redshoesfall Reviews

Censor (2021)

basic.

[4/10 · 12 February 2023]

A presumably strong female character who's great at her job gets randomly triggered from old trauma and goes through psychosis.

Idk it just rode that trope and did nothing more. I would recommend films like martyrs, sissy, or make up in its stead (random choices, bc theres so many 'female hysteria' movies).

Yeah it was just bad. Don't get hyped like I did.

Also I'm a woman, why is it films always portray us freaking out over trauma and committing horrid acts? Like it happens but so many women I know have been through far worse than a lot of these types of protags and manage to still be kind, helpful, fun, nice people. I'm tired.

The Secret of Karma (2020)

If Brendan Fraiser was a Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Flavor it would be Phish Food

[7/10 · 8 November 2021]

Nice. There's planes. Brendan Fraiser. Some good CGI. Brendan put his all into his roles. Pretty sure he was a God or something, he definitely did his research. And they have nice costume designs, really shiny stuff. They make an actress ride a horse next to a plane which was pretty epic. Spielberg needs to see what Saving Private Ryan inspired. Cloud Atlas wishes it could be this realistic. I'm pretty sure this is Brendan's comeback. Welcome back Brendan!

The Night House (2020)

Prepare your ears for pain.

[5/10 · 16 April 2021]

Although the visuals and some of the scares are pretty cool, for no reason at all theres some auditory jump-scares equivalent to nails on a chalkboard and radio-static and screaming at an unnaturally high volume all in the same go multiple times, making the viewing experience much more unpleasant than necessary. If you have any sort of auditory trauma, watch this on a lower volume if you can. The theater viewing burned my ears.

Otherwise, the story was fine, like paranormal stuff meets The Invisible Man.

God Forgives, We Don't (2017)

Solid indie: a war film for a new age. Leaves the viewer wanting more.

[7/10 · 18 March 2018]

When spoilers are involved, I will say when, and when they stop.

I thought overall this was a successful short, from the concept to the production value. I went in without knowledge of the subject but for the assumption it was generally a war film. Thus, it delivers righteously some Saving Private Ryan-level instances in spurts. It was sad to watch but also intriguing in the fact that it takes place (presumably) in the near future, which I wholly employ. What's preventing it from being an 8/9 is some of the acting and how the story itself was composed.

The lead actor was phenomenal; I would very much love to hire him in a film of my own. The antagonist was good, though his character does feel a little overblown, it does add more conflict to the film, especially how antagonistic people are today when it comes to xenophobia, racism, whatever or however you want to slice it. The rest of the acting felt more stiff. I felt like the lead actress / her character could have been more compelling; while we believe the main characters love for her, her as a person is not as easy to get emotionally attached to, making the motivation for the boy a little less relatable.

Other than that, it's an interesting ride. The war scenes are proper, intense, and gritty. I love the lead's acting, the editor(s) did pretty well for a story told out of sequential order. It was even a little affecting to see the character go through what they do; a war film for a new age. The music/score was solid (a little reminiscent of Hans Zimmer, which is fine. It was a little distracting in the end when all I could think was "is this Hans Zimmer?"). Overall, if this came out as a full-lengther, I'd respond, take my money and let me watch it already. The possibilities are pretty endless with what they could do with this thing. It's pretty damn good. Great job, you guys.

SPOILER REVIEW. In the beginning, it's also a little hard to tell what it was that happened between him and his girlfriend. I guess he got in a fight with her father--luckily that's sort of out of the way. The ending was also a little obnoxious, with the serious text interrupting the chain of events... I had to watch it again to secure whether I thought happened or not. So, yes, the kid saved his life and killed their general (I dunno maybe it's just me). It was a little confusing at first.

Sun Choke (2015)

Intensely quiet, powerful, and disturbing allegory for trauma and mental illness victims.

