jeanvieve7 Reviews

Ripley (2024)

Brilliant adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel

[9/10 · 19 April 2024]

I have to admit when I saw this new series come up as a recommendation on Netflix, I was highly skeptical. I very much enjoyed the 1999 Jude Law and Matt Damon film based on Patricia Highsmith's novel. That film, although a departure from its original source, was well done and brilliantly acted; adding (I think) A more human and relatable element to the character of Tom Ripley. I did read Patricia Hysmith's original novel, and found Tom Ripley to be a very cold sociopath, as (I'm sure) she intended.

I am happy to say my skepticism was put to rest.

Ripley the miniseries is absolutely brilliant!! Much truer to its literary source than the film adaptation from 1999, Tom is colder, more calculating and a true sociopath. Yet somehow, the filmmaker still makes him the antihero of the story.

Andrew Scott does here (I think) the best work of his career, the nuance of his character in every little facial gesture, movement of the eyes, calculating soliloquies... his work here is nothing less than brilliant

Many here are commenting and praising the cinematography, and I completely agree. Filmed entirely in black-and-white, With a simplicity and starkness that allows the nuances of performance, as well as every shot to blaze through the screen and transport the viewer in an Immersive experience to 1960's Europe. Every scene, every shot, every edit is well thought out and pieced together and stripped down to allow the performances to shine and transport us through every frame.

I did read the novel many years ago, and I would say this is a very true adaptation. Bravo to brilliant performances and direction and cinematography.

Road House (2024)

Suffers From Identity Crisis

[4/10 · 24 March 2024]

This is a film that I think had a lot of potential, and could've been so much better had it taken the time with its supportive players and tone. Overall I think is suffers from lack of identity; if it had been either a little grungier or a little lighter, it might have found continuity.

What hurts Road House is that it rides a middle line and doesn't accomplish either its campier elements to make this a lighter romp, or its rougher violent edginess that makes us believe our antagonist can unleash hell on the biker gangs and thugs that plague the road house, and embracing itself as a brawl film. Accomplishing neither, it falls on its face.

What hurts the film the most I think are the villains, who all come off as caricatures of characters rather than characters themselves.

Our main "baddie" a second generation spoiled real estate trust fund child, wears pink shirts, laughs maniacally as he spouts cheap dialogue, ending up as a cliche rather than anything original or intimidating. Also we have the cliche bad cop, the stupid underlings that think they're tough, only to run scampering when Gyllenhaal's character throws a few punches.

Worst of all (sorry) is when McGregor's big baddie comes on the scene. His introduction is laughable as he prances around like a cartoon character, practically self-narrating with his big cheesy grin that never leaves his face, and stomping around wide-legged like he has a basketball tucked between his knees "look what a big bad crazy guy I am".

I will say Gyllenhaal is the best thing here. He does play a character that has compassion, self-loathing and a tough dirty side very well.

This film also could've benefited from some atmosphere and better cinematography; pulling us into the heat and humidity of Florida, rather than shooting it like a shiny new penny.

Road House is not a "bad" film, but I think the worst disappointment in a film is when you see potential that was missed, and characters and editing that were phoned in, that if they had been better developed and given more attention, could have made this a better film.

The Wailing (2016)

Could have been better

[5/10 · 3 March 2024]

I'm trying to carefully write my review here, being that there is a huge difference in style between American and European films and Asian films.

One thing I really struggle with particularly with some of the half dozen or so Korean films I've seen, is the gross over-acting. Scenes where it seems everyone is literally writhing on the floor wailing, or grossly overreacting to situations that borderline pantomime. Is this a style, or just poor acting?

Also, I agree with another reviewer that the male protagonist in this film is really lacking. He is weak, lazy, and really lacks and any kind of personality. Honestly, there are no characters in this film that are very compelling or complex or even interesting.

There is no viable tension, or a sense of building angst to a climax. It feels a little scattered....

The film had an interesting premise, and I think with stronger writing, and better characters. It could've been something great.

But sorry, it didn't do it for me.

Bodies (2023)

Held My Interest

[7/10 · 22 October 2023]

The series isn't perfect. It has some plot holes, some characters that could've been stronger, some story arcs that were weak... But overall it was clever enough to hold my interest as a good sci-fi time travel miniseries.

What the series did right:

Threaded together 4 different time lines and tightened the stories with every episode where you start to see how these stories fit together, and where the past ties to the future.

Easy to binge.

