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steve.oedekerk.com (1997)
Needs to be seen to be believed
This is a truly friggin' bizarre piece of TV (which I don't often watch these days, to be fair). You can only help but wonder what someone might've been thinking as they saw this special unfurl live right before their eyes in 1997. To it's credit, the Computer Effects truly create some psychedelia and slapstick, helped in no small part by being some of the earliest Motion Capture presented in the medium of television. I'm very glad someone on YouTube preserved it since it sounds like a thing I'd probably lose a night of sleep over if it were just sitting in the website dedicated to lost media.
Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)
Flawed Masterpiece-ish
I'm probably gonna be the only ones to not hate this game, but I do think it could have been outright excellent if they had spent like another year in development. Idk if we will see a No Man's Sky type thing in the future, but with the heavy discounts this game sees, it's certainly worth the 10-20 dollars.
Annihilation (2018)
Division
I miss that brief period in 2017-2018 where there were some slow-ish big budget methodical sci-fi pieces that sadly financially flopped. Tenet is probably the last successor to this idea.
The Predator (2018)
"You are one ugly mother......"
The Predator is a 2018 Sci-Fi Action film directed by Shane Black and written by his friend, Fred Dekker. It stars Boyd Holbrook, Jacob Tremblay, Olivia Munn, and Trevante Rhodes. It was made by 20th Century Fox with the intention of it being a sequel to the first two films. I also saw the film during it's theatrical run.
After an alien ship crash lands in Mexico during a mission in which Quinn McKenna (Holbrook) is providing sniper outlook to a hostage rescue, the crash draws the attention of both and later McKenna is sent to Veteran's Affairs and becomes a military prisoner along with others. Meanwhile, his son (Tremblay) is given Predator armor in the mail and unleashes a beacon for other Predators to come and find the armor and himself.
This is one of those movies in which you are wondering "Why did this get made?" and it never truly gets answered. I had confidence in Black since I am a fan of Iron Man 3 and he was even the first soldier to be killed in the original movie. It contains so many baffling choices and decisions plot-wise, editing-wise, etc that I kinda want you to see the move for yourself if you want to know how excruciating it can be at times. But I think some comedy was hit or miss as well as the action and thought the more varied setting felt like a nice change of pace for a Predator film
The Predator has done somewhat poorly at the box office and has done worse reception-wise. And it isn't hard to see why. This had twice the budget as Predators and there may have been just as much hype for it, but that wasn't enough.
Overall, I give The Predator a 5/10
Venom (2018)
A studio experiment gone alright
Venom is a 2018 Sci-Fi Horror Action film starring one of my favorite current actors Tom Hardy, along with Riz Ahmed and Michelle Williams. The film was produced and distributed by Sony with little to no input by Marvel Studios and saw it on opening weekend.
After a space probe containing symbiotic lifeforms crashes in Malaysia, one escapes while the others are intact. The corporation belonging to the probe is now being investigated by journalist Eddie Brock (Hardy) who botches an interview with the corporation's CEO (Ahmed). Trouble ensues, leading Eddie getting one of the symbiotes inside him named Venom.
The acting and story are somewhat subpar with the film. Tom Hardy leads with a questionable accent but is mostly made up with Eddie and Venom's relationship. The CGI is nothing spectacular but perfectly captures what it sets out to do. That and the film sometimes changes tones to a comedy which worked for me but was still jarring.
Venom has done well at the box office, setting records for October and whatnot and has received divisive reception. I can't speak for either side of the critics or fanboys since I found the film good but not great. It was not overall boring and there is plenty of fun to be had with it.
Overall, I give Venom a 6/10
Tron (1982)
My Favorite Movie of All-Time
Tron is a 1982 Science Fiction film directed by Steven Lisberger and stars Jeff Bridges, David Warner, and Bruce Boxleitner. It was distributed by Disney and I consider it my favorite film of all time.
