Change Your Image
donaldnwolfe-843-383565
Reviews
Amsterdam (2022)
Timely and Funny
I haven't read any other reviews of Amsterdam but I'm surprised that the overall review scores are modest to poor. I think this movie is good enough to be a major award nominee. At the very least, the story is an effective reminder of how a certain misguided form of patriotism needs to be contested at every turn if we Americans intend to remain free. Perhaps the message is delivered in a way that is sometimes too farcical (in a Wes Anderson mode) and at other times too heavy-handed, but it's also beautifully filmed, very well-acted by a robust cast, and occasionally hilarious. I haven't seen many of the films that seem to be targeted for awards this year but based on what I know of them, I'll be surprised if they are appreciably more entertaining and timely than this one.
The English (2022)
Best TV Show of the Year
Lonesome Dove meets Apocalypse Now. If it were up to me, Emily Blunt would be awarded the Best Actress Emmy effective immediately. She is murderously luminescent as a not-entirely-proper English lady bound by circumstances to a stoic, ronin-like Pawnee warrior in the wildest west. The tragic history of native Americans is nakedly exposed without them being romanticized. The violent heart of Euro-America, yesterday and today, is likewise examined with brutal frankness. All this in a literary script of rare quality, rendered in gorgeous colors on a cinematic canvas. Brilliant on every level. I just wish I could have seen it on a big screen.
Morbius (2022)
Underrated
I've never been particularly interested in the Morbius character from Marvel and I was in no hurry to see this film, especially after reading about how poorly-reviewed it was. But, having just watched it, I'm glad I did. It was well-acted, had a relatively solid and unusual plot, and was spiced with effective action sequences and interesting FX. Comic characters, including those in movies, are contemporary counterparts to the gods and heroes of ancient myths. As such, they are all clouded with an air of ridiculousness. Although there are many ridiculous elements to the Morbius story (super strength from vampire bat DNA?), on the whole Morbius's tale is no more absurd than the stories of Thor, Hulk and scores of other comic characters. Suspend literalism and view this movie with a modicum of wonder. It's dark and perhaps a bit too self-serious, but it's also a rollicking ride through vampire fantasy. I recently watched the latest Thor movie, which was well-reviewed, and I'm not sure I liked it any better.
Ms. Marvel (2022)
Unique and Revealing
I've watched about 95% of all the MCU stuff. I wasn't that excited about this entry into the canon but after watching the first 6 episodes, I rate this series as the most informative and genuinely human of all. It's informative specifically about the history of Pakistan and the culture of Pakistani-Americans - two subjects I'd never previously given any thought to. Very interesting and not what I'd expect from a comic book show. It's human in that it digs deeply into family relationships in a way that feels realistic and warm without being too sentimental. If a goal of the producers and writers was to open the minds of Americans about Pakistanis specifically and Muslims in general, I believe they succeeded and hopefully the world is a better place for it. Finally, if you enjoy a solid coming-of-age story, this a good choice.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Very Good - Too Long
I'm not a fan of multiverse plots generally but they did a nice job in this movie of bringing together the disparate Spider-Man movies of past and present and making them all fit in a somewhat rational way. Unfortunately the pacing sputters too often. Some scenes are unnecessarily talky and just drag out too long - a common problem with many movies in recent years. If they had carved out about 20 minutes from the runtime, this would have been much more compelling.
The Expanse (2015)
Fantastic!
I'm about halfway through Season 3, just beyond a major pivot point in the plot. This show has it all - great characters, a complex but relatively clear and sustained plot, beautiful sets - everything. But what really separates it from pretty much every other science fiction series I've seen is that it has intellectual depth. It's a profound study in human behavior both on a common, personal level and on the macro levels of politics, commerce and the military. Science, religion, psychology, philosophy and how they are all interwoven - it's all there in a highly entertaining package. Mystery, surprises, romance, action - nothing is left out. Highly recommend. I'm not sure what show deserves a 10 rating but this is as close as it gets. And it keeps getting better as it goes. Can't wait to see the rest.
The Laundromat (2019)
I Feel Bad for Meryl
As others have noted, this movie is in the vein of The Big Short, which did a great job of explaining, in a comedic way, certain complex financial machinations. By comparison, The Laundrymat falls completely flat, and each of its disjointed, meandering and muddled vignettes does as much to confuse (and in some cases misinform) laymen as it does to enlighten them about the nature of financial shenanigans revealed in the Panama Papers. Although I agree with the fundamental message of the movie, which in the end is delivered in the most heavy-handed manner I've ever witnessed in cinema (poor Meryl Streep), both the story-telling and the technical explanations are simply sophomoric. I almost never write a negative review. I love movies, I admire the actors in this movie, and I'm easy to please. But wow, this was bad. I had to speak out.