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Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019)
Almost worse than receiving CPR from a stinky chimpanzee
Our beloved showrunners successfully destroyed every build up, every character arch, every mistery. Every meaningful or thoughtful possible outcome were thrown out of the window, and instead of creating a shocking, surprising or sadly beautiful ending, we received a rushed mess (with dozens of plot holes) presented as the greatest production of TV history. In reality, it's just an unfinished, rushed homework written by two lazy students whose only goal was getting over this project as fast as possible.
I know, giving 1 star out of 10 doesn't change anything about the final season, but - if I want to be honest - it gives me more relief than a thousand lying wh@res...
Immortal Beloved (1994)
A huge missed opportunity...
Beethoven's life, music and unfair destiny should have been enough to create a marvelous drama. What we received is nothing, but a sticky mud, that devours every promising material, then throws them up and expects us to be amazed. This movie failed on many level and it serves as a perfect dishonorable example on the "how NOT to make a biography movie" list.
Immortal Beloved tried to capture Beethoven's legacy from the wrong aspect. During it's 2 hour run-time, it wasn't able to present Beethoven's life, personality, music, disorder, so basically anything. Being an aggressive and obnoxious prick without a reason (deafness is petty one just by itself) doesn't consider to be a comprehensive representation of the biggest composers of the 19th century.
We don't see the real reasons of his furious hate and rage towards everyone, we don't see the creating process of his music, we don't even see the phases of his deafness, nothing. The story pays way too much attention to Bethoven's love life, which is definitely not what the audience wants to see, moreover the final "twist" does not make any sense.
I wanted to see his extraordinary composing ability, the way he turns simple notes into a stunningly beautiful catchy melody. I wanted to see his fight against the undefeatable opponent that appeared in form of a sickness. I wanted to see the composer, who was able to create incredible music without hearing a single note. What did I get? A poorly written and presented love square that can't live up to the expectations of anyone, who is interested in any kind of drama. Where are the trademarks of Bethoven? Where is passion, obsession or commitment? Where the hell is music at all?
Just to be fair, there were a few things that didn't smell like rotten camelshit. Gary Oldman proved once again that he is a marvelous actor, who should get more recognition from the industry. Despite the poorly written script and his unbearable character, he delivered a great performance and he was the only one, who at least showed a spark of endeavor. It's agonizing to witness that Oldman could have brought Beethoven to life, but he didn't receive the basic support, which would have been necessary to play the role as it meant to be played. The final concert (Ode to Joy) was assembled kinda good, and the scene where he plays on piano without noticing the two unwanted spectators was a great moment as well. Unfortunately, these two scenes are just two small drops of rain in the desert of disappointment.
I do not want to be a wise-ass, but Amadeus is a much more valuable representation of a composer's life (even considering the fact that it wasn't really about Mozart). Just showing the misery of becoming deaf could have made a good movie just by itself, but they didn't take advantage of this at all. A good director with a well written script might have made something memorable of this extremely talented composer, but Immortal Beloved is clearly a failed attempt, that represents NOTHING regarding Beethoven.
Warcraft (2016)
The world of Warcraft is destined to be explored. Show us more!
As a fan, I walked out from the movie theater with satisfaction. I would definitely watch a sequel in the near future, but there are certain points that need to be improved. Duncan Jones undoubtedly stayed faithful to the roots and his commitment, passion towards this universe can be felt in every scene.
Although I have spent thousands of hours in this world, I know very less about Warcraft's history. So, it's a good thing that despite my lack of knowledge, I could easily catch up with the events and even keeping each name in mind wasn't a big deal either. The basic storyline serves as a perfect beginning for the Warcraft universe, and this movie might be the very first milestone, from which sequels can grow out and find their own places in this fantasy world.
Motion capture technology proved once again that it is able to produce REAL characters. Each orc was incredibly detailed from head to toe. Face, eyes, hair, even the smallest hair follicles on their shoulders looked beyond belief. Gears on each side were unique and creatively devised as well, I liked the appearance of Blackhand in particular, who was wearing spines with skulls attached to his shoulder.
Characters and relationships among them need some improvement. The undeveloped romance between Lothar and Garona was clearly one of the weakest point of this movie. It was built up poorly and the 180 degree turn came from nowhere. It was like: "We don't trust each other. BOOM. We love each other". Where is transition? It didn't have an arch at all, and the chemistry between them stands on shaky ground too.
Warcraft obviously has a lot more unexploited resources that (with a good care) could be used to build up a complex and diversified fantasy world. Despite some flaws and unnecessary moments Warcraft lived up to my expectations and it could be the movie that makes us forget those committed crimes against gaming industry, which were delivered by Uwe Boll. I really root for this movie and hopefully - if the box office income will satisfy producers - it will get the chance to swing higher and reveal an universe that was destined to be explored.
Whiplash (2014)
"70 Years As A Lamb Or 30 Years As A Lion?"
