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johnpelaro
Reviews
The Power of the Dog (2021)
Its Numerous Awards are a Mystery to Me
I usually have no difficulty in writing lengthy reviews here , but this is an exception . The movie simply drags , with no end in sight after 45 to 60 minutes , Almost every significant character was highly contrived , Benedict Cumberbatch's especially so ; his character appeared to be something gleaned from an old Twilight Zone thriller ( the kind of role that Bruce Dern used to specialize in before his Great Gatsby breakout ) . Likewise , many scenes in which Smit-McPhee took center stage were simply painful to watch ; shades of a great movie , Tea and Sympathy , without much sympathy from me ...... I actually had to read a synopsis after viewing this in order to make sense of the ending ; but again , you lose nothing by passing on this film entirely .
Marie Antoinette (1938)
Grossly Inaccurate , But Vert Entertaining : Visually Stunning with Great Acting g ng
I still have an hour left of the movie as I write , and while most ( but not all ) of the pertinent characters are there , both relationships and sequencing of events are woefully inaccurate ( far too many to enumerate ! ) . The characterization of Madame du Barry and her relationship to a very young , TEENAGED Marie Antoinette is , for me , the most grossly egregious error ..... and it must be emphasized that our heroine was 14 when she married Louis Francois , 18 in 1774 when crowned queen , 19 a year later when Maurepas and Vergennes ( Minister of State and Foreign Minister ) started working to get France involved financially with the American Revolution , 1778 when she became pregnant after Louis acknowledged American independence as a result of meeting Franklin in the wake of Saratoga . One element done very accurately as well as tastefully was the loving , mutually respectful relationship between Marie and Louis , again , in reality from teens to late 30s ........ That being said , there are virtually no special effects : the many , many , grand scenes are filmed on lavish sets closely resembling Versailles , and you can't top that , certainly not with Tyrone Power and Norma Shearer leading the way ! ..... Do read Antonia Fraser's biography on our very human and intriguing lady , and enjoy the show !
Far from the Madding Crowd (1998)
The Best of the Three Adaptations
The fine detail , the time given to a glimpse of everyday life on the estate , gentle period and period style music , sweeping landscapes photographed from the ground ....... and superb acting to go with it . Parker , Baeza and the rest of the cast shine so much brighter than the principals in the big 2015 movie ; there is nothing in the least contrived in any of the scenes . Treat yourself to this , whether you've seen the latest version of not , especially if yo enjoy the gradual unfolding of a great novel , instead of a truncated version . You won't be disappointed .
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)
A Beautiful Romantic Tear Jerker
A remarkable thing about this movie is how two leading stars who personally don't get along with each other can create something so timeless and beautiful . I do not know how many lines , if any , were taken directly from Han SuYin's autobiographical novel , but there are so many memorable ones ; many are filled with wisdom as well . Everything about the film is seamless and believable : gentle people can be very strong , people from different cultures do come together ....and love is real . From my point of view ( and every reviewer who contributes to this website necessarily makes judgements bases on personal experience ) , being of Italian descent and being romantically involved exclusively with Chinese ladies for many years , there is no contrivance to be seen here . But of course , if you dislike old fashioned tear jerkers , this wonderful movie is certainly not for you !
A Boy and His Dog (1975)
A Totally Contrived , Grossly Overrated Excuse for a Sci Fi Film
I really wanted to watch this in the movies when it was first in the theaters back in 1975-76 , as it was so highly touted in the newspapers , (and I had spent a lot of time with a backpack adventuring on the road ) ... and I'm so glad I didn't ! It's so much easier to watch something so illogical and contrived ( you just can't overuse the terms " contrived " and " presumptuous" for this flick ) on a DVD or the net , when you can easily stop and take a break ; The last 32 minutes left me anxious for this absurdity to end ....... Now , apocalyptic films made during the Cold War era were staples , but there is absolutely no logic in the sequencing of how the Southwest , as it is portrayed here , came to be as it is depicted . Black Comedy , admittedly , isn't my thing , but I found no comedy of any color here . Those who readily swallow any satire on patriotism or religion may find this entertaining for those reasons alone , but repetitious , hackneyed phrases and portrayals of people and communities just don't make it for some adults ..... Beyond the few minutes of Susanne Benton's voluptuousness , my time spend watching this was simply an education in what can go wrong...and still goes wrong ...when the " science" is completely taken out of Sci Fi . The most simplistic episode of the original Star Trek soars quite a few light years beyond this film .
