Reviews
Cars (2006)
Fun for Everyone
Rewatching Cars last night brought back so much nostalgia, for the characters, the endearing story, and the memes of course. Although that feeling is the primary reason I like this movie so much, I believe Cars stands up on its own merit just fine. The animation is world-class. What else could you expect from Pixar during their Golden Age? There are much more pop culture references and adult jokes than I remember as a kid. The voice acting fits well with the characters and feels fun. The story is sweet and has a good lesson, especially for kids -- don't go so fast that you forget to smell the flowers. The only part of the movie I fail to wrap my head around is why exactly the cars had to be sentient. As SchafrillasProductions on YT points out, there is no justification for their existence over using human drivers that have matching personalities to the cars they drive.
The Boondock Saints (1999)
Maybe This Didn't Age Well
I understand the desire to root for our two self-righteous protagonists and all the shenanigans in which they get involved. The story jumps around from one crazy event to the next. It is exciting, yes; but the acting is awful, the script is absurd, and the whole work inspired an endless supply of movies afterwards that would fill every lonely shelf on Blockbusters across the country. Just because this is the first C-grade movie to do so does not make it worth watching. I recommend everyone else to go watch The Departed instead, a film that is worlds apart from this look into the Irish mob in Boston.
Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997)
Honestly Chilling
Werner Herzog is a master documentarian. How he came across Dieter Dengler (a fellow German) and his cascading story about escaping captivity in Laos and North Vietnam is beyond me. Yet, the movie will stick with me for likely the rest of my life. The way every scene is reenacted by Dengler and shot by Herzog's crew truly brings the story to life. It was difficult for me to grasp how firm Dengler was in retelling his story despite all the trauma and suffering. I am still curious if the film was tribute or not though. Herzog clearly admires the indomitable traits of Dengler like his fortitude, tenacity, and willpower; but the final scene before the credits makes me wonder if, in that great expanse of planes, Dengler was a boy with a dream who was tragically churned through the insensitive machine of war.
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
A Dark Retelling
Guillermo del Toro brings his trademark weirdness and new life to the classic tale of Pinocchio. I could not have admired the spectacular stop-motion animation anymore than I did on my first viewing. Every scene looks like a work of art in its set design and detailed characters. The story is astonishingly more expansive here as well, including the story of Gepetto's original son, Carlo, much more focus on the carnies who capture Pinocchio, and a look into the afterlife. Del Toro also tells a cautionary tale against fascism in place of the notorious boys-turning-to-donkeys scene (the joke being the fascists are a**es). While I enjoyed all of these new elements to the story and the phenomenal animation, I was left underwhelmed by the music. I think this movie is thrilling for kids (especially those 10-14 years old) and I would re-watch this again.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Sensationalist Splurge
Tarantino's homage to Bruce Lee and martial arts movies has captivated audiences around the world for nearly two decades. It is brash, action-packed, and bold. The central theme of vengeance, however, is not something that should be so easily touted as righteous. How easily can we be swayed to support a character like The Bride? To err is human but to forgive is divine. I cannot omit the great spectacle the film is though. Kill Bill soars in its practical effects and creativity. I especially enjoyed the anime styling of Oren Ishii's backstory. Much of the movie is steeped in smart artistic decisions such as this. Kill Bill is a movie I enjoyed but not something I will re-watch without sincere contemplation.
Encanto (2021)
Fun and Poppy
Encanto is a whirl for children. I loved the songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda. They are all earworms (looking at you 'We Don't Talk About Bruno'). While I found the story shallow, the message about acceptance and owning up to your shortcomings was sweet and easily understood by children. The voice acting and animation were fantastic as expected from a Disney Animation project. They have rarely faltered in these respects. Disney smartly oriented itself towards a bilingual and Hispanic setting in Colombia, an undoubtedly growing part of its audience in 2021. I foresee many more movies akin to this in the future.
The Aviator (2004)
The Aviator Soars
I have been germophobic all of last week since re-watching this gem. Scorsese tells of the 'Life and Madness' of Howard Hughes with such disturbing clarity that I am compelled to read the biography. Hughes fits the bill for an ideal Scorsese protagonist -- manic, obsessive, and brilliant. DiCaprio brings his insanity to life on screen with vivacity, although the Southern accent is lost every time he shouts. Howard Shore's score is also riveting. Despite Hughes' life being wrought with tragedy at nearly every turn, his dedication to his own vision brings about a future hardly anyone else could have dreamed of imagining.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Show Me the Ending!
I could not wait for this film to end. Watching this movie felt like all of the 1990s TV PSAs got eaten and spit out as a giant ball of cheap romance clichés and dollar store virtues. While Cruise, Zellweger, and Gooding Jr. Give honorable performances, their characters are sorely familiar like that cousin you don't get along with that you know you will see every year around Christmas. The premise for this movie and its story are simple and sweet but they have been produced undoubtedly hundreds of time before and much better. "At the end of the day, it's our relationships with each other and not the money that really matter." Tell that to the studio execs who raked in your money watching this garbage.