Is it worth it? In my opinion, this is the major question of Whiplash. How much would you sacrifice to achieve your goals? How much are you willing to pay for success? How far would you go? These questions are the reasons why Whiplash is more like a sport movie. A guy wants to be the best at something, in the beginning he fails a lot, but in the end he achieves his goals and everybody leaves the theater with a smile on the face. A well-know sample, but NOT this time!
The real brilliance of Whiplash roots from being relentlessly honest. In the end Andrew gets the acknowledgment what he so desperately wanted, and Fletcher finally finds his Charlie Parker, but both of them got damaged on the path to glory and the aftermath of their actions will be demanded later. As the credits start to roll, the viewer feels that despite his talent and dedication Andrew will end up like Fletcher's previous student. It's not like a typical happy ending and the final shot foreshadows tragedy. It's such a refreshment to see honesty and objectivity.
Drumming sequences are intense, powerful and masterfully assembled. Every shot, every second, every hit on those drums makes your heart beat faster and takes you to a level where you've never been before. The final scene earned it's place in cinematic history and showed that even a ridiculously low budget film is capable of achieving breathtaking moments.
Performances of the two major characters were outstanding. J.K. Simmons got the recognition what he rightfully deserved (in form of an Oscar) and Miles Teller easily caught up with his movie partner. The chemistry between them was well-written and flawlessly presented.
I've had only one minor problem with Whiplash: the length of the movie didn't grant enough time for it's characters to completely unfold. It should have spared more time on it's character's development. Yes, we see the motivations on each side, but a little more depth - to understand their actions - would have been great.
It can't be denied, that Whiplash is a very unique film that genuinely presents how much does it cost to be the best at something. The path of success is made of blood, sweat, tears and self-destruction, so Damien Chazelle leaves the decision to the audience: "70 Years As A Lamb Or 30 Years As A Lion?"
Amadeus (1984)
"A Tale Of Obsession"
Before Amadeus, i haven't seen a single movie from Milos Forman, but now i'm convinced that i need to catch with his previous works. If you're responsive to personal tragedies, then this movie will leave an impression on you.
What's the true brilliance of Amadeus? There was no battle, duel, or any kind of marvelous chase, but some scenes radiated more energy and tension than the final battle of Avatar. This is where you witness the directing skills of Mr. Forman. He was able to create epic scenes with the simplest tools. For example, the scene where Salieri reads Mozart's compositions occupies a prominent place in the hall of extraordinary movie moments.
Every character was prepared with meticulous care, even the seemingly insignificant imperial counselors formed separable individuals. A simple word or a tiny gesture was completely enough to figure out their personality. Portrayal of the emperor was another great implementation. He always wanted to appear educated and smart, but he couldn't even make a single statement without his crew". Tom Hulce's Mozart was clearly a new approach. It helped to build up the story, and served as a perfect symbol of divine injustice. However, everyone's performance was dwarfed by F. Murray Abraham. I've never seen anyone who is capable of expressing amazement and hatred at the same time. He was balancing on this imaginable thin line through his facial expressions so well. Not a single word was necessary to see inside his head and understand his feelings. A very complex and well-built character with a sad and unfair destiny.
Each concert ensures opportunities for the music to prevail and presents the real beauty of classical music. During these shows you can actually feel energy that flows through your body. These passionate composers are in love with music, and this obsession is a curse and a gift at the same time. However, the music was just the frame that ensured a breeding ground for the conflict to unfold. Forman could have presented a rivalry between two carpenter, and it would have made sense too.
Those who keep complaining about the historical inaccuracy didn't get the point. Amadeus's goal is not to be a tribute to Mozart, but to be a tribute to the people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time". You can work your ass off, but at a certain level, work can't beat talent. Salieri was clearly the Patron Saint of Mediocrity". During a lifetime everyone feels at least once what it feels like to be mediocre (at something where you want to be the best), and Salieri's personal tragedy is a base that people can identify with. However, talent can't stand on it's own. We witness that total lack of respect always leads to self destruction. Mozart's passion for music was visible, but humility can't be replaced by talent. Talent vs. Commitment. Mozart had, what was missing from Salieri, and Salieri had what was missing from Mozart. The perfect combination would be the mix of these two, but the world doesn't work like this.
At some points, it settled down a little bit, but it only lasted a few minutes, which is nothing compared to the length of the movie. It's definitely up there on my top movies list. Even those can appreciate Amadeus, who don't consider themselves a classical music fan.
Game of Thrones (2011)
This decade might be the renaissance of TV shows
In my opinion, Game Of Thrones has 3 major points that are responsible for the show's success.
1. Creating and exploring a whole new fantasy world
George R.R. Martin dreamed and the showrunners created a complex and diverse universe. The medieval atmosphere serves as a perfect base and fantasy elements were integrated into the events masterfully. The politics of Westeros seems to be real and this huge world ensures inexhaustible resources, like: interrelated connections, family feuds, references to past events, different fractions, duels and battles, legends and beliefs, religious sects, mythical creatures and so on.
