elizabethdawson-78805 Reviews

The Ring (2002)

Watch it for the atmosphere and the brain shut

[6/10 · 23 October 2019]

Is this remake of a Japanese film scary? It depends. Depends on how much you care about the plot and characters because even the scariest of scenarios will fizzle if the character does something stupid. On the other hand this is a atmospheric film with a strange, scary vibe(thanks to Gore Verbinski). To describe The Ring, two adjectives leap to mind: spooky and lame. The former refers to the tone and atmosphere, which are about as good as it gets for a ghost story. The latter refers to the storyline, which is about as poorly constructed as can be imagined - a sad amalgamation of irritating contrivances and gaping plot holes that defy even a generous attempt to suspend disbelief. And, while I normally appreciate open-ended motion pictures, The Ring takes things too far by leaving about 75% of its questions unanswered. This isn't an artistic choice; it's screenwriting sloppiness, and it results in a profoundly dissatisfying experience.

Chimera Strain (2018)

Chimera Strain is worth your time!

[7/10 · 18 March 2019]

On the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein comes a new science fiction film based on similar concepts of immortality and the arrogance of science. Chimera Strain is worth your time simply because of its unique concept. The ending seems a bit rushed, but the overall product is worth your invested time

Chimera Strain (2018)

Chimera Strain is worth your time!

[7/10 · 18 March 2019]

On the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein comes a new science fiction film based on similar concepts of immortality and the arrogance of science. Chimera Strain is worth your time simply because of its unique concept. The ending seems a bit rushed, but the overall product is worth your invested time.

Shark Tale (2004)

Great underwater animated film.

[7/10 · 23 December 2018]

When it comes to the new genre of digitally animated films, Shark Tale falls around the middle (still an enviable place to be, considering the high quality of most of the entrees). It's not as good as Shrek, the Toy Story movies, or Finding Nemo, but it's better than Ice Age and Shrek 2. I would place it on about the same level as Monsters Inc.. The key thing to note is that Shark Tale represents solid family entertainment, and will find a special place in the hearts of those who adore the Godfather movies and the TV series "The Sopranos." This is a great animation film, much in the mold of Finding Nemo.

The Thing (1982)

A masterpiece of filmmaking.

[9/10 · 6 December 2018]

What can I say about John Carpenter's magnificent The Thing that has not been said already? It is a masterpiece of suspense, paranoia and dread. . Why does the film work so well you ask? The setup is standard stuff, establishing that the characters are isolated and can expect no help from the outside but it is the realization there could be an alien among them, and any one of them might not be human, is what launches The Thing into a spiral of escalating tension. The quest to identify the alien consumes about half the movie's running time, and includes several red herrings and the gripping blood test sequence in which MacReady uses a hot wire and samples of everyone's hemoglobin to clear some members of the crew and damn others. The final confrontation with the alien, despite providing the most grotesque special effect of the movie and allowing plenty of pyrotechnics, is anticlimactic. Then again, after the extended suspense of the middle section, it's hard to see how any resolution could rise to that level. This is great filmmaking and the Thing came during Carpentar's most fertile period as a filmmaker. Kurt Russell shines as do the rest of the all male cast. If you enjoy horror, suspense or thrills than this movie, more than thirty five years old is unmissable.

Hackers (1995)

Passable entertainment.

[6/10 · 25 October 2018]

The film industry has discovered computers, and the resulting tide of movies about users -- and abusers -- seems impossible to stem. The latest picture to cash in on this trend is called Hackers and, rather expectedly, deals with a group of computer addicts who have made a pastime of breaking security codes that guard major systems. The headlines occasionally give us news stories about such individuals, but nothing in the real world has come close to the overblown silliness that functions as this film's main storyline. Also featuring a young Angelina Jolie. 6/10 (passable entertainment).

The Return (2003)

Touching film from Russia.

[7/10 · 4 October 2018]

The Return touched me deeply and only a Russian can make such a poignant tale about relationships that everyone regardless of their background will relate to. Story here is about two brothers who are suddenly confronted by their father who had been absent in their lives since their birth. He takes them on an excursion into the wilderness and tries to teach them the ways of life the way he sees right. I was horrified to learn that the boy who played the elder son died in real life soon after the film was done with production. It makes this film more poignant. Please see this film if you get an opportunity.

The Return (2003)

Touching film from Russia.

[7/10 · 4 October 2018]

The Return touched me deeply and only a Russian can make such a poignant tale about relationships that everyone regardless of their background will relate to. Story here is about two brothers who are suddenly confronted by their father who had been absent in their lives since their birth. He takes them on an excursion into the wilderness and tries to teach them the ways of life the way he sees right. I was horrified to learn that the boy who played the elder son died in real life soon after the film was done with production. It makes this film more poignant. Please see this film if you get an opportunity. (Touching film from Russia).

The Return (2003)

Touching film from Russia.

