klheintz Reviews

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Amazingly beautiful dystopian scifi

[9/10 · 9 October 2017]

I have been a fan of Villeneuve's work since I saw Prisoners on a whim back in 2013 and, since then, I have made it a habit to see all his newer movies and have enjoyed each one. When I heard that he would be directing the new Blade Runner, I decided that I would allow myself to get a little bit excited because I knew, considering his newest films, that it would be a well-made film… and a well-made film it is.

The original Blade Runner from 1982 did not originally do it for me on the first viewing. I know that is the case for a good amount of people but after I gave it a second chance, I have found myself giving it a third and a fourth chance. Nowadays I have come to really appreciate the film for what it is. So, to me, Blade Runner 2049 was a film that I was tentatively excited for and it wouldn't have surprised me if it turned out terribly. But boy, was I wrong. Now I don't want to break into summary territory; anyone who wants a summary can easily find a more coherent and well put together synopsis than I would ever be able to produce. Instead of that, I will talk about my reactions to the film.

This movie is gorgeous. Seriously. It is one of the most beautifully shot films I have seen in recent memory and I was blown away at the stark contrasts of color presented throughout the entire film. The striking shots and the use of only a few colors in any specific scene was a joy to watch. I want to sit through this film again just so my eyeballs can be exposed to the striking colors. No movie can go wrong when Roger Deakins is the cinematographer and if he doesn't get the Oscar this year after so many amazing films, I will lose all hope for the awards. For such a long film, the fact he can constantly keep the viewer enthralled with the scenes is proof of his mastery.

Performance-wise, the actors in this film are at the top of their game. The cast includes: Ryan Gosling as K, the stoic Blade Runner; Ana De Armas as Joi, the hologram AI edition of a girlfriend; Sylivia Hoeks as Luv, the stone-cold assassin (who might not be as cold as you think); and Jared Leto as Niander Wallace, the terrifying psychopath who purchased the remnants of Tyrell Corp from the first film. Even old Harrison Ford as Deckard, tries in this film. Tries! They all give great performances and, in my opinion, Ryan Gosling knocks it out of the freaking park. His scenes with Deckard and Joi are some of my favorite scenes of any film and I look forward to seeing this film a second time.

The music! How can anyone forget that iconic Blade Runner music? Maybe, like me, you can't recall any specific beat or tune but you must remember the weird electronic music that can only be described as "the future." I don't even know what to properly call that style of bass and synth; however, Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch sure found a way to recreate something similar. The pounding bass that shakes the screen (as well as your seat), screeching electronic sounds that make your ears hurt, and the combination of the two in a way that only increases the tension in the film are all things you should look forward to if you see the film. Anyone with a decent sound system should rejoice.

Now that I have talked so much about all the things I loved about the film, I would be amiss if I didn't give a tad little bit of criticism. Certain parts of the film, while still adding to the film, aren't exactly necessary. I can't help but think that, if Villeneuve had only made a few small changes to the film, it could have been PG-13 easily. Blade Runner 2049 is not a "Hard R" by any means and I think that if it was made with a lower rating in mind, it could have reached a much wider audience.

Overall, the depths to this film is insane. The amount of hidden meanings and details throughout this gorgeous movie elevates this film to masterpiece status. I think it will require multiple viewings, some discussion, and even some research to establish a proper understanding of everything going on. I expect my opinions on aspects of the film will change over time and I look forward to experiencing that.

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Better than the original, but plot holes and lack of direction in some characters keep it from greatness

[6/10 · 9 October 2017]

Ocean's Eleven follows the story of Danny Ocean putting together the biggest heist Vegas has ever seen. He enlists the help of a few close friends to help him put together an impossible team for an impossible job, and it's fun the whole way through. If you don't pay attention to some glaring plot holes.

I enjoy this film, I really do. Even with the blatant plot holes, unbelievable means by which they pull of the heist, and the back-and- forth character motivations it is by no means a perfect film. But is a fun ride the whole way through and I am glad that I watched it. Ocean's Eleven wastes no time getting right into the heist, and the sequence of scenes depicting the gang being brought together is fun to watch and does a decent job of setting up some of their individual backstory. But these backstories, while serving the purpose of the film, do not give audiences much that seems very exciting except for maybe Tarr's bank heist.

