ElaineOBCapogeannis Reviews

Free Solo (2018)

Inspirational ... from all pov's

[18 April 2024]

It's filmed with such care, love, honesty and respect for the medium, for its history and those of the past, and especially for Alex. All were delving into brutal psychological depths and gave stunning visuals.

I don't climb.

But I admire and love watching people pushing their limits, from X-Games, paralympics, to sports I never even knew existed.. even cooking!!

This is sooo real.

And sooo beautifully filmed. Stunning images layered with real discussions or commentaries on oneselves, life, and the sport itself.

I am moved, educated, informed, and invigorated by Alex and this team .. and for my own current El Capitans I'm attempting to climb - metaphorically.

Wish (II) (2023)

INSIGHTFUL - Beautiful Songs

[16 April 2024]

By 20 minutes in I was reminded deeply of my own desires and wishes. Whenever a movie touches me that personally, that deeply .. reminds me of my innermost child being wishes.. I give it huge marks. Also is shown how self engrandizing can come about, even within oneself; frankly this was a wonderful embodiment of manipulation's and oppression's growth on any level in life : politically, socially, in a company, race, country, family.. or individual.

This is such a smart film!!! With beautiful elements.

Those songs are complex -- and beautifully sung.

Unfortunately this animation appears to have been rushed in compilation. . The city songs appear cut-and-paste from other animations to save time. That's just my guess because they pale in great comparison to those moments of sheer beauty and brilliance in spots, and storyline!!!! The pacing is off...

If they took just a little more time, than rush to production or whatever happened there, those magnificent diamonds of storyline animation and heartbeat with music would be complete.

I'm still very grateful I saw this, and do highly recommend.

I'm grateful to be reminded and recharged for my own and that of my family's .. wishes...

The Good Cop (2018)

Please Bring Back

[9 July 2022]

This series is simply getting warmed up and really needs a Season 2 to get rolling. Cut its long intro credits as most series are doing now -- and tighten the handful of slow areas which will bring the gems in this Murder Mystery series to the forefront.

It has good bones.

The cinematography is - beautiful.

The writing, interesting.

I personally was fuming to see a singer (albeit stunning voice) being given an acting job .. I know I know Lady Gaga's recent truly excellent ability under Cooper's wonderful direction.. But Josh Groban???!!?

So I watched with daggers in my eyes and saw .....

Groban is -- fantastic.

I frankly am blown away by his characterization and pacing.. and kept thinking "THIS - is Josh Groban??!?!" Really. Perfect in this role, believable as ... a good cop. The guy can act like nobody's business!!!?!

Tony Danza is brilliant to a tee, if not a little too believable .. !! I People say that so much in the media that these words have lost their weight in reality; but to me, this is one of Danza's best acting roles.

He's - beautifully complex, and covertly funny. He's yummy to watch in his subtleties and weight of character.

I hope they bring this back.

Belfast (2021)

Beautifully Handled

[19 February 2022]

The writer director was born in 1960 Belfast and raised there.

This is his tender look into the political and social times of his 1960s town grappling with persecutions, painted by Branagh's magnificently adept hand at directing. The cinematography is moving, memorable, and a deep care for humanity is apparent in the arc of the storyline.

It is documentary style rather than action packed.. and a moving historical feel of the times, with an ear to the future.

Sing 2 (2021)

WOW!!!!

[19 February 2022]

This is magnificent.

I never saw SING 1 and this sequel works perfectly on its own.

The complexity of the animation!!!!!! ?!! The storyline, depth of characters, and arcs ... It kept me guessing and laughing throughout the whole movie, and crying ... The songs are both cutting edge and classic. Definitely for adults too if you like animation. If you don't like animation it's fascinating to see the latest techniques.

The Tender Bar (2021)

I Am Astounded

[19 February 2022]

The lead young boy "JR" (Daniel Ranieri) has brown eyes and his older version (Tye Sheridan) has BLUE!!!! Bright blue!!!!! I'm grappling with why absolutely no one I've read on my cursory search is talking about this miraculous impossibility .. ???? !! I'm hoping I just missed the discussion on....

George Clooney, the people on set during shooting, magazines, anybody?

I am astounded they expect us to swallow an older version w/o even putting contacts in ... or CGI. THE most basic thing you do in films -- matching eyeball color of same character representation.

Or at least explain why it changed.

This disregard embodies the downfall of this movie : an excellent premise, a good heartbeat, extremely well cast... but a dire need for the details to be flushed-out. It feels half baked -- and has the eyeballs to prove it.

Squid Game (2021– )

Brilliant Acting & Directing - But Heavy-handed on ...

[14 February 2022]

... the killings. The deaths are slow, graphic, cruel, in a great magnitude, and methodical.

The good : The first 20 minutes of Episode 1 are pure genius and beautifully acted out, not to mention all the real world scenes being quite moving.

