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Reviews
Downton Abbey (2019)
Great Aspects and Poor Aspects
Great story-line. Great acting. Great costumes. But . . . the film does not look as good as the TV episodes. It may be the lighting or the cinematography or something else. On my large TV screen, the ratio aspect looks off. Everyone and everything look a bit thin and stretched. I think the directing and the editing are not up to standard. The pacing is not good. All that said, I do hope more films are made (or better yet, more TV seasons). I miss Downton Abbey.
In the Line of Duty: The F.B.I. Murders (1988)
Bad Movie . . Respect for the FBI Agents
This movie received good reviews so I was stunned to find it was a total train wreck of a movie. Every FBI agent was very courageous and the end scene was painful to watch. Many people commented on how the end has been used in FBI training, but I think it must be training on what not to do. Other than that, this movie has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Hollywoodism: Jews, Movies and the American Dream (1998)
Dishonest and Factually Inaccurate
The history of the influence of Eastern European Jewish Emigre culture has had on Hollywood and the films created in its golden age. Tagline: They fled a nightmare to build a dream.
The film portrays Louis B. Mayer (MGM) as an Eastern European Jew who fled to Hollywood to escape persecution. This is totally false. Mayer was born in Russia in 1884 but his family moved to the US when he was 3 years old. When he was 8 years old, the family moved to Canada. Mayer grew up in Canada. In 1904, when he was 20 years old, he moved back to the US. The movie business was an economic opportunity for him. It had nothing to do with him being Jewish or being persecuted.
Jack Warner (Warner Bros.) was also born in Canada. Adolph Zukor (Paramount) was born in Hungary and emigrated to the US in 1891 when he was about 18 years old.
According to this documentary, every "underdog" theme portrayed in a Hollywood film is a Jewish theme. One given example is "Independence Day" - where a white middle-class president articulates the Jewish experience. The Jewish persecution theme running throughout this documentary is overblown and overemphasized, distorting the facts.
Diana: Her True Story (1993)
Not recommended!
This movie is so bad it's painful to watch. The acting is terrible and none of the actors resemble their real-life counterparts. I know that Charles and Diana's marriage was not a happy one, but if even one quarter of the dramatization is true, their marriage was a complete train wreck from the beginning. Both Charles and Diana are portrayed as deeply dysfunctional, cardboard people. I usually enjoy royal dramatizations, but not this one.
Whatever Love Means (2005)
Enjoyable and worth watching
This is the only movie ever made about Charles and Camilla, as far as I know. It begins with their first meeting in 1971 and ends on the day of the wedding of Charles and Diana in 1981. I would love to see a movie continue their love affair down to the present day.
The movie is sympathetic to both Charles and Camilla. Of course the movie is almost entirely fiction. There is absolutely no way anyone can possibly know what Charles and Camilla said to each other during their private time. Still, I enjoy well done dramas about the British royal family.
I think the actors who played Charles and Camilla are good. I was appalled at the portrayal of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth. It's difficult to believe they could be so callous toward Prince Charles. I'm not a person who takes sides or hates any of these people. I do not know them, but I do know that everyone is human with good and bad sides and everything in between.
If you enjoy this subject matter, the movie is worth watching!
William & Catherine: A Royal Romance (2011)
Enjoyable . . but lacking something
I enjoyed this movie. The sets and costumes are good. All the actors did a very good job. Most of them reasonably resembled their real-life counterparts, especially Alice St. Clair as Kate Middleton, yet the film is lackluster. I think it must be the directing or the editing. Something undefinable stopped the movie from being really good. I don't know exactly what. Nonetheless, it's worth watching.
