Technically neat, gritty gore, great characters, and a timeless story that will last forever. It definitely borrows some elements from Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Mummy, while the effects don't hold up the best, but Candyman is still an instant horror classic.
Reviews
125 Reviews
Saw 3D
(2010)
Saw 3D: The Final Chapter
23 August 2021
Saw 3D: The Final Chapter, missed on almost every aspect of a "final chapter", and to be completely honest, fell pretty short of a Saw film in general. Saw 3D (because it doesn't even feel right calling it The Final Chapter), is super redundant, and convoluted. There were way too many new ideas floating around, instead of tying everything together, like a final film should do. For some reason, Kevin Greutert focused on bringing in new stories and characters, that hold very little merit, that just made this film feel like a waste, and something that could've fit-in, a few installments prior. Kevin Greutert seemed to put the least effort in possible, making this film feel heartless, with very little creativity.
Saw IV
(2007)
Saw 4
21 August 2021
Darren Bousman took a different technical approach to this installment, and it didn't really pay off for me. A lot of the edits were super distracting, while the color scheme seemed to be too saturated. The plot was fleshed out a tad, making the scheme to be a bit bigger, with it's production design, but it's starting to feel rather redundant.
The Suicide Squad
(2021)
The Suicide Squad
7 August 2021
Wow, this was a BLAST! James Gunn had his hand all over this film, stylizing it like Guardians of the Galaxy, DeadPool, and Birds of Prey, but also having it's own unique personality. Right off the bat, this was a gorgeous film to look at. There were so many great shots, with some top notch editing. I'm not too sure if this is a sequel, or a straight up remake to the 2016 version, but James Gunn improved every single aspect! This feels like The Suicide Squad, done right, utilizing it's R rating to the fullest! Knowingly, Gunn incorporates a lot of good risks and stakes in his films, he cranked that aspect up to eleven, giving this film some serious spine, while also involving some good tones throughout. The plot itself was rather simple, but the way the story was told, was what gave this film the separation from the bunch. With a runtime of over two hours, this film kept me engaged the whole time, moving at such a brisk pace, while the story evolves with every scene.
With this being a beautifully made film, the characters is what took it to another level. Although these are legitimately bottom of the barrel heroes (being one of my few issues I have with the film), James Gunn brought every single one of them to life, giving them each, great character moments, and decent development across the board. They all had their own personalities, and likabilities to them. You can tell everyone on set was having a good time, because every piece of dialogue felt genuine. The script was super witty, and ridiculously funny, but the characters are what sold each scene - There was nobody who overshadowed anyone. The one take away from having a surplus of likable characters, its hard to balance everyone, and make them equally important and worth caring about.
The action was another high point to this film, having so much gore and grit! With a film like this, you can expect somewhat of a body count, but James Gunn wanted to show off his gritty style, and everyone became an option for death. Gunn added so many casualties to this film, but keeping things at a certain level, so it didn't look like Night of the Living Dead. With a James Gunn film, you can expect a great soundtrack, and the soundtrack and score here was phenomenal! It enhanced every single sequence, really sucking you into what's going on. The few take aways I have with the action; granted it was probably one of the most entertaining part of the film, but there were parts that felt a little too over the top, while some over the CGI came over a tad hammy.
Overall, The Suicide Squad is a smash hit!
With this being a beautifully made film, the characters is what took it to another level. Although these are legitimately bottom of the barrel heroes (being one of my few issues I have with the film), James Gunn brought every single one of them to life, giving them each, great character moments, and decent development across the board. They all had their own personalities, and likabilities to them. You can tell everyone on set was having a good time, because every piece of dialogue felt genuine. The script was super witty, and ridiculously funny, but the characters are what sold each scene - There was nobody who overshadowed anyone. The one take away from having a surplus of likable characters, its hard to balance everyone, and make them equally important and worth caring about.
The action was another high point to this film, having so much gore and grit! With a film like this, you can expect somewhat of a body count, but James Gunn wanted to show off his gritty style, and everyone became an option for death. Gunn added so many casualties to this film, but keeping things at a certain level, so it didn't look like Night of the Living Dead. With a James Gunn film, you can expect a great soundtrack, and the soundtrack and score here was phenomenal! It enhanced every single sequence, really sucking you into what's going on. The few take aways I have with the action; granted it was probably one of the most entertaining part of the film, but there were parts that felt a little too over the top, while some over the CGI came over a tad hammy.
Overall, The Suicide Squad is a smash hit!