Steven Soderbergh utilizes more than just quick and witty dialogue to advance the plot but also takes advantage of silent storytelling with some scenes containing no dialogue whatsoever. He does this throughout not only this sequence, but various other scenes in the film as well. It's a nice upbeat way to advance the plot and break up major parts of the film.

I have yet to talk about cast and this is one of my favorite aspects of this film. I have always been a fan of both Clooney and Pitt, so seeing them on screen interacting with each other is very cool. Sure, Brad Pitt's character, Rusty, kind of feels like a mat for Ocean's dialogue to bounce of, but it was enjoyable throughout. Most of the other characters don't have scenes that really stick out as fun dialogue or even good interaction except Andy Garcia as Terry Benedict.

Something the film does terribly is the motivation and choices some of these characters make. Oh and the plot holes with the hooker ads somehow getting into the vault out of nowhere. Like what is that!? But back to these motivations/decisions. In what world does it make sense for Tess, who left Ocean because he was a liar, to go back to Ocean? That makes absolutely no sense to me. The better option, the option that should have happened, was for her to realize she's nothing but a trophy to them and leave. Ridiculous… like the hooker ads somehow showing up inside the vault.

Overall, I believe this is a solid heist film. Yes, it has a few plot holes but, the character decisions will make you confused, and it has some weird accents but I think it is an enjoyable ride throughout and definitely one I would recommend to someone for some light viewing.

Ocean's Eleven (1960)

It was a kick in the head for me

[4/10 · 6 October 2017]

Ocean's 11 follows the story of 10 of Danny Ocean's closest friends while they plan the biggest heist Vegas has ever seen. But instead of a summary, I will discuss what I thought the film did right and what I thought it did not do right. I will lean towards what it did not do right as I think the film didn't do the greatest job of making it really feel like a heist film

But, to start off, I will talk about what it did right.

Frank Sinatra as Danny Ocean was a great choice for the time and, with the addition of Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., this movie has been easily recognizable for the past 50+ years since its release. As this is the first of the "Rat Pack" films, it makes sense that it would be remembered for so long. The film also does a great job of showing Vegas back in the day. I have only ever seen pictures of what the Strip was like back then and I think they did a good job of showcasing the style from that time. From the sets to the costumes, I felt like I was seeing how Vegas used to be without being overwhelmed by the details. The banter between the group was also well done. It gave them backstory and showed that they were all close during their military service, it did feel a little forced sometimes, but overall, I liked the conversations between Sinatra and Martin's characters especially.

Now is the time I would like to talk about what I did not like about the film and I apologize if it's a lot but I did not enjoy the film as much as I would have liked to.

There is a lot to the story that was unnecessary. Little side stories that added nothing to the film from relationship issues, to poorly explained planning stages, and back to weird character motivation, the movie never quite felt like it knew exactly what it was doing. The Ocean's failing relationship goes nowhere, Harmon's disagreement with the plan is washed away so quickly that it made no sense to even have a scene like that, and the whole execution of the heist being so rushed. Many aspects of the film were poorly executed. Ocean's 11 took way too long building backstory for characters you didn't care for and, what felt like to me, shoehorned in a "bad guy" in the last 20 minutes of the film!

The comedy aspect of the film was presented very poorly. Not once did I laugh, or even blow some extra air out of my nose, except during parts that were intended to be serious. I could only shake my head at the strangeness of some of the sequence of the scenes. There were also many jarring shots that felt like the editing in the film was someone pressing the skip button and the flow was broken up when they showed the 5 casinos getting robbed one by one, and then the money being loaded into bags one by one, and then the characters leaving the casinos one by one was just too much of the same. Overall, it was not a film I enjoyed. No likable characters could be forgiven in a movie about criminals but what I can't forgive is the fluctuating motives that don't make sense most of the time, the jarring edits that pull from the movie, and the lengthy repetitive scenes made parts of the film feel like a chore.

