mstivers

An original, enjoyable mess with everyone involved giving their all. I especially enjoyed Jake Gyllenhaal as a song-and-dance movie star. He's got chops!

A prime example of Scandinavian reserve. The emotions are held so in check that when they do come out, it’s like a bomb going off. All the performances are top-notch; in particular, Renate Reinsve’s face is a palette of a thousand colors. I could watch her all day. One of the most effective endings of any movie I’ve ever seen.

I’ve never been a big fan of Godard‘s movies, but this film helped me to appreciate exactly what his accomplishment was.

Really good sequel. I was very happy to spend more time with these characters and this world. The level of detail and all the cultural references were really astonishing. I’m ready to see Zootopia three!

Both Kane and Schwartzman are outstanding in this character-driven indie drama. It’s very Jewish, and there is lots of humor, but there is serious heart, pain, and joy, plus an unexpected final turn that puts it firmly in the Excellent box.

This is an amazing achievement — it's as if Cruise and McQuarry set out to do a whole set of well-worn action cliches — the car chase, the sword fight, the fight on the train, a motorcycle off the cliff like in Goldeneye — just to prove that they could do them better. And they pretty much succeed! And the McGuffin/danger in this case is actually something that people worry about — AI taking over the world, which in the case of Cruise is a metaphor for CGI replacing practical stunts and streaming replacing cinema. How much longer can he do it? At least one more movie, it seems!

I am never disappointed by Spielberg's craftsmanship, but sometimes his sentimentality gets in the way. Not this time, though. There is an emotional toughness and also a quirky humor in this movie that I have not seen in his work before. He celebrates the allure of cinema, but doesn't shy away from the cost. Top work from the actors, especially the incandescent Michelle Williams. And one of the best final shots of all time. Probably there will be many Spielberg highlight reels that end with that shot.

This is not just an improvement on the original (especially with the two leads) but one of the best movie musicals I've ever seen. No one moves a camera better than Spielberg, and Kushner added depth to the characters and gave more time to the Puerto Ricans, including much dialogue in Spanish with no subtitles. This is the first West Side Story I've seen, on stage or in film, where the gang members seemed dangerous. No one is wearing tennis shoes!! I've always considered this show to have a great score but a problematic book full of clinkers like "I want you to dig this, and dig this the most!" Tony Kushner fixed the book.

This is definitely not for everyone, but I admire the ambition, production design, music, and story (especially the first half.) I also wish some of the singing were better. Not perfect, but there were enough beautiful and funny moments to carry me through. I do wish the whole movie were as playful as the beginning. My favorite parts were the ones that were overtly artificial — the audience in the stand-up scenes, everything with the amazing puppet, and the storm where Ann dies. Overall, an unforgettable film.

I don't usually watch nature documentaries, but I got a very high recommendation from a friend. It far exceeded my expectations. The story of the relationship between the filmmaker and the octopus is startling, and the cinematography and sound are stellar.

I would place SOUL among the first rank of Pixar animations, which means among the first rank of animations ever made. Of course, it's visually amazing, but its storytelling couldn't aim any higher. It's about New York, the Black American experience, jazz, teaching -- and the meaning of existence. And unlike practically any other movie about jazz, the music is first-rate. (John Baptiste, Questlove, and Herbie Hancock were among the performers and consultants.) My only question is — what will young children get out of this? It's hugely entertaining, but like the director's INSIDE OUT, it tackles knotty philosophical questions and will inspire a mountain of scholarly papers.

From the very beginning, you can see that the grumpy old man will turn out to have a heart of gold. But his very particular backstory, and some comedy that goes some pretty dark places, raise it above the Hallmark level. But you definitely will cry!

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

This was a delicious homage to and extension of the Agatha Christie tradition. All the clues are there for you to find the solution. The acting and art direction are delicious, and I found the final twist to be both totally surprising and completely believable. That's quite rare. It's mildly thrilling, with quite a few laughs and cultural references.

This is a rom-com that hits a lot of the familiar plot points. And the two principals, playing old friends who rekindle their spark, generate way more laughs than erotic heat. But I can recommend the Asian/San Francisco setting, send-up of high-end food culture and especially a standout cameo by Keanu Reeves, playing a hilariously toxic version of himself.

This is Disney at is best, a fantastic combination of commercial appeal and art. The Disney princess is back, with not even a hint of a romantic interest to distract from her heroic (heroinic?) arc. As a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda, I am ecstatic about the songs. The themes of islands, heroism, family, and tradition are right up his alley. The Rock is perfectly cast and gives a career-high performance. No one could have done his part better. I am not an expert on Polynesian culture, but everything feels perfectly authentic. They've come a long way since the Tiki Room. And finally, the animation is another step forward for Disney. They've always excelled at rendering water, but the water is literally a character in the story here.

Energetic, funny, and original. I love that so much of it is subtitled Armenian... that family dynamic seemed so real and painful. The intersection between the immigrants and transgenders, two marginalized groups with seemingly nothing else in common, is what really puts this movie over the top for me. You can criticize some of the production aspects but this movie is the real deal.

Reminiscent of both "Brazil", Kafka, and Orwell, this movie is worth seeing for its art direction alone. Like "Brazil", it blends futuristic and out-of-date technology. The tone is consistently dark and brooding, and Eisenberg does an excellent job of keeping the two characters distinct.

Any fan of Woody Allen should see this film. Anyone who has ever been enchanted by Gertrude Stein's circle of artists and writers will LOVE this film. One of his very best, similar in tone to "Purple Rose of Cairo."

I hope this movie leads to even bigger things for Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy. A good balance between emotional realism and some truly absurd comedy. A lot of laughs and some scenes that were both painful and funny. Melissa McCarthy is a real discovery for me; she nails every scene she is in.