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Reviews
God of War (2018)
Absolute slog. Turned it off and played the original.
This game is incredibly slow. The production values are top-notch including the audio, the graphics, and the voice acting however the gameplay is incredibly slow. The first God of war (2005 -PS2) was fast paced nonstop action + puzzles. It appears they have sacrificed speed and gameplay for high Fidelity graphics and visuals. It's a shame, you would think that next gen hardware would permit both solid fast paced performance and visual stability. If the pacing and lack of numerous onscreen enemies is by choice, and not technical a constraint, then this game was just poorly planned and executed.
The Terminal List (2022)
Wrong lead & uneven story
Christ Pratt isn't believable as the lead and doesn't have the acting range. Taylor Kitsch would have been better suited as Reese. Pratt's voice is too child like even in serious moments. Supporting character acting is terribly uneven especially during the opening mission. The story had its moments but stumbled early on and the last act was very predictable. On the bright side, it was great to see a new film in the genre as well as Taylor Kitsch and Christina Valdez in prominent roles again.
The Harder They Fall (2021)
Great Film
Great film. Inspired by the the real people but fabricated into a creative and well acted story. As expected certain individuals are bombing the score here. Refer to the RT critic and audience score. They have it right.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Would've been a 9
What began as a middling Marvel film was taken up a few notches thanks to some well done fight choreography and heart. I would have rated this a 9. However, Awkwafina's acting and/or character wasn't needed past the first act. She seemed out of place and shoehorned in much of the film. Her voice and presence was annoying. Moreover, the controversy surrounding her was a distraction though warranted. I really hope she isn't brought back.
Vivo (2021)
5 mins in Cuba
This movie takes place briefly in Cuba and then heads to Miami. It needed more Cuban music. All the movie posters show Havana, Cuba it's a bit of a bait and switch.
Beckett (2021)
Poorly shot and edited film. Thin story.
I really like the three main actors but man this wasn't good. No fight choreographer or Director with action experience was on set. The script was razor thin too both in story and dialogue.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020)
Improvement up the design
I played the Spider-Man remaster and Spider-Man Miles Morales back to back on my PS5. Miles Morales is a continuation of the last game. It's honestly a large fleshed out DLC that's just shy of a full game. The mechanics are improved and the visual take a massive leap forward if you have 4K UHD. Some aspects feel a bit rushed. I bet Sony pushed the developers to have this ready for the PS5 launch. Regardless it's a great game. Plus, I am happy to see the representation that was lacking in the first game. It's NYC one of the most diverse cities on the planet. This is closer to how it actually looks. I am glad to see it.
Ninja Gaiden (2004)
Absolutely Masterful Execution
I played this game as a kid on the original Xbox and I got very far along. However, I don't believe I beat it. The action was face paced and intense. The villains ruthless and the bosses were unforgiving. 17 years later I found and purchased a used copy of the Ninja Gaiden Black version. It plays full screen (16:9) at 4K UHD on Xbox Series X. No jagged edges. It's crisp clear with clear cut lines. Aside from the dated textures and CGI cut scenes this game looks better than ever before. To my surprise it had Dolby Digital audio too.
It's an amazing game. If you're up for a challenge you'll enjoy the gameplay. The key is to upgrade your weapons and to know which enemies and bosses to use them against. No boss is impossible. If it feels that way, it's because you haven't not identified the bosses fighting style or attack pattern. Once you crack the code and develop your strategy you really level the playing field. That's when you get to enjoy the game. You can button smash to an extent but it's best to be strategic with your actions.
Ninja Gaiden Black (2005) is the best version per the creator of the game. The 2021 Remaster collection contains the different and, often described as, inferior Sigma games. Buyer beware and choose wisely.
In the Heights (2021)
Old Hollywood white washed but some progress
I enjoyed the film but colorism is present. The casting director stuck with only light skin latinos despite the fact the lead character is Dominican and the rest of the cast is from all over. This is a very inauthentic representation of Washington Heights NYC.
It's not too surprising. It's expected from Hollywood to not include the African diaspora. Which is ironic because that's what provided the salsa, reggaeton, and hip hop present in this film.
John Chu and Lin Emmanuel should have known better. I expected this from Steven Spielberg and his "West Side Story" not the creator of Hamilton.
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Gadot is awful
Pedro Pascal is the only thing worth watching in this film. Gal Gadot is miscast. She has no range. Appears too frail to fit the character. The armor barely fills her out. The actresses personal views and history are hard to look past given some of the settings and what WW is supposed to be.
The film has awful pacing. There's literally a one hour slow spot in the middle of the 2 1/2 hr film.
The CGI is incomplete. Most notably in the intro and finale. Do not bother with IMAX it'll only make the pixelation look worse.
I am a huge fan of Marvel and DC characters but this film is crap.
Wonder Woman (2017)
Gal Gadot was the wrong choice.
*The character is severely dumbed down to garner Marvel type laughs. Wonder Woman is suppose to a highly skilled and intelligent Amazonnian.
*Even worse is the actress's political views.
*Gal Gadot was the wrong choice. She has the muscular build of lady who has trouble opening car doors. Yet in the film we're suppose to believe she can leg sweep grown men.
*The DCEU should have gone with Gina Carano. Not a whole lot of acting credits much like Gal but more fitting and more capable actress.
Mulan (2020)
Director in over her head
Disney should have a selected a director that was familiar with shooting action. Better yet Disney should have hired a director who specialized in action. The director they selected has only done drama work and it shows. Donnie Yen and Jet Li were criminally underutilized and poorly shot. Set pieces were lackluster. The cast was the best part. The film was just Ok. It should have been better. Too bad Ang Lee passed on directing this film.
Yip Man 4 (2019)
Great conclusion. Not for the delusional or overly sensitive.
This made for a great and fitting conclusion to the franchise. This film displays higher production values then the previous films. Lighting, choreography, and set pieces are well executed. Period accuracy when depicting American life was faithful when it came to the cars, clothes, and the culture.
With that being said... those who are uninterested or unable to watch, confront, or acknowledge the bigotry and biases of past... may have a hard time with this film. Many of the negative comments on IMBD are from people that are better off watching something sugarcoated and glazed over like Greace (1978 film). Ipman 4 touches on racial biases that are period relevant during the course of the story.
My favorite thing about this film is that it pits Karate against Kung Fu. Much like the Mixed Martial Arts competitions we see televised today, its always makes for an interesting match up and display of skill.