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milosz-skow
Reviews
1917 (2019)
Weak script, completely carried by its cinematography and pomp
So, the historical war dramas have finally got their first entry that can truly be described as a blockbuster format. All flair, no substance.
The movie relies entirely on its ability to keep you glued to the screen regardless of the weak characters, the plot holes and the leaps in logic the movie gleefully undertakes for the sake of moving the story towards its underwhelming conclusion.
Deus ex Machinas? Check, every 30 minutes or so. Redshirts? Check. Stormtroopers as enemies? Check. Flat dialogue and unreasonable statements? Check and check. Even cheesy one-liners make an appearance.
On the plus side, the movie is shot beautifully. The faux long take really works and makes you feel like you can't get your eyes off the screen lest you miss some important detail. The CGI is not top of the pops, but it certainly does the job. The score is great too, keeping the tension high when necessary and jerking a few tears (or at least attempting to) when it can.
Still, in the realm of blockbusters 1917 still has some ways to go. I dare say Avengers: Infinity War is a vastly superior movie in pretty much every regard. And don't let the setting of 1917 fool you - it is a blockbuster, not a period drama. Ask yourself: if it was set during an alien invasion in 2117, but with the same themes, same plot, same characters and events, would you see it in a different light? You'd probably see it as a mediocre blockbuster with cool cinematography, and that's precisely what this film is.
The Man in the High Castle (2015)
Interesting premise, botched execution
I admit I've only lasted 4 episodes into the first season and then got extremely irritated. Full of plot holes, bad acting and poor writing. Glaring omissions and unbelievable turn of events make it a painful experience to sit through. You could forgive an occasional deus ex machina here and there, but fact the characters act irrationally for no good reason other than to give others plot armour and forcibly push the story forward is an unforgivable sin in my opinion.
I like the visuals though. Seeing the Grosse Halle realised really makes the feeling of total defeat set in your stomach. That, and the ever-present swastikas, even on telephone booths. And the immaculate SS uniforms that strike fear into the hearts of the inhabitants of Greater Nazi Reich.
But why is it called a "Greater Nazi Reich" in the first place? Wasn't "Nazi" a derogatory term that the German government at the time avoided? Why would Germans adopt it as a name for their overseas territory? I don't know, there's just so much that doesn't make sense in this show that it's a pointless exercise to ponder over it.
Not saying you should avoid it like the plague, but don't try and make sense of it. If you're enamoured by the romantic vision from the perspective of a resistance fighter of what the world would look like after Germany won WWII, then you might find it interesting. Otherwise, there's nothing here that other TV series don't do 10 times better.
Vikings: Moments of Vision (2018)
A spectacular dive into insanity, fate, and commitment.
We finally see brothers pitted against brothers, norse against norse, men against men, women against women. This spectacular mid-season finale brings it all to the table and delivers it in an unsettling, disjointed way. Contrasting the past with the present, expectations with reality, exhilaration with disappointment, and cold calculation with unhinged insanity. It's a ride, so strap on.
Ivar's vision during the battle scene says it all - the "danse macabre" he sees before his eyes. He's lost. Even though it may or may not appear he's winning, he's truly lost...
Lagertha's prophecy, as foretold by the seer many episodes ago, finally comes to pass. But, her death is much, much worse than whatever could have happened to her on the fields of battle.
Brothers duke it out on both sides. Results may vary. We do learn a lot about relationships between particular brothers in those short instances, and why the sons of Ragnarr where the fiercest bunch of Vikings to ever grace this world.
And Floki... oh, Floki...
In summary, a masterful episode. Worthy of a mid-season finale, for sure. Very intense, but also touching and philosophical. Lots of combat as you'd expect, but also a retrospect on the relationships and personal struggles of each and every character. Will leave you wondering about the ultimate fates of the characters for the rest of the season break.
Oculus (2013)
A masterpiece in writing, let down by simple mistakes
I enjoyed Oculus very much. I am aware of all the criticism it received and I must say a lot of it is deserved. However, I would recommend this movie to any horror fan for one simple reason - it's intriguing, and that's not something much of the modern horror movies can boast about. Plus it's got some solid acting and unexpected plot twists, so there's that. But first, let's dissect it and see what's inside.
The movie tells a tale of a family whose fate was derailed the moment they decided to "adopt" a less-than-friendly member of the family: namely, an old mirror. Their usual, idyllic existence turns horribly wrong, and so the daughter and (to less of a degree) the son decide to end the nightmare that was haunting their family by exposing the cursed mirror's machinations, and ending its killing spree. Little do they know, the mirror has more tricks up its sleeve than they had bargained for.
