Lokar has written 103 reviews.
This is a very gory, dark and sometimes confusing movie. Still, the hero's relentless quest for justice against the evil Jigsaw is compelling. There are a few scenes where the blood is a little too much even for this genre, and it almost crosses...
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This is a very gory, dark and sometimes confusing movie. Still, the hero's relentless quest for justice against the evil Jigsaw is compelling. There are a few scenes where the blood is a little too much even for this genre, and it almost crosses the line into a horror movie. (Okay, we get it. James is really crazy. Do we have to see it in almost every scene?) You have to leave your sense of reality behind, because it's obvious that in life as we know it, the police and armed forces would not be so minimally attentive to the case. If you don't mind, however, it becomes a battle on the scale of the Greek myths. In the dark world of this movie, even if the Punisher wins, it's not as if he's brought happiness into his life. There's only the kind of peace you have when there's no one left to fight.
Posted aug 3, 2009 3:33 am pt
This film recounts the adventures of the most daring among skiiers, those who traverse nearly straight declines that would spell certain doom for most people. The skill level involved is incredible; the average viewer will be baffled by the sights...
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This film recounts the adventures of the most daring among skiiers, those who traverse nearly straight declines that would spell certain doom for most people. The skill level involved is incredible; the average viewer will be baffled by the sights of the climbs and angles used by these athletes. Don't try any of this yourself. Just take in the stories of the competitors, and the amazing scenery, and be glad you're safe in your chair. Whew.
Posted jul 5, 2009 2:01 pm pt
Let me get this straight: there's a monster, and there's something to do with diamonds, and coal is flying up into the air all of a sudden, and-- oh, let's give up. Just surrender to the wildness of the plot. This movie isn't quite sure whether it...
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Let me get this straight: there's a monster, and there's something to do with diamonds, and coal is flying up into the air all of a sudden, and-- oh, let's give up. Just surrender to the wildness of the plot. This movie isn't quite sure whether it wants to be "The Thomas Crown Affair," one of the Godzilla films or "The Blob." Still, the acting isn't bad, and the plot moves along at a brisk pace. "Dogora" is a fun movie and makes for something good to watch on a rainy afternoon.
Posted may 18, 2009 7:50 am pt
This movie starts off in a promising way, and then it just gets silly. The five-day camera thing is a little hard to take as it is. Then it turns into an excuse to ogle a woman in her house for ten minutes. We don't need for this movie to be so...
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This movie starts off in a promising way, and then it just gets silly. The five-day camera thing is a little hard to take as it is. Then it turns into an excuse to ogle a woman in her house for ten minutes. We don't need for this movie to be so long. More than a half hour could have been cut by removing the close-ups of people crying, and allowing Washington and Kilmer's characters to actually develop instead of looking like cut-out t.v. movie posters. They try to mix too many elements, a detective story and a futuristic spy theme, sort of "Minority Report" with some syrupy love story elements, and it would have been much better had they just stuck with the police case. Like a Pullman car that's gone off track, there's only so far this film can try to push.
Posted oct 11, 2008 7:04 pm pt
Not bad. Seems to fall victim to the "everything has to be blue or green" school of cinematography, though to be fair, I didn't see it with 3-D glasses. I loved the original novel, and the first movie was good too. This movie may not be...
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Not bad. Seems to fall victim to the "everything has to be blue or green" school of cinematography, though to be fair, I didn't see it with 3-D glasses. I loved the original novel, and the first movie was good too. This movie may not be quite as good as the first, but it should be an okay way to introduce your kids to the story. The theme of too much risk-taking in science is still relevant today. Jules Verne was one of the best early science fiction authors, and a trip to the library might be in order too after you see this film.
Posted sep 1, 2008 11:12 am pt
Beautiful animation is the highlight of this short but dramatic story. Humans have headed to space, but something has made a return trip. Negadon, the monster of the title, is here to do a little sightseeing. Humans must race to conquer the beast...
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Beautiful animation is the highlight of this short but dramatic story. Humans have headed to space, but something has made a return trip. Negadon, the monster of the title, is here to do a little sightseeing. Humans must race to conquer the beast before he destroys them. As with many Japanese monster films, the themes of too much technology and violence are brought home with poignancy. And I can't say enough about the quality of the art. I only wish this movie had been longer. Otherwise, it's one to rent and enjoy.
Posted aug 10, 2008 3:06 am pt
This wartime drama had a number of good fight scenes, and it is unusual these days to see old-fashioned pilot battles; but there are moments when the writing is a bit thin, and it's hard to believe the actors. I'm being a little generous with the...
