So original and stylish, an instant classic for sure! It mixes so many genres and so well the transition between them is perfect. The comedy is some of the best i've seen (especially from Jamie Lee Curtis' character) while the action is jaw-dropping. It's very silly at times but also knows when to get more serious and make you feel all sorts of emotions. The acting is oscar worthy i'm putting my money on Michelle Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu! The others were all great too.
12 absolute strangers with different backgrounds, different types of personalities and different beliefs enter a jury room and debate, guilty or not guilty? Everyone enters that room thinking they know exactly the answer to that question but one man's opinion can always be changed, all it takes is one rational argument. Seeing all these different types of personalities bringing something different to the table is truly fascinating. One thing's for sure, only good things can come from having a conversation. The characters feel so real, the acting is natural, the dialogue is gold and the direction of the story is perfection. Truly one of the best scripts ever to be written and a subject matter that will forever be relevant.
"They're coming to get you, Barbara."
No matter how old the visuals look, this masterpiece will forever be a classic. A founding pillar in horror cinema and a reminder of the world we're in. It's more realistic than you'd think the terror is real. The low budget shows and it has it's slow moments but it's perfect on all other accounts and the horror is so effective. What an ending!!
Snape: "Turn to page 394."
Without a doubt the best in the franchise. The Dementors have affected the tone of this one because it's more serious, mature, dark and even scary at times. I love the storyline with Sirius Black and the Dementor/Werewolf looming threat throughout the movie. Best story yet, best score yet, great cinematography, great acting (kids are better now) and the third act is bonkers. David Thewlis is such a great addition as Professor Lupin. Alan Rickman (Snape) was the standout once again, favorite character. The white neon lighting at night is something I hate in movies and this one has a lot of it, although it makes sense because of the moonlight so fair enough. The time travel is the icing on the cake, amazing use of it. I wish they had kept Cuarón as director for the next few movies.
Magical Creatures Ranked (by favorite):
"I exist in this Wasteland. A man reduced to a single instinct: survive."
I witnessed the hell out of this! Fury Road is non-stop Nitro fueled action from start to finish, easily in my top five action movies of all-time.
The action sequences are phenomenal, from the choreography, to the timing of everything, and the way it's all captured beautifully with wide shots and excellent cinematography. You'd think that with so much action it would get redundant after a while but this movie has perfect pacing. It carefully takes pit stop breaks every once in a while when it's needed, just like a road trip, so you don't get an action overload, and it does so without ruining the momentum.
The characters are very interesting despite the limited character progression. A lot of it is due to the acting and the nonverbal communication. The best character interaction we get is between Max and Furiosa, it's fascinating watching the slow complicity building up between them, it's one hell of an evolution. Everyone on the War Rig becomes a member of the team in order to survive and that's the emotional core of the movie right there. Nicholas Hoult's Nux is arguably the most interesting character study in all this, what an arc! The villains are everything you want in a movie like this, Immortan Joe and his War Boys are equally detestable, funny and even downright scary at times.
The world-building is fascinating, it gets me so immersed. The score is awesome and great addition with the guy playing the electric guitar. I applaude the use of practical effects over CGI for most of this movie. The cars all look so unique. The costumes and makeup make the characters so badass. The hand-to-hand fight between Max and Furiosa might just be my favorite moment but the third act is one of the most intense i've ever seen in an action movie. A masterpiece!
"Silly caucasian girl likes to play with samurai swords."
One of my all time favorites and one of the best action movies ever made if you ask me. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 has Pussy Wagon sharp dialogue and comedy, a knife sharp catchy iconic score, butcher knife sharp characters, meteor hammer crushing blood and gore, and Hattori Hanzo sharp epic action sequences.
The music choices, camerawork, editing and captivating visuals create something uniquely stylish. The pacing is flawless and it's very entertaining there's no time to get bored, we even get bits of black & white and beautiful animation to change it up (would have taken a whole movie with that animation style). Love the wide shots over the rooms.
Every single character is a badass in this movie. Uma Thurman is perfect in the role and Lucy Liu makes for a satisfying villain. The story is as simple as it gets: revenge. A criticism would be the non-linear timeline, I don't think it was necessary at all. It's like it's trying to hide the fact that the story's simple by adding a "confusing" timeline.
