palavitsinis

IMDb member since August 2012
    Lifetime Total
    100+
    IMDb Member
    11 years

Reviews

Logan
(2017)

It's sad but that's life... Even for Logan!
Went to see this movie with a knot in my gut. With a realization that this is the end of the line. Come on, this is not a spoiler, we all know it already! Logan is not dead either way, as new iterations of the X-Men could come at any time..

Wolverine gave life to Hugh Jackman as he gave life to the role. No matter who comes along, Jackman will always be the first one that came so close. Just like the comics were sketched after him...!

The movie was awesome. It kind of grabbed you by the hand from minute one and never let go. It was dark and gloomy and it kept crushing your hopes over and over again, when you tried to think that a miraculous comeback could take place.

In movies like that, I feel that there is no room for actor critique, for long and exhausting analyses, etc. Logan was f*** awesome! It is an end of an era, till proved otherwise at least, and it's dark as dark night was in a sense. Just get out there and go watch it...

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
(2016)

Didn't live up to expectations. Pretty nice though
Reading about this film and its story line, I did expect more from it. Loved the idea and the concept as it unfolded in the beginning of the movie, loved the atmosphere, but somehow I felt that a specific "wow" element was not there. Still cannot explain why, but this was my feeling.

Don't get me wrong, I did not expect to see Prof. Xavier's school with mutants, etc., but I did wait something more. Peculiar was right to the spot as a word cause that's what these kids were in the end. The movie was really Tim Burtonish, which is a good thing always! Photography was awesome as well as the scenery and setting of the movie.

Samuel L. Jackson was amazing as well, both in his acting but also in terms of his character! A really pleasant movie to watch, even with your children. I really really enjoyed it, despite the fact that I had higher hopes for it. I do recommend it of course, highly!

The Accountant
(2016)

Jason Bourne studied finance!
Maybe 9 out of 10 is way too much, but for me, this was the kind of movie that hit the nail on the head! I loved every minute of it from beginning to end.

Plausible? Most probably (99.9%) not. But it's OK! This guy was as bad ass as it gets! Loved the action scenes, loved the plot and the flashbacks throughout the movie, loved it all! I even forgive the apparent plot twist which I suspected.

I liked the fact that the director and writer kind of knitted together lots of the aspects of the movie. I liked all the small coincidences that kept everything together, and especially being a person that really believes that the world is a tiny tiny place, I also believed every single one of them.

J.K. Simmons was nothing short than amazing as was Ben Affleck that really needed a good film like that I think. Anna Kendrick was mediocre and I really can't see why she's in so many movies lately. I would have liked for the movie to work a bit more on this part of Affleck's character though (women).

Having said that, this is a movie that is best watched with the audio really loud, and with company. It's a wow movie in more than one moments. Nice one!

Deepwater Horizon
(2016)

Amazing
Given the fact that this movie is about a tragedy, both on the human side but also on the environmental, maybe the word "amazing" is not the best to entitle my review. But in any case, this movie is really worth watching.

It's about the courage needed to face adversities and come out of them in one piece. But it's also about standing up for what you believe to be true, no matter what others might say.

This movie was about the worst oil spill in the history of the US and at many points it's really shocking. I particularly felt my stomach in a knot when this seagull entered the bridge of the ship near the rig.

Mark Walberg was amazing but Kurt Russel was also breathtaking. I was also impressed by all the mechanics and technology involved in the process which are usually a black box for people that are not involved in this business.

Overall, a really informative movie with some really interesting acting from all the actors involved and of course a really inconvenient truth that has to become a lesson for all of us.

Sausage Party
(2016)

Had something going on but not anything special
I am being generous with this rating I think. I am not an extreme hater or an avid fan. I would place myself in the middle of the spectrum. The movie has a really really interesting concept. I really liked the fact that food in the supermarket is kind of a metaphor for the human race (amazing work with the food by the way - amazing artwork there). I like the fact that religion is also part of the discussion etc.

There were more than one times during the first half hour of the movie that I was actually impressed by the metaphors and the plot. After the first half hour though, the movie became a repetition of the same thing, totally predictable, with some glimpses of laughter and went down the hill overall.

