sweetartcat Reviews

My Favorite Wife (1940)

This is a train wreak

[2/10 · 16 March 2024]

I grew up watching movies from the 30's, 40's, and 50's but can truly say that I couldn't stand this movie. There are good "screw-ball comedies" ... and then there is this movie.

It was impossible to suspend one's disbelief because everything in this movie had square edges. Nothing seemed to fit together well. Was it miscast? Maybe. Could it have benefitted from a better writer and director? Absolutely.

The dialogue in the entire movie was, with few exceptions, moronic and the director should have been taken out behind the woodshed and beaten for his exceedingly poor direction. This movie is a one note joke that should never have been made.

Cary Grant spent too much time mugging and his character spent too much time lying.

Irene Dunne's character didn't show any semblance of normal behavior either. At some point I realized I liked neither of these characters.

For me, Irene Dunne was beyond annoying in this role. Think finger nails down a chalk board annoying.

Even her humming in the shower set my teeth on edge. By the time the movie was almost done, at the mountain house, the character's conniving personality and annoying antics was so grating that she deserved a good slap.

How Dunne even became a star with her boxer's jawline and horrid acting skills is beyond me.

Other issues included the judge having too much time on screen. One suspects because he was mildly funny. But once a joke is made it's not funny being repeated 3 more times. I wish someone would have told the director and writer/s that!

Also, inserted in odd places were weird little scenes of mugging, or small scenes that didn't need to be there.

It's like the director didn't get the shots he wanted so he went back and made his stars do momments of mugging instead of reworking the scene to make it work properly. The timing, pace, and logic was off throughout this movie. Some of the scenes weren't cut fast enough which means the editor wasn't very good either.

Oh, and the family had a dog who's whole purpose was to apparently "remember" the missing mom. Once she and the dog step into the house, he's never seem again!

The movie is filled with missing ends like this and is about as good (and interesting) as a 5th grade talent show. I had a hard time watching it.

Birds of Prey (2020)

Lots of violent fun.

[10/10 · 18 January 2024]

By god, if we have to watch moronic super hero movies out the wazoo because they make so much money at the box office - then this bit of vibrant silliness, and eye candy, is just fine.

Behold a silly, ridiculous, colorful, violent, kick-@$$ origin story about a FEMALE superhero group. Much overdue in my opinion. I'm rating this a 9 to off-set all the misogynistic,15-45 year-old jackals who gave it a low rating to keep the littl' women in their places. And btw, my husband even enjoyed this.

Ewan McGregor was both deliciously evil and hilarious in equal turns, and Margot Robbie who is always great in any role, also kept one's attention. Supporting cast of Chris Messina, Rosie Perez et al where fab. I especially enjoyed the antiheroine character of Helena Bertinelli played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

May we have many more female heroine, buddy flicks like this one. Women deserve them; because we are, after all, 52% of the population.

Paint (II) (2023)

Much better than the haters would have you believe.

[7/10 · 20 December 2023]

This movie is a humorous "character study", poking fun at a certain nostalgic way of viewing the world from someone who personifies the 1970's with male expectations of how they ought to be treated by women.

My husband and I watched this movie with trepidation after reading all the negative ratings. And I have to say this is a perfectly fine movie.

I think the negativity is being generated by several factors:

1) People were expecting a biography of Bob Ross, and were deeply frustrated that this movie wasn't that, and/or

2) fewer people have a sense of humor these days, and are unable to understand subtle or mocking humor, and/or

3) A large % of people have ADHD and can't deal with anything slower than a video game or movie made from a Marvel comic strip.

So... if you don't have a sense of humor, don't understand jokes, or only have a 10 second attention span -- DON'T WATCH THIS MOVIE. This movie wasn't made for you.

For the rest of us, especially older viewers, this is quite funny, ironic, and silly. Because, really, all one needs is a peaceful and secluded A-frame in the woods...on a lake with your Honey. And that in itself is stereotypic of an older era.

We Hunt Together (2020– )

Where is our Season 3??

[9/10 · 3 October 2023]

Brits love their police procedurals even more than Americans and this one is certainly top-notch entertainment.

