Movie Review - 1917

I have a great interest in The Great War, The War to End All Wars (if only it had), so I was curious to watch the latest flick about that time. The trailer looked okay, but it was the overwhelmingly positive reviews from nearly everyone that really got me excited to see this film. But would it deliver?

1917 is a 2019 action war film. It is rated R for language, violence, and harsh images, and is appropriate for adults.

The Good

Cinematography. This movie was very well shot with it looking like it is nearly one continuous shot. The way the camera moves and captures the scenes makes you feel like you are in the middle of the war with the main characters. Unlike so many modern films, this one lets the camera step back and see the scene around so you can enjoy the great environments instead of pushing the camera in everyone's face so you feel like you are in tight quarters and can't really see anything.

Variety. This movie had a lot of variety in setting, in action, in peril, and everything else. I was kind of afraid I'd get bored with the same soldiers walking thru No Man's Land for two hours, but there were scenes in rivers, towns, grassy fields, trenches, underground, in the day, at night, and more.

Not Gratuitous. The Great War was a horrendous affair filled with scenes that could give anyone nightmares. The filmmakers really held back the gristly imagery showing only what was necessary for the story and no more. I appreciated that. I was afraid I was going to be sick if I saw this film.

Surprise. Most of this film is what you expect, but there was a shocking surprise in the film that wasn't even hinted at in any of the trailers, ads, or reviews and it occurred at a very unexpected time. I'm amazed with as much as had been said about this film, no one let this cat out of the bag.

The Bad

Peril and Suspense. There was real peril and real suspense in this film, but not as much as I would have thought, and I was fairly comfortable the whole time and almost never at the edge of my seat. They could have ramped up the peril and danger just a little bit.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Put me on the edge of my seat more.

Overall

1917 has been called a near perfect movie and a cinematic masterpiece, and that praise isn't much of an exaggeration. This is an excellent film filled with amazing visuals, a unique storytelling device with the "uninterrupted shot for the whole movie", and a variety of action and peril. Being a Great War flick, this could have easily turned into a horror fest, but the filmmakers kept the gristly visuals to a minimum only showing a few necessary images to convey the proper mood. The story is good and the pacing, while a little slow in parts, mostly keeps moving. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

 

Movie Review - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Recently a friend suggested I review horror movies for the Halloween season, and I thought that was a good idea. I'm not much of a horror movie fan (although I love horror TV shows for some reason) but there are a few I thought were well worth watching.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 1920 German Expressionist silent horror film. It is unrated and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Visuals. This movie is gorgeous to look at from the sets to the costumes to the cinematography to the title cards. It has such a strong artistic look and sense that has been borrowed and copied by numerous artists and filmmakers ever since.

Terror. Even though this movie is nearly 100 years old and silent, it is truly terrifying. The antagonist of the film, Cesare, is so creepy and so terrifying that he made me jump more than once.

Mood. This film has such a strong mood created by great organ music, impressive acting by the actors and actresses, and of course the visionary production design.

The Bad

Ending. The studio forced the director to change the ending to a strange "it was all a dream" nonsense. While it doesn't ruin the film, it does take away some of the punch.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

....

Overall

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a brilliant and disturbing horror film from the silent era. It is one of the most gorgeously shot films from the brilliant sets that defy physics to the costumes to the amazing cinematography to the creepy title cards. This movie is so terrifying, and it accomplishes it without the gore or profanity of modern horror films--just solid storytelling and acting. I highly recommend this film and give it 5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

    

 

TV Show Review - Swamp Thing (2019 DC Universe) Episodes 1 and 2

I've never been a big fan of Swamp Thing, so when I heard he was the star of a new TV series, I was a little disappointed. But Titans and Doom Patrol were really good, so I decided to give it a chance. 

Swamp Thing is an 10-episode DC Universe series based on characters appearing in DC Comics created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. It is rated TV-MA for language, violence, and gore and is appropriate for older teens and up.

The Good

Casting. Everyone in this (minus the swamp witch) is an excellent casting choice. They fit the characters well, their acting is top notch, and they make you feel for them.

Story. The story is so tight and so strong. It grips you from the first second and doesn't let you go for a minute. Somehow the filmmakers are able to create a relationship between the two main characters so strong and so natural in less than 50 minutes that when the male lead dies (which you knew he was going to since that is the premise of the whole story) you are still shocked and horrified crying "NOOOO!!!!".

