Change Your Image
adrift98
Reviews
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011)
More of the same
If you watched the first season you probably know what to expect. Dumb down HBO's Rome, style it after Frank Miller's 300, throw in some second rate CGI, claustrophobic sets, and off-kilter, pseudo-Shakespearian sounding dialog (littered with waaay too many references to male genitalia), and you got yourself an episode of Spartacus. If you like your soft porn punctuated with professional wrestling this is the show for you. Its almost as if the producers asked themselves "how can we get your average frat kid to watch something that takes place in the 1st century BC", and this is what they came up with. Its more the pity that there are some honestly decent actors in this series, but some of the scenarios the plot puts them in, and the scripted lines they're forced to spout, have me cringing in embarrassment.
We get an introduction to all of the nasty villains at the gladiatorial school that we didn't like the first time around (or at least... I didn't like), but this time there's no protagonist in their midst to root for, and that's really the only thing that got me through the first season. The knockout gorgeous Jaime Murray might be a reason to continue watching (American audiences will know her as H.G. Wells from Warehouse 13, and Lila Tournay from Dexter), and the always brooding, but likable Peter Mensah as Oenomaus gives us someone to empathize for, but I'm not sure its going to be enough.
I have a feeling that I'm going to watch it through to the end though. Unlike soft porn or pro wrestling, there's something about this show that's just appealing enough that it holds my attention. I don't know if its the pseudo-historical background or if its simply the voyeuristic feeling one gets while rubber-necking a bad accident... The excess, the vulgarity of it all... its a bit like watching 70s exploitation or an old John Waters film... its hard to look away even though there's certainly something more edifying to spend your time doing. And heck, I think I can stick it out for six episodes.
A Dangerous Place (1994)
No Karate Kid
This is a horrible film. Its nothing like the Karate Kid except that it has a kid in it who knows Karate. The plot is paper thin, the acting is cardboard (Corey Feldman included) and character development consists of good guys in white, bad guys in red. The whole film takes itself far too seriously and this is especially evident anytime the overly dramatic soundtrack ques in (good example being the very serious sounding synth music being played during a food fight in a school cafeteria as students smile on). The way the film plays out it feels like they're making it up on the spot. Even the action is boring and safe feeling. Don't waste your time.
Go Tigers! (2001)
An obsession
I finally got to see this documentary, and have to agree with one of the reviewers below... I too am thinking people are not "getting" this film. It's a great documentary about a horrifying town's obsession with it's school's football team. I didn't come away from this film thinking the director was intending to show school pride, but instead the negative and destructive impact a GAME has on small town folk who have nothing better to do on a Friday night. This film shows how this obsession has breed hatred, greed, and dishonesty, and through their naiveté, how the adults of the town have become the sad role models for the youth. It also shows how, in small towns, it's hard for people to make a distinction between Jesus, America, and Football. I applaud this film for being able to highlight some of the inane pressure that politicians, school administration, and parents are putting on their children in the name of school tradition, but i find it unfortunate that this film doesn't have the ability to show us that there are surely darker themes behind some of these pressures. Again, I have to agree with many of the other posters that more time should have been spent on those students who were not sports centric. Finally, having gone to high school in Lima Ohio (one of the towns that the Tigers play in this film), I have to say that I understand why people are not getting this film. I think when people grow up in these kinds of communities home pride makes it hard for them to stand back and use rational judgement.
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
Embarrasing mess
I really don't understand how this movie is getting such rave reviews. This is a horrendous film. I'm a huge Bruce Campbell fan, so I went in expecting good things. Those expectations were cut short right from the start with the 'grasping for straws' vulgar wit the story uses to introduce Elvis. What follows is an incohesive, badly acted, low budget mess with humor only a jr. highschooler could love. You really can't help think that this movie must have read better in the original book. It might have done well as a graphic comic book novel maybe, but as a movie it was plain pathetic. Don't waste your time.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
What's wrong with you people
I have no idea what's getting into the majority of folks in the viewer comments here. Maybe it's extreme over doses of Star Trekia. Maybe it's cause they spend far too much time wondering about physics of the star trek universe and not enough time enjoying a great film. I doubt the actors/characters in the film care about weather or not the shields could plausibily go up in time or weather the crew would be dumb enough to wander into a nebula... who cares? I've always found myself fairly critical about films... i've seen enough of em to make what i consider fair judgements, and though i would never consider myself a Trekkie, i gotta say i've probably seen most of the Star Trek universe as portrayed on TV and film (cept Deep Space Nine which was basically a futuristic soap opera). Out of all the Next Generation movies this has got to be the best. In fact, as far as movies are concerned, this has got to be one of the best sci-fi films i've seen in quite some time. The big arguement i hear from critics is that folks who've never seen the series wont get the inside jokes or the concepts and character interaction behind the story lines... What are these folks doing? Living under rocks? The series has been on in either it's original format or in syndication since it's inception! If you havent seen a single episode of Star Trek yet... what are you doing watching it in the theatre? And what kinda sci-fi fan are you anyways? This film had action, it had flawless directing, a tight script, and a really good story that didnt get overly cheeky (rare in the ST films it seems). The only thing i can think of being fairly disappointed in is the lack of name dropping Lore... one of Data's other brothers... but I imagine that was probably dropped due to casual watchers not understanding the full Lore :P behind the series. If you like action, you'll like this film. If you're not a total Star Trek maniac you'll probably like this film. Roeper of Ebert and Roeper gave it a thumbs up... maybe he knows what's up. The rest of you... give yourselves a break. This aint rocket science you know.
