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Reviews
Sasquatch: The Legend of Bigfoot (1976)
Strangely Intriguing
You don't need to believe in Bigfoot to take an interest in the subject. The idea of trekking into the exotic woods and possibly encountering a large beast is an interesting concept and good for a campfire tale. I'm not here to claim that "Sasquatch: Legend of Bigfoot" is an effective horror movie. I don't even think it's all that good. But what I am willing to admit is that this film gives me a strange documentary-style interest in Bigfoot. This is an overdone, hokey, outdated direct to TV mess that is nothing special, but it has captivated me for many years.
Gamera 3: Jashin kakusei (1998)
Mind-Blowing!!
Usually there is a line between the quality of a Japanese Monster Movie and the quality of a Movie. A good monster movie is an okay movie. A great monster movie is an amazing movie. A bad monster movie is an awful movie. "Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris" has clearly crossed that line and then some. This is a good one.
Never has there ever been a 90s Kaiju movie that has felt so Gritty and Cinematic. It is action packed and wreak less. Sure some of the dialogue and acting is a little tacked on and cheesy, but it adds to the movies dramatic way of going about things. It adds to the drama. With a normal Kaiju film, you never take it seriously. Even if it has a serious story line, you watch it as a guilty pleasures. Gamera 3 is a Kaiju film that takes itself seriously whilst being very entertaining.
Don't get me wrong, it is still not up to par with other action movies, but it's impressive in its own right. The special effects and reality begin to slightly blur and you can really believe that these monsters are three hundred feet tall and not just a man in a suit. You know how in Godzilla movies when there's a closeup shot of Godzilla's face, but the camera feels like five feet away and not five hundred feet away from where the theoretical camera would be. Well in Gamera 3, the camera truly feels five hundred feet away from Gamera's face during the closeups. It manages to capture the depth of field that a CGI shot would have and I don't know how they done it. Gamera 3 is the Kaiju fans wet dream. The monster of all monster movies, and the reasoning - I think - is because it takes itself seriously.
Daimajin (1966)
Dull and Overwritten
Daimajin (1966) is a film that utilizes both the Japanese Samurai Genre and the Japanese Giant Monster Genre - both genres I clearly admire - and turns it into a concept that could have easily worked only if it wasn't for the actual film we got.
Daimajin is the type of monster movie where the monster shows up for like ten minutes at the end, tears up some buildings, and then walks off. The type that leaves you dissatisfied and wanting more. What the heck?! The destruction at the end is some of the best in the genre; it should be the main attraction of the movie, and you utilize it only at the end?
Throughout the movie, you are forced to sit through a Samurai plot that is nowhere near the same level as "Seven Samurai" or "Ran" or "Zatoichi Challenged." It's some dull story about an invasion of an army and the quest to take back the castle. Dull stuff. You know what might have redeemed the bland plot line? If the monster was the central focus of the story! Then it would be a pretty solid monster flick.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
A Mess
Note: I am a Star Wars fan who loves TFA and TLJ
TFA and TLJ feel like directors visions. A film created by someone with a vision, but not this one. "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is one underwhelming mess another another. It feels like a Studios vision, and a scatterbrain one at that.
The film is advertised as the big final one of the saga but, anticipation wise, come nowhere close as an event to any of the other Star Wars films. Because of that, The Rise of Skywalker results as an underwhelming mess with nothing special. Disney is pumping out a Star Wars film each year and, because of that, the films feel less special and the magic of Star Wars is lost.
Notes from Melanie (2019)
A fitting film for someone who clearly wants to get into the business
For years, Chris Stuckmann has given us some of the greatest movie reviews on the internet. His reviews are less reviews and more like breakdowns on the given films. With someone who clearly understands movies, I was curious to see what Chris Stuckmann was able to create.
His first short film reminds me that it's not easy to create a Hollywood picture. This main character reflects Stuckmann's desire to create movies and because of that we begin to relate with him. It's also touching and sweet, which is what these types of shorts should be. Great work Chris. We all love you.