2. There are no unequivocal characters
We receive complex and multifaceted individuals from different social classes with different goals. Some of them have the power to achieve whatever they want, others can't even reach the simplest desires. Social inequality does exist and power relations change constantly. Characters fall from grace, others rise from the dirt and this insecurity leads to unpredictable events. We can't be really sure what's gonna happen next. Smaller events sometimes evolve into the central storyline, so some actions that seem insignificant may have an aftermath later.
3. Outstanding verbal duels/ the weight of words
Most of the scenes are basically conversations between characters in different places, but the incredibly talented actors and actresses are capable of maintaining (our) attention with well written dialogues. It makes time flow like a river. The show reflects genuinely on the consequences of verbal abuses. We witness fellowships and relationships vanish within seconds just by verbal communication. Many characters took an insult too far, and sometimes a few words proved to be the main reason for war. It's interesting to watch friends becoming arch enemies and enemies becoming allies.
All in all, Game Of Thrones ensures qualitative entertainment for everyone and i'm pretty sure this series is a huge milestone in TV show history.
Up (2009)
A touching tale with a strong underlying message
Pixar laid the foundation of passionate animated film-making. This company clearly knows how to communicate with the audience and they have become experts in creating intelligent and multi-faceted movies. What makes their movies unique is the fact that they are able to entertain different ages with different tools. Furthermore, they always smuggle some sort of moral message into their films. From year to year they raised the bar and after Wall-e i wasn't sure they can make another animated miracle. They did.
The story was wondrous and imaginative at the same time. From the beginning till the end it completely captivated me and every event was spiced with an indescribable charm. The creators divorced from reality and they approached Up from another direction. A year earlier, the story of Wall-e tried to stick to reality, but now the main focus was on creating a some sort of tale image. I felt like i am reading a tale to my kids and that's the evidence of success.
Without doubt characters are the highlights of the show. Our two main hero are unique in their own way and they earned my sympathy pretty quickly. The bond that slowly grew between Carl and Russel was well structured and watching their relationship was a heartwarming feeling.
Carl was a quite and shy boy during his childhood, but the appearance of Ellie in his life gave a completely new meaning to everything. They perfectly completed each other and this proved to be the key of a lifelong relationship. We see their love story from the beginning till the end, even (for us) it only lasts a few minutes. This short montage is the perfect example of Pixar's success, they can picture emotions very gently with moments that don't require dialogs at all.
Enough hint was given to understand Russel's passion about the whole wilderness explorer thing. Child of divorced parents, a father who is too busy to be a part of his son's life, a kid who would like to have more attention and recognition from his father. He desperately tries to find a connection, a common point. A well-know sample, but it works.
Even the villain's actions were reasonable and understandable. A man who was tossed out by the explorer society looking for a chance to earn his respect back. An insuppressible rage that slowly consumed him and made him "blind". This huge obsession and the many years of loneliness affect his mind and made him what he is.
Without doubt my personal favorite was Doug. Besides Russel he was responsible for the most fun. He wasn't tried to be funny, but whatever he said always ended in something hilarious or cute. Even the fact, that creators tried to imagine what thoughts a dog may have was a brave and smart move.
As usual, both sides (kids and adults) receive the perfect amount of fun. The chemistry between the characters ensures funny situations and many other things (e.g.: dogs as assistants) serve as a great source of humor as well. My favorite line was: "We're gonna walk to the falls quickly and quietly with no rap music or flash dancing", but the "smail mailman" description was also hilarious and creative at the same time.
There is no Pixar movie without some moral message, this is their strongest feature and during the years they were able to develop this skill to perfection. The best thing is that Pixar doesn't directly throw these messages in your face. These are hidden among the events and can only be felt in tiny manifestations. This time, we face the importance of moving forward and finding a new purpose. This is a very important lesson that many people ignore to realize or refuse to face.
A movie's ending is always a critical point, closing can add or take away from the overall experience. Up handled this point very well. The moral message unfolds here, the final scene reminds us how important to move on and you must let new things happen to you. I am so thankful that i live in an era where smart and talented people are capable of dreaming and creating such beautiful and heartwarming movies like this.
21 Grams (2003)
A powerful and thoughtful drama
If i have to sum up 21 Grams, i would say: it's very human. It is able to authentically represent human features, feelings and every character has a reason to sympathize with. We witness 3 fates which are inexplicably connected with each other. Each storyline is tragic in its own way, they may originate from different sources but tragedy is the main element that all of them have in common.
In this case, the nonlinear narrative works very well. In spite of it's length, the movie is capable of maintaining interest from the beginning till the end. Jumping back and forth in time can be confusing in the first 20 minutes but those who pay attention will see the relations and presume the whole image. Furthermore, this technique has the ability to avoid boring and long-drawn moments (because of the shortness of the scenes).
