The third (and hopefully final) installment of this franchise was a surprisingly ok watch. The biggest accolade of course goes to Denzel Washington. One of my favorite actors, and while the hands of time are beginning to show, he is still a world class actor. Poise and presence in every shot. He almost single handedly makes this worth while. The story itself is pretty flat and predictable, but that is almost a given in these films. Nothing is really explained or motivated, rather glanced over in a hurry. The other actors are pretty much stereotypical cardboards, simply playing out their part without all the more passion. Some more flagrantly than others. Dakota Fanning was a letdown feeling stiff and detached from the whole thing. At first I thought, hey that's nice bringing her back until I realized that was from Man On Fire... The cinematography is splendid and redeems some of the flaws of the story. Rural Italy sure is nice to look at. Overall I was left with a more positive vibe from this than I thought. Hopefully Denzel will manage to continue his career, since he will be soerly missed when he stops.
Reviews
53 Reviews
Civil War
(2024)
Too civil war
19 April 2024
This was not what I expected. Going in I thought this would be a film about how a modern day civil war would look and feel like. It started out pretty good, the first few takes were quite intriguing. But after almost no backstory whatsoever it turned into a sort of roadmovie oddly enough for the larger parts of the movie. This part dragged quite a bit as not much was established in the way of character development. You also didn't feel really anything for the characters, they were as empty as the rest of the movie.
Initially my biggest concern with the whole thing was Kirsten Dunst as the lead since she is no favorite of mine. But both she and Cailee Spaeny were surprisingly ok, the weakest performance came from the male co-lead Wagner Moura. He overacted most of the time and was otherwise unconvincing. Jesse Plemons and Nick Offerman who are ok actors were wildly underused.
There was finally some action in the final 15 minutes but by then it was way too late to salvage anything.
In the end I felt discontent probably due to too high expectations, but also the fact that the story lacked substance and more felt like a photo montage than a legit film.
Initially my biggest concern with the whole thing was Kirsten Dunst as the lead since she is no favorite of mine. But both she and Cailee Spaeny were surprisingly ok, the weakest performance came from the male co-lead Wagner Moura. He overacted most of the time and was otherwise unconvincing. Jesse Plemons and Nick Offerman who are ok actors were wildly underused.
There was finally some action in the final 15 minutes but by then it was way too late to salvage anything.
In the end I felt discontent probably due to too high expectations, but also the fact that the story lacked substance and more felt like a photo montage than a legit film.
Last Looks
(I) (2021)
Inferior
5 April 2024
A really mediocre affair this. A murder mystery trying to mimic the likes of The Big Lebowski and Snatch, only doing it significantly worse. The jokes don't land and the dialogue is poorly written. Charlie Hunnam who repeatedly fails to convince, is unimpressive here. How he keeps getting lead roles I simply cannot understand. Mel Gibson with his phony english accent is equally underwhelming. What was the need for the accent in the first place? Gibson also having a little girl despite looking all of 65 feels questionable to say the least. Morena Baccarin is the only redeeming actor, and that really says it all. This isn't a total trainwreck, but not far from it.
Sucker Punch
(2011)
Like watching a music video
31 March 2024
What a travesty of a movie this was. For the longest time I was hestitant about watching this and boy was I right. The film simply doesn't hold up on any level. Granted the visuals are nice but that is exactly it. The story is laughable, dialogue is beyond cringeworthy, character development or depth nonexistent. Some of the actors are competent but alas they are wasted on this mess. The direction make their efforts all but void. The whole time you got the feeling you were watching a music video soon going to commercials, something that would have felt merciful here. I'm not sure who this excuse for a movie was meant for, but it certainly wasn't me.
Dune: Part Two
(2024)
An epic sequal
2 March 2024
Right out of the gate I want to state that I haven't read the brick of a book this is based on. In this instance however I feel you still can enjoy this fully.
On the other hand I do have watched the original movie as well as the previous part, which I found visually appealing but in some regards almost a trailer to this second part. The original movie from 1984 is its own chapter, and quite frankly shouldn't be associated with these films. I won't dwell more into that one here other than state that it was a ghastly picture.
With Denis Villeneuve once again at the helm I expected nothing more than a visual bombardment, which you indeed received. There was more of everything in this one, the visuals were truly spectacular. The score with grandmaster Hans Zimmer complemented the cinematography masterfully.
The cast was mostly competent with Timothee Chalamet being the one improving most from the returning cast. Found him engaging showing more emotion and stepping up as a leader. The love interest with Zendaya also felt bearable to watch. Some questions arose about the cast though. The most obvious was the casting of Christopher Walken as the emperor. As I wrote I haven't read the book but I have a hard time contemplating that was they way a mighty character as him was portrayed. He felt weak in every sense. Dave Bautistas character was such a footnote in this they might as well have left him out. Haven't seen Austin Butler in much, he probably is a capable actor, but here and for me he wasn't intimidating in the least. Florence Pugh and Anya Taylor-Joy were criminally underused but I recon that will change in the final part if this trilogy.
