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ProfessorKaos64
Reviews
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
A fun romp!
Let's face it, even of the original 3 movies, they had their good and bad sides. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was laughable and silly most of the time, but had a few things here and there. This was a good send off, and I'll tell you why.
The movie starts with a fun train sequence with a digitally de-aged Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. It's not as jarring as full-CGI faces (Tarkin in Rogue One, for example), but you can see bits here and there. The sequence itself is fun, with the obligatory punches and gun fights, though I'm not sure how the main villain survives the hit he takes! The backstory setup here is a nice action-packed intro to setup the rest of the story.
The main plot follows the Dial of Destiny, a compass/map of sorts to fissures in time based on how the device is calibrated. The movie goes forward in time and slows down bit, showing an Indy ready to retire and "done" with his job. He just wants to hang it up. The younger actor joining the fray, his god daughter, is a grave robber, seemingly only in it for the money. Throw in some German nazis not ready to hang in their hat, some corrupt people, some fun chases, and you have a fun movie. They did the bare minimum this time to setup what the MacGuffin is, where it came from, and how it works, much more than they bothered to in the last movie. While the villain (played by the great Mads Mikkelsen) rang hollow a tad, he wasn't all that terrible overall.
While I immensely rolled my eyes at the pseudo-science and plot holes in Crystal skull, the setup here was actually kinda fun. Instead of a Bill and Ted Both, we had a fun mechanical dial tied to ancient history (Archimedes). Punching in and out of time via coordinates on the earth sounds kinda cool actual. The climax of the film was fun, eventful, and a fun romp. I appreciate the filmmakers not hamfisting cliches and "oh brother" moments into the plot, while there are a few nice callbacks (grave robbing sequence with bugs for instance). Some of the old cast even returns, which leads to a nice fitting ending with an old flame.
Give it a shot, I left quite impressed they managed to put together a fun movie, and a fitting sendoff for Ford.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Wait, what?
No emotion or good acting fork Brie Larson, but I can get over that if they didn't confusingly slice up the plot. What started as an interesting refugee crisis with a superhero savior, ended up being a bore fest. I wrote don't understand the wow and excitement with an overpowered superhero. Just watching her "fight" when nothing hurts her even puts Superman to shame.
Oh and Nick Fury and the cat, come on. They could have made the origin story bit better, but after the origin story plays out and our hero kicks into action, I yawned. There's no impact or feeling to plot points or Larson's portrayal of Caption Marvel.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
TOP NOTCH
Just got back from seeing Top Gun: Maverick in IMAX. What a phenomenal movie! It's not often a sequel (decades later even) can push the needle so far in the right direction. While the original was great, and VERY 80's, it lacked much of a plot beyond a machismo machine layered around some nice flybys.
The sequel does a great job of keeping the nostalgia to a minimum and to the beginning of the film to establish the players and bring a new audience up to speed. Instead of pushing full steam with a retread of the "hey bros, let's go fly some planes to cool music", you get a deeper character development set with diverse characters, and an actual target mission that serves as payoff for all the hard work of the pilots and their backgrounds.
The action was TOP NOTCH, with plenty of gripping and exciting thrills. I love fighter pilot movies (which there are sadly few modern ones), Several times I found myself tense watching close calls. It has so much fun around every corner without relying too hard on the prior movie. Prod and happy to see Val Kilmer come back and get involved as well.
Lots of fun and worth many rewatches.
The Thirteenth Floor (1999)
Inception before Inception
Seems Christopher Nolan got some inspiration from this Pretty interesting analog to The Matrix. More of a mind bending "what is even real" approach than the action and more religious/philosophical approach of The Matrix. Instead of knowing up front what is real as a viewer, it is not until the end that you get a glimpse of what could even be considered "real".
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
Very anti-climactic, just no real tension
Movie was over before it even started. You don't really get a sense of climax/danger like the first film. Full of disjointed pieces. Thankfully, a few old stars come back to at least make it worth seeing them on the big screen again.
