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The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)
The vampire film we have always needed!
Finally we have a vampire that looks as awesome and frightening as Dracula is described in the book. I am more specifically referring to the ferocity with which the Count is described. Dracula is an apex predator and a cunning hunter. Whose skills of the hunt have been unmatched by any who have crossed him in 400 years. This is the Count Dracula we see in the Last Voyage of the Demeter. An unbridled, ruthless killing machine.
The whole movie is based upon a small subsection of one of the chapters from Bram Stoker's classic novel. Despite the extremely limited source material, the Demeter excels at delivering a brutal, frightening experience unlike any prior depiction of Dracula. The claustrophobic setting of a singular ship, miles out to sea, with no escape in sight provides a flawless horror environment. It also provides for the unique look to Dracula in this film. Dracula isn't hiding in his more human form. In fact Dracula isn't hiding at all. He knows he has the crew of the Demeter exactly where he wants them. Where he can systematically feed on them one by one. The special effects make up and overall creature design for Dracula is absolutely incredible! It is both loyal to the classic look from Nosferatu, and uniquely terrifying.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter was exactly what I have always wanted in a vampire film.
If you are a fan of classic horror films and characters I highly recommend this film.
The Menu (2022)
The more I think about it, the more I like it!
I saw The Menu about a month ago. Initially I really enjoyed it. But the longer I have had to sit and stew on what I saw, the more I have decided that this film is excellent! The plot is fairly simple, the characters are fairly predictable, and in a way perhaps even cliche. But, it is exactly this simplicity, rather than hurting the film, actually aids one's ability to see the film's deeper message.
From an objective filmmaking stand point this is an incredibly artistic film. The cinematography is top tier. Every frame of film is expertly crafted to produce a compelling work of art. This works well for the film itself because the film is literally about the artistic medium of food and dining. The acting and writing is excellent. All the characters are perfectly written and very believable. I actually read somewhere that much of the conversing amongst characters at their respective dining tables was improvised. Which only goes to further my conviction of how good the acting is.
On a less objective, more opinion based, perspective, I loved the film even more. As an artist myself, I feel it It presents a realistic yet bleak picture of the state of the arts amongst our cultural institutions. How they have become so consumed by a sense of elitism that they lost the true art within. The symbolism of using the culinary arts to send this message is pure genius. I love the idea presented that the only thing that can save art from itself is to go back to its roots. It is all I can do to keep myself from leaving spoilers so I will have to end my review here.
I am sure that there are other people who view the moral behind the film differently than I. But therein lies the brilliance of the film. Watch it with a critical eye and you will not be disappointed. Conversely, if you watch this film merely to be entertained, you will also not be disappointed. Either way, I highly recommend this film.
The Last of Us (2023)
I expected more..
I must admit before I go into my full review that I have not actually played the video game from whence the tv show comes. I have seen a few clips here and there so I knew what to expect as far as the visual design of the zombies and the basic plot. But other than that, I was going in pretty blind.
I figured right off the bat that The Last of Us would be similar to most other zombie shows with The Walking Dead being the poster child of the genre. Initially I was pleased within the first episode it covered much of the beginning of the apocalypse. Then it jumps 20 years into the future. This I feel was a wise choice. Rather than rehashing things we have all already seen in TWD and the like, we get to focus on the aftermath of the end of the world.
Unfortunately this intrigue quickly dies off after the first episodes. This show starts off with a bang, but almost immediately becomes soooo boring. The Last Of Us begins putting in filler episodes before we have even got off the ground. With each subsequent episode feelings more like an unrelated sitcom episode from the early 90s. Yes there is a broad overarching storyline tying them together but every episode has a beginning middle and end.. New characters are introduced each week only to have their stories and drama resolved within the same episode. What is the point? There is no intrigue episode to episode without using cheap "cliffhanger" moments to make you want to watch the next episode. It's 2023! I expect better writing than this. Especially from an HBO production, and especially given this show's plethora of source materials.