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This wartime drama had a number of good fight scenes, and it is unusual these days to see old-fashioned pilot battles; but there are moments when the writing is a bit thin, and it's hard to believe the actors. I'm being a little generous with the rating because I like the topic. Some of the subplots could have been reduced or dropped altogether. There seem to be about 30 minutes of padding. I don't know how many times we got to see really long shots of some people sitting across from each other and talking, then pausing, while all we get to see is the room that they're in. This is really aimed at teenagers who are supposed to ogle the cast, but for everyone older than high school, your interest may lag. See this movie if you have nothing better on tap.
Posted aug 2, 2008 12:27 pm pt
Fun summer-type adventure film that is lacking in a few different ways, but makes for a decent cartoonish style of storytelling. I love adventure novels and the old-school mystery flicks. This film takes a cue from those elements, and adds what is...
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Fun summer-type adventure film that is lacking in a few different ways, but makes for a decent cartoonish style of storytelling. I love adventure novels and the old-school mystery flicks. This film takes a cue from those elements, and adds what is at best capable acting from Jon Voight and Nicholas Cage. They both don't seem as animated as they used to-- someone forgot to freshen the coffee-- but you'll watch it more for the plot anyway. The movie is a bit too long. Unless it's a documentary, I get a little winded when movies stretch over two hours. Still, if you wanted to catch up with what happened after the first story, give this movie a try.
Posted aug 2, 2008 6:52 am pt
Hilarious movie about the Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping. In a time when easy credit and high debt have created financial horrors for millions, the good Rev. has the radical idea that maybe people should slow down a little bit. He...
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Hilarious movie about the Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping. In a time when easy credit and high debt have created financial horrors for millions, the good Rev. has the radical idea that maybe people should slow down a little bit. He recalls the days before giant malls and new shopping centers sprouted like dandelions; times when local shops helped communities keep their money and have their own character... before big corporations ate everything. Rev. Billy is not suggesting that you give up your life and eat twigs; merely, that you stop and look at what you're doing, and maybe stop the worst of it. You don't really have to trample old ladies to get your kid the latest whatever this season. You don't have to worship the same brand-name crud as everybody else. Save a little, and live more... what a concept. Hysterical and inspiring.
Posted aug 2, 2008 6:45 am pt
A capable if slightly flawed retelling of the life of a popular Catholic saint. This movie is the story of the life of St. Therese, known as the "little flower." She developed an intense prayer life and attempted to enter a convent at an...
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A capable if slightly flawed retelling of the life of a popular Catholic saint. This movie is the story of the life of St. Therese, known as the "little flower." She developed an intense prayer life and attempted to enter a convent at an early age. As she was the daughter of a nobleman, this was not what her family had in mind. Therese persevered, however, and was at last granted permission by the Church to enter the cloistered life. Despite many issues getting used to the routine and the occasional antipathy of those around her, Therese grew to treasure the life and her closeness to God. St. Therese's writings are still loved by Catholics around the world. Although the film has moments where it feels more like a TV movie than anything else, for the most part it's quite good. An enjoyable and informative story about the life of the saint, and suitable for a general audience.
Posted aug 2, 2008 6:30 am pt
Not bad, but not all it could have been, either. A young man is gifted with the ability to teleport. We meet his high school classmates and the school bully, as well as his difficult family, and watch as he learns to use the power in order to...
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Not bad, but not all it could have been, either. A young man is gifted with the ability to teleport. We meet his high school classmates and the school bully, as well as his difficult family, and watch as he learns to use the power in order to protect himself. But with great power comes great temptation, and the young man is soon using teleportation in order to pull off crimes and sneak in and out of wild parties. He soon learns all this is not without consequence. There are those who fear the teleporters and will strive to wipe them out. Can the young man and his friends stop the menace, as well as learn to do something with the power other than be self-serving? There is a little too much gray area between good and evil here, and you won't want very young children to see this film. Older kids should be okay. And hey, it has Samuel Jackson. It's worth a rental.
Posted jul 31, 2008 5:23 am pt
A decent movie with some good action scenes and compelling characters, it's hard not to like Eragon. There are a few moments where the pace stops for some reason, and the character of the evil man's child is not explored until late. Also, few...
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A decent movie with some good action scenes and compelling characters, it's hard not to like Eragon. There are a few moments where the pace stops for some reason, and the character of the evil man's child is not explored until late. Also, few enemies pop up until we're near the end. This is probably due to laziness, because they know they can wait to bring more sequels from the books. There were also some moments where I couldn't understand anything. I'm sorry, the sound is just muddy, and it's got nothing to do with accents. Not a perfect movie, but makes for an amusing rental.
