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drgreenstein
Reviews
The Brotherhood (2001)
Really bad
This movie fails on all accounts.
The script is pathetic. The story is weak and the characters shallow. You couldn't set out to write a B-movie script this bad. The plot is so weak that the framework seems like it's designed for pornography.
The cinematography is juvenile. The camera angles are contrived, close-ups are used without good purpose and the lighting always seems artificial. It feels like one never leaves the same simple set.
The acting, save Josh Hammond as Dan, is really bad. The actors' deliveries are monotonous. The range of emotions is zero.
The men are all beautiful, each one an Adonis, but to what end? Adolescent girls and adolescent gay boys will surely revel in these images but beyond that, there is no artful purpose served by the physiques.
I hate to pan someone's work so badly but this movies is truly horrible.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Good effort
As expected Tim Burton's visual presentation and Johnny Depp's performance are quite pleasing. The story and acting that take place outside the factory are top-notch and very entertaining. Unfortunately, the time spent in the factory is not quite up to par. Depp's speech pattern becomes reminiscent of "The Church Lady" from SNL. The visual props become second rate. The ride on the chocolate river features a boat that you might find in a child's cereal box. The candy meadow seems filled with green plastic strands. Overall, the movie's fun for those who are Wonka or Burton fans but clearly not the best movie that either could make. Cheers to Freddie Highmore starring as Charlie. He is superb in his role.