Movie reviews

[an anarchist]

This thread is to post personal reviews of movies. Feel free to participate!

Film is my favorite art medium. It is a vast variety of talents coming together to create a spectacle.

I will not be assigning number grades to my movie reviews, I am just going to share my thoughts.

 

[an anarchist]

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Godzilla Minus One (2023) ⭐ 8.5 | Action, Adventure, Drama

2h 4m | PG-13

www.imdb.com

Godzilla Minus One is a lower budget (20 million) Japanese Godzilla film that is currently in theaters in America. Hollywood has pumped out several Godzilla films since 2014. Disappointing films they are. Godzilla Minus One has seemingly learned from Hollywood and has produced a magnificent piece of cinema.

There is little that detracts from this film. This film is clear from the start what it’s objectives are. It wants to tell a human story, as well as the story of Godzilla. My only complaint with the film (and this is me nitpicking) is that the transitions between the human side of the story and the story of Godzilla could feel a bit rough. But that’s my only complaint. You do not have to be a monster movie fan to enjoy this film. The human side of the story is absolutely riveting. The backdrop of the final days of WW2 and it’s immediate aftermath proves to be an excellent directorial direction. The characters are Japanese, so it’s just the setting complements the story and it’s characters exactly as intended. I do not wish to spoil the film, but it will leave you caring about the characters. Quite a feat for a Godzilla movie. I witnessed my boyfriend crying several times throughout the film. That was unexpected going in.

I haven’t even touched on Godzilla itself. My mouth dropped every time Godzilla took center stage. Godzilla is no anti hero, he is the bad guy, and I mean bad. Godzilla was beautifully done. He was an absolute terror. I will leave my comments on Godzilla itself at that.

The heavy themes the film chose to explore, (such as trauma, love, and parenting) was done so in excellent fashion. There is always the risk of heavy themes (such as a typical anti war message) coming across as heavy handed or contrived. Not in this film. This film is much more than a monster movie. It is one of the best films to hit the theaters this year.

 

[an anarchist]

The Killer (2023)

The Killer (2023) ⭐ 6.7 | Action, Adventure, Crime

1h 58m | R

www.imdb.com

Not a bad film, albeit a disappointing one. If you have time to kill, and nothing great to watch, The Killer serves as a time killer, that’s for sure. I just expected a more enjoyable film from a director like David Fincher.

If you are not hooked by the opening sequence, I would suggest turning off the film. The pacing never changes. It is a slow burn all throughout. I will spoil a small thing,

Spoiler: Title Sequence misleads you

The title sequence shows a grenade being used. So I was expecting some explosive climax. No grenade in the film

The ending was anti climatic as well.

The film tries hard to be a thought provoking film. This is super apparent in the opening sequence where we are treated to an edgy inner monologue of the main character. Well, the film left me scratching my head a bit by the time the credits rolled, that is for certain.

The film wants to be cool. It wants to be thought provoking. It wants to stand out. But it feels generic and left me more unsatisfied than satisfied. It is a competently made film. But a film needs to be more than competent, nowadays and since forever.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

Good thread. I just wanted to tell people that the Sonic movie, the Sonic 2 movie, and the Mario movie are all worth watching if one likes video games. They break the long-time tradition and belief that most video game movies are "poor quality".

 

[an anarchist]

Starship Troopers (1997)

Starship Troopers (1997) ⭐ 7.3 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

2h 9m | R

www.imdb.com

This is a flawed movie. But I love it, despite it flaws. When I think of a “guilty pleasure” movie, (ya know, movies you think are bad but somehow enjoy), this film comes to mind. The film does not know how to pace itself. The first half could be quite a bore. And it has more cheese than the amount you ask for atop your pasta at Olive Garden! It’s what you call campy. Several contrived coincidences in the plot to drive it forward. The acting is not Oscar worthy.

So, what does the film do right? It doesn’t take itself so seriously, and leans into what the viewers want: alien bug killing mayhem! Yes, the action is cheesy as well, but this is easily overlooked, due to the overall quality of said action sequences. It fills you with gung-ho energy. The protagonist is likable enough to where you sort of hope he doesn’t get sliced in half by a giant alien bug. But when that fate reaches other characters, well you’re not to shook up, that’s what you are there to see. The movie offers plenty of violence (when it is done being slow), and the violence is done well.

