komradekontroll Reviews

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

You either get it or you don't

[8/10 · 8 April 2020]

I'm not going to write a long lengthy review, just going to help people understand what makes a horror comedy, a horror comedy. It's unfortunate that the movie is listed solely as horror, since it's clear that it's in service of the comedy...

A horror comedy can't be both genres. That's how you end up with tonally confused snore fests like M. Night's "The Visit". Typically, a horror comedy is just a comedy, using horror elements or cliches to drive the comedy. I bet most people wouldn't consider Shaun of the Dead to be a horror movie, would they?

I'm sure the marketing for this movie went all in on it being a horror movie, and that's too bad. Expectations were probably much different for what they got. All I can say is maybe give it another chance. I'm not going to say lower your expectations, cause I think the movie exceeds them, but I will say you should have an understanding that this isn't a horror film.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

A Million Ways to Be Bored in the West

[7/10 · 28 November 2018]

The Coen brothers have hit it big in the past with a seemingly boring, slow plot in movies like No Country for Old Men. They've shown us that they can do westerns, comedies, dramas, and movies with fantastical elements.

All of these things are present in Scruggs, but the overall package fails to achieve what the Coen Bros have done in the past.

However, Scruggs manages to have a few short stories that are very good. The title story in question to start was very tongue in cheek, fast paced, fun, and lighthearted. The fourth wall breaking was even done just the right amount. The problem is that this level of effort doesn't seem to carry over until the fourth story with the prospector.

The dark humor is present in every story, but some are better than others at winking to the audience. This can create a feeling of tonal inconsistency.

By the second story the movie has already turned away from the lighthearted nature of Scruggs and has focused more on irony. It does well enough, and the "panshot" character brings some needed levity.

The third story seems fairly divisive. Some see it as the slice of dark comedy that it is, while others simply see it as depressing. Well, it's both. The biggest issue is the sheer lack of winking to the audience. The lighthearted nature of the movie is now gone and the comedy is told through very subtly placed shots. No doubt it is very depressing though.

After the story of the curator I was convinced that the tone wouldn't shift back at all, but then Tom Waits appeared on my screen. Waits has consistently shown how terrific of an actor he is, and this might be my favorite performance of his. This segment is beautifully shot and the story very simple. Waits' performance packs enough raw and real humor to make his gold obsession seem hilarious. The twist towards the end does a great job of displaying how harsh the world was then, while adding a fat layer of dark humor to it.

Honestly after the fourth segment I would suggest turning the movie off. The next two segments are as well shot, as well acted, and as well executed as the rest, but they (mainly the fifth segment) are really trying your patience. You could watch them if you're curious, or at least skip number five, but that's the beauty of an anthology movie, you don't have to watch the whole thing. There's some dark humor to be had, but make no mistake that the incredibly dry tone, reserved performances, and overall length of the fifth segment make it a drag, and naturally, ends on a low note that doesn't feel earned.

If you made it to the end you'll be greeted with a shorter story set in one location with dialogue that is rather mundane, though the performances themselves are at least a little witty. It's a pretty weak way to end the movie and it's why I say shut it off after the Tom Waits segment.

Scruggs was really enjoyable at its best, and mediocre or boring at its worst. Recommended for the first four segments, but after that, click off.

Ip Man (2008)

Tad overrated, but solid kung fu movie nonetheless

[7/10 · 2 March 2018]

Right up front, this is one of my favorite modern kung fu films. Donnie Yen is always a joy to watch, and this is arguably his best performance. The fight scenes and choreography are top notch. Some people hate wire work (aka wire fu), but I thought it was used tastefully. Most of the other performances are also really good. Siu-Wong Fan was great, and the style he used was easily the most entertaining. Lynn Hung was solid as well, as was Hiroyuki Ikeuchi.

The movie was directed well, for the most part. The transition between first act and second act felt like a bit of an odd choice. I think seeing the Japanese occupation of Foshan unfold would have been much more interesting than what we got, or at the very least, don't tell it though a little 'montage'. Even though I thought even that transition was well done, it's still a bit jarring and makes you feel like you've entered a new film.

The first act was certainly enjoyable, with some of the best fight scenes, but the second act is where the direction, cinematography, and story pick up a bit. Gone are the high energy exhibitions and wit. Really the movie could have started here and it wouldn't have made much of a difference.

