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Troll (2022)
Nice visuals, interesting idea - wasted on the harebrained attempt to sell a preschool-kids-level of logic, thought and nuance to the adult audience
I could let anything slide if the story is intriguing enough, but the logic so dumb to the point of making them all look like they have straw for brains - I just can't.
Don't watch if you don't want to feel like you've spent 1,5 hour of your life on lukewarm childish entertainment in the end.
I can imagine that Norwegians felt quite excited about the opportunity to film a movie so close to Hollywood style supernatural-adventure-action flicks - and I'm honestly glad they had fun with it, as I can clearly see they did. And, true, the movie religiously follows all tricks of the trade - good and bad. That makes it seem a bit too cliched a bit too often - but since it's European, non-Hollywood film - I say well done anyways. I'm a European, so it's not condescending, it's warm and supportive.
CGI is surprisingly good for something that doesn't seem like a big budget movie overall. Has CGI become so much less expensive since the days of GOT? I remember they (the directors) cried over spending their whole CGI budget on that one (unnecessary) scene with zombie polar bear, or something like that.
It started quite interestingly, with the lead actress setting well the optimistic, youthful tone of the movie which will continue to use her for that, more or less successfully until the end. But that's about all that's any good about the flick. Ok, the soldier-boy looks cool as well - has that "Americany" hero-soldier feel about him. Although he never does anything remotely important or interesting in the movie. Another wasted opportunity - but he thoroughly enjoyed his role, is very clear, and I'm happy about him. His family and friends were proud, and he was surely the main attraction of his village (or the city block, ok 🤷♂️) for a few months.
Netflix has obviously learned how to routinely make movies that look good on the surface, but clearly still needs to figure out how the great movies are really made - even when it comes to mindless action flicks. Seems the good ones aren't so mindless after all, huh?
Or is Netflix actually supposed to be just the Ryanair and WizzAir of the TV-streaming services?
There's no way I'm watching any movie ever again without checking the IMDB rating first, that much is clear. (Btw, I trust IMDb on that much more than Rotten tomato. It's simple, the public can feel what's good or not, there's no need for overestimated critics and complicated algorithms.)
I gave it 4/10 because I'm a positive and optimistic person.
Smile (2022)
Decent, but unfortunately fails to meet the expectations it, alone, set
This is actually well done movie from the beginning till the end. Pretty good acting and cast, well told story. There's a solid intrigue that offers hope of absolution, hope of overcoming the darkness - and I don't know if that's some unwritten low of the trade or something - but in the end it still unfortunately falls victim of the genre's most cliched cliches, and fails to bring something new that would not just refresh the genre, but raise it above the averageness it so willingly dives in after all. The only reason I'm giving it 6 (and not less) is because everything else was executed almost with perfection.
It's pitty it ends up meaningless just like the rest of them, in the end.
A Star Is Born (2018)
A pointless (spoiler) tragedy
I could write a whole lot more, but hey - I've probably said it all in the title (sorry for the spoiler)
Some pretty good numbers, Bradly is always a refreshment and positive experience - though not at his best. I'd say he wasn't convinced either by the uninspired writing or the (non existent) chemistry, but most likely both.
Gaga is not an actress after all - but good try. Shouldn't be scolded too much.
Movie is looking for a point throughout it all, but it doesn't find it unfortunately, not until the end.
We're not convinced Gaga is a new artist from the get go, she's just too confident around famous singer, who she sees fit the first time in her life, and all of her movement that follows her singing shouts stage experience.
And, yeah, she's the one without chemistry.
Wonder how much better it would be with a better (and younger) actress.
Why did he have to die? What kind of catharsis has it brought to any of the characters? Yeah. Exactly. That's what I said in the first place.
Maybe it did make sense fifty years ago. Both pointless tragedy and old, depressed rock star. People were so much more serious in those days.
Old rock stars today just don't really die from alcohol or drugs, once they've made it past 27, it seems.
They seem to love their life to much to let go. My guess is - that's why they rock. They love sex, drugs and r'n'r. Not because they're depressed. They're simply the hedonists who give priority to satisfying their primal needs (and\or weaknesses, but that's another topic).
This guy could have been some other kind of artist, pianist maybe or some philharmonic instrumentalist or something, something - or ballet dancer. They seem to be so tense and competitive and under stress. At least that's what black swan wants us to think, I don't know, really.
