Sandy’s Film Reviews

656 Films have been rated or reviewed by Sandy.

Leave No Trace (2018): Unusual, intense & moving. Very subtle acting & beautifully filmed forest interiors where a PTSD victim and his loving daughter hide out from 'the system'. A painful reminder of who pays the true price of US military adventures. Profound & unforgettable
Aftermath, The (2019): Strong characters assert their true emotions in the ruin that always follows war – forget the grand parades! Brilliantly produced by Ridley Scott & acted by the 3 leads & children. The immense talent of Keira Knightley makes the complexity real.
Love Witch, The (2016): Without believable characters or any plot this is very boring, B–movie nostalgia notwithstanding. It's very silly – basically a 2 hour cosmetics ad with off–scene sex thrown in for the punters. Avoid at all costs!
Quincy Jones (The 75th Birthday Celebration) (2009): Sublime top recording gear & fine filming of famous vocalists backed by a terrific band. Splendid sound & video. Stunning musicianship. If you can't watch both discs (178 mins + extra), start with Disc 2,Track 2. Don't miss the "Thank Q" extra.
Cold War (2018): Not like 'Ida'. Story follows a more conventional path, but worth watching. Starts in bleak post–war Poland in 1949 and moves to 1964 Paris. A different, earthy romance, likeable well–acted characters. Look up 'Lemkos' on Wikipedia to discover key inf; DVD $29.95 | Blu-Ray $34.95
Piano Teacher, The (2001): Sexual vs. romantic love – as felt by Erika. Overall structure masterful, but left me wanting a Pt.2 where the effects are explored on her life, self–regard and music. Needs editing. Austria is in fact awash with porn. No psychoses are involved here.
Lightning in a Bottle (2004): Terrific sound & picture quality & great music! We owe such a debt to Scorcese for capturing the 20thC surge of American creativity forever. Wonderful selections, arrangements, & interpretations – the best. Insightful exchanges between the musicians
Blue Velvet (1986): Very high quality blu ray images combined with 50s US small–town life in a typical creepy Lynch style. Haunting, disturbing, incoherent, dream–like, brilliant. May be Lynch's best. Cruel & thuggish, but Rosselini is a hypnotic character.
Belle De Jour (Beauty of the Day) (1967): 1967 c.f. today, seems dated & prudish. Failure to get past "meaningful glances" forces the viewer to create her fantasy without really getting into her character. "A Clockwork Orange" (1971) & other films from this era have more depth.
One Against the Wind (1991): Well–made, acted & realistic: seemed slightly dated in style c. f. more recent films. Sam Neill was good in his lead role. Unmentioned is that most RAF pilots were killed from crashes or caught. It's about individual heroism, not of one of near–defeat.; DVD $24.95

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Sandy’s Film Reviews