I loved the first one and the 2nd one was good as well. While this has the same awesomely choreographed fights, it continues to (imo unnecessarily) convolute the Wick "universe that started with Chap 2. After the High Table there are now adjudicators and and Elder. I just feel it's unnecessary and takes away from the experience.
Reviews
21 Reviews
The Babadook
(2014)
Weak
6 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Bad movie in my opinion. The two main characters do an extreme 180. I mean it is believable that the mother goes insane. But why at the same time does the son immediately turn normal and completely sensible after being an annoying psycho kid in the beginning? Add to that some usual cheap horror cliches, like gratuitous flickering lights, creaking and the mother turning into some sort of Pazuzu from The Exorcist with the pitched down/distorted demonic voice and in looks. Along with the ending that the movie itself spoils with the Babadook book this movie is rather boring, frustrating and mostly lame sadly.
Total Recall
(I) (2012)
Soulless sci-fi action flick
11 July 2021
This is a movie where they focused too much on everything looking good and neglecting everything else. The result is a visually polished film (though almost too sterile looking CGI with an orgy of unnecessary lens flares) that is otherwise utterly soulless, bland and forgettable (flat characters, mediocre acting, etc.).
Stick to the original.
Stick to the original.
Disappointing
16 May 2021
This could've been an interesting piece on the dynamic between Berkowitz and Terry alongside their conspiracy theory.
A more nuanced series could've been great. Because it seemed to me that Berkowitz and Terry were similary thirsty for attention, it's just that the former took the wrong turn in life and took to murder. Berkowitz seemed to want the attention so he went on a killing spree. Add to that his "a dog gave me the orders" and later the cult conspiracy. Terry on the other hand seemed to desperately want to be the hero to uncover the ultimate evil. So in a way, these two have found each other. Berkowitz found a gullible man to manipulate and keep being in the spotlight, Terry believed he would get closer to the ultimate hidden truth and become a respected investigative journalist.
Instead, it sadly focuses for 3 and 3/4 of the series on just presenting Terry's ludicrous conspiracy without much questioning, making it seem more credible than it is. It is more of a docuseries on Maury Terry than on Berkowitz. Apart from maybe two or three policemen involved with the case back then, most people talking seem to fully believe the theory. Only in the last 13 minutes of the last episode are some of these same people shown doubting Terry and suggesting that maybe he was way too obsessed and lost it. Thus, it is rather one-sided. If you read up how many people luckily survived, only one of them (Denaro) actually spoke, same with the parents of one of the girls, making it seem even the survivors as well as the families of the killed are believing the conspiracy.
It is kind of sad how Terry let himself be so manipulated by Berkowitz and spent a lot of his life chasing ghosts (pun intended). It is impressive how Berkowitz managed to even convince Denaro, a victim of his and the parents of a girl he killed to actually believe it wasn't him who did, if it weren't so utterly sick and twisted. This is sadly also an aspect that could've been critically highlighted. I feel Terry seemed unaware that by believing the whole "satanic cult" shtick from Berkowitz he unintentionally helped Berkowitz portray himself as a victim as well and trivialised the deeds of a cold-blooded killer. But it played right into Berkowitzes goal to go along with him being a "born-again Christian" that managed to get out of a satanic cult.
Needless to say I expected more and not just a Maury Terry bio series.
A more nuanced series could've been great. Because it seemed to me that Berkowitz and Terry were similary thirsty for attention, it's just that the former took the wrong turn in life and took to murder. Berkowitz seemed to want the attention so he went on a killing spree. Add to that his "a dog gave me the orders" and later the cult conspiracy. Terry on the other hand seemed to desperately want to be the hero to uncover the ultimate evil. So in a way, these two have found each other. Berkowitz found a gullible man to manipulate and keep being in the spotlight, Terry believed he would get closer to the ultimate hidden truth and become a respected investigative journalist.
