grainofsalt1

grainofsalt1

Movies. They shit all over TV series.

Favorite films

  • Heat
  • Casino
  • Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
  • The Social Network

Recent activity

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  • The Final Countdown

    ★★★½

  • Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

    ★★½

  • Color of Night

    ★★

  • On the Waterfront

    ★★★★

Recent reviews

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  • The Final Countdown

    The Final Countdown

    ★★★½

    While in mid-ocean a US aircraft carrier travels through a vortex ending up in 1941, where the crew have an opportunity to avert the attack on Pearl Harbor. The premise is engrossing, the set design and flight sequences are excellent and although the ending is perfunctory, this is an enjoyable piece of sci-fi popcorn which feels like it inspired certain X-Files episodes.

  • Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

    Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

    ★★½

    Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia. Wow. Such an exciting title. Turns out most of this neo noir Western is a slog. As he did with The Wild Bunch, Sam Peckinpah excels in visceral brutality but fails to create interesting characters, particularly Warren Oates’ protagonist. There’s atmosphere, some unexpected moments, some stylish gunplay, but I was surprised by the cult status of this one.

Popular reviews

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  • Jurassic Park

    Jurassic Park

    ★★★★★

    Spielberg spends time on character while also teasing the audience with creature effects, leaving the T-Rex reveal until over halfway through the film. With the scientific angle, he treats his subject matter with respect rather than as a gimmick while also telling a cautionary tale about man’s desire to control evolution. The action doesn’t truly kick in for an hour but never lets up thereafter. The cast is absolutely perfect. John Williams’ score is majestic and helps create a sense…

  • The Brutalist

    The Brutalist

    ★★★★

    An epic immigrant story spanning nearly four decades and engrossing such that the sprawling runtime goes unnoticed. It touches on trauma, xenophobia, power, corruption, jealousy, addiction, heritage and ‘The American Dream’ but for me, doesn’t satisfyingly explore any of these themes. That said, the film looks beautiful. Some of the framing is truly awesome. And above it all, Adrien Brody is magnificent as the frustrated visionary and is surely a lock for his second Best Actor Oscar. The issue I had was with the conclusion, which feels unworthy of such a powerful story.

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