2019 Movie Reviews

[Jondalar]

A new year has dawned.


1. The Prodigy, grade C- = horror movie, there are a couple of good moments in this movie but it doesn’t make up for the weird pacing and lame ending. This is a Netflix movie.

[Jondalar]

2. Can You Ever Forgive Me? grade B = true story about a writer who is poor and can’t pay her bills so she starts writing fake memorabilia letters from famous authors and eventually gets caught. Melissa McCarthy gives a good performance. This came out in 2018 and she is nominated for an Oscar for her performance. It’s just a nice movie.

[Jondalar]

3. Alita Battle Angel, grade B = unique movie that somehow manages to be predictable but new. The best things about this movie are the fight scenes and the dystopian visuals. It’s a cross between Aen Flux, Blade Runner and the Terminator. Worst thing about this movie is that the ending is just there to set up a sequel and could have been better.

[mylittledemon]

3. Alita Battle Angel, grade B

I just saw this last night and ended up hating it. Went in with no expectations though. Right out of the gate the movie was trouble for me because I didn't care about the characters or what was happening. The story should've been stronger, and it didn't hook me. Then the movie became laughable which was fun. A lot of the other patrons were chuckling during what were supposed to be the big dramatic moments in the movie. 4/10

[Jondalar]

I just saw this last night and ended up hating it. Went in with no expectations though. Right out of the gate the movie was trouble for me because I didn't care about the characters or what was happening. The story should've been stronger, and it didn't hook me. Then the movie became laughable which was fun. A lot of the other patrons were chuckling during what were supposed to be the big dramatic moments in the movie. 4/10

Yeah there are a lot of people who didn’t like it but I did like the main character. I’m into sci-fi and used to read Manga. I liked it more than most because of the different cyborgs and action. The story was sort of lame though, especially for sci-fi, but I did like the world. I totally understand your opinion though.

[mylittledemon]

Yeah there are a lot of people who didn’t like it but I did like the main character. I’m into sci-fi and used to read Manga. I liked it more than most because of the different cyborgs and action. The story was sort of lame though, especially for sci-fi, but I did like the world. I totally understand your opinion though.

I'm totally into sci-fi too, but Blade Runner it was not. :laugh: Not that I expected it to be at that level. And as gorgeous as the film was, it was just lacking in everything underneath... so if there is an "Alita 2" I'm hopping off the bandwagon now.

[Jondalar]

I'm totally into sci-fi too, but Blade Runner it was not. :laugh: Not that I expected it to be at that level. And as gorgeous as the film was, it was just lacking in everything underneath... so if there is an "Alita 2" I'm hopping off the bandwagon now.

I didn’t say it was Blade Runner. I said it was a mixture of things. I think this movie is a niche movie. I liked that world even though it could of been done better.

[mylittledemon]

I didn’t say it was Blade Runner. I said it was a mixture of things. I think this movie is a niche movie. I liked that world even though it could of been done better.

haha, I know you didn't say... I said it! Not that I judge every sci-fi movie to a Blade Runner-standard. ;)

You know a movie that really surprised me recently was "Us And Them"... it's on Netflix. Very touching. :nod:

[Jondalar]

haha, I know you didn't say... I said it! Not that I judge every sci-fi movie to a Blade Runner-standard. ;)

You know a movie that really surprised me recently was "Us And Them"... it's on Netflix. Very touching. :nod:

Hmm never even heard of that one

[Jondalar]

4. Captain Marvel, grade C = very disappointed in this movie, but I don’t know why. I never really liked the trailers. The movie is just ok. It’s not terrible but it’s not really good either. It’s slow to start and has pacing problems. There is something very off about Brie Larson’s performance. She doesn’t feel comfortable in the role. I’ve come to the conclusion that she was just miscast. At the end of the movie, I still couldn’t tell you what Captain Marvel’s personality really is. Very odd. The supporting cast is better. Oh well still excited for End Game. This is not one Marvels best movies but it’s not the worst. Toward the bottom though. She deserved better.

[Jondalar]

5. Captive State, grade D+ = I’m still confused over the plot of this movie. It’s a bad knockoff of Independence Day and V. Aliens take over the world and the movie is about the resistance, only there is not much action, the plot is confusing and the movie is boring. I was glad when it was over.

[Jondalar]

6. Shazam, grade A- = this is a well made superhero movie for a younger crowd. Think Harry Potter. Think Goosebumps. Those are what this movie reminded me of. I liked it for what it was but didn’t know it was really for teenagers when I saw it. There are also big themes about family and diversity (of course). It’s a safe bet for a family movie.

[Jondalar]

7. Pet Sematary, grade C- = starts off ok with plenty of atmosphere but then descends into a B movie. It’s a remake of a very bad horror movie and is only slightly better. I will say that the acting is good and it does have some creepy moments but is not scary. The ending is pretty quick and lame.

[Jondalar]

8. US, grade B- = US isn’t for everyone. Some people I know hated it, while others loved it. I’m in between. It’s a movie about cloning and conspiracy theories. It’s supposed to be a horror movie but I wouldn’t call it scary. US is interesting and unique. There nothing quite like it. It’s lke a long episode of the the Twilight Zone. It’s well acted and I liked the cinematography but I’m not sure I want to sit through it again.

[Jondalar]

9. Curse of La Llorona, grade D+ = this movie sucks, it’s full of jump scares and there is not enough history about the villain. Also, there is not enough build up or story. It’s part of the Conjuring universe but it’s a bad entry. The only thing I really liked was the main actress. She has been in a lot of small roles and always does a good job.

