The newly introduced character of Ulana Khomyuk is an amalgamation of several actual characters who worked with Legasov to prevent the second explosion. Even though she is fictional, she provides invaluable insight into the even greater danger of a potential second explosion. The possibility of that second explosion is fact. It would have happened if not for the bravery of the three men who volunteered to drain the water tanks.
The conflict between Legasov and Shcherbina was remarkable. This series continues to amaze with its recreation of the event, but adds just the right amount of dramatization without being offensive to those of us who find the facts as, if not more important, than just being entertained.
I'm running out of superlatives for this show. I continue to marvel at the historical accuracy of the events. I was waiting to see if they would recreate one of the most amazing facts about the accident...the clearing of the roof by the "biorobots". 90 seconds. 90 seconds on the roof to receive a lifetime dose of radiation. And going out on that roof wasn't voluntary. Nice government. Also, the scenes of young Pavel being forced to liquidate starving, deserted family pets was one of the saddest things I've ever watched.
The opening scene features an old woman milking a cow while being told by a soldier to leave her farm for her own safety. She tells him she's not leaving and recalls the history of her life under the iron boot of the communist system. The mention of the horrific Holodomor was shocking to me. It seems that kind of reflection on past evils (other than Hitler's Nazis) is never mentioned.
This series has pulled absolutely no punches showing the oppression and brutality of the Soviet government. I hope that support for such a system, no matter how well intended, never sees the light of day again.
The Chernobyl disaster is something that has always been of interest to me. Even though this is a dramatization not a documentary, it seems to be striving for accuracy and realism in its depiction of the event. I watch a lot of Horror and I'm probably desensitized by that frequency. But this episode had my heart thumping as the plant workers and firefighters fought the disastrous explosion. It's scarier than any Horror film that I've seen in a long time.
This episode did a great job of recreating '80s Soviet Union Pripyat. The architecture and styles looked accurate. The most stunning recreation was the stifling bureaucracy and buck-passing that was no doubt present in the Soviet socialist state. So many layers of supervision. So many organizations and titles. This episode appears to accurately portray the dismal, incentive-sucking grind that citizens of a communist society experienced.
Dull. The biggest scare was wondering if Ed would keel over from a heart attack.
I can't think of any TV series that has ever impacted me like this one. I was quite familiar with the true story of the Chernobyl disaster, but the way that this dramatized the event and retained historical accuracy was amazing.
I was shocked by how dull this movie was. This is not a scary movie. It's got a family who is attacked by their dopplegangers. Personally, I think walking into a room and finding yourself standing there is one of the scariest scenarios that I can think of. Yet this family has their own dopplegangers break into their cabin and one of the kids says "they're us". Huh?!?! That's it? Then they all proceed to battle their evil twin and honestly, there's minimal how-can-you-be-me? style interaction. Their reactions are really no different than if some unrelated evildoers had broken in.
There was a twist at the end that made me shrug my shoulders. There are a lot of theories online about the underlying meaning of this film. I suppose it could be a commentary on the differences in classes in America but that makes the whole affair even less interesting.
"Get Out" was my favorite film of 2017 but "Us" doesn't compare.
This episode is an improvement over the first episode. There's a dark sense of humor running throughout. The con-man grave digger Masson is played wonderfully by David Hewlett. If you have a fear of rats, you should avoid this. The giant rat, which appeared to be a great practical effect, reminded me of the vermin present in Stephen King's Graveyard Shift. I enjoyed the monster aspects of this story once again. The claustrophobic tunnels that Masson had to wriggle through was effective and it added to the no-escape scenario that I knew was going to occur. The rats exiting Masson's mouth was a well done gross-out, reminiscent of the final moment in the Creepshow (1982 movie) segment "They're Creeping Up On You". You know...the one with the cockroaches.
This final episode wrapped up the story of the nuclear disaster appropriately. A great conclusion to a great series.
It's probably not necessary to state that this is based on a 1926 H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name, but I guess I just did. I've never read the story. My only reference is a 1971 segment of Rod Serling's Night Gallery, an old anthology TV show.
I'm falling into a bit of a Horror rut and not just because, as I write this, it happens to be Halloween season. It's just that so little of what I watch claims to be scary, but isn't. I've probably just watched too much Horror over the years. This episode has a few jump scares which are uncharacteristically effective (because jump scares are shocking not scary), but doesn't come close to providing any sustained scares. At best, this offers an eerie atmosphere, which isn't always easy to pull off, either.
Ben Barnes, Crispin Glover, and Oriana Leman are good in the lead roles. The ending is extremely dark and I have no idea if it's true to the original Lovecraft story, and I guess it doesn't matter if it is. The look of this episode is stunning. The sets and architecture are beautiful.
Even though this episode was just okay, I am impressed by the production value, emphasis on direction and what I think has been some pretty solid acting throughout this series.