Café Society (2016)

Great cast delivers average performances

[4/10 · 13 December 2016]

I have only recently begun my journey into the films of Woody Allen and if this film, along with Blue Jasmine, are a good taste of his style then I can safely consider myself to not be a fan.

This film gives me a small Wes Anderson-esque feeling in regards to the way the film is shot along with the colors it portrays and that is great. I love the very vivid colors and contrasts that the film uses almost exclusively throughout. The problem though is I don't think the contrasting colors really add anything to the film other than being visually stimulating.

The characters in the film don't really feel like they have any depth to them and the way everyone acts is just a little off. That could have been the intention with it almost feeling like a play at times but it just felt off to me. I don't think that anyone does a terrible job but the way everyone acts just felt weird.

I think the story is easy to follow and the sets do a good job of capturing the "style of the 30's" that people may have in their heads but the strange character choices mess it up for me.

As Above, So Below (2014)

Better than most found footage films

[5/10 · 12 December 2016]

I went into this film expecting it to be nothing special and it really isn't. It follows a simple premise that reminds me of the new Tomb Raider game in many ways. From the story, to the characters, to the locations and even the voice of the leading lady remind me of Tomb Raider. Which isn't necessarily bad but it feels unoriginal in that regard.

I do love the catacombs setting though. The tight confines and feelings of claustrophobia is always great in horror films. I feel that some of that feeling is lost with the found footage style of filming but it still has the basics to make you feel uncomfortable.

One thing I was pleasantly surprised with was the acting overall. Like seriously it was so much better than most of the other films in this style of film and it was nice. Obviously not all of the characters were going to be great but Scarlett, George, and Benji where great and they save any of the weaker performances.

Overall I think it was a well acted found footage film that feels a lot like a video game in ways that aren't bad. I give it a 5 because, while it may be one of the better found footage films I've seen, it doesn't get rid of the fact that there's still many other films with a better story and even better execution.

The Accountant (2016)

Too much of the film felt rushed

[5/10 · 5 December 2016]

Now this isn't a short movie, it actually comes in at almost 2.5 hours. But in those 2.5hrs there are many scenes that are sped up or hastily set up that it feels like a lot is missing. It's hard to put my finger on a few of them but there's times where I stopped and went back to see if I missed anything.

So in my opinion the pacing is all off on account of this and it really messes with the flow of the film. But other than that, it's a decent action film. The performances are good and the characters are well done even if some of their reactions feel weird and out of place at times.

The end of the movie is just strange though. It tries to throw curve-balls by having the most random things play out in a story that feels like Bourne at times. But it doesn't hit home, it just feels off for the sole reason to be different.

Overall it's not a bad movie. It's just got a few hiccups in pacing and characters feeling out of character.

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Multiple story lines which blend well to tell a tale of revenge

[7/10 · 25 November 2016]

Nocturnal Animals is a wonderfully crafted film. The acting is great, the art direction is great, the cinematography is great, and the feeling of tension is great. The multiple story lines are handled very well, with all 3 of them being just different enough to be easily distinguishable from each other but still allow for aspects of one to seamlessly flow to another.

The film also misleads a lot with Gyllenhaal playing 2 of the characters in a way that it brings up a lot of questions as to what is exactly going on. I loved that about the film because it creates tension in the unknown and a lot of that is hinged on Adams character and how she is reacting to the novel. Especially with the weird occurrences that constantly pull her out of it.

I do feel that a lot of the acting is missing some character. A lot of the people in the main story line feel very one-dimensional but I feel it was purposeful to show the superficial side of the high life. Other than that little nitpick I think all the acting was great with Shannon and Gyllenhaal standing out the most.

The novel "Nocturnal Animals" in the film is by far the best part and I like how they get it to feel so separate of from the rest of the film but they still drag little bits here and there from Adams life in a way that isn't cheesy or gimmicky.

Overall it's a good film that doesn't leave too much up to discussion with the twist but you want to talk about it nonetheless.

Arrival (II) (2016)

A well-paced sci-fi with a lackluster payoff

[6/10 · 25 November 2016]

The Arrival is a film I was very excited to see. Villeneuve's past 3 films have been solid films that I enjoyed quite a bit with my favorite being Prisoners. I am glad that he goes back to the weird twists that Enemy has with this one but they don't quite hit home to me like Enemy.

