spiffytee Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 awesome, look forward to reading what you think of those.. oh yes, forgot to mention frankenweiner - so sad... that i didn't have any moments of remote interest. at least brave was better. sad, sad, sad but what was i expecting, sweeny todd? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 Yeah, the reviews on Frankenweenie were pretty meh, so I stayed away from it in theaters. I'll end up watching it eventually though, w/ extremely low expectations--just like Corpse Bride. Zero Dark Thirty B After two seasons of Homeland, this stab at dramatizing actual events did fall kind of flat. The last act of the film, the planning and execution of the actual raid in Abbottobad, was extremely compelling though. Team America—fuck yeah! Flight A- A darkly humorous yet unflinching look at alcoholism set against the backdrop of a plane crash. Denzel Washington gives a great, well rounded performance as the pilot of the plane in question. Premium Rush C The well cut trailers and inclusion of Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the star and Michael Shannon as the heavy had me convinced they could make a decent chase movie using bicycles. I was wrong. Some of the stunts were great, but most dwelled somewhere between meh and lame. The end gag was also so cheesy as to elicit douche chills. Amazing Spider-Man A- Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 is still my favorite Spidey film, but I felt this was a really decent Spidey franchise reboot. Emma Stone is ridiculously stunning in the film, and her Gwen Stacey blows Kirsten Dunst’s MJ out of the water. Garfield played a more twitchy, more dickish version of Peter Parker than Tobey Maguire, but I didn’t feel as if it betrayed the essence of the comic book. And the credit sequence epilogue has me very excited about where this franchise reboot is going. Arbitrage C This film got such rave reviews, especially from Roger Ebert, that I was disappointed in how mediocre it was. A rich guy commits a crime and gets to cover it up, barely, because he’s rich. There’s nothing new at all here and very little that’s thrilling. The Dark Knight Rises B+ Nolan both disappoints and astounds on several levels w/ this film. He shoots for the moon in terms of story and scale yet he never leaves the atmosphere due to plot holes and some very un-Nolan like technical faults. Nolan’s handling of Batman falls short of what he did in The Dark Knight, and his journey to the end of the film was unexpectedly flawed, yet the ending itself (as in the last 20-30 seconds) left this fanboy fairly satisfied. Jiro Dreams of Sushi A This is not only an in depth look at the methods and techniques of what many refer to as the world’s greatest sushi chef, but it’s also a well crafted narrative about the man, Jiro, and his life. Even if you don’t find sushi appetizing, you should still enjoy this look at a man whose painstaking attention to detail and pursuit of perfection has helped carve out a unique place in history for him and his family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiffytee Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Cool! Sorry to hear you didn't like premium rush as much as I did. But then again you gave dredd a good rating, no so sure about that one lol. Anyway, check out Searching for Sugar Man, I thought that was a pretty neat documentary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Yeah, I heard good things about that doc. I need to see if it's on Netflix yet. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted July 28, 2013 Author Share Posted July 28, 2013 Gangster Squad B+ The film’s first five minutes are as bloody and engaging as any action film I’ve seen in recent memory, and it sets the tone for the rest of the movie. Unfortunately, Gangster Squad doesn’t quite have the same caliber of script as The Untouchables or LA Confidential, nor are the performances and characters as well rounded, but it comes close enough. The sets are incredible and shot beautifully. Gosling gives a slick performance and has great chemistry with the underused Emma Stone. Oz The Great & Powerful B- The first act is solid (shot in b&w in Kansas as was the original film) and even though the plot weakened in the second act, it was a fairly decent family flick through out. (Well, as much as you can call putting Mila Kunis in tight black leather a "family film.") Director Sam Raimi followed the Tim Burton 3D playbook as far as cramming in as many bright colors and 3D gags as possible, but it didn't seem to bother me as much here--possibly b/c as a long-time Raimi fan I dig his his goofy, slapsticky sense of humor. Jack Reacher B Based on a series of novels by Lee Child, the action in this Tom Cruise thriller isn’t as over the top as it is in his Mission:Impossible franchise nor is the mystery particularly great, but the action and characters are engaging, the performances well done, and the pacing is super tight. A Good Day to Die Hard D+ I love the Die Hard franchise, but this film managed to disappoint on nearly every level. Bruce Willis seems to be simply going through the motions, which wouldn’t have really mattered had the script and pacing been even half as good as his last Die Hard film, but unfortunately it wasn’t. The Last Stand B- Arnold’s return to starring man status sees him give a meh performance, but the supporting cast was stellar and entertained me enough to elevate my score slightly from a “C+”. The main thing that held this action flick back was pacing and the script. There was a lot of wasted opportunity here. Breathing Lessons A+ An all too short documentary on Polio ravaged poet, journalist and paraplegic Mark O’Brien—whom the Oscar nominated film The Sessions is based upon. His honesty is heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. I think he may have replaced Batman as my hero. The Sessions B+ The performances are fantastic. A half hour in to the film I was screaming because John Hawkes had delivered the best performance of the year and wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar. I think the screenplay is what really hurt Hawkes and the film in general, as it drifts off course in the second act and kind of unravels in the third only to end a bit all too bluntly. Silver-Linings Playbook A- A traditional romance plot set up with a slight David O. Russel twist, as the couple in question both have personality disorders that are triggered by tragic life-events and result in them living back with their parents as adults. Bradley Cooper & Jennifer Lawrence (who won the Oscar for her pants, I mean performance) star, but the supporting cast, including Julia Stiles, Chris Tucker, and Robert DeNiro, all contributed great character touches that helped elevate this film above a standard romance flick. Savages C- I’m unfamiliar with the popular novel this Oliver Stone film was based on, so I can’t comment on any of the changes or omissions the film made to the novel. However, I do know Benicio Del Toro portrays another memorable screen villain, and unfortunately that’s about all that’s noteworthy in this unevenly paced and performed film that tries to be a crime caper/double-double cross film on par with Elmore Leonard, but ends up doing such a terrible job making me care about any of the characters on screen that I didn’t even care about the “twist ending.” I was just glad it ended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted August 3, 2013 Author Share Posted August 3, 2013 (edited) Stoker B- I almost gave this film a score of C+ because for a thriller film the writing is weak, but the cinematography and editing were so clever and beautiful I had to bump up my score. The performances given by the three leads are also pretty great, and despite the film’s languid pace I never felt bored. If you’re a fan of director Chan-wook Park and his “Vengeance Trilogy” you may also be disappointed by the tone-downed violence; yet despite its shortcomings, it’s still an admirable if not exceptional addition to his filmography. Sharknado A I was never one for enjoying, let alone watching, films that were intentionally bad. However, the concept of a tornado filled with sharks that rain down on unsuspecting Los Angelinos was just too strong for me to deny. The ridiculous plot (Yes, shit gets even crazier than the titular sharknado), wooden acting by the C-List cast, and horribly cheesy music all contributed to an enjoyable MST3K type experience. Warm Bodies B+ I found it surprisingly enjoyable and clever in the way it presented standard rom-com tropes as seen through the lens of a zombie movie. The Goon B It’s a solid underdog sports comedy based on a real guy who couldn’t skate that well or slap a puck worth a damn yet made a hockey career out of fighting guys on the ice. Hitler’s Children B I found this documentary on Netflix, and it centers around interviews with the children and grandchildren of top ranking Nazi officials and how they deal with that legacy. Some of it is a little unsettling, like hearing them discuss the idyllic childhood they experienced in the officers’ quarters in some of the concentration