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Pig (2021)
Nicholas Cage is great, as is the takedown of foodie culture
I loved this movie all the way through until the end. Nicholas Cage delivers one of his finest performances. I was so happy to see that after years of his "paying off debts" movies he's been making.
The whole foodie thing was skillfully pilloried, but Cage's legendary status within that scene as a chef conveyed beautifully. The meal he cooks and the story behind it is amazing.
But then, at the end, he learns his pig is dead. There is no reason for this to be the case. The movie would have been just as wonderful, even better, really, if he had been reunited with his pig healthy and happy. It really makes me mad they felt compelled to kill the pig. I'm sure they would have gotten a lot more word-of-mouth if the pig had lived. I was very reserved with my recommendations despite my love for 95% of the movie.
Julie & Julia (2009)
Ten stars for Julia and Paul, minus four stars for Julie and Eric
I wanted to love this movie, but, like many other commenters, the Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci segments were wonderful, while the Amy Adams/Chris Messina were over-acted, too precious, irritating, and the worst part - he ate like a PIG, always chewing with his mouth open, talking with his mouth full. In fact, all those Queens people talked with their mouths full. No manners, no class. Made me want to just stop watching. In fact, I skipped past middle half of the movie, I found the "Julie" parts so irritating.
That said, Meryl Streep was incredible and worth the movie just for her (and her husband who was really cool, too).
I respect Julie's project to cook all of Juilia's recipes in one year. That's awesome, but this movie misses the mark. I haven't read the book, apparently, it suffers from them imbalance.
Katt Williams: Great America (2018)
This is hilarious, even with the fat orange loser gone
I see the usual suspects are downvoting this comedy special. Katt Williams is a national treasure. He saw Trump for what he was and is. But politics are just a small part of the routine. His bit on aggressive fast food menu development and marketing is wonderful. He is an astute observer of culture, commerce, and where we are as a nation.
The wonderful thing about Katt Williams is the undercurrent of love he has for his fellow Americans of all colors.
But most of all, he is charming and as funny as can be.
Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine (2020)
Ignore the incel brigade downvotes
This is an audacious experimental comedic work with a wonderful all-star cast. Amazing that it got made. Sarah takes a lot of chances and it is a little uneven, but I could not stop watching. It's a horror story. built at the intersection of William Burroughs' Nova Express and John Lennon's Revolution No. 9, masquerading as a satire.
How else to convey the insanity of these times under the depravity and incompetence of the Spray-Tan Shroom, aka, Bunker Boy?
In the end, I found it to be quite touching.
She is a talent to watch in the future. Ignore the naysayers.
Fracture (2007)
Not plausible - but Anthony Hopkins is great
This movie started out strong. Unfortunately, it rapidly went downhill.
When Gosling's new boss at the high-powered law firm had sex with him almost right away, before he even started working there, I almost turned the movie off. That would never happen with those kinds of lawyers in that kind of firm. Then she invited him to Thanksgiving dinner, where there were a bunch odd exchanges, but the real problem was his table manners. Nobody that ambitious would have that bad of table manners, talking while chewing food, for instance.
It just got more and more unbelievable and I hate these movies that think we are stupid and/or are willing to just go along with totally implausible plot points.
I stropped watching about 2/3 the way through. I have no interest in any of the characters, even Anthony Hopkins who plays, once again, a brilliant homicidal creepy guy.
Queen of Paradis (2020)
I love the art AND the artist
This is such a wonderful documentary. By the time it was over, I was in love with Reine Paradis. I think her husband is very cool, too! They are a great team. Her work is bold, bright, surreal, funny, sexy.
I loved watching them location scout, climb over fences, go to all sorts weird places with the props she had designed for the shoots. A true perfectionist, totally committed to getting the shot.
This is a great companion piece to Faces/Places, another art documentary about two charming photographers touring the countryside, although this is in France. Queen of Paradis takes place in the USA.
