Mission Impossible II AKA M:i-2

Mission Impossible II AKA M:i-2

Paramount

May 24, 2000

Action
DVD
D+

Yeah, you knew I wasn't gonna go for this, since even the theme music is just kinda meh.  John Woo directed.

The Missing (2003)

The Missing (2003)

Columbia etc.

November 26, 2003

Western
DVD
D+

Bumped up from a D for the character of a female doctor (albeit unlicensed).  This is based on the novel The Last Ride by Thomas Eidson (with that spelling).  Ron Howard directed.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

Focus Features

March 7, 2008

Historical Comedy
DVD
C-

I could see what they were going for here, but I just didn't think it worked.  This is based on the Winifred Watson novel and directed by Bharat Nalluri.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Tim Burton Productions etc.

September 25, 2016

Fantasy

DVD
D+

I couldn't get through the Ransom Riggs novel and this is one of those movies where I don't like the Tim Burton "look."

Miss Juneteenth

Miss Juneteenth

Sailor Bear etc.

June 19, 2020

Drama

DVD

C-

A bit slow-moving.  Channing Godfrey Peoples wrote and directed.

Miss Julie

Miss Julie

Columbia TriStar etc.

7 September 2014

Historical Drama, Romance

DVD
D+

An unappealing triangle (although I like Samantha Morton in some other roles, like Sophia in the 1997 miniseries of Tom Jones), uninterestingly shot.  Liv Ullmann directed, and adapted the Strindberg play.

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

Castle Rock Entertainment etc.

March 24, 2005

Crime Comedy
DVD
C

I saw both Miss C movies in the theater at the time and enjoyed them more then.  (If there's anything this project has taught me is that popcorn and other perks of cinematic viewing generally make it more pleasurable than home viewing, but watching at home is obviously easier, especially during Covid.)  I own the 2000 movie on VHS and gave it a B-.  I gave this a half hour today, rooting for it to click, but it just didn't.  Still, yeah, I have definitely seen worse movies in this project.  John Pasquin directed.

Misfits (2021)

Misfits (2021)

Film Gate Productions etc.

June 11, 2021

Crime Drama

DVD
C-

Not my type of movie but undeniably stylish.  Renny Harlin directed.

Misery

Misery

Castle Rock etc.

November 30, 1990

Dramedy

DVD
C-

I had to read the Stephen King novel many years ago for a class and only got through it as a hate-read.  The first quarter hour of the movie though is a quirky little comedy-drama, contrasting the country and the city.  William Goldman wrote the screenplay and Rob Reiner directed.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Beachside etc.

January 22, 2018

Historical Drama

DVD
C

I knew I wouldn't be able to take this serious look at a gay conversion camp, especially having seen the delightful (yet subversive) But I'm a Cheerleader years ago.  Still, I could see this was sincere and well made.  Desiree Akhavan directed and adapted the novel by Emily M. Danforth.

The Mirror Has Two Faces

The Mirror Has Two Faces

Sony

November 15, 1996

Romance

DVD
B-

Barbra directed this vanity production, but that doesn't make it bad.  I will say that even at the time she seemed a little old (at 54) for the role, but, as in the very different Yentl, she is believable playing a younger woman who goes through a transformation.  Yes, the movie is corny and at times implausible, but it still drew me in, even if I'm less romantic and more experienced than I was 25 years ago.

Miracles from Heaven

Miracles from Heaven

Columbia etc.

March 16, 2016

Drama

DVD
D+

Obviously, I wasn't going to go for this, but I was leaning towards a C- until the kid sister had to pointlessly renounce pizza.  Still, it's better than Heaven Is for Real.  This is based on Christy Beam's memoir with the unwieldy title Miracles from Heaven: A Little Girl, Her Journey to Heaven, and Her Amazing Journey of Healing.  Patricia Riggen directed.

Miracle of the White Stallions

Miracle of the White Stallions

Disney

March 29, 1963

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

The horses are pretty but Robert Taylor is wooden, the story not that interesting.  This is based on the book The Dancing White Horses of Vienna by Alois Podhajsky.  Arthur Hiller directed seven years before Love Story, a much more famous adaptation.

