MCKillswitch123's Disinfection Chamber - Y7 Reviews

[MCKillswitch123]

NOVEMBER

 

Ms. Blakk 4 President - A truly inspirational story. I haven't seen Marielle Heller's previous film, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (and yeah, I'm aware of how much praise it has recieved), but if it's as good as Ms. Blakk, I'm stunned it didn't get a lot of attention outside of Melissa McCarthy's performance. Ms. Blakk 4 President is more than just the tale of someone who's extremely unlikely to run for president, well, running for president, but it's the story of how a gay black man in the 90's infected with joy so many people around him to feel like he was more than the dangerous disease he was stereotypized to be by the community at large, despite his own insecurities. Tituss Burgess' performance is hands down one of the best of the year, brimming with heart and single-handedly making this movie all the more special. The combination of actor-character was spot on here. The supporting cast is also very strong, as is the script and the David Bowie-heavy soundtrack. Not a whole lot else to say that hasn't been said already by fellow critics... just a beautiful, inspiring movie that anyone should see. - A

 

American Barbeque - From the maker of American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook, we get... this. This is what David O. Russell has been working on in the last couple of years. I imagine he saw Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and imagined: "I can do that too, only without the technical novelty or the emotional resonance that made people even somewhat care about that movie in the first place". I mean, it's kind of a tender movie, it's kinda sweet to see these servicemen in a place of genuine diversion and nostalgia, showing a facet of them that we don't usually see, but there really isn't anything to the movie that you can't find by just searching for similar types of videos on YouTube. It is way too long for the concept it's trying to stretch out and, while not feeling pointless, definitely overstays its welcome. - C

 

Notorious - Very much like with Alpha Pictures' Fatal Attraction remake, I have not seen the original movie by Hitchcock. However, I am a big fan of what I've seen of Hitchcock's work - Rear Window being one of my favorite movies ever. Hitchcock remakes don't tend to be very good, though... everyone remembers Gus Van Sant's ill-fated shot-for-shot Psycho and I also saw the horrible made-for-TV Rear Window remake starring Christopher Reeve. Luckily, Notorious, whether or not it follows the original closely or it doesn't, does not follow suit of those. This is a relevant, topical spy thriller that takes audiences for a ride, maintains tension all the way throughout in expert fashion, is fucking amazingly well directed and has a solid cast boosting its strong script. The idea to take the WWII setting and transform it into a modern day War On Terror tale was a smart choice, and it allows for the story to feel contemporary and important. The leads all give strong performances and you care about the ever growing romance and the characters (despite the early risk of off-tone trashiness, which becomes muted as the movie goes along), but the real star of this movie is Karyn Kusama, who directs with such delicacy, such keen eye for making every scene feel as tense as possible, that you wouldn't be surprised if she really was the next coming of Hitchcock. Even small details, like "what if Soraya is going to turn on us?", make every scene further intensify the atmosphere. Y7's Notorious is an intelligent, relevant remake that takes the source material and adds it an entirely new context that will perhaps outdo its predecessor in popularity (and maybe in artistic merit as well, but I would have needed to see the original to comment on that). - A-

 

Red Flavour - K-Pop? Uhh, sure. Why not. (For quite a few reasons, actually.) - C

 

