James Patterson – Movie Reviews – E
MOVIE REVIEWS – E’S
Eastern Promises
Pick of the Week
Hard to imagine but this is two good suspense stories in a row (Valley of Elah). Viggo Mortensen is absolutely terrific in the part of the up & coming Russian mafia person. The film making is first rate. There isn’t a lot of violence, but when it does come, it’s extremely graphic.
Eat Pray Love
We left the theater at 9:30 PM to find our car up on a jack with the front tire and rim stolen—so we didn’t much care for the ending! As for the film itself—didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Sue, who had read the book, found the movie version too self-indulgent and silly in places.
Eddie the Eagle
Feel good biopic that makes you feel—pretty good. B-
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Edge of Darkness
The first 40 minutes or so are like watching a pretty good British TV show; the next hour is like a twisty American thriller; and the final 10 minutes are a mess.
Through it all, Mel Gibson is a movie-star.
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The Edge of Seventeen
The critics love this one, but I never entirely bought Hailee Steinfeld in the role of a lonely, misunderstood teen. I suspect a lot of critics were lonely, misunderstood teens. B
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Edge of Tomorrow
Pick of the Week
One of the better thrillers I’ve seen in a while. Fresh storyline, clever direction, good performances. And what can I say, I like most Tom Cruise movies.
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Eighth Grade
I liked it but thought it would be better. The kid does a terrific job. I couldn’t get past her father – a nice guy – but like so many people out there who have no idea how to be parents. B
Elysium
Somewhat simplistic fairy tale (this one from the left, politically). The first hour worked very well for me—then the movie seemed to lose its nerve, even as polemic. Matt Damon is terrific in the lead role (apparently as the only white man left in LA).
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Emperor
This is a fascinating and powerful story revolving around whether Emperor Hirohito should be tried as a war criminal & hanged. Unfortunately, the script is very flat and at times the movie feels like it was meant for the small screen, not the large.
The End of the Tour
Since I’ve been on a lot of author tours, this was particularly interesting to me. And, since I know a little about David Foster Wallace, it was definitely a loaded story for me. So why am I a little ambivalent? I’m not quite sure. Maybe you can help me out? B
The Equalizer
As usual, Denzel Washington is great. As usual, the material is way beneath his talent level. This one’s interesting enough—until it gets movie-thriller-cliché-dumb-as-a-slo-mo-bullet. C+
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Equalizer 2
I don’t remember any Denzel Washington movie that I didn’t enjoy on some level. The vigilante story is effective, although the presentation is a little by the numbers. The ending went a little too Hollywood for me. B+
Eragon
This is another case where the book is a whole lot better than the movie—unfortunately. The dragon & special effects are pretty cool and Jeremy Irons is pretty terrific. Unfortunately, he bites the dust about halfway through. I’m not sure where this one went wrong, but it did.
Everybody Wants Some
Dazed and Confused II. Diverting and entertaining. Terrific performances. But at its core, the film is nothing more or less than a celebration of likeable jocks trying to get laid. So let’s stop already with the four and five star rave reviews. B+
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Ex Machina
Intelligent, dramatic, beautifully acted and directed—but I wonder how audiences conditioned to things blowing up on screen every 15 seconds will respond? A
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Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Critics were apparently all over the lot on this one—some loved it, some hated it. I’m in both camps. The acting was terrific. The story is highly emotional. But I didn’t care nearly as much as I wanted to about any of it.
Eye in the Sky
Pick of the Week
My favorite movie so far this year. Smart, suspenseful, relevant. This is the one to see. A
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