farmeglio Reviews

Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023)

Disappointing

[6/10 · 3 June 2023]

I waited for this movie with great anticipation. The actors have done fine work in the past, and the previous Book Club movie was nicely done.

But this Book Club: The Next Chapter is so flimsy it is embarrassing, mainly to women in general. As if women live in a world of teenage dreams and have no way of solidifying their identity without resorting to superficial concerns and external validations.

For instance, the constant emphasis on clothes, or on how men love or do not love the women, or on the ideal, magical trip that is supposed to liberate you, or on what the fates want for you, or on what signs you are being given about your "destiny" - all this is just so tiresome and empty.

The characters never seemed to be concerned about anything except their own private selves.

And the ending was preposterous. It made the women seem as if they were completely inconsistent.

M3GAN (2022)

Hey, Hal 9000 in 2001 and Rachael in Blade Runner! Make way for M3GAN!!

[9/10 · 11 January 2023]

This is a mind-blowing, all-too-possible movie. Not that far from future reality. We had better be careful. We do not have a universal theory of ethics to guide the world, much less one that a computer could understand. Heck, we cannot even agree amongst ourselves as to what everyone "should" do. So how in blazes do you teach a computer a system of thought you don't even understand yourself?

Absolutely terrific, nail-biting movie. A definite must-see. Just tell me you don't see the relevance. How often do we get entertained but competently forewarned at the same time?

They want me to write 600 characters, but I don't want to give away too much. I have said as much as I should.

She Said (2022)

A movie about journalism at its best

[10/10 · 23 November 2022]

This is a very exciting and shocking movie. It is reminiscent of "Spotlight" (about the priests and children) and "All the President's Men" (about the break-in of a national campaign headquarters). I was on the edge of my seat right through the end (2 hours 9 min).

But it's not about the ending which everyone knows because of news media reports. This movie concerns the nuts and bolts of how investigative journalists were able to persuade terrified people to come forward, and the way the journalists acquired real evidence that could stand up in a court of law. The evidence they uncover is genuinely astounding (and mostly heartbreaking).

The two main actresses, Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, were fantastic! This is a story that really needed to be told. We need to appreciate our free press and continue to try to keep it.

Call Jane (2022)

Wow. Eye-opening movie

[10/10 · 3 November 2022]

Good plot. Excellent actors. And it absolutely is relevant to our 2022 world.

Whichever side people come down on the issue of bodily autonomy, they will know more and be better informed after seeing this film. I don't get why some viewers thought it was boring. Hardly!

Highly recommend. Both enjoyable and shocking while surprisingly educational.

Good plot. Excellent actors. And it absolutely is relevant to our 2022 world.

Whichever side people come down on the issue of bodily autonomy, they will know more and be better informed after seeing this film. I don't get why some viewers thought it was boring. Hardly!

Highly recommend. Both enjoyable and shocking while surprisingly educational.

Don't Worry Darling (I) (2022)

The film does not have the courage of its implied convictions

[6/10 · 20 October 2022]

It may be tempting to write a script with the idea "Oh well, you figure the end out, dear audience members, you can do the work" as its main conclusion. That is disrespectful. You, script writer and director, need to be courageous enough to tell us what you think the ending is - does she free herself in the real world, does she die in the holographic world, or does she die in the real world?

I mean, really. We have spent two hours watching a movie and you won't even tell us what you think happened? How she fares at the end would impact our understanding of the durability of this holographic world. It would also impact our understanding of your view of women's chances to successfully achieve women's rights. Are you saying that despite all valiant attempts of women fighting for their autonomy, that their chances of success are doomed?

Oh well, I appreciated and enjoyed this movie anyway despite the shortcomings.

Amsterdam (2022)

The film wants to be smart and funny but is neither.

[3/10 · 12 October 2022]

The movie Amsterdam is a big yawn. The script comes off as a decent first draft with some good ideas here and there needing much better development. It contains very potentially serious subject matter, but the flippant one-liners and snarky dismissiveness undermine those issues. It is neither serious nor comical, just boring. Moreover, the sequencing of scenes is so incoherent that one struggles to remember why one is supposed to care about anything in this movie.

