sfwriter999 Reviews

Peter Rabbit (2018)

Not your Grandma's Peter Rabbit

[7/10 · 11 February 2018]

If you've seen the trailers, then you know what you're getting into. For those who are going to watch this due to nostalgia, this isn't based on the Beatrix Potter books. They borrow the names of the animals and Bea herself (and the love interest isn't even named after her real life husband). This movie is a rough and tumble comedy more akin to the 3 Stooges than anything resembling a heart-warming child's movie. If anything, I would rate this more of a PG-13 vs PG since I wouldn't bring any small child to watch this due to promotion of misbehavior, theft, rudeness, bullying, and destruction of property.

As an adult, I enjoyed it for what it was. The animation was very seamless and well done. The love story was bit over the top, but fine for a romantic comedy. And I did laugh at various points in the movie.

The Post (2017)

A movie, not a documentary

[7/10 · 12 January 2018]

I enjoyed this movie. It must be kept in mind this is a movie, a drama and not a documentary. As such, this is a good movie. The pace is good and we follow the events and decisions that had to be made. Meryl Streep shows why she wins Oscars, the self-doubt and hesitation that she portrays was a masterful performance. Tom Hanks' character was serviceable and pretty one note, and the only nice character turn was near the end after speaking to his wife about the heroics of Streep's character.

A number of people said the movie was too preachy and was worried about that before seeing the movie. I didn't find that at all after watching the movie. Yes, verses a documentary, this movie did have a theme and message, but I knew what this movie was about freedom of the press before going to see it. I grew up in that time period, so I knew the outcome also.

The Jade Pendant (2017)

Bad Melodrama

[3/10 · 1 December 2017]

The sets and costumes look great, but the movie is mostly a melodrama with bad acting. I did like the acting from the older actors such as Tzi Ma (Yu Hing, Evil Triad Leader from Hong Kong) and Tsai Chin (Madame Pong with a Heart of Gold), but the younger actors had wooden line delivery and horrible dialog.

The majority of the movie is about Peony (Exceptional Virtuous Kung Fu Gal) and Tom (Great Looking Nice Guy / Chef) falling in love near Sutter's Mill, but the acting and writing was horribly melodramatic (for example the bench scene where Tom shuffles near Peony and if it was for comedic effect, it wasn't) and unbelievable. The white people pick on Chinese and the Chinese Tong pick on the Chinese. Then we throw in some random Kung Fu.

When the couple finally get together, (insert weirdly long lyrical sex scene compared to the rest of the film) they run off to Los Angeles and hide with a Family Association there. But of course, the Triad finds them and causes the riot in LA that kills 19 people.

There's a badly filmed melodramatic fight between Peony, Tom, and Yu Hing during the riot. And Yu Hing has a derringer that doesn't seem to need reloading.

The riot / lynching party which is emphasized in the trailer is only about 10 mins of the film. This, the most interesting part of the movie is a side note.

I wished this movie was more of a documentary or followed a documentary style of storytelling instead of a badly done love story with slight bits of comedy, Kung Fu, PG-13 sex scene (no breasts), bad fight scene, and bad acting.

The Chinese in the movie spoke Mandarin, I would rather they spoke Cantonese or Taishan to make it more historical. The English dialog was odd to in that you'd think they'd speak Mandarin when they were weren't any white people around. I would have preferred that as their English delivery was pretty terrible and would have preferred that they spoke in their native language.

Overall, there's not enough movies with a majority of Chinese actors, too bad this movie is terrible.

Happy Death Day (2017)

Bad execution of a good high concept

[5/10 · 18 October 2017]

I'm a big fan of Groundhog Day, Edge of Tomorrow, and Triangle. I had high hopes for this as there's a formula for this genre of try again until you succeed movie. In Groundhog Day and Edge of Tomorrow, the main character is unlikable with character flaws and as the character explores his world and tries to figure out what he/she needs to do to get out of the time loop, they through learning experiences become a better person and get past their flaws. In Groundhog Day, a selfish person becomes charitable. In Edge of Tomorrow, a coward becomes brave. In Triangle, the victim becomes the stalker.