The film is very very slow and methodical in it's pacing, and while it may seem like it drags on at points, I never felt bored with the film. My intrigue only grew as the movie progressed and you started to see progress in both story lines. I was glad that they focused on the human aspect and stayed away from any kind of alien action sequences.

The slow discovery of the film reminds me very much of 2001 A Space Odyssey as I've seen many other reviews stating and it's a very similar film. Many movies nowadays fail to deliver discovery/mystery in a way like this.

Now everything in the movie is put together in a great way but the whole payoff for the aliens and their purpose and how integral Adams is to everything just isn't that great. The twist hit home really well but once it is revealed you put all the pieces in place fairly quickly if you were paying attention and the film drops the ball by not throwing a few more.

Overall it's a gorgeous film with wonderful pacing. I may be acting like an adrenaline junky by requesting more twists but I feel the buildup could've allowed for a little more to the ending.

Midnight Special (2016)

Cool idea and cool effects but lacks the twists and turns it could of had.

[5/10 · 16 November 2016]

I really wanted to enjoy this film. I went into the movie super excited to see the latest offering from Nichols after thoroughly enjoying Take Shelter. I hoped I would be in for a mysterious ride through uncertainty as the story progressed. But that's not really the case.

Just imagine if you will that the boy's powers were never seen on screen and you only got to see the aftermath of his episodes. It would add quite a bit to the movie, wouldn't it? In my opinion it would and the fact they didn't do it was very upsetting to me. Some added mystery would have been good for the film.

So that's my main gripe with the movie. Dealing with other aspects of it, the acting in the film was great. All the characters are great. Even the kid, kids usually ruin the experience for me but he does a great job in this one. Also the effects are great for a movie with a small budget.

Overall it's a decent film that would have been really good had the story played out a little differently.

The Woman in Black (2012)

Predictable jump scares around an overused plot

[5/10 · 13 November 2016]

The Woman in Black isn't a bad movie. It's just average. Extremely average. I don't take average as bad though and I enjoyed watching this movie. Radcliffe does a great job in the movie but his character isn't anything special. He just plays a simple man who really acts a fool around sketchy stuff.

My main gripe with the movie is how almost all the jump scares are predictable and the ones that aren't don't add anything to the movie or establish the ghost in any way. Makes it feel more like a haunted house attraction than an actual scary movie.

What is great about the movie is the acting that I've already mentioned and the amazing cinematography. Many of the scenes would make for a really nice poster or wallpaper and I really enjoyed the scenes we get to see.

Overall it's an average horror film that's very predictable in both the plot and the scares. Tries to throw in a twist ending but it didn't hit home for me at all. Pretty movies though

Blue Jasmine (2013)

Great acting isn't all there should be

[5/10 · 12 November 2016]

I have never seen a Woody Allen film until this one so I can't speak on any aspects of the film that are his little attributes and/or things he throws in that long term fans would appreciate. Blue Jasmine follows the hardships Jasmine faces after a divorce from her criminal husband. It's displayed in an out of order way that I really like with constant flashbacks to the way things were and to establish the other characters.

These flashbacks don't only show the backstory of the characters but also show Blanchett's skill at acting out Jasmine. She plays the happy but kind of a jerk wife and the broken rich girl who can't seem to shake old habits very well. I only wish the written dialogue was any good and really showed off her character. Unfortunately majority of the dialogue follows some of the most stereotypical drama-esque drivel you can find anywhere and none of the characters are very memorable except the lead herself.

Once you discover what happened to Jasmine, the rest of the film shows almost no reason. She never changes her view on things even towards the end of the film and, while the performance is great, there's no depth to the character and after the first half hour you've seen all you need to see.

Overall it's a well acted film but it suffers from a lack of direction and some pretty bland dialogue. I can't speak for all of Allen's films but if this is his signature style, it's definitely overrated.

The Signal (2014)

Tries to throw in uncertainties and just ends up alienating the viewer

[5/10 · 11 November 2016]

The Signal starts right off the bat by advancing the plot with weird happenings. The whole reason they get tangled up with the mess is because of an extremely dumb reason. In fact, a lot of the movie is advanced by the weirdest things. I really think the story suffers from originality so it tries to vary itself from other plots by throwing in random ideas.

