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Reviews
True Detective: Night Country: Part 6 (2024)
Not even close to earlier seasons
I thought season 1 was great; yeah it dragged a little bit in the middle episodes but picked up and ended very well. Season 2 was not nearly as good and the ending, though fairly good, was not that great. Season 3 was actually quite absorbing and the cast did a great job of portraying their roles.
Then comes season 4. The setting was perfect for a spooky whodunit or mind-bending story and what we got instead was a profanity-laced soap opera type low budget cop show.
I'm giving this season 3 stars because some of the supporting characters were good in their portrayals and therefore believable, but the main characters were pretty distasteful and didn't give much reason to empathize with them.
The plot was intriguing at first but the middle episodes were filled with odd sub-plots that took away instead of bolstering the main plot. (I'm still not quite sure what the problem is/was between Jodi Foster's character and her 'daughter'(?). And then there's. Fiona Shaw's character which is totally unbelievable - I mean not batting an eye to dumping dead bodies?)
This was obviously an attempt to put forth a high-caliber murder mystery with strong female characters acting just as rough and tough as the headliners in other male-centered big-budget movies like "Die Hard" and so forth. Well, it don't work. The screenplay just does not support this premise. Yes, the main characters are human, flawed, and prone to vices, but the emphasis on their frailties takes away from their believability as law enforcement officers and therefore the viewer is not as interested in having the main characters solve the mystery.
And then there's the conclusion to the whodunit. Absolutely unbelievable - way too many technical flaws and way too much pandering of the indigenous population, using them to put forth this story. If I were part of that group I would be angry at the portrayal of my people as shallow, uncaring, and unlawful human beings.
Becky (2020)
Unlikable main character and movie
I just watched 'Becky' after having seen it's sequel some time ago and figured it would be just as entertaining as the sequel.
I was wrong.
In the sequel, Becky is a somewhat likeable character because the whole movie is made more 'tongue-in-cheek' with a bit of humor. This movie, 'Becky', has no humor in it at all. The main character is one of those 'rebellious teens' that are glorified these days, but in all reality, Becky is just another angry spoiled brat that gives no thought to anyone other than herself and what she wants. Oh yeah, she's been recently traumatized by a death in the family is the excuse for her rude anti-social behavior... sorry, that ain't valid for me.
The movie itself is viciously bloody seemingly only for the purpose of outdoing any other movie, there is no point to it being so ugly, and I have watched lots of these type blood and gore movies with no real problems, but this one was just...pointless in its excesses mainly I think because it wasn't tongue-in-cheek but played very seriously. Who hasn't laughed at the Monty Python sketches with the gallons of blood spraying everywhere, but that is because they were played for laughs, whereas this movie is played for cruel vindictiveness, which ain't funny at all.
And the worst part about this movie is that the title character is played by a fifteen-year-old girl, I mean she was really only fifteen years old when making this movie. Ok, so what? Well, at least some, if not all, of her retribution scenes (aka, lots of blood) were actually filmed with her as a combatant meaning there was no adult stand-in being bathed in the literally buckets of blood being splashed around. I'm sorry, that's just not right.
Like I said before, I was mildly entertained by the sequel, but now after having seen the initial movie I just can't get that taste out of my mouth about how wrong this initial movie was.
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023)
Impressive, more ambiguous take on classic story
I liked this movie, not as much as the 1950's version starring Humphrey Bogart or the original Herman Wouk novel, but I liked it.
Yes, this version is brought forward out of the WWII genre to 'present day', and yes, that pulls a little wind out of its sails, but it is also more 'iffy' on the occurrences and situations which means the viewer has more responsibility or chance to agree or disagree with what happened, i.e., was it a mutiny or a lawful act?
In the original movie, Bogart was shown to be pretty much off his rocker or at least sliding down the slope to being unhinged, but Kiefer Sutherland in this movie does not show much of that behavior which is why I say the viewer is left with the decision.
Yes, the ending could have been lengthened and strengthened a bit to really let the viewer know, but then again, here we have a Captain that does some outlandish things but was that enough to justify a mutiny? You have to really decide the verdict.
The actors were all pretty good in the film, Maryk was good as a po'd "I was right" type guy (that really fits in with the way people are these days), Queeg was more "I been doing my job for 20 years and have never had a complaint and by goodness I am the captain and I am the one who decides what goes on in my ship, this ain't no democracy", Greenwald was a bit sleazy or at least took that approach to a difficult case, the prosecutor was one of those "you violated the code of conduct and by goodness you are going to pay for it" zealots which was perhaps a bit too strong, the ordinary seaman was actually pretty sublime by showing how nervous he was, and the Chief Judge was very strong in his portrayal.
