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The Thin Red Line (1998)
"We're living in a world that's blowing itself to hell as fast as everybody can arrange it."
With his adaptation of the eponymous 1962 novel by James Jones, Terrence Malick has crafted a contemplative, epic and intense work, which observes the life of nature and men who wage war against each other.
His observation is carried out through the point of view of four key characters:
- Jim Caviezel, as Pvt. Witt, who contemplates the beauty of nature and thinks that originally everything was beautiful and nothing hurt,
- Nick Nolte, as Lt. Col. Tall, whose experience made him aware of the harsh reality of life and nature, and hardened him and to the point of completely losing his innocence,
- Sean Penn, as 1st Sgt. Welsh, who oscillates between the two in search of a balance,
- Elias Koteas, in the role of Capt. James Staros, who is a humanist lawyer for whom the lives of his men take precedence over orders and the ultimate goal of the mission if necessary.
Malick's cinematic genius is absolutely undeniable. Because he is both a verbal and visual poet, who caresses the heavenly beauty of his landscapes with his camera. Contemplating the creation while filming the destruction with pure realism as only Steven Spielberg did the same year with 'Saving Private Ryan', notably during the opening scene of the Allied landing in Normandy.
The difference between these two works lies in the fronts: The Pacific War against the Japanese Empire in the first. And the fight against the Third Reich in Europe in the second.
Both condemn war. However, Malick does not condemn the madness of Japanese imperialism and indoctrination as Spielberg does with The Brown Plague. This is perhaps the only weak point of 'The Thin Red Line', which shows us what war makes of us, but which forgets the primordial difference between aggressor and defender, authoritarianism and liberalism, nationalist and religious indoctrination and values of Enlightenment and rule of law.
Tron: Legacy (2010)
"Flynn is teaching me about the art of the selfless. About removing oneself from the equation. But between you and me, Jules Verne is my favorite. Do you know Jules Verne?"
I saw Tron (1982) on VHS when I was 15 in 1987. I haven't seen it since. I wanted to watch it again before watching 'Legacy', but it's not available in any format where I currently live.
This is how I discovered its sequel last night on DVD.
What immediately appealed to me was the particularly careful production design and the direction of Joseph Kosinski, future director of Oblivion (2013) and Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
The story is captivating and the script is well written, the casting and the acting are excellent, starting with the double performance, once again remarkable, of Jeff Bridges in the roles of Kevin Flynn and Clu.
Garrett Hedlund, in the role of his son, Sam Flynn, is his worthy heir in every sense of the word. Olivia Wilde, as the ISO named Quorra, and the rest of the cast also excel in their respective roles.
The editing alternates seamlessly between spectacular and intimate scenes. And the Daft Punk soundtrack ties all of these elements together perfectly.
A crush, which I hope to see repeated next year with the release of 'Tron: Ares'.
Wish (2023)
A modern tribute
For the celebration of its centenary, Walt Disney has concocted a tale that combines tributes to the masterpieces that mark its history with a contemporary philosophy and a message of hope for the future.
Many years ago, King Magnifico and his wife Queen Amaya founded the Kingdom of Rosas on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Having studied witchcraft, Magnifico is capable of granting his subjects' greatest desires; each of them abandons the memory of their wishes to be sealed and protected by the king until he can grant them. Once a month, during a ceremony, Magnifico chooses a wish to grant.
Thus, he exercises constant control over the oppressed mind and body of his subjects, who have become slaves, by creating false hopes and practicing theocratic brainwashing.
As soon as a person starts to think, and dares asking questions, he/she becomes the enemy of this vile and perverse system, which then seeks to destroy him/her.
How can we not see in Magnifico a reflection of the global alignment of dictators, thugs and aggressors that the world is currently facing, instead of having embraced a future worthy of Star Trek!?
Hope comes from surviving dreams until they come true with the help of a lucky star leading the rebellion against tyranny, to build a culture of freedom and responsibility that allows people to thrive.
Wonka (2023)
"Every good thing in this world, started with a dream. So, you hold on to yours."
Paul King co-wrote the screenplay with Simon Farnaby based on his story, which tells the origin story of Willy Wonka - the character invented by Roald Dahl in his 1964 novel 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.
Willy's mother taught her son that "Every good thing in this world, started with a dream. So, you hold on to yours."
