“Every frame a painting,” indeed. An absolute feast for art-lovers and animation enthusiasts alike. Some reviewers have complained that the story is too slight, but I found it to be compelling enough. O’Dowd’s performance was particularly moving; however, I found Ronan’s segment to be lackluster (possibly because she was hiding her natural voice that I enjoy so much?).
Between this and The Breadwinner … If Boss Baby wins Best Animated Feature I’m burning AMPAS to the ground.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really, really hope that They Made Me Watch This, by Scarlett and David Hayman, becomes a series.
The standoff at the Algiers hotel is as tense as anything in The Hurt Locker or Zero Dark Thirty; the team of Boal & Bigelow knows how to ratchet up the tension (and how to get the best performances out of Anthony Mackie). That said, the scenes before and after the cops control the motel just seem to drag. First I thought I wouldn’t like it, then I loved it, then I was wondering how long until it’s over. Shave ten minutes off each end, and this would be a great movie.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
I had convinced myself that this was direct-to-video fare, possibly part of the After Dark line, but no; apparently, this saw actual theatrical release. Wow. It’s not very good, at all. I mean, it would have been a top-notch SyFy Original, but… That’s Ben Kingsley there. Oh well, I guess losing your director, star, and 60% of your budget will do that.
Then again, you do have a character claim to be a physicist and then in the same sentence completely misinterpret the Heisenberg principle, so you can’t blame that on production woes.
Rating: ⭐️ 1/2
Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Viola Davis, William Hurt, and Isabelle Huppert all in the same flick. What’s not to love? Unfortunately, Ned Benson’s The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her suffers from a weak and hackneyed plot.
I really wanted to like Eleanor Rigby: Her because it’s one of three films that tell the same story. Its companions are The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby. Cool concept, right?
There were some great scenes featuring Chastain/Davis and Chastain/Hurt, but otherwise, I was bored. I found myself paying more attention to Chastain’s swell wardrobe and fantastic hair cut. [She was making me miss my red hair!]
Maybe I’ll enjoy The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him more? Maybe I would have liked Her if McAvoy had his Scottish accent? Or at least an English one? Alas, alack.
SPOILER ALERT!
I recently re-watched The Accidental Tourist, starting Hurt and Geena Davis. I saw it at least a couple of times when I was a kid and became emotionally attached to the score by John Williams. I even learned some of it by ear and would play it on the piano. Anyhow, I digress. Back on track now!
While watching Eleanor Rigby: Her, I thought it was interesting to see Hurt playing the grieving grandfather rather than the grieving father. And then I thought, “I wish I was watching The Accidental Tourist instead!”
END SPOILER
Verdict: Watch the first season of The Affair and The Accidental Tourist instead. Though I might soldier through Eleanor Rigby: Him because I quite like that McAvoy chap.
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