The look of the film is truly great and I can't praise it enough, but it's hard to ignore the issues I have with it half way through the movie. At this point, we're supposed to believe that Ip Man still hasn't looked for work. Believable I suppose, but unlikely. Apparently he also only has one outfit, but this is just nitpicking. When finally securing work, he coincidentally gets chosen because of this status, and is put in an environment surrounded by other masters. The coincidences really pile on at this point.

When we finally get to the Japanese fighting 'tournament', Quam and Lin of course cross paths at the same time. The movie repeats this of course with Quam and Ip Man. The fighting scene between Ip Man and the 10 Japanese fighters is easily the best. Despite the movie's flaws and coincidences, it builds up this fight quite well through its direction. When Ip Man pops off, it's incredibly satisfying.

Good stuff out of the way, time for my main gripes.

How was Ip Man able to afford the home he had at the start? He had never worked before. His wife maybe? An inheritance? It's never made clear. He seems well known and respected, and yet, over half of Foshan acts as if his physical ability is a surprise. Are we supposed to believe that Ip Man existed in Foshan as the best fighter there, but only after a couple fights people wanted to train under him? It's like a detail is left out somewhere.

I know not of the facts surrounding the real Ip Man's life, nor do I know all the details of the Japanese invasion, but said invaders are portrayed quite poorly. The general is the only mildly interesting character, with the rest of the Japanese being caricatures. The strongly nationalist writing also drives home for the viewer how awful the Japanese are supposed to be. I understand that the dialogue can make some sense. After all, nothing will turn you into a nationalist faster than an invasion from a foreign country, but the Japanese are too comically portrayed.

I was hoping the movie would do more with the Jin character. He really was the most enjoyable performance in the movie for me. Learning more about the Japanese general would have been nice as well. It seems like at first he just wants to find a strong fighter to challenge his own ability, but in the end it seems he just wanted someone to train his men? For what reason? The invasion was done with guns, not fists.

Lastly, Ip Man is TOO good. For some people this isn't a problem, and typically it isn't a problem for me either, but Ip Man is basically kung fu jesus in this movie. It feels like there are no stakes in each fight, he simply can't lose. Not even the final fight scene could do more than have the Japanese general land a few hits. In a more fantastical kung fu movie, the untouchable aspect can make sense and be fun, but in a semi gritty, emotional biopic of Ip Man, it's out of place.

Despite my complaining this is still one of my recent kung fu favorites that I've watched numerous times, and certainly recommend it to anyone looking for good direction, great camera work, great choreography, and great fight scenes.

Castlevania (2017–2021)

What a mess

[4/10 · 8 July 2017]

I love the Castlevania series, I could easily prove this, but the critic in me isn't swayed simply by seeing my favorite game series turned into an anime.

The 4 short episodes that we got exist solely to push out as much exposition as it can to lay the groundwork for the rest of the upcoming seasons. The speed at which it rushes through Dracula's "backstory" in particular is hilarious.

The animation ranges from "hey that's a good shot" to down right bad in some places. Unfortunately, the animation lies somewhere in the middle most of the time. It's not bad, save for some particular cookie-cutter scenes, and it's not good. It's just enough to be passable to most people. To me it's uninspired and boring.

The music is probably the oddest thing. I'm no stranger to the less-liked Castlevania games, so I'm used to weird music choices. The music in the first episode reminds me of Lament of Innocence's Anti-Soul Mysteries Lab theme, with some Diablo-esque ambiance. I liked it, but it doesn't stick around.

Going into the second episode is when things got worse for the music. The uninspired "upbeat" or "playful" music during a few of the fights is just so bad. Also, why no great intro theme? What we got was basically nothing. This is where an anime should excel. Just take Portrait of Ruin as an example! I haven't even mentioned my biggest complaint yet. It's not the rushed Dracula backstory (a backstory that is still barely told). It's not the dumb twist on the Belmont's involvement with the church.

Nope, it's the dialogue and the crude humor. I see less groin shots in an Adam Sandler flick. The dialogue wasn't great in the first episode, but it nose dives 6 feet under by the second episode. It's 1476. I don't expect the dialogue to consist solely of ancient Germanic nonsense, but every time I hear "sh*t" or "f*ck" it quickly turns into a punchline.

