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mikemichaud
Reviews
Valley of the Gods (2019)
Great cinema!
* Do yourself a favor and watch it in black & white. *
Circle (2015)
Awesome
Funny how a movie called circle brings back the terror of cube. Another film of that genre. Although this one intruduces further social complications and dynamics. What I truly love about this film is that it introduces the absolute reality of humanity in these situations. It is discomforting because people would rather ignore their social shortcomings and basque in their vindication. Welcome to the ride. And remember this film when you fell justified when firing an employee or wronging someone. It hurts to admit to ourselves doesn't it, well then, where is growth.
The Shallows (2016)
The only shark film since Jaws
Honestly this story holds up to jaws quite well by introducing a new take. their will always be some amount of unrealism to these stories because honestly in real life it either happens quick or not at all. With that in mind enjoy one of the only 2 must see shark films.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Best star wars film
This is coming from a fan who believes ep.2 , ep.5 , ep.7 are the three films worth discarding. It started with a tim burton batman 1989 vibe slowly changing with the sets. Honestly that's what sets this film apart from the other star wars, rather than focus on an epic, the film style changes with the locations and that in itself makes this film a masterpiece.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
Modern Sci-fi for fans of Monty Python
The title pretty much sums it up, you will have an american comedy touch to it unfortunately. Other than 1 nitpick point, it still doesn't dock it down from a 10 score to a 9.
Trialogues at the Edge of the Millennium (1998)
No words do this justice
Great minds come together and show us that philosophical conversation can be of great use to come together as a community by not taking critiscism personnally and expanding ones consciousness with others ideas even though you may not understand, comprehend or agree with each other. It focuses on the importance of similarity over differences; with that in our spirit and mind we can begin to fully understand their conversation, propelling us on our own journey to quench our need to understand our purpose, reason and reality. Accepting what is unknown and mysterious; being equally important as intelligence and understanding.
Caligola (1979)
Unique
In a media filled with fantasizing about rulers and their overglorified lifestyles this film brings a realistic take on not all in power are sane. Wealth and riches do not fix everything and this film executes this beautifully.
The Matrix (1999)
Best B movie ever made
What do you get when you give a b-movie a blockbuster budget. The Matrix. Sounds like as imple task yet not so easily executed. Many film makers tried this and while modern times has shown exponential growth in this type of execution; this film delivers it masterfully. In a way, the film is better when ignoring sequels (not taking the no sequels judgemntalism) because of the afforementioned statements. It brings you back to the original excitement it offered and helps you appreciate it's glory more sincerely.
Jûbê ninpûchô (1993)
Best ninja film - not fan service
This film is a perfect rendition of modern kung-fu flicks using anime as medium instead of a style. For fans of sword of the stranger and samurai champloo. It set the bar pretty high for following anime releases.
Koneko monogatari (1986)
Eat your heart out Disney
This film trumps all childrens fantasy stories from disney and the like. While the story is well made and executed to keep you watchig; it is based on realism and is educational in it's own right. Proof that realism can trump fantasy and sci-fi.
The Lords of Salem (2012)
Best one in it's category
Other films come to mind: rosemary's baby, etc. In this viewers eyes this is the best film rendition of this concept. Modernized yes yet seems like it could still stand high if viewed in the 50's, 60's and 70's. The basis of it's fear and perverse concept was and always will be a concept that follows humanity.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
The best turtle experience so far
Bulldozing over the cartoon and all other live action renditions as well. Not exactly a great portrayal of the first comic which everyone is ready for more than ever and should have been. Combining the first comic and cartoon is well executed and is timeless.
Joker (2019)
Not a villain flick .thumbs up.
While the film Pi delivers a variant of losing ones mind, this film is a perfect introspection on the hell and realities of psychosis. Enjoy!
Watchmen (2009)
Simply great
This film, in a sense, trumped all superhero movies before and after. The realistic consequences of living such a lifestyle is shown and takes out the romance of being an icon for such bold attempts at being the protectors of reason, justice and peace. If one truly grasps this anti-hero concept it makes all superhero concepts near damn uninteresting. Luckily with a bit of time and nostalgic memories eventually you can come back and enjoy superhero films again. Maybe even be able to sympatize with the villains this time around.
Funny Games (2007)
Not so fun when horror viewers get what they want, right?
The challenge that viewers put on horror movie makers is quite the pressure to have on ones shoulders. While gore always seems to be past off as sci-fi romantic violence; movies like this one and cannibal holocaust offer true terror that isnt easily disregarded as fiction to ease our comfort. These films offer that thirst quenching feeling that Tool - Vicarious defines in the lyrics. I say dont critcize and go for the ride; shocking? disturbing? wrong?.. good your morals are still intact. Compassion for such victims is also a positive result as it makes you realize the ordeal and reality of such things; just think how fortunate a viewer is to not be in that situation and still, it hits us hard and makes us feel grotesquified. Your anger towards the offenders become easily ascertained, your anger towards the family not doing everything in their power to stop it because they are too terrified is also there, making you realize that courage, if well calculated, can be a huge benefit even if it may become more of a sacrificial bad decision. Sometimes the good samaritain attitude has to be overlooked in order to survive.
Lake Mungo (2008)
spoiler alert, this is for those who didn't quite get it.
