zenpunks Reviews

No One Will Save You (2023)

Survival, Self-Forgiveness, oh and....an alien invasion

[8/10 · 2 October 2023]

A master class in just visual story telling -I don't know when I have ever seen a movie without any dialogue in my lifetime. Even A Quiet Place had quiet dialogue and used sub titles. This is a big order for any filmmaker not only to get done in Hollywood but to do it successfully. Here only telling a story thru visuals, sounds, great acting and direction, and a masterful score that illicits the feeling it's looking for at every beat.

Kaitlyn Dever is slowly becoming the Meryl Streep of her generation. As Brynn she is the vehicle for the audience. All of her emotions are conveyed here without words and as the viewer you always feel the weight of her hell. This is a story of how Brynn overcomes anxiety/fear and finds self-forgiveness/acceptance thru her survival.

SPOILER ALERT - A lot of people are confused about the ending - well yes art is open to interpretation but, come on folks the filmmakers aren't trying to be overly deep here the dots have all been given to us to connect. Brynn survives everything the Aliens throw at her which are a few different types of aliens (The giant spider alien, the little dwarf-teen alien and if there could be a "normal" looking alien of the bunch -one of those) -Remember one of the aliens is not trying to attack her he's trying to 'understand' her as he looks at her pictures etc. Brynn is lifted onto the spaceship where the aliens tap into her life -it is in this tapping that Brynn revisits the painful event (accidentally killing her best friend) that has kept her from moving forward in her life. It is here that she taps into self-forgiveness and acceptance and it is here that the aliens see (tap into) her humanity/our humanity -which is the game changer. A 'shift' happens as the aliens look up as if to turn to their higher power and thru their understanding of Brynn become enlightened to her. So essentially Brynn saves herself (cause no one else will...wink wink).

And metaphorically speaking, even though they destroyed her model home town they have given her something bigger and better: the hometown she always wanted where she feels accepted. We see Brynn dancing in her happiness at the end but the closing shot of the spaceships in the sky along with the dark, eerie music that briefly plays while the credits start to roll reminds us that although the invasion now seems more positive the aliens are still in control.

Kudos to director/writer Brian Duffield for creating an intelligent, sci-fi, horror thriller with heart. Even if it seems familiar (winks to Close Encounters, A Quiet Place, Signs, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Hidden to name a few) it finds it's own originality.

Linoleum (2022)

Open your eyes Cameron...

[8/10 · 15 August 2023]

Are the first words of the movie that the viewer hears as we go into Cameron's mind (ofcourse we don't know we're in his mind). It'll be easy for the average viewer to misunderstand this which will make the story feel like it doesn't make a lot of sense or have a point. The point is, without giving away the point the film makers tell a story from the point of view of a main character who is suffering from Alzheimer/Dementia (it is never made clear) type of mental illness. The mystery lies in how he interprets what his wife has been sharing with him about their past (and we don't even know she's doing this or make sense of it til the end)- sure there are lucid interpretations and then moments were something may not make total sense (again we are in the mind/interpretation of Cameron -the main character who is suffering a mental condition) so we are getting in essence bits and pieces of his past/different time periods and different characters who don't all fit in a cohesive way.

Done similarly, yet different, than A Beautiful Mind, the viewer gets to be in the main characters shoes -to try to piece together the very same thing Cameron's trying to but when you have a brain disease like his nothing is all that straight forward -we learn as he learns. I knew something was up when I noticed that every scene the 'son' was in it was a different boy (but even this is not obvious). Cleverly done, the film makers never give too much away as they build a mystery.

A wonderful, heartfelt love story and somewhat original (yes this is different than the notebook) take and masterfully told so the viewer might not fully understand everything until the end...just like Cameron.

The Dead Zone (1983)

Goodbye. I love you....

[9/10 · 1 August 2023]

Are the last words spoken between the two main characters - Make no mistake this is NOT A HORROR MOVIE (not by today's standard of horror) this is a love story. I originally saw this movie on VHS back in 85 having missed it's theatrical release 2 years earlier and have seen it multiple times over the years (still one of my all time favorites).

And it still stands the test of time -one of Cronenbergs best and the same for Christopher Walken, who as Johnny carries the burden and pain of waking up 5 years after being in a coma only to find his life completely torn apart. Walken also nails portraying the immense struggles of a man coping with a gift/curse that is ultimately killing him -it is always on his face and being -and you always feel his pain as the viewer.

