Ratings
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Reviews
Anora (2024)
Remarkable
Significant amounts of sexuality, violence and profanity.
I don't think that any of it is out of context in terms of the story but it's still there.
Not a show for everyone, ABSOLUTELY NOT a show for children.
A well written story, exceptional acting from the top 5 cast members and an ending that makes sense in relation to the rest of the story.
The movie is probably 20 - 30 minutes too long (IMO). I think at least that much could have been cut with little or no impact on the story.
Mikey Madison's performance is beyond remarkable. She absolutely inhabits the character.
I never thought for a moment that I wasn't watching a real human being, living out their life.
The End of the F***ing World (2017)
Remarkable
Whereas the series Normal People is about young people who are fairly exceptional and go on to the best university in their country and excel there, this is the "dark" side of normal people.
The two characters here are quite unexceptional, at least on the surface, at least to begin with. They come from very dysfunctional homes and they struggle just to survive and remain sane in spite of those environments.
Things don't begin to change for them until they chuck their current circumstances and go on a road trip. Then things get quite exceptional.
The story and the writing are remarkably good and the two leads are superb. I simply couldn't stop watching the episodes and was up until 3 or 4 in the morning, watching Season 1.
This series belongs in the same company as Normal People and I May Destroy You. I suspect, although I don't have the time to verify this, that this was probably the best TV series of the years that it premiered - 2017 - 2019.
The episodes are 20 minutes each or less which makes them quite watchable, if you are dealing with short chunks of available time. But I warn you, the series is very addictive and you will struggle with turning it off before it ends.
Season 1 = 10 / exceptional
Season 2 = 8 / very good.
Elle (2016)
Very Good
This is a very good film, in my opinion and it is anchored by Huppert's amazing performance as the lead character.
Someone else here has said that this is the best performance by an actor in this year and I would have to agree. She was nominated for the appropriate Academy Award but lost. Presumably to Meryl Streep or someone like that.
There is a fair amount of sexuality and a fair amount of swearing in the film, so it isn't for children, family viewing or for anyone who finds those things offensive.
Huppert disappears into the role and makes the film completely believable. The other actors are also very good and bring believability to some very odd and often unpleasant characters.
I have seen it in the theater and also streamed it at home and it stands up in both situations. And it stands up to rewatching because it is a fairly complex story and the acting is so good.
Beolsae (2018)
An Exceptional Film
This is an exceptional film because of the remarkable story it tells and the ability it has to get inside the heads of the lead character, her family, her social group and South Korea itself.
We are treated to exceptional performances by the actors here, as they take us through what ails this family and this society. Many or most of the issues here have been dealt with before in other South Korean and Asian movies but this one does an exceptional job of laying them out.
This is not a happy movie, although the lead character survives and even triumphs (on some level) by the end. But it is a very human story with much that anyone can relate to.
It's more 2 hours long, it's in Korean with English subtitles and it's a very normal story. Enough to turn many or most of the people who might try it out.
But don't miss this film if you are the kind of person who sees films as a way to understand the world and oneself.
Robot Dreams (2023)
What a sweet movie
I don't know what the bad reviews of this movie mean.
I was thoroughly charmed throughout. The story is unbelievably good and the animation is wonderful.
This is an exceptional movie and all the more so because there is no dialogue. The universality of the story comes through without any.
We are all lonely and we all want company to make our lives more interesting and bearable.
I kept expecting dark moments, places where the movie let down or didn't make any sense, based on the other reviews here. There were none.
A movie for all ages, a movie for anyone regardless of their native language.
So very sweet.
Lola rennt (1998)
It hasn't lost anything in 25 years
This was a remarkable movie when it came out and it has lost none of that.
I just saw it at the 25th anniversary re-release and it was fast and intense and funny throughout.
The story with its twists and turns, the remarkable characters and the acting of the two leads and the setting are all wonderful.
If this movie were made today, some or much of it would be CGI and the impact wouldn't be nearly the same.
Franka Potente is brilliant as Lola. The actor playing her partner, in all things, is also very good.