There's not much to talk about the story. The plot is basically the frame and it's main purpose to ensure a "breeding ground" for human emotions and relationships, it did it well. The 3 basic story lines are logically connected with each other and this is the evidence of a well constructed story. However, we receive only small pieces of information about each character, so the final outcome still remains unknown.
There is no typical good or bad which makes each character very human. Their actions are reasonable and understandable, there is cause- effect relationship behind every act. All of them have positive and negative features as well, so everyone has the chance to find a character that he/she can identify with.
21 Grams deals with global and common subjects like : loss of a beloved person, seeking redemption, overwhelmed by anger which leads to revenge, power of regret, an old injury from the past, faith as the key to salvation etc. It visualizes many well-known positive and negative human features which authentically came through thanks to outstanding actors.
In the end we all have to face Death sooner or later, it's just a matter of time. This topic raises questions like : Where does life begin and where does it end? What will happen after death? Is there anything? 21 Grams ended with an unanswered question and Iñárritu entrust the decision to the audience. This final scene makes us think and wonder... What is out there?
Jurassic World (2015)
A good blockbuster without the real Jurassic essence
Maybe the first Jurassic Park became so much an essence to me that nothing else can cross this imaginable border. This movie is good, but after the first view i felt some sort of disappointment. Even after 3 days it was hard to tell what is the missing element. There were 3 main points that i was expecting to see:
1. Bigger amount of Dinosaurs
2. Some sort of horror elements / tension building
3. References
These were the major priorities (for me) and all of them were delivered, but in the end something was missing. The first Jurassic Park had a special power, it's simple existence made it more than just another blockbuster. It was made with passion and commitment in an era where profit was not THE major priority. This movie is a good blockbuster with dinosaurs, but it isn't really worthy of the "Jurassic" name. If i have to sum up my thoughts about Jurassic World in one sentence, i would say : It could not grab me and drag into it's own world.
Visually Jurassic World is good, but nothing more. High quality and detailed special effects became basic requirements in the 21st century (especially in a blockbuster like this). The low use of practical effects can be felt and CGI clearly dominated most of the scenes.
The story from the early trailer seemed to be unimaginative and weak. However, if we examine today's demanding society and the expectations of 21st century we may see the reason and purpose behind the decision of creating a completely new dinosaur. The plot is not revolutionary, but it is still way better than the previous ones.
Some sort of moral message was brought back (about the "God complex" scientists), but the incredibly annoying characters (exception: Chris Pratt) were not capable of engaging in an interesting discussion. Example: In the first Jurassic Park there was a "lunch scene" where characters had a chance to mull over and argue about the resurrection of dinosaurs. This was a perfect environment for topics like: scientists who want to play God again, what the nature sentenced to extinction should not be bothered, Is it possible for mankind to live with nature peacefully? etc. In this case, there are plenty of characters to represent each side, but most of the dialogs are weightless and pointless.
The whole "world" title is well deserved. Many things were actually presented to the audience which helped me to feel that this facility runs effectively more than a decade and everything has an own function and a purpose. Another good point was the interactive games for kids which is an effective teaching method. The creative use of holograms added some futuristic, high-tech feeling and i really liked the idea of gyrosphere which allowed the visitors to take a closer look. By the way, it is completely nonsense if we are talking about security.
There were plenty of references and thankfully they were not too direct. Horror elements appeared more than once and this added some extra value to the overall. The only small disadvantage was the lack of bad weather. Here's the thing: In the first movie the T-Rex scene worked so well because every small detail were there to build up the tension and the weather was a main element as well. Raining, thunder, lightning, all these elements visually helped the thrill to culminate.
The weakest point of the movie is the characters. The only positive exception was Chris Pratt. After Guardians Of The Galaxy his career started to rise and these types of roles suit him very well. In the beginning, Claire tried to represent a strong, independent woman, but after 30 minutes she completely turned into a shaky bush. Seriously, she was trembling all the time, even in situations where she was pretty far from any danger. I guess, she tried to show the power of fear, but she didn't know how to do it genuinely. Not even mentioning the high heels... Kids were even worse. The younger brother (at least) tried to show some spark of interest, but the older one was clearly a disaster. He was staring at girls and did nothing. It happened not even once! What the hell were those moments?! Why? It was a completely unreasonable and unnecessary move. Irrfan Khan who played the owner tried to be similar to John Hammond, but he couldn't handle this job well.
Retracing the footsteps of the "big brother" is always a huge task. We might have had too high expectations. We wanted to see something new and something similar at the same time. I can not blame Colin Trevorrow, he had a very tough mission and he really tried to meet the demands of the fans. All in all, this is a good movie to watch. Unfortunately, those who have seen the first groundbreaking movie this is just a hard-working attempt which won't be another milestone in the Jurassic Park universe.
