zelenizmaj Reviews

Invincible (2021– )

Think seriously if you need this experience or not

[6/10 · 21 May 2024]

This show is violent to the point of absurdity. Psychologists could do a dissertation on Incredible.

The main premise of this show spins around people who have super powers. That usually means being able to do something quite extraordinary, like fly, or being super strong. Not surprisingly, excess violence is primary, if not only way to resolve issues, almost whatever they are. What those super "heroes" also cary with them is a lot of emotional baggage and a incredible amount of immaturity, making the show primarily spun around it and them trying to resolve those issues.

There is an incredible amount of violence, blood, torture, killing, executions and such in this show, and also - censored nudity? It is rated 18+ and there are no genitals, breasts or sex shown? It is not that it is necessary, but being a "porn" of violence, why not go full on?

Watching Invincible is like watching a psychotic version of Greek mythology, but without sex. Also woke. - The show is as as woke as it can be.

Should you watch it or not? Well... Invincible is amusing to a certain point, but it is also quite sick and twisted. Its premises and plot twists are quite simple, but *incredible* amount of violence, blood and gore could be (and is) off-putting. The show is absolutely not for kids. Maybe for 16-17-18 YO, but with supervision. I seriously thing that watching Invincible could be damaging to younger watchers.

Prometheus (I) (2012)

I am deeply disappointed I watched this

[1/10 · 23 March 2024]

I haven't laughed this much watching a movie for a long time. I think it is actually the first time I laughed watching a dedicated horror movie.

Alien movie was a real masterpiece. This, as a spiritual successor is close to it as a spoiled milk is to fine cheese.

The most painful of all is how this movie is stupid, for the lack of a more polite word. Additionally, the movie is grotesque out of all proportions.

If you want to watch a movie and hope to be entrenched, and you love hard SF and especially Alien movie you will be absolutely disappointed.

A colossal waste of time, and an insult to good taste.

Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045 (2020–2022)

Overly stereotypical, repetitive and marginally passable

[6/10 · 27 December 2022]

I watched this in one go during vacation. The series does have high and low points, but it is annoyingly repetitive in regard to older series and generally stereotypical in regard to other anime. They recycled the standard model to death, and good part of the series is sort of fan service that I really don't see any point to. The main protagonists are effectively promoted to demigods: they always survive, always triumph, etc. It is just annoying. And they always carry their set of emotional baggage that is kind of ridiculous. They are trained killers that have killed gazillion of other people. If anything, they would have a serious cases of PTSD. To endure that, they would have to have serious walls around their psyche to cope with that.

As for the animation goes, it is passable, but not "good". It certainly doesn't have that magic of earlier series, and as the animation is 3D, walk and general movement and behavior is awkward. You can even track repetitive errors in movement.

All in all, you can watch this as a light entertainment. Don't expect anything close to the original series.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Unbelievably sadistic ode to violence

[1/10 · 14 August 2021]

This movie is incredibly sadistic, violent and above all stupid. Basically all the protagonists are deranged psychopaths and or sadists to whom human life is worth nothing. What you'll see is an ode to war criminals and murderers. The movie reminded me of Japan in WW2 where two officers competed to see who could kill more people in an hour. And it goes on and on and on. At some point it all became such nonsensical, brutal sadism that we didn't want to watch this garbage anymore.

If you want to watch something worthwhile, skip this.

The Mole: Undercover in North Korea (2020)

Great documentary that left me a bit sad because it looks as glorified bullying

[8/10 · 28 April 2021]

This is fantastic documentary. There are no other words to describe these guys except that they are crazy. However, I can see no way that these guys will slip out of this unharmed, now or after a while. South Koreans will never forget this. Watching this is just scary.

Unfortunately, this documentary also looks like bullying a weak party. Yes, nasty tings happen in Korea, but they are not much different from what happens in China, Russia, US or generally under the patronage of rich countries around the world. However crazy it might seem, South Korea is trying to defend itself after absolute destruction brought to it. It is just not fun if a most powerful country in the world is constantly threatening with destruction. However weird that might sound, these guys are defending their country.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)

Actors were great, but story is nowhere near the original

[6/10 · 24 December 2020]

Original movie from 2014 was phenomenal. It was a first kids movie thoroughly enjoyable. It was exhilarating.

However, this was shallow, even for a children's movie. To simple, and too sentimental.

For anyone wanting to watch it, certainly go ahead, but don't expect anything neae the amazement the original movie made you feel.

Samurai Jack (2001–2017)

If you are expecting quality SF, look elsewhere

[3/10 · 20 July 2020]

I really tried to like this show, and while it has nice characters and general setup, as a whole it is completely nonsensical.

This is *NOT* an SF, and is not worth spending time on.

