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Reviews
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
Mad Max part five
I am not particularly a fan of the "Mad Max" films and the only one I really liked before this one was "Mad Max Fury Road". But this one is truly outstanding and the best mad max movie I have ever seen.
Director George Miller has done it again and created an excellent action movie with superb cinematography from Simon Duggan who did "The Great Gatsby" with Leonardo DiCaprio and "Hacksaw Ridge" directed by Mel Gibson.
"Furiosa a mad max saga" is just as beautifully made in all departments as "Mad Max Fury Road" which was nominated for ten Academy Awards including best picture and best director and it won six. This film is equally worthy of that kind of recognition.
The best thing about the movie is the star making performance of Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa. She makes you care about her character with just her body language and her eyes and not much dialogue. She gives the best performance by an actress in an action movie since Sigourney Weaver in "Aliens". And Chris Hemsworth is great as the bad guy.
"Furiosa a Mad Max Saga" is definitely one of the best movies of the year. Go see it!
Challengers (2024)
Zendaya is a Star
I am a fan of Zendaya from films like "Spider Man Far from Home" and "Dune part one". And I used to watch her on the Disney channel series "K. C. Undercover".
Now she has a new film out called "Challengers" directed by Luca Guadagnino who directed "A Bigger Splash" which I have seen and the remake of "Suspiria" which I have not seen.
Zendaya plays a tennis player who gets involved with two other tennis players and gets romantically involved with one and then the other. They are played by Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor.
The best thing about the movie is the score by Trent Rezner and Atticus Ross. It makes the action really exciting.
I am not really a tennis fan and the film didn't really do anything to make it more interesting to me. But the acting is excellent especially Zendaya and Mike Faist.
The movie ends abruptly without really resolving the situation but I enjoyed the ride the movie took me on.
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
Kristen Stewart in a romantic thriller
I am a fan of Kristen Stewart as an actress from films like "Welcome to the Riley's", "The Runaways", "Snow White and the Huntsman", "Cafe Society" and "Charlie's Angels".
And of course she was nominated for an Oscar for "Spencer".
Now she has a new film out called "Love Lies Bleeding" directed by Rose Glass who previously directed a film called "Saint Maude" which I have not seen.
The cast includes Ed Harris, Katy O'Brian, Dave Franco, and Jena Malone. The actors are all very good and the film is interesting.
The story is about Kristen Stewart's character getting romantically involved with a female bodybuilder played by Katy O'Brian.
Ed Harris does a great job playing Kristen's father who is also a local organized crime boss.
The movie is rated R for a lot of violence and sex but if that doesn't bother you you should enjoy the film. A worthwhile movie with another good performance from Kristen Stewart.
Madame Web (2024)
The beautiful Dakota Johnson
I have been a fan of Dakota Johnson since I saw her in "The Social Network" back in 2010. Since then I have liked her in films like "Black Mass", "How to be Single" and "A Bigger Splash". And of course she was great in "Fifty Shades of Gray" and it's sequels.
Now she stars in the new superhero movie "Madame Webb" and I liked it a lot. Also starring Sidney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O'Connor as the three young women she meets and protects from danger. Also with Adam Scott and Emma Roberts.
The story is about how Dakota Johnson's character, Cassie Webb, discovers her ability to see into the future.
I found the movie to be very entertaining and enjoyable. It is well made with good editing and good cinematography from Maura Fiore who did "Avatar". A good time at the movies.
Sometimes I Think About Dying (2023)
Daisy Ridley is a great actress
I am a big fan of Daisy Ridley as an actress from the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy she did; "The Force Awakens", "The Last Jedi", and "The Rise of Skywalker". I also liked her in Kenneth Branagh's remake of "Murder on the Orient Express".
Now she comes out with a small independent movie called "Sometimes I think about dying", and I think it contains her best performance so far.
The story is about her character named Fran, who works on a computer in an office in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, presumably Oregon or Washington State. Her character is quiet and kind of shy. One of the workers in her office retires, and then a new man comes to work there. His name is Robert and he is played by Dave Meherje, in a good performance. He pursues a relationship with Fran, by asking her to see a movie with him.