Miracle at St. Anna

Miracle at St. Anna

Disney etc.

September 26, 2008

Crime Drama, Historical Drama

DVD
D+

This felt hokey, so I wasn't surprised when I found out that it's based on a novel, by James McBride.  Spike Lee directed, and this is far inferior to BlacKKKlansman, his historical dramedy a decade later.

Miracle

Miracle

Disney

February 6, 2004

Sports Drama, Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I like the period details and Patricia Clarkson is fun, but, well, it is a hockey movie.  Gavin O'Connor directed.  I tagged the politicians who appear in the opening montage.

The Ministers

The Ministers

Grow Pictures

October 16, 2009

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

Bumped up because I like New York accents.  Franc. Reyes wrote and directed.

Mindgamers

Mindgamers

Terra Mater Factual Studios

4 October 2015

Sci-Fi

DVD
D-

Definitely not my kind of movie, although it could've been worse.  The appropriately named Andrew Goth directed.

Mind the Gap

Mind the Gap

Sky Island Films

March 13, 2004

Dramedy
DVD
D+

I didn't like any of the characters but I kind of liked the cinematography.  Eric Schaeffer wrote and directed.

Minari

Minari

A24

January 26, 2020

Historical Drama

DVD
C+

While there were elements of this I liked, including of course the touches of humor, and I did watch it to the end, it was just too downbeat for me, and I think even more than it had to be.  Lee Isaac Chung wrote and directed.

Milton's Secret

Milton's Secret

Momentum Pictures etc.

30 September 2016

Drama

DVD
C-

A bit depressing but the soundtrack is nice.  This is based on the book by Eckhart Tolle and Robert Friedman.  Barnet Bain directed and co-wrote.

The Million Dollar Hotel

The Million Dollar Hotel

Lionsgate etc.

February 9, 2000

Dramedy?
DVD
C-

This straddles the line between unintentionally funny drama and unfunny comedy.  The soundtrack's not bad anyway.  Wim Wenders directed.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Warner Bros. etc.

December 15, 2004

Sports Drama

DVD
F+

As a boxing movie, this would be ranked low for me anyway, but I had to take it down a notch for the ludicrous Texan dialect, with phrases like "I likes" and "I knows."  This is based on the short stories of F. X. Toole and directed by Eastwood, who also stars, but not as the title character, I assume.

Millennium Actress

Millennium Actress

Madhouse

14 September 2002

Anime, Historical Drama, Fantasy

DVD
C-

I personally couldn't get into this, but I could see why it was critically acclaimed.  Satoshi Kon directed and co-wrote.

Milk

Milk

Focus Features etc.

November 26, 2008

Historical Drama

DVD

B-

I was really moved by this movie when I saw it in the theater, but rewatching it I felt more distant, I think partly because a lot of the supporting characters are barely sketched in.  Still, Penn remains solid as the title character.  Gus Van Sant directed, and I've tagged some of the real people who appear in archival footage.

Mile 22

Mile 22

STX Films etc.

August 17, 2018

Action

DVD
D-

I lost interest in this as soon as it became clear it wasn't about a couple bickering over directions.  Peter Berg directed.

Mildred Pierce

Mildred Pierce

Warner Bros.

October 20, 1945

Crime Drama

DVD
B-

I've seen this before, possibly more than once, but maybe not in over twenty-five years.  This time I was most struck by, one, how much better the female performances are than the male (and, yes, I will always love Eve Arden); and two, how Forties it is, not just in its noir feel but in references to the economy and the War.  Faulkner apparently was one of the uncredited contract workers who adapted the James M. Cain novel.  Michael Curtiz directed, after The Adventures of Robin Hood and before Life with Father.

Mighty Joe Young (1998)

Mighty Joe Young (1998)

Disney

December 25, 1998

Children's, Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

I liked the 1949 original but the sound recording on this was super annoying.  Ron Underwood directed, five years after Heart and Souls.

