jesussanchezfdez Reviews

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Powerful and shocking mystery

[9/10 · 11 March 2016]

10 Cloverfield Lane gives all the development and the meaningful story that its blood relative installment lacked completely. This is not a spectacle full of screams and special effects. This is a spectacle of tension and suspense of epic proportions. This is a really feel-bad movie at certain points.

First of all, you have to take the leap of faith and go ahead watching without knowing anything of the plot. Don't worry because all the teasers doesn't reveal anything important, but don't try to search information. If everything were that easy, even Hitchcock or Nolan movies would lose all interest.

I was extremely hooked since the furious start to the eye popping and surprising finale. The direction is amazing and claustrophobic. The performances are great, looking up to a surprising Winstead and a unrestrained unforgettable turn by Goodman. The story is gleefully unapologetic delivering chills and full blooded twists (the biggest of all is the intense ending reveal) even thought it deviates from the monster POV storyline.

Secretly made, impeccably marketed, nicely developed and finally here along with us: 10 Cloverfield Lane promised thrills and delivered it and then some. I was expecting some things that I tasted but I was surprised by a complexity and a twisted sense of horror that I didn't see coming. 2016 has released the very first great movie of the year.

Cloverfield (2008)

A thrill ride

[7/10 · 11 March 2016]

Cloverfield offers a fast paced thriller without surprises but with a uncommon marketing that definitely helped to the success of the movie. This movie has to be taken as an entertaining affair, extremely hard filmed and not for those who are easy to faint.

Everything starts with a celebration that goes downhill after the city collapses because of an unexpected and brutal attack that will leave deadly marks for the future of all the involved.

The movies does a really good job by showing the anxiety through POV and the good performances of their actors.

The ending is a bit of disappointment and the movie totally lacks of a deeper or meaningful story, but it lives up to its marketing campaign delivering a well rounded tour of horror and chills.

Spectre (I) (2015)

Starts off strong and goes weaker through the end, but should be taken as an enjoyable blockbuster without deeper values and gets the job done (Second viewing: better)

[7/10 · 6 November 2015]

Yesterday I wrote some of this (I had to cut a bit due to the word limit) just returned after watching "Spectre" for the very first time and loaded by high and complex expectations:

----YESTERDAY---- "What a shame. This could have been a so fantastic movie but ended up having no soul at all... Or the little it has being so wasted by banal explanations without passion. "Spectre" opens on a roaring high (...) Then, since the opening credits on... it's a series of hits and misses. The movie works well as an action driven spectacle during the first hour and a half remarking the Spectre reunion, handed with masterful tension and breathtaking silences. This looks really promising. Then, everything goes to shatters. An unexpectedly weak and unspectacular long car chase leads us to events that are presented with a good pace and fun action. But the movie has already shown its main weakness: the lack of soul. That lack of powerful meaning in the dialogs and the situations like Casino Royale and Skyfall. Each situation is like an obligatory and banal explanation of where to go next, lacking the logic and the urgency of all the previous Craig's Bond movies (...).

Then we really meet Christoph Waltz character (Franz Oberhausser, AKA Ernst Stavro Blofeld). And what should have been the ultimate nemesis to Bond is sadly the second worst of all. Waltz delivers the lines by the numbers. He never scares us. Ironically is the mastermind of every big plot of every past movie of Craig era... and is one of the most lackluster villains. Even his personal connection with Bond is delivered without passion and like another obligatory explanation. Even the torture scene falls short after all the fuzz it gave.

But when I thought that they were saving the best for the finale... The finale of this movie is one of the most annoying and lackluster endings that I have seen at any movie in a big while. Bond is kidnapped, M fights C while Q hacks Nine Eyes and we realized Blofeld survived the explosion that blew up his base in Tangiers and is pursed by Bond after he saved Madeleine before a massive explosion broke down old MI6 building completely. It sounds crazy and interesting, does it? Well, the movie has no tension at all at any of this moments. Not at all. Not dramatic, but not spectacular as well. A complete empty end on a whimper. Waltz is even more ridiculous (trying to escape after his helicopter is down by Bond and seemed in content anger when is arrested by M) as his character is left without a proper and more diabolically send off. Also there is no surprises. No explosive action. Even Quantum kept me guessing in its explosive ending because it had tension enough at least. And what about Bond retiring alongside Madeleine without apparently consequences? Kudos for him to finally be able to save one love (untasted in comparison with Vesper's storyline and even the deeper-mother like- one with the previous M) in his life but... is this really the way he wants to end his Bond run? Is that all? That easy? (...) I really can't believe they (Daniel, Sam Mendes, the writers, the producers themselves) had delivered an empty entertainment that was one of the most anticipated movies of the year and now it is becoming as one of the most lackluster. Is it fun?: Yes. Is it good?: Not enough. Is the best of Craig as Bond?: Not at all (Casino Royale and Skyfall still being in fight for that crown). Is his worst one?: Sadly, yes. From Spain, a big fan of his James Bond run facing the hard truth: Spectre definitely falls too short." ----YESTERDAY----

