Ahhhhhh i’m so happy they are not shying away from the tough conversations on what it means to be Captain America in this decade. I love symbolism in storytelling and there’s no stronger symbol than that shield, and the way they have used it as a vehicle and representative of the different American identities (good and (really) bad) has been incredible.
Steve Rogers, John Walker, Sam Wilson and Isaiah Bradley all represent sides of the US that co-exist, and John Walker being the effective Captain America for most of this show isn’t accidental - he’s the side of America that’s most present and salient right now (in the world off the screen), but ending the show with Sam Wilson carrying that shield - and going through all the issues that that might bring up - is as powerful a message as any - one of hope and of what the US should aspire to be. Steve Rogers is no longer enough, Steve Rogers is the American Dream - Isaiah Bradley the American Reality - and Sam Wilson is both. This show, and all of Captain America’s storyline, is about so much more than just men in spandex and they’ve done a fantastic job taking it even further here. Glad Marvel is still delivering after so many years, makes me proud to be a fan!
I really played myself when I decided to cover queer coding for my dissertation, I’m just gonna be watching a bunch of gay characters dying in crazy ass ways for the next few months uh
SAM WILSON SIR...... HAND IN MARRIAGE PLEASE??????????????
okay so now that my proposal is out of the way (i love sam wilson), a couple of things:
kind of upset they killed Karli and gave that Walker asshole a semi redemption arc where he saves a bunch of people instead of getting revenge... it made me gag. I hate him (really do not care about that USAgent crap unless it's to write him off eventually). Even if Karli IS dead, the Flag Smashers storyline was surprisingly well done, they really gave them more voice and more respect than I thought they would. It is a very worthy cause and incredibly relevant as of right now, with the current migrant crisis - having Sam see the good in it and defend them in that incredible speech was pleasantly surprising. That was truly the highlight of the episode - when he told those powerful world leaders that the helplessness they felt against Thanos is the same helplessness the underprivileged feel against them every day... that HIT HARD (Anyone who's been paying attention knows Thanos was always the stand in for dictators and imperialists, but it's great that they've finally driven the point home). Anthony Mackie did a great job this whole season, Sam Wilson is the perfect Captain America (did I mention I love him?). Bucky took a little bit of a backseat which is totally fine, he's had more screentime in the films over the years, it feels balanced. Sebastian and Anthony's chemistry is undeniable, I hope we get a second season or a film cus they're too good to waste.
The Power Broker reveal... everyone and their mothers saw it coming, bit underwhelming. I'm interested to see what they do with Sharon's character now, she's incredibly hot as a rogue spy criminal boss lady.
Also, beyond Sam's speech, the scene with Isaiah at the museum sent chills all up my spine. This show is really important for the current moment we've living in. Marvel did great. PLEAAAASE give me a second season.
It was an important story to tell, but no amount of stars in your cast can make up for a superficial script. This cast and this story with a more ambitious production could have been bombastic, pun totally intended lol
p.s: i am so fucking obsessed with Charlize Theron... she is one of the greatest actors of our generation, but she needs to start getting cast in better movies im begging
The editing in this movie sends me but oh my god would i risk it all for these cowboy lesbians
I'm surprised this film has such a low rating on here, i found it brilliant. It was the first time i watched an Almodovar film and I think i picked a great one to start with, because it turned me into a fan. Not only is the direction in this film brilliant, so is the writing and that's all down to him. You can tell it's auteur cinema, because there's this cohesiveness that's so satisfying and that pushes the narrative forward. It auto-references itself in a way that's surprising and moving and it tells someone's life story, set in different times, while almost making it feel like it's all happening at the same time. The past is so present and constant, there's so much intention in everything that's happening both in the flashbacks and in the present. This film feels like a spider-web but Almodovar simplifies it enough to make for a beautifully satisfying watching experience. The ending is just the cherry on top. Absolutely adored it!
As much as the fights were getting a bit repetitive by the end, this is still one of the most well-done super hero movies i've ever seen. It grips you from start to finish and it's hard to watch at some parts, but it truly elevates the genre in a way that hasn't been done since the Dark Knight Trilogy. It shows what real life would actually look like if there were enhanced people in it, without unnecessary comedy to lighten up the mood, without flashy fireworks (not that there's anything wrong with that, but something different is definitely welcomed right now). I just loved it so much.
The only reason I'm not giving it a 10 is cus from all the x men movies, this one included, Logan/Wolverine never really became a favourite, he's just not the sort of character that wins my heart over. Laura on the other hand... love her so freaking much.
9/10
the comments saying this is an honest portrayal of modern teens................ @ american teenagers are yall ok? is everything ok at home? this show's like everything i hate about american culture but i guess i should have seen that coming. won't be watching it again, which is disappointing cus i love zendaya and she's so cute in this :(
EDIT: i watched the whole season and the way the show’s directed, edited and generally its technical aspects are amazing. some issues are delt with really really well (rue’s depression for example) but everything else is just very much still an extra american teen show that makes me cringe every time i have to remind myself im watching the lives of 16 and 17 yos.
