Deb2theC Reviews

Body of Lies (2008)

One of the best of it's kind I've ever seen!

[8/10 · 10 August 2022]

I seldom give a rating above 7--almost NEVER a 10--but I was tempted to with this one. The acting by Crowe, DiCaprio, & Strong was all masterful. If you really think about it all they were doing in this film as regards their individual jobs (except for DiCaprio; for the most part) was the job they execute in real life and that is most MASTERFULLY ACT!! I've seen and enjoyed other films of this type and nature many times before but none were quite the caliber of this one--HIGHLY recommend! Literally had me clutching the covers on my bed! Most especially loved DiCaprio's execution of his part.

Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? (2008)

We All Know the Blessed Ending!

[10/10 · 4 October 2017]

Thank the Good Lord; we all know that Osama is at the bottom of some DEEP bottomless, and punishing ocean somewhere on the face of our earth!!! I am grateful that he is no longer a threat to the lives of our American citizens, although his religious beliefs have been overtaken by some equally--possibly even MORE evil people in the form of ISIL supporters that are roaming the planet at will today and in the present. I believe in everyone's right to practice their religion in their own way as long as they don't impinge on anyone's human rights! This could never be said of those super-Muslim supporters and those who believe in the tenets of Sharifa law, which includes those involved with ISIL!!! May God take care of them in an equal and final ending, just as was undertaken and accomplished in Osama's case!

Gerald's Game (2017)

ABSOLUTELY! the best Stephen King book of 3 that I've ever seen made into a film!

[9/10 · 30 September 2017]

I have read many of King's books; particularly at the beginning of his writing career-long before they started translating his books into film adaptations. When they started doing that, my love for his writing sort of faded because no-one seemed to be able to do what I can do (in my own head) when I read a particularly frightening book. I remember the winter of 1976-7 when I was expecting my 2nd and final child and concurrently reading "Salem's Lot"--living with only my daughter and ended staying up the entire night to finish it. I recall repeatedly getting up that night and checking the locks on my door and my windows it scared me so much! My infamous and also stupid (only in my middle brother's mind!) saying after reading this book and others has always been "I can make a better movie in my mind while reading a great and frightening book than I have ever seen actually portrayed in a film". What can I say other than I was very fortunate in that God blessed me with an exceptionally GREAT imagination! This was particularly true after having seen "The Shining", which was an enormous disappointment film-wise to me. I had read the book some period of time before the film was released (of course) and had done exactly what I mentioned earlier (making a film in my mind) while reading it and of course was expecting great things from the film adaptation because of the director Brian DePalma (mostly because of what a great job he had done with King's previous masterwork "Carrie" and was SO! entirely disillusioned by the result because I saw none of the best parts of the book portrayed in a TRUE and believable manner. (OF COURSE! and yes, I am totally aware that it can't be true because we are dealing entirely with fantasy here, right?!). Nevertheless, I was so disappointed by this, that I took a LONG off and on break from my devouring of Stephen King books. It just so happened that this film, "Gerald's Game" popped up entirely by chance today on my TV screen. I have not even read the book, but rest assured, I will make it a point to do so now. This grabbed me (not literally, but figuratively, of course) by the throat within the first 10 minutes and held me transfixed throughout the entirety of the film. It had me shouting (literally, and much more than once) at the television screen while watching this GEM of a film. The only other film rendering of a King book that I found to hold its own, as well as this one manages to do, was "Delores Claiborne" and of course "Misery". Having been a child abuse victim myself, you can certainly understand why I might find this example and D.C. as riveting as I do. I even have to wonder why it is that King manages to *GET* the entire female child abuse perspective as well as he does--maybe a close relative or friend suffered in the same manner and was able to find a wonderful listener and confidante in him? Just musing here. At any rate, this was a great rendering of very sensitive film subject matter and I truly loved it. I never knew what a great actress Carla Gugino was and of course, Bruce Greenwood, as always, delivers his ultra-snarky and snaky best as a disgusting excuse for a man. He seems to have that particular "role" down to a science. HIGHLY recommend, but def not for the faint of heart!

