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Edge of the Garden (2011)
This movie will warm your heart!
So, I am a fan of horror, dark and action movies and shows, but of course, in between I like to take a break from that type of genre, so I go looking for a nice, easy and light movie. I love small town stories and pretty sceneries. I had no idea what this movie was about, I just read the first line "man buys a small cottage..." that's it, it got me on the "cottage", I had no idea what to expected and what a surprise. Delightful, sweet and what a beautiful story. It has the same premises as "The Lake House" with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Thank you Hallmark for a sweet afternoon.
May in the Summer (2013)
Lovely comedy with a heart
Let's just start saying that I do not believe that this movie got under six stars on IMDb. This is an amazing Indie movie. Starting with the photography which is beautiful and then going to the plot and to the actors. So refreshing... I loved the expressions of the daughters every time the mother, who is a devoted Christian, made funny religious comments. I can relate so well, I am Brazilian but my father was a Christian Lebanese, so I grew up with both Brazilian and Middle Eastern culture and also with the "religious" behavior of my dad. And it is just like that, besides Middle Eastern people are very friendly and warm and what a hospitality they have, but they are also in everybody's business, pressuring and pushing for marriage and education and all families are kind of dysfunctional, it is just crazy and lovely.
Going back to the movie, I thought with was amazing, sweet, beautiful, female power and funny. Love the soundtrack too. The scenes when they go to the "Red Sea" for the bachelorette party are awesome and hilarious.
Another movie, like this is "Caramel", from director "Nadine Labaki"
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Fifty Loads of Crap
OK... let's talk "Fifty Shades of Grey"... first of all, let me start saying that I did not read the books. Well I did start reading the first one, but when I got to the "contract" part, I could not take it anymore. I thought that the book was really bad, poor written skills and very repetitive. So I tossed away. But I just saw the movie and what a load of CRAP. I think the movie might be even worse than the book. As a former student of cinema, I do pay attention in every single detail and I could actually direct this movie better than who did. There was no sensuality, no erotism, not chemistry between the actors, not a drop of sweat, they didn't even kiss with tongue, nobody had an orgasm, nothing, just some slaps on the butt, duh and for calling himself a "dominant" in a BDSM world "Christian Grey" was way to amateur, practically a virgin himself, there was not a believable scene in this movie, maybe when she was crying, but even then it looked more like a soap opera. Btw... Jamie Dornan disappointed me. I do prefer him as a serial killer in the British series "The Fall". I do blame the director for this poor movie, more than I do the actors. The movies "Secretary" with Maggie Gyllenhaal and "9 1/2 Weeks" with Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger are my favorites on this genre.
Annie (2014)
"I think I have some dust in my eyes"... LOVED IT!!!!!
First of all, I really don't get all the negative reviews.... people should "light it up" a little bit. This movie is not supposed to be a "serious and complicate movie". This is supposed to be exactly what it was. I feel good movie, fun, cute and entertainment and it did just that. I literally laughed out loud and cried a bit too. Cameron Diaz was not my favorite character, I gotta be honest, she was really annoying and made weird expressions, but everybody else was so fun to watch. I did not get the part about the "cell phones" and "social media" either, I thought it was way too much, but I can pass that. Also I loved the beautiful shots of New York and it's skyline. Will watch it again!!!!
Gracepoint (2014)
Just LAME...
I just finished watching the last episode and my opinion did not change. The only thing I can say about this show is that it was LAAAAAME. They tried to do something mysterious but it was painfully SLOW. I could not take anymore of the SLOW MOTION scenes also. It was very annoying and also FOX with the hash tag #supecteveryone, kind of destroy the plot. Of course 'someone' did it, of course will be someone we "know"... duh!!!!! Also, the way that the killer was reveled was pathetic, no emotion, no suspense, just blargh... Every character in this show, from episode one had a diarrhea face, the whole time. It was the longest movie I ever watched. My three stars goes like this. One for photography (it was indeed beautiful), the other one for effort (they tried) and the third one for Anna Gunn. On the last scene when the boy is telling: "I never saw anybody else hitting him", I got the "anybody else" right the way, how come the so awesome detective did not caught that? How weak... anyways... try watching "Top of the Lake" and "Les Revenants" instead.
State of Affairs (2014)
I'm sorry Katherine Heigl, but why?
I do not expect any serious or quality shows coming from NBC or ABC, other than family drama/comedy, but when they try to be Showtime, AMC, Starz, FX or HBO they fail miserably. Btw, I'm not including FOX in their same level because they have way better shows than they do. Like the recents "Black Box", "Crisis", "and even "The Black List", I knew on the very first minutes that the show would suck. They tried to hard to be "hip", "cool" and somehow "smart" and "intelligent" but always end up being lame, a fake and a rip off of some other storyline. I don't know if it is because their viewers are more 'generic' and they try to do a "home" version of good shows, or if it is because they can't get good writers to work for them. "State of Affairs" is the poor, idiotic version of "Homeland", very pretentious and forced. Why all the female characters have to be the one night-stand-kind of girl? This happened with "Bad Judge" too... it had to be a drunken/slut/judge... anyways... the first scene on war was 'ok-ish' but even then I thought "Homeland/24"... after that was downhill... poor direction, production, acting and weak storyline. People say that you cannot judge a show for just watching 5/10 mins of it, but you do... just watch the first mins of "Breaking Bad", "True Detective", "Fargo" and "House of Cards" for example and you will see the difference.