camps. The Captains C+ As a Star Trek and William Shatner fan, I was looking forward to this interview documentary where William Shatner interviews the other five captains from the Star Trek franchise. However, early in to the film I realized no one is as big a fan of William Shatner as William Shatner and found myself growing bored and fast forwarding through sections. The encounters with Patrick Stewart and Chris Pine were entertaining though. Edited August 3, 2013 by Mr. Hakujin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 Kick-Ass 2 B- I thoroughly enjoyed the first film’s blend of violence and humor as well as its comic book source material. Unfortunately, this sequel falls short of its predecessor. The film’s main problems come in the form of script (mediocre plot, surprisingly repetitive dialogue) and direction (uneven pacing and editing). What saved the film from a “C” grade for me was how fun the (mostly) new characters were. Jim Carrey as Col. Stars & Stripes, Mother Russia, and the real star of the film—Hit Girl. Also, stick around for the post credit scene, which one can only assume is an homage to the underrated(?) film Dare Devil. Elysium B This is a well shot sci-fi film with a great cast and beautiful CGI worthy of a trip to the cinema to see the titular space station and dystopian Los Angeles on the big screen. However, being a fan of director Neil Blomkamp’s innovative District 9, I was surprised this sophomore effort lagged in character development and had an overall “by the numbers” feel to the plot. Man of Steel [iMAX 3D] A- I found this to be a fantastic, gritty, intense sci-fi/action film. Seriously intense. Like, you’ll need a spa day after this film is over kind of intense. Unfortunately, this film was not a very good Superman movie. The character of Superman has had a relationship with the American audience for 75 years, and Americans have come to expect a certain overall tone from a Superman film. Marvel Studios managed to capture that tone very well in their “Superman” movie, Thor. A great Superman story on the big screen needs a blend of humor and youthful adventure that this film lacked. And again, lacking those elements and that tone in Man of Steel doesn’t make for a bad film, just a bad Superman film. Pacific Rim [iMAX 3D] B+ If giant robots fighting giant, Godzilla-esque monsters all over the world doesn’t pique your interest, then this is not the film for you. The visuals and pacing in the fights were all thrilling. However, I couldn’t really justify giving it an “A” grade as I found myself judging the film on aspects (like logic gaps in the plot and wooden acting) other than the fantastic fights. Also, I saw this in IMAX 3D and I’m not sure how much of excitement of those great fights will be lost on my insanely smaller 2D TV screen. Side Effects B At first I thought I was not going make it the whole way through this film as the first act was all about a depressed, self-involved rich girl who plays the prescription anti-depressant game when she loses her fairy tale life after her husband is sent away for insider trading. However, the film takes a twist in the second act and becomes an engrossing, tight paced mystery. It’s A Disaster C+ A group of thirty-somethings gets together for a monthly Sunday couples’ brunch in a suburban home. Then dirty bombs go off in a nearby city and they’re all faced with the fallout and their own mortality. Attempts at humor and insight in to love and marriage ensue. It's a great premise, great cast, but really misses some great opportunities. Kudos to the screenwriter for name dropping Alpha Flight in the first ten minutes though. Movie 43 C The film is basically a bunch of unrelated, raunchy sketch humor with A-list celebrities tied together by a very thin premise plot, which you can easily skip. The skits Superhero Speed Dating, Emma Stone at the checkout line, deranged home school parents, and diner with Ballneck were winners. The rest of the skits ranged from meh (poop on me skit, leprechaun kidnapping, girl’s first period) to awful (iBabe, cartoon cat, basketball, and truth or dare). Fast & Furious 6 C+ “Fast 6” did not live up to its previous franchise installment for me. I went in expecting a fun, dumb, action flick and got an often boring, soap-opera-esque, semi-action film. However, despite the idiotic way her character did return, it was fun seeing Michelle Rodriguez kick ass on screen again. Hopefully they’ll use her better in the inevitable “Fast 7.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 Ender’s Game B+ As a fan of the novel I found this film a mixed bag and another example of how the movie just wasn’t as good as the book. Sci-fi fans have been clamoring for this to be a movie for years, but I think the success of Hunger Games finally got some studio-exec to ask, “Hey, we got any other scripts with kids doing war stuff lying around?” and thus green-lighted this film. The skeleton of the book is there but almost all of the heart and soul is missing. The film still does make for an interesting story with some good action sequences and is worthy of a trip to the local cinema. [A Spoiler-ish, not so mini-review] As a big fan of the novel, I had mixed feelings about the film. On the plus side, the major plot points from the novel were all there and it made for some exciting action sequences. On the minus side, the casting was a little off and the moral “heart” of the novel was missing. The film focused on Ender as mainly a great tactician, possibly the greatest ever. However, the growth Ender underwent through his experiences from the physical and mental anguish in the military schools he attended in the novel were missing from the film almost completely. Some of these moments were thrown in as simple exposition or re-adjusted and given as dialogue to other characters. In the novel, the author created a very specific and fleshed out vision of the future world Ender inhabits and this was barely even touched on in the film. Certain aspects were mentioned but never explained, and I found myself more than once explaining a bit of dialogue or actions in a scene to friends that hadn’t read the novel. What was done surprisingly well, despite some “bumpy” bits of wire acting and CGI, were the Zero-Gravity (0-G) battles. Fans of the novel know this was a big part in Ender’s development in the novel and it is given attention in the film, but unfortunately not nearly enough. This movie really should’ve been two films. Ender’s Game: Battle School and Ender’s Game: Command School. The climax of this film currently in theaters really should’ve been the defeat of two “armies” at once in the 0-G battle arena and subsequent post-battle confrontation with Bonzo Madrid. The perfect ending for this film was Ender and Gen. Graff shooting up in the rocket on the way to Command School. However, that’s not what happened, and the Command School sequences in this film were hurried and the ultimate “twist” for Ender’s final test was really lost because the audience didn’t get to really know the person Ender along the way. In the film Ender’s Game, we only get to see a brilliant young tactician win and win and win. Film audiences never really get to know Ender the student, the person almost anyone can relate to. Ender’s fatigue, moral struggles, and drive to excel is mentioned in the film but never really shown to audiences. This film does have the pivotal scene with Ender and Valentine on the lake, but the subtext from the novel and the struggle and compromise of Valentine is lost on film. All of these missing little character moments do add up. And when that final ending does come in the film the moral impact of annihilating an entire species is really lost on film audiences as is the subsequent significance of Ender finding the Formic Queen egg sac and trying to re-populate a species he destroyed. For me, the novel Ender’s Game is ultimately a “coming of age” tale but it deals with so much more: education, social structures, government control, cultural impacts, and morality. The film was more so about a really smart kid who was trained to kill aliens and felt bad about it for some reason in the end when he did kill them. And because I love the book so much, I found myself disappointed in the film yet still liking it despite it’s many faults because through the book I had already connected with so many of those characters that were up there on the screen. Monsters University A- After seeing the trailers and not being a huge fan of Monster’s Inc., I was reluctant to see this prequel even though I am a big Pixar Studios fan. My hesitancy was misplaced as Pixar once again brought their A-game and delivers a solid film with comedy, heart, and relevance for both kids and adults. Prisoners B+ A suburban, Christian, American family serves as the backdrop for this taut, suspenseful, and unflinching look at the compromises and brutality people will go to in order to protect their loved ones. Jobs C- Thirteen minutes in to this film I knew it was going to be terrible. So I started multitasking on my iPhone while I finished it. According to this film, Steve Jobs’ life was about innovation and originality. It’s