Change Your Image
henriklundberg88
Reviews
Midsommar (2019)
Great Acting, some top visuals, editing effects but dont save bit a comical endeavour
This was pitched as some horror in Sweden but they couldnt even be bothered to film it in Sweden. Landscapes and Forests looked nothing like Sweden (Swedish Forest are far more scary) and the VFX for the "Community" was quite sub par. Architect that didnt match Sweden and blatant display of the tundra landscape of Budapest where they filmed it. I am guessing Hungary film tax credits are more inviting or just lazy film making.
Film could also have cut off about 30 minutes or more. Not bad usage of audio, editing effects.
If you see it less of a horror film and more a revenge flick it makes more sense. Complete gobbledygook culture with no real relation whatsoever to anything Nordic. Even some of the clothing looked completely unrelated to Nordic and looked more Eastern European (which also explains why they filmed it in Hungary)
Maybe worth a watch for odd visuals and audio usage but overall not really worth much of watch at all. If you do make sure you have some coffee because you may doze off with some of the meandering.
Hellboy (2019)
Have no idea what they were doing!
They did ending story arc for Hellboy Comics as the starting point for a franchise with desperate sequel baiting but completely shallow and thinnest of thin harvesting and completely removing the impact. IT like if you did Return of The Jedi first. When you dunk the ending the storyline in the comics has been leading to for years as the start where the heck do you go? The budget was incredibly low and you could see it, fight choreography and action choreography just rubbish. Sometimes CGI looked ok but sometimes it looked really bad. Baby Hellboy was appalling and quickest of shots for obviously that reason.
Writing my gosh. It was utterly terrible. We had multiple storylines being attempted but if you took all of them away the main storyline would have been 50 minutes. It was desperately trying to go for a Guardians of the Galaxy or James Gunn vibe but utterly failing miserably with horrendous scenes that had thought itself to be witty or funny and it was nowhere near. Some of the writing sounded like a 12-year-old. Graphic Gore that was just done for the sake of gore. The acting was majority poor from everyone. Ian McShane did his best, David Harbour wasn't too bad but appalling characterization of Hellboy. Making him uncool. The other cast is really good actors and proven in other stuff but I just don't know what they were doing in this movie.
Also, the promo was trolling-- showing stuff that is in for a minute or 2 if that but used in trailer or promo as if be longer. Also, Hellboy's hair looked terrible.
I do wish they hadn't been stingy and gave it a proper budget and had Del Toro. One star may seem harsh maybe it could be two or three but it was just a bad film. Not worth any money past Netflix or Amazon watching.
True Detective: Now Am Found (2019)
Bittersweet and tragic Episode to finish a great third season
Season 3 of True Detective has been great a show and rather showing how to do television. Unlike a certain show that is far bigger True Detective has managed to get seasons of television writing and amazing performances with consistency and third season of True Detective was a beautiful human driven tragedy that has been excellently executed.
Season 2 of True Detective was solid and still very good but far too many characters and complexities as well as up-scaling that created a lot of noise. Though I can understand why he went with a different direction for season 2 to change the form.
Season 1 will still remain the greatest season of all three but Season 3 was beautifully human. Amazingly performed and excellently written tragedy as well as most certainly a true bittersweet story well threaded and connected and still managed to be well wrapped up. If the truly excellent quality of season 3 is denied, whoever denying is a person who is clearly blind.
Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019)
Cleaned up main threads but still an unsatisfying conclusion with contrived tragedy
The tragedy in it would have had so much heavier weight if they had not contrived the reasoning and so more tragic if the character was the same character we knew for almost ten years that was betrayed by forces scared of her ideal of breaking the wheel. Instead, Daenerys was forced into being of such monstrous form and of such monstrous intent all in a bid to make it easier her story endpoint. Rather than actual well written debate of her politics. So instead they had to make her cross a line that was never going to be forgiven and absolute. At least some awareness within an episode of its reactionary message.
