balder777 Reviews

Shōgun (2024–2026)

Decent but overrated.

[6/10 · 6 May 2024]

I don't really understand why this gets raving reviews, I'm guessing lots of people haven't watched classic Japanese Samurai movies or media from Japan.

I give this show a 6/10 based on the main cast performance alone, mainly the Japanese actors. But other than that, the plot is extremely weak and nonsensical. The show doesn't do a good job of explaining the setting (which GOT does extremely well), and in fact the setting is clearly a nonsensical excuse to justify the show (it was written as fiction by a Westerner obviously). It's basically an excuse to have a Western guy come into Japan and show Japanese culture. It's as bland as "The Last Samurai" but even worse.

The main Western actor is also not memorable visually, and the constant trope of him not understanding Japanese and needing a translator gets tedious more than it is interesting.

The first episode is basically good, maybe the second. But then it just gets nowhere. It feels like an 80s movie (which it was) that aged very badly, in an age where Japanese films or films such as "Silence" exist.

The main fundamental plot is to follow the story of the Westerner, or the "Anjin" (Pilot). None of this is interesting, you don't even make sense of what this Westerner wants and his scene are cringe worthy. Even a videogame like "Nioh" by Team Ninja presented this story in a much more effective manner, with a better visual character than Cosmo Jarvis.

This is a series that needed a much better characterisation of the Westerner, with better script, but also a better more beautiful and memorable actor such as Viggo Mortensen or Henry Cavill.

I was honestly extremely bored throughout the entire series and forced myself to continue watching.

Again, the only true positive is the beautiful performance by the Japanese actors/actresses. Everything else is weak plot, weak characterisation, etc.

I just can't see where people call this "Japanese GOT".

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

4 hours of depressing historical horror.

[6/10 · 9 December 2023]

Basically four hours of watching evil White men kill native Americans and abuse them in the worst ways to steal their land and oil. I could sum it up like this but reviews need more text. What can I say? Acting as usual with Dicaprio is decent, it's just another Scorsese film which I never found fascinating despite the obvious production values. On a pure entertainment level, I question why you would even enjoy watching such a film. It's four hours of tedium. And on the historical side, I wonder two questions: 1) Is there any proof that things truly happened in such a depraved way, and, 2) Where is hollywood responsibility for talking about such a heavy and important topic (genocide) in an accurate manner? I dislike that it was probably a plot used by Scorsese to cast Dicaprio his favorite actor once again. Just like with Howard Hughes, the plot is probably distorted massively for entertainment. I just personally question why watch this film at all. It's not entertaining history drama like by Ridley Scott. It's not a brutal modern cowboy film either. It's just a depressing movie with lots of talking, arguing, and a couple of killings. And four hours long.

Napoleon (2023)

Very disappointing and frankly boring film.

[1/10 · 22 November 2023]

I am French. Napoléon is a towering and complex historical figure. I was dubious about what Ridley Scott was trying to do here, by putting 20+ years of Napoléon's sprawling career in a 2.5 hours film. My fears were proven true unfortunately.

Joaquin Phoenix's Napoléon is hollow. It is not a deep dive into his character. What is shown about him could come out of the English propaganda of the period: an obscene, immoral, and frankly disgusting little man that is obsessed with dominating women and others.

And the film itself? One scene to the next, with years in between. 10 minutes in the French revolution, 10 minutes as consul, 10 minutes being crowned as Emperor, 5 minutes on Austerlitz, 10 minutes on Russian campaign.

It is more of a documentary and overview than a film, with the intimate parts of the movie focusing on how disgusting and obscene Napoléon is (and how superior the British are).

I honestly walked it this movie expecting and hoping for something akin to what Scott did with Gladiator. A movie that isn't exactly historical at all, but at least is entertaining with a Joaquin Phoenix giving us a Commodus like performance. You get NONE OF THIS. The movie is a boring 2.5 hour movie of switching from one setpiece to another without focus and depth.

It is completely similar to Scott's previous film The Last Duel, except that movie worked because it focused on a very simple plot (the rape of a woman and her husband's rivalry with another man). Here Scott is trying to fit the magnificence and importance of Napoléon's life in 2.5 hours, and it just doesn't work, it fails abysmally. And I'll be honest, I'm not much interested in the 4 hour supposed cut that Scott will release on Apple +. 2.5 hours were boring, I doubt 4 hours will make it better.