[TrueFaith77]

Notes on Movies 2019 - Part 1

The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard) - The greatest living filmmaker continues to extend the boundaries of cinema for inquiry into and challenge to ideological hegemony in this found-footage essayistic narrative -- essential to see for all who love cinema; essential to re-see to provide a gratifying summary, though the uncanny re-contextualizing of clips from Nicholas Ray's Johnny Guitar and Max Ophuls' Le plaisir remain in memory as sublime exemplars of cinema's essence where the elements of formal and moral beauty achieve liberating spectacle. Grade: A

The Legend of the Demon Cat (Chen Kaige) - Not since Sternberg! As (too many) layers of illusion and narrative peel back to reveal more wonders, to dig deeper into the hearts of its fictionalized but true-historical characters, it becomes just ravishing in its beauty and feeling--the rare film experience where sensuality evokes fidelity. Grade: A-

Sorry Angel (Christophe Honoré) - After introducing its fascinating/grating art-hound and sex-rebel characters, it ultimately achieves uncanny AIDS-era recall and catharsis starting from the moment there is a shot of Francois Truffaut's ebony gravestone to the final, devastating line of dialogue ("Learn to sully beauty"). Grade: A-

Dragged Across Concrete (S. Craig Zahler) - Thanks to an extended plot digression, Jennifer Carpenter haunts the 3-hour film; it's a new Myth of Labor, putting the exigencies of livelihood in relief to family, social inequity, and, ultimately and brutally, metaphysical evil--for her, anything (but keep a little for yourself and yours). Grade: A-

Sauvage/Wild (Camille Vidal-Naquet) - In the tradition of Renoir (especially Boudu), this film debut proves that sexual individuality, winged realism, and instinctual semiotics runs in the French blood, challenging bourgie norms with its protagonist's unflinching rough-trade travails (the French invented the "bourgeoisie" and they can dismantle it if they want to)-- even without the overt Barthes-inspired cruising Mythologies of Nolot or Morel or the mighty Techine. Grade: A-

The Kid Who Would Be King (Joe Cornish) - Those who love Harry Potter (I do not) should swoon over the fulfillment of their movie-fantasy dreams, grounded in national lore, full of ingenious and hilarious and rousing ideas/ideals--real filmmaking the likes of which Spielberg (or at least Zemeckis and Dante) used to produce because adventure is linked to a young person's social integration, plus a Lancelot who embodies the redeemed bully. Grade: B

Serenity (Steven Knight) - I remain mysteriously moved by Knight's film noir-video game genre mash-up, especially by the maturity of the moral struggle acted out by the always-good Matthew McConaughey and, in a return to form, Anne Hathaway as a blonde femme fatale, not to mention that the supporting cast provides support, indeed, as avatars of ethics. Grade: B-

[Jondalar]

Notes on Movies 2019 - Part 1

The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard) - The greatest living filmmaker continues to extend the boundaries of cinema for inquiry into and challenge to ideological hegemony in this found-footage essayistic narrative -- essential to see for all who love cinema; essential to re-see to provide a gratifying summary, though the uncanny re-contextualizing of clips from Nicholas Ray's Johnny Guitar and Max Ophuls' Le plaisir remain in memory as sublime exemplars of cinema's essence where the elements of formal and moral beauty achieve liberating spectacle. Grade: A

The Legend of the Demon Cat (Chen Kaige) - Not since Sternberg! As (too many) layers of illusion and narrative peel back to reveal more wonders, to dig deeper into the hearts of its fictionalized but true-historical characters, it becomes just ravishing in its beauty and feeling--the rare film experience where sensuality evokes fidelity. Grade: A-

Sorry Angel (Christophe Honoré) - After introducing its fascinating/grating art-hound and sex-rebel characters, it ultimately achieves uncanny AIDS-era recall and catharsis starting from the moment there is a shot of Francois Truffaut's ebony gravestone to the final, devastating line of dialogue ("Learn to sully beauty"). Grade: A-

Dragged Across Concrete (S. Craig Zahler) - Thanks to an extended plot digression, Jennifer Carpenter haunts the 3-hour film; it's a new Myth of Labor, putting the exigencies of livelihood in relief to family, social inequity, and, ultimately and brutally, metaphysical evil--for her, anything (but keep a little for yourself and yours). Grade: A-

Sauvage/Wild (Camille Vidal-Naquet) - In the tradition of Renoir (especially Boudu), this film debut proves that sexual individuality, winged realism, and instinctual semiotics runs in the French blood, challenging bourgie norms with its protagonist's unflinching rough-trade travails (the French invented the "bourgeoisie" and they can dismantle it if they want to)-- even without the overt Barthes-inspired cruising Mythologies of Nolot or Morel or the mighty Techine. Grade: A-

The Kid Who Would Be King (Joe Cornish) - Those who love Harry Potter (I do not) should swoon over the fulfillment of their movie-fantasy dreams, grounded in national lore, full of ingenious and hilarious and rousing ideas/ideals--real filmmaking the likes of which Spielberg (or at least Zemeckis and Dante) used to produce because adventure is linked to a young person's social integration, plus a Lancelot who embodies the redeemed bully. Grade: B

Serenity (Steven Knight) - I remain mysteriously moved by Knight's film noir-video game genre mash-up, especially by the maturity of the moral struggle acted out by the always-good Matthew McConaughey and, in a return to form, Anne Hathaway as a blonde femme fatale, not to mention that the supporting cast provides support, indeed, as avatars of ethics. Grade: B-

I want see the kid who would be king.