When he arrives in Europe to establish his chocolate shop at The Galeries Gourmet, he must face the narrow-mindedness and corruption of the ruling majority: "Many people have come here to sell chocolate, they've all been crushed by the Chocolate Cartel. You can't get a shop without selling chocolate, and you can't sell chocolate without a shop."
Those who tried to pursue their happiness by realizing their dreams have become the minions of this heartless and soulless oppressive regime: "No daydreaming."
Therefore, Wonka's ability to acquire a precise and deep intuitive understanding of the situation will hardly be appreciated at its true value. Even if, secretly, the crooks who want to crush him dream of having his talent: "Mr. Wonka, I can see you're a man of great ingenuity."
Mr. Wonka sets the record straight: "I've spent the past seven years travelling the world, perfecting my craft. You see I'm something of a magician, inventor, and chocolate maker. So quiet up, and listen down..." Before listening to the voices of the oppressed, "You can change her life, Mr. Wonka, change all their lives." and leads the rebellion against tyrants, to build a culture of freedom and responsibility, which allows people to flourish.
Lost in Translation (2003)
Romantic melancholy
Bob Harris, an actor in his fifties, and Charlotte, a recent Yale graduate, have just arrived at the upscale Park Hyatt in Tokyo. Both suffer from jet lag and emotional lag.
Bob, because after 25 years of marriage, his love life took a back seat and led him to a mid-life crisis. And Charlotte, because her photographer husband neglects her and has other priorities than his wife.
Both are insomniacs and meet at the hotel bar, then at the swimming pool.
Alone in the world, in a sea of superficial beings, they develop a bond made of attention and shared moments that bring them ever closer.
When they find themselves alone, they realize that they constantly miss each other.
The succession of little attentions gave way to big feelings, but always in a platonic way. Certainly, for fear of shattering this sweet dream that rocks them, but whose power of true love only asks to be unleashed.
Sofia Coppola is a genius author who wrote a minimal script to leave room for the improvisational talents of her duo in leading roles. Under her direction, Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson both give phenomenal performances.
A romantic comedy-drama widely acclaimed and, deservedly, awarded around the world.
No Way Up (2024)
How To Maximize a Small Production Budget
An intense, claustrophobic and suspenseful thriller, part air disaster film, part shark film.
Claudio Fäh masters both, simply and effectively, while playing with our primal fears of aviophobia, ablutophobia, claustrophobia and squalophobia.
The makers of this British B-movie maximize their tiny $2 million budget intelligently and efficiently.
The cast includes Sophie McIntosh as Ava, Will Attenborough as Kyle, Jeremias Amoore as Jed, Manuel Pacific as Danilo, Grace Nettle as Rosa, Colm Meaney as Brandon, Phyllis Logan as Mardy 'Nana' and James Carroll Jordan as Hank.
Sophie McIntosh, Phyllis Logan and young Grace Nettle give the most remarkable performances.
My recommendation is therefore to tell you not to rely on subjective reviews, to compare what is comparable and to appreciate what is appreciable.
The Exorcist: Believer (2023)
Universal Definition of Good and Evil
No matter what type of believer or non-believer you are, the answer given in "The Exorcist: Believer" goes beyond beliefs of all kinds and ends with one of the best definitions ever given to the question "What are Good and Evil?"
David Gordon Green has crafted a captivating film with a masterful ending - I started thinking about it from the middle of the movie when a certain character from the past appears - which I wouldn't dare to spoil here.
16-year-old Lidya Jewett and 15-year-old Olivia O'Neill embody Angela Fielding and Katherine West, the two possessed teenagers, in impressive acting debuts.
When we see what David Gordon Green did with 'Halloween' and 'The Exorcist', the unconditional fan of "Freddy - A Nightmare on Elm Street " that I have been since its origins in 1984, who thought it was impossible to revive the cinematic universe created by Master Wes Craven (1939-2015, RIP) in this century, thinks: "Mr. Green, please talk to Mr. Robert Englund and Mrs. Heather Kangenkamp; and go for it!
Watchmen (2009)
"All we ever see of stars are their old photographs."
The nuclear anxiety of the First Cold War (Mar 12, 1947 - Dec 3, 1989), which ended with the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, is unfortunately once again relevant with the ongoing attacks by Russia and North Korea on Ukraine, South Korea and Japan, by Iran on Israel, and by China on Vietnam and the Philippines.
