22 May 2012

Great Acting, But...

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The information I read to select this movie did not really tell me whether it would have a satisfying ending or not. It sounded by what I read as if it would. Well, it doesn't. The story is dark, which I don't care for. The acting is so good that I did manage to watch it all. I don't recall one instant of humor. It wasn't touching emotionally, either. There is a lot of "religion" in it, but yet there isn't. Really, there isn't any. Just words, not actions. The ending is very fuzzy. What happens? Heck if I know. I actually like Robert DeNiro in comedies! And he is an ace actor in anything. The other acting in this movie is all good. But the plot, gracious.

thpgmc

22 May 2012

Slow Drama With Awesome Actors

I have never heard of this movie until it came to my local theater.With a A-list star line up such as DeNiro, Norton and Jovovich howcould this movie miss. I was wrong. It did. Those who appreciate greatacting in a movie won't be disappointed. (Did you ever see a movieEdward Norton was in that he wasn't absolutely great..well, maybe acouple that he may have did for the just the money..lol. His absolutebest was "American History X") The movie itself moved along a pace thatone keeps looking at his/her watch waiting for the ending. And theending, again, is the latest Hollywood type...it sucks. Storyline wasinteresting but never got you interested to a point where one found itentertaining. This was a 98% dialog movie. You could be listening tothis entire movie and never watch the video portion and understand theentire script. I am a big fan of Norton and Jovovich but this movie Icould have passed on.

13 May 2012

Good acting, but overall the film was disappointing

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I love dark psychological thrillers. Unfortunately this film did not live up to my expectations. Robert De Niro is perhaps the least transparent character in the film, and as he enters a downward spiral at the end of his career, one of his cases comes up for parole and is refreshingly honest about his intentions and internal battles. As De Niro deconstructs, it seems to propel Norton to a higher and calmer place. At the center of the relationship between Norton and De Niro is Milla Jovovich. a temptress, devoted wife, schoolteacher, and something else entirely at other times. She provides an interesting backdrop to the relationship between De Niro and Norton. Unfortunately, the film seemed more "made for television" than something worth shelling out money for. There is a very violent scene that takes place in the prison that seemed to go way too long, and De Niro, being seduced by Jovovich, seems to not enjoy his affair in the least even though he seems unable to successfully end it. Jovovich on the other hand seems to thrive on this affair and perhaps others. Fans of Edward Norton would be the only audience I would recommend this film to. His character progression was interesting and satisfying, especially in the last quarter of the film.

13 May 2012

Movie review - Stone

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I have to agree with some of the negative reviews. The actors were wonderful, the story was not. I am a huge DeNiro fan. Yet I found myself struggling to care to finish this movie. I struck a middle ground and rated this 3 stars. It is not the worst movie I have ever seen, yet it is nothing like I had hoped for.

12 May 2012

Not for Piranha fans ...

Two great actors, with Milla doing a good job. It's about manipulation, the madness and the objectives of the religions. Religions and all the bad things they make to people.The movie has no action, but go into yor head. It remembers me the Deep Purple's song "Into the fire !!!". And NIN when Trentz says "Your God is dead and no one cares!". Believe in your mind and in the sciences, forget religion. An excellent movie and a good Blu-ray.

ankitgoyal7

11 May 2012

The rare film and a good story

The basis of the story is quite simple (read the synopsis), but themajority of the film's focus is in its character study. This is wherethe actors seriously shine. That seems to be the issue with most of thenegative responses the film received. Yes, it is slow paced. Yes,there's a lot of religious jargon thrown around. Yes, it is quite theanti- climactic film. But isn't that the point? De Niro, who I haven'tseen in anything memorable after Jackie Brown (okay, I'll exclude TheGood Shepherd), is marvelous as the underplayed Jack Mabrey. The subtlenuances he gives to a character so burned out of work, marriage-sidenote: Frances Conroy was amazing-, and life in general (the speechhe gives at his brother's funeral in the beginning comes to mind) arenothing short of astonishing. I can't stress on how great theperformance was, De Niro has definitely gone back on track.