Ten North Frederick (1958)
A Sweet , Romantic , Old Fashioned Tear Jerker
I discovered the movie while doing a search foe Diane Varsi films , and fell in love with it , especially the 25 minutes of serious adult romance involving Cooper and Parker . It's hard to find fault with the sequencing of events , the characterizations , the drama and the pathos ....everything fits together with little or no hint of contrivance . Of course current tastes often demand more action , more skin , a good dollop of vulgarity , with fine acting performances counting for far less than the ability to titillate the senses . But for those of us who appreciate fine acting , class and refinement on the screen , this gem must always stand as a classic , albeit a largely forgotten one . High Noon and Friendly Persuasion are now my second favorite Gary Cooper films .
Once More, with Feeling! (1960)
Unequivocally 10 Stars ; This is a Grossly Underrated Gem
Why do viewers nowadays need to see bodily fluids , toilets , vulgar language and regular political PC comments to regard anything as funny ? For anyone possessing any intelligence or cultural literacy at all , it just doesn't get any better than this . Kendall is a delight every second of every scene she's in , with admirable support from Ratoff and Brynner . Don't be fooled by the ridiculously low rating many viewers have given this ; they are likely the same as those who regard Shreck as viable children's entertainment , and Paltrow's Emma just what Austen had intended ...... For the adults in the audience , the subtle humor here is endless . Relax , enjoy it , and don't read another review of it !
Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017)
If You are a Devoted Grahame Fan , Perhaps Just Read the Book and Skip the Movie
I enjoyed the film , its sensitivity in portraying both Turner's pathos and his parents compassion during Grahame's final days being especially convincing . The use of doorways to move to and from flashbacks and the incorporation of real Grahame footage were also strengths . However , compared with the book , there is a bit of overdramatizing for movie audiences , with loud displays of conflict ( absent in the memoir ) added for effect , as well as a brief discussion of bisexuality which comes totally out of context . A curious departure from the memoir is the almost complete absence of Turner's sister in law , who took turns with his mother in caring for Grahame and had a very close relationship with her ; this relationship would certainly add depth to the movie ( for those of us who prefer reality to theatrics ) . It must be emphasized that without some exposure to Grahame's work the movie would lose a lot , in spite of Bening's solid performance . The overall rating here of 6.7 looks perfect , just take the loud moments with a grain of salt and enjoy this rather unique glimpse of an oft neglected Golden Age star . Better yet : Watch a few of her movies from 1947 to 1956 , read the book , and skip this film altogether .
Victoria (2016)
Visually Stunning , Historically a Sham
This series provides an object lesson in how far Masterpiece Theater's overall cinematography has advanced since " The First Churchills " 50 years ago , while how low its regard for historical accuracy has descended from that high point . The obvious intent of the series was simply to cater to millennial tastes and mores while thrilling us visually ; in both regards the series is a blazing success . But in an era rich in fascinating characters and seminal events , why depict historical figures who were apparently VERY happily married as totally unhappy or homosexual ? Why add or subtract 20-30 years from someone's age ? Why depict Victoria as being totally absorbed and concerned about issues and events of which she evinced little interest or compassion ? Stretching the truth about minor characters of whose private lives we know little is one thing , but this series goes way overboard in historical fabrication ( stretching the truth simply does not apply where there is no truth to be stretched ) . Recent sitcoms are awash with openly gay relationships , but this is Victorian England , not twenty-first century Sunset Strip ! The real Victoria was , like every British monarch since Elizabeth the First , the head of The Church of England , a role which she took seriously ( however accepting she may have been of other religious views ) ; one would not know it by watching this ostensibly well researched series ( and the producers make much of how well researched it is ! ) . Regarding religion , the long Christmas special closing the second season has little to do with Christmas beyond the trappings ; the Prince Albert scenes provide the main historical accuracy and flavor , as in most of the series ......... On a positive note , characterizations of Prince Albert , Wellington , Robert Peel and others ( especially minor figures in the series ) are very convincing ; again , Tom Hughes as Albert really carries the show . Enjoy the scenery and fine acting , but do a bit of reading if this fascinating period from 1837 to the 1860s really interests you .
