RCD1321 Reviews

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Excellent Godzilla film- for old and new fans!

[9/10 · 12 May 2024]

I finally got to see this, after such a long wait, and I have to say, the wait was so worth it. Whether you're a fan of the originals, or just newly coming into the Kaiju genre, this is one that is sure to entertain! I've been into Godzilla for years, having seen the original when I was in high school over at a friends house and making fun of the dated VFX, but still having so much fun watching a great Japanese monster movie. I still remember being upset with the Ferris Bueller Godzilla film Roland Emmerich subjected the world to, and thinking that the United States should just stay away from this franchise. I'm so glad Gareth Edwards made me eat those words, as I felt the 2014 "reboot" was actually pretty good, and I appreciate that they kept to the original creature design.

Then here comes Minus One, flying in off the wind we all still had from a not-terrible-but-not-great Godzilla Vs Kong to remind us of how great the country of origin does with the franchise. The setting, right after WWII and focusing, as they do so well, on a very relatable and empathy inspiring human story set amidst the chaos of a Kaiju. The acting was very well done- yes, I watched it subtitled, as Japanese film should be because dubbing sometimes misses that emotion. You instantly can feel for the main characters and their story is compelling enough- a failed Kamikaze pilot who feels like a disgrace returns home to Tokyo to find his family perished in the fire-bombing. He already feels shame, and now that big gaping wound gets a nice dose of salt poured in. I wondered if the sense of honor translates to lay American audiences well, or if that part is missed. I really enjoyed the plot being a late 1940s telling that still incorporates the original theme of atomic fears Japan had post-war, and the characters did a fantastic job of driving the story.

Now, the SFX. This is not your dad's Godzilla film he dusted off the laserdisc to show you, featuring the actor in a hilariously bad rubber suit. The SFX were actually very well done, and the first scene featuring Godzilla (very early on, which really grabbed me from the get-go) looked amazing- it was terrifying and realistic. The CGI looks good, yet still keeps a touch of the original flavor and charm- once you see it you'll understand.

The sound design and score were also really well done. The famous Godzilla theme- if you know, you know: Dum.... Dum-dum-dum-dum-dum... dum. Classic! And every time I hear it I can't help but grin and be reminded of my youth, back when the first time I heard it and though how cool of a score it is.

Okay, getting a bit long winded, here, overall, this is a fantastic film, and being the fifth in the Reiwa Era, it really has become probably my favorite of these. It actually squares up well when compared against the Legendary Pictures franchise, but you just can't beat Toho. Now that it's been so long, I feel the urge to go back and watch the 1954 original again. Regardless, Minus One is far and above one of the best Godzilla films, and was very well made. Worth it to see, and I would highly recommend the subtitled version over dubbed- as is pretty much the case with any foreign film.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)

Not the best, but not the worst- meets expectations

[7/10 · 25 September 2023]

Full disclosure, I am a big vampire movie fan, from the Original Dracula, to the Gary Oldman adaptation of the Bram Stoker classic, to Blade, and even the film adaptations of the Anne Rice classics. I was excited to hear this adaptation of a singular chapter of the novel was forthcoming, and so I generated a bit of hype for myself. Did it live up to that hype? Yes and no. While yes, it is exactly what I expected- Dracula, on a ship, on his voyage from Eastern Europe to London. It provided some interesting additions to the story. The set, acting, and action were all good, despite a few gripes with the creature design, and the setting itself was quite dark. The majority of the film takes place in a very dark setting, obviously at night, which made it hard to really make out everything going on. It was also far less gory than I anticipated. While there are scenes of death and injury, it wasn't as bloody as I went into it thinking it would be. The story is simple enough, and they don't spoil the ending, but present the beginning with you already knowing, to a degree, something really bad happened when a derelict Demeter is located in a rocky part of the English coast. It's kind of like those base on a true story films where you know how it ends, but you're along for the ride because of the journey.

The acting was very well done. Liam Cunningham, who I'm most recently familiar with from Game of Thrones, did splendidly, and the portrayal of the main protagonist by Corey Hawkins was also well done. He did very good to show a man who thinks he knows a lot, but is confronted with the realization that he doesn't know what he doesn't know, and the internal struggle this causes. The rest of the cast did well, and round out a decent showing of multiple personalities that can often clash.

The action and horror elements, honestly, were not that scary. But then again, for me, vampire films don't really scare me, especially compared to other types of horror genres. There are a few jump scares, but they are used just well enough to not overdo it- a major point of consternation I have with a lot of modern horror films that have an overreliance on the jump scare. The creature design was good, and you can really tell they drew their inspiration from Nosferatu, however it is a major detour from what one would expect of the famed Count Dracula- who is a monster, no doubt, but closely resembles a man. This is not the Dracula we're used to from Bela Lugosi and Gary Oldman. By itself, it's not bad, but in the grander mythos of what Dracula is, and capable of, it is a little bit of a tough pill to swallow for me. But I understand, it's mostly for the horror and shock element for the film, where the crew is being hunted and tormented by a creature and not a man. So to that end, it does work within that limited scope.

