As someone who actually lives in Mexico, and has a 12-men strong Policias Federales group parked just outside my office with machine guns and a freaking tank (yes, a small tank with 2 50mm turrets), and my fair amount of dead bodies seen around in Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon and Sonora, many kidnapped (and lost forever) friends, this movie is one of the best I've ever seen about the War On Drugs. The third act is too constrained, but understandable as this is a movie made for an American audience. I wonder if you guys can tell the difference between Mexico City (where most of the Mexican scenes were shot) and Ciudad Juarez or Nogales, because you can't film there at all. The situation here is worst than anybody can imagine, and I just have to look outside my window. I'm looking forward for the next movie with Del Toro's character.
This film was way ahead of its time. I love how it reels you in, and never lets you go.
I always hated Mel Gibson's Braveheart because it was Robert the Bruce the one who was called the Braveheart because his heart (years after his death) was taken to a crusade in the Holy Land and thrown at the enemy in the heat of a battle, that was won, by the way. The film isn't entirely accurate (I'm a history buff), but not to a point that bothers me, as this isn't History Channel, but Netflix. The Prince of Wales was in London when his father died, Edward's body wasn't buried in the field, and Robert's daughter was kept a prisoner for 7 years more after the date the films ends. But all this made it very entertaining for me, and that's what matters in the end. Game Of Thrones is based upon Robert's history, so it's proper to finally see a film about the first great kind of the Scots.
This the best movie by Wes Anderson. It's charming, funny, sad and tender, yet magical. The ending... it's heartbreaking and sweet. A must-see for everyone.
Just like his previous film (Downloaded), Alex Winter creates a whole narrative stitching himself into the characters he's connecting. First, it paints an image of The Silk Road as a community whose main goal was to decrease the level of violence involved in drug-related transactions, to benefit the buyers (that rated both sellers and their products) thus creating an utopian libertarian free market experience. Second, it follows the case of the government and law enforcement agencies, their efforts to shutdown TSR and the ultimate futility of them, as several dozen drug markets appeared in the Deep Web as soon as TSR went offline. Third, it creates an analogy between the War On Drugs that has been going on worldwide for the past 40 years (to negligible effect) and how moving it into the DW will prove useless, given the vastness of the realm and new crypto technology that will arise from those angry against the US agencies involved into hacking a foreign server without a warrant, literally with nobody bating an eye. Lastly, it gives depth to Ross Ulbricht as both a gentle person and a free spirited thinker who was a believer of applying free market rules and 21th century economics into the drug trade. The toll on his person, his family and friends is felt in the last part of the film, humanising Ross and those around him. Ross Ulbricht was a very, very naive fool?... most likely. As a physician who has seen first hand the long terms effects of recreational drugs on patients, and its deadly outcome in many cases, I can't condone or offer any sympathy to Ross as a Deep Web drug concierge. He's a criminal who happens to be a nice guy. However, I'm very much against the way the government built its case, essentially breaking international law and precipitating a whole new level of drug trade that won't be excised by shutting down one of thousands of drug markets that have appeared with the demise of Ross Ulbricht. Nobody wins. Nobody.
I have to say from the beginning, that I do truly hate the original Attack On Titan anime. But I do happen to love Japanese cinema, and was willing to give it a try, as many live-action adaptations take a very original take on their source material (like Death Note, Mushi-shi, Gantz and Rurouni Kenshin). I'm so glad that I did it. For starters, the story is now set in Japan (instead of Central Europe), the origin is told in less than 60 seconds, the focus of the story is now placed into another character (therefore the metaphysical/ideological/romance non-sense from the series was dropped altogether, along with the German names) and his main motivation was introduced in a way that it's totally credible. The Titans themselves are quite plausible as they come. There are clear objectives, set goals in the plot, without missing a beat. The movie doesn't even try to explain anything beyond the scope of the plot, and that's a blessing. Suddenly, the whole thing made sense, and ATOT became a stylish, visceral sci-fi horror movie, with plenty of action and very decent CGI (something that isn't common in Japanese live action adaptations, that are usually low-budget fare). What I like the most is the portrayal of the Titans, as they are surreal, menacing, but with a hint of sadness. I'll recommend you to enjoy this movie with an open mind, and embrace the visual chaos from the action scenes with a wicked grin. This movie rocks and kicks ass, for sure. I do respect that it dares itself to take a huge risk and create an original film and piss off the fans in the process. Now, I'm waiting for the second part (and the mini-series Attack On Titan: Beacon For Counterattack), something that I couldn't even fathom when I pressed the "play" button one hour and a half ago.
