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DoubtfulHenry
Reviews
Silent Hill (2006)
Visually stunning. Lackluster storytelling
I haven't played the video game Silent Hill franchise very much in depth, however i've always been a fan of its visuals. The tone, composition and lighting are breathtaking in all the games. The transition to film doesn't necessarily lose any shine but the stunted storytelling becomes more obvious.
The acting is fairly passable. It doesn't distract the viewer any more than the mediocre writing does. Radha Mitchell is head and shoulders above all other performers in the film. She conveys the fear and determination of a mother, searching for her lost and only daughter with poise and realism. Sean Bean is wasted with few lines and a pointless character that only serves to slow down the progression of the movie. Perhaps for the best, his character is poorly written and Sean Bean is directed for the role very well.
The sounds and music didn't quite pull me in. They fill their role but don't immerse the viewer into the films universe as well as they could have. The sounds are equally as important as the visuals, so in a film like this with strong visuals, the sound should amplify the experience. Sadly it didn't amplify at all.
Now as for those visuals, they were pretty astounding. The CG affects blended extremely well, i couldn't tell at times what was CG and what was a practical effect. The shot composition showed off the effects well and heightened the creepy factor. The monster design didn't meet par with the games but still impressed with deranged forms and creatures.
Silent Hill's story telling was weak in the film. All the interesting visuals in the world can't save a movie that gets as convoluted as this does. The climax doesn't make sense and cops out in the most unsatisfying way. Loose ends are not tied up and things just peter out in the end.
I would recommend Silent Hill only as an art gallery. Find clips of the movie to admire the visuals but don't sit down and watch the whole movie expecting it to form or complete any kind of story arc.
Everything Is Illuminated (2005)
Representing the weaker half of a work
I'll do my best to review this as a work of its own rather than to the source material. It always irritates me when a decent movie is repeatedly bashed for straying from the book/comic/what-have-you it was inspired by.
As a film in its own right, Everything is Illuminated is slightly above average. The cinematography is passable. The seldom beautiful shot caught my attention.
The music conveys emotion and the theme of the film splendidly. It suits all moments accurately and was enough to move me during the climax. All the acting is top-notch. Elijah Wood captures the character of Jonathan. But every powerful moment feels a little watered down and robbed of its true potential. This is attributed to the absence of most of the backstory. The context of our characters journey is lightly hinted at throughout, but the viewers never fully connect to the reasons for our character's actions.
Everything is Illuminated, the movie, is only about an hour and a half long. Average for modern day films, but it would be twice as long if it had included segments told by Jonathan about his family's history. I would have preferred that. The most tearjerking parts of the book take place in these segments that were woefully excluded from the film.
For what it is, Everything is Illuminated is adequate. Sadly it doesn't exceed in any one area to make it stand out. For that i give it a 6 out of 10
Sukai kurora (2008)
A beautiful but sorrow-filled look at war
Locked in a long time battle, two waring factions look to gain the upper hand on one another. Kildren, eternally young pilots put their lives on the line for a conflict they don't understand to begin with.
The Sky Crawlers is a deep film that draws you in with it's stunning aerial battles and complex characters. I immediately liked the main characters, if for no other reason than that they broke away from typical Japanese character clichés. They're layered and have back stories that propel them forward in the story and brings the viewer into their world.
The animation is amazing throughout. The art is gorgeous. The plane fights were amazing. Each time a dogfight began, my heart would be racing and i'd be concerned for the characters involved. The music is very Mamoru Oshii. It felt a little odd, but did seem to fit well enough that it didn't distract me from what i saw.
The pacing was skewed wrong. At times it felt subtle, slow and decisive with the characters, which is fine in it's own right, but when you open with an explosive dogfight, you leave the subtle approach coming off as sluggish. I would have preferred the character scenes to move a little faster and to be presented more aggressively.
The ending is left me disjointed, however it fits the mood of the film so i won't count that against it.
The Sky Crawlers is a beautiful and touching experience that's among the best of the year. My highest recommendation
Ao no roku go (1998)
Do you think you play god?
The world as we know it, is no more. Tides have risen and drown the cities of mankind. The amphibious creations of a mad scientist, Professor Zorndyke (also the cause of the earth's condition) now inhabit the earth and lay siege on what's left of the human species. The only remaining military force must launch a daring strike to cripple the evil doctors forces.
