borimor Reviews

Black Mirror: Playtest (2016) Season 3, Episode 2

Technology as an escape from reality - another profound episode by Black Mirror

[9/10 · 28 October 2016]

This is my second episode I watched this season, I believe that the best way to watch Black Mirror, is to see one episode every week; only then, you can really understand the message in each episode. Part of the fun, is to have a discussion about the implications of technology through the episode. I believe that, Black Mirror, is essential tool for the modern people, to look at themselves in the mirror - and what unsightly appearance it will be.

This season, it's feel, it's more 'close to earth', however, it's no less scary. This episode is about an goodness American traveler (Cooper), who travel all around the world. Very quickly, we understand, that he escape mostly from himself. He gets many calls from his mom, but he never answered or called her back. The technology give us the ability to connect with our loved ones, no matter where we are, but still Cooper didn't used it. In other words, technology give us an illusion of closeness, but it actually separates us from one another - it's much more easy to say no to your mom, if something come between you - like silver screen.

Like gambling, porn, drugs and alcohol - technology allows us to escape from reality, concern ourselves and repress our problems, but it's not help us to solve our problems, only increases it, and eventually, like with many addicts, the inevitable happen, it's explode - for Cooper, it's happens, in the end of new gaming system he participate. Through Cooper experience, we understand, there is no substitute for personal communication. We do not live forever, and in the end, we will regret about all the times we wasted on soulless devices, and not with the people who really love us.

Like with many Black Mirror episode, the end is brutal: in the game, Cooper come back home, only to see his mom suffer from Alzheimer's and didn't remember his face, it's drive him crazy and he dead, but unfortunately in real life. This's what the technology do to us, transforms us to zombies, physically we are still human, but inside, we are dead.

The Monster Squad (1987)

Cult movie but one big mess

[4/10 · 22 October 2016]

Not doubt, that this a movie have the tag "cult movie" all over is forehead; the strange plot, the wink to classic horror characters/movies & the box-office failure.

For me, it's bad cult movie, just like many films before. The movie is one big mess, for example, it's hard to understand the motives and the actions of the heroes - The Monster Squad - many time it's not make sense. The same villain can be very weak and very strong at the same time, and like the heroes, you didn't understand their decision making. Also it's a child movie or adult movie? I never seen such a confusing movie, there's violence, sexual comments and bad language, but the plot and the characters are childish.

Some people will enjoy the movie, and the producer choose few good decision, for instance, shorten the movie to less than 90 min. I think, the movie have a potential for sequel, with new cast.

In conclusion, it's not the The Goonies.

4/10

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998 Video)

Respected sequel to the best animation movie ever

[7/10 · 20 October 2016]

It's hard to compere yourself to the first Lion King movie, this's probably the reason why IMDb rating is a little low. It's still one of the best Disney sequel I ever seen. There's nothing to be a shame off, I believe that most Lion King fans will love this film. This time, the inspiration for this movie is the story Romeo and Juliet- the tragedy written by the great William Shakespeare- nothing new here, but still done very well.

Our beloved characters are still hear, only without Scar and the Hyenas. The new villain are enjoyable, I love Nuka the most, he only want his mother (Zira) affection and not matter how much he try, it's doesn't work. I love story between Kiara and Nala (style Romeo and Juliet), we seen more from Rafiki, Pumbaa and Timon and of course adult Simba.

The songs are wonderful, even for non-sequel movies, no Elton John, but they pick great singers for the movie- maybe the biggest surprise.

It's true, the movie don't have the same pace and charm, as the first one, but it's entertainment, with a lot of references to the first movie. The sequel bring honor to the 1994 classic film. Lion King fans will love this one, if they give the movie the chance it deserve.

7.5/10

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016)

Same movie with disappointing casting

[5/10 · 20 October 2016]

We start with the bottom line, there's no big difference between this movie and the first one. The Neighbors movie is a sightly better because of the last part. In this movie they replace the male sorority with a female sorority, I personalty think, that using female sorority for the second movie, is almost inevitable, you need to changed something, bring fresh "food" to the table. Actually the movie had a lot more potential but the casting of the new female characters are disappointing and uninspired. Also, there is no chemistry between them. I thought, which females sorority character I wanted to seen in the next Neighbors movie? and the answer is none of them. Nicholas Stoller, the director, is the blame for this one.

