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Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Synchronic (2019) in Movies
Mar 2, 2021
Direction (1 more)
Script
Under The Influence
Getting to review Synchronic was great, because it is a movie that is right up my alley and yet it totally passed me by upon release. I still don’t know how I wasn’t aware of this sci-fi thriller with horror elements since that description encapsulates almost everything that I am into. I recently got to see it for the first time and really I’m glad that I did. I also went into this movie pretty blind having only seen a short trailer and I would suggest doing the same in order to receive the optimal experience here.
Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan star as a pair of first responder paramedics based in Louisiana and both of them do a great job in carrying the film. Without giving too many plot details away, there are points in the movie where both have to show fairly intense levels of grief and I feel that both do this very well in how they choose to portray that respectively. Jamie Dornan’s accent does slip a few times, but he is charismatic enough that he can get away with it.
The movie is directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead and this is actually the first project that I’ve seen from either of them. The direction throughout the film is brilliant and has a real cohesion with the cinematography and the script, – this is probably because the script was written by Justin Benson and shot by Aaron Moorhead.
The script is an interesting one and the distinctiveness of it means that the film probably couldn’t have been directed by anyone else other than the person who wrote it. The dialogue throughout the movie is well written and I really believed the history and friendship in Mackie’s and Dornan’s relationship. There is also some humour interjected in the dialogue and surprisingly it lands and helps to alleviate some of the perpetual dread that is intertwined in the movie’s plot.
Read the rest of my review at: https://www.bigglasgowcomicpage.com/2021/02/13/review-synchronic/
Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan star as a pair of first responder paramedics based in Louisiana and both of them do a great job in carrying the film. Without giving too many plot details away, there are points in the movie where both have to show fairly intense levels of grief and I feel that both do this very well in how they choose to portray that respectively. Jamie Dornan’s accent does slip a few times, but he is charismatic enough that he can get away with it.
The movie is directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead and this is actually the first project that I’ve seen from either of them. The direction throughout the film is brilliant and has a real cohesion with the cinematography and the script, – this is probably because the script was written by Justin Benson and shot by Aaron Moorhead.
The script is an interesting one and the distinctiveness of it means that the film probably couldn’t have been directed by anyone else other than the person who wrote it. The dialogue throughout the movie is well written and I really believed the history and friendship in Mackie’s and Dornan’s relationship. There is also some humour interjected in the dialogue and surprisingly it lands and helps to alleviate some of the perpetual dread that is intertwined in the movie’s plot.
Read the rest of my review at: https://www.bigglasgowcomicpage.com/2021/02/13/review-synchronic/
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) in Movies
Oct 15, 2020
This first sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger is everything a sequel should be. It has bigger and better set pieces, it has a bigger emotional centre, it brings in already established MCU characters and introduces new ones, and is arguably one of the best entries into the MCU to date.
Chris Evans does nothing more than tighten his grip around his most famous role. He joins Robert Downey Jr. in the category of irreplaceable actors for these characters.
Scarlett Johansson is once again great as Black Widow, and newcomer Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon provides Cap with a likeable new ally. The three of them as a sort of mini Avengers in this movie are fantastic.
Sebastian Stan plays The Winter Soldier with aplomb, and gives us a truly dangerous antagonist. The dude is fucking terrifying, yet his relationship with Steve Rogers gives us the heart of this movie. It's a tragic story which of course will be further explored in Civil War further down the line.
The cast is rounded off with Samuel L. Jackson returning as Nick Fury, Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce, Emily VanCamp as Agent 13, Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow, and some smaller roles for Cobie Smulders and Hayley Atwell.
It's a really solid cast all in all, an area that Marvel Studios rarely missteps.
The set pieces are hugely high octane and thrilling. The opening scene on the barge is a highlight, as well as the teams fight with the Winter Soldier midway through. Even Nick Fury gets a banger of an action sequence. Also, this film boasts probably the biggest plot twist gut punch in the whole MCU with the SHIELD/Hydra reveal. It's an extremely well crafted, ballsy narrative that impacts the shape of the MCU going forward.
There's honestly nothing bad to say about this one. It's top tier comic book cinema.
Chris Evans does nothing more than tighten his grip around his most famous role. He joins Robert Downey Jr. in the category of irreplaceable actors for these characters.
Scarlett Johansson is once again great as Black Widow, and newcomer Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon provides Cap with a likeable new ally. The three of them as a sort of mini Avengers in this movie are fantastic.
Sebastian Stan plays The Winter Soldier with aplomb, and gives us a truly dangerous antagonist. The dude is fucking terrifying, yet his relationship with Steve Rogers gives us the heart of this movie. It's a tragic story which of course will be further explored in Civil War further down the line.
The cast is rounded off with Samuel L. Jackson returning as Nick Fury, Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce, Emily VanCamp as Agent 13, Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow, and some smaller roles for Cobie Smulders and Hayley Atwell.
It's a really solid cast all in all, an area that Marvel Studios rarely missteps.
