The hand guiding this ride doesn’t really nail it. The cast all show up though. Some script alterations and tone control would have gone a long way.
Author: Verse
Forrest Gump (1994) 5/5
Living in a timepiece of America through Forest and Jenny is as touching today as it was back then. It is not just a touching story about overcoming adversity, that would be far too small for this grand tale.
Run Hide Fight (2020) 0.5/5
I did not know what this was before going into it. I picked a random movie and just went. It took very little time to be know it had to be some politically driven film. Then it gets way worse with all the speeches.
I don’t care who makes the movie, but this was so in-your-face trying to stroke its hero complex to full attention. Uneven acting and poor direction add to the films problems. I see some people calling it Die Hard in a school, how dare you.
The biggest thing? For a movie that tries to be shocking, it really is dull.
The Finest Hours (2016) 3/5
Nothing is superb and nothing is awful. Solidly a middle of the road journey.
Alien: Covenant (2017) 2.5/5
The ending, begging you to be surprised but just sucking all of the excitement out of the action packed air because you know what is coming, takes the movie down a lot. The start of the film was great, promising something that blended Prometheus and its philosophical side with a bit more horror. However, it all derails.
Additionally, you never get the sense of fear from daring stunts or horrifying sights that you would expect, like you got from the original Alien. You are seeing awful things and witnessing daring stunts, but the characters aren’t responding as if that is what is going on.
I’m really bothered by Covenant in a similar way to Prometheus, it is so damn uneven in its executions. What ultimately hurts the movie most though is the former, you cannot build suspense for so long on something that is so obvious.
I will say that the aesthetic of the franchise feels more realized here than in Prometheus. Plus, just like in Prometheus, there are a couple of scenes that are cool on their own.
The Black Phone (2021) 4.5/5
Derrickson hits a home run here with a chilling performance by Hawke and surprising newcomers.
Dallas Buyers Club (2013) 4/5
Wandering just a little bit at times but with a strong cast and a lot of good choices.