Legend of the Seeker (2008)
It has exactly the ratings it deserves.
After just watched the first block-of-two episodes, my impression was - interesting, fun, good visuals - yet not entirely convincing, a bit shallow and clichéd. Should be somewhere between 7,5 and 8 max. And there you go, ratings at the moment are 7,7.
So, with 306 other reviews, and my impression so in tune with 27,989 other users who voted, it's not really asking for much further contribution from me. So, I'll be short.
The actors are charming and pleasing to look at, even though not always conveying the right intensity or quality of emotions (sometimes too high, sometimes too low, sometimes just misplaced) - but I will attribute that to the director. What else is he there for if not to notice, guide and correct? Story and characters are not bad, even though clichéd - but so's the whole genre, isn't it? It's still interesting enough, and has quite vivacious - although at times abrupt and naive - dynamic.
So, all in all if you have extra time, you're fan of the genre or the series of novels it originates from, this could be a fun adventure. I might just give it a go.
Heroes Reborn (2015)
So disappointed with this... Heroes-imposter
Well, I was honestly looking forward to this reboot. True, the first series were going downhill fast with every new season, but I still felt due to incredible first, and still-good second season that show was canceled a tad too soon and it still deserved one more chance. I hoped - after suffering some extent of criticism, it will improve on it...
Later, when the show was canceled, I think I've still secretly hoped it might come back someday (I don't remember anymore, to be honest) - BUT when it was finally confirmed, that was just too good to be true.
It was exciting news - the light of the bright future shining upon us again.
Immediately it all made perfect sense to me: the creators needed some time to disengage, take some distance, clear their mind and then bring it back with a bang - better, improved and back to the old paths of glory!
...How little did I know...
Now, after watching half through the season - some questions can't be dismissed any more. This... crap we've been finally served... - is this really what we get after all these years of waiting!?
Is this really the BEST they could come up with, after years and years of meditating and searching for the best way, best idea, best approach for a come-back?
This is a complete joke. And a bad one, too. Basically to anyone who really loved it, enjoyed it and appreciated it before. They've ruined all they've built and lost any lingering shred of respect they've earned with original Heroes.
I mean, Tim Cring - what happened here, Dude?
He should just go somewhere for an extended period of time and reboot him self for starters. He should've done that before. Now it's probably too late for The Heroes anyways...
This is rated 7.3 at the moment - how about 4.1? Yeah, that seems more like it.
So disappointed...
What with - you might ask? Well, what not. This is a criminal work. I'm really surprised Noah Bennet (Jack Coleman) even agreed to be a part of it - he was a truly respectable character then. Now - everyone is like a shade of their former self. And almost every damn actor in this show, new or old, seems to have a problem relating with their character - as if everyone feels it's all fake and soapy anyway and just, like - OK, I'll just do my job, take my pay-check and maybe it'll all be kinda OK in the end... Oh, hell, who cares, it's still a job...
Yeah, 'Noah Bennet' is probably also there only because he has no choice but to think about his bills - but I can't blame HIM. He's not guilty if the show sucks. He can't fix it if director and/or writers do a lousy job.
I mean, it just - sucks.
I guess, we can actually define a new rule here, we can call it The Heroes-Reboot Standard. With it, we can define a new, standard rule how to achieve that your reboot completely demolishes any worth and value that your original series (or film) might have created and brought to the pop culture in the past. It should state the following: if anything (in the episode, show or film) can be made seem fake and unconvincing - it will be made so. And it can include anything - from story, characters, their relations, interactions, emotions and motivation, removal of the (old) characters from the series, to any kind of effects, use of powers, occurring problems that characters face in the story and solutions to those problems - anything you can think of, really, it's a free market!
Sarcasm aside, they've truly set a new standard here for any future show-reboots (to not follow) and it can really be a good orientation point from now on.
No need to go into any more details here - it's clear this isn't 'The Heroes Reborn', this is unfortunately just another poor, sad Heroes Reborn Wannabe.
And another arrow to our hearts.
And another spit in our faces...
And, man - when you think about it, what a potential it had...
So, so, so sorry about that...
