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2067 (2020)
Not perfect but a good metapher about our dying world
Will mankind evolve or will it destroy its own live resources? This question is still unanswered.
This film gives a lot to think about this question and also about which "magic gadget" might rescue this world.
It is a rather low budget film, as it seems and also has its weaknesses, but as a SciFi journey of thought, it is still worthwhile a watch, when you are able to go without fancy CGI and action.
Riddick (2013)
Same formula, some plot holes but watchable
To be frank, I like this movie much better than Pitch Black. The reason is, that I find the characters much more interesting.
I never liked the young Jones in Pitch Black. The new villain Santana and the older Jones are much more interesting. I even like Dahl. The other characters are the standard typical Mercs (with one exception, though also not interesting either -- every Riddick movie needs a religious man, it seams) ... nothing to remember here.
The story, to be frank is basically a copy of Pitch Black with some different CGI. Maybe they thought, that if it worked once, let it do the job twice. The plot is simply rather dull and predictable from the beginning. Even the ending is very disappointing (I read somewhere, that the directors cut version shall give a little more ... but not much).
Some plot holes are there also - for example two ships with top SciFi-equipment that shall detect any movement, but Riddick seams to be able to move without detection everywhere ... no hinting, why or how. Again Riddick is just without physical limits ... for me, a little to implausible, but who cares ...
At least some cool lines and watchable interactions between the people -- I found it more interesting than Pitch Black.
GasLand (2010)
Maybe not the best documentary around, but awfully necessary
With a look at all the negative reviews here, that just focus on one or two attackable things presented in this documentary, I have to give all stars to this documentary.
It seems to me, that there is a big lobby behind the whole topic -- it is nearly as awful as the climate topic, where near religious wars wage. When I read, that at least two films where made as response from the other side to this film -- this is a huge indicator that the film has hit the target.
There are so many facts presented, that should make everybody with a brain to think, but the critics like to focus more on the weak spots, but on the whole mass of facts. Even, when you delete all the weak spots, there are enough facts left, that speak a clear language. Of course, the other side can make 10 further films (and they have the money for it) against it, but I doubt, that they can prove that their is no problem.
It is really sad, what people are ready to do, just to have cheap energy (or for sheer profits).
This documentary is not the best made, but it is an eye opener to everybody that is ready to think about the facts and not just wants to have his own opinions confirmed.
People can put their fingers in their ears and hold their hands in front their eyes, they even can train their brains to negate the truths -- but one day, also the last one will find out, that money can not be eaten.
Prometheus (2012)
Missed Opportunities and lacking ideas
Nice setting, the possibility to create something new and some good ideas (& many special effects) ... but the result is still mediocre.
Some good performances of the actors and some (really only some) good ideas do not make a great film. This film has to much flaws to be great. The idea with the constructors and the whole story has some chances for a good storyline and to create a real new facet of the whole Alien universe. But the results are not convincing. The storyline does not differ enough from the Alien stuff to be real original and the scripting of the film is unoriginal and to predictable. For example: Everybody knows, what will happen, when the meeting with the last constructor is going to be. Nothing new, nothing original. Also when the meeting with some of the creatures are, everybody knows in advance, what happens. The only thing that was mildly unexpected, is the real stupid behavior of the people.
And that the film contains tons of totally unbelievable things, others already mentioned.
Finally, the whole plot has the odor of just being a vehicle for one or two sequels and that odor is not smelling to good in the nostrils of the viewers.
At least, they should have taken the chance to invent new interesting creatures, but even that they did not manage, instead the new creatures are transfer pictures of the Alien universe creatures, so that one asks, is this an error, or should this be a new creature? Again, no real new ideas.
The January Man (1989)
Does not quite hit the point
A film that misses the point. It starts as thriller, but essentially wants to be a comedy .... but lastly misses the point.
As thriller it is plainly lame. As a comedy it brings to few and to shallow comedy elements.
At least it is a little entertaining, but the whole thing left me disappointed.
For fans of Kline it might be worthwhile though.
I also wanted to see Keitel, but his share in this film is to low that he could bring in anything.
