And that's saying something! It's full of forgettable human caricatures that you couldn't care less about because their characters are never developed. You are simply told what it is you are to believe about them, just because
The plot is jumpy and full of logical disconnects you are suppose to believe, just because.
As the audience one gets the very real impression the creators of this disaster think you are an unmitigated mix of stupid and gullible, and just want to get away with blowing 125 million of Disney's money and stealing 90 minutes of your life.
Reviews
11 Reviews
Hellion
(2014)
Good . . . American . . . cinema.
8 September 2019
As a foreigner traveling in America, I would classify this as . . .exemplary Amercian Cinema. The inclusion of guns and authority issues noted. But this is raw, truthful American cinema; no Hollywood/Disney fluff.
This is the purest kind of family tauma about the remnants of a family trying to stay together. Again, the "Amercicanisms" of guns and violence and famly dysfunctionality overlooked, this is just good American drama. Kudos to the cast and writers.
Good Boys
(2019)
Managed to surprise, in a good way
16 August 2019
If you were expecting a non-stop raunch-fest carried on the backs of 3 tweens you'll be disappointed. If you're looking to virtue-signal you'll have to do some stretching. The trailer was more of a non-stop laugh fest and they did fire off some of their big guns there. But the trailer was creative enough it doesn't give away too much of the movie.
Yes, there is drugs and alcohol and swearing. It is not "academy award" but there was some good acting and some comedic timing that had me laughing so hard I had to grab a tissue. There's parts that are raunchy but not in an over-the-top way and parts that are corny.
But there's an underlying story here that anyone who didn't grow up in a nunnery will probably identify with in some way, and some good messages about the nature of growing up and the effect it has on friendships.
It was a good purchase and good entertainment.
It was a good purchase and good entertainment.
Low Tide
(2012)
A movie that both deserves and begs to be watched at double-speed
19 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I really don't know what this movie was. It seemed lacking in theme, plot, motivation, direction, intent, character development, motion, and artistic device. It's random events from a bored and neglected boy's life. The mother is absent and unavailable. The boy does the housework. while she works all day and parties all night. The most meaningful dialogue happens in a bingo game 45 minutes in. The most action happens when he accompanies her to work at a nursing home and they fold a sheet together.
He eventually drinks some laundry detergent and ends up in the hospital.
She finally pays attention to him by taking him for a beach outing and they hug.
The end.
You don't even see a low tide, but something sure stinks like one. Actually no, I take that back. If it stunk, that would be something.
You don't even see a low tide, but something sure stinks like one. Actually no, I take that back. If it stunk, that would be something.
Incredibles 2
(2018)
Not as good as the first
1 January 2019
Still acceptable and watchable, but the "victimhood identity group" is getting to be a VERY old message popping up to "Kathleen Kennedy" a lot of films.
I didn't find it nearly as painful to watch as say, the latest Star Wars, the unequal treatment of the characters was evident. The lead female roles (Helen, Violet) conintued to developed, but the lead male roles were all stuck spinning their wheels.
I'm not adverse to a strong female role or a female villain (which are some of cinematic history's best villains!). But just reversing gender roles doesn't fly any better than in GhostBusters II.
Incredibles II ran well when "oppression group" dynamic was kept to a low rumble. But when it popped up with a vengeance at the end, the flow seemed rushed and disjointed, and this led to the ending manifesting as too contrived for my liking.
Still a good watch if you can overlook the flow of the ending. It was really nice to see Etna back again. If there's an Incredibles III it would be nice to see her play a larger supporting role, and to see the identity politics sidelined. Women can be strong . . . without forcing an almost total role-reversal.
I didn't find it nearly as painful to watch as say, the latest Star Wars, the unequal treatment of the characters was evident. The lead female roles (Helen, Violet) conintued to developed, but the lead male roles were all stuck spinning their wheels.
I'm not adverse to a strong female role or a female villain (which are some of cinematic history's best villains!). But just reversing gender roles doesn't fly any better than in GhostBusters II.
Incredibles II ran well when "oppression group" dynamic was kept to a low rumble. But when it popped up with a vengeance at the end, the flow seemed rushed and disjointed, and this led to the ending manifesting as too contrived for my liking.
Still a good watch if you can overlook the flow of the ending. It was really nice to see Etna back again. If there's an Incredibles III it would be nice to see her play a larger supporting role, and to see the identity politics sidelined. Women can be strong . . . without forcing an almost total role-reversal.
Pete's Dragon
(2016)
Nice
4 September 2016
This movie . . is nice. The story; nice. Special effects; quite nice. Redford; classy nice. Howard; noice! Nice directing in getting the young actors' realistic performance against a co-star who existed only in post-production. And nice talent-find on the kids. They've got good prospects. Even the ""villain"" is nice. Perhaps too nice. (Any villain from Walt's day would have eaten him for lunch and used his pore misguided redneck bones for toothpicks!)
But perhaps the nicest thing of all is Disney Studio's decision to do away with Walt's annoying habit of always including morals, ethics and life-lessons that led to many after-discussions with the kids about things that truly mattered in life. Entertainment should be just that -- sweet and pre-mushed like a Gerber dessert that one doesn't have to work on a lot to digest. None of this 3-course, home- made stuff Walt foisted on us, peppering even what was called a "marginal success" peppered with notions like the true nature of friendship and love (the song "It's Not Easy"), commitment to a loved one and keeping hope in times of despair ("Candle on the Water"), finding joy in everyday tasks ("Brazzle Dazzle Day"), tolerance, consideration for others ("There's Room for Everyone in this World") and the difference between loving someone and just using them ("Bill of Sale"). It was . . . nice . . . of Disney Studios to go to such lengths to make sure our pure entertainment was not sullied by these things that we as a society have so obviously out-grown. :P
To be fair, it's a good "post-modern" entertainment event. But that's all it is. One could easily imagine Walt approving the movie as a nice beginning but asking them how they were going to flesh it out to make it a "complete meal".
