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15 Cameras (2023)
This is NOT 13/14 Cameras
Compared to the first two movies, 13 and 14 cameras, this indeed feels like a completely different vibe. Well, it is not the same writer working here anymore, nor the directors, not even the actor who plays landlord Gerald (!!) is present.
Nope.
This just feels like an attempt to unhearth some kind of cheap plot in order to continue the story. And yes, the landlord is there, though played by a different actor entirely, and that alone was a complete disappointment for me. What made this vouyeristic character so interesting was half because of the actor's appearance in itself (the previous actor was a bodybuilder with a mean face), and half because he managed to deliver an authentic performance showcasing a psycopath without a shed of remorse, all the while moving and behaving like a mentally handicapped child trapped inside a bulky monster.
This movie does bring the landlord back, but the chosen actor, as much as he tried and clearly gave it his best to mimic the original, just cannot summon Gerald's spirit to behave like him. Seeing that skinny copy of Gerald moving around was cringe, to say the least.
And how about the rest of the story? Who cares about the rest of the story? A bunch of teenagers dealing with newly found cameras inside their homes and a "wannabe Gerald" in the making? No, that's not what made 13 and 14 Cameras shine in the first place.
And to conclude with major spoilers (beware):
I truly hope the original writer of the first two movies DISREGARD this lame sequel and move on with his own version of Gerald's evil routine, because, guess what? This movie simply decided to kill the landlord in the end. What??? Was this even approved by the writer? What if he decides to continue the series? Will it be like "JigSaw", creating a prequel named 12 cameras? Then 11? Then 10?
Boring movie, with a dull attempt to mimic the killer.
My rating is 2/10.
The Old Way (2023)
Nothing new here.
-The story couldn't be more cliché. If you have watched at least 3 or 4 spaghetti westerns you'll get the general idea within less than 20 minutes after starting this one.
-The protagonist and antagonists are both so predictable in their actions/decisions/behaviors, to the point where it simply ruins the mystery because YOU can already tell whats coming from a mile away.
-This is just my opinion, ok, but adding touches of comedy to a western may not be the best way of providing a solid atmosphere to a vengeance movie.
-You cannot take the plot seriously when the characters are parodies of themselves.
Conclusion: I do not recommend this movie to anyone, unfortunately.
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Visuals 10. Story... maybe 5.
I really liked the update on the visuals, no complaints there. Coming from a guy who's always watching movies and specially keeping up with the latest videogames, I know what the 3D and CGI can offer out there, and I take my hat off to James Cameron for bringing the best special effects possible.
But a movie cannot rely solely on special effects. Nor an upcoming franchise, for the matter.
I feel the story was shallow, basically a retelling of the first movie, almost following the same chapter line of thought. Jake's family finding a new Naavi tribe (same as before, check). Quaritch's learning how to be an Avatar (same as before, check). Lame excuse for Quaritch to hunt down Jake's ENTIRE FAMILY based on pure revenge, even though Jake laid down his mayor's staff and even LEFT the continent so humans could continue destroying the forest (by the way, fk the forest Naavi, right, the concept of "FAMILY STAYS TOGETHER" is so hypocritical here). Jake's family struggling to fit into the new sea family (same as the movie before). The Turuk's brain oil, a new source of riches for greedy humans to fight over (same goals as before, btw, what happened to the HOLY unobtanium mineral which was supposed to be the ONLY reason for the Sky People to be on Pandora?). A bunch of new misterious kids running everywhere without mothers or fathers (leaving us viewers confused without answers! How come Quaritch had a son??? Or Sigourney Weaver's Avatar wich btw FAILED her soul transfusion??).
Anyways. There is more, but you got the picture.
The story was cold, lame and predictable in so many levels. Makes me wonder if James Cameron thought of repeating the same plot in order to attract new audiences after 13 years, to attracat this public which still haven't watched the first Avatar, preparing them for the next 4 movies to come till 2026.
Orphan: First Kill (2022)
Misleading title
First movie was way way better.
Guess my beef with this one was about the misleading title regarding the story. Don't be fooled by it, this does NOT portray her first kill. Not the second, not the third... its not even an origin story. She already IS the same character we see in the 2009 movie, all grown up and ready to rock, and there is not a HINT of a flashback from her childhood's years explaining her life or why she took the path towards becoming that murderer which we know.
So, yeah, I went in expecting something BECAUSE of the title, and was deeply disappointed when they delivered just another regular suspense tale (not even considered "horror") showcasing the serial killer Esther.
Cave Rescue (2022)
Yet another one
The original documentary was all we needed about this rescue. Don't get me wrong, its nice to know people are trying to tell this story around, but... just last week I've also watched Ron Howard's version of the same rescue.
