|
|
Post by Senator Phillips on Jan 23, 2019 6:25:18 GMT
Keep 'em coming, Deni, no problem with that at all. I find it interesting to see your reviews for a number of films I haven't even heard of, and some I have, too.
|
|
|
|
Post by OrochiGeese on Jan 23, 2019 6:35:52 GMT
At the risk of turning this thread into my personal movie blog, here's a couple more movie reviews :P That's exactly why I read this thread 😀 We should re-title this thread to: "Denizen Driver-In Movie Reviews" 🚗📺 |
|
|
|
Post by TheDenizen on Jan 23, 2019 12:52:31 GMT
lol
|
|
|
|
Post by BakFu on Jan 23, 2019 15:05:06 GMT
I Don't Feel at Home in this World Anymore - After being burglarized, a woman teams up with her weirdo neighbor to track down the thieves. Things quickly spiral out of control in a very Coens-esque way, filled with moments of quirky humor and extreme violence. While there were definitely a few instances where the film reaches too hard for the quirk to the point where it becomes strained, it's overall pretty funny and enjoyable. A solid directorial debut for Macon Blair, I look forward to seeing more from him. THIS and Outlaw King have been on the radar for me for a while now, so thanks for sealing the deal! Please keep them coming! 😊 |
|
|
|
Post by Nth on Jan 23, 2019 23:59:29 GMT
After the crippling disappointment of The Last Jedi I always said it would probably take a Vader spinoff series to bring me back to the franchise. Well someone is doing one and so far it's better than anything Disney has done with the license.
|
|
|
|
Post by Senator Phillips on Jan 24, 2019 0:43:20 GMT
After the crippling disappointment of The Last Jedi I always said it would probably take a Vader spinoff series to bring me back to the franchise. Well someone is doing one and so far it's better than anything Disney has done with the license.
You weren't joking. This is good work. |
|
|
|
Post by TheDenizen on Jan 27, 2019 0:58:09 GMT
Avengers: Infinity War - I fully admit I've never really invested the time or energy into paying attention to the majority of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...so not all of the pieces of this fit together for me. That being said, it's still a fun slam-bang popcorn action flick packed with well known characters spouting snappy one liners in between massive CGI enhanced fight scenes. Managing a cast and story this big must've been a serious challenge, and the Russo brothers pulled it off admirably. 7/10
Solo: A Star Wars Story - Well, I've seen every other Star Wars movie, so I figured I may as well see this one. It's perfectly competent entertainment, offering up lots of chases and explosions but very little in the way of actual intrigue or surprises. Emilia Clarke is lovely as ever and Woody Harrelson does his best, but Alden Ehrenreich is a piss poor, pretty boy actor. I guess I just expected the back story of one of the coolest characters in movie history to be WAY cooler. This Solo is a preening goof. 6.5/10
|
|
|
|
Post by BakFu on Jan 28, 2019 18:46:26 GMT
Solo: A Star Wars Story - Well, I've seen every other Star Wars movie, so I figured I may as well see this one. It's perfectly competent entertainment, offering up lots of chases and explosions but very little in the way of actual intrigue or surprises. Emilia Clarke is lovely as ever and Woody Harrelson does his best, but Alden Ehrenreich is a piss poor, pretty boy actor. I guess I just expected the back story of one of the coolest characters in movie history to be WAY cooler. This Solo is a preening goof. 6.5/10
Wow, this EXACTLY. I summed up Solo in very similar fashion to this review at work with someone who hadn't seen it yet, especially the start. I described Ehrenreich as a mix between Chris Pine and Pratt, and didn't hate Donald Glover as Lando. The whole thing felt like a couple of semi Star Wars fans putting together a fishbone plan for a Han Solo origin story but never really committing to telling his story. The film was entertaining, but they really missed the boat with an opportunity to sell one of Star Wars' coolest characters to a whole new potential generation of fans. Kinda felt like WWE's poaching of ECW and WCW talent in the 90's, then presenting them in their neutered, watered down, family friendly fashion. It wasn't terrible, it just could have been a much cooler story. I know no Star Wars fan will ever be truly pleased with anything bearing the storied name, but I can't help but think the universe could be something special if they'd quit catering to the lowest common denominator, steer away from keeping things G rated and selling toys, and tell a gritty story. In other news, how the HELL did I miss THIS gem? Hopefully roitoni can use this for some added edit inspiration! :) No Retreat, No Surrender! |
|
|
|
Post by Ramon on Jan 29, 2019 10:36:15 GMT
In other news, how the HELL did I miss THIS gem? Hopefully roitoni can use this for some added edit inspiration! :) No Retreat, No Surrender!
