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Reviews
Dune (2021)
Best Redition of Herbert's book I have seen
Likely the best silver screen look at Dune. This film breaks the book down into what appears to be 1/3rds which is the best way to do this. If you have not seen this film yet, be prepared for the film to end in what appears to be the middle but this is the best stopping point in the story. The next film will likely bring the story to the end but if they really do it right, it will take a third film to really tell the story the way it should. However, I think they are just going to do a 2 part series but they are going to have make the film long enough to ensure they get all the main plot lines and twists that make the book great.
Graphics are first rate and worth of the grandeur of the book. This was a great help to the film and hopefully they will do what they need to make the end great.
No Time to Die (2021)
Entertaining
I found this film to be more entertaining than Skyfall as Skyfall was predictable. This one was a little more unpredictable. The film definitely shifts the dynamic of the 00s to a more uncertain and more dynamic future and I would not be surprised if we could see some "spin off" films in the future but I am not holding my breath for that.
While there we some classic "on liners" through out the film there were also some refreshing scenes, including a chase scene that was different from many others films, including Bond films which I liked and found refreshing. The culmination scene is a Bond first and delves into what it woudl take for Bond to do what he did (not giving this away if you have not seen the film).
If you like Bond films, chances are you will like this one as I found it the most entertaining since Casino Royal.
Eternals (2021)
Tired old plot lines
Was hopeful with this film thinking that Marvel would change tracks and show a different, collaborative film. Well, unfortunately, they continued with the tired old plots they constantly hammered in the Avenger films with constant internal strife, conflict and showing this type of me me me me and not about working for something bigger than yourself plots. So, I got bored with this film in the first 20 min.
If you have seen this film, you know this can go either way in how the characters could deal with main antagonist.
Hopefully, Marvel/Disney will come up with something more helpful and inspiring rather than recycling the same plot over and over again in the future.
Apollo 11 (2019)
Nice Documentary
Bottom Line Up Front: This is a well done documentary with no acting or drama injected. So this is NOT a docudrama. If you are looking for that, don't bother. This is a straight up documentary using only the original footage and audio of the mission. There is not even a narrator.
This documentary relies heavily on the film editing which is nicely done and helps create its own drama. You can hear stress in the voices of the individuals who were actually there and performed the duties. This is a great history film with almost no politics involved.
Worth watching!!
Hunter Killer (2018)
Surpisingly solid...worth watching
Bottom Line Up Front: Plot is different from other, moves along nicely, acting is good enough to compensate for some bad dialog. Worth watching if you like military suspense films. Not as good as Red October but it is the best "silent service" film I have seen in quite a while.
Don't understand why this got so many bad review. Granted there are some bad scenes in this one but to be me it does not detract from the main theme of what military officers are trained to do. (I know, I was one). Think on your feet and complete the mission to fit the big picture. Maybe the "haters" all think military personnel are stupid robots that don't think. If so, they need to know that military officers are trained to think. Otherwise, the negative reviews are a mystery to me. Look past that preconception when you watch this film.
Plot is not recycled like many other films out there nowadays and this was refreshing. Plot and character development moved along along nicely and did not drag on the film. Cinematography was decent and effects were above average but not top notch. There were only a few areas where it detracted from the film. There were a few scenes that were unrealistic like a Sea Wolf/Virginia class sub having trouble with depth in a fiord. Not likely. The LA class and the Aklula class could take that shallow depth (even a WWII sub could take that depth with no sweat).
Final Score (2018)
Entertaining, worth watching
Bottom line up front: This is a basic action film with hostages and difficulty choices to make. The plot line is not completely original but has enough twists to keep you engaged. If you like action adventure movies, this film is worth your time, if you are looking for something much deeper and/or completely original, avoid this film.
While most of the actors/actresses are not as well known as Pierce Brosnan who plays a small role in this film, this film does provide some good entertainment. The acting was passable and did have its difficult moments, Dave Bautista is a little out of his element in this role. He just seemed to have difficulty pulling off this character. One thing I did like about this film is the fight scenes seemed a little more realistic in many ways as Bautista did take a number of injuries through the film. There were a few scenes that were very unrealistic and should not have been included in the film. Thankfully these were brief and did not detract much from the film.