The story itself took a step forward in this part, it felt more fleshed out. The problem with pacing was regretfully still somehow present, especially towards the end. You still got a feeling this was an episode rather than a movie standing on its own.
But, these drawbacks should be considered minor glitches in an otherwise brilliant production. In a time of so much mediocracy in movies this deserves praise for the level of execution. This is quality filmmaking well deserving of your time and if you haven't jumped aboard this yet you should.
On the other hand I do have watched the original movie as well as the previous part, which I found visually appealing but in some regards almost a trailer to this second part. The original movie from 1984 is its own chapter, and quite frankly shouldn't be associated with these films. I won't dwell more into that one here other than state that it was a ghastly picture.
With Denis Villeneuve once again at the helm I expected nothing more than a visual bombardment, which you indeed received. There was more of everything in this one, the visuals were truly spectacular. The score with grandmaster Hans Zimmer complemented the cinematography masterfully.
The cast was mostly competent with Timothee Chalamet being the one improving most from the returning cast. Found him engaging showing more emotion and stepping up as a leader. The love interest with Zendaya also felt bearable to watch. Some questions arose about the cast though. The most obvious was the casting of Christopher Walken as the emperor. As I wrote I haven't read the book but I have a hard time contemplating that was they way a mighty character as him was portrayed. He felt weak in every sense. Dave Bautistas character was such a footnote in this they might as well have left him out. Haven't seen Austin Butler in much, he probably is a capable actor, but here and for me he wasn't intimidating in the least. Florence Pugh and Anya Taylor-Joy were criminally underused but I recon that will change in the final part if this trilogy.
The story itself took a step forward in this part, it felt more fleshed out. The problem with pacing was regretfully still somehow present, especially towards the end. You still got a feeling this was an episode rather than a movie standing on its own.
But, these drawbacks should be considered minor glitches in an otherwise brilliant production. In a time of so much mediocracy in movies this deserves praise for the level of execution. This is quality filmmaking well deserving of your time and if you haven't jumped aboard this yet you should.
True Detective
(2014– )
Review based on entire series, focusing on 4th season
25 February 2024
I base this review (and stars) on the series as a whole, but focus on the 4th season.
The first season was about as good as it gets when it comes to tv. Before this show my notion of Matthew McConaughey was a pretty lame comedy actor. In this he completely revamped my view of him and since has earned my respect. He and Woody Harrelson had superb chemistry and were a big part of the series success.
The second season was a big step backwards at least initially. Rachel McAdams didn't work as the lead in my opinion. Colin Farrell was better especially towards the end. Also the story was a bit slow, but I think if I would have given it another shot it would maybe have felt differently.
The third season was better, but far from the first. Stephen Dorff and Mahershala Ali emulated some of the feel from the first season, but the story was a bit weak and moved too slowly.
So onto the fourth season, which as a whole is the weakest so far. Had my reservations with Jodie Foster as the lead, who is an ok actor but not a natural fit for this show. The theme was heavily adapted from movies like Wind River and Dark Waters with the treatment of native americans and natural resources. The whole supernatural angle didn't sit well with me, not that it mattered... Part of the greatness of the earlier seasons was that they were grounded in reality. The gender aspect was also spread on pretty thick. All the men were either cruel MFs or lame pushovers. The women tried to act stout but it all came across unconvincing. The only likeable character was the young officer Prior, the rest you didn't really care for. The ending was totally void of payoff.
I hear a fifth season is in the making and I reckon I'll give it a shot when it comes out but the way the series is going I'm not excited about he outcome.
The first season was about as good as it gets when it comes to tv. Before this show my notion of Matthew McConaughey was a pretty lame comedy actor. In this he completely revamped my view of him and since has earned my respect. He and Woody Harrelson had superb chemistry and were a big part of the series success.
The second season was a big step backwards at least initially. Rachel McAdams didn't work as the lead in my opinion. Colin Farrell was better especially towards the end. Also the story was a bit slow, but I think if I would have given it another shot it would maybe have felt differently.
The third season was better, but far from the first. Stephen Dorff and Mahershala Ali emulated some of the feel from the first season, but the story was a bit weak and moved too slowly.
So onto the fourth season, which as a whole is the weakest so far. Had my reservations with Jodie Foster as the lead, who is an ok actor but not a natural fit for this show. The theme was heavily adapted from movies like Wind River and Dark Waters with the treatment of native americans and natural resources. The whole supernatural angle didn't sit well with me, not that it mattered... Part of the greatness of the earlier seasons was that they were grounded in reality. The gender aspect was also spread on pretty thick. All the men were either cruel MFs or lame pushovers. The women tried to act stout but it all came across unconvincing. The only likeable character was the young officer Prior, the rest you didn't really care for. The ending was totally void of payoff.
