tadam-51245 Reviews

Damsel (2024)

A "damsel in distress" film this is NOT

[8/10 · 16 March 2024]

OK, I really liked this film. A lot. You can tell from very early on that Elodie, played by Millie Bobbie Brown, is not a damsel who will need rescuing. She's smart, tough, clever, charming, and very much her own person.

While it does employ many of the tropes expected in this genre -- a dragon, people of questionable intent, myths & legends -- it does so with a much fresher take and direction. Brown is terrific in the role, and Robin Wright, as the queen of a neighboring kingdom, does a great turn as a (semi-spoiler here) really despicable character. Angela Basset is under-utilized, though, and really wasn't given as much for her talents to work with as I would have liked. Hers could have been a much more important character that was allowed to be here.

There are some solid "Heck YEAH!" moments that are quite satisfying, especially as we see Elodie find ways out of her predicament.

Definitely a fun flick.

Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)

Very enjoyable. ALMOST wonderful

[8/10 · 9 June 2023]

First, I am a huge fan of both Swinton and Elba; they are remarkable talents whose work I have always enjoyed.

I titled my review ".... ALMOST wonderful" because it could easily have been. Unfortunately Idris Elba seemed to struggle with a Middle Eastern accent in many scenes, and to the point of distraction.

That said, the story is an interesting one, and an original one, not just a rehashing of plots and tropes that have been done countless times before in other movies. The growth we see in both characters is good to watch, and how Swinton's character grows from someone who thinks she's happy into someone who actually is was a great journey to witness.

After (I) (2012)

MUCH better than I expected

[8/10 · 22 May 2023]

There have been plenty of movies with the same set-up: Someone, or maybe several people (2, in this case) suddenly find themselves in a completely deserted city. Sorting out the mystery of what happened to all the people and why is what takes up the rest of such films.

I was hoping this wouldn't be just another retread of the same old tropes, and while were obviously some similarities with others (It's the same premise, after all), I was pleased to find this one better than most. There are some interesting twists and turns along the way; some you will probably see coming, and others you may not.

Some of the "thriller" moments can be taken as-is, or seen as allegories for the trials and tribulations of life. They work well either way.

Probably 90% of the film involves just the 2 main characters, and although their on-screen chemistry is a little lacking early on, it does get better as the movie progresses.

I rather liked it.

Against the Night (2017)

Yet another ghost-hunting-in-abandoned-prison/hospital movie

[2/10 · 24 April 2023]

I needed something kill time while I was doing laundry. I should have stayed in the laundry room, though, since watching the drier spin would be more entertaining.

You know those movies where sometimes you're actually cheering for the monster? Yep, this is one of those. Even before the baddies appear, you're cheering for them here.

'The characters are nothing but whiny twits whose cumulative IQ's barely reach room temperature. Not one of them has even the tiniest amount of common sense. The guy at the center of shooting the "video" they are supposedly making mistakes being narcissistic and manipulative for being edgy and cool. In short, he's a complete AH. None of the characters have any qualities that make you want to cheer for them.

The airlines have a "No Fly List". The film industry should have a "No Film List" that prohibits people like those who made this steaming pile from ever making another movie.

First Signal (2021)

Our cat could have made a better movie than this

[1/10 · 8 April 2023]

Now to be fair, our oldest cat is pretty damned smart, so her making a better film than this isn't much of a statement. That said, this is a science fiction film about as much as The Odyssey is a travelogue. That it's about the discovery of what may be an extraterrestrial satellite in space is about as close as it gets to sci-fi, and that's not very close.

SPOILER -- Probably 90% of the movie is nothing more than the main characters sitting in a conference room talking, with the occasional move out into a hallway. Not exactly riveting, edge-of-your-seat stuff.

It's hard to tell if any of the actors are actually any good at their profession, since the writing and direction are both so bad I can't see anyone making it work.

It is tragic that so much electricity was sacrificed to make this.

Outpost (2008)

Under-appreciated and under-rated gem

[8/10 · 15 March 2023]

Let's face it: Most films in this genre are mediocre at best, retreads of the same thing over and over again. "Outpost", for me, is an exception to that. I've watched it several times for that vert reason.

That Ray Stevenson and Richard Brake are in it is a big plus for me because they're terrific in everything I've ever seen them in. Stevenson probably has a patent on playing characters like his. Brake's is remarkably under-stated, as if no matter how bizarre and horrific the situation becomes, he's nothing but cool and collected. His, I think, is the most interesting character of the lot.

The situation the characters are in moves from "Just another job" to "WTH did we get ourselves into?" smoothly and steadily, as the characters see what's been happening around them steadily go from bad to worse to much, much worse.

