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Unthinkable (2010)
If you can find the Orginal Ending it's 7 or 8
Great titled movie for the point it was trying to get across. Solid acting gets you engaged quickly in this movie. And maybe to close to what maybe has almost happened to thwart terrorist attacks. I could easily see CIA, NSA and off the books dark forces doing many of these things. They have done close to everything shown on "dark sites" not on US soil. It poses a huge question how far will we go to protect our own? Or what is the line we won't cross to protect our own? The goals of the terrorist are dubious to the point of almost being frivolous. But maybe that is part of what makes you focus on the disagreements/conflicts of the people that are supposed to be working together to stop him. The Siege with Denzel Washington is a more entertaining venture into this subject. And it was almost prophetic at the time it came out before 9/11. But it was dealing with a more naive audience and the ending is too "clean".
That brings me to how I tagged this review. The version available on Netflix cuts off the original ending. Which defeats the purpose of asking the question "what is really unthinkable when you are trying to protect millions?"
Archive (2020)
Hard to rate it is derivative.
Quality cinematography for a strictly streaming Offering. I'm not sure the lead in this film was up to the task of making something derivative special. If you like a slow burn, this is a movie for you. The ending is predictable, but it presented in a way that doesn't make it obvious too early in the movie. The female lead was better than the male lead, but she had less to do. This movie poses same fundamental question as Ghost in the Shell does in a relatively simplistic micro-story. I rated to five because if you have high standards, it definitely doesn't warrant more. But if you consume a lot of media "Hollywood" media and looking for something to pass the time it is worth a watch.
The Flash (2023)
Fan Service Solid Fun
While it is somewhat disappointing that this iteration of the DCEU is ending, I think this is worth a watch for almost any DC fan. You don't really have had to watch any of the other DCEU movies to enjoy it just have an understanding of who the villains were in those movies and basic general timeline of the DCEU. It was an unexpected awesome sendoff for one of the main characters in the movie. If you're totally unfamiliar with first Batman movie a lot of the nostalgia won't resonate with you. Despite all his personal issues Ezra Miller is a good actor and pulled off the quirky lead of this movie perfectly. However it you are tired of time travel/multiverse gimmicks to fix bad script mistakes in previous movies, I recommend waiting till this is available to stream as a part of a subscription. A very solid 6 and higher if you were invested in this universe and liked the first Henry Cavil Superman movie. And a can't miss if you liked Michael Keaton's Batman.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Tightrope Walked
I often wish that we could give movies a half a point. This move is better and worse than other movies I rated an 8. But that is all due to expectations an intelligent movie fan should have when going to see a big budget sequel clearly try to appeal to a young board audience and sell toys. James Gunn and the creative staff could not have done much better with those constraints. I am bet they had a really hard time forcing some of the darker elements to make it to the Final Cut. I believe they also fought the pressure to create the "perfect happy ending". Which while this is pure fantasy the outcomes were realistic in an emotional way. However there are campy get younger vibes in the end just like the last Thor. Eventually Disney is going to see diminishing returns in the forced "go young" vibes. Despite Disney meddling they created a story that hits you emotionally, dazzles visually, and makes you laugh. Without those "corporately focus notes" this movie could have been a 10 easily. And reminds me why the source material constrained from it possible full cinematic glory. If we ever get MCU entries that trend to more raw than campy, I am here for it.
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
Long Ago I Rated an 8
This review hints at spoilers but doesn't deliver details. If you are on the fence just stop reading this review and watch part 1 & 2. I can't truly give this movie praise without at least hinting at spoilers that made the movies meaningful to me. It was so good that scrolling through my old ratings, I had to update this minor slight and write a review. For an animated sequel movie this movie is virtually peerless in quality story telling. It is actually better and more emotionally packed than the others. With an emotional punch climax really paying true homage to East Asian philosophies that champion balance, truth, and harmony with self. It been years since I have seen this movie and I often think of the beauty of the finale. Even though it was a family movie I was genuinely in fear for the protagonist near the end and understood the antagonist as real hurt soul. And I would not trust any reviewer that has liked other cgi animated movies and rated this one below a 6 or 7. It is better than the original and it can bring a tear to your eye in the climax. It was so good that story in part 3 should have be relegated to a few episodes of the TV series. It might not have been the best financial move but as an artistic property probably the best move.
Amsterdam (2022)
Flawed Good Fun that makes you think
Wish I could rate this 7.5 and it makes me consider down rating several movies I have rated 8. The movie is just a lot of fun as it tell a re-imagination of the Wall Street Putsch or "Business Plot". I think part of the mixed reviews is that there is a sub-conscious part of US Culture psyche to dislike pointing out the fragility of our political system and its connection with Race. And on the flip side those with a better grasp of Racial history would find this watered down treatment of race of Jim Crow America bordering approaching pure fantasy in its inaccuracy. The performances were great and the voiceover gives the movie a emotional punch above its weight. It is off beat in pace but that is the intention. I believe that was the point, to highlight how life it's a neat consistent logical story all the time which does suggest some kind of thrill ride without long periods of the mundane in between. I highly recommend this under appreciated gem. It is reminiscent of No Country for Old Men without the darkness and ambiguous ending. Disappointing this did not turn a profit in it's theatrical release. I would like to see more directors and writers get a chance to take creative narrative chances with A-list ensemble castes.
