The 4-issues Dark Horse comic miniseries that serve as basis for this TV series, is great, and very enjoyable. Actually, the series captures a lot of the original theme and plot. Therefore, I must assume than as it is open-ended, I'm pretty sure that the producers are aiming at more than one season, probably two. That said, I can't see it moving beyond the 13-episode order mostly because of the very low budget they have per episode. Then again, it's a Canadian series, and I like the way they roll things up there (Continuum made it up to 4 seasons with some decent scripts and just a few VFX's), so let's see what happens.
An excellent documentary that correlates how Star Trek sci-fi tech inspires 21st century scientists to create our next generation of technology, in almost every field.
This movie is relevant for several reasons. The first one, is that it's the first movie with Morgan Freeman as the only male lead (Seven had Pitt billed as lead). You can count with one hand the number of movies with african-american leads in the 90’s. This movie also jumpstarted Ashley Judd's film career (she was fresh from 4 seasons in Sisters) and prompted her as a main female lead for about nine movies (including one more with Morgan Freeman). It's also one of the few James Patterson's screen adaptations, and probably the best of them (Along Came A Spider is not as good and Alex Cross is just awful). In retrospective, the problem with Kiss The Girls is that the part that happens in California was re-cut and re-shot by the producers, and it feels rushed and part of a whole different movie. Gary Fleder is a very talented director, but critics felt he was too young at the time (most of his credits were in TV, and this was his second feature), so the critics were very harsh about his gritty visual style, that now happens to be the norm in film and TV. Finally, the film was too dark for the 90's (even with the over-stylish and not explicit shots), both in theme and style and the American audience just wasn't ready for its visual language. In 1997 this movie was released against Titanic, JP2, The World Is Not Enough, Men In Black, Air Force One and The Fifth Element at the same time in the box office, and suffered for it, because the marketing was scarce, too focused on the American public, and Paramount barely spent any money to promote it overseas. It's an excellent dark movie, that just got lost in the glitter.
Excellent film, better in overall quality than "The Call Of Cthulhu" (practice makes perfect). The acting in TWID falls within what's expected from a period movie (with a few high and lows), and I'm glad that Matt Foyer was able to hold the whole film together with his performance, and that the rest of the cast had some delightful surprises, like Autumn Wendel stealing all her scenes, and delivering the emotional rollercoaster for the newcomer. For those not familiar with the original story, it's very different from this adaptation. Lovecraft was a master in creating settings, but not so much in beginnings and endings. After reading it, some 20 years ago, I was amazed how fresh it felt in this adaptation, and that it's as relevant as ever. Let's hope there's more productions from HPLHS coming our way in our future. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn...
There's certain degree of nostalgia when popping in this DVD into my player, upscaled to 1080p in 4:3 aspect ratio. Back in 1992, I got hold of this VHS tape named Beyond The Mind's Eye, at a Musicland (for those of you who might remember them when there was one in every mall) for $29.99. It's a 45 minutes showcase of the CGI state of the art from 1987-91, including graphics from leading CG artists, VFX houses and some universities, with background music from Jan Hammer (of Miami Vice fame). Totally amazing back then, even when the narrative is so disjointed and the overall quality of the CGI varies from segment to segment, it tries to keep coherence and provide a story hold together by the music. It works, because I used to keep it playing hours at a time while I was busy, as a background video. In 1998 I was able to replace my VHS tape with a brand new BTME DVD (Musicland rocks) for $39.99, now including Jan Hammer's CD soundtrack for the same price. The other entries in the Mind's Eye series are not as polished or successful as this one, and were a disappointment when compared to this beauty, where the quality of the clips and music make them work as a whole. Miramar (the company that released this series) went bankrupt, the material out of print and today used BTME tapes and discs (LD and DVD) command prices between $49.99 and $60.00, so I didn't lose a dime. It's a shame that the source material for this disc is 480p 4:3, because it would benefit from a re-release.
This is my favorite Miike film. About 25 years ago, I had the chance to watch the original 1963 Eiichi Kudo's B&W film (that is the basis for this one) in a cinema, and Takashi Miike's version has nothing to envy from it, standing as its own as a wonderful jidaigeki film. It's far more graphic, violent and darker (both in action and cinematography), with great performances and very discrete VFX's. My only complain is the first DVD version I got was dubbed to English (dubbed Japanese films are AWFUL, please!), and had to wait a whole year for the Bluray, with Japanese audio and excellent English subtitles. If you like films like Shogun Assassin, 7 Samurai and Pulp Fiction, this movie is for you. By the way, Koji Endo's soundtrack for this film is awesome, don't miss it.
Heartbreaking at moments, candid at others, it deals with China's teens online gaming addiction and the measures the government has taken towards re-integrate those affected into productive family relationships. Edited into a free-form format, it follows four months into the life of Hope, a troubled an lonely teenager who finds in WOW his only chance to experience heroism and friendship. What I love this documentary is that doesn't try to take sides or expose any kind of indoctrination. The counselor's advices and sessions are actually sound and caring, just as any Western therapy. An excellent documentary.
