mandagrammy

I find it hard to believe someone giving this film a 1 star rating. This was a totally engrossing film from beginning to end. It was well acted and well scripted. The pace was on point. Flashbacks gave plenty of clues, but the red herrings kept the story one step ahead of the viewer at all times. It was only towards the end that I thought I had the whole truth, but even then there was a tiny bit more. This is not only a whodunit, but also a worthy whydunit and howdunit. Yes, there are a couple of coincidences that seem a bit too easy for belief, but this is a fiction, which allows for leeway. Overall, this is a film that stays interesting and offers a great payoff in the end.

I only gave this movie a third star because the opening scene was intriguing and promised an interesting story. Unfortunately, the promise was never fulfilled. I don't know who deserves the most blame (director, script writer, actors, or editors or a combination of all of them) but the plot was beyond ridiculous. Almost all the actors appeared to be reading their lines, not living them. There were so many holes in the sequence of events that you could drive a Mack Truck through them. The special effects were repetitive to the point of boredom. The same goes for the dialogue. I do have to say that I enjoyed several laughs, although I'm sure it isn't what the creators of the film were aiming for.

When the MI movies first came out, I was super excited because the TV series was among my top 5 shows of all time. At first the movies did not disappoint. But this most recent one certainly has done that. I had to give a higher rating of 7 only because the action sequences are so good. However, the plot was so convoluted and the characters so confusing that I felt cheated while watching it. On top of that, I am one of those who sadly didn't realize the movie would end without any kind of resolution at all, being only Part One of a Two Part film. That's my fault, but it didn't keep me from immense frustration at the end of the film. And now I'll have to wait until 2025 to see the continuation of the story. Hope Part Two has at least more humanity in it and a tad less action then.

If you are looking for a new Christmas story that will make you smile and feel good all over, this is the one to look for. As always, Melissa McCarthy steals the show as an irrepressible, fun loving, yet slightly jaded by human nature, genie in a bottle... make that jewelry box. Her latest wisher is a loving man whose only fault is that he is a workaholic who can't see the forest for the trees until it is too late. On the very brink of losing everything he cherishes most his discovery of the genie could be his saving grace. Of course, this is a fantasy so not everything needs to make logical sense. The film is so much fun to watch that it doesn't matter one bit. Just sit back and enjoy the fun. Happy Holidays everyone.

This is an excellent 3 part documentary that follows the notorious Murdaugh murder case from beginning to end, but even includes a 4th part that continues on with the story after the guilty verdict for Alex Murdaugh in the deaths of his wife and youngest son. What is particularly impressive is that we hear the opinions of all sides, both believers in his guilt and believers in his innocence. There is no overdramatizing anything. We are simply given as much information as is possible, as if we were on the jury ourselves, and left with the chance to form our own opinions as to guilt or innocense.

If you love dancing, especially in musical films, this is an absolute must see film for you. Every number was an obvious love letter to the film it represented. I loved the variety of numbers too, because it didn't just concentrate on one style of dance and music. Oftentimes we will get features similar to this that seem too long, but in this case the only thing that I wanted was for it to be twice as long. There are so many iconic dance numbers from past films that they could easily have a sequel, and I would be among the first to tune in. Even the guest performers did an excellent job with their singing and dancing. Two thumbs sky high for this amazing show.

I'm not sure why so many reviews are as negative as they are. I agree that this is an imperfect thriller. The main issue I see is in editing. I saw a number of scenes that seemed superfluous and did little to advance the storylne. There were also scenes that didn't make a lot of sense, the main culprit here being the very final scene of the series. We definitely did not need it at all. The show would have been better if it had ended just before that scene. I am not an avid binge watcher, but I sat through all 6 episodes of this series in one day, which says something about it keeping my interest. I particularly enjoyed Jenna Coleman's performance as the wronged wife who chooses a different path to divorce in her reaction to her husband's infidelity. Her performance had to be nuanced in order to convey many different conflicting emotions. On the other hand, Oliver Jackson-Cohen literally had only two emotions to display, one of which was only glimpsed briefly, more towards the end. He also had little dialog to memorize, repeating the same lines ad nauseum. All in all, I did find this to be a good psychological thriller, despite its imperfections.

There are so many really good documentaries about 9/11 out there, and they all have a distinct viewpoint of that horrific day. This is truly one of the most interesting of them all, because this is the voice of some of those lucky ones who somehow survived to tell their stories. No Hollywood movie could capture the feelings of a person when something like this happens near as clearly or dramatically as these first-hand accounts. You can still hear the fear in their voices as they recount the effect of not actually knowing what was going on or how to react to it. In the end you can't help wondering how you would react if you were in such a situation. The one good thing that comes out of it, although it brings plenty of tearful moments, is the proof of how human beings can come together for the good of all when it is an absolute necessity.

