Change Your Image
seanfduncan
Reviews
Salem (2014)
Goes downhill really quickly
The first episode was intriguing, shocking and disturbing- it led to a good first season, all in all. Afterwards, the plot started to get pretty absurd and by the end (season 3) it was just awful. There are some truly talented actors and actresses in this- REALLY amazing performances but shocking as it may come, it is the plot and script-writing that let the whole thing (and these actors) down. I wouldn't waste time on this- if they come out with more series, I will watch something else, not this.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010)
Brilliant
The acting has come a LONG way and so far, this is the trio of young magicians at their best. There's no meed to get into the wonder of J. K. Rowling's intricate story. It was a truly masterfully written series. I'm not one to pander to the commerce-driven lack of vision or talent that spews out onto the screens these days (expecially from Hollywood) but this decision to make 2 films was wise as it explains more. And this film is, in its own right, invaluable, a must-see and downright amazing.
I've read reviews of how it was 'slow-paced.' Are they insane?? The film kicks off with Scrimgour's (Nighy) FABULOUS characterization of the times in a brilliant piece of casting. Then there's the secret mission to move Harry, a harrowing ambush and battle, seeing the shocking death of 2 moving characters. The suspense building at Malfoy Manor, and a gristly murder. An ambushed wedding. Chases by snatchers. Fallings out. Betrayals. More ambushes, showing the diabolical sorcery of Voldemort in his pet/horcrux Nagini. Lovegood's ambush, magical discoveries, kidnappings, rescue attempts and culminating in a brave sacrifice. Then the film ends with a desecration and promise of future horrors. DARK, DARK DARK!! :o) This is no sanctimonious summary. These were the events. And if the film slows down from time to time to reveal more of the complexity of emotional changes that the characters must undergo, and to reveal the complicated plot, not otherwise evident due to the absence of prose (it the FILM, not the book!)....then this is NECESSARY and welcome to convey the veracity of good characterization, and a good story. And it doesn't stay slow for long.
I just can't wait for the final show-down! Some AMAZING actresses and actors will be conveying some amazing characters and I look forward to Alan Rickman's grand revelation of Severus Snape and Maggie Smith's rise to all her glory as the Minerva that NO ONE should mess with! And Molly Weasely showing that a mother's love is its own potent brew...how ironic, given that this was the lesson Voldemort himself should have not just learned but passed on. :o) I have faith in the next film because if this one is anything to go by, the next one will be simply AMAZING!
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Entertaining but terrible over-acting
I was never a fan of Shia LeBeouf...in the first movie, he was irritating. In this sequel, in my opinion better than the first, he is still the source of my lasting headache. I spent most of the film wishing he would just SHUT UP!! As if his deplorable and amateurish over-acting wasn't bad enough, they added a second contender, in the presence of Ramon Rodriguez, his room-mate. It's really is too much for words...the yammering, jabbering rubbish. LeBeouf screams his way wide-eyed, through nearly 2 and a half hours of film. I can forgive the bad campus, all-American images...I mean, this is Hollywood. We can even get over the fact that the US is deemed to be the arbiter of the entire world security (after Bush, there is little that would surprise me) but while we don't expect much in the way of intellectual stimulation, couldn't the crippling hysterics of the first film be addressed at least? Please, if there are any more sequels, kill LeBeouf's character or make him otherwise silent and PLEASE don't replace him with anymore screamingly BAD actors. John Torturro at least improved slightly from last time but still.... *sigh* I guess after these catastrophic decisions are made (cast, lines, etc.), the enormous budget they spend means that they don't DARE watch the final product for fear of seeing how bad their mistakes were.