Creator's Corner (Year 3 Reviews)

[The Creator]

I don't think dragon films impressed me much. I do remember when I was "obsessed" with every fantasy film though, but not necessarily dragon ones.

[Impact]

Actually I think you were.I remember you thought In the Name of the King be the best film ever.Of course there is Unicorn Power!!!!A joke that only you, me and 48 will get....

[The Creator]

NUMBAS!

Red Rabbit

"A spy film of intrigue, deception, political manuevering, and sabotage."

But is that what "Red Rabbit" is?

Well in some ways I could say it is. It takes place in the 1980s toward the end of the Cold War, although in alternate reality because here we have different political leaders. It's an unique twist on Cold War affairs, with the tension between the Soviet powers and the forces of NATO obviously more than just hinted at here. Yet our main focus is on an assassination attempt on the pope, who will be visiting Poland at an upcoming date. The Soviet KGB chain of command wants to eliminate the pope and avoid a possible disintigration of the Warsaw Pact. And so unfolds the story of intrigue and deception, of political manuevering and sabotage, that "Red Rabbit" promises to be.

In many ways, it is a sharp and intriguing espionage film. "Red Rabbit" lets the tension take it wherever it may go. The suspense does build, and we get various perspectives from both CIA and KGB, and informants and the like. Indeed, the ensemble is quite stellar. The acting is good, with some standout performances. I was particularly impressed with the way some of the characters were handled, and the pay-off in the end is satisfying if not what I was expecting. To me, the greatest twist in the film came in the climax when the execution was to go down and CIA and British Intelligence together tried to track down Strokov (played brilliantly by Thom Hoffman in a chilling performance) before he could carry out orders to kill the pope. But once they apprehend Strokov, another assassin shoots the pope. That was a bitter twist, and a great one, and it's one of the reasons that I appreciate what the film was trying to, and in many ways suceeded in, accomplish.

"Red Rabbit" is a high stakes espionage film, and it doesn't rely on action and glamour shots to convey an awing story. Based off Tom Clancy's novel, which I have never read, the film is unique and entertaining. However, it is not entirely my cup of tea. While I do appreciate it and admire the skill with which it executes its story and the depth to which certain actors portray their characters, I did find my mind wandering at times; it didn't hold my attention through-and-through, and that's a bit of an issue with me. In other words, the story of intrigue and deception just wasn't as intriguing as I anticipated. Sure it is finely executed for the most part, but in some ways it just falls short.

Overall, though, "Red Rabbit" is a solid espionage drama, with more drama than action to boot. The acting is great with some knock-out performances, and the story is mostly satisfying. The ending is what satisfied me the most. A brooding score only enhances the tension of the film, and Niccol effectively pulls off almost what the film should be. A few setbacks and some minor lapses here that just made me feel as if the film was dragging on a bit, or my memory and thoughts were wandering, did detract from my attention and pleasure of the film, but it is a solid outing from Numerator Pictures.

[4815162342]

The novel (and this adaptation) does incorporate real people and events. Charles Dances' character Andropov is a real person who led the KGB and does succeed in becoming leader of the Soviet Union in the mid-80s (for a year, then he drops dead from illness). Likewise the Pope, who is John Paul II, was the victim of an assassination attempt by a Turkish shooter (and nearly died) like in the novel/film. Clancy just played up the main conspiracy theory that the Soviets got involved and was able to fit in his major characters of Ryan and the Foleys.But glad you enjoyed with, albeit with caveats.

[darthdevidem01]

Karate Kong please..thanks.

[The Creator]

Ugh, everyone's leaving me in the dust, even Numbas!I promise I'll speed up as soon as I can, finish the reviews, and start my top countdown as soon as possible.

[The Creator]

I'll hurry up. Still have like a dozen films to read and they're long...mostly Numbers' stuff. And Electric's. I'll get to them as soon as possible.

