JacklandStudios83 Reviews

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

How little things have changed

[9/10 · 11 November 2022]

Like everyone else on earth I've always heard of Breakfast at Tiffany's as a "Movie you should watch before you die." And watching it for the first time in 2022 I have to say... I absolutely have to agree.

Not because it's a cinematic masterpiece or because Hepburn's acting is retroactively superb, in that she perfectly portrays future real-life girls mimicking her character (which makes it probably the first actress in the world to act in the 4th dimension), but because of its message.

To me, a male who dated pre and post tinder; was amazing to see so many girls I've met and dated through the years in Hepburn's character, so afraid of love, so wanting to be shallow and quirky and using it as an armor, and with very little self-preservation and an aberration to commitment and monogamy. Up until that point, I had thought it was a phenomenon of my times, but it's kind of comforting and disturbing to see that this has been happening since forever, it seems.

It makes you wonder if that's just a coping mechanism most women have after their first true love burn.

What's disturbing about it is that many girls that have since seen the movie didn't get that Hepburn's character is not a role model, but a warning tale and the worst person in the movie (she abandons her cat because she was afraid the cat loved her, for Christ's sake) and have modeled themselves after her, buying posters inspired on the movie and such and not seeing the irony of it.

Back when I was dating and before I saw the movie, it got to a point that whenever I went to a girl's place and saw Breakfast at Tiffany's paraphernalia I would take it as a red flag and walk the other way. After seeing the movie, I now understand the link between the two.

But I digress, the movie is good in that it makes it about the message it wants to give and not so much about anything else, mixed with a few laughs here and there. It's an important movie to watch about modern relationships if you're not dense enough to miss the message about it.

I highly recommend it.

Andor: One Way Out (2022) Season 1, Episode 10

Power doesn't panic

[10/10 · 10 November 2022]

This is not even the season finale and it feels like the standard for writing, directing, and acting in the entire Star Wars universe has been raised up to a millionth.

The speeches in this episode pack such a punch it's unprecedented and incredibly welcomed. I don't think I've felt this much emotion for Star Wars-related writing since Empire Strikes Back, Episode 3, and yes, Rogue One.

The direction, the writing the acting, everything, will have you at the edge of your sit. You will be cheering at the screen while you feel the adrenaline that the characters are feeling when they take their fates into their own hands and you will be crying and smiling at Andy Serkis' character, Kino's fate.

The expression of happiness, sadness, resignation, and, the pure joy of true freedom on Serkis' face during his last line "I can't swim" paired with Diego Luna's reaction and realization lasts about 5 seconds but it will stay with you for a really long time.

Luthen Rael's speech about the sacrifices you have to make when you choose to fight for freedom will leave you cold.

It reminded me of that quote: "I may reach the mountaintop, but I fear I shall never visit the valley below" which is his coming to terms that his part in the fighting is not as important as the fight itself.

BRILLIANT.

This show is a master class on how to write for a franchise and I want to thank all the parties responsible, you brought joy and happiness to this old fanboy's heart.

Blockbuster (2022)

I know what happened.

[3/10 · 8 November 2022]

There's this thing that used to be pretty common in sitcoms back in the late 90's where during production the "writers" would laugh very loudly at a very flat joke that they wrote, so that the producers, which are devoid of humor or artistic understanding, would think it's funny and leave it in the show instead of doing the logical thing and find that it isn't funny at all and it's just a terrible writer(s) trying to stay in the union because they're about to be expelled from it because no one will hire them anymore because they cannot write a joke to save their own life.

This show is full of those kinds of jokes. It's embarrassing or as the kids say, cringy.

Also, the creator worked on Brooklyn nine-nine...and you can see she was responsible for the worst part of it, like some ugly idiotic broad constantly insulting and "bullying" the much prettier Melissa Fumero. It didn't make sense then, it doesn't make sense now. Stop it.

My wife and I are big nine-nine fans and came into this show eager for some of that great comedy. We got two episodes in and had to turn it off, I laughed once, she didn't at all. To quote a meme, our disappointment was massive and our day was ruined.

