1. “Kamui (2009)” movie review.

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    I don't know how closely "Kamui" followed its source material, but somehow there is so much story that it ends up feeling like there was no story at all. This isn't a bad flick and I will concede that there were some cool moments, but "Kamui" tries too hard to be something it's not- a manga. Wong medium, guys.
  2. “The Reef (2010)” movie review.

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    “The Reef” coasts off the formula designed by “Jaws” and “Open Water”, never doing ANYTHING new or unique itself. Yet the problem is that even though it’s a storm of shark movie clichés, it actually executes the formula fairly well. Even if the majority of its scare tactics were invented by Steven Spielberg 40 years ago, at least the filmmakers of “The Reef” applied them effectively.
  3. “Open Water (2003)” movie review.

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    “Open Water” is based on a very interesting but tragic real life story that 'almost' sounds like it would work on film. After all, the thought of a nice, young couple being stranded in the middle of the ocean sounds intriguing, especially when you throw sharks into the mix. But while I watched the movie, I realized that the concept doesn't leave a whole lot of room for actual material. How can you make a compelling movie about a couple floating around in the water? I guess it can be done, but it requires master filmmakers and while the crew present have nothing to be ashamed about, they are not masters of their craft.