The ending was also as pointless as it could be. I think that this was one of these movies that kind of aims to go into depth with things and till a certain point it does, but in the end it goes too deep for anyone's taste.

I would watch it again cause it seems like a movie I wouldn't want to miss, but the feeling in the end is that the movie promised more than it could deliver, or to be on the same context as the movie, it bit more than it could chew!

Bad Moms
(2016)

It was fun! Nothing extraordinary but fun indeed!
If you're looking for a comedy that will make you laugh to tears, this is not the one. It's nicely made with the occasional laugh and some humor that will be appealing to parents mostly.

Having said that, I really enjoyed this movie! Especially Kathryn Hahn was awesome in her role. I think that her character was the most interesting in the entire movie. Christina Applegate was also really really good!

I enjoyed the part in the end of the movie where the main cast members talk together with their mothers. This part was really sweet and it's worth watching. Although the movie greatly exaggerates the life of a working mom, it does so in order to point out specific aspects of our behavior and it does a decent job as far as I am concerned.

It's a nice movie for a relaxed evening at home. Nothing more, nothing less.

Storks
(2016)

Cuteness level: infinite...
This is one of these movies that even if you don't have kids, you will sit down and watch it yourself, either way. I really enjoyed the story line, which was pretty clever if you ask me. The whole story with babies and storks, although it may seem too old in the beginning, as the movie progresses you see that this new spin was really really interesting.

The CGI was super, the characters were amazing and overall, the movie only gets better and better towards the end. Pigeon Toady was THE character for me, but other characters were also equally funny throughout the movie. Really enjoyed the wolf pack, all of them, as well as the way the reacted to the baby.

Being a new parent myself, I really sympathized in more than one occasions with what was going on in the movie and laughed really hard.

Flight
(2012)

You have to draw the line somewhere
Flight is a really really provocative movie. It's an epic story of a man that is torn in the inside. Denzel Washington's performance is textbook. He's amazing, breathtaking. Throughout the movie, he's the most hateful character in my opinion, but at the same time he's a hero. A really well balanced movie between two extremes. A movie that balances between divine and devastation.

He's probably the worst and biggest enemy of himself. He's many things but when the lies pile up that much, and when time comes to show if he'll once more let everyone down, he makes the right decision and gets rewarded for it. A reward that is not material in nature but more of a moral one.

This movie is highly recommended. Highly!

Doctor Strange
(2016)

Welcome Mr., Master, Dr. Strange!
Amazing! As I have pointed out in more than one occasions, I am really a sucker for Marvel movies. I am. But this one was brilliant as well. Filled with action, a nice plot, cool superpowers (or more like human powers) and quite some sense of humor that didn't hurt the story line.

This was an amazing addition to the Marvel universe. A really amazing one. Enjoyed the movie from beginning to end (stay for the last shot a while after the ending titles, as always). Benedict Cumberbatch was a worthy Dr. Strange, indeed, and I can't wait to see him in the next movie that his character will be involved.

Mads Mikkelsen was also brilliant as was Tilda Swinton who was the ideal candidate for the role she had. Could not imagine anyone else in her part. No one! If you haven't caught the movie yet, hurry cause it won't be around for much longer and then you'll have to wait for the DVDs to come out! Brilliant!

War Dogs
(2016)

As real as it gets
I was not aware of anything related to this movie till I watched it. Not even the story behind it. I just watched it and was amazed about the story told.

It is amazing how two guys in their early 20s could pull all of this off. And how stupidly the American army procurement was taking place. It's really breathtaking that someone could pull this off, making as much money as they did. Both main actors were amazing. As was Bradley Cooper for the little amount of screen time he got. I really believe that these two are within the most promising actors of their generation.

The movie itself is high pace, really concentrated, with lots of things going on all the time. It was intense at moments and really powerful at others. I really enjoyed it and to be honest, was quite pleased with the way things turned out in the movie!

Jason Bourne
(2016)

Well, not anything special but still good
I think that stopping at the third movie, would be enough. But even so, this movie was still good. I think that Matt Damon may have been more "pumped up" than ever in this one.

The plot of the movie is more or less the same. Once again, one of these kind of programs that create super soldiers, etc. and some background information on this, involving different people this time.

