Whew what a journey! Thank you Hans & Company. Hope to experience you all in the future without my TV in the way. That was simply something else.
Reviews
4 Reviews
Victoria
(II) (2015)
Stellar!
14 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Wow took me almost three years to stumble onto this morsel. I googled 'best movies in Netflix you haben't seen'. It has been a very long time since I saw a truly remarkable movie. This is a must see and officially one of the greatest movie experiences in my time.
Those reviewers who think Victoria's choice to go hang with these four strange dudes was unbelievable completely missed the essence of who she is. I mean I thought the same thing at first so I get that.
But here it is...
Victoria starts the film alone at a club w/ no friends. She hits on the bartender. No luck there so she takes her shot and leaves. She claims she has no friends. She is clearly lonely. You see it pour out if her when she plays the piano and breaks down conveying her dedication to her craft wasn't without sacrifice: a sensen of community.
And so she begins the film alone, finds a taste of community she never really had with these four dudes... and ends up alone.
Aside from this being a monumental technical avhievement, it is quite simply the reason I fell in love with movies in the first place. It's very difficult to 'wow' me these days so congrats to these fine film makers.
Enjoy!
Those reviewers who think Victoria's choice to go hang with these four strange dudes was unbelievable completely missed the essence of who she is. I mean I thought the same thing at first so I get that.
But here it is...
Victoria starts the film alone at a club w/ no friends. She hits on the bartender. No luck there so she takes her shot and leaves. She claims she has no friends. She is clearly lonely. You see it pour out if her when she plays the piano and breaks down conveying her dedication to her craft wasn't without sacrifice: a sensen of community.
And so she begins the film alone, finds a taste of community she never really had with these four dudes... and ends up alone.
Aside from this being a monumental technical avhievement, it is quite simply the reason I fell in love with movies in the first place. It's very difficult to 'wow' me these days so congrats to these fine film makers.
Enjoy!
So Bad it's good!!! But not becase it sucks!
15 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Think Family Guy meets a horrible Guardians of the Galaxy.
I can't believe how bad this movie was and you won't believe it until you see it.
I feel bad for Mark Hamill. I really do.
Here's one spoiler...Snoke hated Kylo's mask...so Kylo smashed it to bits.
Classic. I'd say you can't write that but they did.
And so much more.
Never thought I'd say this but I won't be seeing Episode 9.
I can't believe how bad this movie was and you won't believe it until you see it.
I feel bad for Mark Hamill. I really do.
Here's one spoiler...Snoke hated Kylo's mask...so Kylo smashed it to bits.
Classic. I'd say you can't write that but they did.
And so much more.
Never thought I'd say this but I won't be seeing Episode 9.
Dead Awake
(2010)
Dead Awake Wakes You Up!
7 December 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Dylan O'Rourke ( Nick Stahl ) is a young man living in a state of depression after suffering the loss of both of his parents in one fateful night ten years prior. Unable to cope with the weight of his guilt, Dylan retracts from society, unable to continue with his girlfriend Natalie (Amy Smart) again and worse...unable to bring himself to visit his parents' grave. He now spends his time as a recluse, working in perhaps the most depressing environment of all - a Funeral Home. While overseeing a packed funeral for an old high school friend, fate takes it's course and he comes face to face with Natalie. His boss - a burly Undertaker named Dekko ( keenly played by unknown Brian Lynner ) inspires him to stage his own funeral to see who would show up. He tells Dylan "You can tell a man's character by who shows up at his funeral." Sadly, just two people show; Natalie and a crack junkie named Charlie Scheel (Rose MCGowan in her strongest performance yet.)
Regardless of the small turnout, Dylan is set on a path to reconnect with his long lost love and Charlie. He eventually finds Charlie in the seediest of crack dens and after revealing himself, he inadvertently forces her to believe that he is an angel that has come to take her away from this hell she lives in. Moments later, Charlie's drug dealer / pimp puts two slugs into Dylan at point blank range but the bullets pass through him in divine intervention. Dylan befriends Charlie but cannot get her to believe that he is very much alive and not the angel she believes him to be. She tells him "The walking dead are all around us and that there are dead who are in an unbreakable state of denial. They so strongly believe they are alive, that they become visible and real to those in the world of the living." She asks him "what is is like when you die?" And tells him "I'm not ready to go just yet because I have to get clean first and when I get clean, then you can come and take me."
Days later, Dylan finds Charlie OD'd in her crack den. He brings her to the hospital and into a heavy blanket of coincidence - or perhaps something else - when Natalie arrives on the scene as Charlie's nurse. Dyalan and Natalie reconnect on old times while Charlie recovers in bed. Dylan tries to find purpose in his "wasted life" and takes his entire savings to the man - an aging gangster - who owns Charlie. He ultimately frees Charlie by paying off the gangster and settling her $20,000 debt. Upon doing so, he spots an unmistakable Claddagh Ring an and among the gangster's collection of stolen items laid out on the table before him - a ring that belonged to his parents. Dylan storms back to the hospital and forces Charlie to admit her guilt - that she was the one who brought the ring to the gangster. But Charlie goes further, admitting that she was the driver of the cab - one that she stole to feed her drug habit - that killed his parents. Dylan explodes and storms off, not wanting anything to do with Charlie for the most obvious of reasons.
