steve-ruzicka Reviews

Barbie (I) (2023)

Whipped Cream

[5/10 · 14 October 2023]

I was told that I needed to go deeper than the narrative and the images. I tried, but it did not work. Each argument was so cheap and the forced superficiality, that I believe was required by the director, did not attract my buy-in. Even the finale with Mama Barbie came out so commercially, as did the self ironizing Mattel incorporation.

So I will find other movies where Margot and Ryan's performance is far more notable.

Final note: there is only one Barbie that would fit the role. Problem is that her performance would have killed the movie. But I still like her, which is bizarre: Paris Hilton.

Titane (2021)

Gender

[6/10 · 18 May 2022]

The movie goes far beyond what pictures can reveal.

How does one assume its genetical heritage? The XY combination goes both ways. And between them, a gray area. How can we judge the enormous complexity of our biological constitution? Titane delves deep into who an individual is, personally. And then how the environment reacts to it and how it influences the individual's behavior. One needs to go far beyond the images of this movie. Do you like it or not? Forget whatever is visual.

The reflexion is far more remote than looking to bodies.

Why did I rate it a 6? Because the choice of actors and their body features, however realistic they are, is displeasing. Beauty is totally rejected and stains, in a certain way, genders in the gray area. We are beautiful across the XY spectrum. No need to vulgarize it.

Hillbilly Elegy (2020)

An American story-life

[8/10 · 10 January 2022]

Yes, far too low rating. Not enough special effects? Understanding our American culture is more vital today than at any other time in our history. This book and film show beautifully well how America was built, from drama to humanity. Will we Americans be able to further grow on a similar path or will we degenerate into hatred division?

Her Name Was Jo (2020)

A candle in the night of out world

[9/10 · 7 April 2021]

A rare jewel in the tornado of super hero movies. The journey of Jo is not just the search for her biological father. It is far more a joint journey for the spectators with Jo as she coldly penetrates the world of adults with her only friend Selma. While the movie can be summarized in a few sentences, the emotional attachment we develop for Jo and her friend grows enormously up to the end. Heartbreaking with very dim lights of hope. Mary Cate Williams delivers a sensational performance, supported by the touching help from Eliza Duca. A movie to watch with your heart.

I Care a Lot (2020)

Moral or immoral?

[7/10 · 13 March 2021]

Rosamund Pike, do you like these type of gray roles? Gone Girl, I Care a Lot? It is however a good movie, the script is well balanced and the spectator's mind hesitates taking side between bad Russian mafia and bad capitalistic (top money) ambition. Should they all die, or just one part of this black equation. Well, just look to the end. In conclusion, I wish our society would be better than this depressive picture. Are we ...?

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

No no no

[5/10 · 29 December 2020]

Maybe my rating is subjective as I stopped the movie after 57 minutes. Oh my, how can we go backwards so badly. Every scene falls like a cliche. I accepted it in the beginning, somewhat believing it would move on to a better level. No no no, it went down. Gal Gadot, please, anything you can do better before you crash your career? For Mrs. Patty Jenkins, a follow up movie must be equally better. If not you sink and this one is a disaster.

Enter the Void (2009)

Are you ...?

[4/10 · 12 December 2020]

... kidding me. Sorry, I had to stop the movie after the killing and the love (?) scene with the sister's manager. I realize that the rest could be better if I just had the courage the continue to watch. Maybe the memories of this past, his killing in this beautiful restroom and the future life of his sister would have made it a gem movie. But no, this is not my type of movie and certainly not the vague and smoggy camera's work.

2067 (2020)

Aouch!

[3/10 · 12 October 2020]

SF, as any other genre, needs some magic ingredients to work. Trying to review the ingredients in this movie becomes demoralizing. The actors (especially Kodi Smit- McPhee) are out of place in their role, physically and performance-wise. The dialogue script is so weak that some lines had to be literally copied from other movies (Independence Day, Intertsellar). The accompanying music track tries to bring us to tear, syrupy type. The story is a degenerate version of Millennium. Mr. Seth Larney, the SF genre is not for beginners. Whatever you did in filmography does not make you a promising director. What a waste!

Unfit: The Psychology of Donald Trump (2020)

History in an eternal repeat

[10/10 · 2 October 2020]

Excellent progression in defining Trump and then developing the arguments to understand why so many Americans support him. There is no need to repeat all the points developed by respectable experts. Suffice to say that this next presidential election will define the future of democracy and the stabilizing role the US could or could not play on the international scene. As a side note, the rating of 6.8 definitely does not reflect the overwhelming 10/10 reviews. I would have expected more courage from the ones who disliked the movie by bringing their own counter arguments.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)

Interface

[8/10 · 26 August 2020]

First, it is a pleasure to discover Jodie Foster as a teenager actor. Beyond her promising actress career in this movie, there is an emotional attraction to her role. She navigates the interface between early teenager and young woman, with the identity of higher maturity. The interface plays at various levels: strong will and subduction, secrecy and trust, maturity and child innocence. Difficult not to like her character and wanting to help her go through the bleak and grey world of adults. A well deserved 8 stars.

