It's more Solo: A Star Wars Story than it is Better Call Saul. This is an unnecessary, drawn-out prequel that's more story driven compared to Fury Road. From my perspective, this emphasis is a mistake for a franchise which has never used story as its major selling point. I have to ask: what does this really add to Furiosa as a character, the feminist themes of Fury Road or the revenge genre? The answer: not a whole lot. You probably already pieced most of this backstory together in the abstract if you paid attention during Fury Road. Because of that, Furiosa quickly becomes predictable and stale, especially with the new characters not being terribly interesting. I loved Hemsworth's zany performance (great voice work), but on the page there's not much there. Tom Burke turns in a really flat performance as the underdeveloped love interest this story didn't need. Anya Taylor-Joy is fine in this role, but she isn't given a lot to do. For the first two chapters, Miller makes a conscious effort to hold back with the more operatic set pieces, instead focussing on Furiosa's childhood with a younger actress. It's not the worst thing ever, but I never felt like the film came off the ground. The film picks up considerably during the war rig attack early on during the third chapter. It's an impressive scene, although it does look considerably more plastic than all the action in Fury Road. Sure, it's still way more artistically accomplished than everything else you're going to see this summer, but visually it's a noticeable downgrade. Still, from that point on, the film becomes more entertaining and set piece driven until the credits. None of it feels particularly innovative or original, but George Miller's vision for these movies remains unmatched. The camerawork, worldbuilding and atmosphere are great, although as mentioned before the lighting and CGI could use improvement. Combined with the weak story and character work it never quite manages to turn itself into something I'd recommend, but as the only action tentpole made for adults this summer, maybe consider supporting it.
5/10
I'm completely fine with not painting the broader context of the civil war in this film. If that doesn't interest Garland as a filmmaker, there's no need to. The notion of California and Texas teaming up negates any possibility of this being a direct metaphor almost by design. His interest here clearly lies in making a movie about journalism and neutrality as symbolized through the character played by Kirsten Dunst. Together with fellow photojournalists Joel, Jessie and Sammy we find ourselves on a road trip where our protagonists are trying to get to the white house and interview the president (Nick Offerman). Unfortunately, none of these characters are developed in an interesting way, so that makes the first half a bit of a slog. There's still interesting bits of tension, but some of the writing is surprisingly stupid coming from Alex Garland. Take the scene with Jesse Plemons, which is probably the best scene. The entire set-up to that scene introduces these two disposable new characters in a way that feels like it comes from a much dumber film, on top of that it makes the Plemons scene feel contrived and forced. That scene has some fantastic acting and tension, but it ultimately resolves in a way that's unintentionally funny by using a trope often found in action comedy films. I don't know if Garland's consciously watering it down to reach a broader audience, but he's certainly not at his sharpest here. You pretty much know from the beginning which characters are going to die, and they're usually killed once they expose themselves at their most human. Going back to how that comments on the theme of the film, I think that's an incredibly narrow minded, childish view of journalism. The film even indirectly acknowledges how taking pictures is a process of selection; there's bias involved there, it isn't neutral or simply something left for a reader to interpret. Combined with the general portrayal of the journalists as opportunistic assholes (look no further than the cheesy note this film ends on), this movie often fails to strike a chord that feels truthful. I could go into all the other small details that don't make a lot of sense (e.g. aren't there a ton of escape routes underneath the white house?), but instead I'll just leave it there. I enjoyed Dunst's and McKinley Henderson's performances (the other two aren't quite as strong) and the third act is an engaging set piece for as long as you don't put too much thought into it. Technically, it's fine. There's some beautiful visual moments but I wouldn't say it looks better than Devs or Annihilation. Rob Hardy does some interesting things with objects coming in and out of focus to reflect the main characters, but in terms of colour and composition I expect a little better from him. The music choices didn't work at all for me, I found the juxtaposition way too jarring. There's this De La Soul needle drop when someone's being executed and I'm still baffled what that scene's trying to communicate tonally. Still, I enjoyed the sound design and strong use of silence, especially during the more intense scenes. Overall, if this is A24's interpretation of what a blockbuster should be going forward, they probably shouldn't bother. I'm astounded by how much of this doesn't work. It's simultaneously too watered down to work as art and not fun enough to work as entertainment. For something that's tainted to be the 'most controversial movie of the year', it's too forgettable to leave a real impression.
4/10
Godzilla x Kong more like Kong ft. Godzilla. Bro didn't have any screentime in his own movie.
Anyways this doesn't even feel like you're watching the latest monsterverse movie but more like the same old movie you've seen a morbillion times. There's literally no story or plot and the added exposition does nothing to the already hollow plot. Don't get me wrong the action was fantastic, the CGI was great but as always there's so much of it. Bernie was funny as heck and I loved his performance and also that pewdiepie looking guy was fine too I guess.
Initially I wanted to give this a light 6 but there's just so much criticism. I hate that little girl she adds nothing until she's forced to, the whole movie she was like an NPC with two default emotes ☹:slight_smile:. Scarking is probably the most underwhelming villain yet, my guy is built like damn stick, not threatening at all, also he could've been introduced way earlier in the movie. I love the action but there's just so much of it at the end, basically a CGI-fest, my head started to hurt after a while probably because I watched it in 3d. The main thing that brings the movie down is again the human characters, silly and boring dialogue and over the top humor from Trapper, like Bernie was funny but Trapper didn't really do it for me. I love Kong and his story arc was really great with mini-kong but come on we all love Godzilla more, he is just too OP. I think we all know they'll never add a story ever in a monster-verse movie but eh it is what it is I guess.
Guess I won't be beating the "bro doesn't know how to have fun" allegations.
