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Murder on the Orient Express -
(Kenneth Branagh, 2017)
[NEW WATCH]
This movie briefly reminded me of when I used to mess with Photoshop. It reminded me, specifically, of desaturating an image so much that it becomes entirely white. This movie is kind of like that; it's so run-of-the-mill to the point where it becomes less than that, so horribly cliched that it stops being merely mediocre and enters "bad" territory. I was tempted to call it too "Hollywood," but I reminded myself that that would be an insult to all the Hollywood films that are good. Hopefully, though, using that word as a negative can help paint a picture of what this film felt like to me. It's key detriment is being so predictable craft-wise that it ends up not being engaging at all.
Kenneth Branagh's performance was the highlight for me. While I've seen some people call it obnoxious and I can understand that, I thought he was a well-drawn caricature (and I use that word in a very complimentary way) of the eccentric detective. He was so good, in fact, that I feel the film didn't deserve him. My only other positive is that after the film hits rock bottom with a horrendous climax, it bounces back with a resolution that is the best moment in the film.
But neither Branagh's character nor the last ten minutes could save this film from being too bland for it's own good.
The Foreigner -
(Martin Campbell, 2017)
[NEW WATCH]
I have never been that into political action thrillers. Because of that, when I can get into one and enjoy it, I appreciate it that much more. The Foreigner was fully engrossing for me. It’s basically a political thriller with a Jackie Chan revenge action flick interwoven into it. And it works splendidly despite some minor farfetched cheesy bits. Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan absolutely owned their roles, delivering powerful and intense performances. Overall, it is well worth watching.
Super Dark Times - +
(Kevin Phillips, 2017)
[NEW WATCH]
The filmmaking on display here is fantastic. I was captivated by Super Dark Times and felt genuine emotional reactions. My only criticism is a somewhat flimsy character arc that might seem unrealistic when you think about it. But even that is played so well craft-wise that it ends up working, and anyway it didn’t interfere with the intensity of the story (a story that features some downright gut-wrenching moments). Right now, this is around my fifth favorite film of the year.
(Kenneth Branagh, 2017)
[NEW WATCH]
This movie briefly reminded me of when I used to mess with Photoshop. It reminded me, specifically, of desaturating an image so much that it becomes entirely white. This movie is kind of like that; it's so run-of-the-mill to the point where it becomes less than that, so horribly cliched that it stops being merely mediocre and enters "bad" territory. I was tempted to call it too "Hollywood," but I reminded myself that that would be an insult to all the Hollywood films that are good. Hopefully, though, using that word as a negative can help paint a picture of what this film felt like to me. It's key detriment is being so predictable craft-wise that it ends up not being engaging at all.
Kenneth Branagh's performance was the highlight for me. While I've seen some people call it obnoxious and I can understand that, I thought he was a well-drawn caricature (and I use that word in a very complimentary way) of the eccentric detective. He was so good, in fact, that I feel the film didn't deserve him. My only other positive is that after the film hits rock bottom with a horrendous climax, it bounces back with a resolution that is the best moment in the film.
But neither Branagh's character nor the last ten minutes could save this film from being too bland for it's own good.
The Foreigner -
(Martin Campbell, 2017)
[NEW WATCH]
I have never been that into political action thrillers. Because of that, when I can get into one and enjoy it, I appreciate it that much more. The Foreigner was fully engrossing for me. It’s basically a political thriller with a Jackie Chan revenge action flick interwoven into it. And it works splendidly despite some minor farfetched cheesy bits. Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan absolutely owned their roles, delivering powerful and intense performances. Overall, it is well worth watching.
Super Dark Times - +
(Kevin Phillips, 2017)
[NEW WATCH]
The filmmaking on display here is fantastic. I was captivated by Super Dark Times and felt genuine emotional reactions. My only criticism is a somewhat flimsy character arc that might seem unrealistic when you think about it. But even that is played so well craft-wise that it ends up working, and anyway it didn’t interfere with the intensity of the story (a story that features some downright gut-wrenching moments). Right now, this is around my fifth favorite film of the year.
Mind you, he'll probably take it as a compliment 