Newest Review is LIVE!!! We got a double review going on today folks!
Hello All,
Okay, so, even though this is a double review, I do want to address something about Edward Snowden. The reason for that is because I want to clear the air about how I personally feel about the man before I get into the review, that way I can avoid the accusations of bias in the review. Okay? Okay.
I honestly, and truly think, that Edward Snowden is not this great hero that everyone makes him out to be.
I understand that what he did was important, and it brought to light a system that was in place that was unjust in its guilty until proven innocent mentality. I honestly believe the way he did it though was incorrect, and that he had the potential to cause great harm if he had done this incorrectly. Though the methodology the NSA was using was highly incorrect, exposing things like could’ve potentially allowed those who want to cause harm to get themselves farther out of reach.
I also believe that the head of the NSA lying to congress was the wrong move as well, and while Snowden and other whistleblowers will tell you that internal change is hard, I honestly think there could’ve been ways to achieve that perhaps Mr. Snowden had not considered.
I have family that work for the government in capacities similar to that of Mr. Snowden, and if anything they had done had ever been exposed in a similar fashion, no matter how unsavoury the public might see it, I would be horrified for the safety of said family. There are sometimes things we have to do in order to keep the world moving, and not all of them need to be seen in the daylight.
I do not believe Mr. Snowden should be put to death however, I want quite the opposite. I believe the man should have the espionage charges dropped, be allowed to come home, but have to face a fair and public trial for the way he did it. I do think he wasn’t trying to be harmful, but I will forever say his method of doing it was incorrect. I do not think the man deserves a full pardon, as that has the potential to set a bad precedent.
I apologize for the rant, but I wanted to present my own opinion of the man himself as clearly as I could, so that when I talk about the movie, there would be no personal bias left for me to judge it with.
That being said, let’s begin with the Snowden review shall we?
Plot Summary - The film follows the life of Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) from 2007 to 2013, as he begins working for classified sections of the United States Government, leading up until the time when he leaked thousands of classified documents to the press.
Pros - I like the way Oliver Stone tells the story. Instead of a straightforward narrative, It’s told primarily in flashbacks from Snowden himself as they begin to start the leaking process. It’s covers a side to the man’s life that most people have probably never considered as well, which makes the story fell all the more personal. The supporting cast is stellar for the varied amounts of time they have, and the film for the most part is a greatly shot film also.
Cons - Snowden himself however is basically presented as a patron saint who can do no wrong. While his opinions do change throughout the film, his personality never really seems to change along with it aside from some massively hinted at paranoia which he barely shows. Shailene Woodley as his girlfriend gets hardly anything to do in the film. She barely even acts as his moral compass, which the film also tries to imply. The interactions between them are repetitive and are basically the same conversation over and over again, as is Edward’s reasoning for going back and forth between working and not working for the government. The film also barely touches on what exactly the government was doing aside from some barely surface level stuff. Hell at one point one of the antagonists is wearing a black hat and trenchcoat like a fucking villain.
Final Score - 5/10
I’ll summarize the score like this: If you want to know more about the man behind the mission, see the film. If you want to know more about what he did, I’d recommend Citizenfour, the actual documentary that captures Snowden himself over the days of the revelation progress.
Okay, now with that out of the way, let’s get to the next review.
Blair Witch Review Starts Here
Plot Summary - After a new clip of what could be his sister appears on the internet, James Donahue (James Allen McCune) decides to go to the forest where she disappeared years earlier to try and find her. Accompanied by his friends, including filmmaker Lisa (Callie Hernandez), and the uploader of the new video, they head into the Black Hills Woods, unaware of the danger that awaits them.
Pros - The film is creepy as hell, as the cast does a great job with the material given to them and just run away with it. The imagery is creepy, the film is well paced, and even has quite a few takes on some of the originals ideas, that they change in very interesting ways.
Cons - The ending is where this film begins to lose me, as it basically drags on way too long to the point where you know what’s going to happen and you’re just waiting for it to happen. There’s also quite a few repeat story points where it makes it feel almost like a loose retelling of sorts. They also try and have some weird time loop thing hinted at near the end which to me just makes no sense, and sort of undoes some of the logic of the film.
Side Note: I saw the film in DBOX, which are basically seat that shake and move with the movie. I don’t recommend it for this film, as it happens so few and far between that it actually pulled me massively out of the movie at one point when my seat moved.
Final Score - 7/10
I still like the original more, but to me this is the solid follow up we’ve been waiting for. Not the greatest, but it’s a solid 86 minutes, even if it doesn’t quite stick the landing.
Next - ……...I guess I’ll try to finish that suggestion box project I’ve been hinting at. I actually have some time off work so I’ll try and dig at it tomorrow. I might also try and tackle Bridget Jones but I know jack shit about the previous films so.
Links:
Last Review is Here: I watched a foreign kids film. What could possibly go wrong there? Find out here.
Twitter Account is Here: You’ll get notices when the reviews are live as soon as I post them, plus any trailers, movie news, or updates on when I stream on Twitch. I’m always looking for new followers, and with more followers means more ways for you guys to contribute.
NEW!!! Suggestion Box is Here: Are you sick of gaps in my posts? Why not suggest a film or film series for me to watch? Suggestions will be completed in order received, and if you’d like to leave your name for a suggestion credit and anything you’d like me to promote (within reason) I’d be happy to do that too. This suggestion box will be a permanent fixture of the blog, as again I’d love any and all help you guys want to offer.
Twitch Channel is Here: I’ll admit, I don’t quite have a regular streaming schedule worked out, but if you follow either the Twitter account or the channel directly you will be notified whenever I go live.
Until next time, I’ll see you folks at the movies.
