sethaz-759-115335 Reviews

The Green Knight (2021)

Huh?

[3/10 · 3 March 2024]

I'm surprised that this film broke even, much less made a few bucks. Like me, I suspect that the primary motivation of most potential viewers would be a desire to be entertained. Also like me, their familiarity with Arthurian legends is almost certainly limited to the basics -- e.g. Arthur, Excaliber, the Lady of the Lake, the Round Table, Guinevere, Lancelot, and maybe Gawain. We probably haven't read original literary works on the subject, much less those in tongues other than English. We are unsophisticated observers who like films enough to watch, and usually find Arthurian projects to be both interesting and entertaining.

All of that said, the purpose of "The Green Knight" strikes me as something other than entertainment. Perhaps it's an insider effort directed at other insiders. It would be right at home in a literature or filmmaking class, or maybe a post-graduate venue for prospective auteurs, but leaves me cold. For this ordinary schmuck, it's a beautifully made, technically wonderful, incomprehensible effort, that's ultimately not worth watching.

Irma Vep (2022)

Waste of My Time

[3/10 · 29 November 2023]

To summarize, Alicia Vikander had me at "Ex Machina", and I've made a point of checking out any of her projects that have come my way since. Accordingly, I doggedly watched "Irma Vep" when it first came out, episode after episode, stubbornly thinking that unlike those that preceded it, the next chapter would contain some revelation that justified the project at all. Unfortunately, I found the plot to be uninteresting, pointless, irrelevant, and dumb. In general, the characters were neither compelling nor believable, even for a fantasy. That's a low bar. Worst of all, the object of my infatuation, Alicia herself, didn't have much screen time especially for the central character. I really have no idea why someone decided to fund or make this series. I haven't watched the original film and have no desire to do so based on this remake.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

A Beautiful Disappointment

[7/10 · 17 June 2023]

In terms of technicality the second film is equal to the first, which was dominated by stunning, never before seen visuals and CG. It was truly groundbreaking, and had an intriguing plot that invited identification with and sympathy for the main characters, even though they were total fantasies. It was the kind of film that invited me to watch it many times, and an instant classic. I looked forward to a second film that would offer further stunning innovation, especially considering the long interval between the two films. Unfortunately, that implied promise wasn't met. The plot of this second film is essentially that of the first, morphed into water. Actually, the first movie had a more interesting plot. It's gorgeous and technically perfect, but I anticipated and hoped for more.

High Life (2018)

Spagettification meets Escaped Convicts

[4/10 · 19 August 2022]

I looked forward to this film because Claire Denis is so well-regarded, but had to resort to online reviews to help me understand it. Apparently, it poses sophisticated and profound questions about human experience and inherent limitations thereof. I more or less expected an artsy-fartsy film full of allegory and metaphors, and it delivers those. The technical aspects are absolutely bare-bones and even illogical in our age of amazing CGI, probably to avoid distracting viewers from those central questions. The cinematography and acting are fine. The plot is fragmented, which draws me in to (try to) figure it out. All of these things are appropriate, and interesting enough to be entertaining. At the end, however, I was left questioning whether I'm all that interested in whatever points or questions are posed. I will watch it again to see if it makes more sense, but at first blush I have mixed feelings.

The Velvet Vampire (1971)

Laughable Low-Budget Skin-Flick

[4/10 · 9 July 2022]

The Velvet Vampire is an incredibly bad movie that somehow manages to be appealing and entertaining. What pulls me in are the very beautiful/handsome leads, enough non-pubic nudity to have been a little edgy in '71 and is still noticeably "titillating" in '22, the low-grade and awkward erotic suggestion, and unfortunately most of all -- the beautiful cinematic color. Honestly, EVERYthing else is awful. It isn't even remotely scary. From other User Reviews I gather that's all expected and/or tolerable and/or even liked by hard-core film buffs, film historians, and/or lovers of the genre "low-budget vampire film" and/or whatever else this is, and/or campy films. With foreknowledge I'd only watch when I had time to kill and was in the mood for a laughable film that's so bad it's good. Otherwise I'd avoid it.

Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

Entertaining Sequel

[7/10 · 1 July 2022]

I enjoyed the first movie even though I'm a 74 year-old geezer and expected it to be a dumb teen movie that I wouldn't like. I only watched that one because it has a three-star rating in AT&T Uverse. This one has the same 3 stars but is a much raunchier, sexier, more violent, pulp fiction, funny, (also R-rated) version of just that, with the expected tongue-in-cheek intentional overreach. The plot and acting are generally good. Chloe Grace Moritz's performance is as ordinary as her character allows, I guess. It demands much more of her stunt persons than of the actress herself (and I don't care whether the ID and pronoun are woke enough or not). IMHO it's worth watching if the genre "Deadpool light" is appealing.

Ondine (2009)

Perhaps My Favorite Movie

[10/10 · 21 June 2022]

I'm a normal red-blooded hetero 74 year old male, if there is such a thing, with the corresponding taste in movies. I love film and have watched a lot of them in my time. Most of my favorites lie in the Sci-Fi, Action, Crime, Spy/Intelligence, and Comedy genres -- guy stuff. "Ondine" is the only "Fairy Tale" flick I can think of among them, and it may be my very favorite movie of all. I must have watched it attentively a dozen or more times. It's interesting and tolerably sweet, with just a tad of sexiness. I can't imagine anyone disliking it, and it's suitable for all ages. It baffles me that "Ondine" didn't at least break even at the box office.

First Reformed (2017)

A Waste of My Time

[2/10 · 21 June 2022]

This film is fine all around in every technical and artistic and probably spiritual respect. Ethan Hawke's performance in particular is superb. His facial features alone leave little to no doubt what his character is feeling. Unfortunately that is persistent, prolonged, profound depression and hopeless despair, seasoned only with anger and a touch of fear beyond the root causes thereof. Offhand I can't even think of a genre that fits, other than "Bummer" or possibly "Woke Bummer". "Noire" isn't anywhere near deep enough, and it isn't a "Horror" flick. My minimum requirement for entertainment is that it be entertaining. DUH. Since this movie isn't supposed to be of any possibly non-entertaining ilk, e.g. A documentary, educational, religious, or even spiritual film, it flunks. It is definitely not entertaining and was a horrid waste of my time to watch. Boo.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

Skip It

[2/10 · 11 June 2022]

This film may be depressing, but at least it's boring. :-) Though I haven't seen a huge quantity of movies for a 74 year-old, the actors are all recognizable, even the youngest three, and every bit of their work is top-notch. The two leads are personal favorites who drew me to the film all by themselves. All of them disappear into their respective, mostly bizarre characters perfectly. Technical aspects and direction are all good. The problem is the plot, at least for me. This one has to be allegorical to make any sense at all, but I don't get it. The darned thing fails to meet my minimum requirements for investing a couple of hours to watch any movie -- that it entertain and/or educate. It doesn't even titillate! :-) Boo!

Under the Skin (I) (2013)

Not Your Typical Sci-Fi

[7/10 · 21 February 2022]

This movie is about aliens we haven't seen before. They are very different, whatever it is that they do is different, and so is the movie. The first time I watched it I saw about half, and would have given it 3 stars. It was so bad that I researched it a bit -- why would an A-Lister like Scarlett take it on? I saw it again months later, or 2/3 of it anyway, and my rating jumped to 5 or 6 stars. A year after that I watched the entire movie, and am thinking 6 or 7 stars which is probably as high as it will go. The plot demands a deliberate, slower pace but the movie overdoes that and drags along at times. Scarlett's acting has been criticized, but I found it to be superb. Her character conveys exactly what is happening internally, essentially without dialogue. There is relatively a lot of nudity, but unless you're a Scarlett freak it's presented in an understated, asexual manner consistent with the overall plot. Even the one very short scene of a couple attempting sex struck me as asexual. Go figure! Fans of art films, minor films of noted auteurs, anything Sci-Fi, and plain old off-beat flicks should consider this one, but there are no guarantees. Watch it more than once if you can.

