BLACKNISSANZ
ALL MOVIES LISTED: Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Train to Busan, Gerald's Game, The Devil All the Time, Abigail, Texas Chainsaw 3D, The VVitch, The New World, All Quiet on the Western Front, Civil War, Crimson Peak, Sanctuary, The Zone of Interest, 300, Jackie Brown, Invincible: Atom Eve, Dream Scenario, Escape from L.A., Stoker, A Hidden Life, Escape from New York, Madame Web, Poor Things, Kimi, Rocky, Eastern Promises, There Is No "I" in Threesome, Troy, Dune: Part 2, Dune, Caligula with Mary Beard, Benedetta, Skyfall, Quantum of Solace, Ivan the Terrible, Part 1, Casino Royale, Silent Hill, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Exodus: Gods and Kings, Evil Dead Rise, Bottoms, Shiva Baby, Void, The House that Jack Built, American Beauty, Silence, Birth, Gender Revolution, Dope Sick Love, Stalker, X-Men, Platoon, Natural Born Killers, Anyone But You, and The Killer
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) dir. George Miller
Rewatch.
10/10. Reviewed om 6/12/2024.
10/10. Reviewed om 6/12/2024.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) dir. George Miller
Aside from the fact that after Jack saw that Furiosa was a girl, no one questioned it, I have no complaints. This is just as exhilarating and tense as the Fury Road, and the action is just insane. Also probably my favorite Chris Hemsworth performance in a while.
9/10. Reviewed on 6/11/2024.
9/10. Reviewed on 6/11/2024.
Train to Busan (2016) dir. Yeon Sang-ho
Exceeded my expectations, this movie felt like the Korean version of 28 Days Later. It was very intense, the characters were all surprisingly good and mostly well rounded, even the one-dimensional characters like the old CEO, had moments that I was not expect. I really have not seen a zombie movie that brought any emotion from me, in a while if at all. I think the only thing I did not care for was some of the effects, and of course that I wish the movie was in English, but that is not a real complaint, just wishful thinking.
9/10. Reviewed on 5/31/2024.
9/10. Reviewed on 5/31/2024.
Gerald's Game (2017) dir. Mike Flanagan
7/10. Reviewed on 5/25/2024.
The Devil All the Time (2020) dir. Antonio Campos
9/10. Rewatch. Reviewed on 5/20/2024.
Abigail (2024) dir. Matt-Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet
8/10. Reviewed on 5/19/2024.
Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013) dir. John Luessenhop
Going into this, I expected it do be awful, and it’s much better than Texas Chainsaw II, and I’ll be honest… I enjoyed it more than the original. I don’t particularly like the original that much, and I don’t think this movie is anything crazy, the 3D stuff now is annoying, the characters are quite stupid, and there’s some really stupid logical inconsistencies, but it’s fun to watch and it looks good. I also was surprised that it followed the original movie directly, which was a cool choice I liked a lot. It reminded me of Evil Dead 2 in the way that it was a sequel that changed the events of the original or ignored them where it pleased.
6/10. Reviewed on 5/16/2024.
6/10. Reviewed on 5/16/2024.
The VVitch (2015) dir. Robert Eggers
Haven’t watched this in quite a long time. Really enjoyed the story, all the characters were played well. Always love to see returning game of thrones actors, and Anya is always great. The twins were hilarious as well. Quite creepy at time, but not a scary movie by any means and I do wish more time was spent on the Witch itself, because I really like how it’s handled when it comes around. I love the puritan setting, emphasis on religion, and the ending was quite brutal in a good way, I do just wish that there was more going on from a horror standpoint.
7/10. Reviewed on 5/16/2024.
7/10. Reviewed on 5/16/2024.
The New World (2005) dir. Terrence Malick
9/10. Reviewed on 4/28/2024.
All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) dir. Edward Berger
Finally was able to watch this. This is a brutal movie, and very faithful to the 1930 film based on what I have seen of it, and I will watch that movie eventually. I watched the English dub and it did not bother me nearly as much as other English dubbed movies for some reason, perhaps because a lot of it is war itself and so there is a lot of speaking while movement is happening. World War 1 has never been depicted so well too my knowledge, and it has increased my interest in this era a lot since my viewing.
9/10. Reviewed on 4/17/2024.
9/10. Reviewed on 4/17/2024.
Civil War (2024) dir. Alex Garland
This movie has some logical issues that I have had pointed out to me since that have weighed on me, such as, "Why was the president not in a bunker" "why are ALL the soldiers operating on shoot-on-site orders 24/7" among other issues, and then the other thing being that I do wish just a bit more, at least a couple more hints, into the context that led up to this Civil War were given. While those things do bother me, I enjoyed it otherwise and the idea of leaving context on the cutting room floor is fine to me, I would rather not know most of it, and focus on the events of the film as it creates more of an interesting conversation around the movie itself. I think its a matter of how much you are willing to suspend your disbelief and how much you are willing to accept the lack of context, as outside of that the movie is great. The performances are great, the finale is absolutely insane, and there are some brutal moments that shocked that hell out of me. The scene with Jesse Plemmons, when it was dead silent in our theatre, made me actually jump. I enjoyed that it followed journalists, and was basically a roadtrip movie, which allowed us to see a lot of sights and how the world is reacting to the events of the movie. I am not always a universe or sequel advocate, but I would totally watch a Man in the High Castle style TV show set in this world.
7.5/10. Reviewed on 4/11/2024.
7.5/10. Reviewed on 4/11/2024.
