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jacobdtober
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The Last of Us: When You're Lost in the Darkness (2023)
Having Beaten the Game
On both PS3 and PS4, this excellent and faithful adaptation has me wanting to spend $70, stop playing my current lineup and replay the game again on PS5.
Episode 1 was excellent! Glad they remained MOSTLY true to the source material. If you haven't played the games, watch the series. If the proceeding episodes stay as faithful, it's going to be a treat for you. If you've played the games, but like me, you haven't touched them in over 8 years, you'll enjoy the refresher aspect and the comparability of what you do remember.
That said, we're only 1 episode in, so I'm curious if the amazing start will be matched moving forward. I have faith that it will.
Stranger Things (2016)
Mason Dye as a Teenager is Ridiculous
Holy crap. How did that GROWN ASS MAN get casted as a high school student?
It's worse than OG 90210.
The set pieces and period-accurate production design is good as always though.
But, hard to watch the Jason character played by Mason Dye's old @$$.
Senior Year (2022)
Started as Something to Nap to. Ended up ...
Really enjoying it. Solid 7 of a film, but highly watchable. Pacing was nice. The contrasts between early 2000s youth culture and today were fun, and very accurate.
All-in-all, I'm glad I gave it a shot.
CBS This Morning (2012)
How Does Gayle King have a Role?
I watch every morning while working-only because I signed up for CBS All Access to watch the BB Live Feeds, and have never taken the time to remove my subscription.
The topics are decent enough, but good G-d, Gayle King is incompetent AF. She is clueless, and has no ad-lib, or interview skills. Her false positivity, and school-marm like condescension is too much.
How did gayle get her job? She's totally unqualified and out of place.
Spycraft (2020)
Redundant
It's interesting subject matter, but after episode 4 I conceded that they weren't going to introduce any new information that anyone with a small familiarity of the subject wouldn't already be aware of.
It's probably a really good watch for folks just recently assuming an interest in spy-craft. For others, it's probably a 5-8.
6 Underground (2019)
This Drama wasn't a Comedy. 1/10 stars
I thought it was great for what it was. All of the negative reviews seem to not understand what the film is. They are basically saying, this drama wasn't a comedy, therefore I hate it. If you expected a Sam Mendes film, then yeah, I'm sure this sucked. If you expected Michael Bay, then yeah, it was awesome.
The Big Short (2015)
Breaking the Fourth Wall, Annoying Direction, Aggravating Noise and Bore
Yeah, these are basically what I hated about this film.
Couldn't stand them breaking the fourth wall, got anxiety when the characters talked over each other, thought the music and drum scene were terrible to sit through and thought the film could have just as easily been a talking heads documentary poorly explaining the economic bust.
For what it's worth, as culpable as the banking industry was, the idea that "govt. intervention" would help is ludicrous. In fact, govt. intervention is what helped get us in the position to begin. And allowed the banks to be bailed out by tax dollars later. Liberal politicians created an environment of lending that made it possible to have such risky loans because of anti- discrimination rules. Basically forcing lenders to loan to poor and bad credit customers.
There was also the much under-associated effect that the spike in gas prices had. Remember the price of everything from milk to pizza delivery increased because of additional fuel surcharges?
Anyway, this was just not a very good film but was an interesting subject and, although limited in its exploration of the root causes of the "great recession", pretty accurate on the narrow reasoning it presented.
http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=14158447
The Departed (2006)
Remake That Works
Based of an Asian film called "Internal Affairs", "The Departed" is one of those rare instances where remakes actually work. Usually I don't talk to fellow movie goers, whom I don't know, upon leaving a show. This was not possible to resist upon leaving the screening I attended. I spoke with two groups of complete strangers, searching for reassurance that I just saw what I just saw.
Martin Scorsese has one hell of a reputation, and he lives up to it in this outing. This is the first Scorsese picture that I have seen in the theatre and now I know fully the effect that "Taxi Driver" must have had on it's audience some thirty years ago.
TD is a 2.5 hour film, but never once feels long, drawn out or boring. From the opening monologue by the legendary Jack Nicholson to the dramatic climax, the film is well paced, unbelievably acted, beautifully lit and as curvaceous as a roller coaster at Six Flags. The tension will have you twitching in your plush seat.
I don't know what to say about the acting that the unfamiliar wouldn't be able to assume, and correctly so, from the cast lineup itself. Because of this I will just list the cast; Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg, Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio. 'Nuff said! If every movie was this good, the box office would be profitable again, and I would be on welfare, not for spending all my income, but because I would watch film 24/7.
