Bloody (and) disgusting. But it struck the right balance for me.
I'm a reluctant horror watcher, but I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to, and I wanted to give it an 8, but knew the treatment wasn't quite "Classic" territory. Nevertheless, I was entertained the entire time, despite the fact that the film starts under the auspices that the audience doesn't know what's going to happen... but does it really? Look at the tagline.
But here's the thing-- to me, it didn't feel like that. Considering viewing environment, etc. YMMV, but I'm a sucker for sepia glow lighting in sumptuous old world micro-mansions, and ballet/ballet music, so I actually enjoyed watching all build up to the reveal (and subsequent raucous revelry.) I really only had disdain for one character, and that was fully intended by the film. If anything, the (initial) reveal would be a bonus for the younger viewers watching a few years from now.
The Cast
I only ever remember seeing Kevin Durand as a Gual'uld in Stargate-SG1, so it was quite amusing to see him playing a lumbering, room-temperature IQ Quebecois heavy. He's got plenty of charm to make Peter palatable and fun to watch. Really, everybody played their parts to the page, except, surprisingly, I found Esposito to be a little too on-brand, and then too hammy, which didn't ring quite as true as the others. Barrera's lead, Joey, started out feeling underdeveloped compared to the rest, but she developed along with the plot. It was a sympathy story, which can often turn me off when it's badly executed, but I was invested, especially with the rapport that Willam Catlett's Rickles ("Rinkles!..." lol) developed. I'll have to watch out for him in the future.
Dan Stevens (is English?!) was perfectly effective as the New England skeezy slimeball ringleader. The onions bit was hilarious, partly due to how believable it was, but his exasperated performance sold it perfectly. In fact, all the screwball bits played out extremely well, both in that I always laughed, and that it seemed to be perfectly balanced within the overall tone, which is always the deciding factor. I'm not a big fan of the "idiots getting killed" trope, but here I cared about the characters just as much as I was supposed to, and it's not something I watch much of, so I'm not 'troped out'. It was terrible in Prometheus, though, since they were all supposed to be leading scientists.
Just in case you haven't already spoiled yourself by looking at the cast list, I have to say that Matthew Goode is not the first name I would have thought of to play the part he was cast for, but it really made sense while watching, especially the voice once I heard it (and I actually did go in blind regarding the identity.)
I'd never seen Alisha Weir in anything before this, but I was appropriately disturbed by the performance, partly in a meta sense, given I wasn't sure about the actual age. But even so, I'm still not sure how I feel about a fourteen year old in such a role. But she did not disappoint--in character, or in toe shoes.
I also hadn't seen Kathryn Newton since she appeared as one of the kids in the phenomenal Halt and Catch Fire, but she really got to show off her range here, even if not quite in the traditional sense.
I can't say I'd be mad about a sequel, but I assume it will more likely be another joint feature starring Barrera with the same writer-directorial team, which I'm totally up for. Actually, I'd be happy to see any of the cast return for similar hijinks. I'll just make sure to also eat beforehand, as I, thankfully, did before witnessing such a-literally-visceral display.
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
There’s this conversation about how the food they serve in this restaurant is simple, unpretentious yet tasteful. This film has a similar punk ethos. It’s a very simple exploration of why working in the hospitality industry is a nightmare, a pressure cooker thriller in the same vein as a film like Uncut Gems (or The Bear, who took this idea for their tv show). For a film that’s only 94 minutes we get a pretty detailed picture. Dumb customers, colleagues who get on each other’s nerves, unexpected guests & orders, flawed characters; it’s all in here and not always executed in the most expected way. With the note it decides to leave on I interpret the film as being a critique of how the industry currently operates, which the rest of the film builds a solid argument for. The third act in particular is some of the finest drama I’ve seen in a while (great acting from everyone involved). Sometimes, however, the portrayal of characters (e.g. the influencers) or dramatic escalation leading up to that point can feel a little forced or inauthentic. There’s obviously meant to be a history between these characters we never got to see, so I can look past some of it. Stylistically, I think it pulls off the illusion of using a single take perfectly. I also liked the subtle use of Dutch angles and shaky cam as things got more stressful. Maybe they could’ve also played around more with making the lighting harsher as the film went along, though that might be impossible given how much the camera moves around. Overall, I really enjoyed this and I’d recommend it to fans of the aforementioned film and tv show.
