dara-fink Reviews

Mapleworth Murders (2020)

chuckles and wit

[8/10 · 3 September 2020]

For those who mourn Murder She Wrote, this is a campy send up of that series.

It is over the top - the detractors were expecting something else, perhaps?

I Am Vengeance (II) (2018)

If you like action, you could do worse

[5/10 · 27 August 2018]

I'm usually not a fan of writer/director movies, but this takes the Hollywood revenge movie just a little more over the top.

A few plot discontinuities and a some of the dialog was, well, amateurish - but a very solid effort. Much colstlier movies haven't delivered as much.

For a little mindless entertainment, this is worth the time.

The Man from Nowhere (2010)

For once - action with plot and great acting...

[9/10 · 2 January 2018]

I am a great Luc Besson fan, but this is the film that 'Leon : The Professional" aspires to. The story is told in a restrained and logical fashion. It is gory and gritty, but as appropriate to the genre.

A warning to the faint hearted, however: it is brutal in the action scenes. Not gratuitous like Peckinpah, but still chillingly graphic. It's gore and grit are very appropriate to this genre.

I was prepared for a light, illogical action flick and got a layered story with superb acting! The cinematography was top notch.

The police and the 'evil henchmen' are cardboard mockups of characters, which helps the viewer detach from worst of the carnage.

This is high on my 'watch again' list!

Secret Agent (1936)

Hitchcock worth seeing, but this is below par

[4/10 · 2 January 2018]

It can be hard to separate out modern sensibilities and expectations from enjoying old films -in context- but if you consider '39 Steps' and 'Sabotage', this film is lacking.

H. tries some cinematic tricks near the end that leaves the viewer more confused than informed, and relies on weak associations rather than direct narrative to conclude the plot. I think the charitable view here is that there are several experiments in this film that he later perfects, but are seen in their untested form.

Unusually for H. this plot drags and stutters, rather than provides a continuous flow, which is why this film is destined to be enjoyed by H. historians and curiosity seekers more than people who love films and judge them by their own lights.

Bright (I) (2017)

incomprehensible gibberish

[1/10 · 31 December 2017]

The actors did a very good job, which seemed to be completely destroyed by bad cinematography and the worst editing I have ever seen, and I have viewed over 3000 movies. The fault has to lie with the producers and director who let this train-wreck out without fixing it.

The action scenes and fight scenes are so disjoint it is disturbingly difficult to see who is hitting who or what is happening at all. The cinematography is so poor that at times one can't identify the characters - it is like a failed attempt at Film Noir lighting without the charm.

The plot is quite difficult to follow if you care about the development of the characters reactions to the story line... of which there is a very short arc for such a long film.

It was pure torture for the entire time I sat through it.

Transparent (2014–2019)

You are either going to love it or hate it...

[8/10 · 17 September 2017]

Let me say at the outset that there have been a lot of disappointed reviewers, and most of them just don't get it - the comedy and the drama come from a series of contrasts.

The rest of the cast are so delightfully screwed up that it helps us to be sympathetic to Jeffrey Tambor's character. This isn't a one-trick pony, as the continuing adventures of the entire cast sets up some beautiful compare and contrast moments.

Not that this is for everybody. If your are looking for high discourse, the don't choose a comedy, and don't try to map an excellent slow comedy into a disappointing drama. It is simply a well-written light comedy about society and the opening up of transgender issues within that context.

Incendiary (2008)

Not a thriller in any way

[8/10 · 6 May 2016]

This is an excellent drama movie. The romantic bits aren't honey and flowers, but more gritty, and advance the plot well. Don't go into this with expectations of either the director or cast - this movie defies expectations. Also don't expect action or 'thriller' - there isn't any.

You are drawn in to a very personal journey on how to resolve grief while guilt and 'need' get in the way. For many viewers, there is a starkness and slow pacing that might turn off anyone wanting instant gratification. I prefer to see it as the director taking her time to tell the story well, and completely.

A very good one to curl up with your significant other, and watch.

Ladies in Lavender (2004)

Unforgettable characters in a beautiful setting

[8/10 · 15 December 2015]

Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister from Game of Thrones) amply demonstrates that he understands how to tell a great story. There are no tense action sequences to drag missing plot elements along. Just a well told story masterfully acted by (arguably) some of the best female actors in cinema history.

One surprising element is how music seamlessly integrates into the narrative. Although the person performing the pieces isn't actually playing, the illusion is good enough.

For people with very short attention spans or requiring fast paced action, this film just isn't for you. This is no action flick. It is a charming story of how a chance house guest changes the lives of the sisters and their town.

For anyone wanting a quiet evening of even-paced, masterfully acted, work of film: it is a sure bet.

Touch of Evil (1958)

This sluggish, poorly directed film is to be avoided

[2/10 · 14 December 2015]

The strongest part of this film is its opening. Both suspense and interest is developed in the first few minutes. Once Welles is introduced, it takes an abrupt, and dismal turn.

Afterward, the otherwise good actors continuously mumble through scenes or talk over each other. Characters are either cardboard or lack appropriate reactions to situations.

For instance, Dennis Weaver's character distracts from the plot line he is involved in. A good actor brought down by poor direction.

Another waste of talent is Janet Leigh - at one time, cold and unresponsive, then suddenly overreacts to her situations. Her role cries 'women are helpless'.

Charlton Heston is permitted to play with his usual intensity. Sure his accent is lacking, but it is a minor point for this genre and time.

Lastly there is Welles' way over the top presentation of a degraded cop. Rather than being interesting or conflicted, all the viewer can feel over the whole movie is the need for relief from this shallow performance.

The regular static shots of people's expressions lends to the dragging feeling of this boring movie. Even the scenes that should have been action scenes were ruined by people staring each other down. There is also an overemphasis on cinematography that detracts from both plot and character.

This amalgam of Noir and Art Film just doesn't work. This is not a work of heart, it is a work of self indulgence.