Midway (1976)

Midway (1976)

Universal

June 18, 1976

War Drama

DVD
C-

This looks like just about every male actor in Hollywood was in it (from Henry Fonda to Erik Estrada), although I tuned out long before most of them showed up.  Still, it's not bad for a war movie.  Jack Smight directed.

Mid90s

Mid90s

A24 etc.

October 26, 2018

Historical Drama

DVD
D-

With that title and Jonah Hill writing and directing, you might think this would be a nostalgic comedy but it's actually quite depressing on multiple levels.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Warner Bros. etc.

November 21, 1997

Drama

DVD
C-

The first quarter hour just felt like either set-up, or a casual tour of Savannah.  This is based on the novel by John Berendt and directed by Clint Eastwood.

Midnight Express

Midnight Express

Columbia

May 18, 1978

Crime Drama

DVD
D-

Not exactly my kind of movie, and I tuned out long before it got too violent.  Oliver Stone adapted Billy Hayes's memoir, but apparently changed a lot.  Alan Parker directed, before he did The Commitments and Evita in the '90s.

Middle of Nowhere

Middle of Nowhere

AFFRM and Participant Media

October 12, 2012

Drama

DVD
D+

Another depressing movie today, written and directed by Ava DuVernay.

Mickey and the Bear

Mickey and the Bear

Thick Media etc.

March 9, 2019

Drama

DVD
C-

Annabelle Attanasio wrote and directed, depressing content beautifully shot.  

Mia Madre

Mia Madre

Arte France Cinéma etc.

16 April 2015

Drama

DVD
C-

Somewhat depressing story of a middle-aged female movie director.  Nanni Moretti directed and co-wrote.

Mia and the White Lion

Mia and the White Lion

M6 Films etc.

August 2, 2018

Children's, Drama

DVD

C-

I didn't care for the preteen protagonist, even when she warmed up to the lions a little.  Gilles de Maistre directed and co-wrote.

The Mercy (2018)

The Mercy (2018)

BBC Films etc.

9 February 2018

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I liked the period details but didn't care that much about the story.  James Marsh directed.

Mensaka

Mensaka

Studio Unknown

1998

Drama

DVD
D+

Bleak view of a bunch of young people, although nothing too shocking happens in the first quarter hour.  This is based on a novel by José Ángel Mañas and directed by Salvador Garcia Ruiz.

Men with Brooms

Men with Brooms

Alliance Atlantis

8 March 2002

Sports Comedy, Romcom

DVD
C+

I found this a little hard to follow; maybe too many characters.  Still, it has its moments.  Paul Gross directed, co-wrote, and stars, and, yes, I preferred him in Gunless.

Megamind

Megamind

DreamWorks

November 5, 2010

Children's, Animation, Sci-Fi, Comedy
DVD
C-

When this started, I thought it had potential, but I'm tired of backstories where the "villains" are the victims.  Tom McGrath directed.

Meetings with Remarkable Men

Meetings with Remarkable Men

Enterprise Pictures Ltd.

February 1979

Drama

DVD
D+

Not much happens in the first quarter hour.  This is based on the book by G.I. Gurdjieff, and directed by Peter Brook, who helped adapt it for the screen, and who did Lord of the Flies in '63.

Meet Me After the Show

Meet Me After the Show

Twentieth-Century Fox

August 15, 1951

Musical, Comedy, Romance

DVD
B+

This movie is both satisfyingly tropy and full of wacky surprises.  Grable is an utter delight, but everyone else throws themselves into it, even the one-line cop who tells Macdonald Carey (as Grable's jerkface husband) that he'll see him again soon.  The songs and dances are for the most part amazing, especially the proto-feminist "Betting on a Man."  One of the most enjoyable movies I've seen in ages, and surprisingly "modern" for a 70-year-old movie, like something from the later '50s or even '60s or '70s, from the slang ("chick," "dig") to the quasi-beatnik musclehead played by Rory Calhoun.  There's even a number (the one about "Joe") that anticipates Julie Brown's "Big and Stupid."  This is one of the few movies in this project I'd actually buy, although the DVD I watched is woefully lacking in extras.

Richard Sale directed and co-wrote.  And, yes, Gwen Verdon plays a character named Sappho!

