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Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Oct 8, 2019 (Updated Oct 8, 2019)
Hmm...
A couple of years ago Joaquin Phoenix starred in a movie called You Were Never Really Here. It was directed by Lynne Ramsay and from the trailers looked like it could be something pretty great. Unfortunately when I saw the movie, I felt that it was nothing more than a poor man's Taxi Driver, with the same regurgitated ideas and not much more to say.
Then I saw 2019's Joker.
Let's forget about the incredibly engaging performances and solid technical filmmaking elements in this movie for a minute. And let's forget all of the baggage and background lore that comes with the huge pop culture characters of the Joker, the Wayne family and Gotham City.
Instead, ask yourself this; if this you removed all of the DC elements from this movie, for example Gotham is just NYC, Thomas Wayne is just a rich powerful man running for office and Arthur Fleck is just a random loner with a screw loose, would this movie be remarkable in any way?
Like, overall I enjoyed this movie, but I enjoyed it because it was a version of my favourite fictional character that I hadn't seen before, but it wasn't a story that I haven't seen before outside of a Joker story. I liked the movie because it reminded me HEAVILY of Taxi Driver, which is one of my favourite movies of all time, but I still prefer Taxi Driver.
I can't give the movie a bad review because it was clearly well made by a bunch of very talented people and I did enjoy my time with it, but after reading the intensely positive reviews this thing got at the film festivals I was looking for something more than a story I have seen before done better decades ago.
At the same time though, I am definitely going to need a second viewing. I have hardly stopped thinking and talking about the movie since I seen it and it has led to me writing my first review on this website in 5 months, so there is something to be said about that element of it.
My rating may change after a second viewing, but for now this is an enjoyable retread of a story we have seen before told several times over. Just because you throw a popular comic book character's name over the top of it, is that enough to make it more worthwhile than all of the other Taxi Driver homages we have gotten over the years?
Then I saw 2019's Joker.
Let's forget about the incredibly engaging performances and solid technical filmmaking elements in this movie for a minute. And let's forget all of the baggage and background lore that comes with the huge pop culture characters of the Joker, the Wayne family and Gotham City.
Instead, ask yourself this; if this you removed all of the DC elements from this movie, for example Gotham is just NYC, Thomas Wayne is just a rich powerful man running for office and Arthur Fleck is just a random loner with a screw loose, would this movie be remarkable in any way?
Like, overall I enjoyed this movie, but I enjoyed it because it was a version of my favourite fictional character that I hadn't seen before, but it wasn't a story that I haven't seen before outside of a Joker story. I liked the movie because it reminded me HEAVILY of Taxi Driver, which is one of my favourite movies of all time, but I still prefer Taxi Driver.
I can't give the movie a bad review because it was clearly well made by a bunch of very talented people and I did enjoy my time with it, but after reading the intensely positive reviews this thing got at the film festivals I was looking for something more than a story I have seen before done better decades ago.
At the same time though, I am definitely going to need a second viewing. I have hardly stopped thinking and talking about the movie since I seen it and it has led to me writing my first review on this website in 5 months, so there is something to be said about that element of it.
My rating may change after a second viewing, but for now this is an enjoyable retread of a story we have seen before told several times over. Just because you throw a popular comic book character's name over the top of it, is that enough to make it more worthwhile than all of the other Taxi Driver homages we have gotten over the years?
City Music by Kevin Morby
4.0
Rate It
Album Watch
City Music is the new album by Kevin Morby, which will be released via Dead Oceans. Full of listless...
Alternative rock
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Get Out (2017) in Movies
Jan 7, 2018
Great set up (1 more)
Interesting characters
Contains spoilers, click to show
I admit to being extremely late to the party on this one. I was luckily able to avoid hearing anything about the film until I saw yesterday.
In reading the ratings given by others, it is interesting they go from 1 to 10.
While I was skeptical over the hype, especially now considering this film is nominated for several awards. I just thought "isn't this another cheap horror film crap"?
I thought the first hour of the film was great with homages to other horror classics like The Stepford Wives or Rosemary's Baby, but enough original material to keep me interested.
I didn't even mind the big reveal as you have to go along for the ride in a horror film like this.
I just thought the ultimate resolution seemed not up to the level of the rest of the film and was forced or someone just thinking "we have to end the film now". I wish there would have been a more clever conclusion up to the standard set by the beginning of the film.
I'll also say this film certainly doesn't deserve any award recognition especially if people are just doing so to fill some sort of diversity quota.
In reading the ratings given by others, it is interesting they go from 1 to 10.
While I was skeptical over the hype, especially now considering this film is nominated for several awards. I just thought "isn't this another cheap horror film crap"?
I thought the first hour of the film was great with homages to other horror classics like The Stepford Wives or Rosemary's Baby, but enough original material to keep me interested.