What the series could have done better:

Some characters were simply not flushed out enough, or the actors were not given adequate space to let the audience have any emotional ties to them, which is essential for us to care about everything that is going on. Also, all our protagonists in the series are working towards a devastating historical event. Yet in actuality, only one single character talks about any emotional pain from the devastating event that they are trying to prevent. We don't actually see any kind of lingering devastation, or any other characters that have directly suffered from this event they are trying to prevent. It leaves you a little bit emotionally detached and you don't feel the panic or the urgency that we should feel in a story where the whole point is trying to prevent something much worse than 9/11.

Also, I didn't feel our villain was either villainous enough or sympathetic enough. And yet I feel that the series is trying to make us feel both. He just felt a little bit milquetoast.

There were also some plot holes and weak points, as to how our villain was able to control a domino effect of events across more than 100 years of time. It's simply not entirely explained.

All that said, I still feel this miniseries is unique enough and entertaining enough to be worth watching the entire series and appreciate it for what it is.

Dead Ringers (2023)

Wow! Disturbing, Abusive, Inappropriate, Sharp, Orginal

[8/10 · 22 April 2023]

Anything I could do to describe this series would not do it justice, or convey the experience of the tone. It is deeply disturbing, shocking, inappropriate, sharp, and witty. What I can say is that Rachel Weisz is astonishing. If she does not get the Golden Globe for this performance, it would be an injustice.

Rachel Weisz plays two completely different characters with brilliance. Both twins are doctors in a hospital birthing center who are trying to get funding to open a birthing center of their own. That is just a very basic plot. Elliot is wild, and a thrill seeker who seems to think that no rules apply to her and she can do whatever she wants. Beverly, her twin cares more for humanity and playing by the rules. They are in their way, utterly codependent, but when Beverly Finds love and starts to have a life of her own Elliot becomes completely unhinged.

Black Adam (2022)

Seriously overrated

[4/10 · 17 December 2022]

Am I one of the few that think this film is a hot mess?

We have gotten to a point in films where visual effects are a given!! Movies in this genre are now cranked out on a conveyer belt rather than being the rare treat that began the trend in 2008. Now they are made by being plumped up with so much visual stimuli, computer generated effects, canned dialogue, and quick back stories (as ploy to delve into present-day action)... we seem to not even notice lack of character development or actual story.

Black Adam could be a poster child for the aforementioned formula. There are no bad actors in this film. They simply are not given A good script to work with, or any character to develop or substance to get their teeth into.

It's a tough one because I like Dwayne Johnson. I like Pierce Brosnan, I even like and enjoy some of the more minor characters in this film including Sarah Shahi and Aldis Hodge. But they are utterly wasted in this film. I feel like this movie was so quick to get into action that everything else was an afterthought....a quick throwaway backstory, throw in some characters which were completely cliché and steriotyped into villains, antihero's, and oppressed (etc), there was simply no thought into creating any kind of depth or originality.

This movie is pure formula. The type of film that you could have plugged in some algorithms and classic clichés from superhero movies into an AI, and have it write a script for you.

I'm glad I'm writing this right after watching the movie. Because I'm sure by tomorrow I will have forgotten it.

Love, Death & Robots: Jibaro (2022) Season 3, Episode 9

This went beyond short story telling into art

[10/10 · 25 May 2022]

Wow. Unlike the other episodes in this season (and in past seasons) of love, death and robots, where I did just fine following the storyline while doing other things: looking at my phone, puttering around the kitchen... this piece would've been completely disserviced by even a SECOND of my distraction. This piece is a pure feast for the eyes.

This went far beyond short story telling into pure art. I feel like I just watched either a short opera or classic ballet. The camera angles, the editing, the stylism, the movement... I was blown away.

Never have I've been so Mesmerized by a short episode of any series where I could not take my eyes off the screen, and continually out loud just said "wow".

Pure art. There are no other words.

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

Is this even the same film?

[8/10 · 18 June 2021]

We all know what Justice League was, and even more what it wasn't. We keep wondering why DC keeps getting it so wrong, when Marvel is on a roll (Nolan Trilogy and Wonder Woman not included).

But my goodness here is the ensemble film we deserve! With double the running time, a complete re-edit and a complete difference in tone and pace, this is what Justine League should have been in the first place.

I swear it's not a shadow of the same film.

The Woman in the Window (2021)

Another Disappointing Netflix Film

[5/10 · 15 May 2021]

I was looking forward to this one. Rearwindow-esque mystery/thriller.

Despite a stellar cast and promising premise, The Woman In The Window falls flat. Slow moving the film never seems to quite find it's feet or invest you in it's characters. Nothing wrong with a slow burn, but this slow burn smoked and fizzled without engaging its audience and then in the final act it suddenly turns into a slasher film (???!!!!!). Even the payoff was nothing but spare change.