too bad this film had little of either. It did make me more interested in Jobs as a person and I’m looking forward to seeing what a talented writer like Aaron Sorkin can do with this material. Now You See Me C+ Magic and magicians on screen rarely work for me, especially when audiences are meant to believe or be amazed by the actual “magic tricks” on screen, which movie audiences automatically are not easily impressed by simply because they know it’s a movie. Now You See Me tries to get around this problem by adding in the element of con-men and a layered, Oceans 11 type plot. In some ways it does work, with the help of an absolutely great cast that deliver some good performances, but mostly it doesn’t work and the big reveal at the end comes off a bit flat. Only God Forgives B If you were a fan of Drive, this film might not be your cup of tea as it’s more like director Refn’s earlier film Valhalla Rising in that it deals more in archetypes than characterization and has little to no dialogue. Some people will definitely not care for Refn’s deliberate pacing, Euro-synth inspired soundtrack, and stylized, brutal displays of violence in this film. I, however, found it kind of mesmerizing. Lewis & Clark: Corps of Discovery [Pt 1 & 2] A+ This summer I read the book The Revenant, which is historical fiction based on real people and events in the American wilderness of the early-mid 1800s. The book was griping and got me hooked on learning more about this time in American history; so one of the first things I came across was this 1997 Ken Burns documentary. It’s in two parts, roughly four hours long in total, and completely engaging. It paints a full picture of both the explorers before, during, and after their legendary expedition with help from narration by several actors including the late Hal Holbrook, re-enactments, and commentary from historians such as the late, great Stephen Ambrose. Robocop [2014] B Great script & good performances made for a surprisingly enjoyable remake, but the mediocre directing was one of the things that held this film back from being as good as the 18987 original. Now, if you’ll indulge a longer take on this film... ...let me begin by saying I love the original film. It’s a very satisfying, sci-fi action film ripe with satire, archetypes, and action all balanced wonderfully. So, with lowered expectations, I saw the remake and was very surprised at how well done it was. I actually think it helped that I watched the original the night before we saw the remake because it was obvious the guys who wrote this had affection for the original. Now, is 2014 Robocop as good or did I enjoy it as much as the 1987 original? No. However, if this remake was allowed to have an R rating like the original, and if it had a different director, then quite possibly it could've been almost as good as the 1987 film directed by Paul Verhoeven. I loved how they spent more time on the science and technology aspect of what makes Robocop unique apart form his fully robot brethren in the remake. The issues of free will and what makes a man a human don't make for necessarily the best action sequences, but it did make for some interesting plot deviations from the original. Non-Stop B I hate to use the term boilerplate in reference to a Liam Neeson action/suspense film, but much like Taken 2, this film wasn’t anything special or terribly original yet I found it to still be an enjoyable enough experience. It’s worth seeing especially if you’re a fan of Neeson or the kind of popcorn action-thrillers where you don’t have to think much and just sit back and enjoy the close quarters combat. Bad Grandpa B+ I was surprised at how much I laughed during this film. Knoxville manages to deftly blend his typical Jackass stunts in to a surprisingly emotional story about a grandson and his more often misguided than “bad” grandfather. The Counselor C This film has very little in the way of plot, character development, or suspense yet it still managed to keep me mostly interested. Award wining novelist (and first time screenwriter) Cormac McCarthy’s dialogue about the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life, sex, love, religion, etc. ranges from interesting and thought provoking to self important and unintentionally silly. Ridley Scott films it all in a glossy way and manages to squeeze in a few memorable visual scenes--one involving Cameron Diaz (or her body double) and a car windshield. Dallas Buyers Club B+ I couldn’t really give this film an “A” because the direction was sadly mediocre, and the ending of the film falls apart a bit structurally. However, this is a must see film in my book. The subject matter--the US FDA’s ludicrous sluggishness and outright resistance to approving treatment for victims of HIV/AIDS—was a revelation and shock to me as I’m sure it will be for many Americans. The performances by Matthew McConaghey and Jared Leto are Oscar winning and deserving of their accolades. Frozen B It's mostly a typical Disney fairy tale musical with a moderate twist on some of the usual tropes; it’s not at all the wholesale “re-invention of a genre” as some reviews led me to believe. HER A- Utterly deserving of its Best Original Screenplay Oscar for writer/director Spike Jonze, Her is set in the not too distant future, and the plot revolves around a recently and reluctantly divorced man (played by Joaquin Phoenix who gives an incredible, subtle, and touching performance) falling in love with the iPhone Siri-esque Artificial Intelligence on his operating system. But what resonated with me most about the film was not the gimmicky plot device of “man loves machine,” but how the film is ultimately about falling in and out of love gracefully. Inside Llewyn Davis B For a person who doesn’t particularly care for folk music, I found myself liking this film about a broke and broken, misunderstood folk singer (circa 1961) who literally goes nowhere; he does take a journey, but it only leads him back to where he started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 i wanna see a jobs movie that's about wozniak ...not being a huge fan of Monster’s Inc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 How to Train Your Dragon 2 [3D] A This is an almost perfect film with stunning animation, fun action, and surprisingly complex themes and main characters. It gets a bit muddled in the third act and cheats itself and the audience by “Disneyfying” the true ugliness and horror of war. But, that misstep aside, I still highly recommend seeing this one in the theaters and in 3D. If Gravity was the “must see 3D” film of 2013, How to Train Your Dragon 2 holds that title for 2014. Edge of Tomorrow B+ Loosely based on the Japanese manga All You Need Is Kill (which would’ve been a much better title for this film than the forgettable one it ended up with), this movie looked to be nothing more than a mash up of Harold Ramis & Bill Murray’s classic Groundhog Day and Tom Cruise’s last sci-fi film, Oblivion. And that’s not an entirely inaccurate description of the film’s conceit, but the film as a whole is so much more than a mash up or a movie metaphor of a video game. Edge of Tomorrow mixes in great action with memorable supporting characters and fantastic protagonists played by Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, who has added her name to the short list of memorable, bad ass female protagonists. A Million Ways to Die In the West C+ I love Blazing Saddles and I really liked Seth MacFarlane’s debut film, TED; so I was really rooting for this film to work as a western comedy. Unfortunately, MacFarlane suffered from the sophomore slump and made an overly long film that was poorly paced and missed one too many opportunities for comedy. The punchlines the film does have are often hilarious, but ultimately there are just too few of them. I also knocked some documentary films off my Netflix queue this week, and luckily they were all great! Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend A A heartfelt and hilarious one man comedy show about a man’s struggle with being right versus being happy. Dear Mr. Watterson A- A slick and well crafted documentary about Calvin & Hobbes, it's reclusive creator Bill Watterson, and the state of newspaper comic strips and the art of cartooning in general. It starts of a bit rocky with the director/writer's biography and chronicling of his love for Calvin & Hobbes, but about 20minutes in it kicks in with magnificent and insightful interviews with Watterson's publishers, peers, and cartoonists his work has influenced. The film also has history on Watterson and discusses his controversial decision to not license merchandise and his infamous avoidance of interviews and need for privacy. Drew: The Man Behind the Posters A The cinematography and overall presentation wasn’t as well done as Dear Mr. Watterson, but this documentary about legendary movie poster artist Drew Struzan had something else going for it—interviews with the man it is about and those closest to him, including famous fans like George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Michael J. Fox, Frank Darabont, and Guillermo del Torro. Also like Dear Mr. Watterson, this film does a great job of exploring not only the man behind the art, but the art form itself. 