Overall, it's not the best vampire horror ever made, but it's not the worst. It has effective use of storytelling and action to keep you watching, and it was well made. It didn't appear cheap, and it doesn't give off the idea that it's destined for that strange part of Amazon Prime where campy and poorly-acted B-Movies usually end up. It was exactly what I expected, nothing more, nothing less, and it did entertain and refresh a bit of that nostalgic desire for a decent vampire film, albeit not an instant classic, but tolerable for a few re-watches down the line.

Guy Ritchie's the Covenant (I) (2023)

Guy Ritchie does it again!

[8/10 · 23 July 2023]

Full disclosure, I'm a Guy Ritchie fan. Lock Stock, Snatch, and RocknRolla are phenomenal pieces of work. His Sherlock films are a delight, and Revolver was a very intriguing and well made film. I even thoroughly enjoyed his take on Aladdin. Finally getting a chance to see The Covenant, I was going in with the knowledge from friends that it was very well made and acted. I also had to prepare myself to forgive some mistakes, having been deployed and fought in Afghanistan myself, and knowing that sometimes as good of technical advisors can be, oftentimes they're ignored to maintain some dramatic appeal or whatever. This was not the case here. Granted, there were a few plot points that didn't really work well for me, knowing that almost the entire premise was one big glaring flaw: a single 8-man unit would not go out alone in search of an IED factory without far more support and more timely available assets.

That aside, and trying hard to forget, the rest of the film is really quite good. The plot is simple, after a mission gone wrong, and Afghan interpreter must save a US Army operator while the two are being hunted by the Taliban over 120km away from the US base. It's a classic cat and mouse thriller type plot, set amongst the backdrop of the US Campaign in Afghanistan. There are moments of tension, there is a sense of dread, and the plot moves relatively quickly so as not to drag on, despite a 2+ hour runtime. The writing, despite a few minor inaccuracies (why doesn't his radio work? Why can't the satellite phone connect? How did they run out of ammo so quickly?) was really good. The dialog was good and felt immersive (kudos for adding the translations on the screen for military jargon instead of haphazardly tossing them into the dialog for extrapolation from the audience).

The action is certainly a Hollywoodized version of what combat actually looks like, and I understand that, but it was still entertaining despite feeling a little over the top in some cases (namely firey explosions that rarely ever happen in real life). You can definitely tell Gyllenhaal received some real-life training, and took it seriously, as he does convince me of someone who has had some weapons handling education- his movements and how he conducts himself feels very authentic.

Now, the acting. Superb from all of the major characters. Of course Gyllenhaal delivers- I would classify this as one of his absolute best since End of Watch. Like I said before, he does well to portray a trained operator, who really does a very good job of moving and manipulating his weapon like the real deal. Dar Salim, despite being Iraqi, makes you feel like he really is an Afghan local. He has a certain seriousness, and respect about him, and brings the character to life magnificently. He really did feel like the real deal, and I'm betting, from his portrayal, demeanor, and way he interprets that he conversed with actual interpreters- because a lot of the mannerisms and way he did things felt very authentic, having been there done that myself. The supporting cast also delivers, and the casting of the local populace was very well done, it again, felt authentic.

Despite a few flaws here and there, and the requirement to suspend a little bit of reality, especially for veterans who have been there, it was a great move with a great message. It doesn't beat you over the head, but the exposition at the end sends the message quite well. The story does very well to show the bond of two men forged in combat while facing insurmountable odds. That's something that is difficult to capture in film, and this one does it well. While it's not your typical Ritchie film, I will say he has proven his diversity, and shows once again that he's capable of more than just your typical street thug story. Overall, really well done, and a very respectfully made modern war film.

Aladdin (2019)

Decent homage to the original, and it's own unique film

[7/10 · 21 July 2023]

Not just a live-action remake, but Ritchie injects enough to make it good enough to stand on its own. Don't get me wrong, the original Disney animated classic is by far one of the best to come out of the studio, among the favorites from the golden age of Disney animation, before they started going downhill. This was done well enough that a direct comparison isn't fair. To hold it as it's own film is a much more honest way of looking at it.

Ritchie departs from his usual style and substance, and this isn't a bad thing. While Will Smith is certainly no Robin Williams, he does bring a certain flair and hip hop style to the role to really make it good own. As for the rest of the cast, they all deliver and it's nice to see a certain respect to the cultural geography of the story by having Middle Eastern/North African/Central Asian cast. Navid Negahban as the Sultan, I feel was far underused as good of an actor as he is. Mena Massoud did quite good as the titular title character. Marwan Kenzari is menacing enough as Jafar, with a very different feel for Iago with Alan Tudyk providing a much less fantastical portrayal of the animal villain sidekick, which to say he always delivers and is one of my favorite atypical actors. Naomi Scott really wows with her singing, dancing, and acting, and I feel like delivered the very best out of the entire cast. Yes, even considering the huge personality that is the Fresh Prince in the same room.

