socrates99 Reviews

The Favourite (2018)

Probably the most vividly affecting movie I've seen all year

[9/10 · 29 December 2018]

I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't what I got which was better. I imagined a story about two women battling for a Queen's attention, and it is that, but it's also a portrait of women vying for power in a very unbridled way while the Queen is barely able to cope. Lesbianism is involved though not really graphically.

The story is quite good though dark in the end. I'd hate to have to sort out who should be singled out for their acting. I'd have to proclaim cowardice and give it to the three female leads equally. Clearly Olivia Colman had the worst of it, her Queen Anne is not a very admirable woman, but Olivia gives her depth and breadth that is very impressive. Emma Stone has the most conventional role in that her character is engaged in a struggle against misfortune. But Ms. Stone has an unusual ability to make her roles seem somehow pure human nature and I was always a little happier whenever the camera focused on her.

Rachel Weisz does her best work that I'm aware of. Her strength of character comes through very clearly and is really the center piece of the movie. There's no way it would have reached the heights it does without her and Nicholas Hoult who somehow make the 18th century come alive in a very engaging way.

Not a movie for everyone, because of its hard imaginings, but a wonderful piece of work that is sure to garner an avalanche of awards despite its director's daring spirit. The skill in display is a very rare treat.

Mandy (I) (2018)

The most satisfying horror movie I've ever seen

[9/10 · 15 December 2018]

I'm not a horror fan. When I do watch them I like movies like The Shining and and Hellraiser where there's an imaginative take on evil. This movie fits in very well in that group but on a level all its own. There's something very intelligent in the director's approach though I can't describe it well. Maybe students of cinema will have more to say about it. I do know it didn't have me feeling nervous or jumpy when it was done despite some truly harrowing scenes.

The plot is not very complicated, Nicholas Cage, as a happily married man, finds himself and his wife the victims of some truly psychotic killers. He then proceeds to hunt them down. It's an old familiar story, but the director, Panos Cosmatos, makes it seem fresh again. The scenes with the bad guys are memorably intense. And though there's a touch of the supernatural here, it's clearly just a way of expressing the depravity being contemplated, and not really an element of the plot.

I wondered for a second when it was done whether perhaps someone like Bruce Willis might not have been a better choice for Nicholas Cage's part, but after a brief moment I was sure Mr. Cage was the better choice for this part. He does a wonderful job. Kudos to him for being willing to do this movie, though it is reminiscent of Ghost Rider, it is far more emotionally engaging.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

A small but worthy film with spectacular casting and dialogue

[8/10 · 19 November 2018]

My wife and I were anxious to see this film because we've spent most of our lives around rare books and manuscripts. We were not disappointed but were surprised at the high quality of the production. Melissa McCarthy was the perfect choice for the lead role. She made this woman's bad choices look natural and even inevitable for her. If possible, Richard E Grant, her partner in crime, was an even more inspired choice. The two together ran true in every respect, but especially the dialogue, and I can't remember the last time I thought that of another screen couple.

My wife spent years trying to guard valuable collections from pilfering and it was a joy to see a story that touched on that scholarly but risky world.

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

I wish I were half as entertaining as these guys

[9/10 · 19 July 2018]

I hear the old movie studio moguls used to believe that it was their stars that counted, that movie-goers would come out to see them regardless of the story. But I have always felt almost the exact opposite, I enjoy seeing a good actor but it mostly the story that got me into the theater. Lately, however, with some of the recent crop of stars, I seem to be enjoying their antics more than ever. So it was here, Paul Ruud has such a light touch, you wonder if he could really be as pleasant a guy as all that. I wouldn't be surprised.

All that was needed was for him to be given a good script, some capable supporting actors, as here, and the movie would be a winner. This movie is no masterpiece but it's way above its competition in my opinion. You will be entertained from start to finish, in a tale that makes rough sense, despite its including some reflection about the ultra-small quantum world. The computer work is top notch and time flew for both me and my wife. Highly recommend.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

A lot better than I expected; I'd have to say it's the best of the genre

[9/10 · 1 May 2018]

I'd say about 7/8ths of this movie is topnotch and worth watching. It misses the mark a little near the middle of the second half, but not catastrophically. Altogether it's a uniquely imaginative and ambitious ride. The action is pretty much non-stop and each actor's contribution takes the whole production a little bit higher. I would not have thought this kind of group effort possible, but it's almost as if everyone in the production felt the need to give it their all. Kudos to the directors, Anthony and Joe Russo, who have never tackled such a large project before. They definitely have the sensibilities and eye to make a movie rock.

