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Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Abyss (1989) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
James Cameron makes his second appearance on this list with 1989’s The Abyss. This terrifying film that gave countless children nightmares for months follows a civilian diving team as they are enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine. Unbeknownst to them, danger lurks in the deep when they encounter an alien aquatic species.
The special effects may look dated by today’s standards, but The Abyss is over 25 years old and still looks pretty darn good, even in 2019 when CGI has come on so far. Ed Harris puts in a fantastic performance and the eerie depths of the ocean are only matched by the blankness of space in modern-day sci-fi movies. Truly horrifying.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2019/06/08/films-set-at-sea-top-5/
The special effects may look dated by today’s standards, but The Abyss is over 25 years old and still looks pretty darn good, even in 2019 when CGI has come on so far. Ed Harris puts in a fantastic performance and the eerie depths of the ocean are only matched by the blankness of space in modern-day sci-fi movies. Truly horrifying.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2019/06/08/films-set-at-sea-top-5/
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Jul 8, 2021
Paul Schneider recommended The Thin Blue Line (1988) in Movies (curated)
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Spider-Man 2 (2004) in Movies
Sep 23, 2020
The second of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films is a shining example of a comic book sequel outshining it's predecessor. Everything is better, the set pieces, the characters, the effects, and the stakes are higher.
Spider-Man 2 owes a lot to Alfred Molina. His performance as Otto Octavius, and later, Doctor Octopus is pure villainous perfection, whilst lending the character a sympathetic undertone. Spider-Man has a fantastic rogues gallery to chooses from, and Doc Ock is one of the more complicated ones. This movie does the character justice.
Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, J.K. Simmons and Rosemary Harris all return from the first film and all cement their positions in movie history as these beloved comic characters.
The effects look a little dated by today's standards, but they're still more than passable, and another great score by Danny Elfman is the cherry on top.
Spider-Man 2 is both a strong sequel, and a strong comic book adaption.
Spider-Man 2 owes a lot to Alfred Molina. His performance as Otto Octavius, and later, Doctor Octopus is pure villainous perfection, whilst lending the character a sympathetic undertone. Spider-Man has a fantastic rogues gallery to chooses from, and Doc Ock is one of the more complicated ones. This movie does the character justice.
Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, J.K. Simmons and Rosemary Harris all return from the first film and all cement their positions in movie history as these beloved comic characters.
The effects look a little dated by today's standards, but they're still more than passable, and another great score by Danny Elfman is the cherry on top.
Spider-Man 2 is both a strong sequel, and a strong comic book adaption.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Ninja Assassin (2009) in Movies
Dec 3, 2019
Blood Fest
Ninja Assassin is one of those movies that you forgot that came out because it was such a underrated jem. You forgot that James McTeigue directed it, who's that you say well... He directed "V For Vendetta" in 2005, a great film by the way. Than after this film he went on the directed "The Raven" in 2012, a decent film underrated as well. Than 2 more films that i havent seen. So why am I reviewing this film, well because its really a forgotten movie, same with "The Raven" which ill probley reviewing in the future, this one is just oh hey you remember that movie called "Ninja Assassin", not really/no/Ninja plus Assassins that sounds call would be someone's answer. Or Thats a cool title whats it about..
The Plot: Trained in methods of killing from an early age, Raizo (Rain) is a member of the secret clan of assassins known as the Ozunu. After the Ozunu kill his friend, however, Raizo breaks free from them and vanishes. Meanwhile, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) discovers a money trail linking the the group to murders. Raizo saves Mika from his former comrades and joins forces with her to bring down the Ozunu forever.
Sounds intresting right, because it is. The action, the violence, the gore, the blood. Plus also a actor name Rain is in it. Rain how cool is that name and also i forgot that Naomie Harris is in thia film. She is such a great actress that hardly no one talks about, she is such a underrated actress.
A fun and cool film to watch in my books.
