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Review Mousehunt (1997)

dinsdag, 14:54

genre: comedy
Videocassette is a contraption we used before there was dvd or bluray.
One can mistake this as amusement solely for children but I think Mousehunt goes deeper than that. Ever had mice in your house? If you have then you can relate to the destruction these cute and smart little creatures can cause. In fact only if you have experienced first hand of what these mice are capable will you appreciate this movie so much better. Now at times Mousehunt does seem to be more like a live action version of Tom and Jerry. And there is nothing wrong with that especially when catzilla makes an entrance. That was just hilarious. Some over the top cartoony sequences there might detract a little from the subtle comedy that is present. Still it is there if you look for it. The use of string in the film other than it is presented as a product is symbolic. It could represent the ties between the main characters in the film.  But it could also stand for fate or destiny. Every one follows a certain path. The mouse could be the reincarnation of the deceased father or it could just be one of the pivotal beings one encounters in life to get to where you need to be or belong. Am I serious? Dead serious. The use of symbols is not something that can't be ignored. I have to commend the film makers for not going overboard and thus make it pretentious. Some art house film makers could learn from this. Too often they make films that have this air about them, you don't get it so you probably are not smart enough to comprehend. Not realizing that any one can make what they make. Being smart and intelligent is where you present an idea in a way that it is accessible to everyone. To then inspire or motivate you to think about certain things in a less intrusive way. And this is what Mousehunt does. It has several layers covered within the cartoony mouse versus people antics. I read some reviews where it was stated that they did not think Mousehunt was funny. Well, purely as slapstick comedy it is nothing that different from others in the genre. But add the context of ever having to deal with mice in the house and it becomes brilliantly funny and very charming. Nice touch was that the mouse is seen as the original occupant and the people as the intruders. In my opinion this is a comedy that is underrated and deserves more praise.

Review Remember Me (PS3)

20 nov, 21:52

genre: action/adventure,beat em up

Checking the latest offering on Playstation Plus a title popped up I actually did not hear much about. Now I know from experience sometimes very good titles suffer from poor publicity or simply that they can't compete with the success of the newest titles that have come out. After seeing a trailer I was very intrigued by what is promised.
Remember Me looks phenomenal. I am not a graphics hound but I could not help but be impressed at times. The visuals were so beautiful I felt compelled to explore if only you aren't really encouraged and are able to because your path is linear and confined. You can pick up some collectibles or upgrades but nothing else. This to me seems like a missed opportunity. Some side missions to go deeper into telling or explaining what makes this world so bad and why these memory hunters need to rectify or change it so badly would have given the main story more and much needed weight and depth. 
The story is one of several problems I had with this game. Initially there was a hint of potential. Especially with our main character, a memory hunter being able to remix memories. The idea is an intriguing one and therefore hard to understand that not more has been done with it. Throughout the game there are only four times the player is given the chance to remix where again the potential of the premise becomes apparent only never is fulfilled. To me it was one of the most interesting game mechanics and if you think of what is possible with it you can't but help to be disappointed. Remember Me to me even with all the excessive combat is basically an adventure game where story and some plot developments are very essential. Then you can’t just come up with a standard story where at the end you might be scratching your head and ask yourself. Hang on the game is over? This is the end? 
I mentioned the excessive combat. It seems a lot of focus went into the combat giving the notion it is deep but just saying it is doesn’t make it so. Compare it to any beat em up or hack and slash and you see where Remember Me just falls short. Variety and fun. Take Ninja Gaiden for example. Yes, it is not fair to compare but bear with me. Ninja Gaiden’s combat is deep and engaging. And while some combos might be difficult to pull off you have a lot of options. Even the most simple moves can be effective. All this would not mean anything without the fun factor attached to it. You get rewarded for taking the time to learn the combos plus it feels satisfying to have pulled them off. Even if you find the game difficult it still is fun to play. In Remember Me the combat is a lot of work and it did not look like the combos even after upgrading had much impact. I felt no incentive whatsoever to make my own combo. Apparently there were 50.000 possible. Somehow I missed all that.  Now I must admit that I could not be bothered to pay much attention to the combo lab. More because of how it was explained. Which was very poorly. And a lot of it also has to do is that to me there was not much need for it. In later levels the challenge or difficulty consisted out of waves of enemies ganging up on you instead of having a few strong ones where actual skill was required. More challenge was added since new types of enemies were introduced you only could defeat in a certain way. Fine if it is just a few times. But if these enemies keep returning wave after wave then I can tell you it can become tedious very fast. It comes down to sticking the quickest and simplest,standard combos and mashing the buttons as quick as you can while avoiding the enemies. Now I don’t want to complain too much but the camera can also be a huge enemy. When enemies pile up at you and you have little space to manoeuvre in it would have been nice to have a much faster camera and also one that would take some distance. One plus point though of having the camera close up is that you get a nice view of Nillin's rear.  Chapter 7 is a good example of how ridiculous the game is designed. Little variety, not much to the story and way too much combat. Check out my gameplay videos underneath. Now some of the boss fights were fun. Only in hindsight they served more as tutorial how to defeat the different types of enemies and never really impress.
The little platforming that is present just serves as a change of pace as it is not challenging at all. Not much can go wrong apart from a few occasions it was not very clear where to go. Why put it in if there is not much to it?
I had trouble to be drawn in when I started playing this game. Only after I left it alone for a while and picked it up playing again I could motivate myself to stick to it. The best way to enjoy this game is to play it in sessions. Although I can imagine people rage quitting because of the tediousness and repetitiveness of the combat and not much else to do or to experience.
Overall Remember Me is a very forgettable title that had a lot of potential. Real shame that it got wasted. 

