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guntherguy
Reviews
Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness (2021)
Trimmed Down but full of Potential
Full Disclosure: Huge RE fan.
While the review says 8, I would say more 7.5 but didn't want to round down because I do believe it's worth a watch for fans. This being said, someone who is new to the universe will most likely be lost and the various hints to the broader story won't have any affect.
While we get a solid story filling in the gap between 4 and 5, it's safe to say that there just is not enough. The pacing is lightning fast and characters suffer from underdevelopment apart from Leon and Clair (staples of the franchise). However, it's great fun and shows every bit of Resident Evil goodness trimmed into a 4 episode miniseries that I hop goes on to a second season ending in RE5. Stylish in presentation with great CGI (although two scenes stood out to have odd voice sync) gives us all the gory details and interesting set pieces. The only thing that really bugged me was that brisk pace and a story that could've really blown the mark away had it been given 6 or so episodes instead of 4 to really give some more context and character development and allow all the beats to carry the weight they needed to really hit it out of the park. Overall, a solid watch that will be a fun time for fans, and a bit of a head scratcher for casual viewers unfamiliar with the franchise.
Justice League (2017)
Honestly!
There was a lot of differing opinion around this movie ranging from excellent to terrible and I can see both sides. Honestly, I believe it's a great movie that shows it's flaws but wears them on its sleeves.
Good: Ben Afflecks' Batman is always a highlight and brings to life the older and grittier Batman I never knew a cinematic movie needed. Gal Gadot is now a staple of DC and is very enjoyable, really that can be said for the entire cast of memorable portrayals. The story is actually very nicely thought through and does a good job of setting up this version of the Justice League- if only we could see the stand-alone movies starring the Flash and Cyborg. We get very solid character interactions and some great development from key players that deepen their characters for sure. Most of the vfx are immersive and work incredibly well with the shape and feel of the narrative while being very convincing in execution, honestly there's a lot to love about Justice League
Bad: First-off is the reshoots helmed by Whedon - who thought of bringing back an actor late in development from another movie and rendering the hardest part of anatomy? Steppenwolf is a bit one-note and really is a big cgi villain. The Unity aspect should not be a terraformer, but the key to bringing Darkseid onto our world, this would've set up the next movie (if only) and back up the characters name drop early in and made it meaningful. Some pacing may be a bit brisk in some places and could have done with a better transition into the more intimate character moments.
I hope this helps with explaining a lot about this movie and lay out why I feel it deserves better, unfortunately it seems as though another Justice League is off the table for a while, but for now we have a perfectly watchable and very solid film to sit and enjoy!
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Seriously Thrilling, a Total Epic
This movie is the Godzilla movie that western audiences will go crazy for. The scope of this film is incredible, towering behemoths are perfectly foiled next to the ensemble of tiny humans just getting caught up the fight. The pacing keeps up just fast enough for the massive fights to ensue in what must be the most satisfying minute-to-minute experience I've seen this year, and the action is skillfully shot and executed. Whoever did the special effects brought the A-game here, with all the destruction and giant brawls, it's nice to see that no one appears to be running away from a digital creation. However, I will have to take away a point for the story, while I actually thought it was well executed, it is where the movie tends to have its slower paced portions and still feels secondary compared to the larger narrative of "let's get Godzilla to earn the King of the Monsters title." Love it for what it is and don't be let down by the characters, the acting is definitely good and if you go in looking for some Shakespearean master craft, you won't have fun; and fun is what this movie is, big, lizardy, fun!
Shin Gojira (2016)
Blending the Old with the New
Excellent movie, one that truly shows how different the Japanese vision of Godzilla is compared to the western counterparts. This movie may not be for everyone due to its very different structure and style, but for those who love Godzilla and his many incarnations, this is as pure as the original rendition. In this film, Godzilla is sinister; not a neutral hero, a pure villain and it shows. With a new design that is grotesque and eerie, we once again see the statement piece that Godzilla was when he originally debuted. Sharp visuals and incredible special effects create the most terrifying creature we've seen and while I do you think that the narrative may be different in the eyes of western viewers, this iteration is a testament to how Godzilla came about, his role in our world, And what an excellent Godzilla film could and should be.
The Defenders (2017)
Great show yet held down by some details
The Defenders is a show with an excellent premise: ground level heroes coming together to stop an Avengers level threat. Well, with the likes of the powerful Iron Fist, terrifying and inspiring Daredevil, immovable Luke Cage, and wisecracking P.I Jessica Jones, this show seemed like a smash hit and a guaranteed darling in the eyes of the public. Now, this is a truly good cast of comic characters who have each received the Netflix treatment with the two high points being Daredevil and Jessica Jones while Luke Cage's outing was held down by certain issues and Iron Fist's being an okay but overall lackluster romp.
The Defenders is a show that suffers from a plot that is trimmed down and bare to the core with the main antagonists (the Hand) having such a clear motive that it feels a little boring and ultimately serves as a backdrop to let the main antagonists flourish. This in actually works as we get to see Sigourney Weaver take hold and the subsequent fingers of the Hand express who they are, unfortunately, they are rather simple as their goals can only be stretched so far as their organization will let them. The main casts of heroes however make up for these issues with excellent performances. Charlie Cox plays a stunning reluctant hero who gradually comes to rely on the others as the plot thickens, Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones always seems to deliver her lines in a fashion that is hard and callous just as the comic counterpart should and is truly entertaining, Mike Colter has a stoic demeanor with a reserved and poignant delivery, and of course Finn Jones who has had a troubled history with his character. Jones does better here, being more diverse in offerings and having a better set of dialogue than his show seemed to offer; the character comes off as a better hero and a better character although undoubtedly he'll be a low point for people who did not like Iron Fist (I am not one of those people).
The series has its core together, although I can't help but to think this could've benefited from more episodes to help flesh out everything and invested the audience more. It's great and worth the watch, but remember to see it for a fun action series with some great comic book action. In the end, some people might lose sight of that!
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
Stop what you are doing and watch this gem!!!!!
Let me start this by saying that it is beautiful, just beautiful! The acting is superb, Boyega being my absolute favorite if the cast. Spot on dialogue (one scene on Jakku being the exception). Perfect mix of comedy, drama, lore, and complexity that the Star Wars universe is renown for. The plot was structured like A New Hope which is fine by me and I think every Star Wars fan will find nostalgia in its well fleshed out and stellar plot. The First Order lead by three new antagonists feels like a force to be reckoned with and Boyega is great at conveying those emotions (not that their actions throughout convey any less). All in all, I would watch this movie every day if given the choice and will view it many many times in the theater because it would be a shame not too. Do yourself the favor if a lifetime and watch this masterpiece of modern cinematography!