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5

Brent_MarchantJan 10, 2023

To be perfectly honest, I was at a loss to understand exactly what writer-director James Gray was going for in this coming of age story. Set in New York in 1980, the film follows the exploits of an ill-behaved Jewish sixth-grader (BanksTo be perfectly honest, I was at a loss to understand exactly what writer-director James Gray was going for in this coming of age story. Set in New York in 1980, the film follows the exploits of an ill-behaved Jewish sixth-grader (Banks Repeta) who shows promise as an aspiring artist but operates below his potential, particularly when he engages in largely inexplicable pranks and mischief with his African-American best friend (Jaylin Webb), much to the dismay of his parents (Anne Hathaway, Jeremy Strong). In fact, the only one who seems to be able to connect with the young man is his wise old grandfather (Anthony Hopkins), a relationship that seems implausible given the protagonist’s behavioral track record. But that primary story thread is often muddled by a clumsily handled array of other plotlines and narrative themes related to racial and class privilege, parental abuse and complacency, antisemitism, and a problematic educational system, as well as occasional fantasy sequences. To make matters worse, the camera work is generally far too dark throughout the film, taking its gloomy atmospheric quality to an overwrought, heavy-handed extreme. Collectively, all of these elements are essentially designed to convey the message that “life sometimes isn’t fair” (now there’s a profound revelation for you), one that the filmmaker appears to be trying to tie to the picture’s time frame at the onset of the Reagan Era. This combination makes for a rather disappointing, underwhelming cinematic offering, despite a trailer and marketing materials that appear to promise viewers more. In all fairness, the picture features several fine performances (most notably Hopkins, Hathaway, Webb and a brief walk-on appearance by Jessica Chastain), but the film’s lead is played by a young, largely inexperienced actor who’s simply not up to the part (and is often as annoying to viewers as he is to his character’s parents). That uninspired portrayal undoubtedly is undermined by the film’s meandering screenplay and uneven, often-half-baked character development (as seen by Strong’s scattered father figure performance). Whatever the filmmaker was trying to say in this seriously unfocused tale is, sadly, likely to leave audiences as perplexed as its adolescent protagonist. Indeed, if anybody out there can clarify this for me, please let me know.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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3

foreignfilmfanJan 5, 2023

Anthony Hopkins was fine as the grandfather, but the script was meh and the focus on liberal guilt was annoying.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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6

JLuis_001Nov 18, 2022

With the knowledge that this coming-of-age story is based on its director's own experiences, Armageddon Time plays a dangerous game when it over-embellishes things for the sake of enhancing its work. Of course, it's completely understandableWith the knowledge that this coming-of-age story is based on its director's own experiences, Armageddon Time plays a dangerous game when it over-embellishes things for the sake of enhancing its work. Of course, it's completely understandable why that would happen in a drama that's constructed that way, but even with the honesty of what it wants to tell, you obviously stop believing much of what you're seeing as the experiences of a child because they just don't feel realistic, even when you are fully aware that you are watching a movie. It has good intentions, I know that, but it becomes complicated to connect with the experience.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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9

AndresgerarNov 11, 2022

A very good movie.
Maybe a little long but the performances and the atmosphere are so good that you forget that the movie is almost 2 hours long.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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10

QhasiNov 23, 2022

I dare say this is an Oscar contender. I was transfixed the whole time. The final fifteen minutes really sealed the film perfectly.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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3

TomMondayDec 5, 2022

I can’t imagine a single normal person wanting to pay to see this movie. This is the Fabelmans all over again – multi-millionaire director gazes up his own ass to reflect on a childhood no one earning less than 50k/year could possibly careI can’t imagine a single normal person wanting to pay to see this movie. This is the Fabelmans all over again – multi-millionaire director gazes up his own ass to reflect on a childhood no one earning less than 50k/year could possibly care about. We live in a truly stupid era of movies, where the worth of a project is determined by the politics of the subject instead of greatness of its craft. I hope creators can shake off their idiotic need to jump on the bandwagon of some vague aimless social movement and get back to actually exploring actual humanity through art.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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2

joelgreenbergNov 7, 2022

among the most tedious films i've seen -- not a shred of personality, charm or engagement.

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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9

everettJan 9, 2023

This is a gem. Without a bombastic score to tell us how to feel, we are moved on our own, because of a well-written script and performances that make the most of the characters they've been gifted with. The very young protagonist isThis is a gem. Without a bombastic score to tell us how to feel, we are moved on our own, because of a well-written script and performances that make the most of the characters they've been gifted with. The very young protagonist is phenomenal. He has to carry this film and does it with astonishing effortlessness; he WAS this kid. The rest are perfectly cast. I found this movie quietly powerful, and it will stay with me, not only because it captures these people, this family, but because of its wider implications for the world, with its bigotries that go on and on, generation after generation.
There's only so much one person can do. But if wisdom is available - as it is here, embodied by Anthony Hopkins' character - then there's hope for people like the boy's complicated dad, and for us all.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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7

royalguy07Nov 8, 2022

A well done and clearly very sentimental passion project. Hopkins delivers a typically top notch performance. The story and plot is fine overall, but doesn't really get there or anywhere in the end.