The set pieces are hugely high octane and thrilling. The opening scene on the barge is a highlight, as well as the teams fight with the Winter Soldier midway through. Even Nick Fury gets a banger of an action sequence. Also, this film boasts probably the biggest plot twist gut punch in the whole MCU with the SHIELD/Hydra reveal. It's an extremely well crafted, ballsy narrative that impacts the shape of the MCU going forward.
There's honestly nothing bad to say about this one. It's top tier comic book cinema.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
For Captain Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), the two years following his exploits in “The Avengers” has not been easy. He is still coming to grips with being a man out of time, as the world around him is a much more dangerous and complicated place than the one he grew up in.
He runs missions for S.H.I.E.L.D. under the command of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and is often accompanies by a team of agents as well as his fellow Avenger Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).
A recent mission has lead the Captain to question some of the tactics used by S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury decides it is time to be more open with Rogers about the pending plans of the agency which involve launching three Super Carriers that will eliminate threats before they happen.
Naturally this sort of “Gunboat Diplomacy” does not sit well with the highly ethical Rogers but Fury tells him he needs to get out of the past and become aware of just how different and dangerous the world they live in has become.
Fury believes that the Captain does have some valid concerns and uncovers that things may not be as they appear. When a vicious and well coordinated attack happen, Captain America is called into action and soon finds himself facing a deadly assassin known as The Winter Soldier.
The heat soon rises making Rogers soon question whom he can trust as a deadly conspiracy that holds the fate of the world in the balance erupts, and only Rogers and his team can save the day.
The film is an intense thrill ride that mixes the best elements of the Marvel films with solid action and a dramatic thriller. There are strong performances all around and the addition of Anthony Mackie and Robert Redford to the already strong ensemble was a masterful plan.
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo (Who are said to already be signed for the next Captain America film), clearly have a grasp on the material and they deftly combine action with a human story full of ethical dilemmas and personal motivations to deliver a film that is so much more than the usual FX laden films that are common with comic book related films.
Marvel Studios has once again upped the ante and have continued their amazing run of film success and keep getting better and better. There are several hints dropped about other characters and events in the upcoming Marvel cinematic universe as well as plenty of treats for fans. You will want to stay for the two additional scenes that take place during the credits as they give fans a hint of what is to come next year with “The Avengers: Age of Ultron”.
Until then, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is a spectacular summer event film, as an it is a non-stop thrill ride and a textbook example of how to bring the best elements of a comic book to life.
http://sknr.net/2014/04/04/captain-america-the-winter-soldier/
He runs missions for S.H.I.E.L.D. under the command of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and is often accompanies by a team of agents as well as his fellow Avenger Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).
A recent mission has lead the Captain to question some of the tactics used by S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury decides it is time to be more open with Rogers about the pending plans of the agency which involve launching three Super Carriers that will eliminate threats before they happen.
Naturally this sort of “Gunboat Diplomacy” does not sit well with the highly ethical Rogers but Fury tells him he needs to get out of the past and become aware of just how different and dangerous the world they live in has become.
Fury believes that the Captain does have some valid concerns and uncovers that things may not be as they appear. When a vicious and well coordinated attack happen, Captain America is called into action and soon finds himself facing a deadly assassin known as The Winter Soldier.
The heat soon rises making Rogers soon question whom he can trust as a deadly conspiracy that holds the fate of the world in the balance erupts, and only Rogers and his team can save the day.
The film is an intense thrill ride that mixes the best elements of the Marvel films with solid action and a dramatic thriller. There are strong performances all around and the addition of Anthony Mackie and Robert Redford to the already strong ensemble was a masterful plan.
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo (Who are said to already be signed for the next Captain America film), clearly have a grasp on the material and they deftly combine action with a human story full of ethical dilemmas and personal motivations to deliver a film that is so much more than the usual FX laden films that are common with comic book related films.
Marvel Studios has once again upped the ante and have continued their amazing run of film success and keep getting better and better. There are several hints dropped about other characters and events in the upcoming Marvel cinematic universe as well as plenty of treats for fans. You will want to stay for the two additional scenes that take place during the credits as they give fans a hint of what is to come next year with “The Avengers: Age of Ultron”.
Until then, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is a spectacular summer event film, as an it is a non-stop thrill ride and a textbook example of how to bring the best elements of a comic book to life.
http://sknr.net/2014/04/04/captain-america-the-winter-soldier/
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Adjustment Bureau (2011) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story David Norris (Matt Damon) is running for congress when a story gets released cause his ratings to slide. It is now upon Harry (Anthony Mackie) to fix this to make sure David wins and follows his destine path. David goes on to win and thanks to a chance meeting with Elise (Emily Blunt) gives one of the best speeches people have heard boosting his chances of running for senate.
The next morning Harry misses the chance he has to stop David getting on a bus to work, on this bus he meet Elise again cause his destiny to be changed. After getting her phone number he arrives at work only to discover that Charlie (Michael Kelly) his campaign manager and his office had been frozen by Richardson (John Slattery) and his team for adjustments. After seeing behind the curtain Richardson burns the number putting David back on his path, warning David not to find Elise and not tell anyone about the people making peoples lives happen.
David is left trying to keep his destine line while always trying to find Elise can he beat the adjustment team watch and you will see.
