This is hard sci-fi. This is a wonderfully written story with some degree of payoff, but leaves huge questions unanswered about humanity, which is what hard sci-fi is about. Do yourself a favor and give this movie a shot, but you have to be patient, and you have to pay attention.
Reviews
14 Reviews
41
(I) (2012)
Outstanding Sci-Fi Film
13 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I was pretty leery of the 7/10 rating as so many small films on IMDb get rated by cast/crew/family to push up their rating, but being a Sci-Fi fan I gave it a shot. I will say that this film takes a bit to get it's momentum. The acting, cinematography, and writing seem to get better as the movie goes along. The film started out with an amateurish feeling and ended feeling like a studio-produced movie.
Here's a quick synopsis of the story: A man goes back in time to save his ex-girlfriend that died in a car crash, and ends up struggling with larger issues with larger consequences.
All that being said, this was an excellent film. Great story. Everything about this movie works. The further the movie goes along the more you get sucked into it. Fantastic writing and a great execution. If you're a fan on science fiction, especially low budget science fiction like me, you'll enjoy this film.
Here's a quick synopsis of the story: A man goes back in time to save his ex-girlfriend that died in a car crash, and ends up struggling with larger issues with larger consequences.
All that being said, this was an excellent film. Great story. Everything about this movie works. The further the movie goes along the more you get sucked into it. Fantastic writing and a great execution. If you're a fan on science fiction, especially low budget science fiction like me, you'll enjoy this film.
Paradox
(III) (2016)
Worth the watch
20 April 2016
There is so much terrible crap out there that gets made, it's difficult to weed through it to find a movie worth watching. This is one, and that's why I decided to review it. I'm a big fan of sci-fi, especially low budget gems. If you liked "Primer," "Coherence," "Time Lapse," or any independent sci-fi like those, you'll like this. The acting was better than expected, the movie had a good pace, good story, and was well told. The only bad part of this movie was one CGI shot in particular that was kind of a "90's TV CGI" effort. I'll admit that in the beginning the acting was a bit wooden, but it got better. Despite those shortcomings this really was a good movie.
The Phoenix Project
(2015)
Worth watching, but definitely slow.
18 May 2015
Make no mistake about it, this is a slow movie. I'm not sure if the other reviewers expect all movies to be action movies or what. In my opinion, a slow movie can be good, and this is one of them.
I won't rehash the plot, you know the gist. What I will say is that the acting is good, the premise is good, and the payoff is good. I haven't seen a movie about re-animating corpses that had this twist, and I liked it. Be forewarned though, don't watch this movie just for a previewed payoff in the end. It is a bit of a surprise, but this isn't an M. Night Shamalamadingdong movie. I really dig these lower-budget, indie sci-fi movies, but mostly they fall short of being good. This one didn't.
Worth watching, but definitely slow.
I won't rehash the plot, you know the gist. What I will say is that the acting is good, the premise is good, and the payoff is good. I haven't seen a movie about re-animating corpses that had this twist, and I liked it. Be forewarned though, don't watch this movie just for a previewed payoff in the end. It is a bit of a surprise, but this isn't an M. Night Shamalamadingdong movie. I really dig these lower-budget, indie sci-fi movies, but mostly they fall short of being good. This one didn't.
Worth watching, but definitely slow.
Dragon Day
(2013)
Good low budget movie
6 September 2013
What a great story. This movie has the storyline of a big budget movie. Definitely worth watching.
Now, I have to say that the acting was a bit spotty. It wasn't uniformly great, but pretty good nonetheless. Largely, the problem with the acting was bad timing, and I don't think that was the actor's faults. There were scenes where the cinematography was a bit off and editing could have been better. The action scenes were a bit stifled and could have done with better choreography. There was definitely a place for some big action and explosions, but this movie (I'm assuming because of a constrained budget) didn't go that route. But, again, overall a good movie. This is one of those low budget movies that could be really successfully remade into a blockbuster. That said, this movie stands head and shoulders above other low budget movies I've seen.