The main plot line was a little predictable but was original enough to keep you engaged. The plot progresses nicely and does not allow the film to drag on. Character development decent with Lara Peake character, Danni, shinning in her growth, self esteem and courage to stand up for her self respect. Despite the typical teenage struggles she has with her mother, I like her performance in this character.
The effects and cinematography are not bad. The main effect in the culmination scene when the explosion does occur, it is very colorful. I really wish directors would get the "colorful" explosions out of their head when dealing with C-4. It does not explode like that. Additionally, C-4 is far more powerful than depicted in this film.
Creed II (2018)
Recycled plot again but teachs all must have fear, no fear you get hurt
Bottom line up front: Like other reviewers, I think was rooting more for Drago. Creed goes into the first fight with no fear and not concept of the consequences. Result, he was a serious danger to himself and anyone around him. He then is nearly overwhelmed and must fight his way out. If you liked the Rocky movies, you might like this one. I had a hard time with it.
I hope they don't make another one of these. I just don't see the point in a fighter who just "wants" to fight and does not seem to understand this is not the way to approach this sport. You have to have something else driving you. My take anyway.
The directing was good enough to take the characters in the direction they needed to go in order to for Creed to realize he has to have fear but have the courage to face the fear in the end and not be overwhelmed by it. The big difference in this film, Creed's fear is self inflicted as he rushed into the first fight that was unnecessary. No way around it.
The Drago family shows some bitter realities of the Russian life and culture but from what I have seen (I have actually been in Russia), it is not the "common" narrative. Ivan does what a father must and he did what Rocky couldn't do. Viktor was fighting from the same place Rocky was fighting from. While this may not have been the director's intention, this is exactly what it showed.
Backdraft 2 (2019)
Decent but does not live up to the orginial
Bottom Line up front: While this film does have some of the original actors from the first film and does tie up a few loose ends, it really struggles to build the plot where it needs to go. The culmination scene just does not seem to fit with the theme of the first film and seems to follow a more "police drama plot line" than a fireman's point of view.
For the most part, the plot is decent and the plot development is fast enough to keep you engaged. The main character tries to have the same personality of his father, Brian McCaffrery, but it seems to fall short. The introduction of the international government spying/intrigue seem to hurt the film rather than help it. This whole movie would likely have been better if the director and screenplay had stuck to arson rather than the direction it took.
If you like intrigue and solving mysteries, this film is worth watching for you. Otherwise, you may want to avoid this one.
Kin (2018)
Well thought out but poorly executed...could have been so much better
Bottom Line Up front: For SciFi film it definitely has its moments but it takes the entire movie to get there. Plot is extremely slow moving and character development is too pain painstakingly detailed, slowing down the film even more. If you like character development over plot development, you will like this especially if you like SciFi, otherwise, avoid.
This one could have been done so much better and really could have been completed in as little as 60 min. Way too much time was taken in developing the characters and not enough time was taken in developing the plot the way it should have.
The main message with this film is clouded and did not seem to even have a good message to begin with. Criminality ruled through this film like wildfire but it was only at the end when good nature prevailed. It was also at the end in which it got good. The scenes to get there were troubling at best and some of them were just not believable. I really only liked the first 15 min and then the last 20 mins or so. Everything else in the middle could have been left out.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Not great, but not that bad either
Bottom line up front: This adaptation of the classic Agatha Christi's book is a decent who done it story and is very exacting in the details. While the film does not seem to follow the original book too well it still follows the book enough to allow the viewer to be engaged. This film also has a spread of characters filled by many cultures, which Christi did not do in the book, to appease the PC police, it is passable in this case.
While I am not an Agatha Christi guru I have read this particular book and felt this film was a decent adaptation to the original story. The detective was exacting and in some ways compelling but that is pretty much where it ends. The suspect's, which many are played by well known actors/actresses are good but felt their talents would have been better spent on other projects. This was evident by the lack of character development in many cases. If the character development had been better I think this film would have benefited greatly but probably would have suffered from time limitations.
