Moonlight’s basically my favourite film so I was really looking forward to watching Barry’s second feature and I’m sad it didn’t struck me as intensely as Moonlight did. I think much of it is due to the screenwriting which Barry contributed to but didn’t do by himself in Moonlight, unlike in this film which he wrote all on his own and for me, it was underwhelming. The pace was a bit off and dragged in some parts, but the story was still relevant. Now, what is undeniably Barry’s strong point is the beautiful way he shoots his films, and what i feel will become his signature slow motion close ups. The love story was beautiful, sure, but i feel like the issue the film deals with deserved something more dramatic. But still, I quite liked it.
8/10
watched this in a film class... i dont really care for old movies, and even the story in this one was uninteresting and unoriginal (for a viewer of the 21st century ofc im sure it had its wonders back when it came out). I mean, Elle Woods literally did this same thing in Legally Blonde.
7/10
this is the softest, purest thing i've ever seen oh my god
8/10
This was great. The first act was a bit of a yawn but as soon as it gets to the really important world-changing stuff, the movie really grips you in. I loved the satirical tone of it all, and the self aware after credits scene.
I was so angry all throughout this, so I guess it did its job. I really do hate americans, except maybe Amy Adams.
8/10
AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This film is SO beautiful. Love pours from it and flows through it. It touches on so many important subjects and raises so many questions about what's morally right and wrong. The little kids, Shota and Yuri/Lin are the heart of this film, their mum Yoko is the soul, but every character earned such a special place in my heart, they were all written with so much care and attention and softness. I definitely need to rewatch again because it being spoken in a language I don't understand, even if with the aid of subtitles, there's a lot of meaning that gets lost and this film is particularly filled with it. The last two scenes will stay on my mind for days to come I'm sure of it, and that's when I know a movie should go straight to my favourites list.
9.7/10
This was.... interesting. It's one of those films that tries to do too much and ends up falling short. It was a bit all over the place for me in terms of not only style, but also storyline and characters. There are some really incredible dialogues, and the connection between the catholic religion and environmental activism was something that I had never thought about before and yet makes so much sense, so that was definitely my favourite part about this film: it touches a subject and a discussion through an original perspective, even if at times it felt a bit propagandistic. The ending sure was something.. not particularly one I liked, though.
8/10
This was a pretty simple, straight forward film, nothing that makes you think too much. But it is enjoyable and it carries an important message about male privilege. Glenn Close is brilliant.
8/10
This was so touching, honestly. It's insane to think how far we've come, how hard lgbt+ people in the past fought and hurt to make sure we didn't have to hurt as bad. I thought it was lovely how in the end Michael's letter fit almost perfectly with Adam and Steve's story .
8/10
this felt a bit awkward and cheesier than usual, but i loved seeing how jack dealt with meeting his brother again back in 92.
Oh, this was f*cking fabulous.
9/10
Visually stunning, but the love story was lacklustre, personally. Just felt like something I'd seen a hundred times before, only this time it was told through beautiful, sober and intense film making, which made for a very interesting viewing experience nevertheless. I like how the film started and ended in the same place - no matter how much they tried to escape, in the end all they had was rural Poland . I also absolutely loved the music and Joanna Kulig's performance. The little insight we're given into Cold War Poland adds texture to the film, and you could say its title is a play on words between the time in which the story is set and the couple's relationship and journey to being happy/together.
7/10
This film, like Van Gogh's paintings are described in it, is most appealing to your senses. It's a vision, it's all consuming, There were moments that made me feel so calm, others that made me so anxious, others even made my head ache, and all of them solely because of the colours, the mise-en-scène, the juxtaposition of images, the music, the overlap of the audio, the shakiness of the camera. Technically, it's one of the most interesting, visually gorgeous and intense films I've ever watched.
I'm not usually a fan of films that get too experimental with the camera, or the editing, but in this film it worked perfectly because of its subject: Vincent Van Gogh whose mind was perturbed, and his paintings, that were some of the most beautiful art work ever created. And the way the film is made accompanies that, and him, brilliantly.
It was also a great combination of artistry and storytelling, because in the end, not only have you watched a painting in movement - because that's what this film feels like - but you actually learn so much about Vincent Van Gogh, which you don't usually get in films like these. They usually lose themselves in their attempt to make an experimental film and end up not telling you a story, but this movie does, and it does it through incredible dialogue too.
