Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Paramount

June 12, 1981

Action, Historical Drama

DVD
D+

I've never been into this series, but the look of it was nice.  George Lucas co-wrote, Spielberg of course directed.

Raging Phoenix AKA Jeeja Due Suai D

Raging Phoenix AKA Jeeja Due Suai D

Studio Unknown

12 August 2009

Action

DVD
C-

The quirkiness makes this relatively palatable for this genre.  Rashane Limtrakul directed and co-wrote.

Raging Bull

Raging Bull

United Artists

December 19, 1980

Historical Drama, Sports Drama

DVD
D-

I might've gone with a D, except for the scene where he makes his brother punch him for no discernible reason.  This is based on Jack LaMotta's memoir, and directed by Scorcese.

Radio

Radio

Columbia etc.

October 24, 2003

Historical Drama, Sports Drama

DVD
D

A bunch of elements I don't look for in movies.  Michael Tollin directed.

The Racket (1951)

The Racket (1951)

RKO

December 12, 1951

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

Bumped up a notch because of the novelty of seeing "Gidget's father" (Don Porter) as a baddie.  Somehow there are a bunch of directors, most of them uncredited: John Cromwell, Mel Ferrer, Tay Garnett, Nicholas Ray, and Sherman Todd.

Racing with the Moon

Racing with the Moon

Paramount

March 23, 1984

Historical Drama, Romance

DVD
C-

I liked the music, scenery, and of course Carol Kane, but I didn't care about the main story or characters.  Steve Kloves wrote and Richard Benjamin directed.

Quills

Quills

Fox Searchlight etc.

December 15, 2000

Historical Drama

DVD
F+

Impressively unpleasant, even given the subject matter.  Philip Kaufman directed.

Quigley Down Under

Quigley Down Under

MGM etc.

October 19, 1990

Western

DVD
D+

Pretty standard, except it's set in Australia, so maybe that makes it a "Southeastern."  Simon Wincer directed, three years before Free Willy.

A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place

Paramount etc.

April 6, 2018

Sci-Fi

DVD
D

Pretty dull and uneventful, and of course with minimal dialogue.  John Krasinski directed, co-wrote, and stars.

Quest for Camelot

Quest for Camelot

Warner Bros.

May 15, 1998

Children's, Historical Drama, Musical

DVD
D+

Forgettable songs and characters, directed by Frederik Du Chau.

Queen of the Desert

Queen of the Desert

IFC Films

November 8, 2015

Historical Drama

DVD

D+

A story I'm not that interested is marred by unrealistic dialogue and laughable casting, e.g. Pattinson as T.E. Lawrence.  Werner Herzog wrote and directed.

Queen of Outer Space

Queen of Outer Space

Allied Artists Pictures

September 7, 1958

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

Considering the short run time (80 minutes), it seems unbelievable that it takes a quarter hour to get to the title drop, and there's still no sign of Zsa Zsa or her planet.  Edward Bernds directed and co-wrote.

Queen of Katwe

Queen of Katwe

Disney

September 30, 2016

Children's, Drama

DVD
C-

Another movie about a young chess champion, although the setting is more original, and based on real life, as presented in a book by Tim Crothers.  Mira Nair directed.

Queen & Slim

Queen & Slim

Universal etc.

November 27, 2019

Crime Drama?

DVD
C-

A very bad first date.  Melina Matsoukas directed.

Quartet

Quartet

BBC Films etc.

9 September 2012

Dramedy

DVD
D+

I think I saw this at the time, which is weird since I don't like classical or opera.  It was probably because of the cast.  Anyway, I didn't remember much about it and all the stuff with Billy Connolly's lecherous character has not aged well.  Dustin Hoffman directed.

The Quarry

The Quarry

Lionsgate etc.

April 17, 2020

Drama?

DVD
D

The first quarter hour is pretty uneventful.  This is based on the Damon Galgut novel and directed by Scott Teems.

Quadrophenia

Quadrophenia

The Who Films Ltd etc.

12 October 1979

Musical, Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I've never been a Who fan, but this has good historical details, and yes, they were historical by '79.   Franc Roddam directed and co-wrote.

Quackerz

Quackerz

Turbo Films etc.

14 February 2016

Children's, Fantasy, Comedy, Action

DVD
D+

About as good as its title, with a mix of cliches, vivid colors, and a surprising amount of sex humor (e.g. "missionary position") for a kids' movie.

Qīngshàonián Nuózhà AKA Rebels of the Neon God

Qīngshàonián Nuózhà AKA Rebels of the Neon God

Studio Unknown

December 1992

Crime Drama?