Scarlett Johansson is an alien that lures not-so-lucky men into a pool of black goo inside a house in Glasgow.
Yep. You read that right. And surprisingly, this was enough of a premise to keep me engaged throughout. This is a solid science fiction film with some totally stunning visuals. They are beautiful but bleak and impressive in scale. The camera often lingers for extended periods. At times it had me wondering if I had accidentally pressed the pause button on my remote.
If you are lover of movies that spend more time on the look than the dialogue, this is one for you. Quentin Tarantino fans need not apply. There aren't explanations for why Scarlett's alien is on Earth, how it got here, or what its goals are. That alone is going to piss a lot of viewers off. What won't help is the lack of details about the Scarlett alien's motorcycle-riding caretaker or about that strange goo pool and what dimension or place it exists in.
There is an absolutely devastating scene on a beach that was one of the more horrifying things I've seen in a film in a long time. And no, it's not a gory scene at all. You'll know what I mean when you see it.
There is a lot of nudity featured here, even the full-frontal variety. Scarlett Johansson bares all for lengthy stretches and there are a lot of naked dudes that appear happy to see Scarlett. If that bothers you, avoid this.
A lot of people will find this film confusing for its lack of dialogue and the shortage of explanations for the "What is that?" or "Why did that happen?" questions they will have. But there is nothing complex about the character arc of Scarlett's alien. The lack of a spoon fed ending won't help, either.
Because it's a good idea to always say something nice, "Her" has some great shots of cityscapes and some subtle, futuristic costuming.
With that out of the way, "Her" features a simpering, loathing, ultra-sensitive male named Theodore. He falls in love with a newly developed, artificially intelligent operating system that he names Samantha. He did this because his wife has left him and is demanding that he sign their divorce papers. As Theodore struggles with his First World Problems, his conceited, insufferable, self-important friends split up, too. Then we get to spend the next two hours listening to them all pout about their self-inflicted, emotional wounds. God, I hated the people in this movie.
Theodore's operating system/girlfriend Samantha leaves him later in the movie because she has been communicating with other systems and is "moving on". For a moment, I thought the movie was about to pull a "Colossus: The Forbin Project" or Skynet level surprise on us. Maybe the operating systems colluded to take over the world! But no...Samantha the OS leaves Theodore too, and he gets even more wrapped up in his pathetic little, self-absorbed existence.
The Spartans were a mean lean fighting machine. I really like the colors and the slow motion action scenes. I have heard that it holds true to the comic book. King Leonidas is a great character and Queen Gorgo is his equal.
A prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 classic with the same name, this copycat turned out to be better than I thought it would be. It offered nothing too original except a smart Ripley-type character who was decent and likeable. The filmmakers managed to tie the ending of this story into the opening of Carpenter's original, which was an appropriate thing to do since they had branded it as a prequel as part of its marketing strategy. I really don't think I would want to see this movie be a part of some "The Thing" box set, though. It's totally unnecessary and is really nothing but a cash grab based on an earlier masterpiece. Yes, that's right. I called Carpenter's original a "masterpiece".
What surprises about this prequel is that it isn't a bad movie at all, that is until the final act. There's some decent suspense and some real tension generated. The classic blood test scene of the original was almost to the point of being copied, but they pulled back and developed a different way to tell alien from human. It's not as effective, but it does manage to turn up the suspense. And about that last act, it's awful. The characters get involved in a "hiding from the alien" scene that makes absolutely no sense given what we find out about them later. Even the alien behaves like an absolute idiot. I don't know why I'm trying not to spoil this, but perhaps it's because I wouldn't want a forehead slapping moment ruined for me, either.
No comments about a movie containing aliens would be complete without a word or two about the special effects, and in this movie, they weren't very good. Everything is CGI and it totally eliminated any potential scares. They weren't SyFy Channel cheap but were at times very nearly cartoonish. The alien was not scary and even the gore, which there was less of than I anticipated, was not convincing in the least. Seriously, what is it about special effects that allows me to accept how bad they are in '50s science fiction or horror but reject them when current films botch them. This version of "The Thing" didn't impress in that department.
I watched this again and continue to be impressed by the all-out action. The fights featured here are how I think a comic book come to life would be. I'm upping this to 4 out of 5 for the hyper kinetic action.
"San Andreas" was just as big and stupid as I thought it would be. It reminded me of every other big disaster film of the last decade or so. You know, "The Day After Tomorrow", "2012", "Dante's Peak", that type of deal. But for as corny and predictable as this movie was, I was totally entertained.
Somehow, Dwayne Johnson's character was able to fly around in a rescue helicopter and actually save no one. Well, other than his wife and daughter. Anyone else caught along the entire crumbling California coast was toast, because Dwayne wasn't saving them. But then, who can blame him. He's married to Carla Gugino. I'd take the straightest line possible, too.