The third act is one of my favorite third acts ever, it's just perfect, so much action and blood, has me smiling the whole time like a psychopath. The switch from colorful, black & white and black & blue keeps it visually interesting.
"Chaos is order yet undeciphered."
Like every good Villeneuve: complex and confusing. Every time I watch Enemy I learn something new about the movie, it's just the perfect puzzle. Like every good puzzle: inviting, not unsolvable but challenging, and rewarding. Definitely one of my favorite psychological thrillers and my favorite from Villeneuve overall. A psychologist's wet dream of a movie, there's just so much on the plate here and the character study is top notch. The mystery is engaging but perhaps even more engaging is Jake Gyllenhaal. It's not an extravagant performance but he really excels in the more subtle things; facial expressions, body language and line delivery. Great score, brilliant metaphors and such a unique concept. The ultimate 'commitment' movie. Villeneuve is a genius!
If you're trying not to lose your mind putting the puzzle together, this one's THE explanation to go for: https://youtu.be/v9AWkqRwd1I
Ron: "Why spiders? Why couldn't it be "follow the butterflies?"
My second favorite of the franchise and the most fun out of all of them. Some of my favorite moments are in this one; Dobby, the flying car, the Quidditch tournament, the spiders and the Basilisk. The tone is a bit different from the first, less childish and there's a "something creeping in the night" feeling to it (Prisoner of Azkaban ups that even more). The whole mystery and the Heir of Slytherin storyline is an improvement from the first. The world building and setting up for future events is pretty good. Great score once again, the child acting is getting a little better and the set pieces are phenomenal. Thrilling third act and perfect ending.
Magical Creatures Ranked (by favorite):
"Surprise. Did you miss me, Andy? I sure missed you. I told you. We were gonna be friends to the end. And now it's time to play."
Better than the first on every level more funny one-liners, more kills, more horror, more scares and way more maniacal laughs and temper tantrums from Chucky. It blends the humor and horror better than the first while keeping the same magic going and Brad Dourif's voice is gold. So many edge of your seat moments and there's never a dull moment. I love the storm setting at the beginning it's the perfect way to start the nightmare and I find it scaryer especially in the first half. The inclusion of Kyle was a good idea and I like the interactions she has with Andy. The effects look so good and Chucky looks more realistic and polished than the first. The third act is a masterpiece the factory and the yellow box labyrinth look superb and it's the perfect setting to finish your movie in a killer doll slasher. This one still holds as my favorite of the franchise, I wouldn't change anything about it.
My favorite Christmas movie I traditionally watch every year on Christmas. Chevy Chase is hilariously good and no matter how many times I watch it the jokes are still funny. Favorite moments are the Christmas lights and the crazy carpet and the turkey and the cat and the squirrel and..... I could go on and on, i'll just say the whole movie is my favorite part. Merry Christmas, shitter was full!
"Lead them to paradise."
So epic! A proper sequel to the masterpiece that is the first one, Dune: Part Two is everything I wanted and more. The scale and the stakes are much bigger. It really benefits from the world-building and character roots previously established in the first and makes everything bloom. The themes (and at times criticisms) on religion and politics felt so refreshing for a sci-fi movie. It's pretty thought-provoking in that sense. The story had me captivated and invested. It still has it's slow moments but the action sequences are perfectly placed and the payoff in the third act is so worth it.
The biggest praise I could give it is the character arcs and evolution. Paul's evolution here is so fascinating, we basically watch a boy become a man. At the beginning of the movie you fear for his life but by the second half he's the one to fear, emanating confidence. Timothée Chalamet absolutely owned it. Austin Butler is the perfect villain, so unpredictable and violent. I love Jessica's character arc but it felt rushed at times, like she changed too much in between some scenes. The Reverend Mother is so badass, i'm always secretly rooting for her for some reason (the "silence" moment was perfection).
I wasn't expecting the amount of action we got, compared to the first there's a lot. The action and set pieces are so memorable. The worm riding scene was the best moment of the entire movie, I felt so alive with all the special effects and the sound design and the vibrations it's like I was riding it myself. Epic third act battle and hand-to-hand knife scene (although it isn't top tier combat compared to a lot of action movies but the editing and camerawork made it look flawless). They did skip some action in the third act that I wanted to see more of though.