DVD
D-

Pretty unpleasant, although I suppose there's some social commentary going on.  Ming-liang Tsai wrote and directed.

The Pursuit of Happyness [sic]

The Pursuit of Happyness [sic]

Columbia etc.

December 15, 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I assume, from the title, that things pick up for the Will Smith character later, but it was hard watching all his setbacks, and it's hard to root for an aspiring '80s stockbroker.  Gabriele Muccino directed, a decade before the more depressing Fathers and Daughters.

Punch-Drunk Love

Punch-Drunk Love

Columbia etc.

November 1, 2002

Dramedy

DVD
D+

I found this so hard to follow and random that for the first ten minutes or so I thought it might be sci-fi.  Bumped up a notch for the psychedelic medley that includes Shelley Duvall's "He Needs Me."  Paul Thomas Anderson wrote and directed, a couple years after Magnolia.

Psycho (1960)

Psycho (1960)

Paramount

September 8, 1960
Crime Drama

DVD
C-

I watched the first quarter hour and found it cliched, but perhaps that was intentional.  Hitchcock of course directed, based on the novel by Robert Bloch.

Proximity

Proximity

Demeusy Pictures

May 15, 2020

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

Maybe it was all the outdoors shots, but I found this less boring than most sci-fi.  Eric Demeusy directed and co-wrote.

Prospect

Prospect

Depth of Field etc.

November 2, 2018

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

I was most interested in the father-daughter dynamic, but not enough.  Christopher Caldwell and Zeek Earl co-wrote and co-directed.

The Proposal

The Proposal

Touchstone AKA Disney

June 19, 2009

Romcom

DVD
D+

I watched this all the way through in the theater at the time, because I was going to a lot of romcoms and because I like Sandra Bullock.  But this time I didn't care about her character or Ryan Reynolds's, and I certainly wasn't invested in them as a couple.  Anne Fletcher directed.

Proof (1991)

Proof (1991)

Roadshow Entertainment

15 August 1991

Dramedy?
DVD
D+

Fairly unappealing although I liked the look of it.  Jocelyn Moorhouse wrote and directed.

Promising Young Woman

Promising Young Woman

Focus Features etc.

January 25, 2020

Dramedy? Horror?  I don't know!

DVD
D

I was prepared to hate this movie, but then it veered off in the direction of revenge, so I only dislike it.  Emerald Fennell wrote and directed.

Promises

Promises

Cowboy Pictures

30 January 2001

Documentary

DVD
C-

It was kind of a bad sign that I thought that the buildings were more interesting than the children, but they were interesting buildings and I would probably watch a documentary on Israeli neighborhoods and architecture.  B.Z. Goldberg, Justine Shapiro, and Carlos Bolado  co-directed, and Goldberg and Shapiro co-wrote with someone else.

Promised

Promised

Studio Unknown

24 October 2019

Historical Drama?

DVD
C-

This felt unfocused, hence my not even being sure what genre it is.  Perhaps that has something to do with writer Nick Conidi co-directing with two other people: Tony Ferrieri and Nathan Primmer.

Prometheus

Prometheus

20th Century Fox etc.

June 8, 2012

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

It actually improves after the creepy pre-title sequence, but not enough.  Ridley Scott directed.

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

Stage 6 Films

October 13, 2017

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Like a comics-origin version of Kinsey, with much less appealing characters.  Angela Robinson wrote and directed.

A Private War

A Private War

Acacia Filmed etc.

November 16, 2018

War Drama

DVD
D

Yeah, not my kind of movie, although it's always nice to see Tom Hollander.  Matthew Heineman directed.  

Private Benjamin

Private Benjamin

Warner Bros.

October 10, 1980

Comedy

DVD
C

I'd never actually seen this before, although of course I was aware of it at the time and even semi-regularly watched the TV series.  Unlike 9 to 5, it doesn't hold up particularly well, and I was of course most interested in Judy's bad but very brief second marriage, with Albert Brooks playing a character we don't mourn.  The setup of her recruitment is very flimsy, and I don't generally go for Army comedies anyway.  Still, I gave this a half hour and I've certainly seen worse.  Plus Goldie was as lovely as in Foul Play, and Eileen Brennan does what she can with her role, as she would on TV.  Howard Zieff directed.

The Princess Diaries

The Princess Diaries

Disney

August 3, 2001

Children's, Comedy

DVD
C

I saw this at the time, with very mixed feelings, and later read many of the books in the Meg Cabot series, with a different set of mixed feelings.  This time, I gave the movie a C after half an hour, because I just felt it's a good premise with a mostly flat execution.  Garry Marshall directed, because he likes makeover plots.

