Change Your Image
newsbizliz
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
The Batman (2022)
No pre-paid 10 star rating here... my rating is my own honest opinion!
...and yes, I paid for my own tickets, drove two hours for the privilege of watching it March 1st, and do genuinely consider this the best Batman movie ever made!
Matt Reeves was able to give us a wholly different look at the character of Batman while staying true to the original DC 'feel' of the caped crusader. It's a dark and gritty detective/crime story that sets the stage perfectly, in my opinion, for the evolution of Bruce Wayne into a more mature dark knight. No one can go through watching the murder of their parents without incurring deep, permanent, emotional scars, and I loved how Reeves and Pattinson were able to convey the very natural human emotions in a very real fashion -- without showing the same tired scene that's been way overdone -- and without making Bruce Wayne any less of a badass. The brilliant delivery of the combination of pain, anger, pathos, et al encapsulated everything that makes Batman, Batman. BTW, I seriously liked the fact that everything was done with real measure... no over-the-top theatrics, etc. All that went into the film, belonged.
I also rate Robert Pattinson's performance as the best Batman performance given to date. Yes, I'm a fan... but I became a fan because of his extraordinary talent as an actor (consider his roles in such movies as The Rover or Good Time for example). To claim bad casting simply because he got his big break in a teen vampire movie (where he also gave a superior performance, especially given the nature of the material) is just vitriol stemming from a jaded, elitest mentality. If you want a negative opinion about his performance in this movie to be taken seriously, lose the Twilight comparison, since there is no comparison to be made between movies.
Zoe Kravitz also turned in an excellent, believable performance. I thought casting her in the role of Selina Kyle was a great decision. In fact, I had no problem with any of the casting decisions... Paul Dano, Peter Sarsgaard, Colin Farrell, John Tuturro and all the rest were terrific. It all... simply worked.
My recommendation is just this: if you're a DC fan, watch The Batman and form your own opinion. Not everyone will feel it rates 9 or 10 stars, but I can't see how anyone could honestly and fairly say there were no redeeming qualities.
V-Wars (2019)
Love this show!
So, I'm a full season behind since I'd I told myself I wasn't going to get into another vampire/zombie series. But, after I saw Ian talking about it one afternoon recently I decided to give V-Wars a try. I was suprised by how much I liked the show! Good production, great acting, and I love the more serious approach; it's not silly the way so many of the trope are. Gotta say, much to my surprise, I'm a fan!
In the Land of Women (2007)
Entertaining and poignant movie with extraordinary acting!
Adam Brody plays a heartbroken young man who leaves L.A. to live in Michigan with his eccentric grandmother (Olympia Dukakis), who's certain she is dying. There, he meets neighbor (Meg Ryan), who's diagnosed with cancer and is questioning her relevance in life. Kristen Stewart (playing the role of Ryan's daughter) is going through the angst of teen years and as most teen girls are, is perpetually mad at her mother. Brody's character helps put everything in place for Ryan, Stewart, and his rather bizarre grandmother eventually helps set him on the path to figuring out himself. Ryan turns in her typical outstanding, expressive performance; Dukakis adds just the right touch of levity to an otherwise serious (but captivating!) film; Stewart is very real and human, playing her usual sullen role to perfection, and Brody couldn't have been any better. (By the way, the girl playing Stewart's younger sister is a refreshing delight!). I absolutely loved this movie and will definitely watch it again! No question: ten stars!
About Time (2013)
You're in for a treat with this film. Just WOW!
Great writing and directing, wonderful casting, stellar performances and an all-around gem of a movie. Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy are at their best and Domhnall Gleeson does a terrific job as the male lead. As far-fetched as time travel may seem, About Time makes it seem almost believable, and poignantly illustrates the ups and downs of life do-overs. Anyone who's lived and loved and won and lost should appreciate this moving, heart-warming, witty and inspiring story! And quite honestly, it's beyond me how anyone wouldn't fall in love with About Time. I predict you'll laugh and cry and want to watch it again.
