Change Your Image
tenebrisis
Reviews
Mother! (2017)
horror or not?
Pi was a great debut.But this one...? Just saw it with a very small audience of people who were totally not into it.but I definitely see why people are hating it. the bigger problem with the movie is it marketed itself as a classic horror movie. As a straightforward horror film, this already didn't work because of the final 45 minutes or so just being too out there and especially too illogical, but then in the final minute Aranofsky makes the greatest mistake of all by pulling the rug out from under the film and explain it all, thereby completely nullifying any attachment to the protagonist that was built up until that point, and making this film entirely about himself. The film is instantly turned into one big metaphor for the creative process, the breaking of the crystal (i.e. the heart of his story, i.e. the JLaw character) the moment where the writer starts to lose the plot, as his story starts to devolve further and further into a tangled mess. Crumple up the paper, and start over again.
It's all very meta, and it's all very unengaging, and because of that ending, rather dull. Had he not created the bookends, we could have interesting discussions about what all the madness meant, but he took that chance away by simply explaining the film. In a deft move, I'll give him that, but now I'm left with watching a (purposefully nameless, as it turns out) protagonist for two hours that in the end I shouldn't care about, because she was just a draft version. That ending was just way too "Get it? Get it?
Philadelphia (1993)
Excellent interpretation
Hailed as one of the first big-budget films to address the AIDS virus, 'Philadelphia' relies on its top-notch cast to chart a course through difficult themes. At the emotional core, rather than a focus on the spectacular details of the disease, the film chooses to examine the discrimination and homophobic in-tolerances that those afflicted face. The real tragedy? The social demise and stigma of the individual which precedes physical death itself.
Using the courtroom setting to stage its drama, 'Philadelphia', asks some difficult questions, but then in a puzzling reversal, it discards some of its more emotional elements and decides to play it safe. Some might argue that this quiet restraint is one of the film's strengths, but this seriously derails some of the film's emotive power.
There is one scene in particular that drastically alters the tone of the film. Andrew Beckett, played by Tom Hanks, interprets his favorite opera to attorney Joe Miller, a self-proclaimed homophobia. The film seems to warp at the very seams as Andrew dramatizes the opera. It's an incredibly powerful moment and a sobering vision of what could have been.
Nonetheless, the film accomplishes an imperative objective. Educating the masses and altering public perception and for this reason alone, 'Philadelphia' warrants celebration.
Vanya on 42nd Street (1994)
Chekhov!
If you aren't willing to sit through Chekov, stay away but otherwise, find this and feast!! It is so moving and wondrous. Beautiful performances abound and it is just terrific. I watched it after reacquainting myself with My Dinner With Andre. Tremendously moving and touching. So thrilled to own it and to be able to dive back in now and again and experience the work of gifted and deep people doing something beautiful and rich. Magnificent. Highly recommended! Wallace is just miraculous as is everyone else. This is what artistic work is about. Everybody in the arts wants to make a Citizen Kane and a Sgt. Peppers, a Le Sacre Du Printemps and a West Side Story, a Sweeney Todd and an Angels In America. Andre Gregory's direction and goal seems to be to find a level of communication and depth in the work that is both heightened and yet ultra realistic at the same time; in the end analysis the film therefore is affecting in a way that many productions aren't. He achieves this by working on a smaller scale yet allowing the actors all the room they need to get big when the play demands it. It reminds anyone involved in the arts that the process is everything. Doing good work with all your heart, mind and soul down to the smallest detail is all we can ask of ourselves. Within that there will be artists able to push through and be a part of something transcendent. This film is a lost gem. It didn't and it won't make a big noise. It doesn't matter, it has everything it needs to have to remind anyone who is able to take it in what the arts are all about, especially the theatrical arts. Forgive the sermon. Watch it.
Sleepless (2017)
so-so!
Really a so-so movie. I usually like action flicks and I generally like Jamie Foxx. So many scenes were so far fetched that I was waiting for Santa or the Easter Bunny to appear. If you are okay with some little suspense and simple Hollywood formulas, played out by good actors not living up to their potential, then this is a pretty good, watchable, movie.Honestly for me;I'm Very disappointed because the first film of this director was really great.
Knock Knock (2015)
Bad girls...
This is not a great movie, but it's also not a terrible way to kill an hour and a half.
Not as good as I was hoping it would be. I thought this movie would be more suspenseful, instead it was just a movie about a guy who makes a stupid decision to open this door to two girls, while he is home alone.