Verdict The headline review was ‘Bourne meets Inception’ and in a way it is having a way of controlling someones life by make chances things happen. the action chases are well constructed without even having to use guns. David love for Elise is strong with all the obstacles and sacrifices he makes for the idea of a better futures. This is a strong action thriller that everyone should enjoy but you would have to watch from start to finish and will struggle if picked up half way through.
Best quote Elise ‘ I’m not some hopeless romantic, I would never allow myself to be that way, but once I’ve fell, even for a moment, what I felt with you’
Favourite character Harry David personal watcher who explains the rules and breaks some too
Stand out performance Matt Damon he gives his normal strong performance as an important figure who takes risks
Best moment The door chase
Worst Moment Maybe being picky but maybe more explanation of the year gaps
https://moviesreview101.com/2011/07/09/the-adjustment-bureau-2011/
The next morning Harry misses the chance he has to stop David getting on a bus to work, on this bus he meet Elise again cause his destiny to be changed. After getting her phone number he arrives at work only to discover that Charlie (Michael Kelly) his campaign manager and his office had been frozen by Richardson (John Slattery) and his team for adjustments. After seeing behind the curtain Richardson burns the number putting David back on his path, warning David not to find Elise and not tell anyone about the people making peoples lives happen.
David is left trying to keep his destine line while always trying to find Elise can he beat the adjustment team watch and you will see.
Verdict The headline review was ‘Bourne meets Inception’ and in a way it is having a way of controlling someones life by make chances things happen. the action chases are well constructed without even having to use guns. David love for Elise is strong with all the obstacles and sacrifices he makes for the idea of a better futures. This is a strong action thriller that everyone should enjoy but you would have to watch from start to finish and will struggle if picked up half way through.
Best quote Elise ‘ I’m not some hopeless romantic, I would never allow myself to be that way, but once I’ve fell, even for a moment, what I felt with you’
Favourite character Harry David personal watcher who explains the rules and breaks some too
Stand out performance Matt Damon he gives his normal strong performance as an important figure who takes risks
Best moment The door chase
Worst Moment Maybe being picky but maybe more explanation of the year gaps
https://moviesreview101.com/2011/07/09/the-adjustment-bureau-2011/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Miss Bala (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Gloria (Gina Rodriguez), a makeup artist in Los Angeles, heads to Tijuana for a fun weekend with her best friend, Suzu (Cristina Rodlo). Gloria is going to help Suzu prepare for the Miss Baja California beauty pageant. They decide to head to a club to rub elbows with one of the more important judges, Chief Saucedo (Damian Alcazar). That is when a fun trip turns into a nightmare, several members of a local cartel, Estrella (Spanish for star), break in and start shooting up the club. The leader of Estrella, Leno (Ismael Cruz Cordova), believes that Chief Saucedo is trying to cut into his business and is there to assassinate him. Gloria escapes but gets separated from Suzu. She searches all night and calls the hospitals but can’t find her friend. She finds a police officer to have him help search and tells him he saw the attackers. Instead of taking her to the police station he delivers her to Estrella and Leno. He agrees to help her find her friend but there is a price. Now Gloria will have go to great lengths to find her friend and survive a deadly battle between a cartel and the police from right in the middle of the chaos.
Gina Rodriguez is really good in this film. I thought her performance was definitely the best part of this film. Otherwise the performances were a mix bag of good and bad. Cruz Cordova in particular failed to really come across as a scary, but sensitive, cartel leader. The cameo by Anthony Mackie was a surprise. The story is really interesting and there were times that were suspenseful. The action was decent with some good scenes. The issue was there were also some campy performances and scene set ups that felt rushed. The film was shot decently and the music fit well. The end, which I would not dare spoil, really fell short of all of the buildup.
Before looking for a trailer for this movie I did not know that this was a remake of a 2012 film of the same name. I would be interested to see this film to compare the two because I enjoyed the story. This film missed on some points but really did entertain me for the hour and forty-four minutes. I would say that you could save this for streaming or rental. I don’t think that it would be a movie I would watch again in the theater.
Gina Rodriguez is really good in this film. I thought her performance was definitely the best part of this film. Otherwise the performances were a mix bag of good and bad. Cruz Cordova in particular failed to really come across as a scary, but sensitive, cartel leader. The cameo by Anthony Mackie was a surprise. The story is really interesting and there were times that were suspenseful. The action was decent with some good scenes. The issue was there were also some campy performances and scene set ups that felt rushed. The film was shot decently and the music fit well. The end, which I would not dare spoil, really fell short of all of the buildup.
Before looking for a trailer for this movie I did not know that this was a remake of a 2012 film of the same name. I would be interested to see this film to compare the two because I enjoyed the story. This film missed on some points but really did entertain me for the hour and forty-four minutes. I would say that you could save this for streaming or rental. I don’t think that it would be a movie I would watch again in the theater.
JT (287 KP) rated Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Of all the absurd film titles this has to be right up there. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a film that you can tune into and lose yourself with – nothing more than that.
Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) the film initially focuses on the early life of one Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) whose mother is killed at the hands of a vampire.
