TheMovieRhino's stats
- Review count647
- Helpfulness votes412
- First reviewNovember 16, 2008
- Last reviewMay 26, 2012
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.9
Overall rating
5
/
5
Water for Elephants Juggles Its Many Parts Well...
PostedApril 24, 2011
...not only that - we knew that Waltz, Witherspoon and Holbrook had A-one acting chops .... but who would suspect that Robert Pattinson could hold his own with them. No one is more surprised than me! I have been of a mind that once the Twilight series had run it's course that Pattinson would fade from sight rather quickly. This movie and his performance have shed a new light, at least for me, on Pattinson's future in the movie business. Rosie the elephant does indeed steal the show but the story, script, acting, gorgeous cinematography and musical score are very enjoyable. We liked it from start to end. A three-ring rhino horn up.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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1of 1voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
4
/
5
The Conspirator Reveals a Story from our History
PostedApril 24, 2011
.... and it does it well indeed. Enjoyed all 122 minutes of The Conspirator from the viewpoint of acting, script, cinematography (absolutely spot-on and gorgeous), dialogue, music score and pacing. My only beef is the palpable sense that director Redford worked just a bit too hard to try and send a political message into the ether of today's politics. No doubt that there are some sinews that connect this event from post Civil War America to today's headlines .... but I would have preferred the efforts to delineate these to be more subtle and/or left entirely out of the movie. None-the-less we were engrossed for the entire film - transfixed really. Worth viewing in a theater (just not Ford's Theater). A Blue and Gray rhino horn up.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Chenillo Bequeaths us a Great Movie - Nora's Will!
PostedApril 24, 2011
It may take some effort on your part to find a theater that is playing Nora's Will .... but TheMovieRhino implores you to go the extra mile to see Nora's Will in a theater. This is a complex movie that takes it's time unfolding so that we can savor all of the subtleties and stitch ourselves into it's fabric. Well done writer/director Chenillo and your excellent cast and crew. What an intricate movie you have created for us all to enjoy. An adult movie that takes an unusual route in helping us to understand the life of a woman and the people that she interacted with. Nora's Will has wit, charm, mystery, humor, pathos, irony, sadness, joy .... it has it all .... and all told with such an original flair. Not to be missed. A rhino horn shaped sticky note up!
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Why Scream4! Wes Craven shows us why...
PostedApril 18, 2011
For 30 years now we have had horror movie series that captivate us. Some emphasize pure terror and horror....some mysterious psychological horror....some focus on inventive instruments of death.....and, some, like the Scream series, imbed humor and a little wink that lets us know that everyone is in on the deal. Scream does this well and it has created its own genre .... and it remains the best within the genre. You know what you are getting with Scream and it still is a campy, fun romp. Not for all and at some point (may be there now) it will run its course. A slightly bloody rhino horn up.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Rio is a colorful, musical family adventure
PostedApril 18, 2011
20th Century Fox shows that it can play with the big boys - Pixar and Disney - in this animated, colorful tale of avian adventure. Bright, energetic, empathetic characters inhabit "Rio" and we get to tag along. 3D enhances this movie from all we can tell. Kids under 12 should have a great time and adults will enjoy it as well - but less so. The music is the most important attribute and you will find yourself tapping your foot and swaying to the score, songs and dance numbers. Rio gets a toucan-striped rhino horn up.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Of Gods and Men is a Reflective Tribute ....
PostedApril 17, 2011
.... to the priests that "held their sacred ground" in this true tale of people - terrorists - corrupt government vs. God's most basic commandment to "Love one another". The movie evolves slowly (this is not the typical Hollywood fast-food movie fare) and if you are looking for standard movie pacing this one is likely not for you. Director Beauvois succeeds in "forcing" us to enter the contemplative, self-sacrificing, prayerful lives of several priests that are tending to their flock of Muslim rural village town folk when an uprising begins, terrorists emerge and national troops appear on scene. The terrorists and the military have agendas that want the priests to pick a side and not bring comfort and healing to anyone affiliated with "the other side". The priests only have one side - God. They will work to continue to heal and comfort all who seek their help regardless of their affiliations. We know what the priests know - their days are numbered. It is mesmerizing to watch the diligent, quiet work of the priests, witness their human concerns and see them worship God in their sanctuary with singing and prayer. We know their earthly ending and can only have an inkling of their heavenly rewards. The individual and unique personalities of the priests is well-delivered via showing their concerns, their work and their individual evolution - really nice work. This movie is blessed with deft direction, gorgeous cinematography and thoughtful pacing. A huge rhino horn up!
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Hanna - an Unusual Action Movie w/ Style & Mystery
PostedApril 11, 2011
Hanna will not appeal to everyone. My thinking is that you will likely have strong feelings either way as director Wright has a very subjective style in creating movies and Hanna is no exception. I loved it! Why? Answer: Pace, dialogue, cinematography, mystery, music, score, acting, mystery, plot, story, atmosphere, suspense, action, mystery, actors, editing, ending, mystery .... perhaps you noticed the word "mystery" popping up several times in my list of favorable attributes? I love movies that force us to think and do so in creative ways. Hanna does this very well. The movie has many mysterious allusions - not all of which are cleaned up and answered. I had a lot of fun - most of you will too. A "just missed your heart" rhino horn up.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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3of 3voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Soul Surfer Hangs Ten - See it!
PostedApril 11, 2011
An inspiring, well-told tale based on a true story. One can nit-pick at this film (why Helen Hunt ... why not make a documentary instead .... why use a robot shark in the attack scene?) BUT, overall, this movie hits all of the right spots and it does it pretty darn well. Nice cadre of veteran actors surround and buoy up the young ones as the events leading up to the shark attack, the attack itself and the aftermath are all told in a straight forward manner - no melodrama or hype. As a Christian I appreciated the references to church, faith and scripture. This central reality in many true story dramas is often "sanitized" out of Hollywood movies to placate the agnostic, atheistic, new age sensibilities of the film-making intelligentsia. Kudos to director McNamara and his entire film-making team. A wave-washed rhino horn up! Don't miss it.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
4
/
5
Arthur is the Penultimate Role for Russell Brand
PostedApril 11, 2011
It is a rare thing when a re-make of a well-known movie is better than the original but this rarity is realized in this new rendition of "Arthur". Truth is I was never all that fond of the original Dudley Moore version. Brand's intrinsic comedic self seems to lend a greater depth to this character .... he's a bit more believable .... and we are more easily able to empathize with Arthur's childlike fascination with the world. Mirren, Garner and Nolte all bring the necessary added heft to the supportive cast and the result is some harmless, clean fun. I'd like to think if I had a billion or two laying around that I, too, would have a Bat Suit and a Batmobile. What "bat-fun"! A golden rhino horn up.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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1of 2voted this as helpful.
Overall rating
5
/
5
Source Code Makes An Impact ...
PostedApril 3, 2011
Source Code explodes onto the screen .... then it really gets going! Never a dull moment and many mysteries to uncover. We are along for the hair-raising ride with Jake Gyllenhaal as he re-lives someone else's death over and over again in eight minute segments. Mixed into the mystery there is a bit of romance (think "50 First Dates") seasoned with some government subterfuge, science fiction and "Mission Impossible find and stop the bad guy" action. Director Jones packs a lot into this movie and he lets his audience uncover "the truth" at the same time as the main character uncovers it. We are in full-blown empathy with Gyllenhaal as he fights for others and himself. While we are clued in to what his actual condition is we are not sure what the outcome will be. We are all rooting for him. Great action-suspense movie with an equally great ending. A big deja-vu rhino horn up!
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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1of 1voted this as helpful.