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

recent product reviews

Boyhood (2014)

Reviewed on Nov 13, 2014

There’s the novelty of having shot the film with the same actors over 12 years, so there’s that. But there’s not much else. Was there a plot? Or did Linklater shoot these short pieces and hope to cobble them together into something coherent and interesting in the end? The most…

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Wrong Side of Town (2010)

Reviewed on Nov 10, 2014

There’s something endearing about that main character, but when you look like that, you can’t play it straight. That just makes you look goofy. Just as there is something distinctive about your look, there has to be something distinctive about your personality. That’s one of the things that really worked…

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Interstellar (2014)

Reviewed on Nov 8, 2014

Mature and contemplative science fiction on an epic scale. It makes you think, it makes you feel. This is a space adventure, but there are very human elements that tie everything together. Nolan’s take on love is actually quite poignant. Nolan does something subtle but impressive here, cleverly skipping over…

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The Hunger Games (2012)

Reviewed on Nov 1, 2014

Fantasy stories generally don’t appeal to me because the drama feels fabricated, acting is over-the-top, and sets/costumes are outlandish. But this one’s not bad. Lawrence does a pretty good job in a role that launched her career. Interesting that her co-star Hutcherson hasn’t amounted to anything.

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Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

Reviewed on Nov 1, 2014

Same formula as the original, a bit more explicit this time. Moretz is growing up but still good. Taylor-Johnson has been working out, hasn’t he? Carrey’s a nice addition, though he’s in that awkward zone between not too funny and not too dramatic.

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Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

Reviewed on Oct 26, 2014

The whole thing is getting a bit old, with stories getting thinner and masks getting cheaper. A good time to end the series. The crying Caesar statue at the end was a bit much. I find Darden unappealing. Certainly no need for that many close-ups of his face.

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Best of the Best (1989)

Reviewed on Oct 26, 2014

An implementation of the Rocky/Karate Kid formula, but it’s pretty lousy. A ragtag collection of B and C actors. Roberts is awful.

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A Very Brady Sequel (1996)

Reviewed on Oct 16, 2014

Once again, amazingly faithful to the original series. This parody really works. Glad whole cast came back. Gary Cole as Mike is fabulously deadpan. Matheson isn’t so great, though. Or at least the writing for him isn’t so funny.

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Clear History (2013)

Reviewed on Oct 8, 2014

Just like Curb Your Enthusiasm. Lots of improv and a few funny moments, but some of it seems a bit forced. This one was made for TV, but I wonder if it’s possible to make a big commercial movie in which every scene is mostly improvised. Has that ever been…

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