Some people may have problems with the way The Navy is portrayed in this film in that they don't understand that as the captain of a US Navy vessel, one is completely and ultimately responsible for every little thing that happens on or to that boat, good or bad, and that as a result, discipline, rank, and orders must be maintained otherwise the captain effectively becomes meaningless and we're at "who votes for sailing to Italy for some spaghetti and who votes for cruising to Greece for some souvlakia?"...
Asteroid City (2023)
Not that great, hard to get into and follow
I think I've seen one of director Anderson's other films and am sure I was at least entertained. But where this movie came from is anyone's guess because for at least the first 30-40 minutes one's hand subconsciously keeps wanting to hit the 'change channel' button on the remote.
It is difficult to follow the stories within stories within stories that are in this movie, especially when characters cross over from one story line or setting to another story line or setting. I mean, what is the viewer supposed to think when a character walks through a door out of a desert setting into a NYC setting while pulling off his beard to have a chat with another character from a different story line?
The adjective 'quirky' doesn't quite describe this film at all but it's about the closest term I can think of at the moment. The sets are odd, shifting from a pastel desert setting to b&w sets for the other parts of the story, and as a whole they are not splendiforous in the least.
Some of the characters are ok to follow, like the nerdy teens, the general, and the grandfather (his assessment of the three little girls is priceless) but other characters (some headliners!) who just recite their lines with no emotion whatsoever, just deadpan, cause one to immediately think "what the heck?".
You may watch this movie and immediately fall on your knees thanking whatever deities for providing this masterpiece, or, like me, sit there nervously for the whole movie thinking "and these stars agreed to appear in this movie?".
I guess it's ok for one viewing if you either strap yourself into the chair or have already imbibed a cool 6 pack, but I at least am not going to watch it again and will not recommend it to anyone else that I know.
Nabarvene ptace (2019)
DIfficult to Watch, Just as Hard Not to Watch
Oh my goodness, was this a movie that really tears at your heart and sandblasts your mind!!!
I read the book many years ago while in high school and always wondered whether someone would or even could make a movie out of it. Well, here it is and I don't think it could have been better made.
If you want a movie that makes you cringe at the cruelty and heartlessness that people are capable of when put under stress, this is it from the opening scene to the appearance of the closing credits.
The titular character, a boy of maybe 10-12 years, goes through war-torn eastern Europe trying to go back home to his family, not understanding that he's been put to live with an old aunt so as to avoid being put in a concentration camp, and when she dies and he sets off to go home meets all kinds of strange characters, from the elder witch of a village, to a lonely bird collector, to a very lustful young woman, and many others that initially seem to be ok or at least decent but turn out to be monsters in varying ways and degrees. To blame this all on late WW2 which is the time period and backdrop to this movie is understandable, but I'm not sure that's the whole reason for the depths some of the characters sink to.
As for the big name actors in this film, Udo Kier's character is terrifying, Julian Sands plays the absolute creepiest most disgusting character ever in his career, Harvey Keitel appears genuinely kind and caring even though he's blind to other people's character flaws, and Barry Pepper uses some of his "Saving Private Ryan" character to again appear as a solid righteous person. The rest of the cast is great in their portrayals in making you believe they are what they are acting as.
If you can get past the first 5 minutes of the film, try to sit through to the end. You will definitely know what the term "uncomfortable" means by the time the end credits roll.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
Worth your while
I know little of the game Dungeons and Dragons except trying to play the board game 30 years or so ago, but I liked this movie - it was good entertainment. Chris Pine is alternately comic and serious, Michelle Rodriguez is really great (and deadpan hilarious at times), Hugh Grant is pretty greasy, and the rest of the cast is pretty good also.
The storyline is fine, the script maybe lags or slows a bit here and there but overall, this is one of those decent Friday night let's have some pizza and watch a movie choices. It won't win any great artistic awards so if that's the type of movie one solely watches, you probably won't care for this one that much, but I'd suggest "take a chance and watch this one - you will be amused". The last couple scenes are a bit predictable but who cares, you were entertained.
Foundation (2021)
Engaging but definitely not 'Foundation'
I really thought this was going to be a great series to watch, but after watching the first two episodes I'm thinking they might be the last two episodes I watch.