I have heard that people who have played the game are really enjoying the show .. and its current IMDb score would reflect that. But as someone who came in fairly blind, there is not enough substance to this show to keep me interested. If you want a good zombie show, watch The Walking Dead instead.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
.. At least it ended well..
"The Rise of Skywalker" is far and away the best of the new Star Wars trilogy. That being said, the bar was set so low, that nearly anything would be a decided improvement. TRoS feels like a halfhearted penance to the diehard fans for the sins of the last two films. Instead of trying to piece together the convoluted mess Disney had created, the writers ignore everything that has just happened. They rely instead on a storyline compiled completely of fan service to the original 6 films. It seems as though Disney decided to make 3 new Star Wars films without any forethought as to where to take the story. For example, Who was Snoke? Who knows .. who cares .. because apparently he doesn't matter anyway to the overall story .. Why spend all the time creating a character that has no ultimate relevance to the overarching storyline. Instead of fixing or trying to explain what they had in mind, they instead pull out an old reliable villain in an attempt to make us all believe they had planned this all along. Sorry, not sorry Disney, no one buys that.
Now that I have that off my chest, let's move on to some positives. This is clearly the most visually appealing installment in the entire saga. Modern visual effects at their finest. TRoS is a true sight to behold. Special effects combined with a few nicely placed homage moments that parallel the original films, make for some really nice visual storytelling.
All in all, this installment in the saga was the first of the new trilogy that I can truly say I enjoyed. Despite its flaws (which are many) it was entertaining, and it was a satisfying end to the series. It's just unfortunate that in order to appreciate this film, you have to wade through the disappointment of the previous two.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Can you even say this is Star Wars?
What an embarrassment. I couldn't even begin to list everything wrong with this film, both from a film perspective and a Star Wars franchise perspective. There are so many plot holes! There are legitimately more plot holes than an actual plot. Is there a plot ? Or is it an implausible sequence of events that defy logic, physics, and the own established rules of the Star Wars universe?
Just about the only thing I got from this film was it's unfailing ability to rewrite and destroy everyone and everything good about the Star Wars legacy. Star Wars has survived the test of time to this point by providing audiences with the classic tales of heroism, good vs evil, and our innate desire to stand up for the underdog.
The last Jedi takes this basic, but successful formula, and turns it completely on its head. Every classic character audiences have grown to love and cheer for over the years have been turned into a hollowed out decrepit heap. This film attempts to paint the false picture that everything in the past 7 movies is wrong and needs to be torn down.
Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy film and television that pushes into the grey and is not so black and white all the time. But that kind of story telling doesn't fit into the Star Wars saga .. and especially not at the expense of tearing down everything that has come before.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
A complete rehashing of previously used ideas
As with most things jj abrams has been a part of, this film is visually stunning. From that perspective, this film lives up to the Star Wars name in all respects. In virtually all other categories, it is a truly bad film.
Historically speaking, the Star Wars saga has been plagued by moments of bad writing and bad acting. But, we have all been able to look past that because of the beautiful storytelling that is Star Wars.
Therein lies the first and biggest problem with "The Force Awakens". There is nothing original about the entire film. It is to put bluntly a sad rehashing of everything we have already seen. Secret plans hidden in a droid ( an upgraded R2 only .. featuring complimentary colors to the original). An escape from a desert planet. A killer space station (albeit 'bigger' than the last one) designed with a fatal flaw specifically so the rebellion can win. A evil galactic empire.. the list goes on and on .. and on.
Save your sanity and stop with Return of the Jedi.
Nope (2022)
B rated alien movie filmed like an A rated film
This movie is bad. Not bad in it's acting, or cinematography, or visual effects. But bad in story, script, and disjointed storytelling.
I am still not sure why this movie was trying to accomplish. It was filmed well, and there are some very unique visual effects. But the film has some major flaws and a few blaring plot holes. 'Nope' starts out well. Building suspense and a few ok placed moments of comic relief keep one entertained. But then about 1/2 through the movie you have a clear view where things are going and Peele takes the film and nosedives off a cliff. The last half of the movie is a train wreck. I found myself saying "really?" almost the entire second half of the movie. I don't want to leave spoilers, so I will leave my review there.
