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gregorysamuelruben
Reviews
Bix: 'Ain't None of Them Play Like Him Yet' (1981)
Horribly boring
I went to see the remaster in theaters and couldn't bear to sit through it after an hour. There's really nothing special about it as a documentary. If you're truly invested in the subject matter, go see it, otherwise skip it.
Dime Cuándo Tú (2020)
Better than your average Mexican romantic comedy
I've watched a bunch of these Netflix originals (for Spanish practice) and this one of the better ones. The cinematography is actually pretty outstanding. The main actors in the film all give good performances. And the ending was enough of a twist on the typical cliche that it felt like a more modern, sensitive take on a more "real" love story.
It's not going to win any awards but it's worth a watch.
The Rules of Attraction (2002)
Interesting, but ultimately a weak film
The movie definitely had a compelling quality to it that kept me engaged throughout. But it was too obvious that Avary was trying to recreate the magic of Pulp Fiction with little of Tarantino's vision. So he goes through the motions of having pointless dance sequences, random one-off stylistic experiments, and too many extraneous scenes that fall flat. The ending was a total waste of time. Lazy screenwriting...even if they try to pretend it's meaningful.
East Side Sushi (2014)
Good premise marred by mediocre execution
I liked the premise of this movie but ultimately found it pretty disappointing.
The acting is bad, across the board. Seems like nearly the entire cast is non-actors and it shows. Many of the line readings are stilted and it leaves an uncanny, uncomfortable veneer through the entire movie. The cinematography is mostly uninspired and sometimes downright lazy, with framing you'd expect to see in a student film. There are similar issues with writing and direction.
Where In The Hell Is The Lavender House: The Longmont Potion Castle Story (2019)
It's all we have
I enjoyed it overall because they got some solid footage with Longmont Potion Castle, including scenes of him making calls in his studio.
The documentary was a poorly made pseudo-satire with a dumb storyline (the filmmakers run are inept and run out of money), which distracts from the subject, LPC. Seems like there's a lot of layers to whatever they were attempting to do. It's unclear what's real and what's acting.
I would have preferred a normal documentary that allows the subject to shine more, but it's all we have, so for fans it's worth watching.
Magnetic (2018)
Missed opportunity
Overall it was an enjoyable enough watch, though I had to fast forward at times as it does get tedious and long.
Really great footage but kind of repetitive and quite poorly edited. The different segments feel like they were made by different directors with varying visions. The interviews are dull. Most of these athletes don't have much to say. The music is awful.
This could have been really great with a better director at the helm.
The Twilight Zone: Not All Men (2019)
Worst thing I've ever seen?
I've never written review. This episode is one of the most atrocious things I've ever seen. It's so heavy handed and idiotic. The writers have a low opinion of their audience, and now I have a lower opinion of Jordan Peele.