Pacing. The story is paced just right. It never drags, but there is plenty of dramatic pausing.

Art Direction. The visuals are gorgeous. I feel like I am in the swamp. Some of the cgi looks a little fake, but there are enough practical effects that the overall look holds up well.

The Bad

Ummm.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

All thirteen original episodes produced.

Overall

Swamp Thing (2019 DC Universe) Episodes 1 and 2 are pure perfection. The casting couldn't be better, the acting is top notch, the visuals are truly creepy, and the story is so tight and strong. I can't believe the filmmakers were able to create a relationship between the two main characters so strong and so natural in less than 50 minutes that when the male lead died (which you knew he was going to since that is the premise of the whole story) you were still shocked and horrified crying "NOOOO!!!!". I can't wait to see the rest of this series. I give this show 5 out of 5 remotes.

      

Book Review - Clockwork Apple by Osamu Tezuka

I've been a huge Tezuka-sensei fan since I first picked up his science fiction trilogy (The Lost World, Metropolis, Next Word) and Astro Boy. He never ceases to amaze and impress with his wide range of genres and incredible amount of output.

Clockwork Apple by Osamu Tezuka is an anthology of comics book stories. It is available in paperback.

The Good

Miraculous Conception. This story felt like a classic science fiction story from the mid-20th Century. A human and a robot are isolated in space, get married, and miraculously have a child. The story examines the fallout of such an event. It wasn't a great story but was interesting.

A Clockwork Apple. This story was really enjoyable and had a lot of meat. It reminded me of the classic Tunnel at the End of the World. It is about a world that isn't what it seems to be and what happens to an individual who figures that out. The story took a unique spin on a familiar tale, and the execution was well done.

Night on the Bypass. This story involves a conversation between a cab driver and his passenger and the secrets they each have. Short, but really intriguing.

Sack. This was an interesting story about split personalities and medical conditions that can change a persons identity. Not a lot to the story, but an interesting concept.

The Bad

The Execution Ended at Three O'Clock. This was the fist story, but not a great start. It's a generic Nazi-like army killing Jew-like innocents. The only unique point was the secret formula and how it backfired on the main character, which was mildly interesting.

Yellow Dust. This story was very dark about a hostage situation that went very wrong.

Showtime with the Devil. This story is about political intrigue, assassination, and betrayal. It was pretty standard fare. Not a bad story, but not a particularly standout one either.

Homecoming. This is a revenge story about an STD from space. More bitter than clever.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

It's an anthology with more good than bad, so I can't complain.

Overall

Clockwork Apple by Osamu Tezuka is an anthology of dark short stories covering horror, war, crime, science fiction, and just plain weird. All the stories are well done (like most things Tekuza-sensei does) with some being more clever than others. There were some interesting twists on familiar stories that were enjoyable, but there were some that were pretty standard fare. I give this book 4 out of 5 eReaders.

   

Movie Review - Searching

I heard about this movie and thought the concept was unique, but I wondered how could they sustain an interesting story without ever leaving a computer screen?

Searching is a 2018 thriller drama. It is rated PG-13 for language and intensity, but is appropriate for tweens and up.

The Good

The Concept. This entire movie takes place on a computer screen, usually the father's laptop, but other screens, including security camera footage, is used. It's a really unique way to tell a story, and the filmmakers pulled it off. Everything made sense. Everything worked.

The Story. The story was amazing. I was hooked from about five minutes into the film. It moved quickly, yet never became confusing. I really felt for all of the characters. There were twists and turns I didn't see coming. I was at the edge of my seat until the end.

The Twists. I'm really good at predicting "twists" in movies. Most murder mysteries I know who it is from the first introduction of the guilty party. But this movie had twists I didn't even know where coming, let alone know what they were.

The Relevance. This movie is very much a 2018 movie with the social media platforms, but I think it will age well, because the real heart of the story is about a father who discovers he doesn't know his daughter and is shocked by his search to discover her. That is a timeless story that will reverberate throughout the ages.

The Bad

...

What I Would Like to Have Seen

...

Overall

Searching is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The concept of using only a computer screen to tell the story was brave but so well executed. The story was solid, exciting, and kept me at the edge of my seat. The twists were so unexpected and truly surprising. The heart of the story, a father learning he doesn't really know his daughter and is surprised by the revelations he uncovers is timeless and powerful. I give this film a solid 5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

       

Book Review - Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly

I love short stories, and I love Harry Bosch books, so how could I not pick this up!

Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly is an anthology of three crime mystery short stories in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Suicide Run. The first story is about a potential suicide of a girl who came to Hollywood to make it big but hadn't yet. The story is very strong and interesting, but it's the twist at the end that moves this into the realm of excellent.

One Dollar Jackpot. What makes this story stand out is the way Harry is able to catch the killer, the husband of a woman who is famous for high-stakes poker and was murdered the night she won a large jackpot.

The Bad

Cielo Azul. This wasn't a bad story, it just wasn't a great story. It involves a serial killer of younger victims on death row. Harry Bosch tries to get him to reveal the identity of one of his victims. He refuses and the story ends. The concept is different and I get the point the author is trying to make. I just wish there had been more to the story. Maybe making the investigation of the cases more involved and more interesting to make up for the mild ending.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the second story had contained more.

Overall

Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly contains two excellent short stories and one very good one. All involve murdered victims, but all differ in how the victim was murdered, why, who did it, how the story is told, and what the point of the story is. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

Book Review - Echo Park (A Harry Bosch Novel Book 12) by Michael Connelly

I recently finished a Harry Bosch book by Michael Connelly and enjoyed it enough to pick up a second.

Echo Park by Michael Connelly is a murder mystery in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Story and Writing. The story was very solid with a lot of good twists and reveals. The writing was well done and did not get in the way of the story.

Villain. This novel has a great villain who is clever, creepy, and dangerous. I felt worried when he was loose in the story and happy when he was finally brought down.

Ancillary Characters. While I didn't like the main character, everyone else was really interesting and I found myself caring about them.

The Bad

Main Character. The main character isn't that interesting. He's kind of a jerk, he's not that clever, and I had a hard time rooting for him.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the main character had been more interesting and likable.

Overall

Echo Park by Michael Connelly is a very entertaining murder mystery with a great villain who is clever but also truly creepy and dangerous. The main character was the least interesting part of the book, but surprisingly the story was still really good and really gripping with some nice twists throughout. The other characters were all interesting. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

   

Marvel's Daredevil Season 3 (2018 Netflix Series)

The first two seasons of Daredevil have been about as good as TV can get. And Daredevil: Born Again is one of my favorite comic book stories. So I was so excited for seasons 3.

Marvel's Daredevil Season 3 is a 13-episode Netflix original series based on the comic book by Frank Miller and Dave Mazzucelli. It is rated TV-MA for language, violence, and blood and is appropriate for older teens and up.

The Good

Bullseye. I've never really liked Bullseye in the comic. He just seemed too silly and flat. But this show gave his such a great origin story and made him such an interesting character. The actor nailed the portrayal. The action scenes with him using ordinary objects as deadly weapons was so well done.

Story. Once the story got started with the fourth episode, I was hooked and by episdode eight I couldn't stop watching.

Action. The action scenes got better as the story progressed. The first half of the season was disappointing, but the second half delivered everything I was hoping for.

Sound Design. Sound was so effectively used in this show. The sound is used to illustrate Matt's abilities unlike the visual "fire" of Season 1. It was subtle but so effective. And the sound of buzzing to show Bullseye's madness illustrated that perfectly without going too far.

The Bad

Pacing. The first two episodes were sooooo slow I almost couldn't get thru them.

Depression. I understand why Matt was so down and depressed and doubting his faith, but it got old fast. That's not what's interesting about the character. That's not why I watch the show.

Visuals. The first two seasons had a really unique look. For some reason this season lost that and looked like every other show on TV. I really missed the unique look.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish they had cut moping Matt to just the first episode and then get on with the story instead of waiting for episode 4. I also wish they had started out with an announcement that Kingpin had been released and then investigated to find out what happened instead of building to it.

Overall

Marvel's Daredevil Season 3 started out slow, boring, and weak, but got better with each episode until I couldn't stop watching. The new villain Bullseye was so well cast and done with a great origin story and brilliantly filmed powers. The action scenes in the first half were terrible, but by the second half were were as good as in the first two seasons. I got tired of mopey hopeless Matt, but I loved seeing the old team get back together at the end. I give this show 4.5 out of 5 remotes.