The power of Zack Snyder's adaptation lies in the complex narrative structure and the art of creating a non-linear story. Set in an alternate 1985, with multiple layers of flashbacks, to tell the protagonists' past as the story unfolds, also punctuated by Dr. Manhattan's visions.
Even if in the end the Watchmen are opposed in their convictions regarding the meaning of life, the common thread remains the principle that losing one life to save several lives is an acceptable and beneficial sacrifice, because "Humanity's savage nature will inevitably lead to global annihilation."
In my humble opinion (and without having read the comics), I can only appreciate the aforementioned qualities. To which we should add the genius of the direction, the acting, the editing and the soundtrack, which all contribute to making 'Watchmen' an essential work and a great film.
Napoleon (2023)
"France. Army. Joséphine."
'Napoleon' opens with the horrid barbarity and opportunistic vulgarity of the French Revolution.
What follows is the end of the Regime of Terror, the jesters of the republic and self-coronation of the emperor. Egypt, Austerlitz and the first fall of Bonaparte following the debacle of the Russian winter and his first exile on the Island of Elba. His return and his soldiers who leave the pathetic restoration of French monarchy (Louis XVIII) to march again with their emperor, until the humiliation of Waterloo, which results in an exile on the island of Saint Helena where Napoleon dies after a few years.
Conceived as a dramatic romantic comedy between Napoleon and Joséphine, carried by the performance of Joaquin Phoenix and highlighted by the visual dexterity of Ridley Scott, "Napoleon" is faithful to History, but barely touches on the psychology of the Corsican tyrant and of those who let him massacre 3 million people in Europe "for France and Josephine" at the beginning of the XIXth century.
In the end, we oscillate between a work that is certainly always interesting, but which rarely achieves greatness.
Species: The Awakening (2007)
"Thank you for giving me life."
Despite purchasing the four-film collection, I unfortunately was unable to watch the third episode, as the DVD in question is defective.
Therefore, I jumped from the second part to this final installment 'Species: The Awakening'.
As I said for the second episode, you have to know how to appreciate a film in the category to which it belongs. B movie for 'Species II' and a TV movie for 'Species IV'.
If the story includes a few shortcuts for budgetary reasons, the plot remains no less interesting. Just like the casting, their performances and the special effects, which are convincing. Miranda's human side brings this TV movie, as well as the series, to an honorable conclusion.
Species II (1998)
"Welcome to the Maternity Ward -- from HELL."
Even though this sequel does not have the writer, director, crew and some of the cast of the original, it has some very good ideas, and quotes, which could have been developed even further with a bigger budget.
The development of the origins of these Species from a distant galaxy, who colonized and parasitized Mars until the extinction of the life that had developed there a billion years ago, before hiding in wait for other vectors to contaminate and other horizons to colonize, as well as the multiplication of characters, constitute the main assets of this exciting second episode.
Michael Madsen and Marg Helgenberger, as well as Natasha Henstridge in another role, return and team up with Mykelti Williamson, George Dzundza, James Cromwell and Justin Lazard.
In the end, 'Species II' remains a worthy science fiction horror thriller, which fulfills the contract with regard to expectations, taking into account the aforementioned elements, and in terms of quality in its B-movie category.
Species (1995)
"You see when a predatory species is introduced into a closed ecological system, the extinction of the weaker species is inevitable."
Aliens' father H. R. Giger did yet another phenomenal conceptual job with the character design of "Sil" - from the human body changing from a girl to a woman to that of the alien creature.
Roger Donaldson has skillfully brought to life the screenplay written by Dennis Feldman with a remarkable cast notably composed of Natasha Henstridge, in the role of Sil, Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Alfred Molina, Forest Whitaker and Marg Helgenberger. Both main and supporting roles, as well as the extras, embody their respective roles with enthusiasm.
The soundtrack by Christopher Young and the editing by Conrad Buff establish the atmosphere and maintain the rhythm from opening to closing credits.
The Creator (2023)
Visually superb, but empty, naive and biased
'Rogue One' being quite simply one of the best films in the Star Wars cinematic universe, I had very high expectations for this 'Creator' by Gareth Edwards.
Too much apparently. Because it is as empty in terms of plot, character development and human emotions, and unconvincing in terms of interpretation, as it is visually superb.
With the exception of the Chosen Child, AIs have no higher IQ than humans, and the film veers grotesquely into conspiracy theory about "Ground Zero", before finally becoming extremely naive and biased. Too bad, such a beautiful production design deserved much better.