Rome (2005)
Entertaining , Visually Spectacular , Visually Well Researched .... But Grossly Overrated
I have enjoyed the entire first season on DVD , but after watching the interviews of the cast and crew , it struck me that the producers , directors , researchers and cast seriously missed the mark in several respects . A conscious choice was made to focus on violence , intrigue and sex ; a bit more attention should have been paid to Shakespeare . This society revered the rule of law , created great poets , playwrights , historians , philosophers , sculptors , painters and architects ; it is also the society that wholeheartedly embraced Peter and Paul . Many of its wars were defensive as well as expansive ; one would have no idea from listening to cast and crew interviews that Roman legions fought off a Celtic invasion of Italy in alliance with the Etruscans before the First Punic war , or had stood off bloody incursions by Phyrrus of Epirus . Obviously , Rome built a strong , well organized , disciplined military , and developed innovative tactics . Undoubtedly , ancient times were as violent as ours . Undoubtedly , Romans liked their sugar sweet ... But there was certainly much , much more to Rome's rise and legacy than the casual viewer would ascertain from this series ..... By the way , the second season is even bloodier than the first , with the storyline increasingly contrived and disjointed . Enjoy it , but do some reading and visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC if you get a chance ( online if you can't ! ) !
Mildred Pierce (2011)
A Grossly Overrated , Albeit Entertaining , Adaptation
While Kate Winslet sparkles and is fetching in every scene , regardless of costuming or camera angle , this adaptation leaves much to be desired . The conflict between Mildred and her eldest daughter , central to the story , is never developed convincingly ( Pierce always seems like more of a heroine than anything else ) ; with about five hours of filming , there was certainly enough room to develop characterization more thoroughly . The sex scenes add nothing to the plot , and are more of a commentary on low twenty-first century American viewing standards than anything else ; this production would certainly never pass muster with Masterpiece Theater and a more demanding audience . Much of the acting , as well as the screenplay , is wooden , both Vedas being thoroughly unconvincing . However , the cinematography and costuming are rewarding , and the series is worth a viewing ....once . But again , this is certainly no classic .
Emma (1972)
An Absolutely Delightful Adaptation , Catching thr Novel's Spirit Perfectly !
Every now and then an adaptation of a classic is so good it gives you a better grasp of the book you read , and this gem certainly does that for me . Doran Godwin ( absolutely fetching ! ) and John Carson portrayed Emma and Knightly to perfection ; I could not keep my eyes off them .Ania Marson , Debbie Bowen , Ellen Dryden , Constance Chapman , and Fiona Walker ...as Jane Fairfax , Harriet , Mrs. Weston , Miss Bates and Mrs. Elliot respectively.....played their parts to perfection . The costuming was superb and the party scenes were done to perfection as well . Nothing in this production was overdone , and nothing significant left out . It deserves far more notice than it gets . My only disappointment , and a big surprise , was how little exposure most of the stars here , especially Godwin , ultimately had to the big screen . BBC productions have certainly developed more eye catching cinematography in 40+ years ( as has cinematic technology in general ) , but for casting and screen adaptation this production will certainly stand the test of time .
On the Road (2012)
A Visually , Acoustically Appealing , but Ridiculously Sensationalist Take on a Great Novel
Kerouac , a conservative Roman Catholic , would not be pleased with this interpretation . Motion , non-stop sensory stimulation and seeking pleasure in every venue certainly involve sex , drugs and alcohol , but the movie's almost total fixation with such degrades it to the level of lavishly choreographed pornography . The film's fixation with homosexuality is a totally contrived element ( apparently the screenwriter's fantasy ) , and has no place in the novel . Read the book , please .....and give it a few years before viewing this , although you would lose nothing by ignoring it completely . That being said , having hithched 13,000 miles at the age of 20 ( summer of '75 ) , the cinematography brought back memories while the glorification of petty larceny and selfishness left me somewhat bewildered . My five stars are for the cinematography and music ; I have no issue with those who gave it one , as I can make that case as well .
