leiser18 Reviews

Complete Unknown (2016)

Utterly Stupid

[1/10 · 27 December 2022]

I like Rachel Weisz, but her talents are wasted in this boring flick. The story is not believable and begs the questions: Why even make such a film? Kathy Bates' and Danny Glover's roles are completely superfluous. It would have been better to make a real mystery out of Rachel's character (with many names) disappearance, instead of what we are presented with. Maybe the screen writer should have dwelled more on the people that Rachel's character left behind (like her parents and the boyfriend). It might have been more interesting. I watched this on Amazon Prime and was glad I didn't have to pay for it, but what a waste of time!

The French Dispatch (2021)

So Boring

[1/10 · 8 December 2021]

I can't understand the high ratings. This movie was so boring, uninteresting, stupid, annoying, and utterly ridiculous that I walked out after 30 minutes. I couldn't stand watching it any longer. The Artist/Prisoner section was beyond my comprehension. I think there's nothing funny about this movie. Wes Anderson's Grand Hotel Budapest was 50 times better than this junk. How did he sink so low? What a waste of money, even though I only paid $6.50 for the ticket.

A Hidden Life (2019)

Great Disappointment

[4/10 · 25 December 2019]

After seeing the previews, I expected more of this movie. First of all, it's too long and some of shot linger on...nice landscapes yes, but what did it contribute to the story? My biggest complaint is: It should have been done in German with English subtitles. Most of the actors were either German or Austrian so it begs the question, why wasn't the script written in German. It's a story of an Austrian. Everyone in Austria speaks German. It took away from the story, and as one other review stated, one could not truly connect to the actors. As authentically the story may have been told, I just could not find any great merit in the film.

Searching (III) (2018)

I liked it

[8/10 · 5 September 2018]

Searching is certainly worth seeing. However, if you are a native of the San Jose area like me, you will notice goofs about the locations. Barbosa Lake is fictional, too. Beside that, I thought the movie was well done and well acted. It does built up to an unpredictable ending.

Don't Breathe (2016)

Ridiculous Plot

[3/10 · 5 September 2016]

Don't Breathe is certainly no Hitchcock or even a Guillermo del Toro film. The plot is implausible and far-fetched. It started out okay, but then anyone who pays attention to details will notice its many flaws and goofs. Several of them have already been listed in the IMDb, but the biggest flaw, I think, is about the dog. When the trio first comes to the house, the dog is chained. They drug the dog and he slumbers in his dog house. Later, all of the sudden the dog is in the house. How did he get rid of the chain and how did he get into the house? No doggy door, bars on the window, etc. Towards the end of the movie, when the girl traps the dog in her car and tries to escape, the blind guy catches her and drags her by the hair back to the house. He leaves his dog behind in the car? Obviously, the dog must have been barking. And when the girl finally does escape, there's no mentioning of the car or the dog. The other plot twist I had a problem with is that the blind guy kidnaps the woman that supposedly killed his daughter in a car accident, impregnates her and thus wanting to replace his dead child. It's ludicrous to think that a blind man could take of an infant. Even if the woman could have carried the child to term, how was she going to give birth with a blind man as a midwife, in a cellar? The only explanation for this part of the movie is that the blind guy was deranged. Oh, and yes, even though he was hit with a sledge hammer, he was hardly injured. I don't understand the big hype about this so-called thriller. To me it's a bunch of crap. If you want to waste your time and money, go see it and judge for yourself. You'd be better of watching a real thriller by Guillermo del Toro or one from the master himself, Alfred Hitchcock.

Meet the Patels (2014)

Not so funny, but rather boring

[3/10 · 16 August 2015]

I saw this film at my local film club. I didn't like it very much and found it rather boring and not that funny. The story is not that interesting. A 30-something Indian-American is trying to find a wife at the insistence of his parents. Ravi, who plays himself, had a "white" girl-friend, but they broke up. Later on, they get back together and the parents accept her. In between though, we see a lot of footage of on-line dating, going to Indian weddings in India, and other attempts to find a suitable woman to marry, and endless conversation between Ravi and his parents (that's where the boring part comes in). The camera work was terrible, obviously done with hand-held cameras. What I also found annoying that there were inserts of animation of the characters involved. Either make an animation movie or a regular one... the combination didn't work for me. All in all, I think this movie may speak to some people, but it did not to me. To me it was a waste of time.