Firefox (1982)
"Fighting city hall, as you put it, is a freedom we do not enjoy."
An action techno-thriller film produced, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, based on the 1977 novel of the same name by Craig Thomas.
Major Mitchell Gant, a former USAF pilot, who suffers from PTSD from his past as a prisoner of war, is reinstated to accomplish the mission that allows the Free World to take control of the "Firefox" with the help of Soviet dissidents.
Dr. Baronovich: "Mr. Gant, you are an American. You are a free man. I am not. There is a difference. If I resent the men in London who are ordering my death, then it is a small thing when compared with my resentment of the KGB."
'Firefox' allows Clint Eastwood to explore the director-actor duality, notably through the different characters he plays in the first act taking place in Moscow, before slipping into the cockpit of the high-tech weapon and to become one with the technologically advanced Iron Bird in the third act.
Dr. Baronovich: "You must think in Russian."
A $21-million budget, which is Malpaso's largest production ever. Including 20 million dollars devoted to special effects. Superb in 1982 and still exciting four decades later.
From the opening sequence, the natural settings bring a breath of fresh air and incorporate aesthetics into 'Firefox', which was filmed in California, Austria and Greenland.
Crater (2023)
"Masters of our own fate."
A coming-of-age film about teenagers in the 23rd century, most of whom have never been to Earth.
This is the second "lunar" film, after 'Ad Astra' (2019) whose action extends from Earth to Neptune.
The exterior lunar scenes are convincing. The Earthlight is moving and superb, Kyle Patrick Alvarez's direction effective and the acting interesting. Planet Omega makes you want to immigrate there.
The Crater Scene and that of Omega give the film its philosophical depth.
(Reads from the stone in the crater) "On gilded wings we have reached the stars. But let us never forget the skies we left behind."
Blade Runner (1982)
"All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain"
From the original cut right up to the final cut, 'Blade Runner' is an example of perfection.
Perfection in terms of script by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples based on 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' by Philip K. Dick. Perfection regarding the production design, direction by Ridley Scott, cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth, practical special effects recognized to be among the best in the genre, soundtrack by Vangelis and the casting.
Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard "The Blade Runner", Sean Young as Rachael, Edward James Olmos as Gaff, M. Emmet Walsh as Bryant, Daryl Hannah as Pris, William Sanderson as J. F. Sebastian and, of course, Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty and his famous Tears in rain monologue improvised the night before shooting, "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain... Time to die."
The final line, "It's too bad she won't live. But then again, who does?" also echoes in eternity.
Meet Joe Black (1998)
"I've felt loved, and that's all that matters."
Adapted from Alberto Casella's play "La morte in vacanza" (1923) by Bo Goldman, Kevin Wade, Ron Osborn and Jeff Reno, and directed by Martin Brest, the director of "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984), "Midnight Run" (1988) and "Scent of a Woman" (1992), "Meet Joe Black" is carried by the remarkable performances of the headlining trio.
Brad Pitt in what is perhaps his best role, both as the "young man in the coffeeshop" and as Death in the guise of Joe Black. Anthony Hopkins as majestuous as usual in the role of William Parrish, and Claire Forlani who plays his daughter, Susan Parrish, to the fullest extent of her emotional intelligence.
Major roles played with both passion and modesty, which transport us into this film that combines romanticism, mystery and fantasy until the final fireworks.
Our tears dry during the end credits, but the melancholy lingers long after the screen fades to black.
Ben-Hur (1959)
Stations of Crosses
"Ben-Hur" is a hallmark movie in more than one way. This historical epic film gathered the largest team of artists with the biggest budget and the largest sets ever built at the time of its production, before broking Academy Awards records with 12 nominations and 11 wins. To which should be added numerous other prizes and recognition as one of the best films of all time by numerous prestigious associations and institutions in the world of cinema throughout the planet. In 2004, the National Film Preservation Board selected Ben-Hur for preservation by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
It is a hallmark film in more than one way, first of all through the intelligence of its writing, which demonstrates that when human beings refuse indoctrination, they know how to appreciate each other.
Then, through the implied story of Christ - We never see the face and eyes of Jesus, but we feel his presence - which is told from the Nativity in the opening sequence: A Jewish baby, born to humble but divine earthly parents, who will become a young rabbi who teaches Love, Detachment and Peace as the only means to get humanity out of the predatory phase of its development.
