I don't understand why so many bad reviews. It is entertaining. There are dozens and dozens of jokes that only people paying attention will get it, like the one about the metric system, the one about "just falcon around" or someone dressed like Ruth Based Ginsburg for Halloween. It is all references that only an aware adult would understand.
Reviews
86 Reviews
Pelé
(2021)
Leftist propaganda, not a documentary
20 February 2022
I was hoping to watch a sports documentary, but got some leftist brainwashing instead. Why they don't talk about his matches with Santos, where he was Club world champion twice? Why not say his role as representative of Brazil abroad? Why not bring neutral guests? People like Gilberto Gil,Benedita da Silva are not football e parts at all,just annoying.
This movie sucks.
This movie sucks.
The Laundromat
(I) (2019)
Too many characters
18 February 2022
This movie tell us an interesting story, but with excessive side plots. A guy sleeping with his daughter's best friend, a bigamist accountant, a Chinese power couple involved in murder, what do they add to the story? They are distractions that prevent us to focus on the money laundering scheme.
How to Be Really Bad
(2018)
More than a teen comedy. It is simple entertainment.
10 December 2021
This movie touched me a lot. One of the characters is supposed to be evil and the other meek and submissive. What happens now that many of us were like that, raised by our parents to be positive, helpful and kind, while in school hierarchy that doesn't earn you any respect, power or popularity.
I wish I have seen this movie when I was a teen, so I would understand better the dynamics and act badder, so I wouldn't regret being so optimistic. In this movie the evil girl is supposed to ruin the nice one, but she ends up helping her to find her self esteem.
I wish I have seen this movie when I was a teen, so I would understand better the dynamics and act badder, so I wouldn't regret being so optimistic. In this movie the evil girl is supposed to ruin the nice one, but she ends up helping her to find her self esteem.
The Forgotten Battle
(2020)
Amazing opportunity to show the war from a German perspective
9 December 2021
I really dislike Hollywood war movies. They always present this war as a picnic, where the superior allies are invincible against the weak Germans. If that was so, why did the war lasted almost 6 years instead of six months?
The answer is that the German Army was always more professional and accurate, despite being outnumbered. With "Forgotten Battle", we got to see the point of view from a Dutch soldier who volunteered to join the Wehrmacht, especially because the German occupation provided economic opportunities. So the Dutch were quite divided, and we see that dilemma in the father of the main character. A medical doctor who works for both sides, since he sees people for what they are.
So it is a very nice movie, that reminds us that good and bad people are on both sides of the front. Never celebrate wars, because they make decent people to lose their morals and ethics.
The answer is that the German Army was always more professional and accurate, despite being outnumbered. With "Forgotten Battle", we got to see the point of view from a Dutch soldier who volunteered to join the Wehrmacht, especially because the German occupation provided economic opportunities. So the Dutch were quite divided, and we see that dilemma in the father of the main character. A medical doctor who works for both sides, since he sees people for what they are.
So it is a very nice movie, that reminds us that good and bad people are on both sides of the front. Never celebrate wars, because they make decent people to lose their morals and ethics.
The Good Liar
(2019)
British movies are obsessed with Germany.
2 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Since UK do not consider history anything that happened in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00's 10s so they decided to combine the 1940s with our current age, ignoring everything that happened in between. The movie is about an old couple in their 70s ( when they should be almost 100 years old) who have both a secret about their past. They are two foreign nationals who only speak English among themselves.
The movie has too many plot holes. She plans a revenge, but what if he doesn't fall into her trap? How did she know he was a scammer if they normally erase their evidences?
I didn't like the fact that British people only care about World Wars. So they need to be present into every single movie they make.
The movie has too many plot holes. She plans a revenge, but what if he doesn't fall into her trap? How did she know he was a scammer if they normally erase their evidences?
I didn't like the fact that British people only care about World Wars. So they need to be present into every single movie they make.
The Forgiven
(2017)
The movie didn't age well
2 December 2021
The Forgiven is two separate movies combined into one. Half of it is really interesting with the politics, racial feuds and rivalries inside a prison. There we see lot of action, emotion, thrill. And the other half are slow paced dialogues between a bishop and his wife. So those slow parts make the movie quite full.
But the point why the movie is weird, is that it presents current South Africa as a success, while we know that the country is dangerous and segregated still. Unfortunately the rainbow nation never materialized.
