Reviews

Just in case you didn't know, being wealthy doesn't guarantee that you will be happy and doesn't protect you from personal tragedy. That is the long and drawn-out conclusion of this six-episode series.

Wealthy US expats live a seeming life of luxury in 2014 Hong Kong with live-in servants, personal drivers, fabulous apartments, extravagant parties, and unlimited funds. What could go wrong? Cheating spouses abound in a city where rich males are treated like princes and women are always available to satisfy them. Bitchy mothers pop up like mosquitos to aggravate the women and to pick at old wounds. Meanwhile the wealthy women feel unappreciated and trapped in their confined gender roles.

Unexpected tragedy strikes and a mother lashes out in anger. But the tragedy is never resolved, and the characters must learn to live with pain, guilt, and loneliness.

The saving grace of this series is the complex interaction between the rich expats and their imported servants from third world countries.

A feminist Frankenstein movie that is unrelentingly unpleasant and drags through its two plus hour run time. It's a movie that beats an idea to death, resurrects it, and then beats it to death again.

Emma Stone evolves from a petulant child who has an addiction to masturbation, to a young woman who has an addiction to intercourse, to a woman who relishes abusive sex with strangers. Emma does a bang-up job simulating orgasm both solo and with dozens of partners. But it becomes tedious after the twelfth time.

The sole surprise plot twist comes near the end, and even this quickly devolves into a feminist trope. "The man considers a woman his property and wants to control her." This story line used told three different times in the same movie. I got it the first two times.

The photography is extensively filmed with a fish-eye lens. Annoyingly, exterior shots of streets and buildings are all configured in the same fashion with just different colors and minor external details to distinguish between one city and the next.

I couldn't wait to leave the theater and have a stiff drink.

School Spirits is an eight episode limited series with an attractive and talented young cast. However, the lack of internal logic on this show was driving me mad.

A teacher stole funds by recycling old band uniforms. How on earth did the band members not realize that these uniforms were exactly the same as their old ones except for the patch? The ghost students can move objects such as books and chairs. How come no living person ever notices? Why are the ghost students driving around in an electric golf cart? Is it a real or ghostly cart? Why are the ghost eating and tasting food? Do they digest and excrete it later? Why are they lighting candles are burning a vegetable during an anti-seance without anyone smelling it? Who are those two nameless students in the teacher's circle who never speak or do anything? Why are the ghost painting a homecoming banner and making decorations? The ghosts select outfits from drama department wardrobe to wear to the dance. Are there empty dresses and suits floating around during homecoming? The ghosts can get locked in a fallout shelter? The ghosts are they sitting in a circle of chairs. Real or imagined?

A small town high school filled with dead students moving things around. Why doesn't anyone suspect that it is haunted or cursed? And just before the main character is 'killed' why can she hear the voices of Janet and the teacher arguing before her 'death"?

Ultimately, a very unsatisfying series with one red herring suspect featured and then exonerated in multiple episodes.

Tedious, repetitive, derivative, boring, and filled with stereotypes. I found everything about this movie to be awful. "Swept Away" meets "Lord of the Flies" with large doses of posturing about economic class and stale lecturing about sexual politics.

Every scene lasts too long, and sight gags are repeated endlessly.

How many times do I need to see someone throwing up? I got the point after the first five or six times. It gives a new meaning to ad nauseam.

Woody Harrelson plays a typical Woody Harrelson winking at the camera character, but he must have really needed some money to appear in this stinker. I hope he bought something nice with it.

Want to see an interesting take on the trivial problems of bored rich people? Watch "The White Lotus"

My wife rented this movie because of its great cast. Always intelligent Julianne Moore, veteran Roy Schneider, Blythe Danner, Hope Davis, and Noah Wylie.

Yes, you get to see Julianne Moore convincingly breakdown into tears as she does in so many of her films.

Great movies often don't explain all the details of the plot or the character's motivations. They leave the viewer to use their own imaginations to fill in the space. However, in this movie the viewer is left with a Grand Canyon of missing motivations.

