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Awix (3310 KP) rated Talk to Her (2002) in Movies
Sep 11, 2019 (Updated Sep 11, 2019)
Genre-busting Spanish drama almost feels like the film Hitchcock could have made if he'd spent thirty years in therapy. The story is told partly out of sequence but concerns two men devoted to women in comas: a bullfighter and a dance student. Slowly their stories unfold, and turn out to be quite different. Almodóvar's script is as subtle and playful as ever, cheerfully toying with audience assumptions and expectations - it's impossible to predict the way this story will go, and this is before we even get to the eye-popping silent movie interlude.
Brilliant performances from the two leads; for once, the female characters have a more secondary role but they are also well-played. All the vibrance and sensuousness of Almodóvar's other films, but this is a deeply serious, mature work. Perhaps his greatest achievement is to find pathos and sympathy in the most unlikely places imaginable, and conclude a film which goes to some very dark places on a definite note of implied hope. An excellent movie in every way.
Brilliant performances from the two leads; for once, the female characters have a more secondary role but they are also well-played. All the vibrance and sensuousness of Almodóvar's other films, but this is a deeply serious, mature work. Perhaps his greatest achievement is to find pathos and sympathy in the most unlikely places imaginable, and conclude a film which goes to some very dark places on a definite note of implied hope. An excellent movie in every way.
When the Cock Crows: A History of the Pathe Exchange
Book
Influential during Hollywood's silent-film era, the Pathe Exchange was a multinational film company...
Pumpkin Cinema: The Best Movies for Halloween
9.0
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People celebrate the magical holiday of Halloween in a wide variety of ways, but most will, at some...
8mm Vintage Camera
Photo & Video and Lifestyle
7.0
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App
AN OSCAR WORTHY APP - 8mm was used by director Malik Bendjelloul in his Oscar-winning film...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Kid Brother (1927) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Great Conflict, Great Story
When a huge town fund goes missing, Harold (Harold Lloyd) sees a grand opportunity to prove himself to his family while winning the heart of a girl he likes. When the movie first started, I had no idea what to expect as it was my very first silent film. Once I got settled in and used to the concept, I was thoroughly impressed.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 6
If the movie continued on like it started, I would have hated it. For such a short run time, The Kid Brother didn’t exactly come out of the gates swinging. It’s like an old car: Gotta warm up first. Once it gets going…
Characters: 10
So what if all the other characters were one-dimensional? The movie revolves completely around Harold and Harold delivers. You’ve gotta respect the kid as he’s just trying to live up to his family name. His father has never thought much of him and his brothers are always roughing him up and, for once, Harold is hoping to come out on top. Not only does he deal with a number of moral dilemmas, but you can’t help but fall in love with the dude’s craft and cunning. Harold will make you laugh and cheer by the end of it.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
This movie has one of the coolest action scenes that I’ve seen in an earlier film. It involves a big fight on an abandoned ship. Between that, a cool chariot-style race, and Harold constantly trying to avoid awkward scrapes there is plenty of conflict to go around.
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 10
Pace: 10
Slow start but quickly picks up steam. It’s a short ride, but the directors made sure they used up every ounce of time available. I appreciated that all the scenes really were necessary and they never overstayed their welcome.
Plot: 10
The story is succinct and very well-written. There weren’t any cheats as each plot point moved seamlessly to the next. Great character-development is weaved in as well. All the ingredients for a great story.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 96
If it weren’t for a weaker beginning, The Kid Brother would rank right up there with the all-time best. It had me looking forward to a deeper dive into the silent film world.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 6
If the movie continued on like it started, I would have hated it. For such a short run time, The Kid Brother didn’t exactly come out of the gates swinging. It’s like an old car: Gotta warm up first. Once it gets going…
Characters: 10
So what if all the other characters were one-dimensional? The movie revolves completely around Harold and Harold delivers. You’ve gotta respect the kid as he’s just trying to live up to his family name. His father has never thought much of him and his brothers are always roughing him up and, for once, Harold is hoping to come out on top. Not only does he deal with a number of moral dilemmas, but you can’t help but fall in love with the dude’s craft and cunning. Harold will make you laugh and cheer by the end of it.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
This movie has one of the coolest action scenes that I’ve seen in an earlier film. It involves a big fight on an abandoned ship. Between that, a cool chariot-style race, and Harold constantly trying to avoid awkward scrapes there is plenty of conflict to go around.
