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M3GAN (2022)
M3gan turned out to be quite original and interesting
This film tells the story of M3gan, a robot doll built and programmed by Gemma to accompany and care for her niece Cady, whose parents recently died in a traffic accident.
The problem is that M3gan takes her job too seriously and starts to go overboard... you know... kill anyone who poses a threat.
This is the first movie I see in 2023 and I almost didn't even see it since the movies that premiere in "January" are usually weak and I thought it was another sequel to "Chucky".
To my surprise, M3gan turned out to be quite original and interesting as it touches on very important social issues related to children's overexposure to technology.
Akela Cooper's screenplay (based on a story by James Wan) meets the requirement of establishing the plot in the first scene and takes his time developing the characters based on the plot without being boring.
Gerard Johnstone's direction combines very well the elements of science fiction, horror and comedy that kept my attention throughout the film.
The film is rated PG-13, so even the scenes of horror and violence are controlled and not very disturbing.
The actress Violet McGraw who played the girl Cady convinced me that she was traumatized by the death of her parents, and as she little by little she became fond of M3gan.
On the other hand, Amy Donald, who got inside M3gan's robotic skin, threw herself into the role of her.
However, Allison Willian, actress in the role of Gemma, Cady's aunt, did not convince me as a cybernetic engineer, however, this does not harm the film.
In short, M3gan is a good way to start 2023 at the cinema. I recommend it. I'm sure Chucky and Annabelle fans will enjoy it, and non-fans alike.
Las Camelias (2022)
Watching Denise Quiñones pole dancing is reason enough to watch this movie
I saw Las Camelias, the Puerto Rican adaptation of the novel "La Dama de Las Camellias" by Alexandre Lumas, is an erotic comedy, starring Denise Quiñones and directed by Paloma Dove Suau.
It tells the story of Margarita (Denise) who is a dancer and prostitute at the Las Camelias brothel. There she falls in love with Armando, while she captures the attention of a producer who wants to take her to star in her next movie. Here is the conflict of the film.
The film entertains and maintains a light atmosphere through the use of comedy.
Sure, seeing Denise Quiñones pole dancing and seducing her clients is reason enough to watch the movie.
However, I was waiting for more; the film avoids taking risks.
I know the challenges of making movies in Puerto Rico and releasing a feature film is an achievement in itself.
In short, La Camelias, by Paloma Suau, entertained me and was excellent visual food, but it didn't make my imagination fly.
I recommend that you go see Las Camelias so that you can come to your own conclusions.
Devotion (2022)
Great balance between the historical and emotional drama
I saw Devotion.
This film based on true events, which tells the story of two US Navy fighter pilots who risk their lives during the Korean War and become some of the Navy's most celebrated pilots.
The film is particularly special as it features Ensign L Jesse Brown, who was the first African-American pilot in Navy history.
The director manages to create a perfect balance between the historical part of the Korean War and the emotional story of Brown, the only black in the entire team of pilots who, despite the discrimination he faces, manages to stand out as one of the best pilots in war fighting.
This is another movie I went to see without knowing anything about it. And I loved it. I found it super entertaining, educational and I was moved by the ending.
I recommend it.
Babylon (2022)
Margot Robbie steals the movie
I saw Babylon and to my surprise it is not as bad as some say. Perhaps because I am a frustrated filmmaker, I immediately connected with the plot covering the transition from silent to talkies in Hollywood in the 1920s.
The film written and directed by Damien Chazelle presents the rise of three Hollywood celebrities: John Conrad (Brad Pitt), Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) and Manny Torres (Diego Calva), among others, and how pressure and excesses destroy them .
While watching the movie, I felt like I was at a party where liquor, drugs and lust reign, so it maintains a fast pace that doesn't get boring. However, sometimes it tries to cover too much by cutting from one story to another and one gets lost and takes several seconds to reconnect with the plot.
For me Margot Robbie steals the movie in every scene that comes out (as she did in the first Suicide Squad movie).