Karate Kong

I don't have the energy to write a five paragraph, three paragraph, or so review, so I'll just write up some quick thoughts. "Karate Kong" is a decent venture into the animation genre, one that is definitely poised to win over the family crowd. It's pretty cheesy and generic, but it has a lot riding on it for being family fun. That said, it's not something that's likely going to please most of my adult readers, and I don't blame you guys. It's amusing and charming as a film to bring the kids to, but it's definitely forgettable and just passable at that. The animation is decent, but not great, and the voice cast is a bit dull at times. It's not my cup of tea, and I don't expect most critics and older audience members to like it either. I don't really even have anything to dwell upon here; there's not enough substance for me to flesh out a full-fledged review, so I'll just leave it at that. Decent film, nothing more.

Divergent

"Divergent" tries to be a great tentpole film. Keyword: tries. The film falls short in my opinion. By no means is it a bad or lackluster film, but it definitely isnt' the gangbanging film I expected it to be. Perhaps my issue with it stems from too many similarities to "The Hunger Games"; it felt too much a replica of that film. And that just sucks. But "Divergent" is a good film, and were it not for that I'm sure I would have liked it a lot more. It's more than passable and it's definitely entertaining, but it's not the whopping film I was led to believe it would be. The acting is passable but no standouts abound here; the plot is very swift, so there's not much in the way of character development, and the time that passes between each of the three stages is rather dull but also quite swiftly paced, leaving little in the way of intimate character moments. One could argue the relationship brewing between Tris and Four is sentimental and emotionally satisfying, yet I felt it did fall a bit flat. It didn't feel forced at least, but it could have used more buffering. The interactions of the characters are average; there's truly no stand-out scene in the film that makes me go "oooh" or "aaah", and I couldn't find myself rooting for any of the characters. Now some of the action is fast-paced and exciting; the effects are dazzling, and the technical appearance of the film is rather spectacular. It's got some fine visuals, but it lacks a bit of substance that could definitely have made it a better film.

8AM

Now here's a film that has had some unfair critical backlash. "8AM", I feel, is a bit of catch actually. It's exhilerating, the opening scenes really caught me off guard, because they were much better than I was expecting from the film. Now the film does lack a bit of substance, and the pacing is a bit off; it goes from a good introduction to a muddled up bit of affairs midway through. That's when it starts to really drop the ball; from there, it never quite lives up to the opening...except for one scene that comes too late, but I'll get to that in a moment. "8AM" is a catch, though. It's highly entertaining and is a feast on the eyes, if not on the mind. It is indeed a bit stale by the conclusion, at which point you kind of just throw your hands up and proclaim, "For the love of God, why?" But not really...or not entirely. Because even though it does fall like a stack of dominos as it progresses, "8AM" remains a relatively smooth and entertaining production, with Tom Cruise being Tom Cruise and Will Smith being...well kind of unnecessary but decent nonetheless. However, I was not a fan of the film's money-grabber: the "ten minute" fight sequence between Cruise and Smith. Eh, it was a drag honestly, and that's one reason that the film loses touch with the viewer by the end. However, it is the final scene that I wish to dwell on. That scene I really liked: Cruise's character wakes up at 8 A.M. Saturday morning as told, and he dies. Great scene as it fits well with the idea behind the film. However, I felt it would have worked much better coming before the credits rather than directly after, as I wouldn't have known to stay and therefore would've missed the film's greatest moment.

[4815162342]

bump for Creator

[The Creator]

Yeah, I know. I'm working on it. I mostly just have the rest of your films to read and some from a couple other players.

But in the meantime, I did finish this one:

Planeswalkers

I can hardly think of a better way to phrase what this film is than what Numbers came up with: a premature ejaculation. It was actually mildly entertaining as it was, although the characters had felt pretty bland and a lot of the story felt unclear to me, being not much familiar with 'Magic: The Gathering". But it just drops the ball out of nowhere with a most highly abrupt ending that left much to be desired. The long fight toward the end didn't feel climatic enough, as the villainous wasn't even defeated, and afterwards we have a quick scene and then the film ends on a cliffhanger. In my opinion, that is a bad mistake. The film should never have ended on a cliffhanger but rather kept going. Instead, it feels like the longish running time was wasted on too many dialogue scenes that didn't do much to progress the plot, and if those were trimmed down we could have focused more on a finite ending to the film. "Planeswalkers" deserved to be better,because as it was going I was increasingly interested in what was going on, but the suddenness of its ending just disturbs and aggravates me. It is, however, technically beautiful, with some of the year's most impressive visuals and glamorous cinematography, but that doesn't make up for a lackluster and incomplete story and often dull acting and dragged out character interactions that don't complete the film.

