kman5473

The interesting thing about this film is that it takes very Kevin Costner/early 90's major motion picture storytelling conventions, but puts it in the Netflix format with contemporary technology. I find this very entertaining, and really appreciate it. The performances by Costner and Harrelson throughout is great, their chemistry really carries the film. I think what newer audiences might find off-putting is the pacing; again, it's very 90's Hollywood.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

A fairly solid mystery film, but certainly not David Lynch's best by any means. In fact, he has become so refined in his skill at this point that this film actually feels amateur in comparison to later works such as Mulholland Drive. There's some very harsh editing that does not feel intentional throughout, and scenes that easily could have been cut. But, overall, worth a watch!

A film about the subjective and emotional impressions of war by the men that fought on the front lines and watched their friends die. An epic. A beautiful, heart-wrenching and heart-breaking film. One of the best anti-war films ever made. The duality between Malick's gorgeous cinematography and direction, and the gruesome devastating nature of war succeeds better than nearly any other picture with anti-war messages. My only criticism is that the third act of this film seems to dwell a lot. We have the battle for Guadalcanal, followed by another hour of a mix between what I would consider incredible and pandering. I do think, though, if you love film and are a history buff, give this a shot.

The most interesting, dark, and well-done of the prequels. I genuinely believe this is the only one of the prequels that is worth re-watching, or watching at all. Is it the best, most interesting way to turn a good character into an evil one? **** really, but this is pretty subjective either way. Is it the greatest and best film of all time? Certainly not. As a fan of Star Wars, though, I respect it.

Great action, great locations, color characters and universe expansion, yet it's lacking the plot context for me to really care at all about what's going on. There's just enough there for me to not fall asleep...until all the scenes with Anakin and Padme start. I actually think that's why I give this movie as high a rating as I did Episode I--I always skipped those scenes whenever I rewatched this movie growing up, so I don't even really remember the content of those scenes. Pretty sad, since the original intention of these prequels was to show Darth Vader's fall from grace in becoming among the most evil--yet potentially most complex--characters in the Star Wars universe. Yeah, don't really have anything else to say.

What happens when you take one of the biggest franchises of all time, its creator and his never-revised first draft script for a prequel, and then surround him by enablers? Nothing good. The aesthetics of the characters is there, certainly, but every decision made is lacking precision and second, third, and fourth thoughts in its execution. Jar Jar Binks is supposed to appeal to the younger audiences, but was taken too far and became a caricature that only annoyed most. Darth Maul is a villain with with a ton of **** then is killed off without any further character development. These decisions, clearly, were based on merchandising statistics vs great storytelling motivations. A kid-friendly character sells better as a stuffed animal/pillow case than a villain, right? Add to this dialogue that is incredibly difficult to penetrate and understand for an audience member that is supposed to be driving the plot forward. Add to this dialogue that is really cliche and dumb that is supposed to entertain the kids. Total loss of tone in the story.

This is when we begin to see Lucas's loss of focus in telling a great story, and instead optioning to add as many new species/characters as possible. Especially when you consider that this comes after Episode V in how dark and developed that story was, it is simply unfortunate that the fall from grace came this suddenly and this hard. It, by no means, is not a bad movie. But "Return" definitely took a few steps back and away from the direction Empire went in for the worse, in my opinion at least. Entertaining? Of course. This is more an action film than a satisfying conclusion though. George Lucas is only human though, what are we to do?

The film that invented and affirmed the potential for incredible sequels. You take the solid, commercially-successful plot of Episode IV and then add so much character development and depth with every scene, lots of darkness, lots of heightening of the stakes and you end up with a masterpiece in cinematic history. The perfect combination of entertainment value and artistic and sci-fi value. This, to me, is really what pushed Star Wars from being, "just a fun, summer action flick" into being something much more. This is what made Star Wars into the Sci-Fi Opera. There is complete and refined focus on every detail, and it all flows perfectly together. We have yet to see any other Star Wars film come remotely close to the emotional intensity and story-telling masterpiece of Episode V.