Posted jul 14, 2008 6:45 am pt
Stirring and relevatory documentary on the career of Muhammad Ali. Covers one of his major fights of the 1970s. It includes the actual footage of the fight, plus the lead-up to it, as it shows how excited the fans are, and how much he caught on...
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Stirring and relevatory documentary on the career of Muhammad Ali. Covers one of his major fights of the 1970s. It includes the actual footage of the fight, plus the lead-up to it, as it shows how excited the fans are, and how much he caught on with the people. Even if you don't like boxing, this movie will surprise you.
Posted may 10, 2008 12:18 pm pt
Even stupider than this type of movie usually is. You can't believe any of these characters. Yes, I know people actually do get married in Vegas, gamble and all the rest of it. Yet this movie is the type of sub-juvenile nonsense I had sort of...
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Even stupider than this type of movie usually is. You can't believe any of these characters. Yes, I know people actually do get married in Vegas, gamble and all the rest of it. Yet this movie is the type of sub-juvenile nonsense I had sort of hoped Kutcher and Diaz would someday grow out of. What am I saying? This type of movie is meant to hoover up the dollars of people whose idea of funny probably encompasses getting suspended from school. Do not see it, even if you are being held hostage at the time. You can always try to set off a flare.
Posted may 10, 2008 11:25 am pt
Taking its cues from 'Tron,' this movie immerses a young man in a video game world and challenges him to break out or die. The special effects aren't as sophisticated and the acting reminds you of a made-for-tv movie, but you will find it hard not...
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Taking its cues from 'Tron,' this movie immerses a young man in a video game world and challenges him to break out or die. The special effects aren't as sophisticated and the acting reminds you of a made-for-tv movie, but you will find it hard not to root for the plucky hero. The ending, frankly, was ludicrous. Still, like a game itself, the story is compelling offers its share of amusement.
Posted apr 23, 2008 11:38 pm pt
A capable drama with action and a little human intrigue thrown in.
This movie is the story of a group of ninjas and their promise to complete some missions for a warlord. Obedience was a key tenet of warrior culture in those times....
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A capable drama with action and a little human intrigue thrown in.
This movie is the story of a group of ninjas and their promise to complete some missions for a warlord. Obedience was a key tenet of warrior culture in those times. The young group struggles to stay ahead of the enemy. Will they win, or will they perish? There are some confusing moments, and the energy ebbs in the more bonkers parts of the plot, but overall, it's worth a rental if you haven't watched a good kung fu movie in a while.
Posted apr 23, 2008 11:28 pm pt
Another visit to the realm of the popular video game. The special effects are good. The acting, especially by the enemy characters, is sadly a little cut-out. There were some long stints where people do nothing but drive around. You get nice shots...
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Another visit to the realm of the popular video game. The special effects are good. The acting, especially by the enemy characters, is sadly a little cut-out. There were some long stints where people do nothing but drive around. You get nice shots of the desert, but if I wanted to visit, I would. Could have used some more human moments. Not as bad as I anticipated, but lacked a little something to put it ahead of the rest.
Posted apr 19, 2008 7:05 pm pt
Navy drama with youth corps and submarine crew joining forces to save the seas from terrorists.
The evil Admiral Red stages a surprise bombing of a Peace Keeping Navy ceremony. With this, the PKN vows to achieve justice. The young...
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Navy drama with youth corps and submarine crew joining forces to save the seas from terrorists.
The evil Admiral Red stages a surprise bombing of a Peace Keeping Navy ceremony. With this, the PKN vows to achieve justice. The young crew of the 'Juniors' joins the adults in a battle to find and dismantle the enemy forces. It's a bit unrealistic compared to a straightforward war movie, but then again, it is a future world and you can't expect literalism from all stories like this. It's a fun ride and more watchable than many similar movies.
Posted apr 12, 2008 7:20 pm pt
Impressive collection of interviews and performance footage of extreme sports and the top athletes in each. There's skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding and BMX bikes. Some of the stunts will make you shake your head and wonder how people came out...
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Impressive collection of interviews and performance footage of extreme sports and the top athletes in each. There's skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding and BMX bikes. Some of the stunts will make you shake your head and wonder how people came out of them alive. Locations are anywhere from bike parks to city streets, to mountaintops. The film quality is very clear.
Some of the interviews do drag a little, and they take a little long to get from place to place. Overall, however, this is a very exciting video that will keep the viewer interested.
Posted apr 5, 2008 7:32 pm pt
Impressive collection of interviews and performance footage of extreme sports and the top athletes in each. There's skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding and BMX bikes. Some of the stunts will make you shake your head and wonder how people came out...