Blue Sub 6 is one of my favorite animes of all time. The story is told expertly. All the characters feel real, and are developed exceptionally well. Even the "villains" get the same attention to detail. The seemingly mad, crazy and otherwise evil doctor who is the cause of everything is much more than just a "bad guy." You get to see what really led him to do what he did, and the ending dialogue between him and the protagonist is moving.
The animation is a mixed bag. The CG hasn't stood the test of time very well, and that's the only place i can doc it any points. All other animation is superb. The music is also a bit sketchy at times but for the most part it immerses the viewer into the world of Blue Sub 6.
I highly recommend this if you enjoy classics like Cowboy Bebop, Gundam Wing, and Dragon Ball Z.
9/10
Kaito ribereitâ (2007)
Smooth and hot, but flawed
An average school girl has a part time job as a waitress and maintains an average life in an inner city home. However, what her friends and co-workers don't know is that she's also a cold blooded assassin. Nights she spends killing apparently evil men throughout the city. Her father works on a space station and longs to see her, also unaware of her moonlighting hobby.
Kite Liberator is sort of a sequel to Yasuomi Umetsu's film Kite. The mood is decidedly less depressing and the theme material is handled much less gratuitously. Kite, was more or less a hentai with some nice action fight scenes thrown in. Kite Liberator is more of an action film, with some comedy throughout.
The animation is quite smooth, the shootouts and chases are fast and the explosions are big. All this is good but the action never seems to reach the peak of it's potential. All the characters battling feel graceful and capable of prolonged conflict but none of the action scenes go on very long and even the climax at the end felt snubbed.
Any number of ideas are presented and not a single one is carried to term. Character arcs are started and begin to be flushed out, when the movie is suddenly and confusingly halted. This annoyed me mostly because i actually was liking the characters i saw. Just as i was getting interested in them the credits began to roll. In general, Kite Liberator ends feeling very premature and half baked.
See it of you like assassin's and some smooth action but don't have the time or desire to invest in layered characters or story.
7/10
Taken (2008)
He found him, and he killed him
An ex-government "preventer," Bryan Mills, is trying to gain a real relationship with his estranged daughter after 17 years of being caught in his work. His ex-wife is left bitter to him because of his devotion to his job and she is on her daughter's side as she wanted to tour europe with a friend. Bryan reluctantly allows her to go. His daughter and her friend misplace their trust in one man, and it leads to their capture. Now Bryan is determined to get her back, good luck to those who took her.
Liam Neeson does a fantastic job as Bryan. He portrays a worried and hellbent father brilliantly. Others in the film do a great job as well, Maggie Grace, surprising performance as Kim is well done. Solid script flushes out everybody that needs to be.
The story is told realistically without being gratuitous. It moves at a quick but smart pace and keeps the audience interested. The action is choreographed fast and brutal. Throat punches and pistol whips, gun shots and neck snaps have never been so palpable in a film.
The emotion is just as effective. While it's not as much part of the appeal of the movie, it is not at all ignored. Desperation from both parents is touching, and i challenge anybody to NOT feel a wrench in their stomach at seeing the confused and forced drug-addicted women that the trafficers have taken. Again, these images are gritty and depressing without being over the top.
Great film, i highly recommend it. 8/10
Ruang rak noi nid mahasan (2003)
Not really bliss, but it's alright
Last Life in the Universe, a story about a suicidal librarian who moves in with a pot smoking woman, i'm sure you've already read the synopsis of the film.
I liked the story quite a bit, it held my interest for the most part. It had some unexpected twists and turns. The imagery was especially beautiful. A lot of cool shots and directing concepts drew me strongly. The chemistry between Kenji and Noi was realistic and charming. The cute quips they fired back and forth put a grin on my face.
However, the pace was slower than it needed to be i felt. It's hard to appreciate good imagery and dialogue when the shots linger too long. The movie could have been about 15 minutes shorter of the director had edited down some of the shots go on too long after we get the gist of it.
7/10 heartfelt and intriguing, but let's not take so long about it please?
Le temps du loup (2003)
Let's cut to the chase
I do very much like the premise of this movie. I like post apocalyptic themes as much as the next guy, but i did not entirely enjoy the follow through of Time of the Wolf.
