Search
Search results
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Toy Story 3 (2010) in Movies
Feb 2, 2018
Just Plain Awesome
The gang is back in full form for Toy Story 3 as Andy heads off to college and they head to daycare. If you didn't know, this won't be the last installment. Yes, they are making a Toy Story 4. I used to think that was preposterous. Then it hit me that this franchise is probably one of the best trilogies done. Ever. Of all time. I can imagine the creative minds of Pixar sitting in a room and one of them pulls a Danny Ocean: "You think we need one more? You think we need one more. Alright...we'll get one more."
I can't think of many negatives around the film but I sure can praise it to kingdom come. The creativity that goes into this franchise is amazing and the third installment is no exception. One of my favorite scenes includes a private hideaway in the top of a snack machine where some of the toys are playing poker. These moments of great imagination are not only clever but also evoked my emotions as a viewer. Some moments were funny, others heartwrenching. Meanwhile that scene were the 3-year-olds demolish the toy room for the first time was just plain terrifying.
Toy Story 3 grabs your attention immediately as it gets off to an exciting start. A strong part of what keeps the film interesting is the emotional connection between kids and toys. When we're toddlers, we destroy everything in our paths toys included. As we get older, not only do we learn to appreciate those toys and what they do for us, we start to treat them more intimately, almost if they were friends. Eventually that love fades to mere memories and it's not long before toys are once again seen as mere objects. It's touching to watch the trouble the toys go through in the beginning to regain Andy's attention. Andy's moved on, but the toys can't accept it.
There is a scene where Woody is escaping from a bathroom. Right before he reaches up to grab the toilet seat, he puts some tissue down. It's the small touches like these that propel this movie to greatness. I give Toy Story 3 a 97.
I can't think of many negatives around the film but I sure can praise it to kingdom come. The creativity that goes into this franchise is amazing and the third installment is no exception. One of my favorite scenes includes a private hideaway in the top of a snack machine where some of the toys are playing poker. These moments of great imagination are not only clever but also evoked my emotions as a viewer. Some moments were funny, others heartwrenching. Meanwhile that scene were the 3-year-olds demolish the toy room for the first time was just plain terrifying.
Toy Story 3 grabs your attention immediately as it gets off to an exciting start. A strong part of what keeps the film interesting is the emotional connection between kids and toys. When we're toddlers, we destroy everything in our paths toys included. As we get older, not only do we learn to appreciate those toys and what they do for us, we start to treat them more intimately, almost if they were friends. Eventually that love fades to mere memories and it's not long before toys are once again seen as mere objects. It's touching to watch the trouble the toys go through in the beginning to regain Andy's attention. Andy's moved on, but the toys can't accept it.
There is a scene where Woody is escaping from a bathroom. Right before he reaches up to grab the toilet seat, he puts some tissue down. It's the small touches like these that propel this movie to greatness. I give Toy Story 3 a 97.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated One Night in Miami (2020) in Movies
Apr 15, 2021
Keeps the audience at arms length
The issue when adapting a stage play to the screen is that, often times, the subject matter and style of the script does not lend itself to being “opened up”, what is powerful when sitting in a theater with the actors performing the piece in front of you can often times be seen as “flat” when it jumps to the screen.
Such is the case with ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI the Major Motion Picture Directorial debut of Oscar Winning Actress Regina King and based on the stage play by Kemp Powers. This film/play fictionalizes the true story of 4 powerful African American legends that meet up in a hotel room, one night in Miami.
And…this film feels like 4 people sitting in a hotel room talking - and that’s the problem with it. What should be powerful dialogue (and, I’m sure, IS powerful when seen live on stage) just doesn’t translate well enough on the screen, so the film just sits there demanding we pay attention, while not inviting us in to do so.
Since this is a story about 4 people sitting around talking, the acting needs to take center stage and hold our attention and, quite frankly, it just does not. Eli Goree as Cassius Clay, Aldis Hodge as Jim Brown and Leslie Odom, Jr. as Sam Cook are all “fine” in their roles, but they don’t rise above the script and direction. Odom gets an Oscar nod for his turn in this film, but I have to think that, maybe, it is as much for his turn in HAMILTON as it is in this film.
Only Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X shows a spark and draws an emotional response in this film and that might not be fair to the other actors for he has the flashier role with the most speeches.
The Direction by King and the Script by Kemp Powers (based on his stage play) has some moments, but never draws the audience in. It keeps everyone at arms length and doesn’t touch the soul.
The subject matter in this film is an important one, and depicts a pivotal time in American History, but other films do a better job of driving that point home by inviting the audience into the conversation.
Letter Grade: B-
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Such is the case with ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI the Major Motion Picture Directorial debut of Oscar Winning Actress Regina King and based on the stage play by Kemp Powers. This film/play fictionalizes the true story of 4 powerful African American legends that meet up in a hotel room, one night in Miami.
And…this film feels like 4 people sitting in a hotel room talking - and that’s the problem with it. What should be powerful dialogue (and, I’m sure, IS powerful when seen live on stage) just doesn’t translate well enough on the screen, so the film just sits there demanding we pay attention, while not inviting us in to do so.
Since this is a story about 4 people sitting around talking, the acting needs to take center stage and hold our attention and, quite frankly, it just does not. Eli Goree as Cassius Clay, Aldis Hodge as Jim Brown and Leslie Odom, Jr. as Sam Cook are all “fine” in their roles, but they don’t rise above the script and direction. Odom gets an Oscar nod for his turn in this film, but I have to think that, maybe, it is as much for his turn in HAMILTON as it is in this film.
Only Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X shows a spark and draws an emotional response in this film and that might not be fair to the other actors for he has the flashier role with the most speeches.
