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LIKES: Great Cinematography Acting That Works An Inspiring Story Good Visual Effects Fantastic Sound Editing Integration Into the Process Believable With Just Enough Sheen Some Of The Scenes Come Together Perfectly Summary: For me, Last Breath is a very visceral movie in terms of the investment in the visual and sound effects to bring this tale to life. The film immerses you into the entire process of diving for maintenance, giving us detailed looks at the preparation of these brave patrons to venture into the depths of the sea. A stunning visual direction gives so much gravity to the scenes below, the encroaching darkness of the silent seabed a terror rivaling any beast that may lurk in its depths. Such direction pans through much of the movie, keeping everything in frame, combining elements that bring the surface and the depths together as they try to accomplish the impossible. Alongside the visuals is an equally impressive sound effect collection; the movie theaters unleash all the power of the ocean into surround sound goodness that further brings the experience to life. Crashing waves, blunt thumps, thunderous booms, and the strain of the ship are just some of the things you will get in this film as they roll through the theater quite loudly. It makes all the scenes worth the investment, each member and step to this rescue operation immensely detailed to help incorporate one into the movie to degrees I did not expect while keeping the reality present. Last Breath does have those Hollywood touches to make things exciting, pretty, or have that extra jeje; I never felt it strayed too far from being believable, which gets additional points in my book. This balance is a nice medium ground to make the film entertaining, but not to the point of corny, with some of the scenes coming together in that perfect amount to stimulate goosebumps or a tear in your eye like two audience members in my showing.

Regarding the acting and story, Last Breath exceeded my expectations from the trailers. It is a nice film that is there to inspire and amaze. While not the most original story, this film shows heroic efforts of teamwork, communication, and intelligence to handle an emergency, with fantastic speeches to further lift our character to the status of hero. What this team did is quite incredible, if not a tad heavy-handed, but it is certainly the pick-me-up movie to help shine light in what feels like a metaphorical darkness much of this movie takes place in. As for the acting, the cast director assembled a winning team for this film, with many of the leads perfect for the stalwart and unsure trailblazers. Cole is charming and vulnerable as he handles his new team and gives us the motivation to want to do this impossible feat. Liu still keeps to his reserved status: the warrior who doesn't punch so much as plan the job and see it to the end. It works in this case, a nice chemistry and changing dynamic that reminded me of his role in Arthur the King. Woody Harrelson is also surprisingly better than I thought, managing to break out of his usual Woody Harrelson antics enough to be different. A mentor like Haymitch, but not tied to the drink, this character had more moxie and heroism than the bitter drunkard. Though it is not the deepest, the chemistry among these actors was good, forming a unit that felt very geared towards an unorthodox brotherhood that is very in tune with the theme of the movie.

DISLIKES: Not The Most Thrilling For Me Felt A Little Rushed Not As Much Character Integration The Ending Seems Extra Overall, Okay Summary: Where the movie is a visual spectacle, the same can't be said for the full execution of this story. For one thing, the thrills of this movie are limited, either by desensitization or by understanding how the story is going to end. There is a timer that tries to set the mood with the visual tactics, but it soon crosses into a territory where something big has to happen to continue this journey. I did not feel the usual edge of survival or the engaging struggles that left me on the edge of my seat. Though you get a whole team experience in this process, the character integration is still not optimized. Many characters have their moments, but most of their names I don't remember because of how little they were ingrained into the story. As the movie continues on, there are those moments that feel immensely connected, but the ending becomes a bit of a boring mess as the epilogue shows the aftermath. Is it cool and heartwarming to see the real-life counterparts in their montage of life stories? Yes, it was. The part preceding that element was the part that I felt off about, a sort of pointless, simplified examination of some of the shared fears and hesitations that did little but extend the film. It's not horrible, but there had to be a better way, given all the things mentioned in the likes. When you factor these things together, the movie just feels sort of an okay film, the story more special than the film representing it.

