Monday 12 January 2015

Movie review of American Sniper

American Sniper - 5/10
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Written by Jason Hall, Chris Kyle
Cast - Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner

Plot Summary
Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.

Review
Yet another "America is the greatest country in the whole wide world" propaganda bullshit movie. its basically the same old shit, which everyone else in the world are bored of. Every time I see a move like this, it always reminds me of Southpark's team America movie. Don't get me wrong,I love war movies, I just don't like propaganda shoved down my throat and this is sadly one of them.
Movies directed by Clint Eastwood are always slow paced. However American Sniper, I have to say Eastwood did quicken the pace,just alittle bit more. I do not know most of the actors so I cant really say much about the casting except for Bradley Cooper who did a pretty good job. He got that Texan accent down(even though he sounds like he was mumbling at times) and he even bulked up for this role. Apparently he spent 8 months preparing for it. So kudos to him for that. I guess he will probably get nominated for best actor but I doubt he will win it.
I could not recognize Sienna Miller and was taken by surprise when I saw her name at the credits. her acting was decent and she hid her British accent well.
Camera works and editing was decent, I didn't like the sandstorm scene.I understand the need to let the viewer feel that visibility is poor during that period but perhaps it could have been done better.
I don't think there are many sniper movies out there. American sniper could probably be among the top five sniper movies if not for the "America Fuck Yeah" bullshit. For me, my favourite sniper movie is enemy at the gate.


Worth watching on a weekday especially for sniper fans. I'm not a fan of snipers but that's because I play Battlefield and snipers can be arseholes. hahaha.


Quotes
Marc Lee: You got some kind of saviour complex?
Chris Kyle: No. I just want to get the bad guys, but if I can't see them I can't shoot them.

Navy Doctor: Would you be surprised if I told you that Navy has credited you with... over 160 kills?
Chris Kyle: [Hums]
Navy Doctor: Do you ever think that... you might have seen things or... done some things over there that you wish you hadn't?
Chris Kyle: Oh, that's not me. No.
Navy Doctor: What's not you?
Chris Kyle: I was just protecting my guys, they were trying to kill... our soldiers and I... I'm willing to meet my Creator and answer for every shot that I took.
Chris Kyle: The thing that... haunts me are all the guys that I couldn't save.
Chris Kyle: Now I'm willing and able to... be there but I'm not, I'm here I quit.

Recommended movies done by the director
A perfect world
Space cowboys
Mystic river
Invictus

Movie review of Taken 3

Taken 3 - 5/10
Directed by Oliver Megaton
Written by Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Cast - Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace

Plot Summary
Ex-government operative Bryan Mills is accused of a ruthless murder he never committed or witnessed. As he is tracked and pursued, Mills brings out his particular set of skills to find the true killer and clear his name.

Review
I have always enjoyed watching Liam Neeson aka Mr Father Figure's movies. Why I call him that? Well that's because most of his films, his roles have been like a father figure. Now I liked the first Taken,it was fun to watch. Second one was absolute shit. To be honest I wasn't very keen to watch the third one in the cinema. I watched it because there were no other interesting movies.
I have to say Taken 3 is way way much better than no. 2 despite certain flaws. I really hope this is the final one cause the last thing we need is a Taken 7 and Nic Cage is Bryan Mills. Casting was so so. As usual I never liked the daughter aka Maggie Grace. She just can't act and worse tends to overact as well. One thing I got to give it to her is consistency. She has been consistently annoying and fuckall for all THREE movies. If you notice carefully, she has at most 2 expressions throughout the whole movie, crying or frowning. Taken 3 would be much better if the daughter died instead of the mom. Really... it would be great. It was nice to see Forest Whitaker on screen,his role reminded me of another detective role he did in the TV series, The Shield but abit more subdued.
Action sequences are abit slow and rough. I did not like the camera work and editing, it was way too shaky and some of the cuts aren't smooth. There weren't any interesting kills and the fight choreography was alittle dull. Script was boring even the phone call lines sucked

Overall, fans of Liam Neeson will enjoy Taken 3 despite some of its plot holes. At least it is way much better than the second one. Worth watching on a weekday or at most watch it online when it is available.

Quotes
Franck Dotzler: If you go down this road, the LAPD, the FBI, the CIA... they're all gonna come for you. They'll find you. And they'll stop you.

Bryan Mills: Good luck.

Movie review of The Judge



The judge - 5.5/10

Directed by David Dobkin
Written by Nick Schenk, Bill Dubuque
Cast - Robert Downey Jr, Robert Duvall, Vincent Donofrio, Vera Farmiga


Plot Summary
Big city lawyer Hank Palmer returns to his childhood home where his father, the town's judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth and, along the way, reconnects with his estranged family.

Review
I watched this movie because of the cast and the father son bonding thing ( I have a soft spot for father son movies). Despite the good cast, the judge was disappointing. There were a few pretty decent actors but sadly they were underutilized Actors like Vincent Donofrio and Vera Farmiga could have had more screen time instead they chose to focus more on Robert Downey Jr and Robert Duvall. Don't get me wrong though. Both those guys acted well but I felt the movie was let down by the plot holes.
There were just too many things put in and never properly tied up. You have that awkward scene with Vera Farmiga's daughter and Robert Downey Jr and then the retarded younger brother which like i said was never tied up. So you have no idea what happened to them. There were a few teary eyed scenes which were nice but the judge was way too long. 2 hours and 20 mins. How long are you gonna be teary eyed for? I got bored after the first hour and couldn't wait for the movie to end.

Just wait for it to be on cable or you can give this a miss.

Quotes
Hank Palmer: Everyone wants Atticus Finch until there's a dead hooker in a bathtub.

Doc Morris: Wow, this isn't an act, is it? You really aren't a pleasant person.
Hank Palmer: Right now? I'm a summer breeze. Once I subpoena you, get you on the stand and extract the truth from your ass like tree sap THEN you'll realize in THAT moment, correct, I'm not a pleasant person.


Recommended movies done by the director
Wedding Crashers
The Change up