eslapionfl Reviews

Real Genius (1985)

My teenage years' dream!

[9/10 · 9 July 2023]

Yes, I am biased. This movie was the defining image in my mind when I was a teenager.

One of the early movies with Val Kilmer is a role complete opposite of what we know of him in The Saint, Top Gun or Heat.

Please know the popcorn house revenge was tried by the mythbusters AT MY REQUEST!! Thank you so much Adam and Jamie!

Back in 1985 I preferred this movie to Back to the Future but it is now quite hard to find in DVD or Blu-Ray. Goodbye VHS!

Too many people forget to mention the closing theme is "Everybody wants to rule the world" from Tears for Fears one of the greatest number 1 hits from the era.

M3GAN (2022)

Robots too can get PTSD

[5/10 · 7 January 2023]

I felt the first half of this movie was amazing. This is exactly what you would want the perfect child caretaker to be. It's probably close to what it would look like.

However, we're still being sold the impossible idea of a robot becoming sentient or close to it, almost a rehash of Artificial Intelligence 22 years later. I'm sorry but SIRI is not about to do this anytime soon.

If we assume the impossible then this is probably what would happen to a robot if it were to develop emotions and experience very traumatic events. They can't cry so they lash out. At first towards the source of the abuse and then towards everyone.

Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (2017)

The other side of The President's Men

[9/10 · 11 June 2022]

This gem is massively underrated. Liam Neeson as Mark Felt, the man inside the FBI insider who leaked information to journalists that eventually brought down Nixon, brings an amazing performance in a role totally different from the usual action flicks he is reputed for.

This movie is about a battle of wits, not a battle of fists, a gruesome one at that. One that will leave you speechless when you realize how Nixon tried to corrupt everything the FBI was about as soon as Hoover was out of the picture.

Everyone knows how the story ends, so few know how it unfolded. This movie should be a must see for anyone studying politics of the USA.

Ted K (2021)

Accurately Kaczinsky!

[9/10 · 22 February 2022]

Excellent movie with brillant acting.

Not made to be entertaining but as true to the facts as possible. One could almost say it's a documentary. An excellent history lesson.

Top notch music score. Magnificent photography too.

Kimi (2022)

Realistic techno-thriller

[9/10 · 20 February 2022]

If you realized at some point the cyberpunk techno-thrillers of William Gibson were based on lack of understanding of what digital systems can or cannot do and got bored then you'll be happy here.

This murder whodunnit quite accurately describes how people can use modern systems when they know them well whether you're good or villain. Finally some realism for a change.

Also brings into perspective some of the psychological aspects of mental illness, the impact of covid on people and how you can make good use of what initially appears to be limitations or weaknesses.

Decent acting and special effects only where/when needed.

Fire Birds (1990)

Underwhelming!

[2/10 · 9 January 2022]

In the late 80s and early 90s, I was totally hooked on AH-64 simulators so I was all too thrilled to see a movie about this chopper.

What a massive disappointment!

The Matrix Resurrections (I) (2021)

Slamming digital devolution

[8/10 · 24 December 2021]

This seems to be a Wachowski's original way of saying they were pressured into making a sequel they didn't want to make.

At the same time, it gives them an opportunity to say what many people of my generation think out loud: texting is massively overrated, facebook and Zuckerberg are lame, wikipedia could use improvements and the internet has become the megaphone of mediocrity.

They don't seem to share the enthusiasm of the hoards of people rushing to watch and like cat videos either.

Don't expect the same feeling of being exposed to something totally new as with the first movie. Do enjoy the hidden messages especially if you share the point of view.

The film's finale is a hint of humor towards zombie movies and series.

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Some dogs are more dangerous than wolves!

[8/10 · 8 December 2021]

Some people may seem feeble and innocent enough but you know something's not at all the way it looks when you notice that same someone opening the guts of an animal like there's nothing to it and snapping the neck of another just as casually.

Be careful who you call 'sissy' as the innocent dog may in fact be far more dangerous than any wolves.

The Last Duel (2021)

Rough Justice

[9/10 · 7 December 2021]

An excellent film about a historical incident. Well directed and written.

This movie brings to light the how strongly paternalistic and misogynistic society was in medieval times and how much your point of view can vary according to your place in this highly hierarchized world.

Here you have the illiterate knighted husband who wants to defend his honor and sees himself as a hero, the friend who likes to think the wife of the knight has a crush in him and the wife who suffered abuse and seeks justice only to find herself treated as property and risking an atrocious death for telling the truth.

Magnificent acting by Jodie Comer and Adam Driver.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

Subpar material

[3/10 · 29 November 2021]

Superhero movies were made like that 15 years ago. Antiquated special effects, so many dizzying events all happening at once that you can't make sense of what you see and a plot worthy of a low budget 1970s flick.

Noteworthy: We see Spiderman for a few seconds at the end. Did we need to put up with this for 90 minutes just for that ? I don't think so.

Blade Runner: Black Lotus (2021–2022)

A lot more in the mind than in the eyes!

[8/10 · 24 November 2021]

Just like the Blade Runner movies, this series is highly intellectualized and the plot is excellent. After all this is an offspring of high grade Sci-Fi.

However, where Ridley Scott and Denis VIlleneuve got us in the habit of top notch visuals, this one clearly leaves a lot to be desired. Perhaps this will help steer away those who can only appreciate this aspect of movies and TV series. All the better!