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4

CarlElmoreNov 25, 2022

Really great performances from Jeremy Strong, Anne Hathaway and Anthony Hopkins but this film was so boring.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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2

Jwhite7Nov 4, 2022

Extremely slow, yet topical. It tries hard to make a significant point regarding Critical Race Theory but it would have been better as a documentary. The documentary would have had better dialogue, humor, and acting, and would have been muchExtremely slow, yet topical. It tries hard to make a significant point regarding Critical Race Theory but it would have been better as a documentary. The documentary would have had better dialogue, humor, and acting, and would have been much more intriguing. Just because something has important and truthful subject matter doesn't make it a good movie. Watching the popcorn pop before I entered the theatre was much more entertaining.… Expand

2 of 10 users found this helpful28

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6

TVJerryNov 7, 2022

Since the central character is a 12-year-old boy, you might think this film is aimed at kids, but the subject (while appropriate and timely) is approached as an adult experience. Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong play the parents of a feistySince the central character is a 12-year-old boy, you might think this film is aimed at kids, but the subject (while appropriate and timely) is approached as an adult experience. Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong play the parents of a feisty 6th grader (Banks Repeta) in 80s Queens. His dreams of being an artist are challenged by his working class family's values and unfriendly school experiences. His main solace is his grandfather (Anthony Hopkins), who offers him life lessons, especially dealing with their own Jewish heritage and coping with conflict, sometimes around race. Repeta creates a charming, spirited character and the rest of the cast is strong. Writer/director James Gray has revisited his own youth in this understated, mildly sweet and easily forgettable drama about morality and family.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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8

bertobellamyDec 23, 2022

This is James Gray's 'Roma.' Although not as emotional or impactful as Alfonso Cuaron's masterpiece, 'Armageddon Time' also incorporates political and social themes to give insight into how children perceived change in a particular moment inThis is James Gray's 'Roma.' Although not as emotional or impactful as Alfonso Cuaron's masterpiece, 'Armageddon Time' also incorporates political and social themes to give insight into how children perceived change in a particular moment in the US. The movie is full of stellar performances, but Banks Repeta steals the show; his acting is so natural and moving. Anthony Hopkins, of course, is still in GOD mode after 'The Father.' As Cuaron, Gray opts for mood instead of a straight story, so beware if you're not into it. For me, its most valuable input shows the cost of becoming part of the system and the things you must compromise to be accepted into something that will eventually discard you.… Expand

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9

istanbulFeb 5, 2023

armageddon time does what the fablemans cant; give an authentic coming of age story true to the bone. no escapes, ribbons and bows here, everything is messy, real, and thought provoking.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

moviemitch96Nov 3, 2022

A young Jewish-American boy comes of age in 1980s alongside his African-American best friend who serves as a kind but bad influence to him. Their lives are examined through the schools they attend, along with their differing social class,A young Jewish-American boy comes of age in 1980s alongside his African-American best friend who serves as a kind but bad influence to him. Their lives are examined through the schools they attend, along with their differing social class, privilege, background, etc. Written and directed by James Gray, the film serves as a very autobiographical picture for the director, as it's based on his own similar upbringing in Queens New York. The film has many touching and poignant moments and subjects, along with some fine acting from all involved (Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong in particular are stellar as the parents here), and Anthony Hopkins also shines like usual as the grandfather. Jessica Chastain even pops in towards the middle for a one-scene cameo. However, a lot of it starts to feel a little too heavy-handed and preachy as the film goes on, and I personally started to feel a little checked out three quarters of the way through the film. Overall, the performances from all are commendable, even from the two young boys, and there are plenty of moving scenes here, but it all starts to feel bogged down by somewhat preachy moral lessons by the second half that water down the film's intended impact.… Expand

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10

DilaryJan 1, 2023

2022 es una película muy buena, buen trabajo los del cast, increíble, es muy buena película