The Green Knight (2021)
Four Star Critics Darling
I had to compare this to other movies I rated a 4. They weren't critical successes like this movie. But most of those 4 star movies were fun at least, this one wasn't. It was a series of short abstract adventures thinly tied into a large character narrative around the protagonist. Intriguing because the quality of all the technical aspects and bravery to try something with abstract symbolism mixed a well known fantasy world that is found its way into all media for decades. However mainly critics, cinephiles, armchair philosophers, and academics enjoy parsing over this kind of movie. The lead didn't have a lot of dialogue to work with or background character development to at least get you more engaged with him. When critics give these types of movies high ratings it just shows many of them are disconnected with the average viewer. If you like abstraction, symbolism, and have deep knowledge of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table you might love it. Otherwise I recommend waiting till it's free for you to watch with a subscription you already have. I wish I would have waited. And if you eject halfway through the movie I also recommend not going back to satisfy your curiosity. Your imagined ending and first 2/3 are probably much better than the whole movie. So much potential here but I can't in good conscious call it a good movie.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Disappointing But Still Entertaining, Potential left to Spoil
I am tip toeing around spoilers to give a thorough review without spoiling it. This review contain theme spoilers WITHOUT specifics/details so if that will ruin the movie for you please skip.
If you are a fan of America Chavez and her origin arc I would be surprised if you liked this adaptation of her origin. It weakens her resilience and heroism from the little I know of her origin story. Sans some basic survival skills, she is a virtually helpless pawn for majority of the majority of the film. With some very easy plot tweaks that could have been corrected masterfully. Maybe with an underlying sage guidance ie "your toughest opponent in life is yourself" while trapped by the villain in the movie. Visually great but with the lazy plot and Saturday Morning Cartoon style solution (with some great acting by Elizabeth Olson Wanda/Scarlet Witch making it palatable) if you were expecting MCU greatness you will be disappointed. Compared to other movies I rated a 5 this one is better so if possible I would give it a 5.5.
After the Dark (2013)
A Mess a Beautifully Shot Mess but alas A Mess
There is a pretty obvious and very inappropriate reveal at the end. It was a huge waste of time and energy getting there. To be executed properly without fear of being PC 'me too' cancelled this script should have been relegated to foreign art house. They could have gotten better talent for the script and been a tad more provocative. Also it was fairly slow. So slow that had to watch the 107 minutes in 2 segments spaced apart by several months. On the bright side I didn't need a refresher when I watch the second part. I don't know if that is good or bad. Most of the characters weren't fleshed out. The acting was kind of rigid and steel. Save you time streaming TV time for something better. I wish I had.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Will see it at theatre again
This movie provide emotional haymakers I wasn't expecting. Do yourself a huge favor and avoid spoilers at all cost. For this movie it is worth it. I am so reluctant to make any vague references to the emotional body blows delivered because they make the movie. Suffice to say this is fan boy dreams put through the rigor of great acting and writing. A huge task given the level of suspension of disbelief you need to approach this movie with. If you are a fan of at least half the comic based movies made in that last 20 years, it a 95% certain you will like this movie.
Pendekar Tongkat Emas (2014)
Should be Higher Rated
I realized that title my review is surprising because I rated it just above average at a 6. This was pretty good movie that I originally rated a 7 but I updated to 6 because I realized I was grading on a curve. It just wasn't on par with movies I rated as a 7. That being said for a lower budget modern martial art film it's a 8. Shot beautifully I appreciated little surprises in the plot. Nothing earth shattering plot twist but a good logical creative effort was made. That is more than what you get from a lot of Hollywood based big budget movies relying on familiarity with the lore and characters to sell the movie. Also the acting was surprisingly good. The actor that played the bald little brother had no experience I could reference by researching him on the internet. In spite of that he did a good job and the connect the audience makes with him provides a needed emotional punch at a key point in the movie (And he might of been the weakest actor among the entire cast). I highly recommend this movie if you are martial arts movies that rely on the story more than the artistically stunning simulated dance/violence.
The Midnight Sky (2020)
Shot Beautifully, Good Acting but Overwhelmingly Depressing
I won't go after the individual examples of horrible logic in the script. The movie was just a long visually beautiful depressing mess that misses the mark it was trying to hit. Save your Netflix viewing time for better options.
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Did they Try?
