Last of the movie reviews
With Netflix DVD defunct, and most modern movies losing my interest, this will probably be the last time I do this:
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (***)
It’s long, messy, and not as funny as the previous Guardians movies. But… it also has really effective dramatic flashbacks and great character arcs, and is one of very few Marvel movies to make me cry. Actually, this might be the only post-Endgame movie in the MCU that I recommend.
The Color Purple (*** a half)
A solid Oscar-bait historical drama, with amazing performances from Danny Glover and Whoopi Goldberg. I especially liked the side-story about Whoopi’s sister in Rhodesia. However, the movie is too long, and Oprah’s subplot could have been mostly cut.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (** and a half)
Well-intentioned but ultimately shallow coming-of-age story. The preteen awkwardness is convincing, and a few relatable moments hit hard (such as the “bad” girl getting scared and crying for her mother). However… did Judy Blume seriously write a best-selling novel exploring the religion of people who aren’t religious in any meaningful sense? That's a very odd angle.
Explorers (***)
Weird 80’s sci-fi that was supposedly released unfinished. Basically, a bunch of pre-teen boys are given psychic messages from aliens that enable them to build a spaceship. The plot is similar to Contact, but with kids. And as with Contact, the writer couldn’t come up with a convincing way to actually show alien intelligence, so the third act is basically just a big joke.
The Greatest Show on Earth (****)
I’ve always heard people call this movie the worst film to win Best Picture. So I was surprised by how much I liked it. The Cecil B Demille spectacle is on full display, the character arcs are strong and dramatic, and Jimmy Stewart plays a very original character as a mysterious clown.
The Misfits (*** and a half)
I wanted to see this because it’s written by playwright Arthur Miller. And… it takes about half the running time to really get to that oh-so-awesome Miller dialogue and moral ambiguity. But once the story hits its stride, it’s a creative and interesting story about cowboys in a world that doesn’t need cowboys anymore.
All Quiet on the Western Front (****)
Solid remake of a classic war film, and definitely one of the better films from 2022. They fixed one of the most awkward scenes of the original (when the main character is trapped in a hole with a dying soldier), and I really liked the performance of the older German soldier “Kat.”
Pretty Woman (***)
Decent rags-to-riches story with a very cute Julia Roberts and a very down-to-earth Richard Gere. Mostly OK, with Hector Elizondo being the only really amazing part. I also noted right away that the plot is basically “My Fair Lady.”
Lyle Lyle Crocodile (**)
It’s a crocodile that sings, but can’t talk. And it can’t just sing anything, but has to sing a pop song that conveys through metaphor or something. It’s a weird premise, and has a number of unfinished ideas (the step-mom’s entire character arc). At least Javier Bardem is acting his heart out.
Sum of All Fears (***)
Fairly good military thriller with a shocking turn in the second act. However, the bad guys are kinda lame and the romantic relationship is very cliche. It did not surprise me that both of these aspects were completely changed from their nature in the book.
John Wick 4 (***)
It’s a bunch of crazy, brilliantly-staged fight scenes with a thin plot. Actually, the plot is really disappointing. Why is John Wick still working within the rules of the High Table? He should be leading a rebellion against them! Oh well. The action scenes and larger-than-life characters are still amazing, especially the big guy in the purple suit.
Steel Magnolias (****)
Hey, a “chick flick” that I actually liked! This movie manages to be both funny and sad, and all the actresses are brilliantly cast. Tom Skerrit also kills it in a supporting role, proving that movies can focus on women without making the men out to be useless.
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (***)
It’s long, messy, and not as funny as the previous Guardians movies. But… it also has really effective dramatic flashbacks and great character arcs, and is one of very few Marvel movies to make me cry. Actually, this might be the only post-Endgame movie in the MCU that I recommend.
The Color Purple (*** a half)
A solid Oscar-bait historical drama, with amazing performances from Danny Glover and Whoopi Goldberg. I especially liked the side-story about Whoopi’s sister in Rhodesia. However, the movie is too long, and Oprah’s subplot could have been mostly cut.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (** and a half)
Well-intentioned but ultimately shallow coming-of-age story. The preteen awkwardness is convincing, and a few relatable moments hit hard (such as the “bad” girl getting scared and crying for her mother). However… did Judy Blume seriously write a best-selling novel exploring the religion of people who aren’t religious in any meaningful sense? That's a very odd angle.
Explorers (***)
Weird 80’s sci-fi that was supposedly released unfinished. Basically, a bunch of pre-teen boys are given psychic messages from aliens that enable them to build a spaceship. The plot is similar to Contact, but with kids. And as with Contact, the writer couldn’t come up with a convincing way to actually show alien intelligence, so the third act is basically just a big joke.
The Greatest Show on Earth (****)
I’ve always heard people call this movie the worst film to win Best Picture. So I was surprised by how much I liked it. The Cecil B Demille spectacle is on full display, the character arcs are strong and dramatic, and Jimmy Stewart plays a very original character as a mysterious clown.
The Misfits (*** and a half)
I wanted to see this because it’s written by playwright Arthur Miller. And… it takes about half the running time to really get to that oh-so-awesome Miller dialogue and moral ambiguity. But once the story hits its stride, it’s a creative and interesting story about cowboys in a world that doesn’t need cowboys anymore.
All Quiet on the Western Front (****)
Solid remake of a classic war film, and definitely one of the better films from 2022. They fixed one of the most awkward scenes of the original (when the main character is trapped in a hole with a dying soldier), and I really liked the performance of the older German soldier “Kat.”
Pretty Woman (***)
Decent rags-to-riches story with a very cute Julia Roberts and a very down-to-earth Richard Gere. Mostly OK, with Hector Elizondo being the only really amazing part. I also noted right away that the plot is basically “My Fair Lady.”
Lyle Lyle Crocodile (**)
It’s a crocodile that sings, but can’t talk. And it can’t just sing anything, but has to sing a pop song that conveys through metaphor or something. It’s a weird premise, and has a number of unfinished ideas (the step-mom’s entire character arc). At least Javier Bardem is acting his heart out.
Sum of All Fears (***)
Fairly good military thriller with a shocking turn in the second act. However, the bad guys are kinda lame and the romantic relationship is very cliche. It did not surprise me that both of these aspects were completely changed from their nature in the book.
John Wick 4 (***)
It’s a bunch of crazy, brilliantly-staged fight scenes with a thin plot. Actually, the plot is really disappointing. Why is John Wick still working within the rules of the High Table? He should be leading a rebellion against them! Oh well. The action scenes and larger-than-life characters are still amazing, especially the big guy in the purple suit.
Steel Magnolias (****)
Hey, a “chick flick” that I actually liked! This movie manages to be both funny and sad, and all the actresses are brilliantly cast. Tom Skerrit also kills it in a supporting role, proving that movies can focus on women without making the men out to be useless.