In true George Lucas fashion, there are 3 different versions of this Kevin Burns documentary, produced by Prometheus Entertainment. The first, running at 2:31:00 (in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio framed as 4:3), available only in the original 2004 Special Edition DVD release, in monoaural audio. A second version, intended to be broadcast on A&E to promote the release of the Special Edition DVD trilogy, that cuts down 1 whole hour of content, yet has commercial breaks planned, a fast paced beat, it retains only key interviews, and features a 2.0 Dolby Stereo track (that actually kicks-ass), and the framed 4:3 aspect ratio. The third version is available on the US version of the Blu-ray 2011 release (those box sets with the extra content disc), and it only cuts half-hour of the original content and yet adds some new visual snippets and bits (like some shots featuring world-class swordsman Bob Anderson without the Darth Vader mask in the fencing sequences, a role that Lucas never acknowledged he performed until Anderson's passing), but sadly isn't available on HD (Burns used a 720p Hi-Def video camera for the archival interviews and made a 720p cut, but Lucasfilms had the dumb idea of cramming 8 hours of content on a single dual-layer Blu-ray, so they had to keep it at 480p with 2.0 Dolby Stereo), but it restores the original 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The original 2004 version is an excellent general-interest documentary (a must-see for anyone interested in the art of filmmaking), with the added bonus of being mastefully narrated by Robert Clotworthy (Jim Raynor in Blizzard's StarCraft video game series, Marshall Law in Tekken 5 and the soothing voice in the otherwise crazy History Channel's Ancient Aliens). Gosh, I would love to watch a 720p 1.78:1 version of it, some day.
Even when it's not 100% historically accurate, this movie is still relevant, and one of my favorite Cold Ward flicks of all time. It gets the message across, making you wonder about the hard, hard choices that Kennedy had to make in that given period of time. The development of a new diplomatic language, rules of engagement and nuclear policy as we know it today. The tension and thrill feels real (the low altitude fly-by and the U2 scenes are just great), both as a testament of those cold warriors and the way policy is made, to this day.
I had to activate my sense of disbelief at 100% for this film. I've read the manga, seen the anime, the Japanese live-action films (all 3 of them), and the recent Japanese live-action TV series. So, I decided to give it a chance, standing on his own... and I love it. This is an 80's style film, and follows the classic terror storytelling plots of that era, and the music and photography style follows suit. Everything that we as fans might see as a deviation from the original, are precisely the little tidbits that make it stand apart. It has better acting and dialogue than the Japanese live-action films, and the psychosis from Light is what I might expect from someone who is experiencing an emotional breakdown. Anyway... this is already a hit on Netflix from the amount of viewers alone.
An excellent documentary. After following for years in the press this case, I was expecting someday a "behind the scenes" documentary of the case inner workings like this one, and it really was an eye opener. Amanda Knox must be one of the most dumb, egocentrical, deceitful, unreliable, manipulative and superficial persons that I've ever seen in my life. She's guilty as hell, of course. You can see clearly in her body language and expressions that she's lying during the whole documentary. Most of the time, she's acting like it's a joke for her. Sadly, the Italian police made crucial mistakes during the investigative process and the judicial system there isn't precisely the best. It must be clear for the viewer that she wasn't declared "innocent", but got the equivalent of a mistrial (twice) and the prosecution wasn't able to create a new case against her sucessfully to stand against their appeals. That's such a shame, because she should be behind bars instead of everyone treating her as the spoiled brat that she is. There was no justice for Meredith, and Amanda's family is deeply in debt after all these years (and probably will be for over a decade). Hope she rots somewhere, someday.