Luca
(2021)
Luca
1 August 2021
I didn't quit, they forced me to stop
Let me start off by saying, I'm with the minority on this one, when I say, I didn't enjoy Luca nearly as much as everyone else. With a very simple plot (which can work, if done right), and a lot of counteracting points, with very minimal risks, Luca's story ran rather thin, not giving the film much of it's own personality. Luca seemed to cater to the younger audience, not seeming to try hard at all, moving very fast, and leaving a lot of moments and characters to be left underdeveloped. Luca has a big 2021 topey vibe to it, trying to be subtle with their life messages, but it came off too forced, and not so genuine. Don't get me wrong, Luca definitely has it's charm, with good general messages for kids, but I feel like the film was taken too lightly, falling to the bottom of the pack for Pixar.
Even though Luca had a simple plot, and had some good moments, Luca felt more like a character driven film. I prefer character driven films, because story motives can run pretty dry at times, but the characters have to be done right, for it to succeed. Luca, Alberto, Guilia, and all of the other characters seemed to be a big hit with a lot of people, but I found everyone to be, by the numbers, struggling to have their own unique personality. All of the characters went underdeveloped, leaving them to be hollow, and forgettable. I found their character designs to be pretty simple as well. They were still fun and all, but they weren't like some characters you'll never forget, like anyone from the Monsters Inc, or Toy Story films. For a film to be titled after the main character, you'd think they'd, at the very least, make the character indulging enough to watch for the one hundred minute run time, but Enrico Cassarosa tried to give all of the cliche side characters too much aimless time, leaving it hard to really care about Luca. The few good things I can say about the characters - all of the voice overs were top notch, with a fairly well written script, to give the film a little humor and playfulness.
Overall, Luca is by far Pixar's simplest film, not breaking any barriers, and just seemed to be okay with skating by. I'd say give the film a shot, but I do have a differing opinion than a lot of people, but it's definitely something I'm not going back to watch, like I do with twenty out of the twenty-four films by Pixar.
Let me start off by saying, I'm with the minority on this one, when I say, I didn't enjoy Luca nearly as much as everyone else. With a very simple plot (which can work, if done right), and a lot of counteracting points, with very minimal risks, Luca's story ran rather thin, not giving the film much of it's own personality. Luca seemed to cater to the younger audience, not seeming to try hard at all, moving very fast, and leaving a lot of moments and characters to be left underdeveloped. Luca has a big 2021 topey vibe to it, trying to be subtle with their life messages, but it came off too forced, and not so genuine. Don't get me wrong, Luca definitely has it's charm, with good general messages for kids, but I feel like the film was taken too lightly, falling to the bottom of the pack for Pixar.
Even though Luca had a simple plot, and had some good moments, Luca felt more like a character driven film. I prefer character driven films, because story motives can run pretty dry at times, but the characters have to be done right, for it to succeed. Luca, Alberto, Guilia, and all of the other characters seemed to be a big hit with a lot of people, but I found everyone to be, by the numbers, struggling to have their own unique personality. All of the characters went underdeveloped, leaving them to be hollow, and forgettable. I found their character designs to be pretty simple as well. They were still fun and all, but they weren't like some characters you'll never forget, like anyone from the Monsters Inc, or Toy Story films. For a film to be titled after the main character, you'd think they'd, at the very least, make the character indulging enough to watch for the one hundred minute run time, but Enrico Cassarosa tried to give all of the cliche side characters too much aimless time, leaving it hard to really care about Luca. The few good things I can say about the characters - all of the voice overs were top notch, with a fairly well written script, to give the film a little humor and playfulness.
Overall, Luca is by far Pixar's simplest film, not breaking any barriers, and just seemed to be okay with skating by. I'd say give the film a shot, but I do have a differing opinion than a lot of people, but it's definitely something I'm not going back to watch, like I do with twenty out of the twenty-four films by Pixar.
Space Jam: A New Legacy
(2021)
Space Jam: A New Legacy
18 July 2021
I don't have much good to say about this film, so let me start with the bad. Space Jam: A New Legacy, feels like a bad rip off of Spy Kids 3: Game Over. The concept is fun, but very formulaic, while not being totally cohesive or consistent. Id be lying if I said the film doesn't have heart and creativity, but it's severely overshadowed by the corniness, and the plot being all over the place. Space Jam: A New Legacy has countless cliches, and easter eggs, where it gets super distracting. I expected a few fan service moments, but it seemed like this whole film was catered to that, leaving it to run thin. Malcolm D. Lee knew what they were going for, being a simple, and silly film, so you cannot take this serious at all. Lee did his best to embrace his goal, but he over-did it, creating way too many cringey moments.
I can totally see why Lebron James is a basketball player, because he cannot act. Maybe it was the way his lines were written; he just seemed uncomfortable, and not genuine at all, which is one of the biggest dampers of the film, considering this was more of a "lebron james" film, over a Space Jam film. The Looney Tunes served their purpose for the most part, but they felt more like a side attractions to Lebron.
