Daily Archives: May 11, 2020

May 11 2020

Proximity (2020) Movie Review

Director: Eric Demeusy

Writer: Eric Demeusy (Screenplay) Eric Demeusy, Jason Mitcheltree (Story)

Starring: Ryan Masson, Highdee Kuan, Christian Prentice, Shaw Jones, Con Scribner

Plot: A young NASA JPL scientist is abducted by extra-terrestrials but when no one believes his story he becomes obsessed with finding proof which leads him on a journey of discovery.

Runtime: 1 Hour 59 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Interesting Sci-Fi Movie

Story: Proximity starts when junior scientist Isaac (Masson) is dealing with his own therapy with video journals, when he witnesses a meteor strike Earth like many others, only Isaac records an alien figure before vanishing for 3 days, once returned his video goes viral, but he is left in a position of needing to prove the video is real.

When Isaac meets Sara (Kuan) a fellow abduction victim, they start trying to spread the truth in search of one of the most famous victims, only for government agent Graves (Jones) to be hot on their trial, trying to learn the truth and stop any threat to the world.

Thoughts on Proximity

Characters – Isaac is the junior scientist that has been through his own problems, he is using video journals as a form of therapy, only his latest one sees him witnesses a meteor strike and meeting an alien catching it on camera. He finds himself on the run in an attempt to prove what really happened through that incident, which means he must search for the people who have also experienced the same incidents. Sara is one of the other victims, she joins Isaac on the journey for the truth as the two become closer on the journey. Zed is technology expert that helps get in contact with the person who has more knowledge for Isaac, while Agent Graves is tracking the people who claim to have been taken in search for his own answers, using his government power to get anything he wants.

Performances – Ryan Masson is the strongest of the performers, he does show the troubled side before and after his own incident showing us just how determined to get the truth out, he is. When it comes to the rest of the supporting cast, they don’t get as much as time to do enough in the film.

Story – The story here follows a young man that get abducted as he looks to get the answers for why, needing to elude the government that want their own answers about everything. When we look at the core of the story, it does fit what we are used to seeing, with the victim needing to find their own way to a location which would give them the truth they are seeking with a government agent trying to stop them. Where this story can stand on its own, will be around the visit, the connections and changes, it is nice to see. The story however does have one giant weakness, that is trying to put the finger on who the target audience would be, because it plays out like it could be for younger audience, only it lacks any comedy which could smooth this age group and it doesn’t feel adult enough for just an adult audience.

Sci-Fi – The sci-fi side of this film follows just how the aliens make contact and focusing on waiting for what might be the truth.

Settings – The film uses the settings to show us just how the events could happen to anyone and how people will learn to stay off the map for their own safety.


Scene of the Movie – The meeting.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Certain travelling montages moments feel almost pointless.

Final Thoughts – This is an interesting sci-fi movie that brings a nice approach to the story only to get caught in the middle of not being darker enough, or light enough to appeal to a target audience.

Overall: Simple Sci-Fi

Signature Entertainment presents Proximity on Digital HD from May 18th

May 11 2020

ABC Film Challenge – World Cinema – K – Korczak (1990) Movie Rob’s Pick

Head over to Movie Rob’s site for more reviews

Korczak (1990)

“Death is easy and life is terribly difficult.” – Henryk Goldszmit vel Janusz Korczak

“Do children have the right to die?” – Józek

“Of course. They often die with more dignity than adults.” – Henryk Goldszmit vel Janusz Korczak

Number of Times Seen – 1 (9 May 2020)

Brief Synopsis – Story of the teacher living in the Warsaw Ghetto that saw it as his duty to run an orphanage and help the young children get through the atrocities committed by the Nazis.

My Take on it – This is a film that I’ve had interest in watching for years but due to my lack of enthusiasm for most foreign language films, I pushed it off over and over.

This movie is based on a famous story that I’ve heard about numerous times and have even read accounts of what really happened and what Janusz Korczak did to help raise morale in the Warsaw Ghetto for children and adults.

They do a wonderful job adapting that story to the screen and allows us to see how even under very stressful circumstances, some people will still naturally act very courageous and do what their inner voice tells them to do in order to find a way to keep their dignity and humanity in horrific situations.

