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Challengers (2024)
Challengers was a challenge to sit through for 131 minutes
First of all, this movie has an 80s-style vibe that we have seen many times before that could have well been told in a conventional 90-100 minute movie. This movie truly was not "important" enough to tell it over 131 minutes. Add to that there were pointless extended shots that you were begging to end. At about 100 minutes in, audience members were looking at their cellphones either to check the time or they were getting restless.
Second, there were excessive timeline jumps. It is often a useful story-telling device, but here it was excessive and distracting - so much so that when they did another timeline jump there was a consensus "groan." Making matters worse, is that there were time jumps as long as 13 years. However, Zendaya --- bless her heart --- as much as they tried to "age" her and "de-age" her through hair and make-up, she never looked, to me, older than about 17 years old regardless of the time era.
Third, while I credit Zendaya for tackling such a meaty role, and as much as I otherwise adore her, she just simply seemed to young to be so "weathered" and "jaded" and "cynical" and "ruthless" and "calculating" as she was. Further, I really don't remember her smiling once throughout the movie. And as I have read in other reviews, she seemed to have a resting "scowl" throughout the movie - ironically very much similar to the scowl she had throughout both Dune 1 and 2.
And lastly, by the end of the movie, none of the three characters were likeable, and, perhaps, oddly, sadly, Zendaya was, to me, the least likeable. And from a film character study point of view, the viewer is never given a reason or backstory for this.
With all these distractions in mind, I was so eager for the movie to end that I lost all investment whatsoever in who won or lost in the story's big moment.
Gone (2012)
Loved it!
For a movie in a genre we've seen many times before ie "the kidnap victim who got away"... the movie could be considered very conventional. However early-film career Amanda Seyfried is exceptional in her acting and stunningly adorable and beautiful that you simply can't overlook.
The movie is literally "stuffed" with potential whodunnit suspects, including the "new" creepy overly concerned detective to the underconcerned boyfriend of the kidnap victim to the "squirrely" neighbor across the street... basically every guy she meets while searching for her sister. Is that plot strategy prthaps over contrived? Perhaps. But not to the point of distraction.
The movie did effectively have me wondering whether this was all in Seyfried head... whether the conversation with killer was even real or imagined... did Molly stage her own kidnapping?
I was both shocked and disappointed the movie was given a drastically low critic rating because I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
The movie ending is very similar to "The Call" with Halle Berry. Loved both!
Tie jiao wa (1973)
Very disappointing
As someone who has watched hundreds of Kung fu movies - particularly from the 70s area, I was very disappointed.
First of all the American title "Murder Masters of Kung Fu" is very fitting for a "period" 70s Kung fu flick but this is set in the 70s with 70s attire - so that's a turn off right off the bat.
Second, the fighting is both amateurish and non sophisticated. No one impressed me in the least as a "master" and even less as a "murder master".
Third, the convoluted plot is a mish-mash of non-compelling events to which you develop no investment whatsoever.
Fourth, there is a pretty "daughter" (who fights) vaguely at the center of of the plot lines who is simply an ok fighter like everyone else.
The "final fight" which lasts no more than 2 minutes or so is no more compelling than other fights in the movie.
This is a movie that might typically be thrown in as the third movie in a triple header in the classic kung fu movie houses of the 70s - but that most moviegoers including myself would not bother to stay for.
Fatale (2020)
Better than most
Starts off like typical "fatal attraction" fare. But then there are great confrontations beaten Swank and Ealy and a number of twists and Swanks important custody plot line that add more intriguing complexity than these typical genre films. Swank here is only slightly psycho but moreso calculating, manipulative, and clever.
Ealy on the other hand seems to find himself consistently in this genre as either the obsessed character or victim of the obsessed character or cheater or otherwise sleazy spouse or partner.
I enjoyed the movie enough that when it popped up again on my streaming guide I was interested in watching it a second time.
Like many films of this genre, without giving anything away, you could imagine several endings were filmed.
Recommend.
The First Omen (2024)
Better than expected
Expected a cheap ripoff cash grab, but it actually turned out to be a thoughtful provocative homage that aligned very well with the original. It does have a modest number of freak accidents that we come to expect in an Omen film but to the film's credit, it doesn't try to capture the same shock value those scenes had when we were first watched Omen one and two. Of course we have seen countless "devils baby" movies, and frankly, this may not be one of the better "devils baby" movies, but it necessarily has to be a "devil baby" movie as a necessary plot point to go to the original Omen movie.
Overall, I came out of the theater very satisfied. The movie was very well done, was paced very well. Was acted very well, and has some great twists and turns. I'm also intrigued by the idea of a parallel spinoff...