Very, very well-done film, and I may just watch it again tonight.

Messiah of Evil (1974)

Not much to recommend it

[3/10 · 5 March 2023]

There were some pretty decent low-budget horror/thriller that came out in the 1960s and 70s.

This isn't one of them.

The use of extensive voice-over narration by the female lead seems like a way of hiding the lack of quality sound. The acting by most of the supporting characters ranges from bad to embarrassingly bad, as in "If I was one of the cast I'd leave this off my resume". The first half of the movie is absolutely dreadful in its writing, acting, lighting, sound; you name an aspect of film-making and that would have been bad as well.

There are some decent moments towards the end, but I'm calling them decent only in the loosest possible sense. Perhaps, "Didn't suck quite as much as the rest of the movie did" would be a better description.

Moonfall (2022)

A HUGE Disappointment

[2/10 · 8 October 2022]

This could have been a really terrific movie.

It wasn't.

The story's basic premise is intriguing. Unfortunately, the telling of the story was ruined by plot holes so big you could drive a truck through them, and the nonstop use of every disaster movie cliche ever made. I eventually lost count of how many other movies they ripped off to patch this thing together.

The story is moved along by some pretty ridiculous things. For example: (spoiler) you can't take a mothballed, decommissioned space shuttle out of its museum display and have it launch-ready in a couple of days.

It may have been directed by Roland Emmerich, but it's more as if Michael Bay made a film aimed at 14 year-old boys.

Prisoners of the Sun (2013)

Why did I do this to myself?

[3/10 · 4 October 2022]

I'm a fan of this genre; it's one of those "guilty pleasures" we all have. This one, however, was one I definitely should have skipped.

The movie drags up every possible trope and cliche of other similar films: sneaky bad guy, learned professor with his almost-as-learned assistant (sidekick), and a couple of others who were eminently forgettable. Then there are the ancient curses, resurrected mummies (or are they???), and a sandstorm. John Rhys-Davies is the only actor of note in it, as well as the only one who can act. I have no idea why an actor of his repute would do this film. Was he bored and had nothing else to do? Did he just want an easy paycheck? Even he had to resort to over-acting in some scenes just to give it some energy.

Short version? Don't bother. M.

The Gray Man (2022)

It's a flagrant "Jason Bourne" ripoff

[5/10 · 1 October 2022]

I rated it 5 because on its own merits, it's decently done. What kept me from giving it any hiring a rating is its complete lack of originality. It's basically the Jason Bourne saga all over again: deep cover government assassin has to go on the run because now his employers are targeting him. Ryan Gosling is a fine actor, although he maintains a pretty flat affect throughout the film. The action sequences were done well enough.

I really wanted to like this movie; I really did. I eventually turned it off partway through, though, realizing I'd seen it before. However, it was called "The Bourne Identity" then.

Uncharted (2022)

"Da Vinci Code" wannabe

[4/10 · 14 August 2022]

I was barely halfway through watching this and just turned it off. Its complete lack of originality rendered it pointless to watch. The whole thing pulls from other much better films: The DaVinci Code, Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc. Given the lead actors I expected it to be pretty good. It wasn't. There was no originality to any of the charters, either; you've seen these same types of characters is countless other similar movies. The only difference this time is that you won't really give a damn about them.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of something lower is that the production values and cinematography were decent. That's it/

Mortal (2020)

Surprisingly good!

[8/10 · 28 June 2022]

"Mortal" has been showing up in my streaming channels for a while, so I finally decided to watch it today, and I'm glad I did. It's a Norwegian film, so a lot of the dialog is in that language, but there are English subtitles when needed.

Unlike a lot of sci-fi and fantasy films, it does not depend on special effects and CGI to enhance the story. It's the story itself, and the mystery of the main character that drives the movie. Some SFX are present when needed, but only when needed. The performances by the actors were fine, which is nice to see when it's cast entirely with people I'd never heard of. One doesn't need to spend ridiculous amounts on salaries for A-list actors in order to get good performances.

And yes, Mortal 2 would be a very welcome next step!

Project 'Gemini' (2022)

"Aliens" + "Contact" + "Interstellar" + bad voiceovers = Project Gemini

[4/10 · 16 June 2022]

It's a Russian-made film, and its production values are quite good. The story line is derivative of a lot of other sci-fi thrillers, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. What killed off the potential for me, in this version, is the English dubbing of the original dialog. The actors doing the voice overs range from adequate to really bad. One is so bad I had to mute the TV when his characters had scenes; listening to him was excruciating.

I'm may try to find it with the original Russian dialog and English subtitles and give it another try.