Although I have a lot that I didn't like about this film, there were a couple of qualities that made it somewhat enjoyable. Even though the Looney Tunes were mainly side characters, it's always a pleasant treat to see them on screen, doing their thing. The cinematography and animations were done fairly well. Everything was very bright, and clear, being visually pleasing. With the film totaling almost two hours, it definitely overstays it's welcome, but it does have a good pace, keeping me engaged almost the whole time.
Overall, this was mainly just a nostalgic grab! It was definitely made for the younger viewers, and I believe if you go into this film with an open mind, some of the older crowds could enjoy it for nostalgic purposes.
I can totally see why Lebron James is a basketball player, because he cannot act. Maybe it was the way his lines were written; he just seemed uncomfortable, and not genuine at all, which is one of the biggest dampers of the film, considering this was more of a "lebron james" film, over a Space Jam film. The Looney Tunes served their purpose for the most part, but they felt more like a side attractions to Lebron.
Although I have a lot that I didn't like about this film, there were a couple of qualities that made it somewhat enjoyable. Even though the Looney Tunes were mainly side characters, it's always a pleasant treat to see them on screen, doing their thing. The cinematography and animations were done fairly well. Everything was very bright, and clear, being visually pleasing. With the film totaling almost two hours, it definitely overstays it's welcome, but it does have a good pace, keeping me engaged almost the whole time.
Overall, this was mainly just a nostalgic grab! It was definitely made for the younger viewers, and I believe if you go into this film with an open mind, some of the older crowds could enjoy it for nostalgic purposes.
Black Widow
(2021)
Black Widow
14 July 2021
After over a year of waiting, Black Widow was finally released, and let's just say, it did it's job, but there was so much more to be said. Cate Shortland did a good job on clarifying events and ideas from the prior MCU films, while also doing a decent job on elaborating on a fan favorite character like Natasha Romanoff, but she definitely could've fleshed out the plot a lot more, making this film feel a little bit like a filler/setup, to the saga. With the events Shortland was telling, I feel as if this film was released a few years ago, it would've been more hard-hitting, and relevant, more than feeling a little redundant with not a lot of consequences. Black Widow had a pretty solid pace, up until the second act, where it seemed to slow down, and really drag out that two hour and fifteen minute runtime.
The protagonists are what really carried this film to be as good as it is, having wonderful performances across the board, from Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, and David Harbour. Everyone was balanced well, and had really good chemistry together, especially Johansson and Pugh. My biggest issue with the film, is how they handled the Black Widow character. Yes, we received some decent input on her character, but she didn't really do too much, reminding me a lot of Prince T'Challa, from Black Panther. Another issue I had, was that they didn't make a strong, present villain. Shortland decided to make the villain more of a "talked about threat" (if you will), falling into the trap a lot of the MCU films have, and that's not having a strong villain.
The action in the film is a mixed bag. There were some scenes that worked for me, being very entertaining to watch, but there was a surplus of action that was butchered up in the editing room, and gave it a silly, video game feel.
Overall, I would definitely see this film at least once, because of the importance it has to the saga, but this falls in line with the middle of the pack films for the MCU Saga.
The protagonists are what really carried this film to be as good as it is, having wonderful performances across the board, from Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, and David Harbour. Everyone was balanced well, and had really good chemistry together, especially Johansson and Pugh. My biggest issue with the film, is how they handled the Black Widow character. Yes, we received some decent input on her character, but she didn't really do too much, reminding me a lot of Prince T'Challa, from Black Panther. Another issue I had, was that they didn't make a strong, present villain. Shortland decided to make the villain more of a "talked about threat" (if you will), falling into the trap a lot of the MCU films have, and that's not having a strong villain.
The action in the film is a mixed bag. There were some scenes that worked for me, being very entertaining to watch, but there was a surplus of action that was butchered up in the editing room, and gave it a silly, video game feel.
Overall, I would definitely see this film at least once, because of the importance it has to the saga, but this falls in line with the middle of the pack films for the MCU Saga.
The Forever Purge
(2021)
The Forever Purge
5 July 2021
I didn't go into this film with high expectations, knowing the other four films to the series aren't the greatest, but The Forever Purge is a fat waste of time! The premise seemed to have promise coming in, but Everardo Gout straight up missed the mark, making the film way too political, rather than having political ties, and an interesting concept. The Forever Purge had cardboard cut outs for characters, cringey acting, a shallow script, with horrendously cheesy action sequences.
Godzilla vs. Kong
(2021)
Godzilla vs Kong
2 April 2021
I have never watched any of the King Kong or Godzilla films, so I wasn't too sure on what I would be missing from the films prior, but going strictly off the title and poster, I had a good idea of what I was in for, and it was exactly that.