Meet Bill

Meet Bill

First Look International

April 4, 2008

Comedy

DVD
D+

Eckhart plays a character so unappealing in personality and appearance that I was glad his wife (Banks) was cheating on him.  Melisa Wallack wrote and co-directed with Bernie Goldmann.

Medium Cool

Medium Cool

Paramount

August 27, 1969

Drama

DVD
C-

This is, pardon the pun, unfocused in its narrative, although it's nice to see Peter Bonerz before The Bob Newhart Show.  Haskell Wexler wrote and directed.

The Meddler

The Meddler

Sony Pictures etc.

April 22, 2016

Dramedy
DVD
C-

A good cast can't get past the weak script, by director Lorene Scafaria, who did the equally weak Hustlers three years later.

[Monty Python's] Meaning of Life

[Monty Python's] Meaning of Life

Universal

31 March 1983

Comedy
DVD
C

OK, so here's the thing.  I saw this (on VHS) two or three years after it came out, and I found some parts funny and some parts disgusting, but the best part was undoubtedly the dazzling "Every Sperm Is Sacred" segment (including the Protestant couple across the way).  It remains both brilliant satire and a catchy musical number.  But the rest of the first half hour I watched today just didn't click with me.  And I really didn't want to reexperience the restaurant scene again.

Mean Streets

Mean Streets

Warner Bros.

October 14, 1973

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

I didn't care about the characters but I bumped this up for the very '60s soundtrack.  Scorsese directed and co-wrote, a year before he did Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, which I much prefer.

Me and Orson Welles

Me and Orson Welles

CinemaNX etc.

November 25, 2009

Historical Drama

DVD
C+

Although there were elements I liked, and I did stay with the movie until the end, it did feel off to me, especially very un-1930s Danes.  I was leaning towards maybe a B- initially, but I was sort of done before the movie was.  Still, the period details are solid, and Christian McKay is remarkably good as Welles.  Certainly this is better than director Linklater's Before Sunset (2004), which I gave a C-.  As soon as I saw that this movie is based on the Robert Kaplow novel, I thought That explains it, meaning that the pluses and minuses feel like they're because this is an adaptation.

McFarland, USA

McFarland, USA

Disney

February 20, 2015

Sports Drama

DVD
D

If not racist, then racist-adjacent.  Niki Caro directed.

The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner

20th Century Fox etc.

September 19, 2014

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I read the James Dashner novel but found it confusing and not intriguing enough to continue with the series.  But it was still somewhat better than this adaptation.  Wes Ball directed.

Max Steel

Max Steel

Open Road Films etc.

October 14, 2016

Sci-Fi

DVD
C

This didn't quite click with me but I was sort of into the "new kid at school" thread mixed with "what's happening to my body, not puberty-related" thread.  Stewart Hendler directed.

Maverick

Maverick

Warner Bros. etc.

May 20, 1994

Western, Comedy

DVD
C-

The comedic elements make this more interesting than most Westerns, but not enough for me to stay with it.  (I tuned out before Garner shows up.)  William Goldman wrote the screenplay (inspired by the TV show of course) and Richard Donner directed.

The Matrix Revolutions

The Matrix Revolutions

Village Roadshow etc.

November 5, 2003

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

Soft speaking, loud shooting.  The "Wachowski Brothers," Lana and Lilly, co-wrote and co-directed.

Matilda (1996)

Matilda (1996)

TriStar etc.

August 2, 1996
Children's, Comedy, Horror?

DVD
C

I enjoyed this when I saw it with an audience, many years after its initial release, but watching about half an hour at home by myself, it was hard to get past the multiple instances of child abuse and neglect, even though done in an exaggerated manner.  Also, Roald Dahl's disgust at television, which was fun in the various versions of Chocolate Factory, feels gratuitous here.  DeVito directed, narrates, and plays Matilda's awful father.

The Matador

The Matador

Miramax etc.

January 2005

Crime Comedy
DVD
D+

I didn't care about either plot thread, but the music isn't bad.  Richard Shepard wrote and directed.

