cinefreakdude Reviews

Jurassic World (2015)

Depressingly Bad

[4/10 · 14 June 2015]

There's a scene in Jurassic World where Bryce Dallas Howard's character discusses why it's necessary for the titular theme park to create bigger, better, new dinosaurs to keep customers interested, as the public has by now gotten bored with "just" the regular dinosaurs. Ironically, this is a perfect metaphor for the franchise itself – it takes more than just a CGI T-Rex to get a "wow" out of audiences now-a- days, and this fourth Jurassic installment seems to acknowledge this, even though it fails to do anything spectacular or different enough to recapture even a sliver of the original's awe factor.

Jurassic Park may have been my first cinematic love, so it was only natural for me to be excited about Jurassic World when it was announced. Although skeptical about certain aspects of the film's production, I held out hope that it would be made with care enough to at least elevate it above the previous two sequels. Unfortunately, this is the first major disappointment of the summer; it's little more than a dumb, run-of-the-mill schlock machine, and has more in common with a SyFy Channel Original than a Spielbergian blockbuster.

I knew from merely the first ten minutes that this was going to be a downhill ride. Incessant product placement, rushed storytelling and bad acting abounding, Jurassic World's utterly forgettable characters and cringe worthy script only remind us what a masterclass in narrative structure and suspense building the original film was. And yes, even this latest installment's visual effects fail to impress – the CGI is average and it really doesn't help that all this has simply been done before, much better.

Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are both good actors, but the material they're given to work with is abysmal. The character models are cliché and sexist, and the romance feels no less than revoltingly shoe-horned in. After the brilliant Mad Max: Fury Road so refreshingly raised the bar and upset the balance concerning what is expected from a big budget action flick, the many sins of Jurassic World seem all the more lazy and unforgivable. Oh, and the cinematography, lighting and editing give the film the look of a commercial for the entire runtime, which it basically is anyway due to the shameless, nonstop product placement.

Marginally better than Jurassic Park 3, but not even deserving association with Spielberg's original masterpiece, Jurassic World's finale of battling 'Rexes is the sole moment in the film in which I felt even remotely on-board. And even this battle is in many ways an inferior reenactment of the climax of last year's Godzilla, which was a far more successful attempt at a Spielbergian monster movie. Jurassic World is depressingly bad; I can't really recommend it on any basis.

I Stand Alone (1998)

A Commendably Brave Act of Filmmaking

[10/10 · 14 February 2015]

Reading though IMDb's message boards after watching "I Stand Alone", I came across a post questioning whether or not films like this should exist. The post rambled on longer than most would care to read, questioning the moral content of the movie and the intent of Gaspar Noé is making it. The answer is that yes, films like "I Stand Alone" should exist, and the reason why is contained within the question itself.

In a sea of unoriginal and intellectually vapid cinema (the purpose of which is what really needs be on trial), a movie that inspires a viewer to actually ponder the artist's moral integrity and the content presented on screen needs to exist and continue to be made. Depending on whom you ask, film is either a form of entertainment, or of art. Those who have been exposed to work like this — that of a filmmaker like Noé — would be more inclined in ten-fold to answer that, indeed, cinema is an art form. Art is, in many ways, a form of provocation. Visceral to the human mind and emotions is a piece like "I Stand Alone", as it genuinely challenges what we've come to expect statement- wise from a movie.

A narrative exploration of stream-of-conscious storytelling, the film confronts the evils tolerated by society and compares them to the evils considered unacceptable. Featuring only one main, defined character, the audience is challenged as to whether he is a good man who has been destroyed by surroundings and experiences, or a legitimately bad person deceptively painted by the lens of the storyteller. The bravest aspect of the movie however, is that it provides no answer. To inspire this breed of thinking with the audaciousness of the presented content is an undeniably brave act of filmmaking.