God tier cinematography. I thought there was no way it could look better than the first but they somehow managed to make it look even better in this one. Loved the color grading and the way the sand moves, flawless. The most visually stunning sequence was the black and white one introducing Austin Butler's character. Epic sound design.
I keep trying to pick a favorite between Part One and Part Two and I don't think it's going to happen... they're equal. Overall an excellent sequel. Can't wait to see what's in store for Part Three.
So different from X but yet so familiar the setting, style and nods to the first keeps reminding you this is a prequel. A strong character study on Pearl and her origin story as she absolutely spirals into madness. Mia Goth gives one of the best performances of the year and definitely the best of her career yet! I love how up close and personnal we get to know her character and how close the camera gets to her face it's like looking straight at her soul. If I had to say something negative about it is that it gets predictable. Overall an amazing prequel that keeps the X factor from the first! The final scene was sooo iconic!
I absolutely loved every second of it and can't decide if I liked it more than X, they're equals for now.
A simple story but incredibly layered dealing with loneliness, existentialism, loss, friendship, self-discovery and the consequences - or rather the cost of ending a relationship. It hit close to home for me and affected me in ways I didn't expect. I think anyone who's lost touch with a friend before will relate to this. There's also some clever dark humor mixed in that made me laugh like the bread van scene and the Irish accent (good thing there's subtitles because it's hard to understand). The landscapes are absolutely gorgeous, great score, camerawork, it sets it's atmosphere from the very beginning and the acting: I don't think i've ever seen Colin Farrell so good and Brendan Gleeson's superb. The contrast between their two characters is what makes this work and creates a satisfying balance: similar to a lot of friendships! The ending felt too sudden.
Not dull in the slightest ayd say, a feckin' good movie!
Absolutely horrifying, sad, stressful, unforgettable and devastating anti-war film. It's so immersive you just can't look away from the horrors of war. The landscapes and cinematography are so beautiful and realistic. The action sequences are spectacular and some of the best war scenes i've ever seen. It rivals 1917 (which is the latest one I can remember) on every level. It's 2h27 runtime did feel a bit long in moments but once you've finished it you'll wish it was longer. A must-watch for sure, just be in the right mindset for it.
Absolutely amazing crime drama I only wish it had more episodes I loved every minute of it. Stellar acting from Taron Egerton I can't wait to see him in other stuff he's going to get busy from now. I'm going to go ahead and say it: Paul Walter Hauser gives the best acting performance of the year! Also that intro music plays in my head on repeat so good!
R.I.P. Ray Liotta
So. Much. Fun!
Colorful, cheery, emotional, serious, sad and really the perfect balance between all of these, I never felt like it was too much of either. Barbie adresses powerful themes on identity, gender dynamics, steriotypes, job functions, self-worth, self-confidence, patriarchy, searching for a purpose, toxic masculinity... I never expected it to be that layered and deep. It's a satire and also very self-aware in moments, i'm someone that detests musicals but I loved every musical scene and dance number. The comedy was on point.
Margot Robbie obliterated it, she shows such a wide range of emotions I really can't see anyone else in the role. Ryan Gosling's Ken steals the show often and again I can't see anyone else in the role. Two excellent performances! The fake-looking colorful Barbieland set is perfection I couldn't get enough of it they should do a theme park with it or something.
A negative would be the creator lady, it feels like she came out of absolutely nowhere and what's with that weird room? Will Ferrell and his acolytes didn't add much but at the same time, their scenes were fun and funny so why not. When Gloria and Sasha came in I was a bit worried it would go in an obvious and nowadays overdone way but they turned out to be an excellent addition and it adds layers to the story.
So many emotions watching this, it felt like a gut punch at times but I loved it. I could rewatch this plenty. Ken I get more?!