I renounce my wish for a good DC movie. Anyone even rating this movie a 5 out of 10 I would seriously question. The actors tried their best. I am not sure what everyone else was doing and if they were trying I am truly baffled by the end product. I think you could tell Justice League had potential they just ruined this script was dreadful. I think they should let the creative teams behind DC animation bring their best stories to live action with minor tweaks. Cut the budget and go with R ratings when necessary. Otherwise the source material is too weak and the DC heroes are too overpowered. I was going to give it a 2 rating but by wife justifiably guilted me to an accurate rating of 1. Save your time.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Do Yourself Favor; Review the Negative Reviewers
Almost without exception the reviewers who rated this below a 4 have very few reviews on IMDb. And the ones that had a decent sample size of 4 or more had horrible movies like The Lone Ranger rated at a 10. If you rated typical superhero movie fair like Aquamam a 10 and Captain Marvel below a 5 I can't take your reviews seriously. Because both of these movies are fun and have holes. The Captain Marvel story however is more surprising and compelling. And Brie Larson in a very medicore performance for her is still better than Jason Momoa. Although Jason is more attractive than Brie. This is very good movie. Probably a solid 6-7 for anyone that likes typical superhero movies that doesn't go into it with a lot of bias
Aquaman (2018)
Critics are Right
This was a good DCEU movie. But a medicore movie. I would expect more from to get some of the audience rating I have seen. The acting is medicore sadly and the jokes weren't evenly paced and seemed forced. The action sequences were really good. However the characters were not compelling. At best for even DC fans this could maximum be 7 out of 10. Anything higher I would question the reviewers judgement and honesty.
Aquaman (2018)
Critics are Right
This was a good DCEU movie. But a medicore movie. I would expect more from to get some of the audience rating I have seen. The acting is medicore sadly and the jokes weren't evenly paced and seemed forced. The action sequences were really good. However the characters were not compelling. At best for even DC fans this could maximum be 7 out of 10. Anything higher I would question the reviewers judgement and honesty.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Could they have done worse?
I believe they could but they would have had to tried to make it bad on purpose. This movie made long for Mystery Science 3000 to come back and cut this movie to shreds. The opportunities to make fun of it are just endless. But let me summarize in an efficient way. This is some of the worse story telling I have ever seen in big budget movie. If you are invested in the franchise you will be heartbroken. If you are not you will be thoroughly confused for no reason. I wanted to like and delve into these characters but in the end I was routing for the First Order to kamikaze the whole galaxy. Someone else said positive ratings for this movie need to be investigated by Congress. Well Congress has more important things to do. But for me to take imdb or these other rating websites seriously again the average rating needs to below 6 for this movie. The movie only has 2 stars in my review for the visuals. Take 20 million out of the effects budget and 1 star might be too high.
Passengers (2016)
Great Acting Does Not Cure a Bad Script Not a 7 out of 10
First off let me say that I more disappointed by how users are over rating this movie than the movie itself. This is perfect example why we don't see new talent in movies. They know great actors can fool people into thinking they saw a good movie. I won't rehash how all the people who designed the ship and organize these interstellar colonization trips are idiots. Other reviews do that in a more entertaining way than I ever could. Jennifer Lawrence is great actress and her performance is the best part of this movie. Hopefully she get another Si-Fi movie gig that is better written. The visuals are beautiful but after watching the first hour I wanted to be over and predicted the ending. This movie is full of lazy plot devices. And without one of the most ridiculous ones I have ever heard of you don't even have a story here. Stop criticizing the critics who panned this movie they were trying to say you some money at the box office. Movie goers need to set the bar a little higher.
Red Hook Summer (2012)
All Around Bad
The acting was horrible. Worse mother of the year your how you going to dump you only child off with your father without telling him his father just died. Oh and by the way this is their FIRST meeting. What the hell is that? I cannot imagine even an engaged loving father sending his only child to someone that is a stranger to them.
The was a utter disjointed mess with very little redeeming value. Even Spike cameos as Mookie from "Do the Right Thing" were flat and uninteresting I felt sorry for Clarke Peters decent effort playing Bishop Enoch. It was brave to take on the role of a child molester preacher.
I don't know if Spike Lee is fighting through religious issues in older years but working through your personal issues if clumsy way without comedy is not entertaining. It is more like watch a spectacular car wreck. You know it horrible but you are fascinated and can't look away. This is how this movie struck me. If I had the misfortune of watching this at the cinema house I would have walked out in spite of "car wreck fascination". .
Point Break (2015)
Pointless But Visually Stunning
Anyone rating this movie higher than 5 stars is just being generous, have low standards, or don't appreciate basic movie making principles. I will list these principles and how this movie measures up in each of them
1. Acting- Acting brings you into the story and make you care about the characters and the story. In this movie the acting is cool and stale. You don't care about these characters and the larger story because of there poor acting. I see better acting in video game cut scenes regularly.
