NoWo's Reviews
More of the same, and it's a good thing
Well, this one adds a layer of self-serving politics (or are they?) butting heads with public safety and common-sense morality. It's delightfully ambiguous.
Visually more ambitious than the first movie, to its detriment : it does feel more dated.
Still, warmly recommended.
Created: 10-17-2024
Don't be deceived by the art
It looks childish, but it aged well.
A techno-thriller, a subtle commentary on the clash of tradition and modernism ripping apart Japanese society, understated humour and giant robots.
And all this with Oshii at the helm.
Not everyone's cup of tea, but if it's yours, it's a strong brew.
Also, not for the kids. Nothing offensive, but it will probably bore them out of the room.
Created: 10-17-2024
Good craft though not good art
Production's I.G. attempt to replicate the (financial) success they found with Ghost in the Shell.
It is well done, the production value is beyond reproach, the characters are decently deep, with somewhat adult motives, and it tackles (somewhat) interesting themes.
I personally found it lacking somewhat, missing that extra little spark. Akin to magazine models, theoretically beautiful but lacking charm.
Still worth a 4, though, but was inches away of being much more.
Created: 10-17-2024
Welcome to the WIRED
I won't (and probably can't) spoil this one.
It's different, not for kids, slow, visually subdued, rather unsettling, and thematically all over the place, although somehow close to William Gibson.
It would probably appear retro-futuristic in a way, in our present day, present time, ahahaha.
It's a small (13 episodes) slice of Marmite-covered anime, which will be liked or detested.
There's no denying the music's smashing, though.
Created: 10-17-2024
I used to make fun of Marky Mark
and I still do.
Mark Wahlberg, on the other hand, has really grown over time.
Mel Gibson is excellent, as expected.
Great story, honest movie, worth the time.
Created: 10-05-2024
Smashing opening episode
(I haven't seen the Batman movie this is spun off from)
This is a street-level, no frills, no superpowers take on Oswald Cobb, aka the Penguin, who's always been the Capone-like figure of the Batman universe.
This iteration of Cobb is an old-school mob grunt (cue Parton's 9 to 5), with just enough smarts to dance of the razor's edge, ie: enough to get himself in trouble, barely enough to get himself out, and with just enough residual humanity to not have risen in the ranks.
The three leads are brilliant (drowned-in-latex Farrell can't rely on his handsome face this time), the production value is through the roof, and the pacing is adequate for once. Here I was, thinking writers who could do exposition and not be boring were extinct.
No obvious woke elements (although, why do every fictional city mayor have to be a black woman?).
Furthermore, the creator (writer) for the show is a woman. And they did not even advertise it. Maybe even decided to let merit stand on its own.
Such a 20th century concept.
Edit: 2nd episode just as good. Can expect a full good season before it's infected?
Created: 10-01-2024
Decent movie, but this genre is always contrived
Good movie of the Machiavellian vengeance sort, although the tail part is over the top.
Butler is (as often) excellent. Foxx I find to be somewhat hit or miss as a rule, and this time is not a hit for me. At least, he has the loud-mouth asshole part down pat. Must be method acting.
In favour of the script-writers, they don't push any protagonist as morally superior.
The putative bad guy is driven mad with grief, and argues his actions as necessary, not correct, even though he kills beyond the sphere of direct culprits, and seeks to enjoy retribution. He was clearly capable of discreetly bombing or poisoning all his targets on the same day, without a possibility of being stopped, and still make his point.
The supposed good guy's morality is variable and self-serving, and thus just a system of excuses for his own selfishness. In short, he's a small man, a sleazeball hiding behind the authority of his office, who puts his career, not justice, above the safety of his family and co-workers. .
One "just doing his job", the other his perceived duty.
The script spirals out during the second part, and the plot-holes enlarge quickly. Biggest of all being the Hollywood ending. Seriously? Are they reading their own characters?
Oh well, still a decent movie.
As for wokeness, I don't think the production was going for forced diversity, Philly being 1/3 white, 1/3 black.
But it's funny that all decision-makers are black, and get a whole lot of white people killed.
Created: 09-27-2024
Not the Crow, should have been it's own bland 2020s drivel
The original Proyas movie was not exempt of imperfections. But it did ooze style. Styles, really: goth, grunge, whatever. The Cure's Burn was written for this movie. It has RATM, NiN, J&MC, 90s shot pure straight through the skull.
And it did have charisma, by the truckload. Lee was charismatic. Top Dollar was charismatic. Even the minor villain who's whole spiel is to be stoopeed was charismatic.
This movie is emo, all the main characters look like they have pronouns, and I'm probably too old for this shite.
