stevenball2 Reviews

Only God Forgives (2013)

A Trip To Bangkok Goes Horribly Wrong

[10/10 · 16 November 2013]

For Crystal and her two grown sons a trip to Thailand does not end well. Billy the oldest son has some real problems & is killed. Crystal wants her younger son to avenge his death. I lost count of the body count but it more than doubles when a restaurant is attacked & the customers are mowed down. The chief villain Chang played with menace by a Thai actor Vithaya Pansringarm joins the ranks of the all time great screen baddies. Kristin Scott Thomas is a revelation as the worst mother ever with the worst potty mouth. Ryan is her son & the two of them appear to share a special bond together. The location, music & the Thai actors all are very interesting. Ryan has very little dialog & could easily be from a silent movie in the 1920s - he has a brooding look throughout. My only objection is he doesn't take his clothes off. Ms.Thomas was nominated for an Oscar for The English Patient in 1997. She is overdue for another.

The Counselor (2013)

A Work of Cinematic Art

[10/10 · 29 October 2013]

The real star of this film is Cormac McCarthy's dialog. It is priceless and a joy to hear. After endless movies of horrible screenplays it is gratifying to realize there are still great writers writing for the screen. Of course it helps to have good actors to speak the lines and The Counselor is full of good actors. Michael Fassbender is the title character and carries the film effortlessly. All the other characters revolve around him. Cameron Diaz is the villain and may receive the Oscar nomination that has so far eluded her. There are many notable actors with only one scene or two such as Rosie Perez, Ruben Blades, John Leguizamo (uncredited) who make the most of their short time on screen. Ridley Scott directs flawlessly.

This Is the End (2013)

James Franco makes a home movie.

[1/10 · 21 October 2013]

He invites some of his famous friends over for a house warming party & hilarious high jinks ensue. But only if you can understand the inside jokes & the endless references to their other movies and the Hollywood in crowd. Did you like Pineapple Express? Well here is a paradox of it halfway through. Do you like Jonah Hill, Seth Roggen, Danny McBride, Michael Cera, Chris Robinson, they are all here playing themselves. I presume the dialogue is mostly improvised. The photography is very dark & murky with that horrible sepia tone. The soundtrack is very disappointing (Back street Boys? Really?). Overall the movie is a horrible curio. Is it true it made 100K in release? I hope that doesn't mean there is a sequel planned.

2016: Obama's America (2012)

This is the antidote you have been waiting for

[10/10 · 26 August 2012]

Told from the Democrats point of view - a series of interviews with average Americans who have been suffering the last few years and see no relief in sight. It is obvious that they feel they have been sold a false bill of goods, a lemon, a ruse, nothing new in the world of politics. Now we are in the world of reality TV where the blur between reality & entertainment is ever present. Is Obama for real? Or is he just a good speaker who rode the coat-tails of a single speech into a political career which was able to derail the Co-Presidents Clinton's dream of a third term? To the people who are in this film he is someone who golfs a lot & seems to be on an endless vacation with people like George Clooney while they are struggling to make ends meet and are worried about the future of their children. For some of them the future means their children will not have a good job or it will mean they will be underwater with a mortgage on a home which is worth one half what they paid for. The future means their children will end up moving back home. This movie is an antidote to all the political spin you have been forced to ingest for the past four years. Not a pretty picture.

Get the Gringo (2012)

A Masterpiece by a Film Icon

[10/10 · 26 August 2012]

Woody Allen eat your heart out. Even though Woody pumps out a movie a year none of them come close to one of Mel Gibson's movies. Clint Eastwood is another story & half way through this movie Mel Gibson does a weird little homage to Clint Eastwood. Although someone else is credited as director this is indisputably Mel Gibson's movie from beginning to end. He has only directed a few films but each one is a masterpiece of film art. I didn't think he could match Apocalypto but this movie does that and more. It also has a Mexican setting but it is contemporary & set in a prison reminiscent of Beyond Thunder Dome. It has a superb supporting cast including a young actor who plays The Kid who steals every scene he is in. It might take more than one sitting to sort out all the bad guys but there is enough humor in the film to make it worth your while. This movie never made it to the big screen & it probably won't be nominated for any awards when award season comes around again. But it stands alone as a work of art after all the comic book movies, R rated comedies & stupid chick flicks fade from memory.