20 Feet From Stardom A This soulful, Oscar winning documentary about the background singers from some of the most well known Rock and R&B songs of the past 40 years, as well as a few up and coming artists, is completely griping. Even if you didn’t grow up listening to these songs (And shame on your parents if you didn’t!) you should find the stories of these men and women truly moving and this film and its music truly entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 Aftermath [Poklosie] B+ This is a gripping film loosely based on real events. It touches on issues of poverty, racism, and family loyalty, but it’s basically a detective story at its heart. It centers on a man returning from Chicago to his small village in Poland to see his estranged brother, and together they uncover a conspiracy the village has been keeping since WWII. The movie was quite controversial in Poland when released in 2012, but do yourself a favor and watch the film before you google the events the film is based on lest you spoil the film for yourself. Extract D+ Mike Judge made a comedy with Mila Kunis, Jason Bateman, Kristin Wiig, & Ben Affleck. I’ll bet you didn’t know that, huh? That’s probably because it was poorly directed and not very funny. Noah B If I hadn’t grown up in America and known of Noah’s story from a young age, I would’ve categorized this as a sci-fi fantasy film rather than a Biblical one. Darren Aronofsky’s Noah is a conflicted man and Russel Crowe portrays him interestingly alongside a pretty solid supporting cast. The CGI is a bit uneven in spots, but over all it is a beautifully shot film amidst a bleak yet hopeful landscape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes B As another prequel to the original Charlton Heston classic Planet of the Apes, this has much more action yet comes off feeling more uneven than its predecessor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. There are some great motion-capture performances rendered on screen, yet the longer I saw a chimpanzee wielding a machine gun on horse back the sillier it became. It also didn't help that most of the conflict in the film was fairly simple and felt like something a conversation or two could have prevented an all out war. But then again, maybe that’s the film’s point—violence is such a part of human nature that it doesn't take much to keep perpetuating our seemingly endless cycle of war. Guardians of the Galaxy [iMAX 3D] A If you’ve seen the first trailer for this film, then let me assure you that it delivers exactly what it promises: a fun, sprawling sci-fi action film populated with likeable outlaws turned, ahem, guardians of the galaxy. It’s the most fun I’ve had at the theater in a long time and it ties The Avengers as my favorite Marvel film to date. Do yourself a favor and see it on the big screen. Hercules [2014] B- I went in expecting a good summer, popcorn blockbuster and that’s almost what I got. Hercules is a unique take on the legend in that it presents him as a mortal man who travels with a band of mercenaries that help him perpetuate his “legend.” The action scenes weren’t dynamic enough to qualify it as a blockbuster, but Ian McShane and Dwayne Johnson lead a cast that does mostly great work with an uneven script. LUCY C+ This isn't necessarily a bad movie, it's just by no means the film I expected based on the trailer. I was mostly stoked to see Luc Besson get back to doing some kick-ass female driven action-drama, but that is not what this film is at all; what you saw in the trailer was basically what you get in the film as far as action. Morgan Freeman is wasted as "Mr. Exposition," and after a truly great set up for the film to be a great revenge flick on par with the original Oldboy, it turns in to a kind of hokey episode of COSMOS. And that's not a terrible thing as long as you're not getting my money under the guise of an action film. Purge Anarchy B- This is more like what I, and I think most other filmgoers, expected from the first film. The conceit of a new America where all crime is legal for 12 hours on one day of the year is a very intriguing one, and the filmmakers do examine some interesting theories on what people would do in such a world on such a day. The final act attempts to be grand and revelatory, but it comes off as a bit hokey and uneven. Transformers: Age of Extinction [iMAX 3D] C+ If you’ve seen the previous three Transformers films by Michael Bay, you should know what to expect by now—loose plot with pockets of humor, weak characterization, fast paced editing, and crazy amounts of often confusing action. But this fourth installment in the franchise takes on some baffling turns even by Bay standards—such as a plot point that diverts in to statutory rape laws in Texas and an almost identical beginning and ending to the Ridley Scott film Prometheus. WTF Michael Bay? 22 Jump Street B- Maybe the monster box office and word of mouth from a few friends that saw it got my expectations too high, but there weren’t as many laughs as I expected. There were several truly hilarious moments that hadn't been spoiled by the trailers for me though, and end credit sequence was quite clever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 Boyhood A- I saw this a week ago and I’m still trying to decide if this film is genius or just a neat gimmick pulled off really well. Director Richard Linklater films the same cast over the course of twelve years and you watch the protagonist’s boyhood literally unfurl before your eyes onscreen. It’s quite amazing to see. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [2014] B- The silly and simplistic plot is clearly geared for a younger audience, which made it difficult to handle at certain times, but there were enough references and nods to the previous incarnations of TMNT to keep me mostly entertained. The Giver B+ Jonas lives in a futuristic community free of war, famine, prejudice, and almost all emotion. The film deviates in a few key ways (some good and some not so much) from the novel, but the overall spirit of Lois Lowry’s modern classic is there. It’s ultimately an uplifting story about being human and the good and bad that goes along with it. In A World B+ Lake Bell writes and directs this indie comedy with a great cast about a female voice over actress looking for success and approval from her famous father. It’s a bit formulaic in places but it made me laugh—a lot. Maleficent B- For the last 60 years or so Disney did a good job of programming kids, and little girls especially, that the term "fairytale" was synonymous with romantic love. With Frozen and now Maleficent they are at least offering up some alternatives to that interpretation of "fairytale." So even though this movie was littered with crazy plot holes, even by "kids movie" standards, I can get behind its overall message. Jake Shimabukuro: Life On Four Strings B If you’re going to watch only one PBS documentary about a Japanese-Hawaiian ukulele phenom that rose to international acclaim via a YouTube video, then make it this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Zootopia A I saw this movie with an 8 year old and a fourteen year old and we all loved it! The film does an excellent job of combining humor, suspense, action, and teaching some great lessons in a surprisingly realistic way. The main themes about tolerance, being open to trying new things, and working hard to achieve your goals are not new ones, but they are messages sorely needed in these times of cultural and religious turbulence. Deadpool A A semi-supehero film set in the X-Men film universe that was tailor made for geeky fanboys & fangirls. It’s filled with dirty jokes, in-jokes, self deprecating jokes, and lots of action, which often has physical humor. Well done, Ryan Reynolds. Well done. 10 Cloverfield Lane B- This is a film where the less you know about it the better you’ll enjoy it—let the mystery unfold for you on screen. I will say it’s an interesting premise and the performances by the three actors were great. However, I was personally not in much suspense during this suspense film and felt like I knew where it was all headed. Even the surprise ending wasn’t that much of a shock to me, and this film ultimately left me feeling a little unsatisfied. Spotlight A- If I wasn’t raised Catholic and able to relate to the main protagonists (journalists who uncover the Catholic church's sexual abuse scandal and cover ups) so much right off the bat I’d probably give this more of a B/B+ grade. But I was raised Catholic, and this film had me seriously considering getting a Boston Globe tattoo for like 15 seconds. Seriously. Bone Tomahawk A- This movie's cast really stunned me with their performances. Seriously, if this film had better distribution and promotion Richard Jenkins would have a fistful of nominations for best supporting actor right now. The script is superb, but the screenwriter also directed and he is an adequate director at best. (And a fucking abominable song writer. Even if that end credit song was meant to be ironic, it was still painfully