-1 point for naming it Godzilla x Kong and not have a kiss scene at the end
This will probably become more beloved than Dune for being a bigger, more action driven film. Personally I prefer the first film by a long shot, but there's a lot to like here. I loved Paul's new journey for this installment as it doesn't develop in the way you'd expect based on the ending of the first film. The themes of colonialism, false prophecies and religion reach a level of depth that cannot be found in other sci-fi/fantasy contemporaries like Lord of the Rings or Star Wars; this film certainly made me understand why this story is taken so seriously as a piece of literature. Despite the source material being so old, there's still something new and refreshing about it. You don't often see major Hollywood productions calling out religion as a manipulative force helping the people in power. On top of that this brilliantly subverts the concept of the hero's journey we've become accustomed to by everything that was in one way or another inspired by Dune. The acting is pretty great, Timothée does a great job at playing the transition Paul goes through. Despite his boyish looks I was sold on his performance as the leader of the Fremen. Rebecca Ferguson and Javier Bardem are also scene stealers. The visuals are once again mindblowing, in terms of set/costume design, cinematography and CGI this is as close to perfection as you could get to right now. The vision and scope of this movie are truly unmatched, which leads to some breathtaking sequences that I'll remember for a while (sandworm ride; the black/white arena fight; knife fight during the third act).
However, for all the praise I have for Dune: Part 2, I think Denis is being uncharacteristically sloppy with this film. First of all, Bautista and Butler feel like they're ripped from a different franchise altogether. Their over the top, cartoonish performances are more suited for something like Mad Max than the nuanced world of Dune. The bigger cracks start to appear when you look at the writing. The brief moments where the movie pokes fun at religious zealots through Javier Bardem's character, while funny, probably won't age very well. Like the first movie, it has a tendency to rely too much on exposition and handholding, a problem which might be worse here. I feel like a lot of the subtlety is lost in order to make the movie more normie proof, and that's quite annoying for a movie with artistic ambitions like this one. For example, there's this scene where Léa Seydoux seduces Austin Butler's character, and everything you need to know as a viewer is communicated through Butler's performance. Cut to the next scene, where Seydoux is all but looking at the camera saying "he's a psychopath, he's violent, he wants power, etc.". I just feel like compared to Villeneuve's precise work on Blade Runner 2049, he's consciously dumbing it down here. It's understandable and somewhat excusable for a complex story like Dune, but he occasionally takes it too far for my liking. Then there's the love story subplot between Chani and Paul, which almost entirely misses the mark for me. It feels rushed, there's no chemistry between the actors and some of the lines are painfully cheesy. Because of that, the emotional gutpunch their story eventually reaches during the third act did little for me. Finally, I'm a little dissatisfied with the use of sound. I loved the otherworldly score Zimmer came up with for the first Dune, however this film is so ridiculously bombastic and low-end heavy that it starts to feel like a parody of his work with Christopher Nolan. For the final action beat of the film Villeneuve cuts out the film's score, and it becomes all the more satisfying for it.
Overall, I recommend this film, however maybe temper those expectations if you're expecting a masterpiece. There's a lot to admire, but it's flawed.
6.5/10
More garbage from Zaddy, this is a modern blueprint for what not to do when you’re making operatic sci-fi/fantasy. You could point at the obvious issues, such as the worldbuilding and story ripping off every other property in existence without putting much of its own spin on it (Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Dune, Harry Potter, Mad Max, Excalibur, Seven Samurai, The Matrix to only name a few), but that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what’s wrong here. Snyder’s often praised for being this great visual stylist, but with Rebel Moon he might just deliver his most poorly directed film. Multiple shots are out of focus, the score is really manipulative and overblown, the staging of the action feels amateurish, there’s often a lack of proper depth of field (it kinda feels like those Star Wars shows on D+ due to the poor use of the volume stages) and he’s generally wanking off way too much with all the slo-mo here. Moreover, this has one of the worst scripts of the year due to all of the cheesy, overwitten dialogue and ridiculous amounts of exposition. It’s very hard to find a scene in this where the presentation and writing are somewhat organic or manage to create meaning in a way that feels artistically instinctual. Instead, it’s this lifeless mismatch of stale ideas. Add to that the fact that Snyder doesn’t know how to emphasize the strengths of the limited performers he’s working with here (besides Hounsou and Hopkins, who can handle themselves regardless of the director), and you can only conclude that Disney made the right decision by rejecting this.
1.5/10
Almost a complete failure. It’s a Frankstein movie; this has obviously been hacked to pieces and reassembled in a way where it doesn’t resemble whatever it was once supposed to be. The editing of this movie is a nightmare, because not only is the story incoherent and rushed, but even the action is quite hard to follow due to the film’s central gimmick. The dialogue’s as cringe as expected from Marvel nowadays, with every attempt at comedy falling flat and tons of boring expository scenes. I don’t understand why the most interesting character beats are placed before the timeframe of this film (e.g. the destruction of Hala by Karol ), because nobody in this movie has a real fleshed out arc. Why not open your movie with that scene as it’d build naturally from where the first movie left off? That’s not to say that it doesn’t entirely try, because there are a few artistic swings in here, but those moments feel like they come from a different film. Instead, this movie’s only real merit comes from the baseline of quality you can expect from a production of this magnitude, so the costumes and production design are generally quite good. Visually it’s extremely inconsistent though. I can tell there’s someone with a good eye behind this, but so much of it looks plastic, unfinished and/or poorly lit. Overall, I’d argue this is the worst Marvel Studios film so far. Maybe it’s not quite as annoying as Love and Thunder, but this is just really a depressing, mind numbing watch.
2.5/10
A slow-burn, slice-of-life drama about the lasting effects of trauma and the agonisingly slow road to recovery. A delightful bit of introspective cinema that highlights friendship and platonic intimacy over the usual cliche'd romance as the ailment to all our problems. Causeway does the delightful thing of slowly opening these characters lives through passing dialogue and insightful conversation, highlighting what has lead these two characters to their respective places that aren't so different, even if the path to get there was wildly far apart. Great piece of contemporary drama with stellar performances from Lawrence and Henry, so much is conveyed with so little and really helps the delivery of this sensitive movie. Some will probably bemoan that "nothing happens" upon completion of this movie, but I'd argue that is the entire point; these characters are contemplating and stewing on what has lead them here and how to move on. It is a character first drama, and if you're not prepared to sit back and understand the nuances of these people, you'll probably have a bad time. For me, this was some stellar drama with a fresh angle highlighting friendship instead of romance as the crutch that can keep us going in the darkest times in life. It possibly lacks a layer of depth to make it truly great, but what there is here is very good stuff for the right audience. Really good stuff indeed.