Crimson Peak (2015) dir. Guillermo del Toro
8/10. Reviewed on 4/8/2024.
Sanctuary (2022) dir. Zachary Wigon
6/10. Reviewed on 3/31/2024.
The Zone of Interest (2024) dir. Jonathan Glazer
The constant screams in the background are so unnerving, and the contrast between the absolutely beautiful film-making and the horror of where we are at in this film is stark. Whether grandmas is lounging in the garden, or we are observing some beautiful flowers, or a child playing dice, the unimaginable hell that is going on the other side of the wall is always present. I was in awe during the scene explaining how the ring crematorium would work, the uncaring callousness of it all is just insane to watch. I think the worst was watching a Jew pouring the ashes of other Jews into the garden for I assume fertilization, again while we listen to the awful screams. Much the same as with A Hidden Life, this is one that is hard to put a lot of words to. You just need to watch it, and absorb the horror for yourself, because of how incomprehensible this evil is. It is comprehensible, and we need to be reminded of it. Men like Rudolf Höss should be remembered as what they were, monsters in human skin, along with any other Nazi. I feel like I make this complaint enough that it is likely my attention span, but the movie is a bit long. It lingers a lot when nothing is going on, which works great for the horror but not so great for some other scenes, such as Höss standing around just smoking or staring at the wall. I also was left confused by the few moments of monochrome where we follow a little Jewish girl who is in the area of Auschwitz as well.
9/10. Reviewed on 3/27/2024.
9/10. Reviewed on 3/27/2024.
300 (2006) dir. Zach Snyder
I have seen most of this movie at some point, but its been years so this is my first full watch through. I enjoyed it less than expected, there was way too much slow motion and the color pallet was very ugly. It has this orange/brownish color that works well with certain shots and areas but in a lot of the movie just does not look good. The slow motion was the bigger issue, as I knew from his other movies that Zach likes his slow motion, but this movie almost every fight has is in slow motion. The Immortals do look cool in their shiny steel masks, and I like the idea of using creatures in this era of Greece but it does often look a bit silly in contrast to out Greek warriors in realistic, dented, bronze or iron helmets. I know it is based on a comic book, but this is a movie, and in the movie I thought that it was not appropriate. Gerard Butler easily was the best actor in the movie, he really brings some life to Leonidas and I can see why his men would die for him. I did not expect to see Michael Fassbender at all, nor Lena Headey, and I liked them, along with Vincent Regan who plays the Captain. Had it been shorter, less slow motion, some better action, and better camera work, I would really like this movie, but unfortunately, I'd rather just watch Troy again.
5/10. Reviewed on 3/27/2024.
5/10. Reviewed on 3/27/2024.
Jackie Brown (1997) dir. Quentin Tarantino
Third rewatch, and my favorite Tarantino movie. One of the movies that has grown on me exponentially with each watch. Michael Keaton wearing sandals and socks at the end was hilarious too.
10/10. Reviewed on 3/25/2024.
10/10. Reviewed on 3/25/2024.
Invincible: Atom Eve (2023)
Fun TV movie that gave me some more Invincible content to watch after I found out that season two was split into half, and then again into weekly segments. So lame. Good movie, though.
8/10. Reviewed on 3/25/2024.
8/10. Reviewed on 3/25/2024.
Dream Scenario (2023) dir. Kristoffer Borgli
8/10. Reviewed on 3/24/2024.
Escape from LA (1996) dir. John Carpenter
More of the same greatness from the first, would love to see more of these films. Do wish that the plot structure was a little more varied, it is basically Escape from New York but in LA.
8/10. Reviewed on 3/18/2024.
8/10. Reviewed on 3/18/2024.
Stoker (2013) dir. Park Chan-wook
Wild movie. Editing was a little confusing at times, but the movie looks amazing visually. The story was very interesting, though the end I am not sure about. Overall a great little incest mystery/thriller that edges you a lot, meaning there are a lot of scenes where I expected more out of it given how out there the movie is otherwise. I really liked the main three actors, especially Matthew Goode, who is very creepy, and Mia Wasikowska was great, I enjoyed following her because I had no idea what was going through her head, sometimes in a bad way. Also crazy to see young Han Solo play a rapist, I did not expect that.
7/10. Reviewed on 3/18/2024.
7/10. Reviewed on 3/18/2024.
A Hidden Life (2019) dir. Terrence Malick
This is my first Terrence Malick movie, and it is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. It is also one of the most heartbreaking, and words cannot really describe the emotional pain this long, draining, exhausting film brings. Franz Jägerstätter truly embodies Christianity. I also have never seen a movie embody the evil of the Nazi ideology so well, without the use of Jewish people. I think it is just as horrible to show what these creatures did to their own country men. Painfully beautiful, and still hopeful by the end.
10/10. Reviewed on 3/18/2024.
10/10. Reviewed on 3/18/2024.
Escape from New York (1981) dir. John Carpenter
Loved the music, New York looked awesome. Such a unique idea. Great to see the inspiration behind Metal Gear, one of my favorite games. Really cannot think of one thing I dislike about this movie.
10/10. Reviewed on 3/18/2024.
10/10. Reviewed on 3/18/2024.
