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SebMoz
1. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
2. Die Hard
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
4. Inception
5. No Country For Old Men
6. Kill Bill 1 & 2
7. The Dark Knight
8. Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
9. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
10 Pulp Fiction
Top 10 animated movies:
1. Spirited Away
2. The Prince of Egypt
3. Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse
4. Princess Mononoke
5. The Incredibles
6. How to Train Your Dragon
7. Beauty and the Beast
8. Flåklypa Grand Prix
9. The Lion King
10. Wall-E
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
A corny, but enjoyable ending to a memorable storyline
Avengers: Endgame is just what I wanted from a finale to such a long series. It's not nearly as good as Infinity War, but it didn't need to be. It's practically just 3 hours of corniness and one-liners, and I'm not asking for more. The movie is nicely paced, and while it didn't break any boundries in regards to the characters, they're all so familiar at this point that th movie can just let them be themselves and it's a great time regardless. The plot is simple yet dramatic, I really like the dystopian vibe in the beginning (Even though it goes out the window later on). The special effects are mostly really good, the action scenes are epic and enjoyable. One thing I do really like though, is how smart the movie is in its obsession with references. Most of the runtime is taken up by references to the older movies in the series, and it uses elements from all of them, just enough to create a storyline that's just barely not too nostalgia-bait-y. I also really like that some things have consequences in the end, even though the ending most certainly is a happy one. Overall, it's a fun, cheesy, very enjoyable movie with not much depth, but with the large scale and bombastic tone of an end to a decade-long journey, as is fitting obviously.
Captain Marvel (2019)
As bland and forgettable as Marvel gets
Maybe it was the fact that this movie came out as the last MCU movie before Endgame, but I just couldn't get myself to stay engaged in it. Practically everything about this movie is forgettable and boring. The plot is very basic, although I do actually like the expectation subversion regarding the two opposing races. Unfortunately, the movie tries to combine several different focus-points, which ends up damaging all of them. There's simply not much of interest to be found in the majority of the movie. The main character is dull and uninteresting, and there is practically no stakes related to her powers. The side characters are equally bland, and while Nick Fury is always a joy to watch, he's not important enough to save the movie. The villain is so forgettable and annoying, I couldn't believe it, and the movie's attempt at creating a strong connection between the villain and the hero ultimately fails, seeing as none of the characters are well written enough. The movie does have some great CGI, particuarly with some of the character designs, but that's what you expect from Marvel, so it didn't push any boundries. The comedy is surface level and just alright, and the same could be said for the emotional moments. This is probably one of the least entertaining movies Marvel has ever made, it's not interesting in the slightest, and I doubt I will revisit it ever again.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Action perfection
The first Terminator movie is by all accounts a great movie, and it's clear James Cameron did his very best. However, as good as it is, I still feel like it is a product of it's decade, with questionable special effects and not much depth to its characters. Maybe Cameron had the same thoughts as me, because he fixed nearly every problem in the sequel, Judgement Day, as well as improving what was already good. The plot is well thought out and expands on the concepts presented in the first, as well as feeling like a natural continuation of the story. The pacing is perfect, there's not a second wasted on clumsy exposition or pointless action. The movie moves along at an excellent rate, and gives just the right amount of information needed to understands what's happening.
I also really love the hightened sense of danger that comes with the new T-1000 Terminator, a vastly improved version of the previous antagonist. I love the way the movie subverts your expectation as to which of the two men sent from the future is the villain, and who is the helper. One is comfirmed to be a terminator, and appears as a ruthless force similar to the first, and one is more quiet and polite, even kind at times. So when they both meet John at the same time, and the polite one is revealed to be the enemy, it appears even more threatening than the previous terminator, simply because of its much more human facade. The T-1000 is one of the best non-human villains of all time in my opinion, and its advanced technology, brought into life with some borderline revolutionary special effects that still hold up to this day. The movie only uses special effects when it has to though, and for the action scenes are all done practically, with exceedingly high stakes and impossible odds.