The movie does not offer many more, apart from a brilliant cast and some scenes filled with some really impressive fighting (but these were already there). It's a good movie, don't get me wrong, but still, after all these years playing with the concept of the trained killer that can go into buildings, etc. without being seen, is kind of getting old.

The movie is ideal for a relaxing afternoon, but it's nothing special. I hope that if they go for a fifth one, they will put some work into the script.

Florence Foster Jenkins
(2016)

Sweet, human, charming, a lesson for life
This movie is brilliant on so many levels. Of course, right from the beginning, no one would expect anything less from Meryl Streep... Hugh Grant was also amazing which was something I did not expect. He was breathtaking. Simon Helberg was also up to the task. I have to admit that I was kind of afraid that he could not step up next to Meryl Streep, but he was one of a kind as well.

In a movie that is all about protecting the people you love and supporting them. And at the same time, this movie is about doing what you love, no matter the obstacles that stand in your way. It's all about setting out and doing something instead of waiting and waiting for perfection and doubting yourself.

This movie is about a lady that may be completely unaware of her true potential, overestimating what she can do. But nonetheless, a lady that stood there and opened herself up to the mockery, in the end rising up above all the small things.

And of course, this movie serves as a reminder that sometimes, you should just let the ones you love take the fall and not protect them at all times. When Hugh Grant did this, even unwillingly, it actually set her free and allowed her to see the truth for what it was.

La pazza gioia
(2016)

Thrilling performances. Solid!
I found this film by accident and did not regret a moment watching it. Depression is a maladies of our times. Of the modern society. As well as bipolar disorder, these are some illnesses that people frown upon or are reluctant to discuss.

This movie depicts the effects of these diseases and shows more than one inconvenient truths. Balancing between the world of the ill and the real life, it shows how it is to live with a sickness like that and how little distance exists between these people and the ones that are considered healthy.

The leading actors were breathtaking. Being able to act as a bipolar in such a way is not an easy task. This movie has lessons in store for everyone that is interested in seeing what these people go through. And as far as statistics go, you probably have some people in your midst that deal or have dealt with similar issues.

This is not an easy movie. Don't get fooled by the "comedy" genre. It has some comic moments but it's mostly a punch in the stomach if you're up to the task of watching it.

Valkyrie
(2008)

Nicely done! Thrilling!
Haven't watched this one, although it's pretty old! I saw a trailer the other day and decided to watch it. Amazing movie. A really nice outlook on an aspect of Hitler's Germany that not many are aware of.

I don't know if this is a propaganda or how much of the movie is true, but still it shows an aspect that is really interesting. The movie keeps you at the edge of your seat, anticipating what will happen next.

It's amazing to see how Hitler affected Germany and how diverse were the feelings and opinions about him, even in his own ranks. It would be great to also see some of the inside secrets of the German dictator at the time, although the movie already shows enough. The actor playing Hitler was also pretty good!

Nicely done with nice costumes and an incredible cast! Tom Cruze was really really good. I also loved Bill Nighy in his role. It's a movie that you must see!

Captain Fantastic
(2016)

Unique movie
This movie challenges lots of things that we wrongfully take for granted in today's society. Mortensen is brilliant for yet another time and all the cast is simply breathtaking.

The concept of the movie and the backstory were brilliant. A touching movie, heartwarming and brilliant all along. A father that although strict and sometimes military like, who's also artistic and deeply sentimental. An amazing depiction from Vigo Mortensen. Amazing.

A movie that in a simple but yet elegant way depicts all the things that have altered our society and brings forth lots of the things that really matter. It makes us think about the ways we were raised and rethink the ways in which we want our children to be raised.

This is a movie well worth your time. One of the best movies I have watched in 2016, by far!

Independence Day: Resurgence
(2016)

Will Smith would have changed everything
I don't know. Six seems like a lot, five seems a little low, but it's closer to five for me. Although the first one was really really awesome, this one just fails to deliver. It's a nicely made movie that kind of stepped into the previous one, but in some weird way, it does not excite nor thrill.

I would have loved Will Smith in it. I would also have loved if they could take some more time to ease us into the movie, explain a couple of things first, make a better connection with the previous one. It seemed like the movie was rushing itself to get to the part with the aliens once more.

