dlmiley Reviews

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

Great fan experience

[8/10 · 29 May 2024]

I saw "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" last night in XD. Wow, a very good film. It is a prequel to "Mad Max: Fury Road" and it to me it was actually better than Fury Road. I know I will get some pushback on that, but I became more invested in Furiosa struggles starting as a young girl thru later adolescence. Add that struggle to fantastic visuals with action scenes related to different strongholds/strongmen and you have a great fan experience. And as always, there are plenty of monster vehicles to add to the fun. The film is well-acted by all, especially Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa. Chris Hemsworth as Dr. Dementus is a bit over the top, but that was intended. Direction and writing by George Miller is very good. Highly recommended, definitely try to see in XD or IMAX. 8/10 (I deducted a couple of points for some continuity errors, but the movie is otherwise great).

Late Night with the Devil (2023)

A good horror satire

[7/10 · 22 May 2024]

I recently watched "Late Night with the Devil" on AMC+. It is satirical horror look at late night TV in the 1970's. The fictional host of a late-night TV has guests that believe in the paranormal, including 2 who believe in possession by a demon. Along with those guests is a professional skeptic. Of course, things start to go horribly wrong. It is well-acted and does a good job taking a jaundiced view of the fashions and attitudes of that period. The ultimate ending is somewhat confusing, and I would have probably ended it about 10 minutes earlier, which would have a better impact. But I would still recommend it as a 7/10.

Orders to Kill (1958)

Compelling hard-to-find War Drama

[8/10 · 15 May 2024]

I watched "Orders to Kill (1958)"on Blu-ray last night. It is a hard-to-find war drama starring Eddie Albert and Paul Massie. Eddie Albert is an Army major who gives Paul Massie an assignment to kill a Parisian lawyer (played by Leslie French) who is a go-between for resistance fighters and the allies. However, the resistance and the US Army consider him to be a traitor because 45% of his contacts have been captured, tortured and killed by the Gestapo. Massie (in his first film role) is parachuted into Paris with this grisly task. I can't say much more without spoiling anything but suffice it to say that Massie and the rest of the cast are excellent, and you will be kept guessing as to whether or not Leslie French is a traitor or not. Try to find this one if you can, it is not on streaming currently, but it may be someday again. Or consider a purchase - I found the description compelling on Movies Unlimited and bought the movie; I am glad I did. Highly recommended - 8/10.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

Good for fans of the series

[7/10 · 15 May 2024]

The cinematography and special effects are excellent. It was pretty good, although the first part of the movie dragged when the main character spent a lot of time gathering eagle eggs, where a few minutes would have sufficed; in fact, I almost dozed off since it was pretty boring. But then the action begins when the protagonist's tribe is raided by a rival group led by a cult-like warlord ape obsessed with human history. The protagonist is joined by a human played by Freya Allen. The warlord is coached by a human collaborator played by William H. Macy, whose time is all too brief. I wanted to see more of the interaction of Macy and the warlord. But the movie has some great action scenes and is very good for fans of the series, so I give this one a 7/10.

Unfrosted (2024)

Silly fun

[7/10 · 7 May 2024]

I watched "Unfrosted" last night on Netflix. Jerry Seinfeld (who also directed) stars as fictional employee "Bob Cabana" of Kellogg who leads a diverse team of "experts" that will create Pop-Tarts. The experts are Jack McBrayer ("Steve Schwinn"), Thomas Lennon ("Harold von Braunhut"), Bobby Moynihan ("Chef Boy Ardee") and James Marsden (Jack Lalanne). What these four have to do with toaster pastries can only be explained by Melissa McCarthy as "Donna Stankowski" when she says, "this is the best we could find"! The movie also stars Jim Gaffigan as "Edsel Kellogg III" and Any Schumer as "Majorie Post" (the competitor to Kellogg). There are many more stars in cameos that will make you smile in spite of yourself. One particularly funny role is Hugh Grant as "Thurl Ravenscroft" (the voice of Tony the Tiger). The movie has plenty of anachronisms thrown in with Seinfeld's snarky, sarcastic remarks about astronauts (don't ask me why) that made me laugh. The critics and many audience members didn't like this one, but I found it to be silly fun that is definitely work a look. I give this one a 7/10.