Dark, disturbing, philosophical, ethical, complex. Prisoners is the ultimate test of faith, morality and what it takes to put these aside in order to save someone. A frightening look into the prisons people find themselves in, in order to cope with, or reject these circumstances. A warning that taking matters into your own hands isn't always the best way to go about it. Creates a fascinating character study mixed with a conventional detective story, constantly making you question and look for hints. Stellar performance from Jake Gyllenhaal and especially Hugh Jackman who's at his absolute best. The pacing isn't it's best quality and the movie feels overlong. Perfect tone and direction. The tension never lets go until the end. Loved the constant raining and dampness throughout it really creates gloom. One of, if not the best dark crime thriller. A perfectly constructed puzzle with so many twists and turns and an experience that leaves you thinking.
Heck yeah that's how you do a Predator movie it's everything I hoped for and more! Why wasn't this at the theater?? Amber Midthunder was such a badass she was perfect for the role. The cinematography was excellent. The CGI had some flaws especially with the blood splatters but it didn't bother me. The action, the gore and the choreography was awesome and I was never bored there's always some action happening. They absolutely respected the Predator's lore and behavior. This is by far the best sequel to Predator they've done and I think I even like it better than the original!
I have to say though that's some of the worst french i've ever heard in my life it's my primary language and I struggled.
Second watch edit:
Even better on a second watch I absolutely love it! This further solidifies my unpopular opinion that it's my favorite in the franchise. Sorry Arnold
Favorite to least favorite:
1. Prey (2022)
2. Predator (1987)
3. Predators (2010)
4. The Predator (2018)
5. Predator 2 (1990)
"He wouldn't be able to find pussy in a whorehouse."
Even better on a second watch. It has a way of sucking me in, the runtime passes by so quick. Drive is a perfect mix of thrills, suspence, drama and emotion with themes of loneliness, finding meaning and masculinity. Silence means more than words with Ryan Gosling here, his performance is all in the body language and he freakin nails it. Every interaction he gets with Irene, Shannon, Standard and Benicio bring something relevant to building up the character. Great chemistry with Carey Mulligan who's another standout. It's a very stylish good looking movie with sleek camerawork and editing. The score and soundtrack is perfection. Epic well-thought out car chases, thrilling action, bloody and brutal, and some truly heartbreaking moments.
That face mask is creepy as hell
–"What's with the earbuds?"
–"Just his music."
–"Yeah, he's loony. He's just like his tunes."
This was B-A-N-A-N-A-S!! Drive meets Money Heist. The story isn't anything particularly original on paper but this is how it's done right. Perfect mix of adrenaline action, quality Edgar Wright comedy, effective emotional beats and even a good romance subplot. Very stylish and the soundtrack is on fire.
Ansel Elgort nailed it as the main character, what they did with him and the music is pretty clever. The characters are so fun and the interactions between them very entertaining. Jamie Foxx is a standout, he was hilarious. I liked Jon Bernthal at the beginning but he just disappeared from the movie for some reason. Kevin Spacey is both hilarious and scary. Lily James and Ansel Elgort have great chemistry.
I'm totally surprised by the quality of the action here, it was spectacular. Some of the best chases i've seen, be it by car or on foot. The editing, camerawork and quick camera changes make it look even better. It was an 8/10 before the third but it totally deserves a 9/10 because that third act was perfect. Can't wait to rewatch this!
I wanted to hear the "Mozart in a Go Kart" song so bad
"We must experience everything, not just the good, but degradation. Horror. Sadness. Then we can know the world. And when we know the world, the world is ours. This makes us whole."
Equal parts unique and original, Yorgos Lanthimos brings us another one of his journey dramas set in a dystopian world. Poor Things bears a strong resemblance to Barbie in terms of feminism and character arcs. A strong character study into Emma Stone's Bella Baxter, a career high Oscar worthy performance from Stone and such an interesting character I couldn't get enough of.
Just like the usual Lanthimos movies, disecting the dystopian world mixed in with the dystopian characters is it's biggest appeal. I believe nobody is prepared for the amount of sex and nudity in this movie—it's a lot but it's necessary for the themes of the movie. Very dark, uncomfortable, disturbing. It's also a very funny movie with sharp dry comedy.
