Locked Rate and Discuss the Last Movie You Saw v.15

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Dragonlordxxxxx

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Rate and Discuss the Last Movie You Saw

Don't just give a title and a rating. Say something about it, doesn't have to be long, just a reason why it was good, bad or in between.

Guideline for the 10-star rating system:

10 - Excellent
9 - Great
8 - Good
7 - Pretty Good
6 - Decent
5 - Average/Fair/Meh
4 - Poor
3 - Bad
2 - Terrible
1 - Abysmal


Note: Some of your reviews might be copied to the official thread of the subject movie.

Link to previous thread:
http://forums.sherdog.com/posts/132254149/
 
Here are the last 3 films I saw.

July 26, 2017

Dragonlord's Review of ATOMIC BLONDE


Bottom Line: The impressive, brutal fight choreography is the only thing keeping this frigid Cold War spy thriller from fizzling out.

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Angelina Jolie was the undoubtedly the queen of action movies back in the 2000s. Nipping at Jolie's crown for the better part of the past decade, Charlize Theron takes up the abandoned mantle with recent action/adventure flicks as Mad Max: Fury Road, The Fate of the Furious, The Huntsman: Winter's War and now, Atomic Blonde.

Based on Anthony Johnston's graphic novel The Coldest City, Theron plays Lorraine Broughton, a top-level spy for MI6 sent to Germany on the eve of the fall of the Berlin Wall to retrieve a coveted master list and to uncover the identity of the double agent called Satchel.

Veteran stunt master and one half of the John Wick architects, Atomic Blonde director David Leitch continues his dominance in the action world with staging several gratifying, bone-crunching fight scenes including a spectacularly brutal extended "one-take" shot during the film's climax in an apartment building's stairwell. Leitch downplays the gun-fu aspect in which he is famously known for and focuses more on the hand-to-hand combat facet of the spectrum.

Lorraine Broughton (Theron's character) is unquestionably a bad-ass heroine with the actress admirably doing roughly 98% of her own stunts. More Jane Wick than John le Carre, Lorraine dispatches her opponents with steely resolve and resourcefulness, using everything from car keys, an ice pick, a garden hose, or a stiletto to get the job done. Props also to the film's dose of realism as Lorraine is not untouchable as we see her get punched, bruised and even gas out in the middle of a fight.

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Unfortunately there's a disconnection side to Theron's performance as Lorraine seemed so robotic, so detached and her lines so carefully calculated and aloof that it's hard to form a rapport with her character resulting in a film with great action but zero emotional stakes.

Lacing the sophistication, suspense building and spycraft mastery of a John le Carre production, Atomic Blonde's skillful action scenes are not enough to overcome its muddled narrative. Adding to its murkiness is David Percival (jubilantly played by James McAvoy), a British spy that has gone "native" in Berlin. They already showed their cards too early by revealing Percival can't be trusted but the film and Lorraine inexplicably still continue to play along up to the not-so-surprising bitter end.

The film is narrated by Lorraine through flashbacks while giving a debriefing, which is a format I'm not too fond of because it automatically ruins half of the tension since you already know the protagonist is alive in the future. But at the same time, I suspected from the start they orchestrated it that way to set up a twist in the end. They're also going with the flashback-debriefing route to assist the audience make sense of the confusing narrative.

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For the pervy readers, yes there are glimpses of nudity from Theron and she has a steamy sex scene with Sofia Boutella playing a French operative who makes the stupidest action in the film (see spoiler box below).

Continuing the visual style he displayed with John Wick, Leitch likes to play with saturated neon colors that accentuates the decadent side of Berlin. A slew of 80s New Wave and Techno-Pop songs blare through each scene to mostly positive results ("99 Luftballoons" was too painfully obvious though).

Theron sports a brunette hairdo in the end and she looks absolutely stunning, thousand times better than her character's normal platinum blonde look. It's also the first time Lorraine has shown her true persona with genuine emotions and if they hope to do more sequels, that is the character I am interested in investing in.

Rating: 6.5/10 or 7/10

In one the most dumbest actions I've seen from a trained spy, Delphine (Sophia Boutella), who is at her apartment, calls Percival (James McAvoy) on the phone and threatens to expose him as a traitor. She then spends the next hour in her apartment packing up her stuff. To the surprise of no one, Percival shows up and kills her. Granted Delphine was still new at the spy game, there's no excuse for having no common sense.
 
July 21, 2017

Dragonlord's Review of VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS
(No Spoilers)

Bottom Line: A stunning visual sci-fi spectacle, Valerian is a fun, lighthearted, eccentric, retro space adventure but errs with its male lead casting.

