johnnybiscotti Reviews

Between Two Dawns (2021)

Excellent drama. Very real and gut-wrenching.

[9/10 · 25 August 2022]

Slow moving but captivating at every moment. This is not a flashy movie, or a story that has some unrealistic twists to make it into a drama. I found myself glued to it. Both the direction and the acting were excellent.

The Turkish dialog is very natural and real speech, unlike some "film" dialog from Turkish movies that don't feel true. In this movie, people speak as real Turks speak in daily life.

The ordinary and mundane things happening in the lives of these people become intensely stressful moments as events unfold and situations get more complicated.

I hope this movie will find a large audience both within and outside of Turkey, I would love to see what comes next from this director. I also hope that for non-Turkophones there are good subtitles that convey the tone of the original dialog.

Chad (2021–2024)

It's funny, why the hate?

[9/10 · 26 April 2021]

Just watched the first two episodes and this is hilarious. Yes it is cringe comedy, and it's good at it. All the 1 star ratings must be people who have no sense of humor, or there is an attack campaign on this show. It's funnier than most comedies that are made for TV these days.

Blush (2019)

Brutally funny

[7/10 · 12 June 2020]

This was uncomfortably funny at so many moments when you could see each character wrestle with their fears and insecurities. The way the middle age adults assess what they have done with their lives. The way the teenaged girl feels so alone and isolated from her parents, even as they try harder to keep their desperate grasp on her. The actual storyline is a bit cooky, but in the end this was about what we have and what we yearn for. This is heavy stuff, wrapped in a thin but tough layer of comedy.

Snatched (2017)

Amy is funny, this movie is funny.

[7/10 · 26 July 2017]

I am about two-thirds into this movie with about 30 minutes left to go.. I am surprised, and also not so surprised, that the ratings are so low. This is not Terms Of Endearment, this is a silly comedy about a mother and daughter on a wacky adventure. There is just simply hate for Amy Schumer out there, so that's probably why there are a bunch of one-star ratings here. That is unfair. I am not even finished watching this movie as I am writing this, but it has already made me laugh out loud a few times. Amy and Goldie are funny, Chris Meloni has a funny cameo role, the dialog is funny, this movie is funny. If you like to hate Amy Schumer and don't get her style of humor, maybe this isn't for you. This movie is not going to change your life, but could make you have a few laughs.

The Comedian (III) (2016)

Why the hate? This was funny, and it had heart.

[8/10 · 26 April 2017]

What's the matta wit you? I am puzzled by all the negative reviews. Yes, it's not The King of Comedy, or Goodfellas. But this movie was funny. De Niro's character Jackie was a 3-dimensional and human portrayal, and doesn't deserve to be dismissed as "another De Niro phoning it in" performance. The scenes where he performs stand-up comedy were genuinely funny. The relationship he has with his brother (Danny DeVito) were warm and convincing.

It may not be a timeless masterpiece, but if you're at the Red Box or looking for your next movie night rental from the couch it is worth seeing.

For what it's worth, I think Dirty Grandpa was raunchy and hilarious, and Grudge Match was also funny and had heart - with touching performances by both De Niro and Stallone.