tomasctinoco Reviews

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)

Don't pay attention to negativity

[10/10 · 24 December 2023]

Pay no attention to the negative reviews, form your own opinion. This is a good movie and a solid watch. The writing is good, the story is good, the action is very very good, and the acting is good. I will say that some CGI could be better, it doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment of the film. While this film embraces its Star Wars roots, my only qualm lies in the inclusion of characters resembling Star Wars creatures and people. It slightly detracts from the otherwise original story, removing them is a small tweak that could elevate the overall experience. Again... Be you're own critic.

The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

More like Exorcist Disbeliever.

[2/10 · 7 October 2023]

In Exorcist Believer, director David Gordon Green seems to be stuck in a deja vu loop, recycling the same formula that worked for him in "Halloween." Unfortunately, this deja vu doesn't bring nostalgic chills, but rather a sense of disappointment. While Chris, a character from the original Exorcist, is dragged into this lackluster sequel, the rest of the plot veers into its own abyss of a weak and disconnected narrative. This movie really has zero connection to the original Exorcist. Green takes a strong character like Chris and, instead of adding depth, blindsides her with a disrespectful twist that feels like a disservice to the original film. The writing is terrible, leaving the story merely okay, but its blatant lack of connection to the iconic Exorcist makes it feel like a missed opportunity. The movie is not suspenseful, it's not scary, it's not shocking, it's nothing that the original Exorcist is and doesn't even come close. Perhaps, it would have been better marketed as a standalone movie with a fresh title, sparing itself comparison to one of cinema's horror gems. David Gordon Green NEEDS to stay away from making horror movies.

The Nun II (2023)

It's just ok.

[5/10 · 17 September 2023]

"The Nun 2, while receiving some praise, falls short of its predecessor (my personal opinion). It grapples with a somewhat underdeveloped plot that barely scratches the surface. Its leisurely pace, while aiming for suspense, often left me struggling to grasp the unfolding events and their significance.

In contrast to the first installment, the Nun 1 relies more on mood and suspense to produce the horror. The Nun 2 leans heavily on jump scares and gruesome scenes to get it by. The intricate sets and rich locations that added depth to the original are replaced with a more minimalist approach, such as using just a couple of sets to shoot the majority of the scenes is a potential letdown for fans of the series.

One disappointment for me was the limited screen time of the titular character, who instead possesses another character to carry out her sinister deeds. This departure from the first film's focus on the Nun's malevolent presence left me wanting more.

The film introduces a perplexing element with the enigmatic saint's eyes, leaving me questioning their purpose and the Nun's motivation. This ambiguity adds an unnecessary layer of confusion.

Additionally, The Nun 2 struggles with narrative inconsistencies, presenting potholes that detract from the overall experience. The supporting cast, unfortunately, fails to leave a lasting impression, making the film's characters easily forgettable.

While The Nun 2 has its moments, it ultimately lacks the depth, atmosphere, and coherence of its predecessor, making it a somewhat uneven addition to the franchise."

The Whale (2022)

Very good, but not great.

[7/10 · 2 September 2023]

In this film, the craftsmanship shines brightly, yet it falls short of striking the emotional chord we yearn for in a compelling drama. The ensemble cast, led by Brendan Fraser in his career-defining role, delivers stellar performances that light up the screen. However, it's Hong Chau's portrayal of Liz that truly steals the show, leaving us craving more of her character's depth and prominence.

While the movie boasts remarkable talent, the character of Ellie, the daughter, is regrettably a misstep. Her poorly conceived role leaves a bitter taste, showcasing missed opportunities for richer character development and narrative impact. The real Achilles' heel of this production, however, lies in its script. At times, the dialogue feels awkward and disjointed, detracting from the overall immersion.

As mentioned earlier, the emotional resonance we anticipated remains elusive, with certain poignant moments feeling forced rather than genuinely heartfelt. It's noteworthy that the screenplay is penned by the same author responsible for the original play, potentially acting as a creative hurdle for the visionary director, Darren Aronofsky.

Nonetheless, Aronofsky's directorial prowess shines through, salvaging much of the film's potential. Yet, one can't help but wonder if creative conflicts might have driven Tom Ford to exit the project and directors chair, leading to Aronofsky's involvement. In the end, this is a movie that boasts remarkable performances and craftsmanship but ultimately leaves us yearning for a deeper emotional connection and a more finely-tuned script.