The Plot: Trained in methods of killing from an early age, Raizo (Rain) is a member of the secret clan of assassins known as the Ozunu. After the Ozunu kill his friend, however, Raizo breaks free from them and vanishes. Meanwhile, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) discovers a money trail linking the the group to murders. Raizo saves Mika from his former comrades and joins forces with her to bring down the Ozunu forever.
Sounds intresting right, because it is. The action, the violence, the gore, the blood. Plus also a actor name Rain is in it. Rain how cool is that name and also i forgot that Naomie Harris is in thia film. She is such a great actress that hardly no one talks about, she is such a underrated actress.
A fun and cool film to watch in my books.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Spider-Man (2002) in Movies
Sep 19, 2020
The first major blockbuster Spider-Man movie hasn't aged particularly well, but it's overflowing with charm and a great cast.
Watching this as an adult is still as much fun as it was back in 2002 (when I was a fresh faced 13 year old). Tobey Maguire, Willem Defoe, James Franco, Kirsten Dunst, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons - all of them are really well cast and bring their comic book counterparts to life in a way that captured the imaginations of comic fans everywhere, all backed up by a fantastic score by Danny Elfman.
It's faults are few, but mainly in line with the first X-Men film - it's just doesn't quite stand up compared to comic films today and suffers from sub standard CGI and an early 2000s time stamp - I must say though - I have a special kind of love for the borderline Power Rangers villain costume that Green Goblin gets to wear...
Spider-Man is an important milestone in bringing comic books to the big screen, and will surely be enjoyed for years to come.
Watching this as an adult is still as much fun as it was back in 2002 (when I was a fresh faced 13 year old). Tobey Maguire, Willem Defoe, James Franco, Kirsten Dunst, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons - all of them are really well cast and bring their comic book counterparts to life in a way that captured the imaginations of comic fans everywhere, all backed up by a fantastic score by Danny Elfman.
It's faults are few, but mainly in line with the first X-Men film - it's just doesn't quite stand up compared to comic films today and suffers from sub standard CGI and an early 2000s time stamp - I must say though - I have a special kind of love for the borderline Power Rangers villain costume that Green Goblin gets to wear...
Spider-Man is an important milestone in bringing comic books to the big screen, and will surely be enjoyed for years to come.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Apr 16, 2022
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Abyss (1989) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: The story focus on many different vision people have of something happening, we have the military view, the scientist view and the everyday workers view. Each one if different because each shows fear, interest or curiosity of the unknown. Everything comes together nicely without leaving you asking any questions, which in today’s film industry is a normal to get you coming back for more. This was ground breaking for its time and will always be considered a classic. (9/10)
Actor Review
Ed Harris: Bud the lead engineer on the underwater oil rig, he knows how to handle his team to get the most out of them and has all their respect. The whole team supports him over his ex-wife Lindsey, he is also one of the most experienced divers and believes in what he can see. Good performance from Harris showing he was going to be a lead actor for years to come. (9/10)
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio: Lindsey ex-wife to Bud and creator of the underwater rig system, she is more interested in investigating what is going on rather than just blowing it up and hoping for the best. Good performance in a difficult role which needed her character to be hated. (8/10)
Director Review: James Cameron – Cameron has been behind some of the most ground breaking films in history and this is right up there with his best. (9/10)
Sci-Fi: A sci-fi film that isn’t about a bleak future or space travel, this really is a rarity in the business. (9/10)
Settings: The isolation adds tension from start to finish. (10/10)
Suggestion: I think this is a film that everyone should see at least once in their life time, it will surprise you the quality even after 25 years. (Watch)
Best Part: The water creature investigating the rig.
Worst Part: It can seem long.
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: Yes
Oscar Chances: Won an Oscar for Visual Effects.
Box Office: $90 Million
Budget: $69 Million
Runtime: 2 Hours 26 Minutes
Tagline: A place on Earth more awesome than anywhere in space.