Was this just a ripoff, like The Asylum tends to do with blockbuster movies?
I particulary do not recommend this one, specially after watching Ron Howard's high-budget version.
The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
A clear "Red Traffic Light" sign
Lana, its time to stop. Let's all agree with that.
This movie only comes to prove the franchise should have stopped on the first movie.
And I am a fan of the first 3 ones. Big fan. But this fourth chapter is mostly a parody of what the Matrix universe once was. How can you associate the first movies with a videogame, even if that was part of the plot for having Neo trapped inside a new Matrix? A videogame series, really? A company having brainstorming sessions discussing how THEY would come up wit ha fourth Matrix (!) just because Warner was pressing in? The final peace agreement between humans and machines having Neo and Trinity being kept as batteries because, what, their "power of love" was generating enough energy sparks to power up the entire machine city on the surface??? C'mon, now, doesn't that feel like a shallow resolution for such a wide and dense universe?
Weak justification to reboot the series. I would honestly stop this train right now, if its to continue with this weak idea.
Marighella (2019)
Great movie and a history lesson
Very good movie with great actors.
I'm still amazed to realize how users rate this movie based on their own left/right political beliefs. If only they would take it down a notch and realize this is a historical event being told as a movie and not an attack to their beliefs, they could start enjoying the production. Doesn't matter which paths you follow: history is history. Period. The fact this movie was released in 2019 and only now in 2021 we're getting the chance to finally watch it, should tell you a thing or two about how censoring still reigns around here.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
Bad script, simple characters... more of the same
If you didn't like the first movie, you will hate this sequence.
Get ready for a really annoying 5 year old Venom symbiote throwing jokes everywhere. And if you are expecting huge battles, forget it... conflict is not a big part of this "action" movie here.
My Sister's Keeper (2009)
Movie is great. Creepy auntie isn't!
Alright, its been over a decade since this movie was released. No need to say anything else regarding the great story.
I just wanted to share my opinion about that aunt's creepy obsession to be around every... single... moment... of another family's life! I mean, why Cameron's sister was there to begin with? Don't she have a family of her own?
Aside the freeloader parasite, all other characters were awesome.
The Woman (2011)
Unnatural behavior acting + Good makeups
The good part about this movie are obviously the make up. They did a great job with the practical effects, tied up with AAA productions such as "The Walking Dead", for example.
Bad part, and that was a huge one, was the artificial dialogues and bad acting. No one in their right minds would behave the way some of the characters did in real life, going from light to day in a matter of hours, changing their lives from top to bottom to that extent. Forcing us to believe in characters like that is asking for too much... besides, all the dialogues, the problems vs. Resolutions, seemed borderline insane to an average medium-class family like that.
I was about to stop watching after 30 minutes, but gave it a try, just to realize the last 1/3 of the movie was actually worth the wait. The conclusion was great, but that was all.
I wouldn't recommend this movie, unfortunately.
Barkskins (2020)
Still waiting for a second season for this masterpiece
So where is the sequence for Barkskins? Its been an year, and nothing was even announced at the horizon...
Shame. I'll be one of the many expecting its return.
Its definately worth watching.
Monster Hunter (2020)
Paul Anderson, please stop and give your wife a CHANCE
Not only you have stained her career with the Resident Evil series, now you're doing it all over again with this new franchise. Please give her a chance already.
You coud have named this movie anything "but" Monster Hunter, as the references towards the game are almost non-existent. Earth elements? Wrong. Artemis as a new character? Wrong. Only one out of the 10+ native characters being shown during the entire movie? Yes Tony Jaa is good, but there were also other important characters to bring, which could have deepened the lore instead of going for the purely "superficial" action aspect of it. Give us story, content, and take it easy on the action. You did a good job with balacing both worlds in AVP Alien Vs Predator, so, why not do it again?
As a last note: chocolates are not made of plastic. They'll most definately melt after a few minutes in the desert.
Run Hide Fight (2020)
Honest opinion from a real person, not a bot
So this is a real person here, writing his opinion. Not a bot.
Why am I stating this before giving my opinion? Just take 2 minutes to verify all the other 900+ positive reviews, and check how they were all posted at the same time (margin of 3, 4 days of difference) and, curiously, all these bots have joined IMDB in Janyary 21th. Real people have watched this too, and you'll recognize these individuals by their bad review (again, check their profiles and joining dates for comparison).
So, no. Don't be misguided by bots.
The movie is plain bad. Period. Nothing here is original, as the theme of the "Battle Royale" has been explored several times before in other great titles like Hunger Games, the original japanese B. R., last year's The Hunt, The Condemned and so forth. Unknown actors, bad dialogue, a TON of cliches and, to those of you who have seen this type of movies before, you'll predict the ending before it comes.
