i do until i don't

The whole premise for this movie is not a bad one. It brings up the question as to whether marriage life for these modern times is even sustainable. It looks into this querie with pessimistic and optimistic point of views, which gives the story it's driving narrative. It's not necessarily unique, nor does it add anything truly new to the topic, but it's not a bad one for this film to tackle. I just wished the film could have actually been up to the task of it's premise. 

Writer / Director / Actress Lake Bell seemed a little misguided in how she wanted to do this movie. With the different sets of characters involved in the story, it seems like it's suppose to be some sort of screwball comedy. Unfortunately it's just not that funny. There are many character moments of eccentricities, quirkiness, and awkwardness that are suppose to provide the humor and charm, but it just doesn't work. If it doesn't come off as obnoxious in some areas, it comes off as just too pretentious. 

What also doesn't help is the plot of having a documentary within the movie, which I think is the major flaw of this film. It's unnecessarily distracting, and only makes things more convoluted than it seems like it had to be. I get that it's suppose to add to the zaniness of it all, but it just didn't work on me. Although if it wasn't for the documentary angle, we wouldn't have gotten the silly joke that revolves around the name "Egon," which I actually found funny. 

Although I am pretty dismissive of "I Do... Until I Don't," I actually did like how the final act played out. It seems everything that I didn't like about it had to lead to what the eventual conclusion of the story was going to be. That may be so, but the good final scenes of the movie only made me think that the rest of the film could have been just as good as those. 

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a taxi driver

If you are familiar with the real life event that was the Gwangju Uprising of 1980, then you know what you are getting into when watching this movie. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what happened, you are in for quite the history lesson here. This movie covers a very emotional and powerful event in South Korea's modern history, and I'm glad to say that this adaptation successfully captures that emotion and the significance of what happened. It absolutely resonates well with what is going on in the world today as well, which only adds that little bit of relatability that only bolster the feelings you might have for it. 

History lessons aside, the other main highlight as to why this is a phenomenal movie is the taxi driver himself named Kim, played by Song Kang-ho, who is absolutely incredible in the role. What makes the character work so well is that while he is a fictionalized version of the real taxi driver involved in the historical event, he still acts as the audience surrogate. He is an everyday man, flawed in many ways, and is hardly the ideal hero for this story. Kim's story arc throughout the movie is quite the journey and adventure though, and it'll become very hard not to root for the guy. The supporting cast themselves are also really good, but this is Song Kang-ho's movie through and through. 

As powerful and emotional the premise of the movie is, it's still an adaptation. I say that because it's easy to fault some of the direction in this movie, when it goes down plot turns that verges too much on the typical cliche plot tropes. There are simply some predictable and unbelievable turn of events that threatens to ruin the suspension of disbelief. For a lesser movie, those could ruin the good will you might have for the whole production, but the combination of the strong performances and powerful premise should help you ignore most of the movie's flaws. 

Filled with intrigue, and action sequences, "A Taxi Driver" is like a political adventure thriller that packs an emotional wallop that should stay with you well past the credits. It will likely make you look up with happened at Gwangju on that year, which should only make you appreciate what this movie has accomplished. Excellent film. A must see! 

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it

As the newest adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name, "It" has a lot to live up to. Not only is the novel a classic, It has to contend with the fact that the original mini-series; that had the great Tim Curry as Pennywise the dancing clown, is really well loved by many, and is known to have scared a lot of kids watching it. Does this 2017 version as directed by Andy Muschietti live up to the great expectations? I would say that yes it does. It most definitely does. If some kids weren't already scared of clowns before, they probably will be after seeing this. 

There's a lot to like about this adaptation. At 135 minutes, this movie moves at an impressive pace. Mixing in character developing moments back to back with the scary moments is done in such an efficient manner, that by the end of the whole thing, I just wanted more of this good stuff. I also appreciated the fact that while there are many really well created creepy and scary set pieces here, I don't think the movie went overboard with the scares. A jump scare here, an ominous moment there, or a little bit of bloody gore, this movie allowed the premise itself to provide the stuff of nightmares. Although there was one particular set piece that was uncomfortably dark and creepy, that it was arguably the most realistic scary scene of the whole thing. 