Fueled by revenge he goes out and tries to avenge her death, unsuccessfully at first. He is then taken under the wing of Henry Sturges (Dominic Cooper) who shows him the proper ways to fight back, in a training montage that makes Rocky’s wood chopping skills look pathetic.
Sturges leaves Lincoln to go off on his own but sends him the names of undead that he has to go out and kill on a regular basis, while trying to hide his nocturnal hobby from those closest to him. First thing to note with this film is many of the techniques that made Wanted a unique action flick are used considerably throughout, a bit too much for me.
CGI in film should be used sparingly as far as I’m concerned, but when faced with a scene where there is no feasible way you could shoot for real then it’s a perfect solution. When Lincoln is giving chase to Jack Barts (Marton Csokas) across a stampede of wild horses it provides a great action sequence for which CGI comes into its own.
In-fact pretty much all the action sequences use this, and with the climactic train sequence proving a highlight to the end of the film it’s not anywhere near enough to make it a standout, you can only hide behind special effects for so long before you’re going to get found out.
There is a pause in proceedings, a chance to catch breath from all that over the top action, as Lincoln puts down his silver coated axe and follows a career in politics looking to abolish slavery as well as vampires. His lifelong friend Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie) also joins him on this quest as his personal Presidential aide.
Of course it turns out that vampires are unable to kill their own as we see from a brief flash back where Dominic Cooper is mindlessly attacked and his beloved taken from him, so he clearly has a motive as well.
It’s all harmless fun, and while the late Abe Lincoln provides some small resemblance to Liam Neeson with a beard (was it only me that thought that) it’s a far fetched and totally ludicrous story that you cannot take too seriously for a minute.
Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) the film initially focuses on the early life of one Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) whose mother is killed at the hands of a vampire.
Fueled by revenge he goes out and tries to avenge her death, unsuccessfully at first. He is then taken under the wing of Henry Sturges (Dominic Cooper) who shows him the proper ways to fight back, in a training montage that makes Rocky’s wood chopping skills look pathetic.
Sturges leaves Lincoln to go off on his own but sends him the names of undead that he has to go out and kill on a regular basis, while trying to hide his nocturnal hobby from those closest to him. First thing to note with this film is many of the techniques that made Wanted a unique action flick are used considerably throughout, a bit too much for me.
CGI in film should be used sparingly as far as I’m concerned, but when faced with a scene where there is no feasible way you could shoot for real then it’s a perfect solution. When Lincoln is giving chase to Jack Barts (Marton Csokas) across a stampede of wild horses it provides a great action sequence for which CGI comes into its own.
In-fact pretty much all the action sequences use this, and with the climactic train sequence proving a highlight to the end of the film it’s not anywhere near enough to make it a standout, you can only hide behind special effects for so long before you’re going to get found out.
There is a pause in proceedings, a chance to catch breath from all that over the top action, as Lincoln puts down his silver coated axe and follows a career in politics looking to abolish slavery as well as vampires. His lifelong friend Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie) also joins him on this quest as his personal Presidential aide.
Of course it turns out that vampires are unable to kill their own as we see from a brief flash back where Dominic Cooper is mindlessly attacked and his beloved taken from him, so he clearly has a motive as well.
It’s all harmless fun, and while the late Abe Lincoln provides some small resemblance to Liam Neeson with a beard (was it only me that thought that) it’s a far fetched and totally ludicrous story that you cannot take too seriously for a minute.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Notorious (2009) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Notorious starts with the final moments of Christopher ‘Biggie’ Wallace (Woolard) life, before he flashes back to his childhood, raised by his single mother Voletta (Bassett), getting given a chance to start making money from drug dealing where he becomes addicted to make money, until he gets busted.
At 19 he gets a chance to enter the music industry when Puffy Daddy (Luke) gives him a way to escape the life of drug dealing, however difficult it seems. When Biggie finally get the record deal, he soon becomes an international sensation grabbing the attention from another rapper Tupac Shakur (Mackie) who soon becomes a rival with deadly consequences.
Thoughts on Notorious
Characters – Christopher ‘Biggie’ Wallace was a rapper from Brooklyn, he started on the streets as a drug dealer, before showing his rapping skills that saw him become one of the biggest rap stars in the world in the 90’s, we get to see how he has to deal with his vices with women chasing his desire to have too much money. The film doesn’t show him to be a nice man, he cheats on his partners, commits crimes and gets violent when he gets upset, it is a shame for somebody with talent to be such a horrible person. Sean Puffy Combs is the man that takes a chance on Biggie even after losing his position in a record company, he had an eye for talent and knew how to make the most out of it. Tupac is a rival rapper that starts with respect, but because of his continuing side business in drugs, the tension grows and Tupac soon starts a war against Biggie which became a bigger story than any of their music. Faith is Biggie’s wife that has the talent he has though she does become the one that stays with him even if they have an abusive relationship toward each other, well that is what the film shows us.
Performances – Jamal Woolard is brilliant in this leading role, he shows the laidback style Biggie presented himself as, while showing just how easily he can snap. Derek Luke and Anthony Mackie are both strong in the supporting roles, while the rest of the cast give us strong performances too.