Only good aspect of this movie are the visuals and costumes. And also Vanessa Kirby's standout performance as Joséphine. Other than that, it's shallow as a puddle of water and frankly insulting to the towering figure that is Napoléon, in addition to being a bore fest for those looking for Gladiator style entertainment. Ridley Scott has shamed himself massively with this movie.

The Forgotten Battle (2020)

Pretty nice WW2 film, provides some nice nuance and realism to the conflict.

[8/10 · 6 January 2023]

I am pretty wary of watching WW2 films, but they are usually exactly the same, everytime: "Good allied soldiers, impervious to bullets, destroy the evil German soldiers and win the day".

Well this isn't this fake revisionist history. It's rather a movie that takes the setting of Operation Market Garden (the terribly failed paratrooper drop by Montgomery) and further explorers it by presenting three sides to the story: 1) The British, 2) The Dutch under German occupation, 3) The Germans themselves, who also have lots of Dutch SS volunteers.

The combat scenes are excellent, and we see both sides treated realistically. Germans aren't just getting killed like Star Wars Stormtroopers, they are actual threats.

And generally speaking, the movie does a good job at portraying the tragedy that the conflict was for everyone involved.

I recommend this WW2 film if you want something different than the usual mindless Hollywood take.

Glass Onion (2022)

Nowhere near as good as the first one. Not very good at all to be honest.

[6/10 · 5 January 2023]

This film starts off pretty well, with the audience assuming that there will be a great murder mystery like the first film. The plot ends up being simplistic and, in the words of the main character, "dumb". I understand this was the point of the plot but it just felt underwhelming, as what audiences love in Agatha Christie style plots, is the complexity and final reveal at the end. This film had a great opportunity to be better than the first one, and instead chose to not take itself seriously and totally fumbled the ball.

As to the actors, IMO only Daniel Craig is memorable and has a screen presence, the others are forgettable in their roles. I will go back and watch the first one for a more enjoyable murder mystery film.

Triangle of Sadness (2022)

A movie about the absurdity of the modern West.

[7/10 · 8 December 2022]

I don't know if this was intended about the film, but this is definitely what it felt to me. The film is basically a satire showing escalating absurd moments about a group of privileged and ultra-wealthy people on a yacht. The film exposes the absurdity of things such as modern capitalism, wealth disparities, but also the superficiality of social media influencers. Things happen in the movie that basically exposes all these people as being completely useless human beings, despite having "succeeded" by all metric standards in the "real world".

This is a film that makes you laugh as a westerner, but in a deranged way, because deep down it is laughing at the absurdity of modern liberal capitalist civilisation and where it has gotten, with its inhuman treatment of people based on wealth or looks.

The dialogues are absurd. The situations are absurd. But they hit hard because you know they are true. I personally worked over 10,000 hours in the service industry as a minimum wage worker, and many of these scenes felt like something I experienced myself.

I feel that the film is a social commentary on what the current modern civilisation is: A ship waiting to sink.

Andor (2022– )

Dark, mature, gritty Star Wars, a refreshing change.

[10/10 · 25 November 2022]

I expected a show about the Rogue One character "Andor" to be interesting, serious, gritty, and it was exactly that.

This show is all about making Star Wars realistic, and this is a breath of fresh air compared to the mediocre sequel trilogy in which the antagonists are nothing more than cartoonish villains waiting to be cut down by the protagonist.

Andor is a gritty cyberpunk thriller about how normal people fight against the Empire. It presents the Empire as a competent inter-planetary bureaucracy that controls everything through power and fear.

There are no superpowers in this show, plot armor, special powers, or sensational music appearing at the moment when the "heroes" defeat the "enemies".

Instead there is a realistic plot about how a normal man becomes the determined and competent Rebel leader we saw in "Rogue One".

The script, whether it's action scenes or extended dialogue, is great. Just expect a mature and dark setting and not the unrealistic fast paced Star Wars we have often seen.

In my opinion, the highlight of the series are the actors playing various characters. I was very impressed by Diego Luna as Andor, but Stellan Skarsgard as the Rebel spy stole the show, with a very dark performance.