awful.) However, that script and this cast in the hands of a Scorsese caliber director may have been one of the classic westerns of all time. As it stands though, it is an extremely entertaining film and a must see for any fan of the genre. Aloha C+ Cameron Crowe tried to cram way too much into this one script with the crazily complicated characters and plot. The saving grace is Emma Stone. Without her, I would’ve easily graded this film a “D.” Brooklyn A Nick Hornby wrote a cuttingly sweet screenplay based on the book about a young Irish girl seeking love and independence in 1950s Brooklyn, and Saoirse Ronan plays the part of the protagonist to perfection. Sicario B- Emily Blunt is an FBI agent caught in the middle of a CIA operation against a Juarez drug cartel. Benecio del Toro is quietly menacing as the titular sicario. Blunt also gave a good performance but she was surprisingly underused in the film’s action scenes, much unlike her role in Edge of Tomorrow. There were two great, really tense scenes but the majority of this “action crime drama” was weak on pacing and low on action and drama. Sisters C I think a lot of funny people wrote and starred in this film, but it really didn’t make me laugh all that much. The whole conflict between Fey & Poehler’s titular sisters seems contrived and more like “movie problems” or “#firstworldproblems.” The Big Short A It’s not too often you get an A-list cast in a hilarious film that is actually well written and teaches you something important. How the housing crisis and big banks nearly collapsed the American economy in 2007 is all too relevant in this election year when a billionaire real estate tycoon is a front-runner for the Republican presidential nominee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 Central Intelligence B+ The plot and premise is dumb as hell and similar in many ways to the Adam Sandler/David Spade Netflix movie, The Do Over. However, unlike Spade & Sandler, Kevin Hart & The Rock make for a great on screen duo and deliver a very fun film with a lot of comedy, cameos, and some great action mixed in. Room A- An emotional and intimate indie film about abuse, love, forgiveness, and life that delivers top notch performances from the two leads, Brie Larson (who won the Oscar for her performance) & Jacob Tremblay (who should've won an Oscar) as her son. The direction and music was also on point. It’s great when a film that has generated as much buzz as this one has can actually live up to the hype. Money Monster C I think the worst thing about this film is all the missed opportunities. Headliners George Clooney and Julia Roberts along with director Jodie Foster all did adequate work in their roles. ______, who plays the real protagonist in the film, does deliver a powerful and layered performance, too. However, this was billed as a suspense film that would skewer Wall Street and greedy capitalists yet I found a severe lack of suspense and skewering. Rather than take on real world events and happenings like the housing crisis and corruption of big banks, the film opted for a singular CEO who headed a company with no real world analogue as the center of a rather dull mystery. Back In Time B A documentary on the film Back to the Future that you can currently find on Netflix. It’s an interesting and nostalgic look back on the film franchise (mostly the first film) and the fan community that it spawned. I felt it went a bit too long on the DeLorean restoration segment, and it only barely touched on the two sequels. However, the film has great interviews with all of the main cast and crew, of which the most interesting were those with Stephen Spielberg and Robert Zemekis. Cell [2016] B Stephen King’s adaptation of his own novel starring John Cusack and Sam Jackson. The roles aren’t very meaty but the premise is a new take on zombies. A “pulse” is emitted across all phone lines and cell phones that instantly turns anyone listening to it into a brainwashed zombie. They all seem to be hive mind and controlled by a mysterious figure in a red hoodie called The President of the internet. Not much is ever revealed about him, but he was a little too close to Randall Flagg from The Stand for my taste, Westworld [1973] B- I have strong memories from watching this as a kid, but it really didn’t hold up when I sat down again with it recently. Written & directed by Michael Crichton, neither of which was done very well, but the concepts of an unstoppable robot (Terminator) and a unique resort for the wealthy gone haywire (Jurassic Park) started here, so I’ll give him props for that. Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot C This “based on a true story” movie is about a Reuters reporter who chose to become a correspondent in Afghanistan from 2003-2006 because her life “wasn’t going anywhere.” I think this film was meant to empower middleclass women into “finding themselves” and “discovering their strength.” But the tone of the film tried to walk the line between comedy, action, and drama but it just failed to achieve its goals. Independence Day Resurgence [iMAX 3D] C+ Despite going in to this with low expectations, I found it rather disappointing. We get some cool destruction of landmarks and CGI battles, which earns it a few extra points because they looked great in IMAX 3D, but it was too light on the Goldblum and the film never struck the right balance of nostalgia for the original film and trying to set up this new group of characters for the obvious franchise they’re trying to turn this in to. Teacher’s Pet A- The writing is top notch in this 1958 film starring Clark Gable & Doris Day. Gable plays a grizzled, womanizing newspaper editor, and Day plays a college professor at odds with him and his views on the media. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the film has a great message, which extols the virtues of both a solid education and “real world” experience. X-Men Apocalypse [3D] A- This was 80s-fucking-tastic. It weaved in a lot of characters and moments from First Class and tied nicely into director Bryan Singer’s first X-men film, too. I dug the casting for young Cyclops and the rebooted origin of Storm, Nightcrawler, and Angel in the films. Storm and Psylocke never had any real “wow” moments, but Oscar Isaac was phenomenal as En Saba Nuhr, and Quicksilver’s rescue of the students from the mansion was hilarious and just as brilliant as his standout scene from Days of Future Past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Visitant Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 I thought it was pretty well known that: If you think it's Randall Flagg - it is him. If memory serves of Stephen King books anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted October 1, 2016 Author Share Posted October 1, 2016 (edited) Finding Dory [iMAX 3D] A- Dory wasn't my favorite character by a long shot in Finding Nemo, but she definitely won me over in this film. Pixar this time focuses more on the real struggle Dory has with her memory and it isn't only treated as a comedic gag like it was in Finding Nemo. I give Pixar props for showcasing, in essence, a mentally handicapped protagonist. However, Pixar really Disneyfied Dory’s condition at the end there and missed the mark from addressing the issue in a more realistic manner. Despite that and the whole "retread" aspect you get from a sequel like this, I found it an enjoyable film with outstanding CGI and a solid mix of drama and humor. This film is crowded with new characters, and Ed O’Neil as Hank the “septopus” stole the show with the emotional and physical journey he undertakes. Fans of The Wire will also take special pleasure in the casting of the sea lions. Finally, the animated short before the film, Piper, was genius in its simplicity and the animation was absolutely gorgeous. All in all, Finding Dory is another homerun for Pixar. Tarzan [iMAX 3D] C+ The love of Jane & Tarzan is the driving force of this movie, but the two leads have almost zero chemistry. I'm putting the weight of this lack of sizzle on Tarzan though, as while he looked the part with his jungle swingin' six pack, he just didn't really convey menace or power. But Tarzan's performance wasn't the only spotty thing on this film. The action and CGI were rather meh, too. Djimon Huntsu had a small but menacing roll that made me wish Marvel cast him as The Black Panther. Christof Waltz & Sam Jackson were also good in their supporting rolls. Purge 3: Election Year C- This was slightly less disappointing than I expected. Grillo was the only thing I was really looking forward to in this film as he was the best thing about Purge 2, but he was sadly underused here. This film focused a little more on the New Founding Fathers, which revealed little more than they were rich old white people that had a warped sense of religion and like to swear—a lot. I would've liked a bit more on how this new America is run and why it took 25 years for a candidate to finally challenge their power on the nation. Writers definitely relied way too much on what was established in the previous two films to carry this one, and the direction waffled from lazy to terrible for most of