Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

[Buscemi2]

Out of Darkness 2/10

It seems like all of the time and effort in this movie went into creating the constructed language as this is nothing more than a forgettable ripoff of The Witch, only in prehistoric times instead of Puritan times. The plot is thin and the dialogue is way too abundant for an era usually depicted as having almost none. The end result seems to have been made less to put a unique spin on the horror genre and more in hopes of creating the next big A24-styled genre film. It's all look and no substance.

[StarLord123]

Sisu 7/10
A slick, entertaining action movie that moves at a brisk pace, with some effective and satisfying takedowns, well constructed action set pieces, nice cinematography and direction, and some fun bits of humor. However, what prevents this from being a modern action classic is that I rarely felt like the protagonist was in any danger. He takes so many harsh beatings and keeps getting up in the span of 90 minutes, that he's basically invincible it seems.

Bottoms 7/10
An amusing comedy with some decent laughs, pretty good lead performances from Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri, and a fairly unique and original spin on high school movie tropes. Although it's not quite a comedy classic for me since a portion of the humor is a bit too mean spirited and cynical for my tastes.

[Buscemi2]

I went to the latest set of Oscar nominated animated short films and this might be the worst set I've seen since I started watching them regularly again. These shorts encapsulate everything wrong with post-COVID cinema: overly serious, too self-important and narcissistic, more interested in style than story, and just simply a down and disappointing experience all around. Only one of the shorts has anything that could be viewed as what to expect with pushing the art form but even that one fails.

Anyway...

Our Uniform 4/10

Would have worked better as a live-action short. Using cloth as a canvas, a series of native Iranians tell a story about their days in school during the rule of Ayatollah. After a decent setup, it ends with little resolution. The end result exists solely for its unique animation style.

Letter to a Pig 4/10

A Holocaust survivor tells his story to the students of a classroom, many of them unruly and disrespectful. One of the students soon imagines herself and her fellow students in the survivor's situation. This seems to be animated solely to show off and also would have worked better as a live-action short.

Pachyderm 5/10

The best animated short works until the end. A girl visits her grandparents for a two-week visit (but seems to be longer as somehow, two or three seasons pass in a short time) and retells her experiences through narration as an adult. Despite a lot of foreshadowing, we are ultimately left in the dark as to what really happened during that visit. Then the short ends with little resolution and more questions that answers.

Ninety-Five Senses 5/10

The creators of Napoleon Dynamite get serious with the testimonials of an old boomer who tells some "back in my day" stories before we find out he murdered his former boss's family after he got fired from his job and he's now about to be executed. Once again, this is another short that expects the animation to carry the flat story but it doesn't work as both need to work for the short to work. Also, the protagonist, even with his folksy demeanor and voice of Tim Blake Nelson, is very unsympathetic.

War is Over: Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko 2/10

The likely winner is an extremely crass cash-in of John Lennon's musical legacy where a carrier pigeon and a game of chess lead to the end of World War I. Unsurprisingly, Yoko Ono was one of the producers. John Lennon is probably spinning in his grave with this ripoff of Joyeux Noel.

In addition, there are two equally insufferable shorts that weren't nominated.

Wild Summon 2/10

In this cross between Planet Earth and a commercial for wetsuits, the life of an aquatic mammal, born in swim wear for some bizarre reason, is depicted. Intended to convey a message of the effects of climate change and pollution on creatures of the ocean, this largely ends up feeling like the most expensive Steve Cutts short instead. I'm pretty sure the entire audience I watched it with hated the short.

I'm Hip 2/10

I'm not sure what the co-director of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Moana was thinking with this short, which seems to be have been inspired by MC Skat Kat, where a self-absorbed cat talks about how cool he is. I get the feeling this will only be enjoyed by furries and no one else.

Dear god, 2023 was a terrible year for movies.