The Imitation Game (2014)

Moving & Fascinating True Story -- Underwhelming Film

[6/10 · 31 December 2014]

To preface this review, I should mention that prestige biopics, Oscar season dramas and other true-story films of this ilk are not exactly the kind of film I hold in highest regard. Not to sound too snobby, but I'd rather watch a David Lynch or Coen brothers movie over a period piece any day of the week. That being said, when a film like The Imitation Game actually does impress me, that means it must be doing something right. I think this film is very much worth seeing — and that there's a lot to admire here — even if it's not the most artistic or unique movie of the year.

Benedict Cumberbatch is the standout element here. His performance, which is backed up strongly by costar's Keira Knightley, transcends the somewhat generic filmmaking and bland direction, and helps to give it more genuinely likable and interesting qualities overall. Cumberbatch gives this material his all, and his performance is nuanced and believable; he's even able to deliver some of the clunkier dialog gracefully.

The Imitation Game is lucky in that it's a legitimately fascinating true story. It's a war story about a less glorified, less talked about aspect of warfare, and the portrayal of Alan Turing and the role he played in winning World War II makes for a compelling account. Yes, the movie does feel slightly Oscar-baity at times, and it goes through many of the motions that a film of its genre is expected to go through, but the history is rich and important enough that it does elevate the less impressive aspects of the piece.

While it may owe the majority of its quality to Cumberbatch and the source true story, The Imitation Game is a well made and respectfully told tribute to Alan Turing, and an interesting, at times stirring, biopic that is worth the price of admission. The ending in particular is very emotional and hard-hitting, and because of the fact that Turing never received proper recognition, it's important to know this story — even if the film itself is little more than a vehicle for just that. It's worth a trip to the cinema this Oscar season.

The Fall (I) (2006)

Visually Spectacular but Disappointingly Safe

[5/10 · 17 December 2013]

I love visually indulgent, surreal, fantastical kind of films, and I was convinced that I would love The Fall. But I found this films to be incredibly disappointing. It never embraces the metaphorical possibilities of the script, and considering how interesting its fantastical premise is, it plays it pretty safe with a mostly safe and conventional narrative. The acting is fine, and the visuals are beautiful, but I was just left empty by this movie, and considering what it could have been, that is a tragic disappointment. I would still say that this is a film that might be worth checking out, just for the experience, but I would suggest going in with low expectations. Don't expect anything amazing.

DumbLand (2002)

A hilarious and entertaining cartoon series by David Lynch

[9/10 · 7 August 2013]

If you're wondering how a David Lynch-directed cartoon series would look, here is your answer. DumbLand isn't as brilliant as the best Lynch films, but it is still definitely worth watching. In it's entirety, it's only about 30 minutes, so if you have seen every film in David Lynch's filmography, DumbLand is some more of that Lynch you crave. The series follows some very, well, dumb, people and it is mainly centered on a family: one very big, brutish and stupid man; a high-pitched boy with a tendency to repeat things over and over, and a ceaselessly screaming lady. David Lynch is all the voices, and I think he did a great job. The humor is black and very Lynchian and at some points I just couldn't stop laughing. This is a great cartoon series that I would highly recommend if you're a casual or hard-core David Lynch fan.

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

A visually inspired and funny flick

[8/10 · 8 April 2013]

I love the Coen brothers, and being a lesser Coen brother movie is hard, because all there others are so dang brilliant. The Hudsucker Proxy is a prime example of this. It's a good, funny movie, but watching it in the line-up the most the Coen brothers' other work, it's just a little weak. There are some great things about this flick though, for example the cinematography and visual look of the movie is totally awesome, and I really liked the film's premise/themes. The only thing I really didn't care for in this movie was Jennifer Jason Leigh... her character was annoying to me. The Hudsucker Proxy is definitely worth watching, and if you're a hardcore fan of the Coen brothers like myself, I think you'll enjoy and appreciate this underrated gem.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

A beautiful, sexy, funny and intelligent film

[10/10 · 28 January 2013]

I love Woody Allen, and this is probably my second or third favorite film of his. Vicky Christina Barcelona is a great movie that's very entertaining to watch, and is also very smart, and features some great and beautiful scenery of the beautiful city of Barcelona. I found all the acting to be superb, and the writing is great. I would definitely recommend Vicky Christina Barcelona to Woody Allen lovers and just any movie lover in general. It is a very enjoyable movie. Also if you like this film I would definitely also recommend Woody Allen's other two city-based films, Midnight in Paris (2011), and To Rome With Love (2012).

