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George Lucas in Love (1999)
A Great Kick at the Inspiration of Star Wars
George Lucas In Love is one of the funniest short films I can remember. A short that takes a good kick at the inspirations for Star Wars from a young George Lucas trying to formulate his galactic masterpiece. I heard about this film through the grape vein but never had the time to sit down and really watch it till recently, witty and funny. Surprising runtime only eight-minutes. Leaving the problem of wishing you had more. Its projects like these that keep the legacy and nostalgia of Star Wars going even for older generational fans like your writer George Lucas in Love a must see for the Star Wars fan.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
It's a 1up from the original movie
A movie by the numbers. If you went down a list of everything needed to be a Super Mario Bros movie, this movie checked every mark. Playing into many, if not every Mario Nintendo trope there is, this film delivers a perfect fun feel of familiarity for two of the world's most recognized characters. It's a 1up from the original movie, giving you everything you could ever want, from Italian jokes to occupational plumber hazards, to call backs from the games with music and visuals, this move delivers on multiple levels. Bringing it home with some memorable comedy and action, Jack Black as Bowser was brilliant! An overall fun film.
Echoes of You (2018)
A Great Short
When I started watching Echoes Of You, I was immediately taken aback not just by the music, In which it is portrayed as the musical theme. I was also struck by the look of this short film, it is to say simply, brilliant. Colors so reflective and fluid help slightly move along a piece that has little dialogue, for good reason.
Introduction to the main characters can give a wrong impression of Good Will Hunting coming along in an August Rush. There was so much more to this story. Both main actors Laurence Fuller, Zakary Risinger let some talented emotionally driven performances show, as the cinematography lends a hand to let this story breath to play out well.
The film flows along with music, showing us a talented unappreciated starving musician, playing piano during work hours. Trying to pave his way in the world through his inherent skill of music. Along with his strife, he befriends a homeless boy, outside the music house. Through compassion, love, and empathy. We are treated to a gripping montage of friendship between mentor and student, to have a real story come crashing down before our eyes. One with an uplifting time-skip ending, that I will not give away.
Instead, I highly recommend this Short Film. The ending is an orchestrated masterpiece. An engaging reflective true-to-life story, with a Beautiful ending.
Joker (2019)
Joker is a Masterpiece!!
When it comes to comic book villains there is much to be desired in modern comic book films. From DC to Marvel the most criticism in both films would be the lack of depth in the characters of the villains. With there weren't a whole lot of people invested in the idea of a Joker standalone film coming out. One of if not the most beloved comic book villains in comic book history who is going to get his own film on the big screen, but the question was will it deliver a strong presence.
On October the 4th 2019 we got the movie Joker directed by Todd Phillips starring Joaquin Phoenix As a party cloud by day in a standup comedian by night, good start you would think but the movie would get even better with how it was portrayed. With an in-depth look at mental illness isolation and fear the movie Joker lands all three with flying colors. I myself seen the film twice still don't know what reality is and what is fiction when it comes to the storytelling and Joker. I mean it's Joker are you really going to believe a psychopathic killer or are you going to believe a man who feels alone and never really felt joy until he became the Joker. From the stylistic shots of a realistic Gotham to the goodwill field of one Arthur flex descent into madness you feel every inch of pain and trauma the character goes through.
This is not your average take on the Joker, there is no Batman there is no games or Harley Quinn just the Joker. If you're skeptical and how the movie goes about the jokers back story some may be impressed, But may I inform those that do have criticisms that this is a take on Joker that is supposed to be taken in the most realistic nature stepping outside of what we know of the comic book character into the realism of the reality of which we live in . We all have troubles we all have trauma and how we deal with them defines who we are in our day-to-day activities, Arthur's descent was not because he was a terrible human being that deserves no mercy but one who simply didn't want to take medication no longer. The message of taking care of our mentally ill people of the world instead of casting them aside and acting as if they are invisible rings true, Joaquin Phoenix's performance will go down as one of the best jokers if not in fact the best Joker to have ever been seen on film by just simply taking the Joker character in the most realistic form. Todd Phillip's Joker is quite simple, it's real and very true, but hey that's life.
