I went into this expecting a stupid movie with hopefully a few laughs. I was blown away by not only how funny the movie was, but how well it deconstructed religion, faith, and reason, and how those all need to work together to make our lives better.
For people who thought this movie was stupid - sorry, but you're stupid. If you couldn't appreciate how well this movie showed the uncaring, awful universe - and why we need to tell ourselves stories that make us enjoy it for as long as possible - then you're just stupid. If you didn't see how this movie talked to atheists, how it presented a convincing argument for faith and religion, alongside the perils of both, then you're the one who missed something. If you couldn't see how this movie demonstrated science, reason, and skepticism, and why those are still not enough, then you're just stupid. It showed, beautifully, the power of mind altering drugs, and how some folks are just going to go ahead and do the worst of them, with no regard as to what others have to say about it. That's a reality that we need to accept, and need to stop pretending that we can make go away just by wishing it so.
Within this cartoon universe, the creators of this movie explore themes in a way that I've not seen done before, demonstrating the power of animated story telling applied to adult themes. Yes, the movie has crass humour, some of which falls flat but some of it is tear inducing funny. But if this movie doesn't make you think, it's because you're stupid.
Go see this movie.
As soon as I heard about this film winning the "Leone d'oro" prize at Venice movie festival I knew for a fact that u wouldn't have been not even close to a comic accurate origin story, and is isn't. Funnily enough, Batman origin story in this film is actually incredibly accurate.
This movie could be called "Frank" and the city could have been NY and it wouldn't have lost one bit. You don't need to be interested in comics at all for this movie : this is not a movie about a comics character, it's a movie about mental illness, it's a dark view of how society and mental health can really shape a man or even a group of people for the worst.
I really loved how heavy the movie costantly feels, there isn't a single scene that is supposed to be funny IMHO, the whole film is incredibly serious, dark and almost nerve wrecking.
You watch this man descend into madness, you don't agree with it and you are sorry for it but you get it, you get why and how, everything feels so logical and we'll written, nothing is forced and Joaquin really nails the mad side of the Jocker, not a super villain but a fragile, weak man that however becomes an icon, the symbol of a riot.
I really hope to see more of this Joker in the future, because this is a hell of a starting base to create a BANGER Batman movie.
Marvel is funny/action, and it works. DC IMHO should be just like this Joker movie, dark, intense, serious and heavy.
I honestly never gave any DC movie the slightest chance but if they go down this route I will be more than happy to see all of their movies
Brüno," surprisingly this was not as well received. I mean, you can have your preferences about it. I personally enjoy the film even more than "Borat," but I would say that on a technical level, they're probably on par.
First of all, how much of a testament is it to Sasha Baron Cohen's character acting abilities that he was able to fool all of these people into thinking that his character was a real person? All within only a couple years of starring in one of the most talked about comedies of 2006. Remember, this is just hair and makeup. He's not wearing a layered mask and putting on a fatsuit; what sells it is his performance. There's so many details in his performance that separate this character from Borat: his posture, the way he walks, how his mouth is held open when he's not talking.Again, he's able to use himself as a character pretending to film something completely different than what people actually think they're being filmed in.
And just like "Borat" was able to make statements on racism, cultural differences, and stereotypes; "Brüno" is filled with statements as well. But they were statements about homosexual stereotypes' fame in the fashion industry. Like how much of a statement is it that some guy with a camera is able to trick people into doing embarrassing things just under the premise that's it's "in right now?"
Do I seriously have to explain the statements they're making about celebrity media as they judged Jamie Lynn Spear's baby before birth?
To me, this movie was just as intelligent and satirical, and even more extreme than "Borat." So it really makes me think of possible reasons as to why it wasn't as well received. And there's a few things that I can thing of, right off the top of my head.
Firstly, I think it's no surprise to say that Brüno was not as emulatable of a character as Borat. No one wanted to do impressions. No one wanted to dress up as him for Halloween. There is definitely more of a social stigma when it comes down to wanting to portray a gay character. Comically racist is okay, but something about Brüno makes people uncomfortable. Which gives me even more respect for how fearless Sasha Baron Cohen's performance was.
In contrast to the people who might not like this movie because Brüno's gay, there were also a decent amount of people who didn't like this movie because they thought it gave a negative image to the gay community. Calling this movie homophobic is the equivalent of calling "Borat" racist. Making fun of a stereotype does not equate to making fun of a class of people. By exaggerating the stereotypes, is he not making a statement on how ridiculous they are?
Anyway, this is a well-made movie. Definitely check it out.
I've been quite tentative on recent Spike Lee outings, maybe he doesn't have it any more I said.
I watched the trailer for this and knew I had already been proving wrong.
The story of 4 black soldiers who served in Vietnam going back to reclaim many things they lost, love, gold and much more.
While the cast was all excellent, Delroy Lindo as Paul STOLE the show in what is probably his greatest performance.
From the very start you can tell he's a PTSD powder keg ready to explode and boy does he ever.
The hurt, the anger, the bitterness, even the psychosis is on full display as he presents to the audience a truly broken man, if he's not atleast up for an oscar it will be highway robbery.
Chadwick Boseman shines in what is slightly more than a cameo as Stormin Norman.
I'm assuming they shot on location in Vietnam, if not they did a heck of a job recreating vietnam because everything looks very authentic, especially the jungles.
