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Reviews
Nefarious (2023)
Great movie with only one issue
Nefarious is the epitome of what's possible with a tiny budget, tons of passion, and a story with an important message. There are only a handful of movies about demon possession that actually explains the motivations of pure evil. This one nails it and makes you think on it for days. Like a song that plays over and over in your head, Nefarious does the same thing with your head and heart. Both lead actors do an amazing job, and the writing is on point for the most part. I did however see a missed opportunity for some accuracy, and even further sympathy for Edward Wayne Brady.
When Nefarious (Edward) surprise chokes James, the psychiatrist, with his shackles, all the guards are told to back off for a so long it Nefarious is able to monologue for way too long. It makes you wonder if these corrections officers are any good at their job. Once Nefarious says what he has to say, they all pounce and beat him with night sticks.
Earlier in the film Nefarious demonstrates his "mental" ability to effect the physical world by causing a light bulb to break. Then later, explains to James, after breaking his (Edward's finger) that he enjoys pain. With this information in mind, the choking scene would have been more believable and tense, had Nefarious used his demonic abilities to slam and lock the gate behind James as he enters the room, keeping the warden and guards out. He would have had his way with James while the door and locking mechanism are frantically worked on by the guards, never assuming demonic power was the cause for the malfunction. Then, after all the yelling and screaming, once the scene needs to end, the door magically unlocks, the guards rush in, and Nefarious revels in the pleasure of being beaten, maybe even yelling at the guards to hit him harder.
Fast forward to Edward in his cell waiting execution. His head is shaved, he's in pain, bruised all over, and he's confused as to how this happened. Put that ON TOP of the missing last meal and you have yourself a sequence that goes from ultra tense, to absolute tear jerker in under 5 minutes.
Everything else is great, but that bugged me.
The Canal (2014)
Way better than average.
You might recognize Rupert from Hellboy. That's the only other movie I've seen him in until this outing. As an American, everyone else is new to me but the cast is talented to be sure.
This film is creep AF. The finale shows you things that you may have to answer for after you die. Just saying.
Prospect (2018)
Good sci-fi that deserved a bigger budget but didn't need it.
Original story and stakes. The best part of this film was the texture of tech. No holograms or touchscreens. No mention of earth. For all we know these characters aren't even human although though they look it, and have human motivation. Even the language, for the short time we see it, isn't English. This is a smart, well done film that relies on good writing, action, and imagination.
The Gunman (2015)
What is this movie? You're not fooling me.
It's got action. It's got romance. It's got guns. It's got humanitarian misdeeds and suffering and capitalism run amok and blah blah yada yada.
Sean penn stars as a special forces assassin with a conscience. He's really good at what he does. So good he has to atone for his sins by joining green peace. After an attempt is made on his life the rest of the plot unfolds as liberal talking points disguised as characters get knocked of one by one. Every big enemy in this film is a greedy capitalist pig who made their living by exploiting native Africans. White man bad (except for Penn and one buddy) and they all deserve to die for things they did that more than likely don't happen except in the fever dreams of Bernie Sanders.
Have said all that, the covert stuff, and action is rather well done. It's fun to watch if you can get around the preachiness.
The Green Inferno (2013)
College kids get out into the real world.
A group of self righteous college liberals learn all about life after years of cozy college safe spaces.
The Expanse (2015)
Best sci-fi since Firefly
Intelligent, deep, and well acted. Season one made me buy the books.
Cruise (2018)
How nostalgia should be done
Not just of the era, but of a typical 80's romantic movie plot line. Seigel got it right. Cruise is a pretty in pink "salut" to the rich/poor theme of the 80's. My biggest contention is that even though the main car in this film (1987 Buick grand national) is a personal favorite, the speed was bought, not built. The soundtrack couldn't be more spot on for the time. As a fan of stand up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, I waited longer than I expected for his villainy to make an appearance BUT the wait was worth it. Gio's best buddies were a nice bit of spice. Likable but not overbearing characters. This isn't benvolio and mercuchio after all. The time spent paying homage to the culture and style of the 80's is well done but over all I feel the pacing was splintered with attention being spent on too many various aspects of the time (stealing stereos and Italian family and racing and rich/poor and sex and and drugs and and and)
It doesn't go where you think it will which is a nice change. If you're looking for a typical movie hero, you won't find it here. You'll find sacrifice and humility. Not bad all in all. A movie I was looking forward to and one that delivered in ways in didn't expect.
