Premonition

Premonition

TriStar etc.

March 16, 2007

Mystery

DVD

C-

As in Practical Magic, Bullock plays a mother of two who's widowed in the first few minutes, but I didn't care as much about the story.  Mennan Yapo directed.

The Predator (2018)

The Predator (2018)

20th Century Fox etc.

September 14, 2018

Sci-Fi

DVD

D+

Bumped up a notch for quirky humor, e.g. the school sign board that invites "PARENTS AND STDS."  Shane Black directed and co-wrote, a couple years after The Nice Guys.

Prayer Before Dawn

Prayer Before Dawn

Symbolic Exchange etc.

10 October 2017

Crime Drama

DVD
F+

Pretty much everything I don't want in a movie, but I'm glad it wasn't more unpleasant in the first quarter hour.  This is based on Billy Moore's memoir and directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire.

Prancer

Prancer

Nelson Entertainment etc.

November 17, 1989

Children's

DVD
D+

Stilted dialogue, even by children's holiday movie standards.  John D. Hancock directed.

A Prairie Home Companion

A Prairie Home Companion

River Road Entertainment

June 9, 2006

Comedy, Musical

DVD
D+

A little bit tedious, despite the cast.  (I'm omitting Tommy Lee Jones from the crowded tags.)  Robert Altman directed.

Practical Magic

Practical Magic

Village Roadshow Pictures etc.

October 16, 1998

Fantasy, Dramedy, Romance

DVD
C+

I kept rooting for this to be better than it is, because there are definitely elements I like: witchcraft, the setting of a small New England coastal town, the (mostly) all-female family, and the cast.  But it just didn't have, well, the magic it needed, in either the adaptation of Alice Hoffman's novel or in the direction by Griffin Dunne.

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

MGM

May 2, 1946

Drama

DVD
D+

This is one of those movies where I want a completely un-gritty version, like "Please tell me more about your diner-slash-service station."  This is based on the James M. Cain novel and directed by Tay Garnett, six years after Seven Sinners.

Postcards from the Edge

Postcards from the Edge

Columbia

September 14, 1990
Dramedy

DVD
C-

I gave a C to the Carrie Fisher partly autobiographical novel (reviewed here https://rereadingeverybookiown.blogspot.com/2013/03/postcards-from-edge.html), and I don't think what did work translates to screen (even by Fisher herself), at least in the quarter hour I watched.  Still, I bumped this up from a D+ because the nightmare with a Nancy Reagan lookalike made me smile.  Mike Nichols directed.

The Post

The Post

20th Century Fox etc.

December 22, 2017

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I saw the whole movie in the theater and would've said a C at the time.  (It didn't help that I'd recently seen All the President's Men for the first time.)  Watching it now, it still feels a bit flat, and I didn't want to go all through it again, especially since most movies are less enjoyable at home.  Spielberg directed.

The Possession of Hannah Grace

The Possession of Hannah Grace

Screen Gems etc.

November 30, 2018

Horror

DVD
F+

Somehow both creepy and dull.  Diederik Van Rooijen directed.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Arte etc.

19 May 2019

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Has potential, but too slow-moving and sad.  Céline Sciamma wrote and directed.

Porky's

Porky's

20 Century Fox

November 13, 1981

Historical Comedy
DVD
D-

Since I was in my early teens when this was released, to huge box office success, I have of course been aware of it for over forty years.  But I never wanted to watch it, and I say that as someone who mildly enjoyed American Pie.  It plays like an angrier, stupider, more leering Happy Days.  The not-very-teenage-looking boys are all obsessed with sex but don't seem to like girls, or each other.  Beyond that, it's just not funny, even in the way the jokes are set up and played out.  Bob Clark wrote and directed, a couple years before the very different A Christmas Story.  (Well, I guess they both involve humiliation and "nostalgia.")

Porco Rosso

Porco Rosso

Studio Ghibli

18 July 1992

Anime, Historical Comedy, Fantasy, Action

DVD
C-

Once again, I am baffled at what Studio G is trying to get at, but there was potential here.  Hayao Miyazaki wrote and directed.

Porcile AKA Pigsty

Porcile AKA Pigsty

New Line Cinema

30 August 1969

Drama?

DVD
D+

So pretentious that I had to bump it up a notch as it verged on self-parody.  Pier Paolo Pasolini wrote and directed, eight years after the much more plausible Accattone, which I gave a C-.

Pompeii

Pompeii

Sony Pictures Rising etc.

February 21, 2014

Historical Drama

DVD
D

Heavy-handed, especially in its set-up, maps included.  Paul W. S. Anderson directed and had improved a bit in the seventeen years since the even more unsubtle Event Horizon.

Pom Poko

Pom Poko

Studio Ghibli

16 July 1994

Anime, Fantasy

DVD

C-

Muddled and meandering, but not charmless.  Isao Takahata directed and co-wrote.

Polisse

Polisse

Les Films du Trésor

13 May 2011

Crime Drama

DVD
D-

Not only is this about a CPU unit, but the off-the-clock stuff adds tonal dissonance.  Maïwenn directed and co-wrote.