[Jondalar]

10. Avengers: End Game, grade B = 3 hours long and takes a long time to get good but it does have a satisfying ending. Not as good as the first one. There are some good twists but it wasn’t as polished as the first one. I’ve heard people say they cried through this, not me. I found the movie funny in parts because of Thor and Guardian of the Galaxy characters but nothing touched me that much. I wish they would of tightened up the beginning. Still I liked it but didn’t love it. The last battle is very well done and saves the movie.

[Jondalar]

11. Brightburn, grade C = this movie doesn’t have much of a beginning, and it’s the opposite of Superman. It’s a about a super villain, not superhero. Problem is is it is not very good and it’s not gory enough to be a horror movie. Reminded me of a Netflix movie. I would not watch this one again. The movie feels like an outline for a real movie.

[Jondalar]

12. John Wick 3, grade A = Wow!!! What a surprise. The fight scenes in this movie are amazing. Better than Mission Impossible. I wasn’t expecting much and never saw the previous movies. Well I’m going to watch them now. I think this is the best movie since Avengers Infinity War. You have to see this in the theater.

[Jondalar]

13. MA, grade C+ = it wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad either for a low budget horror movie. I thought it was decent. I really liked Octavia Spencer’s performance and there are shades of MAY and TERROR TRAIN in this movie. Go see it if you are a fan of low budget horror movies.

[Jondalar]

14. Godzilla: King of the Monsters, grade B = Great scale, great monster fights and great special effects. Decent story. That is what I was expecting and that is what I got. I don’t understand why critics are so hard on this movie. It’s a good popcorn flick. Go see this and just have fun. Don’t think too hard.

[luminol]

Aladdin! B+ (*from a pre-school mom who adores the original and saw it as a middle schooler and holds it near and dear to her heart). The best of the Disney live-actions so far that I've seen. Will Smith is a tough change as the Genie from the amazing Robin Williams, but if you can accept it early on and roll with it, he does a decent job with a different spin. The two main actors aren't amazing but they're fine and hold it together, and Jafar is different but great. The story is strong enough to hold. Guy Richie as director adds a kind of Moulin Rouge-y, surreal feel to the flick at times (I realize he didn't direct that). It's a vibrant film with a lot of the iconic animated scenes recreated to satisfaction.

Major plus: Iago (the red bird) is supremely toned down (THANK GOD there's no Gilbert Godfried) and Jasmine has a stronger story arc. I took my 4 year old. Fun flick especially if you're into Disney!

[Jondalar]

Aladdin! B+ (*from a pre-school mom who adores the original and saw it as a middle schooler and holds it near and dear to her heart). The best of the Disney live-actions so far that I've seen. Will Smith is a tough change as the Genie from the amazing Robin Williams, but if you can accept it early on and roll with it, he does a decent job with a different spin. The two main actors aren't amazing but they're fine and hold it together, and Jafar is different but great. The story is strong enough to hold. Guy Richie as director adds a kind of Moulin Rouge-y, surreal feel to the flick at times (I realize he didn't direct that). It's a vibrant film with a lot of the iconic animated scenes recreated to satisfaction.

Major plus: Iago (the red bird) is supremely toned down (THANK GOD there's no Gilbert Godfried) and Jasmine has a stronger story arc. I took my 4 year old. Fun flick especially if you're into Disney!

I’m glad you liked it and I heard it was good but I refused to see this movie. I’m just not a fan of of the Disney live action stuff. At least this movie didn’t flop like Dumbo.

[Jondalar]

15. X-Men Dark Phoenix, grade C + = great special effects, good acting but very little plot. Only see this movie if you are an X-men fan. It’s not terrible but there is just not much here. It’s too simple.

P.S so far this not a good summer for movies

[luminol]

I’m glad you liked it and I heard it was good but I refused to see this movie. I’m just not a fan of of the Disney live action stuff. At least this movie didn’t flop like Dumbo.

I hear you. I don't like any of the live action Disney movies, either, to be honest. I went for two reasons.... 1) I have a 4 year old and it's summertime (ie: always looking for things to do!) and 2) I personally adore the original Aladdin so much I had to see what they did with it.

I went in with a lot of skepticism and it cannot compare to the original, but it was the best of the ones I've seen, not that that is saying too much (I LOATHED Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella was just ok, the Maleficent stories annoy the crap out of me *leave the original story alone!*, never saw Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh, or Mary Poppins Returns, not too excited about Lion King either but will probably see it due to the 4yo... I'm probably missing some others but I'm just not a fan either)

[FuzzyPlum]

I’m glad you liked it and I heard it was good but I refused to see this movie. I’m just not a fan of of the Disney live action stuff. At least this movie didn’t flop like Dumbo.

I hear you. I don't like any of the live action Disney movies, either, to be honest.


I thought The Jungle Book was incredibly good; amazing CGI and simply engrossing overall.

[Jondalar]

I thought The Jungle Book was incredibly good; amazing CGI and simply engrossing overall.

Never saw that one either.

I decided this week to skip Men in Black and Shaft. I have no desire to see those movies and they are both getting bad word of mouth. This summer is not a good summer for movies. I’m sick of mediocre movies.