The Fall Guy (2024)

Good but not great

[7/10 · 7 May 2024]

I saw "The Fall Guy" over the weekend. It is a fun comedy/action flick that is a paean to stuntmen that is good but not great (I was a bit disappointed). Ryan Gosling in the title role is very good along with Emily Blunt as the director of the film he is working on (and is also his love interest). The plot revolves around the disappearance of the actual star of the movie within a movie (played by Aaron Taylor-Thomas). The story is somewhat convoluted and there are some unnecessary parts including split screens that add nothing to the film and actually slow things down. But essentially, the megawatt star power of Gosling and Blunt along with good action set pieces make this an enjoyable popcorn film that will make you forget your troubles for a while. And be sure to stay for the post credit scene which is pretty funny. 7/10.

He Walked by Night (1948)

Great late 1940's film noir

[7/10 · 25 April 2024]

Directed jointly by Alfred Werker and an uncredited Anthony Mann, it is a late 1940's film noir that is shot with skewed perspectives swathed in chiaroscuro lighting. Cinematography is by the great John Alton. Very loosely based on the true story of a serial burglar and cop killer it stars a young Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Roy Roberts, Whit Bissel, and another youngster, Jack Webb in a minor role. This movie inspired Jack Webb to start work on "Dragnet". Basehart is very impressive as the serial burglar/cop killer. The rest of the cast does a credible, if not overly impressive job. And as I said, direction is first rate (I guess Mann was brought into clean up the work of Werker, not sure). I was struck by the 1940's attitudes to the police just rounding up the usual suspects without probable cause. That would not happen today. But I would definitely recommend this one to film noir fans. A final note: The true story is actually more interesting and sadder, as the real criminal Erwin Walker (renamed in the movie as Roy Martin), could have probably had a great life and career if not for a tragic incident in WWII - I think it gave him PTSD. You can read more about him on Wikipedia.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Just couldn't get that into this one

[6/10 · 23 April 2024]

I found it to be a moderately entertaining actioner, I don't know why but I just couldn't get that into it. The dialog just seems to be stilted, fakey, and in at least one case wholly wrong - the story starts in 1942 and the character playing Churchill complains about America's reluctance to join the war effort. Humm, did they forget Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 - I thought that date that will live in infamy! Maybe the main cast is too good looking to be believable, surely not all of the "Ungentlemanly Warfare" men were this handsome - maybe throw in an ordinary looking guy for variety. And they cast Eiza González as a Brit - really? So, I cannot give an enthusiastic thumbs up to this one, I can give a half-hearted one. So, please check it out, and make up your own mind. 6/10.

American Rust (2021–2024)

Season 2 is a 9/10

[9/10 · 20 April 2024]

Just finished "American Rust" Season 2 on Amazon Prime. Wow, what an intense series. This season is better than season 1. In this one, Del Harris (Jeff Daniels) has returned to Pittsburgh PD after being the chief of a small town in Fayette County. He maintains his relationship with girlfriend Grace Poe (Maura Tierney). Also involved are Grace's soon to be ex-husband, her son Billy, Billy's girlfriend Lee, and Billy's best friend Issac (the brother of Lee). There are many more characters involved in complex and intersecting stories including police corruption, fracking, PTSD and other issues. The acting is first rate, especially by Jeff Daniels and Maura Tierney. Direction is great and there some great vistas of Pittsburgh. You will be intrigued and fascinated by this one - I bet you will binge all 10 episodes in a day or two! Highly recommended 9/10. Two relatively minor complaints: Jeff Daniels as a detective has frequent contacts with the Pittsburgh Chief of Police who is in a relatively small office without a secretary near to Daniels. I don't that is very realistic, even for a relatively small city like Pittsburgh. And one of the detectives has a large apartment with a fantastic view of the city - unlikely on a detective's salary. Not a game changer, but I had to point that out.