[The Dark Alfred]

Yes, I guess that's a common mistake to make when you plan a whole trilogy. Hoping to improve with the second film.

[The Creator]

I'm done with all the requests I'm going to review because I don't have time anymore, so here goes.

Creator's Top 25 - w/ writeups - presented by me

25. Animal Farm

This was a decent adaptation, and with some improvements it could have been much better, but I'm just not big enough a fan of the material to rate it higher. Still a good film overall.

24. Interconnected: Culmination

My problem with the film is that it's hard to relate to if one hasn't seen the first film. I didn't know the characters or what the plot was about so it took some figuring on my part, more than should have been expected from an entertaining sci-fi. Minus those quibbles, it is still an intriguing, if somewhat forgettable, movie experience.

23. La Follia di Gesualdo

An unique Italian film, "La Follia" is well-scripted, if brief, and builds up a momentous story that blends perfectly with the motifs presented. It is a stark yet deeply intriguing foreign film, one of the year's better foreign language pictures at that, with a solid blend of acting and decent pacing that makes for a modest yet enthralling movie.

22. A Million Little Pieces

"A Million Little Pieces" would have been better if it was more indepth with its characters and overall plot. The idea isn't wholly original, nor is the execution, and the story isn't given enough development for me to place it higher. Otherwise, it's a remarkable little indie film that minus some issues is great and rather emotional. It does lack some substance, but it features decent acting and a solid ending.

21. The Poet

One of the most taut thrillers of the year, "The Poet" is sure to knock your socks off. It's definitely a step above the average for the genre, with an ambiguous ending that leaves you guessing. The motives driving the characters are interesting, and the thrills are definitely paramount as the film builds to a tense confrontation and remarkable conclusion, complete with stellar pacing and decent acting. If you're looking for thrills, this is definitely the suspense thriller to see.

Edited July 16, 2012 by The Creator

[The Creator]

20. Leitmotif

I have already divulged my thoughts on “Leitmotif”

19. Bobby

“Bobby” is a solid animated picture with an interesting concept, if not as well executed in points as it could be. The quality of the film is obvious; it doesn't lag much, but in fact the pacing is rather swift. It is very entertaining and certainly a fun film, and one that's more original than most animated films I've seen this year. “Bobby”'s premise of people inside of a young boy's brain is original and refreshing, and the execution is decent. Again, it could have been better executed, but it's still solid and well-paced.

18. Fable

“Fable” is a solid, but not spectacular, fantasy film with a somewhat original plot. The acting is good, but at times the film felt like a bit of a drag to me, but that's usual for a fantasy film. However, it picks up pace and by the end of the film, it becomes quite exciting. The effects are great, and the storytelling is solid. Overall, it's an entertaining and somewhat fulfilling fantasy adventure with good action sequences and some decent character-building moments, but slightly weighed down by its own pacing, which at times is dull but can be quick and exciting when it needs to be.

17. 8AM

I have already divulged my thoughts on “8AM”

16. Thane of the Flies

I have already divulged my thoughts on “Thane of the Flies”

15. Red Skin

Review: see requests section

14. Blue Heart

Review: see requests section

13. El Libertador

“El Libertador” is the year's best foreign language film. It is a remarkable historical piece about the rebellion and fight for independence under Simon Bolivar in the South American Spanish provinces. The cast is phenomenal, turning out deliciously deep performances at every turn. It is Gael Garcia Bernal who turns in the film's most stellar performance as Simon Bolivar, a.k.a. El Libertador. The film's depiction of the struggle and of the political and military powers at play in early nineteenth century South American and European affairs is dramatically handled with great finesse by Fernando Meirelles. Indeed, “El Libertador” is one of the year's most historically relevant films, and it's definitely a top caliber film.