Because his Teaching constitutes a threat to Roman imperialism in Judea, the young Nazarene will end up being condemned to crucifixion after having completed his way of the cross in this lowly world, while repeating his message of Love and Forgiveness, even for his executioners, until his last earthly breath.
Rome will then use his image to create a new powerful monotheistic religious system to dominate individuals and countries, via an ecclesiastical system that will plunge the world into the Dark Ages - More hatred, ignorance, oppression and blood.
But, let's return to another Station of the Cross, that of Judah Ben-Hur. A Jewish prince, who in his childhood was the best friend of a Roman boy named Messala, and who was secretly loved since he was five years old by Esther, the daughter of the family steward, Simonides.
Following the opening on the Nativity, comes the return of Judah Ben-Hur, now a young man, to Jerusalem. Messala, also returns to Jerusalem as commander of the Antonia fortress. He fully embraces the glory and imperial power of Rome while Judah remains devoted to his faith and the freedom of the Jewish people, while secretly falling in love with Esther.
The friendship of the past is quickly tested by the passage towards the dark side of Messala, who ends up finding a scabrous pretext, devoid of any reason, to send his childhood friend to the galleys and his mother Miriam and his sister Tirzah to oblivion.
On the path that leads them to the galleys, the slaves suffer from heat and thirst. Arriving in a small village (Nazareth), the Roman guards still refuse the slightest drop of water to Judah Ben-Hur, who collapses. However, A kind young man in a white dress and with long hair manages to offer him a cup of water, before the two oppressed people are beaten and pushed back by the henchmen of the empire.
In the years that followed, Judah Ben-Hur survived the galleys, saved the Consul Quintus Arrius, became his adopted son, then returned to Judea. Looking for his mother, his sister, Esther and Simonides. Along the way, he crosses paths with Mage Baltasar and Sheik Ilderim, whose horses will allow Judah Ben-Hur to take his revenge on Messala via a chariot race, which is the highlight of the film.
Then, the reunion with Esther and Simonides will guide Judah Ben-Hur to the Valley of the Lepers where he will finally end up finding Miriam and Tirzah consumed by leprosy on the verge of death. A situation that fills the heart and soul of Judah Ben-Hur with a burning desire for revenge, which can only bring him more misery.
With use of all his intelligence and all his love to make Judah Ben-Hur return to the Light, before he also succumbs to the dark side, Esther then guides him with his mother and sister to Nazareth, where a mock trial has just condemned the young Jewish rabbi who teaches love and peace.
Carrying his cross, the young Jewish rabbi collapses and Judah Ben-Hur rushes to offer, in turn, water to Jesus, whose blood combined with the rain from his Father will restore Miriam and Tirzah to health and their lives, before Judah Ben-Hur and Esther can finally live their love in peace.
Dune (2021)
"This is only the beginning!"
David Lynch's Dune (1984) gets quicklier to the heart of the matter, but the first part of Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's masterful work is an already epic, but slow-paced introduction, which clearly tells us what it is all about with the last quote: "This is only the beginning!"
Indeed! Because if "Part One" may have seemed incomplete at first glance, it takes on its full meaning when coupled with the sublime cinematic feat that is "Part Two".
In fact, this is only the beginning of a trilogy, since Denis Villeneuve also plans to adapt 'Dune Messiah', which we have never seen on the big screen.
Mr. Villeneuve declared that he wanted to take his time developing 'Part Three', before clarifying that he "just wouldn't do it if it wasn't better than 'Part Two'."
Thus, we can dream of the same level of evolution in terms of aura and dimension between the third and second parts as between the second and first parts.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
"You.Are.My.Home."
The makers of this second journey of Kong, to the Hollow Earth, and Godzilla, from southern Europe to South America, to finally meet and team up to counter a clear and present danger to us all, have succeeded in instilling a heart and soul into the widespread use of computer-generated images.
Jia, the young girl able to communicate with Kong through sign language, brilliantly played by deaf actress Kaylee Hottle, was the key force in the fourth installment of "The MonsterVerse." She remains the character who guides us here, too, in a formatted world to which she does not belong, before returning to her origins while helping Kong to fulfill his destiny with the help of powerful or touching new allies.
