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The Outsider (2020)
Excellent series so far...
So I had read the book a couple of weeks ago and was thrilled when I saw they had made a series out of it. The book was excellent, one of King's best, in my opinion. I get why people are thinking this is a "cop show"...because the first half of the book reads that way...it's like you're reading a Denis Lehane or Stieg Larsson novel. I was completely intrigued by it for that reason. But, as King fans will know, it takes a drastic turn and becomes so much more.
Ralph Anderson and Holly Gibney are not at all what I had pictured them from the book. It took me two episodes to get used to Ralph. When I started the show, I had thought Jason Bateman was Ralph and was disappointed, but as the episodes go along, I've come to really enjoy Ben Mendelsohn's portrayal of Ralph. He grows on you, and its good and complex and the lisp goes away in the first episode. Get over it folks. Now Holly...she is a peculiar character and I had a very specific idea of her. Cynthia Erivo completely surprises as Holly. She is even more peculiar and fascinating then King's Holly. I don't know Cynthia Erivo and don't think I've ever seen her in anything before...but this woman is excellent!
The first episode moved extremely fast through the story...but it slowed down the second and third episodes.
Often King's stories are so disappointing because his books tend to be long and his characters are so well defined and layered. It's hard to compact it into a 2 hour movie. His short stories work best as movies...like "Stand By Me". But this format is where his work shines...give someone 8, 9 or 10 hours to interpret his work and you'll have a bunch of great shows. Looking forward to the rest of the series!
Book Club (2018)
Good movie with an undertone...
Pretty good way to kill two hours. It was funny and enjoyable but the big takeaway? A woman, no matter how accomplished, wealthy or happy...is just not complete without a man.
The four woman are all successful and wealthy women...but they all lack a good man to make them whole...well Steenbergen's marriage is in a sad place but the others are all missing a man. It's odd watching this is 2018...would have made more sense 20 years ago.
Wrong Side of Town (2010)
Awful. Just awful.
You name it, the acting, the stunts, the story...all terrible. I really thought it was a late 70s or early 80s action movie...it was that cheesy...like the blacksploitation films Superfly or Cleopatra Jones, but with white folks and without any redeeming qualities. Wait...I spoke to soon...there was one redeeming quality...Stormy Daniels is in it. The porn star turned activist is probably the best actor in the movie. That tells you as much as you need to know. I gave it one star...because I had to, and because...well, Stormy...
Concussion (2013)
Worth watching
I watched this movie a few days ago, and I thought it was OK, but something happened. In the days that followed, it stayed with me. I actually found myself thinking about it at work, at home, at night. It was a great character study and a compelling drama of a woman who had lost herself, as often does, within a marriage. Doesn't matter whether the union is straight or gay, it often happens. After a couple years in a relationship, there is a tempering of passions and real life takes over; the house, the kids, car payments, jobs and everyday life is rather boring and what do you do when one partner decides there is no room in her life for passion?
The performances were excellent, Robin Weigert was exceptionally good in the lead role of Abby and the writing was very good. I just wish Maggie Siff's character would have had a few more scenes. :) What I loved most is that even though this is a movie with "lesbians"...it's not really about lesbians...it's just about people and relationships and the primary character could have been straight, I don't think the movie would have been any different. I was impressed with the handling of homosexuality, finally in a movie, that didn't discuss it or analyze it...it just was.
Lizzie (2012)
This was a pretty poor movie.
I'll give it two stars for Corbin Bernsen. He was pretty decent in the movie, in spite of the poor script. The movie starts with a lie...that Lizzy Borden fled her town after her acquittal. That's not true and there really is no reason to lie about it. It doesn't add or subtract anything from the movie.
There's plenty of goofs...from the cameraman in the reflection of the TV screen when the cable guy comes to fix it...to a pair of legs facing Jason when he is exploring the shed. The new next door neighbor shows up the first two times in Lizzie's bedroom while she's sleeping and she's perfectly fine with that. Friendly town. When the maid reveals that she's actually Brigid from 1892...Lizzie is perfectly fine with that too. The acting is awful...I think Amanda Baker did the best she could with what she had...but Holt is awful and Gary Busey is terrible.
Stay away...I wish I could have that hour and half back.
The Adored (2012)
Mediocre at best...
One of the biggest problems with this movie is that none of the characters are likable. It begins with Franky (who suffers from a serious case of OCD) and Maia driving out to Franky's house where most of the movie takes place. Franky is a photographer and Maia, her subject for the weekend. The movie is spliced between scenes of Franky and Maia getting to know one another and of a man and his therapist, discussing whether he is violent and how miserable he is because his marriage is unraveling. You aren't sure how these two sets of characters are connected until the final scene.
Overall it feels very disjointed. I gave it four stars because there was some interesting character development on the part of Franky, it was just unfortunate that there seemed to be little that was redeeming in any of the characters. I thought Laura-Martin Simpson did a decent job as Franky...who is meant to be off-putting.
Cracks (2009)
Great find!
I came across this film out of desperation the other night...just wanting to watch something decent. What I found was a gem of a movie. I wasn't familiar with anyone in the cast except Eva Green from Dark Shadows, who I didn't really have an opinion of either way and I'm not a fan of boarding school movies of any sort, but I watched it anyway.
Eva Green, as Miss G, was completely captivating and I could picture myself having a school girl crush on her when I was in high school...or heck, maybe even now. Her character comes across as educated, well traveled and totally alluring in every way...until a Spanish transfer student comes to the school and she begins to unravel.
The film is beautifully shot and the music is a perfect compliment to it. I really can't wait to see what else Jordan Scott does next.