I know we are all supposed to pretend that we liked this film, because after all, it's a film by the 'sainted' Jordan Peele. But let's do a little social experiment. Imagine this film, exactly as it is, was made by someone else. Some unknown director. This movie would have rolled over and died at the box office in a week and no one would ever have heard of it again. Can we please stop pretending, bad films are good just because the director has miraculously earned the public's trust after 1, maybe 2 surprise hits? Please??
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
A convoluted mess.
Where to begin.. this whole film feels empty and soulless.
I enjoyed the first FBaWTFT, but it seems to be a steady downward trend from there. While none of the Harry Potter films are particularly award winning films, what they lack in acting and overall filmmaking they make up for in story, magic, and vision. What makes the Harry Potter / wizarding world so intriguing is the story behind it. This film has moments where Rowling's vision shines through. For example, the scorpion scene was a joy to behold!! But unfortunately, her shining moments seem strangled by a convoluted plot, too many 'main' characters, and a weak political commentary.
This film feels like the unfortunate victim of studio interference. I have no proof, but it's my only logical explanation for "what the heck happened?"
Prehistoric Planet (2022)
Absolutely gorgeous!!
I am a forever fan of dinosaurs and actually paid for a majority of my college degree by doing paleoart for the geology department at my university. As a Paleoartist, I can truthfully say that this is one of the most beautiful and awe inspiring shows I have seen in a while. Everything from the movements to the colorations, to the perfect placement of filaments on the dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals is incredible !! I am blown away by the attention to detail.
Now for a little critique. Part of a Paleoartist job is to make educated guesses about what prehistoric life may have looked like. So, I understand firsthand what it means to get a little creative and loose with some of the interpretation of the fossil evidence. That being said I do feel that some of the interpretations seem to take creative license a little too far.
With paleoart, you do the best you can with the info you have .. then 10 years later they uncover more data and prove your art needs updating. I mean, look at the appearance of a spinosaurus even from 2005- now. So I guess In conclusion, I love love love this show. Is it 100% correct ?? Probably not, but it's beautiful to behold. This is a Paleoartist's dream come true.
Servant (2019)
Interesting.. but kinda a missed opportunity
Let's start with the pros. As with all Apple TV+ shows I have seen so far, the cinematography was absolutely stunning (pro). From the opening sequence to the final scene, every second of film is a work of art. The acting is on point (pro). Every character is excellently portrayed and believable (pro). The plot is creepy and odd with plenty of twists and turns that we have come to expect from Shayamalan (pro). All of this works together to create a extremely uncomfortable feeling that does not let up throughout the entire show (pro).
The biggest con is that the show never really accomplishes anything. The first 3 episodes are excellent. The last 1 or 2 are pretty decent. Unfortunately, everything else is completely filler. It seems like the whole show is all set up for something that never materializes. Lots of questions are raised, and few are answered. By the time I got to the last 3 episodes, I couldn't wait for it to end.
All in all, it's decent, but lacks the substance to be drawn out into 10 episodes. I feel like this could've made a great film, or at most a 3 part miniseries.
Midway (2019)
One of the most visually spectacular films of the year!
Midway absolutely delivers with its visual recreation of the battle of midway and several of the battles leading up to it.
The acting for the most part is spot on! The more well known actors like Dennis Quade and Woody Harrilson (probably spelled wrong) put fort a flawless performance. While even the lesser known actors do a pretty good job. Only a few poorly delivered lines out of the whole 2 hour + running time.
Based off of the limited research I did prior to seeing the film and what I knew previously, Midway gives a extremely accurate depiction of the battle. As well as the details of the war behind the scenes on both sides. My feeling is that it this film did quite well accurately describing the war from both the US and Japanese military. The film obviously has a American spin on the story, but I really appreciated how humanizing it is to both sides of the war. This is NOT an American military propaganda film.