I found myself feeling a bit guilty for a moment or two about how much I was getting a charge out of the total carnage. Skyscrapers toppled, the ground split open and swallowed up whole suburbs and neighborhoods. And then to top if all off, look out for the Tsunami! Freighters and battleships were no match for Nature's wrath, as they were washed up over the Golden Gate bridge and into San Francisco, left hanging precariously from shattered buildings.
But Mother Nature herself was no match for The Rock. Anything in his way. Anything falling from above or falling out from under him was merely delaying his inevitable success in saving his family. It had me in stitches. I was laughing and shouting, "Hell Yeah, Dwayne!!!"
Not a lot happens during Dazed and Confused, but the characters and their personalities are enough that it doesn't matter. This is really just a snapshot of a particularly fun night in the lives of a group of drunk and stoned, but generally good hearted, mid-70's youngsters.
Critics generally hail this as some kind of coming-of-age story, but it all feels like posturing to make it seem like they've interpreted it in some deeper fashion. It appeared to be nothing more than documenting a night out in the suburbs. The characters are all appealing in their own way, but Matthew McConaughey's "Wooderson" stood out more than the others.
This is a good movie, but its significance seems overstated. It wasn't even "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" deep.
The fact that this movie has some stunning visuals and quirky characters can't disguise the fact that it's boring. Some consider it Terry Gilliam's masterpiece but "Monty Python and The Holy Grail" and "12 Monkeys" are much more entertaining films. I didn't care about the lead characters in "Brazil", either. I thought they were thin and dull, with only Robert DeNiro's appearance worthy of note.
This movie's opening few minutes were the best it had to offer. It really pulled me in, but unfortunately, by about the half way point, I'd gotten tired of hearing the cast of misfits, troublemakers and convicts talk about themselves. There weren't enough of the actual predators around to keep things interesting.
Adrien Brody doesn't work very well here. Neither does Alice Braga. They're decent enough actors but they just seemed out of place in this violent, Action/Sci-Fi flick.
There were a number of twists and turns here and they were surprising at times, but frankly, weren't all that interesting. I won't write about them as I don't want to spoil anything, even though they only affected me slightly.
"Predators" looks pretty good. I liked the alien landscapes but at times the fight scenes seemed confined to what must have been a rather small set. It felt a bit like Kirk fighting Kruge on the Genesis planet (a monumentally corny scuffle that I still laugh at).
This is the weakest of the "Predator" movies. The original is a total classic while "Predator 2" is a really fun B-Movie romp. I'm not counting any of the "Alien Vs. Predator" movies. They don't exist in the same Humans Vs. Predators domain to me.
I still like the music. Oh, and there's a cave that everyone keeps walking in and out of. And there's a door at the back of the cave. They found another unfortunate child victim. All of the characters are psychos. There's a creepy guy in a hooded rain coat. The high school kids are finding drugs everywhere. There's a lot of people walking around but there's not much happening other than people looking for missing kids. There's a kid in an electric chair thing and a scientist talking about black holes. I'm confused.
This one made an impression on me because it hearkens back to the old "monster of the week" style of episode from the earlier seasons. I really like the "moth-men". They are pretty frightening and even though this episode seems to be trying for a little lighter tone, I find the "moth-men" really raised the intensity. The ending is neat because we really don't know the true origin of the beasts but we know they've been around for a long time.
This is what the hooch will do to you.
"The Lighthouse" was exhausting. The characters sink into total insanity or maybe salty ol' Tom Wake is an evil sea god or something. I really never knew what was going to happen next and that is a rare thing when I watch newer movies.
The grainy black and white look and strange aspect ratio made me feel a bit like I was watching an older film. It takes some patience early as the characters are hard to understand and it starts a bit slow but ends up clipping along perfectly. Most definitely not a boring art film.
I've almost always been a defender of M. Night Shyamalan, well, at least of his first four movies and "Split". But not this time. There's just no defending this disaster. Why is everyone in it so awkward? Is it trying to be funny?!? Because if it is, it's not. I've tried to find something to like about "Old" but it's awful.
"Because you were home" is not enough of a reason. The "strangers" were not strange they were just anonymous.
The only impacting scene happens around 45 minutes in and it's a personal tragedy. An accident. It's far more horrific than anything that the "strangers" cause.
Sure, there are some creepy moments. The stranger in the sack mask lurking in the background of a wide shot within the home is effective. But really, that's about it. It's pretty light on the gore.
The ending is cruel and struck me as unmotivated and pointless. Teasing with "it will be easier next time" makes it even more frustrating. If you love or hate jump scares, there's really only one. You'll know it when you see it. And it's really dumb.
I didn't like this much. Maybe I've see too many killers-with-masks movies.
