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suzanne-sellers
Reviews
The Alienist (2018)
Love it
I love any programs about Old New York. I loved The Knick with Clive Owen and I think this will be as good. The Alienist seems to spend a lot of time on detail and character building. People who might be disappointed after 1 episode are probably expecting a 2 hour filmed crammed into 1 hour.
The three main characters in The Alienist are not wealthy, so don't expect glittery balls, fine clothing and rich food. In fact, these people are trying to climb the ladder in Old New York, which is probably as hard then as it is now! The difference is that in 1896, women and children are all treated like crap and to survive they either sell themselves or join the enemy. Sara, the sole female in the trio, is the first female employee in the NY Police Department and she is a secretary. Her ambitions suggest she would like to go higher if she could.
For John, our handsome and horny NY Times illustrator sees a chance to move beyond the Society Pages by illustrating the poor corpses on this gruesome case. Laszo's (The Alienator) motivator is more difficult to discern. Is he trying to trying to prove he's not really a quack? Is he a bit of a Hannibal Lector himself?
I can't wait to see the next episode. I read the book 25 years but will have to read it again. As I recall it was very detailed.
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
Not what I thought at all on initial few 30 minutes
The first time I attempted to watch this film it seemed like a very violent revenge-porn type file, in the first 30 minutes or so. I was an idiot to stop watching at that point. The plot really takes off after Gerard Butler kills the murderer of his wife and daughter. I see in his character not a "revenge maniac" but a very sad individual with everything taken from him and no hope whatsoever. I actually think Gerard Butler is a terrific actor in a dramatic film.. I have to admit that many scenes had me crying because of the futility of revenge and the pain it only brings, never satisfaction. But it seems to be all we are left with , except acceptance of Gods love and this for many is not enough to make up for what was lost.
Please see this film with any adult friends or children over 15 only. This is one of the best films that demonstrates what a broken legal system we have.
Harvey (1950)
Josephine Hull steals every scene
We're so lucky these days to have Turner Classic Movies to be able to catch a classic wonder every now and then, such as Harvey. Jimmy Stewart was so handsome at that time, no worse for wear from having come through WW2. He was wonderful and deserved his Best Actor Nomination and probably deserved to win it too. But what I really watch Harvey for is Josephine Hull play Sister Veta. Every scene, every line she delivers is perfection! Of all actresses to win Best Supporting Actress Oscar, no one deserved it more. You need to watch the film several times to watch how she interacts with the "corporeal" and "incorporeal" (her secret being that she occasionally sees Harvey too). Josephine is a consummate comedienne and the crises she goes through on this particular day would try the strongest in all of us. But her daffy fortitude gets her through it all.
Some have said that Harvey is "dated". I disagree. There are plenty of sex jokes buried in the script, but you have to listen closely to catch them. One I particularly like is when she comes back from the sanitarium after being subjected to forced baths and sex questionnaires. She opines that "sex questionnaires wouldn't be necessary if people would get out and take long walks!" I recommend getting Harvey on tape and when you feel sad, which I do a lot these days, I pop in Harvey and remember a simpler time and laugh my head off.
War Dog: A Soldier's Best Friend (2017)
really touches your emotions
After watching this documentary I felt beaten up emotionally and felt a sense of loss and separation, in sympathy with the soldiers shown in the film. I felt that way for a few days and thought I could never watch that film again. But part of me knew I needed to watch it again in order to deal with the strong feelings of loss and grief I felt for those soldiers and dogs. I won't go into those stories, because you should watch it, but let's just say if you love animals or love our military and what they do for our country, you will cry many tears from the beginning to the end of this film. It will affect you and you will learn something.
I will give one spoiler and say that the military lied to one soldier about getting his dog back and that never happened, causing this soldier a tremendous amount of grief, pain and loss. I cried for him and what he went through trying to get his dog back. It shouldn't surprise me that our government lies, but they SHOULDN'T lie to a soldier who has risked so much for his country, when it would be so easy to fulfill that promise. That's all I can say.
Split (2016)
Difficult challenge for an actor and McAvoy more than delivers
There are several things that make, for me, a terrific film: an excellent script and excellent acting. This film has both. The challenge faced by James McAvoy is to present 5 or 6 main personalities in the course of one scene and this is amazing to watch. There is one scene where one of these personalities is talking with the psychiatrist and this scene is so well written it actually gives me goosebumps. The shrink suspects that the person she is talking to is not the person he says he is. Their conversation goes on for a while until she convinces him to identify himself. This is an amazing scene for McAvoy and Betty Buckley, the shrink.
