Reviews

Having not played any of the other resident evil games besides 4, take this with a grain of salt. It is not only one of the best looking games of all time, but contains a seriously effective and oppressively grim atmosphere. This game really had me unable to play for more than an hour at a time it got me so stressed out. I really enjoyed it, but I cannot say I would be able to do it again. The Bakers are repulsive villains and they seriously intimidate, harm, and brutalize Ethan as he tried to rescue his girlfriend. The boss fights and the ever looming presence of the big bad rednecks in the quieter moments means you hardly have moments to feel like you can breathe. There are quieter sections but they are weaved and laced masterfully with tense sound design and crisp, creepy environments. If the ending stuck the landing I think this would receive a perfect score but just because I didn't particularly care for it, the rest of the game is not diminished in my eyes.

This is absolutely how to do a Bond movie, the mix of spectacle and freshness of Lazenby's very green performance leave Bond feeling vulnerable in a way not even Craig has been able to match. Also it contains the series best moments, score, and cinematography. I find myself consistently revisiting this over any other entry in the series.

Kusama's direction mixes well with what I think Diablo Cody was going for with her script and the genre juggling it does. Kusama has some annoying quirks and Cody's dialogue might take a second to get used to for some, but the movie is both funny and frightening in what it presents under the surface with themes of abuse and fractured friendship due to a number of reasons. It really is not to be understated how humorous the film is despite the subject matters I think it discusses, all under a very late-2000's vibe, but it actually works for me here. Everyone involved should be proud of how well most of this film has aged and I'm pretty happy it has found its audience and grown from there.

Watched theatrical cut, and quite enjoyed it... might be my first or second favorite Cameron film. It's a shame that no one had a good time making this because it's pretty excellent stuff. Kind of like the Apocalypse Now of underwater movies, read about some of the behind the scenes if you get a chance, fascinating but sad stuff. Definitely deserves to be seen on Blu-ray and not DVD. Going to keep that in mind for a rewatch and I'm definitely going to check out the special edition cut which contains like 25 minutes extra of character development, something that usually is hit or miss with Cameron and honestly is the main thing that keeps me from enjoying his movies more. Upon reading further, it's come to my realization that there is no Blu-ray release... yet another reason to not love James Cameron, beloved and fun movies like this and True Lies have not yet been restored for proper Blu-ray releases because he won't stop diving to the bottom of the ocean/making Avatar sequels no one wants and yes, that's irritating.

Very emotional portrayal of a strained and broken family unit where half of the family doesn't even know (where) one of the members is living. It's a sad film. Scope photography is some of the best out there and this is one of the primo examples of why. The performances across the board throughout each scene display a genuine smorgasbord of real emotion that loudly jumps off the screen. Dean's physicality is unmatched and I think this is one of the most inspiring and inspired performances out there, everything about Cal, even though it's hidden under a shielded exterior, is known by the end of the movie. He is not one-note, not one character feels that way here, and the way the arc is presented feels natural. This is why I think movies like this, and in general, need slower scenes in order for the characters to become fully realized by the time the credits roll. I feel like I know and am connected to Cal Trask so much more than I was connected to a character like Captain America who has been fleshed out through a decade of films.

Very good recontextualizing of the original film's content into the town's very foundation and history, not that it is something it could be ignored less than 100 years on since the murders. It's also a bit more respectful in that since it isn't based on any real events it doesn't feel nearly as exploitative or ethically questionable as the original is. Sadly the ending doesn't stick the landing but it doesn't muddy what came before, which is mainly pretty solid.

Meg's playlist is fire which is crazy considering how much her character annoys me. Despite this, the story of this episode is pretty great and what it sets up for the finale is pretty nail biting.

This is the episode that really makes everything you've watched up until this point truly worth it. The Leftovers comes into its own and becomes the show I really love it for here. Ann Dowd and Justin Theroux hit the peak of their terrifying dynamic here and the performances and story are all top notch. Probably one of my favorite episodes of the entire show.