Bravo to Bill Skarsgard for giving us his own great take of Pennywise. Although some of his monstrous forms can be attributed with the help of CGI, Bill himself was fantastic in the role. The whole young cast itself is phenomenal here! Some times capturing the spirit of youth can be hard to translate on screen, but these talented kids pulled it off greatly. Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, and the rest of the gang really carried this movie. I particular like the fact that just like kids in real life, they constantly keep teasing each other, which also helped add that welcome levity to this horror tale. 

Although there were just enough character development to allow you to have some attachment to these scharacters, I admit that there were a few that were given just a little bit more attention than the others. While the narrative itself was told well, there were some plot holes whose answers were just left to our imagination, and that may annoy some viewers. So besides the fact this may not be a completely perfect movie, "It" is still an absolute blast to watch. Fun and enjoyable entertainment, to go along with the idea of a killer clown that lives in the sewers. Good times! 

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patti cake$

This is your typical struggling musician underdog tale, kinda like an "8-Mile" movie for large sized white girls from New Jersey. At least, that's the most general description you could give this film. Yes, the narrative is very familiar, and it goes through the motions and story beats that you expect it to go. It even has a competition at the end that needs to be won. There are moments that feel contrived, and there are questionable character motivations as well. All I've just said are reasons why somebody would not like this movie. However, just like the lead underdog character, you need to give this a chance. 

Truth be told, I was apprehensive about watching this, because it didn't seem like my kind of movie. I was wrong. This unsuspectingly became my kind of movie. A movie with a lot of heart, and grand but intimate moments that pulled on my heart strings. There are some big scenes that are either expected and telegraphed, or just come out of nowhere, but they just managed to grab my attention with a sort of personal honesty that absolutely justifies itself; despite some of those cliches and familiar plot tropes. This movie is filled with these big moments, and it's simply fantastic. 

It's a musical! Although it might not seem like one, the sheer amount of music, songs, and rap, that occur in this movie warrants the description of this being a musical. Speaking of which, the songs are good! The rap are good! You can argue cultural appropriation and what not, but I thoroughly enjoyed what I was listening to, and I was immediately compelled to listen to the official soundtrack as soon as the movie was over. Going back to the "8-Mile" comparison, there is even a song that is done in the same vein as Eminem's "Lose Yourself." 

"Patti Cake$" has the vision of Writer-Director Geremy Jasper to pull through with making this movie as good as it is, despite the odds against it. The whole supporting cast is great as well and contributed to the strength of this film. From Bridgett Everett, Siddharth Dhananjay, Mamoudou Athie, and even Cathy Moriarty. Of course, the one element that really carried this whole movie is Danielle Macdonald, who is simply amazing in the role of Patti, and probably the primary reason to see this film. 

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gook

As an alternative point of view of one day during the Los Angeles Riots in 1992, "Gook" is able to bring up themes that are still very much relevant to this day. Being angry at the world. Hating without reason. Racial tensions. A disappointing government. Surviving on your own. Dreaming for something better. Looking for a place to belong. Cultural identity. These are a lot of things that many people can relate with, and writer / director Justin Chon channels all of that into the different characters in this story. 

The decision to team up the characters of a struggling Korean-American shoe salesman, with a young African-American girl that constantly ditches going to school, is a compelling premise. I admit that I also found the relationship between Eli and Kamilla, to be quite endearing and touching as well. We follow one whole day with the two characters and go through a roller coaster of events that is filled with simple moments of going through a car wash, confrontations with the cranky liquor store owner, and tense situations involving racially charged violence. The supporting characters played by David So, Sang Chon, and Curtiss Cook Jr, also significantly adds a lot of different dynamics to the story as well. 

A lot of the movie does focus on the themes of anger, hate, and frustration. There's a lot of yelling going on in this one, and a lot of cursing. Speaking of which, I'd like to specifically single out a sequence involving characters constantly yelling "F*** You" at each other, which I found to be pretty funny. So despite scenes of certain characters getting beat up, or the many intense arguing, there are still those moments of light-hearted levity, and thought-provoking conversational scenes, that help break the very serious tone and mood that this movie has. 

I was originally tempted to compare "Gook" to Kevin Smith's "Clerks." It's in black & white, and it follows some clerks through a series of different situations. However, instead of discussions that diverges into pop culture commentaries, this one segues into more grounded talks about race and about trying to get by in life. 

lovedit  ENJOYED IT  itsokayitsmehitsterrible

what happened to monday

Right from the opening exposition montage, I immediately liked the dystopian sci-fi premise of this movie. Global over-population. Mandatory one child rule. Oppressive regime. Seven identical sisters who are in hiding. Chase sequences. Shots fired. Things go boom. Yes, there are a lot of elements in this film that should feel familiar to most movie goers, but the combination of all of them has produced an entertaining sci-fi thriller anyway. 

