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wesorinson
Reviews
The Final (2010)
Finally a revenge of the nerds sequel I can relate to
I was quite surprised to see this movie came out in 2010 since I'd never heard of it until I saw a clip of it on tiktok. The high school bullying that takes place in this film was relatable. In contrast the planning that was done to entrap the "popular" bully kids was somewhat far-fetched. I knew many kids who were pushed around in school but never so much as to warrant this sort of wrath. I was genuinely impressed with the quality of the acting, and screen writing. However, getting high school age cast might have been a bit more believable. If you're looking for a modern movie trying to force an LBGT sort of vibe, this isn't it.
I truly hope kids will see this movie as a sort of "what-not-to-do " example. If you're being bullied, speak up, if you're made to go to a school where you are unsafe, switch schools or get home-schooling. If you're a bully, stop and think for a moment how you will be remembered in hell.
Blackbird (2022)
Appalling plot and painful spy movie cliche's
I've not seen other Michael Flatley films so I had no pre-conceived ideas of his acting or writing. I was horribly disappointed by the sheer lack of effort this movie makes to provide any sort of entertainment. The only saving throw was the one marginal nude scene where the young girl attempts to throw herself at the main character, and he refuses her! No self respecting James Bond would ever turn down such a magnificent young woman. Of course there's a card game where the Eric Roberts character banters with Flatley and it is so monumentally uninteresting as to nearly put the viewer into a coma. I really wanted to like this one, but please take my word for it and rewatch any James Bond movie or Austin Powers instead. Or if you want a really good spy romp try In Like Flint with James Coburn. This Blackbird flick was just awful.
The Magician's Elephant (2023)
Wholesome and well written story.
I really loved this movie. The story follows a young orphan boy who only has an old soldier to care for him. Our hero Peter squanders a coin given for his daily rations to visit a fortune teller who gives a clue about how to find his long lost sister (who is presumed dead from the war.) After being given a cryptic clue about where to find her, elsewhere a mediocre magician is so exasperated by the apathy of his audience he conjures an elephant. Upon hearing that there is an elephant in town, Peter rushes to see it in hopes of finding his sister. But instead he sees an animal that has been ripped from its home and he feels empathy for the giant pachyderm and they become friends. In order for Peter to free the elephant, he must complete three "impossible tasks." A determined Peter pushes himself to the limits to prevail. The animation is superb, the voice casting is excellent and the story is straight out of a fairy-tale. This one is great for young children and old folks alike. It sparks the imagination.
The Tape (2021)
A return to music and love
We see Tally, the inept housekeeper, drawn to an old piano and she is reminded of the music she used to make. She finds a book of poetry and is further inspired to use this time to produce a tour-de-force tape as a tribute to the poet. Leo is a corporate lawyer who needs a break from the legal world. While the movie is fairly predictable, each character plays a critical role in helping to make Tally and Leo both understand where their true priorities are in their own topsy-turvy lives. I really loved the music, it was very Tori Amos-like and anyone who likes this style of avant-garde songs will certainly love this movie. The story easily carries meaning to anyone who has ever had doubts or fears about following through on their dreams in life.
Amor Emanuelle (2023)
This is not the Emanuelle of past movies.
Amor Emanuelle is a less than mediocre sexploitation film that uses the Name Emanuelle to entice viewers who have seen previous titles with that name. This movie is quite disappointing however. This movie does have some reasonably attractive cast members who do a fair job of acting, but even good acting cannot manage to pull this film into an actual plot situation. The main character is easily manipulated into both lesbian and straight romantic situations, but the viewer has to imagine any real images of lovemaking. In fact there is so very little "adult" content that they could have easily made this a G rated movie.