The music is also well done, while utilizing many of the songs from the original, the actors do well to provide their own talents to make the songs really feel like the touring counterparts to famous Broadway performances. That's what most of this film feels like, a performance of a hit musical, just not with the original cast. Not necessarily bad, good, in fact, just not as good as the original. The choreography is also very well done, with a touch of Bollywood feel thrown in the mix.

The direction was good, the CGI, while heavy at times, was still decent enough to feel immersive and able to entertain. One often wonders when considering how they'll adapt certain scenes from an animated tale to live-action, and here they did well enough. Not great, but well enough to not make me shudder, namely the Jafar/Snake.

Is this as impactful and iconic as the original (coming from the era of Disney animation that brought us The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast)? No. But on its own merits it does well to stand out as one of the better live-action adaptations of a classic animated IP (I also enjoyed the live-action Beauty and the Beast).

Sound of Freedom (2023)

A Story Needing To Be Told

[9/10 · 13 July 2023]

First and foremost, this is a story that is needed, maybe not wanted, maybe not comfortable, but a story people need to hear. The subject matter is heavy, no one wants to talk about, confront, or even hear about child sex trafficking, but it exists when it shouldn't, and this is the story for those victims.

The story opens with Jim Caviezel playing a stoic, yet dedicated HSI agent who's mission is to investigate, capture, and prosecute pedophiles. A job that would take it's toll on the toughest of individuals. He is confronted, after saving a young boy who is the victim of child sex trafficking, with the truth that simply going after these monsters is not enough, and he sets out to rescue the young boy's sister, with or without the help of the US Department of Homeland Security. The following story is one of bravery, discovery, and the telling of a tale of how far a man must go to combat evil.

The story is told in a way that lets you know the horror of the subject matter, but doesn't show it- it's all subtly implied and pulls no punches in what it's insinuating, but again, shows nothing, it's PG-13, after all. The film does wonders in evoking the horror and disgust emotions it's trying to without being graphic. It really makes it easy to distinguish good from evil. And wow, is the evil truly despicable.

The set pieces are fantastic, and it the team does a really good job of making it feel like it really was filmed on location (which some of it was). The mood is dark, yet there are still glimmers of hope, while the story brings you through the journey of the hero, Tim Ballard. And while the film was produced by Angel Studios, a Christian film studio, and starring Jim Caviezel, a very vocal and unapologetic Christian actor, the film only drops a few religious bits here and there and doesn't beat you over the head or preach to you, which was done very respectfully, and tactfully to appeal to a wider audience. The direction, cinematography, and score are all blended perfectly to bring this story to life and tell you the adaptation of a true story in a way that makes it feel like it was made with a much higher budget than $14M. One area where this can be seen is the raid on the island in which when one does the research will find that the actual event was much larger than depicted on screen.

The acting was superb, and we're treated to a very emotional, and deep portrayal as the father of the two main children, played by Jose Zuniga, who is seemingly always in secondary and support roles, but has the talent and depth to really flesh out a character. Kurt Fuller, who plays Ballard's boss at DHS always delivers, and this film is no exception, despite it being a rather small role. Another small, but well played and important role, was Mira Sorvino's Katherine Ballard, the wife of the titular hero. Rounding out the supporting parts, Bill Camp really steals the show as Vampiro, the cartel financier turned anti-trafficking guru. He shows Ballard the ropes, and aids him every step of the way in his quest. Camp really brings a level of passion and heartbreak to a character with a dark past trying to atone for his past transgressions.

And of course there's Caviezel. He does such a wonderful job of portraying a character that is so driven and focused. He really makes you feel the emotions along with him, and has this uncanny ability to have a level of pain, torture, and sadness just under the surface, ready to burst out, but is able to keep it contained. There are moments in the film where he appears like he could start bawling at any moment, but is able to keep it in check. A talent in acting that is difficult to master, but that Jim does with the appearance of ease.

For such a heavy subject matter, and dark portrayal of the story, it really does give you hope that maybe one day this scourge on humanity can be defeated. The story does exactly what it set out to accomplish, tell a story, raise awareness, force us as a society to confront the evil that exists in our world. Forget the lies and distractions that many in the media are trying to say, this isn't a QAnon propaganda piece, it's based on actual events, that actually happened, that film evidence of exists and is shown prior to the credits. This is a story that needs to be seen, shared, and discussed. I'm hopeful it precipitates change, as what Caviezel's character says so well is so true: "God's children are not for sale."

Reacher (2022– )

Excellent adaptation, can't wait for Season 2!

