Tag Archives: movies

Movie Reviews, movies

YouTube Movie Reviews: Permanent (2017)

3 Comments

This is a hard movie to recommend because of how niche the tone and pacing are. The pacing is slow, the characters are awkward, and the story is mundane. This is a very quiet movie about a group of awkward characters becoming comfortable with themselves. If you are a fan of Napoleon Dynamite, you will probably enjoy this movie. It has similar pacing and tone, although it is a bit tamer.

Permanent is a coming-of-age story about a young girl trying to fit in. As these movies go, she spends the whole movie figuring out where she fits in. There is a lot of emphasis on the mundane and weird aspects of life in a sleepy town somewhere in Virginia. I like the family dynamic that plays out on screen and the journey Aurelie goes on. The problem with this movie is the pacing, it can drag at points, but it is a pace fitting for the narrative.

This movie is a cute story about people overcoming their insecurities. The pacing and the subject aren’t for everyone. I recommend watching this in the background while you do chores or the like. You can do a lot worse for free. You can watch it on YouTube or Amazon with a Prime subscription.

Watch it Here!
Movie Reviews, movies

YouTube Movie Reviews: Tank Girl (1995)

Leave a comment
Source

This movie is based on a comic, but I haven’t read the comic. Instead, I will focus my review on just the movie.

I really wanted to like this movie. The movie is weird, quirky, and it has a lot of energy. But, this hyperactive and weird movie gets old very fast. Unless you love this adaptation of the character, you won’t find much worth in this movie. The plot is lazy, the world-building is almost non-existent, and there is a lot of filler.

There are parts of this movie that I liked. Some of the costumes are neat. Some of the jokes made me laugh, but there isn’t enough here to make it recommendable.

My biggest issue with this movie was the main character, at least the unwavering focus the film has on her. Tank girl is loud, quirky, and full of energy. Whatever charm she establishes in the first few minutes wears off soon after. She gets a little annoying. The main focus of this movie is to show off how quirky Tank Girl is at the cost of valuable plot development and world-building. There are a lot of scenes where she is just posing off her wacky outfit and even a changing montage when she should be doing anything to move the plot forward. At its bones, this movie is very bare.

This movie is loud and flashy but very boring. I wanted a narrative, I wanted memorable characters, and I wanted substance; but I didn’t get any of that. Instead, I got the promise of a good time. It is free on YouTube, but don’t waste your time. Maybe read the comic instead.

Watch it Here!
Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Review: Pig (2021)

13 Comments
Source

You need to watch this movie! On paper, it doesn’t seem interesting, but in execution it is magnificent. Nicholas Cage shows the world his talent as an actor as he searches Portland for his missing pig. The plot of this movie is a lot more tame version of John Wick. Do not let the tame and subdued tone this movie takes dissuade you; it tells a very thrilling story. It is an exciting and engaging story, and Nick Cage doesn’t even throw a single punch.

The acting in this movie is great, resulting in some very moving and emotional scenes. A bit of warning, this movie is quiet. There is a lot of silence, but it is used effectively to create tension and suspense. If you are not at the edge of your seat through this whole ordeal, we didn’t watch the same movie.

If you have Hulu, watch it now! You won’t regret it.

Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Reviews: Sing 2(2021)

1 Comment
Source

If you have kids, this won’t be a terrible time. The singing is fine, the song choices are better than the first movie, but there is no plot. I believe that the goal of this movie was to pack as many songs into the run time as possible. There are more songs than plot and that is fine. I don’t see this movie lasting very long because of its lack of substance. The movie is essentially a playlist with animals singing or dancing to them. Nothing award-winning, but entertaining enough for kids.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch this unless your kids want to watch this. For everyone, even if you like the first movie, it is lazy and done to sell a soundtrack. It isn’t bad by any means, but I wouldn’t spend the money to watch this unless necessary. If you do have to watch it, it’s not going to be a dreadful experience at least.

Movie Reviews, movies

YouTube Movie Reviews: Minority Report (2002)

2 Comments
Source

Here is a classic I believe that everyone should watch. The movie is a crime action set in the future. There is suspense, drama, and some great performances. In this movie, they have created a way to see crimes before they occur. Tom Cruise is accused of a precrime and now races against the clock to clear his name. You get thrilling chase scenes, crazy suspense, and some pretty awesome betrayal.

Please note that this is an older movie, and the CGI has not aged very well. Although it is not unwatchable, some scenes look dated and ugly.

But the visuals should not be a deterrent; the story is amazing. I love the arguments this movie makes about free will. If the precogs can accurately see the future, then everything we do is predetermined. If everything is predetermined, then we have no free will. We are merely playing out our programming. It brings into question how many choices we as humans have when it comes to our lives. Can we change our destiny? You will have to watch and come to your conclusions.

Watch this movie! It still holds up. I have seen this movie multiple times and it is still an exciting experience. Best of all, you can watch it free on YouTube!

Watch it Here!
Movie Reviews, movies

YouTube Movie Reviews: Valentine: The Dark Avenger (2017)

Leave a comment

Here we have a low-budget action movie that isn’t worth your time, even for free. The acting is terrible, the action scenes are boring, and the plot doesn’t make sense. I can excuse the lack of plot and poor acting in action movies when the action is fun to watch, but it’s impossible here. The main character doesn’t know how to fight. The fight scenes are shot with multiple cuts and a shacky camera to hide this fact. There is an unfunny scene in this movie where they are looking through possible candidates for the role of Violet. They make a big deal about throwing out all the ugly ones even though they know how to fight. I take issue with this because why does it matter if they are ugly if the goal is to fight crime? I wish they would hire action stars based on ability rather than looks because the action would be fun to watch. But then it wouldn’t be marketable.