Giving a synopsis sounds great. A quick cover of what happens sounds good in and of itself, but the actual movie has all these things happen at a snails pace. It's subtle to a fault. I found myself staring at overly long shots, and glancing at the time every so often. Interesting things do happen in this movie, but you would've fooled me if you showed them to me. A stranger holding your son hostage, conflicts occurring within the only established society, even a father being shot and killed, all these are engaging moments but i could not have been much more bored than i was when i saw them. Like i said, far too many loooooong shots with not a lot happening in them. It did not keep me interested at all.
However, the cinematography was great. The actors for their part did well. The script was pretty solid. The main family characters were sort of interesting, it's a shame there wasn't more done with them.
I only recommend this if you have a lot of patience and have the attention span to stay with it's extremely slow pace 5/10 not great but not terrible
Doragon boru Z: konoyo de ichiban tsuyoi yatsu (1990)
Who is the strongest fighter in the world...
Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest is my favorite dragon ball z movie. The animation is smooth, the fights are awesome, and it's just an all around fun film to watch.
The world's strongest takes place somewhere before namek but after vegeta. Doctor Wheelo is a bio-scientist and together with his assistant ko-chin, they plan to take the body of the most powerful being on earth and use it as a vessel for doctor wheelo's genius brain.
The story as far as anime goes is passable, but in comparison to film in general, it's kinda ridiculous. But hey, i don't watch dragon ball z for story. I like it cuz of the crazy fights and fun characters. The World's Strongest delivers this. Goku, Krillin, Piccolo, Master Roshi and Gohan are all in top form. The fights here are great, and as mentioned before, have fluid animation. The voices are are alright but some of the dialogue is annoying. The music is classic original DBZ, which i dislike very much actually. Thankfully there isn't too much of it And i didn't enjoy the dream sequence where gohan falls asleep while doing homework. Oh well, still a great movie. I highly recommend this movie if you are a fan of dragon ball z. Nonfans will be lost and probably unhappy with it, but for real fans, you can't find any better than this.
Sunshine (2007)
It's a particularly beautiful day
Blown away. Absolutely blown away. Danny Boyle has once again crafted a spectacular masterpiece of film making. When i first heard the premise, i thought, "*sigh* another crappy Armageddon, or The Core. Craptacular piece of rubbish." I was wayyyyyy wrong.
It starts with them already on their mission. That's the first step to being greater than disaster movies of the past. No more wasted time of how their lives were before the mission. No more wasted time with technological mumbo jumbo. It cuts out the bullsh!t and gets to what we want.
The chronicles of the team are so engaging, you'll find yourself enthralled with each and every moment. The action is best quality. The visual effects are amazing. These are only surpassed by the emotional depth of the movie. Every character has their moments of feeling where they are at peace, and happy, to the other end of the spectrum and on the brink of insanity. Character feel for those lost, and the consequences are more than some can take.
The climactic ending will leave you in awe. I give this a perfect 10 out of 10 and my highest recommendation.
28 Weeks Later (2007)
If you really think this is good, then you don't understand the first one at all
This movie is weak sauce to the max!! >_<
OK, let me walk you through it. The intro is amazing. The atmosphere, the imagery, the direction, all of it is spectacular. It sets you up for one hell of a ride. It's too bad the rest of the movie is NOT one hell of a ride.
After the intro, the whole mood of the movie is lost. All the American's just kills the feeling. When the infection breaks out again, it just isn't the same. I was waiting for the whole movie to suddenly pick up!...but it didn't! It just keeps dragging on! The "main" characters, the girl and her brother (who's names i don't even remember) are never developed. They just seem to tag along with more interesting characters, like Doyle, and the doctor lady. Both of which are killed off!! Just because it's unexpected doesn't mean it's good! The ending was lame. All it did was make me hope that the next sequel doesn't blow it.
Overall, it was better than mediocre as far as movies go. It was a pretty weak zombie movie, as far as they go. And as far as, having anything to do with the FARRRR superior 28 Days Later, it was absolutely disappointing in every sense of the word.
Garden State (2004)
Find yourself a new home
This is a fantastic film. It has so much heart, you'll be truly uplifted watching it.
Zack Braff and Natalie Portman play their parts perfectly. Zack as the emotionless guy, and Natalie as the happy girl who's sad beneath the surface.
I have to compliment Zack Braff for all he did with this film. Acting and directing are both challenging things, but he also WROTE the movie!
