Flunky3k Reviews

Rohan at the Louvre (2023)

A wonderful Rohan mystery

[8/10 · 17 October 2023]

Rohan

The movie, like this TV series, punches well above is budget for quality and enjoyment.

The simple and artful direction, camera work, costumes, and acting create an aesthetic that honors manga and artistic pursuit.

The actors interactions and dialog imbue the personalities of their characters and lift the writing to life. Patient dialog and camera shots bring a methodical presence to the mystery revealing plot.

One gets the sense the crew and cast love their work, as the creativity, detail and care is evident. While the budgets for special effects and sets are clearly limited, the careful use of locations, costumes, and visual aesthetic more than make up for it.

The gentle, and minimalist story telling results in a wonderfully pleasant experience. And I hope all involved are able to continue these stories.

The Amazing Bulk (2012 Video)

An insult to the viewer and bad cinema

[1/10 · 24 December 2018]

Many of us enjoy a genuine effort to make a movie that results in a hot mess. Part of the sadistic joy is recognizing many diligent months if not years were poured into the work, only to fall gloriously short.

This movie flips the story. Luring you into the promise of a genuine Z movie, but instead is an extraordinarily lazy, pathetic, painful effort to pump out something straight to ignominious glory. This is not Birdemic. This is not the Miami Connection. It's just crap for crap's sake. Not worthy of dishonorable mention. Just indifference.

Iron Fist (2017–2018)

David Wenham is amazing

[1/10 · 28 December 2017]

In an otherwise atrocious series, David Wenham miraculously rises above the moronic material - delivering an acting master class. He owns the over the top dialog and scenes. An Emmy award deserving effort. Turning turds of material into diamonds of bravado.

Otherwise, I feel for many of the actors who must fight thru TV Batman type dialog and action. But only Wenhan, like Cesar Romero as the Joker, elevates the preposterous role into an art form. I can only hope some youtube clip compiles his sublime achievements into a magnificent montage.

Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)

A Labor Day Classic

[9/10 · 4 September 2017]

While this movie is clearly well regarded, been awarded, and many reviews left here on IMDb praising its virtues, I am ashamed to say I only just watched this. 41 years after its production. I was too young to be aware of it when this was released. But I suspect this timeless piece is as powerful and inspirational today as it when it first came out. And its message was gladly received by my older self, and my teenage son. My thanks to FilmStruck for highlighting it.

It is safe to say many of us are loosely aware of the harsh conditions, mistreatment, and struggles of miners. This movie fearlessly and beautifully shows their families and community in closeup and caring detail. I am awed and humbled by their strength, love of family and grounded decency. When we hear "Make America Great Again" we are probably attracted to the spirit of these people, and those laborers, soldiers, men, women, minorities, and unprivileged people who built and defined this nation. And it feels all the more egregious to see it co-opted by politicians whose life of absurd privilege are far removed from this world. It is sad that the struggles and sacrifices as documented in the film, and won against steep odds, are ill appreciated, celebrated, and sustained.

This gritty documentary should be the Labor Day complement to It's a Wonderful Life for Christmas. A annual broadcast reminder of the spirit, struggles, and unresolved problems of the laborer. Unquestionably conditions and legal rights have improved in the following decades. But the disparity of pay, benefits, and empowerment remain. Corporations have too often found less confrontational means to achieve the ends.

I am blessed to be free of most of these struggles myself. Through good fortune. Through parents and immigrant grand parents who worked hard and sacrificed to make a better future for me. This movie showed to me the personal side of this for people who may superficially seem different, but share the same hopes and ideals. And in them we can be reminded of the greatness of this country and the true unfinished work which remains to make it better for all.

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (2015)

Sign me up

[5/10 · 2 August 2015]

Shameless Camp is in session. Undeniably a vehicle whose parts are much greater than the whole, and whose making was probably more fun than watching. A fluffy, escapist binge watch.

The best moments are one on one where the actors can rise above the material. Amy Poehler and John Slattery - you two are adorable together. Get a series already. Bradley Cooper and Michael Ian Black - you two are adorable together. Get a room already. Jon Hamm and Christopher Meloni in an epic kitchen battle. Elizabeth Banks and Nurse Nancy. Elizabeth Banks and a halter top.

Bubble gum entertainment with a parade of talent who all seem to get a moment to show why we love them on screen. Many times the loose, quick, over the top juvenile shtick wears very thin. But the name "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" says it all. It's all it promised to be.

So next time, sign me up.

Snowpiercer (2013)

A Distopian Miracle

[8/10 · 18 July 2014]

Firstly, I cannot believe this movie was allowed to be made. A US science fiction action film with Korean main characters and dialog with a French art house film for a Seoul. This film is more La Jetée than Captain America or Elysium.

After mankind's seemingly ultimate ecological catastrophuck plunges the world in to an ice age trying to combat global warming, the last remnants of humanity are left on metaphoric train which is a microcosm of the history of civilization and societal flaws.

Each car moving from the beginning of society (end of the train) is a step thru its development. From the caves, to barbarism, feudalism, enlightenment, engineering, medicine, hedonism, and ultimately hubris. Civilization is running on rails, all aboard trapped physically and mentally. Plowing thru the perceived barriers even as its is surrounded by its own wasteland going nowhere. If we just stick to the plan, and accept the exploitation and sacrifices to humanity, the greater good will be obtained. The order is eternal and necessary the leader says.

Is there a hope that a peasants revolt, a socialistic overthrow of the order will bring hope and equality? Well, no. The revolt brings on an avalanche knocking the train and civilization of the track and destruction of what little remained. We are left with the bleak prospect of a return Adam and Eve. At least she might be in charge this time. But ultimately nature goes on. Even the endangered polar bear out survived our folly. And we are left with realization there is nothing eternal, fair, or bright about civilizations prospects. The train was always going to go off the cliff.

At least that's my rough take.

Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge (1924)

True Epic and Historic insight

[7/10 · 1 September 2013]

Impressive sets, costumes, and action highlight this 2 hour conclusion. The surprisingly good restoration was available for both parts on Netflix.

In some ways I suspect intentional and not, the movie subtext lays out the cultural flaws of the German/Austrian people following World War 1. The Burgundian oath upheld despite treachery and infanticide to the point of self destruction. An overwhelming need for revenge with no compromise or limit to the cost of obtaining it.

I imagine Fritz Lang and his co-writer wife sought to emphasize these faults following the war, which leads to the mutual destruction of the entire lot of Burgundy characters. Curiously the result ennobles both sides.

The non Germanic characters are grubby, disfigured, inferior animals. Only the extremes of pride, honor and infighting seem to hold the Germanic kingdom back. Within this subtext, one might see omens for the world that would be realized less than 15 years later.

The resulting film shares the same fault of its characters. Excessive pride, honor and nationalism despite the destruction and failure it had wrought. It is a vast epic and well made. But more importantly, a view of the cultural undercurrents that undermined the treaties from the war to end all wars.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Classic that holds up

[8/10 · 7 April 2013]

Saw this in 3D and while the 3D is mostly good, the movie itself is what holds up. No new CGI that I noticed. But good plot and film making hold up in the theater forever.

I was reminded just how great Richard Attenborough is in the movie. His acting is charming, poignant and luminous. It's a shame his performance is so over shadowed by the dinosaurs and story. You wish there was a prequel for his character to really dominate.

Unfortunately I remember how little I miss Jeff Goldblum on screen as well. If he weren't in the sequel, they could have used the new release to have him savagely eaten.

Great fun and something parents and their kids will enjoy equally. A popcorn masterpiece.