Back to the Future (1985)
Thoughtful Fun
Here is a picture that makes audiences think and laugh, wonder and worry. Back to the Future is a uniquely 80s film entangled in the 1950s. Marty McFly and Doc are timeless characters that are supremely realized on screen by Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Both of them are so animated and colorful with their deliveries throughout the runtime. The story is fresh and the writing is fun to the point that new viewers will be constantly asking themselves what's next. This is a film I can almost always sit down and enjoy, whether with family or even by myself. Despite its age, this movie continues to entertain.
Devotion (2022)
Meandering
As a viewer that did not read about the subject prior to watching the film, Devotion was shocking. The last fifteen or so minutes of the movie moved me but everything before that did not have nearly the same effect. There were some production questions that came to my mind: why weren't the wingmen looking at the aircraft next to them when flying in formation; how could a fully commissioned officer and pilot let an enlisted Marine speak to him like he did without throwing UCMJ charges against him; how was the aim of the Chinese anti-air so poor? Perhaps I'm taking the movie too seriously. It is an inspiring tale of friendship but I think it would have made a better short story than a feature-length film. I am inspired to read the book, however.
Battle of Britain (1969)
A Comprehensive Delivery
Triumphant is the word that comes to mind when I reflect on this movie. Although many of the flying scenes did not age well or hit as hard as they may have at the film's release, Battle of Britain does a fine job exploring perspectives in this pivotal air war over England. The movie does not shy away from the horrors of war and sheer scale of destruction that air raids and fighters wreaked during the fighting. The story is not predictable at any point. I enjoyed seeing dialogue of the German Luftwaffe pilots and their commanders as well, although the film is clearly slanted towards the English side.
Barbarian (2022)
Loose and Predictable
I watched this movie with friends over the weekend to celebrate Halloween and, while we were talking a lot during its runtime, no scene succeeded in scaring nor surprising me. This film felt like a standard horror film with all the usual beats -- weird thing happening in home, investigation of said weird thing, some characters get caught in the process, historical exposition of the phenomenon, and resolution at end. The film was formed from a mold that so many other movies have used and nothing really stood out to me as original. There was some strange sub-textual message about men taking advantage of women. Yet, that point is so loosely tied to the story, like everything else in this movie, that I couldn't help but feel disappointed at the end.
Boyhood (2014)
Nauseatingly Nostalgic
Boyhood transports me to my own youth. It encapsulates the 2000s so well with its pop culture references and family drama that was unfortunately being lived out by many Americans during that decade. This movie and Marriage Story are two of the most poignant tales on what divorce has done to the American family. We see Mason grow more and more apathetic as he matures. The twelve-year production concept of this film is surely overrated but I believe the writing is markedly underscored. Mason may seem boring at times and not like a great protagonist. That's because he is not supposed to be great or engaging. This film is a slice of life that Linklater brilliantly captured, wrote, and realized for the big screen. I both cherish and regret the memories that resurface when I watch this.
Django Unchained (2012)
Extremely Exciting
Tarantino is a showman of violence and his style does not stop in this Western installment of his filmography. The shoot 'em up gore and dark humor are characteristic as well. While some may find the violence deplorable, it will surely excite those others who don't. The characters here are unique and well written, although Christoph Waltz seems to reprise Col. Hans Landa from Inglourious Basterds as a bounty hunter. I have a lot of fun watching this, especially in the company of other guys wanting some over-the-top action and a load of hearty laughs. The acting, music, and practical effects are all phenomenal to say the least. This is a film I can return to at nearly any time and be secure in knowing that I will enjoy it. I recommend this film to those of age, disposition, and maturity to watch it.
Inception (2010)
Beautiful Plot Holes, Mesmerizing Action
When I first saw Inception in theaters, I was a fourteen-year-old enamored by the sheer scale and ambition of the project. I could not help but nerd out about all the tiny details and that open-ended scene, come on! Christopher Nolan could produce nothing but perfection for my teenage years.
Then, I got older. I recently watched this again at home and realized how many plot holes and inconsistent character decisions exist just so that the story can go on at all. There is a lot of confusion the film presents that my fourteen-year-old self neglected because, BOOM, DID YOU SEE THAT TRAIN? Dreamception, come on! We all know the memes.
This film is larger than life and it is a load of fun. Just don't expect it to hold up to a magnifying glass upon closer analysis. Screen Junkies put it best when they called Inception basically the Matrix without the aliens and more plot holes.
