This movie just drags until the very end. The secondary characters (like his pop star wife, and various people at his gym) are boring and poorly developed. No one, including Michael B. Jordan is likable enough to get the viewer's engagement. There are no memorable action scenes for the first 3/4th. Even the training scenes, which are often a delightful, inspirational highlight--were lacking anything innovative. The plot is stupid and unbelievable. The only positives were: Jonathan Majors was quite good as Creed's childhood friend turned opponent and the last 15 minutes were pretty good on a few levels. Having watched all the Rocky and Creed movies, this one is the worst. Pretty much a waste of time. There are much better things to watch!
Reviews
18 Reviews
Eileen
(2023)
Painfully slow and little payoff
6 January 2024
I was engaged at first. Thomasin McKenzie does a good job and then Anne Hathaway makes a dramatic entrance and keeps the viewer's attention. The chemistry between them is good. Shea Whigham does a convincing job as the alcoholic father. Marin Ireland also has a very good scene. But the pacing is SO painfully slow. That's all right if you are slowly building tension and then deliver some big payoff but Eileen offers neither. So many needless scenes. Eileen almost looks in Rebecca's medicine cabinet but doesn't. Eileen fantasizes about standing near a lake. Why? Who cares! Eileen's character is well-drawn but Rebecca is a bit of a caricature: Part Cate Blanchett in Carol, part Nicole Kidman in To Die For. It offered just barely enough to keep me watching. Then it takes a weird twist. Then there is no payoff and no ending. There were pieces of a good movie in there but it definitely did not live up to its potential. Instead, it was a slow, boring, indulgent mess in need of editing and a final act. I consider it to have been a waste of 97 minutes.
Society of the Snow
(2023)
Superb acting, excellent script
4 January 2024
One of the finest movies I have ever seen.
This movie is very restricted by definition. This number of people are in this location--an extremely restricted location, and not much varies for the entire length of the (long) movie. It could have been very repetitious. It could have gotten boring. It could have resorted to being gory and sensationalistic. There's no romance, no car chases or explosions, no comedy. So, everything rests on the power of the script, and the acting, and the cinematography. And those all came through!! The script did this real life event justice in exactly the way previous scripts did not! It was nuanced. It was poignant. The acting was superb. The characters well drawn. Powerful little moments, short moving speeches, moral dilemmas, existential questions, solidarity, tiny seconds of joy in the face of adversity. These actors starved themselves to play the roles realistically. You can't help but ask yourself repeatedly "What would I do?" in this situation and that.... I'm a big fan of Ernest Shackleton and the amazing story of his Endurance expedition. Many parts of this film paralleled that story (and if you enjoy this film and watching how people survive in extremely challenging circumstances then I recommend reading Shackleton's Way). In fact, I wish this director would create a great version of that Endurance story-- because no one else has captured it well. You get a feeling for the power of leadership (not just by one "leader" but by anyone who chooses to step up and influence the group in a positive way that leads to desirable outcomes). I was engaged the entire time. Hats Off! I hope it wins lots of recognition and awards.
This movie is very restricted by definition. This number of people are in this location--an extremely restricted location, and not much varies for the entire length of the (long) movie. It could have been very repetitious. It could have gotten boring. It could have resorted to being gory and sensationalistic. There's no romance, no car chases or explosions, no comedy. So, everything rests on the power of the script, and the acting, and the cinematography. And those all came through!! The script did this real life event justice in exactly the way previous scripts did not! It was nuanced. It was poignant. The acting was superb. The characters well drawn. Powerful little moments, short moving speeches, moral dilemmas, existential questions, solidarity, tiny seconds of joy in the face of adversity. These actors starved themselves to play the roles realistically. You can't help but ask yourself repeatedly "What would I do?" in this situation and that.... I'm a big fan of Ernest Shackleton and the amazing story of his Endurance expedition. Many parts of this film paralleled that story (and if you enjoy this film and watching how people survive in extremely challenging circumstances then I recommend reading Shackleton's Way). In fact, I wish this director would create a great version of that Endurance story-- because no one else has captured it well. You get a feeling for the power of leadership (not just by one "leader" but by anyone who chooses to step up and influence the group in a positive way that leads to desirable outcomes). I was engaged the entire time. Hats Off! I hope it wins lots of recognition and awards.