Whiplash (2014)

Most terrible movie I have seen in years...

[1/10 · 26 February 2015]

I can't believe that people rate this movie so highly and I can't believe that this crap was nominated as Best Picture of the Year. All I can say is that I am so glad it didn't win. I'm not even sure I am glad that J.K. Simmons won an Oscar. This movie is bad from beginning to end and totally unbelievable. I'm not a musician and I don't even like Jazz, but I'm sure no music school would employ or tolerate a teacher like Fletcher. People would report him much sooner than it is portrayed in the movie. There are other scenes that discredit this film. For instance, when Andrew, the student, has the auto accident, he walks away from it with hardly any injury (although the car overturned) and makes it just in time to the music hall for the concert. Yeah, give me a break! Fletcher is a sadistic prick, but we are supposed to believe he is moved to tears when he talks about a former student who killed himself? Total nonsense! What really irritated me is that the Fletcher character is so surreal and disgusting, and that Andrew, the student, is so obsessed. Any normal person would have quit or at least reported the teacher, but no, we have to endure this "drama" until the "glorious" end. I found the solo so boring, I couldn't wait to get out of the theater. I only went to see this horrible film because it was nominated as best picture. I praise all the brave people who wrote a bad review... this movie deserves it.

That Most Important Thing: Love (1975)

Worst French Movie Ever Made

[1/10 · 8 January 2012]

I just bought the DVD of this film and will never cease regretting it. This is the most awful Romy Schneider film I have seen, and I have seen most of her movies, including the ones filmed in Germany (Sissi, etc.).

The 70's produced the weirdest films and I probably should have known better: if Klaus Kinski was in it, it cannot be good. But I love Romy Schneider and so I went for it.

I will probably never see this movie again because I couldn't sit through this pretentious crap twice. I cannot understand how anyone could like this film. I didn't even like Romy in it, and that says a lot, given that she's one of my favorite actresses.

If one reads the description of the movie plot, one is deceived as the story is not as simply told as described. I wish I could get my money back, but I bought the DVD from Amazon.de (Germany) - too much hassle to return it. I'll just throw in the trash instead and good riddance.

Contagion (2011)

I was not thrilled

[6/10 · 14 September 2011]

I really didn't like this movie that much. It was promising in the beginning, but it was a let-down in the end. I didn't care much for the sub-plots either.

For instance, Kate Winslet's character, we don't know whether she lives or dies. What happened to Gwyneth Paltrow's lover in Chicago, was he infected by her? In my opinion, this should have been explored more.

One big blunder was made with the population numbers: San Francisco, CA, does not have a population of 3.5 million! There are not even a million people living in that city.

I did like the acting and basically, the movie is not totally bad, but it could have been a lot better.

The end - DAY 1 - yeah, blame it on the animals. That was my biggest dislike. So much for a thriller that isn't one...

The Help (2011)

Definitely Oscar Material

[10/10 · 28 July 2011]

I can only echo the other reviews already written about this outstanding movie.

The performances are incredible, especially Viola Davis, who shines in her role.

Credit also goes to Tate Taylor, who wrote the screenplay and directed this wonderful film.

The story is poignant, but also funny, and describes the racism that took place in the South during the Sixties.

I can only highly recommend THE HELP.

DO NOT miss this movie. It's one of the best of 2011, if not THE best.

Meek's Cutoff (2010)

Meek

[6/10 · 19 May 2011]

Meek's Cutoff is a weak movie. We are forced to watch the daily monotonous routine of three families lost on the way to Oregon. Their seemingly incompetent leader Steven Meek (played by the unrecognizable Bruce Greenwood) assures them that they will reach their goal shortly and that they will find water... neither promise is being kept. Along the way they encounter a lone Native American, who is despised by Meek since, as he claims, knows "what they are capable of". Since the Indian's native language is not translated via subtitles, the movie viewer is in the same boat at the characters in the movie: We don't know what he is saying. We don't know whether he understands what the Americans are saying.