500 Days of Summer (2009)

An overrated film with poor direction

[3/10 · 27 January 2013]

This is a movie that I have very mixed opinions on. I enjoy the movie overall, and do appreciate what it tries to do; but at the same time I think the film desendends into extreme simplifications of what it attempts to "dissect" and "examine" - love. Joseph Gordon-Levitt really does shine in (500) Days, and Zooey Deschanel is pretty good as well, although I never found her character to be very likable. As much as I'd like to overlook the film's flaws and just fall for the charm of the characters and hilarity of the script, I can't. In fact, some things in (500) Days of Summer I actually find pretentious and others just get on my nerves. Marc Webb directed music videos before going into film, and this was his directorial debut. Unfortunately, it might show just a little too much. The screenplay is packed with silly moments and situations. Some work as great gags. Others, not so much. Gordon-Levitt prancing around the park to a musical number is one that particularly sticks out to me. The scene is intended to show that Gordon-Levitt's character Tom is in love. At first nothing may appear wrong about the scene, the viewer will chuckle, smile (be reminded of Spider-man 3) and continue watching. Later in the movie, when Summer leaves Tom, the film goes into detailing Tom's "depression period". Tom wakes up every morning, goes to the convenience store (still in his pajamas) buys Twinkies and liquor and returns to his mess of a house. After watching the movie, I thought about the two scenes I just described: "In Love" (dancing and singing), and "Depression - Not in Love" (sleeping, drinking, being lazy). Webb tries to show "love" though the most obvious and watery way; shoving it our faces rather than subtly showing feelings subtly through the characters expressions, or eyes. In other words, the direction is lazy. I also found the ending of (500) Days of Summer a bit of a cop-out. The film mostly indulges in being "artsy" and it certainly has a indie style, which I recognize is what it's going for, but sometimes I found this to be a bit pretentious, and it kind of took me out of the film. The movie is definitely worth watching, It's no masterpiece, but you'll enjoy yourself for sure. There's many, many flaws, but (500) Days is funny, it's sweet and it sort of comes together. If you want some actually good films that examine relationships, I'd recommend the Annie Hall (1977), High Fidelity (2000), Before Sunrise & Before Sunset (1995,2004), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), and 2 Days in Paris (2007).

To Rome with Love (2012)

To Rome With Love - A Beautiful, Hilarious Fantasy.

[9/10 · 25 January 2013]

Midnight in Paris is my favorite Woody Allen film. Something about that movie just really connected with me, and I've probably seen it ten plus times. I also loved films that showcase a great city, like Allen did with Midnight in Paris in 2011 and Vicky Christina Barcelona in 2008. So as you could imagine, I was extremely excited for Allen's latest city love-letter, To Rome With Love, which came out last year. I finally got around to watching it. Did it deliver? Absolutely! To Rome With Love is an absolutely immersing, beautiful, hilarious experiences, and if you can ignore it's few minor flaws, it's completely awesome! The movie focuses on four different story-lines, and though this can get a little bit messy at times, I think this structure worked great. The film is filled with likable, funny characters, beautiful scenery of Rome, and colorful, hilarious dialog. Another one of my favorite things about this movie is the great soundtrack. It fits the movie's tone and pace perfectly, and keeps the narrative on it's feet. There is so much to love in To Rome With Love, it's definitely one of my favorite films of last year, and I would completely recommend this romantic, funny, fantasy. Ignore the critics, this one is definitely worth checking out. 10/10

Stand by Me (1986)

Overrated, pretentious and annoying.

