Again, since the last time I posted to this blog (nearly two months ago), I've felt very little motivation to write about the movies I see. But that leads to another problem resulting from not noting down my thoughts immediately: by this point, some of them have faded from my memory altogether. For both those reasons, I'm just going to run through everything very briefly – perhaps only a couple of sentences each – sort of like I remember doing at the end of an essay-style post a while ago.
As always, I'll start with the movies I've seen in the cinema since my last post…
Gone Girl (2014). Well, it's been a while since I've seen a thriller that kept me guessing all the way. :) The mystery of what happened to the wife only lasts for the first act, then it becomes something entirely different: an equally riveting battle of wits. The last act made no sense to me at the time, but fortunately does so on reflection. On the whole, it's a well written and highly effective thriller. My rating: 80%.
The Book of Life (2014). Right from the opening scenes, this movie was so emotionally potent that it won me over instantly. The story is as basic a fairytale as you can get, but that just makes it all the easier to get invested. I can't emphasise enough how creative the art style is! :) The pop songs are a little distracting, but otherwise this is easily one of my favourite movies of the year so far. My rating: 85%.
Nightcrawler (2014). At first, I could completely relate to the main character's struggle to find work. But as the movie progressed, I realised that devotion to him was misguided: the guy's a sociopath, plain and simple. And the movie is basically about his rise to success by being a complete slimeball. There are enough movies out there for the good guy; this is one for the bad guy. My rating: 80%.
Interstellar (2014). Well, it's more of the same complex sci-fi fare from Christopher Nolan. :) A few things don't add up, but I could still follow the overall story well enough. The whole "time is relative" thing leads to one of the most powerful emotional punches in recent memory. The only thing I really didn't like was the music. Overall, it's not one of Nolan's best, but still pretty good. My rating: 80%.
Next, everything I've rented over the last two months (making use of Xtra-vision's platinum offer, I might add: unlimited rentals for three months for only €49.99)…
A New York Winter's Tale [AKA Winter's Tale] (2014). I have a hunch that this is going to become a new classic "so bad it's good" movie. Half the time I just found it aggravating, but the rest of the time I was laughing my ass off. It starts out as a laughable failed attempt at a modern fairytale, and as it progresses, it just gets stupider and stupider. My rating: 25%.
The Invisible Woman (2014). This is a movie that conveys its period setting to a T: the set design, costumes and dialogue completely envelop you in the world the movie's created. But the attention to the setting comes at the expense of the actual story, which isn't very engaging. My rating: 55%.
The Quiet Ones (2014). This is by far the most forgettable movie I've seen all year; I hardly remember any specifics at all. I just remember it wasn't remotely scary, the characters were all assholes, and there was one scene where a character made an assessment that completely contradicted his attitude in an earlier scene. It's just a very unremarkable movie. My rating: 35%.
The Two Faces of January (2014). This one started out promising, with an almost Hitchcockian take on characters on the run. But as it progressed, I started to like the characters less and less; the only reason there's a movie at all is because the husband jumps to conclusions. So overall, I think it's just okay. My rating: 65%.
Tarzan (2014). Where do I begin with this one?! Right off the bat, the animation struck me as surprisingly lifeless: using motion capture with exaggerated, cartoon-like character models just doesn't work. The other big problem is the pacing: all the first two acts feels like first-act build-up. And don't even get me started on that cassowary! Boy did this movie suck! My rating: 30%.
Cuban Fury (2014). It's a cheesy dance movie that hits all the plot points you'd expect. …That's all I can really say. It's a mixed bag: parts of it are kind of effective, but other times the jokes are so contrived that I often found them groan-worthy. My rating: 55%.
Pompeii (2014). Again, this one isn't really worth commenting on. It's as predictable a disaster movie as it gets, with stock characters, humdrum storytelling and unconvincing CGI. Though it does end with one of the silliest images I've ever seen. My rating: 45%.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014). As a standalone thriller, this keeps your attention well enough and delivers a surprisingly breathless climax. But by completely rebooting the franchise, you've emphasised what a run-of-the-mill protagonist Jack Ryan's always been; the hero here is so plain that he might as well not even be called Jack Ryan. My rating: 60%.
Bad Neighbours [AKA Neighbors] (2014). GOD, this one was annoying! It's a movie where both sides of the rivalry are as unlikable as the other, since all they do is shout and scream and be as loud and obnoxious as possible – it's just noise, noise, noise! The fact that the jokes are unfunny and often sophomoric is almost secondary. I hated this flick! My rating: 20%.
Oculus (2014). So far, this is probably the year's biggest surprise. Even if, like me, you don't find the supernatural scary, this is still a great psychological study. You start to wonder which of the two leads is actually delusional, and you genuinely don't know what's real and what isn't. It's a very well written, compelling mind trip, and probably the best horror movie I've seen since Cabin in the Woods. My rating: 80%.
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2014). Another movie that I just wouldn't recommend you show your children. It's a disastrous attempt to bring Oz into the twenty-first century by making the dialogue and humour very contemporary. The songs are bad, some of the voice acting is terrible… and I didn't care much for Oz the Great and Powerful, but it had a far better china character. My rating: 35%.
Frank (2014). You can't go too wrong with a story about making music! :D The overall story is about the main character gradually destroying the band through his own selfishness. I didn't completely take to the characters, but still liked it well enough. Also, it's been a while since I've seen a movie that convinced me to buy the soundtrack! :) My rating: 75%.
Heaven Is for Real (2014). First of all, this movie is painfully slow! If you cut out all the scenes that don't go anywhere, this movie would be less than half an hour long. I had some issues with the message, too – but I'd need a full review to go into that. But at least Greg Kinnear was giving it his all. On the whole, I'd say this is deeply flawed, but not terrible. My rating: 45%.
Live Die Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow (2014). This is sort of like if Groundhog Day was an alien invasion story. :) I really love how the movie plays around with the idea, especially with how many times the characters have been through each scenario already. Oddly enough, the weakest aspect is the action scenes, which are a bit too frenetic and at times unintelligible. But overall, very clever and enjoyable. My rating: 75%.
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014). You know… I'm kind of done being angry at this series by now. The continued success of these movies is just depressing by this point. It's just a sad fact of life: Michael Bay has got the movie-going public by the balls. This instalment wasn't as infuriating as two and three, but still pretty boring and way too long, and the human characters are more annoying than ever. My rating: 25%.
Locke (2014). This is a prime example of the "less is more" sensibility. The whole movie takes place in this one car, putting you right into this guy's mindset. You can feel his frustration when the job starts going to hell, and his reasoning is so sound that you really want his wife to listen to him. I just wish it hadn't ended where it did; I wanted to see it go on a little longer. My rating: 70%.
Now for all the miscellaneous movies I've watched on a whim, either by downloading them or picking them out from my DVD collection…
Wolf Creek (2005). Brad Jones' glowing comments naturally got me curious. But as I got into it, I quickly started to really dislike the characters: they laugh at everything, even when the car breaks down and they're stuck in the middle of nowhere! So, when bad stuff starts happening, it's just tedious to sit through, especially when they start making stupid decisions on top of that. My rating: 30%.
Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014). How could I resist a tie-in to the Batman: Arkham games? :D This is more of a Suicide Squad movie, though, and their personalities are so strong and their interplay so natural that they're just as enjoyable to watch as Batman himself. My rating: 80%.
Son of Batman (2014). It just sort of is what it is: Batman and his son's ideals clashing. I suppose it's kind of appropriate that I get some very anime-ish vibes from it (since the League of Assassins appears to operate out of Japan), but the mood's a little too sombre for me to get fully invested. My rating 70%.
The Haunting (1963). This is another one that had a promising start, especially with its clearly mentally unstable protagonist. But the whole middle section made very little sense to me: the dialogue is pretty laughable at times, and the characters often pull conclusions seemingly out of thin air. The creepy atmosphere never falters, though. My rating: 60%.
True Lies (1994). Well, the middle section of this movie made me distinctly uncomfortable, because it came off as very anti-feminist; Mrs Tasker is forced to pose as a hooker basically for a joke. Most of the humour is just plain awkward, too. But the second half is a different story. :) As with any James Cameron movie, the action scenes are some of the best ever, especially the big finale. My rating: 70%.
Last Day of the Dinosaurs (2010). This TV special is a minute-by-minute depiction of the Cretaceous extinction event. It's fair to expect TV documentaries not to have the best CGI, but for some reason it was really distracting here. But the one thing that's captured almost perfectly is the atmosphere: the desperation of the impact's immediate aftermath, and then the sense of desolation that follows. My rating: 75%.
