Bullet Train:
Storyline:
Five assassins aboard a fast-moving bullet train find out their missions have something in common. While the premise and execution of such a seasoned, yet innovative idea were not ideally performed, this film, at the minimum, had charisma. And what Bullet Train lacked in critical notions and professionalism, creativity saved the day to at least make this not a total and complete fail. Plain and simple, this was pretty funny and had a lot of moving pieces. With the star-studded cast and the attractive presence of Brad Pitt's protagonist, this amounts to collective, quick laughs and easy punch lines. Yet, that's all it was. There is absolutely nothing memorable or anything close to being individual. With a surplus of character introductions and too much or too little screen time spent on them, these parts collectively made it creative, but there's no control. Roles that could have been tasteful equate to major plot holes instead of originality and don't leave room to focus on any specific character or moment. Moreover, integrating multiple subplots of family and loss only heightens the feeling of this film takes voices from so many other products rather than finding its own. Although this is worth seeing and a good break from the run-of-the-mill and quickly produced films at the box office, Bullet Train is not special, nor was it as good as I wanted it to be. By having more potential than what was acted on, an arguably better trailer than film, and an ending that got too out of control to justify, this is just the yearly typical action-comedy that gets people out of the house. And while there is nothing wrong with making a forgettable, undistinguished story - as those are just as fun to watch as critically acclaimed ones - this film was worth so much more. 6/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 6.5/10
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Blacklight:
Storyline:
Travis Block is a government operative coming to terms with his shadowy past. When he discovers a plot targeting U.S. citizens, Block finds himself in the crosshairs of the FBI director he once helped protect. Liam Neeson will be Liam Neeson and that is all that needs to be said. And while I am as guilty as any, as I continue to be disappointed, time and time again over his horrendous films, he is clearly just as done playing this role as the audience is watching him do so. Yet, nevertheless, he will continue to make these pointless films, as likewise, I will continue to watch them. That said, the level of confusion the audience is thrown into is unspeakable, to say the least. One might ask at any given point in the story, "what is even happening?" and it is a fair question - and there really isn't an answer. With randomized explosion shots, a trailer being blown up by a propane tank, and a high-speed car chase that is not in the slightest entertaining, every "monumental" moment this showcase makes no sense whatsoever. Not to mention each supporting character adds their own quirks to make them unique, but with the lack of development and screen time, it is just another subplot and plot hole that gets thrown into the mix. While it should come as no surprise this film horrendously fails, when it is apparent that even Neeson himself is over it, that should be the final indication that this filmography needs to stop. Blacklight truthfully makes no sense, is an embarrassing product of cinema to be involved in, and furthermore, is so unmemorable that I forgot the title of the film I was watching. 2/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 2/10
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Uncharted:
Storyline:
Street-smart Nathan Drake is recruited by a seasoned treasure hunter to recover a lost fortune from 500 years ago. Uncharted is a largely unimpressive and mulled-down action flick that goes through the same stereotypical events of every other film. Constructed from ordinary commonplace ideas where it does all the things we have seen before, this film does not execute in any new way. What gets me going about this film is that I didn't like or hate it, as it wasn’t horrendous, and was actually quite average. The limited fighting choreography neither uses the full potential of the adrenaline pumping situations nor Holland’s agility. The predicted movements and unappealing victory over the bad guys does not credit the protagonist one bit, as we have no hero to rely on and no satisfying, defining moment to recognize. With no help from the stiff, uncomfortable dialogue and the chaotic voiceover narration, the lack of a collective vibe fails to distinguish this film from feeling like it’s developing toward a purpose. The pure star power of Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg included, however, are enough to keep you engaged and not check your watch, as they solely are the ones holding your attention. Their presence is intriguing enough to keep viewers engaged despite the so-so content and lackluster screenwriting, though their performances certainly won’t win any awards. Uncharted is a fun ride, but it is not groundbreaking. While this does not, in the slightest, classify as a must-see or deserve to be re-watched, at least I had a fun time watching, which I can’t say about many films recently. CLICK HERE FOR A LONGER AND MORE IN-DEPTH REVIEW I WROTE FOR THE GRCC STUDENT PUBLICATION.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 6/10
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The 355:
Storyline:
When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, a wild card CIA agent joins forces with international agents. It is not the idea of this story that fails only the execution of details and the people who fill them. Trying to make this film be the "empowerment" of women in a male-dominated field, The 355 points out all the wrong attributes that would have made this impressive. Despite the overcompensation of Hollywood trying to depict the tough guy, independent persona, this plot lacks originality. Stealing aspects from just about every male and female hitman film out there, this has no voice in telling what it wants to. Jumping from character to character and exploiting the lack of development across them all, there is no one to rely on. Whether that's for the lack of progression or the failure to delegate time to more than just the conflict at stake, this is a runaround of technicalities that amount to nothing important. Not to mention the unbelievable "ah-ha" moments, these revelations are not credited to the impressive choreography or enthusiastic reactions that they were meant to be. Instead, it only furthers the non-inspirational theme of powerful hard-core women that can do anything. While this film may look the part, from attractive, well-known leads and smooth special effects, the problems are deeper than just the appealing features that would once get people's foot in the door. 4/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 5/10
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Executive Decision:
Storyline:
When terrorists seize control of an airliner, an intelligence analyst accompanies a commando unit for a midair boarding operation. Being as cliche as it looks, there's no denying the cheesy predictability of Executive Decision, but it may pleasantly surprise those with an open mind. Although holding nothing of value, it sure is a good time. Embodying the image of quickly produced and poorly made 90s action flicks, this has its numerous and quite notable outdated moments. While these may come more as comedic relief in this day and age, the reality is that this was trying to be serious at the time. Regardless, with some hit one-liners and an engaging script, the intentions of these aspects are not as prominent in comparison to its amusing progression. Skipping the much-needed background details and having an antagonist that was everything but intimidating are truly the only downfalls to this story. Yet with all this in mind, watching a more bad than good film that's uncomplicated is sometimes all you want. With an uncommonly in-depth storyline and action that holds its own, this film is highly underestimated. Given this is not a must-see by any means, it instead can be a change of pace for fans of the genre, by being a quick, easy and diverting watch. 6/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 6.5/10
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Edge of Tomorrow:
Storyline:
A soldier fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies. Given 95% of Tom Cruise films are worth watching - as I've said a million times, he just makes good stuff - Edge of Tomorrow, unsurprisingly reigns true by being a must-see. However, what this film effortlessly gets right is the essence of a rational time loop/time travel. Though done time and time again in sci-fi adaptations, only a few can find a way to make the audience believe and experience it. Never questioning intentions or trying to justify actions, there is a categorical reason for every movement, which only increases its credibility to the message and idea it implements. While I will say I am not usually a fan of overprocessed ideas in Hollywood, such as the time loop stereotype like Groundhog day, this comparatively works by not trying to re-create but co-live. Taking what aspects it needs from its inspiration and adding its much-needed impulsive and unpredictable moments, this proves itself to be more than every other film in the genre. Realistic aliens, great action, on-the-beat comedic one-liners, and satisfying relationships, this film is the epitome of a rewatchable and earns the title as one of my favorite films. 9/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 9/10
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Red Notice:
Storyline:
In the world of international crime, an Interpol agent attempts to hunt down and capture the world's most wanted art thief. Playing muted jokes with ineffective humor as its strong suit, Red Notice subsequently looks as poorly made as it is. Bringing life to an uncomfortable feeling solely because this thinks it’s quirky and not like other comedies only intensifies that it is just like everything else. Beginning on a strained note, picking up the slack with productive humor in the second act, but painfully confining the actual important details to the final 20 minutes, there is a much-needed predominance of any aspect to even out the majority of measly ingredients. Only getting a watch because of its stars, Dwayne Johnson may show more charisma than he has in the past, but that does not mean he varied any other emotions that he has not already done averagely. Ryan Reynolds still is the only one to get a laugh from the audience, but he only does so by playing himself in just about every film. And Gal Gadot, clearly only being cast for her appearance, she held nothing of value. While this plays its cards to be more in-depth than what first meets eye, the way of telling the story was in no way satisfying or completing. Having the budget and contributions that this had fails to bring a sense that the special effects and setting could look as time-worn as this; there are too many specifics that add up to inconsistencies among it all. 4/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 4/10
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Timeline:
Storyline:
A group of archaeologists becomes trapped in the past when they go there to retrieve a friend. Timeline is nothing close to an award-winning, notable picture nor would I classify it anything near a must-see, however, it gets quite a bad and undeserving reputation. Being incredibly well-paced among three distinct acts, this film will hold your attention until the end. Wasting a potentially innovative idea, however, is not as easily savable in terms of a critique, though. Having a genuinely creative concept, there were numerous and apparent opportunities to make more rationalized decisions and characters that were not as pointless. Forgetting that the people included needed just as much development as the implementation of the time travel, this film jumps the gun on the action and leaves the fulfilling attributes aside. Thus creating flat, unrelatable, and distant decisions by characters that have no meaning to the audience. Even being a poor time-travel adaptation, having wooden portrayals, and an overall unsatisfying finale, bad films can still be watchable without earning the status of a good bad film. For fans of the actors, director, or genre, this can easily be a diverting time passer considering its low score and flaws. 5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 5.5/10
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Nobody:
Storyline:
A docile family man slowly reveals his true character after his house gets burgled by two petty thieves. Though this film is connected to John Wick by subtle hints from the notable screenwriting, which can be enjoyable for the dedicated fans, Nobody, rather takes the right aspects from things in the genre (John Wick, The Equalizer) but implements them in all the wrong ways. Heavily weighing a feeling of becoming an off-brand product of powerful characters, this fails on the formula that can deliver. While I am not one to judge a film by its cover, this cast is quite unbelievable. No matter his diligence, Bob Odenkirk cannot act to create the grunge, mystery, or drive that some are born with, as you either have it or you don't, and he doesn't have it. In other words, this revenge story does not have the hostility or payback that is needed, creating a pretend-like tone. However, an undeniable nod goes to the stunt choreographer and the dedication from Odenkirk in delivering his best with what he was given. Complimented by a crisp visual picture, the editing and directing shaped an illustrative picture. Yet, the issue that arises is not the performances or actions, but the construction altogether. Never establishing a notion of fear, respect, or a dissimilar story, this dreams up a concept bigger than what it acted on. 5.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 6/10
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The Harder They Fall:
Storyline:
