Change Your Image
GODSPEEDseven
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againReviews
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Colin Trevero on my "Director's-to-avoid" list
I can't be bothered to check the spelling if his name as he can't be bothered to care for what he directs.
Disney has ruined Star Wars, and this movie is made for the most simplistic minds out there.
If THIS is your type of entertainment, fine! But, stop ruining it for those who still have part of a brain to think and don't appreciate being treated as stupid.
Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
Mindless movie for the lowest IQ "zombies"
The "trilogy" is complete!
Corporate greed, the lowest quality writting/directing & lack of respect for the original material has utterly destroyed my 3 favorite franchises (and whatever future they might have had); Star Trek, Star Wars and Jurassic Park.
The level of "storytelling" in JW3 is astoundingly low. This is written and directed by the lowest intelligence denominator FOR the lowest intelligence audience out there.
If this absolute mindless entertainment is what you want from the movie industry... go get some therapy; for the sake of us who are ABLE to think and don't appreciate being taken for idiots.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)
6.5/10, not as bad as many reviews make it out to be.
I would like to make one thing clear from the get-go;
I'm a "newer" fan of the Resident Evil video game franchise. I always knew about the video game when it first came out in 1998, but back then I was into PC's and by the time I had my first PC building experiences, the Resident Evil franchise wasn't on my must-play radar.
My first "experience" with Resident Evil was pretty much the first Live Action movie featuring Milla Jovovich. And while I 'knew' it wasn't "faithful", honestly, I appreciated it for what it was, a genetics-military-zombie action-flick that you can easily watch and just enjoy the music, ambiance and energy without going into full-on "2001-A-Space-Odyssey-mode". (I'm more a Star Trek type, I like Sci-Fi, Psychological Horror, Cultural movies, etc..)
In the recent years, my actual gaming experience with RE first came with the RE2 Remake, which I really loved and that pushed me to go back and pretty much play every Resident Evil game I could play on PC, in order of release.
The games are pretty fresh in my mind, and I might make reference to one or two during my 'review' of this movie.
So, on to my thoughts about the movie!
MOVIE REVIEW
============
For the most part, I appreciated this more "nerdy" and subtle attempt at the Resident Evil franchise compared to the movies with Alice as the protagonist. While far from perfect, I feel like my time was well spent here. I'm already looking forward to watching it a second time. Usually, I find the second time let's you notice or see things you missed the first time and this movie has plenty of little subtle details and "easter" eggs that point back to the games, or characters.
Where I enjoyed this movie especially, was with the toned-down action sequences, they felt more realistic, more like the video games actually and less like superhero movies. Slower paced, not extravagant running and jumping scenes with huge explosions and all that ridiculous overdone superhero crap that has flooded the market.
The setting - small town, rain, nighttime - was the right choice for setting the mood and recreating the setting and feel from the games.
One of the more subtle detail that really pulled me in, was the way the actors handled their firearms. Resident Evil is (for those who don't know) about a pharmaceutical/experimental company (Umbrella) that also tries to create these creatures for military purposes, and the story always revolves around some containment breach and having to fight some zombies, monsters and other freak creatures. Where Capcom differs from many other "similar" styles of games, is that they tend to go in with a slightly more realistic feel to weapons and such.
The movies recreated this very well and it shows the actors had the proper training sessions to know how to properly move, handle and use the firearms (for movie-level entertainment anyways). I appreciated this, because it felt like I was watching scenes from the game, but with actors.
Another area I appreciated, was the locations that were visually recreated, like the Police Department (and the underground parking lot) and the Mansion Entrance and surrounding forest.
The actors really played their roles VERY well, although, I am puzzled by some of the liberties taken with actors, but I'll touch on that further down.
So, why not 7, 8 or 9/10 ?
I feel a little divided on the whole Claire and her childhood parts. It felt like it ate away at the movie and wasn't necessary. But at the same time, I think I understand the motive; which was most likely to make the video game adaptation a little more palatable by an audience that may have never played or even know about the games. But being a fan of the games, it felt a little out of place.
While the actors seriously did a very good job and I cannot say anything negative about their acting skills, I was quite puzzled by the choice of the actors in terms of looks. Apart from Chris Redfield, the other actors weren't even remotely close to the look of the in-game characters. I can't say I particularly appreciated that.
I also did not like how they introduce the meeting between Claire and Leon, nor the way they portrayed Leon at the start. It felt "off". I would have preferred seeing something like them meeting at the front of the Police Department instead of Leon being portrayed as a little bit of a loser.