First Contact (I) (2016)

21st Century religion?

[6/10 · 23 August 2020]

Prophets have regularly appeared during human history. Their tales and preaching differed depending when they lived. So Jesus declares he is the son of God and teaches his learning from his father God. The messages are all about love and respect of human life, generating a positive attitude towards the world. Mohamad follows the same line, being in contact with Allah through angel Gabriel. The first parts of the Quran also promote messages of love and tolerance. Both Jesus and Mohamad reference the time when God/Allah/Jehova will make contact with humans and exercise Final Judgment. Darryl Anka follows the same path, putting it into the 21st century perspective. He communicates with Bashar across the Galaxy and delivers messages of peace, respect and positivity in our lives. He even gets more precise as physical contact will happen within the next 20 years. It is difficult to ignore the parallel between these fantastic three preachers. It is also difficult to brush aside what humans have done of these moral lessons when these were regrouped under a religion name. Look at this documentary with an open as well as a critical mind. It is interesting when brushing out the "super natural" and sometimes convoluted language.

The Complex (2020 Video Game)

Another British disaster

[4/10 · 3 August 2020]

When Great Britain and North Ireland decide to go the Science Fiction route, it always is risky. This one fits the mold: too much useless dialogue, slightly acidic remarks in the British line of sarcastic tone and very little action. Adding to it, the British accent ensuring a larger international audience will have difficulty to follow the dialogues, makes it even less palatable. There are definitely British jewels to watch, more dramatic or more comedy, but when it comes to SF ... a movie is not to be shot as a series. Call it one or the other: brilliant SF series (Thee Mandolarian, The Expanse) exist. Brilliant SF movies exist (do I have to give examples?). In summary, disappointing and not recommended in the ocean of below average SF movies.

Iron Sky (2012)

Do you know movies and history?

[8/10 · 4 February 2020]

It's the second time I saw Iron Sky and my rating increased from 6 to 8. As most of the time, I go to IMDB after having seen a movie to check how other viewers reacted. First of all, people show use extreme ratings more carefully. Just giving a 1 does not make sense, even if the movie was disliked. Iron Sky is of course second degree humor, requiring some basic understanding of the second world war. Numerous references are also made to other movies. I would need a third viewing. So kudos to the Iron Sky fans and donators. And the followup movie is a pleasure to watch as well. We say in French "déjanté". Enjoy.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

Enjoy

[8/10 · 5 December 2019]

To my dear reviewers. Let's take some distance. In the world of Luc Besson, this is entertainment. Just immerse yourself in the movie, don't ask too many questions whether it is realistic, scientifically plausible. Just enjoy the beauty of the scenery (even if its is CG) and the beautiful actors. Science fiction is about transporting you in other worlds, other dimensions. As a SF fan, i makes a difference between taken as a fool in C-- productions and serious ones produced/directed by professional people like Besson, Ridley and others). Being too critical will erode the pleasure of just riding along the story, the characters, the imagination of future worlds. Let's not be too serious. There are gems in SF that define the future evolving path of SF. Yes, there is Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, James Cameron and more that lead the way. Others pick on the line. And they should not be disregarded.

Trafficked (2017)

The blindness viewers

[9/10 · 1 September 2019]

To all of you bright spectators that rated this movie in the low 5's: do you understand anything this movie is about? It is not about cinematography or actors performance. It tries to show you one of the many problems our society has to deal with, beyond all the other major challenges. Money and sex. Are we tackling it? Do we care? Probably not according to the geniuses ratings. After thousands of years of human social behavior, have we learned anything on how to respect human life and life in general? Shame on you all. Make me a favor: look at the movie again, this time from your soul and heart. Maybe you'll change your thinking and rating.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)

Thanks to the dogs ...

[4/10 · 17 August 2019]

If it were not for their great contribution to make the movie somewhat fun, my rating would be 2 or 3. Enough said on this John Wick getting weaker and weaker the more episodes build up. And unfortunately, there will be a number 4. Is that type of action now the norm for the new generation

Replicas (2018)

Missed opportunity

[5/10 · 21 June 2019]

The replica idea was well filmed in "The 6th Day" movie. Characters were well chosen and to make it more digestible, humor was intelligently added. So what about this Replicas? Keanu Reeves is a poor choice for the lead actor. His acting, his voice, his manners, all come out fake. He definitely should restrain himself to his typical roles: Constantine, John Wick, The Matrix, The Day the Earth Stood Still. Being a fan of Science Fiction movies, I generally will give low rating movies a chance. Well ... In addition to the poor acting, the director thought that some gibberish science was needed to make it more ...? The top of the top of the movie happens at the end, on a paradisiac beach with coconut trees and the return of the so much beloved one. As a ridiculous cliche, one cannot do better. The good news is that the producing companies will loose a good chunk of million of dollars. Hopefully they will learn from this experience. Of course I doubt it.

