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crowemagnon
Reviews
Justified (2010)
Excellent show!
Crisp, poignant, action packed, and at times even touching. Acting is top notch and casting is close to perfection, with the exception of one frightful casting snafu in season five. The look and feel are authentic, and most of the performances transcend your average television fare. Engaging on a level that most formulaic drama series cannot achieve or comprehend and developing a story that veers from hard boiled to heartfelt. Timothy Olyphant has always been a serviceable lead in any endeavor he is cast in, but the way he embodies the role of U. S. Marshal Raylen Givens is a tempered performance 'above and beyond' the typical call of duty for this type of drama. The story evolves over the seasons and never ceases to be engaging. The revolving cast of guest stars are surprising, but never gratuitous or superfluous. The only casting snafu, which I referred to earlier, is that of Michael Rapaport in season five. He always appears to be out of his league in any role that requires actual 'acting chops'. Lastly, this series is a must see for any fans of the delightful and dark genre that Elmore Leonard has made his own in literature and cinema. Highly recommended.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Painful
Posting this after my second viewing. Quite the bit of 'made for tv' flavored nonsense. Angela Bassett chews the scenery, Namor is a pathetic shade of his classic comic persona, and the story continually insults the viewer's intelligence. The special effects are impressive, except for the moments where they are atrocious almost to the point of ridiculous. Chadwick Boseman's absence looms larger than the house of mouse could've or might've imagined. One of a handful of the mcu films that failed to contribute to the advancement of the universe. Finally, it dragged. It dragged on and on and on... Hopefully Wakanda's forever is as long as this movie feels...
Peaky Blinders (2013)
One gripe...
Two seasons in, and I must say that the casting is perfect, the cinematography is exceptional, the story is engaging, the sets and scenery are spot on, and the attention to detail rivals any television production that I have ever seen. Having said that, the music choices and selections performanced in the background and for dramatic scene enhancement are among the most inappropriate for the setting and time, annoying, and most distracting that I have every encountered or experienced in an endeavor with such high quality production values. It's like a novel that didn't have that one last proofreader. I know alot of viewers aren't sticklers for era-appropriate music in period pieces, but this is almost in head-scratching tarantino territory. Love the series, but in my humble opinion it would've benefitted greatly had the American blues and weak, whiney independent coffee house artist offerings been omitted from the background music and soundtrack.
Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence (2023)
Disturbing.
Depressing capture of the frailty of human intelligence and perspective, the susceptibility of even those who would be considered the brightest with promising futures, and particularly the inability to notice encroaching evil around and among us. The sociopathic, manipulative villain is almost cartoonish in retrospect, and the passive acceptance and participation of his victims should give everyone pause... The unfolding story is not for the squeamish, and is infuriating as the antagonist is aided and abetted in perpetrating his delusions. Izzy is the 21st century version of a manson girl. In conclusion, all I can say is that I hope somebody settles this guy's hash in the joint.
Worst Roommate Ever (2022)
Gripping, entertaining.
Don't know if I am any better at identifying sociopaths like the ones depicted in the episodes, but am infinitely confident that I can identify the ridiculously gullible who are taken in by these pieces of human debris.
Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. (2022)
So...
Gripping in its jaw dropping idiocy. You can have a brilliant, marketable idea, make a ton of money, and still be either diabolical, or insanely gullible and dumb as a box or rocks. Sociopaths everywhere!
The Nightingale (2018)
Should've been animated
Brevity would've worked wonders. Meandering, uneven, and ultimately exploitative. Fantastic cinematography and solid acting cannot overcome the deficiencies.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
'I've been dead before'
Fitting and heartfelt send off. Enjoyable, nostalgic, and so what if it is maybe a tad familiar. All the characters are true to form, and Christopher Plummer is an absolute gem. Any fan of the series will appreciate, and frankly that's all that matters.
The Unholy (2021)
Stick to the source material!