They also really try to ride the R/MA rating on this thing with it's violence. While it is nice to see shows go all out like this, the strong focus on guts being everywhere felt forced. Violence for the sake of it. This, along with the dialogue, are my biggest concerns.

I won't get into the character's too much out of fear of spoiling anything. Trevor is played up as too much of a jerk. This could be done right, since that fits his character in the games, but it's taken too far. It DOES fit his character in the show, which is where they do things a bit differently from the games.

Sypha shouldn't even be in the show, given how they introduced her. If you're smart enough you'll see what I mean.

Alucard was actually pretty cool, and his scene was good, until he hissed, and that crude humor showed up to ruin things.

I would rate this lower, but it still has some potential, it just needs to dial back some things, and prop other things up, like the animation, the music, and fix the tonal inconsistencies.

Hush (I) (2016)

Had Potential...Had

[3/10 · 22 October 2016]

Maybe it says something about me, that I was able to figure out that she was deaf before the movie told me (over and over again). While that might seem insignificant at first, it sets the stage for an overly predictable movie to come.

Not even coming in at 90 minutes long, Hush (2016) still manages to move at a crawl, while offering little to chew on.

I guess I'll start with the good things. The acting is actually decent from our lead, Kate Siegel. Everyone else falls flat. This is less their fault, and more the fault of poor direction, and bad writing. The sound design is also good, but it doesn't make a movie good...

The acting from everyone else is a flat line. Our killer in question, John Gallagher Jr., could have been given more to work with, but instead he's just a killer. At times it seems he wants to be more "psychotic" but isn't given the chance.

The other actors, what few there are, are a flat line as well, with our other two actresses serving as exposition dumps (albeit, very little exposition).

The gimmick, and yes that's what it is, could have been done well in the hands of a good director. The movie wants us to believe that she can feel vibrations to sense things around her (one of the many things the movie sets up in the "first act" before our killer shows up), but we're supposed to believe that it only works some of the time? I guess she has selective feeling.

Additionally, it seems that her sense of sight is useless as well, since her peripheral vision never catches anything. Same goes for the killer at times. It's like everyone can only see directly in front of them.

As for the logic of the movie, I'm willing to give the killer a pass for not just breaking in before. He's clearly crazy to some degree, though the way he acts never truly translates just how crazy he is... Where the logic in the movie fails is how our characters deal with the situation. Maddie (Kate Siegel) makes SEVERAL errors throughout the entire movie, yet we're suppose to believe she can fight off an insane man. The killer also makes several mistakes as well. After being attacked the first time by Maddie, he should have just finished the job. After all, he's just some killer, with no connection to her whatsoever. He's killed plenty before, so why take the punches with this one? He actually acts as if he's trying to get inside at times. His motivation is simply random.

Maddie on the other hand could be written off as her being in a "panicked state". However, much like the killer being a crazy person, this is a cop out used by bad writers. Especially when you consider that she had plenty of time to think and assess the situation. Instead she keeps putting herself in situations where there is suppose to be suspense, but since you already know what's coming, there is none.

The best part of the movie is how both characters had plenty of opportunity to kill each other, but just don't do it whatsoever. The part that stuck out the most is when John (Michael Trucco), is using what life he has left, to strangle and hold down the killer. This offers plenty of opportunity for Maddie to finish the killer, but she doesn't do so.

In the end, Maddie leaves us with a smile, either because her cat decided to be dependent for once, or because she didn't care for her neighbors that much. Hmm, maybe that's the twist ending I was waiting for...Maddie planned it all along as a way to rid herself of her neighbors, legally!

Actually that might be more interesting than this movie. Anyways, avoid if you're looking for a home invasion movie with any kind of originality.

Algorithm (2014)

Avoid (Even if you're curious)

[1/10 · 29 February 2016]

I discovered this "gem" late one night on youtube and thought I'd give it a try. I'm a fan of hacker related movies, so I thought that there could be something here...

Well from the very first frame I realized this was just going to be a waste of time. I'm not even sure where to start. The acting, the direction, the boring characters and story... I mean I thought Insecurity (2007) had a number of issues, but at least it was enjoyable.

Any argument I've seen for why this movie is good is laughable. "It's not a movie, IT'S A WAY OF LIFE!" K bud..

I could pick it apart piece-by-piece, but trust me when I say this is a waste of time.