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Antonio Banderas recommended Lawrence of Arabia (1962) in Movies (curated)
Awix (3310 KP) rated Passengers (2016) in Movies
Jan 21, 2019
Who needs moral culpability when you have J-Law in her pants?
Contains spoilers, click to show
Good-looking SF movie that goes to prove that all you need is two good-looking charismatic stars and a very misleading ad campaign and people will flock to see your film, no matter how creepy and rapey the story actually is. Male passenger (Pratt) on a long-haul space flight wakes up early due to an accident, finds himself facing the prospect of living out his life alone on the ship (trip will take nearly a century, everyone else is still in hypersleep). He goes a bit mad from isolation, becomes obsessed with a female corpsicle (Lawrence), and decides to wake her up so he will have company even though he is condemning her to the same fate as him. Naturally he neglects to mention his own culpability in all this, even after they get it on.
And people call this a romance?!? A paean to stalking, more like. All the other flaws in Passengers (and there are a few: the premises of the film don't quite hang together, for example) fall away compared to the simple fact that the protagonist does several truly horrible things, for which he is never really held to account. Obligatory shots of Lawrence in a swimsuit/lingerie happen along as well, of course. I'd say it was the usual sort of no-brainer inoffensive tosh, but it really leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.
And people call this a romance?!? A paean to stalking, more like. All the other flaws in Passengers (and there are a few: the premises of the film don't quite hang together, for example) fall away compared to the simple fact that the protagonist does several truly horrible things, for which he is never really held to account. Obligatory shots of Lawrence in a swimsuit/lingerie happen along as well, of course. I'd say it was the usual sort of no-brainer inoffensive tosh, but it really leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Mother! (2017) in Movies
Jan 24, 2018 (Updated Jan 24, 2018)
Tries too hard to be something innovative but just turns out terrible
What an abysmal film. Convoluted to the extreme with very little actual plot. The main aspect of the film surrounds a lonely housewife played by Jennifer Lawrence and her troubled poet husband (Javier Bardem), and their unexpected house guests. From the first moment, we see Lawrence's strange eccentricities, her clear connection with the house itself. The more the house is disturbed, the more she is troubled and vice versa.
The guests begin to behave more and more erratically, to the point of ridiculousness. I have to say, I hated this film. It just made me extremely angry. Baby cannibalism is just uncalled for.
The guests begin to behave more and more erratically, to the point of ridiculousness. I have to say, I hated this film. It just made me extremely angry. Baby cannibalism is just uncalled for.
David McK (3233 KP) rated Passengers (2016) in Movies
Mar 15, 2020
Sci-Fi romance starring Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence (with support from Michael Sheen and Laurence Fishbourne) as two travellers aboard an interstellar vessel, who awaken out of hibernation 30 years into a 90 year journey (I think those are both right) to their new home planet, with no means of getting back to sleep or of waking up any other passengers or crew.
What follows, then, mostly - of necessity - follows those two characters (and Sheen's android bartender), asking just what you would do in their circumstances? How would you live out your life?
Beautiful cinematography and some fancy effects, however, can not fully make up for (at times) as dull as dishwater and leaden pacing ...
What follows, then, mostly - of necessity - follows those two characters (and Sheen's android bartender), asking just what you would do in their circumstances? How would you live out your life?
Beautiful cinematography and some fancy effects, however, can not fully make up for (at times) as dull as dishwater and leaden pacing ...
Jerry Bruckheimer recommended Lawrence of Arabia (1962) in Movies (curated)
Jerry Bruckheimer recommended The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) in Movies (curated)
Jerry Bruckheimer recommended Doctor Zhivago (1965) in Movies (curated)
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Faction Paradox: The Brakespeare Voyage in Books
Nov 30, 2020
After four attempts (this fourth, and final, one was the most productive, reaching the 50% mark), I am giving up on 'The Brakespeare Voyage'. There were some great concepts, interesting even, but by the mid-point, I just had had enough. The story's narrative was awkward after a while, with it changing from Scarratt to Nebaioth to transcripts. It was just too much. I found Daniel O'Mahoney's FP entry, 'Newtons Sleep' as well as Lawrence Miles' 'This Town Will Never Let Us Go' to be far easier to finish. It's a pity, as I've heard such praise for this one, but for me, it just felt like too many ideas/concepts at one time!
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Winter's Bone (2010) in Movies
Jan 27, 2019
JLaw and the rednecks
Before she was "JLaw", Jennifer Lawrence garnered an Oscar nomination for this Best Picture nominee from 2010 about a young girl trying to find her delinquent father and trying to keep her family together at the same time.
Tensions rise quickly among the local townsfolk when the girl starts asking questions to try and figure out his whereabouts so she doesn't have to lose the family home to foreclosure.
Great acting and writing and overall look of this bleak film where none of the characters are very savory. The young girl's journey is interesting and has some twists and turns before she finally figures things out.
I liked it a lot.
Tensions rise quickly among the local townsfolk when the girl starts asking questions to try and figure out his whereabouts so she doesn't have to lose the family home to foreclosure.
Great acting and writing and overall look of this bleak film where none of the characters are very savory. The young girl's journey is interesting and has some twists and turns before she finally figures things out.
