missybusty Reviews

Irrational Man (2015)

This is not a Woody Allen movie - it's a Joaquin Phoenix movie

[10/10 · 7 May 2016]

It is always a film lover's pleasure to see what he will do next. 3 of his most recent movies HER, Inherent Vice & The Master are all masterpieces. Who knows what he will do next. Emma Stone & Parker Posey are also excellent as his co-stars. The soundtrack is a little different than what you expect from a jazz lover like Woody Allen. It's still jazz but it's more contemporary. Some novels are better left as short stories & this movie needs editing. The final half drags on and on until we come to the surprise ending. Woody Allen has done murder themes before so he should know better than belabor the point. The cast still is able to muddle through somehow but after awhile you feel like taking a swig from Joaquin's flask.

Remember (I) (2015)

Another great movie from Canada

[10/10 · 6 May 2016]

You wouldn't expect a great movie about a senior citizen with dementia looking for a Nazi but you would be wrong. I rented this movie not long after renting Gong Li's last movie about a woman with memory loss (Coming Home). They are very different but the two directors are two of the finest movie directors working today. Atom Egoyan & Yimou Zhang. Remember has the advantage of a superb cast headed by Christopher Plummer who is in almost every scene. The supporting cast includes Martin Landau, Bruno Ganz & Jurgen Prochnow who are all excellent. In addition there are several child actors who add to the many layers of exposition. Special mention should be made of Dean Norris who is truly terrifying in a small part. Under Egoyan's direction all the components of great film making come together - the music & especially the cinematography. If you are tired of comic book movies and R rated raunchy comedies this might be just the change of pace you are looking for. I highly recommend it.

Carol (2015)

Mia Farrow & Gena Rowlands meet & fall in love.

[4/10 · 20 March 2016]

Some have compared Rooney Mara to Audrey Hepburn but she reminded more of Mia Farrow. Cate Blanchet of course is without comparison but there were times when she gave off a Gena Rowlands vibe. Other than looking good in clothes and looking longingly at each other they really don't have much to do. The custody battle isn't enough to hold an audience's interest. The one & only sex scene is OK - the movie could have benefited from a few more nude scenes. The cinematography is amazing & the true star of this movie is Cincinnati Ohio. Todd Haynes has developed an impressive body of work & it is exciting to imagine what he will come up with next.

Hit List (2011)

Funny, Sexy & Dangerous

[9/10 · 19 March 2016]

Charlotte & Lyle (played by Shirly Brener & Joey Lawrence) are natural born killers. Charlotte doesn't know she is a killer but all the signs are there. Lyle is an "independent contractor" and kills people for a living. The two leads are funny (black comedy) sexy and dangerous. Rated PG so the violence is mostly implied. Unfortunately the major drawback is the cinematography - this movie looks like it was filmed on an I-phone. There is no information for the box office so I assume this went straight to DVD. In addition to the leads there are several other funny supporting characters. But the lead actors carry the film very well.

Diablo (2015)

Scott Eastwood continues to shine

[10/10 · 24 February 2016]

This is a Western that Clint Eastwood excels in so his son Scott has some big boots to fill. Which he does. He takes us on a journey with many twists and turns. Along the way we meet many interesting characters. Filmed in Alberta, Canada the cinematography is breathtaking. Up until the final minutes of the film the audience is kept guessing as to who Diablo is and if the people he meets along the way are real or not. This movie kept me interested from beginning to end. This is the director's second feature and I am looking forward to his next project. In addition to Mr. Eastwood there is a great supporting cast which includes Walter Goggins and Danny Glover

Max (I) (2015)

Good addition to the war movie genre

[10/10 · 30 January 2016]

This movie reminds us of the contribution dogs have made to the military effort & still do. Like the canines that assist local law enforcement, military canines provide an invaluable service. This movie about one such dog - Max - is well made and acted. The story centers on the bonding between one teenager & Max. Max has been traumatized by the war & the teenager played by Josh Wiggins has his own set of problems - together they come through it together. This movie might be too intense for younger audience but should appeal to teenagers. There is even a sub plot involving a coming of age romance. The parents played by Church & Graham are alternately strong & nurturing.

Terminator Genisys (2015)

Yes he is old but he is not obsolete.

