This is an honest, spoiler-free review coming from your average fan (not a critic):
I just saw this new marvel film, and I have to say... it's no where near as bad as the critics make it out to be.
Yes there is a lot of dialogue. But it gives the characters a chance to shine and for scenes to breathe.
People call this film dense. I would disagree. Yes there is a fair bit of plot and history told, however I would say that other mcu films have simply much simpler plotlines most of the time.
There are moments when things are just about to become exciting, and then it is interrupted with more dialogue which instantly kills the suspension.
There are a number of plot twists in this film, and some unexpected things happen that I wouldn't have seen coming.
This film has a slow burn, but sometimes that's a good thing. Would I have liked more action? Yes. Was I unhappy with the action we do get? No.
I will admit, going into this film I was expecting a masterpiece, and while I wouldn't quite call it that, its definitely a well-made film, marvel or not.
Oh. And expect to have to do some reading at the very beginning. Kinda reminds me of a classic Star Wars opening crawl.
I can say straight up this will not be a movie for everyone, but it really clicked for me. I would also say a blind watch is preferable in movies like this, I went in knowing almost nothing and if possible I think that's the way to watch the movie if possible.
For me it was incredibly immersive once established, with incredible sound design and score. The slow build of tension, unease and dread as things unfold. I'll admit, I've always been a fan of mediums that give the viewer the same amount of knowledge of whats going on as the characters have, and this nails that.
The premise has a whole has been done many times before, including this years Knock at the Cabin, but I've not seen that or read the book it was based on. But in relation to the other similar films, this takes the top spot for me.
While the ending itself is probably the weakest part of the movie for me personally because it answers just slightly too many questions a little bit too easily, the journey to get there was still worth the time and I think the ending might still work for others.
I don't think I have ever been in love with a movie, like I'm in love with La La Land. From the first few seconds, till the very end. This movie had me and didn't let go. My english vocabulary is not good enough to express my love, heck, my dutch vocabulary is not good enough to express it. This movie is everything.
It is beautiful, happy, magical, romantic and I could go on for a little while longer but I won't. I wasn't expecting it to be this musical-y, but I mean, I love musicals so I'm not complaining. I think this is a great "musical" because there isn't non stop singing, so people who don't like musicals might like this one because it's more "subtle". I can only imagine how much practice went into all those dance routines and don't get me started on the impressive piano skills Ryan Gosling showed us.
Something that really impressed me as well was the way they filmed everything. It's a very creative and different way, which I really enjoyed and think makes this movie a great inspiration for those who love film and camerawork themselves. The build up and flashbacks and stuff were really cool as well. Yea I really enjoyed that. Also, the storyline, which does so much for a movie, was so great.
This is normally the part were I talk about the actors, but seeing that there were mainly only two actors and they were both amazing (I do think tho, that Ryan Gosling his character wasn't a very challenging one for him because we have seen him in roles like these before. Mixing it up with all the dancing, singing en piano playing though, you got something quite different and I loved it), I'm going to skip this part and say that you should watch this movie, do nothing more, just watch it, enjoyed it and love it.
I've seen this movie 3 times now and have a ticket purchased for Wednesday night again in the Dome. I LOVE IT. Favorite movie of the year and well on it's way to one of my faves of all time. The music wonderful, the cinematography is gorgeous, the script is hilarious and everything just keeps moving. I love every single scene. I think it has the chance to be the fourth movie ever to win Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actress and Actor. Man, is this amazing!!!! See immediately then buy the soundtrack!!!!
UPDATE: Saw it for the 6th time yesterday at the Chinese Theater in IMAX. I. Still. Love. This. Movie. !!!!!!
UPDATE: Took my fam to see it the other night for #7. Still great!
UPDATE: Saw this last night at the Hollywood Bowl, making it my 8th time on the big screen. And I gotta say, my friend and I had an epic epic nightmare of a battle making it to the show and we were 20 minutes into movie when we got there but this movie is so special and spectacular it got us out of our funk instantly. Love it! Then I went home and watched it on blu-ray to hear the commentary man oh man I love this movie. Okay done with updates now that it's on home vid.
"It's every man's worst nightmare, getting accused of something like that."
"Do you know what every woman's worst nightmares is?"
Promising Young Woman is dark, entertaining and engaging. It’s not flawless, I don't think it's a cinematic masterpiece or anything like that but I really enjoyed it. The film surprised me by how many turns it took, it had me wondering where the story would lead. The tone and genre shifted a little bit too much, which was jarring at times but ultimately made the movie more exciting.