The VERDICT: Last Breath is a movie that holds a lot of spirit and hope, something we need in the times we currently face. Its strengths are the visual prowess of the movie and the sound effects that accompany it to give you one of the closest dives to handling the dangers of the sea. Somehow, they found a way to make Hollywood magic and real life play nicely together, a film that feels accurate but not so entrenched in details to be a documentary or bland visual book. The acting is engaging and fun, the characters feel as realistic as the story, and they portray qualities I like to see in roles like these to stand against the often one-dimensional notes modern cinema chooses to follow. Despite these qualities, the movie is just not unique enough, outside one or two elements of the story. The thrills are minimal for me, knowing the things I know, and solutions came rather quickly and realistically to throw out some of the entertainment values. Alongside an ending that felt odd (much like my other recent review), the film just doesn't have as much shine as the trailers had me hoping for. Is this a movie? For the primary audience of drama/thriller to match films like The Perfect Storm and The Guardian, you should see this in theaters for the special effects prowess. Others will most likely enjoy this film the most at home, though, and that's where I recommend this film be seen. My scores for Last Breath are: Drama/Thriller: 7.0-7.5 Movie Overall: 7.0.

LIKES: Good Cinematography Filters The Acting Dark Comedy Is Timed Well/Dynamic Liked the Piecing Of Events Together Good Effects Pace At times Is Fantastic Good Dialogue Musical Selection Works Unique In Some Ways Summary: An independent film is not often the most spectacular show of special effects, over-the-top worlds, and top-billed actors for the awards. Riff Raff, though, feels a bit like a hybrid of popular and independent coming together, the qualities of both blending well into a movie that felt surprisingly elevated and entertaining. Montiel's direction coordinates cinematography with beautiful yet simple techniques that bring this story to an engaging level, capturing their emotions to some of the best details. It uses the right filters and good angles to capture the emotion of the moment to peak perfection. A smart script loaded with witty dialogue helps to guide the story, realistic conversations coming together with that Hollywood finesse that I love to marinate the words with to add that sparkle. Riff Raff's words are loaded to the nines with a great collection of quips, one-liners, and personalized insults that, again, are balanced, fun, and full of life. Even the music had a part in the comedy, a fun '70s-'80s style that almost seemed to have a personality of its own when executed. Of course, the acting brought much of this to life, solid performances from the merry band of actors to make much of this dark comedy to life. The cast feels authentically in tune with their characters, naturally having these qualities with few treading too far into overacting territory. I loved their delivery, their commitment, and the manners they brought, somehow telling more of their life with their non-verbal acting than their delivery. And when things heat up, the movie does a nice job bringing effects to life, but it does not rely too much on the new-age tricks to bring them to life, choosing instead practical effects to make them come to life. Alongside an authentic-looking baby bump, several tricks with hair, and several realistic wounds, the effects accomplish much despite not being the investment other films have.

As for the story, it's an odd tale of family, a set of choice events falling in a row to bring a very disgruntled family around the end of the holiday season. Riff Raff does a good job of explaining these events, taking the central tale of a tense family reunion and finding natural places to launch back into the past. The elements are long enough to be necessary but not too long to bloat the time and are presented articulately, with no complex telling or retelling like some movies try for in an attempt to keep a mystery going. Each tale adds a little more to the story while also adding some subplots and character development moments that utilize the time well. What I appreciated is that the stories almost match the personality of the person telling it, each tale having a visual style and writing to match the recanter's mind. An added bonus is that they are all naturally baked into the present with great transitions that build on those interactions I mentioned earlier. Sometimes in the form of answering a question, other times a means of sage wisdom to the impressionable DJ who is trying to comprehend everything. It all works well, and such blending of comedy and drama accomplishes much for me to make a unique storytelling adventure I didn't quite expect.