Lastly even though there's not a whole lot of it, the gore effects are SUPERB, there's one scene and you'll know when you see it where someone dies and it's just disgusting yet beautiful at the same time.
The acapella Marvin Gaye soundtrack interwoven with real life solders who wouldn't otherwise get mention was the cherry on top.
Bravo to all involved, Spike Lee is back.
This is the only movie I have every watched that I have ever wanted to scream at. The (actors? murderers?) enjoy reenacting and reminiscing so much it's sickening. One of the most powerful moments was when the man responsible for leading the paramilitary organization responsible said that killing people with piano wire was the most "humane" way to exterminate the communists and that they didn't want to look like bloodthirsty animals on the film (or something to this extent). I love absurd movies, especially violent or shocking ones. But when you know it's all real - the murders, the torture, the smiles as they reenact it all - it's completely different.
[spolier]Anwar looks like he finally starts to realize at the end what he did was wrong, but he won't even say for sure. He seems so conflicted.[/spolier]
At any rate, it's a slow burn but very much worth a watch. If you ever need a movie that's the perfect definition for the "banality of evil" this is it. Hang around, make a movie, smoke a cigar, casually talk about how much you enjoy raping 14 year old girls and genocide on camera. There are more of these moments, too many to list. Watch this film.
79%
Positives:
I'm a sucker for a good True Story and this delivers. This film delivers on the fact that it makes you feel like you are claustrophobic in a war environment. The script was surprisingly fairly strong and I was not expecting that. The acting was strong and this is one of the better films on Netflix. I loved the tension between the characters as it progresses through the story. Plus, the sound effects were great.
Negatives:
Some of the CGI isn't the greatest and when you have an intense scene and you have a plane fly over that the CGI isn't great then it kinda takes away from the intense scene. Sometimes it was a bit hard to understand what the characters were saying because they had such strong Irish accents. Some of the intense scenes when people were yelling were a bit cheesy at some points.
Overall:
This is a great film and I definitely recommend you give it a chance if you haven't already. This is a hidden gem in the Netflix Original Film catalog. Jamie Dornan did a great job in this film. This was my 2nd time watching this film and I thoroughly enjoyed it as much as the 1st time watching it.
Peter Strickland's 4th film is probably his most eccentric yet. A horror-comedy that involves sales season at a department store set in late 70s / early 80s England. It has a huge whiff of homage to giallo type Euro films and also has it's own identity in the form of sharply dry comedy dissecting consumerism and the obsession with shopping / clothes.
As with the majority of Strickland's films there is this other worldly feel to it, and there are no recognisable brands / materialistic objects that make us comfortable in a familiarity type way. Instead there are mysterious characters performing a variety of twisted acts on themselves and on mannequins. There are women with wigs, a very weird store owner, disappearing store assistants and untimely demises. How much of this is to be analysed and how much is Strickland's indulgence remains a bit of a mystery. But the journey was a great experience - the way it is shot (especially the main protagonist - a red dress) is beautiful, and the way it sounded (creaks, voices, pens writing,scratching, pipes moaning, elevators whining, washing machines spinning) was as eerie as it was awesome.
The two chapter style didn't really fit - perhaps these things tend to be better with 1 or 3. I can envisage this film being frustrating for film-goers who prefer a more linear plot. There are lots of ambiguous characters and dialogues. But it's definitely worth a watch just for how different Strickland films are to most out there.
Great film, in cinematography and storytelling, but I struggled with how much of an idiot they portrayed Gawain to be for most of the film.
Of course we wouldn’t have any story if he had listened closely to what the green knight had said and not taken the entire head off, subsequently pushing himself into the deepest pits of despair, believing his life would be forfeit if he went in the journey… but that also made the story.
What a weak character he starts out as. Silent even when the woman who loves him asks a crucial question. And too trusting of strangers in the wood… not even taking his sword when he runs. That was entirely too silly. Not at all convinced his journey makes him any stronger or better. Sure, he does find some courage in the end of the film, but not after having been a coward all his life.
Although a cool cinematographic trick, panning the camera around and showing his bones in the future, I’m so far confused as to what purpose it served. It seems a little useless. A moment of confusion and “oh is that it”, but then it’s taken back?
I liked the “are you real or are you a spirit?” - “what is the difference? I just need my head.”
As it becomes striking that he is on a mystical journey and this is not a common story at all, it was increasingly well received. The fox in his colours, the beautiful books, impossibly deep springs … I am not familiar with the original tale but I was suspecting him to have been the green knight and it being a circular story. At the very least for him to having freed the old and becoming the new. But it seemed like his mother had called the knight to begin with, so many questions arising as watching.
Be wary of promises where you exchange gifts. She might give him a child. I really wanted him to interact with the blind lady on his own. I wonder what she was all about. Was she symbolic him? Blind and mute?
Absolutely adored that the lady in the castle in effect made a photograph of him. That was terrific.
“Red is the colour of lust, but green is what lust leaves behind after, in the heart. In the womb”
Love how both Gawain and his fox were in a trap by the two in the castle.
A wonderful mystical journey and stunning images. Worth the watch.
