ipseclewis Reviews

The Lazarus Effect (2015)

Jump Scares Around Every Corner

[4/10 · 3 April 2015]

Certainly not the worst horror movie on the market, The Lazarus Effect does a decent job laying down a foundation for the horror to jump off of. The psychological horror of it wasn't too bad, though wasn't the greatest either since most of the characters felt rather stereotypical and flat. You could almost fit all of them into the tropes lined out by Cabin in the Woods. The acting was fairly decent, at least for the lead actress, though the deaths were somewhat predictable.

The thing that hindered this movie the most was the absolute abuse of jump scares. Though they were all easily predicted with the quietness that would come before each one, the scare-factor exponentially dropped about midway through this short movie. There were some epically awesome ones toward the end, but by then so many had been used that they had very little punch. I will say though that the ending had an enjoyable twist. I won't spoil it here, but after a lot of the classic clichés, it was refreshing, in a way.

If you happen to catch this on Netflix or TV, be sure it's at night with all the lights off. I wouldn't say this movie is one I'd be happy to pay for, but I can imagine enjoying this as a Halloween special along with Freddy v.s. Jason.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

This is what it took to draw me into the series

[9/10 · 6 February 2015]

I'll be honest, as much as I enjoyed Hunger Games, I didn't feel any real motivation to keep chasing after the rest of the series. I was distracted with the Marvel movies and the Hobbit movies already. My husband insisted on it, and I'm so very glad he did.

There's not much more I can say that hasn't already been said in numerous other reviews. The acting was incredible, the plot kept me on the edge of my seat, and the cinematography was breath-taking. Suddenly, HG had a brand new fan, and I simply couldn't wait to see more. The next day we were in theaters to see Mockingjay Part 1. I continue to be drawn in more and more as I start to wonder, how long before our own world is like this? How far will people be willing to let the governments go before they finally make the sacrifices that need to be made for the change they so long for?

The Wedding Ringer (2015)

Another Feel-Good Comedy

[7/10 · 6 February 2015]

There's honestly not much more to say on this movie. It did exactly what it seems it set out to do- make people laugh and have them walk away with the warm fuzzies.

The characters have great chemistry on screen, especially Kevin Hart and Josh Gad. The plot is pretty easy to predict, but there are still a few surprises on how some points are executed. There are some great laugh-out-loud moments, even with a couple of cringe-worthy ones (was the view of what the dog chomped on really needed?).

All in all, I had a good time watching it. I kind of wish I had waited to see it in the $2 theater, but I'd watch it again if given the chance.

Fury (2014)

I had to walk out of the auditorium....

[9/10 · 6 February 2015]

Such a statement would usually make it clear that a movie is awful. I have never before walked out of a movie before except for refills or to use the restroom. Even when a movie is so horrible, I still grit my teeth and bare it, if not for the hope that it'll get better, than at least to be able to complain and joke and jab about it that much more with my husband.

This one was different.

Without revealing any spoilers, this movie pulls and tugs on the emotions, drawing them out much like a conductor draws music from their musicians. Watching the main character's transformation was heart wrenching, painful, and yet somehow natural.

It's a sad thing to see so many people dislike this film not because it didn't have amazing acting (which it does), not because the storyline was awful (which it isn't), but because it doesn't stick to historical facts. Movies are made for entertainment. Nowhere in the synopsis did I see any claim that this was based on a true story, or true events. They're robbing themselves of stunning entertainment because they chose to assume that every WWII movie had to be by the books.

If you want a fact-based movie about WWII, check out some documentaries. There are some really great ones out there and hold far more accurate facts than any movie made for entertainment. If you're looking to be entertained, to be engaged, to be drawn in, to be in tears, then this will be right up your alley.

The Judge (2014)

A Very Personal Movie

[9/10 · 14 October 2014]

I don't want to get into any spoilers here, so I'm going to be vague; I apologize for that ahead of time.

The Judge does a brilliant job of giving you so much more than exactly what it says on the tin. The trailer shows a jerk of a lawyer who has to defend his somewhat cold father, who was a judge for many years, in a possible hit and run case. Thankfully, this movie isn't quite so straight-forward.

The family dynamic is relatively simple, yet there are so many wonderful small complexities that go along with that. There's an actual reason why this big-time lawyer not only left home, but has the personality that he has (no, it's not just a McGuffin to move the story along). There's a lot of tension within the family, but also a lot of heart. A couple of the supporting characters are a little flat, but not nearly as flat as they could have been. This isn't a movie that develops characters for development sake, but for the sake of the story.

There are also issues that can strike a deep chord with anyone who has ever had to deal with anything similar in their lives. I won't list them here, as to avoid spoilers, but you might want to bring an extra box of tissues just in case. At one point I was muffling my own tears against my husband's chest to keep from balling out loud in the theater >.< I think if any viewers have had to deal with such things in their own lives, this movie is going to hold significantly more meaning than those that don't. I'll also be shocked if Duvall doesn't at least get nominated for his role in this, if not an award.

Painted Skin: The Resurrection (2012)

Pleasantly Surprised

[8/10 · 17 July 2013]

Though I come here to read reviews quite often, I have never bothered with a review until this particular movie. We stumbled across this movie and decided to watch it on a whim. I had never heard of it before yesterday, nor its predecessor, and I normally shy away from Chinese fantasy that isn't big box office, yet there was something in the synopsis that caught my attention. Figuring we could always switch it off if it proved truly awful, we decided to take a chance. I'm quite happy we did.

First the bad side. The choreography for the fight scenes doesn't make sense half the time in the beginning (a man flipping and twirling off his horse because he was sliced by a sword? What?), and the graphics are definitely low budget (the green-screen scene by the lake toward the middle of the movie was just wretched). The plot gets so over dramatic at times that it takes away from the story itself (the eye thing toward the end was just too much x.x), though upon reflection it does make more sense than most fantasy movies these days (yes George, even one arrow in the shoulder can freaking HURT, thank you). The make-up could have been a bit better, and I was honestly expecting to see more vulpine qualities in the demon, if you know what I mean.

Redemption time: I feel this movie is such wonderful proof that there are times when the acting and the plot can make up for a whole world of sin. Even when some of the short-comings were a distraction, it was still easy to get drawn right back into the story. The choreography for the fighting definitely improves (the scarred princess has amazing moments for this o.o), and the choreography for the dancing is exquisite. The acting between the demon fox and scarred princess is stunning at times, especially toward the most crucial parts where most actors tend to drop the ball (not going to give away spoilers here. You'll see what I mean when you get there). The singing of the demon fox is haunting and beautiful, and the demon bird is so much what this movie needed. I also didn't even think about it until toward the end just how much subtle symbolism there is.

Down two stars because of how much the movie lacked, but if you can get your hands on it and forgive its short-comings, this movie is definitely worth the watch. Now to find the first one!