tangsting Reviews

Helvetica (2007)

It's good, but...

[7/10 · 24 November 2007]

This is an 80 minute long movie about a font. People talk about the font, the history, the meaning and the significance of helvetica. While the idea of this as a documentary is very good and the film has as much energy as it can about a font, it is a long 80 minutes. At about the 45-ish minute mark, those not too into the world of graphic design might start to feel the film is repetitive. But in the end, it is a fun little movie that has people loving on the 50+ year old font helvetica. If that is your idea of a good time, you'll love this. If you say to yourself, "80 minutes about a typeface?" - this movie may not be for you.

The Craft (1996)

oh geez, sad goth kids

[1/10 · 4 March 2004]

Horrible, horrible mess. This movie is pretty much about 4 girls who are goth-ish and try to be witches, some are more into it than others. In the end, if you wanted to smack the Clueless cast around for being arrogant adolecents, wait for a scene here with a beach full of dead sea life in which a "witch" proclaims - "It's a gift!" Return it.

Must be a sad life when you live in a big house with a loving family, hey your even on a swim team! Now wear black, chant some spells and don't conform...unless it is in your inner circle of friends. Horrible, horrible mess.

The Ring (2002)

uh...good but pretty darn bad at the same time.

[5/10 · 29 July 2003]

Sorry for any spoilers... OK...after seven days, your tv comes on and bad things happen... I understand the movie makes great lengths to show that Americans live by their televisions, that's fine. But here is one question, if your tv has just turned on twice without anyone turning it on (except for spoiler answer) and you are REALLY paranoid, why not go take a walk? Leave the house. Sit in a park, heck, sleep there. OK, tv is the death of us all and society, the fact this movie made over 100 million in the box office alone really does prove that. BUT as a movie, horror fans (and I mean those born when HORROR movies were coming out, not most crap in the past 15 years) have seen this all before. The only addition is a good director. The movie LOOKS good, it is shot wonderfully. The problem is the movie itself. The acting is not horrible, the script is, well, very long winded for a movie that had WAY too many fake jolts (you know, the "insert violen shrill here when nothing happens") and not any real moments of suspense. I will concede the movie is a good attempt of taping into eerie suspense (not really horror though) but only an attempt. Recently, Signs is much better because it really puts a human - family - what would you do - aspect to it where in this film its more - stretch your brain - please? And for those who say this is the best scary film since the Exorcist, watch that movie again, it is a very dark comedy, not a horror film, and in my opinion, not a very effective dark comedy. Instead of this film, please watch the real classic "horror" films such as Carrie, The Last House on the Left, Zombie, Opera, Suspiria, Sleepaway Camp (yeah, you heard me), and many others. Again, not a terrible movie but for those who watch films of this nature who are over 20 years old (who saw the old movies before they were/are classics), this is a forgettable Sunday afternoon movie.

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

The new Empire

[10/10 · 26 June 2003]

See it again. This movie took the great original and opened up a brave new world. It takes such brass to do what the brothers' did. OK, yes, "the kid" was a stretch because of the Animatrix. It sells, its Hollywood. But what the Brothers are trying to do is make a whole new world, a new universe, not unlike Star Wars but with a very human feel.

The first movie takes place on ONE ship! What do the other ships do? What about Zion? How do those people feel about their situation? Can anyone save them from doom? This is what makes Morpheus' speech work - pride and fear - Just like most religions. They believe Neo is the one and how it all is handled is a very cautionary religious tale, which might be a redemption in the third movie. Now, I am not a religious person. Not at all. But I can see a good story. For those who thought the first movie was great, which I do too, after seeing this film the first time, I did not think it was the best movie because it veered so off from the original...but that is what makes it so great the second time. First time around, you look for similarities to the first, the "sequel"-ness to it. It is NOT a sequel, it is a continuation. It takes what you know and forms opinions from it, ideas from it. The second time around watching it, you are ready for it. AND LISTEN TO THE FIRST 40 MINUTES OF THE FILM!!! The insights and thoughts set up a great payoff - Which off course as most know, leaves a cliffhanger...but stay for the end of the credits (which are long) for a teaser for the third film.

For those who felt "cheated" the first time he/she watched it...think how HIGH your expectations were and relax, take a deep breath, watch the film as you did the first and see it as a great continuation to a wonderful story. You know how bad The Empire Strikes Back was panned? Why? Because it was so darn different. It opened up too much, it stretched, it veered, it was hard to top the original. Try this film again, with a clear mind. It is a wonderful film.