swf64 Reviews

Fantastic Four (2015)

Worth the investment

[7/10 · 30 October 2015]

The problem with the internet is that it's mostly filled with silly children.

This version of the Fantastic Four is a very good movie. At it's best it captures interpersonal tension in a way few movies have, and Kate Mara shows that she is capable of elevating a movie beyond what it would otherwise be.

The movie isn't perfect. It drags in the second half for a bit and becomes completely predictable after that point. It defiantly has a stronger build up than finish. Still, it's a lot of fun and it ends well.

6.8 seems about right to me. It's not a high end comic book adaptation with Tony Stark, but if you're look for some escapist entertainment it fits the bill.

Infini (2015)

Very Good Sci fi

[7/10 · 10 May 2015]

WOW don't buy into the rating on this one.

This is very good science fiction. The characters are developed. The settings are first class. The best thing about this movie is the story.

The story is well paced and above average for a science fiction movie.

This isn't a A level title with Tom Cruise or George Clooney, but it's not far off the mark, and it uses the blood and violence to bring home a story that's real and heartfelt.

Real science fiction for real science fiction fans. Easy 7.

A team of elite soldiers travel to a remote outpost that is home to an indigenous life form. If you think you might like this movie it will exceed expectations.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

O-o-h Child...

[9/10 · 16 November 2014]

This is a movie that strives to make throw your popcorn in the air and clap your hands, and on every level it comes very close to doing so. The music. The way the movie uses music alone is enough to make it more creative than most movies you will see this year. The story, while nothing you haven't seen before, is told much better than other movies that have tried. It's similar to a "John Carter" that actually works, and the reason it works are it's amazing characters. Every actor in this movie nails it, and the characters they play are imaginative, and believable, at the same time. This is a movie that does an excellent job of making you happy, making you smile, and giving you hope. The truest complement to this movie is that it doesn't matter how much I hype it. I knew this movie would be great, and it was much better than I imagined.

Ghosts of Mars (2001)

B side of Rocky Horror and Aliens.

[7/10 · 15 November 2014]

I can't help but laugh at many of the reviews of this movie. While this may not be Carpenters best work, it's a very entertaining movie with a great cast. A John Carpenter movie with Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham, Joanna Cassidy, Pam Grier, Clea DuVall, and Robert Carradine, and is a 4.9? Seriously? It's been said several times in these comments, and it's true, people don't get John Carpenter.

The problem with this movie, for many, is that it's extremely grotesque and irreverent. There are body mutilations, decapitations, severed limbs, drug use, and strong sexual content that isn't of the strait variety. It's as if Carpenter is intentionally trying to alienate his audience, and those with timid points of view. I'm not saying the dark content makes the movie good, but it doesn't make it bad, and when you accept it as a fun and unique form of challenge, there is a solid story and a good movie.

All of the Actors, with the exception of Joanna Cassidy, give very good performances. Cassidy struggles to make her character believable, and never seems committed to the role. Natasha Henstridge is excellent, and she is surrounded by a strong cast, and she works well with all of them, especially Ice Cube.

The story raises some fairly deep questions, considering the content, questions about social responsibility, personal independence, and the true nature of right and wrong.

It's really very simple when you look past the shock value. Mars is run by women and the ghost of mars have returned. Who will survive? Who should survive? Who can survive? An easy 6.5 and probably closer to 7.

Black Box (2014)

Typical

[4/10 · 1 October 2014]

Enabling failure and manipulation are the hallmarks of the American entertainment industry. For the most part it's a harmless game. It always has been.

It's not wrong when the ends justify the means, or there is another justifiable framework in place. Wrong becomes right and right becomes wrong. You're not to blame and the enemy is always a bad guy. It's a fantasy that sells. It's a fantasy that entertains.

Sex, violence, power, all looking for justification and an audience to entangle. The only goal to sell and support an above average lifestyle. These are the hard truths and you will find nothing like them in the Black Box.

These are the reasons some topics are generally seen as untouchable except by those with no scruples.

If ABC was really interested in helping the mentally ill navigate our society, I would suggest a television series might not be the best vehicle.

A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

Very Well Made

[7/10 · 30 September 2014]

This movie reminded me of Blade Runner, Brian De Palma, and Scorsese. In fact the only real flaw in the movie is it never finds a center for it's self or it's main character.

This is offset by the fact that the great P.I. movies of the past never did either, and this movie is strait out of that vain.

Matthew Scudder is loner who follows his own path and never lets you inside. He does what he thinks is right and he knows things aren't black and white.

The movie is elegantly shot, fairly slow, and not overly complex. It uses a great actor, and a very well made movie, to take us back to the great P.I. movies of the past. I can see this being a series very easily. 6.9

Zulu (2013)

Whitaker and Bloom shine......