Warlock: The Armageddon (1993)

Inferior to the original

[4/10 · 30 July 2023]

This movie falls short of the original, feeling like a low-budget made-for-TV production. While the plot has potential, the execution leaves much to be desired. Perhaps the director should have considered creating a compelling sequel to the original, building upon its successful plot instead of opting for a soft reboot. The focus on the warlock is insufficient, and too much time is devoted to developing unengaging supporting characters that never really bring anything important to the overall development of the plot. The poorly written script leads to laughable dialogue, and the balance between the warlock and supporting characters is off. Lastly... The editing is choppy and the cinematography is terrible.

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Total Bore.

[2/10 · 28 June 2023]

Get ready for a turd of a flick that will have you fighting off yawns in your seat. While it tries to rely on gory scenes to grab your attention, that's pretty much all it's got going for it. The plot is weak, the dialogue is cringe-worthy, and the acting feels forced and unconvincing. Plus, the movie looks like it was made on a shoestring budget, which only adds to its lackluster appeal.

Sure, the beginning shows a glimmer of promise, hinting at something better to come. But as soon as the evil takes its show on the road to the city, things go downhill faster than a rollercoaster plunge. I was left thoroughly disappointed by this one, with little to salvage the experience.

In the end, this Hollywood endeavor falls flat on its face. It fails to meet even the most basic expectations, leaving you feeling let down and regretful. Spare yourself the agony and find something else to watch. This movie is a prime example of wasted potential and shattered dreams.

Halloween Ends (2022)

A coming of age romance about a boy in love with MM.

[1/10 · 17 October 2022]

I hope that David Gordon Green never has anything to do with future Halloween Movies and I'm worried about The Exorcist. The entire time I was watching Halloween Ends I was thinking, WTF is going on? With four writers, is this the best that they could come up with? Halloween Ends is not a horror movie, it's not a slasher movie, it's not suspenseful, it's not scary. It's literally a coming of age romance about a boy in love with Michael Myers. I thought that Halloween Kills was bad and that the next film couldn't get any worse, I was wrong. I'll take Halloween Resurrection over this any day. I really hope that Malek Akkad doesn't continue with this absurd plot and starts over again.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Should've been a Disney+ release

[4/10 · 10 July 2022]

The movie is entertaining but it's not as good as Thor Ragnarok. The dialogue is in Love and Thunder is very Corny. The acting is terrible, Natalie Portman is very bad in this movie, her acting is the worst I've ever seen from her. The CGI looks kinda cheap in a lot of scenes. The plot is weak.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

This Franchise needs to go Extinct.

[4/10 · 11 June 2022]

Where was Steven Spielberg? Did he agree to this story? Did he review the script? Was he ever there during filming? Did he oversee the editing? WHERE WAS SPIELBERG???? There's dinosaur's in this movie that are controlled by laser pointers, WTF? This movie is the worst in the franchise. It's obvious that there was no supervision during the making of this movie and Director Colin Trevorrow was left to run a muck.

The Cold Light of Day (2012)

Decent B Action movie.

[8/10 · 5 June 2022]

Don't expect to watch a Jerry Bruckheimer type of production here, however... It is entertaining with good established actors. The plot is skimpy but the action scenes are good.

Morbius (2022)

Ignore the Reviews and you decide.

[8/10 · 23 May 2022]

The movie is good, it's entertaining, it's a total popcorn movie. Nothing more, nothing less. It's definitely much better than either of the Venom movies. This is by no means an Oscar contender, so don't start the movie expecting one. Just enjoy it!

Moonfall (2022)

POPCORN FUN!!

[10/10 · 5 February 2022]

This film is by no means an Oscar contender, and it's full of cheesiness, but it's fun!!!! It's an original story, it's action packed, and has a couple of fantastic actors. Lots of fun.

The Matrix Resurrections (I) (2021)

Relying on nostalgia instead of making something Original

[4/10 · 26 December 2021]

This movie is entertaining, it's familiar, it's cool because it reminds us of something awesome from our past. That's all the good that this movie gives us. The story is weak, the cinematography is bad, the action looks lazy, the writing is generic, the editing is choppy. The first Matrix brought cinema all kinds of firsts with cinematography, special FXS, story, plot, writing, story. The 2nd and 3rd Matrix films were not very good story wise, but technically they were always pushing with special FXS, cinematography, editing, it was good stuff. This new Matrix film, Resurrection brings nothing new, nothing ground breaking (like the original) nothing unique, nothing special. It's just entering, it's just generic. It plays like an expensive TV show and a cheap film. There's nothing cinematic about this movie, it feels like you're watching a made for tv movie. The writing sounds like something you'd hear in a TV show episode. The action sequences are weak and very much tv quality. The only reason I enjoyed this movie is because of the nostalgia, not because of what it is as a film. Watching this movie I realized which Wachowski was the visionary of the original Matrix Trilogy, that Wachowski DID NOT make this latest film.

