sbierly Reviews

Windtalkers (2002)

Giving a 6 out of respect for the story, the movie itself is Hollywood idiocy that rates more like a 4...

[6/10 · 4 December 2021]

I finally watched this movie, it long caught my interest but fell of my radar for years. I do recommend watching this movie--at least until some independent filmmakers (or streaming studio) makes a worthy version of this story. The story is incredible. As an high-tech engineer, I am blown away by the fact that the human brain and unusual language was able to solve a real-time encryption problem decades ahead of any possible other technology. Sure, machines like enigma could be used, but, that is a heavy and vulnerable asset to drag around on the front lines. Really heroic story, and even more moving given the lack of respect shown to native Americans since the European invasion of their homelands.

Incredible human drama. Great performances by the lead Navajo actors. Cage was his usual fantastic self, despite the flimsy lines he was given. The rest of the movie was---meh. Typical Hollywood narcissism. Spend most of the budget blowing things up and sending people careening in all directions in bits and pieces. Zero depth to any other characters, including the Japanese, who were little more than animated cardboard cutouts screaming and shooting. This movie should be a poster child for the imminent demise of the Hollywood glory days, following in the path of cable TV as they chase each other down in a great swirling flush. The best thing about the streaming media revolution is that it busted up the Hollywood empires, and with that I have hope in a retelling of this story by more intelligent, skilled hands.

Aniara (2018)

Artists should at least talk to a scientist before writing science fiction...

[5/10 · 27 November 2021]

Sigh, what a letdown. There was outstanding acting from the lead actors in this film, so kudos to them! They also managed to take us to some really vivid imaginary realms with what was likely a shoestring budget, so more kudos to sound and cinematography! The movie concept was really thought provoking, and I'm glad I watched it. The writing was actually reasonably good as far as the this essentially human drama actually played out. However, the technical reality of the story details are just...preposterous. Just silly. For an educated viewer, it was not only insulting, but literally a squirm in the seat as they ignored both astronomy and physics again and again with an obvious attitude of "who cares?". Guess what, details matter!

Perhaps the writers consider themselves artists, which if true would bestow them with unlimited powers to imagine whatever they want. This would be fine if they had enough imagination to synthesize an entire new universe with different details and different laws of physics. But if the story in fact states that the setting is between Earth and Mars...well, then the details of this universe actually matter, no artistic license granted!

I'll avoid citing the many aggravating examples of artistic idiocy invoked in this film for the sake of avoiding spoilers, and summarize by saying the movie is otherwise very worth seeing, but check your brain at the door and just enjoy the human story that they very wonderfully tell in this film.

Castles in the Sky (2014)

Frustrating attempt at telling a engineering military history story

[6/10 · 21 February 2021]

I enjoy historical dramas, many good ones these days--this is not one of them. I'm also an electrical engineer, so the story of the invention of radar had great promise to me. Sadly, this movie was almost as disappointing to me as the movie Monuments Men was, except in that case they had a good book to screw up, here I guess they just winged it (pun intended). The villain's are caricature, the history is mostly skipped over, and the engineering is as much a façade as a town in an old Western movie. Worse, they can't decide if it's about human relationships, history, war, or technology, not to mention occasionally attempting but failing to be a comedy. It basically fails across the board. Except--well, it's quite lovely to look at, and I enjoyed being given even a rather silly tour of an important moment in history and in engineering. It kindled my interest to read more, and for all these reasons I upgrade it to 6 stars. In other words, it's worth seeing, but don't expect much.

Rise of Empires: Ottoman (2020–2022)

Excellent Historical Drama, albeit short and sweet

[8/10 · 13 February 2021]

This was an amazing series, an unusual combination of historical period dramatization and interspersed documentary interview snippets--so expertly woven together that now in recollection I cannot clearly remember when there was drama, narration, and expert historical footnotes, it just is all blurred together into a seamless experience that is beautiful, exciting, and educational. My only complaints are that 1) it was too short, I miss it already and crave more expanded story continuation, and 2) that it was a bit difficult to be dropped into the middle of this cataclysm lacking sufficient historical context to the big picture. But, those complaints allow me to be excited with hopeful anticipation of sequels, and motivated to brush up on my history to fill in the gaps!