12. Into the Breach

Poised as one of the frontrunners for Best Actress, Melissa Leo delivers a stunning performance as Vice President candidate Galdine Ferraro, who was the first woman to campaign for vice president during the 1984 election. Leo's performance makes up the bulk of the film. Indeed, she is the heart and soul of the picture. It is definitely one of the best female performances of the year, one of the best performances in general, and will not be forgotten come Oscar season. “Into the Breach” itself is a fiery period piece that provides great details about the 1984 election and its aftermath, weaving through troubles that plague the campaign and also the domestic issues Ferraro had to deal with on her home front. It's a hell of a film with a good cast, good performances, and a meaningful story to tell.

11. Red Rabbit

Review: see review section

Sheesh, Numbas bash right there.

[The Creator]

10. The Dead in the House

Review: in request section

9. Prodigy

“Prodigy” is a very different and unique sci-fi film. It's not a typical visual feast, although it does have fantastic visuals for such a mid-size budget. Instead of focusing on disaster or action or thrilling chases like most of this year's big-name sci-fi blockbustes, “Prodigy” focuses on intimate character relationships. Rylan Gosling is cast in the lead as “perfect human” Nihilo. Nihilo was designed to be the next great stage of evolution. He contains vast knowledge of humankind, and yet he cannot fathom what the meaning of war and violence is, for Nihilo seems like a peaceful being. He becomes enraged by his captivity, valuing the idea of freedom and independence, and in an exciting action feast, he unleashes that anger, channeling it toward expelling the scientists who would use him away from his island. He hangs around, making a home for himself, yet soon he becomes hunted as the people who created him intend to harness his abilities. This is a mistake that proves costly in the final portion of the film, yet it is greatly handled. Gosling's performance is surprisingly good, and the supporting cast is well too. The story is what captivates me the most, though. “Prodigy” is a stunning and very well-handled sci-fi drama that has a surprising amount of heart and character to it.

8. The Morrow II

It's been a while since I first saw “The Morrow”, but soon within its sequel, the feelings come rushing back. “The Morrow II” is very much on par with its predecessor in various ways, but overall I think it doesn't quite live up to the greatness of that film. However, it is an excellent film all on its own. As the year's biggest blockbuster, it had a lot riding on it, and it does execute finely. The acting is great, and we're introduced to various intriguing characters, most of whom have substance to them. So I found that in the character department, as with the acting department, “The Morrow II” pulls out nicely. Now let's look at the story department. There, too, it is a blast. The film is full of exciting engagements and showdowns, with some over-the-top fights that are actually very well handled. The effects are grand, some of the most spectacular of the year. It's definitely adrenaline-rushing at times, and some scenes put you on the edge of your seat wondering if a certain character will make it out in the end (I'm looking at Bishop, who survives like three harrowing near-death experiences within the span of 30 minutes toward the end of the film). The climax is great and tense, and the build-up is very well handled. It does have some soul to it as well. It's not all effects-heavy action and thrills; it actually has a coherent and well-developed story. Indeed, “The Morrow II” is pretty much the big blockbuster it was intended to be, but it's also a greatly developed and emotionally satisfying sci-fi.

7. Love in Poitiers

Now here we have one of the year's most underrated films. “Love in Poitiers” is a spectacular period piece, with some of the best performances of the year. In particular, Meryl Streep dominates as Eleanor. Streep definitely gives Leo a run for her money for this year's Actress award at the Oscars. Streep's performance is complex and her character is very well developed, providing some intriguing conflict on a personal level and on her interrelationships with the other characters. Streep finely handles these inner and external turmoils and makes the character of Eleanor into a fascinating character-study. “Love in Poitiers” is ripe with deception and intrigue, and it's one of the most surprising films I've seen all year. It's definitely one of the more unexpected treats I had, as going into it I had heard little on the critical front for it. But it deserves much more recognition than it has received, and Streep's performance in particular should not be overlooked. The rest of the cast turn in excellent performances as well. From Close to Sheen, it is a great ensemble piece all around and certainly a frontrunner in my eyes for that award as well. “Love in Poitiers” is a remarkable achievement.

