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Ronen's Rating System:

***** A must watch
**** Worth seeing
*** If you must watch a movie and there is nothing else out there
** Don’t bother
* It’s so bad its almost good... not... These are films I walked out on, or just fell asleep
(K: stars) Rating by my children. As they are easy to please, would typically be higher than mine...

Entries

Movie Review: Ninja (2009) *

I didn’t think this will happen but it did! I have finally got to see a movie that wins a single star! The status of a film so bad that its almost good… Ninja, not to be confused with Ninja Assassin (which I don’t intend on seeing, and would probably win no more than 2 stars on my scale…), is, well, maybe I should explain first that I got to see this flick with a friend, and thought what the heck – its a martial arts movie, how bad can it be? Well… its bad. Expect for the fighting scenes which are mostly decent. The film reminded me of a porn movie (I guess this is to serve as an admittance I had seen porn movies – well, when I was younger…:-) The film enjoys a non-existent plot to serve as an invisible vehicle for delivering what everyone came to see but are compelled to be made believe that they actually came for the storyline as well… Next time these filmmakers, whom I rather not mention by name, are better off just stitching the fight scenes one to another and skip the parts in between…

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Movie Review: Sound of Music (1965) *****

Introducing the film to my children on DVD, it is heartwarming to see how a masterpiece stands the test of time. Beautifully produced and directed by Robert Wise, fantastically composed by Richard Rodgers (music/lyrics) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics), and wonderfully played by a shining Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and the rest of the cast. The film encompasses so many great values including self-fulfillment, courage, family and parenting, moral and politics, as well as faith, love and hope. The music and song stay with you long after the ending titles as well as the vibrant glow of Andrews. What a delight.

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Movie Review: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) ***

This Werner Herzog film, as some of Herzog’s other movies, is uneven. Original and daring at parts, well-played by the cast, led by a convincing Nicolas Cage, the film moves you from attentiveness and interest to watching your wristwatch impatiently. At two hours it’s way too long for its own good, but the length is not so much the issue as the plot. On the upside, Herzog presents an interesting and mostly realistically-felt exploration of human nature, painted in a spectrum of shades. A Touch of Evil it is unfortunately not, despite having elements of that masterpiece and elements of film noir. Yet I have no doubt that cinematically it beats the hell out of formulated Vampire movie “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”, which led the sales in the box-office this weekend. Too bad quality is not measured in box-office success but then again, there is nothing new under the moon…

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Movie Review: The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) ***

A movie that starts great but loses steam and direction somewhere two thirds of the way… It’s one of those movies that could have been much more. And when I say much more I mean the greatness of Zorba the Greek.
Clooney is a pleasure to watch. The other distinguished members of the cast perform decently but the nice buildup leads nowhere. Still, if you want a few good laughs, a few quirky acts, and do not mind a letdown ending, it’s a movie you may enjoy.

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Movie Review: An Education (2009) ***

A noteworthy film that charmed me more with its footnotes than with its main plot. Yet somehow, despite the excellent performances, the good story and likeable directing, I found myself yawning and not really engaged. It’s hard to put the finger on what is wrong with the film but I narrowed it down to two points – pacing, and the ending. The film starts very slow and builds very slow. When it changes pace it does so inconsistently. This is more evident as the film goes on. And then there is the ending… While the film, who makes courageous footnotes about a wide array of topics including family, marriage, ethnicities, social status, etc (let alone the value of education), it fails to deliver. It builds a smart character, who is ahead of her time, who is to be a role model of the modern woman, only to deliver at the end a wimp who follows the social expectations of her time, even if she feels she is not like everyone else… Sorry. Didn’t feel that way to me.

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Movie Review: The Maid (Chile, 2008 / USA 2009) *****

This film slowly lures you in while demonstrating the paradox of human nature, which is both simple yet ever so complex. As remote from us as the character of Raquel, a maid of over 23 years of service, can be for most of us, she also exemplifies our typical concerns and little anxieties. And though at first her concerns about anything that can shake the small realm of her domain, seems extreme, one can come to appreciate it is something most of us can relate to: job security, self-esteem and various phobias. It is not easy to admit we all have something of the Raquel character in us. Another notable in this context is Lucy, another maid, who eventually finds a way to Raquel’s heart by simply moving with her and not against her. She is the cause of change and the lesson once can take from the film, if one so desires. The acting, by the way, is superb.

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Latest Comments

    Re: Logan (2017) ***

    I agree about the relationship with Logan and Charles - added a lot of depth, especially with the next...

    -- ed

    Re: Eye in the Sky (2015, UK) *****

    Great Review Ronen!

    -- Scott

    Re: Top Five (2014) ***

    wonderfully expressed review and very accurately describing the movie...

    -- Zoes mom

    Re: Begin Again (2014) ***

    such great performers - would have expected more of.... very disappointing to hear....

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    Re: Waltz with Bashir (2008) *****

    Stunned. Speechless. This is a powerful movie. Its objectivity and lack of judgment IS its power, and...

    -- Monroe Movie Lover

    Re: Inception (2010) ***

    Special effects are more than ever present even in drama movies, its almost normal that an action thriller...

    -- Alvaro

    Re: The Real Dirt On Farmer John (2005) ***

    Interesting though i was expecting more of the film.

    -- rondnor

    Re: Midnight Run (1988) *****

    great movie indeed

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    Re: The Bounty Hunter (2010) *

    wont bother then

    -- superair

    Re: Stardust (2007) *****

    LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this movie :-)watching Robert De Niro in a dress what could be better.Enjoy

    -- YRD

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