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robert-wagers
Reviews
War Horse (2011)
Nit-Pick anyone?
I know you don't need another review. Others have made it clear that this is a beautifully filmed, well-acted movie with a sensational sound track and a terribly sentimental story. See it for these reasons. Do not pay any attention to the sneering nit-pickers who focus on every detail that they find inaccurate. If you don't like the film, you probably inherited a Trump-heart. Sorry about that. The acting is mostly very good, but the lead horse is the best of the lot! BTW, the young actress playing Emily did not have a phony French accent. She was from an English-Belgian family and speaks fluent English and French. Also, the countryside, except for not being green enough, looked exactly like Devonshire,
Cats (2019)
Piling on Much?
This flick hardly needs another review, but I can't stand all this nasty nonsense, so I'll pitch my own take. No, it's not a good movie, desperately needing better writing and "some" editing. Since I loved the stage plays, I saw it when it came out and was not impressed, barely finishing it, but watched it again recently. The dancing, music, sets, and costumes are magical. Several of the actors were engaging. Judi Dench and Jennifer Hudson were excellent. The actor playing Virginia and the ones playing Skimbleshanks and McCavity danced beautifully In spite of not having a proper cat, Taylor Swift was a lot of fun. Yeah, Corden and Rebel Wilson were unwatchable. Anyway, you can all go back to your piling on now!
Bandslam (2009)
Sometimes really good, sometimes not so much
I really like this film, and I'm not a fan of musical teeny-bops. I think it's mostly the writing, the sort of punkish wisecracks loaded with semi-wisdom. "The five is silent" never gets old, and "I don't signal to protect my privacy" are classics. The film droops in the middle as the writers struggle to please the demongraphic (not a typo) they anticipate. The climax is excellent as it should be in all of these music thingies, but the ending is as shallow as the meandering in the middle. No matter, give it a shot if you need a restart.
Gretel & Hansel (2020)
Not a Disney Film
I'm always suspicious of reviews that focus on how boring a film. Boredom is usually your fault, not the fault of the film or story. This movie is an amalgam of at least three Grimm fairy tales. I think the producers chose to call it "Gretel and Hansel" for two reasons. First it's Gretel's story. She's the protagonist who learns about who she is just as all women learn about themselves when they go through puberty. As the witch implies, she must free herself from the influences of men in order to realize her potential. I was fascinated by the story and thrilled by the cinematography and the music. Be warned. It is very dark.
Room (2015)
Must See
If you're overly emotional (whatever that is) don't see this film. It will pull at your heartstrings and gutstrings in ways you never believed possible. Brie Larson is phenomenal in the role of "Ma." She goes to dark places so effortlessly, I had trouble calling it acting. The title is appropriate because everything in the movie is a room, and the cinematography probes the various rooms and their effects on the residents. Don't expect pat answers. You are left with many questions. Unless you are a Trump, you will be moved.
A Hidden Life (2019)
Triumph
I'm not much of a Terrance Malick fan, but this movie is brilliant. It is very long and relentless, offering some painful ethical dilemmas faced by everybody. The cinematography and director's choices are worth the price of admission alone. I admit that I'm still mystified by the symbolism, especially the use of running water and those damned bells! I couldn't escape thinking that about 95% of those watching would pray for certain outcomes that are unlikely given the nature of the story. If you choose to watch this film, try to do it without distractions .
Harriet (2019)
Don't bother reading the user reviews
Per my title, don't waste your time reading the user reviews. You can find tons of hateful, snotty opinions elsewhere. Look at the professional ones. Yes, this film is polemical and skirts the truth at times, but most of what is portrayed is not to be found in historical reports, so the writers are entitled to their own treatment, especially when it reflects the horrors of slave-holding and the courage of the main character. If you aren't touched, you must have been denied the gene for compassion.
Witness (1985)
One of the best
A superb film. In my scoring, I took away one star because the ending, while exciting, was highly improbable and suggested that the filmmakers struggled to know how to end it. The cinematography, direction, and acting are all wonderful. Kelly McGillis, in her first movie, without the benefit of dialogue, smoldered. I can't really comment on the representation of the Amish, but I appreciated the respect given to them. It holds up very well.
Brave New World (2020)
Better than Average
All these snotty reviews from supposed literary critics? Yeah, it isn't as good as the novel, but movies rarely are. Yes, the writers changed some of the relationships and really messed up the origins of John Savage and his character. Maybe I don't require much of television. I felt drawn into the story and the characters instantly. The atmosphere was drawn well. I only have watched the pilot, so maybe it gets much worse, but I'll give it a shot.
The Imitation Game (2014)
Misleading
I enjoyed this movie, but was disturbed by all the inaccuracies. Turing was always upfront about his sexual preferences. His teenage relationship with Christopher was never as intense as portrayed, and he learned of his friend's death along with the other boys. All the stuff about the name of his enigma breaking machine, his interaction with his temporary fiancée, and most of his time with the enigma team was mistaken. Especially annoying was the nonsense about being suspected of treason. What an insult, that this British hero was ever accused of being a spy. Finally, notice how cavalier the screenwriters were about his pardon. Pardoned for what? Being gay? His conviction and that of many, many others should have been expunged. Nonetheless the lead actor is superb in the role, and the story is engaging, so I'll give it a lukewarm pass.