Drowning in a sea of clichés and implausibilities, "The Last Castle" is a colossal comical mess of Hollywood production work that is trite and predictable in every step of the way. It can actually get borderline disrespectful at times with its scenes of character incompetencies.
It is a tremendous knockout in live-action and animation blending with a cast of fresh originals with familiar faces, a surprisingly involving crime drama plot, and an exuberant amount of top tier talent firing on all four-cylinder fronts. "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is in a pioneering class of its own and remains untouched in its filmmaking achievements.
Before diving into "Arlo: The Alligator Boy", I anticipated another piece of children's media where the plot and lessons being told would overly cater and pander to the current mindscape of the popular consciousness. Rest assured, those suspicions were laid to rest. "Arlo..." arrives with enough whimsy, emotion, and catchy songs that help make it a memorable and charming musical for all ages to dig into.
A complete and utter waste of film to a band who more than deserves an insightful biopic, "Bohemian Rhapsody" merely reenacts concert scenes and studio work scenes with added Hollywood cliche tropes of romance in between. Queen's non-fictitious events are well documented through countless interviews, live concert films, and independent documentaries. The sum of what's already available can inform fans beyond anything this piece of trite can muster. The cast is believable, but the direction is anything but.
"Private Benjamin" works best as a comedy when we're following Hawn's character through boot camp, but this only encompasses 50%, if not less, of the film's focus. The other 50-51% runs on an outdated level of comedy that pokes fun at stereotypical blondes. It becomes rather tiresome and irritable long before the credits roll.
Russell's "Altered States" brings to light some very interesting sci-fi topics in man's evolution and limits of mental sanity. It's just too bad that he laboriously smears these ideas through a heavy molasses of religious intentions and final statements. The result is a sci-fi that takes itself too seriously under special effects that are anything but serious.
Despite some filler scenes and premature runtime, "The Secret of NIMH" challenges its target audience with questions and answers that ponder the correlation between nature, science, and magic (spirituality). The animation and voice work is also very strong and continues to serve as an inspiration for animators worldwide. It remains Don Bluth's masterpiece.
The new change of animation is refreshing for the long running series as it manages to retain the original spirit of the gags without feeling nostalgic. Sadly, this is nothing more than a television script plot (and one where the series told this same story in just 30 mins) being stretched out to fill the runtime. It's ultimately another pointless exercise in trying to justify the existence of "Spongebob Squarepants" in 2021.
It is fairly typical stuff one would find out of a romantic comedy and it loves all things materialistic. Nonetheless, "Pretty Woman" works as a pleasant breeze of a film thanks to the character developments that happen between Gere and Roberts.
There are some noteworthy aspects to this film which include its often funny, satirical teen humour and a fine performance from Cruise, but, and I may well be in the minority when I say this, "Risky Business" leaves much to be desired with its overall message with regards to business/capitalism. It proclaims that many-a new graduate should pursue life towards business and money because money will ONLY bring happiness. This message did not seem to be played for laughs and as a result, this serious piece of cynical corporatism gradually left me feeling bitter before the film's end. Having to reflect upon it while writing this review only provoked more internal frustration.
It is entirely aware of its ham-filled camp, but really, after the silly vaudevillian gags have worn out their novelty, we are left with obnoxious characters (who won't shut up), nonsensical contrivances, and a mystery that nobody would give a damn about unless they were really drunk. If one has to be intoxicated to enjoy a film, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.
It could be a little more daring in its message and the truly awful practice of conversion. Nonetheless, director Edgerton deserves respect for telling his story in this solid piece of filmmaking.
It is a bit too clustered and random for its own good sometimes, but if you're in the right state of mind, this can be a really enjoyable, snotty time in the theatre.
The film has strong qualities present with both its subject matter and Matthew Modine's body language acting, but the dramatic lead character demands for an actor who can come across as believable for 90% of the film. Cage, does not.
Like "The Karate Kid" before it, this hidden underdog gem from 1985 delivers with its engrossing mix in thoughtful writing/characters, eclectic soundtrack, and 80's cheese. It leaves one feeling motivated after the credits roll and remembering the quest Modine's character had undertaken.
Nothing is remotely scary or destructive in this film entitled "Annihilation". All characters/performances, particularly from lead Natalie Portman, are extremely weak and unnaturally stiff. The choices in sound design and special effects don't do it any favours with creatures that look ripped off from crummy early 3D video games and a villain who speaks in deep wah-wah bass. I'm talking about the frequency, not a voice. It's laughably bad. Finally, to top it all off, the film believes it has succeeded in telling a psychedelic existentialist story, expecting the audience to question about life and the unknown once its credits roll.
The comedy derives from the ridiculous incompetencies of the protagonists and antagonists. Too often the film relies on its over-the-top self awareness to deliver the laughs, but there's enough here to warrant a watch or two.