Gun Fu, Gun Porn, Stylized Ultra violence, call it whatever you want, but, one thing is certain, John Wick 3 delivered it all, and then brought you second and third helpings. Tom Cruise gets a lot of cred for doing his own increasingly elaborate stunts for each M.I. installment, but I'll see you EVERY stunt the couch jumping Mr. Cruise has done his ENTIRE career, for the first two action sequences in this movie ALONE! Also, Keanu Reeves isn't just harnessed to a plane or rappelling down the side of a building and leaping across roof tops. Reeves weapons handling and combined intricate fight sequences aren't the result of Steven Seagal style quick cuts, Fast and Furious edits, post SFX, or tricky camera angles to disguise whats actually happening. It's VISCERAL, because the camera lingers on the mayhem so that the viewer can savor each strike, slash, stab, and gunshot, and ALL the accompanying carnage. Not in Sam Peckinpah slo-mo, but in real time, yet, somehow, one is still able to take it all in, and then the sequence would end, just about the same time you remembered to BREATHE!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=20&v=nrawit53W7s
Yes, it's over the top, but this is the world John Wick inhabits. A culture of hired assassins, an entire society, existing just beneath the surface of the one you and I can see, the one the rest of us inhabit. A society with rank and file members, management, service, and executive classes, and RULES. And it is the rules, which have kept order from devolving into chaos for hundreds of years, that have made them "different from the animals".
For the love of his deceased wife, a car, and a puppy, John Wick reached his proverbial "last straw". (John Wick 1) For his loyalty to a blood oath, which was broken, he violated a cardinal rule, and was marked for death. (John Wick 2) Yet, using those same rules and oaths, (and his particularly unique set of skills) he was able to braid for himself a life-line, tenuous as it was, but a life-line nevertheless. The powers that be cannot allow that to happen, and seek to intimidate, punish, and if necessary eliminate each of those who extended him a thread of that line, even if they technically only "stretched" the rules. What they have failed to realize is that John Wick's reputation as the "Baba Yaga", the proverbial Boogie-man, is not only well earned, but, if anything, it is UNDER stated.
Those who were paying attention saw that we actually DID get quite a bit of origin/back story on the eponymous Mr. Wick, as well as a glimpse into the world of the contract killers, as to how the contracts are put out, and the hierarchy that pulls the strings behind the scenes. I look forward to seeing this expanded upon in future installments
Kudos and Props this installment to Iron Chef Mark Dacascos and a host of other Asian Martial Artists as the closest thing John has to true competition, yet, they are at the same time fanboys who geek out at getting a chance to fight him.
To Halle Berry, for NAILING her fight sequences, then being a trooper and not quitting when her scenes cost her a couple of broken ribs. Her character obviously has some issues with the menfolk, considering how many she shot in the "kibbles and bits. Also props to the trainers of her two pups, and the stunt men for allowing same said puppers to gnaw precariously close to their kibbles and bits until she shot them. OUCH!
In case you doubt me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=66&v=xa2RJPrY2Og
To Laurence Fishburne, for making sure that Neo still has Morpheus as a Mentor, even if you "sometimes have to cut a Mo Fo".. All we need now is Carrie-Anne Moss' Trinity to show up in the inevitable Part 4, and all will be right in the Universe. (make it happen writers)
10 out of 10 - Best of the 3 so far IMO
It's odd, I write longer reviews for movies I don't like, but rarely for ones I love. I guess it's hard for me to express the feelings I get from watching a truly great work of art without sounding like I'm full of myself. Night is Short, Walk on Girl came out early last year, but I just caught it for the GKids fathom events in the theatre. Seeing Masaaki Yuasa's mug on screen for the after credits interview is an image I'll never forget. This Science Saru masterpiece deals with a lot of themes; the ever increasing passage of time that seems to go faster as you age, the dangers but also carefree excitement of adult life, love at first sight, etc. It's one of the craziest, but also extremely heartfelt journeys that I think a lot of us have felt in our lives at least once. Going back to American Graffiti or even Ferris Bueller, doing everything you see in sight to take advantage of the moment, because you have to leave and grow up. It's that crazy prom night you look back on with fond memories, remembering all the stuff you did, wanting to recapture that magic. Yuasa's fluid style really lends itself to this fast paced narrative, moreso than Lu Over The Wall, and the use of physical renderings to emulate emotions, like a court room scene symbolizing a conflict of emotions that's happening in a head, and flowers blooming from the stomach to capture that bubbly feeling you can get from drinking. It's hard to pick on scene I love the most, it's all so memorable, like one night, the entire journey is the best moment. The girl with black hair, mirroring her counterpart from The Tatami Galaxy, is just on a quest to become an adult, so she goes across town to different bars just drinking and meeting all these odd assortment of people. Each of them have their own strange romantic stories they're still a part in, and little does the girl know, she's in one too. The first three fourths of the movie is just a wild, crazy, silly extravaganza across the city, but the last half hour takes a more restrained tone as the girl starts to visit people who have gotten colds, laying in their beds, each of who's story has found some kind of end. Seeing the girl mature throughout the story is one of the greatest experiences I've seen on screen, and it's surprisingly funny too. If you're in the mood for just some crazy animation, but a story with all of life in it, you may want to pop it up, by chance.
This is considered one of the greatest films ever made for a reason. I honestly don't think I can add that much to the discussion, but here goes. I start watching it and always think I'm not going to like it as much as I remember. I'm not crazy about the opening due to the pace, but I feel like it is perfect once you progress further. Getting to know the different samurai and watching them interact is just really entertaining. Each is so distinct and relatable in a different way. Frankly, the story is wonderful and I love when they did it again in the American west.