The characters in the movie has also drastically improved from the first. Sarah's transformation from a (understandably) scared girl to a badass fighter is awesome, while also being wonderfully 3-dimentional. John is also very likeable, and I love his relationsship with his mother and especially the reprogrammed Terminator, whose presense gives him a father figure for the first time. I love seeing the T-101 learn the small gestures from John and then referencing them later, and I also love watching Sarah og through a change of realizing the importance of her sons mental health. This is one of my all-time favorite movies, it's by far the best action movie from the 1990s, and I have no doubt it deserves the best rating I can give it.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
It's just fine
I don't have much to say about this movie, it's just alright. The characters are alright, the plot is fine, and the pacing is solid. I also like the action scenes, even though they aren't as good as the first. The villain is solid, with understandable and relatable motivations, and the side characters are mostly memorable as well. The movie doesn't really have anything more to offer though, and despite all the things it does right, nothing really impressed me. This might be because I watched it right after Infinity War, one of the best MCU movies, and thus the drop in quality felt even bigger than it could've otherwise. Overall, it's a simple, entertaining movie with high production value and a fun atmosphere, and not much depth.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Quite unorthodox, and amazing because of that
When I went into this movie I had already heard the praise, so naturally I had high expectations. With that in mind, it's even more impressive how much I ended up liking this movie. Marvel really suprised me with the direction they went with this story. I expected a boring villain, a few cool CGI-infested fightscenes and an epic final showdown where all the heroes gather, but this movie went in a completely different direction with almost every aspect. The visuals and score are obviously good, but nothing groundbreaking, as per usual, and the plot is really simple: A bunch of people try to stop an overpowered alien from obtaining the ultimate power, nothing special there. The pacing is solid though, and even though the plot isn't super interesting, it's still passable, and is made even better by this movie's greatest strength; the characters. This movie incorporates almost every single character previously seen into the movie, and makes it work by not really having any filler. The conversations are simple yet engaging, the characters are, as always, well-defined and entertaining. The movie juggles its different tones very effectively, it has both great comedy and some of the strongest emotional moments in the entire franchise. The biggest suprise of this movie however, is its villain. MCU villains has been bad more often than not, so it was incredibly satisfying to finally get a villain that is truly fenomenal. Thanos is by far the best villain Marvel has ever created, and a lot of that is thanks to the human attributes he has. Despite being a giant space-monster, he doesn't feel comical at all. He feels threatening, and while his goal is simple, his motivation makes sense, and it's fascinating to watch him talk about how he is right in doing all these evil things. He also has a strong emotional core, which is showcased the clearest in his conversations with Gamora. The movie also has a very unexpected ending, which caught me completely off-guard, and frustrated me a lot, but in a good way. All this, combined with the usual great performances and comedy we've gotten used to seeing from Marvel, makes for one of the best superhero movies released this decade.
Majo no takkyûbin (1989)
Not much to say, it's just adorable
Kiki's Delivery Service doesn't have the same sense of depth and symbolic meaning that other movies from Studio Ghibli has. It doesn't have the richest characters, the best worldbuilding, nor the most epic story. So, with that being said: I absolutely love this movie. Who cares if the story isn't grand when the story we do get is so heartwarming and enjoyable to watch. I love seeing Kiki find her place in the big city, I love seeing her relationsships with other people bloom, I love that almost every character in the movie is nice, kind and full of life. It creates such a nice atmosphere, and while a serious tone is necessary for some films, I'm glad this movie focuses more on the small things. There are no big monsters or deadly event that Kiki has to overcome, there is just a big city with all types of inhabitants, and almost everyone contributes to what might just be the cutest and most heartwarming animated movie of all time. The animation is gorgeous as usual, and the score is simple yet nice to listen to. The movie is well paced, well written and well animated, it's just the complete package. I don't consider it a true cinematic masterpiece on the same level as Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away, but it's almost just as enjoyable in its own right. It's a wonderful distraction from life's inequity and hardships, and I will cherish it for a long, long time.