In the beginning, we get the feeling it is heavily targeted to the "new" crowd. In the first movie, you get the rise to tension, that mysterious aura that something is brewing. This film is poorly written, and poorly directed. Only the visuals hold any water.
Sad to see a sequel turn out like this.Some of the actors did a good job, especially the cool guy with machetes. Oh and did I mention that nerd guy totally looks like John Oliver?
Big Hero 6 (2014)
Decent and heartfelt effor at a super hero movie for a younger generation
Thought I'd write a mini review of this film since I heard it got mixed reviews. I'll just break things out to a few points to make it easy.
Presentation: The film presents itself as a super hero film hinged on the wings of a "can do" attitude for aspiring intellectual folk. While I didn't care much for the perpetuation of the somewhat negative "nerd" theme, the film does go to a little bit of a length to show "nerds" as just as cool as anyone. The fusion of San Francisco and Tokyo was interesting. There's heartfelt moments, a few chuckles, but the overall delivery was fairly average.
Plot: There isn't too much to the plot. Main protagonist suffers tragedy, goes after "villain" in an effort to make sure the lost life means something and is not forgotten. Along the way, our antagonist goes through stages of emotion, including loss, anger, sadness, and elation. The formulaic plot is nothing new, but the robotic component to the 6 making up "Big Hero 6," is what makes the film stand apart. The big guy is just lovable. I found myself grinning from ear to ear watching his actions and character development. Above I surrounded villain with quotes. Why you say? I didn't really consider the main antagonist a villain, simply due to the fact he wasn't out to get everyone, destroy the world, or generally cause random harm to people. While his actions were wrong, he didn't go all "son of the Green Goblin" and wreck havoc on the city. Like our main protagonist, he was hurt by someone, and harboured anger, instead of showing restraint. Hiro actually came close to being the exact same thing, if it wasn't for the heartfelt video Baymax plays for him after his first encounter with Dr. Callaghan. Overall, the plot is predictable, but fun for everyone.
Visuals: Nothing too spectacular, but the animation was done well for the style of the film. Emotions were projected well, and details were thought out around the city. Decent job here.
Characters: Most characters get little time in the realm of character development, aside from Hiro and his brother. While we get to meet several other people, we don't get to see their background all that much, but that is quite alight. Baymax is the obvious star, and without him, the film would have felt much more flat. I hope I wasn't the only one who seemed confused by the seemingly odd switch-on-a-dime English/Asian inflections Honey had. It's pretty noticeable when she speaks Hiro's name. Other than that, pretty standard affair of rag-tag bunch, with flat villain-type.
I was fairly pleased with the film, but it's nothing to shout home about. It has charm for the kids, and some good imagination, but I felt they could have done a whole lot more with the plot. At times I felt like I was watching The Incredibles, but with a different cast. The overall experience is worth a viewing, and a buy if you have kids, or are a kid at heart.
A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
A mixed bag of nuts, even for "die hard" fans (pun intended).
Take this movie as a stand alone flick. Take out what films you know John Moore has directed, that is stars the unlikable son of John McClane, its horrible plot and franchise worthy title. What's left is a so-so action film that has some decent action scenes. Put that back in and you have the worst Die Hard film released to date. On a comparison note, I did enjoy Live Free: Die Hard, but this film is far worse. Yes, we have our tried and true hero John McClane, but this time it seems he has relegated his talents to being a long lost family man, and less of a balls-to-the-wall cowboy (the famous line being absent in this film, despite the R-Rating).
Maybe I should give Bruce Willis some credit, he is doing action films at a ripe 57 without steroids (*cough* Stallone *cough*). And for his credit, he still has some punch, but the excitement of the original trilogy's John McClaine is far gone. Sidekicks are never, and were never John McClanes thing, and the only pair up that seemed to work so far, was the obvious and great chemistry of Zeus in the third film. Both attempts, since have fallen flat, mainly due to un-inspirational characters and flat acting. To be honest, if they believed Willis needed a side kick to "appear young," they should have cast "Marky Mark" for all we care. We still love you Bruce.