If I had to rank the performances, I'd have to say Chris Hemsworth, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch, Josh Brolin and Chris Pratt were my personal favorites though I'd hate to do without any of the rest.

Red Sparrow (2018)

This is a badly conceived project with few redeeming aspects

[5/10 · 3 March 2018]

Though I'm a fan of Ms Lawrence and wouldn't fault her performance all that much, this film's attempt to portray Russia as the home of overly cruel spymasters doesn't ring very true to me. It smells of over-the-top propaganda hoping to cast Russia as some soulless country without moral compass. If the US were given this treatment, we would all see through the overwrought bias. But as Russia is in the news, we tend to tolerate this kind of hyperbole.

At the start I really couldn't picture Ms Lawrence as a Russian for some reason. But she does a fairly good job of bringing her role to life, despite a lame accent. Quickly, however, I started to wish I had read the book first. There's a buildup and then a middle act that the director pretty much bungles. The problem is Red Sparrow's psyche is not well delineated during a crucial time in the story. All the plot elements are there but they're deliberately not gathered together. Why, I have no idea, as the story might have been much more compelling if played out under better direction. But then that might have been how the book does it.

Anyway, I was sorry to have missed Bruce Willis' new movie by the time it was over. It was also opening this weekend. Red Sparrow didn't work for me on several levels but I doubt Ms Lawrence's career takes much of a hit.

I Am Cuba (1964)

Back in 1964 this film would have been wasted on an American audience

[9/10 · 8 November 2017]

First, the artistry is too intimidating. It'd be like promoting Dostoyevsky to Dickens fans. Some of the scenes are so beguiling they defy adequate description. But some will think it much too slow, which might have been a good point if it hadn't taken place on a Caribbean island. I was made to feel what it was like to do the tedious work of cutting sugar cane all day and then be thrown into so much despair, you feel you must strike out.

Cuba before the revolution was deeply involved with gangsters and criminals, but this film makes no mention of them, showing Batista and American sailors and businessmen as the bad men, mindlessly exploiting the grinding poverty reserved for the peasants.

The real delight of this movie is the awe inspiring photography, and especially, the long, no-cut scenes done in an era before steady cams and lightweight equipment. Apparently it was all done with infrared film which the Soviet military had available in abundance. (The greenery is often white as a result.) Regardless, it's really enough to recommend it highly as you will wonder at times why we were denied such beautiful work all these years.

Beatriz at Dinner (2017)

An artsy foray into one of the culture wars

[9/10 · 9 August 2017]

This is one of those films I wish I had made myself. Not that I'm a producer, except in my dreams, but I'm envious of those responsible for this movie. It cleanly cuts to the quick on a subject I'm totally in accord with.

Someone once said, when nature perfects something, it clearly surpasses anything man can do. In a way this movie is about that. It shines a bright light on those getting rich tearing up natural beauty to put up another money maker and contrasts that with those who can't bear to see nature pushed aside like that. In this case the entrepreneur is a very white and wealthy land developer and the nature lover is a lady Mexican masseuse. They meet, unexpectedly, at a small dinner party and one of them finds the other's existence unbearable.

As much as I enjoyed everyone's performance and the integrity of the screenplay, I couldn't help thinking, this movie is not going to sway anyone. And it may not. But it is saying something that needs to be said, no matter how futile, and I find myself briefly wishing there was a way to contact those who understood and agreed with its rather simple message.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

I wish I knew the comic book because this movie is amazingly imaginative

[8/10 · 26 July 2017]

I'd heard that critics were trashing this movie and was leery about seeing it, I loved Milla Jovovich in The Fifth Element, also by this director. But I found so much to like here, it feels as if the critics went out of their way to trash a valiant effort. True, this is not as good as The Fifth Element, but there are glimmers here of a completely enchanting world that I wouldn't have missed seeing.