Madame Web (2024) dir. S.J. Clarkson
I actually was surprised by how much I did not hate this movie. The first two acts are well done, and while they are not groundbreaking filmmaking, they are competent and decent setup for what I feel is a very bad payoff. I liked all the character surprisingly, the kids did not bother me much though Celeste O'Conner's character was not great, she had a few bad moments. I actually really liked the way that Madame Web begins discovering her powers, the sporadic and confusing nature was presented really well with the back and forth cuts between past, present, and future. Despite being unimportant and kind of shoe horned in, I did not mind all the connections to Peter Parker, such as Ben and Mary.
The product placement was too much for a modern film, though not much Sony product placement which was a surprise. The finale was very bad. The camera work was awful at many points, and the special effects looked bad. Not to mention the really silly zoom in on Madame Web's face during the climax. This was also a very misleading movie, where I expected to see some Sydney Sweeney Spider-Woman fighting evil Spider-Man, but that it is not the case. We get maybe 30 seconds of some bad CGI versions of all the Spiderwomen, and that is really it. Especially the awful final shot of all of them in their costumes, with Madame Web's being the absolute worst. This was a pointless movie in all reality, and the weakest part was by far the ending. At the end of the day, it should not have been made. Is it better than Morbius? Yes, by far. Is it better than either Venom movies? No, I don't think so, though I do need to re-watch them as I quite liked how silly they are. Sony needs to let this universe go, because I do not anticipate Kraven the Hunter adding up to much more than another dud.
Side note, why did she go blind? I must have missed that. I know that Madame Web is blind in the 90s cartoon, but what happened to Dakota Johnson's Madame Web to blind her?
5/10. Reviewed on 3/17/2024.
The product placement was too much for a modern film, though not much Sony product placement which was a surprise. The finale was very bad. The camera work was awful at many points, and the special effects looked bad. Not to mention the really silly zoom in on Madame Web's face during the climax. This was also a very misleading movie, where I expected to see some Sydney Sweeney Spider-Woman fighting evil Spider-Man, but that it is not the case. We get maybe 30 seconds of some bad CGI versions of all the Spiderwomen, and that is really it. Especially the awful final shot of all of them in their costumes, with Madame Web's being the absolute worst. This was a pointless movie in all reality, and the weakest part was by far the ending. At the end of the day, it should not have been made. Is it better than Morbius? Yes, by far. Is it better than either Venom movies? No, I don't think so, though I do need to re-watch them as I quite liked how silly they are. Sony needs to let this universe go, because I do not anticipate Kraven the Hunter adding up to much more than another dud.
Side note, why did she go blind? I must have missed that. I know that Madame Web is blind in the 90s cartoon, but what happened to Dakota Johnson's Madame Web to blind her?
5/10. Reviewed on 3/17/2024.
Poor Things (2023) dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
This was a tough film to digest. On one hand I appreciate a lot of the aspects of it. The camera work, the performances, the world design, and the costume/makeup work (especially on Willem Dafoe!) are all aspects that I like. I laughed quite a bit, too. On the other hand, the messaging is a bit lost on me. Sexual liberation and female empowerment is great and all, but is at least 5 minutes of graphic sex scenes and nudity spliced throughout the movie a good way to demonstrate that? Almost every man in the movie attempts to take and use Bella's sexuality, and many are successful. The idea that she reclaims it by making money from it, or by selling it to anyone she pleases as a way of empowerment is silly. I like the route that Bella takes, and the the path she follows makes sense given the confines of the narrative and where the story is going, but the messaging is muddled, and confused. Does it make sense why Bella does what she does? Yes. Does it make sense for the movie to portray it (sex, and Bella's extreme use, and discussion of it) as a positive, and constantly push the narrative in that direction, and use it as a symbol of pushing the boundaries of societal norms? No, not in my opinion. Perhaps I am reading too much in, after all, by the end her husband has the brain of a goat, and there are often some quite other wild things happening in this world too. Either way, I felt the messaging was not good, and that dragged the rest of the film down. Being sexually explicit more so feels provocative here.
7/10. Reviewed on 3/17/2024.
7/10. Reviewed on 3/17/2024.
Kimi (2022) dir. Steven Soderbergh
Kimi was very good. The camera work was great, it gave a real sense of disorientation that felt appropriate. I liked Angela, and most of the other characters. Angela is a compelling character, because I have met her. I had seen her 100 times, a couple years ago, though less so in recent years. Her mannerisms sell her character too, and I enjoyed how she got out of some situations, it felt plausible and I had no idea what would happen.
8/10. Reviewed on 3/16/2024.
8/10. Reviewed on 3/16/2024.
Rocky (1976) dir. John G. Avildsen
Can now finally say I’ve watched this masterpiece. By God, it is not what I expected in the slightest. I enjoyed everything up until the boxing match, Rocky is such a funny character to watch interact with people and he’s compelling. The rest of the characters are all fun and compliment Rocky. But that boxing… I’m not a sports person, let alone a boxing fan. I was gripping the sheets watching Rocky and Creed go at it. Great movie!
10/10. Reviewed on 3/16/2024.
10/10. Reviewed on 3/16/2024.
Eastern Promises (2007) dir. David Cronenberg
10/10. Reviewed on 3/16/2024.