I would easily say that this is the best Star Wars media I have seen in my life, along with The Mandalorian.

I actually preferred it to the Mandalorian because it focuses exclusively on an "agent" storyline rather than a Jedi or a Bounty Hunter with "special powers".

It's much more relatable that way, unlike most Star Wars media.

I am very eager for Season 2, which I expect will be an absolute masterpiece.

This is a rare 10/10 to come out in 2022 and probably the gem of the year.

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Brutal, visceral, horrifying, with some flaws.

[7/10 · 29 October 2022]

There have been various renditions of Erich Maria Remarque's work. This latest 2022 version basically takes the choice to make it all about the actual war, and war scenes, at the expense of character development. It's basically a film that's all about making you see the death and horror of WW1, whilst the story itself and the characters take a backseat.

This film works for its stated goal of showing you the horror of war. But the weak characterization and weak plot, means this can't go over 7/10. Saving Private Ryan showed the horror of war to an extent, but also included amazing characterization, hence why it's a masterpiece.

That said, I think that on big screen or a proper system, this film is a horrifying and amazing experience, probably the ultimate WW1 experience. The strength and the flaw of this film is that from A-Z it's just horror after horror showing you trench combat. It's a film without happy ending or happy thoughts.

As such it's doubtful this film will be popular with the crowds. Nearly all the American or British war films include characterizations or ideals such as glory or courage. Here everything is entirely bleak and ultimately, realistic. I think it's a film that's important to watch to counter the pro-war sentiment of countless Hollywood films. I just think it would have benefitted from more characterization.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

An enormous amount of filler, but enjoyable nonetheless.

[7/10 · 24 October 2022]

The major problem with the hobbit trilogy is that it should not have been a trilogy but a single film. It is a very simple tale, that has been padded enormously throughout the three films, especially if you watch the extended versions which are each 3 hours long. That's 9 hours for a story contained in a single book.

The first episode (an unexpected journey) is the weakest of the three in my opinion. It sets off with an interesting premise (a quest) but 90% of the film is basically the cast of characters running from the same orcs, in a three hour film, along with meaningless events such as encountering Goblins who dance and sing a song (almost Disney like).

It's just pretty terrible compared to the amazing original trilogy, but it's still Peter Jackson and Lord of the Rings, so is enjoyable in a way.

I highly suggest you watch the theatrical version of this film and not bother with the three hour extended version. This is something I usually don't recommend, but here it's really three long hours of not much happening.

House of the Dragon (2022– )

Not as good as the original series, but still an 8/10.

[8/10 · 19 October 2022]

It's not as good as Game of Thrones at its height (Season 1-3), mainly because the characters and story are just less interesting and exciting. The scenario is much more calm in this series, being that the family that we follow are established and uncontested rulers, unlike the volatile situation of the original Game of Thrones, which created so many intrigues, betrayals, and wars.

That said, it's still an 8/10 show. The production values are quality and through the roof, unlike Amazon's Rings of power (where Amazon fumbled the ball badly). HBO took this show seriously and did not just make an aftershow of the original one.

You have the same quality atmosphere, cities, props, costumes, as the original show. In fact it is probably better than the later seasons of GOT.

Plus, the show is overall enjoyable especially for those of us that find themselves entertained by the Blonde Scandinavian like Targaryen dynasty (and I imagine many of us love this House and are sold on the show just for that alone, and Dragons).

Truth be told, let's just be honest and say that House Targaryen + Dragons + more Game of Thrones is an immediate minimum 8/10. Thank you HBO. In this boring world full of Amazon and Disney low value, this is a breath of fresh air.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022– )

Semi-entertaining but suffers the problems of a TV-series.

[6/10 · 14 October 2022]

So this is a show made by Amazon (who has acquired the rights to the Lord of the Rings franchise), telling the tale of Galadriel and a couple of other major characters, before the timeline of the original films.

I could sum it up as "bargain store Lord of the Rings". Don't get me wrong, the actors seem to be trying their best here, and the CGI is quite good. But it just DOESN'T come close to the quality and scope of the original Lord of the Rings films by Peter Jackson.

The actors are OK and serviceable, but nowhere near the majestic and iconic actors such as Viggo Mortensen or Cate Blanchett.