The entire cast is fantastic and I really love to hate the rude, dysfunctional Lola, while liking and sympathizing with the engaging Jackson who, despite his upbeat manner, keeps getting knocked down. No good deed goes unpunished with Jackson. And DSI boss-woman Susan Smart is hilarious as the person most likely to close a case before the real killer is found.

Freddie is forever facinating and the emerging killer from season 2 is mesmerizing and brillant. I hope to see more of him!

Fingers crossed that this great, contemporary cat and mouse game will be renewed for season 3 and beyond.

The Old Guard (2020)

Enjoyed it!

[8/10 · 21 August 2023]

Whenever a woman heads up an action movie, it ALWAYS gets lower ratings that a male action movie. ALWAYS. We women have come to expect it from this misogynistic world.

This movie was good enough to be a pilot for a miniseries. And unanswered questions are: will Andy really die, is the character who discovers Booker (at the end) crazy and evil, or sane and good, and will more immortals show up?

It's just been set up like another Mission Impossible, or Marvel Universe story/series that I would watch.

Hopefully, some other story lines are in the works. The writing could be better and I hope they improve the writing so it's not as simple and clichéd. But I can't complain about the acting and it's always a pleasure to see Ms. Theron in top kick-ass form.

Forever (2014–2015)

Why do the best shows end so soon?

[10/10 · 5 August 2023]

Usually I find these gems only after they've been cancelled.

Yet the shows for the lowest common denominator seem linger far longer than they should...

This show has a fascinating base story, intelligent storylines, great lead characters and actors, interesting locations, history, and all the other components curious people value. Clearly they had experienced behind-the- scenes experts with lighting, sound, camera, continuity, directing, and editing. The show had polish.

And yet these new studio and streaming platform decision makers refuse to give smart shows like Forever enough time to find their audiences.

If this had been the case years ago, we would not have been privileged to see MASH, Seinfeld, Sherlock, or Star Trek the Next Generation.

Jack Whitehall: At Large (2017 TV Special)

Not worthy of a stand alone Netflix special

[1/10 · 19 June 2023]

How did this special get such high ratings??

After about 10 or 15 minutes, my husband grabbed the clicker and turned it off, which was surprising since he's so tolerant.

Whitehall needs to master the basics of successful stand up comedy, emotional intelligence, human psychology, and some stage craft.

Whitehall's act began by making fun of various groups including Americans, and especially older people. Snide and not very funny. Weirdly immature for someone who's pushing 30. He was certainly nowhere near good enough for his own special. He was also so hyper, that I sincerely wonder whether he had taken cocaine or some other substance.

We watched his show "Travels with my Father," and knew that the show was scripted, while they acted like it was spontaneous. On the show, that only worked sometimes, and better with his father who wasn't prone to hamming it up or hysterical fits of immature laughter (drugs again?). This technique failed in this special.

Coincidentally, several days earlier we watched a Netflix comedy special by John Mulaney done when he was even younger that Whitehall, about 28, and it was terrific comparably. Mulaney had so much more poise, style, smoothness, and professional story-telling ability, it was the difference between watching a pro vs. A 2nd grade talent show participant.

My conclusion is that, in general, Whitehall seems to be a narcissistic, immature, sarcastic, overly indulged human from a wealth family who thinks he's far funnier than he really is. We won't be watching any thing more from Whitehall.

Memory (I) (2022)

What's wrong with people?

[7/10 · 3 March 2023]

Why the low rating?? Why are prople giving it such lousy reviews?

This is a perfectly respectable movie! Since everything is so political now, I can only assume one or more people associated with this film has made some part of the woke establishment angry. Although I can't figure out why that would be. It has a variety of minorities and even several strong female leads.

It also has solid acting from all key characters, and everything else associated with higher rated movies. It feels much like a film noir style since it's rather somber with lots of darker filmed scenes. However, the story is solid and the movie kept my interest and attention throughout.

I would certainly recommend this movie to any movie goer who likes action and mystery movies, with a modicum of intelligence.