There Is No "I" in Threesome (2021) dir. Jan Oliver Lucks
This film turned on a dime for me. I went from bitter hatred, to pitiful sympathy, to finally just straight being impressed. I am a realist, and a very moral man. That does not stop me from seeking out opposing views, opposing morals, even ones I find revolting to the core. That is why I found myself watching what I thought was a documentary about polyamory. Spoilers, I was actually watching a film about some very lost, pathetic people. Oliver, our film maker as well as star, is a man who is as weak and cowardly as he is sad and pathetic. Zoe, his "partner" throughout the film, who is just pathetic, but at least shows her spine often and throughout the documentary. She is the only one with a voice, and it was very depressing to watch Oliver shamble his way through what most people would consider cuckoldry. Despite the plot twist at the end, that it is not a documentary in full, but a part documentary, part acted out, due to the directors choice to reshoot the entire thing after his original fiancée left him during the filming. This is worth a watch, if you want to feel better about your own relationship or need to look at what not to be as a man, less so for women as Zoe does not get a lot of time on her own in the movie to demonstrate her acts of adultery, though we do see her naked often enough and see her humiliate her fiancé often enough.
4/10. Reviewed on 3/12/2024.
4/10. Reviewed on 3/12/2024.
Troy (2004) dir. Wolfgang Petersen
Troy was a good movie. It did a good job of telling the epic myth in a beautiful way, the environments and costumes all looked great. Most of the fight scenes were very good, especially the one between Hector and Achilles, though, I do think there were some bad parts in the larger sequences where it was hard to tell what was happening. I think in part due to the time period, their armors are less distinguishable and easier to mix up. It was also nice to see Sean Bean, in any case. I think Brad Pitt was not the best choice, as he was very bland as the main character, but he was not bad by any means. Funny note too, about twenty minutes before it happened, in my head I thought: "It would be funny if Aeneas had a cameo like it was a marvel movie in the post credits setting up the founding of Rome" and then Orlando Bloom's character runs into Aeneas. I was very glad to see that in the movie done in not a silly way.
7/10. Reviewed on 3/12/2024.
7/10. Reviewed on 3/12/2024.
Dune: Part 2 (2024) dir. Denis Villeneuve
I loved the music, and I’m not normally one to pay attention to music in movies. As a major fan of the book, I think this movie did a good job of condensing the last part of the book into an entire movie, as Dune is a very dense book. I think there was some interesting ideas left out, that I wish were kept, and I think ideally this should’ve been a trilogy. Honestly, I’m not sure why given how quickly they were ready to start on Dune: Messiah.
I did not mind the character changes, such as the removal of Count Fenring or Hawat, and Paul's sisters presence is reduced from the second half. I think the factionalism within the movie was mostly added, and a good addition. It makes for a more interesting conflict, especially with the themes of religion and martyrdom. The battle scenes were some of the grandest I have ever seen, especially the scene of Paul and Chani with a rocket launcher, fighting a ornithopter while taking cover behind a spice miner. Timothee Chalamet also deserves all the praise in the world for his portrayal of Paul, I enjoyed him even more than in part one. I also loved Rebecca Ferguson, as the lady Jessica.
I think the other deviations from the book are where I run into some problems. Chani is given a bit more time to shine than in the book, and they remove Paul’s forced polygamy (which I understand for simplicity sake). The issue with this comes from the confusion towards the end of the movie (spoiler warning) where I found that it made little sense for Paul to just abandon Chani for the princess, whereas in the book Paul already has another wife and so marrying another princess does not really matter. In fact, during the talk of marriage in the book, Chani asks Paul if she should leave, to which he replies: “You’ll never again leave my side.” There is a strong point made by Paul to Chani about the marriage only being political, and will not result in children.
This is a stark contrast from the movie, where Zendaya tearfully rides off on a sandworm after Paul's marrying of the princess. I really did not like this, and I felt it was a needless change from an otherwise amazing movie.
8/10. Reviewed om 3/12/2024.
I did not mind the character changes, such as the removal of Count Fenring or Hawat, and Paul's sisters presence is reduced from the second half. I think the factionalism within the movie was mostly added, and a good addition. It makes for a more interesting conflict, especially with the themes of religion and martyrdom. The battle scenes were some of the grandest I have ever seen, especially the scene of Paul and Chani with a rocket launcher, fighting a ornithopter while taking cover behind a spice miner. Timothee Chalamet also deserves all the praise in the world for his portrayal of Paul, I enjoyed him even more than in part one. I also loved Rebecca Ferguson, as the lady Jessica.
I think the other deviations from the book are where I run into some problems. Chani is given a bit more time to shine than in the book, and they remove Paul’s forced polygamy (which I understand for simplicity sake). The issue with this comes from the confusion towards the end of the movie (spoiler warning) where I found that it made little sense for Paul to just abandon Chani for the princess, whereas in the book Paul already has another wife and so marrying another princess does not really matter. In fact, during the talk of marriage in the book, Chani asks Paul if she should leave, to which he replies: “You’ll never again leave my side.” There is a strong point made by Paul to Chani about the marriage only being political, and will not result in children.
This is a stark contrast from the movie, where Zendaya tearfully rides off on a sandworm after Paul's marrying of the princess. I really did not like this, and I felt it was a needless change from an otherwise amazing movie.
8/10. Reviewed om 3/12/2024.
Dune (2021) dir. Denis Villeneuve
Rewatch, and first time since my original viewing. It is a perfect movie, and a near 1:1 of the book which I also love.
10/10. Reviewed on 3/7/2024.
10/10. Reviewed on 3/7/2024.
Caligula with Mary Beard (2013) dir. Hugo Macgregor
As I near the finish of SPQR, Mary's book on the history of ancient Rome, I found her mention of the 1979 movie Caligula. When I went to watch it, I came across her own documentary on him, which was very good, though she made no mention of it in the book. Great short documentary on Caligula!
8/10. Reviewed on 3/6/2024.