Story – The story here follows the life of Biggie one of the biggest rappers of the 90s that wanted to prove music could inspire change only to get drawn into a gang war with another rapper Tupac, one that made the two even more famous. We follow Biggie in and out of the music world, seeing how he was trying to escape a life of crime, but is drawn into relationship problems. The story doesn’t always paint him as a nice guy though, the way he handles the women in his life is getting into the abusive area. Otherwise this shows us how Biggie wasn’t interested in getting involved in the gang war, he just want to make honest money.
Biopic/Crime/Music – The biopic side of the film shows how Biggie was being drawn towards a life of crime or leaving it behind to become a big music sensation and how his life changed with the new, making him part of one of the biggest rap battles in history. The crime world is showing how Biggie was always trying to get out of this world and give you hope to others that are facing it. While I personally wasn’t a fan of the music involved, it will please the fans of his music.
Settings – The film is set in the backdrop Brooklyn shows where he has come from and how he wants to stay loyal to the people who supported him.
Scene of the Movie – Making the choice.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The film doesn’t show him able to treat his women with respect.
Final Thoughts – This is a biopic that showed how easily a rivalry can start within the business that could end up becoming deadly between two biggest names in the music industry.
Overall: Music biopic that defined a decade.
At 19 he gets a chance to enter the music industry when Puffy Daddy (Luke) gives him a way to escape the life of drug dealing, however difficult it seems. When Biggie finally get the record deal, he soon becomes an international sensation grabbing the attention from another rapper Tupac Shakur (Mackie) who soon becomes a rival with deadly consequences.
Thoughts on Notorious
Characters – Christopher ‘Biggie’ Wallace was a rapper from Brooklyn, he started on the streets as a drug dealer, before showing his rapping skills that saw him become one of the biggest rap stars in the world in the 90’s, we get to see how he has to deal with his vices with women chasing his desire to have too much money. The film doesn’t show him to be a nice man, he cheats on his partners, commits crimes and gets violent when he gets upset, it is a shame for somebody with talent to be such a horrible person. Sean Puffy Combs is the man that takes a chance on Biggie even after losing his position in a record company, he had an eye for talent and knew how to make the most out of it. Tupac is a rival rapper that starts with respect, but because of his continuing side business in drugs, the tension grows and Tupac soon starts a war against Biggie which became a bigger story than any of their music. Faith is Biggie’s wife that has the talent he has though she does become the one that stays with him even if they have an abusive relationship toward each other, well that is what the film shows us.
Performances – Jamal Woolard is brilliant in this leading role, he shows the laidback style Biggie presented himself as, while showing just how easily he can snap. Derek Luke and Anthony Mackie are both strong in the supporting roles, while the rest of the cast give us strong performances too.
Story – The story here follows the life of Biggie one of the biggest rappers of the 90s that wanted to prove music could inspire change only to get drawn into a gang war with another rapper Tupac, one that made the two even more famous. We follow Biggie in and out of the music world, seeing how he was trying to escape a life of crime, but is drawn into relationship problems. The story doesn’t always paint him as a nice guy though, the way he handles the women in his life is getting into the abusive area. Otherwise this shows us how Biggie wasn’t interested in getting involved in the gang war, he just want to make honest money.
Biopic/Crime/Music – The biopic side of the film shows how Biggie was being drawn towards a life of crime or leaving it behind to become a big music sensation and how his life changed with the new, making him part of one of the biggest rap battles in history. The crime world is showing how Biggie was always trying to get out of this world and give you hope to others that are facing it. While I personally wasn’t a fan of the music involved, it will please the fans of his music.
Settings – The film is set in the backdrop Brooklyn shows where he has come from and how he wants to stay loyal to the people who supported him.
Scene of the Movie – Making the choice.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The film doesn’t show him able to treat his women with respect.
Final Thoughts – This is a biopic that showed how easily a rivalry can start within the business that could end up becoming deadly between two biggest names in the music industry.
Overall: Music biopic that defined a decade.
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) in Movies
May 10, 2019
Chris Evan as Steve Rogers/Captain America
Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow
Sebastian stan as Bucky Barnes/The winter soldier
The rest of the cast
Fury's car chase
The elevator scene (1 more)
The highway fight scene
Cap and Bucky's final fight
Cap and Bucky's relationship
The political intrigue
Antony Mackie as Falcon
"i'm with you till the end of the line"
Man 2014 sure was a fantastic year for Marvel! Not only did we get Guardians of the Galaxy, but also Captain America the Winter Soldier, a film that I honestly didn’t really appreciate all that much when I first saw it, as back then I wasn’t all that interested in the plots of these films more then I was just seeing the cool characters and fight scenes. But upon rewatching this I was legitimately blown away by how jaw dropping good this was, because not only is this an amazing movie that completely surpasses the first film on every level with it’s excellent story and standout action sequences, but also serves as a great action thriller, and surprisingly, a political satire that reflects the corruption that lies in our very own government. And sure Jon Favreau and Joss Whedon did great jobs with their inclusions in the franchise, but the Russo brothers just absolutely nailed it with this film.