Sicario (2015)
Thrilling but Nothing Groundbreaking
Sicario is a film that brings back impressions and feelings of films like Silence of the Lambs and Zero Dark Thirty. It presents a change of scenery in Mexico and the border states which is refreshing. The action scenes are high-intensity but, like most action scenes do from viewing to viewing for me, tend to lose that thrill factor over time. The characters are written well but sometimes I felt as though the script misdiagnosed the problem(s) with the War on Drugs, especially in regards to the Mexican-American border crisis. Surely it is not as simple a fix as to place power back into the hands of the Colombians. The Sicario, who is revealed as the film progresses, is heartless and cold, doing whatever it takes to accomplish his mission. In some ways, the movie attempts to moralize his immorality which completely turns me off to the film. I prefer the approach of No Country for Old Men to such a hitman -- pure apathy.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Starkly Striking of Our Information Bombardment
Here is a story that points its audience to the busyness of our lives today, pressure to be successful, and fight for relevancy in the age of information without any sugarcoating nor timidity about it. The protagonist is a Boomer who struggles to move on from his role in superhero action movies (fittingly played by Michael Keaton who used to be Batman), who longs to be looked at seriously and thoughtfully both on the stage and by his family. Yet, as this movie so aptly puts it, nearly all the audience wants to see is violence and sex, provocative memes and outtakes. "It's what gets the people going!"
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Succinct in Sixteen
Uncomforting, thought-provoking diagnoses on American fear, guns, and the rich leeches who profit off of it
Script........................................ 10 / 10 Interviews........................................ 10 Visuals................................................ 8 Sound................................................... 9 Editing................................................ 10 Music....................................................... 9 Timeless Utility................................. 10 Total.................................................... 66 / 70 ~= 9.4 (rounded to 9) Verdict................................................. Must-watch / Canonical.
892 (2022)
Succinct in Sixteen
A one-sided, excessively hammed narrative about a sad, lost man pushed above and beyond life's edges.
Screenplay...................................... 6 / 10 Acting............................................... 3 Cinematography/VFX............................ 4 Sound............................................... 5 Editing................................................ 4 Music....................................................... 2 Timeless Utility................................... 2 Total.................................................... 24 / 70 ~= 3.4 (rounded to 3) Verdict................................................. Avoid.
Beast (2022)
Succinct in Sixteen
"Are you ok?", to Martin, mauled by a lion, clearly not ok. A cheap thrill waste.
Screenplay...................................... 0 / 10 Acting............................................... 3 Cinematography/VFX............................ 4 Sound............................................... 4 Editing................................................ 4 Music....................................................... 1 Timeless Utility................................... 0 Total.................................................... 16 / 70 (rounded to 2) Verdict................................................. Repulsive.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Succinct in Sixteen
The epitome of naval action and seafaring from the activities' height during the Age of Sail.
Screenplay...................................... 8 / 10 Acting............................................... 8 Cinematography/VFX............................ 10 Sound............................................... 10 Editing................................................ 8 Music....................................................... 8 Timeless Utility................................... 9 Total.................................................... 61 / 70 ~= 8.7 (rounded to 9) Verdict................................................. Highly recommended.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Succinct in Sixteen
A story that poses some critical questions about success, beauty, and family full of unforgettable performances.
Screenplay...................................... 10 / 10 Acting............................................... 10 Cinematography............................ 8 Sound............................................... 6 Editing................................................ 10 Music....................................................... 8 Timeless Utility................................... 10 Total.................................................... 62 / 70 ~= 8.9 (rounded to 9) Verdict................................................. Highly recommended.
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Succinct in Sixteen
Something for everyone with the stomach for topics that may be hard to ingest. Waititicaptivates.
Screenplay...................................... 9 / 10 Acting............................................... 10 Cinematography/VFX............................ 9 Sound............................................... 6 Editing................................................ 10 Music....................................................... 9 Timeless Utility................................... 9 Total.................................................... 62 / 70 ~= 8.9 (rounded to 9) Verdict................................................. Highly recommended.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Succinct in Sixteen
Unbearably dry writing with poor acting delivery can't match the magic of the originals. CGI shines.
Screenplay...................................... 2 / 10 Acting............................................... 3 Cinematography/VFX............................ 10 Sound............................................... 10 Editing................................................ 3 Music....................................................... 8 Timeless Utility................................... 4 Total.................................................... 40 / 70 ~= 5.7 (rounded to 6) Verdict................................................. Enjoyable for some fans of the series.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Succinct in Sixteen
Dark like the hearts of its characters, the tangled jungle take its toll on all men.
Screenplay...................................... 10 / 10 Acting............................................... 10 Cinematography/VFX............................ 10 Sound............................................... 10 Editing................................................ 10 Music....................................................... 10 Timeless Utility................................... 10 Total.................................................... 70 / 70 = 10 Verdict................................................. Timeless Masterpiece.