7.5/10
Well, this sure tickled my interest. This investigative journalism doc plays out a lot like David Fincher-esque thriller, but it also finds the absurdity and humour in its own subject matter. The unfolding of new events is handled really well, much like the journalists you’re constantly guessing what’s going on. The answers that we get during the third act are very satisfying; when reading between the lines I think that the final conversation between David and the grandmother connects all of the dots that have been laid down in front of us. I also like that it takes its time to explore and inform about this fetish and the business behind it. It’s weird and bizarre, but pretty harmless all things considered. Technically, it’s well paced and shot, though on a few occasions I found the editing to be overdramatic. There are also some moments where the editing seems unsure what to show, so you get a few too many generic cityscape shots. These are minor complaints though, this is a memorable documentary with a unique tone that’s sure to shock, inform, entertain and horrify. Don’t look up too much before seeing it.
8/10
P.s.: There's a fascinating 20 minute follow-up to this documentary which can be found here: https://youtu.be/K88xF9mOUjc?si=F1VSvmwJKlje2zVe
"You have no enemies"
Just finished watching Vinland Saga 2 which I have been keeping on hold after watching the first 14 episodes. I decided to binge the next 10 episodes all in one go and I think in my opinion Vinland Saga is not just one of the best Anime to ever exist, but it is one of the best most inspiring fictional stories ever written
I can't express my feelings on how good this season in particular was, so much better than season 1 in my opinion, season 2 had a much clearer and a better direction and they also doubled down on the action. Can totally understand people calling this a farming simulator. But if you guys know me I prefer character development over anything mindless action and killing dudes left and right. Although there is such a good balance between the 2 overall in the series. I feel like season 2 did a much better job at storytelling. The characters are nothing less than memorable. I love the cast, may have cried a couple times for their backstories and an untimely death of one of my favourite characters in shows midway through the season. I easily get emotionally attached to characters, especially female characters I just can't help it, not trynna be a simp or whatever it's just me.
Please watch this show.
I cannot find a single review that doesn't compare this to the American remake 'Departed' by Martin Scorsese which is one of my favourite movies of all time. So fuck it I'll compare it too.
First of all, the style of this movie is definitely not for me, the way they build up tension using an electrifying score with some weird camera angles and overly dramatic shots is just too off putting for my taste, gives major bollywood vibes. Some scenes are hugely exaggerated unnecessarily. That and the fact that I've seen The Departed earlier didn't really help because I knew all the twists that was gonna happen, even if I didn't I think Scorsese did a much better job at the twists, it was so sudden and unpredictable the way he did it.
There are few things this one did much better than The Departed and one is the storytelling, because here it felt like the prime focus of the movie was the storytelling, the characters so were well written and the script is impressively well executed. There is much more of an emotional pay off to the characters and each actor portrays some stellar performance.
I personally prefer if you watch The Departed first if you really wanna be blown away because it does a better job at being more a fun watch than Infernal Affairs.
Wow! Just wow! This is probably my second favourite crime show besides season 1 of true detective. There's a bunch of things True Detective does better but Black Bird absolutely stomps TD in terms of storytelling. The show is beautifully shot from the opening shot to the final closing shot, a lot of heart poured into each technical aspect.
At it's core Black Bird is a show about loss and redemption. Based on the true harrowing stories about Larry Hall, our main character is Jimmy Keene who is a drug dealer sent to get a confession out of Larry Hall for the crimes he committed. Through a series of beautifully crafted timelines, a harrowing series of crimes. The actors each give 120%, absolutely mesmerizing performances by Taron and Paul, and Ray Liotta too.
The show is pretty simple...yet it's so complex, I dont have quiet the vocabulary to express my fullest emotions about this show, so I'll try my best, please excuse me for my bad English.
First of all, Larry Hall is a terrible person, every crime he committed disgusts me, but you see the show does such a good job at not just spoon-feeding the audience on how bad Lary is, instead they give us...the audience a simple backstory to him too, his difficulties and for a moment you can do nothing but even feel a tiny bit of compassion to this monster. I mean his whole life, almost nothing has gone his own way, he wasn't born with the best circumstances, his parents wasn't really caring for him. The only person he could talk to or feel safe was with Gary his twin brother and later on Jimmy. Maybe...just maybe, Lary could've been a sweet caring guy, he just needed a little bit of attention, you can see that clear as day when he is conversing with Jimmy, he just needed someone to talk to. I'm not trynna say what Lary did was right or anything please don't get me wrong he got what he deserved in the end but just imagine how precious human life is and yet how so fragile we are. At the final few minutes, I ended up shedding a tear or two for both these characters, such a beautiful show.
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
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.
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
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.