Well, let me say the entire movie is full of these types of scenes. Excellent script, excellent delivery by all the actors. Amazing film all around. I can't wait for the sequel.
Finally, I truly believe this film is actually BETTER than Silence of the Lambs. It is as frightening and suspenseful as SOTL, but not as gruesome , which I felt was far too emphasized in SOTL. The character in Split allowed us to feel some compassion after all, because of what he had been through as a child, but we will see what he will become in the sequel. And it won't be pretty.
Burnt (2015)
Couldn't be bothered to give a damn
Its a well known plot device that we are presented with difficult and troubled characters who act like a-holes and we're supposed to infer they are actually deep and worthy of our sympathy. Of course, the two main jerks in this film are destined to fall in love and learn a life lesson in the process, voila! But in this case, the two main stars Sienna Miller and Bradley Cooper don't seem worth of much sympathy at all. Herein, the movie fails.
Sienna Miller's character is raising a young daughter alone, but this doesn't seem like a good enough reason for her bitchiness. Bradley Cooper is a recovering drug addict who stabbed everybody in the back in the past and seeks a new start now that he is in recovery. Obviously, people are suspicious of him and cautious as he plays the diva chef to the hilt when Daniel Bruhl's character gives him a chance as head chef in a new restaurant in London.
Its hard to describe the repulsiveness of Cooper's character and why anybody puts up with him. He and Sienna's character "bond" over trying out new recipes, but even that doesn't seem to give humility to Cooper. Didn't he learn anything from shucking 1 million oysters in a New Orleans dive bar as penance for his character flaws? Frankly, even his food looks puny and un-appetizing and we're supposed to believe its haute cuisine and the work of a master!
Things happen that aren't very interesting and in the end Cooper wins a Michelin star (or two or three, I don't remember) and all is well and he has learned his lesson and everybody's happy! Forget that he tortured everybody with his tantrums during the whole process. Funny thing is, the audience was never rooting for Cooper in the first place.
If you want to see a terrific chef movie, see "Big Night" with Tony Shaloub and Stanley Tucci. Burnt doesn't hold a candle to his terrific film about what being a chef and owning a restaurant is really like.
Stuey (2003)
What Casino should have been
I caught this movie on a lazy Sunday morning. I admit I had never heard of Stu Ungar, but this film made me want to learn more about him. Michael Imperioloi is fabulous as Stu, as are all the supporting characters. The film presents Stu as just a nice Jewish boy from NY - a sweet, moral guy really, but a guy with a bad addiction. How he manages to rise to the heights of his profession, then fall, over and over, makes for a terrific character study.
I'm surprised by people who say this movie is horrible, dreadful, etc. Its fantastic, and I'm not even interested in gambling or gamblers. Its really about addiction, and how it can destroy a tremendous talent, whatever that talent may be.
High Roller is so much better than Casino, which overplays its hand, so to speak, with over the top violence, one dimensional characters, drawn out marital spats, stereotyped situations. High Roller has some of that also, but in smaller doses and a very watchable 110 minutes. Imperioli lifts the whole film up with his well-rounded performance of Stu.
Don't listen to the critics. High Roller is as satisfying as a great episode of The Sopranos.
Dance with Me (1998)
two snaps up!!
I couldn't believe how happy this film made me. First of all, its not just a dance film. It has several sub-plots that deal with issues of abandonment and rejection by a parent, abuse between two dance partners who used to be married, wanting to find a real family, and defining what family really means. It has Kris Kristofferson who can do no wrong in my book, and beautiful people who feel the joy of living through dancing. When I say "beautiful people", I mean folks of all ages and sizes who love life and the dance.
The central love story between Ruby and Rafael is very believable. Vanessa Williams (Ruby) is a goddess on the dance floor and off and Chayanne plays Rafael- a good dancer but not quite up to her caliber. The dance contest scenes are world-class. I won't spoil the ending for you, but the film really does draw out the suspense so you are not sure what will happen, but you hope that love will prevail in the end.