I hear a fifth season is in the making and I reckon I'll give it a shot when it comes out but the way the series is going I'm not excited about he outcome.
The Old Man
(2022– )
Dialogue based spy thriller
2 February 2024
This started out really intriguing. The first episode drew me in right away. Jeff Bridges is still at 74 a first class actor. Granted the fight scenes, although well made, felt a bit unrealistic. A man of his age, however fit, would have had great difficulty moving the way he did.
The plot of the movie is carried out largely in a dialogue based fashion. Don't get me wrong the dialogue is mostly very well done, but at times it still got at bit tedious. Almost to the point that towards the end it felt more like a drama than a thriller.
The other standout from the cast is John Lithgow whose acting is equally equisite as Bridges. They had a deeply heartfelt chemistry that felt sincere. The actors for the roles of young Bridges and Lithgow were also very well casted.
The ending suggests that the story might continue with a second season, something I'll be sure to keep an eye out for.
The plot of the movie is carried out largely in a dialogue based fashion. Don't get me wrong the dialogue is mostly very well done, but at times it still got at bit tedious. Almost to the point that towards the end it felt more like a drama than a thriller.
The other standout from the cast is John Lithgow whose acting is equally equisite as Bridges. They had a deeply heartfelt chemistry that felt sincere. The actors for the roles of young Bridges and Lithgow were also very well casted.
The ending suggests that the story might continue with a second season, something I'll be sure to keep an eye out for.
A nice looking scrapbook
30 January 2024
I've seen my share of Zack Snyder films and this carries a lot of the same elements as earlier movies with grandiose cinematography and trademark slow-mo shots. Nevertheless, it feels like the director has mixed and matched parts from other movies rather than coming up with something new. Hence the plot feels really weak although the production is quite nice. There is a plethora of places and characters that maybe would feel relevant if there was a story that carried forward. Also the actions of the characters are sparsely explained or motivated. Cgi is unimpressive. The lead is not a good enough actor to carry the role. Charlie Hunnams accent is totally unconvincing as well as his acting. Ed Skreins character has a fetish for finishing people off with a walking stick for some reason. The rest of the cast is mediocre at best. Overall a nice package but too messy and incoherent content to warrant a second part. I suspect I will give it a chance, but I'm almost certain to be disappointed.
The North Water
(2021)
Grim Whalers
6 January 2024
This was a surprising treat. Had virtually no expectations going in but boy was I glad I did. A whaling expedition takes on the arctic north with dire consequences. The first 3 episodes were top notch. The atmosphere drew me in immediately. Immersive storytelling with a beautifully dark and unforgiving feel and an equally haunting score. An all but unrecognizable Colin Farrell is the apparent star of the cast. I swear it took me a good couple of episodes until I grasped it was him. He portrays his vile and ruthless character masterfully. Haven't seen Jack O'Connell in much besides Unbroken where he was ok. Here he does quite well, keeping pace with Farrell. The settings are without doubt breathtaking filmed on location at Svalbard. As earlier stated the first 3 episodes were great, regretfully the last 2 were a bit weaker, also the ending was a little meh. Nontheless this is a quality series that I would certainly recommend if you like a dark and relentless tale.
Napoleon
(2023)
Overlong expose
25 December 2023
Was somewhat looking forward to this with a seasoned director and decent lead. It turned out to be a bit of a letdown.
Firstly, it is just too long, 2 hours should have sufficed the way this story was told. I understand that an even longer version was made for streaming, and this was done so the filmmakers could compete for an oscar. Can't imagine Phoenix will even be in the hunt for a statue after this performance. No doubt he is skilled at playing quirky, troubled characters but I don't think he portrayed Napoleon successfully in this one. His acting is wooden and quite unconvincing. Many scenes he simply stares with a blank expression which probably should convey something but to me comes off lazy.
Vanessa Kirby does a slightly better job, but in her lies perhaps the biggest problem with the film. Way too much of the movie is concentrated on the rather rocky relationship that the two had, and it quite frankly becomes dull at times. They could have focused on so much more interesting aspects of Napoleon that would have have rendered an oscar worthy picture. What we get now is a lot of back and forth love story drama. Also although the lenghty runtime many scenes and events felt rushed, I guess partly due to the scaled down movie version.
The battle scenes were indeed nicely done and one of few redeeming factors of the whole thing. Ridley Scott has been skidding worryingly as of late, would hope he gets it together soon since I count him as a good director. This was sadly one of many films that had the potential of greatness but was wasted on inept execution.
