24. The Peanut Butter Falcon, grade B- = basically it’s about a road trip between a young man with Downs Syndrome and a a very poor fisherman. It’s bittersweet and nice. I think the unusual location really added to this movies. The movie is nice but a bit boring. I bet the man with Down Syndrome gets nominated for an Oscar.

25. IT 2, grade B = not as good as the first one, because it’s way too long and the beginning scenes don’t make sense even though matches the book. Also the ending isn’t that much different from the first movie. However, there are lots of gorey special effects that are done well and as a horror movie it’s creepy. Really wish it wasn’t so long though. The book was over 1000 pages though.

King has said he was hitting the cocaine pretty hard during the writing of that one and a lot of it doesn't even make sense to him. (Maybe that explains turtle gods and children's orgies) :eek:

I quit reading him and Anne Rice. They’ve both lost their touch in my opinion.

TATTOO OF REVENGE by Julian Hernandez https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/ta...e/id1479277556
Grade: A

Although the most visually sophisticated and spiritually inquiring exploration of image-making since Brian De Palma’s FEMME FATALE, two lines of dialogue express the radical compassion and unexpected social scope of Julián Hernández’s TATTOO OF REVENGE:

“Stupidity knows no limits.”

“You’ll get tired of not trusting people.”

One photographer (gorgeous Irving Pena) recognizes the signature style—the vision—of a dead photographer (intense Diana Leon) in a newspaper crime photo. Thus he embarks on an investigation that synchronizes with her own grief. His desire and her agony reflect in the individuals populating the film’s cross-section of Mexico City. The narrative proves as sociologically broad in milieu as exploitative psychic radio shows to exploitative trans porn and as culturally deep in references as classical opera to classic Mexican cinema.

Hernandez always enthralls with formal daring and even playfulness (here: classic-TV aspect ratio, black-and-white “realism” combined with color tv screens and intercut with color flashbacks, and his magisterial existential tracking shots). And, of course, gay sensuality draws out capacity for physical expression and connection. Now, through cross-cutting, Hernandez achieves both expansive power and poetic poignancy, as when seemingly unconnected characters simultaneously linger over how Leon’s Aida haunts their consciousness.

No wonder. In her own quest to brand/tattoo unpunished rapists, Aida’s androgynous femme fatale slips unnervingly into character to expose the hidden motivations of victims, clients and compatriots. Leon is spectacular, as in her opening scene of hilarious seduction or when with maternal sternness she reveals the lies of a spoiled young woman who seeks revenge, not justice. Aida’s own spiritual tattoo of bitterness will be transformed by the capacity of others to surprise her by their heroism and their love and their own daring mastery of image-making as political and personal statement.

TATTOO OF REVENGE should be heralded as the epic of the #MeToo era, but its humane and necessary balancing of the culture’s “limitless stupidity” with fundamental need for trust, here made unabashedly romantic, makes it as unfashionable as it is essential.

THE GOLDFINCH
Grade: C-

Through twists of Dickensian fate and sentiment, John Crowley sneakily reduces terrorist attacks to “some people did something” with THE GOLDFINCH

Survivor’s guilt remains (the plot-twist switcharoo on “It was all my fault”).

And bourgeois fortune favors the guilt-ridden.

The Nevada section, the Dickensian rock bottom, bookended by New Order’s “Your Silent Face” and Them’s cover of Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” is the best part of the film. Yet it, too, plays an insidious bait-and-switch. It teases adolescent same-sex sympathy as attraction, only to later be revealed as betrayal (and guilt heaped upon guilt). In this way, it accidentally exposes the perverse appeal of the vile IT films.

As with Crowley’s subtly anti-Catholic BROOKLYN, THE GOLDFINCH is gorgeously mounted (Deakins!), the cast is excellent (Nicole Kidman has never looked more beautiful), and the time-jumping narrative moves fluidly.

It would be dangerous stuff if anyone cared, which, as with the far more satisfying BROOKLYN, nobody will.

I couldn’t finish the book. The way it was written bothered me.

26. Judy, grade B+ = good film, very solid and well edited. Rene Zellweiger gives a great performance. However, this is a slice of life movie. There really isn’t a plot, so it can be boring at times, but her performance pulls it through.

27. Joker, grade A - = Joker is not fun to watch. It’s basically a movie about mental illness. However, It is a thoughtful origin story that ties in with Batman’s origin. The movie is done very well and Jaqueen Pheonix probably deserves an Oscar. He gives a great performance. I would see this one if you want a different type of superhero movie.

28. Terminator: Dark Fate, grade B- = it a good action movie but as a Terminator movie, it’s a mess. Screws with the Terminator narrative too much and tries to create a new one. However, the action and acting are good, so I liked it even though I didn’t like what it did to the Terminator narrative.

This is showing up on Showtime or Starz or something, so I'll record it. I read the book years ago, and I have a hunch that as film it’s a lot more dramatic than anything Simon Winchester was capable of doing.

The other week I saw Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and I've regretted it. This movie is literally about nothing, the only good points are the performances of the talented lead actresses (Fanning, Jolie and Pfeiffer) and the stunning cgi, the rest is totally disappointing because the plot is generic and bland and the scenery is uninventive and puerile. A girl that came with me and my sister said that if she had been a child she'd have enjoyed it; I think that if I'd seen it when I was 8 perhaps at first I'd have liked it, but would have ended up forgetting this movie by the next day.

It got terrible reviews. I like Michelle Pfeiffer but not much of a fan of Jolie. Had no desire to see it and I’m glad I didn’t.

29. Doctor Sleep, grade A - = this was a good surprise. Was not expecting to like this movie so much because I never liked The Shining that much. However, I liked this movie more than the Shining. It has good villains. The villains have back stories, some more than others, and it really adds to the depth of the story. The movie is very atmospheric and well thought out. The acting is excellent. My only grip is that they should of released this in October. This is a Halloween movie. I already preordered this one on iTunes. Nice add to my movie collection. One of the best movies I’ve seen this year.

30. Frozen 2, grade B- = the movie was cute but the songs were not memorable and this is not a classic. Great animation though. Your kids will probably like it but I doubt will it become a family favorite.