Sense8 (2015–2018)

A Masterpiece cut short by evil Netflix

[9/10 · 27 January 2021]

This show is another masterpiece by the Wachowskis. A bit eclectic?, sure. A bit overindulgent on occasion?...absolutely. But the quality and depth of this series is many layers beyond the typical drivel being produced today, whether cable or streamed. Many strikes against Netflix in my book for cancelling this show prematurely in order to fund a larger quantity of banal junk food for the masses. Sure, there is sadly a demand for that, but finish what you started, have some integrity. I will never forgive Netflix for terminating Marco Polo and Sense8 unfinished. For now, all that can be done is rewatch it and enjoy.

I just finished my second time through, love, love, love it. Compared to the shallow writing and acting in so many other series, everything here is magnificent. Simply excellent writing, directing, cinematography, and acting. Oh, the acting...the characters...I am completely in love with every single character, and there are so many. Wachowskis--I love you, thank you for contributing to some of my most treasured and favorite works--The Matrix, Cloud Atlas, and Sense8.

Psychokinesis (2018)

Light but masterful film by a talented director

[8/10 · 16 January 2021]

I thought the trailer of this movie looked amusing, and I suspected from the feel of it that it would be funny and maybe even cool to watch. We finally watched it this evening, and wow, what a surprise, thank you instincts! What a treat. Yes, the movie is light, sort of a darkish action sci-fi comedy, and super cool. That was all we wanted tonight, to laugh and escape. But this film was much more in many layers beneath that. The director has serious talent and creativity, he takes you on an adventure in ways you just haven't seen before. So refreshing in this formulaic time. This movie features excellent acting, cool and funny effects, deft attention to detail (it's really like a trip to Korea), and a gentle touch that nuances every character so that you see that everyone is trapped in an intertwined set of dynamic forces, nobody is purely good or evil, just human. The film clearly reflects a love for Korea--the good and the bad--and does all this while taking you on a fun and outrageous ride.

Now I see why I liked Train to Busan so much, the pattern is clear. Yeon Sang-ho is clearly a rising film talent, in that movie he actually managed to make a zombie movie feel simply plausible, another day at the office, and managing to make me laugh at what otherwise were the most gruesome moments. This is serious talent, and I look forward to watching all his other prior and future films.

Do the Right Thing (1989)

31 years late watching this...AMAZING!

[8/10 · 13 December 2020]

Realizing I had never seen any of Spike Lee's movies, we put this on last night and were mesmerized. I had no idea. This is a masterpiece of a movie on so many levels and viewpoints that it was kind of overwhelming. Incredible actors and acting, cinematography, directing, editing, sound...it haunted my dreams last night, and continues to haunt me today. By "haunt", let me be clear that I mean the lingering presence of a life experience that was so rich and complex that your overwhelmed subconscious mind continues to process it long after the experience, seeking deeper comprehension, meaning, and answers. Not only was watching this film such an experience, but it was a technical masterpiece as well.

In the interest of no-spoilers, I will try to summarize what I think is important to say with care. Having read a bunch of online reactions of others to the movie already, I must say that like any good work of art, what you see in this film is what you want to see, biased by your preconceptions and life experiences. That is, in my opinion, the genius of this film. My ongoing subconscious yearnings for a bottom line, a moral lesson or meaning from this film, are doomed to end up unsatisfied in the end, because I don't think it exists. I don't think Spike Lee actually has an angle, a bias, or a lesson, other than "do the right thing", a simple reflection of the reality that consequences derive only from choices made, and that in choice alone lies morality, truth, and the power to affect a future outcome. Every individual choice--good or evil--writes the story of the future.

In this film, Spike Lee creates a vibrantly colored cinematic tapestry of life in a single 24 hour period on a single street. Within this tapestry he weaves a set of interlocking worlds containing stories of many detailed characters, each with their own backgrounds and troubles, each with their own hopes and aspirations, and each with their own struggles to survive in this microcosm that is their view of the world. Yet, these worlds all coexist on the same street, and as they overlap and collide there is both harmony and friction, there must be give and take.