8/10. Reviewed on 3/6/2024.
Benedetta (2021) dir. Paul Verhoeven
The recency of this film, the fact that it is French, and the director all threw me for a loop, and that was before I even began the movie! Paul Verhoeven is quite the famous director, making very famous movies such as RoboCop (1987) Total Recall (1990) and Starship Troopers (1997). My girlfriend had just watched Showgirls (1995) and I knew his name from that, as well. Though I have never seen any of his other movies, not even RoboCop.
Though he is a Dutch director, I did not expect this movie to be entirely in French, for a movie that released in 2021. Perhaps after his bigger movies in the 90's he stopped making American films, but either way I find it interesting that he made Bendetta, which is supposed to be based on a true story, about some lesbian nuns in the 1600s, and Bendetta, our protagonist, is not only embroiled in the whole lesbian nun scandal but also has visions of Jesus Christ, as she is a "Bride of Jesus" within the church.
This movie is quite wild, and I liked it. I was surprised how much of it was real, while some parts are fictional the story as a whole was based on a real non fiction book, perhaps Ill check it out some day. There is one scene in particular of torture that was horrific to watch, and hear. I think the visions of Christ are meant to be absurd, but I still do not care for their place in the movie. I think it could have been done in less of a silly manner given the rest of the movie. There is not a lot of oversexualization of the girls, I felt, where a lesser movie would simply use the lesbian affair as a way to show some gratuitous sex scenes (such as Blue is the Warmest Color), I felt all the sexual scenes fit well within the story being told, they are graphic but there is plenty of other non sexually graphic material surrounding it.
7/10. Reviewed on 3/2/2024.
Though he is a Dutch director, I did not expect this movie to be entirely in French, for a movie that released in 2021. Perhaps after his bigger movies in the 90's he stopped making American films, but either way I find it interesting that he made Bendetta, which is supposed to be based on a true story, about some lesbian nuns in the 1600s, and Bendetta, our protagonist, is not only embroiled in the whole lesbian nun scandal but also has visions of Jesus Christ, as she is a "Bride of Jesus" within the church.
This movie is quite wild, and I liked it. I was surprised how much of it was real, while some parts are fictional the story as a whole was based on a real non fiction book, perhaps Ill check it out some day. There is one scene in particular of torture that was horrific to watch, and hear. I think the visions of Christ are meant to be absurd, but I still do not care for their place in the movie. I think it could have been done in less of a silly manner given the rest of the movie. There is not a lot of oversexualization of the girls, I felt, where a lesser movie would simply use the lesbian affair as a way to show some gratuitous sex scenes (such as Blue is the Warmest Color), I felt all the sexual scenes fit well within the story being told, they are graphic but there is plenty of other non sexually graphic material surrounding it.
7/10. Reviewed on 3/2/2024.
Skyfall (2012) dir. Sam Mendes
7/10. Reviewed on 2/29/2024.
Quantum of Solace (2008) dir. Marc Forster
Not nearly as interesting as Casino Royale, and because both this movie and Casino Royale did not have subtitles I had a hard time understanding some of the dialogue and especially the stronger accents. The action was also absolutely atrocious, I could barely make out what was happening most of the time. There was a few decent hand to hand fights, but the camera just cut every other frame, and it was unbearable especially in the opening action scene.
6/10. Reviewed on 2/28/2024.
6/10. Reviewed on 2/28/2024.
Ivan the Terrible, Part 1 (1944) dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feels like a Shakespeare play mixed with very early film, and I enjoyed it.
Reviewed on 2/28/2024.
Reviewed on 2/28/2024.
Casino Royale (2006) dir. Martin Campbell
First off I must say it is a complete coincidence that the last three movies I have watched are all from 2006. This is also my first ever James Bond film, and I was impressed. I did know a few things going in about the plot, but it did not change my enjoyment much. I only wish the movie was a bit shorter, and that the ending came together a bit better.
8/10. Reviewed on 2/28/2024.
8/10. Reviewed on 2/28/2024.
Silent Hill (2006) dir. Christophe Gans
I had no clue what was going on by the end.
4/10. Reviewed on 2/27/2024.
4/10. Reviewed on 2/27/2024.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) dir. Adam McKay
8/10. Reviewed on 2/27/2024.
Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) dir. Ridley Scott
I really liked this movie. I had very little problems with it, and I’m very perplexed why it is hated so much. For years I had heard this was a train wreck of a movie… and it’s a little overlong but I thought it did an excellent job of telling the story of Exodus in movie format. It’s a bit silly to have white guys playing Egyptian and Hebrew leaders but the movie is in English, and it’s based on a story from over 2000 years ago.
8/10. Reviewed on 2/22/2024.
8/10. Reviewed on 2/22/2024.
Evil Dead Rise (2023) dir. Lee Cronin
Wow is the best descriptor for this movie. I had very low expectations, and came out loving most of what I saw. Lily Sullivan as Beth was not who I expected the protagonist to be, and I did not expect the kids to take a backseat to her. Lily was fantastic, definitely not as zany as Bruce Campbell but she was a great lead and I loved how she handled the deadites. Keeping the whole night contained to one apartment was such a good idea, it made for some excellent tension, especially during the part with the neighbors in the hallway. The demon, especially the way it fully "formed" by the end was disgusting and such good design, all the mass amounts of blood looked great too. Some of the early dialogue was bad, but the movie did not take long to get started. I also did not care for the final scene, I wish it had ended with just Kassie and Beth. I hope we see at least one or two more movies with Beth, because I liked her and the way the director handled this soft reboot.