Tron follows the story of a "young, bright" game programmer and arcade owner Kevin Flynn (Bridges), whose job is taken away by another employee of ENCOM, Dillinger (Warner). Wanting to find evidence of taking Flynn's credit and selling games under his name. With the help of Alan (Boxleitner) and Lora, he goes into the world of Tron, "where energy lives and breathes".
The characters in Tron are a little shallow, especially the titular character. Flynn and Dillinger, along with his digital counterpart, Sark, pretty much steal their scenes. Flynn himself was somewhat a Jesus figure on the grid who was really an everyday guy which is kinda neat to think about. Sark himself gives off a menacing presence in his scenes, though with a little bit of humor attached.
I love this movie. The reason it is my favorite is due to the huge impact it had on my life ever since i've first heard about it. It has quite the reputation in visual effects being the first ever movie to include extensive use of CGI in 1982 (20 minutes worth). The distinct style of the world Tron presents bear a huge impact on cyberpunk culture and it's early representation on computers as a positive impact.
Tron includes themes of Religion and Technology. One of the main points of the movie as mentioned before is that Flynn is Jesus on the grid and Tron represents a "David the Warrior" type figure. Tron envisioned technology better than most movies of the past using computer-literate terms to describe the world and what characters do, though to a degree.
Tron didn't do well during its time and became a cult classic over the years. There is and are people who can appreciate the film the most for nostalgia and visuals with a pretty big impact. This is one of those films that people say "isn't for everyone".
Overall, I give Tron a
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
The Year is 2049
Blade Runner 2049 is the 2017 sequel to the cult 1982 original. This stars Ryan Gosling, Jared Leto, Ana De Armas, and Harrison Ford. I have seen the original and consider it among my favorite films. So, having high expectations with a director I trust, how did this fare? Well, I'm glad you asked.
2049 takes place a full 30 years later after the original. Blade Runner officer "K" is planted on a new case after his findings from his last retirement job, discovering that a replicant had a child decades prior. Along the way, he meets Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) whilst finding answers to not just the case, but also to who he is.
2049's characters are surprisingly great and intriguing to see and learn about. K's relationship with Joi really showed how far the possibility of humanity coercing with technology on a personal and sexual manner. Harrison Ford gives one of his best performances i've seen from him in a while. And Jared Leto gives a performance that completely washes away the sins of his Suicide Squad role.
I loved this movie. Without Denis Villeneuve directing, I would have been entirely suspicious going in. And it exceeded my already high expectations. The set design and visual effects are the best i've seen in recent memory. This is without a doubt the best movie i've seen all year, let alone theatrically. If you're reading this now, I urge you to go and see it.
2049 includes themes of love, technology, humanity, and environmentalism. The tech presented here feels more realistic than most sci-fi movies today such as surprising audio glitches, programs getting put on hold when there's a phone call, and a start-up sound being present no matter the scenario. This film also takes the environment of the first film and makes it even more claustrophobic and crowded, in one brilliant shot making you think the tops of buildings are the ground.
It's a shame to see something like this do poorly at the box office. Though now that I think about it, makes it seem more like the original, except this time has garnered huge critical praise and a following already. This is a very adult film as kids should probably put this film on hold. Everyone else should watch it at least once.
Overall, I give Blade Runner 2049 a
10/10
The Graduate (1967)
Seducingly Excellent
The Graduate is a 1967 film directed by Mike Nichols and stars Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, and Katharine Ross. The film is distributed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer, being labeled as a Dramatic Comedy. I was aware of the film's presence in cinema before watching it. But after watching it, I wanted to document my observations and opinions just for you.
The Graduate is the story of Benjamin Braddock (played by Dustin Hoffman) fresh out of College who doesn't know what do with his future other than for life to carry him away. After his Graduation party, he becomes seduced by Mrs. Robinson (played by Anne Bancroft) and they start dating. Ben's father then asks him to date the Robinson's daughter, Elaine (played by Katharine Ross) whom Ben is now attracted to and proceeds to do as such. Ben soon gets caught up in troubling affairs and antics throughout in a world not quite as promising as it seemed.
