movies40000 Reviews

The Souvenir (2019)

Critic Darling???

[3/10 · 11 July 2024]

If a movie is long, incredibly boring, with lots of realistic conversations impossible to hear then it's guaranteed to be a critic's darling, hence the 95 critic rating and a 6.4viewer rating.

I read some of the critics to see what I was missing. It seems that it's a brilliant portrait of an artist as a young woman. We see her growing sensitivity as she survives this toxic relationship. I and at least 17 million other college girls had affairs with older men that ended badly. I wonder how many became sensitive, serious artists. Myself, I became a bookkeeper.

My favorite moment is a shot in a car focusing on a random girl, I assume she's in the same class as our heroine. The camera lingers on her as she pontificates on something, we never have any idea what she's talking about and it is not germane to the story line, but she is pretty.

I may be naive but I can't help believing that movies are suppose to entertain.

Girlboss (2017)

First episode

[23 March 2022]

Why would anybody care about this entitled morally suspect child Let's see she has no concern about her job, she lies, steals. Has no concern for anyone else, has no desire to work, yet if anything goes wrong there is always Da.

Passing (I) (2021)

Interesting but lacking

[5/10 · 31 December 2021]

Although this film is a critic's darling it came in as middling to the viewing public. I'm not quite sure why critic's loved it so much. Most of viewer criticism falls to the fact that the lead actors do not look like they could pass - while true, I'll let that go on the basis that most of the white people featured had never actually looked at a black person's face.

What I find the most interesting is the fact that no one seems to have noticed that this is a reworking of "Mrs. Dalloway" . Renie, Tessa Thompson, should have been the one named Clare/Clarisse, she even bought her own flowers, and as in "Mrs. Dalloway" she is suffering from ennui unaware that her friend Clare(Ruth Negga)(a substitute for the wounded soldier) is suffering from severe depression hiding it in jollity.

The movie more or less lumbers along at a very slow pace culminating in the party scene where we see Chekov hanging out at the window - as soon as that window is opened, we know someone's going out. Of course its Clare releasing Renie from her malaise.

Walkabout (1971)

New Wave?

[4/10 · 10 November 2021]

If New Wave means incoherent flights of fancy here's your movie. The movie begins in an apartment in a high rise with what looks like a family, the next scene is in the middle of nowhere (Australian outback I presume) when while the children set up a picnic lunch, the father seemingly out of nowhere does an incredibly bad job of trying to kill his children. Unsuccessful he shoots himself and blow up his car (is it the explosion that puts him in a tree?). The two children safe from now a dead father head off into the hills. Did it not occur to them that someone might come looking for them and why was no one looking for them. If they felt compelled to move on why not follow the car tracks back to presumably a road. Considering their urban upbringing they did tolerably well traipsing through the wilderness eventually meeting a lovely experienced aborigine with whom they spent an idyllic time (we have no sense of passing time). Most of the cinematography consisted of closeup of the native animals so that I expected to hear David Attenborough's voice. Our young aborigine seemed to kill a lot of animals for just three people and didn't seem at all interested in introducing his young white charges to the few white people in the area. After a night with our young male obviously dancing a mating dance unanswered by our female, he commits suicide which really seemed out of place and seemed not to have created so much as a wrinkle in the progress of our young siblings. I decided to do some quick research on aboriginal suicide and discovered it did not exist until after colonization - in fact there wasn't even a word for suicide in the native language. Then after meeting a stupid, mean white person and exploring some industrial ruins, we are all of a sudden years later in the same high rise apartment with our young female married with some pleasant memories of her outback sojourn. Was I suppose to have regrets about our industrialized society and wish for happy, primitive times. And why were there extra scenes out of the story line - the tribe discovering the burnt out car, the killing of some sort of native cattle . In the end I gave it 4 stars for introducing me to the landscape of the Australian outback . Now I think I'll go watch Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

On the Verge (2021)

Disappointing

[4/10 · 13 September 2021]

I wonder at the people who relate to these characters because I hope they're not real - a story about 4 women friends one is a stoner totally removed from reality unable to remove herself from her privilege , one is a liar and a coward unable to deal with whatever she got herself into,one is a successful chef who hates her husband and can't deal with that fact, and one is a total mess and the worst mother ever baring Precious's mother and the men are obviously just jokes not one has any reality It 's easy to watch because it just rolls along meaning nothing.

