Gregor_81 Reviews

When You Finish Saving the World (2022)

Narcissisms the dramady.

[7/10 · 5 February 2023]

There's more here to like than people are saying.

It's intentionally aggravating and cringeworthy. It's sad but funny, maddening but hopeful. It has plenty of depth and meaning and it's not so buried that you feel perplexed.

Were watching two parallel narcissists trying to find happiness in the only ways they know how and it's hard to watch. When they eventually fail hard enough, they come to their senses and find that they can't be happy without seeing something other than themselves as important. They end up finding each other as well.

I would only recommend this movie to indie movie lovers. Subtext, intentionally uncomfortable moments, unlikeable characters, and introspective plot don't go over well with the average movie-goer, but I liked it.

New York Ninja (2021)

Cult movie lovers, sadly, you can skip this one.

[5/10 · 7 November 2021]

New York Ninja has that 80's action B-movie charm, and has a fair amount of unintentionally mildly funny scenes, but it's not nearly enough to carry it into cult status by 80's grindhouse fanatic's or "Bad Movie" fans.

I'm a big fan of unintentionally funny movies, especially if they are from the 80's, and even more so if they have Ninjas kicking ass. A Ninja in the gritty big apple... how could you go wrong? Well, as with any obscure low budget action movie, it doesn't matter how "bad" or "good" it is, what really matters is if it's entertaining. Movies like:

Miami Connection, Hard Ticket To Hawaii, Deadly Prey, Ninja III: The Domination, Nine Deaths Of The Ninja,

all made BOLD choices by their writers/directors that demanded your attention and sometimes confusion, but unfortunately NYN lacks ambition and far too much of the movie clunks around in unnecessarily boring dialogue, and repetitive scenes. There just isn't enough happening in this movie.

While I have a great appreciation for the amazing work that Vinegar Syndrome has done to dub, master, edit, and completely resurrect this movie, I do also think it's worth noting that cult movie enthusiasts are in store for a dull experience. I really wanted to like this movie, but it just doesn't have enough meat on it's bones to deliver the silly fun you expect.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

Perfectly Bizarre for good reasons.

[7/10 · 4 January 2018]

It's not "weird" just to be weird, It's trying to show us something discomforting, that conventional movies CAN'T.

While The Killing Of a Sacred Deer will be dismissed by the mainstream, for it's very unconventional acting, pacing, and plot, for other's it offers a discomforting conversation on the dark reality of nature and justice. You aren't supposed to ENJOY it, you are supposed to appreciate it.

The intentionally cold and flat reactions from it's characters will turn many off, but give insight into empathy and trust. The subtraction and skewing of emotion allows us to get a closer look at ourselves and our expectations for coping with threats and loss. It's maddening and incredibly uncomfortable to watch, but that is it's aim and success. You have to stop wanting the movie to be what you want it to be, and start wondering why it is the way it is, if you want to take something away from it.

While the movie doesn't meet it's impact potential by missing some opportunities for heavier moments and more character development, it is still fascinating, challenging, and rewarding for an open mind.

For people that appreciate brain teasers like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Mulholland Drive, Borgman, Under The Skin, and Sleeping Beauty.

Cheap Thrills (I) (2013)

Simply Intense and Surprisingly Smart.

[7/10 · 31 March 2014]

I did not expect to like this movie, but It slowly pulled me in with it's desperation, humor, horror, and ethical dilemmas.

Cheap Thrills has a little story, but it's big in suspense, intrigue, and insanity.

This movie excels at dark humor. Although the story becomes increasingly ridiculous, the character reactions are grounded enough that it makes the mayhem seem entirely plausible.

There's also a subtle depth to the movie that begs to be explored. It's thought provoking while being mostly entertaining.