jcuccini Reviews

Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict (2015)

Rather dull

[3/10 · 1 February 2024]

In fairness the title does specifically state that this film is about Peggy Guggenheim but her story is not a new one or particularly interesting. She was the stereotypical poor little rich girl but this documentary seems to put her in some kind of heroic light. Yes she got some artists out of Nazi occupied Europe but it showed just how dim witted she was when she was asked if she was afraid that she might be put into a concentration camp if the Nazis caught her and she replied that being scared was not in her nature. That is pretty much the essence of this documentary, it's a puff piece on her to turn her into some kind of super hero.

There is a little about the art and artists she displayed in her gallery but not nearly enough, it was all about a woman who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth who used her money to showcase art that she personally liked. The truth is she was a woman completely devoid of any artistic talent herself but hung around artists in order to make her feel like she was in their world.

Fight Club (1999)

Incredibly lame movie

[1/10 · 30 December 2023]

This movie seems to me as if it had been written by rather effeminate men who imagine themselves as masculine and think the characters are a good representation of masculinity. Either that or it was written by people who believe there really is such a thing as "toxic masculinity", regardless of which of these is the case the movie is just bad, plotless and pointless.

There is absolutely no storyline here other than guys getting together to fight, they're presented as non-conformists who are rebelling against the status quo but they don't actually do anything. It makes no sense that Fight Club in the movie has become a nationwide phenomenon when "the first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club", if nobody talks about it then how did it grow?

Before watching the movie I kept hearing about the incredible plot twist but I saw that twist coming long before the movie revealed it and the ending is one of the worst I've ever seen in a movie. You can't put a gun in your mouth, pull the trigger and have only minor wounds that you only need a gauze for. It actually made me laugh it was so bad.

The Matrix (1999)

Lots of CGI but very little else

[1/10 · 30 December 2023]

This movie had great special effects for the time but they've become very dated and some even laughable. Unfortunately that was the effects were the only thing this movie had going for itself, the plot is idiotic and the acting isn't much better. It's loaded with meaningless dialogue and very dull characters to deliver it.

The movie is so unoriginal and done more poorly than other films about machines taking over the planet. The fact that it takes place in the future but they're using computer technology that was advanced at the end of the 20th century it has become funny in the last 20+ years.

A Christmas Carol (2019)

What was the point?

[2/10 · 1 December 2023]

I watched this when it first aired in 2019 and didn't think much of it but I tried watching it again this year and have to say I still don't get it. The best thing about it is the way it looks, very dark which other versions have done also. George C. Scott's version was dark and dimly lit when Scrooge was present but after his redemption the scene lightened considerably. In this version it never gets lighter but Scrooge is never actually redeemed, he doesn't change or repent he simply closes up shop and leaves which begs the question what was the point? If he never changes his ways the whole story is pointless.

In this version Scrooge isn't just a miser he's a very cruel man and perhaps even has OCD the way he obsesses over insignificant things. I have no problem with trying something new but this was just bad, it takes place in the 19th century but the whole girl power thing going on with his sister and also with Mrs. Cratchit is clearly an attempt to pander to certain 21st century viewers and makes the story laughable while making the women seem less intelligent. For example we find out that Mrs. Cratchit somehow makes the ghosts manifest and visit Scrooge with some sort of magic she possesses but why can't simply use magic to cure Tiny Tim or get the money for his operation instead of prostituting herself? Why are they so poor if she can use magic?

Giving this a second chance didn't make it any better.

Outer Range: The West (2022) Season 1, Episode 8

It looks more like Lost with every episode

[1/10 · 1 April 2023]

The show started out with some mystery that you assume you'd get some answers to but unfortunately there are only more questions and ridiculous plot twists. There really isn't one likeable or interesting character on the show, Autumn least of all. The hole reminds me of the smoke monster in Lost with no real explanation as to what it is or where it went. Time travel storylines are usually very convoluted.to begin with and this one is no exception.

Royal somehow travels 80 years into the future after killing his father but there seems to be no reason given, there's no explanation as to whether the hole has been there for the last 55 years or how people are able to find it so easily in the dark. There's no explanation as to why Perry jumping into it causes the hole to disappear. It seems like the writers don't know where they want to take the story and are making things up as they go along.