While Meek is still on the "warpath" and wants to get rid of the Indian, one of the wives, Emily Tetherow, played by Michelle Williams, has been showing some compassion and protects him from Meek. This is about the only scene in the movie that stirred some emotion in me. The rest did not impress me at all and I certainly didn't like the ending... "let the audience decide". In my opinion, this is the weakest part of the movie and I hate endings that are loose ends.

Of the other characters, Solomon Tetherow, played by Will Patton, seemed the most likable next to his wife (Michelle Williams). However, I did get a sense of their hardship and desperation, but didn't feel much sympathy for their plight. All in all, the movie is not as poetic as the critics make it out to be, nor is it a masterpiece. This is definitely not a Must-See movie...

Heartbeats (2010)

Boring, boring, boring

[1/10 · 4 April 2011]

What an awful film! The worst I have seen in many moons. It's not worth writing any details about this trash. Xavier Dolan fancies himself as a filmmaker? Ha, ha! The guy bites his fingernails! Did anyone else notice that in the close-ups?

The story itself was not bad and could have been told in a much more interesting way. The testimonies about relationships we hear from people who have nothing to do with the main characters, are tossed at us in between scenes and only distract and do not enhance the film.

Les amours imaginaires? I imagine Dolan doesn't know much about l'amour...

Unknown (I) (2011)

What a non-thriller !!!

[3/10 · 22 February 2011]

I have read most of the reviews and agree with all the ones that rate this to be a bad movie. The plot, which has been described numerous times by reviewers, is full of holes and too unbelievable to make a good thriller out of it. My biggest pet-peeve with this film, however, is that the director/writer (and whoever else) did not consider that there are people who actually know Berlin very well. To have the taxi driver (played by Diane Kruger) pick up Neeson's character from the Adlon Hotel, which is in the center of Berlin (near the Brandenburg Gate) and drive southeast to the Oberbaum-Bridge to get to Tegel Airport (which is in the NORTHWEST - totally opposite direction), is utterly ridiculous. I guess they needed a river for the accident scene, and there are no rivers near Tegel Airport. The Oberbaum-Bridge is spectacular and the Spree river is perfect for the scene. The other big blunder is the address of Bruno Ganz' character who lives on Liebenstrasse Allee. What a joke! Anyone who speaks German (like me) knows it's either Liebenstrasse or Lieben Allee (both of which are fictitious). It's like saying John Smith lives on Broadway Street Boulevard (duh!). This movie is full of cheap thrills, like car chases and fights where the bad guys must lose. All these actors are wasted in this movie. I had high expectations for this film because the trailer looked really good. Nothing good about this Hollywood crap...

Nürnberg und seine Lehre (1948)

Most important trial ever

[9/10 · 26 January 2011]

"Nürnberg und seine Lehre" - the original title of this documentary - is very compelling and well put together. Aside from the importance of its contents, I must say that I was distracted by the poor quality of the film. I was under the impression that it had been restored, but it didn't seem like it. Most of the time, the heads of people were cut off and the poor pronunciation of German names by Liev Schreiber, the narrator, didn't help either. They should have picked someone more apt to pronounce some of the more difficult names like Joachim von Ribbentrop or Hjalmar Schacht.

However, the film is a crucial documentary as it gives inside to the key people of the so-called Third Reich and its demise. Germans who blindly followed Hitler find out at the end that they were lied to and betrayed by their Führer who broke all promises he ever made to them. Even though I don't have any sympathy for any of the Hitler followers, I was surprised by such statements. The film shows not only the crimes committed against 6 million Jews, but also the cruelties inflicted upon the Germans who were mentally ill or handicapped. They were deemed "useless eaters". It also shows the destruction WWII had brought to Europe. It's a painful reminder that dictators and war have no place in a free world.

Where I Stand: The Hank Greenspun Story (2008)

A righteous man

[10/10 · 25 October 2010]

"Where I stand - The Hank Greenspun Story" is an amazing documentary about a man that hardly anybody knows about. Even the writer/director Scott Goldstein admitted that he had never heard of Hank before he started the research for his movie. I saw this film at the Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival with Mr. Goldstein present. Everyone in the audience was mesmerized. It's an incredible story of an incredible man who fought for justice all his life. Hank Greenspun has done more for this country than anyone can imagine. It is an absolute MUST-SEE movie, an eye opener to say the least. I hope this film will get distribution, since (as Scott Goldstein explained) it has only been shown at film festivals. If you have the chance to see it, don't miss it!!!