[8/10 · 4 September 2017]

This movie was actually pretty incredible. It calls your attention using very little, leaving you to decide what's reality and what isn't. It's a successful movie - well and cryptically written, gorgeous and intimate cinematography, and a strange and daring story that is pretty hard to watch at times.

I definitely enjoyed what this movie brought, how it gives us enough to estimate who this protagonist is - I'm not going to give anything away, but really what this movie ends up being is an inside to someone's personal hell. It's sad, dark, and even terrifying. Really. It's terrifying, it's expressive, it's raw. Doesn't hold off - and nothing, to me in the least, feels contrived. It all happens for a reason, whether it's really happening or not. It has some really powerful images that stick with you after viewing, things that make you think and wonder.

I really recommend this film for indie lovers and for those who want to see something really dark and really psychological. The acting is great, and overall it's a beautiful and personal film about what this girl is going through and why. I ended up loving this film. See it for yourself. It's DEFINITELY not for everyone, with graphic nudity, violence, so on so forth, but it's all worth while. Great film that no one's heard of. Super intense, but has me thinking for a while after watching it - and planning another rewatch soon.

Autumn Lights (2016)

An okay start in a beautiful location... but boring and trivial film....

[3/10 · 23 August 2017]

Beautiful locations, so-so (if not dull) cinematography, and useless scenes riddled with weak and expositional dialogue. For an independent film, it looks serviceable, but what is technically satisfactory is doubled in it's problems considering character, plot, and performance. The writing and execution needs work - and though one can see the creators' vision and the concept itself has potential, it ended up resulting in an amateur product. It focuses too much on trivial threads, scenes are repetitive and drag. As a personal project, it's good - but as an actual film, it's a feather - it holds no weight to it. Nothing's really all too incredible except the location of Iceland itself, and let's be real - it's not difficult to make Iceland pretty on screen. It's one of the most moody, scenic, and beautiful places on earth - it's just that the story didn't do anything to service that. Heavy handed and boring, even pretentious, this film brings no revelations. Too much telling and not enough showing to bring about the emotional context it so desires to play on. Tries to be earnest without much substance to its subject, as well as predictable.

Though this film wasn't that much of an experience to get through, I wouldn't object to seeing any future pieces of the director/studio's in hope that their next project will be much more competent. All that I've taken from this film is that I need to visit Iceland, but I've already known that for a very long time.

Binge (2016 TV Movie)

Hilarious and raw: the power of Indie

[7/10 · 18 August 2017]

I honestly wasn't expecting much out of this when it popped up in my Youtube recommended - I was surfing for some short films and saved it to watch later - and holy crap, did this surpass my expectations.

I don't want to hype it up too much, but this is definitely worth seeing, and worth continuing - it and a prequel is available free on Youtube. Watch it. It even got some laughs out of me - it's an honest, smart, sad, and funny character study and look at human dysfunction.

The production is great, script is solid, acting great, and story intriguing. The setup is perfect for an entire series and I anticipate the next episodes. The team behind this is true and passionate and you can see it in their work. They don't hold back, keep things honest, and do it right. This is all I ever wanted.

P.T. (2014 Video Game)

One of the Greatest Horror Games You Could Watch - And it's only a Demo.

[10/10 · 17 August 2017]

Let's get this out of the way - Konami sucks. It sucks that the full game died under the Kojima- Konami fallout, because of all the things this trailer beholds. I know a good game when I see it - PT today is currently one of the most influential horror games out there, people trying to bring back its old glory, even replicating it. It does the name of "Silent Hill" good. It scares the crap out of you, and makes you incredibly proud of it at the same time.

I apologize if I'm over hyping it for anyone - but it really is an incredible game. Even today, new secrets and details are surfacing from this ONE DEMO. It's gorgeous, it's atmospheric, it's simply a well done game on it's own and we'll have to hope that maybe someday, Kojima will grant us the full story of which Silent Hills was intended.