[2/10 · 17 January 2013]

Stand By Me is a film that I consider incredibly overrated. I like quite a few of Rob Reiner's films, Spinal Tap and Princess Bride in particular. However, Stand By Me is just so pretentious and unpleasant to me, I can't find much in it to like. For child actors, the cast isn't actually too annoying, but that being said I didn't find any of the characters very likable and couldn't really get attached to them. Another thing I didn't like about this movie is that it's mean spirited. For a film about childhood, it seems to just be interested in countless instances of people hurting, destructing, bullying, etc, other people. Yes, I understand what it's going for/trying to say, but just can't get in to this overdone, pretentious movie that's not evenvery entertaining. This film annoys me, and the more I think about it the less I like it. Many people rave about Stand By Me, but I say it's not worth your time.

Crocodile Dundee (1986)

Crocodile Dundee - A Classic

[8/10 · 6 January 2013]

Crocodile Dundee is a great movie, and I think that most of the reason behind that is the title character. Paul Hogan does a fantastic job playing it straight in a role that not many actors could pull off believably. Not all the jokes work, some scenes come off a little bit awkward/unnatural, but for the most part the laughs are abundant, and the fish out of water formula, works surprisingly well and accounts for many hilarious moments. This is a very worth while adventure comedy; I think that if you like the Romancing the Stone movies, you'll like Crocodile Dundee too. Definitely worth your time, this is a fun, always entertaining, old fashioned and often very funny movie with a great score and awesome Australian scenery. B+

Mary and Max (2009)

The first and only movie I legity cried while watching

[10/10 · 7 September 2012]

Mary and max is easily one of the best films I have ever seen. It is definitely my favorite animated film, and is probably in my top favorite 5 films of all time! I truly love it. The characters are really excellent, as is the voice acting. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collette do wonderful jobs and really embody their characters. The story is beautiful, sad, and sweet. At many points in the film I teared up; but it was the ending that truly had tears streaming down my face. Another amazing element of Mary and Max is the music. It perfectly fits the movie. I love everything about this amazing, perfect, flawless movie. Not only is it a triumph of claymation (possibly the best claymation I've ever seen) but also an amazing story that deals with just about every single human emotion. I love this movie and I can't recommend it more. Please see Mary and Max it's truly a masterpiece and one of the greatest films ever made.

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Puts the EQUAL in sequel.

[10/10 · 26 April 2012]

The Godfather Part II is truly an amazing film. Absolutely fantastic performances from everyone in the entire cast. I think that Al Pacino should have won best actor at the Oscars. This film is easily one of the greatest sequels ever made. Complex story, amazingly shot, and beautifully scored, The Godfather Part II deserves to be called a true masterpiece of cinema, and a tortured influential saga of crime, family, and corruption. Films like this arn't made anymore. This is just as good a film as The Godfather part I, and possibly a little better. A must-see classic. Every minute in this movie is made with care and every frame bubbles with dramatic tension and amazing cinematography. 100%

The Matrix (1999)

The Matrix - intelligent entertainment

[8/10 · 26 April 2012]

The Matrix is a bad-a$$ film. I really love the action in this film, the scene where they break into the place to rescue Morpheus was a truly amazing action scene. A lot of people compare this movie to Inception, in my opinion, Inception is the better film, but The Matrix still kicks a$$ and remains a highly intriguing and entertaining motion picture. The acting is pretty good, Keanu Reeves gives a satisfying performance as Neo, and I also thought that Laurence Fishburn gave a good performance. If you haven't seen The Matrix - definitely check it out, it's a smart action and sci-fi thriller, with awesome special effects, a good script and screenplay, revolutionary action scenes and awesome camera work and cinematography.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

The Perfect Bond Film!!!!!