This could have been so much better.

Into the Dark: My Valentine (2020) Season 2, Episode 5

How does something like this get made?

[2/10 · 4 April 2020]

A format like this; an anthology series with unrelated stories provides so much opportunity for artistic creativity and good storytelling. I have felt so yanked around by this series, where once in a while you have something pretty decent, and then so many episodes were either incredibly mediocre utter crap.

This might be the worst one I've seen yet, It's just an utter mess. You hate all the characters, bad acting, no real storyline, and what storyline there is just drags and drags. Why Blumhouse? Just why?

Prodigal Son (2019–2021)

So Much Promise, No Delivery

[5/10 · 1 February 2020]

When I saw the previews for this show I was really looking forward to it. Great premise, lots of opportunity for cat and mouse, psychological drama, and mind games. Alas what could have been on the level of Lecter and Starling (if Starling had Lecter daddy issues), instead is nothing but tired, cliche police procedural drama. The story lines are weak and uninteresting and the territory has been covered a thousand times. Good actors are completely wasted on poor material and pedestrian writing. What a waste!!!

Dracula (2020)

Each Episode Ranked. What begins in brilliance ends in a train wreck

[5/10 · 8 January 2020]

Episodes Ranked.

Episode 1: 8 out of 10. Although a lot of liberties are taken with the source material of the novel as far as storyline, this retelling maintains the spirit of the novel almost more than any other adaptation done before. The underlying dread and dreariness and sense of horror are all present, and are almost a character in themselves.

(Thankfully) missing are the all too typical over the top splashiness of modern vampire tales. This, like it's source material is truly creepy.

Dracula himself could not have been better cast; he embodies pure evil, and yet like the devil himself maintains charisma and seductiveness, which is a hard thing to pull off.

I was fascinated with where they were going with the story, and the introduction of Dracula's antagonist: a nun with a lot of vampire knowledge, and a psychological battle begins.

Episode 2: 6 out of 10.

We start off the episode feeling a little off kilter... did we just jump forward in time?

I spent the episode waiting for a tie-in to where we left off in episode 1, trying to figure out how and when the story went on it's rabbit trail, and why a certain pair of individuals were talking so cordially who were at odds when we last left them....(psychological game continues, but is getting tired sans explanation of what is going on).

Mostly gone is the delicious dread and slow-burn horror of episode 1, and instead it's replaced by an almost Agatha Christie-esque flavor of who-done-it, (except we know who did it). There is bit of twist/explanation 30 minutes before the end, but it still leaves only confusion.

Episode 3: 2 out of 10.

What the heck? Everything completely derails, utter train wreck. Dracula in the modern world, storyline disseminates to the point of no return. Psycho babble no longer a smart play of foes, but becomes self-aware and self-indulgent. Ending is an utter letdown. Oh Dracula Act 1 you had so much promise!!! Yet here we are left in the excrement of what could have been greatness.

A Christmas Carol (2019)

Dreary, Dismal, No Christmas Carol in this Christmas Carol

[3/10 · 22 December 2019]

From the previews I really wanted to like this, I was prepared for a bit of a darker and possibly spookier take on the classic tale. But unfortunately there is literally no original dialogue from the book, can it is a complete diversion to the point it barely resembles the story we know. Now, I would actually be okay with that except for the fact that the characters are dismal and dull, as is the story. It's also way too long. There is no merriness or or happiness ANYWHERE in this film, including the Cratchets, who seem to be as dismal and unhappy as Scrooge himself. Even the spirits are cynical and uncaring about Scrooge's redemption and about Christmas itself. Their plight seems to be a chore and a pessimistic challenge rather than caring about a single soul in this whole miserable story. Even at the end there is no forgiveness from the Cratchets or anyone for Scrooge, rather just pessimism. Ugh.

No spirit of Christmas to be found anywhere here.

Into the Dark: Pilgrim (2019) Season 2, Episode 2

Lowest Rating In The Series So Far

[2/10 · 2 November 2019]

The Into The Dark movie series varies widely in scariness, subject matter and quality. There are a few gems, They Come Knocking by far being the highlight of the series, and then there is Pilgrim.... The episode feels shallow and cheap, the "moody" camera and sound editing work that are intended to create atmosphere, instead create a sense of disengagement and feel forced. Not that the story was strong to begin with. As with so many of these stories it's full of holes; So there aren't any neighbors who have a phone to run to and get help? If the "Pilgrims" are anti-technology how did the wife find them online?

