I watch movies every week and then write down my thoughts. Read my previous reviews!
My rating is simple, Watch It, It Depends, Skip it.
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| Chappie - The props and settings look amazing. The movie isn't bad either. |
Chappie (2015)
Watch Chappie
Written by: Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell
Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman
Rated: R
Plot:
An engineer who created autonomous police robots may have unlocked sentient artificial intelligence. His jealous coworker wants to sabotage the program for his own gain.
Review:
Chappie is thoroughly entertaining and charming. I was expecting much worse based on reviews I had read. I like Neill Blomkamp's previous films District 9 and Elysium to a lesser extent. The video effects look great and the production design is stunning. The look of Blomkamp's films always impresses. The movie has a great start in how it unveils the world and robots. Chappie has a great design, and it's easy to empathize with him. The movie took some weird twists, but remained entertaining. Multiple instances occur where character decisions don't make sense. The beginning indicated tight narrative which was abandoned early on just for the sake of entertainment. The ending devolved into gigantic explosions and big fights, without forcing questions on to the viewer. The end sequence is incredibly over the top. I thought the final image of the movie was really good, until I realized the movie wasn't over, with a pointless scene tacked on to the end, curtailing any use of imagination.
Watch it.
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| Focus - Fun crime caper. |
Focus (2015)
Watch Focus
Written by: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Directed by: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Starring: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro
Rated: R
Plot:
Will Smith plays a veteran con man on a big score when a woman from his past, Margot Robbie, shows up, creating a problem.
Review:
Focus has a great start, despite a situation we've seen before, that transitions to reveal the plot. The movie has a few twists, some easily telegraphed, some not. The break point is completely ridiculous, then doubles it and it works really well. Con movies usually are fun this one delivers. The first half was more lively, seeing the network of thieves and the slight of hand. The last half of the movie turned into more of a romance film. The use of mirrors used in the movie was well done as an editing technique, a metaphor that what we see isn't always the truth. The lighting in many scenes feels too dark.Of course the end of a movie like this has to have a twist, it does, one you probably won't guess because the movie cheats just a little bit. Overall, very enjoyable.
It depends.
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| The Drop - A subtle movie that showcases Tom Hardy's acting ability. |
The Drop (2014)
Watch The Drop
Written by: Dennis Lehane (screenplay, short story "Animal Rescue")
Directed by: Michael R. Roskam
Starring: Tom Hardy, James Galdofini, Noomi Rapace
Rated: R
Plot:
When the bar Tom Hardy and James Gandolfini run is robbed, cops and criminals both start digging for details.
Review:
The Drop has a great cast with James Gandolfini, Tom Hardy, and Noomi Rapace, which is bolstered by solid writing. The story evolves well without relying on exposition. The atmosphere really feeds into the story and characters. The main setting is a seedy bar frequented by criminal elements. The story has a measured pace and each character has a distinct plight. Tom Hardy is impressive. He can completely embody another persona. It's a great looking movie from production to camera angles.
Watch it.
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| Comet - An incredibly odd and convoluted movie about a very simple story. |
Watch Comet
Written by: Sam Esmail
Directed by: Sam Esmail
Starring: Justin Long, Emmy Rossum
Rated: R
Plot:
It's the story about an relationship between Justin Long and Emmy Rossum. The movie follows no chronology and is incredibly strange. Despite this, it's intriguing.
Review:
This movie is a mental exercise. It's kind of cute but incredibly odd and confusing. The editing leads you to believe there may be alternate realities, but it's actually an on-again off-again love story told out of order. The mixed up timeline gives it a fantastical element, but also makes it nearly impossible to follow. It's what makes the movie more than just a romance, but the story telling seems to have no real purpose. The movie 500 Days of Summer had a reason for breaking chronology, this seems to do so just for the sake of it. Despite the story telling, the ending still dragged. This movie is not for the faint of heart, it's confusing, and a chore to watch, but it's an intriguing way to tell a story.
It depends.
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| The Homesman - The difficulties of mid-west life. |
Watch The Homesman
Written by: Tommy Lee Jones & Kieran Fitzgerald & Wesley A. Oliver (screenplay) and Glendon Swarthout (novel)
Directed by: Tommy Lee Jones
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Hilary Swank, Grace Gummer
Rated: R
Plot:
In this Western, Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank's characters transport three mentally troubled women across the country.
Review:
Tommy Lee Jones co-wrote, directed, and starred in this. It really drives home how difficult life is the 1850's mid-west. Every character in this movie is troubled. There are more than a few troubling scenes. Unfortunately the only thing more boring than a wagon wide across the 1850's mid-west is watching a movie about it. This movie is well-made but the story is boring. I can forgive a lot if the story is good, but when the story fails me, it doesn't matter how well the costumes are made, the depth of acting, or the setting.
Skip it.
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