Overall: A Forgotten Masterpiece
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/08/16/the-abyss-1989/
Actor Review
Ed Harris: Bud the lead engineer on the underwater oil rig, he knows how to handle his team to get the most out of them and has all their respect. The whole team supports him over his ex-wife Lindsey, he is also one of the most experienced divers and believes in what he can see. Good performance from Harris showing he was going to be a lead actor for years to come. (9/10)
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio: Lindsey ex-wife to Bud and creator of the underwater rig system, she is more interested in investigating what is going on rather than just blowing it up and hoping for the best. Good performance in a difficult role which needed her character to be hated. (8/10)
Director Review: James Cameron – Cameron has been behind some of the most ground breaking films in history and this is right up there with his best. (9/10)
Sci-Fi: A sci-fi film that isn’t about a bleak future or space travel, this really is a rarity in the business. (9/10)
Settings: The isolation adds tension from start to finish. (10/10)
Suggestion: I think this is a film that everyone should see at least once in their life time, it will surprise you the quality even after 25 years. (Watch)
Best Part: The water creature investigating the rig.
Worst Part: It can seem long.
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: Yes
Oscar Chances: Won an Oscar for Visual Effects.
Box Office: $90 Million
Budget: $69 Million
Runtime: 2 Hours 26 Minutes
Tagline: A place on Earth more awesome than anywhere in space.
Overall: A Forgotten Masterpiece
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/08/16/the-abyss-1989/
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law return once again as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows“. In this installment, a series of bombings across Europe has positioned the nations of the world on the brink of war. Holmes is convinced that there is a criminal mastermind behind the numerous, seemingly unrelated events and he believes it is renowned scholar James Moriarty (Jared Harris).
Watson, well-accustomed to Holmes’ eccentric and erratic behavior, is dubious of Holmes claims. Besides, Watson has his upcoming wedding to focus on, and only deigns to spend time with Holmes at the promise of a stag party at an upscale gentlemen’s club. While the bachelor party includes an entertaining Stephen Fry playing Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, Holmes has ulterior motives for taking Watson to this particular club. Early in the film, Holmes had cleverly intercepted a message from Irene Adler (Amy McAdams), that led him to a fortuneteller named Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace), a woman Holmes believes has been targeted for death by Moriarty, who just happens to be working at the gentlemen’s club.
Eventually a meeting with Moriarty is arranged for Holmes. The two intellectuals spar with one another verbally in a civilized manner, with menacing undertones. Holmes isn’t able to convince Moriarty that Watson is no longer a partner in any of his endeavors and, Holmes is forced to take drastic measures to ensure the doctor and his new wife stay out of harm’s way. From Paris to Germany and other European locales, Holmes, Watson, and Simza and her gypsy friends race against time to uncover the diabolical plot that Moriarty has set for their demise in his quest to drive nations to war.
The film is an absolute delight and is a rare sequel that is even better than the previous film in the series. Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law have amazing chemistry with one another and their timing is absolutely perfect. The duo deftly mix action and comedy as well as the serious subject matter of the plot line and are utterly captivating and enjoyable to watch every step of the way. Rapace continues to impress in a much softer character than her Lisbeth Salandar role in the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Swedish trilogy. and is poised to become one of Hollywood’s new leading ladies.
Having become familiar with Harris’ work on the series Mad Men, I was delighted to see him expertly portray such a complex character as Moriarty: a gentleman scholar of impeccable upbringing and education who is also a twisted and evil genius. Harris plays Moriarty perfectly and never lets you forget the dark and sinister side of him without ever becoming a campy or cartoony vaudeville villain.
Guy Ritchie returns as director and lets his stars carry the film. The action has been ramped up this time around with some spectacular action sequences but the action never overshadows the character-driven story. The film was well-paced and an absolute thrill ride from beginning to end mixing fantastic action and some great humor for a very winning combination that is not to be missed. I am already looking forward to future outings of Holmes and Watson on the big screen as this was a truly enjoyable experience that shows you how action comedies are supposed to be made.