Atomic Blonde
(2017)
The fight scenes are SUPERB; Theron is gorgeous and impressive!
10 September 2023
The best aspects of this movie are the outstanding and creative fight scenes and Charlize Theron. The fight scene choreography is on the same level as John Wick--which makes sense since both movies benefited from David Leitch's directing and stunt-background. Actually, I found the Atomic Blonde fight scenes to be more creative and differentiated than the John Wick fight scenes. John Wick movies can feel like never ending fight scenes which are all great but often similar. Atomic Blonde has really unique elements (like the rope scene, and the hot plate scene in the apartment) and a gritty quality. Charlize Theron, who is mesmerizing throughout--both because of her stunning beauty and wardrobe and her amazing talent--executes the fight scenes with perfection. It's often not believable when a female character (even a supposedly trained assassin) defeats a male character (or even more than one man) in hand-to-hand combat. But I found these fight scenes to be believable. The actual plot of the movie lost my interest fairly quickly. It was thin and disjointed and just an excuse for the movie. Likewise, I didn't find any of the characters to be well-developed or particularly interesting. I'm not a James McAvoy fan. Obviously, he is a talented actor but he doesn't grab me and I had zero interest in his character in this movie. But I didn't care because throughout the entire movie, I was waiting for the next fight scene and those never disappointed. I also liked the Berlin backdrop and the time period as the wall fell. Berlin is a dynamic city with a rich history and interesting architecture so it's almost like adding a great character to the movie. I've rewatched this movie 3 times over the last few years. Hats off Charlize!!!
Joy Ride
(2023)
AWFUL from start to finish!! NO redeeming value!
28 July 2023
You know when you watch a movie and you keep hoping or telling yourself that it's gonna get better but it doesn't?! This movie is just awful in every way from start to finish. It's vulgar. Literally "I want d___" "Stick it in my "a__" "I did so many guys. All that d___" non-stop. Some reviews compare it to Bridesmaids but Bridesmaids was actually well written and funny. It had characters who had personalities and did many things. It had relationships. It had some raunchy humor which was well-executed. Likewise, some reviewers have mentioned Crazy Rich Asians. Why? Just because it has a mostly Asian cast? That's great but Crazy Rich Asians had a PLOT. This movie doesn't go anywhere. A bunch of stupid plot threads that never pay off. It's not clever. It's not funny. The characters aren't likeable. You don't root for them. There is no love relationship to get caught up in. Even the friendship between the 4 women is superficial and underdeveloped. I didn't care about any of them. And there were a bunch of racial stereotypes. I have seen Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, and Stephanie Hsu in other roles and they are talented or very talented actresses. This script (was there a script?) didn't do their talent justice. I'm going to watch another movie just to get rid of the stink of this catastrophe. Don't waste your time. You do get to see few very handsome men topless--for about 30 seconds--out of a 90 minute movie. Park has a beautiful singing voice and I knew from the trailer there was a K-Pop segment but it doesn't even deliver that. Re-watch some movie you have enjoyed in the past. Clean your bedroom. Try out Chat GPT. But don't waste your time on this big disappointment (and I went in expecting it to maybe be a 6 or a 7). It was literally PAINFUL to watch.
well done!
27 May 2023
A beautiful finale that does the show, the characters, and the loyal fans justice!
Of course, Midge should get her big shot but there are unexpected twists which lead to an outcome more satisfying than simplicity would have created.
As it should as the finale, the episode had fitting call-backs and flash-forwards and the opportunity to appreciate all the major characters.
There are many poignant moments and I actually wept more than once.
Season 2 left me wondering whether the writers had lost their direction or their skill. But this season was back on course and the finale was a rewarding tribute to fans of the show. Hats off to the writers and the remarkable cast. This final episode particularly showcased the depth and nuance of Rachel Brosnahan (Midge) and Alex Borstein (Susie)'s acting skills. Beautiful! Reid Scott also did an excellent job as the Johnny Carson-like Gordon Ford. And hats off to Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer for her spectacular impression of Carol Burnett. Nice nice ending that makes you glad you stuck with the show.
Of course, Midge should get her big shot but there are unexpected twists which lead to an outcome more satisfying than simplicity would have created.