The Prince of Egypt (1998)
The peak of animation
Before DreamWorks became the commercialized company it is today, they tried making some 2D animated movies, as a "take that" to Disney and an attempt to build a studio capable of rivaling said Disney. Today, DreamWorks admittedly doesn't have nearly the same respect that Disney or Pixar does, but when they try their hardest, when they put all their effort into creating a movie which will stand the test of time no matter how changed the industry becomes, there is not a single other studio capable of rivaling their brilliance. And nowhere has this ever been showcased more clearly, than in The Prince of Egypt. This is probably the only animated movie I've ever seen, where I genuinly cannot find anything I don't like. This is a retelling of the biblical story of Moses, yet it works for anyone, even a natural sceptical person like me. DreamWorks managed to make a movie that can appeal to everyone, from deeply religious people to atheists. There's not a single line of dialogue in this movie that doesn't work, not a single shot that doesn't look good. The animation is so expressive and gorgeous, and the mix of borderline revolutionary 3D effects and 2D character models makes for some of the most breathtaking sequences I've ever seen. The incredible score and fenomenal songs make all that even better as well.
The characters in this movie are some of the best written in animation history. Moses is such a great main character. He's sympathetic, well-defined and carries some very intersting burdens. I love seeing him change into a better person over the course of the movie. Rameses is equally fantastic a character, to the point where he might actually be the most well developed and compelling villain in any animated movie, yes even better than the best Disney villains. His struggles with being told he's not good enough by his father makes him very relatable, and even though he becomes a ruthless leader, one can't help but feel sorry for him. He didn't choose to be a farao, it was the burdens placed upon his shoulders from he was a boy that ended up defining him. The relationsship between Moses and Rameses is portrayed so realistically and feels so genuine. Their brotherly love is so engaging, and the growing rift between them is heartbreaking and compelling. The voice actor's performances are virtually flawless, especially Ralph Fiennes and Val Kilmer. The side characters are great as well, and the supporting cast does everything in their power to make each exchange of dialogue memorable and immersive. The pacing is perfect, the movie always manages to walk the fine line between fast and slow perfectly, and every new scene builds upon the existing story and advances the plot while being entertaining in their own right. And even though this movie has a much more serious subject matter than other animated movies, the comic relief feels natural and isn't shoved in your face like in other movies.
I could go on and on about this movie, but I think I've made my point pretty clear. There has never been a movie quite like this, especially not an animated one. It's one of those movies that just gets better and better everytime I watch it. It's practially a perfect movie, one of the very few I would give that title. Everything works to an amazing degree, and I have no doubt that it belongs in my top 5 movies of all time. It's just remarkable.
Mulan (2020)
My god I hate this
To remake a beloved movie is not simple task. To use another artform could prove to be even harder. Disney during the 2010's have been notorious in this practice, and the new live-action remakes are almost always weaker than their animated counter-parts. I therefore went into this movie with low expectations, yet that didn't help the movie in the slightest. It's almost astounding how much this movie tries and fails. The main story remains unchanged, but the sense of urgency and suspense is non-existent. The movie clearly tries to be a mix of 'Crouching Tiger: Hidden Dragon' and the original Mulan from 1998, yet it manages to fail at doing any of those styles right. Mulan is reduced from a brave, reckless and somewhat quirky girl who transforms into a great warrior from a normal, to a supernatural robot. She doesn't have a personality at all, and in this movie she is suddenly great at channeling her 'Chi'. This makes her triumphs feel meaningless, because we no longer get a sense that she has to work for anything. It also creates this weird scenario where the live-action remake, despite being marketed as more realistic than the original, loses all sense of grittiness and danger the animated version presented so expertly. Mulan is also damaged by a genuinly awful performance. She shows no emotion or engagement at all, and I tried to picture her current mindset several times, to no avail. The movie also tried to add some emotional depth with some new characters, but every single one of them felt uninspired and bland. Most of the characters from the original have been scrapped, and the ones we do get are forgettable and boring. The movie also suffers from trying to convey the same emotion the songs in the original did, despite not having any songs. This leads to some very awkward scenes where the characters just flail about, and suddenly they are masters at being soldiers. The cinematography is nothing special, and the landscapes doesn't feel immersive at all, which I feel like is the main reason for having them in the first place. The fight scenes are really poorly edited, and the large battle sequences doesn't have any sense of scale or importance like in the original. The movie also has severe pacing issues, which harms it even more. Usually I would end a review with a summary of the good parts of the movie, but honestly? I'm not even sure there are any here. The movie is a remake that takes everything good about the original out, reduces every existing character to boring cardboard figures, adds new and pointless characters and plotpoints that either doesn't add anything, or actively harms the movie. I genuinly cannot believe how much I hated this movie. If this is how remakes are meant to be, I wish that they be purged from this world immediately, and this movie in particular.
