sacflyzone Reviews

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

This movie really takes the comic book genre to the highest level.

[10/10 · 31 March 2014]

You can rest assured that Captain America: The Winter Soldier is an absolutely amazing movie and YES it's even better than the first. I'm so glad Marvel got in to the solo movie making business. Instead of leasing out their characters to other studios, they're making movies themselves and have not missed yet. The critics all agree (as if that matters) and Cap may very well be their best effort yet!

This movie really takes the comic book genre to the highest level. It reinvents epic adventure by "Marvelizing" characters by making them more believable and more relatable. Never has this been more true than with The Winter Soldier. Anything added or amended from the print storyline was for the benefit of the live action adaptation. The directors pulled this off by talking to the summer crowd, not down to them. Like the great films of the past, they ground the action and the concept of "super soldiers" in firm reality. They add some old school intrigue and political thriller elements.

I've said it before but it's brave to reach for the highest common denominator with a big budget film and Captain America: The Winter Soldier delivers a movie with as much feeling as it has action and intensity. It's a movie that has a wonderful balance that delivers intelligence with its fun. This is, without a doubt going to be one of my top 10 movies of 2014, quite possibly the number one film.

The Avengers (2012)

Beyond Excellent. Avengers Hits At The Highest Level!

[10/10 · 16 April 2012]

Yep, Marvel has done it again but this time to the max! You can rest assured that Avengers is an absolutely amazing movie. I'm so glad Marvel got in to the solo movie making business. Instead of leasing out their characters to other studios, they're making movies themselves and have not missed yet. (Sony pooping on Ghost Rider again this very year is a great reminder of that) Avengers is, without a doubt, their best effort yet! Personally, I think they set the bar leading up to this movie and they just clean blew the bar in to orbit with this movie.

Avengers really takes the comic book genre to the highest level. They along with a select few others reinvented epic adventure as this century began by "Marvelizing" characters by making them more believable and more relatable. Spider-Man and the X-Men did this to a degree but only as far as their respective studios wished to stay true to the source material. Anything added or amended was for the benefit of the live action adaptation. Nolan did this for Batman and Raimi for Spider-Man. They pulled it off by talking to the summer crowd, not down to them. Favreau, Branagh and Johnston did similar good work for Marvel leading up to this gem. Now, Joss Whedon not only continues that tone but adds to the work that's come before. It's like the ultimate team work and Whedon brings it all home and all together perfectly. Like the great films of the past, he grounds the action and the superhero concept in firm reality. The humor and acknowledging the absurd nature of everything we see adds the perfect flavor. Yet, all the character depth and relationship nuances are fleshed out well as with any other good film.

I've said it before but it's brave to reach for the highest common denominator with a big budget film and Avengers delivers a movie with as much feeling as it has action and intensity. It's a movie that has a wonderful balance that delivers intelligence with its fun. This is, without a doubt one of my top 10 movies of 2012, quite possibly THE best regardless of genre. I don't see anything changing that for the rest of the year. This movie is just that good

John Carter (2012)

an admirable effort but ultimately very ordinary

[7/10 · 14 March 2012]

The budget and box office of this film are drawing more attention than the movie itself and I can see why. It is indeed an attempt at spectacle and creating something epic but that's all it ends up being... an admirable effort. There's nothing extraordinary about any of it. The story, special effects and the action sequences struck me as being very ordinary. There's very little depth to any of it and yet many scenes felt bloated and overlong. There's also the aspect that plot points and character motivation were explained and justified quite poorly. Still, I was interested in this sci-fi ride and was enchanted by the lovely Lynn Collins. Her performance and her character are truly bright spots in this rather ordinary adventure.

Killer Elite (2011)

Surprisingly Good...engaging and intense

[8/10 · 27 September 2011]

This movie was far more textured and interesting than I was expecting. It's certainly not a typical action flick. Basically, it's a multi-layered film about competent, high level operatives where the line between right and wrong is extremely blurred. In fact, there really is no "good guy" or "bad guy" in the narrative. It's a story about mercenaries and ex-spooks that have engaged and are currently engaged in harsh and uncompromising actions. Life and death and regret told from the point of view of Jason Statham's character. It's an engaging and intense thrill ride that apologizes for nothing. I really liked that about this movie. There's not a lot of depth but gorgeous Yvonne Stahovski and Robert DeNiro are much needed supporting characters that define Statham's character motivation and that really is enough for this type of tale.

The King's Speech (2010)

one of the best character piece films of the year

[9/10 · 28 December 2010]

Here's another film with yet more performances that deserve serious Oscar consideration. The two leads (Rush & Firth) were superb in every way. I had zero expectations prior to seeing this movie and the opening scenes filled me with dread. "What the hell did I just pay to see?" Patience is indeed a virtue because the film eventually pays off in a big way. A clumsy story about speech impediment and stammering turns into a historical drama and one of the best character piece films of the year. I really had no idea about the immediate past of the British royal hierarchy. I'm sure a true loyal subject will look at this work differently but it was all new and fresh to me.