There are also the limitations of a mini-series, having to pack things in 1 hour episodes.

The scenario itself is nothing to write home about.

My biggest criticism is the style. It is definitely a more colorful middle earth, less dark fantasy than the original films, but that goes in line with a show made by Amazon for the modern crowd.

Finally, they've of course added the diversity element to Middle Earth, with Black elves, dwarves, and hobbits. I ignored this as I don't let it affect my judgment, but it did feel uncalled for and stupid. I might also add that the Elves themselves are stylistically less impressive than the elves of the original films. Galadriel should have had more platinum hair, but this is a pet peeve. And whilst I like the main actress, I feel that Cate Blanchett was so much more impressive.

My conclusion? It's a run of the mill Amazon show that will please your "Lord of the Rings" itch. But it's obviously nowhere near the craftmanship and love of the original films, which created such a quality gritty environment that seemed pulled straight out of the books and left such an impact on our memories.

I believe that Amazon could have done much better if they had released a trilogy of films rather than make this a TV show. They shot themselves in the foot with the TV show format. Obviously there's a profit element to this, but Lord of the Rings is much more impactful as a movie than making season after season of episodes which will have lots of filler.

It's not an absolute monstrosity, but I wish Amazon kept their hands off such an important franchise. Similar to what Disney did with SW.

Prey (I) (2022)

Decent.

[6/10 · 18 August 2022]

This time, it's a predator in colonial era America, hunting Native Americans and French alike. On paper this sounds amazing, personally I didn't find anything mind blowing about this film. The acting is serviceable. But the characters and setting is stereotypical like Pocahontas. The French act like cartoon villains. The "Natives" speak English and the main native little girl wins against everyone because she's the main character.

I mean it's a decent film, but I found nothing exciting or original about the scenario, compared to a film like Revenant or Valhalla Rising which made the America setting more impactful.

Also, the entire film is uneventful. A predator with advanced technology attacks...A tribe of stone age tech people with bows and arrows? And it's not even an epic setting like entire tribes allying to beat the "monster", it's just a couple warriors going on a hunt and fighting the predator.

Again, I fail to see how this adds anything meaningful to the Predator lore. It doesn't, it was just an excuse to have a native American girl fight a predator (roll eyes).

This is a 6/10 at best. It's not bad in any way. But it just doesn't do anything or add anything. And my biggest annoyance is the entire Hollywood cartoonish depiction of Colonial America down to wooden peg leg swearing European colonials and the good Natives. My eyes were rolling sideways the entirety of this film.

I'll go back and watch the original Predator and "Predators", the only two good films in the franchise so far.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

The culmination of the disaster that was the sequel trilogy.

[1/10 · 14 July 2022]

With the last two episodes, which were un remarquable but not ABYSMALLY bad, people at least expected a somewhat satisfying finale.

What they decided instead was to make an absolute mockery of the entire Star Wars story, with a gimmicky story that cheaply brings back the Emperor without so much as a rational explanation.

There is zero nuance in this cheap and stupid film. It's the good guys vs. The conveniently resurrected Emperor who takes the responsibility of being the bad guy, as you need an antagonist for the dumb woke good crowd.

The entire sequel trilogy is a mess, and it's clear they had no idea or plan what they were making (unlike the much better designed MANDALORIAN).

The sequel trilogy will be remembered as a disgrace in cinematic history, and they even make the prequel trilogy look good.

I wouldn't even watch this film if I were you. It's that bad. But its not surprising considering JJ Abrams is the director.

The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022)

I enjoyed this more than the "Obi-Wan" series.

[8/10 · 2 July 2022]

For some reasons the reviews of this are abysmal. I decided to go against the grain and watch it myself. I am thankful I did.

It's quite a solid series that has the same production values as the Mandalorian, but rather focusing on the character of Boba Fett and what happened to him after he fell into the Sarlaac pit in "Return of the Jedi".

What is there to say? It's good. Temeura Morrison's performance as Boba Fett is excellent. And because Boba Fett isn't quite as important a character as Obi Wan Kenobi, this series' low key and simple story works well. I was disappointed and let down by the Obi Wan miniseries, which didn't do justice to the character. I was satisfied by the Boba Fett series, and felt it did justice to the character, which is after all the aim of these mini-series.