[9/10 · 6 August 2011]

Quantum of Solace will always be my favorite James Bond movie. It's the first one I saw and I just can't help but really enjoy it. Some people disliked this movie, well I thought it was epic. Daniel Craig is awesome as 007, Olga Kurylenko is fantastic, and so is all the rest of this movie's cast. I loved Casino Royale as well, but Quantum is mush faster- paced, and it amps up the action which of course I love. Another thing that I liked more about Quantum of Solace than Casino Royale was the running time. Quantum's time perfect, while Casino I thought was just a tad too long. So overall, it's a epic and VERY enjoyable movie, it has a great plot, great acting, and spectacular action!!! 10/10

The Other Guys (2010)

Hilarious!

[10/10 · 8 July 2011]

The Other guys is a freak'n hilarious movie. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg have great comic chemistry, and both their characters were funny. For a comedy, The Other Guys has surprisingly good plot, and the action scenes and set direction were both fantastic. Every joke was original and extremely funny I was laughing really hard during the whole movie. The first time I saw this movie was in the theaters, but I recently bough the DVD and enjoyed it even more the second time around! So over all, it's a well done and side splittingly funny comedy definitely see The Other Guys. Also for people who own the DVD there's a funny scenes after the credits so stick around for it!

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

My favorite animated movie

[10/10 · 28 June 2011]

Monster's Inc. is just pure brilliance. Not only is it my favorite animated film of all time, but it's one of my top 5 movies ever. In my opinion, it's Pixar's best, and why Shrek beat it for best animated feature at the Academy Awards - well I'll never understand that idiocy. The jokes are screamingly (no pun intended) funny, and the dialog is one of my favorite ever. I love every single character (Mike is my favorite), and all the voice acting is superb. The animation is fantastic and the cool twist on "the monster in the closet" is fun and very clever. One of my favorite scenes is when Mike and his girlfriend Celia are on a date at Harryhausens (a restaurant in Monstropolis) and Sully comes in with Boo and unintentionally crashes their date and Boo gets loose, it's hilarious havoc, and I love every minute, and of course every other scene in Monster's Inc. Like I said before, I love this movie, it's hilarious, creative, original, featuring awesome characters, this is a great film that everyone can enjoy. Also it was one of the first movies I ever saw, so it has a special effect on me, and always will. my rating: ********** 10/10 stars

Lego Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Brick (2008 TV Short)

A hilarious, clever and well done short film.

[10/10 · 24 June 2011]

Raiders of the Lost Brick is one of the best made animated short films I've ever watched. The Lego animation is awesome, and with all the funny references to other movies like star wars and just other hilarious jokes, this is a video I've watched over and over again and never get bored! It incorporates characters and scenes from all the Indiana Jones movies and every part of this video is really clever and just plain awesome. I also really enjoyed the music is the short film, it has the classic Indy theme as well as lots of other awesome music and sound effects! You can watch this movie at Lego.com, just go under the Indiana Jones section and it will be there! Enjoy!

Born to Be Wild (2011)

A great, touching, entertaining and well made documentary

[10/10 · 16 June 2011]

Born to Be wild is an amazing movie. I went to see it in Imax 3D and came out inspired and uplifted. The Film is based of an amazing true story of two real life fairy godmothers and how one adopts and raises orphaned orangutans (Dr. Birute Galdikas) and the other elephants (Daphne Sheldrick). The movie was very entertaining and funny, and Morgan Freeman did a great job (as always) narrating. I loved following the two story's and every day lives of the two women and of course the animals. The bond between the animals and humans is unbelievable, and I loved the scene were one of the orangutans started eating the noodles right of a women's plate! Like I mentioned before, this is a hilarious, touching and just plain good movie. Highly Recommended for anyone of any age! Born to be loved, Born to be free. Born To Be Wild.

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

An amazing, entertaining, and very well made swashbuckler

[9/10 · 15 June 2011]

The Mask Of Zorro - this is entertainment at it's finest. The acting is great all around each actor/actress giving an energetic performance. The choreography of the fight scenes was amazing, and all the action scenes were amazing and featured awesome stunts. The only bad thing I can think of is that the plot was a bit weak, but hey, it's Zorro, what it's all about is the action, and this movie sure excels there. The other main thing I loved about this movie was the soundtrack, James Horner does a fantastic job, creating one of the most complex and memorable film scores I've ever heard. The mask of Zorro is a must see for any of you guys out there who haven't yet.