Planet of Dinosaurs (1978). I went in expecting sci-fi trash, and that's exactly what I got. But it was so dull that I couldn't even enjoy it ironically. The music is terrible, the special effects shots stick out like a sore thumb because the scenery is a different colour, and even the stop-motion dinosaurs themselves look like low-rent Harryhausen effects – until the T-Rex shows up. Overall, definitely not good. My rating: 45%.
And finally, I've also played three video games in the last two months (and, in the case of the first two, this is where I feel the need to elaborate the most)…
The Amazing Spider-Man (PS3). It obviously takes many cues from the Batman: Arkham series, especially the combat system, but I feel that this game does for Spider-Man what those games did for Batman: you never get tired of being the hero in question. That's why I didn't mind at all how repetitive the game is. When you web-sling, it really feels like you're swinging. My only real complaint is that it's an epilogue to the first Amazing Spider-Man movie, so it's continuing a story that I didn't particularly care for in the first place. But still, swinging around, capturing criminals, getting into car chases, helping infected civilians, and even a section where you lose your powers… If you just freed it from the baggage of being a sequel, you could have something pretty close to the best Spider-Man game ever made. My rating: 80%.
The Wolf Among Us (PC). This one, I could probably do a full review on! :) The mystery is so involved that I had to watch several Let's Plays on YouTube just to make sure I had every detail down. I really love the premise – and even though I never read any of the Fables comics, you don't have to, because this game precedes them. There are too many good examples of humour and character moments to even count. The fight with Bloody Mary is simply one of the best battles I've ever seen, period. But one thing that particularly stands out to me is the music by Jared Emerson-Johnson; I could watch those opening credits all day, the music's so perfect! Overall, it's not my favourite Telltale Games title, but still a really good one. My rating: 85%.
The Walking Dead: Season Two (PC). The most striking difference this time around is the overall tone: while the first season was an emotional rollercoaster, this one is almost a complete downer, very bleak and joyless indeed. There are plenty of individual scenes that are powerful in and of themselves, but I wish I could appreciate the whole as much as the parts; it's just not as compelling as the first season overall. My rating: 75%.
Saturday, 22 November 2014
Saturday, 27 September 2014
First Impressions Review Diary 27-Sep-2014
If you've read any of my recent blog posts, then you've heard this before, so I'm sorry to sound like such a whiner, but getting motivation to write really is the hardest part of doing this. Structuring your thoughts and writing them down is a time-consuming, not to mention lonely, process. Seriously, I heartily applaud anyone who's able to keep doing it on a regular basis!
With that said, here's two weeks' worth of "first impressions" comments.
The Boxtrolls (2014)
It's funny how they're marketing this as "from the makers of ParaNorman" even though it doesn't share any of the same creative team. It's presumably the same animators, though: same studio, and the art design looks very similar. It also shares those movies' dark, mildly creepy edge, though maybe not quite to the same extent.
Aside from that, it's a standard but still interesting kids' movie about family values.
The animation, of course, is wonderful, especially when you first see the Boxtrolls' lair.
One of my favourite parts is when it's established how misguided the villain's goal is; you don't often see a villain who has no idea that he's doing himself in like that.
I have mixed feelings about the Winnie character. On one hand, her sick obsession with bloodthirsty violence really made me laugh. But on the other hand, there's a scene where she won't stop screaming and gets annoying really fast.
All in all, pretty good, but probably nothing that's going to stick with me.
My rating: 70%.
Lucy (2014)
This was HORRIBLE!
Right from when I first heard the premise, I couldn't help but laugh at how downright stupid it sounded! Look, until right now, I didn't realise the "10% of the brain" thing was an actual misconception; I always thought it was just an expression meaning that hardly anyone makes full use of their talents. But regardless, it's still a bullshit premise for a sci-fi movie!
That's not the only scientific inaccuracy I picked up on, either. Another is that the earliest life forms date from 3·5 billion years ago, not one billion.
And even simply as a movie, it lost me right from the opening scenes, when it keeps abruptly cutting between two completely unrelated series of events; the transitions are just jarring. But the moment this movie died for me is when Lucy calls her mother and suddenly starts talking about what's happening to her, which makes her sound insane.
The second half of the movie is mostly unremarkable, but it's so frustrating because it's serving such an idiotic purpose.
I hated this movie! It's quite possibly the worst movie of the year so far, right up there with The Legend of Hercules and A Long Way Down.
My rating: 15%.
If I Stay (2014)
Mia Hall is left comatose after a car accident; caught between life and death, she has to decide whether to die or wake up again. As she wanders around the hospital, she overhears what happened to her family, and other discussions among her family and friends that guide her in her decision.
So, what kind of message are we supposed to take from this? That if you're half-dead, you can wander around freely and acquire knowledge for when you recover?
Also, the narrative structure is kind of offputting: a lot of it is told in flashback, and the flashback sections bear no relevance to the scene at hand, so it actually feels like a romantic drama that keeps getting interrupted by the hospital scenes.
The romance itself is kind of manipulative, too, in that the characters are pretty flat, not much personality.
…But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't invested. The film is just so heavy on mood and enthusiasm that it's hard not to start falling for it.
Plus you have Chloe Grace Moretz giving a predictably flawless performance.
So, overall, I think it's okay. It was certainly a welcome relief right after such a terrible movie as Lucy, but I have to wonder if I'd be so lenient under different circumstances.
My rating: 65%.
Sex Tape (2014)
Married couple Jay and Annie try to reignite their sex life by making… well, the eponymous sex tape – but Jay accidentally ends up synchronising it to several iPads before distributing them.
I usually find sex comedies insufferable, but this was a surprising exception – thanks mostly to the interplay between the two leads. The way Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel work off each other makes the dialogue sound natural and improvised, and never fails to amuse.
There's a running gag about how Jay keeps taking things far further than he needed to, which could easily make him look like an irredeemable idiot, but somehow that joke works too.
The whole sequence with the dog had me in stitches!
There were some gags that went a bit too far, like the blackmail scene. And any scene involving lying had me grinding my teeth, especially since some of those parts went on for too long.
But overall, much to my surprise, I liked this movie – although, judging from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, I seem to be a minority on that.
My rating: 70%.
Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For (2014)
Well, it was a long wait for this one! I never read any of the comics, but I love the first Sin City movie: its spectacular blend of hyper-violence, snappy character actions and dazzling visual style is like nothing I've seen before or since.
That unique atmosphere is almost perfectly recaptured with this sequel; I just can't get enough of the world this franchise presents. :) The characters are just as easy to latch onto as they attempt to fight the injustice in this corrupt hellhole of a city.
Sadly, though, the stories themselves just aren't as interesting this time around, and in some cases they seem to go on a bit too long. In the first movie, each story was just the perfect length, and the film even bookended itself really well, which made it feel satisfactorily complete. But this one feels very lopsided and not quite as fulfilling.
Several characters return from the first movie, but a couple of them are really distractingly recast. I can understand recasting the Manute character, since obviously Michael Clarke Duncan is sadly no longer with us, but why Dwight and Miho as well?
I was also pretty disappointed that nothing more is revealed about the mysterious man from the first one played by Josh Hartnett.
But overall, I was only too happy to return to this unique world and get a second dose. :) This sequel is still good, but it's not as good.
My rating: 70%.
Before I Go to Sleep (2014)
This is basically 50 First Dates in the form of a thriller. :D It's the same psychological condition: she has amnesia that wipes her mind every morning. But in this case, it's told from her perspective, as she tries to figure out what happened to her and gets back in touch with some things that her husband Ben keeps hidden from her.
It sounds like an intriguing premise, but sadly it falls pretty flat in its execution. I'm just not a fan of these movies where everyone speaks very slowly, very simplistically, very little wit in the dialogue at all, hardly any jokes being told. That just makes the movie seem really wooden to me.
All the actors are giving it all they've got, but again, I wish they were more naturalistic.
However, the main thing the movie did for me was the plot twist in the third act. I obviously won't spoil it, but I will say this: I was half-correct in predicting it, but the circumstances actually took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting exactly what I got.
Overall, this is a pretty lacklustre but still interesting thriller that makes up in plot for what it lacks in performance.
My rating: 55%.
Next up, the two pairs of rentals for the last two weeks.
The Legend of Hercules (2014)
Yes, I hinted at this one earlier. :) And seriously… yeah, this was bad! Really, really, really bad!