I never read the book so I can't speak about it - I'm pretty sure that people who have are dissappointed with the changes -particularly the earlier part of Johnny's life when the visions first start (Cronenberg has said that about 15-20 minutes were cut from the beginning of the movie that showed Johnny as a kid having a skating accident resulting in a head injury that led to the beginning of his visions). Not to mention that the ending is suppose to be different as well. I just know the movie for me works as is (stand alone) but probably not if you've read the book and have other expectations.

I've waited way too long to write this review so I will just simply say I still strongly recommend it - All in all a solid movie from the 80's (you don't hear that much- so many movies that I loved in my youth are almost unbearable to watch today) that I would characterize more now as being a Psychological Thriller/Suspense/Mystery and heartfelt with a touch of horror (tiny touch -just because it's Stephen King -this is not the Shining...)- add great acting, directing and a wonderful, haunting score to accompany it. Well worth it.

Halloween Ends (2022)

Halloween ends....very, very, very poorly

[1/10 · 27 October 2022]

And Thank God...Finally! Let's keep the original and let's just finish with a trilogy and burn down and ruin the whole franchise! This movie isn't about Michael Meyers and Laurie Strode they are like smaller characters and that's what ruined it and it's just simply not scary....just kept waiting for something interesting to happen. It seems to me that the last 2 Halloween movies of the reboot trilogy the film makers were more concerned with making money and rushing to get it done than caring about their product/art. The original was done with little money and it's the best of all of them because it left you with the feeling that the boogey man is still out there -now I saw it when it was first in the theaters and I was a teenager and at the time it was a very scary movie, an instant classic -to todays viewer it may seem a little lame as it's not super gory or bloody but still better than all the Halloween movies they did later since Michael Meyers became a caricature (like Jason) that couldn't be killed regardless of what you do to him to the point that it got ridiculous - he wasn't even scary anymore just stupid. The franchise should have ended with the second movie Halloween II or the Halloween 2018 and having Meyers dying at the end...or better yet just leave the original alone and have the boogey man still be out there. That's scary.

13 Minutes (2021)

Didn't make it 13 minutes....

[1/10 · 21 June 2022]

Honestly, I didn't. And yes I know what a lot of people would think: Well how do you know if it was any good? Because, I didn't make it 13 minutes................................

The Lost City (2022)

A bad version of Romancing the Stone

[3/10 · 16 May 2022]

Where to start? Underdeveloped characters, storyline, plot, poor editing poor everything -A movie can be silly/stupid and fun this just simply is not (outside of Brad Pitt's character). This movie borrowed from everything that worked better and originally before it stole from them -primarily Romancing the Stone, Jewel of the Nile and Raiders of the Lost Ark (check car chase scene). My wife and I were thinking it'd be a silly, stupid fun rom-com worth watching but really it's just stupid and not worth it. Watch the much better version of it Romancing the stone or even True memoirs of an international assassin..

After Life (2019–2022)

Real life Show - Funny and poignant (One of the best finales ever!)

[9/10 · 10 March 2022]

Beautifully poignant ending (maybe the best ending for a show I've ever seen -up there with 6 feet under) that has stayed with me since I saw it. I think deep down I hoped Tony (Ricky's character) would find love again -maybe with the nurse, however, I realize that the 'Hollywood ending' isn't as realistic or powerful. Here is a man who already found (and lost) the love of his life (his best friend) and he never was looking beyond that because nothing would come close to it.

I really respect this ending, as torn up as it has left me -and the real kicker for me is when Tony turns towards the field -he goes from partially smiling and saluting Lenny who takes a picture of him to turning somberly -sadly if you will...this is a man who is living the rest of his life without the love of his life (as those around him are finding love) and yes he will survive as he has friends whose lives he has effected and have effected him and he has his dog Brandy too (who has saved him continually -literally) -but I think Tony's look as well as Lenny's (after he looks at the pic he took of Tony) is to remind us that this is not necessarily a happy ending, but a somewhat still painful one for Tony without his wife. It's about loss.

I love the visual metaphors (Tony's walk thru the field/life/time) and it has made me think of the field of my own life and all the people and animals(pets) that have walked with me and left (faded out).

Joni Mitchell's 'Both sides now' hammers the feeling home (there was no better choice) "Something's lost and something's gained in living everyday..."