[9/10 · 26 August 2014]

A well crafted and powerful drama that never compromises. There really isn't much more that needs to be said. This is the type of movie Hollywood rarely makes. A movie with well developed characters, telling a gripping story, that leads to a meaningful ending.

This is the type of product that comes from integrity, professionalism, and hard work. There's nothing particularly flashy or preachy. A strong compelling story that moves well and is believable. One that has characters you are invested in. Three homicide officers are tasked with investigating a drug murder. The officers are shown in detail as the investigation quickly evolves and then consumes them.

At it's strongest the movie does an amazing job of presenting a believable South Africa. One that is moral, realistic, and hopeful.

300: Rise of an Empire (2014)

More than comical.

[7/10 · 6 June 2014]

Rise of an empire is a dramatic, and for the most part, fictitious telling of the Persians second invasion of Greece. We may never know exactly how the Greek city states defeated the mighty Persian empire, but we can safely say this movie fails to cover the basics of the conflict. The movie covers a broader story than the first 300 movie, including the stand at Thermopylae, and it has all of the flaws, and strengths, of the first movie. I can only Imagine that the people giving the movie such low marks have some agenda, or reason, for their reaction. If you're looking for a smash mouth, hero based tale, with a sprinkling of history, It's as good as you're likely to get. Just don't think you have a clue about Sparta, Athens, Persia, or Greek history because you watched it.

47 Ronin (2013)

Now for something completely different ...from fantasy!

[8/10 · 11 May 2014]

This is a fantasy movie set in early Japan instead of a medieval setting. It reminded me of Snow White and the Huntsman. At its core it's about honor and forbidden love. This movie requires much disbelief, not the least of which is believing that Keanu Reeve would be there, but if you can make that leap it has much to offer. The movie has many magical moments and beautiful settings, and the vision of early Japan, with a fantasy spin, is wonderful.

The thing I was most impressed by was the way the movie incorporated many styles seamlessly. The movie went from fantasy, to Indian Jones, to pirates of the Caribbean, with a natural even flow, and I really enjoyed that. The only flaw was one of the villains that seemed one dimensional and stock, but the stories villains as a whole had depth, and were major part of the stories ending and power. This movie was unlike any I've seen in a while. It's an idea that deviates from the norm, and this explains some of the reviews. This movie far exceeded my expectations.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

What would Jack do?

[8/10 · 6 May 2014]

He would go see this movie. I can tell you that much!

One of the more realistic post 9/11 espionage thrillers. In the same vein as the recent Bourne and Bond movies, but with a more analytical and less violent slant, and while not as flashy as those movies, it is close to the same league. As with all things Hollywood, the relationships and blood work requires a certain level of disbelief, but the movie never loses its edge, and the story is compelling from start to finish.

This is a formula thriller where all of the ingredients are strong and the message is clear. The actors, settings, direction and story are all well above average, and they are effectively combined for a very entertaining movie.

RoboCop (2014)

Robo Flop

[4/10 · 4 May 2014]

The movie starts by implying that suicide bombers are freedom fighters against global oppression and does little to redeem it's self after. It does attempt to raise issues relating to technology and security, and given the cast, it certainly could have explored them. Instead it devolves into an average video game and regularly insults the viewer. If you're a pre-teen, with a limited imagination, it will entertain, otherwise it will just seem like a waste of potential.

The production value and cast are above average. The real problem is that the movie assumes everyone with a brain and a checkbook is corrupt. Other than Robocop, his wife and child, and his one best friend, everyone is terribly corrupt, and everyone in the movie, and I mean everyone, is simplistic and one dimensional. This problem is made much worse by the fact that these one dimensional characters are often shown in a completely unrealistic light, that's only justification is in providing the viewer with a false sense of tension.

Certain Prey (2011 TV Movie)

When reality meets fiction.

[8/10 · 24 March 2012]

I came across this pretty much by accident. I don't get the channel that made this TV movie, and as a huge fan of Davenport/Sandford, I eventually went to great lengths to get a copy. By then I had seen the reviews and pictures here and they had lowered my expectations. In fact, I even waited a couple of weeks to view it. I think many of the complaints of this film come from the unmistakable fact that a TV movie will never be better than a Sandford novel, and even more so for an audience that enjoys reading.

I also think this is one of the real strengths of this film. Mark Harmon and company didn't try to give us our vision of Davenport, he gave us his. All of the characters in the film represent an image that is similar to the book series, but also unique, and the villains are exceptionally well played. In the end, it works well and stands on its own merits. I really enjoyed this TV version of Sandford and hope there are more. This is good TV.