Jeff's Reviews | Thoughts on every movie I've ever seen.

recent product reviews

Hidden Figures (2016)

Reviewed on Dec 9, 2017

The filmmaking and dialogue are basic, science is dumbed down, and the race thing is a little on the nose.

Full Review

Interesting backstory for the film. Shot over three years ago. It’s not great, but not as horrible as everyone’s making it out to be. Part may be my attraction to this period of Dutch history. The story is a bit aimless at first, but the complicated love triangles eventually gain…

Full Review

Mudbound (2017)

Reviewed on Nov 30, 2017

A really well-made, authentic period piece that just feels right. Mostly steady camera and minimalist music and score allow us to concentrate on the characters and story. Pacing is perfect, editing is clean. It’s beautifully shot, with loving detail paid to the costumes and smaller sets, though I feel like…

Full Review

The Florida Project (2017)

Reviewed on Nov 27, 2017

As a meandering, art-house film set in Florida, this is the new Moonlight. Hardly any story, mostly a shaky camera following some kids around. If that was the goal of the film, well done. But it’s not for me. Despite the lack of story, the last scene did have some…

Full Review

Split (2016)

Reviewed on Nov 27, 2017

Definitely Shyamalan, with it’s suspense, minimalist editing, flashbacks to establish character, a touch of the supernatural, and a twist at the end. Some of his dialogue can seem a little scripted, though. McAvoy is great as a loony. Taylor-Joy’s pretty good, though perhaps a few too many shots of her…

Full Review

50/50 (2011)

Reviewed on Nov 27, 2017

Cute, inspirational story. Gordon-Levitt isn’t that annoying, actually pretty good. Rogen is his usual charming self. Kendrick is cute as always.

Full Review

Wonder (2017)

Reviewed on Nov 25, 2017

As this generation’s Mask, it’s heavy stuff. But the storytelling is a little confusing. Are we telling the story from the perspective of Auggie? His parents? His sister? His sister’s friend? Chbosky tried to make it interesting by telling a few different stories, or maybe that’s how the original novel…

Full Review

Anything Else (2003)

Reviewed on Nov 18, 2017

It seems like everyone in this movie is supposed to be Woody Allen. They’ve all got the same schtick: overly neurotic, nervous energy, monotonous philosophical drivel. In other movies, his actors can sometimes pull this off naturally (like Owen Wilson in Midnight in Paris), but in this one, everyone seems…

Full Review

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Reviewed on Oct 12, 2017

Pretty much everything that I had hoped for in a sequel. Villeneuve treated the story with reverence, paying homage to the original film and extending the story, visual style, and score with great care and creativity. A sci-fi epic. Villeneuve is helped by a rich, deep story with nice pacing,…

Full Review

Hold On (2016)

Reviewed on Oct 4, 2017

Well-shot. Definitely captures a mood, but not much of a story. Shorts can have more story than this, right? Characters and performances are authentic. Dagelet is entirely believable, and a talented musician to boot.

Full Review