[TrueFaith77]

SHADOW (Zhang Yimou): In his best film since CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, Zhang Yimou’s new masterpiece SHADOW achieves a radical black-and-white aesthetic *in color*. Through this chromatic gambit, Zhang conveys the intensity of modern/classical Power lust and Moral annihilation, with crimson bleeding into the frame to visualize the human casualties. Establishing SHADOW as the deep-state noir of our daymares, Zhang’s innovative point-of-view shots and staging of intrigue and action would make Eisenstein, Lang, Sternberg, Hitchcock, Welles, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ichikawa, De Palma, and, sigh, Spielberg drop their jaws. Grade: A

DOMINO (Brian De Palma): DOMINO is Brian De Palma’s “F—— You” to #RottenTomatoes, one of many social media trends in De Palma’s cross-hairs. Through a recurring motif, he restores the Fresh Tomato to its now-perverted essence. To paraphrase Godard: Tomato is “red.” Did anyone else clock the first tomato in De Palma’s DOMINO? It imbues the fruit, the ripe red, with connotations of desire and guilt that motivates—and connects—the film’s expressionist panoply of law enforcers, vigilante revengers, and global terrorism actors. The rogues gallery of #FakeNews hacks and cyber-climbers aggregated by Rotten Tomatoes commits a form of cultural terrorism by dismissing De Palma’s vitality and reducing criticism and cinema to produce. The middle finger is mightier than the thumb. Much to say. But nobody is paying me to say it. Example: Ever since Verhoeven’s BLACK BOOK (and then her daring portrayal in RACE), I have wanted De Palma to cast Carice van Houten. She imbues the role here with complex feeling, disturbing the spectator’s response to her capacity for action. She aims her righteous right-leg kicks for the testes (“Therapy,” she jokes) and her gun for single-minded vengeance. With Adjani-like imminence, she always registers the moral implications, even when crossing paths with the woman she betrayed. It’s a beautiful film—now available on iTunes. Grade: A


THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN (Farhad Safinia): THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN, though not perfect, builds to a heart-swelling middle section and finally surprising reckonings of character. It features Sean Penn’s first transcendent performance since I AM SAM, beautifully in sync with co-star Mel Gibson, testifying to the dignity of man and the word and the Word. If only APOCALYPTO screenwriter and first-time director Farhad Safinia commandeered cinematic language—or rumored studio meddling uncannily reflected in the film’s plot—as felicitously as he does the English language. This is the most significant application of the lexicon since AKEELAH AND THE BEE. Even so, the most impactful use of the film’s cross-cutting structure occurs in the montage that dramatizes two romantic relationships on different trajectories along the course of a common endeavor: the men (and women) behind the Oxford Dictionary. Yet, when Penn and Gibson’s characters finally meet, they are filmed such that their wordplay—their miraculous kinship—seems to illuminate them both from within. Penn caresses the mirror image of his beard on Gibson’s face before exposing the shame of his shackles. Just imagine the masterpiece—each image and edit conveying the richness of associations the characters discover in words—that co-screenwriter John Boorman or Steven Spielberg, Mike Leigh, Terence Davies, or even Mel Gibson could have made of this script and cast (Natalie Dormer, Jennifer Ehle, Eddie Marsan). Then release yourself of this fancy. For Safinia, this is a labor of “diligence” and “love.” “If love ... then what?” It’s not a riddle. The ultimate answer holds within in it the essence of redemption. From this, the Oxford Dictionary was born. —The film happily arrives to illustrate the concepts Peter Kreeft introduces while promoting his book of Tolkien, Lewis, Graham dialogues in the YouTube interview I’ve been posting on Facebook. The brain is not the same as mind. The mind can contain within it both the sky and itself. To give the gift of language is to give the beloved the sky. I think J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis would applaud like leaves in the wind. Grade: B+

[Jondalar]

SHADOW (Zhang Yimou): In his best film since CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, Zhang Yimou’s new masterpiece SHADOW achieves a radical black-and-white aesthetic *in color*. Through this chromatic gambit, Zhang conveys the intensity of modern/classical Power lust and Moral annihilation, with crimson bleeding into the frame to visualize the human casualties. Establishing SHADOW as the deep-state noir of our daymares, Zhang’s innovative point-of-view shots and staging of intrigue and action would make Eisenstein, Lang, Sternberg, Hitchcock, Welles, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ichikawa, De Palma, and, sigh, Spielberg drop their jaws. Grade: A

DOMINO (Brian De Palma): DOMINO is Brian De Palma’s “F—— You” to #RottenTomatoes, one of many social media trends in De Palma’s cross-hairs. Through a recurring motif, he restores the Fresh Tomato to its now-perverted essence. To paraphrase Godard: Tomato is “red.” Did anyone else clock the first tomato in De Palma’s DOMINO? It imbues the fruit, the ripe red, with connotations of desire and guilt that motivates—and connects—the film’s expressionist panoply of law enforcers, vigilante revengers, and global terrorism actors. The rogues gallery of #FakeNews hacks and cyber-climbers aggregated by Rotten Tomatoes commits a form of cultural terrorism by dismissing De Palma’s vitality and reducing criticism and cinema to produce. The middle finger is mightier than the thumb. Much to say. But nobody is paying me to say it. Example: Ever since Verhoeven’s BLACK BOOK (and then her daring portrayal in RACE), I have wanted De Palma to cast Carice van Houten. She imbues the role here with complex feeling, disturbing the spectator’s response to her capacity for action. She aims her righteous right-leg kicks for the testes (“Therapy,” she jokes) and her gun for single-minded vengeance. With Adjani-like imminence, she always registers the moral implications, even when crossing paths with the woman she betrayed. It’s a beautiful film—now available on iTunes. Grade: A


THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN (Farhad Safinia): THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN, though not perfect, builds to a heart-swelling middle section and finally surprising reckonings of character. It features Sean Penn’s first transcendent performance since I AM SAM, beautifully in sync with co-star Mel Gibson, testifying to the dignity of man and the word and the Word. If only APOCALYPTO screenwriter and first-time director Farhad Safinia commandeered cinematic language—or rumored studio meddling uncannily reflected in the film’s plot—as felicitously as he does the English language. This is the most significant application of the lexicon since AKEELAH AND THE BEE. Even so, the most impactful use of the film’s cross-cutting structure occurs in the montage that dramatizes two romantic relationships on different trajectories along the course of a common endeavor: the men (and women) behind the Oxford Dictionary. Yet, when Penn and Gibson’s characters finally meet, they are filmed such that their wordplay—their miraculous kinship—seems to illuminate them both from within. Penn caresses the mirror image of his beard on Gibson’s face before exposing the shame of his shackles. Just imagine the masterpiece—each image and edit conveying the richness of associations the characters discover in words—that co-screenwriter John Boorman or Steven Spielberg, Mike Leigh, Terence Davies, or even Mel Gibson could have made of this script and cast (Natalie Dormer, Jennifer Ehle, Eddie Marsan). Then release yourself of this fancy. For Safinia, this is a labor of “diligence” and “love.” “If love ... then what?” It’s not a riddle. The ultimate answer holds within in it the essence of redemption. From this, the Oxford Dictionary was born. —The film happily arrives to illustrate the concepts Peter Kreeft introduces while promoting his book of Tolkien, Lewis, Graham dialogues in the YouTube interview I’ve been posting on Facebook. The brain is not the same as mind. The mind can contain within it both the sky and itself. To give the gift of language is to give the beloved the sky. I think J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis would applaud like leaves in the wind. Grade: B+

I definitely want to see Domino and the Professor. Love Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto. Movie got ignored simply because people didn’t like Mel. Thank u.

[TrueFaith77]

I definitely want to see Domino and the Professor. Love Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto. Movie got ignored simply because people didn’t like Mel. Thank u.

My full review of Apocalypto is in my book The Community of Desire.

(Also review The Passion of the Christ there too)

[Jondalar]

16. Child’s Play, grade C+ = this is not a remake - it’s a reimagining. There a different origin to the evil of the doll. Basically it’s a “smart doll” gone bad. The movie is very quick to start and is not long. There is some decent gorey moments and it’s pretty good until the end. The lame ending is what really hurts this movie. Still it’s watchable and better than what I thought it would be.

[Jondalar]

17. Annabelle Comes Home, grade B - = tons of atmosphere, nice little story, a bunch of jump scares. Not as good as Annabelle Creation, but decent and a lot better than the Nun. They did try on this one.

[TrueFaith77]

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/johndemetry/the-nine-worthies-9-best-movies-of-2019-so-far/
THE NINE WORTHIES: 9 Best Movies of 2019 (so far)

1. Shadow (Zhang Yimou)
2. Domino (Brian De Palma)
3. The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard)
4. The Legend of the Demon Cat (Chen Kaige)
5. Dragged Across Concrete (S. Craig Zahler)
6. Sorry Angel (Christophe Honoré)
7. Sauvage/Wild (Camille Vidal-Naquet)
8. Pasolini (Abel Ferrara)
9. The Professor and the Madman (Farhad Safinia)

[Jondalar]

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/johndemetry/the-nine-worthies-9-best-movies-of-2019-so-far/
THE NINE WORTHIES: 9 Best Movies of 2019 (so far)

1. Shadow (Zhang Yimou)
2. Domino (Brian De Palma)
3. The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard)
4. The Legend of the Demon Cat (Chen Kaige)
5. Dragged Across Concrete (S. Craig Zahler)
6. Sorry Angel (Christophe Honoré)
7. Sauvage/Wild (Camille Vidal-Naquet)
8. Pasolini (Abel Ferrara)
9. The Professor and the Madman (Farhad Safinia)

I haven’t even seen any of these movies advertised yet.

[TrueFaith77]

I haven’t even seen any of these movies advertised yet.

It’s true. The best movies don’t get advertised.

[TrueFaith77]

It’s true. The best movies don’t get advertised.

But what does that mean nowadays? TV advertising?

I've seen all of their trailers on iTunes trailers, I believe.

They all had theatrical runs in theaters in the United States this year, so they got reviewed (which is basically an extension of advertising).

Domino, The Image Book, Dragged Across Concrete, Sorry Angel, and The Professor and the Madman are already available for rent or purchase on iTunes.

I *think* you mean that none of these films were hyped, which is true.

[SisterNightroad]

I've seen Rocketman just yesterday and I liked it incredibly much. It's a real musical in which Elton John's songs are used to describe and convey what he was going through during the changes he underwent in his rambunctious life rather than follow his artistic timeline. The best scene is probably the moment in which Elton sings "Your Song" for the first time but I don't want to spoil the details.
Taron Egerton's acting and singing performance was amazing and he really looked like the original, especially in the first part.
The movie was both touching and funny, and didn't shy away from showing the most controversial aspects of John's life while remaining descreet. I thought it would have wrapped up in another way in another moment of Elton John's life but I don't mind that the movie ended with an uplift tone.
The only downside is that I don't think the film and its actors will receive deserved recognition because it's a bit of a niche work, oriented towards the adult public that already like and know the artist, added to the fact that it came out in theaters in a less favorable moment.

