SillyPuddy Reviews

Spotlight (I) (2015)

Hollywood being Hollywood

[2/10 · 26 January 2016]

Yet another film with big name actors playing journalists. Same clichés in far superior films such as All The President's Men (ATPM); everything that worked in that film did not work for this one (IMHO). The only two characters that didn't annoy me were played by Tucci and Schriever (sp). I see this material and subject better suited as a documentary piece on Dateline and 20/20. If it had to be a film then I think casting lesser/unknown actors would deliver more of an impact and remove the preconceived notions and biases of the bigger names involved here. Ron Slattery is an old hat at playing the upper management type and is no different here..Michael Keaton plays another manager who gets to sit in an office (did they really need him to do this?). Rachel McAdams gets another shot at being a serious reporter (State of Play) while being stripped of the charm and freshness she brought in Wedding Crashers, Morning Glory. We are treated to Mark Ruffalo running to the office (deep, riveting stuff). Then we get to watch him in the waiting room of a law office until he takes initiative to talk to the lawyer (another reference to ATPM). To me it distracts from a really important subject and has Hollywood stamped all over it. Best Picture? Something tells me it was a foregone conclusion that when this was released it would be nominated, regardless of merit.

Joy (I) (2015)

Magic

[10/10 · 31 December 2015]

The first time I saw this film I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. I took quite a bit from this film and take more and more upon repeated viewings. I find it interesting that many other reviewers describe this as predictable (so was Titanic or any other true story), without comedy or drama, and full of characters and situations that no one cares about. I found the opposite to be true and thought the characters were intriguing and amusing. I was quite inspired by the tale of an underdog striving to win in the midst of overwhelming odds. No, it is nothing new but to me a story like this never gets old. I find lessons in this film upon paying attention to the family, most of whom were naysayers. In business and in life there are not many people you can count on and Tony proved to be a gem. It also emphasized the importance of looking out for yourself, understanding the devil is often in the details but sometimes you have to discover this by reading and seeing for yourself and making a phone call. I also appreciated the little trinkets she kept and the nod to them at the end. It made me think of the achievements in my life, how hard they were to attain, and how much they mean to me and taught me about who I am. I was able to glean all this by watching this wonderful film.

The Paper (1994)

Overproduce and under deliver

[2/10 · 7 December 2015]

Yet another big budget, Hollywood movie about the wild, fast paced world of journalism. It is not exactly an exciting premise but Hollywood keeps romanticizing this profession. Don't expect All the President's Men, Absence of Malice, or even the Pelican Brief here. This is just Ron Howard stockpiling a bunch of big names much like the Yankees do. I read reviews where this is a realistic look at news...yada yada...so what? That doesn't make good cinema. There is much shouting, arguing, fighting including a fistfight between Close and Keaton to show just how much convictions their characters have. I don't find anyone or anything particularly likable or interesting in this tedious piece.

A History of Violence (2005)

Typical

[4/10 · 6 August 2015]

I was hoping for more but didn't really expect much from Cronenberg who has always tried so hard to be relevant and one of the big boys in Hollywood. I equate him to a poor man's DePalma and I am not a fan of DePalma. Granted he is unique and somewhat original in his way more flash over substance style. Unique or not, though his movies are garbage IMO. Now I know why I never heard much about this film since the ten years when it was released. The horrendous acting and amateurish dialogue (who writes this crap?) were cringe-worthy. The pacing was poor as well as scenes that just dragged on so long I had to fast forward to get through this. For a film with such a short length to be slow is a testament to how awful this really is. The fight scenes were decent and brought some needed energy into this. Ed Harris and William Hurt were the only characters who communicated effectively rather than just mumbling their lines.

Adult World (2013)

The pits

[2/10 · 15 July 2015]

What a stinker this was! Not sure where all the praise for Emma Roberts comes from but she came off as an adolescent teenager in this one rather than a young adult. I lost track of where she was living throughout the movie (actually I stopped caring). Shannon Woodward had a throwaway role that was a complete waste of her talent. John Cusack and Evan Peters were the only thing making this watchable. The scenes with her family made no sense and were merely a plot device. This movie is just tedious and seems to go nowhere. The adult store was hardly explored and could of led to some real fun but instead fell flat. I mean talk about dull customers, that is the best they could come up with? Maybe Shannon Woodward should of played a customer.