[StarLord123]

Madame Web 5/10
Considering the awful looking trailer and dreadful reviews, I'm surprised that I actually didn't hate this. It's still not that good, but I was expecting worse with all the "worst comic book movie ever" and "this makes Morbius look like The Godfather" talk. I don't think this is worse than Morbius, and honestly I'd put it on roughly the same level as Ant-Man Quantumania and The Flash from last year.

I was rarely bored during this movie. I feel like it's somewhat commendable how committed this film is to being a 2000s throwback, but in an entertaining way unlike Morbius, which I think is an incredibly dull slog. While I wouldn't say the performances are great, the 4 lead actresses tried here, and I did enjoy their banter more than I expected. The premonition aspect is utilized somewhat effectively with some interesting visuals on display. This works more as a 2000s thriller than it does as a comic book movie, it really does nail the tone and feel of a thriller from that era, warts and all.

While I don't think this film is completely awful, the issues here are severe enough that it ultimately falls into mediocrity. Much of the dialogue is stunningly rough, Dakota Johnson tries to convincingly deliver this clunky dialogue but is fighting a losing battle a lot of the time. The villain is terrible, his motivation could've been interesting, but they botched it by having him repeat the same crappy dialogue over and over, and a bad performance with very distracting ADR. The film's flow and pacing is messy as can be with bad editing, there's a side quest of sorts in the middle that grinds the pacing to a halt. The action scenes aren't particularly well shot or edited, and the finale is a big anticlimactic nothingburger. Most of the Parker family stuff is shoehorned in and pointless to the story. The film is by and large a setup movie to sequels that surely won't happen at this rate.

Although it doesn't really work ultimately, the pieces are here for something that could've worked with more competent writing and directing. I'd be open to seeing more of this group of 4 if they had a script to work with that isn't a first draft, but with this movie's failure and Johnson's clear embarrassment to be in it, that's not happening. Oh well.

[Buscemi2]

Watched a couple more Oscar nominated shorts.

The After 5/10

An Uber driver, coping with the death of his wife and daughter, lives his daily life in solitude until finding a kindred spirit in a girl with parents who ignore her. Typical awards fare that follows the Oscar bait checklist box by box that adds little to what we've seen before, though David Oyelowo does his best.

Knight of Fortune 8/10

Two men bond at a hospital after the wife of one of them dies and give their last words in the adjacent chapel. It starts slow but gets going once we are treated to that Scandinavian humor and it becomes more than a short about death. Makes you wish some of the English-language shorts could handle darkness and light with equal touch instead of being heavier on one than the other.

I couldn't find the other two online and though I could see the compilation in a theatre, you couldn't pay me to sit through The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar again.

[Screen203]

Dune: Part Two

This is probably Villeneuve's best since Arrival, IMO. That being said, I found both Blade Runner 2049 and especially the first part of Dune overrated, so you should probably take my opinion with a grain of salt. I think it will be very difficult to beat this in the technical categories at the Oscars next year - the only potential competition I could really see is Furiosa. One awards category that I think will be harder to get into, but is deserved nonetheless, is Austin Butler in Best Supporting Actor. I haven't been impressed with any role I've seen of his before this, but he steals every scene he is in, and gives the best performance of the cast by far (though they are all great). One issue I did have is that, while never boring, you definitely feel the length here. It also runs into the problem of false endings a few times. That being said, it is mostly a riveting experience that far surpassed my expectations for it.

If you see it, I would highly recommend the IMAX version - the presentation here (the sound in particular) is one of the best IMAX experiences I've ever had.

9 out of 10

[StarLord123]

Dune: Part Two 9/10
Woah. This is truly an epic tour de force. As far as blockbuster filmmaking goes, this is damn near unmatched. It expands on the rich worldbuilding of the first film without becoming convoluted. It is visually jaw-dropping in nearly every frame, the sheer spectacle on display is awe-inspiring. The action sequences are also some of the most expertly staged and pulse-pounding that I've seen in a blockbuster lately. The character development is top notch and the performances from pretty much our entire ensemble are on point. Austin Butler also makes for a compelling villain that keeps the viewer on edge whenever he's on screen. The film is absolutely enthralling from start to finish with not a single dull moment. The hype is warranted, this is the real deal, it is absolute top of the line filmmaking. Denis has managed to top the already excellent first film, and if the 3rd film maintains this quality, then this will hands down be one of the greatest trilogies of all time.

