stazza Reviews

Annihilation (I) (2018)

Kind of a "TV" movie at best.

[1/10 · 25 February 2018]

People (shills?) toss out the term "Masterpiece" far too easily these days. As seen in almost every review below mine. What qualifies THIS as a masterpiece? Nothing. The whole thing feels average at best, and I don't recommend it at all. And I love smart sci-fi. This had potential but traded it off for.... what, I don't even know. It's kind of a "chick flick horror/sci-fi". Was looking forward to this, WANTED to love it, fell flat. A couple sort of interesting sci-fi ideas, that went no where, and just kinda not much good as a movie. I thought the ARRIVAL was much more interesting.

UPDATE: dropped rating to one star to counter act all the fake/paid 10 ratings

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Replicants don't have souls. Like this movie.

[1/10 · 8 October 2017]

LOVED the original, this one was just marginally okay. Lacked all the humane depth the original succeeded at. Without spoiling anything, I will say I felt the MAIN part of the plot SEEMED important, but only because some dialog TOLD you it was. They didn't show it or make you feel it at all, they just tell you how important it is. I guess it really isn't a spoiler because the trailer says, "This breaks the world". Yet over 2.5 hours I never felt anything remotely close to something getting that broken. Except they tell you its important. So, yeah, it's a movie like that. Personally, I'd rather be drawn in to the importance of the whole drive behind the plot, but that's just me.

I recommend it to BR fans, of course, and anyone liking CGI SCI-FI eye candy. I had rated it a 6, but the more I ponder it, the weaker it becomes. Kind of the opposite of the original.

And I should remove stars for expressionless Gosling. Because he does it again.

Dunkirk (2017)

DUNKIRK: Now in "MUMBLE-rama"!

[9/10 · 10 August 2017]

Fine movie, did what it advertised. Nice to watch. HORRIBLE to listen to. I have GREAT hearing, watch a ton of movies that sound fine, but Nolan's films often times have the DIALOG too low to hear or understand clearly. This is another case of that, and I wish someone on his team would find this and start to correct this issue. If Nolan is okaying the final mix, he needs to turn down that studios center channel, because it, apparently is not balanced like real movie theaters.

Also, FYI, I first watched it in a huge, gold standard, 70mm, IMAX theater with like 24,000 watts of tuned audio. Thinking maybe because it was so loud that may affect the live listening, I then went to a top of the line digital XD theater, and guess what? STILL missed a couple of major lines of dialog explaining their situation. Why is this? It is 2017 and mixing audio is not new.

I'm not alone. My friend attending with me also missed some dialog. Also, there is a post where people will MOVIE CHAT at an ORG that discusses this issue, and many others notice it.

Watch the film and enjoy the presentation, but don't expect to understand all the dialog. Again. In another MumbleRama Nolan production. I'd given it a 10 because I enjoyoed it that much, but knocked it down one for the fail audio.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

Every line a cliché

[2/10 · 20 July 2017]

Was hoping for a good story to match the spectacle. Nnnnnope. Saw it in 3D because I figured it would mostly be about the visuals. There WAS a story, obviously, but nothing interesting, memorable or new. The dialog was the fun part: I may catch this on HBO or someplace free in the future, just so I can play "CLICHE LINE BINGO" and actually count how many clichéd lines are used. The trailer was a tip off about that, and I am convinced the dialog was written playing a game of how many overused / commonly heard phrases can we fit and still have a story. So, will be fun with a pen and paper, making down each typical line and it happens.

Yes, it looked great, was well lit, sounded fine, but mostly it was a steaming pile of great CGI, and very typical story.

And there were THREE people in the theater.... including me.

Cars 3 (2017)

Stalled in pit lane....

[2/10 · 19 June 2017]

As a huge supporter and fan of the first CARS film, and not caring at all for the 2nd, this one was phoned in, lacked the "SOUL" and interest of the original. The parts are there, the deep drama and personal problems but it failed to flow. Just plodded along from thing to thing until the big climax ending. The ending was fine, but I have zero desire to ever watch this again, and won't be buying the disc, and WILL be watching the original again to re-feel everything that was missing here.

And it is almost too deep for kids. Lots of talk about life and retiring from it, and not lots of kid style hijinks.

It looked great and had a story, but felt like a cash grab --- or that all the original PIXAR writers were not involved.

Blame! (2017)

Great! But it doesn't end.

[6/10 · 21 May 2017]

No spoilers. Worth a watch, and delivers what it should, but it's another "movie" without resolve. In the days before the machines took over (our world, not this movie), movies used to have endings and complete themselves. Now, everything ends on a continuing story.

