webfoley-1 Reviews

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

Zack Snyder's one trick pony

[6/10 · 29 December 2023]

Aside from the weak script, the most irritating thing about "Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire" is the direction by Zack Snider. Despite enjoying quite a few of his past movies, this movie is proof that he is NOT growing as a director. He is double-downing on the same techniques and framing that have dominated his past endeavors (the slow-motion action sequences do little the 10th time around, like when the Transformers 17th movie keeps showing and extending the slo-mo transform... we got it the first time.

These are not trademarks of Snyder's, they are crutches. Like a furniture maker that can only make the same nice chair, are they a furniture maker or a specific chair maker? Imagine if Spielberg only made shark or dinosaur movies.

As for some comments resembling Star Wars, this movie borrows from Star Wars less than Star Wars borrowed directly from older movies.

Moonfall (2022)

Painfully ridiculous

[1/10 · 30 January 2023]

To say that this movie is nonsensical is an understatement. Terrible to the point where I'm embarrassed for the cast and crew. The writing is close to parody, but without being clever. Armature visual effects. Awful script. How any actor could be involved in this, without perhaps helping out a film student friend on the weekend is beyond my comprehension.

One of my biggest concerns of watching this is if my high school alumni discovers I saw this movie to it's completion, officials will inform me I must return my diploma as I am guilty of idiocy.

The movie simply should not have been made. A producer should have read the presented outline and said, " Here's $5 million, go make a parody... or keep the cash but burn the evidence of this outline."

Kaleidoscope (2023)

Moderately entertaining, avoid the random playback gimmick

[6/10 · 3 January 2023]

I love me a heist movie so I was going to watch this for sure. However, it did not take me long to loath the gimmick of randomly serving episodes out of order. I would then have to read the episode synopsis to watch chronologically, it improved moderately after that. It was just a lazy way for the show makers to attempt to include flashback sequences. As if they sat in a board room and said, "what's a way we can add this thing (that does not need to exist) into a heist story?". I was disappointed because was so unnecessary and offering nothing to character or story development - it just messed up the viewers enjoyment.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Wow, a $200,000,000 budget for what?

[5/10 · 13 November 2022]

Utterly dull with a nonsensical plot and poor visual effects. I simply don't understand how this movie could have come from such a high budget.

This could (and should) have been a 2 hour streaming special, as others have mentioned, this movie is actually Wandavision 2. The movie felt tired and only developed to give some merely suck a few more dollars out of Marvel fans (only). Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness solidified the concept of comic book movie fatigue - there is nothing new here, absolutely nothing.

The set design itself was low quality, needless greenscreen and prop work straight out of a CW TV adaptation.

Uncharted (2022)

Hollywood writers really need to finish high-school

[3/10 · 25 April 2022]

Perhaps high school level writing is a bit generous - more like a movie for 12 year olds written by 10 year olds. To the point of being insulting to any audience.

The story is predictable, the action mediocre, the physics of every jump/punch/slide/spin impossible (they could have made Mark Wallberg's character a flying unicorn performed via "claymation" and it would be more realistic), and the fictional history of a child's tale.

If my post-elementary school even found out I simply watched this film to it's pathetic end it would not surprise me if they revoked my graduation status.

Cringe worthy at best, a pitiful representation of average American audiences at worst.

Good Morning, Verônica (2020–2024)

Hard to empathize with any of the main characters

[5/10 · 17 February 2022]

The characters are so inept, so corrupt, it breaks the empathy you may feel for any of them... therefore, when bad things happen to the protagonist it's like, "Ya, well they deserved that." The writers must have a serious hate-on for Brazil to portray their people in such a weak, bumbling incompetent fashion.

Don't Look Up (2021)

Best representation of the average American in cinema

[7/10 · 29 December 2021]

As if an American thinks they've received a drawn caricature when in reality was handed a mirror.

This movie is far from satire and pretty much accurately portrays how the international community view the United States and it's populous. So refreshing.

Tabula Rasa (2017)

Glacially slow and painfully predictable

[4/10 · 9 December 2021]

The whole series should have been two episodes. Not much really happens. Episode after episode I kept waiting for that thing that would happen which garnished the positive reviews - it never came.

Manifest (2018–2023)

Masterclass in generic mediocre TV brodcasting

[5/10 · 27 October 2021]

Lesson 1, stretch out what would otherwise be a great 6 episode series with filler to sell over a dozen episodes per season to a network. Lesson 2, hire writers who've watch far too many hallmark movies for situational dialogue. Lesson 3, hire costume designers who have stock options in sweater companies or a nephew that sells henley style shirts, and be sure that every character, regardless if they're a child, student, doctor, homeless person is wearing new pressed clothing without a shred of wear or crease, bonus credit if you think you're dressing female police for a 90s CSI episode... the high heals for cops! Pretty sure the Stone family has never worn the same article of clothing twice - two sweaters a day!

Such potential, but with each episode I feel like we're witnessing a bet as to who can make a supernatural drama into a tween soap opera in the quickest time. This should be studied as at why network shows cannot compete today; privileged families who run around all day with jobs they don't attend, manicured beyond reality, new clothes daily, civilians roaming around police stations, civilians dictating terms to government agencies... ya, a plane disappears for 5 years and everyone returns with no time missing and the thing that makes it ultimately unrealistic is the laziness of the writers and costume designers.

Keeping Faith (2017–2021)

Worthy of skipping if you're looking to binge-watch this series

[5/10 · 17 July 2021]

Season one was okay , some interesting potential, well acted, but slow. It's 8 episodes that should be 6.

Season 2 and 3 are six episodes each. However, they are essentially each 30 minute episodes of content that have the same song montage every 6 minutes to stretch it out to 58 minutes. There is no real story. Think of a quiet Hallmark Movie that is requited to play the same song over the same tired visuals every 6 minutes. In the end, as each episode aired I felt less compassion for the characters and their awful and unrealistic life decisions.