The movie takes place in a city plagued with crime. A man with a tragic past recruits a woman to be the hero the city needs. The movie would have ended a lot sooner if anyone had a gun. Instead, you get overacted long chase scenes, boring fight scenes, and useless exposition dumps. And when the twist comes, because there has to be a twist, it was obvious and unimpressive. I can’t recommend this movie, even if it is free. Spend your time and energy on better things.

Watch it Here!
Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Reviews: Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019)

3 Comments
Source

This movie isn’t for everyone. If you have not seen any Kevin Smith movies or are not a fan of his work, you won’t have a good time. This movie is very Kevin Smith in that most of the jokes are inside jokes that reference all his other works. I have seen most of his work and I had trouble following some of the jokes. That said, I enjoyed the format of this movie.

The reboot seems to be an essay about the state of modern cinema interwoven in the conclusion of a long-running series. Kevin Smith uses a lot of dialogue to criticize Hollywood and his work. The movie also works as a conclusion to Jay’s narrative. If you have been following the series, you know that Jay starts as this goofy drug dealer, but slowly he has become a selfish and almost heroic character. I believe this movie was a great way to end his story.

I do have a few issues with the movie. The meta jokes get tired and repetitive. The third act is slow and stops suddenly. The minority characters serve as tokens and hold very little weight. The movie cannot stand on its own without being some kind of Kevin Smith fan. It isn’t a bad movie by any means. Some genuinely funny moments had me crying. The acting is fine. The movie was fun for me, but I like his style of film making and I got a lot of the references.

There is a lot I like about this movie, but the cost of admission for this movie is too high. Don’t let this be your first Kevin Smith movie, you will not understand it. If you don’t like his style of movie-making, I would skip this one. This movie is Kevin Smith the movie. If you are a fan of Kevin Smith’s work, then you probably already watched it. If not, it is included with your Prime Membership.

Movie Reviews, movies

Prime Movie Reviews: Defendor (2009)

Leave a comment
Source

Defendor is another Average Joe Superhero movie. The movie has the delightful casting of Woody Harrelson; his charm is infectious in this movie. Harrelson plays Arthur, a man with mental disabilities who fights crime as Defendor.

What sets this movie apart is Arthur. Arthur has this strong sense of justice and duty that he has emulated from his comic books. There are moments when he shows some bits of his humanity, but his personality changes when he puts on the costume. Watching the contrast between Defendor and Arthur is well executed. Defendor isn’t a great fighter and often gets beat up, but that never stopped him. His real superpower is his determination to his cause. Don’t go into this movie expecting well-choreographed fights. The fights are filmed to fit the narrative. Defendor uses gadgets like marbles or wasps to create confusion and uses that confusion to get an advantage. They are fun to watch. And don’t get me started on his catch phrases. They are the icing to the whole movie!

The movie is a little slow at times. It bounces around from different aspects of his life as he tries to stop his nemesis Captain Industry.
The film spends a lot of time effectively building a back story for Defendor. The film also does a great job showing the impact that Defendor and Author make on the world. This film is successful at telling a compelling superhero story with what it has.

But, this film is not for everyone. The pacing can be a problem, especially towards the middle. But if you have an Amazon Prime membership and two hours to kill, there are worse ways to spend it.

Movie Reviews, movies

YouTube Movie Reviews: O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

1 Comment
Source

Set in Depression-Era America, it weaves in different iconic moments throughout the adventure. I can not speak for its historical accuracy, but it does seem to align with other narratives from the era. History aside, there is a lot to love about the movie. The characters in this movie are fun and memorable, but my favorite has to be George Clooney’s pseudointellectual adaptation of Ulysses. The story itself, although it is an odd one, is engaging. Watching Ullyses and company travel through the American landscape is a fun and beautiful journey.

This movie also has one of my favorite soundtracks. My love for folk music began with this movie. Folk music has played an important role in American culture. It is only fitting that it accompanies our narrative.

I could keep going about this movie because it is one of my favorites, but I will end it here. You need to watch this movie!

Watch it Here!
Movie Reviews, movies

Movie Reviews: Afternoon Delight (2013)

3 Comments
Source

I don’t know where to start with this movie. It is a disappointing movie that isn’t worth your time. There are elements of this movie that are fine. The acting is fine. Some awkward scenes show the main character’s state of despair. My issue with this movie is how it all ends.

The movie is about a bored housewife who is unhappy with her life. The film does a fine job showing the audience how trapped she is. To cure her boredom, she takes a sex worker off the street to live in her house. This seemingly altruistic act is muddied with sexual desire and boredom. There are moments where the movie suggests the desire for a sexual relationship with the prostitute, but nothing comes of it. The whole situation was merely a hobby to fill her otherwise meaningless life.

What I hate is that the source of her unhappiness is that her life is too nice. She begins to act recklessly because she wants real-life experiences. When life gets too real, she freaks out and it’s like nothing ever happened. You have all this build-up and then nothing. There is no hero’s journey. There is no character growth. The movie just ends.

I don’t recommend this movie. It’s not worth your time.