These are rather minor issues, but I feel like the pacing isn't quite as precise as in the first film, because there's so much going on, it feels like a few details are glossed over a bit, and although I think the romance is well-written, I don't feel like Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya had an abundance of on-screen chemistry. Still, 9/10 that could go up to a 10/10 on rewatch.

Lastly, in IMAX Laser the sound design is INSANE, with some of the heaviest room-shaking bass I've ever heard in a theater. It might be the loudest movie I've heard in theaters since Tenet. I loved the experience but if they had pushed the volume just a little farther it might've become too much.

[Buscemi2]

Perfect Days 9/10

After having his best films for the past few decades be in the documentary field, Wim Wenders' first narrative film in six years is his best scripted feature since Until the End of the World. Focusing on a toilet cleaner and his simple list of interests, this is a breezy two hours that depicts the human condition and what makes the average person do what they do. The film is beautifully made, with relatable characters and a pace that isn't boring at all. And there aren't any explosions or excuses to sell you products, just good storytelling. Also, Koji Yakusho should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his performance.

[numbersix]

Dune Pt 2 - 7/10

I very impressive sequel that tries to cover the dense first book, and doesn't quite do so. Once again Villeneuve captures the world perfectly, with incredibly cinematography and use of sound and music. More impressively, it never quite relishes in the war and battles, but instead pulls back as the film progresses, and instead focuses on the political mechanisms and the manipulation of folk, by "good" and "bad" forces, to achieve what they want. Cast in general were great, particularly Chalamet who is much stronger in this part.

However, the film tries to cover too much of the book, with many details getting lost in the mix and not earning their time (presumably they'll be addressed in the next film), and the second half of the film could have used more streamlining and breathing space to deal with some of the big dramtic beats, rather than rushing through them. I've read the book and even I was left confused about some elements.

Still, it's rare to watch a blockbuster that's genuinely thrilling, truly beautiful (I find the MCU films to be quite ugly), and grappling with interesting political and philosophical ideas, even if it doesn't always gel.

Powerful filmmaking.

[Buscemi2]

Robot Dreams 9/10

My personal pick for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature (though I'm sure Miyazaki gets it). This love letter to silent comedy and 1980's Americana focuses on the friendship between a dog and a robot and the things that separate them is beautifully made and both funny and touching, much like the works of hand-drawn Disney and the best works of Pixar. The world of alternate 1980's New York is an incredibly well-realized one, feeling lived-in and filled with many little touches and Easter eggs. And even if you might get puzzled by some of the biology in the film, the filmmakers make it easy to overlook that tiny detail by keeping things fast and entertaining. Despite not having a single human character, it's far more human than most recent films.

[Buscemi2]

Kung Fu Panda 4 4/10

The possible finale of Po's saga is a disappointing one, as the change in director and reduced cast make for a less entertaining installment. While the previous two entries expanded the character of Po and developed him into more than your average funny cartoon character, this one simply gives Po little to do as he is now has to protect a fox on a journey to defeat a chameleon hellbent on world domination. In what is essentially Zootopia with martial arts, nothing feels added and the end product is largely a retread of the previous, far superior films. While it's nice to return to this world, it ends up being a big letdown.

[StarLord123]

No One Will Save You 7/10
A little late on this one since I don't use Hulu too much due to ads. About 2/3rds of this is a pretty good and effective chiller that excels at building tension and keeping the viewer on edge constantly. Kaitlyn Dever delivers a strong performance and manages to convey plenty of emotion with very little dialogue. Unfortunately, the movie kind of falls apart in the 3rd act with an unnecessarily confusing and bizarre climax that's too much of a departure from most of the movie's simplicity. With a better ending this could've been great, but as is it's still a fairly solid thriller.

