starwarspasta Reviews

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

The best screenplay of any Godzilla film

[8/10 · 16 December 2023]

The past few installments of the Godzilla franchise although entertaining, focused on the visual spectacle and destructive action of Godzilla rather than a profound effort into writing a good story. Godzilla Minus one not only captures the terror of Godzilla in a unique way, this is paired by an excellently written screenplay. The film has strong character development, a nuanced plot, a likeable protagonist and and is not overtly predictable. The dialogue is necessary to the plot instead of just being meaningless filler. All traits of a good film that many new sci fi and action films tend to miss the mark on. All of the actors are cast well and their characters use logic and reason rather than acting like complete imbeciles; something you might expect for this genre of movie. I have seen every Godzilla film from the 1998 onward, as well as some of the originals like Mothra Vs Godzilla and I can honestly say that this is the best one of the franchise. It has a darker and more serious tone, without slapstick comedy forced in or eye rolling one liners. It makes you SCARED of Godzilla. It takes a story that already has lore surrounding it, but executes it in a way that has never been seen before. The SFX and sound mixing are top notch, as well as the menacing appearance of the beast itself and the extreme attention to detail the entire film. So far it is my favorite film of the year second only to Oppenheimer, beating Napolean. 8/10.

The Nun II (2023)

The Sequel, worse acting and better story

[7/10 · 29 October 2023]

Overall I would say this was a significant improvement from the first film. Instead of following a cookie-cutter eye-rolling plot, this story was a lot more expansive and ambitious. There was some new imagery introduced that was not only frightening, but captured the essence of the demon Valak and the lore that goes along with the character. Farmiga seemed to forget how to act, overacting at times and then under acting at others. She seemed very stiff and not quite immersed in the script. The child actors outshone her with little effort. All that being said, I think the Nun II benefitted from a larger budget and a longer runtime. The film wasn't anything special by any means, but it's enjoyed it more than the first Nun and some of the other films in the Conjuring universe such as La Lorena and the third Conjuring.

Bones and All (2022)

The indulgence of unnatural impulse

[8/10 · 31 January 2023]

What made this film so effective was that horror was an indirect element of the plot rather than the driving force. In fact, the tone of the movie is more so one of a drama than the pacing or feel of a horror film. The story was truly about a young girl who is struggling with identity and finding her place in life, while battling against her inner demons. Demons that the average young woman would never have to face. The casting was deliberate and a strong point of the film. At times you feel sympathy for the protagonist, and shortly after, disgust. This duality is one of the themes that keeps the viewer engaged throughout the duration of the film. The setting and uniqueness of the movie is something I found quite refreshing, considering how formulaic contemporary horror has become. The actual 'horror' in this film is cerebral, rather than the surface level, in your face type material you see in most slashers. It reminded me in some ways of 'Badlands' but otherwise was unlike any film I have seen. The gore was just enough to effectively portray the subject matter, while also avoiding overindulgence.

Blonde (2022)

An esoteric fever dream

[7/10 · 5 October 2022]

I imagine that Blonde has a lower IMDb rating due to the fact that many people were expecting a sunshine and rainbows biopic. Instead, we get a haunting, albeit largely fictional, glimpse into the abuse and exploitation that Marilyn experienced in her life. Many will criticized the liberties taken in this film with regard to historical inaccuracies, but I believe they should curb their expectations. Instead, you must go into this film with a different paradigm, and look at through the lens of a surrealist tragedy. I particularly enjoyed the themes of isolationism and aloneness that were portrayed through Monroe's psyche. There is also a meta aspect to the film which I find particularly enjoyable. The cinematography is very well done, and the 1.19 aspect ratio used throughout gives the film a complexity that we don't often see. The case can be made that the film is one dimensional in the sense that it does not focus on Marilyn as an artist or any of her positive achievements, but I don't find this to be a criticism. I think Dominik took a risk in making this film a tragedy, and focusing on despair is something many directors are too afraid to pursue.