It's a retelling of the story of Hercules that imagines him as your typical Moses-like hero overthrowing a tyrant. It's as clichéd as it gets, and you can even pinpoint the famous historical epics it's blatantly ripping off. First it's 300, then it becomes Ben-Hur, then it becomes Gladiator, then it becomes every triumphant "people's hero" leader-type story you've ever seen before.
The first thing I noticed right away is that the CGI is awful! I mean, astonishingly bad! Some of the worst I've ever seen! The acting, too, crushes your spirit pretty quickly: every performance is so dull it's downright depressing.
On top of that, the only one of the famous twelve labours that's even remotely referenced is the Nemean lion. Even the Disney version had more to do with the legend than that!
On a minor note, when Hercules pulls down two stone pillars and starts swinging the stone blocks around on the ends of his chains, all I could think was, "Hulk SMASH!" :D ('Cos didn't he do something similar at one point in the Edward Norton movie?)
Overall, this is one of the most boring, derivative movies I've come across in quite a while. In terms of tradecraft, it's easily the worst movie I've seen so far this year… but it wasn't quite as frustrating as Lucy.
My rating: 20%.
Reasonable Doubt (2014)
When an attorney (played by Dominic Cooper) commits a fatal hit-and-run, he becomes determined to manipulate the case to acquit the accused (Samuel L Jackson) who was found with the body and convicted of the crime. But he eventually realises his actions have freed a guilty man, and a serial killer at that.
This is another one that boasts a great premise but doesn't do the best job of realising it.
I had very little sympathy for the main character, who's so bad at hiding his guilty conscience that anyone with half a brain cell would immediately see right through him. But Samuel L Jackson's character is a really well written villain, thanks mostly to his motivation – which I won't spoil. :) He's what made this movie for me.
Aside from that, this is a pretty standard thriller. It keeps your interest well enough, but packs very little in the way of surprise. And it seemed really short; it flew by extremely quickly. In fact, they must have realised the script couldn't fill an entire movie and that the final product was too short, because it has the slowest credits I've ever seen: they're ironed out to a full ten minutes!
On the whole, it's just kind of mediocre.
My rating: 55%.
Divergent (2014)
I'm not just saying this because it's cool to pick on young adult fiction, but… yeah, you guessed it. I didn't like this movie.
And that's mainly due to the premise. I guess it plays to teenagers who are discovering their social standing, but this whole idea of a society that dictates people by their personality type is just laughable. There are five factions in this world, and Four says that he always wanted to be a little bit of all of them… but he can't be the first one to have ever brought up that point! People aren't that one-dimensional; personalities are far more complex than that. This movie basically turns everyone in the world into a one-note drone. I'm a very introverted individual – I know very little about how society really works – and I was picking up on this stuff! It's beyond unrealistic! I haven't seen a society so obviously broken since The Purge!
Plus, I never got everyone's rampant hatred for the Abnegation people. Why does everyone look down on them, spread lies and dub them criminals when, by definition, they're selfless, good Samaritans?
Aside from that, the movie just did very little for me. The characters are boring, so I didn't find their struggle interesting or suspenseful in any way. But the ending made me legitimately angry: it's as bullshit and predictable as it gets!
In conclusion, it's not offensively bad, but still pretty meagre.
My rating: 40%.
Labor Day (2014)
I have to admit, I'm having particular trouble explaining my thoughts on this one, because… I really don't know what to make of it. It's a pretty strange movie.
From the trailer, I got the impression that it was about an escaped convict keeping this woman and her son prisoner in their own home, but she ends up actually falling in love with him. But instead, he turns out to be a legitimately good guy, taking the place of a husband and father figure. The only problem is that he has to keep hiding his presence whenever someone comes to the door. It's just a really bizarre situation, and I'm not sure I mean that in a good way. I guess we're supposed to like the guy, to believe right from the start that the murder he was convicted for was an accident, but I think, in my case, there'd constantly be an ever-present fear that he could snap and kill us at any moment.
For that reason, I was never invested in the situation or cared about the romance. So, during the climax, when he's in real danger of being revealed, they drag the tension out for so long that, rather than being suspenseful, it just annoyed me.
I can't help but think how much better this movie would have been if it was actually about Stockholm syndrome. As it stands, it's just kind of confused and underwhelming.
My rating: 50%.
Now for a couple of movies I watched outside of my usual rentals; these are ones that I downloaded and watched on a whim. …Well, technically I chose the "rent" option on the first one (as it's an online On-Demand release), but fuck it, it still counts! :)
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie (2014)
I've been a huge AVGN fan since 2007, and James Rolfe himself, through his other videos, has become one of my biggest filmmaking idols. I've been following this movie's progress since day one, trying not to let myself get too hyped. But anyway, it's finally out, and I'm proud to say, it's worth the wait. :)
Man, this movie has a tonne going on! There's a car chase, a horrific dream sequence, zombies, robots, a giant monster movie homage, and much, much more! But it actually all flows together very well indeed; just about every step of the story feels natural. I love just how outrageous the situation keeps becoming as it progresses, like the Nerd is indeed in way over his head.
Needless to say, for an independent film, this is about as ambitious as it gets. I'd be lying if I said some of the obvious low-budget effects weren't distracting, but some of them just add to the humour in a big way. For example, seeing some of the actors turned into part of the miniature models is frigging hilarious! :D Besides, some other effects are legitimately slick – but unfortunately, those specific examples are in the climax, so I can't spoil too much.
And, speaking of which, the climax itself is definitely the highlight of the movie. There are too many laugh-out-loud funny moments to count, and even the payoff from a dramatic standpoint is priceless.
So yeah, colour me satisfied! :)
My rating: 85%.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
I decided to watch the movie itself before Spoony's review of the Commodore 64 game, and he's praised it so often he got me interested anyway. And… I don't get it. I'm sorry.
What I read afterwards confirmed what I'd suspected while watching it: it's an homage film, a tribute to kung fu B-movies. Maybe it'll make more sense to people who've actually watched those movies, and I'll admit the plot does make a lot more sense on reflection, but while I was actually watching it, there were a number of detractors keeping me from going along with it. And that mainly stems from how the female characters are handled. I hate the damsel-in-distress cliché, and boy is it exploited to the nth degree here!
Also, there's a lot of expository dialogue that really piles on the Chinese lore, to the point where I had trouble keeping up.
But it was Kurt Russell's character that made the movie for me. He's basically the spokesman for the audience, the observer in all this crazy shit he suddenly finds himself in.
Also, that floating eyeball monster is a truly fantastic effect.
Overall, there's enough good plotting and entertainment value that I might see it again at some point, but for now, its anti-feminist streak and overwhelming exposition are really bugging me.
My rating: 55%.
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
I surprisingly really liked this movie. I went in expecting nothing dignified – I knew full well it was going to be stupid – but this movie seemed like it was having so much fun being stupid that it transcended my usual bias against that sort of humour.
This also applies to the two main characters – who I think are the main reason why the movie works so well. Obviously they're complete idiots, but with a childlike naïveté; nothing they do is malicious. Even when Lloyd does seemingly terrible things like give a dead parakeet to a blind orphan, he's just unaware of the trauma that he's potentially causing. Also, some people might point more towards Ace Ventura, but I view this as Jim Carrey at his funniest.
There's not even as much low-brow humour as I was expecting – only a small handful of bodily waste-related gags, in fact.
The only part I really didn't like was whenever they tried talking to ladies: that was just cringe-worthy. The kidnapping plot itself never quite added up for me, either.
But on the whole, all I can say is this is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time.
My rating: 80%.
Training Day (2001)
This review will contain basic spoilers. Sorry, but it's required to fully explain my impressions.
As the title implies, this movie takes place over the course of a single day, as a rookie narcotics detective (Ethan Hawke's Jake) is introduced to the gang neighbourhoods by an experienced veteran (Denzel Washington's Alonzo). And, as crime thrillers go, this is a pretty damn good one.
What really sticks out about it is how the two leads' relationship progresses from good-humoured banter to downright horrific disillusionment in the first two acts. Jake is the by-the-book, ethical cop, the character whose morals we can identify with. But as things progress and he sees Alonzo acting more and more like the common criminals, which Alonzo insists is required to understand them, we become just as anxious as he does.
Also, on a side note, I'd heard that Gary Sinise was considered for Denzel Washington's part, so while I was watching it, I kept imagining him in the role. And, honestly, as much as I love Gary Sinise, I just don't think he would have worked as well.