Cinematography is pretty good and the effects, when needed were well done and complement the film. Plot line follows a Christi like line but does take a few liberal turn to appease the PC police. This is usually annoying but is not as bad in this film.
If you are an ardent Christi fan I would avoid this film as it is likely to upset you. If you are a mystery fan more than a Christi fan, you may find this film worth watching.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
A surprise worth watching
Bottom Line up front: Worth watching, no doubt. An original plot that may not follow the time tested lore of King Arthur but still teaches the lessons all should learn: You must face your fear, for it will make you stronger and better than you are now.
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The plot line is not totally original and the screenplay is a mix of old and new but it seems to work as many of the "new" sequences are not over the top. This helps the film. Character development is rather good here and the tired old brooding plot lines of the reluctant hero are cut short when it needed to be cut short. This helps push the main lesson, you can't run away from your fear.
CGI is good for mid range budget film, can't complain there. Cinematography is also rather good and helps the film along. End scene was decent but felt it could have been better. Like the build up to it and the music score to the film was very well chosen. This helped a lot.
If you like action and honor driven plot lines, you are likely to enjoy this one. If you are steeped in King Arthur lore, I would avoid this one.
Game Night (2018)
Missed the mark
Bottom Line UP front: This film attempted good comedy but seemed to me it tried to recreate the plot from "Date Night". Unfortunately, it missed the mark by a lot. If you liked Date Night, avoid this one.
The comedy in this film was bland and not funny. I didn't laugh once and had to turn it off about half way through it. The film did not endear the characters to me and the "jokes" seemed forced and overly stupid. There were also a few scenes that were just ridiculous which really hampered the film.
Not sure what the director writers were getting at with many of them or maybe my sense of humor is just not in sync with this. Recommend you not watch and save your time for something else.
The Death of Stalin (2017)
Surprisingly good dark satire but close to historical naritive
Bottom Line Up Front: This dark satire takes some liberties with history but does stay rather close to the facts. Depicts the hysteria and the overwhelming fear instilled by Stalin and Beria in the late 40s and early 50s up to Stalin's death. If you like docu-dramas you will like this one. If not, don't bother.
No spoilers if you know your history.
I was pleasantly surprised by this film thinking it was going to show a lot of comedy with an intent of making light of the tumultuous time following Stalin's death. Instead, this film in many ways accurately depicted what it, quite possibly, like to be in the inner circle of Central Committee members at the time. It also showed the difference between Beria, who was a sadistic and a very sick individual, and who would become the next leader of the USSR, Khrushchev.
What made this film compelling was the depiction of the fear and the sense of urgency to ensure control of an extremely centralized form of government. It also shows the trust between Khrushchev and Zhukov (head of the army) as they both served in WWII and played pivotal roles in the war. They understood one another and trusted each other to protect the state.
Thankfully Khrushchev became the next leader and not Beria. If Beria had become leader, I don't think the Cuban missile crisis would have turned out well for either side. While Khrushchev was ruthless it was necessary under the Soviet system to ensure Beria and the NKVD were removed permanently (was eventually merged into the MVD and KGB). This cleared the way for many of Khrushchev's reforms (not depicted in the film as Khrushchev's reforms were so "progressive" for more freedoms, he was removed by Brezhnev and reversed many of Khrushchev's reforms).
Creed (2015)
Good but recyclecd plot
Bottom Line up Front: This is a good coming of age story and a story which shows that anyone can achieve greatness provided they take responsibility for themselves. Additionally, they have have to work at it and not blame others for their failures. If you liked the Rocky movies, you are likely to enjoy this one.
While this film does use a similar plot to the original Rocky, there are some differences but the story is basically the same. The main difference deals with the reasons the two different fighters chose to fight. In Rocky, Balboa fights because he really can't do anything else. In this film, Adonis is driven to fight. While he was not born with a "silver spoon" he did have a predominately sheltered and good up bringing and did get a good education. He dose not need to box to earn a good living. He seems to be driven by something inside. Not sure what message this sends to people but to me, it may be the wrong message. I don't see the need to fight when you don't have to.