Pacific Rim (2013)
My request: more action or less talk in the sequel
When the first trailer came out it was quite obvious what to expect. It convinced me that Pacific Rim will be an action packed blockbuster which doesn't want to take itself too seriously. It's one and only goal is to be entertaining. I was okay with that and said: bring it on!
Visually this movie is unexceptional, there is no question. Even Michael Bay would hide behind his render farm because Autobots and Decepticons are just the shadow of these giant Jaegers. Well choreographed fights are the top of the cake. Every move, every punch was clearly visible and this made encounters more enjoyable. My eyes could follow every epic second and i was able to tell who fought with what, unlike many fight scenes in Transformers.
Besides the stunning visuals the movie has some other good points. Del Toro has a great sense to create original and unique worlds by using set design and practical effects. Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth are the perfect examples for that. In this case, he had less chance to shine his talent because most of the scenes were dominated by special effects. In spite of this, he could smuggle some of his trademark into the events which made those look more existing. Many object and place were practically made and this helped to balance the high use of CGI. For instance, the Kaiju's parts in those huge containers or the internal space of a Jaeger's head (the control panel for the pilots) were actually built. Moreover, the set design looked not just outstanding but also effectively functioning.
The exposition part was great, enough information was given and it built up the upcoming events very well. The two pilot system was reasonable and creative, such as the idea of the "drift" which served as a strong bond to control machines.
There are two reasons why i gave this title 7 instead of 8. Firstly, the "characters". I wasn't expecting deep or multidimensional characters but what i received is clearly below the line. Rinko Kikuchi was so terrible she could easily win an award for the most annoying character of the year. The others were average or even worse, the only positive exception was Ron Perlman, his manifestations were the only highlights of dialogs.
The second problem was the relatively few action scenes compared to the length of the movie. The first 15 minutes met my expectations, it made me stunned and amazed at the same time. Unfortunately, after the first encounter nothing happened for an hour. Instead of more action we received more irrelevant dialogs and clichés backstories which was a unreasonable move. The running time could bear more action or less talk...
In the very end i got what i wanted but it couldn't cause that complete satisfaction i was looking for. All in all, it is what it looks like. Brainless epic fights are guaranteed, just the right amount of them are missing. However, i will definitely watch the sequel as well.
The Last of Us (2013)
An experience you will never forget
Just for the record,I am totally not interested in movies,series,games which include zombies in any kind of ways and probably without the insanely positive reviews i would have never tried The Last Of Us. Holy Cow... I would have missed the biggest gaming experience ever. There are thousand topic to talk about, in my review i would like to focus on those things which made me absolutely stunned and keep me still thinking.
Atmosphere is the key. I have never felt anything like this. Representation of the post-apocalyptic future is insanely realistic, it can grab the player and drag into it's own depressing world. If i have to compare this with something else i would say the movie called: The Road. Those who have seen this film may understand what i am saying.
Those mixed feelings that carried me through the whole game is hard to describe. Fear, desperation, exhaustion, anxiety are just a few to mention. Naughty dog used every available tools to create a realistic environment and they were capable of presenting these emotions through the screen very well. Every event made my actions pointless, we fight and live from day to day, from hour to hour, from minute to minute. I totally forgot the fact that i'm playing with a video game.
The will to survive is the strongest feature of human nature. This was the most interesting topic (for me) that came up during the gameplay. How far can a man go to save himself or a beloved person? What have the human race become? Is there a chance to build up an effectively functioning society (again)? After an apocalypse the value of human life should be appreciated more but we have to face the relentless truth that the world became even more cruel.
As far as i'm concerned the two main hero are the best fictional characters ever created. I am not even able to bring up another example or find something else to compare. I treated them like real people and this is the most prestigious achievement a game can accomplish.
Ellie is a young, spirited girl who was born into this ruthless world which taught her how to look after herself. Joel is a long- time survivor who wants to escape from his past, he does everything to get rid of his memories but those still keeps haunting him. Joel's motivation progressively changed and in the end it made a 180 degree turn. His character development was the most impressing, his actions were reasonable and understandable.
The small things gave another positive impulse to the game, some discussions between Joel and Ellie during the gameplay added some extra value to the overall. Days before the disease is one major topic that often came up and helped me to feel attracted. Ellie was born after the apocalypse and for this reason she does not know or barely know simple things like: movies, hotels or what was the everyday life of a girl back then. These scenes add even more seriousness to the whole image. It makes you really appreciate your life, when you are unhappy or unsatisfied with something, remember how easily things can slip out from your hands.
Sometimes i totally got lost in the details. Each abandoned homes on the countryside had an own "untold" story. A perfect example for this is a boy's diary which can be found in one of the houses you go through. Empty rooms, broken windows, pictures on the wall, all these "visual ingredients" served their purpose very well.
There are a lot more elements (graphics, gameplay,music,story,multi-player etc.) i haven't even talked about but believe me, ALL of them were developed to perfection.