The only critique, as many others do, is of the puzzles, which are difficult in their ambiguity - not that it matters anymore. Unless you still have it downloaded onto your PlayStation, the game is no longer obtainable on Konami's part, so, all I can say is, watch as many playthroughs and articles of it as possible - serving you as entertainment, a horror movie, an amazing trailer, and a mystery that we collectively must work through in order to truly understand it.

100/10, in my book.

Rorschach (2015)

Good for what it was - no BS.

[6/10 · 17 August 2017]

At first, I was skeptical. I expected lame affects, cheap scares, and a run-of the mill story. I expected it to be poorly acted and boring... well...

Really, I'm giving props to this movie because it wants to be more realistic than to scare you, and that there's no real bullshit. I definitely wouldn't recommend this film for everyone, simply because it doesn't start to be scary until the last bit (of which I won't spoil). I don't watch many horror movies because of the jump scares and other such cheap manipulations - and I think that the found footage horror is all very dried out - this movie, for what it was (a no-budg youtube horror) wasn't stupid. They conveyed realism and the characters are likable, even. Believable. It felt like I was watching a doc made by two grad students with minimal filmmaking skills.

I feel like the two male leads are believable as skeptics and the mother believable as the victim of a haunting.

It's not a great movie - really, it's nothing too new - I, a terrible horror-movie watcher - was bored and comfortable throughout much of the film, but I'm personally, honestly okay with that. The payoff was good, and there's an actual emotional arc that the viewer has with the characters. For all the stupid things that happens in the big budges, I couldn't really come up with anything for this film. It's a solid watch in-between tasks. I don't think I'll be watching it again on my own anytime soon, but I commend it for what it on its own accomplished, and in today's world, that is so important for the independent filmmakers.

Giving it a 7 is more of a personal preference, because it's obviously not necessarily a film to be floored by, but in my opinion, does what it sets out to do well.

Loom (2012)

Pretty payoff.

[7/10 · 17 August 2017]

It's not great, but it is a solid short film. Does lag in the beginning, with the technical terms, but you see enough of the world (of a sophisticated design) and it's clear that this is the spawn of Ridley Scott (quite literally). I do recommend this film - not for its story, but for the more technical things it does right. Though the story isn't stupid, it's just rather short and a little slow moving, but by God, did I enjoy the climax.

There is a wee bit of nudity, mothers be aware, but the music with the visuals combine for a very pleasant experience. I do want to see more of this world. By how this film was executed, I can see it being just as attractive and sophisticated - though it needs a little work on character development and execution. Ribisvi was fine, but I found the female lead's delivery to be not as believable (namely considering the dialogue).

Give it a watch, and decide for yourself.

Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (2008 Video Game)

Surprisingly Emotional, an Underrated Classic.

[7/10 · 29 July 2017]

I'll do my very best not to spoil anything, because the plot is so damn important (excuse my language...) This is in my opinion one of the best Prof. Layton games. I'd say this is my favorite Prof. Layton story by far.

I've been playing these games for years. While I didn't play them entirely in order, that still did the Layton series justice. The THIRD installment of the franchise, this is almost a tribute to all things Layton, that while every Layton game has its motifs and E. eggs and trademarks, this game manages to take it a level further and celebrate what made Layton so lovable and unique.

The categorization of it being an "anime puzzle game" demeans it - while it does have anime influences and sequences and is a puzzle game - it uses these themes while being so much more. The stories of all the games are wonderful, even at their worst. In my opinion, The Azran Legacy's story felt more forced and stood out a bit from the series, but it was still a great game, which is to say The Unwound Future is all the more wonderful.

It is a tragedy that more people who play games DON'T know of or have played any Layton games - for me, growing up, Layton games were the staple of my participation as a gamer and taught me a very valuable lesson growing up: video games can be great, and can make you FEEL.

And boy, does this game hurt like a bitch because it's so good.

My top three games are Unwound Future, The Diabolical Box, and The Miracle Mask, respectively, but by far, I believe this is the best story (though TDB makes a close second).