In Happy Death Day, the selfish becomes caring.

In the the other three mentioned movies, the lessons learned are over a long time and through experimentation. In Happy Death Day, the experimentation happens, but the break through comes too easily. In the earlier scene before the character turn, she is still mean. Afterwards, she's suddenly nice as if through a eureka moment. We don't see the change and she's suddenly nice.

Too much time is spent on the first kills which take up too much screen time. The kills are not that innovative or funny. More time should have spent on her character development. At one point, I thought, why don't she just tear the mask off the killer? Then she'll know who it is even though she'll die.

The non-supernatural killer also popped out of nowhere with no reason as to how the killer found her. At some point, I thought there was some supernatural agency, but there wasn't.

The love story is a bit facile too. Just because the guy tried to save her life, she falls in love with him. A bit pat.

Anyway, a good high concept idea that's executed poorly. This okay movie could have been much, much better.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

Arthur King of Thieves

[8/10 · 30 September 2017]

This movie isn't really a King Arthur movie. It's really a fantasy movie with some characters named after King Arthur characters and a magic sword.

Guy Ritchie has mastered the art of montage. The growing up montage and even the Dark Lands quest montage are brilliant, telling what could be a full act of the movie in several minutes.

Though some characters have King Arthur names, they're pretty much just some card board characters with various looks and quirks, not full characters. Most of the women have great costumes, but are there as backdrops and scenery.

Most of the acting and dialogue is modern as is the action sequences.

That said, I really enjoyed the movie. Nice chase sequences and even ROUS (see Princess Bride). Not a deep movie, but just plain fun.

Helix (2014–2015)

Started out OK, but ran out of steam.

[6/10 · 20 May 2017]

The first 4 episodes of season 1 were engaging and interesting, but then the writers must have of run out of ideas because then they just started running around a lot and there is the merry-go-round of who captured who and who escaped and some crazy-doesn't-make-any-sense plot twists. I'm up to episode 9 and ready to stop watching.

Haven (2010–2015)

Wanted to turn it off after 10 mins, but forced myself to watch the 1st episode.

[3/10 · 8 May 2017]

A friend recommended this series and I only watched the first episode of the first season. It was terrible. The acting, dialog, and production values were lacking. I couldn't bring myself to watch a 2nd episode. The main character was snarky and mean. The situations that she gets into are so contrived and her reactions aren't realistic. She spends too much time personally calling her boss for no reason (plot- wise or work-wise). If it's supposed to be a comedy, it isn't funny. A crime drama, it's not that interesting or realistic. X-Files, nope, not at all.

The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

Not your standard Werewolf movie

[7/10 · 12 April 2016]

I liked this because it wasn't your standard Universal Studios werewolf movie.

First, it's set in Spain, not in Romania. The movie starts a bit slow as it's the origin story of how the werewolf is born and not via a gypsy curse. Then the boy's family and the priest are very sympathetic and even the werewolf begs them to kill him. This movie is so different. Even the ending where the werewolf, shot by his father, dies at the top of the church tower and does NOT transform back.

The only issue I had was the rape origin story and potential rape by the nobleman. The rape was tastefully done and over dramatic, but I felt it wasn't necessary.

The Brides of Dracula (1960)

Entertaining, though flawed

[7/10 · 12 April 2016]

I enjoyed this movie, but I found several flaws which some people have posted about.

1. Incorrect vampire lore:

1a. Van Helsing able to lift the Vampire curse through branding the bite and washing it with Holy water.

1b. Moonshadow windmill (somehow missing the windmill building) able to completely kill Baron Meinster. I can see sunlight doing it, but the Baron is a creature of the night and moonlight should be in his realm.

1c. Baron Meinster entering the school teacher's bedroom without being invited -- which maybe possible if entering the whole school per se was enabled through being invited by the school administrators.