Ripley (2024)

Fantastic, a must watch.

[9/10 · 18 April 2024]

I finished watching "Ripley" on Netflix. Wow, what an excellent mini-series! It is a new take on Patricia Highsmith's "The Talented Mr. Ripley". Filmed digitally in crisp black and white, the cinematography is fantastic and a wonderful choice for the period. As for the acting, it is good all round, but Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley is the highlight - I cannot say enough about his performance, he is likely to win an Emmy. Dakota Fanning is good as Marge. Johnny Flynn as Dickie is OK, but he certainly lacks the charisma and charm of Jude Law from the movie - there is zero chemistry between him and Ripley or Marge for that matter. I certainly enjoyed Maurizio Lombardi's performance as Inspector Pietro Ravini and the rest of the Italian cast. Watch for Sting's child Eliot Sumner as Freddie Miles (not as enamored of this casting choice, it made me miss Phillip Seymour Hoffman from the movie). But this series overall is a must watch for Scott's performance along with the great visuals! Very highly recommended. 9/10 (I deducted one point for the casting choices of Flynn and Sumner).

Civil War (2024)

Harrowing

[7/10 · 17 April 2024]

This is a harrowing account of what could happen to this country. The two leads (Kirsten Dunst and Wagner Moura) are excellent. However, the story is somewhat disjointed, with no real explanation as to who is on what side or why. And Nick Offerman is wasted in the role of the fascist President - he doesn't have enough screen time. There are periods of intense violence that may you turn away. But the ending is one of the better intracity battle scenes I have seen. The movie is definitely worth seeing - it will certainly invoke strong reactions on both ends of the political spectrum, which is what I think director/writer Alex Garland was looking for. Check it out. 7/10.

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Very good, not great

[7/10 · 26 March 2024]

I watched the Academy Award nominated film "Anatomy of a Fall" on Hulu last night. The film is very good, but IMHO, not a best picture candidate. However, the screenplay did deserve a nomination and win for best original screenplay. In this film, a man falls to his death from a chalet window located in the French Alps. Soon his wife (Best Actress nominee Sandra Hüller) is charged with murder. Was it murder, accident, or suicide? That is answer which the French court attempts to answer, which is a lot different than a US court (close to actual French court procedures but not completely accurate - I checked). The film is well acted, especially by Sandra Hüller and Milo Machado-Grane as her son. And the dog Messi (as "Snoop") has a key role! Note to those of you thought the dog was sedated or otherwise harmed - NO, the dog was trained to act dead and limp - so please relax. I recommend the film for fans of courtroom drama, but it is a bit long and therefore could have used an edit of about 20-30 minutes, as the film is 2 1/2 hours long. 7/10.

No Blade of Grass (1970)

Compelling and distrubing

[7/10 · 8 January 2024]

One of the current themes on Criterion this month is apocalyptic, dystopian films. I watched a movie I had never seen before entitled "No Blade of Grass" (1970). It was one of the first movies to warn of climate change and pollution. In this one, all grass-based grains (including wheat) start dying from a virus. Soon food shortages and riots ensue across the world. It stars Nigel Davenport, Jean Wallace, and John Hamill. Nigel Davenport attempts to guide his family including scientist and potential son-in-law (Hammil) out of London to his brother's farm for safety. Along the way, they encounter terrifying people, and events. The movie was directed by Cornel Wilde, who should have stuck to acting instead of directing - which is my major problem with an otherwise compelling, prophetic, and disturbing film. Wilde (and his editor) insert jarring and unnecessary flash-forwards and backwards that detract from the storyline. In particular, the flash forwards ruin some of the action scenes. But I would still recommend the film because of the prophetic storyline and decent acting. 7/10.

Ferrari (2023)

Some flaws but still great

[8/10 · 4 January 2024]

I saw "Ferrari" last night. Adam Driver in the titular role and Penelope Cruz as his put-upon wife are fantastic. The rest of the cast is OK, but not great. Shailene Woodley appears to be miscast as Ferrari's mistress - she just doesn't cut it. The screenplay is good, but there are some characters who interact with Ferrari who I had trouble understanding who they were, and their accents made some of dialog hard to understand. The racing scenes were well filmed, and the cinematography was excellent. So, even with the faults I noted, I would still highly recommend the film for the acting tour-de-force by Driver and Cruz. 8/10.