In short: Worth watching.
Now, I have to say that the acting was a bit spotty. It wasn't uniformly great, but pretty good nonetheless. Largely, the problem with the acting was bad timing, and I don't think that was the actor's faults. There were scenes where the cinematography was a bit off and editing could have been better. The action scenes were a bit stifled and could have done with better choreography. There was definitely a place for some big action and explosions, but this movie (I'm assuming because of a constrained budget) didn't go that route. But, again, overall a good movie. This is one of those low budget movies that could be really successfully remade into a blockbuster. That said, this movie stands head and shoulders above other low budget movies I've seen.
In short: Worth watching.
The Conspiracy
(2012)
Found footage film done well
8 August 2013
The story is about a couple of guys are making a documentary about the people (or specifically one person) who are true believers in conspiracy theories. When their subject disappears, they get wrapped up in the conspiracy theory and investigate it. They end up sneaking into a Bohemian Grove type setting.
Really good, relatively low budget film. The cinematography is good especially where they are filming through "hidden cameras," giving enough for the viewer to understand whats going on but believably hidden. The acting was good and I was satisfied by the ending.
The film isn't completely surprising, but it builds the tension well and leads to some pretty creepy scenes. And I agree with the Moviesdotcom review that said that it's the smartest found footage film since "Blair Witch." Bottom line- I was pleasantly surprised by how good the movie was.
Really good, relatively low budget film. The cinematography is good especially where they are filming through "hidden cameras," giving enough for the viewer to understand whats going on but believably hidden. The acting was good and I was satisfied by the ending.
The film isn't completely surprising, but it builds the tension well and leads to some pretty creepy scenes. And I agree with the Moviesdotcom review that said that it's the smartest found footage film since "Blair Witch." Bottom line- I was pleasantly surprised by how good the movie was.
Europa Report
(2013)
Better than the other reviews would let on
30 June 2013
I liked this movie. It was a good sci-fi flick, but based in a believable near-future world. The voyage is captured by stationary cameras throughout the ship and a story is patched together from them. The acting was very good. There admittedly wasn't much in the way of character development, but I didn't notice it. The whole film I was hoping the story would move forward faster and faster to the end, to find out what, if anything, was discovered, and the fate of the crew.
Mostly what I liked about it was that it wasn't over-the-top storytelling, nor was it over-the-top with special effects. It used them only to tell the story that needed to be told and weren't overused. One reviewer chastised the special effects as being poor, but I disagree. They were believable. Bad is the crap they make for the Science Fiction Channel.
This movie may not appeal to everyone precisely because it's not over-the-top. It was simple, with building tension throughout the film and a good ending. There weren't monsters and aliens everywhere, there was a distinct Hitchcocian feel to it.
Very good; well worth watching.
Mostly what I liked about it was that it wasn't over-the-top storytelling, nor was it over-the-top with special effects. It used them only to tell the story that needed to be told and weren't overused. One reviewer chastised the special effects as being poor, but I disagree. They were believable. Bad is the crap they make for the Science Fiction Channel.
This movie may not appeal to everyone precisely because it's not over-the-top. It was simple, with building tension throughout the film and a good ending. There weren't monsters and aliens everywhere, there was a distinct Hitchcocian feel to it.
Very good; well worth watching.
Nailbiter
(2013)
Ugh
23 June 2013
I really thought this movie had a chance. Good idea, bad execution. So, the acting was... I just don't have an adverb that adequately describes how bad it was. The supporting actors were especially stiff and unbelievable. There was no chemistry at all between... you know what? Never mind. It was just bad. The youngest sister was unconscious for most of the movie and it was still crappy acting. I didn't even know it was possible to poorly act unconscious. Baby Jesus in heaven! And the whole movie is just "The Hills Have Eyes"/any-werewolf-movie, but in a storm cellar. The "action" sequences were laughable. Wait, you'll like this! I swear to God, there's a part where one sister throws the other sister a gun and the slow-motion catch is an honest-to-God "6 million dollar man" ripoff. But baaaaaaaaaad. Just baaaaaaaaaad.
