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Reviews
The Holly and the Ivy (1952)
Very watchable actors
The acting was excellent, and held my interest. However, the plot is thin and strains credulity at times. For example, the father, who is a parson, is supposed to be in decline cognitively, so needs a family member to be with him at home at all times. However, he seems to be really quite sharp-witted, and not really in need of care. He could easily make do with a housekeeper, not a full-time caretaker.
And there's a rather far-fetched story about one of the daughters, which I won't reveal here, but it just doesn't seem plausible that on one Christmas Eve, the whole story is revealed, when it's been successfully kept secret for 5+ years.
So I reluctantly give it only a few stars. I wish it could be redone, with a more fleshed-out story.
The Light Between Oceans (2016)
Sad but worthwhile movie
I thought this was an excellent movie, though it was too sad to describe it as "enjoyable". In my opinion, the struggle within each character to do what is right in contrast to do what would meet his/her emotional needs was well depicted. This was one of the saddest movies I've seen in a long while, and I think it was because it was a microcosm of real life, in which so much seems to go awry. Life is complicated, and this film exemplified that.
Menú degustació (2013)
Not really a Spanish movie - spoiler alert
It was watchable, but much of the time, the characters spoke English rather than Spanish, and the ending credits revealed that it was photographed in IRELAND. That was a disappointment, as I have been to various parts of Spain and they are lovely; not sure why the characters mentioned being on "The Costa Brava" if they were not there.
Anyway, apart from that, it was nicely photographed, with beautiful actors, but kind of a flimsy plot. The reasons for the owner(s?) closing the place are never explained, and I would have been interested to learn more about the chef - what inspired her cooking style, how did she become interested in becoming a chef, what was her training like, etc.? Instead, there is a lot of focus on a separated couple who end up getting back together, with little explanation of their marital woes nor why they reunite. There is a very handsome boyfriend, whose motives are equally mysterious. And there is a patron who keeps using his cell phone, who is suspected of being a restaurant critic. It's unclear why anyone cares, because if the restaurant is closing anyway, what harm could possibly be done by a write-up? Would have preferred more "meat" in this movie.
The Gambler (2014)
not worth the time...
Like many of the previous reviewers, I greatly enjoyed Lange and Goodman in this movie. The rest of it was, in my opinion, tired and unimaginative. It was actually painful to watch at times, with no payoff.
Using worn-out, negative stereotypes of Black and Asian people, for a film made in 2014, was really disappointing. With the talented cast, a much more entertaining film could have been made.
*Spoiler* (of sorts) Did anyone else notice, in the end, the girlfriend (shown from the back, with her blonde hair catching the light) looked very much like the mother? Perhaps it was unintentional, but it was amusingly Freudian to my eyes.
Maps to the Stars (2014)
A waste of time
This movie started out entertainingly enough, showing various characters behaving badly and having visual hallucinations. However, once the dog was shot, I just wanted to walk out of the movie. Only the fact that a friend had recommended it kept me in the theater -- I thought perhaps it would improve as it went on. There were several flaws in the plot, too, in my opinion.*Spoiler alert* First of all, people who are closely related and procreate do not have schizophrenic children, they have developmentally delayed (formerly called "retarded") children. Secondly, schizophrenics most often have auditory hallucinations rather than visual ones. (they hear voices, in other words). So the premise of the movie, in my view, is off base. There was just too much violence to offset the mildly humorous take on Hollywood mores.
Quartet (1981)
Unconvincing story
This movie was beautifully filmed, like all Merchant-Ivory productions, but was difficult to watch. The affair between Adjani's character and Bates' character was completely unbelievable. He was such a creep it was just stomach-turning when Adjani succumbs to his pressure to have sex with him. There was no discernible reason for her to fall in love with him, so it was hard to have sympathy for her character at all. Maggie Smith played her part very well, and was convincing, but again, not sympathetic. Alan Bates was just repugnant. The only sympathetic character was the Polish husband, who was in jail for most of the movie. Another puzzling thing about the movie is that, according to one of the reviewers on this page, there was some suspicion that the husband and Adjani were Bolshevists. While watching the movie, though, it seemed more likely that he was jailed for selling stolen property (the sword, which we saw early in the movie).
Hope Springs (2012)
Generally enjoyable movie
*Spoiler alert* (for people who haven't seen the movie, there is a bit of suspense as to whether the husband will even go to the marriage counselor at all)
First of all, I enjoyed the fact that the therapist was genuinely helpful, not weird or portrayed comically the way therapists frequently are in movies or on T.V. There were a couple of glitches, though; one was that Dr. Feld, who practiced in Maine, promised to hook up the couple with another marriage counselor in Omaha, but it is generally not likely that a therapist practicing in one location would even know of therapists in another location, let alone be able to knowledgeably refer to an "excellent" therapist as the character in this movie promised to do. Secondly, the couple, who reportedly met while in college (at age 22 or so) and who had been married 31 years, should have been about 53 maximum, but each seemed about 70 years old. (I'm basing that partly on their attitudes about and lack of knowledge about sex, as well as their appearance). Apart from those details, the movie was enjoyable and seemed realistic to me. Tommie Lee Jones portrayed a very typical older male, who doesn't want to "rock the boat" in his marriage.
Lulu und Jimi (2009)
There was ONE good scene in this movie...
...when Jimi points out that the War (WWII) was fought to make everybody free from racism/xenophobia and made a guy apologize for a racist comment he made to Lulu.
The acting was good, and both protagonists were attractive and fairly believable in their roles. I liked the controlling mother, though showing the father's self-castration was a bit over-the-top.
In general, I agree with the first poster that this movie was weird, and I was actually nauseous from the gunfire, blood, fight scenes, and views of hypodermic needles by the end of the movie.
Also, as an American, I was hoping to see a German movie, and there was all this English dialogue, American music, and American cars in the movie, which spoiled the experience for me.
The Oh in Ohio (2006)
disappointing (warning: contains spoiler)
I waited for the DVD to rent it, and am glad I did! The storyline was interesting but there were too many holes in the plot.
For example, why did this couple stay married for ten years without going to a couples therapist? Then, once Priscilla was able to experience orgasm with the vibrator, why didn't she try having sex with her husband again? Also, why didn't the husband ever have any regrets about his affair? Why didn't he get into trouble for having an affair with his student? And so on....
Anyway, the most difficult part to believe was that Parker Posey would EVER end up with Danny DeVito!!! Yeeessshhh! If the studio HAD to have her fooling around with an older man, why didn't they use one of the Quaids? Or Robin Williams? Or someone attractive? Danny wasn't even convincing as the pool salesman, in fact!!