Dafoe is absolutely brilliant in it. His face is magnetic and really pulls you in.
8/10
I just love the simplicity of this movie, how unpretentious and raw it is. Just real emotion, real struggle, real nitty gritty work. The almost documentary feeling is coupled with breath taking scenery and cinematography to make for the most serene, beautiful, intense film. It's so refreshing to see a story about two gay men that doesn't revolve around their sexuality, but instead focuses on their personality traits - Gheorghe's romanticism, Johnny's fear of real emotion or commitment. As characters they really bring out the best in each other and it's so beautiful to watch. It's a love story, that happens to be between two men. Not once is their sexuality an issue for them, or the people around them. I just LOVE Josh O'Connor though, hope to see him in more stuff soon.
9,6/10
Holy shit, what a film! I gave the first one a 9/10 because the story didn't mean much to me on a personal level, but introduce a little mute immigrant boy whose entire family was murdered in cold blood and who still goes on to become one of the most powerful men in the United States and you have my heart. Vito's background story definitely gave this film an emotional edge the first one didn't have for me, and all my favourite films must make me at least slightly emotional. Michael is such a good character too, completely different from his father, much more ruthless, and yet much more vulnerable as well. His evolution from the first film is incredible to watch, as he becomes this cold, scary in his serenity crime lord, even though you will still catch a moment of weakness and nervousness here and there, which tells you he's not invincible either. The way he ends up completely alone and the way they parallel the ending with that scene with all the brothers at the dinner table discussing Michael's future, which he thought would be brighter and more commendable than that of his brothers', or even his father's, is so powerful.
Story telling and structure wise, I found this movie more compelling than the first. The time-jumps, the parallels, the origins of the family - all of it makes for a much more complete and immersive watching experience.
Technically, I also found the sequel more beautiful than the first installment, the cinematography was gorgeous.
All in all, I absolutely adored it.
10/10
I was so excited for this movie, but it fell short. The film was reaaaally slow and even though it gave it a different style from most heist movies, in the end, it was just really underwhelming. Giving it an 8 solely for Vi, Daniel and Elizabeth, who were all amazing.
8/10
I miss Heath.
10/10
Gosh, watching this is like relieving my entire life. Coldplay have been together for 20 years, and I am 20 years old. They're one of my mum's favourite bands, they were one of my brother's favourite bands and they became one of my favourite bands really early on. I think I knew how to sing Yellow before I even knew more than 4 words in english - which is why, to this day, I will still some times sing gibberish instead of the actual lyrics to that song. Coldplay have been around my whole life, they're the only big act I've ever seen live more than once. I've been through phases where they were my absolute favourites, others where their music didn't really click with me, but through out all of it, they have always just been there. I was surprised how well I knew the lyrics to the songs from A Head Full Of Dreams cus it took me about 9 months after its release to finally listen to it, from how detached I had grown from the band. It's like they just find a way to worm their way into my head, like they're part of my identity. This film didn't tell me much I didn't know before, from when I was obsessed with them, but it was still cute to relive all of it. From a filmmaking point of view tho, I thought it was slightly messy, but I still really really loved it - my two favourite sequences were the transition between Chris talking about them being a worldwide success in 4 years time and then images of them headlining Glastonbury, and the Yellow sequence about them rising to the top of the charts with their very first single and how, to this day, people will still sing it at the top of their lungs. Those both gave me chills. The ending made me REALLY sad tho, what the hell??? I had no idea they had hit that part of their career where they feel like they're done, I really hope it isn't the end, and I certainly hope whatever album they make next is more to my liking than A Head Full Of Dreams. Either way, Coldplay will always be there for me, and I will always be there for Coldplay.
9/10
I have been meaning to watch this for the longest time. It wasn't actually as disturbing as I thought it would be, which was a good surprise. Some of the characters were a bit caricatured and that would be my biggest issue with the film. Angelina steals the show. My favourite scene I think is the one after Daisy's suicide when Susanna is in her bed talking to Val about her depression, just because I thought it was such a simple and sensible way to describe it .
