Reviews

I pay attention to this stuff and saw nothing leading me to think this would be coming to HBOMax. I channel surfed there today and was shocked and delighted to find it Don't know who's bright idea it was too open this film the same day as "Spider-Man : No Way Home," but what a mistake that was. The original is one of my all time favourites; Im a huge fan of both Del Toro and Cooper plus i was looking forward to seeing this since it went into production yet EVEN I chose to go see S:NWH. (Theres nothing like seeing an MCU film on opening night.) That being said, what a stunning movie this is. Del Toro is a true master, you just don't see this kind of directing nowadays. We're talking Kubrick...Coppola...Douglas Sirk where every frame is just absolutely gorgeous but yet never losing focus on the characters and the script. Making sure that just as much attention is paid to character development as is paid to character placement. Not an easy task. Both Ridley Scott and Terrance Malick have delivered some really beautiful motion pictures but often, it seems, at the expense of their characters...movies that look beautiful but have no heart. You just don't care about the people on screen. There are very few at the level Del Toro has achieved. Villenueve is the only contemporary i can think of who even comes close. But i digress, theres just nothing like it though, the scenes at the carnival with a brassy sheen and a slight green tint...amazing to look at. I felt like i was looking at a movie from the 1930s or 40s.

Even more then the look, Del Toro and Cooper manage to somehow make you care about the destiny of a man you shouldn't like at all. A liar, a murderer, a huckster, a small time thief who you should, in no way, care about at all. Yet they are able to bring a pathos to him that reels you in and keeps on the edge of your seat for the two and a half hour run time.

As brilliant as Del Toro and Bradley Cooper are i have to point out that they have surrounded themselves with equally accomplished peers both in front of and behind the camera: Del Toro regular Ron Perlman is here along with fascinating turns from Willem Dafoe (a small role that you want to see more of,) Cate Blanchet, David Straitham and Rooney Mara along with cinematographer Dan Laustsen and a couple of very cool cameos from Mary Steenburgen and Tim Blake Nelson. All have out done themselves here and should receive nominations.

Both Bradley Cooper and director Guilermo Del Toro continue to up their game with every release. A case for either being the top of their respective fields could easily be made and i hope the ailing box office doesn't dissuade them from working together in the future. Unfortunatly the pandemic, Spider-Man and a movie whose storyline is not exactly a "feel good holiday film" were elements which prevented this movie from finding its audience. But this is an incredible movie, one of the best, if not THE BEST of the year and i can't recommend it enough I'm tempted to change my rating to a ten and i still might. I just like to wait a day or two before i give that out.

Highly, strongly recommended.

But i didn't want to watch anything "heavy" or taxing. I didn't even want anything attention demanding. So i ended up here and ya know what? There are worse things then spending a couple of hours with Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek. These three seemed to be having a ball and i ended up having a pretty good time myself. Don't ask me what the or was, i couldn't tell you so... No spoilers. But what i can tell you is these three could probably sit in a room and read a phone book and it would be hilarious. It's a pretty good romp. And, my God...Salma Hayek can not only hold her own with these two seasoned wise asses but she is still absolutely stunning. Hollywood should wake up, though, and put her in more comedies because she is very funny.

It's a good time.

Your seat. Never boring, really builds momentum as it moves along. A few recent shows I've watched just kind of petered out towards the end of, worse, lose their focus after the first couple of episodes. Not a problem with this slow burn suspence series as I found myself more involved as the show progressed. I enjoy it when i don't know what's going to happen next... There are quite a few unexpected twists and turns along the way and they stick the landing fairly well.

The lead actor, Mamoudou Athie, really sells the show. He's excellent and i imagine we'll be seeing more and bigger things from him in the future.

Jumps the shark a little towards the end (but just a little) but, all in all, pretty good and pretty scary.

First of let me say I am NOT a fan of Frank Herbert's books so I was not overly interested in seeing this. That being said, I'm extremely glad I did; this is grand, epic film making the lines of which I haven't seen in some time.

This is a fantastic film, the two and a half hours flew by and I was really upset that the movie was coming to a close because I didn't want to leave this experience.

Really fantastic.