Bad Teacher (2011)
Absolute Trash
There is nothing remotely funny about this piece of garbage .....and honestly , Diaz hardly appears sexy when giving 12 year old boys hard ons . Just piling up wisecracks and sexual whatever in a flick that has no connection with reality can only appeal to the lowest intellects , and nothing beyond a junior high mindset . A totally unreal piece of trash....a sad comment that it even rated 5.7 here .
Mansfield Park (2007)
Read the book first , and then enjoy Billie Piper's glowing depiction of Fanny Price
I never get over how some reviewers simply expect too much from an 84 minute film . Any adaptation of Mansfield Park would certainly benefit from a four part , four hour miniseries ; this rendition cuts out Fanny's return to Portsmouth completely and leaves out a significant minor character , Yates , thereby cutting corners badly on the playful attempt to perform a play at Mansfield Park . So why do I give it a 10 ? The gist of any Austin novel is in the subtleties of the relationships , pure and simple , and this adaptation does a superb job in doing just that ....with the most significant relationships ( again , three or four hours would be needed to do the job adequately ) . Piper plays the mild and reserved Fanny perfectly in the limited time given , in every stage of her relationship with Edmund . BBC did a superb job back in 1998 wit Far From the Madding Crowd , layering in fine detail ( at the expense of cinematography ) the movie versions just couldn't fit in . Mansfield Park deserves the same . However , this low budget gem will be appreciated by anyone with the sense to realize that this is not a miniseries !
Sex and the Single Girl (1964)
A Fun Movie from Start to Finish
Some reviewers here take themselves much too seriously ! While not on a par with other romantic comedies like the Carole Lombard classic "My Man Godfrey" or "Call Me Madame" with Vera Ellen and Ethel Merman , THIS IS AN EASY GOING , SEXY , LIGHT HEARTED treatment of romantic relations and perceptions of them . It does not pretend to be something out of Jane Austin . That being said , the chemistry between Fonda and Bacall is delightful ; never have I enjoyed Bacall more . Wood's versatility shines here as well , her chemistry with Curtis being on a par with Monroe's . My one criticism is the over long chase scene at the end , but that has nothing to do with the quality of acting or dialogue . Remember , this is 1964 , before the trauma of Vietnam really took hold . Enjoy the lightheartedness for what it is , and let the professional reviewers bask in their PC fantasies .
Mansfield Park (1999)
Read the book ( a classic ) , and watch the crisp Masterpiece Theater adaptation....
Having read the book and having enjoyed the fine Masterpiece Theater adaptation , I took this film for what it aimed to be...Sexy and sensationalistic . The portrayal of Fanny price is totally ridiculous , although Frances O'Connor is certainly first rate eye candy , and talented as well . This gentle , somewhat timid young lady ...the novel's heroine , is depicted as a sharp tongued and ever self confident modern day woman in this farce . It must be added that the book is a very serious one , and certainly not a comedy ! Well , it is entertaining , but it is a far cry from Austen's Mansfield Park ! The references to slavery and the disgusting sketchbook scenes relating to it add nothing to the novel's theme . The positive ratings many have given this film speak only to our modern obsession with cheap thrills and prurience . Do yourself a favor , if you truly loved the book , and check out the 2007 adaptation !
The Trench (1999)
One of the Most Realistic and Historically Accurate War Movies Ever Made
I am astounded by the relatively low ratings this movie has received ; apparently critics as well as the general public are hooked on over dramatization , focus on superstars playing superstar characters , and of course , the romance on the side. The Trench reflects painstaking research and a devoted effort to portray World War One trench warfare the way it really was . The language , the mores , the overall culture of the time are served up straight , without overdoing it . There is certainly plenty of violence , but the depiction of it is commensurate with the demands of historical accuracy . Anyone knowledgeable about the war , anyone with a genuine interest in the time period , will relish the movie . The critics speak more their addiction to immediate gratification....a sign of our times...than they do about this fine , grossly underrated film .