[10/10 · 25 February 2022]

I started reading the Reacher series in 2020, during COVID, and the first book, Killing Floor, hooked me fast! It was the first book in a long time that I literally had a hard time putting down. Immediately after I read the second book and now consider Lee Child to be one of my all-time favorite authors. Naturally, I had already watched the Tom Cruise version before reading the books, and liked it well enough (despite not really knowing too well about the height issue fans complained about).

So, when I heard Amazon was going to make a Reacher series, I was skeptical. I'm so glad I was wrong. Alan Richman plays Jack Reacher wonderfully. The first season, although a slight departure from the novel's 1st person perspective, and understandable from a story telling standpoint, was very faithful to the story and even feel of the novel. They really brought Margrave to life, and the mystery and sinister of the plot worked well on screen. The acting, writing, pace, and direction was all superb, and ending episodes on a cliffhanger (despite knowing the story) kept me in full binge mode to where I watched all episodes in 2 days.

I enjoyed the show about as much as the book, and cannot wait for season 2. I really hope they continue with the rest of the books, as long as Amazon, Alan, and Child will allow. If it can continue for longer, I'll definitely say with fill confidence that this is my top streaming show. 100x better than the Tom Cruise films, and I'm not saying they weren't good, but Tom just doesn't *feel* like Jack Reacher (after revisiting post-books).

No Time to Die (2021)

What did they do?

[2/10 · 22 December 2021]

First things first, I would consider myself a die-hard Bond fan. I love and appreciate (not you Lazenby) all the Bond films (EON Productions only, be gone McClory, just my opinion), up until the later Brosnan films that completely went off the rails (reality just Die Another Day- let's just forget that awfulness ever happened). Then along came the Daniel Craig set of Bond films, and we got a really nice reboot.

Casino Royale was amazing, and while Quantum wasn't the best follow up, it did entertain. Skyfall was right on par with Casino, and Spectre did quite well with introducing the most famous Bond villain since Auric Goldfinger and tying them all together, albeit somewhat sloppily, but I get where they were going.

Then there's this mess. The action was really good, probably the only redeeming factor to this film. But beyond that, it's as if they lost the plot and failed to recognize what made all the preceding films in the franchise great. The set pieces were very beautiful, especially all the Norway scenes, and I did grin a bit with the nod to Ian Fleming by having Bond "retire" to Jamaica. But after that it just all fell apart.

The acting from most of the cast was decent. The previously established M, Q, Moneypenny, and even Dr. Swann were all portrayed well. Blofeld's cameo left a lot to be desired as Christoph Waltz is a spectacular actor (he fits very well with Finnes in the casting). But these new folks? It felt very forced having and obviously tokenized black female "replacement 007," and sorry, her acting skills need more development (Naomi Harris, on the other hand should have had a much larger role). I've yet to see him portray Freddie Mercury, but Rami Malek as the villain was awful. If he was attempting to play a cardboard cut out of a Bond villain, he certainly nailed it, otherwise, he didn't even match Dominic Greene from Quantum (who I thought, until now, was the weakest villain of the Craig films).

The story, oh heavens the story... It was a mess from the beginning, and they really did a poor job with the pre-title sequence. Had any of the writers or director even seen a Bond film before? I get trying to break away from the formula and being original, but this was pretty weak. And then it just goes from there and finds a nice, big drain to start circling for the next two and a half hours. The plot was somewhat diabolical and interesting at first, but then they go for the gold medal in shark jumping. Seriously, I got flashbacks to Die Another Day with the fantastical and very confusing villain plot. What was the end goal, because cardboard man with the pockmarked face never really elaborated or hinted at what he really wanted besides to basically be God.

Ok, now for the spoilers- WTF? The ending was the worst yet (yes, even worse than Bond being chased by a giant laser from a satellite and then surfing on a convertible roof). And you're not fooling anyone by having Swann tell James earlier that the little girl isn't his, we all see the writing on the wall, that was about as predictable as the ending of United 93. The entire film ended by just killing off the entire franchise in one fell swoop. I get that Craig was done playing Bond, but with ending his tenure with such finality would make Fleming himself weep. I'm pretty disappointed in how they decided killing off the title character was the best way to wrap up this series. I'm glad Sir Sean Connery didn't live to see this mayhem of a film. And as a closing note, another title this film stole from Die Another Day was the awful title song. This is the first Billie Eilish song I'd ever heard, and it doesn't inspire me to want to hear any more of her work.

Save yourself the disappointment, miss this film and let the franchise close the Daniel Craig chapter on Spectre.

