omniamutantur_brc Reviews

Black Box (II) (2020)

The best sci fi movie I've seen in years

[9/10 · 28 November 2023]

The first half hour of the movie is difficult to immerse yourself into, but if you're willing to invest in it and hope, you'll find a sci fi drama with horror elements that really delivers all the way to the end.

Two parts "Frankenstein" (1931) One part "The Matrix" (1999) One part "Quantum Leap" (1989-1993) One Part "Upgrade" (2018) Two parts "Ghost in the Shell" (1995)

Phylicia Rashad and Amanda Christine are both amazing. The cast stays small. A couple of performances weren't great but they weren't bad, either. Everyone was believable. Mamoudou Athie handles the role beautifully.

The filmmakers saw what Javier Botet did (wonderfully) in "Mama" (2013) and hired Troy James to do something similar but also very original and effective.

It's simple, stays small and tight, and the story becomes something truly unique and impactful. I'd put it in top 5 sci fi movies of the 21st century along with "Upgrade," "Under the Skin," "District 9," and (hopefully) Dune 1 & 2, which is due out next year and will complete the story in the same manner as The Godfather 1 & 2.

Ready or Not (I) (2019)

Fun horror, one of the best kinds.

[7/10 · 27 November 2023]

2 parts "You're Next" (2011) 1 part "Would You Rather" (2012) 1 part "The Hunt" (2020) 2 parts "Get Out" (2017) Drizzle generously over a bed of goat meat and enjoy.

When it's good, it's extremely good. Aunt Helen is creepy and disturbing to almost French levels. Adam Brody is amazing and actually likeable for a change. The horror elements are exquisitely handled, from the gore to the finale. It rides that line between ridiculous and horrible in the best possible way, and those are my favorite kinds of horror movies. Excellent surprises sprinkled throughout, and good pacing. It's pleasantly atmospheric and the set design and props are fantastic.

But when it's bad, it really, really hurts the movie. There were very few flaws but they were bad ones... chief among them being Samara Weaving's excruciatingly annoying fake scream that ruins any and all immersion in any movie she's in, including this one. If that doesn't bother you, I envy you. There are some eye-rolling horror movie clichés as well, but I can't tell you what those are, natch. They aren't offensively stupid or blatant, just tired, so I guess it depends on your personal taste.

It's definitely worth a watch. Despite the cacophony of Weaving's goat scream a la 2014 Taylor Swift.

The Invisible Man (I) (2020)

Only a couple of wrong turns, but they're big ones

[8/10 · 26 October 2023]

No spoilers.

Elizabeth Moss is a tremendous actress but she made a very big mistake in this movie, or perhaps it's the direction, or a combination of the two: I never actually liked her character. I sympathized with her, with what she went through with Adrian, and rooted for her all the way to the end, but I never liked Cecilia as a person. In that way, the whole movie felt hollow. No pun intended.

There's only one other problem with the flow of the story, and to refrain from spoiling I'll just say it's the biggest fight scene. It was very well done but completely out of place, as in it didn't fit or work at all. Yes, it's possible that someone's ego just got so big that they didn't care anymore, but I don't buy that. They could've muddied waters just fine without it, and it would've been much more effective.

Other than those two flaws, which are admittedly subjective on my part, it was a very good movie. This month, I've watched almost thirty horror movies from the last five years, and this one is easily in the top 5, behind The Wretched (2019), Talk To Me (2022), Pearl (2022), Don't Worry Darling (2022) and No One Will Save You (2023), all of which I'd rate at 8/10 or higher.

Happy Halloween and happy viewing!

The Menu (2022)

Ironic to the extreme and not for casual enjoyment

[7/10 · 12 February 2023]

I try to look at humanity as one person; we are all part of the same experience of life, which began before we were born and goes on after we die. Taking that into account, this film is about two things: the frustration of an artist and humanity's self-loathing.

The writer(s) tried to provide an escape in the end, but it didn't work. What is left out is our empathy for each other, and our forgiveness of ourselves. If you hate yourself and/or humanity, though, this is the movie for you.

It's extremely well made, there's no denying that. It's also unique, which is added value no matter how you look at it. If you want an intellectual exercise in reflecting on life, completely devoid of emotional involvement with the story or the characters, then this is the film for you.

TL:DR... it's what you'd get if you chopped up Ratatouille, covered it in Event Horizon, and served it with a tall glass of Speak No Evil.

Speak No Evil (2022)

Fantastic movie about stupid people being stupid.