8/10
This is regarded by many as the greatest film of all time, and I can definitely see why. Incredible storytelling, tension from the first to the last second, fantastic performances, beautifully shot film, iconic sequences. The story in itself, you know, mob business, doesn't mean anything to me and films only become my absolute favourites when they touch my heart in some way, which this one didn't, neither do most - if not all - the classics. Probably a generational thing, I don't know. Happy I finally watched this, after so long though. It wasn't really what I imagined, but I think I liked it better this way than what I thought it was going to be like.
9/10
Do you mean the greatest romantic movie of all time?
10/10
What a beautiful message! And really well delivered as well. Went in expecting a love story and came out of it with a new perspective. I would say though, no one should be allowed more than a second chance in this world, third chance maximum. At least he never fucked up greatly and went back in time to fix it, he only ever fixed small harmless things, choices. Like imagine he had slept with Charlotte that night in London and then gone back in time to undo it that would have been sooooo shitty, but that's just an example of how, you know, this is a we could say "romanticized" or "optimistic" portrayal of time travel, in the sense that it shows it in the hands of a genuinely good guy. But yeah what I mean is, while I think I would have felt a bit cheated if i found out my husband had countless times to perfect our relationship/moments, I still think it could have been a lot worse - like the example mentioned above - and he used his abilities for good. So that would be the major flaw in the movie for me - how they portray something that's essentially cheating at life like something 100% good. But they do end up passing the message that it's best to just live life once and not mess with it anyways so it's all good. Very beautiful movie!
8/10
I'm annoyed I didn't watch this movie in the setting and with the conditions it demanded to be watched in. I couldn't find good subtitles and because of that some of the dialogue was lost on me, I also watched it with a rather chatty friend - which is totally fine - but i just know this movie would have gotten to me hard had I watched it completely alone, completely focused, with my headphones on, and good subtitles.
Heath and Abbie are absolutely incredible in this, their characters' love for each other is what drives the story. Yes, they're drug addicts, and yes the movie is mostly about their struggle to get the next fix, sometimes their attempts to get clean, but they do it together, always. They never give up on one another and they're just so genuinely in love. Dan had the sweetest of hearts, he was just so genuinely good and loving to her. He was my favourite character between the two, but curiously Candy's was my favourite character arc. The way they introduced her anxiety and her mental disorders - beyond addiction - was just so interesting to see, and not really what you would expect from a movie like this. Her relationship with her mother is so nuanced and gives her character so much depth. The ending is superb and maybe the biggest act of love in the whole film. Maybe all along it wasn't the drugs they depended on, but each other.
9/10 (gosh I shall rewatch this again properly because I feel like it could be a 10 for me)
oh my GOD why is everything about this movie so perfect??? i think this might be my favourite rom-com of all time. Julia Roberts is an absolute dream.
First time I watched this film I was a kid, I really had no idea of what I was watching, but I knew it felt earth-shattering. Second time I watched it, I knew it was a love story, I knew they couldn't be together because they were gay, that was about all that I could understand, no nuances, but still... earth-shattering. Have watched it maybe 12 times in total. Every single time, earth-shattering. Tonight was my most recent rewatch, the first one in a couple of years. The first one after studying film in university. The first one after watching so. many. different. kinds. of. movies. trying to catch up on all the ones I missed before I found the love I have for this art form. Little did I know... no matter what film I watch, the one I watched when I was way too young to understand half of what it really meant, what it really represented - or the reasons as to why it's one of the most beautiful things I have ever had the privilege to watch -, would always be the one every other movie would have to live up to. My experience watching it this time around was familiar, as it always is. Like always, I could recite every big scene, I knew most sequences by heart, but Ennis and Jack feel more real than ever to me, now. I feel like for the very first time I really understood the full scope of their emotions, and bonded with them more than I had ever before. I was also blown away by the technical aspects of it too, Ang Lee's incredible talent. I understood it was a beautiful movie before, but now I can see just how beautiful it is. And is there even a way of putting Jake and Heath's performance into words? To me there isn't. All they had was Brokeback Mountain, and I will always have Brokeback Mountain too.