the scenes. Life Itself A Steve James gives an unflinching documentary on the life and final days of famed film critic Roger Ebert. It takes a brutal look at Roger’s last days battling cancer, which left him unable to walk (due to tumors on his spine) or speak or eat (due to cancer in his throat and jaw). It gives a nice balance of interviews with his life long friends from his decades writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, as well as the many film makers and fellow critics he befriended and beleaguered throughout his nearly 50 year career. A Hologram for the King B+ I've no idea why Tom Hanks is so damned likable, but he is. The film is basically about a man on the wrong side of 40 who had a great job, house, and family coming to grips with how he lost all of that stuff and finding the will to begin again. It also offers an interesting glimpse into modern Saudi Arabia, one of the best snorkeling scenes I've come across, and for about 10 minutes there's basically Tom Hanks in a sequel to You've Got Mail. Again, I'm not sure why Tom Hanks doing voice-over whilst typing at a laptop is so damned entertaining, but it is. Café Society B- Woody Allen writes, directs, and narrates this film set in the 1930s that’s big on atmosphere and light on substance. Jesse Eisenberg does a suitable job playing a young Woody Allen playing a young New Yorker out to make his fortune in Hollywood, but who gets sidetracked when he falls in love with Kristen Stewart’s character, who gives a pretty decent performance. Steve Carell is also good but underused as a powerful Hollywood agent. Ghostbusters [3D] C+ Ghostbusters 2016 has an obvious respect for the original film, which I adore, and the best thing about this film was catching all the cameos from the cast of the 1984 movie. Unfortunately, the reboot lacks the pacing and chemistry among the cast that helped make a classic of the first film—Kate McKinnon was a surprising disappointment for me. The blending of the genres with comedy and sci-fi that defined the original are here in the reboot yet director Paul Feig took a different path with how to use those two genres. The humor is more vulgar than clever and the ghosts and effects are, ironically, more aimed at a younger audience and deliver more spectacle than fright. The best thing I can say about this film is it didn’t totally suck, but I’d still watch Ghostbusters 2 over this reboot any day. Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates B+ A raunchy comedy with four young, charismatic leads that are obnoxious in different ways and get together to unwittingly ruin a wedding in Hawaii. I found the characters hilarious, refreshingly well rounded, and ultimately touching. Cap'n Murica: Civil War B+ This third Capt. America film is a far cry from the tight, tense, action packed superhero spy thriller that was the second Capt. America film. This instead is more about “world building” the MCU, which means a lot more characters, a clunkier script with pacing issues, and most egregiously it makes its titular character the least interesting of the film. However, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Tom Holland as the new Spider-Man really give memorable, stand out performances that save the film and helped elevate Civil War to almost be on par with the high level of entertainment Marvel has come to be known for over the past decade. The Mermaid (Mei Ren Yu) B Stephen Chow writes and directs another over the top physical comedy with what are suitable CGI by Chinese cinema standards, but were laughably bad in many parts—and there were many—by even Sharknado standards. It’s got a great message at its core about the environment and how human greed is destroying it. Edited October 1, 2016 by Mr. Hakujin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 If you're gonna misspell Djimon Hounsou's name, "Digimon Houndstooth" is the preferred nomenclature. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted October 2, 2016 Author Share Posted October 2, 2016 Fuck. I misspelled "role" not once, but twice in that same review. Good catch with Diamond Hullabaloo though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Cap'n 2099 Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 Ucandigit Humanzoo is one of my favorite actors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted October 2, 2016 Author Share Posted October 2, 2016 Ucandigit Humanzoo is one of my favorite actors. Agreed. He's on par with Icandigit Huhbruh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 (edited) Top 10 11 Films of 2016 So here is my top 10 list of films released in 2016. Like most people, I don’t get to see the Oscar bait type and indie films until the following year after awards season starts and they get a wider theater release or released on video. So, don’t go complaining about no Moonlight or Manchester By the Sea because I haven’t seen those films yet. I did include a list of all the 2016 films I actually did see for reference/context at the bottom though. 11. Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them Despite its convoluted plot flaws, I was really surprised by how much I liked this film. It’s got a great cast, setting and pacing. I love how JK Rowling took her familiar wizarding world and gave it a new spin. I also love IMAX 3D, and this film really took advantage of the format. 10. Train To Busan South Korean zombie film on a train. Great characters, action, and plot. It would’ve been even higher on my list but dat ending was so corny. 09. Dr. Strange Speaking of IMAX 3D, this film was the best experience I had all year in the format. Cumberbatch was inspired casting and I love how Marvel embraced the supernatural full on in this film. 08. The Nice Guys It’s a revival of the action/buddy comedy and it’s better than most of the Lethal Weapon sequels combined. Gosling is getting all the awards for LA LA Land, but I think this is his best film of the year. Russell Crowe also brings the goods as does the young actress who plays Gosling’s kid. 07. Captain Fantastic As an educator I wanted to see this film because the trailer made it seem to be about the most extreme homeschooled family ever. But I was surprised to find this flawed yet beautiful film is also about mental illness, death & mourning, and what it means to be a family. Also, the kids in this cast stole the show. 06. Finding Dory Speaking of mental illness, Pixar/Disney was a few feet away from giving the world the first animated kids film to deal with mental disability in a real way. But in the end it was more Disney than Pixar. High marks though for the effort and humor in this film. And Hank the septopus. 05. The Witch: A New England Folktale As a general rule I’m not a fan of horror films, but this one is not a cookie-cutter horror film. The performances were great and the cinematography was minimalist yet captivating. This film stayed with me long after it was over. 04. Arrival An intelligent sci-fi suspense film about aliens and the power of language? Yes, please! I would say this is probably the most overlooked film of 2016. It’s the type of film OG Star Trek fans would like to see—the kind of film more intereste din posing difficult questions about humanity and our place in the universe than big explosions. Hopefully this movie gets recognition as the awards season chugs along. 03. Zootopia It’s an action/comedy/family film that’s not a sequel or a reboot and has just an outstandingly well delivered message about tolerance and individuality. Even if you don’t dig animated films, you should see this one. If I wasn’t such a hardcore geek, I’d probably put this at #1 on my list, but I am, so I didn’t. 02. Deadpool The best superhero movie of the year and it came from Fox. That has to make WB/DC & Disney/Marvel hang their heads in shame. As a certified geek the best compliment I can give a superhero film is this: it exceeded or met all expectations. This also had to be the best audience experience I had in a theater all year, which says a lot considering the #1 film on my list… 01. Rogue One Was it the best written film of the year? No. Did it have the best performances? No. Was it better than Episodes IV-VI? No. Was it basically Episode 3.5? Yes. Was it what I hoped the prequels would have been like? Yes. Were the cameos worth the price of admission alone? Hell yes! Was this film “fan service”? Yaass! And I loved it. Despite its flaws, it was still Star Wars. It’s the only film I saw multiple times in the theater. And it’s the only film to have X-Wing space battles, OG Storm Troopers, and Darth Vader being a total badass. So it’s the only choice for #1 on my list of films in 2016. [14 films] Honorable Mentions: Batman v Superman, Capt. America: Civil War, LA LA LAND, Hail, Caesar!, The Jungle Book, X-Men Apocalypse, Central Intelligence, Star Trek: Beyond, Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates, Kubo & the Two Strings, Lo & Behold: Reveries of the Connected World, The Accountant, Hacksaw Ridge, & Passengers [36 films]All the other films from 2016 that I saw: 13 Hours, The Finest Hours, The Mermaid, How to be Single, Grimsby, Zoolander 2, Eddie the Eagle, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Bronze, The Boss, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Keanu, The Angry Birds Movie, Money Monster, Now You See Me 2, Conjuring 2, Warcraft, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Independence Day: Resurgence, Purge: Election Year, The Legend of Tarzan, Secret Life of Pets, The Infiltrator, Ghostbusters, Café Society, Batman: The Killing Joke, Bad Moms, Neighbors 2, Suicide Squad, Sausage Party, War Dogs, Sully, The Magnificent 7, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. Edited February 28, 2017 by Mr. Hakujin Had to add Train to Busan! 