tasseled Reviews

Inferno (I) (2016)

I'm surprised at how many people prefer the book ending

[8/10 · 6 April 2019]

Honestly, it's crazy how many negative reviews here are based on the fact that the movie changed the ending. I'm glad they did and therefore I prefer the movie version. Not because I like me a dumb happy ending where everything is neatly wrapped up, no. On the contrary, I often prefer the heartbreaking, sad, dramatic finale. However, the book's resolution renders the entire book pointless. I read hundreds of pages of exciting race against time, biting my nails and waiting to see the protagonists solve the mystery before humanity is doomed, and only to have it revealed that none of it mattered. So, what's the point, if not just to throw in one last cheap twist? No thanks, that's bad writing. I had no issues with the movie. It was you typical Dan Brown action with some fun puzzles thrown in, but at least the ending made sense.

The First (2018)

Wrong target audience

[9/10 · 1 November 2018]

This series shouldn't have been marketed to hard sci-if fans with short attention spans. It's much too realistic, reflective, and measured to appeal to them. Anyone who likes multi-layered drama, grounded narration, but with a haunting direction and soundtrack would love it. I can't stop thinking about The First and hope negative reviews don't kill this one of a kind show. One of the most creative, captivating, and original series I've ever seen. It's slow, but every moment is done with purpose.

Flower (I) (2017)

Does not deserve the current low rating

[7/10 · 29 October 2018]

A weird and original movie that is part witty comedy and part meaty drama. There are so many sides to it. It is an exploration of women taking control of their sexuality, but still being vulnerable to its darker side. A dialogue about abuse of underage kids by people in power. A portrait of fragmented families and parental abandonment. Depression, suicide, and hope. It's a quirky, but full-of-heart, film that does not preach its message to the audience. Both me and my husband thoroughly enjoyed Flower. It does not deserve the low rating here.

Ice (2018)

Wonderful surprise

[9/10 · 18 October 2018]

I don't review movies here very often, not being the greatest at formulating my thoughts into a concise opinion, but this movie deserves a little extra praise. I don't normally like romance genre, but I gave Ice a go because of its interesting premise. I'm so glad I did! This movie has so much more than just cheesy romance: drama, inspirational success story, fun musical acts, beautiful cinematography, and charming leading actors. Yes, it's a bit exaggerated in some places, but it's a heart-warming, gut-wrenching hell of a movie appropriate for all ages.

The Case for Christ (2017)

Mislead by a trailer

[2/10 · 13 January 2018]

I thought this would be an exciting, thought-provoking investigation into historical validity of Christianity and it's fundamental beliefs. I enjoy listening to both side of the argument, when they are properly articulated, even when I'm a firm believer in my own convictions. But this is neither thought-provoking, nor unbiased. The movie is made by Christians for Christians, to make them feel good about their own faith. Well, good for them, but I am not the right audience. I thought I'd step into a serious academic discussion, but found myself at the seminary.

The main character is neither sympathetic, nor appealing. He is raving mad half the time, while being drunk the other. Did it really matter if his wife suddenly became spiritual? From what I've seen she did not try to actively convert him, but instead was seeking his support when finding comfort after a traumatic experience. On the other hand, every character just made giant leaps in logic and assumptions. It only took the nurse a casual phrase to make the wife a believer. The husband only did a half-baked investigation and suddenly converted to faith, because he had no more counterarguments. A casual glance at evidence photos revealed a random, overreaching detail that completely reversed a criminal case. It took a vague hint from an unverified witness to convict a guy overnight. Can this movie be any more silly?

I guess it was the Age of Aquarius/free love/psychedelic drugs/rock 'n' roll, and people just went gaga for all kinds of cults without much proof. I'm giving the movie another star just because it had me fooled for half hour.

The Mountain Between Us (2017)

A manual on how to make a survival movie boring

[4/10 · 9 January 2018]

The Mountain Between Us is as full of predictable melodrama, awkward dialogue, and flat acting, as it is lacking in suspense, substance, and believable struggle. The romance, which is a huge part of this film, was not sold to me, and felt rather forced. Winslet and Elba are both prolific, award-winning actors, so what happened? Their romance left me with cold feet (pun untended). As a character, Alex was insufferable, reckless, and insufferable. By the time she was well enough to stop laying around she'd go out and get into more mess, so she could lay around some more. I was tired of seeing Ben constantly taking charge of situation and carrying her around. I had to check if the original was done by Nicolas Sparks, because I could not take so much saccharine, convenient writing anymore.

The Shape of Water (2017)

Started out so good, and then it lost me

[6/10 · 9 January 2018]

I was really enjoying the weirdness, the atmosphere, the unconventional narrative until the midpoint - and then it fell apart. I for sure thought I'd be in for a treat, but boy, what a missed opportunity. And I love del Toro otherwise! Only okay in my book, sorry.

The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)

Nothing I've not seen before

[6/10 · 30 August 2017]

Just another buddy comedy with a lot of random explosions thrown in for good measure. I'm bored with Reynolds doing his Deadpool impersonation in every movie he does nowadays. He seriously needs a reality check. Deadpool is just another character he plays, not his later ego. Samuel L. is entertaining as always, and his back and forth with Salma Hayek was spot on. Yung, as a young Interpol operative, was too much. I thought she overdid it in every scene, with yelling and peeved off expressions overshadowing her entire performance. Action scenes were fun though, and that's the only reason why I'd recommend anyone to watch this movie.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Spiderman has finally redeemed himself.

