Botín de guerra

Spoils of War AKA Botín de guerra

Zafra Difusión S.A.

11 April 2000

Documentary

DVD
D+ 

Grim.  David Blaustein and Luis Alberto Asurey

Splitting Heirs

Splitting Heirs

Prominent Features

2 April 1993

Comedy

DVD
C-

The premise is promising, but the execution weak, with the only laugh out loud moment in the first quarter hour being "Introducing John Cleese."  Eric Idle wrote and stars, while the Robert Young who directed is not the American actor of the 1920s through '80s.

Split

Split

Binding Edge Pictures

September 26, 2016

Horror

DVD
F+

The phrase Manipulative shit kept popping into my mind, but I am a little grateful that the first quarter hour wasn't more violent.  Shyamalan wrote and directed.

Splendor in the Grass

Splendor in the Grass

Warner Bros. etc.

October 10, 1961

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Too many unpleasant characters.  Elia Kazan directed.

Spies in Disguise

Spies in Disguise

20th Century Fox etc.

December 25, 2019

Animation, Action, Sci-Fi

DVD
D

So tedious and cliched, I couldn't tell if it was racist.  Nick Bruno and Troy Quane co-directed.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Nickelodeon Movies

February 14, 2008

Children's, Fantasy

DVD
C-

I enjoyed this movie at the time, and the books by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, but I couldn't get into it today.  Mark Waters directed, a few years after Freaky Friday and Just Like Heaven.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Columbia etc.

December 14, 2018

Animation, Sci-Fi, Action, Comedy
DVD

B

I was very pleasantly surprised by this movie, especially the visuals.  The story is solid, too, as are the acting, music, etc.  If I can't go higher with my grade, it's that there are limits to my interest in superheroes, but I did appreciate that Miles is both an everyteen and a specific individual.  I would happily watch the sequel, whenever it'll be released.

Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman co-directed.  I was confused that one of the Spider-folk was not voiced by Jake Johnson the singer, because I am old.

Spider-Man 3

Spider-Man 3

Columbia etc.

May 4, 2007

Sci-Fi, Action

DVD
D+

Yet another superhero movie I'm not into, although Dunst sings nicely.  Sam Raimi directed and co-wrote.

Spencer's Mountain

Spencer's Mountain

Warner Bros.

May 16, 1963

Drama

DVD
D+

Too "manly" for my tastes, but nice scenery of course.  This is based on Earl Hamner, Jr.'s novel and directed by Delmer Daves sixteen years after the far superior "woman's picture" Dark Passage.

Spell

Spell

LINK Entertainment etc.

October 30, 2020

Drama

DVD
C-

Mildly interesting as a culture clash but apparently it turns into horror later.  Mark Tonderai directed.

Speed

Speed

20th Century Fox

June 10, 1994

Action
DVD
D+

I've never watched more than a few minutes of this movie, which was, as I recall, the tipping point for my crush on "comedy Keanu" fading in the face of "action Keanu."  Jan de Bont directed.

Species

Species

MGM etc.

July 7, 1995

Sci-Fi, Horror

DVD
D+

I did like that the girl was a survivor, of sorts.  Roger Donaldson directed, between No Way Out and The Bank Job.

Spark: A Space Tail

Spark: A Space Tail

ToonBox Entertainment etc.

22 April 2016

Children's, Sci-Fi, Comedy
DVD
D+

It could be worse.  Aaron Woodley directed and co-wrote.

Spanish Judges

Spanish Judges

Collectors Film

April 6, 2000

Crime Drama, Sports Drama

DVD
F+

Repellent with a few tolerable moments.  Oz Scott directed.

SpaceCamp

SpaceCamp

20th Century Fox

June 6, 1986

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

Formulaic, but I bumped it up a notch for the probably unintentional examination of internalized misogyny.  Harry Winer directed.

Spaceballs

Spaceballs

MGM etc.