But the point why the movie is weird, is that it presents current South Africa as a success, while we know that the country is dangerous and segregated still. Unfortunately the rainbow nation never materialized.
Meet Joe Black
(1998)
It is so good that is hurts
26 October 2021
What is best about this movie? Well, the dialogues.
They are not so much about what is said, but the body language, the eye expressions, the smiles, the years, they say more than words. I cared about the characters, and I did wanted a happy ending, because the movie depicts a family you admire. And the beauty of the main couple is the cherry on the cake. Just looking at them is like and experience itself.
They are not so much about what is said, but the body language, the eye expressions, the smiles, the years, they say more than words. I cared about the characters, and I did wanted a happy ending, because the movie depicts a family you admire. And the beauty of the main couple is the cherry on the cake. Just looking at them is like and experience itself.
Runaway Train
(I) (1985)
John Voight is underrated
13 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is a classic. Jon Voight is not mainstream because he was cancelled decades ago because of his conservative opinions. I used to dislike him, but now I as I am older I am becoming more and more like him, so I see his films with more gusto. This one is a masterpiece.
The only problem for me was the way it took so long for the authorities to fix the problem with the train. They could have used the helicopter and place a person in the first locomotive right from the beginning. All the tension and danger could have have been avoided, so it is sort of a plot hole.
The only problem for me was the way it took so long for the authorities to fix the problem with the train. They could have used the helicopter and place a person in the first locomotive right from the beginning. All the tension and danger could have have been avoided, so it is sort of a plot hole.
Lansky
(2021)
Wrong message
29 September 2021
I disliked the movie because it is an incentive for people to break the law, hurt and kill people, but as long as you become powerful, you can get away wit anything.
Meyer Lansky was a ruthless bandit who never did anything good in his entire life, and did nothing to repent. Nohody knows what happened to the families of the countless victims of his gangs.
I hated this positive depiction of a man that America failed to punish.
Meyer Lansky was a ruthless bandit who never did anything good in his entire life, and did nothing to repent. Nohody knows what happened to the families of the countless victims of his gangs.
I hated this positive depiction of a man that America failed to punish.
Hit & Run
(2021)
The protagonist is an awful actor
26 September 2021
First of all, I watched the series Fauda where the actor Lior Raz is this ruthless and sadistic Israeli enforcer who is invincible just like Rambo and Braddock combined. The series were entertaing enough despite the typical good guys vs bad guys atmosphere.
In hit and run, a totally unrelated series, Lior Raz essentially is the same character. My pet peeve with him is constant smile with a closed mouth. It looks like an aged person afraid his dentures will fall, so he can't show any teeth. I watched two episodes, but the vibe is the same as fauda. Chasings, fighting, and unrealistic characters. In both series, the actors are always shown eating and drinking, which is so weird, because it doesn't add nothing to the plot. There is a grieving situation, and people worried about refreshments instead.
In Israel apparently everyone is involved with security establishment. You never see a movie with an ordinary person. Everyone is always on a mission and their lives full of purpose and achievement. It doesn't look real to me.
In hit and run, a totally unrelated series, Lior Raz essentially is the same character. My pet peeve with him is constant smile with a closed mouth. It looks like an aged person afraid his dentures will fall, so he can't show any teeth. I watched two episodes, but the vibe is the same as fauda. Chasings, fighting, and unrealistic characters. In both series, the actors are always shown eating and drinking, which is so weird, because it doesn't add nothing to the plot. There is a grieving situation, and people worried about refreshments instead.
In Israel apparently everyone is involved with security establishment. You never see a movie with an ordinary person. Everyone is always on a mission and their lives full of purpose and achievement. It doesn't look real to me.
M
(1931)
Babelsberg 1 x Hollywood 0
26 September 2021
So many people described the plot already, so I won't waste our time describing it. I give 10/10 because I think German cinema was superior to American productions. If we watch any US mogie from the 30s and 40s, the actors are very childish, there is too much singing and everyone is good looking and smiling. Hollywood produced 2 hour commercials, not art. Besides, they were heavily censored, excluding, sex, nudity, drugs, which are part of human behavior.
M is different. The German cinema has actors looking more ordinary. There is no need for soundtrack, and the themes are more adult. While US films love good guys vs bad guys, here we have a case of bad people hunting someone more evil than themselves. The morality is more ambiguous.