But perhaps the nicest thing of all is Disney Studio's decision to do away with Walt's annoying habit of always including morals, ethics and life-lessons that led to many after-discussions with the kids about things that truly mattered in life. Entertainment should be just that -- sweet and pre-mushed like a Gerber dessert that one doesn't have to work on a lot to digest. None of this 3-course, home- made stuff Walt foisted on us, peppering even what was called a "marginal success" peppered with notions like the true nature of friendship and love (the song "It's Not Easy"), commitment to a loved one and keeping hope in times of despair ("Candle on the Water"), finding joy in everyday tasks ("Brazzle Dazzle Day"), tolerance, consideration for others ("There's Room for Everyone in this World") and the difference between loving someone and just using them ("Bill of Sale"). It was . . . nice . . . of Disney Studios to go to such lengths to make sure our pure entertainment was not sullied by these things that we as a society have so obviously out-grown. :P
To be fair, it's a good "post-modern" entertainment event. But that's all it is. One could easily imagine Walt approving the movie as a nice beginning but asking them how they were going to flesh it out to make it a "complete meal".
If movies could be likened to gemstones . . .
2 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
. . . this would be one cut by an amateur not realizing the stone's true potential. It's hardly polished at all; and is mounted in a setting wrought from an old tin cup. Between poor writing, dropped plot-lines (the sunglasses), 2-dimensional "cardboard cut-out" support characters and unnecessary sub-plots (the nerd and his faulty fuel gauge) . . . critics will find ample fodder to shoot this production down. But I rated it a 5 because it dared to tackle the uber mega taboo topic of the toxic femme. In a post-feministic culture where men are pigs and women are the saintly victims with excuses, this is a topic that needs more brave production crews tackling it. It is an "accepted factoid" that only 1/3 of convicted child sex offenders are female. But this doesn't consider aspects of the young male ego that would refuse to see such an assault by a woman as "abuse" to be reported . . . but rather as a boasting point of the boy's precocious sexual prowess (as the lead character notes, or as seen in the mostly forgotten Letourneau case where to this day the then-12-yr-old boy refuses to see himself as a victim). Only a fraction of actual assaults against boys by women go reported, and only a fraction of these go on to prosecution. And even then it takes considerable grooming and coaching to have a boy present himself in court as "the victim".The main theme of this movie is the kidnapping and alleged sexual assault of a boy by a "troubled" woman. Both of the lead roles are performed skillfully enough to carry the story. The sub- story of the antagonist's being the result of her own toxic mother "spewing her venom" all over the home so the father quietly leaves, is adequately integrated. But the part about the "educational abuse" of boys by feministic teachers (while a prevalent social problem) is dropped on us with all the tact of a turd in the punch bowl. As in "Whoa! Where did that come from??". These are all issues that while very prevalent in our society, are taboo to discuss -- let alone make a movie about. But they are issues we need to stop sweeping under the rug. This movie has value. But it is a value that has been squandered on poor writing/production. Here's hoping more effective productions bringing light to these themes are in the wings.
The Jungle Book: The Adventures of Mowgli
(1989–2020)
A superior work of anime, both visuals and story
29 October 2011
If you've like the Disney adaptations of Rudyard Kiplings works but wish they had delved deeper, this series is for you. It takes it to the next level, opening up a depth in the various characters that makes one wonder why this series in English has remained so rare and hard to find. Young Mowgli, adopted by the wolves and never knowing anything of himself save as a wolf, learns to live according to the Laws of the Jungle; struggling with the fact that he is also "a hateful human". A fact apparently backed up in the few humans he encounters. Yet are all humans mean and hateful? Mowgli is a human with a human heart that the animals often don't understand and he lives in peace with the Jungle according to its laws. He finds that his lack of claws and fangs and speed is more than made up for by his inventiveness and ingenuity as he rises to become one of the Jungle's greatest hunters and champions.
A wonderful tale of self-discovery, community, honour, duty, coming of age, and coming to terms with the darker sides of the Human Condition. A warning to parents of younger children: the show depicts fluffy animals being taken down in hunts, main characters getting hurt, and even the death of a beloved main character. But it is skillfully done. The intent is to gently teach young minds and not to shock or sensationalize/desensitize. While it does come out of a different time and culture that is very patriarchal and the series is most definitely "shonen" it is wonderful to see a female wolf as one of the pack's most promising hunters and a female wolf leading one of the packs encountered. I heartily recommend to both the young and the young-at-heart.
A wonderful tale of self-discovery, community, honour, duty, coming of age, and coming to terms with the darker sides of the Human Condition. A warning to parents of younger children: the show depicts fluffy animals being taken down in hunts, main characters getting hurt, and even the death of a beloved main character. But it is skillfully done. The intent is to gently teach young minds and not to shock or sensationalize/desensitize. While it does come out of a different time and culture that is very patriarchal and the series is most definitely "shonen" it is wonderful to see a female wolf as one of the pack's most promising hunters and a female wolf leading one of the packs encountered. I heartily recommend to both the young and the young-at-heart.
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