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Reviews
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
If you cut 50% of it, would anyone know the difference?
I didn't check the spoiler box, because in order to spoil the plot, there would have to be a plot.
Imagine, if you will, a parody of Wes Anderson films. It's impossible because that's what he does.
There's no plot because he doesn't need one and it would be unnecessary anyway. There's no character development because the usual suspects are already there and his celebrity cameo players have already established their characters.
Yes there are funny parts, but after the first half hour you've seen all of them and the rest is just tedious.
If you are a Wes Anderson fan, you will love this, if not stay away because this has all been done before.
The Age of Innocence (1993)
Great story, great cinematography, why does it need a narrator
Every great director has to do a period piece. This film is Scorsese's.
The filming , the colors, the costumes, the acting, the way the characters can speak volumes with just a glance. All these are done perfectly.
But just in case you don't get it there's a voice over to explain every thing to you. And in case you still don't get it, she's going to explain it a couple more times.
Why can't Scorsese tell a story visually? This isn't a book, it's a movie! A good movie, but it can't be great if it can't tell the story by itself.
Avatar (2009)
3D Graphics so compelling, you forget how bad the movie is.
OK, OK, 3D will change the way blockbusters are made and we'll be worse of for it. The graphics get in the way of the story and are not an end in themselves.
I checked the box for spoilers, but really, was anyone surprised about anything that happened? I kept thinking "Luke, use the Force!" And the final battle with Darth Vader, Come on! Wasn't he supposed to wear black?
If you set out to make the best movie of all time, shouldn't you come up with at least one new idea? Go for the special effects, but don't expect a good story, it's not here.
I don't doubt that this film will garner a load of awards, so look out for a boat load of imitators.
Hey, wait a minute, Titanic 3D, what a great idea!
After the Thin Man (1936)
Good movie, needs editor
After The Thin Man Second in a series of Comedy/Film Noir. Due to the success of the first the writers/producer decided that we needed to see Nick and Nora in their natural habitat. This adds at least 45 minutes of completely unnecessary and very irritating footage.
Apparently everyone also loved the dog, Asta, so he has to have his own part. Very enjoyable, adds nothing to the story.
There is a murder mystery contained in here, but the real story is Nick and Nora solve the mystery, so there's quite a bit of drinking, witty repartee and dopey friends to play off of.
This film cries out for an editor to tighten it up by about 45 minutes.
If you are looking for a tight, suspenseful, murder mystery, watch The Maltese Falcon. If you want a slow comedy mystery with witty repartee, get this one, you'll like it.
Star Trek (2009)
Hey, what did you expect, it'd odd numbered
Star Trek: I've seen all the TV shows and all the movies. The one is a good starting point to get the new series rolling again in much the same way Star Trek, The Motion Picture did in 1980.
If you'll notice above I said this review MAY contain spoilers. I can't be sure because in order to give away a plot point there would have to be a plot and there's not much of one here. Something about space ships and time travel and some guy who's real mad about something.
Cast: They did a good job of matching new young actors to old established characters. However it seems to me that there's something wrong with that. We're trying to get someone to play a role as an actor playing a character, rather than an actor playing a role.
Writing and plot. Not much of a plot, it might get in the way of the CGI.
Dialog and scenes were OK, but things like Spock smooching with Uhura on the transporter was way out of character and it almost made me sick to my stomach. And not only that, Scotty didn't say "Captain, I canna change the laws of physics"
Special effects and CGI: That's the idea, isn't it?
Overall: Not bad given the constraints the director had to work under. I give it a 6/10. But let's face it, it's odd numbered it can't be any good.
The Frisco Kid (1979)
Doesn't anyone get it?
This is a parody of westerns. Gene Wilder is doing the same tired schtick he's done his whole career.
Does anyone believe a rational human being would act like that? This is a comedy, it's supposed to be funny.
However, when the same joke is done over and over it gets tiresome.
The Indians, they're rational human beings, get it, they're not savages?
Isn't that funny?
This movie was a tired, rehash of the TV show F-Troop, just not as good, a waste of 2 hours.
Tess (1979)
Beautiful Cinematography
As beautifully shot a film as you'll see, but there's more to a film than that. As compelling a story as could be brought to the screen, but there's more to a film than that.
After love and death and murder and unbearable sadness and redemption and happiness, wouldn't you expect that during that sequence the actress would change the expression on her face at least once?
Nastassja Kinski fits in well to the scenery and she's great to look at, but she can't act. I never got the impression that any of these things affected her character or that she cared about anyone else in the film.
Watch this one for the great production values and the story, but don't look for character development or emotional scenes.