Why is Julianne Moore so bitter and caustic? Why is her boyfriend attracted to her other than frequent sex? What in the world is wrong with the relationship between the father and the mother? She claims to still love him even after. After what? Does the father have dementia? And is Moore showing early signs of the same disease? Why does Julianne Moore's kindergarten friend act like a doofus but with a photographic memory for an obscure (and totally fictional) tragic novel about bunnies? Does Moore's boyfriend get more than a foot rub from her perky younger sister? And why are the beds so tiny in this enormous New England home?

My favorite scene is where a split screen reveals the father watching a home movie of a happy childhood birthday party while silently wallowing in regret. Bravo!

The answer for several characters in this movie is to just get up and walk away from this dysfunctional family. I felt the same way.

This is a cautionary tale of an upper middle class couple whose life is going down the toilet. The husband Michelle has been forced out of his successful business by his partners but keeps the secret from his wife. Unaware, she continues to work with passion toward her degree in art. He throws an extravagant surprise birthday party for her, and this will be the last day of happiness for both of them.

He drops the bombshell the next morning: I haven't worked for two months, we need to sell cancel our vacation to Asia, let go of the maid, sell our sailboat, and move to a smaller and more affordable place.

Like a dinosaur unable to deal with a climate change, the husband pretends with friends and his daughter that everything is fine. He passes up an opportunity for a meaningful but lower paying management position and sinks into depression as he is forced to accept entry level and temporary jobs. Meanwhile, his wife is trying her best to make this miserable situation work.

A strong but relentlessly grim movie to watch as the couples lives crumble around them. The beautiful city of Genoa has never looked worse as we are immersed in back alleys and scenes of industrial sprawl.

Michelle Yeoh does an admirable job of displaying dozens of different emotions in the multiple personas of the same character in this movie. Unfortunately, most are shown in disjointed snippets as the film speeds through high speed transitions.

I actually had trouble staying awake while watching this film because of the sensory overload of too many images changing rapidly.

Frankly, I think that employing a multi-universe is lazy storytelling. Need a special skill escape to danger? Just tap into a version of yourself in an alternative universe and utilize in your current situation.

The hot dog finger universe was funny for a few seconds but required a massive suspension of disbelief. Who, exactly, built that piano with their non-functional hotdog fingers?

The movie slows down and becomes emotional and poignant at the end. It was a satisfying conclusion.

There are individual moments of brilliance in this movie: the high energy dancing, Ariana DuBose's fiery performance as Anita, Rita Moreno's poignant rendition of Somewhere, excellent cinematography by Spielberg, and hearing the iconic music of Leonard Bernstein and the clever lyrics by Steven Sondheim again.

But watching this movie is like reading your favorite book for the third time. You know the plot and enjoy revisiting your favorite characters. You can catch minor details that you missed the first time. And you get to see the interactions between minor characters in a new light.

But you are not surprised or shocked by the ending. The only pleasure is discovering nuances in the dialogue and the echos of Shakespeare's classic play.

I am glad that I saw this movie, but once is enough for me.

Cyrano is the story of a gifted man who views himself as unworthy of the love of a beautiful woman because of his physical deformity. It is a timeless tale of love, regret, and deception. The original play was written in 1897 so don't expect any plot surprises here.

Peter Dinklage is an incredible and expressive actor and uses his stature as Cyrano's deformity instead of the size of his nose. This was a brilliant move in both the play and in the film.

This is a musical. The actors all sang their parts live and without auto-tune. That means that you get to hear Dinklage's real voice with all its emotion and with all of its flaws. He is not an opera singer. Nor are the other actors.

If you are used to musicals filled with beautiful people with perfect voices, this is not the movie for you. If you can accept the reality of a live performance with all of its flaws, you will appreciate this film.

Do you want to watch some Oscar winners collecting a paycheck while reciting bad dialogue? This is the movie for you.