I recently watched "The Revenant", another Man vs. Nature film also set in the 1820s. If that film and "In The Heart Of The Sea" have showed me anything it's that I'm thrilled that I didn't have to live during that period of time. Both films do a very good job of highlighting Man's helplessness against the world without his tools. I think the same thing holds true today, it's just that it would take a bit longer for Nature to win in the 2010s. But make no mistake, she'd win.
"In The Heart Of The Sea" was not what I expected, which was a story about amazing heroism and bravery. Instead, this morphed into a tale of survival, complete with some disgusting do-it-or-die actions by the crew of the Essex.
This was a letdown from a visual perspective. All of the scenes just screamed CGI. And casting Chris Hemsworth and Cillian Murphy as the main characters felt entirely wrong.
An admission here...I've never read "Moby Dick" so I have no idea how closely this movie follows the book. I was continually surprised by where the film went, though. The tone got very desperate and downright depressing. The impression I had was that this would be a breathless, sea mist in the face, hearty tale of a battle against a mighty beast. That's not how it went at all.
The thing that makes this movie so special is the skill with which the cast members deliver the jokes. I have no idea why Slim Pickens yelling "What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on?!" is so funny, but it is. I'm not sure I caught half of what Madeline Kahn was saying or singing but I know I laughed out loud. Check out how awkward she is when she's performing her song and stumble act. Her character doesn't even know she can half-ass it and it won't matter to the hootin' and hollerin' rough riders in the audience. It's like she's trying but she's just that bad and it still doesn't matter. Very subtle in a movie not known for its subtlety.
Harvey Korman drives the movie with what is basically a mustache-twisting Snidley Whiplash performance sans the mustache. I think Slim Pickens is my favorite, though. His Taggart character is just smart enough to know he's leading a group of idiots but not smart enough to actually do it. His frustration with his boss and his minions is hilarious. He's trying but it's hopeless and he knows it.
The whole affair degrades into total chaos by the end and those expecting to get a conclusion that actually makes sense are out of luck. But this is all done for laughs so none of it matters. It's all about having a good time.
This was my first time viewing "Mulholland Drive". I'm bothered. Am I not bright enough to "get" it? Was it trying to call me stupid? What did I miss?
Dreams, dreams, dreams. Another film about a dream. Or a dream within a dream. I'm sick of movies with dreams. "Inception" made me angry because I didn't like it yet felt like I had to rate it highly because everyone else praised it. I didn't want to come away looking like a movie mouth-breather. Now along comes this. Not again.
The way "Mulholland Drive" unfolds makes little sense to me, but Hey...I liked it! So I'm not going to try and figure out its secret meaning, if there even is one. I'm not remotely interested in trying to dissect it.
I'm pretty sure that "Mulholland Drive" is pointless. I want to know more about Betty and Rita, but not really. That might take away the mystery of their strange, fascinating relationship.
Would most people hate this? I'm happy that I endured this film without it being a chore. I want to know that people who bought tickets to watch "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" or "Grown Ups 2" at the mall theater thought this was a Lifetime Channel movie about two girlfriends and then turned it off before it finished. That way I can be certain that I'm cooler than those people. Those people who just don't "get" it.
"Mulholland Drive" is the kind of movie that can legitimize me as a film snob if I can just prove to others that I understood what the Hell it was about. But I can't. So, I'm one of THEM. That, and I kind of liked "Gods of Egypt". I'm doomed.
I'm not sure how I kind of liked a movie that I couldn't actually see. This thing is dark and by that I mean having an absence of light. It was really difficult to see the fight scenes and there were a lot of them. The actors were all beautiful, supposed-to-be teens and I didn't care about any of them.
So why did I think this was borderline good? I've always been a sucker for something crash landing and then raising Hell. And this movie took it one step further by adding something else landing to stop the thing raising Hell and then raising its own Hell while doing so. I know that's a little odd but it's the only explanation I've got.
I don't want to like this as much as I do. I don't want it to be the Top Ranked movie on IMDB. It's too mainstream, too Forrest Gump-y for that. But deep down, I know I love it. It's not my favorite movie but it's so enjoyable and so positively warm and fuzzy that by the end, I have to rate it really high. It also has some twists that I enjoyed the first time and like looking for whenever I happen to see it.
I still dislike the Twenty-something characters we follow around, but I love the Monster's attack even more. The panic of the characters caught in the middle of the chaos seems very real. All of the unknowns about the attacking giant make everything even more intriguing.
I'm giving it a half-star upgrade from my original rating a couple of years ago.
This Dutch film tells the story of a woman who disappears from a cafe and her lover who searches for her for the next three years.
This is a slow film without any action to speak of. I never got impatient with it because I was interested to see whether the man finds out what happened to the woman. He does.
In what has to be one of the most shocking endings I've ever seen, "The Vanishing" reveals what it's known for: a dark, merciless conclusion.