Just quickly, on the positive side, the actors, even the children, did a solid job. Really, you can't fault them in one way, even if Brenton Thwaites seems like he just got out of the winter hibernation not knowing what to do. I mean, he IS a mental case without any adjustment period, so I guess he'd be a little tense.
Another BIG positive is the story. I mean, WOW! At some point you'll ask yourself whether the thing you're watching now is really there on the screen, or whether it's just something the mirror would show you in your weakest moment. Am I right, John? Is that correct, Sophia? Look behind you. Now. And if your name is not John nor Sophia, than sorry for failing at my attempt to scare you :P
Directing and camera work is spot on, couldn't ask for more. Half of the time you just sit there and wait for something to finally MOVE just so it relieves the tension of the scene. I mean, DAMN, that third cover sheet-figure-thing.
Now for the bad... and there's a good couple of things wrong with this film... sadly.
*Kinda minor spoilers, but not really*
First up, the zombie-face-folk. You know what I mean by that - those guys that just pop out of no where for the sheer spookiness effect. They serve no purpose in the story and they're just there to jump- scare you, but the problem is they are not even THAT scary. AND they look out of place most of the time. If I was the director, I'd just cut them out completely. There's no real reason for them to be there. Focusing on the tragedy that befell this family would have so much more impact if they replaced the "spooky" devil-lady with... hmmm... the mom maybe? The devil-zombie-folk are a miss in my book.
Another tragedy that befell this film rather than the family is the sound. Beginning with the soundtrack which sounds like some bad remix of Skrillex's new album (womp, womp, womp, wa, wa, wa, womp, womp, etc.), all the way down to the sound design which is SO hit and miss it's more miss than hit. Like the "spoopy" whispers from the mirror. Out of place, not scary at all. To be honest, they'd have gotten more of an effect out of the film by NOT using any sfx in some scenes. Less is more I say, less is more.
But, again, I have to commend the brilliant story and dialogue, which felt natural, had me hugging myself in some places and in others had me flipping the table and going "WTF!?" It was that good. Really good. Almost undeservedly good. And all that backed up by solid directing and cinematography, which accented all the right corners, and omitted all the right corners as well. Solid, spooky horror filmmaking right there, no doubt.
And that is why I give this movie a 7/10. With added solid sound work, which is so important in horror movies, I'd rate this an 8 or even a 9, but as it is, it only stands as a testament for all the writing, acting and directing talent ready to be exploited for the good of the horror genre in some other movie. BUT, thankfully, the movie is still a watchable Friday night flick, and so you should watch it. I'm talking to you, John. And to you, Sophia. Get right on it.
So, if you watch it without expectations you'll be more than pleasantly surprised. Just ignore the demon-folk - they be useless. And on that note, I'll leave you with one more piece of advice: You're going to have your father call. The doctor will be there tomorrow.
Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)
A mighty fine piece of cinema right there
For what it is - a lighthearted spoof of a hillbilly horror genre, this film has a surprising amount of depth to it. And I'm not just talking about the comedy aspect. The entire theme of the movie centres just as much around the stereotyping that the "West Virginia folk" suffer from, as it does around the preppy college kid trope in horror movies. And it does it in style. Even though some of the deaths seem improbable at best, they send the right message in the context of the story. The Chekhov's gun has fired and it keeps firing throughout the film. The script keeps you jumping from one set of shoes to another until you're left wandering, who the hell is the bad guy here, and if there's a bad guy here at all? This is the essence of the movie in terms of the message and it delivers in that department. It really does. But enough about the boring stuff, lets focus on what's important...
Is it funny? Yes. It's funny and original and everything you'd want from a spoof comedy. The references to the hillbilly horror movies are certainly there, and they are presented in such a way that a newcomer to the genre will still find the scenes funny, but a connoisseur will savour the additional layer of gory sweetness as it comes. One. Bloody. Bit. At a time. Delicious!
Acting is OK for what it is supposed to represent. It's not believable to the point of immersion, but it doesn't feel like it's supposed to be immersive too. It's just the right balance of acting versus goofery you'd come to expect from a spoof film. Plus some unscripted scenes make the movie that much more entertaining - apparently, in hillbilly country, beer is good for everything ;)
In summary, if you're looking for something to watch with your friends over a pizza, you'd have to look far and wide to find something more entertaining (but not stupid) than this. It's funny, energetic, thoughtful, and it will keep you talking for the rest of the evening in that holiday house you just bought with your friends. Just keep your eyes peeled for them pesky college kids! Or things might get a little... bloody!