Godzilla Vs Kong, directed by Adam Wingard, is a simple, self aware blockbuster monster film, with a little style to it. Wingard decided to keep the story simple, with a solid pace, and really focused on making entertaining action sequences, which paid off to a certain extent. With this film being loaded with fun action sequences, the story ran a little shallow, having some predictablities, while having some scenes feel a little far fetched and out context. Where a story runs flat, the characters should compensate for it, but the characters were pretty hallow here, besides Rebecca Hall, and Kaylee Hottle's characters. The other side characters served their purpose, while having their own personalities, but they weren't given much depth at all. Wingard let the monsters take the lead, which worked, but spending so much time with the human characters, and cheesy villain, made the film feel like two different movies.
I'm with the minority on this one when I say that I didn't find the CGI to be breathtaking like everyone is saying. I thought for the most part, everything looked very good, but there were some shots where it looked a little over saturated, and cartoonish. I'm also with the minority when I say I wasn't a huge fan of the score, while I feel like it was also overused at times. It was fine for what it was, but I feel like I've heard similar scores, on multiple occasions.
Overall, I definitely had fun with this flick, but probably not as much as a lot of other people. If you like BIG, CGI monster fights, this is your film to watch!
Godzilla Vs Kong, directed by Adam Wingard, is a simple, self aware blockbuster monster film, with a little style to it. Wingard decided to keep the story simple, with a solid pace, and really focused on making entertaining action sequences, which paid off to a certain extent. With this film being loaded with fun action sequences, the story ran a little shallow, having some predictablities, while having some scenes feel a little far fetched and out context. Where a story runs flat, the characters should compensate for it, but the characters were pretty hallow here, besides Rebecca Hall, and Kaylee Hottle's characters. The other side characters served their purpose, while having their own personalities, but they weren't given much depth at all. Wingard let the monsters take the lead, which worked, but spending so much time with the human characters, and cheesy villain, made the film feel like two different movies.
I'm with the minority on this one when I say that I didn't find the CGI to be breathtaking like everyone is saying. I thought for the most part, everything looked very good, but there were some shots where it looked a little over saturated, and cartoonish. I'm also with the minority when I say I wasn't a huge fan of the score, while I feel like it was also overused at times. It was fine for what it was, but I feel like I've heard similar scores, on multiple occasions.
Overall, I definitely had fun with this flick, but probably not as much as a lot of other people. If you like BIG, CGI monster fights, this is your film to watch!
Lilo & Stitch
(2002)
Lilo & Stitch
26 March 2021
Lilo & Stitch, directed and written by, Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois is a warm hearted film, that ages like a fine wine. The fast paced story was cute and sentimental, but also rough around the edges, backed up with fun and creative characters. The script was consistently funny, with true feelings the characters bring to the screen. The animations were really great, putting on a beautiful display of drawing animation; The characters looked like they were taken right off a piece of paper, and put into live action! Overall, this is a great nostalgic film to look back on.
Southpaw
(2015)
Southpaw
28 January 2021
Southpaw, directed & produced by Antoine Fuqua, was thrilling and emotional, but couldn't help but being another cliché and predictable boxing tale. The one massive plus I give to Antoine Fuqua, is that he didn't make a regular boxing film with a choppy narrative, and sloppy script - He balanced out the boxing, and the narrative well enough, to keep the narrative afloat, with some decent pieces of dialogue.
Jake Gyllenhaal went from Prisoner, to Nightcrawler, to now Southpaw, and he transformed into each role very professionally! Gyllenhaal puts on such a great performance, as a down & out boxer, portraying his emotional scenes at such a deep, sentimental level. In almost every boxing film, usually the main antagonist is who our protagonist is fighting, but here, Jake Gyllenhaal is his own antagonist. I thought that was very creative, and brought out some deep character development in his character. Our other antagonist is Miguel Gomez. He was nothing but a plot device, and a pretty weak one at that, other than his sly remarks. Oona Laurence, at such a young age, put on a very good performance as Laila Hope. She really makes you feel for her character, while Gyllenhaal & Laurence' chemistry is nearly flawless, for their first production together. Rachel McAdams also puts on a great performance, while her character having the most impact on the film, with probably the least amount of screen time. I'm a big time fan of Forest Whitaker, and it was awesome to see him in this film. Forest Whitaker portrays a boxing coach so well, I was thinking about signing up for Will Tik's gym myself. For all the artists that think they can act now, like T.I. & Vanilla Ice, 50 cent is one of the best artist out there, in film. He does a decent job in this film, with his character having a decent twist.
The screenplay by Kurt Sutter, being Sutter's only film, was pretty good; Kurt Sutter gave this film a personality. He created a lot of great emotional dialogue, that helped you bond, and feel for the characters.
The score by the iconic James Horner added this deep, sorrowful score, that enhanced the feeling during the emotional, and break down scenes. The music soundtrack by Marshall Mathers (Eminem) was awesome!