100000000000000000000000/10
Watched this on a sleepover with my friends cause it was the only movie none of us had watched. Saw it was directed by Woody Allen and i’m not gonna lie, I was against it from the get go. But still, it could have been a nice surprise still, instead it was the worst Woody Allen movie I’ve ever watched. God you couldn’t have picked two more nervous, awkward actors to play a couple. In a way they’re perfect for each other but they make for a very tiring, uncomfortable watching experience. My favourite characters in the movie were Bobby’s family, they were the only ones that had some colour in a movie which is, ironically, the most saturated vibrant coloured movie i’ve ever watched (or maybe my tv was on a saturated setting). Anyways, what a waste of my evening.
5/10
This movie was everywhere when it came out and I tend to not love anything that is too loved by every one else. I'm glad I didn't watch it all the way back in 2014 because I know I would have not given it the chance it deserves just literally out of spite. Instead, I'm glad it's January 2019 and I'm procrastinating from studying for the exam that I have tomorrow, and felt like watching something inspiring. Well, I couldn't have picked a better film.
I'm not gonna lie, I didn't like the first act very much, I thought the dialogue was too cheesy and cliché, the timings weren't quite right and Shailene and Ansel were very much still warming up to their roles. However, something changed for me during the Amsterdam trip . The film truly took on a life of its own, the message no longer had to be conveyed through forced dialogue, and finally showed through in the actions, the gestures, and the expressions of the characters, their relationships and their idea of self. Hazel and Augustus go from being just another cute couple in a REALLY sad love story like a gazillion stories we've seen before, to being truly special and real. The cliché bullshit just stops, or maybe they just finally settled in their roles well enough to not make it as cringey, or cringey at all. This film wasn't scared of taking risks, even though it was meant for a teen audience. Sure, it was romantic and beautiful and inspiring, but it did a good job of balancing that aspect of it with the bastard notion that we're all just going to f*cking die, and that we all have to learn to live with that fact. And that Hazel and Gus just had to learn to deal with it way sooner than anyone should have to.
Listen, maybe exam season has me feeling extra sensitive but this really spoke to me, that first act was the only reason I didn't give it a 10. Because the scene in Anne Frank's house where Hazel climbs all those stairs , god that scene alone is a 10 for me. It's also kinda great to see what Shailene and Ansel have done since this movie truly kicked off their careers, it gives me a weird sense of pride for them.
I guess, things that everyone loves, sometimes are actually good.
9/10
P.S.: who else was bothered by the fact Gus says in the eulogy he wrote for Hazel that at the hospital her hands were warm when in the "I love when you talk medical to me" scene they made a whole thing about her hands being freezing? Is it just something that isn't constant? I'd think it would be... Oh well!
I really liked this! It's definitely a breath of fresh air, but i would have enjoyed it far more had there been just a bit more background. It's hard for me to truly bond with characters, and root for relationships when you barely know anything about them. We start the movie already knowing Nick and Rachel are in love, but we never really find out how they fell in love, or why they love / what they love in each other really, so the impact of the big romantic gestures kind of lessens a bit. Same for Astrid's storyline with her husband, which just felt so far removed from the rest of the movie. They tried tying up the two storylines by making Rachel and Astrid friends, but the latter's arc still felt like an extra to the story, like something that had it not been there it wouldn't have made a difference - even though I loved her character. But I'm guessing this has everything to do with the book, which I haven't read, and from the credits scene I'm guessing she'll be the star of the next movie? That's exciting!
7/10
this was lowkey funny and a good time! plus, i think the premise of getting sucked into a game is awesome. oh, and it also needed more women. i was excited when i first started it thinking "oh damn this is actually going to be 50% male and 50% female", but then one of them turned into a man, and then nick jonas completed the bunch , making it the usual 4/5 male 1/5 female lmfao, nothing we're not used to ig
7/10
this was cute!! even if it played with the same old stereotypes, Lara Jean and Peter were really sweet.
8/10
There's more than a lot of films about addiction out there, but Beautiful Boy manages to be one of the most successful at delivering the message that this is a disease that can absolutely affect anyone and everyone, and that it doesn't just happen to those with a libertine, sort of, underground lifestyle. I also liked that it focused less on the effects of the drugs in your system - whilst still making it clear what exactly meth will do to you - and more on the strain it will put on your relationship with everyone around you. I found it was a different, more sensitive angle to tell a story that's been told a thousand times, and yet is still such a huge issue and taboo. Timothée does a good job and so does Steve. The soundtrack to the movie is also really great.
8/10