When you compare this wildly imaginative movie to one like Rogue One, the Star Wars prequel comes off awfully juvenile. I don't recall the critics getting upset about that. The attention to detail and the beauty of some of the imagined locations here is spectacular. It must have cost a fortune to produce the first 5 minutes of this movie, judging by the product.

My biggest surprise was the two leads. Watching the trailer I thought Dane DeHaan a little too light weight body-wise to carry off the role of an action hero. And Cara Delevingne seemed a little too runway to be that action hero's sidekick or love interest. To my surprise, Dane seemed just right for the part. It was easy to appreciate his attitude and range of expression and he moved very well throughout. And Cara seemed nobody's fool and pulled off her part very satisfactorily, also being just as physical and ironic as she needed to be.

There's a bit of a lull in the festivities around the third act but I didn't mind; this is an extremely ambitious project that deserves a lot more praise than it's getting. Could it be Hollywood is seeing cross-eyed because it's too envious of this work? The movie goes by quickly and I can only hope Luc Besson the director is not discouraged from doing a sequel. To my mind he clearly deserves to be listed with the world's top directors.

American Fable (2016)

Very impressive first film that we quite admired

[8/10 · 24 July 2017]

We're living in country very reminiscent of the film's location, so there was a heightened appeal to the scenery for us, but honestly, this movie rises far above the attractiveness of its setting. It's a little unusual in that a major part of the drama hangs on the relationship between the father and daughter who greatly resemble each other. I found then both easy to listen to and watch. Both actors do a great job in their roles and they carry most of the picture with substantial help from this first time director who tells her story very effectively.

I've read criticism of the plot and the non-resolution of various issues brought up, but as one who needs murder mysteries and spy dramas to make perfect sense, a story mostly from a child's point of view set on a farm doesn't have to come together like a puzzle. I enjoyed this film and look forward to more from this interesting director.

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

The level of artistry here is so rare, it's difficult to believe

[9/10 · 20 July 2017]

This movie is enthralling and a marvel of collaboration. After the first two installments of this franchise, the near perfect expressions and movement of the apes is no surprise, but this is now only a part of the illusion. The story, cinematography and music also do their impressive part to seduce the audience into a moment by moment identification with the apes that is at times sublime.

My only caveat might be that most of this movie will go over the head of anyone too immature or hardheaded to grasp its beauty. It's emotional and somewhat more subtle than the other movies in the trilogy, but in a lot of ways, far more satisfying. It's truly a worthy capstone.

I understand the creative group responsible is not going to be involved with the franchise from here on. Let's just say I'd hate to try to improve on this performance.

The Beguiled (2017)

An essay on the many differences between men and women

[9/10 · 8 July 2017]

I like to see the choices a female director makes for signs of how women see things differently. Often the differences are fairly slight, the Hurt Locker is a good example. But this reworking of The Beguiled is quite different than the original starring Clint Eastwood.

The women in this southern plantation-like school have lost all their slaves, they ran off as the Civil War continued. The head mistress, Nicole Kidman, is looking after the few students still in residence when one finds a wounded Union soldier, Colin Farrell, in the woods. The movie is all about how the women instinctively react to this soldier and how he instinctively reacts in turn. They try to maintain their southern hospitality, but only Ms. Kidman, Ms. Martha, can truly hold it together, and in the end even she loses her perspective.

What's great about this film is how the director, Ms. Coppola, doesn't glamorize or idealize anyone. What happens is pretty much the way humanity is wired. It does make me want to get to know the director better as her point of view seems clear and undistorted. She seems fascinated by the way men and women approach the same problems so differently, and yet not.

Worlds Apart (2015)

This is a masterful, beautifully conceived and executed work that will stay with you

[10/10 · 6 July 2017]

I'm no fan of love stories but I am interested in both Greece and Europe's refugee problem and this film is as much about those as they are about love. As a DVD it seemed a choice that my wife would probably enjoy, and I was right, she loved it and so did I. It's about youth, people at the height of their careers, and love in the twilight years. Surprisingly I related strongly to all three stories which run seamlessly one into another. They're all acted beautifully with J K Simmons left as a sort of dessert with Maria Kavoyianni as the cherry.

