mjjmolina Reviews

Against the Wild (2013 TV Movie)

What's the message here?

[6/10 · 8 March 2024]

The principal actors did a very good job bringing the story to life. Some of the secondary actors were a little flat. While the story itself was cliché' it at least did not fail to entertain and bring some surface level tension to the dangers faced by the kids. And the scenery of the on-site locations was nothing short of breathtaking.

My only real issue with the movie was the subplot of the wife and children resenting the father for working so much. They live in an enormous lakeside home and have access to company planes to ferry them around. Each child has their own room. The son was even a cub scout (which also costs money). This all means that they have a privileged lifestyle afforded to them by working parents. While the mother seems to have a job where she can work from home, the father has a demanding time consuming job and he is lambasted by spouse and offspring alike for being enthusiastic about providing for his family and daring to enjoy it as well.

The modern theme of the day is that a man's value begins and ends with his paycheck. Yet here the father is chastised for being a provider. Is that the message we should be sharing?

There was another subplot about how the father's company was cheap and did not properly maintain their equipment and how the head boss was callous about the father's need to be with his children. Nothing ever comes of this subplot.

There are also some reviewers blaming the pilot for "crashing" the plane and "stranding" the children. They obviously do not realize that despite it being mentioned numerous times throughout the film that the plane was faulty, it was only the pilot's cool head and skill that kept the plane crash from being a devastating. If he were less skilled the plane would have suffered more damage and the occupants would have more injured, perhaps even fatally so. The pilot himself was knocked unconscious and broke both his legs. Had he been awake he probably would have urged the children not to leave the crash site, but then the movie would not have happened. It is also evident by the fact that practically everyone in the movie from the parents of the children and the S&R team knowing this pilot by his first name that he is a likeable and respected person.

As mentioned previously though, my only real issue with the movie was the divorce subplot. Other than that the movie was typical and cliché but entertaining and 100% family safe. As far as family dramas go, you can't really be wrong with this selection.

The Hungover Games (2014)

Better than the original.

[5/10 · 16 February 2024]

The Hangover was great. But, let's be real here, The Hunger Games was absolute trash. This movie redeems it somewhat by parodying it. This movie asks the question of what if you took the Hangover and the Hunger Games and smooshed them together. I cannot imagine why they picked those two movies to spoof, but I'll give them credit for at least melding them together the way they did. The gags are sophomoric and there's more toilet humor going on than you'd find at a plumber's convention, but at least it tries to entertain you with a story that makes sense and isn't full of nonsense, unlike the Hunger Games.

The Intergalactic Space Adventures of Cleo and Anouk (2012)

Beautiful

[8/10 · 13 February 2024]

A delightful and wonderful little story that showcases the imagination of children and expertly deals with the way kids deal with complex emotions. Special effects were so endearing and the talent really brought this heartwarming and enchanting little story to life. Top marks for the directing and production. I would very much enjoy to see more movies like this from the director, Celeste Koon. Actual, I'm not sure what I liked most about this film, the stop motion and puppetry or the adorable actresses with their clever dialogue. I highly recommend this and hope maybe one day they'll be a feature length version.

Missing in America (2005)

A good film, but made a mistake at the end.

[5/10 · 25 January 2024]

I was really enjoying this film up until the end. The story was simple and easy to follow. The acting was really, really good. There were a lot of big names in this and Zoe Weizenbaum makes a great debut. Too bad we don't get to see more of this talented young actress after just a few films.

Where the movie failed for me was the ending. While I understand and often even applaud movies with a sad ending, I don't think that this one needed it. However, I'll accept that they felt one of the main characters needed to die in order to get to where they needed it to go. What I don't like however was how this character was killed off. It felt rushed and not well thought out.

I shall clarify; The girl sets off a booby trap, but it hurts someone else. She goes to get help and when help arrives she runs off foolishly and sets off *another* booby trap. Then she dies and the other person dies as well. It just seems kind of pointless and ham-fisted.

Well, maybe the deaths were supposed to be pointless. Maybe that was the message seeing as the overall theme about the movie was how the aftereffects of a long, brutal and bloody war like Vietnam can mess people up both physically and mentally for the rest of their lives. So I can accept that. Just not the double booby trap. If they needed her to die, they should have found a different way to do it.