Society of the Snow 8/10
A riveting, harrowing, gut wrenching, and emotional experience. It's got excellent direction and cinematography that conveys the dread and horror of the situation very well, and great performances all around. There are a few lulls in the pacing, and the structure is similar to many of these types of films, but otherwise this is really good.

[Screen203]

Imaginary

When I saw this trailer for the first time in November, I knew I had to see it, for reasons Lionsgate/Blumhouse almost definitely didn't intend for. Not since The Hurricane Heist have I seen a trailer (IMO) sell such an unintentionally comedic experience. Does it deliver? Yes and no.

I feel like the main issue with Imaginary is related to its concept. While what is scary is entirely subjective, I feel like they were going to have their work cut out for them generating dread and suspense from a stuffed teddy bear. That being said, when we see the true forms of Chauncey and the other imaginary friends, they are even harder to take seriously than the stuffed bear. The script is very cliched (even by horror standards), and the twists are telegraphed with way less subtlety than intended (in particular, Betty Buckley's character having ulterior motives, and DeWanda Wise's character having a past connection with Chauncey). Another predicable twist comes with the fake-out ending about 5 minutes before the actual ending, which is a personal pet peeve of mine in horror. I feel like the actors all gave what they could, but their performances all ring hollow (in particular, Betty Buckley, who has given solid performances in the past), which I feel is mostly due to the poor direction and atrocious script.

That being said, it still has some entertainment value, unintentional as a lot of it may be. It's definitely not the worst horror movie ever, but it isn't good by any means.

4 out of 10

[StarLord123]

Kung Fu Panda 4 6.5/10
Contrary to what some folks are saying, I don't think this is a disgrace to the franchise. I enjoyed it fine enough even if it's no doubt the weakest one. Jack Black gives it his all as always, the animation is expectedly quite nice, there are some cool fight scenes and plenty of funny moments. The Chameleon is a rather generic villain although the visuals for her powers are quite cool. The overall story is rather thin and really predictable, and while it's not devoid of heart, it lacks much of the depth and emotion from the previous films (especially the first 2). Awkwafina plays the typical Awkwafina character basically, at this point either one is on board with her shtick or they aren't. Then there's the side quest with Po's 2 dads, while mildly funny at times, is just there so the movie can reach its 90 minute runtime target (James Hong sounds really energetic for being 95 though!) As for the lack of the Furious 5, there isn't a super obvious place for them in the story, but there's still no doubt that a key component is missing. The return of Tai Lung is just for nostalgia pretty much, and there's a specific line of dialogue from him at the end that feels really out of character. I think the comparisons to Toy Story 4 make sense (although that movie is a little better), this is entertaining but it also feels kind of pointless ultimately.

[Buscemi2]

The Primevals 3/10

This film that had one of the longest development-to-release times (over 50 years!) in history ends up just being your run-of-the-mill Full Moon projects. Shot in 1994 but not finished until last year, the ambition of a Harryhausen-styled adventure film focusing on the search for a tribe of Yeti leading to an ever greater discovery greatly outweighs the production values as outside of some solid stop-motion effects supervised by the director, the end result is basically your average straight-to-video Full Moon movie from the 90's, only this one got a theatrical release due to it being until now one of the best known unfinished movies ever. The acting is flat, the production values outside of the effects are low, the script feels like it was written in a few days, and it simply feels more like the kind of thing you would rent with other Full Moon titles of the era like Dragonworld or whatever sequel the producer cooked up all the time.

Had David Allen gotten a financier who was better with money and a couple of script rewrites, this could have been much more (and it likely would have been released in 1995 as originally planned). But alas, it's nothing but the same things you were getting from Full Moon/Moonbeam back in the mid 90's.