The director, Christopher Papakaliatis, who apparently also wrote the script, deserves a real budget and a shot at the best suitable script that comes along. The evidence is abundant in this movie but the best example of it is a dressing down that happens near the end of the movie, it's wonderful.

To think of all the grief that's rained down on Greece thanks to the refugee crisis, and then to watch this compassionate Greek take on the problem makes the US response look positively juvenile.

Baby Driver (2017)

Entertaining and even brilliant until the last 10 minutes or so

[9/10 · 4 July 2017]

Still, not to be missed. The director's hand is so assured and compelling that at times the movie seems head and shoulders above its many competitors. Some of the simplest scenes, where Baby and Debora are just flirting with each other are so well done, they seem miraculous. You will wonder, What kind of strange luck or ability would allow someone to get those scenes on screen? I can't think of anyone able to catch such fresh and candid banter before. And that's not even the main course.

The main course is the hostility that Baby exposes himself to in the underworld he is forced to be part of. Jamie Foxx comes across as pure street as does Jon Hamm, both actors I don't associate with seasoned physical menace, but who deliver in spades. And then there's the driving which is fast and furious and made as entertaining as any other I've seen.

Baby is a kind of Man With No Name figure but much younger and not prone to violence. Instead of being a dead shot he's an unflappable driver and there's nothing he'd rather do than get out of the life. My only complaint is that the storyline paints our hero into a corner and sort of fumbles a bit in its resolution, but that's after having kept us at full attention, very stylishly, for more than 90 minutes straight. No mean feat.

Wonder Woman (2017)

If I were an actress hoping to outdo Gal Gadot as WW, I'd forget it

[9/10 · 2 June 2017]

In a lot of ways, this is not that special a movie. For my money the best scene comes early and it's a battle scene where the Amazons take on WW1 Germans. Thing is that scene includes some of the most beautiful imaginations of women in battle I've ever seen. That took actors able to place their bodies in some very athletic positions. The last time I saw something comparable was with Brad Pitt in Troy when he takes on some Trojan champion.

Gal Gadot doesn't really share in that wonderful first battle scene, but she's so captivating and right for the part, it's a pleasure to see her carry on in the rest of it. Women aren't easy to portray as warriors but this movie manages to pull it off. And that's doubly impressive since the director's a woman.

The movie does lose a little of its magic near the end, but is well worth your time.

Colossal (2016)

For my money this is Hathaway's best performance

[8/10 · 10 May 2017]

And I am liking this director for his audacity and his skill.

First, I have an inexplicably hard time with Anne. She's attractive and all but I just haven't appreciated her in many movies. I thought she was awful in Wonderland, but here she's near great. It's easy to recognize the type she's playing here and her performance rewards the audience lavishly.

Second, I know next to nothing about the director, Nacho Vigalondo, but he's managed to get solid performances from almost everyone with a major part in this unusual film, and he can clearly hold the audience rapt at will. I imagine most directors would have rejected this project out of a lack of confidence. Nacho handles it fairly effortlessly.

The plot is a sort psycho-fantasy and not really important. It's really just a way to explore some common American relationships in a way that you will almost certainly grasp without much help.

One Day at a Time (2017–2020)

Another damn 'Cubans representing Latinos' show?

[7/10 · 24 April 2017]

I've just attended a film festival where Norman Lear was featured. He mentioned being involved in this series so I decided to take a peak. The three female leads are all quite good though they are portraying Cubans who they are not, and that helps because Latinos are tired of being represented by Cubans.

This first episode would be helpful to non-Latinos in that it goes into what a Quinces is. If it continues with educating the general public, it will probably alleviate some of middle America's fears, which is a good thing. The leads are fun to watch, and pretty typical.

But I've seen sitcoms all my life, the ones that have a laugh track generally turn me off so I was not happy to find one here. In general, it felt as if I was trying to relive the 70s entertainment-wise but with today's tech and attitudes. That might be exactly what Latinos need. I hope so for their sake, but I doubt I'll be watching much of this series.