The Frozen Ground (2013)

Missed opportunity

[4/10 · 25 January 2015]

Spoiler herein:

I was apprehensive to see this due to Vanessa Hudgens having a leading role...and my instinct was right. The rest of the cast was stellar and she clearly didn't belong and had way too many lines which dragged this down. If only the charismatic Gia Mantegna (the girl who ended up being gunned down in the forest) was given her role this could have been an awesome account of a serial killer. Instead we're stuck with the annoying and charmless Hudgens having to carry the story which just didn't work for me. I didn't buy her act for one minute and there wasn't a moment in her performance that rang true.

For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Exhilarating

[9/10 · 9 June 2014]

This starts strong and maintains it's momentum throughout, delivering just the right mix of action, tension, romance, and humor. The skiing chase scenes are spellbinding and Moore proved to be particularly formidable against an array of dangerous villains including the chilling Locque and a young Charles Dance. I enjoyed the deftly-handled scene on the boat in which Bond finally meets Columbo since it defied my initial impression of him and led to an unlikely alliance. Bond's dark haired damsel was stunning until she spoke. Add the scintillating underwater scenes and this is one of the most underrated entries in the Bond collection.

Magnolia (1999)

Overblown, uneven

[5/10 · 9 June 2014]

This movie is like a cross between Grand Canyon and Crash but lacking the intensity and payoff of either. That is not to say it didn't have its moments: Robards speech about regret is pearls. The Cruise performance was juicy and I loved his reaction to the interviewer pushing him for details of his childhood. Reilly is entrancing and likable throughout and Melora is deeply affecting. Seymour-Hoffman was decent but I didn't think it was his best. The rest just seemed forced to me. I just didn't buy Julianne Moore's character or her woe-is-me attitude. William H. Macy was just a sad sack as well and the whole bar scene was just a sorry mess. The child game show story just seemed like filler that dragged on and went nowhere (I get it the father was living through the Stanley) and Felicity Huffman just seemed wasted in that role. The little boy at the scene of the disturbance call just bugged. Overall, I feel like I just endured it and moved on.

Best Man Down (2012)

Not going along on this ride.

[3/10 · 9 June 2014]

I was excited to see this after reading the glowing reviews and being a huge fan of quirky indie films with interesting characters. Unfortunately, I didn't find this to be one of those films. One uncomfortable, tedious, and unpleasant scene after another with stereotype after stereotype and absurdity, etc. The parents are totally out of touch; Shelly Long's role is insulting. In fact, most of the people in this are insulting to each other and the viewer's intelligence. The only comedy is when the director goes for cheap laughs...wow how clever he is. The teenage girl just wisecracks her way through the movie and is rude even to those nice to her. A couple underestimates the cost of a wedding and realizes after the fact they can't afford it or even communicate. Maybe this is all the point but I just didn't buy it.

Never Again (2001)

Poor taste

[3/10 · 9 May 2014]

This didn't know what it wanted to be so constantly went for shock value. In the process of figuring out where it wanted to go, a stellar cast was wasted. The opening scene tried hard for a cheap laugh which pretty much set the tone for the rest of the movie. I kept waiting for the meet cute scene when the two leads would connect. The wait was excruciating as was the dialog. I stuck with it though since it doesn't matter what Bill Duke says, he has my undivided attention. Unfortunately, the more lines Tambor had, the less interesting and likable he became to me. The whole dream sequence was funny but I thought his reaction to it and the subsequent scenes were absolutely absurd. It would of been more tolerable for me and easier to suspend my disbelief if his interactions with strangers were not so negative and devoid of humor; this ugliness pervaded the entire movie. I had high hopes after Tambor's first date with Clayburgh because there was some kind of magic in that encounter. Then the movie seemed to stall again and led to more negative encounters. I stopped caring at that point and shut it off.

The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)

Dog with different fleas

[5/10 · 9 April 2014]

I can't remember the last time I was this excited to see a film. Started off with so much promise and slowly built tension and momentum. Then it all fell apart for me. Ryan Gosling does his typical tough guy shtick which works for the first half hour. Bradley Cooper starts off strong but there doesn't seem much for him to do after his big shooting scene. The more he is on screen the less believable it is to me that he would be a cop. I do like how he handled the corruption but it left me with a lot of questions as well. Act 3 was just depressing and I became uninterested as it slowly dawned on me that this movie was a huge disappointment and basically going nowhere-slowly and painfully.