Antibody (2002 Video)

Let's Be Honest Here

[6/10 · 25 January 2024]

Let's be honest, not every movie can have a $150M budget, starring A-List actors and be distributed by world recognized studios like Disney or Sony. Some movies are built on a wing and prayer and funded by the faith and kindness of their supporters. Sure, the production value was less than mediocre, but it wasn't terrible. Sure, many of the actors in this movie are about as believable as a unicorn or as stiff as a wooden plank, but Lance Henriksen nails it like always. The movie has a simple and easy to follow yet compelling and grounded story. What if a terrorist hooked up a dead man's switch to a nuclear bomb somewhere in his body? What if you'd need a bomb expert to go into his body to disarm it? It may not be as a big of a movie as Inner Space, but I would hardly call this a knock-off. It's a fun ride and one of my favorites. Also, that skin mite is absolutely terrifying.

Dandelion (2008)

A short film.

[6/10 · 8 January 2024]

A sad but cautionary tale. The production value was low, but that is to be expected and excused for a short film such as this, and should not be weighed against it when evaluating it. Instead one should consider the acting and the script, and both were adequate. The message is what hits the hardest here, though.

One should not let their guilt build up inside them to the point that they take actions they would later regret. Seek help from a professional or at least confide in a trustworthy friend. Your mental help should never be ignored.

This short film does an excellent job in portraying that one simple message.

Beast (I) (2022)

A bit misleading...

[5/10 · 12 November 2023]

This movie is not what you think it is. On the surface it seems to be a movie about a man trying to reconnect with his daughters after their mother's death by bringing them to her homeland only to then cross paths with a crazed lion out for revenge against all humans.

In reality the movie is about two girls who try to take advantage of a dangerous situation in order to eliminate their father. Yes, they are actively trying to get this man killed. Their motive would be revenge against him for the misperceived slight of his absence when the feminist mother decided she didn't need a man and ejected him from her life. Also, since he was a doctor, they could stand to gain a sizeable inheritance, life insurance, and social security death benefits since they are both minors. They might also become eligible for grants and scholarships due to their orphaned status.

I mean, it is possible that I am wrong here, but when I watched the movie all I could see was a man trying to defend his children and said children not paying attention or following instructions and seemingly putting themselves in danger requiring him to risk his life even further to rescue them. If I am wrong about this, fine. I'll eat humble pie. But people need to stop making movies where there are children who disobey their parents and get them killed because of it.

Acting was excellent. Action was great and intense. Story was a bit of a trope. CGI and fight choreography could have been a little better. Overall a good movie to watch if not for the above rant about stupid patricidal children. Seeing Idris Elba straight up punch a lion in the face is worth the price of admission.

Angel of Mine (2019)

For Those That May Be Confused

[5/10 · 18 October 2023]

I began watching this movie without knowing anything about it, as I do with all movies. Soon it became apparent that the movie was about a woman who never got over the grief of losing a child. Then, one day, purely by happenstance, she encounters a child who she believes is the one who died, and yet is somehow - inexplicably - still alive. She goes through quite a bit of an ordeal processing this and then tries to prove it. Eventually it is revealed that this is in fact her daughter. The movie ends with a (mostly) happy outcome.

However, I had to re-watch several key scenes because I was confused. The confusion did eventually clear itself up, but for those that may have missed something and cannot or will not watch the movie again but have walked away confused, let me summarize it for you.

1. Lizzie, the mother, lost a baby named Rosie when the hospital caught fire.

2. The baby didn't actually die, and was saved by Claire who also recently lost a baby.

3. Claire raised the baby as her own and named her Lola.

4. Then, seven years later at Claire's son's (Jeremy) birthday party, Lizzie spots Lola and instinctively knows that this is actually Rosie.

5 During the final scene Claire admits to Lizzie that she found the baby and since her own had died she decided to just keep the baby.

The part that confused me was, 1) It was said that the child died seven years ago, but I don't remember where they said how old the child was when she died. I don't even remember them saying that Rosie was a baby. I only remember them saying "my daughter" and "my child" and when "baby" is referenced it is in the context that it could just mean "child" and not necessarily an infant. 2) The only real reason why Lizzie is able to recognize Rosie is because she looks exactly as Lizzie did at that age. This is only made clear twice, one is at the end during Claire's reveal and in another scene, prior to that, in a blink-and-miss moment where we see a photograph of a girl who looks like Rosie but is marked "Lizzie at Age 6". It is true that Lizzie did remark on several occasions how much she thinks Lola looks like herself (Lizzie). But the actors don't resemble each other and so it might just appear to the viewer that Lizzie is just lost in her fantasy and is filled with wishful thinking. Perhaps this was left vague on purpose so you think Lizzie is crazy through the whole movie, which is fine I guess, but the execution of that plan was poorly done.