Piranha 3DD (2012)

David Hasselhoff is no Jerry O'Connell

[6/10 · 2 August 2012]

I like both of the Piranha movies although I have only seen them on DVD. Thus I have been spared the experience of seeing projectile vomiting in 3D. This occurs in the Double D episode when the girl doing the hurling discovers she has one of the killer fish in her vagina. This is not good news for the young man trying to have sex with her. All kinds of hilarious high jinks ensue. If this kind of humor appeals to you then by all means rent the DVD. Your chances of finding this movie in an actual theater are nil. I am surprised it ever got made since the first one did not make that much money. Double D made even less. So do not expect a third installment. The first movie is far superior with a good cast headed by Elisabeth Shue & Jerry O'Connell. Mister O'Connell steals the show as a sleazy Hugh Hefner type. The piranhas make sure he gets what he deserves by the end of the movie. Christopher Lloyd and Ving Rhames return for the sequel but Mr. Rhames is uncredited which usually means he just wants the paycheck but does not want this turkey on his resume. David Hasselhoff is just plain embarrassing playing "himself". The bare breasts in the sequel are greatly multiplied from the original. Any movie which finishes with an endless series of out-takes is a sure sign this movie needs padding and is just taking up your valuable time.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

It's a Christmas movie folks - isn't it obvious?

[10/10 · 27 July 2012]

A Christmas movie without Christmas music, thank God. I am surprised that not many people have mentioned the pervasive Christmas theme throughout the film. There are Christmas decorations everywhere, Christmas presents, and most of all Christmas trees. I gave up counting how many scenes have a Christmas tree in them even in the prostitute's shabby apartment. I am sure there is a graduate student somewhere who could write a dissertation on the symbolism. I am not qualified to remark on what Kubrick was going for but because he used so much of it - it must mean something. Right? It is not blatantly religious more of the traditional Christmas commercialism. The things I like most about this movie were a.) the acting b.) the sets (except for the fake New York City street sets. Tom & Nicole made at least three movies together & this is by far the best of their collaborations.

Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012 TV Movie)

Who is Paco Zarra?

[5/10 · 10 June 2012]

& what happened to him? The last I saw of him - he was getting into a limo with one of those nasty Russians. The entire Civil War period is handled very badly. Franco ruled Spain with an iron fist & unlike his BFFs Hitler & Mussolini - he survived WW2 & lived well into the 70's. He finally died in 1975 & SNL used to have an on-going skit "Franco is still dead". In this movie all you see are some wishy washy cocktail liberals (not quite commies) aligning themselves with real commies. Robert Duvall has a cameo as a Russian general. The true horror of this Civil War is only hinted at. Both sides were guilty of atrocities. Franco even had concentration camps to rival Hitler's. Unfortunately this is all used as a backdrop for a soft core porn movie starring Nicole & Clive. Hemingway eventually blew his brains out & Gellhorn turned into Glenn Close.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Matt Damon and Minnie Driver - Together Again

[1/10 · 9 June 2012]

Matt & Minnie broke up as a team after GOOD WILL HUNTING. I never expected to see them again in a movie together. But here they are in a hybrid genre (part sci-fi part chick flick). Minnie is great as usual. Matt is starting to look a little chubby. He looks like Tom Hanks younger brother. I loved him in Team America: World Police. Here it's kind of a wash. IMDb says the movie had a budget of 50M. Judging from what you see on the screen they must have spent the money on hats & funny notebooks (ipads?) There are no special effects that I can see. What you see are Matt & Minnie running around NYC followed by cameras. It gets very tiresome. The dialogue is mumbo jumbo. Poor Terence Stamp - he keeps getting all the crappy parts Malcolm McDowell turns down. Don't waste your money but if you do - ask for your money back. It's not even worth the price of a rental

Men in Black³ (2012)

Jay and Kay Together Again

[5/10 · 2 June 2012]

Everyone is making such a big deal over Josh Brolin. He is good but it is Will Smith who carries the movie. He is in almost every scene. Adam Sandler take note: Will Smith has more facial expressions in one scene than you have shown in your entire "body of work". Plus he can do drama too. What this movie is lacking is a credible villain (Boris doesn't quite cut it) a credible sidekick (Griffin is very disappointing) & hot chicks (sorry Emma Thompson). The first 2 MIB had Linda Fiorentino & Lara Flynn Boyle who were hot. This episode also lacks Rip Torn, Frank the Pug & funny cameos like Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart & Peter Graves. What does this movie have? A boring time travel story to the '60's of all places. Bill Hader who is usually funny is NOT funny as Andy Warhol. You also have the "Luke I am your father" sub plot. Totally unnecessary. In short while the special effects are OK the movie is just NOT funny. I hate to say it but not only is it NOT funny but it is boring too.

