Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

92%
Alita: Battle Angel - Robert Rodriguez
Action & Adventure, Romance - PG-13 - 2019

Coming to terms with her new reality, Alita navigates the streets of Iron City with the intention of discovering more about her mysterious past. Dr. Ido, a father figure to the girl, tries to shield her from her old life, BUT - her new street-smart love interest, Hugo, offers to help trigger some old memories and find out who she really. 

Yo, I straight up fuckin loved this movie. It is easily my favorite Robert Rodriguez movie since From Dusk Till Dawn. Very hard to top. 

A little whimsical and goofy at times - Alita: Battle Angel is an absolute action-packed visual delight. It’s a tale of hope and empowerment in the face of adversity. The big CGI eyes thing definitely seems off at first, but you get used to it.

The original idea for this film was conceived by James Cameron around 15 years ago. Originally an early 1990’s Japanese cyberpunk manga series called Alita, he was apparently very dedicated to making this film happen; but got sidetracked with Avatar. He eventually called upon Robert Rodriguez to direct it, with Cameron signed on as the producer. I think they really nailed it. You don’t have to be familiar with the source material to become absolutely enthralled in this world they’ve created.

Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)

83%
Brawl in Cell Block 99 - S. Craig Zahler
Action & Adventure/Thriller - NR - 2017

Vince Vaughn is a scary motherfucker in this film, to be blunt.

Brawl is worth a watch just for Vaughn’s performance alone; completely different from anything I have seen him in. It’s pretty much on the same plain as previously reviewed films: Revenge & Mandy.

It’s not a story that inspires hope or presents you with a lovable/hero-type protagonist.

Bradley is a conflicted dude; he seems like the type of guy that treats his people well, but if you get in his way - you’re not in for a good time. The grisly violence is a bit much at times, but if you’re a fan of blood-fueled revenge thrillers, you’re in for a wild ride. Seriously, Vince Vaughn is so intimidating in this - massive head tattoo and all - that you will be shocked by his visceral portrayal of a man with no contempt for brutality.

This is what Vaughn’s character in True Detective: Season 2 should have been. For what it’s worth, I did not enjoy this film as much the second time around. Oh, and it's directed by the same guy that did Bone Tomahawk, so you know what kind of violence to expect. -_-