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Impressive collection of interviews and performance footage of extreme sports and the top athletes in each. There's skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding and BMX bikes. Some of the stunts will make you shake your head and wonder how people came out of them alive. Locations are anywhere from bike parks to city streets, to mountaintops. The film quality is very clear.
Some of the interviews do drag a little, and they take a little long to get from place to place. Overall, however, this is a very exciting video that will keep the viewer interested.
Posted apr 5, 2008 7:32 pm pt
Lisa Lampanelli is the angry sailor you never knew, and don't want to be. She seems to think there aren't enough bitter people out there. I don't know, but someone having a chip on your shoulder never made me laugh too much. She thinks she's Don...
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Lisa Lampanelli is the angry sailor you never knew, and don't want to be. She seems to think there aren't enough bitter people out there. I don't know, but someone having a chip on your shoulder never made me laugh too much. She thinks she's Don Rickles. The fact that she has a lopsided smile through half of the show puzzles me-- what is she happy about? You've got to pity comedians who are mad at people who don't like their act. It's hard to show other people the light at the end of the tunnel when you don't think there is any. Any comedian whose idea is to make other people feel bad is heading for trouble.
Posted mar 26, 2008 10:13 am pt
Got to love comedians whose shtick is taken from things that didn't work 50 years ago. Yeah, I know: the really vicious one-liners that are done to make you say, "I thought she would never say that"; the fake smile; the attitude that if you don't...
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Got to love comedians whose shtick is taken from things that didn't work 50 years ago. Yeah, I know: the really vicious one-liners that are done to make you say, "I thought she would never say that"; the fake smile; the attitude that if you don't laugh, there's something wrong with *you*; all of it gets very silly after a point. And it's a point that comes up faster than cops in a speed trap. People who like to do nasty humor shouldn't really get surprised when they tire out the listener very quickly. Sarah Silverman plays the idea of cuteness and then gets angry when you don't think her attitude is cute. She's another one who had so much potential, and threw it down the drain to rope in the 'dumb guy' set. Well, from someone outside that set, it's only her fault.
Posted mar 26, 2008 10:05 am pt
It's always telling when someone thinks they Know What is Wrong with America, and furthermore, it's that everyone doesn't like them. Carlos tries to get a lot of mileage out of being angry at people. For what, I don't know; apparently he's mad...
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It's always telling when someone thinks they Know What is Wrong with America, and furthermore, it's that everyone doesn't like them. Carlos tries to get a lot of mileage out of being angry at people. For what, I don't know; apparently he's mad that people aren't as much into racial and stereotypes humor as they used to be. Well, so what? This is a crime? All his jokes are the kind of obnoxious garbage told to you whenever a person is really trying not to be funny. You get the feeling this is the kind of guy who got in trouble a lot in school and blamed it on the person who turned him in.
Posted mar 26, 2008 9:59 am pt
Jeff Ross is one of those people who has a few good one-liners up his sleeve, so you sort of feel sorry for him. You want to like him, but you just can't. The rest of his act after the few highlights is the same boring, dragged-out, "I hate my...
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Jeff Ross is one of those people who has a few good one-liners up his sleeve, so you sort of feel sorry for him. You want to like him, but you just can't. The rest of his act after the few highlights is the same boring, dragged-out, "I hate my girlfriend" crumbs stuff you would expect from someone who is just trying to fill time. His odd fake poems can be sort of good. He's playing the "overgrown high school guy" shtick to the hilt. The thing is, I expect he'd be a lot more funny if he would just stop coasting.
Posted mar 26, 2008 2:31 am pt
A capable drama centered around African-American college life. A young married man in college commits suicide. The surrounding community is reeling from the shock. The Greek organizations embark on a cooperative effort to turn back the tide of...
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A capable drama centered around African-American college life. A young married man in college commits suicide. The surrounding community is reeling from the shock. The Greek organizations embark on a cooperative effort to turn back the tide of sorrow and remember their departed friend in a positive way. They compose a step performance show which presents the amazing talents of the students, in a creative art that combines elements of drill teams and dance. In this way they remind the public that the organizations can add a lot to students' lives. They also do a great deal of philanthropy and community improvement after graduation. This film is fast-moving and tells a part of the Greek life story that we don't always see in your average comedy, or even in some other students. We know about the parties and the stylized pledge activities. But we don't often see the students as normal people or get to figure out what it is they do all day. The acting was a bit patchy in places, as if this were a t.v. movie, but overall, it is worth watching.
Posted mar 24, 2008 8:44 am pt