6. Genesis

I don't feel like I need to write a review for my film. It's exciting and well acted with an interesting premise and fine execution.

[riczhang]

Hugely surprised at Poitiers, but I love it. Thanks.

[The Creator]

5. Dodge City

This is a fine western indeed. There are some noticeable cliches that do detract from my appreciation of the film. You know what would have been really ballsy? If in the final showdown, the protagonist had died by One Eyed Jim's bullet, or they both died together. That would have shot the film up in my opinion. But as it stands, it's still a great film, at times very great. That showdown is still the defining moment of the film; it's tense and enthralling like any good ol' western showdown should be. In many ways, “Dodge City” strongly resurrects the feel of old time westerns from the 1960s. It has the epic scope of those films and is ripe with great set pieces and art direction. The acting is stellar with some knock-out performances from the like of Karl Urban, James McAvoy, and Tom Selleck. The Coen Brothers helming this isn't too surprising. They do a fine job and really create a great feel and texture for the film. “Dodge City” is thoroughly entertaining and at times fittingly tense and dramatic, with a powerful closure.

4. The Coming Storm

Alreeady reviewed...like a really, really long review, so I'm too beat to re-review it.

3. Black as Night

Great gangsta film. Great acting, nice twist ending...hey, I saw it coming, wink wink

2. Fatal Rendezvous

“Fatal Rendezvous” is so good it's great, or maybe so great it's excellent. It's definitely one of the most powerfully acted and well scripted films of the year. And it's Numbers' finest of the year. I was happy to see the Nolans were in part behind the premise of the film. Shane Black assumes the director's chair, and he does an excellent job. But it's the acting that chokes me up the most. Robert Downey Jr. turns in an excellent performance as noir-esque protagonist Jackie Owens, whose motives are as conflicted as the character is himself. Jackie (Downey Jr.) makes a fatal decision to help his monetary interests, and from that comes a bloodbath of intrigue. Aaron Eckhart is phenomenal as Casey, friend of Jackie who helps carry out the dark acts the film centers on, and whose own feelings begin to interfere with Jackie's trust in him. And I was particularly pleased to see Guy Pearce turn up, for he is a great actor, and here he proves that again with an excellent performance as Ari Fench, the detective hot on the trail. And of course, as the writers so wonderfully put it, Pacino is great as Pacino. It's a very intriguing and dark crime drama with powerful performances from the whole ensemble and a knock-out ending, with a tense build-up. One of the year's best films.

Which means, no Numbers was not number one...but this is:

1. Summer Story

It's a hard film to swallow. The thing I really like about it is the wackiness of it. I just adore pictures that seem incoherent at times, those that like to babble on into insanity at times. “Summer Story” pushes the boundaries of storytelling by shifting focus from this year to that year, this mental thought to that insane one over there. It's just a pile of confusion at times, but if you can keep up with it and its strange pacing, you can definitely appreciate the quirkiness and see it as a spectacular film. I was able to keep up with it, and despite the many tangents it runs off on, it's a very unique film, the most original of the year. “Summer Story” may be indigestible to some, but to me it's like a great entre. The acting is surprisngly great. Ben Foster of course dominates here as he is given most of the film's focus...indeed a good deal of the film takes place inside his head. And that's why it's so damn confusing at times and it shifts all around, because he's one hell of a complex character. It's a great character study with a very promising premise and excellent execution.

[Impact]

Charlie Sheen was in it? Sorry when you said Sheen that is who I thought of :PIs Michael Sheen releated to him?

[Impact]

Awesome! Number 5

[riczhang]

Charlie Sheen was in it? Sorry when you said Sheen that is who I thought of :PIs Michael Sheen releated to him?

Don't think they are.

[Impact]

I thought he was since he has a few relatives in the acting bussiness

[riczhang]

5 in your top 25, thanks.