Grade: C+
Sometimes you see a movie which “isn’t your thing,” but you do so anyway, only in the interest of completion, because it has major nominations for the biggest award in the industry, and you’re committed to seeing everything else, so what the heck, y’know? Sometimes you struggle to muster up thoughts for a write-up of such a film, but you feel a responsibility to do a review on Facebook, because you always do them for the new theatrical releases you see. Sometimes you edit your previous sentence so the word “review” won’t be in it three times. Sometimes there’s a nominated supporting performance by an actor who does well and is compelling to watch, but the character is too unrelentingly deadpan and sarcastic that you wish you could see more layers, like how he feels about the situations of incredibly high stakes he finds himself in. Sometimes when Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks collaborate on a film, it can be very special. Sometimes critics are reduced to putting out the occasional lazy, fun, caustic review. Sometimes there’s nothing too terribly wrong about a flick (Bridge of Spies, in this case), and you stop and breathe and realize it has its place and is enjoyed by many, but it’s just not for you. Sometimes – possibly often – I am not the best person to ask if a specific piece of cinematic entertainment was any good. Sometimes when writing, you just have to use the word “good,” even though an English teacher you had in high school always encouraged you to avoid it and find a better synonym, because it’s not a good word to use. Sometimes you just miss the boat, but you’re okay with that; you’d rather walk, or take the monorail.
Grade: C+
Film Reviews by Mark 
Leave a comment