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Mekkin B. (122 KP) rated The Dark Tower (2017) in Movies
Oct 9, 2017
Boring male power fantasy with little to no character development
It's hard to tell who is meant to be the protagonist of this film, the young boy, Jake, or the Gunslinger. Sure, we're introduced to Jake first, and only really meet the Gunslinger towards the end of Act 1, which should signal that it's Jake.
But Jake is boring. SO BORING. He doesn't really have any character flaws. Oh sure, he has problems, expositionally convenient plot device "visions", but no real, tangible character elements. He reacts violently towards another kid at school, but this isn't treated as a flaw and this isn't a movie where Jake is going to learn that there's a better solution than violence. At best he's going to learn that it's bad to use your fists to solve problems - guns are much more efficient.
The Gunslinger is presented with all the hallmarks of a protagonist. He's got a defined past and a defined character flaw. He's consumed with thoughts of revenge and will let the world burn around him to get it. The problem is, the story never gives him a point where he actually has to make a choice between revenge and something better.
The villain, while fun, seems to have no internal motivation whatsoever. Why does he want to destroy the universe? Because that's what semi-omnipotent bad guys want to do, I guess.
And I get it, he's called the Gunslinger, he shoots guns. It's all very straightforward. But that doesn't mean it's not still kind of boring to watch EVERY problem they encounter get solved by just shooting at it enough while every single woman in the movie exists to be murdered, assaulted, and grossly sexualized by the villain.
It used every trope in the book, it used them badly, and the script was just...not good.
But Jake is boring. SO BORING. He doesn't really have any character flaws. Oh sure, he has problems, expositionally convenient plot device "visions", but no real, tangible character elements. He reacts violently towards another kid at school, but this isn't treated as a flaw and this isn't a movie where Jake is going to learn that there's a better solution than violence. At best he's going to learn that it's bad to use your fists to solve problems - guns are much more efficient.
The Gunslinger is presented with all the hallmarks of a protagonist. He's got a defined past and a defined character flaw. He's consumed with thoughts of revenge and will let the world burn around him to get it. The problem is, the story never gives him a point where he actually has to make a choice between revenge and something better.
The villain, while fun, seems to have no internal motivation whatsoever. Why does he want to destroy the universe? Because that's what semi-omnipotent bad guys want to do, I guess.
And I get it, he's called the Gunslinger, he shoots guns. It's all very straightforward. But that doesn't mean it's not still kind of boring to watch EVERY problem they encounter get solved by just shooting at it enough while every single woman in the movie exists to be murdered, assaulted, and grossly sexualized by the villain.
It used every trope in the book, it used them badly, and the script was just...not good.
Merissa (11787 KP) created a post
Feb 20, 2023
Natasha Khan recommended Words Of Wisdom And Hope by Teenage Fanclub and Jad Fair in Music (curated)
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in Books
Feb 14, 2020
I got this because I saw the film was out on DVD and I like to read the books before I see the film.
So, this centres around 16 year old Simon who's in the closet, scared to come out to his friends and family. He's instead having an email conversation with someone else from his school - someone whose identity he doesn't know - sharing tales of his life while starting to fall for this someone.
I actually really enjoyed this from the first page. I was drawn into the drama as Simon is pretty much blackmailed by a fellow pupil into helping him get a date with one of Simon's friends. Things escalate and don't go great in the end and I really felt for Simon. Kids can be so cruel to each other and over stupid things that shouldn't matter.
I just fell in love with this group of friends. I loved how protective they could all be of each other and then when Simon and his crush/Blue finally got around to meeting each other...I was smiling like a lunatic. It was so cute. I fell in love with them even more. There was just something so believable about this group. Crushes, friendships, parents.
I cannot write a truly fitting review of this book but if you like young adult books with gay characters or just a sweet romance, then you really should give this book a read.
I definitely feel like I need to read more books by Becky Albertalli now, if they're anything like this one
So, this centres around 16 year old Simon who's in the closet, scared to come out to his friends and family. He's instead having an email conversation with someone else from his school - someone whose identity he doesn't know - sharing tales of his life while starting to fall for this someone.
