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sidney76
Reviews
One of Us (2016)
This is an absolutely BRILLIANT series!
PLEASE do yourself an enormous favor and ignore every negative and even-less-than-highly positive review. This is superb! Extremely intelligent, unpredictable, twists and turns, very believable. Not scary. Not graphic. Not bloody or violent. I've watched it twice. I haven't seen anything on Netflix better than this series. This is the first review I have written. I highly recommend this series.
Gideon's Army (2013)
A powerful, deeply moving film.
This is one of the finest documentaries I have ever seen and I have viewed many such films. It brought me to tears at numerous places. This documentary does what I believe only the very best documentaries do: it informs, it carries a powerful message, it inspires, it raises deep emotions and, most of all, it stays with you. It is a gift that keeps on giving. This is movie about heroes, unknown heroes. It is a film MADE by a hero. I congratulate and thank Travis Williams, Brandy Alexander and June Hardwick and wish them MUCH success in their vital work (and much higher and richly deserved compensation!). I congratulate and thank the filmmaker, Dawn Porter, and wish her continued success in HER vital work. I wish good luck and blessings to the men and women represented by the public defenders in the film and all across our nation. This is a magnificent film. I am grateful beyond words for the privilege of having viewed it. All I can say is "thank you" to everyone who made it a reality.
Touch (2011)
This film is a beautiful gift!
As I state in the Message Boards section, in Judaism it is taught, "Words that come from the heart go into the heart." It is obvious that this film came from the heart of Minh Duc Nguyen and that of each of the other artists. This movie will go directly into the heart of everybody who views it. The performances of Porter Lynn and John Ruby are sensitive, highly believable and magnificent. Indeed, every actor and actress in the movie is superb. Ms. Lynn and Mr. Ruby and numerous other artists in the film will no doubt be seen in many quality films to come. Many years ago, the paperback version of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST included the blurb, "More, Mr. Kesey, More!" I borrow that entreaty. MORE, Minh Duc Nguyen, MORE! Many thanks to everybody who brought this film into being, most especially Minh Duc Nguyen. PLEASE make more movies! We desperately need films of this quality! Again, heartfelt thanks to every individual that made this film a reality.
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Casey Affleck CANNOT ACT!
Thank goodness this film has the superb actors, Morgan Freeman, Amy Madigan, Ed Harris, Amy Ryan, John Ashton, Michelle Monaghan and other members of this cast. Because Casey Affleck cannot act his way out of the proverbial paper bag. What a joke! He really detracts from the enjoyment of the movie. The other acting is as good as it gets. REALLY splendid and well worth the "price of admission" even if the story is nothing special. Wonderful cinematography also makes this a film worth viewing. Amy Madigan is one of the most underrated actresses around. And Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman are two of the very, very best. Real professionals. HIGHLY believable.
Handsome Harry (2009)
A very special, deeply moving film
One thing is perfectly clear from watching this diamond of a movie. The people who made this film, every person associated with it, absolutely love the medium of film. They recognize and, indeed, created, the magic that comes when a moving, riveting, very human story is told through brilliant performances of a splendid screenplay. This movie is a gift. Every single scene, every word of dialogue, is perfect. Every actor and every actress, no matter how large or how small his or her part, played his or her role stunningly and flawlessly. Most especially, Jamey Sheridan's performance should have earned him an Academy Award nomination.
All I can do is say "thank you" and "congratulations" to Bette Gordon, to Nicholas T. Proferes, to each and every actor and actress and to every individual who helped create this marvelous motion picture. I give a film a "10" when it is a movie that deeply moves me and that stays with me and, most dispositively, when I know I will watch it again and again. HANDSOME HARRY is a sure "10!"
The Whistleblower (2010)
An extremely accurate, powerful film
I worked for the State Department in Bosnia for two years not long after the peace agreement. I had no knowledge of the sex trafficking. So I am not qualified to speak to the veracity of how it was presented. But because everything else shown in the film is so extremely accurate, I have to believe that is as well. The scenes, the people, the language, the attitudes, the buildings, the clothing, the vehicles, everything. Indeed, this is one of the most realistic movies I have ever seen. It is almost documentary-like but with superb acting. Each performer provides a brilliant portrayal.
Congratulations to Ms. Kondracki, Ms. Weisz, Mr. Potocean, Ms. Condurache, all the cast and to everyone who made this film possible. I hope this is but the first of many films for Ms. Kondracki. I doubt if there have been more than a very few directors whose first film is of this quality. Thank you and good luck to everybody who was involved in this very special and vitally important movie.
Divergence (2007)
A gift, a diamond
I only just learned of this movie recently. I'm sorry it took me so long to discover it. This film is like visiting a town for the first time and happening on to one of the most wonderful museums or restaurants you have ever visited. The acting and the script are perfectly believable and deeply moving. Every actor, every scene is special. This story goes right to the heart and remains there. Congratulations and thank you to every single person that made this film possible. It is a beautiful gift to be treasured. I remember a blurb on the cover of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- "More, Mr. Kesey, more!" If I can borrow that entreaty, More, Mr. Donnelly, more!
Small Town Murder Songs (2010)
Imaginative, captivating, very skilled.
One would think that there are only so many ways that murder mysteries can be fashioned. And one would also figure that all of them had been presented already ad nauseam. Then along comes this movie and, yep, something new has been created. An excellent movie because of its novelty, its boldness, its visuals, its art but mostly because every single actor and each performance are superb. There is not a wasted line or a wasted scene. This is a film I will watch again. Peter Stormare is one of the most gifted actors today. And the director, Ed Gass-Donnelly, has a brilliant future. Congratulations and thank you to everyone involved with this movie. And best wishes for continued success to each of you.