Overall, this film is a decent time, but doesn't really set itself apart from the other boxing films.
Jake Gyllenhaal went from Prisoner, to Nightcrawler, to now Southpaw, and he transformed into each role very professionally! Gyllenhaal puts on such a great performance, as a down & out boxer, portraying his emotional scenes at such a deep, sentimental level. In almost every boxing film, usually the main antagonist is who our protagonist is fighting, but here, Jake Gyllenhaal is his own antagonist. I thought that was very creative, and brought out some deep character development in his character. Our other antagonist is Miguel Gomez. He was nothing but a plot device, and a pretty weak one at that, other than his sly remarks. Oona Laurence, at such a young age, put on a very good performance as Laila Hope. She really makes you feel for her character, while Gyllenhaal & Laurence' chemistry is nearly flawless, for their first production together. Rachel McAdams also puts on a great performance, while her character having the most impact on the film, with probably the least amount of screen time. I'm a big time fan of Forest Whitaker, and it was awesome to see him in this film. Forest Whitaker portrays a boxing coach so well, I was thinking about signing up for Will Tik's gym myself. For all the artists that think they can act now, like T.I. & Vanilla Ice, 50 cent is one of the best artist out there, in film. He does a decent job in this film, with his character having a decent twist.
The screenplay by Kurt Sutter, being Sutter's only film, was pretty good; Kurt Sutter gave this film a personality. He created a lot of great emotional dialogue, that helped you bond, and feel for the characters.
The score by the iconic James Horner added this deep, sorrowful score, that enhanced the feeling during the emotional, and break down scenes. The music soundtrack by Marshall Mathers (Eminem) was awesome!
Overall, this film is a decent time, but doesn't really set itself apart from the other boxing films.
Child's Play
(1988)
Child's Play
23 January 2021
Maybe this film doesn't age the best, while it can be hard to invest yourself into, but the simplistic plot, great cast, and with one of the most entertaining slasher villains in cinema, Child's Play is one of those films that you need to see at least once!
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
23 January 2021
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, directed and produced by Chad Stahelski was yet another enjoyable, and gritty addition to the John Wick series. The story once again picks up where it leaves off, but it wasn't as slow paced as the second. I appreciate how Stahelski & Kolstad always develop their stories from before, but this time around, it may have been a little too scattered around. For this rare occasion, you can watch this film without seeing the first two of the series, and still enjoy it for what it is because of how stylish, and energetic it is. The action continued it's grimy and creative style, with insane hand to hand combat.
Derek Kolstad brought aboard Chris Collins, Marc Abrams & Shay Hatten to assist him with the script, and this was probably my favorite out of the bunch. For the first time in the series, there was a few tongue and cheek moments, and that new strategy paid off.
Saad Fekhari did a phenomenal job casting all the talent this film had, including Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dylan, Lance Reddick, and more! The only true issue I had with the film, I just did not like the last 5 minutes. It was an obvious set up for a fourth film, and just seemed thrown together last minute.
Overall, I enjoyed this film more than the second, but it just didn't hold the weight the first one did.
Derek Kolstad brought aboard Chris Collins, Marc Abrams & Shay Hatten to assist him with the script, and this was probably my favorite out of the bunch. For the first time in the series, there was a few tongue and cheek moments, and that new strategy paid off.
Saad Fekhari did a phenomenal job casting all the talent this film had, including Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dylan, Lance Reddick, and more! The only true issue I had with the film, I just did not like the last 5 minutes. It was an obvious set up for a fourth film, and just seemed thrown together last minute.
Overall, I enjoyed this film more than the second, but it just didn't hold the weight the first one did.
Soul
(2020)
Soul
23 January 2021
The title of the film says it all.. this film has heart and soul! Pete Docter brings so many great relatable emotions and themes to life, creating such a breath of fresh air! Even though this film wasn't truly meant for the younger kids, Pete Docter, Kemp Powers, and Mike Jones, wrote this beautiful script, being brought to life by the very talented Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, and more! Pixar is back on their hot streak, for sure!
Inside Out
(I) (2015)
Inside Out
23 January 2021
Inside Out, originated by Pete Docter & Ronnie del Carmen, put out the most unique & fresh story premise since Toy Story in 1995! With Docter directing, del Carmen screenwriting, & Andrew Stanton & John Lasseter producing, they brought back the Pixar hype, coming off the mediocre titles in Brave, Monsters University & The Good Dinosaur.
The concept is very creative & original, with a very clever narrative. The story was very well paced, touching up on real world problems, hitting many emotional notes. For a children's film, it is very mature, while still having great family fun. For a fictional tale, this film really made you think after the movie; I'd be lying if I said I never thought about this in my head.