Therefore, I conclude that Hollywood is a very patronizing institution. Always dumbing down the stories and making forgettable pieces.
M is different. The German cinema has actors looking more ordinary. There is no need for soundtrack, and the themes are more adult. While US films love good guys vs bad guys, here we have a case of bad people hunting someone more evil than themselves. The morality is more ambiguous.
Therefore, I conclude that Hollywood is a very patronizing institution. Always dumbing down the stories and making forgettable pieces.
Missing in Action
(1984)
It defines an era where anti communist flicks were common
20 September 2021
Essentially Missing in Action must be understood as a Cold War legacy. Back then, Western culture was slowly penetrating communist societies, especially in Eastern Europe. So of course the producers wanted to make money, but those movies would inspire societies to see America as the nation most concerned with freedom, and Soviet Union and its allies as the villains of the day.
I had lots of fun watching it and would recommend to any Cold War fan like ke.
I had lots of fun watching it and would recommend to any Cold War fan like ke.
Schumacher
(2021)
For racing fans like me, a lot of nostalgia and inspiration
15 September 2021
First of all, I am a Schumacher fan since 7 years old, when I betrayed my parents and pretty much my entire country that was supporting his rival back then in 1993.
I liked him because he was punching above his weight and I just admired him as a person and racer. Sometimes it is hard to explain rooting for a team or athlete. It is a very subjective choice, but I was with him all the time.
The film focus on his career from 1994-2000. Those were the years that his races were the most competitive. Also it marks a transition when F1 reverts its course from being a sport with bitter rivalries, betrayals and plots in the 80s to the more sanitized and professional league that it became in the 2000s.
Schumacher was part of this transition and it is nice to see a documentary remindining us of his achievements and failures.
Europeans and South Americans will enjoy this movie, but if you are North American, I don't recomend because F1 is not very well known in those markets.
I liked him because he was punching above his weight and I just admired him as a person and racer. Sometimes it is hard to explain rooting for a team or athlete. It is a very subjective choice, but I was with him all the time.
The film focus on his career from 1994-2000. Those were the years that his races were the most competitive. Also it marks a transition when F1 reverts its course from being a sport with bitter rivalries, betrayals and plots in the 80s to the more sanitized and professional league that it became in the 2000s.
Schumacher was part of this transition and it is nice to see a documentary remindining us of his achievements and failures.
Europeans and South Americans will enjoy this movie, but if you are North American, I don't recomend because F1 is not very well known in those markets.
Chef
(2014)
As a professional cook, this movie ashames me
11 September 2021
So far I watched maybe a half of the movie, and so far, it hurts how much they distort the reality of the kitchen.
First of all, the owner says he owned the restaurant for many years, but I see no stains, tears, imperfections on the equipment. I went to culinary school, worked in fancy places, and I know no restaurant will have 100% brand new gear always.
Their uniforms remain clean during the entire shift. In any restaurant, food spille on your apron and jacket.
The head chef is not wearing a hat, that means his hair can and will fall on the food.
An overweight middle aged guy with a young, rich and pretty ex wife? Pretty mistress too? The rule number one of kitchen staff is that they hire the scumbags to work in the kitchen, fat, poor, handicapped people that the labor market rejected. The servers date mostly the customers, not the back of the house staff.
My chefs had always immigrant wives, mostly from working class, because any other woman would consider kitchen staff below them. I know because I see it every day. Most of my coworkers are incapable of getting a date, except the foreigners, who have wifes.
Restaurants have music. There is a scene where a discussion happens and everybody stoos to hear. In a real restaurant, only the tables beside would be abke to hear it, besides, it is rude to eavesdrop conversations, so the entire restaurant would not stop to a scene that happens all the time.
The main character lives in a studio apartment fully equipped with a flat top, professional kitchen. That doesn't happpen in real life, if you you fry stuff, the smell and grease will get stuck in your bed, sofa, everywhere.
Restaurants do not rely on farmers markets. They have suppliers, trucks who deliver all those ingredients. Kitchens never have so much space. The clutter should be everywhere.
The servers are not supposed to eat for free. They pay for a staff meal. Even chefs are not gourmet eaters. They cook fancy stuff to make a living. In their spare time they go to KFC and McDonalds, because food is a necessity of life. People who go to restaurants have friends and money, something chefs and cooks lack.