Murder Mystery (2019)

Exactly what was advertised

[7/10 · 25 August 2019]

So many reviews on here telling how awful this was, what were they expecting? Spielberg? Coppolla? It's a Happy Madison film with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. If you watch the trailer, you already know it's not a serious mystery. It's advertised as fun, campy, goofy and a complete waste of an hour and a half. It's not the next Oscar contender. It's a mildly funny, fairly entertaining tale of a NYPD cop, who continues to fail to make detective, who gets shamed into finally taking his wife on a European honeymoon. While en route, his wife befriends a rich Englishman who invites them onto his billionaire uncle's yacht. In a twist that Stevie Wonder could see coming (the title is Murder Mystery, after all), a murder occurs. It's up to the hapless American couple to try to solve the caper. Seriously, if you're not expecting this to be blissfully moronic and predictable, and existing only to entertain, perhaps you should just crawl back into the basement of the art house film theater you crawled out of. It's dumb, it's campy, it's just a silly project concocted by Sandler to convince himself his career is not all dead. And to be honest, going in, expecting exactly what I got, I actually enjoyed it. The supporting cast was just as dumb and over-the-top as the rest of the movie. And that's fine. It's a fun movie to unplug from reality and just watch. People don't have to make things so complicated. However, it should have been named Adam, Jennifer, and the really cold set.

Chappie (2015)

3rd outing for Blomkamp, and it's just as bad as the others.

[1/10 · 9 June 2015]

If the underlying plot for District 9 was a preachy message about immigration, and Elysium had the hidden meaning of "Capitalism=bad", then Chappie has the meaning of....? Seriously, it made no sense. What, that Hugh Jackman is the only good actor in this film? It felt like a 120 min commercial for the awful and unknown (for good reason) SA rap group "Die Antwoord." The plot is contrived, about a robot who becomes self-aware (except lord we needed Sara Conner to eliminate him!) and befriends a pair of thugs. Really, that's about it. It was barely watchable and it was only by sheer force that I was able to actually finish it. I guess you could say the underlying meaning was humanity is only skin deep? I don't know, honestly, because Blomkamp is that bad of a director. If I didn't like District 9, and I hated Elysium, then what comes after hate as this is the worst of the three? Seriously, this is a totally missable movie and thus proving that Blomkamp should just quit now, while he's still behind but not buried.

Interstellar (2014)

Christopher Nolan delivers, again.

[10/10 · 8 November 2014]

I actually went into the movie theater not knowing this was done by Christopher Nolan. So when his name popped up when the movie ended I had a moment of "That explains everything!" The premise is not new, but the delivery sure is... Earth is dying. Some kind of vegetation plague is killing our planet's crops, the dirt is turning against us, and mankind has ceased warfare, frivolous money spending, and hunkered down to focus on agriculture. Former NASA Pilot, Cooper, works on a farm with his two kids and father in law. His daughter begins discovering things happening in her bedroom that will soon change everything.

The film itself is gripping and although the prologue is focused on getting to know the characters and introducing us to the world as it is in this fictional future, albeit slowly, you don't have to wait very long until it starts to get into the trademark Christopher Nolan intensity that grabs you, throws you around, excites you, and doesn't let go until the end. There aren't really any of his films this could compare in any way to, it's so different and fresh. It's feel could be compared to Inception, but that's it. The acting is beyond great, and McConaughey and Hathaway work very well together on the screen. The visuals, effects, editing, and sound are all superb. There is a lot of big, grandiose shots in the film, so it would be beneficial to see this in the theater at least once to get the full effect. This movie really was made to be on the big screen.

It's not often I think of a movie as one that will go down in history, but this certainly will. It's presentation, plot, and approach put it up there with classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, which many times you can tell was one of the main inspirations for this film. The banks and corners Nolan takes in this movie will get your heart pumping, and the acting and effects will visually hold you. Not every day I see such a great movie and have some fun while I'm at it.

Gravity (2013)

Proof that originality is dead

[1/10 · 31 January 2014]

First off... I didn't go into this film with very high expectations, and that's probably why I wasn't as disappointed when the credits started. It is a visually stunning film, don't get me wrong there, but mercy is it an easy to skip movie. The plot is simple, and so is everything else. Bullock and Clooney are a pair of astronauts repairing Hubble when Houston gives word that the Russians launched a missile to destroy an old satellite which creates a mess of debris circling the earth at 20,000MPH. Of course if you watched the trailer you know that the debris hits and strands the two hapless stars in orbit high above earth with no way home. And that's when the frustration set in.

I used to say that any great actor/actress could save a horrible script. This was simply not the case. Bullock is great, but she gets very annoying in this film- and her character is about as dumb as a brick. Clooney babbles incessantly about nonsense for a good portion of the film, and doesn't act like a professional astronaut. The dialog is often laughable and way too candid to be realistic at all. Now I have to go back and watch some of these two actors' better films just to wash the nasty taste out of my mouth.

Speaking of realism... Some of the things Bullock's character does in this film teeter on the verge of what you'd see in a bad video game. Without giving anything away I'll just say that the viewers are exposed to three "stunts" (it's all CGI anyway) repeated a few times. It's as if the writers liked how one dilemma looked, repeat, did another dilemma, and repeat. Not to mention the complete lack of scientific research as to what happens in the vacuum of space.