[Jondalar]

I've seen Rocketman just yesterday and I liked it incredibly much. It's a real musical in which Elton John's songs are used to describe and convey what he was going through during the changes he underwent in his rambunctious life rather than follow his artistic timeline. The best scene is probably the moment in which Elton sings "Your Song" for the first time but I don't want to spoil the details.
Taron Egerton's acting and singing performance was amazing and he really looked like the original, especially in the first part.
The movie was both touching and funny, and didn't shy away from showing the most controversial aspects of John's life while remaining descreet. I thought it would have wrapped up in another way in another moment of Elton John's life but I don't mind that the movie ended with an uplift tone.
The only downside is that I don't think the film and its actors will receive deserved recognition because it's a bit of a niche work, oriented towards the adult public that already like and know the artist, added to the fact that it came out in theaters in a less favorable moment.

I heard it was good but I’m not a fan of Elton and I figured it was overrated like Bohemian Rhapsody, which was basically a TV movie.

[Jondalar]

18. Diane, grade B = a slice of life movie about a woman trying to make amends for her past. Stars Mary Kay Place (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman). Good performance in a movie that I’m a surprised got made since it’s about a woman in her 60s.

[Jondalar]

19. Spider-Man Far From Home, grade B+ = it’s a good movie, some people love it. I thought it was just as good as the first movie but It’s not something I want to watch over again. I think I’m just too old for these movies. There is a lot of teenage drama and it’s too kiddie for me. Tom Holland is a great Spider-Man and Jake Gylenhaul did a good job as Mysterio. The special effects were excellent.

[Jondalar]

20. Crawl, grade B = good little horror movie with great atmosphere. The hurricane is done well and the alligators look great. This movie is short and knows what it is. No unnecessary set-up and some nice kills and doesn’t waste your time.

[Jondalar]

21. Fast and Furious: Hobbs and Shaw, grade B = don’t have much to say about this movie except that it’s got great stunt sequences, is totally unbelievable and very fun. It’s an action comedy and I liked it but I wouldn’t watch it again.

[Jondalar]

22. Scary Stories to tell in the Dark, grade B - = well done but not scary. This movie is really for teenagers, not adults. It was fun though but I’ve seen this all before.

[Jondalar]

23. Ready or Not, grade B- = a well made, gothic horror comedy. I liked this movie but didn’t love it because it never went far enough with the evil satanic stuff or action. Samara Weaver is going to be a star though. She had it.

[Jondalar]

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.

[Jondalar]

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.

[Feather Blade]

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:

[Jondalar]

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.

[TrueFaith77]

TATTOO OF REVENGE by Julian Hernandez https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/tattoo-of-revenge/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.

[TrueFaith77]

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.

[Jondalar]

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.

[Jondalar]

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.

[Jondalar]

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.

[Jondalar]

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.

[David]

9. The Professor and the Madman (Farhad Safinia)
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.

[SisterNightroad]

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.

[Jondalar]

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.

[Jondalar]

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.

[Jondalar]

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.

[Jondalar]

31. Knives Out, grade B - = I liked this movie more until I realized it was just illegal immigrant propaganda. All the white people are greedy and self obsessed, while the illegal immigrant is selfless with a heart of gold. They should of kept the social commentary out. Hollyweird just can’t help themselves. This is a well made murder mystery with nice twists throughout and good acting. But movie goers don’t need preached too or bombarded with sneaky messages. We want to forget our troubles. The director must think we are stupid.

I won’t buy this movie.

P.S Just saw Frozen 2 = Almost the same thing. The good guys are nature loving Indians and the evil doer is white Anglican people. Like I said, Hollyweird just can’t help themselves. Why don’t they talk about how the Aztecs used to behead people in their ancient rituals.

[jbrownsjr]

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.

And it's already such a mind f***. Why screw with the already great and complex narrative.

[Jondalar]

And it's already such a mind f***. Why screw with the already great and complex narrative.

Such a weird combo. Good action movie but bad sequel

[Jondalar]

32. Dark Waters, grade A = the best movie I’ve seen this year. True story and scary as hell. It’s about Teflon poisoning. Basically DuPont made a dangerous chemical that it used in Teflon pots and pans. This chemical caused a whole bunch of cancers and thyroid problems. DuPont knew that this chemical was killing people and causing mutations but kept dumping it in the Ohio River anyway. This movie is about the lawyers fight to hold them accountable. Everyone needs to watch this movie. The dangerous chemical doesn’t degrade and is now in 99% of animal life. The people who drank the poisonous water are still developing cancers and dying. It’s a tragedy.

[Jondalar]

33. Richard Jewell, grade B =1 Clint Eastwood directed this and does a good job of describing the events of the man wrongly accused of bombing the Atlanta Olympics. This man was almost railroaded into confessesing to bombings that he never committed. Very sad movie. Kathy Bates plays his mom. I was at the Atlanta Olympic and it brought back a lot of memories.

[Jondalar]

34. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, B- or C+ = This movie is the hardest movie to rate. It’s not really bad but it’s not that good either. It’s serviceable. The problem is the plot. Every time they need to find something to continue on their journey through space, they conveniently find it. The solutions to their problems are so convenient and totally unreal. I know this is a Star Wars movie but there has to be some tension and believability. It sort of seems like an outline for a movie.Also, there are a ton of cameos in this movie and it seems like the movie relies on nostalgia too much. Plus, they give characters some love interests to add emotion but we don’t care about these people.
Now for the good. It’s a beautiful movie to look at and there are many different worlds they explore. Lots of big important questions get answered. The special effects are great and so is the action. But this isn’t a movie I would want to watch again and again and a Star Wars movie, it’s close to the bottom of my list. It’s on par with Solo.