As it should as the finale, the episode had fitting call-backs and flash-forwards and the opportunity to appreciate all the major characters.
There are many poignant moments and I actually wept more than once.
Season 2 left me wondering whether the writers had lost their direction or their skill. But this season was back on course and the finale was a rewarding tribute to fans of the show. Hats off to the writers and the remarkable cast. This final episode particularly showcased the depth and nuance of Rachel Brosnahan (Midge) and Alex Borstein (Susie)'s acting skills. Beautiful! Reid Scott also did an excellent job as the Johnny Carson-like Gordon Ford. And hats off to Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer for her spectacular impression of Carol Burnett. Nice nice ending that makes you glad you stuck with the show.
Magic Mike's Last Dance
(2023)
Oh Gosh, this is awful!
2 March 2023
Oh my, this is an AWFUL movie. I love Salma Hayek but even she can't rescue this stinker! The "narration" is dreadful. The plot is ridiculous--even for this type of movie, and boring. The characters are very poorly developed. The dynamic tension between the leads is not believable. A few of the dance numbers were pretty good but it's a long movie to watch for a few minutes of dancing. It just CANNOT BE that this was directed by Steven Soderbergh. Didn't he notice how stupid and disjointed this was? It leaves a stink on everyone involved. This review needs another 30 characters but how many ways are there to say--don't waste your time on this stupid bad movie!
You Were Never Really Here
(2017)
The 2nd slowest movie I have ever watched
12 February 2023
This movie was excruciating and I hate myself that I wasted my time watching it. Absolutely NOTHING happened in the first 30 minutes (except a few extremely brief nonsensical flashbacks) so why would I have hoped the rest of the movie would be any different.
Stupid "plot", poorly drawn main character, the other characters are not developed at all--just caricatures.
Joaquim Phoenix is an amazing artist and I have enjoyed pretty much all his other films . I used to think that he is so talented that he could read the dictionary while paint dried and make it interesting but it turns out that even his genius can't create interest and energy where there is NONE. I don't need car chases and explosions, I don't need every detail to be spelled out--but this was just awful. Probably 95% is total silence watching Joaquim do some routine task like drive his car or wash a floor in slow motion and poor lighting. There are SO MANY better movies out there to spend your time on. Wash your dishes, read a book about knitting, alphabetize your spices--anything would be a better use of time.
The only reason I gave it ANY stars is Joaquim.
Stupid "plot", poorly drawn main character, the other characters are not developed at all--just caricatures.
Joaquim Phoenix is an amazing artist and I have enjoyed pretty much all his other films . I used to think that he is so talented that he could read the dictionary while paint dried and make it interesting but it turns out that even his genius can't create interest and energy where there is NONE. I don't need car chases and explosions, I don't need every detail to be spelled out--but this was just awful. Probably 95% is total silence watching Joaquim do some routine task like drive his car or wash a floor in slow motion and poor lighting. There are SO MANY better movies out there to spend your time on. Wash your dishes, read a book about knitting, alphabetize your spices--anything would be a better use of time.
The only reason I gave it ANY stars is Joaquim.
Anna
(II) (2019)
Thouroughly enjoyed it; much better than many of its genre.
20 January 2023
I saw the relatively low ratings and didn't expect to like this much but I did. I found it to be better than Red Sparrow and several others of this genre. I saw some twists coming and some not surprised me. I like the way the time line was managed. With only one exception (Cillian Murphy), the main characters and performances captured me--Sasha Luss and Helen Mirren in particular but Luke Evans was good too. Sasha Luss did a great job with the acting plus she is gorgeous (and believable as a model) and she handles the action scenes wonderfully. Left me wanting a sequel. At any rate, I hope Sasha Luss does some more interesting work. With so many mediocre or worse movies around (particularly on Netflix, it was nice to stumble onto a good one that kept my attention the whole time. I even checked the time once, hoping that there was still a lot left!
Epic fail worthy of Games of Thrones
9 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I thoroughly enjoyed this series until the last episode: Interesting characters, engaging side stories, great acting (Colman and Tennant are wonderful), a compelling mystery but then the end was SO STUPID--it soiled the whole show.
The performances continued to be exceptional but the plot was so ridiculous that I could barely force myself to watch the last half hour.