Then there is the technical side of things. This does not feel like it belongs in the 50s at all to me. The film is shot so distinct and beautifully. I really love the way the rain battle looks in the end. The dark color of the water on the ground just looks so great to me, like a chalk drawing or something. And the theme music makes me think it is something I listen to in my car all the time, even though I hadn't heard it in a few years since my last watch. It immediately becomes a classic tune to me.
So yea, this is up there for a reason, and I say you should certainly see this before you die. Just remember to set aside a good 3 1/2 hours before you start.
In skimming some of the reviews of this movie I think that some people became a little too focused on the details and may have missed the bigger message. Were parts of the movie wrapped up into neat little (implausible) packages? Surely they were. I haven't seen AOL chat since You've Got Mail. A couple of the scenes where she eavesdropped on others were a little too conspicuous. I suspect the director chose these simplistic deliveries to make the movie a little more accessible and to keep the run time down to a tight 84 minutes. Once again, those scenes were only tools to the bigger message.
While much of the movie was simplistic I think that it did something that is extremely hard to do: it dealt with the sensitive topic of religion in a way that was not too heavy-handed. Full disclosure: I am a humanist and an atheist. I think part of the human experience is just that - being human and experiencing all that we can. As the woman in the bar neatly says, we're all just trying to figure out our s***. I feel sorry for those that never get the full experience because they are looking upward. The film also did a great job of exposing the hypocrisy of so many of those that tell us what the invisible man in the sky wants from us while not walking that walk themselves.
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I went into this without even reading anything about it. Not even the plot summary. To say the least, I did not know what was going on, at all, for the longest time. And when I finally realized what was happening, I felt really bad for having giggled all the way there. This movie really messes with your head and it is masterfully made. I like how, about 70% into it, it takes a sharp turn (I only say this: video tape) as if to wake up the viewer from the coma this movie has purposely induced. And when it wakes you up, well, you can't look away any more. Your eyes will be glued to the screen until the end, after which you will only feel a big void in your soul.
At first i thought "It can't end like this!" but then i realized it's kinda perfect. The movie is like a mindfuck, and it only sets up a discussion. You will think about this movie for days to come, and what we are really doing to our kids as a society. It's very sad. I would like to say that this movie has some seriously pitch black comedy at times too, but I won't because I'd feel too awful.
A psychadelic polygon. An ethereal deodarant spray.
Cinema has adapted over time and each decade has brought something new, most notably the 70s for its crime stories and gangster obsessions or the 80s for the birth of outrageous science fiction - many would certainly say the definitive genre of current times is that of the superhero and while I think this to be true in the mainstream, I think this is also the time for the 'experience film'. It has almost become a cliché to say a movie is more an experience than an actual film now but that's only because there's so many of these movies. It's not the birth date of this 'genre' by any means, but now they seem to be everywhere, and films like High Life really sum up this generation's vision in the world of independent cinema. What does this say about our generation? I'm not sure, maybe we're all hippies pretending not to be, but what I do know is that films like this show just how far filmmaking can go. Despite the (literal) other-worldliness to this, I think it has actually inspired me to pick up my phone and just start filming things.
Genre: N/A
You can really see that Claire Denis is comfortable here, and these visuals are some of the most hypnotising I've seen for some time. It's utterly gorgeous but more importantly unique and took me to places I never thought I'd go - this film manages to make the image of semen running down someone's leg still look fascinating. It takes a garbage dump of imagery, then injects it with both a rainbow-coloured sex drive and Claire Denis' mind, transforming it into something so atmospheric and spacious that you really do feel like you've been released from Earth for a... well, a couple of hours? a day? a lifetime? The concept of time is forever challenged in this movie.
I just can't believe how liberating this was. A meditative process resulting in a discharge of fairy dust and a hug of deep relaxation that I am about to carry with me to sleep.
High Life is hypnotic rape, flavoursome murder and a deep blue ice cream cone. An ocean blue cone with no filling.
huh?
I have no idea what I just watched but I loved every second of it.
There was so much about this film that I wanted to review favourably, but after 2.5 hours its weaknesses became irritating to a distracting extent.
The obvious comparison here has to be Se7en - but where Se7en makes successful commitments in tone and character, Prisoners tries to walk a line that leaves the viewer perplexed and unfulfilled. Jackman's character does become beastly, but never actually pulls the trigger in the dramatic fashion of Pitt. The realistic atmosphere is undermined by the coincidental presence of several weirdos, including one who seems to exist as nothing but a red herring. The motivation of the villian feels dull and arbitrary after the long wait for a reveal that never really builds, but just sort of happens (not unlike most of the plot of Bladder Runner 2049).
Before Se7en and True Detective this might have offered more material for discussion, but it comes off plain in comparison to both. The shooting was fine and the soundtrack was consistently ominous. Ghyllenhaal and Jackman seemed like imperfect castings, though the former clearly tried his best with the material he had (for a detective who has supposedly solved EVERY ONE of his cases, his character was much more lackadaisical than you might expect). What the hell the police were actually doing for most of the film remains an unsolved mystery. The decision to fade out rather than show several significant scenes, including the final one, is another.
There's some good in this, but the bad was too fundamental to ignore. The gripping suspense of Sicario and Arrival is much preferred.