If you seen it before, don't be afraid to go again. As I said, I don't think it has lost anything.
If you haven't seen it before, you are in for a real treat.
Obviously it is possible to stream this movie but I honestly think it would lose something on a home screen.
A Quiet Passion (2016)
A Wonderful Movie
I am at a loss regarding many of the other reviews here.
This is simply a remarkable movie with a wonderful story and a wonderful cast.
I don't know how faithful the story is to Dickinson's life as I'm not a Dickinson scholar. But it seems to follow the events of her life.
Nixon is simply spectacular as Emily. I don't know what awards she was nominated for and won for this role, but this surely has to be one of the best performances of the year that this movie came out.
I was reluctant to watch the movie, even though the subject matter interested me, because of the many bad reviews here. Thankfully, I ignored them.
Perfect Days (2023)
Not for Everyone
This movie is a 2 hour class on living in the moment and cherishing those moments.
It's about someone who lives very simply and gets enormous joy from doing the smallest, simplest things.
The acting and cinematography are wonderful. The movie shows us the Tokyo that the people who live there see.
I kept thinking that something was going to happen to alter the mood or impact the central character but nothing really did.
The movie is about mindfuless. Appreciating what you have because it is enough.
It's a movie about our times. Even as many people are grasping for more and more, the answer to happiness is less.
Suze (2023)
Lame
A decent story idea that is completely squandered here.
The story line, the dialogue and the acting are that of an average Hallmark movie.
Much of what goes on is simply improbable.
The boyfriend is INCREDIBLY dumb and a complete mismatch for the honours student daughter. The boyfriend jumps off of a water tower in a suicide attempt and comes away with no scratches and a minor foot injury.
The daughter is very angry and wants no one to visit her, for no apparent reason, even though she is away at university, in a distant city.
The mother is a mess and her grip on reality is that of a child. She is completely unaware that her daughter has applied to an expensive university, in another city and finds out only by accident.
Locke (2013)
Excellent
A very unique story told in a very unique way.
Totally engrossing. There was never a moment when I wondered why I was watching this film. I had the English subtitles turned on, so that I wouldn't miss any of the dialogue, because the dialogue is very important.
I could nitpick some of the elements of the story and the ending but that would involve spoilers and I don't want to do that. The story is a completely unique and fresh one. Unlike anything that I think I have ever seen.
Tom Hardy is excellent and carries the entire movie. You'll see what I mean if you watch it.
I had never heard of this movie and found it by Googling for underrated movies.
What a find.
Anatomie d'une chute (2023)
Remarkable
A remarkable movie.
A wonderful story, well written and well told. Great acting and great production complete the package.
This is one of the best movies I have seen in several years.
It is a complex story about human relationships and frailties. I found it hard to watch on a number of occasions because of the rawness of the story.
The movie is in English and in French with subtitles for both languages If needed. It is shot in the French Alps which are very beautiful.
The trial occurs in a French court and the proceedings of and the tone of the court is an eye opener and worth the price of admission by themselves. I would not want to face trial in a French court.
The complexity of the story builds through the movie and through the course of the trial. There is an outcome but it is ambiguous. Like life.
If you are looking for an easy movie, this is not it. If you are looking for a movie where all of the loose ends are tied up by the end, this is also not it.
Bright Star (2009)
Beautiful Film
A beautiful, beautiful film.
Great writing, directing, acting and production.
The two leads are superb, as is the rest of the cast.
Campion is able to convey the love affair and the bittersweet nature of a love that can never triumph.
The remarkable spirit and character of Keats and Fanny Brawne shine out at us from the film.
Keats produced only 150 poems in his short life and his reputation is built on about 65, many of them written in the midst of their love affair.
There are complaints here about the film being too slow and boring. There are also no explosions, car chases or gunfights. If you were hoping for that as well.
Seoul-ui bom (2023)
Excellent
This is probably the best film that I have seen in the last 12 months.
Maybe the best film I have seen in the last 5 years or more.
