John's Reviews

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Wow, thanks McClane. Sure looks good. Can't wait to see it.
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I finished reading the novel a few weeks ago, so I can now speak about the adaption and it is faithful to the book.
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"This is that human freedom, which all boast that they possess, and which consists solely in the fact, that men are conscious of their own desire, but are ignorant of the causes whereby that desire has been determined." -Baruch Spinoza



Hi John, I'm pretty new here so you won't know me.

I just read your review on The Road, can I just ask for your detailed opinion on the plot?
I personally found it to be the only weak part of the film. The plot was there but it seemed as though it had no depth to it. Their were minor 'twists' but the overall plot was still very basic. I have no real problem with simple plots but I felt as though it could have been improved. [I would explain a little more but I don't want to create spoilers.]

Anyway I look forward to your reply.



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Predators-


Predators did not know what it wanted to hunt but killed well anyways. Its prey is the same as any other action film...script, acting and pacing. It was not as lethal as the first two Predator films, but there was plenty of violent mauling.

Predators took a different direction on one of the most dangerous creatures in cinema; rather than throwing the Hunter into one of Earth's countless jungles, whether it is the real one or that of a city, it pits the audience into the jungle of the Hunter's home world. This presents the script writer with the opportunity for a much more complex story, but this never comes to fruit. That is the first victim to escape, but thankfully the only one.

Elaborating more on why this story suffered without spilling too many important details is tough. Simply put, the story has too many loose ends and unnecessary turns. There is practically no development to any aspect of the script. We are introduced several subplots; the mysterious arrival of the prey, two different classifications of Predators and the imprisonment of a Predator, to name a few. The puzzle of the latter bothered me the most, but not a single one of the script's pieces are explained in any precise detail to the audience. They are not presented in a minor enough way to warrant a complete dismissal of their explanation, and the script suffers because of it.

The second victim, acting, did not escape the wrath of Predators. In a film such as this, one driven purely by action, the bar is not set incredibly high for acting; it is the prey with the broken ankle. The Hunter takes his time tracking and butchering but does so ruthlessly. Predators has no remorse for this victim and kills with witty deliveries, properly placed badassness and an unnatural sense of dread. The victim knows it will be killed but is clueless until mere moments before its demise.

Predators' final piece of meat eventually gets an upper hand and strikes back. The pacing is a give and take between the prey and Hunter and effectively drives the story at the proper speed and intensity, culminating with an impressive crescendo. There are few places where the film fails to ratchet up the conflict between the two enemies; this is the focal point of the film and its greatest strength. In short, the Hunter butchers its prey with unflinching and gruesome terror.

While it is the weakest film of the Predator franchise, that is not entirely a bad thing. It presents itself in such a way that it can be held separate from the first two films because those are only concerned with the pure carnage of one Predator and their demise from the main character's insanely good luck. This film, however, is interested more in the actual effectiveness of hunting methods and the Hunter's prey fighting back on a much more impressive level than before. All in all, it is definitely worth a watch if you enjoyed the first two films and stands well on its own as an action film. The important question, in this economy, is whether or not it is worth the admission price: yes, undoubtedly.



Keep on Rockin in the Free World
While it is the weakest film of the Predator franchise
I assume you aren't including this as part of the Predator franchise then?

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Nope, that one has Aliens in it. I consider Predator franchise to be Predator only films, same with Aliens.

So AVP would be its own separate franchise...and let's not talk about that load of crap.



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Tron: Legacy-


Upon repeat viewing, which I highly recommend, I now recognize the potential from this film's creation. The graphics are stellar and immersive, even more so than Avatar. You're brought into another world right inside your computer or your cell phone. It's wicked, dude.

The score is one of perfection and the film's strong suit. Connecting the soundtrack to the visuals is done so artfully that future films should look to this flick to figure out how to get it done. The high points of the film are accompanied by grand crescendos on the part of Daft Punk. It's wicked, dude.

The philosophy is one that repeat viewings really brings to the surface. When you embrace Tron: Legacy's minor flaws you can dig deep into the writing and its themes. They are splendid and insightful, ranging from fascism to freedom. There's plenty of room for interpretations with this flick. It's wicked, dude.

Finally, the ending left open a wide door for future films to follow. Many more new worlds to discover. The one place where man hasn't been before. Pure inspiration and creativity. This flick will spawn new and grander films to follow. It's wicked, dude.



You know, I kinda agree. I didn't love it as much as you (a solid
is what I'd give it) did but I did like it quite a bit more than I was lead to believe I was going to hate it.



I like your ratings. Very accurate. We seem to share the same taste in movies.



DIE HARD is pretty much the perfect action film and deservedly made Bruce Willis a superstar. There's was only one thing in your review that I was curious about. You said that McClane's wife (Bonnie Bedelia), changes near the end of the film and I was wondering what change you were talking about?



Die Hard


Movie: Die Hard
Rating: Rated r
Rank:

Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Bruce Willis
Alan Rickman
Bonnie Bedelia
Reginald VelJohnson


We all know what makes Christmas memorable; a bit of eggnog, a roaring fire, and a beautiful snow fall. It's a little bit different with New York officer John McClane though. His idea of Christmas is being trapped in a forty-story building with a handful of German terrorists.

