Gatsby's New and Improved Flick Critique

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28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds
I know, his praise for the film is one of the main reasons why I decided to check out Dark City.

And not mine?!?!?!?![
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Suspect's Reviews



I found Dark City a pretty standard Sci Fi film. Very good film but nothing really amazing, Avalon was a more artistically sophisticated sci fi film, by comparison.

I watched it from Roger Ebert's great movies list.



I have to return some videotapes...
For some reason I can't get behind Dark City, I need to rewatch it for sure, but I remember it being a little too out there for me with the whole crazy cult uniting underground.
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For some reason I can't get behind Dark City, I need to rewatch it for sure, but I remember it being a little too out there for me with the whole crazy cult uniting underground.
Same here



Master of My Domain
The Searchers (1956)




Directed by: John Ford
Starring: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Natalie Wood


One of the most famous closing shots in cinema history

Those of you who have been following my thread might have noticed that most of my reviews are lengthy paragraphs in praise of my favorite movies. That¡¯s because while I enjoy film criticism, I¡¯m not good at the actual ¡°criticism¡±. Providing a logical opinion that leans towards negativity is more difficult than positive ramblings. So this time, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone by criticizing a film that is regarded as a classic, but feels rather dubious to me.
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Attacks made toward The Searchers usually revolve around the film's blatant racism, but my review will not discuss it. I¡¯m not avoiding controversy; this is because in a Ford Western starring Indians and white heroes, racism is an obvious content inside the package. Not expecting it, then getting offended is a lack of prior knowledge.

Now it's time for the actual review. The plot is fairly simple, and the script knows that it has to in order to work. Emotions are propelled by the fact that Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) and Jeffrey Hunter (Martin Pawley) are obsessed with hunting down the Indians responsible for burning down their home, and kidnapping Debbie, who is Ethan¡¯s niece. This is well complemented by Ford¡¯s signature wide-lens shots of valleys, rivers, and plateaus etc. which have a bold but striking color tone. They are beautiful, and the picture I used for my review is a great example.

The Searchers is a film that tells its story through individual scenes that gradually build into a burst of action(s), instead of scenes solely having the purpose of plowing through a story a film needs to tell so that audiences can be entertained. When Ethan and Jeffrey are hunting for clues under winter weather, it isn't important to the eventual outcome, so it could have been easily covered with a quick shot, but Ethan stops to shoot a herd of buffaloes, so ¡°the Comanche won¡¯t have anything to eat during the winter¡±. It reminded me of Taxi Driver when Travis has the idea of assassinating a candidate.

Situations get more and more intense as the search drags on for many years, which causes a few deaths, lots of arguments, and Ethan¡¯s desire for a proper revenge, shown in dialogue loaded with hatred. Ford seems to realize that what he¡¯s dealing cannot be viewed in a light mood, so he adds comedic moments that conveniently pop up when tension climaxes. A lot of them attempt to generate laughs from Mose Harper (Hank Warden), a friend who lacks intelligence. This ends the character¡¯s description. You know someone is one-dimensional when they can be described with one word and its synonyms. There¡¯s also John Wayne one-liners, dancing, fighting, and laughing, but I'd rather see Mose complain about how he doesn¡¯t have his own rocking chair. Another aspect I didn't buy is the awfully forced romance between Jeffery and Laurie. But it¡¯s not important enough to criticize.

Thus, the two main protagonists are definitely the main highlight. John Wayne is being John Wayne, but in this film, his eyes are always occupied. There's a wonderful shot where the camera is looking at a sand dune, in the same direction as Edwards¡¯s glaze, then he turns around and almost stares directly at the screen. It last for about 2 seconds, yet it is an artistic achievement as well as a great character study. Martin Pawley often sticks out like a sore thumb – Hunter¡¯s acting makes him a whiny little boy disturbed by first world problems, or a reasonable man whose presence next to Edward is a nice balance.