It feels like a nice TV pilot episode, it has excellent action scenes and the acting is overall good. Michael B. Jordan does a decent job as a lead, and for a German movie, it's quite good. However it has nothing to do with Tom Clancy's novel, and that's a shame. Hope the follow up movie doesn't mess with the novel they mention in the after credits scene.
A really eye-opening experience. The way it affects everyone who invest in the US stock market (even those who use "safe" mutual funds) is frightening for all of us who are old enough remember all those financial crashes that happened in the past 3 decades... and the next one is coming from China, that's for sure.
An excellent comedy, truly enjoyable, especially Joan Hackett's character. Actually, it feels pretty much like a modern TV pilot, as James Garner plays his character with the same easygoing manner as he did in "Maverick" (1957-62), and would reprise again in "Brett Maverick" (1981-82) and "Maverick" (1994). He was perfect for Westerns. This movie has a sequel of sorts, "Support Your Local Gunfighter", that I really recommend.
I remember quite well the "World's Finest" arc from the Superman Animated Series and decided to enjoy it once again. Excellent, even after all these years, and I must say it has aged well, mostly because an excellent voice cast and GOOD WRITTING. Better movie than BVSDJ.
Along with Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian and Sicario, Creed is one of the best movies this year. I'm looking forward for the Blu-ray release to enjoy the behind scenes features.
A beautiful and intimate film about Jiro Ono, an artist who tries to achieve perfection in the craft he loves: sushi. It also depicts how living under his shadow places a huge pressure on his sons. Discipline, beauty, minimalism, exhuberance of flavor and form define his art, and he shares it to the camera for us to enjoy. His lament about overfishing reminds me that sooner or later, we'll have no fish and traditional sushi will dissapear, or become very, very expensive. Dreams Of Sushi Is a relaxing and beautiful experience to enjoy.
After enjoying this movie in IMAX 3D, I must say I'm utterly pleased. It keeps within the original Mad Max story, so isn't a reboot as such. Miller makes his presence be felt at the helm every single frame and his bag of tricks is full, and generous. The movie benefits A LOT from the 3D conversion for its very jumpy-action nature (however there's one shot when a driver's wheel jumps from the screen, that feels so 80's, that made me chuckle, you'll know when you see it), and the score was surprisingly good (I'm gonna buy it at iTunes right away). Hardy's performance is in tune with Gibson's: few words, pedal to the metal and dry humour here and there. You have to experience this film on the big screen, and I'm gonna bet that you'll love it just as myself.
The thing about this movie are the wonderful background landscapes. John Sturges loved widescreen formats, in an age when most cinemas still had 4:3 screens, as a norm. However, the cast feels lost against the backgrounds. Anyone familiar with retro-TV will recognize most of the supporting cast members as popular character actors that used to play antagonist roles in all the popular shows of the late 60's and 70's, including my favorite "heavy", Ron Soble (Wyatt Earp in Star Trek's "Spectre Of The Gun" and Queng-Dri in The Six Million Dollar Man's "The Coward"). This is nothing but a minor work in Sturges' and Eastwood's filmography, but it's well worth watching it.
It's with a huge relief that I must say that this is the BEST movie so far into the Kelvin Timeline. I found it moving, thoughtful and respectful of Star Trek's legacy. Excellent acting with a good balance between action, humour and sci-fi. It must be said that it's better than Into Darkness, hands down. Probably this is what the franchise needs: someone taking the best traits that make the TV series such an enjoyable experience (the big questions about ourselves as humans) and rise the stakes, even more. I won't spoil it for you guys, but after all it's said and done, you'll let go a small tear for OUR original crew. Farewell, Leonard and Anton. May you all live long, and prosper.
A lovely movie. So tender and heart warming. It's an emotional rollercoaster of laughs, action, mellow moments and tears. Damn. It has something for the little ones and adults alike (more for the adults, if you catch all the innuendos). The voice cast is top notch, and Kevin Hart cracks me up. Man, I'm gonna so buy this Blu-ray as soon as possible.
One comment. In the Minions short, the one in charge says "chupa la grasa" while making his sales pitch to the elderly couple, and that means "suck the grease" in Spanish. God... that made me laugh so much. It sets the tone for the next 90 minutes, at least for me.