Firstly, it is just too long, 2 hours should have sufficed the way this story was told. I understand that an even longer version was made for streaming, and this was done so the filmmakers could compete for an oscar. Can't imagine Phoenix will even be in the hunt for a statue after this performance. No doubt he is skilled at playing quirky, troubled characters but I don't think he portrayed Napoleon successfully in this one. His acting is wooden and quite unconvincing. Many scenes he simply stares with a blank expression which probably should convey something but to me comes off lazy.
Vanessa Kirby does a slightly better job, but in her lies perhaps the biggest problem with the film. Way too much of the movie is concentrated on the rather rocky relationship that the two had, and it quite frankly becomes dull at times. They could have focused on so much more interesting aspects of Napoleon that would have have rendered an oscar worthy picture. What we get now is a lot of back and forth love story drama. Also although the lenghty runtime many scenes and events felt rushed, I guess partly due to the scaled down movie version.
The battle scenes were indeed nicely done and one of few redeeming factors of the whole thing. Ridley Scott has been skidding worryingly as of late, would hope he gets it together soon since I count him as a good director. This was sadly one of many films that had the potential of greatness but was wasted on inept execution.
Nightmare Alley
(2021)
A nightmare watch
14 December 2023
The good things first, obviously this was visually very appealing the carnival as well as the others sets looked really good. I can certainly understand how this got oscar nominated for production design. The cast was also very competent and mostly performed well, although Bradley Cooper is no favorite of mine so that was a clear drawback.
Then to the bad which there sadly is more of. The most glaring problem is the lenght, 90 minutes would have sufficed grandly. The first half should have been cut down drastically since it didn't establish much in regard to the second half where something at least got going. But by the time I got there I had all but lost my interest in what was going on. Can't say I was thrilled about the second half either but it had more going for it. Since he was a bit of an ass, you just didn't care what happened to the main character. The psychologist otherwise well played by Cate Blanchett was equally dislikable tossing around personal information without any moral ambiguity. How this got nominated for best picture is just beyond me, must have been slim pickings that year...
Anyhow, the ending carried a bit of irony that felt well deserved. But I honestly can't recommend this film, since at the end I felt I had wasted 2½ hours of my life.
Then to the bad which there sadly is more of. The most glaring problem is the lenght, 90 minutes would have sufficed grandly. The first half should have been cut down drastically since it didn't establish much in regard to the second half where something at least got going. But by the time I got there I had all but lost my interest in what was going on. Can't say I was thrilled about the second half either but it had more going for it. Since he was a bit of an ass, you just didn't care what happened to the main character. The psychologist otherwise well played by Cate Blanchett was equally dislikable tossing around personal information without any moral ambiguity. How this got nominated for best picture is just beyond me, must have been slim pickings that year...
Anyhow, the ending carried a bit of irony that felt well deserved. But I honestly can't recommend this film, since at the end I felt I had wasted 2½ hours of my life.
Knock at the Cabin
(2023)
I'm losing my patience with you M.Night!
13 December 2023
I gave this a shot despite the fact that the track record for the director M. Night Shyamalan has been far from stellar in recent years. It is remarkable how the level of his work has declined from the good early movies like 6th Sense and Unbreakable to the kind of mediocre drivel he churns out nowadays. I think the watershed was Signs, that film and pretty much every movie after it has been subpar.
But, enough with the Shyamalan-bash. This film falls somewhere in the end spectrum, not the worst but definitely not good. The story just felt way too flat and unconvincing. The whole biblical aspect of sacrifice and the plagues didn't feel believable. The cast did ok, although I've seen better performances from most of them in other movies. Haven't read the book so I can't say how it related to that but suffice to say it remaind meager to the very end. Doubt I will give Shymalans movies any more chances.
But, enough with the Shyamalan-bash. This film falls somewhere in the end spectrum, not the worst but definitely not good. The story just felt way too flat and unconvincing. The whole biblical aspect of sacrifice and the plagues didn't feel believable. The cast did ok, although I've seen better performances from most of them in other movies. Haven't read the book so I can't say how it related to that but suffice to say it remaind meager to the very end. Doubt I will give Shymalans movies any more chances.
The Banshees of Inisherin
(2022)
A drama in the Irish countryside, like
12 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This was a peculiar movie. The premise was rather intriguing. Two (apparently) lifelong friends, Padraic and Colm, played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, on an island off Ireland suddenly fall out after one of them simply doesn't like the other anymore.
The closest we get to an explanation why is that Colm feels that time is dwindling and he wants to focus on something that will remain after he's gone, in this case his violin playing. What follows is a big chunk of the film where Colm adamatly wants to be left alone while Padraic in ever inventive ways tries to reach out.
I wouldn't call this a comedy by any means, although the dialogue at times had a funny undertone. At other times though the lines got a bit repetitive and quite honestly held the story back. Farrell and Gleeson worked well in their roles and had good chemistry. Kerry Condon was also good as the voice of reason in all the drama. The rest of the cast were rather one dimensional.