A near-perfect summer blockbuster, if ever one has been made. It's a blend of taking the action that the average movie-goer desires, and then contextualizing it in a world that is very open-ended with lots of room for expansion. The plot is simple to understand, yet still very interesting and exciting to watch. There's something for most viewers of this film: a "normal" young man is pushed into extraordinary circumstances, there is a reveal of his extraordinary potential, he is surrounded by a group of very colorful and interesting characters, there is an easily-understood and powerful enemy to take down, the good guys succeed and in doing so the young man's extraordinary potential is confirmed.

This is one of those movies that for whatever reason the critics have decided to try and throw this under the bus. I hate film critics. What's they saying? Those who can't make art become critics. This is a great feature film. Ambitious, action packed, and great performances all around. I genuinely hope we get a sequel because this was a fun ride!

There are three reasons why this movie works: Ryan Reynolds, Kal Penn, and James R. Bagdonas (the director of photography). The script is bad, the direction is bad, the chemistry between nearly everyone (except Kal Penn and Ryan Reynolds) only works because of the phenomenal performance by Ryan Reynolds. This is a script written by people that never went to college, for people who have not yet been to college. The first 30 minutes of this movie are entertaining, but the last hour is AGONIZING to get through. It is, however, the most National Lampoon-type film I have yet seen--even more so than Animal House, but not as enjoyable.

Predictable. A band of characters that are luke-warm at best in terms of their chemistry, performances, and overall how I enjoy watching them interact on screen. A plot that I just don't care about. It's no wonder this was a box office failure. Good riddance. This was tedious at best to get through. Whomever decided upon the final color grade ought to be slapped because everything was waaaaay too dark, especially for this being a Han Solo film. Am I missing something? When was it decided that Star Wars has to be this dark and gritty in look, but have no story content that is at all that dark to begin with? The tone is half one way, half the other. Honestly: if you're thinking about watching this, I don't recommend.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

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[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I usually hate romcoms because, to be blunt, they're usually boring fluff for the woman you're dating. In this case, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this film is just as funny as it is dramatic and heart-wrenching. Whenever one of these, "typically mainstream" films get made, I always want them to be unafraid in grounding the film in dramatic realism. By this, I mean the ground rules are set, the characters acknowledge that they're not the center of the universe, and there's actually some relatable content. Crazy Rich Asians has all of that, and all around it's just a great film. Very funny, but also very well written and acted.

Beautifully shot, wonderful art and set direction, great costumes, and fairly great performances by the actors--all of these elements, however, do not makeup for a half-finished script that needs some minor but effective changes. Everything setup in the first two thirds of the film were interesting, but really did not add up to the rushed 3rd act of the film (everything during and after WWII). There's this gradual tension building and building throughout the first half of the film between Chiyo and Hatsumomo that is never really fully explored, explained, or resolved. It's a crying shame because Hatsumomo is setup to be a great antagonist, constantly presenting friction against the pure-hearted and trusting, though naive, Chiyo. The sexual tension between Chairman and Chiyo feels alright, but only because of the actors who worked so hard to build their on-screen chemistry. How it's actually conducted throughout the film feels a bit forced, unrealistic, and has an unsatisfying but positive resolution. Chairman is someone that Chiyo has projected all of her unfulfilled desires to be loved and happy onto. Yes, he is kind, but it absolutely feels more like a childhood crush that never got a reality check than a romance that is truly worth fighting and cheering for. Truly, he was only ever kind to Chiyo once in her life--and the movie says "Yes, that's enough for her to be completely in love with him." Give me a break. The rules of this film are far too fantastical to even be relatable. The tone seems insecure, in that the people who made this film could not decide if they wanted to make a fairy tale love story set to the backdrop of pre- and post-WWII Japan, or a hard-hitting historical fiction.

It's pretty entertaining, and creative for a "typical summer blockbuster." Is it Die Hard good? Not even close. Would I watch this again? No; plot is simple and I pretty much got everything I needed to understand the lack of thought put into this. There are some pretty gaping plot holes, but the performances are pretty ok.

