movieHIT88 Reviews

Kill the Messenger (2014)

Idealism - is the truth always the most important thing?

[8/10 · 14 May 2022]

Great acting by all, particularly the central character, Gary Webb, portrayed by Jeremy Renner. This movie was about the truth and idealism. Is it always necessary, particularly as we age, to hold onto idealism? Even at the cost of everything else? I believe Gary did tell the truth, he did meet with all his "witnesses", I have to, for Gary's sake. Remember he was one person up against they most powerful government in the world, a government which had a lot to loose and threw everything at him, to discredit him. We are always told to tell the truth, but sometimes it is not our job, alone, to do so. Sometimes we will sacrifice everything in doing so. Is it then worth it? That is a decision for each one of us, alone, to make! Thought provoking movie. I wonder whether Gary would have made the same choices today, now that we live in a different world, where social media is the dominant means of learning news. Where people are famous for being famous and where stuffing up is forgiven. Enjoyed very much.

Parasite (2019)

Powerful film with a great message

[9/10 · 7 May 2022]

Whilst I loved everything about this film, the best moment for me was the son's plan at the end. Simply summed up, everyone comes to a fork in the road, you can choose the "easy" way or the hard way, every choice has trade offs, the easy way can often end up being the hard way, just ask any criminal currently sitting in jail. I liked the son's plan the best over any other plan throughout the movie, but I did not see it coming. Yes some reviews have stated it is a movie about the class divide, but it is more than that. Even the rich are trapped one way or the other, by their choices. Great casting, interesting plot.

My Daughter Must Live (2014 TV Movie)

Better than many

[7/10 · 22 November 2021]

I quite liked this film. Quite believable I think. It showed that all families and family relationships can be quite complicated, but with love we can make it work. I must have enjoyed it as I had a few tears in my eyes at the end. I would watch again.

Death of a Salesman (1951)

Brilliant play, brilliant performance by central character

[9/10 · 24 May 2020]

Fredric March, absolutely brilliant as Willy Loman. What an outstandingly written piece/play. Torturing and very sad to watch. So real, so true, how many men's working lives end this way, used up and thrown away and the devastating effect it has on his mind, his family and his friends. Men's egos are so entwined with their identity. Almost a perfect film

The Lovely Bones (2009)

Magnificient performance by central character, unforgettable film

[9/10 · 17 August 2019]

After watching the movie for the first time last night, I have been unable to get it out of my head. A good film I find always resonates. Jackson chose an excellent and unique way of portraying the story. The cast was superbly cast, could not imagine another actress playing Suzie as well as Saoirse, her portrayal captured the innocent essence of the character, which was central to the success of the film. I am sure Jackson's direction also helped. Wahlberg and Weisz perfect as the perplexed and simple living 70's parents. Sarandon was perfect as the quirky, somewhat hard but worldly and wise character of the matriarchal grandmother. Good to see Wahlberg, in this film, for a change, was not the character who road over the hill like the cavalry, saving the day. The 1973 film set was perfect. I liked the way, Tucci's characters portrayal, at the end of the day showed him as a pathetic human being and how Suzie's spirituality, determination and eventual revenge, drove the film the whole way. Loved it

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Ahead of it's time, tender take on horrors of War

[10/10 · 3 May 2018]

Can't believe it took till now for me to see this wonderful film. Although made in 1930, it has a currency which did not go unnoticed. Other films, with similar themes, have not equalled or captured so tenderly the complete waste of young minds, bodies and lives that war demands. The film stresses the falsehoods which continue to be told to trick young "adventures" into sacrificing all to the theatre of war and the pressure that is put on them if they dare resist. The film emphasises the impact on the stoic but tortured families who are waiting back home, waiting for bad news which can come at any hour or if their loved ones do come home, the families are "gifted", often, the role of lifetime carers of their damaged husbands, fathers, brothers, sons and friends and now we can add returning women to the list. AQOTWF is one of the best anti-war movies ever made and one which matches Gallipoli for its poignancy. Highly recommend.