Also, the Iron Throne was clearly meant to be Ring of Power from Lord of the Rings though never really alluded to it having any sort of supernatural power so it rather weak but clearly the showrunners point along with Aegon was wrong to even conquer Westeros in the first place.
Drogon action was interesting-- I can only assume it was alluding to Drogon having a will and awareness of its own that it didn't like what its Mother had become and done.
Not much can be said about Bran - past his dialogue rather implied to me that he manipulated events when he came back from the wall to reach his end goal and prodding, patient- lit the fuse and just waiting for the explosion. They certainly subverting by picking someone no one expected to be king because it was so ludicrous but well done on subverting I suppose.
Game of Thrones: The Bells (2019)
A 10 year journey finishing in a polished but utter trainwreck of a mess.
Wow.
The show since Season 5 has just devolved into shock, battle, shock, battle shock at the sacrifice of incredible characters and depth as well as the plot. Rushed or forced done merely for spectacle leaving a hollow taste in the dry mouth. We have had some incredible moments over the seasons (many from GRRM) and amazing performances but as the show has run its course and played out it has been utterly disappointing and unconvincing with the most predictable conclusion guaranteed (yet claimed smart) all placed on a altar of "subversion". What would have been subversion was for her not to go mad and be turned into a hysterical women trope that needs a man to keep her sane.
Rushed, compacted and failure of the writing that has let down millions of the audiences around the world but a show that could have gone down as one of the greatest shows ever made.
Many claim this was Daenerys route always because of the past mantra of terror "fire and blood" but that misses entirely context. Not only has over the seasons Daenerys had many advisors she has not been mad but cold and ruthless but calculated and against enemies that have tried to kill her or wronged her. She stopped the Dothraki from raping and plundering yet now stands by as it happens. She was an enemy of slave masters that had the force to break the cruel infrastructure and avenge those that the slave masters for centuries had done terrible things to, to her and her people. If the lesson was that she was wrong all along- wrong to break slavery then what should be done about slavery in Essos? If you had a well written and executed seasonal development into this endpoint it would have been incredible but they shot it out in 2 episodes. It also illuminates how multiple actors have shown frustration and disappointment in the direction.
The show has taken up far too much time of the popular consciousness and though it has incredible visual flairs at a point and amazing performances that shall be remembered. Maybe it for the better to end as a polished trainwreck? For it will be a lesson to coming storytellers on what not to do and the show become, remembered as the breaker of coherency and breaks the chains of our time taken up by it.
Game of Thrones: The Long Night (2019)
The Long Night is a must watch for anyone who ever wants to make film or television and one of the greatest moments in television history
Do not listen to these armchair critics who can not handle the great twist at the end of this. The end twist has been built up since Season 1 and the Show-runners even said they had already planned this twist 3 years prior the show (so Season 5 just around when they chatted with GRRM on what happens). Past the twist that was incredible. The episode is a utter tremendous achievement of the craft.
Miguel Sapochnik elevates the material and creates one of the greatest battles ever made on the television medium. On the edge of your seat episode with no moment not filled with tremendous dread and terror - with utterly breathtaking hope at the end, but riddled with tragedy. The greatness of scene composition and production can not be understated. A truly incredible task Miguel Sapochnik was given and has achieved with the highest quality. I have already watched this episode multiple times, watched parts of it again and again -- because it is utterly supreme and historical. From frames, scenes, performance, stunt work-- music. This is a work of utmost importance for the moving picture medium.
Literally, if you never watch Game of Thrones as a whole (though it is one of the greatest pieces of television ever made so your loss) - watching Hardhome, Battle of the B******, Winds of Winter - The Long Night are all you need to watch. We will see if Miguel Sapochnik can obtain another tremendous elevation of work material with the 5 episode Miguel Sapochnik set to direct.
This Episode WAS a undeniable work of ART that many are not appreciating because one twist that they didn't see coming, their blinders are one for the most petty and disrespectful reason of what was crafted through sweat and hard work.