If you're the right kind of person, you'll learn a lot about life, and yourself from this movie. It's a truly hear-warming, and enlightening film.
10 out of 10
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Can you say "Freaking awesome!"? I think you can.
This film is the greatest film i've seen in a long long time. It has everything.
The humor is right on que. It comes in at all the right times, and gives you a good chuckle when you need it.
The action is unbelievably great! It tops any movie made within the past three years! Every action scene is well thought out, and is different, and unique.
The storm fight scene at the end is the most epic thing i've experienced. The entire mood is just perfect. I don't think there's a single thing that could've been done better. 10 out of 10!!
Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
What if his watch had been plastic?
Well...anyway! This movie is great! I went to the theater wanting to see Casino Royale, but my the rest of my family wanted to see Stranger than Fiction.
I am soooo happy I didn't see Casino Royale! Stranger than Fiction is an uplifting tale with Will Farrell playing excellently as the routine ridden office man, living by the tone of his watch. His development into the happy, fulfilled man he ends up being is heartwarming.
This is a great movie, but not so much a comedy. It has some funny parts, but all-around it's a grander more deep experience than just laughs can bring.
Mezo forute (2000)
You should feel dirty.
Mezzo forte is a nice little action, comedy. The animation flows like water. The guns are well displayed, and Mkura is one of my favorite characters ever. The fight scenes were some of the best I've seen in any anime, rivaling that of Cowboy Bebop.
Now to the bad news. The story is okay, but many things don't seem to come all the way together. Like Mikura's ability to tell the future at random moments. If you're asking, "How can she do that?", your question will never be answered. Many others have commented on the rape scenes, and I must agree that they are totally out of place here. Somewhere between the guy getting hit in the balls with a baseball, and some other guy running out of the bathroom stall with his pants falling down in fear, the scenes don't fit in at all. Also the sound design isn't up to par for modern times at all. The music sucks also.
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
Go J.J.!
J.J. Abrhams has made, in my opinion a fantastic film. It's far better than MI 2, and about par with MI 1. The spy stuff rocks, and the gun shootouts were great. The acting is great all around, and the overall writing was good.
The only real complaints I have were with the pacing and sense of place. The pacing, at one point, was so break-neck for so long, that the viewer gets exhausted. And the sense of place was pretty out of wack. You just don't feel like you're as far away from someone as they are. Like at any second, it would seem like every character could just burst through the door from nowhere.
I am quite satisfied all around. And I'm grateful J.J. didn't do that thing they always do on Lost, like say some word, then the other person repeats that word back to them in the form of a question, and a conversation ensues.
Snakes on a Plane (2006)
Of course it's crap, but sometimes crap can be so good.....mmmmmmmm
Yes this movie is devoid of any and all character development. Yes this movie displays a complete lack of any emotional, or spiritually enlightening moments. And yes this movie has no purpose at all for existing.
However, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it! It's entertaining to watch. And in the end, isn't that why we go to movies in the first place?.........Maybe not...But regardless, this movie does in fact have, snakes on a plane.
Subpar acting Subpar special effects Subpar story Subpar story development But it does have Sam Jackson and some motha f#cking snakes on a motha f#cking plane. It get 5 stars just for that. Enough said.
Poseidon (2006)
Bottoms up!
This movie is completely devoid of any sense of character-ism, or personality. From the second the movie begins, to predictable ending, you feel absolutely no emotion towards any of the people who are suffering through the disaster of the day. Seriously, I actually wanted some of the people to die. If the director had done his job, then I'd feel a saddening pain in my heart each time one of the characters perished, and I wouldn't be saying, "Yes! It's about time that whining piece of crap bit the big one!" And like I said, this movie is predictable. From the very beginning you can pick the ones who will live, and who won't. And about half way through you know that the girls dad was going to down. My sister and I looked at each other and laughed when he died the same way we said he would. You know, giving his life so his daughter and her fiancé' could live. We even predicted that he would let the future son-in-law think HE was going to be the one to die.
All in all, it's not a terrible movie. It's just not great, or original.
Lady in the Water (2006)
Yes. I cried....shut up! Stop laughing!
Lady in the Water was an exceptional movie. It had all the elements. Though it did have more of the M. Night Shyamalan..ness, and less of the scary movie thing. The acting is great all around. The writing was down to earth and not at all over dramatic.The story for the movie did sometimes seem to be unraveling at an awkward pace at times. Overall, it was great to me. I appreciated all the that the different characters brought to the experience.