Dune (2021)

Don't bother reading the book... this is better!

[9/10 · 24 October 2021]

A far more detailed and rich take on Frank Herbert's work than the one David Lynch offered us 37 years ago.

Denis Villeneuve has a habit of doing top notch work so the expectations were high. I can assure you they were met.

Decent acting, superb music. Considerably greater realism both in term of effects and psychology of the characters.

Its only the beginning...

Extraction (2020)

When Thor becomes the best of Arnold and Stallone

[9/10 · 2 September 2021]

Hemsworth combats villains as well as typecasting in a magnificient way. The movie needed it considering the rather ordinary plot.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Good special effects

[3/10 · 29 August 2021]

And quite honestly nothing else you can't find in a late 1990s superhero/monster movie.

It could have been improved with a few interesting cameos from a few DC superheros such as Batman, Superman and/or Wonder Woman to keep the squad in check.

Otherwise this movie is brilliant... if you're 5 years old.

Battlefield Earth (2000)

So bad it's actually fun!

[2/10 · 18 August 2021]

This is such a bad movie that it's actually amusing to watch.

The French word 'navet' is perfectly adequate here.

Stillwater (2021)

Damon delivers again

[9/10 · 1 August 2021]

Damon shows his best as the father with good intentions but clumsy enough to cause a mess.

In the end he's going to prove he's not as dim witted as many may think and his charisma is going to bring him allies that will make all the difference.

Settlers (2021)

Pretty decent psychological thriller.

[7/10 · 17 July 2021]

The fact this happens on Mars plays a rather insignificant role.

Beautiful music and score, impressive photography and good acting. The director wants the audience to focus on the state of mind of the characters and the very important non verbal exchanges and not everyone likes that kind of film. This is emotionally and intellectually intense.

The fact the movie wants to show the characters have a rather boring life does not make it boring at all. However, the end is rather predictable and leaves me very much on my appetite.

Things Heard & Seen (2021)

Living a lie!

[9/10 · 2 May 2021]

This movie felt like an american take on Emmanuel Carrère's 'L'Adversaire'. For those who don't know about the French book, let's just say it's based on actual facts.

While many modern movies try to offer good realism in terms of special effects, this one revolves around psychological realism and a pretty accurate depiction of narcissist or psychopathic personalities. This, while not necessarily putting aside the impact of circumstances.

A lot of people don't like the movie because what they are offered here doesn't match with the popular preconceived idea. Let's just say the most charming people can sometimes be the most dangerous.

Stowaway (I) (2021)

Finally some realism.

[10/10 · 22 April 2021]

I love this movie specifically because literally nothing exciting happened. No aliens. No conflict or people with nefarious motives.

Full realism on the how and why a stowaway would find itself on a mission to Mars as well as the psychology of true professional astronauts..

What the hurdles are when space technology fails and how well trained people react when pushed to their limits is what you'll see here.

Too bad for those who find it boring. I find it enlightening.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

Lots of action, little substance

[5/10 · 4 April 2021]

After Wandavision, an offspring of Infinity War and Endgame, I expected another high quality series from Marvel. This one truly left me on my appetite.

This series is solely action for the sake of action, CGI for the sake of CGI and repeatedly reminiscing on Steve Rogers.

Can you give the characters, their backstory and the whole series a little more depth?

Palmer (2021)

Well made 'feel good'-'redemption' story

[9/10 · 2 February 2021]

Massively predictable story done with excellent acting, excellent story, top notch filming.

Just don't except something truly new and original. This could have been set in the 1960s and it would have been pretty much the same.

Resident Alien (2021– )

Perfect dark humour.

[9/10 · 28 January 2021]

Tudyk at his finest in the role of an alien with a wacky, dark sense of humor and who knows exactly what to do with abusive husbands.

Good acting, very funny yet moving story shot in amazing scenery.

Run Hide Fight (2020)

Run of the mill action thriller

[6/10 · 25 January 2021]

Run of the mill action thriller that happens to be mostly in a school.

Some could say the main protagonist is a more down to earth version of Hannah and the thriller itself is mostly a version of Die Hard that happens to unfold in a school. The main difference being the villains of Die Hard wanted to steal money while the villains of Run Hide Fight have a completely different objective.

Some see political motivations. I see see another standard action/entertainment flick which could use a bit of improvement on realism. The acting is good.

Most Wanted (2020)

Amazing true story - not so great movie

[6/10 · 27 July 2020]

I remember reading the actual news from this incident back when I was in my late teens, early twenties. Victor Malarek did an incredibly good job at showing how incompetent Canadian officials who couldn't cause a significant dent in the drug trade coming from Asia into north america decided to use a straw man to create a fictitious incident in order to improve their image. The incident in itself and how it was covered back then by journalist Malarek was plain riveting. Unfortunately, the movie that was made about it is clearly not a top quality product and misuses the talent of great actors. Still worth watching just to learn about what happened.

The Assistant (III) (2019)

Office innocence broken

[9/10 · 9 May 2020]

Julia Garner plays the shy and vulnerable new assistant in this toxic corporate environment where the boss' secondary agenda affects all employees. Slowly, she will discover there is far more than meets the eye in these cubicles and she'll find herself used as scape goat for her superior's misbehavior. A story of 'office innocence' broken and something you should show to all psychology students expecting to deal with employees abused in the workplace. Pay a special attention to the conversation between the protagonist and the HR guy and how it ends.