This might be my favorite second series episode, mainly for JLM's monologue at the meeting. It made me literally rewind and watch it again and again. The careful mannerisms, the craft delivering the lines. This might be the only scene in Elementary where we can grasp Sherlock as a human being, tangible, vulnerable and honest. And of course, his exposition was kept short, to just give us a glimpse, making us ask for more. I truly enjoy this show, but this episode's opening was so well conceived, that I still watch in once in a while.
It reminds me so much Inside Number Nine. The original theater play is a must-see.
Excellent opener. It sets the right tone and keeps things moving. Sadly, this season is only 6 episodes.
A true eye opener about the inner workings of a cult, told by its victims.
This episode features Tzi Ma as a former major of Tianjin, where Mulan (2020) was shot. He also appears in that movie. Odd coincidence, given all the backlash for the concentration camps.
I loved the movie back in ´99, and gosh, this is a GREAT remake. I'm impressed about the emotional rollercoaster in just one hour. Excellent pilot episode, and I just hope the series keeps this good.
Excellent first episode. I'm having a big problem to buy General Cochrane's motivations and overall attitude, and the amount of disrespect that projects upon Kirkman. Kal Penn needs to draw from his own experience at the White House, because his delivery feels tired, uneven. Other than that, this series premiere shines, and I'm looking forward for a great season.
Watching Daniel Stewart (Sir Patrick Stewart's real-life son) performing along his father for the first time since "The Inner Light" was such a treat for me. There are a couple of scenes between them that... I'm sure they meant what those words in real-life, and not just as actors. A great, great episode.
This may be a very promising beginning for this series. The writing, is on the spot and I really appreciate the nods to the previous doctors. Can't wait for next week.
This movie has a serious casting problem. Will Rothhaar isn't nearly as engaging as Oswald, and can't act to save his own life. It lacks experience, and his performance is unidimentional, at best. The rest of the cast is great, but Rothhaar weights down the play, making Oswald sound like a spoiled whinning brat, instead of a troubled, deeply conflicted person.
Testosterone driven, lots of gratuitous nudity, hand to hand combat, fast driving Audi cars and a very simple plot in every episode. Hey, what's not to love?. For those times when you need to get from point A to point B, leaving your brain in the backseat, this is it. It works within its limits. The order the episodes appear in Netflix is the correct production sequence, not they way it was broadcast in the US, and the main character mentions plot elements that only make sense if you watch it in the production sequence (yes, it has a plot). The German, French and Spanish dubbing of the series is fine, and I'm not experiencing any out of sync events. Be advised, this isn't Shakespeare, and isn't meant to be, by any means. It's Saturday night pop-corn TV to sit back with your mates and enjoy.
I must say... after Warehouse 13 ended, there was a little piece missing in my puzzle, and hey... here it is. Hope it gets its footing by the end of the first season.
A heartbreaking documentary about the Mexican Drug War, as seen from the eyes of two opposite subjects: Edgar Quintero, a "narco-corrido" singer whose life is slowly spiraling down into the very lifestyle his songs are about, and Richi Soto, a crime scene investigator, who risks his life every day in a battle that seems already lost. Schwarz, with his camera engages the viewer as a silent visitor in Dante's hell, descending and leaving all hope behind.
As far as The Marvel Cinematic Universe goes, this might be the best entry up to this moment. It builds up from IM3, T:TDW and (specially) CA:WS, and you might enjoy it even more if you watch those movies a few hours before to remind you a few facts. It has the same vibe and humour you might expect from Whedon's encyclopaedic Marvel-knowledge, yet something goes very awry (story-wise) just before the third act (you'll notice right away). Thankfully, the movie recovers and delivers at the very end, barely. Ultron - as a character - feels underdeveloped. and the stakes never feel as high as they might be. This is compensated with blockbuster-grade action sequences and VFX that make you forget that, but the main villain's demise feels like a huge disappointment. You never feel invested into Ultron's innermost tragedy (a flawed vision/programming that creates the whole conflict) that comes from Stark's cutting-corners attitude. This movie feels like an in-between chapter in a great story?: yes. It sets a proper tone for the upcoming Infinity War?: no. At the end, it doesn't really matter: you'll love it, and when you think about it later, it feels kinda hollow.
I'm sad that NBC has already cancelled this series and now they'll just burn the last 4 episodes. Therefore, the plot of the missing wife, the FBI agent that tries to "uncover" the activites of The House (that just received the alterative name of "Occam"), the Pit Boss past and the rest of interesting bits that made this series so enjoyable, won't be concluded. Therefore, I'm not wasting my time with those 4 episodes anymore. Ironically, they've already sold this show to 105 countries... and most of them will premiere it next year.
