sarcasm83 Reviews

The Peripheral (2022)

Likely the last show I'll watch starting from season 1

[9/10 · 18 January 2024]

With how many of my absolute favorite, really well made shows have been cancelled recently, I don't think I'll be watching anything except long established shows or one-off mini-series.

This was without one of the best surprises I've seen, going into it blind and I couldn't wait for season 2 and then, for some absolutely baffling reason, they cancel the show despite the obviously great viewer score too. Same thing with Shadow & Bone... what's next, cancellation of The Silo?

Streaming services are making their libraries tv-show graveyards and the more they do, the less likely I am to subscribe to their services, as one of the greatest strengths any streaming subscription has, is having the option to watch whenever you want and find gems from longer ago to watch. But if I feel like I either gotta start watching as soon as possible to try and make showrunners keep a show and then most shows are cancelled anyway, it is a waste of my time and my money.

This show is the perfect example of showrunners using instant gratification as their merit for success instead of seeing the big picture of incredibly good premises for shows that could go on for several seasons and genuinely hook people in once the word gets out.

Netflix' The Warrior Nun is an example of that. I had never even heard of the show once it had it's season 1, then I heard the buzz when season 2 came around and before I got to season 2 (as obviously I'd start from the beginning), it was cancelled.

Word of mouth goes around with a delay and I guarantee The Peripheral's season 2 would have had people buzzing and making people pick it up as one to watch.

From (2022– )

Great so far, however...

[8/10 · 3 July 2023]

I have loved this show so far and the acting and mysteries etc. Are definitely very cool.

However I am starting to get a little worried that this is going very much towards the "Lost" vibe.

While "Lost" was also a fantastic show in terms of acting, directing etc. In the very end what annoyed me was how much of the mystery was there just to be mysterious.

Watching the second season, I kept finding myself a tiny bit annoyed whenever yet another weird mystery was introduced, be it a symbol, object, thing, event... mainly because I can't stop myself from thinking "Will this be relevant in any way in the long run? Is this just one of those there's-a-mysterious-fog-creature or hatch or light etc. That is never mentioned again or explained in aaaany way, ever.

Because that kind of mystery writing eventually just ends up annoying me, since the writer can reach into their behind and pull out absolutely anything and never circle back to it.

"Ok next there's a llama in a red hat that whispers the words "paleontological" and "spatula"!" aand that's it, forgotten one season later, no explanation, it was just there to be weird.

Still, will keep on watching, but if this has an ending one day where it's just on the level of "it was all in his head!" and there is no attempt at even tying some theme-logic towards all of it, then consider this review at least 2-3 points lower...

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Damn, that was metal

[9/10 · 2 May 2023]

Not that it had anything to do with metal, but if that title resonates you, you just might be the kinda audience who will love this for what it is.

This is absolutely NOT for everyone. It was VERY graphic, VERY violent and does not have a plot that takes really any braincells to process. I can easily imagine it loses a good few viewers to the "This is just torture porn at this point"-territory.

Despite all of that, I feel like I finally watched an actually GOOD HORROR MOVIE. I don't remember which horror movie I felt great about before this one.

It's not that I want a gorefilled ultra violent movie for it to be good, just that it's consistent. That it sets the mood and goes with it, no compromise and no sudden need for some happy-go-lucky ending or explanation, yet, this still had an ending that satisfied a "resolution" which didn't feel like it just did something and then just ended.

I think this was just a relentless and disturbing ride from the very beginning to the end and it did not have that annoying tone shift that incredibly many horror movies have, where it sets one tone for 70% of the movie and the ending goes for an entirely different tone and therefor makes you feel it "got kinda ridiculous at the end".

I also feel like the evil in it was shown in a very menacing way. The absolutely fantastic performance from Alyssa Sutherland plays a big part in that. She managed to be genuinely disturbing, even when saying everyday lines in that state. Something that is often very hit-and-miss territory.

If you're into classics like Freddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees and like "good kills", you'll have a few scenes here that will scratch that itch too.

So all in all, this was a very demonic, uncompromisingly violent and powerful ride from the beginning to the end and I felt that all it did, it did better than your average horrorflick today.