It is a type of movie that is completely wrong for me. I like small, indie and foreign movies, with a good but simple story.
This is a massive production, with dozens of major roles and a series of scenes / events over the course of a day.
It has an edge of the seat urgency to it, that pulls a person along, through the 2 + hours of the film.
I have done some quick Googling to try to confirm the accuracy of the events. It sounds like the film captures a strong sense of the events of the day, without being historically accurate.
The story, the acting and the production are excellent. The leads are unbelievably good, especially the actor portraying the evil Chun Doo-gwang character.
The Martian (2015)
Nonsense
This is a completely nonsensical movie.
Mars is a frigid rock in the middle of nowhere. Without atmosphere, running water or soil to grow food. 8 months travel from Earth.
I can't imagine Matt Damon agreeing to star in this, as it completely destroys his professional judgment. Given the roles that he has had in the past, why would he agree to this piece of junk?
I realize that Americans are not very bright but come on, this is appallingly dumb.
I should just suspend my disbelief and enjoy the movie? Nonsense.
Why not take the story idea and do it justice. Show him actually struggling to survive, while he waits for the rescue mission from Earth.
That would have been a good movie.
Sigurno mjesto (2022)
Remarkable
This is likely the best film that I have seen all year. Maybe the best film that I have seen in a number of years.
I don't know why it hasn't won every award available. I'm going to guess that some of that has to do with it being little known and Croatian.
The three main actors are remarkable, the story is heartbreaking and the film is a masterpiece. It is so good that I felt like I was watching a documentary.
The subject matter will scare or offend many but the handling of it is very good. Someone is trying to kill themselves and their family is focused on preventing that from happening.
The family's humanity is endless. The system's lack of humanity is terrifying.
Watch this film.
Addendum
It has won a series of awards. Mostly awards at film fests where it was screened.
There is a list of the award nominations and wins, here on IMDb. 40 + nominations and 20 + wins. In the film description posted by the film fest where I saw the film, they mention a few of the awards.
My comments are the same. This is a remarkable film, an extraordinary first feature.
Het zit in mijn hart (2022)
Brilliant.
Making a movie about making a movie.
But not just any movie. A movie where all of the actors have intellectual disabilities.
It's wonderful to see the care that is taken to help the actors to fulfill their roles in the movie.
It's wonderful to hear them talk about themselves and their friends in the cast. One is reminded that these are real human beings, whatever their intellectual shortcomings, who feel the same things that we all feel.
It took a while to get on to the two realities. The movie that was being made and the movie that was being made about the movie being made.
I had to be careful to follow along, in order to not mix up what was happening in the movie and what was happening in the movie about the movie.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Brilliant
This film is brilliant. A wonderful idea, brilliantly realized.
The actors in the film are brilliant. Keaton's performance is unbelievable, surely the best of his entire career. He is a man on the edge of a nervous breakdown and he pulls that off with aplomb.
Keaton isn't a likable character, he isn't playing someone that people can relate to? He's an actor. Get over yourself.
The film is frenetic and all over the place? Yes. Again, he's having a nervous breakdown as a result of trying to open a Broadway show, that will make or break his career going forward.
If other Hollywood movies had 10% of the juice that this one has, the theaters would be full.
Addendum - the director / screenwriter of this film has won 5 Oscars himself and his films have won eight. In just over 20 years.
This film won Oscars for best picture, best director and best screenplay.
Again, get over yourselves.
While We Watched (2022)
Canary in the Coal Mine
A remarkable, fly on the wall documentary about one man's and one TV network's attempt to push back against the forces of fascism in their country.
India is a warning sign to all democratic countries who are facing right wing, populist, anti-democratic political movements.
Our democracies will not survive unless we fight back strenuously.
India is ahead of many countries in this regard but they are not as far advanced as Hungary, Turkey and Brazil.
If you care about the future of democracy in your own country, please watch this documentary and then get involved in supporting the survival of democracy at home.
Thank you.
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Very Good
First there is the concert.