Tower Of Babylon - Bold. Contemplative. Epic. If someone asked me to come up with three words to describe Tower Of Babylon right out of the gate, it would be these three. I fully recognize that this movie is not everyone, fellow reader asking for an honest critique. If you're walking into this movie expecting an action extravaganza accompanying the insane special effects, you are gonna walk out extremely disappointed. However, it's a Denis Villeneuve movie, so you would be dumb to expect that at this point. No, Babylon is not just a mere movie. It's a poem. A poem with the idea of what it means to be human in mind. A poem that tells its story in simple fours, and that merely asks its viewer to wonder about the point of a climb to Heaven and the price that there is to pay when you try to play God, or at least touch God. It's a movie that truly goes out of its way to share a philosophy with you, and one that, at least a few hours after thinking about it, does not seem morally corrupt and actually is kind of eye opening. I have never seen, in CAYOM, such a visually and thematically ambitious movie before. You will be in absolute awe of the film's incredible feast for the optic stems... if this movie doesn't win Best Cinematography at the Oscars, I will be upset (and I have Tony Hawk's Pro Skater in the race). But more than just Cinematography and Visual Effects nods, this movie deserves so much more. It deserves to be seen and studied by all generations of film fans. It deserves to be embraced by anthropology enthusiasts. It deserves, truly, the Vault of Heaven that its characters aspire to reach --- no, no, no. It deserves more than that. For the Vault may not be the ceiling for a creation that dares to challenge the viewer like Tower Of Babylon did. I'm in awe.

Spoiler

A+

 

Birdwing - Besides Should You Imagine?, this is/was possibly the most anticipated animated movie of the year (no offense to Hilda which grossed a mighty amount of 400M DOM alone). And it turned out massive at the box office, no thanks to huge buzz and excellent word of mouth. The directors, which I very much admire, bring to the table a fantasy musical that sometimes feels like it's juggling between what it wants to talk about, but ultimately becomes a decided allegory on LGBTQ+ self-acceptance (or at least I felt that way more than I did the presumedly obvious messaging on disability and body acceptance), and one that I think will ring very near to the hearts of just about anyone who has ever felt like they were shunning themselves from society. It's strongly acted, the music soars high, as does the animation, and it has well written characters that you grow to care more and more about - including one of the best villains of the year. My only major flaw really is the fact that the film sometimes feels confused as to what it wants to really talk about. Oh, and I guess it's a little dark/graphic for very young kids, but ehh, if kids could take Tarzan in 1999 where we can CLEARLY see the shadow of a hung man, I think they can take this too. Overall, highly enjoyable, for its high artistic aspirations and its tender and heartfelt messaging, - A-

Edited July 16, 2020 by MCKillswitch123

[MCKillswitch123]

DECEMBER - PART 1

 

Green Lantern Corps: Home - As you guys know, I'm not a huge fan of Green Lantern Corps: Rise Of The Manhunters. I thought it boasted strong lead performances and great visuals, but structurally speaking, it was just way too bloated and overstuffed. But with Christopher McQuarrie and a darker tone at hand, as well as the focus being now on Joaquin Phoenix's Sinestro, I was excited for the sequel. And I walked out pretty satisfied. This is easily an improvement over its predecessor, fixing its structural issues with a far more streamlined and focused narrative that knew exactly where to focus on and what kind of characters and story turns would bring the most thematic interest. The cast all deliever strong performances, including a stupendous turn from Joaquin Phoenix; Atrocitus, voiced by Hugh Jackman, is easily the franchise's standout villain thus far and a clear highlight of the film - while the other villain, despite Rachel Weisz's great efforts and not necessarily being a bad character, definitely doesn't have the same umph to her; the Hal-Sinestro-Phasza relationship is another highlight; the visuals and action continue to be as exciting as ever; and the movie is very thematically rich, expertly dealing with the likes of historical discrimination and excessive law enforcement brutality or vigilantism. It has a few characters that lag behind in terms of depth or presence, which is especially noticeable with the yet again overqualified cast at hand (c'mon, Kelly Marie Tran's role was a glorified cameo). And yes, the elephant in the room: it's very weird to see a white guy play a role that was clearly devised for someone who is black... although, it didn't bother me A LOT since, well, Sinestro is a make-up character, so I believe the filmmakers just saw in Phoenix the best actor to play the role. What did bother me more was that Sinestro's arc, while really strong and the soul of the movie, did come ahead slightly too suddenly for my taste. But ultimately, Green Lantern Corps: Home is a success. A massive improvement over its predecessor that, while perhaps lacking behind in spectacle compared to Rise Of The Manhunters, makes up for it in gravitas. Much recommended (even to anyone who hasn't seen the first Green Lantern Corps as this is clearly made to feel like a standalone sequel). - A-

