Shockingly good, watchable and entertaining. Sure there’s lots of fan service, but this is essentially Ghostbusters III. I loved how the music was thrown back to the original. It’s not perfect though, the third act stumbles over the details and consequences, but it’s still entertaining. The ending is perfect.
A fantastic tale of the value of relationships in our fleeting reality we call life. Cage is stupendous and powerful. The script seems intentionally staged in a three-act hero’s tale to emphasize the comfort of the form while also developing thematic material around family, small pleasures, and the simplicity of what we really need in life. I loved this film.
A somewhat, slow and intimate portrait of an uncle and nephew getting to know each other a bit better. Phoenix’s character is filled with potential, but I felt that the learning that the nephew gains isn’t truly matched in emotional depth for Johnny. It’s filled with thematic potential too, but there’s no real emotional payoff - or that potential payoff doesn’t work. The black and white photography doesn’t add to it. Overall, it’s a lot of wasted potential. Great performances from all though.
Dreadfully slow, but poignantly illuminating. I can see this being very popular with film students and those in the industry. As a piece of entertainment, it’s not much, however. Artistic statement, yes, though. Lovely lead turn by Tessa Thompson. Captured the era very well. Like a more realistic Great Gatsby.
Watchable, unlike Spectre. Some solid bits and pieces and it looks and sounds great (how often do you notice how good the sound is?), but it’s a bit long, a bit routine, and a bit aimless. It’s better than just okay, but it’s not the best 2.5 hours spent.
Lovely, lively and life-like with great music and a confident and massive performance from Garfield. Wondeful supporting cast and smart cameos. Loved it. Could maybe shorten or cut one song.
It’s not Rashomon, but it’s surprisingly good for a film told multiple times. Strong acting, directing and costumes, a really solid script. The film gains layers of intrigue each time the story is told. In the end, the film has something to say about truth, power and ego. It does run a little long though.
The lack of a singular character causes it to spin constantly without real humour. It feels like a second draft on a script that needs more like three or four drafts to succeed. It’s a shame because the premise is an important one, perhaps the MOST important in our slowly dying world. Instead of real plot development, we have constant cameos and visual gags. The editing tricks they need to keep things even remotely interesting are obvious and insulting.
I mean, it started out pretty decently. The first 30-45 minutes are great fun and actually kind of interesting. Everything after that slowly falls apart. The villain stuff is kinda hand waved away with mumbo jumbo about something, and we kind of lose the narrative when the conceit of the film is revealed. The further the film continues, the further we get from understanding what we're doing and why.
It starts out being one thing, and then ends up being just another action Matrix movie. Its philosophical questions are inconsistent, but perhaps interesting to a degree. Its ultimate point about media consumption and nostalgia being comforting is kinda muddy, and not well suited to the filmic medium. Though I agree with the point that media consumption is ultimately a neurotransmitter delivery system, I'd rather read it in a magazine article, to be honest. Despite messy action editing, a pointless plot, and neverending Neo force pushes, it's probably still better than one or two of the sequels though.
Javier Bardem is great in this film, Nicole Kidman is certainly not bad either. I'm jus not sure they're great TOGETHER. There's a certain spark missing to their conversations. Moreover, there's a certain spark missing to the narrative here. The premise of this being a peek at the worst week in this storied show's history was intriguing, but then we ended up with 45 mins of backstory that isn't particularly relevant. It's like watching a film about a pivotal WWII battle, but we spend half the film showing the making of the Treaty of Versailles.
That said, there are a number of just AMAZING scenes in this film. I loved many of the scenes, but as a whole they do nothing for me. The film comes off as a weird mish-mash of biopic and behind the scenes Sorkin-isms (including one walk and talk). I think this film might have been a better stage play.
Amazing cinematography, amazing performances, solid narrative. I could see some people calling this movie slow, but I'd say it's worth the effort to stick with it. This might win a few Oscars. Cinematography has to be a shoo in.