Unicorn Wars (2022)
Full Metal Jacket Meets Care Bears.
I've seen Paddock and Leafie, A Hen into the Wild but this movie is its own dark world. This isn't your kids care bears. This is if care bears woke up with religion and a genocidal vendetta against beloved unicorns. Full metal Jacket meets care bears. There is a lot to unpack in this film, as it plays like any other war movie in its own fictional world. Following a squad of cute bears with their own feelings and choices. In a long war against their hated enemies' unicorns. Except in this Movie, you have cannibalism, drug use, murder, racism and plenty of gore to go along with the horrors of war, wrapped up in a little cute bow for you. A movie to watch when you want to destroy any remnants of childhood joy left in you. However this film for what it, has real world reflections in it, which in all honesty makes it a pretty good interesting watch. I wouldn't recommend this movie to your kids however I would recommend this movie to fans of the abovementioned movies in the beginning of this review and maybe fans of Watership down. This is a food for thought film with false cute eyes to lead you down a dark rabbit hole.
65 (2023)
Imagine the last day of the Dinosaurs but with Adam Driver!
65 is about as standard as you can get from a lost in space, trapped on an unknown world type of film. Its Land of the Lost but more serious! Adam Driver does his best to save a script and plot we have seen dozens of times in films. The film itself is a play upon the real end story of the dinosaurs so just imagine that day with Adam Driver and you have an idea of the ending of this film. The CGI Dinosaurs are pretty good looking for a budget like this they better be. The action is explosive yet predictable at times. This movie should/could be enjoyed as a guilty pleasure nothing beyond this world.
Primal (2019)
Primal: An Entertaining Primordial Soup of Evolution
Primal is a real clock turner, turning back the age to an entertaining primordial soup of evolution. Genndy Tartakovsky delivers a new intense visionary world to grasp on too.
Animated and silent the series use's the very sound of nature, with a taste of brutal visionary animation of a world we will never know. These traits help us the viewer dive right into the silent hero know as Spear. No dialogue or scripted narration, just the silent raw emotion of a man trying to provide in this harsh world written for him. Although some might argue this fundamental mechanical style of storytelling is played out. Primal, however, is perfectly suited for this style. Spear is more than a caveman among the Dinosaurs, he is us in this world. Like us, tragedy befalls his simple life, and like us, he seeks that basic of emotions to be fulfilled...revenge. Revenge against the savage beasts of the food chain. His crusade against the laws of the wild leads him not to befriend a female Tyrannosaurs companion, named Fang. More or less a symbiotic relationship through the tragedy of family and for the remainder of the show's survival. Survival forms their bond in this worth watching series.
Le chaînon manquant (1980)
Let's Talk About BC Rock
We have all seen those primordial animated depictions of mankind existing with dinosaurs back in time. Cartoons from the Looney Toon Days Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur (1939) This cartoon depicts a caveman and his brontosaurs in the quest for the essentials for survival in life, before coming up against star Looney Character Daffy Duck.
Then there is One Million Years B. C. An old film about a Caveman who, banished from his tribe, meets and falls in love with a young woman from a more advanced and progressive tribe. This movie admittedly has lost most of its lack luster over the years. One can make an argument of culture, advancement in film effects, and science. That just makes this film less and less relevant as time goes on.
Now here comes The Missing Link to tie everything together figuratively, or as America would know it as B. C. Rock was written by Pierre Bartier (1945-2006) known for his works like Tarzoon: Shame of the Jungle (1975) The Lonely Killers (1972) A adult animator much like Ralph Bakshi with his works like Fritz the Cat. However Pierre Bartier was more known for his parodies of evolution which can be seen throughout his films, as well as graphic nudity and sexual depictions.
B. C Rock was an interesting watch and find for the Reel Sharks crew the movie itself is hilariously entertaining but can drag at times, like watching Heavy Metal, just fill screen time with the music. The overall message of the film is a known one about the impact of humanity on the world.
Uncut Gems (2019)
An Uncut Masterpiece!