What to say, that hasn't been hammered to death by critics and press already?. For starters, if you try at any moment to take this film seriously, you'll be seriously disappointed. But, if you approach it with an open mind, it's actually a really light hearted and goofy comedy. I couldn't help laugh or chuckle most of the movie, and I like that. Both Johnson and Dornan are good performers, but can't help that their dialogues are unintentionally funny, and some are more than laughable. Well, I happen to find that a great redeeming quality that I wasn't expecting to find. The dozen little nods that try to break the fourth wall (like a serial killer reference to Dornan's role in The Fall, and the Crazy In Alabama little nod), the fact that the featured luxury items (expensive but not exclusive) are what any under-2-billion nouveau riche would try to acquire, kept me watching it (the photography and art direction are also top-notch). This film has the best non-score soundtrack I've heard in 2015 so far, and I've to admit that I paid for it as soon it was available in iTunes (great choice of songs and placement in the scenes). As a romantic comedy of sorts, it works up to the first moments of the third act, when everything hits the fan. However, we all know 50 Shades Of Grey isn't marketed as a comedy. It's a huge failure as a sex thriller (less than 10 minutes of sex scenes), that is light years away from any resemblance of what a true & healthy BDSM relationship should be for its participants. Grey breaks so many conventions and rules that the BDSM community holds close at hand, that it made me cringe and dismiss him immediately as a cartoonish single-sided character (and I have to accept that Dornan tries his very best to deliver his lines as straight as possible). On the other side, I did find Steele's character sparkly, funny and charming, empowering at times, incredibly naive, but dead-pan honest. That confers a certain tenderness to Johnson's performance, that isn't lost to me. Anyway, we all know that the film's producers are laughing from critics all the way to the bank, and the officially licensed products (from pencils to sex toys) are selling better than candy (somewhere close to $1 billion, so far). So, I'm enjoying it as much as possible you can with any pop-corn flick and waiting if they can improve the characters in the next instalment, while keeping in the back of my mind that I might be able to edit this movie and turn it into a bad-ass great comedy.
From a technical standpoint, this film is a fitting successor to Kubrick's 2001 in both quality and science accuracy. Emotionally, it's a heartbreaking tale about love, trust, betrayal and hope. However, Interstellar isn't a movie I'll care to watch again or buy, unlike Inception (my favorite Nolan film). I felt that so many plot holes were left open, found some of the characters so shallow and too emotionally driven given the stakes at play. Even the end feels somewhat as a disappointment to me, in every sense. In the end, it lacks from logic plot-wise and it plays the heart-love card way too often. Then again, the old school VFX are top notch and enjoyable. However, the story is thin, thin as paper, and I hate the fact that technology in Interstellar only works as much as the plot needs it to work, otherwise is useless or not advanced enough. Which is true in all movies, particularly sci-fi films, but it’s not supposed to feel like it at this extent, in detriment of the experience.
Comparing this film to its 1959 version would be a disservice. Based more faithfully upon the original novel, it features an excellent performance by Toby Kebbell and a competent one from Jack Huston, now brothers rather than just good childhood friends. This a story about forgiveness and redemption, and it requires from the viewer to enjoy it as such. Visually, it holds up with many practical shots, excellent photography and little CGI, a welcome change for that matter. The editing is a little bit choppy, sadly keeping in with the latest trends. Well, I really hope that it gets at least its budget back, because this summer has been brutal with most films at the B.O. Hope to enjoy it again on Netflix soon.
About the only reason I did enjoy this movie, was the cast, as they tried their best to flesh out unidimensional characters in a script that sadly, tries a little bit too hard to pay an homage to the original (and to a couple more films), but that also had a few twists now and then. I'm not comparing at all my experience as a 12 years-old kid watching the original. Back then, an uncle of mine (who passed away some years ago, God keeps his soul) was the manager at our town's largest cinema (a nice 70mm film 2000 seater that has been torn down since), and used to let me watch for free (and most of the times, all by myself) every single new film they got, before it opened, from 1980 up to 1987, when I moved to another city. Now, 1982 was for me a GREAT year: Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan, Blade Runner, Tron, The Thing, E.T, Conan: The Barbarian, Creepshow, The Dark Crystal, Firefox... almost every Saturday opening was a fantastic movie, in every genre. For the original Poltergeist, I was alone in the cinema, scared shitless. For this version... let's say I was checking boxes (while eating my popcorn) regarding how they got this or that from the first one, and the cast made me enjoy the experience. Have we seen way too many movies, that now we have become so cynical, expecting so much at every opening?. I don't know. I'm still missing watching in awe brand new movies on a huge screen all by myself as a kid. Having said that, I'm sure that there are some scenes cut from the theatrical release that I hope will get into the Blu-ray. It's a fine move, and it stands by itself when we cease to compare it.
Couldn't stand it. Probably I'll try to watch a couple more episodes, but that's it. I don't like the writing, the message is too tame and diluted for me. Not even in the same galaxy than Alan Moore's graphic novel. It doesn't have nothing to do with Watchmen, it's something else's agenda with the Watchmen name attached.
While I'm glad that Aaron Ashmore was able to land a role so soon after Warehouse 13, this series feels too self-contained and yet overtly complicated. I don't see it moving past the first season.
A literal copy of "Pretty Woman", that actually isn't half bad at all. It add a more human touch to the characters and is more upbeat and modern.
It's kind of strange because it doesn't feel like Statham movie or Ritchie movie. It has good moments, but those moments feel disjointed. It is a far cry from previous movies of both. However, it is a solid pop corn film, at least for me.