True Grit (2010)

Terrible... compared to the 1969 original, it really does fall short in every way that matters

[1/10 · 22 December 2010]

Well, as a true fan of the original film, I tried to go in to this movie with a somewhat open mind but failed miserably. I simply can't judge this thing on its own without comparing it to the 1969 original and it really does fall short in every way that matters. I know Hollywood caters to the under 20 crowd but are there really that many ignorant children and/or pure Coen fans clamoring to see remakes of good films? I honestly lump this less than True Grit in with Poseidon, Pink Panther, Psycho, The Invasion, The Longest Yard, Planet of The Apes (and soon) Arthur as inferior modern re-telling of good tales. I like Jeff Bridges but his grumbling cross between Yosemite Sam and The Dude is so far below John Wayne's Oscar winning performance that it's not even funny. Believe me, I tried to at least giggle at his laughable attempt but couldn't quite summon up that emotion. I guess I had contempt going in and after sitting through it, that contempt may have grown.

(And please don't try and pass that cop out that it's an adaptation of the book and not a re-hash of a great film. It's 90% the same and a waste of time.)

Love & Other Drugs (2010)

Slow Start, Great Finish... Anne Hathaway is Wonderful

[8/10 · 8 December 2010]

The movie starts out as a generic and even pedestrian romantic comedy and appears to be headed in the typical cliché driven direction but, fortunately, evolves in to something more. Jake Gyllenhaal's character and his alleged "funny" fat side kick are established almost purposefully as illustrations of what's wrong with most romantic comedies. It's Anne Hathaway's character that is the catalyst for the transformation from two dimensional rom-com to something deeper and more enjoyable. As she is fleshed out (pun intended because the more Anne Hathaway nudity the better) her character forces both Gyllenhaal's character and the film itself to grow (almost Viagra like). What follows is a deep, sometimes moving and genuinely interesting film. Commentary about battling illness, life and enjoying the moment are all relevant and poignant. Even supporting characters are given moments to shine. Oliver Pratt's drug rep has a wonderful scene delivered over dinner and there's even a smart drunken ramble explaining what is wrong with being a doctor and a commentary on the state of the Hippocratic Oath. From an emotionless and even tedious start, this film surprised me and is worth the price of a ticket.

The Warrior's Way (2010)

Live Action Anime... Dumb As Dirt But A Bit of Fun

[4/10 · 4 December 2010]

All I knew about this film was the phrase "cowboys VS ninjas" and that was enough to get my money! Maybe I should've done a little more research. This movie is a live action anime cartoon. Not being an anime fan didn't bode well for me or the hopes of my enjoyment. It's a crazy, yet strangely visually beautifully collection of wild and bloody cartoonish violence. Lots of floating and sword hacking but very little meaningful action. For "the best swordsmen in the world," all he does is a lot of one slash disposing of inept foes. The film is like a weird cross between Kill Bill, Barney Gumble's self made documentary from The Simpsons and an episode of Mike Myer's SNL Sprockets character Dieter. I fully expected the film to close with Myers himself running across the screen screaming, "Touch my monkey... touch him."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXAESG9qANw

The Next Three Days (2010)

Very slow set up leads to thrilling finish

[6/10 · 4 December 2010]

Russell Crowe has laid claim to the "7/10" movie spot this year at least. This is a film that's well done even though it's unique in the fact that about 75% of its running time is used to set up the final 25% of the film. Meaning, nothing really happens during the first two acts besides establishing character. Once the final act hits, it's definitely on and what follows is an interesting thrill ride. It's worth the tedious build up because the viewer is very much invested in what happens to these characters. The cast is wonderful and the movie is worth a watch. I'm glad they closed the film by painting the picture of the actual events that led to his wife's arrest.

Unstoppable (2010)

thrilling and dramatic with a great cast!

[8/10 · 26 November 2010]

A very well done thriller that is everything this type of movie is suppose to be. It's thrilling, dramatic and mixes just enough developmental elements to make the viewer care about the characters. Denzel, Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson are perfectly cast and help make the experience more enjoyable. Knowing that what happens is based on true life events really brings the story home and elevates this entire film. I had a great time watching every minute of its running time.

I usually hate Tony Scott's jarring style but it did NOT distract me at all. Also, IMO the critique of overuse of news footage is way off. I thought they perfectly meshed the footage in to the story. It certainly brought home the impact of the severity of the situation and was a great way to inject information without needless dialogue or other scenes that would've hurt pace.

Faster (2010)

Unremarkable and Shallow with Very Limited Action

[4/10 · 24 November 2010]

I was expected a crazed revenge flick with the Rock engaging in one action sequence after another. The movie never really delivers in that manner. There are no brawls, no explosions and not much action. I'm not even going to go in to the absurdity of the events that transpire. The plot is popcorn action bad but without the popcorn action. Instead, they try and deliver some kind of shallow character drama involving three characters from three different perspectives. The strangest (and dumbest) is introducing a rich-boy assassin for what really amounts to no reason whatsoever. You can almost see the writers struggling to make enough script pages like some kind of homework assignment. The movie is poorly written and the "surprise twist" is really no surprise at all. The Rock looks menacing but besides shooting a couple of people in the head and jabbing a guy with an ice pick, he does nothing any average angry schmuck couldn't do. This is a truly unremarkable and shallow film.