Death Wish II (1982)
As good as DW 1
A grossly underrated movie , as good as the first , and a far cry from 3 and 4 . Kersey's relationship with Bronson's actual wife , Jill Ireland , is quite believable , and there's no mistaking the chemistry . That a man would go on a rampage of revenge over the rape and brutal death of his already traumatized daughter is something any real man can understand ( and there are some beautifully sensitive moments here ; Robin Sherwood , as Carol Kersey , is brilliant ) . Some critics seem to regard the rapes as especially lurid , perhaps purposefully titillating , but I could not disagree more . Rape is not pretty, and regardless of the attractiveness of the two rape victims , one must really have a sick mind to find those scenes titillating . The unexpected ending adds gusto to an already solid movie . This is more than a must for Bronson fans : It's a damned good movie , period .
Pitch Black (2000)
Where do I start ?
The most difficult part of writing a review of this contrived and poorly acted film is trying to squeeze ten lines into this posting from a film so totally lacking in substance. Radha Mitchell is a very talented and stunningly beautiful actress ( check out " Everything Put Together " ), but the cast of characters and twisted ( perhaps even shopworn ) escape from the jaws of whatever plot line left me repeating " not again.... " . As might be expected when creativity falls short in developing a new ( and potentially interesting ) idea , an extremely long night as one planet eclipses another , the producers/writers resort to conflicts and weaknesses among the cast of characters to provide some substance . It doesn't work , and there's nothing you haven't seen before . Mitchell has been used all too often to provide eye candy for an attention grabbing title with little substance , much as Carol Baker during the '60s and '70s . She deserves better.....WOW ! I stretched it to 15 !
Silent Hill (2006)
Should have cut my losses 30 minutes into this.....
I watched this because Radha Mitchell is a brilliant and stunningly beautiful actress ; that accounts for both stars . The film is essentially plot less after the first 30 minutes , and never holds one in suspense . Special effects are ridiculously overdone , being thrown at the viewer almost nonstop , to the point where you get the feeling of going through an amusement park scary house when you were seven years old ( and you need a seven year old mentality to get a thrill out of this ) . The blood and gore is , again , thrown at the viewer wholesale , with little rhyme or reason . When the mystery of Silent Hill is explained towards the end of the film , the bizarre pieces still don't fit together smoothly , the different pieces just being flung all over the place .....Oh yes , I did mention the pointless downpour of blood and gore......
Beneath Hill 60 (2010)
As Good As It Gets
This is an absolutely superb war movie, on a par with the best. The flow of events is woven smoothly into the film, with scrupulous attention to historical accuracy. It does for World War One films what the series "Band of Brothers" did for WW2, raising the bar on the entire genre. There are flashbacks throughout the film, the dreariness and terror of trench warfare being contrasted with the lush beauty of eastern Australia. By avoiding huge battle scenes, accuracy is preserved and the intensity of individual experiences given greater strength. Why this film has not gained greater popularity in the US is a mystery to me.
The Razor's Edge (1946)
Crisp and Clean; Movie Adaptations of Novels Just Don't Get Any Better
If anyone had doubts about where Gene Tierney should stand in the vast pantheon of cinema's lading ladies, this understated masterpiece should put them to rest. The chemistry between Tierney and Power is palpable, and makes compromises from Maugham's masterpiece superfluous. This is a movie in which the acting is everything, as far from De Caprio's sensationalism as can be. However, this is a literary adaptation, like Gwen Terasaki's memoir, Bridge to the Sun, or Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night, where reading the book beforehand is highly recommended. Watching Tierney and Power here makes it obvious why the gentleman turned down the lead in The Great Gatsby when Tiernney was rejected as being too pretty (as much as I enjoyed Alan Ladd and Betty Field); Mrs. Tierney was a fine actress, by any standard.