Charlie leaves a voice mail with Dylan, telling him to meet her on the roof of the hospital. Charlie goes there and finds Charlie about to commit suicide. He attempts to talk her down from the ledge but Charlie refuses until Dylan admits his love for Natalie. Dylan professes his everlasting love for Natalie just as she arrives on the rooftop as Charlie's other invited guest. Their everlasting love now realized, Natalie dumps her unloving husband for Dylan. They visit Dylan's parents grave at the cemetery with Dekko and Dekko's wife (unknown Kim Grimaldi in a strong performance) before setting out on a new beginning together.
The film concludes with the revelation - a solid twist - that Charlie has been dead all along and is actually Dylan's guardian angel. Unwilling to accept her death as it occurred in the cab with Dylan's parents, she had become the walking dead.
From here, we surmise Detective Milano was also the walking dead, a guardian angel. He tells Dylan "I'm just here to look after you is all." If you feel the need to give a helping hand to those who need it most and / or have ever experienced true love, love lost, loneliness, desperation, isolation, doubt and fear among all that life brings, then you will find a resounding, strong and uplifting message within Dead Awake. This piece rises above the negativity that incorrect audience expectations tend to invite with them. I'd give this a 9/10 if it weren't for that over cooked, cringing music score that almost swallows the last half. Man...that score sets the bar low. It's almost as if the composer locked him/herself in the editing room without a key. Dead Awake is a great story that is well written and well told. Omar Naim's direction is solid overall. Forgiveness is easy to grant on the choppy and confusing flashback sequences and I'll even add some additional applause for the stylishness behind Charlie's POV - what I believe is her guardian angel aura? I'm certain it was. When all is said and done, this is the type of movie that will always give you more every time you sit down with it. You can't expect more than that from a low budget effort. Well done!
Regardless of the small turnout, Dylan is set on a path to reconnect with his long lost love and Charlie. He eventually finds Charlie in the seediest of crack dens and after revealing himself, he inadvertently forces her to believe that he is an angel that has come to take her away from this hell she lives in. Moments later, Charlie's drug dealer / pimp puts two slugs into Dylan at point blank range but the bullets pass through him in divine intervention. Dylan befriends Charlie but cannot get her to believe that he is very much alive and not the angel she believes him to be. She tells him "The walking dead are all around us and that there are dead who are in an unbreakable state of denial. They so strongly believe they are alive, that they become visible and real to those in the world of the living." She asks him "what is is like when you die?" And tells him "I'm not ready to go just yet because I have to get clean first and when I get clean, then you can come and take me."
Days later, Dylan finds Charlie OD'd in her crack den. He brings her to the hospital and into a heavy blanket of coincidence - or perhaps something else - when Natalie arrives on the scene as Charlie's nurse. Dyalan and Natalie reconnect on old times while Charlie recovers in bed. Dylan tries to find purpose in his "wasted life" and takes his entire savings to the man - an aging gangster - who owns Charlie. He ultimately frees Charlie by paying off the gangster and settling her $20,000 debt. Upon doing so, he spots an unmistakable Claddagh Ring an and among the gangster's collection of stolen items laid out on the table before him - a ring that belonged to his parents. Dylan storms back to the hospital and forces Charlie to admit her guilt - that she was the one who brought the ring to the gangster. But Charlie goes further, admitting that she was the driver of the cab - one that she stole to feed her drug habit - that killed his parents. Dylan explodes and storms off, not wanting anything to do with Charlie for the most obvious of reasons.
Charlie leaves a voice mail with Dylan, telling him to meet her on the roof of the hospital. Charlie goes there and finds Charlie about to commit suicide. He attempts to talk her down from the ledge but Charlie refuses until Dylan admits his love for Natalie. Dylan professes his everlasting love for Natalie just as she arrives on the rooftop as Charlie's other invited guest. Their everlasting love now realized, Natalie dumps her unloving husband for Dylan. They visit Dylan's parents grave at the cemetery with Dekko and Dekko's wife (unknown Kim Grimaldi in a strong performance) before setting out on a new beginning together.
The film concludes with the revelation - a solid twist - that Charlie has been dead all along and is actually Dylan's guardian angel. Unwilling to accept her death as it occurred in the cab with Dylan's parents, she had become the walking dead.
From here, we surmise Detective Milano was also the walking dead, a guardian angel. He tells Dylan "I'm just here to look after you is all." If you feel the need to give a helping hand to those who need it most and / or have ever experienced true love, love lost, loneliness, desperation, isolation, doubt and fear among all that life brings, then you will find a resounding, strong and uplifting message within Dead Awake. This piece rises above the negativity that incorrect audience expectations tend to invite with them. I'd give this a 9/10 if it weren't for that over cooked, cringing music score that almost swallows the last half. Man...that score sets the bar low. It's almost as if the composer locked him/herself in the editing room without a key. Dead Awake is a great story that is well written and well told. Omar Naim's direction is solid overall. Forgiveness is easy to grant on the choppy and confusing flashback sequences and I'll even add some additional applause for the stylishness behind Charlie's POV - what I believe is her guardian angel aura? I'm certain it was. When all is said and done, this is the type of movie that will always give you more every time you sit down with it. You can't expect more than that from a low budget effort. Well done!
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