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The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)
Zombies meets Vampires....sort of
A solid zombie film. The Girl With All The Gifts is a well put together journey to a post apocalyptic world infested with zombies. The twist is there are zombie children that can behave normally. They do need to feed, akin to vampires. Their blood thirst cannot be stopped. There are some interesting variations to the zombie theme in this movie. The fact that they use their sense of smell to detect life was particularly fascinating. The hungries, as they are called are fast moving zombies that mutate quickly when infected. The ending is a little disappointing and leaves questions in the open. Overall a good zombie movie and one worth watching.
Satanic (2016)
Awful, just awful.
The mere fact that IMDb needs 10 lines to review a movie will prove a challenge with this film. The summary says it all. AWFUL. Just awful. The only redeeming part of this movie was counting how often a character said Coachella. The movie starts slow and finishes in a flurry. There is no development, no plot, no character insights. To confuse viewers even more they threw in a time twist variable, just for fun I gather. It is what is wrong with horror movies these days, no imagination and no horror. After watching The Conjuring 2, this film deserves no further discussion nor acknowledgement. I really hope this is ten lines because I have truly run out of willingness to discuss this movie any longer.
The Birth of a Nation (2016)
Deep and dark truth.
This was a tough movie to get through. Not because of it's inability to keep me enthralled, but rather due to the it's in your face portrayal of the early lives of African American slaves in the USA. We have all read and watched movies based in this time and subject. The brutality and victimization is ours to deal with and reflect upon. The movie flows well from beginning to end. The characters are well thought out and develop cleanly in the film. The dialogue seemed sometimes forced and coercive but nonetheless keeps true to itself. The scenes of immense degradation were tough to view but essential to the plot and the movie. I commend the fact that the title "Birth of a Nation" was reclaimed in a movie about strength and fortitude rather than it's predecessor of cowardice and fear.
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Heavy War Drama.
OK, I know this was Mel Gibson. OK, I know it would have strong religious overtones. I still liked it despite both of those. I found myself drawn deeply into this film. It was brutal. Horrific. What war probably truly is. I have never been to war or any armed conflict, but I believe that this film would be a rather accurate portrayal of what that hell would be like. Garfield was a lovable character that brought live to the mythos of Doss. As a man who has strong personal beliefs, Doss/Garfield is willingly thrust into a torment that puts all of his creeds to the test. As most movies that are based on a true story or a real person do, there is a small scene at the credits with the actual people, I was touched by this point. A very good film.
Another Earth (2011)
It was OK...
I seem to be in the minority with this review, yet I found this film, slow, too artsy and it just tries TOO HARD. I can appreciate an art film, but Another Earth is just not good. With forced art pushed in your face it attempts to delve into the psyche of humanity. The whole synchronicity angle is an attempt to the "what if" scenario. If that in fact is the attempt, a true look into it would be warranted. Not just the tease of it that this movie delivers. A movie that truly makes you think is a rare gem, while a movie that uses it as a crutch is a fail. This, sadly, is the latter. It was an interesting premise, but had no substance. The menu picture looked great, the meal that was delivered to your table was not. Some might (and judging by other reviews have) enjoyed this film, so if you are into Sci-fi that is slow, hesitant and solely hypothesis driven, you might enjoy this film. Too bad.
Predestination (2014)
Henlein. That is all.
As a fan of Heinlein, this movie (based on his work All You Zombies)was a fun ride. This review will contain no spoilers. I do warn you though to go into this film without the need to understand EVERYTHING. There might be a few things that just do not make sense to you. That is OK, considering a movie that is based on time travel is apt to do. I pride myself on seeing plot twists prior to the actual event. This movie was able to perform a "magic trick" by keeping your attention over to one side while preparing a different surprise on the the other. Well done. Time travel movies always have a paradox in them. Instead of trying to seep that paradox under the rug or trying to explain it, Predestination uses it as it's main plot line. I found myself trying to relate the story to some friends and found the task highly difficult. Hawke was solid in his role and Snook was a pleasant surprise. Highly recommended.
The Accountant (2016)
Afflecks Bourne
The Accountant was action packed, had some good twists and was fairly entertaining. I feel that this was Afflecks response to Bourne. It had a similar feel. I am not surprised considering the Damon/Affleck friendship. There were good plot twists in this film, although they were all pre-determinable. If you are looking for a good quick action based movie, this is probably a suitable fit. Affleck was solid, but do not expect him to accept an Oscar based on this performance. A solid film, and does what it's supposed to do. I appreciate a movie that is what it is however, akin to a roller coaster. Get in, strap in, raise your hands and enjoy the ride. But it is only a limited time.
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
A True Horror Film
Finally, a true horror film. No starlets losing their tops running around aimlessly. This had a good plot, great film work, excellent suspense and a few well-deserved jump scares. Although some of the CG seemed low budget, I do believe it was certainly meant to come off that way based on the subject. Wilson and Farmiga create characters that are adaptable and believable. The supporting cast as well were very strong and created a true empathetic connection. It is a rare feat these days to create a creepy movie with strong character performances that do not not rely solely on CG or jump scares. If you are in the mood for a real horror movie, this just might fit your style perfectly. Very enjoyable.
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)
Cameos, Cameos, Cameos!
I truly was expecting more out of this movie. Based on Andy Samberg's strong recent outputs in Brooklyn 99 his performance was a little light in this film. Although packed with cameos, it was a derivative and scripted. I do admit certain parts had me chuckling. The song parodies are still strong and a highlight of the movie, but the plot was easily discernible. I realize that heavy plot twists were not expected in an offering of this type, but a good story is still a good story and it lacked in this aspect. Any Lonely Island fans might enjoy the music and a few light guffaws. I still prefer Samberg in "Hot Rod" over this film.
Fences (2016)
Strong Performances
In this age of CG and plots relying on action this film was a breath of fresh air. Having the feel of sitting and watching a play, both Washington and Davis field performances that are award worthy. A drama based in Pittsburgh in the 1950's it illustrates the trials and tribulations of the working class Afreican American at that time. It is hard to create a protagonist that has deep flaws, but it was managed very well in this film. A dark deeply gritty reflection of life in the 50's. The supporting cast is well rounded and adds to the flavor of this piece. I can see "Fences" win awards for Actor and Picture. It is not a light-hearted piece , so I would recommend being prepared to be drawn into a couple of hours of strong dialogue based drama. Well done.