Anywhoo, the episode is gory enough for anyone who is a slasher fan, But at the end the dirtiness you feel is that you wasted your time on ridiculous crap

Fractured (I) (2019)

Pleasantly Surprised

[6/10 · 12 October 2019]

I came into this movie thinking it was another one of "those" Netflix movies (you know what I mean, the ones that make us wonder how it got made in the first place). But, this really is a decent little made-for-tv thriller. Nothing fancy, just a close story of a man and his family traveling over the Thanksgiving holidays to visit family, they stop at a gas station and his daughter has an accident that ends up taking them to a local hospital, where things do not end up being as straightforward as they should be.... When recounts from hospital staff don't match the man's recollections of what happened within hospital walls, we enter the scenario of "is he insane, or is it a vast conspiracy?" We think we know, only the story unfolds cleverly to make us flip-flop our POV considering both possibilities, so that we don't know the truth until the very end.

Nothing splashy or trailblazing here, but decent story telling.

Timecrimes (2007)

High Ratings? Did I Watch A Different Film?

[3/10 · 7 October 2019]

I can only guess that this film has a high rating due to its subject matter, which is time travel. It seems sometimes that these types of movies get a higher rating by default just for tackling the tricky subject of time travel. Now, I am all about the indie and I don't need a splashy big budget film, (I enjoyed Coherence and Pi that we're low budget and dealt with time jumps, but they did it successfully).

That aside, I found this movie to be very weak all around. Weak plot, nothing to be said for the acting, and really NOTHING interesting happens in this movie. The behavior of our protagonist is bizarre at best, and there are not even extreme circumstances to be overcome as we might expect in this type of film. The hour in which the film takes place is mundane and boring, and any obstacles in the time jump are created by our main character's stupid and illogical behavior. Had he (being that we know he's just a Joe Shmo) sat on his bum and waited for the hour to catch up to him, nothing would have gone wrong. Instead he does everything from assaulting a woman on the road, to trying to communicate with his past self. Why???? When all he was doing before the "accident" was sitting on his lawn with a pair of binoculars. Like I said, the behavior and the "trouble" that drives the film is illogical nonsense.

I am purposefully being vague in order not to spoil plot points, but go in with low expectations, at least that way there isn't room for disappointment.....

In the Tall Grass (2019)

Not Great, But Also Not Terrible

[5/10 · 5 October 2019]

If you have read any of Stephen King's Stories, and particularly his short stories, you should know what to expect; otherworldly situation that does not necessarily wrap itself up tidily with an explanation, characters wrestling with their own psyches in dealing with said situation, some death and violence, and people being forced to make nasty decisions to (hopefully) survive.

This story is no different. People traveling in rural middle America stop by a field of grass, and upon hearing cries for help coming from within the field, they go in to give aid, only to find that while the field has an entrance, it may not have an exit....

Don't look for anything deep or groundbreaking here, but if you are in fact looking for a little distraction and some easy entertainment, give it a watch.

Ad Astra (2019)

This is great filmmaking!

[9/10 · 22 September 2019]

This movie is a true feast for lovers of great film; visually stunning, superb performances and a story at its base that is universal to everyone.

I concur with other reviewer's that this is not a typical action sci-fi movie. What this is is a drama that uses the metaphor of the loneliness and isolation of outer space as a visual representation for what is going on with the two main characters, father and son.

From what I gather the negative reviews are from people that expected a very different kind of film, and did not have the appreciation for what this movie is supposed to be. And what it is supposed to be could not of been done better.

Captain Marvel (2019)

What's with all the bad reviews?

[6/10 · 9 March 2019]

So I read the articles published about how this film was getting blasted with bad reviews, and I went to the theater bracing myself for a truly bad film. I was pleasantly surprised that this was a GOOD Marvel film. Is it among their best? No. But it is good. The plot makes sense and is in continuity with the big picture painted in the MCU. It provides great back story to Nick Fury and SHIELD. And unlike what you have heard, it does indeed have integrated whit and humor like we have become accustomed to in Marvel films. I enjoyed, and I suggest you see it for yourself

The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)

A Huge Netflix Sucess!

[8/10 · 18 February 2019]

Netflix seems to come out with something new almost weekly, and yet sifting through the new content I rarely find something that isn't just mediocre. So I was pleasently surprised at how good and fresh this super hero series was. Umbrella Academy is the kind of content Netflix should be focusing on and that will keep Netflix viewers renewing their subscriptions.

This is a different take on super heroes in the vein of Watchmen: It is dark, unconventional, original and binge worthy.

I don't have to say much about the plot because that is outlined in the description. I binged the whole first season in one day and like any good show I'm suffering from withdrawal at the last episode. When you watch the first episode it may take you a few beats to navigate the characters and just what it is that you are watching, but hang on! You are in for a great ride.