When I came to see the reviews on this site, I expected to see a rating of at least 7. I think that if more people saw the film and reviewed it, the score would be much higher than 5.6. If you love professional dance, beautiful people of all ages, and a great love story, see this movie.
Game of Thrones (2011)
swimming in the sewer
I have watched all the episodes of GOT as of April 18, 2014, so admittedly the new season has only just begun (the disgusting wedding of Joffrey and Margery just aired). The latest episode finally made me realize how utterly despicable this show is. Not because of the violence, not because of the sex. I have seen wonderful shows that have too much violence and sex. What is missing from GOT is any semblance of humanity. I can count on one hand the number of decent characters still living (Danerys and her General, Arya Stark, Tyrion Lannister, John Snow, and the two small Stark boys whose names escape me.) Yes, there are a few more decent folks here and there, but they get very little air time and have no influence on the story. The rest are either corrupt, despicable or just plain EVIL. It is simply bad storytelling to only show evil and corruption, without a counter-balance of decency, love or normal human feeling. No one really loves anyone in GOT, or if they did, you can be sure somebody died horribly because of it. Watching GOT feels like you swam in the sewer for an hour, and you're actually relieved when the hour is up. Unfortunately, you can't get some of the hideous images out of your mind.
Revolutionary Road (2008)
superb vehicle for Leo and Kate
I just don't see how this film could be any better. The cinematography, the script, the score and the characters ring 100% true throughout. There aren't many films that actually make the viewer cry because they can empathize so much with the lead characters. I felt a personal loss at the end when April dies. And di Caprio's reaction was absolutely tragic. These two actors are completely in sync with each other and it shows in the believability of the films they make.
I think that Alice was totally incapable of being the suburban housewife She simply could not continue when her dream of moving to Paris was destroyed. Honestly, I'm not sure why she did what she did - whether she intended to commit suicide or just terminate her pregnancy. It seems to the viewer that she had options, but a person in such a situation doesn't see the options and that is the tragedy.
I thoroughly enjoyed the supporting actors, especially the neighbor "Shep" who was in love with April and could not express his devastation at losing her. The realtor's son John who is on leave from the insane asylum is marvelous and provides the role of "Greek chorus" you might say. Speaking the truth but in a non socially-acceptable manner. He is a breath of fresh air in the strait-jacket life of those around him.
I haven't read the book, but a notable theme seems to be that people who can't conform in that time and place have two options: insanity or death.
Lincoln (2012)
Breathtaking!
I had avoided seeing this for several years because I thought it might be hard to keep up with the characters, or maybe it would be too "wordy" to understand. I'm also not a big fan of "period speech".
I was completely wrong! The speech is clear as a bell and completely understandable. After seeing it once, I plan to watch Lincoln again and again to savor every moment and every line. My overwhelming impression is how very similar politics is today to what it was then. Haggling for votes, horse-trading, promising jobs in the new Administration if votes for a particular piece of legislation are delivered. Unrepentant racists, spineless progressives who are afraid to vote their conscience. They existed then and they exist now. And the President is forced to compromise on some issues and press ahead on others which are unpopular to his advisers.
Poor Mary Todd Lincoln, half crazy over the loss of two sons Edward and Willie. She was forced to face tragedy her entire life - truly a tormented soul. Sally Field was fabulous in this role.
This film is so good I literally had goosebumps the entire time. To see our history come to life so beautifully, its simply the best film I have ever seen.
Hitchcock (2012)
Loved every scene
I've seen Hitchcock probably 10 times, (since my satellite company shows it quite often) and I must say every time I see it, its like a cozy visit with my favorite aunt and uncle. I love the way Alma and Hitch bicker back and forth, but you can tell the affection is there. A few things interest me - why do they sleep in separate beds and at one point Alma says to Hitch "what would you know about what goes on between a man and a woman?". I had heard they had a sexless marriage, which would explain her (presumably fictional) crush on Whitfield Cook.
The fantasy interaction between Ed Gein and Hitchcock is brilliant! The Gein fantasy character pushes Hitch into jealousy and suspicion, stating "if you want to do a job, do it right".
Helen Mirren is just marvelous as Alma Reville, Hitch's wife. One wonders if Hitch would even be "Hitch" without Alma. The answer is a resounding "NO".
Alexander (2004)
Loved it!!
