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Reviews
The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)
Great movie, even though...
The story itself is based on a true event. There were two man eating lions who randomly attacked the crew tasked to build a railway in Africa. The Army engineer tasked to build the bridge was named Patterson, and in fact he did hunt down and kill both lions. They are still on display at the Field Museum in Chicago. I've seen them there several times.
What is made up is everything else, including the main billed character Remington. But since Michael Douglas produced the movie he sure wasn't going to let anyone else overshadow him. He over acts in places, but is generally good. Val Kilmer has much more screen time and plays his part with much more subtlety. His performance was really excellent.
But honestly, even though the movie takes liberties with the truth, it is a wonderful action movie, filled with the gamut of emotions from visceral fear, to exhausted relief. You feel like you are in the camp, on the hunt, and fighting for your life along with the characters. I was exhausted when it ended and I've watched it many times.
If you are looking for a great action movie this is a really good one, with the added bonus that it's based on the truth. I would have given it 10 stars but for the Remington character.
Mapp & Lucia (2014)
A try, but not a hit.
Not nearly as good as the original! It lacked the delicious catty styling and the pettiness that made the original hilarious. Miranda Richardson is just not as good in the part of Miss Mapp as Prunella Scales was, even though she obviously is trying to copy her style. The interior designs of the houses are awful as well. The rest of the cast is also dull by comparison to the originals.
Mommie Dearest (1981)
One of the saddest stories I've ever seen.
Having read most of the reviews I really expected some terribly acted, campy cult flick. What I got is one of the saddest movies I've ever seen. I've never been a fan of Joan Crawford. Just about the only movie of hers I've ever liked was Mildred Pierce. I've always gotten a bad vibe from her. She seemed hard and cold. This movie just justified my feeling.
I remember the publicity when the book and movie came out. I didn't read the book and didn't watch the movie until today. It is gut wrenching. The story is so well known I don't have to go over it. The is as much Joan's story as it is Christina's and each one is flawed. But Joan was an adult her mental and physical cruelty to Christina is inexcusable. Fay Dunaway did a really wonderful job. Why this ruined her career is beyond me. Christina is more complex as a character and both actresses did a fine job. Neither character is portrayed as blameless and that is why the story is so complex. They are both so very flawed.
The end is just another kick in the gut, the final cruelty in a lifetime of cruelties, and the look in Christina's eyes as the camera fades out is chilling. I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would laugh at anything in this movie or call it campy. I have no idea why Ms. Dunaway refuses to talk about it, or why it ruined her career. She did a helluva job.
This is hard to watch but is worth the time.
Black Narcissus (2020)
As compared to the movie
As it happens I love the movie version with Deborah Kerr. I hesitated to watch this new version because I didn't think anyone could do better. I was wrong. I'd be hard pressed to pick the better version. The acting was superb, the story didn't move off in a different direction, as so often happens with a remake, and even though I know what happens on that bell tower I was still at the edge of my chair. This is excellent and I will watch it again.
Tammy and the T-Rex (1994)
OMG! Fun.
This is cheesy horror at its best, or should I say worse! This is hilariously good and bad. Watch it, for sure.
Emma. (2020)
Zero stars!
I'm fifteen minutes in and I can firmly say this is the WORST adaptation of a Jane Austen book EVER! Emma played by Anya Taylor-Joy is a caricature. She's overly made up, looks bored, and for God's sake where in the book is the scene of her pulling up her dress and putting her bare backside up to the fire?!!!!!
Wherever they found this cast is where they ought to deposit them back! Not only should I get my money back, they should pay for the psychiatric therapy I'm going to need after seeing such bad acting!
Don't waste your precious time on this travesty!
Zero stars!
The Great Sinner (1949)
Cast vs. Story
What a stellar cast. I expected so much from this film. It's got beautiful people, gorgeous costumes, an interesting story, great cinematography, good acting, but preachy/ infinitely clumsy at times dialogue. It is amazing to me that this picture can have so much going for it but still dissapoint. It is way too preachy. It could have been great except for the dialogue.
Grant (2020)
Well worth your time
I didn't have a lot of expectations going into this, but I hoped since the History Channel was showing it the content would be factual. It is, and much more, it is interesting, compelling, and uses both modern actors and period photos. I am do impressed I've ordered the Chernow biography of Grant. Grant seems to have been born for the task of saving the nation. He went to West Point with most of the other high ranking officers on both sides and had the ability to know what they would do and effectively counter it. He not only fought the war, he also fought the incompetence of his superior officers, and his erroneous reputation as being an alcoholic. This miniseries does an excellent job of dealing with all aspects of his life, in a very short 3 parts. It could easily have been double and I would have watched it. I highly recommend it.
Barkskins (2020)
Can't see a thing!
Just watched the first 2 episodes of Barkskins. The story is interesting, the acting really good. The problem, and it's a big one, is that everything is so dark, as in not enough light, I barely know who is doing what! I can't even identify the characters a lot of the time. I get there was no electricity, and the forest at night is dark, inside houses is dark, candles were expensive, seldom used, and offered little light, but cinema veritas only goes so far. If I can't see the actors, or the sets, or the action, what good is it? This could have been outstanding, instead it's annoying as hell.
The Snowman (2017)
What's all the fuss about?
I stumbled upon this movie by accident but as I love thrillers I watched. I was shocked to see such terrible reviews but I think I know why. Once someone pans a movie everyone else doesn't want to be seen as so unsophisticated as to disagree. I disagree. Is this the best thriller I've ever seen? No. Is it the worst? Also no. Many of the criticisms are somewhat true IMHO, but many are just silly. Really? The music intrusive? If you think about it ALL movie music is intrusive. When was the last time there was music in the background of you life? Movie music sets the mood and the music in The Snowman did it just right.
The action disjointed. I can agree with that to a degree, which is why it's not a 10. Val Kilmer's dubbed voice. My question is not why his voice was dubbed because it has been explained by other commenters. My question is why either he didn't back out because of his cancer treatment, or why they cast him in the first place because he obviously was ill. The silliest criticism I read was the one about why the actors all had British accents. Well it's probably because they were largely British. If the movie had been cast with all American actors the accent would have been American. Did the critics expect everyone to try a Norwegian accent? Then I'm sure that would have been criticized. Have any of you watched Wallander? Maybe not.
I thought the movie had flaws, some large, but at the end I liked it more than disliked it. I don't care if the director, or critics don't. Would I recommend it? Yes, to those who like thrillers. In the end I think viewers know pretty quickly if they want to continue watching a movie or not. If you didn't like it but continued to watch you probably didn't hate it as much as you said. Give this movie a try. Turn it off if you hate it.