"Sometimes I think about dying" is a nice slice of life romantic drama with some humor that I found to be very enjoyable and satisfying. The cinematography is very good and the music score enhances the movie to a large extant.
I recommend seeing this movie in a movie theater. It is a very good film. I hope it finds an audience. I liked it a lot.
Poor Things (2023)
Emma Stone in the best movie of 2023
I have liked Emma Stone for a long time, since I saw her in "Easy A". I also loved her in "Birdman" and "La la land" and "Cruella".
But now she has outdone herself with her astonishing performance in director Yorgos Lanthimos's new film, "Poor Things". He also directed the movie "The Lobster", which was an interesting film.
But this film is brilliant. The actors are all excellent, including Willem Dafoe from "The Last Temptation of Christ", "Mississippi Burning" and "Wild at Heart". He has never been better and deserves to win the Oscar for best supporting actor in my opinion.
Also excellent is Mark Ruffalo from "The Kids are Alright", "Spotlight" and "Foxcatcher". He gives one of his best performances.
And Emma Stone definitely deserves the Oscar for best actress. If I had my way, this thing would win like twelve Oscars, including best picture! I loved it!
Napoleon (2023)
Another Great Ridley Scott Film
I have been a huge fan of Ridley Scott as a director for a long time, since I saw "Alien" back in 1979. Since then he has directed several great movies such as "Blade Runner", "Legend", "Someone to Watch over me", "Black Rain", "Thelma and Louise", "Gladiator", "Black Hawk Down", and "The Martian".
And I thought his film "House of Gucci" was the best movie of 2021.
Now he's back with the epic film "Napoleon". The film tells the story of the famous French Emporer's rise to power and of his relationship with his wife, Josephine.
There are a number of epic battle scenes that are beautifully filmed with superb cinematography, costume design, and art direction. The cinematography is by Dariusz Wolski, who was nominated for an Oscar for "News of the World" with Tom Hanks.
Napoleon is played by Joaquin Phoenix, and he does a great job as does Vanessa Kirby as Josephine.
Overall a great movie about Napoleon that is very entertaining and beautifully directed by Ridley Scott. It is two hours and thirty eight minutes long but it is never boring. Another triumph from Ridley Scott!
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Another Great Scorsese Film
I have been a fan of Martin Scorsese as a director since I saw "The King of Comedy" back in 1983. Since then he has come out with one great movie after another:
From the 1980's:
"After Hours"
"The Color of Money"
"The Last Temptation of Christ"
From the 1990's:
"Goodfellas"
"Cape Fear"
"The Age of Innocence"
From the 2000's:
"Gangs of New York"
"The Aviator"
"The Departed"
From the 2010's
"Shutter Island"
"Hugo"
"The Wolf of Wall Street"
What an amazing career this man has had! And now with his new film, "Killers of the Flower Moon" he has another contender for Best Picture of the year.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone with supporting performances from Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, and Brendan Fraser, it is another Scorsese Masterpiece.
It is a long film at almost three and a half hours but it is never less than compelling and fascinating.
The performances are all great and the film is superbly made on every level. Based on a true story, this is one of the best movies of the year. Highly recommended.
A Haunting in Venice (2023)
Kenneth Branagh does it again
Kenneth Branagh is one of our best filmmakers working today. From his brilliant beginning directing and starring in Shakespeare's "Henry the fifth" and writing and directing and starring in a superb adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet", to directing and starring in remakes of "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Death on the Nile", he manages to never disappoint.
Now he is back as Hercule Poirot in "A Haunting in Venice" which is based on an Agatha Christie book called "Halloween Party".
The story has him invited to a seance by a writer played by Tina Fey. The medium played by Michelle Yeoh claims to be able to communicate with the dead.
The cast also includes Jamie Dornan and Jude Hill from Branagh's "Belfast".
All the actors are excellent and the film is very enjoyable and stylish and extremely well made.
Mr. Branagh is so good he deserves serious best actor consideration. If you liked his previous two films with Hercule Poirot you will definitely enjoy this one. I recommend you see this movie in a movie theater.