Did I mention it's three hours long? Perhaps that is why by the end I was already tired of so many turns and twists, and this is the reason why many did not like it.
I was very attentive to everything related to filming at that time, but I don't know if this element appealed to the general public. Something like what happened with the Puerto Rican movie "I am a Director."
Another point in Babylon's favor is that it has an R rating for sexual content, violence, and is not afraid to take advantage of it.
So I can say that I enjoyed Babylon, but it's not for everyone.
El Poder del Shakti (1996)
It's not as bad as I remembered
I saw "El Poder de Shakti" - Remastered
Sam (Joseph Lando) is chosen to become a "Shakti" warrior to combat the evil Cherenz and his apprentice Crowley. For this, he has to overcome several deadly tests and reach the supreme goddess to receive the powers and fulfill his destiny.
In 1996, "El Poder del Shakti" was the first attempt to make a Puerto Rican superhero movie mixing action, martial arts, special effects and fantasy. It was the first time that a production tried to get out of the mold of sociocultural films that dominated local cinema at the time.
The film had all the elements to be a megahit from a rumored budget of around $2 million, top-notch actors like Miguel Ángel Suárez, Alba Nydia Díaz and Gladys Rodríguez, good set design, and Wilkins singing the theme song.
I remember as yesterday, that Thursday night, some friends and I, after leaving the university, instead of going to the Ibiza nightclub as was the custom, decided to go in a caravan to the cinemas in Plaza Río Hondo to see "al Shakti " on its opening day. And we left convinced that we had just seen the worst Puerto Rican movie ever made.
"El Shakti" faded into the shadows without a trace for nearly 30 years becoming a legend of local cinema. I was always intrigued as to what my opinion would be if I could see her again.
Last night I had that opportunity... "The Power of Shakti" returns to the big screen remastered, reissued and digital special effects. The first thing I am going to say is that it is clear that the transfer is from a VHS or television copy, because it looks stretched. But they did a good job of improving picture and sound quality.
I don't remember much of the original, but this edit meets my requirement of establishing the plot in the first scene. It seems to me that they eliminated subplots and irrelevant dialogues, because the film maintains a rhythm that is not boring and prefers to jump to another scene before slowing down.
At the center of this film is a message that in 1996 seemed ridiculous and childish but when I watched it last night it seemed to hit the mark.
"Let's corrupt today's youth with clubbing, drugs and sex so we can control them when they're old," said the villain.
That made me see the film from another perspective and better appreciate the Shakti's battle to bring light to a society submerged in shadows.
In the end I was pleased and even surprised at how much I enjoyed the movie that even has a post credit scene.
"The Power of Shakti" is not a movie for everyone, and the visual quality is distracting at first, but then you forget about it and get caught up in the action.
So after so many years talking bad about "El Shakti" now I have to change my position and say that it entertains, and surprises with how ambitious it was in 1996.
Creed III (2023)
Creed III show it can continue without Rocky
This is the first Creed movie without Rocky, so it's a 100% story about Adonis, son of Apollo Creed.
Seven years after defeating Drago, Adonis is retired, training a new generation of boxers.
Damien, a friend from Adonis's past, is released from jail after 18 years of imprisonment and asks him to help him become a boxing champion. Adonis helps him in good faith, but he soon realizes that Damián is not his friend or his, and his true intentions are to manipulate and discredit Adonis.
I have to confess that I felt super identified with the plot of the film since throughout my life I have been stabbed in the back several times by "friends" whom I have helped in good faith only to later realize that they were birds of prey who only wanted to take advantage of my nobility to discredit, humiliate and destroy me. It is a subject with which many will feel identified.
In the end, it is always shown who is the true champion and who is the inferior copy.
Recommended.
The Flash (2023)
The best Batman movie ever made.
Flash travels back in time to save his mother's life by creating an alternate universe destined to be destroyed by Zod (revisiting 2013's The Man of Steel... again) since Superman doesn't exist in this reality... but Batman does (of course, you can't have a DC alternate universe without Batman).
The end is inevitable... the complete destruction of the Snyderverse and the return of the worst Batman ever.