Risen (2021)

MUCH better than all those negative reviews

[7/10 · 21 May 2022]

I just finished watching it, and I rather enjoyed it. Yes, it has elements of "Arrival" and "Annihilation", but I thought it still delivered enough on its own. It is NOT an action film, so if that's what you want and expect from sci-fi films, look elsewhere. The ending may have left some reviewers flat, but I thought it provided some interesting twists.

Could it have been done better? Sure, but most movies can be.

Underwater (2020)

It's made well enough, but very derivative.

[6/10 · 13 November 2021]

First things first: I'm not much of a Kristen Stewart fan, and her performance here was adequate, but not really enough to raise my opinion of her.

On its own, and if we ignore a lot of others released from the late 1970's onward, it's on OK movie: suspenseful, action-packed, etc. -- all the things you'd expect from as movie like this. However, it's because we can't pretend a lot of other movies don't exist that I have to see this one as derivative of many, many others: Alien, The Abyss, Leviathan (which was another "Alien"-But-Underwater ripoff), etc.

Its production values are good, and Vincent Cassel is always fun to watch, but I've seen this same story many times.

Foundation (2021– )

How do I review this? What do I review?

[7/10 · 2 October 2021]

The Foundation Trilogy is one of the few things I've read twice; that's how much I enjoyed it. I'm going to have to read it a third time now, just to see how much of what I've seen in this series is actually in the book. So far -- and I'm only through the third episode so far -- aside from some key characters and the general plot, it doesn't resemble anything I recall from the novels.

So how do I review this? On its own merits, I'd give it an 8: interesting story, good acting, excellent production values. Or do I review it in terms of how well it portrays the original books? That would, so far, be maybe a 3 or 4.

I will watch the rest of the series to say how this plays out.

Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

A few decent moments, but disappointing oeverall

[3/10 · 6 September 2021]

Karen Gillan is a very capable actor, and the film also stars Paul Giamatti, who could read from a cookbook and make it engrossing. Michelle Yeoh, an equally-brilliant and versatile actor, is also present. However, the three of them were not enough to salvage this mess. The movie rips off pretty much ever film in this same genre. For example, using flameco-style music for the soundtrack during one of the shootout scenes is an obvious steal from Quentin Tarantino's sword fight scene between Uma Thurman & Lucy Liu.

Fight scenes in a movie like this have to be either so over-the-top that you suspend disbelief and just enjoy them (think Robert Rodriguez's films), or so elegantly and accurately choreographed that they look quite genuine (the Ong Bak series with Tony Jaa).

The movie also "borrows" quite liberally from "Hotel Artemis" with Jodie Foster, which was far superior in its portrayal of an underground hospital for criminals.

I can't remember the last time I was this bored by an action film.

ISRA 88 (2016)

It sets a new standard for "Boring"

[2/10 · 29 August 2021]

I am slightly more than halfway through watching the film as a write this. Watching my laundry spinning the the dryer is infinitely more engrossing than this. Among its flaws:

-- 2 basic premises of the film are absurd: (a) That one can actually reach the "edge" of the universe, and (b) that a mission like this would have a crew of only 2 people.

-- Sean Maher, who was excellent as Simon Tam in "Firefly" and "Serenity" is wasted in the role of a scientist whose character is poorly defined. Sometimes he seems to be a real scientist; other teams he has the maturity of a 13 year-old who's been left unsupervised for too long.

-- Caspar van Diem is in it, and let's face it: He's not an actor who'll ever get an Oscar nomination.

-- There is no dramatic tension, no humor, no changes of pace -- nothing to break the unbearable monotony.

-- The "Honeymooners" fantasy interlude makes absolutely no sense. Its serves no purpose at all.

This movie makes pretty much every kind of mistake one can. Sorting and organizing your sock drawer would be a much better use of your time.

Battle: New York, Day 2 (2011)

Why all the haters?

[7/10 · 16 August 2021]

I don't get all the negative reviews. I'm watching it as I write my review and I'm enjoying this not-your-typical-zombie/alien-invasion film. The set-up for the story is unique, and the use of mentally ill patients as the protagonists is an interesting change of pace.

OK, the actors aren't A-listers, but they do a better job than I think a lot of reviewers are giving them credit for. It's tough to portray someone who's actively schizophrenic without becoming an over-the-top caricature, and these actors do a credible job. And the special effects are pretty decent given the limited budget they probably had to work with, and the SFX aren't the point of the story anyway.

Give it a chance and decide for yourself.

Occupation (2018)

Not as awful as some reviewers wrote, but still........