Golda (2023)
Helen Mirren is Golda Meir
I have been a fan of Helen Mirren's for a long time. I have liked her work in films such as "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu", "Excalibur", "The Long Good Friday", "2010 the year we make contact", "The Mosquito Coast", and "The cook, the thief, his wife and her lover".
And of course she won the Oscar for "The Queen". And was nominated for "The madness of king George", "Gosford Park" and "The Last Station".
And it looks like she will be nominated again for her excellent performance in the new movie "Golda".
Transformed by makeup into looking very much like Golda Meir, her performance is compelling and believable.
Also with Liev Schreiber, from "The Painted Veil" and "Spotlight" as a very convincing Henry Kissinger.
The movie tells the story of Golda's struggle to deal with the Yom Kippur war in 1973.
It is a very good movie. Worth seeing for the performances alone. I recommend this film to anyone interested in the subject matter, or to anyone who is a fan of great acting.
Barbie (2023)
Barbie comes to life
I am a big fan of the actress Margot Robbie. I loved her last year in "Babylon" and "Amsterdam". And before those I loved her in "The Wolf of Wall Street" and as Harley Quinn in "Suicide Squad", "Birds of Prey" and "The Suicide Squad".
I also liked Ryan Gosling in "La la land".
Now here they are together in "Barbie" directed by Greta Gerwig, who did such a great job with "Little Women" and "Lady Bird".
I didn't know what to expect from a movie about a Barbie doll but this movie is a very entertaining and fun movie that brings Barbie's world to life with great production design and costumes and good cinematography.
I couldn't imagine another actress playing this part as perfectly as Margot Robbie does here. She is a great movie star. The supporting cast is also excellent including Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel. I had a great time with the movie "Barbie".
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Indiana Jones part five
I am of the opinion that the original film, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" was the best film of 1981 and one of the best movies of the decade. The second and third films were also very good and the fourth was kind of disappointing but still not terrible.
Now we have "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", the first Indiana Jones movie not directed by Steven Spielberg, and I was surprised by how much I liked it.
The director here is James Mangold, who directed "Girl Interrupted" and "Walk the Line". He does a very good job of creating a new Indiana Jones adventure.
Harrison Ford is back as Indiana Jones for one last time and he does a great job as always. The cast also includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Toby Jones, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, and Karen Allen.
This is a fun and entertaining adventure movie, and a fitting conclusion to the Indiana Jones saga. Worth seeing on the big screen. Go see it!
Fast X (2023)
The Fast and the Furious part ten
I am not a huge fan of "The Fast and the Furious" series but I did see "F9 the fast saga" two years ago when it came out and thought it was fairly entertaining and a good action movie.
Now we have "Fast Ten" and I thought it was a better film than the previous entry. As an action movie it is not as good as "John Wick Chapter Four" which I think is the best movie of this year so far.
This movie was directed by Louis Leterrier who directed the remake of "Clash of the Titans" from 2010 and "Now you see me" from 2013.
The large cast includes Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludicrous, Jason Statham, John Cena, and Jason Mamoa, who makes a great villain.
Plus four Oscar winning actresses; Charlize Theron, Rita Moreno, Helen Mirren, and the beautiful Brie Larson. The actors are likable and charismatic.
The plot is just an excuse to set up the action scenes. And there is a lot of action. Car chases, hand to hand combat, shooting, and lots of explosions. The action is outrageous and nonsensical and borderline cartoonish. But also entertaining.
The film is kind of long at almost two and a half hours. But it keeps moving and is worth seeing on the big screen.
The Pope's Exorcist (2023)
The Return of Russell Crowe
I have liked Russell Crowe as an actor in a lot of movies, including "Gladiator", "A Beautiful Mind", "Master and Commander", "American Gangster" and "The Nice Guys".
Last year he had a supporting role as Zeus in the silly sequel "Thor love and thunder". Now he is back as a leading man in "The Pope's Exorcist" and he gives an excellent performance. Welcome back Russell!