Hatfields & McCoys (2012)

The Hundred Year War

[10/10 · 31 May 2012]

The feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys began during the Civil War and lasted according to the ending credits over 100 years. This mini-series covers some of the highlights (lowlights?) and it is hard to keep track of all the characters involved. Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton play the two patriarchs. Evidently Kevin Costner has made up with his old collaborator Kevin Reynolds who directed the series. They had their own feud going for quite awhile. Mr. Costner actually does a very good job in the acting department. Like some of his fellow actors (Mel Gibson, Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood) he has an Oscar for directing but not for acting. Tom Berenger who is unrecognizable is another stand out in the acting department. This series should also make a star of Matt Barr who plays one of the Hatfields and gets romantically involved with not one but two of the McCoy girls. This is the Romeo & Juliet section of the story. There are lots of other good performances in the series and unfortunately the series is probably too violent to show in our schools even though it provides a valuable lesson in American History.

The Iron Lady (2011)

A movie about dementia

[4/10 · 20 April 2012]

This is a movie about a senior citizen suffering from dementia in her old age. As such this movie could be about anyone. But this is Margaret Thatcher one of the greatest political leaders of the 20th century. Never mind she happened to be a woman. It seems like over half of this movie is devoted to an old woman talking to her dead husband. Since I saw this movie on DVD I kept wanting to fast forward through the depressing parts to see why Mrs. Thatcher was Prime Minister of the UK for over 10 years. There was very little information there in this movie. The film touches on the Falklands War but completely deletes her involvement in the first Gulf War which was substantial. Missing also is her partnership with Ronald Reagan (he is barely mentioned) and her relationship with Gorbochev which was highly influential in changing the status of the Soviet Union. Instead this film offers bits and pieces of newsreel footage with very little context. Everyone agrees Ms. Streep won a well deserved Oscar for her acting (also a well deserved Oscar for makeup). The director Phyllida Lloyd also worked with Streep on the movie Mama Mia which is one of the most enjoyable musical movies ever made. I am looking forward to seeing Shame which is based on the screenplay of the author of the screenplay of The Iron Lady. As an historical biography of a great woman this movie ain't it.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

I hope they do the two other books too

[10/10 · 7 April 2012]

The two leads are perfectly cast. Daniel Craig & Rooney Mara are great. I hope they do the next two books as well. I haven't seen the three Swedish films so I haven't anything to compare the Fincher movie to. David Fincher is at the height of his powers. I don't understand how he was overlooked at the Oscars this year. It was a pleasant surprise to see Rooney Mara nominated in the best actress category. It was well deserved. There are a couple missteps in the casting department. Robin Wright is an actress of limited range and in this movie she has a terrible Swedish accent. Stellan Skarsgård is usually pretty good but in this movie he isn't that good as the villain. The rest of the cast are merely OK. Thank God Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara are able to carry the film without having to depend on the supporting cast

Bridesmaids (I) (2011)

Wow this movie is really bad!

[1/10 · 1 April 2012]

I thought this was supposed to be the female version of Hangover. Like Hangover it made a ton of money at the box office. And like Hangover there will probably be a sequel or two. But the similarity ends there. Whig & Rudolf are from SNL and this feels like one very very long SNL skit. Ms. Whig is on her way to becoming the next Adam Sandler. I can't believe this movie received Academy Award nominations and a movie like Drive didn't (well maybe one for sound). Melissa McCarthy is very strange and because she is so different from most of the comedy actors working today she is very watchable. You never know what she might do next. I get the impression she will do anything for a laugh. A good example is the sink scene in the upscale wedding shop. When she hosted SNL she also took a lot of chances. I hope she starts to get better material in the future.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

God this movie sucks

[1/10 · 24 March 2012]

and I don't mean that in a good way. With this movie, Cop Out and Red State it is now official. Kevin Smith has completed his downwards spiral, crashed and burned, hit a wall, shot his wad. All of the above. And more. Besides being morbidly obese like Michael Moore, Mr. Smith has run out of ideas. Yes I like r-rated comedies as much as the next guy but this one is not even rated. Red State went straight to video. Who keeps giving this washed up director money to make crap? Seth Rogaine is a terrible actor. He must be playing himself over and over again. He tried losing weight like Jonah Hill but it didn't work. Elizabeth Banks can be a fine actress but not in this "comedy". Justin Long makes a good effort.