[7/10 · 4 October 2018]

The Return touched me deeply and only a Russian can make such a poignant tale about relationships that everyone regardless of their background will relate to. Story here is about two brothers who are suddenly confronted by their father who had been absent in their lives since their birth. He takes them on an excursion into the wilderness and tries to teach them the ways of life the way he sees right. I was horrified to learn that the boy who played the elder son died in real life soon after the film was done with production. It makes this film more poignant. Please see this film if you get an opportunity. The Return touched me deeply and only a Russian can make such a poignant tale about relationships that everyone regardless of their background will relate to. Story here is about two brothers who are suddenly confronted by their father who had been absent in their lives since their birth. He takes them on an excursion into the wilderness and tries to teach them the ways of life the way he sees right. I was horrified to learn that the boy who played the elder son died in real life soon after the film was done with production. It makes this film more poignant. Please see this film if you get an opportunity.

Beetlejuice (1988)

The quintessential Tim Burton movie.

[7/10 · 18 September 2018]

Alec Baldwin and Geena Davies play a recently deceased married couple who are living in their beautiful home as afterlives. They collaborate with a crazy ghoul named Beetlejuice to drive away any other people who come to stay there. The casting is really good and Michael Keaton was at the top at this time. Production design, as usual is the case for a Burton film is really good and darkness and morbid overtones are seeping through the frames. Tim Burton is not everyone's cup of tea and even his most accessible films aren't universally adored. So watch Beetlejuice with these things in mind.

Jacob's Ladder (I) (1990)

An underrated horror that needs to be discovered.

[7/10 · 25 July 2018]

Jacob's Ladder has attained cult status and rightly so- this is a haunting psychological horror film with some surreal imagery and scenes which will make you distinctly squirm. Tim Robbins plays Vietnam vet who is suffering from perhaps post traumatic disorder or something else. He realizes that almost the entirety of his battalion is also going through something similar. He decides to make sense of this and get answers. As mentioned earlier the images are surreal and terrifying as is the slow descent into madness that we as audiences feel. The tone is suitably dreary with low lights, dripping rain and shadows. Go watch Jacob's Ladder to be creeped out.

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

Great Ryan Gosling performance.

[7/10 · 18 July 2018]

Lars, is a young man living in a tiny town somewhere in America. He is either autistic, schizoid or just plain introverted but either ways he is "different". Played astonishingly well by Ryan Gosling one day he receives a doll with whom he falls in love with. Such is his devotion that he even takes her to meet the town folks and have tea with her. This is a great, obscure film featuring a tour de force performance by Gosling. Check it out and you'll be mildly surprised.

Ocean's Twelve (2004)

2nd installment of the Ocean's trilogy.

[6/10 · 10 July 2018]

Ocean's 12 continue the original's style and is a good breezy movie though perhaps a bit lesser in quality than the original. All the cast are back and this time the gang has been located by Garcia and they must return everything they had stolen and then some. The gang seeks to steal something even larger than the Casino gold from the previous film and choose a diamond in Europe. This film also has some cameos and other quips which you may or may not appreciate. Soderbergh is in nice form again and Ocean's 12 is a nice continuation of the Ocean's gang.

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Must watch for serious cinephiles and others alike.

[8/10 · 4 July 2018]

I don't have to talk about Sunset Boulevard as the film is highly rated as it is. This is a great noir film, brilliantly lit and acted. The premise is simple: A Hollywood screenwriter chances upon an aging actress who orders him to rework a screenplay. He is relocated to her mansion- which is as much as a character as she is, and soon he realizes that not only is he trapped, but that the mysterious aging actress is a loose nut. Billy Wilder's film was a massive success upon release and its reputation has only grown since. William Holden is well cast as the tragic young scriptwriter and Gloria Swanson is magical as the elusive silent screen siren. This is dark comedy of the highest order.

Nightcrawler (2014)

A Must Watch Movie!

[9/10 · 22 May 2018]

Nightcrawler is a tense, dark and deeply cynical movie about a man who videotapes roadside accidents and sells them to a local news station- but this is just the gist of it. The film becomes uncomfortable at times and the entire mood is somber and nihilistic. Featuring a fantastic turn by Jake Gyllenhaal who continues to prove he is one of the finest actors of this generation and ably supported by Rene Russo and Riz Ahmed Nightcrawler is too cynical to appeal to mainstream audiences. However, if you want a compelling character study then this Dan Gilroy (his first film as a director) film is a must watch.

Dear John (I) (2010)

Dear John is a miss in many ways.

[6/10 · 22 May 2018]

It is tough to adapt a Teen adult romantic novel (just ask Twilight) but the problem with Dear John- which is a Nicholas Sparks novel is that there just isn't a great deal of emotional quotient to invest in. The pacing is uneven and the translation from book to screen is hampered by an uneven flow and pacing issues. Another factor is that the main leads Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried spend more time away from each other corresponding through letters and voice overs than with each other. The middle act is a drag and the third act somehow manage to shift the film's genre from romance to drama with all the focus on Tatum's character in Afghanistan and his relationship with his father. Dear John is a miss in many ways.