The Lighthouse (2019)
Pattinson and Dafoe are Brilliant ... The Lighthouse is Cinematic Excellence!
The Lighthouse held me spellbound from the opening scene till the closing credits. The black and white setting resurrected from a past era, the nubilous fog rolling in from the sea, even the absence of dialogue during the introduction immediately triggers an intense foreboding. You know you're in for a suspenseful journey.
If you hadn't already come to such a conclusion by this point, as soon as the dialogue begins you know you are watching a masterpiece that was artfully developed from both sides of the antiquated lens used to shoot the film. From the cinematic marvel created behind the camera to the absolutely INCREDIBLE, emotional performances on the other side of the lens by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, it just doesn't get any better than this.
The blending of horror, suspense and dark humor throughout a claustrophobic and emotional descent into a type of madness portrayed by both men is literally captivating. Even if you aren't typically a horror fan, you owe it to yourself to see this movie.
Everything about The Lighthouse has Oscar written all over it. It would be a sad day for the Academy if there aren't, at the very least, nominations for Robert Pattinson for Best Actor, Willem Dafoe for Best Supporting Actor and Robert Eggers for Best Director. In my opinion, there should also be a nomination for Best Cinematography. It has been a long time since I've seen a film that is such a complete, artful cinematic masterpiece.
10 out of 10 stars, all the way!
Chalet Girl (2011)
One of the Better Rom Coms! Simply Delightful!
When you mix a really good, well-written story line with good direction, lovely scenery and very believable performances, you've got a great movie. And this one has it all! Felicity Jones and Ed Westwick are adorable in this film and, Bill Nighy is as always, superb. Even the supporting cast lends to the film's depth. I would definitely recommend this movie!
Love, Wedding, Marriage (2011)
Only Performances by Kellan Lutz and Jessica Szohr Made it Worth Watching.
While this film seemed to garner ratings from most reviewers at either one end of the scale or the other, it was very middle of the road for me. I didn't think it was horrible, but it was also far from great.
What disappointed me the most, were the performances by those you would have expected to be the best. James Brolin and Jane Seymour turned in B-rated performances at best, in my opinion. Mandy Moore did okay, but certainly wasn't a shining star. I will allow that the material she had to work with didn't do a lot for her. That said, the material wasn't any better for Kellan Lutz or Jessica Szohr, yet they turned in very credible, authentic, engaging performances. They were the only two who made it worth hanging in there through the entire film. In fact, I'll go out on a limb and say this is one of the better performances I've seen from Kellan Lutz to date.
Bottom line, if you don't expect a lot from it and aren't paying much to watch it, you probably won't feel cheated. Otherwise, you may prefer to choose something else to watch.
Loosies (2011)
A REALLY GOOD Indie Film! Definitely worth watching!
I wasn't expecting great when I chose to watch this movie but it far exceeded my expectations! I'll skip going into the whole plot line as you can read that in several of the other reviews, but will say that it's a movie which definitely deserved higher box office sales.
Peter Facinelli wrote the script, successfully blending a pleasing mix of drama, cops and robbers, and romance, and then portrayed the leading man in a very authentic, believable style. Michael Madsen turned in his typical solid performance as a supporting actor and Jaimie Alexander was delightful as Lucy.
It was nice to see a film that didn't rely on a litany of cursing, drugs, sex or extreme violence in portraying a man trapped in a world of crime to pay off his father's gambling debts. And while the way Bobby (Facinelli's character) turned the tables might not have been totally realistic, it didn't have to be. It's fiction. (and it was kinda fun!)
The only thing I can think of to explain the low scores by some reviewers, is perhaps they wanted to see the blood and guts you might expect in a film revolving around a bookie or loan shark who wants their money. But, the lack thereof is what makes it a great date night or family night movie...just enough action for the guys and just enough romance for the gals, with a bit of irony and a little splash of humor thrown in.