Watson, well-accustomed to Holmes’ eccentric and erratic behavior, is dubious of Holmes claims. Besides, Watson has his upcoming wedding to focus on, and only deigns to spend time with Holmes at the promise of a stag party at an upscale gentlemen’s club. While the bachelor party includes an entertaining Stephen Fry playing Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, Holmes has ulterior motives for taking Watson to this particular club. Early in the film, Holmes had cleverly intercepted a message from Irene Adler (Amy McAdams), that led him to a fortuneteller named Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace), a woman Holmes believes has been targeted for death by Moriarty, who just happens to be working at the gentlemen’s club.
Eventually a meeting with Moriarty is arranged for Holmes. The two intellectuals spar with one another verbally in a civilized manner, with menacing undertones. Holmes isn’t able to convince Moriarty that Watson is no longer a partner in any of his endeavors and, Holmes is forced to take drastic measures to ensure the doctor and his new wife stay out of harm’s way. From Paris to Germany and other European locales, Holmes, Watson, and Simza and her gypsy friends race against time to uncover the diabolical plot that Moriarty has set for their demise in his quest to drive nations to war.
The film is an absolute delight and is a rare sequel that is even better than the previous film in the series. Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law have amazing chemistry with one another and their timing is absolutely perfect. The duo deftly mix action and comedy as well as the serious subject matter of the plot line and are utterly captivating and enjoyable to watch every step of the way. Rapace continues to impress in a much softer character than her Lisbeth Salandar role in the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Swedish trilogy. and is poised to become one of Hollywood’s new leading ladies.
Having become familiar with Harris’ work on the series Mad Men, I was delighted to see him expertly portray such a complex character as Moriarty: a gentleman scholar of impeccable upbringing and education who is also a twisted and evil genius. Harris plays Moriarty perfectly and never lets you forget the dark and sinister side of him without ever becoming a campy or cartoony vaudeville villain.
Guy Ritchie returns as director and lets his stars carry the film. The action has been ramped up this time around with some spectacular action sequences but the action never overshadows the character-driven story. The film was well-paced and an absolute thrill ride from beginning to end mixing fantastic action and some great humor for a very winning combination that is not to be missed. I am already looking forward to future outings of Holmes and Watson on the big screen as this was a truly enjoyable experience that shows you how action comedies are supposed to be made.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Robert The Bruce (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Story: Robert the Bruce starts after William Wallace is defeated, Robert the Bruce (Macfadyen) and John Comyn (Harris) are fighting for control of Scotland, with John coming up the winner, Robert isn’t willing to take this defeat laying down, with his loyal soldiers James Douglas (Murtagh) planning to take Scotland back.
With Robert injured, Morag (Hutchison) and her family discover him, nursing him back to health despite being in a heavily Comyn control area, with Brandubh (McGowan) hunting down anyone who supporting Robert the Bruce, he must regain his strength to take his rightful place on the throne of Scotland.
Thoughts on Robert the Bruce
Characters – Robert the Bruce is the man that was crowned king of Scotland after the English were defeated, he wasn’t everybody’s first choice, which sees him needing to fight for his place on the throne, which sees him being left for dead, while his opposition takes control of the land, eliminating anybody who supports him. John Comyn is the other man that believes he could be king of Scotland, he has taken control in the battle against Robert, which sees him continuing to use the connections with English, much to anger of the Scots. Morag is the single mother that saw her husband killed fighting for Robert, she must raise her children believing John is the rightful ruler, either if her stories tell of Robert’s bravery. Brandubh is related to Morag, he is willing to kill anybody that doesn’t fight for his own country, which sees him trying to hunt down Robert the Bruce.
Performances – Angus Macfadyen reprises his former role of Robert the Bruce, one he played in Braveheart, he brings us a wise leader performance through the film. Jared Harris might have a supporting role, but after this year, you want to pause and watch any scene this man is in. Anna Hutchison does bring us a stronger performance than you would expect from her, with her getting to show that she can handle a serious role. Zach McGowan does a lot of the heavy lifting in this film, he is the one that gets to handle the most action through the film, with him being the villain for large parts of the film which otherwise would involve less action.