Dune (2021)

Villeneuve Scores Again

[8/10 · 26 October 2021]

Previously, my only knowledge of the Dune story was David Lynch's excellent 1984 movie, which I like and have probably watched 10 times in 35 years. I discovered David Lynch there. I may not actually like some of his work at first, but always find it interesting, unique, intriguing, and often bizarre and/or surreal and/or shocking and/or kinky and/or cringeworthy. Villeneuve's films are every bit as good, but more conventional and (semi-)realistic, with weirdness spawned more by intelligence and less by fear. I've watched this 2021 film twice so far, and will do so again. Why? It's very entertaining. Bottom line, that's the only reason I watch most movies. I don't care how it compares to the 1984 film. They are very different, exceptional presentations by very different, exceptional filmmakers. To me the '84 Dune was pure art by an auteur of the weird and wonderful, sort of a Salvador Dali of film. Think "Frank Herbert meets Twin Peaks, light". On the other hand, Dune 2021 presents a more conventional underlying story almost incidentally set in the distant future. The only real shortcoming of this film is that the plot presentation is so spotty and sparse that I wouldn't have been able to follow along had it not been for my familiarity with the earlier film. That said, 2.5 hrs flies by and leaves me craving Part 2. The acting and technical details are first rate all around. Once more, in a sea of A-List "heavyweight" actors giving fine performances, young, skinny, puny, wimpy, short little Timothee Chalamet shines and owns every scene! He makes it seem at least possible that he could defeat the likes of Josh Brolin in a sword fight (As If!), and withstand the unimaginable virtual pain of witch-like Bene Gesserit leader Charlotte Rampling's torture box. In film after film, role upon role, Chalamet's talent and range surprise me. Anyway, 2021's Dune Part 1 is an excellent origin film that feels way too short in length, partly because it's way too short on content. It takes over twice as long to tell half the origin story. Nevertheless, I can't wait for Part 2. I'm a fan of Zendaya, who barely appeared in Part 1. Let's see whether her acting chops compare as well to Chalamet's as her BMI does! :-)

Scenes from a Marriage (2021)

Outstanding

[10/10 · 13 October 2021]

The subject matter is not really my cup of tea, but I checked this out just because I've liked everything else I've seen either lead in. Once again, they did not disappoint. I was hooked from the get-go and watched the entire series. The screenplay is wonderful, thought provoking and compelling. The characters are finely and vividly etched. I actually empathized with and cared about both mains. In my 73 years, I haven't seen finer acting. This project is deserving of several Oscar nominations, or whatever top awards a Netflix series qualifies for. I'm even considering watching the original Ingmar Bergman version. That must be great as well.

American Honey (2016)

Waste of Time

[1/10 · 21 September 2021]

This film is neither entertaining nor instructive. The characters are contrived, shallow and unreal. It doesn't start or go anywhere. At nearly 3 hours long, it's way too much about way too little.

Ad Astra (2019)

Worth a Watch for the Acting Alone

[7/10 · 10 June 2020]

Some great films are hard to enjoy, and some lesser films are enjoyable or at least easy to watch. This one is in the latter category. In spite of all the bad reviews, I liked it. It's worth watching just to see Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones exercising their chops at the top of their games, and boy do they ever deliver. They show what disappearing into a character really looks like. That terminology is thrown around with respect to others but I almost always see the actor more than the character. Not here. This film is an allegory and not to be taken literally. The physics is laughable and the plot is surreal. It's themes of loneliness, abandonment, and emotional isolation are depressing. At least those issues are somewhat resolved at the end. If you can avoid pre-judging, suspend disbelief and just go with the fantasy, the production beauty and the exquisite acting, maybe you'll be captivated like I was. I'll watch again.

Another Earth (2011)

Interesting and Not What You Might Expect

[8/10 · 7 December 2019]

I don't consider this Sci-Fi. I won't criticize scientific and technical imperfections because they are nearly irrelevant in this small-budget undertaking. The "2nd earth" itself is just an allegorical device bearing upon "1st earth" conundrums. The pace is intentionally slow and deliberate, allowing plenty of time to chew on situations and alternatives. Brit Marling is marvelous as the beautiful, thoughtful protagonist who creates and dominates virtually every scene. This unassuming film will not change your life, but it poses some interesting questions (and possible answers) a viewer might want to consider. If you choose to watch, be patient and give it a chance.

