fsfaludi Reviews

As Good as It Gets (1997)

Truly "as good as it gets"

[10/10 · 18 March 2024]

I have seen the movie several times but now after not watching it for a few years I found it was a bit over-acted, like the movies of the 30's, 40's and 50's...but it was well (over) acted. Like a steak that arrives over cooked but still ends up being absolutely delicious. You get the classic Nicholson marvellous spin that he puts in all of his rolls, and Helen Hunt is just a tremendous actor, everything she does is so believable you forget she's playing a role. The story itself is SO well thought out; everything has a reason for being in the script and all the questions and lose ends are answered and addressed. There's all these tensions in the movie and they all end up being properly resolved. It's as romantic and as clever and as funny and as good as it gets.

The Dead Don't Die (2019)

There is a whack full of great actors...THEY know a good script when they see It

[8/10 · 7 March 2024]

People. WTF? This is a very stylishly done film. If anyone is going to make a Zombie movie....well THIS is how to do one. It has the opposite of a low budget look and feel to it. You have to change your perspective when viewing it. There are no special effects, or chase scenes. No goofy love scenes. It's amusing and humorous. Humorous not in a yuck yuck way, just in a....how it would really go down if zombies were real way. It's slow because this is how real life would be if zombies were real. Is this not apparent to y'all? Main Street in Centerville would be just like this if the earth's axis shifted. Don't you people know anything?

Ties That Bind (2010 TV Movie)

This is a 5 star movie but I added one because the lead actress is cute

[6/10 · 5 February 2024]

The plot is a bit convoluted and the acting on the whole is neither great nor terrible. So for a made for TV movie it's a good waste of time rather than a bad one. I stopped the flick several times while I made supper, but it kept my interest just enough to restart it and watch to the end. And it's mercifully short while many of the ones I've seen recently seemed to average 2+ hours in length. As I stated, the lead actress is attractive, a real model in fact and she seems believable in her role. I can't cry on command while apparently she can. I have seen many better movies but I have also seen many FAR worse.

Solaris (1972)

Played backwards...it woukd have made just as much sense

[1/10 · 2 February 2024]

Part one, was like watching paint dry. Part two, was like watching grass grow. I think I may have fallen asleep for some of it. But it made no difference. Most of the scenes could have been cut out. It makes me want to see a stupid special effects movie, or maybe a film with useless chase scenes. It woukd have been a relief from the boredom. The Solaris that came much later was way better. I suggest you watch that instead. The ending had this "super dramatic" (not) scene which I suppose made this a sci-fi movie. Others reviewing this film and rating it highly as if they found the meaning of life watching it, are silly people. It was not well acted, the dialogue was lousy, it had no plot, the cinematography was nonexistent, it required no director and the editing if there was any...wasn't good. Even if I tried I couldn't come up with spoilers to write about...it would not have made sense. It was just a long rambling film that felt like I may have died and gone to hell. But thankfully it ended, I farted, and went to bed.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023)

You've got to be kidding

[3/10 · 17 December 2023]

She is a very cute girl. In fact her looks are way more notable than her singing talent. To be honest I don't know how she is as a song writer because I'm totally ignoring the lyrics. My bad. However I'm fairly confident there is nothing earth shattering that she has to say. The actual songs are very dime a dozen boring, mundane, nothing memorable. One sounds basically the same as the next. Considering this is probably the biggest money making tour in history, it's remarkable it takes so little to be a rich & famous performer. Most of the songs are just speaking words while making some droning sounds that give the allusion of singing. She doesn't have a good voice really. The production value of the stage performance is pretty good. Lots of dazzle dazzle. I prefer just turning off the volume and looking at her long legs and pretty face but certainly not for 3 hours.

Miss Sloane (2016)

Wow, I LOVE powerful women, even if it's a character in a role...

[9/10 · 4 December 2023]

I didn't totally follow the dialogue (even with closed captioning turned on) but I got the gist of it and the material /script that Jessica Chastain took on shows and proves how good she is. By gosh she can act and I mean act so well that I got totally immerse into her character. She NAILED it. And she looks hot but that's just her god given good luck. I really like these movies that seek justice and doing the right thing and "sticking it to the man" and all the crap... I mean stuff. I only didn't give it a 10/10 because nothing is perfect. To be honest I haven't watched the movie to the end and I think it's great. If you don't want to see special effects or car crashes tonight..watch it.