In short, just like it's predecessors and sequels (or should I say prequels) the game is a work of art, with what looks to be hand-drawn sets, gorgeous scenery with tons of character. There's a lot to do with the game - Professor Layton knows how to keep you busy. The puzzles are amazing, as per usual. Some of them may be too hard for younger players or people like me who are to dumb, lazy, and impatient to spend the time to finish them all, but luckily, the games are usually more forgiving in that respect. A lot of the puzzles you get to save for later.

You love the characters, but this story has a lot more bittersweet emotion to it - in the Layton cannon, this is the supposed "last episode" of the series (the games coming afterward being prequels). From personal experience, this was emotional.

While I drew some relation and internalization from Diabolical Box, reminding me of relationships with people I knew and being a tender story about love and family (yes, I know, the usual...) TUF again, takes it to a whole other level with it's characters doing all the emotional buildup for us.

I'll try not to hype it up any more, although I easily could - but if you love Layton, you'll LOVE this game. I didn't give it the whole ten because I know people's tastes are different, but as far as alternative gaming material, at least in the late 00's, this is gold. It was even listed on GamesRadar's 25 best DS Games of all Time article, ranking #8. The reason I gave it a 9 out of 10 is out of understanding that maybe some people won't like the game as much as I or other 'near fanatics' would, and out of respect toward expectations - like I said, I don't want them to be too high before anyone plays this...

All in all, whether you've played Layton or not, GO PLAY LAYTON, AND PLAY THIS GAME. THAT IS WHAT A GENTLEMAN WOULD DO.

Tron: Legacy (2010)

You Need to Watch this Movie for Yourself.

[7/10 · 25 July 2017]

Personally, I give it a 10. I know I might even be overrating it, still, but I LOVE this movie, even though there are some things clearly wrong with it - the characters and dialogue aren't exactly revelations. You've seen them before. Personally, I hated the dryness and neediness of "female warrior" Quorra - otherwise, they're relatively harmless, which is the problem. You might as well call them cutouts, though Jeff Bridges is an absolute JOY to watch.

The plots a little vague as well - half the time (on the 1st watch) you don't really know why things are or what, but it's MUCH easier to follow than it's predecessor.

But what the film does great, it does AMAZINGLY. The visuals are overwhelmingly unique, gorgeous, and atmospheric, the soundtrack is one of the best I've ever heard, and they work together very well. The SPX are great, the sets are great - even when we're not in the grid, the city is beautifully portrayed. This was a very well-made, very attractive film, and not in a Hollywood sort of way where the "animation" is good or the "CG is nice." No.

I was aware that this was a Disney film when I started watching this - that was part of the reason why I was so uninterested in it at first. It was in the middle of a lot of Disney flops at the time, though when I finally saw it, I was blown away. Pleasantly surprised - it has a darker, colder tone to it, more mature every other Disney movie - even feeling almost like a stylish indie at times.

Again - this film isn't genius. It's not great, technically as a film, but turned out to be a personal favorite of mine and is destined to be a classic just like the original with it's unique tone, visuals, and soundtrack. GODDAMN THAT SOUNDTRACK. Watch this to know for sure for yourself - it's understandable if you don't like it, it really is. But if you enjoy it - then you probably will REALLY enjoy it. It's an experience.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Typical Hollywood. (1st paragraph is spoiler free)

[3/10 · 25 July 2017]

This film was something I legitimately tried to like. Really. Going into it, I had average expectations, hearing the hyper over it over the years, and I've always had a tangible interest in conditions such as schizophrenia. Though the movie does do some things that I like, the things that I find wrong are all the more troubling, to the point where I never want to watch it ever again.

So, here are the things I liked, at least at first:

• Russel Crowe's performance: believable. He did his job and did it well. I also enjoyed Ed Harris and Paul Bettany's performances.

