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christineballone
Reviews
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Not disappointed!
Last night I went to see the Beetlejuice sequel. The last one was made when I was 40 years old lol! I usually don't go anymore to the movies but my daughter bought the tickets and that's why I went! I HAD A BLAST!
There was not one dull moment. It's a ridiculously gory( Halloween gore) and silly film and I loved it!
All the old previous actors were superb in character ! A very nice addition was Jenny Ortega whom I love in " Wednesday "! Michael Keaton reprised his role to perfection! It was the perfect film to take your mind away from all the craziness going on right now! The low reviews are all by " would like to be film makers lol" who don't have a clue about how to make an entertaining movie! I consider myself educated and pretty sophisticated but down to earth and would if I wanted to find all kinds of flaws with this production but I just let myself go and got rid of all my tensions just sitting there watching this! Highly recommend!
Alien: Romulus (2024)
Dialogue very hard to understand
Just returned from watching Alien Romulus at the movie theatre. I regret listening to the good reviews because I could have saved a chunk of money and waited until it was available for streaming.
First of all the actors were unknown, that's OK but since the last instalments featured well known actors I was kind of disappointed not knowing anyone.
I was expecting a continuation of the last film Alien covenant but that wasn't the case. I liked both Prometheus and covenant a lot and have seen them multiple times.
I found this film underwhelming in regards to no action until well into the movie, it plays entirely on a spaceship and the action was similar to the first original film.
The actors delivered real terror no problem there but the running around on the spaceship kind of turned me off and kept me wishing for the movie to come to an end!
I was a lot more terrified in the previous alien movies, this one I just calmly ate my popcorn without any jumpstarts.
I would recommend to wait for streaming also because subtitles could be applied for better understanding the dialogues! Why can't actors speak clearly anymore?
On a Friday evening the theatre was pretty empty and I wonder why!
Dark Matter (2024)
Binge watched in one day
I started this about 4 weeks ago but somehow forgot about it. Looking for something to watch today I saw that I started this and I continued watching. As someone mentioned at first it starts out slow but boy does it get amazing pretty fast and stays amazing! The action never lets up. Being a scifi fan I was completely enthralled with the concept of parallel universes. Some of them horrific and some utopian. You have to pay a lot of attention to the story otherwise you get confused. I found myself wishing and hoping for the protagonists to open the right door. Apple has delivered another masterpiece. Can't wait for the next episode but have a feeling about how this is going to end!
Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors (2024)
Spine tingling!
Alright, being the first commenter without any archeological knowledge besides the odd documentaries I watched through the years, my opinion is rooted in ignorance yet awe for the people who attempted and are still working on this gargantuan project to search for the facts behind this massive find. It started out with archeologists unearthing the first find which they show as a clay face poking through the soil. I was hooked. The commencing footage gave me goose bumps. I was in my 20s when this site was discovered and of course I was amazed to see those individual restored soldiers standing in rows. Totally forgot about it until this documentary with life action appeared here at Netflix. With all the low quality productions emerging lately on Netflix this is standing out. I'm thrilled to learn about a part of Chinese history from over 2000 years ago. The conspiracies and brutalities used in politics to annihilate your opponents used in other civilizations were also applied here therefore it's not an easy watch. The discovery of yet many other tombs and the methods to determine whose they were kept me glued to the screen. A must watch for anyone interested in history!
A Good Marriage (2014)
Not as bad as stated by many
Found this on YouTube and since I like Stephen King I decided to watch it and then I found out that I obviously saw it already years ago. I think it's a good movie, kept me on my seat until the end. When the wife found out that her husband was a killer I plotted with her what to do. Obviously once over the initial shock she decided to kill him so her kids wouldn't have to deal with the shame. I was with her all the way almost disappointed that she obviously got ready for a romantic evening but alas she pushed him over the upstairs railing. Unfortunately he survived the fall and I kept saying " get a pillow and suffocate him" and she did althought by stuffing a plastic bag into his mouth!
There was a moment I could see the police investigating because she also strangled him with his tie but he was buried without police intervention which I found a little strange. The kids were grieving not knowing anything about their father. She was finally found out by a retired detective but he understood her intentions and left it at that. Lucky for her! End of movie!