Archer (2009–2023)

This sly and knowing series is a pleasure to watch

[9/10 · 18 April 2017]

If someone had told me I would lust after a cartoon KGB agent, I would have said they were dreaming, but Katya had me with her first purr. And I was hooked into one of the most addictive and funny programs I've ever seen.

Key to it all is H. Jon Benjamin's voice as Sterling Archer, the most dangerous secret agent in the world. Somehow this series has created a full-blown character who is unbelievably real and familiar. Archer is even more vivid than any of the Bonds I've seen, even Sean Connery. That is truly amazing.

It's goofy fun that makes use of every spy trope there is. Archer is a consummate lover and master spy who takes crazy risks and works for his mother voiced by Jessica Walter (who has made an uncannily wise choice in taking up the role).

So far not one of the episodes has failed to made me laugh out loud. That's saying quite a lot.

Logan (2017)

Masterful and emotionally impressive tour de force

[9/10 · 3 March 2017]

What a beautifully crafted movie! There's no ignoring this James Mangold, the director and the man with the story idea. I appreciate the way each scene made meticulous sense. It makes watching so much more engaging and rewarding when you can follow each event and never doubt, given the premise, that it could have happened that way.

Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart are both in fine form. Each in his own way make the story work at a refined level for which they deserve A list pay. Supporting their work are several others, including a newcomer in the role of Wolverine's 'daughter', all of whom manage to not only break the spell, but actually add to the story's impact.

By far the most critical casting was of Laura, Wolverine's genetically enhanced offspring, of sorts. They had to find someone who could pull off the physically demanding role, and if I were Mangold, it would have been job one. It's miraculous that they found Dafne Keen who has no trouble getting what the movie is about. She does a wonderful job and I'd love to see her again.

Paterson (2016)

I'd like to say I hated or loved this movie, but it's far more complicated than that

[8/10 · 18 February 2017]

The thing is, this is a slow moving portrait of an ordinary man and his wife and dog in a somewhat rundown, industrial city in New Jersey. There's not much excitement here as not much happens in the week we're with them, but the three principals are exquisitely suited to worm their way into your mind in such a way that they'll seem like close friends after it's all over. That's quite a trick.

Paterson's a city bus driver, his wife, Laura, is an accomplished goofball, and their dog, Marvin, is an English bulldog with a sense of humor. Almost the entire plot has to do with Paterson's love of poetry, but I was rather taken with his wife's charming personality. It's almost a perfect match with Paterson's positive, live and let live, attitude. Together you wonder whether such people might live for real, all across the country.

It might all amount to a pleasant but not very impressive night at the movies. Ordinarily, I'd agree, but why then do I smile whenever I think of the principals? Clearly there's been something magical at work.

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

A great movie for those of us frustrated with the political scene

[9/10 · 13 February 2017]

This movie has pretty much perfected the cinematic kill shot. Keanu goes on a killing spree and every shot seems like it was worked out in detail. You look closely and you would swear he was aiming his weapon exactly as needed to produce the blood and brain splatter so skillfully and repeatedly displayed. It's almost a solo dance he does and he has to be given credit for doing it with the grace and precision of a Fred Astaire.

In contrast the first Wick movie seemed a bit tentative though you could see what was intended and feel it was worth attempting. This movie is more complete and fun, and there's no hesitation in execution at all. There's a dreamy sensibility in full bloom aided by Keanu's peculiarly emotionless approach.

There's no confusing all this with real violence though it's believable enough. I think those decrying its violence are way off base. All men have at some point wished they could make some certain people be permanently gone. But what would that even look like? Here's the answer produced skillfully and rather uniquely in a style others will have trouble trying to duplicate. But as a prelude to real violence it's about as useful Animal House was to going to college.

If, on the other hand, you just want to vent your frustrations, this movie can work better than a punching bag.

Snowden (2016)

Obama should have pardoned Snowden on our behalf

[9/10 · 22 January 2017]

I'm so sorry I didn't make the time to see it while it was playing in theaters. I suppose I shied away from being any more jacked up about our intelligence communities than I already was. But now with the election behind us and with the possibility of Snowden being pardoned having just passed, I could summon up the courage to see a work of political art that might send me into a deep depression.