Maestro (2023)

Mimicry instead of acting

[6/10 · 26 December 2023]

I saw "Maestro" over the weekend. A good film, but I found that Bradley Cooper was mimicking Leonard Bernstein rather than acting as Bernstein. Carey Mulligan was terrific as Felicia - I would rate her performance as the highlight of the film. The musical accompaniment was excellent as well. But here are the rest of my complaints. Matt Bomer was wasted in a too small role. Also, the time shifts were annoying rather than enlightening. Finally, I was disappointed that they gave short shrift to the creation of classics like "West Side Story". Some have said that miniseries might have been a better choice rather than live within the time constraints of a movie. Maybe so. I gave this one a 6/10.

Priscilla (2023)

Return to Sender

[4/10 · 1 December 2023]

I saw "Priscilla" yesterday. "Priscilla" is a 2023 American biographical drama film written, directed, and produced by Sofia Coppola, based on the 1985 memoir "Elvis and Me" by Priscilla Presley (who served as an executive producer) and Sandra Harmon. It stars Cailee Spaeny in the titular role and Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley. I looked forward to seeing this film based on the rave reviews it has received. However, I must say that I was disappointed by the film. Some critics say that the movie was "understated" - that is an understatement! I found it to be tedious and slow. I just couldn't get invested in Cailee Spaeny's performance - it didn't grab me as authentic. She has limited range as actress - which seems to be all the way from A to B. Jacob Elordi is strikingly handsome (as Elvis was) but he doesn't seem right for the role - he is 6' 5" and Elvis was 5' 11"! More importantly, his performance is annoying, especially when he mumbles (of course, he could be a victim of Coppola's script and direction). Speaking of writing and direction, Coppola speeds through parts of Priscilla's life towards the end whereas she spends too much in the initial buildup to the marriage. Therefore, I cannot recommend this film. As Elvis sang - "return to sender". 4/10.

JFK X: Solving the Crime of the Century (2023)

Absolutely terrible

[1/10 · 29 November 2023]

I have a large collection of documentaries and dramas related to the JFK assassination. So, when I noticed this one on Amazon, I snapped it up without looking at the IMDB rating because I thought it was a new scholarly review of the case and the description mentioned an enhanced view of the Zapruder film. Wow was I wrong. I knew from the beginning of the film that I made a huge mistake. The narrator spoke in a dull monotone that will put you to sleep almost immediately. And he needlessly says, "John Fitzgerald Kennedy, otherwise known as JFK". Oh, as if anyone with more than three brain cells does not know that! The movie is complete amateur effort that could have done better by a child, rather than the buffoons who produced, wrote and directed this mess. Of course, I am feeling like a complete idiot for buying this dreck. Please do NOT follow my example and avoid this "documentary" at all costs!

Saltburn (2023)

Very good all round

[8/10 · 28 November 2023]

Saltburn is a 2023 black comedy psychological thriller film written, directed, and produced by Emerald Fennell. The film stars Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe, and Carey Mulligan. Keoghan plays a university student who becomes obsessed with Jacob Elordi, who is extremely wealthy as well as being good looking. Soon Keoghan worms his way into Eloridi's life and then even into the family home (Saltburn). The film is well-directed, and the acting is great all around. Richard E. Grant and Rosamund Pike shine as Eloridi's somewhat batty parents. And Keoghan, although a bit old for the role, manages to be convincing as a college student. Elordi exudes charm and one could imagine him as super rich with a feeling of noblige oblige to help a needy student like Keoghan. The rest of the cast is very good as well. As for the story, it is twisted, and the director/writer enjoys making fun of the super-rich with all of their foibles. If you liked "The Talented Mr. Ripley", you would probably enjoy this one. I rate this one an 8/10; I deducted a couple of points for sound quality (some of the dialog is difficult to discern) and an ending where the writer felt the need to explain everything, rather than leave it your own imagination.