The acting is not bad by any means, but it is also not the strongest part of this film. Ana De Armas' Cuban accent notwithstanding, I believe she played the part well, but her range as an actor was ultimately limited by the script. Fans of David Lynch and surrealist cinema will most likely enjoy this film.

The Eyes of My Mother (2016)

This one will stay with me

[7/10 · 8 September 2022]

It has been a while since a film has truly disturbed me. 'The Eyes of My Mother' is a minimalist film with a foreboding sense of isolation that I haven't felt in a long time. As a massive horror fan, few films can cause me to have a sick feeling in my stomach, but this was one of them. Unique, concise and unsettling. There is nothing extra in this film; no fluff, the 1 hour and 16 minute runtime is perfect to accomplish all that is needed.

The limited dialogue and black and white filter give it a surreal aspect, and the POV being from the protagonist solely is quite effective. It invoked feelings of sadness, terror, and disgust while viewing. Ultimately, it was a glimpse into the macabre that we don't get from garden variety Hollywood Horror.

You Won't Be Alone (2022)

There's boring, and then there's this

[5/10 · 4 July 2022]

I don't mind slow burns. In fact if the film is engaging and leads up to a satisfying payoff, I prefer it. This film is painfully slow, to the point where I would rather be on my phone than watch it. I would best describe it as the Witch if the Witch was boring and directed by Terrence Malick. Long shots of nothing, not much character development. The premise itself definitely has potential, but the execution is real bad. It felt like a chore to finish this film. I suppose the only positive thing I can say about it is the cinematography. It is shot very well, and I have no criticism with the acting. Lamb (also a film I did not enjoy) also twith Noomi Rapace, although boring is something I would watch 100 times again before viewing this for a second time.

The Lighthouse (I) (2019)

Best A24 Film

[9/10 · 19 April 2022]

Best A24 film in my opinion, and I've viewed most of them. The story is actor and dialogue driven. The screenwriting is immaculate and the exposition is meticulously crafted. The performances of the two men are superb, the deliberate shots and lenses used to make the film, in addition to the black and white give the viewer an immersive feel. Through isolation, it is journey into depravity of the mind. From the perspective of a cinephile, I believe it's simply the best crafted A24 film. I recommend watching it with subtitles so as to not miss some of the finely written dialogue. It's definitely not a contemporary horror, but I would describe it more as a psychological thriller/drama. Robert Eggers is a master of his craft.

Antiviral (2012)

Boring and meaningless

[5/10 · 6 January 2022]

This film felt empty, and not in a good way. Little effort is put into character development or exposition, which undermines the plot of the film. The protagonist is sort of detached from the viewer, and this lack of connection with him or the other characters (most of whom are meaningless) takes away from the effectiveness of the horror aspect of the film. Poorly paced and just overall slow, conceptually had some promise but the execution was ambiguous and unnecessarily so. The film ended with disappointment and me asking myself, "what was the point of that?"

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Possibly the greatest film ever made

[10/10 · 1 September 2021]

The storytelling, level of acting and pure emotion found in It's a Wonderful life is what separates it from almost any other film. Watching it, whether it is the first time or 50th time, reminds the viewer of the meaning and significance that was once ubiquitous in film. Movies in the modern day are largely filled with cheap thrills, one liners and constant stimuli. It's a Wonderful Life is the complete opposite. It tells a story that is so fundamentally important that it almost NEEDS to be told. The lessons that can potentially learned from watching this film are invaluable. The beautiful and talented Donna Reed gives one of, if not the best female acting performances I have ever seen, and James Stewart portrays George Bailey so well that it is hard to imagine separating the man from the character. Even some of the greatest films have flaws, but I am unable to find any with It's a Wonderful life, it is a bona fide masterpiece, and I believe any true cinephile would agree.

