October 15, 2020

The Night Eats The World

Rating: 3 / 4 George Romeros This did not suck at all. It’s a Zombie flick, and totally believable. Really good use of not ominous, but uncomfortable music. Also very good use of music in other forms. A smart main character (be still my heart!), fast and mute Zombies. Note to self: fast zombies are scary, fast silent zombies are really scary. Sly bits of humor, innovative takes on what to do if stuck in an apartment building with nothing to do (relevant for global pandemics as well).

October 15, 2020

The Invisible Man

Rating: 1/2 of 4 sad remakes
I wish this movie was invisible. What is it with these horrible soundtracks totally overreaching a mediocre and boring slog? If the music turns ominous or creepy, relax. When the music turns boring, and especially if it stops, something may happen!Let’s move on to visual mediocrity. Lots of blue filters, in lieu of actual acting. I’m really tired of blue filters. Unless your movie is set in Antarctica or Seattle, add some warm tones.

October 7, 2020

Fantasy Island

Rating: 0 Fantasies / who really cares? I knew this was panned by critics and civilians, and wasn’t expecting much. Wow, still wasn’t expecting this mess. So, the first acts… For the most part, 2nd rate actors from 3rd rate films. And Michael Pena. But, in Pena’s first couple scenes, I even said “if I didn’t know he was a good actor, I’d think he was a terrible actor!” The acting sucks pretty uniformly, so that’s something consistent 😂.

October 4, 2020

The Island

Rating: 3/5 Sean Beans A more-or-less by the book dystopian future, that borrows from a lot of better stories. A really great cast, pretty good acting, pretty flat writing. Lots and lots of action, mostly gratuitous, but still technically well executed. Ending isn’t going to surprise anyone. Still, didn’t feel like I’d wasted my time. One extra Bean, mostly because the flick has plenty of Scarlett Johansson.

October 4, 2020

Girl in the Spider's Web

Rating: 🐉🐉 / 🐉🐉🐉🐉 Looks like the second in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. Haven’t watched the first yet. Decent action flick, nothing surprising, but not boring. Silly tech bits though.

October 2, 2020

It Comes at Night

This will be quick. “It Comes at Night?” No it doesn’t. Some confusing mess about a family, a scary virus, ominous music and scared people, none of whom you ever care about. Then a second family shows up, who you also don’t care about. 99% of it happens in a cabin in the woods. Stupid ending. They kill the dog.

September 25, 2020

The Killing of the Sacred Deer

Rating: 2/4 creepy teens The plot was very thin, important plot points unexplained, and the music. Oh the music. One of those “creepy” movies that has ominous music when people are drinking ovaltine, yet none of their heads explode.

September 15, 2020

First Reformed

Rating: 5/5 psychotic anti-heros A fascinating, paced drama, a little reminiscent of Taxi Driver, which I found out after viewing, had the same Writer. Ethan Hawk is really amazing. Wonderful cinematography, intense and well written. No one will remain seated during the last 15 minutes. Yikes.

August 26, 2020

Columbiana

Rating: 3.5 /5 shell casings
With Zoe Saldana from 2011. A mostly predictable action revenge flick, and aside from some not-gratuitous-enough shower scenes, overall, enjoyable.

August 24, 2020

The Old Guard

I’d watch Charlize Theron eat potato chips, and love it. But, this was good. Interesting story, good action, lots of Charlize.