ajricks Reviews

Inheritance (I) (2020)

Still in Shock

[1/10 · 7 October 2022]

I am rarely prompted to write reviews because most films are just not bad or good enough. The only good I can say for ANY film is that I'm glad people who make films can earn a living doing what they love.

This one is probably one of a small handful that don't even deserve the lowest rating possible. Terrible, predictable, cliched writing. Meets just about every stereotype of its genre from the characters that Hollywood imagines them to be, to the incessantly annoying "thriller" music used throughout. I couldn't even stand to crack wise at the obvious storyline going on throughout it was so poorly conspicuous and cheaply borrowed from Law and Order.

Just bad in a bad, bad way. Made apparently because they could. The writer should just stop. Don't even watch to discover why, even if you don't mind bad movies. I need a shower now.

Oldboy (2013)

Appalling

[1/10 · 23 January 2022]

No amount of disgust is terrible enough to describe the baseness of this film. A real shame it couldn't be given a lower rating. To say it appeals to anything other than shock value is giving it more credit than is due. There are truly very few things in life than the depravity of molesting one's own children or senseless torture or the scourge of retribution. Loser on all counts.

The Empty Man (2020)

Ancient Chinese Secret?

[6/10 · 18 July 2021]

This film did not live up to the greater expectation of the fundamental idea it seems to want to sell - meaning among nothingness. This failure, ironically, or perhaps, appropriately so, makes it meaningless.

I gave it a 6 based on its cinematic accomplishment, camera and sound working together with the notion of reaching a catharsis worthy of those efforts.

As a horror movie, the only true horror was its suggestion that this thing we call life amounts to power and evil. Otherwise, the Angel of Death does not frighten but appeals only to the senses.

In the end, there was much left to the imagination that could have turned it into a better film. It didn't fully bring the Tibetan story to a reasonable conclusion. Death is just the result of the will to power. Timeless nonsense.

Runaway Jury (2003)

Political Hijacking

[3/10 · 29 April 2021]

Predictable, liberal, Hollywood trash. Sell all your guns and turn yourselves in to the man. Sleepy Joe will give you extra credit and an extra helping of gruel.

Young Ones (2014)

Um. Yeaaaaaa .....

[6/10 · 7 January 2021]

All I have to say is: That Scene Where Jerome Stares Down the Hole at Flem. Whole basis for my rating other than Flem was a perfect name for him.

Swallow (I) (2019)

Good Film, Disappointing Ending

[7/10 · 22 November 2020]

I rarely review films, but this one merited it because of what they did to the ending.

The photography was very alluring and well done. The acting pretty balanced and excellently portrayed by the wife. The attention to perfection was an an amazing contrast to the issues these characters had.

I felt so terribly sorry for this woman and was invested deeply in her emotional struggle. So much more could have been done to explore the real issue here which is what to do with oneself in a situation like this. Choosing a supposedly politically correct answer did a huge disservice to the issues the characters was going through. The best the writers could hope for was to bind power and control as the central theme. Extremely dismissive and poorly judged to end it the way they did. Maybe simple is better but this particular catharsis separated the film from its audience. It alienated me from the story.

Washington (2020)

Great History, Meh Documentary

[8/10 · 19 February 2020]

8 rating for the historical content alone. Strong lead character but I question casting choice for looks. Definitely could do without this type of documentary especially given they chose Bill Clinton to speak.

Mostly the "professional" historians offer surface analysis and apparently didn't mind repeating themselves like the reality program / Top Chef nonsense, or oversimplifying and assessing history with a modern lens. Not really for the history buff but nice to see actual history on this channel.

The Two Popes (2019)

Just Another Popularity Contest

[2/10 · 28 January 2020]

Didn't give this more than the first half hour. Plainly interested in polarizing the Holy Fathers just like modern politics. Time to put an end to this nonsense!

The Nero Files: Uncovering an Ancient Conspiracy (2017 TV Movie)

Let's Prove Them Wrong

[3/10 · 21 February 2019]

This should have been titled "Nero: He Wasn't Such a Bad Guy After All." The "scientists" shed no light on who he really was. Even given all the admittedly cool experiments they perform to "myth-bust" history's claims, they offer no good alternative theories as to why this cat gets such a bad rap other than the old political go-to: "history is written by the winners." Watch this if you you're into debunking. As historical commentary, it's sorely lacking. What's next? Atilla: Kind Ruler and Devoted Family Man

Battlefield Earth (2000)

The Road to Hell ..,

[4/10 · 14 April 2018]

2.4 seemed a bit harsh for a rating but it just was bad writing all over. It might have been sub-par there but was pretty funny in some parts. Stoopid humans. At least the actors owned their roles and the effects were decent.

The Ninth Configuration (1980)

What's In a Bar Fight?

[10/10 · 3 February 2009]

I've watched this movie several times over the past 20 years and just finished reading the book for the first time today. One major critical difference for me is the method of the ending in the movie versus the book. I realize the goal in Hollywood is to fill seats, but I felt the book more adequately illustrated Kane's fate at the end.

Another critical difference for me was that I seem to remember the movie having Keach spew a line that was somewhat different in the book - something about the sheer awesomeness of the probability of creation being far more powerful than simply believing in a God. I'm satisfied to know that was an embellishment now.

This story had all the elements in it that I search for: theology, philosophy, psychology, drama and truth; it also was smothered with a lot of esoteric and witty humor, replete with literary and cinematic references.

Favorite line: "Lieutenant - if we could scrub away the blood, do you think we could find where we've hidden our souls?"