Heart and Souls (1993)

Fun while it lasts

[4/10 · 9 April 2014]

The first hour of this feature film was intriguing and entertaining thanks to a wonderful cast of characters brought together by circumstance. Robert Downey Jr. appears and things seem to go off track with the car scene. But I was willing to tolerate one such scene to reintroduce the characters to him. However, they decided to raise the stakes of stupidity with the conference room scene. Now, I feel like there was a tasteful way to play this scene that could of made it classic (sort of like the dinner scene in Nutty Professor or the courtroom scene from Liar Liar). Sadly, it wasn't played like that at all and it just struck me as ridiculous and worse, tedious (totally inconsistent with the first half of the movie). He makes inappropriate advances on two coworkers and makes a huge spectacle of himself all of which I found cringe-worthy. This seemed nothing more than a vehicle for Robert Downey Jr. to showcase his array of talents. I've seen this before where young actors are used/exploited for these purposes. The problem for me is that while I like Downey as an actor and find him charming, I don't find him particularly funny. He is not John Ritter or even Jim Carrey. I understand they needed a bridge to the rest of their movie where he no doubt decides to help his old friends but it just didn't work for me. Too bad since I feel it was a missed opportunity.

The Life of David Gale (2003)

Typical Hollywood agenda movie

[4/10 · 1 March 2013]

The first hour of this film was promising and earned six or seven stars with a decent set up of the action. My interest started to wane however after the downward spiral chapter. I did not care for Kate Winslet in the reporter role and her wretched acting in this. I feel like Cate Blanchett would of been a better choice; she certainly couldn't have delivered the lines any worse. The dialog was trite, melodramatic and comical at times. The transitions were like amateur hour and incredibly cheesy for such an accomplished director. Instead of drawing me in, the flashbacks to Linney seemed tedious and clichéd and I began realizing just how long of a film this was not to mention how disinterested I was becoming. I admit I didn't even watch the last half hour to see the twist at the end as I no longer cared for any of the characters (except maybe the intern reporter whom I thought was effective). I now know why this overinflated-budgeted film flopped at the box office. Poetic justice I suppose.

Risky Business (1983)

Style without substance

[4/10 · 25 August 2012]

This movie was like one big commercial that starts out promising enough with his friends bringing an element of fun to the movie (namely Curtis Armstrong). Once the smut started the fun oddly disappeared and the movie was ironically tedious and boring to me. The only highlight of the film for me is when Joel (Cruise) drinks a whiskey and coke and gets blitzed which is a precursor and serves as a context to the famous underwear dance. Perhaps I should have just watched the trailer or a youtube clip of this scene since there was no other reason to watch this overrated stinker which seemed to never end. This movie was way over-hyped.

Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982)

You kidding me?

[4/10 · 6 July 2012]

When I was a kid in the early eighties this show was built up so much. I vividly remember my teenage cousin throwing a temper tantrum when my aunt and uncle did not let him see this. I have always enjoyed Pryor's work so when I noticed this streaming on Netflix, I made sure to block off some time for it. As the show opened, Pryor made quite an entrance and looked like a guy on top of the world; as confident as ever. I kept waiting for him to say something funny but it really never happened. Just a bunch of crude humor that quite frankly is beneath him. I realize he isn't Cosby but if you are going to be dirty then at least be funny. This was just a waste of 40 minutes; yeah that is how long I lasted before giving up on this garbage.

Drive (I) (2011)

Mucho Potential

[5/10 · 24 May 2012]

This film had so much going for it and the first 30 minutes were stellar. The initial driving sequence was exhilarating and provided a good introduction. Being an indie film lover, I was fine with the limited dialog and use of body language to show the chemistry between Gosling and Mulligan. I loved the introduction of the Standard character and the tension he brought to the mix. Perlman, Cranston, and Brooks were all very convincing and well cast. According to my calculations, everything fell apart during the Pawn Shop scene. The fantastic coincidence was too much for me to take. I didn't realize LA was such a small town. From then on, everything devolved in to a mob film and became a tedious mess. I felt like Albert Brooks nailed it when he said to Cranston's character, "I was so excited." Those were my sentiments about this film before it all went south.

