Movies – Page 15

Micro Review – Doctor Strange

Posted on January 20, 2018January 20, 2018 by Adam

I have to learn to appreciate Super Hero Movies for what they are – entertainment. Ever since the Super Hero Movie industry blew up, there’s been this push to take super heroes more seriously. Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy had something to do with that. And the large (and growing) fan base tries to support this notion as well, which in turn causes the movie studios to ...

Review – Mudbound

Posted on January 20, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

Wow, I was not expecting that. Maybe the fact that it was a Netflix movie made me think it would be something different. But what a hard-hitting, emotionally affecting film. I was really impressed with the execution here. We hop from intimate moment to intimate moment, somehow effortlessly. It helps to paint a picture that is both micro and macro at the same time, exploring...

Micro Review – War Dogs

Posted on January 19, 2018January 19, 2018 by Adam

This is basically The Hangover mashed with Scarface. It’s aesthetically and thematically similar to The Hangover – it’s got trips to Vegas, people trapped in trunks, and Bradley Cooper. Which makes sense, considering it’s directed by Todd Phillips. And much like The Hangover, War Dogs is a very fun watch. It’s got equal measures of humor and action. The fact that it’s based...

Micro Review – Manchester by the Sea

Posted on January 17, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

I liked this movie. But man, what a downer. I think the tragedy of it actually limits the movie a little bit. It’s forced to take itself very seriously. So there isn’t a lot of room for any other emotion to explore except for grief. The whole film is infused with melancholy – even when it’s not focused directly on the tragic events that build the story’s foundation. There a...

Review – Inside Llewyn Davis

Posted on January 16, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

Halfway through watching Inside Llewyn Davis I wrote down a couple notes of what I was thinking of the movie, and how I’d think of it at the end (having thought I’d already pegged what kind of a movie it would be). But after watching the whole movie, those notes I had are completely invalid. I suppose I shouldn’t have gotten ahead of myself, considering this is a Coen Broth...

Micro Review – Passengers

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Adam

*POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW* This is a movie that tries desperately to hide its fatal flaws behind the veneer of attractiveness. The spaceship setting is fascinating, the technology is sometimes mind-blowing. The special effects are what you’d expect for a major blockbuster. Christ Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence are two of the biggest stars in the world right no...

Review – Ex Machina

Posted on January 14, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

“You should see Ex Machina, Adam.” “Oh yeah? What’s it about?” “It’s right up your alley. It’s about a guy who gets to meet the first artificially intelligent robot, and decide if it’s actually artificially intelligent.” “Oh wow, that does sound good.” “Yeah. It’s right up your alley.” “You said that already.” “Because it’s true.” “Okay, I’ll ...

Review – Moonlight

Posted on January 12, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

One of the reasons we watch movies is to learn things we didn’t know. To discover something we didn’t even know that we didn’t know. Watching the progression of one man’s life as he grapples with his identity is a very personal experience. It allows us to drop our expectations and prejudices. It allows us to walk in another person’s shoes. It allows us to see the world how ...

Micro Review – Three Billboards

Posted on January 10, 2018January 10, 2018 by Adam

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is what the world would look like if we all acted out our impulses. Hint: it’s a lot of anger. The trailer did a great job making this movie look like a Cohen Brothers film. The difference between authentic Cohen and Martin McDonagh is that Three Billboards doesn’t manage to tie all the crazy things that happen up into a strangely c...