Point Break

Point Break

20th Century Fox etc.

July 12, 1991

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

One of those movies that I knew bits and pieces of before actually watching it, like the presidential masks.  Kathryn Bigelow directed, twenty-six years before Detroit.

Poetic Justice

Poetic Justice

Columbia

July 23, 1993

Drama

DVD
D+

Tonal whiplash, including a woman whose boyfriend was shot right in front of her being encouraged to start dating again.  John Singleton wrote and directed.

Pocket Money

Pocket Money

First Artists

February 1, 1972

Western (modern)

DVD
D+

The '70s trappings (including the Wayne Rogers cameo a few months before M*A*S*H debuted on TV) are mildly interesting, but I didn't care about the story or characters.  This is based on the J.P.S. Brown novel Jim Kane and directed by Stuart Rosenberg, three years before he directed Newman in The Drowning Pool.

Pocahontas

Pocahontas

Disney

June 23, 1995

Historical Drama, Musical, Fantasy

DVD
C-

I watched this once or twice before, and probably would've given it a C+ then, but this time I couldn't really get into it, especially with such forgettable songs.  I do like that this princess has a best human friend, as well as animals, for a change.  Mike Gabriel came up with the idea, which was adapted by many people, and he co-directed with Eric Goldberg.

Plus One

Plus One

Studio 71 etc.

June 14, 2019

Romcom

DVD
B

This is one of the best romcoms I've seen in ages, but I will freely admit that it is about a mismatch that works despite itself, both romantically and in terms of talent, because Maya Erskine is a raunchy but layered delight as Alice, and no one else is at her level, including Jack Quaid as her best friend and possible love interest.  Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer co-wrote and co-directed.

Play Misty for Me

Play Misty for Me

Universal

November 12, 1971

Drama

DVD
C-

I've known of this movie for ages, but watching the first quarter hour I just tried to focus on the music and the gorgeous Carmel scenery.  Eastwood directed as well as starred.

Play It Again, Sam

Play It Again, Sam

Paramount

May 5, 1972

Comedy
DVD
C-

Woody Allen, as "Allan" (yes, with two A's), watches movies, whines, and gets misogynistic advice from his inner Bogey, but it was nice to see early Keaton and Roberts.  Woody wrote but Herbert Ross directed.

Platoon

Platoon

Orion

December 19, 1986

War Drama

DVD
D

Very much not my kind of movie, but I've seen more unwatchable ones.  Oliver Stone wrote and directed.

Planet of the Apes (2001)

Planet of the Apes (2001)

20th Century Fox

July 27, 2001

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

It took most of the first quarter hour to actually get to the planet.  This is based on Pierre Boulle's novel and directed by Tim Burton.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Paramount

November 25, 1987

Comedy

DVD
C

For almost thirty-five years I kind of wanted to see this movie and now I have.  I gave it 25 minutes, but I just didn't like either character, or find the story funny enough to continue.  John Hughes wrote and directed.

Planes

Planes

Disney

August 9, 2013

Children's, Animation, Fantasy, Comedy
DVD
D+

Kind of dull, except for trying to spot the celebrity voices, and at that I only recognized two for sure.  Klay Hall directed and co-wrote.

Places in the Heart

Places in the Heart

Tri-Star Pictures

October 5, 1984

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Depressing, even before the deaths.  Robert Benton wrote and directed.

Pixie

Pixie

Fragile Films etc.

23 October 2020

Crime Comedy
DVD
D+

Gory but I almost liked the title character.  Barnaby Thompson directed.

Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect

Universal etc.

October 5, 2012

Comedy
DVD
D+

While I like the concept of this movie, I don't like the execution, with its cruelty and grossness.  (This was the second time I attempted to watch this, although last time I think I gave it more like half an hour rather than my usual quarter hour.)  This is based on Mickey Rapkin's non-fiction book Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate a Cappella Glory.  Jason Moore directed.

Pitch Black

Pitch Black

Gramercy Pictures Interscope etc.

February 18, 2000

Sci-Fi

DVD
D

Shrug, not my kind of movie.  David Twohy directed and co-wrote.

The Pirates of Penzance

The Pirates of Penzance

Universal etc.

18 February 1983

Musical, Historical Comedy
DVD
C-

I guess I'm somewhat biased against this, since I've long loved the cheesiness of the previous year's Pirate Movie, but this is a bit dull.  Director Wilford Leach adapted the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Disney etc.

July 7, 2006

Action, Historical Comedy, Fantasy

DVD

C-

I enjoyed three or four of the movies of this series in the theater, but they don't seem to translate well to the home screen.  Gore Verbinski directed.

The Pirates! Band of Misfits AKA The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!

The Pirates! Band of Misfits AKA The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! 

Aardman Animations etc.

28 March 2012

Animation, Historical Comedy

DVD

C-

Aardman is hit or miss for me, miss in this case, although Hugh Grant tries, as always.  Peter Lord and Jeff Newitt co-directed, and Gideon Defoe adapted his book series.