The premise itself is not about people playing games to get money; it's a very political TV series regarding wealthy people and possibly wealthy countries (note *all* portrayed as English speaking with American accents, except for the original Korean game creator) paying to watch the death games of those South Koreans forced into it from sheer poverty and circumstances.

This series is an excellent embodiment of what selfishness and greed do on a grand scale. Rich people paying to see killings to pass the time.. and the need for people to help one another.

The problem : being what it preaches against.

Showing killings in such great detail and magnitude as a TV Series, moves this from being educational to actually profitting off of what it (in premise) is speaking out against.

There is a difference between a film making a point with a graphic moment, versus a TV series using that same point over, and over, spending most episodes embellishing slow, atrocious, selfish deaths -- making money off of what it is saying is wrong with the world.

If it's so wrong, why are you showing it in such repetitive, graphic detail and making money off of it for the run of your series?

This writer/ director has a wonderfully adept hand at directing, cinematography and storytelling as shown in the real world moments of this TV series. So he should certainly know how to show a piece of the atrocities, rather than making the viewers "VIP's" themselves. Thankfully I have fast forward so I got through the gruesome, repetative oppressive bloodshed and strangenesses... to enjoy the really earthy, complex storyline and acting inbetween.

Astrid and Lilly Save the World (2022)

A+ Leads and Premise - Mixed Storylines Upsetting

[2 February 2022]

Why write this review?

This series is so confusing to me.

The first episode has a beautiful premise, but with anti-religious zingers and a rated R ghoul. Amidst a nickelodeon-like fun series are sensual close-ups of a ghoul constantly getting high on crying children.

Erm ..... ???

.. If you see my acting IMDb page I don't shy from being sensual, and I'm very spiritual; you can believe in eternity and still love passion, and sports, which ASTRID AND LILLY episode one writes as being completely impossible.

That anti-religious commentary is upsetting. Then having a ghoul undulating and getting off on children's tears right after a funny best-friends scene and ... what is going on???

I'd dump the whole thing for those two issues, but ...

The first episode's well written premise of downtrodden kids facing, discussing, and overcoming meanness is done in such a cool way; those moments are magnificently written, and acted. So self empowering.

And the two leads' comedic acting, Jane Morrison and Samantha Aucoin's, is so grounded and *on point*. Their care for each word being said, their depth of acting and comedic timing are excellent!! The supporting cast, though stereotype roles, do a really nice job as well.

So ... tone down the S&M-like ghoul scenes and attacks on spiritual, religious people. Then this could be an all empowering, fun series.

The Equalizer: Bout That Life (2022) Season 2, Episode 9

AMAZING

[25 January 2022]

This episode is * so * moving due to Queen Latifah's own extensive life in rap and the rap world; as a producer and lead actress there is absolutely no way she would be a part of anything that didn't hit close to home.

Insightful, heavy, tenderly introspective with new and revolutionary story twists, this episode is a must watch in my books.

Thank you Queen.

Encanto (2021)

Brilliant - I want to go back!!!!!!

[26 November 2021]

Thanksgiving 2021, away from family due to the Pandemic... ENCANTO was in the theatres and my good friend and I found ourselves truly "enchanted".

This animation is so deep in storyline, and incredibly complex in visual as well as musical layout. The songs are few and perfectly interweaved with the story -- very catchy and well sung -- and the Culture simply a part of the paint, so beautifully depicted.

This is for kids and adults, insightful, and just stunning animation wise. . I'm still marveling at the depth and complexity of characters, movements, songs (woe!!!) and story ... and frankly couldn't guess what was going to happen at many plot points which was a rarity, and nice.

Absolutely phenominal.

NCIS: A Thousand Words (2018) Season 16, Episode 7

Lighthearted, Fun & Earth friendly

[3 April 2021]

One of those introspective episodes standing for the good of Nature, and Creative people.

Gentle and fun for me.

The Crazy World of Julius Vrooder (1974)

Of Its Time Stylistically - Blasting Barriers Socially, with PTSD

[26 November 2020]

Timothy Bottoms reminds me of what acting is all about in this one.... Real, grounded, free, earthy, wild. Emotional.

The movie (music, pacing) is of its time - so be prepared for 1974 cinematography. All the actors hit their characters on point.

Even with its period nature, the storyline itself is also earthy, grounded, and free... It blasts expected barriers and keeps you guessing as it delves into and twists around the main character's mentality, his fellow patients' PTSD, the doctors and people of his time ... and love.

NCIS: Chained (2004) Season 2, Episode 10

DON'T READ THE SYNOPSIS = IT'S A SPOILER

[4 August 2020]

I can't fathom why, when the reviews on IMDb have a Spoiler alert requirements, the blame Synopsis doesn't!!! Grrrrrr...

SYNOPSIS BY NCIS -- HAS SPOILERS.

So don't read it.