When an outlaw discovers his enemy is being released from prison, he reunites his gang to seek revenge in this Western. From an incredibly devoted cast to an immensely distinctive score, The Harder They Fall is committed to providing a cinematic picture. Acting upon a noteworthy pace, this film is sure to keep you entertained by manufacturing a well-balanced plot. Putting a modern spin onto an old-fashioned theme constructs inclusive and significant concepts without forcing the audience to accept it. Choosing to focus on the development, monologues, and complexities of each individual instead of their sole purpose of why they're included let the audience handpick what resides with them. Implementing one of the most timely scores, there was not an unsuitable aspect. Performing each action to correspond perfectly with admirable sound simply uplifts the film. Although I am not in agreement with the feeling the opening scene produced, the final moment on screen, and the fall of a few characters, this finds a way to still please, even with me not being at peace with numerous aspects. Doing what any dynamic story should - seeing eye to eye and conflicting with the audience - the liveliness of the characters brings to life a once seemingly boring idea. 7.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 8/10
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The Tourist:
Storyline:
Frank, an American tourist visiting Italy to mend a broken heart runs into Elise, a woman who deliberately crosses his path. The Tourist is the typical too quickly produced Hollywood action flick that uses famous people to make it desirable. Although it comes as quite a shock when (spoiler alert) it is poorly acted and filled with blocky dialogue, the setup for this film truthfully means nothing when it will get a watch simply from its leading stars no matter what. Considering this sets off on an intriguing note, the tone and progression act as the only aspects in the right place. Though the action may not be as entertaining or unpredictable as it was going for, it's not enough to completely lose interest in. Instead, filled with mediocre content, this gives an average, run-of-the-mill feeling. Portraying the same characters without adding the slightest bit of spice, there is nothing special this has to offer. Failing to differentiate itself, as no one or thing can stand out higher than a heavy, familiar plot, this storytelling needed to step up its comedic, action, or even romantic agenda to target any feelings. With everyone giving half their effort, this had the potential to be interesting, yet fails with its one-track mind construction -- instead of easygoing and laidback, this becomes forgetful. 4/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 5/10
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Copshop:
Storyline:
A wily con artist devises a scheme to hide out inside a small-town police station -- an unsuspecting rookie cop finds herself caught in the crosshairs. Developing nothing short of the typical action/thriller screenplay, Copshop rather embraces its familiar feeling and adds its odd excitement to the mix. With sharp editing and a keen approach to the story at hand, this inarguably is filled with problems but is sure to thrill the audience in the meantime. Although the negatives that arise are the inconsistencies between the performances (from superb leads to unconvincing supporting roles) and quite off-putting dialogue, they amount to the imperfections this embraces. While this tries to plunge into a conflicting route within the third act, the finale saves the day from the near contradictory path. Having an anti-sophisticated perspective with a stylish presentation creates a unique experience. Diving into its own world, this controlled directional eye and creative execution turn what is normally an accustomed presentation into something tasteful. From entertaining with a groovy score to distinctive final moments on screen, this storytelling concludes a not completely perfect but unbothered film. 7.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 7.5/10
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Oblivion:
Storyline:
A veteran assigned to extract Earth's remaining resources begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself. While this film flops in getting mainstream publicity like others in the genre, it doesn't disappoint the Sci-Fi or Tom Cruise fans. Given its implications vary per viewer and its sole concept is based upon an unoriginal motive, though these two conceptions generally amount to a problematic storyline, something about it clicks. Developing a world to live in without over-showing too many details, the intricacy and planning of this story are engulfing. Becoming involved in the confusion and anticipation, the motivating progression only heightens the antsy feeling that's transcribed to the audience. Among all the positives, this has its doubtful moments. Forging truthfully irrelevant characters and providing off-putting dialogue doesn't go unnoticed. Considering the sophisticated and direct score makes up for these alone though, it's more a concurrence rather than a defeating toll. However, above all else, Oblivion delivers a fresh execution with a familiar feeling. Though I say it just about every product Cruise makes, he unambiguously makes good films. From a clear depiction to a mind-bending finale, the simplicity of what's left unsaid and settled to question after the fact assembles a captivating watch through and through. 7.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 7.5/10
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The Protege:
Storyline:
When the world's most skilled contract killers mentor is brutally killed, she vows revenge for the man who taught her everything she knows. Although the premise of this film is nothing new to Hollywood nor is the increasingly prominent notion to have female-driven assassin films, The Protege while raining true to those statements rather struggles with an overabundance of unnecessary moments and an underdeveloped screenplay. Becoming unorganized within its presentation of details, this film simply isn't aware of what it is doing. Implementing a terrible "blend" of drama and action, nothing integrates cohesively. Not to mention the unflattering and completely awkward romance subplot, the ill-suited characteristics showcase the mismatched construction of the story. Attracting the audience with its selected in fashion, sophisticated moments, there are times to ease the heavy progression. However, star power can't even save something that does what other films in the genre did, but worse. Trying to forge an authentic and evolutionary protagonist within a world that already has them, makes for this film to collapse throughout its screen time by not finding its voice or projection. 4.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 5.5/10
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Free Guy:
Storyline:
A bank teller discovers that he's an NPC inside a brutal, open-world video game. Surprisingly, despite the looks of its cover and trailer, Free Guy's advertising doesn’t do its well-executed plot justice. Shockingly delivering upon a comedic script that's worth the laugh, this succeeds in what all Action/Comedy's dream of. Precisely proving to be in tune with itself, this film is mindful of its humor and what it personifies. Implementing a worldly under-the-radar dialogue, no matter if the exaggerated moments get the limelight, these candid additions add to its developmental theme. While, with anything, there will be the corresponding annoying values, they come more as lightening the mood. Remembering this is living within a video game, this pleases with unexpectedly genuine performances and an unfaltering purpose to even the playing field. Staying within its limits but still conducting a sentimental meaning, it’s cliche, yet satisfying. Frankly entertaining the audience in any given moment and having control over its ambitions, this persisting visually pleasing film can amaze the audience with an open mind. 7/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 8/10
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Inception:
Storyline:
A thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O. Delivering a brilliant implementation of intricacy, Inception acts upon an outstanding plot that puts the audience in its world. With pure delicacy, this film is truly like no other. Embodying the perfect mix of complexity and comprehension, it gets better the more times it's watched. Evolving well past its screen time, this film lives to be one of the most talked-about products that still deserves it. Featuring stellar performances that symbolize the elaborateness of this plot, everything coincides. Having room for all characters, their arcs, and their importance, there is no one to overshine. Landing on the same page in every moment, this incorporates much development but feels simplistic. Organizing one of the most well-thought-out plots to be executed right, there is just about nothing this doesn't deliver. Having engrossing, believable action (with its complimentary score, of course), riveting editing, and beautiful storytelling, everything this entails is absorbing. It’s safe to say you can't go wrong with this engulfing product of cinema, whether it’s your first time or not. 8.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 8.5/10
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Jungle Cruise:
Storyline:
A small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous supernatural animals and reptiles. Expecting nothing cinematic or made well, Jungle Cruise may be predictable, simple-minded, and unoriginal, but with the right mindset, it achieves in providing an amusing two hours. Missing out on a lost opportunity, the lack of unity comes as no surprise but is still dissatisfying. Having two plot lines that develop independently rather than cohesively, the cliche message not only fails to get across to the viewers but is a forced turnaround. Given it is presumed to have poor CGI with Disney, the unbelievable circumstances make matters more noticeable. Although made for solely entertainment value, the phony show this provides is pretty unconvincing. While there isn't much to come out nowadays, it makes things like these get thought of higher, which will change your perspective. Though this feels like nothing more than a money grab from Disney by forcing chemistry between two established stars, you still can do much worse than this. Despite its countless problems that make this feel more superficial than anything, I wouldn't declare this a must-see, but it's enjoyable considering how many cheesy and poorly done things it entails. 5.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 6.5/10
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The Sum of All Fears:
Storyline:
CIA analyst Jack Ryan must stop the plans of a Neo-Nazi faction of detonating a nuclear weapon. While it's no secret I am no fan of Ben Affleck, for once, this is a role I can get behind. Providing a steady and true to character performance for the shaky plot to rely on, he and Morgan Freeman do what they can with what they're given. The uneven progression of introducing subplots exposes poor storytelling. Focusing too hard on moments that are irrelevant and skipping out on the most crucial ones emerges an all-around underdeveloped product. Not to mention the superficial romance and a minimal effort to tie it in is quite frankly more of a distraction that enhances the blocky formality. Yet, above all else, this has intriguing action and an engaging draw considering everything schematic. Being an already established character, it gets into the mindset of the lovable and familiar story to keep you on your toes. However, this is nothing special, as there are plenty of other Jack Ryan products (and films in the genre for that matter) that are better made, more in-depth, and easier to be entertained. 5.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 6/10
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Unstoppable:
Storyline:
With an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train barreling toward a city, an engineer and conductor race against the clock to prevent a catastrophe. Getting off on the wrong foot, there is instantly no draw to get you to want more. Abruptly putting you into a plot with a lack of substance, Unstoppable needed more material to push it to the point of being something easy to watch. In the event of providing foreseeable characters, the flat character arcs come as no surprise, yet they're still disappointing. In turn, leading to subplots that are all over the place, the chaotic theme takes course; trying to include too many aspects overpowers what truly matters - the sole conflict. All things considered, this takes a turn for the better within the second and third acts, providing a satisfying finale. Even with being a true story (which is always an interesting concept no matter how exaggerated it may become) and being amusing from its cast, nothing can save a film that just feels like something you’ve seen before. Embodying the definition of a mediocre action thriller, there is little this film has going for it but nothing too prominent to hate - therefore being an everyday, unmemorable thing. 5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 5/10
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Midnight Run:
Storyline:
An accountant is chased by bounty hunters, the F.B.I., and the Mafia after jumping bail. With an incredibly fun progression and a lighthearted cast, Midnight Run is not talked about as frequently in today's films as it should. Having a fresh concept that is easy to get invested in, this is an unmatched vibe of a feel-good film. Being a confident blend of the simple old-time 80s action, this adventure is not only entertaining but genuine. Creating the apprehension that this is made to live in the moment, this is an effortless time passer that just happens to be well executed. Having a solidifying ending that is in touch with a theme that may be cliche but satisfying, makes for a convenient classic. Being worth a laugh and most definitely humorous, the comedic timing from Robert De Niro does not really get acknowledged; proving to equally have control over all genres, his comedic career is just as appreciable as his bigger dramatic roles. Showcasing the essence of not having to have everything be stellar cinema to produce a good film, this is worth the time, is certainly rewatchable, and shows what authentic chemistry can do. 7/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 8/10
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Gunpowder Milkshake:
Storyline:
Three generations of women fight back against those who could take everything from them. Trying to front a "tough guy" female demeanor only makes this a forced and overwhelming feminist movement in all the wrong ways. Becoming a John Wick wannabe with almost everything it embodies makes this unoriginal; while unoriginality might not be a huge downfall for some, considering this is dreadfully hard to get through, it's unentertaining and timeworn. Although I appreciate the consistency of sticking to the uniform directing and editing, it was misplaced and used at the wrong times. Easily representing how films get carried away by doing too much, the overused and too artsy show this put on was nothing more than a cover-up to appear in tune with itself. Taking account of the rigid and choreographed action, having a one-dimensional protagonist comes as no surprise. Basing the story on someone who does not deserve the screen time, it's hard to empathize or get yourself involved in this distant story. In light of drawing a plot around minimal details and a lack of creativity, Gunpowder Milkshake goes wrong from the first few moments on screen. In combination with thinking it was doing something great (which is quite the opposite, actually) this is difficult to get through based on its tiring concept and poor performances. 2/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 2/10
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The Bank Job:
Storyline:
Terry assembles his crew and begins his operation to rob a bank, but he finds that there are other agendas at play and powerful players who have designs on the vault's contents. Being good on paper with its set-in-stone plot and front runner of Jason Statham, no matter how fun true story adaptations can be, this is still faulty despite its presumptuous nature. Featuring a clever and hardworking cast to act upon the largely flat script, the good seems to cancel out the bad. With a convincing subject matter and an intuitive plot, this simply did what it was made to do. However, easily becoming foreseeable and losing its anticipation, this can become quite boring at times. Losing its flow and progression to scenes that didn't need to be included, this could have been planned more effectively. Still and all providing a charming watch that is intense and informative, The Bank Job struggles with doing the same things as others within the heist genre and not making it anything different. Falling into the pit of entertaining while you're watching, but forgettable after the fact, this is worth the watch, but nothing more, having seen much better within the genre and Statham films. 6.5/10
The BAM! rating is a newly integrated rating scale in addition to the critic rating each film gets. BAM! is simply the entertainment value that is solely based on whether or not a film is worth watching. A film can have a high BAM! rating and a low critic rating or vice versa. 7/10
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Wrath of Man:
Storyline:
Mysterious and wild-eyed, a new security guard for a cash truck surprises his co-workers when he unleashes precision skills during a heist. While you know what you're getting into with this film, as this is what Jason Statham does best, this is unexpectedly well made, has a lively progression, and puts a different spin onto the same storyline. Telling the story on a not-so-clear path that thrives off the details from each scene, the uneasy tone this develops sinks in. With the embodiment of a restless protagonist, the two coincide to construct a fearful and jittery feeling. Moreover, the quite concentrated combat and action add to the unity this film has within all its aspects. Candidly leaving nothing to the imagination, this was paired with the anticipated, but witty dialogue from Statham, creating the well-loved, revenge film. Regardless of a few filler scenes, rocky editing of the timeline, and irrelevant characters, Wrath of Man acts upon what it was made to do, stays within its limits, and creates a frankly dependable product that is sure to keep you engaged. 7/10
7/10
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The Tomorrow War:
Storyline:
Time travelers arrive from the year 2051 to deliver an urgent message: thirty years in the future, mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. Delivering the expected but entertaining action from a dystopian futuristic setting, The Tomorrow War is engaging enough to watch but thinks it's bigger than what it is. Acting on the few one-liners of comedic relief, a heavenly seasoned concept, and Chris Pratt, this does what it should: amuse. Despite the critical negative ratings it's been receiving, films like these deserve a watch no matter how foreseeable they are. With intense action and quite realistic CGI, this visually keeps you on your toes. Never sparing the moment, there is always something to focus on and keep you going; however, this comes with blocky performances. Seeing better from just about everyone within this film, the shaky script isn't all to blame for the poor performances. Assuming nothing less than what this film was set up to do, this is a familiar but fresh way of doing it. Being full of action, having a genuine laugh here and there, and holding your attention, this is an adequate and acceptable action flick. 6/10
6/10
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Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard:
Storyline:
Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Michael Bryce is forced into action by Darius Kincaid's even more volatile wife. Being a sequel to a film that wasn't necessary in the first place makes for an even more unoriginal plot, exaggerated action, and most of all, a dull and largely not funny action-comedy. With a lack of chemistry between the leads, it would not have been a deal-breaker if it weren't so forced. Demanding a reaction based solely on the relationships on screen, there wasn't anything that naturally falls into place - thus creating the overworked and unconvincing banter. Having smaller than a handful of moments that deserve a laugh, there are just one too many things to nitpick. Flat characters lead to wooden dialogue which leads to unfulfilling humor. However, the issue lies not in the screenwriting or the storytelling (no matter how bad it may be) but rather in putting the effort into something as pointless as this. While it is clear there was an attempt to make this watchable, there was no determination to make it rational or recommendable. This franchise and the identical others that are overtaking Hollywood will be continued to be made, but they lose the small bits of originality, progression, and entertainment they once had that made them amusing for the time being. 3/10
3/10
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Army of the Dead:
Storyline:
After a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries takes the ultimate gamble by venturing into the quarantine zone for the greatest heist ever. With a promising opening sequence and realistic action, the rest of this poorly developed and produced film wasn't all that interesting. Finding a way to extend every scene past its limit and create more continuity questions than a positive afterthought, Army of the Dead sincerely fails by creating a story that thinks it's better than what it is and showing too many subplots to develop. Not to mention an utterly random score, overly weak leads, and a too seasoned concept, the lack of originality wouldn't be as prominent if it was well produced. Instead, the unfinished business of every character reigns higher than any small entertainment value this has to offer - which, spoiler alert - there is none. Shaky camera work and too many exaggerated moments wrap up the list of aspects that were random and awkward within this production. Having a too lengthy runtime to explain all the not important details within the story, this film is incredibly hard to get through and is as non-recommendable as you can get. 3/10
3/10
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Without Remorse:
Storyline:
Seeking justice for the murder of his wife, an elite Navy SEAL uncovers a plan to unleash war between the U.S. and Russia. It's no secret we have seen this film one too many times, as the same overly familiar protagonist and the intertwined story is presented in an identical not catchy manner. Yet with altering minor details and trying to throw in too many characters at once, Without Remorse dwindles itself into the hole of the same not entertaining, forgettable action flicks. Given the action/CGI was visually pleasing and just about the only drawing factor, the awkward implementation just about ruins it. While this - and every aspect in this film for that matter - add to the list of a good idea at heart, showcasing it in all the wrong ways makes it hard to enjoy it. Managing to tell a rushed storyline with no development in a drawn-out manner, the overused concepts and predictable execution this film ran off of were messy. Including random, purely useless scenes with an effort of making them dramatic moments, the vibe was dodgy. Due to poor construction and a lack of storytelling, there isn't much this film has going for it. 4/10
4/10
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Takers:
Storyline:
A group of professional bank robbers find their multi-million dollar plan interrupted by a hard-boiled detective. Rooting from a deeply chaotic storyline and an unorganized presentation, Takers is just another Action & Adventure that takes too many plot points from other films to be original and the rest of the details are too jumbled to decipher. The extreme and incredibly noticeable effort to make the characters likable is more prominent than having likable characters. Throwing in too many introductions at once makes for major plot holes, a rush in development, and subplots that were distracting. Cutting out the backbone of aspects that were needed to follow the heart of details within the character development takes a turn for the worse; there was an excessive amount of confusing and overpowering information in every scene. This is simply a poor presentation of a film that I feel like I have already seen before. Struggling to find its voice within its screen time, the characteristics that are being reused are too seasoned to be creative or entertaining and so wrongly executed, it failed to at least be entertaining. 4/10
5/10
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From Dusk Till Dawn:
Storyline:
Two criminals and their hostages unknowingly seek refuge at a truck stop that is populated by vampires. Taking this film for what it is, the lost potential of this is incredibly tragic. Being two separate films combined into one, the unknowing twist and terrible path of defeat after is shameful to watch. Considering the first half is incredibly appreciable, something has to be said for the intense and involving situations that shift into the audience. Depicting gory and brutal circumstances only make the adrenaline increase to compliment the dedicated performances. However, due to the incoherent, abstract, and random plot points, this takes a turn for the worst. Featuring poor special effects (even for the 90s) and dull dialogue that comes with it, too much happens at once to wrap your head around. Failing to connect the two disjointed sections blocks the progression from action to horror. From Dusk Till Dawn features a different concept that is unlike anything, but not in a good way. Ruining the antsy and early Tarantino vibe this had going for it, the plot twist frankly ruins a film that was in the making of being memorable. Unfortunately, due to weird screenwriting and a twist for the worst, this is not for everyone and takes effort to enjoy on a whole. 4/10
5.5/10
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Action Jackson:
Storyline:
Vengeance drives a Detroit cop to stay on the tail of a business tycoon who is eliminating his competition. Featuring nothing more than the typical cheesy 80s flick, Action Jackson struggles to hold your attention as it's dull, lifeless and fails to do something interesting. Being thrown into an ongoing storyline, the dialogue that was given was projecting the information that deserved to be developed. The shortcoming in showing these crucial details rather than poorly describing them makes for a boring and overly foreseeable turn of events. However, given the nature of these films, that is expected. Giving the benefit of the doubt toward the construction of the film, the performances were as rigid as someone reading their lines for the first time and didn't make up for the loss of a good plot. Truthfully, no one tried to make their part within this story anything worthwhile, as there was clearly no effort with a film as bad as this. Having dumb one-liners, terrible action, and too many cliched moments, this is more of an easygoing product to make fun of than anything else. Having much better things to watch than this, this was tough to get through, as there are no factors to spice it up to make it even mildly entertaining. 2/10
2/10
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Brawl in Cell Block 99:
Storyline:
A former boxer turn drug runner ends up in a tough situation in prison after a deadly deal. Incorporating too many artsy aspects into a storyline with a lack of detail creates a film that struggles to hold your attention. Using too much screen time for an overly developed character leads to a rushed third act/climax, which in turn provides an ineffective theme that goes nowhere. However, while this is filled with clever aspects in any given area, they are no saving for the poor execution of it. Even with a tasteful director's eye, there was no hope for the lack of cohesion between elements. Showcasing the importance of unsaid notions within the story, they were not matched with what was truly the goal of them. Feeling as though there were three separate films within its screen time, the link between them was not strong enough to capture your attention or incorporate relevance. Despite a max effort, genuine performance from Vince Vaughn, the raw character inside a shaky plot can't stand up to a presentation of details that was doomed from the start; while Brawl in Cell Block 99 has a creative idea, the implementation of it fails to showcase anything that proves to be worth your time. 4.5/10
4.5/10
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The Italian Job:
Storyline:
After being betrayed and left for dead by a former ally, Charlie Croker and his crew plan a heist to take back what is theirs. Inventing a diverse set of relatable and engaging characters without cutting the corners on the development, The Italian Job has just about any aspect to please any moviegoer. Although there is no specific classifying scene that sets this apart from others within the genre, the entertainment comes from a well-executed presentation of basic aspects. Having just the right amount of action, the heist incorporated characteristics, dumb one-liners, and a hint of romance, by no means is there anything substantial in one area compared to another, rather an effortless blend of it all with a continuous flow. Given the few corny moments within, while written to be comic relief or with an entertainment-based mindset, undoubtedly fitting the vibe, it creates a not as lifelike feeling; however, this excels with the purpose it was made for, as not everything has to be perfect to be enjoyable. All parts of this combined create a decent plot, intriguing characters, in-the-moment directing, and especially a pleasant, diverting watch. Between the Mini Coopers and a cheesy, but satisfying script, this deserves the watch. 7/10