It's probably more like an 8 star movie, but I'm giving it 9 for genuinely surprising me with how good it was! An enjoyable film that I'd not only watch again...I'd recommend it!
High Life (2018)
Robert Pattinson is stellar; the film is overall, very good with some shortcomings
First, while I understand many of the criticisms in other reviews, I have to say, I got this film. I understood what Claire Denis was attempting to get across. I think, if some of the critics had better understood many of the underlying points she was trying to convey, some of the criticism wouldn't have been nearly as sharp.
I won't go into an entire breakdown of the film, that's already been done, and quite well, by others. But, in short, this is a film about humankind's own destruction of itself, on multiple levels. In a flashback narrative, High Life explores interaction between criminals, considered 'outcasts; throwaways', on an extended, ill-fated mission to see whether energy could be extracted from an area close to a black hole.
In my opinion, Denis masterfully depicts the darkness of loneliness, depression, desperation, violence and human desire, as well as to what extent humans will go to when they're facing the edge of extinction.
The film's underlying obsession with sexuality, body fluids and reproduction is more understandable if you get the fact Dr. Dibs (played very credibly by Juliet Binoche) is, in a twisted way, trying to atone for murdering her own husband and children, by attempting biological experimentation to instigate artificial procreation under impossible circumstances.
This film may not be Denis's best effort (some scenes do feel rather random and some ideas somewhat incomplete, I will admit) , but I applaud her loudly for staying true to herself.
By and large, High Life is an original, fascinating film that's worth watching, with solid performances by Binoche and Mia Goth and anther truly outstanding performance by Robert Pattinson in the role of Monte (it was the highlight of the film, watching Monte -- a criminal with a conscience you might say -- grow into the role of a loving father with a needy infant, despite his own desperation).
If you're an individual who tends to see things only in black and white, this is probably not a film for you. However, if you are someone who can think in the abstract ... who can see beyond what is simply apparent, I recommend you give High Life a try.
On its own merits, I might have rated this movie 7 stars, but the superb acting and the ridiculously close-minded views of some of the reviews leads me to elevate my rating to 9 stars.
The Haunted Airman (2006)
What had the potential to be a good movie missed the mark.
Outside of Robert Pattinson's performance, which I found to be stellar, especially given this was a leading role involving a very difficult topic early on in his acting career, for me, The Haunted Airman is rather a difficult movie to rate. If you have any background in mental health, I think you'll get what director and screenplay writer Chris Durlacher was trying for. As someone with a background in the mental health field, I feel Durlacher's attempt to depict an individual with mental instability (PTSD before it became a common term in the 1940's ... paranoia ... depression) rings reasonably true (granted, partially in thanks to Pattinson's believable portrayal of the character).
Beyond that, I think one either loves or hates the blue filter cinematography -- and the performances of the other main actors fall flat due to his underdevelopment of characters and even underdeveloped sub-plots. If Durlacher had given some indication as to why another resident had allegedly committed suicide when he had been improving... or shown any kind of attraction or growth of a relationship between the questionable doctor and Julia (How did it start? Did it begin because of the letters Toby wrote to Julia?), for example, I think it all would have made more sense to more people. Not just Julia's murder, but the entire film. What viewers got to prepare them for Toby's murderous jealousy was a single indication in the blind toasting scene. Toby was already crawling down the hall with the razor before he saw Julia and the doctor kiss.
I didn't have an issue (as a number of reviewers had) with the smoking (if you've seen mental health patients who do smoke, there is a greater tendency for them to chain smoke than the average tobacco user). I don't feel it was a wasted 107 minutes, but I doubt I would watch it again. When rating it, I almost added one star for where it seemed Durlacher was trying to take this movie, but sadly, it was an almost good idea that fell just a bit short. So, after much contemplation, I rated it 5 stars, primarily for Pattinson's performance.