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jsmith65

jsmith65
Flick Fan
# Film Ratings: 20
Member Since: 16 Aug 2013
Location: Searcy, AR, USA
Bio: I love the film arts.

Recent Ratings

82 60%
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) - Rated 13 Apr 2014
Marvel takes the Iron Man 1 plot formula and applies it to the Cap. The results are a VAST improvement for this hero. The most significant element is, of course, the action; in a word, incredible. Marvel has some talented choreographers and they're work is apparent here. The action is largely grounded and gritty vs. the CG frenzy of other Marvel films. The plot is as derivative and cliche as any other superhero film, though I admire the valiant, though weak, attempt at a political commentary.
93 95%
Das Boot (1985) - Rated 13 Apr 2014
Das Boot is not a film. Das Boot is time travel. It reaches out to you through the screen and softly pulls you into its world. And it is lovely. And it is terrible. Men try to kill men and they're not sure why. The pressure pushes all good thoughts, all good memories, all light and love and warmth into darkness. Misery. Misery is an ever present cloak, heavy and damp. It's war. No coat of sugar here. No meaning to the heroism. I'm haunted by their faces, those friends of mine from das boot.
82 60%
The Raid 2 (2014) - Rated 13 Apr 2014
How do you improve on some of the greatest martial arts action ever filmed? If I knew, I'd be Gareth Evans, but I'm not. I wish I was though, because what Evans has done here is create one of the grittiest, hardest, most thrilling action films ever AND topped in every conceivable way this sequel's predecessor. Though the plot needs some tailoring, the action is a rush, the cinematography as innovative as it gets, and the plot and drama more than adequate. Hours later, my heart is still pounding.
84 72%
Blade (1998) - Rated 21 Mar 2014
Now THIS is a vampire movie. The vamps are vicious beasts as they should be, the blood practically bursts from the screen, and the action will give you an adrenaline rush. Not only is this film as fun as fun gets, but it blazed the trail for the behemoth that comic book movies would become. This makes it historic in addition to being criminally underrated. Take one of the most badass characters in modern action cinema, add Matrix style over-the-top action, and you've got yourself a classic.
93 95%
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - Rated 21 Mar 2014
The true masterpiece of the Star Wars Saga and my favorite. The performances and, therefore, characters are much more nuanced here. The film also takes valuable time to do some world building and mythology development and it makes the already well-textured world from A New Hope all the more deep and arresting. The reveal at the end is by far one of the most iconic twists in film history. Near flawless, ESB is a prominent dot on the timeline of modern Western culture and is a must-see.
58 12%
Unstoppable (2010) - Rated 21 Mar 2014
Fun for a moment, but get's pretty tedious towards the end. They should've had more failed attempts to stop the train. Best parts of the movie were watching the runaway blow through stuff. I wish the train would've crashed so that we'd get to see the massive explosion...so that's how little I felt for the characters. Engaging enough to throw on the screen for your friends on a movie night if you have absolutely nothing else to watch. It's pretty much just a decent excuse to pop some popcorn.
28 2%
Prometheus (2012) - Rated 21 Mar 2014
What a train-wreck. Prometheus takes all that was great about the first two original Alien films' mythology and makes a nonsensical mess of it. This film is the antithesis of what made the Alien franchise great in the first place. Characters act with foolish, contrived, unbelievable stupidity. The plot is a hodge-podge of ideas clumsily sewn together to form a messy, uneven, illogical tapestry unfit to wipe your ass with. The only redeeming element is the visuals. Fast forward through the rest.
72 27%
Heat (1995) - Rated 21 Mar 2014
Has some very memorable sequences. Pacino and Deniro never fail to entertain. The romance and family drama subplots fall flat however. This film should've lingered more thoroughly where it excels: at the point of a gun.
92 87%
Memento (2001) - Rated 21 Mar 2014
What Nolan has done here is impossible to overstate. Memento is very likely the most innovative piece of storytelling in a century. It does the impossible. By telling the story backwards Nolan brings the audience into Leonard's disoriented world on a visceral, tactile level. He gives the audience memory loss! It's astounding, and it allows us to explore deep questions about ourselves. Would I lie to myself if the truth were too painful? The true power of Memento is what it says about you.
74 35%
The Raid: Redemption (2012) - Rated 21 Mar 2014
This is as energetic as film gets. The Raid uses its cardboard plot as thin cabinetry to put on display some of the most brutal, raw, well-choreographed stunts and martial arts action ever conceived. That's the only pylon this film sits on, and it's the only one it needs.