Paycheck (2003)
I wish I had amnesia.
Philip K Dick and John Woo is like ice cream and ketchup. I'm not saying John Woo is a terrible director. He's just a bad match like Affleck and Thurman. The script is choke full of bad choices that only exist in order to lead to more action, especially leading to the climax. Example: if your plan is to destroy a big machine that tells the future in order to save the world that you sabotage in the first place before you lost your memory (on purpose) then please, oh please by all means fix the damn thing so you can use it... wha? Theeeen after that, rig it to explode and make your escape, which all but accomplished. But first!! Save the girl but lock your self inside the dangerous room for NO REASON because you rigged the machine to explode! Remember!?!
Ugh! Just ugh!
The Debt Collector (2018)
It doesn't suck.
Good action. Great fight choreography. The real treat is Louis Mandylor as "Sue". He's immediately likeable as the cynical hit man, bringing Scott Adkins along as the newbie debt collector. Adkins does a more than adequate job acting but still comes off a teensy bit flat but not at all as flat as the rest of the cast. The story isn't terrible in fact, it's not typical at all for this sort of film.
At first the images of the cows make you go "wha?" But it's a unique device filling you in on the inevitability of it all.
The gunfight in the apartment is overly long and unrealistic for such close quarters. An experienced soldier wouldn't hide behind a couch. I was expecting Adkins to get behind the oddly placed industrial strength steel coffee table after looking back at Sue hiding behind the decidedly better cover. It would have gained a good chuckle out of me had that happened.
All in all a good yarn but oddly untypical.
Wing Commander (1999)
Highly underrated movie
The rare video game based movie that improves on the game.
The way the opening credits serve to bring us up to speed on the history, politics, and plot is very effective and efficient. There is a feeling of nostalgia that is carried through to the WWII style designs of the fighters. The ships have a submarine feel and they really drive home the idea that, based on religious belief, there may be a spy on board. The FTL travel is treated in a unique manner treating us to a one use bullet-time effect. For what it is, it's well acted. IMO the two leads are the only mis-cast actors. I'm not a huge fan of either. Saffron Burrows' voice is too deep too often and it sounds forced. FPJr is a little better but for me, Lillard, Prochnow, and Karyo are the real attraction acting wise.
The fighter dogfight scenes are well done as well as the broadside attack... I usually rewind that bit once or twice when I take in this guilty pleasure.
The writing is really pretty good. We care about the mission beyond that it is one as the consequence of failure is so great. The relationships, as fleeting as they might be, hold importance because of the potential for never having one again should the crew of the Tiger Claw fail. There's a raid, terrible mistakes, prejudice, faith, and more human condition stuff than you can cram into a war epic.
there a lot to like here beyond one viewing.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
What?
Some of the dialogue has texture and three of the actors are better than OK but one can't expect much in that department considering the script they were given. Any attempt at political "undertones" are hackneyed and preachy. Look Quentin we get it, you gotta black thing. After the black nurse wife in Pulp and the premise of Django, we get it. Simultaneously weeping for the plight of the black man while using the "N" word at every given opportunity doesn't all of sudden render you authentic and down with the cause. The performances are a lesson in how to over act and the gory effects are overdone. This whole film barely necessary. When the weather outside keeps upstaging every other scene, it's problem. I was going to go with 2 stars but "Minnie's Fat Ass" (get the irony) tip an extra one in the net. If you want to see good acting by Kurt Russel in a western other than Tombstone, watch Bone Tomahawk. It was written and directed by one guy too.... except it was good.