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Doom: Annihilation (2019)
Fun movie
No, it's not a masterpiece, but it's not as bad as the reviews are making it out to be.
I've seen a lot of crap, and this is way better. It's a fun, well-paced ride.
I especially liked the main lead playing Joan.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Perfect film to me
To me, this is the perfect film... it captures something that I haven't seen any other movie capture... awe.
Usually movies involve "standard' human emotion... anger, fear, pride, passion etc... This is the only movie that I think takes a step beyond into the sublime. Standard storytelling involves 'conflict' and 'drama'. There is some of that here for sure, but there's a transcendental/meditative quality to the film.
It does not use conventional storytelling techniques... and it's a good thing it doesn't. There is enough dialogue to give a complete picture of the plot... Any more dialogue would have been extraneous.
However, the film is NOT a mush of ambiguity... it tells a very clear profound story about human evolution... the economy of words gives more clarity... not less...
Visually, it is perfect... amazing, a film almost 50 years old... yet stands up to any sci-fi film today.
If you want to be swept up in drama and 'standard' human emotion... you won't get that here. But I think you get something much better.
Heat (1995)
Bloated Mess
Take out all the relationship nonsense, and you'd have a decent action film. Take out the "false" symmetry between Hanna and Mccauley. One is a police officer, the other is criminal scum. I found this equivocation that goes on in the movie seriously offensive. They're not opposite sides of the same coin. One tries to save lives, the other is a criminal scumbag. The whole coffee scene is so stupid. Here's a guy who's indirectly responsible for the deaths of cops. And Pacino treats him like some long lost brother... what is with the respect Pacino is giving De Niro in this scene. Oh but some guy slept with his wife without knowing she was married and he goes all nuts on him. What kind of cop is he?
The female characters in this film are so annoying. The whole Eady romance was forced... Her reaction to learning what Mccauley does is pitiful. You're a criminal scumbag, but I love you anyway because we just met and I'm lonely... so I will run away with you. What is up with Justine's character? just looking to start arguments with Hanna for no reason... the guy's a police officer and doesn't want to talk about his work. is that so unacceptable?
Convenient plot points in this film: How Mccauley just lets Waingro escape. How there's an ex-con getaway driver right at the diner where they're hanging out. The movie hinges on the word 'slick'. The police letting Val Kilmer getting away at the end.
Really unnecessary subplots: 1. stepdaughter's suicide. 2. getaway driver's story.
Not worth 3 hrs. Could have been cut to a decent 2hr movie.
Housebound (2014)
Fantastic! Far more than just a horror film.
I really enjoyed this. Morgana O'Reilly is great. Her character development in this film is really something. The relationship with her mother was very interesting.
The film combines horror, comedy, some heartwarming family drama... really something special imo. Somehow the movie manages to balance all these elements.
You have two major stories here... the horror story... combined with Kylie's estrangement and resolution with her mother.... the two stories blend together beautifully. Neither story is unique on its own... but the combination is.
Side Effects (2013)
Great thriller.
After a long time... I feel excited about a movie. I loved this. If you like Hitchcock, you'll love this. Jude Law, Rooney Mara and Catherine Zeta Jones give great performances.
And the ending is so satisfying.
It works perfectly as a psychological thriller.
I would not in any way see this movie as giving insight into mental illness, the pharmaceutical industry or psychiatry... that's just the setting. This is a purely fictional and excellent thriller.
Despite my 10... there are little things that annoyed me. Jude Law's wife in the movie was an annoying character. I could have done without the husband/wife drama scenes. Also Jude Law's psychiatrist colleagues were another set of annoying side characters.
Manhattan (1979)
What kind of people are these?
Isaac, Mary and Yale... all 3 of them go back and forth between romantic partners, unable to decide on anything. They have the maturity of teenagers... Do 40 year olds like this exist? Yes, but it's just an unpleasant experience to watch them on screen. Is that the point? Maybe, but it doesn't make for a good movie.
Just when I think Isaac can't stoop lower, the movie ends with him trying to stop Tracey from going to London and actually getting a life of her own... let's be honest here... this guy is willing to destroy a 17 year old's life to deal with his loneliness.
The movie is self-aware about these issues... but so what? What makes it worth my time to watch immature people acting idiotically for 90 minutes... To let me know that some folks don't grow up?