In the mood for some cheese and action? Give Starship Troopers a watch!

 

[an anarchist]

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) ⭐ 7.4 | Horror, Sci-Fi

1h 55m | PG

www.imdb.com

A remake of the 1956 film of the same name, the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is my preferred viewing.

The movie burns ever so slowly. If it were not for the quality of the actors, which allowed them to portray the subtleties of the writers and director’s vision, the pacing would have been too slow. But I for one do not mind and even enjoy the slow buildup. That’s because this movie creates tension like a thriller is supposed to. It attempts to unnerve the viewer, something I think it has a high chance of doing. When the tension erupts, you are in for a thrilling ride.

This is one of my favorite thrillers out there. I am hard pressed trying to come up with criticisms of the film. I think it is rewatchable. I think few thrillers reach the level of spookiness that Invasion of the Body Snatchers reaches. If you do not mind a slower pace, I cannot recommend this film enough.

Spoiler: About the ending...

This is what transcends the film from a good film to an excellent one. It would have felt cheap, if it ended positively for the protagonist.

 

[an anarchist]

The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers (1980) ⭐ 7.9 | Action, Adventure, Comedy

2h 13m | R

www.imdb.com

A musical comedy that is rated R, now that is an interesting recipe. It plays out in The Blues Brothers mostly fine.

To start with my criticisms... the movie is too long, too bloated for it’s own good. There are perhaps whole sequences that could have been cut out. Whenever I rewatch the film, there are a few scenes that I impatiently sit through. Then again, the movie is meant to be over the top. That is the style of comedy. The situations that are created by the Blues Brothers build atop each other to an extremely rewarding crescendo of a climax. So it has to be over the top. It just could have gotten away with doing a little less.

The jokes are hilarious. I have seen the movie dozens of times and I still heartily laugh with a majority of the jokes in the film. The music is fine. There are some bangers that will be stuck in your head perhaps. My personal favorite from the film is Arethra Franklin’s song. Other songs are more forgettable, which is regrettable. However, the songs serve a comedic purpose through their presentation, so not all is lost. The writing and directing is rather clever. The scenes build on top of each other very nicely, which leads to such a rewarding climax in the end.

Overall, this is my favorite comedy. I admit, I am not a fan of the genre, so I haven’t seen too many comedies. But The Blues Brothers is my favorite one.

 

[an anarchist]

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) ⭐ 7.9 | Action, Drama, Western

1h 39m | R

www.imdb.com

A Fistful of Dollars is a lesser known Spaghetti Western. It is the first film of a trilogy. This certain trilogy crescendos into The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, a much more famous film. The first film is generally considers the “worst” of the bunch. This is something I agree with. It is the lowest budget. Yet, coming from my favorite trilogy, A Fistful of Dollars is a cool film.

Clint Eastwood is the king of cool, and this film is where he found his groove. He is the often silent yet witty anti hero, spitting out the occasional one liner. Clint Eastwood does exactly what his character and director required of him, and that is be cool.

Sergio Leone (the director) forced Hollywood to change because of the boundaries he broke with this film. The film dares to show a man being shot and killer in the same frame. This is the first film to do this. The directorial direction and freedom Leone allowed himself is what allows this film to succeed. The acting (besides Clint) is forgettable at best, with the production obviously low budget. Yet, Leone works with what he has. He has an excellent lead and also an excellent composer. Combined with an excellent director, and a solid plot, this film works. It is no masterpiece, but several scenes make the film worth a watch.

 

[Eddi]

Have you seen the latest Napoleon film?

I have

I think it's awesome

 

[an anarchist]

Have you seen the latest Napoleon film?

I have

I think it's awesome

Napoleon (2023)

Napoleon (2023) ⭐ 6.4 | Action, Adventure, Biography

2h 38m | R

www.imdb.com

I was debating whether or not to post a review on this one. I walked out of the theater. I watched less than half, so I feel like perhaps I couldn’t give it a fair shake. When I realized I wasn’t enjoying the film as much as I thought I would (I’m a history geek and typically enjoy a Ridley Scott film), and realized we were barely at the invasion of Russia within the film, I bounced. I do intend on watching it in full perhaps on streaming services eventually, and if I have nothing better to do.

The sex scenes were awkward as heck. The film did not feel coherent. I would have been a bit more lost if I didn’t know a bit of history. But the era of Napoleon I have not studied in detail so I was a bit lost still. I can’t say too much about the film, I think I left around 40 minutes in.