Uncut Gems a chaotic Surprise from 2019, hands down one of the best films of the year. Since the days of Overboard Adam Sandler has expressively given us his one or two-note acting gigs. While most enjoy Sandlers roles in his movies, most can come to an agreement he has always been perceived to never go far in the world of dramatic acting just comedic. This was not the case with Uncut Gems. The world filtered threw the Safdie brothers is electric and gritty, with stellar performances from everyone involved.
I saw the trailer for Uncut Gems at my screening of the Joker, I'm not one for trailers, yet this one stuck out to me. Not just featuring comedic actor Adam Sandler, this featured a great cast and a show of a stellar performance from Adam Sandler. Since then I have waited, then finally I got my screening. The movie starts out well enough, till the opening dialogue. Then we a treated to chaos, sheer chaos of a self-destructive man driven by money for the many reasons most of us do, to pay off debt. Sandler's character for all the sleaziness is the only person the audience has to grasp onto. You may not like this Jeweler, but you are exhausted by him much the same. Making backhanded deals with Kevin Garnett, bribing others with fake Rolexes, avoiding debt collectors who want to kill him.
This movie is made to make a viewer stressed, uncomfortable, even angry. This is all needed to present this story, Uncut Gems is about hustling, taking money that isn't yours spreading it around to make yourself richer. The chaotic moments of the film are not just spent on Sandlers Character but by those who chase him as well. Leaving one in disbelief every minute of the film. Thus the movie shows us the errors of embracing the ways of chaos, breaking deals, making enemies, and living one's life too close to the chest.
Tetris (2023)
Hits the Kill Screen and More!!
Its hard for me to gush so hard over any film in this day in age but I'm about to do just that for the film Tetris. Right now in this year of our lord 2023 the trend for most movies right now seems to be... explain the process of things, example the Air movie. However, Tetris is on another level completely. Giving you the real story behind one the greatest video games ever created. Thrilling and entertaining a movie that delivers stellar performances from the whole cast. You wouldn't believe this was a movie about a video game with its atmosphere like that of a corporate spy thriller. I highly recommend this movie to those in the video game community young and old. Always remember your roots in video games, this movie will show how one was grown.
Tomorrow's Today (2021)
A Gem of This Era
Independent films can swing you in many different directions, some only becoming a footnote of movie history while others seem live on in culture and cultish narratives through the ages. Tomorrow's Today will ultimately become one of those films. An unconventional gangster film that is quirky and clever. A comedy with a bit of stress, in a good way. Following Charlie Boy Greg Kritikos a grifter, with a brother who's a terrible grifter, Tommy G Annunziato Carbone. Who manages to land his reformed brother in a lot of hot water. A comedic type of atmosphere leads through dramatic undertones in this 84-minute run time. The cinematography done by director Timothy Hines delivers a great compilation of New York city life that fills a natural flow of the film. Overall, Tomorrow's Today will be a gem of this era to find.
Pixels (2015)
Like An Acid Trip Meets a Kid's Movie
Pixels is one of the weirdest films I have ever really seen. An Adam Sandler movie like an acid trip meets a kid's film that falls flat on its face. The movie has virtually no main character that isn't just Adam Sandler being Adam Sandler. Kevin James delivers a non-memorable performance as the President of the United States. The film itself is a cheat code (pun intended) of one note joke performances. Peter Dinklage ultimately leads this film in his minor end of the runway performance.
Pixels gives good fun and overdramatized digital action for an era of video games that a dying generation love to remember.
Cocaine Bear (2023)
Cocaine Bear was a fun filled cocaine ride!
Cocaine Bear was a fun filled cocaine ride! A movie that is based off events that might have lasted no more than mere minutes, but the premise is here off real history, to do a fun what if movie.
The films pace is decent with a run time I would argue is too long. However it leaves some decent B-list actors in this film to get to shine. The humor itself it dry and cynical in nature yet good for some laughs along the way. A violent film with no apologies, overall it's a good "Hey you ever seen that movie before?" With your friends nothing to write home about however.
I wouldn't say this movie is bad but it wasn't exactly great.