I didn't even mind the big reveal as you have to go along for the ride in a horror film like this.
I just thought the ultimate resolution seemed not up to the level of the rest of the film and was forced or someone just thinking "we have to end the film now". I wish there would have been a more clever conclusion up to the standard set by the beginning of the film.
I'll also say this film certainly doesn't deserve any award recognition especially if people are just doing so to fill some sort of diversity quota.
Kaylin (39 KP) rated The Girl on the Train in Books
May 26, 2017
Does a great job of creating a creepy atmosphere (1 more)
Gives us someone to root for without making them perfect
The ending felt really rushed (2 more)
Once again, I called the twist halfway through
None of the characters are really likeable
An Interesting Read
The Girl on the Train was a book I was really looking forward to reading. I, unfortunately, hadn't heard much about it until I saw the previews for the movie. It seemed like a solid thriller and picking up the book I can tell you that the first half is. Rachel is an unreliable narrator due to her "drunken blackouts." She's got an ex-husband who has a new, younger wife and a baby, a long suffering roommate, and the people she watches on the train every morning. I felt for Rachel when the wife of the young couple she watched every morning, in a not really creepy way, disappeared. Then every character plunged into completely unlikable territory. Even characters we're supposed to root for have such horrible attitudes and are downright jerks that it's hard to be on anyone's side. Don't get me wrong, I would definitely recommend this book for people to read, I would just warn them that they'll hate everyone by the time they're done.
Susan (45 KP) rated Greenleaf - Season 1 in TV
Jul 4, 2017
Excellent casting (4 more)
Reveals the truth about families and the secrets they keep
Will grab u your attention from episode one and won't let you go til the end
All churches may not be like this one but we all know there's truth to this plot
Oprah plays a role like you've never seen her play and she doesn't disappoint
A Mega Church filled with sex, deep dark family secrets,and drama, drama, drama!
Contains spoilers, click to show
I was looking for a new show to binge watch when I came across this. When I saw that Oprah was part of the show I knew it would be something worth watching. I stayed up all night and the next day, unable to stop watching because I had to know what happened next. This show does not disappoint! It has everything a series needs to draw you in and keep you watching.. A family with money and a mega church with secrets that have been kept hidden for years...until their estranged daughter arrives intent on exposing the truth behind her sister's suicide. A house and church built on sex, murder, lies and scandal won't stand for long as the truth is revealed episode by episode. A must see series!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Dark Tower (2017) in Movies
Aug 20, 2017
Stephen King let them make this?
I'll start off by saying I knew I was going to hate this film. From the moment I heard of the casting and then saw the first trailer. I get the justification for them making this film completely different (i.e. Horn of Eld - but was that even in the film?!), but for me it just doesn't work.
The book series is a fantasy masterpiece, but they appear to have made a standalone Dark Tower film pulled together with a vague mishmash of characters and ideas from the entire book series. It just doesn't work, especially not in a paltry 90 minutes. This is just far too different from the books - the characters are undeveloped, their motives are unclear. You almost have to have read the books to get an understanding of the characters as it just doesn't come across in this. Casting for me was poor too. McConaughey and Elba are fantastic actors but it doesn't show in this, they're let down by a poor script and a poor plot.
My only hope for this film is that it prompts those who haven't read the books to pick them up and realise how awesome they are.
The book series is a fantasy masterpiece, but they appear to have made a standalone Dark Tower film pulled together with a vague mishmash of characters and ideas from the entire book series. It just doesn't work, especially not in a paltry 90 minutes. This is just far too different from the books - the characters are undeveloped, their motives are unclear. You almost have to have read the books to get an understanding of the characters as it just doesn't come across in this. Casting for me was poor too. McConaughey and Elba are fantastic actors but it doesn't show in this, they're let down by a poor script and a poor plot.
My only hope for this film is that it prompts those who haven't read the books to pick them up and realise how awesome they are.
pecotter (3 KP) rated Train to Busan (2016) in Movies
Sep 19, 2017
A gripping Korean zombie film
I was excited to watch Train to Busan the moment I saw the trailer for it. I am a huge fan of horror and zombie films and this one looked different.
I was pretty into it as soon as I started to watch it, I was pulled in and couldn't take my eyes from the screen from the moment the characters first board the train.
There were little details here and there that I loved including the fact that one character has a brand new Nintendo Ds (I love Nintendo).
Most zombie movies bore me after a while and I don't care too much for the characters, but in Train to Busan I was rooting for several of them.
I also loved the fact they were on a train, that was ont of the reasons I wanted to watch this film, I wanted to see exactly how they were gonna survive in such a small space.
I highly recommend this film, give it a try even if you don't like the look of it and it might surprise you.
