tomnotarnold Reviews

The King's Speech (2010)

Compelling Drama

[8/10 · 4 May 2021]

I am not a fan of many historical dramas. Often they are boring and go into great detail about things that do not interest me. However, once in a while one will capture my attention.

This is exactly that sort of film. It tells a gripping and compelling story and unlike many other films of its type, this one is interesting because it is true. Other films may go into great detail about true events that only serve to bore the audience, so this was a nice change of pace.

The Upside (2017)

Decent Remake

[7/10 · 1 September 2019]

The Upside is not as good as the original French masterpiece that it was based on, called Intouchables. I saw that film a few years ago and I loved it. But this one is still pretty good.

I have a problem with Hollywood remakes most of the time. They take great foreign films and remake them for no good reason, inevitably making them worse. The original is great so why remake it?

But this is an exception. While it's still not as good as the original it is worth a watch. The story takes a few different turns while still being faithful to its source material. And while I don't think it needed to be remade, I guess maybe its good if only for those who don't like to read subtitles in foreign films, although I still think all those people are missing out on some great films.

The Limey (1999)

Yes

[10/10 · 6 January 2019]

The Limey is a stripped-down, hard knuckle thriller through the eyes of an Englishman who goes on a revenge tour or LA's seedy underbelly. And it's absolutely brilliant!

It feels a little different at first, like something is off. But that feeling soon disappears as soon as we get used to the style of the movie. It's just a little different, but that is a good thing! It's like nothing I've ever seen before.

You'll want to watch it again and again. Heck, I think I'll go watch it again right now for the eighth...er, uh...ninth time? Heck, who can remember anymore?

Impolex (2009)

Strange and Different

[10/10 · 19 December 2018]

I assume from the low score this film received that a lot of people did not like it. That makes sense. It's hard to know exactly what everyone thought of it, since it was a small movie and I see no other reviews for it. But I'll tell you what I thought.

It was small budget for sure, and had all the flaws and whatnot that come along with that type of film, but it had all the charm as well. The charm of a small budget film packed into a WWII story. It was risky for sure to make this film. But anything worth doing is.

The final product ends up being something that no once could predict. Even the filmmakers themselves could not have known just how this film would turn out. It's strange and unpredictable, and that is exactly what I love about it.

A Snake of June (2002)

Beautiful and Original

[10/10 · 21 October 2018]

Boy, does this movie grab you by the ass and not let go until the end. It really honestly never lets up. Right from the very first frame it has this wonderful, unique energy about it so that you almost don't want to blink even, out of fear that you might miss something.

The story is even pretty original. Perhaps other films have shown things that were like it in a way, but only bits and pieces. The sum of the parts here is done in a way that I don't think has ever been touched before. It's so simple and obvious yet so unique and beautiful at the same time.

The film is about a young woman who works at what I think you would call a crisis hotline or something like that. She is in a dull marriage and her boring life is suddenly thrown into chaos in a way that may seem strange to western viewers. But I loved it. Truly, at just 77 minutes, it seems to end far too quick and may leave you wanting more.

It's just in the last year or so that I've really been getting into Asian cinema, but I think this may be the best of it that I've seen so far. I look forward to watching more and discovering many more great new gems like this one.

The Big Year (2011)

Steve Martin is Hilarious, as Usual

[7/10 · 25 September 2018]

So my friends all know that I will watch anything with Steve Martin. I think he is very funny. His role here was a bit lower key, if you know what I mean, playing alongside two other comedic actors.

The story was not anything big, certainly not the best Steve Martin film, but he is what held the story together. It's like he can just not fail. The other actors were just okay, doing what they could with the weak script, but Steve Martin honestly made this a good movie just by being in it.

It is a worth your time, but only for the chance to see Steve Martin shining yet again in a role that is a bit different than we're used to seeing him in, but in a way it is exactly the same. And that's a good thing!

Cold Weather (2010)

Fun Low-Budget Film

[7/10 · 1 July 2018]

I've always been a fan of low-budget films. They always seem to do so much more with so much less. But the problem is that the acting is often bad, or the lighting, or some other technical aspect that fails due to the low budget.

But such is not the case with Cold Weather. It succeeds on all accounts, while still managing to be a fun, stimulating, and entertaining film. It tells a great story and is a pleasure to watch. It's not for everyone, though, and the typical indie-haters should steer clear of this one. But if you enjoy a good story and a fun movie, check this one out!

Take Care (I) (2014)

Good, but Not Great

[6/10 · 1 July 2018]

Take Care is a fun little movie for when you're laid up in bed with a backache and want an easy film to watch. It's nothing we haven't seen before, but it certainly has it's moments. You have to be in the mood for it though. But there's something about it that makes it so I can't stop thinking about it. I'd like to watch it again, a second time, just to figure out what it is. And that's rare for me to want to watch ANY film twice. At any rate, if I do watch it again, it won't be for a long while. But maybe I'll feel like turning it on next time I have a backache or something.

That's what it is, it's a good backache movie! Ah, perhaps I should make that the title of my review. But alas, I will not.

Uncertain Terms (2014)

Wonderful and Original

[8/10 · 9 June 2018]

Wow! The filmmakers really knocked it out of the park with this one. They told a unique and intriguing story just about as well as anyone could have and all on what appeared to be a very low budget. It's a perfect example of just how much people can do with limited resources and a little imagination. To that I say bravo!

The Man in the Iron Mask (I) (1998)

Not a Great Role for Leo

[6/10 · 9 June 2018]

This movie was decent, but I have to say that I was not particularly impressed with Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in this one. I mean, what happened? He's usually so good! Even in his earlier roles when you could tell his acting was not as good because he didn't have as much experience and maybe hadn't fully found his voice yet, he was still at least fun to watch in movies. But in this movie I feel I could really take him or leave him, to be honest with you. It's not terrible, but if you want to watch it just because of Leo, save yourself some time and choose one of his other films instead.

Safe Haven (I) (2013)

Close, but NO CIGAR!

[6/10 · 28 May 2018]

This was a fun little movie that kept me entertained and all, although honestly I felt that it started to drag on a little bit toward the end. The start of it was good and intriguing but the ending left me a bit disappointed. Don't worry though, I won't spoil it in case you still wanted to watch it. It's shot well and could be a fun little popcorn movie or something to have on in the background, but it's no CITIZEN KANE!

Citizen Kane (1941)

The Greatest Film Ever Made

[10/10 · 28 May 2018]

I realize that many will not agree with my opinion that CITIZEN KANE is the greatest film ever made. And that's OK! Sure it's in Black & White, and sure it's old, but it's still relevant even to this day. And there's not a chance that a greater film will ever me made, because it's already been done. This is it, friends!

It's a shame that Orson Welles was not able to keep making even better films after this. After all, this was his first film. And where do you go from there? But it's not like he could have done better, cuz he'd already done it. The cinematography is beautiful and the story and the legacy of this film are beyond words. Two thumbs up!

Happy Christmas (2014)

A Different Kind of Christmas Movie

[7/10 · 24 May 2018]

One reviewer said: "you will love it or you will hate it." Boy, ain't that the truth. It's not the best movie I've even seen. It's not even the best Christmas movie I've seen. But it's different from anything I've even seen before, and buddy that's saying something.

I'd say check it out if it's the sort of thing that you think might interest you. To be fair, I feel I should add the I am a fan of the director, Joe Swanberg, but I can assure you that my reviews are completely unbiased.