08 May 2012

Unusual movie that bears a second look

This dark, at times disturbing movie definitely took a grade A team of actors (Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich, and Frances Conroy) to pull it off. The plot has to do with a convicted arsonist in prison and his amoral, live-for-the-moment, super-sexy wife on the outside trying to get a parole officer to write him a good review for early release. As the movie progresses the plot becomes almost irrelevant or at least secondary. The focus of this movie is on the conversations and the sounds, seeking God, and inner peace. De Niro (as Jack the parole officer) goes to church religiously and constantly listens to Christian talk radio. Norton (as Stone the prisoner) is losing it after eight years of prison life. Both receive the same basic message "be still and know that I am God"/listen, one through an Episcopal priest/coffee mug and the other through a pamphlet on (a fictious) new age religion. One disregards it and the other embraces it, which in both cases deeply impact the dynamic and relationship with their wives. This is the type of movie you have to watch once to get your mind around it and then to appreciate the details; for example, how the first two scenes start out identically except 40 year have passed which establishes the depth of Jack's pathetic-ness from the on-set, some of the laugh out loud interchanges between Jack and Stone, and the importance of the sound track.

08 May 2012

Another Masterpiece from John Curran

This review is from: Stone (DVD) As if The Painted Veil wasn't already a cinematic achievement, English-born Director John Curran comes up with a film that hardly had any publicity, and yet,showcases one of Robert De Niro's finest performances. Edward Norton HASN'Thad a bad film yet and this is no exception. Forget the almost complete silenceaccorded this film by critics and film distributors. This film is a masterpieceof acting, plot, cinematography, editing, sound-nearly perfect in every sense.It also a profoundly sad film that will leave you awake at night wondering aboutjustice, family, intimacy, lust, religion, profligacy and everything else thatexists in our material and non-material world. In a sense, I am half-glad thefilm industry ignored this film-the misunderstood hype and over-used public metaphors would have nearly ruined a magnificent film.

jozzev

04 May 2012

This is possibly the worst movie ever made

This is possibly the worst movie ever made. Imagine how bad it must beif I say that even though actors as Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, andMilla Jovovic are in it! It is absolutely about nothing,there's no plotwhatsoever, Edward Norton plays an annoying and not very believablecharacter, Robert de Niro a depressing and depressed old man, and Millajust flashes her tits and that's it. It's a 2 hour torture to sit downand watch this movie. It is sooo slow that you just can't help butdrift off. I seriously have no idea what the point was of this totallyworthless movie, why people invested money in it, and more thananything, why normally great actors choose the roll! Do not go and seethis, ever!

03 May 2012

Bergmanesque

A rare American film that honestly probes issues of meaninglessness, insignificance, isolation, and mortality. Yes, its depressing, but it forces the viewer to face these matters and examine his or her own ways to mask the absurdity and transience of existence, and does so with great visual style and an intriguing story. Norton's character is charismatic and fascinating, but De Niro's character is the central person whose actions, character, cruelty, and emptiness are explored and laid bare. Both are excellent. Its no surprise to me that Milla's performance is also great and riveting, as she has done well in dramatic roles in quite a few "smaller" films besides the action films for which she is most well-known. If you like classic Bergman films like Through a Glass Darkly and The Silence, and/or other films that explore existential issues, you should see this movie. If you just want to be entertained and distracted from serious issues, skip it. To me, its the most serious film i've seen this year and well worth the experience.

Dennis Snipe

28 April 2012

Good recipe . . . Under cooked!

As a fan of DeNiro and Norton, the film automatically caught myattention and created a very high level of expectation. However, I wasleft disappointed. I had concerns with several undeveloped parts of thefilm. Jack's selfish nature, and failure to concern himself with hiswife's feelings, which was a constant through out the film, one thatwas touched upon but never fully addressed. The film's poor attempt todramatize the age old issue of good vs. evil leaves me thinking whatinsight did that explanation (Jack's temptation) bring to thesituation? . . . NONE! The gospel radio shows playing in thebackground, during Jack's ride back and forth to work, failed to giveme anymore information than the average Bible thumper would, but didprovide a little insight as to what the intended purpose of the "Good"Christian should be. The psychological struggle between DeNiro, Nortonand Jovovich was interesting, but very predictable (didn't thinkDeNiro's character would fall for it but did), no one is safe fromtheir demons. Somewhere along the line, I believe Norton became lessinterested in the deception and Jack ended up getting his feelingsinvolved. However, that just proves another point of the good vs. evilissue, it's hard to hide from yourself. Finally, the film wasanticlimactic, there's this incredible build up and then nothing!Overall, it was a good recipe of actors and possibly subject matter, itwas just terribly undercooked!