[10/10 · 15 November 2015]

Or to put it another way as he tells Sarah Conner "I've been upgraded" Arnold has worked continually since leaving political office. His greatest performance to date has been as a 2 term governor of California. Most of his recent movies have not been very memorable but I am glad he returned to the Terminator franchise which I assume will be the last. Jai Courtney & Emilia Clark are two of my favorite young stars. They have both done their share of nude scenes Emilia in Game of Thrones & Jai in Sparticus - so the fact that they have a nude scene in order to time travel is an extra plus. Rounding off the cast is Jason Clark who somehow manages to turn John Conner into a ferocious villain. The huge budget is put to good use creating some stunning special effects. A very entertaining movie

Magic Mike XXL (2015)

Equal parts awful & very strange

[5/10 · 7 November 2015]

Someone tell Bomer he can't sing. Not even a little. You have to see Michael Stratem's one scene to believe it - it comprises (spoiler alert) him "dancing" with a very large sized black woman. She's on a table & he does weird things with her. I would take this movie off his resume if I were him. Also witness the rock bottom of Andie McDowell's career. She has no place to go but up. Tatum Channing is in the third stage of a typical Hollywood career. It goes like this: 1.) Who's Canning Tatum? 2.) Get me Channing Tatum 3.) Get me a young Channing Tatum & finally 4.) Who is Channing Tatum. The worst part of this movie is the lack of a good script.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

No animals were harmed in the making of this movie

[10/10 · 23 September 2015]

There were more injuries & real death in the making of Ben Hur. But looking at the intense action scenes in Mad Max - Fury Road it is hard to believe that no one was hurt or severely injured. It made me want to see the movie in 3-D. Tom Hardy has some big shoes to fill & does a great job but I have to admit he is upstaged in almost every scene by his co-star Charlize Theron. She plays Imperator Furiosa & she is the star of the movie. Poor Max is just along for the ride. There was a strong female actor in the last Mad Max movie - namely Tina Turner. Nicholas Hoult is also a stand out. The photography & music are excellent. Many of the scenes were filmed in the African country of Namibia

Unbroken (I) (2014)

Epic movie making at its best

[10/10 · 23 August 2015]

I finally rented this movie which I had been avoiding since it was released over a year ago. I am glad I did because it kept my interest throughout. I thought the POW theme would be too depressing which it is but there is no glossing over that. Angelina Jolie has become an admirable director. I don't understand the hate directed towards her. This is an epic movie that is very well done. The film has won it's fair share of awards including three Oscar nominations. The acting is great. I am surprised the movie didn't receive more Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actor & Best Director. Also the Coen Brothers should have received more recognition for their screenplay

Wild Horses (2015)

Not a movie - more like a low budget very bad TV show.

[1/10 · 9 August 2015]

Very disappointing considering the cast involved. Much has been made of the gay theme but this rarely rises to the level of an after school special. Robert Duvall takes credit for the screenplay but I don't know which is worse his writing his direction or his acting which seems phoned in. One character - the woman Texas Ranger wanders in from another movie & I never quite figured out what she was doing there. She didn't seem to know either. There are a lot of Hispanic background actors who take up space as well. Sadly they have very bad accents even when speaking Spanish. I kept waiting for something good to happen some music, some photography maybe some full frontal male nudity with James Franco or Josh Hartnett.

American Sniper (2014)

Clint, God, country, family

[10/10 · 25 June 2015]

Is this Clint Eastwood's last masterpiece? IMDb does not list any films coming up after American Sniper. He is 85 so it is possible he is considering retiring. If so he leaves an impressive body of work. American Sniper is a war movie & very difficult to watch. There is no sugar coating. Bradley Cooper & Sienna Miller do a great job of playing the Kyles an American couple caught up in the Iraq War which is still going on today. There are really no other substantial roles in the movie. Kyle's fellow soldiers are all in the background & only occasionally come into focus as real people. The film is based on Chris Kyle's book & is a faithful adaptation of one man's experience in wartime.

