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Reviews
Fuglene over sundet (2016)
Engaging...at times
I had pretty high hopes for "Across the Waters." I've seen several of the actors in other roles (Danica Curcic in "Chestnut Man," Jakob Cedergren in "The Guilty," Nicolas Bro in "The Bridge"), and they were all excellent. But for whatever reason, it just didn't all come together in this movie. Another reviewer called it a wasted opportunity, and I agree. All of the above mentioned actors did well, and so did most of the rest of the cast. But the movie was just...I don't know...hollow?
The true stories that inspired this film are amazing, and the courage of those involved is inspiring, but I felt neither amazed nor inspired. I felt like I was just getting to know the characters and relate to them, and then boom - the movie was over. I was left wanting more - not because what I'd experienced was so good, but because it seemed incomplete.
It wasn't bad, and maybe my mediocre score reflects my too-high expectations going in. But I probably wouldn't watch it again.
A Pásztor (2019)
Nope, not very good.
Slow, boring, and lazy. Tries to be provocative, but it's not. Cliche characters who are minimally developed, with a dreadfully redundant and overbearing score that is desperately trying to get you to feel something.
The description of the movie says its about a shepherd who is hiding Jews from the Nazis, which is a pretty standard but potentially interesting premise for a European WWII movie. The shepherd's role is central, but rarely in focus. The people he's hiding only show up for the last 10 minutes of the film. Honestly, this movie isn't really about anything or anyone.
The movie wants so desperately to be taken seriously, but I just couldnt do it. It's not one of those "so bad it's good" movies - it's just bad.
Najmro: Kocha, kradnie, szanuje (2021)
It was fun
Every once in a while it's nice to watch a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously. "The Getaway King" was one of those movies. I appreciated the humor, the soundtrack, and the overall vibe of the movie. Honestly, I thought it had a very "Ocean's Eleven" type of feel and rhythm to it. It was cool, it was entertaining, and it was easy to watch.
It was fun, funny, thoughtful (at times), and easy to watch. It's an interesting story told at exactly the right pace. The main character was likeable, the situations were funny, and the acting was good enough.
Most of the Polish movies and TV I've watched on Netflix have had a gloominess about them. This one was a definite departure from that trend. I think it's worth your time.
In from the Cold (2022)
Juvenile
Imagine if a basement of 14 & 15 year old boys were tasked with rewriting an interesting script about a Cold War spy coming out of retirement to fight bad guys and keep her freedom. Those boys would replace all adjectives with f-bombs, add a steady stream of coarse sexual innuendo and dialogue, throw in a bit of teenage angst and drama, and write in a bunch of long sequence, over-the-top action scenes just to make it "cooler." Then imagine actual actors trying to take that script seriously. If you can imagine all that, you are prepared for "In From the Cold."
We made it through about 35 minutes of the first episode, which was probably 20 minutes longer than we wanted to.
Shtikat haarchion (2010)
Perception is Reality
As you probably know, one of Nazi Germany's most diabolical and powerful weapons was its relentless use of propaganda to justify and build support for its political and military worldviews. This documentary does its best to expose the Third Reich's methods - staged actors and scenes carefully chosen to redefine reality and create the perception that Jews were the problem and Nazism the solution.
The film is sobering and troubling, while still managing to inspire and prompt reflection. At least, that's what it did for me.
Waiting for the Barbarians (2019)
Builds slowly and then... slowly continues :/
I *almost* agree with the reviewers who said this movie is a "slow burn." It's definitely slow, but it doesn't really burn. It kind of smolders, leaving you wishing that the film would at some point actually ignite and draw you in. It never did that for me.
On the positive side, the cinematography was very good and Mark Rylance's portrayal of the Magistrate was fantastic. He's a very talented actor. But I feel that his effort was wasted by poor development of literally every other character in the film, including the so-called "barbarians" for whom we are supposed to feel a great deal of empathy. I found myself disliking Johnny Depp as the Colonel, but not loathing him as I should have.
In short, I kept waiting for the film to quit messing around and just "go there" - I'm not even sure where "there" actually was, or what I would have discovered when I arrived. But it sort of felt like walking in place for 2 hours. Oh well. Barbarians, I hardly knew ye.
Nomadland (2020)
Patient, subtle, and thoughtful
I really appreciate movies that prompt me to think and manage to stir my emotions without telling me what I'm supposed to think and how I'm supposed to feel. So I really enjoyed Nomadland, and I think you will, too.
The characters are relatable and admirable, and their stories are simple and believable. Almost every character in the movie (either fictional or real-life) reminded me of someone I know in my own circle of friends and acquaintances. The pace of the film is perfect, keeping you engaged and always moving forward, but also allowing for some personal reflective thought along the way.