It also had me actually tense up as it pushed further than movies usually do... which I don't really remember having happened in... at least a decade. (I'm 39)

Cocaine Bear (2023)

Succeeds at being exactly what it aims to be

[8/10 · 18 March 2023]

...delightfully stupid!

It almost gave me a 90's dumb-but-fun action movie vibes. I felt it took itself seriously enough so that the overall narrative arc was sufficient and believable, but not at all too seriously for it to be as ridiculous as it wanted to be. Sure, some parts are very predicatable, but it did it in a way of you guessing that something will happen and sure enough, that's exactly where it goes, but it puts a dumb smile on your face either way when you witness it. At least that's what happened to me.

This will NOT be for everyone's tastes, that much is guaranteed, but luckily the very premise is out there enough that you will most likely know whether you're in the mood for a movie like this or not. For a "dumb fun head-empty-no-thoughts"-kind of movie, this is quite a good pick. Personally I enjoyed it with a few beers and was entertained, as I was in the mood for it. :) (Though, I know not every night would have the mood for it)

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

I usually avert 1 or 10 review scores, but...

[10/10 · 24 August 2022]

... after such a long time from the original Top Gun and for what this movie was, how it was made, how it made me feel, how much I enjoyed it, I am hard pressed to think I could have been any more entertained. To expect that would be unreasonable from my part and I simply put sincerely loved this move.

It says a lot that the nostalgia from the first one made me almost tear up from one single line, yet I don't feel like it was ever done in a "remember this" nostalgia baity way like a lot of other rehashed entertainment movies.

Val Kilmer reprising his role too despite his real life health issues and it having been incorporated... It just made me want to give the man a standing ovation.

This is one of the rare examples of a sequel done right.

Prey (I) (2022)

Positively surprised!

[8/10 · 5 August 2022]

When I saw the trailer, my reaction was admittedly pessimistic. Not even really because of what was in the trailer, but because of the long streak of Predator movies that have been "eh, ok" at best and "I wish I never saw it" at worst. (I refuse to admit there were any Predator movies released in 2018 lol)

This brings the atmosphere and setting back to the hunt revolving around a small group and the Predator that has arrived to test the territory to look for suitable challenges.

I also think that the "underdog" story was done well. I was worried that it would devolve into "I saw it" -> no one believes a word clichés etc, but luckily it was balanced ok.

After having waited for a movie that's satisfying and does the Predator character a little more justice, this movie was a genuine positive surprise.

Though I will add, that if you go into the movie expecting greatness, your results may vary from those who went into the movie not daring to expect a lot.

Still, I very much enjoyed it. This gives me hope that maybe, just maybe we will get more similar movies with the Predator character. Always have loved the "honor code" side they have and hope that it would be investigated a little more. (Not in some full blown exposition way, but in subtle intriquing ways)

I guess that was a part the movie could've had a little more of; Some hints about this Predator "Yautja's" hunt - rank - tribe - bloodline....

I loved it's aggressive personality however.

Oh and overall I like the original (actual face) design better, but the creature design was still very badass. Maybe it was of a different tribe/race/whatever.

Man, feeling like watching more Predator movies, but maybe I don't want to spoil a good thing by re-watching something worse.

The Predator (2018)

I sincerely wish to forget this movie exists

[1/10 · 5 August 2022]

I usually dislike people who give 1's and 10's to movies, but this was the very opposite of "entertaining" to me. I was just so frustrated that a character this cool can't manage to be put in a single good movie and the movies just kept getting worse. I've been hoping to get a good movie ever since 1990's. Whoever decided that they should make a big hulking Predator monster, or Predator dogs has apparently entirely missed the intrique of the character, that comes from it having "morals". A code. Not just a big dumb creature, but a hunter who only challenges itself against something worthy.

A top review writes it's "pure fan service for 80s moviegoers" and I couldn't disagree more. Everything about this was very modern idiotic humor with zero charm to any of it.

100% DO NOT WATCH recommendation for everyone who hasn't seen it. I regret I ever did.

The Adam Project (2022)

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would

[8/10 · 28 June 2022]

The idea of seeing a young Ryan Reynolds with an older one was a lot of fun and the roasting back and forth was great, since the many bad things said to a kid made me laugh as "Well, you COULD say that to YOURSELF". The kid had also been cast very well and his deliveries for Ryan type lines were genuinely believable.

