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Reviews
Anything Else (2003)
If Only Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci Knew How To Act
Perhaps this could have been a good film if the two leads could act. It was excruciating to watch. Only the scenes with Stockard Channing were tolerable. Allen was even off his game, but only due to his having to act beside Briggs. Bad job by the casting director.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
Wonderful Action Film If You Don't Mind the Anti American Propaganda
Don't pay attention to the negative reviews from the critics. They are just snobs and power hungry. This is a well done and entertaining film. I don't know how well it will do in the United States. The first Kingsman film did better overseas then in the U.S. I saw the first one twice, but will not see this one two times. As an American, I found the heavy handed anti American/Trump mania distasteful. I don't go to this kind of film to hear the Office of the Presidency disparaged. Nor does being an American make me evil incarnate. The filmmaker and actors have a European opinion that we are all ugly Americas if you don't agree with their politics. The target audience, which is 12- 18 year old boys, will not even notice the political propaganda, but their parents, who pay for their tickets and accompany them to this R Rated film will.
A Chorus Line (1985)
Horrible, Horrible, Horrible
I am a native New Yorker and saw the Broadway production four times with the original and first replacement cast. This adaptation is so bad, that it is embarrassing. Avoid it at all cost. The person Who decided to hire Richard Attenbourogh (sic.) must have been the person decided to hire John Huston to direct the awful Annie and Albert Finney to play Daddy Arbucks.
The Bachelor (1999)
I Guess Money Persuaded This Cast to Make this Horrendous Film - Their Can be on other Explanation
In the top of the cannon of BAD movies. Shame actors of the caliber of Peter Ustinov, James Cromwell, Hal Holbrook and Ed Asner to participate is this travesty for MONEY. Hal Holbrook actually offers his 15 year old daughter to the "star" of this excretion to get money. Chris O'Donnell cannot act plus he was the executive producer of this "film." Shame on his too. I watched part of this, because I could not believe the badness of this film and its despicable depiction of both men and women. Artie Lange said on The Howard Stern Show that Renee Zellweger was impossible to work with, pretentious and full of herself. That is the most interesting think about this "film." Avoid at all cost, unless like me, you are temporarily fascinated by its badness.
The Wizard of Lies (2017)
Mediocre Lost Opportunity - Ridiculous Casting of Non Jews in Jewish Roles - Worst Michelle Pfeiffer
Totally boring mediocre story that should have been compelling. The juxtaposition takes all the meat out of the story. Amateur dreck. The editing is jumpy, the scenes too short to have any impact. The casting absurd. The voice-over minimizes the drama rather than furthering it. I know nothing more about the true story after watching this than I did from the media accounts. The character development is totally absent.
Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)
Superficial Film Adaptation of a Great Book
Watch the GREAT BBC adaptation of the Hardy book. This is a waste of time. Sturridge is particularly bad and miscast as Sgt. Troy. Jonathan Firth, the brother of Colin Firth (King's Speech, Pride and Prejudice), is a much better Sgt. Troy. The BBC miniseries had the time to fully lay out the plot and address the intricacies of the book. This version is like reading bad cliff notes. The dark atmosphere is also all wrong. You don't get a sense of the gritty yet vibrant everyday life surrounding the characters. Farmer Oak (sturdy as an oak) is just a love sick calf in this film. In the BBC series, you see a subtlety in the performance and not a depressing dogged joyless devotion to a women who can't make up her mind. The BBC version also shows you Bathsheba's caring relationship with the town folks who depend on her for their livelihood. You see how and why she becomes so devoted to them and how their lives are intertwined. Accordingly, you understand why her marriage to Sgt. Troy is a disaster beyond her own story and so poignant. The one thing that makes this film bearable is the performance of Michael Sheen. He is simply superb. In the BBC version, the actor played Boldwood as a raving lunatic. It is all wrong. Sheen's performance gave you compassion for the character and displayed the depth and pathos of his devotion and unrequited love for Bathsheba. He is a much better actor than the man who played him in the BBC series In fact, Sheen's performance is the only reason to watch this mediocrity.
Gambit (2012)
Very funny Firth and Courtney. Diaz and Firth have chemistry.
I really enjoyed this film. I don't understand why it got bad reviews. Some of the backlash is that it was the follow up for Firth to the King's Speech and this is not in the same league. I saw it in the movie theater. I liked it so much that I purchased it on DVD. Firth and Courtney were great together. Diaz and Firth had great chemistry. Stanley Tucci and Alan Rickman were weak links, but it was the script, not the actors. Firth was a good sport being put into humorous humiliating situations that evoke Lucille Ball in I love Lucy. The direction by Michael Hoffman could have been better. Nonetheless Firth, Courtney and Diaz made up for those deficiencies. I say See it.
Failure to Launch (2006)
How Can Anyone Stand This Horrible Movie
I was home one night and planned on watching the immortal classic The Shop Around The Corner for the 20th time on TCM. I decided that the 21st time was even too many times for me. So I decided to give this film a try because I saw Bradley Cooper was in it and I thought he was quite good in The Elephant Man on stage, The Silver Lining Playbook and American Hustle. I could not believe how horrible this film is. I am embarrassed that I live in a world where folks liked this. The script was stupid. The acting, particularly Bradley Cooper, Zooey Deschanel and Jason Bartha were painfully bad. I kept on watching it because Terry Bradshaw and Kathy Bates actually were terrific and the NY Mets had already won their game. The Shop Around the Corner is a great romantic comedy. Failure to Launch is as we say in NYC, shtick dreck. Go to the Urban Dictionary and look up the expression.