PedS's stats
- Review count386
- Helpfulness votes92
- First reviewMay 31, 2008
- Last reviewApril 27, 2013
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.4
Overall rating
4
/
5
Creation and the creator
PostedJune 8, 2012
PedS
from Los Angeles, CA
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Goes to the movies:weekly
Dialogue
3
/
5
Special Effects
5
/
5
Art Direction
4
/
5
Acting
4
/
5
Story
4
/
5
Camerawork
5
/
5
This is a sci-fi movie about the creator and his creation. Of course, it theorizes that the creators were alien being and human take a journey to confront them. As you might imagine, that's going to be problematic. I suppose what bothered me the most about this film was that it's a mish-mash of previous sci-fi classics, most notably 2001 and the Alien franchise. In fact, there are some cheap parody moments that work pretty well, but just as comedy and nothing else. See this movie if you're in need of a sci-fi flick.
Pros well paced, great actors
Cons too complex
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Small Town Texas At Its Best and Worst -- Based on a true story
PostedJune 3, 2012
Dialogue
4
/
5
Special Effects
2
/
5
Art Direction
2
/
5
Acting
4
/
5
Story
4
/
5
Camerawork
2
/
5
A gentle hearted funeral director played by Jack Black takes a mean rich widow as a companion. This is a funny movie in many ways. It takes its time to present to you the views of the people of the small town of Carthage, TX in the form of interviews where they tell you what they thought of Bernie the funeral director. For the most part, this is yet another story of a killer whose acquaintances attest to having been incapable of a such a crime. However, in this case they don't even believe it after he has confessed to having shot her 4 times in the back. And those who do believe that he killed her, think she deserved it and would've done it themselves. One even says that "several people would've killed her for $5." Indeed, the widow, played by Shirley MacLaine with her typical grace for characterization, is mean-spirited and abusive towards gentle Bernie. We see her abuse him and those around her many times. Where this movie fails is in showing us the breaking point where Bernie would've been justified in killing her out of temporary insanity. I supposed that's in part the message, that this is the true story of a murder and not of a justifiable homicide. This is a good movie, but it's not for everyone. I doubt any of the actors will be recognized with an Oscar, but they do good work and the acting was the most memorable part about this film.
Pros well paced, great story, great actors
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
2
/
5
Dark and creepy, but not much else
PostedMay 28, 2012
PedS
from Los Angeles, CA
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Goes to the movies:weekly
Dialogue
1
/
5
Special Effects
1
/
5
Art Direction
1
/
5
Acting
2
/
5
Story
2
/
5
Camerawork
2
/
5
Okay, so imagine that you're in Russia and someone says to you, "let's go check out an abandoned town minutes away from Chernobyl." What do you say? Hell no! sounds about right! That's sort of what they say, but then they throw it out for a vote and end up going anyway. "Yes, there's a lot of radiation, but we're not going to be there long enough," says the tour guide. What?!!! This movie is ridiculous in so many ways that it's not worth recommending. It's also quite predictable, just not very plausible. Anyway, save your time and money and skip this poorly thought out Russian tourism adventure. It's just not worth seeing!
Cons bad acting
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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-1point
0of 1voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Big movie, IMAX not required
PostedMay 27, 2012
PedS
from Los Angeles, CA
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Goes to the movies:weekly
Dialogue
3
/
5
Special Effects
5
/
5
Art Direction
3
/
5
Acting
3
/
5
Story
3
/
5
Camerawork
4
/
5
This is a big summer sci-fi action movie. As such, it succeeds in providing the requisite action sequences, and tremendous special effects. The story is interesting enough to keep you motivated to continue to eat popcorn and sip diet soda without running out. It's not, however, a refreshing reboot of the franchise. It's really just another MIB movie with what we know and half-love. I did see the IMAX version and I could barely notice that it was in 3D. IMAX and 3D are not worth the extra money in this case. You'll notice a couple of scenes where lasers and objects fly at you, but not often enough. In conclusion, I recommend that you see this only if you're really, really in the mood for an action movie and don't care how good it is and this one will more than satisfy you. If you're wondering whether it's worth the money to see, the answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT! There's nothing new here and what is being presented is not very well thought out. But, they did have a ton of money to throw at it and the production value is certainly through the roof.