6/10
Pride Month 1 film a day challenge:
#2
Where do I even start with this film.................................................... Gosh it's so lovely, it's making me want to cry.
I'm gonna have to do bullet-points cus there's so much i want to talk about.
The fact that this film is based on a novel written by a woman, it's written for screen by two women, directed by a woman, and has two incredible female leads.
The way it gets w|w love so perfectly right (probably due to reasons explained in point 1). It's shown through subtle looks and growing tension, through friendship, understanding and romance. The characters fit so well together. Each of them is a complex, multifaceted, well built character with their own struggles and strength, and they each bring out the best in one another. Jean helps Lydia see her worth, helps her see she can stand on her own. Lydia helps Jean let herself go, conquer her past and breathe out.
Charlie and the bee subplot - honestly amazing. This film said gay rights and bee rights and literally that's all we, the human race, should care about too. The recurring idea of a beehive being composed of mostly females, living in perfect harmony. The recurring theme of bees listening to you, and keeping your secrets. The way Charlie finds purpose in keeping them. The way the bees freaking save the day!!!!!!!!! Oh my god... a dream literally a dream.
Still on Charlie: the way the film destroys toxic masculinity with the figure of his absent father and the way he tells Charlie he needs to be a man, just because he cares about nature.
Annie's subplot: telling yet another woman's story, and adding a interracial relationship too. The scene where they force her miscarriage is haunting and really drives the point of how little women could dictate their own lives then home.
The photography!!!!!! Rural Scotland's a breathtakingly beautiful scenery, but there are countless gorgeous shots all around (when Jean's watching Lydia take a bath........................................... and she looks back......................... poetic cinema).
The only reason I'm not giving this a 10 is, whilst i understand the ending, i still don't think there was a big enough reason for them to end up apart. Just let them be together for god's sake.
9/10
I’m doing a mini rewatch before Endgame and I swear I started crying when Tony said "If we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it". I just can’t believe how far this universe has come and how much the original 6 have grown and changed. I really really really love this world and these characters and I’m not ready to say goodbye to them. So Tony, Steve, you all better stay fucking alive :sneezing_face:
9/10
oh those poor old gays
7/10
Can't believe it took me so long to watch this film! Absolutely amazing, and every bit as relevant today as it was in 98. There's nothing better than movies that act as think pieces about society, because I don't think there's a more effective media for that than film, and The Truman Show has to be one of the best think-piece movies I've ever watched!
The most exciting stage of a (fictional) relationship for me personally is exactly the one encapsulated in this chapter of the trilogy. Forget the nerves and ingenuity of a new relationship, i want the angst and the high tension of a past love that didn't work out but is on the verge of a reunion. I'm obsessed with the way this pair of actors explores the different levels of chemistry, applied to each different stage of the chatacters' relationship - it's subtle, but you notice it just enough to make it feel whole and real but still more exciting and dramatic than real life, (which is what we always look for in movies, right?) without ever crossing the bridge to cringiness, which is always the big risk in romantic movies. The dialogues, as always, were an incredibly entertaining chess match to follow, but by far my favourite part is Céline's outburst of emotion in the car, just so so good. That ending has to be one of my favourite endings to a movie ever. I'm obsessed. First one was a solid 9, this one's a good 9,5. Let's see what the third instalment has got!
watched this movie cus my brother really wanted me to lol.... i could smell the white saviour complex coming a mile away. it’s 2019 can we please stop making movies about vile white men realising they’re f*cking disgusting? I’m not gonna pat you in the back for being a decent human being. i have 0 sympathy for this CP Ellis man. thank god this didnt get any hype or it might have gone on to win the 2020 Oscar for best picture lmaooooo
i loved how this film just has the characters in an incessant search for a way to cheat death, through myth, religion and science, only for them to realise eternal peace can only be found once you accept nature cannot be changed and all things must die. it's such a peaceful way to deal with death, and it really makes the world around you stop while you watch. it tells you that in the end we're all just a part of something bigger and are never in control of our own lives, because life will end, no matter how much we try to fight it. that can be scary for some, but to me it just makes living less scary.
Now what the fuck was the hype around this show all about? Awful characters, average theatrical action, and the plot is predictable and cowardly.
I honestly feel like this movie actually delivered on a lot of aspects. It definitely has a vision and a theme, which I appreciate, and it didn’t feel boring at any moment (even if frustrating at times).
My review for We Got This Covered here: https://wegotthiscovered.com/reviews/review-kaley-cuoco-and-pete-davidson-rewrite-the-future-of-rom-coms-in-meet-cute/
I’ve never been too into sci-fi but lately I’ve been enjoying the genre more and more. I loved how good this movie looked, the practical effects and the minimal score. Also, Sigourney Weaver sexy.