The Foundation series, as written, is only loosely connected to this series in my opinion. Sure, there's Hari Seldon and Gaal Dornick to lead off the episodes, and the concept of being able to predict the future of the empire through mathematics of masses of people ('Psychohistory' as outlined in the books and only mentioned a couple times in the first episode) appears to be the basis for the storyline, but where this stuff about the 'Empire' characters, the love affair with a character that wasn't in the books, the crisis between Anacreon and the Empire initiated by a terrorist attack, the business with the water church, etc., came from I can only guess that the writers of this series didn't trust enough in the books' storyline to keep people's interest.
Like I said, these first two episodes will probably be the last two episodes I watch because I really don't want to cloud my fond memories of the very clear story as set forth by Isaac Asimov to be clouded by this other 'stuff' that this series is presenting. I think Mr. Asimov would not have approved.
Cocaine Bear (2023)
There have been better, but also much worse
This movie is ok to watch on a Friday night with a beer or two in hand. It won't (or shouldn't) win any Academy Awards but it's still a decent movie to watch. It is a bit slow with some of the dialog and some drawn-out scenes that would've been better if they were cut a bit quicker. The cast of characters is goofy which adds to the general likeableness of the movie in general; what do drug dealers, a mom, two kids, a park ranger, some hikers, some police, and some medics have in common? A Cocaine Bear of course!
Like I said, it's an ok, bit goofy, and bloody movie that one can easily spend an hour and a half watching. One note though - it has a LOT of swearing so this is not meant for kids.
The Monolith Monsters (1957)
Absolutely Different Sci-Fi Movie That Works
This is another science fiction film from 1957 that bends the genre of sci-fi away from little green men and spaceships blowing up the capitol building with their laser rays, and is pretty entertaining to boot.
This isn't about little robots or scaly things invading earth, this is about pieces of what I'll call living rock that suck up water, grow exponentially, then topple which creates more chunks of living rock that suck up more water, ad infinitum. Along the way, anything that stands in their way as they are growing gets smashed to bits or gets all moisture sucked out and turns to 'stone', so you can see what a menace this stuff is.
It's a pretty decent flick that's well worth your time watching at least once. The special effects are a bit tame, the acting is a bit overly dramatic, but all in all this is entertaining for a good 90 minutes or so.
Kronos (1957)
Absolutely Brilliant Idea for an Alien Invasion
Alright, you have to take into account that this movie was made in 1957, when the full room-size computers they had then had less computing power than the smartphone you have now. So, what that means is that the special effects are a bit cheesy according to today's standards, the execution of certain shots is sometimes questionable, and the continuity sometimes suffers. What were you expecting from a film that had it's budget cut at least twice either before or during filming?
The central idea of the film, that a huge robotic machine would be planted on earth to suck up all the energy available, was I'm sure radical for the 1950's, and it's even more alien or out of this world these days since the current vogue since the original Star Wars came out is to show all kinds of bizarre aliens doing all kinds of shoot-em-ups and such.
If this ever was broadcast again, I think the last time it was shown on tv had to be in the 1970's, I'd be dvr-ing it hands down just because it is so out of this world. It's worth at least one viewing just to see 'something different'.
M3GAN (2022)
Not Another Robot Gone Amok Film!
I just finished watching this movie and am dismayed by the lack of ingenuity in this film. Let me count the ways:
- Young child is withdrawn and heartbroken by a tragic accident so when given a chance to 'have someone to talk to that really listens and understands her', she chooses robotic companionship over human interaction. Where have we seen this before?
- Genius robotic inventor tries to emulate a human by creating the 'perfect companion' for children. Hmm, gee I don't think I can recall all the other dozens of films that have the same storyline.
- Robot is imperfectly programmed by a human that didn't think of all the possible consequences of those little bits of coding and gradually becomes a psychotic killer. Sounds like the movie "Gog" that was made over 60 years ago...
Violent Night (2022)
Could've Been Better
I liked the premise of this movie, the real Santa Claus being a bit ticked off by the commercialism and corresponding 'gift greed' by the general population and being a bit ticked off as a result, then taking it out on some predators wanting to extort big money out of a small rich family. The rich family characters are portrayed fairly accurately as snooty/snotty "I want what I want and right now" attitude and really don't deserve saving (especially the teen boy taking vids of everything), but the one little girl, grand-daughter of the family matriarch (Beverly D'Angelo) convinces Santa to pitch in and save everyone.
