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David McK (3550 KP) rated Geostorm (2017) in Movies

Dec 23, 2020  
Geostorm (2017)
Geostorm (2017)
2017 | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
5
6.4 (29 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Do you remember the Film 'Armageddon'

'The Day After Tomorrow'?

Or even '2012'?

This is more of the same, this time with Gerard Butler taking the lead in a not-so-distant future of 2022 after a network of satellites is sent up into space in 2019 (I must have missed that - I'm reviewing in 2020) to control the weather.

Of course, things then start t go wrong with said satellites (mainly due to sabotage), leading ex-chief engineer Jake Lawson to be recruited by his politician brother (who had previously fired him) to go back up into space to see if he can put things right, in a race against time.

So, Gerard Butler vs The Weather. It's no contest.

(it's also almost completely a cheesy B movie, which can be unintentionally funny if you let it!)
  
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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Parallel Mothers (2021) in Movies

Mar 21, 2022  
Parallel Mothers (2021)
Parallel Mothers (2021)
2021 | Drama
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Cruz is terrific, the "B" plot is better
I have stated before that I find that Penelope Cruz is a very good (not great) actress when working in English. But…she has been a revelation to me as a GREAT Actress when I catch her work in her native language, Spanish, and she is especially good when she is working in a piece by the man that calls her his “muse”, Writer/Director Pedro Almodovar.

Such is the case with their latest collaboration - PARALLEL MOTHERS - an interesting and engaging film with a quality performance at the center of it by Cruz, a performance that has her, rightfully, nominated for the 4th time for an Oscar (she won in 2008 for her Supporting Role in VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA).

In this film, Cruz stars as one of 2 “parallel mothers”, who’s character, Janis, goes into labor at the same time as Milena Smit’s character, Ana. What happens to these two is that their lives will be intertwined in such a way that these “parallel mothers” will have a connection for the rest of their lives.

But, this is just the “A” story of this film and (as has been his custom), Almodovar gives us a “B” story that focuses on Spain’s attempt to continue to heal from the Spanish Civil War - and it is this part of the film that is the part that has lingered with me.

Cruz, of course, is a beautiful, wonderful choice as Janis. She holds the screen in every scene she is in (and that is almost every one) and her and Almodovar know what kind of movie they are making and head strongly in that direction. The surprise for me was Milena Smit’s performance as Ana as she holds her own in her scenes with Cruz.

The “A” story of this film is good (but not great) and it does fall, a bit, into “Soap Opera” territory, but Almodovar, Cruz et al know how to elevate it above that with realistic dialogue and emotions that grounds this portion of the film. It is the “B” plot that Almodovar seems to be more interested in and this, in turn, makes that part of the story the more interesting one. To be fair to Cruz, it does involve her character as well, but her relationship with Ana is put in the background, thus negating that relationship to the importance of the story.

The “B” plot was better and I almost wish that this was the main part of the story, it might have made it an overall better - maybe even excellent - film, but, instead, PARALLEL MOTHERS falls to “just” VERY GOOD.

Letter Grade: A- (for Cruz’ and Smit’s performances and the “B” plot)

8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)