Mortal Kombat (2021)

Entertaining film that paid homage to the original

[7/10 · 26 April 2021]

I didn't know what to expect with this iteration of Mortal Kombat, but it did not disappoint. Within the exception of Johnny Cage, all the main characters from the original are in this movie, just playing different roles or versions of themselves. Unlike the original in which the film is situationally driven (fight scene, brief dialogue, immediately another fight scene) the 2021 Mortal Kombat is character driven. This allows for a better balance in the film between fight scenes and exposition, making it ultimately more enjoyable. Unlike some of the other misleading reviews, there were many fatalities in the film, and the movie has a very high rewatch ability factor. The aspect I enjoyed the most was the strong effort by the makers of this film to include nearly all the elements from the original, while putting their own spin on interpreting them (I.e scorpion using a blade attached to rope rather then rope shooting out of his hand). While the original will always be a guilty pleasure, the higher budget of the 2021 version paired with the R rating and more effort into making a complex plot just makes it a better film.

Duel (1971 TV Movie)

Not slow per se, but VERY boring

[4/10 · 13 April 2021]

I was intrigued by this films high IMDb rating and the fact that it was Spielberg's first film. The plot looked promising, and I had high hopes for the film. There are two major flaws with 'Duel', the unlikeable protagonist and the repetitive nature of the course of events throughout the film. From the very beginning, the protagonist acts as an effete, passive, and weak man. This causes the audience to quickly grow a dislike for his character and starts rooting for the truck driver, which I assume was not Spielberg's intention. I understand the film is dated, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. There are several car chase movies from the 60s and 70s that are absolutely thrilling, one such being 'Bullitt' with Steve McQueen. The cars in this movie are traveling at relatively slow speeds the entire film, and the shots are so repetitive that I'm almost convinced they reused exact same parts of film throughout the movie. There is really no rising action, because the initial encounter with the truck driver at the beginning of the film is the same in the middle of the film, and the end. The backdrop looks the same, quick car chase, break, another chase, another turn, same backdrop, etc like Groundhog Day. I kept expecting the film to get better or have at least some variety in the course of events, but that never happened. A 90minute film should not feel like it was two hours, but yet I kept thinking to myself, "when is this going to be over?" I have no desire to ever view this film again, and I hope that no one wastes their time with it.

Unhinged (I) (2020)

Protagonist is insufferable

[6/10 · 5 January 2021]

If you maintain your suspension of disbelief and forgo any semblance of logic this is actually a fairly decent and entertaining thriller. The biggest problem with this film is the unlikeability of the protagonist. Not only is she a bad mother, but she continually makes decisions to put herself and her son in danger. Also, they should have cast the mother as an older actor or the son as younger, a 30 year old mother with a 16 year old son is possible but not common, and it just added to the nonsensical nature of the film. The action scenes and brutal violence of Crowe's character were enjoyable, but the viewer has a hard time sympathizing with the protagonist. In spite of the fact that Crowe's character is a murdering maniac, he is absolutely reasonable in their first interaction. He gives the protagonist the opportunity to apologize for blaring on the horn and driving like a complete a-hole, but she refuses and sets a poor example for her son by fighting fire with fire. The subsequent events of the film are a direct result of the protagonist' selfish behavior. Because of this decision by the protagonist in the inciting incident, the entire rest of the film it is hard to sympathize with her in any way, and the viewer almost finds them self rooting for Russel Crowe's character. Also side note that has nothing to do with the core essence of the movie, but at the beginning she is running late to take her son to school, and her son laments that he will have detention because of his tardiness. The mother basically says 'oh well' and asks how long detention is. Correct me if I'm wrong but at any school in America can't the parent write a note to explain the tardiness due to traffic or otherwise? Is the school going to punish the child for the parent's mistake? Just another illogical piece of the movie that could have been fixed. Not a terrible film by any means but overall cheap thrills and a total loser protagonist is what caused this movie to fall short of a 7 or higher rating.

Pathology (2008)

Get a PHD and then smoke meth?