Black Panther (2018)
A nice addition to the MCU canon
Black Panther is a solid, good movie. Nothing less, nothing more. I wasn't as impressed by it as with some other MCU movies, and there were definietly a few flaws, mainly in the action and CGI department. That being said, the positives in this movie most definietly outweigh the negatives. The plot is engaging and showcases the fictional culture of Wakanda nicely. I liked how different it felt than other movies in the MCU, and how it was more about internal political struggles rather than The End of the Entire World as we Know it. The characters are great as well, T'Challa and Erik were both nicely fleshed out, and the side characters were mostly good as well. The chemistry between them all is very delightful. The pacing is solid as well, and so are the emotional moments. I have a few problems with the movie though. The cgi is way too overused at some points, especially the final fight scene. The action itself also feels a bit stiff, the fighting feels a little too slow and unimpactful. The movie also tries to be funny at some points, which more often than not feels extremely tedious. Still though, those flaws aren't enough to make the movie bad, not in the slightest. It's a well told, well written, pretty powerful story that ties nicely into the MCU storyline, and I have no regrets about watching it.
Gisaengchung (2019)
I can see why it won Best Picture
The Academy is generally hestitant to give the Award for Best Picture to a foreign film, and this movie was in fact the first movie with foreign language to win Best Picture. Did Parasite deserve it? Yes, yes it most definietly did. The direction is amazing, there is so much meaning and symbolism conveyed through simple imagery. This of course ties nicely into the script, which I think is exceptionally well written. The characters are wonderfully three-dimentional, and the contrasts between the rich family and the poor family are pretty interesting to observe and think about. This movie's greatest strength however, is the way it portrayes the differences in the lifestyle of the two families, and how the moral boundries differ from person to person. Watching the plot unfold is endlessly entertaining and engaging. The movie also manages to juggle all the symbolism with a pretty straight-forward story line, and how it manages to be powerful and funny at the same time is beyong my comprehension. The one thing I didn't completely like about this movie was the ending. Not that it was bad in itself, but the way many character arcs were scrapped annoyed me a little. I know that that was the purpose, to showcase how plans fail and all that, but I still wanted a few characters to get better conclusions to their arcs. That is practially my only real complaint though, and it's not nearly enough to ruin this fenomenal film. It is almost the complete package, it's a wonderful mix of comedy, drama and thriller, and I highly recommend it to anyone that likes movies.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Nothing but jokes and one-liners, and I love it
I must admit, the first two Thor movies are some of my least favorite movies in the entire MCU. They both feel very silly and not very competent at all to me, and I was pretty worried that this was going to be similar in quality. That fear did not come true in the slightest though, as this movie is a gem that I liked way more than I should. On paper, this doesn't seem like anything special. The plot is really basic at first, the characters are just passable and so is the acting. The villain is pretty boring, and her plan felt very reharshed from previous Marvel movies. I will say though, the climax subverts your expectations really nicely, and I liked that they went in a new direction with the old "End of the world"-trope. Still, this movie seems really basic on paper, and it probably would be in practice as well, had it not been for one crucial thing: The COMEDY. This is without a doubt the funniest movie in the entire MCU. Every scene has funny moments, every character spits out jokes and one-liners left and right. Some characters feel like they were only created to be comic relief, yet I am not even mad, as they're all comedy geniuses. My personal favorite side-character was Korg, every single word that came out of his mouth was pure gold, and the same can be said for several other characters as well. Loki worked way better as a side-kick than the antagonist, which was something I pointed out about Thor: The Dark World (In practice the only thing that movie got right). And the fact that Jane and Erik wasn't in the movie, yet I didn't miss them for a second, unfortunatly speaks to their worth as characters. This entire movie is comedy gold, there is no other way to describe it. Every scene is great, every joke lands, this is such a delightful movie. It doesn't really have much to offer in terms of multi-layered themes like some other MCU movies, and is therefore not as good, but it's still a awesome movie that greatly exceeded my expectations with how much fun I had watching it. I highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys dumb, hilarious jokes and slap-stick (Which, for the record, I'm not usually a fan of), and to anyone that likes Marvel movies in general. This is by far the best Thor movie and probably one of the funniest movies I've seen in years. It's just that hilarious.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
