BoyActors - Reviews/Ratings by diogenes

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Reviews by diogenes

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350 reviews/ratings - 18 pages (20 reviews/ratings per page)

Cider with Rosie (1998)

I personally prefer the 1971 film, but this is certainly a fine effort, and Joe Roberts makes a very handsome Laurie.

My Movie Rating:

8 / 10

Cider with Rosie (1971)

Still the best adaptation of "Cider With Rosie" to date, in my opinion, though the '98 version is worth viewing as well.

My Movie Rating:

10 / 10

Ciske de Rat (1955)

An interesting contrast with the '84 film, but works very well in its own terms. Highly recommended.

My Movie Rating:

9 / 10

Claws (1982)

I've read a lot of unfavourable reviews of this film online, but so far as I'm concerned they're all wrong. Perhaps the problem is that this film is advertised as though it's a 'horror' movie (it isn't), when in fact it is a fine coming-of-age drama about a boy learning to overcome his fears and justify his father's trust in him. Jason Roberts is completely convincing in the lead role.

My Movie Rating:

9 / 10

Cocoon (1985)

Old people. Doing it. Mmmm, that's what we pay our cinema tickets to see! Let's be honest, there's only one reason to watch this movie, and it doesn't involve pensioners putting their falsies in before snogging, or the aliens' swimming pool mimicing the effects of Viagra. In fact, it is difficult to see what the point of this lame movie is at all. Barret Oliver has only a minor role in this film, though he is (as always) an extraordinarily enchanting actor.

My Movie Rating:

4 / 10

Cried Wolf (2018)

...And immediately, as predictable as clockwork, we get the stereotype of the father as stupid and abusive. Yawn! Yawn! You know, do these directors realise that boys will grow up to be men and fathers themselves? Boys and men aren't two separate species. You denigrate men, you attack boys as well. Of course, some men are stupid and violent - but the point is that the presentation of the father as Neanderthal in this film serves no purpose at all in the film's narrative. It is simply a stereotypical image from our culture that the director has thoughtlessly grabbed. The narrative itself is pedestrian and unimaginative. It is also a little absurd for the director to present the make-believe and fantasy life of children as somehow dangerous. It's called imagination - children are especially imbued with it, and maybe the director could learn from this characteristic rather than implausibly suggest that it might lead to one's parents being killed by unseen predators (Lord, give me strength!). For a contrasting short film, I would suggest "4000 Steps" (2010), also in this database.

My Movie Rating:

2 / 10

Crime School (1938)

Probably my favourite of the Dead End Kids movies (though they're all excellent!).

My Movie Rating:

9 / 10

Damien: Omen II (1978)

Well, yes, it's nonsense. The problem is that the boy Damien is very personable in the first half. Then he's told about his destiny by his officer at the military academy and he becomes sullen and not so talkative and starts putting the whammy on everyone. He is shown to have some initial conflict about his destiny, which is soon resolved (we are not privy to how). This suggests that he has a choice as to whether to accept this destiny or not. What a pity that Damien doesn't read what comes AFTER chapter 13 in the Book of Revelation. Then he might find that the Anti-Christ comes to a sticky end, and perhaps decide to have nothing to do with this caper after all. You'd think he'd at least read on till the end of the book to find out what happens to him! That's what you get when you raise kids with short attention spans. But if the film is so darn silly, then why do I secretly enjoy it so much? File under 'Guilty Pleasure'.

My Movie Rating:

7 / 10

The Dangerous Book for Boys (2018)

I've only watched episode 1, though I am not disposed to watch any further episodes. It's harmless, well-intentioned but totally predictable schlock of the 'believe in yourself' variety. The best that can be said is that Gabriel Bateman is a very personable young actor.

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

La Danza de la realidad (2013)

One of my favourite films of the 21st century so far.

My Movie Rating:

10 / 10

Darkness (2002)

The threat posited by this movie is too vague and there aren't any real scares. Oooh, the 'darkness', which is pure evil, steals PENCILS. How, um, mildly annoying of it. The rapid flashes of scenes at certain moments, which are presumably designed to create a sense of tension, soon get tedious. There are several lacunae in the narrative as well. The mother's handwaiving and improbable explanation for the marks on Paul's body was just irritating. And why did the original group who were looking to sacrifice their children want to do this? What did they hope to gain? I didn't quite get that. And eclipses don't happen 'every 40 years' at any one particular place on Earth. And at the end the 'darkness' can take the form of Carlos, Regina's boyfriend, and DRIVE A CAR. Can an abstract concept drive a car? Hmmm.... Perhaps it was just too darn subtle for my puny intellect!

My Movie Rating:

4 / 10

David (2011)

My Movie Rating:

5 / 10

David Copperfield (2000)

Good, solid adaptation of Dickens' novel, with some fine performances - in particular Frank McCusker is a gorgeously creepy Uriah Heep, Anthony Andrews a sinister Edward Murdstone, and Max Dolbey in the first half is an immensely likeable Young David Copperfield.

My Movie Rating:

8 / 10

David Copperfield (1999)

In my view, the best film production of David Copperfield to date. Maggie Smith is the perfect Betsey Trotwood!

My Movie Rating:

10 / 10

David Copperfield (1974)

A good-looking miniseries with some excellent performances, but Arthur Lowe always plays Arthur Lowe - which is fine for many roles, but not for the role of Macawber, where he is far too subdued and stuffy. I assume that Jonathan Kahn was cast as Master Davy for his looks - because he can't act for toffee and his performance is painfully stilted.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

The Day After (1983)

Worthy and well-intentioned, if sanitised, depiction of nuclear holocaust, the film is too much like a glossy, Hollywood-style 'disaster movie', with stagey, stylised and prettified scenes. It really suffers in comparison with the British movie "Threads" (1984), which completely blows this film out of the water.

My Movie Rating:

6 / 10

Dead End (1937)

A great movie, though I'm probably rather biased, since I love the Dead End Kids, and this movie is where it all started. The fact that this is no ordinary Hollywood movie is signalled in the first few seconds where - somewhat to our shock - a woman craftily steals a piece of food from a small infant. The architect character clearly represents the view of the writer. Rather than renovating the buildings and transferring ownership of the homes to their tenants, his dearest wish is to tear down the 'slums' and shove the inhabitants into 'modern' apartment blocks...Yes, and social engineers like him were to finally have their way in the 1960s, with social consequences with which we are now all too familiar - destroying close-knit working class communities and leaving youngsters to drift into crime and drug use.

My Movie Rating:

9 / 10

Deathwatch (2002)

I think this works well as a mystery.

My Movie Rating:

8 / 10

Der Untergang (2004)

A riveting masterpiece.

My Movie Rating:

10 / 10

Detskiy sad (1983)

My Movie Rating:

9 / 10

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