This Means War (2012)

Reese Witherspoon breaks the rules

[1/10 · 17 March 2012]

One of the cardinal rules of film for any actress is: Never make a movie with a leading man who is better looking than you are. She made that mistake in WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. Her leading man in that movie was both better looking and YOUNGER. In THIS MEANS WAR Reese Witherspoon again breaks the rule with two leading men who are both better looking and younger (or at least younger looking). Chris Pine and Tom Hardy are terrific and don't need a leading lady as long as they have each other. Kind of like George Clooney and Brad Pitt in Oceans 11, 12 & 13. They also don't need potty mouth, over the hill non-actor Chelsea Handler who brings down the movie every time she appears on screen. Chelsea Handler a 40 something "comedian" is famous for bullying a 20 something unwed mother from Alaska. I've read that in order to get a PG-13 rating they had to excise some of Ms. Handler's dialogue. Not to worry, in order to get their money back her scenes will probably be included in the Special Features section of the DVD. Thank God for DVDs so you can fast forward through the scenes with Ms. Witherspoon & Ms. Handler and concentrate on the scenes with Mr. Pine and Mr. Hardy. I never thought I would see Tom Hardy in a ROMCOM but again he surpasses expectations.

John Carter (2012)

If you liked Avatar you will love John Carter

[10/10 · 15 March 2012]

It's not as pretty but it does take you to another world. Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins are the two leads. Although they are relative unknowns they are perfectly cast. There are some familiar faces like Dominic West & Mark Strong. It is best just to sit back & enjoy the ride. This is a two bags of popcorn movie. If you go to the concession stand you might miss something. But since you will probably want to see it again that's OK. John Carter has a pet that kind of looks like a bulldog. He provides the only comic relief. The ending sets you up for a sequel. I am eagerly awaiting that. And also a third. Mark Strong makes a good villain and I am not sure what happens to him at the end. I'll definitely have to see it again.

The Undefeated (2011)

Undefeated is a definite game change

[10/10 · 11 March 2012]

Just saw The Undefeated on Reelz Chanel. It is the perfect antidote to the HBO movie Game Change. One is fiction (Game Change) and one is non-fiction. Also Sarah Palin is a lot smarter and more beautiful than Julianne Moore. The Undefeated opens with a montage of celebrities hurling obscenities at Governor Palin and her entire family including her newborn baby with Down's Syndrome. Celebrities like Bill Maher, David Letterman, Rosanne Barr, Madonna, Sandra Bernhard, Matt Damon, Mrs. Ozzy Osborne, etc. etc. The obscenities went on for three more years & continue today. Not since Richard Nixon have I witnessed such attacks from the left on an American politician. Liberals have a favorite cause against "bullying" but this does not apply to the Palin family. Don't liberals know that every time a liberal bullies a conservative like Governor Palin somewhere a teenage high school student commits suicide? The rest of the film chronicles Governor Palin's career from mayor to governor to vice presidential candidate. It is apparent she is a natural born leader. She also has more executive experience in her little finger than OBama/Biden combined. This film should be mandatory viewing in every American High School.

The Devil's Double (2011)

A little bit Scarface a little bit Godfather

[10/10 · 9 March 2012]

First of all Dominic Cooper deserves some kind of award for his dual performance. I am surprised that he wasn't nominated for something. This movie did very poorly at the box office which may explain the lack of recognition by all the film critic awards. Maybe it will find the audience it deserves now that it is on DVD. This is a film to be savored for all its variety of textures & moods. It has it's moments of sepia soaked scenes which I normally do not like. The music, sets & costumes are all entertaining. Yes there is lots of violence but what do you expect in wartime Iraq. It looks like the wild west as well as reminiscent of Scarface & The Godfather which are probably much more violent movies. Ludivine Sagnier an excellent French actress practically steals every scene she is in which is surprising since Mr. Cooper dominates throughout.

Drive (I) (2011)

Is Ryan Gosling the new Ryan Reynalds?

