Sowerplave Reviews

Community (2009–2015)

Outstanding!

[8/10 · 10 June 2021]

What a warm & hilarious show with jackhammer level speed of jokes. This show is everything people told me that The Office is, but wasn't.

8,5/10.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

Not as good as the first movie, but a fun watch still. 7/10

[7/10 · 25 April 2021]

Sascha Baron Cohen had understandably retired the Borat character after the first movie. But given the political climate of the USA during the Trump presidency, and the momentum of Who is America, it's also understandable that they had a lot of ideas from Who is America to tie in to a Borat movie.

The first movie was excellent in mostly relying on the interactions with an unsuspecting public, and having the in-movie storyline as a secondary thing. That felt much more like a documentary than a movie, in some parts. This movie did the reverse thing in having an in-movie storyline as a main thing, and the interactions with an unsuspecting public not the primary task of this movie. I can understand why with the ongoing pandemic. But this had the feeling and a presentation of a movie much more so than the first movie.

My favourite scene was the fertility dance. But I absolutely loved the end twist of this movie, too.

7/10.

Mortal Kombat (2021)

Starts off excellent, but is ultimately saved by fight choreography and the special effects - 6/10

[6/10 · 25 April 2021]

While the story was weak and the plot not particularly good, this is a visually gor(e)geous movie. A lot of the sceneries were cool and the effects were great. Some scenes were unfortunately too dark at times, to the point that I didn't even know what I was looking at.

The intro set an awesome tone for the movie, but it didn't sustain that tone throughout the movie. Having Cole Young as an original character for the purpose of this movie allows the format to have a story that doesn't make having played the games and an awareness of the lore from the game a necessity at all - just like the Assassin's Creed movie. I did hear quite some outcry about the Assasin's Creed movie being an entity of its own from the games, but I don't mind any of that. It's two different medias for two different audiences, and given all the soft and hard reboots that Mortal Kombat have had, I don't mind any of that at all.

The combat tournament is the core of Mortal Kombat. Yet, this gets completely thrown out of the window, because all of the fights and feud takes place outside of a tournament. This is explained by Outbworld having won the past nine tournaments, and the tenth tournament would allow them to take over Earthrealm. While I buy this explanation, I'm not sure if I am a fan of this take.

The cheekiness of Kano and Kabal became a bit Deadpool-esque a times, but it added some good flavour to the blunt seriousness and stiffness of the other characters.

Overall, I think this is a movie that ultimately was saved from the fight choreography and the special effects. I give this a weak 6 out of 10.

Favourite kill: Jax's Fatality on Reiko.

12 Angry Men (1957)

This movie talks the talk and walks the walk. 9/10

[9/10 · 22 March 2021]

This is 90+ minutes of nothing but dialogues and conversation in connection of the plot - where twelve jury members gets to unanimously decide whether a death sentence should be applied in a case, or not.

That's it. That's the whole plot. It literally only takes place in the one and same place. I just got to be a fly on the wall for the jury procedure.

This movie ended up leaving a lasting impression on me. It's about as close as I can get to a movie that leaves a life-changing impression with me for the rest of my life.

12 Angry Men is a gripping drama about the logical, as much as it's about the illogical. It's about reasoning, as much as it's about unreasoning. It's as much as giving the benefit of doubt to someone, as much as it's about not doing so.

This movie talks the talk, and walks the walk. 9/10

Coming 2 America (2021)

Not a bad movie for those who loved the original movie - 6/10

[4/10 · 7 March 2021]

I do not believe that Coming to America needed a sequel at all. Having watched it, I'm still not convinced that this movie was necessary at all. The plot of Akeem having an illegitimate child sounds illogical and unreasonable, given how much of a decent and modest guy the character was in the original movie. While this is acknowledged in the explanation of it, it still comes off as too stretched of a long shot to explain the premise in a conceivable way.

Plot-wise, this movie is unnecessary. But I still had fun watching this movie. With tons of references and throwbacks to the original movie, this sequel is a fun love letter to a great comedy movie. I love the original movie long enough to share and understand this love letter in motion.

Barely a worthy watch for those who absolutely loved this movie. This movie is literally recycling the original plot, and inverting the premise, without feeling particularly funny or fresh at all.

5/10.

Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Just beautiful. 8/10

[8/10 · 5 March 2021]

This movie is an amazing tribute to glorious friendships. It's also a fine tribute to cinema and movies, and how the shared experiences of using the medias and locations to escape from reality to suspend ourselves from the world - if just so for an hour or two. This grown-ass man is not ashamed to admit that he cried during some of the scenes during the movie.

All of this bundled in a strikingly beautiful package. Just beautiful. 8/10

Chinatown (1974)

Outstanding movie that's bright in colors and dark in plot - 8,5/10

[8/10 · 21 February 2021]

This movie was a treat to watch. Visually, it was more colorful than a peacock and as pleasing as a tropical cocktail. Plot-wise, it's a very dark movie with a slow, yet scary pace.