It's fine, it's alright, it's whatever
Spiderman: Homecoming is the first Spiderman movie in the MCU, and to be honest, I don't really have any strong opinions of what-so-ever. It's most certainly not an incompetent film, as there are plenty to like about it. I really enjoy Tom Holland as Peter Parker, and Peter himself was pretty well written, with a nice character arc. I will say that even though we already got Spiderman's introduction in Civil War, the movie felt a little empty without a proper origin story. We never saw Peter struggle with his powers, nor did we get a lot of character establishment to make him more relatable. This could be said for a lot of characters in the movie, none of them felt like they had a lot to do, apart from his best friend, the villain, and Tony Stark. Michael Keaton did a pretty good job as the villain, and while his character at least had understandable motivations, I'm still not sure how wanting to protect your family leads to becoming a thief and a murderer. The movie is fairly well directed, even though there was nothing particularly outstanding about it. I also think that the movie isn't paced very well, it was a bit too slow particularly in the first half. That being said, the second half was really enjoyable and I was very entertained. The action was good, the characters were fine, and the plot itself is nice and simple. Overall, this is just a very average, decent film, that's not special in any way. Still, I mostly enjoyed my time, and while it's not among the best movies in the MCU, it's still a good time that I don't regret subjugating myself to.
Die Hard 2 (1990)
Really enjoyable, if not as fenomenal as the first
The original Die Hard is one of my all-time favorite movies. It's well-paced, acted and directed, it's the complete package. For Die Hard 2, they brought in a new director, and Renny Harlin did an excellent job with this movie. It's very well directed, the action scenes and dialogue scenes are all great. The movie also follows up on what made John McClane such a great hero in the first movie, which was his vulnerability and his wit. Those things are heavily focused on here, making for a great hero. Bruce Willis obviously does a great job. The movie is also pretty well plotted and paced, and the twist makes sense and creates a very dark tone for the final part of the movie. Where the movie do suffer however, is the side characters. Lorenzo and Thornberg are both extremely annoying and doesn't add anything to the movie, and I got more and more angry everytime they appeared. Stuart is also not nearly as good a villain as Hans Gruber, and William Sadler isn't as charismatic as Alan Rickman. The movie also has a few structure problems, as there are way too many filler scenes that doesn't add anything. Those are pretty big flaws in my opinion, although the movie is still very good. It's a good sequel that unfortunately doesn't live up to the standard set by the first. Still, it's not a movie I regret watching at all, and I definietly consider it a valid follow-up to the original.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Yes. Just yes
My god, I did not expect this movie to be this good. I am a big fan of the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and while I do think it is one of the better MCU movies, this one is just better in practically every way. The plot is well structured, and the pacing is great. The movie also explores its characters way more thoroughly than the previous one. The struggle of finding a place where you belong is a central theme, and every important character has their own struggles related to this. The performances are great as usual, every actor really brings their own flavor to their character. The movie also has great visuals, with all the wacky and fun ideas you might expect from a space movie. The action scenes are great, and the cgi is pretty flawless. The movie is also way funnier than any other MCU movie, with every character being a great source of humor. It's so much comedy being presented it's actually a little too much for me sometimes. Some of the characters feel like they exist only to be comic relief, even though they also have serious struggles that deserve a more serious treatment than they get. That is my only complaint though, as this is a movie with great plot, characters and visuals, as well as a fantastic climax, even though they pulled the whole "saving the world"-plot point again. This is one of my favorite MCU movies and space movies in general, it's a great time and I highly recommend it.