What the movie does have going for it is the strong acting and how well done the movie is. Other than the story being a little weird, the rest of the movie is put together very well. But the put together scenes really put emphasis on the story's faults. It feels like the movie is a collection of scenes with a loose story.

Overall I think it tries to be a smart film that requires thinking but instead it's just a weird twist followed by another weird twist. Also the ending offers nothing but more questions and just ends.

War Dogs (2016)

One of it's kind

[5/10 · 11 November 2016]

War Dogs is an interesting movie. There's not many films out there that deal with arms dealers and even fewer, if any, could be considered a comedy. As a comedy though, it's a little lacking. Hill's character feels like an exact copy of his character in Wolf of Wall Street. Not necessarily a bad thing, it just feels like it doesn't have too much originality to it.

I think the best thing the film has to offer is the chemistry between Teller and Hill. They both deliver great performances and when they are both on screen together it is great. In fact it's not just them, all the characters in the film are well cast and all do a great job.

Now the movie is about 2 criminals who are selling weapons/munitions to the US government during the war. With a summary like that, you'd think it would be a little darker or more serious. It's very lighthearted with a story that could have been a lot more deep and even funnier.

Overall it's not a bad movie. It's not a great movie, it's slightly better than OK. I just think it needed to play it a little more serious and not make some of the characters seem so likable.

Hush (I) (2016)

Another average scary movie from Flanagan

[4/10 · 10 November 2016]

I was excited to see this film as I really enjoy the home invasion genre and I have known Flanagan's movies to be average but not really bad. I was let down. I thought this could be the best film he has to offer but unfortunately for all of us, it is not the case. In fact it's hard to even say which one of his movies is his best. He's nailed the "average horror film."

I like the spin they give the movie by having our heroine be deaf but other than that there's not really anything special. There's nothing in the film that keeps it interesting past that one little detail. Siegel does a good job displaying emotions without her voice and her performance is only visual but it's good.

I think that the idea of the movie is really cool but it falls prey to what most home invasion movies fall prey to... It fails to keep you interested and doesn't throw any crazy stuff into the movie to spice it up. One of the cool things they did was have one scene where she runs through the various routes available to her as she plans out her "escape." I just wish there was more of that.

Overall it's a decent movie but fails to stay interesting past the beginning.

The Neon Demon (2016)

Too much symbolism and cool scenes with not enough coherent story

[5/10 · 10 November 2016]

Neon Demon is a strange movie. It's one of the trippy films with a whole lot of weird imagery that makes you pay attention because you feel like it may be a super smart movie and you don't want to miss anything important. But what you're left with is something that isn't really that smart, it just tries to be.

The acting in the film is strange as well with a lot of characters purposefully being stiff and almost mysterious. It's trying to be a super smart, strange, trippy kind of movie a little bit too hard. Also some of the characters never feel wrapped up and you just never see them again.

What did I like about the movie was some of the imagery. While it does offer some of the symbolism I mentioned earlier, it doesn't feel as out of place as you'd think. There are some really pretty scenes that are definitely memorable and recognizable.

Overall it's not a bad movie, it's just OK. It gets gory and I think the ending of the movie is dark and pretty cool even in it's weirdness.

Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

Performances were inconsistent and the story was filled with tropes

[4/10 · 10 November 2016]

The main thing I have a problem with in Oiuja is the performances. At times they are pretty good and then at others, the whole thing feels messed up. The most consistent was the youngest daughter but even her very purposeful movements which are meant to be creepy just look weird and forced.

The film does take a while to get going and I like how it develops the characters a lot more than other horror movies do. I didn't quite get the feeling of actually caring for the people but it was a good attempt. I think the characters needed to be a bit more likable, but that could just be me.

So basically the first half of the movie is a solid horror film but it devolves into an average movie with strange actions by the family that don't fit with anything normal people would do... That's so typical for films like this so I can't bash on it too much.

Overall it had nothing really special about it and the final act of the film kind of went all over the p;ace and felt kind of rushed because of the focus on the family for the first half of the film.