Oh man, I haven't seen that movie in so long! I think i actually owned that VHS at some point. Gonna have to try and find it. :) That reminds me, I'm gonna have to re-watch the american ninja movies soon, oh and definitely have to watch the Remo Williams movies as well. :D
|
|
|
|
Post by TheDenizen on Feb 1, 2019 3:48:28 GMT
Know your Enemy: Japan - WWII-era American propaganda film masquerading as "education" that depicts the Japanese people as brutal, godless, amoral and as willing prisoners to the modern warlords bent on world domination. It's technically reasonably well made, but being propaganda, it's racist, dehumanizing and willfully misleading. An amusing chronicle of hatred and ignorance, but not much else. 4/10
Luck-key - When a ruthless Korean hitman gets injured and becomes an amnesiac, a suicidally depressed bit-part actor seizes the opportunity to appropriate his identity. A decently funny fish out of water comedy with the actor pretending to be an assassin, and the hitman assuming the life of the actor, becoming a big success before suddenly remembering his old life. Falters by relying on some fairly goofy romantic comedy tropes in the final third, but there's some adequate entertainment to be had here. 6/10
|
|
|
|
Post by TheDenizen on Feb 3, 2019 3:46:33 GMT
My Wife is a Gangster 3 - The daughter of a Hong Kong triad boss (Shu Qi, looking yummy) goes into hiding in Korea, where she is put under the protection of a low ranking crew of gangsters. Despite the gang being overly goofy buffoons, there was some really effective comedy here, especially once the translator gets involved. She was a great character who transformed almost every simple discussion into a snarling back and forth exchange of threats. Throw in some competent sword fights and brawls and you get a pretty solid action-comedy. 7/10
The Villainess - A twisting tale of government operatives, assassins, double crosses and double agents, bubbling over with gory action. Rather than bogging down the middle of the film, I felt the typical Korean melodrama actually added some weight to the action sequences, and the serpentine plot often leaves the viewer as confused as the protagonist. The fight scenes are incredible technical achievements, the camera impossibly weaving in and out of the bullet sprays and flashing blades. Well worth your time. 8/10
Mandy - When a woman is burned to death by a psychotic pack of acid soaked hippies, her boyfriend goes insane and murders everyone. Imagine if Roger Corman and Nicolas Winding Refn had a baby and baptized it in mescaline. The simple revenge plot is amazingly well served by the creaky, ominous score and frankly mindblowing psychedelic visuals. A physically draining but ultimately rewarding trip dripping with style, blood and LSD. Nic Cage is a goddamn monster, and this might be the best film of 2018. Batshit insane. 9/10
|
|
|
|
Post by Senator Phillips on Feb 3, 2019 15:04:12 GMT
Your impression of Ehrenreich is the main reason I never went to see Solo. He just didn't have any of Harrison Ford's effortless cool.
Been wanting to see Mandy for a while, everything I've read about it makes it out to be one heck of a unique experience.
|
|
|
|
Post by BakFu on Feb 3, 2019 16:47:26 GMT
Any Incredibles fans here? I haven't seen the original since around when it came out, and even though I remember enjoying it, I wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to see the new one. It's brownian motion stopingly COLD here right now, so it's netflix/book reading/vid playing time, and last night, the lady and I checked out The Incredibles 2. What a nice surprise, the film looks INCREDIBLE (no pun intended, but it really does) , the story is great, amazing voice acting (featuring one of my favourite tv series duos Jonathan Banks and, more prominently, Bob Odenkirk), and the MUSIC (very jazzy sounds, perfectly and seamlessly accent and enhance the incredible action scenes and suit the cool, 50's/60's vibe the film seems to carry) should win awards (if it hasn't). The family story was very well written and executed, and the introduction of Jack Jack, the baby, as a character innocently and joyfully discovering his many powers was a lot of fun to watch! I wasn't expecting to be so impressed and amped up by the end of the movie, but it was a very fun, incredibly (there I go again) well polished experience proving Pixar can still do things well, regardless of their soul consuming stygian overlords. Check this one out!
OT: Samuel L. Jackson is a smart man. This guy is set for LIFE, parts in Star Wars, Marvel universe stuff, and voice work in movies like the incredibles on top of all of his other excellent film work, his great, great, great grandkids won't know what the hell to do with all of his money!
|
|
|
|
Post by TheDenizen on Feb 4, 2019 4:46:23 GMT
Been wanting to see Mandy for a while, everything I've read about it makes it out to be one heck of a unique experience. "Unique" for sure, but that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface on Mandy. :D
Terminal - Decent yet unspectacular neo-noir flick starring Margot Robbie as a murderous femme fatale who destroys pretty much everyone she comes into contact with. The script is nothing special, telegraphing it's twists, unnecessarily explaining itself and relying heavily on quotations from Alice in Wonderland. However, for a movie that takes place entirely at night, it's got one of the brightest color palettes I've ever seen. Stylish but ultimately artificial and unsatisfying fare. 5/10
What We Do in the Shadows - Surprisingly hilarious mockumentary about a group of vampires sharing a house in New Zealand. Cleverly written to subvert many of the tropes of vampires, werewolves and zombies, and acted with a deadpan style that made the whole thing deliciously farcical. Pretty much the undead version of The Trailer Park Boys, with obviously funny people ad-libbing their way through one absurd situation after another. Wish they had done more with Petyr, the 8,000 year old Nosferatu living in the basement. 7.5/10
|
|
|
|
Post by TheDenizen on Feb 6, 2019 4:29:35 GMT
Entertainment - A terrible stand up comic performs a series of depressing gigs and travels around the Mojave desert. It's long, boring scenes of of cringe inducing awkwardness punctuated by intentionally wretched jokes. Scores a point for a few nice landscape shots of the wasteland that is the American Southwest...however, this is essentially the director masturbating on screen for 90 minutes, daring you to turn it off. Ironically, there is nothing approaching any type of "entertainment" in this feature. 1/10
A Quiet Place - In a world almost completely depopulated by blind monsters with super sensitive hearing, a family struggles to survive in utter silence. It's an intriguing if utterly ridiculous premise (no one in this family ever sneezes or farts, apparently), but the film's internal logic is consistent and the acting performances are universally solid. The trick that they eventually used to defeat the monsters seemed really obvious though, so it seems pretty unlikely that no one thought of it before 99% of the population got wiped out. Still, not a bad little horror flick. 7/10
|
|