The plot itself is pretty bad to be nice. What starts out as a spy- themed-action-packed plot, ends in an accumulation of scenes in which I had NO IDEAD that it was the end of the movie. I'm serious, the plot development was that bad, there was no climax, and you are left with a half written plot, devoid of heft and content. Yes, some of the action scenes were quite enjoyable, especially the car chases, but it falls very flat. The villains themselves, were 1 dimensional, interchangeable with a plaster manikin animated in post process. However it was quite nice to be treated to having the "T-Mobile Girl" as a villain. Hats off to the casting crew there.
Let me be clear I am a very big Die Hard fan, hence why I paid to view this film, but it was half-hearted, and bereft of substance. Please, PLEASE, PLEASE stop making Die Hard films. Let us remember the oldies and avoid another "prequel complex" best illustrated by the Star Wars film universe. Yes, this film is worth a watch, but a purchase will be left best to "die hard" fans (I never get tired of that pun, sorry).
Cloud Atlas (2012)
One extraordinary film
Never have I ever left the cinema more profoundly touched and moved by a movies message than with Cloud Atlas. What starts as a seemingly innocent premise at the start of the film, evolves into an opus of story telling surpassing the connected events driven story of the film Crash. The film follows several seemingly disconnected strangers, who's lives, actions, and motives shape the course of history over immense gaps in time. This masterpiece of cinema is largely driven by the message of life, through the consequences, actions, and events of many. A message so beautiful in its execution, I sincerely believe those who criticize the film miss the purpose of its storytelling entirely. Throughout each story arch, you can't help but connect the dots, and see the similar concourse each story follows. From the early days of 1800's exploration to the science fiction dystopian society of Neo Seoul, each story interweaves in such a magnificent fashion, you can see just how each character discovers their interconnected lives. No, this isn't the sequel to Looper, there is no time traveling involved here. The concept of Karma is a major player here, shaping the decisions of each of the characters throughout their stories. Realizing what you do affects others in this life or the next? Now that is one powerful message. Whether you believe in Heaven or Hell, the film conveys a very real sense that when one door closes, another opens in its place. Where one person dies, another life begins. I know some will look at this film, and not get the broader message. That is quite fine with me, and I know they will dismiss its importance and impact on cinema. The expert precision, in which the actors played several characters with such creative artistry, was amazing to be frank. At the end of the film you will never believe some of the characters were even played by the same people. I truly applaud the actors in this move for going the extra mile in this, and the makeup artist for their expert transformations they created with the actor's characters. In this day of remakes and stories ripped from books, comics, and the analogues of history, the creativity of this movie can't be ignored. Look past the special effects, the almost indecipherable native speak of the islanders, and the speed dial, furious changing of one stories scene to the others. This is one film I will cherish and hope that others do too. As Tom Hank's character looks to the sky at the end of the film, pointing out Earth to his kin, I can't help but wonder what the universe holds for me.
Tron: Legacy (2010)
A superb follow up amidst the trash remarks of current Hollywood fanfare
Disclaimer: I saw this in IMAX 3D, so your experience with some things may be different.
That out of the way, let me start but saying, wow, just wow. From execution to presentation this was a blast. Will it win over non-tron fans? Probably not. Don't think your significant other will love it despite you dragging them there. This is a movie for the geek at heart, the sci fi nerd in all of us. For me it was an easy Transition from the original Film.
Your don't need to watch the first film to get the gist of this film. Just about all the core elements are thrown at you, but watching the first film will most definitely not only put you in the mood, but help you to understand Flynn's vision on a more focused scale, sans explosive special effects of today's time. That said, it is one hell of a ride.