If you see one movie for the rest of 2006, this is it. I am saying it now. Best Pic!
Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo (2004)
Brothers in Arms.
Tae Guk Gi is by far the best film I have seen in a while, and I watch a lot of film. I had seen this DVD on the shelves more times than I should have before purchasing it, but I just kept putting it off. My bad!!! I should have purchased this the first time I saw it, along with multiple copies to give out to friends and family.
I read one comment that said this was better than Saving Private Ryan. I am not willing to go that far, but I will, without hesitation, agree with anyone who says that it is as good. However, those who have not seen this yet should avoid thinking that they are just going to see a SPR with Korean actors. The similarities stop at war and aesthetics. This is a completely different story! I won't go in to the plot though, anyone interested can read the films profile if needed.
What I'd like everyone to know is how emotional this story is. I am not an ultra sensitive viewer, but this picture had me wiping tears off of my cheeks. Usually, I just get teary eyed. This was different. I dare anyone who thinks that they are stone-cold to view this show and not shed more than a few tears in the process.
Anyway, I gave it a ten out of ten because I believe it deserved it. I am not familiar with any of the auteur's other works, so I am not a fan-boy who is voting on the director's name. This masterpiece truly delivers on everything from action, to drama and even offers a few chuckles along the way. SEE IT!
Farewell to Fenway (2005)
DVD release
Great news all you F2F fans out there! F2F should be released in a 2 disk special edition on 9/11/2007. Why so long? Because right now Fox Lorber, Criterion and Al Queda are fighting over rights. From all accounts, the toweled ones are winning, they want to use it for training material... and R. Todd started in industrial video... so he likes/respects that. However, as all you fanboys know, F2F has been played so much that it is hard to find a solid print... which Criterion could be good for. And as Fox Lorber goes, well... think about it, F2F bundled with La Dolce Vita? Exactly, that would be sweet... or should I say DOLCE! stay dope mofo's!
Ying xiong (2002)
The Second Time Is Charming
I have to say that after watching this in the theatre the first time, about a year and some ago, I would have given it a 6.5 or 7.5, I generally rate a film not on it's production value, rather, I consider the emotional pull it has. I believe this was, in part, due to the fact that I was too consumed with the cinematography and design, both are overwelmingly beautiful! Seriously, I would love to make posters of the frame grabs. The story, acting, directing (to some extent), and emotion was lost on me. This was before purchasing the DVD last night and watching it for a second time.
While watching it a second time, I was able to be completely drawn in to the film as a whole. It was great. The story is consistently flipping, the acting is deep, direction was great in every aspect, and the emotions were there as I became entranced. This is definitely a movie to watch twice or more. Once for the eye candy, probably the strongest ingredient of the picture, and then sit back and revisit it letting yourself take it all in with out as narrow a focus.
It definitely deserves a 9. It is truly excellent. The production value is far above average, possibly deserving of a 10, a 9.5 without question. The story is hearty, like a novel, you feel like you have invested your time in something worthy. The acting was award winning, wraught with depth so that you believe that they feel exactly the way they are telling you that they feel. Never once do you question their emotions, definte 9! This is one of the best films made. Give it a chance. If you don't "feel" it the first time, revisit it and try again, you might just find that your first impression was clouded. Second time is definitely a charm!
You Are Alone (2005)
not really good. no offense
generally speaking I don't make negative comments on here. But since this is a festival piece, I don't want you to waste your time when you could see something else that might not be playing again.
I thought the actors were pretty bad. For instance, they totally didn't play off each other, rather, they waited to RECITE their lines which were pretty poor to begin with. The dialogue sounded really forced. Norman or whatever his name tried, or so it would appear, to be witty and biting in the lines he chose but just fell really short.
After words he asked if anyone saw the ending coming and some people were all "yea", and he all but called them liars. Look there were so many clues, the biggest being a briefcase full of cash for a $500 an hour whore. I mean the john gave her at least 20g's... tell tale sign. Now no you couldn't see exactly what was going to happen but by the time the twist actually occurred, I for one, didn't even care. I was just glad to get out of there. I asked him which draft he shot and he said 8.1, maybe next time he will wait to shoot 'til 15.3 cause this needed a lot of work.
But he seemed like a fairly nice guy, he is making his own films, he'll probably get better and I hope he does, not in a snotty way either, I mean it, I wish him luck. Just remember, this is just my opinion.