Today, after a second viewing (I came back to the theater) and knowing what I was about to see I enjoyed it much more. I don't change almost anything of what I wrote but this one is better than Quantum (I know I was a bit harsh). This is a colorful pop corn fun that makes up into the Bond canon although you should not expect a film among the best ones or an special, eventful and meaningful outing such as "Skyfall". The writing stills flat and the action scenes are disappointing after the amazing opening. But "Spectre" is an enjoyable blockbuster that gets the job done and should be judge in that way. I even rise my verdict over it and gets a solid 7 out 10.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Best thriller in recent memory!

[10/10 · 5 November 2015]

Hands down! Even rumors popping up about replace the cast with a lower budget to make its way through box office, I'm not worry anymore. This movie will stand at its own as one of the greatest and best crafted thrillers in recent memory and a masterpiece of storytelling and flow. David Fincher was the ideal director to make this adaptation with a properly dark style and operatic quality. Daniel Craig may stand out in this role as his second best known aside 007. But Rooney Mara is the best stuff. She's priceless, since the physical transformation to her own performance (more aggressive, more seductive, deeper and with a better yet tragic closure). Even the movie could expand its world (from the source novel) or close the chapter on its own as the finale shows. Whatever it happens in the future, this movie will be as rock-solid as hell. Should surpass the 8/10 in this site (with all my respect to the members of this community).

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

Epic spectacle that deserved all the success it got

[10/10 · 4 November 2015]

To say that "Rogue Nation" is the best entry in Mission: Impossible franchise is to say a soft compliment. It's a majestic blend between pop corn blockbuster (lacking story) and an action spectacle with story (usually lacking a big scoop in most movies). Well, this one has it all. I had the honor to see this outing at the cinema and it was mind-blowing. The action and the stunts are practical, without abusing CGI and so well choreographed that doesn't need to expand it all. The story mixed the pace of the fourth installment with the suspense of the first one giving a perfect pay off in its last 30 minutes (full of breathtaking twists and real surprises). Tom Cruise is at the top of his game but the real standout is Rebecca Ferguson. If the next installments come as bright as this one I'll be delightfully. But if they fail by any chance, we will always have this adventure to remind us how high the M:I franchise set the bar.

The Dark Knight (2008)

My first review & rating goes to my favorite movie yet (And I think that is going to be really hard to surpass)

[10/10 · 4 November 2015]

"The Dark Knight" clearly changed the way we look the blockbuster movies. This movie changed the superhero genre forever. So the rest of the genres. We can find influences in the most recent (and best) James Bond by Daniel Craig and an increasing number of outings from several franchises that include grounded themes, complex plots and a progressive retrospection about the world we live in these days, how we arrived here and where could we go.

Right now it's very strange to see a fantasy movie or an action movie full of auto-parody which tries to take things hard without considering itself a parody (for example, a movie like "True Lies", "Air Force One" or the latest Brosnan Bond's: "Die Another Day" could be so embarrassing after 9-11 and even more in these problematic times). Even when we are looking for escapism and top notch entertainment (like Mission: Impossible franchise), that movies must include elements from the real world, dangerous connections rather than a crazy man who wants to rule the world or destroy it (look at "Rogue Nation" or both "Casino Royale" and "Skyfall", an example of a fine action movie done with the right characters and clear & present menaces that you could actually believe). Times have changed. And for better. Now we can look at a movie or a TV show and believe their stories, feel worried about the characters at the same time we love to be thrilled by the twisty or engaging plot.

And for me, without "The Dark Knight", that couldn't be possible. Not at least in the way every big movie is presented right now. That grittiness, that darkness, that fear and reality mixed with action, comic book suspense and surprises every-wear. This movie changed the cinema. This movie had it all and stills having it all. It's a eternal classic. A modern masterpiece that sets the bar at the highest and beyond.

I could talk about the direction, music, performances, the unstoppable Heath Ledger, that insane script... But nearly 5,000 people wrote about that before me. And that's a proof of something big, unique and timeless. I don't care if it didn't won the Best Picture Oscar. I don't care if it's not the number 3, 2 or 1 in the spot. It's a great movie by a great legacy of itself. A legacy that was so eventful, so impactive and came so surprising like the shocking and unforgettable Joker at every attack of his. For me, a cinema lover from Spain, "The Dark Knight" is the perfect movie. My perfect movie, my favorite one. Period.