Poltergeist (1982)

Well acted, well shot, just a little all over the place

[5/10 · 9 November 2016]

Poltergeist is a horror classic from the 80s and for good reason. It's got some great acting and some great scenes and it makes for a memorable movie. Even if these things are held together by a plot that doesn't really make sense.

The film leaves so much to be explained. Like why does the tree attack the youngest son and then just magically fly away? Why do the bodies of multiple people show up in the pool after the house has been there for several years, and why does the family even entertain the idea of staying another night in the same room that the supernatural stuff was happening in???

What the movie does have going for it though is the acting and how well done the action scenes are. The scenes that are unexplained may be held together by a bad plot but they are fun to watch and hold up really well.

Overall I think it's still a good horror film from the 80s but there's a lot unexplained and in typical bad script fashion, the characters are very dumb.

Still Alice (2014)

Deep movie and sad in a way other movies don't really show

[6/10 · 8 November 2016]

Still Alice follows Alice(Moore) and her family(Stewart,Baldwin) as they deal with her early onset Alzheimer's disease. I have yet to see a movie that follows the things one dealing with Alzheimer's goes through. I never really put thought into how it would feel to go through it and Moore displays it in a way that's believable. Knowing a family member that went through dementia it really struck me in a way I doubt it would have otherwise.

The story mostly focuses on Moore's character and I think it could have gained something by giving some more screen time to the family members. Even though it focuses on Moore it is not a bad thing, she does a wonderful job in this film. The simplicity with which she shows Alice going through her daily life as it gets harder and harder for her to is very well done. You can really feel the confusion that her character is experiencing.

Overall it's a simple story that is told and shown in a believable way and has some great acting by all those involved. I just wish some more screen time was there for the rest of the family.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Classic Horror that bleeds into the films of today

[6/10 · 7 November 2016]

A Nightmare on Elm Street is the first movie in a series of films that did become the "typical horror movie" but this one doesn't suffer from it. It's got an interesting story, a solid villain, and some awesome scenes of brutality. It has just the right amount of those 3 elements as well.

The acting in the movie is about what you can expect from the 80s, the dialogue is a little cheesy and the line deliver is nothing Oscar-worthy. But that doesn't detract from the film or even feel out of place but what does feel out of place is the music. The music is not good, may have worked back then but it did not age well.

Going back to what I said about the right amount of the three categories I listed: The scenes of gore are really well done. Especially the first death in the film, It's one of the best scenes from a horror movie I've seen. Even the rest of them are well done and are very original.

Overall it's a good classic horror movie with some crazy effects and a creepy villain.

The 5th Wave (2016)

Just another post apocalyptic teen flick

[3/10 · 7 November 2016]

The 5th Wave is based on the book of the same name and it's main focus is on a girl reconnecting with her brother. It's a tried and true story for the post-apocalyptic genre and doesn't do anything really cool with it except for the title. The title of the film plays into the "twist" in the film, if you can even call it that and it's about the only thing that it does a little differently.

Nothing too bad on the acting side. There's no Oscar winning performances but everybody does a decent job with the crap dialogue they are given. Except the kid... He just stares all the time, looking dumbfounded. Must have been a way to keep people from calling him "The annoying kid."

The film looks good in it's presentation. The choreography in the fight scenes is a bit exaggerated but I enjoyed that. What is does so wrong is the absolute straight 'teen angst novel' scenes and relationships. The books suffered from this too and I feel it could have been made to be a bit more serious to kind of adult up the series and make it fit with a wider audience.

Overall it is a bad adaption of an average book. It alienates everyone over the age of 12 by making it way too much like the novel and not trying to change up some of the things it needed to.

Nerve (I) (2016)

Solid film but very predictable

[6/10 · 6 November 2016]

Nerve is a movie about how people interact while under the anonymity that some apps can allow you to be. It's graver than anything out there obviously but it gets the message across. It's got wonderful editing, acting, and the colors are really great. I like those parts of the film the best.

I just wish there were more twists in the film. In a movie about dares, there could have been literally anything available to make the plot a little more twisty. I think the main focus was on how apps and more so group mentalities can make people act in certain situations.