(SPOILER) - Subtlety. At least, when it comes to the schizophrenia aspect... in the middle of the movie. I think the subject was handled okay, up until the end when it began to feel a little forced (although I would honestly need to comb through that again, of which I am not interested in doing). There's one part in which a desk ends up being thrown out the window. In the next shot(s), something happens in the background that hints to the instability of the protagonist's perspective, that you later understand as the viewer.

These are the things that bugged the hell out of me:

• This is a sappy and contrived Hollywood picture, that instead of bringing issues that catalyzes honesty emotion, the events set in motion feel false, redundant, and overdramatic. I perfectly understand the weight of some of the situations (or the plot as a whole), but at the same time it felt like the movie didn't take the subject itself seriously and was following a paradigm to try and be "one of those good movies."

• The mother effing romance. It was the most lackluster, flaky, force-fed, quickie-style romance I've seen in a movie this hyped. It felt artificial, it had no foundation or groundedness to it, nor chemistry, and worst of all, it was based on a real relationship that turned out much differently than what was shown in the film, and I feel is incredibly misleading and even PROPAGANDIC towards the whole relationship, which I feel is a disservice to the audience. It probably pisses me off more than most, but the romance in the film is so annoyingly recycled from every single film made in Hollywood. It was eye-rolling, and I simply can't stand it. In actuality, John Nash had an illegitimate son and had actually divorced from his wife and got back with her many years later. Why not include that? It simply didn't feel like it came from nonfiction source material. It felt like the oily, perverted hands of Hollywood.

• The material it was based on. This felt like fiction - "based on true events" is correct, but I feel like these aren't real people, life doesn't go exactly this way. This is based on a certain reality - not the reality in which it's ADMITTEDLY AND PURPOSEFULLY based upon, which makes it worse when a film like this turns out to be so run of the mill. If the tone and details are going to be changed, why not make it a completely DIFFERENT story altogether? What if this film wasn't based on a REAL MAN and his LIFE? The sins of this film would be much more forgivable, I think. But it's not. It's about "John Nash" and his "life."

Ultamitely, I would advise not to take the events of the film incredibly seriously, and judge by your own discretion if you have any interest in it.

Crash (I) (2004)

Still Entertaining... Aside from the Dialogue

[6/10 · 25 July 2017]

All in all, I actually enjoyed the film for what it was: it thrilling. Not to say it was a thriller, but there are points in which are incredibly intense and entertaining, and I'd say a watch is worth it for that.

Obviously, the film has some major flaws: just by reading the script, one could say that the film is a little full of itself. Maybe a lot.

The film begins with Don Cheadle talking off like it's poetry night, when in actually he's a detective in LA. A normal dude, right? "All this meddlin' glass..."

That's to say that in the least, the dialogue takes itself too seriously, trying too hard to make a point. The stronger points of the film are when the characters aren't saying anything.

The actions and the subject of racism in the film work to the extent of it's viewer's capability of taking these in stride. When I first watch the movie, I went in totally cold - it was more than a decade it was made and I had no idea what it was about.

The first couple of minutes, I got it. Racism is bad. Job done - but they keep dragging it out when I think it handled the subject best when it was just the characters living their lives with their worries, discomforts, and obstacles. This film is incredibly contrived.

Yet, I can't help but recommend it for some viewers, at least those who can stand/look past the cheesy dialogue and heavy-handed message - there are parts worth watching for, at least for when I saw it. I love the soundtrack, the actors are great, and the action is actually pretty good, too.

I don't recommend referring to any trailers. Most of the ones I've seen only give too much away. Go into this as cold as possible.

The Color Purple (1985)

Take out the Damn Tissues

[7/10 · 25 July 2017]

My mother and I made the mistake of watching this on Mother's Day, making it even worse:

This is kind of a hard movie to watch: the subject matter, really, which is a good thing and reminds us how different living watch back in history, especially for the people who had it the worst - black women.

