Category Archives: Could be boring

2011, Ballet, Complicated, Could be boring, Fantasy, Flirting, Imperfect, Love Story, Religious Theme, Suspense

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

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From NetFlix:

A congressman (Matt Damon) who’s a rising star on the political scene finds himself entranced by a beautiful ballerina (Emily Blunt), but mysterious circumstances ensure that their love affair is predestined to be a non-starter. Screenwriter George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum) makes his directorial debut with this romantic adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s classic sci-fi short story “Adjustment Team.”

Matt Damon comes across as a nice down-to-earth person. For years I have tried to convince myself that he can act. I am still trying. It is true that his flirting conversations with Emily Blunt come off as being very authentic and natural. Perhaps he was chosen for this role because there is a lot of running involved, something he does in many of his films (example, the “Bourne” movies). At 41 years of age I suppose he can still run.

Based on a pseudo-religious gimmicky idea, for me the film got tiresome if for no other reason than there were just too many doors to open. Of course, there was no way David (Damon) could explain his behavior to Elise (Blunt) without showing her all those doors.

Finally, I really did not need a final sermon on free will (of which I am a big fan despite the film).

Emily Blunt was another Emily in “The Devil Wears Prada” and was also “The Young Victoria”.

John Slattery, who played the angel Richardson, for me will always be one of the “Mad Men” of HBO fame.

An acceptable film on a night when you just don’t want to exert any effort thinking.

2010, Could be boring, Cowboy, Revenge, Western

True Grit (2010)

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From NetFlix:

After drifter Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) murders her father, 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) hires alcoholic U.S. Marshal Reuben “Rooster” Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help her exact revenge. The disreputable lawman still has grit, though, and mounts an epic search. Joining the duo on their quest is a Texas Ranger (Matt Damon) who’s also hunting for Chaney in this updated Western that received multiple Oscar nods, including Best Picture.

This “True Grit” is the third that I can find where the two other versions were made in 1969 and 1978. Probably I should revisit one of those older versions because this 2010 version is almost boring.

Quaint language might be fun to listen to. But I wonder if anyone ever in the history of the United States ever really spoke like that.

Jeff Bridges offers an eccentric character whereas Matt Damon just plods. Probably there are many 14 year old girls who could read the lines just as well as Hailee Steinfeld. Josh Brolin is a credible Tom Chaney. Sorry, but there is just nothing special about the acting.

Moreover, the sequence of events is just that, without offering any tangible suspense. Even the violence seemed pro forma. And the ending seemed pointless.

Have I missed something ? Try an older version.

2009, Could be boring, Could Be Hard To Watch, Dark, Fantasy, Gloomy, Grim, Quiet, Religious Theme, Revenge, Slavery, Slow, Unusual, Violent

Valhalla Rising (2009)

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From NetFlix;

After years of slavery, Viking warrior One-Eye (Mads Mikkelsen) escapes from his captors and seeks refuge on a Norse ship bound for his homeland. When a storm throws them off course, the crew lands at a mysterious realm inhabited by invisible demons. As the bloodthirsty creatures claim one sailor after another, One-Eye rediscovers his fighting spirit but begins to wonder if they have arrived in Jerusalem or someplace much more sinister.

Slow to the point of glacial, you might want to skip this one. After reading the Wikipedia article you get the impression that this is one of those film critic’s specials, although one critic called the film “unbearably self-important”.

After waiting 93 minutes for the lead character “One-Eye” to speak, he never utters a word. Instead he telepathizes to a young boy (yes, that really is an English word).

For some reason or other there are six parts none of which make a lot of sense:

Part I Wrath
Part II Silent Warrior
Part III Men of God
Part IV The Holy Land
Part V Hell
Part VI The Sacrifice

So did I waste 93 minutes ? If nothing else the film is a quiet, mysterious, SLOW “happening”. In a “happening” you just wait to see what will “happen” next. I am still waiting.

2004, Complicated, Could be boring, Love Story, Nudity, Vampire

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

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From NetFlix:

After learning that his mercurial ex-girlfriend, Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet), has undergone an experimental medical process to purge all memories of him, mild-mannered Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) opts for the same procedure. But during the operation, he decides he doesn’t want to lose what’s left of their relationship and tries to conceal her image in his memory cells. This quirky romantic comedy won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

Once again a film that probably only Jim Carrey could, or even would want to, carry out. Belonging to the tradition of “figure this out if you are able”, most of the film features Carrey and Winslet wandering frantically from memory to memory while he tries to preserve his memory of her even while he lies asleep with his head in a helmet that is erasing such memories.

Don’t say I did not warn you!

2010, Acceptable for children, Could be boring, Horror, Independent, Suspense

Monsters (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Six years after aliens invaded Earth, a security force maintains tenuous control in the Infected Zone straddling the U.S.-Mexican border. Andrew (Scoot McNairy), a photographer, is documenting this war-torn area when he’s interrupted by an unexpected rescue mission. Samantha (Whitney Able), daughter of a media mogul who just happens to be his boss, needs an escort home, and Andrew reluctantly takes on the job.

Only superficially is this a horror film. Rather it is more an independent film that is somewhat like a travelogue showing an American man and woman trying to get out of Mexico’s monster-infected region and back safely into the United States. Underlying the trip are his problems with his illigitimate son and her problems with her parents and her fiancee. Kids would be bored to death and if you do not like slow-paced films then you too can be bored to death. Yes, you get to see a monster or two, but it really doesn’t matter.