Characters play an important role in a Western, when guns aren't blazing and horses aren't galloping across a brilliant plain. In a barren desert, people are more than figures; they bring color and liveliness. All the classic American Westerns I liked had characters I wanted to hang out with, have a drink, and could maybe teach me how to hunt game. In The Searchers, there are two characters that I care about, but obviously do not need my help, or friendship. There¡¯s a disappointing distance between me and this film, even though I admire its achievements, and influence on cinema. I can¡¯t wait to check out another Ford Western.

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Master of My Domain
Gods of Egypt (2016)




Directed by: Alexander Proyas
Starring: Gerard Butler, Brenton Thwaites, Elodie Young


Dammit, my wings look too fake

Gods of Egypt is a preposterous film, which constantly creates a distance from plausibility, as if it is self-aware. It slowly travels to the bottom of the barrel, as the quality drops minute by minute like a never-ending crescendo. Usually the final 20 minutes is the highlight, but here it's the other way around. The opening credits gripped my attention, but the climactic battle is filled with despicable computer generated imagery.

I can't give an exact plot description because (1) knowing the story won't make your viewing experience any better and (2) I don't remember much. I thought I was on track, but my mind voluntarily derailed, and went to Imaginationland, where things make sense. Anyways, big-name Hollywood actors play Egyptian Gods (such as Set, Horus, Thoth) that fight each other to get their own share of what's at stake. There ya go.

What was director Alexander Proyas thinking when he made this movie? It's quite amusing to think that 2 weeks ago I reviewed and watched Dark City, a film by him that is superior in every aspect. I get that he needs to make a living, but if he was offered a $140 million blockbuster, I'm sure he could have chosen smaller projects that would have made more profit (as of now, Gods of Egypt has only earned around a hundred million bucks).

Ancient carnage films with mythology added for flavor always have battles that sweep through magnificent structures and landscapes, plowing through edits and shots at a blazing speed. Gods of Egypt gets the "plowing through" part right (albeit too much – half of the time you don't know what's going on), but everything else walks on the not-so-fine line between stupid and laughable with a stone face. Sequences are in smooth high definition but lack grace or serenity. Shame, because a bit more effort could have given the birth to another films that's bad enough to be considered entertaining, and thus, good. As director and producer, Proyas should have dropped the solemn masks and special effects budget, and instead pay homage to B movies.

There are two good things I can point out. The first one is that the initial idea of having Egyptian Gods in a blockbuster is cool. The second one is that it's not absolutely boring. You see something move, so your eyes follow it (or them) to observe.






I have to return some videotapes...
I'm questioning why you even saw this movie? Good review tho.



Master of My Domain
I'm questioning why you even saw this movie? Good review tho.
I didn't choose the movie, some other people did. I could have spouted out an excuse and go home, but I wanted to check if it deserved such a bad reputation. Apparently it does.



I'm questioning why you even saw this movie? Good review tho.
I was about to ask the same thing, but I figured it was something along the lines of your eventual answer, Gatsby, so it's all good.

And I don't like The Searchers that much either and gave it half a popcorn lower than you. I wrote very little about it, but here's what I posted in the Rate Last Movie thread...
The Searchers (1956)

Sorry Ford fans. Here arriving at my second Ford feature, his movies don't do much to me as of yet, unfortunately...

Mainly I think the tone in his movies are a bit off-putting and despite people talking about subtle greatness and an endless amount of depth I still see it being too surfaced and missing some proper weight.

To end on a positive note, the opening and closing shots are great.

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Master of My Domain
Zootopia (2016)




Directed by: Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
Starring (Voices): Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, J.K Simmons


Are you sure you're allowed to do that?

Finally, Disney hits the nail on the head with Zootopia. It had to be done at some point, but that this film served as a metaphorical hammer was a surprise for me. There is an odd relationship with me and animated films recently - I don't expect much, then they end up becoming one of my favorites of the year it was released. The flowers in the small garden outside my apartment complex haven't even bloomed, yet I have a contender for the king of 2016.