What I liked:
The use of symbolism, colors, music, and framing. The movie is so damn visually pleasing;
Great ensemble cast. Carey Mulligan was absolutely brilliant in every single scene;
I liked that Cassandra is cunning, she is not the typical 'cold sociopath' but rather a vengeful woman completely fed up with masculinity. I also liked that Cassie is not a Mary Sue. You don’t get to see a female character like this so often. Her revenge on Madison was too cruel. Later, she admitted nothing really happened when Madison was drunk, but how can we be sure she wasn’t rape? The film’s logic is that men will always take advantage of drunk women, why would this time be different? I know that hurt people want other people to feel their pain when they believe they were never acknowledged, that’s what the creators of this movie wanted to show;
It's an interesting choice that for once, the main character is not the victim herself, so the movie is based on the depth of a friendship, and loyalty between the bond of women;
The ending, really exhilarating, matched the message of the film. Yes, it’s bitter and cynical, and leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But that’s the point. The twist was pretty brutal and bold, I definitely didn't think they'd go there. At a certain part I thought this was going to turn into a melodrama about Cassie and Ryan's relationship. It seems like some reviewers were expecting Cassandra to be a hero, to literally kill the men who wronged her. People want some movies to be documentaries, not fiction, but just some!! For example, they have absolutely no problem with watching Borat, despite the fact that this is not how Kazakhs behave or even talk (Sacha Cohen’s fake accent is just horrible and wrong), they don't think how the movie would affect Kazaks. BUT according to these people Promising Young Woman should have ended with the main character triumphing and a happy ending, otherwise it would have negative effect on rape victims. One don’t get to dictate people’s politics but surely we can at least expect them to be consistent? You can’t want acting to be a physical representation/stand-in for a belief system when it suits you and don't when it serves your interests.
What I didn’t like:
The comedic tone of the scene following Cassandra’s death and at the wedding is inappropriate. The characters of Joe and Al Monroe are completely cheesy, idiotic, and quite unrealistic. I wanted them to be more serious because this is not a sitcom.
Cassandra is putting herself in a lot of incredibly potentially dangerous situations. How come none of the guys she was trying to deceit didn’t have weapons of any sort, or didn’t get mad that a woman played them?
All in all, the movie is tense, topical, and eye-opening for people who don’t believe victims of sexual harassment.
I usually don't have any problems with the sports movie formula. Quite the contrary, it actually almost always provides a certain qualitative floor that guarantees I can enjoy the film. However, I really haven't seen a flick as formulaic as "Gran Turismo" in a long time. And even that wouldn't be the biggest problem if at least a few of the elements hit the spot. But nothing really convinced me here.
The script, which contains every cliché imaginable, is undoubtedly the film's weakest link. Whether it's the grumpy mentor, the one-dimensional rival, the unnecessary love interest, or the disapproving father, everything is totally predictable. The actors aren't even the problem, for the most part—except for Orlando Bloom, who really is abysmally bad here. Furthermore, you have to look for humor in "Gran Turismo" with a magnifying glass. The film takes itself far too seriously, while the characters are all uninteresting. And the whole "gamer" versus "real" driver nonsense seems completely out of date.
Only the racing sequences could have saved the film for me, but they also failed to click. Although they are nicely shot in places, they are also regularly intercut with some kind of effect. There is never any suspense, and for a film that advertises so aggressively that it is based on a "true story," the individual race situations seem incredibly contrived. Even in a boring Formula 1 season like this year, I've seen much more suspense than in this film. In the end, this movie is nothing more than a PlayStation and Nissan commercial. If you want to see some cool Le Mans action, watch "Ford v Ferrari" instead.
I honestly think this whole season was a waste of time because I can't even name three things that would make this season relevant. It just feels like pure filler with bad writing. I'm sure I could have skipped this whole thing and didn't miss out on anything.
- I can't believe Bear just suddenly remembered he had a camera installed. What an absolute lame "twist" to solve Kenny's death.
- Geraldine was just... pointless? I thought she might be involved with the Twelve or has some personal agenda, hidden secrets or something. But I guess the whole point of her was to have mommy issues?
- I was hoping for more infos about the Twelve when Villanelle becomes a keeper, but I neither know what a keeper even is nor do I have any more knowledge about the Twelve. Disappointing and feels like a wasted story that Villanelle tried to go up the ranks.