[FuzzyPlum]

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, B+.
I was very relieved. Having read a lot online before hand I was expecting a dog's dinner of a mess. Overall, it wasn't bad...in fact, I'd say it has quite a lot that's good about it. After The Last Jedi, JJ had a real task on his hands to salvage something from this disappointing trilogy. Unfortunately he was left too much to fit into one film to make this a cohesive trilogy and tie up loose ends. As a result everything feels so rushed and crammed in. Far better than The Last Jedi. Possibly better than The Force Awakens. Too many coincidences, unnecessary McGuffins, pointless characters and too much reliance on nostalgia to be a great Star Wars film.
In my opinion far better than Solo: A Star Wars Story, but not as good as Rogue One.

[Jondalar]

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, B+.
I was very relieved. Having read a lot online before hand I was expecting a dog's dinner of a mess. Overall, it wasn't bad...in fact, I'd say it has quite a lot that's good about it. After The Last Jedi, JJ had a real task on his hands to salvage something from this disappointing trilogy. Unfortunately he was left too much to fit into one film to make this a cohesive trilogy and tie up loose ends. As a result everything feels so rushed and crammed in. Far better than The Last Jedi. Possibly better than The Force Awakens. Too many coincidences, unnecessary McGuffins, pointless characters and too much reliance on nostalgia to be a great Star Wars film.
In my opinion far better than Solo: A Star Wars Story, but not as good as Rogue One.

I believe this should of been two movies too. Too much was squeezed into this time frame. I think the Last Jedi is my favorite.

[Jondalar]

35. Bombshell, grade C+ = this movie is about the sexual harassment scandal at FOX news which triggered the Me Too Movement. It’s not 100% true. There are made up characters. It’s choppy. One of the made up characters storyline played by Margot Robbie doesn’t even work. The best thing about this movie is Charlize Theron, who does a great job of playing Megan Kelly. She deserves awards. Nicole Kidman plays Gretchen Carlson. I didn’t buy her performance. John Lithgow gives a great performance as Roger Ailes.

The movie aimes to make FOX news look as bad as possible and is totally one sided. Hollywood hates FOX news because it’s conservative and beats the liberal news stations in the ratings consistently. I kept thinking where is the movie about Matt Lauer and NBC news? He raped women but Hollywood will never make a movie about that because it makes liberals look bad.

[Jondalar]

36. Little Women, grade B = there has never been a bad version of Little Women and this is no exception. This is the 4th movie version. It’s not my favorite version. It’s confusing. The timeline jumps around. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if events are taking place in the past or present. However, the director did that to make it different from the previous three versions and you get used it. It is still good. It’s well acted, beautiful to look act, and a solid family movie.

[TrueFaith77]

#TheNineWorthies – The 9 Best Movies of 2019
1. Shadow (Zhang Yimou) - In a word: Awesome
2. Pain and Glory (Pedro Almodovar) - Sublime
3. Tattoo of Revenge (Julian Hernandez) - Gorgeous
4. Domino (Brian De Palma) - Intense
5. Dragged Across Concrete (S. Craig Zahler) - Existential
6. The Legend of the Demon Cat (Chen Kaige) - Ravishing
7. Richard Jewell (Clint Eastwood) - Righteous
8. Sorry Angel (Christophe Honoré) - Cathartic
9. The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard) - Liberating

[TrueFaith77]

Forget the #Oscars, here’s... the 2019 #JohnnieAwards

BEST PICTURE: SHADOW (Zhang Yimou)

BEST DIRECTOR: Julián Hernández (TATTOO OF REVENGE)

BEST ACTOR: Tory Kittles (DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE)

BEST ACTRESS: Vanessa Redgrave (MRS. LOWRY & SON)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: César Vicente (PAIN AND GLORY)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jennifer Carpenter (DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE (S. Craig Zahler)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: SHADOW (Zhang Yimou, Wei Li)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: TATTOO OF REVENGE (Alejandro Cantú)

BEST FILM EDITING: SHADOW (Zhou Xiaolin)

BEST MUSIC SCORE: DOMINO (Pino Donaggio)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG: “Street Corner Felines” (written by S. Craig Zahler & Jeff Herriott, performed by The O’Jays) (DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE)

MOST ARTISTIC AND UNIQUE PRODUCTION DESIGN AND TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT: LEGEND OF THE DEMON CAT (Chen Kaige)

BEST ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILM: DOMINO (Brian De Palma)

BEST DOCUMENTARY: THE IMAGE BOOK (Jean-Luc Godard)

BEST ANIMATED FILM: BUNUEL AND THE LABYRINTH OF THE TURTLES (Salvador Simó Busom)

BEST GAY FILM: PAIN AND GLORY (Pedro Almodovar)

BEST FIRST FILM: SAUVAGE/WILD (Camille Vidal-Naquet)

[Jondalar]

Forget the #Oscars, here’s... the 2019 #JohnnieAwards

BEST PICTURE: SHADOW (Zhang Yimou)

BEST DIRECTOR: Julián Hernández (TATTOO OF REVENGE)

BEST ACTOR: Tory Kittles (DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE)

BEST ACTRESS: Vanessa Redgrave (MRS. LOWRY & SON)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: César Vicente (PAIN AND GLORY)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jennifer Carpenter (DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE (S. Craig Zahler)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: SHADOW (Zhang Yimou, Wei Li)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: TATTOO OF REVENGE (Alejandro Cantú)

BEST FILM EDITING: SHADOW (Zhou Xiaolin)

BEST MUSIC SCORE: DOMINO (Pino Donaggio)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG: “Street Corner Felines” (written by S. Craig Zahler & Jeff Herriott, performed by The O’Jays) (DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE)

MOST ARTISTIC AND UNIQUE PRODUCTION DESIGN AND TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT: LEGEND OF THE DEMON CAT (Chen Kaige)

BEST ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILM: DOMINO (Brian De Palma)

BEST DOCUMENTARY: THE IMAGE BOOK (Jean-Luc Godard)

BEST ANIMATED FILM: BUNUEL AND THE LABYRINTH OF THE TURTLES (Salvador Simó Busom)

BEST GAY FILM: PAIN AND GLORY (Pedro Almodovar)

BEST FIRST FILM: SAUVAGE/WILD (Camille Vidal-Naquet)

Huh? Where did these come from?

