Review – Uncharted (2022)

Uncharted  (2022)
Pg-13 ‧ Action/Adventure ‧ 1 Hour 56 Minutes


Written by Rafe Judkins, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway

Directed by ‎Ruben Fleischer

THE CAST

Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg

Sophia Ali

Tati Gabrielle

Antonio Banderas

THE STORY

Street-smart Nathan Drake, is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter, Victor “Sully” Sullivan, to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan, and lost 500 years ago by the House of Moncada.

Mark Wahlberg stars as Victor “Sully” Sullivan and Tom Holland is Nathan Drake in Columbia Pictures’ UNCHARTED. Photo by: Clay Enos

THE REVIEW

I really crossed my fingers coming into this film. I really loved the Uncharted video games, they already felt like films that you could control, but Hollywood doesn’t have a great track record with turning video games into films. I’m happy to report that Uncharted was everything I hoped for. 

Uncharted is fast paced, funny, and unlike many of its genre of movies….is actually interesting. Tom Holland does an admirable job playing Nathan Drake, the lead of the Uncharted series. Holland is naturally charismatic and fully embraces the role. He even moves like the video game character in very subtle ways, like the way he leaps out of windows gives a nice nod at the mechanics of the video game.

While playing the video game Uncharted, I often felt like I could just be playing a movie, with long cinematic scenes, decent dialogue and pretty clear paths you have no choice but to take in the game. Watching the film I occasionally thought, I could be playing a video game right now, thinking what I would be doing to solve the puzzles that the characters were faced with. 

I also liked that the writers didn’t feel compelled to try and make Drake have a forced love interest in the film, as is a trap they often fall into for these action films. Drake is very focused on his mission; find his brother and the treasure. 

Holland’s co-star Mark Walberg is consistent as Sully, the untrustworthy friend of Nathan’s brother. Walberg plays the role like he does most, nothing incredible, but generally believable, charming, and funny when he needs to be. Holland and Wallberg certainly have nice chemistry throughout the film, but we get the sense that both of them would have “nice” chemistry with anyone you pair them with. They don’t make a duo that you hope to see again and again, but they don’t miss the mark either. 

What missed the mark for the movie for me was the lack of super memorable moments or lines in the film which is critical to build these kinds of franchises. Think Indiana Jones seeing the giant ball coming at him, or the moment he shoots the swordsman to avoid a dual. Uncharted needed this, or at least some dialogue I won’t forget. Yes, there are a couple action scenes that are super well executed and I will remember those, but at least one is taken directly from the game. Which I don’t think is even bad, in my opinion. It just adds to the sense of your favorite video game come to life. 

Overall it is a fun film. Is it a riveting drama that will change the way you look at gold profiteering. No. It’s just a fun film that should be treated much like a video game. Sit down and enjoy and get lost for a couple hours in the adventurous tale they present.

Tom Holland stars as Nathan Drake in Columbia Pictures’ UNCHARTED.

THE BEST


BEST things about the film

  1. Very fun.
  2. Seamless special effects.
  3. One of the best adaptations of a  video game to film.
  4. No forced romance plot. 
  5. Felt like the video game came to life. 

THE WORST

The WORST things about the Film

  1. Not a lot of background on the characters.
  2. Predictability.
  3. “Bad guys” motivations not really fleshed out well
  4. Lack of memorable lines or moments.

THE LESSON

Searching for treasure will help you find a lot of things. Just not usually treasure.

THE FINAL WORD

One of the best video games adapted to the big screen. It’s a fun, fast paced popcorn film that doesn’t disappoint. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It.

Uncharted gets a Like It

ABOUT SILAS

When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas Lindenstein can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.

Review – KIMI

KIMI  (2022)
R ‧ Thriller/Crime‧ 2 hours 29 minutes

Written by  David Koepp. 

Directed by ‎Steven Soderbergh

THE CAST

 Zoë Kravitz and Rita Wilson.

THE STORY

A tech worker with agoraphobia discovers recorded evidence of a violent crime, but is met with resistance when she tries to report it. Seeking justice, she must do the thing she fears the most: she must leave her apartment.

THE REVIEW

On paper, KIMI seems like it would make for a great thriller. A modern day thriller using an “Alexa” type device called “KIMI”, Angela, is a tech worker for the device who overhears an apparent assault crime while monitoring streams. Now she is pushing her bosses to get the police involved while her bosses try to silence her and keep the event out of the public eye. 

