jimmyiowa
Lifetime Total
1+
IMDb Member
14 years
Reviews
La linea (2009)
Underrated at 5.2
Wow, it's getting to where I really can't trust IMDb ratings to decide what to watch anymore. This movie is underrated. I suspect many people who rated it low, wanted more explosions and car chases. This is not an action film. It is a subtle yet intense look at how a person can be extremely tough yet so very vulnerable at the same time. There are no feel good characters. No role model action heroes. No clear cut lines between good and bad.
Other reviewers have noted that it was confusing. Admittedly the script was confusing at first. It wasn't clear who was motivated by what, and what flashbacks meant what to whom. But about halfway through the film it starts to come together beautifully and continues to do so to the interesting and somewhat moving end. If you stop waiting for the gratuitous action scenes which never happen, and just watch the story, it works well. Yes, some plot points seem a little unrealistic, but that's why I put the story at only a 7.
While the story is good, the acting is all around superb. I have never been the biggest Liotta fan. He's good, but like a lot of tough guy character actors, sometimes his tough guy persona crosses the line into bluffery in my opinion. Not here. He was near perfect. Almost everyone was, including minor characters played by people I have never heard of. No fake looking bluffery, nothing overdone. I would give this a 7 for story and direction, but the acting puts it up to 8.
Also, the music was as wonderfully chosen as the actors. There was a point in the middle of the movie where one character began to cry. We aren't shown explicitly why, no details, but we are shown enough to understand and fill in her story for ourselves. I found that one scene, with the song from Melody Gardot, particularly beautiful.
In a nutshell, I would describe this as a smoulderingly intense drama. If you are looking for an action thriller you will be disappointed.
Other reviewers have noted that it was confusing. Admittedly the script was confusing at first. It wasn't clear who was motivated by what, and what flashbacks meant what to whom. But about halfway through the film it starts to come together beautifully and continues to do so to the interesting and somewhat moving end. If you stop waiting for the gratuitous action scenes which never happen, and just watch the story, it works well. Yes, some plot points seem a little unrealistic, but that's why I put the story at only a 7.
While the story is good, the acting is all around superb. I have never been the biggest Liotta fan. He's good, but like a lot of tough guy character actors, sometimes his tough guy persona crosses the line into bluffery in my opinion. Not here. He was near perfect. Almost everyone was, including minor characters played by people I have never heard of. No fake looking bluffery, nothing overdone. I would give this a 7 for story and direction, but the acting puts it up to 8.
Also, the music was as wonderfully chosen as the actors. There was a point in the middle of the movie where one character began to cry. We aren't shown explicitly why, no details, but we are shown enough to understand and fill in her story for ourselves. I found that one scene, with the song from Melody Gardot, particularly beautiful.
In a nutshell, I would describe this as a smoulderingly intense drama. If you are looking for an action thriller you will be disappointed.
The Objective (2008)
under rated
I am surprised at the relatively low rating. This was an engaging and intriguing movie. Much superior to the general ghost movie or slasher thriller set on a teenage campsite or "unexplored island". The narration format worked well, in my opinion. The location and acting were convincing. I definitely wasn't bored at any point in the movie. Subtly creepy and slow suspense build. I was always kept wondering what comes next. Unlike most movies I would be eager to watch the next installment – okay so tell me, what happens now? This was much better than Blair Witch, which was silly, non-scary and unbelievable, and which for some reason has a higher IMDb rating.
The Children (2008)
Below average
I'm fairly easy to please with horror movies. I don't ask for artistic perfection, just some passable entertainment. If I laugh instead of flinch, then okay, that's entertainment too. But this movie made me do neither.
First off, it was quite slow. What I suppose was intended to be suspenseful build up was simply 30 minutes of directionless boredom waiting for a plot to become apparent. Then even once the action got started, there was still parts that simply seemed to be time filler.
Several of the violence scenes are pure chaos. Essentially just wild shaking camera movement, with some flashes of objects being knocked over, a few flash frame close-ups of someone's eyeball, or a twirling lawn ornament, and then when the camera shaking stops....someone is hurt or dead. Hmmm, okay.
But the most irritating aspect throughout the entire movie was that the parent's actions and reactions rarely make much sense at all. Like your daughter just clawed someone's face bloody at the dinner table - so then the mothers sit having some calm discussion while the little girl is heard upstairs screaming? Or your 5yo daughter is in a tent with a huge trail of blood leading up to it - so you stop and think a while, then sloooowly tip toe up to the tent and pause and look around before bothering to look in at your daughter? This movie is filled with utterly implausible character reactions to the violence going on around them.
First off, it was quite slow. What I suppose was intended to be suspenseful build up was simply 30 minutes of directionless boredom waiting for a plot to become apparent. Then even once the action got started, there was still parts that simply seemed to be time filler.
Several of the violence scenes are pure chaos. Essentially just wild shaking camera movement, with some flashes of objects being knocked over, a few flash frame close-ups of someone's eyeball, or a twirling lawn ornament, and then when the camera shaking stops....someone is hurt or dead. Hmmm, okay.
But the most irritating aspect throughout the entire movie was that the parent's actions and reactions rarely make much sense at all. Like your daughter just clawed someone's face bloody at the dinner table - so then the mothers sit having some calm discussion while the little girl is heard upstairs screaming? Or your 5yo daughter is in a tent with a huge trail of blood leading up to it - so you stop and think a while, then sloooowly tip toe up to the tent and pause and look around before bothering to look in at your daughter? This movie is filled with utterly implausible character reactions to the violence going on around them.