I'm not depressed having seen it now, but I am incensed. Perhaps there's been some poetic license taken but I've no doubt it's minor and beside the point. The argument is well made that Washington has gone too far and that Snowden's acts were more than warranted. The best analogy I can think of for the core issue is a father wanting to keep his daughter safe by locking her in her room. Does it work? Yes. But should any red- blooded American girl allow it? No. It's tantamount to a denial of her fundamental right to a life of her own making. Oliver Stone has given expression to the millions of progressives who have applauded the supposedly treasonous acts of Edward Snowden and in a lot of ways this is his greatest career accomplishment yet.

As a movie, the first half is fairly miraculous given the technical nature of the action. Nevertheless, what is going on is made elegantly and unmistakably clear by a score of brilliantly constructed scenes. And every established actor, and there are quite a few, seems further elevated by their inclusion in this politically risky, but near heroic, work. The second half is less impressive, but that's mostly because of the real-life, mindless acts of our elected and appointed officials.

If there's a bad side to all this, it does shed an unfavorable, but accurate, light on Obama's administration, and there's little appetite for that given our recent election.

La La Land (2016)

OK, I hate all musicals,,, except this one, dammit!

[10/10 · 8 January 2017]

Never been moved much by musicals though I've always admired those of Fred Astaire. But this movie is not some glitzy re-humanization of being rich during The Depression. It's actually almost the opposite, a musical centered on the little people striving to succeed while enduring the ups and downs of relationships and two branches of the entertainment business, one an actress, the other a jazz pianist.

Thing is the two leads here, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, are not easy to picture in a romantic musical. But, without a doubt, they're an inspired choice who will make you wonder, just how much talent is there in Hollywood? It's mind-boggling to contemplate. What's more, these two fine actors are so evenly matched here that it's impossible to tell which came first, the pairing or the script. Clearly they had an uncanny grasp of the form though it's been years since there's been such a successful one.

This movie so deftly navigates all sorts of truth about so many elusive things that it's not worth picking a few. Just go see it, even if you don't like musicals. It will win you over.

Passengers (I) (2016)

A true sci-fi story of the kind I used to read as a kid, done beautifully and convincingly

[9/10 · 31 December 2016]

The whole idea of traveling between stars has been contemplated for a long time. There are huge obstacles that would have scared off most scriptwriters, but not Jon Spaihts, or the director, Morten Tyldum. Not sure who had the most guts, perhaps both, but the result is spectacular and engrossing. Truth be told there are a couple of plot gimmicks employed to liven up the drama, but I was so wrapped up in the story I hardly noticed.

What if you woke up before everyone else on a ship not due to make landfall for 90 years? What might you do out of desperation?

Imagining what might happen in a plausible way is either going to fall short or seem magical. This treatment is definitely the latter. The look and feel of the starship is fresh and impressive. And both Lawrence and Pratt do more than what is required by the story, they not only make it all believable, they make it poignant and emotional too. I could see Jennifer's part going to some stunning starlet, a younger Megan Fox, perhaps, but the movie would have lacked the emotional impact it gets from a pro like Jennifer, who gets more alluring with every picture.

Rogue One seems pretty childish in comparison.

Our Kind of Traitor (2016)

Just the movie the UK needs to see

[9/10 · 28 December 2016]

It's sad that the UK always seems to revert to dealing in dubious economics whenever its more traditional industries flounder. Elizabeth I sent out so-called privateers who were really just pirates and now the UK is hosting dirty money from all over the planet. This story has had little play in the movies probably because no one wants to stop the money train. But this movie is a refreshing attempt to rectify all that and that in itself is worth the price of admission.

Just as cinema, Stellan Skarsgard, Damian Lewis and Ewan McGregor give memorable performances that treat the subject matter with the seriousness it deserves. Damian Lewis is particularly effective as the spymaster who is trying to expose corruption at the highest levels. One scene near the end where the bespectacled spymaster is home cooking made me immediately envy his gorgeous London pad, and the location shots are just something extra that you'll likely enjoy.

There's plenty of action in this thriller but the best thing about it is the choice of an unusual villain the financial district in London called The City. True, the script could have used a little tuning up but it is all clear enough by the credits.