June 24, 1987

Sci-Fi, Parody
DVD
B-

I'd of course heard of this movie since the time, and had several of the jokes spoiled, but I never actually sat down and watched it before.  Like most Mel Brooks movies, it's uneven, but on balance it's funny and amiable, especially the much missed John Candy as a mog (man-dog).  The very '80s music, (including the title song) aside, the movie doesn't feel as dated as it should, with even jokes about Rambo and early-release VHS (and key-cards!) still accessible, at least to someone my age and over.  I've tagged everybody I could.

Space Warriors

Space Warriors

ARC Entertainment etc.

April 26, 2013

Children's, Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

I might've gone with a C- if the protagonist hadn't lied to his mother about his risky plan and/or the characters weren't so stock.  Sean McNamara directed and co-wrote.

Space Buddies

Space Buddies

Disney etc.

February 3, 2009 (direct-to-DVD)

Children's, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Comedy
DVD

D

I didn't realize that this is in the same series as Snow Buddies, although it reminded me of it once it got started.  I consider it worse because of the pointless scene of a teacher being "humorously" trampled by kids and puppies.  Robert Vince directed and co-wrote, as he did with Snow Buddies.

Soylent Green

Soylent Green

MGM

May 9, 1973

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I've had the ending of the movie spoiled for probably decades, so it was interesting to finally watch a bit of this, especially since it's set in 2022.  Not interesting to stick with it of course, especially with Heston as the lead.  This is based on Harry Harrison's novel Make Room! Make Room! and directed by Richard Fleischer.

The Souvenir

The Souvenir

A24 etc.

2019 January 27

Drama

DVD
D

I don't find watching a young woman exploited and gaslighted by her partner entertaining, unless it's, well, Gaslight.  Joanna Hogg wrote and directed.

South Pacific (1958)

South Pacific (1958)

20th Century-Fox

March 19, 1958

Musical, Historical Comedy
DVD
D+

I'd heard of this movie, and heard some of its songs, for decades, but I don't think I actually tried to watch before today.  And I hadn't missed much.  Joshua Logan directed and co-adapted the stage production--which is in turn based on Michener's Tales of the South Pacific-- three years after Mister Roberts.

Sounder

Sounder

20 Century Fox

August 13, 1972

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

While I recognize that this was ground-breaking in its day, it's a little dull.  This is based on William H. Armstrong's Newbery-award-winning children's novel (which I might've read as a kid), and directed by Martin Ritt, five years after Hombre.

The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music

20th Century Fox

April 1, 1965

Historical Drama, Musical, Romance

DVD
B-

I watched this often as a child (it's where I first heard of pink lemonade) and a few times as an adult.  The songs (well, the famous ones) remain catchy and the movie doesn't drag as much as some three-hour movies do.  But, well, I've never fallen in love with the film.  And this time I'm going to say it's because of Christopher Plummer.  I don't know if it's his acting, or the direction, or the writing, but I just don't buy his character, especially his dramatic turns, like changing his whole personality in the course of one song.  That said, the kids are pretty good and Julie Andrews is marvelous, and there's the scenery and set design.  So, yeah, B- and I'll probably watch it a couple more times before I die.

This is based on the book by the real Maria Von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, and directed by the prolific Robert Wise.

Sorry, Wrong Number

Sorry, Wrong Number

Paramount

September 24, 1948

Mystery

DVD
C-

The main character being unsympathetic made this hard to get into.  Anatole Litvak directed, almost twenty years before The Night of the Generals.

Sorry We Missed You

Sorry We Missed You

BBC Films etc.

16 May 2019

Drama

DVD
C-

Too realistic and therefore depressing.  Ken Loach directed, many years after Raining Stones and Bread and Roses, which I think were also downbeat.

Sorry to Bother You

Sorry to Bother You

Significant Productions

January 20, 2018

Comedy
DVD
C

I didn't really get this, especially its tone, but it was kind of interesting.  Boots Riley wrote and directed.

Sordid Lives

Sordid Lives

Daly-Harris Productions etc.

May 3, 2000

Comedy
DVD
D+

Unfortunately not funny, although I sort of liked the sister of the dead woman.  Del Shores wrote and directed.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Disney etc.

July 14, 2010

Fantasy, Action

DVD
D

Tedious and cliched.  Jon Turteltaub directed.