The characters were just a blast of fun, with everyone having their own definitive personalities, of course. Our master child if you will, had great real life problems. Her character really reflects on what it's like at that age, and what your emotions feel at most times. If Pete Docter & Ronnie del Carmen wanted to get real crazy, they could've added emotions like, love, loyalty, caring, etc, but they would've had to re-write the whole narrative for that to work. I got myself so invested into Sadness, that I built this real-life hate for her.
The screenplay by Ronnie del Carmen, Josh Cooley & Meg LeFauve had plenty of solid laughs, incorporating deep dialogues, speaking about mature, real world issues.
It truly goes without say, the cinematography & animations are just as close to flawless as it gets. Everything had amazing detail, being either vibrant or dull while showing great texture. The production designer in Ralph Eggleston created this outside the box world, incorporating terrific set pieces.
Overall, I didn't really find to much wrong with this film, other than it being a little slower at times, and it kind of copied that Toy Story feel a little; nevertheless very solid Pixar film, to show that they're back in action, while winning an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
The concept is very creative & original, with a very clever narrative. The story was very well paced, touching up on real world problems, hitting many emotional notes. For a children's film, it is very mature, while still having great family fun. For a fictional tale, this film really made you think after the movie; I'd be lying if I said I never thought about this in my head.
The characters were just a blast of fun, with everyone having their own definitive personalities, of course. Our master child if you will, had great real life problems. Her character really reflects on what it's like at that age, and what your emotions feel at most times. If Pete Docter & Ronnie del Carmen wanted to get real crazy, they could've added emotions like, love, loyalty, caring, etc, but they would've had to re-write the whole narrative for that to work. I got myself so invested into Sadness, that I built this real-life hate for her.
The screenplay by Ronnie del Carmen, Josh Cooley & Meg LeFauve had plenty of solid laughs, incorporating deep dialogues, speaking about mature, real world issues.
It truly goes without say, the cinematography & animations are just as close to flawless as it gets. Everything had amazing detail, being either vibrant or dull while showing great texture. The production designer in Ralph Eggleston created this outside the box world, incorporating terrific set pieces.
Overall, I didn't really find to much wrong with this film, other than it being a little slower at times, and it kind of copied that Toy Story feel a little; nevertheless very solid Pixar film, to show that they're back in action, while winning an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
23 January 2021
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is absolutely breathtaking! David Yates has been a favorable director for these films, and he really showcased his talents here. He crafted so many gorgeous shots, with a couple new creative tricks, while Mark Day's editing was absolutely seamless, really knitting the scenes together beautifully.
David Yates let Part 1 take all the set up hits, and completely focused on making this a high octane, blast of fun! Yates does an amazing job of bringing all of the former events and foreshadowing together, to create countless amazing moments! There were so many twists and turns, keeping the narrative fresh, while moving at such a brisk pace with great momentum. Yates does a fantastic job of setting up this really dark and dreary tone, backed up by the amazing cinematography, and a great score, while really balancing the emotional keys well with the dark tone.
It has been a great honor and pleasure to have seen all of these characters grow and mature, over the seventeen years of the saga - it's truly sad to say that it's over. Yates does an amazing job of bringing in all of the characters from the past films, and balancing them super well within the narrative. There were just countless great character moments, displaying their true talents in their own way. After all this time, you can really feel and understand the characters motives and feelings, because everyone is fleshed out so nicely, having great chemisty across the board.
As a finale should be, the magic and action sequences were off the charts! It was by far the best showing of their magical abilities, having so many intriguing sequences! The amount of stakes that were set was amazing, having constant tention throughout the entire narrative.
Overall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, is phenomenal! It is by far the most entertaining film of the saga, and arguably the best; I just can't put it over The Prisoner of Azkaban!
David Yates let Part 1 take all the set up hits, and completely focused on making this a high octane, blast of fun! Yates does an amazing job of bringing all of the former events and foreshadowing together, to create countless amazing moments! There were so many twists and turns, keeping the narrative fresh, while moving at such a brisk pace with great momentum. Yates does a fantastic job of setting up this really dark and dreary tone, backed up by the amazing cinematography, and a great score, while really balancing the emotional keys well with the dark tone.
It has been a great honor and pleasure to have seen all of these characters grow and mature, over the seventeen years of the saga - it's truly sad to say that it's over. Yates does an amazing job of bringing in all of the characters from the past films, and balancing them super well within the narrative. There were just countless great character moments, displaying their true talents in their own way. After all this time, you can really feel and understand the characters motives and feelings, because everyone is fleshed out so nicely, having great chemisty across the board.
As a finale should be, the magic and action sequences were off the charts! It was by far the best showing of their magical abilities, having so many intriguing sequences! The amount of stakes that were set was amazing, having constant tention throughout the entire narrative.
