zachsnyderproductions Reviews

Doctor Who: The End of the World (2005) Season 1, Episode 2

While not completely bad, it's mostly just boring.

[6/10 · 30 March 2021]

While not completely bad, it's mostly just boring. I like the Rose character moments, the "tree person" character has some neat moments with the Doctor, and the "End of the World" plot is somewhat interesting at first.

My issues mainly derive from Casandra. I've never liked her. She's just a strange antagonist that's unfortunately reoccurring and her backstory could be a lot more interesting than it is. - 5/10.

Doctor Who: Rose (2005) Season 1, Episode 1

"Rose" is a solid introduction to Doctor Who

[7/10 · 30 March 2021]

"Rose" is a solid introduction to Doctor Who. Everything from the awful VFX, nonsensical comedic bits, and just enough lore from the classic series is here to show you what to expect from the show. I still really like Eccleston. Even if he is one of the more forgettable doctors, he feels the most like the ancient alien that he is.

The main plot here is stupid. Plastic people being taken down by "anti-plastic". It's hilariously dumb. The plastic Mickey section gets me everytime. Where the episode lacks in plot, it still acts as a good introduction to the show though, so I still it enjoy it enough.

WandaVision (2021)

Started as a bumpy ride, but I loved the conclusion

[8/10 · 5 March 2021]

WandaVision is basically an experiment.

Disney asked the question -- Can we take an MCU movie and turn it into a season of television?

I'd argue that they did a solid job, but I wasn't hooked like a lot of people.

The first couple of episodes introduce this sitcom gimmick, that'll be used throughout the season, and while I love it conceptually - I got a little tired of it real quick. Part of me feels like WandaVision could've been a movie and we could've gotten the sitcom scenes in more of a montage of sorts, instead of wasting so much time.

Of course, Episode 4 came along, and the curtain was pulled back to reveal that there was something more happening. We get introduced to the S.W.O.R.D. operatives, who have a couple of interesting characters, but overall - most of their screen time was really boring.

So every episode after that, you'd get this formula:

15 minutes with Wanda inside a sitcom + 15 minutes of S.W.O.R.D. nonsense + 3 minute reveal to get you interested in the next episode.

It got annoying for me. I was not really finding a reason to care.

Fortunately though, the last two episodes bring everything together. I realized that this show is not just some part of the MCU you need to watch, because "ooh big thing happened", rather it's actually important because it gives Wanda a character arc.

Wanda is one of the few MCU characters that hasn't gotten much of a character until now, so I'm actually coming out of this show impressed, because I care about this character now. I didn't use to. Especially considering Age of Ultron is such a bad film.

Cool, there's my ramblings about this show. I'm not looking forward to Falcon and Winter Soldier. Hopefully they can make me care about that.

WandaVision: Breaking the Fourth Wall (2021) Season 1, Episode 7

More interesting than the last few, but...

[8/10 · 19 February 2021]

I feel like I was more interested in this episode than I have been in the past few. Episode 4 was the last time that I felt interested in the show as a whole, because being brutally honest - they have just taken this simple plot and dragged it over way too many episodes.

I still like the creative liberties that they take in this show, but it hasn't been enough to keep my interest. I'm glad we're finally getting something to move things along, but who knows - they'll probably ANOTHER cliffhanger next week that doesn't actually answer much.

Dickinson: I'm Nobody! Who Are You? (2021) Season 2, Episode 8

HYPE

[10/10 · 13 February 2021]

We FINALLY get an episode that's as good as Season 1. Season 2 has been alright and it's had some good moments, but this was the first episode of the season that made me feel like I was watching season 1 again.

WandaVision: We Interrupt This Program (2021) Season 1, Episode 4

Ohh I get it now

[9/10 · 29 January 2021]

WandaVision got epic.

I was wondering what the purpose of the show was and I still don't know what their plans for the rest of the season is, but it's very clear that something bigger is at play and this episode has made everything worth the watch so far.

