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Deep Impact (1998)
Cheesy 90s scifi, but watchable
I researched this movie today for the first time in decades, and I have to say: it's alright! Morgan Freeman steals the show as the other characters are cliches, but there's enough to enjoy the movie. Sometimes the cheese is too much, despite the great cast. Watching this in 2023 at the end of the pandemic gives a very different impression on the movie. I find it hard to believe that taxi drivers and most people would continue to work in an extinction event. The end of days transition went way too smoothly. No way would it only take 20 seconds from space to reach earth from a spaceship with 90s tech for a tv broadcast.
That said, the movie is enjoyable if you don't have high expectations and want to be entertained. It's good for what it is.
A Man Called Otto (2022)
I was ready to hate this movie, but it surprised me.
I was in a dark mood, and in a place where I related to the title character in this movie that Tom Hanks plays, Otto. I was ready to pick apart any flaws or problems because it seemed to be a American cashgrab remake of a foreign movie. I was wrong. The screenwriting is excellent and challenges this expectation.
It gets the parts about depression and suicide accurate. You understand exactly why Otto is the way he is, and not a typical "grumpy old man", which is ageism.
It's not said outright, but Otto clearly is autistic. He has a special interest in machinery and cars and works at an auto plant. We begin the movie as he accepts a paid retirement and is living alone at home. New neighbors move in across the street and have trouble backing the moving truck to a parking spot and he helps.
Over time we get to learn more about Otto's past and the counterpoint to Otto's direct style is Marisol, the mother of 2 expecting another who is a bubbly extravert.
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
A well made film that isn't a comedy due to using mental illness for the jokes
I'm baffled by the reviews of this movie. It is well made, but that doesn't excuse portraying mental illnesses for laughs. It doesn't hold up in this way for a modern viewer. It's like watching racist depictions now. In this way I can't rate this movie any higher than 6. A shame really because the movie is expertly directed by Capra.
Late Night (2019)
A platonic work relationship comedy. An average movie with potential.
Late night is a solid film. Good to watch if can't decide on a movie to watch with someone else. While the film has charm, it doesn't wander too far from expected genre tropes. Ultimately this movie uses and sticks to the structure of a romantic comedy, but the twist is that the story is about the platonic work relationships Kaling has with her boss and co-workers. There are interesting choices such as the all male writers room acting more feminine (which is refreshing because men often aren't portrayed in stereotypes like women are in Hollywood. So it was interesting to see the men written as stereotypes associated with women in rom coms), which is to say like people. My problem with the movie is that it's predictable. All it needed was a few changes in act 3 to avoid the happy ending. The ending didn't feel earned, it didn't feel like the characters learned from their experiences and changed.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Truly a masterpiece that would never happen IRL
As I sit here blown away by one of the best films ever made, I'm left feeling nauseous. Back to reality where our actual Senators would let Mr. Smith die, and do anything possible to hasten his death so they'd make a dollar.
BoJack Horseman: Good Damage (2020)
The reporter characters were offensive and obnoxious
The plot this season is ruined by the jokey reporter characters contrasted with the dark plot from the earlier season. Loved the stuff with Dianne, but those reporters were nails on a chalkboard.
Mary Poppins (1964)
Sound of music does this better
Maybe I'm getting old. This movie is acceptable for young children, but coming back as an adult, this movie is like drinking a store brand soda. The flavor is kinda the same as the original brand, but all you taste is the sickly sweet high fructose corn syrup that is old Disney whimsey. Character growth, clever actor choices, and logic are thrown away for Hollywood bs. Disturbing subtext such as child abuse and alcoholism is woven through the songs, and immediately swept under the rug.
Don't bother rewatching as an adult. Especially if you've seen "Saving Mr. Banks" in the time between. Like nostalgia, it's best left in the past.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)
Nails the strengths, and problems with Pokemon storytelling.
While this movie looks fantastic, the story is told in the laziest fashion. You've seen this movie many times before, and fails to do something interesting. This movie is an okay stone to build from in the future when better writers take a swing at this untapped universe. Ultimately this movie is good to watch if you want something in the background. The classic style without substance with cliche characters and dialogue.
Le voyage dans la lune (1902)
Unintentional comedic LSD fever dream
The first movie ever is as crazy idea as it was then. A must watch, and will only take you as long as a YouTube video. Becomes hilarious with subtitles. The translation reads like early 00s online translators where anything becomes silly nonsense in every language.