Flipped (I) (2010)

One of Rob Reiner's Best

[10/10 · 14 September 2010]

"Flipped" is superbly directed by Rob Reiner and in my book, one of his best movies. It's a wonderfully told coming-of-age story, which I could relate to in many ways. The main two characters, Juli and Bryce, are very likable. Their parents, played by Penelope Ann Miller and Aidan Quinn, Rebecca de Mornay and Anthony Edwards, respectively, are believable in their roles, which they play excellently. I liked the fact that the story is told from two points of views, Bryce first and then Juli. If you want to see a really feel-good movie, instead of watching some dumb comedy or shoot 'em up flick, go see FLIPPED! You will not regret it.

Mao's Last Dancer (2009)

Brilliant and Classic

[10/10 · 31 August 2010]

Mao's Last Dancer is a brilliantly made movie, thanks to the flawless direction of Bruce Beresford. I had not even heard of this film until I saw a local ad for it. I also didn't know about the book. I watched this movie with eyes wide open! The dancing blew me away, and yes, I have to admit, I cried several times. The story of Li Cunxin is amazing. He is played magnificently by Chi Cao (as an adult), who, I understand, is a well known Chinese dancer in his own right. Bruce Greenwood, which I like very much, plays the role of the Houston Ballet Director with absolute perfection. Several reviews have included the plot of the film, so I'm not going to get into here. I only want to stress to everyone who has not seen this movie, don't miss it!!! And bring a box of hankies...

Alamar (2009)

To the bottom of the sea ...

[1/10 · 10 August 2010]

I apologize should I offend anyone with my opinion, but I saw this movie with a friend who is a native Mexican. We both were bored stiff! We both kept waiting from something to happen, but nothing did. There's no plot and no real story. A boy spends some time with his father fishing before he has to leave with his mother for her native Italy since the parents are divorced. The grandfather joins them and one sees endless scenes of the men/boy fishing and cleaning fish. What's so great about looking at dead fish? The best part of the film was the bird (egret?), which becomes somewhat of a pet for a short time. Maybe because I am a woman I don't get the "male bonding thing" that seems to be a thread throughout the movie. I'm glad the movie was only 73 minutes long. I had a hard time keeping awake already.

Date Night (2010)

Unrealistic at best

[5/10 · 19 April 2010]

If you haven't seen this movie, don't read this review! Date Night could have been very funny if the story would have been more realistic. Although the film has its funny moments, the plot is mostly unbelievable and stupid. There are some real flaws in this film: 1. The bad guys take Steve Carell's character's wallet. How is the couple getting around without any money? Tina Fey's character doesn't even carry a purse. A real woman doesn't go anywhere without a purse! 2. The couple is trying to escape the goons that are trying to kill them and their clothes get all messed up by falling down and climbing over a wall. In the next scene they both looked perfectly well groomed and clean. How did they manage that? 3. In the last scenes when the bad guys are being caught, Steve Carell's character has miraculously attached a wire and recording device to his body. When exactly did he set that up with the police without his wife knowing about it? They were never apart for a moment. Also, the scenes with the interlocked cars chasing through Manhattan are simply ridiculous. If anyone finds that funny, they must be 12 years old! I would have called the movie Much Ado About Nothing, but that would be an insult to Mr. Shakespeare.

Formosa Betrayed (2009)

Incredibly well done movie

[10/10 · 9 March 2010]

When I saw a small advertising in my local paper for this movie, I had no idea what it was about. I thought it might be a documentary on Formosa before it became Taiwan. How wrong I was! I was totally blown away by its contents, the actors, and the cinematography. I had little knowledge of Taiwan's history prior to seeing this film. It was a real eye opener. I also didn't recognize most of the actors, except for John Heard. James Van Der Beek did an excellent job as the FBI agent Jake Kelly. I am really surprised that the film was shown in San Jose (CA) at all because it seems most viewers have seen 'Formosa Betrayed' at film festivals. This movie should get a wider distribution since, in my opinion, it is very important to let everyone know what happened. An absolute MUST-SEE!