Something about this film just felt really homey which is a weird thing to say about a sci-fi thriller about a giant saucer-like monster eating people from the sky, but I think it was just its 80s/90s like quality and references to a time where Hollywood could still do spectacle without being so shallow. The amount of trivia I learned from watching this and googling the different references and nods made me truly geek out and have more fun than I’ve had watching a movie in a minute.
P.S.: I :heart: Daniel Kaluuya
This review may contain spoilers.
Bullet point review cus there’s too much nonsense in this film to even attempt at making a coherent text:
Huge shoutout to Carloto Cotta for building a career on the shoulders of his uncanny resemblance to Cristiano Ronaldo (Diamantino and the Netflix show Elite are arguably his two most famous roles and they’re both Cristiano spoofs that somehow simultaneously nail the absurdity of the footballer’s public image and completely misrepresent and mock who he is as a man). Would absolutely love for the two of them to meet one day, or god forbid, for Cotta to play Cristiano in an actually serious and non-offensive biopic where he could go further than the airhead façade.
Hated the characters of the sisters, they were excessively disgusting and abusive and their scenes made me uncomfortable.
THAT MANUELA MOURA GUEDES SCENE BELONGS IN A MUSEUM. SO. GOOD. my favorite bit in the movie. I cried laughing.
Hated what they did to the queer relationship between Lucia and Aisha. Highkey homophobic.
The political subplot was a bit cringe. I wish it had been less in your face, but still pretty self-aware.
The Portuguese hit show Por do Sol which has been the most unanimously loved portuguese television production since Morangos com Açucar or Aqui não há quem viva shares a lot of the same humor of Diamantino, just with better actors and a little bit more depth. But what is great about both is the Portuguese’s unmatched ability to make fun of themselves and to so completely and thoroughly understand the absurdity of our cultural landmarks (soaps, football, our crusader and colonial past, and the catholic church). I think we’re one of, if not the funniest people on Earth.
Austin Butler is amazing but the film is all style no substance. It’s amazing how you can watch an almost 3 hour long movie about Elvis and come out of it knowing only very basic things about the man’s life. Why the choice to make Colonel Tom Parker the narrator, I don’t know, but the film is weaker for it. Elvis is clearly the more fascinating character of the two, and was almost sidelined in this film. I also haven’t really liked Hanks’ last few performances, he’s becoming increasingly clownish with age.
Honestly, it was not that bad.
Full review on We Got This Covered’s page: https://wegotthiscovered.com/reviews/review-pinocchio-is-a-charming-homage-to-its-predecessor-but-still-not-really-necessary/
Had potential for so much more.
My full review in portuguese for Fio Condutor: https://fiocondutor.com.pt/where-the-crawdads-sing-2022/
First thoughts just fresh from finishing this: this film would have benefited so much from more Nicole Kidman. The scenes where she gets to shine are the undeniable highlights of Eyes Wide Shut and the little glimpses into female visions of sexuality we get when her character is given a voice are the most interesting aspects of the film’s thematics and narrative.
It’s a great movie about sexuality, desire, sex and power. I’m just not a fan of Tom Cruise and all the gratuitous objectification of women. I realise that might be a simplistic read, but there’s no doubt male directors enjoy using their movies to satisfy sexual fantasies, much in the same way those social elites used hoods and masks, a palace, and a Beethoven opera.
Yesterday was my grandma’s 90th birthday and we’re all celebrating it at lunch today. I had no idea what this movie was about but it somehow happened that after having it on my watchlist for months I finally watched it across these two days.
“We live three times as long since man invented movies,” might mean that we get to live other people’s lives through the images on screen, but I think what it actually means is that, through movies, we just learn to live our own life three times as intensely. Happy birthday, grandma :heart:
It’s always fascinating watching movies adapted from stage plays, because a single setting shouldn’t really work as well on screen as it does on a stage, but if the material is good enough, then the film will almost always succeed. That is the case with The Humans, which I believe was elevated by the devices cinema has to offer in terms of creating suspense, deep anxiety and complete immersion.
It’s funny that this film is shot like a horror, yet there’s no serial killers, or ghosts, or monsters, just reality, human fears and human heartbreak, and a very old apartment with severe health hazards which probably takes away two thirds of your income every month. Stephen Karam is absolutely right, there’s nothing scarier than that.
These movies are actually a lot of fun, I won’t lie. It annoyed me how short each scene was, though, the pacing was so frenetic it barely allowed one thing to register before we were onto the next one. It was a bit too loud and excessive for my taste but the humour is really good.
A 10 for Megan Thee Stallion
I don’t know how to put it but I feel at home in this franchise. I didnt really have a Hunger Games phase back when it first was a thing but going back and reading the books and rewatching the movies now has made this universe very personal to me. I love Katniss :two_hearts:
Almodovar has to be one of the best directors at reproducing the anxiety of an identity crisis onto the screen. This movie was more on the “uglier” side of his filmography, in the vibes of “what have i done to deserve this”. it made me feel uneasy as i finished it, and like i needed a breather. the meta storytelling is a really great concept and gael garcia bernal is incredible.