9/10. Reviewed on 2/22/2024.
9/10. Reviewed on 2/22/2024.
Bottoms (2023) dir. Emma Seligman
7/10. Reviewed on 2/18/2024.
The Marvels (2023) dir. Nia DaCosta
There was no need to have that awful Skirllex song in this movie. I cannot stand the trope of bumbling incompetent "funny" parents, and this movie relies on them for a lot of the comedy. It reminded me of Black Adam, and not in a good way. The villain was also just a gender swapped version of Ronin, the villain of Guardians of the Galaxy 1, who was already a boring villain, and yet this villain, (cannot remember her name) is somehow much worse, very cliché, and her motives make next to no sense. There are too many clichés, and we are too far into the MCU to still be repeating stupid tropes. "We are NOT a team" as if its a Disney channel show. She turns on the shapeshifters over nothing and it was a waste to even probe us with the idea of Kree peace with the shapeshifters. I am not sure if it was their intent but they seem to be implying that the shapeshifters are the Jews of the Marvel universe, and I do not know how to interpret it beyond that. Monica was awful, I did not care for her in WandaVision and I did not like her mother in Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, and she was just annoying and felt like a waste of a third character. Her attitude towards Captain Marvel felt forced and childish.
I did think the movie was funny at times, the cat scenes (bias on my part), and some of the interactions between Kamala Harris and Captain Marvel, and I liked Nick Fury in this film compared to his secret wars character. The end credits were cool but does the movie deserve credit because it took other characters I like and just inserted Captain Marvel characters into it? I think we are past this too. The movie looked fine as well, and it was watchable. If this is your daughters first superhero movie, sure, shell probably love it. It is competent, and a clone of much better movies. On its own, though, it has very little value.
4/10. Reviewed on 2/17/2024.
I did think the movie was funny at times, the cat scenes (bias on my part), and some of the interactions between Kamala Harris and Captain Marvel, and I liked Nick Fury in this film compared to his secret wars character. The end credits were cool but does the movie deserve credit because it took other characters I like and just inserted Captain Marvel characters into it? I think we are past this too. The movie looked fine as well, and it was watchable. If this is your daughters first superhero movie, sure, shell probably love it. It is competent, and a clone of much better movies. On its own, though, it has very little value.
4/10. Reviewed on 2/17/2024.
Shiva Baby (2021) dir. Emma Seligman
After watching her short, Void, I was intrigued to see what Emma Seligman had to offer in terms of a full movie. I do not watch many female directors, so I figured I would start with something that sounded different, and this was quite the crazy movie. It was funny, which I did not expect. It is also one of the most intense, non-thriller movies I have ever seen. I think there was a bit too much baby crying, and I wish there was a more diverse setting. It essentially takes place in one house the entire movie. I think that the dialogue is a double edged sword, on one side it is authentic to how my generation talks, and also makes for some good jokes, but on the other hand makes for some bad dialogue. There was one time where I heard the word "like" nearly 10 times in the span of 3 sentences. That may be how people talk, but that does not make it less annoying to listen to. I also thought while intentional, the movie was often a bit annoying. Some of the old people in the movie are doing the classic obliviousness that can become grating after so long, especially given this is a newer movie.
7/10. Reviewed on 2/9/2024.
7/10. Reviewed on 2/9/2024.
Void (2017) dir. Emma Seligman
I like this short film but it is nothing crazy. I’m very much against censorship but I’d make an exception for porn if I was God Emperor. Porn is evil, all pornstars are victims or exploiters and that’s what I have to say.
7/10. Reviewed on 2/9/2024.
7/10. Reviewed on 2/9/2024.
The House that Jack Built (2018) dir. Lars von Trier
The House that Jack Built is a horror/gore film that follows a man who kills a lot of people. I wish this were a better movie because I like a lot of the ideas here. The movie alludes to Dante's Inferno, which is cool, and I instantly recognized who "Verge" was meant to be and what was going on outside of the "incidents" the movie follows, but it never felt very well put together. The end of the movie was very silly, and overlong. There were a lot of pointless sections, that could have been better illustrated. Watching Jack Climb, watching Jack and Verge climb, a still of them jumping for 30 seconds in a very weird art style, many things I am sure Lars von Trier thinks are very thematically important to the story he wants to tell, but to me, it felt a waste of time. The duck scene was also unnecessary.
The kills were insane. When Jack is monologuing about hunting, deer, etc. I had an idea where it was going but the transitioning from monologue to murder made my jaw drop as soon as I realized what was happening. Matt Dillion is also a complete nutjob, and he was great as this insane creature he plays. I thought the movie was much funnier with him as the main, and I would like to see him in other roles like this because I think he is the best part of this movie. The camerawork for the most part is very good too, I like the way the film looks.
5/10. Reviewed on 2/9/2024.
The kills were insane. When Jack is monologuing about hunting, deer, etc. I had an idea where it was going but the transitioning from monologue to murder made my jaw drop as soon as I realized what was happening. Matt Dillion is also a complete nutjob, and he was great as this insane creature he plays. I thought the movie was much funnier with him as the main, and I would like to see him in other roles like this because I think he is the best part of this movie. The camerawork for the most part is very good too, I like the way the film looks.
5/10. Reviewed on 2/9/2024.