I enjoyed it and can recommend it !
Cook Off! (2007)
Got stomach cramps and had to stop
As mentioned above watching the credits in the beginning my stomach started revolting and I almost threw up! 5 minutes in I decided this was not for me. Even Melissa McCarthy couldn't save this unfunny disaster.
The food shown was absolutely disgusting and worthy of obese Americans.
I love Japanese food shows like " midnight dinner Tokyo" or " the sweet tooth salesman" showing beautiful food and no swearing.
This movie was streaming on Tubi but with the added commercials sometimes lasting forever I just couldn't stay connected. So, please do yourself a favour and watch something decent and enjoyable like " Midnight Diner Tokyo stories" streaming on Netflix along with many other enjoyable food films both reality and fiction!
Atlas (2024)
It's bad!
Big sci-fi fan here who tolerates even bad films just for the SFX but unfortunately this has such bad acting by Jennifer Lopez that I have to force myself to continue even under stress lol! The crying scenes are so fake and the whole movie centres around her so also bearable in the beginning the more it goes on it becomes unwatchable. Sorry Jennifer but I guess you don't really care, you're super rich and want to immortalize yourself as much as possible. The SFX are nice showing another planet far far away that she reaches almost instantly after lifting of earth. The villain is well known through the MU and I like him but he can't save the film.
There are a lot of movies coming out showing hate for AI and I don't get it. The beneficial applications outweigh the negative aspect and I think a scenario where AI is killing humans on their own is far fetched! I did like Jennifer Lopez in " the cell" so she is not a complete waste acting wise, just give her some good script and she would be fine! Recommend watching only for having the Poto form your own opinion!
Queen Rock Montreal (2024)
Feels almost like being there!
I envy the people who were there. Such an amazing experience. Freddy's voice is at its peak at that time and spine chilling! Thanks to the people who restored this to perfection. The colours, the close ups and the quality of the music is out of this world! I'm a fairly new fan only for the past 10 years or so but I saw Queen in Toronto in 2016 with Adam Lambert which was amazing but I have to say seeing Freddy perform like this he's in a league of it's own! Compared to the music today ( Taylor Swift comes to mind) I can actually hear the words and there is melody I can remember! I'm going to put on my stereo earphones again and keep watching on my big screen!
The 10th Kingdom (2000)
Ten stars is not enough!
This is a highly entertaining production that never gets old. Watched it back when it came out and it's still on my favourite list. I watch it at least twice a year. The make up, scenery, special effects, storyline all engaging and bring you into the story! My favourite part is the village with the sheep competition where I was introduced to Queen's " we will rock you" for the first time ( I'm now a huge fan) and the love village. How cute is that. Plenty of evil doing too. No swear words and little violence adds to the wholesomeness of the film. It's available divided into 5 parts now on YouTube in excellent quality!
Renegade Nell (2024)
Incorrect history but fun to watch
Im getting used to diversity where it doesn't belong for instance black nobility in 1700 England, a self assured loudmouth poor girl dressing up like a man and taking unheard off liberties with the upper class but.....
It's a fantasy show with fairies so being in line with a famous 1800s German author Wilhelm Busch:
What is popular is also allowed!
The acting is good, the characters believable especially the villain (Koodo)
I like they used an average looks actress that actually gets messy and dirty at times.
Love the costumes and settings.
As a woman I get a weird sense of satisfaction from seeing guys beat up by a woman lol!
I think the quality of the production alone makes it well worth watching!
Korea No. 1 (2022)
So sad it's finished
I absolutely love this show! Binged it in 2 days! The protagonists are hilarious and lovable. I learned so much about Korean historical jobs and it was immensely interesting. The chemistry between the three young people is amazing and what I like is that they are not glamorous but very natural . A relief from all the superficiality we are swamped with nowadays!
I wondered why they kept wearing the same hot outfits even in extreme humidity and heat. There are so many interesting episodes but if I had to pick one it would be the fibre making and weaving one. While not as exhausting as some of the others it was very intriguing and strange but the outcome was beautiful!
Highly recommend watching and hope they're continuing this show as long as they find weird historical jobs!
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Such negative reviews, why?