Story – The story here follows Robert the Bruce who became of the King of Scotland in the aftermath of the William Wallace battles against the English. Now this is set up to be some what of a sequel to Braveheart, which it is only in continuing a story, not in film story. we do play into the idea of how Scotland was left in the unknown after the battle, with two people fighting for the leadership, with the people left divided and calm required to make the land complete once again. The pacing of the story does come off slow in places which doesn’t help because, it is mostly a mother trying to prove to her children who should be king, and who they should tell people they respect more to remain safe. If you know your history the end of the film isn’t going to be a mystery to you and it does feel like there could have been a bigger impact with certain things that happen in this story.
History – This is a history lesson to the people that wanted to know more historic accuracy behind Scotland’s independence from England, unlike what Braveheart did.
Settings – The film does make us feel like we are in part of Scotland, we get to see how the condition made the events of the film difficult for the men fighting for the rightful cause.
Scene of the Movie – The crown.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is about 30 minutes too long for everything that is told in this story.
Final Thoughts – This is an interesting look at the history of Robert the Bruce and his rise to become king of Scotland, seeing how he overcame odds to take his place on the throne. Everything is acted well, never looking out of place.
Overall: History lesson.
With Robert injured, Morag (Hutchison) and her family discover him, nursing him back to health despite being in a heavily Comyn control area, with Brandubh (McGowan) hunting down anyone who supporting Robert the Bruce, he must regain his strength to take his rightful place on the throne of Scotland.
Thoughts on Robert the Bruce
Characters – Robert the Bruce is the man that was crowned king of Scotland after the English were defeated, he wasn’t everybody’s first choice, which sees him needing to fight for his place on the throne, which sees him being left for dead, while his opposition takes control of the land, eliminating anybody who supports him. John Comyn is the other man that believes he could be king of Scotland, he has taken control in the battle against Robert, which sees him continuing to use the connections with English, much to anger of the Scots. Morag is the single mother that saw her husband killed fighting for Robert, she must raise her children believing John is the rightful ruler, either if her stories tell of Robert’s bravery. Brandubh is related to Morag, he is willing to kill anybody that doesn’t fight for his own country, which sees him trying to hunt down Robert the Bruce.
Performances – Angus Macfadyen reprises his former role of Robert the Bruce, one he played in Braveheart, he brings us a wise leader performance through the film. Jared Harris might have a supporting role, but after this year, you want to pause and watch any scene this man is in. Anna Hutchison does bring us a stronger performance than you would expect from her, with her getting to show that she can handle a serious role. Zach McGowan does a lot of the heavy lifting in this film, he is the one that gets to handle the most action through the film, with him being the villain for large parts of the film which otherwise would involve less action.
Story – The story here follows Robert the Bruce who became of the King of Scotland in the aftermath of the William Wallace battles against the English. Now this is set up to be some what of a sequel to Braveheart, which it is only in continuing a story, not in film story. we do play into the idea of how Scotland was left in the unknown after the battle, with two people fighting for the leadership, with the people left divided and calm required to make the land complete once again. The pacing of the story does come off slow in places which doesn’t help because, it is mostly a mother trying to prove to her children who should be king, and who they should tell people they respect more to remain safe. If you know your history the end of the film isn’t going to be a mystery to you and it does feel like there could have been a bigger impact with certain things that happen in this story.
History – This is a history lesson to the people that wanted to know more historic accuracy behind Scotland’s independence from England, unlike what Braveheart did.
Settings – The film does make us feel like we are in part of Scotland, we get to see how the condition made the events of the film difficult for the men fighting for the rightful cause.
Scene of the Movie – The crown.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is about 30 minutes too long for everything that is told in this story.
Final Thoughts – This is an interesting look at the history of Robert the Bruce and his rise to become king of Scotland, seeing how he overcame odds to take his place on the throne. Everything is acted well, never looking out of place.
Overall: History lesson.