Micro Reviews

Micro Review (Re-watch) – The Master

Posted on by Adam
I read that The Master is a combination of a few different things that Paul Thomas Anderson molded together (aside from being inspired by L Ron Hubbard and Scientology, it also has parts from an early draft of There Will Be Blood, old navy war stories from Jason Robards, and elements of John Steinbeck's life). And that's not surprising. The film feels like a bunch of different ...
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Micro Review (Re-watch) – Phantom Thread

Posted on by Adam
I've watched this a few times now. I think I keep watching it because I expect to find its flaws. I expect to not like it as much as I think I do. But while I am watching it, I'm just so into it. It's a perfectly made movie. By that, I mean that I believe Paul Thomas Anderson achieved exactly what he wanted to. This is the exact movie that he wished to make. That's an almost im...
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Micro Review – Miss Sloane

Posted on by Adam
I happened to watch this right after Molly's Game. This is the movie I was hoping Molly's Game would be. Miss Sloane is fast-paced while still maintaining patience with the plot and character development. It has a razor sharp script, which can be hard to follow at times, yes, but is ultimately very satisfying when everything pays off. And above everything else, Jessica Chastain...
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Micro Review – Molly’s Game

Posted on by Adam
The kids' bedtime was a little bit later than usual, so my after-bedtime time-for-myself was cut a bit short. I was pretty tired, and had settled on the fact that I would probably only watch an hour or so of Molly's Game and then go to bed. But that didn't happen. I ended up watching the whole thing - no stops for breaks or snacks or anything (which is common for me). It was a ...
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Micro Review – Trumbo

Posted on by Adam
I tend to love movies about the filmmaking process. For that reason, I really enjoyed watching Trumbo. Aside from the fact that it has a great cast - headlined by the great Bryan Cranston and supported by the likes of Helen Mirren, Michael Stuhlbarg, Diane Lane, John Goodman and more - its story is compelling in a way that would've felt antiquated only a few years ago. But it s...
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Micro Review – Game Night

Posted on by Adam
Game Night has the classic Jason Bateman humor we've come to love. Its zany plot does tend to stretch the suspension of disbelief at times. But I'm willing to overlook a bit of ridiculousness as long the laughs are there. And they are. Bateman is supported by a crew of hilarious people, highlighted by Jesse Plemons, whose awkwardness and comedic timing are perfect. I imagine th...
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Micro Review – Paterno

Posted on by Adam
This was exhausting to watch. The subject matter is obviously heavy. But there have been other films that have tackled similar stories with better handling (Spotlight, for example). Pacino is good, though I'm not sure he's really portraying Paterno much - he just seems to be doing his classic Pacino thing, albeit a bit subdued. I guess I don't really understand the purpose of t...
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Micro Review – Inherent Vice

Posted on by Adam
A stoner-noir film starring an entire cast of people I enjoy, and directed by one of my favorite directors. Hell, it's even narrated by Joanna Newsom. I was destined to like this movie. Yes, it's often incoherent, and meandering, and seems to get stuck in places. But this isn't necessarily a movie you watch to get to the end. Yes, you want to know what happens. But more importa...
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