I'll start right off with saying: I thoroughly enjoyed this picture, and look forward to when it comes out on blu-ray because I can't wait to watch all the BTS stuff. This is a solid cult comedy, and I have no doubt it will garner a big and loyal following overtime. It's comparable and holds its own to other basketball classics like Space Jam--I do not mean this as an insult, but some may see it this way. It's funny, it's silly, and hilarious, it's entertaining--it's everything I wanted. Did it hit all the cinema critic marks necessary for critics to love it? Definitely not. But still, it's worth watching.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

All the pre-screening reviews: don't believe any of 'em. Fox did an awesome job making sure the finalized cut released to the public is rock solid (unlike, you know, DC/Warner Bros.). I will say this: I think this one is better than the first. It's very entertaining, with all the layers of humor and quips we expect from Deadpool. If you have any interest at all, it's totally worth the money.

I love this movie so much, that I felt like I needed to write publicly about it! Where do I begin? This film is a personal favorite; never in cinema history have I ever felt so connected to a character, nor his friends, nor the world (though, with much more graphics) than with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Such a vibrant and colorful world this film creates, filled with music, and emotions, conflict, love and friendship. Oh, and tons of humor! For me, this film perfectly depicts an exaggerated version of the kind of culture and reality I found myself in at the end of high school and throughout college, which is why I love this movie so much! On a technical side, this movie has some of the best transitions, use of lighting, and motion GFX that I have yet seen! Everything is so fun and energetic; every action pops off of the screen like a drawing from the comic books. Definitely a movie that will stay in my lists of favorites for life! I hope to one day show this to my future kids when they're heading off to college. It depicts a world where men are the eccentric emotional beings, struggling to accept responsibility for the wrongs they have committed in the 20-something relationships they were involved with, while the women are the ones who are emotionally collected if not stoic (Kim and Ramona, primarily). This film is such a direct tap onto what culture I come from, and live in, and love, and I don't think there will ever be a film like this one again!

For 2008, this movie feels not only dated but also completely hallow of any substance that is either remarkable, interesting, or compelling in any way. I've been going through films with Angelina Jolie in it, trying to figure out why I've never really gotten a feel for who she is. WANTED is a prime example of answering that: it's because she constantly is cast in films where there is no character development. It feels somewhere between a Matrix ripoff and a superhero film, with nothing redeemable, new, or interesting to add to an overly saturated market of films about angsty, cis, white men who have not found an excuse to produce violence in a justifiable or excusable way in their life. Hard pass. Couldn't even finish it.

A film unlike any I have seen before. The romance between Harold and Maude is unconventional to say the least, but the love between the two characters feels real. This is story that touches upon the demand to conform to societal conventions, and the happiness that comes out of resisting that expectation. I love the pacing of this film; the characters are given time not only to express their self, but also to listen, and contemplate, and generate only answers that are authentic and well thought out. I think this film has aged well, and I think it offers a window into the nostalgic fantasy before the complexities of instant communication and social media that we have today. I actually felt really relaxed in watching this. It's funny, eclectic, heart-warming, while at the same time holding up a mirror to society and asking the question: why is there such taboo with being different?

It's been nearly 20 years since The Matrix originally premiered, and it's tapping in and understanding of digital technology and culture from 1999 has aged so well. Though there are some sequences that look just a bit dated with the use of earlier CGI, this film still holds its own because the emphasis for SVFX at the time this was made was put on practical effects and NOT CGI. The final, climactic third act looks absolutely stunning still! This is a very layered story and world, and each time I have watched it I've gotten more and more out of it. There's a perfect relationship between the themes of fate and destiny + the existence of free will; Neo does not become, "The One," until HE chooses to do remarkable things in desperate times. He does not become, "The One," until Trinity chooses to express her love for him. He does not become, "The One" until he chooses to believe in himself.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

If you're a real film lover, and you love watching obscure and new tellings of visual art, than you'll enjoy this eclectic trio of fairy tales. Having said that, this feature is definitely not for the "mainstream" pallet by any means. The pacing is much slower and meandering compared to what is popular right now, but I enjoyed it. The film had great set design and art pieces, but it's not really like a blatantly fantastical fantasy--it is shot and depicted almost like a historical fiction with some bizarre creatures in it.