The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride

20th Century Fox etc.

October 9, 1987

Fantasy, Comedy, Romance

DVD
C-

I just have never gotten the hype about this movie.  To be honest, everyone in the first quarter hour is a bit dull, except for the always reliable Wallace Shawn.  William Goldman adapted his own novel and Rob Reiner directed.

The Prince of Egypt

The Prince of Egypt

DreamWorks

December 16, 1998

Animation, Historical Drama, Musical

DVD
D+

Besides not being a subject I'm interested in, the tonal shifts are odd, like the joke about Rameses's kilt.  Still, the animation isn't bad.  Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells co-directed.

The Prince and Me

The Prince and Me

Lionsgate etc.

April 2, 2004

Romcom

DVD
C-

I enjoyed this in the theater, and I generally do, or did, like Julia Stiles, but I didn't care about either of the leads this time, especially him.  Martha Coolidge directed.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

20th Century Fox

25 February 1969

Historical Drama

DVD
C+

I was impressed by this when I watched it before, sometime in the last decade, but this time I felt it doesn't hang together too well.  And while the characters are mostly interesting, they're also mostly unlikable.  This is based on the stageplay based on the novel by Muriel Spark.  Ronald Neame directed.

Prime

Prime 

Relativity Media etc.

October 28, 2005

Romcom

DVD
C

I gave this twenty minutes rather than fifteen, because I thought it had potential.  Unfortunately, the lead characters, especially him, are kind of bland.  Ben Younger wrote and directed.

The Pride of the Yankees

The Pride of the Yankees

RKO

July 15, 1942

Historical Drama, Sports Drama

DVD
C-

My main enjoyment was the corniness, like the elderly parents of a small boy (giving me Johnny Dangerously vibes), and Gary Cooper similarly looking pretty old for a college kid.  Sam Wood directed.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

StudioCanal etc.

16 September 2005

Historical Drama, Historical Comedy, Romance

DVD
C+

I found this disappointing at the time, particularly in contrast to the BBC production of a decade earlier.  I've watched it once or twice since then, before today, and it's not like I hate this version, but I do feel it's over-rated.  Today I tried to figure out what was lacking, and I couldn't help comparing it to Bride & Prejudice, which has a shorter runtime and yet manages to include several memorable song & dance numbers.  B & P also leaves things out (including the Kitty-equivalent) but I've never felt that it fails to develop so much of what it does include.  To take one example, by giving us hardly anything of Wickham, and changing the circumstances of his involvement with Georgiana, the weight of his elopement is lessened, as is his character as a counterpoint to Darcy.  Furthermore, I don't really get any sense from this movie of the bonds between characters, especially the Lizzy & Jane sisterhood.  Verdict: this remains watchable but unsatisfying.

Joe Wright directed, a couple years before the also flawed, C+-earning adaptation Atonement, which has Keira Knightley as well.  Emma Thompson apparently contributed uncredited dialogue.

Hors de prix AKA Priceless

Hors de prix AKA Priceless

TFM Distribution

13 December 2006

Romcom?

DVD
B

With its frothy tone and look, "jet-set lifestyle," and poppy soundtrack, this feels like a '60s sex farce (yet with references to the Euro and the Internet), although there's a dark undercurrent bubbling beneath.  It feels both familiar and unsettling.  The "romcom" tag isn't quite right, and yet it is a romantic comedy, just between two "kept" people.  I found it witty and charming and sexy, but I could also see people absolutely abhorring it for various reasons.  Then again, I almost always like Audrey Tautou, so there's that.  Pierre Salvadori directed and co-wrote.

Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman

Touchstone etc.

March 23, 1990

Dramedy
DVD
D+

A soulless capitalist and a woman who humps for rent money have decent chemistry, as directed by Garry Marshall.

Presumed Innocent

Presumed Innocent

Warner Bros.

July 27, 1990

Crime Drama

DVD
D-

An extra layer of ick in the dialogue, although at least the visuals weren't quite gross enough in the first quarter hour to cross over into F-Town.  Director Alan J. Pakula helped adapt Scott Turow's novel.

The Prestige

The Prestige

Touchstone etc.

October 20, 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I saw this in the theater but it didn't really grab me watching it at home more than fifteen years later.  Still, the Tesla & electricity thing was mildly intriguing.  Director Christopher Nolan co-adapted Christopher Priest's novel with his brother Jonathan.

The President's Analyst

The President's Analyst

Paramount

December 21, 1967

Dramedy
DVD
C-

An interesting idea but it doesn't play out too well.  Bumped up for the background music of course.  Theodore J. Flicker wrote and directed.