[4/10 · 27 October 2020]

The concept of this film was good, but the execution was poor. Almost any horror or thriller movie is going to require a disregard for logic and reason, which is expected, but this was a little too much to rationalize. Medical doctors smoking meth and drinking every night, but yet they are able to wake up the next day to perform an incredibly demanding job? Somehow they are afforded complete autonomy and access to all medical facilities without any supervision. Highly unlikely. This, paired with shoddy acting and an underwhelming pay off. The audience is unable to form any connection with the characters and for that reason doesn't have much of an emotional reaction to the course of events that occur throughout the film. Not scary, just one of those movies that you wish would end as soon as possible. Not to mention the ending, which was annoyingly abrupt and laughable.

Border (2018)

Is human to think that way?

[6/10 · 4 August 2020]

This film is not for everyone. In fact, I would imagine that the garden-variety movie watcher would not enjoy this film. If you like allegory, foreshadowing, and symbolism, than I would recommend giving it a watch. This is a very esoteric film that demands a specific audience. I would describe it as a true mystery, perhaps even a tragedy, a slow burn with very dark themes. This is not a feel good movie with any aspect of hope or happiness. It is not a movie I would be quick to watch again, although I don't regret viewing it. There is a lot to unpack with this film, and if you watch it with someone else I guarantee you will be talking about it for a while after watching. You can tell that those who shot the movie spent a lot of time on detail and the cinematography. Overall the film falls a little short in some ways, and I would describe it as simply bleak and disturbing.

New Police Story (2004)

Darker than the former police stories

[6/10 · 3 December 2019]

Whereas the first four police story films are filled with humor and more of a light hearted tone, this one was very dark in comparison. The violence was also more realistic and graphic, with more blood. Very little humor. Also, Jackie's character has gone through a transformation over the course of his career as the inspector and by this film you can really see it on his face. The stunts and explosions were remarkable as with almost any Jackie Chan film, and the story was unique. The pacing of the film was a little strange. Entertaining no doubt, but most likely the weakest of the first 5 films.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

Entertaining but overblown

[5/10 · 7 November 2019]

It is difficult for an action movie to be too over the top, especially with the likes of the Rock and Jason statham considering that is what you expect from this type of movie and cast. However, this particular film may be a little too overblown. The plot is decent as are the special effects, but the biggest dislike I have with this film is how unrealistic nearly everything in it is. It is made almost more like an avengers movie then a fast and furious movie, with space age technology and motorcycles that are basically transformers. Idris elba's character is essentially the black panther and can move and jump just as he can in an inhuman fashion. There are a few scenes in it where you have to do huge leaps of logic for the film to make sense. In one instance the antagonist hacks every single media source on the planet somehow to make Hobbs and Shaw look like terrorists. Not only would this be impossible but they provide no explanation for how they achieved this. There is a scene toward the end of the movie where it is night time and then it suddenly is day time and back to night time all in the same fight sequence. Although I was pleased with the ending and the Samoa aspect which partially redeemed the film for me.

Session 9 (2001)

Not a horror

[6/10 · 26 September 2019]

While I was expecting this film to be either scary OR disturbing, it proved to be neither. There are moments, especially when the workers first enter the asylum that seem as if there were going to be terrifying scenes, but it never pans out. However, this is not a bad film by any means. It would just benefit the viewer to think of it as a slow burn psychological thriller. The plot was very unique and the final result was impressive considering the relatively low budget. The acting was good and the chemistry between the characters seemed genuine. Although this film keeps you guessing, it ultimately falls short in delivering the fear factor.

Knowing (2009)

Collapse of plot by second half

[4/10 · 25 September 2019]

The first half of the movie started off with a decent plot and potential. The second half turned into a nonsensical mess with absolutely no meaning. Not only is the ending terrible, but there is no explanation to significance of anything that was previously emphasized in the previous scenes of the movie. The acting is terrible, but I'm usually willing to disregard that if the plot and characters redeem the film. In this case, no such luck. Very lazy writing and overall garbage movie.