ihavemagicpants Reviews

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

I went with the old way...

[8/10 · 27 June 2018]

I made sure I knew almost nothing about the movie before going. I avoided teasers, interviews where anyone talked about parts of the movie and even avoided reviews. I wanted to go in with a completely open mind like we used to before we went to the movies before the internet.

As a Jurassic fan I knew from the start we aren't in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park anymore. This is a very real Jurassic World with mutations from regular dinosaurs and genetic splicing being the major concern when confronted with human's ability and desire to create something of pure power and gain a large profit at the same time.

I wasn't expecting to feel so heartbroken for CGI animals in their situation but watching them drown was hard enough (I can't swim so may have hit a little close home there) but the scene as they leave the island made me actually cry a little. Seeing and hearing that moment with the Brachiosaurus made me hate how vivid and breathtaking it was visually but I couldn't look away. And bringing in the sounds so crisp and real... this moment itself really pulled at my heart and still even makes me feel considerably sad for a non-existent animal.

Ive seen a few other reviewers say the plot doesn't make sense and is choppy. I do admit some of the plot was choppy/ oddly placed and I'm guessing it's mainly because of the fact they had to put an end the island and begin to tie it in with the story of why and how they get to the mainland AND then get to the dramatic climax in a decent amount of time. It makes sense in my mind but I wish there was a little more development in some parts but my imagination can create links. It wasn't super hard to figure out or anything.

The back story and clips of Blue and Owen's relationship is absolutely amazing. It made me smile and helped show more of the emotional level of their relationship and not just because 'she follows my orders and I trained her' relationship that was presented before. You really get to see a development, if only for a minute or two, how unusually unique their relationship was in the first place (by showing the others siblings) in addition to special.

I will say being in a theater with good audio can make a HUGE difference on your experience with this movie. I know some scenes wouldn't have been nearly as intense.

I mainly give this an 8 because of the visual and auditory journey you are on in the scenes in the beginning with the volcano and it's eruption, when they are in the cages, in the fighting, etc. The visual effects people in this movie did an amazing job creating such real creatures that it really does look as though they are in the situation, time and personal space of those actors in the movie. Incredibly well done.

Plus, I adore Bryce Dallas Howard. I have to say love that they made a point to show her in heals in the beginning but show her 'ready to do this crap' boots. She earns my respect for doing that amount and speed of running in those heels. But, that's the other movie. Haha.

Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018)

Not as good as the first but still decent

[7/10 · 31 March 2018]

Before you see the movie know... this movie can't even begin to follow the original. It was nearly impossible to top that movie. So many people are expecting Del Toro and that's just not who the director is so don't walk in expecting the same visually spectacular world he creates because won't see ANYTHING near his realm, sadly. So, that being said...

The beginning 1/3 of the movie just was trying to tie the stories together and that is a huge part that made it boring. it jumped so fast into things with the new characters but still not actually giving you an actual backstory somehow. The undevelopment of the main characters' back stories makes it difficult to care about them as much as you do for the characters in the first movie. They had an amazing opportunity with the tie ins but it ended up flopping into the movie rather than tying in. There was a few attempts at helping make them come to life but without the beginning introductions and back stories it made it seem unbalanced and odd.

You do feel a development happening with the 'bad' characters and who you believe is behind it. So, it does keep your attention.

Once it hits 2/3 of the movie I feel like it took too long to get into the story of why and how they are in the newest situation. The fight sequences could have been done SO much better and because they're pretty much all daylight and in the city it loses the depth of the fighting abilities at times and feels like a transformers kids movie.

When it's all said and done I did find it decent. I want to rewatch it because I feel maybe I missed some things that made the movie better. I didn't hate it but it just wasn't the follow up I hoped for. The concept and story behind the second movie is very interesting but wasn't developed properly, in my opinion.

If you're someone who wants to see it but has really high expectations but likes seeing/ hearing fights on the big screen verses home tv and you can get in on a discounted time/ day it's not a bad watch. Stay in the theater until the movie is done. Otherwise I'd say maybe wait for a rental.

It's sad seeing so many people are rating it a 1 or 2. People expected too much from a director with no similarities in style. If people saw it as a movie on its own, lowest I could see is maybe a 5.

Memento (2000)

Great movie

[9/10 · 30 January 2015]

This movie was something my psychology teacher had us watch in college. I was so confused but the further the movie got the better it got.

I was very impressed with the acting from each and every single actor creating a complex web of people, the follow through of the story from the director, the editors and everyone involved and especially the small details they kept track of throughout the entire movie.

I was very very impressed. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes action, complex story lines and any kind of psychological thrillers.

The story doesn't just fold out in front of you, it keeps you guessing WHILE it slowly puts together the story. It was amazingly put together.