What I love the most about this movie is that EVERY SINGLE THING that is mentioned and brought up in this movie eventually got brought home. No stone was left unturned. Nothing was left unexplained. This movie is clinical in its execution of the plot, the deployment of the scenes and the work of the characters.

Outstanding movie - 8,5/10

Die Another Day (2002)

A worst of compilation that looks even worse - 4/10

[4/10 · 16 February 2021]

This movie tried to take many things that makes the franchise and turn it to 11. This movie instead became everything that the franchise isn't.

On the paper, it takes all the tropes and clichés from all the Bond movies and combines everything to create the ultimate James Bond movie. In reality, it's a Bond movie that takes all the worst tropes and clichés from every movie before it and combining them into a bad movie that looks even worse.

There is a bunch of stuff that I love with this franchise. I love how convincing and grand the environments can look. I love how they try to have outlandish stories with eccentric villains, yet also try to keep things firmly grounded. I love how the tech combines low-key looks with ridiculous purposes.

This movie could well have been a poor Bond movie knock-off. The digital effects made some environments and the movie as a whole look atrocious. The binds that ties the characters and their motives together were looser than the teeth of an eight year old kid. The tech just looked as an attempt to pull off bad sci-fi instead of exaggerated modern tech.

This movie is basically a "The Worst of James Bond" collection and it looks even worse than it is.

4/10

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Just manages to be an alright movie - 6/10

[6/10 · 16 February 2021]

This Bond movie is something of a mixed bag. It manages to have some of the most engaging and well motivated characters in the franchise's history, and some of the least engaging and motivating characters in the franchise's history. This movie also offers an exciting variation of environments and the variations of these.

What stops this from being a bad movie is Elektra King. All the compellations from preventing this movie to not be particularly good came from her.

It just manages to be an alright movie. Not a classic by any means, but not a flop either.

6/10

Casablanca (1942)

A great movie of its time that has aged very well - 8/10

[8/10 · 12 February 2021]

This review comes from a first-time watcher.

For being an almost 80 year old movie, the story and the way it's driven through the acting along with the dialogue managed to come off pretty fresh. This movie wastes no time with establishing the stage on which they are set on, the characters and their personalities. The huge amount of dialogues and lines in this movie is what sets free the potential in this movie.

I saw another reviewer referring to a particular scene as "The Battle of the Anthems". That particular scene left a lasting impression on me and was a great summary of the mood and the time that this movie is a product of.

There is a lot of dialogue, and a lot of it is fast-paced. This is primarily where I saw the heart and spirit of this movie come from.

As much as I enjoyed this movie, and as much as I now understand why this movie is considered an all-time classic, I don't think that this is a movie for everyone.

A great movie of its time that has aged very well. 8/10

Ted Lasso (2020–2023)

Lots and lots of humor with lots and lots of heart - 7,5/10

[7/10 · 8 February 2021]

Short review: It is impossible getting ready to fall in love with this show. Don't even try to resist it. This show has lots and lots of humor with lots and lots of heart. 7,5/10

Long review: This show is a magical spectrum of everything that can exist in the polar opposites of the motives of the main characters in Ted Lasso, the optimistic underdog American football manager - and Rebecca Welton, the new owner of a club as a result of a divorce from the previous owner who hires Lasso to spite the club and everything involving the club.

Much of the excellence of this show also come from is being a flat show that isn't complex in any shape and form, but yet progressing several characters along with their motives and plots simultaneously without it being overwhelming.

This is one of the most binge-friendly shows I have seen. At the time of this review, there was only one season of this show.

Die Hard (1988)

One of the greatest action movies ever - 9/10

[9/10 · 2 February 2021]

I belong to the category of people that ranks this as a top Christmas movie, too.

This is a simple action movie that simply is executed greatly. The improbable and unlikely hero of the movie happened to be at the right place, at the right time. Great action scenes with exciting actions and memorable characters, with equally memorable quotes.

What keeps this movie from being a perfect 10/10 are some scenes that are trying to be subtle with the characters' intentions and motives. There's nothing apparent, and there's nothing subtle either. Some scenes are just expected to be accepted without understood.

Other than that, it's a great movie and a movie that I keep coming back to. I hold this as a movie that everyone should see at least once. One of the greatest action (Christmas too?) movies ever. 9/10

Braveheart (1995)

Epic combo of drama and war - 8/10

[8/10 · 31 January 2021]

First time viewing this movie. Even before watching this movie, I had heard of the wild historical inaccuracies. If I were after something with historic accuracies, I would have watched a documentary instead of a movie.