Sadly, the third act is where the movie lost me. It culminates in an action climax that feels completely tacked on. We can certainly understand Jake's motivation, and maybe you can kind of deduce Alonzo's, but it still doesn't make much sense for them to be at each other's throats like that.
It's a shame that that last act tarnishes a previously great movie.
My rating: 75%.
Next up, the latest PS3 game I played.
Assassin's Creed III (PS3)
Each of the Assassin's Creed games follows one of Desmond's ancestors in a different time period: first it was the Third Crusade, then it was the Italian Renaissance, this time it's the American Revolution.
You actually play as two characters in the past this time, and there's a brilliant twist after you finish with the first one. But after that, the game irreparably goes downhill. You start playing as a Native American whose village is under threat from the British colonists. I was left thinking, "Are we still in the same series? When did this become Pocahontas?"
One of the things I really hated about the second game was the control, how hard it was to send your character in the right direction. That problem is back in this game, and it's especially maddening when you're on horseback, which is almost impossible to steer.
Honestly, the most fun I had was during the sea battles. But again, that feels like an entirely different game, unrecognisable from the AC games of old.
Also, I found out later that this game actually references events in the Brotherhood and Revelations games, which are also part of the main series. So if, like me, you're going from Assassin's Creed II straight into this one, you're probably going to be totally lost!
I've decided I'm not a fan of this series. I still can't get into the story, and this one is easily my least favourite instalment to date.
My rating: 55%.
And finally, I just finished reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest – and with it, the whole Millennium trilogy.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest (Stieg Larsson)
This one picks up right where the second book, The Girl Who Played with Fire, left off, with Lisbeth Salander rushed to hospital and then charged with attempted murder. The rest is basically just building up to her trial, with Mikael Blomkvist and a whole network of journalists and police trying to collect evidence to prove her innocence. And man, what an irresistible ride it is! :)
Lisbeth Salander is still my favourite character, but this really is an ensemble piece, with everyone contributing something in a big way. Honestly, the most boring parts involved the guys within Säpo working to keep things covered up. I'm glad they weren't portrayed as pure sinister villains, but they just seemed a little too passive to me.
My favourite thing about this book is that, even though it deals with investigative journalism and government espionage, it's written in a way that makes the characters and proceedings seem so down-to-earth and relatable that, whenever things do heat up and action ensues, it's all the more effective because it seems genuinely out of the ordinary.
Not to mention, it ends with a trial. I'm a huge fan of courtroom dramas, so that was right up my street. :)
All in all, a great ending to a great trilogy. Not quite as good as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I liked it a little more than The Girl Who Played with Fire.
My rating: 85%.
I also have to say, I've seen the Dracula Untold trailer so many times that I'm getting pretty sick of it. It's quite a coincidence, though, that we're getting another Dracula and another Frankenstein movie in the same year. :) Let's hope Dracula fares better than Frankenstein did.
With that said, here's two weeks' worth of "first impressions" comments.
The Boxtrolls (2014)
Aside from that, it's a standard but still interesting kids' movie about family values.
The animation, of course, is wonderful, especially when you first see the Boxtrolls' lair.
One of my favourite parts is when it's established how misguided the villain's goal is; you don't often see a villain who has no idea that he's doing himself in like that.
I have mixed feelings about the Winnie character. On one hand, her sick obsession with bloodthirsty violence really made me laugh. But on the other hand, there's a scene where she won't stop screaming and gets annoying really fast.
All in all, pretty good, but probably nothing that's going to stick with me.
My rating: 70%.
Lucy (2014)
Right from when I first heard the premise, I couldn't help but laugh at how downright stupid it sounded! Look, until right now, I didn't realise the "10% of the brain" thing was an actual misconception; I always thought it was just an expression meaning that hardly anyone makes full use of their talents. But regardless, it's still a bullshit premise for a sci-fi movie!
That's not the only scientific inaccuracy I picked up on, either. Another is that the earliest life forms date from 3·5 billion years ago, not one billion.
And even simply as a movie, it lost me right from the opening scenes, when it keeps abruptly cutting between two completely unrelated series of events; the transitions are just jarring. But the moment this movie died for me is when Lucy calls her mother and suddenly starts talking about what's happening to her, which makes her sound insane.
The second half of the movie is mostly unremarkable, but it's so frustrating because it's serving such an idiotic purpose.
I hated this movie! It's quite possibly the worst movie of the year so far, right up there with The Legend of Hercules and A Long Way Down.
My rating: 15%.
If I Stay (2014)
So, what kind of message are we supposed to take from this? That if you're half-dead, you can wander around freely and acquire knowledge for when you recover?
Also, the narrative structure is kind of offputting: a lot of it is told in flashback, and the flashback sections bear no relevance to the scene at hand, so it actually feels like a romantic drama that keeps getting interrupted by the hospital scenes.
The romance itself is kind of manipulative, too, in that the characters are pretty flat, not much personality.
…But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't invested. The film is just so heavy on mood and enthusiasm that it's hard not to start falling for it.
Plus you have Chloe Grace Moretz giving a predictably flawless performance.
So, overall, I think it's okay. It was certainly a welcome relief right after such a terrible movie as Lucy, but I have to wonder if I'd be so lenient under different circumstances.
My rating: 65%.
Sex Tape (2014)
I usually find sex comedies insufferable, but this was a surprising exception – thanks mostly to the interplay between the two leads. The way Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel work off each other makes the dialogue sound natural and improvised, and never fails to amuse.
There's a running gag about how Jay keeps taking things far further than he needed to, which could easily make him look like an irredeemable idiot, but somehow that joke works too.
The whole sequence with the dog had me in stitches!
There were some gags that went a bit too far, like the blackmail scene. And any scene involving lying had me grinding my teeth, especially since some of those parts went on for too long.
But overall, much to my surprise, I liked this movie – although, judging from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, I seem to be a minority on that.
My rating: 70%.
Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For (2014)
That unique atmosphere is almost perfectly recaptured with this sequel; I just can't get enough of the world this franchise presents. :) The characters are just as easy to latch onto as they attempt to fight the injustice in this corrupt hellhole of a city.
Sadly, though, the stories themselves just aren't as interesting this time around, and in some cases they seem to go on a bit too long. In the first movie, each story was just the perfect length, and the film even bookended itself really well, which made it feel satisfactorily complete. But this one feels very lopsided and not quite as fulfilling.
Several characters return from the first movie, but a couple of them are really distractingly recast. I can understand recasting the Manute character, since obviously Michael Clarke Duncan is sadly no longer with us, but why Dwight and Miho as well?
I was also pretty disappointed that nothing more is revealed about the mysterious man from the first one played by Josh Hartnett.
But overall, I was only too happy to return to this unique world and get a second dose. :) This sequel is still good, but it's not as good.
My rating: 70%.
Before I Go to Sleep (2014)
It sounds like an intriguing premise, but sadly it falls pretty flat in its execution. I'm just not a fan of these movies where everyone speaks very slowly, very simplistically, very little wit in the dialogue at all, hardly any jokes being told. That just makes the movie seem really wooden to me.
All the actors are giving it all they've got, but again, I wish they were more naturalistic.
However, the main thing the movie did for me was the plot twist in the third act. I obviously won't spoil it, but I will say this: I was half-correct in predicting it, but the circumstances actually took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting exactly what I got.
Overall, this is a pretty lacklustre but still interesting thriller that makes up in plot for what it lacks in performance.
My rating: 55%.
Next up, the two pairs of rentals for the last two weeks.
The Legend of Hercules (2014)
It's a retelling of the story of Hercules that imagines him as your typical Moses-like hero overthrowing a tyrant. It's as clichéd as it gets, and you can even pinpoint the famous historical epics it's blatantly ripping off. First it's 300, then it becomes Ben-Hur, then it becomes Gladiator, then it becomes every triumphant "people's hero" leader-type story you've ever seen before.
The first thing I noticed right away is that the CGI is awful! I mean, astonishingly bad! Some of the worst I've ever seen! The acting, too, crushes your spirit pretty quickly: every performance is so dull it's downright depressing.
On top of that, the only one of the famous twelve labours that's even remotely referenced is the Nemean lion. Even the Disney version had more to do with the legend than that!
On a minor note, when Hercules pulls down two stone pillars and starts swinging the stone blocks around on the ends of his chains, all I could think was, "Hulk SMASH!" :D ('Cos didn't he do something similar at one point in the Edward Norton movie?)