I'm really shocked that they have been able to bring the comic to life as well as they have. The comic is an off the wall, abstract cult book with an emphasis on the drama between the main characters, psychedelic, introspective villains like the brotherhood of dada who often engage in psychological conflict rather then physical ...and so is the show!!

The series takes real chances with clever writing and that never talks down to it's audience. The direction and acting are all top notch.

Well worth your time.

...an adult drama.

You just don't see this kind of movie in theaters anymore. Incredible acting makes this well worth seeing. Damon plays against type as a roughneck looking to free his daughter from a Paris prison.

Not an action movie but a deliberately paced drama, this is not Jason Bourne.

This was what a summer movie is all about; put your brain on hold and just enjoy the ride and the laughs. What I really liked and what really surprised here was the way they totally leaned into the sheer ridiculousness of it all.

There's not even an effort to be realistic here. At this point the cast and crew are as aware as the audience of how absurd these movies have become so in this one they just say "To hell with it" and just go for it. There are Meta jokes , fieros in space and no one where's seat belts except for Ramsey, which is a meta joke itself.

By dropping the seriousness the crew ends up leaning into the fun of the whole thing. And that's what F9 is ...a lot of fun. I laughed all the way thru. A good time.

And Tommy Lee Jones and Heather Graham could basically stand on stage and read the phone book and maybe it interesting.

The writing is unfocused and they completely lose the third act. With a running time of 93 minutes I'd hazard a guess that a significant chunk of backstory and plot has been removed. It's kind of obvious.

This is also due to Aaron Eckhart whose acting style is, well, let's just say he's never learned how to be subtle. Ever since "The Dark Knight" he's kept it dialed all the way to ELEVEN. He's so inconsistent, even scene to scene.

It makes the one big mistake no horror show should ever make... It gets boring. And it gets boring because you never care about the characters. That's bad writing. I'm a huge Jonathan Majors fan too, so I was really wanting to like this but there's only so much even he can do.

Disappointment.

I stumbled across this show by accident, having not heard anything about it and I've got to say I haven't seen anything like this before. It's totally original. I don't know if it can succeed in the long run but as it stands now it's an incredibly risky And bold swing. The creators should be applauded just for attempting such an original concept. The writing and acting are all top notch but the characters are all so unlikable that it .

Would be a really difficult watch in the long haul.

That being said, I'm desperately looking forward to the next episode.

Got my Criterion Collection version today and re-watched this great film for the first time in a very long time. It was amazing to me how relevant this 30 year old film is in this post George Floyd world. Was Spike Lee so far ahead of his time or has nothing really changed in 30 years? Unfortunately I think it's more of the later then the former but it doesn't make this movie any less of a masterpiece. Excellent.

A really mis-understood film, Altman brings to life the incredible Fliescher Studio cartoons of the 1930s & 40s. Widely considered some of the greatest cartoons ever made (and rightly so) the Popeye in those cartoons was hilarious, mumbling wiseass, sarcastic and, often, risque comments under his breath; the type of cartoons that kid can enjoy but adults will get a whole different level of humor from. Wickedly clever stuff, years ahead of it's time, with Olive Oyl often matching Popeye comment for comment. (Years later both characters would be lobotomized and cleaned up for Saturday morning cartoons along with Bluto being renamed Brutus.) Anyway, the original Popeye cartoons and Thimble Theater comic strips were filled with hilarity, adventure and great characters. Long before CGI Altman brings that whole world to life. His direction and Williams and Duvalls performances are amazing and hilarious. I've recently upgraded my review from 7 to 9 stars due the the new widescreen blu-ray release. It's phenomenal. Enjoy.

Really good action film with a different premise, good characterizations, excellent action scenes and an unpredictable storyline. I never knew where it was going and was surprised when we got there. Think along the lines of "District 13" and "Lucy."

