abark Reviews

180° South (2010)

If you enjoy watching smug jerks thinking highly of themselves; it's for you

[1/10 · 9 June 2010]

Made in the typical MTV's Real World style of the day.

Ham fisted lack of subtly.

Filled with countless cut scenes.

Constant overly sentimental music played by people who probably have beards.

Rather than let the story tell itself, or having a 3rd party interviewing/narrating we are subjected to being talked down to by the smug and annoying main subject talking so highly about himself.

With even more smug interjections by the founder of Patagonia clothing.

Entirely ruined by the weight of everyone's enormous chips on their shoulders.

Neo-hippies expounding on how evil everyone else is while exalting their own self importance.

Pretty much everyone in this is a self important ass.

1968 Tunnel Rats (2008)

Featuring the most inept squad in military history

[5/10 · 14 August 2009]

I never went through boot camp. I've never been in the military. I've certainly never been sent overseas into a war zone.

However, throughout this movie I found myself constantly wondering 'Why are they doing that?' For example: Though it makes for better lighting for the actor-- While crawling around in a tunnel, full of hidden enemies, it doesn't seem like it would take much training to know that shining your flashlight in your face instead of down the tunnel, just doesn't seem very smart.

Not to mention using a flashlight without a red filter(to preserve night vision) seems doubly not that smart.

Or soldiers who have fought tooth and nail to survive, only to stand like they are watching fireworks while bombs land on their heads.

The only movie I can think of that features such inept soldiers is the last Hills Have Eyes 2 remake, but they were just in training, which is where this unit should have been left.

The Last Resort (I) (2009)

Technically acceptable

[4/10 · 9 August 2009]

For what it is this movie is decently made. Except for the early parts in the bar it is a decently shot and the people involved seem to have a grasp on making a movie.

There are some good scenes as well, including some tense moments that are relatively well acted.

Unfortunately, it is hampered by generally bad writing. Again, some scenes are fairly well done and well acted, but are unfortunately overshadowed by too many scenes with distracting acting.

With stronger scripts and acting the director might come out with some good stuff in the future.

Fall from Grace (2007)

Poorly Edited

[5/10 · 22 February 2009]

The director would have done well to hire an outside editor.

The poor editing takes away from the film.

For example, while showing an interview with a woman who is talking about her husband who was a soldier.

Text is shown explaining that he had been killed in Iraq when he was 22.

The next shot is the woman saying 'I was so excited!'

The editing during the interviews with two of Phelps' estranged children was also fairly tedious and kind of annoying.

Other than that it's a fairly entertaining doc.