Napoleon (2023)

"The cannons should get an Oscar"

[7/10 · 27 November 2023]

This one takes liberties with the facts, and I wouldn't call Phoenix's performance Oscar worthy. And it is necessarily short - it is hard to compress a complex individual's lifetime into 2 1/2 hours. Maybe a series would have been better. But with those complaints out of the way, I would still recommend the film for the battle scenes which are filled with the horrors of war- especially the Austerlitz battle which is particularly gruesome and graphic. As one critic sarcastically said, "the cannons should win an Oscar"; I would add "and not Phoenix" to his comment. I agree with the critic but still recommend that you see the film in the theater to truly appreciate the spectacle of the battles. 7/10.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

A solid 7/10

[7/10 · 27 November 2023]

This is the "prequel" to the Hunger games series. Set 64 years before the events of the first film, its plot follows the events that lead a young Coriolanus Snow on the path to becoming the tyrannical leader of Panem, including his relationship with the Hunger Games District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird during the 10th Hunger Games. It stars Tom Blyth ("Billy the Kid") as Snow and Rachel Zegler ("West Side Story") as Lucy Gray Baird. I found it to be very entertaining and the performances of the stars are good. And the action scenes should satisfy fans of violent carnage. Also stars Jason Schwartzman as the unctuous but funny Lucretius "Lucky" Flickerman. Only issue I have is Tom Blyth supposedly being a young Donald Sutherland (President Snow in the main series) - it is hard to imagine the handsome Blyth turning into Sutherland! Maybe it is the evil things he does messes up his face! Anyway, I recommend this one as a 7/10.

All the Light We Cannot See (2023)

Overall, pretty good, but...

[7/10 · 13 November 2023]

I binged watched "All the Light We Cannot See" over the weekend. It was pretty good. The two stars Aria Mia Loberti and Louis Hofmann were excellent. And the recreation of the city, bombing scenes, and overall cinematography was excellent. But I have some problems with the story:

The concept of a blind girl learning her way around the city using a model seems ridiculous to me. Really? Feeling a model to learn how the city is structured? Come on. Why not walk with her around the city?

The story was a bit too melodramatic for my tastes.

The German officer's illness is not explained nor his faith in a jewel being able to save him. Really?

At the end, a black soldier takes custody of Louis Hoffman's character. The US Army was NOT integrated in WWII. Black soldiers were relegated to driving trucks in the Red Ball Express and the Tuskegee airmen - black soldiers were not part of regular combat units.

Duel (1971 TV Movie)

A great debut

[8/10 · 10 November 2023]

I watched my 4k copy of "Duel" last night. "Duel" stars Dennis Weaver (as "David Mann") in Steven Spielberg's debut as a feature film director. Based on a Richard Matheson short story, Mann is a travelling salesman who ends up in a duel with a sinister looking tractor trailer which tries to run him off the road and kill him (the driver is never really seen, except for an arm and his boots). The cinematography, editing, and directing are excellent, especially for an ABC "movie of a week". It is easy to see that this movie gave Spielberg his bona fides as a director. The movie is suspenseful and well-acted, and I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it already, or even if you have, it is definitely worth a re-watch, especially in the 4k version. Finally, I have to respond to some of the negative reviews I have seen from some IMDB members as follows:

1. "The car should be able to outrun a tractor trailer". Weaver's character specifically states that the truck must have a souped-up engine to catch him.

2. Others make fun of the speeds, one person sarcastically says "oh, 65 mph"! Well, actually Weaver's car at some points goes 100 mph thru dangerous mountain roads!

3. Some say it was "boring" and "repetitive". This is nonsense. There is great suspense throughout and Weaver's inner monologue about his situation is great.

4. Others whine about Weaver being "wimpy". Well, Weaver's character is not supposed to be a superhero, he is an ordinary man caught in a terribly horrific situation. Even his character's name suggests that - "David Mann".