And what makes Winter Soldier so good and entertaining, is it’s extremely captivating story. I was so invested in it that I couldn’t take my eyes off of the screen, I focused and paid attention to every line of dialogue that was said by these characters, as well as every easter egg and reference, which trust me, there are a lot of! This film also features a ton of different twists and turns which on my first viewing way back in 2014, really had me shocked, and though rewatching it five years later doesn’t at all have the same impact on me that it once did, it still is highly entertaining, and some scenes do actually still hold that element of surprise with their abrupt sequences. And while technically they’re not in that jump scare category, the were some parts of the movie that really caught me off guard and made my heart stop for a moment. One aspect about this movie that I thought was very interesting and added a sense of realism to the plot, was the political satire that was excellently interwoven into the storyline of the movie, and like I said, really made the film feel very grounded because it reflects all of the corruption lying within our very own government, and for Captain America to want to expose that and put a stop to it really when you think about it lines up perfectly with Steve’s very patriotic attitude and outlook. I mean he’s Captain America for crying out loud!
All of the performances in this film are absolutely phenomenal! Chris Evans, Scarlet Johansson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, as well as Anthony Mackie. And if that’s not good enough we’ve got freaking Samuel L. Jackson reprising he role as Nick Fury. What more could you possibly ask for in terms of casting, I mean seriously! There is not a single bad or bland performance, and everyone gets to shine with their own great and memorable moments. But for me the standout of this movie is Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier. Holy crap! This is the definition of a badass villain, and he owns every scene he is in. Whenever he shows up on screen and starts taking down guys your heart just starts beating faster and faster, and I was on the edge of my seat when watching the nail biting action scenes he shows up in. So gold star to the Russo brothers for not giving us another two dimensional baddie just there to be evil, as well as being a typical MCU villain. Yeah I’m looking at you Darren Cross! Overall just fantastic performances.
The action scenes in this movie are amazing, and you can really tell that the filmmakers as well as the Russos really put a lot of effort in these sequences, as they are choreographed and shot so well, and the way the directors move the camera really adds a whole other intense and exhilarating edge to these already intense scenes. The highway scene in particular is probably one of, if not the best part of the movie, I mean it’s just perfection, and that’s mainly because of the excellent choreography and directing, that Joe and Anthony Russo definitely put a lot of time into getting just right. And they not only did it right, they did it masterfully! Henry Jackman’s score for the film is so good as well, and it may just be in my top ten favorite soundtracks of all time. And the Winter Soldier’s theme is just downright fantastic as well as absolutely terrifying!
So that’s my review. This is a film that really surpassed my low expectations when rewatching this for the first time in a few years. And with it’s great storyline and characters, as well as it’s amazing performances and action sequences, which kept me enthralled and entertained the entire time, Winter Soldier proves that it is not just a great Captain America movie, or MCU addition, and that it is just an amazing film in general.
And what makes Winter Soldier so good and entertaining, is it’s extremely captivating story. I was so invested in it that I couldn’t take my eyes off of the screen, I focused and paid attention to every line of dialogue that was said by these characters, as well as every easter egg and reference, which trust me, there are a lot of! This film also features a ton of different twists and turns which on my first viewing way back in 2014, really had me shocked, and though rewatching it five years later doesn’t at all have the same impact on me that it once did, it still is highly entertaining, and some scenes do actually still hold that element of surprise with their abrupt sequences. And while technically they’re not in that jump scare category, the were some parts of the movie that really caught me off guard and made my heart stop for a moment. One aspect about this movie that I thought was very interesting and added a sense of realism to the plot, was the political satire that was excellently interwoven into the storyline of the movie, and like I said, really made the film feel very grounded because it reflects all of the corruption lying within our very own government, and for Captain America to want to expose that and put a stop to it really when you think about it lines up perfectly with Steve’s very patriotic attitude and outlook. I mean he’s Captain America for crying out loud!
All of the performances in this film are absolutely phenomenal! Chris Evans, Scarlet Johansson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, as well as Anthony Mackie. And if that’s not good enough we’ve got freaking Samuel L. Jackson reprising he role as Nick Fury. What more could you possibly ask for in terms of casting, I mean seriously! There is not a single bad or bland performance, and everyone gets to shine with their own great and memorable moments. But for me the standout of this movie is Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier. Holy crap! This is the definition of a badass villain, and he owns every scene he is in. Whenever he shows up on screen and starts taking down guys your heart just starts beating faster and faster, and I was on the edge of my seat when watching the nail biting action scenes he shows up in. So gold star to the Russo brothers for not giving us another two dimensional baddie just there to be evil, as well as being a typical MCU villain. Yeah I’m looking at you Darren Cross! Overall just fantastic performances.
The action scenes in this movie are amazing, and you can really tell that the filmmakers as well as the Russos really put a lot of effort in these sequences, as they are choreographed and shot so well, and the way the directors move the camera really adds a whole other intense and exhilarating edge to these already intense scenes. The highway scene in particular is probably one of, if not the best part of the movie, I mean it’s just perfection, and that’s mainly because of the excellent choreography and directing, that Joe and Anthony Russo definitely put a lot of time into getting just right. And they not only did it right, they did it masterfully! Henry Jackman’s score for the film is so good as well, and it may just be in my top ten favorite soundtracks of all time. And the Winter Soldier’s theme is just downright fantastic as well as absolutely terrifying!