Gojira-Minira-Gabara: Oru kaijû daishingeki (1969)
Depressing
This movie is not scraping the bottom of the barrel, this movie is not the bottom of the barrel, this movie is not even below the bottom of the barrel, this movie should not be involved with barrels whatsoever. Stay away at all costs.
Godzilla (2014)
A great disaster flick
One of the biggest reasons why I love "Gojira", amongst a bevy of other things, is that it felt like a disaster movie just as much as a monster movie. It's a style only the original possessed, until 2014 when Gareth Edwards got ahold of the product. That's why one of the main reasons Godzilla 2014 worked for me, it pays more tribute to the Original 1954 piece more than the others. It could have easily been a Pacific Rim-style beat em up, but it took the risk to not go with that style. (Instead it waited for "King of the Monsters" to do that) A G-fan may watch this movie and complain about the lack of action and more anthesis on the characters, and to that I say the original 1954 one had more anthesis on the characters too and, once again, this film is paying tribute to more of that then all the other ones where the action and entertainment is higher. When the monsters fight in this movie though, it is one of the best brawls of all time. It is extremely satisfying and that's why I don't mind the rest of the movie having slow buildup. This film is not only a good monster movie, it is also a great disaster flick.
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
Makes me feel like a kid again
"King Kong vs. Godzilla" is in no means a good movie. Far from it in fact, so why did I give it such a high rating? Well because this is the type of schlock I love. The schlock that makes you feel young again. When your a kid, you don't care about quality, you just want to see campy monsters beat each other over the head with a rock or shove a tree down each others throat. It's when you grow older when you develop taste for movies and mature into films like "The Godfather" or "Pulp Fiction". It's when you abandon immature films like "King Kong vs. Godzilla", but they're always there for you. You develop a warm sense of nostalgia re-watching them. That's why I love "King Kong vs. Godzilla". That's why I love Godzilla.
Shin Gojira (2016)
The most artistically driven Godzilla movie, and I can appreciate that
"Shin Gojira" reminds me why I love foreign cinema; it takes unique risks and is not weighed down by a Hollywood checklist. This movie in particular goes with the risk of possibly being weird and bizarre to craft a well told political satire. You really have to be a Godzilla fan to accept this movie's weird tone and style, however I also grew to appreciate the art direction with this movie. Truly the best one since 1954.
Barry Lyndon (1975)
A Gentleman's film Indeed
With such etiquettes, Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" allows you to, through the lens of an observer, watch the rise and fall of British war hero Redmond Barry. This film has always been near the top of Stanley Kubrick's filmography for me and is a film that should be in any gentleman's watch list. A forgotten masterpiece indeed.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Mediocre
As a massive G-fan myself, I have to admit that all Godzilla Movies are practically the same. They're dumb, although entertaining, movies where monsters brawl mindlessly in a city. Usually there are prior military attempts to wipe out the creatures, but these giant monsters can only be killed by another giant monster which is represented by a big fight at the end. That sheer entertainment is what we strive for in the old Godzilla movies, however not very much in the new Godzilla movies. I was underwhelmed and disappointed with this film, and I believe most of that emotion was because I expected more from today than say Tokyo in the 60s. This movie did nothing to impress me unlike the 2014 one which had me in complete awe by the end of it. This one, "King of the Monsters", felt like an empty, bland shell that took zero risks and felt as though I was watching bland entertainment which is what the old Godzilla movies are, but with Hollywood I expected more.
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
What else but an instant classic from Quintin Tarantino
Purhaps our generation of 2019 is facing the exact same predicament as the generation of 1969; a rapidly changing era for movies and Tv. That's why Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is hard hitting for a generation of filmmakers, including myself. It's sweet, it's touching. It's not only a damn good comedy, it's a damn good piece of poetry and meaning in terms of what it represents. Purhaps A film lovers dream, and that is something worth savering.
The Lighthouse (2019)
An extremely effective thriller
About halfway through watching "The Lighthouse", I smiled a little in realization that this movie has filmmaking. That it is an actual movie with a vision accomplished by someone. You never really see movies like that anymore, so when a film like "The Lighthouse" is made, it truly feels like something to get excited about. This film ranks up there with other Halloween classics, as I feel I'm going to re-visit this movie time and time again.