The way they were defeated in the end was too similar with the previous one if you ask me, as was the overall story. I would expect something more. I would also expect less Sci-Fi. I mean, even 20 years after the first attack, the planet could not have changed as drastically and dramatically as the one in the movie. It was all too much.

Too many characters also, not nicely depicted, which was more confusing for the viewer than it was exciting. In the end, I am thinking that whereas the first one was a pioneering movie for its time, being one of the first movies that depicted such a clash with aliens in such a nicely done way, this one comes at a time when this concept has been done a thousand times, failing to provide something different or worth mentioning.

It's a pity

Swiss Army Man
(2016)

Awful - disgrace of a movie...
First of all, I would like to clarify that I am a movie lover. I watch everything, from utter crap, like Adam Sadler movies, or Will Ferrell to the "deepest" and most challenging or provoking movies. I consider myself intelligent enough to grasp a concept or two.

Having said that, this movie was one of the worst wastes of time I have ever experienced. I stayed with it, till the end, so that I can have a valid and grounded opinion. I really expected something that would change my opinion towards the end, but this "something" never came.

This movie is rubbish. I have not read a single review (looked at 10-20 of them) that can actually justify what the heck this movie is about. The only thing that I read constantly is how much of a masterpiece this movie is and how it handles serious issues etc. What are those issues? Does anyone care to elaborate? Or is this one of these movies that conveniently has a thousand hidden messages that can be interpreted in a million ways? Well, I have news for you. You can look at literally any movie like that. Even Fast and the Furious...!

This movie is apparently about a Nekrophile, that somehow finds a body that is washed ashore and "adopts" it. He is ready to commit suicide or something and then he discovers the body and starts to interact and talk with it, forming some kind of a bond that even results to them kissing! At some point, he actually put a cork in the body's bottom, to keep water inside so that he can drink out of it (or some other elaborate metaphor, too difficult for my simple mind). Lots of "clever" metaphors here and there, that should make you think about death and life and how some things we pay attention to really don't matter, etc.

In the end, as it turns out, although the guy seems to be taking some journey to return home after being hypothetically stranded somewhere, he was actually in a creek behind a residential area the entire time. Wow! Didn't see that one coming! And he's some kind of a lunatic or bipolar or I don't know what. In the end, Radcliff, disappears into the sea, farting his way in its blue vastness. Should have turned the DVD player off as soon as he did the same thing in the beginning of the movie.

Don't waste your time!

Suicide Squad
(2016)

Weird and confusing but good enough
First of all, this was a really good idea if you ask me. Secondly, it was really well-made in many parts of the movie. But there was something that didn't fit. Fist things first. I really jumped at the opportunity to watch a movie with all of these antiheroes in it. Loved the concept (not aware of the related comics, so don't judge me for that).

When the movie started showing the background of the villains, some of the information about them although playfully presented, were a bit all over the place. Seemed like some things were too much even for such kind of a movie.

Didn't appreciate the element of these beings as well. The movie could have been a perfectly nice one, without the addition of the supernatural element in this sense. The story was plausible but on the other hand it seemed like something they cooked up so that they can make a movie. Nothing too special behind it.

Overall, it's a seven, only based on the fact that I love this kind of movies. If it was not a DC-Marvel-like movie, it would have gotten a five at best. Should work a bit harder next time though. For the time being, this was a big disappointment for me.

Warcraft
(2016)

A bit lower than rated, but still solid
Warcraft is an amazing theme upon which you can make a movie. It has really left a mark on millions of players worldwide, most of whom are now in their early or late thirties (or even more). I was amazed to see it come out and I was really intrigued by the trailer.

In the end, having watched it, I think that the trailer promised a lot that the movie could not deliver upon. The movie lacked a nice introduction to the entire universe, the way LOTR was able to do it. There are tons of elements to show and explain and the movie just cut to the chase, which was something I did not appreciate. It could have built on the story more.

The movie itself was nice. Really nice CGI, horrifying monsters, the works. I enjoyed every moment, although it could be a bit more stretched. Maybe even have a first part and a second one, all with the content from this one movie. Costumes were great, actors were also really nice, but still, it was a little to less compared to what the trailer offered.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
(2016)

Nothing special
As the first movie for this franchise, it could have set the scene a bit better. It could have taken advantage of the elements within the comic books and narrate a more interesting story. The visual effects were nice, although a bit too much at some points.

