Change Your Image
shawnman-56268
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Pinocchio (2022)
I wanted to like it
First off, I don't usually like to compare movies to their source material. However, when Disney is purposefully remaking one of their movies I think it's fair to compare the two.
That said, it doesn't seem at all to me that the writers paid anything but cursory attention to their source material. There is a lot of symbolism in the original Pinocchio that thankfully remained, but some of the very important stuff is eradicated in favor of artificial and gimmicky drama. The most glaringly obvious example is the "Monstro" scene toward the end. In the original, Pinocchio finds out that Gepetto has already been swallowed by Monstro and decides to go save his father. This demonstrates Pinocchio's loyalty, bravery, and initiative, thereby proving he is worthy of being a real boy. In this movie, they are all swallowed together. This eliminates the scene of Pinocchio showing up and cheering up his father when Gepetto is about to give up in the belly of the whale, a beautiful and deeply symbolic scene that begins Pinocchio's transition into being a real boy. But I guess it doesn't matter because Pinocchio doesn't turn into a real boy. Instead, they leave it ambiguous. WHAT? What's the point of the movie then?
This is not to mention the overly expositional dialogue (apparent one scene telling us Gepetto's clocks are important to him is enough), the inconsistencies between the dialogue and animation (in "I've Got no Strings" Pinocchio says "They've got strings", but there are no puppets anywhere near him and there aren't any near him for a while after the line is sung), and the weird acting (Joseph Gordon-Levitt's terrifying and macabre Jimminy Cricket voice and Tom Hanks' inconsistent accent). I am always willing to forgive issues like this in a Disney live-action remake. They are never as good as the originals. But this is the worst remake yet. There was a long way for Pinocchio to fall, but they did it! They ruined a classic!
On the positive side, there are a few things I enjoyed. The Blue Fairy was fabulous and a beautiful singer. I liked that the children on their way to pleasure island were not all boys, it increased the emotional weight even though there wasn't as much of an emphasis on the children transforming into donkeys. The beginning of the movie drawing attention to Gepetto's loss was moving and made his relationship with Pinocchio stronger. Finally, I liked that Gepetto and Pinocchio lived together for longer than one night before Pinocchio disappeared; it made a lot more sense.
I really wanted to like this movie. I loved the original, having grown up watching it constantly with my family and learning lessons from its beautiful symbolism. There was a lot I was willing to forgive about the live-action remake as long of the symbolism was preserved. Unfortunately it wasn't.
The Good Doctor (2017)
"The Good Doctor" underestimates its viewers
The majority of the episodes of "The Good Doctor" fall into the trap most similar 45 minute drama shows do. Characters are separated into two groups that pursue different but thematically similar storylines (the stories are likely similar because the show runners think viewers will be too confused if the medical cases are too different), while also experiencing some forced drama.
The drama in this show feels forced because characters often act in contrary to their established nature. They also tend to act contrary to how any person in their position would act, seemingly only in order to drive more drama only to create some hackneyed cliffhanger that is never satisfactorily resolved. I would mention how unrealistic basically every single medical case in this show is, but that is pretty normal for shows of this ilk.
Immediate changes in character, forced inconsistent drama, and lazy story writing all show us that the producers of this show underestimate their viewers. And it somehow gets worse as the show progresses and the writing budget increases.
The acting is generally good, especially in the central cast, and the production value is high with good cinematography. But that doesn't make up for the poor story and character ideas that are apparent throughout this show.
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
Great world building, bad scriptwriting
The plot of Raya and the Last Dragon progressed far too quickly. There was a lot of potential with the beautiful, albeit avatar-esque, world that was built quickly yet thoroughly. The story, however, was just a predictable and rushed race through the world to gather MacGuffins in order to make a bigger MacGuffin to drive some vague narrative about trust and greed. This story was accompanied by a cringy, clichéd dialogue that made Raya and the Last Dragon a disappointment that was only saved by the incredible world building.
My biggest gripes with the story are 1. The lack of logic behind Talon's motivations ("hey, let's steal the important items that will save the world and do it ourselves, they'll respect us after that") and 2. As far as I could tell, there was no reason the dragons all basically died to save the world the first time, but there were no sacrifices the second time despite the method being the same. This lack of self-sacrifice made for a lazy script that discounted much of the danger the movie.
But at least the world building was great!
The Italian Job (1969)
A beautiful look into the past
There are numerous reviews citing the problematic view of women in this film along with the lack of a b-plot.
Although the objectification of women in this film is rather grotesque, it is important to remember that the era in which this movie was made is different from our own. We cannot judge the actions of yesterday by the standards of today. We can, however, watch something like this and celebrate the fact that this problem is a lot less prevalent. This problem should not diminish our view of the overarching beauty of this masterpiece.
In remembering the time in which this movie was made, we must also remember that storytelling was different 50 years ago. Films today are streamlined with quick cuts and multiple story lines to hold the interest of the viewer. Movies like this were different. They contained prolonged camera shots and focused on a solitary story. The beauty of this film comes from the subtly satyrical storyline, the brittish humor, and the accidentally anticlimactic ending. I am not saying that one type of storytelling is better than the other, but it can be a little jarring to watch a movie that isn't desperately vying for the viewer's attention when we are used to modern cinema trends.