Although this documentary is very long, lasting for 4 episodes, there are enough details involved to make it necessary to be so lengthy. After all, the family of the victim, Scott Johnson, had to wait for decades for a resolution to the mystery of the death of their beloved family member. What makes this doc so interesting is that they don't just focus on the family seeking justice, but also on the atmosphere that was a part of this story during the time period of the crime, and they also give voice to so many involved in the story, including those from both sides of the fence on the whole issue. At first I thought I would watch 2 episodes and then the other 2 the next day, but the documentary was so well done that I ended up binge watching the entire thing in one sitting. I highly recommend this series for those who find the stories behind true crimes to be very intriguing.

Although this documentary was quite thorough and held back no details of one of the most sickening couples and their crimes in history, the series ended up being bloated to the point of dulling the horrific impact of the overall story. I lost count of how many times they showed the same video clips to make the same points that had already been made repeatedly. Talking heads, who knew a great deal behind the scenes as well as some knowing the perpetrators personally, also seemed to repeat themselves far too often. Overall, my rating was lowered simply because we could have learned all the same information about this notorious case from a 2 hour series just as easily as the long drawn out 4 hour series we got.

There are so many documentaries out there about so many different kinds of well-known people, and this one is among the very best. It covers so much of the character and real life personality of a man who spent most of his life acting out a role that he (and others) had created for him, while actually living a life so different from that role. And yet, this doc does also show that the real Rock and the created Rock were the same person where it counts. By the time you are halfway through the film, your heart aches for those who had to live two separate lives just to survive, while also feeling such relief that the story is so different for those same people today. The best part of this film is hearing from so many folks who were there and knew firsthand what was really going on behind the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. I highly recommend this film to fans of Rock Hudson and/or show business. It is very enlightening.

A great documentary gives its audience an authentic no-holds-barred look at the truth behind the fantasy of its subject. This documentary does just that. Having included folks who have first-hand intimate knowledge of this pseudo-Christian organization called IBLP makes the story even more interesting, albeit disturbing as all get out. I was one of those who was a devoted fan of the Duggar family series, not for its religious beliefs but for the way the family seemed so happy and well organized. Coming from a rather dysfunctional family, this seemed like a slice of heaven, which I envied as much as enjoyed watching. It still saddens me to see the truth of the whole thing, yet I'm grateful for documentaries that are as well made as this one for opening my eyes. Watching it is a warning to never take anything at face value until you have the whole story.

I love documentaries and none have been more thorough and engrossing than this one. They literally start from day one (and even before) the creation of Warner Brothers and take this story right up to today. They included some of the most interesting talking heads to add to the story... folks who were right there on the front lines when the best and worst happened for the company. If you are a movie or TV lover, you get glimpses behind the scenes of countless films and shows that became a part of your life, including the struggles just to get those things onto our big and little screens. This series doesn't even downplay some of the less favorable looks at the studio. All in all, it was a series that was long, but made it impossible not to binge watch all of the episodes. Bravo to the filmmakers who created this series.

In many ways this is a spectacular historical series, despite many characters who did not or probably did not actually exist. The action is undeniably well staged, although it did become a bit overdone at times. Many of the characters are truly fascinating and unforgettable, although there are so many of them (often with very similar sounding names) that it is sometimes hard to keep track of who is who. At least the ending does come with some satisfaction for investing so much time in the entire series. The ending does make you want to see the movie sequel to this entire saga, 'Seven Kings Must Die'. Thankfully many of the same actors take on the same role they had in this series, because the acting is certainly top notch.

Costumes... Sumptuous, Scenery... Sumptuous, Makeup... Sumptuous, yet all three were far from authentic to the time period, according to historians. Actually, this film is certainly fun to watch (if you feel you have plenty of time to devote to it, considering its overblown hours long running time). For someone of my age (76) watching it again does bring back memories of seeing it on the big screen and being blown away by the pageantry of the whole thing. Of course, realism wasn't quite as important to someone younger then. Obviously, they weren't looking for too much accuracy in the simple fact that they left out the multiple children that Cleopatra had with Antony, which was certainly another strong bond between them. As long as you can leave true history at the door, go ahead and enjoy this film.

I was leaning towards a slightly higher rating, mostly based on DaFoe's superb performance, until the ending. That lowered the rating a notch, because it really didn't go anywhere for me. I am still not sure what the ending was meant to mean. DaFoe's acting does make this film worth watching, however. He does a remarkable job of slowly showing the devastation to both mind and body of being trapped in what appears to be an impossible situation. Sadly, though, many of the extreme situations he faces do not seem believable at all. On top of everything else, a number of unanswered question arose, such as why his accomplice, whoever the heck that was, did nothing to help him. Overall, an okay film, but definitely more fantasy than reality.