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Confession time. Going into Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, I was sort of ready to rip it apart and was already preparing lines in my head like, "This year's Jupiter Ascending," or "Luc Besson's misguided vanity project," or "One of the worst movies I've ever seen."

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Valerian is a rip-roaring, fun, sci-fi adventure and has a refreshing, retro, swashbuckling vibe from the bygone 1980s sci-fi eras where it doesn't take itself too seriously.

The visual effects are simply astonishing. With a reported $210 million budget (making it the most expensive movie ever made in France), all the money spent can be clearly seen in the final product as the film wows us with top notch, spectacular special effects, dazzling production designs and magnificent set pieces.

If you enjoy watching sci-fi movies or TV shows to see different types of alien life forms, Valerian has you covered with all varieties of outworldly extraterrestrials filling the screen. Besson has been obsessed with bringing the comic book series Valérian and Laureline, from which the movie is based on, to the silver screen for decades but now has the technology to properly do it.

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If the gorgeous alien landscapes, distinctive set designs, lavish makeup and costumes, stunning cinematography don't win you over, the frantic, fast-paced, thrilling action pieces will. Valerian also offers a lot of innovative sci-fi concepts and techs that's refreshing to watch. The virtual reality marketplace is so freaking cool and the action that follows is just bonkers.

DeHaan is simply miscast as the male lead Major Valerian. He is a good actor but I just find his natural line delivery to be too wooden. He reminds me of similar stiff actor like Keanu Reeves. DeHaan also lacks the necessary charisma to pull off the role. A younger Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt would have killed it. On the flipside, DeHaan looked good in the action scenes, carrying himself with a cool, confident aura.

Redeeming herself from her last awful performance in Suicide Squad, Delevingne is adorably cute as the smart and sexy Sergeant Laureline. It’s not going to win her any acting awards but I liked her plucky, resourceful character. Too bad they couldn't figure out how to proceed with her character and basically turned her into a damsel in distress in the second half.

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The romance angle doesn't really work, more often the dialogue was cheesy and the scenes came off as awkward to watch. Again, half of the blame goes to DeHaan who just lacks the suave and charm to actualize it. That "love" line at the end was so cringey I could see my brains from rolling my eyes too much.

A couple of big name stars like Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke and Rutger Hauer grace the screen which adds to the overall fun. Besson even got some of his fellow French filmmakers like Louis Leterrier (Now You See Me), Olivier Megaton (Taken 2) to cameo as Captains welcoming the alien diplomats.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a stunning visual sci-fi spectacle that's also a fun, lighthearted, eccentric, retro space adventure with spectacular, hyperactive action. There's so much to digest in one sitting that a second viewing might be in order. I suspect that Valerian is one of those films that gets better and more appreciated over the course of time.

Rating: 7.5/10
 
July 19, 2017

Dragonlord's Review of DUNKIRK
(No Spoilers)

Bottom Line: Thankfully there's no fight scenes involved, Christopher Nolan utilizes an unconventional narrative structure to deliver a taut, gripping, restrained thriller.

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The film tells the extraordinary true story of how 400,000 defeated Allied troops were rescued on the beaches of Dunkirk, France during the early stages of World War II. Writer-director Christopher Nolan employs an irregular narrative structure, focusing on three chapters with different timelines, interweaving all the intricate moving parts and masterfully merging them all together at the end.

Dunkirk is told from three perspectives: The Mole, follows a group of young soldiers trying futilely to escape the beach; The Sea, follows a civilian pleasure boat on its way to Dunkirk to help with the evacuation; The Air, follows a pair of Royal Air Force pilots battling Nazi bombers and planes. There's a pleasure watching events unfold with scenes taking place a few minutes ago making more sense as time passes by.

Due to the true story nature, Nolan's clumsy, expository dialogue is nowhere to be found. In fact, there is minimal dialogue in the film. Opting to use a fight or flight approach, audiences are smack right in the middle of the conflict with no character backstories or even time for last names. But despite that, all the characters are compelling and memorable.

The ensemble cast, from Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy to newcomer Fionn Whitehead, were all superb. Even pop star Harry Styles of One Direction did a pretty good job and could have a bright future as an actor if he chooses to. Notable mention to Hoyte van Hoytema for the beautiful cinematography, Hans Zimmer for the minimalistic but tense score and the incredible sound editing. Great aerial dogfight scenes, highlighting how difficult it is to shoot down an enemy plane.