So I strongly recommend this for any SW fan who enjoys the Boba Fett character. It is a satisfying arc from the prequel trilogy to this.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Underwhelming like the Han Solo prequel.

[5/10 · 23 June 2022]

It's well known that for the hardcore SW fans who have watched both the original trilogy and the prequels, to have an episode telling the story of what happened to Obi Wan between episode 3 and 4, was the most desired thing in the entire Star Wars franchise.

Obi-Wan is consistently rated as the most beloved character in the franchise, Ewan McGregor played a huge part in this, making his character really memorable and overshadowing other characters including Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan was a real bad*** and the quintessential Jedi, along with Luke Skywalker.

So what happened? An underwhelming plot (similar to the Han Solo prequel), and bizarre plot decisions like turning Obi-Wan, once the most powerful Jedi besides Yoda, into a weak older man. Most jarring is how Obi-Wan barely uses his lightsaber and the force itself, having basically declined massively similar to what they did to Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi.

I feel that this is a mini-series that was constrained by budget. An Obi Wan prequel deserved a full financed movie in similar quality to Rogue One, and what we got instead is a watchable but underwhelming set of episodes that will be forgotten quickly. It's very apparent that Obi-Wan's waning Jedi powers is a decision that was closely connected to the budget and scope of this mini-series. Yet it makes no physical sense and hurts the scenario, like so many other things Disney has added to the SW franchise.

I might also add that the villains are completely underwhelming and cartoonish, taking straight out of other SW Disney media like Fallen Order or Rebels.

We are very far from the Lucas era of the prequel trilogy, where Obi-Wan was leaping in the air, slicing droids and foe alike effortlessly, and casually force pushing enemies into oblivion. Now we have Obi-Wan judo-throwing stormtroopers. That last sentence alone gives you the reason I have to give this a 6/10.

Oh and the impactful Vader/Obi Wan reunion? It has zero impact and they're acting like years of grief and hatred aren't present.

Disney could have done so much better with this, had they given it the budget of the Mandalorian or a full blown SW film.

This hurts as a SW and Obi Wan fan.

But props to Ewan McGregor, he still elevates every scene he's in because he's so good as Obi-Wan. I am still hoping for a real Obi Wan prequel showing his childhood.

Prometheus (I) (2012)

Ridley Scott at his best, underrated film.

[7/10 · 14 June 2022]

In this film, Ridley Scott mixes thought provoking science fiction with the classic gore body-horror sci-fi of his Alien film.

IMHO he succeeds though he misfires somewhat. The cast is amazing and full of stars (Charlize Theron, etc), but the strong protagonist (Noomi Rapace) is the highlight, she is just perfect (and it's a huge shame she does not appear in the sequel to this film).

The body-horror Alien moments are also top notch and horrifying.

Where does this misfire? As with the Alien Covenant sequel, it feels like Ridley Scott is trying to ask deep questions but the end result ends up half baked and feeling dumb. To avoid spoiling too much: We start with an interesting premise (the origin of humanity) and we end up with body-ripping Aliens and people who take pretty dumb actions.

But altogether, it's a nice effort that will be appreciated by all fans of the Alien franchise and of sci-fi horror in general.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

An ode to the 80s but also the world ahead.

[10/10 · 7 June 2022]

All the stops have been pulled to make this film. The wait has been nearly 40 years, but they delivered and not by making a cheap sequel, too many of which we have seen in recent years as Hollywood aims for cheap cash grabs.

This movie is an emotional roller coaster that is all about respecting and paying homage to the original. In multiple ways it even overtakes the original. The soundtrack and theme song by Lady Gaga is great (though maybe not as cool as the 80s songs), the flying scenes are the highlight of the movie and are just astonishing, making use of the latest technology. And finally Tom Cruise is magnificent in this movie as a middle-aged Top Gun instructor.

All in all it is a recreation of the original for modern times, with a heavy dose of nostalgia, beach sport scene and all.

The only negatives I see: Everything that is good about this film harks back to the 80s including Tom Cruise. But the younger cast, with the exception of "Rooster", is very forgettable. Iceman, Slider, and the others were much more memorable. There are also a couple dull scenes involving discussions between officers that somewhat slows down the movie and could have been done without.