The Hunger (1983)

Pure Art

[9/10 · 25 October 2019]

In spite of an imperfect and somewhat befuddling plot, the exquisite beauty and unique ethereal style of this film make it memorable and one of my favorites. It has stood up well to the test of 36 years time so far, lending credence to the notion that special effects are not necessary for film excellence. This one achieves it primarily through deft use of suggestion and mood. The three visually stunning leads alone should place it on every film lover's bucket list, and their acting is superb. Much more than an allegorical vampire film, it presents an alternate take on the subject using outstanding cinematography and music. Sprinklings of violence, betrayal and eroticism season an understated presentation, nearly bereft of emotion, which fits the subject nicely. Did I mention Catherine DeNeuve (!). Wow! I recommend watching, then reading the plot synopsis on, then watching again sometime. BTW my all-time favorite vampire film is Francis Ford Coppola's definitive "Bram Stoker's Dracula". Check it out.

Revolver (2005)

Smart, Beautiful, and Complicated

[9/10 · 10 August 2019]

I'm a 71 year old geezer with memory, mental health and hearing issues that can make it difficult to follow some films, but I love them and keep watching. I saw this movie for the first time some 11 years after it hit theaters, primarily because it was the best choice on cable at the time and I like other Jason Statham films, which are usually straightforward actioners. Revolver is different in a good way. It's an entertaining fast-paced thinking man's neo-noire effort that left me pleasantly surprised and befuddled. It made me pay attention and follow along as well as I could. While I was able to grasp the most basic aspects and had a vague idea of deeper, more subtle ones, I was unsure of or entirely missed some fairly major plot components and layers. That made it interesting enough to read the summary on IMDb just to check my take. I give myself a 5 out of 10 for comprehension after this first pass. Armed with reinforced insight, I intend to re-watch Revolver until I really get it. It's that good and that complex. A well-made film, technical aspects e.g. cinematography, soundtrack, acting and direction are rich and superb. They pop. Ray Liotta is amazing. I'm surprised I wasn't aware of Revolver previously. Highly recommended.

Comet (2014)

Unconventional Love Story

[8/10 · 10 April 2019]

A uniquely presented, hypo-manic love story with intriguing truisms and insights throughout, that is both entertaining and thought provoking. The constant patter, chemistry and performances of the leads literally is the story. Practically no other characters intrude, and none distract. The production and direction fit perfectly and the editing effectively supports the jumps backward and forward in time.

Having said all that, what impressed me the most was the acting. Over the past couple of years I've become interested in the differences between good and bad acting and actors. While both actors were very good here, I found Emily Rossum's performance to be stunning. She made her character so real that I forgot it wasn't, yet it also popped. That's a mark of excellence I've sought. I've read review after review of other performances claiming that various actors disappeared into their characters, but rarely found that to be true. I usually know the actor is doing the work, and hardly ever forget it. Emily actually does completely disappear into her role here. It makes me regret not watching Shameless all these years.

In the Valley of Elah (2007)

A Sleeper

[8/10 · 11 February 2019]

I usually avoid films about the military or war, even comedies, because of predictable political agendas coupled with requisite disturbing depictions of violence and destruction, direct or implied. I prefer to obtain more factual representation of those subjects from books or documentaries.

I only watched this film because nothing else was on, and the leads. The slow pace was immediately offset by Tommy Lee's spot-on portrayal of an atypical role. He owns every scene -- until Charlize arrives in her own secondary but substantial, atypical role. It's a treat to watch these consummate pro's, at the height of their game, perform and interact as the plot deliberately unwinds. For this reason alone, I chose to watch a second and third time. Even tertiary contributions by the likes of Jason Patrick and and Susan Sarandon are amazing.

To me, this film is not about any specific conflict. It's about personal consequences of war on direct field participants and those in their orbits. Does it produce more cops at home; or killers, street people, abusives, crazies, addicts or totally withdrawn depressives, I wonder. All of that is produced within the context of uncertainty, grief and grieving. With these things in mind, you'd probably expect a total bummer, but I find the movie to be more thought-provoking than dark. That's how well it's done.