Pros well paced
Cons too similar to prequels
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Young love at its best
PostedMay 26, 2012
PedS
from Los Angeles, CA
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Goes to the movies:weekly
Dialogue
4
/
5
Special Effects
4
/
5
Art Direction
5
/
5
Acting
5
/
5
Story
5
/
5
Camerawork
5
/
5
This is a quirky story about a boy and a troubled girl who fall in love in a very mature and unreasonable fashion. They meet up, run away, and live out an adult romance until they're caught by a band of scouts, a cop, and the girls two lawyer parents. This movie is based in the 60s, but you wouldn't know that if it weren't for the cop car from that period that keeps showing up. This movie is bold and creative in a way that we don't normally see in movies. It's well worth seeing, even if the initial look of the movie in the trailers didn't appeal to you. I, for one, was at the edge of my seat and chuckling with true amazement throughout.
Pros well paced, great story, great actors, creative, original
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Overly Angry French Child Protection Cops
PostedMay 24, 2012
PedS
from Los Angeles, CA
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Goes to the movies:weekly
Dialogue
3
/
5
Special Effects
2
/
5
Art Direction
2
/
5
Acting
3
/
5
Story
3
/
5
Camerawork
3
/
5
A group of very angry, over zealous and emotionally unstable cops do their best to make stock child molestation and child rape cases. They over-do every aspect of their job and investigate the innocent and bully kids even when they're being told that they are being molested. This material is very sensitive and it's not handled with enough care to deliver the message effectively. Instead, what you get is a rampage of people in those jobs ranting about the importance and terrible nature of their jobs.
Pros well paced
Cons bad acting, too complex, too angry
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Surprisingly climactic
PostedMay 19, 2012
PedS
from Los Angeles, CA
Age:45 to 54
Gender:Male
Goes to the movies:weekly
Dialogue
5
/
5
Special Effects
3
/
5
Art Direction
4
/
5
Acting
4
/
5
Story
4
/
5
Camerawork
4
/
5
Now that I've seen it, I must say that it makes sense that the vibrator was invented in England to cure that country's frigid women. Sex was clearly viewed as vulgar in that era and climaxes were prescribed, not sought out. This is a funny movie with some classic moments involving the treatment of women. In fact, this is more than just a movie about the vibrator, it's also about women's rights. Maggie Gyllenhaal does and admiral job as a Mayor Barbara like character who's public works with the poor make her unique and very attractive. There's plenty of romance in this movie and the dialog is smart. I recommend it to a wide and mature audience, especially those who like British movies.
Pros well paced, great story
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Exhausting and agonizing to sit through, but feels accurate
PostedMay 13, 2012
Dialogue
5
/
5
Special Effects
1
/
5
Art Direction
2
/
5
Acting
3
/
5
Story
3
/
5
Camerawork
1
/
5
The male characters in this film are portrayed as nothing more than baboons who react with physical violence any chance they get. On the other hand, the women are the heroines who work together, christians and muslims, to prevent conflict from ensuing between the men. It's an interesting take on the root of the conflict in Lebanon between the christians and the muslims. It's also worth noting that there are several musical-like sequences in this movie. I'm giving this movie 3 stars because it does several things very, very well. The female characters are well written and uncharacteristically strong for the middle east. It also takes religious tolerance seriously from both the christian and muslim side. However, the male characters are flat and poorly developed; the musical sequences are tasteless; and, there's no clear focus on a story. I can't recommend it because most people will find it tedious and jagged.
Pros strong femaie characters
Cons bad acting, slow, poorly written male characters
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Some fun to be had....
PostedMay 11, 2012
PedS
from Los Angeles, CA
Age:35 to 44
Gender:Male
Goes to the movies:weekly
Dialogue
3
/
5
Special Effects
4
/
5
Art Direction
4
/
5
Acting
4
/
5
Story
2
/
5
Camerawork
4
/
5
This movie is high on concept, but mediocre on execution. The direction and setting are great, but the story is all over the place and I found myself losing interest regularly. Unfortunately, this movie does live up to its potential.
Cons bad acting, slow, weak dialog
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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0of 0voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Terrific cast!
PostedMay 6, 2012
PedS
from Los Angeles, CA
Age:35 to 44
Gender:Male
Goes to the movies:weekly
Dialogue
5
/
5
Special Effects
3
/
5
Art Direction
4
/
5
Acting
5
/
5
Story
5
/
5
Camerawork
4
/
5
The Brits have been fascinated with India for centuries. However, India hasn't really taken off as an alternate retirement location for them. Well, this movie brings together an unlikely group of people who are in India for some sort of economic advantage. The civil servant couple, for example, preferred to go there instead of a retirement community set up to take them through the end of their life. The hotel they go to is managed by a well-meaning young Indian man who's in love with the wrong sort of girl, at least that's what his mother says. Anyway, the drama ensues and the retirees have the time of their lives, romance and sex included. It's really very funny.
Pros well paced, great story, great actors
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.