The Flash is a good movie but Batman steals the show. The Film has surprises, but fails to unleash the emotions that Wonder Woman generated in her first movie.
It entertained me and held my attention throughout, so in that sense it worked, but the CW TV series did a better job with this superhero than the movie.
The Flash is a movie that should have arrived after Justice League (2017) but for multiple reasons it was delayed and I think it has already lost relevance. If It had come right after JL It would have capitalized better by revisiting The Man of Steel.
Regardless of my opinion, go see it to come to your own conclusions.
I give it 6/10.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Spectacular!
Spider-Man: No way home is the best Spidey movie ever made. It actually beats Spider-Man 2. This movie was a pleasure to watch. It is an emotional rollercoaster, full of action and drama. I don't want to give anything way, but I must warned everybody, the movie starts on frame one, which means that you have to arrive early, because you don't want to miss one second of the movie.
Thank you Sony and Disney for this wonderfull Christmas present!
Enjoy!
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Sometimes more is much more
I have no complaints about this movie.
I said a few weeks ago that if Zack Snyder's Justice League works we're going to start watching four-hour superhero movies.
Today I have to say that it worked. I saw the entire film at once, she did not bore me at any time, and I loved every second.
It is superior to the original version.
I fell in love with Wonder Woman again after hating her in Wonder Woman 1984.
This movie gives us the best Batman I have ever seen.
The Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman are more rounded.
This film is a feast for fans of Superheroes, and for writers because we can see a developed from beginning to end, in great detail, without the filters that the studio usually puts. We are seeing the vision of the filmmaker in its fullest splendor.
I hope that WB has learned its lesson and they give creative control to the filmmakers and not to the marketing people.
But I want to make something clear; Justice League 2017 wasn't Joss Whedon's fault; not even WB's fault. It was our fault! Remember how much people criticized BvS dark tone? Well there you have it! We were saying "why can't you make DC movies just like Avengers?" And WB did just that! They brought Avenger's director to redo Justice League to please all DC cry babies fans. And I remember that many people that today are talking crap about Whedon's Justice League, praised the movie when it came out. So don't make this about Joss Whedon. This is a lesson for all of us, movie fans.
Zack Snyder's Justice League is a perfect movie, a real work of art, but in 2017 we weren't ready to appreciate it.
My only regret is that I didn't get to see it in the movie theater. But I am sure I will someday.
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
You have to see it for yourself
Don't ask if Wonder Woman 1984 is good or bad. You have to take that test by yourself and give it your own grade. It is a journey that no one can take for you. Because what for some is an F for others is an A.
This is the best review I can give without spoiling WW84. This movie is like Last Jedi, either you love it or you hate it, there is no middle ground.
Think about Superman 2, Spiderman 2 (with a little of part 3).
You have the love story, the superhero, and two super villains. The superhero has to chose between the love of her life or saving the world.
Wonder Woman 1984 came too late, but at the right moment at the same time. It was suppose to hit theaters last year, but it got push for summer and then pushed, and pushed until they decided to release on Christmas.
The movie has the Christmas spirit that we needed to end this awfull year with a smile, but at the same time it sacrificed character development.
Purists will say that's is not Cheetah, or that is not Max Lord.
But we got to see a weak, wounded and fragile Wonder Woman fighting two superior opponents without fear, as a true hero.
"Tell me, do you bleed?" Well we found out that Wonder Woman does!
But you know what, don't take my word for it. Go and see it, at the theaters if you can. It could be the last blockbuster movie you get to the in a big screen in a while.
Creed II (2018)
Great movie!
Creed 2 fulfilled all my expectations. It is a great movie, but is not as good as the first Creed. But it is a good movie! I enjoyed the entire thing, even the predictable parts.
The are a few surprises and for me the biggest accomplishment is for the Dolph Lundgren's Drago part. I was amazed how the huminized Ivan Drago after the robotic version that we saw in Rocky IV.