The Pirate (1948)

The Pirate (1948)

MGM

June 11, 1948

Historical Comedy, Musical

DVD
C-

Garland and Kelly try, but this needed a serious rewrite, even if Joseph L. Mankiewicz was an uncredited contributor.  Garland's then husband directed.

Pinocchio (1940)

Pinocchio (1940)

Disney

February 23, 1940

Children's, Animation, Historical Comedy, Fantasy

DVD
C

I've of course seen this many times, especially during childhood.  (I think I had a crush on the Blue Fairy.)  This time, I just watched the first quarter hour, and I was getting a little annoyed with the characters and the soundtrack.  So I tuned out before B.F. actually showed up and brought the title character to life.  This is of course based on the Collodi stories.  The many directors are Norman Ferguson, T. Hee (a pseudonym?), Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney, Hamilton Luske, Bill Roberts, and Ben Sharpsteen,

The Pink Panther (1963)

The Pink Panther (1963)

United Artists

December 18, 1963

Crime Comedy
DVD
C+

I grew up watching the Pink Panther movies, both the '60s originals and the '70s revivals (after a seven-year gap), but I honestly couldn't have described them beyond memorable opening cartoon credits (leading to the TV cartoon, which I of course also watched), attractive European women, and bumbling Inspector Clouseau, played by Peter Sellers.  So it was interesting revisiting the movie that launched it all, because it does contain those elements, but it's basically a standard '60s caper comedy that I'd give a C or less to if not for that silky yet playful Mancini score that I can hear echoes of on the soundtracks of everything from Bikini Beach to Down with Love.  Anyway, Sellers does establish his iconic role, but he's onscreen less than David Niven.  Blake Edwards directed and co-wrote, which is probably why there's a lot of suggested sex and that very amoral double ending.

Pilgrimage (2017)

Pilgrimage (2017)

Screen Ireland etc.

13 July 2017

Historical Drama

DVD
D

Considering this is definitely not my kind of movie, I didn't hate it.  Brendan Muldowney directed.

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Picnic at Hanging Rock

B.E.F. Film Distributors

8 August 1975

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

I'd heard for years that this was a cult movie, but I was surprised by how bad the acting is.  This is based on the Joan Lindsay novel and directed by Peter Weir.

The Pianist

The Pianist

Canal+ etc.

24 May 2002

War Drama

DVD
C-

Depressing of course.  This is based on Wladyslaw Szpilman's memoir, and directed by Roman Polanski.

Pi

Pi

Protozoa Pictures etc.

July 10, 1998

Drama?

DVD

F+

Unwatchable but also unlistenable.  When I shut it off after a quarter hour, I felt a sense of peace.  Darren Aronofsky directed and co-wrote and he would go on to improve to D-s for Noah and Mother!

Phone Booth

Phone Booth

Fox etc.

September 10, 2002

Drama

DVD
D+

Not very suspenseful or thrilling suspense thriller, but I suppose it's of historical interest in its setting.  Joel Schumacher directed.

Phantom of the Paradise

Phantom of the Paradise

20th Century Fox

November 1, 1974

Musical?

DVD
C

Unlike Phantom of the Opera, I have been curious about this movie for years, and I can see why it's a cult movie, but while I thought DePalma's script had potential, I didn't like his direction, how things felt off, especially tonally, no pun intended.  

The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera

Really Useful Films etc.

December 10, 2004

Historical Drama, Musical

DVD
D+

I have always had zero interest in this story, but the look of it isn't bad.  This is based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber stage production based on the Gaston Leroux novel.  Joel Schumacher directed, after Cousins and The Client.

Phaedra

Phaedra

Melinafilm etc.

25 May 1962

Drama

DVD
D+

Director Jules Dassin co-adapted the Euripides play, which I recall as not as boring.

Pet Sematary

Pet Sematary

Paramount

April 21, 1989

Drama

DVD

C-

Hokey acting and music for a story about a family moving to the country with their cat.  Obviously a message movie about the importance of speed limit enforcement.  Stephen King adapted his novel, and Mary Lambert directed.

The Pest

The Pest

TriStar etc.

February 7, 1997

Comedy
DVD
D+

I would've given this a C- as a dumb comedy but there was too much gratuitous racism.  John Leguizamo stars and co-wrote, while Paul Miller directed.  This was apparently inspired by the still well-known Richard Connell short story "The Most Dangerous Game" (1924), but I much prefer the Gilligan's Island version.

Persuasion (1995)

Persuasion (1995)

BBC etc.

16 April 1995

Historical Drama, Historical Comedy
DVD

C+

This was maybe my fourth viewing of the film, but I've never been tempted to buy a copy for myself, Jane Austen fan though I am.  I don't know if it's miscasting and/or misdirection (by Roger Michell, before Enduring Love and My Cousin Rachel), but it's always felt a bit off to me, especially compared to the mostly superior Austen adaptations of its time.  Still, it's watchable.