I should say This film is weird. A loving husband invites two young women in to call for Uber after getting lost in the pouring rain. What follows next is something no self-respecting family man would do and the women make him pay for this action.
and Keanu...
Keanu is one of my favorite actors and he was OK in this movie. In the beginning it kind of felt like a little Ted came back, but man... towards the end when he was screaming and trying to get away you could tell he was struggling trying to find his acting skills. The plot was strange and yes it was sometimes entertaining and only had a few slow spots. I still love you Keanu!
Self/less (2015)
didn't work for me but didn't suck
I respect everyone's opinion, but this was a good not great movie. The premise is incredible. And there is a lot of plot lines that can branch out of it. And instead of a performance that unleashed Ryan Reynolds and allowed him to go thru a range of emotions, this turned into a mostly bland action movie. I will say the scene in the mansion with the child is incredible in showing another aspect to this procedure and its uses. The main antagonist has a twist that I saw coming, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I wish this movie was a little less focused on the action and pushing plot lines when it could have taken moments to slow down and explore the less heroic side of Ben Kingsley's character (Inside Ryan Reynolds character). Before we see Kingsley's character transferred to Reynolds body, he shows a very aggressive and selfish side. I will say that I still think this a good movie. This movie spent too much time on action when the best parts of it could have been the acting. Worth a watch once, but didn't live up to its potential.
Magi (2016)
The Devil is in the details.
I finally got to see this flick. It's a must-watch! Magi has a very strong story and engrossing plot. I love the slow burner horror films and this was definitely one of those types of horror films. Stamm hits on Christian & Babylonian beliefs concerning the origin of the Devil, his demons, and God. i hate it when people spoil movies so I don't want to tell you whole story.
What i did not expect was to REALLY enjoy this film. This is not a jump scare movie There's a small amount of gore that it's't very over the top, but along with the death scenes, they prove to be very effective.
But the suspense of Magi was fantastic and its weird but You believe the story. yes,really It'll give you something to think about and it'll make you believe that perhaps, demons DO exist. The rest of the movie was very very fresh and new. There were enough turns and twists to keep you going and a nice amount of creepiness. It's the type of horror that gets under your skin and chills your blood. One of the best films, horror or not ,in recent memory.
before seeing this movie you should know What is the difference between angels, Jinns and devils? The JINN are beings living on earth in a world parallel to mankind.They are physically invisible from man as their description suggests. Through their powers of flying and invisibility, the JINNS are the chief component in occult activities. Therefore, Voodoo, Black magic, Witchcraft and Mediums can all be explained through the world of the JINNS. Likewise, so can the illusions and feats of magicians. so think about these words; Magic & Magi...! It was a clever plot with plenty of suspense and I never would've guessed the ending, which was great, surprising and memorable! It stays on your mind for days after. I recommend this to those who are into supernatural horror with a demonic possession backdrop. Magi is certainly worth seeing if you are a fan of the genre.
Sphere (1998)
This is the story about the nature of man today!
The book was awesome, but the film left out some very important parts, and even changed how certain crew members died.
but,its still perfect.
I was a little surprised by Jeff Shannon's trouncing of this movie above. Sphere is not a seamless yarn from stern to aft; but, other than Contact and Gattaca, it's perhaps the only sci-fi movie of recent vintage to have anything intelligent to say about anything. Though it has its moments, Sphere does not serve up the special effects smörgåsbord we've been conditioned to expect from this genre. What it offers instead is an intelligent, suspenseful ride in the isolation of the ocean floor. There a team of very human scientists attempts to make sense of a series of dangerous and bazaar happenings following their contact with a sunken object of alien origin. Sphere has a bit of a who- done-it element and throws enough twists and turns at you to keep you guessing. The story could have benefited from some fleshing out in places. I suspect the book does a better job of this, as books usually do. The ending is more thought provoking than eye popping, although nothing too terribly profound. A few important questions are left unanswered. The acting, however, is solid overall, led by Dustin Hoffman's fine performance. Despite a few shortcomings, Sphere is an intelligent, well-paced thriller and creates a suspenseful atmosphere that carries you right up to the end. Worth watching.
Stand by Me (1986)
One of the best coming of age movies.
Saw it many years ago, and well worth repeating. Anything Steven King does is Gold! Great coming of age story. A lot of Stephen King's films are hit or miss, but this one is a must own!