The scenery was beautifully drab and fit the isolated feeling of life on an island quite well.
As in most movies the ending was unfulfilling. It was just bad for both of them.
For me this was a tale most of all about loneliness and how to cope with it. Well made and as such I'm glad I watched it.
The closest we get to an explanation why is that Colm feels that time is dwindling and he wants to focus on something that will remain after he's gone, in this case his violin playing. What follows is a big chunk of the film where Colm adamatly wants to be left alone while Padraic in ever inventive ways tries to reach out.
I wouldn't call this a comedy by any means, although the dialogue at times had a funny undertone. At other times though the lines got a bit repetitive and quite honestly held the story back. Farrell and Gleeson worked well in their roles and had good chemistry. Kerry Condon was also good as the voice of reason in all the drama. The rest of the cast were rather one dimensional.
The scenery was beautifully drab and fit the isolated feeling of life on an island quite well.
As in most movies the ending was unfulfilling. It was just bad for both of them.
For me this was a tale most of all about loneliness and how to cope with it. Well made and as such I'm glad I watched it.
65
(2023)
Sci-fi mumbo jumbo
18 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This had much of the same vibe as the equally underwhelming Will Smith flick After Earth.
After precious little backstory we understand that Adam Driver has to go on a space mission to retrieve a remedy for his sick daughter. Exactly what that remedy is never gets explained. The mission crashlands on a planet (earth?) and everyone dies except him and a little girl, not sure why a little girl was onboard the mission in the first place.
She also doesn't speak any english. In a film like this with very little dialogue the acting and chemistry between the main characters are paramount, but you get next to nothing of that here. I say main characters but in reality they are the only characters since the only other cast is Drivers family which are only present in the beginning and in some flashback scenes.
There is a lot of running around in the woods making stupid decisions, but somehow avoiding being eaten by various dinosaurs. The story itself is wafer thin. Dialogue is cramped largely due to the girl not having any real lines.
The cgi on the dinosaurs was rather well made, also nice to see dinosaurs in something else than a Jurassic Park film. But that is just about the only good thing about this, besides the merciful runtime.
At the end I can't really recommend this film unless you're a die hard Adam Driver fan...and I think they will also feel inadequate.
After precious little backstory we understand that Adam Driver has to go on a space mission to retrieve a remedy for his sick daughter. Exactly what that remedy is never gets explained. The mission crashlands on a planet (earth?) and everyone dies except him and a little girl, not sure why a little girl was onboard the mission in the first place.
She also doesn't speak any english. In a film like this with very little dialogue the acting and chemistry between the main characters are paramount, but you get next to nothing of that here. I say main characters but in reality they are the only characters since the only other cast is Drivers family which are only present in the beginning and in some flashback scenes.
There is a lot of running around in the woods making stupid decisions, but somehow avoiding being eaten by various dinosaurs. The story itself is wafer thin. Dialogue is cramped largely due to the girl not having any real lines.
The cgi on the dinosaurs was rather well made, also nice to see dinosaurs in something else than a Jurassic Park film. But that is just about the only good thing about this, besides the merciful runtime.
At the end I can't really recommend this film unless you're a die hard Adam Driver fan...and I think they will also feel inadequate.
The Postcard Killings
(2020)
Run of the mill killings
10 November 2023
This was a real lackluster affair. Everything felt really disjointed and rushed. For some reason I got the feel that I was watching a series instead of a film, and not a particularly good one. I understand that this is based on a book and that this book is pretty good. Haven't read the book but I can certainly relate to a film adaptation not living up to the book. Seems to be more a rule than exception. The elements of a good film are present here but they are sadly wasted on the inept writers and director. Nothing in this film evokes any emotion, despite the rather gruesome murders. The story felt incredibly flat and predictable. Acting is cripplingly hammy. The swedish angle felt odd and out of place. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is an ok actor and he at least tries here but I don't think there's an actor that could have salvaged this. The rest of the cast are sub par at best. I thought this would be a mediocre murder mystery, but it turned out to be closer to a b movie. Don't waste your time with this unless you have nothing else to watch.
The Creator
(2023)
Style over substance
21 October 2023
I was mildly looking forward to this one having the same director from Rogue One which i found to be one of the more bearable additions to the Star Wars franchise.
As I watched it I sadly had to realize this present was more about the wrapping than the actual gift.
Sure the scenery and the set pieces looked great, always commendable when a real set is used instead of cgi. The ever current topic of ai also set the tone nicely in the beginning.
However the story failed to evoke any type of emotion in me, I felt strangely disconnected throughout the entire film. The story is written so that there would be a connection between the little girl and the protagonist but there was nothing there.
