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Showing posts from January, 2017

Hidden Figures Review

What I liked: This was a great movie. The message is inspiring and important. The characters are delightful, more so because they are real people who accomplished real important things. They were relateable. All of the kids were adorable. Unlike Imitation Game which came across as a one man program, I felt like this movie did a good job of capturing the immensity of the efforts depicted: the space program and the civil rights movement. I laughed many times. I was touched by some of the moments. I unexpectedly found myself trying to explain the 1960's, segregation, and the civil rights movement in whispers to my Chinese roommate. This both emphasized the absurdity of the segregation laws and was a little unnerving. What I didn't: We got to the theater a little late so the only seats were in the front row. I wouldn't recommend watching it IMAX style. Once again this fits in the category of things that really never should have happene d so obviously I didn't like the pe

Captain Phillips Review

What I liked: I liked the suspense, I liked the acting, I liked that I got to watch it. I liked that the captain was really good and took care of his crew. The pirates were terrifying but I also liked that the movie made them more than just scary, it worked for me more than the little bit of scene of the captain getting dropped off to go to the boat in the beginning. I thought they did a good job of conveying the Captain's shock at the end. I was glad when I looked up the main pirate actor and found that he was not actually as malnourished and terrifying as he looked in the movie. What I didn't: I am concerned about the boats fighting pirates with water cannons. I also am not sure what the crew's plan was if they caught up with the pirates' boat. The pirates weren't that clever, at the latest when the navy seals got on the radio the pirates should have known something was up. I didn't really care for the part where the Captain jumps in the water, it seemed very

LA LA Land Reveiw

What I liked: What impressed me first about this movie was the really long shots. The camera zoomed around between rooms, up and over cars, and all over taking really long shots. That gave it a good feeling of being an on stage musical where your eye follows the movement of the action across the stage. The film's commitment to being a musical sky rocketed when it included a tap dance number. Followed by a random existential dance sequence. Most of the costuming at the beginning was clearly very musically too: bright colors, flippy skirts, bloomers. The story itself was fairly good and I thought they did a good job of capturing the decisions around making compromises and incremental progress toward one's dreams. The last song, the reprise of the piano solo that has been woven through the whole film, was really good and captured the feeling of what it if. I also really liked seeing the LA scenery I got to enjoy on my recent trip.  What I didn't: The commitment to full on musi

Edge of Tomorrow Review

What I liked: It was an original idea. Or at least an original meld of Groundhog Day, Halo, and Ender’s Game. It was a fun action flick. I also thought that Cruise did a convincing job portraying a cowardly skunk who transforms into an effective warrior. And there were some parts that made me laugh. What I didn’t: Still not sure what happened there at the end. Also what exactly are those aliens? I know the scientist said they were perfectly evolved but they really just looked like toothy tumbleweeds to me. Why do they even have that lever? Also it does seem like if you’re teamed up with the world’s best soldier you might be able to pull some strings like to not land on the beach for example. Who should watch this: It was a good action flick. Anyone who likes those Would I watch it again? Sure.