PedS's stats
- Review count386
- Helpfulness votes92
- First reviewMay 31, 2008
- Last reviewApril 27, 2013
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.4
Overall rating
2
/
5
Filmed as Documentary
PostedJanuary 7, 2012
Yes, this story plays like the documentary of a daughter looking into the 3 murders that her mother apparently committed during an exorcism. We are never told that it's based on a real story, but it pretends to be based on a real story. It is also filmed with a shaky first-person camera a-la The Blair Witch Project, which it clearly uses as a roll model. There are plenty of sudden noises, creepy scenes in the dark where a possessed person is on the loose, and bizarre feats of strength. It doesn't make for a good time at the movies and it's more ridiculous than it is scary. I don't recommend it.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
2
/
5
9/11 Through a Boy's Eyes
PostedJanuary 2, 2012
It may be too soon for me to have seen a movie about 9/11. I found this movie to be exhausting to sit through. The boy blames himself for so much and tries to redeem himself by searching for some clues his father left him. The actor who plays the part of the boy over-acts and, as good as he is, was too much to bear. Sandra Bullock's character is ridiculous and Sandra Bullock's uninspired performance was equally difficult to tolerate. So much goes on for so long in this movie that you need there to be a good pay-off at the end...and it never comes. At least not one that redeems it. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone except those who are really intrigued by the actors and the premise of the story. I was disappointed.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
One of the year's best...
PostedJanuary 2, 2012
This is a terrific family drama set in the heart of modern-day Iran. The wife wants a divorce because her husband doesn't want to leave the country with her. The husband really can't leave because his father suffers from Alzheimer's and he needs to take care of him. The daughter is caught in the middle and she is the only one keeping the father sane and the mother from leaving the country. Desperate to change her life, the wife moves to her mother's house and pretends to be separated. All of this happens before things get complicated. Without ruining it, let me just say that the husband gets accused of a crime and the wife has to come back into the picture to help settle things. The Iranian culture and society are revealed and the legal system is scrutinized and indirectly criticized as the husband tries to clear his name. There are additional characters who become involved in the legal battle and the drama become more convoluted by the minute. It all unravels in a very un-Hollywood like way with plenty of excitement and twists along the way to keep you at the edge of your seat. Great movie!
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
2
/
5
Poorly executed
PostedDecember 27, 2011
I'm a sci-fi nut, so the premise of this movie interested me. It's the story of 4 American young adults roaming Moscow: the two men are there on business and the two women are on vacation seeking fun. They meet at a bar the night the aliens invade and begin their annihilation of the human race in their search for Earth's minerals and other resources. That's where the high-concept of the movie ends and the tomfoolery begins. There are so many unpleasant characters in this film that sudden death is the most satisfying thing the audience can look forward to -- and we often get it, though not often enough IMO. What's most dissatisfying here is that the filmmakers feel compelled to use the worst techniques of past sci-fi and post apocalyptic movies to pull off the remaining scenes. I spent the second half of this movie thinking about how good it could've been and of how the beginning wasn't that bad. It's too bad, really, this concept had potential, but the execution just wasn't there.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Great adventure...
PostedDecember 21, 2011
The story is so good here that 3D is not a critical part of the enjoyment.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Not bad!
PostedDecember 21, 2011
My expectations were very high going into this film because I have read the books and seen all 3 of the Swedish films. This movie stays true to the Swedish film and you'll recognize almost every scene if you've seen it--BTW, it's available for instant streaming on Netflix. It's Rooney Mara's performance that is unfortunately not as solid as the Swedish actress who played her in that film. The rest of the performances are solidly executed.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Good despite Cruise
PostedDecember 18, 2011
Cruise is an ego-maniac of the worst order. He stars and produces this film and in it he plays super-agent, Ethan Hunt, who usually accepts impossible missions despite the choice he is always given to decline them. What's tough to swallow is that he's immortal. What else would you call a man who can outrun explosions, dodge flying cars, glide and jump like a super hero, and take all manor of physical punishment that would easily kill even Batman. He does all of this in stride and moves on to the next scene. This is the same character, or at least actor, who took hundreds of bullets while riding into battle in the movie The Last Samurai -- or at least the same egomaniac. Despite Cruise's antics and obvious self-direction, this movie is worth seeing. there are plenty of action sequences that are unlike anything we've seen in a movie before. The story is as ridiculous as they were in the previous MI movies, but that's okay. Popcorn is required for this film. Just know that Cruise thinks he's immortal and he controls the money behind the show and you'll enjoy some of the more ridiculous action sequences where he's portrayed as being god-like and immortal.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
Full of action and comedy
PostedDecember 17, 2011
Actually, this movie is jam-packed full of comedy, action, and visuals. Your eyes and ears will get your money's worth; it's the story that will rip you off. The main reason for that is that Guy Richie still believes that deciphering every scene frame-by-frame is effective and he does it ad nauseum. Why? That's his trademark, I suppose, it's just not a trick that was ever very effective and yet he's still clinging to it. Get over it, Guy, and move on to the next phase of your life.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
2
/
5
Not worth seeing...
PostedDecember 17, 2011
Four angry people meet to resolve a fight between their sons in which one of them hit the other across the face with a branch and broke his teeth. The script has moments, as do some of the performances, but this is not the usual Polanski film; and, not worth seeing because of it. It starts off as a "civilized" attempt by two parents to discuss the issues with the parents of the other kid. However, the carnage ensues quickly and they're ready to kill each other 20 minutes into the film, though they still keep trying to seek a civilized resolution. It's an emotional mess of a film. Too bad--I was looking forward to it.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Immaturity Rules!
PostedDecember 13, 2011
If you don't respect the sanctity of marriage, or the rules of adult relationships, you will cherish this movie. This movie asks the question, "should we let the fact that someone is married and unavailable prevent us from trying to hook up with them?" Charlize Theron is creepy as the girl from the small town who makes it in the big city and returns to claim her high school sweetheart, despite the fact that he's married and his wife just had a baby. Well, there's slightly more to it than that, but what drives this film is Theron's creepy performance. At times her character is brilliantly perceptive about her live, and then there are those moments of insanity that make you wonder if she's a schizophrenic. Well, she's at least a manic depressive..., but in a fun way. See it if you've enjoyed watching Theron in action in the past, or hated high school, or hate married-happy people, or despise the small-town life, or successful people from the big city. Oh, yeah, and the dog is great!
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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