Chronic (2015)

Absolutely excellent fare for anyone who has a heart,,,

[9/10 · 24 August 2017]

This is a very difficult film to watch for those who don't have any acquaintance at all with death and what it's like to lose a loved one to a terminal disease - However, it could prove to be cathartic to such a person and a way to really acquaint yourself with ALL that the people who care long term for our loved ones have to go through themselves while just simply "doing their daily job". David is a person who has lost someone incredibly important to him (his child) on his own and therefore is extremely well-acquainted with what a dying person suffers while going through that process. He thinks and truly considers each patient's perspectives and provides as much as he can possibly can to make them continue to still feel human (which is so incredibly humanistic and kind) -- even going to the point of providing what I can only presume was very "light" pornography for viewing by an adult male dying patient, and joking about how absolutely unwilling he would be to provide a hooker for the same man. Whoever?! said that we don't think about things that brought us pleasure in our healthier days when we are daily inching closer to the end of our time here on the planet? To go so far as to investigate as much as he can the same man's former life work just proves to me how much his patients mean to him. There are very few people who provide this type of care for the dying in the same kind of empathetic manner as David is able to do. Most folks just aren't built that way. They may be very good and efficient at their work, but it takes someone truly special to be able to connect in an the exemplary manner the way Tim Roth's character manages to make look easy. This is a perfect place to say to those out there who may have a loved one going through the true mental pain of leaving this earth to be brave and not forget to touch and care for your soon-to-depart loved one. Put lotion on them. Brush their hair. Show all the physical love that you can because they won't be here much longer for you to give it to them and thus make their transition easier for them and for YOU! Fabulous fare - the only film I can think of wherein a nurse is shown giving precisely the same kind of loving care to his terminal patient was with Jason Robards playing the patient in "Magnolia" with Phillip Seymour-Hoffman playing the nurse. That was honestly one of the best movies I've ever seen!

Wind Chill (2007)

Great and SPOOKY!! as HELL!!

[7/10 · 22 September 2015]

Good and plausible film. SPOOKY! as hell, but with redeeming qualities. I felt bad things coming from the point that Blunt's character was forced to touch bare feet against "God know's what" on bare tile in a place she was unfamiliar with. (Something I could NEVER-EVER do.) I, personally, was knifed, sexually assaulted, and nearly bled to death in conditions very similar to the ones depicted in this film and thus you can understand why this was particularly scary for me. I remember praying to my long dead Grandmother and to God himself prior to finally being discovered and whilst watching this movie thinking to myself; "Why aren't they praying" or something equal to that thought process. Alas, they never did.

The Painted Veil (1934)

This movie pales in comparison to the 2006 version...

[3/10 · 27 August 2015]

I absolutely loved the 2006 version w/Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, & Liv Schreiber. I so loved the 2006 version that maybe I was a bit prejudicial in my judgement at first. However, since reading the the book, I have come to redetermine the outcome of both. I have always said "I can make a better movie in my head, than any film producer, Director, Etc ever could" because I would always choose to go with the story that compelled the public (by the author) in the first place. In most cases I have read the book first. Thus, I would want the film to end with what W. Somerset Maugham chose as an ending in the 1st place. The 2006 version made me weep---the 1st didn't even come close---it was a pale imitation--even though it wasn't imitation.

A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

Liam N. gets deeper & darker w/every film he makes...

[6/10 · 28 June 2015]