The Leisure Seeker (2017)

I absolutely loved this film

[9/10 · 25 February 2023]

Excellent and entertaining film for older people and those with older relatives. Both Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren are such exceptional actors that they really sold this story. I was surprised I hadn't heard about this film, but often the best movies are hidden gems.

The film's not perfect, but it's so humanistic, warm, caring, and intelligent that any flaws are easily overlooked. The story is about what long term love and relationships look like and sometimes it ain't pretty, but that's what life is. Warts and all. It also addresses the decisions we make at the end of our lives without being maudlin or sappy. This movie will not make you cry.

I was also impressed by how resourceful and forward thinking Ella's character was. At the end of the movie I really felt like I knew and cared about these characters.

I hope Paolo Virzì continues to make English language movies b/c there aren't enough intelligent movies for older audiences right now in America.

And just for RV buffs, I believe the "The Leisure Seeker" was a 1975 Winnebago Brave (probably model D-21) and they removed the toilet area for filming.

Catfight (I) (2016)

Nope

[1/10 · 12 August 2022]

This was so bad, I could only watch about 15 minutes of it. Totally over acted and very stupid. How does one manage to get great actors and make such a dud? ..........

Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

6 of the top actors are women!!

[8/10 · 31 July 2022]

I LOVE that 6 of the top actors are women. It's a quasi-humorous fight movie except with women and there's just not enough of these kind of movies out there, imo. I get soooo tired of seeing marvel comic type movies, or any movies in fact, that are full of male actors. The world is made up of 51% women, so why aren't 51% of the lead roles female?

This movie was stylish, with great set designs, and some fun spins on old trops.

The only thing I would change is : 1) They could've improved the fight scenes or certainly done several takes so that they looked more real. And the final scene in the diner was a single camera shot that didn't work b/c at least one actors missed their que and would have been dead in real life with a fatal neck wound. 2) Get rid of the green screens and film in the real world when "outside". 3) Beef up action scripts and lose the worn clichés. When you have really good actresses, don't give them a weak script.

In conclusion, I think the only reason the ratings are so low, is because of misogyny. I've seen it before with good movies with strong female leads. The push is always more action movies with men as leads, but women love action movies with women leads and deserve more of them. I think a sequel could be even better.

The Mandalorian: Chapter 12: The Siege (2020) Season 2, Episode 4

This was a terrible episode

[3/10 · 30 June 2022]

This episode was just really weak - it felt like a filler that they spent a little time and money on. Key elements such as acting, direction and script were really lacking. Maybe better actors in previous episodes delivered the clichéd lines better. Or maybe the lines were just way worse than usual this time. I don't recommend Carl Withers directing anymore. And why wasn't that actor from Kim's Connivence told to pitch his voice lower?! I love that actor on KC but he sounds like a little girl in his role as "Blue" - so dismaying. So many wasted opportunities to make this episode more humorous and just better in general.

Endeavour (2012–2023)

Season 7 got a bit convoluted and beyond belief

[7/10 · 2 May 2022]

Everything was going fine with the series until season 7. Then the storyline got out of hand. Did they get new writers? A new show runner? I don't know what happened, but the series moved into fantastical coincidence. It became convoluted to the point of bizarre.

Life is rarely, if ever, this unrealistic. It actually started in the previous season when the good doctor was kidnapped. That made little sense to the storyline.

Stick with good drama and acting. The show doesn't have to veer into the OK Corral or Marvel comic strip territory.

Some Kind of Heaven (2020)

Beyond Boring

[1/10 · 20 March 2022]

I was mistaken. I though I was going to be watching a movie about The Villages in Florida. This movie is really about 4 people who one couldn't care less about. Clearly one man was moving into dementia territory, his concerned wife who isn't realizing it's dementia (probably FTD); a Vanlife con man looking for a sugar mama (who you sincerely hope fails); and an impoverished, uninspiring widow casting about for a new partner.

Yes, they did show some of the "clubs" one could join there, but since I think the maker of this film was all about ridiculing the place, it's probably intentional that he didn't show any normal groups. The focus was also on the singles scene, which was made to look grotesque and even more so with the sugar-mama seeking con-man, which is a lifestyle that most people who live there probably can't relate to (until a spouse dies). Basically, the movie felt mean-spirited.