2. Plot - Point Break has an interesting story-line but the story telling is hindered by the acting and the pure focus on action scenes instead of character development. The original Point Break was good because philosophically there were no bad guys and seeing either side "lose" in a way made you feel bad. In the end you don't pay attention to this 2015 version's dialogue enough due to the bad acting to feel anything or understand the philosophy fluidly as the movie progresses
3. Visual - This movie is visually stunning but that does not make a movie it makes a good commercial, documentary of extreme sports, or a good demo video for new Digital Video Display Technology. But in modern Hollywood visual excellence is probably the easiest thing to get right so in my opinion it is clearly over rated in its impact to this movie's average rating on IMDb.com.
Summary, this movie is a total waste of time and Hollywood resources. Without the visual impact this is a walk out worthy movie. If truly want a great visual experience only then it my be worth your time but there too many other great movies, documentaries and other media sources that provide an equally great visual experience. Exhaust those other options before wasting time watching this.
Sleeping with the Fishes (2013)
Fun and Heart Warming
I think low ratings of this movie (under 5) are quite unfair. There are very funny moments in this movie and in spots it's heart warming. The actors put forth convincing performances and convincing performances (as a cast) in any movie these days ar least earns the movie a 3 minimum and only serious debacles could make that rating lower. This movie is a fun diversion that explores family issues in a non-threatening way. You become emotionally invested in the characters instead of emotionally burdened. Gina Rodriguez has a very lovable girl next door quality in this movie. It isn't a must see movie but if you are channel suffering and find this most likely it is the best movie you haven't seen yet that is on. So give it a chance. A ten point rating system is a little restrictive. This movie is just barely a 7 while other movies I have rated 7 are really a 7.5
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Did Feminist Movement Take a Step Back? Witness Me Suffer
I was informed by my scholarly wife that this movie was analyzed/praise for its feminist themes. If that was the case it would explain the warped critical acclaim it received for any that did have anything to do with the visual appeal and sound of the movie. It is a beautiful looking film a la 300 in a different way. Neither of these visually stunning films are appealing as dramas. If they were to promote a film with a "female/feminist" led tone it should have been Inside Out. All the major characters in that film were female had depth and you cared about them. That is not the case in this film. And all the critics that gave this film such rave reviews did a major disservice to their readers. Batman vs Superman was decent compared to this and that movie sub-par at best. So much of this film does not make sense. From the rolling rock concert in the middle of a life and death battle to the motivation of the characters once their initial plan goes. I wonder how many fans who actually like compelling stories with their action felt the sound have said "Witness-Me" as the walked into the cinema to see this beautiful but shallow disaster.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Terrible just Terrible
This is another movie that make the 10 point rating scale insufficient in my estimation. It was a good effort but it ended with bad results. The acting was poor. The story was rushed with characters like Santa Clause forced in for no reason. There are movies that I have rated as a 4 that are more enjoyable that this one. And there are other movies that I rated a 4 that clearly did not have the level of effort involved as this one. But at the end of the day this movie gives most children over the age of 8 with average intelligence the feeling that they have wasted their time. Luckily in 2015 most likely they are relieving their boredom by changing the channel. That being said it is not worthy to be purchased on DVD for more than 3 dollars.
World War Z (2013)
I Cheered for the Zombies
This movie was walk out worthy. Anyone giving this garbage more than 3 of 10 stars either don't care about ridiculously intelligence insulting plot holes. For example: you are in a plane that crashes because a fight broke out with zombies. You happen to be flying over a country you have never been to. You promptly pull yourself together from the plane crash and walk directly to a "secret research facility" miles away to find the cure. This was supposed to be somewhat "smart" movie. But ended up being just dumb as Jurassic World which never set out to have an intriguing plot or mystery of any kind. I wish I could give this movie a 0.5 of 10. With budget and the source material they had to work with they did worse than I could have imagined. This movie is the "walk out worthy" category.
Snowpiercer (2013)
Wonderful Argument for the Extinction of Humanity
For the pretty good acting and their effort to be "smart" they earned a 5 out of 10 but just barely. For the majority of this film I felt that human race was unredeemable and worthy of extinction. If that was the intended message they hit the ball out of the park. Here is another Hollywood movie in which most of the characters are not likable. Even at the end some the characters you kind of "liked" are more sorry than I have words to express. It is thought provoking even if the thought is that the earth would be better off without any of us. That isn't what I exactly call entertaining. There are some good exchanges between the key members of the caste but the fight scenes are a little flat. There are lots of elements of the movie that are not explained. For instance the stupid cutting of the fish before the big fight scene is just stupid. That is just the tip of the iceberg when it come to their efforts to be surrealistic that detract from the movie instead of enhancing it. If you are a hardcore Sci-FI buff and you are bored it is worth a watch.