The film takes place in Zootopia - an ideal paradise where prey and predators live in harmony under modern technology and social systems. But it also the means the various problems of today, such as racism, prejudice, and agonizingly slow-paced employees at DMVs (portrayed by sloths, which is one of the funniest moments). Our main protagonist is a bunny named Judy Hopps, who has a lifetime dream of becoming an officer at the ZPD, despite having a small physique, and other animals assuming that bunnies are supposed to be dim-witted. Eventually she gets her badge, but finds out her naivety isn't welcomed. Other characters include Nick Wilde, a shady fox, Chief Bogo, a tough buffalo, and Mayor Lionheart, who's definitely not a tiger... sorry 'bout that.

The film's main theme is the importance of not having prejudice, but I did, against the film itself, prior to actual viewing. From some of the trailers and posters, I was reminded of Shark Tale, a sad pile of lame pop culture references so shallow that it made me wonder why it takes place in an ocean. Thankfully, Zootopia takes cliches, and turns them on their head, then embraces them with a lovable attitude. I love it when a film constantly does that to create interesting stories and characters. Of course, strictly plot-wise, it's hardly original, but the original of today is having your own spin on existing tropes.

We find out there is a big-scale mystery that needs solving, so of course we get a nice tour of the city, which has a central metropolis, a rain forest area, a mini desert, and an arctic residence, which has little ice blocks on freezing cold waters as transportation. These interesting sights aren't lazily blotched over at all, and show their full potential, even though we don't get into the very minor details. It's exactly how I imagined an animal utopia. One thing I didn't expect is special cars for the giraffes, which is as high as some buildings.

Lt. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are on the case, and their chemistry is admirable. The two exchange dialogues actual partners would exchange, instead of awkward comedic platitudes. They share a couple of heartfelt, but not generic scenes that made my heart move, and even motivate me. As a balance, sometimes it's the classic dumb bunny vs. clever fox mode, which works, because while they acknowledge the prejudices applied to the other animal, they also acknowledge themselves, like human beings. Other characters get decent development; as a result, there isn't a character that is one-dimensional. These animals have truly evolved from their simple past.

Disney has its fare share of more adult-orientated animated films, but filmmakers in charge of Zootopia had the right idea. If my 9 year old self were to watch this movie, a lot of the jokes would fly over my head, and some of the dialogue would have words unknown to me. Never mind, I'm 24 right now, old and wrinkly, and I had a blast. One adult pop culture reference had me in stitches for a straight minute. I won't spoil it here, but I will say that it's a reference to a classic film. It worked not only because it was well executed, but because the script doesn't say, "Look, here's a pop culture reference, isn't it clever?"

Everything's perfect, except that the viewing experience wasn't sensational or emotionally overwhelming like, for example Wall E or Inside Out, but Pixar is in a league of its own. Another faulty error this film makes is having yet another pop artist I don't care about (Shakira) make an annoying song that contains the overall message. Thus, the lyrics are fine but the music, not so much. Why not use Black Dog or Cat People? However, there is no need to worry, as animated films are getting better and better each year. Maybe when the next film arrives it will end the trend.

I close with hoping that a lot more MoFos get to see Zootopia. Don't judge it by its cover!



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I was wondering... What's wrong with your latest reviews? They all have messed up typing in them (and no, this is not an insult)

Seriously, they have odd characters everywere, what's up with it, Gats?



Master of My Domain
I was wondering... What's wrong with your latest reviews? They all have messed up typing in them (and no, this is not an insult)

Seriously, they have odd characters everywere, what's up with it, Gats?
I know they have messed up characters, and it's a problem I've been trying to fix for a while. It happens when I write the first draft on Microsoft Word, then paste it on here to revise mistakes. I kept thinking about using a new word processor, but I didn't want to do that until I found out what causes the hieroglyphs... and I don't have clue yet.



Master of My Domain
I don't watch too many animations, but I think I'd like that one.
I heard you like movies with bunnies in them.



Thanks for the great reviews and Judge Judys rating
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Master of My Domain
Nice review Gats, gonna see Zootopia this week
Thanks SL. Are your children old enough of to see it?