1d. Shacking the Baron. I'm not sure the shackles really works, even if it was silver with holy markings. If so, it might burn the Baron (for Werewolves definitely, Vampires normally not) in addition to holding him. If it doesn't burn him, then what prevents him from tearing it out of the wall or turning into a bat (or mist form) and escaping. From what I can tell, the Baron isn't supernaturally strong as in later Dracula movies.

2. Bad coincidences:

2a. Van Helsing somehow finds Marrianne in the middle of the forest while driving by in a coach. Very unlikely. If she was on the road, I would have bought it.

2b. Running into the con artist doctor who tells Van Helsing about the death at the Girls School.

2c. Greta escapes the priest easily and off screen.

Things unsaid: The Baroness is feeding young ladies to her son. We'll unless she is staking or burning the bodies of his victims, there should be a lot of Brides in the area. So, I assume she or Greta must be disposing of their bodies properly.

Here's what I loved about the movie:

0. Peter Cushing as Van Helsing.

1. Baroness Meinster though creepy wound up being sympathetic. But why wait until sunrise until dispatching her? Unless Van Helsing thinks that it would spare her pain, but he was wrong as she made a sound when he dispatched her. So, that makes me believe that Van Helsing isn't as experienced in Vampire lore as he says he is.

2. The Nurse Greta was sufficiently creepy especially in the scene where she wakes up one of the Baron's Brides from the grave. A very iconic and nice scene. But from Van Helsing's view point, he seems surprised and scared which tells me he's not as experienced as we've seen him in other Dracula movies.

3. Marianne actually being the instrument of her own peril by freeing the Baron. I loved how she tied the key to a handkerchief and threw it to the Baron vs just tossing it.

4. Con artist doctor. I loved how this guy is scamming everyone and is a man of science. The Anti- Van Helsing.

5. The locks dropping off Gina's coffin during the wake and the horse in distress. That was a great scene and extended sequence.

6. Van Helsing being bitten and then using the brand and holy water to un-vampire himself was a cool scene though incorrect vampire lore. Van Helsing rarely gets bitten in the Dracula movies.

7. Using the hot coals by both Van Helsing (to cure himself) and by the Baron to create a fire barrier for his escape and also inadvertently setting the windmill on fire and burning his brides.

8. The windmill shadow was also a cool scene, but I wished it only stopped the Baron long enough for Van Helsing to stake him vs killing the Baron outright.

Overall there was much more to like than to dislike with iconic scenes and a very robust 47 year old Peter Cushing doing stunts.

11:59 (2005)

OK plot, but pacing was too slow.

[5/10 · 11 April 2016]

The editing and pacing of this movie was too slow. Frames held too long on close ups for no reason. Frames on empty scenery for no reason. It sort of drove me nuts and bored me.

The time travel isn't explained at all. I can tolerate The Hand of God, but why in this instance? I mean if the main character sacrifices his life for the kid's, then I would have bought it more. But it was basically a happy ending that was wrapped up too easily.

The acting, by the main actor was also too one note for me. When a guy picks him up at out in nowhere, he doesn't even introduce himself or even thank him when he's dropped off. So, weird. I don't know to either fault the actor or the writer/director for that. But everything about the main character was off putting, sort of a tired depressed anti-social dude. I was glad that his ex- girlfriend wasn't with him anymore. Not sure why she seems to still want to get back with him.

The key to conspiracy movies is that it's modern noir. Trust no one and paranoia. This movie fails in that the protagonist, with one act, collapses the whole conspiracy. Well, if the evil conspirators are that good, deniability is your number one weapon. To tell him that, "Oh, you got me. You're fired," seems a bit silly. Having the child finger the serial killer and having the killer turn himself in is a bit pat. I would have preferred that the authorities arrest the main character for the abduction of the child that he saved. That would have been the most logical assumption. It should have just spun out of control and totally crucified the main character, but for him, it should have been worth it to save the child and to save the first suspect.