Ridley Scott is 85, I think he is past his prime. I was just watching his earlier film Alien so I have no doubt that he was once a great director. I just feel at 85 he shouldn’t be handed a couple dozen million dollars to make a film.

 

[Eddi]

I thought Napoleon was good, but not great

I enjoyed it

It didn't mention loads of things such as the wars in Spain

I think the best bits were the battle scenes

The most shocking thing for me was when a cannon ball went through his horse as he was on it, which he later retrieved from its guts with his bare hands so it could be reused

I thought the execution of Marie Antoinette was well done too

And when he opened fire on the Paris mob with grapeshot, that was good too

Did you leave before the battle of Austerlitz?

 

[an anarchist]

The most shocking thing for me was when a cannon ball went through his horse as he was on it, which he later retrieved from its guts with his bare hands so it could be reused

I thought the execution of Marie Antoinette was well done too

I did enjoy both of these scenes.

Did you leave before the battle of Austerlitz?

I unfortunately did, I’m sure it’ll pop up on Youtube sooner rather than later though.

 

[Eddi]

I unfortunately did, I’m sure it’ll pop up

Napoleon opened fire on the Russian and Austrian armies with his artillery as they were walking over a frozen river

Loads of men and horses drowned in the freezing water, as a battle scene it was very memorable

 

[Vinayaka]

The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers (1980) ⭐ 7.9 | Action, Adventure, Comedy

2h 13m | R

www.imdb.com

A musical comedy that is rated R, now that is an interesting recipe. It plays out in The Blues Brothers mostly fine.

To start with my criticisms... the movie is too long, too bloated for it’s own good. There are perhaps whole sequences that could have been cut out. Whenever I rewatch the film, there are a few scenes that I impatiently sit through. Then again, the movie is meant to be over the top. That is the style of comedy. The situations that are created by the Blues Brothers build atop each other to an extremely rewarding crescendo of a climax. So it has to be over the top. It just could have gotten away with doing a little less.

The jokes are hilarious. I have seen the movie dozens of times and I still heartily laugh with a majority of the jokes in the film. The music is fine. There are some bangers that will be stuck in your head perhaps. My personal favorite from the film is Arethra Franklin’s song. Other songs are more forgettable, which is regrettable. However, the songs serve a comedic purpose through their presentation, so not all is lost. The writing and directing is rather clever. The scenes build on top of each other very nicely, which leads to such a rewarding climax in the end.

Overall, this is my favorite comedy. I admit, I am not a fan of the genre, so I haven’t seen too many comedies. But The Blues Brothers is my favorite one.

"We're on a mission from God."

 

[sun rise]

My all time favorite movie is "They Might Be Giants". It is to me a spiritual story that should be watched with the heart not the mind. The ending text makes that clear. George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward star.

Spoiler: Movie ending text

The human heart can see what is hidden to the eyes,
and the heart knows things that the mind does not being to understand.

The movie is here

 

[Stevicus]

The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers (1980) ⭐ 7.9 | Action, Adventure, Comedy

2h 13m | R

www.imdb.com

A musical comedy that is rated R, now that is an interesting recipe. It plays out in The Blues Brothers mostly fine.

To start with my criticisms... the movie is too long, too bloated for it’s own good. There are perhaps whole sequences that could have been cut out. Whenever I rewatch the film, there are a few scenes that I impatiently sit through. Then again, the movie is meant to be over the top. That is the style of comedy. The situations that are created by the Blues Brothers build atop each other to an extremely rewarding crescendo of a climax. So it has to be over the top. It just could have gotten away with doing a little less.

The jokes are hilarious. I have seen the movie dozens of times and I still heartily laugh with a majority of the jokes in the film. The music is fine. There are some bangers that will be stuck in your head perhaps. My personal favorite from the film is Arethra Franklin’s song. Other songs are more forgettable, which is regrettable. However, the songs serve a comedic purpose through their presentation, so not all is lost. The writing and directing is rather clever. The scenes build on top of each other very nicely, which leads to such a rewarding climax in the end.

Overall, this is my favorite comedy. I admit, I am not a fan of the genre, so I haven’t seen too many comedies. But The Blues Brothers is my favorite one.