Some may cry fowl for the film's scattered tendencies and not being entirely grounded in WWII. However, for me personally, this film delivered many giddy belly laughs as many of the jokes hit the bullseye on just about everything that was popular during the year of "1941". The production values, the manic performances, the variety of genres being blended together- they all play a large part in keeping the gags fresh and entertaining to witness. Few comedies are as ambitious in its eccentricities than this picture.
It's some serious subject matter and the film has its memorably poignant scenes/lines, but "Lord of War" greatly suffers from a cliché script with the Nicolas Cage narration holding our hands and ears through a **** forest of predictability. Show, don't tell.
Playing out like an adult version of the board game "Clue", "Knives Out" sports a really strong script that knows when to let the audience figure things out on their own and when to throw new twists and turns to keep them engaged and thinking. It's a smart and funny film. Writer and director Rian Johnson is one hell of a talent.
A difficult topic to criticize in film format, "Cuties" doesn't quite communicate its message as it far too often emphasizes the grotesque without enough of the repercussions. Worse still, it only glosses over the fact that this is something which continues to manifest in business, social media, and unethical encouragement. It impacts everyone involved. The result is a film that forces the audience to remain uncomfortable without enough time for them to understand why this film was even made to begin with.
A comedy-horror that hits hard with the laughs regarding how business culture can create a psycho individual to obsess over all things materialistic. The delicious lead performance by Christian Bale only further drives home the message.
It's very personal, hell I'd say intrusive, of the artist's personal life, but hey, it was made under Robert Crumb's permission. Zwigoff's careful direction gives us no **** as we learn the endearing highs and disturbing lows which colour the original comic life of "Crumb". This is a masterful example on how a documentary should protect its integrity without sacrificing entertainment quality.
A touch melodramatic with scenes of dull filler, but the message is an auspicious one; one where the characters are thrown into developmental events which payoff with conviction. Good cast and crew chemistry here.
A daring look at homosexual relationships filmed without contrivance and filled with contemporary filmmaking choices. The film's pacing allows us to naturally know these characters and as such, their heartbreaks leave a lasting impact on us too.
Ignoring the lore of its own series, "Part 2" tries to be its own beast underneath the surface. Like many a-solid Horror film, it has fun with itself and unashamedly so. For movie goers/pop culture analysts, it is a sweet little treat. General audiences will likely not care too much.
It doesn't leave a lot of impact while watching it, but it's writing is something to note here. May the ideas of its script help inspire future films to tackle the difficult subject of open liberated love.
An ambitious and successful Hollywood epic, "Giant" is appropriately named for its ability to tell an extraordinarily long drama without any dull moments while appropriately editing the highlights of these characters' highs and lows. While Elizabeth Taylor's performance is weak, it doesn't hold back the film's risk-taking. The rest of the cast is superb with leading man Rock Hudson delivering particular character growth/development.
After having finally witnessed and analyzed this smart story myself, the film has enough audacity to explore resonating and intellectual topics such as mental health, consumerism, dissociative identity, human life fulfillment, ethical dilemmas, and mind control. It is further bolstered by superb editing, sharp writing, and sublime performances by Norton, Pitt, Bonham-Carter, and Meatloaf. I cannot quite give it the five star treatment as its last act hastily concludes on some sour notes which don't ring on the same sweeping melody as its first two-thirds. Now, do us all a favour, and don't talk about this picture to anyone else.
It is an intense character study on the effects of heavy mental stress. Director Sidney Lumet brilliantly uses all aspects of the few locations to capture the turmoils of all the characters involved. This study is highlighted all the more by one of Al Pacino's best performances alongside that of the under-appreciated Joe Casale. Given the year of 1975 that this film was made, as well as being based off of a true news article in 1972, the film can be interpreted as a post-Vietnam whiplash effect on the American public (particularly the youth).
It's a lightweight teenage romance plot told under a lightweight rehash of a fantastical world inhabited by anthropomorphic cats. Many films, both within anime and not, have toyed with these ideas under far better execution. Check out 2002's "The Cat Returns" for comparison sake.
There are some juicy scenes and performances to bite into from Anderson's epic about the early 20th century western oil exploitation and father/son hardships. However, there are too many hammy plot points which hyper-contextualize any drama that may have been more heartfelt. Another negative is an intrusive and heavy-handed music score which tries to instil the dread of the dynamics being told, but comes across as annoyingly repetitive with its motif.
It can be seen as a genius gone horribly mad and abusive, or it can be seen as a genius who has always been blind to his ignorance and ethical rationality towards humanity and his family. Kudos to Ford and his supporting cast to pulling off this tough cast of characters, but as stated earlier, the film can either work or not work at all if you consider what is being established during its first one-third runtime.