Dragged Across Concrete is a rough, no holds barred crime film from S. Craig Zahler of Bone Tomahawk and Brawl in Cell Block 99 fame. As if Zahler hadn't proved his unpredictability in his previous two efforts, this one by him certainly solidifies him as a director to keep an eye out for. If I had to describe the film, besides the obvious slow burn that Zahler is known for, I would say that it's a mix of Heat, Mulholland Drive, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood... and honestly that doesn't even do it justice because of how interested Zahler seems in making his own thing, which he certainly has. It's clearly divisive, but I don't understand exactly why it is so much so.

One of my favorite films, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, and Shelley Winters. It is the story of George Eastman who falls for Angela Vickers after already starting a relationship with Alice Tripp, which resulted in an unwanted pregnancy. George must deal with Alice's pregnancy while trying to maintain his image for Angela. George may seem like a scumbag based on the synopsis but due to Clift's completely realistic performance. As a quiet, odd outsider who has good intentions but ultimately succumbs to trying to playing too many sides of a double-sided coin.

The story is quite melodramatic but considering the time of it's inception and the story it tells, this film properly manages to express so many emotions within its 2 hour runtime and I think justifies it's many leaps forward in "love logic;" as many movies of the time have the same issue anyways with people falling in love rather quickly before the film forms into something (usually) far greater.

Not to mention the film makes excellent use of shadows throughout the first half within the love scenes that both, mask what is going on to appease the censors, and also bring my cinematic eyes tears because properly used silhouettes are something I just don't see enough of.

The "Reacher-vision" could be better, or just not in the movie, but it's a standard Tom Cruise affair and I usually enjoy that, the man's got presence. I don't think this was very well received but I'd be down to see Cruise keep this series going, whether it be similarly anthological to the way the M:I franchise has kind of been or they can bring back recurring characters, I wouldn't care but it doesn't seem like the series will continue. If anything, the reason this is a lesser film than the first because of the script and the direction. Gone is the writing and directing talent of Christopher McQuarrie, and is instead replaced with Edward Zwick and his writing team. Unfortunately, they're noticeably a step down with less inventive and naturally occurring action scenes, but also the villains are extremely generic making them apparently weak to the audience. Besides the link of Cruise between the two films, they could be entries in totally different series as this really does fall into standard 2010s action movie fare. It's frustrating because of how much I enjoyed the first one, but you can't fault Cruise and Smulders for not trying.

The 2 Reacher films are a slower, more serious, and sometimes surprisingly violent approach to the thriller than those M:I films take, and not to say I don't enjoy those. I quite like them, even more than these Reacher flicks. Lastly, these movies, like most Cruise films, also have nice surprise interjections of humor that land more often than not; which displays a pretty rare side of Cruise we don't see usually at the forefront of his characters in movies.

A really interestingly great companion to Her but not quite as masterfully done. Then again, it was Tom Ford's (yes, that Tom Ford) directorial debut. And for that it is a fantastic movie. It's bleak and honest and it hit me to my core.

Colin Firth deserves the greatest praise you can give to an actor. He carries this entire movie with ease. It's a disappointment I remember him most in Kingsman yet I'm glad I saw him in that because now I see his legitimately great works and I love him. All the flashbacks hurt your soul and the relationship with Julianne Moore's character has with Colin Firth is totally genuine and I buy their friendship in spades.

A really solid flick that just works. It's not perfect but it's great fun and serious when it needs to be. Cast is all around excellent, it's great to see a newcomer (at the time) Tim Roth act with a legend like John Hurt. The way the story is told also really worked for me with how it starts and you think it's about Terrence Stamp as Willie but it becomes about John Hurt's Braddock, a hitman far past his prime who is making far too many mistakes for this job with his apprentice played by Tim Roth. John Hurt plays Braddock with such moments of quietness that his outbursts are shocking and excellent all the same. The movie is also astoundingly well shot for a forgotten 80's movie and scored excellently with awesome Flamenco music setting the scene at almost every turn. Glad I watched it.