Review The Family (2013)

16 nov, 15:03

a.k.a. Malavita (2013)
genre: crime,action,comedy

For this review my approach will be different. And I will tell you why that is. I am a big fan of everything that Luc Besson puts out. If his name is attached to the production then at least I know for sure I will be entertained. How depends on the genre and the tone. But usually it is action mixed with comedy. After not having seen from him I could not be more psyched about a Luc Besson movie starring none other than Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones. With actors of that calibre and Luc Besson at the helm what could go wrong? As it turns out quite a lot.
Here I was really getting into it and patiently waiting for the film to unfold in that special delight I was expecting. Sadly after one hour and six minutes I could not tolerate it any more. I stopped watching. All this time there was not one truly hilarious funny event. There were hints of jokes that got started but never got delivered because the punch line was missing. I know it is all meant to be funny but I barely could chuckle. A lot of the jokes are so lame I can't believe that Luc Besson who brought us gems as the Taxi franchise or Leon could be so underwhelming and plain bad. Maybe one could argue that the comedy is of the subtle variety and that one has to dig deep. Robert De Niro plays a mob boss. Apparently a very important one because he gets protection since it is made clear that he even has connections to The White House. Giovanni Manzoni perceives himself as a good man. There is a sequence where he mentions the reasons why he is good. Here was a moment where the comedy should have been sharp and witty. But the reasons that are given firstly aren't illustrated well and don't really coincide with what is being said. Plus there is no need to have a sequence like this since Giovanni constantly is saying how he is looking out for his family the best he can. The fact that he is a total psycho is what makes his perception supposedly funny. I would have bought all of that if he was truly shown in another light on occasion. Yet we only get to see very little of real goodness. And then the violence no matter how brutal becomes tedious. It doesn't help that the other members in the family also are violent and psychotic. Isn't there more to them?
My thoughts on the rest of the film:I watched all of it and I am happy to mention that Luc Besson did not let me down completely. He added a little more to the table to make it interesting. There is a realisation in some of the characters that they are screwed up and are trying their hardest to become normal. Their inability to do so is tragic and compelling. Most apparent concerning Bella Blake.  Then there is the compulsory explosive action finale that is less stylish as we are used to from other Luc Besson flicks but effective enough. (One of the goons in the finale is David Belle (inventor of Parkour). What he was doing is a real mystery to me. But I hope this means we will see more of him doing his thing because he can provide the kind of action I am craving for.) I think it is fair to say that the finale is a redeeming factor. Still not enough to make me forget about the first hour. Overall I found The Family to be a disappointing affair. I was hoping for so much more. Luc Besson dropped the ball on this one.
Additional note:
The Family in it's premise reminds me of a Dutch movie called Flodder (1986) which is directed by Dick Maas. It is about an asocial family whose house gets demolished and as compensation end up in this rich luxurious suburb where mayhem and chaos ensues. While maybe the most of the jokes are of the slapstick and crude variety some of it can be seen as a social commentary that is quite sharp and witty. Also I liked how the family portrayed in that one truly cared about each other and acted more as an unity.  So if you  manage to get a hold of this then do so since it is much wittier and entertaining. 