- The ending was okay. I wish I could be more emotionally involved, but the whole season was such a drag that I just feel... numb. It's nice they finally chose each other, but I hope that'll be relevant in the next season because the cat and mouse game gets a bit boring by now. And I hope they'll finish with season four.
The reviews on this episode are depressing.
"It was too political" says the people that try to bring politics into everything
"It wasn't sci-fi enough" says the people that watching it on that level
"There weren't enough twists" says the people who watch this show on a superficial level.
"It was brokeback mountain for tv" said the homophobic people
"They've covered some of this stuff before" says the people that think that every story has to not resemble any other story in any way.
"They wrapped it up too quickly" says the people who value the destination more than the journey (shoot me now)
I don't know what more people want from this series. The series is meant to discuss the human condition in our quickly-changing world. It is meant to provoke thought and conversation and make us think about where we are going and the challenges we will face. In that regard it very much reminded me of San Junipero - probably my favorite episode of the entire series. While not being as uplifting as that episode (which is irrelevant as I don't watch media to be uplifted) it was actually interesting that the leads in the show had actually found what seemed to be a balance where they could co-exist.
There were so many layers and things to think about - I can't believe that others didn't see it the same way. While so many of their episodes are cautionary tales I thought this did a fantastic job portraying the complexities that we are now starting to do deal with in our relationships.
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What a treat! No One Will Save You is a dialogue devoid, tension soaked thriller with an understated backstory and a great presentation. Employing my favourite style of storytelling by showing rather than overtly telling, this deeper-meaning alien thriller is decidedly something special comparative to the other streaming movies that get dumped onto their respective services each week. Surprised this one didn't get a run out at the cinema, I think it would have benefitted from the theatre experience. That's to say you should give this one the setting it deserves. Turn off the lights, crank up your sound device of choice and let this one thump and thrill you for 90 minutes. If you're willing to give it your full attention, I think you'll be greatly rewarded.
Much like all of these post/elevated-horrors, many of the elements are metaphor-laden and hold deeper meaning past the usual surface layer. The aliens in this scenario embody the feeling of anxiety, dread and guilt that is currently holding Brynn hostage in her own home. Unlike everyone else in the rest of the world, who let this anxiety and dread wash and takeover them, Brynn has decided after years of solitude and self-hate that's she's going to stand up and fight back. My read on the ending is that Brynn, who we now know killed her best friend in an accidental retaliation during a childhood fight, has now processed that guilt and stopped it from "consuming" her. We see that everyone else has allowed the alien parasite into them and are now living life with the motions, while Brynn actively fights off the possession and kills many of the aliens trying to force it upon her. Now she has faced the guilt head on, she can live her life free and unburdened, as we see her going about her daily tasks and being accepted by the possessed town that once shunned her.
It's amazing to read other reviews where people are completely slamming this movie for "not making sense". I think this movie is a good litmus test for people who actually pay attention and those that have made doomscrolling on socials part of their movie watching experience. Without things being overtly spoken through dialogue, many are missing this movies well conveyed story, and it's pretty depressing. Hope the industry keeps giving movies like this the time of day, they're the kind of movies that really remind me why I love this medium and the places it can take you.
An immigrant child in a new school battling hormones and her mother's Senegalese traditions tries so hard to fit in she breaks.
Cuties / Mignonnes is everything but cute. It's rough, hard, brutal, tragic and very real. Director Maïmouna Doucouré paints the gut wrenching portrait of the young lady and the clique she's dying to enter with sensitivity, soul and a touch of magical realism that mark the reader like a dark tattoo.
Amy is a complex character (terrifically written by Doucouré and played to a T by Fathia Youssouf) because in the same instant she elicits our sympathy, our anger and our disgust. She makes all the wrong decisions for all the right reasons and because for an 11-year-old on the threshold of puberty, there is only right now and desires that blind them from seeing any consequences of their actions.
As for the ridiculous controversy launched by those who haven't seen the film and fueled by blind ignorance: I find it interesting that people will criticize a female woman of color for directing a film based on her personal experiences, whereas when Woody Allen makes a film about young women throwing themselves at older men, he's hailed as a genius.
Shame on those who shame someone for trying to tell their story. Cinema is meant to be a stage for sharing, not an arena for executing artists we judge despite knowing nothing about them or their art.
Once again the most interesting part of this whole fucking show is the stuff that gets the least amount of time. I could not care less about the sitcom shtick and I wish they would stop ripping off other shows when it serves little purpose except to make this all ridiculous when it could've been so much better.