27 April 2012

less than dull

I was looking forward to seeing Norton and Deniro team up again (the score). Unfortunatly this movie fell way short, thank god for katz and free downloads.

26 April 2012

PERFORMANCES that youd expect

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) STONE is dubbed a "psychological duel", and it is. Robert Deniro plays Jack, a parole officer who holds all the cards in the life of Stone (Edward Norton) a convicted arsonist who is pleading his case to be released from prison, back into society. Stone will stop at nothing, including using his wife to manipulate Jack.The movie leads you to believe that you know and understand all the characters involved but they go different directions as the movie goes along. It does a pheonominal job of progressing its characters and revealing more and more about who they were and who they are becoming. With guys like Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton and a superbly underated and fearless actress Milla Jovovich, STONE is an outstanding character study and may hit home with a lot of people who could be going through life in an unhappy marriage or living life without hope. It is impossible to give too much insight without giving away important elements to the story. The story elements and plots changes are so subtle they don't actually hit you until the afterfact, which is brilliant. I'm afraid that STONE has a lot of machinery and mechanics going on, only to drive to nowhere. Or maybe that's the whole point. Maybe it is supposed to go to nowhere because that's the whole message that looms over the movie from the opening sequence to the finale. Jack lives a soulless existence and he can't escape. Unfortunately, that message also leaves an empty feeling with the audience and makes STONE just an average movie experience.

allan_mckie

25 April 2012

Worst Movie. Ever.

I rented this movie last night as the best of what was on the storeshelf that I hadn't already seen. It started slow, but that's notfatal. It then got slower, but again that's not fatal. It thenfinished. The girlfriend and I looked at each other and then bothstarted complaining about the loss of that part of our lives. Thismovie was awful. This is my first ever review in IMDb - I feel thatstrongly that I have to warn other unsuspecting movie renters fromwatching such a howler. Light years from the it's so bad it's goodterritory, this is just so bad it's bad. If it came to a choice oframming red hot knitting needles into your eyes or watching this movie,don't choose hastily. At risk of getting carried away, this movie iseven worse than Charlies Angels 2 : Full Throttle, and I revere that asthe benchmark for bad movies.

23 April 2012

Ralphs Review

This review is from: Stone (Amazon Instant Video) Took several hours to download, and I could not do an instant viewing until download was complete. However, when I was able to view, movie visual and audio quality was excellent, as with all other media purchased through Amazon. Thank you Amazon for providing great media products.

23 April 2012

terrible

I thought it was a terrible movie. I can't believe I actually wasted my time!! The plot was terrible and it could have been better. Bottom Line is do not waste your time!

20 April 2012

SIGH

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) With a boring storyline that is woefully predictable, the iconic Robert DeNiro plays a corrections official...Jack Mabry....who makes recommendations to the parole board regarding whether or not an inmate should be released. Edward Norton costars as Gerald "Stone" Greeson, the inmate whose life is in the hands of Mabry; he needs to convince Mabry that he is reformed, and is ready for life on the outside. When it appears to Stone as though he may not be convincing the seasoned Mabry that he has indeed turned his life around, he enlists the help of his wife Lucetta (played by Millie Jovovich). Lucetta uses her feminine wiles to help Jack Mabry to see the light....I just had the feeling that I'd seen it all before....or maybe it was just the predictability of the storyline. Whatever the case, 3 stars only....and that's primarily because of the awesome actors and acting throughout.DYB