When Paul Giomatti character is trying to heal story, and he starts to apologize...when you realize that he's apologizing to his family...I cried my eyes out...and I'm a dude.
Shut up! It was a very emotional moment!
Identity (2003)
Ease it on back.
I've seen movies like this before. The kind of thing where the whole plot is based on what a person sees, and it ends up being in their head. But Identity goes way overboard with it. Nothing is real at all.
I liked the basic story before everything got all trippy. The story of a killer among a bunch of seemingly normal people. Then the whole, "You're actually a crazy person in a mental institute and people think you should die, so prove them wrong", thing kicks in.
If the rest of the movie lived up to what I like from the first hour or so, then I would recommend it, but the movie fails, and fails bad.
I give a 4/10
Big Fish (2003)
a movie that tells a story
Big Fish has been an instant favorite since i first saw it. I love the whole movie from start to finish.
Every part of the movie is a metaphor, or symbolic of something else. It makes you feel like a kid again, watching all of these fantastical stories of life and personal growth.
Also, it displays a heart for the lovelorn. The part where he sees Sandra for the first time is so pure, and romantic, I couldn't help but smile.
The ending is the kind that is so happy, you cry...and i did. The father is so well represented, as well as the son, and mother. The script is solid, the acting is flawless, and the entire movie moves at a strange, but fitting pace.
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Just kill the guy and get it over with
This is yet another creature kills/hunts people movie. The idea has been done. Samuel L. Jackson is the only cool actor in this movie, and he dies!!...What!? The effects are okay, in my opinion. The sharks look real enough for me to believe it.
The story starts off interestingly enough also, but then it takes a dive(no pun intended).
First, the sharks take down a guy being lifted to a helicopter, then swim real fast at some glass, let the guy go, and the momentum causes him to break the glass....What!? That wouldn't happen! he'd just lightly tap the glass. Momentum doesn't work that way! Plus, the shark is some how not pulled into the room that had the glass broken...Huh!? Some thing else that really gets me in the flesh, is how the sharks have the opportunity to kill the blonde guy like ten different times!! And they never do!!
Lost (2004)
ABC is almost killing the show
Yes. Yes i like lost. It's wonderful and grand-blah-blah-blah.
But...ABC is killing it. They have the most whacked out schedule that i've ever seen for premiering new episodes. They'll show a new one, followed by a rerun the next week, then a new one, then a rerun from SEASON ONE!!! What's the deal with that? Season 2 is kinda weird. Like not in a Lost way. People are running away, going insane, and losing friend ships that once could never be broken. Weird.
Anyway. I have to go on record and say that Jack wheezes more than a prostitute who just worked a quadrouple shift. *heeve**heeve* That's my general opion on Lost.
Invasion (2005)
Die Jesse!! Die!!!
I like the show in general. The acting is good enough, and the story is entertaining. At times, though, the camera work is a little shoddy. The tops of peoples heads will be cut off, or half of their body out of frame. And the CG for the new season is particularly unconvincing. Green screens are occasionally obvious.
The story makes up for most of these flaws, and the script is well written, but usually predictable.
Now to get to it. I HATE JESSE!!!! He is the most annoying character that I've seen in recent years. He whines and complains all the time, I know that that's the character, but even so I can't stand to see him even on the screen. Who ever plays Jesse is not a good actor by any means. He just mopes around and never looks happy. He didn't even look happy when he was in a bath tub with a hot girl. He was smiling, but sounded as if he was thinking,"kill me god! I hate my life and all the things in it!," I could not dislike this character more if he described his hatred for ME on the air and used my name.
Good show. Die Jesse. 7/10
Groundhog Day (1993)
One of my all time favorites
This movie has been one of my favorite movies since the day I saw it. First off, I love the premise. Living the same day over and over would start being really fun, then get old, then become hell on earth.
Bill Murry is great as the self-loving news channel guy, and Andie is equally as wonderful as the level-headed and sweet girl that anyone could fall for. Everything is in place for a happy romance. But this isn't all about romance. This about learning to appreciate each day for being alive and having everything you have.
Groundhog Day is perfection from beginning to end. The end in particular had me in tears with all of it's sweetness.
10/10