In fact the whole cast felt oddly out of sync in a production of this magnitude. Allison Janney didn't work at all as the adversary. Ken Watanabe still can't talk decent english despite making english movies for the better part of a decade, what's that about? John David Washington was his usual underwhelming self. He looks like Denzel, he sounds like Denzel but he lacks all the charisma, presence and conviction of his father. He still has been in some pretty high profile pictures in recent years. One would think that must end soon.
Hard to say if it was on the director, writers or the actors why this turned out the way it did. Regardless I was disappointed at the end.
As I watched it I sadly had to realize this present was more about the wrapping than the actual gift.
Sure the scenery and the set pieces looked great, always commendable when a real set is used instead of cgi. The ever current topic of ai also set the tone nicely in the beginning.
However the story failed to evoke any type of emotion in me, I felt strangely disconnected throughout the entire film. The story is written so that there would be a connection between the little girl and the protagonist but there was nothing there.
In fact the whole cast felt oddly out of sync in a production of this magnitude. Allison Janney didn't work at all as the adversary. Ken Watanabe still can't talk decent english despite making english movies for the better part of a decade, what's that about? John David Washington was his usual underwhelming self. He looks like Denzel, he sounds like Denzel but he lacks all the charisma, presence and conviction of his father. He still has been in some pretty high profile pictures in recent years. One would think that must end soon.
Hard to say if it was on the director, writers or the actors why this turned out the way it did. Regardless I was disappointed at the end.
The Mandalorian
(2019– )
Restored my faith, at least briefly
9 October 2023
At one point this show had almost restored my faith in disney and the star wars franchise. The first season was phenomenal, a 10. Well written, engaging story, good character development, killer score. Pedro Pascal as the mandalorian was casted brilliantly. You really felt for him and his struggles to take care of his foundling. I watched the first season two times, which for me is extremly rare. Also, this was one of the very few series where I stayed for the end credits just to marvel at the exquisite artwork.
After what felt like a long wait the second season finally arrived, and although it was still good but like many series the magic had faded a bit. The new characters that were introduced were weaker than in the first season. Also the story felt less urgent.
After an even longer wait the third season came, but by then my expectations had been lowered substantially. It was yet again still a good watch, but maybe even slightly weaker than the second season. The fact that Pascal was basically only doing voice acting anymore diluted the experience a bit. Some characters like Jack Black and Lizzo felt totally out of place, like someone just decided they had to appear even though they did almost nothing to promote the story.
The final episode was sadly a bit of a letdown, would have wished for more but I guess the way the momentum was moving things forward it was inevitable. Despite the flaws of the latter seasons Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni created something special with this one, thank you for that. This was hands down the best star wars series in recent time...probably for a good while.
After what felt like a long wait the second season finally arrived, and although it was still good but like many series the magic had faded a bit. The new characters that were introduced were weaker than in the first season. Also the story felt less urgent.
After an even longer wait the third season came, but by then my expectations had been lowered substantially. It was yet again still a good watch, but maybe even slightly weaker than the second season. The fact that Pascal was basically only doing voice acting anymore diluted the experience a bit. Some characters like Jack Black and Lizzo felt totally out of place, like someone just decided they had to appear even though they did almost nothing to promote the story.
The final episode was sadly a bit of a letdown, would have wished for more but I guess the way the momentum was moving things forward it was inevitable. Despite the flaws of the latter seasons Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni created something special with this one, thank you for that. This was hands down the best star wars series in recent time...probably for a good while.
Watchmen
(2019)
Intriguing
23 September 2023
To start off I haven't read the novel which probably make my opinions of this somewhat void. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this show maybe even more than I thought I would. I watched the movie quite a while ago, and I have to say that I liked the series better. For an "outsider" it was at times hard to follow the plot and who was who, but as a whole the story was engaging and suspenseful. The comedic parts here and there were a good balance to the more serious stuff. You wanted to watch the next episode, which is more than you can say about some series. The racial aspect was present like in many shows today, but for me at least not in a way that ruined the experience. Regina King and Yahya Abdul Mateen were the clear cut stars of the cast. Believable acting and good chemistry between them. Also Jean Smart and Jeremy Irons deserve praise for their roles. Usually have a difficult time coping with Irons, but here he's quite alright. The wheels came off a bit in the finale, which was a shame, but it didn't deter the fact that this was a well made show that would have deserved a continuation. At least I would have watched it.
The Sisters Brothers
(2018)
A different western
22 September 2023
With John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix in the lead roles I went into this one expecting a western with a comedic undertone. It was far from that. It turned out to be a gritty, layered affair about sacrifice, redemption, greed and forgiving. There was something fleeing about the story, like when you thought you had a grip on things it turned into something else. Was surprised about the level of the cast. Besides the aformentioned Reilly and Phoenix it featured Jake Gyllenhaal, Riz Ahmed and Rutger Hauer although you could argue that Hauer almost wasn't in this one that small was his part. Gyllenhaal and Ahmed had a nice, almost bromantic connection in the middle portion of the film. Pacing was a problem at times, it felt like they could have shaved half an hour off the runtime and it wouldn't have affected the outcome. In the end I felt this was a pleasant yet flawed surprise.