In fact, I loved the Drago father/son scenes so much that made me wonder if they were setting things up for a Drago spinoff movie.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
I hated it the first time, I loved it the second time
I have been a Star Wars fan since I can remember. I was six when I saw Empire Strikes Back in theaters and eight during the night that I watched Return of the Jedi. After that came almost two decades of watching the Star Wars trilogy over and over again on video. So you can say that for me Star Wars is as essential to my life as my own blood. I read all the novels, the comics, and heard the soundtrack all the time. And you know what, in a certain way I believe in the Force. And then came the prequels, where we knew what was going to happen at the end, and then came Force Awakens, where we were given a recicled version of the original Star Wars, and we were happy, because I knew everything about the Star Wars Universe. It was my universe! Then, on Friday night I went to see Last Jedi and scene after scene I watched as they turn everything that I knew and felt familiar with upside down. When the end credits started rolling I jumped from my sit and left the theater so disapointed and I swore I would never see another Star Wars movie again.
This experience affected my mood the entire weekend. I was so upset and depressed about how Disney messed up my Star Wars. But as a fan I had to give this movie another chance. So on Monday I went to the first screening to watch the film with a clear mind, no expectations, and open to see the real picture, and not what I wanted to see. As it turn out, I enjoyed the movie, and actually liked it.
In essence, Last Jedi invites us to let go of the past and create a new future with new rules. That's exactly what the film does. I exhort everybody to give Last Jedi a second chance and you will see the light.
Vico C: La Vida Del Filósofo (2017)
This film is a masterpiece! The son becomes the father! Great acting!
"Transfor, my condemnations, you screwed up, but I want you to redeem yourself on your next project. For good or bad, you have written a very important page in the history of Puerto Rico's cinema. ", So ended a post that I wrote on my Facebook page on March 11, 2016, during the scandal of "Vasos de Papel", which Transfor Ortiz directed, and turned out to be a plagiarism of an American film of the 1980's.
I had the privilege of being invited to a very special screening of his new film "Vico C: The Life of the Philosopher".
The movie is out of league!
It narrates the events that led the rapper to become a glory in the world of rap, his unlimited genius to turn any song he wrote into a success, his concern for breaking schemes, mixing musical genres and his constant struggle with his inner demons.
The film is a masterpiece. It is a success of performance, editing, rhythm and direction. Since starting emotionally contact with the protagonists and at no time released me.
This work has so many details that it is impossible to capture them all at a first glance.
First. It is masterfully starring Luis "Loupz" Lozada Jr., son of Vico C., which makes it even more shocking to see the son going through the experiences that his father lived at the end of the last century. He is accompanied by Mariangelie Vélez who played Sonia, wife of Vico. Another top performance.
Second. The fact that the real-life actors are alive and collaborated with both the director, scriptwriter and actors, gave a documentary realism to each of the dramatic scenes.
Third. The movie feels so real, I sometimes felt like I was watching a YouTube video, and I totally forgot I was watching a drama.
This film struck me in more than one way since I am not a fan of urban music, and I have a very stereotypical prejudices of their singers, and I know very little about how difficult is the life in the projects and hamlets, And the interiorities of the world of urban music.
I knew, because I remember it, that what we know today as reggaeton, began as rap in the 80's, but it really had its origins as underground music, and I remember that Vico C was one of the rappers of that time that best rapped and Who always carried a message in his lyrics.
I never thought that behind the cameras, this man was going through a hellish nightmare that took him to the world of drugs and put him to the brink of death.
It is important to note that Sonia, Vico's wife, plays a very important role in the film. In times where movie theaters are flooded with superhero movies, it is gratifying to meet a true heroine in real life. Applause to the actress and applause to the real Sonia, whom I had the privilege of meeting and sitting next to her during the presentation. That night was special.
I laughed, I cried, I reflected and I even took the pleasure to rap, during the almost two hours that the film lasted. It is a dense and tense film, which has very few bathroom breaks.
One of the most outstanding aspects of Transfor Ortiz's direction is that he chose to use the relationship between Vico and his father as the main arch to mark the three acts and tie the story. This is very effective since it gives universality and helps to make anyone feel identified with the plot.