Turn (2014)
Wow!!! I think AMC hit it again!!!!
Excellent first episode!!!! Great acting, direction, cinematography, production and plot!!! I'm a fan of shows set in that period of our history, but it can get very dark and tiresome sometimes. "Turn" has that quality that will make you wanting more, at least this is what I am taking from the first one hour and a half of the season premiere. I have a feeling that will drive and attract people to visit "Williamsburg" in Virginia, to be part of the story of that time. I have to say that I am very impressed by Jamie Bell's performance as "Abe Woodhull" as well Heather Lind as "Anna Strong". I think they will be a big hit, as I have a feeling that they might get "closer" again. Also Jamie Bell was "Billy Eliott" in the movie. How cool is that? Can't wait for next week's episode!!!!
Scandal (2012)
WTF is happening with this show???
CAN'T TAKE THIS SHOW ANYMORE!!!! "Scandal" is becoming one hell of a soap opera. Every actor is OVERACTING, it's like every one is PMSing... "Olivia Pope" just makes sad, confused faces and shouts all the time, it's annoying. "Huck" only WHISPERS, since episode one... "Jake Ballard" wants to be the bad ass, but sorry, far from it, he only makes puppy faces with puppy eyes.... this show just died... last episode was like: "let's get everyone having sex, to put some sparkles on it".... FAILED!!!!!! Horrible timing... maybe the producers, could perhaps take some notes from "House of Cards" and "Political Animals"... and I understand this is supposed to be a "scandal" from a romance btw the president and an outsider, but both of them are becoming narcissistic pricks and I don't even care if they stay together, the show would be better if they actually found others to get involved with. Everything in Scandal just SUCKS lately!!!! Good bye "soap opera"... I'm done!!!!
Struck by Lightning (2012)
Great job Chris Colfer!!!!!
The only thing I did not like about this movie, was the cover. Really? Who did that? It is very misleading, it has nothing to do with the script... I almost did not watch because of it, I thought it was going to be a stupid teenager movie... man I was wrong... well, it was a teenager movie BUT, it was a good one... kind of "The Art of Getting By". When we are very young we have so many doubts about life and what are we supposed to do with it, we are clueless and yet, we know we have to figure quickly because time goes by and soon we are not so young anymore and we have to take care of ourselves and survive. The point of the movie was to show that life comes at you fast, and it is not important what you will actually accomplish by how you will live your life on the journey. He had so many dreams, and just like in real life, not all dreams come true... he did not accomplished them, well, not all of them!!! It is a very cute movie and I take my hat for Chris for the script!!!! If you are reading this, I just want to say that you are very talented and congratulations on your project. I loved it!!!! And I'm almost 40 ;) Well done, kid!!!!!
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013)
Extremely CLICHÉ, STEREOTYPE and MELODRAMATIC
Please DON'T READ beyond this point, if you haven't seen this movie yet!!!! Having said that, let's review it: First of all, Kim Kardashian was not what was wrong with this movie, seriously, if you think she is the reason you didn't like it, you clearly did not watch the whole thing, she was actually the only thing that made me laugh. The movie is sooooo stereotyped and clichéd that HURTS. First of all, the counselor tells a "personal" history during a session (how unethical and unprofessional is that?). Then everything else is; very conservative Southern and religious girl marries childhood sweetheart, they are great together, they love each other, but she meets an arrogant playboy at work, and with a few cheesy words, he makes her change his mind about her whole marriage and even her sex life. She sleeps with him, very easily, by the way, and the scene of their first time looks like RAPE. So, after that, she changes completely, she starts to disrespect her mother, she curses a lot, becomes a real bitch, everything very quickly, so she gives up on her marriage and her husband to stay with this playboy, who in their first week of living together, beat the crap out of her. So, I believe the message is, if you leave your husband, you will get slap by some other guy and get HIV kind of thing... I think, that the plot is not bad, but it was POOR directed and produced. There was NO EMOTION at all, because you can't connect with none of the characters, they are just so "blargh" and everything happens well to fast!!!!!! There was not a development in the plot, actually, the only one that I could sympathize was "Karen" (Brandy), but everyone else, just did not do a thing for us. I gave two stars... 1 for "effort" and the other one for the soundtrack. And that's all I can give.
The Factory (2012)
They did a poor job in hiding the plot!!!! Just ridiculous!!!
Well, well... I watched this movie, because of John Cusack and also Jennifer Carpenter (I was really curious to see her in a role other than Dexter), and she played almost the same role as Debbie, minus all the cursing... anyways... the movie could've been so much better if they did not think that the audience was stupid. Seriously, I figured out "who did it" as soon they left the diner and she gets on the phone and says: "where are you?", really writers???? This KILLED the surprise, after that I knew already about everything, so the ending was BLAH.... they did not even tried to hide, it was just throwing on our face. And the very last ending, was ridiculous... soooo.... evil person WINS and everybody else LOOSES. Pathetic!!!!