The Full Picture (2008)

Amateurish

[3/10 · 7 November 2011]

I'm an indie film lover and admire small budget films with aspiring young actors and directors. But the characters and material should have some appeal. The main character is so insecure and the rest of the family repulsive. The only character that I remotely cared about was Erica. This story has a dark subject matter which requires some talent to pull off and deliver comedic relief. There was no comic relief though as moments intended to provide laughs came off as awkward and only added bitterness to this. The 80 minute runtime seemed too long, there was no payoff and there was this feeling throughout that this whole project was full of amateurs.

The King's Speech (2010)

Lackluster

[5/10 · 12 May 2011]

It was better than The Fighter which really isn't much of a feat. 2010 was a weak field for Best Film nominees that is for sure. This one was full of mumbling dialogue that we had to tweak the volume in order to try to understand what was being said. The only likable character in this long, slow affair was Geoffrey Rush who was stellar as usual. Firth seemed like half a man and not worthy of his lovely, strong wife. Still not sure why he was so resistant to therapy but I suppose that was convenient for the director to tack on another 45 minutes to this arduous film. Guy Pearce is just flat and uninspired in his limited role. ***SPOILER**** The only thing notable about the big speech at the end was he said all the words. It is not like he delivered it in some passionate way.

Easy A (2010)

What Could Have Been

[2/10 · 26 April 2011]

One of the more disappointing flicks in memory. I was so psyched to see it and delighted it was on Netflix instant watch. What began with so much potential including a decent cast (and charming, witty parents) was undermined at every turn with by its relentless attack on Christianity. At one point it even took a shot at capitalism for good measure. I am a Christian and normally don't mind a little mockery of certain aspects of it. I remember being annoyed in college by the "slimy" bible thumpers on campus pushing their beliefs on others. I even stopped going to churches when they either engaged in cultish like behavior or the priest spoke down to the congregation. I did this because – despite what Hollywood tells you - there are good churches and decent Christian folk out there. Despite all this about a third in the story was picking up steam and found a nice little groove. Then about 2/3 in the appearance of Patricia Kudrow was like a death nail for me. What a deplorable character with her barrage of GD this and that. She added nothing to the film and really sank any hope the material had with her tirade. Too bad too since I was just starting to really like the family (Tucci and Clarkson were terrific). Plus Church was effective as well particularly when he exclaimed to Stone, "We all know you read the book." It was refreshing for a teacher to acknowledge when a student stands out in a positive way. Then the negativity set in and the attacks intensified to dominate the final third and suck the life out of the entire film. Dan Humphrey couldn't even save this one.

The Godfather of Green Bay (2005)

Like a cheap sales pitch

[1/10 · 28 September 2010]

Believe it or not, I'm not a bitter, out of work filmmaker; just someone who thinks this unfunny movie is only worth a star. Whether this movie is pointless or not, it wasn't good and didn't work for me. That is terrific that it is shot in Marinette in fall no less but it doesn't make this any less of a failure. Being an Indie fan I have no problem at all with unknown, first time actors as long as they are interesting, likable, and/or funny. The two leads were not any of that as the dialog fell flat. They were actually criminals who like to eat for free. Isn't that funny? Look, they just did it again! Then they hit a guy for more laughs. I love how the cover dangles Goldwyn and Holly and then subjects us to the two awful leads instead. The only redeeming quality is the beautiful setting. I don't blame the citizens of the town one bit for getting joy out of that as there is plenty to be proud of. I just wish the movie did it more justice.

Miller's Crossing (1990)

Pitch Perfect

[10/10 · 3 November 2009]

This is the best gangster film since Godfather II and one of the most fascinating films I've ever seen. It is populated by tough people (or those trying to be) who are trying to make it in an unforgiving, brutal world. It is clear to me a couple of the characters have absolutely no feeling. You can't tell me that the rest don't though. It is really restrained but it is just under the surface. Look at Byrne's pained expressions whenever Verna is around or even spoken of. Leo seems to really care for Tom. Frankie and TicTac even have soft sides. Caspar clearly does but since he's "runnin things" he can't show it much. No one can. The fine cast brings this story to life and the direction and cinematography are second to none. This is one of the few films that seem to get better with repeated viewings.

