Kevin Davidson

I couldn't continue after one episode. The protagonist and creator being relentlessly flogged and beaten down, treated like Job... was depressingly unfunny.

I saw this movie in a theater in 1985. I knew nothing about it ahead of time, and was living in the east Village of Manhattan. I thought it was so fantastic. It really captured a feeling of a guy being trapped amongst the Soho community at night and all these people he thought were normal. But turn out to be a nightmare. I did end up re-watching watching it in a theater 30 years later and it did not have quite the same impact - because it was "of its time". Which is 1985. I still think it was a terrific capture of a man who just wants to get home but can't. I have fond memories of it. It's a good Scorsese film that is off the radar. Like King of Comedy. Check that one out sometime! Also good.

One of those sequels where they recreate every single possible trope from the first seven sequels, giving The People (???)... what they "want". The nonstop syrupy music-swells, and ridiculous overly-saturated CGI serves to completely disconnect a viewer such as myself. For me a movie is a success if its whisked me away—not made me feel like Ok, it MUST be over soon, it MUST be!

This movie made me rethink the entire genre. Why are these stories so painfully nonsensical and lacking in character development? By the end all I could see was the opportunity to make a franchise out of the nonsense.

First of all I was shocked how good the acting was, all around. Excellent characters, which is key for me. Next, the setting within postwar japan was super well designed. The idea that its just in ruins, and people are miserable. Without ever commenting on any of it directly! A+ on those aspects. There's this little kid in it, and I was super impressed the performance the director pulled from her. In addition, the costuming, props and set pieces ... including lots of machinery from the 1940s... all just visually and psychologically "popped". Finaly, the monster. Yes, of course, its Gozilla. HOWEVER - they managed to wrap a genuinely emotionally touching storyline, with the monster as a secondary factor (and later a direct factor). There's one shot, where a character is on a train... and we are looking at her, she's behind a passenger window. The window reflects that the monster is coming closer towards the train. Its not the newest trick in the book, yet it works phenomenally well!! Can you tell i enjoyed this movie? I seriously would recommend it to anyone unless you simply loathe anything with a creature in it. To each their own! But this movie works. I hope they get streaming rights, as i will watch it again.

Cinematography / lighting at times was very good. other stuff meant to follow the POV of the ball or a player, was a bit much. Intended to match the frenetic minds and psychologicals of the tennis moments—semi successful. What bothered me was the overly enigmatic everything, with respect to the characters. Either dialogue-driven exposition/reveal, or utterly devoid of dialogue. And we are to suss from their looks and wry grins, what is going on in their inner worlds. The worst aspect, intentional to throw light on their backgrounds, was overuse of FLASHBACKS. It is the director's way of explaining "how they ended up here now". But I found it irritating; I just don't like that about any film. One flashback, ok. Two, is pushing it. Repeated use? NO. They also use titles to key us in to crucial moments... without much explanation. This movie just missed the mark, for me. But if you enjoy love triangle + homo-erotic backstory for male characters... give it a whirl! I found it empty.

Its been a while but I loved this movie so much. I think the FX were pioneering - no CGI but use of balloons inflating, to transform the humans into creatures. And a lot of weird mystery about this remote enclave. I dunno, I remember it being super cool and a tad campy enough to check off a lot of boxes.

My favorite movie of 2018. Totally off the radar, saw it randomly at a theater in Brooklyn when it was there for the five seconds it was in theaters. I LOVED it. Heartfelt, moving, interesting... just gorgeous.