Beyond Borders (2003)
The Romantic Theme Helps Us Engage with the Larger Theme
This is one of those films that critics like to slam because of the romantic plot line that runs throughout the film. I've noticed that critics often give a film negative reviews due to romantic plot lines. I've never understood their reasoning. It seems obvious to me that all audiences can identify with love and the desire to be with a person one loves. Not all audiences can easily identify with the larger and often more important elements of a film. Beyond Borders takes us to countries that are wholly unfamiliar to most people in the United States. It focuses on human beings whose lives are profoundly different from ours. It calls our attention to countries, regions and societies that are so different from ours in governmental structure, culture and religion. The heartbreaking suffering of the people depicted in the film and the ability of people from vastly differing backgrounds to be compassionate and empathetic enough to change their lives in order to give what help they can is the real backbone of the film. Romantic love is universal and this element draws us in and helps us to engage and identify with the larger issues.
Quantum of Solace (2008)
No Fun in this Bond Film
I'm not going to write about the contents of this film as other reviewers have already done this quite well. I haven't seen a Bond film in years and this was the first one I've seen with Daniel Craig playing Bond. Craig is a good actor but his portrayal of Bond is completely devoid of charm, charisma or wit. Perhaps it's the script. Or not. James Bond is an iconic character and to portray him this way is very disappointing.
Dances with Wolves (1990)
A Superb film that has meaning for us all
This is one of the best films I've ever watched. A reviewer on IMDB, Craig-95, has written an excellent review which I wholeheartedly agree with. The film is now 27 years old but what the film stands for will always be relevant to the human race. Everyone should see this film and absorb its lessons. The world would be a better place if every being opened their heart and soul to the message this film conveys.
Hitman: Agent 47 (2015)
I Love This Movie
I don't understand why this movie received so many bad reviews. Perhaps the film deviates from the comics and computer game it's supposed to be based on, neither of which I am familiar with.
All the actors gave excellent performances. I was especially impressed by Rupert Friend and Hannah Ware.
I saw this movie for the first time on TV and then bought the DVD for my collection. It's a great action/adventure/mystery/thriller film. I love how the two main characters progress from beginning to end. They were not what I expected and I was delighted.
I really hope there is a sequel to this film (hurry, please!) and that both Rupert Friend and Hannah Ware reprise their roles.
Very entertaining and enjoyable film!!
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
Fun and Uplifting
I really like this movie; not quite as much as the first one, but still, it was good to see some actors from the original movie return for this sequel. All the young actors gave good performances.
The movie is exactly what you'd expect from the written synopsis, so I won't go into any details on plot or outcome. Just to say that I hope a third movie will be made to continue this enjoyable and uplifting saga.
Blackhat (2015)
Interesting and Enjoyable
I really love this movie and don't understand why it got so many negative reviews.
Every character is interesting; every performance is spot-on. Every time I watch the film I get more out of it. It's multi-layered. I don't know if every bit of hacker-type info is correct because I know very little about computer code and high-tech computer lingo, but the story is believable.
One of the main characters, Nick Hathaway, is a really nice guy; kind, loyal and laid-back. OK, so he's a hacker and he committed cyber crimes; but he's not a Bad Guy; not like the really bad guys that care nothing for human lives.
I really hope they make a sequel.
Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing (2016)
Over 3 Years Later - Heart wrenching Documentary
I watched this documentary last night and was deeply moved by the courage of the people affected by the terrorist attack on April 15, 2013, at the Boston Marathon. Watching and listening to their personal stories elicited a range of emotions: fear and outrage; sympathy and pride.
The filmmakers who put together this documentary were thorough and factual; sympathetic yet never crossed the line into melodrama.
The actions of the Boston Police Department, Homeland Security, the FBI and all other government agencies that sorted through the astronomical amount of video and other data (something like 500 terabytes, but I could be wrong on that number) amazed me and filled me with pride. The fact that the officers and agents were able to identify and find the bombers was awe inspiring. So was the fact that everyone transported to a hospital lived. I think 90 people were transported to area hospitals within 30 minutes of the bombing.
The bombing was religiously motivated and that's extremely frightening to me. There have been religious wars for thousands of years but now it's on United States soil.
I highly recommend this documentary to everyone.