Several years ago, I was browsing the Blues Brothers discussion board (back when the IMDb still had discussion boards), and I learned of the existence of a local band from Kansas City called Four Fried Chickens and a Coke. I actually liked the songs from the soundtrack, as well as from another of their albums, Briefcase Full of Blues.

 

[an anarchist]

Dredd (2012)

Dredd (2012) ⭐ 7.1 | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi

1h 35m | R

m.imdb.com

Dredd is an adaptation of a comic of the same name. And the violence in this film sometimes reaches comical levels. This seems obviously intended, so if you don't mind over the top violence and a decent amount of gore, this film might just be for you.

This film is obviously inspired by the 2011 Indonesian film The Raid: Redemption. The setting is different, the plot is the same. Cops trapped in a building full of bad guys have to fight their way out. The film succeeds in creating a claustrophobic environment, and the action sequences are enjoyable. The protagonists could be rather flat, though the one liners from Judge Dredd do land as intended. He is cool... enough.

As an avid action movie enjoyer, I really like this film. If one has their expectations set right, they shouldn't be disappointed. This movie is no masterpiece nor does it pretend to be, but it is an excellent showcase of enjoyable action. It does not bore.

A little cheesy too, but what can you expect?

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Starship Troopers (1997)

Starship Troopers (1997) ⭐ 7.3 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

2h 9m | R

www.imdb.com

This is a flawed movie. But I love it, despite it flaws. When I think of a “guilty pleasure” movie, (ya know, movies you think are bad but somehow enjoy), this film comes to mind. The film does not know how to pace itself. The first half could be quite a bore. And it has more cheese than the amount you ask for atop your pasta at Olive Garden! It’s what you call campy. Several contrived coincidences in the plot to drive it forward. The acting is not Oscar worthy.

So, what does the film do right? It doesn’t take itself so seriously, and leans into what the viewers want: alien bug killing mayhem! Yes, the action is cheesy as well, but this is easily overlooked, due to the overall quality of said action sequences. It fills you with gung-ho energy. The protagonist is likable enough to where you sort of hope he doesn’t get sliced in half by a giant alien bug. But when that fate reaches other characters, well you’re not to shook up, that’s what you are there to see. The movie offers plenty of violence (when it is done being slow), and the violence is done well.

In the mood for some cheese and action? Give Starship Troopers a watch!

I think it is a good movie. It's got bugs. And NPH and Clancy Brown. I thought Brown's character career Sgt. Zim was the bomb.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Dark City. 1998. Starring Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland and Jennifer Connelly. Excellent neo-noir, science fiction with twists and turns. I'm not sure why this film didn't receive wider acclaim and recognition when it was released. Influence of this film can be seen in the Matrix and still I find it difficult to understand why it seems to remain so obscure.

In essence, it is a film about aliens using humans as lab rats shot like a noir cinema detective mystery. There are elements of the film that have been compared to the works of Kafka. The setting is understandably dark, but the performances by the main cast are excellent as they unfold the story and explain what is going on.

Dark City (1998 film) - Wikipedia

 

[an anarchist]

Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out (2019) ⭐ 7.9 | Comedy, Crime, Drama

2h 10m | PG-13

m.imdb.com

Basically, this is a quirky and clever whodunnit with a mix of wit and low brow humor. I very much enjoyed it.

This movie has all of its gears oiled. For example, the acting for each character of the wide cast was great. Let's talk about the characters. Without getting into details or spoilers, each supporting character is purposefully flawed (such as, they might be a jerk). This allows for low brow jokes and moments, such as when an alt right teenage boy calls the main character (who is the daughter of an undocumented immigrant) a "filthy anchor baby". Out of context, this line and scene may seem unfunny, but within the scene and context, as well as the delivery, that line had me and my boyfriend laughing absolutely hysterically.

Daniel Craig plays one of two main characters. Though I thought his accent was overly exaggerated (though that might've been the point), he does a fine job at steering the film.

In a whodunnit, the writing has to be clever. It just has to. I would prefer mediocre acting in a mystery as opposed to mediocre writing. Thankfully, Knives Out does a wonderful job at crafting a winding tale told from many perspectives and views. It is intricate, the premise is clever, and the movie will have you guessing until the end.

I lIked the movie. However, I do feel like an older audience may not vibe as much with it. The humor at the very least felt like it was for someone more my age (mid 20s). That's not a bad thing, just something I wanted to bring up.