Probably the main highlight of this movie is that Noomi Rapace has to play the seven identical sisters, and somehow manage to make them look and act different from each other (hello Tatiana Maslany). I give Rapace a lot of credit on pulling off acting as seven different characters in one movie, and it is for the most part an incredible feat. It's not completely convincing in some regards however, but it's good work nonetheless. Although it's not as demanding, I have to also give kudos to Clara Read for playing the younger version of the sisters. 

The story itself is enjoyable enough to keep you watching until the end of the movie. As a thriller, it keeps a decently good pace to keep the excitement going. As a mystery, it's just enough to keep you guessing, but you'll likely figure the whole thing out before the final act. I would say that while there is a derivative feel to the plot progression, it should still manage to surprise you with some scenes. If there are any real problems with the screenplay, it's the fact that there are some obvious plot conveniences, that threaten to ruin your suspension of disbelief. 

While "What Happened To Monday" has many moments of cleverness, as well as some very thought provoking themes, it unfortunately doesn't feel like it completely meets it's own ambitions. It gets really close, but not quite there. Either way, I had a lot of fun watching this, and that's usually what matters the most. 

lovedit  ENJOYED IT  itsokayitsmehitsterrible

the only living boy in new york

Maybe Woody Allen should have written and directed this movie. Not wanting to toss too much shade at the screenwriting by Allan Loeb, or the directing work by Marc Webb, but if they were trying to emulate the eccentricities and random neurotics of Woody Allen's writing and characters, then they kinda didn't hit that goal. They definitely tried to at least, and there were some good ideas found in this movie. Unfortunately, there are just too many things that I had issues with. 

On the problems with the writing, besides the air of pretentiousness and idealism in the premise, the story simply asks too much from the audience. It starts off with some promising set ups for a fun but dysfunctional drama, that's filled with colorful characters. By the end of the movie however, it all becomes a set of manipulative plot turns, that revolved around too many unbelievable character moments. Needless to say, there will be people who will roll their eyes at how the story resolves itself. 

Even with a strong cast, which includes Kate Beckinsale and Jeff Bridges, the characters are disappointingly either over-written or under-written. The most complicated character is Callum Turner as Thomas Webb, but he goes from charmingly emotional, to annoyingly full of himself. The whole movie revolves around him, and he just comes off as infuriating and annoying! I get that there's a coming-of-age aspect to his plot, but it just comes off as being too fake and overly romanticized. 

I was really hoping for "The Only Living Boy In New York" to be a good and compelling romantic drama; not unlike Marc Webb's "500 Days Of Summer," but it simply does not share the same kind of charm and appeal. 

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good time

Would you watch a 100 minutes film that follows some unlikable and despicable characters that you're not going to feel sympathy for? Would you watch a movie where a lot of mishaps and unfortunate mistakes happen to the lead characters, but they're not done in a funny way? No to both? Well then maybe "Good Time" isn't for you. Speaking of which, the movie title is kinda ironic, because the events that happen in this story is not what I would describe as a good time. 

As a crime thriller that takes place within a one day time frame, it does have a gripping and visceral quality to it. A lot of it has more to do with a "how are they going to get out of this mess" kind of thrill, so there's some merit to this. Of course, depending on how you feel about the characters and the situations they put themselves in, you're either going to find this movie exciting or frustrating. Many times, I found myself disgusted, disturbed, and disappointed, with several of the actions the characters did on screen. I was actively rooting for them to not get out of the mess they were in. All I had going to keep myself watching until the end of this story, is that I was genuinely compelled to find out how the story ends. 

Even though I felt like I was watching some morally objectionable things happening on screen, I got to give the Safdie Brothers credit for directing such an in-your-face and unpredictable experience, that kept me eyes glued to the screen. The moody tone, dark plot turns, hypnotizing sound track, and super tight camera angles, all work in unison to give us this unromantic look at how horrible things can happen to horrible people. The lead horrible person is Robert Pattinson, who does an incredible acting job as this sociopath; or "sociopathetic," who goes through this odyssey of misfortune and misbehavior. I just wanted to punch him in the face. 