All in all a solid film, however it's running time seems a little excessive. If they wanted to put that much detail into this, I would've loved to see this as a miniseries as opposed to a 2h+ film.
I hope there will be more films like this to come.
Blown Away (2019)
Great concept, shattered by politics.
I am a fan of competition shows. Whether baking, painting, or blowing glass, I find it intriguing to watch artists push their skills and display their talents.
This show intrigued me from the beginning. However it became immediately apparent that the skill of the artists took a back seat to the political messages being pushed. I wish we could go back to a world where no one cared what politics you were pushing, they cared about what you were capable of. Unfortunately this show quickly became a blaring reminder of how pathetically partisan the entertainment industry has become.
The show does have good moments. The talent exhibited by the artists is ah inspiring. Most of the glass pieces are truly incredible. However the judges and several of the artists seem to care more about virtue signaling than actual talent. For me, the disgusting displays of partisan hackery ruined the show.
There is a clear winner in this show. The talent displayed will truly Blow you Away. But clearly Netflix and the shows creators are more concerned with pushing their politics than letting the "true" talent shine.
If this is how the show will be, I will not be watching the next season.
The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
Pretty good!!
I really liked how this film delved into some traditional folklore. This aspect made the film very enjoyable and far more interesting as a tie in to the extended Conjuring universe.
The scares are well done!! One of the scarier installations into the franchise. The weeping woman is creepy!!
I don't really have any criticism to give of this film other than a few really poorly delivered lines. Tuko (from breaking bad) plays a priest, and while it made for some good laughs, I just couldn't see him as any other character other than Tuko, which just made him unbearable. But again, this was great fun and had some good scares. Definitely worth the watch.
Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
Great fun, good scares, but kinda irrelevant..
Annabelle comes home has everything any horror fan has come to expect. It did not disappoint, but at the same time did not impress either.
As to be expected within the horror genre (in particular the extended conjuring universe) there are a few cheesy lines and some rough acting. However, as a baseline horror film, this checks all the boxes. A few good jump scares, mingled with an overall creepy tone made for a fun horror film.
Now for my feeling as far as how it relates to the rest of the Conjuring franchise. I honestly feel as though it was kinda irrelevant. Nothing was gained, nothing was lost. Just kinda an empty addition to the series. My hope is that this film will be used as an "introduction" for many potential films to come. This in my view would make this addition seem more relevant.
My fear is that the Conjuring extended universe is sinking into a trap of trying to pump out as many cheep thrills as fast as they can for a quick cash grab. The last 3 installments into this horror universe have been a little lack luster. So I can only hope that James Wan and the other Conjuring universe creators have something a little better planned for the next films.
Child's Play (2019)
Good retelling, but not without its flaws.
I never found the premise of the original Child's Play all that intriguing, but after seeing the previews and how they were going to modernize the original plot I was a little more optimistic.
This is not so much a "remake" as it is a "retelling", a "reimagining" if you will. The additions added to the plot to modernize Chucky were honestly the best part of the movie. Chucky is transformed from a possessed 80's animatronic doll, to a creepy 80's doll imbedded with an evil Amazon Alexa. I personally felt this update to the plot was amazing in theory. Kinda like a Black Mirror update to the classic 80's horror film. However, unfortunately the intrigue of the plot gets lost amid poor acting and predictability. I wish they would've pushed deeper into the Black Mirror esq additions to the story. I feel like there was so much untapped potential in that vein.
This is not a bad film, but it's not really a good one either. It has a few really good moments, followed by a few bad ones. Given a choice between this version and the original, I would honestly pick this one (probably a controversial opinion). Child's Play 2019 was fun, but just nothing really special.
Pet Sematary (2019)
A great remake!!
Pet Semetary is great!! Is it a flawless film ?? Absolutely not, but it was a well made fitting remake of the original film. My controversial opinion is that it also paid a nice respect and an homage to the book, albeit improvising on a few key points.