In the movie Far From Heaven, you get this practically picturesque town and home life of a housewife in Connecticut. It's gorgeous and full of colors and 50s/60s "retro", what have you. It looks so perfect and lovely yet hides all sorts of ugliness underneath the perfect veneer of "All American Dream". Imagine that kind of set up but with horror and mindfuckery and that could've been THIS FUCKING SHOW.
Each episode continues to disappoint.
Each episode shows me how this would have been better served in a binge-watch (if they ever fucking do anything with the reveal).
Each episode annoys me with a pointless, obnoxious laugh track.
And each episode has me not giving a single damn about this couple or buying into any of their "chemistry" or love. This relationship was developed completely offscreen, and now I'm just supposed to believe they are some shining example of True Love because Marvel clearly wants Young Avengers? Nope. Not happening. I demand better writing and pacing, thank you.
Olsen and Bettany are very talented and capable actors in other projects but here, I can't buy anything between them.
The pacing is just painful and not at all suspenseful. There's tension and then there's annoying the shit out of your audience. This show is the latter.
This show continues to be the epitome of "my disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined".
First off, the technicals. I have no trepidation in saying this is the technically most impressive movie of 2023. The visuals are sumptuous, some stills are painting worthy. The fisheye lens, the discordant score, the absurdist and beautifully detailed environments...everything is operating at an extremely high level. Special shoutout to the title cards that split up each section of the movie. In particular, that last one will live rent free in my head. The settings are just perfection. From the very first shot of the movie, you know you are in for an audiovisual feast. Secondly, the performances. Really, this movie starts and ends with Emma Stone. In the most competitive year for Best Actress that I can remember, she is the winner. She puts everything into this character, not just from a physicality point of view but also the way that her facial expressions and speech patterns transform throughout Bella's journey. It's definitely centered around her, but the supporting cast does an admirable job (Mark Ruffalo specifically) in tandem with her. Third, the plot. I think, if I were to criticize the movie, this might be the one area. The movie is 2.5 hours long, and it does drag a bit in a few sections. I thought one or two of them could have been slightly tighter to keep the pacing brisk. I am doing this just to nitpick though because the other sections were brilliant, and I absolutely loved them. Finally, themes. This is a movie about liberation, and it tackles it across a variety of different avenues. Seeing Bella's journey of self-discovery was fascinating, and it was equally fascinating to see how often certain elements tried to contain it. Utilizing this madcap version of the world to really accentuate those competing forces worked. This is the best movie of 2023. Just FYI, this is not a movie you see with family. At all. It is explicit. Extremely explicit. And weird. And absurd. And so good.
Almost the whole time I was watching this movie (including the bath-scene with Margot Robbie) I felt like the biggest idiot on the planet.
I'm not a numbers guy nor do I know all the terminology in American banking and mortgage systems and most of it looked like watching some kind of alien language. In the end though I knew what happened, I saw people warning us for what was about to happen and watched it all crumble down when it did happen.
All in all though it's an excellent portrayal of a system that is quite frankly a big con, stripping away money from those "below" with people at the help that don't really know what they are doing. An intricate web of rules, regulations, lingo, faces and characters who don't know the full picture. I think the movie quite nicely mimicks this chaos in the way it is set up, the catchy camera movements and often loud and noisy environments the scenes play out in. Here's a famous face that will teach you plebs what it's about, "let's simplify this for ya" so you're lured in.
Despite it's dry subject, the vast amout of stuff I personally didn't fully grasp it is a very enjoyable movie that will keep you hooked till the end.
Oh and it took me about at third the movie to realize Brad Pitt was that one guy.
Aaaaaand we get Audrey's long-anticipated return, only to learn that she's a bitter, nasty, foul-mouthed shrew. Lovely. Not as bitter as me at this point, of course, since that would be nearly impossible, but pretty close. In any case, that was fifteen minutes' of viewing pleasure right there because nothing says "entertainment" like the return of a classic character in such an ugly and unlikable way. It also came across as two people reading their parts from a script that had been handed to them five minutes before filming began. Earlier on, we had more time well spent in the form of a French hooker who needed three minutes to make it five paces from Gordon's hotel room sofa to the door, followed by Albert needing another three minutes to relay five seconds worth of information. Because there's no better way to spend those five minutes and 55 seconds, either. And we learn that Sarah Palmer has issues with turkey jerky and that the trailer park manager doesn't want his tenants to give too much blood at the hospital. And we got a random scene out of nowhere that showed us that Dougie isn't much of a baseball player. Just in case, you know, we forgot what Dougie's like. We did get maybe ten minutes' worth of relevant information and actual plot advancement, but who cares anymore? Honestly, I can't think of a single character whose fate really matters to me at this point. All I know is that LOST is in serious danger of losing its top spot on my Most Impressive Crash-and-Burns of the 21st Century list. And I will cope with my disappointment with liberal doses of snark and sarcasm.