It is based on a semi-autobiographical novella by Stephen King. While King of course became famous for writing horror stories, this is not a horror story. He tries to capture some of the look and the feel of his childhood in the story, and the director Rob Reiner similarly tried to capture something of the feeling of his own childhood in the film. It could have taken place anywhere in rural or small-town America, but is set in Oregon.
anyway,Fabulous movie, has all the right movie making elements to be an all time favorite. The boy actors are memorable and it reflects childhood fears and triumphs perfectly. Highly recommended.
and;
Great classic movie. Besides river Phoenix what ever happened to all the other actors?
Lacombe Lucien (1974)
when he falls in love with a Jewish girl...
Louis Malle's film about the German occupation of France is based on his own experiences during that time, when he was a teenager (Malle was born in 1932) The young man is Lucien Lacombe, and he is 17 in 1944, when the German war machine has started to fall apart. He lives in occupied France, and as we get to know him, we realize he's a moral cipher with no point of view at all toward the momentous events surrounding him. He's not stupid, but his interest in the war is limited mostly to the daily ways it affects him directly.
It affects him at home, where his mother lives with her lover (his father is missing in action). It affects him at work, where he labors in his boring job at the hospital. A lot of the young men in the town are members of the underground resistance movement. They carry guns, are involved in secret schemes and don't have to mop floors. Lucien approaches the local resistance and asks to join, but he's turned away because he's too young. He wants desperately (if "desperately" isn't too strong a word for such a taciturn character) to break the mold of his life, and since the resistance won't have him, he joins the local Gestapo. This is crazy, we're thinking. Lucien joins the Gestapo almost absentmindedly, and then this bright Jewish girl falls for a guy like that. But Louis Malle's point is a complex one. Neither of these people can quite see beyond their immediate circumstances. They're young, uninformed, naive, and the fact is that adolescent sex appeal is a great deal more meaningful to them than all the considerations of history.
Louis Malle, whose previous film was the bittersweet and lovely "Murmur of the Heart" (1971), gave himself a difficult assignment this time. His film isn't really about French collaborators, but about a particular kind of human being, one capable of killing and hurting, one incapable of knowing or caring about his real motives, one who would be a prime catch for basic training and might make a good soldier and not ask questions.
As played by Pierre Blaise, a young forester who had never acted before (and who died in a road crash a few years later), Lucien is a victim trapped in his own provincialism and lack of curiosity. Louis Malle seems almost to be examining the mentality of someone like the war criminals at My Lai -- technicians of murder who hardly seemed to be troubled by their actions. That's the achievement of "Lacombe, Lucien." But what Louis Malle is never quite able to do is to make us care about Lucien, who is so morally illiterate that his choices, even the good ones, seem randomly programmed. Perhaps to show that illiteracy is the point of the film.
28 Days Later... (2002)
The Real Zombification Process!
a well-acted, well directed, and well written scary movie. Director Danny Boyle keeps the audience off-balance. Nightmarish quick cuts and digital video give the look of the movie a gritty, hallucinatory immediacy. Boyle also makes brilliant use of the empty artifacts, from the deserted London streets to a once-magnificent Gosford Park-style country house, now occupied by military, who eat rotting food around the table once used for glittering parties. Each character gets just one defining quality (idealistic Jim, tough Selena, stout-hearted Frank, ingenue Hannah), but that just adds to the sense of urgency -- we don't have time to get to know them, just as they don't have time to get to know one another....Desolate and empty London streets. An upturned bus. A solitary man's echoing 'Hello?' sends pigeons fleeing. Simple imagery, but stunningly effective.Danny Boyle can't be typed as a director. This guy is all over the board. He has a great feel for horror though, making very sure that he knows what really is scary. There is some blood, no doubt, but this isn't a spoon-fed easy horror, but more of an unseen menace. Even when the "Infected" are (quite literally) in your face, the camera is shaky and quick cuts are used to break up what you see and blur comprehension. Boyle also knows when to rely on action and when to slow things down. He never seems to be in a hurry, and allows the audience to get to know the characters on their own. Nothing is ever over-explained here at all, and any small lapses are acceptable due to the focus.
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
One of the Great Westerns
This is testimony to how much more sophisticated films have gotten since the 50's. Christian Bale and Russell Crowe exude more energy between each other with only an intonation or without even a line in only a look, that volumes are conveyed about the relationship between these two characters. The screen writers have tweaked the script just enough to elevate a dull 50's western to a classic film about a man's need for acceptance from his son and honor for himself.
A LOT of Action and surprising stunts. An edge of your seat thriller, unexpected plot and a nice twist at the ending. It has all the makings of a sequel and I'm anticipating it's arrival .. Maybe the young boy comes into play in the next one. That would be awesome
The characters are not black and white. They are real, and have human weaknesses as well as strengths. This is not a great western. It is a great picture!