I was lucky enough to be able to enjoy this roller coaster ride through the worlds of our Earth on a very big screen and I highly recommend it. It's a perfect family film, which will appeal to both young and old who have managed to keep a part of their child's soul. Tell me who didn't play like this with their toys when they were a kid - dreaming of what we can now discover on our screen!?
If 'The New Empire' is as successful as expected, I hope that Legendary Pictures will produce another Godzilla-vs-Kong film of this quality in the years to come.
The Day After (1983)
"People are crazy, but not that crazy."
A television film whose budgetary, geographical and technical limits do not prevent it from being an essential and brilliant film on nuclear madness and its consequences. Thus, the highest-rated TV movie in U. S. history (2009) attracted more than 100 million viewers when it first aired in 1983.
'The Day After' was also broadcast on Soviet state television in 1987 during the negotiations on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, two years before the Berlin Wall's fall marked the end of the Cold War.
Staged with intelligence and modesty, the narrative arc follows a three-act structure, which begins with the introduction of the protagonists who make up communities of Kansas City and its surrounding areas. Then, the nuclear holocaust. And, ultimately, the immediate aftermath following survivors on the point of death because of radioactive fallout causing starvation and disease.
The ending disclaimer of this widely acclaimed and award-winning work warns us that "The catastrophic events you have just witnessed are, in all likelihood, less severe than the destruction that would actually occur in the event of a full nuclear strike against the United States. It is hoped that the images of this film will inspire the nations of this Earth, their peoples and leaders, to find the means to avert that fateful day."
Dune: Part Two (2024)
An epic and sublime masterpiece
If 'Part One' - which I very unfortunately only discovered on DVD due to my distance from any cultural facility when it was released - had difficulty convincing me, it is quite the opposite with this second episode.
A visual festival, to be watched on the most gigantic screen possible, and a philosophical tale sumptuously conceived by the cinematographic genius of Denis Villeneuve, which highlights the talent of his casting. An epic and sublime masterpiece highlighted by a masterful new soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.
Between 'Star Wars' and 'Lawrence of Arabia', this masterful piece of cinema is to this decade what the aforementioned works are to their respective eras.
Even if Denis Villeneuve has declared that he wants to take the time to complete his trilogy, we can only look forward to enjoying a new show of this quality in the years to come.
In the meantime, I will rewatch the first part in hopes of being able to change my opinion.
Predators (2010)
"They want you to feel something for this man. To be human."
The original Schwarzenegger classic was mysterious and iconic and the terrific, underrated, Danny Glover-led follow-up was story and character driven.
'Predators' is based on an idea and script written by Robert Rodriguez in the mid-1990s, which was abandoned, before being revived in the late 2000s, and co-produced by Rodriguez himself with significant creative control.
Written by Alex Litvak and Michael Finch and directed by Nimród Antal, "Predators" refers to varieties of skilled alien hunters and human killers, as well as an allusion to 'Alien II' ultimately titled 'Aliens' in 1986.
Headed by the convincing performances of Adrien Brody and Alice Braga, 'Predators' demonstrates a pleasant level of originality and quality.
Predator 2 (1990)
"Okay, Who's Next?"
Less iconic but more focused on story and character development. Less mysterious but more detailed regarding the Predator(s) and their world, "Predator 2" is skillfully written by Jim Thomas and John Thomas and efficiently directed by Stephen Hopkins.
Danny Glover excels as Lieutenant Mike Harrigan and is supported by a top-notch cast including Gary Busey, Rubén Blades, María Conchita Alonso, Bill Paxton and Robert Davi.
The areas of the City of Angels turned into an urban jungle by drug lords waging war against each other, the LAPD and the Predator replace the Central American jungle with equally appreciable production design work.
Qualities that make this second film in the Predator cinematic universe a film which, in my humble opinion, is well worth the original.
Evil Dead (2013)
Neither the narrative force nor the passion of Sam Raimi's Trilogy (1978-1992)
The first act of this remake is interesting, but the second act then gets lost in plot gaps, before the third act descends into gory special effects, which are less convincing and terrifying than those of the twentieth century.
Because this 2013 version has neither the narrative force nor the passion, which characterized the works of Sam Raimi, which enabled the actors to become truly connected with their roles. This is not the case here, in particular because of the lack of intelligence of the characters.
As a result, this 2013 vintage remains interesting, but leaves an unpleasant aftertaste of neglect and unfinished business.