Master of the World

Master of the World

AIP

May 1961

Historical Drama, Sci-Fi

DVD
B-

On the one hand, this is a zany American International Picture, with everything from very obviously recycled footage to a supporting cast that includes silent film comedian Snub Pollard, once ubiquitous Vito Scotti (his first name misspelled in the credits), and random beefcake crew.  And on the other hand, it's an earnest examination of the meaning of war and weaponry, with Vincent Price as the misguided genius.  And, yes, Charles Bronson is the hero who gets the girl, even though she's engaged and never seems to actually end the engagement onscreen.  I haven't read the Jules Verne novels this is based on and I'm sure that a lot was changed for the adaptation, but I was entertained in a different way than by most movies, especially in this project.  William Witney directed.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

20th Century Fox etc.

November 14, 2003

Historical Drama

DVD
D

Boring but pretty innocuous I guess.  This is based on various Patrick O'Brian novels and directed by Peter Weir.

Masked and Anonymous

Masked and Anonymous

BBC Films etc.

22 January 2003

Sci-Fi?, Dramedy?

DVD
C-

Odd but not interesting enough.  Bob Dylan stars as the has-been rock star and he co-wrote the script with director Larry Charles.

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

TriStar etc.

July 17, 1998

Historical Drama, Action

DVD
D+

Pretty dull but has some nice shots, like the silhouette of Zorro on his horse.  Martin Campbell directed, about thirteen years before Green Lantern, which is worse.

Mask (1994)

Mask (1994)

New Line

July 29, 1994

Crime Comedy?

DVD
C-

I saw this in the theater and it was one of the movies that made me wary of Carrey, although I stayed to the end then.  This time, the most interesting part of the first quarter hour is of course the introduction of 21-year-old Cameron Diaz.  Chuck Russell directed.

Mary Queen of Scots

Mary Queen of Scots

Working Title Films etc.

November 15, 2018

Historical Drama

DVD
C

I know this period of British history fairly well but I'd be willing to overlook anachronisms if the way this story is told were more gripping.  Ronan does a nice job as the title character of course, but Josie Rourke's direction, including the overly bleak cinematography, do the film no favors.  This is based on John Guy's Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart.

Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Poppins Returns

Disney

December 19, 2018

Children's, Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Sort of flat sort of sequel.  I tuned out before Mary, or indeed many characters, even appeared, although I appreciate Julie Walters giving her all, as always.  This is based on the "stories" of P.L. Travers, although I doubt she ever wrote Jane as a labour organizer.  Rob Marshall directed.

Martian Child

Martian Child

New Line

November 2, 2007

Dramedy
DVD
D+

I found this cliched and heavy-handed, although I bumped it up a D+ because of Joan Cusack, who as usual acts well against her brother John, although she deserves better material.  This is based on the David Gerrold short story and novella (neither of which I've read, but it appears that the protagonist was gay in one version).  Menno Meyjes directed.

The Martian

The Martian

20th Century Fox

September 27, 2015

Sci-Fi

DVD
D-

I was leaning towards my standard D for Dull, but then Matt Damon started treating his own injury.  This is based on the Andy Weir novel and directed by Ridley Scott.

Marshall

Marshall

Open Road Films etc.

October 13, 2017

Drama

DVD
C

Although this is based on part of the life of Thurgood Marshall, I found it a bit flat, especially compared to Just Mercy.  Reginald Hudlin directed.

Marriage Story

Marriage Story

Heyday & Netflix

August 31, 2019

Drama

DVD
C

A more accurate title would be Separation Story or Divorce Story, and as it is it was too downbeat for me.  Noah Baumbach wrote and directed.

Marley & Me

Marley & Me

Fox etc.

December 25, 2008

Dramedy
DVD
D+

I'm not a dog person and I didn't really like any of the human characters, especially Owen Wilson as an idiot.  This is based on the very popular book by John Grogan (the real-life idiot) and it set a Christmas Day box-office record.  David Frankel directed.

Maria Full of Grace

Maria Full of Grace

HBO Films etc.

