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Reviews
Down to Earth (2001)
I don't understand...
Chris Rock is bright and funny, skilled and talented. The premise of a remake of Heaven Can Wait with black characters is a great idea and I couldn't wait to see how it was adapted. The supporting cast is composed of some extremely talented comedians and actors. And yet, with all that, the writing is clunky, sophomoric and the acting is awkward and community theater level. How does this happen when you've got Chris Rock, Eugene Levy, Wanda Sykes , Mark Addy and Jennifer Coolidge hanging out in one place? This should have bubbled over with quick wit. Someone had to work hard to mess this up. Too painful to finish watching.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Oh so bloated
Remarkable performances by Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Fight scenes were well choreographed. It's filled with countless metaphors (some of which are clever) in its attempt to deliver a worthwhile message.
But-
It goes on and on and on implying that the audience is just too dim to grasp its deep meaning unless it explains it with another "universe", another parallel world. It is the equivalent of a hot pink prom dress with way too may ruffles, sequins, bugle bead fringe and peacock appliqués. And it just goes on and on and on and on when it could have easily ended 20 universes in.
Spirited (2022)
Sure to divisive among Christmas movie lovers
I was originally doubtful then I saw just how far past goofy this movie goes. And a musical? Oh, please, no. No singing please! But then there were the dozens of Easter eggs and previous Christmas Carol references to discover. 127 minutes of convoluted time lines and dimensions, trying to grasp onto some string of continuous perceptions only to finally realize ....you never will. You're in the middle of a giddy, wild, Sean Anders' retelling of A Christmas Carol and there is no keeping up. You'll either hate it or sit back and enjoy the ride. I'm adding it to my yearly Christmas rotation along with Elf, Scrooged, and A Nightmare Before Christmas.
Érase una vez... pero ya no (2022)
High camp and strange
I watched much of it with either a smile on my face or my mouth agape. A fantastic fairytale told in a true Latin fashion. Hyper saturated colors and romantically staged settings. Greed, infidelity, Spanish operatic musical numbers, lots of nudes, sex and a blue dragon told with a healthy dollop of absurdity. What's not to like?
Legend of the Superstition Mountains (2015)
No, I don't think so.
Cigar chomping, gun slapping with more testosterone than brains. Like the pro- wrestling of treasure hunting but not as believable.