Star Trek: Picard: Assimilation (2022) Season 2, Episode 3

The show seems to have run out of steam

[2/10 · 20 February 2023]

The first season of this show was pretty good, the second I thought started out even better and once Q emerged I had high hopes for it. This episode has dashed those hopes and makes me think the show has run out of steam.

They end up going back to 2024 with the aid of the Borg queen who must take control of the ship to allow them to go back in time, it's not clear how Jurati got control back from her or how she got the secret of who "the watcher" is but somehow she did it despite never seeming particularly bright or resourceful. The episode just goes off the rails once they get to L. A. in 2024, forget the fact that any unidentified object entering U. S. airspace would certainly cause alarm. Rios ends up at a medical clinic and loses his communicator and when the doctor he befriends gets it back she won't give it to him until he leaves which makes no sense since she made it clear she wasn't charging him anything. Things get worse from there when immigration authorities raid the clinic in search of people in the country legally which makes no sense considering there are plenty of people streaming across the border if they wanted to catch them.

Picard's character is becoming more and more of a secondary one, being the only white male I guess that makes sense. I don't know if I'll keep watching since it seems clear the direction it's going.

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Very gory with little story.

[5/10 · 15 November 2022]

I was looking forward to seeing this movie since I've seen both the 1930s original and the 1970s remake and liked them both. This is not the same story despite having the same title. That in itself is not the problem I have with the movie. The movie accurately depicts the horror of war and how young men thought they were marching off to glory when in reality the were marching off to hell. This is all well and good but there is no story to it, just men going through the horrors of war and many being slaughtered. There are also many, many historical inaccuracies to the movie which also keep me from rating it higher.

If you didn't already know that war was horrible and not glorious then this may be an eye opener for you, if you know much about the real WW1 then the inaccuracies may be a problem for you and if you're looking for an interesting storyline you may be disappointed too.

Yellowstone (2018– )

Overall well done but a few things dragging it down.

[6/10 · 15 November 2022]

The show overall is very well done, it depicts the family of a large ranch and we often hear about the difficulties of maintaining it financially. Part of the problem which would keep me from rating it higher is we don't really see what they go through, how they generate an income other than to say it's a cattle ranch. Are the financial issues brought on by high taxes, poor money management, unstable beef prices or something else?

Another issue I have is that it's not the real Montana, I'm not sure any episodes have taken place in winter despite winter being very prominent on the minds of Montana residents especially ranchers. In one episode there is a big party outdoors in beautiful warm weather despite it taking place in January, that's California in January not Montana The biggest problem is the Beth character, she's such an over the top Hollywood "strong female" who needs to be hard because she lives and competes in a world dominated by men. It's completely absurd and her character adds nothing to the show, her hatred of Jamie is just more of the over the top nonsense written for her. The actress portraying her does a good job but the character is useless and pointless to the show.

Overall I like the show and some of the absurdities in the early episodes such as "take him to the train station" and the "branding" have ceased to exist which has benefitted the show immensely, hopefully the Beth character will get the same treatment.

The Searchers (1956)

A masterpiece

[10/10 · 17 July 2021]

This is John Wayne's finest film and perhaps best job of acting, the story is very accurate in terms of white people being killed and their children being abducted by Indians during the 1800s. John Wayne plays Ethan Edwards brilliantly, he shows the hatred for Indians on his face which may be what keeps him relentless pursuing the ones who abducted his niece. It's masterpiece of writing, directing and acting.

Jackie Brown (1997)

Not particularly interesting

[5/10 · 2 July 2021]

While I'm a fan of most Tarantino movies this one just wasn't all that good. Despite a very good cast including two beautiful actresses in Bridget Fonda and Pam Grier the story wasn't a very good one, this was a case of exceptional actors making the most of a sub par movie. Most movies by Tarantino have a great story but this one is definitely an exception to that, if this had been made before Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs maybe it could be chalked up to him still finding his style but since it came after those two excellent films it's a big disappointment. This gets 5 stars only because of the quality of the acting, Jackie Brown with lesser actors would rate a 2.