I love her images. Maybe someday I can afford one.
Shinya shokudô (2009)
A wonderful surprise, beautifully written, great ensemble acting.
I was hooked half-way through the first episode. I saw the word "kind" in another review here and, while it's not a word one usually associates with a TV series, kindness is one of the over-arching themes of the series. Kaoru Kobayashi, the main character (everyone calls him Master) has the kind of kindness that comes from inner strength, compassion, and wisdom.
The revolving ensemble of characters is wonderful. Great casting!
Sometimes the show seems to be a comedy, other times a drama, or a melancholy tale of unrequited.
Food, the sharing of, and the making of, is a important part of the show, as well. He cooks simple food, but every dish looks delicious!
I see the series was rebooted in 2019. I hope it, too, shows up on Netflix.
Goliath (2016)
A sprawling, stupid ungainly mess
The first season of this show was mostly fun, engaging, entertaining.
I don't know what happened in the second season. I grudge-watched the last few episodes, wondering if there was any way the writers could redeem the story.
No, they could not.
I feel sorry for the actors, a truly talented bunch.
It's the kind of show where one asks oneself "how stupid do the writers think we are?" constantly.
I heard from a friend who worked on the show that they had to reshoot the first four episodes.
They should have reshot all eight, with a new script.
21 Bridges (2019)
A nice ride
I was just looking for an entertaining matinee on a chilly afternoon and this fit the bill perfectly. No surprises but great acting all the way around. The whole movie takes place in the dead-of-night Manhattan ... some gritty characters ... and the protagonist an interesting character, along with being a great shot.
We Still Kill the Old Way (2014)
Amazing cast, very entertaining, but ...
This was a great movie for about the first two-thirds. And then it just begins to unravel. The ending was a complete letdown. The script was to blame. This was a great cast - these old crooks getting together again to avenge a death - they were great. And at the end, it seemed as if they were setting up a sequel. Even though I was somewhat disappointed with how the movie just petered out with an almost non-sensical shootout in a hospital, I was hoping they would make a sequel and get it right this time.
Oh and the main hoodlum's girlfriend is the daughter of the detective in charge of the murder investigation? Please.
Goliath (2016)
A sprawling, stupid ungainly mess
The first season of this show was mostly fun, engaging, entertaining.
I don't know what happened in the second season. I grudge-watched the last few episodes, wondering if there was any way the writers could redeem the story.
No, they could not.
I feel sorry for the actors, a truly talented bunch.
It's the kind of show where one asks oneself "how stupid do the writers think we are?" constantly.
I heard from a friend who worked on the show that they had to reshoot the first four episodes.
They should have reshot all eight, with a new script.
Un beau soleil intérieur (2017)
I rarely review movies I didn't like, but ...
I found myself thinking the whole time "Well, just goes to show women always go for the assholes."
She's a successful artist, beautiful and smart, and goes for married men and jerks every single time. There's one guy who is single and clearly adores her, but she blows him off every time they bump into each other.
I can't even remember how the movie ends. I hated most of her boyfriends. An ex-husband shows up at some point and there is an argument.
All in all, nothing really happens, nothing is resolved.
At least that i can remember, anyway. I probably just sat through whole movie because I love looking at Juliette Binoche.
An utterly forgettable movie.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Disappointing.
I turned off this movie at the 40 minute mark. I frankly don't get the high rating on IMDb. No characters were believable. No characters had any character. To call them cardboard would be flattering. This movie, in retrospect, was among the flattest I've ever seen. Nothing sticks out: no lines, no scenes (beyond the opening sequence), no actors. I had had hopes for a return to form for Ritchie. Not to be. I kept watching, hoping for something to engage my interest. I just found myself getting more exasperated and then irritated with the dullness. Finally accepted defeat. I gave it two stars because the cinematography was pretty. I mean, they clearly had budget for this movie. How could they produce such a stinker?