Many say this film is about racism, but that is a colossal oversimplification. It's about human beings, who can be classified through genetics or culture in a multitude of ways: ethnicity and race, gender, parent or child, husband or wife, rich and poor, store owner and customer, spoken language, musical taste, mental health, disabilities, vices, or authority and power. In this movie, on a single day in a single place, we see through the lens of Spike Lee every single one of these facets of humanity play out in a struggle between harmony and conflict--between love and hate.

As my brain continues to struggle to find a clear punchline, a clear meaning, even a clear sense of what was right and what was wrong in this vivid story, I can only come to one conclusion: Spike Lee doesn't have a punchline, he only paints a picture to illustrate the human problem. In this picture lies the problem posed by the human condition, that we must always live amongst each other amid differences and conflicts and competition, and that even when we think we are doing a great job at this 99.9% of the time, life eventually presents us with a moment of split decision where our choices can have enormous consequences. Good versus Evil. The choice will never look as clear as those words imply, all we can attempt is to do the right thing.

Thank you Spike Lee, this film should have won multiple Oscars, and I can't wait to catch up on all your work which I embarrassingly have missed until now.

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

Exceptional film, ignore the naysayers who can't appreciate it

[9/10 · 13 September 2020]

Ignore the critics, who sometimes can't see past their own self-important need to sound smart and then miss what's right in front of their eyes. Not without flaws, I still call this movie is a masterpiece. With age appropriateness in mind, all should see it. It is a window into a different time, and very different place for Westerners. The actors--and acting--is exceptional. The cinematography is magnificent. The music!--we are talking John Williams, Itzhak Perlman, and Yo-Yo Ma here!! The story, often in narration from what I assume is the book (I need to read it), is top notch. My only complaint--voiced by others as well--is that despite the excellent acting by some of the key players and best efforts to portray early 20th century Japan, the fact that they are not Japanese is unmistakable and a bit distracting. Nevertheless, my favorite performances here are from Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh, along with young Chiyo played by Suzuka Ohgo (who is Japanese). I say let the tiny flaws go and just enjoy this important film for what it is.

Basic Instinct (1992)

Wow, 28 years ago. This movie is much better than I remembered...

[8/10 · 5 July 2020]

I feel compelled to write a brief review on here after giving it an 8 upon re-watching it tonight--haven't seen it since it came out. I was drawn in mostly out of curiosity and simply craving the retro feeling and California locale. I mainly remembered how scandalous this seemed when it came out, that it was sexy and daring, and that was about it. Well, and the...weapon. And the interrogation. But wow, I frankly don't think we (and certainly the critics!) fully appreciated this movie back then. Daring indeed, I don't think the world had quite seen a woman as such embodied by Stone before, she was the ultimate incarnation of sexuality, confidence, and evil brilliance. I am not sure it has ever been matched. Simply perfection. I love the way the movie was shot, it was on the one hand informal like a cop buddy murder mystery movie, but that was merely the backdrop to the incessant tension and stimulation between Stone and Douglas--it was also rich with cinematography, you could taste San Francisco and the salt of the coast, while transported to a very different time, now far in the past. They captured it perfectly. But the story, the drama, the intrigue, the nail-biting and simultaneous arousal--it was to me an evolved take on--and much sexier version of--a Hitchcock film. I think this excellent movie was ahead of it's time in 1992, and I hope more of us give it a second look, and I hope the younger generations discover this somewhat lost gem.

Sons of Liberty (2015)

What a lost opportunity

[5/10 · 25 April 2020]

I will give this a solid 5 because it's worth watching just to imbibe the period setting to seed the imagination. The actual show is not generally worth remembering, but it does at least convey the sense of helplessness that might have accompanied the lower rank of imperial colonist, more than a slave, but less than a citizen. I liked being given a provocation to contemplate the situation in which our country was stirred violently into existence. But, it's all downhill from there. What a great cast of actors--generally wasted. There was a lot of good acting, sort of like watching someone struggle valiantly in the noose before ultimately succumbing to inevitability. The writing was---well, reminiscent of the final seasons of GOT. Simply horrible. Not only was this fiction over history, the plot regularly just didn't make any sense at all. Many character were individually very compelling and enjoyable, so it was fun. To me, the greatest disaster is the lead character Sam Adams, who in this yarn might as well have been Homer Simpson in colonial dress. I am left wanting to know some tiny sense of who this man was, what his story was, how he might have been inspiring or a leader in the origins of this country. But we get none of that in this abysmal failure to define the headline character in the show. He was almost a potted plant with two eyes and a hat simply on screen all the time, saying nothing of consequence (except the one great speech at the end out of nowhere), doing nothing of consequence, at best being something of a clown that others inexplicably respect and follow. What a shame. Still, expect nothing, watch, and enjoy the period drama.

