I watch movies every week and then write down my thoughts. Read my previous reviews!
My rating is simple, Watch It, It Depends, Skip it.
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| Turbo Kid - A bicycle riding, turbo gloved, kid super hero. |
Watch Turbo Kid
Written by: François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell
Directed by: François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell
Starring: Munro Chambers , Laurence Leboeuf , Michael Ironside
Rated: --
Plot:
In a world where it's 1997 and acid rain has destroyed the Earth, one kid will ride his bike to hero-dom as he saves his robot best friend and overthrows an evil dictator to become Turbo Kid.
Verdict:
This movie is as campy as it sounds. The movie is the punch line. It's not a good movie, but it's not supposed to be. It's a parody of '80s, sci-fi, b-movies. As a parody it does a brilliant job of pulling out all of the tropes common to the genre. It's funny, but only in a knowing nod sort of way. The action and drama is cartoon-ish and contrived by design.
It depends.
Review:
It pushes the nostalgia hard. Even the production credits that open the film are distinctly '80s. This movie nails the joke from plot, design, music, and everything in between. I really like the synth music. The goal of creating a campy b-movie in 2015 was accomplished, but it's still just a novelty.
The effects are bad, but that's the point. The best punch line may be that everyone rides bicycles. It's realistic as gas would go bad, most (all) movies ignore this to avoid the complication.
How the kid becomes the Turbo Kid is incredibly contrived, but that's also the point. The creators went to great lengths to make a bad movie, but I still have to knock it. A bad movie is a bad movie, though this falls into so bad it's good territory.
Also included are the solemn, wise cracking hero, scenery chewing villain, and mute henchman.
It's gory to the point of comedy, though some scenes might make you wince. The main villain's plan was quite clever. He's created a juicer to extract water from human bodies, which is how he supplies the land with water. Due to the acid rain, water is scarce.
You need to have seen sci-fi movies from the '80s to really appreciate this. I kept thinking about the Van Damme movie Cyborg.
Read my Deadpool Review
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| Le Trou - Definitive prison break movie. |
Watch Le Trou
Written by: José Giovanni (Novel), Jacques Becker and José Giovanni and Jean Aurel (Adaptation), Jacques Becker and José Giovanni (Dialogue)
Directed by: Jacques Becker
Starring: Bervil André , Jean Keraudy , Michel Constantin
Rated: --
Plot:
Four prison inmates planning an escape must include their newest cell mate in the plan if they are going to succeed.
Verdict:
What an amazing prison break movie. The focus is on the method and it does a great job of putting you in the prisoners' mindsets, you get a feel for the patience and dedication demanded for such a task. You rejoice in each little victory, excitement building as they approach the goal. The directing was excellent and the ending is great. While it could be alleged that it's slow, it's that same pace that makes the escape visceral. Escape is a game of inches, one day at a time.
Watch it.
Review:
The warden shows leniency with Claude Gaspard, commuting the punishment for having a lighter in prison. Claude is assigned to a room that already has four men. the men are quite jovial for convicts, sharing food with Claude.
When Claude leaves the room the men wonder if they should tell him about their plan. What does Claude have to risk? It turns out Claude is imprisoned for attempted first degree murder. The victim is his wife and it's likely he'll get twenty years of hard labor. The men fill Claude in on their plan to escape and he joins in.
The men are uncertain about Claude, but they have no choice if the plan is to succeed. Their resourcefulness is clever, making tools out of common objects and finding ways to hide them. They dig through the floor of their cell with a steel bed post during the day, hoping that the noisy cell block will conceal the hammering
Throughout, the plan is on the brink of being discovered. It's a risk, but accepted due to their long sentences. Though it's never revealed, I wondered how long Roland had planned this. He leads them through every step, and the planning could have been years. This is based on a true story, with the original escapees serving as technical advisers.
This movie excels due to its simplicity. Our focus, like the prisoners, is escaping. That's what this movie is about. Nothing else matters. If this movie were remade today, backstory and drama would be shoehorned into the plot, diminishing the actual escape. By focusing on the method of escape and the small gains made each day, it puts you in the prisoners' minds. Any attempt to expand the plot, would dilute it. You can argue the movie is slow, and it is to a degree, but what makes it slow also makes it very real. It walks you through this escape one small step at a time. That helps you understand the patience they had as they dug through the floor and then the sewer. Each strike could be the one that alerts the guards. They navigate tunnels and locked doors until finally one of them lifts a manhole cover and is outside of the prison. Will he run off immediately or continue to patiently wait until they can all escape?
The movie is well directed, with every shot putting you in the minds of the prisoners. While these guys are in prison or a long time, we never learn what they may have done. We enjoy their successes as they get closer to escaping. When Claude's wife withdraws the charges, he is no longer facing twenty years.
The warden informs Claude of the good news, but when Claude returns the men are suspicious. Why did the warden talk to him for so long? Could this jeopardize their plan? They have no choice but to proceed.
This prison allowed the men to dress in street clothes. I'm guessing after this escape attempt, that rule changed to uniforms.
I rooted for the escape for two hours. These guys didn't seem bad, though admittedly I don't know them. I was invested. I thought for sure they would escape. This anticipation led to a great ending.
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| Wings of Desire -Even immortality can lose it's appeal. |
Watch Wings of Desire
Written by: Wim Wenders , Peter Handke and Richard Reitinger (screenplay)
Directed by: Wim Wenders
Starring: Bruno Ganz , Solveig Dommartin , Otto Sander
Rated: PG-13
Plot:
The angel Damien is tired of observing humans. He wants to shed immortality and experience the sensations of being mortal.
Verdict:
Wings of Desire is a study about humans. Despite the tragedy and loneliness the angel Damien sees in humans, he still wants to become mortal. He wants to experience life because he has fallen in love. He casts away his wings for the chance.
Watch it.
Review:
This was remade as a diminished and superficial Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan film, City of Angels. What's surprising is that these movies share the same writers. This film is much better.
The black and white makes this film appear much older than 1987. It doubles to reflect the limited experience of the angels. They can't see color or experience the world. They only influence it as they observe and listen to thoughts. Damien has an existential problem. He longs to be a human. He wants someone to nod at him as he walks down the street, enjoy a meal, lie to someone, to not know everything, to experience a surprise. He finds himself at a circus, intrigued by a trapeze performer.
The movie is hypnotic as Damien and Cassiel drift through the world, the thoughts of the world floating in the air. The haunting and melodic music lulls us into the same trance of the angels, always at arm's length from the world. In a fleeting moment the scene shifts to color. In that moment, we see what Damien wants to see.
Despite the struggles, pain, and suffering he's seen, despite the old man who has lived so long that the places he used to visit are nothing more than rubble, Damien wants what he can't have. No matter how mundane and trivial, an angle longs to be human. An old man longs to be young, and a trapeze artist hopes for love. Immortality comes at a cost.
The movie is contemplative, which means it's not for everyone. It's enjoyable but I couldn't help but wait for Damien to make a decision, wondering when he would shed his wings. It's very artistic, not conforming to standards to introduce us to humanity. Even in a bustling city, everyone feels alone.
It was an amazing moment when Damien became human. He finally meets the girl and their bond is immediate.
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