Denbo's stats
- Review count17
- Helpfulness votes5
- First reviewSeptember 25, 2008
- Last reviewAugust 25, 2009
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.4
Overall rating
4
/
5
Okay bio pic of Chess records
PostedDecember 15, 2008
For a low budget bio pic of the formation of Chess records, this is better than one would expect. The performances particularly those of Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, Adrian Brody as the founder, Leonard Chess and Mos Def as Chuck Berry are excellent though I found Beyonce was just fair as the sensual Etta James (she also co-produced this film). Even non fans of the blues will enjoy this film!!
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
Better than the '51 version?
PostedDecember 15, 2008
Technically I was in awe of the special effects plus the sound of this remake but the re-structuring of the original story was shallow and the characterizations very thin. In fact there was no connection between Connelly's character and the alien as it was in the original--no communion. A pity, since even a light hearted fantasy like "Starman" had that. 4 stars for effects and only 2 for the script.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Clint creates a another winner!!
PostedOctober 27, 2008
Clint Eastwood has been on a roll lately as director and again he comes up with another Oscar contender with "The Changeling". Angelina Jolie delivers with an emotionally shattering performance as a single mom whose child is suddenly kidnapped then mysteriously delivered to her. Problem is--it's not hers. Great performances by all, look for this at Oscar time.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
Stone's take on Bush
PostedOctober 21, 2008
I am glad that Oliver Stone did not do as some assumed a hatchet job on our soon to be ex-president. Josh Brolin's performance as Bush is reason enough to see the movie but also Richard Dreyfuss is excellent also as Dick Cheney particularly in the scene when he explains to the Cabinet why we should invade Iraq. The other performances are variable with a very stiff and miscast Thandie Newton as Condoleeza Rice sticking out, a fair Scott Glenn as Donald Rumsfeld and the Brit Toby Jones as Karl Rove. James Cromwell and Ellen Burstyn are also quite good as W's parents. I only wish Stone could've gone deeper into to the inner life of Bush but this is still an entertaining but not deep movie about the Decider.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
2
/
5
DiCaprio, Scott and Crowe create a body of lies
PostedOctober 14, 2008
I went into this film with high expectations since DiCaprio , Crowe and Ridley Scott have produced some of the best films coming out of Hollywood plus Oscar winner William Monaghan was on board as well as scriptwriter. However after a while, the plot points tended to confuse me even more than with "Syriana" and the ending left me unresolved to say the least.
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
Harris' okay Western
PostedOctober 2, 2008
I had heard of this Western from a fellow student in class who's the wife of Dean Semler, the cinematographer of the movie. While it's an honest effort from Harris, the director and star--I found a mite disappointing. The pace slows down after the kidnapping of the miscast Zellweger --, maybe Angelina Jolie or Rachel Mcadams would've been better. Mortensen comes off better than Harris as the stoic cowboy and Irons as the villain has an uneven accent problem--is he English or New Yorker? Comparing this to "Open Range", I found myself at a distance from the characters in this oater but if you are a Western buff, you'll like it---it has its moments and isn't a bad movie, just fair.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Pretty good bad cop thriller
PostedSeptember 25, 2008
There have been some pretty good "bad cop" thrillers lately starting with "Training Day", then before that "Unlawful Entry" and "Internal Affairs". In this sub-genre, we get to the point as to how far the main character or villain can go--and we delight in it!!. In this case, the obsession which drives our cop to the deep end or "dark side" is race, pure and simple. The producers made a good choice in getting Samuel L Jackson to play the main character, Abel Turner because without him--this would be routine cop thriller. Check it out
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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