Overall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, is phenomenal! It is by far the most entertaining film of the saga, and arguably the best; I just can't put it over The Prisoner of Azkaban!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
23 January 2021
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, directed by David Yates, isn't one of the most fan favorite films of the saga! Yates brings in his creative team, instead of using the past creative team, and you can tell because his style is all over this film, for the better! Even though Yates creates his vision of the way things should be, being similar to the plot of the film, he still did a great job of keeping the continuity, and making this film even darker than the films prior. He utilized a lot of the same tones as Prisoner of Azkaban, but he cranked up the darkness, just a touch. The cinematography and color pallet was outstanding, setting the tone beautifully in each scene!
With this being the longest book, David Yates did a very good job of condensing it, and fleshing out the more important parts. Yates created a very smart tactic of throwing subtle, yet important moments in numerous montage sequences. With the amount of content that needed to be included, this was a really smart way of getting things across. For the majority, Yates did a very good job of balancing all of these plots going on, with a nice fast pace, but there's just a few things that I needed more of. If this film was given another twenty - twenty five minutes, which isn't crazy considering this is the second shortest film of the saga, it would've been able to flesh things out more.
This is the first time in the saga, where the film is more of a character-driven film, than story-driven. David Yates did a good job of incorporating many plots, but the characters are what moved the story. Instead of Steve Kloves, Michael Goldenberg wrote the script, and he did such an excellent job fleshing out each character's emotions and motives, making things feel relatable, while diving in more on the consistent side characters, and Gryffindor itself. We also got a lot more from the returning teachers, subtly fleshing them out, alongside of the kids. Even though every film is more or less centered around Daniel Radcliffe, this film was where he gets the most depth, and shines the brightest. Yates and Goldenberg didn't focus so much on his backstory, but more on what's happening now, giving him more layers, showing some emotions he hasn't really had before. Daniel Radcliffe has countless amazing character moments, due to his amazing performance, and dedication to his character. I really hate to say it, but on the side of Daniel Radcliffe, Imelda Staunton steals the show! People say that Thanos, or the Joker are the most menacing villains ever created, but Delores Jane Umbridge absolutely trumps them; she is fantastic! She brings this tremendous, arrogant wit to her character, making her absolutely atrocious, but she fits the scheme extremely well, bringing a great twist to the narrative. Ralph Fiennes takes on the role of Voldemort, in his full skin, and he absolutely nails it! Voldemort's motive is so well recognized by now, creating this deep, dark connection with Harry. Even though he isn't in a whole lot of the film, his character and cult is fleshed out decently, giving us a good taste of what they're capable of.
The magic elements were handled extremely well, while it easily could've been over saturated by the overlaying emotions. There are so many incredible magic sequences, that included some of the highest stakes that have been set. The effects looked amazing, not seeming to have reached their peak! I can't wait to see the creativity the bring in the later installments.
Overall, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix may have some issues, but there is a lot about this film that is praise worthy, deservingly to be towards the top of the list.
With this being the longest book, David Yates did a very good job of condensing it, and fleshing out the more important parts. Yates created a very smart tactic of throwing subtle, yet important moments in numerous montage sequences. With the amount of content that needed to be included, this was a really smart way of getting things across. For the majority, Yates did a very good job of balancing all of these plots going on, with a nice fast pace, but there's just a few things that I needed more of. If this film was given another twenty - twenty five minutes, which isn't crazy considering this is the second shortest film of the saga, it would've been able to flesh things out more.
This is the first time in the saga, where the film is more of a character-driven film, than story-driven. David Yates did a good job of incorporating many plots, but the characters are what moved the story. Instead of Steve Kloves, Michael Goldenberg wrote the script, and he did such an excellent job fleshing out each character's emotions and motives, making things feel relatable, while diving in more on the consistent side characters, and Gryffindor itself. We also got a lot more from the returning teachers, subtly fleshing them out, alongside of the kids. Even though every film is more or less centered around Daniel Radcliffe, this film was where he gets the most depth, and shines the brightest. Yates and Goldenberg didn't focus so much on his backstory, but more on what's happening now, giving him more layers, showing some emotions he hasn't really had before. Daniel Radcliffe has countless amazing character moments, due to his amazing performance, and dedication to his character. I really hate to say it, but on the side of Daniel Radcliffe, Imelda Staunton steals the show! People say that Thanos, or the Joker are the most menacing villains ever created, but Delores Jane Umbridge absolutely trumps them; she is fantastic! She brings this tremendous, arrogant wit to her character, making her absolutely atrocious, but she fits the scheme extremely well, bringing a great twist to the narrative. Ralph Fiennes takes on the role of Voldemort, in his full skin, and he absolutely nails it! Voldemort's motive is so well recognized by now, creating this deep, dark connection with Harry. Even though he isn't in a whole lot of the film, his character and cult is fleshed out decently, giving us a good taste of what they're capable of.