Ozark (2017–2022)

Started out great but got kind of ridiculous

[5/10 · 17 June 2021]

The story began interestingly enough.but just couldn't keep up that head of steam. As is often the case shows add new characters and increase the presence of others who add nothing to the show. Another problem is the plot lines became completely far fetched, a drug cartel isn't going to waterboard someone they think is a rat, they'll kill the person and would certainly not let the suspected rat play a major role in the operation. On top of this the cartel's lawyer who was also waterboarded.is involved in the day to day business and practically running things. The show definitely became more female centered with the Wendy character becoming the primary move on their end and the female lawyer running the cartel's business.

Shot Caller (2017)

Mediocre movie, far fetched and far from great

[4/10 · 7 June 2021]

This movie is completely unrealistic which in itself isn't necessarily unforgivable but it seems to take itself so seriously. The entire premise of an upper middle class man going to a maximum security prison for a DUI which kills someone is silly especially after him taking a plea deal. Add to that him not being overwhelmed in prison but fitting in and fighting quickly just seems ridiculous. The acting isn't terrible but the stereotypes are and the ending is completely absurd. It was worth a watch since I had read so many comments online about how great it is. It was hardly great but mildly entertaining.

The Tudors (2007–2010)

Too many historical inaccuracies

[5/10 · 28 March 2021]

I don't mind a few inaccuracies here and there but this who is just one right after another that I don't understand why the creators didn't create a complete work of fiction with character resembling real historic figures, something along the lines of Game of Thrones. While the acting is good and many of the characters are portrayed as they really were, Sam Neill is especially great as the scheming Cardinal Wolsey but so many of the story arcs are not as they happened in real life and in some cases didn't happen at all. The Tudors in real life make for an interesting story so I can't help but think the creators of the show just have little knowledge of those people or the times.

Jacob's Ladder (I) (1990)

Such an overrated movie

[1/10 · 28 March 2021]

I think people say it's great because other people say it's great, the truth is the movie is pretty bad. There is no plot to this movie, it's just a collection of things happening only to find out it's all just the illusion of a dying man. How many times do we have to suffer thorough this same tired and unoriginal "plot twist"? If you didn't see the end coming you just weren't paying attention. I watched this film after seeing such great reviews for it and now I'm left to wonder if those rave reviews were from people who even saw the movie.

Blood Ties (I) (2013)

Pretty dull

[2/10 · 7 March 2021]

There are some good actors in this movie but there really isn't anything original or particularly interesting about it. Clive Owen is a talented actor but like most Europeans he can't manage an American accent. I wanted to like this movie but there just wasn't anything to like, some talented actors wasted in a boring story and terrible script. The only thing I liked about this was the old cars but this is a story that has been done to death and could have been set in any period.

The Man from Earth: Holocene (2017)

The first one wasn't great but this is really bad

[1/10 · 6 March 2021]

While I thought The Man From Earth had potential to be good but missed the mark badly this movie is just bad. What I found hilarious is that a guy who hasn't aged in 14,000 years looks 10 years older than he did in the first movie made 10 years earlier.

The original movie at the very least brought up some interesting points this movie was just pointless.

The Imitation Game (2014)

Very inacurate

[2/10 · 5 March 2021]

The movie is mostly a work of fiction using real names and distorting actual events. If you believe this movie you'd be left thinking Turing invented the code breaking machine all by himself but he didn't even invent the thing, what he and his team really did was improve on the machine the Polish invented. I know that's an unpopular truth for many in Britain who think they defeated the Nazis by themselves but it's a truth all the same. The personality the writers gave to the character of Alan Turing is not at all like the real Turing and according to the movie he had a very small team of people who were pretty much lost without him, in reality there was a big team of scientists and mathematicians involved in the making of the machine.

If it had been billed as a complete work of fiction instead of a true story it may have some entertainment value but to completely distort a story and call it true is annoying not entertaining.

The Man in the High Castle (2015–2019)

Great start but died quickly

[2/10 · 4 March 2021]

The show began with a lot of promise, I'd say the entire first season was at least pretty good, the second season was mediocre at best and after that it was just terrible. I can't help but wonder if the show should have been a mini-series and leave people with a cliffhanger ending rather than what appears to be making up plots and sub plots as they go along then with no logical way for it to end just end it in a ludicrous manner.

The Quiet Man (1952)

One of the best John Wayne movies

[10/10 · 4 March 2021]

This is one of the best movies in the illustrious careers of everyone involved. John Wayne made his mark as a cowboy but this film is one of his best, being teamed with Maureen O'Hara and Victor McLaglen it really couldn't miss, add in John Ford as the director and you've got an instant classic. It's amazing that the studio thought it would flop but I think everyone involved with this movie had to know they had something special on their hands.