The story takes place in 1987 and is based on a real person who was a priest and an exorcist for the Pope. A young boy who lives with his widowed mother and his sister is possessed by a powerful demon.
The film is not as good as the classic "The Exorcist" from 1973 which was one of the best movies of the 1970's and probably should have won best picture.
But it is a very well made film and the actors are all very good and Russell Crowe does a great job. I enjoyed "The Pope's Exorcist" as a good horror movie.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
John Wick part four
I am a fan of the actor Keanu Reeves from films like "River's Edge", "Dangerous Liaisons", "Bram Stoker's Dracula", "Speed", and "The Matrix". And I have recently watched the three previous John Wick movies on video and I thought they were pretty good.
Now comes the new movie "John Wick Chapter Four" and nothing could prepare me for how great this movie is. It is easily the best John Wick movie and one of the best action movies ever made. The director Chad Stahelski and the star Keanu Reeves have outdone themselves and created an excellent film that is one of the most entertaining movies of the year as long as you don't mind the nonstop violence.
The movie is violent but beautifully choreographed with colorful and superb production design. This is the best action movie since "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and one of the best movies of the year.
Magic Mike's Last Dance (2023)
Magic Mike Part Three
I am a fan of the director Steven Soderberg. I thought his first film, "Sex, Lies and Videotape" was the best movie of 1989. And I also thought that the first "Magic Mike" was the best movie of 2012.
I have not seen the second film in the Magic Mike saga. But this third part is a very good movie on it's own merits. And it is not just for women or gay men. As a straight man I can say that I enjoyed the film very much.
Channing Tatum returns as Magic Mike, now working as a bartender in Florida. And then he meets Salma Hayek as a wealthy woman who pays him for a lap dance. She talks him into going with her to London to put on a show.
The plot is very simple but the film is very entertaining and very well made.
The actors are all very good and I had a good time with "Magic Mike's Last Dance".
Women Talking (2022)
Rooney Mara gives a great performance
I have liked Rooney Mara as an actress in a number of films including "The Girl with the dragon tattoo" and "Carol" and "Her". Now she gives one of her best performances in the new movie "Women Talking" written and directed by Sarah Polley.
Sarah Polley was nominated for an Oscar for her screenplay for "Away from Her" which she also directed and which I have not seen. That film started Julie Christie.
Based on the quality of this new film Sarah Polley is a very talented and skillful filmmaker.
The story takes place in the year 2010 and is about a group of women in a rural religious community who are abused, beaten and raped by their husbands. They then have to decide if they should do nothing, stay and fight, or leave.
There is a lot of talking in the movie but it is never dull. The actors are all very good. The cinematography is stylish and effective. The background score is good. I think this movie is interesting and worth seeing. A good movie. Thumbs up!
Babylon (2022)
Margot Robbie deserves the Oscar
I loved her in "The Wolf of Wall Street" and as Harley Quinn in "Suicide Squad", "Birds of Prey" and "The Suicide Squad". Now Margot Robbie gives one of her best performances in director Damien Chazelle's new film "Babylon".
The story takes place in Hollywood during the late 1920's and early 1930's when movies with sound were first being made. It begins with a wild Hollywood party where people are doing drugs and drinking and having sex and it really is outrageously entertaining and fun to watch the extreme behavior.
The movie follows several characters as they make movies and sometimes socialize and party. Margot Robbie is truly outstanding and Brad Pitt is also excellent. They both deserve Oscars for their performances.
The film is very well made with excellent cinematography and production design. It is a long movie but it is never boring. Ultimately it becomes a tribute to the magic of the movies. I recommend seeing this movie on the big screen.
The Fabelmans (2022)
Another great Spielberg movie
I was looking forward to seeing Steven Spielberg's new movie "The Fabelmans" for a long time and I am happy to report it is not a disappointment. While not as brilliant as his best films like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" or "E. T. The Extraterrestrial" it is still a very good film and a better movie than his remake of "West Side Story" from last year.
The story is semi-autobiographical and about a young man who becomes a filmmaker. It starts with the character, named Sam Fabelmans, being taken to see his first movie in a movie theater. The year is 1952 and the movie he sees is "The Greatest Show on Earth".