The 3 stars are for most of the actors. They're great, it's not their fault that they had the worst writers in comedy.

Sideways (2004)

Avoided the movie back in '04...

[3/10 · 7 November 2022]

...because I thought it looked pretentious as hell.

18 years later I finally gave it a chance after hearing and reading for years that it was a great film... and it turns out I was right all those years ago.

I was hoping maybe not a "best movie of all time" but at least a fun ride.

It's a movie with great actors, acting incredibly good, interpreting a colossally pretentious douche that has filled his life with shallow passions and and a regular L. A. douche that only thinks about cheating and gets away with it.

Twice.

Again, the acting is superb. Giamatti and Haden Church are always a treat to watch, but the material is a pretentious ride that its message was ruined with the last "oh, your novel is actually ok"

If the message had been left as "if you live a shallow pretentious existence you got nothing to fall back on when that existence is shattered" it would been great, but no, guess those Hollywood executives and shallow critics liked seeing themselves there, but not too much.

This movie is for people that say they like movies but don't actually understand them.

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)

It was almost there

[5/10 · 22 October 2022]

Just to be clear. I didn't mind that the leads were ladies at all, as comedians each one of them is great if given the right material, although McCarthy has gone from the annoyingly lovable Sookie (Gilmore Girls) to just being annoying for no reason. (C'mon Melissa I know you're better than whatever ThunderForce was.)

I wanted this movie to be awesome and to have that feeling the first one had. Creepy/Haunting stuff in a common setting that lets the comedy flow naturally from it... And I actually think they were going the right way. An old haunted house in the middle of the city with a locked room that hasn't been opened in decades? The ghostly residuals of old prisoners executed in the electric chair stuck in a place that later became a New York subway station? A child being haunted by a ghost that made her become interested in the supernatural? A woman that KNOWS New York City's hidden history? How awesome is that???

That was until it made some really cringeworthy jokes that took away from the lore (the power of Patty compels you?) and a fear of going full supernatural folkloric horror story (like Egon telling Shandor's story in prison) and not mixing it enough with theoretical technology and ethereal concepts (like an entire city's negativity affecting the environment to the point it manifests physically like in GB2.) We never get those moments, which on top of the comedy is what made the previous GBs, The 2009 Videogame, and Afterlife, later on, good, fun, and interesting flicks.

If they had done a proton/positive slime-based exorcism (for example) in the aforementioned scene, then it would've made sense and it would've built on what they already had, but alas, 'twas not meant to be. And a shame too, since these are all really funny ladies which I would love to see in a good Ghostbusters movie. That's right, I said it. I WANT TO SEE THEM IN A GREATLY-WRITTEN GHOSTBUSTERS MOVIE OF THEIR OWN.

You have to play by the rules of the world you establish, otherwise, you're not giving gravitas to your story... even if it is a comedy.

That being said, objectively it's not a bad film. It just made some bad decisions, like the villain and the ending and some "jokes" which are huge parts, but the rest is fine.

The Gray Man (2022)

Cliché: The Movie

[2/10 · 21 October 2022]

I've seen this movie a thousand times before. It seems like the producers and writers wanted it so oversimplified that I'm gonna attempt to sum it up in one sentence. Ahem... "One-man-army seemingly impervious to pain and basic biology spends the entire movie chasing/protecting a McGuffin while defying laws of physics with bad and non-creative CGI with a one-dimensional villain that puts in danger a family member to show how evil he is."

Bet you can't name 20 movies with this description. Ok, ok... 30 movies.

200 million dollars budget... guess you cannot buy decent writing with that... unless we're talking about a tax write-off. In that case, superb writing!

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: Whose Show Is This? (2022) Season 1, Episode 9

Now THAT was a TON of damage control

[4/10 · 16 October 2022]

She-Hulk begins to speak out loud what everyone in the audience has been thinking for the entire season. "This isn't even a reluctant hero story, it's just she getting disrespected" "Are these storylines working out for you?" "Is this really how you're going to end this season?" Yes, it admits the show sucks and it's not just because of we misogynistic men (and women) do not appreciate their "refined" writing skills, but because the writers are idiots.

