dbiester Reviews

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

Could use some shades of grey

[6/10 · 31 March 2022]

First, Denzel Washington is very good. But all that restraint needs to be let loose at some point, and it isn't. The black and white staging and lighting is more like a throwback to German Expressionism than anything actually new. Frankly the direction, staging, and cinematography detracted from the excellent acting, and the whole thing felt very heavy handed. I wanted it to be great, I really enjoy the play, I enjoy Coen's other movies, but it just did not quite work.

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

It's supposed to be a movie, right ?

[4/10 · 12 November 2003]

Look, don't hate me, I didn't hate this movie, I just thought it was bad. What I'd like to know is why are all of the comments about the "philosophy" of the trilogy, and whether or not there are HUGE plot holes ? What about the bad dialogue -- not just whether or not there's too much, but that you stare at the screen saying to yourself she can't possibly say THAT and then she does ? What about the fact that it should be obvious that the final fight scene will have to take place, and then it seems to take FOREVER to get to it ? What about the occasionally laughable acting ? Yes, there are some really cool action scenes, yes, these guys had a cool idea once, yes, those raindrops are REALLY BIG. But maybe if they'd paid more attention to the pace, dialogue, acting, continuity, it would have been better received. I mean, how many times do we have to cut to the same character screaming "AHHHHHHH" to get the idea that he's fighting really hard ?

Novocaine (2001)

Good, but

[7/10 · 15 February 2003]

Basically its Steve Martin in a modern film noir, only in color. If you were wondering about Helen Bonham Carter's performance in fight Club, here it is again. It sags a bit at times, never really builds momentum. Acting was great, story is good, definitely worth seeing, but not as good as it could have been. Interesting Kevin bacon turn as an actor researching a film. Best quote: "this isn't a movie, it's real life."

Road to Perdition (2002)

Slow road with a clear map

[5/10 · 22 July 2002]

Well, it was pretty. Understanding that it was adapted from a "graphic novel," i.e. a long-form comic book, might explain why so many of the sequences felt so stiff and the dialogue seemed to come from, well, a comic book. I thought both Hanks and Tyler Hoechlin, the child actor, were very flat. If they had put in the same performances in a George Lucas film, I wonder what the reaction would be. Jude Law and Newman were both good, and the technical aspects were also very good. Overall it was worth seeing, but not great.