Having the NBA involved was a nice idea but it would not be needed if the movie actually had some content of its own. It was a mediocre attempt. The points I gave, are mainly cause of the memories and the nice way some things were handled.

It was more of a movie for kids and not a decent grow-up movie. I would expect more from it. Even the plot was too simple and really dependent on the original series. My overall feeling was that something was missing from the movie.

A Hologram for the King
(2016)

Hanks always delivers
It's not the movie with some spectacular topic behind it or a captivating story. It's a movie about real life. About all the hard dilemmas and the dead-ends someone can reach. It's a real movie. The acting by Tom Hanks is as always amazing.

The scenery where the movie took place was captivating and the story line was sound. I enjoyed it from the first minute to its last. It kind of liberated me in the end. It's a movie that kind of depressing in many aspects but it also has it humorous moments.

I would definitely recommend this one for a relaxed afternoon. It's a simple movie, a movie about life and I definitely feel that we also need movies like that.

Bridge of Spies
(2015)

Excellent! Tom Hanks delivers once again
After watching Sully, I went back to see some movies with Tom Hanks that I had skipped. Bridge of Spies was brilliant. The way in which a civilian, although a lawyer, was dragged into this whole thing and the way in which he handled it, was amazing and thrilling to watch.

Mark Rylance was also breathtaking in his role as Rudolf Abel. The movie had a really nice plot behind it, amazing scenery and photography in general, and it did keep you at the edge of your seat. It was quite long, but still I felt like it could have used some extra time towards the end.

My favorite moments were of course towards the end of the movie, when all loose ends are tied up one way or the other. Overall it was a performance by all actors but also by Tom Hanks in particular that was up there with all the major roles he has portrayed so far.

Sully
(2016)

Oops, they did it again!
Well, Sally is one of those movies where you can just tell from the cast and director that it's going to be a heck of a movie! You just know.. I was reluctant myself to go to the movies and watch it cause it seemed more of a pay-per-view film to watch at home. It's not.

It's masterfully made, keeps the sense of suspense high and although the movie is not revolving around the specific time that the accident took place, but goes beyond that point in time, it's still amazing. I loved all the flashbacks and leaps in time.

Tom Hanks seems to be raising the bar over and over again and it won't be a surprise to see him get an Oscar for this. He depicted a determined, professional but deeply human pilot that managed to do what no one thought could be done.

This movie is all about surpassing human limits and living up and beyond expectations. It's a movie about the real world and a real movie at the same time. It's a high-quality, high-fidelity and high- standard one. It's the best movie I've seen so far within 2016.

Spotlight
(2015)

Hard topic, brilliant movie
Well, when you choose to watch a movie with such a "difficult" topic, you're always kind of "on the fence". I have to say that I really enjoyed every minute of the movie (as much as enjoy can be used as a verb in this type of cases).

Amazing acting, wonderful cast and a truly breathtaking story that no matter how inconvenient it might be, it was 100% true. Mark Ruffalo and Liev Schreiber were truly amazing as was Stanley Tucci who's one of my all time favorite "chameleon-like" actors.

Especially the character of Marty Baron was a weird one, as you instinctively disliked him in the beginning but for me, as the movie went on, he became one of my favorites. I would highly recommend the movie, even if you're not in the mood for something really deep or with lots of moral questions. I actually wanted to watch a cartoon instead but the movie captivated me from the first minute to its last...

Hotel Transylvania 2
(2015)

First one was better - still a good one
The first one was such a big surprise. It goes without saying that this one was also really nice. Lots of laughs even for adults and a really nice script. I loved the animations, keeping a right balance between scary and cheesy. It was a really pleasant movie to watch for a grown up, so I can imagine that kids would definitely love it too.

Loved the great vampa figure (no spoiler there) and definitely liked the monsters in this one too. The movie was relaxed, did not drag out too long and again it was filled with action and laughs. I think that this is the last of its kind on the same topic. I guess that if they go out to do a third one, it will have to be on a completely different topic.

Having said that, I hope that if the trilogy is completed, it will be with something even more hysterical!

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