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Reviews
Mare of Easttown (2021)
More Cliches than Action
I assume the writers were being paid by the cliche and wanted to get in as many overused situations and snatches of dialogue as they could. To avoid spoilers, I'll just mention scene one - an older woman reporting a peeping Tom and arguing with her husband. What a new concept. From there it drags on for another hour with nothing an experienced viewer hasn't seen multiple times before.
The Mule (2018)
Tries to Smother You with Old Guy Charm
Old guys sometimes commit crimes. Their stories should be no different than those of other criminals. Instead Hollywood has tried to drown us in the charm of old good-guy criminals. The Mule, starring Clint Eastwood, and The Old Man with a Gun, starring Robert Redford, are so busy showcasing old heartthrobs, that they forget old guys are not one dimensional. They don't charm all the women they meet. If they commit crimes, they don't give the proceeds away to worthy causes. I could recite a list of films that have fallen into this trap, but I'll leave you in peace.
The Old Man & the Gun (2018)
Too Cute
In general, a little bit of cute goes a long way. This movie sets new records for piling cuteness on top of cuteness. The script, the acting and the direction are also focused on trying to be cute and charming. Nothing is organic or believable, and it quickly becomes irritating, and at times even nauseating. I can only guess they misunderstood the heist genre, and tried to graft tropes from teen romances into spots they didn't belong.
Sriracha (2013)
Boring Short about a Boring Sauce
Sriracha is a cheap, not very hot, slightly sweet sauce. The movie would have you believe it's great when in reality even Tobasco is better. And neither of them are particularly hot. Dave's sauces or After Death Sauce (it brings you back to life) are really hot. I would list better documentaries, but then I'd be up all night. The only difference between this film and a commercial is that a commercial only lasts a minute or less. Of course, I'm probably prejudiced against the sauce and any movie that focuses on cooking or recipes. At a minimum this doc could have used some contrasting opinions, other points of view or a little depth about the rags to riches life of the man who commercialized this stuff.
La chispa de la vida (2011)
Weak Remake
If some demented soul decided to remake the old Kirk Douglas classic "Ace in the Hole" as a modern comedy, this would be it. unfortunately it is neither funny nor tragic. You'd be much better off watching the classic film, even if it seems a little dated. Probably the best part of As Luck Would Have It, originally entitled "La Chinga de la Vida", is the set, which is a Roman ruin. The actors generally do a credible job considering how weak the story is and how unfunny the humor. Everyone ends up playing a caricature or a stereotype, with the son of the leading couple falling more deeply into this trap than anyone can imagine. If you need a comedy about the flight of being an unemployed family man during a recession, you can always fall back on the Full Monty.
Il est plus facile pour un chameau... (2003)
It Easier for a camel to pass thru a needle than for a rich woman to make a good film
Difficult as it may be for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, it is even more difficult for a rich woman to make a good movie.
If anyone needs proof that money can't buy good taste or competent film making, this movie will surely convince them.
The strange attempt at an autobiography lacks any redeeming social or cinematic value.
One can only assume that Carla Bruni, who is not know for her good sense,still had enough sense not to get involved in this debacle.
It seems virtually impossible that they couldn't have gotten competent writers, directors, etc. and created a film with at least a modicum of taste and/or watch-ability.
Gangs of New York (2002)
Too much movie for too little story.
The story is completely disjointed, and meanders on for hours of repetitive action and dialogue. Daniel Day-Lewis was at one time a capable actor, however, he appears to have taken enough time off to forget almost everything. His character is inconsistent and unbelievable. Leonardo DiCaprio has forgotten nothing, but then, he never knew anything about acting either. Cameron Diaz plays herself, sexy, charming very realistically, but any resemblence between herself and her character is purely coincidental. The movie is visually stunning, but of course, any portrayal of abject squalor as beauty is inherently suspect.