Dark Waters (2019)

A real story about serious matters

[9/10 · 23 November 2023]

There are only a few things in life I can not stomach...injustice and being taken advantage of and/or being made a fool of. Basically I'm not too fond of authority either. I don't like being told what to do, I like being asked nicely, all these factors come up into play in this movie. And Mark Ruffalo is perfect for the part, very similar to the character who played in the tv series Columbo, Peter Falk. He is persistent in a calm quiet way. He plays a lawyer that sees injustice and people being taken advantage of. Technically these are the traditional reasons you want to hire a lawyer for. It's very seldom that big wigs of large but at times corrupt capitalist companies are ultimately held responsible. It seems all they are interested in are the profits made and the large salaries and bonuses that result. To be a lawyer working such cases is technically easy to do...you follow the money as you keep digging for the truth. What could be easier? Except the "Goliath" defendant's companies with all the wealth and time and lawyers will block the plaintiff "David" lawyers every step of the way. DuPont, Union Carbide, Monsanto, 3M all these massive chemical companies who are often self-regulating can be pretty evil at times in their quest to turn large profits. So while this type of movie can get people pretty riled up they can also be pretty entertaining and worthwhile watching. So if you build a good enough case demonstrating injustice then it's nice to see that sometimes good can come out of a seemingly corrupt system. There are a number of movies like this out there based on true stories and they can be very satisfying to watch.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

It doesn't get any better than this

[10/10 · 21 November 2023]

I have seen hundreds of movies and this easily is in my top 10 list of all time. It's got top notch cinematography, acting, directing, a great storyline / screen play...in other words all the categories that are eligible for receiving an academy award along with action, humour etc. The only thing I had to do to fully appreciate it was for one of the several times i viewed it I had to enable closed captioning to understand everything that was said. This made it that much more enjoyable. It's two hours long but I could have easily watched it for an additional hour it was of such good calibre. I liked it from the first viewing and probably come back to watch it at least once every couple of years. If as a person you told me you didn't find it quality entertainment I probably wouldn't care to know you.

The Burial (II) (2023)

What chew talkin' bout?

[4/10 · 3 November 2023]

I don't know how court rooms work but it can not possibly be as depicted here. And if it is how trials are conducted I think the legal system is a joke. It seems to imply it's like one big circus. It's amusing that the black church scene at the start of the movie just sets the stage for what a court room proceedings are supposedly like in the rest of the movie. It's as if it's implying that whoever can put on the best "act" or who can put on the best dog and pony show will be the winner of the legal case. And all the black jive talk sounded totally out of place in trying to depict an actual trial and court scenes. Furthermore the acting was really lousy on Jamie Foxx's part (he is usually MUCH better) and finally...Tommy Lee Jones really has grown big ears.

2012 (I) (2009)

Plot=stupid/special effects=great so rating averages out=5 on 10

[5/10 · 7 October 2023]

In spite of a bunch of good actors this movies plot was silly right from the start when "neutrinos mutated". The ONLY special effects I like watching are those that are so well done, you can't tell they are special effects and not reality. This movie has tons of high quality special effects which is the only reason I continued to watch this ridiculously long movie. The plot was silly, the writing/screen play was corny, the acting not especially good. They could have put in a bunch of unknown actors and it probably wouldn't have rated any better or worse. But the special effects were worth watching especially since it was 2009 vintage. I usually only give ratings of 1/10 or 7+/10 because I either really like something or I really don't. It's rare I'll talk about a movie if it's a mediocre score...but the special effects were that good.

The Hunt (II) (2020)

This should almost be mandatory viewing

[7/10 · 10 July 2023]

Satires tend to exaggerate the obvious and this satire was pretty over the top. I'm Canadian and so I'm glad I have been following American politics for the last 20 years or so to better appreciate the absurdity of what's going on in the States, because otherwise this movie wouldn't t make much sense. It was amusing definitely, but at the same time it highlighted what a sad state the U. S. is in (and I suppose it applies to much of the ""Western world" also), otherwise I would have rated it higher. But as I said, while entertained it was a sad commentary on the state of affairs in the world. I caught about 80 percent of the satirical remarks/components of the film; I'd have to watch it a second or third time to soak it all in and fully appreciate it. Anyway it was "mission accomplished" in terms of getting the message across, and yes Betty Gilpin was good in it.

Resurrection (2022)

I think I get it???

[6/10 · 7 July 2023]

Ok, so with the help of some explanations by others I think I now understand the plot or story. If you are really weirded out by watching it like I was...read the right spoiler reviews AFTER watching it. It's not just a stupid crazy story; it does have meaning to it. Very traumatic experiences can have serious lasting effects. That's the message, that's what is explored here.. Also, if the acting were not as good as it was, yes this might still have been a waste of time. I can almost predict most people won't like it, but for the few that do, for those few, it will have been an interesting thought provoking experience. The question is, which type are you? I personally can't stomach modern "action movies" with outlandish special effects. So I still prefer watching this type of so called psychological thriller than the super hero types that are pure fantasy with nothing but unrealistic razzale-dazzle special effects.