 

Until Dawn - I wanted to get around and actually playing the game, but I never got to, so I guess this'll do for now. Until Dawn, based on Supermassive Games' acclaimed title, doesn't fool anyone from the start: it's an unpretentious thrill ride designed to give you some Christmas goosebumps. And while other titles from earlier this year tried with less success to do the slasher genre or at least a twist on it (looking at you, Finders Keepers and Out On The Lake), Until Dawn manages to do it well based on one thing above all else: making you care about the characters. While these teenagers seem at first like bratty, snotty and unlikeable morons - and some of them remain that way all the way to the end - you do end up caring about them and wanting to see them safe, a diversion from the usual "yeah, just kill 'em all" feeling you normally get out of these. And these aren't even amazingly crafted characters... they're just solidly written for the kind of ride you get out of this. Add to that a solid cast and a strong sense of pace and you've got yourself a nice little spookfest for the holidays. Ultimately, though, I did walk out disappointed with the resolution of the film... Until Dawn was much better in its first half/two thirds and the moment where the curtain is lifted is a letdown. Still, it's a fun time and I think just about anyone can enjoy this, especially if you are a horror aficionado. - B

 

The Ends Of The Universe - Before anything else, this was the movie from Y7 that I read. Maybe it was early jitters, but the whole idea of Ends seemed attractive. And it was a movie that I admired right out of the gate and thought of as an early contender for Best Animated Feature, although the competition got a lot stronger along the way. The Ends Of The Universe brings memories of watching the likes of Titan AE, Treasure Planet (the Disney one) and Atlantis: The Lost Empire for the first time - a sci-fi animation that I think will enamore any child that sees it, although it is PG-13 and it earns that rating at times. For a child around 13, this movie will be everything they think about. They'll love the world, they'll love the lore, they'll love the characters. One particular element that everyone has praised and I won't single myself out on is the choice to have the voice cast be completely composed of professional voice actors, and they all do a wonderful job - especially John DiMaggio as Bosch, who is just the absolute best. I wouldn't be upset if this movie got a nomination for Best Ensemble, apart from the voice acting nominations it's probably going to get. The animation itself is absolutely stunning too, though that shouldn't be surprising. What I do think brought this movie down for me was its villain. Despite Mark Hamill's tremendous performance, Tovash is a character that kinda fell flat for me and dragged down the movie to less compelling status, outside of his mystery aura at first. Also, yeah, we can't ignore the fact that this movie does follow similar beats as other "white guy ends up co-existing with a foreign society" tales, but honestly, I wouldn't call it a rip-off or anything... if it took some cues, that's already a stretch. The Ends Of The Universe is a highly enjoyable movie and I think one that anyone of just about any age can bring themselves to enjoying. - B+

 

The Disappointment - It's a movie where Russell Brand gets fired from McDonald's because he caused a food war and then someone is pep talked by Donald fucking Trump in a helicopter. And it's directed by Adam McKay of all people. I don't know where the fuck his mind was at when he made this, but it probably wasn't on Earth. - F

Edited July 17, 2020 by MCKillswitch123

[MCKillswitch123]

DECEMBER - PART 2

 

The Written Word - For what is clearly a filler project, it's not a bad one. Eddie Redmayne gives a good performance, the cinematography is quite nice and the messaging of the meaning of our lives swings for the fences. It does get lost in its own sameyness, though... I mean, we've seen biopics like these a dime a dozen. Hell, earlier this year, the same studio was releasing Carter, which followed almost the exact same beats - which, yeah, New Journey, if you're reading the review, I respect the fact that you're trying to spread the word of God and that there's tons of people who have found faith maybe thanks to your movies, but have you considered that your preach to the choir narrative is getting a little repetitive in these kind of movies? Again, I respect what you're doing, but maybe try to be more subtle with it. Either way, this wasn't a bad movie. - B

