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Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Worst Best Picture Winner Ever
The Oscars have really low standards these days... this movie had the feel of a made-for TV movie. Awful costumes and makeup, terrible British accents and a very generic plot line copied from the Ray/Walk The Line formula. Easily the worst best picture winner I've ever seen.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
The Prequels Continued...
Great idea and concept, but honestly, this was terribly executed. It's as if someone decided that a continuation of Star Wars in the style and direction of the prequels was the best strategy for success.
To start with, the acting was really bad. Even Ewan McGregor, who is in my opinion a great actor, came off as amateurish. The Third Inquisitor Reva is painful to watch. Her acting is very forced and seems like an over-the-top antagonist from a kid's show. Young Princess Leia is really annoying, but this more due to the terrible dialogue she's forced to repeat.
The production quality, from top to bottom is very bad. Sets and settings look very fake, as they did in the prequels. The musical score doesn't quite align with the scenes, nor does it feel like Star Wars music. The costume designs are very childish, as are the movements of those in the costumes.
I can only presume that Disney has taken to making Star Wars more child-friendly, rather than trying to align with expectations of true Star Wars fans.
Top Boy (2011)
Say Less Fam
This show has everything a 10 star show needs:
- Authentic acting performances
- Terrific writing
- Likable characters
- British accents
- Great directing.
- and of course, and abundance of the best British slang... wag-wan.
Dune (2021)
Very Good
Let me just start by saying that I have not read any of the books. Having said that, there's very little in this movie not to like: An all-star cast, a loud Han Zimmer score, outer space, evil villains and the fate of the galaxy in the hands of the one chosen savior.
This is definitely a movie for the big screen. Don't watch this on HBO Max... This movie just a fun movie to watch. However, because it is Part I of a larger story, this movie will definitely leave you wanting. Enjoy!
The King (2019)
Very Good
An easily overlooked gem from 2019. Terrific script and well acted. Nicholas Britell's musical composition is probably his best and really sets the tone for the movie. This movie is definitely a slow burner, but the real magic of this movie lies within the subtle details and the dialogue. And without spoiling anything, the moral of this story is a powerful one in the world of king-making politics.
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
Masterpiece
I had no expectations going into this movie, having no prior knowledge of the actors or director. Man was I impressed. This movie is truly beautiful.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Very Good
I went into this movie less excited about it being a Blade Runner sequel and more excited to see director Denis Villanueve's talent. I truthfully didn't enjoy the original Blade Runner. Gave it two shots and it never impressed me. However, the sequel impresses quite a bit. Terrific musical score, Gosling and Ford are great, and the pacing of the movie was just right to me. Yes it's long, but I wasn't bored at all during this movie. In fact, I've seen it now several times, and enjoy a little
More each time. Give this one a shot!
Love and Monsters (2020)
Satisfactory
I give this movie a 6, "Satisfactory." Nothing special about it. Enjoyable characters, enjoyable dialogue and story. However, this definitely felt like a streaming app movie. Bad special effects and very predictable plot. On the other hand, this is clearly a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's a good movie to pass the time.
Stowaway (2021)
Huh...
This movie was bad from the get go, but it got unimaginably worse the moment it ended. How or why did the stowaway end up in the ship? Don't worry about it. Did they end up making it safely? Ah, don't worry about that either. Netflix's quantity over quality formula for movies is taking the already Marvel saturated industry and taking it to new heights of mediocrity.
The Little Things (2021)
Eh
A true 90's throw back in setting and style. I enjoyed this one to an extent, but either Rami Malek's acting or his character development was forced and not genuine. Denzel was of course great and so was Leto, but both of their characters were in my opinion a bit over the top.
Mank (2020)
Mank
A masterfully crafted script and direction. This was another terrific Fincher movie, but one that will likely be met with mixed reviews by fans of the director. This is really unlike any movie Fincher has done before. Its slower for sure, but not in a negative way. Careful attention must be paid to the dialogue if you want to leave this movie with any understanding of what is going on. More importantly, and to the films detriment, one must at least have some basic historical knowledge of who the many figures in this film were in order for this film to appear to have any purpose. Regardless, I thought this movie was "Excellent," hence the 9/10.
Also, you should probably, definitely, maybe watch Citizen Kane prior to viewing this film, since the protagonist is the famous film's writer and understanding that film's plot will give you a better appreciation for why Mank is a great story.
Demolition Man (1993)
The one liners just keep coming
This is up there with some of the best awful movies ever made.
Waco (2018)
Missed opportunity
Great acting and cinematography. All star cast and good pacing. Although I enjoyed the series, I couldn't help be disappointed by how wildly inaccurate many aspects of the storyline were. Some aspects were right on the money, but overall, I left with the impression that I am to despise the federal government and revere David Koresh... the show lightly touched on some of his flaws, but really missed the mark. A little too much romanticism of their cause going on. However, the program did do a good job illustrating the dividions that began to grow within the FBI throughout the 90's.