7.5/10
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The Great Wall:
Storyline:
When a mercenary is imprisoned within the Great Wall, he finds the truth behind one of the greatest wonders of the world. Truthfully speaking, there is just about nothing remotely decent about this film. Filled with a stiff plot, flat character development, and a basic protagonist that is seen within too many stories, The Great Wall is exhausting to watch. Trying to even the playing field by having the best of both worlds, the portion of overly fantasy aspects mixed with a real-life twist was quite odd. Having a lack of a consistent tone as a result of this, the feeling of any given scene didn't correlate to the next. Although I would expect more from the talented parties who made this film, it is clear this was made for a box office grab than anything monumental. With the complete absence of providing any details, personability, or a tangible feeling toward any character, the need for better characters, screenwriting, and execution of it all was tremendous. However, the fact of the matter is that films such as these are made more than ones that are worth your time. Consisting of utterly terrible character portrayals, a storyline that was incredibly dissatisfying/predictable, and action with excessively poor CGI, you can easily save yourself a few hours by not watching this. 3/10
3/10
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Smokey and the Bandit:
Storyline:
Hired to drive beer over state lines, the Bandit has to complete his task within 28 hours, with the sheriff hot on his tracks. Simply put, feel-good and effortless films like these are just not made anymore. Painlessly providing a fun and upbeat turn of events, Smokey and the Bandit may be old but is never outdated. Having a direct and on task tone, the story writes itself and pulls the viewer in from the first few moments on screen. Although undeniably corny, the beauty of the predictability lies in the careful consideration for the plot; while rooted from a cliched and commonplace, this thrives in what it was made for - entertainment. Despite it being quite hard to dislike Burt Reynold's films in general, as there is always the aspect of his films being easy to sit back and enjoy, this was executed well, to begin with. Developing just the right amount of details to provide a compelling protagonist/antagonist conflict with a dumb humor twist, the rest falls into place, not mentioning the completely fitting cast. Without a doubt being a cult classic, this film is a must-see. Easily being quotable, becoming a diverting and amusing watch, and overall, a purely humorous film, this is rewatchable and enjoyable for all. 7/10
8/10
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Hotel Artemis:
Storyline:
In Los Angles, 2028, the world has turned to riots and crime; a nurse runs a member-only hospital hotel for criminals. Given that this takes a certain individual to enjoy the deliberately artsy and unique vibe developed, there's not much to say other than it was quite odd. Though undeniably inventive, having an absence of a flow or drawing factor acts as the fall, as there was not much pulling the audience in. With the storyline taking different types of directing/genres and implementing them, it never seemed to find its voice doing so. Feeling as it was copying aspects from other production formats rather than creating its own, this film didn't have a grip on itself. However, the raw performances came as a savior. Having a mix of rational/workable and ironic/mocking characters plays into the unique idea this starts with. That being said, paired with a script that wasn't as comedic or dramatic as it thought, this could have been more fun in doing so. Hotel Artemis struggles with its execution of a good idea. Having equally positive and negative portions of the film, this is not a must-see by any means, nor is it anything I would recommend. Instead, while this is a break from the routine, similar films nowadays, it is easy to get distracted in the mix of it. 5/10
6/10
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Love and Monsters:
Storyline:
After the world is taken over by giant monsters, Joel Dawson and the rest of the population that survived seven years ago live underground in fear. Though this film is not as serious as other apocalypse films, it instead features a plot that is quick on its feet, a relatable protagonist, and is a breath of fresh air in terms of the same old films to have come out recently. Being utterly creative, the effortless and dark satire creates a feeling that not only brings a laugh but provides a pleasing, wholesome message along the way. Going in with low expectations admittedly might have brought my bias towards this film, nevertheless, that can't change the fact that this was simply entertaining. Developing the protagonist authentically and having realistic dialogue puts together the blueprints for this film that made it not feel fabricated. This, along with the rest of the other well-done aspects, the special effects felt real and made for a genuine reaction. Given that there wasn't much of a backstory, in addition to a few awkward lines come as my only negatives. Love and Monsters is quite realistic considering the subject matter, rather funny, and above all, is upbeat, enjoyable, and simply different. 7.5/10
8/10
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Enola Holmes:
Storyline:
While searching for her lost mother, Enola Holmes outsmarts her brother, Sherlock, and teams up with a runaway Lord. Truthfully, this film is worth nothing more than the average time passer and is getting high ratings/hype when it is not worthy of it. Having weird implementations of aspects that don't correlate with each other, not only is the tone off from the get-go, but there is no sense of practicality to keep it moving. Being set in the 1800s, the only thing that reigns true to this period was the costumes and setting. Though this felt correct and placed the audience into the vibe of the era, the rest was off-putting. Having numerous and frequent present-day aspects like the modern dialogue, breaking the fourth wall, and the actions of the protagonist, contribute to the feeling that this gist of this film conflicts with the details within. I wouldn't be so negative toward the protagonist breaking the fourth wall if she didn't do it in such awkward instances or having the other characters not be able to hear her/do the same. As with the rest of the film, this feature was one among many that showcase a non-cohesive story. Enola Holmes isn't quite as witty, creative, or quick on its feet as everyone says, and isn't really worth anyone's time. 6/10
5/10
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Honest Thief:
Storyline:
In hopes of cutting a deal, a professional bank robber confesses to his crimes, only to have two FBI agents set him up for murder, to which he has to clear his name. By not expecting anything less from a Liam Neeson film, this is literally the exact same plot as every other film he has made, rather this time he's a bank robber. That being said, while it can become quite comical as to just how predictable this is, it still held my attention fully. The bad guy who's actually a good guy revenge idea is so overused, yet is wholeheartedly made for Neeson, as he is straightforward with his simplistic and minimal effort performance. However, the rough supporting performances and flat characters have no excuse other than just simply being bad. While the predictability was to a great extent (as even each body movement was foreseeable) there is not much to say other than I continue to see this same storyline even when ripping on it. Made for quantity over quality, these types of films continue to get worse, but will still be watched. Although Honest Thief is no Oscar winning film, nor is it a must-see, there will always be something about plots like these that draws you in. The dumb one-liners, poor CGI/action sequences, and an unsurprising turn of events that even a non-movie watcher could predict, is without a doubt, not a good film, but is an easily watchable one. 3/10
5/10
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Tenet:
Storyline:
A secret agent heads on a dangerous and time-bending mission to prevent the start of World War III. First things first, where to start with this review is quite difficult, as there is an equal amount of aspects that should both be praised and are immensely excessive. Starting with the overwhelming music that not only overtakes the dialogue in every scene but additionally, being placed at times that didn’t need them. Trying to add suspense to every moment on screen never allowed a break that was very well needed. This plot consists of needless and countless characteristics at every waking moment that doesn't make sense. Inevitably being a storyline with unanswered questions, the absence of an "ah-ha" moment, and poor execution of details was too substantial to have a satisfying twist; with such a complex plot, it was too demanding to understand/wrap your head around. On a positive note, the incredibly intense action sequences, powerful performances, and sophisticated directing were well-produced, as assumed. However, even with a visually powerful backbone to the film and an extreme anticipation-setter for an opening, Tenet fails to wow as it became too complicated for its own doing. 6.5/10
6.5/10
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Swordfish:
Storyline:
An ex-con, Stanley Jobson is recruited by a powerful businessman who is wanting the money to fund international terrorism. Trying too hard to be artsy and imaginative, this lost focus on what truly mattered, it’s originality. Losing any sort of compelling value this possibly had in store, the tacky subject matter mixed with poor execution makes for a random film that isn't anything special. The opening sequence was incredibly difficult to concentrate due to the lack of information and too artsy camera angles/focus. Having the rest of the story following these footsteps, this creates numerous opposing aspects that clash at any given time. Not knowing when to stop is what this needed to do; individually, these instances are interesting, yet always going too far ruins it. However, this had quite the plot twist, which surprised me, given everything this was working with. But, yet another aspect of this was ruined by it becoming too sophisticated for a plot that wasn’t built to that extent. Diving into subplots and a nonlogical ending, Swordfish is more of a confusing (in a bad way) watch rather than anything worth your time. 4/10
4/10
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The Old Guard:
Storyline:
To protect their freedom, a group of immortals who can heal themselves fight the ones who are trying to destroy them. Due to too many random spurs of frail and uncomfortable scenes (even if it was intending to be meaningful), the overwhelming awkwardness that comes with it is too prominent to make this a must-see. This film never achieved the vibe it was trying to. Lacking the fitting feeling that was incredibly needed throughout the entire film makes for a truly cramped watch. However, this film had a clever intention with the addition of these heartfelt moments but struggles with a lack of cohesion and no balance of the two elements. Nevertheless, the positive I have to offer are extremely realistic CGI/stunts. Quite possibly being one of the most intricate and max efforts I've seen within a film recently, that was a major plus toward this rocky storyline. Yet, the non-logical fighting choreography that got carried away with pointless and extra movement at any given time takes this well-done aspect down a notch. After all the negatives this faces, the ending was purely stupid - to which even seemed too low for a film like this to stoop to. All in all, The Old Guard fails to find originality, a footing within the genre, or a compelling watch, resulting in a film that is just another Netflix product that isn't worth your time. 5/10
5/10
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Reservoir Dogs:
Storyline:
Six criminals/strangers are hired for a job, all with fake names. When they realize they were set up, the survivors after the job went bad try to find out who the mole is. In a competition for one of my favorite Tarantino films, this is specifically one of his best films in addition to one of my favorites ever. With cunning performances, a brilliant tone, and as always, stellar directing, it goes without saying that this is worth seeing. The organization and creation of this story are unlike anything else. Having a pretty straightforward plot, the intricate details are what makes this so special. Each character consisting of a unique, individualized story makes for a comical and edge of your seat ride that is beyond compare. The entire scene with Michael Madsen dancing to "Stuck in the Middle With You" while torturing a guy will always be worth talking about. The sheer and utter perfection of that scene alone depicts the feeling that was effortlessly transferred throughout the entire film. The beauty of this film is how so many emotions are portrayed through clever screenwriting, solid performances, and creatively executing a good idea. Reservoir Dogs is a non-stop adrenaline, anxious, and gruesome film that is just simply great. 9/10
9/10
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The Shawshank Redemption:
Storyline:
Andy is sentenced to a life long term for the murders of his wife and the man she was having an affair with, only he did not commit the crime. He is sent to a highly secured prison where he meets his friend Red and follows the story of his life in prison. This film is one of the most iconic and classic films of all time. It is and deserves to be classified as such because of how remarkably moving and investing this story becomes. The characters take on some of the most personable and realistic standpoints in not only the film world but especially prison films. Taking a slow go to get to its destination, it does so with ease. This film creates its own pace that is incredibly important to the story and adds to the developmental aspects. The flow and graceful movement of one interaction to the next is as simple as it is important. Each scene has a purpose and not one moment of the screen time goes unnoticed. Obviously, this is the goal of all films, yet not all of them get it right. In this case, Shawshank creates its own standpoint to which no film is able to compare. Overall, this film needs to be seen by everyone no matter who you are. This calls to the audience (of any age) and focuses on life meanings that are impactful for any individual. This film is well appreciated by most for a reason and 100% is worth the watch. Rating: 9/10 |