Then it goes Full Byrne/Dan Slot and breaks the 4th wall and it gets a whole lot better, for at least a few minutes we get the She-Hulk we all know and love, and boy, how I've missed her, saving her show finale from "absolutely terrible", to "poor" (because of past episodes) The end credits say this episode was written by the show creator, Gao, but it feels like they may have had some uncredited writers in there because none of the other episodes are this good.

Let's just hope that this will be a lesson learned for Marvel TV writers and they bring their A-game for next season (if there's one) and that they understand that people don't care if the lead is male, female, or anyone else as long as the story is good.

And for Christ's sake, read more She-Hulk comics!!!!

Saint Maud (2019)

A good flick

[6/10 · 10 October 2022]

That is definitely not at all horror. Why was it marketed and reviewed as horror? Don't get me wrong I liked the film, it's a slow burn that sets up the pieces quite nicely and it feels like a true Indy movie, but to call this movie horror is to call Batman Sci-Fi, which... kinda...?

Even the title poster and some (very pretentious) critics call it the scariest movie of the decade, like... really? I mean, instead of praising the film for being a marvelous case study of how religious overzealous can affect people not mentally stable in a society more and more shallow and withdrawn in itself as well as an incredible well directed psychological thriller, they go and call it horror? Did they even watch the movie???

It upsets me because a lot of people may be turned off to the movie because it was sold to them that it was horror and will be leaving feeling disappointed, when it's such a good film that didn't need that "horror" tag or that "scariest movie of the decade" or whatever.

Looking for horror? Go watch The VVitch, Babadook or Lights out.

You looking for heartfelt dark psychological thriller? This is yours stop.

Lights Out (II) (2016)

Another great monster added to the silver screen pantheon

[10/10 · 9 October 2022]

I don't know why I had not seen this movie before but I'm damn glad I did.

This left me the same feeling I had after I watched The Babadook and it's awesome.

The concept is original but somehow known, the cinematography is nothing you haven't seen before and yet it's new. The characters you've seen them a thousand times before but you're also meeting them for the first time.

In other words, I love a cliche well made. While it doesn't precisely rely on jump scares it will keep with an unsettling feeling throughout the entire movie, it will give you chills and show some concepts that will stay with you for a while. Like a part in the second act where the mom turns off the lights out on purpose.

I definitely recommend it.

Primal: Spear and Fang (2019) Season 1, Episode 1

Best animation of the XXI century so far.

[10/10 · 23 September 2022]

I've heard this show was good but damn! I didn't expect the first episode to pack such a serious punch.

How to even begin to describe this absolute masterpiece? From the moment the animation begins you're in this world, the beautiful palette of colors is absolutely perfect to describe the drama, tension, violence, and beauty that this primitive world has to offer. The sound mixing is gorgeous to the point that if you're not listening with high-quality speakers/headphones you're really missing out.

The angles in which the direction presents the animation tell so much of the story without uttering a single word during the entire run of the episode. Plus the fluidity and design of the characters are just perfect. We are only left with a primal understanding of the feelings of the situations we have gone through with our main characters.

This episode leaves you broken and tearing up but with just enough of a silver lining to give you hope that maybe the end of the life as you know it is not really the end.

In a time where animation has been disregarded to badly-shaped characters in search of an original style, it's refreshing to see something so well crafted, honest, and with such unpretentious original designs.

I am so glad I saw this. This episode has become one of my favorite animations of all time.

Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

God gave rock and roll to you?

[6/10 · 16 September 2022]

First of all, hear me out but as a musician I gotta say that the song they played at the wedding was actually pretty cool, highly creative and it had layers upon layers of sonic dissonance that brought note resolution to a new step in each direction using non-conventional tools. I could not believe it was written as a throw away joke.

Now, about the movie. That it could've been better? Yes, it most definitely could've. Specially if they had picked up from the events from Bogus Journey. But alas, that movie was written as a finale and not planned to have a sequel.

The gender swap of little Bill and little Ted was troublesome at first, but given the most excellent and honest performances by the two actresses mimicking their movie dads, it was quickly forgiven.