On the DVD, I do recommend the short 8 minute film on the Special Features: Spin.

Unknown (I) (2011)

A So-So Thriller with Supid Super Assassins

[5/10 · 9 April 2012]

What makes this a weak movie is all the little and big things that didn't make a whole lot of sense.

1. At the beginning, the briefcase is left at the airport accidentally which makes sense if Neeson is a normal Joe, but this is his important lecture, so there's no way he'd leave it at the airport. But once we know his secret, it makes even less sense.

2. When he does find out that he left the briefcase, his wife is like 40 feet away, a normal person would tell his wife in person that he left the suitcase at the airport and he would go and get it. In the movie, he leaves unexpectedly and tries to call her and of course gets no cell reception -- false suspense.

3. At the first car chase, the taxi girl should be driving -- she knows the streets and has clocked multiple miles driving vs Neeson. Why does Neeson drive? Because he's the star.

4. It's Thanksgiving and a Sunday -- which is impossible. This was the rationale for not being able to contact the US Embassy and his buddy in the US. How convenient.

5. After all those dead bodies in the hospital, don't you think the police would believe his story about a conspiracy? You'd think Neeson would go to the police after that.

6. The Stasi agent seemed to give up too easily. Doesn't he have any friends he can hide out with? He knew what was coming, so he could have left. I was actually waiting for him to show the airport photo to Cole and have Cole deny that the man at the airport was Martin Harris.

7. Having Neeson recover the briefcase at the airport. Um, those super spies with massive resources and lots of fake ids can't recover one briefcase from an airport lost and found? The movie makers wanted this so Neeson would have access to fake ids.

8. After breaking multiple necks and multiple car crashes, they have to stage an accidental overdose for Neeson? WTF, just shoot him in the head and dump his body. The mission is not low profile anymore.

9. The head spy dies with his eyes closed to prove that he's a bad ass and resigned himself to death. Ugh. I would at least prefer that his eyes remained open.

10. Movie amnesia. Two knocks on the head restores lost memories. That is so wrong and so stereotypical. Not only that, but early on, he fights incompetently until he recovers his memory. His driving skills were superb though. They should take a lesson from Bourne Identity which seemed more realistic.

The Brothers Grimm (2005)

A Grim Movie

[6/10 · 28 December 2005]

Unlike some viewers, I found the effects seamless and I loved the look of everything. The problem was the Brothers were too much in superhero mode and there was no sense of peril. They joked and walked through everything effortlessly. The Italian Torturer was over the top and annoying. The French were annoying too, but not as much. Somehow I felt that Terry Gilliam thinks that over-the-top stereotypes of French and Italians are funny. Yeah, in little doses, but I think I OD'ed.

The plot lacked direction. The characters aimlessly wandered from the village to the forest, to the village, to the castle, to the village, to the forest, etc. There was a lot of physical movement, but no movement in the story.

There are some very nice scenes which reminded me of several famous paintings and those were lovely. The mirror effects (cleavage is more ample in the mirror :-) and the were-transformations were very well done.

Bad Santa (2003)

One of the funniest movies for a long time

[8/10 · 20 October 2004]

I saw the trailers and knew what I was in for when I went to see Bad Santa. It's not Nice Santa or Naughty Santa, but BAAADD SANTA, horribly drunk and disorderly Santa. Rude and Crude Santa.

I laughed until tears streamed down my face.

There is a lot of sexual situations and profanity, but you have to look past it. Those sensitive to foul language should not watch this movie nor FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL. This is not a kiddie movie, but a movie made for adults.

Compared to ELF, SANTA CLAUSE, and a whole raft of other so-so Christmas related comedies, this is one of the best. Most holiday humor movies are always on the lightside with an eye to the children market during the holidays. This one ranks in there with A Christmas STORY and PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES and THE GRINCH WHO STOLE Christmas (cartoon version).

BAD SANTA is Christmas at its darkest, full of profanity, bad people, and evil deeds. But at the heart of it is a small bit of caring by one Bad Santa.