The only redeeming quality was watching famous actors in what amounted to cameo roles for some. However, the script is so poor that the fabulous cast is both underserved and undeserving of such treatment.

Boo hoo. I was truly disappointed.

To Leslie (2022)

Mind-blowingly realistic

[9/10 · 9 October 2022]

The character was so repulsive that at first I didn't think I could ever find one redeeming quality in her. She was odious. So since I didn't yet know anybody else's character, and since the whole thing was getting to be a real bummer, you know, like real life can be, I thought about dumping the whole show. But out of curiosity, I decided to hang on a bit longer.

It paid off big time. This is a great movie. It is not preachy, not judgmental, you have no idea how it will end, and it does a satisfying job. The acting is great, the script is fantastic, and the story has total credibility. I'm glad I stayed with it.

Barbarian (2022)

I was so scared I couldn't finish my popcorn

[10/10 · 14 September 2022]

Honestly, this is the scariest movie I have seen in decades. I had not seen any trailers, had no idea what "Barbarian" was about. As the plot thickened, I became more and more nervous till I practically could not move. The thing about it was that everything was logical - it was a plausible plot. You could see where something like that could happen.

There are totally unpredictable premises which I have never seen in any movie. I prefer not to tell you what they are, because then you would not experience the intensity of the surprise the way I did. Believe me, they are unique.

This is a terrific horror flick. Thank you, brilliant filmmakers, for taking my mind off everything else in the world.

Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)

Splendid! We loved it.

[10/10 · 15 July 2022]

It is so refreshing to have plausible people going through the travails of life without the typical superheroes and cartoon buddies coming to save everyone!

This film has a genuine plot and offers a depth to its characters that is surprising and satisfying.

An unqualified 10 stars.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT is simply an enjoyable, funny movie

[9/10 · 29 April 2022]

UNBEARABLE WEIGHT was as uproariously ironic as LEAVING LAS VEGAS was heart-wrenchingly sad. Both are introspective and well-executed. But with this one you come out feeling pretty good.

The script is tight and surprisingly believable on most levels, even while it jumps the line back-and-forth between fantasy and reality during the entire film. Yet continuity never leaves its moorings. You can always actually follow the thread.

It's as if the film respects its audience.

A very entertaining experience. Highly recommend it. I'm still chuckling.

The Bubble (2022)

Amazing talent but poor script

[3/10 · 10 April 2022]

I was expecting something fantastic because I love Judd Apatow, but "The Bubble" was a total letdown. The idea was quite good about actors and staff being mistreated during a Covid lockdown on a movie set. But the execution of this idea was poor.

Just because all the actors, director, producers, and support staff are going crazy within the script should not mean that the script itself goes crazy. The script should be a unifying force, something a hapless viewer might hang their hat on. But no, nothing to hang onto. Which means that after the first twenty minutes, no new ideas are added. And you have to figure out everything on your own.

Even in a real documentary, there is an omniscient narrator trying to make sense of the disparate clips, interviews, and events. In this film there was no glue tying everything together.

And yet, the idea was good: everyone is living in a mini totalitarian system run by tyrant wannabes; everyone is hounded by security guards and a desire to be free; everyone is mistreated by spies and unseen overlords; everyone is miserable; everyone wants to have fun but cannot have fun; most people want to do decent work but are not allowed to work properly.

So how come didn't this film work? It was disappointing.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is as good as the first one

[8/10 · 9 April 2022]

I enjoyed it a l lot. I was expecting some predictable follow-up pap, but the plot in Hedgehog 2 was really good. The Sonic character was fun and charming and brave, and the evil Jim Carrey was great. He's a convincing villain. Carrey has charisma even when he plays bad guys.

The new friends step up to the plate, too, and create an interesting narrative.

So, with stellar writing, plausible plot twists, and riotous cartooning, you get a lot for your time while enjoying a movie that is presumably made for kids.