Instead, it sadly focuses for 3 and 3/4 of the series on just presenting Terry's ludicrous conspiracy without much questioning, making it seem more credible than it is. It is more of a docuseries on Maury Terry than on Berkowitz. Apart from maybe two or three policemen involved with the case back then, most people talking seem to fully believe the theory. Only in the last 13 minutes of the last episode are some of these same people shown doubting Terry and suggesting that maybe he was way too obsessed and lost it. Thus, it is rather one-sided. If you read up how many people luckily survived, only one of them (Denaro) actually spoke, same with the parents of one of the girls, making it seem even the survivors as well as the families of the killed are believing the conspiracy.
It is kind of sad how Terry let himself be so manipulated by Berkowitz and spent a lot of his life chasing ghosts (pun intended). It is impressive how Berkowitz managed to even convince Denaro, a victim of his and the parents of a girl he killed to actually believe it wasn't him who did, if it weren't so utterly sick and twisted. This is sadly also an aspect that could've been critically highlighted. I feel Terry seemed unaware that by believing the whole "satanic cult" shtick from Berkowitz he unintentionally helped Berkowitz portray himself as a victim as well and trivialised the deeds of a cold-blooded killer. But it played right into Berkowitzes goal to go along with him being a "born-again Christian" that managed to get out of a satanic cult.
Needless to say I expected more and not just a Maury Terry bio series.
Color Out of Space
(2019)
Horrendous (but not in a good way)
22 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I was interested in this film because it adapts H.P. Lovecrafts great short story "The Colour out of Space". I could've guessed that this would be most likely bad (based on the Nic Cage billing alone) but man...
This takes the basic premise of Lovecrafts story and sets it in present day. After that, the writers who adapted the story must have taken the important plot points of the story, put them on a dart board, thrown some darts on it and taken those and filled the rest with other horror clichés. Can't explain this jumbled mess any other way. It omits certain (imo) important plot elements of the original. For example: Most about the meteorite itself and the globules of colour in it: Scrapped. The short story had a brilliant and subtle buildup, adding changes here and there in the surroundings of the well. The movie on the other hand doesn't care for subtlety, and turns it into an over the top story and adds some horror clichés (satanist rituals, car doesn't start, over the top deformed animals complete with the cliché squishy noises, etc.). Add a horrendous Nic Cage performance and you have this film.
I had a hard time finishing it and only could watch bits at a time. It is THAT boring and bad. I had to force myself to finish it.
This takes the basic premise of Lovecrafts story and sets it in present day. After that, the writers who adapted the story must have taken the important plot points of the story, put them on a dart board, thrown some darts on it and taken those and filled the rest with other horror clichés. Can't explain this jumbled mess any other way. It omits certain (imo) important plot elements of the original. For example: Most about the meteorite itself and the globules of colour in it: Scrapped. The short story had a brilliant and subtle buildup, adding changes here and there in the surroundings of the well. The movie on the other hand doesn't care for subtlety, and turns it into an over the top story and adds some horror clichés (satanist rituals, car doesn't start, over the top deformed animals complete with the cliché squishy noises, etc.). Add a horrendous Nic Cage performance and you have this film.
I had a hard time finishing it and only could watch bits at a time. It is THAT boring and bad. I had to force myself to finish it.
Alien: Covenant
(2017)
How to ruin the Alien franchise & mythology in 2 films
29 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
After the trainwreck of stupidity that was Prometheus, I expected this to be better. Well, silly me for hoping for a better movie. This is more of the same: Filled with dumb tropes and a plot that ruins the whole Alien lore. It even has no respect for it's Prequel. All the buildup in Prometheus about the "Engineers" being a super race of aliens? Nah, just show them being easily wiped out in a short flashback.
It basically all comes down to the robot David being a future Dr. Frankenstein and creating the "ultimate species". The eggs breeding then facehuggers are just there, and later it seem even possible to grow them Huggers out of tiny, freezable eggs. Xenomorph queen? Obsolete. Or maybe I'm too dumb for this movie to get it.