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8

alanpotter17Jun 26, 2023

Muito difícil um filme com Anthony Hopkins ser ruim, e este não foge à exceção. Mas o veterano ator faz apenas o avô do personagem principal, uma criança meigamente interpretada por Michael Banks Repeta, o Paul Graff. As cenas em que ambosMuito difícil um filme com Anthony Hopkins ser ruim, e este não foge à exceção. Mas o veterano ator faz apenas o avô do personagem principal, uma criança meigamente interpretada por Michael Banks Repeta, o Paul Graff. As cenas em que ambos atuam são chaves para se compreender o conflito interno do garoto.
Ele, pode se dizer assim, é uma criança levada, mas nada que seja completamente fora da média de grande parte das crianças. Vê-se claramente que a escola não está preparada para lidar com alunos que, de certa forma, fogem ao padrão meritocrático que se espera das pessoas. Ele, então, cria uma amizade com o também talentoso Jaylin Webb, um rapaz negro, quando ambos ficam de castigo. A afeição entre os dois é a alma do filme.
Ocorre que Paul é um exímio desenhista, um garoto dedicado às artes. Os pais torcem o nariz para o filho, em especial por ele ter um desempenho a baixo da média esperada. Mas é no avô que ele encontra o apoio necessário, o recanto que lhe dá conforto para continuar desenhando, explorando seus sentimentos, dando vazão à sua sensibilidade.
O roteiro, sem mostrar sutileza, mostra o grau de sufocamento que os pais lhe impõe, atém mesmo pelo fato de serem uma família judia cujo passado é marcado por dores e traumas. Eles precisam mostrar valor, garra, trabalhar com afinco, dedicação. É uma necessidade imposta pelo capitalismo selvagem, sim, mas principalmente pelas suas identidades sociais.
Obviamente, toda essa necessidade é muito mais forte em cima do seu amigo negro, de classe social inferior. Quando ambos são pegos pela polícia, sem uma rede de proteção como a de Paul, cujo pai conhece o delegado, o seu amigo sofre com peso maior as consequências de um país que trata de forma diferenciada as pessoas a julgar pela cor da pele.
A trama é crua, reflexiva. Não há espaço para redenção, e sobram reflexões. Se Paul seguirá seu sonho em tornar-se artista, não sabemos. Apenas ficamos com a sensação de que, sim, é preciso seguir o seu coração, mas até certo ponto. A crueldade da vida é perceber que sonhos não pagam boletos, ou o que é pior, a depender do seu status social, você pode sofrer com a própria liberdade.… Expand

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4

sharonlynneNov 3, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Movie was very good Anthony Hopkins was great and should get nominated for an Oscar!!… Expand

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6

AnnancNov 19, 2022

Sobrang Ganda ng movie na ito .Ang galing ng Bida .. napaka unik ng mga karater nla

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10

MickVVJun 30, 2023

Just superb. All the performances--especially Anthony Hopkins--are excellent. The child actors don't have a false or overly sentimental moment. The movie is an honest slice of life of a time not too long ago. It's strange that some come in toJust superb. All the performances--especially Anthony Hopkins--are excellent. The child actors don't have a false or overly sentimental moment. The movie is an honest slice of life of a time not too long ago. It's strange that some come in to review bomb this based on some notion that it means to be political. That's ridiculous. It just means to capture a world and the lives of a boy and his family.… Expand

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4

Mauro_LanariMay 1, 2023

(Mauro Lanari)
A semi-autobiography that is a political pamphlet against the Republican Party from Reagan to Trump, as if since then the so-called Left Wing has ever behaved differently. In realpolitik there is only one way to obtain(Mauro Lanari)
A semi-autobiography that is a political pamphlet against the Republican Party from Reagan to Trump, as if since then the so-called Left Wing has ever behaved differently. In realpolitik there is only one way to obtain consensus and manage the acquired power, in the democracy of alternation the decisions taken by the conservatives have never been annulled, the reformists have thanked for the inherited gifts and continued on the same path, from Carter to Clinton, from Obama to Biden, from British Labour to our post-communists. The American dream colonized the West and is the new socioeconomic koine of at least half the planet (are the BRICS a credible alternative?). In short, "Armageddon Time" is the antithesis of what the director and with him contemporary cinema want us to believe, and I don't know if at least once it will happen to me an honest film on this subject (some precious crumb of Moretti?). "James Gray in competition at Cannes, for the fifth time, with his worst film: an inert, unwarlìke, even repellent autobiography" (Federico Pontiggia). The festival's washing of consciences and the 7-minute standing ovation are born and die there, most of the audience has long since dismantled this false reconstruction and rightfully has deserted.… Expand

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7

stevekmJan 7, 2023

Only interesting thing about this movie is how far will the parents let the kid go without any discipline and expect him to turn out okay. Great performances by Anne Hathaway (is she old enough to portray a mother?) and Sir Anthony Hopkins,Only interesting thing about this movie is how far will the parents let the kid go without any discipline and expect him to turn out okay. Great performances by Anne Hathaway (is she old enough to portray a mother?) and Sir Anthony Hopkins, who seems to be portraying a lot of doddering father/grandfathers these days.… Expand

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7

dundoMay 15, 2023

7 stars
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.7 stars
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.… Expand

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