Prometheus (2012)
Incredible Disappointing,Dreadful Music and Far To Bright
Prometheus quite simply a incredible disappointment. It failed on all levels to create the naturalistic and realistic feel have with ALIEN especially in the dialogue.
The Music was utterly horrendous, was so generic and weak and failed utterly to build up any atmosphere or tension at all.
The Lost Effect was also apparent in this movie- how you have mystic fragments and then characters that know everything but tell nothing and also combined with a very episodic approach to the movie and generally mysticalness to make it look smart and cover up plot holes.
Also the lighting was utter fail, it didn't really build any atmosphere (considering they spend little or no time whatsoever in the discovery) and the environment didn't look very ALIEN as it does in ALIEN.
It to me was LOST in Space with aliens and unfortunately that was not a great thing minus a few moments in LOST as well as in this Movie (even my mum disliked this movie and she is the lowest baseline for movies combined with her incredible love for ALIEN)
--------------More Detailed Review---------------------------- Ridley Scott seems to have utterly fallen asleep with this movie- especially considering how poor the music is its like he didn't even bother. Most uninteresting and generic music I have ever heard, the music also fails drastically to do what music is supposed to do which is build up immersion in this world. It even sounded like they only used one track!
The characters utterly awful except for Michael Fassbender and Charlie Theron and Idris Elba had some good moments even though I am pretty sure he lost his Texas Accent for part of the movie. Noomi Rapace was well acted but had poor lines and I do think could of done a lot better. The concept of religion science and everything was also utterly amateur delivered with little or not debate about it (could of been some pretty interesting stuff there). Charlize Theron was a actually really interesting character, but got dealt with very much like a cold character does in a horror movie and quite insulting to the possibilities they could of done with her character.
Guy Pearce wasn't particularly great either. The other characters where so little depth to them that you felt nothing for them , they where killed as if we where in a horror movie (especially after seeing Cabin in the Woods). The original ALIEN movie is called a horror movie but it actually transcends that and becomes a masterpiece this film got stuck in between of greatness and mediocrity.
The flow of the film was also non existent, incredible thin interacting of the characters was very much like moments in LOST when they would refuse to tell each other stuff for no reason. Plus none of them seemed to notice when big stuff happens especially to Noomi Rapace's character not a single question is asked or eyebrow raised.
Now don't even get me started on the Space Jockeys- utterly fail they became so generic uninteresting and was tragic to see.
HR Giger's designs where excellent but just banged in on mass rather then intelligently used.
This film if it didn't have Ridley Scotts name in it would of been a utter fail. Please may the lost writer never be allowed to do another SCI FI movie ever. I certainly missed Dan O'Bannon the original writer of ALIEN. -----------------------
However due to the incredible similarities to LOST TV Show (seriously its like the guy used the template of LOST and turned it into a movie) maybe this movie will be a success due to how popular LOST was. For me if they do make a follow up, I will probably be very hesitant to spend money.
Kôdo Giasu: Hangyaku no Rurûshu (2006)
MASTERPIECE transcending the genre
This is just a masterpiece, the last episode is beautiful and Lelouch being a very anti hero comes of as one of the most heroic characters in any story.
The message of anti war is very profound and brilliant, the display of politics, shadow play,war reaches Battlestar Galatica level.But what really makes this is the ending totally magnificent. If Battlestar Galatica fails on the ending then this will be better then that show in its portraying politics,revolutions,sacrifice,suffering,redemption,war etc.Voice acting in Japanese is just sublime and animation perfect.
This show should be watched by anyone for it isn't a bloody good anime its a brilliant and masterful show that just happens to be in 2D, which is why I am recommending it to all my friends and my family its just outstanding and breathtaking.