DO NOT READ THIS PART AS IT CONTAINS A SPOILER... You've been warned. In the end, I reflected that this movie was silly, unrealistic, I didn't sympathize with the character at all, and I thought that Sandra Bullock's character is the luckiest person in the history of humanity... 5 times over! Only luck could have brought her to the end, as she makes one miraculous life-saving maneuver after another that in the real world would have left her cold and dead in the empty vastness of space.

This movie flat out sucked. If you want a good space film, check out Apollo 13 or The Right Stuff.

The Hurt Locker (2008)

I gave it 1 because they didn't have the option for 0.

[1/10 · 8 March 2010]

I rarely do this, but I had to turn this off slightly half way through. This movie was terrible, it was worse than terrible, it was an atrocity. Anyone who has ever served should feel ashamed by this movie, and anyone who is EOD should lash out accordingly towards Bigelow. I know people say it's a movie and we shouldn't bash it for lack of realism, but for crying out loud it doesn't even come close to resembling realism. The only real part of this movie is the fact that they're US Soldiers in Iraq, that's it. The writing is terrible: the plot was lacking in many ways and the characters did things that even a mindless robot would ask "did you seriously just order me to do that?" The acting (and this is surprising because I liked Jeremy Renner in 28 Days Later...) is sub par, not one of the characters was believable and the lead was a loose cannon taken a little over the top. And sorry Mrs. Bigelow, but you really should stick to movies like Point Break and Strange Days, war movies are just not your strong point, especially ones that are so ludicrous as this that I almost feel shamed wearing a uniform for my country because of how people correlate this movie with the real world. Another confusing thing about this film is how people thought it was so good. I think everything about this film puts US Service Members in the wrong light. We are not heroic to the point of stupidity, and not many soldiers can use a sniper rifle to take out a target over 1000M away. EOD does not perform in the way depicted, much less anywhere close to the way depicted, and the direction this film took was so ridiculous that I seriously question the intelligence of America for putting this up for Best Picture and it being boasted as the "Best film of '09." 2009 had many films released that were above and beyond better films in every aspect by comparison. I question the opinions of anyone who rates this movie more than 3 stars and wouldn't take any recommendations from anyone who liked this movie as I know they have poor taste in film. If you haven't seen Hurt Locker, don't. Much like Napoleon Dynamite, I want those hours of my life back.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

Doesn't even stack up to the original

[4/10 · 12 December 2008]

Now, put the times aside and look at the whole basis of the film- alien comes to earth, gets shot by jittery soldier, miraculously heals then proceeds to tell the U.S. Military leadership that it is imperative that he speak to the World Leaders. That's the jist, but then it just falls short in the new 2008 version. The story doesn't follow the same line, the characters are nothing like the originals, and not having read the short story but seen the original several times, ends completely different. First off that bugged me was Jacob, Helen's "step son," in the original he fell in love with Klaatu (although not suspected of being an alien until later- which they did a horrible job with that twist in the re-make as well), in the remake he despises and want's someone to kill Klaatu. And you'll know it when you see it, but GORT was done horribly, especially his destructive force and not to mention he was never talked about or referred to as GORT by Klaatu. Finally, the worst possible part, was in the original, Klaatu came to earth to warn of the Robots designed and programmed to enforce peace that if earth continued it's destruction and violence the world would be destroyed, a very good moral point, the new one, there wasn't even a chance at a warning, and it seemed our fate was decided before the "spheres" even arrived (which I get the whole new age style on sci-fi spaceships, but c'mon, the original picked on the whole UFO/Flying Saucer craze, they could have been a little better in this one that just big globes that looked like they were full of smoke).

Now- as a stand alone sci-fi movie, this wasn't really THAT bad. It had an okay plot if you totally disregard the original, and it was the perfect role for Reeves, blank, emotionless, and serious the whole time- on purpose. If you don't mind all the jumping around and making the U.S. Government look like a bunch of war mongers then you should get some satisfaction, but wait for the DVD, it's really not the best movie ever and it won't ever win an award or be held in high regard in the sci-fi realm along side greats like War of The Worlds, Alien, Aliens, Predator, and yes, even Independence Day. But for cliché's sake- I've seen better.

The Thing (1982)

Scary- One of the best

[10/10 · 5 July 2008]

Perhaps the scariest movies I've ever seen. John Carpenter really had it back then (we'll just forget about Ghosts of Mars and some of the other crap they've released more recently). Everything about this movie is why I haven't lost faith in American Film. Kurt Russell does an awesome job, and has a commanding presence, even if he's not your typical Ahnold type alien fighting hero. This movie is scary on multiple levels, visually (because Stan Winston rocked), psychologically, and it has that long term fear factor that still to this day (almost a full 10 years since I first saw this movie) scares the bejezus outta me (even if I haven't seen the movie in a long time- just looking back on it gives me the willies). This belongs in movie history as among the top 3 scariest movies ever created, but also, one of the best science fiction films ever made.