19 April 2012

strong leads make up for slights

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Stone typifies what happens when a project attracts actors who are slumming a little. The script and Norton's performance at times feel a little insincere but this is made up for by many great little moments between the leads. Jovovich is amazing here I didn't know she was capable of a really good performance but she holds her own surprisingly well against the boys. DeNiro is good in that understated way throughout most of this somewhat hard to watch but ultimately compelling and mostly believable storyline. I expect a little more from Norton but he was kind of out of type here and the movie ultimately comes off a little flat and depressing but it is good to see DeNiro in a project that doesn't waste his talents.

ritaokla

17 April 2012

Its a film about religion

How do we make sense of our lives and keep going despite all the badthings that happen to us? Most people find the answers to thosequestions in religion, and the characters in this film line up like arainbow of answers: Jack (DeNiro), a prison bureaucrat, is agnostic;his wife Madylyn (Conroy) is a mainline Protestant; Stone (Norton) is aconvict but also a seeker who finds his answers in a New Age religion;his wife (Jovovich) is an unabashed atheist. Throughout the film,evangelical radio frequently plays in the background, another stripe inthe religious rainbow.As a miserable young Madylyn hints to the viewers in the first scene ofthe film, the prison setting is a metaphor of the dungeon of the soul.For these four characters, loveless marriages, life work that seemsfutile, and memories of violence are their dungeon walls. Jack,Madylyn, and Stone all struggle with depression. Stone's is so deepthat he edges toward suicide, but he searches for answers among thereligious readings in the prison library and finds one that makessense, especially after he witnesses a brutal stabbing at a range soclose that the blood spatters his own face and he sees the murdered maneye to eye. Jack seeks pastoral counseling after church one Sunday, admittingfinally that the Episcopal framework of his life has never made sense.The minister quotes the Bible to him, "Be still and know that I amGod," that is, listen for the answers that God provides. Oddly, that isexactly the prescription that Stone gets from his new religion too. Itteaches that "God" or Truth speaks to us through everyday noises –insects buzzing, the voices of a prison exercise yard, talk radio, or aspoken mantra – if we just listen to the universe. Stone does listen, and he begins to change. His new hairstyle, speech,and demeanor all signal to the viewer that he is a man reborn. Theprison walls within Stone's mind fall away so that by the time hisparole is finally granted, it hardly matters to him anymore. Jack, meanwhile, hears nothing in the noise of his troubled life, norcan he makes sense of what Stone tries to share with him. As hisretirement nears, he grows more and more reckless. Blind to thetransformation that Stone has undergone, Jack suspects that he is beingplayed. To the end, Jack remains suspicious and fearful of Stone whohas come to terms with this past and feels only gratitude toward theaging jailer. If you are looking for a conventional action flick with good guys andbad guys, this is not it. If you want an intelligent film about howdesperate people search for faith and solace, you will not bedisappointed.

16 April 2012

Dark and riveting

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I expected "Stone" to be a good movie given that the lead actors are Robert de Niro and Edward Norton. I wasn't disappointed. It's a simple story of a man who wants to be paroled and he asks his wife to seduce the parole officer.From the beginning, De Niro's character, Jack Mabry, is shown as a religious man. He constantly listens to Christian talk shows on the radio, as does his wife. And the harrowing thing about this movie for me is to see a man who is on the straight and narrow succumb to temptation.And unusual twist to the story though is, as one man spirals into self-destruction, another, Stone (Edward Norton), begins to find enlightenment. In the end, all their lives change.The emotional tension in the film is palpable. And the binaural type background music also makes one feel like you're in another plane, almost trance-inducing. I didn't like that too much plus the constant prattle of the radio preachers in the background.To me, "Stone" is not really a story about God and sin, or even good and evil, but more of a situation where people come together and the outcome is anybody's guess. It's like being presented with a moral dilemma question. I'm once again impressed with Edward Norton's acting. He is like a chameleon. He can change his whole persona and make you believe him. He's got everything done to pat, even the way he sniffs his nose. And De Niro is excellent in his portrayal of a worn-out, disinterested parole officer who is struggling with his inner demons.Mila Jovovich is also very convincing in her character. Even her subtle movements reveal so many layers of her character that you can't afford to look away in case you miss something.As a psychological thriller, this movie has the depth, darkness, and tension that keeps the viewer on the edge. Very well done.