WandaVision: Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

I don't know yet

[7/10 · 27 January 2021]

It's hard for me to be excited about this, because Wanda and Vision are both midtier characters in an expansive cinematic universe.

What we have here is an interesting concept (at least I think it is). Making a 1950's sitcom out of these characters is definitely a creative approach. It's not something you see these days, so I commend them on that. This felt exactly like I was watching 50's TV.

With that said, I still need to know - why?

Like what's the purpose of this? What's the context? Is this gonna be something bigger? Or is it literally just a 1950's sitcom?

I'm sure we'll get these questions answered, as the show continues, but for a pilot - I was mostly just confused by the concept.

Atlanta (2016–2022)

Truly a unique piece of television

[10/10 · 26 January 2021]

I knew that I loved this show during Season 1. Atlanta has a just the right mix of dramatic storytelling, humor, and style.

I binged Season 1 within a couple of days, but since there's only 2 seasons right now, I decided to savor Season 2 over a few months.

I'm so glad that I did that.

Every episode of Season 2 feels like its own contained story, yet it still manages to maintain its overarching character-driven narrative. Half of these episodes are better than most televisions shows out there.

Man, I can't wait till Season 3.

Mitt (2014)

Cool. I just watched a Mitt Romney documentary on my birthday.

[6/10 · 15 January 2021]

I went into this expecting a documentary that tackled the past of Mitt Romney and his road to running for president. INSTEAD, we get the epic creative choice to just show his entire failed attempts at running for president TWICE IN A ROW.

This doc is mostly boring. A lot of it is just random clips of Mitt and his family. There's an uncomfortable amount of 'white people laughing' clips. But the beauty of it, is that it doesn't hold back in making fun of Romney.

They compare this man to John Kerry *at least* FIVE times. The opening scene is just in media res, as we see Romney come to terms that he's losing another election. This same scene is used at the very ending of the doc, so it's very similar to "Synecdoche, New York" - you know, "The end is built in the beginning."

I also love that the final shot is just a newspaper that says "Obama wins".

Shoutout to the filmmakers involved in this. Again, while it's pretty boring, it's exceptionally funny that this was mostly just an hour and a half of clowning on Mr. Mitt Romney.

Synecdoche, New York (2008)

My third watch

[10/10 · 15 January 2021]

It's my birthday, so naturally I decided to watch this wholesome, non-depressing, family film at 5am.

--

All jokes aside, this is my third time watching Synecdoche, New York and I love this film the more and more I watch it.

Has it gotten any less confusing? Eh. A little bit. There's still some things that I don't quite understand.

What's the deal with the war-like sounds that happen throughout parts of the movie? Why does the ending feature a war-torn city? Does Cotard want to be a woman? Or is Cotard just a stand-in for Ellen? Why is there so many references to poop and piss?

That last one may not matter.

Anyways, I love that you're rewarding for rewatching this film. There's a lot of little things that reference the film's narrative and themes throughout its entire runtime, so you're not gonna get everything out of this on a first viewing.

I also really appreciate how every time I watch this, I feel a little different. The first time I definitely left the film feeling depressed. You can't quite get away from that one.

This time though - I felt a bit hopeful?

I don't know why. It's weird, but for all of the sad and frustrating observations this film has about life, I feel like there's still a few hopeful ones.

But that's life, right?

Things can be incredibly awful, but dwelling on those awful things doesn't help anything.

Much like Willy Loman's character in "Death of a Salesman", Cotard has massive ambitions that eat away at him. He practically loses everything, while pursuing those ambitions, due to obsession and carelessness.

In some ways, Synecdoche, New York is a tragedy. In other ways, I think it's a cautionary tale: Don't dwell on things. Take care of yourself. Strive for greatness, but don't let it consume you.

These are the things I pulled out of this film on my third watch.

--

Addendum: Usually, when you watch a film like this, you think about its themes a lot and let it affect your perspective on life. It's crazy though, cause I feel like I got more out of Synecdoche this time, simply because I watched "Soul" and rewatched "Whiplash" recently.