--- Spoiler filled musings beyond this point that might be off-base ---
I'm still trying to fully place the metaphor of pools and large bodies of water throughout the movie. I assumed they were representive of the brain/mind; gunking up and filling with moss/trash/rubbish that life throws in that we must continually clear ourselves of to stay functional and clear. Only then, much like at the end of the movie when Lynsey dives into the public pool, are we able to dive in amongst everyone else and lead a stable life?
The truck is also symbolic of Lynsey I suppose, giving herself over to James to work on her while she's broken down. The parts to fix her might not be in the town she grew up in, but the people can find them from else where to get her back up and running? Maybe a stretch but I like it as an allegory.
I liked the constant reminder of "matching pairs", with Lynsey playing Memory a few times throughout. Lynsey and James obviously being the main matching pair, but also their parents, Lynsey and her brother being equally ruined by their upbringing, both of them having crutches to deal with everything etc. I'd be intrigued to see if there are any other dualities throughout the movie to pull out.
It's very obvious but I enjoyed how, while Afghanistan and the bombing were obviously the main catalyst for Lynsey's issues, it's heavily implied that the unstable, rocky upbringing probably had more of a hand in her instability than the IED. While it was probably the bomb that demolished the camels back (so to speak), the uneven foundation of her childhood clearly made it much harder for her to get back on equal footing with no support system in place. As someone with very "hands off" parents, this resonated with me more than I expected and made my stomach drop a few times during the scenes with her Mom.
Unlike other movies, I was also happy to see that the movie was critical of Lynsey and her coping mechanism for her trauma too. Many of these drama films only navigate the trauma from the perspective of the main character and never usually question if their actions are justified or correct. While running away is a very easy fix, staying and being compassionate is the harder, but ultimately righteous choice that will probably lead to sustained stability and growth. We assume Lynsey will run after she/her truck have been fixed, but she finally sees that she cannot keep running and must stay to fix the wounds that are there.
I look forward to reading all the Reddit analysis and essays that come from this movie that prove me wrong or highlight things that I missed :smile:
For something that tries to be as dumb and meatheaded as possible, this is quite boring. There’s an art to making a good bad movie and filmmakers seem so clueless whenever these are attempted nowadays. Most of the people involved probably weren’t coked-up enough to make the end result entertaining, unlike when these were made in the 80s. Take Jake Gyllenhaal, he’s obviously a great actor but someone who’s way too introverted for this type of material. By comparison, Conor McGregor fits this movie like a glove and he’s easily the most entertaining part by playing the same persona we’ve become accustomed to over the years (even if the performance is obviously quite terrible). As far as I’m concerned, his introduction scene is the only memorable thing about the movie, it’s this moment where the movie very briefly finds the right tone. The rest of the film is surprisingly bland and tame. Sure, the throwaway characters, simple story and terrible dialogue were all a given, but even the set pieces aren’t memorable as they’re often poorly staged and lacking in viscera. Someone gets eaten by a crocodile and we don’t even get to see it, the background extras during the big bar fights look amateurish and the choreography/stuntwork (besides a decent final fight) is often way too dull. The 80s, GTA Vice City aesthetic that’s promised by the poster doesn’t show up, most of this film has no visual personality. Then there’s the music, which might just be the worst thing about all of this. Right from the opening scene we’re met with auditory vomit courtesy of a cameoing Post Malone, following that there are occasional musical interludes that don’t complement the vibe of the film and on top of that score is filled with the type of ‘badass’ guitar riffing found in car commercials. None of it works in harmony, and I don’t get who it’s targeting. Much like the rest of the film I needed more wild energy for it to work, as the overall experience feels too much like camp by committee.
2/10
The trailer didn't do much for me, but being familiar with the director I knew it was probably going to be more clever than the marketing was letting on. Turns out I was right, Richard Linklater has clearly been studying the works of Erving Goffman and decided to make a fun hitman movie about it. The script keeps it fresh by using its central concept of role playing in a couple of different ways. It's simultaneously a psychological thriller, quirky romance and postmodern comedy. I noticed a lot of different influences (e.g. Burn After Reading, Fargo), but all of the elements here work together to create something that feels cohesive and fresh. For me it checks a lot of boxes a lot of films like this don't hit anymore: the leads have good chemistry, it's patient and doesn't go too crazy right from the start, characters are properly motivated and the fun concept always remains thought provoking. It's main selling point, however, is definitely Glen Powell, who's playing the type of character that I can only imagine is any actor's dream role. Some of his outfits are bordering on the ridiculous, but the performance ultimately makes every character work. Not a huge fan of the perplexing ending, and a little more bold energy could've elevated this beyond that typical Netflix feel (Linklater's naturalistic filming style, editing and score sometimes tip into bland territory here for my taste), but this is probably the best crowdpleaser to come out this summer.
6.5/10
This is fascinating, I loved every second of it. Such a brilliantly written script and Cate Blanchett’s performance deserves every possible accolade, Lydia Tár is one of the best characters I’ve seen in a long time. The way the film tackles pretension, artistic ego and achievement as a veil for perceived integrity, and the abuse of power that results from it really spoke to me. Should artists be held accountable or not? Should we seperate art and artist? What is the effect of cancel culture on art? These are questions I’m currently asking myself, as one of my own favorite artists made anti semetic remarks and alligned himself with highly questionable social movements just a few weeks ago, tanking his own career. I used to be firmly in the camp of seperating the two, but this movie made me reconsider that, which is quite an achievement. An achievement made all the more impressive by the fact that there’s no spoonfeeding going on here. The main character isn’t judged in an obvious way and Todd Field clearly wants you to draw your own conclusions.