A Wonderful 3 season series with real life moments - poignant at times as well as laugh out loud funny.

After Life: Episode #3.6 (2022) Season 3, Episode 6

Episode 3.6 (Brilliant!)

[10/10 · 9 March 2022]

Beautifully poignant ending (maybe the best ending I've ever seen -up there with 6 feet under) that has stayed with me since I saw it. I think deep down I hoped Tony (Ricky's character) would find love again -maybe with the nurse, however, I realize that the 'Hollywood ending' isn't as realistic or powerful. Here is a man who already found (and lost) the love of his life (his best friend) and he never was looking beyond that because nothing would come close to it.

I really respect this ending, as torn up as it has left me -and the real kicker for me is when Tony turns towards the field -he goes from partially smiling and saluting Lenny who takes a picture of him to turning somberly -sadly if you will...this is a man who is living the rest of his life without the love of his life (as those around him are finding love) and yes he will survive as he has friends whose lives he has effected and have effected him and he has his dog Brandy too (who has saved him continually-literally) -but I think Tony's look as well as Lenny's (after he looks at the pic he took of Tony) is to remind us that this is not necessarily a happy ending, but a somewhat still painful one for Tony without his wife. It's about loss.

I love the visual metaphors (Tony's walk thru the field/life/time) and it has made me think of the field of my own life and all the people and animals(pets) that have walked with me and left (faded out).

Joni Mitchell's 'Both sides now' hammers the feeling home (there was no better choice) "Something's lost and something's gained in living everyday..."

A Wonderful 3 season series with real life moments - poignant at times as well as laugh out loud funny. 9 Stars.

The Hole in the Ground (2019)

"The mirror always tells the truth" - What most people missed

[7/10 · 10 February 2022]

This movie is a slow burn mystery that for most will seem to not have much of a payoff or simply be misunderstood. It is very well crafted and done - this really is about the horror of Sara's mental health which is deteriorating - however the film makers left out an important piece of info that surfaces near the middle and end of the movie with the mirrors that explains what her illness is.

Sara (the main character) suffers from Capgras Syndrome a DMS(Delusional misidentification syndrome) -people with Capgras believe that one or more familiar people/loved ones have been replaced by identical strangers and are imposters. This is never mentioned (and for reason as it is the payoff) an illness the old lady in the movie also suffered from. The uncertainty in Sara's mental health does loom large in the movie but is unclear, and maybe the flaw is that it is never brought up, not even at the end, only at most hinted at if the viewer understands this syndrome - most people wouldn't and never have heard of it.

We do see that when Sara goes in the hole to save her son the monster chasing her ends up being her -the film makers literally give this to us and ultimately the most important scene in understanding (literally and metaphorically) what is going on. The Monster is Sara (her mental illness).

At the end of the movie when we feel that maybe Sara is doing better (we see her in a classroom and then interacting with others) -it at most is temporary as she has returned to taking pics of her son -she looks at the pics on the camera with some uncertainty as she is in a room full of MIRRORS.

Overall when you understand what is really happening this is quite an intriguing, suspenseful, entertaining movie.

Finch (2021)

Silent Running 2.0 (It's all about the relationships)

[7/10 · 12 November 2021]

Kind of surprised by some of the low ratings here - I think some of us had too much expectation going into this. I had very little and was quite entertained. Also quite surprised that no one has mentioned the 1972, ahead of it's time, Sci-fi flick Silent Running with Bruce Dern that this movie gives a nod to -Dern is alone in space with 3 droids (Huey, Louie and Dewey) -Finch's rover robot is called Dewey -Hence, the BIG WINK this movie gives to it's predecessor. Albeit, very different movies but with similar undertones about survival, sacrifice and non-human relationships. And it is these relationships that are the importance of the film. No man is an island and Goodyear (Finch's dog) -whom he saves and eventually saves him -so to speak from loneliness and Jeff (the robot he builds to eventually care for his best friend). To me relationships are the most important elements in any story and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed these -so much so that I would've like to have seen even more time between them. No, this is not a completely original movie as others have glaringly mentioned with Cast Away, I Am Legend, the aforementioned Silent Running etc. Etc. -Heck, there's even moments that reminded me of Pixar's Wall-e, and you've got the whole Man vs Nature thing going -either way I still found it entertaining and well done and most importantly I cared about the characters and their relationships (human-dog - human-robot - robot-dog) and how they needed one another. And, maybe even more importantly, it took my wife and I away (which we much needed) on a Friday Night.