This can only be described as a beautiful and brilliant portrayal of a woman struggling with life and everything that revolves around being a single mother aswell as suffering from changes and losses and, despite all of that, emerging victorious. It's the unfortunate story of thousands upon thousands of young women in this country, told from the eyes of a strong and natural dreamer overcoming the roughness. I simply adore it.
I've been thinking a lot about what I want to write for this. For being a production collaborated between two countries (Germany and Brazil) the plot is essencially quite simple, but this doesn't get in the way of achieving a touching and all around accurate study of life and livelihood in this country. Relying in certain subtlety - going from plot to acting, to cinematography and to the soundtrack -, I don't have enough words to describe how unique this is. I can't help but think this powerful depiction is nothing less than a documented reality, because it feels and it looks so goddamn real. I interpret this being shown by the fact that our four main characters are named like their actors and actresses.
Dialogue, acting, scenery... filled with sensitivity, at the end everything works and lays out a topography so true and spontaneous to our reality, to the brazillian world of prostituition and family and difficulties and the dream of succeeding, I- I just dont want to bother dwelling on certain mistakes and/or poor executions troughout the movie - like the plethora of amateurs actors, for example -, even though it's not a perfect film, picking it apart and critizing everything isn't worth the trouble.
And, seriously, what can I say about Hermila Guedes? This woman is so captivating, so charismatic and so like a cousin that I have, it's just hypnotizing! How we don't see more of her in this industry is a crime.
All around graceful, emotionally impactful and honest to everything it represents, this movie is an inspiring and wonderful piece of art. Honestly, it's a shame it seems not that many people have seen it.
This movie should have been called STEM. That gives off a much more unsettling vibe.
I actually would rather not say much, because you should just experience Upgrade yourself. I was nearly in tears just fifteen minutes in, not expecting that. I rarely ever get emotional watching any film, let alone so early on. If you want Ex Machina, but melded together with the action of John Wick, in service of a story reminiscent of Death Wish, this is exactly the result. Leigh Whannel creates a carefully crafted, small, but satisfying "grindhouse" flick. I use quotations because the story is anything but something as low brow and shitty as a grindhouse, but the action certainly suits the genre. Much of the world building is tastefully kept to a bare minimum, or kept in just revealing of the technology, so the script stays centered on Grey Trace; this is something I very much appreciate. There's not a lot of jumping locations, or even that many characters, as doing so would only muddle up the tension and drama. This is a surprise that came out of nowhere. Whannel just comes out after Insidious: The Last Key and blows a great creative load. The choreography intermixed with the editing of Stefan Duscio's gorgeous camera work delivers a delightfully appealing show. Seek out one of only a thousand or so theaters that are carrying this. One of my unquestionable favorites of the year so far. Deadpool 2 has nothing on it.
Finished watching Kill List late last night and it kept for up for most of the night, not because it was so scary but that ending. Did I miss any clues? I knew something was up. When Fiona took Jay's (Neil Maskell) blood and marked their home. The blood pact later on etc. etc. I knew something cultisch was coming up. But I never knew how. Did I miss any other clues? The ending is bizarre too. Right before the reveal I knew what was under the blanket but it still shocked me.
Anyway, the performances are all great. I liked the slow-burn pace. The movie also kept me on the edge of my seat. The gore is brutal, when he kills the LIBRARIAN (IT MUST BE IN CAPS) with that hammer, I was like DAMN SON take a beer and calm the f down. The ending was sudden but I was alright with it. It left at the right point and made me want to think about it. I also believe this is a great movie to watch a second time with the clues you might be seeing the second round.
I do believe it is essential to go into Kill List without knowing what it is about. Don't read the back of the dvd cover, don't look shit up on the internet. Go in as blind as possible. I found out about this one because of a Shockwaves Podcast. And glad I watched it blind. Loved it! (Still a bit confused though)
It is ironic that whilst Walt Disney is probably best known for his animated features, if ever there was a film that best represents the qualities of a Disney film, it is this largely live-action film. Poppins has an episodic feel to it, but crucially these adventures are held together by a strong central plot and thematic core that elevate it to a higher level. It is the standard by which family films should be judged, providing a compelling yet slightly different experience for both adults and children. It would take an incredibly cynical adult not to be moved by Tomlinson's transformation and dawning realisation of what is important in life, and the moment when his son presses tuppence into his hand is a beautiful moment. This film is one of the best representations of what childhood should mean, exploring its imagination and wonder, yet reminding the audience of its fleeting nature and what is really important in life. With a score including songs this good and varied, ranging from catchy and fun to incredibly moving (just hearing the "Feed the Birds" theme is enough to bring a lump to one's throat) and nigh on perfect casting, regardless of Van Dyke's accent, there is a timeless quality to the film. Dated effects only serve to accentuate this. Despite the success of the film, that a sequel or remake has never been produced is probably a good thing - it is difficult to imagine how the film could be bettered and, for several generations since the film was made, Julie Andrews simply IS and always will be Mary Poppins.
First of all I have to say that Otto e Mezzo is my first Federico Fellini film. I've heard a lot about this film before because many call it a masterpiece but I didn't know nothing about the story. I choosed it to be my first just because it's one of his most talked about films.
There are some amazing sequences during the entire film, a mix of reality and fantasy where many things that at first might seem strange and might not do many sense when you started seeing beneath them you'll perfectly understand their meaning.