I love this play. After watching Tom Hiddleston's performance as Posthumus (and Cloten) a few years ago, I knew the lines by heart and was expecting something rich. This adaptation has excellent performances (as I was expecting) by Harris, Leguizamo and Hawke. Even Dakota Johnson has some honest moments, despite lacking experience. But Badgley was not at his best, to say the least. The script is to blame, as I feel Cymbeline needs more time to evolve the parts. It was a pleasure to enjoy Vondie Curtis-Hall taking another Shakespearian role again (his first since Romeo + Juliet), and I was delighted when Delroy Lindo gave Belarius a warmth that was beyond his own lines. It's a beautiful play, and sadly the last act feels rushed. Anyway, It's a good movie, and I still wonder if it would benefit of a longer cut.
This Epix documentary about the Zombie phenomenon in western culture works in several levels. Establish the origins of the myth, the first landmark films in the genre and how the premises set in them shaped our expectations regarding Zombies (slow zombies, fast zombies, dumb zombies, smart zombies, etc) and how the myth reflects the fears from every generation.
An excellent documentary about CERN and the intricacies of quantum physics, as seen by the scientific community. For some is a huge opportunity, s life changing experience. For others, it question their personal beliefs on the universe's very nature. Engaging and educative, this is a must-see for anyone with an inquisitive mind.
As the italian response to Taken, this is a solid, fast paced film with great CQC sequences. Better than expected.
An excellent webseries, with a great cast. Originally 10-episodes long, the "movie" version of the series has some editing problems, that seems a little bit rushed at the end. Overall, a great piece.
After watching an excellent digital restoration by The British Film Institute, I must say it's a shame this film has been virtually lost all these years. A must see for any Peter Sellers fan.
I love Deadpool's character and the story arcs in the comics and crossovers. To be honest, this film, could be worst. It's fun, and kept me laughing the whole time. But the baddies felt so generic, it feels like a TV episode, sometimes. It's a romantic film?... kinda, and it works that way. Given the budget involved, I can't and won't complain. Reynolds IS Deadpool. He owns the character. Let's hope the next time around the writers feel more at ease, and the bean counters at Fox decide to give a few more rounds to this franchise.
A deeply humbling, tender and intimate look into the soul and mind of Keith Richards, his origins, talent and legacy. What's not to love?.
Building over the previous instalment, Rogue Nation proposes a plot that involves a deep-secret organisation hidden in plain sight within the confines of the world-wide intelligence community. Of course, this isn't something new, at all (S.P.E.C.T.R.E. did all that back since the late 50's). The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist, and just like that The Syndicate goes to extreme lengths to cover its tracks, not too convincingly. I mean, The Syndicate has been operating with almost unlimited funding since 9/11, but has never been able to manage a true chaos environment to thrive in and keep the status-quo... and that's a complete failure of its mission statement, specially with that kind of budget. The real C.I.A. did better than that with just a a minimal fraction of that money in South America in the 60's and the Middle East in the early 80's. The action scenes are good enough, but none of them surpass the elegance and thrill of the Burj Khalifa sequence in Ghost Protocol (and that's sad, in my opinion). Sam Harris isn't as convincing as he needs to be as the main antagonist, and I did find his exposition scenes a little bit forced, and within the Hollywood cliché that the villain has to explain everything to us, mere mortals, instead of just just killing the hero. The Chinese investment in the film is felt and unwelcome, in my opinion, just like it happened to Marvel in Iron Man 3, trying to add Chinese characters and scenes (trust me, those 15 extra minutes of the Chinese plot in Iron Man 3 available only in the Asian version of the film are worthless). Overall, this is a fine movie, albeit of lesser quality than the previous one in terms of scope. IMF is always (except in the first 2 movies) in the verge of disappearing, and 4 of the movies have the characters in rogue mode, so it's a little bit disappointing to me that they are still beating that same dead horse once again. Please, it is that hard to portray a few flawless missions just as the TV series did in a hundred episodes with a bare-bottoms budget and good acting?.
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.