 

Wii Play - Uhhhhhhh.... okay. Sure. Why not. For those wondering, I am not a fan of Y5's Wii Sports. I think it's basically what would happen if Garry Marshall took LSD and decided to do an Oscar-bait while high. It is not a good movie. I love the game it's based on, but the movie can suck it. I have never played Wii Play, on the other hand, having only heard of it as a mediocre party game to sell Wiimotes. But, to my surprise, I actually liked this movie more than I did Sports. Maybe because Play actually embraced the absolute ludicrousness of its own existence - the fact that it's a movie based on a stupid party game that has no plot whatsoever - and created one of the trippiest experiences of Y7. It's... well, almost indescribable what they do here. It's like they went out of their way to hamstring the craziest ideas for a movie and then slapped the Wii Play minigames over them to form some sort of plot. It's insane. But it's enjoyable, for sure, even if for no other reason than because it's batshit fucking crazy. I don't remember who was in the cast of Wii Sports but I can only imagine Brad Pitt was in it and they contractually obligated him to do this pseudo-sequel, because, otherwise... how in the Hell did they sign him up for this? - C-

 

Temple Run - James Gunn. An absolutely luxorious cast. And... the Temple Run app. One of these things is not like the other, but who cares, it's Gunn, it's that cast and it had potential to be Heaven. At the very least a very enjoyable adventure in the light of Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle but with the Gunn stamp over it. However, for a James Gunn movie, it didn't feel all that James Gunn-esque. Temple Run actually reminded me more of something like Dora And The Lost City Of Gold('s trailer - I didn't actually watch the movie), in that it was a very by the numbers jungle adventure, but one that somehow managed to lure in a lot of high end talent. The performances are good, which isn't surprising, and the movie is entertaining overall, but there really isn't much in the vein of personality. Again, it's a James Gunn movie but it feels so "normal". Like a completely done-by-committee family friendly adventure film. Ultimately, it's fine, but it's forgettable and one of the most disappointing movies of the year for me personally. - B-

 

Making Waves 2 - What compelled Sean McNamara to make a sequel? GO BACK TO SURFING, MAN. Ugh. This sequel is just as stupid as the original Making Waves. I guess it's not as borderline offensive - because it's not dealing directly with cancer - but it's really stupid all the same. Spoiler alert for those who may be interested in watching Making Waves 2: the main kid cheats his way to the final, then dumps his questionable coach and gets away with no consequence whatsoever. I think even the filmmakers must've not felt right with that. Only thing about this that's any good is the visuals of the surfing sequences. - D

[MCKillswitch123]

TOP 25

 

Spoiler

1. Tower Of Babylon
2. Laika
3. The Scavenger Wars Part III
4. Ms. Blakk 4 President
5. Roman Fever
6. Toons V Reality
7. Notorious
8. Fatal Attraction
9. Megalo Box
10. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
11. Birdwing
12. The First Month
13. Green Lantern Corps: Home
14. The Gift Of Life
15. The Ends Of The Universe
16. Pillars Of Eternity: An Ancient Legacy
17. The Final Cut
18. Hilda And The Midnight Giant
19. Looping
20. Adult Swim Bomb Scare Non-Fiction Documentary For Theaters
21. Countdown City
22. Dear Evan Hansen
23. Hypercompetency
24. Plastic-Man
25. Snow Leopards

 

Thank you for having me, ladies and gentlemen.

Edited July 19, 2020 by MCKillswitch123

[YM!]

Thank you for 6, 13, 22, 23, 24 and 25.

Edited July 17, 2020 by YourMother the Edgelord

[Ethan Hunt]

AYyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 

 

Thank you for number 1

 

[Blankments]

Looping missed

 

thabk you for the rest though!!

[SLAM!]

Thank you for #9!