The magic elements were handled extremely well, while it easily could've been over saturated by the overlaying emotions. There are so many incredible magic sequences, that included some of the highest stakes that have been set. The effects looked amazing, not seeming to have reached their peak! I can't wait to see the creativity the bring in the later installments.
Overall, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix may have some issues, but there is a lot about this film that is praise worthy, deservingly to be towards the top of the list.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
23 January 2021
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, directed by Mike Newell, is one of the most entertaining installments of the saga, but had a tough time finding it's place. Right off the bat, I didn't like the idea of him directing this film because, he was too lazy to watch the other Harry Potter films, or to even read The Goblet of Fire. Mike Newell brings his own style to the film, which is completely fine, but his execution fell short, feeling like he was working against the former directors, instead of working with them.
Mike Newell finds a way to incorporate a few decent ideas, with a handful of entertaining sequences, and great stakes, but the film as a whole, feels unconnected, with a lot of unnecessary filler, and subplots, that doesn't offer a whole lot to the film or saga, and could've easily been cut to develop more important events. On more than a few occasions, Newell started to craft a decent idea, and then he'll bail on it, and it became quite annoying. The pacing moves pretty fast through everything, leaving some things underdeveloped, and not that interesting, at times. The tones of the film play along the same lines as Prisoner of Azkaban, but turning up the darkness and comedy a level or two. The tones were fine for the most part, but Newell wanted this to be more of a comedy than all the others, and it feels forceful at times.
Although this is still a story-based narrative, the characters had a lot to do. There was some nice moments from our returning supportive characters, while there was great tention from our three returning leads. There was a lot of nice maturing aspects to our leads, but it throws off the focus of the film, making it feel like two different films at times. Although there were some decent character moments with our returning characters, the abundance of new additions were almost completely disposable! There were a select few that belong in the narrative, but eighty percent of them have about two lines of dialogue, being utterly underutilized.
The screenplay by Steve Kloves had a lot of standout moments! He incorporated a lot of mature themes and messages, beautifully delivered by the cast! The issues with the screenplay, is the inconsistencies, and imbalances, due to an overstuffed narrative.
The production of this film looks great! The creative team used a lot of beautifully detailed set pieces, to really make the scenes pop! The cinematography looks fantastic, utilizing a lot of blues and greens, to really set the tone.
The Goblet of Fire really brings the magic element to new heights! With there being so many memorable action and magic sequences, the creative team still managed to balance it well, so it doesn't over saturate the message and themes they were going for. The effects also look phenomenal, still holding up til this day! It's a pleasure to be able to witness the big steps they take with each film, and seeing them come into their own.
Overall, if I had a favorites list, Goblet of Fire is definitely in my top 3, but due to a lot inconsistencies, it's hard not to keep this one out of the bottom three.
Mike Newell finds a way to incorporate a few decent ideas, with a handful of entertaining sequences, and great stakes, but the film as a whole, feels unconnected, with a lot of unnecessary filler, and subplots, that doesn't offer a whole lot to the film or saga, and could've easily been cut to develop more important events. On more than a few occasions, Newell started to craft a decent idea, and then he'll bail on it, and it became quite annoying. The pacing moves pretty fast through everything, leaving some things underdeveloped, and not that interesting, at times. The tones of the film play along the same lines as Prisoner of Azkaban, but turning up the darkness and comedy a level or two. The tones were fine for the most part, but Newell wanted this to be more of a comedy than all the others, and it feels forceful at times.
Although this is still a story-based narrative, the characters had a lot to do. There was some nice moments from our returning supportive characters, while there was great tention from our three returning leads. There was a lot of nice maturing aspects to our leads, but it throws off the focus of the film, making it feel like two different films at times. Although there were some decent character moments with our returning characters, the abundance of new additions were almost completely disposable! There were a select few that belong in the narrative, but eighty percent of them have about two lines of dialogue, being utterly underutilized.
The screenplay by Steve Kloves had a lot of standout moments! He incorporated a lot of mature themes and messages, beautifully delivered by the cast! The issues with the screenplay, is the inconsistencies, and imbalances, due to an overstuffed narrative.
The production of this film looks great! The creative team used a lot of beautifully detailed set pieces, to really make the scenes pop! The cinematography looks fantastic, utilizing a lot of blues and greens, to really set the tone.
The Goblet of Fire really brings the magic element to new heights! With there being so many memorable action and magic sequences, the creative team still managed to balance it well, so it doesn't over saturate the message and themes they were going for. The effects also look phenomenal, still holding up til this day! It's a pleasure to be able to witness the big steps they take with each film, and seeing them come into their own.
Overall, if I had a favorites list, Goblet of Fire is definitely in my top 3, but due to a lot inconsistencies, it's hard not to keep this one out of the bottom three.
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