If I wanted to watch 30-40 year olds behaving like teenagers and switching partners willy nilly, I can watch any American soap opera. Basically that's what this movie amounts to for me. It's dressed up in clever dialogue, but the substance is the same.
Tron: Legacy (2010)
Optimistic spirit of technology/expansion of human existence
This is a beautiful, stylish film. Visually this was the best film I've seen in years. The score was awesome. Tron Legacy, like the Matrix, Ghost in the Shell etc... sees technology ultimately expanding the boundaries of human existence... granted there are dangers to be avoided. Kevin Flynn in some ways reminds me of Ray Kurzweil, the inventor, who writes about the technological singularity that may be coming.
I thought all the actors did a good job. The writing wasn't great, but it was interesting enough to supplement the great visual style and overall tone of the film.
Elektra (2005)
I loved it!
I'm a comic book fan, but I've not read any Elektra. I still really enjoyed this film. I thought Jennifer Garner did a fabulous job. I loved the psychological twists to the character, with all the flashbacks.
It didn't bother me at all that everything wasn't explained. I accept that as part of the deal with a comic book film. The story was self contained enough, while still giving the feeling of being part of a much greater whole...
I also liked the portrayal of Stick, though he's only a small part in the film.
There was one little plot point that annoyed me a bit, regarding the fate of one of the characters... Not really a big deal...
Not your run of the mill comic book film. It's a character study... the film makers tried something different and succeeded.
Ghost World (2001)
Annoying characters - critical flaw in the movie
The two main characters enjoy making life miserable for those around them. They are supposed to be "outsiders"... But who do they torment? Not the in-crowd... but people that are outsiders like they are... anyone that stands out in the slightest. This is the critical flaw in the movie. They care so much about being individuals, yet when it's someone else that is slightly different from the crowd, they step all over them. How selfish... The characters never see their hypocrisy.
These aren't really "outsiders". They're just bullies. The outsiders are the ones that are being tormented by these two vicious characters.
The main character is the most selfish, juvenile character ever to be presented in a movie.
When will there be a movie that has teens that act like human beings...
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Annoying Mr. Fox
This has got to be the most annoying main character of a film I've ever seen. He makes stupid decision after stupid decision... risks the lives of his entire family and many others, just for the fun of it. I just cringed watching the film. I found little humor in it.
The farmers were the good guys.
Despite all of Mr. Fox's his idiotic decisions, the film tries to portray the character as "good"... he never faces any real consequences for his idiotic decisions. Everything turns at happy at the end. There was no lesson learned. His wife and family accept him as a "wild animal". What was the point of the film?
I can appreciate the artistry and hard work involved in the animation. But it's not nearly enough to make up for the annoying main character.
Extremely disappointing film.
Zombieland (2009)
Boring... started out great, but ran out of steam very fast
It started out fantastic. I like the main character and the Woody Harrelson character. I enjoyed the rules at the beginning...
But about 30 mins into the movie it goes downhill really fast.
But nothing much happens in the movie plotwise... We're depending on the characters to keep it interesting. Once the two females arrive, the movie went downhill super fast. The female characters were completely unlikeable. Just painful to watch them on the screen...
The sequence with Bill Murray was just awkward and random. The writers were just filling space in the movie, because they didn't know where to go with it.
Tenjô tenge (2004)
Pointless anime
A very bad anime. The question I was asking myself while watching this was, why are these kids fighting? There's really no reason given. Just a lot of meaningless violence. I've got no problems with violence in anime as long as there's some reason or explanation given for it. A lot of ridiculous trash talking and drama that's supposed to make these characters 'noble', really just ends up sounding silly. The plus is that the animation is really good. But it hardly makes up for the lack of real story... Sure there's a long back story behind the characters, but it really gives no purpose to the fights. In DBZ the characters have clear motivations. Goku wants to become stronger, always looking for stronger opponents. Vegeta wants to surpass Goku. The kids in this anime fight each other to the brink of death, all for what? I have no clue.
Oscar (1991)
Hilarious, wonderful film!
I watched this movie again today after 12 years and enjoyed it even more than I did in my childhood. Stallone does a great job as does the rest of the cast. Great light-hearted fun. I'm really surprised at the low rating. One of the funniest movies I've ever seen. One of my favorite all time movies. Rossini's "Barber of Seville" music fits in so well.