American Assassin:
Storyline:
When Mitch Rapp lives through a tragic loss due to terrorists, he begins to make things happen on his own, catching the eye of the CIA and black ops recruit. This film is incredibly ordinary and follows the usual, mainstream story of all action blockbusters. Going through the typical setting of the story with a conflict, training, and then action-packed final act. The antagonist was *surprisingly* a flat character who went from being unknown and slightly suspenseful to that development being trashed within minutes. He fit right into the dry writing of each character in the film. The action itself was incredibly over the top CGI that made this film less believable. On the contrary, the fighting choreography was something that the film focused on. I was caught with clear-cut shots and was carried out with ease. The script was the most predictable element of this film to the point where I could guess the upcoming line numerous times. Though this goes hand-in-hand with the generic and basic film on a whole, it was just another dumb aspect to add to the list. All in all, this is one of the most unvarying films in the genre and is incredibly non-distinguishable. It is, though, pretty entertaining and holds your interest throughout even if it does so in a foreseeable way. Rating: 5.5/10 |
Drive:
Storyline:
A Hollywood driver stunt man keeps to himself until he opens up to his neighbor. When a job goes wrong, he must risk it all to protect the ones he's grown to love. I enjoyed that this film had such a clear and sophisticated tone to which was never altered no matter what was on screen. That being said, this film relies too heavily on the dedicated, crisp editing and powerful performances to cover up the lack of development. The visual storytelling within this film was incredibly seamless and uninterrupted throughout its course. Conveying emotions through each scene, it was with the help of to-the-point camera angles and realistic characters. Putting off a feeling of edge and suspense, the audience feels as one with the protagonist, but from an outside point of view. The storyline itself was not what I have an issue with, it's the execution. This film is only 1 hour and 35 minutes, giving it plenty of screen time to fill with the extra developmental aspects that were missing - basing off a normal 2 hour (ish) run time. Admittedly, I am fully for something needing to be said about the power of lack of information within a plot, nonetheless, that doesn't mean underdevelopment. This chose not to give details that were crucial to covering the powerful impact this could have brought. The final moments that make up the film were both predictable and not in a sense. Although you can anticipate this to happen, at the same time, you wouldn't presume that this would stoop and end on such a generic note considering everything it had varied from, to begin with. Rating: 7/10 |
Vantage Point:
Storyline:
After an attempted assassination attempt on the president, the point of view from multiple witnesses unravels the details of the story. Watching this as a kid, I remember it being pretty good. Watching this now, I realize that it wasn't all that special, but it can still hold your attention to a certain extent. The editing throughout this film plays a part in the hectic and build-up of suspense toward the tone for sure, but it does so in such a repetitive way. By not varying these transitions and having the same interactions one by one, it becomes a tiresome watch. The plot has a decent central idea but due to poor execution, it was not expressed in such a clear manner. Initially starting on a good foot, the predictability became obvious once one too many foreseeable aspects came into place and from that point on, it lost its anticipation. This, combined with non-personable characters and middle-of-the-road performances creates the entire make up of the film to not be as powerful as it could've been. Though I have been listing multiple negatives, I will say as predictable and tedious as this may have gotten at times, it still holds your attention. It was entertaining from a mediocre standpoint to keep you wanting to finish the film. Rating: 5/10 |
Extraction:
Storyline:
A man with nothing to lose gets hired to rescue the son of an imprisoned crime lord. But, when more men are looking for the kid, things take a turn. Just a disclaimer, although this definitely and without a doubt has its issues, I will say this held my attention. As roughly as it seemed to get to its destination, it still got there in an entertaining fashion. This position in a film filled by the tough and seemingly heartless protagonist (who *spoiler alert* is the opposite) is incredibly seasoned and overused. Not only does it make for a predictable character, but it has no pizazz or originality left to draw you in. Even so, the fighting choreography was incredibly realistic. The time and dedication that went into this aspect does not disappoint and steadily carried the film. It got up close and personal and didn't leave any of the details. Along with this though, there were the expected and over-the-top moments that question the real-life factor that was once created. The camera work was extremely inconsistent in the sense where I can understand what was trying to be accomplished, but due to poor execution, it was ineffective. Having numerous high-intensity scenes with shaky and more of a realistic standpoint, they were paired with an unchanging amount of steady and firm shots for the same type of scenes. I wish there was a choice made for either tactic, as it could have been more connected and not so noticeably separated. Rating: 5.5/10 |
The Last of the Mohicans:
Storyline:
Being the last of a Native American tribe, the Mohicans, two brothers and their father get stuck between the French and Indian war. While this is praised by critics and talked in high regard, this film truly isn't worth much. Whether it's because of the time it was made or it being over-hyped, it's safe to say this is not worth the time. Assembled shots of inconsistent shaky camera work called attention upon itself in a devastating way. The story was constructed in a manner in which everything created the opposite of a personal feeling, as the story was never raw enough to express any feelings to the audience. An underdeveloped protagonist goes hand in hand with an underdeveloped love interest. In fact, the entire plot felt like a mixture of a modern day romance novel with a poorly planned out and researched war film. No one did their part in creating the most authentic picture (both on screen and off) and it clearly shows. The basis of the relationship, conflicts, climax and everything in between was nothing more than an incredibly predictable and clearly planned out turn of events. Though this is unrealistic in general, it is especially hard to believe within this time period as well. Struggling to hold my interest throughout, this fell short to provide a captivating picture, as its low entertainment value comes as no surprise due to its lousy screenwriting and production. Rating: 4/10 |
Spenser Confidential:
Storyline:
A former police officer investigates an ongoing case in Boston once he's let out of prison. I am not saying I was expecting much from this, but I was not expecting it to be as bad as it was. Honestly speaking, how many movies does Marky Mark have to make in Boston before he moves to the next place? He is worn out of a Boston accent, as he doesn’t even have one in this nor does he fit the persona of the town. This film also includes terrible acting from everyone involved and a horrendous execution of a poorly written story. Even from the opening scene, there was already a tone that the film was not made with careful consideration. Having the storyline be incredibly predictable from the same beginning sequence, it killed any of the suspense this film could have had. As for the rest of the film, it wasn't much more. Though the story was not hard to follow, there were so many subplots thrown in it was starting to become complicated. This teamed with dull character portrayals made for unlikeable characters in a messy and uneventful turn of events. The climax was basic and ineffective. On top of being the most predictable thing and not believable, it wasn't entertaining enough to enjoy the unrealistic scenes. The entire film felt scripted, conveying the message that the screenwriters constructed every moment. Rating: 3/10 |
Hancock:
Storyline:
Being the not so typical superhero, Hancock causes a lot of damage to his city and is viewed poorly by citizens. This all changes when the person he saves helps change his image. This is one of those films that you hate to love. Lacking in substance, having plenty of plot holes and is very inconsistent, it's so bad it's good. The concept originates from a very conventional mindset and the film clearly shows it. Taking a typical course of action, filled with predictable dialogue and unvarying from this basic set up, it still features some humorous aspects in-between. Whether it be the dumb one-liners or the cringe-worthy moments that are so serious, they’re funny, it was effective. The antagonist was randomly thrown into the plot, being rushed in development and had the most anti-climatic revenge segment. He was underdeveloped, portrayed terribly and not believable in the slightest. He genuinely took this film down a notch as far as entertainment. As corny and fake as the special effects are, they were consistent throughout. The same overly computerized images were always used and conveyed a certain message for unity with this characteristic. As for the entire film, it was not coherent in the least. Each scene had a choppy cut going to the next and to top it all off, there was no tone or feeling to make it feel like it blended together. All in all, with many problems, it's still easy to be entertained by this film. It’s a nice and easy watch that features a likable cast and script. Rating: 5/10 |
True Lies:
Storyline:
Thought as a dull salesman to his family, Harry is a secret spy trying to save the world. He balances fixing his dying marriage and stopping a terrorist attack at the same time. The plot itself was genuinely well thought out and executed, especially for the time it was made. Judging by its cover, this offers more than just the typical cheesy 90s film. By having a quality basis for the story, it was believable and entertaining even with a not-so-realistic topic. Despite the few expected over-the-top Arnold Schwarzenegger scenes, the action sequences looked extremely real. Although they were originated from cheesy intentions, that didn't hinder the emotion of the audience. The action was restrained enough for the plot to be the focus, yet was engaging enough to be acknowledged. Though with the action, it was understated for what would be expected, until the last 30 minutes, where it was completely Schwarzenegger excessive. That being said, it was excessive in a good way. It fit the tone and tied the entire story up in a predictable manner. The script was some of the dullest, predictable dialogue with the occasional, expected jokes. But, this is the nature of these films and they can't get everything right. The storyline was enough to shine over this, so all in all, it's not a huge deal. However, the “so bad they're good” one-liners were still featured which will forever be a plus. Rating: 7/10 |
6 Underground:
Storyline:
Six people are chosen for a specific skill set they possess and have to fake their deaths to help make the world a better place. Michael Bay will always be Michael Bay with his crazy style. However, he tried to out-do himself in this and it resulted in something that was incredibly unorganized. Including choppy editing, a poor storyline and rough character portrayals. With all things considered, I knew what this film was going to be like before seeing it. The storyline was almost comical from how underdeveloped it was. Trying to mix exaggerated action with a “touching” storyline and one-liners, nothing was introduced in a logical way. Throwing concepts left and right, it was overwhelming to follow. A poorly developed story created poorly written characters. Nevertheless, still featuring subplots with each character to try and target an emotional feel, it only resulted in something that collided. Due to no relatability from these actions, it was ineffective. I would never recommend this to anyone, as it is not intriguing or entertaining. Featuring unrealistic instances and not having any appealing aspects, it was straining to watch. Rating: 2/10 |
Shoot 'Em Up:
Storyline:
When Mr. Smith saves a newborn baby from assassins, he learns the diabolical plan it's going to be used for. He sets out to stop the people behind it. Being somewhat of a spoof on action films without clearly expressing it, was achieved perfectly. Though this was not great as far as aspects I'd praise, it was incredibly entertaining at all times and offered plenty of characteristics that are enjoyable. Filled with numerous dumb and cheesy lines, not only were they placed at times that were expected, but correctly. While I knew they were coming, I wasn’t expecting anything else, as they fit the quick and light, consistent vibe. The action sequences were so over the top with unrealistic choreography, it was absorbing. Having common themes and objects used throughout, the more overpowering it became, the more I started to feel involved. I found myself laughing out loud at things that were meant to be funny and things that were not. Managing to roughly tell a story throughout the course of the film, it all came together at the end. Stumbling over plot holes and subplots, it wasn't the focus of the story, so it fit with everything else that was already going wrong. Ending on a predictable high note, it was satisfying. Expecting nothing less, there was an effortless feel to this engaging, carefree film. Rating: 6/10 |
Gemini Man:
Storyline:
Henry Brogan is an elite assassin going into retirement. When he is being hunted by someone who knows everything he does, he learns it is actually a cloned version of himself. Though originated from a place that is very creative, it was not executed properly. This is something that could be much more in everything it provided. The CGI was confusingly both interesting and terrible. Whether it be the scenery or Will Smith’s anti-aging, it was obvious that it wasn’t the real deal or close to it. Including inconsistent shots of over-computerized images, the shots became more rigid as time went on, ruining the creative factor this had going for it. The acting was just as disappointing. Considering the script was incredibly bland and stiff, it wasn’t completely the actor’s fault, though there felt like the minimum effort from all parties involved. With no practicality or density to any words or movements, it was a major fault for this film. Transferring an underlying awkward feeling to the viewer. The camera angles were very distracting. Having an approach where the characters seemingly are directing the camera, it never clicked the way it should have. I never knew my place as the viewer. I felt as though I didn’t feel involved in the story and I was just watching a non-relatable production. The antagonist along with other filler characters was incredibly pointless and not intriguing. With multiple one-liners and truly no relevance, it made the climax not powerful and the finale just as unimportant. Rating: 3/10 |
The Gentlemen:
Storyline:
American, Mickey Pearson created a marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he is leaving the game, everyone wants to steal his fortune. The idea of this story is unlike anything else out, rooting from a clever idea. With that, due to improper execution of a slow start which was too substantial for the intriguing third act to save, it turned an original story into scrambled scenes that didn't correlate. The characters were not relatable or likable, meaning this in the sense that they are just not appealing to the viewers. No matter the instance, there was never a point where you could connect to any action on any level. Matched with clumsy humor, it never achieved the personal aspect, rather it was filled with actors on a screen. The directing was very inconsistent. Using stylistic aspects that were creative, but used at the wrong time. Taking away from what was at stake, more times than not, it seemed like there was too much going on at once. I will say this went along with the common theme of everything being a jumbled mess, but it still didn't click. Creating a story which only brushed the surface of dully portrayed characters, the chaotic subplots and holes were done in the same non-coherent way. Resulting in this gritty natured story fighting for substance. Rating: 6.5/10 |
Bad Boys for Life:
Storyline:
Detectives Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett are back for one last job to take down the leader of the Miami drug cartel. Coming back after many, many years, they came back with a bang. This latest installment in the franchise is the best yet. Featuring plenty of action, a solid relationship and clever humor. Though the action was always engaging, I'll admit there were enough scenes that were pushing it a little. Whether it was unbelievable in fight scenes or surviving certain blows, some things were just too much for even suspension of disbelief to save. However, there was never a down moment and it always kept me entertained. The humor was actually done very well. The jokes were placed at the right times to get a good laugh but didn't take over the film. It was intertwined evenly within the storyline and was balanced to the action. Achieving the same comedic, uplifting tone to a high anticipated story. The supporting roles had enough chemistry to flow but were just filler characters to progress the story. While they still provided some positives to the story, they could have been better developed. This went deeper into providing a storyline that was actually developed and focused on. Though there were a few minor plot holes, it was still convincing and fulfilling for fans of the franchise or not. Rating: 7/10 |
Dolittle:
Storyline:
Dr. Dolittle is asked to find the cure for Queen Victoria's illness. I am genuinely at a loss for words when it comes to reviewing this film nicely. Some things just don't need to be made and actually make me question the intentions while creating this film. Why Robert Downey Jr. made this film will forever be a question. He, along with plenty of well-known voices, are better than this. With everyone's performances feeling fake, offering no variety, depth or arc to them, teamed with a storyline of random scenes thrown together, I was struggling to stay tuned in. The numerous, awkward scenes where RDJ spoke to the animals in their "language" did not click whatsoever. Resulting in me laughing/feeling uncomfortable with this portion because the tone was serious. This, of course, fit right into his accent switching from British to Scottish to Irish throughout. Since everything else was so horrendous, it made the poorly done special effects not as prominent. But, just because they weren't as bad, doesn't mean they were decent in the least. Creating animals that were so fake, I didn't even know how to enjoy this aspect. Doomed from the start, there was no hope to begin with. This is truly one of the worst films I have ever seen and I hope no one has to go through the pain of watching. Don't waste your time or money. Rating: 1.5/10 |
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw
Storyline:
Facing a computer built man who is threatening to destroy the world, Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw have to put their difficulties aside in order to defeat him. Although some of the Fast & Furious films can be cheesy and are always over the top action, they always provide a stellar theme of family throughout. This on the other hand, focused more on the comedy aspects and hopes the already established characters are enough to get people in the door. Though the dumb humor this has to offer was pretty funny, that wasn't enough to carry it along. All the dialogue was one-liners, which was expected from these two, but by only having that to the script, it didn't actually provide anything useful and was only trying to get a rouse out of the audience. The action was a little disappointing, if I'm being honest. This franchise is known for its crazy cars, racing and going above and beyond for its action sequences. Instead, these scenes consisted of unbelievable stunts with none of it being anticipating, as it felt rehearsed. I really wasn't expecting much from this, so I wasn't that let down. It wasn't anything great, but managed to hold my attention. Rating: 5/10 |
21 Bridges:
Storyline:
An NYPD detective is on the hunt for two young cop killers in Manhattan. When he starts his investigation, he realizes there is missing information within the situation. Even with a rough, underdeveloped start and quite a cheesy ending, this still creates multiple instances with high anticipation. Though the interesting parts are sandwiched between the lousy ones, it still manages to grab your attention, providing intense chase scenes and the initial thought of somewhat heartfelt dialogue. I couldn't tell you what the central idea of the story was because there were numerous concepts thrown left and right. With this, multiple subplots were created and never pursued- trying to seal them all in with "touching" lines, it became a blur to even try to understand, when it is something that should be effortlessly done. Relating to that, everyone beside the protagonist was basically useless to the plot. My reason for this is that either they were weighed with heavy importance and ditched, they were underdeveloped or thrown in only to be a placeholder. Which ultimately brings us back to the message and overall idea of the film being non-existent. Despite maximum, noticeable effort from Chadwick Boseman to try and save this story, that wasn't enough to provide a stellar film. While not everything was negative, the bad heavily outweighs the good. Rating: 5/10 |
Charlie's Angels:
Storyline:
When an engineer finds a flaw in a technical device that she created which could destroy the world, Charlie's Angels come to save the day. Starting off on the wrong foot, absolutely not one thing was working for anyone within this film. The acting (and for lack of a better word that accurately describes it) was trash, the storyline was a mess of informal fragments of a poorly written feminist movement and the script was filled with more pointless one liners than an Adam Sandler film. Kristen Stewart was by far the worst character. Everything that came out of her mouth was either useless or irrelevant. Naomi Scott was overly fake and predictable with her mannerisms which lead me to guess every movement she made. Likewise, everyone else was just as lousy as the leads, whether it was being meaningless, flat or anticipated, there were no positive aspects. The choreography was just so unbelievable. Even having a suspension of disbelief mindset, there is no way the majority of the things in this could happen. From having impaired character development and dialogue throughout, their Action & Adventure screen time was nothing more than scripted body movements. Though I understood the overall concept in mind while creating this film, primarily only female cast/anti-men front this puts across had poor execution toward both genders and ruins the image of this franchise. Rating: 2/10 |
Jumper:
Storyline:
Being able to instantly transport himself anywhere at any time, David soon gets himself caught. Getting help from others, he tries to take down the person who is trying to destroy him. While this is a unique idea for a story, it clearly didn't have the correct mindset to produce something that felt prepared. Consisting of numerous mistakes, they all were too obvious to overlook. The plot itself was terrible. Having the initial idea being creative was quickly forgotten as the film progressed. The amount of subplots this course went on had too many to count, as it took away from the projection of the protagonist. The acting was lousy, but I'm not surprised by it. Teamed with the rough storyline, the two really went hand in hand in creating this shaky film. It doesn't help that I'm not the biggest fan of Hayden Christensen, but considering he doesn't show inflection in his character portrayals or deliver his lines well in anything, it's justified. Every other character or situation that was thrown in was completely useless. There was no development, introduction, or importance shown at any point and was poorly done. While it was somewhat entertaining, this isn't something to be proud of. Rating: 4/10 |
Striking Distance:
Storyline:
Following his father's death, Tom Hardy, a Policeman, seeks revenge for the killer that has tormented him throughout his life. While this really isn't a good film, it was very entertaining. It wasn't very long, so didn't get to anything important like development, therefore it just created a short and sweet story. The script itself was quite comical if I'm being honest. It was filled with numerous one liners that were not only predictable, but so bad they were good. Because it was short, there was no growth or expansion on any backstory or details regarding the main characters or antagonists life. It really wasn't bothersome because just by judging the films cover/synopsis, you can already tell it's not anything spectacular. I like Bruce Willis' performance in this. Though we have seen this exact character from him before, he plays it well, as he really seems like he'd be like this character in real life and is undeniably entertaining with it. As I said before, this really isn't a good film and doesn't really offer positive aspects from the plot, but that doesn't take away the enjoyability watching it. Rating: 5.5/10 |
Bullitt:
Storyline:
Protective custody is set for a witness that is soon compromised by the double-crossed agents and other complications that happen within the case. Being over 50 years old, this doesn't fail to entertain. While some of the characters actions are predictable and clearly able to see before hand, it's just the nature of this era of films. Along with the numerous fight scenes that were foreseen, they're not a disappointment, but just comical watching them nowadays with all the technology and modernization that comes into play now. The car chase is still one of the most famous to this day for a reason. Its high paced, suspenseful and most of all, realistic. It went on for the right amount of time by not overpowering the story, but enough to stand out throughout the plot. Everyone's performance fit the film. I mean this in the sense that this wasn't necessarily the best of film, the acting wasn't anything special, and the plot/production were all the same with not one being better than the other and just going with the flow of an easy going film. Rating: 7/10 |
Pokemon Detective Pikachu:
Storyline:
When detective Harry Goodman goes missing while investigating a case, it prompts his estranged son, Tim, to find him, with the help of his Pokémon. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, I’m disappointed. Considering I have no ties to Pokémon, I might not have liked this as much as others because of it, but I was hoping for something that would share the world of Pokémon to mainstream audiences, but instead, walking out of the theater I was let down. I know this is based off a video game, so some of the animation might look similar to what would be found in them, but the special effects were terrible. Everything looked incredibly fake and non-interactive, and again, disappointing. The acting/character development was my biggest issue with this film. Not only were the characters underdeveloped, predictable and flat, but their dialogue was incredibly forced and bland. In addition, the supporting characters were pointless to the storyline, and to top it all off, the plot was below average with numerous plot holes. This was made for a money grab and is achieving on that end, but is a poor production. Rating: 4/10 |
Rampage:
Storyline:
Davis, a primatologist, shares a special bond with the animals in his care. Randomly one day, a gorilla is infected by a genetic material that makes him not the calm, sweet animal he normally is. A film that's based off a video game with Dwayne Johnson- what else would you expect? That's all that needs to be said. The relationship between the two was consistent and well maintained throughout the entire film, which created the authenticity of everyone's actions. With that, though, it was hard to believe some of the things that the gorilla was doing. Obviously its from a video game and is a movie that's trying to entertain the audience, but some things were just pushed too far and were too much. There were also subplots that were not only distracting from the ongoing story, but pointless. They weren't developed or proven to have a purpose or be relevant. The CGI was pretty bad as well. Granted I didn't expect anything more, I still wanted to point it out. Rating: 3/10 |
