Change Your Image
AustinZiprick
https://ziprick.com/
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Altered Carbon (2018)
My rating is for Season 1, my review is for Season 2
The first season of Altered Carbon is some of the finest long-form sci-fi visual storytelling I think I've ever seen.
Period.
That's why I'm dropping the dime rating- it's that good. Nearly flawless in every aspect of its execution.
However, season 2 is an entirely different beast.
Simply put, it's a major disappointment.
Tonally inconsistent with season 1, lacking the intrigue, overly sanitized (bait and switch essentially), mediocre acting/casting, subpar writing/direction, clumsy political/feminist pandering, uninspired action/choreography, devoid of atmosphere, missing emotional weight, and just kinda boring. Also, it somehow feels cheaper.
Cinematography and editing was mostly alright (a lot of action scenes really saw those fall apart tho), music was decent, and visual effects weren't too bad.
Still, coming off the incredible experience I had with season 1, this second installment just pales in comparison.
Cosmos (2019)
Aren't we supposed to rate a movie upon its merits?
I'll admit, considering it's my understanding that the first public premiere (which I attended in California) was only last night, I too thought it was a little strange to see such glowing reviews posted from before that.
Integrity is obviously important, and I hope the brothers commit to that standard, but I'm really here to talk about the film.
I liked it.
I found myself enjoying the process quite a lot (though, admittedly again, I am a fan of sci-fi, so there's definitely some bias working for it).
From a technical standpoint, this movie rocks! Sound design and score were very good IMO- it reminded me why this storytelling medium is referred to an AUDIO-visual experience.
Speaking of visuals, the cinematography was certainly commendable. Shooting in confined spaces is never easy, and I thought the filmmakers worked well within the parameters they had.
Editing was also pretty good, however, there is more I wish to say about it in my "cons" breakdown.
The story felt uniquely genuine in depicting the human connection and conflicts shared by these men who are clearly passionate and knowledgeable about their fields of study. Juxtapose those character arcs (which actually show growth and change, so that's cool) with the looming threat of something "extra-human" now possibly now making itself known for the first time ever, and you have a tale that peers out at the grander implications of such discoveries from such a small and tangible viewpoint that most people in the audience can easily identify with. Excellent contrast.
For a film that (to me anyway) gets fairly technical with its storytelling devices, I still was able to track a lot of what was going on and the significance they carried. This was largely due to the quite decent dialog the script brought to bear. I'm struggling to recall many moments where I cringed in my seat from "campiness". And there's definitely some good funny bits too.
The acting? Solid. With such a small cast (mostly just 3), there's really no wiggle room for subpar theatrics, and I didn't think there was much of that on display. The talent really breathed life into their characters, made them feel real and complex, and overall we're just pretty fun to watch.
How about the directing? Also, it's pretty good. I'll just say that for me, I felt a touch of that special "in between the lines of the script" magic that was exuding from the screen. These guys were clearly passionate about their project and worked very hard to creatively tell their story with what they had available to them.
Alright, I've gushed about this movie long enough; time to talk about some cons.
It's long.
Now, like I said, I personally enjoyed the slow burn, but there were some places that the pacing and momentum felt like it slowed or dragged a little too much.
There is a lot of talking in this movie, and while it is pretty good for a good chunk of it, some character beats might have benefited from keeping them a bit snappier.
One of the critical setbacks that happens to the scientists midway through and lays down the foundation for climactic conflict I felt was not adequately explained as to what exactly triggered the catastrophe (I guess the script said so?).
Also there's a sequence right before one of the main action set pieces that has a timer countdown. For supposedly being under the gun, some character actions/reactions feel a little mismatched to how I felt they should have been in that moment.
Also, I started to notice the relatively frequent use of dramatic zooms. Perhaps fewer, more selective uses of them would be more effective?
Basically, I thought the editing was alright, but could have been tightened up even more to improve the overall narrative and presentation.
In summary, this film has a lot going for it, especially considering how little was available to put into it.
For what it was aiming to accomplish, I think the movie did a remarkably good job of doing that.
Definitely looking forward to seeing what else Elliot and Zander make in the future!
Peace.
Inception (2010)
I love this film.
It is perfect in every way.
Thank you for reading my in-depth review.
Peace
The Reliant (2019)
10 seems too generous, 1 seems too harsh... Come now, Goldilocks, 6 seems fair!
This movie is a lot better than I had expected from seeing the trailers.
However, that does not make it a masterpiece.
Pros:
. Solid cinematography
. Quality production design (for the most part)
. Kevin Sorbo
. Nice score/sound editing
. Some decent action scenes
. Other compelling moments of writing/direction supported by the actors
All that said, good or even great scenes here and there don't make for a truly transformative viewing experience- there has to be more, and unfortunately, that's where I think this film stumbles to deliver.
Cons:
. This is a 2 hour and 20 minute long film (from what I can find online). To me, it dragged hard in places, and should have been chopped down to an hour and a half.
. Characters: Some motivations feel unclear/contradictory. A number of arcs seem rushed/incomplete/written from the end forward. Possibly too many superfluous roles as well.
. Show me, don't tell me: a good chunk of the storytelling gets imparted though talking expositional dumps- visually uncreative.
. The movie's tone shifts quite sharply on occasion. Not always a bad thing, but it's a little abrupt at times when swinging from solemn to sweetness.
Now, for everything else, I have this last list of mixed bag items...
"Pons":
. The acting visible here is on a moving spectrum- most times just fine, sometimes even pretty good, and other times kind of cringe inducing
. Dialog is ok, a little campy in a lot of places for my taste though
. Editing is decent, though I noticed several hard fades to black- it maybe could be said to lack a little creativity in spots
. Direction is alright, but I just feel like this whole concept had way more potential than what was ultimately realized on screen.
In summary, I'd say it's nothing too awesome, but nothing too bad either.
As someone who also works in this business and holds many Judeo-Christian beliefs, I'm excited to see new filmmakers come out of this community, but I'm also disappointed that we have yet to see consistent high caliber (and that does NOT mean high-budget) productions being produced.
Maybe one day one day there will be a Christian Tarantino-type who comes onto the scene, but I haven't found them yet.
We'll either just have to keep waiting...
or embody the change we want to see...
See ya 'round, fellas!