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Steve461
Reviews
Masters of the Air (2024)
Weak script...worse cinematography
There was great potential but it doesn't materialize. The first episode lacks any character development so there is a procession of faces and crews with little differentiation. The viewer has little empathy. In the ensuing episodes the director runs a continuous stream of B17s shot of the sky. The filming of Aircraft interiors use the trendy but ill advised dark cinematography making it all but impossible to see anything but a black screen. The rest of the episodes fail to redeem a horribly flawed story. Compared to Twelve O'Clock High, Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers, this turkey was a dud.
Joe Pickett (2021)
Ruined it
Too bad CJ Boxx sold out. The Joe character is all wrong. While I like the remake of Nates character as well as the pickett girls the screen writters do a disservice to the spirit of the Boxx series. They introduce story lines that add nothing like Joes life as a youngster. Still, the series will likely be successful and since the author is a coproducer he'll make up for the lack of creativity with twists that sate the masses. Sadly he took a good story line like the Bosch series and Yellowstone or even good ole Louie Lamour and disappointed fans to the extent they quit buying the books, or watching the shows.
The Devil's Hour (2022)
Gripping then it got lost
Stayed with it for 5 episodes holding on to a futile belief that the deliberately disjointed story line would be rewarding for the patient viewer in episode 6. There is a good story in there but it gets lost in the screen gimmicks and editing. Peter Capaldi was decent. The others weren't quite. Patel was so boring that he made his character superfluous. Jessica Raine's presence and subsequent events in a police interview room was a stretch of credibility. Then the final explanation of how it tied together was so lame, inexplicable and unbelievable that I was actually mad. A limp screenplay and goofy directing suggests a rating of 6 is generous.
Respect (2021)
Incredible
Grossly under appreciated movie. What a great movie for any of us from her era. Hudson is incredible as Aretha. Her voice is so like Aretha's. Social issues aside, Aretha crossed barriers and spoke to all races, north and south. I feel sad for the generations of music lovers who never experienced her in concert. She was the Queen. If there are criticisms of the screenplay or acting, the movie and Arethas' story overcomes. From a theatrical standpoint the scenes may be cut and pasted. And yes, there are unpleasant parts of her story which are difficult to watch, but in the end, the story is her music.
The Card Counter (2021)
Too bad for words
Other reviewers have already bashed this turkey better than I. Weak story, weaker script, incompetent directing which no amount of acting skills could have overcome.
Mare of Easttown (2021)
Lost interest
Great beginning. Good character development. Great acting. But the script becomes too involved and intertwined for its own good and gradually one loses interest and plays computer games with just one eye and ear on the TV.
Restless (2012)
From bang to whimper
Excellent actors. Great characters. Great plot. The first two hours lead us to the climax we expected and could hardly wait for. It was clearly going to get a mid 7 to 8 rating. And then nothing. Fizzled. Script writers and the director ought to lose their guild cards or whatever professional death penalty is appropriate. A waste of your time to watch.
War of the Worlds (2019)
8 episodes too long
Contrived script. Weak acting. HG Wells is spinning....
Defending Jacob (2020)
Too dark to see
Decent script and good performances. Storyline a bit unbelievable... as in how many "real" parents really buy into all that their kids tell them? Biggest detractor for me was Cinematography.... Over filtered and too dark to see much. The doleful music overdone.
Code Breakers (2005)
weak on military and football details
If the director and producer had bothered to have a military adviser or at least someone who was familiar with things military they would have avoided some horrible goofs like having Col Harkins wear his cavalry branch insignia upside down and his military ribbons arranged in a totally incorrect manner. My grand kids could also salute better than any of these actors. Another interesting goof to me were the football helmets. In this flick during the Army-Navy game, Navy wore the old leather-head type without face guards which were typical of the 1920-1940 football players. Army is shown wearing the more modern molded plastic variety. By 1950 all football teams were using the safer high impact plastic helmets. Other than that the movie was entertaining at best.
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Bad. Very bad. Bad men and a story line that was worse than bad.
I am easy to please when it comes to movies but my wife and I came away from this one looking for someone in management to ask for our money back. On the pro side it started out and pretty much developed as a good story line and it had some good acting talent. Bad men. Moral issues. Tommy Lee Jones was on his way to a good film and then the script failed him and he just rolled over, so I guess he needed the money. I like Tommy Lee but this was his worst effort. The best acting in this otherwise awful movie was the baddest of the bad guys who is an actor most of us have not seen before. Javier Bardem's character will make you want to sleep with a loaded shotgun in your bed tonight. Overall the movie started out with basically good underpinnings.... and kept you interested for almost 2 hours.... and then it all fell apart in the last 5 minutes. An absolutely horrible ending. I only hope that Javier Bardem is out looking for the Coens so he can blast them like his other targets! The story builds suspense and characters and then it is like the Cohens ran out of production money, ideas, talent and interest... all at the same time. Save your money now and even later when it comes out as a DVD.
Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
mindless drivel
Ho hum. Same old cookie cutter movie for Willis. I do like Bruce if not this movie... no kidding. He is such a macho character for all of us same age wanta-be's. But if you are a 'Die Hard' junkie then the spectacular car crashes, chase scenes, bad guy shoot outs, impossible escapes from preposterous certain death situations ....most rem of the 1960s James Bond classics, and then coupled with all the mindless script filled with Bruce Willis one liners and facial expressions ...then of course, this flick will please you no end. Bruce has likability and even a modicum of talent when given a good script like 'The Sixth Sense', but he makes no pretense of wanting to find more of such opportunities and just takes the B movie money.