Stoller do the right decision to keep Zac Efron character, who played the silly, childhood grown men, with a lot of charisma and heart. His character, Teddy, manages to evoke sympathy from the viewer and been funny in the same time. Also, once again, Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne work great together.

There's some good jokes in the movie, and most of the time the director agenda didn't hurt the humor and the plot in the movie. I really love some of the jokes, about the double standards (and some less, the tampon scene were too much), it's work fine, until the last part of the film, that is anti-climax and just not funny. There are many talk about feminist agenda in the film, it's half true analyze, because many viewer miss some of jokes about the double standards against males and even jokes about the contemporary political correctness, for example, the 'the female dean' scene and 'the restaurant scene'- it's clear criticism.

If I go back to the start, both movies are overall similar, someone who loved the first movie, will love this. The new casting and the ending are the negative part, but on the other hand, the old casting do a great job and it's still enjoyable in most part.

Trust (I) (2010)

It's all about trust

[8/10 · 8 October 2016]

I didn't know what to expected from this movie, one thing is certain, I was pleasantly surprised by David Schwimmer movie. The movie is about a teenage girl from a good family that targeted by an online sexual predator. The subject of online predators didn't investigate enough by Hollywood, and Schwimmer do a nice job by raise the issue.

Although the plot focus on the online sexual predator and his victim, the movie is all about TRUST- simple as it sound. How can you live your life, with all the evil out there, and still trust people- not matter if it's a stranger, your daughter, the law enforcement. More than all, the main question is if you can trust yourself?. This's why Trust is more similar to movies like Doubt and Shame, that have a large theme (Pedophilia and Sex Addiction), but the meaning is about a specific emotion or concept (Doubt and Shame).

The movie also focus on father-daughter relationship. Will (great acting by Clive Owen), the father, finds it difficult to trust people, it is quite the opposite from his daughter's character, this's what make their relationship so intriguing. The climax happened in the ending, something change, the characters close the circle and understanding their past mistakes. I am little surprise that no one mentioned the similarities between the movie Ordinary People and this movie, especially the ending.

In a world that people can hide their true identity by using technology, it's hard to feel safe, in a 'fake world', how can you trust anyone? the real scary thing is, that you must have some kind of trust to keep living, you can't conduct your life with permanent paranoia. Without trust, we left with anarchy- Will character is a great example, few times he break the law. This's what make this movie great, it's not masterpiece, but it's make me think, and this alone worth the money.

Spotlight (I) (2015)

Not enough drama

[6/10 · 24 September 2016]

Like the movie United 93, the director of this drama movie try to be minimalist as possible, more documentary like than some typical Hollywood drama. In my taste, it's work well for Paul Greengrass not for Tom McCarthy.

It's well made film that deals with an interesting issue but I miss some more drama, It's a fascinating & shocking subject, so it is surprising that so many scenes are boring. Although the main focus is the Press, I hope for more humanity attitude, for example, more focus on the victim. Dramatization is not a necessarily a bad thing in films, a little more scenes who are audience oriented would have made this movie more interesting and overall better.

In other aspects, it's great movie, the actors, script, directing but it's not Network (1976), Ace in the Hole (1951) and All the President's Men (1976).

Lost: Eggtown (2008) Season 4, Episode 4

The most embarrassing episode ever in Lost .

[1/10 · 8 April 2008]

The season 4 of Lost start good until this episode. Everything in this episode from the start to the end , full of bad writing. in this episode we see a flash forward of Kate , Kate goes to trial where the only witness is her mother. I Don't ask from the writer write a episode like Law & Order style , but the trail was so embarrassing that it's looks like a bunch of children playing in fake trail. in the island the things don't going better Kate try to find from Miles what they know about her ,Locke getting little crazy ,the part of Kate and Sawyer looks like really bad soap opera and the end don't make it better.

apparently the worst episode ever in Lost.