It was never made clear why Rosie was at the hospital. If they had said it was because Rosie had just been born, then that would have cleared up a lot.

I rated the movie a 5/10 because I did not enjoy having to go back and re-watch scenes because of confusion. Normally I pay very good attention to movies that I am watching, but I'll admit that it is possible the information I needed was missed.

I also rated it poorly because the male characters were utterly useless and weak. While they were at least sympathetic to their partners' issues, they failed to be supportive. Also, the movie essentially tried to drive the point that even though you need two people to make a baby, mothers are the only real parent - because only a mother has the correct instinct to know if their child is alive or dead. It is literally said by Lizzie during the intervention scene.

Finally, even if you think that this little human you discovered is your own lost and presumed dead child, stalking them in the super creepy way that Lizzie does is not okay. Very uncool. And if it had been a male character in the same situation with the same belief, it would not have been excused or accepted by the general audience. So, negative points for double standards.

The Starving Games (2013)

Better than the original.

[6/10 · 13 April 2021]

As far as spoof movies go, this one isn't so bad. It has all the campy humor one would expect. But one overlooked aspect of this movie is that it is actually better than the movie that it spoofs. I know, a lot of people won't agree with me here. It is my personal opinion that the Hunger Games are in fact a bad series of movies with only three saving graces. One, it had great acting. No question about that. The stars did a terrific job. Two, the casting was great and I don't think anyone can really argue that as being wrong. Finally, third, the movie was way better than the terribly written and poorly thought out book. So, again, as far as spoof movies go, this one wasn't so bad and I'd rather watch this ten times more than to sit through any more of the horrible tripe that is The Hunger Games.

Picture This (2008 TV Movie)

A volatile and disgusting movie.

[4/10 · 17 February 2021]

A deplorable movie about a young woman who violates her father's trust and makes an adventure out of being deceitful. Among her many transgressions she jeopardizes the jobs of people, endangers the lives of innocent people, and inexplicably dupes a crowd of people to assist in her mendacity. The movie is full of other pedestrian stereotypes, such as the evil queen bee, the overprotective father, and the impossibly perfect love interest. The movie also treats the viewer with implications of exposing a toddler to inappropriate and graphic material and a feminist who abuses her husband's wallet, although he might be an ex-husband that doesn't excuse her comment. Some reading this review will wonder if we saw the same movie. I assure you, these scenes are in the movie if you pay attention.

1982 (I) (2013)

Underrated

[8/10 · 19 October 2020]

This is a powerful and moving drama. I was captivated by the performances of the actors, particularly with Hill Harper as the concerned father and Troi Zee as the little girl trapped between her love for her mother and downward spiral of drug addiction that changes her into a stranger. I would recommend this movie to anyone who wants to see a well acted family drama about how the power of love can keep a family together with hope even during the most trying of times.

The Butterfly Room (2012)

A surprisingly good but flawed thriller.

[6/10 · 23 August 2019]

I had no idea what to expect with this movie. An insane and homicidal woman pays a teenaged girl so she can pretend she is her mother. Well, I'll give it credit for a storyline I've never seen before. The cast really shines well here, by the way. I can't say I'm a good judge of acting, but I can say that I was held captive by the principal actors performance. The movie lost a few marks at the end though. Mostly for some character actions and sequences that didn't exactly make sense, but overall it was still an enjoyable movie.

12 Feet Deep (2017)

"I'm going to lock you two in a room until you both learn to get along!"

[7/10 · 2 October 2018]

On the surface the movie has a simple plot. Two young women, sisters, are trapped inside of a pool, unable to leave while a thick fiberglass cover was put in place. However, the distressing situation turns heated when the two begin discussing their unresolved issues. Skeletons come out of the closet, teeth are bared, and hatchets are dug up for review! Before long though their predicament turns dire and a rogue third element is introduced which puts their love for each other to a test.

This is the epitome of a character driven story. It proves you don't need to have a large cast, expensive effects, or a heavy use of CGI to have a compelling story told. I found it to be wonderfully entertaining and well acted. I did lose a little interest about midway through, but this was likely because I had a hard time relating to any of the main characters, but towards the end I was firmly entrenched in seeing to their welfare.

Excellent job!

Alice: Madness Returns (2011 Video Game)

This is how you do a sequel.