I was inspired by the clear but not overly-dramatized themes of courage, perseverance, independence, and adventure. The relationships in the movie - with their subtle tension and unmistakable but guarded affection - inspired me to invest more of my time in cultivating more meaningful relationships with the ones I love.
I think it's worth a couple hours of your time, for sure.
Mr. Jones (2019)
Poignant but not sensational
Interesting, heart-rending, and surprisingly relevant. There was less intrigue and mystery than I expected from watching the trailer, but I think the story of Mr. Jones was more gripping because it was told in a straightforward manner. I thought the storyline was poignant without being sentimental or sensational, and I appreciated that. The cinematography was excellent and the filmmakers did a great job setting the tone and pace of the movie from the first minute. Worth your time!
The English Game (2020)
A Misleading Trailer and Title
From the trailer for and title of this miniseries, one would assume the focus is football / soccer. Or at the very least, a compelling underdog story about how the poor, down-and-out, blue collar nobodies rise up and defeat the wealthy, influential, self-absorbed snobs. Nope, not really.
Unfortunately, for those of us who thought we were tuning in to a sports miniseries, there might be a 30-45 minutes of in-game action in the entire series. Football merely provides a background anchor point for what is basically 6 episodes of melodramatic, angsty, relationship mush. Marital problems, best friend fallouts, parenting crises, family heartache, and romantic tension are what this series is really about. The only connection to football is that some of the people going through these things happen to be players. The underdog story is there - barely - but it gets drowned out by the nearly constant emotional sap. Too bad.
Despite my overall disappointment, I watched all 6 episodes because I love my wife and she really enjoyed it. :) She'd probably give it an 8/10 or 9/10. If it had been a series I started by myself, I probably would have switched it off halfway through the second episode. Oh well.
Glacé (2016)
Meh
Despite the potential for a good series based on a plot and characters that seemed interesting, it just wasn't very good. Oh well.
Lykke-Per (2018)
So close...
...to being memorable. I didn't mind the slow pace, but it seemed like the story plateaued about 90 minutes into the nearly 3 hour movie. And I do mean plateaued, not climaxed. It was interesting and engaging at first as the plot was developed and the characters were given depth, and then it just sorta shifted into overdrive and coasted along. It seemed to me that the story line just didn't really do anything for the last hour, at least. I don't know, at the end it just sort of left me feeling like there was a missed opportunity. It wasn't bad, but not great either.
Dark (2017)
Uncommonly Good
"Dark" is the TV show to which I compare all other suspense/thriller/sci-fi shows. It is the gold standard as far as plot, pace, acting, soundtrack, and story line. SO GOOD. Watch it!
Babylon Berlin (2017)
An all-time favorite
Gripping, thought provoking, stirring, and visually stunning. Characters you grow to love and/or hate. The best and the worst of humanity on display, and humming along in apparent harmony. An interesting and suspense-filled story line that can be easily followed but is still full of surprises. Perfectly cast main characters with enjoyable on-screen chemistry. Honestly, a rare gem.
Truly one of my favorite TV series of all time. Love it.
Okkupert (2015)
Strong start...fizzled out miserably
We really enjoyed the first 2 seasons of Occupied. Strong characters, good acting, and an engaging (and believable) plot. The political tension was really well done, and the interpersonal dynamics between the characters did not superimpose over the main story line. It was a really good series, and when season 2 ended we eagerly anticipated the release of season 3 on Netflix.
Then season 3 arrived. Wow, what a train wreck. Mercifully, the last season was only six episodes long, but it was still hard to finish them. In the third season, the focus shifted from political tension to soap-opera like relational conflicts. Instead of going out with a bang, all the heroes sort of fade out weakly, all of them trying to make some sort of moral statement about the state of the world.
Were it not for season 3, I'd give it a 9/10. Soooooooo close to being exceptional.
HOPE one in a billion (2017)
Boring...what a shame
I love baseball, I love underdog stories, and I enjoy documentaries. I anticipated this feature having the same sort of vibe as one of ESPN's 30 for 30 films. Boy, was I disappointed. The film was just plain boring. It's too bad, too, because this is an incredible story.
The soundtrack was melodramatic, the baseball footage was basically recycled non-action footage of Gift playing in the minor leagues, and instead of using personal interviews to add personal insight into the story, the movie basically WAS one interview after another set to the aforementioned cheesy soundtrack.
I'm happy for the young man, and his story deserves attention and applause. Unfortunately, Hope: One in a Billion just wasn't very good.