Now, the script is super intricate, there’s a lot of technical mumbo jumbo in it. Having a background in music (and music theory) myself, I can honestly say that a lot of that stuff went over my head. I got the impression that parts of it were meant to be satirical, but still: you don’t need to feel stupid if you don’t have a perfect grasp on what all of that means, because it’s not the crux of the story. Your focus should be drawn to the journey of our main character, which is intriguing by itself. It starts out as a drama, but then incorporates elements of psychological thrillers as the film progresses. After the movie finished, I immediately wanted to go back and dissect how we’d gotten to the point where we end up.
The filmmaking is very Fincher-y: it’s cold, impersonal, distant, and it has some of the best one takes you’re going to see this year. It’s confidently slow paced, subtle and the director likes to linger on certain shots for a long time, which will inevitably lead to some of the general audience calling it '''''boring''''', even though it obviously isn’t. In fact, I can even see it winning Oscars in a few technical categories, it’s that exceptional.
9/10
Jaw-droppingly intimate and sensitive. Be prepared to be wrecked - the whole theater was shaking with sobs at points.
Beautifully and specifically queer. I've never on screen seen gay sex that felt this much like gay sex. The texture of it. There's a brief, funny, inter-micro-generation terminology convo that if you are LGBTQ of a certain age, you've had. There are two coming out conversations with lines that I swear are plagiarized from my life. There's a delightful subversion, in an early scene, of cruising, that achieves a cocktail of funny and sweet and sad that returns throughout the film (most notably in a moment where a 48-year-old Adam climbs into bed with his parents wearing a 12-year-old's pajamas). The exploration of how things can be so much better than 1987 but still not fine, and the ways the not-okayness of 1987 is still with us, especially in the psyches of folks that were there… so relatable and such a rare and subtle theme.
There is a final twist that, while devastating, does some real damage to Adam's character and, in my opinion, the emotional impact of the movie. Investing incredibly deeply in a fantasy of a relationship with a neighbor that didn’t happen is creepy where imagining you can talk to your dead parents again is sweet and sad. We know early on that the interactions with Adam’s parents aren’t a part of conventional reality and that doesn’t diminish any of their emotional impact, but the romantic relationship being unreal cheapens it.
This last emotional gutting felt unnecessary and unearned to me: it makes me hesitant to recommend the movie, despite how much it affected me, despite the impeccable execution. A friend who saw the movie with me and didn’t personally relate to as many of the queer culture touchpoints felt emotionally manipulated, and I get that. But aside from the last few minutes, my experience of the movie was near-perfect.
This is somewhat reminiscent of the 2014 Godzilla film in the sense that it's trying to be a drama first and a spectacle second. Don't worry, you'll get more of the titular monster here compared to that film, but those who are just looking for destruction are bound to walk out disappointed. In theory this should be right up my alley for that exact reason, but despite being a relatively small Japanese production, the end result I found oddly commercial. Take the character drama, which thankfully is handled more interestingly than the Gareth Edwards film. It puts in just enough work as an analysis of post-war trauma in Japan (I like that they play up the angle of Godzilla as a metaphor for this, wish they'd pushed that a little further) and they put more effort into making us engage with the characters than a movie like this usually would. However, there's still something very calculated and safe about it. In particular, the dynamic between our main 'family' is very obvious because it uses many predictable tropes that play out exactly as expected. For example, our tortured protagonist doesn't quite view the little kid he's living with as his daughter yet (I wonder where that'll go). Moreover, there are plenty of cheesy calls, which during its worst moments lead to scenes that are straight up manipulative. Without going into spoilers, this movie has one of the most annoying final scenes I've seen in a long time, completely backtracking on a major emotional beat of the movie. It honestly felt like the movie pulling a middle finger at its audience. What doesn't help either is that the dialogue, acting and filmmaking aren't the best. Subtleties are spelled out through exposition, every emotion is underscored with generic string sections, the actors are overdoing it at points (even for Japanese standards, trust me). Long story short, the choices all feels very ... Hollywood. I'm not expecting Grave of the Fireflies here, but why focus half of your movie on this aspect when it isn't anything special. The action bits I found slightly better. This movie generally has decent direction, with some design/effects work I'd genuinely call excellent. The fact that they made this with less than 1/10th of the budget of Godzilla vs Kong is really funny to me. Still, the sequences with Godzilla aren't visionary enough where they'll leave a mark on my brain, which is something you really need when you're working in the big monster/disaster genre. Going back to the 2014 film, that movie has a very distinct atmosphere with a very memorable finale. The camera placement and overall presentation here are much more on the functional side. Entertaining enough, but also very reliant on convenience and cheesy, ridiculous moments. For instance, I dare anyone not to laugh at the news crew standing on the roof when Godzilla attacks the city. It's so stupid, but played completely straight. Overall, while I expect a lot of people who think they're cultured for liking Hollywood movies that aren't made by Hollywood will like this, I thought it was the usual middle of the road same old, same old.
5/10
Barbenheimer: Part 1 of 2
This is the kind of film I really don’t want to criticize, because we don’t get nearly enough other stuff like it. However, mr. Nolan has been in need of an intervention for a while now, and unfortunately all of the issues that have been plaguing his films since The Dark Knight Rises show up to some degree here. Visually it might just be his best film, and there’s some tremendous acting in here, particularly by Murphy and RDJ. However, it makes the common biopic mistake of treating its subject matter like a Wikipedia entry, thereby not focussing enough on character and perspective. As a whole, the film feels more like a long extended montage, I don’t think there are many scenes that go on for longer than 60 seconds. There’s a strong ‘and then this happened, and then this happened’ feel to it, which definitely keeps up the pace, but it refuses to stop and let an emotion or idea simmer for a while. There are moments where you get a look into Oppenheimer’s mind, but because the film wants to cover too much ground, it’s (like everything else) reduced to quick snippets. It’s the kind of approach that’d work for a 6 hour long miniseries where you can spend more time with the characters, not for a 3 hour film. I can already tell that I won’t retain much from this, in fact a lot of it is starting to blur together in my mind. There are also issues with some of the dialogue and exposition, such as moments where characters who are experts in their field talk in a way that feels dumbed down for the audience, or just straight up inauthentic. Einstein is given a couple of cheesy lines, college professors and students interact in a way that would never happen, Oppenheimer gives a lecture in what’s (according to the movie) supposed to be Dutch when it’s really German; you have to be way more careful with that when you’re making a serious drama. Finally, there are once again major issues with the sound mixing. I actually really loved the score, but occasionally it’s blaring at such a volume where it drowns out important dialogue in the mix. I’m lucky enough to have subtitles, but Nolan desperately needs to get his ears checked, or maybe he should’ve asked some advice from Benny Safdie since he’s pretty great with experimental sound mixing. My overall feelings are almost identical to the ones I had regarding Tenet; Nolan needs to rethink his approach to writing, editing and mixing. This film as a whole doesn’t work, but there are still more than a few admirable qualities to it.