Doctor Strange (2016)
Pretty forgettable
One thing I've realized when watching the MCU all the way through, is how Marvel don't put nearly the same amount of effort into all of their movies. Sometimes they create an origin story so filled with life and personality it's astounding, and sometimes I forget about the movie I just watched after about 10 minutes. And one of the most prominent examples of this is this movie, Dr. Strange. That being said, I did quite enjoy a fair portion of the movie. The main character is great, he's well written and funny, and Benedict Cumberbatch obviously helps a lot with his comedic timing and facial expressions. I also like the set designs, and the movie had a very distinct tone for a little while, which I liked. The crazy action scenes that takes place within the mirror realm are also great. Unfortunately though, for every thing I enjoyed, there were one thing I didn't. The rest of the characters are very forgettable, apart from maybe The Ancient One. The villain is particularly bad, although at this point I'm not even suprised considering Marvel's track record when it comes to villains. The plot itself is also super forgettable, it's just another case of the main character having to save the world without any compelling personal reason. The pacing is also a little off. Sometimes the movie slows way down, sometimes it progresses way too quickly. The finale is not very interesting, although I do like its comedic tone. Overall, this is a watchable movie. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't really have any particular desire to watch it again, and I doubt I will talk much about it every again.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Brad Bird strikes again
Brad Bird has always been one of my favorite directors when it comes to animation, so I was very excited to see what he would accomplish when taking on a live-action project. I was a little nervous, but I shouldn't have been, as this is a massive thrillride from beginning to end. The movie is beautifully directed, every shot is great, and my GOD are the action scenes incredible. The entire Burj Khalifa segment is pure adrenaline and super tense, and the stunts are incredible. The movie also has a pretty good story, even if it is fairly simple. The characters are also great, each with their own quirks and struggles, which has always been something Bird excells at. The performances are also great, with actors like Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner backing up Tom Cruise, and they all have great chemistry. The movie does unfortunately suffer a bit from some structure problem, as the Dubai sequence feels like the peak of tension even though it is placed in the middle. I also thought that the villain was very boring and forgettable. That is my only problems with this movie though, as it is arguably one of the best action movies released this decade, it's my favorite Mission Impossible movie, and I really want Bird to make more action movies.
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
It's alright
Mission Impossible 3 is thankfully not completely incompetent like the previous movie, and overall I thought it was good. The characters are fairly solid, and it was nice to see Ethan Hunt get some proper characterization as well as not feeling like a Bond-ripoff anymore. His relationsship with his wife is portrayed simply, but not in a bad way. The side characters were also good, and the performances really enhanced them. The action scenes are also well staged, but the director unfortunately falls into the trap that is shaky-cam. There is way too much of it in this movie, and while the set-pieces and stunts are great, the action felt a bit hard to follow sometimes. The movie is also a complete mess structure-wise, with nothing but action and basically no scenes dedicated to flesh out the characters or justify all the crazy stuff Ethan does. Overall, this is still a good movie though. It's definietly an improvement over the previous, and while it's not as good as the first it's still a fun time that I don't regret watching.