John McClane has been a police office for 11 years and his wife, Holly McClane, has moved to Los Angeles. John takes a 3,000-mile trip to spend time with his wife and kids for Christmas. When he arrives, the building is empty except for guard, and the thirtieth floor. While everyone celebrates, terrorist’s seize the building without anyone knowing and take the party hostage, but McClane escapes. His wife is also one of the hostages. This is when he makes his stand.

The plot in this movie is suspenseful, fast paced, and filled with lots of gun action. Think of a hardcore James Bond. There’s also a lot of dramatic irony that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This movie has everything a great movie needs drama, comedy, and gun fights.

The acting is some of the best I have ever seen, especially Alan Rickman, considering that this was the first major film Rickman stared in. He portrayed his role as the smart bad guy, Hans Gruber, wonderfully. I was almost convinced that he was an actual bad guy. Throughout the entire movie Hans seemed to have the entire plan already plotted from beginning to end in his head. Rickman has gone down in my book as one of the best actors to portray a villain.

Then you have Bruce Willis, another good actor, playing John McClane. I personally think that this is one of his best leading roles. Willis was probably the best pick by the director. He brings that extra bit of comic relief to the movie that other actors lack. A couple of times in the movie I was rolling around on the floor laughing. He’s one of the better actors for action movies.

Starring as Holly McClane, John’s wife, Bonnie Bedelia was a great pick. Her portrayal just seems like the kind of woman McClane would marry. The character she portrays changes greatly near the end of the movie. To tell you the truth there’s not much too say about Holly McClane.

The actor Reginald VelJohnson stars as L.A.P.D officer Al Powell who helps McClane out from outside the building. Powell is the friend we wish we all had; the kind of guy you can depend on when you’re in deep trouble. His role in the storyline is helping McClane out mentally.

Everybody probably knows by now I’m a true Die Hard fanatic. I just love it. The acting is great, the story line is perfect, and Willis’ comic relief is hilarious. There was only one bad thing about this movie; the arrogant reporter. This movie is always going to be a 5 out 5 in my book. This is definitely a must see movie for any true action film lover. I would recommend this to anyone who loves action, comedy, and truly great actors. Seeing as it has already been in theaters, you can only see it on VHS or DVD. I would recommend that you rent this movie or catch it sometime on TV. If you would like to take my word for it, I would recommend you buy this because it’s worth the movie. Movies like this show that one man can make a difference. As the great John McClane would say: Yippe Kiyya Motherf*****.
I think I'm going to get this on blu ray. I saw this in theaters..and my friend who was with me said my dad looked like the Paul Gleason police character..you know, the a-hole. He does, actually. My dad is Richard Vernon.

Anyway, cool review!



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Welcome to your future. Indexed and ready.


Omg, I am so embarrassed by my writing in that Die Hard review.

Bumping this thread to kickstart my journey.

Welcome to the basecamp on a mountain of memories no delete key can ever tear asunder!

To Do List:
  • Blade Runner
  • Blade Runner 2049
  • The Last Samurai
  • Time Cop
  • The Lake House
  • Sweet November
  • Pinocchio
  • Toy Story
  • The Brave Little Toaster
  • The Land Before Time
  • Spirited Away
  • Dredd
  • Suggestions welcomed



You mean me? Kei's cousin?
Looking forward to reading the ones for Blade Runner and Spirited Away.
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Talk about a zombie thread





Tron: Legacy-


Upon repeat viewing, which I highly recommend, I now recognize the potential from this film's creation. The graphics are stellar and immersive, even more so than Avatar. You're brought into another world right inside your computer or your cell phone. It's wicked, dude.

The score is one of perfection and the film's strong suit. Connecting the soundtrack to the visuals is done so artfully that future films should look to this flick to figure out how to get it done. The high points of the film are accompanied by grand crescendos on the part of Daft Punk. It's wicked, dude.

The philosophy is one that repeat viewings really brings to the surface. When you embrace Tron: Legacy's minor flaws you can dig deep into the writing and its themes. They are splendid and insightful, ranging from fascism to freedom. There's plenty of room for interpretations with this flick. It's wicked, dude.

Finally, the ending left open a wide door for future films to follow. Many more new worlds to discover. The one place where man hasn't been before. Pure inspiration and creativity. This flick will spawn new and grander films to follow. It's wicked, dude.
I would say clearly one of the most underrated blockbusters of recent years. IMHO it suffered from both a post Avatar 3D backlash(being the next tentpole 3D film) and the marketing assuming the general public knew Tron that well.

Not without its flaws perhaps, most obviously I think it feels a little light in the middle act both action and plot wise but still a film with a lot of visual flair to its, a great soundtrack and generally good performances.

It does seem to be progressively getting a rediscovery to the degree I wonder whether Disney might carry on the franchise? their buying Starwars along with the only decent box office seemed to put stop it but a third film was planned. Perhaps a series for the Disney+ streaming service?

Along similar lines I think the Johansson Ghost in the Shell also didn't get its due, maybe not as smart as the anime films but still smarter than I expected, again some great visuals that do more than recycle the anime and ironically a plot that addresses the IMHO rather misplaced "whitewashing" criticism it got.



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@MoreOrLess: Personally, I think the spin-off animated show Tron: Uprising was killed too soon, but I still suggest giving it a watch if you enjoy Legacy.