mixedblood74 Reviews

Renegade (2004)

A Western Trip

[9/10 · 15 November 2023]

Just recently heard about this movie after researching what was fun to watch while, um, let's say exploring various realms of consciousness. Saw it about an hour into my altered state and it did not disappoint. As most other reviewers pointed out, there's not much plot going on here. But the visual journey it takes you on is actually quite exquisite. And the images of the trips are probably the most realistic I've ever seen on film. When you put the opening scene in context with the journey, the final moments of the film are beautiful and worth the price of admission. It's almost as if they made the movie specifically for an altered state viewing experience.

Prey (I) (2022)

Worthy

[8/10 · 6 August 2022]

Great return to spirit for a Predator movie. My only complaint was too much CGI, but still solid. Cool story and action scenes and, being married to a Choctaw, it was great seeing so many Natives gaining exposure and seeing a strong female lead. Had been awaiting this one for years and wasn't disappointed.

Predators (2010)

A solid effort worthy of the name

[10/10 · 27 October 2021]

I'll admit when I first saw this film, on opening night, I was indifferent towards it. And honestly, I don't really recall why. A few years later, I re-watched it and completely fell in love with it. I watch it at least a couple times a year and enjoy the tie-ins to the original, which are many. Especially after the utter failure that was The Predator, Predators gets it right - the look, the feel, the action, the tone; all the important things are there. Predator is still number one, but for me, Predators, like a fine wine, continues to improve and comes in at a close second with each re-watch.

The Heretics (2017)

Doesn't deserve all the hate

[7/10 · 6 September 2019]

I agree with some of the reviewers that this movie was actually better than expected. I get the acting is not on par with other movies but we're not talking about A-listers here. There was substance with some nice twists and the story, although not completely original, was still entertaining. Coming from an avid horror cinephile, there's far worse out there. This one's worth your time.

Serenity (2005)

Timeless and flawless entertainment

[10/10 · 6 June 2018]

I actually saw this movie in the theater before I had ever seen a Firefly episode. It didn't take long after seeing the film though that I tracked down the series and am now on my third box of, sadly, the one and only season as I have worn my other discs out.

This movie introduced me to the Firefly universe and I ache that that universe ended with the movie. Although in the last decade there were some graphic novels added, it's still not nearly enough.

The characters, the stories, the sincerity, the action, the heart, was all so original despite it feeling so familiar. I am an admitted hard-core Sci-Fi fan. I rank Serenity/Firefly as my favorite Sci-Fi movie/series of all time. Period. The only solace I have to not seeing any new stories is that I re-watch the series and movie often. It's such a joy. And I'll likely be on my 4th box soon.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Some people just love to hate

[9/10 · 25 May 2018]

I saw this on opening Thursday night and wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. As a die-hard SW fan, I decided to table my review until a second viewing. Saw it again yesterday and I can now honestly say that I enjoyed this film. After my overwhelming disappointment with TLJ and hearing all of the production problems with Solo, I was fearful that Solo would be a repeat of TLJ and all of its mistakes... 1) I felt Rian Johnson was flippant towards the story and especially the fans regarding all of the questions established in TFA. 2) Way too much forced humor; it just didn't work. 3) Way too much CGI - of all the new films, Rogue One seemed to capture the practical effects feel the best, returning in style to the originals. 4) The Canto Bight sequence - need I say more?

Those things being said, I feel Solo was more in line with Rogue One, which I truly enjoyed, when compared to TLJ. Solo has brought me back, at least in part, to believing some who are involved still have respect for the story and fans. I felt Solo had an interesting plot, lots of action, and the humor was balanced well. And yes, after a short while I was sold on Alden's Han Solo. I know plenty of people will hate the movie and boycott, I get that. I boycotted Indiana Jones and The Crystal Skull because I thought their intentions were disingenuous and it was just a money grab. Had Solo been on par with TLJ then I might be at the boycott point with SW movies. But Solo upped the bar a little bit and it excites me about the next SW universe movie. I know some felt we didn't need a Solo movie, but I'm not regretting spending good money to see more bro-mance between Han & Chewy.

The Frame (2014)

So dissappointed

[1/10 · 1 March 2018]

In no way, shape, or form do I want to take away from Ink (this thought alone has prevented me from writing this review for 4 days). Ink changed my life. It was a perfect blend of originality, consciousness, and movie-making that will likely never be duplicated. Didn't expect that level to be showcased again in The Frame, but I was expecting more. The Frame was slow, confusing, and just plain laborious without a payoff. I wanted to love this movie - and that's the reason for my rating, because I was so disappointed. I'll chalk it up to artist interpretation and not everyone liking the same thing. I'm ok with that. It actually makes me love Ink that much more because it was obviously a special place in time where literally everything came together. Fingers are crossed for the next project...because anyone who had any involvement with Ink deserves to have their art watched. Without hesitation.

Life (I) (2017)

Yes, Yes, Yes...Nooooooo!

[5/10 · 30 March 2017]

Hell yes I'm in for a movie inspired by Alien and with a great cast!

Aw, crap. Here we go again.

I'm not gonna say I want my money back, but I AM incensed enough to write an opinion about it.

It's a waste of time to write about how implausible the actions of the alien were, like some of the other reviewers have done. It's an ALIEN - who knows what in the hell those little bastards could ever get up to? I'm old enough and seen enough movies to know how to SUSPEND BELIEF. My issue is that this movie didn't bring anything new to the table and was actually pretty predictable.

I'm OK with movies that are "inspired" by others. There's rarely such a thing as an original idea anyway, right? And Alien is one of the greatest movies ever to be inspired by. But to sell this movie as "Alien inspired" while having no other correlation than an alien on board your spaceship is quite the let down.