- shakes his head and walks away
Odd Thomas
(2013)
Good Adaptation
23 June 2013
Firstly, I am a huge Koontz fan and a huge Odd Thomas fan. I've been waiting years for this movie so my expectations were pretty high. I'm sure that figures into my analysis of the movie, as I have been largely let down by adaptations from novels in the past. That being said...
Overall, good movie, good adaptation. Moving a story from a book to a movie always presents problems; always there will be portions of the story and significant nuances left out. This is no exception. The casting of Odd was very good. Yelchin did a fantastic job capturing the strong albeit naive nature of Odd. I was skeptical about Timlin as Stormy, but she not only pulled it off but, in my mind, perfectly captured Stormy. I will no longer be able to think of Stormy without seeing her face. I wish we could have seen more interaction between Odd and Ozzie; in the books this is a very important relationship for Odd. Also, in the books, Ozzie is 350 or so pounds and Oswalt is considerably smaller. That being said, I think his size in the books is more of a testament to his larger-than-life character and less about his physical size, which I believe, given the chance, Oswalt would have perfectly captured. He is a largely underrated actor.
As for the story, it sticks to the book even though there are a few things left out. It would have been nice to know more of Odd's background but it would have unnecessarily stretched the movie out. Well told, with appropriate use of flashbacks, and good use (and not overuse) of narration, just as in the books. One thing I really enjoy about Odd Thomas books is the quick-paced, quick-whited dialogue. I've rarely read another author that could match Koontz in this aspect. This was transferred to the big screen very well.
As I said, I've been waiting for this movie for a while and whereas I wish they'd done it as an eight hour miniseries and captured every nuance of the book, this was a superb adaptation and an excellent movie. I really hope they make more because Odd's adventures keep getting better.
8 of 10
Overall, good movie, good adaptation. Moving a story from a book to a movie always presents problems; always there will be portions of the story and significant nuances left out. This is no exception. The casting of Odd was very good. Yelchin did a fantastic job capturing the strong albeit naive nature of Odd. I was skeptical about Timlin as Stormy, but she not only pulled it off but, in my mind, perfectly captured Stormy. I will no longer be able to think of Stormy without seeing her face. I wish we could have seen more interaction between Odd and Ozzie; in the books this is a very important relationship for Odd. Also, in the books, Ozzie is 350 or so pounds and Oswalt is considerably smaller. That being said, I think his size in the books is more of a testament to his larger-than-life character and less about his physical size, which I believe, given the chance, Oswalt would have perfectly captured. He is a largely underrated actor.
As for the story, it sticks to the book even though there are a few things left out. It would have been nice to know more of Odd's background but it would have unnecessarily stretched the movie out. Well told, with appropriate use of flashbacks, and good use (and not overuse) of narration, just as in the books. One thing I really enjoy about Odd Thomas books is the quick-paced, quick-whited dialogue. I've rarely read another author that could match Koontz in this aspect. This was transferred to the big screen very well.
As I said, I've been waiting for this movie for a while and whereas I wish they'd done it as an eight hour miniseries and captured every nuance of the book, this was a superb adaptation and an excellent movie. I really hope they make more because Odd's adventures keep getting better.
8 of 10
Jack Reacher
(2012)
Decent action flick if you've never read Lee Child
2 February 2013
So, I'm a huge fan of the Lee Child books and was very excited about this film. Don't get me wrong I didn't expect a perfect representation of the book or story, I expected changes/differences and plot points skipped for the sake of time. Nevertheless, I was excited. Until I found out a midget would play Jack Reacher (who is, in the books, 6'5", 250lbs). I will say that the movie works as an action film, however if you've ever read any of the Reacher novels you will be disappointed. Not just that ReligiousNutjob (Cruise) doesn't fit the physical description, but he doesn't capture the character of Reacher. This could easily have become a series of movies about Reacher if it had been done correctly. Jenkins and Herzog were good in this film, and Duvall was brilliant. He must have actually read the book because he nailed it. Then again, he's Robert f$#@%ing Duvall.