I don't care what anyone says - I Loved this Movie!. Any film that has me running to the internet to check out the "real facts" behind the plot has got to be great. I'm sure Oliver Stone took liberties , but what director doesn't? I knew the story of poor Alexander the Great, who died mysteriously at a young age in his 30's after conquering the known world. People are still talking about what really killed him. This film brought that entire period of history to life for me and made me want to learn more. Visually, its stunning. Beautiful costumes, battle scenes, gorgeous guys (and girls)! I've watched this film multiple times and I get something more each time I see it. Val Kiler and Angelina Jolie are wonderful as Alexander's parents (although Alexander claims to be the son of Zeus). Alexander's close friends and army comrades are also terrific (Jared Leto, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, etc.) Colin Farrell is simply gorgeous as Alexander - no other actor could have done better.
Perhaps this film was poorly received by critics and some viewers because it is melodramatic, more theatrical or operatic than we are used to seeing in this day and age. But the subject matter cries out for melodrama for goodness sakes! A young man conquered the known world at age 25 and kept going until he died a few years later. What a story - what a movie!
Sinister (2012)
extremely well done - major spoiler
Its really refreshing when a movie comes along that raises the bar. I've seen two horror movies this year that were really something special in the horror genre - The Conjuring and Sinister.
In Sinister, the sets, lighting and most especially music and sound effects really hits the viewer on all levels - conscious and unconscious. The background music is chaotic and rhythmic and you may not even notice how upset you're becoming with that in the background, nor the lighting and sets which are dark, dingy and depressing. I admit I had no idea what was coming and the first climax came when the main character (Ethan Hawke) has a skype conversation with a professor who explains about the demon. The second climax, if you will, comes near the end when the Sheriff's deputy calls him and explains why he shouldn't have moved.
I do feel that movies like this, which deal with the archetypal battle of Good vs. Evil, tend to be more frightetning and thought-provoking than a basic monster or slasher movie.
Another element of Sinister is how the children became the agents of evil. Hardly a day goes by that we don't hear something about children doing something horrible to someone. What is happening to our society? I'm not saying I agree with the premise of this movie, but it certainly give you something to think about.
The Woman in Black (2012)
Superb scary movie with class
I wish more movies could be made like this - extremely well acted, fabulous costumes, gorgeous cinematography, interesting side characters - but also very frightening. The scenes of Arthur (Daniel RAdcliffe) in the house trying to complete his onerous assignment are flawless. The film has so much to say about societal norms during the late 19th century. Daniel Radcliffe is proving himself a true talent and will probably be known as the Lawrence Olivier of his generation - a gifted actor who can play all types and all venues. This movie is an instant classic and will be appreciated by lovers of horror or lovers of Victorian-period films or even just a beautiful love story. I was so intrigued by this film that I went out and read the book which is quite different from the film but enjoyable also from a totally different perspective.
American Dad! (2005)
it grew on me - now I love it!
I love Family Guy and think that everything Seth McFarlane does it genius.
The first few times I saw American Dad I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. Months went by and I would catch it by accident and still wasn't sure. I didn't like the dad too much, because of his political views, but loved Roger the alien.
At some point, I suddenly started to LOVE this show. Its intelligent, but silly at the same time. I like how the characters grow over time instead of just being the same year after year (like Family Guy). Roger the alien is the most hilarious character since Stewie Griffin (FG) and Steve the son is a great foil for him like Brian Griffin (FG) is for Stewie.
All I can say is, if you're unsure, keep giving it a chance. I'm glad I did and now I can't wait to see AD.
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
unwatchable, horrible, a big scam
I had no idea what this movie about, but knew it was up for several Oscars and the main character was a child. I am absolutely shocked that this waste of film was ever considered for any awards. I saw terrible examples of child neglect and outright abuse, animal cruelty, indifference,stupidity passing for "courage" and that all in the first 30 minutes!
This film is an insult to anyone who lived through Katrina, or for that matter anyone who didn't live through Katrina. The so-called "father" of the child is crazy, brutal and evil in the way he treats his child and everyone around him. He refuses treatment for a fatal illness, but its hard to care because he is so mean and neglectful to his child. People living on the bayou are not stupid and ignorant and evil, and those who are don't deserve to have a movie made about them.
By the way - those who say only liberals liked this film can shove it. I'm a liberal and hated it too.