Iron Man 2 (2010)

A Pure Masterpiece!

[10/10 · 29 April 2010]

This is, without a doubt going to be one of my top 10 movies of 2010, quite possibly the number one film. I really can't see anything that could possibly top this film. One of my favorite movie going experiences EVER. I was thrilled with Iron Man back in 2008 but this takes that experience and adds to it. I'm so happy to report that unlike other sequels made only for a cash grab, Iron Man 2 delivers on every front possible. There is no doubt why IM2 will be the box office smash of 2010. With good reason, the film is well worth the price of admission, more so then any movie I've seen in years. Director Jon Favreau has done it again, with great style and flair. The new actors are injected perfectly. Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell and even good old Garry Shandling are exceptional. We all knew Scarlett Johansson could handle the sex appeal but she's especially good as Tony's new assistant/SHIELD operative. Don Cheadle trumps Terrance Howard's Rhodey in every way. I'm also relieved to report that Robert Downey Jr. and Gwenyth Paltrow are even more amazing in their lead roles. They've really grown in to embodying these wonderful characters. What many don't realize but soon will is that this film has tremendous depth. The lead characters all respond to turmoil and are fleshed out beautifully. Judging by the commercials, people may expect wild action but they are going to be pleasantly surprised at the complexity and depth of the film itself. What only adds to the experience is the fact that they managed to deliver fun in to the equation. This masterpiece is one of those rare summer event movies that really does deliver something for everyone.

Iron Man (2008)

Delivers Intelligence & Great Acting with its Fun

[10/10 · 23 April 2008]

Rest assured, Iron Man is an absolutely amazing movie. I won't dare spoil any of this remarkable movie for you but I do recommend it as highly as I possibly can. Marvel needed to get in to the solo movie making business long ago. Instead of leasing out their characters to other studios, they're making movies themselves. Most everyone knows Iron Man is their first effort and what a great lead off film! This movie helps take the comic book genre to the highest level. Just like they did in the books, they reinvent standard epic adventure by "Marvelizing" characters and making them more believable. The Spider-Man and the X-Men movies did this to a degree but only as far as their respective studios wished to stay true to the source material. Anything added or amended was for the benefit of the live action adaptation. Director Sam Raimi pulled this off by talking to the summer crowd, not down to them with the Spider-Man series. Jon Favreau has done the same thing here but I think he's done it even better. Raimi intentionally threw in a little cheese. Favreau adds nice bits of humor but not too much. He also grounds the action and the suit of armor in firm reality. I've said it before but it's brave to reach for the highest common denominator with a big budget film and Favreau delivers a movie with as much feeling as it has action and intensity. Needless to say, Robert Downey Jr. and company deliver the goods. It's a movie that has a wonderful balance that delivers intelligence with its fun.

The amazing yet realistic action is paced by the plot and characters that keep you interested from start to finish. What absolutely blew me away were the phenomenal special effects. I know they built a practical, working armor. What I loved is the use of CGI was used to augment the real life armor and not create something from scratch. Most all CGI constructs feel fake somehow but the stuff in Iron Man didn't seem fake even for an instant. As great as everything looked, what really drives the movie is the emotional resonance and down to earth nature of the plot. Sure the concept is wild but it's all presented so that you really believe it could happen. I doubt anyone will find fault with this movie unless they went in trying to dislike it.

This is, without a doubt going to be one of my top 10 movies of 2008, quite possibly the number one film.

The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

Great Fun!

[9/10 · 23 April 2008]

If you like Kung Fu movies, this film has something for you. Even if you're Luke-warm, I think you will enjoy it as well. It features a heavy Wizard of Oz flavor but I can't say too much without entering in to spoiler territory. The Kung Fu action is as good as it gets. Would you expect anything less from these two legends of Kung Fu cinema? The first minutes of this movie really had me worried but there is no need to fear. The silly wire-fu mountaintop scene is not indicative of how the rest of the movie plays out. It unfolds remarkably well, especially given the circumstances of the plot. The storyline is fantastical but it's also smart and fun. The characters are instantly likable and probably the greatest strength of the film only behind the amazing Kung Fu action sequences and brawls. One of the few fantasy/action films where the wild action actually makes sense when the final curtain falls.

One of the most fun films of the year.

xXx: State of the Union (2005)

Dumbest Movie of the Year

[1/10 · 4 May 2005]

This movie was and is beyond awful. I understand the concept of suspension of disbelief but this trash takes place so far over the believability line that its actually an insult. A better title for xXx: State of the Union would be yYy. It's quite possibly the most horrendously ill-conceived sequel in the history of the moving image. Who knows what twists and turns lie ahead for this xXx "franchise." The whole concept has gone so far askew from the original course, it feels like one of those odd Hollywood stories wherein those most intimately involved in the project know the least.

This trash did manage to give me a very real headache though. Loud and stupid.