Review Deadly Blessing (1981)

10 nov, 17:11

 genre:thriller,horror

Reading the synopsis of Deadly Blessing it sounded like a story similar to Wes Craven's classic Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). Naturally I had to see for myself if that was really the case. And maybe from re using one pivotal scene I could not detect more similarities. Since most of what is transpired in Deadly Blessing is too weird and unique. Wes Craven makes good use of red herrings and these misdirections made the film a lot of fun. Each time when you think who the killer is you are steered in another direction. Add that Eighties horror atmosphere (that strange enough only Eighties movies seem to contain) and you have yourself a compelling viewing experience. But Deadly Blessing is a little slow. And not a lot of events occur on the screen. Although off screen you can sense something is brewing. Depending on what version you are watching keep watching till the end since it made Deadly Blessing totally awesome (at least for me). It caught me off guard and that does not happen to me often. It's a little out there but I can promise you it makes everything about Deadly Blessing so much better. I also liked it how our main character Martha Schimdt (portrayed by Maren Jensen who is most famous for her role as Athena in the original Battlestar Galactica) wasn't easily scared and was just as strong as any male character in a similar role. Girl Power long before the term became a cultural phenomenon. Sharon Stone also has a small role and she looks gorgeous but god was she annoying. Another face you might recognize is Douglas Barr who starred in The Fall Guy with Lee Majors. Ernest Borgnine is truly menacing as the Elder Isaiah and gives a lot of quality to Deadly Blessing. 
For me Deadly Blessing was a fun watch because it does a lot of thing rights. It might be a little too slow for some. But for people who are getting tired of current horror films and like me like to travel back into time to discover older horror gems I surely can recommend this one.  

Review Haunter (2013)

10 nov, 16:22

 genre:mystery, horror

The best description I can give of Haunter that it feels like a very well done episode of The Twilight Zone. Haunter has much more going on but there are some elements that detract from the viewing experience. The mystery that is presented to us is solid. You do wonder what it's going on however for fans of the genre it is pretty obvious from early on. Even then Haunter manages to creep you out to the maximum with minimal means. There are quite a few moments where you feel your heart pumping with excitement. Only at one point when it becomes clear what is going on it begins to drag. And really annoyingly. Here is where The Twilight Zone analogy comes in. The story is creepy and compelling enough for a duration of 50 minutes then every event after is just there to prolong those 50 minutes. Basically this movie would be excellent as an episode of an anthology series as The Twilight Zone but as a full film it can become quite tedious. Still overall I think this film shows how horror does not need blood or gore to manage to scare or freak you out. And I wished more contemporary films would follow this example. Definitely worth the watch, but be aware that after the first hour it can become tasking to remain watching. Although when you do you will get a satisfying ending.

Review Chinese Zodiac (20120

9 nov, 22:17

 a.k.a. Shi er sheng xiao (2012)
 genre:action/adventure,comedy

It had been a while I watched a proper Jackie Chan film so I could not wait to finally watch one of his latest productions. And with this entry being part of the Armour of God franchise I was expecting old school action with an old school Jackie Chan. Sadly we only get to see old school action Jackie in some action sequences. Especially the first one. That one is so spectacular that everything after pales in comparison except maybe some stunts in the finale. While I did find Chinese Zodiac to be entertaining I missed so many things that I did not get that feeling I usually get from watching a Jackie Chan movie. The one most important element I was missing was proper martial arts scenes featuring him. Although we do get to see newcomer Zhang Lanxin into action which was very nice. So nice even that I am hoping to see more of her in upcoming movies. While I do like stuntman Jackie Chan I like martial artist Jackie Chan a whole lot better but maybe we should get used to this. After all Jackie Chan is getting old. Another Jackie Chan I missed was comedian Jackie Chan. Sure one should have his own political beliefs and all but does that mean you can't be funny any more. Serious Jackie Chan is such a downer. Still with all the flaws and elements that were lacking Jackie Chan still shows he can do stuff at his age other people only can dream off. Chinese Zodiac is disappointing for old school fans but has enough to not write Jackie Chan off completely. Let us see what he will bring in Police Story 2013.

Review Identity Thief (2013)

9 nov, 21:41

 genre:comedy

One of the most essential elements in a comedy is that it makes you laugh. Somehow the makers of Identity Thief seemed to have missed this point. It's more a drama with hints of action and humour. The very little humour that is present is the less clever kind that was bordering to disgusting and obnoxious. It also did not help that the story was predictable. Which I usually don't find bothersome if there was more to the characters or the jokes. But Melissa McCarty was not very likeable. And Jason Bateman could have been more colourful. I understood Melissa needed to play her role that way in order to make the transformation into a good person have more impact. If not for the fact she played her role in The Heat the exact same way. It might not be fair of me to judge. But having seen her in this, The Heat and Mike and Molly I do get the impression she is very limited as an actress and also as a comedian. Exactly what makes her so funny? I am not seeing it. Apart from this why did the people behind the funny Horrible Bosses failed to put something fresh into this? It would have been nice if they would have at least tried to. There is no point saying more. Avoid this one!

