Coulda been a good feature film but as series -- much too long and drawn out. So many peripheral chatacters are given lead staus - it becomes a wildly disparate storyline - seems to have been written by commitee. The extended tediousness dossiolves ones' interest. I wished they would just get on with it already. That Netflix paid her seems outrageous until you are informed that her fee went to reimburse her victims. I was looking forward to this series but am very disappointed by it.
Reviews
12 Reviews
Ocean's Eight
(2018)
disappointing
8 June 2018
I so wanted to like this film, but found it saggy, predictable, not fun. It plods along, great cast but no camaraderie, no charisma. The plot is preposterous. The characters are stereotypes. It just doesn't ever bring you into that state of suspended belief. It felt overdone and saggy. No big laughs.
LA 92
(2017)
Riots & Fires in the Streets of LA
5 January 2018
I thought the film was overly ambitious. They started w @ 2000 hrs of raw footage and edited in 9 months. There's no explanation or understanding of govt or police strategy (or lack thereof). It would work better as a series. The old vhs footage is hard to watch on the big screen. Compared w Ken Burns series on Vietnam, it's a poor second- although not a fair comparison (Burns worked for years and added contemporary interviews and @ 10+ hours). We are informed at one point that there were over 900 fires during the riots but are never shown where and when (a map with all the fires would have been good here). There is no information about grassroots or cooperative efforts by the community leaders. We don't see any community leaders interacting with police or government officials, although there must have been some meetings & conferences. We do see Maxine Waters calm a crowd but nothing about how the crowd was gathered - same with a group of peaceful Korean protesters. There had to be organizations that coordinated these demonstrations but there is no information regarding that.
Overall, a muddled, well-intentioned effort to discuss an ugly incident.
Suburbicon
(2017)
They tried but failed...
23 October 2017
This was just awful.... tiresome, predictable and boring. I wanted to love it, but there was nothing to even like. Top talent in every category but it fell flat, like a soufflé that did not rise. Satire should be funny, but there were few laughs. Irony may be too sophisticated to pull in an audience. It felt like something was just off - timing? Editing? It dragged on and on without reason. So sad, it coulda been a contender.
Jackie
(V) (2016)
Complex character
6 December 2016
Wow. Great performance, nuanced, subtle, deep, Ms. Portman gets under the skin, allowing the audience to observe the complicated life and emotions of this iconic woman. our collective memory of that awful week fills in the big picture as we see the intimate details of how decisions re: that funeral were made. Her fragile control of emotions is explored, we see how this intensely private person learned to be a public person. How a smart, educated woman dealt with the frustrating and demeaning underlying culture of sexism. How strong yet vulnerable she was. Camelot, indeed. I wished the film covered her early years and later years with Onassis. Still fascinated by this person and the enigma of her personality.
Arrival
(II) (2016)
A waste of time, money and talent
10 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
How did they get this green-lighted? Why did anyone want to make this film? I kept waiting for something to happen, butt nothing did. There was a subplot of sorts, with a whispered narrative. Big chicken feet came out of the mist to squirt ink blots on a glass wall. Whaaaat?? That's the alien encounter? I resented waiting on line to see this idiotic piece of crap for free. On my worst movies ever list. I was hoping for some great CGI, but that was not evident, either. Lots of green screening and flipping back and forth in time. Amy Adams and Jeremy Renners performances are faultless. it's the plot that leaves you wondering what is that about? Ultimately, boring and anticlimactic.
American Pastoral
(2016)
strange and off-kilter
19 October 2016
saw this oddly paced film last night at a half empty theater preview. while the acting is good, the story and characters are strangely off. the pacing and cadence were oddly theatrical and felt unnatural. The whole film was peculiarly off-kilter. 3/4 or more was background development, never quite explaining the characters, effectively shooting itself in the foot. there is an weird, inexplicable sex scene. talking about the film, 3 indie filmmakers- none of us could figure out exactly what was the point, where it went off, why anyone would release this film. seemed like a film school project, not ready for prime time. had no expectations, but still left disappointed and confused.
Bridge of Spies
(2015)
Stodgy and old-fashioned
9 October 2015
Predictable and somewhat plodding story-telling. Yes Spielberg/Hanks are fabulous, but nothing felt fresh or original, no surprises. Watching masters doing what they have done over and over, for many years is OK, but felt stale. It's a good story, well acted, directed and written, but lacked spark. The first 30 minutes or so seemed pointless. They make good use of period cars but that was about it. Anticipated Schindler's List, but got 1941, not great. There is a moral compass but the energy was flat. Something is missing, no excitement, no chemistry. The family scenes felt inauthentic, forced intimacies. Minimal exploration of interpersonal relationships, ineffective and emotionless. Overall, disappointing.
The Intern
(I) (2015)
Who doesn't love Bobby DeNiro?
17 September 2015
Wonderful contemporary story, great acting. What more can one ask for? DeNiro totally inhabits the role of a bored NewYorker retiree who quietly, commandingly changes everyone around him for the better. There were little bits of sentimental predictability but not many. Nothing slowed the pace for long. It was lovely to see ageism front and center, blasted to smithereens! Subtle, believable performances that did not pander to the problems of aging, but acknowledged them. The boys "road trip" was hilarious. The "boys" themselves were presented as stereotypes but managed to imbue them with personality. There were some great laugh out loud moments! Nicely cast, well-written plot and characters. Go see it! Especially if you are over 60!
Ricki and the Flash
(2015)
Damaged but unbowed
5 August 2015
Meryl Streep continues to amaze with the range of her talent. Rick Springfield is a revelation. They bring the requisite world-weariness of choices made in the past that weigh down their souls. But their love of rock n roll gives them and everyone who hears them play, joy. This is a complicated emotional journey - being there for your child when you've been absent for most of their lives. Making amends and eating humble pie is never easy. Mamie Gummer brilliantly plays the daughter in crisis. Wonderful contrasts in the lifestyles - turning the idea of the vast success of rock musicians and ordinary people on its head. Somehow, there is no spark. The film is a bit flat and predictable and never really catches fire.
Listen to Me Marlon
(2015)
Giant ego with intelligence and chutzpah
31 July 2015
When Brando was young and screwing his way around New York, he was the hottest hottie in town. Then he got boring and fat. Still a great actor but interested in almost everything but his career. A lot of information about his whereabouts but not so much about his ideas, ideals and what he did. Seemingly drifted from woman to woman, guided by the direction his dick pointed. 17 children by 15 women! Whoa! That is a big legacy, but his relationships with his progeny are not discussed. Do these brothers and sisters even know each other's names? Strange man in a world of his own making. He was amazing on Broadway in his early years. Later on, the aimless self-indulgent hedonism took its toll. A sad, burn-out who ultimately is remembered for his extraordinary talent.
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