I mention this because although the film tells the life of a rapper, it is not a rap musical that only appeals to fans of that genre and the residents of hamlets.
No, on the contrary, the film manages to appeal to the general public. Of course, I do not recommend it to young children, because it is emotionally strong.
"It's not climbing and falling ... It's falling and getting up!" This is the refrain that sums up the plot of the film, but it also has a very personal meaning for its director Transfor Ortiz.
Today, I am glad to tell you that my wish came true. Transfor has risen and has been rein-vindicated and writes another important page in the history of Puerto Rico's cinema.
The film "Vico C: The Life of the Philosopher" premieres in the cinemas of Puerto Rico on August 10, 2017.
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
It wasn't what I expected! It was way better!
When I walked into the theater to watch War for the Planet of the Apes I was expecting a two hours war movie. My expectations were high, very high. I was expecting the kind of a war movie that Revenge of the Sith failed to gave us. But I was surprised, because I was seeing another kind of movie, a superior movie, a film way better that what I was expecting. This doesn't happen very often. This movie is very emotional, very spiritual. And it works in every aspect. I mean every second is perfect. I found it flawless.
This is the best third movie of a series I have seen since Indiana Jones and Last Crusade. In fact this Planet of the Apes film series is the best trilogy I remember since Indiana Jones and maybe Lethal Weapon in the 90's.
If they stop here, and make no more films, I will be happy to have the box set in my private collection. If they make more of these movies, I hope they can match the quality of the story telling of War of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn and Rise.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
They learned from the Man of Steel and delivered a great movie!
I just saw BVS (not Buffy the Vampire Slayer.... I am talking about Batman vs Superman) and here are my thoughts
SPOILER ALTERT
I score it 9/10
I loved Batman vs Superman! I loved the mature mythological line of thought, I actually liked Ben Afflick as Batman/Bruce Wayne. And Wonder Woman? It was interesting and cool (even though you can see some Xena elements, but then we saw Wonder Woman elements in Xena, so I guess the circle is complete). I want to see now the Wonder Woman movie.
She showed up in the right moment and convinced us she is a powerful warrior capable of fighting a kryptonian monster.
I found very interesting the comparisons with god, false gods and false messiah, and the way they portrayed Superman's vulnerability, which is not kryptonite, but his humanity, his feelings. How, in the middle of the battle he can just fly away to rescue Lois or his mother, instead of focusing on the real threat.
Bruce Waynes nightmares, and Flash's warning, prove this could be very important and dangerous in the future. And that Lex Luthor figure it out right away and used them against him.
Lex Luthor new take was refreshing. Not the Lex we are used to, but very modern, and has lots of potential.
I loved the grown up Bruce Wayne.
The movie kept my attention every second. I didn't look at my watch once, and couldn't find a minute that I could spare to go to the bathroom.
I would have loved to see more of the Clark/Lois relationship. And of course more Superman. But the movie revolved around the Superman effect in the world after the events of Man of Steel, and Bruce Wayne reaction to it.
The people that made this movie learned from the Man of Steel, and limited the fights and violence length to what is necessary and avoided long and boring battle scenes and excessive destruction.
My only complaint, and it is a very minor complain, is regarding Doomsday and the Death of Superman. I think Doomsday should have been an entire movie, not just the final 10 minutes.
But since we know Superman will come back to life, maybe we will see Doomsday comeback in another movie and make more damage.
I like it that DC is differentiating themselves from Marvel by making mature movies, while Marvel make lighter movies. I like them both. There is space for both. And Deadpool proved that there is space for adult superhero movies too.
What I expect for the future?
Well, I would love to see a Man of Steel solo movie before the Batman solo movie, since they stole a sequel from us with BvS.
There is a Justice League movie coming up, so maybe they could flirt with a relationship between Superman and Wonder Woman.
This movie opens the door to many things. I hope they make them great!