Edit: I rewatched this at home to see whether my feeling would change. I still stand by what I wrote in July, though the sound mix seems to have been improved for the home media release. It sounds more balanced and I didn’t miss one line of dialogue this time around. I’m slightly raising my score because of that, but besides that I still think it’s unfocused, overedited, awkwardly staged and scripted etc.
5.5/10
Rian Johnson is starting to turn into the white Jordan Peele. He's another one of those filmmakers that loves to work in this niche of subversive genre films that include a heavy dose of social commentary, and I'm all here for it. Specifically, with this franchise we’ve gone from satirizing old money with Knives Out to satirizing new money with this new film (chances are Knives Out 3 will center around a group of homeless suspects). Now, a lot of films in that same vein have been released recently (Triangle of Sadness, The Menu), but I think none of them do the satire as well as this film. To me it’s too easy at this point to simply aim your commentary at these people by making a statement about how stupid and incompetent they are. It seems like low hanging fruit to me, because everyone with a brain knows that these types are vapid and contribute nothing to society. Luckily, Rian Johnson understands this too and goes one step beyond that, filtering all of his commentary through this idea of the glass onion. These people aren’t just stupid and incompetent, but they’re using a veil of eccentricity and ‘complexity’ to hide that. This is a brilliant deconstruction that rings very true for today’s society, and of course you can’t quite escape the obvious parallel with Twitter’s manchild CEO firing himself this week. This subtext is woven into a lot of elements of the film (character, location, plot, even some props), which means that some things are a lot dumber and simpler than they appear to be. I think that will annoy some people, but I think it's quite clever. Like the first film, you get a great cast of colourful characters. Some of them are given depth, some of them are just playing funny caricatures. Daniel Craig owns the whole movie again, but Janelle Monáe comes pretty close to outperforming him. Even people like Dave Bautista do a great job, and it’s because Rian Johnson knows how to use these actors despite their limited range. There are plenty of twists you won’t see coming and the filmmaking is again terrific. It looks very cinematic with the blocking, lighting and compositions, and the score feels very 60s (lots of strings, some minor baroque orchestration), which reminded me of The White Lotus and a certain Beatles song. In the end, what puts it over the first film for me is the fact that the tone feels more consistent here. The more tense and dramatic moments of Knives Out didn’t really hit home for me when you have Daniel Craig doing a really campy accent, and this one just fully embraces that it’s a silly comedy. And it’s a great one at that, nearly all the jokes landed for me. Maybe could’ve done with a little less shouting from Kate Hudson, but ok, it makes sense for the character. Probably the most fun movie of the year next to Top Gun: Maverick, and definitely one of the most well constructed.
8/10
Man I love every time an action movie comes out that reminds us the genre can have depth and themes and true character work. That there can be style and practical effects and grounded action. In the wave of the MCU this is such a breath of fresh air. The action is slick but the drama and characterization work in tandem with it to create something truly special. It's a film that is inspirational not in spite of the history but because it acknowledges the history and transforms it and finds a way to make it resonate today. It shows the strength of these women and the culture while not shying away from its flaws. These black women are put up on a pedestal and asked- if not demanded- to stop feeling, that it is weak, a dereliction of duty, and the film gradually repudiates that while never denying their strength or more importantly their humanity.
And the cast gamely rises up to what they're given. Davis obviously shines as the centerpiece, putting decades of experience into a performance that is stoic, aching, charismatic, and raw in equal measures. Some of her delivery and expressions, from a wry smirk to a fond and exasperated roll of the eyes, are so good at grounding Nanisca and making her really feel like a person, just one from a different time. And while I had mixed feelings about Underground Railroad, Mbedu was never one of them, and she shines here as well. The things she can do with her eyes alone are captivating. And Boyega is charming while being hard and pragmatic enough to still keep you guessing where he'll fall. But in a cast of greats, Lasana Lynch still stands out. The charisma she has on display here makes me baffled she hasn't led a franchise yet, put her in everything.
This film is a celebration of black women while never dehumanizing them. It lets us be strong and vulnerable, stalwart and hurting, devoted and loving, in equal measure. And it's a tight, fun time to boot.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!
Like I said...this is the best science fiction movie I've ever watched. Watched it a few hours ago and I still can't get my mind off of how beautifully crafted this movie is, it's not your regular science fiction movie, it does not resonate with everyone. But Dune part 2 has just reinvented the science fiction genre to a place where you never would've thought. Denis Villeneuve is the best working director in the industry right now. His mastery in worldbuilding is simply a cinematic spectacle, Dune 2 surpasses its predecessor in every way imaginable delivering a deep dive into one of the most beloved stories in fiction ever.
It cannot be stated enough, but this movie is one of the most visually stunning movies I've seen in my lifetime, although it's not as stunning as Blade Runner 2049, it's a close second. The breathtaking cinematography coupled with Hans Zimmer's score captures the grandeur of the world and immerses the viewer into the beautiful world Dune is.
Yet another stacked cast with Timothée Chalamet being the lead, delivers a captivating performance from start to end. The supporting cast including Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson and Austin Buttler is nothing short of a memorable performance.