You will probably shout at the screen "Oh come one, now!" multiple times when confronting the stupid and unbelievable actions of the main characters.

Let's pretend that we are still marrried, so I don't have to tell my adopted son's mother about our divorce. I can still have amazing sex with my ex. My 30 year old son is a medical doctor and an virgin. I cheated with my neighbor's husband but that's okay because she's a closeted lesbian. My ex and my current lover are still best friends. My future in-laws are bigots and white collar criminals. A visiting foreigner is desperate to get laid in America. Let's pretend to speak Spanish by using exaggerated arm gestures and phony words. Our local priest is alternately judgmental and tolerant. The husband's lover pretends to be the wedding caterer and a waitress so she can unleash zingers.

Katherine Heigl looks cute and does a fine job with her cliche lines. The Oscar winners all look tired and are just going through the motions.

Don't expect nose-snorting comedy in this show, instead be prepared for amused smiles as you appreciate the nods to all the cliches and unbelievable plot devices from murder mysteries. Specifically, the genre of a flawed woman who witnesses a crime and no one believes her story. Was it just her imagination or is she being gas-lighted?

I laughed out at the totally inappropriate death during the 'bring your daughter to work day", the naked suspected killer explaining how to cook a French omelet while wearing just an apron, and the inexplicable ninja level violence with a young girl.

The dialogue is deliberately stiff, supporting characters are one-dimensional, rain falls on cue, the heroine drinks wine by the bottle without getting drunk, the handyman never finishes an apparently simple task, tomb stones change, and the plot holes are never filled.

Enjoyable to watch if you accept the premise of "it's so stupid that it's funny."

Darlene, the Navarro drug cartel, the KC mob, the Senator from Illinois, the female CEO of Shaw Drugs, Jim the lawyer, the FBI director and his assistant, Ruth Langmore, and the entire Byrde family: there is not a sympathetic or honest person in the bunch. Even the Bryde's teen-aged children are becoming corrupted by drug money.

Wendy has become the scariest woman on television. She is alternatively hostile, aggressive, concerned, lying, bitter, protective, remorseful, conniving, and vengeful. All while disguising her true intensions with a false smile and a cheerful voice. Laura Linney does a brilliant job playing this complex character.

I would want a single one of these people as a friend. Yet, I am compelled to invite them into my home.

This movie switches gears like a Corvette. World War II bomber mission, sexual harassment, a secret cargo, a woman with hidden talents, a crew-killing monster, spousal abuse, insubordination, a dogfight with Japanese Zeros, racial bigotry, reconciliation, and a kick-ass angry woman who instantly becomes soft and cuddly.

Don't try to analyze this, because it doesn't make sense. Just sit back and enjoy the show.

This is an excellent program that we enjoyed watching because it showed some of the less touristy neighborhoods in Rome. And I appreciate that Mr Tucci is able to converse in Italian with his subjects.

However, there was definitely some 'self-censorship" going on when Stanley was in one kitchen with two chefs. Speaking Italian, Tucci commented that he has an Italian profile like Il Duce, that is like Mussolini. "Il Duce" was translated into English subtitles "like Julius Caesar". I laughed out loud and had to rewind to ensure that I heard it correctly.

Stanley, you got it right the first time.

The limited series Brand New Cherry Flavor is filled with scenes and images that are not explained nor logical, including the title. You can drive a truck through the plot holes and inconsistencies but just sit back and let the images amaze you.

Rosa Salazar does a great job as the alternately tough, naïve, and foolish young film director looking for revenge. Her character makes stupid mistakes and assumptions that drive her deeper into an out of control situation. But Eric Lange steals the show as a narcissistic and immoral movie director desperate for a hit to revive his failing career. His explanation for the differences between a "promise" and an "agreement" in Hollywood is priceless. Catherine Keener is appropriately mysterious as the spiritual guide and witch who never reveals the whole truth about her agreements or her potions.