DISLIKES: The Language At Times Is Overbearing Coolidge And Davidson Still Are Their Acting It's Bloated In Pace At Times The Twist Comes A Tad Too Late The Dark Comedy Crosses Some Lines I Felt There Was A Little More Character Development Needed The Ending is Funny, But Rushed And Odd Summary The movie does have some of the drawbacks I don't like in independent films/film festival films. For one thing, the dialogue does get a bit heavy and lazy with expletives, dropping certain curses with no strategy to execution. Sensitive ears will hate this aspect, while others might become bored from the excess. The dark comedy will also cross boundaries, and several of the moments are a tad too morbid or inhumane for sensitive viewers to be aware of, a few too savage for myself and those involved. Past these moments, Davidson and Coolidge still aren't my favorites to invest in, and I feel that they were the two characters who added little more than pure comedy into the movie. If you like their styles and tricks, then you'll love their usage, but I felt there could have been a little more to even out the one-note comedy they've become accustomed to in most of their roles. In regards to the story and pacing, Riff Raff is a tad inconsistent and feels incomplete or rushed, depending on the part of the movie. The story gets a tad lost in itself, beating some of the points to a pulp to slow the momentum, while other times skipping past moments that could have built up a little more tension. The major flop was the twist of the movie, a good punch, but coming a tad too late and feeling a tad too rushed and changing the face of the game. It leads to an ending I don't quite appreciate- a rushed, vague, and open end that closes things down, but perhaps in the most unoriginal finish that felt a bit too metaphorical after all the buildup. It is this ending that I felt was the weakest part of the film, and I can't help but wonder what could have come if we had twenty more minutes to flesh out that finale.

The VERDICT: Riff Raff is a movie that doesn't really push much in terms of visuals, world-building, or unique flair that we audience members seem to crave. Where it does succeed is that its simple execution is very intelligent, an efficient tale that balances past and present within a short time frame, tying the story together in a more unique way. I enjoyed the dark comedy at times and found the character development realistic, fun, and reflected through the whole journey for most of the characters, craving a few more minutes and pieces into this complex tale. Between the smart dialogue and the acting that brought it to life, I was entranced by this visual essay told through a narration on the concepts of family. However, the film's independent vibes also do get in the way at times with the time limit perhaps condensing things a tad too far to not let us have that time needed for just a tad more character development. There are a few other moments that go in excess, but the movie's main limitation for me was the ending, which feels a tad too vague and hasty after all the wonderful things Montiel and Pollono did in this piece, with just a little more completeness needed for me to enjoy. Still, with all this in mind, Riff Raff is one of those films I think many will enjoy and could recommend for a theater visit in the balanced fun I had with it. Is it necessary for the theater? No, the movie feels like an Apple+ worthy franchise to optimize. My scores of Riff Raff are: Comedy/Crime: 7.0-7.5 (not so much a crime, but a drama) Movie Overall: 7.0.

LIKES: Good Authentic Dialog Good Visual Effects A Strong Lead A Well-Developed Villain A Good Message Integrates Modern Themes Well A Nice Coordination Response Of Rescue A Thorough Introduction Action Is Pretty Cool At Times Summary: The thing I give Cleaner is that the movie feels very authentic and a fairly realistic interpretation of a hostage situation. Campbell's story team has fashioned a situation that feels approachable in the takeover and the countermeasures to combat it. Cleaner doesn't load it with gravity-defying stunts, superhuman abilities, or these elaborate technological wonders to do it all. Instead, it feels like someone is the hero, who coincidentally has a history to take it on and do it in a logical approach. As Ridley's character, Joey is pulled into the situation, she has a logical means of attack that feels believable, with only a few moments feeling a bit situational and convenient. When the action arrives, the fighting has a nice balance of Hollywood choreography and realism, keeping to the feel of the movie but also being entertaining at the same time. A nice move for me; the integration of the story and character elements sort of spiced things up and helped me remain interested in the character plights as the scene evolved, instead of just an extra fight that felt like pure spectacle for the sake of time bloating. All of this was shot quite nicely, a beautiful blend of cinematography techniques that helped create this unique situation and visual effects that seemed one part CGI and one part authentic props that didn't drown that atmosphere Campbell was bringing to the film.