MASTERPIECE 100/10
Beowulf (2007)
Excellent Movie Less Action as first thought
I don't understand why lots of people are commenting on the movie being like 'shrek' only different? There are no talking donkeys or green ogres and it isn't strictly for kids, it obviously had less action then it first looked like it would (that is why it has only received 9 rather than 10) but as a Fantasy movie it is superb. The poem of Beowulf has served as one of the key corner stones for all fantasy (even influenced LotR).
Presentation: The beautiful CGI is fantastic, all the characters look amazing. Sometimes the characters have a plastic look but its never to serious (and it was done in a stylish way). People complain that you are being shown 3D just for sake of '3D' but the truth is it looks outstanding and if I had made it I would want it to be shown a bit.
Story: Is a decent fantasy story and superbly presented
Voice Acting: The Voice Acting is fantastic, they use actual danish accents at points combined with other light accents which you notice but doesn't ruin the film. Ray Winstone fits the character perfectly and so does everyone else. Grendels voice is fantastically portrayed.
Action: The action is superb in the fight scenes. The last one being purely amazing.
Conclusion: Even though I was let down by the lack of action, the film looks fantastic but the story falls perfectly into fantasy and is what you expected (some people have said it wasn't plausible, its a fantasy film what do you expect. Are you saying LotR was?)
9/10 - Highly Recommend seeing this movie especially in IMAX, Digital or 3D. It is utterly superb. Excellent Fantasy Movie that should not be compared to 300 and Shrek, its in a totally different genre and secondly 300 was a hybrid of real people and CGI whilst Beowulf is complete CGI.
Rush Hour 3 (2007)
Disappointing but still fairly entertaining
This movie was very Funny the jokes are a lot funnier in this than the others but the action namely scenes that show Jackie Chans vault of talent was disgracefully left unused. I had heard during production and pre-production that Chris Tucker demanded more money and this effected the budget and wanted to be the centre of the movie, and he is he gets lots of funny scenes that had my sides spliting but because of this Jackie Chan is in his shadow, the action scenes where built up but the unused, the fight at the end (between the obvious two) was very weak its short and sweet but needed to be a lot better especially due to the build up.
This movie is hilarious due to Chris Tucker but disappointing to me and many Jackie Chan Fans because he is practically unused like venom in Spiderman 3. No where near enough screen time someone of Jackie Chan's talent deserves.
I did hear that Tony Jaa was offered a role in the film (I am guessing his brother) and the movie would of had potential to be amazing but if they misused him as well like Jackie Chan was it would of still been disappointing.
Conclusion: Chris Tucker takes over the movie, and its unbalanced therefore Jackie Chan is left almost as a extra. Brett Ratner didn't do someone of his talent any favours with this movie.
6/10 See it to see another chapter to the series of films but don't expect to see Jackie Chan's talent used at all, the other films maintained a Balance between comedy and action but there is no balance in this movie.
4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
Excellent Sequel
When going to the cinema I was rather dubious about this title especially after I heard what they had done to Galactus, so I was not expecting to be amazed. However as soon as the started sequence kicked in I was interesting for it was some very impressive special effects, so I carried on watching and it just kept getting better and better. Had more action then the first but also interesting character development (even though was the typical development in most super hero shows) but what was great addition in this film was the dialogue, the comic lines where very amusing and very funny, also the whole celebrity angle was actually quite realistic because that what would happen if some people saved lives and had super powers.
The Silver Surfer looked excellent, even though his characters wasn't as developed as he should of been it was enough to make his character have depth.
Galactus, was amazing I loved the whole giant robot/ being in the old cartoons sitting on a throne. The way he was presented was a lot more impressive and quite simple awesome (some of the special effects when it gets close to earth where jaw dropping), the only issue was he was not shown enough as a thinking entity or living being, he was kinda show as a giant monster, there was not enough reason or back story given to it, it was not shown as a complicated entity like it was in the comics and cartoons. But it exceeded my expectations in presentation and appearance.
Summary: Some of the best special effects have ever seen, excellent action good comedy and interesting characters.
Overall a damn good hero movie even though they had made quite a few changes.