Anyway, the good parts of this film clearly show that everyone, young and old needs to be responsible for themselves. Fight the fights that need to be fought (physical, mental and medical alike). Avoid the ones that you don't need to engage. Both Adonis and Rocky come face to face with some of these issues.
I also did like the some of the similarities this film had with original Rocky. Especially with Rocky coming full circle in training Adonis. That was important to show.
Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)
Hmmm...Good idea but could have been better. Worth watchng though
Bottom line up front...This was a good attempt to change up the plot line a little with the same lesson to be learned which has been beaten to death in many other films. The major plot twist was very annoying though (at least to me). Liked the film overall but it was not a "great" film.
Okay, for a Sony/Marvel film, this was on par with the others or maybe a little lower. I have rated most Marvel films in the 8 range (I rarely rate films a 10, have only done it 8 times in over 480 films rated). This one is a little lower though. As mentioned in my bottom line, the main plot twist was annoying and to me was naive and childish for any teenager to make. Thus, why it was annoying. I did like the hand off scene in the film (will not give it way) as I feel this worked well with the progression of the Marvel films. The culmination sequence seems a little over the top or very close to it. Again, at least to me.
CGI as usual was very good which is what you would expect from a film of this type. Did not see any issues with the CGI "eye candy".
On another note, this film seems to leave some things opened ended which may have been by design as it appeared to be set up to allow Sony to go its own way with Spider Man or the come back into the fold with Disney. Not sure, but that is just they way it appears.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
Rather good, deep, cerebral plot, deep lesson to be learned!
Bottom line up front: This film has a deep lesson to be taught, and has been taught many times over. This is the first film in a long while to do it. In short: Absolute Power corrupts absolutely. I think the reason why so many hate this film, is that Dark Phoenix shows that women are not immune to this.
I will not belabor the directing (which could have been better), and the core plot itself (which was derivative), but I will say the film does show well how absolute power pollutes the mind, even when there is still "good" left in the person trying to fight it. In this film, it was extraterrestrial power combined with a powerful mutant that created an total and absolutely powerful entity. It was not until the totality of the power was removed that the humanity which could not be taken finally got the upper hand. But even then, the exercise of said power was corruptible.
Confused yet? I was for awhile. Had to think about for a few minutes before I understood that. Either way, I feel the this film does show a very important lesson and one that should be taken to heart. No one should have that kind of power. No one (male or female). It twists the mind to the point that what makes us all human is gone. This film shows that as only when the alien took some of it from Jean, that Jean's humanity could tip the balance.
This is a good film. Worth watching. Will likely have to watch it multiple times to really get a good understanding of it.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Surprising and Entraining
Bottom Line Up Front...If you like comic book based films, you are likely to enjoy this one. Plot is different, not cookie cutter. Voices are well chosen and the pace of the films is about right after an initial slow start.
I usually don't like films that use this type of animation but in this case, it works. The plot is different which helps tremendously and the occasional use of "pure comic book" animation brings some nostalgia to the film. At times I felt I was watching the old Adam West Batman show but with A LOT less "cheese".
The use of a different villain was also nice for this installment of Spider man. The diversity of the spider"people" was also well balanced and was the use of each spider"person's" special ability.
This film surprised me. While I am not likely to buy the film, I found it entertaining and worth watching.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Be wary of ratings below 4 and above 7
Bottom Line Up Front: This final installment of the original saga to me is two films in one. It had a number of scenes that should have been in Last Jedi (which fix the damage done there) and then seemed rushed at the end to complete the story.
I am a HUGE Star Wars fan and saw the original Star Wars in theaters in 1977. I have a hard time calling this film a worthy ending to the saga but it is a very good attempt. This film is jammed packed with changes and plots. I do not recommend anyone leaving for any period of time during this film. You will miss something important.