It's clear from the opening tourism video brochure that Branagh means to charm us. Perhaps it's the repeated use of the tunes of now dementia-riddled Van Morrison, but I was distinctly un-charmed by much of Belfast. The photography is gorgeous, the performances are wonderful, and the story is ultimately sweet and touching, however the film doesn't really have a strong narrative drive as "The Troubles" are more of a background element, and the primary story is whether or not the family should leave. Given that we know Branagh's family left, it's hardly a cliffhanger.
Shame, because it is a lovely looking film with great performances. I just didn't care for the script.
If you are a die-hard Beatles fan or a musician who has studied their music beyond the surface, this documentary will be fascinating/amazing/compelling.
If you're not so much into the songwriting process, the length of these films will likely bother you.
I happen to fall into the former category, so I can only rave about these amazing historic artifacts brought back to stunning life.
If you're not a big fan, you probably aren't reading this anyway.
For Fans: 4 stars/4
For the curious but uninitiated: 2.5 stars/4
Wow, the visuals, but wow I cannot understand how you made this so boring. Political conspiracy and mystery? Gone. Lots of vague dreams and something. No real narrative paradigm that makes us root for the hero. What the heck happened? I mean, it's lovely visually and the acting is great, but the script is completely lacking in context and explanation. Any scene that has to do with the narrative is like *GIBBERISH* and then we're back to the visuals.
I mean, I'm not a Dune purist, but this was not really Dune so much as the standout scenes you expect to see with a TON OF BEIGE DESERT.
A very pleasant family drama with lots of comedy. A pleasant return to the screen for deaf issues in the mainstream. The music and singing is lovely and the story pulses along quite naturally, which is not easy to do. Never boring, but never quite wowing either, CODA is pleasant and mildly refreshing.
An acting and stylistic delight, though the pacing and heart of the story seems a bit lacking. I liked it a lot, but something about the script just overstays its welcome ever so slightly. A stronger sense of dread and paranoia might have pushed this film to really shine. It’s still remarkably excellent, and gets full marks, but something is missing. Kaluuya and Stanfield are both amazing here. Just amazing.
A film whose meandering structureless nature mirrors the subject matter portrayed, Nomandland is adrift all the time. It nicely blends fiction with non-fiction, but doesn’t give audiences much to hold on to. McDormand and Straithairn are great. At the end of the day, it’s a character portrait and not much more. About as slow and plodding as they come. Lovely visuals though.
A great sound design wrapped around a rather slow and meandering film, though that slowness may be the point.
Can’t say I loved it, though it had fine performances. I get its point, but it definitely took its time saying it.
Jaw-dropping mystery, intrigue, originality and skill mixed with some of the deepest insight into humanity I've ever experienced. Just flooringly good.
Comments 26 - 50 of 576
Movie comment on Ghostbusters: Afterlife
frankqb
Shockingly good, watchable and entertaining. Sure there’s lots of fan service, but this is essentially Ghostbusters III. I loved how the music was thrown back to the original. It’s not perfect though, the third act stumbles over the details and consequences, but it’s still entertaining. The ending is perfect.3 stars
Movie comment on Pig
frankqb
A fantastic tale of the value of relationships in our fleeting reality we call life. Cage is stupendous and powerful. The script seems intentionally staged in a three-act hero’s tale to emphasize the comfort of the form while also developing thematic material around family, small pleasures, and the simplicity of what we really need in life. I loved this film.5 stars
Movie comment on C'mon C'mon
frankqb
A somewhat, slow and intimate portrait of an uncle and nephew getting to know each other a bit better. Phoenix’s character is filled with potential, but I felt that the learning that the nephew gains isn’t truly matched in emotional depth for Johnny. It’s filled with thematic potential too, but there’s no real emotional payoff - or that potential payoff doesn’t work. The black and white photography doesn’t add to it. Overall, it’s a lot of wasted potential. Great performances from all though.3.5 stars out of 5
Movie comment on Passing
frankqb
Dreadfully slow, but poignantly illuminating. I can see this being very popular with film students and those in the industry. As a piece of entertainment, it’s not much, however. Artistic statement, yes, though. Lovely lead turn by Tessa Thompson. Captured the era very well. Like a more realistic Great Gatsby.3.5 stars out of 5
Movie comment on The Card Counter
frankqb
Partly stylish, partly political, partly odd. Either the ending didn’t make sense or something is off. Great performances though.4 stars
Movie comment on The Lost Daughter
frankqb
Kinda tense-ish, but mostly interesting. Very well done.4.5 stars
Movie comment on No Time to Die
frankqb
Watchable, unlike Spectre. Some solid bits and pieces and it looks and sounds great (how often do you notice how good the sound is?), but it’s a bit long, a bit routine, and a bit aimless. It’s better than just okay, but it’s not the best 2.5 hours spent.3 stars out of 5
Movie comment on tick, tick...BOOM!
