Jeff's Reviews

Thoughts on every movie I've ever seen.

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Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Reviewed on Dec 21, 2022

A long wait for this one. Was it worth the wait? Almost. Overall, another technical masterpiece from Cameron. There’s no disputing that the beautiful world he has created and the visual effects used to bring it to life show a creativity and technical competency that makes him one of the…

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Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021)

Reviewed on Dec 15, 2022

A cute and pleasant film. I really enjoy how they avoid Marcel’s whole origin story and completely gloss over the fact that Marcel is a sentient, anthropomorphic shell. Biggest issue is that not a lot happens, and it starts to get a little boring after the novelty wears off. Slate…

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Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Reviewed on Dec 1, 2022

This year’s WTF art movie. But what kind of movie is it supposed to be? Funny? Cool? Interesting? Complicated? Philosophical? Quirky? Inspirational? Romantic? Touching? When it tries to be all at once, it succeeds at nothing. And if every 7 minutes we have another climax with a time-distorted, magical confluence…

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In Bruges (2008)

Reviewed on Nov 1, 2022

Things feel a little weird in the beginning, with loosely edited dialogue and light comedy that doesn’t really work. But as the story deepened and the characters developed and the beauty of Bruges slowly revealed itself, it all grew on me. By the end, we have a cleanly told, symbolism-filled…

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Confess, Fletch (2022)

Reviewed on Oct 31, 2022

Hamm channels Chevy in expression, habit, and quick wit, but he’s not Chevy. I’m just not convinced Hamm is all that funny. Some of his dialogue feels a bit scripted and forced, and a smart-ass who is not that funny starts to get annoying. Izzo looks like a mix of…

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The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993)

Reviewed on Oct 28, 2022

What a remarkable connection to history she is. Great to have been able to get these interviews with her, even if this project was conceived by Leni herself. Fiery and pretty sharp for 90. I really appreciated Leni’s very frank and matter-of-fact answers. What I like most is how they…

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On Deadly Ground (1994)

Reviewed on Oct 25, 2022

A festering pile of shit, from story to editing to acting to casting. Seagal is a C-list action star and a D-list actor. Shame seeing respectable actors like Caine and Thornton wasted. Hard to take McGinley seriously. The PSA and associated press footage tacked onto the end is laughable. And…

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A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995)

Reviewed on Oct 17, 2022

The guy is passionate about movies. I wonder how many of today’s directors have this kind of passion for and familiarity with the classics. Should have been required viewing in film school. I like how personal it is, and I love Scorsese’s unique, fast-talking narration. But a camera fixated on…

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David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (2020)

Reviewed on Oct 13, 2022

This is not a biography, but it certainly gives us a lot more insight into the man than we’ve ever gotten before. A true personal statement, and since he’s one of the few experienced enough in this subject, he’s earned the right to make one. Beautiful footage from the documentaries…

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Coda (2021)

Reviewed on Oct 3, 2022

A beautiful film, with magic coming from the sweet and cleanly told story, the heartfelt and authentic characters, and perfect casting. The drama of having a voice in a deaf family is real and marvelously explored in this one. Similar drama plays out in Mr. Holland’s Opus (though perhaps in…

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