Red Dwarf: The Promised Land (2020) Season 13, Episode 0

Been a Red Dwarf fan most of my life, but this is just mediocre

[5/10 · 28 June 2020]

Unfortunately. I did have a few good laugh, but this is sub-par compared to the most of the series.

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)

Please watch without cropping

[9/10 · 17 May 2020]

If you are to watch this absolute visual and aural masterpiece, please watch it without cropping the scene.

This film is like a "dirty Kubrick" movie. A highest accolade to give.

Enjoy!!

The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)

Certainly an interesting and entertaining movie

[7/10 · 13 May 2020]

The plot of this movie is quite believable. It was fun and engaging to watch. The gore is moderate, and director is careful not to show too much at any point. - They all usually make blood unrealistically dark and make dying very fast and quiet, which is very good. Too much gore realism is never good.

There are some plot issues with the movie, but who cares. For the budget at hand this move is a marvel.

Melancholia (2011)

This movie artistically fantastic piece of male cow dung...

[1/10 · 8 May 2020]

...even more so, calling this film an "Science" fiction is ridiculous.

As I see, some actually do enjoy this movie, which I can not understand even to a slightest bit.

If you want weird and fantastic at the same time, you go and watch The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, and not this wonderfully staged, acted and recorded piece of dung.

Annihilation (I) (2018)

Nonsense + EXPLAINATION

[5/10 · 1 May 2020]

I have 6 to this as it is generally ok movie, but is utter nonsense from scientific point of view.

First of all, if something with mass large enough to go thru atmosphere with cosmic speed, impact would be equal to hefty atomic bomb. Think Tunguska event.

If it was a broken starship, sorry, but physics is physics.

As for this genetics nonsense, this is utter bull crap. Take that from geneticist. Live organisms do not change in order, only defects are possible. Also take into account that bio stuff respect thermodynamics And move from higher energy to lower. - No something from nothing.

EXPLAINATION:

Only way this movie could work is if broken alien's spaceship would Crash land, braking before impact. Its nano-machines go try and fix the spaceship, but they get confused and wreak havoc by rearranging everything with everything. The system is centralized, because when alien is burnt, zone falls apart. The alien is real tho.

The only part of this movie that is worth while is part when alien tries communicating. This is realistic, as intelligences differ In their nature, and it might be hard to impossible to understand another intelligent species. The alien obviously tries to adapt and understand, but is killed.

The last part that shows both replica and the (original) female having part of corruption in them doesn't mean much. It might be that just residual nano mechanisms remain.

Prospect (2018)

A first real hard SF in a loooooong time!

[10/10 · 26 April 2020]

Prospect is a rare beauty. In an ocean of unrealistic dung, which SFs usually are, Prospect shines as a bright star. Rarely is a movie such a treat, event rarer is one that is entire new universe in itself, and even rarer that movie is an SF.

As a lover of hard SF, this movie goes hand in hand with the best there have ever been. Think 2001 Odyssey, Blade Runner, Alien, Arrival, Children of Man and such. It is amongst the absolute best.

What makes this movie stick its head above most of the other is that is filthy and greedy depiction of humans on SF - stuff are not shiny and high tech and beautiful Stuff break down, and everything in it seems "normal". There is only one other movie that looked gritty and realistic like this one - the Outland, and this one is better.

Prospect is a fantastic work. A phenomenal thriller and hard SF just beautifully woven together into an unforgettable story.

Highly recommended!

(If you have a daughter, expect a harsh ride. Also, this is not suitable for small children. Child should have at least 12-13 y to watch this.)

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Dumb and unimaginative

[3/10 · 24 April 2020]

This movie is painfully stupid. It literally looks like someone took parts of all the (relatively) recent blockbusters and morphed that into on. From Lord of the rings to Goonies to Star Wars... you name it. It is as bad and stupid as Prometheus and such.

They wanted to make a something spectacular, but this is almost painful to watch. The only character with some weight is a Racoon, and that says a lot about this movie.

Vin Diesel's Riddick series look similar to this movie, but in those Diesel didn't even try to be more than a comedic SF thriller. This movie is the same, but it pretends to be much more, and fails at all miserable. It is not even amusing.

If you compare this abomination with Goonies or Star Wars (the original 3 pieces), it tried to recreate that kind of family movie that will inspire and amaze, but apart from successfully being "popular", it achieved nothing.

This is a piece of junk, a kitsch which will soon pass and be forgotten just like myriad of other movies without spirit.

Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Great manga / anime based movie

[9/10 · 21 April 2020]

I read comic books a lot and also love watching quality manga. This movie is a fantastic ecranisation of manga/anime work. I would say it is even better than the manga or anime itself, as both were done more like a joke, maybe a bit melodramatic.

The movie is a joy to watch, especially if you like cyberpunk / SF. It is wonderfully made, engaging and all out fun.