The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)

Never too old to learn who you really are and what you stand for

[8/10 · 17 July 2017]

Lovely film, like sitting around a warm fire. So many topics covered in this interesting film, about cooking and why many of us are so passionate about it! Flavours and where they take us, when we taste them, used as a vehicle to enhance the story line of this enjoyable film. Family, Racism, love, both young and older, patriotism, competitiveness, by seeing the other person's point of view and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, opening your mind up to new things or ways of doing things and new experiences. Many times a mixture of different ways of doing something, improve the end result. What drives us, realizing, at the end of the day, what is truly important. Kindness, family and friends support. Allowing yourself to believe that people's intentions are good. Wonderful acting performances by the 4 main characters, whilst set in a dream location.

Passengers (I) (2016)

Thank god no exploding death stars - Great film

[9/10 · 10 January 2017]

Loved this film, good old fashioned love story, set in a believable outer space setting created with wonderful special effects. Best part of script for me is the way, a modern young woman, played by Jennifer Lawrence (very good in the role, stole the show) realises, just how, important connecting with your newly found soul-mate is, for at the end of the day,that is all that really matters. Like a lot of young women these days,used to being in control and having and doing things their way with no compromise, the circumstance Aurora finds herself in puts all that is important, to all of us, into clear perspective. Chris Pratt is very believable and well cast as her love interest and protector and an engineer/mechanic "good with his hands". As the film states, two people who on earth would probably have never crossed paths, but love finds them anyway. Michael Sheen rounds out the cast, as the perfect "english gentleman" bartender and the perfect foil and confidant for both Lawrence and Pratt to bounce their inner most secrets, thoughts and feelings off. With enough suspenseful moments to keep the movie flowing at a balanced pace. May I suggest forget the film critics and go see it!

Dogfight (1991)

Simple film, powerful message

[9/10 · 15 October 2016]

Perfect casting, Lili shines as the innocent, yet strong, music lover and burgeoning song writer. River is terrific also, as the young man trying to work out where he fits in, like all 18 year old's when in a confusing and confronting time. Set in arguably one of the greatest times of change during the past century, the sixties, with the sexual revolution, the Vietnam War, when radios played Bob Dylan who made everyone sit up and listen to his powerful poetry delivered in music form, particularly the sensitive ones, all the time trying to find their way in a world. Young men behaving selfishly, who had a sense, if not yet confirmed, they were being used as political fodder in a war, as it turned out, they could not win, let alone how they would be received when and if they came home, throwing the dice one last time, behaving in a cynical and fickle manner. In the middle of this heady time, innocent love is discovered, like all true love, it appears when you least expect it, but it seems to always arrive at the perfect time. Tender film, with the perfect ending and the perfect soundtrack to top it off

Courage Mountain (1990)

Beautiful scenery, simple family fair, enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours

[7/10 · 14 July 2016]

Never heard of this movie, till popped up as the midday movie today. Definitely has that Swiss alp feel, nice girl power story line, with the mandatory villain, the town's orphanage owner, played by suitable scary, Yorgo Voyagis. Leslie Caron is very good and well cast as the school mistress. Grandfather played by Jan Rubes, is very believable and portrays the perfect "Heidi" grandfather. The time setting of WWI, helps by providing the background story, helping the movie move along at a suitable pace. Juliette Caton in the lead role as "Heidi" does a good job, with Charlie Sheen, who does a good job when cast as Heidi's little bit older "boyfriend", whilst he does not have a big role, I think it would probably have been a little bit inappropriate if he had more to do in the film (as he was in his mid 20's when the film was shot) Charlie's character manages to save the day and all ends in smiles. Others have given a more in-depth dissection of the plot, but I will finish now by saying, watching "Courage Mountain" would be a good way to spend a couple of hours with the family on a wet, overcast or cold day.

