matt-87154 Reviews

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

If Edgar Wright and Charlie Kaufman made a Multiverse film...

[9/10 · 21 May 2022]

As someone else commented, the most comparable film to this very original experience is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind...or if Edgar Wright directed a script from Charlie Kaufman. That's how crazy and original this film is.

I do get some of the negative reviews, as this film isn't for everyone. But, if you're into multiverse type films, it's easily one of the best. There are so many Multiverse ideas packed into this film, it will be hard to catch them all in the first viewing.

I've been a film buff since a child so have pretty much seen everything there is. This is one of those films that will blow you away with its originality similar to Eternal Sunshine, Her, Being John Malkovich, Mr. Nobody or other films of that ilk. Easily a 9/10 and will watch again to catch everything missed on the first viewing.

P. S. For other films about the Multiverse and alternate realities, there's a good list of films at kneelbeforezod.io/tag/sci-fi-alternate-history-films/

The Forever Purge (2021)

3rd best Purge movie...don't listen to the MAGA reviews...

[7/10 · 18 July 2021]

Big fan of the Purge movies as they've always had a dystopian political message to them. I thought this one was 3rd best (after Purge 1 & 2). However, Purge 1 is best in the series by far.

I did want to take a moment to address other reviews saying this was too political and 'woke'. First, every single Purge film has been political and this one is no different. Second, as for 'woke' what does that even mean?!? Because it doesn't have all white male leads and has a diverse cast that fits the storyline? I'm sick and tired of seeing MAGA fans review movies on here and literally bash any movie that has a female or minority lead in it.

As for the film itself, the story was believable especially how the 'Ever After Purge' group closely resembles the MAGA / Insurrectionists crowd. So from a political standpoint, I think it hit too close to home for a certain subset of this country that doesn't like to see a mirror held up to their views,

Acting was good and it was great to see Josh Lucas back in a starring role. Will Patton was also good albeit in a small role. Ana de la Reguera is very good in every role she has and this is no different.

Directing and pacing was fine...and very suspenseful in the first 2 acts. The third act drags a bit though and is predictable.

TL;DR - Ignore the comments on 'wokeness' and enjoy the film for what it is. The third best entry in the Purge series.

The Tomorrow War (2021)

Starship Troopers + Aliens + Independence Day

[7/10 · 4 July 2021]

I was excited for this when it was first announced...time travel and a war with aliens?!? Count me in!

But when I saw the first trailer, I wasn't that excited for it. I just finished watching it and would give it a 7.5/10 or B+.

As other reviewers have mentioned, this doesn't break new ground. It's more in the vein of Independence Day. Great cast, great action, great aliens but somewhat confusing (and sometimes laughable) logic.

The action is reminiscent of Starship Troopers and Aliens but objectively as a whole, not as good as either of those films. The CGI and monsters/aliens are well designed though and it would have helped to have a bit more backstory on them. Acting was great but don't think to hard on the logical side of the plot as it won't make a lot of sense.

This is essentially your summer blockbuster eco-to action film that is definitely worth a watch and recommended. But unlikely something you will watch over and over again in the future like the aforementioned Aliens and Starship Troopers.

I Care a Lot (2020)

Ignore the 1 star 'incel' reviews...

[7/10 · 21 February 2021]

This movie definitely has flaws (especially in the 3rd act) but it's nowhere near a 1 or 2 star review. The same people giving this film those low reviews are the same that think professional wrestling is real.

As for the film, the first act of the film is 9/10. Really unique take on legal guardianship and elderly healthcare. But by the 3rd act, it abandons this route and turns into a weak and somewhat implausible thriller. But the first 2 acts carried the film despite the somewhat weak 3rd act...and the ending saved the film as a whole.

While watching this it reminded me of Matchstick Men and the continual con game at play. You can see that developing in the first 2 acts here and I wish they would have stuck with it. Would have been an excellent film then. But it's still worth watching for some of the excellent performances by the cast.

The Legend of Tomiris (2019)

Very good film; similar to Mongol

[8/10 · 16 October 2020]

I had doubts about this movie based on some of the reviews here, but was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. It's VERY similar to Mongol, so if you liked that movie, you'll like this as well.

Production values were top notch, battle choreography was amazing (and again very similar to Mongol's battle scenes to the point I had to check if it was the same director), and acting was surprisingly good. The lead actress did a great job with her role and character arc.

There are some cliched moments in this (like a braveheart type speech before a battle), but overall it was a good epic for a historical time period I knew little about. 8/10

Note: As for the historical elements, I looked some of the key players and history up for about 30 minutes and this film seems to be accurate in its portrayal. There are a few 'fantasy' type elements that are more character development vs plot.

The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

Not as good as Hill House...but worth a watch

[7/10 · 13 October 2020]

I loved Hill House and would rate it 9.5/10.

However, this isn't 'horror' like Hill House and is more gothic mystery/drama. There are some creepy and horror-like moments, but don't watch this expecting Hill House.