This movie is an epic combo of drama and war. It clocks in at shy under three hours, but nothing felt drawn out or superfluous in this movie.

I watched this movie for the first time over 25 years after it came out. It almost edges of being in the territory of thinking "if the best time would have been to have watched in a cinema when it came out, the second best time was just now". I would urge anyone who hasn't watched it to make the time and watch it.

8/10

Death to 2020 (2020 TV Special)

A mockumenting roast of a year of ashes - 7,5/10

[7/10 · 31 December 2020]

A dry and sarcastic recap of 2020 in the style of a mockumentary where the characters portray a variety of featured stereotypes poking fun on themselves in an intended unintentional way.

The true highlight were the absolute hurl of insults and mocking of events and notable people of 2020. I'm not saying that I wouldn't have found them funny watching this alone, but it was a joy to watch this with some company.

I wouldn't have wanted to end this year with watching something else.

7,5/10

Another Round (2020)

Not a comedy

[7/10 · 20 December 2020]

This is a drama digging deep into the mundane numbness of everyday life. It also digs into the human relationship with alcohol. Then, it digs into the intertwining of these. Do not expect a comedy. I made the mistake of believing that this would be a comedy, which it wasn't. I wouldn't even say that this is a light-hearted drama, either. Some scenes hit heavy and were just tragic to watch.

I may have expected a comedy, but got a fantastic drama movie instead. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to watch a good drama in an everyday environment.

7/10

Back to the Future (1985)

Fun sci-fi adventure movie where less became so much more - 8/10

[8/10 · 16 December 2020]

This is a fun sci-fi adventure movie. They managed to take a fairly complex thing like time travelling and ripple effects through time and create a very lightweight and very easily digested package.

It's a great movie that's shy of two hours long where a ton of stuff doesn't happen, yet there's nothing missing from it. All of the hype about this movie being a classic, and all of the hype about this movie being in the "this is a movie that anyone can watch and enjoy" tier is to be believed. 8/10

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

The first, truly modern James Bond movie - 7/10

[7/10 · 16 December 2020]

In anticipation for No Time to Die, I decided to watch all James Bond movies. This, almost 25 year old movie, is in my opinion, the first truly modern James Bond movie. Licence to Kill may have been the first non-orthodox James Bond movie with the personal vendetta storyline, rather than the secret agent on his duty for Queen and country. GoldenEye may have been the first post Soviet, post Iron Curtain movie, but it's not possible to ignore that the movie starts off with a USSR backstory intro. That movie's plot, and character stories, were branded and tattooed enough with Soviet elements for it to not really break any new grounds.

Short review: Tomorrow Never Dies was such a heavy departure from the earlier movies, that this could have been any action movie instead of being a James Bond movie. This isn't a spy movie with action elements. This is an action movie with spy elements. There are both good and ugly things with this movie.

Long review and breakdown:

Visual: This is the first movie that is not produced, or supervised by Albert R. Broccoli - to whom the movie was dedicated in memory of. The visuals of the movie was a profound giveaway of the fact that it is helmed by someone else. I was stricken by how old and natural this movie didn't look. Pretty much all of the prior James Bond movies to this have had open and wide environments. If not in natural outdoor environments, then, more often than not, in carefully decorated indoor environments. In contrast, the majority of this movie presents small and synthetic environments without any life in the background of the scenes. It only looks newer, rather than looking reinvigorated. It manages to become ugly instead of eye-catching. Again, it's an almost 25 year old movie. But I would never look at it as a classic Bond movie - simply because it doesn't look anything like a classic Bond movie.

Sound: While it doesn't look like any previous Bond movie at all, it certainly manages to sound like a classic Bond movie. The movie theme song, the surf guitar playing away the Bond main theme song during chase scenes and erupting in the big band style sound, the soft orchestral versions of the movie's theme in character interaction scenes - it had all of it, and some more! The previous couple of movie(s) may have had a strong ambience game. I enjoyed this throwback style of soundtrack throughout the movie.

Story: The main antagonist of the movie is a prominent media baron, who uses his media group muscles to manipulate the UK and China into a war against eachother, for the benefit of his media business. All the breaking, all the latest - all from him. I should mention that this is a 25 year old movie. This movie and story is a product of a time when the media consumtion and news journalism still were centralized. In today's world with decentralized media, the decay of news journalism, and the dawn of social media, it's possible to argue that this movie's story might have aged like milk, or aged like wine. I don't think that this has aged anything in particular, at all. You could replace the antagonist publisher, and his print and broadcast media, with an antagonist social media mogul, and their app and internet media instead, and still have the same movie with no context lost in time and the evolution of visual media consumtion.

All in all, it's not a great movie. But it's not a bad movie, either. Not a classic Bond movie, but still due to some recognition as a groundbreaking turning point to the style and presentation of a Bond movie.