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LynchpinHags
Reviews
Wrong (2012)
Delightfully quirky and beautifully shot
This movie isn't for everyone; you will see many a 1-star review from people who like movies like "Bad Boys" and "The Expendables".
Like Rubber, Wrong is shot in a very artistic fashion, and if you appreciate such, the movie is a joy to watch for that alone.
It has a great story to go along with the cinematography though; it's full of quirky, off-beat humour (and not like anything by Wes Anderson, for example - it's another beat removed from "off-beat" entirely) and the characters are brilliant.
I felt that William Fichtner stole the show in terms of the characters on offer; every line he delivered was fantastically strange.
As I said - it's not one for everyone; but if you are a fan of unique cinema, you'll watch this with a half-smile on your face for the entire 90-odd minutes.
TimeScapes (2012)
Amazing spectacle; no story required
I'm a bit of a fan of good photography, and I enjoyed films like Baraka and Koyaanisqatsi. Whilst these two examples have a theme, however loosely you might interpret it, Timescapes is all about the spectacle. Don't be thrown off by negative comments because it doesn't have a story - it doesn't need one. Half the films in Hollywood are all visuals and sound effects with little story, and at least Timescapes has these qualities without pretending to be anything else.
It is expertly shot, beautifully scored, and I found it to be a rousing film that can be enjoyed just for the craft alone. Whether you are a fan of photography, astronomy, or just like something cutting edge, this film will not disappoint.
The Divide (2011)
Great idea, poorly executed
Like a lot of people lately, mainly due to games like Fallout and good stories like "The Road", the post-apocalypse theme is one I'm fairly fond of. So when I heard about "The Divide", the story of a group of survivors of a nuclear attack hiding in a bunker, I was very keen to see it. I'm also a big fan of underrated actor Michael Beihn.
So, great setting, and a few smatterings of promising actors, like Heroes' Ventimiglia as well - this should be a good thing, right?
The story is completely let down by very, very poor dialogue, and some very sketchy acting by all, particularly by Ivan Gonzalez, who plays the vapid Sam. Michael Beihn does his best to carry the show, but ultimately fails with lines such as "You have a brain the size of a pea", which he shouts at his torturer at one point (personally, I doubt you'd use the insults of a 5 year old when being mutilated).
Milo does fairly well, but the show is stolen by Lauren German, who is gorgeous and could certainly act her way out of a wet paper bag.
Some snippets of great moments bubble up to the surface at times, such as when Milo ventures out of the bunker and finds some children who are in some sort of stasis. It adds to the mystery, but it would have been good if this was further explored when another character escapes, instead of having them wander through the wasteland.
I get that this is about "the fall of man" and not really about the nuclear attack, and that theme is fairly well explored with no punches pulled. But the aforementioned theme could have been thoroughly explored in half the time, allowing for the characters to make further explorations into their new world.
Overall, a good idea, let down by bad acting and worse dialogue. Worth a watch on a lazy night if you've nothing better on your watch list.