Dustin Hoffman's "break-out" performance as Ben Braddock is an excellent audience surrogate, being confused, nervous, and trying to keep his cool through the first half of the film. Plus his character development is great and woven into the progressing story perfectly, who runs in complete circles in the game of life. Anne Bancroft's performance as Mrs. Robinson steals every scene she is present. She has almost total dominance throughout entire scenes, being the perfect blend of sexy and dangerous. Katharine Ross delivers a very good performance as Elaine, showing very convincing emotions when needed. Though I think her character is slightly underwritten as I would have liked to see more of her.
I liked a lot about The Graduate (well, that's an understatement). Every single shot never ceases to amaze me with it's composition, movement, length, sound design, and more. I also loved the lighting of each scene, serving as both a metaphor and carefully crafted filmmaking. The film is realistically dark seeing as it envelopes Ben in this newly found adult world, giving new meaning to the term "Dark Comedy". The Soundtrack by Simon & Garfunkel really set the tone and elevate scenes in which it is present. Plus, the songs are enjoyable by themselves, even without context.
The Graduate's themes are about adulthood, relationships, and society. Ever since you or anyone turns into an adult, life turns a complete 180 degrees and that can be troublesome for most. But The Graduate makes this turn of events both surreal and grounded, showing this world feeling manufactured and weird, but also with a sense of realism to follow. The lesson I got from the film is that you need to plan things rather than life giving you a rude awakening very quickly.
I believe this movie has something for everyone. General audiences can appreciate the depth and the film in general. And people who like cinema outside of watching it will get a surprisingly deep story. And since the film is PG-13, I believe the film is worthy of the rating showing adult themes and even imagery. But I would recommend this movie to anyone mature enough to understand it's themes. I believe this is the same tier of comedy the Coen Brothers and other legendary comedies set decades later.
Overall, I give The Graduate a... 9/10
Blade Runner (1982)
Knife Jogger
Blade Runner is a 1982 film directed by Ridley Scott and stars Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, and Brion James. It is based on the Philip K. Dick short story "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". The film was distributed by Warner Brothers, being labeled as a Sci-Fi Crime Thriller. I have first seen the film over a year ago and will gladly document my opinions and observations for you.
Blade Runner is set two years from now when androids are being used in off world colonies as workers. Four of them escape to Los Angeles and band together as an effort to increase their 4-year lifespan. It is up to Deckard (Ford) to investigate their whereabouts and confront them and along the way meet Rachael (Young).
Every single character adds a lot to the coldness and darkness in the future world of Los Angeles. It is a serious film, but Roy Batty (Hauer) is both intimidating and charismatic as he always feels like a presence of death in every scene. Almost everyone else for the most part takes their part completely seriously.
I love Blade Runner, plain and simple. The original score by Greek composer Vangelis is marvelous and worth listening to on it's own. The Set Design is gorgeous and completely paved the way cyberpunk media should look. The cinematography is also amazing, miniatures look real, and it subtly captures symbolism of scenes along with great dialogue.
The themes of Blade Runner include Humanity, Philosophy, Genetics, and the Environment. One of the main forces of the film are testing people to see if they are human or replicant with the "Voight-Kampff Test". The effect of knowing is shown through Rachael who begins to cry that all her childhood memories are implants. Batty's speech about "tears in rain" really brings my emotional side out seeing as it is applicable to humans too and gives the character some redemption as well.
Blade Runner didn't find it's audience in it's infancy, but it became the cult classic it is today. A sequel set in 2049 is coming out in October and I can't wait to go see it. Kids should wait and get older to see it to fully appreciate the film. Teens into film and Sci-Fi should love this and so should adults. This film has stood the test of time extremely well.
Overall, I give Blade Runner a... 10/10