First few episodes drag a bit and could have been condensed quite a bit. But like other reviewers said, it gets moving around episode 5. Episode 8 was my favorite of all of them as everything is explained and starts to come together.

It's still a quality show and worth watching but just not on the level of Hill House...

Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

Good end to B&T trilogy

[7/10 · 29 August 2020]

Fitting end to Bill and Ted's journey. A retread a bit of Excellent Adventure but with enough new plot points and laughs. Initially watched for the nostalgia factor and didn't disappoint.

Alex Winter is great but Keanu seems to be sleepwalking through his role. Actresses that played the daughters were fine as was most of the supporting cast. Definitely worth a watch if you were a fan of the originals.

Side note: I don't understand some of the negative reviews calling it propaganda or woke because of diversity. These people need to get a life and realize that society in general is more diverse now and films will reflect that.

High Score (2020)

Good series that covers the basics...

[7/10 · 26 August 2020]

I'm only leaving a review to counter some of the 'MAGA' reviewers who blasted the series for perceived 'social injustice' segments in the series. For starters, these 'social injustice' segments run maybe 20-25 minutes total of the entire series. 15-20 minutes on a LBGT game and interviews with the creator, and an interview / segment on EA and Madden. This is about 5 minutes and covers the first time black players were actually used in the game and Madden box cover...which is historically significant with the general gaming theme this series covers.

With that out of the way, the series is good but not great. It definitely covers the basics of Atari, Arcades, Nintendo/Sega war, Fighting games and political fallout, RPG and evolution of the FPS game format. However, like other reviewers have noted, they left quite a bit out:

• No segments on Commodore
• No segments on evolution of Arcade games (Star Wars, 720, Indiana Jones, Dragon's Lair, etc). It mostly just covered Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Street Fighter and MK in Arcade space. There's a lot more that could have been done here.
• They covered EA / EA Sports but nothing about the 3DO system
• Barely any coverage around handheld phenomenon with Gameboy, GameGear, etc.
• Series seems to have abruptly ended after launch of Doom in early 1990's and rise of FPS and multiplayer.

Not sure if there's plans in the future to cover PS/Xbox, rise of RTS games, etc.

Overall though, the series was enjoyable and I binged it over 2 nights. Brought back a lot of fond memories at Aladdin's Castle back in the day and fighting over the Nintendo with siblings. Definitely worth a watch. 7/10.

Upload (2020– )

Her + Silicon Valley = Upload...Great Show!

[10/10 · 5 May 2020]

This was one of the best series I've seen in awhile. If you liked the narrative/romance/tech of Spike Jonze's Her and the humor/comedy of HBO's Silicon Valley, you'll love this. Gets its footing around the 3rd episode and from there was a binge watch. Definitely recommend...

High Fidelity (2020)

Great Homage To The Original...

[8/10 · 15 February 2020]

Just finished first 3 episodes and it's definitely better than expected. Not sure I agree with all the negative reviews on here. It's more of an homage to the original vs. a straight remake.

Top 5 Pros/Cons

Pros:

• Cast is great especially Zoe Kravitz. Makes for a great female version of Rob
• Music is excellent (just like in the original)
• Because this isn't condensed into a 2 hour movie, there's more time to flesh out the different relationships

Cons:

• Not really a negative as Jack Black owned the original role, but the actress playing his role on the series isn't as good
• Does repeat a lot of the same scenes and situations in the original, but not always a negative as they have more time to expand on some of these situations (I.e. Ian / Lily)

The original High Fidelity is one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time, so was hesitant to watch this given all the negative reviews. But I'm glad I did as it's been pleasantly surprising after the first 3 episodes. If you enjoyed the world of the original High Fidelity and watch the series as a homage to it, you'll enjoy it like I have so far.

The Head Hunter (2018)

Slow burn horror with lots of atmosphere...

[8/10 · 6 April 2019]

An amazing film considering the very limited budget. You're not going to find a lot of action as most of the 'kills' happen offscreen. But the mood/atmosphere is top notch and leads into an intense final 15 minutes. I'll even admit I didn't see the end coming at all...

If you liked movies like Bone Tomahawk, Cold Skin or It Comes At Night, you'll also like this. I hope the director is given a larger budget to turn this into a feature film as it would be interesting to flesh out the world a bit more along with the battles and monsters. 8/10.

Cobra Kai (2018–2025)

It's not Karate...It's Cobra Kai!

[10/10 · 5 May 2018]

Subjective Review: I was a huge fan of TKK growing up. This series really should be treated as the 4th installment of the franchise. Other reviewers have focused on a synopsis, I'll just say it's as good as TKK 1. Great acting, plot, and character development. Gen X meets Gen Z (What's Guns 'n' Roses?) Who knew they could make Johnny Lawrence a sympathetic character? 10/10.

Objective Review: If you like Eastbound and Down, Bad Santa, etc. you will definitely like this. Johnny from Cobra Kai is a great anti-hero that you root for until the end and Diaz (his understudy) has a great journey during S1. Hopefully we get to see more of the new Cobra Kai in S2!