Maggie (2015)
A movie all fathers must see
Let me just start by saying I gave this film a 10/10 simply because it doesn't deserve the bad reviews it is receiving, and so I'm trying to counter-balance it a little bit. It's not a 10/10 movie, but not too far off too.
First of all - if you just saw a critic's review title saying "Arnie vs zombies" and you expected it to be Left 4 Dead in a movie format, you clearly haven't paid attention. This is a DRAMA! And it doesn't pretend to be anything else. Not in the trailers, not anywhere.
Moving on, let's focus on the performance value - stellar. It really is. Both, Abigail Breslin and Arnie give 120% of themselves to lend this movie a strikingly believable performance. I truly believed Arnold was Abigail's father throughout the movie, in good and bad times, and that Abigail was terminally ill.
As far as the story goes, this topic is something that is rarely seen in consumer media, let alone in Hollywood production, we get hints of family life in a zombie infected world every now and again, but we rarely get be part of the process - not the process of the person turning into a zombie, but the process of a family slowly breaking apart with no hope or chance of stopping it. And it's heart breaking.
I mean, I cried. I'm a manly man. I have several suits in my wardrobe, a nice car in my driveway and a Swiss watch on my wrist, but I cried nonetheless. I saw Maggie go through all that pain along with her father and all it took for me was to think: "What if it happened to my family" and I was in shambles. I cried. A lot.
And I cried a lot not because it was a stellar performance by Abigail and Arnie - I cried because I knew. I knew this film was about something else besides zombie apocalypse, being a hero, or keeping your family safe from an outside threat...
It was about a terminally sick child, and a father who knew, he had no power to save her. With all his physical strength, with all his composure and confidence, he had no power to stop the sickness from killing his child. And it shows. And I'm welling up as I'm typing these words.
In conclusion, this movie is a great performance, and a grim reminder of what the cruel and unfair world has in store for us and our families. And the worst, cruelest part? It's just the way it is sometimes.
Excuse me while I go and cry some more...
Livide (2011)
Refreshingly different, but lacking in immersion...
My initial expectations were that this film would be a classic teenager-slaughter-haunted-house-screamer type of horror. All I knew about it was what was written in the description on IMDb. I didn't read the reviews or the message boards, fearing spoilers, and I didn't pay much attention to the rating either, as somewhere along the line of 7.0 tend to be the upper end of the scale for horror movies on IMDb.
I was wrong in my initial assumptions. The film is not a gore flick in a classic meaning of this term. Yes, there is quite a lot of blood, fresh wounds and bodily harm, but it is certainly not the main component of this film. And I'm not talking suspense or survival either. The main component of this movie is... *dramatic drum roll* ...writer/directors' poorly executed ideas! Don't get me wrong, it's symbolism in its best - there is a second and indeed a third bottom to this story. It is just so distractingly told it takes away all the immersion and replaces it with a feeling of... You know that feeling when after seeing a stand-up comedy show your friend starts re-telling one of the jokes that the comedian told, but for some reason it just doesn't sound very funny at all? It's THAT feeling - awkwardness mixed up with appreciation and contempt... sort of.
The story follows a young caregiver and her two male companions, as they make their way into an old woman's house, to acquire some of her possessions in a less-than-legal way. Without spoiling too much, I can tell that what follows is an interesting, though as I said poorly executed journey into the history of the house and its owners. There is bloodshed of course and a few loud-noise-sudden-movement type of scares, which are, sadly, predictable. But there is more bad news than good news I'm afraid. While the story is moving and original, the characters are underdeveloped and hard to relate to. Sometimes they act irrationally and not even in the classic "let's check this dark basement" kind of way - they just do weird things against all reason and in a ridiculously scripted manner. Some of the events, though evoke symbolic meanings, do not fit very well into the overall mood of the scene, or the film in general.
Acting is bad. There are only a couple of decent performances, and that's Catherine Jacob as Catherine Wilson and Chloé Marcq as Anna. The rest was just bad - especially Jérémy Kapone as Ben - even when afraid he just looks bored. Because of the poor acting and underdeveloped characters you never really connect with any of the protagonists.
There are of course good sides to the film as well - the story is interesting, the setting is atmospheric and very detailed. The mood is there for the most part and that is all extremely important for a horror movie to give the viewer what he wants: a piece of shiver-inducing entertainment.
In closing, I must say that as hard as it is to make even a half-decent horror movie, to make a horror movie that has as much depth and complexity as Livid is even harder. And because Livid pulls it off and manages to deliver a few scares here and there, it deserves at least some recognition.
Thank you for reading, and enjoy the film if you haven't watched it already.