The Titan (2018)

Netflix Execs are as clueless as Facebook's...

[4/10 · 1 April 2018]

I watched this movie tonight cold, lured in by what looked like an interesting premise. Skeptical at first, I quickly thought "wow, this might be a deep and thought provoking film". Well, that quickly went down the tubes. What a shame, this could have been a really cool film, but it was completely disappointing and mediocre. The script outline was the basis of what could have been great, but instead it simply went nowhere--plot sequences that made no sense at all, technical dialog that was complete nonsense jargon strung together (seriously, you make a show for smart people and then think you can get away with that?!), and then a story that simply evaporated into nothing. The final scene and conclusion was perhaps the worst thing I have ever seen, it's as if they just got to the budget limit and gave up.

I am seriously losing faith in Netflix, I may soon pull the plug. They cancel epic masterpieces like Marco Polo mid-story in order to fund crap like The Titan. The Marvel stuff started off excellent, but judging from Jessica Jones season 2 so far, Netflix has overextended themselves on new content. There is no old content (worst movie selection ever).

Anyway, if you want to be teased by what could have been a great movie, and then see it abruptly end half finished (picture the death star before it blows up), watch The Titan. Otherwise, save yourself 90 minutes.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Seriously questioning the integrity of the Oscars now...

[6/10 · 6 March 2016]

I don't get it. I placed this film on my watch list simply due to the Oscar attention, and wins, although I was seriously skeptical that a movie of this sort was really all that. I figured that beyond the way it looked in the trailers that I so easily dismissed, they must have really broken artistic ground, must have knocked the acting out of the park, the story, they must have really done something special here. Nope! The movie was worse than any low expectations I initially had.

The funny thing is, I watched this movie following a debate about the integrity of the Oscars--which I defended!--and then we watched this movie. Now I have my doubts, there is simply no rational explanation for the accolades bestowed upon this film beyond some ulterior motives, beyond somebody making money on this process.

The characters in this film were all caricatures of anything that made any sense, yet so amped-up and just silly that the it seemed everyone involved was on speed while writing, producing, and acting this out. Completely hollow characters, shallow and essentially empty plot, the film managed to be riveting only through non-stop action that as I look back feels a bit like a PTSD recollection of Clockwork Orange Alex watching it strapped down with eyes forced open.

The movie was indeed a visual wonder and spectacle, and I enjoyed watching it. If it was just there, adorned with low expectations, looking unloved, and I watched it without bias--then, perhaps, would I simply say "wow, what a neat blockbuster extravaganza, typical Hollywood, shallow, but who cares, it was fun". But for this movie to win all these awards, I feel completely sick about the entire Oscars enterprise. Between this, and the fiasco of the worst Oscars ceremony I've ever witnessed, they now have a long way to go before I pay as much attention to them as I once did. Too bad...

The Words (2012)

One of the best films I've ever seen

[9/10 · 1 December 2015]

I've just watched The Words for the second time, mesmerized and tear- struck throughout. Frankly, I'm shocked and disappointed at the complete critical disdain that has been bestowed on this beautiful work of art. I just had to read some of what the critics wrote to try to understand how this could be. Mind you, I only read the top 5 reviews, and I am shocked to find the criticisms both due to microscopic nit-picking, and to studiously missing the point, I think. Maybe everybody sees something different, or what they want to see. Regardless, I hope anybody reading this will take heart and watch this movie, who knows what you will see in it.

With that in mind, I will attempt to write it without spoilers, although that of course presents challenges. I found this movie to be philosophical genius. To me, it's not about the specific plot at all, not even about ethics or the stealing of a story. This movie is a brilliant inspection of the human condition, of the clash between the conflicting passions for love and individual goals and self esteem, and most of all the choices that one makes in life in the process. This movie is about the essences of life--passion and choice, the future that this spawns, and the consequences that must be lived with because that's all there is to do. You can't unmake a choice, you just have to see how it plays out.