I am a huge fan of the original series which aired on the UK's Channel 4 quite a few years ago. The original consisted of two series of 6 episodes each and is one of my favorite shows of all time. It was packed with paranoia, twists, theories, creepiness and a lot of fun although the second series was some what muddled and left the story hanging. When it was surprisingly cancelled after the second series (I think it was budget related) I was extremely disappointed and shocked. "Utopia" had actually developed quite a cult following worldwide so the cancellation was a surprise and yet weird immediately spread of a pick up by another Network. HBO and Showtime were both suppose to be interested then it turned out that David Fincher (yes, THE David Fincher) was also a fan and was interested in adapting it. A deal was struck between HBO, Fincher and Gillian Flynn (another fan of the original) and production of a new series seemed to be a shoe-in when words of "budget problems" leaked out. Fincher and HBO could not reach an agreement and things quickly fell apart. A huge disappointment for fans all over, I mean who better to save this series then Fincher and HBO?It was just too good and the anticipation was huge. This was all right before the big "streaming revolution" and one of the first big projects listed by Amazon was the remake of "Utopia," and though Fincher was no longer attached it still had Flynn who would now act as show runner with original creator Dennis Kelley attached as executive producer. It's been a long time coming but it's finally here. So, how's does it fare? Well... It's ok. The original had an almost "let's put on a show" type vibe. It seemed to have been created while the suits were busy elsewhere, like something that came on in the middle of the afternoon while no one was paying attention. I suspect this is why there are so many negative reviews, not because the show is bad (it isn't) but because there is a fierce "protectiveness" that has built up around the original, a "this is ours and you cannot have it" of almost mythic proportions. The original was definitely lightening in a bottle and as the saying goes "lightening never strikes in the same place twice." But I really want to judge this on it's own merits. I'm only three episodes in and I can tell you its slower, the characters not as endearing or intriguing. Of the three who really shined in the original, Arby, Wilson Wilson and Jessica Hyde only Wilson Wilson stands out so far with Arby a shadow of his former self, lacking sympathy and doubt, and Jessica woefully miscast, where the original was distant and commanding this one is shrill and manic. But both Cusack and Rainn Wilson bring a spotlight to their characters so we'll see where this goes. So far it's a six but the jury is still out and I'm going to watch all eight before I make a final judgement. I'll be back.

Originally writer, director was fired for to past legal (domestic violence) problems. The director brought in to replace him, Tate Taylor, is the director from "The Help." A good director but not really known for his action films, lol. Then the movie studio decided to change the name of the film AND the title character from "Eve" to "Ava" which resulted in a lot of re-shoots, dubs and cuts. Kind of a mess. BUT the three lead actors here, Chastain, Malkovich and Farrell, could basically stand around reading the back of a cereal box and it would be a dramatic and entertaining evening. AND IT IS!! Don't pay to much attention to the plot or the mechanics and you'll be just fine. With Geena Davis, Common and Joan Chen throw in for good measure because, yeah, why not.

Just re-watched this excellent film... What a great movie. 15 years later it's even more relevant then when it first came out. Scary in a lot of ways.. Fantastic. I also get a huge chuckle out of all the religious fanatics giving it bad reviews. Very funny reviews that have nothing to do with the actual movie. Lol.

Originally I was really looking forward to Perry Mason and stayed watching this just because it was on afterwards. I still like Perry Mason but this, THIS is THE SHOW. What a fantastic job has been done with this...I find myself on the edge of my seat with each episode and then anxiously awaiting the next week's chapter. The show concerns author Michelle McNamara and her investigation into the Golden State Killer. What started as a "hobby" for her eventually leads to a book deal but there are several surprising twists and turns along the way. Everything from the show theme song (Please release a recording of it!!) to the narration is so incredibly well done. I should probably give this Ten Stars but I try never to do that. (One weird side note: I noticed a bunch of negative reviews but they all seen to be written by the same person with some kind of grudge... Really bizarre.) I cannot recommend this more highly.

This is not the slow, stilted, boring show from the sixties. Instead HBO gives us a sumptuous, dark, tense mystery filled with terrific actors. It's really an incredibly well done call back to the film noir of the 40s and 50s. Top notch stuff. Excellent.

After seeing the disturbing trailer for this Sci-Fi/Horror/Satire in November of last year I was really looking forward to catching this latest Jesse Eisenberg film as soon as it opened . Though it doesn't quite live up to my expectations it is still highly recommended just on sheer originality alone. Eisenberg is always terrific in just about everything he does but it seems that he really rises to the top of his game when the material challenges him and his audience. I really like some of his more "out there" type of movies with a few being some of his most underrated but also being some of my all time favorite movies ( The Double, America Ultra.) Eisenberg and Imogen Poots bring their A Game to what is basically a two man horror show with some big laughs and some even bigger scares. Tight direction and amazing set design but at 97 minutes it's about a half an hour too long. It's a good and very different movie, still highly recommended but it would have made an outstanding episode of Black Mirror or Jordan Peele's new Twilight Zone.