That being said, that I wished it would've been better written with higher character development and a bolder comedy standard? Most definitely.

That I enjoyed it? Yes, I kinda did but I think it was because I wasn't expecting much due to the state those long term sequels are working nowadays. Would I recommend it? No, not really. The movie is non, non, non-bogus, but it's also non-Excellent.

Either way, remember the lesson from the first two and Be Excellent to each other.

Haunt (I) (2019)

They DID wanted to be scared

[9/10 · 13 September 2022]

I had been looking for one of those movies that actually take place on Halloween night so we could watch it on Halloween and this one hits the spot.

To me, it was a real thrill-ride waiting for a plot twist that never came and that is a good thing. So many movies are afraid to give it to you straight that they end up feeling disjointed. But not this one, 'Haunt' what you see is what you get and it's better for it.

The movie is not afraid to pull any punches when it comes to violent imagery but doesn't overdo it either. A tricky balance that most horror movies do not quite seem to grasp nowadays. Nothing feels gratuitous.

While there's not a ton of story or character development it gives you enough information to put the pieces together yourself, which let's be honest, it's half the fun in movies like this.

Totally recommendable to watch on Halloween night along other classics like Trick 'r treat and Halloween III.

Ella Enchanted (2004)

Is there such a thing as a princess cult film?

[8/10 · 13 September 2022]

I, a male of almost 40 had not even heard about this movie until my wife showed it to me.

Of course, I'm not in the demographic and therefore I don't follow the 'Princess' genre with much attention. But this looks like it should've had a bigger release than it did.

This is a cute, funny movie with a good message that I wouldn't mind my daughters watching.

While the VFX are not exactly "polished" you can tell they were done with a whole lot of love and curiously enough they add to the movie's charm.

With a lot of inspiration taken from Shrek, Monty Phyton's Holy Grail, and Princess Bride (even having Eric Idle and Cary Elwes) this movie hits all the right notes leaving a charming little tale for the ages.

Chained (I) (2012)

What real horror looks like

[9/10 · 10 September 2022]

I'm not even sure how I got to this film, but I'm glad I did.

Not an easy watch, and even less if you're a true crime fan, you will recognize a lot of elements of famous kidnappings and murders throughout the film.

Vincent D'Onofrio is absolutely astounding AND terrifying in his role as serial killer "Bob".

The direction by Jennifer Lynch is incredible, it makes you feel a sense of claustrophobia that will stay with you and leave you with a truly unnerving feeling toward the end of the movie.

This movie shows that you don't need a bunch of jump scares or a lot of gore to make a horror film that will leave you cold for days.

Definitely a cult classic that any horror buff should have in his collection.

Elvis (2022)

If Elvis was an influencer

[1/10 · 4 September 2022]

The amount of historical inaccuracy, the complete disregard for Elvis' music and actual feelings and the absolute disjointed train wreck that is the edition makes this seem like it was made by and for people with severe ADHD.

No scene has any emotional punch, in fact, it looks like they actively avoid having to show any feeling whatsoever leaving a hollow superficial mess.

No dialog is important. No relationship is important. No music is important. Just Elvis' celebrity status.

With CGI effects galore that make it look like an early 2000's Walmart bin movie, (hell, moulin rogue had better transitions and effects.) And almost 3 flipping hours of a constant loud beat in your ear, it feels like the MOVIE SHOULD BE PAYING YOU to sit through it.

Do yourself a favor and DO NOT WATCH THIS.

What were they thinking??? Who is this movie for???

It's not for music lovers It's not for Elvis fans It's not for movie fans It's not even for Oscar bait.

Hell it's not even for teenagers because teenagers are smart enough to look right through a movie that wants to manipulate them into thinking "look at this kids! This is what cool is supposed to be!"

What a waste of money, acting, and such a slap to The King's face.

This move can go to hell.

An American Haunting (2005)

Why change something so cool?

[1/10 · 31 August 2022]

Don't you just love it when writers/directors put their own traumas into what's supposed to be a historical movie?

There's such rich mythology around the Bell Witch that spawns through generations of the Bell family it's mindboggling why they decided to add such a distasteful resolution to the story.