This essential plot is constructed out of many layers, scenes, actors, and threads of story line. The cinematography is sensual, understated, and beautiful, and places you squarely as a quiet observer of the interconnected webs of human drama built upon the cascading choices and events, the interplay of lives, places, and consequences. The musical score is marvelous, creating feelings of appropriate drama, depth, and underscore to the orchestrations of life on the screens. Most significantly, there are the words themselves.

On the one hand, "the words", like the rest of the plot details, are simply the excuse to illustrate the human condition. Yet, these words also are profound on many levels--powerful, sensual, passionate, desperate, even confessional, the words themselves take a life of their own across decades of time and transcending lives. The words are living choices as fiction from life, and yet the power of their consequences propagates in wave after wave of impact on the lives of others. There is metaphor in the repeated choices made due to the words and the ensuing loss.

Whether you are reading the words yourself, hearing them narrated, watching the inspiring events, or hearing the tale from the one that experienced them, each unique perspective reinforces the diversity with which life and its choices are experienced differently by all who come in contact with them.

This is what I see in this movie. It is beautiful and profound on many levels, a joy to experience with all your senses, and a provocative nudge towards introspection of your own choices and consequences in life. This is one of the best films I have ever seen, and I guess I feel sorry for all of the reviewers I just read complaining about holes in the plot. I'm afraid they watched but couldn't see the actual brilliance of this film.

Bravo to "The Words".

Spectre (I) (2015)

One of the worst Bond movies in the franchise (think Moonraker)

[5/10 · 11 November 2015]

I'm just amazed that so many others think this is a great Bond film. I'm so, so disappointed, not only for the franchise, but also for Daniel Craig, who is amazing as Bond (and, well, just amazing)! Perhaps it was simply so deep that it was over my head, but I found that the story hardly made any sense at all. People are talking about it going back to the "old formula". What does that mean?

Here's a good example--there has to be the villain's henchman who is impressive and yet you hate him, waiting for his ultimate doom. Think odd-job, and his hat, or Jaws and his, you know, teeth. In Spectre, they produce early on, right? Bad guy with the signature attack move (avoiding spoilers) shows his stuff, and while he is featured throughout the rest of the movie, he leaves you disappointed.

In other scenes there is loud drama (when the girl is being played a video), "turn it off!", yet there is complete ambiguity as to what the drama means. Never resolved, like many other loose ends in the film. The entire significance of the visually impressive opening scene is really not clear at all. Just an excuse for some action for the "formula" and the trailer.

And the villain himself? I liked Christoph Waltz's performances in the Tarantino films, excellent films, excellent acting and roles. But after a while, you realize it's less acting than just Christoph himself (think Owen Wilson--who I love by the way, but...you know what I mean). It gets tiring, and he simply wasn't a compelling bad guy. And really?, the plot line here as to the connection? Where the heck did that come from?

I'm sorry, but this was a terrible waste of many $M and some fine actors. Having said all this, it was a fun movie, you can't not enjoy any Bond film on the big screen, but given all the crap movies being made these days, there is just no excuse for wasting a Bond film.

The Monuments Men (2014)

What a pathetic sellout of an important book

[4/10 · 17 August 2014]

How very sad I am after finally watching this highly anticipated movie. I recently read the book, and while the story is a bit dry it's simultaneously huge in stature, an overlooked historical chapter of WWII, and a moving philosophical insight that has permanently changed my perspective on the importance of art to humanity.

George Clooney, for shame. This movie is a complete bastardization of the true story, what did you do, just read the cliff notes and wing it? Most of what was portrayed in the movie didn't happen. This is not a comedy. You changed everyone's names so you could make their characters more interesting? So you could give them a drinking problem? Add a bit of sex scandal? Outrageous.

This movie is an embarrassment to history, to the men who personify this story, and to the book it claims to be based on. I will only commend the making of this film in the attempt to bring the story to a wider audience, to that I say "bravo", but I am very sad at the resulting product.