But all that was "okay" in terms of liberties taken when adapting a video game. Where it loses most points, in my own opinion, is the pacing and the lack of scenes in the very memorable locations.
I was honestly expecting a little more slow creep and exploration of the Mansion and the Police Department. I would have like them to at least have a little more of the puzzle element that is one of the main points in the video games.
I don't mean they have to copy the puzzles in the games and recreate them in the movie, but at least a memorable room that would have forced the characters to go find something somewhere else to unlock a particular location.
All we see of the Mansion is the entrance, a room with a piano and a tunnel leading to a "secret" exit. The mansion hides MANY secrets, many rooms and, well, it felt a little shallow and like they took too much time with Claire's childhood, but too little with the locations that really set the tone for the video games.
Same goes for the Police Department; sure, the underground parking felt good, the PD entrance was really cool, but they could have "recreated" some form of video game backtracking/puzzle by making them have to find a special weapon in the equipment room, by having to go back to Police Chiefs office desk for the right key, but backtracking there would have led to a few standoffs with some "walkers".
While I think Birkin (the end monster) was VERY cool with the eyes on the shoulders and all that, it was slightly underwhelming. The bazooka shot in the closed train was maybe of a little bit much.
And the scene with the Licker and how it was "easily" dispatched in a struggle with that masked test-girl (I forget her name) really didn't feel all that hot.
In the end, when I look back and think of the time I spent watching the movie, I feel like this is a step in the right direction when it comes to a movie-adaptation of a video game... and thank the movie realms for this not turning into a Uwe Boll movie!
I actually appreciate the feeling in Johannes Roberts horror-style movies (I really like horror movies!) and I think he did a pretty good job adapting and melding two video games into a movie that is palatable by fans and by an audience that might completely ignore the games.
Naturally, this is going to be a pretty devisive aspect, and anyways, 5 or 6 out of 10 in the realm of "horror" is pretty good! So 6.5 or 7/10, I feel, is pretty good!
Saint Maud (2019)
Not your typical "horror". Something refreshing!
No spoilers!
I went into this thinking this might just be another one of those possession-horror movies we've seen about a million times...
The pace is slower, but it keeps you wondering and the ending is an absolute dream!
It is a very strange story, but so very well acted and told. Do not skip over this one!
The Mandalorian (2019)
A very beautiful but superficial spinoff of Star Wars
I don't really understand the hype behind The Mandalorian.
I will give it credit for style, looks and feel.. especially considering I appreciate spaghetti westerns.
Sounds, visuals and feeling were all spot on for a proper Star Wars take, but in the end, what I appreciate most about Star Wars - the deep, complex and intertwined layers beneath what is visible at first glance - is simply NOT present in this series.
Thus, what I appreciate MOST about Star Wars is lacking here.
This is a great superficial short series, best taken as a very very shallow spinoff (or take) on the world of Star Wars.
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
This is what happens when you try to make a ware movie for the 'masses'.
I decided to give a movie I had previously watched, 15 years prior, another viewing.
I remember why so long had passed since I viewed it... hopefully, I won't be reminded in another 15-16 years.
I won't go on about historical accuracy, as I would hope that most watching this movie can realize, by their own accord, that this is a highly arranged theatrical romance/heroic movie that is as far away as can be from fact and realism. I will, instead, focus my comments on what failed to even make me belive ANYTHING this movie tried to convey;
Let's start with what is obvious; when you want to make a historically accurate movie about a particular theme, you at least TRY to have actors who originate from said countries, with their natural spoken accents and language quirks. No.. here, we have a movie about a Russian Hero played by a British actor, and a German villain played by an American actor.
Almost the entire cast of the movie is either British or American, and they can't even properly get the language accents right.
That is no fault of the actors, they played and acted as best they could... hard to be "Russian" if you aren't, and hard to be "German" if you aren't.
Within the first few minutes, this movie really threw me off feeling an ounce of seriousness and realism with this simple fact.
You take RUSSIAN actors to play their roles, and you take GERMAN actors to play their roles.. this way, you at least get us feeling like an attempt at realism was made!
Second issue with this movie; love story.
I am not sure why they NEEDED to include a love story in a war movie... but my thoughts are, it is simply to make it more accessible to a wider range audience.
In any case, this was a cheesy and campy movie played by good actors.
Color Out of Space (2019)
Not faithful to Lovecraft; little in common with the real story.
I was really stoked and excited to see a "big" production movie based on one of Lovecraft' most popular short stories.. until about 10 minutes in the movie.