I watched this film again now on Netflix since it came out in the theatres. I was well entertained and absorbed in the action. Dino movies don't get old it's just we get spoiled and bored so fast and don't recognize the effort anymore that was needed to make this movie! The special effects are incredible just alone for that I'm watching. I cried when the brontosaurus was gobbled up by the volcano's.pyroclastic cloud. The scene with the glass ball plunging into the sea had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The actors are likeable and believable even in an unbelievable environment. I was torn between letting the dinosaurs live or die. Yes sometimes it's ridiculous how people survive such cataclysmic events and get away unscated but that's what we want to see isn't it? I can recommend this film for the pure ridiculous entertainment value! It's a blast!!
Survive (2022)
Reviews suggest to skip
Just started watching and I was hoping to enjoy the film. I like the main protagonist because I love the marvel universe and she's in the Xmen movies .
This film started out at a sanatorium which obviously was for rich kids showing all the "suffering" that was going on lol! I guess they never saw " most dangerous ways to school" series on YouTube!
I'm getting tired of privileged bored kids who don't appreciate what they have and think they're suffering because of lack of attention or whatever.
I'm glad I stopped and checked out IMBD and lo and behold my intuition was right. I'm so glad there is IMBD even though the movie companies throw in their 10/10 reviews but mainly I can trust that people's feelings and true opinions are reflected truthfully here.
Well since I have some saved time now it's going back to the drawing board and trying to find something worthwhile watching.
May I suggest 3 body problem, now there is something worth watching!
Frida (2024)
Didn't know her until this film
I knew the artist Frida Kahlo and the pain she endured but I didn't know her as a human! This film/documentary completed my knowledge about this human artist person. I found so many thoughts that she had that agreed with mine and I started to feel a strong bond with her and her suffering. She was a true woman, no ifs or buts! She saw the world through a curtain of pain and suffering and few shiny openings available to her. I never had the wish and urge to own one of her paintings but now I feel it would be the greatest honour to own one which of course will never happen because her paintings demand top prices so I have to succumb to having only copies of her works in my home. Frida saw through the superficiality and frivolosity of vain humans and thoroughly hated them. I wonder if those sentiments only existed because of her suffering . In any way her pain gave us wondrous artworks as mirrors into her soul and show through colour and animation that not all of her sentiments were born of hate and despair and that there was always a glimmer of hope to her desolate existence which in her last years seemed to have completely resolved into nothingness and the wish to finally leave this hurting world and to die! I am an atheist ever since I was a child as she was and believe there is nothing after death not even blackness and we return back to the smallest particles of the universe to create something new in an infinite cycle of life and death! Frida Kahlo managed to make herself immortal through her paintings and that is something few of us will
achieve ! RIP Frida Kahlo!
Jiao zhu zhuan (2017)
Standing out from regular fare
I agree with the people who give this movie thumbs up! There are so many of those films now (2024) and almost impossible to see them all and judge them all. But many times I start an Asian SFX fantasy movie I quit after a short time because I find the actions repetitive and similar to what I have seen before. I started this film and was drawn into it maybe because of the actors, the costumes, the landscapes and fantasy creatures and realized that I wanted to see the whole film. For anyone who likes fairytales, sci-fi and fantasy films this is worth watching. I mean with all the negativity expressed here at least I would have to acknowledge the production that went into this. I like all kinds of movies, hate drug, war and explicit sex and foul language movies! I feel they don't serve any purpose but showing the lows we are capable off as a species. Therefore give me movies without f... words and beautiful scenery and I'll be a happy customer lol!
Hôhokekyo tonari no Yamada-kun (1999)
Love love love this!
I never knew you could say so much with so little! This family is so cute, I would almost say it represents a large portion of the global population! You find out that we're all the same, the dialogues could have been from a western production. The minimalist animation might throw you off at first but stick with it and you find out how delightful this family is.
I love all Ghibli films but this one and princess Kaguya are now my favourites! We fantasize that the grass is always greener somewhere else but we find out that in the end we all want the same. Family, security and love!
I always envied the Japanese, they seem to have it all! Kindness, honesty, amazing landscapes and fantastic healthy food! Well since I cannot live in Japan I started eating like the Japanese, threw out all my junk and now live with minimalist decorating and I have become kinder with people. I'm creating my Japan around me here in Canada! Please do yourself a favour and watch the Yamadas! A sheer delight!