The action was fun and for those who want some wholesome moments too, there's that too, even if I wasn't really necessary a huge fan of the sappy moments. Still, those weren't in too big supply.

Good, fun movie!

Interceptor (2022)

Generic action for exactly that mood

[7/10 · 28 June 2022]

I can understand why some people don't like the movie, as it was a cheesy and generic flick for sure, but not sure if I can understand the many upset 1/10 reviews from people who seem to have taken this personally somehow. All those reviews read exactly like metacritic review bombs where people are upset over something else than the content they're reviewing... or just rants from people who love exaggerating for drama.

This reminded me of some straight to VHS average action flicks that you'd pick up from the rental place completely deliberately for that day where you just want a mindless movie and as such, it worked very well. Did I laugh and roll my eyes at convenient plotpoint? Sure. But I also expected to.

I kinda liked seeing a female lead for once. Just like male leads powers are always played way up and how John McLane can still run and kick ass after being battered and bruised beyond any reason, just flying away from explosions instead of exploDING, so did she. If your suspension of disbelief fails only on the part of her being a woman, I guess you truely have it ingrained in you that "women = weak" and can't even for a moment tune that out in a silly action flick.

This kinda reminded me of some "Tomb Raider" kind of deal, with the exception that I actually enjoyed this more than any Tomb Raider movie.

If you are "tired of feeling like my identity is always attacked by films such as this.", that is just sad. There have been crazy egomaniac villains that have agendas like this in movies for a small eternity and obviously the movie's not saying he's right.

If you are very keen on only seeing agendas in women being shown as anything capable, do yourself a favor and skip it. If you're looking for a generic action flick for a mindless day? Sure, why not :)

Spiderhead (2022)

Worked ok as a late night movie, brain off...

[6/10 · 20 June 2022]

So, was having trouble sleeping and figured I could still watch some movie and this seemed interesting from the trailer and it was "ok". Very run of the mill not-bad-not-great flick.

I'm sure with this premise, a more complex and deeper plotline would've been possible (and I would've welcomed it), but then again maybe it wouldn't have fit my situation of watching a movie while tired, but sleepless.

Solid acting and all that, but nothing special.

The Tomorrow War (2021)

I loved it for what it was; A creature feature action flick

[9/10 · 15 July 2021]

I understand why some people might not like it.

The occasional comic relief (which imo wasn't anywhere near as bad as in many, many, many similar films), the time travel "plotholes" (can we ever avoid them if we really think about how time travel would work "realistically"?) and the ending where they instead "do it themselves" in a blaze of glory, than taking their time.

However, I managed to entirely suspend my disbelief and to me, this was great action entertainment through and through. Pretty much exactly what I hoped for too.

I especially found the creatures themselves to be incredibly cool.

I don't remember when I've last been so fascinated by creature design ever since the Aliens and Predators. (The creatures, separately, NOT the AvP movie)

How in the hallway, the creature ducks down low to press it's belly and neck to the ground on occasions, crawls on the wall so only it's back is facing the people shooting who rotate in the stairwell and in the end even is in the ceiling momentarily to protect being shot to it's vulnerable spots from below.

Or how one of them slams the tentacles on both sides of the hallway, to the door structures and shrieks as loud as it can, to ensure the vibration of it's shriek will reverberate through the whole building from the structures.

Or how another of them hops on a dumpster, shrieks and bangs the dumpster with it's tentacles to alert where the humans are.

Or how one of them signals two others to attack from different sides, with it's head movement. (Easy to miss when they're on the street after coming out of the hospital)

Sure, there are times when they're conveniently slower or more careless with protecting their squishy parts to enable fighting scenes to work, but I didn't find it to become too disruptive to the flick.

Many reviews criticise how Chris Pratt's character want's to go back to the future timeline after manufacturing enough of the toxin, to save his daughter v2, because the timeline wouldn't work then, if they already had the toxin in the past - but... who in the movie is claiming that it would've ever worked like that? He's being sentimental, not accepting that the adult Muri will die.

How do we even know this movie depicted the idea as "one and the same timeline"?

