SFatrouni Reviews

Heart of Stone (I) (2023)

Mindless action with poor story. Nothing new here.

[4/10 · 5 September 2023]

Watching this film seemed like a good way to kill 2 hours of free time, only it wasn't. Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking for Mission Impossible kind of movie here, but this movie was really short of any basic element that makes a good movie. The story is boring and was told many times in many other MUCH better budget films. The acting is just not good. Gal Gadot is an eye candy. She's really an adorable person but when it comes to acting, she seems unable to transform and be in character. She always has this smile on her face indicating she's about to burst laughing regardless of the situation she's in. Her character wasn't convincing enough to have such great skills and status. The villain looked too cute to cause such damage, and his backstory didn't sound reasonable to cause the spark and explain his actions

Overall, the movie is Netflix 2023 new releases click bait. Don't fall for it, no matter how cute Gadot looks on that poster.

The Florida Project (2017)

Good acting but you'll fidget, a lot.

[3/10 · 27 January 2018]

This is one of those movies which you might come across while boringly changing the TV channel, and for some reason you'll keep watching. It could be due to the solid performance by the little kid which I believe still wasn't catchy enough until the very last scene of the movie. In anyway, this is not a movie you want to head to the theater on Friday night to watch. It's genuine but not entertaining. It has a very slow and deliberate pace that not anyone can tolerate.

P.S. What the hell is Willem Dafoe doing here?

Flatliners (2017)

Poor execution for baffling mystery

[4/10 · 15 October 2017]

Science fiction is gradually becoming a golden egg for production studios and usually attached to comics and superheroes blockbusters. When a scientifically perplexing motion picture is out there, it will intrigue you to go to the movie theater and take it as an opportunity to think and analyze. I didn't watch the first movie but the second one, the remake, had this premise. The cast was interesting; Ellen Page and Diego Luna both have astonishing career filmography. The film starts OK, but just when you get into the core subject - the experiment - it falls down miserably. What was supposed to be a Sci- Fi feature film turns into a commercial horror garbage. We were supposed to watch a young team seeking for an answer to their essential question. Honestly, I didn't think they will ever do, but they did! And the answer was, I don't want to use exaggerated words, but it was really ... inconceivable and silly.

Even for those like me who didn't watch the original, this one will distract your mind from considering so. It just failed to deliver on all levels.

3/10. And I'm being generous.

Passengers (I) (2016)

A romance with 'glimpse at future' background.

[6/10 · 24 December 2016]

From the first few moments of the movie Passengers, make sure to fasten your seat belt as this will seem like a journey into the future you'll love to take.

What's appealing about Morten Tyldum latest outerspace drama, besides the bona fide original story, is the huge practical sets. These are real sets with 8 miles of LED lighting built into the ship and not some green screen work. You can sense the aim of the director being achieved through the performances of the actors and their interaction with the world surrounding them.

Now for those who're going into theater hoping for an extended look at how the future of space travel will be, Passengers will unfortunately have few answers. The movie is based on an idea which is actually feasible from a scientific perspective, but one thing you should keep in mind while watching the dramatic adventure Sci-Fi is that it's a Starshipboard Romance. There is more concentration on Pratt and Lawrence's characters experiencing emotions of desperation, solitude, love, and hope.

Passenger's script was one of the major flaws which didn't much help both actors. There were reports that its story was still being edited as late as last couple of months, so perhaps its release should have been postponed. For it is a good film that could have been better with more attention to its science. But like Aurora Lane, I suppose, we should settle for what fate provides us.

7/10.

Into the Woods (2014)

Repulsive...!

[2/10 · 25 December 2014]

First of all, I'm a guy who enjoys watching Disney movies (Who don't?) with my nieces and nephews or even alone sometimes. Disney has always found its way into our hearts and rooted there, with its beautifully told stories and stunning visuals.

Last year, I thought 'Frozen' was an exceptionally exhilarating experience in terms of musical genre movies. I don't quite fancy this genre really, but the filmmakers and the whole music department have done a great job showing how appealing a good musical movie can be. The Oscar winning 'Let it go' by Idina Menzel was nothing less than a masterpiece.

Now speaking of 'Into the woods', it was the exact opposite. The music was lame, the characters as well. Not even a single character delivered a genuine performance. The word 'poor' is too generous to describe the script and the acting, though there are many fairy tales in this movie that we grew up loving. It was so bad that I couldn't stop fidgeting the whole time.

Maybe the only reason I give it 3 stars is because of Meryl Streep. It is always good to see her. Unfortunately, this could be the only movie that I watched for her and she did not excel in.

One last advice, if you really want to spend a good time with your kids, take them to the park or just do anything else entertaining. If you would rather watch a movie with them, avoid this one.