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Awix (3310 KP) rated Capernaum (2018) in Movies
Mar 21, 2019 (Updated Mar 21, 2019)
Astoundingly powerful and almost unbearably bleak social-realist drama from Lebanon. A young boy, in prison for a violent crime, takes his parents to court to sue them for giving birth to him. What has led him to this point? The film tells the story.
Basically a succession of horrors - never especially graphic, but relentless in its detail of the tribulations faced by the boy and those around him as they slip through the cracks of society. It probably sounds unwatchable, and it's not the kind of film you skip away from whistling, but it draws you in thanks to a near-total lack of sentimentality and a remarkable performance from 12-year-old Zain Al Rafeea as the main character. Makes Roma look very precious, dainty and bloodless; I'm not in a hurry to watch this film again, but I'm glad I did.
Basically a succession of horrors - never especially graphic, but relentless in its detail of the tribulations faced by the boy and those around him as they slip through the cracks of society. It probably sounds unwatchable, and it's not the kind of film you skip away from whistling, but it draws you in thanks to a near-total lack of sentimentality and a remarkable performance from 12-year-old Zain Al Rafeea as the main character. Makes Roma look very precious, dainty and bloodless; I'm not in a hurry to watch this film again, but I'm glad I did.
Awix (3310 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) in Movies
May 15, 2019 (Updated May 16, 2019)
Astoundingly violent, wholly absurd thriller sequel. Short-fused hitman Wick (Reeves) goes on the run from the authorities of the underworld, demonstrating his mastery of gun-fu, knife-fu, horse-fu and library-book-fu along the way. The plot is almost entirely secondary to Reeves committing bloody slaughter on a mind-boggling scale.
Essentially a fantasy film in every way that matters, and the middle section flags noticeably, but once again it gets the tricky balance between taking itself too seriously and just being silly about right, although the film has a hard, sadistic edge that feels new. Helped by terrific action choreography and some outrageous overacting from most of the cast. The decision to keep the door flapping open for Chapter 4 may test the goodwill of some viewers, but this is another good bad movie, up to the standards of the last one.
Essentially a fantasy film in every way that matters, and the middle section flags noticeably, but once again it gets the tricky balance between taking itself too seriously and just being silly about right, although the film has a hard, sadistic edge that feels new. Helped by terrific action choreography and some outrageous overacting from most of the cast. The decision to keep the door flapping open for Chapter 4 may test the goodwill of some viewers, but this is another good bad movie, up to the standards of the last one.
Dana (24 KP) rated The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter, #1) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I am very glad I finally picked up this book. I got it for Christmas, but started reading so many other books that this one kinda got left behind. It is a great example of how creepy and intriguing can be mixed together in a very nice way. I loved the story itself. There were only a few moments where I felt that I c ould tell what was going to happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the forst page. I really liked how all of the characters were named after other literary characters. It just made the book that much more fun for me. I would recommend this to anyone who likes gothic style horror and does not have a faint heart. There are a few scenes that can get intense and violent. I can't wait to start reading the next one!
Dean (6925 KP) rated Halloween (2007) in Movies
Feb 21, 2018
Great update
I thought this was a very good film and a great remake. It's not entirely scene for scene like some and gives a lot more time to Michael as a young boy and reasons for him to turn evil. Rather than just a madman on the run from the asylum. Although some key scenes are kept and a few are changed slightly for the update, why change what worked so well in the original. Some people will just rate down remakes just for the sake of it, but seriously Halloween might have been scary if you saw it in your teens but today? This builds on what was a great horror classic and adds a few touches, more of a back story, a bit more violent and sexed up a little for todays audience. Whether you have seen the original or not you should check this out.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Immortals (2011) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)
Give it a Myth
Garishly CGI'd, savagely violent fantasy movie apparently aimed at people who thought 300 showed too much subtlety and restraint. Bad guy Hyperion (Mickey Rourke in a selection of funny hats) is out to destroy the world by releasing the Titans from their prison; the gods of Olympus can't intervene directly (one wonders why not) and get Henry Cavill to stop him instead.