There isn't a weak link in this entire film, the stars are perfectly cast and give flawless performances as do all of the supporting actors, not just Barry Fitzgerald, his brother Arthur shields, Ward Bond and Mildred Natwick there are people with only a line or two who deliver them perfectly. Ken Curtis also adds a lot with his wonderful singing, it's a movie which would be less enjoyable even if just one person were removed. The Quiet Man is flawless and a film that never gets old, even the main story about a man who longs for a simpler life in a simpler place is something that resonates even in today's world.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

A classic that never gets old

[10/10 · 4 March 2021]

This is one of the best movies I have ever seen, it's a classic that stands the test of time. Perhaps these days the PC police probably find something offensive but it's a movie that does nothing but try to entertain and it succeeds brilliantly. It's hilarious and has some great music as well, the performances all around are fantastic and still memorable 40 years later.

Black '47 (2018)

This could have been so good

[3/10 · 4 March 2021]

The story could have been so much better if they had stuck with the historic angle. So many Irish people during the Irish Famine had no choice but to join the British military just to to avoid starving to death and were bitter about it since they felt the British were to blame for the famine in the first place.

The movie starts out with that as the premise but quickly goes off the rails and becomes Rambo in Ireland with all of the usual silliness about a man impossible to kill no matter how badly outnumbered. We've seen basically this same movie with people like Stallone, Arnold or The Rock in the lead roll. This movie is no different from those with the exception of being in a different time and country.

Perhaps people wouldn't be interested enough in a movie that deals with the struggles of the Irish people back then but I think it would be far more interesting than this nonsense.

Looper (2012)

Pretty good overall

[7/10 · 4 March 2021]

The movie is pretty good for the most part but like all time travel movies it does get a bit convoluted such as writing messages to yourself across time by carving them into your body. The future self wouldn't feel it and wouldn't know a scar was there unless he looked because it had healed long ago. While I certainly don't mind being left hanging as to whether or not the child was the dreaded "Rainmaker" I would say the casting of Emily Blunt as the mother was a mistake. Emily Blunt is a good actress but while there are very few Americans able to speak in a believable European accent it's equally true that there are just as few Europeans able to speak in a believable American accent and she isn't one of them. The part would have been much less distracting and more believable if an American actress had been cast.

Jeff Daniels delivers a great performance as usual and the story starts off interestingly enough but it does get bogged down with the developing relationship between young Joe and the child and the mother. The ending was kind of ridiculous almost as if the writers were unsure ho to end it and thought of that on the fly.

Overall an entertaining movie and one I have seen multiple times.

The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

The Coen brothers are hit or miss

[3/10 · 27 February 2021]

It seems like the Coen brothers movies are either excellent like Miller's Crossing and No Country for Old Men or really bad like The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and The Hudsucker Proxy. This film is one of the bad ones, while I like the actors in it and visually it looks good in black and white it just never gets interesting, it's an incredibly slow moving and dull film.

Hatfields & McCoys (2012)

Well done mini series

[8/10 · 27 February 2021]

After recently watching a documentary about the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys which was very poorly done I was not sure what to expect from this but was very pleasantly surprised. The acting was very good but what impressed me the most was how accurate this was as far as the cause of the feud. Often times the cause is given as being a hog that Randall McCoy claimed was stolen by one of the Hatfields but in reality and as this miniseries showed that was merely one incident in a series of conflicts between the two families which seemed to get more and more serious. This mini series does a very good job of going into great detail about many of the minor conflicts as well as the major ones that occurred between the families. Very well done.

Lonesome Dove (1989)

A flawless masterpiece

[10/10 · 27 February 2021]

Lonesome Dove is nothing short of a classic and one of if not the finest western I've ever seen. The acting is fantastic, the casting couldn't have been better, the story is great as is the dialog. I've seen this many times including when it premiered back in 1989 and never tire of it, here it is more than 30 years later and I'm still enjoying it at least once a year. It's masterpieces like this that make me grateful for home video, I would hate having to wait years to see this just because the networks don't air it often. I can't recommend this highly enough for any fan of westerns who hasn't yet seen it.