2019 Movie Reviews
 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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)

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.

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.

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

(Also review The Passion of the Christ there too)

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.

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.

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/johnd...f-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.

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.

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.

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.