What if the timeline where the creatures escape and humanity loses will ALWAYS be like that.. that it has "already happened" on the future timeline (remember, the "rafts always keep moving in time"), it's events ever unchanged no matter what happens in the past of the other timeline?

Sure, they tried to ask help from one past timeline to help themselves, but at least ended up saving one alternate timeline from the same fate.

If the two timelines are considered separate and unchanging, the toxin would NOT disappear when Pratt brings it to the past and kills the aliens, because he'd never negate the future adult Muri's timeline. That they're two different instances of time.

Sure, whoever has only adopted the idea of timetravel that "Back to the future" depicted will have trouble with the plot, but I honestly didn't, as I never assumed it's like that.

Oh and when they found the alien spaceship and decided to get rid of them then and there, I also found it careless and "what if they'd set them free now?", but in the end, whose to say the government wouldn't try to save them and use them as weapons themselves, or study them and screw it up anyway? They had a way to ensure they're killed; The toxin.

Though sure, after some of them were killed, the rest woke up. But the toxin sure worked for the female creature. (I also loved the part where the creature bit off it's own arm... the kid in me whose a sucker for cool monsters and stuff was giddy as all hell at that point)

Anyway, I was really entertained and truely liked the flick. Would honestly hope to see more of "The white spikes". Sure, would welcome if it was more fleshed out, more serious and better written, I won't deny that. Even still - creatures were cool, action was satisfying. Great popcorn flick, at least when not in company of people who enjoy nitpicking every inconsistency during watching.

(If you didn't like it, I'm not saying you're wrong. Different tastes!)

Synchronic (2019)

Enjoyable, but not all it could've been...

[7/10 · 7 March 2021]

Plenty of here to enjoy for sure, but at least in my opinion, it would've benefitted from a longer runtime, fleshing some things out more. When the credits rolled, it felt like it had only just opened it's idea up to me and then seemingly hastily wrapped things up. It ended "like an unfinished great conversation, because the person you were discussing with had to rush to end it".

While I accept the overall situation where it ended, I felt like something satisfying in the conclusion was missing. Like that feeling you get when you think there's one more snack in the bag only to realize it's already empty after all. Like.. it's just a little bit short from that satisfaction you expected. I don't know, the potentially pretentious sounding metaphores are the only way I can really describe how it left me feeling. Just a tiny bit short from a great film. Not sure why. Infact, the whole movie kinda feels like that, now that I think about it. Just a little short from being.. fulfilling in what it's aiming to do.

Especially one quote from a deep, beersipping Anthony Mackie later in the movie hit me hard in the feels for some reason... That alone must've raised the score a little.

TL;DR I don't regret renting it for 4,99 on a slow Sunday, even if better flicks might be around.

Raised by Wolves (2020–2022)

After having watched it... idk

[8/10 · 6 February 2021]

Just finished the last episode and I gotta say that I did enjoy myself, however I have to agree with the majority about the direction it took at the end. There would've easily been enough in this show to make it absolutely interesting and awesome, without the show constantly feeling like it has to add more weirdness into the mix. I started to feel like that somewhere in the middle, or maybe the 6th episode out of the 10, where mysterious sounds and "ghosts" start to become a thing. It honestly started to feel a whole lit like the show "Lost" - which I won't spoil, as readers might not have seen it - but anyone who has watched the show must know what I mean.

But a "what if" idea I got very near the end (that still remains in the air) made up for the sillyness a little... well, quite a bit. The problem is; the show didn't give me any answers to know if that might be. The idea? Well; What if the planet is home to some sort of a hive-mind? Not a God, like "Sol" many seem to mistake it for.. and not a dead "evil" child, that some of the people see, but just an alien race or alien being that can affect other conscious things. Hell, who knows - maybe even one of those worms, but a giant one somewhere in the planet core all the holes lead to? It might explain why past humans(?) on the planet eventually devolved to what seem to be that power's "servants" in one way or another.

So that idea "bandaids" a whole lot. Though, it would ... seem quite far fetched that it could somehow impregnate an android. Unless the whole simulation mother kept plugging into wasn't a simulation at all; After all, the pod keeps saying it's not even compatible with androids - so what if every time she plugs in there, the thing has easy access to her consciousness and one of the creatures instead impregnated her somehow?