The Fountain (2006)

My favorite Darren Aronofsky film

[10/10 · 21 May 2015]

Darren Aronofsky's films can be difficult and The Fountain is no different. But the payoff is worth it. Some films require more than one viewing & The Fountain is one of those. I wish the director had the original budget to work with but he manages to succeed with what he has. The actors are first rate. Hugh Jackman in particular manages to carry the entire film. If you were not a fan of his previously The Fountain may change your mind over the quality of his range. He plays three different roles to perfection. One of the best science fiction movies ever made. I hope Darren Aronofsky makes more films in this genre.

Outcast (I) (2014)

This is NOT a Nicolas Cage movie.

[10/10 · 26 April 2015]

This is a Hayden Christensen movie. He is in almost every scene. Nicolas Cage is second billing & plays a supporting role. Hayden Christensen does show much improvement since his day as a young Darth Vader. Also he survives at the end of the movie & rides off into the sunset thereby leaving open the possibility of many sequels. The movie is a joint China-Canada-France production & is filmed entirely in China. The outdoor shots are spectacular. Hayden attempts an accent, has a love scene, many sword fights, & even goes shirtless. In addition to Nicolas Cage the supporting cast are all Chinese & are uniformly excellent. I think Hayden Christensen has the ability to become the next Clint Eastwood.

Gone Girl (2014)

Nick and Amy Dunne - worst movie couple ever.

[1/10 · 14 February 2015]

Avoid this couple at all costs - they are very toxic. Gone Girl is a misleading title since Amy is not a girl. She used to be a childhood storybook celebrity named Amy but there is nothing girlish like about her in this movie. In fact she calls herself the C-word. David Fincher has made some of my favorite movies (Fight Club, Zodiac, etc.) but this is not one of my favorites. This movie is all the things I dislike in a movie - tedious, depressing, unlikeable characters, dark photography, moody music, strange casting, smug dialogue. This might work with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but come to think of it - that was no girl either.

John Wick (2014)

Keanu Reeves required to act in John Wick

[10/10 · 12 February 2015]

Normally Keanu doesn't have to act. He has to show up and remember his lines and leave. However in between all the gunfights and car chases Keanu actually has a few scenes where he has to act expressing grief for the death of his wife (and also by extension the murder of his adorable puppy) That said the bulk of this movie is one long action sequence with one of the highest body counts that I can remember. I especially liked the cinematography by Jonathan Sela. Night time shots of New York City are very common but in John Wick the cinematographer brings a fresh eye to the proceeding. There has been some discussion of a possible prequel or sequel but John Wick is satisfying without any more details.

Looking (2014–2015)

Not as good as Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City

[4/10 · 12 January 2015]

Tales of the City began as a chronicle of gay life in San Francisco first as a newspaper column then as a novel and finally as a TV mini-series. Looking doesn't even come close to this masterpiece. Even latter day HBO mini-series like Sex and the City owe a lot to this fore runner. Looking is one of those shows that pretends they invented sex when everyone knows sex has been around for a very long time. As Cole Porter said so well "Birds do it, bees do it - even educated fleas do it." The characters in Looking kind of remind me of fleas but not the educated ones. If you haven't heard of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City - it is worth checking out. Maybe your local library has a DVD of it.

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

A love story for the ages

[10/10 · 3 January 2015]

Adam & Eve are vampires. They have been lovers for centuries. They have been apart for awhile but have reunited in Detroit(!) for some romance. Because vampires don't like the day light this is a good excuse for some superb night time photography - first in Tangiers where Eve has been hanging out with Christopher Marlowe played by John Hurt. There is also some beautiful night time photography of Madrid later but the bulk of the movie takes place in Detroit. Much needed comic relief is provided by Mia Wasikowska as Eve's kid sister who shows up uninvited. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't remember Mia Wasikowska doing comedy before. But she practically steals the movie from Tilda Swinton & Tom Hiddleston. For a vampire movie there is not much violence or horror. Instead it is a tender love story of two people who happen to be different from the rest of us.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

"I am going to die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the universe"

[10/10 · 19 December 2014]

There are so many quotable lines in this movie. Almost as many quotable lines as there are in CASABLANCA. To enjoy this movie you don't have to be stoned but it might help. First of all there is the talking racoon. Second there is the 80's soundtrack which sometimes helps & sometimes is annoying depending on your taste. The cast is terrific & includes plenty of good villains. Overall the art direction is stunning. I can't wait for the sequel. Because of the PG rating the violence and language is keep in check. The audience is obviously younger but older people can also enjoy the witty dialogue. I liked the references to Kevin Bacon especially.

