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danielwmackey
Reviews
Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)
Enjoyable film for average viewer
You will definitely enjoy this film if you are the average viewer. The superhero/scifi/fantasy obsessives are apparently displeased with this film as evidenced in the tens of thousands of bad ratings in a matter of days. But to my virgin eyes, I quite enjoyed it. Gravitas and a touch of sophistication as the storyline draws allusions to powerful archetypes, which you might not grasp if you are laser focused on just the sci-fi canon (pun intended).
This subtlety is lost on the negative reviewers here, but even if you don't think that deeply, it's a fun and beautiful film. The visuals are excellent, the alien creatures are conceptually interesting (love the spider thingy in the bar in Providence). And most importantly, the acting is rock solid. I cannot watch a movie if it's overacted. No problems here. Lead villain was cool, especially with regard to costume design. The lead protagonist was also cool, not to mention easy on the eyes. I think this actress has real chops...sorry for not knowing her name. Alas, there's no star power here, but those days are gone.
The Book of Eli (2010)
Forgettable
The acting isn't bad, Denzel is cool as usual. It's just an extremely simple plot with little suspense. There's an element of kitsch to some of the scenes but it's overly subtle to the point you don't know if it is intentional. The "Ring My Bell" scene is the main example. Anyways, it's worth a watch and at the very least you won't be subjected to horrible acting, which abounds these days with streaming services churning out content constantly.
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Creative storytelling
I never understood why Spike Lee gets so much kudos, so I was eager to watch this one. This film was pretty damn good. Parts were kitschy, but it was intentional; a typical war movie this is not. Delroy Lindo was a force. I've met men just like Paul, and his performance really resonated with me. I highly recommend this movie.
Marco Polo (2014)
Why cancelled?
This show was awesome. Benedict Wong was incredible as Khan, a true antihero you hate to love. There was a deep relationship dynamic to the show with then tension between Khan and Polo. Then of course you have the warfare, great combat and martial arts, and a strong core plot engine to the show in the palace intrigue. This show could have gone on for at least two more seasons. And don't forget the concubines. My goodness.
Marco Polo (2014)
Why cancelled?
This show was awesome. Benedict Wong was incredible as Khan, a true antihero you hate to love. There was a deep relationship dynamic to the show with then tension between Khan and Polo. Then of course you have the warfare, great combat and martial arts, and a strong core plot engine to the show in the palace intrigue. This show could have gone on for at least two more seasons. And don't forget the concubines. My goodness.