[4/10 · 7 July 2021]

This film should be sub-titled, "How many movies can we borrow from in under 2 hours?" It's one of the most derivative movies I've ever seen. It takes very liberally from "War of the Worlds", "Red Dawn", and plenty of others. The actors are better than the material they're given to work with, too.

All of that notwithstanding, I always have a problem with movies that try to present realistic military activity, but fail miserably at it. In addition, there are tjree huge gaps in the general logic in the film: (1) If aliens were going to invade, why would they target the Australian outback? Wouldn't an attacking force go after a country's command and control centers first, along with military installations? The film makes no mention of that. (2) An extraterrestrial force like the one in this film would have wiped out our opposition forces in a matter of hours. It would be no contest. (3) I'm pretty sure we'd see giant space ships coming long before they actually arrived; they wouldn't just suddenly appear in orbit around the earth.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

About as good an espionage film as you can ask for

[9/10 · 10 May 2021]

This film, like the book and like the first version on film, is an accurate depiction of "the great game" during the Cold War. It's also a good representation of the politics and personalities in play within the SIS, particular at the top levels.

The original portrayal of George Smiley by Sir Alec Guinness was so perfect, it's been impossible to imagine anyone else even coming close. Gary Oldman proves me wrong in this. He, and much of the cast, represent some of the very best of British acting, and seeing them in an ensemble setting like this is a joy.

This is an intellectual film, a thinking-person's spy film, about a time when espionage was all old-school trade-craft, long before the days of Keyhole satellites, cyber-sleuthing, and hacking sat-phones. How the pieces of the puzzle are slowly identified and eventually put together to reveal the mole within MI6 is the core of the story, and watching these very fine actors make there way through it makes for a great viewing.

Alien Code (2018)

Despite some flaws, a really, really good film

[8/10 · 29 April 2021]

First things first: This is NOT your typical sci-fi movie. If your idea of good sci-fi is battles in space, galactic empires, and lots of weird-looking aliens, you won't enjoy this at all.

"Alien Code" is, instead, an intellectual exercise, a study of damaged souls looking for what may be their last chance at closure, and perhaps some level of redemption (in the case of the film's protagonist). It's part cyber-sleuth detective story, part conspiracy thriller, part defense of the rights of the individual, all wrapped in a science fiction tale. Yes, there are a few gaffs along the way, (semi-spoiler here) such as when the protagonist has a couple of "unusual" visitors and doesn't react to them any differently that he would to anyone else. That said, I've watched it twice. I really enjoyed it.

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)

So much promise, so little of it fulfilled

[5/10 · 31 March 2021]

I really had high hopes for this; too high, as it turned out. Yes the visuals are pretty great, and some of the minor roles are played quite well, but that's as far as it went for me.

Rachel Weisz did a passable job of salvaging some poorly-written dialog, but even as fine an actor as she is can only do so much when the material itself isn't very good. I have never understood the adulation James Franco gets, and this film reinforced that view. Bad dialog delivered by someone over-acting to the Nth degree makes for some pretty painful viewing. Her comes across like a high schooler in Drama Club production who's trying too hard.

Want to see a great re-imagining of the Oz mythos? Watch "Tin Man", the 3-part mini-series with Zooey Deschanel instead.

Monster Hunter (2020)

Pure escapism, and fun

[8/10 · 18 March 2021]

OK, let's be honest here: One doesn't watch movies like this expecting Citizen Kane, The Godfather Part II, or Gone With the Wind. Movies like this are intended to be wild, escapist rides, and in that, the movie succeeds. And besides, Milla Jovovich has pretty much cornered the market on kick-ass woman roles.

Yes, it gets pretty derivative in places, with many things clearly inspired by "Aliens", "Pitch Black", and "Predator", but it does those things well enough to still be entertaining. You also have to set aside a critical eye towards the fight scenes, as neither character would have lasted through the beatings they each took for more than a couple of minutes. As an aside, if you want to see the true scope of Tony Jaa's martial arts skills (Muay Thai), watch the "Ong Bak" films.

Fun movie.

The Misty Green Sky (2016)

What were they trying for here???

[2/10 · 14 March 2021]

Other reviewers have mentioned the graphics and CGI work. For those of you who may have seen the animated TV series "Reboot", the look is very similar. Not as well done as in Reboot, but similar.

What it lacks, however are: Interesting characters, a cohesive plot, decent voice-over actors, and good writing. Ever play any of those problem-solving/exploratory games, the kind that "Myst" led to? This production is much like those interludes where you, through your avatar, have to stop and talk to a characters that appear throughout the game. Now, take those interludes and run them non-stop, back-to-back, and that's what watching this movie is like.

I appreciate their effort, but...................