Never Been Kissed (1999)

Insults the genre

[1/10 · 9 September 2009]

I love high school movies. For some reason I have always loved the genre and have been able to tolerate flaws and suspend my disbelief for the sake of the entertainment factor. Of course there must be witty, intriguing characters who I care about to see what happens to them. Even when I am certain I know what is going to happen I want to know how it is going to happen. Some charm the audience with unknown or barely known actors. Well, all that is lacking in this dud. Totally unlikable, uninteresting cast who lack any semblance of humor or charm. What is ironic is that it is packed with a big name cast (a poor one at that). It has a pretentious feel throughout as if it thinks it is way cooler than it is. This ain't Clueless or Legally Blonde. Not even close.

Royal Pains (2009–2016)

Smoke and Mirrors

[1/10 · 18 June 2009]

I just tried to watch the pilot and barely made it through the first 40 minutes before shutting it off. The trailer gave me a bad feeling since I never liked the lead actor in anything. But I thought the premise seemed interesting enough to give a chance. Everything reminded me of a CW show. Sort of like a cross between Gossip Girl and the OC with all the flashy surroundings and poppy soundtrack. There had to be 8 songs within the first half hour. Of course with the lack of charm of any of the characters I can see why. It tries really hard to be hip. The dialog was filled with awful one liners that were devoid of any humor. His brother was just ridiculous and the rest of the people were like robots. Just one big cliché. In case you didn't get it within the first 20 minutes, people have money in the Hamptons. Then at the party when he starts treating the woman things are looking up. The patient ends up falling for him....please. The trip to the kids house with the Ferrari was all I could take. The acting was so bad it was embarrassing.

Morgan Stewart's Coming Home (1987)

A dud that had potential

[3/10 · 30 April 2009]

Wow, was this a stinker. The only character who was tolerable was Mr. Stewart. I've always liked that actor because he has a warm, humorous presence. Cryer was fine when he was not being hyperactive. Other than that this dumb, predictable nonsense is good for one viewing only. That is if you can get through that. Cryer gets his obligatory 80s scene where he does a song and dance number. It worked so well in Pretty in Pink why not throw it in here...Lord knows a filler is always welcome in a movie like this. The scene was so embarrassing and odd. We get it, you went to acting school and were in plays so you gotta let us know about it by strutting your Broadway stuff. Its as if he was using it as a vehicle or trying to prove himself to the industry. How versatile and showy of you....Unfortunately, how annoying for the viewer. The only thing more embarrassing was the botched attempt of humor when Redgrave uttered, "My God he's on drugs" to end the scene. I suppose that was supposed to be the big payoff. Cringe worthy! Then there are the endless chase sequences. I could go on but you get the point.

The only redeeming part of the movie for me was the touching scene in Arby's where Morgan runs into his Dad eating a beef sandwich. They share the sandwich and Morgan says he can't remember the last time they did that. This was a true, honest moment between a father and a son trying to restore their relationship after a long time away from each other. In a way it reminded me of the scene between Donald Sutherland and Timothy Hutton in Ordinary People in how the father and son have a genuine bond that nothing can break. Not even the mother. This is the Cryer that was human and so lovable as Ducky. IMO this scene shows his acting chops more than any song and dance number could.

Loverboy (1989)

A funny late 80s romp

[7/10 · 29 April 2009]

Movies like this really put me in a good mood (if I'm not in one already) and are just effortlessly entertaining. Reminds me of other late 80s comedies of this sort like A Fine Mess and Skin Deep. The key is the cast makes it all look so easy. They are all very good comedic actors which helps. As the misunderstandings pile up, so do the awkward physical antics of Dempsey. This is in fact the only thing that I think took away from the abundant charm of this movie. He was in my opinion too over the top with his physical acting. I'm referring some of the scenes where his stunts were not necessary like the lawn chair scene by the pool???? Then he returns to the restaurant looking for Jen and he vaults off the counter. It was funny when the Japanese woman threw him but enough already! Its too cartoonish and forced. The director took too many liberties here and took away from what could of been much better comedy.