Okja (2017)
Eh
Not a bad movie, but not a good movie either. Some of the characters are downright awful. I usually enjoy Jake Gyllenhaal, but he was painful to watch. The acting is intentionally over the top, but it works for some characters and not for others. Most character quirks and oddities are just random and serve no purpose to the overall story. On the other hand, the main girl and Okja were a cute match and I enjoyed watching them together. Unfortunately, this movie just didn't do it for me.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
7.5?
I am shocked by the high rating for this movie. I consider a 7 to be "good" and an 8 as "very good." This movie was neither. This movie, like the other two prequels, is a failure. The dialogue is painful and the acting is abysmal. Above all, the excessive CGI special effects are so bad, they distract from the movie rather than add to it. I give this movie a 4, aka "a failure."
The Master (2012)
The only "1" I've ever given.
This movie was just awful. This movie had absolutely no point.
The Big Bang Theory (2007)
The Worst
I cringe every time I see a commercial for this show. The punchlines are never funny and feel so obviously forced. Nothing about this show and it's awful dialogue is enjoyable.
First Man (2018)
Excellent & Beautiful
Chazelle beautifully takes viewers on an emotional and disorienting journey through the most formidable years of Armstrong's life and the risks these pioneers of space exploration took. If you're looking for an Apollo 13 or Right Stuff experience solely focused on the endevours of NASA and the American triumph in the Cold War space race, you may be disappointed by First Man. This is not a movie about Apollo 11. While Apollo 11 and the journey to the moon are the primary focus of Neil Armstrong's experience in First Man, this movie is instead exactly what Chazelle promises in the choice for the film's title; A biopic on the First Man.
In First Man, we get a glimpse inside the soul and character of Neil Armstrong. Gosling truly nailed it. His portrayal of Armstrong's calm coolness in the face of extreme danger, his quiet and inwardly shy demeanor, and his contemplative stares. Gosling really shines when we see Armstrong's stunted, yet deeply personal emotions, even to the point of appearing cold to the ones closest to him.
The real heart of the movie appears during Armstrong's flight missions on Gemini 8 and Apollo 11. Chazelle does a great job showing the audience how rickety the earliest flying machines were and how limited the astronaut's visual field was. The sounds and shrieks had me on the edge of my seat. The limited space in the space shuttles is claustrophobic and the appearance of the moon as the Apollo 11 space shuttle approaches its surface is as eerie as the actual nasa footage.
This movie was definitely a must see. I've never seen a movie that more accurately depicts the beauty and creepiness the astronauts of the early space shuttle have described.
Dante's Peak (1997)
Yes!
This is essentially the same plot as Jaws, but with a volcano standing in for the shark. Stupid town officials don't listen to the warnings of a scientist and boy will they regret it!
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
A Masterpiece!
Nocturnal Animals is an absolute masterpiece! Panned by the Oscars and most critics, this is one of those rare movies that given time, will eventually be recognized for its brilliance. This was, in my opinion, the best movie of 2016.
Director Tom Ford shows just how talented and gifted a story teller he is with this film. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon give stellar performances. Amy Adams is devilish and Aaron Taylor Johnson gives the best performance of his career to date. The cinematography is beautiful and the musical score is breathtaking... with a Bernard Herman, Hitchcockian feel and sound. If you haven't seen this film yet, get on it! It might take you a few days to process it all and fully grasp the underlying theme. If this film hits you the way it hit me, it will be on your mind for days.
Black Mirror: San Junipero (2016)
Wow
Absolutely beautiful! By far the best Black Mirror episode for its ability to capture the complexities of love and technology.
Prisoners (2013)
Terrific!
This was the first Denis Villeneuve movie I ever saw and I'm hooked! He's my new favorite director out there. Soon after I watched Incendies, Sicario, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, each one further proving how incredibly talented this director is. Prisoners is haunting, dark and addicting. Well acted and refreshingly original, I could watch this movie over and over and never get bored.
Whiplash (2014)
Amazing! An instant classic!
Not knowing anything about Damien Chazelle prior to seeing this when it came out allowed me to have very little expectations going into it. Boy was I impressed. After La La Land, it's clear Chazelle is one of the best new directors out there. It's hard to imagine that a movie about a competitive Jazz school could be as suspenseful as this. Teller is terrific and clearly a skilled drummer in his own right. J.K. Simmons' performance is one of the most deserved Academy Award winning performances in a decade. I still remember both my brother and I letting out a deep breathe after one particularly tense scene between Simmons and Teller. If you have not seen this Jazz masterpiece, add it to your WatchList ASAP!
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
"The war movie to end all war movies"
The sheer gore and brutality of war was made more real to me by this one movie. I was only in eighth grade at the time, yet I made 5 consecutive solo trips down to the local theater to see this film again and again. I was truly mesmerized by the cinematic beauty and the realistic portrayal of comradery among the main characters of the plot. This truly is one of the greatest movies of all time. To quote the WWII historian Steven Ambrose, Saving Private Ryan is "The war movie to end all war movies."