As a footnote, know that this is a movie where cartoon characters and real actors act together, as they did in the first movie. Also, I don't think you need to have seen the first Sonic to enjoy this second one.

The Seventh Veil (1945)

Maybe she should have kept her seventh veil

[5/10 · 1 April 2022]

I just saw this movie for the first time and am no doubt transposing current standards onto 1945-era sensibilities. But what sane woman would choose the guy who battered her fingers with a cane, thereby not only hurting her physically but potentially ending her career as a pianist?

She chooses that loser over the two other guys who may have wanted to marry her? And this is considered to be a great psychological breakthrough in her journey towards sanity and wellness?

Talk about being a victim of the Stockholm syndrome! That is where a kidnapped individual begins to identify with the kidnapper as a friend or as a lover.

That poor woman clearly never got well and the movie ended probably at the point where her life was really going to become a nightmare.

Phantom Thread (2017)

No verisimilitude

[5/10 · 1 April 2022]

For someone to let himself voluntarily be poisoned because he trusts his poisoner's judgement to guarantee his recovery is preposterous. Furthermore, for a highly controlling, domineering man to consent (tacitly or otherwise) to such periodic poisoning by his wife is even less plausible.

In fact, there is little fixed science around the exact quantities and potency of poisonous mushrooms necessary to kill versus simply make ill. Which makes this dangerous business of poisoning for love seem like a fool's errand. I could not imagine how such a relationship between two intelligent human beings could actually work. And it ruined the movie for me.

Umma (2022)

This film is better than what other reviewers tend to be saying.

[8/10 · 25 March 2022]

The Film "Umma" is in fact quite scary. It is as much a psychological thriller and social analysis as it is a "ghost" story.

How abuse is handed down across generations is one of its main themes.

The film is totally captivating and well worth the hour and 20 or so minutes.

The Lost City (2022)

Lots of fun including a welcome surprise final scene

[9/10 · 25 March 2022]

No complaints as I had a really good time. A pleasant comedic romp.

A nice change of pace from all the serious, dour and/or scary films in the theaters these days.

The Batman (2022)

All work and no play makes Batman a dull fellow

[5/10 · 11 March 2022]

Ordinarily, I like fight-for-justice movies, especially ones coming from comic books . But this one left me indifferent. The Batman seemed to be fighting more for himself and his family name than for the little guy. And when given a chance to connect with a really hot love interest, he can barely bring himself to give a kiss or show any believable emotion.

Maybe it's just me, but I was disappointed.

Nightmare Alley (2021)

Magnificent film marred by a fatal flaw

[8/10 · 18 January 2022]

I fear American audiences will not take to the film because very early in it and during the main guy's flashbacks, a horrific scene of animal abuse takes place. Now we already know that "No animal was harmed in the making of this movie," etc., etc., but the fact is, the torture comes off convincingly. And it gives the appearance of really happening. People are going to walk out, or if they stay, just be turned off in general.

In America, humans may harm humans on the screen, and animals may harm humans or animals, but humans are not allowed to harm animals except in self-defense. I think the director misread the American psyche when he included such a graphic scene of the "geek's" vicious behavior towards a live chicken.

Otherwise, the movie follows the book closely and fleshes out the 1940s version of the noir film. It is beautifully acted and scripted. As a crime thriller and a psychological thriller at the same time, it is incredibly well-done.

The Shrink Next Door (2021)

Marty was in a cult of one

[10/10 · 24 December 2021]

Watching the gradual eradication of someone's personality under the maniacal control of a self-absorbed, psychopathic yet charismatic, doctor was exhausting and terrifying. This is a psychological thriller.

All the hapless Marty needed at the beginning of the story was a little more confidence, but what he got was a monster dismantling every aspect of his life - private, social, and financial.

I give this series a 10, and have no monetary or personal ties to any writers or actors. I hope this miniseries receives the recognition it deserves.

