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annthurlow
annthurlow's stats
- Review count6
- Helpfulness votes2
- First reviewDecember 21, 2008
- Last reviewNovember 14, 2010
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.8
annthurlow's Reviews
Overall rating
4
/
5
Consider this a 4.5 rating
PostedNovember 14, 2010
annthurlow
from mendham, nj
I'm very stingy with 5-star ratings, and I don't believe this movie rates one, but it's very good, and much more intelligently written than most current efforts (which allow people to consider "Inception" more than eye candy). The editing is a little choppy, when it moves back and forth between the deposition scenes and the back-story, but it's compelling nevertheless. Even if it's historically inaccurate, it conveys the cultures of Harvard and Silicon Valley very well.
Justin Timberlake's performance as Sean Parker (Napster creator, who helped launch Facebook nationally) was a very pleasant surprise. I also liked the dark, grey tones used in filming Harvard - too many filmmakers might try to "prettify" Cambridge.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Flawed, but Better Than Most
PostedSeptember 12, 2010
annthurlow
from mendham, nj
This movie is beautifully filmed, with an Oscar-worthy performance from Robert Duvall. Sissy Spacek infuses as much light as she can into a thinly-conceived role, and Bill Murray and Lucas Black are more than adequate in their roles. The movie gets off to a promising start, but then loses its way. It felt more like an expanded Hallmark Hall of Fame production at the end...or as if the screenwriter had presented a much longer script that was hacked to bits - lots of loose ends in narrative, and more interesting plot elements were sacrificed for predictable tearjerking ones. It still provides a rare opportunity for adults to see a movie that doesn't insult their intelligence or their stomachs. Most movies like this don't even make it to our suburban theaters.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
some charm, but wait for dvd
PostedSeptember 20, 2009
annthurlow
from mendham, nj
Self-consciously campy, with good performances, but script is mediocre, at best, and more concerned with its own campiness than with plot coherence - we never really understand what ADM was doing (they earned record-breaking fines for corrupt practices)....there was a real story, that was drowned out. Matt Damon is obviously having fun, and that redeems the movie.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Harry's a Bore, but it's beautifully filmed
PostedJuly 19, 2009
annthurlow
from mendham, nj
Daniel Radcliffe was an appealing kid, as the juvenile Harry, but lacks range and complexity as an actor. The film is a little slow at points, but the direction, special effects, and set design are always magnificent. Jim Broadbent steals the show as Slughorn, as does the young actress reprising the role of Luna. This is a tricky book to film, since it was very much a transitional work, setting the stage for final installment.I'm sorry they failed to include my favorite parts from Rowling's original: the opening scene with the Muggle Prime Minister, and the sequences involving Tom Riddle's mother and her family.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
.Brilliant performances; Important History
PostedDecember 30, 2008
annthurlow
from mendham, nj
I'm always reluctant to award 5 stars, but I'd say this deserves 4+ - Sean Penn's performance is Oscar-worthy, and he is supported by a very strong cast (especially Josh Brolin). The fusion of historic footage with the dramatic sequences works very effectively. Most of all, it depicts a very critical, and undervalued, chapter in the history of American civil liberties, and the recognition of a need for equal protection to "lifestyle" minorities.
I brought my 14-year-old (straight) son, and he enjoyed the movie; I would not recommend it for younger audiences.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
flawed, but highly enjoyable
PostedDecember 21, 2008
annthurlow
from mendham, nj
Excellent performances, but riddled with historical inaccuracies; best when focusing on the music - lags when it descends into soap opera. I hope that it might interest young audiences in the rich musical legacy, but the theatre was nearly empty on the Saturday night we saw it.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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