HR Giger would spin in his grave. What have they made out of his brilliant designs. Shame.
It basically all comes down to the robot David being a future Dr. Frankenstein and creating the "ultimate species". The eggs breeding then facehuggers are just there, and later it seem even possible to grow them Huggers out of tiny, freezable eggs. Xenomorph queen? Obsolete. Or maybe I'm too dumb for this movie to get it.
HR Giger would spin in his grave. What have they made out of his brilliant designs. Shame.
Prometheus
(I) (2012)
Disappointing
25 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I am a huge fan of the Alien series. The first two are deservingly classics. Alien 3 and Resurrection were ok, so after the years AND Scott directing this, I had high hopes. The idea of a Prequel explaining the background of the xenomorphs and the artifacts of the first movie is definitely promising. However, they completely squandered the opportunity and instead, they produced a mostly bland and uninspiring re-hash of the first few films: A crew lands on an unknown planet to explore it, but is soon forced to return aboard. That is basically the same plot as the original Alien (add the last log Shaw records at the end, which is also almost word for word the one Ripley records at the end of Aline). As such, the plot is (for the most part) entirely predictable: David is the robot that wants to research for Weyland with no regard for human life (like Ash in Alien); the two crew members turning back but getting lost and first ones to die, Shaw getting an Aline inside her, etc.
In addition to the unoriginal writing, there are immersion-breaking scenes, some of which are just unexplainable. For example: The geologist maps the whole alien structure, and in the ship the resulting map is shown in 3D with all of the crew members positions marked. Now how is it possible that the geologist Fifield and his buddy Milliburn manage to get lost? Are we to believe that the crew back on the ship are dickheads that don't tell them the way out? Later, captain Janek asks these two where in the structure they are, while their positions are clearly marked in the map on the ship in front of Janek. When the rest of the crew later try to rescue these two, they neither consult the map with the markers (they should still show where the suits are, even though these two are dead) nor try to radio Fifield or Milliburn beforehand. Instead, they go into the structure and yell their names like some idiots.
Overall, this is a disappointing and weird film. On one hand, they rip so much from the previous Alien movies, on one hand they didn't want to call this "Alien: Prometheus" for some reason. The omission of "Alien" in the title is rather fitting though, because this feels like an off-brand Alien movie. The weird sort-of-Alien-but-not-really creatures in the film are not helping either. Worse than Alien 3 and Resurrection.
In addition to the unoriginal writing, there are immersion-breaking scenes, some of which are just unexplainable. For example: The geologist maps the whole alien structure, and in the ship the resulting map is shown in 3D with all of the crew members positions marked. Now how is it possible that the geologist Fifield and his buddy Milliburn manage to get lost? Are we to believe that the crew back on the ship are dickheads that don't tell them the way out? Later, captain Janek asks these two where in the structure they are, while their positions are clearly marked in the map on the ship in front of Janek. When the rest of the crew later try to rescue these two, they neither consult the map with the markers (they should still show where the suits are, even though these two are dead) nor try to radio Fifield or Milliburn beforehand. Instead, they go into the structure and yell their names like some idiots.
Overall, this is a disappointing and weird film. On one hand, they rip so much from the previous Alien movies, on one hand they didn't want to call this "Alien: Prometheus" for some reason. The omission of "Alien" in the title is rather fitting though, because this feels like an off-brand Alien movie. The weird sort-of-Alien-but-not-really creatures in the film are not helping either. Worse than Alien 3 and Resurrection.
Alien vs. Predator
(2004)
Absolute nonsense
3 September 2020
Didn't really expect much at all given the title but oh how bad and nonsensical this film is. The characters are absolutely bland and forgettable and the film is filled with inconsistencies, especially when it comes to the Aliens. This one may be enjoyable if you manage to turn off your brain completely, but even then it's a bland action-flick.