There Will Be Blood (2007)

2 1/2 hours that will leave you spell bound

[8/10 · 20 April 2008]

I got this movie for my birthday and finally got around to watching it (as it was 2 1/2 hours long), and I must say, Daniel Day Lewis gets my vote for damn fine actor. It was a little slow, and if you were expecting a big showdown or something you'll be disappointed. It really was well written, and I have to say all of the acting was spot-on. The actor who played Eli did a great job of portraying a very eccentric preacher. And the entire movie had me spell bound as I knew next to nothing about oil drilling except what I've seen in movies like Hellfighters. I had no idea what kind of dangers lie in such a business, and not to mention the madness that ensues from being an "oil man." Since I heard it was based on Oil! by Upton Sinclair I knew it was going to be a bit crazy- and after seeing this movie I immediately thought I should read that book. This film is not for the young or those who don't understand strange twisty plots, as at times it gets hard to follow, and although few and far between the violent scenes can get somewhat gruesome. Overall a great movie, but not like the usual stuff that seeps out of Hollywood.

Cloverfield (2008)

Wow...

[9/10 · 20 January 2008]

Seriously, that's about all I could say, or think after walking out of the theater at the end of this movie. I still remember nearly having a heart attack when I fist saw the teaser for this movie before Transformers. It left a lot of questions and I immediately went crawling on the web to find answers. JJ Abrams and his crew that put in a lot of really hard work did a very impressive job keeping this under wraps and building the almost endless and impatient-inducing hype. From the beginning of the film all the way to the end I was constantly craving more. Some critics say the acting was terrible, but to them I show them a certain finger, because honestly, if you were running around NYC fearing for your life, how would you act? The story, which the audience can relate to, revolves around, for the most part, Hud and his best friend Rob (Hud being the comic relief behind the camera). Rob is leaving for Japan with a new VP position at some unnamed company (my guess from the start was Slush-O, look at what shirt Rob's brother, Jason, is wearing). Weeks before Rob sleeps with his good friend (and as we find romantic interest) Beth, what do you know, Rob falls in love. Then the night of his going away party he sees Beth and it pretty much ruins his fun, that is until the ground shakes and the power fails temporarily. Enter: "Cloverfield" from the ocean tearing off the head of the Statue of Liberty and capsizing a ship on it's entrance into Manhattan. The rest of the film continues with Hud behind the camera and Rob with a small group of close friends in tow in a desperate attempt to save Beth and flee from this creature. There is the story that I can tell without ruining the film. This unique style that hasn't really been done before (we'll just forget Blair Witch on this one) really gives the audience a new view on a movie not yet seen, the first person perspective of the main characters. Yes, you see the monster, and they do a great job of teasing you with small glimpses of it (and the smaller almost more terrifying creatures that come with it). The special effects are well done, and the action scenes involving the Army are just as intense as the destruction this creature unleashes. A "you never know what'll happen next" "edge of your seat" thrill ride- sorry to sound cliché'd. I loved this movie and really hope they follow through with the rumored plans to make another from a different perspective. If you like monster movies, thrillers, action, and keep-you-guessing films this is one you must check out. Hey, if it's good enough to beat out Star Wars: SE and Black Hawk Down on the opening weekend box office records then it must be good. $41 million and counting can't be wrong!

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006 Video Game)

Best RPG ever made...

[10/10 · 8 June 2006]

This game is the reason gamers like me don't get much sleep. It's basically your everyday fantasy RPG (Role Playing Game) set in a world full of demons, monsters, knights, bandits, goblins, and more. That's where the similarity ends. The game is based in a mythical world that's just plain massive. It's basically a country with several cities and towns. The mapping is spectacular, with no two areas alike (swamps, mountains, gaping forests, snow covered lands, lakes, rivers), the towns have unique architecture, and not to mention the developers show how the 360's graphics engine can make for some very realistic water effects. Everything in this game is superb, right down to the sound (not to mention Sean Bean and Patrick Stewart lend their voices). It wasn't enough to knock it down a point, but I did find the character creation a bit of a challenge, along with some of the people in the game, too many of them look old and worn out. Other than that, this game hit every mark in my book... it allows for complete control of your character, you can be a mage (magic) or a warrior, or both. You can actually choose your path. Follow the main quest first and beat the main story line, or follow some side quests and get your character to a more respectable level (which I recommend)? I truly believe out of any non-MMORPG out there this has one of the biggest replay value factors ever, not to mention hours upon hours of gameplay and entertainment (some quests require you to travel great distances to complete). The gameplay is fantastic, the selection of tools, weapons, and other items is magnificent, and the graphics are, for lack of a better word, gorgeous. This game, so far, is the only RPG that comes very close to real life. I think the only thing that makes it different from real life is that the real world has no reset button. This is a must have, must play, must get addicted game. Like great literature, this you cannot put down until it's done!

Revolver (2005)

Top notch! Like no film I've ever seen before.