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Very agonizing to watch
The original Mission Impossible is one of the best action movies from the 90's in my opinion, and of course it deserved a sequel. Unfortunately though, this movie seems to forget everything that made the first one good, while not really adding anything useful in return. The plot is super basic and forgettable, and the pacing is actually garbage. I checked the watch about 20 times throughout the movie, which is mostly due to the fact that there are way too many scenes that doesn't seem to add anything to the experience, and thus just detracts from it. The characters were also butchered pretty hard. Ethan Hunt, who was a calculating and cunning agent in the first movie, is now a James Bond-ripoff with none of the charm that makes Bond enjoyable. The direction is also very ill-fitting, with tons of slowmo and way over-the-top action scenes, even if they are well staged. The only thing saving this movie from being a complete disaster is a few good action scenes and some really good stunts. Still, this is one of the worst sequels I've ever seen, it's inferiour to the original in every way and I doubt I will rewatch it in the future.
Mission: Impossible (1996)
A great action classic
This was the movie that made Tom Cruise the action icon he is today, and it's easy to see why. This movie is well paced for the most part, and the characters are pretty solid, even though they're not super compelling. The performances are good, with Cruise delivering one of the better ones in his career. The movie is also very well directed, and the action scenes are great. The heist scene is one of the best and most tense action scenes I've ever seen, and it is definetly the highpoint of this movie. I also like the twists and turns the story take, although there are a few inconsistencies and plotholes here and there. I also think that the villain is pretty forgettable, which mostly comes from the fact that he doesn't get a lot of time to develop. Overall though, this is a great, entertaining action-movie that I highly recommend.
The Lion King (1994)
A true cinematic masterpiece
Good lord, I remember it being good but not THIS good. This is by far the most cinematic Disney movie. Every scene is filled with gorgeous animation and direction. The songs are fantastic as well, this might have the best overall song quality of any Disney movie. The movie is perfectly paced and plotted, and I was never bored even for a second. The characters are well written and Simba's struggle to overcome hs traumatic past is incredibly engaging. I love his bond with his dad, and Mufasa's death is probably the saddest scene in all of Animation. Scar is also an amazing antagoist, constantly manipulating Simba into thinking and doing what Scar wants him to. The side characters are fantastic as well. Nala, Rafiki and Timon and Pumba all have a lesson to teach Simba, and they all have very distinct personalities. The climax is well set up, and Scar's death is oddly poetic, as he never respected the Hyenas and get to feel their wrath. This is one of the best Disney movies, it's almost without flaws and I have no problem calling it a true cinematic masterpiece, as I wholeheartedly think it deserves it.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Excellent character dynamics
Captain America: Winter Soldier was everything I wanted from a superhero movie. It was well directed, written and acted, and I was very excited for the next Captain America movie. And this movie most definietly delivered in quality. Is it as good as its predecessor? No, definietly not. There are a few flaws, which I'll talk about later. With that being said, this movie gets 4 things right for every one thing it does wrong. The plot is engaging and for the most part easy to follow and the pacing is solid. The characters all feel very 3-dimentional and fleshed out, and none of them feel different from what we already know. The movie's biggest strength is the interactions between the characters, and the different arguments presented by both sides. I love that despite obviously wanting us to side with Cap's team, the movie doesn't really make one side the "correct" one. Both sides present reasonable and logical arguments, and there is no right answer to what the Avengers should do. The new characters such as Black Panther and Spiderman are both very interesting and compelling, and both feel like a natural inclusion to the character list. All this is of course helped by some excellent performances as usual. The direction and cinematography are also both really good, and the action scenes are almost just as good as in Winter Soldier, even though some feel a little meaningless. And, while it might not be a big deal, MAN was it good to see a truly great antagonist in Zemo. He's well written and very well played by Daniel Brühl, and he challenges the ideological perspectives of our hero in a way no other villain in the MCU has done before. With that being said, his plan is somewhat ridiculous, and felt a little too complicated. The movie also feels a little dumb sometimes. It feels like Cap and Stark could've solved the issue much sooner had they just communicated better. Those are my main complaints, and while there are a few other things I could nitpick, nothing really ruins the film by any means. It's a more mature take on the Marvel formula, and while it's the best movie in the franchise, it's still more than good enough for me to recommend it.