Definitely not for the faint of heart. Liam Neeson is a great actor, in my humble opinion. However, it seems sad to me that the tone and/or tenor of his choices in his acting roles ever since the untimely & tragic death of his lovely and also very talented wife, Natasha Richardson (daughter of the incomparable! Vanessa Redgrave) have grown to be so overwhelmingly dark in comparison to the many different types of roles he used to take on with such gusto prior to her death. They all tend to be "good guys" in the strictest sense of the words, and I find myself wondering what truly compels him to take on these type of roles over and over again. I truly hope that it is not remorse over feelings of any type of culpability, or remorse at not having been present when her accident occurred, etc. Remorse and sadness are to be expected at the passing of a spouse; particularly one who seemed to be as beloved by everyone in her orbit as she appeared to be--husband, children, parents, siblings, fellow actors, and friends, etc. I just really hope that he is well on his way to having whatever type of demons that seem to possess him are now on their way to being exorcised because I really miss the variety of the roles he used to play and I truly do care about his well-being. On to this part and this film---I liked this film better than a number of the films he has done in recently, particularly the 2nd and 3rd in the "Taken" franchise. I could have done without those entirely and they really seemed to be redundant to me. I make a real effort to see every single film he is in because of how much I respect his acting and also everything I know of him and how he has conducted his life and behavior as a person and particularly as a parent ever since his wife's death. This film is very violent and as I stated before definitely "not for the faint of heart", but it also holds the quality of the "good guys" for the most part, coming out on top. There were a couple parts that I have to admit were a tad formulaic and he (the former cop) should have seen coming as well, like the suicide by jumping off a roof by a purported suspect (in his opinion at the time of the jump), at least it was obvious to me. I liked the inclusion of the young man who assisted him almost from the get-go; young T.J. It was really very fresh to include T.J. and his own physical health problems and added additional flavor to the film. I have a history myself of having been attacked at 16 and almost dying as a result, and I have since the age of about 30, always found (strange as it may seem) watching movies of this type almost therapeutic for me and my long history of PTSD because it has made me more aware that things of this type happen everywhere and that no-one is immune. I can repeat to myself over and over "It's only a movie" and work my way through my own personal fears of the dark and scary things that can happen in this world we all inhabit. Kudos to Mr Neeson for another fine performance and best wishes to himself and every one of the loved and cherished ones in his life!

The Judge (2014)

Best Acting by Downey We Have Seen in Eons!!!

[8/10 · 14 June 2015]

This is probably (purposefully) a brave film for Robert Downey to do at this particular point in time. He is so well versed in making the multi- billion $$ blockbuster cartoon movie at this point, it's an exercise in redundancy (almost!) for him to act in a film like this one; however it's not a futile one by any means. Both he and Robert Duvall turn in fabulous performances, just as they usually do. I had actually reached a point where I no longer looked forward to releases of new Downey movies, because they are almost; as I stated before, resemble nothing near as much as a cartoon. When I saw the ads for this film when it was released, I knew in my heart that it would be a film I would enjoy thoroughly & I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone out there who is either a Downey or Duvall fan. They play very well off each other and are great in this "original" instead of formulaic film.

The Equalizer (2014)

Denzel's VERY BEST! in years!

[9/10 · 9 June 2015]

I didn't know for sure until I saw the list of credits listed herein, but I definitely had a feeling that Antoine Fuqua had something to do w/this film, and that feeling went on to be justified. Unlike "Training Day", an entirely moral man was to be portrayed--a man who believes in the rights of the "little guy" and that right should conquer over evil, which McCall goes on to do. I loved this film and loved the role that Denzel plays in it. Denzel (almost) always has chosen to portray great characters in film. Sometimes evil; more often moral, but ALWAYS interesting and this film does that with a capital I! My only complaint is that I wish something would have been shown a little bit earlier about what happened to Alina, since her survival was really what McCall was fighting for from the very beginning. But I am by nature, a bit of a nit-picker--only real complaint though!

The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)

Avoided watching for years, much to my regret

[8/10 · 24 May 2015]

I want to clarify the fact that I avoided watching this show for years because I had Laurence Olivier up on such a pedestal (I actually thought of him as the best actor in the world for years!) I thought it must be awful. I watched this film for the first time today and it absolutely delighted me. I can understand why Sir O, would have been driven crazy by Marilyn's much over-discussed behavior during the making of this film and his direction of it. He was to the nth degree a classically trained actor. She, most definitely, was the exact opposite. That does not detract at all from a naturally born actor. Her shenanigans throughout her marriages, movie-making and personal life are documented well enough for us all to know they are probably true enough. I actually found the differences in their styles completely understandable and that they fit the differences in their particular stations "in life" totally fit their respective roles. It was quite believable and also entirely delightful. I also believe that if Sir O. were able to come back from the grave and could see his film now with a more objective eye, rather than one of mere "ownership; which I think he must have had at the time it was produced, he might even be able to see how truly wonderful it is. The interplay between the two characters seemed entirely believable, playful and at times even loving. The way she treated his son, the King, was also lovely AND loving! I found this film in it's entirety a delight and would recommend it highly for either a Laurence Olivier fan or a big Marilyn fan. In either case, they were equally talented; just in entirely different ways. She couldn't have ever done Shakespeare well, as he did. He could never have played the lead in her many successful well-known comedies. They were perfectly suited for each of these roles--him playing the part of a bombast so well, and she playing the role of a loving coquette.