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Ingenious

[10/10 · 23 August 2009]

I am not a Tarantino fan. As a matter of fact, I hated Pulp Fiction and I haven't seen any of his other movies until now. Watching this film could possible change my mind about Quentin. Inglorious Basterds was superbly written and acted. It's a fantasy and action flick all rolled into one incredibly well done film. The fact that the Nazi elite, including Hitler, didn't really die in the fiery blast, makes me wish that the movie version were true. What imagination! I loved the fact that the actors spoke their own languages, which made it more real. Christoph Waltz's performance deserves an Oscar! And Bratt Pitt was fantastic, southern drawl and all, y'all! This is a movie worth seeing more than once. Ten Points!

The Cove (2009)

Disturbing and eye-opening

[10/10 · 12 August 2009]

Enough has been said about this excellent documentary, but I wanted to comment on the negative responses, some of which are posted here and which also can be read on the message board. If you have not seen this movie, DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION to the moronic comments, view this film and judge for yourself. If you are an intelligent, caring person, concerned about the environment and the animals, you must see this documentary. The film was made with great risks involved and all who took part in making it have to be commended for their courage and desire to show the truth. I saw the film several days ago and I cannot get it out of my head. It is the most disturbing film I have seen since "The Witness" (not to be confused with the one starring Harrison Ford). When I saw the movie, the theatre was practically empty, and that was disappointing because people should be made aware of the horrors documented in this film.

Les murs porteurs (2007)

Cycles of Life

[10/10 · 4 August 2009]

I loved this film! It was recently shown at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. One of the main characters, Judith (played by Miou Miou), is a Parisian divorcée whose mother is slipping into a world of memories. Judith is facing middle age, her brother Simon (played by Charles Berling) prefers not to face anything. Frida, their mother (played by Shulamit Adar), a Holocaust survivor, increasingly confuses the present with a past they have no access to. Frida repeatedly visits their previous home, looking for her husband who's passed away some time ago. The family is renting the old apartment and Simon meets the current tenant (a thirty-something successful business woman) when he picks up his mother from one of her excursions. A relationship between the two develops. Simon, who's also divorced, grapples with fatherhood and tries to connect with his teenage daughter, who lives with her mother. Judith is also dealing with her teenage son who recently moved into his own studio apartment. As Frida's dementia progresses Judith and Simon have to make crucial decisions. What I liked most about this film is the happy ending. Even though Frida, the mother, is lost in her world of yesteryear, the rest of the family starts a new cycle of life. 10 out 10! If this movie gets released into theatres, don't miss it! It's engrossing, poignant, and brilliantly directed.

The Stoning of Soraya M. (2008)

Disturbing and realistic

[10/10 · 5 July 2009]

THE STONING OF SORAYA M. is a very disturbing film and certainly not for the squeamish. As the story developed, I kept hoping we wouldn't actually seeing the stoning. But that is exactly what makes this movie so powerful. It is gut-wrenching and poignant. To think that this barbaric practice is still going on makes my stomach turn. This film gives us an inside to the powerlessness of women in some Islamnic countries and the injustice they suffer. Kudos to the actors and actresses as well as to the director for making this incredible film. It is not a movie you will easily forget. Its images will stay will you for a long time.

$9.99 (2008)

Not even worth 99 cent

[2/10 · 3 July 2009]

I do not recommend this film!!! "$9.99" was promoted as this interesting animated flick everyone should see. I did see it, at least half of it. I got so bored that I walked out of the movie theatre. It was shown in connection with the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. I'm glad they didn't include this film in the actual festival which starts on July 23, 2009. First of all, there's nothing Jewish about this movie. The director may be, but that is neither here nor there. I hated the clay animation. The characters looked hideous. Even if the animation had been better, I still wouldn't have been able to get into the characters. The story is mediocre, at best; the guardian angel part was not well thought out, and who were those three little guys supposed to be? Maybe it would have been better to make this into an actual feature film, with a better script, of course. Since I left, I don't know how the movie ends, and frankly my dear, I don't give a damn...