It's a fascinating and unpredictable film you might enjoy for the acting and general quality alone. If the subject is palatable to you, give it a try.

Pretty Persuasion (2005)

Amazing and Unexpected Dark Comedy

[10/10 · 31 August 2018]

This is my opinion only. Lots of other reviews cover the details nicely. I'm often late in seeing films, and this is no exception. I had been put off by the plot thumbnail and rating of my cable provider(s) over the years, so didn't bother with it. The cable rating was wrong, as I discovered soon after beginning to watch it, only because absolutely nothing else of interest was on. I expected a low-grade version of "Clueless" or "Easy A" or "Mean Girls" at best, but got a comedy equally good but very dark, with a twist. I had also appreciated Evan Rachael Wood's performance as an adult woman in Westworld, the first project in which I had seen her. Boy, does she nail this difficult role in her mid-teens! The "R" rating is appropriate for language, and graphically implied sexual content. Be sure to see it if you have a stomach for comedic racism and sexism and whatever-ism. It is both laugh-worthy and cringe-worthy.

Personal Shopper (2016)

Some Suspense, No Payoff

[2/10 · 30 August 2018]

This slow-moving, boring film focuses entirely on the lead character played by Kristen Stewart. The plot is a little interesting and suspenseful, but very low key like the pace. There is really nothing surprising or stimulating about it, other than a single very brief scene. Brief nudity and non-explicit sexual content isn't even very interesting or relevant, but rather more of a gratuitous distraction. The acting was as blah as the plot. It all plods on to . . . nothing.

Bulworth (1998)

This Should Be On Your Bucket List

[9/10 · 9 August 2018]

20 years after it was released, IMHO it's better than the average rating of around 7 given so far, and has withstood the test of time as a comedic political statement. You can get everything else in 230 prior reviews.

In the Land of Women (2007)

Sweet

[8/10 · 17 July 2018]

I just saw this movie 11 years after release, so won't try to compete with or expand upon the many insightful, comprehensive, detailed past reviews. The truth is that I couldn't if I tried. I can offer up my reaction though. I avoided this film for years due to the title alone, inferring that it must be some kind of rom-com, chick-flick, lesbian or Amazon type. I really like it though. The story was somewhat predictable as it progressed, but pleasantly so. The main characters are smart, insightful and likeable, and I rooted for them. It isn't a complex, deeply layered story with many possible interpretations, that you don't quite understand even after 10 viewings. If you need that, go there. If you'd enjoy a nice relaxing story, try this one.

Proof (2005)

Gwyneth Paltro Steals It

[8/10 · 11 July 2018]

I just saw this film for the first time, 13 years after it was originally shown, and was captivated by it though I don't usually go for movies like this. All of the acting was excellent, but it is worth seeing just for the standout performance by Gwyneth Paltrow. I had no idea she has the chops she demonstrates here. She should have been nominated for a leading actress Oscar IMHO.

Lost River (2014)

Interesting and Unexpected

[8/10 · 30 June 2018]

This doesn't cover the plot or interpretation thereof, which are amply described by other reviews. It does represent the reaction upon first viewing by this non-expert, ordinary movie lover lacking an extraordinary vocabulary, view catalog, or memory. I was initially drawn to this film because Saoirse Ronan stars. Only later did I discover that Ryan Gosling wrote and directed, which sealed the deal. From the initial scenes, I anticipated a straightforward, marginally interesting, bland, depressing story. I was definitely wrong about the first three. The tone was in fact depressing, but hopeful. It slowly morphed into an ever more surprising, surreal plot reminiscent of David Lynch's efforts, especially "Blue Velvet", and those of Ingmar Bergman (I am not familiar with other directors mentioned in these reviews). Some moments were cringe evoking but were presented in a way that did not cause me to turn away. As usual with largely metaphoric films, I found it to be incomprehensible but fascinating. The acting was spot on. Cinematography and sound were fine and not distracting. It is a superb first effort behind the lens by Gosling. Who'd a thunk it would be anything like this? I look forward to his next work. I'm about to watch "Lost River" again, and probably more times afterward. Give it a try if you like unique, artsy-fartsy cult films.