[7/10 · 27 June 2018]

As the title suggests, one of the glaring problems with most sequels is that they try too hard to relive the elements that made its predecessor famous, and wind up just rehashing it to nauseating results. Not with this game! Here you are treated to all of the nostalgia of the first, with new elements and visuals that are just a taste of the first game but a total treat for your senses. The story is great (warning, the story is very DARK) and the visuals for most of the game is astounding. Some of the cut scenes were jerky. There were some issues with lip syncing. There were some parts of the gameplay that were a little frustrating, namely the controls and trying to get around some of the jump puzzles, but otherwise it was tolerable. I really enjoyed this game, but the wonkyness of the controls and jumpy cut scenes lost it a few points. I beat it in 74 hours.

Evilenko (2003)

A masterpiece in drama.

[8/10 · 21 March 2018]

A fantastic and underrated film, this is quite possibly the best work of veteran actor Malcolm McDowell. A dramatic telling of the story of a man past the brink of sanity and into the realm of the worst kind of crime - brutal violence and cannibalism against children. Such an unimaginably heinous act committed by one man who has lost all reason. The only hope for the innocent is the detective played by Marton Csokas, who himself nearly descends into insanity as he tries to get into the mind of the killer and bring his reign of death to an end. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers then don't miss this movie.

Ouija 3: The Charlie Charlie Challenge (2016)

Nope.

[2/10 · 6 January 2018]

The movie is suspiciously titled as Ouija 3 and I thought it was another chapter in that movie series. That wasn't the case. Instead we are given a movie with poor acting performances, bad direction, weak story, and laughable production quality. The editing wasn't that bad and the music was a hit-or-miss at different points. I did however like the makeup job on the clown. Nicely done! Altogether though this movie was not worth my time.

Outlaws and Angels (2016)

An Interesting Journey

[7/10 · 28 August 2017]

Other reviewers might tell you the movie is boring, drawn out, and gratuitous. This reviewer however will keep it short and simple. If you like character driven and dark inquiries into the human condition and blurred lines between good and evil, then this movie is for you. It may not be your typical action packed gritty western of white hats and black hats, but it makes up for it with intrigue, dialogue, and story line.

The Book of Life (2014)

Frida meets Corpse Bride

[8/10 · 9 January 2015]

Name: The Book of Life Year: 2014 Genre: Adventure Sub-Genre: Animation with comedic and romantic tones. Directed by: Jorge R. Gutierrez Starring: Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum Supporting Stars: Christina Applegate, Ice Cube, Ron Perlman, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo and (OMG) Plácido Domingo!

I'll be honest, the animation for the movie really turned me off and I put the movie on a twenty-minute timer. Which means that if the movie doesn't impress me in twenty minutes I'm not going to bother with the rest of it. I typically only do that if the movie strikes me as awful in the first few minutes or so. Some movies never make it past that point. A good example would be Barnyard (2006). Yeah, male cows with udders completely shut the movie down for me regardless of the director's tongue and cheek attempt at humor.

As I mentioned, this movie was in trouble when I saw the animation. Check out this guy's nose!

So I became wary and put the movie on notice. Fortunately, it really picked up afterward and I found the movie quite enjoyable. I think what really saved this movie was it's soundtrack. The music in this movie is a mix between culturally appropriate and yet easily identifiable by a modern viewer with little experience in Mexican folklore and tradition. There were also some original songs which I also enjoyed.

I settled into the movie and took in it's story; I wasn't disappointed. It begins with five school kids going to what they believe to be another boring field trip to the museum. Instead they are treated to an exclusive tour through a secret exhibit where a radical and mysteriously magical tour guide (narrated by Christina Applegate] shares a story about life, death, and the adventure of true love and friendship. Okay, maybe it sounds a little hokey as I've described - but then it gets better.

The story unfolds to reveal two cosmic archetypes of Mexican folk-lore. The goddess who presides over the Land of the Remembered, an after-world of joy and celebration and the god who rules the Land of the Forgotten, a desolate and dismal place of dust and shadow. They make a bet, as they often do, over which one of two young suitors, Manolo and Joaquin, (who happen to be best friends) win the hand in marriage of Maria; the jewel of the village of San Angels. The stakes: the destinies and free will of the people in the Land of the Living.

Interwoven in this storyline are the shadows of great family legacies the young men find themselves living in as well as the free thinking and spirited ideals of Maria, a worldly, modern, well- educated woman struggling with the burdens of tradition and old-fashioned expectations.

If you enjoyed Frida (2002) and Corpse Bride (2005) then you'll really like this one as well. I gave it an 8 on IDMB for good storytelling, excellent music, and the ability to invoke emotion in me with it's ending.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention. The movie was produced by Guillermo de Toro, one of my favorite directors.

--------------- Re-posted from Fortitude42.Com