Overall, this is one of the most boring, derivative movies I've come across in quite a while. In terms of tradecraft, it's easily the worst movie I've seen so far this year… but it wasn't quite as frustrating as Lucy.
My rating: 20%.
Reasonable Doubt (2014)
This is another one that boasts a great premise but doesn't do the best job of realising it.
I had very little sympathy for the main character, who's so bad at hiding his guilty conscience that anyone with half a brain cell would immediately see right through him. But Samuel L Jackson's character is a really well written villain, thanks mostly to his motivation – which I won't spoil. :) He's what made this movie for me.
Aside from that, this is a pretty standard thriller. It keeps your interest well enough, but packs very little in the way of surprise. And it seemed really short; it flew by extremely quickly. In fact, they must have realised the script couldn't fill an entire movie and that the final product was too short, because it has the slowest credits I've ever seen: they're ironed out to a full ten minutes!
On the whole, it's just kind of mediocre.
My rating: 55%.
Divergent (2014)
And that's mainly due to the premise. I guess it plays to teenagers who are discovering their social standing, but this whole idea of a society that dictates people by their personality type is just laughable. There are five factions in this world, and Four says that he always wanted to be a little bit of all of them… but he can't be the first one to have ever brought up that point! People aren't that one-dimensional; personalities are far more complex than that. This movie basically turns everyone in the world into a one-note drone. I'm a very introverted individual – I know very little about how society really works – and I was picking up on this stuff! It's beyond unrealistic! I haven't seen a society so obviously broken since The Purge!
Plus, I never got everyone's rampant hatred for the Abnegation people. Why does everyone look down on them, spread lies and dub them criminals when, by definition, they're selfless, good Samaritans?
Aside from that, the movie just did very little for me. The characters are boring, so I didn't find their struggle interesting or suspenseful in any way. But the ending made me legitimately angry: it's as bullshit and predictable as it gets!
In conclusion, it's not offensively bad, but still pretty meagre.
My rating: 40%.
Labor Day (2014)
From the trailer, I got the impression that it was about an escaped convict keeping this woman and her son prisoner in their own home, but she ends up actually falling in love with him. But instead, he turns out to be a legitimately good guy, taking the place of a husband and father figure. The only problem is that he has to keep hiding his presence whenever someone comes to the door. It's just a really bizarre situation, and I'm not sure I mean that in a good way. I guess we're supposed to like the guy, to believe right from the start that the murder he was convicted for was an accident, but I think, in my case, there'd constantly be an ever-present fear that he could snap and kill us at any moment.
For that reason, I was never invested in the situation or cared about the romance. So, during the climax, when he's in real danger of being revealed, they drag the tension out for so long that, rather than being suspenseful, it just annoyed me.
I can't help but think how much better this movie would have been if it was actually about Stockholm syndrome. As it stands, it's just kind of confused and underwhelming.
My rating: 50%.
Now for a couple of movies I watched outside of my usual rentals; these are ones that I downloaded and watched on a whim. …Well, technically I chose the "rent" option on the first one (as it's an online On-Demand release), but fuck it, it still counts! :)
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie (2014)
Man, this movie has a tonne going on! There's a car chase, a horrific dream sequence, zombies, robots, a giant monster movie homage, and much, much more! But it actually all flows together very well indeed; just about every step of the story feels natural. I love just how outrageous the situation keeps becoming as it progresses, like the Nerd is indeed in way over his head.
Needless to say, for an independent film, this is about as ambitious as it gets. I'd be lying if I said some of the obvious low-budget effects weren't distracting, but some of them just add to the humour in a big way. For example, seeing some of the actors turned into part of the miniature models is frigging hilarious! :D Besides, some other effects are legitimately slick – but unfortunately, those specific examples are in the climax, so I can't spoil too much.
And, speaking of which, the climax itself is definitely the highlight of the movie. There are too many laugh-out-loud funny moments to count, and even the payoff from a dramatic standpoint is priceless.
So yeah, colour me satisfied! :)
My rating: 85%.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
What I read afterwards confirmed what I'd suspected while watching it: it's an homage film, a tribute to kung fu B-movies. Maybe it'll make more sense to people who've actually watched those movies, and I'll admit the plot does make a lot more sense on reflection, but while I was actually watching it, there were a number of detractors keeping me from going along with it. And that mainly stems from how the female characters are handled. I hate the damsel-in-distress cliché, and boy is it exploited to the nth degree here!
Also, there's a lot of expository dialogue that really piles on the Chinese lore, to the point where I had trouble keeping up.
But it was Kurt Russell's character that made the movie for me. He's basically the spokesman for the audience, the observer in all this crazy shit he suddenly finds himself in.
Also, that floating eyeball monster is a truly fantastic effect.
Overall, there's enough good plotting and entertainment value that I might see it again at some point, but for now, its anti-feminist streak and overwhelming exposition are really bugging me.
My rating: 55%.
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
This also applies to the two main characters – who I think are the main reason why the movie works so well. Obviously they're complete idiots, but with a childlike naïveté; nothing they do is malicious. Even when Lloyd does seemingly terrible things like give a dead parakeet to a blind orphan, he's just unaware of the trauma that he's potentially causing. Also, some people might point more towards Ace Ventura, but I view this as Jim Carrey at his funniest.
There's not even as much low-brow humour as I was expecting – only a small handful of bodily waste-related gags, in fact.
The only part I really didn't like was whenever they tried talking to ladies: that was just cringe-worthy. The kidnapping plot itself never quite added up for me, either.
But on the whole, all I can say is this is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time.
My rating: 80%.
Training Day (2001)
As the title implies, this movie takes place over the course of a single day, as a rookie narcotics detective (Ethan Hawke's Jake) is introduced to the gang neighbourhoods by an experienced veteran (Denzel Washington's Alonzo). And, as crime thrillers go, this is a pretty damn good one.
What really sticks out about it is how the two leads' relationship progresses from good-humoured banter to downright horrific disillusionment in the first two acts. Jake is the by-the-book, ethical cop, the character whose morals we can identify with. But as things progress and he sees Alonzo acting more and more like the common criminals, which Alonzo insists is required to understand them, we become just as anxious as he does.
Also, on a side note, I'd heard that Gary Sinise was considered for Denzel Washington's part, so while I was watching it, I kept imagining him in the role. And, honestly, as much as I love Gary Sinise, I just don't think he would have worked as well.
Sadly, the third act is where the movie lost me. It culminates in an action climax that feels completely tacked on. We can certainly understand Jake's motivation, and maybe you can kind of deduce Alonzo's, but it still doesn't make much sense for them to be at each other's throats like that.
It's a shame that that last act tarnishes a previously great movie.
My rating: 75%.
Next up, the latest PS3 game I played.
Assassin's Creed III (PS3)
You actually play as two characters in the past this time, and there's a brilliant twist after you finish with the first one. But after that, the game irreparably goes downhill. You start playing as a Native American whose village is under threat from the British colonists. I was left thinking, "Are we still in the same series? When did this become Pocahontas?"
One of the things I really hated about the second game was the control, how hard it was to send your character in the right direction. That problem is back in this game, and it's especially maddening when you're on horseback, which is almost impossible to steer.
Honestly, the most fun I had was during the sea battles. But again, that feels like an entirely different game, unrecognisable from the AC games of old.
Also, I found out later that this game actually references events in the Brotherhood and Revelations games, which are also part of the main series. So if, like me, you're going from Assassin's Creed II straight into this one, you're probably going to be totally lost!
I've decided I'm not a fan of this series. I still can't get into the story, and this one is easily my least favourite instalment to date.
My rating: 55%.
And finally, I just finished reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest – and with it, the whole Millennium trilogy.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest (Stieg Larsson)
Lisbeth Salander is still my favourite character, but this really is an ensemble piece, with everyone contributing something in a big way. Honestly, the most boring parts involved the guys within Säpo working to keep things covered up. I'm glad they weren't portrayed as pure sinister villains, but they just seemed a little too passive to me.
My favourite thing about this book is that, even though it deals with investigative journalism and government espionage, it's written in a way that makes the characters and proceedings seem so down-to-earth and relatable that, whenever things do heat up and action ensues, it's all the more effective because it seems genuinely out of the ordinary.
Not to mention, it ends with a trial. I'm a huge fan of courtroom dramas, so that was right up my street. :)
All in all, a great ending to a great trilogy. Not quite as good as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I liked it a little more than The Girl Who Played with Fire.
My rating: 85%.