Argo
(2012)
An enjoyable experience
19 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Had a real hoot with this one. Would have been good even without being based on real events, but that fact just made it better. The best parts were the engaging and suspenseful storytelling, along with the witty humor ever present. The US embassy in Iran gets overtaken by demonstrators and a group of ambassadors manage to escape and find refuge at the Canadian ambassador. Here they are confined until Ben Affleck is sent with the intricate task of extracting them from arguably the worst place imaginable. The cast is world class with the likes of John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston and Ben Affleck all in their prime. The dialogue and chemistry is second to none. You really feel for the characters and their struggles to leave this hostile country. Not much to complain about here, maybe cuts a few corners here and there. Also I'm not sure exactly how accurate the story is to what really happened. But for me that doesn't matter, in my book this is a good movie well deserving of the oscars it received at the time.
Crimes of the Future
(2022)
Oh that Cronenberg
9 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I've seen a few Cronenberg movies (well, at least parts of them) so I had an idea of what I was getting myself into. If this is your first contact with Cronenbergs work I can understand that you wouldn't want to see another movie by him ever again. Can't say I blame you.
The story is nonsensical. Somehow in the future everyone is obsessed with surgery but why is never explained. The idea just seems ludicrous. As a matter of fact not much is explained in any way whatsoever. Stuff just happens. Viggo Mortensen is a kind of performance artist walking around like a constipated ninja harvesting new types of organs in his body and having Lea Seydoux cut them out for people to watch.
At one point Mortensen is eating from a kind of bone chair having problems swallowing. At another a guy has his eyes and mouth sewed shut his body covered with ears dancing to techno music. At yet another Mortensens stomach is opened like a zipper and Seydoux proceeds to suck on it. As you can read, any one of these scenes should make you want to look elsewhere for entertainment.
The cast here is suprisingly competent with the likes of Viggo Mortensen, Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart (although I don't really count her as competent). What made them jump aboard this baffles me. They must have read the script you would think.
Somehow I stuck with this one to the end, although I can't for the love of me understand why. Maybe I thought some epiphany would materialize itself in the end, but that never happened. Guess I'm kind of a freak in the way the characters in this film are for exposing myself to this drivel. There are better ways than this to spend your time.
The story is nonsensical. Somehow in the future everyone is obsessed with surgery but why is never explained. The idea just seems ludicrous. As a matter of fact not much is explained in any way whatsoever. Stuff just happens. Viggo Mortensen is a kind of performance artist walking around like a constipated ninja harvesting new types of organs in his body and having Lea Seydoux cut them out for people to watch.
At one point Mortensen is eating from a kind of bone chair having problems swallowing. At another a guy has his eyes and mouth sewed shut his body covered with ears dancing to techno music. At yet another Mortensens stomach is opened like a zipper and Seydoux proceeds to suck on it. As you can read, any one of these scenes should make you want to look elsewhere for entertainment.
The cast here is suprisingly competent with the likes of Viggo Mortensen, Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart (although I don't really count her as competent). What made them jump aboard this baffles me. They must have read the script you would think.
Somehow I stuck with this one to the end, although I can't for the love of me understand why. Maybe I thought some epiphany would materialize itself in the end, but that never happened. Guess I'm kind of a freak in the way the characters in this film are for exposing myself to this drivel. There are better ways than this to spend your time.
The Menu
(2022)
Give me half the menu
5 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Went in with friends telling me they didn't like this. Have to tell them I don't agree.
This was very much a movie of two halfs. The setup and the feel of the first half was excellent. Really liked the pleasant feeling but at the same time that there was something sinister beneath it all. I also liked the small presentations of the dishes and how they were weaved into the tone. Ralph Fiennes exelled in his part although he rarely disappoints. The chemistry with him and Anya Taylor-Joy was also good. The rest of the cast performed ok.
Sadly the second part did not measure up to the first one. The tone that was skilfully set up was all over the place. The part where Anya Taylor-Joys character gets out by asking for a cheeseburger felt too easy like they didn't come up with anything better. When she asked for the burger I thought Fiennes wasn't going to be able to make something so simple, much like Nicholas Hoults character when he got the chance in the kitchen. The ending with the marshmallows also felt lazy in some way. Original yes, but didn't have much payoff.
All things considered at the end I felt there were more positives than negatives about this film. It was an intriguing and fascinating idea for a movie. With a little more determination from the writers this could have been a real treat. As it stands i'm content with the entrees and the main course.
