todsolo Reviews

I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday (2017)

Doomsday is Here

[9/10 · 13 November 2017]

I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday is the feature film debut of writer/director Mike Lombardo. There is an instant feeling of desperation, anxiety and dread from the moment we encounter our family. The writing was extremely well paced and characters were well defined. All of the performances were superb and there was a magnificent chemistry between the actors.

This is one depressing film. The fact that it takes place during the "happiest" time of the year is such a brilliant contradiction. The sets are claustrophobic. The outdoor sequences capture a beautiful landscape of wretchedness. This is a low budget film that looks ten times its expense.

I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday is an emotional ride and character study. Without giving spoilers, there is a specific scene that will forever burn in my mind. After the mother makes a touching decision, she leaves the room and leans against an adjacent wall. There is so much emotion to that scene it affects me as I write about it now.

There are few films this depressing that I can watch over and over again. Another one that comes to mind is Leaving Las Vegas. Although, they do not share many qualities as a whole they both fill you with an overwhelming sense of sadness. But they also manage to be such beautiful films you cannot help but want to watch them multiple times.

Days after my viewing of I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday an unexpected reaction occurred. Even though I have always enjoyed spending time with family & loved ones, my appreciation of the holidays and ability to spend time with those I love has forever changed. As witnessed on film, doomsday can surprisingly arrive at any time.

The Entity (1982)

UnderRated Classic

[10/10 · 21 June 2005]

I saw this movie in the theaters when I was 6. It scared the crap out of me then... Now I am 30 and it still scares the crap out of me. Wow! What an amazing horror/thriller. This movie is what a suspenseful horror film should be. The directing and cinematography are incredible. The story unfolds as it sucks you in and doesn't let go for a second. It's a shame these types of films are rarely made anymore. The atmosphere is nauseatingly creepy, the acting on every front is exceptional and the soundtrack is fresh and original. The fact that it is based on true events only adds to the scares. Why can't Hollywood make movies like this anymore? 25 years after its release it still holds up! If you want to have some serious nightmares watch it alone, at night with the lights off. I dare you...

Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Bile

[4/10 · 17 June 2005]

This is an over rated film that has taken itself as a serious drama. First of all, remember kids... it's Batman. A comic book. All the melodramatic music that played throughout the film made me chuckle. The opening tries too hard and shoves too much down your throat too quickly. You are expected to care about people you just met on screen 3 minutes ago. The hour long back story could have been summed up in ten minutes. Plus, Liam Neason seemed to have too much of the Jedi knight bug in him... I like Christian Bale as an actor. I do... Now, he looked the part, smelled the part but wasn't the part at all. He was lifeless and boring kinda like the film itself. There wasn't enough Bruce Wayne in the film. The billion dollar playboy. The moments he did have just seemed like a spoiled rich kid that could have used some anti-depressants. I didn't feel confusion or insanity in his role. Yes, his parents were in it a lot more and hopefully that would have made you feel his pain when they were killed. Unfortunately, their characters were crappy as well so my heart couldn't pour out for anyone. Nice try though. Katie Holmes character was bad as well as Katie Holmes herself and her so called chemistry with Batman. Who was the villain again? The Scarecrow could have been a more thought out character. He seemed pretty non-existent. Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman are both fine actors but were they needed... No. Now, I'm not too familiar with the comic which is fine cause the film should work on it's own but did Batman drive a Hummer? The action sequences were boring (too fast and too close) and seemed as though I've seen them thousands of times before. I wasn't very impressed with Gotham City either. It just seemed too normal and not very threatening. The only thing that kept it from looking like any other city I've been in was the double layered trains. Hmm... I did like Michael Cane, the hallucination drug and Nolan's attempt to do something different with the series.

Die Another Day (2002)

A great Bond Film

[21 July 2003]

I had no intentions of seeing Die Another Day. After a friend brought it over I figured it would be fun to watch on a flat screen and great to hear with surround sound. I am a fan of older bond films... Not a crazed bond loyalist but always had fun watching them when I was younger. While Connery gave Bond an elegant and serious charm, Roger Moore came across as a suave yet goofy secret agent. I've always prefered the latter. I have seen the other Bond films starring Pierce Brosnan and always felt that there was something missing. He looked the part and sounded the part but wasn't the part. Die another day is a return to the classic bond films. It is filled with a topical storyline, sexual innuendo's, mind blowing gadgets, cartoon like villians and classic bond like action. I think this film is by far the best Pierce Brosnan has done. The tounge in cheek humor is perfect and played very well by the entire cast. I love this film and recommend it to any bond enthusiast. I only hope the future Bond films to come realise the progress that has been made in die another day.

The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

My favorite horror film of all time...

[17 May 2002]

I will not go into a long description of what this movie is about. All I have to say is that I was 11 years old when my parents took me to see this film. They took me again four days later... There has been nothing like it before and nothing like it ever again. When it finally made it's way to video I remember how expensive tapes were when I was a child. I had a friend record me a copy. I must have watched this movie over 100 times. There are very few movies I would consider flawless. This is one of them. My words can never truly express the love and respect I have for The Return of the Living Dead.

Freebie and the Bean (1974)

Possibly the greatest movie ever made

[18 November 2001]

I have rented Freebie and the bean twice now and can not wait for it to be released on dvd. It is without a doubt one of the funniest films I have ever seen. James Caan and Alan Arkin play two police officers assigned to protect the man they are trying to arrest. The plot actually took me a few viewings to understand but that did not change in any way the unique humor that towers over this lost classic. The chase scenes are over the top in every way imaginable along with the obscure jokes that never seem to end. I have never seen and know that I will never see another film quite like Freebie and the bean.

The Final Conflict (1981)

I've seen alot worse

[12 November 2001]

I just finished watching The final Conflict... and although it is not nearly as good as the original nor it's sequel, I was entertained. If you strip away the bad acting (aside from Sam Neill) and the lack of suspense it's not all that bad. I enjoyed the plot much more than the film itself. I wouldn't really call it a horror movie either and some of the killings were laughable. It is a movie with alot of potential but does fall short. The idea of killing all those babies is brutal but somehow works... The ending was a bit disappointing as well. I watched this film on VHS and plan to purchase it on DVD because I have the other two already in my collection. It will be nice to view it widescreen as well... An aspect ratio of 2.35 seems to make a movie better in some odd way. I have been a fan of horror films my entire life and I have definately seen alot worse than The Final Conflict... And compared to the crap that comes out nowadays... It's a classic!