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Reviews
Marriage Story (2019)
Moral- Don't Let the Little Stuff Ruin the Big Stuff
This movie is so well acted that you can't help but feel a pit in your stomach as 2 people, who seem to still love each other, hurt each other over and over again.
The bulk of the hurt coming from Charlie occurred prior to the story being told, so he comes off as significantly more sympathetic. It's difficult for Nicole's character to be as sympathetic because we witness the ways she is able to hurt Charlie, and only hear about how Charlie has hurt her in the past. In one culminating outburst, he declares that only being unfaithful to her once was a favor because of how popular he was and how many times he wanted to be unfaithful to her. Still, this outburst comes after his child has been taken away from him, his money is being systematically drained, and his entire career is collapsing- and even then he immediately apologizes for saying it.
They both seem to really like each other, and both claim the other is a good parent, but still they find themselves in a courtroom with lawyers making them each sound like neglectful monsters.
There is a final scene in which Charlie and his son are reading together and Nicole is standing outside the door, and it really crystallizes how great a family they could've been if they could've just been a little less selfish about the little stuff like who gets credit for what and what city they should live in. That scene made me tear up. The moral of the story is, don't let the little stuff ruin the big stuff- which is clearly what these 2 have done.
Castle Rock (2018)
Better for avid King fans
I've read a few Stephen King books (The Stand, Dreamcatcher, Tommyknockers, The Green Mile, Under the Dome) and I've probably seen the same films everyone else has seen (The Shining, Pet Semetary, It, Shawshank Redemption, Carrie, Needful Things, Misery, Stand By Me) so I could tell this series was loaded with easter eggs, but I only got probably half of them. I know my long passed uncle, who had read every King book available before he died, would have appreciated this more than I probably did.
Season 1: A slow, slow burn. Creepy and mystifying, with a villain who keeps you guessing the whole time, and an ending that I talked about with my wife for days after watching it. Acting was great from nearly every cast member and the camera work was competent. The real feature of this season, though, was the deeply psychologically disturbing script.
Season 2: It has far more action and far more moving pieces than the first season. Like the first season, I feel like you find yourself sometimes rooting for the villain, but in this season almost every character is a type of villain. There is a consuming, well acted back story to the darkest main character that puts you in the awkward position of understanding how a terrible, brutal crime may have been an unfortunate confluence of events. There are 2 major story lines, and a lot of time and great acting is devoted to developing the characters in a secondary story line which has a pretty unsatisfying resolution. The other main story line, however, the one that was central to the plot all along and really only took a detour through the 2nd, had a fantastic resolution that will drop your jaw.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
So Funny
A genuinely funny movie with some flaws and plot holes.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Great Characters
What differentiates this film from the hundreds of poor homages that came after it is the care and time it takes to build genuinely interesting and nuanced characters.
The Shining (1980)
What can I say that hasn't already been said?
The funny thing about this film is that (due to the performances, set design, and brilliant direction) you'll probably like it, not love it, the first time you see it. Then the second and third time might drag. But around the 4th or 5th time you see it, you'll appreciate it in a way you hadn't before!
Casablanca (1942)
They don't make movies like this anymore, folks
This film really is nearly perfect. The acting, the witty script, the political intrigue, the romance, even the music. This really is what film is all about!
Lake Mungo (2008)
Good Acting, Light on Scares
The acting and directing in this film are tremendous and they really carry a script that doesn't really know where it wants to go.
Most of the twists are so unnecessary that they become monotonous. However, the final twist is what makes the film and it leaves you feeling thoughtful.
There is one real scare in the whole runtime, and if it doesn't make your skin crawl, there is really nothing else in the film that will.
La vita è bella (1997)
This might be my favorite film
This is a deeply moving and funny portrayal of a clever father's bottomless love for his son, during one the most horrific times in history.
It is overblown to say that he doesn't respect the seriousness of the subject matter, he does, it just isn't the point of the film. The point of the film is the psychological journey of a man, who has always been able to scheme his way out of anything, trying to shield his son from brutal reality as they both find themselves in a Nazi Concentration Camp.
Notes from Melanie (2019)
A promising first try, but in the future Stuckman will need better scripts
I'll be honest, a lot of the gags here are pretty hackneyed and the plot is just a conversation in which the only real pay off is that the main character learns to steal ideas from his love interest rather than existing movies.
That said, the camera work is spot on and the acting (particularly from Newberry) is so good that you actually briefly believe these characters in this weird roller coaster of a script that bounces back and forth from emotional-to cheesy-to funny.
The gags are each various dressings for over the top Flickinger cameos and they are pretty funny the first couple of times. If the script didn't rely so much on them, they might have retained their humor throughout, but unfortunately it does, and they don't.
In the end, Stuckman will likely go on to bigger and better things and this weird entry will just be a footnote.