Ant-Man (2015)
Better than I expected
I have to be honest, I didn't really have high hopes for Ant-Man. I hadn't heard anyone praise it, and it just seemed like it was going to be a subpar, cheap superhero film released by Marvel. Fortunately, I was completely wrong, as this is a fun and entertaining movie from beginning to end. It's not flawless, there are a few things I didn't like. First of all, there are some serious structure problems present within the film, it doesn't flow very well. Secondly, the villain was very boring and didn't interest me at all, he was very forgettable. Those are pretty much my only big complaints though, as the rest of this movie is great. The characters are well written, and they're helped even more by some excellent performances, particularly Paul Rudd as the titular character. The cinematography is also great, and the action is well-filmed and includes some super creative set-pieces with some great cgi. The movie is also way funnier than regular Marvel movies, with some of the side characters doing almost nothing but crack jokes and still makes it work. If the movie was structured better, it would be one of my favorite MCU movies, but as it is, it's an entertaining, well-made superhero film that I don't regret watching.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Way better than it appears
Blockbusters are a real hit or miss for me. Sometimes they're so filled with clichés and bland characters I can't stand them, other times they surprise me with their level of quality. One example of the latter would be this movie, which I think is way better than it's given credit for, and there's multiple reasons for that. First of all is the immersion. The set, costume and sound design are all amazing and make it easy to pretend you really are in 18th century caribbean. The editing and cinematography are also both really good, and the score is practically perfect. The plot is engaging, the pacing is great and the worldbuilding is very well done. The characters are also good, Will and Elizabeth both have their struggles and weaknesses while also being pretty likeable. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley both play their roles exceptionally well. However, the movie's biggest stars are Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush, each giving the best performance in their career, as Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa. While Sparrow is goofy, entertaining and a very likeable anti-hero, Barbossa is vicious and threatening, whole also having legitimate reason for his actions and understandable motivations. Every time one of them is on screen, it's a joy to watch. They both serve as important characters for the story while also being one-liner machines. This movie also has great continuity and lets no arc stay unfinished. This is a movie which has just grown on me as the years have passed, it's one of my all-time favorite movies and I have no problems giving it the highest rating I can.
Flåklypa Grand Prix (1975)
The cult classics above all cult classics
As a Norwegian, this is a movie I've watched regularly from I was a little kid. Ivo Caprino as a filmmaker has had a big influence on Norwegian culture and the stories we tell each other, and this one, one of his only 2 feature-length film, is to this day my favorite Norwegian movie. And there's a reason for that. The characters are well fleshed out and several of them develop throughout the movie. The plot is engaging, the pacing is solid, the stop-motion is beautiful and the score and sound design are both really great. The race itself is set up wonderfully and is a thrillride from beginning to end. The movie is also a good representation of Norwegian culture, and it's pretty funny, even if it has some stereotypes. It's one of my favorite animated movies and racing movies in general, and it will continue to be so for a long, long time.
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Still the best Disney movie after all these years
It's pretty safe to say that the Disney renaissance is a group of movies that have influenced movies A LOT and made animation what it is today. Almost every single one is filled with memorable songs, characters and settings, and while some aren't very good, the ones that are good are some of my all time favorite movies. And as you might have guessed, Beauty and the Beast is the best one in my opinion. There is just something magical about all of it. Belle is one of my favorite Disney princesses, and the Beast is equally great. Their relationship is so well realized and it progresses naturally, it is to this day the only love story in a disney movie that has given me goosebumps. Something about seeing the 2 doing only what they think will make the other one happy makes for some of the most heartwarming scenes in any disney movie. The movie also has an amazing villain in Gaston, who balances out the touching love story with some great comedy, while also serving as a legitimate threat. The setting is also great and so is the animation. The castle is well designed and animated, and the cgi used for some of the grander shots is pretty good. The songs are all good, the climax is well set up and the ending is satisfying. I cannot think of a single thing this movie does wrong, it's the best movie Disney has ever made in my opinion, and it will continue to be that for a long time I think.