It felt like this could be a new The Net with Sandra Bullock, but it falls so short of that.  Kimi continually sets up interesting elements of the story and then tells them in the most boring way possible. People are wearing masks and Angela seems to have developed agoraphobia from the Covid pandemic, but we don’t really explore that much. The KIMI device raising some questions about privacy in our ever-increasing digital world, and yet not much of any eyebrows are being raised. Angela is suffering from agoraphobia as a probable result of the lockdown, but it isn’t really explored deeply. 

The villains of the film….meh.  Connection to the characters…zilch. 

The setting of the film, beautiful Seattle is one of the treats. The other is watching the very talented Zoe Kravitz attempt to defy such an uninteresting script. 

THE BEST
Three BEST things about the film

  1. Zoe Kravitz does a very nice job in the role.
  2. Interesting concept.
  3. Takes place in Seattle.

THE WORST

The three WORST things about the Film

  1. For a thriller it lacked ‘thrills.”
  2. Huge missed opportunity to make statement on these AI type devices
  3. Lacked connection with characters.

THE LESSON

Smart devices are used to make life more convenient, but it can’t help write a script.

THE FINAL WORD

Alexa, find something else for me to watch. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

KIMI gets a Lose It

THE TRAILER

ABOUT SILAS

When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas Lindenstein can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.

Review – I Want You Back

 I Want You Back (2022)
PG-13‧ Rom Com ‧ 1 hour 51 Minutes (111 Minutes)

Reviewd by Silas Lindenstein


Written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berge   

Directed by ‎Jason Orley

THE CAST

Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, Scott Eastwood, Gina Rodriquez, Manny Jacinto

THE STORY

(In their own words) Newly dumped thirty-somethings Peter and Emma team up to sabotage their exes’ new relationships and win them back for good.

THE REVIEW

I Want You Back is fun Rom-Com that ponders the question, is love lost worth fighting for? Is a no-holds-barred, take no prisoners approach to winning back your ex really what’s best. 

Peter and Emma work in the same office building and have a chance meeting in the stairwell as they are both finding a place for good cry. Turns out, they were both dumped by their significant other the same previous weekend. Misery loves company as this chance meeting of strangers turns to friendship. But they both have a yearning for their former loves, and one night out partying and lamenting they come up with idea. Emma will seduce Peter’s Ex’s new boyfriend and break them up so his ex will come back to Emma. And Peter will befriend Emma’s ex, and start convincing him to leave his new girlfriend and go back to Emma.  It reminded me of the deal in Throw Mama From The Train, with a fundamental difference (aside from not murdering people). To the audience Peter and Emma need to remain unlike-able while they attempt to do something kind of crappy. Break up a couple for no other reason than to make themselves happy. 

0ne of the interesting things about this rom-com is that there is no bad guy. There’s no arrogant or cheating boyfriend where the woman should be leaving for our hero. None of that. The exes actually seem in really nice relationships. To pull this movie off though, we have to like Peter and Emma. Which is definitely where this film has its strengths. Charlie Day does a fantastic job as Peter. He is extremely likable and gives us a fully fleshed out character. His portrayal is nuanced, subtle, and very committed to each moment. To a lesser degree so is Jenny Slate as Emma. While she is clearly a very strong actor, her character isn’t nearly as likable as Peter. But she does a great job portraying a lonely character who is both lost in love and life until she meets someone who believes in her. 

The test of a good rom-com is whether you feel better about life after seeing it. And it succeeds in doing that. It is very smoothly shot, funny, and heartwarming. 

THE BEST
Three BEST things about the film

  1. The likability of the main characters was off the charts
  2. The lack of villains.
  3. An Easter egg, where Manny Jacinto makes a nod towards, The Good Place, an NBC sitcom that he starred in . 

THE WORST

The three WORST things about the Film

  1. There was no bad guy/gal to root against. The only people you root against are happy, otherwise you are rooting against the main characters. 
  2. Predictability.
  3. Unnecessary anger at the end.

THE LESSON

Don’t be determined that you know what your life is supposed to be like.

THE FINAL WORD

A fun and funny film about learning to let go of the ones who once loved you. 

THE VERDICT

My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

I want you back gets a Like It.