The Killing (1956)
Disappointed
I went into this movie excited for a Kubrick film I've never seen. But, it doesn't hold up to his typical standard. Feels like an average heist movie filmed by a director hampered by the script. I'll likely forget this movie by tomorrow.
Who Killed Captain Alex? (2010)
You'll never seen anything like it
The best way to describe this movie is this: combine silent era Hollywood acting with 70s Kung Fu silliness, and finish with a shooting style that reminds me of PSX graphics.
It's astounding this was made on zero budget, and a first film.
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
Stunning cinematography can't save movie from flaws
Interesting movie, you can see where HOME ALONE got it's inspiration. The lighting, and cinematography are decades ahead of it's time, and the movie is utterly beautiful. Problem is the tone is all over the place with unintentional comedic scenes, and the story stretches thin. Combine this with the weird Christmas ending (in a straight up thriller movie!), And you leave unsatisfied. The ending feels tacked on last minute, and the Stark tone shift in this noir toned movie is bizarre.
Le salaire de la peur (1953)
Boring, frustrating, average bad movie from the era.
Save 2.2 hours and watch something else. For such a high review, this movie sucked. The biggest problem is that it kept telling us about more interesting events happening off screen that would have been great scenes. Told about an explosion, told about one of the characters narrowly escaping a country, told about locals dying, told about some dude dying. I kept waiting for the action and tension described in the movie summary, but it never happened. It's been 5 minutes since I stopped at the 50 minute mark, and I'm already forgetting the characters and the movie. Not a classic by any mark. Doesn't even stand up to classic movies of the era.
Baywatch (2017)
The biggest problem with this movie is that it has no idea what it is
As it is, it's good as a background movie where you don't need to pay attention. I think it could have worked if it was a meta comedy, or they went full in with the idiot plot and all the characters thought they were much more capable and smarter than they are. The current version feels like an early draft where they were trying to figure out the tone of the movie, and just throwing stuff at a wall. I have no idea who the audience of the movie is. It's not fans of the old show, or rebooting for a new generation. The movie turns into a "And then" movie where stuff happens and none of the characters really grow.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
While the last 40 minutes are perfect, the rest of the film is okay at best.
Watched this movie for first time in whole. Saw parts of it before but not the full thing. My biggest problem with the movie was the story structure. The most interesting part was the famous bridge scene that starts with 40 minutes left. You could cut the rest of the movie out with only the last 40 or so and not miss anything. For the rest of the 90 minutes, the most interesting parts are lacking due to being in the height of the Hollywood blacklist and 1940s censorship hysteria. Even so, this movie is far from perfect with plot holes like the uncle losing $8000 to move the plot along for no other reason. George gives up his dreams his entire life and does things to please other people and is extremely depressed because of it. Even with the feel good ending, he will go back to being depressed. Because even though his financial problems are over, he's still putting everyone else above himself, he works at a job he hates, and was given a huge amount of money all at once when he was poor during his adult life due to his own choices. As fantastic as the ending is, it doesn't hold up to scrutiny because it doesn't feel earned from the other 90 minutes.
Second Nature (2016)
Has some moments, but not that shocking to anyone online whose been on reddit and read about the struggle for equality
Warning: Spoilers!
This movie is about a woman named Amanda who is given a magic mirror by her grandmother that when used, flips the world into it's opposite. She wants to run for mayor, but doesn't stand a chance because her opponent is a man named Bret who is set to win in a landslide because their town is a cartoonish version of ours where she doesn't stand a chance because she is a woman.
My main problem with the movie is the cinematography. The colors are too perfect, and so is the lighting in every shot. I felt like there needed to be a drastic tone or color shift when they changed worlds. Instead, the whole movie is the same style. All the interiors were way too clean and perfect, and felt like they were a set and not a place people live or work.
As for the story itself, I felt it needed a third, foil character wasn't at the extremes of misogynistic or chauvinist. For example, the transgender server at the honkers/peckers bar. Or, really any adult who has their life together and treats people like humans. In the end, Amanda wins the mayor job by a landslide in the woman ruled world, and Bret the same in the man ruled world. Amanda quits to give Bret control, and Bret does the same back in their world. Which doesn't solve any of the issues either gender would have in a world which they are a joke.