Such a gorgeous movie, easily Yorgos' most beautiful movie to date. Best costumes of the year, everything Emma Stone wears is worth starting a new trend. Favorite score of the year, it's freakin unhinged. The sets are every bit memorable. Clever dialogue. Mark Ruffalo also deserves a shout-out, a refreshing supporting role.
There's scenes that last too long for the sake of getting the viewer uncomfortable and that's great but there's also some scenes in the second half especially that last too long for no reason. The movie gets a little repetitive after a while and I felt the runtime. I question the inclusion of Margaret Qualley's character, she adds fun for sure and I love the actress but she doesn't really add anything to the story.
One of my favorites of the year. Not the best Yorgos movie overall but still great. Lanthimos is becoming one of my favorite directors, I just can't get enough.
Best. Opening. Ever.
Still holds up as the best in the franchise and a staple classic of the slasher genre that inspired so many to continue doing horror past the 90s. Everytime I watch it it gets better and knowing the twist(s) in advance (and the killers in the sequels) elevates it. What Scream does best is making everyone a suspect at some point and everytime you're convinced who the killer is, well you're wrong! I love the approach of having a humanized killer instead of an untouchable wall like Michael Myers, Ghostface can be pushed around and overpowered which adds unpredictability and realism. Well-cast attaching characters, alluring 90s aesthetics (clothes, hair, music... and the phones!!), bloody epic kills, great dialogue, filled with movie references and soo meta. Third act is wild, so many twists it just keeps throwing stuff at you.
Shoutout to Fred the janitor dressed like Freddy Kruger.
"Oh, you wanna play psycho killer? Can I be the helpless victim? Please don't kill me Mr. Ghostface, I want to be in the sequel."
"Movies don't create psychos! Movies make psychos more creative!"
"How am I supposed to heal if I can't feel time?"
Following a non-linear unique structure of storytelling (one timeline moving forward and the other moving backwards), Memento is a clever cerebral piece that explores themes such as memory and identity. It's about the hold that identity has on us and how it can even overshadow the loss of short-term memory. Compared to facts, memories are irrelevant sinse they're inacurate and easy to forge with the mind. Interpretation aside, this movie's a real mindfuck and after nearly 2 hours of watching YouTube videos, I officially have a headache.
The editing's the real star here, it's fascinating that with so many timejump fragments it somehow all fits together and flows great. I like how the movie adresses that people always take advantage of disabled individuals, it's done in an enlightening way. Leonard Shelby is truly an excellently well-written character. Sublime use of colors mixed with black & white, great acting, perfect direction and a clever puzzle narrative that'll leave you thinking. This one demands a second viewing!
Note to self...
WOW best of the season yet! Hopper was such a badass during that fight scene with the russian. That shootout scene at the house was so good that police officer was something else taking down a whole military squad on his own. The ending scene was perfection the music, the emotions and the action was top tier. Also this is the best villain we've had yet I want to know why he's doing all this and what's his endgame.
"This place. It's like a puzzle. Nothing really makes sense in the way we know it."
Lost meets Made In Abyss meets the Discovery Channel. A must-watch for anyone who calls themselves a sci-fi fan. Been a while sinse i've seen such inventive sci-fi elements, it instantly sucked me in pretty much in the first episode. Scavengers Reign takes you on a new planet where we get to basically discover every single species of wildlife living on it, some are friendly while others are straight out of your worst nightmare. Most of these are so well-thought out and engraved in my memory.
For our characters this is a survival fight-for-your-life situation where you need to use everything on the planet to survive and I can't express how well they used that aspect. The characters are endearing and fleshed out. A ton of horror elements and bloody kills. The animation is far from the best i've seen but it more than does the job. Nice color palette. Very good pacing throughout the episodes and a satisfying ending that makes me want to see so much more.
Season 2 when??
Hagrid: "You're a wizard, Harry!"
Harry: "I'm a what?"
I was 8 when this came out and it was everything to me. Pure magic! There's nostalgia involved of course but even looking at it now it's just as awesome. Getting to know this magical world through the eyes of Harry is one hell of an adventure. Best first day of school movie ever.