Alright, there it is...the "best" new anime of the season. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect from this but it would've been great if this came out a few years ago. With the release and the popularity of action shonen anime rising by the minute, it's too easy to call out these types of anime to be filled with cliche tropes so I'm gonna be slightly critical here.
Firstly, I'm really happy with the production decision they made here. Real ballsy of them to develop characters because they know there is nothing much to be discussed story-wise. I have a couple of criticisms here which I don't wanna go deeply into considering this is just the first season. But since we're here...I do not like the 'internal monologuing' here at all. It's probably a personal thing but it kinda gets annoying I feel like I'll get used to it in the coming episodes. Adding to that point there's a lot of exposition happening here in terms of the power system. At the same time, I feel like there are no other ways to go around it so I can excuse it.
Having said that, negativity aside there's a lot to like here, the later half of the show has some incredible fighting action sequences, the choreography is excellent and the powerups pack a punch. I love the character design, the voice acting is incredible and I love how they decided to expand more into characters without making it seem too rushed or too fast. The power system which is probably the biggest strength of the show is one of the best I've seen in the genre, although it follows the same weakest-to-strongest trope they add their twist to it with the power system. They also throw in a bit of fan service which I won't complain about as long as we get more of Cha Hae In.
In conclusion there's a ton of room for improvement here, I could see this being the magnum opus of new gen anime.
A Tarantino movie for people who don’t like Tarantino. It still references the typical cheap trash that inspires most of his work (this movie sees him really tipping his hat to the blaxploitation genre), but the dialogue is considerably less stylized or quotable, there are almost no pop culture references and it’s light on violence. Instead, Jackie Brown presents us with a character study of an underdog surviving in the crime world. It’s an admirable attempt at a mature film, one that I don’t think plays to Tarantino’s strengths. His characters aren’t any less colourful than before (it’s maybe his only film where every character feels completely distinct), the music is appropriately funky and there are still interesting moments of tension, but the cerebral pace kills a lot of the excitement for me. I’d be more forgiving if his observations about the Jackie character were more thought provoking, but depth and substance have never been Tarantino’s strength. The end result feels like a series of well acted scenes that tend to drag on because Tarantino doesn’t know where to take the material. This theme of aging in a crime world has been executed way more interestingly in something like The Irishman, and because Tarantino is restricting himself from using his usual bag of tricks, the film has nothing to fall back on and it becomes oddly unmemorable because of it.
5/10
After reading some articles, it seems that the movie is based on the Fregoli delusion, but I thought it could be given a much wider meaning in relation to mental health in general.
Michael is supposedly the master of communication, he even writes books about it, yet he seems to be constantly running away from human interactions. Doing the same things, meeting the same people, having the same small talk… everyone looks and sounds the same, like a puppet. Even when he happens to find someone who feels “different”, it won’t take long before they end up “changing”. That’s what Michael has kept blaming his former lovers and current wife for, even though it’s not hard to figure out that he is just a narcissistic self-indulgent asshole. Lisa is just one more puppet, not that different from the Japanese doll he buys at the store (the two happen to have the same voice and scars on their face).
That made me think about how mental illness and depression can change your perception of the world, and how that can end up hurting everyone around you.
Interpretations aside, the movie makes creative use of the stop-motion medium to paint the subtle portrait of a puppet that looks more human than live-action actors. Slow-paced and mostly inconsequential, but still surprisingly compelling.
20 minutes into this movie I was wondering why this was animated. It wasn't bringing any value to the plot, or style at all. It was just animation replacing normal, easy to film life. I was going to knock this down a bit for this reason for sure.
Then the film ended and I was totally wrong. In fact, by the end I was totally wrong about a lot going in. The details are a little dangerous to talk about with people who haven't seen it yet. I don't want to have you walk in with predisposed thought. So if you haven't seen it yet, go do yourself a favor and let me know what you thought afterwards. I loved it in the end.
SPOILERS BELOW
If you've seen it and don't get my love of this, here I go. This film slowly seeds his mental illness perfectly. I didn't even think about it until over halfway in, but by then it all looks so obvious. He's taking pills at the start. Everyone is voiced the same at the start. Everyone has the same face at the start.
Early on, you simply think it is a style choice. But when you get a unique face and voice to show up, suddenly the rest stands out even stronger. Now you're learning what it is like to be in his shoes. The mental illness slowly growing keeps you from fixing the problem.
If one day you woke up and you were colorblind, you'd freak out. If over a few years you slowly went colorblind, would you notice?
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.