D4
(2011)
Don't believe the other reviews
13 January 2012
So, I watched this film, largely because all of the reviews claimed what an indie masterpiece this was. I'll admit is was a piece of something. The acting isn't too bad, but the editing sucks. There are large unnatural pauses in dialogue that grates on my mind like nails on a chalkboard. The story is OK, but totally unbelievable. A man's grandson is kidnapped and he doesn't call the cops? Because some guy in a stairwell told him they wouldn't believe him? Come on! I can't believe I wasted this much of my life on such a crap movie. They keep referring to a "beast" as an it, like it were a non-human animal, but it clearly was human. I also loved the lack of muzzle flashes on the weapons. All they did was play the sound of a gun firing. In fact most of the audio was like that. Just clearly added after the fact with no visual cue to associate it with. This is a typical B movie. Nothing more, nothing less. I guess I was just hyped into believing it was better than it was.
Buried
(2010)
Fantastic Movie
9 August 2011
I'll be honest, I'm not a huge Ryan Reynolds fan. It has nothing to do with his acting, which I have to admit is uniformly good. He's just too damn good looking. Really, guys like that make it difficult for average joes to be attractive to women. What a dick. I digress.
This movie was amazing. Reynolds acting was the best he's ever done. He really captures the emotions of his character and expresses them without shame. I was absolutely mesmerized. I didn't even hear of this movie until it was on video, and what a shame. Reynolds' character is basically the only one in the movie. If there had been even a bit of poor acting it would have ruined the film. Reynolds dominates the film and takes the viewer on an emotional ride that will stay with you. Definitely, definitely watch this film.
This movie was amazing. Reynolds acting was the best he's ever done. He really captures the emotions of his character and expresses them without shame. I was absolutely mesmerized. I didn't even hear of this movie until it was on video, and what a shame. Reynolds' character is basically the only one in the movie. If there had been even a bit of poor acting it would have ruined the film. Reynolds dominates the film and takes the viewer on an emotional ride that will stay with you. Definitely, definitely watch this film.
In the Valley of Elah
(2007)
Adaptation of Real Life Events
9 August 2011
On its own, this is a good movie. Excellent acting all around. I'm split in how I feel about this movie, though. The first time I saw this movie I went to the theater with several other criminal investigators that actually worked the real-life case this movie is based on. MANY of the facts are wrong. The Soldier's father never came and worked with investigators, and the civilian law enforcement authorities did not head up the investigation. With the exception of the father, the murdered Soldier and the three Soldiers who committed the crime, all the characters are fictional. There was no military cover-up or attempt to cover-up the crime; we were as, if not more, determined to solve the case as anyone else. Having spoken with the actual father of the deceased Soldier, I will say that Mr. Jones' portrayal of the frustration felt by the father is pretty dead-on.
All in all it is an enjoyable movie. Were it not for the fact that I had personal, intimate knowledge of the actual events, I may have liked it better. And no, that is not my real name.
All in all it is an enjoyable movie. Were it not for the fact that I had personal, intimate knowledge of the actual events, I may have liked it better. And no, that is not my real name.
Offspring
(2009)
wow
16 June 2011
I would suggest you read the book. The acting wasn't horrible. Except for the Neanderthals. All their grunting and screaming got old. In the very beginning there's a naked girl and I thought, this can't be bad. I was wrong. It's as if they went looking for the ugliest naked girl they could find. There's also some kind of weird pederast sex going on with an old guy that just lays in the dirt making noises. Also, weirdly, Neanderthals shave their faces, legs and vaginas. Then there's the strange sadist caveman rape scene which includes the caveman biting off the girl's labia. The problem with the movie is that it doesn't really explain any of this any better than I did. The he only redeeming quality of this movie was titties. And even they weren't that great. If none of this deters you from seeing this film, they also kill a couple babies in it. But if you're into that kind of thing...
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