The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo (1997)

warning: awful!

[1/10 · 15 May 2011]

EPIC FAIL. On every level, this god-awful piece of crap is just muddled, stupid, and unnecessary trash. The plot was incredibly cliché-ridden, boring and uncreative, the acting was as lame as possible, the direction and set direction were dreadful, and the movie was also extremely racist. The movie borrowed from various other films, and they were so noticeable it was pathetic. Once again, the storyline was unbearably painful and annoying, I felt like throwing up at the end. I could really go on for hours about just how stupid and atrocious this crap is. Also, what's with the chimpanzees? Not only were they unbearably unnecessary and aggravating, but chimps don't even live in Asia! The film weakly tried to be funny in parts - but in instead of even feeling at all motivated to laugh, I just rolled my eyes, gritted my teeth and tried not to vomit. This hopeless, abominable and insulting film is definitely one of the worst movies ever made, and please spare yourself having to sit through it. 0%

Rio (2011)

Rio, an awesome film.

[8/10 · 16 April 2011]

Rio was an awesome film. It was hilarious, beautifully animated, epic, colorful, and just plain awesome! I could seriously keep going on. I loved every voice and thought that Eisenberg was perfect as Blu. it's definitely "best animated feature" material, and it totally deserves to at least get nominated when the time comes. The story, though a bit straight forward, was heartwarming, a tale of friendship and adventure. Elements of Rio also reminded me of Happy Feet. So if you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it, you'll walk away, laughing, and wishing the experience had never ended. I loved all the carnival scenes as well as all the musical numbers and dancing.

The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior (2008 Video)

A horrible disgusting movie.

[1/10 · 20 March 2011]

The Scorpion King is hands down one of the worst movies on earth. The acting is HORRIBLE; terrible, confusing plot; TERRIBLE special effects; annoying; a rotten film film score, I could keep going on! This is just a BAD movie in EVERY sense! NOT RECOMMENDED!!!! I liked the first Scorpion King OK, and I wasn't expecting much from this, but it was worse than I could possibly imagine! Throughout the movie, I keep thinking, "was the budget for this 5$ ?" There's one part where there fighting a minotaur, and the minotaur looks like its made out of black duct tape and melted tootsie rolls! Like I said, the special effects are truly laughable, just like every think else, in the scorpion king 2. If I could I would give this movie zero stars, as it does not even deserve one!

Rango (2011)

Rango - great stuff

[10/10 · 14 March 2011]

Rango is not a just good movie, it's a amazingly awesome movie!I went to see Rango today, and I absolutely LOVED it! It was the PERFECT combination of humor, action, great voice talent, unbelievable animation, and over all GREAT quality. Rango is a perfect movie in EVERY sense! Rango should definitely win best animated feature for the 2011 Oscars, and at least be nominated, if not win best picture. The characters are likable and funny, it has a great plot (as well as many great sub- plots) Johnny Depp was fantastic, as usual, and so were Ray Winstone and Alfred Molina. My favorite part from the movie, was the riveting chase through the dessert canyons, it's a truly epic scene! I HIGHLY recommend Rango to ANY person on this Earth, as it is truly a superb movie!!!!!

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

The Temple of Doom - Best Indiana Jones Movie

[10/10 · 7 March 2011]

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is the greatest movie I've ever seen. I know that it's usually not considered the best Indiana Jones film but I think it is. It should have won the Oscar in 1984 for best picture, as well as EVERY other category. This movie have AMAZING acting, AMAZING special effects, it's directed by the great Steven Spielberg, it has an AMAZING film score by the maestro John Williams, it has Amazing set pieces, and very quotable dialog. The Temple of Doom is a perfect movie in EVERY sense. It has tons of adventure, action, humor and a bit of romance, a little bit for every one. I HIGHLY recommend this movie, I promise, you'll LOVE it. 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000/10