One insanely creative sex scene gives new meaning to the phrase "I want you inside me" and left me cringing in disbelief. And those adorable new born kittens just keep popping up.

Nearly everyone is dead by the time of the bloody ending, but still leaves room for a sequel.

Every character in this movie is unhappy, lying, unfaithful, addicted to sex, self-destructive, and they all want MORE. Powerfully written and extremely well acted, you will cringe at the brutal dialogue and the tragic behavior of these four people. It's like watching an opera where you just know that there will be no happy ending.

Speaking of opera, there was also a very clever use of opera in this movie. Some of the arias were from Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutti which roughly translates to "something that all women do". A story of two husbands who scheme to test their wives fidelity, and then are shocked to find that women cheat as much as men.

As some points in this movie , you may slap your head and say "Whoa, now they're doing what??" Don't try to justify the character's behaviors: just sit back and be amazed by this emotional roller-coaster.

My wife and I laughed out multiple times at the sharp and cutting sarcastic dialogue in this movie.

Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves play two hopelessly acerbic people who are separately invited to attend a wedding in San Luis Obispo. They proceed to pass judgement and make snide remarks about every person they encounter including each other and themselves. They eventually form a couple.

It is polar opposite of the "Before Sunrise" movie. Two strangers meet, then talk and talk about their lives and beliefs before becoming intimate. But with flawed and cynical people instead of an attractive young couple.

The relationship between Frank and Lindsay is doomed because their only connection is their disgust with the rest of the world. I can imagine the sequel being modeled after "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" with two co-dependent people endlessly bickering.

Why they are flying on Mokulele Airlines , a small inter-Hawaiian island carrier, while never leaving California is left to your imagination.

What in the wide, wide world of sports was Sandy Bullock thinking when she created this persona for her character? An annoying non-stop talker with no filter between her brain and her mouth, a perpetual and creepy smile, and who is stalking the man of her dreams. Imagine Dustin Hoffman's Rain Man as a cheerful woman who creates crossword puzzles. Bullock was the co-producer of this film, so perhaps no one on the set was willing to confront this woeful and over-the-top acting choice. Razzie well deserved.

However, the parody of the egos, the fatuous reporting, and the false sincerity of TV news reporters is immensely entertaining. Thomas Haden Church steals every scene with his portrayal of a handsome but dumb reporter with a deep voice.

First the bad news. Hayden Christensen is a good looking but life-less actor and there is no chemistry between him and the expressive Emma Roberts. Andrea Martin plays her role as the grandmother as if she was during a skit from SCTV. The stereotypes (Italian, Indian, and British) are numerous and cringe-worthy and no Italian neighborhood has ever looked like this outside of a Hollywood set. You've seen this plot a dozen times before and you can predict every turn of events.

The good news. The dialogue is witty and has a number genuine laughs and surprises. The faux-Italian bar owner, the erotic themed Indian restaurant, the female police officer copping a feel, the middle aged mommas, and the sexual innuendoes were all extremely well done.

Great stress relief i.

When I first starting watching Inheritance, my first impression was the director made a terrible choice in selecting Lily Collins as the lead. Ms Collins is just over 30 years old and looks to be in her 20s. There is just no way that a woman this young could be a DA for New York City. Then she makes naïve and foolish choices when dealing with her family secret.

But upon reflection, I realize that Ms Collins was chosen BECAUSE she is too young. There was no way that she could have ever risen so high and so fast into this office without her wealthy father paying off people along the way. All without her knowledge. Likewise, her younger brother (perhaps at age 28) is running for his second term in Congress. This means that he would have been first elected as one of the youngest members of Congress in modern history. Again, implausible unless the wealthy dad was buying influence every step along the way. In contrast, the brother knew about the money and it was part of his re-election strategy.

Simon Peg was almost unrecognizable in his role as the family secret. Yes, he overplayed his role but that was a deliberate strategy to gain the sympathy of the lead character. As yes, he was more than a little crazed at the end but that behavior was not unbelievable for someone under his circumstances.