A movie that is over 2 hours, yet feels incomplete and not well-thought-out. When I started watching, I did not realize Michael Bay was director--but was not at all surprised when that information came to light. Every decision made to show any kind of background story or character development felt so forced, foreign, and obscured because, well, Michael Bay doesn't do emotions that well. John Krasinski did a great job, it's only that the dialogue and direction he was given felt so alienating because it was given by a director that is more emotionally immature than a 13 year old boy. The action sequences were great, but the pacing just felt off outside of the action sequences. It was hyped-up action, followed immediately by a false calm that just kept revving and revving suspense...followed by a false peace, and then the action comes in again, of course. The scenes that are supposed to be the heightened emotional outbursts just don't land. It's only because of Krasinski's acting chops that a few of them actually kind of work, not because of Michael Bay's directing or choice of cinematic depiction.

Expectations were set so high, and this film pretty much failed to everything it was marketed to do. Although, it is definitely a movie that is, "so bad it's good." I will not watch this again. A little disappointed with basically every creative decision that was made in this.

From strictly a standpoint of determining whether or not this is a great story with great cinematography, editing, writing, casting, and dialogue, it absolutely is. It's a story composed with absolute precision, is relatable, and feels extraordinarily authentic. Easily one of the best, if not the best, depictions of the senior year/first year in college transition that I related to a lot.

I think the most difficult thing about reviewing any movie in the Star Wars franchise is that it is inevitable that each new film will always be compared with the original trilogy. It doesn't matter who you are, it doesn't matter how big or small of Star Wars fan you might be--if you've seen them, you have strong feelings about either way. That being said, I really do believe The Last Jedi is among my favorite overall. While it does feel very different in tone, theme, and structure (somewhat), the film itself feels like an allegory arguing over its own identity in the Star Wars Universe and is executed in such a way that is bold, very respectable, and very entertaining to watch. Whereas with the original trilogy, and even the prequels, the film was setup to abide by a Greek Tragedy structure, centering around the biggest and most central players in the galaxy only. It is a story about family dysfunction contextualized in the center of conflict on a galactic scale. The Last Jedi solidifies that this is not the direction the Disney Star Wars Universe is headed in, love it or hate it. I just see this as different; it is Disney realizing there is no way to expand the Universe of their newly acquired property without separating itself gradually, and through these new films, to do so. In a story telling schematic, I think it is a bold choice that offers the opportunity to allow stories that, before under George Lucas, could and would never have happened. The dark undertones, both thematically and visually, make the film start to really feel like a war movie. Allegorical Representation I read into: The Resistance ship using thrusters only to stay just out of reach from the First order. I perceive this as the Resistance represents Disney making every attempt it can to lead Star Wars to a new place where it will be able to thrive and become wonderful for everyone again, Po is the audience trying to follow faithfully but skeptical of the decision making abilities of the new admiral in charge (throwing critical question after question), and the First Order is the first interpretation of Star Wars/also the "negative Nancy" that will never let itself be happy with the new Star Wars ever. Luke Skywalker represents the faithful Star Wars fan that is terrified to lose control over the direction Star Wars is heading in. Kylo Ren represents all of the fans that are only negative about the new movies; he wants it all to end, the Jedi and the Sith--he wants everything to stop. So much so, that Kylo kills the "new Emperor," in a fairly anticlimactic way to avoid any chance of history repeating itself in these movies. Things I really appreciated in this movie: -Expanding the scope of the Galaxy, and how the wars effect other people (specifically, the "more normal" individuals) -Creating morally gray areas in the war, including the commentary that very briefly touches on the war profiteers. Especially when it is revealed that the ship DJ steals is from someone who sells ships to the First Order and the Resistance, it begs the question, "Why are the wars at all?" to be asked. -The way Luke is made to contextualize the original trilogy, it's almost as if Luke is saying the way that part of the Star Wars history line is perceived within the universe is that it is exaggerated, almost mythical, and somewhat misunderstood. This grounds the Greek Tragedy epicness in many ways; we are made to see Luke not as a super hero/master jedi that is without character flaws, but instead a single being who feels just as powerless in the universe as anybody else might. -There is a lot of emphasis on the fact that wars cannot be won by individuals, but by groups of individuals working together. The only things I really did not enjoy, or simply felt indifferent about: -Finn. While in the Force Awakens he's pretty great, his character in this one feels so out of place with the tone that was established. His dialogue were only quick whips, none of which were really at all creative. To boot, they gave him an arc that really didn't make any difference in the outcome of the movie. I just don't get it and I don't find him appealing. He feels like a really immature and goofy character for a film that is so dark and serious. -Porgs. Except for one gag in the end, they are the Minions of the Star Wars universe as far as I am concerned. Things I was confused about: -Maz Kanata's appearance in the movie. It was entirely unnecessary, and just didn't really connect to the story. It also didn't make any sense how she was (essentially) facetiming with the resistance. Who was holding the camera? How was this call being taken? Was the camera shot after she jet packs away from the camera?