I was pretty into it as soon as I started to watch it, I was pulled in and couldn't take my eyes from the screen from the moment the characters first board the train.
There were little details here and there that I loved including the fact that one character has a brand new Nintendo Ds (I love Nintendo).
Most zombie movies bore me after a while and I don't care too much for the characters, but in Train to Busan I was rooting for several of them.
I also loved the fact they were on a train, that was ont of the reasons I wanted to watch this film, I wanted to see exactly how they were gonna survive in such a small space.
I highly recommend this film, give it a try even if you don't like the look of it and it might surprise you.
Christen (28 KP) rated KleptoCats in Apps
Apr 30, 2018
Cute cats that can be customized. (1 more)
Fun environments to decorate with your cats.
Can be tedious waiting for the cats to come back. (1 more)
Hard to get gems to buy certain items for the cats. Unless you use real money.
When I saw KleptoCats in the app store I fell in love with the cute art style and the concept that you send out cats to bring back treasures. The first few hours of gameplay are fun. You send out your first cat and you play silly games to earn some more coins to customize them while you wait. When they come back they have some oddball treasure for your room. Then once you have collected a few items it takes a lot longer for the cats to come back and the mini-games you were playing get a little old. The gem currency is a little off. It takes 250 coins for 1 gem or you can use real money to buy more gems. Gems can be used to buy accessories for the cats or new environments. The most gems you can buy is 200 for $9.99. This is not that bad compared to other games. All that aside I really enjoy the game. It's a cutesy, fun, relaxing, game and would recommend for anyone.
b.Young (97 KP) rated The Wordsmith in Books
May 15, 2018
Horrifying in a good way
Have you ever wondered how famous authors pump out great book after great book? Well, it's probably not quite how Walt Erickson does it...or is it???
I read this book because I found it offered for free in the Amazon Kindle store. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much. Y'all! I was wrong to set my expectations so low!
This was a truly horrifying glimpse into what one famous author does to keep writing those best-selling books of his. And (spoiler): He's. Not. Writing. Them.
So who is? How does he keep from being found out?
My first thought was that his typewriter is bewitched and doing the writing for him.
My second thought was that he had a ghost writer that he pays very handsomely to keep quiet.
I had some other thoughts about it, but they were just too PG.
Let me just tell you, that NONE of my thoughts were what was actually going on and I was beyond freaked out when I discovered the truth!
This story reminded me a little of Secret Garden and a little of some episode of The Twilight Zone I saw when I was like 10.
If you read this and you will think you entered The Twilight Zone.
I read this book because I found it offered for free in the Amazon Kindle store. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much. Y'all! I was wrong to set my expectations so low!
This was a truly horrifying glimpse into what one famous author does to keep writing those best-selling books of his. And (spoiler): He's. Not. Writing. Them.
So who is? How does he keep from being found out?
My first thought was that his typewriter is bewitched and doing the writing for him.
My second thought was that he had a ghost writer that he pays very handsomely to keep quiet.
I had some other thoughts about it, but they were just too PG.
Let me just tell you, that NONE of my thoughts were what was actually going on and I was beyond freaked out when I discovered the truth!
This story reminded me a little of Secret Garden and a little of some episode of The Twilight Zone I saw when I was like 10.
If you read this and you will think you entered The Twilight Zone.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Tuesday's Gone (Frieda Klein, #2) in Books
May 10, 2018
Dr. Freida Klein is a psychotherapist and a "consultant" with the London police. She is helping the police solve the murder of Robert Poole, whose body was found in the apartment of a mentally unstable woman, Michelle Doyce. The police are ready to close the case. With Michelle unfit to stand trial, she will spend her time in a mental institution....Case Closed! But Freida saw past all that into something much more. Putting her life on the line and confronting witnesses without the help of the police, are just part of what makes up Dr. Klein. And, you'll never guess who did it. The book had me on the edge of my seat from page one.
Can't wait to read more in this series and really bummed that I didn't read [b:Blue Monday|10940958|Blue Monday (Frieda Klein, #1)|Nicci French|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327188223s/10940958.jpg|15858219] first, but it has been add to my "To Read" list.
The part about this book that made me give it five stars is that it had me from the beginning and it was hard to figure out who the killer was. Too many people had a motive. Nicci French did a really amazing job of keeping the suspense.
Can't wait to read more in this series and really bummed that I didn't read [b:Blue Monday|10940958|Blue Monday (Frieda Klein, #1)|Nicci French|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327188223s/10940958.jpg|15858219] first, but it has been add to my "To Read" list.
The part about this book that made me give it five stars is that it had me from the beginning and it was hard to figure out who the killer was. Too many people had a motive. Nicci French did a really amazing job of keeping the suspense.
Lee (2222 KP) Oct 9, 2019