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Reviews
Kim's Convenience (2016)
Comedy doing what comedy should
This show is both light hearted and fun, when you need something not too stressful, AND raises some issues in gentle ways. It's got aspects of All in the Family for modern times (the father starts out somewhat closed-minded but with heart in a good place).
Comedy should make us laugh a lot and help us see ourselves. This does both.
It's a gem of a show that many more people should find.
First Date (2021)
Fun & well worth watching
Fun. So worth watching.
Of course you know a first date in a movie called First Date isn't going to go exxxxxactly as planned right? But it goes beyond hijinx and defies expectations.
This combines aspects of several genres so you don't have to be super into this "type" of movie and still have a great time. It's solid, unexpected writing for a quirky indy. For whatever small budget they had to do this it's well executed, directed, etc. Good actors we're surely going to see in other things soon.
Will you have a good time watching this film? Yes.
The Expendables (2010)
Skip it - we walked out
For all the known names and action there just isn't enough decent dialog or purpose to justify sitting through the weak dialog and copycat plot. We saw really bad ratings elsewhere (besides IMDb) and trusted the higher rating here. We were mistaken.
The concept sounded good, questioning what happens when tough mercenaries get a bit older, what they do on their off time, etc. That seemed like a great twist for an action flic, but the script didn't really go there or do much with that idea. They muse for a few moments about things and then go blow stuff up. Despite the famous names on the marquis this seemed like a repeat of a zillion other movies.
If you *really, really* like action movies this will be an okay, mindless good time. Even being in the mood for this, though, we were cringing at some of the lines and found some of the bullets graphically exploding heads pretty needless. There's just nothing special about the film.
Some scenes were so bad that we went to check for other movies available at the theater. I realized I was missing the film and realized I...didn't care. That's when I consented to a much earlier request to just leave.
As stilted and shallow as some dialog was, it does seem like it matches reality in certain ways and that just might be how some freelance soldiers really relate. The script and actors should get some credit for that. That said, it wasn't worth sitting through.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Brilliantly Done - Worth Your Time
This is well crafted and executed, both in its filming and story.
Watch this not just for its cool "what's going on" perspective (à la Memento) but for the storyline and what it says about people.
This affirms my take on Jim Carrey, that I like watching him in serious roles much more than comedic ones. If you don't care for his comedy, don't worry.
Very slight spoiling here: The last lines (not quoting them to avoid any actual spoiling) say much in a few words. Eternal Sunshine has the kind of plot line to happily set us up toward a reveal or twist; it does an unusually good job of setting us up for lines that makes us think and consider life. Well done. Worth watching.
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
One of the worst films I've seen.
Unredeemably bad, not even worth watching to catch up on classics.
Yes, there are a few good moments in this film and there was some acting talent entirely wasted in this film. Unless you're planning on watching this to make fun of it, save your evening.
Even considering that this was made early in the history of film, we were baffled by the editing, wondering if someone was covering for an accidental loss of footage or some shortened shoot schedule. We kept thinking something must have happened during filming and the production team or investors forced some poor editor to try and piece a film together out of it. The inexplicable, lengthy, and gratuitous scenes of animals standing around (perhaps in a not-so-subtle attempt at symbolism) was bizarre and we wondered who had a wrangler friend or relative and which party owed the other a favor.
It wasn't suspenseful or surprising (not sure how it really could have been seen as that much more suspenseful in the 50s). The red herrings --such as the kindly uncle on whom we were counting-- feel more like forgotten loose ends. The few good shots, such as the horse silhouette shot referred to by others, we so stilted in the way they were dropped in that it all seemed contrived. It was laughable just when it shouldn't have been.
We love old film, love film noir and suspense, and can handle pretty campy movies, but this was hard to even finish watching. Our video store staffer who recommended this lost his credibility.