christensonj

Doesn't really present or provide anything out of this world. Just a simple, amusing space adventure with forgettable but resonant characters. But the ending turns this film up a notch (or two). You walk out shocked, fused by the experience. Where the majority of the film had little to care about, the ending gave it life like no SW movie has almost never had.

DKR has the grandeur the Nolanistic feel you've come to expect , and as the movie goes along yu feel like its wothholding something big and epic, and you can't wait tell it gets to that place. And there's some good epic moments along the way, but I felt the movie took too long to get to where the main crisis hits Gotham. The fight between Bruce and bane was well-done, but lacked juice. Nothing was at stake going into it (that you know of, that the film tells you). It's just a fight for a fight, not a fight for soemthing we know is profound. And even when the big crisis happens, it didn't hit me out of left field. Bane does a great job at menacing the audeince, but Nolan overusses him in speeches that become over-ridden and almost cringe in a moment when it should hit you the most. In the end, DRK rights itself with a wonderful arousal journey for Bruce. And a pretty intense ending action sequence that makes you feel like you're watching the best blockbuster of the year. But it didn't really hit me, emotionally, with a few sentiments along the way. But it felt more in the motions that really arousing a profound and dautning final chapter tale. Nolan didn't really bring all he could I thought. But the last 10 minutes makes up for it. IT sends the trilogy off with wonder and satisfaction. A half-twist, half-relief resolve to the DK story and while the movie wasn't as daring or out-of-your-seat awe-worthy as I was expecting, it leaves you empowered by grandeur and scale.

Once Upon a Time has the style unlike any take on the late 60s Hollywood has ever done. Tarantino gives us a back-seat ride through it all, and it was a vibe. But was expecting more from the story. Tarantino uses Kurt Russell's narration to skip over a lot of meaningful development. And resorts for showy, glamorized catwalks for Leo and Brad. It doesn't quite earn its greatness, even though its there. The on-set scenes were amusing, but not really compelling for the audience. I think what Tarantino wants is different than want the movie is calling for. It's asking to be a career-exploration, but QT resorts for a hang-out movie. But in the midst of it, Once Upon a Time becomes a beautiful flash from that time, with fictional characters, and a bad-ass clash ending that makes it all worth it. But while these things deliver, everything in-between just felt like killing time. Not really 'going into' anything. I didn't always connect with how Tarantino explored the story, but I did fall for the charm and love for this period. And Tarantino sheds a poetic, justified light on it (even though his indulgence sometimes gets in the way).

I didn't think Force Awakens was all that amazing. It teeters along for the first hour. Starting square one on a sand planet. The movie in awe, enamoured of its source material. J.J. brings good energy and life to the adventure, but in the end, what adventure are we on? It's incomparable to what he did with Star Trek (2009). All this does is lightly return us to a beloved world, but defaulting for a basic demo-version for its re-entry. With a cliffhanger that makes you want to play the game ... but that's the movie. The ending saves it. After a very generic experience. The movie derives more questions than answers, which can be a draw, but is negligence on the writers. It's a decent Sw addition, but doesn't nearly break ground like I thought it would. It has good charm and life though.

Johnson takes the baton, expecting to follow up an assumably pre-conceptualized story. He doesn't. RJ just wants to cover a lot and it's bold, audacious. But it didn't feel in the vein or style that J.J. and Kazdan established in EP8. Johnson just kind of goes off, offering some story, but mainly high-stakes calamity that's exhilarating, but wears you out by the end. He leaves nothing to look forward to, and how he resolves some 'big' characters felt half-handed / short-lived. I was intrigued by Luke's change of course, but not a fan how RJ integrated him. It felt showy and ungrounded. And then pedestaled the idea of him. I have nothing against the epic-ness this movie goes for, I wish most movies would do this. And I commend Johnson for taking it to that far. But he did it out of his own fervor of what he wanted his SW movie to be, and went overboard. A lot of the intrigue was then left sidelined or over-shown by other, less meaningful storylines. Last Jedi is having so much fun with itself, it never made us connect with the bold choices it presents. Even though its boldness sticks with you, the movie should be focussing on story and where it's going rather than impressing us with starstruck moments. And we're left with shame and consequence...