5. Others whine that the tractor trailer says "flammable" but doesn't blow up at the end. Actually, ABC executives pressured Spielberg to blow it up, but Spielberg refused stating that he treated the tractor trailer as a beast - and he wanted to show it "dying". You can't do that by incinerating the truck. I think it disappearing into a cloud of dust and then reappearing at the bottom of the cliff is more effective than a run-of-the mill explosion. Also, the tanker was probably empty, so it might not explode.

Probably few if any of you will read this, but I just had to say something about this great movie.

The Simpsons: Thirst Trap: A Corporate Love Story (2023) Season 35, Episode 4

A great episode

[9/10 · 1 November 2023]

This was one of the better episodes of "The Simpsons". It is a great parody of Elizabeth Holmes "Theranos". Burns backs and marries Persephone Odair (Elizabeth Banks) who has invented a black box the size of a coffee can ("Lifeboat") that convert sea water into drinking water. As I mentioned, there are obvious parallels to the Theranos debacle with the methodology being secret and clandestine efforts to uncover the truth behind the mystery of how the Lifeboat product actually works. Of course, there is a whistleblower to bring out the truth. With guest stars including Andrew Ross Sorkin, Ken Burns, Peter Coyote and Kara Swisher as part of the story, I laughed out loud several times. I was surprised to see the relatively low rating for such a standout episode. Why anyone would rate this episode below a 7 or 8 defies my imagination.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Just misses being 10/10

[9/10 · 23 October 2023]

I saw Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" yesterday. I was not aware of the story of the Osage's plight until I heard about this movie several months ago. For those of you unaware of the story, the Osage Native Americans in Oklahoma were living in poverty until oil was discovered on their land. Wisely, the chiefs insisted on keeping mineral rights when the reservation was created. Unfortunately, white landowners in the area were not very happy and they schemed to acquire the rights via deception and murder. The Osage base inheritance rights via the female side, so that is where we see DiCaprio and De Niro come into the picture to steal those oil rights. DiCaprio plays a doughboy who returns to live with his uncle played by De Niro. Soon, DiCaprio meets and marries an Osage woman (brilliantly portrayed by the relatively unknown Lily Gladstone). DiCaprio is excellent as a man torn between love for his wife and his children (it appears to be at least partially genuine) versus his greed and loyalty to his uncle. De Niro is great as usual as DiCaprio's uncle; he brilliantly conveys an unctuous charm that covers up a truly evil personality whose greed and potential for violence knows no bounds. Eventually, the federal government becomes concerned and sends the Bureau of Investigation (the predecessor of the FBI) to investigate the murders. Jesse Plemmons plays the chief investigator with aplomb. There are all too brief appearances by Brendan Fraser as a prosecutor and John Lithgow as a defense attorney who are also great. The movie is brilliantly filmed by cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and excellently scored by the late Robbie Robertson, so the film comes highly recommended at 9/10. My reasons for deducting a point are that both DiCaprio and De Niro are bit too old for their characters and there is an unnecessary, campy epilogue using a fictional radio program to explain what happened to the real characters when simple captions would have been fine.

Some additional notes: in the trailer, when DiCaprio picks up Gladstone's character for the first time, she says something in Osage. DiCaprio says, "I don't know what you said, but it must have been Indian for 'handsome devil'"! This was unscripted and Gladstone's giggle is genuine! As for mineral rights, I know of some real examples in Pennsylvania where a mining or gas company kept the mineral rights, but the homeowner didn't know that. The companies dug up their ground and there was nothing the homeowner could do about it, so be careful!

Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul (2023)

Good doc, but could be edited better

[7/10 · 19 October 2023]

Watched "Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul" on Netflix. Interesting documentary on the product that was created with good intentions but fell victim to greed by marketing it to kids. It is a shame that they failed because vaping does help adult smokers kick the habit since most of the carcinogens come from the burning process - not the nicotine. And Juul was unfairly blamed for the abuse of the product when kids used the product to vape THC which wrecked their lungs. So, in summary this documentary mini-series is worth watching both from a business and human-interest perspective. Check it out. 7/10, as it could be edited better as many scenes are repetitive.