WHERE TO WATCH

I Want You Back is available on Amazon Prime Video.

Here’s the trailer

ABOUT SILAS

When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas Lindenstein can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.

Video – The Book Of Boba Fett Finale Aftershows

Brian Trendler and Silas Lindenstein discuss the season finale of The Book Of Boba Fett, episode #7 “In The Name of Honor” on Brian and Silas’ aftershow The BookEnd.


ABOUT SILAS

When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas Lindenstein can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.

Video – The Bookend #6 – After “From The Desert Comes A Stranger”

Here’s episode #6 of The Bookend, an unauthorized, unsanctioned, and un-asked for aftershow for the Book of Boba Fett, Episode #6 “From The Desert Comes A Stranger.” Hosted by Silas Lindenstein and Brian Trendler


ABOUT SILAS

When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.

Review – The Fallout

The Fallout  (2021)
Review by Silas Lindenstein

Release date: January 27, 2022

By http://www.impawards.com/2022/fallout_ver3.html, Fair use


Rated R ‧ Drama ‧ 1 hour 32 minutes
Written by Megan Park

Directed by ‎Megan Park

THE CAST

Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Shailene Woodley, Julie Bowen, John Ortiz, Niles Fitch, and Will Ropp

THE STORY

“High schooler Vada navigates the emotional fallout she experiences in the wake of a school tragedy. Relationships with her family, friends and view of the world are forever altered. ” IMBD

“The Fallout is a compelling exploration of the inexplicable resiliency of life and the hope that emerges out of loss. A raw and honest coming-of-age story for this generation, Jenna Ortega and Maddie Ziegler star in Megan Park’s directorial debut.”

THE REVIEW

To be honest, when I first saw the trailer for this film, I didn’t think I would watch it. The premise of the film, dealing with the aftermath of a school shooting, hits too close to my heart. I have three children and the idea of a school shooting is one of the most terrifying things I can think about.

But the film got some early praise from fellow reviewers and a lot of good buzz from its premiere at the South By Southwest festival last year. And I began to think about it more; if my teenager can handle going to school each day well aware of the dangers she now faces, if she can do active shooter drills since she was in Kindergarten, the least I could do was be uncomfortable during a movie to better relate to her. And isn’t that a goal of why we often watch a film? To better relate to people like the subjects.

I’m very glad that I chose to watch it. It is moving, powerful, and wonderfully well put together film.

The film doesn’t waste much time getting to the inciting incident. After a little brief series of scenes getting to know the main character Vada, played beautifully by Jenna Ortega, showing what she and her life is like before the shooting, she makes a trip to the bathroom after receiving a phone call from her little sister who just got her first period. While in there, she exchanges a couple awkward words with classmate and instagram star Mia {Maddie Ziegler). It’s then that shots start going off in the hallway and the girls run to a bathroom stall to hide. A few moments later they are joined by fellow classmate Quiton who runs in, covered in blood, after his brother was killed and died in his arms before he fled for safety. The three strangers huddle together until the all clear is given and they leave the bathroom and face the fallout in their lives from the event.

What follows is an examination of grief, shock, and second guessing of safety that no child should have to go through. We see how these teens and Vada’s best friend all cope with the tragedy in different ways. Ways that range from self-destructive to becoming an activist for change. We get to see how this event affects Vada’s relationship with her family. What we see if a very honest and believable portrayal of this kind of event. The movie delves into the depths of what it is to be human.

The directing of the film is very calculated and raw, allowing the actors time to feel the moments from the beginning. First time director Megan Park draws out very subtle, honest, and engaging performance from the actors. One of the most important jobs of the director is to make sure the tone of the film is right, which again, Park does a stellar job of making the film cohesive and consistent. Her first film shows the talents of a veteran director and I look forward to seeing what other works she creates.

The writing of the film is quite beautiful. The dialogue is natural and film flows so naturally, you can’t see the strings that carry the film from each beat to the next. Again, those are skills of a great writer and director.

THE BEST


Three BEST things about the film:

  1. The acting. Jenna Ortega will be an early contender for best youth performance.
  2. The writing. Very genuine and honest.
  3. The directing. Nearly perfectly crafted story. Engaging choices.

THE WORST

The WORST things about the film:

  1. The only bad thing about the film is how likely the events of the film are to happen.

THE LESSON

Grief is different for everyone. How someone copes with tragedy is an individual thing.