Naughty Dog showed the world that video game industry can create a valuable story with outstanding characters. No other games could drag me into it's own world and keep me there for so long. It is a big statement from a person who is totally neutral with the whole zombie genre.
After this, i might give a chance to The Walking Dead...
Argo 2 (2015)
Here we come Malibu!
First of all, Argo 2 is clearly not for everyone, not everybody can appreciate this sort of redneck and moron behavior. There are people who may not like this type of humor and that's can be the reason of displeasure. This is a fact and it must be accepted. I'm not one of them.
I absolutely loved the first movie and the idea of a sequel made me excited. With a bigger budget, they had the chance to generate an intensive marketing and grab more people's attention.
It's pretty obvious that Argo 2 doesn't want to take itself too seriously. I wasn't expecting a complex or revolutionary story, because in this case that's not the major priority. The plot is just the frame and it's only purpose to cause funny and absurd situations. There are indeed plenty of funny moments and action scenes are much more spectacular. They were shooting at different locations which was a pleasant surprise and it added some extra value to the overall.
The characters are still funny as hell, they might have brought back the exact same performance (what we witnessed in the first Argo), but that's what we need. The idea of the lack of knowledge in modern technology was a great causer of awkward situations, but they didn't take full advantage of this. A lot of great opportunity were missed, instead of more swearing they could have invested more time in creating situational comedy.
There were some movie references - which could have been a good idea - but the implementation of these was too direct. These moments must have been carefully added to the events, sometimes i felt that they tried to throw these in my face: "Look! A reference!". Translation of some old catchphrases to Hungarian would have been a better choice (maybe).
There were definitely too much swearing in some scenes. I know, i know, this became the main essence of the first movie and it was quite obvious to hear even more in this one. In my opinion, sometimes less is more. Hungarian language is famous for the wide variety of swear words, they should have used this advantage and add more flashy or twisted words to avoid monotony.
As far as i'm concerned the first Argo was a bit better, but this is also a good one. All in all, it is an action packed, funny and entertaining movie. In the last few years Hungarian movies started to shine and Argo 2 joined this positive "uprising".
Unfortunately this was the last movie of Lukács Bicskey, who brought us the unforgettable Psycho. His memory will live on with his legacy, Rest In Peace.
Interstellar (2014)
Dealing with Sociology and Philosophy
I've had high expectations, marketing was intense and the Nolan's previous movies made a lot of people hypnotized. Everyone keeps arguing about the scientific inaccuracies, unimaginative story or the confusing ending. These people have missed the major message. Almost everything has been mentioned already, so i am going to review this title from another aspect. This summary contains my thoughts and ideas about topics that came up in Interstellar.
I can not be the only one who likes to philosophize about life's big questions. What is the purpose of humanity? Is our existence, our life, nothing but a random event? Is there intelligent life in the universe? Do we have a chance to avoid the extinction? etc. Interstellar is unique because it deals with global and complex topics, moreover it has the ability to come up with interesting thoughts featuring the human nature. Nolan payed attention to bring up philosophical and social topics, which were integrated into the events very well. Just to mention a few:
Philosophical side:
Destruction of Earth -> Possible ways to find a livable planet. Is Mankind worthy to be saved? Can we learn from our previous mistakes? Do we deserve another planet, another chance?
A complete restart for Mankind -> Human race may become rotten and we should start all over again. Brand and Cooper start to build a new home as the first humans which can be an Adam and Eve comprehension.
Presentation of the outer space which is the true heart of darkness - > How huge and scary it can be - "Milimeters of aluminum, that's it, and then nothing out there for millions of miles won't kill us in seconds."
The extinction of humanity -> Is it inevitable? What are the possibilities?
Social side:
Human vs. Humanity -> The importance of a human being or the importance of the human race. Is it possible for a person to rate the existence of humanity above his/her own life? Would he/she be able to sacrifice him/herself in favor of saving humanity? What is the priority? How would you decide?
Are humans inherently selfish? John Lithgow's character made a statement: "Every last one of them trying to have it all". Well said and we have to face it, it is true. People keep fighting for their own good and nothing else matters. We always want more and more, nothing is enough. With this attitude we may not be worthy to live longer, to find another planet. Can this kind of behavior change for once and for all?
There were a lot of really good quotes which pointed at these major things. My personal favorite : "We must think not as individuals but as a species". A perfect reference to the human vs. humanity dilemma.
Nolan was capable to come up with topic like these and he gave us characters to represent each side. For instance, if we examine the motivations of Professor Brand and Dr. Mann we will see that they are the reflection of each other. Brand lied to save humanity, Mann lied to save himself. Their actions root from different motivation but both of the acts come from selfishness, Brand betrayed those who believed in him, Mann betrayed mankind.
It is not perfect but it was created for a greater good and that's what counts. I have seen a lot movies but neither of them could come up so many meaningful topics and besides can be entertaining from the first minute to the last. After watching this, you will have the chance to dive deep into an interesting conversation and mull over with those who are truly interested in these things.
