maxzer0 Reviews

Wonder (I) (2017)

Wonder

[3/10 · 12 December 2020]

Wonder what I just watched? Just another stereotypical, cheesy, feel good American movie. I literally had my eyes rolling with every line.

Marriage Story (2019)

Interesting take on divorce

[6/10 · 8 December 2020]

The movie is definitely an experience to watch, showing that divorce can take a real toll on people, but ultimately is temporary. There are very some long takes skillfully played by Johansson and Driver, whose acting keeps the movie afloat. Unfortunately, most of the cast is appalling and overacting (Nora, kid, Grandma, Sister, theater crew). These may just well poor scripting. The movie cannot decide whether it wants to be a comedy (Annie Hall) or a drama, as it throws in some cringy slapstick comedy jokes. Also, the movie fails to take sides. It strives to make both main characters likeable whereas the script clearly turns Johansson into a despicable person from the get go. Furthermore, the characters don't follow an arc, and the movie becomes predictable. Overall, I wouldn't watch it again. I would recommend a viewing to most people, especially those wanting to go through a divorce so that they hopefully will behave more humanely to one another.

One Day (2011)

Does not live up to its potential

[5/10 · 24 November 2020]

With a few changes, this movie could have become a classic romance movie to rival the Before Sunset trilogy. Instead, poor writing and questionable acting partially ruin it. The first major flow is that there's not enough chemistry between the characters, making us care less for them being together or not. The story between Emma and the standup comedian is totally ridiculous. I feel the movie should have indulged more with the trends, fads, technologies of each era, instead it barely does so. It should have had a more realistic script, where maybe life brings them apart, but although they genuinely fall in love with other people they know nothing will be like them (think of Blue is the warmest color). The ending is just an easy way to end the movie making us cry a river instead of analyzing more serious issues. It has been done many times before. Instead, it would have been nicer to see they get driven apart because she's barren or he's infertile and maybe get over it after adopting a child, or get torn apart after all these years. Still the locations, banter, concept, and efforts delivered by some supporting actors (especially the guy's parents) manage to keep the movie barely afloat Ps I don't mind how cute she is, Anne Hathaway is simply a terrible actress.

The Lovely Bones (2009)

Catch all doesn't pay off here

[4/10 · 16 February 2019]

This movie tries too hard to combine lots of different genres together and does so poorly. I think the problem is because the main story is constantly interrupted by a fantasy sub-plot that really constantly breaks the tension built up during the main plot. Also, this movie doesn't manage to be really creepy because of the sub-plot. If you want to watch an unsweetened, and infinitely more disturbing similar tale, go watch the original Dutch movie Spoorloos and behold how powerful that movie is.

The Imitation Game (2014)

Cliches all the way

[3/10 · 16 February 2019]

The whole movie is a gigantic cliche and it is unbelievable critics are still having a hard-on for these type of movies in the 2010's. Turing's real story was interesting enough, yet they had to change most of it to make it more cliche-dramatic, cliche-feminist, cliche-heroic, and cliche-homosexual friendly (without even showing an actual homosexual kiss). This looks like a beautiful mind all over again. Cumberbatch is the only thing that prevents the movie from totally sinking.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Terrific story but very poor movie

[2/10 · 9 November 2018]

I am the first person to appreciate and admire Doss's heroism and for me the best part of the movie is its very last minute, i.e. the real life footage with Doss going over some of the craziest things that happened right there. The rest is just a mix of poor dialogues, gory war scenes that fail to deliver, and idiotic CGI. I think this should have been a documentary, so that we could have really appreciate Doss's words without the poorly written stuff surrounding it. Besides, kung-fu with grenades? C'mon... Letters from Iwo Jima / Flags of our Fathers are both much better movies

Vanilla Sky (2001)

Jumping the shark...

[4/10 · 9 September 2018]

The plot of Vanilla Sky started off somehow interestingly, and this was making up for the bad acting and cheesy lines.

However, as the movie progresses, it turns into a psychological thriller at first and into a sci-fi piece later and this contributes to annoy any viewer older than 15.

Positive:

• Eventually, the plot makes sense and this was difficult to achieve in such a long and complicated movie
• Diaz can really be creepy at times
• The actual crash scene is excellent
• A couple of lines towards the end are genuinely good
• The movie holds up until the sci-fi

Negative:

• Bad editing that resembles a music video
• Inappropriate music that doesn't fit in most of the scenes
• Cruise's acting (he smiles in every scene! Please wipe that smile of your face!)
• Cheesy lines and unrealistic dialogues
• The sci-fi part / dream ending and spoon feeding the audience.
• The driving scene preceding the crash is unrealistic as Diaz never looks at the road

Educazione siberiana (2013)

Set in Transnistria and NOT in Siberia!

[7/10 · 12 February 2018]

I have been on imdb for over 5 years and never felt the need of writing a review. However, Deadly Code has gotten bashed for all the wrong reasons and couldn't help myself writing this one as the authors deserve more credit for coming up with this gritty story. Folks, this movie is NOT set in Siberia. Gagarin and Kolyma are NOT real names, they are obviously nicknames. Please research before criticizing a movie. This has a solid script and very good character development. Malkovich performance is absolutely hypnotic and brilliantly stands out. Personally, I also found the photography and editing compelling. I would recommend this movie to anyone interested in a crime story but tired of the average Hollywood scripts.