that-wierd-guy Reviews

Kick-Ass (2010)

A surprise like never before...

[10/10 · 13 June 2010]

I heard about this film from my friend, and from what he told me and from the little I knew beforehand about the film, this is the picture I got:

It would be a quite ordinary Hollywood film. Just another teen-comedy with some under-the-belt humor and some mediocre acting. Predictable, of course, perhaps tedious, and absolutely without a message or any depth.

I figured I'd just watch it to pass some time, perhaps have a laugh or two, and if I got lucky; see some watch-worthy fight scenes. Now I can not begin to describe how entirely blown out of my seat I was. I had never expected any of what Kick-Ass was.

With perfect pacing I was taken on a journey through really great scenes, nice cinematography, good acting, funny and refreshing dialog and _story_. Yes, above all story. I never would have thought this movie would have any sort of profound story, but oh man was I wrong. I started realizing, a bit into it, that this movie actually had story; that it had meaning. There was a background, a motivation for everything that happened. This movie was thought through.

Then I was blown away again when Nicolas Cage popped up in the movie. I had no idea he was in it, and his role and his acting it just brought some... magnitude to the movie.

Then I was blown away AGAIN when the "gore" scenes made their entrance. I sure didn't see that coming. It elevated the movie to a whole nother level.

Then there I sat; shocked, thrilled, mesmerized. And I enjoyed my way through the movie as the story unfolded and took turns, as pleasant and thrilling, interesting or funny scene after scene rolled by.

And at the end of the movie, as the credits started rolling, and as I started coming back to planet earth. And all that had happened was run through my head, I just thought: "Man! What an experience!"

That's what it was: it truly was an experience. And what still puzzles me... what I still can't really grasp, is this:

This is a really light-weight movie - with a profound depth.

Cause it truly is light-weight. This is no Schindler's List or Requiem for a Dream or any other movie that puts you out of phase and forces you to contemplate for a moment before you get back to reality.

Still, at different points in this movie, some scenes, some lines, I was as deeply touched and emotionally engaged as I was during great films such as The Shawshank Redemption. And that just puzzles me... how can this, quite simple movie, have such an effect, such an impact?

I guess that's just what you call great film-making.

And for this, Kick-Ass earns a 10 from me. For it's sheer effect. The surprise, followed by the enthrallment that ended in stupefied delightfulness.

Thanks to everyone who made this movie happen! Go see it !

Peace.

Push (2009)

Let yourself be Pushed.

[8/10 · 16 June 2009]

I don't see why this movie has been turned down by so many people or why such a bad word has been spread about it.

Push is one of the better modern superhuman-themed movies you will find. It won't be your top five of the year and you won't watch it a million times, but you should really like it. It won't blow you away, but it won't disappoint you.

I give my opinion on this movie not as a fully fledged movie expert, fully up-to- date, premier-going, Oscar-loving critic - but as an artistically natured, deep- rooted film lover. And I say this movie is worth watching. It has a bit of everything that is to be desired in a good movie. While a lot could've been different, and you could've improved it in many ways, it's still fine just as it is.

The story in this movie is excellent. How it is portrayed and told is great. The actors all fulfill their role, some with splendor. And no matter what anyone might have told you; this movie is greatly artistical.

I believe Push is quite unique in many ways, foremost for its unusual lack of hierarchy of the powers you see in the film. You're used to see a lot of people possessing powers, but only one of them - Magneto for instance - being the one standing above all else. But in Push no one is the obvious stronger one.

Push uses a lot of twists, and not in the first-Saw-movie way which blows you out of your seat, but it still manages to keep the movie interesting, even tough the twists are all quite predictable.

Push is also, as I said, greatly artistical. It has a lot of fantastic colors and utilizes lighting very well, it's set in very beautiful environments, and there are a lot of other great cinematic techniques being used. I especially like the choice of soundtrack in this movie. It reminds me a lot of the way they choose to use music in The Dark Knight. Instead of some really catchy, noticeable soundtrack there's been a very diligent work done with a subtle yet powerful soundtrack that emerges only when necessary and gives an indescribable force to the movie.

All in all, Push is a quite non-mainstream, entertaining, good movie worth watching.