All three films have fairly different perspectives on life and death, along with finding your purpose and excelling in your craft. Neither of them are 100% right, but thinking about all three, along with other pieces of media - it makes for some really interesting thoughts.

Freshman year, I took a class in college called "Finding Your Life Purpose". It was funny, cause I thought I knew my life purpose at that point. Boy, was I wrong.

Anyways, there was a couple of films that we watched for that class, but that was before I was interested in film. Long story, short - My nerdy self wishes I could write a college essay about some of these films.

Mean Girls (2004)

It kinda GOATED.

[8/10 · 15 January 2021]

I've never seen Mean Girls, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's wild how much I enjoyed this movie.

Hot Fuzz (2007)

Another 4 star? Does that mean I wish I liked this more? yuh.

[8/10 · 10 January 2021]

Hot Fuzz has a lot going for it, but unfortunately I'm kinda disappointed in it.

Now, I love the direction. Edgar Wright knows how to create a film that doesn't waste any time at all. Slick cuts, clever transitions, interesting shots. I loved Baby Driver, so a lot of what I love about that movie is in here (though the music choices felt less prevalent).

As it turns out, I haven't seen a lot of cop related movies though (mostly cause ACAB), but since this is a parody - a lot of the enjoyment of this movie will probably be based on your enjoyment of buddy cop movies.

In other words, I wish I found it more funny.

Maybe it's the British comedy thing, maybe it's the parody thing, but I know for sure that I didn't laugh as much as the movie wanted me to.

It's definitely an entertaining film, I'd even rewatch it, but I'm kinda bummed that I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped I would.

Whiplash (2014)

My heart is STILL racing

[10/10 · 10 January 2021]

You ever just see something that makes you super ambitious AND wanna quit everything at the same time?

that's whiplash.

--

This film dude. It's easily the most engaging I've ever been watching anything. Only a couple of other films come even close and even then - it's still no contest.

Whiplash perfectly encapsulates what it feels like to try to get great at something. The ambition, the drive, the self-hatred, the gratification. It's all a part of the process. Is that process a good thing though? Many masters of their crafts got there after a life full of abuse and turmoil. Is that necessary for anybody to get great? Sure, Charlie Parker got hit in the head with a cymbal - would he have still been great had that not happened?

These are the questions Whiplash asks.

Fletcher is an abusive teacher. Andrew is an ambitious young player. Their relationship is awful and the movie doesn't try to hide that. In fact, it shows blatantly, multiple times, that Fletcher's affect on Andrew is a negative one. And yet... at the end of the film, after both parties have cursed each other out, we see Fletcher look approvingly on Andrew and Andrew looks happy.

Is it a happy ending? Will Andrew become the next Charlie Parker?

I don't know.

He might go on to be one of the best drummers alive. He also might go on to die at a young age because of alcohol, drugs, or suicide. Again, this film doesn't hide the effects of abuse. It shows how closely talent and ambition can turn into an obsession. Fletcher is not a good guy. Andrew absolutely needs some therapy. It's insane.

With all of that said, I have a background in music. I'm currently pursuing a career as a creator on the internet. Some days, I wish I had a Fletcher to tell me to get things done. Other days, I wish I had somebody to tell me "good job." Being a creator is probably one of the most difficult career paths anyone can choose, simply because you always have room to grow and your best never feels like enough.

Fortunately though, my take is that "the greats" weren't successful 'because' of bad events - they became successful 'DESPITE' the bad events.

If Fletcher's method worked, he'd have a lot of Charlie Parkers on his hand. He didn't though. He was a awful teacher and honestly, the dude deserves to lose his job for good.

ANYWAYS, Whiplash is goated. Damien Chazelle is a madlad. That final act is the most exhilarated I've ever been watching a movie that's not Avengers: Infinity War. J.K. Simmons has some of the funniest dialogue I've ever heard. Miles Teller truly looked like he was in pain playing the drums - he should definitely be in more great movies. Since I've rewatched this now, I can easily say it's one of my favorite movies of all time.