The Hangover Part III
(2013)
Boring, formulaic re-hash
27 July 2020
This is what happens when you just milk something for the money. Once again, it focuses on the two most annoying characters, Alan and Chow, whose antics are so retarded that they aren't even funny. It's the same as the 1 and 2. The only good character is John Goodman's Marshall, but of course they don't make use of him enough, because they had to rely on annoying Alan and Chow again. They could have made a decent film and mix it up with Goodman instead, but opted for the boring, predictable outcome.
Black Dynamite
(2009)
Hilarious love letter / parody
7 June 2020
I really like blaxploitation movies so I had to watch this. For everyone who loves them as well and has seen a few of them, this is a treat. It's a funny hommage to all those movies in that it takes all the elements and tropes and puts it into one movie while not being afraid to go over the top. This leads to hilarious moments throughout, from the visuals, the performances and to the dialogue. Sometimes more over the top, sometimes more subtle.
The only thing that was a tad inconsistent was the quality of the soundtrack. Other than that, this is a great watch.
The only thing that was a tad inconsistent was the quality of the soundtrack. Other than that, this is a great watch.
The Nun
(2018)
The Nun
1 June 2020
A very disappointing watch:There is no plot whatsoever. The film takes over hour to go absolutely nowhere. After that comes the unimaginative "finale" and then it's over.
Lastly, it relies way too heavily on lazy, predictable jump scares. This film isn't even scary.
2 Stars for the visuals, the rest is utterly boring and forgettable.
Lastly, it relies way too heavily on lazy, predictable jump scares. This film isn't even scary.
2 Stars for the visuals, the rest is utterly boring and forgettable.
Good episode with some dumb moments
12 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Solid episode but the way Russo escaped was unbelievably dumb and lazy. As if not a single person saw him, wearing an easily identifiable mask, leaving with the Dr. It was just there to advance the plot, no thoughts behind it whatsoever.
Same with the religious nut getting away, even though Frank was in shooting distance AND with helicopter lights on the dude. But obviously he had to get away, otherwise that plotline would be already over.
Same with the religious nut getting away, even though Frank was in shooting distance AND with helicopter lights on the dude. But obviously he had to get away, otherwise that plotline would be already over.
Another uncreative episode
10 June 2019
Series reaches its nadir with its finale
21 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This episode continues the trend of this season of each episode being worse than the previous. This is just a mere caricature of what it used to be. With all logic thrown out of the window.
Tyrion finding Jaimes golden hand and digging him and Cersei up is just pure Hollywood kitsch. The Dothraki keep magically incrasing (again). Dany giving her speech to the soldiers is a uncreative rehash of (insert every movie depicting a Hitler-like leader giving a speech to a crowd ever). Drogon seems to be able to smell Dany's passing and destroys the Iron throne after. Apparently the dragon has a thing for corny symbolism as well. Same goes for the weather (whats with the sudden snowstorm that disappeared as quickly as it came?). Tyrion's plot armour is still in full effect even after betraying Dany twice. Then there's more corniness with Brienne writing about Jaime and "The Son of Ice and Fire" book.
Pair that with a loop of different kinda of cliché sad music and you got a disappointing finale.
Tyrion finding Jaimes golden hand and digging him and Cersei up is just pure Hollywood kitsch. The Dothraki keep magically incrasing (again). Dany giving her speech to the soldiers is a uncreative rehash of (insert every movie depicting a Hitler-like leader giving a speech to a crowd ever). Drogon seems to be able to smell Dany's passing and destroys the Iron throne after. Apparently the dragon has a thing for corny symbolism as well. Same goes for the weather (whats with the sudden snowstorm that disappeared as quickly as it came?). Tyrion's plot armour is still in full effect even after betraying Dany twice. Then there's more corniness with Brienne writing about Jaime and "The Son of Ice and Fire" book.
Pair that with a loop of different kinda of cliché sad music and you got a disappointing finale.