The cinematography is fantastic!! I thought the acting was all pretty good as well. Much better that the original film that's for sure. I also felt that the changes and departures from the source material were all done in good taste and added interest. They made the film more than a mere remake.
As with most of not all Steven King books, when made into a film they seem to loose the scare factor. They seem to be Heavy on plot, but light on scares. Is this a bad thing ? I would argue no. Sometimes the darkness of the tale itself is enough to satiate the scare. A film shouldn't have to resort to cheep jump scares if it doesn't have to. While Pet Semetary has plenty of jump scares, I don't think it went too far overboard.
Anyway, it was a great remake. I am excited to see what the future of the "King"verse holds.
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)
Wow.. just .. wow!!
So I must admit I had no desire to ever see any of the John wick films. They just seemed too ridiculous. But after I saw that a 3rd installment being advertised, along with the insanely high IMD scores of its predecessors, I figured I should give them a try.
After watching the first two and then going to see the third installment all within a week I can honestly say that the John wick series is fantastic!! It is campy, cheesy, action packed, beautifully filmed, amazingly choreographed, and hilarious!! Literally the entire theater was laughing which is a rarity even for some comedies. These movies are in no way comedies, nor are they trying to be, but the humor is flawlessly timed and truly perfect.
Anyway, this is, in my opinion, the best John wick film yet. It is great fun, and a crazy wild ride. Definitely not for kids!! But a great time for adults.
Brightburn (2019)
Poorly executed
I wonder what would happen if Superman was an 80's slasher film? The end
But seriously though, that was basically the entire thing. It had a few moments where I thought, "wow, this Is actually pretty good." Then it reverts to mediocre.
The acting and writing was fair, but I feel it was just kinda lacking in originality. Way overboard on the blood and gore. Not really sure why the filmmakers thought more gore would make a better film.. it honestly detracted.
The costuming was great!! The mask that the little boy makes as his antihero mask is awesome and creepy!! Well done design team.
All in all, brightburn was a disappointment. I think it would have been better if they made it more as a antihero origin story, but instead it is a play by play of Superman, except for bad .. really really bad..
The Prodigy (2019)
Decent idea, poor execution
The idea / plot of the film had potential. However the that didn't really translate onto the screen. Creepy little kids have been a staple in the horror genre for years and years, as has the idea of possession. "The Prodigy" plays upon both of those ideas through the medium of reincarnation. Initially this caught my interest but it just didn't have enough substance to keep me, the viewer, interested. It seems like the filmmakers could not decide which of the several logical directions to take the film. So they then settled on a hodgepodge of the most stereotypical aspects of each. The film is dreadfully predictable and seems to bank on the overused "jump scare" and the shock of kinda unnecessary levels of blood / gore.
While the young actor for Miles is good especially for his age, there is no family dynamic. Both parents seem miscast. There is no familial relationship between the husband or wife, nor with Miles their son.
All in all not a terrible film, but a far cry from a good film either. See it if you must, but I can think of dozens of better horror films to spend your time watching.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)
Missed potential
This film had so much potential, but ultimately missed the mark. It was fun, and I had a good time, but if you are a fan of Ryan Reynolds then I can think of several movies you should watch before this. If you are a fan of Pokémon.. which I have been off and on throughout my childhood.. I just felt like this was lacking a bit.
Not bad, but not great. Had some great comedic moments, but most of those are in the trailers.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
One of the best monster movies out there!!
I have been a "huge" Godzilla fan for basically as long as I can remember, and I must admit this is arguably one of the best "Godzilla" movies ever made!!
After the 2014 Legendary film I was admittedly a little apprehensive going into King of the Monsters. But it did not disappoint. There is tons of destruction, tons of monsters, and tons of homages to previous Godzilla films. First, the sounds all the kaiju made were spot on, albeit modernized. The visual eye candy is constant. The creature design was truly ah inspiring.
Bear McCreary's score is absolutely incredible!! Full of homages to original themes by Ikufube (probably spelled wrong).