I think the opening sequence is my favourite, when Guido has the claustrophobic dream about being trapped inside of a car in the middle of the traffic. It's absolutely stunning and basicaly represents everything that we are about to see next.
Guido Anselmi a film director, is a man that is trapped inside himself, with no new ideas and nothing knew to do. This man is perfectly aware of what he is and what he already accomplished in life and that's why it will be different to surprise or continue to be praise by everyone who love him.
While everyone around the business still love him, and they are all anxiously waiting for his next work he can't stand the idea that he simply just can't have the imagination to create something new or be someone else. He is what he is and nothing will change. He has to be accepted the way he is, and also be humble to accept others the way they are.
After finish it I did a little research because I wanted to know the reason of the film's title and I discovered that this was Fellini's 8th film and it is a self portrait what makes it even more fantastic and interesting.
I think this is another one of those films that is easier to be experienced than explained but I can affirm that it is a brilliant piece of cinema art.
The problem with these kinds of "intelligence boost" plots is that usually despite the fact that the protagonist can suddenly do all manner of crazy stuff because they're super smart, like remember everything they ever read or calculate the outcome of any action and decide on the one most likely to succeed, they still somehow forget / don't think of the most basic shit. For instance, if I was suddenly extremely intelligent and also very well aware of the fact that this was only due to a drug I need to take daily, the very first thing that I would do is make sure my supply is, well, limitless. I'm not even taking the drug and I got stressed out every time I saw him reach into his pill box without thinking about how he would get more.
Or, how about the fact that he has absolutely no idea what is in this drug and how it might be affecting his body? Or that the person he got the pills from was murdered by unknown people? Or that appearing in the paper might attract unwanted attention, for instance from other people who are taking the same drug? It just doesn't make sense that he only considers any of these things after 2 months of taking it.
A very weird, very absurd comedy about lives of posh people in California with its own very special universe and visual style.
Not everything works but there are a lots of original ideas. It's mostly based on wealthy people trying to impress and out-everything each other, focusing on Jill and Lisa and their respective families. Lots of situations are very absurd though accepted as totally normal by the protaonists. For instance:
- Every adult is wearing braces
- Jill gives away her baby to Lisa because she thought she was pretty
- At some point Jill's son becomes a dog, and life goes on as if it was totally normal
- Lisa pretends to be pregnant by putting a football under her dress, like, eight in the middle of a match, and everybody congratulates her
- She then "give birth" to the ball, that is 100% treated as a real family member
- There's a long kissing scene before they realize they're kissing the wrong husband
- Jill decides to divorce instantly because her friends just told her to
If you're into absurd humor, it's a gem. I wouldn't say there were that many hilarious moments, but among all that, there's bound to be something that makes you smile.
There is not a story per se even if the situation evolves sometimes after some events. The closest to a storyline would be the constant competition by proxy through their kids. Both are extremely annoying in their own way. There is no real ending either.
Visually it's very bright and candy colored, which goes very well with the kind of fake perfect life they're living.
It comes from a shorter movie and my feeling was that it was a little too long, though I would not be able to pinpoint where the slower portions are, there aren't that many, maybe the feeling comes from the fact that at some point we've already been though the jokes and it's a little repetitive, but again, not that much. It's missing a little extra final polishingn but it's still very original and funny.
Until the screening at a local event for niche movies, I've never heard of the director Roland Klick before. Now I'm glad I do know at least one of his works. After the movie itself, a documentary about Klick was shown, that made me rate this movie one notch higher than I'd have rated it when seeing it in its own rights.
On one hand the director works very methodically when it comes to how he builds up his shots, but on the other hand he doesn't want the actors to play a character, he always encouraged them to actually be the character. Something that shines through in this movie, too. It's the way the people move in front of the camera and how they act out their roles. The overshadowing sense of danger has probably been amplified by the fact that the movie was shot in no man's land between Israel and Jordan sometime after the Six-Day War.
To me, this is an absolutely stunning western/adventure mix. With a budget of roughly 1.5 million DM, Klick filmed a captivating piece that not only depicts a decent western/robbery plot but also has some great acting in it (loved the trio Adorf/Dawson/Bohm and the chemistry between the three of them).
LIFF33 2019 #2
Time to spill the beans…’The Lighthouse’ is a masterpiece! I loved loved loved loved it! I loved every minute of it. One of my favorite movies of 2019 and I honestly don’t think anything can top it. A slow descent into madness that creeps into your subconscious and won’t be leaving anytime soon.
From the very first frame, I immediately knew this was going to be special. I was hooked throughout until the end credits.
Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson both deliver career defining performances. They play off each others insanity beautifully. I could tell just from the accents and dialect that plenty of homework went into making an authentic portrayal of the time.
Robert Pattinson is fantastic as a quiet and private lighthouse keeper that witness the madness slowly unfolding, but also feeds the audiences curiosity on revealing the strange happenings on the island. Pattinson is a chameleon when it comes to portraying characters.
Willem Dafoe, on the other hand, was mesmerizing as the old sea dog captain with a love for farting. His long and insane monologues are the main highlights, because it was so electrifying to watch it was hard not be captivated. He’s strict and often unpredictable, but once you see it, you won’t forget it.
I hope Robert Eggers continues making horror movies in the future, because right now he’s one of the best living directors working today. The slow-burn tension and lack of conventional scares seems to be his trademark so far. Every choice he made was so carefully thought out and the results is masterful. According to Eggers, they actually built a lighthouse from scratch and everything we see, including the weather, is genuine. Even if some tricky was used, it was so seamless I couldn’t tell what was fake.