To sum up, the highlight of this film are the nostalgia, the soundtrack, and above all the flight scenes. I rarely say this but this film is one of the few that deserves to be watched in the higher-end rooms (Dolby Surround, etc).

We sadly do not get 80s quality films from Hollywood often, this is one of them and without a doubt film of the year. Fly on, Iceman & Maverick! *Pumps fist in the air*. Thank you Tom!

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Very decent Alien film, not as bad as people say.

[7/10 · 6 June 2022]

This film is rated 6/10 or below and I think this is unfair. The film is definitely not 8/10 and above, but it's not bad either. It managed to create a sequel to Alien 3, which is a feat as the story points had been pretty much concluded by the end of that film. It manages to bring back Ripley in convincing fashion, succeeds well in terms of special effects for the Aliens, and is a pretty exciting sci-fi film.

Definitely worth a watch for an Alien franchise fan. 7/10 would be a good score.

The Predator (2018)

Watching it as an action-comedy makes it a 7/10

[7/10 · 5 June 2022]

There are two scores for this film. If you are expecting a serious sci-fi horror film along the lines of Aliens or the original Predator, then this is a 0/10. Even the previous film called "Predators" is superior in that department.

However, this is clearly not the intent of this film. Directed by one of the guys who was part of the platoon in the original Predator, this film is clearly a tongue-in-cheek action-comedy about the Predator themes, and it just doesn't take itself seriously.

Watching it in that regard, it's actually a fun relaxed Predator film with some funny one liners (similar to the dialogue in the original Predator). The predators themselves also look great so this is a plus.

Watch this as an action-comedy, and wait for the next sci-fi horror Predator or Aliens film.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Decent premise but Ridley Scott went senile making this.

[5/10 · 4 June 2022]

At the core you have a semi-good attempt to connect the Prometheus and Alien franchise. The effects, the gore, everything is good.

The problem is that the way the scenario is executed is on the level of the "Scream" films in terms of stupidity and suspension of disbelief.

Absolutely nothing makes sense and the characters perpetually make foolish decisions that wouldn't be made by actual such characters (breach of quarantine, not wearing masks on an Alien planet, etc).

Looking at Ridley Scott's original Alien (1979), which did all these things (like quarantine) right and is a much more believable film, this just feels awkward and bad.

Finally the entire premise being centered around a sentient android is nonsensical to me.

Alien 3 (1992)

Very flawed but the last good Alien movie.

[7/10 · 4 June 2022]

This is a review for the "Assembly cut" version which is the only version you should watch. Technically it's a well engineered movie, you can see they invested in this, it's not CGI filled (except for the Alien which has terrible CGI).

However where this movie fails abysmally is the plot. They essentially destroy all the exciting progression of the previous (and great) Alien film. They literally kill all the previous characters and the premise of the film is weak: Ripley vs. An Alien on a prison planet. It's just underwhelming and bad.

However, Sigourney Weaver and the cast do a real solid job and I would consider this the final decent Alien movie, and a somewhat fitting conclusion to the Ripley character.

It's worth a watch but stop there.

What they should really do (and what all fans wanted) was a true sequel to Aliens (1986), but with James Cameron completely abandoning the Aliens franchise and making those terrible Avatar films instead, it's unfortunately probably over.

Watch the Assembly cut version of Alien 3 as the finale for Ripley. Sigourney Weaver still does an astounding job in this.

Alien (1979)

Along with its sequel, the best sci-fi horror films ever.

[7/10 · 3 June 2022]

Both Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) are still, to this day, the best sci-fi horror films ever.

Both have very different aim despite being in the same franchise, and reflect their directors well.

Aliens (1986) is a classic James Cameron film, that is sci-fi horror but more action than horror, with simple heroic characters. Simple but satisfying.

Alien (1979) is a completely different beast and a classic Ridley Scott film.

It's not meant to be fast paced, action packed, etc. Whereas Aliens in James Cameron's film are just enemies to be shot and killed, Alien (1979) has a single Alien that is more about creating an intense feeling of dread and horror than anything else. Alien (1979) is a masterpiece at creating the ultimate "foreign life form/viral infection on a space ship" experience. Everything in this film is about how, piece by piece, an alien life form invades and destroys a human environment. There are also strong political understatements about the role of corporate/capitalist greed in the downfall of the humans.