Spotlight (I) (2015)

It's aight.

[8/10 · 10 January 2021]

I wish the direction was a bit stronger. The story itself is interesting, but I just wasn't super invested in it. The cast is really good though. There's a few scenes that bring this up to a 4 star for me. I'll probably forget about it though.

Hotel for Dogs (2009)

Doggos be cute

[6/10 · 9 January 2021]

So I'm finna be real -

Hotel for Dogs kinda not bad.

Like it's clearly not good. The script is awful. The acting isn't that good. The music both generic and out of place.

BUT the director genuinely makes an effort to be creative here and I'm shocked by it. For a kid's movie, Thor Freudenthal does way more than he had to. Part of that is probably because of the source material, I'm sure all of the wacky dog contraptions come straight out of the kid's book, but part of it has to do with the surprisingly interesting shots and editing.

Now I'm not saying this movie is a masterpiece - again, it's got really bad writing. I'm just saying, as a kid's movie, it's more entertaining than I thought it would be.

Plus doggos pretty cute ngl.

Minari (2020)

This movie just sweet and somber and I really love it.

[9/10 · 8 January 2021]

There's a lot that can be said about the multi-cultural family dynamic, the 80's backdrop, and the "American Dream" sentiments that encapsulate this film's themes - but I'm just impressed at how comforting this film is, despite its ending.

The soundtrack is one of the best of 2020, the relationship between this kid and his grandmother is absolutely amazing, and the whole cast does a fantastic job. Definitely a film I'm looking forward to revisiting.

Amélie (2001)

What a quirky little film.

[9/10 · 7 January 2021]

I definitely will need a rewatch in the future, cause I was a little distracted by *real world nonsense*, but I enjoyed this a lot.

Stylistically, this is a masterpiece. The editing, the music, the colors - everything works to create this eccentric fairy tale world and it does it so well.

While it took me a bit of time to understand the narrative, once it gets going - it gets going and I really loved it.

Shithouse (2020)

College in a nutshell

[9/10 · 6 January 2021]

Watching this made me miss college and be glad that I'm done with college, all at the same time.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

There's an energetic, engaging film about a historic event, stuck inside this boring court drama.

[8/10 · 6 January 2021]

There's so many great things in this film. SO MANY. I love Sacha Baron Cohen's character. The surprising inclusion of Michael Keaton was a fantastic moment.

The non-linear storytelling is perfect to tell this story. There's a few scenes that could easily go in a "Top Scenes of 2020 Films" list. And of course, the writing from Sorkin is as great as you'd expect.

My issue is that there's a lot of time in the film set inside the courtroom.

This wouldn't be an issue, if the direction had been as engaging as the writing. At times, it was great. They'd intercut parts of the event with the trial with snappy editing and I'd be engrossed in it. Unfortunately though, most of it was just uninteresting shots of the court room, without any kind of real substance.

This is definitely a good film and I'm sure it'll get some Oscar buzz, but it could've been great and that's kind of a bummer.

P.S. Why does the judge look like a male version of Maya Rudolph?

Forbidden History: Top Secret Nazi UFOs (2014) Season 2, Episode 5

BORRRINNGG

[4/10 · 6 January 2021]

Having Discovery Plus is dope, cause there's plenty of stuff on it, but some of it is garbage. Old white people talking about nazi ufos is a wildin concept that they made really boring.

Amish Abduction (2019 TV Movie)

L M A O

[2/10 · 5 January 2021]

I'm giving this a 1 star, because I can't go any higher, but I am AMAZED at how ridiculously entertaining this was. I felt like I was watching an Amish soap opera.

How It's Made: Aluminium Foil/Snowboards/Contact Lenses/Bread (2001) Season 1, Episode 1

How It's Made is a Classic!

[8/10 · 5 January 2021]

I used to watch this show when I was younger, so it's cool to have access to its entire catalog. It's not the most entertaining thing in the world, but watching an episode before bed is pretty neat.