The cinematography is actually excellent, but the pacing is all wrong. The movie wastes the best part of an hour on Shelley, who's supposed to be an ideal, an incarnation of regret, but not a person. And it's not even worth it. Neither Shelley nor Eric come off as real characters.
The idea of a villain who's corruption and despair incarnate is fine, if somewhat out of place (ie: it's not the Crow, make your own movie with its own brand). But Draven, being its polar opposite, becomes some sort of unstoppable zombie, tanking through action scenes like a bloody terminator (pun intended). It bleeds, but you can't kill it.
It's a slog, it's a grind, and it's tedious.
Actually, Draven is not the opposite of his enemy here. He's just a force for destruction, whereas the original was motivated to kill also to save future victims.
And it has forced diversity, white man bad, perfect woman of colour, and obviously male lead sacrificed for the female happy ending
Created: 09-26-2024
You don't get a second chance at Indiana Jones
Selleck (allegedly) turned down the leading role in Raiders of the Lost Ark, because he had a very good start with Magnum, P.I.
One has to make choices.
He was later given an opportunity to change his mind. The resulting movie could never be a threat to the Indy franchise, though.
I find it, well, charming would be the word. It is predictable for sure, but Armstrong is charming, Selleck is a charmer, and the make their merry way through a, well, charming if somewhat a little naive adventure tale.
But on thing it has not, is Raiders epic breath. Partly because the writers seem scared of the 'high fantasy' ambitions in Raiders, and partly because of the photography.
Comparing both movies makes one realize how good of a director Spielberg was. Both movies were shot for basically the same budget, but Raiders is so much more dynamic and vibrant, whereas High Road seems to lack enthusiasm.
As to woke, Armstrong character is a flapper proto-feminist heiress, which is in accordance to the time and place, and appears more loud and out-of-touch with practical reality than modern girlboss, cause the 80s still knew that a 100 pounds woman can't take on an Afghan guerilla war party on her own. Her character is more a victim of a rich and sheltered upbringing than of the Patriarchy (tm) (c).
Created: 09-26-2024
Based on 1st episode, good, but will possibly not watch further.
The good: Bates is (expectedly) brilliant, and her character is witty and well written. Nice bit of social engineering in the opening scene. All along really. Also, over-arching plot, apparently.
The bad: forced diversity. Nowhere is that diverse. Also, the episode does a very messy job of distancing itself from the original show (and thus accusations of gender-swapping), but a very good job of stealing its lunch, up until the court-room drama, and last-second surprise witness. So yeah, gender-swapped. Why not go for an original name instead of very obviously riding coat-tails.
The ugly: no man can be both (vaguely) competent and white. Women complaining about men every few minutes. I know, that’s what they do, but I want escapism, not a documentary. Also, SJW talking points raised, and not in irony.
It’s irksome. On the fence about the whole show. Somehow gives off same feeling as Inside Out 2: woke vehicle hastily dismantled in hopes not to go broke. Show creator quite possibly overt feminist. Del Rio self(?)-described as 'Latinx'.
Time will tell if show for everybody, or just the enlightened /s.
Edit: watched further, activism toned down somewhat, although 'privilege' and racism are still there. White males less stupid, Bates still excellent as a sly old she-fox.
Further edit: non-white lesbians! Non-white lesbians everywhere! Will they have the balls (not assuming gender) to make the not-white oppressed woman the ultimate villain? Not sure.
I stand by my initial opinion: it was planned to be far woker, was toned down, but clever editing has its limits, particularly when you have a run time target. Excising the omni-lesbian would have also meant serious reshoots.
Final edit: The writers never let go of the permanent nagging and complaigning about men. Usual talking points, stops just short of the word patriarchy. Or factual evidence, as always with that kind of discourse.
Well, art imitates life, but I like my escapism a little less realistic.
Also, white men can never be good guys. They're at best neutral, with barely a positive quality. Which begs the question, how in hell did all the strong independent women in the show get hitched with such pussies. On the other hand, I wonder how any men would want to marry a self-professed perennial victim, so maybe I just don't get it. Maybe it's that way over in North America. Quite possibly, judging by the marriage rates.
In which case, you lads have all my sympathy.
Still, it does evolve into pretty overt racism toward the end of the series. Or is it sexism? Hey, why not both. I'm all for free speech, and people don't have to like me. But it does make for contrived writing.
All in all, this series leaves me with a mixed appreciation.
It's a bit like the German mustache enthusiast: he did get the trains running on time, too bad he was a genocidal socialist (pleonasm intended).
Matlock is good in many ways, but also hateful. The somewhat disguised hatred of the almost clever. Those about which cannot be said to forgive, because they know not what they do.
This is written knowingly, and the hatred is assumed.
Created: 09-24-2024