Where did my youtube comments go? November 2013

9 nov, 17:24

In case like me you have been surprised with yet another change in Youtube you must have discovered that your comments have disappeared on you. Instead of making it easy Google has found a new way to complicate matters.

Here is what you need to do:

- Go to the Google plus account directly attached to your Youtube Channel


- Go to page settings


- Go to Profile within page settings


- Enable tabs within Profile option.



At least that is what worked for me. 

Review Red 2 (2013)

9 nov, 13:37

 genre:action/adventure,comedy

Red 2 revealed it's origins in the title sequence which was a pleasant surprise since I was not aware Red was based on a comic book series. Less surprised was I to find out that the comic was a serious affair as opposed to the movie. While I enjoyed the humorous take on espionage and all that it felt it did not belong there. And only was made bearable or fit because of the incredible actors. 
Red 2 is clearly more aimed at laughs than the first one and for the most part that detracts from any serious plot element that is being told. Again the comedy is made tolerable because of the big names featuring. Except for one,Mary-Louise Parker. Sure she made me laugh on occasion but overall she was very annoying and utterly fake. I don't care if she wants to quit acting because of the bad comments on the internet. In this case she deserves it. Besides for the amount of money actors and actresses make these days it is only fair they get criticized for the roles they are playing. The whole duration she was only able to produce a few expressions and all of them involved smirks where you ask yourself  WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU.  The other actors compensate for this the best they can and here it is shown how having solid actors in a film can help immensely. 
Another huge problem with Red 2 is the story. It simply is not compelling enough. Just enough to go from one action scene to another but without real investment. Here is where the light heartedness tone is hurting. A little more effort in building tension and would have made the difference.
That being said, I found myself enjoying Red 2. How was I able to? Well, first of all after seeing the first one my expectations weren't that high to begin with. Secondly I was hoping for Red 2 to contain more cool action and on that front it delivered big time. Byung-hung Lee was a welcome addition in the cast where he could showcase his martial arts skills. Although I suspect that got lost on the ladies and some men the minute he appears half naked in his introduction scene. 
Breathe, it's just a man who takes care of his body, nothing special!Now don't expect to be completely blown away by the action but compared to recent action movies I have to say Red 2 is one of the better ones. So yeah,lower your expectations to a minimum and you will be able to enjoy it.         

A Haunted House (2013) versus Scary Movie 5

8 nov, 23:35

genre: parody,comedy
Good parody movies are a rarity and recent ones are only made to make a buck. This is obvious in the laziness how the parodies are handled. Like only referencing to the movies being made fun off or certain pop culture icons that happen to be big at the time. David Zucker was a master and proved that in classics like Kentucky Fried Chicken, Airplane and Naked Gun. If you compare one of these to contemporary ones you simply won't believe how much quality writing has declined. Still I am hopeful that one day that film maker will arrive to deliver the viewer the high quality parody movies that he/she deserves. So what of A Haunted House and Scary Movie 5? Are they the ones to rekindle the genre or just another set of examples for studio execs to earn money without even bothering to entertain? Let us find out.
A Haunted House (2013)
 Let me cut right to it. A Haunted House is the superior of the two. With Marlon Wayans that was to be expected. Since this film is basically a return to his work in the first two Scary Movies. But it does require you to be in the mood for. A Haunted House is filled with some nasty and raunchy jokes that on occasion will make your stomach turn. Still A Haunted House does do more than referencing. It takes something from a scene and then goes beyond making a new joke out of it. I disliked Paranormal Activity with a passion and could not wait to see how they would parody it. And they did it satisfactorily. Actually this parody is even superior to Paranormal Activity. Say what? That is how I feel about it, so deal with it.
Scary Movie 5 (2013)

 I already knew in advance not too expect much from this fifth entry still the hope was bigger than the fear. And good god. it was even worse than I imagined. This is without the doubt the worst in the franchise and maybe even in the entire genre. At least in the first three they were making real efforts to do something special. Here it lacks every element to make it stand out even for a few seconds. I can't remember any of the scenes other than that scene where Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan were parodying themselves. Actually when I think about it that was kinda funny. Will it help to say that it was the best joke and that it goes downhill from there?  It is hard to believe that David Zucker who once made me cry with tears of laughter could write such rubbish.
So obviously A Haunted House is the winner. But would I recommend it. As I said you need to be prepared and in the right mindset. It is one of those better enjoyed in company. If you were contemplating between Scary Movie 5 and A Haunted House then of course I would advise the latter. Still I would rather advise to stay clear from the genre for now. 

 

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