The Bleeding Edge (2016)

Watch with objectivity

[8/10 · 6 May 2019]

This movie is not about acting or thriller. As horrible as it appears, an in depth check on the internet confirms the practices used by the Chinese government regime in not only incarcerating Falun Gong practitioners but also using their vital organs for business transplants. Horrors are not new. Torture is not new. The history of humanity is stained continuously with groups (governments, sects or individuals) exerting their power to achieve their immoral objectives. This movie is a milestone, as many others before (see the work of Costa Gravas), to make us open our minds to animal totalitarism. In terms of cinematography, the movie is average. The content is what is mostly important.

Life Itself (2018)

Emotions

[10/10 · 5 May 2019]

Some movies will relate to an individual's own experience and life. And it will liberate a flow of souvenirs and emotions. Human emotions. The ones that show we are good people. This is this type of movie. The overall rating is unfortunately low. Why? Does a movie need CG, violence, sex and dramatic action to deserve high notes? Yes, if it is well constructed with good actors, good script and real beings with their high's and lows. Do we have a generation issue in rating movies on a global basis, recognizing that any style and genre will produce gems. And this movie is a gem. This movie is love beyond the precipices of life. It is not too late for all viewers having left low rating to reconsider and see this movie again.

Upstream Color (2013)

Lost in deep bue sky depth

[5/10 · 5 January 2019]

This is a movie for painting critics and intellectuals. So follow the recipe: take a few orchards, add a bunch of sweet looking pigs, follow with a hint of Walden and quinoa in the valley. Do NOT shake before adding a precise number of selected worms (selection means you trace these in a colorful colon). This cocktail is not for your drinking. It is for you cinematic culture. What? You did not understand it? Then there is only one remedy: start watching the movie from the beginning, from the beginning from the beginning...

Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010)

Trial and Error

[4/10 · 22 December 2018]

The end of the movie is as clear as the beginning: don't even try to understand. This is a trial movie (cinema d'essai) where only the director might have a clue of what it all means.Given the low budget, the camera needs to play new approaches. So we get frequent views of an indirect lighted ceiling, redundant shots going from blurred vision to red light shots to full blackness. Is there a reason for the uneducated viewer to distill any conclusion from all this. Inventing/reinventing Science Fiction cinematography is far from easy and this trial unfortunately does not improve the arduous pathway to great cinema.

The Straight Story (1999)

It is straight all right

[5/10 · 21 December 2018]

When I see David Lynch and an 8.0 rating, I will of course see the movie. But, but but: what is going on in this movie? Nearly nothing. An old stubborn man wants to repair a broken relationship with his brother. Stubborn means he will not use any of the facilities of the 20th century: neither bus, nor train, nor car, nor anything else than his mower and trailer. That's about it. The end? He meets his brother living in a shack and their eyes say it all. Cinematography? Nothing out of this world: large fields with large agricultural machines. Still defending an 8.0??

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Theater and theater

[6/10 · 19 December 2018]

This is a great way to show that a movie cannot only be a theater replay. I can easily see that on a theater scene it would really be interesting to see the characters conflicting with each other, defending every bit of themselves to get their commission if they can make the sale. One can immediately extrapolate to the selling of time sharing. But ... this is a movie and all the talking and talking gets tiring and boring. Talking is acceptable when dealing with critical subjects (take for example "Conspiracy"). With this Glen Glen Ross we quickly understand the desperation of these sales people. Over two hours of this does not improve in any way the movie nor the performance of the actors.

Warrior (2011)

Cheap

[5/10 · 21 October 2018]

First comment on the community rating above 8: these must be MMA fans! The movie in itself could be resumed to 10 minutes screening and would wipe out the catastrophic caricature of the players, all of them. Nick Nolte stopped drinking for 1,000 days but of course gets back to it. His air of beaten dog is just how he looks, no need to perform. Joel Edgerton is a professor of physics but also a mixed martial art fighter (this is to show that MMA is not only populated by brawling beasts). Tom Hardy is the brute with a lot of excuses to cover his nihilism. The rest of the crew is just there to try to make the fights exciting and make you jump out of your chair. In a single word: pathetic.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

From a great book to an average movie

[7/10 · 21 April 2012]

I confess: the movie was a disappointment. The book and the deepness of the characters is far superior. A book of course has far more potential when it comes to describe a large family over generations and their internal battles. The genealogy is important to understand the various relationships and I admit having had to go back to earlier passages to reposition the players. The book is magnificently constructed with far more content to the "investigation" and the development of Lisbeth's character. It also seems that the book's intermediate end (what did really happen to Harriet) did not please the director, so he took a shortcut: open for discussion. In conclusion, people who did not read the book are likely to give the movie a higher rating. To them I strongly recommend to get the book and ... enjoy it.