It's easy to have a surprise ending if you pick someone against whom there were no clues or hints and no reasonable explanation. Drama and surprise at the expense of quality. Just stupid, stupid, stupid!
What's the point of noting clues throughout and hypothesizing about possible culprits if the resolution is not going to have anything whatsoever to do with that. I thought I would watch any other season but now I only regret that I bothered to watch this season!
Game of Thrones is the only other series where I enjoyed it so thoroughly until the end and then the entire final season was so ludicrous that it slimed the entire series for me. When someone mentions it now, I just roll my eyes. Me and so many other viewers who were loyal until they were insulted by dreadful writing.
The performances continued to be exceptional but the plot was so ridiculous that I could barely force myself to watch the last half hour.
It's easy to have a surprise ending if you pick someone against whom there were no clues or hints and no reasonable explanation. Drama and surprise at the expense of quality. Just stupid, stupid, stupid!
What's the point of noting clues throughout and hypothesizing about possible culprits if the resolution is not going to have anything whatsoever to do with that. I thought I would watch any other season but now I only regret that I bothered to watch this season!
Game of Thrones is the only other series where I enjoyed it so thoroughly until the end and then the entire final season was so ludicrous that it slimed the entire series for me. When someone mentions it now, I just roll my eyes. Me and so many other viewers who were loyal until they were insulted by dreadful writing.
Nobody
(I) (2021)
Wasn't expecting to LOVE it! A new side of Saul!
8 January 2023
I saw this movie has an IMDb rating of 7.4 and I love Bob Odenkirk from Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad so I figured I would likely enjoy this. But I wasn't expecting to enjoy it SO much from start to finish!
It has a basic plot that we have seen before and maybe 0.4% of the plot was silly but it doesn't follow all the cliche recipe as usual. This movie didn't take itself too seriously. It builds suspense effectively and has a lot of violence but never loses its freshness and sense of fun. A hyper-violent "feel good" movie! You don't run into that every day.
True to the genre, it doesn't do a lot of multidimensional development of all the characters but Odenkirk is extremely likeable in general and engaging throughout. And the secondary cast members play their roles well.
The time just flew by. I very much hope there is a sequel. And this made me realize that I'd like to see Odenkirk in a wide variety of roles.
It has a basic plot that we have seen before and maybe 0.4% of the plot was silly but it doesn't follow all the cliche recipe as usual. This movie didn't take itself too seriously. It builds suspense effectively and has a lot of violence but never loses its freshness and sense of fun. A hyper-violent "feel good" movie! You don't run into that every day.
True to the genre, it doesn't do a lot of multidimensional development of all the characters but Odenkirk is extremely likeable in general and engaging throughout. And the secondary cast members play their roles well.
The time just flew by. I very much hope there is a sequel. And this made me realize that I'd like to see Odenkirk in a wide variety of roles.
Lady Chatterley's Lover
(I) (2022)
Thoroughly surprisingly enjoyable
7 December 2022
This is my favorite adaptation of D. H. Lawrence's classic novel. I disagree with another reviewer that Emma Corrin and Jack O'Connell's performances were lackluster. I thought they were excellent individually and the chemistry between them was believable and engaging. They did Lawrence's characters justice. Their performances are subtle, not over-the-top. The attraction and relationship build gradually and one feels the growing emotional connection as well as the sexual one. The fairly graphic sex scenes are obviously sexual but they are also sensuous and joyful. Joely Richardson as Mrs. Bolton, Matthew Duckett as Clifford Chatterley and Faye Marsay as Hilda were also excellent. Good directorial choices, some beautiful cinematography and nice costumes. Based on the mediocre rating, I didn't expect to like this much. What a nice surprise. I'd watch it a second time.
Thirteen Lives
(2022)
Excellent from start to finish
14 August 2022
I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish even though I followed the story at the time and knew the details of what happened. It's an amazing--truly unbelievable--real-life story told skillfully by a great director (Ron Howard) starring a wonderful cast. Even the smaller roles are beautifully portrayed. Top notch! A rare gem in a sea of mediocrity.