It's true that this oft-kilter crime thriller can be described as a cinematic visionary work of art, but I just felt like I watched something too grimy and off-putting for my taste. I somehow think the story would be more entertaining if it was verbally told to me, because actually watching it was probably a little too overwhelming for my taste. 

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death note

First off I should point out that I've never read or seen the original source materials for "Death Note;" the manga, the anime series, and the Japanese live-action movies. I'm going into this American interpretation without much "baggage" in how it handled the adaptation. Just based on this movie however, I've got to say that the concept and premise of this story is genuinely interesting. The story progression and the characters involved are actually fascinating. The ideas presented here are good, and there are some cool moments. With that said, the movie is all over the place, and the script is not that good. 

It seems that one of the major problems this movie has is that it feels like it's rushing through things. It seems like it's just going from plot point to plot point, without letting things grow and breath in a natural way. If you weren't paying attention to the plot, it's likely that you might find this convoluted and confusing. Even if you were paying attention to the plot, you might still find it convoluted and confusing. The characters themselves have some poor dialogue, that's mostly just used for exposition. You will probably still understand why the characters act and do certain things in the movie just based on it's familiar plot tropes, but the movie itself doesn't earn it's own rationality for it's own characters developments. 

I want to just write-off this movie as a poorly written misguided mess, and how the Direction by Adam Wingard is just putting finding ways to put insanity and madness on screen. Oddly enough though, it's the insanity and madness of it all that might be the saving grace of this production. Once you accept the craziness, it becomes easier to swallow the chaos thrown at you on screen. You just have to ignore the illogical flaws, plot problems, and an overdose of over the top ridiculousness though. Despite the fact that it's so unbelievably unhinged, oft-kilter, and derivative, you might still end up having fun with the whole thing anyway. I did say "might." 

At least the movie deserves some credit for having Willem Dafoe be the voice of the Ryuk character, as he is good in it; for what there is for him to do. Margaret Qualley and Lakeith Stanfield also seems to be having fun with their characters at least, and I feel like it does carry through on screen in a madcap way. Nat Wolff unfortunately doesn't seem to know what he wants Light Turner to be as a character, and he's the main protagonist. 

Needless to say, this movie is not going to please everybody. There are already premeditated reasons why certain groups of people are going to hate this adaptation, and the movie doesn't give them too many valid reasons to change their minds. For everybody else, this film is just another one of those that had potential to be much better than what it actually ended up becoming. 

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birth of the dragon

It seems that Director George Nolfi had to do a bit of juggling with the narrative to this movie, because it appears that there are three main protagonists here. There's Wong Jack Man, who is a Shaolin Kung Fu Master looking for penance. There's Bruce Lee, the brash but skillful Wing Chun expert with ambitions of stardom. Then there's Steve McKee, the martial arts student who finds himself as an intermediary between the two. Yu Xia as Wong Jack Man is great in the role, Philip Ng is impressively fantastic as Bruce Lee, but unfortunately Billy Magnussen really does come off as just the "token" white American in this story. 

As a film, this one seems to be an homage to the 1970-1980s B-Movie American made classics of martial arts flicks, that tried to capitalize on the growing popularity of Kung Fu in the West. The plot involving Steve McKee and a woman trapped under a debt to a Chinese Mob certainly fits the bill as a typical story trope found in those Kung Fu flicks. That's the least interesting thing about this movie of course, because this is after all a fictionalized story that is inspired by the true but controversial 1964 fight between Wong Jack Man and Bruce Lee. I suppose this could also be an homage to those "Bruceploitation" movies that showed up after his death. 

That whole derivative story involving the McKee character which acts as the through-line that triggers the fight between the two martial arts legends, is to put it mildly, unfortunate. However, if you don't mind Mckee's hokey and uninspired story line being in this movie, you should be able to appreciate the plot involving Wong Jack Man and Bruce Lee anyway. Truly, the reason to see this movie are for those two legends. The fight scenes were also pretty good, and very entertaining to watch. I also liked a lot of the creative slow-mo sequences within the action; especially the point of view shots. 

It's easy to dismiss this movie as a blasphemous depiction of Bruce Lee's history, but I really think Philip Ng deserves a lot of praise for this, as well as Yu Xia. I also have to say that I appreciated the fact that just about every role in this movie is played by an Asian, with the token white boy character of McKee being the only exception. So as much as I can complain about certain things about this movie, it does still feed into that simple entertainment value as a fun enough Kung Fu flick to check out. 

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