Alien (1979) is slow paced movie that is best enjoyed by noticing all the details, all the mistakes the crew makes (or even the things they do right).

Finally, there are two major versions of this film. The original version (theatrical cut) and the director's cut.

The DC is a more modern take on the original, that is faster paced and cuts things like slow exposition shots.

Personally I think that's a huge mistake and hurts the original movie. I believe the original is the true director's cut and that version should be watched, not the DC.

Aliens (1986)

It has flaws, but it is still the best Alien film ever, and arguably the best sci-fi action ever.

[10/10 · 30 May 2022]

I've watched this film countless times. As a fan of the Alien franchise, I will say this is the best out of the franchise, even though Ridley Scott's original film was also great and more horror focused.

This is a classic James Cameron film with the flaws and good parts of a James Cameron film. This film is basically the classic James Cameron over the top action sci fi film, set in the Alien universe.

What makes this film work extremely well is that it's practically designed to be entertaining.

1. A memorable and excellent cast. Every character has his own flavor and is fun to watch on screen.

2. The sets themselves. The spaceship, the vehicles, the weapons. Everything feels real and James Cameron indeed had massive sets built to film this. This is nowhere like the garbage CGI filled filled in the rest of the franchise or other sci fi films. There are computers, tables, chairs, corridors, sleeping pods, you name it, everything is real in this film and is a prop.

3. You have a simple beginning/intro, main piece, and conclusion. This works well to provide a satisfying film.

The flaws: Although this film just works, it has flaws. The main flaw that you see when you watch the film over and over, is when you realise that the plot moves forward in a convenient non-logical way, to make the plot conveniently move forward. My main gripe for example is how the first act occurs. You have the entire cast experiencing a disaster, which leads to the character of Ripley taking center stage. But realistically...Would a hardened crew of soldiers fail this stupidly? Looking at the disaster which occurs, you can't help but think that everything happens conveniently and stupidly, many characters die for stupid reasons that are obviously there so the main act (getting out alive with Ripley as center role) occurs. You also do feel that the original colonist base was taken over in ways that could have been explored further but are left in the dark.

I understand that making a film of this scale is bloody difficult, and James Cameron did the best he could. This is why this deserves a 10/10 for simply being the best action sci-fi film in history. It could have been more...But no one has been able to do it as well.

In fact I would say that film might not be the best medium to tell such a story. Videogames or books, which can go in much more depth, are probably superior.

Restrepo (2010)

No nonsense documentary about the reality of war.

[10/10 · 29 May 2022]

This documentary and it's sequel "Korengal" are an actual war reporter filming the US Army stationed in the notorious Korengal valley in Afghanistan. No sugar-coating, no censorship, no idealising of war like 99.9% of Hollywood films that make you want to enlist.

What I love about this documentary is that it shows you the brutal reality of what it's like to be an enlisted infantry soldier in the Army (or any Army worldwide). Basically a bunch of kids, usually from lower level backgrounds, sent around the world in developing countries with a vague mission. And getting shot at and often killed, having to kill in return. Coming back home with inevitable trauma.

It might not be as entertaining as watching something like "Black Hawk Down" or "Generation Kill", but it shows the reality of being a soldier. For that it's well worth watching.

Kilo Two Bravo (2014)

Not very high-budget, not realistic, very slow paced.

[5/10 · 26 May 2022]

Watching the story of British soldiers in Afghanistan is always interesting. However suspension of disbelief was broken by the fact that the "soldiers" in the film did not act like trained soldiers, and many scenes were unbelievable. For example, if a soldier walks on a mine, you just wouldn't send more men in the area walking about the terrain like nothing is happening. You would send de-miners who would clear a path through the mines. It's not just a critical mistake to make, it's one that just wouldn't be done by any soldier/commander that's been trained in a normal military of a first world nation. Other than that, the firefights are obviously CGI/noises and feel cheap.

Altogether, this is a B-movie. Some decent acting here and there but not enough investment to make it a believable war movie. "Land of Mine", the WW2 mine movie, does its job much more effectively.

You can skip this one.