Sophie's Choice

Sophie's Choice

ITC Entertainment etc.

December 8, 1982

Historical Drama

DVD
D

The only thing I liked was the pink house.  Director Pakula adapted the novel by William Styron, eight years before Presumed Innocent.

Soorma

Soorma

Sony Pictures

12 July 2018

Sports Comedy, Romance

DVD
D+

It was hard to get past the coach's abuse being played for laughs.  Shaad Ali directed and co-wrote.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sega Sammy Group etc.

February 14, 2020

Fantasy, Comedy, Action

DVD
B-

I was pleasantly surprised by this funny, good-natured movie with lovely scenery.  I didn't even mind Carrey as a villain.  Jeff Fowler directed.

Song to Song

Song to Song

Buckeye Pictures etc.

March 17, 2017

Drama

DVD
D

I despised this movie from the first moment but worked my way up to dislike.  Terrence Malick wrote and directed, eleven years after The New World.

Song of the Sea

Song of the Sea

Cartoon Saloon etc.

6 September 2014

Animation, Fantasy

DVD
C-

I didn't really care for the look of the film.  Tomm Moore directed and co-wrote.

The Song of Names

The Song of Names

Serendipity Point Films

December 25, 2019

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

I didn't care about the story, especially the music.  This is based on the novel by Norman Lebrecht and directed by François Girard, over twenty years after The Red Violin.

Solomon Kane

Solomon Kane

Davis Films etc.

September 24, 2009

Historical Drama, Action, Fantasy
DVD
D

Well, there was some nice scenery around the fourteen-minute mark.  M.J. Bassett wrote and directed, three years before Silent Hill: Revelation.

The Solomon Bunch

The Solomon Bunch

Creekside Films

February 5, 2013

Children's, Comedy
Direct to DVD
C

Almost so bad it's good (the acting is uniformly amateurish) and I did laugh uproariously when a man told his preteen son to read the (highly sexual) "Song of Solomon."  Jason Prisk directed and co-wrote.

The Soloist

The Soloist

DreamWorks etc.

April 24, 2009
Drama

DVD

D+

A mildly interesting story burdened with too much medical crap.  This is based on the real Steve Lopez's book and directed by Joe Wright a few years after Atonement and his Pride & Prejudice.

Sollers Point

Sollers Point

DreamAlliance Entertainment etc.

26 September 2017

Drama

DVD
D+

This needs more of Jim Belushi as the dad.  Matthew Porterfield directed and co-wrote.

Solitary Man

Solitary Man

Millennium Films

October 2009

Drama

DVD
D

A Michael Douglas movie about sex and dishonesty, so no.  Brian Koppelman wrote and co-directed with David Levien.

Solaris (2002)

Solaris (2002)

20th Century Fox

November 27, 2002

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

Another take, not quite as slow-moving but not as visually interesting as the '72 version, of the Stanislaw Lem novel, here adapted by director Soderbergh.

Solaris (1972)

Solaris (1972)

Mosfilm

5 February 1972

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

Slow-moving.  This is based on Stanislaw Lem's novel and directed by Andrei Tarkovsky.

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

Twentieth Century Fox

September 17, 1952

Drama

DVD
D+

A little bit dull, a little racist.  This is based on Hemingway and co-directed by Henry King and Roy Ward Baker.

The Snowman

The Snowman

Universal etc.

October 20, 2017

Crime Drama?  Sure, let's go with that.

DVD

D

The snow was pretty.  This is based on the novel by Jo Nesbø and directed by Tomas Alfredson.

Snow White and the Huntsman

Snow White and the Huntsman

Universal

June 1, 2012

Fantasy, Action
DVD
D+

I of course didn't care for this dark version of the fairytale, but the production values weren't bad.  I guess this is sort of based on a book, definitely directed by Rupert Sanders.

Snow Buddies

Snow Buddies

Disney etc.

Direct-to-video February 5, 2008

Children's, Fantasy, Comedy
DVD
D+

Cliched and yet implausible, even by children's fantasy comedy standards.  Robert Vince directed and co-wrote.