[TrueFaith77]

Huh? Where did these come from?

Every year I “give out” my own awards to the best in film ... to little fanfare lol

[jbrownsjr]

Instead of watching Oscars, I ordered Pain and Glory on Amazon Prime. What a brave film. I loved the casting, acting and direction.

Kudos, to Julieta Serrano, who played the older mother. She was so good, I nearly cried for my grandma.

What a beautiful film.

[Jondalar]

Instead of watching Oscars, I ordered Pain and Glory on Amazon Prime. What a brave film. I loved the casting, acting and direction.

Kudos, to Julieta Serrano, who played the older mother. She was so good, I nearly cried for my grandma.

What a beautiful film.

The oscars are too political. I quit watching them long ago.

[jbrownsjr]

The oscars are too political. I quit watching them long ago.

Have you seen, Pain and Glory?

[TrueFaith77]

Instead of watching Oscars, I ordered Pain and Glory on Amazon Prime. What a brave film. I loved the casting, acting and direction.

Kudos, to Julieta Serrano, who played the older mother. She was so good, I nearly cried for my grandma.

What a beautiful film.

Yes. Who would have thought that DePalma/Bunuel/Sirk-inspired Almodovar would achieve Renoir-like sublimity? It’s his late-career masterpiece.

[jbrownsjr]

Yes. Who would have thought that DePalma/Bunuel/Sirk-inspired Almodovar would achieve Renoir-like sublimity? It’s his late-career masterpiece.

I thought the same thing. Even the editing was done really well. Some great shots and I never asked myself, "What the hell are they trying to say here?"

Which is what I did with Judy, despite the brilliant performance.

[TrueFaith77]

I thought the same thing. Even the editing was done really well. Some great shots and I never asked myself, "What the hell are they trying to say here?"

Which is what I did with Judy, despite the brilliant performance.

Glad you liked it and responded to it! I hope you can catch up with the other films on my Best of the Year list and recipients of the #JohnnieAwards. I promise pleasures ahead!

[jbrownsjr]

Glad you liked it and responded to it! I hope you can catch up with the other films on my Best of the Year list and recipients of the #JohnnieAwards. I promise pleasures ahead!

I've seen:

Two Popes (Great acting) B+
Marriage Story (Great acting) B+
Judy (Fantastic characterization, weak script) B
Pain And Glory A+
1917 A- (Loved it)
The Irishman (Should have been a mini series with more hard plot points) B

[TrueFaith77]

I've seen:

Two Popes (Great acting) B+
Marriage Story (Great acting) B+
Judy (Fantastic characterization, weak script) B
Pain And Glory A+
1917 A- (Loved it)
The Irishman (Should have been a mini series with more hard plot points) B

Of those: Only Pain and Glory was on my list/awards

#TheNineWorthies – The 9 Best Movies of 2019
1. Shadow (Zhang Yimou) - In a word: Awesome
2. Pain and Glory (Pedro Almodovar) - Sublime
3. Tattoo of Revenge (Julian Hernandez) - Gorgeous
4. Domino (Brian De Palma) - Intense
5. Dragged Across Concrete (S. Craig Zahler) - Existential
6. The Legend of the Demon Cat (Chen Kaige) - Ravishing
7. Richard Jewell (Clint Eastwood) - Righteous
8. Sorry Angel (Christophe Honoré) - Cathartic
9. The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard) - Liberating

Forget the #Oscars, here’s... the 2019 #JohnnieAwards

BEST PICTURE: SHADOW (Zhang Yimou)

BEST DIRECTOR: Julián Hernández (TATTOO OF REVENGE)

BEST ACTOR: Tory Kittles (DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE)

BEST ACTRESS: Vanessa Redgrave (MRS. LOWRY & SON)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: César Vicente (PAIN AND GLORY)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jennifer Carpenter (DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE (S. Craig Zahler)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: SHADOW (Zhang Yimou, Wei Li)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: TATTOO OF REVENGE (Alejandro Cantú)

BEST FILM EDITING: SHADOW (Zhou Xiaolin)

BEST MUSIC SCORE: DOMINO (Pino Donaggio)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG: “Street Corner Felines” (written by S. Craig Zahler & Jeff Herriott, performed by The O’Jays) (DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE)

MOST ARTISTIC AND UNIQUE PRODUCTION DESIGN AND TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT: LEGEND OF THE DEMON CAT (Chen Kaige)

BEST ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILM: DOMINO (Brian De Palma)

BEST DOCUMENTARY: THE IMAGE BOOK (Jean-Luc Godard)

BEST ANIMATED FILM: BUNUEL AND THE LABYRINTH OF THE TURTLES (Salvador Simó Busom)

BEST GAY FILM: PAIN AND GLORY (Pedro Almodovar)

BEST FIRST FILM: SAUVAGE/WILD (Camille Vidal-Naquet)