Isherwood

This film features the action of 300, the epicness of The Lord of the Rings, and the childish humor of all sorts of cartoons. However, you just can't get everything done in ninety minutes, so the originally planned animated event of the year remains only a technological treat (will there be an Oscar?) that works in HD for the eye but SD for the brain. I wouldn't take the kids to see it but the adults. Snyder was quite off with this one. I give it a weaker three stars.

For the first few episodes, it's clearly looking for a space in which to operate, then it turns out to be a likable cozy college series that conjures up one smile after another. In the last third, it definitely devolves into an endless quotation (and parody) of everything you can think of. Yes, Modern Warfare is undeniably great, but the chicken wing episode a la Goodfellas seems like it directed by Scorsese himself. This is a series I really enjoy that makes all the comedy stalwarts of today look like malnourished paupers.

Science fiction from the 1950s with all the trimmings. There are plenty of overgrown aliens destroying everything that comes under their tentacles, especially with incredibly stupid characters. All but one of them think like the inmates of a diagnostic institute, so it has an almost slapstick feel at times. AVP II was no coincidence and the Strause brothers are not good storytellers, and while they try awfully hard, their results work for about the length of the trailer (or before that a music video or commercial).

This is a nice demonstration of how we are able to defend capitalism until the "invisible hand of the market" touches us directly. Then we become the most die-hard leftists, defending common values. But I understand the protagonists because it's all about the nature of man as such. Although the documentary does not say anything new, it is not entirely out of place to remind ourselves of a few "public secrets" from time to time. Save water, drink beer.

We’ve seen this scheme many times before, and sometimes better (at one point even the main character watches "the" bit on TV), but I like Affleck's sympathetic direction, which doesn't rush the archetypal characters through the plot, but without unnecessary subterfuge, matter-of-factly, and engagingly. The fact that at times it is too tightly gripped in the clenches of tired templates is unfortunate, especially in the moments when the more adept viewer can guess the next steps of the characters before they do. Regardless, that certain old-fashioned style only serves it well. I’m looking forward to Affleck's next film immensely.

The first episode sets up the entire vision and then the group of survivors move on. And meanwhile, we get four episodes in which nothing happens! Only the pilot, charged with emotions like Remington ´870, and the finale, which brings something new, are slightly above average, the rest of the episodes are unwatchable boredom. What takes an hour could be done in half the time. In retrospect, I can't remember what it was all about when family squabbles are resolved in a flash, and the shooting of the perfect (phenomenal make-up work!) zombies takes minimal time. Such a sparse plot wouldn't even make a feature film, let alone a six-part series. I actually watched it because I was waiting for "something." This is the biggest trap for TV audiences in a long time. The audience success overseas is a mystery to me, but in any case, I can understand why Darabont fired all the writers in the run-up to the second season, even though I actually don't care much about its origins.

It's about the characters. These guys may be assholes sometimes, but they’re still people. It’s simple and impactful as hell, but unfortunately also quite long considering the subject matter. In the finale, it's a bit "frozen" after all.

A sympathetic genre film that doesn't quite utilize its idea right, but it works a treat in a darkened movie theater with excellent sound. The question of "Who could it be...?" will probably end up being the right guess for a lot of people, but given the runtime, it works quite well, although the camera spends a lot of time flying around the building rather than in the incriminating elevator. The ending is questionable, but it's still based on a simple story... and Shyamalan's head. Regardless, Dowdle has talent.

It’s really too bad that the considerable portion of brilliant jokes (the opening action, the fork on the table) is matched by a larger pile of fatal awkwardness (the partner etudes), which is mercilessly apparent during the two-hour runtime. Ironically, it's a parody in the style of The Naked Gun, where everything was handled with a ruthless stone face instead of theatrical goofiness. Honestly, though, I think if Ferrell and Wahlberg switched roles, it would have worked better.

The first half is undeniably awesome! Cage has a big mane on his head after thirteen years and is cooler than ever, Baruchel is a nerdy dork and Molina's slimy villain is best of all. But then the rules are laid down, Turteltaub starts repeating everything (can they really do no more than throw plasma balls at each other!?) and the wit and perspective disappear. The finale is as breathless and boring as the bulldog. It’s a sad state of affairs when, after less than an hour, you still think you’d love to give this "Bruckheimer popcorn" four stars.