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 10
Pace: 10
Slow start but quickly picks up steam. It’s a short ride, but the directors made sure they used up every ounce of time available. I appreciated that all the scenes really were necessary and they never overstayed their welcome.
Plot: 10
The story is succinct and very well-written. There weren’t any cheats as each plot point moved seamlessly to the next. Great character-development is weaved in as well. All the ingredients for a great story.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 96
If it weren’t for a weaker beginning, The Kid Brother would rank right up there with the all-time best. It had me looking forward to a deeper dive into the silent film world.
Tim McGuire (301 KP) rated You Were Never Really Here (2018) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
286. You Were Never Really Here. One intense movie! Intense soundtrack, intense action, intense subject matter. We meet a guy named Joe, sure he looks homeless, but in reality he's a war veteran that lives with his aging mother. The audience gets just a few glimpses of Joe's background and they aren't pretty. Now he's dedicated his life to rescuing missing and exploited children, and more importantly for those that hire him, he punishes those responsible, very brutally, weapon of choice: ball-peen hammer. And the one case the film focuses on, turns out to be very sinister indeed. Joaquin Phoenix is intense as Joe, a man unafraid of violence, but extremely tormented by his past. Definitely worth a watch. (Side note: If you watch it, towards the beginning of the movie Joe exits his house, you can hear in the background a small dog barking like crazy. Joe pauses for a moment, twitches just a bit, camera cuts to his mom watching him out the front window, you hear the dog bark one final time, yelps as in pain and goes silent... Do you think Joe killed the doggy???) Filmbufftim on FB
Barry Newman (204 KP) rated A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) in Movies
Feb 1, 2020
The original and by far the best of the Nightmare series. Wes Craven’s film is like most 80’s movies looking a little dated in 2019 particularly in its special effects but to me still holds up very well as an original and unsettling horror thriller that puts a unique supernatural spin on the well established slasher formula. The film’s ace is in it’s boogeyman Freddy Krueger, coming after the silent killers of ‘Halloween’ and ‘Friday the 13th’ Robert Englund’s iconic Freddy actually had a personality and the sequels realising his popularity put him front and centre with much more screen time and subsequently making him considerably less scary . Craven conjures up some memorable kill scenes here and the concept of being vulnerable somewhere seemingly as safe as in your dreams makes for a great horror movie.
Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays: 1920-1970
Karie Bible and Mary Nan S. Mallory
Book
Marvelously illustrated with more than 200 rare images from the silent era through the 1970s, this...
Andy K (10821 KP) rated I, Tonya (2017) in Movies
Jan 13, 2018
Great acting (2 more)
Great screenplay
Unique storytelling
I'm glad this movie finally came to my town and I was able to see.
Although I remember "the incident" and the media frenzy, I either forgot or never took the time to immerse myself in the details while it was going on in the 90s.
I thought the acting throughout was top notch led by Margot Robbie and Allison Janney. They really got lost in their roles and you forgot you were watching them.
There is enough emotional material and unique storytelling where some of the characters break the fourth wall and speak to the camera which keeps the viewer engaged throughout the story.
I was sort of torn to feel pity or empathy for Tonya or dislike what she knew, when she knew it and how she chose to keep silent.
Highly recommended.
Although I remember "the incident" and the media frenzy, I either forgot or never took the time to immerse myself in the details while it was going on in the 90s.
I thought the acting throughout was top notch led by Margot Robbie and Allison Janney. They really got lost in their roles and you forgot you were watching them.
There is enough emotional material and unique storytelling where some of the characters break the fourth wall and speak to the camera which keeps the viewer engaged throughout the story.
I was sort of torn to feel pity or empathy for Tonya or dislike what she knew, when she knew it and how she chose to keep silent.
Highly recommended.
