revelation, even fifty (fifty!) years after its release. It's not a perfect movie; some of the dialogue is hard to understand and the motivation of the villain (especially at the end) is pretty murky. In that sense it kinda reminded me of a 007 movie where the bad guy explains everything to James Bond for no apparent reason, but here we need the exposition to finally figure out just what happened. A VERY well deserved Oscar for Jane Fonda - her performance unveils layer upon layer of a very complex character. And fifty years later, is it really possible that Donald Sutherland has never even been nominated for an Oscar, much less won one? A terrific movie!

Clemency (2019)

I Even Love the DVD Cover

[9/10 · 5 February 2021]

How on earth did this movie not get all kinds of Oscar consideration? Alfre Woodard's performance ranks up there with the greatest I've ever seen. All the performances are superb, in fact, and I do think this was an unforgettable movie. Dark, yes. Dark as hell, but if one way of evaluating a movie is in how much it affects you emotionally, then this is a true powerhouse. Maybe its intensity and darkness turned too many people off, and so it didn't do any box office and got no award consideration. But isn't the image on the DVD cover (that I presume was also the movie poster) pretty cool?

The Argument (2020)

The actors are trying their best

[2/10 · 3 January 2021]

When I see a movie like this I need to think, "SOMEbody besides the writer thought this was worth raising money for." Doesn't work as comedy, satire, irony - you name it. Most of the actors are trying SO hard but this should not earn a spot on their demo reel. I seem to have a policy of watching movies all the way through no matter what, but "The Argument" may make me revisit this decision.

Violette (2013)

A Performance for the Ages

[8/10 · 13 November 2020]

Emmanuelle Devos is fully committed in this role, and Sandrine Kiberlain cannily underplays hers. Not to be missed.

A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)

I'm surprised this movie was even released

[1/10 · 10 July 2020]

I think "Family Guy" is hilarious so I was, frankly, just shocked at how terrible this movie was. I'm really surprised that actors of the caliber of Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson signed onto this. MacFarlane never managed to settle on a tone - one minute he's cracking wise like we the audience are supposed to be in on his "I know it's supposed to be 1882, but we all know it's really 2014" inside jokes; next he's resorting to gross-out potty humor; next he's throwing in non sequiturs like it's "Airplane." But none of it was funny. Be your own judge, but I would avoid this at all costs.

7 Days to Vegas (2019)

Pleasant Surprise

[6/10 · 19 June 2020]

Wasn't expecting much if anything from this, but it's a fun way to spend 94 minutes! Likeable characters and funny plot twists.