I actually really enjoyed this from the first page. I was drawn into the drama as Simon is pretty much blackmailed by a fellow pupil into helping him get a date with one of Simon's friends. Things escalate and don't go great in the end and I really felt for Simon. Kids can be so cruel to each other and over stupid things that shouldn't matter.
I just fell in love with this group of friends. I loved how protective they could all be of each other and then when Simon and his crush/Blue finally got around to meeting each other...I was smiling like a lunatic. It was so cute. I fell in love with them even more. There was just something so believable about this group. Crushes, friendships, parents.
I cannot write a truly fitting review of this book but if you like young adult books with gay characters or just a sweet romance, then you really should give this book a read.
I definitely feel like I need to read more books by Becky Albertalli now, if they're anything like this one
Graham Massey recommended Live Evil by Miles Davis in Music (curated)
Martin Carr recommended track Stray Cat Strut by Stray Cats in Runaway Boys: A Retrospective '81-'92 by Stray Cats in Music (curated)
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Cargo (2017) in Movies
Sep 16, 2018
Nothing new
The problem with zombie films now is that the whole zombie genre has been done to death (ha). There's far too many zombie films out there and sadly Cargo doesn't add anything new.
Whilst it has a slightly different take on the transformation into a zombie and this is done very well, this is just another apocalyptic zombie film, but this time it's set in Australia. The plot is okay but suffers from the main character doing a number of unexplainable and explicable things - he's got very limited time left, yet seems to thing it's fine to dawdle, faff and sit around doing nothing. Its a shame as Martin Freeman puts in a fantastic performance, he just doesn't have the unique plot to back it up.
I really wish they'd stop making zombie films now. This isn't a terrible film by far, it's just an entirely unnecessary addition to the genre.
Whilst it has a slightly different take on the transformation into a zombie and this is done very well, this is just another apocalyptic zombie film, but this time it's set in Australia. The plot is okay but suffers from the main character doing a number of unexplainable and explicable things - he's got very limited time left, yet seems to thing it's fine to dawdle, faff and sit around doing nothing. Its a shame as Martin Freeman puts in a fantastic performance, he just doesn't have the unique plot to back it up.
I really wish they'd stop making zombie films now. This isn't a terrible film by far, it's just an entirely unnecessary addition to the genre.
Russ Troutt (291 KP) rated Venom (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Like a small dog that an old lady would sneak into a hospital, Venom had plenty of bark leading up to its release but not much bite. I love Tom Hardy, he's one of my favorite actors in the business right now, but even he couldn't save this movie. I feel like they did a great job with Tom Hardy and the Venom character itself, I dug it and got some good laughs out of it. For me though, the story they were stuck in was the real parasite. This is one of those movies I'm sure many will enjoy and many will hate. I always hope everyone enjoys every movie they watch though, no matter my opinion. The voice in my head says to wrap this rambling up so we can go eat, so let me finish with this. Here's to dreaming of a world where one day humans, with all of our opinions and differences, can peacefully intertwine and be symbiotic.
Craig David recommended track Sign Your Name by Sananda Maitreya in Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby by Sananda Maitreya in Music (curated)
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
When the police have got nowhere trying to find her daughter's killer, she takes matters into her own hands. Renting out three billboards on a barely used road to town, she plasters her simple question for anyone to see. "How come?"
This was a wonderful start to my 2018 cinema going. It's not often that I say I agree with award winners (especially after La La Land) but this one really did deserve it's Golden Globes.
The star in this one for me was Woody Harrelson. He's aged like a fine wine. I wasn't a massive fan previously, but after War For The Planet Of The Apes, and now this, I can't wait to see what else is to come from him.
Three Billboards in an emotional journey, and captures the way a whole community is affected by what happens inside their borders. It expresses the pain, anger and sadness so well, it was a riveting watch.
This was a wonderful start to my 2018 cinema going. It's not often that I say I agree with award winners (especially after La La Land) but this one really did deserve it's Golden Globes.
The star in this one for me was Woody Harrelson. He's aged like a fine wine. I wasn't a massive fan previously, but after War For The Planet Of The Apes, and now this, I can't wait to see what else is to come from him.
Three Billboards in an emotional journey, and captures the way a whole community is affected by what happens inside their borders. It expresses the pain, anger and sadness so well, it was a riveting watch.