Some bizzare editing choices and a very cliched set up to this movie knock this down a star. But the utter balls this movie has is awesome and it's an insanely understated piece of filmmaking from the 80's that I honestly think would be a pretty great companion piece to Scarface. Friedkin does another insanely amazing car chase that is about double the length of his most famous one from The French Connection. While not better than that film, this movie carries it's own weight and rarely buckled under it. It is a solid ride from start to finish with 2 excellent unhinged leads in William Petersen and Willem Dafoe + a surprise John Turturro appearance along with a couple other great supporting performances. The writing, score, and setting are all appropriately 80's and the story has so many wonderful twists it was just great to see where it was going and how it would get there. Awesome flick!

Masterpiece. Norma Desmond is without a doubt, one of cinemas greatest and landmark characters. This couldn't have been made at a better time, 1950, like are you kidding me? The middle of the century and one of the first turns of cinema into the modern age? Just such a special film.

While not every moment in this is perfect, the sum of it all is so powerful and so sad that I couldn't see myself giving it lower than the highest score possible. Cassavetes is king and Falk is tragically brilliant. The story and the core of the film is a resounding critique on everything the 70's stood for, machismo and layered leading men who could always escape their pursuers... But not here, Cassavetes portrays a man so scared of death but also so sure he will die that he just cannot care anymore, he cannot be bothered to give a crap about any inconvenience he will cause anyone because he's on his way to the grave in his mind. I can't praise John Cassavetes enough.

With something simmering so quietly under the surface and almost no moments of levity, this movie becomes an American nightmare as the runtime continues from one brutal life moment to the next. Told all out of order and already knowing the Kevin's end 'event,' I thought I knew what to expect but I was still utterly floored by what I saw. Tilda Swinton is without a doubt my favorite working actress and this film is yet another notch in a dedicated filmography. Lynne Ramsay is definitely an excellent and unrivaled filmmaker in regards to heavy subject matter and her presentation of such and the way she crafts films leaves blanks for the mind to brilliantly fill in as the story gives further and further context to each event that is placed before it because of the excellent editing work done by Joe Bini. Unfortunately due to the subject matter, I can't see myself watching the film again anytime soon but this is a very excellent piece of filmmaking and I'm quite excited (despite it probably being a downer) to see what Ramsay does next.

Quite discouraged by the majority of people who aren't in the profession of "critic" that are finding this to be a self-indulgent piece of filmmaking. Critics are no better or different really than any other person, but I can't imagine putting myself out there like Joanna Hogg has here and receiving a scathing look from audiences. Not every moment in here is light or fast-paced and not every decision Julie makes seems justifiable, but the film is human and real at it's core. Honor Swinton-Byrne is fantastic as Julie and as the heart of the movie, she really shines and feels like a genuine person I could run into at college or even just on the street. She gives the film a really sweet air anytime that she is onscreen and it makes the film have a gentleness to it that I don't think any other actor would be able to bring. The film has a certain timeless feel to it and if it weren't for a few pop songs in the soundtrack, the film would feel completely transcendent of time I think. This story has so much to it, I'm fascinated to see what Hogg does with Part II of this. The lack of open-mindedness in the general reception of this film is disheartening to say the least and while this movie is wildly inspiring on many levels, I have to realize everything isn't always for everyone.

Many consider it to be gross because of it's exaggerated version of the truth but on its own merit, it is a staggeringly intense and brutal film about a broken system turning a man into a shell of what he once was, for 2 kilos of hashish. Oliver Stone and Brad Davis (before his death) have both apologized for the films portrayal of the Turkish race so while it doesn't excuse the portrayal, the self-awareness of the mistake allows this movie to be cleared in my mind as I see it as a fictional piece more so than what actually happened. Brad Davis gives one of my all-time favorite performances, in a baring role, and watching this film again makes me wish that Davis hadn't died so young as I don't think we got all the performances he was capable of from him. The situation is nightmarish and the portrayal is extremely effective in the use of score, Oliver Stone's script, and the acting ability of Brad Davis. The pace of the film and the events it depicts are another reason this film is so resonant, every scene feels necessary and like it serves the greater narrative at play. Before you know it, it's over.