Roberts and Franco do a great job but these high school-ers all look way older than they should. I mean that's an issue in a lot of movies but it's still something that bothers me. Regardless, they do a good job and they have some chemistry so it helps the flow of the film... Especially when it keeps a pretty fast pace the whole time.

Overall it's a good little movie that is fun to watch and doesn't get too dumb towards the wrap-up. It does get a little dumb but it's not a terrible ending.

The Awakening (I) (2011)

Not a good twist

[4/10 · 5 November 2016]

The Awakening isn't a terrible movie. It's just a lot of what you've seen before with nothing really crazy thrown in. It's hardly a horror film in my opinion. There's no feeling of danger for the characters in relation to the supernatural, it's almost only some jump scares and that's about it.

What the movie does right is the casting. There wasn't any cringe- worthy performances, they were all pretty good. They also kept the cast to a few people so there wasn't an abundance of characters to keep track of. It kept the story pretty simple.

I did like the editing and look of the film a lot. But other than that, it kind of fell flat in regards to the story. The twist at the end wasn't very cool even though it is one of the more original twists I've seen. There's a lot of hints earlier in the film that you can try to catch but it is all spelled out for you in the end and kind of ruins the re-watchability.

Overall it's not a terrible movie. Just suffers from a weird ending that doesn't exactly know what to do once it starts to wrap up and it just drags on for way too long.

Bad Moms (2016)

Depends on your type of humor

[4/10 · 5 November 2016]

Bad Moms is a nice idea. It depicts moms going off the rails so to speak and doing whatever irresponsible things they want to. Not exactly the best image for the movie to "empower." Now I'm not trying to guess what the movie is trying to do with this image of moms since I will probably get it so wrong. It's just moms going crazy.

Like I said in the title, it requires you to have a certain kind of humor. It's the kind of humor you don't write home about. Very raunchy with a lot of body jokes. If that is not your thing then you should avoid this movie because that's 90% of the jokes.

Majority of the acting is cringe-worthy as people act out the most stereotypical representations of people there have ever been. So if that is something that bothers you then avoid it too.

Overall it's not a movie for everyone. It's got a lot of things that will anger a lot of people and no one I know is going to tell their family or even suggest this one. It's good for a few laughs but it's nothing special.

Starry Eyes (2014)

Pretty unsettling

[5/10 · 4 November 2016]

Starry Eyes takes a while to get going. It's almost like the movie just slowly builds up to the ending and it's a good one. It's hard to tell at first if the girl is dealing with mental issues or if something is being done to her. Maybe there's mental issues that fit with what the "organization" was looking for but either way, it gives you many questions at the start and does a good job at keeping you interested.

Alex Essoe(Sarah in the film) does a better job than I originally thought. She has some chops especially in the scenes where she is acting that she's acting. I was pleasantly surprised with the casting overall except for a few characters who felt out of place but all in all there's a strong cast.

The movie is pretty brutal in the last 3rd of the film. I was surprised at just how much they actually showed and it did bring on some feelings of queasiness but it stayed away from the realm of torture porn. Very violent and the payoff was sweet.

Overall it's an OK movie I wasn't expecting to care for. It does a good job at making you feel uncomfortable but the lack of anything really original is what holds it back in my eyes.

Panic Room (2002)

Good pacing/flow until the end

[5/10 · 4 November 2016]

Panic room is a great idea even in it's simplicity. People move into a rich house with a fortune there unbeknownst to them way earlier than they were supposed to. Robbers break in and of course they need into the room that the tenants lock themselves into.

It advances at a nice pace and they are able to keep it tense even though it seems like the movie could be over in 5 minutes. That's what I like the most about the movie: The setup and flow to the film and the various problems Foster and Stewart and faced with.

All the acting in the film is good but there's some problems with the editing that makes parts of the film feel very choppy. I think Whitaker delivered the best performance as the burglar who doesn't want to mess with people like the other criminals do. Makes for some good emotion coming from his character when those criminals start to do things he's not into.

Overall it's a well paced film with decent performances all around. Not Fincher's best and the ending needed some serious work.