Such a terrible waste of 40 minutes, until I turned it off.

The Nice Guys (2016)

The rest of it was poo poo.

[3/10 · 9 March 2022]

Russell Crowe is really fun to watch all the way through this movie, but this film is really uneven. It was a lot better at the beginning and then got progressively worse. Did they change directors?

Direction was weak on this movie, so it was imperative to have actors that had really good instincts. Only a few did.

Some really poor decisions were made in this movie. For example casting Kim Basinger as the head of the Justice Department. She's a terrible actress, and is clueless about how to act like a professional woman.

The script was really poor. The continuity was choppy...

I can't figure out why they needed the penthouse scene, or why they left inthe scene where Ryan Gosling mugging it up after he rolled down the hill, or why they cast Margaret Qualley, who is either a terrible actress or was poorly directed. Her whole performance was over the top and jarring. Yes, she was supposed to be a bit loony, but that could've been done better with grace and finesse. You don't miss her when she's gone.

So many dumb things in this movie I can't even list them all. It's like 15-year-old boys made this movie, and they had no common sense. The scenes at the car show were messy and felt incomplete or confusing too.

In conclusion, Russell Crowe was quite good, Matt Bonner did a great job, and the young actress who played the daughter was fine. The rest of it was poo poo.

Being Frank (2018)

Not too bad

[7/10 · 4 March 2022]

I thought this movie was pretty good. The production quality and cinematography is what we expect in American movies. Jim Gaffigan and all the other actors did a fine job and the dialogue was very natural and well written. There were some things you had to suspend your disbelief over and the most glaring one is the guy recruited to be the nonexistent best friend of Frank. That was kind of weird. However, the main litmus test of whether I like a movie is whether it keeps my attention. And this one did.

Siesta (1987)

Why is this rating so low?

[9/10 · 17 February 2022]

Why is this rating so low? I absolutely loved this movie. The concept was fascinating. The acting was just fine. I generally don't like movies rated of 6.5 or lower, and this movie deserves a rating of at least 6.5. Maybe this is a movie that women like better than men and if that's the case men probably shouldn't be reviewing this.

Altered Carbon (2018–2020)

So sad to see the show cancelled

[8/10 · 2 February 2022]

We just finished watching season 2 the end of January 2022. At first the second season was a bit jarring compared to the1st season, but my husband and I both got used to the new style and we're oldsters of 60 & 62. We loved all the main actors and especially Poe (who was in both seasons). We loved the cast diversity and the excellent actors and believe this show can be made with fewer whistles and bells for less money. Some great and insightful writing also made this interesting to older audiences. Although unlikely, this series deserves to be picked up on another platform and I hope it occurs. Netflix miscalculated when they put the cancel order in so early in the 2nd season. Hope a smarter platform knows it already has a built-in audience and gives it another shot.

Silence (I) (2016)

Terribly tedious

[2/10 · 20 October 2021]

This movie was so slow and plodding, it soon became hard to watch it. I wasted almost 3 hours of my life and my husband kept falling asleep. I kept waking him up because if I was going to be tortured, he was too.

The Inquisitor was fairly interesting and the other performances were good, but Scorsese just let this movie go on and on. In fact we started skipping though it hoping for interesting things to actually happen. That's the only way we got through this movie. Longest movie ever.... We very quickly stopped caring for the priests. If they died soon, maybe the movie would end?! We started praying for that miracle...

Jack Ryan (2018–2023)

Lead is miscast

[4/10 · 1 August 2021]

I find the show interesting, the production value is top notch, and the supporting actors are all fabulous, but I'm just not into John Krasinski as Jack Ryan; I think he's miscast. He seems to really struggle to get the right vibe for the character and misses it more often than he gets it right. The reason season 2 seems different than season 1 is b/c the writers are giving more airtime to the assembly actors of the season. To my mind, that's b/c Krasinski can't carry the show. Can they recast the lead? They need to try to.

