Change Your Image
cyclops-69-588292
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Il commissario Montalbano (1999)
The star is Sicily
Detective Montalbano is a beautifully acted, produced, filmed and a loving portrait of beautiful Sicily. I never tire of the opening credits going over several Sicilian towns like Ragusa, etc. The pace of the life of Italians, the time spent on dialog and interactions of the people, the humor and honesty in the discussions is so life-affirming. Sometimes there are convaluted story-lines that I admit I get a little lost in, but doesn't dampen the thrill of a new episode.
My husband, who speaks Italian loves it because he gets some of the nuances of the language that I cannot in subtitles and tries to share the ones he can explain in English.
Yes, the young women are all cleavage usually, the men fully clothed, usually; but I can't tell someone how to write their screenplay! I cannot! It is lovely to watch and I think once truly hooked, like many of us, you won't be disappointed in the long run.
Can't Stand Losing You (2012)
not enough for me
I watched this documentary in 2019. I didn't even know who the Police were in the late 70s when my friend took me to a concert in NYC at a relatively small theater. It was some show. The entire band was magnetic and I became an immediate fan. This film doesn't capture much of that wonder and excitement. I tried to watch as much as I could without becoming annoyed with the voice of this sad sack Andy. Sheesh does his limo have to be so huge? I assume he's not hurting for money but he seems to want to get even for something. I agree with the reviews that point out he was not particularly charismatic in later years and that in the early days he was a bit of a snarky goof (at least most of the scenes he chose to share showed him as one.)
He does comment on Sting's looks more than once, but honestly all the band members were "cute" if that's important now. There's an underlying bitterness to the whole thing; but Andy wouldn't get to make a film like this if they hadn't become famous. He wouldn't have the photos (which I thought most of those shown in the early days were great...later years...not so much) and he wouldn't have much to grouse about. I would still watch it, I guess, if you're a fan. But there are no great long concert scenes where they and the audience really connect. Probably due to music rights NOT shared with Andy.
Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Great film with a real story to tell
I would have given this fantastic and memorable film a 10 if it hadn't been for the intrusive and overly loud sound track. Several of us watching the film commented on this as it was happening. It's not that some don't like opera...it was overused. The other styles of music used were not integral to the film. The sing-songy voices in the beginning of the film went on too long and became grating. They would reappear throughout the film for no reason.
This film did great and so who's going to listen to me, but I would remake just the music soundtrack to this and it would make a huge difference in the film. The actors carried it for us...we don't need so much music and so loud that you can't hear some of the dialog...even if that was the weird intent of the director. Music is important but I didn't want to watch a film where the music director takes over.