I also have to say, I've seen the Dracula Untold trailer so many times that I'm getting pretty sick of it. It's quite a coincidence, though, that we're getting another Dracula and another Frankenstein movie in the same year. :) Let's hope Dracula fares better than Frankenstein did.
Saturday, 13 September 2014
First Impressions Review Diary 13-Sep-2014
Well, it's been nearly three months since my last "first impressions" post, again because I felt no inclination to write a review whenever I saw a new movie. I still have very little to say about most of what I've seen in the last three months, but I'll do my best, even if it's only a couple of sentences.
As always, I'll start with everything I've seen in the cinema. But first, here's a fun fact about the first two I'll mention: I went to see them both back-to-back, and in both cases, I was the only person in the cinema!
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
I enjoyed this movie; that's all I can really say. It didn't completely wow me, so I could never quite shut off the part of my brain that was simply recognising the formulaic plot beats. But, much like the first movie, the stuff that's good is really, really good, especially the villain's motivation. So overall, I think it's a decent sequel. Not as good as the original, but nevertheless a fun time.
My rating: 70%.
Jersey Boys (2014)
Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, it chronicles the early life and career of the Four Seasons. Now, I didn't know the true story, so I was simply hoping the movie would present it to me in a coherent manner. It half succeeded: definitely in gradually building up their rise to fame. But I was constantly confused about the passage of time, like when they reveal that the band's career has apparently spanned two years and that sort of thing. One thing I can say for sure: after two months, Sherry is still stuck in my head! :) Overall, it's an okay movie. It's certainly not Clint Eastwood's best, but it at least helped to make up for some of the disappointment brought on by J Edgar.
My rating: 60%.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Much like How to Train Your Dragon 2, this movie kept me interested – I was always along for the ride – but it didn't blow my mind. It's definitely well written, though, especially the character arc of Koba. But there's a reason this movie is two-and-a-half hours long: it feels almost like two entirely different movies back-to-back. The first half is the humans' attempts to cooperate with the apes peacefully; the second half is the apes' takeover. One thing I didn't like was Gary Oldman's role: talk about a waste of a great actor! To sum it up, this is another one that doesn't quite live up to its predecessor but is still entertaining in its own right.
My rating: 70%.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
I feel like Marvel Studios is losing steam, quite honestly. They've released two movies this year, and I was sorely disappointed in both of them. This one really frustrated me because it can't decide if it wants to be funny or serious, resulting in a very inconsistent tone. In regards to the humour, at least the trailer properly represented it: it's just plain awkward. Also, I see why they were plastering Rocket all over the advertising: because he's the only likable character! (Seriously, I can't emphasise this enough: I hated Peter Quill!) But, with that said, I did like parts of it, like the common theme of traitors in Gamora and Ronan. And like I said before, Rocket really made this movie for me; anything involving him was pure gold. But overall, this is probably my least favourite of the Marvel movies to date. It's not bad; I just found it to be a sadly uneven mess.
My rating: 55%.
The Grand Seduction (2014)
The residents of a small fishing village have one month to convince a visiting doctor to stay full-time, so that a local factory will be built and put them back in employment. I don't usually like comedies based on lies, and this movie was no different. Almost every lie from the villagers was either unfunny or just downright painful, especially when Murray lies about Kathleen's feelings. However, I very rarely got truly mad at the movie; I was just kind of underwhelmed for the most part – though I did really like the ending.
My rating: 45%.
Into the Storm (2014)
If you've heard people describe this as basically Twister 2, they're absolutely right. And, while it's not quite as brainless as that movie, it is far duller and more annoying. All the characters are stock clichés, and many of them quickly establish themselves as either idiots or assholes – especially those daredevils, whom I hated with a fiery passion! It's also a POV camera movie that often defies belief – many camera angles come completely out of nowhere – and during the climax, the movie just completely gives up on the gimmick. Though, speaking of which, the climax itself is admittedly thrilling, the special effects are really good, and the movie does a great job conveying the desolation the tornadoes cause. But for the most part, it just gets on your nerves.
My rating: 35%.
And rental season has now officially started for me! :D In the case of the first three, I rented a new release and two older ones – which, because of an offer at the store, cost me only €5.
Jeune & Jolie [AKA Young & Beautiful] (2013)
It's about a teenage girl exploring her sexuality by posing as a prostitute, which she keeps hidden from her family. I knew her double life was going to be exposed eventually, but I was taken aback when it happened only halfway into the movie – and in a pretty unfortunate manner, too. I liked the second half a lot better, where she tries to turn over a new leaf and live a normal life. And the ending just left me confused: I'm not sure if it's meant to be symbolic or if it's just a continuity error. Overall, it was okay. It was pretty interesting, but it didn't leave that big an impression on me.
My rating: 60%.
Audition (2000)
I took Spoony's advice and knew nothing about this movie going in. But I'm going to reveal a little more than he did (so consider that your spoiler warning) because, honestly, I'm not really sure if I'd recommend this movie. It doesn't start out like a horror film, but you do suspect that the woman the main character's dating isn't what she appears. But as the mystery unfolds, everything flies completely off the deep end. Maybe it's meant to be confusing, but it's not scary: just frustrating. It's all so baffling that, at the end, all I could say was, "…What the fuck did I just watch?!" I'm never going to forget that final scene, though.
My rating: 50%.
The Vanishing (1988)
While on holiday in France, Rex's girlfriend Saskia disappears, leading him to desperately, obsessively search for her until her abductor contacts him three years later. What struck me about this movie was how much time is devoted to the kidnapper, showing in detail how he went about committing the crime. This is another example of a movie that's really well written but didn't do much for me personally – for two main reasons. One is probably just a simple translation error: I was confused how the subtitles keep referring to Saskia as Rex's "friend"; they were so intimate at the beginning I could have sworn she was his wife. And the other is Rex's new girlfriend Lieneke, who seems way too cool with his continued obsession over Saskia. So overall, it's okay. But what truly makes it stand out is the ending. I mean, dear God!
My rating: 65%.
I, Frankenstein (2014)
Maybe it's because of its overwhelmingly negative reputation, but I actually didn't hate this movie; I was mostly just completely indifferent to it. Right from the opening scenes, I was prepared for it to simply be a standard action fantasy. It did get laughable at times, like naming the monster Adam of all things, not to mention Bill Nighy's outrageously over-the-top performance, but for the most part it's just dull and utterly unremarkable.
My rating: 40%.
Starred Up (2014)
The title refers to the main character's early transfer from a Young Offender Institution to an adult prison. I haven't seen that many prison movies, but I'd say this one more accurately represents life on the inside than The Shawshank Redemption does: it's pretty clear that you don't want to mess with anybody in this prison. What really holds it all together is the main character, who's a savage beast, but resourceful enough to quickly exploit his surroundings. It's an overall suitably grave and blunt movie, until it's sadly let down by a cliché-ridden climax – which also takes a turn into overly sentimental by comparison.
My rating: 70%.
Under the Skin (2014)
Going into this movie, I was simply under the impression that it was trying to be the next Species. But instead, right from the very beginning, it seems more like it's trying desperately to be a Stanley Kubrick movie, with a very slow pace and a vague, visual-fuelled narrative. But the difference is that this premise doesn't come across like it's meant to be a mind trip; it really needs to be cohesive. It just leaves tonnes of questions unanswered. What is that liquid she traps men in? Who's that guy working with her? Why does she suddenly change her mind halfway through the movie? Why does she need men's skin in the first place? None of this is ever explained. I was constantly thinking, "What the hell is going on?!"
My rating: 35%.
The Raid 2 (2014)
I loved the first Raid, so of course I was looking forward to this one. It's certainly a much more complicated story; I had a bit of trouble keeping up. Also, the more screen time the criminals got, the more I wondered what had happened to the undercover cop story we were starting out with. But all the characters' motivations made perfect sense, so I began to become more and more invested as it progressed. And then the third act made all the difference. I mean, WOW! The action scenes are some of the best in recent memory, including one of the best car chases I've ever seen, period! They're so exhilarating that I felt like I had to take a breather after each one was over! This is, hands down, one of the best movies of the year so far – top three easily.
My rating: 85%.
Need for Speed (2014)
One of the main selling points for this movie was that all the stunts were done the old-school way: with real cars, no CG at all. And, while that is impressive in theory, something went very wrong by the time the project was finalised. I think the main problem is that the music is drab, which doesn't make the action scenes the least bit exciting. Otherwise, this is about as predictable a movie as you can get. All the characters are assholes, and idiots to boot: they're committing felonies left and right!
My rating: 35%.