This film is also a stinging rebuke of Last Jedi as this film puts the final nail in the question of Rey's origins. While Last Jedi clearly stated that Rey's origins were insignificant, Rise of Skywalker shows Rey's origins are extremely important and falls inline with all other Star Wars films and books. This is a complete and utter rebuke of Last Jedi. I will not say what Rey's origins are to keep the surprise to those who have yet to see the film. There are also a number of other items in the film that are much more Star Wars/Lucas influences which really help the film. However, I feel there should have been a lot more of Lucas' influence in the film. I feel this would have helped the film even more. One area where I think Lucas' influence was placed was the scene in which Luke finally comes full circle. This is a prime example of a scene that should have been in Last Jedi (All Jedi must come "full circle' to ensure they know themselves and their capability).
There are a number of issues I do have with the film, specifically dealing with the progression of Rey's powers and how her training was conducted. Granted, this was forced on Abrams due to the disaster Johnson produced with Last Jedi but it is still annoying and does not help the film. Unfortunately, these issues have to be looked at through the lens of "required" (much like a lot of Phantom Menace). The only saving grace on these aspects were the fact much of it was indicated in past Star Wars films and literature. So it is passable.
In many ways, I think this film should have been split into two. A part one (to fix the disaster of Last Jedi) and part two (to finish the saga). I think this would have helped the story telling and really help explain why the final scenes occurred. There is a lot in this film which is why I think a number of folks called this film "convoluted". I can see that argument. This is this the reason I rate this film a 5. It is a good recovery, but just did not have the time to fix everything.
Now that the saga is complete, here are my final rankings on the best Star Wars Films to date (keep in mind these are my opinions and not everyone agree and my opinions are based on a lifetime of Star Wars Fandom):
1): 10/10 Empire Strikes Back
2) 10/10 Return of the Jedi (Very close second)
3) 10/10 New Hope (Very very close third)
4) 10/10 Attack of the Clones (Not nearly as close but still a 10)
5) 9/10 Rogue One
6) 9/10 Revenge of the Sith
7) 8/10 Force Awakens
8) 8/10 Phantom Menace (Very close to Force Awakens)
9) 8/10 Solo
10) 5/10 Rise of Skywalker
11) 1/10 Last Jedi (So far behind I don't even own this one)
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
Really, more politics and America Bashing!!
My summary says it all. This movie could have been so much better if they had left out the politics and America bashing. The first movie was okay and if they had built on that it would have been good. This one, they make an American Presidency look worse than Stalin or Hitler and no American President before or now has even scratched that surface. Additionally, it made other Americans look bad.
As such, writing was very bad despite the decent acting and a decent cast. I will never own this film and very glad I didn't go see this on in the theater (I would have walked out and asked for my money back) and I didn't even spend a dollar to rent this flop.
Stay away! Very bad!
Red Sparrow (2018)
Cerebral, methodical, confusing and weaponized sex
Bottom line up front: For those that like spy thrillers and are not put off by the use of sex (and weaponized sex/sexual violence), you will like this one. This is an original film for the most part but I am not likely to watch this film again.
This film is very original and well through out. It is very cerebral and you have to pay very close attention to keep up with what is going on. While the film does explain everything in the end, I felt the plan was just "too perfect" to actually have been pulled off (nothing comes off that perfect in real life).
Due to the fact the plot is very exacting, the film seems to move along rather slow and the character development seems to be slow as well. It was refreshing to see a film with a mix of good and bad characters of both genders. There is an even distribution of bad female and bad male characters in this film but also good female/mail character.
A word of warning to those who have not seen this film yet, this film is gritty and holds little back from the viewer. As other reviewers have noted and mentioned this film has a lot of sex scenes in it or scenes in which sex is the instrument of power. There are even a couple of rape scenes. While I usually dislike (really dislike) rape scenes, these are passable as they are necessary to the plot/story line. They are just hard to watch. So, viewer beware! Additionally, nearly all the sex scenes in the film are also necessary to the plot line so the amount of sex is arguably not gratuitous as without them, the plot may have a few holes in it. This film does blur this line though!
Midway (2019)
Respect to history good, Acting, okay...Definetly a must see
Bottom line: if you like historical dramas, you are likely to like this film. If you don't, avoid and save yourself several hours.
Spoilers are minor (if you know your history).
