Jeff's Reviews

Thoughts on every movie I've ever seen.

recent product reviews

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Same formula as the other Mission Impossible films, and it’s a formula that doesn’t excite me. Hunt is a rogue government agent who is smarter and more noble and more daring than both the good guys and the bad guys. How different is this from the Bourne or Bond franchises?…

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Oppenheimer (2023)

A chilling biography of a man and a pivotal point in human history. Murphy is fantastic in the lead role, capturing Oppenheimer’s bright but sad eyes, slight frame, and doing a particularly wonderful job with his exquisite voice, delivering an authentic, gravelly American accent without any trace of his native…

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Creed III (2023)

I think they did as good as they could with a formula that’s so tired at this point. Jordan is a good actor, and yes his physicality is impressive. Majors has a scary, wonderful mix of innocent charm and ferocity. They did a great job with the simultaneous slow reveal…

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Flee (2021)

Highly praised, and the historical background is tragic, but the personal story didn’t grab me, and I found it awfully boring. The animation and subtle score were nice and barely enough to keep me engaged.

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The Whale (2022)

Heavy (pun intended). Watching someone die is never fun. Fraser’s first proper dramatic performance. Always found him very annoying, but he conveys some real heart through that fat suit. Sink plays a good bitch. She has a fiery, articulate cuteness like Britt Robertson. Morton’s pretty good as a trashy American…

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The Father (2020)

Cleverly structured movie, with editing and visual tricks that recreate Anthony’s confusion and delusion for the viewer. Not as disjointed and manipulative as Chris Nolan’s Memento, but definitely a step in that direction. Is there a movie that captures the excruciating and heart-wrenching experience of dementia more effectively? The one…

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The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

Delightful little story. I could imagine this playing out perfectly on the stage with a couple of quality actors. The story is driven by the dialogue, and oh how wonderfully playful and natural it is. This is some really good writing, worthy of Best Screenplay awards. Beautifully shot. Everything takes…

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Farha (2021)

In a horrifying, depressing, but beautifully simple way, Sallam shines a light on a bit of history that many may not be familiar with. As the first movie I can think of that makes the Jews the bad guys, it’s definitely making me rethink things a bit. This story is…

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All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Probably the most horrifying war movie I’ve seen, with vivid grit and graphic brutality that eclipses even Saving Private Ryan and 1917. In this one, we have an interestingly sympathetic German perspective, but in the end, we get the familiar statement about the senselessness and futility and tragedy of war.…

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

A light-hearted, faithful story with lots of homages to the franchise. Good characters, fun voices, and great music, with lots of familiar themes thoughtfully reworked to fit scenes. Pratt does this stuff with ease, though maybe he wasn’t given enough free reign here. He’s not hilarious. Anya Taylor-Joy gives Peach…

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