The Direction by King and the Script by Kemp Powers (based on his stage play) has some moments, but never draws the audience in. It keeps everyone at arms length and doesn’t touch the soul.
The subject matter in this film is an important one, and depicts a pivotal time in American History, but other films do a better job of driving that point home by inviting the audience into the conversation.
Letter Grade: B-
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Collins Complete Wiring and Lighting
Book
A completely revised, redesigned and updated edition of the number one guide to home wiring and...
Pokaemon XY
Hidenori Kusaka and Satoshi Yamamoto
Book
Awesome adventures inspired by the best-selling Pokemon X and Y video games! All your favorite...
The Little Book of Lunch
Caroline Craig and Sophie Missing
Book
The Little Book of Lunch is filled with delicious and simple recipes for the working person's packed...
TG
The Girlboss Workbook: An Interactive Journal for Winning at Life
8.0
Rate It
Book
Hot on the heels of the Netflix show based on #GIRLBOSS comes Sophia Amoruso's new workbook of tips,...
Joseph Mount recommended Endtroducing... by DJ Shadow in Music (curated)
misterb&b - Gay accommodation
Travel
App
"Gay Travel Revolution" - CNN Join the largest gay hotelier in the world with 100,000 hosts in more...
Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House
5.8
Rate It
Book
With extraordinary access to the Trump White House, Michael Wolff tells the inside story of the most...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated The Curse of La Llorona (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
The Mexican Legend
The Curse of La Llorona is a 2019 supernatura/horror movie directed by Michael Chaves and written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis. The film was produced by James Wan through his Atomic Monster Productions. It is based on the Mexican folklore, is Chaves directorial debut, and is set in "The Conjuring" Universe. It stars Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, and Patricia Velasquez.
While playing with his family in 1673 Mexico, a young boy closes his eyes only to re-open them and find his family missing. While searching for them he witnesses his mother drowning his brother in a stream. Frightened, he runs away but is caught and suffers the same fate.
300 years later, in 1973 Los Angeles, Anna Tate-Garcia (Linda Cardellini) works as a social worker and is investigating a well known client of hers, Patrica Alvarez (Patricia Velasquez) whose children have gone missing. Demanding to check on her children's well being, Anna goes to Patricia's home with a police of. She searches for the children and finds them locked in a room. Patricia attacks her as she locates the children and is dragged away by the officer while screaming for her not to open the door. Anna takes the boys, Carlos and Tomas out of the room, ignoring their request to stay in the room where they are safe. That night, two boys are found drowned in a nearby river and Anna is called in to investigate their deaths. At the scene Anna hears Patricia screaming that it was Anna's fault for their deaths. This draws Anna and her family into the frightening supernatural realm of "La Llorona" and her deadly wrath.
I felt like this movie was a tough mix of somewhat silly but still creepy. It was good but had too many jump scares that you could see coming from a mile a way. The acting was generally good with Linda Cardellini really selling the terror of fighting off the evil presence. The children's performances were kind of hit or miss for me.. The tone and atmosphere of the film was great but for me "La Llorona" was scarier when she had her face veiled rather than the highly CGI-ed one they gave her when it was removed. The opening was downright silly to me. I didn't find it scary/creepy at all but a little disturbing. Also for some reason I think they went for too many scares in daylight. I know everything scary doesn't have to be at night, but I felt like it undersold them or didn't do them justice. One aspect that I really liked was how they brought in a faith healer or shaman, in Spanish "Curandero" to the Conjuring Universe. He was an interesting original character addition. Astwo different critics put it, "convincing premise, sufficient drama, decent twists, and enough scares make it worth the watch", but "predictable jump scare treatment and dragging exposition take out the potential from this film despite decent performance Orverall I'd give this movie a 6/10.
While playing with his family in 1673 Mexico, a young boy closes his eyes only to re-open them and find his family missing. While searching for them he witnesses his mother drowning his brother in a stream. Frightened, he runs away but is caught and suffers the same fate.
300 years later, in 1973 Los Angeles, Anna Tate-Garcia (Linda Cardellini) works as a social worker and is investigating a well known client of hers, Patrica Alvarez (Patricia Velasquez) whose children have gone missing. Demanding to check on her children's well being, Anna goes to Patricia's home with a police of. She searches for the children and finds them locked in a room. Patricia attacks her as she locates the children and is dragged away by the officer while screaming for her not to open the door. Anna takes the boys, Carlos and Tomas out of the room, ignoring their request to stay in the room where they are safe. That night, two boys are found drowned in a nearby river and Anna is called in to investigate their deaths. At the scene Anna hears Patricia screaming that it was Anna's fault for their deaths. This draws Anna and her family into the frightening supernatural realm of "La Llorona" and her deadly wrath.
I felt like this movie was a tough mix of somewhat silly but still creepy. It was good but had too many jump scares that you could see coming from a mile a way. The acting was generally good with Linda Cardellini really selling the terror of fighting off the evil presence. The children's performances were kind of hit or miss for me.. The tone and atmosphere of the film was great but for me "La Llorona" was scarier when she had her face veiled rather than the highly CGI-ed one they gave her when it was removed. The opening was downright silly to me. I didn't find it scary/creepy at all but a little disturbing. Also for some reason I think they went for too many scares in daylight. I know everything scary doesn't have to be at night, but I felt like it undersold them or didn't do them justice. One aspect that I really liked was how they brought in a faith healer or shaman, in Spanish "Curandero" to the Conjuring Universe. He was an interesting original character addition. Astwo different critics put it, "convincing premise, sufficient drama, decent twists, and enough scares make it worth the watch", but "predictable jump scare treatment and dragging exposition take out the potential from this film despite decent performance Orverall I'd give this movie a 6/10.