Guy Ritchie's the Covenant (I) (2023)

So Hollywood, so good

[9/10 · 3 July 2023]

I am such a sucker for this type of movie. In real life i am a big believer that there is such a thing as Evil in the world, and that in this ageless saga of "Good vs. Evil"...that ultimately Good will prevail. And who does it better than Hollywood to tell such a classic tale? So I suppose that's a bit of a spoiler, but of course everyone knows how this story MUST end just by the title. But now that you know in general how it ends, you still have to see how the story plays out. It could be done poorly or it could be done well. And again in typical Hollywood story telling fashion when the situation seems to be at its most dire low point, it contrasts well with when things get turned around for the better. I suppose that's another spoiler of sorts. But again what matters is HOW the story is crafted along with the acting and directing etc. In my opinion (and I can see a few others agree), it was done well.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

I had to collect myself before reviewing this "piece"

[1/10 · 19 March 2023]

It's the day after viewing the movie and I deliberately wanted some time to pass before giving my opinion on it. Maybe I missed the point or was in a foul mood and it possibly deserves a second viewing. Maybe I'll read some of the other reviews and see if it influences what I saw. I've never dropped acid so I can't honestly tell if my opinion/assessment is valid but I have two comments to make with reference to this movie and drugs. First of all it's my belief that watching it under the influence of LSD would make little to no difference in the "experience" of witnessing what unfolds. And secondly is the Academy and/or people who thought this was good in any way....well are you people on crack? And I'm not exaggerating. In what universe would this be considered a major Oscar winning film? The plot I suppose could have been an intriguing concept to explore. However I was in utter disbelief this was an actual contender for best film and all the other catalogues that it won in. The acting...well there was none. The director after giving a vague idea of the plot could have just as easily said "be crazy and stupid" and we'll include it in the film. It was like a bad dream I would never wish to have. If one can't describe in reasonable detail what happens from scene to scene to scene to another person, something is wrong. Think about what I just said. Even with a photographic memory you couldn't. And you know why? Because there has to be some logic as an aid to help you remember. This was absent, TOTALLY absent. THIS THING WAS A JOKE.

AmeriGeddon (2016)

What counts was the basic message

[5/10 · 5 March 2023]

So it's true the acting wasn't great and there was only mediocre execution of the plot. In this particular case I'm not going to judge it by the normal standards I would a regular, full featured, big budget movie with big name actors etc. This was a low budget movie with most of the characters probably acting only a little better than you or I could. The point is the movie had to be made, the warning had to be sent out so to speak. It was to done to make you, no, force you to think. If you can't comprehend the message or simply don't believe it, well too bad for you. The government is not what it used to be or the way it was originally intended. The "for the people, of the people, by the people" days are long gone. And the further in time we get away from when the plot & message was considered to be "conspiracy theory", the closer we seem to be getting to the day it is turning into reality....conspiracy fact. THAT is the basis on which it should be judged.

Coherence (2013)

Very "trippy". I've watched it multiple times, but wait, was that me watching it or...?

[8/10 · 21 February 2023]

So as usual, I'll say that if I watch the same movie several times to see HOW it was made. In other words to find out WHY I liked it. This one is a little hard to keep exact track of what's going on from moment to moment at some points in time, but that's part of what makes it such a "trippy" film. Even if you can't keep track of the specific details, you will still easily get the general gist of the movie. The plot on the whole will sort sort itself out. And I'm telling you, the movie is quite thought provoking. It's semi-based on real scientific concepts. Don't get the wrong idea, you don't have to be a nerd to appreciate this. The science sort of weaves itself into the plot in a mildly spooky but entertaining way. Also the scene cuts are way more favourable a technique to use to give it a sense of "realism" then some movies that have a lot of camera shaking to instil that vibe. Yes, you can tell it's a low budget film but the acting and the plot is nevertheless very well done and the movie is memorable because it's style and subject when mixed together ends up as a quality experience. Enjoy.

A Good American (2015)

As usual, if Oliver Stone is involved...it's good.

[9/10 · 29 January 2023]

So this is not some gripping thriller. It's reality, it's a documentary. It narrates how some very smart, ethical people in the intelligence agencies were trying to stay one step ahead of some very dangerous people. If this were turned into some fictional story you could make it fantastically interesting in the hands of a good script writer I'm sure. People who reviewed this movie poorly, fail to see the significance of this. They likely believe that essentially "the story of 9/11 is how some foreigners brought the military and intelligence community of the greatest super power in human history to its knees". You can discount my opinion (in quotes) and it's significance if you are so inclined. But you shouldn't discount the fascinating & informative value of the story told here and the quality of the production.

The Menu (2022)

Is this some joke?