When We Last Spoke (2019)

Not worth the time

[4/10 · 26 August 2021]

The world according to Ronald Reagan - even beautiful white Christians sometimes have troubles - predictable cliche ridden - well enough acted but worth nothing- did find it interesting that there could be a town so white.

A Walk in the Spring Rain (1970)

Disappointing

[4/10 · 22 March 2021]

Although I am a big fan of Ingrid Berman and Anthony Quinn this movie was a bust. The premise was that Libby's (Ingrid Bergman)husband (Fritz Weaver)while on sabbatical rented a cottage nowhere(note its a beautiful house completely furnished with a well stocked kitchen and matching dinnerware some of which Libby broke) so he could write a textbook about the Supreme Court and Libby while in the mountains of Tennessee finds fulfillment and romance. However this is not the nostalgic romantic reminiscence. Bill(Anthony Quinn) the house caretaker greets her with the most leecherous grin you can imagine and never lets up. Libby reacts in a sort of lets rip off our clothes and go at it and see you later so of way . Not much in lyric romanticism Then there are the kids or lack of them I should say - Bill seems to have one son who hates him although we are given very little insight as to why something about jealousy - of what - his prowess with neighborhood women. What I find odd was that Bill and his wife did not have a pascal of children and grandchildren even the scene at the county fair was not full of kids - perhaps an explanation of the loss of children might have left one unhappy son and a religious mania from Bill's wife. And I could not help but wonder why Libby did not think to bring her grandson to this beautiful summer place . I know her husband did not like the 5 year old but the outdoors, goats, other children would certainly have kept him out of the way Finally I could not help but laugh when we went from snow covered ground to full green scenery being called early spring

Anna Lucasta (1958)

Misunderstood

[7/10 · 12 August 2020]

It amazes me that none of the reviews get what this picture is about. This is obviously a play and the movie maintains the quality of the play. Whether or not that's a good choice is a matter of opinion - I personally enjoyed the approach. The play examines the inner life and relationship of an extended family sharing a house in California. Anna, the title character, was thrown out of the house the day she graduated High School with nothing -no money, skills, or support - earning her living as best she could while keeping her independence, even turning down a pimp's protection - her closest relationship is with a bartender while she waits for a sailor who can at least give her a good time - the heart of the story is why her father threw her out - Played by Rex Ingram in an all out performance is a man full of fury because of his less than pure attachment to his daughter - his hatred for his own feelings drives him to destroy everyone around him - the rest of this dysfunctional family just carries on each in their own dream of success - a brighter future can only be achieved with the father's death - The pacing is uneven but this movie is certainly worth a viewing

Jersey Girl (2004)

Hallmark movie

[4/10 · 24 March 2020]

This week I watched "yesterday", where once you have "suspended disbelieve", is a joyful ride. Not so with Kevin Smith's 'jersey girl" This movie is a Hallmark movie with the big deal being it's a man not a woman learning life's important lessons. Hi powered NYC couple marry have a child and she dies. He is devastated and moves back to ideal Jersey town to live with his father commuting into the city and not paying attention to the new baby. Big dramatic scene, he falls in love with the child and is forced to bring her to an important press conference. So now comes the scene where the high powered executives are unable to change a diaper. Our hero blows the press conference insulting both his client and the press. So much for his career as he is forced to stay in ideal town where he gets a great blue collar job (nepotism) that leaves him enough time to personally raise his daughter, even picking her up from school. Enter local girl. After a few more predictable scenes he has a chance at a high powered position but a conversation in a waiting room with the client he had insulted bemoaning his success makes our hero realize what's important. He sprints back to New Jersey just in time to perform with his daughter in a perfect facsimile of the opening of a Broadway show, delayed appausle followed by tremendous applause.End Two details really bothered me, the dead wife appeared to have no family and how come no one thought to hire a nanny. I have enjoyed Kevin Smith's movies in the past and when he stated that this was his most personal movie made me wonder what happened in his life.

Grandma's Boy (2006)

Why?