Nothing special
18 May 2019
Lords of Chaos
(2018)
Not worth it
24 March 2019
Accuracy aside, this is just a bad movie. It's made into a teen drama with bad acting. If you're already a fan of the genre you'll know the story and will be disappointed. If you want to get into it, don't watch this movie, read up on it on the internet and listen to the music.
Also: no cornflakes scene...
The Client
(1994)
Waste of time
28 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Where to start? This is a bad film from start to finish.
1. The acting is really bad. Almost everyone is overacting. Almost every character is a bad stereotype: The scummy cop, the over the top mob gangster, the white trash single mother, the bratty child that doesn't want any help, etc. Lastly, the southern accents are just plain terrible. They are just pure cliché and add to the terrible overacting.
2. The plot is completely nonsensical. Why do the Police AND the FBI, who are clearly eager for information about the whereabouts of the body of the senator, intimidate a 11 y.o. boy by giving him the feeling he commited a crime? This whole situation could've been resolved by a sensible prosecutor: Ask for the information and offer witness protection. Case closed. The mob gangsters would never have had the time to react in time. They could've just arrested the Blade guy. But nah, the Tommy Lee Jones Character rather takes his time to punish a kid instead of resolving the senator case.
All in all: A waste of time. I could've done something better in those 2 hours.
2. The plot is completely nonsensical. Why do the Police AND the FBI, who are clearly eager for information about the whereabouts of the body of the senator, intimidate a 11 y.o. boy by giving him the feeling he commited a crime? This whole situation could've been resolved by a sensible prosecutor: Ask for the information and offer witness protection. Case closed. The mob gangsters would never have had the time to react in time. They could've just arrested the Blade guy. But nah, the Tommy Lee Jones Character rather takes his time to punish a kid instead of resolving the senator case.
All in all: A waste of time. I could've done something better in those 2 hours.
The Purge
(I) (2013)
Utter sh**te
21 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
First of all, the premise alone is so unbelievable. Suppose it were legal to commit crimes during a 12 hour window once a year. Who'd be dumb enough to risk to go outside, even if you hated someone so bad you wanted to kill them? Basically, it's 12 hours of lawlessness, yet the movie still tries to convey that people will have SOME loyalty. E.g. most will kill poor people but not in their own communities. But would you really trust anyone except your family during these 12 hours?
Second, it assumes that crime will drop from it. That is completely unrealistic and ignores all crimes of passion. But yeah, those people will just think: No wait, there'll be a day where I can do this legally, let's calm down and wait!". Crime would never go down. Battery, homicide, etc. would still happen.
Third: This premise is not new at all. It's basically how it was in Europe in the middle ages with the feud "system". If the "purge" was real, it would be the same. Suppose person A kills person B during purge. Family of B would probably seek revenge the same night or next purge. It would escalate between families. Until the government would just say "F it and let's establish the old system again". There's a reason that we have the law system we have today and not the one from the middle ages. A purge is utterly nonsense.
That leads to the next point: This purge would be way too inefficient. Imagine the clean up they'd have to do. Police, Hospitvals, Fire Departements etc. would be way busy with the aftermath of it. And what about all the people killed who had jobs? Businesses would probably have to search for new employees after every purge.
Second, it assumes that crime will drop from it. That is completely unrealistic and ignores all crimes of passion. But yeah, those people will just think: No wait, there'll be a day where I can do this legally, let's calm down and wait!". Crime would never go down. Battery, homicide, etc. would still happen.
Third: This premise is not new at all. It's basically how it was in Europe in the middle ages with the feud "system". If the "purge" was real, it would be the same. Suppose person A kills person B during purge. Family of B would probably seek revenge the same night or next purge. It would escalate between families. Until the government would just say "F it and let's establish the old system again". There's a reason that we have the law system we have today and not the one from the middle ages. A purge is utterly nonsense.
That leads to the next point: This purge would be way too inefficient. Imagine the clean up they'd have to do. Police, Hospitvals, Fire Departements etc. would be way busy with the aftermath of it. And what about all the people killed who had jobs? Businesses would probably have to search for new employees after every purge.
