MissCagey (2652 KP) rated Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) in Movies
Feb 7, 2019
What I didn't understand was why the man came to the shop and started abusing Mildred when, it turned out later, that he was nothing to do with it? It was a fly in the soup for me and has annoyed and bothered me ever since!
Primal Fear (1996)
7.2
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Defense attorney Martin Vail takes on jobs for money and prestige rather than any sense of the...
Mississippi Burning (1988)
8.7
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When a group of civil rights workers goes missing in a small Mississippi town, FBI agents Alan Ward...
Almost Famous (2000)
7.0
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Set in 1973, it chronicles the funny and often poignant coming of age of 15-year-old William, an...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Nomadland (2020) in Movies
Mar 2, 2021
And, thank goodness it is, for without McDormand on the screen, this “slice-of-life” pseudo-documentary disguised as a feature film would be almost unwatchable as McDormand’s character floats through “slice of life” after “slice of life” in what is referred to as the “Nomad Lifestyle”.
Earnestly Directed by Chloe Zao, NOMADLAND tells the tale of Fern (McDormand) who loses her life, her job and her husband during the recession of the late 2000’s and starts to float through life - and experiences - as a “Nomad”, a person with no permanent address who goes from place to place, catching on to the random odd job and living her life in her van.
Zao and McDormand spent years filming in actual Nomad communities with the others in this film often times not realizing that McDormand was an actress playing a part. For McDormand, it had to be the ultimate acting challenge - living in the real world as a character - and she brings a watchable, lost Fern to the screen and she genuinely and earnestly interacts with the real-life characters she encounters. She is very watchable and is a pleasant character to spend the time with.
Most of these real life people she encounters open up about their lifestyle and the movie took on the feel of documentary with Fern as the interviewer/narrator of the story. This made for an intriguing glimpse into a heretofore unknown world (at least to me), but not a compelling film does it make.
Zao does try to drive a narrative as the only other notable actor in this film - David Straitharn - shows up as a fellow Nomad that develops a crush on Fern and is interested in leaving the Nomad life and invites Fern to join him.
This is the only real conflict in this story as we spend an hour-forty-five watching Fern flit from place to place and person to person not really trying to find herself, but letting the wind blow her to wherever the trail takes her next.
An intriguing (enough) slice of life, with a watchable central performance by McDormand, but not substantial enough to engage me as a feature film.
Letter Grade: B (I applaud the attempt)
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) in Movies
Jan 18, 2018
Don’t get me wrong, it was a very good film. There are some fantastic performances in it from Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell and they deserve every accolade that gets thrown at them. The rest of the supporting cast too are great, with the exception of Abbie Cornish who I really don’t rate. I know she’s Australian but her accent in this seems very changeable and atrocious.
The cinematography itself is beautiful and the plot takes some very good and unexpected twists and turns. The bits of dark humour throughout really help lift what would otherwise be a very depressing and sad film. My issue is that for me it seemed very slow paced. For me it felt like it had been on for far too long and dragged a little, but I was surprised when it finished that it had been on for less than 2 hours.
I’ll happily acknowledge that this will likely be one of the best films I’ll see in 2018, impressive as it’s only January. But I feel like I need to reserve a final judgement until after a second viewing (preferably in a nice peaceful environment - not a noisy cinema screen).
Hail, Caesar! (2016)
6.2
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In the early 1950s, Eddie Mannix is busy at work trying to solve all the problems of the actors and...
Michelle Monoghan recommended Fargo (1996) in Movies (curated)
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Fargo (1996) in Movies
Jun 5, 2018
When this movie first came out, I told multiple people they should go see it, but I had a hard time explaining what it was about. It has a simple premise of a kidnapping gone wrong, but the characters screenplay and their accents are really what make the movie most memorable.
Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi and the rest of the cast are amazing.
I still can't believe this movie did not win. This film certainly has endured way better than The English Patient.
If you haven't seen, you must.
Burn After Reading (2008)
7.4
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Burn After Reading, a comedy thriller from Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men, Fargo,...