North by Northwest:
Storyline:
A misunderstanding leads Roger Thornhill to be mistaken for an international spy and framed for crimes he had nothing to do with. In order to clear his name and make things right, he gets help from a spy within. Especially for being made in 1959, this was more of an entertaining and thrilling watch I've seen in awhile in comparison to everything now-a-days. Everything about it was interesting. The storyline was clever and unique, but not over-done. It had its own flare that kept you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what would happen next, but was never complicated or hard to follow. Sure, there were scenes that were cliché and/or predictable, but that's just the nature of these films, neither were a deal breaker or very noticeable. The acting was solid. With a film that doesn't have the technology or the resources yet to do lots of action and stunts, the focus was primarily on the brewing of the relationships and development of the plot, and everyone played their roles to the fullest, creating those convincing performances and adding to the composition of the film on a whole. There were a couple of stunts that were pretty entertaining in my opinion. Keeping in mind the time it was made, they were pretty exciting and you were able to feel for what the characters felt during that time. On a whole, this is a captivating watch that will never be too old to enjoy. Rating: 8.5/10 |
The Meg:
Storyline:
After Jonas is thought to be insane after telling a story about a creature on a failed rescue mission, he is hired again after five years once the issue surfaces again. Honestly, I don't even know what to say about this because it wasn't meant to be good, so everything I point out is obvious. The storyline had so many holes that aren't even worth trying to figure out, over the top stunts that are just too hard to believe, and cheesy one liners. First, the plot- there were random cut scenes, underdevelopment of the problem that needed solving, and poor acting all around. For the stunts- some things are easy to let slip by and through the cracks, but being dragged by a 75ft shark through the ocean by a cable, getting thrown onto a boat because of it, and then he's fine, that's pushing the limits, even if it is Jason Statham. Lastly, the script- everything Statham said was something predictable like "You're gonna pay for this", which became funny after awhile. On a positive note, I was entertained the entire time and there were a couple of jump scares that got me. Overall, this wasn't the best, but it wasn't meant to be good and got its job done, which was to be entertaining and make money. Rating: 4/10 |
Cold Pursuit:
Storyline:
When snow plower Nels Coxman's son is murdered, he goes on a hunt to bring justice to the man who did it, including bringing down his drug operation. Honestly, I don't know why I had higher hopes for a Liam Neeson film, as they are always the same stories with the same performance. Though this has a different objection and setting than his other films, it's pretty much the same thing; something bad happens, he kills everyone, and everything goes back to normal. The relationship with both his son and wife really had no effect to the story. Their characters made it more confusing rather than entertaining for me to watch because I was distracted by trying to figure out how they played a purpose. On top of that, the end of the story was basically right where the beginning started, meaning he accomplished nothing other than loosing both his son and wife, which pretty much made the story pointless because nothing really happened. There were plenty of scenes in both the beginning and end of the film that if they were taken out everything still would have made sense, so they were meaningless to the plot, characters, development, and the audience. It really seems that nothing else could be wrong with this, yet there is. The last thing I want to point out was the subplot, the police. The cops purpose in the story still confuses me now, as they didn't solve anything that wasn't already known or help develop and fill in missing pieces to the characters, they just didn't need to be there. Rating: 3/10 |
Top Gun:
Storyline:
Maverick and his wingman, Goose go to Miramar Naval Air Training in order to come out on top and win the "Top Gun" award, which crowns the best pilots. This is a classic 80's film that always will be known as that, including its undeniable quotes. The acting is great. The cockiness and arrogance of Maverick mixed with the timid, goofy, following personality of Goose truly go hand in hand in creating the story, both were played so believable. Never did it seem as a scripted relationship, rather the true, raw friendship they had. Plus, the supporting characters helped add to the personable aspects of the characters and the flow of the film on a whole. Especially for being made 30+ years ago, the stunts were incredibly entertaining. Never once was I feeling bored or unamused by what was on the screen or thinking that anything was unrealistic. It kept my interest when there was both action and developmental scenes. This is honestly one film that I can always go to for a good watch and never gets old. Everyone should see this at some point in their life, no matter what kind of stories you prefer. Rating: 7/10 |
Triple Frontier:
Storyline:
A group of five former special force operatives come together for their last run, a secret mission to take down a drug war-lord and steal everything he has. For being a star-studded cast, I don't know if I was expecting a lot because of it or not expecting anything. Either way, this wasn't awful, but it had some issues. This basically was a familiar story with a twist, which did keep my interest throughout, but had a really slow pace. With that slow pace, there really wasn't a whole lot of development taking place during it, just taking up screen time. The back story of the characters wasn't developed as much as I had hoped either. Nothing was expressed to the viewer of their pasts other than that they were war hero's. More information was needed to help both the flow of the film and the confusion of the viewers. I did enjoy the action and setting though. The scenery was incredibly realistic and wasn't fake as other films can be, and the stunts (for the most part, minus a couple exceptions) were very lifelike. The acting was partially good and bad. Some scenes and actors I felt were understandable and relatable, while at the same time, the same characters I felt the opposite at different times. The consistency of everything throughout the film was an issue. Overall, this is a good watch that takes a different look through this story, but just has some problems throughout. Rating: 6/10 |
Anna:
Storyline:
Masked behind her looks, a Russian spy disguises as a model to get the information she needs. While this might not had have everything executed perfectly and had more subplots and plot holes than the average film, it was an interesting and innovative take on a normally predictable assassin story. While the whole timing sort of pieced together at the end of the film, it still didn't make sense during the film and even after it was over I was left with many questions. The time jumps would vary back and forth from months to years that wouldn't correlate whatsoever, and while on a whole I understood what happened, I couldn't during the film. The storyline seemed like the typical hitman spy film that we have all seen before, but with this confusing timeline we were given, it somewhat worked for me. Though things didn't always add up or completely make sense, it created its own vibe for the story. The fighting choreography felt choppy, scripted and staged. Every movement felt rehearsed between the characters and never had that believability to them, which was really disappointing because a good half is fighting. Some of the characters/their screen time were pointless to the storyline. Various things didn't add up with them and their purpose was non-existent in both the duration of the film and after the fact. Rating: 6/10 |
Men in Black: International
Storyline:
Agent H is paired with the rookie, Agent M who is enthusiastic about saving the world. They have to defeat the alien that took the life-form of a human to save mankind. Considering I saw this about a month ago and still haven't gotten around to finishing the review means a lot. This was terrible. I genuinely don't think there was one thing I enjoyed about it. Predictable, foreseen, anticipated, unentertaining- to sum it all up, a bad film. Somehow this film managed to create a slow, big development without expressing any exact information about the characters to help the viewers relate or sympathize with the story. Along with that, it was extremely anti-climatic. Not only was I able to predict the ending within the first 5 minutes, but the climax was incredibly rushed. Nothing was accomplished in order to make me feel satisfied with the watch. The humor was far from being categorized as that. Granted, I laughed a couple of times, but it was only because of the poor acting and how uncomfortable things were within each scene. Overall, don't watch this, its just not worth the time. While it's filled with poor acting, terrible special effects and a joke of a plot, I'm saddened it's the latest installment to a creative franchise. Rating: 2/10 |
Road House:
Storyline:
When Dalton is given the job to clean up the rowdiest bar, things don't go as smooth in his personal life as they do in the bar. This isn't something that's critically acclaimed, but its pretty good in its own way by keeping you entertained in a predictable manner. The beginning had a rough start. It was slow and not amusing enough for me to be fully interested, but it hit a turning point and kept a consistent and solid tone throughout the rest of the film. The ending was sweet, it was climatic, action packed, and had depth. It was heavier toward the romantic side of genre, but still had lots of anticipating action to accommodate it. Considering the time this was made, the stunts were realistic and entertaining too. The acting combined with the script are the two biggest issues I had. Not only was every response incredibly dry, but there were interesting characters providing them, which was extremely dissapointing and misleading. If things could have been developed, explained and interacted more, it would have been better. Despite those negatives, this really is a good watch. It has something for everyone in an amusing way. Rating: 7/10 |
Death Wish:
Storyline:
Dr. Paul Kersey is dealing with the aftermath of the robbers who killed his wife and left his daughter in a coma. He becomes obsessed with giving justice and trying to find the people responsible. Keeping in mind this is a remake, it makes me dislike the film even more because it has already been done once before. If you're going to make the story again, try to either top the first one or make it a new, original plot. This wasn't believable whatsoever. Filled with nothing besides incredibly forced acting, blocky dialogue, basic action sequences and a predictable plot. The authenticity of the story and characters was just pathetic. There was minimal effort put into the development of either the storyline or the characters. We found out/knew basically nothing throughout the entire story, which made the ending anticlimactic and dull. That being said, what do we really expect from Bruce Willis though? Its hard to completely loose my interest entirely in a film, and this was pretty close. It never caught my attention altogether and was just filled with too many plot holes to count. Rating: 4/10 |
Inglourious Basterds:
Storyline:
Taking place when Germany has occupied France, it follows a story of a team of Jewish soldiers fighting back against the Nazis and bring down everything affiliated with them. The opening scene was utterly incredible. It established the tone for the rest of the film by setting the anticipating, yet intuitive, breathless feelings from the audience. It's truly captivating throughout the entire film and never looses its touch. One of the reasons I liked this film so much was because of how different it was. While it still had many factors that help create Tarantino's image, it had so much depth. The motto of the group, the plot twists/storyline, the risky boundaries he crosses, and plenty more things that add to this diverse, well made film. As always, the acting and script was spot on. Everyones performance was original. Brad Pitt's character was incredibly raw. The authenticity was correctly presented to the audience, well executed and absolutely controversial in a unique way. The ending was bloody, gory, and climatic. The graphic, natural representation this film brings to life is unlike anything else and it pays off because of it. Rating: 8/10 |
Thelma and Lousie:
Storyline:
Shy housewife Thelma joins her independent friend, Louise on a short getaway. Their trip soon becomes a race from the cops when Louise shoots and kills a man. The acting was great. Every single character had relevance, depth, and most importantly, strong performances. Between the two main characters and their hardy bond, their character conflicts were amazingly shown and represented in a raw, relatable manner. The comedy aspects were a lot funnier than expected. They were dry and not clearly stated, but it made the story more enjoyable and intriguing as it consistently progressed throughout. I really don’t think the film would be as good if it wasn’t for such an unpredictable and unique storyline. Not only was I unable to predict what would happen next, the entire plot kept me on my toes, interested and completely shocked all the way until the end. The way everything was presented to the viewer was nicely done as well. It had smooth and clean transitions paired with a personal feel of directing that never failed to keep me in the loop with the story. Rating: 8/10 |
Bloodsport:
Storyline:
Frank Dux was taken in by a pro martial artist when he was very young and had been trained by him. Following his teacher getting sick, he decides to honor him by fighting in an underground secret martial arts tournament. I don't know what I expected from this movie, but I was definitely was surprised. A low budget, martial arts 80's film is something very different than anything else today period. But, also it was so cheesy. The fight scenes were so outdated, I laughed out loud many times. It was filled with dumb spin kicks or other unrealistic moves followed by a delayed impact every single time. On top of that, the acting was terrible. Every line felt fake and not genuine from every character. Plus, nothing was accomplished in the story either. There was no growth between any relationships. Nothing even happened at the end, basically everything was back to how it was in the beginning of the film. Despite all these negative things, I enjoyed this film. It had terrible acting, fight scenes and plot, but it was generally engaging. Rating: 5/10 |