As we watch older movies, let's remember that they were made in a different time, when values and storytelling were different. This is a fun movie with an engaging story, iconic imagery, and super quotable lines. And that's all.
Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019)
Wow
People don't like the last season of this show because their favorite character seemed to have changed on them. Danerys started out as an innocent girl looking to be loved by all, but she evolved into a power hungry monster just like her brother and her father before her. All of these people spamming this episode with 1 Star need to understand that this is Game of Thrones! Ned Stark and Bobby B died. Tywin Lannister was killed. Our favorite characters died as a symbol that nothing is sacred and nothing is safe. This show has been the best on television for nearly a decade because the viewer doesn't know what will happen next, and we have loved it for that. But now, just because we didn't get exactly what we wanted, we revolt. We call the show creators names and wish terrible things on them for doing the same thing they have done since the beginning.
This show was and is the greatest thing on television and this episode was the perfect end to the story and characters I have loved for years.
Aquaman (2018)
Surprising
Aquaman is the brunt of every joke. The character has been constantly ridiculed for being really lame. "Oh wow, he can talk to fish." However, "Aquaman" 2018 is amazingly surprisingly thrilling! The story is engaging and the characters are fun and interesting. The visuals were also stimulating, what with all of the different fish, the drumming octopus, and the beautiful city of Atlantis, just to name a few.
The jokes often seemed a little out of place however, which throws off the viewer slightly. Jason Moamoa does action and drama much better than he does comedy.
All in all, this was a surprising movie. The acting was good, the story was original-ish and complimented the characters nicely, and the visuals were beautiful. 7/10 only because I can't bring myself to give Aquaman anything higher.
The Greatest Showman (2017)
Magical (except the storyline)
Set design, music, acting, script, this film did it all, except the story. It was so predictable it hurt. The story is one we have seen a thousand times: one of failure and redemption, repeated over and over, and both in life and relationships. The main characters go through it and the supporting ones do to. "Oh, but it has a great message." Sure, but we have seen that a million times before too. Family and friendship are important, as are loyalty and love, be true to yourself. It's so cliché, it hurts. I don't like politically charged movies, however, even the obviously political subplots in this film are cliché.
Fortunately, movies aren't just about the story. The music, acting, set design, and script were so great that it makes up for the weaknesses in the story. An 8, therefore, will suffice.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
In one word, Epic
This is one of my favorite films. I have not read the book but that doesn't matter, a Disney adaptation, almost by definition, is not going to do the original story or book justice. That's just how it is. It kind of annoys me when people compare the book to the movie because they are supposed to be a little different. Anyway, that is a topic for another day. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a perfect combination of dark and humorous, I know the gargoyles are annoying but that is forgivable because of the amazing storyline, superb epic soundtrack (and epic is the perfect word to describe it), and lovable characters. Something also has to be said for the incredible animation, the movie is huge with a lot of amazing detail and superb shots. I loved the animation of Notre Dame and all the effort into making the city look spectacular. Hand-drawn animation will always amaze me. This is not a children's movie. I know it was probably made for kids but it covers (very well, I might add) some surprisingly dark topics. It teaches a lesson, however, that everybody should learn.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Terrible movie
My rating may seem a little harsh but I did not like this movie at all. The story was slow and full of bad drama and false suspense all leading up to a very rushed and terrible ending. I could have forgiven the movie if it weren't for the surprise (and it was a surprise, albeit an unwanted one) ending of aliens. The story leading up to the ending was not one sufficient to prepare anybody for such an ending, changing the entire movie from suspense to sci-fi in one go. This, some may say, is what makes the film so great but in order to have such a thrilling ending, you need a thrilling beginning and middle. If the bottom bun of a burger is great, that doesn't mean you can skimp on the top bun and the meat. This movie disappointed.
Get Smart (1965)
What a show!!!!!
This show is one of the great classics, it is funny, edgy, and has fantastic story lines. Each episode is its own masterpiece and it never relies on the mistakes of Maxwell Smart to progress the story. Film today is headed toward television and this show is an example of what (hopefully) comedy may become. The main characters are lovable, funny, and perfectly portrayed. This is what great T.V. is.
Get Smart (2008)
Adequate Remake of the T.V. Show?
Maybe not... As a huge fan of the T.V. Show, I can't see how anybody can think that this is a good remake. Other than the obvious references to the great one-liners of the show, this didn't have much of a similarity. However, is it really about that? I would say that it isn't. This was made for a new generation to enjoy the bumblings of Maxwell Smart and as a standalone movie, it disappointed as well. It was not as funny as expected and the story was a little wonky but, nevertheless, it was okay.
Game of Thrones (2011)
The Best T.V. Show Ever?
Maybe. This Show is amazing (except for Bran's storyline which is just rather boring) but I ignore that because the rest of the show is fantastic. There is a beautiful mix between violence, intrigue, story, and a little humor. I have never felt a real hate for anybody in any film medium as I have whilst watching this show, and I have never felt as much stress and been on the edge of my seat as I have during this show. Even the fourth and fifth seasons (which weren't as good as the others) were better than anything else I have watched. With the film industry going downhill, it is refreshing to see that television is getting better and better. And this show is at the forefront.