Jurassic Park (1993)
A dream came true
I have seen Jurassic Park so many times and every occasion made me love this movie even more. It is a timeless classic which was made with heart. Spielberg created this movie with commitment and passion, he wanted a dream come true, a dream of so many kids who are in love with dinosaurs. In that era profit was not the major priority unlike nowadays.
Jurassic Park's visuals are still amazing, even after 22 years it could stand its ground. Back in those days CGI was revolutionary but the high use of practical effect is the main reason of greatness. Sound effects are also outstanding, everyone can recognize T-Rex's roar which can be awesome and scary at the same time.
Spielberg added horror elements as well, this made some movie scenes even more intense and terrifying. Without doubt the T-Rex scene is the perfect example for this. He perfectly built up the tension and let the thrill culminate, with this technique he created one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history.
Besides being a great movie it is able to come up with meaningful thoughts about re-creation. Characters were put into situations where they have a chance to mull over and argue about the resurrection of dinosaurs. This is a perfect environment for topics like: scientists who want to play God again, what the nature sentenced to extinction should not be bothered, Is it possible for mankind to live with nature peacefully? etc. There are plenty of characters to represent each side and they have enough time to engage in an interesting discussion.
Sam Niel was an excellent choice for the role of Alan Grant. Laura Dern was also great and Richard Attenborough played the dreamer well who can't accept failure. The presentation of Hammond and Malcolm sometimes looked like a Yin-Yang to me (the color of their clothes were the evidence for that). Without doubt the highlight was Jeff Goldblum. Some of his quotes still appear in my everyday life. Kids were also lovely which is a big statement if we try to compare them with today's child actors.
John Williams does not need an introduction, he is a mastermind. Music completely harmonized with scenes and the main theme gives me goosebumps every time. After Star Wars and Indiana Jones he was able to create a completely different catchy melody.
It is not just a blockbuster, Spielberg created something unique which is able to overarch ages and entertain different generations.
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
Funny, entertaining, creative and smart.
I can barely name any other animated movie which was so entertaining like this one, from the first minute to the last it was a non-stop adventure. It could totally drag me into it's own unimaginable world and i often found myself smiling like a child.
The two main character were lovable and funny. Peabody with his inside jokes made some of the conversations even more funnier and Sherman with his harmless and joyful personality added some extra value to the overall experience.
Travelling through the centuries was creative and historical events were integrated into the storyline very well. Historical figures were the highlights of the show. My personal favorite was Agamemnon who liked to share some backstories about his fellow army members, but the circumstances of creating the Mona Lisa were also hilarious and smart.
Besides being entertaining, the movie is able to come up with some well known historical events and presents them in a humorous way. Talking about historical accuracy is simply unnecessary, happenings and related facts fill out the story perfectly.
I could even find a small moral message about being good and obedient all the time. Following the rules is an important part of life but sometimes you need to step out from your comfort zone and do some crazy things to be alive.
The animation (at some points) is the the only thing i can mention as a small disadvantage. The characters looked great but some elements and things in the background seemed to suffer from lack of details. This might not have a deep influence but i thought to mention in favor of completeness.
This is a perfect example of entertaining kids and adults at the same time, furthermore i think that most of the jokes from the characters and historical figures may only be recognized by older generation.
All in all, this is the perfect choice for a family to watch and if there is any chance of this movie getting a sequel i would buy my ticket immediately.
Generation Iron (2013)
Good but it could have been better
I have been training since 2009 and during these years i have gained a lot information about bodybuilding. How to train, what to eat, what supplements to use etc. The movie is mostly honest, it mentions how important to train hard, how important to follow a proper diet, how important to visualize and it finally talks about steroids. However the answer for the BIGGEST question still remains unanswered.
Why is it worth it? Branch said during an interview: "It's all worth it." They just keep saying this well known sentence but there is nothing behind the words. Why are these people working out? What is their motivation? What helps them to move on? How do they overcome the hardest situations? What sacrifices do they have to make? How do they manage their time? etc.
They talk about dedication and passion but they don't expand their thoughts. They should have explained this very carefully to the skeptical audience, who view this sport from only one direction. As far as i'm concerned Mike Pulcinella's "Day in the life of Kai Greene" is a perfect example of creating an accurate documentary which achieved so much more with a lower budget.
Some previous Mr.Olympia were interviewed but unfortunately their screen time were less than 5 minutes. It was a bit disappointment because Jay, Ronnie or Arnold would have deserved more time.
The competition between Kai and Phil is implemented to the screen very well and it is funny to watch them in the beginning of their rivalry. They used the same pattern from Pumping Iron, Phil was the confident champion who shows no sign of fear and Kai was the underdog who does everything to knock out the current king from his throne.
Narration of Ricky Rourke in the first 10 minutes was a bit weird but later i got used to it and it filled out the empty space.