If you go to this movie expecting a kaiju smashfest overflowing with homages and fan service then this is the movie for you!!
Now for my critiques: The story IS lacking and a little disjointed. The acting is pretty good, although there are a couple poorly delivered lines. You never quite fully understand the motivations behind characters. My overall feelings about most of the critiques on this page are justified. However, this leads me to my main point. This is a kaiju movie.. what are you honestly expecting ? Are you expecting academy award winning performances ? Are you expecting a Christoffer Nolan masterpiece? No, or at least you shouldn't be. The hard core critics of this film are being critical for the sake of being critical. This is a monster movie, you are going to get lots of monsters, explosions, and creature violence. That is kinda the point.
Anyway, long story short, this is a flawed movie from a critical stand point. There are weak points, and strong points. But again I reiterate the point, THIS IS A MONSTER FILM!! if you are going into this film to be entertained and have a smashingly great time, then please go and I think you will have fun. But if you are expecting something more from this film (that no kaiju film in the history of cinema has delivered btw) then I think you should avoid this film.
Aladdin (2019)
Another shameless money grab by Disney
I must admit I didn't have high hopes from the beginning, but i still tried to be optimistic given the director.
The acting is terrible on the part of basically every character. Unfortunately, this even includes the performances by actors who can actually act as well as those without the higher expectations. The best acting in the whole film was courtesy of the magic carpet which happened to also be completely CGI, and had no speaking lines.
The casting itself just seemed completely wrong. Will smith could have been a good genie, if he was allowed to be himself. Instead the writing and directing seemed to dictate that he attempt to replicate robin williams. Aladdin and jasmine were ok as far as looks go, but again the acting was so abysmal that any casting points earned were omitted. Finally, Jafar was perhaps the worst cast character in the entire film.
Anyway, my opinion is that this dreadful film was merely a shameless money grab by Disney. Aladdin has more resemblance to a badly filmed stage play than to the original Disney cartoon from whence it came.
First Man (2018)
Kinda a mess, nothing compared to Apollo 13
What a disappointment. First Man leaves everything to be desired. It feels more like a slanderous misrepresentation of an American hero than a documentary. What was first man attempting to accomplish ?
First Man is a disjointed mess with no clear objective other than to prove to the world that no one is perfect. Apparently you cannot be an American hero and loving spouce and parent at the same time.
People who will be interested enough to see this movie will likely fit into two categories. First they are fans of the "space race" and they space program in general. If you (like me) fit into this category, save your time and money. Do not see this film. It is grossly inaccurate in its depictions of real people. Such as the embarrassing, factless depiction of Buzz Aldrin. And on top of the people it misrepresents, it spends too little time on the actual "space race" stuff.
The second category of people who will want to see this film are likely fans of the director. Those people may also be disappointed as it does not deliver in its performances, writing, and drama. This is no Whiplash.
The only genuinely good thing I can give this film is the cinematography. Beautifuly shot, however the handheld aspect gets kinda old.
Aquaman (2018)
James Wan... I'm sorry.
First I would like to preface this review by stating that I am a big James wan fan!! His directing style and talent are unparalleled in the horror genre.. but even a director as talented as Wan couldn't save this train wreck of a film.
I could go on and on about everything wrong with this film, but that would literally take up the complete running time of the movie. So instead to save all readers and potential viewers the trouble I will include the aspects that were .. ok.
The trench creatures!! Awesome !! Best scene of the movie visually, acted and directed!! (Don't worry, No spoilers here because this scene is in the trailers) this is the only scene where I felt James Wan's talent and horror flare showed through!! The creature design was incredible!!
But aside from that one scene (literally 5 min of the entire movie) there was nothing that could save this disaster.
Please, if you value your time or the time of others.. DO NOT go see this film!! Wait for the movie to go to Redbox and rent it for $1.75 so you can skip forward to the trench scene. Honestly $1.75 is a steep price to pay considering the trash you are about to wade through.. but hey, it's your time spent.. I have already wasted mine.