Before the Flood

You rated this movie:
★★★★★

Oh dear, the ostriches dig their heads deeper, sand scratching sclera, instead of appraising the media .   Five stars for urgency .   One does not need to be a trained musician or artist to make a documentary about classical music or cubists ;  that’s where previous study and interviews come to the fore, from an almost ubiquitous chorus of EXPERTS that say that the majority of current climate change [ moving at lightspeed compared to those ice core snapshots of climate cycles on geological time scales ] is, indeed, manmade .   Some flatlanders may never believe in roundness, even after viewing an arc for themselves, after rides to the edge of space soon become available ;  such is the nature of delusion .

A Very Murray Christmas

You rated this movie:
★★★★

Very sly, honest, asymmetrical joy—Christmas askew .   Some sincere carols, but most are quirky .   Murray always interests .

The Tiger

You rated this movie:
★★★★★

Are curmudgeon critics enamored with the word “ glowing ” ?   The reason for the glowing reviews is because it glows .   Acting .   Pacing .   Effects .   Grit .   Plot .   Editing .   Well, a list that glows .   Come to think of it, the tiger did kind of levitate :   I’m ok with that .   Documentaries are real, fiction is fiction .   Expectation therein .

Shelley

You rated this movie:
★★★★

The very opposite of “Daemonium,” splendidly done—very entertaining and thought provoking .   No spoon–feeding here, imagination required .   Wonderful performances and direction.   Endings ?   O, the modern crowd, “ 2001 :   A Space Odyssey ” would not have a chance these days .   If the movie was tied up in a nice bow at the end, I guarantee most would forget the film in minutes ;  as it is, it crawls around your noggin for a while and may remain there .

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House

You rated this movie:
★★★★★

A spectacular spectre film that experiments with structure, frames within frames, circular and open-ended .   It’s like decay viewed within golden amber, so beautifully does the movie unfold like a flower destined to “ fall apart . ”   Particularly, much of the dialogue is lyrically succinct, mesmerizing .   For the ( many it would seem ) detractors of this understated gem, as Charley Sheen said in Two and a Half Men [ S1E7 ], “ I understand . ”

The Tribe

You rated this movie:
★

I endured this to the end .   I do not recommend that you do the same .   This movie is just terrible .   Unless you fancy queasiness induced by witnessing depraved humans acting out .   The director favors nihilism distilled in long, unblinking shots that study humanity’s bestial edge .   Pointless, banal misery despite the sign–language gimmick posing as edgy .

The Forbidden Room

You rated this movie:
★

There are so many classics and masterpieces available during one’s short stay ;  why squander precious hours on a movie that only aspires to be completely different, that’s the nutshell of the approach .   The senses and contemplation of each person must name that which is art .   Alas, the language of this film is foreign to my ears .   It exists for those who find continuity disheartening and embrace the quantum uncertainty of packets of jest dribbled indeterminant on a roll of celluloid, then edited in the manner of a lead guitarist that gets all shake–weight orgasmic with wah–wah, fuzz and feedback effects as his fingers speed pointlessly up and down scales, instead of serving a holistic product to delight the audience .   Enjoy a dose of modernity !

Tallulah

You rated this movie:
★★★★★

Excellent film .   An aesthetic tied–bow closing is not required, and many times counterproductive .   A meditation on the human condition .   Well–made in all respects .   Art !

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

You rated this movie:
★★★★★

Spectacular film .   Everything is done spot–on .   A film that makes you treasure life, the thousands of small joys that fill everyone’s, if they’d pay attention .   Cathartic for the 9–11 national loss, but with affirmation to continue on .   Thomas Horn’s performance was tremendous ;  it goes in my list of great young performances ;  The Whale Rider’s Keisha Castle–Hughes comes to mind .   Well, I’m off to Amazon.com to get the book to read .   In short, this movie is highly recommended :   it visits most human emotions with aplomb .

Atonement

You rated this movie:
★★★★★

Work of art ! I heartily concur with the 5–star crowd .   The gulf between haters and lovers always baffles .   I just wish more films had this level of direction, acting, and cinematic realization .   That, my friends, is where the accolades come from .   A gem.

Renaissance

You rated this movie:
★★★★★

A striking film .   An aesthetic gem that drips noir starkly into cerebral action .   The bold animation explores ethical questions typical of science fiction that promises to become the science of tomorrow, sooner rather than later .   The solid plot entertains well enough ;  however, the animation contains enough imagination and competence to recommend it alone .   So, to sum up :   fantastic art with stylistic rendering, plus a compelling story, sound, and voice acting .

Twixt

You rated this movie:
★★★★

Beautiful and quirky .   Looks like a love–it–or–hate–it movie by the ratings ;  reminds me of the critical split for “ Blue Velvet . ”   Answers in nightmares .   I love the dangerous kids across the lake and the child vampire .

Robot & Frank

You rated this movie:
★★★★★

Beautiful movie where Frank Langella shines .   The movie touches on :   the sadness of mental reality ebbing away before the body does ;  the nature of relationships with artificial intelligence ;  and the cost and benefits of crime .   Besides, Susan Sarandon is always a bonus to any movie she is in .

Citizen Kane

You rated this movie:
★★★
  ★★

Eureka

You rated this movie:
★★★★

“ Life isn’t linear, it’s sideways . ”—Nicolas Roeg Roeg’s movies study the human condition in montage .   The jump cuts reveal continuity in apparently disparate events, insightful planning from the director .   Fine film for aesthetes .