Dune isn't without it's fair share of nitpicks, I loved all the characters but the female characters in particular felt under-written or under-developed, which seems to be a recurring issue with Denis lately, most the female characters were used for 'Sex Apeal' and lacked depth in exception to Rebecca's character, who was fleshed out really well in both movies. I loved Zendaya's portrayal of Chani, but I wasn't sold on the romance one bit, at times it felt too forced and their chemistry wasn't convincing, once again this isn't an issue in their acting but rather the chemistry was a bit off. I love Hans Zimmer but his score here is probably the most forgettable yet, there is one track that stood out to me but all the others felt like recycled tracks off his other movies.
This is now officially my 3rd favourite movie of all time.
This has everyone involved play to their strengths. It's another tale of Scorsese deconstructing the myth of the American dream, but with a thematic approach I found quite refreshing for him. The way that the film tackles racism, and how it's tied to issues of money, power, greed, trust and systemic injustice, feels authentic and well constructed. It's a movie that's unsettling and will leave a mark on your brain emotionally, you should know that going in. De Niro has a lot of fun playing a sinister crime boss with a wholesome facade, it's a performance that could be compared to Giancarlo Esposito in Breaking Bad. DiCaprio is always at his best when playing a pathetic dumbass, and he also shines here. It almost feels like he's in Tarantino mode, it's not similar to any of the previous work he's done with Scorsese. Yet, despite both of Scorsese's go-to actors having prominent roles here, it's actually Lily Gladstone who ends up delivering the most emotional, subtle performance. Technically the movie is pretty much flawless. The production design, lighting, cinematography and score are all immaculate, and despite the long running time, Thelma Schoonmaker’s editing kept me engaged for the entire runtime. However, the pacing is still somewhat of an issue. As Scorsese has matured as a filmmaker, the choices he's making are becoming more and more understated. The tracking shots and montages are still here, but they're less energetic and he's relying more on pauses instead. There's nothing wrong with that, given that the substance carries the movie, but with a movie this long I want a little more pop. There's one scene involving fire that'll stay with me, as well as another couple of haunting moments, but besides that he's not turning up the intensity too much. It would've been nice if the movie ended with an extended courtroom scene where all the actors get to really show off with some incredible dialogue, for example. This movie still ends in a pretty weird way, having some creative use of what are essentially ending title cards, but it involves a major tonal shift that didn't work for me. Finally, I thought Brendan Fraser's performance was flat out bad, showing up for a small part and overacting every line. All in all, while I do recommend this movie, I don't think it's a masterpiece. Martin 'this is cinema' Scorsese would probably hate me for saying this, but given the pacing issues, there's an argument to be made it would've worked better as a miniseries.
7/10
I'm a sucker for an open ended narrative, and Anatomy of a Fall gives us so many breadcrumbs to work with it's hard not to get lost in how we feel once the credits roll. It's been amazing to read multiple interpretations throughout the days following my viewing, and I'm still not sure where I land on the ultimate conclusion of the plot. What I can say for certainty is that Anatomy of a Fall is a glorious peek inside the life of a delightfully nuanced couple. Their interactions are raw and real, arguments feel clumsy and looped, realistic and believable. It asks us to question our perception and interpretation of others; seeing relationships for brief moments and coming to grandiose conclusions about their infinite nuances without ever truly knowing these people and the dynamics that push and pull between them. I'll continue to return to this movie in my head for weeks to come, as another minute detail bubbles up and questions the narrative I've built in my head about these people and what transpired between them. Maybe I should watch it again, I can't imagine what a second viewing will unearth. Fantastic film, I expect a lot of award season love for this one.
It took 8 years to do... this?!
It goes for scary instead of fun most of the time and that just doesn't work at all. I mean it could have worked if it was actually scary but it's a failed attempt. And really, who could ever be scared of these cute cuddly furry animatronics... it DEMANDS to be fun and campy. Willy's Wonderland and The Banana Splits Movie both understood that. There are some fun moments sprinkled throughout but there wasn't nearly enough of them for the long runtime, it needed way more crazy animatronic moments. It's mostly just a drama.
I was mildly invested in the mystery and characters but the twist is predictable within the first 15 minutes, they make it so damn obvious and there's a very limited number of characters. Story is full of plot holes. Just because your source material is known for having a convoluted story doesn't mean you get a free pass to do a convoluted story, they had 8 years to make it better—it was awful!
Acting ranges from ordinary to good, generic dialogue and the camera cuts away at every kill (PG-13). I'm not a fan of jumpscares in general but this is an occasion where they needed them (the games are huge on them)... hardly any here, sadly.
The biggest praise I could give it is the animatronics look freakin amazing! Great design. Whenever they're on-screen, which is rare, I was fully captivated. The Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria set was kinda perfect. I also liked the brother sister dynamics it was the heart of the movie.
Got to watch early and I was so excited because I always have high expectations for mid-season finales and season finales, especially it being the last season. Was a tad bit disappointed to be honest. The mood they are setting is great. The cicada's - or what where they? - flying over the dark, tense silence, all good HOWEVER there wasn't enough happening. There is this constant build-up this season and I'm waiting for it to pop but it simmers down every time. I really expected someone to die by now. Someone other than a minor character like Marco. (Am I the only one who yelled POLO at the tv when Lydia cried out for him?)
Lance is great. I'm loving him. He is a good villain. One who seems nice and polite but slowly descents into madness. The way he didn't even flinch when that bullet grazed his face, excellent. He is calm and composed but his eyes show the crazy building up inside him. When he'll let out that crazy I'm sure things are really gonna blow. But when!? WHEN!?
I'm sad to see Leah go. She was beyond saving at this point. She was going to keep hunting Maggie so it's the natural course of the story to have her killed but man, she was one badass character! The one on one with Maggie was fantastic!
I still hope Pamela turns out to be a good, decent person unlike her son and Hornsby. But if she's not in the loop about everything that those two are up to than what does that say about her? Either way, this uprising is good. I wondered how long it was going to take before our group would try to take this town over.
My expectations for the final part of this show are really high. I hope they can live up to those after all this build-up.
Oh god.. where do I even start.