The Magicians (2015)
Much-welcomed Harry Potter upgrade :-)
Clever and innovative approach to a not-so-innovative premise of a hidden magical reality, parallel to the world we live in - told from the perspective of a graduating high school student, struggling to decide what to do with his life. The narrative is well set, placed in the modern world with (young) adult protagonists; which immediately gives it somehow more real-feel, and makes it more relatable and interesting. And the idea it proposes - that the cause behind being an awkward teenager with identity crisis is actually sensitivity to magic - is a brilliant touch, with timeless quality and something that should resonate well with the audience.
It's based on a book I haven't read - so I can't really tell you how much it's faithful to the original or not. However, the storytelling in this TV adaptation so far has no flaws, it's just perfect.
It's contemporary, it's realistic, it creates credible logic in its own universe, it's presented by quality actors and it builds gradually into what I would expect to become a much more interesting and powerful version of HP-fantasy.
And if you might think we don't need a modernized, 'American' version of Potter-world - well, I believe you're wrong. J.K. Rowling may have started it all, but now we want somebody to try and make it into something more. For me, Harry Potter was always just a cute story of an slightly-upgraded-but-still-out-of-date world of magic for children aged 4- 14.
And because I will at this point most likely have antagonized all hard core HP fans - I want you to know I have nothing against Harry Potter. I think it's crafted skilfully, it's cute and I like it quite a bit, but at the time it was made I've simply felt I was too old (24) to get fully immersed into that world. Well, THIS story makes me feel quite differently about it from the start. It sits quite well with my expectations and requirements.
I'll say this adventure has started down the right path. We can only hope it stays or better yet, evolves that way. Judging by what I've seen in the manner of directing it so far, my hopes are high. And I don't really care if it doesn't follow the original, I've given up on that a while ago, while following the series such as The Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead. All I care about now is quality storytelling and and quality delivery.
Whoever claims it's boring - either is not really a fantasy fan, or doesn't really understand how quality and convincing dramatic build- up works: you really DO need a proper character-build in order to achieve it. And if the pilot is not to do that, what is?
This has all been confirmed times and again, and just recently strong case has been made by the success and critical acclaim of series such as Breaking Bad and its spin-off, Better Call Saul. We all know Breaking Bad has reached its peak interest, wide critical acclaim and cult status with its audience - only in its last, 5th season. Talking about build- up...
And BB was never really about thrilling action - the external development of narrative only served the purpose of creating dramatic tension that led to the inner change and (morally downward) development of the character (ergo, breaking bad)... But that hasn't stopped it from being greatest show ever, au contraire. That being said, I found the first episode of Breaking Bad quite slow and boring - but by the end of it I was curious. After 2 or 3 episodes - I couldn't stop.
I felt a similar pull while watching the pilot of this show, and since I wasn't totally happy with the only review at the time and also believed it deserves better rating, I wanted to contribute a bit if I can.
Since I'm already comparing it, can this be AS great? Well, surely not.
Firstly, it's just too far away from day-to-day reality everyone's experiencing, to be AS relatable. You're immersed into a surreal world where rules and contents are made-up and you have no vote over that: you are merely an observer, who can only accept what happens and maybe, track how much it makes sense. You and your life experience is - for the most part - excluded. What's more important, you can't really expect such ingenious character development when issues and inner conflicts of the main character are nowhere near as deep and socially and existentially relevant to be able to engage you on such a fundamentally deep level.
However, we are all nowadays more and more inclined to explore the true potential of life, so the topic of magic is indeed asking for far more (quality) exploration of it in the modern TV and film medium, then it's being done at the moment. So, this show is doing it justice, at the least.
And finally, when I look at it again - the pace of this show is actually amazing. There are sudden twists in the plot that make it quite unpredictable, there's been already a powerful appearance of a villain who promises to be an imminent and overpowering threat to our unlikely hero; while interesting inversions of the common motives and good-vs-bad principles of fantasy worlds (such as walking/not walking the 'garden path') and introduction of spiritual 'cross-over' ideas (as 'not having any molecule of control over what happens') make it cast undoubtedly a new, fresh and exciting light to the genre...
I've had a lot of fun watching it and can't wait to see more! 25th of January just seems so far, far away...
And if you still don't like it, I can conclude only one thing - you probably have no 'magical aptitude' AT ALL :-)