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Mr. Hakujin Posted March 5, 2017 Author Share Posted March 5, 2017 La La Land B Full disclosure on three things, number one being Emma Stone is my cinematic Achilles heel. She could be in the worst movie ever and I’d still probably give it a C-. Two, I’m not a fan of musicals in general. It’s just not my genre, for the most part. And three, I saw this film about two star crossed lovers with my ex, and let’s just say we were going through some stuff. So we both came out of the same film and had wildly different interpretations of it. I sympathized with Ryan Gosling’s character and thought it was a sad ending. Whereas she thought it was a happy ending, just a little bittersweet. So, yeah. That’s where I’m coming from on this one. The opening number was a bit much for me and Gosling & Stone didn’t have the greatest voices, but apparently that was intentional. However, the music and lyrics were great. And it was shot beautifully. I’d definitely recommend seeing it for those reasons alone. And, of course, Emma Stone. The Founder C+ Like most American’s, a good percentage of my diet comes from fast food. So when Michael Keaton and Nick Offerman star in a film about the founding of the granddaddy of all fast food chains, McDonald’s, I’m interested. The cast all delivered great performances and the subject matter was indeed intriguing. However, this film unfortunately suffers from poor direction and terrible pacing. A guy two rows in front of me actually fell asleep and was snoring through a good 20 minutes of the movie. And I didn’t even bother waking him up because he honestly wasn’t missing much at all. Lego Batman Movie B+ I really liked the first Lego Movie, and this one just didn't have the same comedic oomph or come across as original as the first film since it touched on so many of the same themes as the Lego Movie— father son relationships, family, and loneliness. However, it’s probably the best film to ever examine the heart of Batman’s emotional pain and trauma of being orphaned. I think my nine-year-old nephew summed it up nicely when he said, “I like it. Batman was really emotional.” Split B+ James McAvoy leads a terrific cast in this small, well crafted suspense/horror story that has a coda scene which gives it that M.Night “twist ending” he’s been known for throughout his career. Logan B+ I tried to go into this film with few expectations, but I failed. Some of those expectations were met in a spectacular way and others were most decidedly not. A very long and spoiler filled review is below and the tl;dr version of it is this: Good=performances & action, Bad=complex plot & plot gaps, Ugly=heavy handed symbolism. The Good * Performances! These are the best performances of any X-Men film yet, save maybe Deadpool. Patrick Stewart owns the 2017 Best Supporting Actor Oscar as far as I'm concerned. The rest of the cast was also on point--Stephen Merchant's Caliban and Boyd Holbrook's Pierce especially. And finally, this girl playing Laura/X-23 gave a truly honest and sincere performance of rage, pain, and vulnerability. * The action! Finally, a Wolverine film that has the fight scenes I’ve been waiting to see since I started reading Wolverine comics back in junior high school. Even though there was yet another battle in the woods (it’s basically an Wolverine trope at this point) I still thoroughly enjoyed the full on Wolvie rage. Some of the X-23 fights were cut a bit too much, but I give that a pass as I’m sure most of her stuff was a mix of stunts and CGI. * Representation of the “not too distant future” in 2029. Subtle but impactful notes were put into the script to remind the audience this wasn’t present day. * And finally, something important the filmmakers paid homage to from the comics was they basically kept Logan’s (most recent) death the same as it was the comics. In the comics a vat of melted adamantium is poured over Logan and it hardens in this statuesque pose on a rooftop as the sun sets. What really kills Logan in the film isn’t X-24, but it’s the adamantium wearing down his healing factor to the point he’s mortal. So the adamantium kills him from the inside out in the film and not from the outside in like the comics. I see what you did there screenwriters, and I like it! *Speaking of death scenes, that burial of Xavier had me misty eyed. It goes back to the performances compliment, but this may’ve been Jackman’s best scene. He went from understated and vulnerable to full on shovel rage. It was a very well done scene. *Logan’s final words were also pretty damned perfect. I wanna say I remember another character using those as final words, but until someone proves that, I’ll give it to Logan. The Bad * Overly complex plot! If you want to make a superhero Western mash-up, then keep the plot simple. There was way too much new info to process, and this leads me to my second criticism… * Too many important plot points are left to minimal exposition or just plain left unexplained. Granted, if this was a stand alone film then the minimal explanations would be great service to the pacing of the plot. However, that’s not the case here! LOGAN is in a universe with nine previous fucking films built behind it. And LOGAN implies way too much with no explanation. These giant plot points (Yes, plural.) that were left unexplained became extremely distracting for me. Here is a list: 1.Wait, why are there no new mutants born in the last, what’d Xavier say, 25 years? Please, ‘splain dat to me again Dr. Rice!?!? 2. WTF happened “a year ago” with Charles in Westchester and which X-Men did he kill? The radio report made it sound like Xavier killed seven X-Men. Who?!? How? Why is implied, but the rest needed a flashback. 3. Why is it Dr. Rice and not Mr. Sinister the main behind the scenes pulling the strings? I get Rice has ties to the Weapon X project, but Age of Apocalypse and Bryan Singer told us we’d have fucking Mr. Sinister! http://collider.com/...r-bryan-singer/ [My guess is he was supposed to be the big bad Wolvie fights to the death, but they thought it’d be all symbolic” if the only thing that could kill Wolverine was another Wolverine, hence X-24. [i don’t remember if X-24 is even a thing in the comics.] 4. When, how, and why did the X-Men go from hated and feared mutant scum to beloved superheroes like the Avengers? Why are there X-Men comics and toys in this universe now? 5. What’s Eden and who runs it? Why is Eden even necessary if the X-Men made mutants viewed as superheroes in this world!?!? And if these kids aren’t “natural mutants” what makes Eden so eager to take these kids in? Yeah, just Eden in general is a big fucking question mark. And some less crucial points that still irked me: 6. Why are Dr. Rice & the Reevers only in pursuit of Laura? Why not the other escaped kids? 7. Speaking of which, who got those other X-23 kids to the rendezvous point in North Dakota? Presumably the other nurses, but where are they? 8. How the hell did Laura get Logan in to the hospital after Xavier’s burial? Please tell me there’s not a dead fisherman and his dog back by that pond/lake! “What’s in the box, Laura? What’s in the boooox?!?” 9. Why did Logan ask Caliban to help with Xavier? And why is he a complete 180 from the Caliban in Age of Apocalypse? 