American Beauty (1999) dir. Sam Mendes
I was very unsure what to expect of this movie. I have not seen anything by Sam Mendes, but this is a very well respected and highly rated movie. I also cannot stand pedophiles, as most due, so seeing Kevin Spacey even 25 years younger makes my stomach turn. However, just as in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, I really liked his performance. He was quite funny, and the movie as a whole was very witty. Almost too much so, but I think in part that is my Marvel quip-addled brain that is just tired of sarcasm, and wittiness. The end of the movie just kept amping up the stakes, and I had no idea where it was going, and I was never bored. Though I never thought it got across any theme very well, other than the idea that marriages crumble under the weight of no communication, and withheld desires. Ricky and his strange habits also left me a bit confused as well.
8/10. Reviewed on 2/8/2024.
8/10. Reviewed on 2/8/2024.
Silence (2016) dir. Martin Scorsese
Silence is a film set in 1600's Japan as two Catholic priests travel into the heart of a very anti-Christian place, and try to find their mentor and save as many souls as they can. Heartbreaking at times, and painful to watch, I really liked Silence. It is a beautiful looking film, I was always catching myself gazing at the beautiful mountains of Japan, the serene steams of water, or the little Christian imagery hidden away. There is just enough beauty peaking through the cracks of hell that is Japan for a Christian in these times, and I think this is a must watch. We often forget how easy it is to persecute those we perceive as always at the top, and we often forget that even the best among us are not infallible. A lot of questions are asked about faith, more specifically the ideas of inner faith. Can a man stay true in his heart, despite his words? Are words enough to save yourself from sin? In the character of Kichijiro, we see that words do not always reveal true intent when it comes to faith, but it made me question whether or not Kichijiro had faith or not. I found the opposite with Rodrigues, played amazingly by Andrew Garfield, whose words and actions do not always speak to his heart and intentions, especially by his final scene.
10/10. Reviewed on 2/4/2024.
10/10. Reviewed on 2/4/2024.
Birth (2004) dir. Johnathan Glazer
Birth is the second film by Johnathan Glazer preceding Under the Skin, a very strange science fiction movie that generated a stir when it released, and this year we are supposed to get The Zone of Interest, which I am very intrigued to watch. Birth is quite an interesting movie, we follow Anna 10 years after the death of her husband, and a young boy who claims to be that same dead husband reincarnated. I enjoyed following the mystery of what was going on in this movie. Even until the end, it is still quite ambiguous in its finish as to whether or not you should believe Shaun, the young boy. I found it strange that the film does not follow Shaun's home life much, given he is a real person who has existed in this world. I wish there was a bit more in the way of an answer to the central question of the movie, though I suspect that was part of the goal. I think that Nicole Kidman does a good job of carrying most of the scenes of the movie, but I was never enthralled by anyone in particular. It is a well made movie about grief, belief, and a touch of supernatural flair that sets up an interesting idea that I wish was explored more, or perhaps, more directly.
7/10. Reviewed on 2/4/2024.
7/10. Reviewed on 2/4/2024.
Gender Revolution (2017) dir. Katie Couric
This documentary offers a fair bit of interesting insight into intersex people, of which I knew very little before. I found that section very interesting, but outside of it the rest was very one sided. They present the trans movement as something that is inevitable, or even moral, when there’s so many unanswered questions, so many contradictions, and so many blatant disgusting things such as the study done on one set of twins which i found reprehensible to hear about. If this is the science we use as a baseline, it’s not good science and doctors should be held accountable. There’s this constant reminder that these trans children will “likely not change their mind” in regards to hormones and surgeries; yet we’re at the same time faced with the idea that individuals should gave a choice on intersex surgery. At the end of the day, a child cannot consent, no matter how likely they are to not regret it later, and parents making permanent cosmetic decisions on behalf of their children before they’re legal adults is beyond wrong when there are so many complications with these surgeries, and even direct examples of regret later on via two inter sex stories. I sympathize with those who have gender dysphoria, but we are taking the wrong approach. Plastering propaganda for it on a children’s streaming service is even more dangerous, because it is being pushed as an ideology that should be accepted and supported, not potential science that COULD help. Could and should are not the basis for medical help.
5/10. Reviewed on 2/2/24.
5/10. Reviewed on 2/2/24.
Dope Sick Love (2005) dir. Felice Conte, et. al
Dope Sick Love follows two separate couples who are addicts, and their daily life on the streets trying to live and get more drugs.
Well made documentary that does not really offer any commentary on the lives of the people they follow, which allows the viewer to make their own conclusions.
10/10. Reviewed on 1/31/2024.
Well made documentary that does not really offer any commentary on the lives of the people they follow, which allows the viewer to make their own conclusions.
10/10. Reviewed on 1/31/2024.
Stalker (1979) dir. Andrei Tartovsky
Loosely based on the novel Roadside Picnic, which I have not read, Stalker takes place within the late Soviet Russia, in a world where a mysterious place called "The Zone" has appeared, and is currently protected by the military. "The Zone" is supposed to contain a room, which grants whatever your sincerest desire is.
I have heard of Tartovsky in the same way I have heard of Kurosawa's, in that I had seen none of their work and only knew of their praise, and their place within film history as influences for future movies, such as The Hidden Fortress. I knew nothing of Stalker, other than it was a very interpretive film. Well, by God, it sure is. I did not initially connect many pieces together, and felt only drawn to the obviously beautiful cinematography and the look of the film. I love the griminess, and just how disgusting Russia looks, and the Zone itself. It feels as if I am walking through the Call of Duty 4 mission, "All Ghillied Up". The other standout was the amazing acting by Alexander Kaidanovsky. The others were good as well, but he very much stood out.