Probably the most impressive site was the gigantic Hadrian’s wall that has been constructed on the border between the U.S. and Mexico. For details about the many mistakes and the effort involved see the Wikipedia article.

2010, Could be boring, Could Be Sad, Drama, Grim, Love Story, Not Feel Good, Nudity, Quiet, Sex Scenes, Slow, Unusual

Never Let Me Go (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel, this sci-fi drama from director Mark Romanek is centered on thirtysomething Kathy (Carey Mulligan), who reflects on her time spent at Hailsham, an English boarding school, alongside classmates Ruth (Keira Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). Born for an unusual reason, the three struggle with their destiny and their love triangle. Charlotte Rampling plays headmistress Miss Emily.

Until I reached approximately page 72 of Ishiguro’s novel I could only suspect what was happening. Since I don’t do spoilers, you will have to wait (if you haven’t already guessed) until one of the characters gives us the insidious answer. If you can’t stand the suspense then you can find the answer in the Wikipedia article.

In order for the story to work you must suspend much disbelief. Quiet, understated, beautiful scenery, beautiful children, handsome young adults are the hallmark of the film. But there could be no rebellion for the story to succeed. You have to believe that what is happening is now completely accepted by the rest of the world. You have to believe that the progress of the story is inevitable.

It is quite possible that many of you will be bored to death. Slow and politely quiet as a whisper, expect no action whatsoever. “Sci-fi” is a just plain incorrect description. Quite possibly you will find the entire film grim.

Personally I loved the film and thought the ending achingly sad.

2008, Could be boring, Drama, Love Story, Mediocre, Melodrama, Play Adaptation, Sex Scenes

The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond (2008)

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From NetFlix:

Based on an unproduced original screenplay by Tennessee Williams, this drama follows Fisher Willow (Bryce Dallas Howard), the headstrong daughter of a Southern plantation owner. Forced to fulfill her role as a debutante, she chooses farmhand Jimmy Dobyne (Chris Evans) as her escort. As if this weren’t scandalous enough, her announcement that she’s fallen in love with Jimmy threatens to destroy the family. Ann-Margret and Ellen Burstyn co-star.

Sitting through this dullard is almost agony, which proves that not every Tennessee Williams play is worthwhile. Possibly it was the acting, or the slow pace, but I kept waiting for something important. Probably I am used to difficult situations and films that don’t compromise on the difficulties. Things were just too easy, too goody good good. Jimmy’s character was so unbelievably upright that I almost gagged. Could it be that I have become too jaded by the current harshness of entertainment ? However, I did suffer through the entire film and it ended very sweetly.

2001, Could be boring, Cynical, Drama, Love Story, Mediocre, Military, Religious Theme, War

Sword of Honor (2001)

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From NetFlix:

Daniel Craig stars as Guy Crouchback, a soldier whose desire to prove his worth to his ex-wife leads him into a life of unrealized military ambitions in this miniseries based on the darkly comic novels of Evelyn Waugh. While Guy’s timorous and largely undeserving cohorts climb through the ranks, he continuously falls short of his goals despite his earnest intentions, doomed to suffer the humiliation and discouragement of his misfortunes.

Daniel Craig is more reflective and less a man of action in this two-disk British series. Evelyn Waugh must have intended to write a satire because instead of seeing some stark war film my impression was that of seeing British tongue-in-cheek military personnel often doing their best to avoid action. Do not expect up-to-date digital effects.

Throughout the two disks one constant theme is Guy Crouchback’s Catholic religion which causes him to regard forever his divorced wife as his one and only wife despite her other marriages.

Give this production a B, there are better British war films to watch.

2005, Book Review, Could be boring, Could Be Sad, Grim, Love Story, Novel, Unusual

Never Let Me Go (2005)

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Kazuo Ishiguro and his family moved to England when he was 6 years old. He was educated in schools in England. He writes in English. You may read more about him in Wikipedia. He is probably best know for an earlier novel “Remains of the Day” which was made into a film with Anthony Hopkins.

My copy of “Never Let Me Go” was the paperback Vintage edition. I tell you this because I refer to page 81. If you know nothing about this novel (and I try to avoid spoilers) then you might not appreciate what is happening until you reach page 81 at which point the lightning strikes. After that the novel can seem many things: strange, creepy, grim, or quite possibly boring. Because I always try to give a book a fighting chance I plowed onward determinedly. Because the premise is so threatening I just had to find out what happens to the characters. At least be forewarned this much: do not expect fireworks. Finally for me the overwhelming emotion was sadness.

2004, Could be boring, Drama, Horror, Unusual

The Village (2004)

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From NetFlix:

M. Night Shyamalan assembles an all-star cast — including Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Sigourney Weaver and William Hurt — in this chilling tale about an isolated village whose residents face the constant threat of evil creatures. The villagers’ lives are changed forever when one of them decides to venture beyond the town borders to see what’s lurking in the surrounding woods and makes an unexpected discovery.

Not for everyone, this unusual film features a 19th century village in which the characters speak very slowly and deliberately, almost as if they were on stage rather than in a film. Leave it to Joaquin Phoenix to appear in a strange production.

Almost from the beginning I guessed what was going on and you probably will also. Adrian Brody plays a retarded man who needs a haircut badly. There are some surprises. I stuck around to see just how everything resolved, but it takes a bit of fortitude.

Could this happen ? You are warned.