So that’s my review. This is a film that really surpassed my low expectations when rewatching this for the first time in a few years. And with it’s great storyline and characters, as well as it’s amazing performances and action sequences, which kept me enthralled and entertained the entire time, Winter Soldier proves that it is not just a great Captain America movie, or MCU addition, and that it is just an amazing film in general.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Pain & Gain (2013) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Michael Bay’s latest film Pain and Gain suffers from a bit of performance anxiety. It starts hot and flashy, becomes humorous and then starts to drag as it realizes it needs to actually deliver. This is unfortunate because if Bay focused on delivering an entertaining movie from start to finish he may have succeeded. Instead we are constantly reminded by expository text on screen and one of the five unnecessary voiceovers that “sometimes the facts are stranger than fiction.” And the facts are that we get a film here that starts out as a comedy, evolves into a kidnapping/extortion story with a few more jokes only to end with minimal action and no redeeming opportunities for our protagonists. Plus the final jokes or shock opportunities are lost in the fact that our main characters become less and less likeable as the story evolves.
Mark Wahlberg plays body-builder and trainer Daniel Lugo, a self-described “doer” who is tired of working hard only to never reach the level of success that many of his rich clients have achieved. Fed up with his everyday life of being broke, Logo decides it is time to take what he thinks should be his. Together with the help of his roided-out, impotent employee Adrian (Anthony Mackie) and ex-con who found Jesus Paul (Dwayne Johnson), the trio decide to kidnap and extort the jerk off wealthy client Victor (Tony Shalhoub) for everything thing he has. The hilarity ensues while it’s obvious that these muscle heads do not have to smarts to pull off this elaborate plan other than what they have seen in the movies.
It should be noted here that Wahlberg is once again great as a character that does not possess a lot of smarts. Mackie delivers another solid character performance to add to his resume but it is Johnson who steals the show. In a movie where at first glance his physique fits right in, it is his softer more emotional side that shows some range that we have never seen from him before. He plays an ex-con who is determined to change his life only to be slowly sucked back into the lifestyle that put him in jail in the first place. Johnson’s emotional range has him delivering perhaps his best performance ever.
Eventually these three break Victor and take everything he has and they start to live out their dreams. But like all things that take no skill or real effort to earn, the three squander their new found wealth and go looking for another target. All while Victor hires a private detective (Ed Harris) to help bust the trio as the local cops do not believe that some muscle heads could pull off the elaborate heist.
And here is where the film starts to fall apart. The three main characters start to change from fun loving hard working characters to bad guys. The things they do to gain their wealth are repulsive and it stops being funny. Victor is a terrible character that is hard to like in the first place, so you do not really feel bad for him when he loses everything. It is just that you do not really feel happy for our anti-heroes either. And when the story enters its third act after dragging through the second, it feels rushed to close out the film as the gang decides to make a run at another wealthy target.
Furthermore, every character get his/hers own voice over. Seriously, what is the point? It is one thing for Wahlberg to have his own narration as he is the main character, however even Harris gets his own character development through dialogue. It makes the story disjointed and made me feel unsure about who or what I should be rooting for.
In the end I walked out of the theater feeling like we watched two different movies. A rags-to-riches comedy in the beginning that morphs into an unfunny crime drama by the end that has to remind you again and again that you are watching something that is based on a true story. It is a shame because I enjoyed the beginning of this film. I wish that Bay would have taken even additional liberties to make a more consistent film from start to finish on what was already a loosely based true story in the first place.
Mark Wahlberg plays body-builder and trainer Daniel Lugo, a self-described “doer” who is tired of working hard only to never reach the level of success that many of his rich clients have achieved. Fed up with his everyday life of being broke, Logo decides it is time to take what he thinks should be his. Together with the help of his roided-out, impotent employee Adrian (Anthony Mackie) and ex-con who found Jesus Paul (Dwayne Johnson), the trio decide to kidnap and extort the jerk off wealthy client Victor (Tony Shalhoub) for everything thing he has. The hilarity ensues while it’s obvious that these muscle heads do not have to smarts to pull off this elaborate plan other than what they have seen in the movies.
It should be noted here that Wahlberg is once again great as a character that does not possess a lot of smarts. Mackie delivers another solid character performance to add to his resume but it is Johnson who steals the show. In a movie where at first glance his physique fits right in, it is his softer more emotional side that shows some range that we have never seen from him before. He plays an ex-con who is determined to change his life only to be slowly sucked back into the lifestyle that put him in jail in the first place. Johnson’s emotional range has him delivering perhaps his best performance ever.
Eventually these three break Victor and take everything he has and they start to live out their dreams. But like all things that take no skill or real effort to earn, the three squander their new found wealth and go looking for another target. All while Victor hires a private detective (Ed Harris) to help bust the trio as the local cops do not believe that some muscle heads could pull off the elaborate heist.
And here is where the film starts to fall apart. The three main characters start to change from fun loving hard working characters to bad guys. The things they do to gain their wealth are repulsive and it stops being funny. Victor is a terrible character that is hard to like in the first place, so you do not really feel bad for him when he loses everything. It is just that you do not really feel happy for our anti-heroes either. And when the story enters its third act after dragging through the second, it feels rushed to close out the film as the gang decides to make a run at another wealthy target.