The best parts of the movie, that felt very much like Lovecraft' story, were the narration in the first few minutes... the rock that fell on the ground and the narration at the end of the movie. That's where I gave this movie its stars.
To ANYONE saying this is a good Lovecraft movie; this movie has NOTHING in common with Lovecraft writing or style of writing and I highly recommend you pick up a book containing his stories and read this story before saying this is "good" Lovecraft. It's a very short story, but extremely rich in visual detail and rich in storytelling of a different kind. I have read almost ALL of Lovecrafts stories, most more than once as well. I have seen the b-horror movies. I have played video games with the "style" and have even taken part in the Cthulhu Role-playing game (pen & paper). I do not claim to be an expert, but I know enough of his style to know this movie does NOT fit the bill.
They could not even reproduce the style of speech and writing Lovecraft was famous for... it's a real pity.
This movie is pretty much an extremely watered-down modern re-interpretation of a very popular 'short' Lovecraft wrote. The problem with this movie, is the problem with so many modern movies and the way we watch movies or the type of content we "westerners" watch. It has to have action and overly-exaggerated sequences. The problem is the overly-exaggerated sequences and scenes are not the way Lovecraft write or expresses "emotions", reactions or actions.
To make a Lovecraft story reproduced faithfully, a movie would have to come closer to the style of 2001: A Space Odyssey / Interstellar. In other words, a slow-paced movie with a more artful approach, rich in eerie visuals and mysterious characters. You need to FEEL a kind of encroaching doom over the period of the story. Details and the way Lovecraft expresses locations or characters is slow and descriptive. You have to have time to feel the heaviness of what he is trying to portray.
Lovecraft stories are NOT about action and action sequences, nor monsters you can "shoot". Not only that, but why the HECK could they not make the movie in the same time period the story was taking place in? Wouldn't that have on it's own added a little more mystery and helped create the atmosphere Lovecraft is so famous for?
And as a horror "buff", mainly supernatural and psychological horror, this movie doesn't even fit the bill. There was no tension, no "mystery" or dread. Every scene was cliché and taken from popular mass-produced tropes we have seen so many times. The "twist" in the movie, with the "twisted and messed-up creatures just looked too much like they tried to gives us some "The Thing".
Is that really the best the writers could come up with? Did they even read the story? or did they skim through the few pages at breakneck speed just to come up with a theme for their basic and over-done twist on a great writer?
I guess I was just expecting something Lovecraftian.... instead, I got something very basic and riddled with popular mass-marketed "horror".
Now, if you say you like Lovecraft, people will think of this failed attempt at a "Lovecraftian" movie.
7500 (2019)
The best real Drama/Thriller I've seen in a long time!
I hate spoilers, so there are none here!
I have not seen such a good Thriller in a long time, a very long time!
The tension doesn't take long to build up, and it doesn't let go until the very end.
A word of warning though: while this movie is not for those who like big explosions, non-stop action and over-the-top theatrics.. it is NOT for the faint of heart, as the events portrayed feel extremely realistic. The violence may not be very graphic, but the feelings are violent, sharp and heavy. This is NOT a movie like Air Force One' with Harrison Ford!
Ok, on to my thoughts.
I will try and keep this somewhat short, but please forgive my lack of structure; I do not review movies very often, but I found this one that good that it really compelled me to come and talk about it.
I'm strong on Psychological Horror/Thrillers and high intensity movies (dramatic and realistic). I care very little for action and explosions and movies like the modern Star Wars and Hollywood stuff. I really enjoy stories, acting and a realistic approach to emotions and natural interaction between people. Quirky one-liners belong in comedies, which this has none of.
This movie hit all the right buttons!
The setting, location & the way the people interact together felt like this was a real event. This movies has a kind of approach that reminds so much of the Norwegian movie 'Nokas' in its almost "biographical" approach.
When looking over the movie' synopsis; I almost skipped it because it sounded like it was about an American saving the day (I have NOTHING against Americans, I'm just tired of Hollywood stories that are unrealistically heroic); and I was extremely surprised by the outcome. Joseph Gordon-Levitt does an amazing job here, never did I feel like the emotions he was portraying were out of place or unrealistic.
I felt immersed from the start until the end. It felt like the camera rolled literally for 1 1/2 hours without any cuts. The editing was extremely tight and realistic. I felt like I was in the cockpit the entire time.
I don't want to give too much away... but if you are into realism and intense stories with lots of drama, this may just be what you need!