frankqb
Lovely, lively and life-like with great music and a confident and massive performance from Garfield. Wondeful supporting cast and smart cameos. Loved it. Could maybe shorten or cut one song.5 stars
Movie comment on The Last Duel
frankqb
It’s not Rashomon, but it’s surprisingly good for a film told multiple times. Strong acting, directing and costumes, a really solid script. The film gains layers of intrigue each time the story is told. In the end, the film has something to say about truth, power and ego. It does run a little long though.4 stars out of 5
Movie comment on Don't Look Up
frankqb
The lack of a singular character causes it to spin constantly without real humour. It feels like a second draft on a script that needs more like three or four drafts to succeed. It’s a shame because the premise is an important one, perhaps the MOST important in our slowly dying world. Instead of real plot development, we have constant cameos and visual gags. The editing tricks they need to keep things even remotely interesting are obvious and insulting.I wish it was better.
3 stars out of 5
Movie comment on The Matrix Resurrections
frankqb
I mean, it started out pretty decently. The first 30-45 minutes are great fun and actually kind of interesting. Everything after that slowly falls apart. The villain stuff is kinda hand waved away with mumbo jumbo about something, and we kind of lose the narrative when the conceit of the film is revealed. The further the film continues, the further we get from understanding what we're doing and why.It starts out being one thing, and then ends up being just another action Matrix movie. Its philosophical questions are inconsistent, but perhaps interesting to a degree. Its ultimate point about media consumption and nostalgia being comforting is kinda muddy, and not well suited to the filmic medium. Though I agree with the point that media consumption is ultimately a neurotransmitter delivery system, I'd rather read it in a magazine article, to be honest. Despite messy action editing, a pointless plot, and neverending Neo force pushes, it's probably still better than one or two of the sequels though.
3 stars out of 5
Movie comment on Being the Ricardos
frankqb
Javier Bardem is great in this film, Nicole Kidman is certainly not bad either. I'm jus not sure they're great TOGETHER. There's a certain spark missing to their conversations. Moreover, there's a certain spark missing to the narrative here. The premise of this being a peek at the worst week in this storied show's history was intriguing, but then we ended up with 45 mins of backstory that isn't particularly relevant. It's like watching a film about a pivotal WWII battle, but we spend half the film showing the making of the Treaty of Versailles.That said, there are a number of just AMAZING scenes in this film. I loved many of the scenes, but as a whole they do nothing for me. The film comes off as a weird mish-mash of biopic and behind the scenes Sorkin-isms (including one walk and talk). I think this film might have been a better stage play.
