Alpha's Reviews: Year 8 (TAKE TWO)

[Alpha]

Since we are approaching the end of the winter season, you can now request reviews for this season. Now you must select one of your films and another film from someone else you'd like to see a review of.

[Ezen Baklattan]

My Request: A Love To Die For

Other Request: Hairspray

[Alpha]

Thankfully I've pre-read a lot of films so these should come quick.

[Hiccup]

My request- Unbalanced 5

 

Other Request- At the Mountains of Madness

[Alpha]

A Love To Die For

He Has To Win Their Heart...Before They Stop His

 

A Love To Die For is a very clever film that meshes a crime drama with a romance flick. There's not that much I can really say about this film, but simple enough, I liked it. While the characters could have been well more thought out (the character Gloria especially), the story and the acting were great. Channing Tatum, Jennifer Lawrence and Steve Buscemi were all doing their best, and even Chris Pratt does a good job in his role. I think this film is worth you're time if you like black comedies, and might make a good Valentine's Day date movie.

 

B

[Alpha]

Hairspray

You Can't Stop The Dancing!

 

The 1988 and 2007 versions of Hairspray are both great films, and I was excited to hear that a new Hairspray movie was being made for CAYOM. While I wasn't dying to read it, I was anticipating how Films was going to bring it to CAYOM. Now that I've read the film, here's my opinion.

 

Hairspray has an all-star cast, featuring Zac Efron, Adam Sandler, Jessica Chastain, Amanda Bynes (I'm scared), James Mardsen, Isla Fisher, Tom Hanks, Terrence Howard, Oprah Winfrey, Goddess Meryl Meryl Streep, Quvenzhane Wallis, Christoph Waltz, Sally Hawkins, Willow Smith, Elizabeth Olsen, Octavia Spencer, Jennifer Hudson, Solange and Queen Latifah. To bring this all star cast under a $55 million budget allows for some constraints on the film's production and direction. The film is also poorly written and not constructed very well. Its hard to understand what is even going on in this film because the writing is so bad. Acting is fine, but it varies from good acting (Jessica Chastain, Meryl Streep) to bad acting (Adam Sandler, Amanda Bynes, Zac Efron). Thankfully James Bobin was able to manage large casts really well in The Muppets, but honestly I don't see his charm in Hairspray.

 

If anything, this film should have tried harder in all areas. Acting and directing is mixed, and the writing is far from decent. I was very dissapointed. 

 

C

[Alpha]

My request- Unbalanced 5

 

Other Request- At the Mountains of Madness

 

Small question: Is the Russian Sleep Experiment the only segment in Unbalanced 5, or is their more to be added?

[Films]

Myrequest- bloodbath uniteother request- where?Someone please choose hush hush little baby (i be happy with an e)Alpha- how can i improve hairspray. Im going to do a script rewrite a bit on sunday so i want to know ways to improve it

[Alpha]

Myrequest- bloodbath uniteother request- where?Someone please choose hush hush little baby (i be happy with an e)Alpha- how can i improve hairspray. Im going to do a script rewrite a bit on sunday so i want to know ways to improve it

You can improve Hairspray by making it easier to read. The grammar was atrocious.And I already gave it a review, so it's unlikely I'll give it another critique unless it makes the Top 25 or Honorable Mentions list.

[Alpha]

At The Mountains of Madness

Discover The Terrifying Truth (0.0)

 

Call me crazy, but I've always shown fascination with alien astronaut theories. The people who publish their theories through books, TV and movies make their theories so convincing that it questions your normal perception of Earth's history. At The Mountains of Madness is one of the main sparks in this long range of theories, and considering how much trouble it's been through getting to the big screen, I'm happy that it was able to made easily in CAYOM.

 

The movie is basically a very faithful adaptation (it's pretty much a Wikipedia copy-and-paste), but the movie is handcrafted so well. The Antarctic visuals are spectacular, and Matt Damon's performance as William Dyer is amazing. Channing Tatum and Henry Cavill do a great job as well, and Drew Goddard's (The Cabin In The Woods) direction is pretty damn solid. I can't compliment CJohn on his writing effort, but this was a great and faifthful adaptation of one of the spookiest books of the 20th century.

 

B+

Edited November 29, 2013 by Alpha

[ChD]

Alpha- how can i improve hairspray. Im going to do a script rewrite a bit on sunday so i want to know ways to improve it

 

I just read a bit over it. Alpha is right, it's horribly written. It's really hard to read when the whole script goes like this.

