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AlanSmitheeeeee
Reviews
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
A solid thriller but with a highly disappointing ending.
Everything but the last ten minutes, wich feel like something the studio forced into the film, is tense and very well written. The acting is great, especially John Goodman. The whole set up is very nice. But then someone had the idea to ruin all the build up and conflict with an action ending that simply doesn't fit in the well crafted story. I would be very suprised if the ending of the film was what the original screenwriter had initially in mind.
Rating: B
The Neon Demon (2016)
Stylish and visually striking but taking chances with the end.
This film is one best looking films of that decade. The cast works very well in the context of the story that starts of very simple and realistic but then escalates to a rather metaphorical hard to gasp ending that might let down some viewers.
Rating: B
Ich seh, Ich seh (2014)
Very effective and rememberable.
A film with a great Idea and a good suspenseful execution. There are some strong images and scenes that will stick with viewers for some time. The ending provides an appropriate conclusion for the events leading up to it.
Rating: A
The Void (2016)
Homage to low budget 80's horror.
It's an entertaining film that brings back a campy story with a whole lot of practical effects for people that enjoy and appreciate that kind of film.
Rating: C
Under the Skin (2013)
If you miss certain keypoints the movie won't work.
This is a very well crafted Sci-fi-thriller with beautiful camerawork, appropriate acting and very strong direction. This film will only start to make sense if you really concentrate and take in everything that happens. There might be several viewings or further research necessary if one didn't really pay attention and misses the important scenes that define the films genre and set up. That also explains the many negative reviews, people that didn't understand the story or even left before the end but also didn't try to really undestand it in the first place. It is a confusing and artful film but the actual story is rather simple once it is exposed.
Rating: B
Kynodontas (2009)
Abstract on it's own doesn't mean good.
Good camerawork and visual style don't make up for getting too many different themes like growing up and influences of belief mixed and muddled up. It is hard to pin down what exactly the writers were trying to say here.
On the other side we have a too slow pacing from start to finish and almost a non ending.
Rating: D
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
Not the usual thriller.
When you first see this film, probably many won't want to see it a second time, you will definitely feel a coldness around the whole film. This is intentional and caused by the direction and cinematography. The director portrys his vision with the actors very well and we end up with odd and depressing characters that all fit very well into the dark story.
Cinematographie, direction and music remind of works by Stanley Kubrick with their precision and depth.
You have to accept at the end that this is an adaption of an old tale from the greek mythologie and won't provide a rational explanation at the end but a harsh conclusion.
Rating: B
Split (2016)
Disappointing ending to a good setup.
Well acted and shot. But the comic book like conclusion disappoints everyone that thought they were in for an authentic story with an appropriate and believable ending.
Rating: C
The Others (2001)
More than just a horror film!
Very well written drama with horror elements and a great performance by Nicole kidman. The film is a a nice blend of some effective scare moments and the escalating drama with a suprising conlusion at the end.
Rating: A
Donnie Darko (2001)
One of the overrated ones.
I watched the film with all the reviews in mind that literally said I was about to witness the greatest piece of film.
Well I was definitely disappointed at the end.
First the positive aspects are good acting and performances from everyone and mostly good cinematography and blocking of the scenes.
But the script is the problem: The writer/director seems to be aware of David Lynch and his work because his debut film tries to follow in his footsteps. But in comparison to the Lynch films he only presents a fragile constructed fairy tale about time travel, other universes and spacemagic with no actual literal plot. Where in Lynchs works is a foundation in form of a literal story where the metaphorical aspects are then based upon here we only get a confusing mess of symbolic sequenzes.
The director had actually attempted to understand his own film by publishing an official interpretation, something Lynch never did and had to do.
At the end the cheering audience is left with a messy tale about some interdimentinal portal or what ever you want to shoehorn in.
Rating: C
Fantasy Island (2020)
What did you expect.
There are some well made sets, nice locations and a few good ideas but terrible dialogue and mostly bad acting overshadow everything.
That all leads to a fun third act of nonsense
with a bunch of ridiculous twists.
Rating: D
Spaceballs (1987)
Great comedy
If you like Star Wars you will get this. It's a ridicolous film and that makes it great!
Rating A
Rogue One (2016)
A bunch of the old stuff in a new Film.
The film relies to much on past things we already know. The new characters aren't interesting enough to be rememberable.
But at least for fans of Star Wars this will entertain you by taking you back to the original films and showing the stuff you know and love.
Rating: C
Ex Machina (2014)
Great science fiction!
This movie is very well written, executed and has a good cast.
The plot is intriguing and the ending fits the Story.
See this one if you like science fiction!
Rating: A
The Perfection (2018)
I felt sick after for a moment.
I literally felt a little sick for a moment after finishing this movie but it wasn't the gore.
Almost the entire film just felt so weird, strange and unappealing to watch.
Especially the ending is so over the top that you are just left confused and unsatisfied.
If that feeling I got at the end was the intention of the director, this film succeeded.
But there is a story in this somewhere, a few twists and some good visuals.
Rating: C
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
An exhausting film.
The characters feel wrong. The story is messy. Even the long final battle is not exciting but exhausting to watch.
Rating: D
Cam (2018)
Why was this dumped on Netflix you ask?
A mildly interesting setup is developed in a boring, cheap feeling and very forgettable way and ends with the young protagonist having learned no lesson and continuing what arguably almost ruined her life
Rating: D
The Dark Knight (2008)
A great movie.
Very well written, shot, edited and scored.
An outstanding performance from Heath ledger as the Joker.
Rating: A
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
A good start.
A visually great story that introduces many new characters and can hook the old fans as well as new people to the franchise.
The story is obviously similar to A New Hope in order to make a safe starting point for new things to come.
Rating: B
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
A rushed, messy conclusion.
While trying to make up for the last film's unsubstantial and nihilistic story, this film rushes into the final act of a Marvel like final battle and tries to distract the audience with great visuals from the weak plot.
Rating: D
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
The failed try to go a new way...
While the cinematography and special effects are great, obviously due to the big Disney budget, the plot and narrative choices derail the movie.
The most things the characters do are simply irrational and the twists seem to ultimately lead nowhere.
Rating: C
The Invitation (2015)
Gigantic build up to nothing interesting.
The cast it's arguably good. But the film is paced so slowly that it just becomes too boring to watch and enjoy at the same time.
You are waiting for the big twist of all the build up but the ending just isn't satisfying and doesn't make up for the wasted time of nothing substantial happening.
Rating: D