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Reviews
Mayberry Man (2021)
Difficult to watch
The producers and actors meant well, but this is an excruciatingly dull movie from start to finish. It didn't hold my interest at all. I didn't care what happened to the characters. I didn't try to imagine how the movie was going to end. There's nothing exciting about the storyline. Several of the characters are especially annoying; when they show up I just want them to move on and come back stronger in a future scene. It's billed as a comedy but I saw nothing worthy of even a little chuckle. Did the filmmakers use a lot of 'untrained' actors? It's like they pulled people off the street? I'm confused...
Private Life (2018)
Such a powerful film
I went into this thinking there would be a nice, happy ending. Two hours later, I'm glad (realistically) that there wasn't. Having known couples who've gone through the emotionally draining struggle of trying to have a baby, one way or another, I get it. Every minute of this film was powerful, emotional, on the razor's edge between joy and sorrow. In the end, with the ending (so appropriate) you're just left with this overwhelming ache for Rachel and Richard. You want them to just give up. And you know why they can't. I think this is one of the 'heaviest' movies I've seen in a long time, and I'm so glad I did.
Dirty Grandpa (2016)
It's about D*cks
If you have the time to spare and you're not looking for something intelligent or memorable, this'll fit the bill. The movie should really have been titled "All About Dick" (which would have been a great double entendre using a character name and the body part most often discussed and occasionally shown). Yes, dicks are plentiful in this film. They accompany the raunchy, sexist, sophomoric humor. Dicks are constantly discussed, repeatedly hinted at, and occasionally shown. In a sense, it's kind of unfair. Zak Efron's naked ass gets many minutes of screen time, but we don't see a single set of uncovered female breasts. In any event, if it's mindless and often illogical sex-themed slapstick comedy you seek - this film should rub you the right way.
We Have a Ghost (2023)
Surprisingly good
You read the plot summary and expect this to be a significantly inane comedy. Ghosts? Seriously? But the movie is surprisingly deep. It has its humorous moments. But it also has depth and emotion. I was impressed.
There are a few over-the-top elements. The CIA bad guys and their Ghostbuster toys (meh). Likewise, the sheriff's car chase, complete with cars ramming into each other, spinning out, etc. (seriously? Cops don't do that in real life).
But all in all, an enjoyable and thoughtful film. It'll make you think about life, and death, and how we treat each other in between. I'm also pleased to see a movie with Black actors that doesn't shoehorn them into stupid white people's stereotypes. We need more films like this.
Force of Nature (2020)
Amateur effort at thriller drama
The movie sounds promising, but from the very first scene you're wondering how this will turn into an entertaining film. (Actually, one of the first scenes is a cast member sitting in a bathtub contemplating suicide. Maybe it's because he knew how bad this film would turn out to be?) But I digress... what we have here is a completely low-grade, fairly predictable heist film set in the middle of a hurricane. With a tiger in an apartment closet. Every other sentence in the dialog has a gratuitous F word, or three. Or four. Mel Gibson's curmudgeonly character is not someone you want to root for. Which character is? I dunno. Oh, and there's a hurricane happening but the lights are still working halfway through the film and nobody who goes outside wears a raincoat. Yeah. There's that. Bottom line- the movie is so atrocious you don't know whether to laugh, turn it off, or keep watching to see how much worse it can get before ending.
Blonde (2022)
Too long, too confusing
The actors offer fine performances, but this is a difficult film to like. You don't know what elements of the screenplay are real and what ones were imagination. There's a lot of dream sequences (or so they appear). Or were they dreams? Who knows? Some of the more interesting events in Marilyn Monroe's life are omitted altogether or passed over only briefly. The film makes strong indictments against a variety of people in Miss Monroe's circle of friends and advisers. Are the indictments fair and accurate? Ultimately, it seems as if even after 2 hours and 47 minutes we still don't get to understand Marilyn. Was that the intent?
Act Naturally (2011)
Exactly like - and not like - what a real nudist club is
This cringe-worthy comedy about a nudist club NAILS IT in some respects. (I say this having been a part of the nudist community for 35 years.) Nudism is synonymous with heavy drinking, and there's plenty of that in this film. Nudist clubs tend to be a bit on the run-down side (in maintenance terms) and they do tend to shelter many people running from something- either the law, or an ex-wife, or child support payments, etc. This film is OFF THE MARK in terms of the portrayals of people being shamed to take their clothes off upon entry. Realistically that just doesn't happen. In fact, my nudist club neighbor just died two weeks ago and his clothed family visited here several times to take care of his belongings. In a real-life nudist club, nobody cheers when you remove your clothes. That's just creepy. Last but not least, the average age of people in a nudist club in America is mid-60s. You'll see lots of old folks, white haired, flabby, and flatulent. But none of that makes for a film that's trying to catch eyeballs.
Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
Horrible
Everything the original does, this remake does bigger and with less humor. There are too many characters, too many subplots, too many efforts at funny business that fall flat. It's awkward from beginning to end, although if you're like me you'll be tired of the film 10 minutes into it.
A Castle for Christmas (2021)
Contrived Castle Comedy
This film has beautiful scenery, cringe-worthy dialogue, and predictable outcomes courtesy a group of otherwise talented actors presenting all the stereotypical contrived Christmas romantic comedy scenes. Five minutes into this, you know exactly where it's going and how it'll turn out. If your expectations are low, you'll not be disappointed.
Love Hard (2021)
Ugh another painful Christmas movie
This movie does not have a single redeeming character. Halfway through, I wanted to just see it end, and I didn't care how it ended. The idea that all these obnoxious characters could end up in the "we're all happy at Christmas" scene at the conclusion is the least of the offenses committed on screen. (Maybe it would have offered a more realistic ending if, Josh had come out as gay and announced to everyone that the reason he was so unhappy during the whole movie is that he was hiding in the closet with his candles.) That ending would actually have made the movie more realistic and would have explained why the other members of the family were such a-holes.
Just Getting Started (2017)
Groan
Great talent wasted in a film that works really hard to not work. Over-acting, forced relationships, nonsensical plot elements. It's all here.
Rim of the World (2019)
Horrible
The only good thing about seeing this movie on Netflix is that you didn't blow $15 on a theater ticket.
Oceans Rising (2017)
Horrible.
This movie is so incredibly horrible, it's hard to imagine the actors could have walked through the scenes and spoken their lines without throwing up their hands in disgust. (The scene with soldiers filling sandbags next to waves that are hundreds of feet high - really? Oh my.) The movie includes all the disaster flick cliches, a tragic romantic subplot, and special effects that look like they were created by 12 year olds in a middle school classroom. And plot consistency? Nonexistent. Plot holes so big you could steer the Titanic through them, sideways. Some reviewers wrote about the movie being so bad it is funny. I disagree. It's far too horrible to be the slightest bit humorous. It should be used in film schools as a case study on what not to put on the screen as intelligent entertainment.