By the end I knew I was definitely missing some pieces to the puzzle that is the theme of this movie. It was not until I was reading reviews by others that I was able to discern a small amount of what I believe Tartovsky was meaning to portray with this film. Once I understood it struck a chord with me, in the ideas of faith and the declination in our society of piety, however, I am still very lost on quite a few questions. I am going to list them now so I am able to return to them in the future, as I definitely want to re-watch this one. Due to its length and language, it will probably be a while.
My only genuine issue is that due partially because the language is not my native English, however, it is often quite hard for me to discern who is talking when the three are having a conversation. This is often because the camera is far enough away so that their mouths moving are hard to see or imperceptible, or their heads are turned as such that their mouth is obscured as an example.
What does the dog mean?
What are the takes of the river for, and the focus on firearms? Such as the Thompson in the river, and the handgun he submerges, and the mention of the tanks?
Why can you hear birds?
Why does the bird fly down when the writer collapses, and why does the writer collapse, and say nothing of it?
What is the meat grinder?
What do the nuts on the bandages test, or mean?
What is the sand pit for?
Reviewed on 1/31/2024.
I have heard of Tartovsky in the same way I have heard of Kurosawa's, in that I had seen none of their work and only knew of their praise, and their place within film history as influences for future movies, such as The Hidden Fortress. I knew nothing of Stalker, other than it was a very interpretive film. Well, by God, it sure is. I did not initially connect many pieces together, and felt only drawn to the obviously beautiful cinematography and the look of the film. I love the griminess, and just how disgusting Russia looks, and the Zone itself. It feels as if I am walking through the Call of Duty 4 mission, "All Ghillied Up". The other standout was the amazing acting by Alexander Kaidanovsky. The others were good as well, but he very much stood out.
By the end I knew I was definitely missing some pieces to the puzzle that is the theme of this movie. It was not until I was reading reviews by others that I was able to discern a small amount of what I believe Tartovsky was meaning to portray with this film. Once I understood it struck a chord with me, in the ideas of faith and the declination in our society of piety, however, I am still very lost on quite a few questions. I am going to list them now so I am able to return to them in the future, as I definitely want to re-watch this one. Due to its length and language, it will probably be a while.
My only genuine issue is that due partially because the language is not my native English, however, it is often quite hard for me to discern who is talking when the three are having a conversation. This is often because the camera is far enough away so that their mouths moving are hard to see or imperceptible, or their heads are turned as such that their mouth is obscured as an example.
What does the dog mean?
What are the takes of the river for, and the focus on firearms? Such as the Thompson in the river, and the handgun he submerges, and the mention of the tanks?
Why can you hear birds?
Why does the bird fly down when the writer collapses, and why does the writer collapse, and say nothing of it?
What is the meat grinder?
What do the nuts on the bandages test, or mean?
What is the sand pit for?
Reviewed on 1/31/2024.
X-Men (2000) dir. Bryan Singer
Not a lot to say about such a classic, other than it still holds up as one of the best superhero movies ever made, and I do not think that recognition will fade with time.
10/10. Reviewed on 1/24/2024.
10/10. Reviewed on 1/24/2024.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) dir. Martin Scorsese
Despite knowing very little about Native American struggles and the Osage, I was enthralled by what I found to be a rarely talked about horrific tragedy. I am not sure if these men viewed Native's as inhuman, and that is why they were able to justify their actions, or they were really just evil men. It is hard to tell based on the actions, and words spoken by Ernest, our main character, who constantly confused me on who he was and what he actually believed. Though I have little else to say now, I would love to read the book this is based on.
10/10. Reviewed on 1/23/24.
10/10. Reviewed on 1/23/24.
Platoon (1986) dir. Oliver Stone
One of the most brutal movies I have ever seen. Easily one of the greatest war movies, and to see so many huge stars in this movie from the 1980's by a director I just learned about a few days ago was a shock. Excited to explore more of his work.
10/10. Reviewed on 1/12/2024.
10/10. Reviewed on 1/12/2024.
Natural Born Killers (1994) dir. Oliver Stone
I enjoyed almost everything about this film. Every performance was on steroids, most of all the prison warden and Robert Downey Jr. who I did not expect to see. The prison riot at the end was off the walls insanity, and the idea that the media uses crime in such an awful and depraved way is front and center.
9/10. Reviewed on January 10th, 2024.
9/10. Reviewed on January 10th, 2024.
Anyone But You (2023) dir. Will Gluck
Very surface level romance, I do not often watch romance movies yet still found everything within this movie very pandering and familiar. This movie has been made probably 100 different times, with different actors. To say that Will Gluck directed this movie is like saying I wrote To Kill a Mockingbird because I read it in 9th grade. Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell are also bad people, and adultery is wrong no matter how famous you are.
4/10. Reviewed January 8th, 2024
4/10. Reviewed January 8th, 2024
The Killer (2023) dir. David Fincher
Not young Fincher's best but certainly a very good movie. I like the crisp shots, the narration, and the acting of Michael Fassbender, I think he does a great job portraying someone who clearly thinks he is THE Killer, when in reality he is just another murderer, one who is affected by the world around him despite his constant reassurances to himself that he is apathetic. Tilda Swinton was great in her 10 minutes of screen time.
7/10. Reviewed January 1st, 2024
7/10. Reviewed January 1st, 2024