Abre los ojos (1997)
Must see movie!
I originally wanted to see this just because Penelope Cruz is just about the hottest girl ever. When I finally did, I was blown away - definitely the best movie I have seen in several years. Makes you think about how we define reality, what we base love and our perception of others on, the trappings of society and our own minds, etc. And it's not just cerebral, it keeps you on the edge and involved until the end. You don't have to work to think about it like in many intellectually significant movies, it's so well thought out and executed that it just shakes it into you - you don't think the stuff, you feel it, then let all the thinking come later. Incredible movie. Not to mention that Penelope Cruz has to be the most beautiful girl ever to walk the face of the Earth and can act, as well. I can say without absolutely certainty you should see this and with fair certainty that you'll find it worth owning.
The Fountain (2006)
I just didn't get it!
Not what I was expecting. My impression was that the film would be focus on adventures surrounding the search for the Fouontain Of Youth. The editing was such that I almost quit watching because the story line was bouncing around so much. I stayed with it only out of curiosity as to how the thing would end. Well one of those movies that you have to watch till the end, trying to understand what's going on, and when you finish watching it you just find out that life no matter what always ends.I just didn't get it! I got that he wanted to save her, but the bubble, That Tree , no it did nothing to keep my interest.
Don't waste your time on this one.
Identity (2003)
This is one of my favorite movies!
this is a heart pounding thriller in which you never know who is the bad guy or even what is real and what is not real. This great psychological thriller will continually keep you guessing great casting as well i highly recommend it to anyone.
Quick delivery. Great quality. Great movie. Lots of twists and turns all the way to the end. Love it. The darkness of the setting, coupled with intermittent thunder and the pattering of rain, create an all-encompassing sense of suspense bordering on fear. Rain muffles sound, so how can you hear if someone's sneaking up behind you? Identity is a unique and original film most movie lovers will enjoy. The plot device is employed with the utmost efficiency, keeping the audience guessing until the very end. Who is the real killer? You'll have to watch Identity to find out...
I can't say more without spoilers, and this one shouldn't be spoiled. anyway,If you like horror movies, psychological thrillers or just original movies, you MUST watch "Identity".
Munich (2005)
One of the best...!!!
This was by far one of the best films of 2005 and ranks right up there with Spielberg's Private Ryan and Schindler's List. However, I believe that Spielberg spoiled the film by choosing the World Trade Center as the background of the final scene. What was the message of that shot supposed to be? Since America did not do enough to stop terrorism that we ended up paying an enormous price for our lack of effort? Was it supposed to be some ironic forbearance of the future? Up until that shot I was enthralled by Munich, but I left the theater angry about the final scene. Many "unknowns" were answered in the movie Munich. An eye opening drama.
It's a very good story, and Steven Spielberg surely did a good job in this movie. this is a great film that shows the never ending battle of Religion. you can kill one person but they will breed more people so in the end it is a never ending battle.
Red Lights (2012)
do you believe?
they call it a scary movie but No,its not a horror movie it's supernatural thriller and there is no cheap jumpy scene. Red Lights is the second film with the US film industry from writer- director Rodrigo Cortés, whose also directed 'Buried' with Ryan Reynolds.I don't know that what can I say about the whole film. Because the movie was slow and boring but had a very good taste at same time. The acting I found to be top notch. Paranormal investigator, played by Sigourney Weaver, and her physicist assistant, played by Cillian Murphy,and dangerously spoon bending psychic played by Robert de niro. I am not sure calling this movie a good drama or interesting supernatural thriller.This is the big problem of the storyline. Some scene is really good and some are really boring. I think, red Lights could have been great, if the storyline and editing weren't so confuse.
for me,most interesting discovery is Uri Geller about the red lights. You know,Uri Geller was a paranormal-psychic superstar in the 70s...And clearly this movie is based on his life and experiences...Even if you search on net you can find the meaning of 'red lights' in Uri Geller's fake experiments...! Is Robert De Niro's best Uri Geller impression enough to save the movie? Uri Geller was a very clever spoon bending charlatan...But no problem actually this supernatural thriller was OK for me,because Average- despite my deep hate to Uri Geller really I like it...!
watch it for final twist! It's best part of the film!
D@bbe: Bir Cin Vakasi (2012)
A Stunningly Effective Horror Film; Dabbe:A Djinn Incident!