All That Heaven Allows (1955)

As a empty nester and mother, this film really spoke to me

[8/10 · 19 May 2016]

I had never heard of this film until discovering and watching it a couple of days ago and I wonder why? This film I found to be so current, any mother would have experienced very similar emotions to what Cary experiences in this film, unusual subject matter, not often tackled in film. How many mothers have put their lives on hold, thinking of their children first, what would make the kids happy, whilst putting herself last. I know of couples who have bought large holiday homes at great expense, "for when the kids come to visit" and the kids don't or don't come anywhere near as often as mum and dad for that matter was expecting or hoping! You can't win, you bring your children up to be independent humans and you are devastated when they are! Grown children only want you when they want you, which was perfectly shown in this film. Cary had to experience heartbreak before she released that it was time for her to put herself and her new man first, even over her grown children's needs and selfish wants! When you get to a certain age,you are blatantly aware that time is running out and you had better decide to look after yourself and put yourself first, often for the first time since you were young, or perhaps maybe ever, before your time when you are in charge of decisions for yourself, runs out. I also loved, the casting of these not usually seen together actors. Loved the difference between the two central characters, their love should not have happened, being from different worlds, but it did and it was portrayed beautifully. A special film to me, I will recommend it to my friends and my children and look forward to watching it again.

Cast Away (2000)

This movie holds such a special place in my heart

[10/10 · 18 April 2016]

Where do I start, I have lost count of the times I have watched this beautiful film. Tom Hanks performance is perfect, but there is more, the overwhelming feeling I am left with at the end of this movie, is that you can overcome anything and what you think you may have lost may not be as good as what you are about to receive. I believe that Helen Hunt's character, came into Chuck's life so that she would simply be his guardian angel through the hell that was the desert island and its isolation, she helped him survive! After his ordeal, he had changed and she had changed, he had become almost worldly and his experience allowed him to become aware of what was really important and what wasn't. She either appeared to have become or perhaps the pure genius of this film made me feel as if she was boring or staid compared to the person Chuck had become. The angel wings on the FedX package, was such a constant throughout the story and I choose to believe that he ends up with the woman at the center of the creation of those wings. The message: people come in and out of our lives for different reasons, we may not know the reason, or we may mourn when they leave or move on, but it is all part of our journey and with a little bit of faith and luck we can all end up where we were supposed to be at journey's end. Brilliant.

Sunrise (1927)

Superb casting, a triumph

[9/10 · 19 February 2016]

Hard to say what is the best attribute of this amazing film. It captures perfectly "that intangible something" between a man and a woman when they become married and promise themselves to each other. It achieves and exemplifies in just 95 minutes the highs and lows of married life, the trust, particularly by a woman that her man will never hurt her as she is vulnerable, forgiveness, the deep love, the temptations of outside forces, the sticking together thru thick and thin, sometimes the stumbles each may make and that one thing which no one can ever take away, their history together! I think for me it is the casting,along of course with the performances by the two leads, which shines in this film. The Man is the most mannish man I have ever seen in silent film, the restraint with his makeup (unusual in silent films) along with his large frame compared to her tiny frame, simply demonstrates this, that at the end of the day, women like to be protected by their man and men like to do the protecting, that will never change, it has always been the case. Within a marriage, people often behave differently to their public persona, only each member of that couple sees the true other person. The barber shop scene was particularly lovely to watch the married couple's interaction, it shows when you are in love, the simplest of things make you happy, to see your soul mate happy, makes you happy. This film spoke to me very deeply. Perfection on screen!

The Linda McCartney Story (2000 TV Movie)

A true love story

[7/10 · 22 July 2013]

Perhaps a better title would have been Paul and Linda McCartney - A True Love Story, as I feel this TV movie set out to show the deep love Paul and Linda felt for each other and really not much else, they would have understandably needed a mini series to cover more about her and the busy life they both lived with his career re both The Beatles and Wings and her photographic career, alternative interests and what being the parents of 4 children, whom they seemed to put a lot of their efforts into, entails. Paul said that Linda was the kindest person he had ever met and I think the script got that right. Their love story moved me and on that basis I thought the TV movie was well done.