Bruised
(2020)
Beautiful directorial debut
28 April 2022
I didn't have high expectations for this because most movies on Netflix are mediocre. But this was poignant and I liked it a lot. The pace was slow and I wasn't deeply engaged for the first 15 minutes but this movie gradually captured me. What a powerful performance by Danny Boyd Jr and without words! And what a beautiful, subtle performance by Halle Berry. And holy ____ is she in amazing shape! (And had broken ribs from the start). This is not Rocky. It's a slower paced more nuanced movie. I'd watch it again.
Emily in Paris
(2020– )
Take your brand and destroy it!
24 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILER ALERT FOR SEASON 2:
I am not one of the people who hate watched season 1. I enjoyed it. As a North American living in Europe for years, I too have faced some of the large and small daily cultural challenges like how building floors are numbered, what time the work day starts, and how work and personal life fit together. Season one was full of gorgeous French guys, simmering attraction, and a young woman with a determined positive (almost toxically positive but not quite) personality.
Season 1 was one of the most watched shows so what could make more sense for season 2 than to eliminate every single one of those endearing aspects which brought fans back: Let's get rid of ALL the French guys, lets eliminate all positive experiences. Let's give almost no attention to any of the main characters from season 1 and replace them with annoying secondary characters. Lets focus on negativity and bad experiences and lets reduce the main protagonist to a caricature of her already pretty thin character. Oh, and lets not even focus on the beauty of Paris, the pleasure of good food, dazzling fashions, or anything else pleasant. And lets make sure that ALL the main characters mostly stand around brooding and suffering. I found absolutely NOTHING appealing or even enjoyable about season 2.
How to take your brand and destroy it! Identify your loyal consumers and make sure to deliver NOTHING of what they liked. Did the same writers create this ugly show who created the upbeat, pleasant first season.
Maybe the finale primed the pump for season 3 to return to its former self. But I doubt that I will bother to find out. I'm still vomiting in my mouth.
Season 1 was one of the most watched shows so what could make more sense for season 2 than to eliminate every single one of those endearing aspects which brought fans back: Let's get rid of ALL the French guys, lets eliminate all positive experiences. Let's give almost no attention to any of the main characters from season 1 and replace them with annoying secondary characters. Lets focus on negativity and bad experiences and lets reduce the main protagonist to a caricature of her already pretty thin character. Oh, and lets not even focus on the beauty of Paris, the pleasure of good food, dazzling fashions, or anything else pleasant. And lets make sure that ALL the main characters mostly stand around brooding and suffering. I found absolutely NOTHING appealing or even enjoyable about season 2.
How to take your brand and destroy it! Identify your loyal consumers and make sure to deliver NOTHING of what they liked. Did the same writers create this ugly show who created the upbeat, pleasant first season.
Maybe the finale primed the pump for season 3 to return to its former self. But I doubt that I will bother to find out. I'm still vomiting in my mouth.
Squid Game
(2021– )
Started wonderfully, ended stupidly!!!
28 September 2021
Wow, this got off to such a great start and sustained it for 6 episodes. I liked it so much that I binge watched it. Then in episode 7 it did a face plant!! As many reviewers mention: the VIPs are unbearably ridiculous and painful to watch. But in addition to that, in my opinion, the ending is ridiculous!! Such a let down to what was a glorious series. Sorry I wasted any time at all on it!
Ted Lasso
(2020–2023)
Feel good comedy with interesting characters
9 March 2021
This is a touching comedy. I for one am really in the mood for entertainment (and news) that features positivity, compassion and emotional intelligence -- coupled with delightful humour! Jason Sudeikis is definitely the best part but there are many engaging and interesting characters. And the plot takes some interesting turns. One of my very favorite series ever! So happy to hear that they have already agreed to 2 more seasons and are already filming Season 2. I can't wait! For now, I am going to watch season 1 all over!
The Fencer
(2015)
Slow paced, poignant, captivating, well-acted gem
22 October 2016
I came across this gem by accident. A friend gave me several movies and I only just found this one 8 months later. I found this movie extremely touching. The pace was slow but I found that this accentuated the underlying emotions and I was captivated from start to finish. I have certainly seen other movies with this basic plot but this movie stood out because the performances were deep and poignant. I like many Hollywood movies but this was noticeably different: At once simpler -- with less "action" and less dialogue and less "spelling everything out" and maybe at the same time more complex because of what was portrayed in a look or a silence. Glad I watched this.
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