As far as staying true to the original Tron they kept some core elements, things that really mattered and expanded on others bringing a nice cohesive stitch together on a great saga. I hardly believe some purists will cry foul at some of the new redesigns of vehicles, new locations and methods of getting around the Grid itself. Most of the main characters are present, C.L.U. , Flynn, and yes Tron himself. The supporting cast is magnificent, with newfound character Quorra fitting right in. Her character is most interesting in her naive attempts to understand the "human/user" way of life. I liked, for the most part, how the new director treated the Tron world, not destroying key concepts but expanding on them. Fans should not be disappointed.
The visuals themselves are outstanding. You will find out of this world ambient lighting effects, impressive CGI, and if you saw the 3D or 3D IMAX showing, some incredible 3D elements. Don't go into the film expecting 3D everywhere, and this is a good thing. They keep the normal scenes for the most part 2D and the neat actions scenes in 3D. The lightcycle races and hand to hand combat visuals were superb. They really could have not done a better job capturing the essence of Tron, pulling you into a world of computer circuits.
Tron Legacy's biggest strength is it's hidden philosophy / religious aspect. While this will remain hidden to many, its a key part of the movie. The first film got the core philosophy right, but with technical flair or "this is my goal, this is computing, and this is Tron", but in this film there is more of a sense of a "higher power", with concepts of death, life, greed, revenge, and more spiritual concepts flushed into the movie. Take Flynn's meditations in the movie, and how he "connects" with the world. There is deep meaning to be said of Tron / The Grid and how the film tries to show us how that world is not just very connected to the programs and users in it, but to the real outside world as well, as evidenced by Quorra in the end of the film.
Overall I was very impressed with this film, and if you haven't seen the original , do so. You may laugh at its SFX, but its part of this "Legacy" this film is built on, and was very ahead of its time, done at a time when Disney was doing hand drawn film cartoons. Very under appreciated then , and still is. But for any fan of this "world", Tron Legacy is a sure hit.
-Mikey D
Avatar (2009)
Avatar , the fantasy masterpiece of the decade
Let me start off by saying I went into this film, holding my expectations at bay. I didn't want to be underwhelmed by hyping things up too much. I couldn't have been more happy with the film.
Let me actually start with the 3D aspect. Even in the previews, 3D was used. I have to say, there was quite a bit of neat 3D eye popping effects during previews. So what happened when the film started? You saw less of things popping out of the screen right at you, and there's a reason for that, that most people will not* understand. The point of the 3D effect was to immerse you in the action, the screen, the fantasy, and it does that job beautifully, bringing out the world of Pandora, and magnifying the films emotional and action charged sequences. You feel* like you are there, and in that most important aspect, 3D succeeded, James Cameron succeeded, and the feeling of 3D being a gimmick was gone from my mind. Some people will argue it wasn't cool 3D because it didn't splash you with water, that wasn't the point. You get such depth, realism, and sense of amazement from being IN the film rather than watching outside it.
To the film itself. The film does start off slow, but that is the purpose, to build such a phenomenal world, a rich story of another world. We first see an outpost, manned by humans, but we do not know why they are really here till later in the film. To sum it up, the humans are manly here in privatized form, a large company it seems is after the people of Pandora's energy resources, but they will not easily give in. That is where the character of Jake Sully comes into play. You don't feel for Jake so much early in the film, but that soon changes after halfway in the film, where he soon finds out what makes the people of Pandora so great. The film pulls you into their world so completely, that you could care less about the cool Mech suits and airships.
Take this film for what you will, some people simply don't care for the fantasy sci-fi almost genre of this film. But for those who do, you will find the film to be completely captivating, and full of a world so rich and meaningful, you will almost wish you lived there at the end of it. It was the only* movie I have I ever watched that the length of the film (almost 3 hours), didn't even phase me, you won't even notice the time gone by. I give this movie a 9.5/10.