And it doesn't even make sense! Here's a list: Spoiler Alert:

1. There's not one speck of evidence that John Bell ever abused his daughter.

2. The ghost wasn't a ghost but the ghost of Betsy's virginity?

3. THERE'S NO WITCH IN THE MOVIE

This movie came out before The Conjuring taught everyone that you can make a faithful adaptation to a real-life ghost story without the need of making it "edgy" to fulfill an agenda, so, when getting into this movie just know that you're not getting either a good movie nor a good telling of the original story.

The Black Phone (2021)

What's with all these posers giving bad reviews?

[10/10 · 31 July 2022]

It's like they didn't even paid attention to the movie. "Where did he get the meat from?" Oh, I don't know... maybe from that 5 minute segment where he opens the fridge from the back and they show him grabbing the meat?

That or they have some really stupid sense on what horror truly is. Horror movies are not supposed to be "jumpscare galore", people... also, saying a movie isn't good without reason just makes you look like the pretentious snob you most likely are.

The movie is really good, the ambiance and photography are superb. The acting is top notch. The elements are scary and the writing is extremely good. If you enjoy the occasional true crime/serial killer story, you will see a lot of elements from true life serial killers here as well as some supernatural elements that have been passed down by generations. Like how the kids "shine" (yeah, I've said it).

It had been a while since I saw a good horror movie, I'm glad I saw it and I hope this will start a trend of well written horror flicks.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

I'm going to tell you why this movie is secretly genius

[9/10 · 15 July 2022]

There are a lot of complaints about the movie feeling too "silly" or "empty" but that is so not the case.

I believe it has a really powerful relevant subtext that you usually do not see in commercial movies anymore.

Nihilism has become a constant in our real world, with wars, 2-year-and-counting pandemic, and economic, energy, and moral crises all around us. It truly feels like a world abandoned by its gods.

Thor and Jane are dealing with the inevitability of human life mortality and Gorr with the abandonment of the belief system to which he devoted his life and kept him a good person.

In the end, all three learn that, in order to rise above the feeling of abandonment by their gods, the destruction of their beliefs, the disappointment of not being able to rely on their heroes, and the complete lack of control over an uncaring universe, they can find purpose in love and family.

They all decide to give more importance to love and family than to the bitterness caused by their tragedies.

It's a real smart picture disguised as an action popcorn flick.

Or to paraphrase Andy Warhol. It's 'shallowingly deep'.

When Billie Met Lisa (2022)

Who bought you the sax Lisa?

[1/10 · 4 May 2022]

This, like Maggie eloquently put, sucks. But not in the good way.

I'm just glad these are being done as shorts instead of forced half an hour nonsensical episodes like the Lady Gaga one.

Also, aren't these shorts supposed to be funny like the Maggie ones?

This is just a "look how great this artist everyone already knows is" with no wit, no parody and (most importantly) no comedy.

The Simpsons needed to change producers 20 years ago...

Te Deseo Lo Mejor (2021 Music Video)

What was this?

[1/10 · 4 May 2022]

I mean it's nice that it's in Spanish with the actual voice actors, but man was the music bad... like REALLY BAD even for the genre, and the music video was completely pointless and devoid of any creativity.

Why does this even exist?

¿Por qué la vida es así? (2022)

The best documentary that any mexican should see

[9/10 · 5 April 2022]

Olallo Rubio's latest effort brings more questions than answers, as (in my opinion) every good documentary should do.

As a whole, the film is solid with a good narrative, pacing, and awesome music. It's always amazing to me Olallo's ability to find incredibly rare footage that conveys the perfect moment in the narrative.

If I have a complaint is that it's a bit too short (peaking at 70 min plus credits) and that's on top of some padding at the beginning that the film could've done without. But since there was already a lot mentioned about Mexico's political history in one of his previous documentaries "Gimme the Power", I think he just didn't want to repeat himself.

With an insightful look at the true nature of a nation lost to historical lies and myths, it dares every Mexican like me, to challenge ourselves and really question how much we really know about our past. Unfortunately, it doesn't leave us with a lot of resources to do it but our own means.