A Long Way Down (2014)
Wow, two movies in a row featuring Aaron Paul and Imogen Poots! :D Except this one is actually even worse! Right from the opening scene, the movie's joking approach to the characters committing suicide made me distinctly uncomfortable. It's a failed attempt to be darkly humorous about a very delicate subject. The rest of the movie that follows is just as awkwardly unfunny. The characters often get on your nerves, but by far the most annoying is Jess: she never shuts up! It's a movie that shoots itself in the foot right from the start and never recovers. Hands down, the absolute worst movie of the year so far.
My rating: 25%.
And finally, the latest PS3 game I've played.
Assassin's Creed II (PS3)
This one's a mixed bag: it's simultaneously better than the first one and far worse. The beginning instantly drew me in, with its more personal, revenge-driven story. And simply being able to swim is an instant improvement! :D Several other new mechanics are added, including a sequence where you use a flying machine designed by Leonardo da Vinci (which, by the way, leads to an amazing reaction from the guards who spot you). It's also a lot more diverse than the original, far less repetitive – though that does mean it seems to ramble quite a bit, with a far weaker sense of story progression.
However, the major, MAJOR problem with this game is the directional control. You have to be very accurate with the joystick, or else your character takes a dive in the wrong direction – which often results in a long fall! I can't even begin to describe how much the controls frustrated me, especially in timed sections! I was reduced to screaming streams of curses at the TV, Spoony-style!
But aside from that, the ending was maybe the biggest problem I had; I just thought it was rushed. When the credits started, I was like, "Really? That's it?"
So overall, this game almost trumps the original, but its meandering narrative and godforsaken controls let it down big time.
My rating: 75%.
On a final note, there's one particular upcoming release I want to mention: Paddington. I'm sure I'm not alone in thoroughly looking forward to this movie. Paddington Bear represents some of my most cherished childhood memories. In fact, the very earliest memory I have is of my dad reading Paddington to me in a funny voice: a wannabe posh accent. I really hope this movie does the character justice. Though, judging from the trailer, the special effects are already unimpressive: Paddington himself, of course, is all CG and looks like shit.
As always, I'll start with everything I've seen in the cinema. But first, here's a fun fact about the first two I'll mention: I went to see them both back-to-back, and in both cases, I was the only person in the cinema!
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
My rating: 70%.
Jersey Boys (2014)
My rating: 60%.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
My rating: 70%.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
My rating: 55%.
The Grand Seduction (2014)
My rating: 45%.
Into the Storm (2014)
My rating: 35%.
And rental season has now officially started for me! :D In the case of the first three, I rented a new release and two older ones – which, because of an offer at the store, cost me only €5.
Jeune & Jolie [AKA Young & Beautiful] (2013)
My rating: 60%.
Audition (2000)
My rating: 50%.
The Vanishing (1988)
My rating: 65%.
I, Frankenstein (2014)
My rating: 40%.
Starred Up (2014)
My rating: 70%.
Under the Skin (2014)
My rating: 35%.
The Raid 2 (2014)
My rating: 85%.
Need for Speed (2014)
My rating: 35%.
A Long Way Down (2014)
My rating: 25%.
And finally, the latest PS3 game I've played.
Assassin's Creed II (PS3)
However, the major, MAJOR problem with this game is the directional control. You have to be very accurate with the joystick, or else your character takes a dive in the wrong direction – which often results in a long fall! I can't even begin to describe how much the controls frustrated me, especially in timed sections! I was reduced to screaming streams of curses at the TV, Spoony-style!
But aside from that, the ending was maybe the biggest problem I had; I just thought it was rushed. When the credits started, I was like, "Really? That's it?"
So overall, this game almost trumps the original, but its meandering narrative and godforsaken controls let it down big time.
My rating: 75%.
On a final note, there's one particular upcoming release I want to mention: Paddington. I'm sure I'm not alone in thoroughly looking forward to this movie. Paddington Bear represents some of my most cherished childhood memories. In fact, the very earliest memory I have is of my dad reading Paddington to me in a funny voice: a wannabe posh accent. I really hope this movie does the character justice. Though, judging from the trailer, the special effects are already unimpressive: Paddington himself, of course, is all CG and looks like shit.
Saturday, 21 June 2014
First Impressions Review Diary 21-Jun-2014
Hello again. :)
We'll be starting off this week with two recent releases – both of which I saw on their opening day, I might add. So I know those reviews are coming a little late – you've probably seen the movies already – but once again, I've had neither the time nor the inclination to write them until now.
Godzilla (2014)
I'd need a full review to properly describe this one, so consider this the abridged version. :)
Most of the time, I'm against American remakes, but I think, considering what a betrayal the last American Godzilla was, they really didn't have a choice with this one. And thankfully, this movie completely blows the 1998 version out of the water, creating an affectionate tribute to the whole franchise. (I'm guessing; I've only seen the original, and my knowledge of the rest of the series comes from Cinemassacre's Godzillathon.) For example, they mention that Godzilla and other monsters have been feeding and growing on radiation, which presumably refers to the other monsters in the series. It never forgets, however, that Godzilla will leave destruction in his wake.
The human characters are boring, and they take up so much of the movie that that can be a little disappointing. But the story, and the plan they devise, still consistently held my interest.
But the final monster battle was definitely the highlight. :) In particular, when Godzilla actually unleashes his trademark atomic breath, it was all I could do to keep from crying out, "YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"
I didn't like how Godzilla's head looks disproportionately small – which could be where all this "bloated Godzilla" stuff came from.
In short, while I could have used a little more focus on the monsters, I was still more than satisfied with what I got. Just don't let the trailer fool you: it's nowhere near as grim and serious as the original.
My rating: 80%.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
The title of this movie is a bit misleading: this isn't a strict adaptation of the classic story from the comics. Yes, it involves time travel to prevent an assassination, but it's still within the continuity of the other X-Men movies. And, in a word, wow! :)
The movie is impressive in almost every respect, but I'm especially amazed at how well written it is. The story is everything that a comic book movie should be: very well written, and exciting thanks to being witty with both its clever ideas and its endearing characters.
One personal highlight for me was that they actually addressed a continuity hiccup between First Class and X-Men 2 involving Beast. It's revealed that Hank has developed a serum that controls his mutation – which leads to a character arc with Xavier using it to allow himself to walk, at the cost of his psychic powers.
All the performances are top-notch, but Michael Fassbender stands out in particular: he had me convinced by about five minutes in that he was Magneto! :)
But the main thing the movie did for me was the last half-hour. The tension in the climax is nothing short of exhilarating. Mild spoilers here, but what's especially poignant about it is Xavier's attempts to convince Mystique not to kill Trask.
In conclusion, I have no doubt that this will be proclaimed one of the best X-Men movies, but I personally don't even have to think twice: it is the best. :)
My rating: 85%.
Batman: Year One (2011)
Like with most of these DC animated movies, the main focus of my attention was the story. It's a fascinating look at Batman and Jim Gordon's early days: Gordon's efforts to rid the Gotham police force of corruption, and Bruce Wayne beginning his life of crime-fighting as the Batman. I especially like how they didn't make Batman perfect from day one: he's still an amateur who has to hone his skills. I also loved Catwoman's story arc and her frustration at always being second to Batman. The Harvey Dent cameo was welcome, too. :) The only thing I didn't like was Gordon's affair with Detective Essen: not only is it completely unfounded – Gordon never implies that he's in any way unhappy with Barbara – but it ultimately proves pointless. Overall, this is a well-written and insightful look at the back-stories of your favourite characters that makes you wonder what happened to all that talent Frank Miller clearly used to have.
My rating: 75%.
22 Jump Street (2014)
I haven't seen the show, but I loved the first 21 Jump Street movie. Watching it was like being at a really wild party: a flurry of inspired jokes constantly subverting the hyperreality movies usually create. Imagine my disappointment, then, that that sensibility is completely lost in this sequel. The jokes this time around are few and far between.
On top of that, it's one of those sequels that simply repeats the original formula. Literally: it's almost exactly the same, beat for beat. The movie constantly makes it clear that it's aware of this, but it barely makes any effort to make fun of it. Most of the time, the same jokes are just blatantly recycled. So no matter how self-aware the movie tries to be, that doesn't make it any less redundant.