This film is directed by Andrzej Wajda and he finds a way to depict this story and its character in such a great light because we get to see how one can act so brave in places when most would cower or flee.

The choice to film this in black and white helps make the story feel even more powerful and epic.

Wojciech Pszoniak is amazing in the lead role and really brings this character to life before our eyes and I’m a bit surprised that he didn’t get more recognition for his work here.

The script is done quite well and the dialogue is written really powerfully because it is filled with some great pearls of wisdom for both the characters and the audience which can be adapted to normal and even dire circumstances like the ones shown here.

The best part of this film is the fact that the main character stands as a beacon of hope throughout and allows those in his care to see hope in all that happens around them.

This is done in a very impressive and poignant manner which is enhanced by the fact that this is all about a real person who did the things depicted here.

Bottom Line – Great story that shows that even under dire circumstances one can try to find ways to hang on to their dignity and humanity. The way that Wajda portrays this story and its lead character are great because we get to see a film that allows us to see what one man can do in situations where most would cower and flee.  Pszoniak is great in the title role and really does a wonderful job bringing this true life figure to life on screen. The dialogue is great and filled with lots of small pearls of wisdom about life that can be adapted to both regular and dire situations like the ones depicted here.  The character’s ability to give these children hope is quite impressive and poignant throughout especially knowing that such a figure really did exist. Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – The play performed by the children in the orphanage is “The Post Office” by Rabindranath Tagore. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (9/10)

May 11 2020

ABC Film Challenge – World Cinema – K – Kills on Wheels (2016) Movie Review

Director: Attila Till

Writer: Attila Till (Screenplay)

Starring: Szabolcs Thuroczy, Zoltan Fenyvesi, Adam Fekete, Monkika Balsai, Lidia Danis, Dusan Vitanovics, Zoltan Mucsi

Plot: wo disabled teenagers looking for a reason to live, team up with a wheelchaired hitman.


Tagline – Hit men roll in when you least expect them.

Runtime: 1 Hour 43 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Fun Movie

Story: Kills on Wheels starts when Rupaszov (Thuroczy) gets out of prison, he has seen his life spiral out of control after getting injured during his firefighting job, leaving him in a wheelchair, depressed, turning to whatever work he can get, with his latest one being a hitman.

Rupaszov meets young disabled men Zolika (Fenyvesi) and Barba Papa (Fekete) and starts to show them more about life, giving them a way into the world he is in, to prove that being disabled isn’t a weakness and the men should use it as a strength.

Thoughts on Kills on Wheels

Characters – Rupaszov was once a firefighter with the perfect life, this became shattered after an accident leave him paralysed and turning to a life of crime, now out of prison, his depression just as bad as before and the only work he can find in being a hitman, though he takes to young disabled men under his wing to show them that there is more to life. Zolika has recently become wheelchair bound, he is still getting used to the change in his life, wanting to use his creative mindset to bring to life his time with Rupaszov, with his best friend Barba. Barba Papa is the best friend of Zolika, the two do everything together, helping each other deal with the obstacles they are facing in life.

Performances – Szabolcs Thuroczy does the emotional side of the film of the troubles he is facing with his change in life, while Zoltan Fenyvesi shows that an actor could be strong in a film even with his disability, showing great chemistry with Adam Fekete.

Story – The story here follows a depressed disabled hitman that recruits two young men to help him get on with his life and show them that there is more to life. This is a unique styled story because we could have easily seen the ideas of an older disabled character trying to motivate younger ones, which would be an easy sell, only to have the twist of them being put into a world of hitmen and gangsters, does feel refreshing to see. This story does mix everything together well, to make us find an enjoyable story.

Action/Comedy – The action does bring a newer style with the wheelchair action being used through the shoot outs, while the comedy comes from how the three deal with problems in life.

Settings – The film does use the settings to show us the different meeting locations, we see the home the young men are learning about their changes in, with the rehab around them, right down to where the gangs operate in.


Scene of the Movie – The day out.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Dog dies.

Final Thoughts – This is a fun movie that shines an important light on the disabled people and how much they could achieve in life no matter what the problems they might be facing.

Overall: Enjoyable.