[10/10 · 1 February 2012]

Or is he the new Josh Hartnett? Is Carey Mulligan the new Mia Farrow? She seems miscast since in the trivia notes it says the character was originally Hispanic. There are no sex scenes in Drive but there are plenty of scenes of violence. Plus a few car chases. The pacing is deliberately slow & moody. This is a movie that knows it's a movie. It doesn't pretend to be anything else. The dialogue is minimal. The direction is minimalist. The music is subliminal. The night photography is washed out & watered down. This is not the kind of movie you might enjoy. It is the kind of movie which will be showed in film schools for future auteurs. A study in neo-noir.

Luck (2011–2012)

Good "Luck"

[10/10 · 29 January 2012]

All the factors that make a good movie (or TV series) have come together in "Luck". Directing - Michael Mann gets better & better especially with that hand held camera technique. He is becoming the master at editing too. Writing - excellent check. Some critics have complained that the accents are difficult to follow. Still you should be able to understand what's going on without subtitles. Robert DeNiro won an Oscar for Godfather II & he didn't speak a word of English in the movie. I love Mel Gibson's movies. Apocalypto & Passion of the Christ were not in English. They are both masterpieces of world cinema. Acting - all the major stars & supporting cast are excellent. Cinematography - I've never seen a better movie on this subject. Horse racing. & that includes Seabiscuit & Secretariat. Costumes & music are great. I've only seen the pilot but I look forward to the rest of the episodes as well as the DVD with director's commentary

Warrior (2011)

One of the best films of 2011

[10/10 · 21 December 2011]

Tom Hardy who is British & Joel Edgerton who is Australian play American brothers & their accents are flawless. Overall the acting in this movie is textbook perfect. If Nick Nolte doesn't get an Oscar nomination - there is no justice. While both lead actors are in their mid 30's & thus seem a little old for the punishing fight scenes - they do pull it off. I understand that both of them suffered injuries during filming. No matter they are both great in their performances. I've seen them separately in other films & they remain two actors worth keeping an eye on. I don't see them doing too many romantic comedies however. But maybe they will pleasantly surprise us in the future.

The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)

Jeff Bridges plays Jimmy Stewart

[1/10 · 6 December 2011]

Or is he playing Fred McMurray? Barbra Streisand plays Barbra Streisand & she is in every scene. Lauren Bacall plays Lauren Bacall & received an Oscar nod - but she had to settle for a Golden Globe instead. There are some nice location shots of New York City. But mostly we have to endure a weird sexless marriage - scenes that go on for too long & go nowhere. Barbara then turns into a va-va-voom girl & every man has to have her. This is a very bad movie poorly photographed by two distinct cinematographers. Some scenes are well lit & others have a sepia tone. All of Ms. Streisand's directorial efforts are vanity projects beginning with Yentl in which she plays a male rabbinical student. Her worst movie she directed was probably the second remake of A STAR IS BORN in which she wears a very bad afro in every scene & in which her co-star Kris Kristoferson looks like a Manson Family reject.

Just Go with It (2011)

Adam Sandler worst actor in the history of motion pictures

[17 October 2011]

Adam Sandler has no vocal inflection and no facial expressions. He is not remotely handsome yet over the years he has made movies with some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. Jessica Biel, Salma Hayek, Kate Beckinsale,Drew Barrymore, etc and now Jennifer Aniston. Jennifer is a pretty girl even tho she is a woman in her mid-forties. In her "love" scenes with Adam she plays as usual Rachel and Adam plays David Swimmer. It is really uncomfortable watching these two actors kiss and pretend they have actual feelings for each other. Everyone knows that in real life Jennifer wouldn't give Adam Sandler the time of day. Brad Pitt has very big shoes to fill. Also in this movie is Nicole Kidman who tries her hand at comedy.

Blonde Ambition (2007)

Straight to DVD

[7 September 2011]

This is the often told story of the country girl in the big city. There are obvious steals like Larry Miller playing Ed Asner saying to Jessica Simpson playing Mary Tyler Moore "I hate perky" They even steal from poor Marilyn Monroe with a scene of Jessica's skirt being blown by the NYC subway.There is the villain played by Penelope Miller with her side kick played by Andy Dick. The best friend played by Rachel Leigh Cook. The leading man played by Luke Wilson looking a little old for the part. Jessica Simpson looks a little old too. I remember when she & her former husband used to entertain the troops as part of the USO. The female soldiers went wild for Jessica & could care less for Nick. She definitely has that certain something that drives the boys wild & the girls too. A cute, very cute movie.