While it's not a perfect film, it's very well made, emotional, and a watch that you'll never forget. The performances are wonderful, and definitely has Spielberg's touch on it. The subject being addressed is all the more important and really gets it across to the audience the conditions in which the characters live in, what they have to go through.

Definitely watch a comedy after this must-watch.

Rain Man (1988)

Watch this for One Reason:

[6/10 · 25 July 2017]

This is a solid film, though there's really only one reason why you should see this film, and that's due to Dustin's performance. If you're a Tom Cruise fan, then props to you, but much like how Chris O'Donnel's performance is pushed into the background by Pacino's in Scent of a Woman, Tom Cruise is a bore in comparison to Dustin. All you want to see is Dustin Hoffman disappear and become a completely different and believable man. It's quite an experience.

The movie (or plot) itself is not without substance: all you want to watch is Hoffman's character Raymond and his chemistry with Cruise's Charlie. The plot surrounding Raymond is incredible, and really takes its time for you to get to know and understand him, probably one of the greatest portrayals of autism on screen, though everything else that happens within the film fades away when he's not the focus.

As far as the gray areas or the weaker points in the film goes, it's namely having to do with Tom Cruise's character/performance, and let me press this in that I don't believe his character takes away from the film, though doesn't add much of anything either. This is my personal opinion - his central plot and personal objectives are more vehicular rather than entertaining, and in that sort, ineffective.

In general, the film is a joy to watch and certainly something to keep on the shelf, but namely in the way Scent of A Woman is watchable (although I do also believe this film is better).

A wonderful and somewhat nostalgic watch. All I can say is, well done Hoffman. Well done.

Fateful Findings (2013)

Even more entertaining than you would think.

[10/10 · 25 July 2017]

All in all, this glorious piece of work obviously took some effort: creator Neil Breen puts his all into this film as well as his others, each passion project being exactly that. The energy and the triumph that comes from someone working so hard on a film shows - even though the production quality isn't that great, the entertainment value certainly succeeds.

A while back, I saw the film before it's hype, discovered it on iTunes by accident. Even by watching the trailer you can tell it's something very special.

If you're not into not taking movies seriously or enjoying things with a certain humor, this film is not for you: it's powers are too great. Otherwise - buy this, buy Breen's other films, and DON'T WATCH IT ALONE. Watch this with whomever you can find, but most of all, watch this with your friends for the ultimate bonding experience.

When I first watched the film, I couldn't remember ever having so much fun watching a movie, SERIOUSLY. At least, not in a while, but just watching it made me very happy and brightened up my day.

Upon watching it with my crew, I can easily say that we were having the best time - anyone who happened to come by us was immediately curious and enthralled when catching eye of the film - and accordingly began questioning spending their time elsewhere.

Again, this isn't an experience for everyone, but upon watching the trailer, you should be able to gauge if this film is for you - and if it is, prepare yourself.

The Green Mile (1999)

one of the most important films of my young life.

[8/10 · 19 May 2017]

I love filmmaking, and this is why. This movie was so emotional and incredibly beautiful. By no means is it a "perfect movie" (because that's practically impossible) but this is pretty damn close. I knew I was meant to watch this movie, and I don't believe in fate. The acting goes above and beyond, especially considering Michael Clarke Duncan (RIP, buddy), Sam Rockwell, Tom Hanks (duh) and even the rest of the cast is on point (such as David Morse or Mr. Noodles or Mr. Jingles). Even just watching this movie makes me proud of cinema, of all those who were involved in the creation of this classic. Nice to look at, an intriguing plot, and characters easy to fall into due to their tangibility. Very well crafted passion-project. I saw this for the first time with my mother two years ago, and even today watching the trailer makes me emotional. It was raining outside as the movie wrapped up, we were hugging and crying hysterically. It's a hard watch, but you can't help but keep watching. I recommend this to everyone who truly believes in hard cinema -- watch alone or with someone you love, and hold them tight. To me, this is the perfect movie.