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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Terrible!!!
It looks like writer and director Gunn had no idea what to write about, and could only focus on both seeing what drivel he could pass off as a movie script and how to spend the money he'd charge for that.
While the first movie was very good and entertaining, the second one was ok, but it wasn't hard to see it all was coming apart. This one his rock bottom.
It feels like a super long Seinfeld episode: a movie about nothing but which pretends to have something. Sentimentality replaces substance. Not even the effects are convincing, despite being high quality, because sometimes they don't fit the acting.
I definitely won't be buying this Blu-ray Disc, not even on sale.
Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
Hipster Moses takes on metrosexual Pharaoh
What in tarnation was ol' Ridley Scott thinking?
Why turn a biblical story into a movie and then ditch the bible to just play with the characters in some sort of alternate universe? I'll leave that question to for Mr. Scott, as i have no idea whatsoever. Every main character in this film seems to be out of place and aware of it. While the special effects are impressive, the story makes no sense.
This head-scratcher of a movie is just terrible. Even the casting is a mystery. Why Christian Bale? What was Sigourney Weaver supposed to contribute via her talent with the scarce screen time given to her? Same goes for John Turturro. Talented actors not given enough time to shine.
If it turned out that this script was written on toilet paper, in 15 minutes while taking a dump at the mall i would understand what happened here.
Mr. Ridley Scott, you are far better than this. Remember that.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Nonsensical driveling story. Avoid it and save yourself the aggravation
What a letdown! After the success of the great Captain America movies and most of the Avengers ones i confess myself disillusioned and perplexed by this new installment.
Most of the movie feels like an extended version of the pod-racing scene on Star Wars Episode I with an ever-present Jar Jar Binks: absurd and irrelevant, forcing a quick and mediocre finale. Thor, the god of thunder, is reduced to a babbling moron who needs to be reminded that he is indeed a god and as such has powers. The story, if i can call it that, will probably remind you of the redneck avengers parody on youtube, but even that short script is far better. Whoever wrote this script seems to have been hellbent on wiping his butt on the Marvel characters and Universe by producing the most fetid turd of a movie he could think of with the complicity of the director.
I cannot understand how so many famous actors and actresses accepted a role in this film catastrophe. I thought they read scripts before accepting a role, but i guess not. Perhaps the only two actors not portrayed as morons were Benedict Cumberbatch and Cate Blanchett. Even a talented actor like Tom Hiddleston comes out with a tarnished reputation, and don't get me started on Sir Anthony Hopkins. I feel sorry for both.
On top of all that, there was far too much mediocre special effects.
Baby Driver (2017)
Mish mash of successful movies, formulaic and predictable
This is the film version of staring at a bowl of plain oatmeal. Even before the spoon is in you can taste the blandness in your mouth. Yes, it will fill you belly but there's no fun anywhere to be had.
Baby Driver runs down the clichés like a fast food bathroom inspector with a check list. Troubled, idealistic young man runs afoul of local crime boss and is cornered into driving for his crews, something at which he excels. The crews consider him mentally-challenged, and he finds himself constantly challenged for this. Suddenly, young man meets young, dumb woman who works as a waitress at this cool-looking diner, with a fat, greasy strict boss (how unexpected). During a heist, things start spiraling out of control (wow, can you believe it?) and he must quickly figure out his exit strategy, which is so obvious he might as well have posted it to the local criminal bulletin board. Cops are portrayed as slow, incompetent buffoons, incapable of apprehending or stopping criminals even when they got them cornered (Rosco P. Coltrane level police work). Fellow criminal turns on Baby on a poorly-copied Terminator style hunt, but ruthless crime boss turned mushy bleeding heart shields the young couple and buys them some time to set up the ambush (which goes poorly, by the way). I could keep going, but I'm sure you get the picture.
Baby driver delivers no dramatic plot twists, and from the start you know what will happen and when will it happen.
I feel sorry for Jamie Foxx and Kevin Spacey, for this is not their finest work. Quite the opposite, in fact. But then again, we all gotta eat.
The photography is nicely done, though.
Two hours down and a few bucks the drain, if you can and are willing to spare them.
Salvo (2013)
For an excellent movie, dialogue is not a must
I knew i wanted to have it the moment it ended. I watched this movie almost a year ago and was patiently waiting for it to come out on DVD.
An excellent movie that through great acting, photography and story it allows one to feel the streets, the fear, the adrenaline, the suspense and an unexpected love of life for someone that lives in epicenter of the mafia world.
It certainly does not fit the classic Hollywood movie mold and happy / hopeful ending. If this is what you're looking for you better skip this movie. This is a more thoughtful and intuitive movie that requires you to have the same insight as when you're watching an old allegoric painting. In this sense, i feel appreciation for this movie demands quite a lot from the spectator, but richly rewards him. This is the kind of movie i love.
Acting from Bakri and Serraiocco is excellent. I enjoyed very much the way Grassadonia and Piazza tell this story.
Italian cinema has produced some excellent movies recently and i think they present a superb alternative to the mainstream Hollywood products. Directors like Sorrentino and Giordana, together with actors like Favino, Servillo, Stuart and Placido amongst others have created top quality movies.
RED 2 (2013)
Simply terrible
If you thought, like i did, that a movie with Bruce Willis guaranteed a great action movie, then you will be as disappointed to see him in this one as he's only after a paycheck and his work is sterile at best.
As the movie progressed, I actually felt sorry for all the actors, especially Sir Anthony Hopkins whom i consider one of the greatest actors alive today.
The story makes no sense and seems only a showcase for all of Frank Moses' utterly unbelievable "talents". The scenes seem so exaggerated from the first chapter all the way to the end.
I am very glad i decided to rent it first and not buy it. As for the time wasted, that is something i will never get back.
Age of Heroes (2011)
Underrated and way more realistic that the norm
I think this is a very good movie. Sean Bean is a very talented actor (though he does not seem to choose his movies well) and it comes out here. He does some very good work here, in his quietly intense style. There are no Rambos in this movie whom women adore and men envy, instead, the people are real, with their their good and bad sides. I particularly like the photography and scenery and i love that special effects were kept to a minimum (accidental or intended, i don't care). In regards to the story, this is not the win-the-war-by-ourselves kind and rather approaches the subject in a our-work-is-a-part-of-it-all way, which to someone like me (i am fascinated with history) is much more believable. I like the way the story is put together, showing that the learning approach that is common to all we do, including commando tactics. If you're looking for a Stallone, Schwarzenegger or Norris kind of flick, you definitely won't like this one. Go watch Commando or Rambo 3. For those of us that like our movies a lot more like the real deal, this is a very good movie.