The Good:
The Premise was one of the biggest strengths of the movie, aligns perfectly with the thought provoking narrative. The film captures fear and confusion as the world is crumbling around them, from the get-go the viewer is suppose to keep guessing what's happening and leaving us doubting the very meaning of existence. Director Sam Esmail does an excellent job at keeping the viewer engaged throughout the movie despite the inconsistent pacing in the later parts. The performances by all the adults are masterful.Unlike the cookie-cutter disaster movie you get most of the time, this time you are not puzzled with clear cut answers but rather invites the viewer to question the nature of the crisis befalling.
The Bad
I thought I was the only one who felt the cinematography and the camerawork was overdone but some reviews I read the same thing, the constant use of slow motion and the subtle movement of the camera while transitioning smoothly to different cuts, although unique, it's overdone and looses its magic too soon. I had the same problem with the soundtrack sometimes the film tries to overexaggerate suspense and abruptly ends.
Recommendation
If you enjoy slow-burning, thought provoking philosophical thrillers, "Leave the World Behind" is a must watch, if you are not a fan of open-ended conclusions and prefer action packed disaster movies, this is clearly not for you.
Probably one of the best starting points if you want to get into arthouse cinema.
You’re getting a fairly basic, straightforward genre film balancing crime, thriller, drama and romance, combined with the arthouse sensibilities of NWR. So it’s not trying to be Fast and Furious, but it’s a well written movie with a strong emotional core. Familiar ideas that are clearly inspired by the films of the 70s (such as Taxi Driver), but they don't feel familiar because of how they're presented. Aesthetically, however, this movie is much more inspired by the decade that came after that, and it’s easily its biggest selling point. The cinematography is extremely well done, and the score is terrific. This movie revived synthwave before it started to dominate in popular music again and it inspired the soundtrack of films like It Follows and The Guest.
The acting’s superb and the choices made by the actors inform a lot about the characters, tension is constantly building, honestly I don’t see how anyone could find it boring or slow. If you can appreciate filmmaking, acting and creativity, and don't need commercial bombast to create an artificial sense of story movement, you'll probably like this. It doesn’t quite have the depth to warrant a 10, but it’s pretty close.
9/10
If I had a yawn counter the moment I started this movie, I would've still lost count.
Man, what a boring, slow-paced, ugly movie that was. The animation is ugly as heck; I didn't even want to look at the screen half the time. In all seriousness, the themes such as human trafficking were scary and all, but the overall execution of the story was really poor in my opinion. It's surely a sad movie... at least that's what they desperately want us to feel every second. It's like they had no vision or an end goal for the movie and just wanted the viewers to feel sad right off the bat. All of this could've been avoided if it were a live-action film, but even then, it doesn't seem really fitting. The whole story could've been a YouTube short, and I would've felt more for the characters. Animation aside, even the technical aspect of the movie is really lacking. While some sound effects are okay, and the 'Low Roar' song at the end is perfect, the voice acting seemed like it was recorded on a phone with no care whatsoever. Nothing notable or memorable.
By all means, I am not hating on any characters. I have no idea what they went through; real tragic stuff happens, so every criticism above is for the movie.
Let's talk about the timeless masterpiece Citizen Kane is :)
I normally read reviews before going into a black and white movie to either curb my expectations or to increase my expectations. Citizen Kane reviews in particular were mixed, some said it's overrated and people like it just to be seen as a "film bro" and some say it's one of the best movies ever made. I had no idea what to expect and I actually agree with the both negative and the positive reviews.
Having said that I believe Citizen Kane not to be just a movie...it's a definitive success in the history of cinema, a magnum opus in filmmaking which transcends from generation to generation aspiring more filmmakers. Orson Wells...the man behind and in front of the camera crafts and portrays a narrative so elegant and also a rich and a profound piece of art that hasn't been seen before.
From the first shot to the last shot Welles's direction is nothing short of a mesmerizing and innovative with each shot having it's own meaning and purpose to the story. His use of the camera movements, the lighting and the dialogue is meticulously crafted and composed with each scene creating a visual feast to your eyes.
I've often seen arguments saying the movie is just technically impressive and there is no story and it's boring, which I totally disagree with, Citizen Kane is not just the technical brilliance, the storytelling Welles brings along weaves a tapestry of intrigue and mystery with such a simple yet so beautiful twist. I absolutely love and adore the opening scene of the movie and the first two acts which follows along with it, the third act do feel a bit more dragged and dramatic they landed the ending. Throughout the movie we are introduced to a series of flashbacks and interviews where we journey through Kane's rise and fall. His relationships, his rise to power and the eventual downfall all the while tackling the truth of human existence.
I can't stress enough how well Welle's portrayal of Citizen Kane is, it's both charismatic in the first part and tragic in the final part, the psyche of a man consumed by ambition draws the narrative further. The supporting cast was nothing short of brilliant. Everybody delivers a performance for the ages.
It's almost a century since it's release and in conclusion I can verify that Citizen Kane is a cinematic masterpiece- a timeless work of art that resonated and will resonate with generations to come. It's not a film to be seen, it's a film that should be experienced, analyzed, studied and appreciated not just for it's technical abilities but also it's profound exploration of the human mind.
Thank you for reading.
Absolute mastermind of a concept, the synopsis alone made me wanna sit through this with a popcorn bucket excitedly which is probably why I'm a bit disappointed with the final product.
The cast, the camerawork, the direction and the acting was all top notch edge of the seat nail biting hype. I loved the concept and I'm a sucker for sci-fi space movies that uses actual real life science theories like interstellar.
Having said that, the first 2 acts were fine but man the final act was flat out absurd. The same issue I had with Interstellar, they turned it into a fantasy movie. I was so disappointed with that turn. I am okay if they use some fantasy elements but the moment they introduced a villain is when I lost it. Like...why? Just the movie with the crew trying to save humanity with space struggles would've totally done the tick to at least earn 4 stars.
The 'sacrificing one life for the sake of humanity' was so well executed, I loved how they handles it but I gave absolutely no shits to any of the characters, except maybe Chris Evan's characters. There was 0 to no emotional depth, some characters were so one dimension. Chris Evans and Cillian Murphy carries the cast despite of the stacked cast they had, they were all under utilized. Albeit the ending was a bit emotional but still I couldn't care at all about anyone in the movie.