Old (2021)

Not sure why the hate towards this movie

[8/10 · 30 March 2022]

I'm aware Shyamalan has earned a bit of a reputation during the last... couple of decades. But I'd have hoped people would judge the movies on what they are regardless of who directs them.

"Old" is a good movie with a good concept and good execution. It entails a fantastic situation and how different personalities with different strengths and weaknesses confront it in a minimal setting. The acting is fantastic and to the point. You know these people, you have met these people, you cheer and boo these people, you are these people.

The movie has a good pace and rhythm that will keep you guessing what's going to happen up until the 3rd act. It's not horror or a bite-your-nails-off thriller. It's suspense and a well-done one at that.

By the time the movie ends, you are left pondering on how quickly life can go by and how ephemeral and pointless sometimes everything seems. A lesson maybe the director didn't want to make on purpose, but it's still there.

That it is perfect? No, but to be honest what movie truly is? What this movie is is entertaining, with a killer concept, to the point and just a bit introspective, just like any good suspense movie should be.

And if nothing else, it's mercifully short (about 90 minutes). Unlike the trend nowadays where movies are awfully long for no reason at all.

Watch it, It'll be worth your time.

Loki (2021–2023)

Rocky start, incredible ending.

[9/10 · 23 February 2022]

This is one of those shows that maybe as a whole is not that solid but the brilliant moments are worth the entire run.

Hiddleston and Di Martino give solid performances, one with all the chops that come from playing the same character for over 10 years and the other as a fresh addition to the Marvel roster.

The most surprisingly amazing performances are definitely by Owen Wilson and Richard E. Grant with Wilson giving some very subtle nuances and expressions that only a top-rated actor can give and Grant being able to pull off a classic Loki costume with such grandeur and looking so badass while doing so that only makes us wonder on the "What could have been"

Even if sometimes the show goes off the rails with some nonsensical, non-canonical stuff like Loki (a frost giant) feeling a little chilly, it compensates in what has to be the most unexpected set of tears in TV history when the Classic Loki storyline comes to a conclusion.

With easter eggs galore, this show is definitely worth a watch for all MCU fans.

Children of Men (2006)

One of the top 5 movies to watch before you die.

[10/10 · 23 February 2022]

It's hard to do justice to such an amazing movie, the quiet moments, the action, the science fiction, the acting. Everything is top-shelf.

Clive Owen gives a criminally underrated performance that should (but doesn't) show more often in movie lists, his intention and charisma shine through in a hopeless future filled with technology in which humanity is experiencing a slow death by losing the one thing that we share with every other living being. Children.

With some amazing direction and ambiance, Cuaron's astonishing camera work guides you through some amazingly choreographed scenes in such a vast world filled, with so much violence, tension, and beautiful moments that will keep you in awe the entire film. This is a movie that you simply can't miss.

Children of Men is (so far) Alfonso Cuaron's Magnum Opus in an already impressive body of work. That it didn't win an Oscar and Gravity did is and always will be an absolute travesty.

Nightmare Alley (2021)

A great movie that I wouldn't watch again

[7/10 · 23 February 2022]

"Nightmare Alley" is a good movie in which it feels that director Guillermo del Toro is finally able to cut loose and do the movie he wants.

All the carnie imagery is done incredibly well and it has that incomparable feeling of the magically dark weirdness of the early years of circus entertainment.

Bradly Cooper's amazing performance carries the movie like Superman carrying the Titanic (to say an analogy) it could've been so very easy for this movie to fly off the rails at so many points but it doesn't. Cooper's performance is quiet when it has to, loud when it's needed, and dramatic when it's time to shine.

Also, the entire cast is amazing throughout. To be able to squeeze performances this subtle from really heavy hitters such as Blanchett, Dafoe, and Collette is a testament to how Del Toro has come a long, long way since the "Cronos" days.

That being said, the movie could've used a shave here and there. At times it felt like it was never going to end and it fell into some tired tropes that could've easily been edited without affecting the main story (like the entire love story between Cooper and Mara)

But it compensates for this on the ending, which is bold by today's standards and worth a watch.