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
Very Yorgos, he’s still flipping the rules of society on its head. Compared to his other films this one’s more focussed on sex and femininity, it’s almost like Barbie with a high arts degree. The plot even has this similar ‘discovering the horrors of the real world’ element to it, but with Lanthimos at the helm this obviously goes to more challenging, boundary pushing places than Barbie ever could. For me this is easily the funniest film of 2023, there are so many incredible zingers and moments of physical comedy that contrast very well with the dark subject matter. Its sense of humour is complemented by sharp editing and some exceptional performances. I’ve been critical of some of Ruffalo’s acting in the past (his MCU work tends to feel really phoned in to me), however this time he turns in some of his best work. Emma Stone, stripped from most of her natural charisma here, continuously finds ways to make you laugh through a look, the cadence in her voice or her posture. Bella’s arc throughout this film is massive and every beat felt earned to me. Visually I found this extremely inspired; the sets are so detailed, colourful and contain references to filmmakers such as Fritz Lang, Tim Burton and Wes Anderson. Stanley Kubrick is another filmmaker that keeps popping up as an influence throughout Yorgos’ filmography, and that’s no different here. The fish eye lenses, which to me stood out a little awkwardly during The Favourite, completely work for the wacky, fantastical world that Poor Things presents to us. The score still contains that off-kilter, oblique sound from Lanthimos’ previous work, but the instrumentation is much more distinct and unique this time around. Overall, it’s just a very complete, well realized vision that builds and even improves on the style of the filmmaker. Can’t wait to see where he goes next.
9/10
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 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
Day 10 of Ryan Gosling Binge
One of the best sequels in the history of cinema. "Blade Runner 2049" is a monumental achievement in cinematic storytelling standing tall as not just as one of the best modern sequels but as a standalone masterpiece that will redefine the future of science fiction forever.
Villeneuve’s direction is nothing short of masterful, weaving a visually appealing and plot-deep story with ease. Reminiscent of its predecessor yet incredibly different, the film immerses the audience in a dystopian world filled with fantastic details and a tangible atmosphere Every frame is a work of art, and displays an art rarely seen on film.
The score by Hans Zimmer does a pivotal role in enhancing the premise and the atmosphere of the movie complementing the stunning visuals. Hans and Benjamin does a phenomenal job at capturing the bleak yet mesmerizing tone of the film further drawing the audience into the movie and immersing us in.
"K" played by Ryan Gosling is far well written than Deckard ever was in the first film, the depth of the character coupled with the emotional portrayal by Ryan elevates the character into unknown depths. The portrayal by Ryan may not seem much at first on the surface but his nuanced portrayal on a journey of self-discovery is intriguing as well as emotionally resonant elevating beyond the standard modern character. The supporting cast includes Harrison Ford reprising his role as Deckard who delivers equally compelling performance as he did in the first movie, adding more complexity to the character and the storyline as a whole.
"Blade Runner 2049" is more than just a sequel, it's a cinematic genre defining piece of modern art that should be displayed in art galleries.
In conclusion...Denis Willnevermiss is a legend.
Blade Runner 2049- 9/10
Ryan Gosling- 8.5/10
It's a bit difficult for me to review this movie because I had some dogshit internet speed and my experience was undermined because of the constant buffering (struggles of being a south-asian cinephile :joy:). Anyway I'll try my best, first off I'm not too big on romance that relies heavily on drama, I just need them to fall in love and happy ending woo. I also love cheesy teenage anime romance stuff so going on to this movie I expected more. But it's not all that bad, technically impressive and executed masterfully, the acting was also solid. However the pace was inconsistent, I'm usually turned off by long-running movies (ahem Scorsese) but I wish this movie could've benefitted from an extra 20 or so minutes. They could've shown us more from their childhood to really connect with the audience and showcase their relationship as kids. The later acts would've been more rewarding. The last act was somewhat painful, the husband being the third wheel was painful too and I told myself "Aight you're pushing it" when Hae Sung asked Nora if in one of their lives they had kids or something. It's still a solid dramatic romance leaning heavily on technicalities but failed to impress me story-wise or theme-wise.
Day 8 of Ryan Gosling Binge
- "Are you willing to find god?"
- "I'm trying to find Amelia"
Buddy cop movies easily stumble and fall into cliches, but this? This was cinematic art. "The Nice Guys" emerges as a breath of fresh air, not just as a buddy cop movie, but as a comedy in general too.