Fermat no Ryôri (2023)
Slow burning drama about high strung chefs
Binge watched all 10 episodes. I honestly don't know why. I guess I got to know the characters, all of them young and beautiful. The main character is a mathematician who gives up because he thinks he's not good enough. He's looking for something else to do trying to hide his change of thought from his supporting father. He meets a mysterious chef and is persuaded to work for him at a great restaurant applying somehow his mathematical skills to creating superior cuisine. And that is what all the 10 episodes are about, creating new and exiting dishes but it seems they're never good enough and therefore ending up in friction between the 2 main characters and the work crew at the restaurant! I will never understand the crazy passion behind these designer dishes that give you a huge plate with little food arranged artistically on the plate. There is a lot of passion here and a lot of talking philosophical and other. The dialogues just seem endless at times and repeating themselves. Besides seeing fancy dishes created there is mostly personal drama and dense interaction between the protagonists. What kept me watching was the actors ability to somehow keep me interested in all this.
It was not nearly as endearing as Tokyo Midnight diner which I sorely miss or even gourmet samurai. Compared to these shows this one is very slow burning and at times tiring in their dialogue! Nevertheless the show kept me watching for the entire 10 episodes so something must have been done right!
Cranford (2007)
Charming and unassuming!
Just found this on Tubi and finished season 1 and started season 2. If you ask me what I like about it I have to say the first thing is the Quietness in which conversations are executed. Second there is no forced adversity, what a relief!
You also get the feeling that there is no excuse or condemnation needed for rules that were silly and had comic or tragic consequences. Those were the times and its history , period!
It takes time to correct wrongs and learn rights which we still havens managed to master in this day and time.
The cast is superb and a pleasure to watch. You completely forget you're watching a production, it feels so real. The surrounding landscapes and setting are incredibly beautiful and charming except for the poor peoples dwellings of course!
There is much love and pain here, this films deals with all aspects of life!
After watching this and any other true period piece one realizes how shallow our modern world has become. There are things though in our world that could have been enormously beneficial if they existed earlier for instance cutting off a man's leg without anesthesia! Terrible!
I only realized how old I am after seeing a weed carpet beater that my mother still had for the longest time until she got a vacuum cleaner lol!
I'm going back now to enjoy the second part of this beautiful production!
Foe (2023)
Slow burn
I gave it 4 stars because I love Soirse Ronan. I'm very disappointed because I love scifi movies but this was more of a 60% sex in the dark movie. First of all you have to note that we have an advanced space station but still drive 70 style cars. I could live with that but to have to watch 111 minutes of people talking and having sex without ever lifting off is boring! I fast forwarded the film stopping as soon as I saw some daylight but still nothing that holds my interest. I really don't care about the personal relation ship unless it's well done like in " Interstellar"! I probably missed a lot of " important" talk that explains the movie but right now I'm sick in bed with a terrible flu for the past 5 days and I couldn't be more disinterested in a personal relation ship film. For the people who like it they are probably more inclined towards artsy and IF productions but I have to agree with most people here that this is a flop!
Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)
Wanted to see it but.....
Really wanted to see this. There were quite a few sci-fi movies and series coming out recently and as a big sci-fi fan I'm slowly getting saturated with films that are mere clones of popular blockbusters. After reading the reviews and watching for a while I decided to fast forward to see these "amazing worlds" people were mentioning here but was disappointed because even fast forward all I could see was people talking most of the time. Also I'm all for diversity because like every sci-fi fan I'm used to a great diversity of characters and am all for making this world so mixed that nobody will be able to ask where you're coming from lol! One thing that bothers me though ( I'm originally German born after the war) that the villains have to look like nazis, ridiculous!
Come up with original ideas like Disney's " a murder at the end of the world" which just finished and I was waiting eagerly for every Monday for 7 weeks to see the next instalment or " Monarch" that handled an old concept of Godzilla but was surprisingly fresh and watchable!
I'm seriously considering getting rid of Netflix and just keep Apple, Disney (for now) and Prime!
