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mechstar
Reviews
The Power of Few (2013)
A Balanced Film that Didn't Live Up to it's Potential.
My expectations for this movie was pretty high because I had been checking in on the progress for nearly 2 years. I was a fan of Q'orianka Kilcher's from her movie The New World and wanted to see her progress made as an actress. Unfortunately, I was not crazy about this movie - though it did have some redeeming qualities.
First: the bad. Many of the shots were gimmicky and served no real purpose other than trying to appear artistic - which didn't quite work. The dialogue was extremely poor for 50% of the movie, and regardless of whether Q'orianka is a talented actress or not - it's impossible to tell when she is forced to deliver cliché lines and behave as a character whose archetype is so obvious that it's nearly painful to watch. Of the 4 different story arches, 2 were unbelievable and agonizingly forced. Technology is exaggerated and some circumstances are so one in a million that it makes you suddenly aware that you are watching a movie. Lastly, the multiple stories in a non-linear fashion is not original - so to truly go above and beyond in this format you need to have a coherent ultimate story which has an ending profound enough to make the journey worth-while. I'm not sure this movie delivered on this last point.
The positives: There are several shots and scenes that are truly beautifully shot. Some are so clever that you are willing to forgive the poor ones. Secondly, the acting from Christian Slater and Christopher Walken are so brilliant and believable that it sucks you back into the movie that some of the story arches destroy. Truthfully, at the half-way point I was extremely disappointed, but the movie's final act really improved my overall experience. When the movie focused less on creative angles and focused more on story-telling and acting, the movie was enjoyable - it's just a shame it took 45 minutes to get there.
To sum this movie up, I can say for sure this movie, which I don't expect to get much attention, will have a torn audience over the genius or folly of this film. As a viewer reasonably aware of story telling, acting, and the aesthetic aspect of film - I believe there are both positive and negative aspects of the film and I believe it's judgment relies on how much the message of the film affects you.
Cherrybomb (2009)
Great acting, decent movie.
Like most of you, I am a Harry Potter fan and stumbled upon this movie while seeing what Rupert Grint was up to. I thought he was easily the most talented actor of the trio, and was curious to where his career would go - Emma Watson has modeling and fashion, Dan Radcliffe seems to be doing Broadway and other types of media.
Anyway, The movie is centered around two best friends - Malachy (Grint) and Luke (Sheehan). They live a regular yet drug-infused life of a teenager. Malachy is a loved son with responsibility and a job. Luke, however, is the product of a broken home and as a result is left by himself for the most part - fueling the chaos. Malachy's boss' daughter, Michelle, comes to live with him and the two friends immediately fight for her. The love between the friends is obvious throughout the movie, despite frequent fights. Malachy ends up falling for Michelle, and when she reveals she is leaving and therefore cannot start a relationship he works harder for even a moment of love. The ending is pretty surprising, a solid twist.
I didn't like the directing at all. Throughout the movie there is white text that flashes across the screen with phrases that don't seem to make sense. Are they the character's thoughts? words? Narrator's hints? It was unnecessary. The writing was pretty good, a lot of things were unnecessary and unexplained, but some can argue that is just a style that was intentional - perhaps even liked by many viewers. The ending sort of drops off, leaving unclear of the fate of the trio. Again, it may be intentional, but it was far too abrupt and didn't close the movie in the way I would have liked.
The highlight of this movie is the acting. Without a doubt. Every person in this movie is believable and brilliant. Grint did not disappoint and played the character flawlessly. Even when he is not the focus of the shot, he stays in character and even his gestures are consistent and spot on. Sheehan was the biggest surprise to me. I have no idea who he is, haven't seen him before, but he really made the movie for me. The mix of charisma, a character with a chip on his shoulder, and the overall development of his character is apparent with every word, gesture, and smirk. I look forward to seeing him in future films.
Overall, if you are a Harry Potter fan, you will appreciate Grint's performance and probably like the movie. The acting made the shortcomings of the movie less obvious and entertaining. However, this is not a movie meant for a young audience. It is riddled with drugs, sex, violence, and bad language.