Tammy (2014)

Is a sequel inevitable?

[1/10 · 14 December 2014]

Usually when a movie like Tammy makes a lot of money Hollywood likes to keep the money train rolling. Even when the movie is horribly bad. Melissa McCarthey has a huge fan base. In addition to a sit com she has made several headlining movies including a buddy movie with Sandra Bullock which is also scheduled for a sequel. Her co-hosting on SNL is legendary. Still she seems to be coasting rather than expanding as an actress. Maybe she will have better parts to choose from in the future. I haven't seen St. Vincent's but I understand she has toned it down a bit. Tammy however is the pits. There are a few chuckles along the way but most of the set ups are embarrassing. The movie starts off bad & gets worse as you keep checking your watch. The less said about Susan Sarandon the better. This has to be the low point of her career.

State of Affairs (2014–2015)

Katherine Heigl has a double chin

[1/10 · 17 November 2014]

As producer of the show it is her responsibility to be photographed. She is not photographed in a very positive light - her double chin is very distracting. Who elected Alfrie Woodard president? She is not believable at all. Even Morgan Freeman has trouble pulling that role off. All the men in this series are cut outs from central casting including the bad guys. On the plus side Mark Tallman - a former soap opera star - is hot. For the record he does not have a double chin. If this type of melodrama appeals to you - rent Showtime's Homeland. Or even better watch Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty. The BBC does this type of contemporary spy thriller the best.

The Newsroom (2012–2014)

Propaganda disguised as drama

[1/10 · 7 November 2014]

Has Sorkin ever written a proper play? He comes across as a TV hack with a thesaurus. His characters are caricatures. Unlikeable types spouting Sorkin's particular biased opinions on every liberal talking point imaginable. No one resembles a real person you would want to spend any amount of time with. It helps to have good actors but they can only do so much. HBO has high production values but the source material is just plain awful. The Social Network and The West Wing suffered similar protracted endless verbose scenes. Imagine being trapped at a cocktail party forced to listen to Chis Mathews' unending stories of Tip O'Neil and you will get the picture.

Fury (2014)

This tank runs on star power

[10/10 · 24 October 2014]

Brad Pitt is the star of this movie & make no mistake about it. He has a good supporting crew (Shia LaBeouf & Logan Lerman) but Mr. Pitt is the man in charge. Even approaching middle age he can still take his shirt off & remain believable. Russell Crowe can't do that any more. As war movies go this is an excellent piece of World War II memorabilia. Things are pretty clear - Americans (with all their flaws) are the good guys & Nazis are the bad guys. Roll camera & roll the tank. The director/ writer avoids most of the clichés but not all. There is the token minority Mexican & the token "good" Germans. The battle scenes are well staged. Spoiler alert - every one dies at the end except one. In other words - there will be no sequel to this particular war movie.

Noah (2014)

Much worse than I could imagine

[1/10 · 31 July 2014]

This movie proves one thing - Anthony Hopkins will do anything for money. It also proves Darren Aronofsky is a very weird dude. But you probably already knew that if you have seen any of his other movies. When you think of Noah and the story from the Bible what comes to mind immediately is a large Ark and animals entering the Ark 2 X 2. That story is no where to be found in Darren Aronofsky's movie. What you have is a sci-fi family psycho drama which seems like it was written by L. Ron Hubbard. There are these strange rock people which I guess were angels at one time & now are being punished. This movie is a punishment in itself.

The Great Gatsby (2013)

Like the Robert Redford movie only better

[10/10 · 13 May 2013]

Redford & Mia Farrow were the Gatsby & Daisy of their day. Leonardo & Carey Mulligan take over for a new generation & for the most part succeed. The costumes & music add a lot considering the expense paid. While Leonardo is excellent as Gatsby he is almost upstaged by Joel Edgerton who gives a memorable performance as the villain of the piece. When I heard that hip hop was the musical soundtrack I wasn't sure how that would work. I didn't care for the soundtrack of Moulin Rouge but I have to say I think the music in The Great Gatsby fit into the movie flawlessly. I was hoping for a classic like Orson Welles or David Lean but this will have to do. Eye candy.