The Power of the Dog (2021)

The Power of Obfuscation

[5/10 · 11 December 2021]

It is like watching everything through a cheesecloth. You see, but you may not be sure of exactly what you saw. Fleeting expressions on people's faces mark important and ordinary events in the narration. If you miss a facial expression or misinterpret it, you may miss an important piece of the puzzle.

Here is my interpretation of the story line. This is the 1920s, when most people did not know or did not openly acknowledge the full range of human sexuality. A self-hating homophobic gay man (Phil) resents his heterosexual brother's marriage to a widow who has a nearly grown son.

The main reason Phil takes an instant dislike to the woman is that her presence undercuts the bully hold he has always had over his brother, and with whom he may have imagined an incestuous relationship. Phil also resents the widow's effeminate son who exemplifies all the things he has sought to suppress in himself, such as kindness, gentleness, empathy, and artistic creativity.

The kid turns out to be impressive, and much smarter than Phil had imagined. He takes the young man under his wing in a bullying sort of way, but which also implies he may be physically attracted to him. When the older man tries to make a "man" out of the younger, as he interprets it, it also means trying to turn the kid off to his mother.

When Phil carries out a sadistic attack on a rabbit out on the prairie, he badly cuts his hand which becomes infected and finally poisoned while he is using special chemicals to make rope. This infection ultimately kills him, and surprise, surprise, no one is really very sad. Especially the brother and his wife who kiss each other after the funeral (it felt like a kiss of relief to me), and the son who upon turning from the window reveals a faint smile. Mind you, this guy rarely smiles.

I do not think you are meant to enjoy this movie. Rather, you are supposed to benefit from it, the way you would from swallowing unpleasant medicine that heals you in the long run.

5 stars. Too slow-moving and too long.

House of Gucci (2021)

Riveting story and excellent acting

[10/10 · 4 December 2021]

The time went by so fast I did not even realize the movie is long. Never boring, not for an instant. Wow.

I have no idea how accurate the film is to the real-life events, but the story as told here is gripping.

I particularly liked Lady Gaga's portrayal of the gradual metamorphosis in her character.

This movie raised many issues that I found interesting to discuss with family and friends.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Best action-adventure movie this year, and I have seen them all.

[10/10 · 21 November 2021]

I was worried this was going to be a rotten Ghostbusters movie, like the second one from 2016. But this one was tremendous. We had such a good time. The audience was thrilled, and so were we.

There is laughter, there is science, there are amazing cameos, there is a totally logical plot with unbelievable twists and visuals that knocked me out. Total satisfaction!

Btw, I stayed for the credits thinking there might be something, and sure enough, there is a long scene that comes right after the credits. It's worth seeing.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Best action-adventure movie this year, and I have seen them all.

[10/10 · 21 November 2021]

I was worried this was going to be a poor Ghostbusters movie, like the second one from 2016. But this one was tremendous. We had such a good time. The audience was thrilled, and so were we.

There is laughter, there is science, there are amazing cameos, there is a totally logical plot with unbelievable twists and visuals that knocked me out. Total satisfaction!

Btw, I stayed for the credits thinking there might be something, and sure enough, there is a long scene that comes right after the credits. It's worth seeing.

Dune (2021)

Dune: Part One (2021) does not hold up on its own as a film

[3/10 · 30 October 2021]

There is no voice-over narration, no connective tissue between scenes. If you have not read the book, you're out of luck.

What's more, the audio is so poor you're lucky if you can make out 50% of the dialogue.

The visuals are OK, but not as spectacular as some people are saying.

No Time to Die (2021)

Good movie, but depressing.

[7/10 · 15 October 2021]

The plot, acting and dialogue were good, but what a bummer the ending was. There was no point in killing Bond off. Maybe the writers just think it's classy to kill off the hero occasionally like with Iron Man in Endgame. But I don't agree.

Especially since the whole premise is advanced science, so why not have science save him? He could have gotten out to sea and been quarantined until scientists could find an antidote to his condition.

It was an artificially unneeded, sad conclusion. With all the sad junk coming down these days in real life, who needs dead heroes in fantasy life?