Perfect Blue
(1997)
Great horror/thriller movie!
29 September 2017
This film is really, really well made. The cinematic drawing style, the animation, the suspenseful atmosphere, everything. It really manages to evoke the fear and confusion Mima shows in the viewer as well. The way the scenes are made is brilliant: It gradually gets more bizarre an the twists made me quickly question what's real and what isn't myself.
If you like psychological thrillers this is a must see. Don't let the fact that it's an anime fool you! This is nothing for children.
If you like psychological thrillers this is a must see. Don't let the fact that it's an anime fool you! This is nothing for children.
Halloween
(2007)
Disappointing remake
9 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Rob Zombie attempts his own version of the horror classic Halloween by John Carpenter. Now I know it is sort of the point that he doesn't make the same film again and that it is only loosely based on it. It's still bad though.
The film adds an extensive "origin-story" for Michael Myers. This is entirely unnecessary in my opinion. It takes away everything that made the original memorable and interesting: Michael Myers never uttering a single word. Now it doesn't leave much to the imagination: He's a sadistic kid, bullied in school and at home except by his mother. He get's angry enough and kills everyone except his mother (not at home) and his baby sister. In the original, he's a soulless monster that kills without any reason. Here he comes off as a revenge killer in some parts (why he spares his baby sister) but then turns into a "kill em all" monster. Then wants to reunite with his sister who he wants to kill again eventually. Also the scene where it shows that he buried his trademark mask and kitchen knife in his home to retrieve it after 15 years is just bad and contrived. The same goes for him using the mask while killing his older sister as a 10 year old.
Furthermore, the suspense isn't as good as in the original. The original had a good buildup. This one here is basically just a simple killing spree from the moment Myers escapes. Some key scenes from the original were emulated but are nowhere near as good. The killer isn't that subtle anymore and comes way to close in the "creeper" scenes. The kills also happen way too fast compared to the slower and more deliberate first film.
Also, the fact that baby Laurie was shown in Michael's childhood years ruins the whole plot. He spares her as a child and then wants to reunite with her after 15 years. Yeah killing all her friends and family is probably a good idea. The original makes more sense: There's a sister he doesn't know about and comes to kill her too.
Overall a pretty unnecessary remake in my opinion. Better watch the original. It's shorter and to the point, and overall better written.
The film adds an extensive "origin-story" for Michael Myers. This is entirely unnecessary in my opinion. It takes away everything that made the original memorable and interesting: Michael Myers never uttering a single word. Now it doesn't leave much to the imagination: He's a sadistic kid, bullied in school and at home except by his mother. He get's angry enough and kills everyone except his mother (not at home) and his baby sister. In the original, he's a soulless monster that kills without any reason. Here he comes off as a revenge killer in some parts (why he spares his baby sister) but then turns into a "kill em all" monster. Then wants to reunite with his sister who he wants to kill again eventually. Also the scene where it shows that he buried his trademark mask and kitchen knife in his home to retrieve it after 15 years is just bad and contrived. The same goes for him using the mask while killing his older sister as a 10 year old.
Furthermore, the suspense isn't as good as in the original. The original had a good buildup. This one here is basically just a simple killing spree from the moment Myers escapes. Some key scenes from the original were emulated but are nowhere near as good. The killer isn't that subtle anymore and comes way to close in the "creeper" scenes. The kills also happen way too fast compared to the slower and more deliberate first film.
Also, the fact that baby Laurie was shown in Michael's childhood years ruins the whole plot. He spares her as a child and then wants to reunite with her after 15 years. Yeah killing all her friends and family is probably a good idea. The original makes more sense: There's a sister he doesn't know about and comes to kill her too.
Overall a pretty unnecessary remake in my opinion. Better watch the original. It's shorter and to the point, and overall better written.
Tell Your Friends