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Reviews
Rag Doll (2019)
Rag Doll is Awesome
I spend a lot of time looking for good movies to tell people about. Since I found this movie during it's amazing run through the festival circuit, I have not stopped talking about how good this movie is. Finding a story that works to tell a real story about people who are more than just paper thin stereotypes is hard enough, but then making you root for them not just during the movie, but wondering what they are doing when you as a view leaves them.
The director seems to have a keen ability to make things feel real. The cast is very talented as both actors and fighters.
I feel like I discovered a huge secret before anyone else. I can not wait to see what this group does next.
And - watch this movie. It is amazing and very much worth your time.
Shockwave: Darkside (2014)
Lack of Budget hurt this
I have watched this movie three times now and I have come to some realizations about it.
1- Jay and his team spent YEARS trying to get this movie made. They had a VERY limited budget and yet a feature film was still released. I for one have not done that and I tip my hat to anyone who can.
2- The message and the story Jay is trying to tell is a good one. It's thought provoking and one based on character.
3- Do the effects in this movie look like The Avengers or BvS? No, But with the budget they had it works.
Watching independent/low budget films is not like going to your multiplex. As a viewer you need to look at the larger picture.
I am excited to see what can be done with a Budget.
Faraway (2014)
Pushed Budget to get a good film
I went into this movie completely blind. I knew absolutely nothing about what I was about to watch.
The story is about Audrey who has traveled to the Philippines in search of the truth about an ancient legend. Along the way she is joined by two locals and another American who is there on his own quest of sorts.
I was able to quickly see that this was a film that was pushing the limits of its budget. But it was doing it really well. Honestly, some of the problems I had were negated by the awe I had with what was accomplished with what they had.
The film itself is beautiful. The locations are amazing. The quality of shots are very high. There are some issues with the nighttime or darker scenes being a little too dark, but the overall feel of the picture is great.
There were a few pacing issues, but I am unsure if that was story, film, or a problem with the edit, but once you were into the film it did move and keep a steady pace that kept my attention. I was not on the edge of my seat, but it did keep me in it.
The thing that stood out the most to me was the score. The score was extremely good. It felt right. It conveyed moods well, added to scenes, and was very helpful to make this film feel bigger. I would love to have the score as just something to listen to while sitting at my fire pit.
The acting was good. There were times when it was better than others and clearly there were some members of the cast that had acting training and others who might be untrained or minimally trained in acting, but it was alright. It added to the ambiance.
I watched this movie twice over the course of two days and found it more enjoyable the second time. I was excited to see an adventure movie that had magic, humor,and a fun feeling about it.
I loved the vehicle that they traveled in for most of the movie. It was almost as much of a character as anyone else was.
Overall, I really enjoyed Faraway. It had some issues, but I have seen bigger films with far more issues and less heart. I want to see what comes next from the stars and from Randal.
Absentia (2011)
Well written, character driven story
I had not been aware of this movie until I was given a pass to see it streaming on VOD. So, I was going in with no idea of what I was going to see. I was extremely pleased. The build and atmosphere that was created was great. I was impressed with the direction and the tight script. The women who play the main characters are great. The feeling of family history is created very well and early in the script. The way that everyone in the movie is finding their own ways of coping with the events in the movie shows the attention to the detail of each character and how they fit into the story and this world. I am very glad that I was able to see and I do want to see it again. SEE THIS Movie.