10. How do Dr. Rice & co. know where Logan and Xavier are hiding but not the US government? You’d think after what’s implied to have happened in Westchester that Xavier be on their most wanted list. 11. How are those X-23 kids gonna be on a time crunch to cross the border to Eden but have enough time to move and bury Logan? Shouldn’t other government agencies still have been in pursuit of them after the first wave was wiped out? The Ugly * The heavy handed symbolism. Turning that cross into an X at the end should’ve been a moving moment, but I was so burned out on the heavy handed symbolism with Shane that it just came off as so utterly corny to me. Ditto for Laura reciting that Shane monologue at Logan’s grave. This was an opportunity for some great original writing, but instead they just cribbed it. Not cool. After nine movies with this character he deserved his own memorable send off. Came across as lazy writing to me. [but Logan’s actual final words, as I mentioned earlier, were near perfect. And the other bit of heavy handed symbolism was X-24. I mean, *ugh* wasn’t the adamantium poisoning enough to get across Logan is his own worst enemy? I think a character may have even spoken those exact words in the film. So why did Mangold feel the need to literally clone Logan and have him fight “himself” to get that point across? *sigh* It just felt like another missed opportunity for originality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 On a bit of a documentary kick this summer. Blackfish A+ Engaging and enlightening documentary on orcas in captivity and numerous injuries and deaths orcas have caused to their trainers while in captivity. The film centers round a case OSHA made against Sea World after trainer Dawn Brancheau was violently mutilated and killed in 2010 by the same orca that killed another female trainer 20 years prior. Chasing Coral A+ A Netflix documentary about the devastating effect global warming is having on the coral population around the world and why it is so important. This doc is not only beautifully shot and scored, but it did exactly what a great documentary is supposed to do: it entertained, connected, and educated the audience regarding the subject matter. Climate change and its effects will not lessen over night, but this doc left me feeling hopeful that we will make progress before it’s to late for the coral and us. Chaos on the Bridge A William Shatner made a documentary about ST:TNG? Yes he did. And it's awesome! I would’ve given this film an A+, but it needed about 20 more minutes. Seriously, I did not want this documentary to end. Writers, studio executives, producers, and actors from the series talk very candidly to Shatner as he does a surprisingly great job of interviewing them all. A total must see for any ST:TNG fan! GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling B+ It’s a short but sweet documentary on the surprisingly popular late 80s wrestling show and the men and women who brought it to life. It clearly inspired the creators of the Netflix series, and if you liked season one of the show then this is a must see. Going Clear A Excellent HBO doc on the history of Scientology and how its practices of intimidation, extortion, and outright abuse have made it a billion dollar institution. Know Your Enemy – Japan [1945] A Directed by Frank Capra and narrated by Walter Houston & Dana Andrews, this 1945 US military funded propaganda film starts off with a disclaimer about the “Nisei” or second generation Japanese-Americans born in America, who love America, and even fought for America in WWII, but then it ends with saying this film isn’t about them—it’s about “the Japs in Japan.” Damn. Netflix has some balls putting this up, but it’s an unfiltered look at a very specific point in American history. It’s propaganda for sure, but it’s also meant to explain to Americans (soldiers especially) exactly how Japan came to be an enemy of the USA. There were a few whitewashes I noticed, like the part about Commodore Perry “extending the hand of friendship” in order to open trade with Japan in the 1800s. However, there was a lot of accurate and surprisingly unbiased information considering the cultural climate in which this film was made. Secrets of Selfridges B This is a short PBS doc on American retail pioneer H.G. Selfridge who created the titular department store in London in the early 1900s. He was so good at retail that he revolutionized the way shopping was done all over the world and many of his techniques are still used today to get us to enjoy shopping so much that we just can’t stop. Huzzah consumerism! Starring Adam West A This entertaining documentary takes an unflinching look at the highs and lows of Adam West’s personal and professional lives. It is set around the premise of a superfan, and LA radio host, trying to get West a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Interspersed with the struggle to get him his recognition, is a look back on the career of the winsome and affable Adam West. The Pirate Bay - Away From Keyboard B This documentary about the Swedish trio of guys who started the massively popular torrent sharing site and their trial (and following round of appeals in Sweden circa 2008-2012) offers an interesting, if incomplete look at the lives of these three men at this time. It also focuses on how file sharing and Net Neutrality are interwoven in a fragile thread that big business wants to have global governments sever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 Lost City of Z B- This film is based on the real life of early 20th century British explorer Percy Fawcett's expeditions in South America to find evidence of a hidden civilization that predated the European civilizations. It's slow paced and the dialogue gets a bit cringy in places. The Robert Pattinson character felt underwritten, as were Percy's two youngest kids. However, I felt like it did a pretty good job of showing motivation for the three main characters. Tom "Spider-Man" Holland as Percy's elder son was a wonderful surprise, and he was maybe my favorite thing about the third act. It was shot beautifully, and I like the ambiguous ending given that the real explorers did mysteriously disappear. Jerry Before Seinfeld (Netflix) C+ Jerry basically does an autobiographical stand-up special with a few filmed cut-aways. I applaud him for trying something different with the format of a traditional comedy stand-up routine special. However, it didn't keep my interest even though it's only about an hour long. It took me three viewings to get through. I'd say this is more for hardcore Seinfeld fans and not just for someone looking to see a full comedy routine like with a Louis C.K. or Dave Chapelle special. Lady Gaga: Five Foot Two (Netflix) B+ In the hands of a slightly better director this could've been one of the all time great music documentaries. (For an example of perfection in this genre see HBO's The Defiant Ones). The weakness in this doc lies in the feeble narrative structure and the anti-climactic ending of her Superbowl 51 half-time performance. Gaga is a savvy self promoter, and this doc is no exception. She's shown being vulnerable, but only to a degree. Gaga strategically talks to her "fashion team" about how she wants to tone down the glam for her next promo tour whilst she is topless. (Get it?) She talks a lot about her ex-fiancee and the emotional pain of that break up, but never once is the man she's currently dating shown or mentioned. She mentions Madonna's beef with her twice, but not once is the Perez Hilton feud discussed. She is clearly someone suffering from a level of anxiety and stress that would benefit from therapy, but not once is anxiety or mental health treatment ever mentioned in the doc. (However, a place people can go to seek help & info for "anxiety" is mentioned in the credits.) So this doc is a curated vulnerability and not as "raw" a look at her life as it would lead you to believe. The best and most emotionally authentic scene in this doc comes around the 34 minute mark when Gaga and her father visit her grandmother and play her the album's finished mix of the title track, "Joanne." If you don't know the story behind Joanne, I won't spoil it for you. I suggest you watch the doc to find out, as it is a truly emotional story and my favorite part of the whole doc. Naked (Netflix) D Marlon Wayans stars in a comedy based on the same premise as the classic Bill Murray film Groundhog’s Day. The difference here is Wayan’s is repeating the same hour, not day, before his wedding and wakes up naked in an elevator with no memory of how he got there. The premise sounds half-way interesting, and it was enough to fool me into thinking it might be entertaining, but don’t forget this is a Marlon Wayans film, and as such it is horrible. Horrible. Incredible Jessica James (Netflix) C The writing is good in parts, eye-roll and cringy in others, but the direction is mediocre throughout. It stars former Daily Show correspondent Jessica Williams, who is not as good an actress as you’d have hoped. Chris O’Doud saves the film from being a total waste of time. War Machine (Netflix) C+ Brad Pitt stars as a modern day US general in Afghanistan in this film based on a book by a former Rolling Stone journalist. It’s not very engaging or entertaining, but it makes a very good argument about the ineffectiveness of counter-insurgency and how absolutely insane it is that the USA ignores this fact in the war in Afghanistan. Gold B Matthew McConaughey does his best Charlize Theron and tries to look ugly, i.e. fat and bald, for this role as a loveable loser. Bryce Dallas Howard does a decent job as the underwritten love interest. But the male co-star just wasn’t charismatic enough. The actor playing Mike Acosta was adequate, but the roll called for someone even MORE intriguing and captivating than McConaughy, and this guy just didn’t have it. Also the real life story behind the three geologists who managed to con big mining businesses and investment firms out of billions of dollars was way more interesting than the actual movie. Sing! B Basically just an excuse to get kids to want to see a bunch of pop songs sung by animated characters. However, the performances are good and the humor and pacing are all there, too. Not bad as far as gimmick films go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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