recent product reviews
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Nice little story. A strange combination of magic and intense violence. This one is not for the kiddies. Wonderful effects and colors. The palette of greens, browns, and white was deliberate and magical. Thoughtful, seamless editing weaves it all together. Baquero is unconventionally cute and magnetic. López is the perfect…
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The Artist (2011)
Points for novelty, but the story was merely decent. The goofy, theatrical overacting of Dujardin’s performance is often found in French cinema and usually annoying, but here it fits the part perfectly. Valentin is suave, funny, and emotional. A great performance. Bejo is good, too. The dance number at the…
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Lionheart (1990)
Typical Van Damme fare. His physique and some of his moves are the centerpiece, and there’s not much else. Forced stories, completely amateur actors, low-budget sets.
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The Magic of Flight (1996)
More about the Blue Angels specifically than flight in general. Good sound, but Selleck’s narration was a bit simplistic and cheesy. Some more scientific background would have been interesting.
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The Lives of Others (2006)
Quality story about what might be becoming a forgotten era in Germany. The story, performances, and remarkably authentic sets are important documentation for this period of Germany’s history. Mühe was completely engaging as the cold, calculating Wiesler, reminding me a bit of Brían F. O’Byrne in The International. His Oscar-worthy…
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Not a real story, it’s more of a snapshot of quirky characters at a mental institute. Nothing happens. It’s a horrifying ending, and a minor character gets redeemed, but it’s not enough. Every Academy Award in 1975? Really? You can feel the Broadway roots. It’s all very theatrical, with melodrama,…
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A Separation (2011)
The comfortable pacing, handheld camera, lack of score, and perfectly natural dialogue make the story and the people in it very real. Perfect performances by all actors: lead and supporting, big and small, young and old. An interesting exploration of Iranian law and faith and the gray area in between.…
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The Prestige (2006)
Interesting story from an interesting time. The plot bounces around just enough to keep things unpredictable. Great characters and performances. Jackman, Bale, and Caine are all good. Even Johansson pulls it off. Wonderful job on costumes and sets. How could they not have gotten an Oscar for that?
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John Carter (2012)
Reminded me a lot of Avatar. A man, or more precisely a copy of a man, is whisked to another world filled with aliens, aliens who are tall and slender and athletic and tribal. In this world, he finds his purpose in life, and he finds love. Given the choice…
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I'm a photographer, web developer, travel enthusiast, and movie buff living in Alexandria, Virginia, USA.In the summer of 1993, I started writing reviews for every movie I saw and haven't looked back. I'm up to 2,371 reviews now. This makes me cool or a complete dork, depending on your perspective.
Some of these reviews contain spoilers, so if that bothers you, don't read!
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