January 18, 2004

Drama

DVD
D+

I liked the protagonist but it was hard to watch her suffer, and it sounds like things get much worse after that first quarter hour.  Joshua Marston wrote and directed.

Marathon Man

Marathon Man

Paramount

October 8, 1976

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

Not at all my cup of tea, although it was mildly interesting to see mid-'70s New York.  (I tuned out before Olivier showed up.)  William Goldman adapted his own novel.  John Schlesinger directed.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Disney

March 11, 1977

Children's, Animation, Musical, Crime Comedy
DVD
C

I watched a third of this, carried along somewhat by nostalgia, but Winnie really is not a particularly sympathetic character, and I added a "crime comedy" tag because of him trying to not just mooch but steal and trespass.  (And I tuned out before we got to Piglet and Tigger.)  This is of course based on A.A. Milne.  I'm crediting all three directors, although I don't know who did which sequences: John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Ben Sharpsteen.

Manna from Heaven

Manna from Heaven

Five Sisters Productions

September 14, 2002

Dramedy?

DVD
C-

This has an interesting premise but the execution is lacking.  I tuned out before most of the recognizable faces showed up.  Gabrielle Burton wrote and co-directed, an unusual arrangement.  (And it looks like the production takes its name from her, her co-director Maria, and other sisters.)

Manic

Manic

IFC Films

January 27, 2001

Crime Drama

DVD
D-

Pretty unwatchable but the acting isn't bad.  Jordan Melamed directed.

Manhattan

Manhattan

United Artists

April 25, 1979

Dramedy, Romance

DVD
C-

I think I had this on VHS at some point (taped off of TV), but it always felt like a letdown compared to Annie Hall, and that's putting aside the whole "dating a 17-year-old" aspect.  Anyway, I didn't hate it this time but, unlike Annie, it's not worth revisiting.  Woody wrote, directed, and stars.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

20th Century Fox etc.

September 7, 2013

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I don't know if it's the way this was directed, by Justin Chadwick, but I wasn't drawn in.  This is based on Mandela's autobiography.

The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

Paramount

July 30, 2004

Drama?

DVD
D

Pretty dull, and no, I've never seen the '60s version or read the Richard Condon novel.  Jonathan Demme directed.

Manchester by the Sea

Manchester by the Sea

Amazon Studios etc.

January 23, 2016

Drama

DVD
D+

Boring plumber, pretty snow.  Kenneth Lonergan wrote and directed.

The Man with Two Brains

The Man with Two Brains

Warner Bros.

June 3, 1983

Comedy, Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I liked this when I saw it maybe ten years ago but today it was more tasteless and less funny than I recalled.  (Or maybe it was Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid that I liked.)  Carl Reiner directed and cowrote.

The Man with the Golden Gun

The Man with the Golden Gun

United Artists

19 December 1974

Action

DVD
C-

I bumped this up from a D+ because of the dated elements, like the wretched proto-disco title song (and I like proto-disco) and of course Mr.Villechaize.  This is based on you know what, and directed by Guy Hamilton, who also did Diamonds Are Forever, which I found much worse.

The Man Who Would Be King

The Man Who Would Be King

Allied Artists

December 19, 1975

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I was leaning towards a D+ but things perked up a bit on the train.  This is based on the Rudyard Kipling novella and directed by John Huston, who cowrote the screenplay.

The Man Who Fell to Earth

The Man Who Fell to Earth

British Lion

18 March 1976

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I couldn't get into this but I could sort of see why it's a cult film.  This is based on the novel by Walter Tevis and directed by Nicolas Roeg.

Man on the Moon

Man on the Moon

Universal etc.

December 22, 1999

Historical Drama, Historical Comedy

DVD
C-

I knew this movie wasn't for me, despite my soft spot for Latka on Taxi and even some of Kaufman's SNL appearances, when my favorite parts of the first quarter hour were Andy as a child and the "bad" Siamese twin joke.  Oh, and the stunt-casting of Danny DeVito.  Milos Forman directed.