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Every mistake you can make in producing a movie, this movie made. There's WAAAAY too much expository dialogue, all of it written in SO abruptly and unnatural. This world does not feel unnatural because there are fantasy creatures in it--it feels unnatural because ALL of the dialogue does not flow or feel like someone would ever actually say any of the things characters are saying. Unwatchable.

This movie is entertaining and **** you're willing to totally disregard bad writing, a mess of a plot, and the complete lack of an antagonist that makes any sense/one that we even care about "defeating." It definitely feels like the Execs at Universal invited the cast in for lunch and to brainstorm, and rather than cut out all the ideas that make absolutely no sense they just kept everything in.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I only made it halfway through this movie. That's ~45 minutes of my life I'll never get back. With such a well-known cast, and it is amazing to me that this movie is as bad as it is. This is not a movie that is "so bad it's good." It's not entertaining. It is just tedious to watch. Shame on all involved with this pile of fecal matter.

I remember liking this movie as a kid, but after re-watching it recently it became apparent that this movie does not hold up. This sequel brings Planet of the Apes from an American classic sci-fi, to a d-list action movie. After doing some research it is obvious that the executive producers in charge HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY WERE DOING! Their first mistake: turn down Rod Serling's ideas. Mistake 2: turn down the original author's ideas. Mistake 3: require Charlton Heston to appear in the film, despite the fact that he is NOT the protagonist, and then hand off the terribly-written movie to an actor that looks nearly identical to Heston. There is a skeleton of great ideas and themes, but no delivery or substance. This movie is worse than the Tim Burton Planet of the Apes, and I mean that without any hyperbole.

The biggest flaw of this film is its failure to explicitly denounce its own insanity. There is so much to be said about its thematic layering, and how it perfectly wraps a story around it's central theme--that hyper masculinity is completely dangerous--but it still romanticizes that violence of that masculinity. There aren't really any consequences faced by the main character; he is strong enough to realize his own insanity, confront it, and destroy it, but all too late. Too many people miss the point, and end up starting their own Fight Club (which is exactly what this is against doing).

This film is filled with so many visual metaphors that it will make your head spin. There is so much depth, and meticulous craft that overwhelms and intoxicates you as you watch. In some ways, this film isn't about the Vietnam War at all and is really just about how deep in the bowls of one's one subconscious one must dig to really figure out if they're insane or not. And even then, it's left answered ambiguously strengthening your feeling of unresolve.

The first 1.5 hours is solid, and even the second 1.5 hours is solid but in terms of how it all connects back to the central themes are established at the beginning it does not. I was thoroughly entertained by this movie, but everything from the halfway point to when all the revelations come out about who Rancho really is/when everyone is reconnected is so much unnecessary movie for the sake of more movie. Furthermore, the entire incident with the baby being born was ridiculously melodramatic. Beyond that, though, the music, the acting, the writing, and the cinematography was all outstanding. The Director of Photography did fantastic work on this, and whoever colored the film did a great job!