Jason Segal is one of the most fascinating "creatives" in the entertainment industry. He is constantly re-inventing himself and his career, from "Freeks & Geeks" to "How I met your mother," from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" to re-inventing The Muppets. This is his latest, a limited series based on a mysterious ARG that popped up in San Francisco a few years back (and then, just as mysteriously disappeared.) It's anything but safe. It's funny, clever, disturbing and very addictive. It's anything but boring, concerning 4 people who find themselves caught up in a strange company by the name of The Jejune Institute. A company which may or may not be real and may or may not contain the answers we all seek. Starting created, directed and written by Segal. Co-starring Sally Field, Richard E. Grant and Andre Benjamin (3000). Really interesting, highly recommended.

When this movie first came out no one liked it except my brother and I. And we couldn't get enough of it. Chris Elliot and Adam Resnick ( director, screenwriter) were so far ahead of their time with both this movie and the Fox series "Get A Life" it's amazing either got made at all. Really smart, funny, absurd humor but with heart. Kino Lorber has released a special edition Blu-ray of this hilarious movie that looks beautiful and had some terrific commentary and special features. If your a fan, pick it up. Highly recommended.

The original is one of my favorites of all time...I love "Zombieland," never tire of it and although I liked the idea of a sequel I was also ok without one. The sophomore curse is a real thing and if it ain't broke why fix it? Well, good news is the sequel doesn't embarrass itself. There's plenty of laughs, some unexpected shocks and, of course, the original four continue to be one of the greatest casting coups of all time. It's what brought the original to a level of greatness and what keeps this from falling into a black pit of sequelitis. I would really love to see the OG four continue to do more, but different, movies together. Becoming a "Hope & Crosby" or Marx Bros for the new millennium. Chemistry like this is rare and can't be planned or bought. It would be really great to see them do a polical comedy or , better yet, a heist film. (They'll almost achieved this with "Now you see me" but really suffered from the lack of Breslyn and Stone.) What this movie suffers from is that some where between the original and "Venom" director Fliescher forgot how to tell a complete story. "ZDT" is like a series of great ideas strung together. There's no real follow thru storyline just a bunch of funny skits or set pieces hung together. They are all pretty good skits or set pieces but you'd get just as much out of watching this in 10 or 20 minute chunks as you do in watching the whole thing all at once. It's a terrific movie for those who like to text on the phone or play a game while they are watching at home. Fans, like myself, will enjoy catching up with our favorite ensemble of zombie hunters but there could have been so much more meat to it. Now if someone in Hollywood would just smarten up and put these four in another movie together they'd have a guaranteed box office hit. (I wonder if that chemistry would work in drama too) Action, comedy...hell, An action-comedy, GUARANTEED.

So far, so good. I'll do periodic updates throughout this first season... Three episodes in to the first season and the show committees to be laugh out loud funny. Kaley Cuoco is excellent as the title character as is Lake Bell as her bff, Poison Ivy. JB Smoove is also a stand out as Frank the plant. Also very funny are some of the toxic fanboy reviews on here complaining about the "woke" nature of the show. Never mind the fact that this is a satirical cartoon and should not, in any way, be taken seriously but also it's very true to the Harley Quinn comic book which tells the story of Harley leaving the Joker after realizing what a pathetic doormat she's been and heading out on on her own with the help of her friend, Poison Ivy. Almost all of the last 100 issues or so have been written by Amanda Conner. It is an extremely successful comic book, almost always in the top 10 best selling magazines and is often considered DC's answer to Marvel's "Deadpool," with the comic being very satirical, very "Meta" and with Harley occasionally breaking the fourth wall. The show, so far, is very true to the comic book.

Way better then I thought it would be, very funny and very adult. Works on several levels, much better then I thought it would be. Bane is absolutely hysterical. Really makes you wonder what an animated Deadpool by Donald Glover would have been like. I think marvel really screwed up by not greenlighting that one.