By turns predictable and inept, and with some of the weirdest production designs ever seen in a mainstream movie, the sheer unevenness of Immortals gives it a certain novelty value to begin with, but the succession of scenes featuring eyes being gouged out, tongues removed, women roasted alive, men castrated with sledgehammers, and so on, quickly become wearing more than anything else. A bit like watching a cross between cut-scenes from Mortal Kombat and an off-year staging of the Eurovision Song Contest.
By turns predictable and inept, and with some of the weirdest production designs ever seen in a mainstream movie, the sheer unevenness of Immortals gives it a certain novelty value to begin with, but the succession of scenes featuring eyes being gouged out, tongues removed, women roasted alive, men castrated with sledgehammers, and so on, quickly become wearing more than anything else. A bit like watching a cross between cut-scenes from Mortal Kombat and an off-year staging of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Vegas (725 KP) rated Friday the 13th (1980) in Movies
Oct 25, 2018
The suspense (2 more)
Violent deaths
Not too much splatter
Classic Slasher
It has been a very long time since I watched this, back in the day I always preferred The Nightmare on Elm Street series. So I went into it almost with fresh eyes, not really remembering too much.
I now wonder why I didn’t like it more at the time, the gory deaths were not over done as in some modern films (eg. Saw series) there was the right amount of suspense and anticipation was cleverly filmed... some of the later scenes once the killer is shown especially the close ups and later struggles remind me for some reason of the style of Hitchcock in psycho.
This is how horror should be done. Maybe some of today’s excessive gore fest films (which I don’t actually dislike) should learn from it - sometimes less is more.
I now wonder why I didn’t like it more at the time, the gory deaths were not over done as in some modern films (eg. Saw series) there was the right amount of suspense and anticipation was cleverly filmed... some of the later scenes once the killer is shown especially the close ups and later struggles remind me for some reason of the style of Hitchcock in psycho.
This is how horror should be done. Maybe some of today’s excessive gore fest films (which I don’t actually dislike) should learn from it - sometimes less is more.
Dean (6925 KP) rated The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) in Movies
Nov 7, 2018
A potentially great story about alien contact was really let down by the plot more than anything. I have seen the original and while that would be regarded as well ahead of it's time made in 1951 this will shortly be forgotten. This has the big budget modern effects otherwise the main difference of this and the original is the reason for the alien contact. The original made after WW2 was all about living in peace or risk destruction for our violent actions. This is all about the environment if we can't change our ways we risk killing the earth and ourselves. Oh and John Cleese is always worthy of more than a few minutes cameo?!
Great start but a missed opportunity. If you want a good action, drama or disaster film on a similar them watch Independence day, War of the Worlds, or The day after tomorrow instead.
Great start but a missed opportunity. If you want a good action, drama or disaster film on a similar them watch Independence day, War of the Worlds, or The day after tomorrow instead.
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Extraction (2020) in Movies
Apr 27, 2020 (Updated Apr 27, 2020)
Action man
A hard hitting action packed gritty and violent movie that goes full adrenaline junkie in a very short time, that even when the plot slows, it isn't for long and doesn't feel any slower.
The movie is very 'John Wick' with its melee combat which is a bonus & Hemsworth has nicely shrugged off the thor status and adjusted to action star nicely.
Although an excellent movie it isn't without its downside, in this case it's the lack of dialogue/communication between the "hero team" during an extraction which felt a little odd in my opinion.
Plot:Chris hemsworth stars as A black-market mercenary who is hired to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned powerful crime lord. But in the chaotic underworld of weapons dealers and drug traffickers, another brush with death is just around the corner.
The movie is very 'John Wick' with its melee combat which is a bonus & Hemsworth has nicely shrugged off the thor status and adjusted to action star nicely.
Although an excellent movie it isn't without its downside, in this case it's the lack of dialogue/communication between the "hero team" during an extraction which felt a little odd in my opinion.
Plot:Chris hemsworth stars as A black-market mercenary who is hired to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned powerful crime lord. But in the chaotic underworld of weapons dealers and drug traffickers, another brush with death is just around the corner.
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