[10/10 · 5 June 2006]

Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Lock Stock...), one of the best directors when it comes to well thought out stories and deep, well written characters, has really outdone himself this time. Unlike Snatch, Lock Stock, or even Star (the short film from the Hire, basically a BMW commercial done in '01), Revolver actually makes you put down the magazine and pay attention to this film. Confusing at times, if you really think about it after seeing it, it makes sense. The style was incredible, moving around a lot the story was able to be followed (I wish I could say the same for Alexander) but the viewer needs to have a keen eye. The acting was far greater than some of the big budget crap fests that Hollywood releases these days as Jason Statham (Snatch), Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), Andre Benjamin (Be Cool) and Vincent Pastore (The Sopranos) round out the main characters which are beautifully presented. The plot, without revealing to much is easily mis-interpreted or even excused by those who didn't understand the underlying meaning (my hat's off to Mr. Ritchie for the "moral lesson") the story itself, or just were confused and shut their brain off 2/3s of the way through. This movie is really one of the most thought provoking movies I've seen so far. So if you're looking for a movie finishes with an explanation of everything, this one is not it. So, open your mind, pay attention, and most of all, enjoy REVOLVER.

Equilibrium (2002)

Great film!

[10/10 · 16 March 2005]

I saw this movie, having not heard of it before, with a friend who described it as "Way better than the Matrix." So I viewed it with an open mind. What I saw was spectacular. Sure the plot has been done before, but not really that mainstream, and not even close to this well. Others have said it's low budget, but from the looks of it (without delving in deeper) it looks to be about the same budget as the latest Speilburg, Michael Bay, or Coen flick. While it is a bit of a far fetched idea- removing human emotions altogether to prevent war and crime- it does touch base on logic, without emotion we cannot have anger, without anger there is no war. The idea of the film is great... but what's even better is the delivery. In a future where emotion and art is illegal (because art stirs emotion), who is there to enforce these laws? The police... but to lead them you need someone even more equipped to handle the vile acts of "Sense Offenders"- as people who "feel" are referred to. More equipped doesn't necessarily mean firepower. The Cleric (main character Cleric John Preston- played by Christian Bale) is suited to handle anything. With action sequences that are more feasible than the Matrix, more exciting, and less sci-fi. The acting as well is superb. Taye Diggs does an excellent job with his character and I would have to say although it's not the biggest part, Sean Bean delivers an outstanding performance. Of course, leading the cast, Christian Bale gives another performance that proves he's one of the best actors out there right now. View this movie not comparing it to the Matrix, but view it as it was mean to be, a Sci-Fi Action that isn't just a shoot-em-up the end film, this one actually deals with a future that is somewhat possible. If you like action movies that aren't just crappy acting with cool gunfights and explosions this one is a good choice. I give this a 10!

The Missing (I) (2003)

I'm Still not sure...

[28 November 2003]

Western, Drama, Chick Flick, or just another Ron Howard film, I'm still not sure. All I know is that it was an okay movie, I'd give it a 7 just because it was a little long for my tastes, there was too much "fluff" added that didn't need to be there. Also I thought that the characters in the film -either by choice of the director or just an aspect in the script- had horrible aim, they fired countless rounds of ammunition in the film and I'd venture to guess they had a 15% accuracy rate... But other than that I liked the new aspect of a woman being the tough-as-nails main character especially since Cate Blanchet is one good actress. And this was the first movie I've seen with Evan Rachel Wood, who I think did a great job as Blanchet's Daughter (not to mention the girl is astonishingly gorgeous). This may have been a little biased since Tommy Lee Jones was one of MY inspirations for being an actor... overall not a bad piece of work by Mr. Howard.

The Hunted (2003)

Splendid!

[28 November 2003]

Tommy Lee Jones does it again! A film where a battle hardend professional killer snaps and kills non-combatants that he thinks are out to kill him leads to one of the coolest chases through Portland. His pursuer, Jones, is based on a real tracker and survivalist who actually was contracted by the US government to train soldiers how to survive, hide, track, and kill. This movie has some of the coolest knife moves and they're all realistic. I loved this movie because of it's documentary style of camera movement and angles, and realism (sorry CG this movie didn't need you). The story is believeable and well placed, and I loved the direction. Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio Del Turo make a great good and evil match up... Keep up the good work guys. This movie Gets a 9.5!

Half Past Dead (2002)

Okay so not the best...

[28 September 2003]

Yeah, the movie wasn't the best movie ever made, but it wasn't the worst. I actually liked it, not for how the plot was shaped or the script was written, but it was a neat spin for the action genre. I thought it in a way reminded me of the Rock, simply because it puts an old prison back on the silver screen (though this didn't do it justice since they remodeled the prison too much). The acting was (how does Nick-Ja Rule- Put it?) Aiight, and the screenwriter should probably search for a new career, but for the action it was worth the 10bucks I forked over for the DVD.