Elysium (2013)
Beef Wellington Special Effects with a Burnt Road Kill Story
I thought that it would be impossible to make a sci-fi movie worse than Event Horizon, but was sadly mistaken. The movie works on the most far fetched premise, that somehow in the midst of gross overpopulation and environmental destruction, an immense orbiting habitat was created for the rich and famous, while the rest of the planet's population lived in abject poverty and sought ways to escape to this orbiting Elysium. How all the world's rich and powerful were able to pull off this feat, somehow intimidating billions while getting their incredible habitat created is left to one's imagination. There is hardly an original idea here, as regards the age old tensions between rich and poor, just a politically correct mish-mash to titillate viewers looking for cheap thrills. The writer/director of this farce, Neill Blomkamp, stated after its completion " I feel like I f----d it up, I feel like ultimately the story is not the right story." Well, at least he got that right. Oh, and did I forget to mention, the residents of Elysium are overwhelmingly white and the "illegals" trying to get in overwhelmingly Hispanic? The astronomical economic rise of China and India are conveniently left out of the equation, as is the preponderance of enormous gaps between economic classes in Latin America. Check out Oblivion or Europa Report if in need of some recent, satisfying, original Sci-fi; you won't be disappointed.
Red Tails (2012)
Perhaps the Most Inaccurate World War 2 Film Ever Made
When the 332 Fighter Group, usually known as the Tuskegee Airmen, started flying bomber escort missions in May of 1944, much of the Luftwaffe's front line combat strength had already been decimated, largely as a result of Operation Pointblank, which reached its peak during Operation Argument, Big Week, February 20-26. This was a focused attempt, largely the brainchild of Jimmy Doolittle, to savage Germany's aircraft industry and decimate its fighter squadrons. It went into full scale during January of 1944, and ended in April, as bomber missions then started a concentrated campaign to cut Germany's supply of oil and to cripple its transportation infrastructure prior to D-Day. The Tuskegee fliers took no part in it. During that period, the Eighth Air Force's top pilots ( based in England , and under Doolittle's command ), Francis Gabreski, Robert Johnson and Don Gentile scored 10, 15 and 19 kills on Luftwaffe fighters, respectively. John Godfrey, Gentile's wingman, shot down 6 ( incidentally, the Gentile/Godfrey team was the most famous fighter pairing of World War 2 ). To make this as clear as possible, between January and April of 1944, these four pilots downed half as many planes as the entire 332nd did IN ITS FULL YEAR OF FLYING ESCORT MISSIONS ! Contrary to the film's adolescent dramatics, fighters were directed to seek out and pursue German fighters BEFORE THEY COULD REACH THE BOMBERS ! Dead Germans could not hurt the bombers, and bomber losses to fighters plummeted throughout 1944 ( however, German flak got much worse, as 88mm guns were pulled from the Russian Front to protect German cities). Likewise, accompanying bombers over target areas made no sense for our fighters, as German fighters usually struck before and after the B17s and B24s hit their industrial targets SO AS NOT TO BE SHOT DOWN BY THEIR OWN FLAK ! Flying over target thus put fighters at unnecessary risk from flak, which they had no power over during escort missions. Regarding the Curtis P 40 ( which is loudly complained about in the movie by 332nd pilots ), British, Australian and South African pilots were very successful against Axis fighters with them in North Africa ( Clive Caldwell , top Aussie Ace, notched 20 kills with the P 40 before being transferred to the Pacific ). At the same time the 332nd was receiving P 51s, The Flying Tigers (14th Air Force ) were still overwhelmingly dependent on P 40s, using them to great effect the spring of 1944 to thwart the Japanese Ichi-Go Offensive in China, not completely converting to P 51 Mustangs until June of 1945. CONCLUSION : The only way to enjoy this movie is by knowing little about WW2, nothing about the air war, less than nothing about the war in the Mediterranean, and much less than nothing about the air war in the MTO. Spielberg has colluded to insult every other American fighter group, especially the other six ( 1st, 14th, 82nd---all flying P38s---31st, 52nd, and 325th ---all flying P51s the last year of the war ) that served the Fifteenth Air Force along with the 332nd. Those six groups downed over 1,400 Axis planes, on average each credited with twice as many kills as The Tuskegee guys. GOT THE PICTURE ? Read The Forgotten Fifteenth by Barrett Tillman for more insights !