[8/10 · 30 August 2017]

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Seriously, Homecoming is probably the best rendition of Spidey I've ever seen. It's refreshing to see an actor in the main role who actually looks like he belongs in high school. Excellent pacing, character development, and ambiguous morality. Bravo! This is the Spiderman that deserves to be the rightful member of Avengers.

GLOW (2017–2019)

Yes to unconventional television

[8/10 · 10 July 2017]

I started watching Glow for 80's neon visuals, cheesy fashion, and awesome music; I stayed for the endearing characters, fascinating drama, and a handful of belly laughs. Alison Brie and Marc Maron are amazing in their range and comedic skill, and the supporting cast are all very strong in their presence. It's also amazing how much actors put into learning wrestling moves to look convincing. I highly recommend.

John Wick (2014)

Stylish, but shallow

[6/10 · 10 July 2017]

The premise is kind of silly, but the dramatic opening and the masterfully choreographed action make it an entertaining movie to watch once. Btw, Baba Yaga is far removed from The Boogeyman, and if the creators actually bothered to research their material they'd be embarrassed to name their kickass protagonist after an old witch lady.

Okja (2017)

Bawled my eyes out

[9/10 · 10 July 2017]

This is a rare gem of a movie that blends multiple genres into one intriguing and thoughtful narrative. A true emotional roller coaster as it made me laugh, cry, and scratch my head in bewilderment. Most importantly, this film has heart and it manages to captures yours in the process too. I highly recommend it to those unafraid of unconventional, even weird, plot and characters.

Ghost in the Shell (2017)

More like a hollow shell inside a visually stunning ghost.

[7/10 · 5 April 2017]

Went to see this in 3D AVX last night and I'm so happy I did. This must be one of the most visually stunning films I've seen in recent years. From a technical standpoint there is not a flaw in all of 107 minutes (except one tiny scene where Major jumps up a crumbling structure during a final showdown, which looks like amateur CGI homework). I didn't even mind the somewhat flat, trope-ridden plot, because the action kept me entertained enough. I did, however, have two issues with Ghost in the Shell that still annoy me.

1. I understand that Scarlett Johansson is supposed to portray cybernetic hybrid, but she was dead-faced the entire time. Even the completely robotic geishas in the film moved more natural and emoted more than her. The way she walked and stuck out her neck was just odd. And that dead stare! Major has a human brain, and therefore she is capable of the same emotions as you and me. Why did Johansson choose to take her character into that boring territory is beyond me. It's hard to watch. I would have written it off as an odd stylistic decision on the part of director or the actress, but she does this every time she has to play a tough heroine (ie. Black Widow, Lucy). Someone tell Scarlett that she comes off as bored and awkward, not tough.

2. My other gripe is the PG-13 rating. Honestly, I felt like the writers and the director wished to make a more mature film, but the studio forced them to change it. There are multiple scenes that feel like they were designed to be R-rated, but were cut up and edited to appeal to a wider audience. There are hints all over the place that make you wish the movie would just stop playing coy and go further. I'm hoping there will be a director's cut released in the future that would breach into a darker territory.

The Ghost is a fine action flick, well worth watching on a big screen. Would I enjoy it as much on Netflix? Probably not.

Moana (I) (2016)

Average Pixar fodder

[6/10 · 5 April 2017]

I've seen this plot in a gazillion Disney movies already, so honestly it's nothing special. There is your usual princess going against her parent's wishes, the funny sidekick, being forced to work together, having a bonding moment, conflict, miraculous resolution, etc. The songs were sub par, especially that "I'm Shiny" tune - funny, but weird. However, visually this is a stunning movie. The way water moved and integrated into special effect was awesome. Also, I loved The Rock as Maui. I wouldn't call it an instant classic, but not bad for a family night in.

Arrival (II) (2016)

Not sure how I feel about it

[5/10 · 9 March 2017]

This is one of the few movies that made me scratch my head afterwards, trying to figure out if what I've just seen was to my liking or not. I still have no idea. In a way Arrival reminded me of Interstellar - a smart sci-fi flick with strong family drama woven in, and I liked that part of it. I also enjoyed that it commented more on the human race than focusing solely on aliens. I thought the twist in the end put a lot of things in perspective, and offered the viewer a chance to consider fate and choices. I also enjoy dabbling with linguistics, so a movie where I can basically nerd out for two hours is always welcome.

What I didn't like is the weak reasoning behind alien presence. Honestly, the question that Amy Adams kept asking them, What is your purpose, never really got a satisfactory answer. There are many crucial points that are left unexplained to the viewer, ie the scene with the Chinese general. Some of the messages in the movie, especially the one about "working together" were too cheesy for my tastes. The romance, and that was a bit turn off for me, was unfounded and inorganically introduced. We were sort of expected to believe that it happened, but no actual build up was created by the writers or the director.

Overall, an average for me.

Moon Child (2003)

Only fans would really appreciate this movie.

[3/10 · 8 March 2017]

I used to be a fan in my teens and I loved this movie enough to watch it 3 or 4 times. Now, looking back, I shudder in horror. While overall themes of friendship and love are great, the plot suffers from too much melodrama. Typical to Gackt's fashion, he thrives in his own misery. Gackt and Hyde can't act their way out of a bag. It's so bad, it's getting embarrassing for the viewer, but you can certainly forgive them, since acting is not their usual day job. On the other hand, Leehom Wang did a good job with his part. Obviously the film had a low budget, so don't expect good sets, believable special effects, or quality editing. It's bad, bad, bad all over. If you are a fan of either artist, you can easily overlook those misfires, but if you randomly stumbled on the film and are considering trying it out - run away!