It's the perfect setup for the franchise to come. Filled with interesting and intriguing characters you can't get enough of. Those characters, the magical objects, spells and amazing set pieces are the best aspects of this movie. The score is equally magical, one of my favorites of all-time. The tone is just perfect, it's lighthearted and childish but also knows when to get serious and emotional. The comedy is well balanced also and it's pretty funny to me.
The child acting could always be better. Alan Rickman (Snape) and Maggie Smith (McGonagall) were the standouts in this one. A few CGI parts that don't look very good. The game of chess and the "Troll in the dungeon!" are my favorite moments.
Magical Creatures Ranked (by favorite):
Kiddo: "You and I have unfinished business."
Bill: "Baby, you ain't kidding."
So different from Vol. 1, more slow-paced and character/dialogue driven. I like Vol. 1 slightly more because of the action and it's more stylish but Vol. 2 is still stylish as hell. It keeps using some of the filmmaking techniques used in Vol. 1.
The backstory for Beatrix Kiddo really elevates the character and the movie as a whole. A lot of layers with the interactions she gets with Bill (David Carradine), who delivers an excellent performance. Daryl Hannah as Elle is also a standout, one of my favorite moments is when she goes absolutely berzerk. Master Pai Mei was a great comical relief, I wanted more of him.
The dialogue and dialogue delivery is probably the biggest praise I could give this movie, it's so freakin good. Favorite part of the movie is the "Elle and I" chapter, probably the most memorable part of both movies (Vol. 1 third act aside).
The only criticism I can think of is I wanted more action especially in the third act, I was expecting an army or at least a few skilled bodyguards guarding the final villain. But I get why they didn't do that because the third act would have lasted an hour. Perfect conclusion.
"A wolf and a penguin could never live together, nor could a camel and a hippopotamus. That would be absurd. Picture it."
A creative and bold vision from Yorgos Lanthimos. The Lobster is set in an unrealistic (but familiar) dystopian world. The concept isn't that complicated but it's a perfect match with the satire and comedy, together they create something clever. It has excellent darker than black comedy but it's also equally cruel and heartbreaking. Razor sharp thought-provoking satire on relationships, marriage and romance in general. A frightening portrayal of societal oppression. A superb story direction and totally unpredictable from beginning to end. Stellar acting from everyone not a single fault. Monotonous but fitting score. Perfect ending. I watched this twice in a row, a newfound favorite!
A negative would be this one scene that makes no sense to me:
"the Loner Leader uses The Maid as a human shield and pretends to die while The Maid is being stabbed to death." But two seconds later the Loner Leader reveals that she's still alive. What was the point of that? And I thought they were friends, what did The Maid do to deserve this?
"Language is the foundation of civilisation. It is the glue that holds the people together. It is the first weapon drawn in a conflict."
It's always so refreshing watching this one. Arrival isn't your usual "let's throw a bomb at the aliens" action blockbuster, it's more civilized, it's all about understanding the aliens and communicating with them—this is the approach we would take in this situation, hopefully!
Another perfectly directed movie by Villeneuve, one of my favorites. Flawless direction and storyline, loved every aspect of the story. Every shot looks gorgeous, love the violin score and great performances. Amy Adams was perfect for the role, she's so believable and knows how to pack a punch with the emotions. Good chemistry with Jeremy Renner, who also delivers.
I'm so fascinated by the language and the aliens, excellent original concept, could have taken an extra ten hour documentary on this. I was already blown away and content with what was given but then a twist happens and it adds another level of complexity to the story. Mind blown. Peak sci-fi!
Perfect mystery with a bunch of twists that'll leave your jaw on the ground. Incendies is all about uncovering your family's past and discovering your origins. It takes place in two timelines; A drama mystery in the present and a civil war thriller in the past. The mystery slowly unravels and when past and present clash, you get one hell of a payoff (a tad bit far fetched though, but it's fiction). It's absolutely worth every 131 minutes. Brilliant storytelling on both ends and it really is perfect how they meet. It's hard to stomach in some parts and it'll certainly haunt you. Excellent performances, flawless direction and captivating story. I couldn't find a version with subtitles for the Arabic parts so i'm wondering if it's intended that way but it didn't keep me from understanding what was going on. The only worry I have with this movie is a rewatch, maybe it relies on that twist too much and it'll lose it's effectiveness.