Also as a romantic film, it just does not hit the bullet. I really thought after the film, that it just did not know where to go.
Transporter: The Series (2012)
For rather simple minds
The formula is always the same: Beautiful cars, always the same (repetative) and good looking car scenes, even more beautiful girls and a Transporter that has more problems to get rid of those girls than coping with the bad guys.
The stories are not even memorable for 10 minutes after the show.
I think there is a reason, why this show runs nearby a similar German show in Germany with similar (un-)interesting stories.
But who cares, if the cars and girls are there?? The main actor tries hard to give a good acting, but he stands no chance, because the whole setting is so limited.
The original Transporter films had some inspiring elements. But this is just a rip of for people who adore girls and cars.
Who needs a story?
A Sound of Thunder (2005)
Falls short to all sides
I read before, that the CGI was bad. But I did not bother that much, since a good SciFi story can also be interesting to watch, when the CGI is cheap or not so prominent (also I can enjoy rather old SciFi films, when it is interesting -- like "Millennium" with laughable special effects for todays standard, but rather viewable and not so predictable story).
BUT this film tries to hard to be a blockbuster with "big action" that it absolutely must disappoint. I hoped to get at least an interesting story. But as much as it fails to deliver "big action" it also fails to deliver a really interesting story. And further more, it does to much stealing of story elements from other films. I even was remembered of the "Triffids" ... and that is a bad signal. From that point on, the film got worse and worse.
The film starts rather good (aside from the bad CGI, that really can put you of). Ben Kingsley was really good as the clever and reckless business man. The story unfolds rather interesting and the writing is not that bad (in the beginning). It contained some rather good humor, writing and acting. But after a while it gets lost in all that monster fights, that seam to say: Hey, we can't have a solution now -- the film must be at least 90 minutes ... and we have fired off all our good ideas in the first 25 minutes -- we now don't have an other idea than throwing yet another bunch of CGI on the actors.
So, we come to the situation, that the SciFi film converts to a slasher video. We start out with seven or so actors ... and after 80 or so minutes one or two of them are left. This is so predictable.
You see nothing, that was not done before (SciFi-wise, CGI-wise and Action-Wise) in better quality. Many ideas are plain copied. Also the base story was filmed at least once before.
Also there are some really bad logical errors contained. The biggest one: The change in the past is coming in waves, but in the moment, the change is changed back, this change is coming immediately -- why?? But there are also worse logical errors and gaps contained which are not explained at all. I would also rather have a more elaborate ending and cut off one or two of those CGI fights which did not add to the story at all. So, the ending was the biggest disappointment ... also because of the big list of gaps and "illogicalities" it contains alone.
To round it up: I had hoped to find a little more substance -- and even with rather good performances from some actors (Kingsley, Makatsch) all in all, the film can not satisfy, since so many older films provided more substance with similar stories (e.g. Millennium, Jurrasic Park, .....) The start of the film could have been an 6/10 -- but with the middle part and the weak ending, it is 4/10. The really interesting part are the first 25 minutes or so, after that it gets more and more predictable and the finish is to much clustered with story-gaps. Instead of an interesting twist (which I hoped for) they just "gap" the resolution out. The extremely weak ending alone costs the film at least one point in my voting.
Die Trixxer (2011)
Das haette eine liebenswerte deutsche Serie werden koennen
Ausser Krimis ist in Deutschland das Serienland eine ziemliche Wueste (sofern man nicht auf Lindenstrasse oder die 999. unerlaubte Liebe steht).
Ok, die Trixxer sind was das filmische angeht nicht unbedingt eine Ausgeburt an Innovation und die Action-Szenen sind unterirdisch (werden von jedem 2. Tatort leicht getoppt). Aber ist das das was man von so einer Serie erwartet? Fuer Action gibt es schon die Serie mit den beiden Strassenbullen, die alle Autos zu Schrott fahren -- da gibt es keinen Nachholbedarf.