That is it.
Rising Free (2019)
Beautiful on the surface, but shallow on the inside
I gave this 3/10 just because of the photography and the beautiful sightseeing.
Plot and most importantly dialogues couldn't keep up with the wonderful view.
Before I begin, it is so interesting to do some digging and realize how most ratings for this film (giving it a 9 or 10 star rating) comes from profiles who have joined IMDB for the exact same time, curiously having rated just one single title: Rising Free. Hmm...
Anyways. I tend to watch between 130~150 new movies every year (not counting those you rewatch from time to time), and because of that, I believe I got enough "cultural baggage" to compare titles, to say this one is just plain awful when it comes to character development and dialogue, not to mention poor acting to top it off. I actually found myself chuckling from time to time, facing the so many disconnected actions amongst characters and clichés.
I managed to watch 30 minutes before leaving the room. As you realize throughout the first 5~10 minutes just how robotic and artificial the actor's lines are, you simply cannot wash this feeling off, as the next scenes keeps coming. You'll naturally force yourself to analyse each new spoken line critically, because the coherence is so weird that the entire plot becomes dull, and you stop enjoying the story just to criticize the bad writing. There is no way around it, you cannot follow along, because things do not flow naturally.
This is the first work by the writer and director, so I hope my piece of criticism can help them evolve and get better. Guys, do some more study about the human nature. Behavior. How people acatually react to situations in our daily lives. If you've never been into this or that kind of situation, do some research on people who have, just don't go writing it off from the top of your mind, or else you'll risk getting flat characters with dubious dialogues like that.
The War of the Worlds (2019)
Wait, what? Is that all there is?
Ok sure, the first one was longer, but that still doesn't count, when the protagonists are left unanswered... their fears still present, and no hope for a good ending in sight. I watched this VERY short series and felt like it was halted in the middle.
Yeah, its fun to watch, great suspense atmosphere, but heck... I am biased by Tom Cruise's 2005 movie, as these guys here could NOT get a result better than that, unfortunaltely.
War of the Worlds (2019)
There are two WOTW series in 2019. This is not it.
Yep. Two series using the same name, released in 2019. I don't know if its a special year to celebrate HG Wells or whatever, but different studios seem to be producing their own versions of this same book.
And I have watched both.
And I gotta say, this is not it.
Go watch the other one from BBC, set in Old England from the 18th century. THAT is the story, THAT is the book adaptation.
This is just a low budget family story, set in a similar sci-fi world. Just like Grey's Anatomy is about sex/relationships and not medicine, this one is about family struggles and not machines/aliens.
Move on.
Us (2019)
Amateur writer's opinion here: This had a BAD plot.
SPOILERS.
If you are searching for a well constructed plot, just move along to the next title.
Being a sci-fi writer myself, I am actually embarassed to see such a movie receiving 7+ review points, when the story is just so poorly written. So many plot holes. So many unanswered questions. SO... MANY... lazy solutions on screen!
So, clones living underground?
Who has cloned them?
How the HELL does an abandoned clone-station hold clones from people that have not even been BORN YET, back in the 80's? Because when the red-family appears at their doorstep, they got clones of the children too, don't they? Were they cloned long before, or did the government scientists miraculously re-appeared at the station just to bring in the clone's offsprings?
Why couldn't young Adelaide just go back upstairs, when the staircase was just 50 feet away from her room? The station is VERY small, and no one was guarding the amusement park above. She KNEW her family was up there (being a real human, she knew how things worked).
Where did the clones find so many golden scissors? How on GFKING earth did they communicate between different stations in order to decide wether to wear red, or pink, or fking striped clothes?
Anyways... the plot hole list could go on, but, you got my drift.
Again, being a writer, I CANNOT respect a history so lame, when there are so many important details like this left aside.
Terrible, terrible movie.
It Comes at Night (2017)
Nothing new here
So I knew nothing of this movie. Just saw it out of luck. Being a huge fan of the horror/fantasy genre, I was caught by the synopsis, because, hey, who doesn't love a good post apocalyptic drama involving family? For a moment there, I saw myself on the hype train towards something related to "10 Cloverfield Lane" or "The Survivalist", but what I got was an extremely weak mix of both. While the idea is interesting on itself, I'm afraid the development lacked originality throughout the movie. If you are a seasoned horror/thriller geek like me, you saw that ending coming a MILE away. I mean, really. Besides, they don't explain the origin of the problem that apparently covers the Earth, or what lead the characters to behave the way they did in the end. Its all left to interpretation, and we're fed up with that. I wouldn't recommend this movie. Sorry.