Really simple and to the point, but none of that matters when you can squeeze that much emotion into such a short runtime. Visually, I would call this a masterpiece. I can tell you at least five directors who were directly influenced by this film stylistically (e.g. Aronofsky, Haneke, Noé) which is probably because it’s so good at portraying subjectivity through the editing, lighting and camerawork. The score is also really great, taking clear cues from the Berlin school of electronic music, which fits really well with the tone and atmosphere of the rest of the film. The film understands that true horror is conveyed through filmmaking and atmosphere, not dumb loud noises or cheap shock value. It has its fucked up moments, but they’re not over the top. The acting by Erwin Leder is excellent and he’s completely believable as this emotionally unhinged individual. The film presents us with a character study of his mind, and while it succeeds, there are some clear issues with the exposition. For example, the film starts with this inelegant information dump giving us the backstory of our character, which is unnecessary for this particular story. There’s also continuous inner monologuing throughout the film, which you also don’t need because Leder’s performance already communicates most of what’s being said. It’s like the filmmakers were afraid of the main character potentially being uninteresting, and I don’t get that because everything else is handled with such confidence.
8.5/10
Forgo some of the made-for-TV jank and you're left with a competent, drama-led thriller about trauma, guilt and the rippling effects these emotions have on those afflicted. Some will bemoan it's drama focus and glacial pace, especially with the Blumhouse monikor atop the poster, but if you prefer your thrillers more understated I think you'll have a decent time with The Passenger. It's not perfect, but what's here is good with some extra fat to chew on after your viewing is over.
While I'm probably not as disturbed as either Randy or Benson, I did relate with the former on a pretty personal level. Randy has sunken into himself, hiding away and removing himself to avoid any chance he may disturb or alter anyone elses life following a troubling childhood experience. This is to the detriment of his personal relationships and prospects, but lessens the chance of conflict or change to almost zero. He is also at the beck and call of his overbearing mother, who is equally protective as she is hindering. To say I see myself in this character would be an understatement, and is a large part of why this movie was so gripping to me. It did make me self reflect and think about maybe reaching out to old friends, and putting myself out there a bit more instead of hiding away all the time. I guess that's the sign of good art; when it personally speaks to you and possibly affects change.
1x05 - We Light the Way: 9.0/10 (Near Perfection)
After 60 minutes of pure brilliance, I can only describe it as stunning, exhilarating, and memorable. “We Light the Way” is the best episode of the season thus far. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute; nevertheless, I have certain reservations regarding the ending—I feel the writers allowed themselves to get away with a little too much.
I’m unsure if I’ll ever really warm up to Daemon because he remains as perplexing as he did at the season’s outset. Knowing that George R. R. Martin considers him one of his favourite characters makes me eager to see where his character goes from here. I thought Ser Laenor was somewhat underwhelming, and I hope that changes; he seems out of place, and I can’t put my finger on why that is. Seeing him get so distraught at the end that he could hardly finish a sentence is a foreboding sign that things are about to get very serious, as if they weren’t already.
One of the things I enjoy most about the show is how my sympathies shift each episode as I see the characters grow and descend further and deeper into savagery. After the conclusion of “Game of Thrones,” I’ve been wary about committing too deeply to this show. This episode, though, is one of the best I’ve seen, and it’s more than convinced me that the show warrants my complete attention.
Nothing to say really besides: that’s how you do it!
This has without a doubt the most impressive stunts of the franchise, and it really knows how to use its characters and challenge them. There’s a lot of propulsive energy, lush cinematography and great editing. Lorne Balfe does a great Hans Zimmer impression, and Chris McQuarrie does a great Chris Nolan impression. Alright maybe I’m oversimplifying there, because I have to commend McQuarrie for doing another stylistic reinvention of the franchise, the cinematography and general feel aren’t just that of Rogue Nation 2.0. I’m not even sure if the constant evolution of this franchise comes from a place of creative ambition or commercial opportunity, but at least it keeps the films fresh. Some of its core elements will always remain the same, however. For example, the plot’s once again just a vehicle for all the juicy stuff. You could call it out for being generic or basic, but they find so much creativity and fun in these tropes that it becomes very entertaining (intrigue, the mask sequences, the craziness and constantly rising intensity). Sure, there’s a very predictable twist at the end of the second act, but more often than not, it managed to surprise me. Henry Cavill is a great new addition, bringing back Rebecca Ferguson was the best choice they could’ve made, and Pegg & Rhames remain the reliable anchors that add some heart & humour. It’s all exceptional stuff, it could very well go down as the best action franchise in history if the next films stick the landing.
9/10
I believe that RLM in their review of the last one compared these movies to Taco Bell.
Everything has the same 5 ingredients, just placed in a different order.
It’s hard to argue with that after seeing this film.
It’s plagued by the exact same problem as the Terminator franchise; the creatives behind it are clueless on how to expand the franchise beyond the lore of the classics.
As a result, you get these rinse and repeat movies that are high on the nostalgia bait and devoid of anything interesting.
This somehow manages to be the worst one of the trilogy, I’d say it’s about on par with something like Jurassic Park III.
It’s somehow the dumbest Jurassic film (no, I haven’t forgotten about the military subplots in the previous 2, but this one literally introduces a new dinosaur nicknamed the ‘Giga’ and an evil company called ‘Biosyn’) with some of the cringiest dialogue and acting I’ve seen in a long time, none of which is embraced by the filmmakers. I think it’d play much better if this material was treated like a spoof, or at the very least more tongue in cheek (could’ve used more hallucinations of a dinosaur screaming “ALAN!”). It’s trying so hard to be sincere and Spielbergian, but it doesn’t work.
Moreover, the new characters are still either boring clichés or annoying, it looks too glossy, it’s way too long given how little’s going on, action’s alright but nothing that’s truly impressive or visceral; it’s just a bland mush of forgettable nothingness, and Jeff Goldblum’s charisma can’t save any of it.
3/10