I loved how the movie was shot; the dim black-and-white with the claustrophobic aspect ratio, giving it the appearance of a silent film born like a German expressionism - something you would’ve mistaken for a 1920/30’s horror folklore. Perfectly captures the time period and the overall dread. You really do feel cut off from the outside world and abandoned on this spectral-like island, and this black sheet of cloud strongly looming over the two men. A dark force in all directions, unseen but very eerie. The cold and heartless weather is a character itself. A big bully with salty intentions.
I adored the use of lighting through out, as the only light source is either natural light during daytime or candle lit lanterns, which cast many shadows that adds to the unease. There’s some gorgeous looking cinematography on display here. Seriously, even as am writing this right now I can memorize every single frame of this strange nightmare of a film. Absolutely breathtaking.
While the movie is mainly horror, but there is comedy sprinkled throughout that was actually pretty hilarious. Everything from Dafoe farting and some creative insults the characters would often spit at each other, which would later expand into long monologues that I sat back and watch in awe with a stupid grin on my face, because how something so silly can be so poetic. Never have I seen a movie that perfectly balances more than one genre so fluently. You can laugh at the moments where it’s suppose to be funny, but also take it seriously whenever it’s suppose to be taken seriously, which is sometimes all in one scene. The writing from Eggers is so excellent.
After only one viewing there was a lot I could easily dissect in terms of interpretation. There's masculinity and Greek mythology imagery that demonstrates a striking sense of power. There’s also a certain idea of sexuality being a sacred thing and the frustration it may bring. Or maybe it’s just a simple story about two guys on a rock getting drunk and then getting even drunker while holding each other until they drift off to sleep.
Overall rating: One of the best looking horror comedies of 2019.
Joe Cornish, an old favourite of mine from old Adam and Joe days, took time off hob-knobbing with Spielberg and Cruise to write and helm this child-friendly bash at the much-filmed legend of King Arthur. Keeping the old legendary magic from the original tale Cornish has cleverly woven in modern-day aesthetics to make an engaging and fun story.
Very much in the Children’s Film Foundation mould this film licks along at a good pace and showcases the upcoming pool of talent in the UK, although most are suspiciously related to well-known and long-time actors, (closed-shop perhaps) ably supported by the adult cast including the popping in and out Patrick Stewart who appears to be having the time of his life.
The story clearly sign-posts friendship, loyalty, bravery and empathy and in this day and age some will see this as some sort of affront but to most normal people this cannot be a bad thing.
There is no real need to mull over or recap The Kid Who Would Be King, it’s Arthur and his knights going through trials and tribulations before overcoming the odds-against-them evil with the help of Merlin the Wizard. Not difficult to understand or follow, not complicated but not bad for this.
It’s plain and simple fun mainly for the younger audience, well-acted, well-directed and a good example of how to make a modern-day child-friendly film that still is old-school enough to be recognisable. Funny in an irreverent way, with enough references for the oldies like me and others that the younger viewers would understand. It really is good entertainment.
Without a doubt, Cornish’s film is really successful at persuading us that something utterly extraordinary is happening to the very ordinary which might sound fairly basic but as we have all seen in many films before this it is a very hard trick to pull off in the cinema. The Kid Who Would Be King manages this in convincing style.
Joe Cornish now has two films on his resume as a director and a myriad of writing credits, hopefully, he we will see further films he has written and directed.
When Disney bought Marvel, people had a lot of questions: How would the universes of beloved characters such as Spider-Man, the X-Men, or the Avengers be affected? Some people had their doubts, and rightfully so; when the Mouse owned Saban, the Power Rangers seasons they produced are still to this day widely considered to be the worst, and many longtime space opera fans feel that The Last Jedi was a shark-jumping moment for Star Wars. Still, Disney has gotten their own franchises wrong, too; The Lizzie McGuire Movie may have been the first theatrically released film to be the series finale of a television show, but it betrayed the now-iconic sitcom on which it was based. So, they could have either hit a home run...or completely strike out.
Well, if this movie is any indication, then Mickey's ownership of Marvel is working very well. This film packed a punch unlike any animated movie I've seen in a while. Some scenes made me almost tear up, whereas others made me want to cheer. The animation was outstanding; seriously, it was on par with Pixar's creations. As usual, there was plenty of action and heroism, not to mention a cameo by Stan Lee, albeit one after the credits.
However, I do have to warn viewers that, though this movie was amazing, it is also very emotional. Early in the movie, the main character's brother is killed; later on, multiple characters are feared dead, including the protagonist's robotic companion. For those who can't handle seeing such tragedy because of events in their own lives, it might be best to avoid this.
Enter the Void. This is definitely one of the most original movies I've ever seen. The entire movie is like one giant trip.
You experience the world through the eyes of drug dealer who gets killed, and after he dies, you wander the Earth as his soul, watching the drama unfold between the characters whose lives were affected by this tragedy. The actinng from the main character and Paz de la Huerta were great as well as many of the supporting actors.
The cinematography was fantastic with many shots that made me think "How in the hell did they accomplish that?" Time and effort was definitely put into this movie to make it as fluid and trippy as possible. I have to of course talk about the use of colors in this movie. The director did a great job to use color as much as possible to not only contrast the situation the characters were in but to also match with the emotions being felt and the create a sort of ethereal vibe to the entire movie. Each choice the director made for color was meaningful and very welcomed on my part.