While it may not showcase groundbreaking performances from Ryan or Russell, I thoroughly enjoyed watching them. Ryan's goofy laugh and the comedic timing were gold, complemented by Russell's blend of silliness and grit, forming an amazing bond between the two characters. The chemistry between them was epic.
The filmmaking and the plot are not the main focus of the movie, which was perfectly fine by me. While it's not a technically impressive movie, everything else works. The characters, the dialogue, the comedy, and even the action were well handled without overdoing them and making it overly absurd and stupid. "The Nice Guys" carefully defies the cliche genre tropes and doesn't shy away from being dark and funny.
Definitely not a movie you go into expecting a Shakespearean plot or story. Instead, it's something you go in for the laughs, and you won't be disappointed.
The Nice Guys- 8.5/10
Ryan Gosling- 8.3/10
Day 7 of Ryan Gosling Binge
"Boom!"
Wow. Speechless. I understood the movie up to some extent but I can't say I understood it completely, there are several terminologies and such which baffles me because I have no idea about the subject at all.
"The Big Short" however had me captivated throughout the runtime by doing such a great job at telling a story so bold and realistic. The 2008 financial crisis was displayed really well in this movie and what could've bored me to death somehow never lost my interest thanks to the direction by Adam McKay. The heart of the movie lies in the powerhouse of a cast it has, Christian Bale nails it like he always does, him listening to Rock music while predicting the collapse of the economy is peak cinema. And then there's Steve Carell, his performance is my favourite out of everyone, the portrayal of emotions were so perfectly done. Ryan Gosling, I expected so much from him but I was quiet disappointed. That is not Ryan's fault at all, the character is to blame, his character was mediocre and didn't have many chances in the script to shine most of the time I felt like Ryan was just ask on set and be him.
What I loved about the movie is it's willingness to confront the greed, corruption and the systematic failure which led to such a disaster. The direction by McKay is absolutely brilliant, the constant 4th wall breaks, the explanations and cameos from celebrities had be invested and grinning at times.
The Big Short smartly accomplishes it's storytelling in a way of a 'wake-up call' for us. It does a good job at execution and the portrayals of consequences behind every bad or good shit that happens behind the scene. When Carrel's character said "Boom" I was honestly surprised by how much this movie achieved, you have a sense of unease lingering in you and as the credits roll...perfection.
The Big Short- 7.8/10
Ryan Gosling- 6.5/10 (not his fault okay? he was just mid here and I am rating based on his previous performances)
Day 6 of Ryan Gosling Binge
" "
Deep.
This is probably my favourite Ryan Gosling performance by far. Just his body language alone is enough to pass the message, Ryan does a great job at portraying this stoic masculine character. Supported by the other cast members also give us solid performances. The blend of synth pop and the electric score provides a better experience for the viewers which beautifully compliments the premise and the theme of the movie which is accompanied by a some good camerawork and cinematography.
There are some issues for me here, although Ryan nailed it, his character wasn't really well written. Most of the time he just stares blankly and it was a bit too over the top, it was fine when he did it first, and then he did it again it was okay, but he over did the "silent treatment" which became a bit awkward.
Overall a stylish and an engaging film that showcases a wide variety of genres in one movie.
Drive- 8.3/10
Ryan Gosling- 8.2/10
Day 4 of Ryan Gosling Filmography Binge
Alright hot take incoming. Blue Valentine momentarily boasts amazing moments of 'Romance' authenticity but it struggles fully break the shackles of falling into stereotypical characters and cliche plot lines. The characters portrayed beautifully by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams seem to fall into stereotypes way too soon lacking originality at times. I also found some parts of the movie to be melodramatic, except for the hospital scene when they were fighting which was intense and was well executed.
However, there are some redeeming qualities about this movie apart from the stellar performances, the chemistry between the 2 leads are great and Ryan really work with Michelle (not as good as Rachel tho ;)). There are some scenes in the movie where you can see pure raw emotion from the characters. The connection feels so authentic despite the narrative being a bore-fest for me. I was worried about the ending during the last 15 minutes of the movie but they nailed it, the camera work was done really well during those last few moments. Without giving away any spoilers I gotta say the ending deeply resonated with me.
In conclusion, the movie didn't do much of a good job having me in a chokehold throughout the movie like most Romance Dramas do for me, heavily flawed yet leaves a heavy impression on the audience.
P.S.- please do not butcher Ryan Gosling's hairline like that again, and also when will we get a movie with Michelle happily married.