Clickbait (2021)

You won't figure this one out = A good entertaining Mystery

[8/10 · 7 September 2021]

I use to not understand low ratings given on good entertainment -use to chalk it up to everything is subjective -which is true but I think at least some of the low ratings here are people's expectations getting in the way, watching a couple episodes never finishing and then badly reviewing it or they just didn't like that they didn't/couldn't figure it out or they are too young to appreciate what good TV is and have extremely high expectations of everything- They don't have an appreciation for what bad TV really is, they didn't grow up watching The Love Boat or Fantasy Island, The Greatest American Hero or the Six Million Dollar Man...it was good to us who grew up then because it's all we had. Didn't have hundreds of choices for television let alone good television. For someone whose watched TV probably a lot longer than most people reviewing this take it from me THIS IS GOOD TV. This is a great mystery and I'll tell ya now -even if you think you're very perceptive like me -you won't figure it out.

False Positive (2021)

Not for everyone

[7/10 · 29 June 2021]

There will never be a movie made that everyone loves regardless of how good or that everyone hates regardless of how bad - every movie seems to have 10 star and 1 star ratings (even Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather and top rated movies have it's haters -just as awful movies have it's lovers - after all art is subjective). That being said it's understandable that a lot of people didn't like this movie. You can't take it literally. It is very metaphoric and uses a lot of symbolism -most people will miss this and won't care either way. Lucy (the main character) is the vehicle for the audience and when her mental health begins to deteriorate it becomes unclear what is real and what is not -that's the whole purpose. Because of pregnancy we see a woman lose her power in her work place, in her pregnancy and in her life. Mirrors were used cleverly to show that there is more than meets the eye going on (Hence, False Positive get it? Something seeming real that isn't - even though something deeper is going on).

Ilana Glazer does a good job at being believable as a woman whose losing it (mentally). And kudos to her for writing and producing. This is a deeper more thoughtful movie than what's happening on the surface. If you want everything spelled out for you, a Hollywood ending or CGI driven plots this is not going to be your cup of tea.

Awake (III) (2021)

Not coherent - awful, ridiculous story

[2/10 · 29 June 2021]

It's one thing to be able to sell your script as high concept in Hollywood another for it to work. Even though it seems to be an intriguing idea: A "global event" takes place and no one can sleep, cars don't work, no cell phones, no electricity -you get the picture -It is very poorly and ridiculously executed. Nothing is explained well. WTF after one night we all start becoming crazy cause no one slept?? The execution of this was awful, no build up just sudden panic (realistically it would take days for the whole world to get on the same page with understanding what's actually going on -not after one night!) And when that thread unravels everything else falls apart. Not even descent acting can save the material. Not worth writing about everything that doesn't work in this movie just simply bad writing, bad direction, bad editing, and bad everything else. Basically, THIS WAS REALLY BAD!!

The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977)

Life is looking good....for you and me (Tanner Boyle Rocks!!)

[8/10 · 17 October 2018]

As a 12 year old I probably would've given this movie a 10. Along with Star Wars it was my favorite movie for the summer of 77 and probably for a few more years of my youth. Honestly, it is still incredibly nostalgic to me -I'd say more so than any other movie I watched during that time period of my life. Which is why it gets an 8. I agree with the other posts here especially Damonfordham -This movie is for 12-13 year olds (or kids around that age) not adults. If I saw this today for the first time I would think it was god awful. I think you need the combination of youth, innocence, immaturity and to have been growing up in the 70's to really be effected by this film. There was a time and place for this in my life -if I would've have seen it any later I wouldn't have the memory of it I do today. I remember seeing it twice that summer and the theme song (Our time is now (Looking Good) by James Rolleston) staying with me long after. That song still takes me back. Look, movies have changed tremendously, most kids today might not even like this movie and adults forget it -it's not meant for you. Yes it's cheesy- but if you grew up in the 70's and were 12 or so when you saw this then you get it.

I have often sang that song throughout my life when life is looking good- here are the lyrics: The road is open and we're rolling thru and life is looking good We got a dream that maybe could come true and life is looking good If we just stay loose now we'll come out alright There's something telling me our time is now It's just a whisper but I know somehow We've got to listen got to do it now Life is looking good for you and me The clouds have parted and the sun's come thru and life is looking good There's nothing that can beat all we can do and life is looking good If we hold together we're gonna be alright There's something telling me our time is now It's just a whisper but I know somehow We've got to listen got to do it now Life is looking good for you and me If we just stay loose now we're gonna be alright....