Die Qualitaet dieser Truppe ist eine andere: Ein liebenswertes Quartet, die ihre Ecken und Kanten haben. Ausserdem eine unterhaltsame Story, die mal ein Augenzwinkern auf bestehende Gesellschaftsprobleme wirft. Wenn die Scriptwriter dieses Niveau in die Serie haetten hinueber retten koennen, dann waere sie wirklich eine sinnvolle Ergaenzung der sonstigen deutschen Serienwueste gewesen.
So etwas haette durchaus gefehlt. Warum reichen "Leverage" oder "Hustle" nicht aus? Weil beiden Serien der deutsche Touch fehlt -- wie eben unserer ganzen Serienlandschaft (von bereits genannten Serien abgesehen). Das Leverage-Team ist zwar aehnlich liebenswert, aber so "over the top", das es schon manchmal weh tut. 5 Supermaenner kloppen sich dort fuer das Recht und manchmal tun einem die Gegner schon leid, weil sie angesichts solcherlei kerniger Kompetenz voellig chancenlos sind. So wird die Loesung der Faelle schon fast zur Routine.
Die deutschen Trixxer dagegen sind auf der Erde geblieben. Sie sind zwar gut, aber nicht abgehoben und haben reale Schwaechen.
Mich jedenfalls erinnern die Trixxer sehr an den Spielfilm "Die Herren mit der weissen Weste" -- das Leverage-Team der deutschen angehenden 70er Jahre.
Leider werden es die Trixxer (wenigstens bei RTL) wohl nicht ins Fernsehen schaffen -- sehr schade, denn das Konzept ist ausbaufaehig und vielleicht lernen Regiseur und Autoren ja noch dazu -- gute Ansaetze sind meiner Meinung nach da -- und dafuer dass das Team nur vier Vollzeitmitglieder hat, gibt es schon recht viele schoene Reibungsgelegenheiten.
Die Jagd nach der heiligen Lanze (2010)
Unboxing Goethe
In Germany we call it "Schnitzeljagd" (paper chase), at least a Schnitzeljagd with rather good music and some humor in it.
Who awaits action like in Indiana Jones or other similar adventures must be disappointed very much, since the chases are even more unrealistic but action wise can't compare at all.
Also the whole story is straight-forward. Some puzzles have to be solved, even when made by Goethe (boy, how did he find time for all the writing when he had to build up all these puzzles ...) and some bad guys are chasing the good ones. But at no time the story gets really thrilling.
The filmmakers did their best, to make the plot interesting, with just ridiculous knowledge of history (compatible to the average TV-viewer?) and some sinister sounding history back flashes. But still, the style of the film is more like a geotagging paper chase than an adventure, so that also they had to add a line for one of the main characters speaking about the dangerousness of the situation -- else the viewer would not have grasped it, it seams! The most interesting thing in this film? What artifact of Goethe is unboxed next and which secret will it hold.
The bad thing about it, is the bad thing about the whole plot line. All is stolen! From Indy, from "National Treasure" and supposedly from others. At least all of the hints, the secrets feel so familiar and the only surprises are the next impossible situations the actors stumble in ... and they really stumble ...
So, it all could also be compared to a series of unboxing-videos from Youtube, but here supposed history artifacts are unboxed in spite of techie-gifts.
All in all, a film for a boring afternoon, when it is really boring! It is a little entertaining, but not more.
Damien: Omen II (1978)
Opportunities given away
The first part gave good opportunities for further treatment of the topic. One of the real opportunities would have been, to create a sketch how Damien becomes the beast that threatens the whole world -- not in the sense of wealth or might, but in the sense of character.
The scene starts interesting with an almost likable Damien of age 12. This would have been a good start and rather believable that Damiens character is now to be formed.
Also the film suggests some character development -- but fails greatly in my eyes. Either the ideas where missing or the courage to try some real interesting character development.
The Damien actor was rather good and believable -- and so the foundation for a good story would have been available. But then it just goes on and on like a drive-by-shooting of people that could endanger Damien.
What stays: The conclusion that nobody can hinder the Evil to get to power -- an assertion that already was given (in a much more believable and creeping sense) by the first part.
Summary: Good Damien, good start, OK ending -- very repetitive story without real ideas.