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Reviews
The Untouchables (1987)
Great Movie Marred by Problematic Soundtrack
I would echo what many other reviewers have said: it's a wonderful American story, portrayed by some excellent actors at the height of their talents. Sean Connery, for one, is very impressive and believable as an aging, jaded policeman, still walking the beat, who rises to the challenge of bringing down the Chicago Moonshine Mafia. Kevin Costner is also very good as the slightly naive, but pure and steadfast, representative of the US Treasury-though he nearly always comes up just a hair short as a leading man, due to his slightly annoying voice (a characteristic much improved in recent years, thanks to the gravitas of age). Bob De Niro in any role is always a terrific pleasure: nuff said.
What keeps this film from being a truly great period piece is the amazingly bad soundtrack that plagues it from start to finish. I don't know if this musical disaster felt relevant and interesting back in the '90s, but it's very difficult to imagine a decade where Ennio Morricone's schizophrenic, incoherent approach was appealing or understandable to anyone! How unfortunate...
Merlin (2008)
Slow Start but Became Terrific!
We just finished the final series, and it is a HARD one to let go! Early on, the low production values and occasional silliness kept this show from grabbing hold of me very hard, although the cast was-and-is simply stellar. However. It just got better and better each season and, by Seasons 4 & 5, everything started to come together extremely well! As I've mentioned, the cast of Merlin was just outstanding, across the board, although I have to highlight the fantastic performances of Colin Morgan and Bradley James-they both demonstrated a versatility and a depth of feeling that simply captured our hearts, no doubt.
I know that some will find reason to contest this next point, but I do want to mention that it was amazingly refreshing in 2023 to come across a family-friendly show like Merlin that was appropriate for nearly all ages, as well as being consistently fun and thrilling for all. We desperately need some heroes worth imitating out there; men and women that are fighting for what's right and true, while being genuine and, yes, even humble (Arthur got there in the end!).
Nope (2022)
Peele's Most Forgettable
I wish I had liked this more than I did. J. Peele is a fantastically talented and original writer/director, but NOPE seems to fire away wildly at a number of different targets, careening off only a few in a satisfying, coherent manner.
Part of my difficulty with the film involved a healthy distaste for the two main characters (not the actors, mind you!): why does the mid-30s sister behave like a spoiled adolescent fool at almost every opportunity? Why does the admittedly wiser Otis Jr., after spending his entire life on a horse ranch, seem so (painfully) ineffective and uncomfortable around his own animals? Why do both of them habitually lace their speech with rank obscenities, in a way that real, farm-raised folks would be ashamed to do?
There are some bright lights in the truly original sci-fi plot, and the amazing cinematography and outstanding sound design are certainly deserving of accolades... but the story just misses too many beats, feels too deranged, and, in the final analysis, leaves us squinting through the dust at an unlikable, unrecognizable, parallel reality.
Skip it.
Endeavour: Striker (2021)
Marred by Camera and Filming Technique
We have enjoyed this show since its inception: the inspired and varied characters, brainy writing, set-design, music, clothing, and performances are always a fantastic treat!
That's why it's difficult for me to say the following:
Over the last season or two, the chosen camera (or, does it involve lens choice or some combination of other technical aspects?) has DRASTICALLY altered the appearance of the show, to its great detriment. Almost every scene looks cheap and tacky now, like one of those awful, tawdry of dramas you click past hastily on Espanol TV.
I hate to be unnecessarily critical, but this new filming approach has completely altered the viewing experience; it removes one from the immediacy of what's taking place onscreen, and significantly detracts from the credibility of what was one of the best projects that PBS has been involved with in recent memory. Extremely disappointing!
The North Water (2021)
Strong Production and Craftsmanship - Much Darkness and Evil
I need to qualify this review by saying that I was not able to finish the entire series, after sitting through the first three episodes.
Yes, I thoroughly enjoy (even grisly) period stories, and the production values and acting of "The North Water" were, largely, impeccable.
Still, at some point, I have to acknowledge this uncomfortable, two-fold observation: a) TV and film writers/producers/directors are usually advancing some kind of worldview or set of values and b) the imagery, dialogue, and narrative themes of a dramatic production can and do have a profound effect on one's outlook, demeanor, and overall mental health.
I found the story, at least in the first three episodes, so nearly devoid of redemption and so riddled with depravity-drug abuse, verbal abuse, sexual exploitation, sexual deviance, human and animal cruelty-that I cannot recommend it. (Some will suggest that all of these things might be found in a whaling vessel of the mid-1800s... that's a question for historians, but I cannot think of a profitable reason to devote hour after hour after hour, saturating oneself with every gritty, wretched detail.)
Jungle Cruise (2021)
Mostly Forgettable Adventure for 2021 Sensibilities
The Rock is quite entertaining as a pun-loving, impossibly huge, ship boat captain, and Emily Blunt is delightful (per usual) as a pants-wearing, thrill-seeking, Doctor of Botany. Nearly everything onscreen, with the exception of the human talent, is clearly CGI, which continues to steal the thunder of most films produced in this manner, to my reality-loving eye.
The story was much as expected: a bit of creative reimagining involving Disney's iconic Jungle Cruise ride and a magical Fern Valley-esque rainforest, a narrative which contained a modicum of sense at the outset but slipped into bewildering, sleep-inducing nonsense by the conclusion.
Includes an obligatory nod to LGBTQ proponents that will likely fly over the heads of very young viewers. (Yep, in case you were wondering: in 2021, even Disney has chugged this Koolaid.)
Minari (2020)
Gorgeous, Beautiful Story... A True Gem
Loved basically everything about this film: cast, story, music, and cinematography were stellar, just absolutely top notch. We ventured out to our local theater solely to see this movie, and so happy we did: tears, suspense, tons of heart, near-and-far culture, along with a healthy dose of laugh-out-loud moments. Oscar material for sure, or there's no justice in this world. (Brad Pitt involved as producer which only makes me think even more highly of his work and ability.)