I at least hope my interpretation OR something similar, with some rhyme or reason are at the core of where the plot is heading and not something with a strong case of "Let's just keep throwing more mystery into the pile for the sake of more mystery and lets not really think about the how or why's - ever" as that kind of "storytelling" eventually just pisses me off and makes me feel like my time has been wasted.

The 8/10 score is heavily because my brain manages to invent many what-if's... Overall, still enjoyed it for now. Time will tell how things play out.

Us (II) (2019)

Expected to watch horror, got an unfunny comedy

[4/10 · 2 August 2020]

Started great, the initial "reveal" was very spooky and thought provoking and there could've been a ton of ways to build suspense with the idea, but pretty much after the "reveal" of the gimmick, the movie stops taking itself seriously at all and things go from suspense to very poor comedy. Then when the movie tries to have a scene where someone is pleading for someone's life, it just no longer convinces when right before it there has been something completely goofy that downplays the threats.

Might have enjoyed this better if I knew it's tone better, as the trailer set a completely different tone.

Rare for me to rate anything this low, but it was just such a genuine disappointment.

Fantastic acting though, especially from Lupita Nyong'o who could've easily pulled off a through and through psychological horrorflick that would've lingered long in our minds with acting like that.

The Hate U Give (2018)

Feared it's going to be preachy or biased.. I didn't find it to be either.

[10/10 · 4 May 2020]

In the world of twitter and youtube especially, there are very one sided takes. On both sides. If this movie would have clearly decided to tell a one sided story (or a one sided narrative for a "finger point" in movie form), it would have absolutely put me off from it. However, I feel like it didn't. It paints a picture of an unfortunate reality in a realistic way.

I'm finding it hard to put such a complicated topic into simplified statement, but - as it is an imdb movie review, I'll do it anyway; It made me understand better how something like this must FEEL. When I often try to think it through, I know how messed up the scenarios can be, but it's hard to.. "feel" how it could be. (I do not kid myself to think I 100% know now however.) But the amazing role from Amandla Stenberg especially and actually the whole cast, it was very easy to relate to and imagine how easy it would be to become enraged in search of justice... and rightly so.

But the movie takes it's time to look deeper. I don't want to say any more, to not spell out anything, but absolutely want to encourage anyone to watch it throughout, with open eyes.

Very positively surprised and certainly left me with a whole lot to think about and (I'd like to think) a better understanding/mindset, than any sort of news about such topics from across the world.

Lets hope in time the cycle would in deed break. For everyone's sake.

Doctor Sleep (2019)

Hmm, not entirely sure how to feel about it.

[7/10 · 19 March 2020]

I watched The Shining first and then immediately continued to Dr. Sleep and.. at first I was very glad it continued directly from where the first one left off. Until the jumpcut to adulthood. After that, it started to feel very different and I didn't feel like I'm watching a movie of the same series.

Though, it started to draw me in as it's own experience. With it's own style and merits. That was actually a welcome and unexpected thing; It wasn't riding along just with "being The Shining sequel".

Though now that I think about it, the movie's feel was a tiny bit all over the place. It went from The Shining, to gritty down-on-his-luck traumatized-character-study, to Sabrina The Teen witch, to Heroes/Supernatural to crime investigation, back to Shining again but this time with a more adventurey vibe ...

But even still, I'm not sure if I can fault it for that. The tone changes didn't feel detached from one another and still flowed coherently, so I suppose it's not a mess, but a rollercoaster ride?

Right before we get to the very end, I was impressed with how invested it had got me. When the movie got to the part where they arrive at the Outlook hotel, I liked very much seeing the old places again.. but then it started to kinda falter. It had been headed towards a more tongue-in-cheek type of flick that - like one other reviewer said - had this untraditional superhero movie feel to it. Or that I was watching Dr. Strange or something, approaching the final "boss battle" scene. Not entirely a bad thing, but at the same time, I was left desiring this "grit" I had hoped from The Shining sequel, but instead it kept being sprinkled with this hollywood humor vibe. After all, having just watched Kubric's awesome work with the original, I hoped for that grit.. that style etc. And DEFINITELY left me expecting a horror movie a whole lot more than a ... monster/ghost movie.