Let's face the truth, there is no way to tell for a 100% certainty whether the theories in this series are all true or not. No one has all the answers, because enough valid evidence of what happened during Cleopatra's lifetime and her background doesn't seem to exist. Some things, such as her relationships with Romans, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, are not in dispute, but all the personal details of those relationships are in question, because no one left a record behind of private conversations between these folks. Apparently, what disturbs some folks the most about this series is the question of what race Cleopatra was. I find that a moot point, since her race does not change her story and the results of her life, and death. That is what is most important.

Although the film starts out in the disaster film genre, it soon turns into a survival, mixed with love story. Normally the two don't go together that often, but it this case the pieces fit together quite well. As for the disaster part of the film, I was actually impressed on how well they showed the vast destruction considering the time period in which the film was made. It might have seemed crude by 21st century standards, but I imagine that audiences in the 1930's were very excited by what they saw on the screen. As for the love story in the second half, the conflict seemed very natural, rather than contrived. The only thing I found disturbing was the ending, which left too much to the imagination, rather than a definitive answer. All in all, it is a film to watch for buffs of the oldest films.

I was looking around for some old television series from the past that I had never seen when I stumbled onto this little gem. It was really fun seeing the occasional actor or actress that I watched much later on in a different series such as Natalie Schafer of Gilligan's Island fame. The best part of this series is the humor that is often thrown into the mix. The two stars that play Holmes and his erstwhile companion, Dr. Watson, are a perfect match for each other too. I also thoroughly enjoyed the wide variety of cases presented. Although it was sometimes obvious what was happening and who was a guilty party, sometimes it truly was a mystery. Overall, I highly recommend this series as a nostalgic look into the past.

As an addicted game show addict, I have to say that this one ranks really high on my scale of the best there is. First of all, I think they were brilliant in casting so many faces familiar to folks like me who watch so many game shows already. Secondly, they couldn't have chosen a more appropriate and fun host for this time of game. The twists and turns were fun and so were the challenges. I only have one complaint and it has to do with a small group of players, but I won't spoil it by saying who or why. This is definitely a game worth watching and thank heavens there will be another season. I can hardly wait.

This film clearly shows why most remakes of classic films should not be made. Although the film is not bad, per se, it is missing the magic of the original. First of all, the casting (although they are super talented stars) feels off. Lana Turner, for instance, had a dangerous quality to her that Jessica does not. And John Garfield had a semi-naive quality to him that Jack definitely does not. Let's also talk about the sex. In the original, the sexual tension between Cora and Frank was palpable and didn't need the graphic display shown in this movie. It made it easier to believe that Frank and Cora eventually fell in love. With this movie, it felt more like the characters had fallen in lust. This movie also seemed far too long, with many superfluous scenes (aka the party after the husband is out of the hospital). My final quibble is the ending of this movie. It felt unfinished. I far prefer the ending of the original.

We fell in love with the original Jurassic Park primarily for the dinosaurs and action, but also because of the intriguing story it told. Luckily, the sequels continued to maintain a story line that kept us intersted and in a weird way actually made sense... and of course, we still had our beloved dinosaur action. I think it may be time to hang up the Jurassic franchise, because this film missed the mark quite a bit. The dinosaur action is still there, but the story is not only missing but also nonsensical. I watched all the other films in this franchise more than once. In this case, once is enough.

The rushed ending of this film is the reason I gave only 7 stars rather than 8 for this mystery suspense film. The necessary clue to solve the crime only appears within the last ten minutes which leads immediately to the culprit. It felt as if the writers ran out of ideas on how to come up with a perfect climax, so they just grabbed an idea out of thin air and stuck it in the final frames.

The one thing I did enjoy was seeing actors Raymond Burr, Steve Reeves, and Ann Sothern in early films before TV made them famously iconic. Another brief thrill was enjoying the beautiful voice of Nat King Cole singing the theme song. All in all, this is a pleasant enough film to wile away an hour and a half of your time.

I had to give this 'scary' sci-fi film a third star simply because it gave me plenty of laughs. Outside of that, this film is about as far from making sense as the earth is from the moon. But oh well, I guess they decided they had to pick somewhere new to give us a shark themed movie. Giggle, giggle!

This series is 4 episodes long and believe me it could have easily been pared down to a single episode. All 4 episodes kept repeating the same information repeatedly with only a few new pieces of info thrown in for good measure. Most reviewers claim that this series must be made by those who support Ghislaine. I didn't get that at all. I think it clearly shows that she is as guilty of monstruous crimes as Epstein. I didn't mind their giving air-time to people like her brother. It doesn't sway my opinion of her one iota. At least this series does give a voice to the victims. If they had just cut out all the excess fat, I would have given the series a better score.