Tombstone:
Storyline:
In the town of Tombstone, Arizona, tension rises between outlaw cowboys and Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and everyone else they were affiliated with. When it becomes too much to tolerate each other, both sides have a plan. I really enjoyed this film because it has so much going for it, western, action & adventure, gambling, and comedy aspects, plus it was based on true events, which makes it even more interesting that mainly everything had really happened. Each character had depth and something that distinguished them from everyone else that they were surrounded by. It's difficult to even pick a favorite character because everyone was so unique. Scenes with Wyatt Earp's wife (who was a drug addict) were both hilarious and pure in the moment. While on the other side of things, the shoot-out scenes were action packed, entertaining, and realistic. The antagonist was perceived as someone you kind of liked, but shouldn't like. Which was a great development by the screenwriters. He did things that were awful, annoying, and detrimental to the good guys, but the viewer can understand the thought process behind it, with him trying to protect his people. This is an easy-watch, entertaining film that I think everyone would enjoy. Rating: 7.5/10 |
Predator:
Storyline:
In the jungle, numerous bodies have been found skinned and hanging from trees with no evidence of who has done it. Dutch and his team are assigned to destroy the target, which is something no one expected. Being an 80's movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, I wouldn't expect anything else- a weak plot, over the top action, and a crazy villain. The plot wasn't set up for anything special, not going in depth developing any characters or other background information besides their mission, as the predator is the main focus the entire time, which the viewer still doesn't find out any information about him. The action was enjoyable. Even though the beginning scene had terrible special effects and no relevance to the plot, the rest of the action was intriguing and looked realistic, especially for the time it was made. The predator reminds me of basically every alien character made in the 70's and 80's because they're all so similar but entertaining. Then again, what else would you expect from this type of film. Rating: 6.5/10 |
The Gauntlet:
Storyline:
Ben Shockley, a cop who recently has had a rough go about, is assigned to transport a witness in a drug cartel case. Sounds easy enough, until everyone is wanting to kill his witness, and anyone who is with her. This is a classic representation of all Clint movies, but you can't help but love them, as they're predictable, but entertaining and engaging. I think the reason all these movies work out for him is because the viewer can feel the authenticity of the characters. The negativity of the cop mixed with the type- A, overpowering personality of the witness works, and keeps a consistent flow throughout the somewhat believable story. One issue I had with this was the amount of open fire scenes there were. Practically anytime there was a car involved, the police had a mass amount of men to open fire, trying to kill the people inside, which obviously never worked (who has ever killed Clint Eastwood?). But instead of being interesting and creating a common action, it was just a waste of screen time and over the top. Generally, I enjoyed this 70's film that has every aspect that puts it into that genre. Rating: 7/10 |
The Transporter:
Storyline:
Frank Martin is hired to transport packages, and he's done a great job so far, until one day the package begins to move and he opens it, and things fall apart from there. Movies like these are made to be entertaining with action-packed explosions and fight scenes, not a critically acclaimed movie. All Jason Statham movies basically have the same plot- everything is fine, someone wants to kill him, he saves the day, gets the girl, and everything goes back to normal, which is exactly what happened. But these points aren't meant to be negative, they're just the truth. I still enjoy this movie because it keeps your interest throughout the whole thing. Watching this when I was a kid, I thought this was the best special effects I had ever seen, but re-watching it now, obviously they could be better, but this was made in the early 2000's, so they were working with what they had. Some scenes were just so unrealistic, though. For example, when he flawlessly parachutes out of a helicopter or his house being bombed and it being perfectly timed out for his escape, which could just be because he's Jason Statham, but who knows. Like I said before, this isn't set out to be an award winning film, so this adds to the enjoyability of the film. Overall, it could have been better, but it is entertaining and action packed, and you wouldn't expect anything else from Jason Statham. Rating: 6/10 |
Bumblebee:
Storyline:
When Bumblebee is sent from the Autobot alliance to seek refuge on Earth, he settled on a small beach town. When Charlie finds him, she realizes he’s not just a Volkswagen. It’s no news that the Transformer franchise is not the best, but this film was so bad, it made the others look great. Everything about this was terrible. The storyline was incredibly predictable to the point where I could guess the next words of basically every character. On top of the predictability, it was super cheesy as well. Which brings me to my next issue, the characters. First thing, the acting was uncomfortable, awkward and fake. Not one character had development either. Everyone had a different personality basically every time you saw them, with no details that expressed their changes, especially the protagonist, Charlie. The whole film was expressing how she was depressed, always irritated with her family and so on. Then magically, one day she loved them, with no clues of development anywhere. The CGI was disappointing. The beginning scenes made it feel almost like you were in a video game, and the rest felt like sketches that were drawn in a couple of minutes and placed on a green screen. I wouldn’t mind the video game feel of the CGI, if they continued it throughout the whole film, but they didn’t. It’s safe to say I strongly disliked this movie, have no idea how critics are giving it good reviews, and is honestly one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Rating: 2/10 |
Overlord:
Storyline:
When World War II soldiers are dropped off in France, they learn that there are bigger things going on than just the war, in underground experiments. Obviously, this isn’t an award winning film or was it set to be one, but I definitely thought it had more potential. The storyline was all over the place. There were many holes where things didn’t piece together or had gaps of information. While at the same time, there were alternate storylines that took away from the point of the story, and left the viewers with an unorganized plot, which was extremely disappointing because this idea could have turned into something really interesting. Another issue I had was with the development of the protagonist. The whole film he was wimpy, hated violence, disagreed with the war, etc., only to immediately change, with no details that showed his development. In the trailer, it looked like this could be somewhat scary, but it wasn’t at all. There was not a point where I was scared from either anticipation or jump scares. I think if it were more scary, it would have been better and tied everything together. Given that this was a “B” movie, I think it was generally entertaining for the viewers who are not so focused on the quality of the movie, rather they’re focused on the action & adventure and horror aspects. Rating: 5/10 |
Point Break:
While I am the biggest fan of Keanu Reeves, this movie is still a classic.
Storyline: When federal agent Johnny Utah goes undercover, he infiltrates a group of unstoppable bank robbers, “The Ex Presidents” lead by surfer, Bodhi. After Utah gets involved in their crowd, he is torn on what he should do. One of the things that makes this movie so good is the difference in characters. Utah is a high strong football player who thinks he knows best, but has to bond with the free spirited Bodhi, who loves surfing and the trill of robbing banks. The two characters are completely different, but end up having to work together. Every character is acted well and has a story behind who they are. The storyline effortlessly flowed. It has the action and anticipation of a heist movie, with the development of a drama. Every aspect combined makes you want to watch it again and again. Rating: 8/10 |
Mile 22:
Storyline:
CIA agent James Silva leads a small, but skilled team into a transportation mission of only 22 miles. When they are ambushed, they are on a race against time. It is safe to say that this was an embarrassment for anyone who was a part of creating it. Honestly, just about everything was terrible, had minimum effort from everyone involved, and most of all, is incredibly not entertaining. The plot was overly predictable. Judging from the trailer, the best parts were featured within those few minutes and also showcased the entire storyline. Having nothing feel realistic or in the moment, the fighting choreography, directing, and action felt as staged as you could get. The performances were weak, awkward, and uncomfortable. Every party involved was unsteady, which made for a film that not only felt unprepared, but created an overwhelming vibe that no one cared about whether or not it was good. Feeling as though it was everyone’s first time reading their lines and not showing any emotion, teamed with a poorly executed film and bad storytelling, Mile 22 is a waste of time. 2/10
2/10
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Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Storyline:
Three years after the Jurassic World theme park closes, Owen and Claire go on a rescue mission to save the dinosaurs that are soon to be destroyed. If there is any chance for Hollywood to make money on yet another installment of the Jurassic Park series (or any household name for that matter), they’ll take it. But, by being the fifth film in a franchise that should have ended long ago, they keep getting worse, losing all the heart to the story. Judging from the trailers, it looked like the best parts of the film were shown in those clips. And, shocker, they were. Having the entire plot showcased within the three minute trailer, nothing was unique or even enjoyable, instead it was foreseeable and dull-witted. With this, from the first scene there was no excitement to continue. Following a submarine extraction from within the closed section of the destructed park, the unvarying emotions from the lines delivered set the tacky and basic tone that unfortunately the rest of the film followed. Leading to Chris Pratt saving the world once again, it was obvious for movie goers and non-movie goers alike how it would go. From then on out, it was filled with nothing more than non-realistic and unbelievable scenes that had me checking my watch more than once. While this is somewhat enjoyable for its screen time, it doesn’t deserve a second watch, nor does it leave you thinking about it once its done. 3/10
5/10
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12 Strong:
Storyline:
In an untold true story, after the attacks on 9/11, U.S. Special Forces, Captain Mitch Nelson leads a team into Afghanistan where they take down the Taliban. My first and prominent problem, among many that I have with this film, is Chris Hemsworth’s accent. Attempting to provide an American accent, he brutally failed. Becoming half Australian, half American, just about every other word was noticeably different. While not sounding like a huge deal, in the grand scheme of things, it takes a major halt to the flow of the film. Ruining the authenticity of this war story, while the protagonist was inconsistent with not only his speech, the rest of his actions and/or mannerisms never transcribed to the feeling of a war film. Films such as these are normally intricate, dedicated, and motivated to showcase uncanny moments within, and I can’t say the same about this. Due to the lack of raw emotions and effort from the screenwriters, the audience never learns the struggles of this story. Having these characteristics be portrayed by telling and not showing, 12 Strong doesn’t use its resources in the way it should have, resulting in a rough plot and unbelievable film. Classified as a Drama/Action war film, that’s a far stretch – this has no aspects of pure drama, no relevant action, and the only thing war about this is the title. With too much going on at once and too many sub plots/plot holes to count, this was a Hollywood money grab rather than anything meaningful or worthwhile. 4/10
4/10
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Baby Driver:
Storyline:
Baby is a music loving, skilled get-away driver who is ready to leave his life of crime after one last job, before it’s too late. One of the best aspects, if not the best, is the soundtrack. Each and every song is meticulously sorted to fit perfectly in tune with every moment. While making the anticipation run high, the raw rollercoaster of emotions portrayed and transferred to the audience is connected with the help of the brilliant music. With the first moment on screen, it starts with a bang, and sets the tone for the rest of the plot to follow. Easily matching the vibe of each individualized and mysterious character is seamless. Putting the audience on the edge of their seat, the compelling and heart-racing vibe is utterly compelling. In spite of the star power of a cast, no one steals the show, instead each finds their place to compliment everyone else. Filled with dimension and intricate details that come upon the more times you watch, each character is as fulfilling are they are relevant. Baby Driver is a brilliant mix of Comedy, Action & Adventure and Crime. Between the intricate car chases and following the life of a unique protagonist, this is a breath of fresh air within the film world. Being a much needed and well executed change from every other adaptation now-a-days, you can’t go wrong with this film. 9/10
9/10
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