Huge fan of English horror author James Herbert, and was pumped that finally one of his novels 'The Shrine' was getting a film treatment. His novels, as written, could be translated to the screen by a trained ape, but Hollywood and the screenwriters mucked this up, and in doing so discarded the more poignant themes of the novel. Although moody, atmospheric, and well acted, the film could've been so much more if it followed the novel, but it abandoned any pretext of doing so in the first six minutes. I will continue to live in hope that a proper rendition of even one of the horror master's vast amounts of work will one day be translated to film.
Hillbilly (2018)
Great start, but...
Watch the first hour and then turn it off. Spends time dispelling stereotypes to then turn and re-enforce them through the prism of liberal identity politics. Such promise sacrificed at the alter of ideology. The fine folks of Appalachia deserve better.
Willy's Wonderland (2021)
Now all I need...
... is a movie with Nicholas Cage and Bruce Campbell.
Bad Reputation (2018)
Plenty of bones but no meat
Six stars is because I will like anything that even remotely involves Joan Jett. Having said that, there is little substance to this documentary, and testimonials from the likes of Miley Cyrus and the Green Day punk pretender seem like filler to attempt to be relevant with younger fans, and already seem dated. The virtue signaling in the last half hour or so was boring. There is so much more to Joan Jett, and hopefully there will be a great Joan Jett documentary out there somewhere, but this ain't it...
Scrooge (1951)
The definitive version
No performance or scene out of place. Pitch perfect balance of seasonal noir and sentiment. The version to judge all others by...
A Christmas Carol (2019)
Could have been so much more...
Handsome production. Curious plot contrivances. Rushed and unfulfilling ending.
Fatman (2020)
I love this!
It's a 21st century Christmas movie. Put aside any aspersions and watch with an open heart and mind. Perfectly performed and executed for what it is... Enjoy!
The Brown Bunny (2003)
I simply can't wait...
... for a future generation 'Mystery Science Theater 3500' to tackle this insipid vanity project.
The Postcard Killings (2020)
Most shocking revelation...
... from a textbook 'serial killer' flick is that the lovely Famke Janssen fell for and went the Melanie Griffith/Meg Ryan/Renee Zellweger route to 'cosmetic rejuvenation'... With equally disappointing results...
Watchmen (2019)
Potential undone
Very stylish, clever premise, but the sledgehammer to the head social justice angle is far too heavy handed, almost to the point of exploitation.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Beautifully filmed and well made.
My biggest gripe is how on earth could they have gotten the color of Poirot's mustache so horribly, horribly wrong...
Cold Valley (2018)
Cold Case Disclaimer
Really wish this ilk of program would come with the warning label 'aspersions cast/no resolution'.
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Wonderful
The best King novel of the last 30 years is the best film version of a King novel in the last 40 years. Touching and perfect homage/sequel to both the novel and film. Pitch perfect performances across the board. Restores my faith in film adaptations, but did prefer the ending in the novel better. Tamper any preconceptions and enjoy!
It Chapter Two (2019)
Sequel Misfire, better on second viewing
Occasionally a sequel squanders all the promise of a first installment. Cannot pinpoint where this went wrong, but the talent, story, and mood disappointingly add up to a 'made for tv' feeling and an unfulfilling finished product...
Superman Returns (2006)
Before...
Before zack snyder and the beefcake englishman destroyed the beloved character, there was a thoughtful, visually spectacular, and under appreciated film that paid homage to the cinematic Superman. It featured solid performances, but was eviscerated by critics who couldn't even appreciate the source material to begin with... This bears viewing, and maybe a second viewing, with an open mind, and an appreciation for what the first comic book superhero was, and meant to its readers and fans. Not perfect, but damn close.
The Boys (2019)
At last!
An original, well written, perfectly performed series that combines humor, action, and the irony the most superhero films are losing sight of due to their hubris... Probably the only 'must see' production that's come along in quite some time.
[Rec] (2007)
Maybe in the original language with subtitles?
I had no issues with the run of the mill plot, the stylization and mood were fine, but the fuquing dubbed voices were some of the worst I've ever encountered. Combine that with the fact that they never shut up for more than a second, and that the shrill, shreiking voice over for the female lead might be humorous if it wasn't so absolutely and painfully awful. Watch with the sound off, or possibly the original with subtitles- could only improve the experience.