[8/10 · 8 January 2023]

The sheer number of uncomfortable situations in this movie is staggering. It's a master class in direction and acting, I'll give it that much. I definitely understand the frustration of so many viewers, as the ending does indeed live up to the hype, but all you need to know is this: there are indeed people in the world who will go as far as you let them go, and for some, that's all the way. It would be very easy to say that you can't trust anyone, but that's not at all fair. If anything, the moral of this story is listen to your instincts. Speak up, and if that means "speaking evil," so be it.

The Gray Man (2022)

In that gray area between decent and good

[7/10 · 20 September 2022]

Pro: Solid casting and acting.

Tight direction, sound, editing and cinematography.

Relatively tight screenplay and dialog.

Consistently avoids most tropes and stereotypes.

Interesting plot.

Sufficient character development (just barely).

Admirable diversity of characters and the actors playing them.

Con:

The tropes and stereotypes it does employ are very noticeable and tiresome.

Unintentionally (I hope) ironic moral narrative.

Mission: Impossible/Fast & Furious level strain on credulity for stunts.

As a genre example, contains few, if any, nuances or unique qualities.

Wounds and injuries are cartoonishly effective or ineffective.

Shamelessly and undeservedly sets up a potential franchise.

Nope (2022)

Very well made in every way.

[7/10 · 26 July 2022]

I'll make this easy for you:

Pro: Awesome writing, cinematography, editing, direction, casting and acting. Scary, great concept and reveal. The "big bad" is very cool and original. Just enough of the story is left for the audience to put together to pass as respecting the viewer's intelligence. Almost every trope is avoided, which I loved.

Con: Many of the characters are uncharismatic, some even barely likeable. A few plot elements feel like they should've ended up on the cutting room floor.

Definitely worth watching. Peele will be remembered as one of the horror masters and he rocks this one.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

This is how you make a sequel

[8/10 · 30 January 2022]

I went through a phase about 15 years ago where I complained that there were too many sequels, prequels, re-imaginings, reboots, etc., but finally accepted that it's unavoidable. This movie, however, feels like a loving, respectful addition to the original two, and is a fantastically crafted movie on its own terms. For returning fans who adored the originals, there's every bit of satisfaction you could want. For new fans, there's a thrilling and well-told adventure that satisfies kids and adults in the old fashioned way: entertainment.

Don't Look Up (2021)

Perfect representation of the state of the world right now.

[8/10 · 16 January 2022]

If anybody has a problem with how heavy-handed the satire can get in this movie, that is literally the point of this movie. It's a values problem. It's an attention problem. It's a trust problem. But mostly it's a loss of perspective that brings us to where we are now.

Is it judgmental? Yes. Is it insulting? Yes. Is it truthful? Yes. It's a reminder of what's really important in life. It cuts right through the b.s. In the media, the politics, the noise of things that don't really matter.

Brilliantly written, directed, shot and acted. If you have a problem with "Don't Look Up," the problem is probably something you need to work out in you.

Apex (2021)

Uwe Boll has a successor, yes it's that bad.

[2/10 · 12 November 2021]

What stands out immediately is the potential. It could at least be entertaining, a kill or be killed human hunting sci fi thriller like The Hunt from 2020, which was superb. But no such luck. Bruce Willis walks around the forest doing nothing but quipping one-liners in a bright red jacket while six supposedly skilled (bored) rich people show up to stalk the ultimate prey. The character they "wrote" for Willis is an incarnation of John McClane that seems to have been lobotomized.

No spoilers, but if you're looking for action, you might find five minutes worth in the whole movie, spread out in tiny bits that are never satisfying or even well executed. The majority of the film's "plot" is an incoherent jumble of poorly developed characters and cringeworthy scenery chewing. The master hunter, played by Neal McDonough, is as two dimensional and contrived as any antagonist I've ever seen or read.

There are a few bright spots, which is why I gave it 2/10. Alexia Fast is the one casting success in that she doesn't suck. The cgi and sets are passable, barring a completely stupid (fatal) landmine explosion. The editing is sufficient. That's it.

So don't torture yourself with this steaming pile of wasted opportunities. Watch The Hunt instead, or anything. Paint drying. Grass growing. You get the idea.

Stowaway (I) (2021)

Lost in space and oh no, something goes wrong!

[4/10 · 21 June 2021]

The writing is atrocious. The characters are well-written and acted, don't get me wrong, and the set design and cinematography are all fine. This is just a badly written movie from start to finish. It's as derivative as it gets. Dear Hollywood screenwriters, cut it out with this bone tired trope. I've already seen it a dozen times and it's not aging well.