THE FINAL WORD

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It.

The Fallout gets a Love It.

Where To Watch

An HBO MAX original film, see it streaming on HBO MAX.

Trailer for the film

Video – The Bookend #5 – Aftershow for The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 5 – “The Return of Mandalorian”

Here’s episode #5 of The Bookend, an unauthorized, unsanctioned, and un-asked for aftershow for the Book of Boba Fett, Episode #5, The Return of The Mandalorian.

ABOUT SILAS

When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.

Episode 193: Silas’ Top 11 Favorite Films of 2021

Silas breaks down his favorite 11 films from 2021.

ABOUT SILAS

When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas Lindenstein can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.

Review: The Tender Bar

Tender Bar Review (2021)

R ‧ Coming of Age Drama ‧ 1 hour 46 minutes

Directed by George Clooney
Screenplay by William Monahan

Based on The Tender Bar by J. R. Moehringer

Review by Silas Lindenstein

THE CAST

Ben Affleck as Uncle Charlie
Tye Sheridan as J. R. Moehringer
Lily Rabe as Dorothy Moehringer
Christopher Lloyd as Grandpa
Daniel Ranieri as Young J. R. Moehringer
Rhenzy Feliz as Wesley
Briana Middleton as Sidney
Max Casella as Chief

THE STORY

Set in 1970s Long Island,[2] 9-year-old J. R. Maguire and his mother Dorothy move back in with his grandparents following her breakup with his father. There, he forms a bond with his Uncle Charlie, the owner of a local bar. Charlie acts as a surrogate father to J. R. and encourages him in his pursuit of becoming a successful writer. Charlie’s mother is determined that he will go to Yale or Harvard and become a lawyer.

THE REVIEW

Watching The Tender Bar is like getting a big hug from an Aunt you like. It’s a comforting hug. It feels nice because it’s familiar. It isn’t the best hug, you’ve had hugs like this before, and you’ll have them again. It’s nothing special, but it’s nice. 

The Tender Bar is ripe with the nostalgia you expect from a coming of age story.  A lot of it is familiar, even if you can’t place it exactly; the boy who wishes his Dad was around, and gets more love from his Uncle and his friends than he ever could from his Dad. Dreaming of a better life when they get older and getting to see the slow crawl toward that something better. 

So the story is okay. The premise is alright. The acting….that’s where this film really shines. Ben Affleck is really great as Uncle Charlie, the “smarter than everyone else in the room Uncle” who owns a bar called The Dickens. Affleck is so natural and speaks and matches the tone of film just perfectly. He’s charming, funny, kind, and empathetic. He’s the uncle we all want and he plays it with very little effort. 

Our main character is split into two actors, the young  J. R. Moehringer played by Daniel Ranieri  and the older JR played by Tye Sheridan. Both do an exceptionally well job portraying the lead character, their innocence while marching forward in life is very relatable, slightly awkward, and fun. 

The other well done aspect of the film is the direction. The tone of the film is hit just right by director George Clooney. He does an excellent job of directing really solid moments of the film that engage you with the characters and make you root for them. He also has impeccable comic timing and makes sure that the comedy in the film runs through without being over the top or out of tone with the rest of the film. 

What stops the film from being truly great is that there is nothing new or overwhelmingly moving about the film. There isn’t a stand out scene that blows you away. It’s a solid film, but one that doesn’t make you feel like you are

seeing something incredibly special. 

THE BEST

Three BEST things about the film

  1. Ben Affleck – Golden Globe Nomination and my pick
  2. Skillful Direction
  3. Story  Well adapted from the book

THE WORST

The three WORST things about the Film

  1. Can feel slow at times
  2. Story jumps from little kid to young man quickly. 
  3. Nothing New to the story. Coming of age story is now when I was coming of age. This makes me feel old

THE LESSON

Everyone needs an Uncle Charlie.

THE FINAL WORD

You don’t watch this kind of film because you want to learn more about humanity, you watch it because of the comfort that nostalgia allows. You watch it because you are finally seeing your generations growing up on the big screen. You watch it because it will give you warm feels and you don’t risk a lot.

Will you laugh?

Yes, at times. 

THE VERDICT

My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

The Tender Bar gets a Like It

The Tender Bar is available to watch for free on Amazon Prime with membership.

ABOUT SILAS

When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.