I thought this like a great stand alone sci-fi anime, and stuff happens and stuff completes happening, yet it doesn't "End" with a solution. Just sets up for potential series, I suppose. Might not have watched it if I had known it didn't have an ending. Maybe this will save others. Still, it was very good in what it did. If it had an ending, I would have given it an 8 or 9. As is, 6 is all I could muster.

La La Land (2016)

Should have love it, really didn't

[1/10 · 7 May 2017]

This is the type of music film I should be all over loving it, and wanting to watch it again and again. I enjoy many of the old school Hollywood music movies, and many of the newer ones as well. This film did nothing for me except make me check my watch.... over and over... in movie time, it felt like four hours to me. Songs felt shoe horned in, and unimportant and even forgettable. As an musician, and artistic dreamer that has touched fame myself, I should have connected with their dreams and goals and failures. I didn't. Again, just felt like it was cookie-cuttered together.

I don't HATE this film at all, in fact, it is well made. The leads did great with their dance numbers, even if Ryan looked a little robotic by the numbers and the singing was too "auto tuned". Still, I've seen better, much better, and will not be watching this again. Just my opinion.

Having recently watched 4 movies from the 50's/60's era, this felt like a pale imitation that WANTED to pay respects to those style films, but acted like cheap knock offs instead. Shocked it got all this praise, and that others don't see right trough it like I did.

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

slogs along through generically fine effects

[1/10 · 27 March 2017]

with no more place to discuss a film like this, I guess I'll just post a review with 1 star to let people know this film does almost nothing. It just goes from point A to point B with lots of wiz-bang cartoon (CGI) creatures fighting, some people doing stuff, and none of it we really care about. If I was 10, the cartoon (CGI) parts might impress me, but as an adult, I just didn't care about any of it, have no interest in ever wasting time watching it again, and CERTAINLY DON'T RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE. Seemed like just a money grab that was missing MOST of the King Kong stuff from previous versions. Disaappointed. Money Wasted.

The City of Lost Children (1995)

one of the most memorable movie experiences I've seen

[8/10 · 27 February 2012]

Many disagree with the previous reviewer.

Not sure what the last reviewer watched, but City of lost Children is amazing cinema from the sets, color, acting, lighting, plot, it had everything pushed to the Nth from what I experienced.

It is NOT a typical American style movie. It is French and luckily, they are allowed to have an alternate path to interesting movie making.

This guy Jeunet puts a LOT into all of his productions. Almost a mentally overwhelming amount of style, info and actions (not action packed, but activities that go on in or behind the scene). He also did Amelie which is just as astounding and one of the best films ever made. Watch it start to finish if you don't believe that.

The City of Lost Childen extends its name sake across many peoples from the twisted characters that are adults and act like the children they never were, to the children who are lost from being children and must be adults. Not to mention the abductions and the reason for that.

So it is a win on many levels. One of the best, and I am so grateful I happened across this bazaar gem of a flick.

Wish more movies were as intricately entertaining as this art piece is.

Avatar (2009)

There's just something disconnecting about computer graphics

[1/10 · 23 December 2009]

I wanted to really love this movie. Yes, it looks cool and has epic shots displaying the planet, and I've always loved Cameron's work but there is just something NON-CONNECTIVE about computer generated movies to me. There is no "real" peril felt for a bunch of computer charchters and sometimes the characterizations feel souless. I do connect with well written characters, good acting and touching situations, but found very little of that here. The graphics are an amazing shell, but the egg is empty and flavorless. Again, I REALLY wanted to LOVE this movie, but it lacks things to "love", other than the graphics. If the writing was shared with some very skilled writers, it could have been a "game changer" but it's more about being interesting techincally, behind the scenes. I sense no real pull to go see it again and again, not like Star Wars, the Matrix and other similar movies. The visuals are a 10. The story maybe a 5 thus my rating of 7.

Definitely go see this though. Why? Because it does LOOK FANTASTIC on a large screen in 3D. That part was worth the price of admission. just realize it is not emotionally equal to Titanic or Private Ryan etc

2012 (I) (2009)

Perfectly Enjoyable

[8/10 · 17 November 2009]

There is nothing wrong with this movie. It is a perfectly good time. What you see is what you get. In my case, in was more enjoyable than I was expecting. I went for the large screen, hi-definition effects plus the theater sound of all the action. The plot was fine and about what you expect. I might even go again just so I can see more of the fun.

Not sure why it gets such low ratings, but I feel it hit the exact niche it was aiming at. And is apparently interesting or fun to people since it took #1 in the box office.

It's no life changing, thought provoking event, it is JUST a FICTIONAL movie with fun action and great effects. I'll be buying the Blu-Ray also.