It also has one of the best opening credits of any movie ever. This is a must see.
Rocko, we can't live in the past. We can be grateful for it, but life isn't permanent, and if we don't embrace what's now, we miss out on a lot of the important stuff.
Man.. some wise words from Mr. Bighead :sob:
Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling is great! It's as if it never lost touch in the humor and quirkiness of the original show which I used to watch a lot of as a kid as it aired on Nickelodeon in the summer time and even played the video game (rented from Blockbuster)! I wore my Rocko themed shirt as I watched this and giggled along. It's fun to see the characters adapt to the 21s century and advances in technology and trends. A lot of the characters and gags struck my nostalgia bone hard as I'd go "Hey, I remember that!", even the music cues that would sound as a ringtone set off from a character's phone (or O-Phone as they call it in O-Town). The way they handled Ralph (The Bigheads' child) was very well done, and I applaud the team for that. I even caught a smear frame in one point of the film. You don't really see many of these in animation these days, but I guess it depends on the style of animation, and I love that! I hope they make more Rocko in the near future!
I only saw this film once before, many years ago during my graphic violence stage, and I forgot a very, very important thing about it: just how disturbing and stressful it is.
The beauty of this film is not only in the cleverness of the way it is shot or in the plot; the beauty of it is that, compared to other horror films, this is not the worse thing you can watch inside the genre, but it's definitely the worst thing you'll ever see because it's realistic. You can see this happening in the real world, and something like this has probably happened more times than we care to imagine. This is not about some sort of supernatural or far-fetched element, this is about people. People doing disgusting, unforgivable, awful things to other people. Which is why this is a film you can't easily shake off. You will sit there for quite a while after it's done, trust me. That is, if you make it through the whole thing.
At once, this film stresses you out. The first sequences, of Marcus walking around a disgusting gay S&M club , will give you an instant headache. The shakiness of the camera is Gaspar Noé's way of placing you, very much against your will, in the shoes of the characters and what they're going through; the anger, the blinding rage, the stress, the impatience, the extremely bad feeling in your gut. You feel it all, and you have no choice. When the camera is still, you're forced to watch one of the most terrible, violent things being done to another human being, and if you're a woman, the experience of watching it is much worse. And when the scenes are not violent and because the plot is presented in a non-linear way, you mourn over the life that the characters had before everything happened, you mourn because they will never be the same.
This film offers no truce; you will feel awful--whether it's because you're angry, shocked, disgusted or sad--the whole time. And if you don't, my friend, you should really consider self-exploration and therapy, because there must be something wrong with you.
This film features one of the most vivid rape scenes you'll ever see. You see her going into that underpass and you just want to pull her back, you see her not running away when she encounters Le Tenia hitting a transsexual hooker and you want to yell at her and push her to run, then finally you accept her fate and you want to scream just as she's screaming, because it shouldn't have happened to her, and it shouldn't happen to anyone ever.
The polemic scene is cruel in every possible way, and the whole film is cruel in every possible way. Everything escalates incredibly fast and nothing good comes in the end. Marcus is badly hurt and will probably remain broken by -somewhat unearned- guilt and regret (what happened to Alex isn't his fault, but he could've been there to help her avoid it; that would fuck anyone up), Pierre will probably spend the rest of his life in prison and it's not even worth it because he killed the wrong guy, Alex is in a coma and if she makes it out she will never be the same, she will be more broken than any of them, and Le Tenia is left unscathed. If that's not cruel...
The bottom line is that this film definitely demands strenght to get through it. And yet, it is so well done that the effort is worth it, even if you're not happy that you saw it.
An annoying movie with annoying characters. Although I can see the art in it: the underlying story with the camera and the scenes in reverse, the deescalating of the violence and chaos the more the movie progresses (the more we travel back in time), the contrast between party A and party B, the different types of violence between the lovescene and the rapescene, the 2001 Space Odyssey poster etc. It's there, and it's good but it's a little on the nose... Like Bellucci's dream about the red corridor breaking in two.
This whole movie basically is a depiction of violence and strife in a world where love, all different kinds, also exists.
As a piece of art this movie is good, not great... just good. As a movie it fails for me due to the characters who, to me, are a bunch of grandstanding dickheads. Dickheads I've encountered plenty of times going out, dickheads I might have been at some point or the other.
I also can't help but feel that this is a bit of a anti-male movie; portraying them as violent, sex oriented brutes and whiney losers wanting to suckle one last time on Monica's breasts whereas women are pure, true, beings who read and bare innocence in their wombs. Which is fine by me, you're allowed to say that in a movie, there's plenty others as well.
I don't agree that this movie isn't for the faint of heart and by the end scene I had one to many "oh yeah, you HAD to put that in there to make it worse" but I simply do not enjoy dickheads and assholes and this movie made me feel like I was surrounded by them for 1:33mins without a way to get out.
Time destroys all things... Deep... But without time there isn't anything and time also creates everything so without time there isn't anything. Maybe that sums this movie up (it did for the director) but it merely tells me this is just "arty farty"... And I've been around those people a little too much too in the past. I'd have enjoyed this more when I was 16 and fully developing in artschool, not at my 38 having already seen what it really is.