This movie is very well made. Atmosphere, nuances, elements; all carefully considered to create realism and still have a psychological horror/thriller twist. I believe the closure the family gets at the end is from finding all possible evidence and none of it leading to them getting rid of their daughter/sister. It should be unsettling to the family that she was being warned by paranormal means and was taken away that way. They don't believe, then they believe because of the son playing tricks, then don't believe again, then at the end believe but it's OK (it was scary when they thought they were being haunted but not when it's haunting your family member to death). The mothers reaction to seeing her daughter in the room during the last psychic session and the daughters reaction to that is also revealing of some dark secret between them. The psychic notices this but is bound by not being able to prove his findings that the family is guilty; that's why that scene turns cold fast. When the family has exaggerated responses to people not telling them certain things or showing them; especially that those things didn't really help with the case says a lot. I can spend much time typing why I see that her family are the killers but re-watch it with that in mind. You'll see what I mean.
The Ninth Configuration (1980)
Comedy with thriller atmosphere
A thinking mans:womans comedy. The jokes will go over your head if you have no knowledge of it's references in order to understand their inferences. While this effect is very well drawn out from the viewer as it is present in it's concept as well. Well executed and for those westerners:americans out there, there's closure at the end.
Stockholm, Pennsylvania (2015)
If only there could be another way.
Pros: The movie was well captivated, it kept you in wanting to know what was gonna happen next. At times your feeling for all the characters and at the same time trying to find which to connect with. It's realistic and genuine thanks to the actors performances.
Cons: I honestly think with time the film started being a one track plot and did not account for all the layers it was producing at the beginning. Some elements were lost when the mother ends up being worse than her captor which I believe wouldn't happen as such unless the mother was already a messed up person which could be true adding to a realistic situation. The doctor wasn't concerned as much as one would be in real life unless again to add some realism they ended up with a doctor who just wants to put in their hours and go home with that 9 to 5 attitude.
In all: my cons were along the lines of critique personally... where there were nuances of dislike I easily found a way to ignore it or justify it in order to follow the story, the ending was intense and could not be truly felt by only watching that part, the whole build up to that point makes for one of the best endings I've seen in a film, a television film at that... because of that ending it was awesome.
Miss Meadows (2014)
sling blade meets u turn meets Pleasantville
What a movie. I watched it without knowing what to expect; the only propaganda I got from it was the cover, I didn't even read or check for synopsis or trailer. A creepy joy ride with lots of not knowing what to expect perhaps not intensely but still. if I had to choose as film only I'd return to this one before bad teacher any day. For me there was no sense of build up to tragedy, just more along the lines of anticipation for revealed layers as the story went.
Not a big fan of crime movies even though I like a lot of them. This one brought an element to it that makes it stand alone, my title of review aside. Did not expect Katie Holmes to do a good job like this.
Batman (1989)
I consider this the first live action batman (tiny spoiler)
The adventure my father and I had to go through to see this made it so much better, we finally went to a big city and I made us walk out of Indiana Jones to walk many blocks to be able to see it. Once we got there I had no time to grab food/drinks it was sit down. It just started so I had no time sitting down in anticipation and I must have never blinked because I was immersed by the impact, live action and dark version (like the comics). and to me for the first time an interesting super villain. Batman/Bruce Wayne and joker were both creepy and peaceful all in their own right. The car was exquisite at the time and made me build Lego versions for a decade. Like I mentioned in another review that I cannot compare this and the later version to each other. One important factor is ya sure joker is more "cartoon" like yet I beg to differ. If you can remain completely yourself and "sane" looking (lack of better term here) and talk to someone you just singed slowly to death. Well speaks for itself at that point.
The Dark Knight (2008)
way better than expected
With this film in mind it's one of the only times I can say the sequel is better. I often watch begins and dark knight as one story. One of the best portrayed villains I've ever seen (R>I>P H.L.) putting the fame of this opinion aside here. Ledger's and Nicholson's versions cannot be compared yet the elements that joker has in this version were phenomenal. All the characters do a good job at portraying their characters that you can watch it and ignore the superhero element.
Up until now I still cannot rightfully compare the Tim Burton version and Christopher Nolan version. The impact and nostalgia of Burton's film due to my age and time it was released to a better refined version of Nolan's.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
The only x-men film I enjoyed/liked to date (may have spoiling element)
Like the title of my summary states; in my eyes this one stands alone (timeline aside). The fact that both sides had to get together to defeat a new enemy always was my favorite part about x-men because tensions rise and your always left to wonder will there be a catch, does one side have a secret element which will put them at an advantage. Realizing it was done in the other films yet specifically in this one there's so much tension your thinking: if there is an alternate plan from one of the sides how can they withhold that in this situation. Plus they finally brought in some intense challengers other than the usual brotherhood vs x-men.
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996)
the movie that made me enjoy the series
I was young "unable to watch it" according to parents yet sneaked a few if they went to bed early enough and didn't enjoy it. The fault for that was no one's other than having heard it so many times without the images from my room at the time. By the time I saw it it gave me a sense of disappointment because I had too much time using my own imagination before (like reading a book then watching the film).
That aside I was older and the movie came out. from the start I was like: now were talking. I was desensitized from the past preconceptions and the film was great, I put it up there with others like Ren & Stimpy, etc. Finally I went back and enjoyed the series. Then there were new seasons later on/not too long ago, very good yet only one critique: they weren't as stupid which is fine because it was almost run into the ground that way. In the end the new elements to the characters made it stay in my favorite cartoons.
The Man from Earth (2007)
the man from earth (may have spoiler/comment of the setting)
This movie was very good, one of my favourite's indeed. I like the one set films (open water, carnage, phone booth to name a few). The dialogue was awesome because it had a genuine sense of regular conversation; very important with these types of movies and it was done well. Felt like a window to a real situation.
To those who critique harshly: taking into account b-movies and older films from 1920's up until today; which I view they equal footing to one another as an art piece. Why critique harshly the production and acting?... a story meant to be read (the book/dialogue is more important), it would stir one's thought and emotions up the way it was meant to be... without visual distractions. I thank this film for leading me towards a potentially very good book.