This was very much a movie of two halfs. The setup and the feel of the first half was excellent. Really liked the pleasant feeling but at the same time that there was something sinister beneath it all. I also liked the small presentations of the dishes and how they were weaved into the tone. Ralph Fiennes exelled in his part although he rarely disappoints. The chemistry with him and Anya Taylor-Joy was also good. The rest of the cast performed ok.
Sadly the second part did not measure up to the first one. The tone that was skilfully set up was all over the place. The part where Anya Taylor-Joys character gets out by asking for a cheeseburger felt too easy like they didn't come up with anything better. When she asked for the burger I thought Fiennes wasn't going to be able to make something so simple, much like Nicholas Hoults character when he got the chance in the kitchen. The ending with the marshmallows also felt lazy in some way. Original yes, but didn't have much payoff.
All things considered at the end I felt there were more positives than negatives about this film. It was an intriguing and fascinating idea for a movie. With a little more determination from the writers this could have been a real treat. As it stands i'm content with the entrees and the main course.
Moonfall
(2022)
Space chumps
4 August 2023
Had been putting off watching this for quite a while but I eventually thought that I had to get it over with. I can now say I wish I could have had it unwatched.
Gravity this ain't. Nothing felt genuine. The plot was thin already from the synopsis and it turned out it was nothing more than a way below mediocre end of the world flick or even a bad sci-fi series. None of the characters felt believable or even likable.
With the same director as Independence Day much of the vibe from that film was present here. Lots of of stuff going on but not really doing anything.
Forced dialogue and campy attempts at humour. It felt like a b movie at times, but I guess they aimed higher than that.
If you haven't watched this, let it stay that way. There are way better movies on this subject.
Gravity this ain't. Nothing felt genuine. The plot was thin already from the synopsis and it turned out it was nothing more than a way below mediocre end of the world flick or even a bad sci-fi series. None of the characters felt believable or even likable.
With the same director as Independence Day much of the vibe from that film was present here. Lots of of stuff going on but not really doing anything.
Forced dialogue and campy attempts at humour. It felt like a b movie at times, but I guess they aimed higher than that.
If you haven't watched this, let it stay that way. There are way better movies on this subject.
After Yang
(2021)
Not my cup of tea
29 July 2023
The premise of this movie was somehow off. It had a thick pretentious aura around it. It did touch on some core subjects such as family, loss and memories. Nonetheless the story was all too convoluted to make much sense. The parts where they tried to understand Yangs memories had something going for it, but the the story was too elusive. I guess I have to concede that the cinematography was fine at times, but nothing more than that. Colin Farrell is an ok actor but he's done some pretty weird movies lately. Many in which he speaks in an advertently monotonous way, much in the same way as here. Both him and his female co-actor felt totally out of place in this, like they didn't belong in this setting. The dialogue was at times very stilted, trying too hard to knock off clever philosophical one liners rather than moving the story forward. At the end it felt like nothing had actually happened although one and a half hours had transpired. A really dense watch that I wouldn't recommend.
The Mustang
(2019)
"Some you can break and some you can't"
28 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A pretty decent showing this. The story revolves around an inmate helping to break in wild mustang horses as a part of his rehabilitation.
Matthias Shoenaerts is a believable actor and he is rather good here too as the bottled up angry prisoner. One aspect that ticked me a bit about his character in particular and the movie in general was that there was precious little backstory to him as well as the storyline as a whole. His struggles would have resonated stronger if the writers had invested more time developing his character.
The scene with the horse coming to Schoenaerts character after he lashed out on him is the best scene of the film. But it again the scene would have been stronger with more backstory.
At a runtime of one and a half hour you're bound to cut a number of corners but the storyline still felt rushed at times as a result.
Casting was generally well done but why it was necessary to have a good actor like Connie Britton play the psychologist with the minimal screen time she had was beyond me. Could have used a less experienced actor for that.
Cool that there are places in real life america where they use horses to rehabilitate inmates. Gave the story more depth.
Overall a good investment for one and a half hours of your life.
Matthias Shoenaerts is a believable actor and he is rather good here too as the bottled up angry prisoner. One aspect that ticked me a bit about his character in particular and the movie in general was that there was precious little backstory to him as well as the storyline as a whole. His struggles would have resonated stronger if the writers had invested more time developing his character.
The scene with the horse coming to Schoenaerts character after he lashed out on him is the best scene of the film. But it again the scene would have been stronger with more backstory.
At a runtime of one and a half hour you're bound to cut a number of corners but the storyline still felt rushed at times as a result.
Casting was generally well done but why it was necessary to have a good actor like Connie Britton play the psychologist with the minimal screen time she had was beyond me. Could have used a less experienced actor for that.
Cool that there are places in real life america where they use horses to rehabilitate inmates. Gave the story more depth.
Overall a good investment for one and a half hours of your life.
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