Reviews
Cold Blood Legacy (2019)
Pointless plot, unentertaining movie
So much promise, so few expectations, yet this movie made me want to express my disappointment here.
Enuff said.
The Ghostmaker (2012)
Watchable and engaging little yarn if you like a good simple plot
This is a simple story revolving around three men, a love interest, and a mystical coffin.
The original title was "Box of Shadows", and if you think of coffins as just boxes, and deep latent desires as shadows, then the title is great. But I like the current title, The Ghostmaker, because it is more direct and relevant when presented with trailers or synopses.
The storyline revolves around a long lost coffin invented by a mad man centuries ago. It is soon uncovered by Kyle, a good looking college junkie who only cares about refurbishing used collectibles for resale to fund his addiction and his lavish lifestyle with girlfriend Julie. Joined by his two buddies -- Sutton, a wheelchair-bound college mate who generously sponsors his board and lodging, and Platt, a steady, down-to-earth intellectual -- Kyle uncovers hidden biomechanical contraptions while cleaning out the casket, and ropes them in to figure out the who's, whats and how-much of the treasure.
As it turns out, the contraption has mysterious powers that give the living "occupant" a taste of the afterlife for a few short minutes. As the story unfolds, we discover how these addictive escapades unleash the deepest, darkest shadows trapped inside the kids. But their wanton abuse of the ghostmaker carries a heavy price, as the trio soon discover and subsequently attempt to outwit.
The story plods along smoothly and at a comfortable pace, drawing the viewers into the scenes and engaging their empathy with the characters. The smooth continuity and flow helped me to enjoy my voyeuristic journey with Kyle, Sutton and Platt, to discover exactly what dark secrets and consequences lie beneath the ghostmaker. The elements of suspense and science fiction help to cast away our sense of logic and doubts, to just enjoy the movie for the simple premise that it offers: a glimpse of what is possible if we can affirm the existence of the afterlife; to experience extra-corporeal abilities; and to explore how such newfound powers can simultaneously inspire and corrupt our mortal consciousness.
Overall, this is not a high-budget flick, but it makes optimal use of limited resources to convey an interesting plot in a simple, engaging way. The possibilities of ghostmaking are broad enough that there is even some potential left for a sequel!
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Loose editing, but nice SFX
Comparing this to the first ONE is pointless. Having said that, I must say this is a good movie nevertheless.
Good points: Deeper exposé of the fascinating concept of the Matrix. Some great stunts, new effects and choreography. Fairly good photography, visual impact and cinematography. Good sound effects. Acting is weak but fundamental to the original style.
Weak points: 1. Initial 20 min of the movie was too long, loosely edited, and did not add much to the plot.
2. Last 10 min when Neo was communicating with the Source -- dialog was too fast, too profound, leaving no time for audience to digest the concepts.
3. Overall dialog is rather inane, pedestrian; not as terse yet punchy as in the first
4. Fight scenes were too long drawn and similar, as were some of the other action sequences. The final outcome was always predictable; and Neo always ends up playing Superman to get out of the rut. His stoney facial expressions when he is flying, are also downright uninspiring.
5. Plot development not well organised, although plot adds more delicious meat to the original concepts propounded by the first movie
6. Many self-contradictory concepts introduced, leaving viewers incredulous. E.g. Neo being able to overcome death in the Matrix; Having ability to defy gravity yet still obeying it in the fight scenes, etc. I may have missed the deeper meaning behind such "contradictions" here, but hey, no fair explanation was proposed anywhere in the movie to ask us to give it the benefit of the doubt.
7. Soundtrack was rather mundane.
CONCLUSION Definitely a MUST-SEE if you loved the original movie. Definitely a MUST-SEE for the action scenes and those new to the sfx of the first movie. Repeat viewing is *strongly recommended* if you want to analyze the philosophical dogma at several points in the movie (discussions with the Oracle, the Source, the French ass). Overall, despite its substantial editing and directorial flaws, it is still a watchable movie given its lineage and our propensity to fully understand this fascinating concept called the Matrix.
Enemy of the State (1998)
I almost didn't watch the film
The poster and blurbs looked exceptionally boring. So I didn't watch the movie. The DVD cover was just as uninviting. If I hadn't been loaned the disc I wouldn't have watched it at all!
Turned out the movie wasn't so bad. Frustratingly one-sided but at least Will Smith got his chance to even the odds near the end of the long tale.
Not a very credible film though -- the incredibly naive NSA techies, that really stupid scene where the computer can interpolate 3D views of a 2D satellite picture, Smith's lame wife... all these spoiled an otherwise believable story that warns us of the perils of uncontrolled technological abuse.
Ôdishon (1999)
Utterly boring horror movie for sissies
Slow moving, yawn inducing piece of drama whose only redeeming segment happens in the last 20 minutes.
Anyone who has said the gore and horror of this movie is of superlative quality must have never watched good horror movies. Many scenes could have been more graphic but the director left it to our imagination. Character development, though given plenty of play here, is a farce considering it all leads to irrelevant zilch.
Surrealistic yes, but pointless and definitely a waste of money.
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Not as good as Tomorrow Never Dies
For a Bond movie, this is quite a laid back show. Sure, there are the usual action sequences, but they don't come on in a non-stop burst as Tomorrow Never Dies; nor are the sequences as creative.
The villains are not as sinister, and the overall ambience of the movie is not as intense. Seems to me also, that if you can't feel pain, then damage to the medulla oblongata would likely be so severe as to make sex highly difficult/meaningless. The theme song is uninspired and uninspiring. Even the incidental music doesn't stand out.
Overall, a watchable 007 movie, but not something that will make me watch it again or wait in agony for the DVD release.
8MM (1999)
It won't happen to my daughter!
On the face of it, this is a story about how a private detective put his feelings too deep in an assignment involving disturbed people. Despite such a seemingly pedestrian plot, I was drawn ever deeper into the movie as Cage's stone-faced yet soulful disposition broke down into that of remorse, hatred and dilemma. Schumacher's formulaic treatment works better for me here than in 7 -- 8mm is intense with a purpose, dark with a light at the end of the tunnel, slow with just the right amount of anticipation, seedy with a kind of slickness that compels disgusted viewers to glue their eyes on the action. IMHO really one notch up as the numeral in the title suggests...
Also, unlike too many goody-two-shoe films of the same breed, this one actually lets Cage's character gratify his hatred of the villains. It is NOT a story about righteousness, because if someone you care for were the victim of such heinous brutality you will want to skin the murderers yourself even if that can't bring her back. Somewhere in 8mm is also probably a lesson for legions of Mary-Ann's out there who would want to run away to become "Hollywood stars."