The big plot hole is why the egotistical and ruthless father would chose to keep this secret for 30 years. Why take this chance unless the father was addicted to risky behavior and having absolute control over other people? This should have been explored more.

The other implausible thing was Simon Pegg's suit. How in earth did he get a perfectly fitting designer suit under the circumstances?

You can tell this script was written by non-engineers and the mistakes were annoying to watch. As pointed out by numerous others, how in the world could someone "accidently" get trapped in the ceiling of a space ship just prior to launch? And where's the back-up life support system on a two year mission to Mars?

Second, those solar panels were pretty darn small to power such a large vessel.

Third, when the astronaut was going to refill the small oxygen tanks from residues in the main rocket, she commented that 'we need to be at 250psi in order to fill one" and it was implied that 500psi was enough to fill two. This makes no sense assuming a large fuel tank on the rocket. And how could there be such a high pressure in an unheated tank in the deep cold of space? PV=nRT, people.

Frankly, I was expecting the stowaway to be actually a villain planted there by the corporation. Perhaps the backup CDRA was removed to make room for a stowaway? And are you buying perky Anna Kendrick as a highly trained doctor/astronaut? And why didn't the captain just ask the stowaway to ' go check out the airlock' or accidently give him an overdose of pain killers?

The nines is divided into 3 parts. The first is compelling because it is mysterious and some secret is being hidden from both the view and from the protagonist. The second is disruptive because the same actors now have different lives and conflicts. However, the story line is designed to shock and disgust you about the double dealing, lying, and manipulation that occurs in Hollywood and the television industry. By the time you get to the third segment seeing the same actors again as yet new characters, you ask yourself "so when are we going to get to the big reveal that ties all these stories together?"

It is never a good sign when I just want a movie to just be over. The climax and the connection between the stories was a frankly sophomoric bit of philosophy that the screenwriter probably thought was deep and insightful. I was relieved when the final credits started to roll, but I was left puzzled by why I had I chosen to watch this unsatisfying film.

This movie is smart enough to have the characters live in the same world and actually seen the same movies as the audience. So when the young teenager Mark is reliving the same day over and over again, he comments "this is just like Groundhog's Day." And when Mark describes his temporal abnormality to his video game addicted friend, the friend replies "Oh, you mean just like Edge of Tomorrow".

Mark eventually encounters a teenage girl who shares the same temporal abnormality as him. And together they begin to discover and catalogue all the 'perfect little things' that happen repetitively every day in their small town. And predictably, Mark begins to fall in love with the only person who shares his life and experiences. Then there is an interesting plot twist played on both Mark and the audience near the end of the film.

This is an entertaining take on a well-worn theme and the two young actors do a great job.

I was in awe for about 30 minutes with the action and non-computer generated special effects. The 747 crashing into the building is amazing. But then I got a headache trying to follow the plot. Finally, I just gave up and watched the action.

A great action sequence at the end in a battle with forces moving forward in time accompanied by others moving backward in time attacking the same target.

Next time I need to see it with subtitles because the dialogue is muddled even in a real movie theatre with high volume sound.

Definitively a challenging film to watch. And I DO want to see it again

Apparently, there is an endless supply of disposable bad guys chasing the six protagonists of this movie. Note I didn't write "heroes" because a group trying to 'make the world a better place' by killing hundreds of people in the process is an juvenile idea. The cliché of bad guys never hitting a target while the protagonist is an incredibly accurate shot is used over and over again. Bad guys pop up and then get blown away by the dozens like in a video game. Who cleaned up this mess afterwards? I really enjoyed the neon green Alfa being chased through the streets of Florence for about 5 minutes. But how many cars were chasing them? As soon as two bad guys crashed they were replaced by another two. Then again. Then again. and then again. Ryan Reynolds gets off more than a few humorous lines by voicing quotes from other movies. But the senseless violence, including a poison gas attack on a village left me shaking my head. A terrible movie.