In short the movie creates a false impression that kitchens are chaotic places with lots of shouting and drama. They are not. We are mostly professionals who perform our jobs in silence. We can read the bills alright, and when we talk, we say please and thanks, because we are so mistreated by society that we normally stick together and are nice and repectful to each other.
First of all, the owner says he owned the restaurant for many years, but I see no stains, tears, imperfections on the equipment. I went to culinary school, worked in fancy places, and I know no restaurant will have 100% brand new gear always.
Their uniforms remain clean during the entire shift. In any restaurant, food spille on your apron and jacket.
The head chef is not wearing a hat, that means his hair can and will fall on the food.
An overweight middle aged guy with a young, rich and pretty ex wife? Pretty mistress too? The rule number one of kitchen staff is that they hire the scumbags to work in the kitchen, fat, poor, handicapped people that the labor market rejected. The servers date mostly the customers, not the back of the house staff.
My chefs had always immigrant wives, mostly from working class, because any other woman would consider kitchen staff below them. I know because I see it every day. Most of my coworkers are incapable of getting a date, except the foreigners, who have wifes.
Restaurants have music. There is a scene where a discussion happens and everybody stoos to hear. In a real restaurant, only the tables beside would be abke to hear it, besides, it is rude to eavesdrop conversations, so the entire restaurant would not stop to a scene that happens all the time.
The main character lives in a studio apartment fully equipped with a flat top, professional kitchen. That doesn't happpen in real life, if you you fry stuff, the smell and grease will get stuck in your bed, sofa, everywhere.
Restaurants do not rely on farmers markets. They have suppliers, trucks who deliver all those ingredients. Kitchens never have so much space. The clutter should be everywhere.
The servers are not supposed to eat for free. They pay for a staff meal. Even chefs are not gourmet eaters. They cook fancy stuff to make a living. In their spare time they go to KFC and McDonalds, because food is a necessity of life. People who go to restaurants have friends and money, something chefs and cooks lack.
In short the movie creates a false impression that kitchens are chaotic places with lots of shouting and drama. They are not. We are mostly professionals who perform our jobs in silence. We can read the bills alright, and when we talk, we say please and thanks, because we are so mistreated by society that we normally stick together and are nice and repectful to each other.
The Defeated
(2020)
Historically innacurate
21 August 2021
I watched 5 episodes and the series are getting worse and worse.
In real life, Germany was slowly created by USA, and the main symbol was the Berlin airlift of 1949. In this series, Americans are busy hunting and killing unarmed Germans randomly. If America was so bad, why did they stay that long? We see today how an hostile occupation is easily evicted in Afghanistan and Vietnam. The series try to portray US forces as evil, when it was general Curtis Clay who promoted the reunification of the British, American and French sections in order to allow trade and industry to flourish.
I have been in Germany, including Berlin and the place is far from the misery and hopelessness that the series try to portray. And by the way, the whole majority of the population is German, so if the Russians, Americans and the "terrorists" were so busy killing every single German survivor (the entire country was involved in the war), where did the current population came from? How do they explain that?
Because the series distorted the facts. They invented this myth of no survivors, when there a plenty of war veterans who enjoyed peaceful and prosperous lives after the war. By the way, Germany is the richest country in Europe. They are not as poor as the series portray.
In real life, Germany was slowly created by USA, and the main symbol was the Berlin airlift of 1949. In this series, Americans are busy hunting and killing unarmed Germans randomly. If America was so bad, why did they stay that long? We see today how an hostile occupation is easily evicted in Afghanistan and Vietnam. The series try to portray US forces as evil, when it was general Curtis Clay who promoted the reunification of the British, American and French sections in order to allow trade and industry to flourish.
I have been in Germany, including Berlin and the place is far from the misery and hopelessness that the series try to portray. And by the way, the whole majority of the population is German, so if the Russians, Americans and the "terrorists" were so busy killing every single German survivor (the entire country was involved in the war), where did the current population came from? How do they explain that?
Because the series distorted the facts. They invented this myth of no survivors, when there a plenty of war veterans who enjoyed peaceful and prosperous lives after the war. By the way, Germany is the richest country in Europe. They are not as poor as the series portray.