The frenetic energy of the band's performance was simply amazing. They and especially David Byrne were likely exhausted after 90 minutes of that kind of energy.
I don't know whether this performance was typical of the band because I don't follow them but I am assuming that it is.
Second was the film.
There must have been cameras everywhere and there must have been a great deal of thought put into the location of the cameras to capture the band's performance.
Very well shot and very well edited. Seamless, especially given that the film is the result of 4 concerts blended together.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979)
This
I haven't a clue how any serious person could watch a Bond movie, given how completely improbable and empty they are.
This series is so incredibly good. So well written and acted and produced. The clothing, vehicles and settings are obviously out of date but excepting that, this is the real deal.
I watched it in just two sittings. I would have likely watched it all the way through but I started too late in the evening and it's 5 hours long.
It bears a lot of similarities to the British series, The Sandbaggers, so if you are a fan of that series, you should enjoy this one.
I think that The Sandbaggers is still a better series, maybe the best series or movie about espionage ever made. The episodes are shorter, the writing is tighter and it has an edge about it that is missing here.
But this is as good or a close second.
Val (2021)
Very hard to watch
This is a window into the life of Val Kilmer and also into the world of celebrity.
For that alone, this is probably something that most people would benefit from watching.
The film has video that was taken throughout his life and photos for the times when there were no videos.
The video quality is all over the map in terms of lighting, color and sound and the editing is quite abrupt so the movie felt really choppy to me. The poster for the movie is an extremely apt representation of how the movie plays out.
I honestly couldn't finish the movie. Kilmer's condition / situation currently was just too much to bear.
11 Minutes (2022)
Why?
After events like this, why is there still a single gun in civilian hands in the US?
61 dead, almost 500 hit by bullets and shrapnel and almost 900 total injuries.
All because of a single gunman.
What kind of event would be required to change American thinking on gun ownership?
I have watched episode 1 and it is very good. It's hard to watch because thousands of people were completely exposed, as a madman fired 1,100 bullets into the crowd that they were in.
The people who were there were traumatized and presumably will be for life. Many of them were shot and bear the scars.
Civilized nations don't have incidents like this. They take the required steps, so they don't ever happen again.
Goo-hae-jwo (2017)
Excellent Series
I will preface this review by saying that I've only watched 3 episodes. I will come back and update this review when I have watched more / the rest.
This is a very well made and compelling series about serious issues. The settings, the cinematography and the acting is superb.
The warning here about violence is not sufficient in my opinion. This is a very violent series. Maybe not by Korean standards but from the point of view of other films.
This is not a series to watch with young children, because of the violence and the mature issues that are dealt with. It should be acceptable for mid to late teenagers, assuming they can deal with difficult issues.
The violence and the shocks here are too much for younger children IMO.
An Cailín Ciúin (2022)
A Simply Wonderful Film
A heartbreaking story, beautifully captured for the screen.
One of the very best films of 2022.
The script, the acting and the production of the film are flawless. I never thought for a moment that something that was said or done, didn't fit, didn't seem real.
The girl of the title is luminescent. I don't know why she didn't win every single acting award available last year. The actors playing the four adults, the two sets of parents, are also very, very good.
This is not a 4 or 5. Not a 6 or 7. I would accept arguments that it is an 8 or 9 based on honest beliefs that this or that was not well done.
Maybe the best film of last year.
The dialogue is in Irish with English subtitles.
Beeba Boys (2015)
An Excellent Movie
This is a very well made, very well acted movie, worth seeing.
I have to assume that the 4.9 rating is because of significant pushback from the Indo-Canadian population in the Vancouver area.
The score in NO way represents the actual quality of the movie, in terms of the movie idea and the execution of it.
There is in fact a drug and turf war in the Vancouver area, involving Indo-Canadians. That is a fact.
It is unfortunate and it upsets the local Indo-Canadian population? Naturally.
If you are not Indo-Canadian or Indian, see the movie as it is a very well made, entertaining movie.
If you are Indo-Canadian, see the movie if you can accept that it is a FICTIONAL account of actual events and not a comment on your community.