Reviews

Bradley Cooper is no doubt a very talented actor and director. It's pretty amazing, actually, that someone can have such talent and looks all wrapped up together His second directorial effort, Maestro, was beautifully shot and very, very well acted, particularly by Carey Mulligan. I loved the opening section, shot in black and white.

However, the movie overall seemed like a series of brilliantly shot, wonderfully acted vignettes that, when put together didn't all add up to a great movie. There were so many aspects that were touched on, but not fleshed out enough. His relationships with men, which seemed to be one of the integral parts of his story, was there, but not really there enough. For instance, what happened to his boyfriend,,played by Matt Bomer?

Overall, I enjoyed it. But I expected more of a storyline.

I read the book a few years ago and it really stuck with me. So I was looking forward to seeing the TV adaptation. And "adaptation " is exactly what it is. A very, very loose adaptation. The basic premise is there of a modern day black woman inexplicably getting thrust back and forth in time to the slave-era. And a few of the characters have the same name. But other than that, it's almost unrecognizable as the same storyline.

As a stand-alone project of its own, it's interesting and engaging and generally well made. But they could have easily done a few more tweaks and then called it something else, since it strays so far from the book. I'm not sure I get at all the portrayal of the boyfriend, who, so far, seems like a bumbling doofus (in the book he was actually her husband and, if I recall correctly, he didn't go back in time with her like he does here).

I'm on episode four at this point, and the way it's going, I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to be able to finish the season.

Fascinating movie. Peele certainly has a style that sticks with you. But, yes, as many have said, the storyline is a little wacky. Ultimately, though, I really liked this. Some scenes were truly terrifying, even the scenes with the chimp, which made no sense in the context of the movie (unless I'm too dense to get it). And the flying saucer, before it turned into a giant... mouth?... were effective and frightening. Some of the best sci-fi effects I've seen.

I can see why a lot of people don't like this, however. Some of the dialogue was incomprehensible. And Keke Palmer's character was incredibly annoying. Plus, I could barely understand anything she said. Daniel Kaluuya was fine as always, but didn't have much of a character.

Fun, interesting, annoying... I may watch it again someday.

I first saw this in the mid-70's when I was a teenager. I probably didn't grasp all of the nuances and adult angst at the time, but what I remember sticking with me was Kim Novak at the end of the movie, agonizing over wanting to run off with William Holden; wanting to run off to something bigger and brighter and more exciting. As a teenager going through my own angst, I could completely relate. The scene between Novak and her mother really stuck with me.

I never saw the movie again until just last year, when I was 62 years old, forty-five years or so after my first viewing. I still had the same reaction at the end of the movie. And as an adult who has gone through the ups and downs, the joys and disappointments of life, I could more easily relate to some of the characters.

The movie is a little dated and somewhat quaint by today's standards. But the themes are timeless.