Spider-Man (2002)
I dont get it
I dont get why i see nothing but shining reviews for this obviously less than marvelous film. Im a huge Spider-man fan, big time into Sam Raimi's movies, love Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Mcguire and Willam Defoe, but this movie was sub-par at best. I couldnt wait for this film to come out. And when i finally saw it i couldnt wait for it to be over.
Ive been waiting for a Spider-man film ever since watching the made for TV films as a kid and when i heard that James Cameron was working on the character a few years ago i was really excited. Ive been following the making of the film since then and finally got to see it about a week ago. Maybe i came into the theater with expectations that were far too high cause this film totally bored me about half way threw. The story is ok, the acting isnt horrible but the film suffers in all the worst places. The pacing is completely off, which makes the film very hard to follow (too much jumping around in time, drawn out moments followed by years zooming past) The acting is good but the script blows, Its completely cheesed up, even for a comic book script. The scripting "feels" forced, there's no natural flow. The romance is mushy and generic and it seems like in a lot of places their should have been some editing done to flesh out key character acting moments (like Defoe's inner conflict scenes). You can tell Sony musta put some money into this film but the whole thing has a sort of, i dont know, cheap quality to it. The scenery and costumes are bland and plastic looking (I did like spidey's costume though). And after this film ive officially decided i cant stand CGI special effects. After seeing the artificialness that CGI has caused in films like Star Wars, The Mummy Returns, Blade 2 and finally Spiderman i commend any director who takes the tried and true route using technically difficult but more substantial looking older effects like claymation, puppets, robots and painted backdrops.
What i really cant get though is why everyone online and in reviews on TV and the general media seem to have so much praise for this film. Most of my own friends came out shaking their heads muttering how horrible the film was, one buddy of mine actually fell asleep in the theater with his girlfriend. I think maybe it's a film you want to like and because of that i think some folks just arent plain honest about how good this film really is. If it werent Spidey im wondering if anyone would give this film a chance at all.
Aliens (1986)
Pop Movie
I just got the Legacy boxset, and though ive seen all 4 films already, it was nice to see each film as they relate one to the other. This is obviously everyones favorite in the Alien Franchise, but after viewing all 4 i have to say that i think this is really the odd man out. I dont know really how to say this but it seems that all of the films have very almost artistic vibes, but this film. Aliens just feels like it was made for the masses, no different from any of Cameron's other films i suppose, but, well, let's take a look. We have Alien. We have a simple concept, and a limited budget, but we have an excellent director, one who is known for his incredible attention to detail. We have True art on film in the form of Geiger's Alien, hive and planet. We have space suits designed by Moebius that look like something from the Air Tight Garage. We have strong characters, a good script, and air of mystery to everything. In fact this is what Alien is all about to me, this air of mystique. Part 3 and Ressurection continue this art by throwing in beautiful lighting, tons of sepia tones, blury detail, interesting and bizarre characters, and best of all, a continuation of high comic Heavy Metal Magazine themic styling by two of movies greatest directors David Fincher and Jeanne-Pierre Juenet. Part 2 really could have worked just as well with any ol group of crazy mean outter space monsters though. It's ok for a simple action film but doesnt really hold well on its own in the artistic department. I'm probably being too tough on this film. It isnt all that bad, but still when you line up to all the other films, you can see that this one just doesnt belong. It should have been made into a stand alone film so I could go on loving all the color in the other films without hearing folks gripe about the sequals, but then of course there would have been no other sequals. If you want a true Sequal to Aliens watch Predator.
Altered States (1980)
Great film
Ken Russel's direction is as usual, genius. I've read other commentaries on this film here but seems like no one made the Dr. Jekyl, Mr Hide connection that i saw in this film. Sort of an updated version of that story what with the mad scientist trying to unlock the simplistic nature of humanity. The acting is great and i really enjoyed the script work (you can hear a sample of it on Ministry's Psalm 69 with the skizophrenic girl saying "i feel like I'm touching the heart of Christ" or something to that effect). The film really hooked me with the spiritual themes it starts off with but unfortunately that concept seems to be thrown out the window further into the film. Anyhow i think its a great film and certainly one of the top sci-fi films ever. Blessings