That aside -- this is a slowly unwinding, twisting thriller, with an absolutely * excellent * supporting cast to supplement the beloved main go-to's, well written and beautifully directed with funky but story-supporting angles.

Like a slowly cooking gumbo.

This starts slow, and gains wonderful depth with all the right elements for a slow boiling thriller mystery adventure.

Yummy!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Where'd The Love Go?

[11 July 2020]

It destroys me to pan VOL. 2 when VOL. 1 was so complete.. so right. But the diamonds in this sequel would be missed by upset viewers and the mistakes repeated, if nothing were said.

So my 2 cents ..

THE MOMENTS OF BRILLIANCE:

• ALL CHARACTERS acted beautifully. Really. Full throttle, all in. Pratt and all on point. Mind you most of this movie was made-up / CGI / green screen or whatever screen they're using now ... so this acting was extra impressive. I believed every single actor.

And I tip my hat to the director in this regard.

• DRAX THE DESTROYER's LINES are so ** brilliantly ** wrong!!!!! It's sooo right. It's worth fast fwd'd to each of his moments to just hear what the writing has him saying ( ! ) and Dave Bautista's DRAX fantastic delivery in all of its delicious, altruistic wrongness. ;D

• STUNNING CGI : I still cannot graple with, I cannot believe the complexity, imagination and sheer beauty poured throughout most of the CGI in this film. Beautiful backdrops, creatures, movements...... 93 % perfection.

THE HACK JOB:

***** SPOILER ALERT FROM HERE ON *****

• MASSIVE KILLING & TORTURE RAMPANT throughout this movie. . . How can you call yourself the " GUARDIANS " when they're killing everything in sight ... ??? They're "Guardians" of the Galaxy, not "Slaughterhouse for Hire".!! The main resolution even created to protect love and friendship = kill.

It was like one big video game of killing and hits of torture, laced with moments of storyline.

• PACING IS VERY SLOW in many places.. Parts of the storyline are elongated way past any interest, as if they're trying to burn time.

• GROOT RARELY TALKS .. ??? First he's rarely shown throughout the first 1/3 of the film (after starring in the opening credits, mute) and when he is finally shown .. he rarely talks!!!! THE funny thing about him, his character's actual heartbeat, is that very phrase (coupled with his new cute baby form).

Is Vin Diesel paid by the word? Is this why they ripped his vocalizations out?

The absence of his verbal usage is so strange, so void of life -- as if the overseers of this film were saying the BABY GROOT animation alone would be fine without the voice .. ripping the heart out of the display.

• WEIRD JOKES. Jokes thrown all over the place, perhaps to counter all the killing going on????? And they're coming from strange characters who lose their realism with this uncharacteristic farce.

Comedy is funny when it originates out of the situation and characters' personalities.

That's what made VOL.1 delicious.

VOL. 1 WAS AMAZING BECAUSE : They were real characters who cared to not shoot everything in sight, who had hearts bleeding out pain and searching for deep answers, and comedy that bubbled out of the dramatic tension of their realities.

I ache at this demoting of Guardians to a video game of killers. . . Though I do recommend trying to get through it just for those honestly brilliant moments noted above.

Looking forward to VOL.3 rectifying.

Tommy (2020)

Impressive

[3 March 2020]

It comes down to what is your cup o' tea.

What's your taste, of course.

The writing is interesting, informative, pushing social boundaries laced with positive options, while facing politics and heavy hits of life.

This is not a skimmer.

Watching straight through - it's fascinating.

Usually I can see where storylines are going after my decades of TV / film watching, but these stories so far take little twists and turns becoming unpredictable ..

It is omniscient.

Written decisions by the lead, a lesbian Chief of Police in Los Angeles (that's in the trailer) are refreshing to watch, making a study on how things have been handled and yet could be handled in the force, family life, the media.. At the same time you get tastes into the lives and pov's of others.

Acting is right on par.

Everyone has an excellent embodiment of the depth and quirkiness of his or her character for the first season, which usually takes a while to develop. It has already become really fun for me to watch them play off each other.. and I'm left so far anticipating how they'll all handle their next social, personal on the grid and off the grid situations Life will throw at them.

Bull: Forfeiture (2019) Season 3, Episode 16

Complex

[2 December 2019]

The plot catalyzed making it especially fun while educating me as it tapped into facts about human nature, our law,.. and legals that misuse the law. Actors are yummy to watch, each really flavorful in his or her role, both leads and supporting.

NCIS: No Vacancy (2019) Season 17, Episode 7

Mikey Likes It

[14 November 2019]

I like the writing - and acting. Worth the watch. The Ziva element is elusive this season, but this storyline at least kept me guessing which is hard to do with the decades of mysteries our tv-film lives are saturated with. And I liked how the beloved leads continued growing like real people over time. I found myself laughing a lot, and caught off guard.