I haven't however read the book, so I can only compare it to the original if anything and/or rate it as a standalone movie.

Had the ending been stronger and less cliché feel-good-ish, I would've given this an 8 - and first did. But in the end something about it just felt too adventure-movie-esque. After all, it ended in kind of a joke about what used to be horror before.

Nothing like The Shining sequel I expected, BUT I can't deny it; I had a good time watching it.

American Woman (2018)

Slow and not thrilling, but still... quite good.

[8/10 · 31 January 2020]

I checked the trailer and thought it'd be a good fit to watch with my old mother, who has liked to watch some "mystery" type of films with me. So, while she very much liked it, I (36 year old guy) admittedly thought somewhere towards the end "Did they forget to add the suspense and thrill to this movie?"

But in the end, I did like it. It.. left me with a whole lot of thoughts about the theme of the movie. It depicts a very realistic scenario and emotions, personal change and all that. But this is not the kind of movie where there's some ... surprising plot device that thrills you in the end or an "actionized" depiction of such a tragic event.

Acting and storytelling was very solid in how they managed to tell quite a vast scale of time quite efficiently.

Lost in Space: Ninety-Seven (2019) Season 2, Episode 10

...this episode/ending made no sense!?

[2/10 · 4 January 2020]

What on EARTH was this ending?! I've loved this show all the way through but during this entire episode, I was confused about the completely unexplained events of the previous episode - and it only went downhill from there in an incoherent mess that felt like it was written by someone entirely else than all the other episodes... Or changed at the last minute to wrap things up in the quickest way possible with zero continuity to all suspense that had been built during the entire second season.

Like a few reviewers said; The very reason to delay the departure was to get everyone on board. It was a risky move to hold the mutiny and to put the ship, "Resolute" through what they had to, to make sure they get the water purified... But it paid off! It was really emphasized how "no one would be left behind" and "The resolute MUST NOT BE DESTROYED" or it will spell a disaster for everyone still back on earth, as it's the only ship of it's kind capable of transporting people. It was also emphasized that "Scarecrow" was family to "Robot" and that it was important beyond anything else and that is why Will and others made sure they NEED to do this for him, as friendship isn't a one way road.

Then in this episode, none of it seems to matter. Scarecrow as Robot's familymember? The importance of Adler and Will's trip? Well Robot doesn't seem to care in the slightest in any way. They immediately start to plot to kill all the robots. With Robot's help.

All the colonists got aboard the Resolute? Great! Let's sacrifice the Resolute with all of them on board so the kids can get away in one small ship! So the colonists? DEAD. Resolute? Destroyed entirely! Will the stubborn "Do whatever it takes to save Resolute even with the expense of human lives" dude give them the codes to destroy the resolute easily? How will they convince him? Well, just ask for em. He doesn't care, he's happy to die and let it all blow into pieces.

Good thing we managed to fool the robots into that one hallway with the engine so Dr. Smith can - completely without explanation - suddenly become a hero and die for nothing.

Sure, if they wanted a redemption arc, they could've lured the robots somewhere else with the engine (or fake engine), like into chasing Dr. Smith flying away in one of the smaller ships. But nahh, all the built up storyline was useless anyway.

Then there's Judy holding a heartfelt speech how they're not alone, no one's crying and they end up in the completely wrong place and she smiles because her biological dad was there...

Ignoring the fact that EVERY SINGLE CHILD IN THE SHIP JUST LOST THEIR WHOLE FAMILIES, THE RESOLUTE IS GONE AND EVERYTHING WENT AS CATASTROPHICALLY AS IT POSSIBLY COULD HAVE.

What. The..........

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

Just such a pleasure to watch

[9/10 · 1 September 2019]

What I undoubtedly enjoyed about this movie the most, was the talent.

The editing, camera angles, the acting. It's all just so damn pleasing to watch since it's done so VERY right. I haven't been a fan of all Tarantino's stories, but there's absolutely no doubt that the man knows how to make a film well.

DiCaprio's acting was also just amazing again. There are plenty of good actors around (and tons in this movie), but I think he's the only one who goes above and beyond in selling me the scene. You can genuinely FEEL the emotion he portrays. Especially one scene where he gets angry... damn, I actually physically flinched at one point in the theater at the same time he motioned in anger. Genuinely surprised me too, haha.