Man of the Century

Man of  the Century

Fine Line Features

January 24, 1999

Comedy
DVD
C+

I really thought I was going to like this much more than I ended up liking it.  It's a winning premise, not unlike The Brady Bunch Movie, where the main character(s) are stuck in a stylized version of a particular era, while all around them is the contemporary world, which is somewhat won over to the past.  But this movie felt unfocused and as it went on, I was less enchanted.  Still points for effort, and it's always nice to see Chasing Amy's Dwight Ewell, playing another too-smart-for-the-room gay Black man.

The Man from Colorado

The Man from Colorado

Columbia

December 1948

Western
DVD
D+

Well, I liked the costumes.  Henry Levin directed.

A Man for All Seasons

A Man for All Seasons

Columbia

12 December 1966

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

A fascinating period of British history made stiff and flat.  Fred Zinnemann directed seven years before The Day of the Jackal, which is a little bit worse.

A Man Called Ove AKA En man som heter Ove

A Man Called Ove AKA En man som heter Ove

Nordisk Film

25 December 2015

Dramedy
DVD
D+

I failed to get very far into the book, although I made it through a couple other Fredrik Backman novels with unsympathetic main characters.  The movie isn't any better, although it did show a cat, which is always nice.  Hannes Holm directed and wrote the screenplay.

The Man (2005)

The Man (2005)

New Line

September 9, 2005

Crime Comedy
DVD
D-

Simultaneously boring, stupid, unfunny, and racist, but not too violent.  Les Mayfield directed about six years after Blue Streak, which at least had better music.

Mama

Mama

Universal etc.

January 18, 2013

Horror

DVD
D

I appreciate that the first quarter hour wasn't as violent or as creepy as I expected.  Andy Muschietti directed and co-wrote, six years before It: Chapter Two, which I gave a D-.

Maleficent

Maleficent

Disney

May 30, 2014

Fantasy

DVD
C

I liked the prologue but then the girl fairy grew up to be a shouty Angelina Jolie and the film literally and figuratively darkened.  I guess this is based on a book, in the sense that it's loosely from the Perrault fairytale.  Robert Stromberg directed.

Makala

Makala

Studio Unknown

23 May 2017

Documentary

DVD
D+

Wood-chopping, thorn-removal, and rat-grilling.  Emmanuel Gras directed.

Major Dundee

Major Dundee

Columbia

March 16, 1965

Western
DVD
D

I appreciate that this was less violent and racist than I expected for a Peckinpah Western.

The Majestic

The Majestic

Warner Bros.

December 21, 2001

Historical Drama

DVD
B-

This movie is long and more complicated than it seems capable of resolving, but I generally enjoyed it, including the contrast between Lawson and the more hostile world outside.  The cameo voicework by various directors adds some humor.  Also, I always prefer the more serious, less manic Jim Carrey, as in The Truman Show (which had a different relationship to the safe little world and the big scary world of course).  Frank Darabont directed a couple years after The Green Mile, which was much less my kind of movie.

Magnolia

Magnolia

New Line

January 7, 2000

Drama?

DVD
D+

Deliberately unfocused, although I did like the extended cover version of "One Is the Loneliest Number."  Paul Thomas Anderson wrote and directed.

Magic Mike

Magic Mike

Warner Bros, etc.

June 24, 2012

Drama?

DVD
D

Unappealing.

Magic in the Moonlight

Magic in the Moonlight

Sony etc.

July 25, 2014

Historical Comedy
DVD
C

I tried to keep an open mind about this, since after all I still own and sometimes watch a few of Woody Allen's '70s movies.  And the premise is promising, the cast likable.  (I tuned out before Emma Stone actually showed up.)  However, I found the exposition bloated, with details being explained multiple times in the first quarter hour.

Mademoiselle Paradis AKA Licht

Mademoiselle Paradis AKA Licht

Studio unknown

9 November 2017

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Depressing, although I was mildly intrigued by the social commentary about the late eighteenth century.  Director Barbara Albert adapted the novel by Alissa Walser.

Madeline's Madeline

Madeline's Madeline

Oscilloscope Laboratories etc.

August 10, 2018

Drama?
DVD
D

Creepy.  Josephine Decker directed and co-wrote.