Showing posts with label movies reviewed on Review This!. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies reviewed on Review This!. Show all posts

Sunday, November 11, 2018

A Personal Review of the Movie Collateral Beauty

Several of the professional reviews of Collateral Beauty were, to put it straight, not kind. However, fortunately, I watched the movie first, and tripped on the reviews after.

Thanks to Netflix, this past Saturday Night was movie night. Here's the Warner Brothers movie summary that drew me in to give it a go:
Retreating from life after a tragedy, a man questions the universe by writing to Love, Time and Death. Receiving unexpected answers, he begins to see how these things interlock and how even loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty... by Warner Bros
The movie is jam packed with major talent: Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Jacob Latimore, Michael Pena, Naomie Harris, and Ann Dowd.

Does This Movie Have too Much Talent In It?

A few of the negative reviewers speak about their reluctance to trust the quality of a film stuffed with an endless list of high priced talent.

Sure, I get that. I can see why that thought crosses a mind. Hell, it crossed mine. But it was also what drew me into choosing the movie.

If the critics ask this nobody, I'd tell them that bad writing is made better with great acting, but good writing can be lost with bad acting.

So, this average-joe tends to look for films with acting talent first. That's not to say that movies free of big names aren't great movies, I'm just saying, the odds go the other away. With my Saturday nights, I play the odds.

Is Collateral Beauty Insensitive to Grief?

After withdrawing into the anguish of losing his six year old daughter, the movie centers around Will Smith's character, Howard Inlet, sending letters to Time, Love and Death.

Reviewers described this presentation of grief as an over simplification that misses the mark of the complexities entwined in loss.

What did I Personally think about this Film's Handling of Grief?
Collateral Beauty (DVD)Collateral Beauty (DVD) - Via Amazon
From an acting perspective, Will Smith's depiction of grief, to me, felt real. From the writing perspective, I also believed the pain.

The question for me was, would I write letters to Time, Love and Death?

In a way, that's how I handled my own father's passing: I was lost, I was looking for answers. I needed answers. In my search for those answers, I asked typical cliched questions, and I wrote.

So yes, although I understand the critical analysis that the movie was an over simplification of grief, I also believe in the principle of Occam's Razor; that the simplest explanation is often the best one.

Having Time, Love and Death appear as people was called corny by some critics. They continued on to say that the messages delivered were also predictable and lacking in depth. I'll agree with the later, that yes, there was depth lacking in the visits by Time, Love and Death. However, finding peace doesn't have to be a complicated process does it? So in my opinion, the clichés don't take away from enjoying the film.

There are a Few Surprises at the End

Very few movies can keep me from guessing the direction the writer is taking. Very few. In fact, it annoys some in my family that I can do this. We'll start watching a movie, and twenty minutes in, I'll hear, "don't tell us where this movie is going!". Lol. Oh well, it's a gift what can I say.

However, I must have been having a bad night, because there are two surprises at the end of the movie that I did not see coming! Two, what! I'm losing my skills or something. I'm a little miffed that I didn't anticipate them. So for that reason, I have to give this movie a good rating.

I say 3.5 stars out of 5, and a good choice for a Saturday night Netflix movie.


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, July 24, 2017

Movies Reviewed on Review This Reviews!

Movies Reviewed on Review This Reviews!
I love watching a good movie. Clearly, the other contributors on Review This Reviews! also enjoy watching movies. While our preferences in movie genres range widely, we all have something in common. The contributors at Review This Reviews! want to recommend the movies we've seen and enjoyed. 

Granted, tastes in movies vary. What one person thinks is a remarkable movie, the next person may find it to be just "okay". But outside of these differences in preferences, you can count on our reviews to be genuine. I know I trust the opinions here to be honest and I've seen some movies that I hadn't otherwise planned to watch, based on the reviews found on this site. And not only enjoyed the movies, but have watched a few of them more than once.

Sylvestermouse Cynthia's review of The Jungle Book (2016) is a perfect example. I really hadn't made any effort to watch the movie as I had expected just one more "reheated" re-make of a previous movie. Yes, The Jungle Book is a classic book and movie, and frankly it is a re-make. But it was a wonderful movie that I have enjoyed immensely. I would not have seen it if it weren't for her review.

On the Review This Reviews! site, you can either click the movie reviews tab near the top of the page or you can click the site directory for the movie reviews.  By using the movie reviews tab, the movie reviews in their entirety will be shown - listed from most recently written review to the oldest. By using the site directory link, you will scroll down and locate the movie reviews category. In this list you will see the titles of the reviews. Either way is a quick and easy to locate movie reviews on this site. 

If you are a Pinterest person, you can see our movie reviews listed on our Pinterest Movie Reviews board.


No matter how you access our movie library, I am quite certain you will find something that entertains you; making you laugh, cry, or wonder. Happy movie watching to you - from the Review This Reviews! contributors.



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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