A Summer Place (1959)

Forgettable

[4/10 · 28 May 2009]

I bought this film while collecting older fun, 50's movies, and was looking forward to it having recently become a fan of the Sandra Dee romantic comedies from the era. After watching the trailer, I realized it was much more serious and put off watching it quite a while because I am just not a big fan of "watch others lives in ruins" movie genre.

While the movie was filmed okay and seemed pretty typical for the time, the story just didn't interest me. I don't know people like that, hang out with people like that, bother wasting time with people like that. Didn't seem to have any heroes or positive models or good ending or anything. With each new revealed negative event, I began hitting 1.5x speed on the remote to just get it over with. Again, it just wasn't my thing I guess. I will never watch this movie again. And play to re-watch "That funny feeling" again soon to get the disgusting taste of this movie out of my mind.

The things I enjoy in these older classics is the time travel back to live scenery of the cities, the cars, locations, houses, even decorations and it delivered that pretty good. I understand the impact it probably had in it's day, but it offered me little in the way of "movie entertainment"

Brave New World (1998 TV Movie)

I found this version brilliant.

[7/10 · 1 May 2009]

Yes, it was not TRUE to the novel, but this version hits on so many levels closer to home, I found it to be much more interesting and connectable than the 1980 version. The writers deserve much kudos for fitting most of the elements of the novel into this modernized version - and it fits well with current trends from the night club sex world, to the Prozac, zoloft, "e" popping world, to the CITY people being civilized and the country folk shunned for their family ways. ALL very relevant, or sort of how the novel played out in my mind anyway... but this movie fit even better. If you can ever find it, I'd recommend a watch, NOT as the best version of BNW novel, but as a modern and currently existing lifestyle in the world that BNW predicted. I mean, I read the novel and the whole time I was thinking, "This is exactly how the world is today mostly", so I found this updated version to be brilliant.

Production wise, the sets were fine, the lighting great, not sure about the audio, and the actors fit pretty well, and acted okay... it's not Oscar material as it was made for TV, but the STORY carries everything along exactly as it should. I'd buy the DVD in a second if it is ever released.

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

I agree with the previous review.

[4/10 · 8 December 2008]

I wanted to like this movie. But it falls apart in the middle. the whole premise is a good one and ties up nicely, but the middle runs off tangent. The people I watched with were getting annoyed while it ran off course, and hoping it would end sooner than it did. Another person actually fell asleep during the middle segment! I found myself day dreaming elsewhere during the Schtick parts that had nothing to do with the plot. I bought it for the eye candy and it delivered that well, but it lacks Pixar's writing and soul. I think kids 8 and under will enjoy the ride at face vaule, while missing the plot. People old enough to follow a plot will find it wonders too far to return quickly and easily. Edit out most of the middle section, make it 50 minutes and it would be a solid flick. I wish I had better things to say. But I don't

Æon Flux (2005)

It's a fine movie

[8/10 · 3 December 2005]

No, this is not The Matrix, or Star Wars, or Terminator, but it was a perfectly fine, entertaining movie with decent acting, cool concepts, perfect effects, and yes, even a plot. I've never seen the animated series, so, to me, as a stand alone movie, it was great. Not sure why everyone expects every movie to be of some Spielbergesque quality, but some movies are known as "E N T E R T A I N M E N T" and this one succeeds just fine. If far out concepts are hard for you, pay attention, because this is NOT based in 2005. It took me to a Utopian future with wonderful CGI, excellent live sets and interesting location shots, and set me down in a large town of futuristic people and moods. Good time. What it did, it did great and they have sold one DVD already... to me. What it DIDN'T do, well, I guess I didn't miss it. If your breadth of reception is not very narrow, you can enjoy this movie.

Donnie Darko (2001)

Darko beats Blade Runner?

[2/10 · 26 December 2004]

How can Donnie Darko beat out Blade Runner in the scifi category? It is BARELY even a scifi at all. Listen to the director's commentary if you want to find out what the film is really about, as he explains each scene you can hear how that scene failed to deliver - thus needing it to be explained. The movie is watchable and filmed well but fails to deliver what it was really trying to - and that according to the directors own commentary. Although a 5 [1-10] on the watch-ability and production values, I gave it a 1 to correct the curve from fake reviews I am sure many of the votes and posts with glorious reviews are merely marketing plants, and that, sadly, really skews the ratings here at IMDb. Also checkout how Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is #4 for all time best scifi? Even beating the Matrix? Anyone else notice this trend? I bet they hired a temp to sit around logging in fake email addresses and short 4 line raving reviews.