His parents are played by Paul Dano and Michelle Williams and they both give great performances. Seth Rogan is also very good. And David Lynch is amusing in a small part as the director John Ford.
The cinematography by Janusz Kaminski is excellent as usual. The score by John Williams is also good. I expect this film to get several Oscar nominations next year, including best director for Steven Spielberg. Definitely worth seeing on the big screen.
Amsterdam (2022)
David O. Russell has created a masterpiece
I am a big fan of David O. Russell as a director. I loved his work on "Silver linings playbook" and "American Hustle" and I also liked "I heart Huckabees" and "Joy". His new film, "Amsterdam" is in my opinion the best movie of the year so far.
He has assembled an amazing all star cast for this movie. Led by the superb Christian Bale, the cast also includes Margot Robbie, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Rami Malek, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Taylor Swift, Chris Rock and Robert De Niro.
The entire cast give excellent performances. The story takes place partly in 1933 where Christian Bale's character is a doctor asked to perform an autopsy on an old man who has died.
I won't give away any more of the plot because you should experience it for yourself.
This movie is beautiful to look at with great cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki who did "The Revenant" and "Birdman". The production design and costume design are also excellent. Overall a great moviegoing experience. Very entertaining film.
Don't Worry Darling (2022)
Olivia Wilde is a great director
I am a fan of Olivia Wilde as an actress. I loved her in "Third Person" and "Tron Legacy" and "Her" and "Cowboys and Aliens", among others. I have not seen her first film as a director, "Booksmart", but I heard it was pretty good. And she won the Independent Spirit Award for it for best first feature.
And now we have her second film as a director, "Don't Worry Darling", and based on this she has a tremendous future as a great director.
This movie is beautiful to look at with very good production design and costume design and cinematography. The actors are all excellent including Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, and Olivia Wilde.
The story has an otherworldly quality about it that reminded me of Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" and David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive". I found the film to be compelling and hypnotic and entertaining from beginning to end. I recommend seeing this film on the big screen.
Emily the Criminal (2022)
The beautiful Aubrey Plaza
I am a fan of Aubrey Plaza from movies like "Dirty Grandpa" and "Mike and Dave need wedding dates". But in this movie she plays a dramatic role and does a superb job.
Her character, Emily, is a woman who turns to a life of crime to pay her student loan debt.
The movie is suspenseful and surprising and completely engrossing. It is one of the best movies of the year. I recommend this movie.
And I am looking forward to seeing what Aubrey Plaza will do next in her career.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Thor part four
I was disappointed with the first Thor movie because it was over praised and was not that good. I have not seen the dark world or Ragnarok.
I went to see this movie because I love Natalie Portman. Also in this film is Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Christian Bale as the villain, and Russell Crowe as Zeus. The actors are good and likable.
I would say that this film is better than the first Thor. But it is silly and childish and cartoonish at times. Still, the film has some entertainment value and I enjoyed the performances. Not as good as last year's Black Widow but still a decent Marvel movie.
Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
Jurassic Park part six
I loved the first "Jurassic Park" movie released in 1993 directed by Steven Spielberg, which won three Academy Awards and was, for a time, the biggest box office hit of all time.
This new film, "Jurassic World Dominion" is the most entertaining and enjoyable film in the series since the first one.
Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are back along with a very good Isabella Sermon as their adopted daughter. Also you have Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum from the first film.
The cinematography and music score are both excellent. All of the acting is great and the visual effects are amazing. A great movie to see in a movie theater. I recommend this film, especially to fans of the first film. You will have a good time. Go see it!
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Top Gun 36 years later
Tom Cruise is back as Maverick in the sequel entitled "Top Gun Maverick". I was not a huge fan of the original film but I thought it was a very good, entertaining movie when I saw it on videotape back in the eighties.
This sequel is just as good as the original film and is worth seeing on the big screen. The cast includes Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller and Val Killer. The film is well made and well acted. If you liked the first film you will probably enjoy this one too. The story is simple but there is never a dull moment. I hope you enjoy "Top Gun Maverick".