"He wakes up. He breathes. He stands up. He showers. He eats. He scratches the back of his head. He stands up. He stumbles. He curses". Make it flow easier. Don't be afraid to write a freaking paragraph like "He wakes up, then takes a deep breath while standing up. He takes a shower, followed by breakfast. He finishes breakfast, stands up and heads towards the door, but stumbles and falls down, cursing as loud as he could"

 

Also, you make it too... no idea. When I read that I could only think of High School Musical - That's how simple and ridiculous some of the scenes were played in my head. Maybe make it a little bit more... no idea, non-high school musical-ish?I never watched any of the Hairsprays, so it might be like that, but it's wrong for me.

[Alpha]

Bloodbath Unite

The Plot For This Film Contains Very Violent Nature That Some Sensitive Members Might Not Want To Read (  )

 

Films, I don't want to give you two bad reviews in a row, especially since you've made pretty decent films, but you requested the Bloodbath freaking Unite.

 

The characters of Bloodbath Unite have literally no substance. I don't care if the characters kill people for breaking the law, but there has to be a reason they do so. There is no good side of them, and no part where you can connect with them at all. Lesson #1 in film-making: Make characters who you can root for, and even if they are bad people, they have to have a good side. The Bloodbath Unite has none of that. The characters are heartless and cold, and they just like killing people. Trust me, I don't like watching movies about insane people. The characters don't even reflect on their mistakes, and never do they ask themselves "What the hell are we doing?". Instead, were just left with a bad cliffhanger that states "We are the Bloodbath Unite, and if you do not do what we say, all you will see is dirty runny red blood." Michael Fassbender has a really bad role in this film, mainly because he has nothing good to work with.

 

The Bloodbath Unite has no substance, only shock and gore. It's characters are the most disgusting portraits of humanity, and the writing and direction are horrible. Well done.

 

D

[Films]

Tbh none of my films are that good in first quarter (I'd hate to imagine a hush his little baby review). What films of mine are decentHairspray will have major editing over the weekend, when does it close again

Edited November 29, 2013 by HairsprayFilmsCatchingFire

[Films]

How is the first paragraph of hairspray now [that's all I've edited so far] and I request Farmville instead of Where as I did not realise where was not complete.

Edited November 29, 2013 by HairsprayFilmsCatchingFire

[ChD]

How is the first paragraph of hairspray now [that's all I've edited so far] and I request Farmville instead of Where as I did not realise where was not complete.

 

Here, I'll rephrase it so you can take it as an example

 

The film starts with a scene of Edna snoring in her bed. The colored Hairspray logo appears and 'Good Morning Baltimore' starts playing. The alarm rings, waking up Tracy who gets out of the bed and turns on the TV. She then goes outside and runs down the street whilst singing. After some time, she gets on the top of a blue van and arrives at school. The bell is ringing, meaning she is late to class.

 

Roughly... Also, you lack MANY details. First. Who is Enda? Who is Tracy? Why do we get a scene of Edna snoring only to ignore her afterwards. Put the song names in apostrophes so people know they're songs. Also... Continuity.

She wakes up, turns the TV for no reason. Then, suddenly, without packing her bag or anything similar to that (since she's going to school later), she runs down the street singing (we didn't even find out if she changed - she could be naked from all we know). Then the blue van is simply random there (This is what makes it seem High School Musical).

[Alpha]

Tbh none of my films are that good in first quarter (I'd hate to imagine a hush his little baby review). What films of mine are decentHairspray will have major editing over the weekend, when does it close again

I think you had a good idea (break the law and we kill you), but you executed it extremely poorly.

[Films]

I think you had a good idea (break the law and we kill you), but you executed it extremely poorly.

 

ill try to edit this as well but hairspray is the main focus at the moment and with the deadline, I will try but I might not have enough time

[Alpha]

ill try to edit this as well but hairspray is the main focus at the moment and with the deadline, I will try but I might not have enough time

 

My opinion on both films will not change based on editing. Writing for Hairspray was a big problem, but there is even bigger things in both films.

[Blankments]

Personally, I think he may have been better off with MUPPET HAIRSPRAY

 

Starring Janice as Tracy, Gonzo as Edna, Rizzo as Wilbur, Fozzie Bear as Corny Collins, Miss Piggy as Velma van Tussle, Animal as Little Enez, Dr. Teeth as Motormouth Mabel, Kermit as Link, Rawlf as Seaweed, and Beaker as Penny!

[Electric]

Mine: MirrorWorld

Other: Lost Planet