[1/10 · 2 March 2020]

Why do these bro movies featuring men boys always contain rascist memes. There are no redeeming moments in this mess and I can love a raunchy good cult comedy Pineapple Express for example.

Metro (1997)

Sorry

[21 December 2019]

Sorry this is a terrible movie I happen to watch last night on HBO. Eddie Murphy's dreadful hairstyle is the least offensive thing about this movie. Except for a well done chase and multiple crashes on the streets of SF - I believe stunts not CGI - the plot makes no sense - performances are standard - Mr Murphy just reminds us of when he did Beverly Hills Cop as a much younger man - the music is a joke about suspence music - I wrote this review while watcy the last twenty minutes - didn't miß a thing

No, No, Nanette (1940)

Not worth it

[2/10 · 6 October 2019]

This is a terrible movie, terrible print with strange edits. Made in 1940 it has all the froth and stock characters from 30's musicals without the music. Not familiar with Anne Neagle but here I wasn't impressed with her English accent coming and going. She was far too old for the role and looked it, especially in a hairdo and clothing for a 19 year old. Her only gown that didn't make her look ridiculous was the painting, dream sequence. And that was awful I don't know whether it was the choreography or her dancing but it did not work. Without fabulous musical numbers you are left to follow the plot which was unfathomable. So unless you are studying the period do not bother.

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965)

Skip it

[19 August 2019]

Skip it except as an historical document even if you ignore the racism, sexism, and homophobia, there are still no laughs

Share (I) (2019)

Student film

[2/10 · 2 August 2019]

Shot in the dark with everyone mumbling and half the action on phone screens does anyone know what took place

Bird Box (2018)

Missing the point

[7/10 · 2 January 2019]

The movie held my attention and was done well enough but I'm surprised that no one else noticed this - this is a movie about refugees - everything in the world you know crumbles - doesn't matter what made the world crumble - the situation is set. Your only goal is survival for yourself, your fellow travelers and most importantly your children (even if one is not your own) - think natural disasters or more likely war- you hear of a place with safety and a chance for the children but getting there is just about impossible - now imagine when you arrive with the enemy on your heel. You knock on the door only to be told that you're not deserving and should go back where you came from - the allegory is complete. Of course in the case of this movie she succeeded in being granted asylum.

Love, Simon (2018)

AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL

[5/10 · 11 November 2018]

Maybe this movie is needed in parts of this country, here in New York it's 10 or 15 years late. Even though the movie is slow moving and obvious it is still watchable and might be a good vehicle for the tween set who are trying to figure it out

The Wonderful Country (1959)

Robert Mitchum plays out the clash at the border between Mexico and the US

[5/10 · 29 April 2014]

I give this movie an E for effort - Mitchum plays an American who had escaped to Mexico in his youth after a violent episode and has grown up working for the local bandits controlling that part of the country. When sent to a US border town to negotiate a weapons deal, he breaks his leg and spends enough time in he US to realize he could make a life for himself with a brighter future - of course things go wrong. Based on a novel by Tom Lea, a forgotten writer of westerns, and staring along with Robert Mitchum in the romantic triangle is Gary Merrill as the local cavalry boss and Julie London as his unhappy wife. What makes it all interesting is the fact that the movie never quite "jells"- Mitchum tries his best against a cast of grade B actors and his performance mostly works. The worst performance is from Julie London who not only is dressed incongruously but looks and acts like a robot. The scenery is spectacular and is the winner in this movie. Add the use of over the top music, and this movie presages the Spaghetti Western.

East of Shanghai (1931)

Spoiler: Purposeful

[27 July 2012]

People seem to find this movie disjointed- it starts as a comedy ends on a different note. Although there are some technical difficulties, the one thing I know about Hitchcock is that his movie making was always thought out in advance and purposeful. The movies starts off as a comedy with of course that brilliant opening. We are shown the humdrum lives of our couple who desire to see the world and experience life. As the movie unfolds this is exactly what happens. From the vacation fun of Paris to sexual intrigue to misfortune and tragedy (ignoring the racist characterization of the Chinese in the picture) They have now seen the world and experienced life and seen some death. They are ready to go home with new attitudes and perspective. They are ready to start a family. The bickering at the end shows how much the wife has grown. She and her husband are now equal partners.