The whole film felt like, "Movie: The Movie" (Jimmy Kimmel sketch). This film manages to get (essentially) every element that could possibly be in a movie, and yet it left me feeling empty and unsatisfied. It's overly preachy, and the Wachowskis missed so many opportunities to stylize the movie. If color grading would have been utilized, than each arch could have been given distinctly different feelings and be much easier to follow as a whole. This over-saturated, vibrant color does nothing to make the scenes anymore believable; it looks like a kid's cartoon for adults. The editing made this production feel like one, long montage with sloppy breaks written in between. It's not really an action movie. It's not really a movie about romance. It's not really about composing music. It's only about one emotion: lecturing about the consistent folly of mankind. Ambitious? Yes. But is it any good? No. This is The Tree of Life for dumb people with hardcore sci-fi conventions jammed in to convince dumb people that this is a smart movie to watch.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

This film is as thoughtful and honest as it is hilarious; a rare find these days. I think this is a perfect comedy to watch with friends, loved ones, or a significant other. Performances by all cast members are stellar. This film flows so smoothly between different emotions, that by the end you genuinely care about the characters and what they have gone through. Definitely a nice, independent gem of a film.

This film earns 5/10 - a point for each of the following aspects of the film: -Script -Cinematography -Supporting Cast -Maintained Relevance -Genuine laughs you get from watching the movie. It, however, loses 5 points because Jamie Kennedy is so un-charismatic on screen, that it is only thanks to the cast he is surrounded by that the film maintains any entertainment value.

This movie will go down into the history books as one of the best action flicks ever made. Fate of the Furious had a $250 million budget, and it was definitely put to great use. Tons of one-liners, lots of laughs, and SO MUCH ACTION! Most of it is practical effects to boot! You don't want to miss, possibly, the best film of the spring/summer seasons!

A triumph for the Science Fiction genre. There isn't a single thing I can really complain about in this film. It thrills, it scares, and it leaves me wanting more (though, I know, it would be unnecessary except for curiosity). I don't want to say too much. You can pick up this film without any idea of what it's about, like I did, and love it.

Definitely one of the best, if not the best movie, to come out in 2014. Spectacular. Cinematography, sound design, VFX, acting -- all on point. It is definitely one of the most challenging movies to watch, but not for any of the cheap/cliché reasons being exploited in Hollywood. It's challenging because the content and information itself is so abstract, and forces the audience member to evolve their own understanding of how the universe and physics work in order to comprehend the plot. The only, "gimme," is the wormhole--but beyond that, there's not really any hand-holding. No, instead Nolan wants you to watch and re-watch this film over and over, research astrophysics and time-space on your own, and secure as firm of grasp on these concepts as possible. And you better hold on tight once you do, because this movie is one hell of a ride.

One of the most overrated movies by far. The script is solid, the acting is fairly good throughout, but the plot as whole has me scratching my head the whole time, asking the question, "Why am I watching this?" It delivers on all the themes its going after, and uses a technique that I admire for the effort put into it. But I just can't get passed how rotten with pretentiousness this entire film is. There's no redeemable character, and there is no heart or soul in this film. We have an empty shell of a man, surrounded by equally hollow people, all trying to desperately to grasp at the meaning of their own existence with very little payoff, and resolution that is completely predictable as it is ludicrous. From the perspective of someone that works in entertainment, I get it. But for everyone else--for all the good 'ol fashioned families out there, I couldn't get past this thought: "Who the **** cares?" This is the ultimate **** movie I have ever seen, and it really wasn't that entertaining to watch. There are so many other stories that are so much more important to watch, and so much better out there. I get it--this flick is going after to depicting the themes of melancholy (which is like "The Ultimate" theme in art to attempt to depict)--but screw this movie. I regret watching it, to be perfectly frank.