[1/10 · 9 January 2023]

I did not read any of the other reviews because I don't care what they had to say. It would not influence my opinion. I've seen some bad movies in my time but this one takes the cake, pardon the pun. There was a bit of suspense at the beginning I suppose, but even that was cancelled out by what followed. I suppose the execution of the movie "The Menu" was trying to be as "artistic" as the actual menu, IN the movie. Spoiler alert, someone eats a cheeseburger. I've now met the minimum character limit to submit a review and it truly isn't worth spending more time writing about this utter failure.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Slow and messy

[3/10 · 28 November 2022]

I tried to like it but I couldn't. It left me feeling "what was the point of making this movie?" So it's not the plot that was messy, it was the body fluid and parts flying every where. It had the typical flash-back sections. It had some narration. A lot of the scenes were pointless and mundane. It was long, NEEDLESSLY long. Too many coincidences in terms of who knew who. I think 3 stars might be too many. Too bad because I like all Q. T.'s movies. God i somehow have to write a longer review to get it submitted and it just ain't worth it. And why a western? It essentially could have been anytime, anywhere.

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

What is happening?

[3/10 · 15 October 2022]

Could they have made the plot more incomprehensible? I think not. The only reason I understood what was going on was by reading some of the other reviews here. The action kept me awake and was the reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 1, but I normally don't care much for action movies. I don't know, I would probably have to see it again, but I only do that for movies I like. I watch movies to be entertained, or to relax and not some sort of IQ test. I like heart warming stories, or clever ones, or thought provoking ones. This was none of those. So why make it? I could see how it cost $125 million to make but what a waste of energy. I liked the ending, as in the last few seconds. It made sense and was pretty.

Meet Joe Black (1998)

Believable movie on an curious topic

[10/10 · 3 February 2019]

I am beginning to notice I usually really like a movie or pretty much dislike it. This one I really like, here's why. As unusual as the topic is, the scenes seem like they would go down exactly as depicted. Even in mid-scenes or from scene to scene the dynamic changes in a plausible way. It's only after viewing the movie would you understand, so what I am getting at is that the dialogue is very plausible also. The acting is just so damn good, it really makes the movie...especially Anthony Hopkins, but in reality they all play their roles spot on. Normally I like it when I get so lost in the acting it doesn't seem like I'm watching acting. In this case because of the unusual topic I sense there is acting going on, but it's just so well done. It's difficult to recount things without having spoilers so I am going to end it there, aside from recommending that you view it.

The Last Samurai (2003)

As good as it gets...

[10/10 · 2 February 2019]

I actually lost count of the number of times I've watched this movie, maybe somewhere between 7 or 9. Anytime a movies impresses me, all the other viewings beyond the initial one is to study and absorb how the film was crafted. In my opinion it was Tom Cruise's finest role and I'm just guessing it was one he is proud of and could identify with. The whole philosophy behind the Samurai history and life was well expounded. It's a long movie but the quality was such that every scene was a delight to watch and important enough to be included. I lost track of the fact there was acting going on, the story telling was was so well executed. I'm sure I'll be watching it again.

The Old Man & the Gun (2018)

The movie is about as boring as the title

[2/10 · 2 January 2019]

Not much happens so I don't have much to say. That is about the tone of the whole movie, and that ends my review (he says with a smile).

UFO (2018)

It was everything it needed to be...

[9/10 · 13 September 2018]

A relatively low budget movie that had all the essential ingredients (acting, script etc) of a compelling story. It didn't need any CGI, it didn't have car chases, fight scenes or murders and was thought provoking. As someone else mentioned, besides being a UFO movie of sorts, it had more to do with an individuals obsession about some important matters in life (as opposed to the mundane).

The math portions as far as I could tell made sense. I also found it interesting that the writer of the plot thought the three most interesting things about life that one would want answered is exactly the three I thought of prior to seeing it on film. All told, well done!

Don Jon (2013)

REAL Life

[10/10 · 31 August 2014]

So I am reasonably intelligent, well educated, have refined taste, "worldly" kind of guy etc. and thus theoretical I should not like this movie, perhaps. Just the opposite! (Although I must admit to really liking Scarlett Johansson no matter where she appears).

Every moment, every frame of this movie is SO believable in a "stylized/hollywood production kind of a way". I can totally relate to all of it. When I really dig a movie I watch it for the 2nd/3rd/4th time just to see how it's made. And I am now watching it for the 2nd time. It captures I think a large %age of how the population truly works. And I think they did an excellent job of it in it's production... from the script to the acting to the editing and so on.

Theoretically this is not a good review compared to others I have seen here that go in depth in a very analytic way. But other than saying that the movie is good at capturing a "slice of life" that many guys at least can identify with/relate to, I think you should watch it as a movie that captures what our present day North American mentality and culture is all about. NOT that I believe it is all healthy and good, but it is what it is (our American culture/way of life I mean).

WARS have been started over women; men do amazingly crazy dangerous things because they are infatuated by women. This movie just captures a modern day slice of life in this respect, as I said. Okay so now I am going to go back to watching it for the second time....