Furthermore, every character get his/hers own voice over. Seriously, what is the point? It is one thing for Wahlberg to have his own narration as he is the main character, however even Harris gets his own character development through dialogue. It makes the story disjointed and made me feel unsure about who or what I should be rooting for.
In the end I walked out of the theater feeling like we watched two different movies. A rags-to-riches comedy in the beginning that morphs into an unfunny crime drama by the end that has to remind you again and again that you are watching something that is based on a true story. It is a shame because I enjoyed the beginning of this film. I wish that Bay would have taken even additional liberties to make a more consistent film from start to finish on what was already a loosely based true story in the first place.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Woman in the Window (2021) in Movies
May 24, 2021
It is NOT Rear Window
A piece of advice for you when you start to watch the “Alfred Hitchcock-esque” thriller, THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. If you are at all a Hitchcock fan, you will be spending the first part of this film comparing it to the 1954 classic REAR WINDOW and this would be a disservice to this film.
For…THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is no Rear Window, nor is it intended to be. It has many, many elements that are the same as Rear Window (most notably, the setup: a housebound person thinks they have witnessed a murder in a neighboring apartment), and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is just like Rear Window…until it isn’t.
And that’s when I started to like this film, when I stopped comparing it (in my head) to Rear Window.
Based on the Best Seller by A.J. Finn (adapted for the screen by Tracy Letts who also appears in the film), THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW tells the tale of Anna Fox, an agoraphobic who watches life go on outside her window. When she thinks she has witnessed a murder, she (and the audience) must decide is it real? Did she truly witness a murder? If so, who dunnit? If not, is she just hallucinating things? Is Anna crazy?
The answers to these questions were satisfying enough to me that I ended up enjoying the film experience that I had - but I have to be honest and tell you that, for awhile, my enjoyment of this film was hanging by a thread.
Amy Adams (ENCHANTED) is terrific - if unspectacular - in the title role. Her Anna Fox is murkey (that is meant as a compliment) and struggles through most of the film trying to determine what is real and what is an illusion. Adams does a “journeyman’s” job with this role. She acts her way through it in such a workmanlike fashion that I almost forgot that it is Adams on the screen.
Wyatt Russell (Kurt’s son who is also the new Captain America in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER) fares the best of the Supporting players for he has the most to do. Unfortunately, Director Joe Wright (ATONEMENT) and Screenwriter Letts wastes such strong actors as Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR), Julianne Moore (STILL ALICE), Anthony Mackie (The Falcon in the Marvel Movies), Jennifer Jason Leigh (HATEFUL 8), Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) and Letts himself in terribly underwritten roles that serve (mostly) as red herrings - and each of their characters are interchangeable and forgettable.
And that, ultimately, is where this film comes apart. While I cared about Anna and the solution to the mystery - I didn’t care very much about the other characters involved.
Which is why, I think, I’ll pull my DVD of Rear Window out and watch that film for the umpteenth time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
For…THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is no Rear Window, nor is it intended to be. It has many, many elements that are the same as Rear Window (most notably, the setup: a housebound person thinks they have witnessed a murder in a neighboring apartment), and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is just like Rear Window…until it isn’t.
And that’s when I started to like this film, when I stopped comparing it (in my head) to Rear Window.
Based on the Best Seller by A.J. Finn (adapted for the screen by Tracy Letts who also appears in the film), THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW tells the tale of Anna Fox, an agoraphobic who watches life go on outside her window. When she thinks she has witnessed a murder, she (and the audience) must decide is it real? Did she truly witness a murder? If so, who dunnit? If not, is she just hallucinating things? Is Anna crazy?
The answers to these questions were satisfying enough to me that I ended up enjoying the film experience that I had - but I have to be honest and tell you that, for awhile, my enjoyment of this film was hanging by a thread.
Amy Adams (ENCHANTED) is terrific - if unspectacular - in the title role. Her Anna Fox is murkey (that is meant as a compliment) and struggles through most of the film trying to determine what is real and what is an illusion. Adams does a “journeyman’s” job with this role. She acts her way through it in such a workmanlike fashion that I almost forgot that it is Adams on the screen.
Wyatt Russell (Kurt’s son who is also the new Captain America in THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER) fares the best of the Supporting players for he has the most to do. Unfortunately, Director Joe Wright (ATONEMENT) and Screenwriter Letts wastes such strong actors as Gary Oldman (DARKEST HOUR), Julianne Moore (STILL ALICE), Anthony Mackie (The Falcon in the Marvel Movies), Jennifer Jason Leigh (HATEFUL 8), Brian Tyree Henry (GET OUT) and Letts himself in terribly underwritten roles that serve (mostly) as red herrings - and each of their characters are interchangeable and forgettable.
And that, ultimately, is where this film comes apart. While I cared about Anna and the solution to the mystery - I didn’t care very much about the other characters involved.
Which is why, I think, I’ll pull my DVD of Rear Window out and watch that film for the umpteenth time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)