Visually the movie is unexceptionable, photography and cinematography were flawless, editing was great, music absolutely harmonized with happenings and every minute was the evidence of professionalism.
In spite of the missed message it is a great documentary to watch, however the target audience (bodybuilding fans) will be the only one who can appreciate this attempt.
Fast & Furious 7 (2015)
Absolutely ridiculous but still entertaining.
Let's face it, this movie is popular because of three things: cars,chicks and action. Other major elements like script,story,acting,logic are completely missing.
If you can accept this fact and overcome the lack of reality you will have a great time. As far as i'm concerned it is an entertaining, action packed and sometimes funny movie. Most of us know what to expect, so i would like to mention two major problems which made this movie less enjoyable than the previous ones.
The biggest problem was the Deja Vu effect. There was a feeling that carried me through the whole movie. I have seen this before and this time they couldn't convince me with stunning moments and spectacular actions. Every moment imitated moments from the previous 3 movies. Every dialogue, every scene summoned elements that i have seen already. It is hard to describe this feeling but it definitely can't be unseen. It ripped off literally everything from itself.
The total lack of reality is the other big problem. I know, i know. It is perfectly unnecessary to come up with a thing like this in this case. There is a border of tolerance and after a certain amount of stupidity it can not be ignored anymore. We may call this the Bullsh*t-Meter. My brain can consume 100 bullsh*t/Fast and Furious movie. Once it steps over the line i can not take it anymore. This movie established a new record with infinite number of nonsense.
The characters are still racist but after 6 movies i get used to it. However I could barely endure the simple existence of Tyrese Gibson. He wanted to be funny all the time but whatever he said always ended in awkwardness.
Action scenes are still amazing and intense, cars still look fabulous, chicks wear even less clothes ... soooo... basically thats it. It is an average action movie with literally nothing else to offer.
It is not a bad movie but i do not know what crazy stunts are they going to do in the next one. Maybe Vin Diesel will fight with King Kong on a ship which slides down from the Mount Everest! Who knows?
The Imitation Game (2014)
Another face of the war
This was one of the most anticipated movies in the Oscar season and it fulfilled my expectations but nothing more. Don't get me wrong, as the credits started to roll i felt satisfaction but something was missing.
Benedict Cumberbatch brings a great performance, he played the genius very well who sometimes struggles with stutter and cruelly tells what he thinks, even so with this attitude he often becomes the hated person in the team.
Keira Knightley was not bad either but she could not convince me she is a genius, despite of the fact that she was dressed in unfavorable clothes. The others could not get so much attention but they also delivered the expected.
I've only had one bigger problem. Actually, i totally lost the interest in the last 15 minutes of the movie, as soon as the main focus (cracking the enigma code) was successfully accomplished the story started to concentrate more on Alan Turing's homosexuality. It broke the interesting storyline and from there it became boring and slow. Until that point the movie was an entertaining thriller with a small amount of drama but at the very end it completely turned into a drama which has no more time to expand. Just for the record ,the real acting challenge for Cumberbatch started from there and he nailed it very well.
The movie wanted to be a thriller, drama and biography at the same time the but it could not manage it's own time and forgot to share the focus between these 3 genres. Because of this the overall picture became unbalanced.
It is hard to tell what more i wanted, maybe a big twist in the end or a really powerful moment during the interrogation scene could make the movie more memorable.
All in all, this is a very demanding movie which can easily entertain different ages and meanwhile able to share interesting facts about another face of the war.
Beyond: Two Souls (2013)
Pure Gold
Beyond: two souls is an emotional journey with an unique story.
First of all, the graphics were more than amazing but (in my opinion) the game's set design was the main reason of excellence. Everything was so detailed and because of the diversified locations (desert, forest, underwater base, futuristic headquarters etc.) the gameplay does not become monotonous.
The motion capture technology came so far, the eyes were the most impressing for me, they were filled with life, i could watch them for long minutes. Even the tears were incredibly realistic and the face expressions delivered emotions very well. It must be extremely difficult to play a role (especially in a game based on emotions)with motion capture, where strong imagination becomes a basic requirement.
Ellen Page brings an outstanding performance, you could easily tell that she did everything to identify with her character. Willem Dafoe was also great, his character's change was reasonable, only his transformation happened too fast in the end.
The music fits the game perfectly, Lorne Balfe created another masterpiece and I'm pretty sure Hans Zimmer also took a huge part as a producer.
The bond between Jodie and Aiden was imaginative and well portrayed , especially the purple wire between them as a symbol of the umbilical cord (which caused the fatal accident).
The Story from the beginning till the end was exciting,every chapter had an own unique environment which made the gameplay flow like a river.
I've had some minor problems but they did not affect the overall experience. I gave this a 10/10 because only a few movies could deliver emotions so well and even less game achieved this goal successfully.
Highly recommended for every Play Station 3 owner.