Yunnan chong gu (2018)
Fun romp not worth negative reviews
So I saw all the reviews, a lot of negativity. At least acknowledge the effort made to create this fantasy world! The acting was nice, sometimes a bit overtop but I didn't mind, it's a different mentality and culture like so many more in this world! There are so many beautiful scenes and landscapes and the there's no lack of action that's for sure! I really don't care sometimes if the storyline is weak because I just want to be entertained and not educated! All the people are beautiful and most are good hearted, a dream for the real world. I found it also inspiring regarding not to give up in the face of horrible danger. I loved the death scene of Linglong , even though she was mortally wounded she had the energy to deliver a speech up to when she died, which happens frequently in movies. I was moved.
I think this film is worth watching, didn't see the series but did see the first one.
Swan Song (2021)
Just beautiful and though provoking!
Just finished this film and absolutely love it. Near future we could actually imagine happening, a man finds out he is terminally ill and decides to sign up for a fairly new concept which means cloning his body and transferring all memories into the new him so that his family can go on having a loving father and husband.
As a viewer we're torn between agreeing and rejecting this concept. Glen Close is marvellous as usual and the main character played by Mahershala Ali is totally believable and shows that a man can cry too.
The original player is called Cameron and the copy is called Jack.
Cameron is going in and out with his approval and rejection of his decision and we are taken on a rollercoaster ride of mixed emotions thinking what we would do if we were in his shoes. Supposedly his case is only #3 so it is a very new process. Throughout the movie we are constantly thinking that something might go wrong and wait for a catastrophe to happen. You have to watch to see the result.
The settings are beautiful and serene, I love the architecture and minimalist design of the clinic in the forest. The futuristic effects are basically already here in some way due to VR Head sets. Here we just get to see them without having to put on a heavy headpiece.
There is no violence and the language is calm and relaxing most of the time. This film really makes us think about life and death and even though I'm not sure I would approve of this cloning concept I believe it could be something that is totally possible in the future. I put this film right up there with Spielberg's "AI" and totally recommend watching it. It's truly beautiful!
Jiu ceng yao ta (2015)
Better than the low reviews here!
I think the series of these films is done very nicely. Let aside from being a bit confusing, the landscapes and creatures make up for it! People mention bad acting which I don't agree with ! The actors are likeable and able and have to do a hell of a lot of stunting. The movies keep me watching because of the sheer beauty of the landscapes, the beautiful people , the humour and pain and the fantasy aspect of it all. I watch in Chinese with English subtitles, a habit I have with all international films. I like the authenticity! Since I'm not a person who picks and dissects films apart like many do ( thinking they're experts) I simply take the movie as it is and I like it or don't like it for whatever reasons! I like these Chinese films and think that they're worth watching!
Book Club: The Next Chapter (2023)
Feels forced!
This review is from a 74 year old who has loved those actresses for a long time! I'm sorry gals but this movie is a circus! The get together greetings feel forced and it seems the actresses are aware of their looks and try hard to smile in a certain way. Jane Fonda and Mary Steenburgen look so much alike because of plastic surgery while the other 2 seem to have aged more naturally! No woman their age acts like this, I'm still a kid inside and love to stay away from the old woman stereotype but this is ridiculous! What bothered me the most I think was the feeling of forced acting just trying to get this over with ! I don't even think they do it for money but for just staying in the limelight. Well it's time to either take on some roles fitting your age or quitting acting! It's as disappointing as Netflix taking iconic women and their accomplishments and turning them into lesbian movies totally ignoring their accomplishments, so annoying! Still love you though ladies!
Compulsion (2013)
Just loved it!
Started watching and continued because I enjoyed the cinematography and colours! The dresses of Amy are gorgeous and so is she! The cooking is also beautiful until you realize what the heck she's cooking! Heather Graham's character is just so much over the top but she is basically carrying the movie! There are only a few actors involved and the main protagonists are only 4!
Still this film works because it's beautiful and macabre! A great combination! It reminds me a bit of Beetlejuice and as a matter of fact the famous line of Winona Ryder when she discovers the ghosts in the attic " I myself am strange and unusual" applies to everyone who loves this film😅!
So I definitely recommend this movie to everyone who likes macabre comedies with a bit of drama added!