Nolan had a respectful but too restrained approach to staging some of the more intense scenes and didn't go for the jugular. The fact that this is a war film and its PG-13 rating didn't really help. Dunkirk has been heralded by some to be the greatest war movie ever told. Temper your expectations when watching this. It's no doubt a solidly, well-made film but there are better war movies out there.

Rating: 8/10
 
The Invitation

Pretty much perfect. I can't say too much without spoiling anything, so I'll keep it brief. The story revolves around a bunch of rich yuppies in LA, getting together for a reunion of sorts. It's implied they all severed ties after a traumatic event involving the main character and his now ex-wife. A few years have passed, and they all receive an invitation to a get together at the ex-wife and her new hubby's house. They all show up, and things get creepy.

What follows is one of the tightest and tense thrillers I've seen in years. It will keep you guessing, and second guessing yourself until the very end. And what a spectacular ending it is.

If I had a complaint at all, it would the very final twist, that felt a tacked on and a little unnecessary. Although, it does end the film on a very impactful note, and will leave an impression as the credits roll. It works, but personally I found it to be a little much.

Overall though, a superb film in every conceivable way.

9.5/10
 
Emelie

Simple little thriller I caught on Netflix. It's your basic "evil babysitter" story. Girl is hired to take care of the kids, but is pretty weird, and has a dark agenda that slowly gets revealed. You've seen it before.

What sets the flick apart though, are the performances. The kids in this movie are superb, but I think the director deserves a LOT of credit here, as I'm not sure if the kids were good actors, or if they were just caught in the right moments. Two out of the three kids are really young, and I can't imagine them having too much awareness to what they were participating in. The third kid is a little older though, and does a good job as well. And then there is the babysitter herself, who is just outstanding. Can't recall the actresses name, but look her up She's great. The whole thing rides on the dynamic of the relationship between the kids and the sitter, and it's really done well, to the point where you're rooting for and against the appropriate characters, and it makes for a fun little thriller.

Nothing special apart from the performances, and the last act has some hiccups, and doesn't do the build up justice, but it mostly works.

7/10
 
Spider-Man Homecoming

8.5/10

Not much to say. I love comicbook movies. This was a very fresh reboot. And hottie Aunt May is most welcome.
 
Doctor Strange - 7/10

I'm a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch.

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Dr. Strange

7/10

Good special effects. Thought Cumberbatch was good. Thought the story was a little underwhelming, fairly week plot overall. Mads Milkensen's character wasn't very developed and I thought Dormanu wasn't really done justice either.
 
Going through random movies on HBO Now

The Last Witch Hunter

2/10

Outside of the Fast and Furious Movies Vin Diesel feels out of Place this is heightened even more the swords and sorcery genre . Just bad all around.


Now You See Me 2

8/10

Not perfect and tricks and plot are a bit convoluted but the execution works because, Mark Ruffalo and the supporting cast have good chemistry and seem to be having fun. Daniel Radcliff as the villain feels out of odd though .
 
The Trust. Nic Cage and that Hobit fella are 2 cops who decide to rip off a gangster's stash. Not fuckin bad for a Cage flick. It's got a decent plot, it looks good and who knows, with a better director it could have been the one to kick him back into the big time. What Cage needs is somebody like Tarantino to remind audiences that he's a pretty good actor when he gets a half decent script.
 
Alien: Covenant
Expected a shitty movie, got a shitty movie. Watched it mainly out of loyalty as I loved a few of the older movies in the franchise. Predictable, bland, forgettable with a ridiculously obvious twist. The neo-morph thing was quite cool looking but very brief, we didn't see anywhere near enough of it.
5/10
 
The Accountant - Actually thought it was pretty decent. The "twist" at the end was pretty typical, and noticed from a mile away, but I would say 6/10
 
Creed

It was...okay. I don't really see the big deal with it. Ripped dude is Apollo Creed's son, and gets a girlfriend who supports him. He works hard in the gym, gets Rocky as his trainer, and fights in boxing matches. He tours Philadelphia, and stares at Rocky's statue, which inspires him.

That's pretty much it. It's a good effort, but you've seen this movie before. I don't want to shit on it too much, as it was all competently made, but who cares? It's the same fuckin' story as the original, and Rocky playing Mick doesn't change that. On top of that, the fight choreography was boring. Realistic I guess, but boring. I didn't give a shit about any of the fights in this movie The movie just tried too hard to be "emotional". Like I'm supposed to care about Apollo Creed's son's boring, run of the mill life, just because. Oh' shit, his mother is concerned about him getting hurt in the ring, and his girlfriend is a musician who is losing her hearing...who cares?