I liked it a lot.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
An emotional goodbye
Over the last three years, The Hunger Games franchise has thrilled and delighted fans and newcomers to the series with its mix of wonderful special effects, a great cast and intriguing plots.
With the second instalment, Catching Fire, proving to be the best in the series, expectations for the finale, Mockingjay Part 2 were incredibly high. But is this the end we all wanted, and more importantly deserved?
Mockingjay Part 2 picks up immediately after the events of Part 1, as Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen recovers from a vicious attack by her friend and on-off lover Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson in a troubled and career-best performance.
With Katniss becoming a symbol of hope in a time of dictatorship, Lawrence marches with her friends and allies to storm the Capitol and overthrow the tyrannical President Snow, a deliciously evil Donald Sutherland.
The catch? Snow and previous Game makers have booby-trapped the Capitol with a range of sadistic tests trying to stop the rebellion in its tracks.
The Hunger Games has become renowned for a fantastic supporting cast that includes talent like Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore, with the latter being particularly memorable.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with large Young Adult franchises, these fantastic actors are lost somewhat as director Francis Lawrence tries to tie up all loose ends with the main teens; Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth.
The aforementioned three have been part of a love triangle so convoluted it’s difficult to remember who is in love with who, but thankfully this takes a back seat to the action, though each of the three brings enough acting credibility to make the more romantic elements bearable.
Moreover, Mockingjay Part 2 pushes the boundaries of the much-maligned 12A certificate. This is by far the most harrowing and bleak of the four films and none of its predecessors were exactly a ray of sunshine. The characters are pushed to breaking point as the realisation of the Capitol’s evil fully sinks in and the inevitable loss of life is both thrilling and utterly devastating.
The special effects have been rightly ramped up for this final instalment with District 13 and the Capitol looking truly stunning. Each of the action sequences is filmed with such confidence and this shows off the exceptional sets much better than the handy cam that plagued the first film.
Unfortunately, the need to fill a movie nearly 140 minutes in length has led to a tone that occasionally jars and drags a little too frequently. This was a problem with Part 2’s predecessor and whilst the idea to split the final book into two films works better here, the balance is still not quite right and still reeks of money-making.
However, each of the action sequences are edge of the seat stuff with an underground sewer providing the film’s most pulse-racing and dramatic scenes. There’s a whiff of Ridley Scott’s Alien in Francis Lawrence’s direction throughout this extended set piece.
Overall, The Hunger Games series has ended on a high. From its beautiful cinematography to an exceptional main and supporting cast, director Francis Lawrence, who has been with the series since Catching Fire, has managed to craft a harrowing end to a group of films whose influence will be felt for many years to come.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/11/22/an-emotional-goodbye-the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2-review/
With the second instalment, Catching Fire, proving to be the best in the series, expectations for the finale, Mockingjay Part 2 were incredibly high. But is this the end we all wanted, and more importantly deserved?
Mockingjay Part 2 picks up immediately after the events of Part 1, as Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen recovers from a vicious attack by her friend and on-off lover Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson in a troubled and career-best performance.
With Katniss becoming a symbol of hope in a time of dictatorship, Lawrence marches with her friends and allies to storm the Capitol and overthrow the tyrannical President Snow, a deliciously evil Donald Sutherland.
The catch? Snow and previous Game makers have booby-trapped the Capitol with a range of sadistic tests trying to stop the rebellion in its tracks.
The Hunger Games has become renowned for a fantastic supporting cast that includes talent like Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore, with the latter being particularly memorable.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with large Young Adult franchises, these fantastic actors are lost somewhat as director Francis Lawrence tries to tie up all loose ends with the main teens; Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth.
The aforementioned three have been part of a love triangle so convoluted it’s difficult to remember who is in love with who, but thankfully this takes a back seat to the action, though each of the three brings enough acting credibility to make the more romantic elements bearable.
Moreover, Mockingjay Part 2 pushes the boundaries of the much-maligned 12A certificate. This is by far the most harrowing and bleak of the four films and none of its predecessors were exactly a ray of sunshine. The characters are pushed to breaking point as the realisation of the Capitol’s evil fully sinks in and the inevitable loss of life is both thrilling and utterly devastating.
The special effects have been rightly ramped up for this final instalment with District 13 and the Capitol looking truly stunning. Each of the action sequences is filmed with such confidence and this shows off the exceptional sets much better than the handy cam that plagued the first film.
Unfortunately, the need to fill a movie nearly 140 minutes in length has led to a tone that occasionally jars and drags a little too frequently. This was a problem with Part 2’s predecessor and whilst the idea to split the final book into two films works better here, the balance is still not quite right and still reeks of money-making.
However, each of the action sequences are edge of the seat stuff with an underground sewer providing the film’s most pulse-racing and dramatic scenes. There’s a whiff of Ridley Scott’s Alien in Francis Lawrence’s direction throughout this extended set piece.
Overall, The Hunger Games series has ended on a high. From its beautiful cinematography to an exceptional main and supporting cast, director Francis Lawrence, who has been with the series since Catching Fire, has managed to craft a harrowing end to a group of films whose influence will be felt for many years to come.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/11/22/an-emotional-goodbye-the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2-review/