Menace II Society
(1993)
Entertaining, but reinforces stereotypes
15 August 2021
I just watched the movie, and I can say that it seems realistic and accurate. I like to see the point of view from the people living in the ghetto, but at the same time I feel angry at them.
I see no characters trying to improve their lives and following a redeeming path. All I see is teen women getting pregnant, absent fathers (in jail or dead), disdain for hard work, study and productivity. In short, the film makes African Americans looking bad, and for a general audience, the feeling is that the community protects their own drug dealers and robbers based on race instead of reporting them to the law enforcement.
I see no characters trying to improve their lives and following a redeeming path. All I see is teen women getting pregnant, absent fathers (in jail or dead), disdain for hard work, study and productivity. In short, the film makes African Americans looking bad, and for a general audience, the feeling is that the community protects their own drug dealers and robbers based on race instead of reporting them to the law enforcement.
7 Days in Entebbe
(2018)
It is a history lesson about a controversial event in the 1970s
10 May 2021
I disagree ideologically with the hijackers, but I liked the idea of showing their point of view. First it shows the Palestinians who are all heart and no brain. They are willing to die for their cause, but have no competence to make any resistance against Israel.
And then you have the communists, who are only brains and no heart. They plan and execute the hijacking perfectly, but when the plan falls abppart, they are incapable of fighting back the soldiers.
And then you have the communists, who are only brains and no heart. They plan and execute the hijacking perfectly, but when the plan falls abppart, they are incapable of fighting back the soldiers.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
(2019)
Not a fairytale
29 April 2021
I don't understand the point pf the battle scene. I am pretty sure we wanted to see more romance between Aurora and the prince Philip. I was cheering for Queen Ingrith, and I liked Gerta, the badass yeswoman.
Maleficent herself was annoying,
Maleficent herself was annoying,
Never Look Away
(2018)
It is a movie for modern art admires
23 April 2021
Most reviews here repeat themselves, so I ll add a few personal observations.
There is lots of frontal nudity and some love making. But just like when we we are observing a painting in the museum, it is not arousing or erotic. The nudity looks so natural an innocent.
The design is remarkable. We see the evolution of the aestethics, the replacement of the architecture and fashion as the years go by.
We get a taste of the early East Germany. It is a period of history that not many people cover. As time progresses, the East tries to modernize and things only beco e uglier because the people with talent are discouraged to shine. We witness the brain drain that communism created.
And we see the story of Dresden, still one of the baroque jewels of Europe, told by the people who lived there.
There is lots of frontal nudity and some love making. But just like when we we are observing a painting in the museum, it is not arousing or erotic. The nudity looks so natural an innocent.
The design is remarkable. We see the evolution of the aestethics, the replacement of the architecture and fashion as the years go by.
We get a taste of the early East Germany. It is a period of history that not many people cover. As time progresses, the East tries to modernize and things only beco e uglier because the people with talent are discouraged to shine. We witness the brain drain that communism created.
And we see the story of Dresden, still one of the baroque jewels of Europe, told by the people who lived there.
Two Lives
(2012)
An understudied subject
19 March 2021
The story has 2 elements that I find intriguing: East Germany spy network, and the post 1945 healing of Europe. In this movie they deal with both topics (plus the human impact in one family), but I believe that it would be better if the film focused on one topic only. First of all, why was DDR interested in Norway? What kind of intelligence were they seeking? And what happened with all the Stasi operatives after reunification?
I felt like the movie did not delved deep into those topics
I felt like the movie did not delved deep into those topics
Mr. Jones
(2019)
It is a history lesson.
18 March 2021
Soviet Union is topic that few movies want to deal with. And we can see why. It is because artists, journalist in general, were (and are ) supporters of Stalin's regime. In their view, people were expendapble in order to build an Utopia. The story in this movie had two elements. The ruthlessness of the communist leadership, and the mpral weakness of the West, UK and USA specifically who allowed it to happen, but prefered to keep theor alliance with Josef Stalin.
A Woman in Berlin
(2008)
Too much drama for too little context
13 March 2021
I like cold war mpvies, and this kne could be really interesting. It covers the soviet occupation of Berlin, but the time seems stuck. We want to see developments, how and when the Americans arrive, and we miss this opportunity. We only see Russian soldiers and the Verliners, ignoring the German communists that were trained by the KGB in Moscow to take over the country (they were in power until 1990). Where are the proto DDR?
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