He just manages to make it feel so real, it'd be hard to watch without feeling the scene.

The story was good. I mean, not the most thrilling ride, the most complex thing around or even the most meaningful, but certainly an enjoyable watch. While I don't think it had a very defined plot arch or a point, it never felt restless. Infact, the movie had a flow that made me weirdly relaxed and I just really enjoyed myself. I can't remember another movie right now that made me feel like that. The character chemistry also played a big part in that; I feel like I watched characters I genuinely liked. Would definitely enjoy seeing Pitt and DiCaprio more alongside one another. Worked fantastically.

I also "see what you did there" Tarantino, with the ending. But saying any more would likely go to spoiler territory, so I'll refrain from saying anything.

Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (2019 TV Special)

Good "old fashioned" comedy

[9/10 · 29 August 2019]

This is what best comedy, to me, has always been like; Funny, but giving food for thought and having some truth behind it.

Yes, this is without a doubt offensive. In fact, on several points intentionally offensive. He's not into tip-toeing so that "no one gets offended" and he makes it very clear. He also makes it clear he won't apologize for what he says in his COMEDY SET. This makes me happy to see.

Giving apologies to that easily-offended (& offended-on-behalf-of-others) type of crowd is a mistake that just opens a way for them to push censorship and forcing your hand - and they will never stop demanding for more apologies.

Sometimes it feels like the likes of comedians like George Carlin for example would have no room left to do their thing, but Chappelle stands the ground and does what he always has. It's honestly very respectable.

...and as you can guess, the usual journalists are already writing about the outrage how a comedian was offensive about something.

I'm glad to see him back and not having buckled under the pressure one bit.

Upgrade (2018)

A film I just "randomly" watched and boy did it surprise.

[10/10 · 4 August 2019]

I found this movie on a streaming service and the description seemed interesting, so I pressed play with very little thought.

I just finished it and I can't help but think; WOW.

I'm not sure if I'm doing a disservice for others by writing this, as maybe if I had seen praise for this and anticipated something great, would I have loved it AS much as I did? Not sure. But it genuinely blew me away.

If you haven't seen the movie and are wondering if you should, stop reading and start watching. I can't recommend it enough to just go in and let it surprise you if the topic interests you.

I very rarely give movies 1's or 10's and was hovering over 9, but at this moment I honestly feel like it deserved a 10.

I'm currently anticipating a game "CyberPunk 2077" very much and this scratched that itch with it's themes, as well as delivered a fantastic movie about artificial intelligence, with an ending that I feel crowned the entire movie incredibly well.

I honestly think this might have shot it's way right up among my all time favorites. Though, I do admit that it catered to my interests very well. For some people not as enthusiastic about the theme - dunno... give it a shot?

Love, Death & Robots: Sonnie's Edge (2019) Season 1, Episode 1

Wow, quite impressed

[10/10 · 17 March 2019]

I actually have to give this a 10, as there was no way I could be surprised by something that fits into 17 minutes like I was.

The premise immediately interested me, while the character design positively reminded me of a few games, Borderlands (Sonny) and Dishonored (Dicko)..

The animation quality was quite excellent, with only a few facial expression hick-ups that could've been improved, but that's a major nitpick to be honest. The choreography of the fight was great and more surprising than some big film choreographies. On top of that, I absolutely loved how this absolutely did not shy away from gore and other adult themes and simply did what it wanted to. So refreshing to see in the world of growing censorships, outrages and artists being constantly apologetic to crowds who just want to control others.

All of that combined with a genuinely surprising ending that I don't think I could've guessed and it was a VERY entertaining 17 minute short film.

Like user "nickxnothing" wrote in his review; This would make for a fantastic series of it's own and would definitely watch it.

Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Genuinely loved it

[9/10 · 11 March 2019]

I'm not familiar with the character from the past and overall didn't really have an idea of what kind of a movie it will be, other than what I had seen from the few trailers I had bumped into. It wasn't even one that I was really planning to go see in the cinema at first, but boy am I glad I did.

I really think the movie was paced beautifully, giving us just enough time to see the gentle side of her and moved forward just in time so the movie stayed interesting all throughout, with nothing really being overdone in my opinion. One of those movies where it didn't even feel like 2 hours went past.