The interesting thing about Alien was that it's hero was a female. For that time period, outside of a few Grindhouse selections, a female heroine was pretty avant-garde in a main-stream action movie. No one, at the beginning of Alien, guessed Ripley would have been the lone survivor at the end. Life doesn't really explore new ground, other than the whole, "Be careful what you wish for, scientists!" Although this is timely, considering our burgeoning hostile take-over of Mars, is it really a new idea? Seems like the last time I saw this explored was in a similar mediocre sci-fi called Splice.

As I write this, I'm questioning why I am even bothering to post a review when rating a movie 5/10. But then I remember why I felt so upset when leaving the film - that ending...I would say there was more inspiration from Tim Burton's The Planet of the Apes than with Alien. And that's REALLY the biggest let down.

Hide and Creep (2004)

A rarity.

[10/10 · 18 February 2017]

Very rarely do ordinary and regular people who love movies get to actually make them. Imagine that for just a moment - what would you do if you were told you got to do the one thing you've loved since you were a child and share that with the world? That's how I would describe this film, a labor of child-like love. Does money matter when you're doing what you love? No. Because it's all about the heart. And this film's heart is bigger than any blockbuster on the market. That counts for something. I don't want to be elitist and say that if you don't like this film then you just don't get it, because honestly that's too easy. I'll say instead that if you don't like this film, then you simply haven't seen enough movies. Enough to know the difference between a movie made for profit versus a movie made for sheer love and devotion for the medium; for the idea and for the experience. Those movies are not for everyone, they can't be. They're for the ones of us who enjoy the unique and random exposure to something original and are willing to take a chance that it might be a total bomb. The zombie genre isn't original. But this film is. And it made this fan feel like a kid again. That is why I love it, why I own it, and why I re-watch it often.

The Counselor (2013)

Enough is enough

[1/10 · 1 January 2017]

I'm sorry, but this is Cormac McCarthy's third strike for me. After No Country and The Road I am done. And I honesty thought Ridley was the one who would turn my opinion around!! But, sadly he did not and enough is enough. I want to watch a movie that takes me away - away from MY OWN miserable aspects of life to escape to a more interesting place. It doesn't necessarily have to be a BETTER place, but come on, leave the nihilism at home. I guess I'm the minority because he is a prolific writer who has made a career out of writing this brand of narrative and obviously many people enjoy it. I'm OK with that. But never again for me. I'll leave my despair in a box along with any future interest in a McCarthy based film.

Hell or High Water (II) (2016)

Brothers fighting the man

[10/10 · 30 August 2016]

I actually went to see this with my brother and we both thoroughly enjoyed this film. It probably helped that we're both Texans and have spent some time in West Texas so combine that with the brother narrative and it really made for a fun, nostalgic ride. Similar to Fargo and No Country for Old Men, this film completely nails the landscape (although filmed in similarly looking New Mexico), along with the charm of its people, albeit sometimes sarcastic charm. I loved Sicario, so being penned by the same writer, he deserves some tangible credit as both are solid, captivating, character driven films. I actually laughed a lot and didn't really expect it watching the trailer. There are so many original and heartfelt funny scenes in the film that don't feel forced or contrived, but truly genuine. ALL the actors were perfectly cast and did an outstanding job. Katy Mixon and Gil Birmingham really stole the show for me. Some of the pacing was a little off at times, and the backstory could have been a little more fleshed out, but overall, this was a beautifully shot, beautifully acted and original film that should be seen and remembered...especially considering the endless dross that's stained the retinas of late.

A Prophet (2009)

To the director...

[7/10 · 13 February 2011]

Let me start by offering my gratitude on how great of a movie this was. I have never seen a more convincing story of prison life than what this film depicts, and I've watched a lot of cinema. I was hooked from the beginning by the believability of both the actors and the set. If it's any compliment, I would re-watch this movie religiously should I find myself headed to life behind bars. However, as much I enjoyed this piece, I must honestly admit that I would not be posting a review but for one reason - know when to end it! Two and a half hours is a tremendous struggle for even the most passionate cinephile. At the 2 hour mark I honestly thought I was watching the first part of a mini-series. This was a great story, well filmed, with a talented cast. That being said, the viewer should not be wanting the story to hurry up and end...he should be left wanting more.

Prince of Darkness (1987)

Time and place

[1/10 · 2 February 2011]

OK, let's set a couple things straight before all you PoD hardliners start in on me. I will admit that I just saw PoD for the first time last night, however, I am not a novice. Although I was the target audience when this movie came out, it nevertheless slipped by me. Let me tell you that I like John Carpenter. I think anyone who created films on the caliber of Halloween and The Thing deserve to have their movies watched without any hesitation. Carpenter hit it out of the park with Halloween and followed it up with some classic 80's fare, including The Thing, Escape from New York, and Big Trouble in Little China. However, BTiLC was really the last best work until In the Mouth of Madness came along a decade later. What fell in between was a series of meandering, laborious, Saturday afternoon actor's workshop sessions of which PoD is a prime offender. So let me get to my point already...unless you saw Prince of Darkness at the time it came out and hold a sentimental connection to it, I don't think even a serious Carpenter fan can truly find value in it when compared to his other works.

Zombie Nation (2004)

Crap? Doesn't even begin to express it!

[1/10 · 31 December 2006]

I have made it my personal mission to go after those responsible for this film. I even got the rental company to give me my money back because I argued that they perpetrated false advertising.

It's not enough that the movie itself is a p.o.s., but the cover art is what sold me. I've done better make-up effects on my children at Halloween than what the movie actually depicts versus the cover art. Can you say "raccoon eyes?"

I'm not going to waste more of my time by going into the full details, but come on, the movie's main character is an L.A. cop who was born and raised in Alabama - but has a German accent!?! It's beyond insulting.