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Reviews
Detour (2016)
Watch the original
It's nice that people think this is a clever plot: It is; it's the plot to one of the best film noir productions ever made. While this film is a trash-talking, crass vestige (if that) of the original, it stumbles around trying to be one-twenty-fourth as good. It's odd that none of the "top" reviews here makes any reference to the original. It's basic film history. The log line is the same. I'm sorry to say, "skip this, and watch the first one."
The film begins with a stripper and slips down into a bar fight between boys so young you can't believe they could defend themselves. Not worth it. No redeeming qualities. Not watchable.
The Curious Case of Natalia Grace (2023)
See Life Through the Eyes of a Hystrionic Criminal!
This "documentary," which leans heavily on the narration of a bona fide fool, drags viewers through the case of heinous mistreatment of a disabled child on an international scale. The film is six (6) hours of vile, sensationalist hyperbole from a decompensating, hystrionic criminal. Mr. Barnett is a certified buffoon, and the documentarians treat him as a protagonist starring in his own delusion. They actually burn hours of coverage of a liar with no redeeming qualities. The truth of his negligence, abuse, abandonment, and open disdain for the adopted daughter he treated like an animal is obscured by two Indiana judges. And adding exponentially to the flagrant injustice, the film's entire sensationalist approach to the disabled girl in its first two episodes is unforgivable. Do not waste your time on this trash. It's simply an exploitation of the current national obsession with tragedy porn.
The Lobster (2015)
Pointless
In addition to this film having nothing to give or say (it's worse than the most barren episode of The Twilight Zone), it is an exercise in masochism to watch it.
The stylized acting is pointless; the story is poor. Even if one is charitable, the concept and story are too weak to be a cautionary tale, a morality play, or a fable. Perhaps the screenplay could have been distilled into a few pages uttered by the Brothers Grimm.
I don't know if Colin Farrell is attempting to play a puppet or an empty vessel, devoid of charisma or personality-yet possessed of psychopathy. The performance is not compelling enough to ponder.
The ending is a cop out.
The only redeeming moments in the film come from Rachel Weisz.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
I miss the sock in Tom Cruise's underwear
No salt, as Brazilians would say. Uncharismatic actors (why didn't they use Gandolfini's son?). Sexist. Perverse, and not in a good way. Ok, PT took a class from David Foster Wallace and he's married to the brilliant Maya Rudolph. 1 star for that. This self-described autodidact? A fugazi. Won't watch any further films from this cipher.
Inventing Anna (2022)
Don't bother
Shonda Rhimes, apparently the Queen of Hollywood to a majority of interested parties, has always left me bored and flummoxed. Bored because "Grey's Anatomy" and every other production she does is melodramatic and simplistic. Flummoxed as to why people like it. Long story short, don't bother watching this. There's no story here.
Woman in Gold (2015)
Vienna from the inside
First, Helen Mirren, and then the great Daniel Brühl! Whatever its Hollywood touches and some blurring over of key points in history for time's sake, this film captures why the "Anschlüß" was so easy for Germany and Austria, the still-lingering Germanic nationalism in Austria, and some people in Austria's ongoing dislike of any Ausländer whatsoever. The filmmakers captured that subtextually and contextually. Mirren nails the accent beautifully, the carriage of a noble Austrian, and the anger of one who lost so many. The history of this particular Klimt I never knew, and I felt so proud that in the end the lady in gold found her way from Belvedere to her rightful place as a representation of a people, their experiences, a family, and their closeness and struggles throughout the 20th century.
Music Box: DMX: Don't Try to Understand (2021)
5 for the filmmakers; zero for their choice in subjects
I don't normally rate films by ideology. But this one I will. He hurt more people than he helped, including himself. Period.
Too bad the utter brilliance of the filmmakers (especially at the end-insanely profound). Was much more important than the subject himself.
The Politician (2019)
Abysmal.
I felt compelled to warn people off this incoherent, hackneyed, poorly written waste of pixels.
We must have better writers/directors than Murphy. This is the same "mind" who decided he should appropriate themes in Bernard Herrmann's music in Ratched. Trash.