Some of the choreography and the scenes that showed the side of what she was in the past were INCREDIBLE. It's honestly too rare these days where I'm watching a movie and I can't but smile wide and get the shivers from how BADASS something was. At one point I even had this weird moment where I felt I'm almost tearing up about how damn awesome a scene was. This movie had several of incredible moments. Pure joy to watch. An incredible character I absolutely couldn't help but root for all the way through.

Overall just a very entertaining, great, really well made, fun flick. Definitely recommended :)

I could say so much more, but prefer to keep this without spoilers, so I'll just wrap it up shortly. But so this won't seem like mindless praise, I can admit that the lovestory side didn't hook me in that much. It wasn't bad either, but if I HAD TO pick something that was a little more on the generic side, it would be that. However it's certainly not something I would've dropped from the movie. It's a great driving force for the character progression.

IO (2019)

Admittedly boring and didn't really "go anywhere"

[4/10 · 16 February 2019]

Certainly below average, but I still gave this a 4, as admittedly there were a few scenes that provoked some interesting thoughts. I had to do the thinking however - the movie never really started to study the themes in detail. Either way, it did provoke some thought. Those scenes were however few and far between.

Near the end when I thought it will have some sort of a redeeming twist of.. something, it was pretty much just over.

So in a way, I kept waiting for the movie to pick up in some way, but it never did. Can't recommend, but if you really like this type of movie and can endure slow paced atmosphere that doesn't really give you any conclusion, but sprinkles you with a few interesting thoughts in a needlessly long fashion with alot of what seems like filler - then... yeah, why not.

The most beautiful thing this movie resulted to, was me taking a very deep breath and appreciating the fact that I can... after which I yawned.

Tomb Raider (2018)

An OK flick with a few plain bad scenes

[5/10 · 17 June 2018]

The movie starts out fairly well and decent, with good direction. Vikander seems like a fairly likeable and above all believable (albeit different) Lara Croft... but it quickly goes downhill when Lara gets to the island.

She is immediately captured and held captive among a large grouping of people and as such, the movie skips any feeling of isolation on the deserted supposed-to-be-mysterious island. The island doesn't become a "character in itself" unlike it does in the (also fairly recently rebooted) Tomb Raider game that the movie takes influence from.

She does escape and the movie then hits a few notes directly from the game in question, but somehow those scenes feel tacked on.. Especially Lara's shock and remorse on her first kill is handled even worse than in the videogame, as the next day, she's already taking lives with zero hesitation and not even being shocked when an enemy soldier literally explodes to bits in front of her.

The plot regarding the crypt of Himiko was ok and I think it was handled well... a part of me would've been curious to seeing some supernatural elements in the movie aswell, but they kept it more anchored to real life and it was fine - but a few scenes in particular were so bad that I couldn't help but get genuinely annoyed...

First one was when Lara's father had ran in front of the crypt's entrance during the fight when Lara is freeing up the people from their captives.... The father just stood there with his mouth open, touching the entrance stones etc. until he was held at gunpoint by the baddie and Lara had to intervene etc. It's as if they didn't have any clever way of moving the plot forward to that point, so they just made the father go there and wait among all their enemies for the inevitable capture.

The second absolutely idiotic scene was near the end, when Lara leaves her father, grabs the climbing pick and runs towards the main badguy...

When she arrives at the chasm the baddie is about to cross it, balancing on the ladder between it... Instead of attacking him when his back is turned, with the pick, she THROWS THE PICK AWAY on the ground, jumps PAST the bad guy to hang on the ladder, pulls herself up, forces him back to the platform she just came from (and left the pick on), only for him to obviously pick up the pickaxe and overpower her with it.

She only gets up from under him because of an explosion and then, she could easily run across the chasm and drop the ladder, trapping the badguy behind, but nope, she kicks the ladder down trapping herself AND him there.

Sure, it did serve a purpose to give us a last fight or whatever, but when the movie is supposed to portray a smart, capable character like Lara Croft, seeing something like that just makes you frown...

Either way, it wasn't an entirely bad movie and is worth a watch on a boring day, but I wouldn't recommend it if you're in the mood for a genuinely good watch.