Entirely on its purpose as a film for young audiences, it is brilliant with its imagination to titillate the sci-fi mind. It has great visuals (check out those early CGI scenes), loving production design that older audiences can get into, and ultimately, it works best when the whole family is around to see it.
River Phoenix, alongside Keanu Reeves, delivers his best performance in director Van Sant's passion project. The film is often hazy in its editing which only adds to the schizoid narcoleptic tendencies of the main character.
The film accomplishes the difficult task in keeping us invested in the lives of two brothers and their family. There is no glamorous extravagance to be seen in this picture, rather, it has an earthy and spiritual quality which gently unfolds. It envelops us in its quiet wisdom throughout its runtime.
It may suffer from some over-the-top scenes, which are also drawn out, but "Ravenous" offers up some original Horror/Comedy ideas and brings new meaning to the term "dog-eat-dog" to describe social competition between human beings. Oh, and it succeeds at delivering the bloody laughs.
A fabulous example of taking a two hour film and making it feel like we are visitors who have been transported to another place and time; a time which encompasses the span of several months without any dull character developments. The cinematography is spot-on gorgeous.
The shot work is impeccable. Few films can sport the gorgeous cinematography that is on display here. What's also on display is De Niro's masterful performance as the titular boxer, a man who is rather despicable while making his living at doing what he can do to get by. His demonic lows and triumphant highs are rocketed to life through Scorsese's clever directing work and post-editorial choices. "Raging Bull" is another crowning achievement by the masterful director and earns its right to be studied immensely by film analysts.
It's the dialogue heavy sibling to "Vol. 1", explaining and tying up all the loose ends with Tarantino's pretty punches of dazzling action and a refreshing climax. "Vol. 2" slightly etches out "Vol. 1" because I found its dialogue more magical than its radical style and it works better with having "Vol. 1"'s events kept as a mystery while it quickly recaps those events in its introduction. Honestly though, you shouldn't just see "Vol. 2" and call it quits. The two films are inseparable and play up each other's strengths to create a synergetic piece of adoring fiction.
(Coupled with Vol. 2, 10/10) A loving and super stylish tribute to comic books and East-Asian media, Tarantino pulls out all the sweeping, sweaty, and dirty action stops to create a stimulating story smartly broken down into two volumes, like a comic book, to leave breadcrumbs of a more involving plot in the next film for us to insatiably sink our eyes and ears into once this film closes out.
Well-intentioned, but to even have a tribute for the pioneering anthology series wouldn't make sense as its tales convey timeless messages which have already been executed immaculately during its original run in the 1950s. The series allows audiences to watch the multitude of episodes to focus on while this film can only focus on four. Worse still, they are not the most profound episodes to be chosen to represent the legacy of Rod Serling's innovations as a creator. The unfortunate production issues and tragic events that transpired during the making of this film have caused the first two segments to pale in comparison to the last two. Film buffs and aspiring filmmakers should take note of its fantastic special effects and some of its ticklish suspense.
Begins as a humble and welcoming piece of cinematography, but slowly becomes warped and demented as the characters show their true demons. Roman Polanski's direction casts Alfred Hitchcock's famous shadow like a mantlepiece, but goes a little too far into comical territory by the very end, killing off the well-established tone he has laboured over. Nonetheless, it's a very solid picture with brilliant acting from Mia Farrow in particular.
A ruthless Southern tale told with exquisite direction by Green, coupled with perhaps Cage's best performance, "Joe" is never afraid to be explicit and smartly uses its brutality to cleanse the filth of its character development and tell an emotional story from beginning to end.
The film constantly feels uncomfortable with itself and would rather be a dumb silly buddy-buddy film (on Planet Earth with so-and-so…) than fully embrace its video game legacy.
A youthful recollection of 1950's childhood, "Stand By Me" uses nostalgia not as an easy bargain, but as a loving exchange between two bright stakeholders- the audience and the film crew as they both embellish exuberant delight. A special mention to the young cast of actors here for pulling off believable shenanigans and dramatic revelations.
This is a loving and open family who unfortunately have the burden of ethics VS. The law as they've been avoiding to try and make the best out of their situation. We see and understand River Phoenix's predicament and we want him to come through and succeed at embracing life's enchanting qualities and opportunities without succumbing to the aforementioned family burden. Great acting, socially aware writing, and solid directing work from this picture. Check it out!
The film dangerously teeters into trifle territory with an obsession of booze humour, a mentality of money is everything, and a predictable odd meets reasonable love story coupled with a disappointing Liza Minelli performance. Thankfully, "Arthur" manages to reach safe ground by its end as it recognizes the dark side of rich class, shows empathy for its titular character (a difficult performance to make likeable by Dudley Moore), and has touches of wit to string along with (the best lines are delivered by John Gielgud). These qualities are only enough to provide an average film though.