Birdy (1984)

One of the best movies about friendship....Hauntingly Beautiful

[10/10 · 30 May 2017]

This movie has been one of my favorites since I saw it shortly after it's release. Alan Parker is a brilliant film maker and here he is at the top of his game along with Modine and Cage who've never been better. The type of movie that gets under your skin and stays with you for days - the images -visually/musically are truly haunting and quite moving.

At it's core this is a movie about friendship - and the actions of one friend to bring his friend back to reality so they can in a sense save each other. Although, a very different movie, I put this up there with Shawshank and Stand By Me when it comes to movies about the importance of friendship.

**SPOILER ALERT** Personally, I felt it was a brilliant ending -going from a possibly horrifically sad moment to sudden surprise hilarity (relief)- much better than the ending in the book which really didn't have much going on -Birdy comes back to reality but he and Al remained in his hospital room. It's also better than the original screenplay ending which had both Birdy and Al's characters plunging to their death. The film makers made the right choice in keeping the tone the movie originally set -the 'feeling of friendship' (prankster youths if you will) going - and that even with their scars these guys are going to be okay because they have each other.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

Worth checking out...Great first half

[7/10 · 15 May 2017]

I knew nothing about this movie when I started watching it which is probably the best place to come from. At first it seemed like a psychological thriller alla some kind of Medical Coroner CSI -a father and son son performing an autopsy that's revealing incredible information -very, very interesting a real who dunnit is unraveling here...

At this point I'm thinking serial killer is out there and they are close to figuring stuff out...then the supernatural stuff begins and this is the first shift in the movie becoming horror/supernatural -I still was interested because I felt like the Jane Doe was in a way helping them solve what happened to her -through the radio noises etc. but no that's not where it was heading - it became more of a horror movie and no longer the thinking man's psychological thriller that seemed to be developing.

Never the less, the scares are still there and there are undertones of Steven King's Room 1408 at play here in that **SPOILER ALERT** everything happening is manipulated and created by the evil spirit without anything really happening except for the way father and son are reacting to it. I like the ending and that the film makers don't have to explain everything -you figure out how the first murders happened and it's a fun/not typical ending. Overall -still entertaining and somewhat original - worth checking out.

A History of Violence (2005)

A History of nothing else....

[3/10 · 14 April 2017]

...sums it up for me. I didn't have a great deal of expectation as I got to see this movie for free on Amazon Prime -missed it when it was first out. The film is 12 years old but it's bad now and for it's time -as much as movies have changed and audiences have gotten smarter -it doesn't matter a well done movie is a well done movie period from any time and this isn't! I agree with all the previous reviews in why the movie is lacking: underdeveloped story and characters - ridiculous action scenes that lack suspense, surprise and might as well be in slow motion -sex scenes and full frontal nudity that are completely out of place and no real history to the characters beside Toms'(Viggo Mortensen) "history of violence" which isn't ever really fully explained -he screwed with bad people in his shady past- I don't care enough about the character to care! I'd be more interested in how he came to this small town and chose to stay, how he met his wife and how they fell in love and the changes that happen to him as he becomes a husband, a father and a better person. All of that is just assumed in a sophomoric connect the dots kind of way as should be expected based on a graphic novel -there is a deeper, fuller, much better story here that's never realized -it's too bad cause David Cronenberg has done much better work (check out The Dead Zone) -

(*spoiler alert*) the whole killing off of the 3 bad guys (including Ed Harris' character) and how that is swept under the rug -where is the town reaction, news etc. -after such a big deal was made about Tom being a hero??? someone already in the spotlight would have even more attention on them just days later after a triple murder on their property??? I feel like this movie should have been much longer and should have taken at least 30-40 minutes or more to establish itself and Tom's life in small town (Millbrook, Indiana) America -before the bad guys show up (Think of the movie Witness and why we care about the characters...) And yes the movie has violence and to me it doesn't matter or work for the film - like Quentin Tarantino's movies are often violent but because they are so well done and you care about the characters the violence is a working part of the story and doesn't degrade it. This movie lacks everything: story, real characters and even violence that matters or works!!