ipsedixit7963 Reviews

Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (2012 TV Movie)

Very Slow Show

[2/10 · 21 May 2012]

Maybe my expectations were too high? I've enjoyed previous "episodes" in this series of TV movies. There is always great scenery in which these stories take place.

In this particular movie, the viewer gets shot out of their chair by a very unexpected jolt. It's all down hill from there. I was able to zip past all of the boring commercials, but most of the core of this movie was filled with scenes where the audience member is left wondering, "why?" I got a bit tired of watching Jesse and his dog "think." I would have turned this off and read a book had my wife not been there.

It finally ended with some sort of sudden "baiting" by our drinking and mentally disturbed hero. I was glad it was over. There was a lot of potential, but action was not the focus of this movie.

Watch at your own risk.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Beyond compare

[10/10 · 16 August 2008]

This is my all-time #1 movie.

I read the book back when I was in high school. I spoke the "language" quite well, which perplexed most of my friends. They were soon a part of my little world, and a part of what was our own little "cult" following.

I finally saw the movie when cable entered our household. Even my dad thought it was a great movie! We watched it several times, and quoted it often.

There is no easy way to explain why this movie is so good. You just get enveloped by the concept after you make it through the disturbing violence that turned so many people off back then. By today's standards, it's quite mild. (That which is left to the imagination, can be more disturbing than anything presented in vivid color.) Nothing compared to this then, and nothing will ever compare to it again. There was a time when you could not get this video in the UK. I am not entirely sure the "ban" has been lifted.

I have my book, VHS tape and DVD copies proudly displayed in my literary/entertainment library.

Watch it once, twice, and many times more for the entire effect.

Tara Road (2005)

It's a good follow-up to the book

[9/10 · 15 August 2008]

I think the movie did a good job of "summarizing" the book. I don't think it's possible to develop characters as well on-screen, as in a few hundred pages of paper and ink. A mini-series would have done the book more justice. I can see where it would be possible to see this movie, and be disappointed.

If you've read the book, you'll like the movie. If you don't like to read, get the audio CDs.

This story is a summary of a book with vivid descriptions of places and people. The "mind movie" that resulted from reading the book, pretty much matched what I saw on the screen. The home in New England... well, didn't look like New England.

29 Palms (2002)

Art

[8/10 · 13 August 2007]

Sometimes simple is better. The movie did a great job of working my "feelings". I cringed and squirmed, laughed and smiled. I even enjoyed the setting. Bizaar was intertwined with normalcy to create quite a mess; a good mess. I think the movie did what it was intended to do. I was entertained and not left wondering if I had missed something. As with all art, the piece is up to the interpretation of each viewer. Most will probably not like this movie due to some disturbing content. I enjoyed the affect it had on me. The drifter's memories coming back to him in bits and pieces was done well. It may seem confusing at first, but anyone caught up in the story will soon understand what is happening. The FBI agent "twist" was a nice little addition to the ending.