This is the real deal for 'found footage' horror fans. I know that,Horror films are something you really have to want to enjoy and yes This film really scared me!I went to the theater this weekend and saw it. I must say it is a great Turkish horror movie. The terror starts slow, develops the characters well, and progressively gets more suspenseful until it ends with it's shocking finale. Shortly the story is about a night invisible djinn(demon)stalker and a married sleepwalker woman,her husband,her daughter! Paranormal Activity clearly inspired this film,But dabbe:Bir Cin vakasi is easily 10 times more frightening than paranormal activity! As the same style;The entire thing is shot with a home video camera and some fixed security home cameras! The first question from the movie is;'Why djinns(demons) stalk people,and What is their reason of suddenly start to stalking an innocent woman? Then The movie ask another question to the audiences ;'Is Sleep walking a medical problem or its about djinns...?'Did you ever Wonder what Happens While You Sleep.....? Think about that;'Are Djinn vulnerable to magic?' Forget the movies that you had seen before like Wishmaster series or Alaaddin about djinns! The popular myth of the Djinn in the bottle is far removed from that of a Djinn and is only popularized in such a fashion by Hollywood and fantasy gamers. Djinns were usually created as malevolent in nature!
Real Djinns are Real terror!
''expect my visit when the darkness comes.The night I think is best for hiding all!''
Th editing is very interesting you can feel the terror and You know the evil is there but you don't see it, just like normal real life haunting is usually.
And the The ending....woo-ow...The ending is really scary as hell,brilliant and perfect.of course I won't spoil the ending, I will just say it was the best part of the whole film!
I recommend this movie but keep sensitive children away. I think it will definitely bring about nightmares. If you are a horror fan and looking for a real terror then watch this film alone in the night in your room and Open the gates to the world of the Djinn.You will feel the Djinns presence in the room with you...!
Recommended.
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Amazing film from one of the best directors of all time!
Sir Ridley you are a magnificent director! Kingdom of Heaven is the real quintessential epic film. firstly, I recommend this movie to viewers who are not just in it for the action. The figure of Saladin - one of the greatest and wisest men of his time - still gives us much to learn from, especially our generals nowadays are far away from his greatness. After reading many of the reviews of this film before me, it occurs to me that most of the people who did not like the film seem to be stuck on the fact that they thought it portrayed Christians in a bad light and Muslims in a perfect one. I knew Kingdom of Heaven would be a good movie right when I saw that the majority of negative reviews came from hardcore Christians. Bad reviews tend to mean that Muslims were portrayed properly. But,don't forget,it also has a message of "Why are we fighting over the city that makes all our religions what they are? Why can't we just stop and make peace?" "Kingdom of Heaven" is a masterpiece of film that ranks with films like "Gladiator," "Alexander," and "Braveheart" as one of the greatest historical epics of our time and the scenes of Jerusalim is breathtaking....
and also, Fantastic blu-ray with extended version that blows away the movie theater release, 3 hours long and worth seeing again and again. No special features on this disk but to see the full cut the way it was meant to be is well worth it. If you like the movie, the director's cut is definitely worth checking out.
Black Swan (2010)
Black Swan AKA "Let's rip off from a better film..."
Here's the problem; it's the most predictable, routine film imaginable. Every smash cut, every horrifying vision in a mirror...it's so damn cliché, so easy to spot. "Black Swan" raises an awful lot of tension, but nowadays, that's so easy. All it uses are the same quick cuts, focus changes, and scary images of any two-bit, throwaway horror film.
The whole time I was watching the cliché fest, I was remembering a movie called "Perfect Blue". It has virtually the exact same premise, and it's a cheap animated movie from the late 90s, not a star-studded Hollywood $13 million picture with a score by Clint Mansell.
But everything that "Black Swan" failed at, "Perfect Blue" succeeded in. Just do yourself a favor and watch the latter from start to finish.
And you know what? It turns out that Darren Aronofsky had bought the US rights to "Perfect Blue" to avoid getting sued for "Black Swan". My intuition was right. But of course, not even a word of thanks was given to Satoshi Kon, who died tragically in 2010 of cancer at the age of just 46.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156887/ (perfect blue)
Secret Window (2004)
clever but...
"Secret Window, Secret Garden". This is the name of the book written by Stephen King and one of King's best short stories. Secret Window wasn't as good as I expected,John Turturro did a good job as John Shooter. Johnny Depp's acting was superb too. The movie has funny moments than freaky parts. As a usual movie secret windows was OK and clever movie,but as a horror film,it's not so good. And you know Stephen King novella was very good and also the story was scary. Shortly,I recommend because This may not be an excellent horror, but surely it's entertaining to watch.
I can't tell any details to what happens at the end; go watch and see for yourself.
6/10