Highly recommended, and if you have kids, you should skip watching this with them until they are at least 10-11 yo.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)

Waste of time

[3/10 · 20 April 2020]

This move is essentially a weapons advertisement. It is boring and stupid to the point of ridiculousness. I am writing while the movie is still running. The violence can be "justified" in an action movie, but this is just plain stupid. This is not even glorification of violence, it is just load of fantastic bull excrement.

Little Spirou (2017)

A beautiful children's movie for the whole family

[8/10 · 5 April 2020]

At the moment of writing this review, the movie carries score 4.5. This is completely unjustified. Le Petit Spirou / Little Spirou is an amazing children's movie that grownups can also watch and enjoy.

The movie sports many funny moments and the underlying story and setting are charming. I would call it even romantic? :-)

My 7 yro enjoyed it thoroughly, even the film is in French and we don't speak it, that says enough of it.

As for the resemblance with the comic book series, I think the movie follows the comics faithfully.

Young & Wild (2012)

A very slow but bright and nice film that will make you feel good

[8/10 · 2 April 2020]

The film is made beautifully close-up and is high-key almost entirely. It depicts love and sexual troubles of a young woman in a religiously orthodox family.

While the film is very slow, it is pleasant to watch and it will make you feel good.

The film is very bold in nature as it attacks some common taboos present in religious communities around the world, and does it in a wonderfully natural way. You can fully believe characters in the movie are real, as normal life is "boring" in many ways, just as it is depicted in the movie.

Sex scenes are wonderfully made, they are positively beautiful. They look authentic and will make you feel happy and light.

Wholeheartedly recommended.

Zombillenium (2017)

Great movie for the family

[9/10 · 26 March 2020]

This a very unusual movie that can be great fun for entire family. The story, characters and setup are all very provocative, yet fun and positive in the end. We watched it with our 7 yro and it was great.

If you are a metalhead, I am pretty sure you will like this one. :-)

Smallfoot (2018)

A very smart movie, not just a "good time" one

[8/10 · 31 January 2020]

This is not your cookie cutter feel-good movie, and that is probably why it has rather low rating. While funny, good part of the movie deals with development of critical thinking in an idealistic totalitarian society and challenging commonly upheld beliefs.

It also shows us humans as what we do and did to primitive societies, killing and enslaving them.

In some moments movie can be quite hard to grownups, altho not much to kids who don't understand too much, tho the movie can be a very good position to talk about it later on.

Spy Cat (2018)

An unusually smart kids movie

[9/10 · 30 January 2020]

I have rarely seen such a smart kids movie. It is executed rather brilliantly, as it is both funny, cute and will make you think hard about stuff. My kid loved this a lot, and we spoke afterwards about implications of different situations.

Recommended.

Luis and the Aliens (2018)

Great family movie

[8/10 · 26 January 2020]

This is a beautiful family movie, guaranteed to be funny for the whole family.

The movie is not too dark at any point, and is suitable for small children. - We watched it with a 6yro.

Wholeheartedly recommended.

Abominable (2019)

A genuinely touching move void of usual stereotypes

[9/10 · 28 December 2019]

The most amazing thing about this move is that it feels "complete". There is no part of the move that needs more or less plot. Above all, there is no sick sentimentality that spoils most of the movies produced. The movie is amazing as it is. A wonderful family movie. - My 6yo enjoyed it thoroughly and laugher all the time.

Zog (2018 TV Movie)

A beautiful story about to growing up, possibilities and friendship

[9/10 · 25 December 2018]

When I told my kid that they will make a Zog movie, he kept pestering me for half a year when it will come. When it finally did, it was a marvelous short film that used some old stereotypes from kids stories, and turned them into something new and fit for today's world. Most of all, it teaches young girls that they can be whatever they want, and not only princesses In the castle, waiting for a prince.

Metalhead (2013)

Review for Black Metal guys

[9/10 · 28 October 2018]

There is not much Black metal in the movie, if you were expecting this. :-) HOWEVER, the film is more than worth watching. More or less benign in nature, it deal with humanity of people that are mostly alone. Just they themselves, their work and their pain.

The movie is set about the time Mayhem started forming Black Metal scene; the main protagonist in a way "invented" her version of black metal as a way to cope with death of her brother. Interestingly, the black metal track from the movie (unfortunately just one song) actually sounds really good! It actually does sound like it was made in that time, making the movie only more believable.

While Burzum is not specifically mentioned in the movie (sadly), it was very important for the plot itself.

Slow "studio" version of the song is also really good. (It is called Svarthamar, and there are two versions- studio and demo on YouTube - artist is Petur Bien - the rest of the album is so-so, instrumental ambient music). I don't remember when was the last time I got shivers down my spine listening to something. The track is really good, especially if you understand the words / read the translation. It goes phenomenally with the movie itself.