But thankfully, the climax saves this movie from being a complete disappointment. It's completely insane and over the top, and is packed with genuinely good jokes, so that's when it finally starts resembling the first movie. That last half-hour is the main thing I took away from this movie; I doubt I'll ever laugh so hard again this year. :)
Aside from that, there are some good parts along the way, like the twists involving the photograph and Captain Dickson. But with its reliance on copying from the first movie, as well as some all-too-familiar clichés, it's mostly just kind of a bore.
My rating: 50%.
And finally, I've played through the two successors to Batman: Arkham Asylum, both on the PS3 – including yet another take on Batman's beginnings! :D
Batman: Arkham City (PS3)
This game is basically the same as Arkham Asylum, but in a sandbox (or open world) environment. I personally have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it's a repeat of one of my favourite games of all time, so I can't complain about that! :D On the other hand, I generally don't like sandbox games, and all the problems I usually have with them are present here: the side missions are nothing but distracting. But it's still just so much fun to be Batman that it's totally worth it! :D
The plot definitely has higher stakes than Asylum. The Joker infects Batman with the same Titan formula poisoning that's slowly killing him, so Batman has to find a cure to save both their lives.
Several more of Batman's classic enemies are introduced, including Mr Freeze, Ra's al Ghul and the Penguin. I was still surprised and disappointed that Two-Face got the short end of the stick, though; he's barely in this. Hell, the Mad Hatter gets more screen time than him!
But the main thing the game did for me was the ending. Not to spoil anything, but several characters die, and I genuinely wasn't expecting it.
To sum it up, this sequel is kind of like Portal 2: in many ways it's superior, but I'll always hold the first one closer to my heart. It's still just as fun and dramatically strong as its predecessor; I just have some minor personal issues with it.
My rating: 90%.
Batman: Arkham Origins (PS3)
In this prequel to Arkham Asylum, Batman is being hunted by eight of the world's deadliest assassins for a bounty on his head.
With its similar sandbox style, this game is almost identical to Arkham City. And sadly, that includes my problem with the side missions. Whenever a "crime in progress" alert came up, I just thought, "Oh, come on! I'm trying to focus on the mission here!"
The overall story isn't quite as solid as Arkham City, either. But whenever there are hard-hitting dramatic moments (mostly involving Bane, I realise), they always work wonderfully. There's a subplot dealing with the beginning of Batman's alliance with Jim Gordon. And the Joker is just as fascinating as ever. There's actually a section where you wander through his mind! :)
However, this is the first Arkham game not to be released by Rocksteady, and there are parts where it definitely shows. In particular, the combat controls are a little rusty this time around: during brawls, Batman seems to dive towards every other thug except the one I actually want to hit! And most baffling of all, they swapped the L buttons! In the other Arkham games, you use L1 to aim and L2 to use Detective Mode, but here it's the opposite. That took me ages to get used to!
In conclusion, it's definitely the lesser of the series, but still a satisfying experience that keeps the best traits of everything that is Batman intact.
My rating: 80%.
Also, on a final note, I'm thoroughly looking forward to Arkham Knight, which is set for release next year. But I really hope Two-Face finally gets a bigger part this time. Not that he's my favourite villain or anything: it's just, out of all Batman's most familiar adversaries, he's the only one who hasn't got a big part in these games yet.
We'll be starting off this week with two recent releases – both of which I saw on their opening day, I might add. So I know those reviews are coming a little late – you've probably seen the movies already – but once again, I've had neither the time nor the inclination to write them until now.
Godzilla (2014)
Most of the time, I'm against American remakes, but I think, considering what a betrayal the last American Godzilla was, they really didn't have a choice with this one. And thankfully, this movie completely blows the 1998 version out of the water, creating an affectionate tribute to the whole franchise. (I'm guessing; I've only seen the original, and my knowledge of the rest of the series comes from Cinemassacre's Godzillathon.) For example, they mention that Godzilla and other monsters have been feeding and growing on radiation, which presumably refers to the other monsters in the series. It never forgets, however, that Godzilla will leave destruction in his wake.
The human characters are boring, and they take up so much of the movie that that can be a little disappointing. But the story, and the plan they devise, still consistently held my interest.
But the final monster battle was definitely the highlight. :) In particular, when Godzilla actually unleashes his trademark atomic breath, it was all I could do to keep from crying out, "YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"
I didn't like how Godzilla's head looks disproportionately small – which could be where all this "bloated Godzilla" stuff came from.
In short, while I could have used a little more focus on the monsters, I was still more than satisfied with what I got. Just don't let the trailer fool you: it's nowhere near as grim and serious as the original.
My rating: 80%.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
The movie is impressive in almost every respect, but I'm especially amazed at how well written it is. The story is everything that a comic book movie should be: very well written, and exciting thanks to being witty with both its clever ideas and its endearing characters.
One personal highlight for me was that they actually addressed a continuity hiccup between First Class and X-Men 2 involving Beast. It's revealed that Hank has developed a serum that controls his mutation – which leads to a character arc with Xavier using it to allow himself to walk, at the cost of his psychic powers.
All the performances are top-notch, but Michael Fassbender stands out in particular: he had me convinced by about five minutes in that he was Magneto! :)
But the main thing the movie did for me was the last half-hour. The tension in the climax is nothing short of exhilarating. Mild spoilers here, but what's especially poignant about it is Xavier's attempts to convince Mystique not to kill Trask.
In conclusion, I have no doubt that this will be proclaimed one of the best X-Men movies, but I personally don't even have to think twice: it is the best. :)
My rating: 85%.
Batman: Year One (2011)
My rating: 75%.
22 Jump Street (2014)
On top of that, it's one of those sequels that simply repeats the original formula. Literally: it's almost exactly the same, beat for beat. The movie constantly makes it clear that it's aware of this, but it barely makes any effort to make fun of it. Most of the time, the same jokes are just blatantly recycled. So no matter how self-aware the movie tries to be, that doesn't make it any less redundant.
But thankfully, the climax saves this movie from being a complete disappointment. It's completely insane and over the top, and is packed with genuinely good jokes, so that's when it finally starts resembling the first movie. That last half-hour is the main thing I took away from this movie; I doubt I'll ever laugh so hard again this year. :)
Aside from that, there are some good parts along the way, like the twists involving the photograph and Captain Dickson. But with its reliance on copying from the first movie, as well as some all-too-familiar clichés, it's mostly just kind of a bore.
My rating: 50%.
And finally, I've played through the two successors to Batman: Arkham Asylum, both on the PS3 – including yet another take on Batman's beginnings! :D
Batman: Arkham City (PS3)
The plot definitely has higher stakes than Asylum. The Joker infects Batman with the same Titan formula poisoning that's slowly killing him, so Batman has to find a cure to save both their lives.
Several more of Batman's classic enemies are introduced, including Mr Freeze, Ra's al Ghul and the Penguin. I was still surprised and disappointed that Two-Face got the short end of the stick, though; he's barely in this. Hell, the Mad Hatter gets more screen time than him!
But the main thing the game did for me was the ending. Not to spoil anything, but several characters die, and I genuinely wasn't expecting it.
To sum it up, this sequel is kind of like Portal 2: in many ways it's superior, but I'll always hold the first one closer to my heart. It's still just as fun and dramatically strong as its predecessor; I just have some minor personal issues with it.
My rating: 90%.
Batman: Arkham Origins (PS3)
With its similar sandbox style, this game is almost identical to Arkham City. And sadly, that includes my problem with the side missions. Whenever a "crime in progress" alert came up, I just thought, "Oh, come on! I'm trying to focus on the mission here!"
The overall story isn't quite as solid as Arkham City, either. But whenever there are hard-hitting dramatic moments (mostly involving Bane, I realise), they always work wonderfully. There's a subplot dealing with the beginning of Batman's alliance with Jim Gordon. And the Joker is just as fascinating as ever. There's actually a section where you wander through his mind! :)
However, this is the first Arkham game not to be released by Rocksteady, and there are parts where it definitely shows. In particular, the combat controls are a little rusty this time around: during brawls, Batman seems to dive towards every other thug except the one I actually want to hit! And most baffling of all, they swapped the L buttons! In the other Arkham games, you use L1 to aim and L2 to use Detective Mode, but here it's the opposite. That took me ages to get used to!
In conclusion, it's definitely the lesser of the series, but still a satisfying experience that keeps the best traits of everything that is Batman intact.
My rating: 80%.
Also, on a final note, I'm thoroughly looking forward to Arkham Knight, which is set for release next year. But I really hope Two-Face finally gets a bigger part this time. Not that he's my favourite villain or anything: it's just, out of all Batman's most familiar adversaries, he's the only one who hasn't got a big part in these games yet.
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