4 stars out ot 5
Movie comment on Josie and the Pussycats
frankqb
Shockingly fun and entertaining. The best comic book movie ever? A clever and entertaining satire on pop culture. Love this film.5 stars / 5
Movie comment on The Power of the Dog
frankqb
Amazing cinematography, amazing performances, solid narrative. I could see some people calling this movie slow, but I'd say it's worth the effort to stick with it. This might win a few Oscars. Cinematography has to be a shoo in.Movie comment on Belfast
frankqb
It's clear from the opening tourism video brochure that Branagh means to charm us. Perhaps it's the repeated use of the tunes of now dementia-riddled Van Morrison, but I was distinctly un-charmed by much of Belfast. The photography is gorgeous, the performances are wonderful, and the story is ultimately sweet and touching, however the film doesn't really have a strong narrative drive as "The Troubles" are more of a background element, and the primary story is whether or not the family should leave. Given that we know Branagh's family left, it's hardly a cliffhanger.Shame, because it is a lovely looking film with great performances. I just didn't care for the script.
3.5 stars out of 5
Movie comment on The Beatles: Get Back
frankqb
If you are a die-hard Beatles fan or a musician who has studied their music beyond the surface, this documentary will be fascinating/amazing/compelling.If you're not so much into the songwriting process, the length of these films will likely bother you.
I happen to fall into the former category, so I can only rave about these amazing historic artifacts brought back to stunning life.
If you're not a big fan, you probably aren't reading this anyway.
For Fans: 4 stars/4
For the curious but uninitiated: 2.5 stars/4
Movie comment on Dune: Part One
frankqb
Wow, the visuals, but wow I cannot understand how you made this so boring. Political conspiracy and mystery? Gone. Lots of vague dreams and something. No real narrative paradigm that makes us root for the hero. What the heck happened? I mean, it's lovely visually and the acting is great, but the script is completely lacking in context and explanation. Any scene that has to do with the narrative is like *GIBBERISH* and then we're back to the visuals.I mean, I'm not a Dune purist, but this was not really Dune so much as the standout scenes you expect to see with a TON OF BEIGE DESERT.
Movie comment on Lapsis
frankqb
An excellent skewering of the gig economy’s exploitative nature and the need for labour to collaborate.4 stars out 5
Movie comment on CODA
frankqb
A very pleasant family drama with lots of comedy. A pleasant return to the screen for deaf issues in the mainstream. The music and singing is lovely and the story pulses along quite naturally, which is not easy to do. Never boring, but never quite wowing either, CODA is pleasant and mildly refreshing.4.5 stars out of 5
Movie comment on The Truffle Hunters
frankqb
Cute, quirky and visually gorgeous. Also, dogs.Movie comment on Judas and the Black Messiah
frankqb
An acting and stylistic delight, though the pacing and heart of the story seems a bit lacking. I liked it a lot, but something about the script just overstays its welcome ever so slightly. A stronger sense of dread and paranoia might have pushed this film to really shine. It’s still remarkably excellent, and gets full marks, but something is missing. Kaluuya and Stanfield are both amazing here. Just amazing.5 stars
Movie comment on Malcolm & Marie
frankqb
A masterwork with tour-de-force performances by both Washington and Zendaya.In all seriousness, I thought the film was excellent. Amazing script with fabulous performances. Give them Oscar noms!
4.5 stars out of 5
Movie comment on Nomadland
frankqb
A film whose meandering structureless nature mirrors the subject matter portrayed, Nomandland is adrift all the time. It nicely blends fiction with non-fiction, but doesn’t give audiences much to hold on to. McDormand and Straithairn are great. At the end of the day, it’s a character portrait and not much more. About as slow and plodding as they come. Lovely visuals though.3 stars out of 5
Movie comment on Sound of Metal
frankqb
A great sound design wrapped around a rather slow and meandering film, though that slowness may be the point.Can’t say I loved it, though it had fine performances. I get its point, but it definitely took its time saying it.
3.5 stars out of 5
Movie comment on In & of Itself
frankqb
Jaw-dropping mystery, intrigue, originality and skill mixed with some of the deepest insight into humanity I've ever experienced. Just flooringly good.Showing items 26 – 50 of 576