In regards to the other plot elements, Cleaner succeeds better than other films I've seen in a while. Joey's story has a lot of modern-day interests rolled into one film and represents them in a manner that enhances their inclusion rather than undermining them. Her brother's autism, current International crises, and even the sexism aspects are surprisingly rolled into the plot rather than combatting it, which (again) helped give me more care for the other characters. The villain has more layers to him than many of the antagonistic roles call for: intelligence, skills, and an actual legitimate background that is paired well with the insanity. When mixed with the realistic approach mentioned above, the movie feels like a good drama to play in, and the characters feel as if they belong in a book I would read. Throw in some authentic dialog that incorporates the jargon, the attitude, and the emotions while still moving the plot, and you again impress me with the intelligence and coordination of the writing team in charge of the film. Their ability to blend all these components while still bringing a relevant message in a rather straightforward way is not an easy feat, and I was very impressed at what they had to say and how they said it. Finally, all the good writing is brought to life with a talented cast, everyone making legitimate representations without traipsing into melodramatic molds that so many shows choose to take. Ridley in particular showed more of her acting chops, and I applaud how much she can play an action woman when given the right script and direction. The others accomplish things well, but Ridley is the center of the web for me and pulls a lot of things together that I enjoyed in my viewing.

DISLIKES: Background Information Is Lacking Character Development Is Inconsistent The Plot Is Mediocre and Pieced Together Inconsistent Pace Too Realistic?

Way Too Much Setup The Action is wrapped up in about twenty minutes Is It Original Enough?

Summary: Where the movie fails for me, though, is that the film seems to have lost a lot of things in cuts or due to a time limitation. Much of the movie is about the setup, with almost an hour dedicated to her getting in the building to take care of business as the world setup exceeds its welcome. During that time, they tried to do a lot of character development, but I felt this character development was half-baked at times and too compressed, given how much air time she had to reflect. The connections with her mom, her army history, and even the antics with her brother have these well-timed and delivered moments, but something felt missing in these stories, and I wanted to see more of that exploited, given all the buildup. The character development for the cast also feels inconsistent, again, players that seemed like big pieces in the game of chess skirted over when there could have been a lot more to their involvement. In addition, the plot is not the most unique; a lot of elements are shared with Die Hard and not as well pieced together as I enjoy. It's not horrible by any account, but it just needs more finesse and originality to stand out or perhaps more action. Sadly, Cleaner suffers from condensed action for me; the John McClane effect is not as prominent or fun in this film, nor as creative in the execution against the band of bad guys. Perhaps that is where the realism hurts the film, in that the twenty minutes of action feels too short and needs more integration to help chop up that immense setup the movie takes.

The VERDICT: Cleaner is a movie that has a lot of fantastic elements that get their moments to shine and thrive. The smart writing and direction have pulled much of the film together, allowing for a tale that feels believable, in-depth, and relevant on many levels yet does not become too political or undermining at the same time. It makes good use of characters, intelligently crafted players, and logic that plays nicely with reality and does not require too many conveniences to accomplish. Ridley's acting shows so much talent, and her ability to keep so much together and play well with so many characters was a nice change of pace compared to other films she has been in. Under Campbell's direction, this film is well-executed on many technical aspects while also doing a solid job of an action story. Yet, the movie fails to fully unlock that potential for me. The setup is too long and doesn't have enough of the background diving to make it worth it, nor do some very interesting characters have their full delivery compared to all the time Joey gets. In addition, the action, while good at times, is too short and lacking for the time it took to get there in the nearly two-hour runtime. As such, the movie doesn't feel original, nor does it balance things out to the degree I think the advertising suggested it would. Upon reflection, this movie feels like an Amazon original/streaming original, and this would be the optimum area for you to invest your time and money into. When factoring everything together, I would give this film: Action/Drama/Thriller: 7.5 Movie Overall: 6.5.