Change Your Image
renman2000
Reviews
The Last Duel (2021)
Lackluster period drama with a great finish
While an interesting period piece, this was not Scott's best work. It really suffers a lack of pacing. Telling the same story from 3 different points of view can quickly become repetitive and boring if not handled well and this movie suffers from it.
I was surprised to hear Ridley Scott complain that it didn't perform well because of kids on their cellphones. Kids aren't going to a period drama. The movie suffered from the pandemic, lack of advertising, and being dull.
The best part of this movie is the duel at the end. An excellent example of medieval combat performed well by Damon and Driver.
The Killer (2023)
A plodding mess you can just skip.
What a disappointment for Fincher fans. This film lacked any of the intelligence or creative storytelling we expect from the guy who gave us Seven and Fight Club.
The Killer is a very straightforward revenge story. The problem is we don't get enough narrative to make us care. Who is the girl to him? What is the history?
Instead, goes on his mission of retribution just checking off boxes and we plod along with him as he drones on in his monotone voiceover. Even when he reaches the top, he just stops and lets the guy off the hook.
It is very understandable why this is on Netflix and not out in theaters.
Black Lightning: Painkiller (2021)
Great episode!
This is probably one of the best back door pilots I have seen. It tied in well to the main series while still standing on its own. Looks like it had really great potential. Too bad HBO didn't pick it up after the CW dropped it. I think it would have been a good fit. Painkiller/Khalil Payne was the best character to come out of Black Lightning. Hope Jordan Calloway gets a chance to bring his character back to life.
This season of Black Lightning has really been a struggle to get through, especially the Lynn Stewart character, but this episode was one of the best of the season. I think Painkiller would have been a good addition to the Arrowverse.
Blackhat (2015)
Very Disappointing
You would think a Michael Mann movie with Chris Hemsworth and Viola Davis would be at least watchable, but no.
While the computer elements were handled realistically, the movie suffers from a poor scriot and horrible direction.
The first half hour is mostly bad CGI of how computers work and fake news broadcasts about hacking events. Our star is on screen a whole 5 minutes at this point.
Bad editing and sound are a problem as well, not to mention a sex scene that seems to come out of nowhere.
I gave up trying to get through the rest of this movie. I can usually watch even the worst B grade movies all the way through, but this was just dull with no redeeming values.
Wu Assassins (2019)
Weak martial arts show
This show is really just a bunch of martial art fights strung together by a weak story that just makes no sense.
Kai supposedly trains in the other world, but they don't show any of it. It seems ridiculous when he is able to fight off the elements when we have no idea how it works. How can a guy take flying rocks to the chest but not withstand a few punches?
I actually did make it to the end, although it was a struggle, and the ending was the worst. Kai is warned the the 5 coming together would be the end of everything. What happens? Bad guy just wants to go back in time to his family. Kai still follows him there and kills him even though he no longer had his powers. Kai kept saying he was not a murderer but it sure didn't last.
The whole backstory seemed rushed. Let's not get too deep and just get to the fighting.
The only bright spot was ep7 which was directed by Katheryn Winnick, who also plays CG in the show.
Away from Her (2006)
Well acted piece of garbage
Even a stellar cast of actors can't help this completely rose-colored story about a couple facing Alzheimers. Really, it hardly resembles Alzheimers. When Fiona is left at Meadowlake she acts pefectly normal with the exception of knowing her husband. It's more like amnesia than Alzheimers. Except she is later able to remember her husband reading to her. That is not how it works.
Then we have the sportscaster who can call a game live and walks around fine, but is supposedly on the 2nd floor with those that need full time care.
Worse thing is the ending. Fiona has a moment of clarity and it just ends? What happened with Grant and Marian? Did she move in with Grant so that Aubrey could go back in the home?
This was a really disappointing, sappy look at a horrible disease and the immaturity in the writing and directing really shows.
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Uninspired rehash of the original
If you have seen the original Mary Poppins don't bother with this one because you know how it goes. While the threat of losing their home is a different way to set the story in motion, all the major plot points are the same.
Mary floats in when the wind picks up? Check.
Song about imagination while cleaning up and pulling stuff out of your carpetbag? Check.
Sing and dance with animated penguins? Check.
Touching ballad while putting kids to sleep? Check.
Kids get yelled at by dad for causing trouble at the bank? Check.
Go to a Poppins relative to party on the ceiling? Check.
Big dance number with chimney sweeps? Nope! Lamplighters this time. Thats different, right?
Everyone goes to a park at the end and flies a kite? Ha! It's balloons! Sooo different!
What is different is an extremely suggestive cabaret-style number that obviously earned them the PG rating.
Emily Blunt does a great job as Mary Poppins and the kids are super, but everything else just falls flat.