Blue Valentine- 6.0/10
Ryan Gosling- 7.6/10
Day 2 of Ryan Gosling Filmography binge
Okay so, I went into this movie expecting nothing, I just knew it was a mindfuck plot twist kinda movie, which I love btw. I love myself some open ended conclusions, mystery flicks and also movies that makes me wonder what's real and what's not.
'Stay' however also tries to be such a movie, a movie that makes us guess what's happening and what will happen. Aiming for similar level of depth such as 'Black Swan' or 'Perfect Blue', 'Stay' fell short for me. Despite Ryan Gosling's stellar performance, the editing and the style the movie failed to grab me in terms of substance. A really well executed stylish movie on the surface but deep down it lacked the substance i expected from it. I very much loved the first act, I was never bored but as it proceeded the overall experience came off a bit pretentious and gave me "wannabe smart movie" carried by a groundbreaking plot twist.
The film's greatest strength is the style and the editing, oh god the transition, I loved them at first and screamed early 2000s for me. The cast was solid, Ryan Gosling was great his range is really amazing, I didn't see anything note-worthy from other cast members though. However, the film relies heavily on a contrived plot twist. Moreover the film's artsy presentation overshadowed what little substance we got from it, although it's visually appealing it ultimately ended up masking the film's lack of depth.
Overall, it's still a solid experience, I might need a rewatch to completely understand the love it gets from some people, I love myself some convoluted mindfuck plots but this wasn't really my cup of tea.
Stay- 6.3/10
Ryan Gosling- 8.2/10
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.
I'm usually drawn to movies that challenge me to relate to a perspective that's different from my own, so this movie's theme and approach intrigued me right from the start. It's essentially a character study about a gay man who's trying to escape a life of loneliness and alienation explored through the relationship with his dead parents and a love interest played by Paul Mescal. All four of the performances are excellent, this will probably be the defining role of Andrew Scott's career and his performance being overlooked by the Academy doesn't sit well with me. There's so much authentic detail in his body language, manner of speech and eye movement that deserves to be recognized because it carries the entire film. I was really impressed by the scenes between him, Bell and Foy, illustrating that while times have changed for the better, his character is still an outsider to society. Those scenes probably won't work for everyone (you could call them out for being shallow as it's all a product of his imagination), but I was very moved by the eventual pay-off. The film's answer to its central question of alienation I found a little less satisfying, as it struck me as too obvious. The final shot and needle drop in particular spell things out too much, though the scene leading up to that moment pulls off a satisfying final twist. The technical aspects of the film are easily among its biggest selling points. It's a great vibe movie, one of the best I've seen in a while. The colour and lighting create a feeling of intimacy that sometimes leans in the direction of sensuality, while other times feeling more comforting or nostalgic. It's because of that approach that the film doesn't come off as dreary, the inherent sadness always feels understated. Aside from the aforementioned scene I think the music choices are all great (loved the use of Death of a Party by Blur), however the droning score was a little bland by comparison. It's the right kind of score given the kind of film that it is, but they could've done so much more with the textures. Still, this is a really good film that I expect to remembered as more people discover it. Its appeal might seem niche, but the emotion is universally relatable.
7.5/10
There's a lot to like about Christos Nikou's Fingernails. The faux analogue film grain, the weirdly timeless setting that's neither nowhere near contemporary nor fully old school, the odd sprinkle of body horror in this strange, mumblecore romance. Lofi technology and wood panelling with pops of Anderson-esque colour and an undercurrent of quirk and charm. It's all a very unique, somewhat thought provoking and visually captivating piece of cinema about the undefinability of love, and how the story of all romances are one-of-a-kind and unreplicatable. By attempting to build a binary formula around the messy process of falling in love, Fingernails asks us to ponder the idea of knowing the unknowable. Would knowing unintentionally kill the bond between soulmates? Does the anxiety and uncertainty of not knowing destroy a bond before it can even begin? Is the formula infallible and how can we be so sure of its results?
It's a nice little pandoras box to open in the viewers mind, but it all comes with one big achilles heel: You'll have to stomach the movies mollasses-in-slow-motion pacing.
Admittedly this all plays into the picture's unique charm, and replicates the slow movement of connection between humans that can take an exorbitant amount of time to form, but it will be a massive hindrance to many not used to this level of tempo. It really will be down to each viewer with how slow of a burn they're willing to bear to see this intriguing and unique picture through.
And of those that do make it through, I'm sure many will leave their viewing questioning their own relationships and whether the bond they're convinced of is as strong as they think. Would a machine spit out that you're 100% in love with your partner? Would you listen to it? Would it change how you feel?