Bah! 6/10
 
Betty Blue/37° 2 Le Matin: Directors Cut(1986)

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I'd say one of the less discussed downsides of the net age for me is that with such easy access to nudity there's much less chance for film makers to trick teenage boys into watching arty drama with a bit of flesh :). I remember seeing the original cut of this on channel 4 in the UK a few years after release due to and it being unlike pretty much anything I'd seen before. Its sexy as hell obviously but going hand in hand with a strange mix of deliberately comic over the top French boheimism and psychodrama with Beatrice Dalle casually bridging the gap between all of that, strong comparisons to Adèle Exarchopoulos in Blue is the Warmest Colour for me even if the film is in some ways the opposite of that ultra realism.

Its been years since I'v seen the original but the directors cut being over an hour longer(just under 3 hours) and my memory give the impression we see a good deal more of the above larger than life style. The best comparison I can think of is Withnail and I(maybe a bit of more serious Coen brothers ala Inside Llewyn Davis as well) with a cast of struggling novelist policemen, cross dressing bank robbers and hook handed garbagemen with mattress vendettas.

You could argue as well I spose as well this this film was the prototype for the "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" although unlike a lot of the more clichéd drek we see in that style the character has a lot more to her(akin to say Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine) with her manic nature playing though into something vastly more tragic.
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IBeyond the lead atress as well it is also an amazingly good looking film,if you think for example that Drive turned what was previously something quite clichéd ala Miami Vice into something greater watch this for an example that the super colourfull 80'sytle could be something more originally.

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9/10
 
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Creed

It was...okay. I don't really see the big deal with it. Ripped dude is Apollo Creed's son, and gets a girlfriend who supports him. He works hard in the gym, gets Rocky as his trainer, and fights in boxing matches. He tours Philadelphia, and stares at Rocky's statue, which inspires him.

That's pretty much it. It's a good effort, but you've seen this movie before. I don't want to shit on it too much, as it was all competently made, but who cares? It's the same fuckin' story as the original, and Rocky playing Mick doesn't change that. On top of that, the fight choreography was boring. Realistic I guess, but boring. I didn't give a shit about any of the fights in this movie The movie just tried too hard to be "emotional". Like I'm supposed to care about Apollo Creed's son's boring, run of the mill life, just because. Oh' shit, his mother is concerned about him getting hurt in the ring, and his girlfriend is a musician who is losing her hearing...who cares?

Bah! 6/10

I'd say it's easily the worst of the series, though Stallone's performance was great (Stallone was the main redeeming quality of the film) so because of that I'd put it slightly above Rocky V. But they both suck. It's just Creed wasn't quite as boring.
 
Spider-Man Homecoming - 9/10. This had the playfulness of Guardians and Deadpool, which is what I want in my superhero movies. I laughed a lot and was never bored. The lead's enthusiasm was infectious. Keaton played a great villain. Peter's man in the chair was great.

Chopping Mall - 2/10. My gf and I watch terrible movies. Amazon has the best streaming service for such. This was a terrible movie. Layers of nonsense. Imagine RoboCop, but where Detroit is instead a mall and no effort is put into explaining that there's a crime problem. The robots don't save money, they address no problem presented, then lightning turns them evil and they hunt "teens" that stayed late to fool around in a furniture store and a night janitor. Their lasers can blow up a head in one scene and not penetrate a sweater in the next. At less than 80 minutes, this is pretty much mandatory viewing.
 
Free Fire - 4/6. Had no idea what to expect. Turns out the entire movie is a single gun fight with a good bit of comedy dashed in.
 
The VVitch. Rate it 6/10. It came highly recommend and I was pretty underwhelmed. There is one very creepy, disturbing scene, but they throw it at you too early and simply can't follow. The overall theme is good and still relevant due to the continuing importance of religion in the United States culturally and politically, but I think the movie is too heavy handed, and the ending is pretty corny.
 
Haywire 6/10

I think Gina gets a little undeserved flack for her acting. Sure she wont be winning an Oscar anytime soon, but she was ok in this role. and at least her fight scenes are much more realistic than most we get from women who kick men's asses in movies (ie. Angelina jolie). And I love looking at her. totally my type of woman.

my main problem was the way the film was shot. the first 20 minutes or so I almost turned it off because it annoyed me so much. then they added music that didn't fit either. it was like they put the music score from oceans 11 in there.

Overall, it wasn't a waste of time, but it wasn't memorable either. gina certainly wasn't the main issue here
 
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