NEW ENTRY
OK. I just saw BvS for the third time. I still like it, but now I am scoring it around 7. The reason? Superman never speaks! I mean whats the point of having Lois Lane as your girlfriend if you are not going to give her an exclusive interview explaining what happened? That would have been so easy! I was expecting a more vocal Superman.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
The Force Awakes brings the saga back to the space opera levels
Star Wars: The Force Awakens brings back the magic that the prequels lost and never were able to find. I remember that when I was a kid, God was at the top, and then there was Star Wars. With this movie I feel that Star Wars is on its way up back to that level. The movie is not perfect, but it works for me and it meets all my expectations and gave me a few surprises.
Now, I came into this movie aware that this is a new story and that Luke, Han and Leia are no longer the main characters. I knew they would be supporting characters in favors for the new heroes. And that's exactly what this movie delivers. R2D2 is no longer telling us this story, as he did in the first six episodes. We are living this new saga from the point of view of BB-8. Rey was excellent! Kylo Ren is the best villain I have seen since Darth Vader. You can feel his struggle to fight the light side of the force. And Fin character was incredible. The movie has a lot of action, a lot of good emotions, it avoids all the mistakes of the prequels and exploits what made the original three movies fantastic.
The only thing negative I can say about this movie is that it is so action packed that is doesn't give you time to enjoy the emotional moments. It moves from one beat to the other without a breather. Now, I am a 41 years old man, and I know that the new generation live in the digital era where things have to move faster. Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope may feel as an action packed movie for me, but my nephew was a little bored because it moved too slow for his taste. So what is bad for me, it could be a good thing for him and for the new target of this franchise! In conclusion, Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakes brings the saga back to the space opera levels with a movie that will please a new audience.
Julia (2014)
Great movie!
I just saw this movie at the Puerto Rico Horror Film Festival. I was surprised that it had a 4.4 score on IMDb. This is a great rape/revenge film with an original twist with a strong lead character, good rhythm, suspense and horror. To make a better comparison, I am a cult fan of "I Spit On Your Grave" (the original) but I admit this movie was very slow and I had to jump to the more interesting scenes. But Julia kept my attention all the time. I wasn't bored for one minute. Matthew A. Brown's script was wonderful and he directed the movie in a great way. Ashley C. Williams captured did an amazing job performing a victim and then a hunter, her transformation from a shy woman to a "femme fatale" was extraordinary. When this movie comes out on DVD I will buy it for sure.
Rocky V (1990)
Rocky V connects perfectly with the first Rocky movie
I saw Rocky V recently and I enjoyed it as much as I did when I first saw it in 1990. In fact I considered Rocky V the perfect ending for the Rocky saga. The next chapter, Rocky Balboa, was OK, but for me it was mostly nostalgia and it didn't generate any emotions in me. But Rocky V
Wow! That movie hit all my emotions. Rocky V broke the formula. Our hero loses all his money and has to go back to the neighborhood. Ashamed and humiliated. Of course he is traumatized! Doctors told him he had brain damage and he couldn't fight his way out of this problem. He was on denial and he wanted to get it all back. So when Tommy Gun shows up, he sees an opportunity. An opportunity that was stolen by the Duke. At the end of the movie, Rocky didn't get what he wanted. He failed. It is rare to see an American movie where the hero fails.
Rocky didn't get what he wanted, he got what he needed. Personal respect. By beating Tommy Gun on that amazing street fight Rocky became again the people's champion.
Here is where Rocky V makes a perfect loop with the first Rocky movie. In that film it is established that Rocky's motivation to fight Apollo is not money or to be the champion of the world. He just wanted to go the distance with Creed to prove to himself the he wasn't another bump from the neighborhood. It is a personal victory. In fact, when the fight ends Rocky tells Apollo he doesn't need a rematch. In Rocky V Adrian establishes that the difference between Rocky and Tommy is that Rocky always fought with his heart. Money and the championship were secondary. Passion drove Rocky through his carrier. But Tommy was hungry for money, the title and glamor. The Duke said it perfect: "Hey Rock, you have more class than him!" This are the main reasons why I love Rocky V.