I found this movie entertaining but it really could have moved a bit faster. Scenes last too long, dialogue could have been quicker, and the whole movie could have been better as a result. Yeah, it was a bit bloody in the last hour, but that's what you're waiting for, right?
47 Ronin (2013)
A Pretty Decent Samurai-Type Movie
I don't see this as a samurai movie but more of a love story involving samurai characters and the inevitable magic spin so as to curry favor with sci-fi fantasy fans.
This movie's main characters are 18th century samurai that are bound by the codes of conduct then in force in feudal Japan, namely honor and loyalty above all else, and if you break the rules, you die.
Hiroyuki Sanada plays the lead samurai and does a very good job of portraying a man outraged when his lord is forced to commit seppuku, or suicide, because of an enchantment placed upon him. He feels he has failed his lord and vows vengeance, but as a man of honor, he knows that his vengeance, although very correctly taken, will result in him being forced to follow his lord - but he still carries through as a man of honor should do.
The movie is a bit slow but as you watch it, you get into the minds of the characters and you begin to understand what being a samurai really means.
Keanu Reeves does an decent job with a more supporting role than lead role, but this is Sanada's movie.
Visually, the scenery is quite good as are the set designs.
Tian jiang xiong shi (2015)
Five stars if it weren't for that whiny kid
Hey, this was an ok movie if you forgot everything you ever learned about the history of the Roman and Chinese empires, but since it pretty much throws most of that out the window, the result is not that great.
Oh yes, peace and harmony between different peoples and cultures - that message is pushed in your face until you want to gag. The sing-along halfway through is pretty annoying.
And that whiny little turd that is supposed to be a possible successor to the Roman Empire - just do what I learned to do whenever that kid made an appearance on screen - HIT THE MUTE BUTTON!!! And his gay personal slave wasn't much better...
As for JC - a decent performance; one could tell he actually believed in the movie, but his performance is a bit muted down from previous films.
A Brody - the guy acts like he's got to do something to earn the bucks he made from this film, but it sure wasn't acting.
J Cusack - I'm not sure but his portrayal of a general appears like he's totally accepted the premise of the film and has put aside most of his acting skills.
The rest of the cast - interesting choices with some people actually acting well.
A Thousand Little Cuts (2022)
Interesting but could have been a bit better
This was a decent movie and one of the first I've enjoyed from a woman's point of view as the victim. Rebecca Liddiard does a pretty good job as the main character who has a lot of problems in her life, and Marina Sirtis is decent as the psychiatrist trying to find out just what did happen "that" night. The perpetrator almost comes out of nowhere to trigger the traumatic evening, which a decade or so ago wouldn't be so believable, but it perfectly fits in today's world of drive-by shootings for absolutely no reason.
Without giving anything away, there are some problems with the flow of the movie such as the leg brace in the corner and the several re-enactments (or remembrances) of the night in question, but overall I think this was a pretty decent movie.
Moonfall (2022)
So-so but ok most of the time
The main story and structure of this movie is recognizable after a bit; courageous leader+former outcast+wacky/brainy support character buck the system in order to save the world while encountering setbacks and attacks from aliens while in space, while their family members back on earth courageously attempt to reach safety while running into their own roadblocks. Most but not all plucky heroes survive and it's all kisses and hugs from then on.
Ok, not the greatest sci-fi action flick but it's ok for an evening's entertainment when not much else is on. John Bradley does do a great performance as a sci-fi conspiracy nutter, but the rest of the cast seems a bit too formulaic in their actions and dialogue.
The Suicide Squad (2021)
Not much more than a really stupid movie
I watched this last night and still have a taste in my mouth I can't get rid of. Hey, I liked the first Suicide Squad Movie, and thought Birds of Prey was ok. This movie isn't funny, it isn't very interesting, but it is full of bad acting, bad script-writing, and bad directing. Idris Elba's character looks like he can't make up his mind (others will say his character is 'conflicted') and can't seem to utter more than a sentence or two without the f-word, John Cena's character is downright idiotic (others will say he is 'reserved'), Viola Davis' character is straight out of "big bad government", all the 'bad guys' are direct stereotypes from those 1970's era "Women in Cages" type sexploitation movies. I could go on but it's just not worth it.
The movie is disjointed and 15 minutes in you're still saying to yourself "who are these other people" and "what happened to ...". Some people will love this movie and some will just say "why bother?" Count me in the latter group. Caveat emptor - 'let the buyer beware'.
My advice, take a cue from Michael Rooker's character and try to get away from this mess as soon as it starts.