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Nighthawk97
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Band of Brothers (2001)
A virtually perfect WWII miniseries
I think this is pretty much the ultimate WWII movie and nothing will ever come close to it.
You get to see the war through the perspective of Easy Company from the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne, from the moment they begin training in boot camp all the way to the end of the war. The first episode is a slow build as you're barely getting to know these characters and the obstacles that lie ahead of them, but as soon as they jump out of that plane, it's a non stop thrill ride.
The miniseries is packed to the brim with extremely well done battle sequences that rival anything that's ever been shot, including Spielberg's own Private Ryan. Sure, you don't get another scene of storming the beaches of Normandy, but you do get an exhilarating sequence of them trying to get in by air.
The firefights are all really well staged and you feel like you're right there with them. I couldn't get over how authentic and real everything looked. Each battle sequence is extremely memorable and they all have twists and turns you never see coming. The performance from the lead Damien Lewis is outstanding as well.
I can't count the amount of times that I was at the edge of my seat or was literally gasping in shock and awe. But all of that is balanced with quiet and authentic character moments that really stay with you. There's even a romance subplot in one of the episodes, and let me tell you, you won't forget it either.
You simply need to watch this miniseries. It's one of the best miniseries ever created and I'll probably watch it all again in the future. It's that good.
Soul Hunters (2019)
An entertaining martial arts thriller
I had a chance to watch this film last night on Amazon and really liked it. I thought the world building was well done. All the stuff with the contracts, amulets, and demons I've never seen before.
The fight scenes are something else. I never thought I'd get to see Olympic style Taekwondo choreography in a feature film, but I did in this one. There's also incredible Jiu-Jitsu sequences too. All of it looks very believable as well, and the best thing is that it's all very cohesive. No jump cuts or shaky cams.
I enjoyed the look of the film as well. It was clearly going for a film noir look and I think it succeeded for the most part. The visual effects are also top notch. I couldn't believe a VFX studio didn't do them.
Some sets do look really empty though, but I guess that's what you get when you're working with such a limited budget. I also thought some parts were a little slow, but the payoff was always worth it.
I was surprised to see the amount of negativity thrown at the film in other reviews here though. But you take a look at their other user reviews and they tend to either hate every other indie movie or literally created an account to hate on this one. Both scream troll behavior to me.
In any case, if you've got some spare time, it's definitely worth a watch.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
The very best film in the MCU
What makes this film stand out from every single other one in the franchise is it's commitment to telling a fleshed out spy-thriller story that just happens to star Captain America.
The action sequences really pack the thrills and highlights include great chase sequences, an excellently done infiltration sequence, and several fist fights that leave you wanting more. Some of them lean a bit too hard on shaky cam and quick editing, but the choreography and intent is absolutely there.
To be honest, I actually skipped this one in theaters due to how middle of the road the first Captain America was, but was so pleasantly surprised when I decided to give this one a shot at a rental many years later. I of course bought the Blu Ray as well, as I felt compelled to own it.
I'm also a huge fan of Civil War, but I think this one edges it out in being the best film in the MCU because of that fact that it works perfectly fine in a vacuum. Civil War is pretty much a mini Avengers that is a culmination of all the preceding films before it. This one can pretty much stand on it's own and doesn't lean as heavily as Civil War does in the spectacle of the heroes powers.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
One of the weaker Marvel Movies
Guardians of the Galaxy was a different and unique film that combined elements of the superhero, comedy, and sci fi extremely well. It had a really good pace to it, the characters were fun to hang around with, and it was overall an entertaining ride.
The sequel starts off promising enough, with Star-Lord taking time off guarding the galaxy to spend time with a man that could possibly be his father, but quickly falls of the rails from that point on. Without revealing too much, you get lengthy conversations about feelings and family on a distant planet with no real action, and then you get a plot twist that anyone can see coming a mile away.
The opening is fantastic, the stuff in the third act is great, and there is a sad and poignant moment in the film as well, but it's simply not enough to sustain the film as a whole. There were great ideas here but they weren't well executed.
First Blood (1982)
Completely different from the sequels
Rambo nowadays is synonymous with going in guns a blazing with no regard for your personal safety.
And while the sequels in this franchise did basically turn into just that, the first film is completely different in tone and execution.
This is a film about a soldier suffering from PTSD in a town with an overbearing and power hungry sheriff. Rambo only acts in self defense and eventually lures the cops to the vast and open forest, his preferred hunting grounds.
The action scenes are primarily stealth focused, and you get loads of really creative and suspenseful moments within them.
A really great film with great performances from its lead actors.
The Perfect Weapon (1991)
A decent martial arts film
Jeff Speakman is in peak form in this movie and it shows. His movements are quick and precise and the fight scenes are well made.
It's a movie that features his growth in the martial art of Kenpo, a type of Karate that specializes in quick strikes to precise areas of the human body. This is demonstrated in several of the films fight scenes.
The movie is populated by a pretty forgettable supporting cast, but the action scenes more than make up for it. Granted, the fight choreography sometimes feels a little too rehearsed, but is more often than not really fun.
The story is pretty formulaic and completely predictable, but it serves it's purpose in getting Jeff from Point A to B with as many fights as possible.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012)
The definitive Batman film
I've seen virtually every Batman animated and live action film in existence and can confidently say this is the best adaptation that is out there.
It's basically telling the story that Batman v Superman so desperately wanted to tell.
It stars a jaded, cynical, and retired Bruce Wayne who yearns to get back into his crime fighting days. Once a new gang of villains starts threatening Gotham, he sees no choice but to don the cape and cowl and bring justice.
It faithfully adapts its source material and is incredibly well animated. The voice acting is stellar and the story remains as timeless as it was when it premiered. The fight scenes are done excellently as well, taking full advantage of the animated medium.
Note that this is a review for both Part 1 and Part 2, as they are without a doubt one single story.
Event Horizon (1997)
Unforgettable and shocking
Every once in a while you stumble across a movie that leaves an impact on you. That is this movie.
I thought I was watching another harmless sci fi adventure movie, but as soon as things start kicking into high gear, you have no idea where the film is headed.
I don't want to spoil anything in this review except say that it's a movie that defies expectations. Awesome stuff.
Versus (2000)
I really wanted to enjoy this movie.
I had heard so many good things from my friends and I've been a fan of the directors more recent work.
That being said, I was amazed at how slow paced and boring this movie was. The action was serviceable, but the forest setting made everything incredibly confusing and a headache to look at.
The story is pretty much non existent and extremely trivial. It also does the frequent low budget trope of setting everything in one location.
Watch Godzilla Final Wars instead, it's a much better film.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
A gritty and underappreciated sequel
This is what Jurassic Park could have been.
A dark, bloody, and surprisingly violent story with a death toll that goes well into the dozens.
Jurassic Park really played it safe. It was more of a theme ride than anything else.
This movie took that concept of dinosaurs running amok and really took advantage of it. You get beautifully shot action sequences that always offer something new with the dinosaurs and you never know who is going to make it.
The third act of the movie is also completely unexpected and pure escapist entertainment.
An incredible gritty sequel.