House of Gucci (2021)

Solid movie.

[8/10 · 6 December 2021]

Ridley Scott just knows how to make a movie. This movie may be a little more Soap opera and less serious drama but it entertaining! It's well acted, the dialogue is good, the editing is great. There's no dull moments in this movie, and for it being such a long film, it moves quickly. My only complaints are the cinematography and the music in the film. Ridley Scott should've hired a better cinematographer that could've provided a shape and stylized look to the film. Being about Gucci, the Cinematography should've been the best of 2021. As for the music, instead of using some familiar American 80's pop hits, Ridley should've used some 80's Italian pop music or had a score with an '80s synth pop vibe to it. However... The movie is good, very entertaining and a solid watch.

Sinister 2 (2015)

As boring as can be.

[3/10 · 3 September 2021]

This film completely derailed a promising franchise. Too heavily inspired by The Children of the Corn, slow, flat, boring, no suspense, no thrills. Just a poorly crafted film with a almost non existent plot, and weak direction.

The Mist (2007)

Could've been better

[5/10 · 21 August 2021]

Had this film been directed by a better director, like John Carpenter, it would've definitely been one of the best Stephen King adaptions. This film needed a skilled director to bring tension and suspense to the film. The script and dialogue is good, Frank Darabont is a solid writer but a weak director. The cinematography is horrible, it looks like a cheap made for TV movie and the the editing is bad. Then there's the score, OMG.... One of the WORST film scores ever. I give this film a C+

Monster Hunter (2020)

Mindless Entertainment

[10/10 · 9 May 2021]

This is by no means a Oscar caliber film, so a story is not needed. There is no narrative, no plot, no rhyme or reason to this film. It's just mindless Entertainment, fun, great action scenes, good special FX, great score.

Mortal Kombat (2021)

Terrible

[2/10 · 25 April 2021]

I had such high hopes for this movie, it let me down in every way possible. The plot is weak, the acting is terrible, the writing is bad, and where TF was the editor? This movie did the exact opposite that ZS Justice League does. JL is very long but flows and runs smoothly, to the point that it feels a lot less shorter than it is. Mortal Kombat has a short runtime yet it's slow and drags badly, feels like it's longer than The Lord of the Rings. Hopefully if there is a sequel, a better and more experienced director is hired, along with a much better Editor.

The Bay of Silence (2020)

What is this?

[2/10 · 20 March 2021]

This movie is terrible. I've watched Taco Bell commercials that had more of a plot and drama then this movie has.

The Craft: Legacy (2020)

Not bad but definitely not good.

[4/10 · 16 January 2021]

The movie is entertaining enough but it's slow, and not like a slow burn type of slow, just slow. There's no clear narrative, the writing is bad, the editing is really bad, and the "climax" in the film is weak and flat.

Tenet (2020)

Terrible

[1/10 · 9 January 2021]

This film is by far Nolan's absolute worst film. There is no clear narrative, actually...there's No narrative. There is no rhyme or reason to this movie. Nolan is reaching here, and reaching hard.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Just as Good as the original.

[10/10 · 4 October 2020]

Of all the Halloween Sequels, Halloween 4 feels and looks like a true sequel to the original Halloween. Decent writing, good cinematography with good angles, good characters, well directed with solid suspense and thrills. The only negative thing about this movie is Michael Myer's mask, it's terrible. He look asian.

Relic (2020)

Solid thriller

[8/10 · 1 August 2020]

Lots of suspense and thrills in this film. Nicely acted and we'll written dialogue. The director, cinematographer, and editor deliver a well crafted horror film in a very artistic form. However.... The movie is too metaphorical for my taste. Overall I enjoyed it very much.

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles (2015)

Excellent TV!

[10/10 · 30 July 2020]

When I watched the movie Lizzie Borden took an Ax, I enjoyed it so much that I was hoping for a Sequel. Well... We were given something much more and much better, we got this Awesome series! The writers, directors, and producers did a fantastic job expanding on Lizzie Borden's allegations and took the liberty to fill in the blanks by injecting drama, suspense, and action into this whodunit story. As always Christina Ricci is fantastic.

Lizzie Borden Took an Ax (2014 TV Movie)

A fun watch!

[10/10 · 30 July 2020]

This made for tv movie is highly dramatized but very necessary for this skimpy old wodunit true story. Wonderfully acted by Christina Ricci and the rest of the supporting cast are very good. A solid, entertaining watch.