45 Years (2015)

No one likes a wasted life

[8/10 · 15 March 2020]

When this movie started, I almost fell asleep since it was another s-l-o-w British drama. But I'm older and found my attention span returning as more puzzle pieces were revealed regarding why this couple's life was as we see it. We and Kate learn facts at the same time.

Those who gave this movie low ratings totally missed the thoughtful nuances that older audiences got. This is a character-driven adult focused drama with bits of information until the last seconds of the movie.

Apparently hearing the song is not enough for visual learners, so be sure to turn on your SUBTITLES as Kate and Geoff dance their "wedding" dance from 45 years ago. We now "get it" as the last puzzle piece snaps into place.

Northern Borders (2013)

Great acting

[7/10 · 1 January 2018]

The budget on this movie was pretty small as an independent film. What saves it is the great actors. The acting was terrific; I gave this movie a seven because of the acting. Most of the sets were fine and the costumes were realistic also. But it struggled with production value, pacing, editing, and how some of the scenes ended and began. That's were a seasoned editor, screenwriter, and director would have helped. There were several rough spots because the screenplay was clearly clunky. A better screenplay would have produced better scene opportunities. Sometimes the dialogue didn't make sense - like when the grandson asks, "What name did she call you before she died?" No one asks that kind of thing. Not even a 1950's kid. The information was not necessary. Some of the scenes were awkward with no lead-in and ended with the viewer wondering why the scene was included since it didn't push the story along nor really show character development. Examples include the teacher being locked in an outhouse for an extended period of time, Austin Sr. talking to the cow-stealing landlord, or the saddle bag being open. A savvy editor and director knows which scenes are irrelevant and gets rid of them. That being said, Bruce Dern, Geneviève Bujold, and Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick were wonderful to watch.

Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

Great Screenplay

[9/10 · 18 October 2009]

I've been studying screen writing by tearing apart screenplays while watching the movies. This is a terrific screenplay. It is almost too intricate at times because if you miss some of the dialogue you might miss part of the story. The only weakness it had was that I knew something was up with the Slevin character not being who he said he was because some of the dialogue wasn't logical (he wasn't behaving like someone who was terrified for his life). But that could be overlooked due to the great sets, acting, tempo, twists, and humor. Writing serious scenes with humorous dialogue is an art and I hope we see more movie scripts from Jason Smilovic.

The Goonies (1985)

Idiotic

[1/10 · 18 October 2009]

Where's my aspirin? After watching this I have a headache.

I must be one of the only people in the world who dislike this movie. Granted, I did not see it as a kid. As an adult, I found it obnoxious beyond belief mostly because of all the constant chatter and screaming. "Ahhhhhh" throughout the movie made me spend a lot of time fast forwarding. The stereotyping was beyond annoying; this is the kind of movie that gives kids permission to think its OK to be annoying and behave like dodos. Yes, I know it was a spoof, but it was still too moronic and sophomoric for my tastes.

The script jumped around and didn't make sense in many places. And tell me why anyone would believe they were building a golf course in the hills of Astoria Oregon. The main house sits on a hill unsuitable for a golf course. We must have had a lot more tolerance for bad scripts in the 80's. I've seen a variety of 80's movies which had awful scripts and were nominated for Oscars.

The Spiderwick Chronicals are 100% better. In fact, I can't think of a worse kid's movie than this one.

Bernard and the Genie (1991 TV Movie)

Terrible Movie w/ Phony Reviews

[1/10 · 1 January 2009]

This is one of the worst movies I've seen in very long time. I watch 5 movies or more each week and this is truly dreadful. The film quality is very grainy, camera work is lousy, editing is so bad I couldn't follow it in some places, script is horrendous, acting is over-the-top stupid, story is marginal at best...

It's just plain awful. Were people paid to give this movie 9's and 10's in review? There can be no other explanation. Either that, or everyone saw this as a kid before they developed any taste what-so-ever.

I feel bad because I asked my local library to purchase a copy based on IMDb's comments. Now I might have to forget to return it so no one else gets tricked into watching it. Please stop the site abuse from phony reviews!!