For intents and purposes, this film does do justice (for the most part) of the account of the Battle of Midway. This is a very fast paced film with little character development. In this case, it really does not need it as the director concentrated on McClusky and Best. This fine but in many ways it may not be needed. Harrelson does a decent job as Nimitz and Quaid did very well as Halsey.
As stated above, this a very fast paced film which starts with the reason why the US carriers were not at Pearl on 7 Dec 41, then moves quickly through some other actions to include the Marshalls, Dolittle Raid, Coral Sea and then on to Midway. Considering the amount of action in this film, I feel the Dolittle Rain could have been omitted and the scenes from China should also have been absent. That said, considering there was a Chinese production company putting money into this film, I think directors and writers were forced into this. The main reason I feel the Dolittle Raid should have been eliminated was there was A LOT omitted about the planning from the Japanese side and US side that was very important and the "fog of war" issues that dogged Nagumo during the battle itself. These issues really could have helped the understanding of the decisions the commander made during the battle.
There is on BIG issue I took with the film. During the first attacks on the Japanese carriers, a B-25 was hit and nearly hit Nagumo's carrier, which the pilot was trying to hit the carrier because he could not return to base. The film portrayed Nagumo reactions to the apparent attempt by the American pilot to ram the carrier as a coincidence saying "Americans are not that brave". In reality, Nagumos writings indicate that incident shook him to this core and made him reassess US forces as whole. This film did not show that.
All that said, this film is very much so worth watching.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Entertaining
The final installment of the the Avengers was a good and entertaining ending to the series. While the plot line was predictable for the most part, there were enough plot twists to keep you entertained. CGI is first rate and there is plenty of "eye candy" in this regard. Pretty much what you would expected from this type of film and Marvel. Those that like the MCU are likely to "love" this installment. While I enjoy these films, I didn't think EndGame was "awesome" but definitely a movie I would watch again.
Character's stayed within their expected lanes so to speak with some differences with a few of them (will leave them out here to prevent spoilers). I would have preferred to keep all the Marvel characters in their lanes. While this was annoying at time, it was didn't distract too much from the film. I also would have liked to have seen more of Captain Marvel but she was brought in a the correct times to support the story. Just not a major part of it.
Again, if you like the MCU or the DCU, you will like this one. If you are more into strong plot lines and characters, you might like this one.
Ad Astra (2019)
An attempt at good sci Fi
Well, this is another one that was rather disappointing. For the most part, this film seemed to be a combination of 2001 a Space Odyssey and Apocalypse Now. If you know these two movies, then you will likely have a pretty good idea of the plot. If you liked those films you MAY like this one. For me, it seemed way to slow in both plot and character development. There were some other "physiological" themes in the film that got tiresome as seemed to go against what the realities are for space travel and in the future, long term travel. Not sure where this was going though.
In the end, I am sad that I spent money to see this film. Was hoping for something more entertaining rather than brooding and negativity about humanity in general. This is a theme many film makers seemingly focus on lately. I wish they would stop!
The Dead Don't Die (2019)
Very disapointing
As I said, this was very disappointing so I will not spend much time on this.
Considering the cast, I was very hopeful this would be good but a lass it was not to be. The plot is extremely slow and predictable. Makes it very hard to watch. Not sure what the director was getting at here. Character development was almost none existent which compounds the slow plot development.
Lastly and most annoyingly, the director uses symbolism to gripe about politics. This was the last straw for the film.
Film makers take note...most people go see films to ESCAPE the daily politics and reality of the world. We don't go to films to be reminded of them and preached to. Leave politics out of films unless you film is about politics or a documentary.
A Madea Family Funeral (2019)
Has its moments, but not as good as other Madea movies
Shocked to see the "canyon" of differences in reviews for this film. While I agree, it is not a good as other Madea films but this film still has its moments. My wife and I did laugh frequently but I will give the "haters" some points this film just did not seem to be as good. However, I do not believe it deserves the hate some people are giving it.
This film still follows the Tyler Perry formula and delivers a powerful message at the end. I have to salute the incredible strength of character of the mother/widow in the film. I don't think I could ever come close to enduring what she endured. Hats off.
If you liked the other Madea films, you will like this one. You may not laugh as much but you will still like it. It is worth a watch.