The Way Back (I) (2020)

Something about sad Ben Affleck makes me :woozy_face:

[8/10 · 4 January 2021]

The Way Back may be a bit cliched in its story, but it's 'indie-like' presentation and Affleck's somber performance is what brings it up a notch for me.

It's a redemption story that makes you want more, but still has a satisfying, hopeful ending. It's a sports movie, but it's less about the team and more about the man who coaches them. It's a bit sad, a bit hopeful, and a bit inspiring.

Plus that score hits all the right places. I'm glad to finally check this one out.

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

What a fantastic film.

[10/10 · 4 January 2021]

An undoubtable masterwork in weaving numerous historical events into a centralized theme, Da 5 Bloods is a film that I'm gonna be thinking about for a while.

I still haven't watched much from Spike Lee, but I definitely want to dig deeper into his films now. His style is both inspiring and gut-wrenching. He's not afraid to be brutally honest about his message and I really admire that.

There's a great cast here, but I'm extremely impressed with Delroy Lindo and Jonathan Majors. Seeing Chadwick Boseman in this role, after his passing, is also surreal. That man had a hell of a career at the end of his life and I can't imagine how proud his family must be.

There's a lot I could say about this film, but I don't wanna spoil it. It deals a lot with the lasting effects of war. It shows the effects of PTSD. There's messages of friendship, brotherhood, and forgiveness.

What a fantastic film.

Soul (2020)

I absolutely adore this film

[10/10 · 4 January 2021]

A life purpose is something I've thought about ever since I started playing music myself. Around 6th grade, I picked up the trumpet and fell in love. It wasn't the first time music was an important part of my life, but it was the first time I realized its importance in my life.

For a while, I thought my life purpose was to do music. Whether it was teaching or playing, I just knew that I loved it and there was nothing else I wanted to do.

But then I started making YouTube videos. I also liked to draw. Writing was one of my strongest skills in school. Making people laugh struck a chord. Long story short - sometime around high school, I realized that I enjoy doing a lot of things.

Then college happened and the opportunities of what I could do seemed endless. Then I dropped out of college and started freelancing and now I'm here - paying my bills doing all kinds of creative work for other people, while I work on my own creative projects on the side.

So what is my life purpose? I still love music. I'd still love to perform again. I'd love to create more music. I might even enjoy teaching again. I also really enjoy what I'm doing now. I get to write, I get to edit, make people laugh, create things from nothing, help other people create what they want to create. It's a lot.

Life is a lot.

Watching Soul helped me realize that nobody has a "purpose" in life. We're all just kinda bumbling around trying to figure things out. The important thing is that we're alive. That's the core of being happy.

It's not about figuring out what you're meant to do for the rest of your life. It's not about making money or finding a meaningful relationship or accomplishing great things - it's about BEING.

I've seen some people complain that the ending of this movie is a copout. (*SPOILERS) That Joe Gardner deciding to live is the safe way for Pixar to keep their hold on a "happy ending".

I disagree.

I think the easy thing Joe could've done was go to the Great Beyond. He had his moment with Dorothea Williams and that was all he had ever hoped for. After that, who knows what would've happened?

A weaker man would've thought "yeah, I had my cake, let's go enjoy eternal happiness."

Instead, he decided to live. And that's HARD.

Those of us who deal with depression or anxiety or existential crisis over Pixar movies... we hope that one day we'll have our best day ever. But after your best day, things will never be that great again...

Unless you make them great. You have to LIVE. You have to BE. Cause as soon as you've had your worst day, things will never get that bad again either.

Joe Gardner realized that music is important in his life, but it isn't the only thing that's important to him. Teaching is important. Being a friend is important. Being a mentor is important. Being a song is important. Simply just existing on this Earth, feeling the sand between your toes on a beach, listening to your favorite music, watching your favorite film, talking to your favorite people - living, man.

That's the meaning of life.

It's to just simply BE and that's okay. It's more than okay. It's actually the best thing you could ever possibly imagine.

---

So anyways, Soul is pretty good. I watched it again with the family and I still frick with it. 10/10