On the surface, The Truman Show is about a man who has lived his life trapped inside of a bubble. He tries the entire movie to pop the bubble, and he eventually does.
Under that layer, though, is a complex theme. Does Truman really enjoy his cell? He seemed to for years. At the same time, he struggled with memories, but don't we all?
As the viewer, we're left to determine the morality of the happiness of millions versus the freedom of one. We're also left to consider whether Truman's cage was better than his freedom. A child born into a system that doesn't have a great track record or a life of relative safety with no knowledge of the cage.
The viewer also has to determine the sturdy nature of reality. What is reality besides our perception of it? What's real to Jim or to Bob? Are the things that are real to them real to me if I've never seen or heard about them?
Beyond the philosophical questions the movie poses, the film itself is solid. Jim Carrey pulls off the part wonderfully. He's more than just a comedian, although he can bring the humor the instant the scene needs it. The supporting cast fell right in line.
The pacing may be a little slow early on for many viewers, but that is remedied once the action begins to pick up.
If you want something light and silly, go watch something else by Carrey.
Pros:
* Different format of the opening scene was refreshing
* The New York setting; the change of scenery was definitely a benefit
* The new Core Four from the last movie are likeable and enjoyable
* Ghostface was relentless and gave some absolutely brutal kills
* Credit for the movie trying to slightly switch up the formula a bit
Cons
* Some of the scenes were so corny / cringeworthy - the whole Tara and Chad thing, especially, had me squirming in my seat more than some of the gore
* Plot armour - stab wounds in this movie are pretty trivial, on par with getting a splinter. Something the characters are pretty much able to just dust off with ease. Most, if not all, of the main cast are fatally stabbed (some multiple times) at some point in the third act, yet are able to dodge roll, parkour/climb, perform takedowns from above, etc. You'd think they were just playing tag. And sorry, but there was no way Chad would have survived being stabbed that many times
* Kirby was underused - felt like she was just brought back so that she could be a red herring for 5 minutes towards the end
* Dumb decisions - these characters should be pros at shit this by now, but they'll be good and god damned before they learn
The series usually handles the balance between horror and comedy well, but I felt it was 50 / 50 with this entry. Not everything landed for me, and for every scene that made me laugh there was another that made me roll my eyes.
Overall though, Scream VI had me thoroughly entertained from start to finish. It was definitely one of the better entries. Looking forward to Scream VII :laughing: although, I'd be happy if they leave the legacy characters out now, unless they plan on killing them off. At this point, they just seem to be around for the sake of it, but I think the Core Four can take it from here.
"I'd like you to meet the team"
[Pans to a small child kicking a football against the side of a building]
I feel absolutely gaslit by the internet on this one. While I enjoyed the return of lofi traps over the extravagent, over-the-top machines they became later in the series, Saw X is absolute drivel and feels like it was written by ChatGPT. Outside of a few John and Amanda scenes which scratched my nostalgia itch for this franchise, this has little to no redeeming qualities that I can think of; it's just all so awful. The Mexico-yellow filter, Amandas comical wig, the truly awful dialogue, the song and dance they perform to pull off a twist with this threadbare plotline. I say this as someone that has a soft spot for Saw 1 - 6, this might be up there with 7 onwards in terms of how bad it is. I really thought after all the positive buzz on here and review aggragator websites that this might be a return to form for the franchise, but it seems I set my expectations a little too high.
Just watch Saw 1 - 3 again and pretend like nothing else was made after those. Trust me.
I felt like they tried so hard to make everything a step up from the original that it ended up just being too much. the art got even more artsy, and while some places it looked really cool, other places it was just very distracting and genuinely looked like mistakes. (I literally went and asked the staff if they were showing us a 3D version by mistake because of just how blurry things were at times.)
Story-wise, I felt like it lost a lot of the charm and succinctness. It again felt like I had to one up everything, but in doing so it lost a lot of what made the first movie special. I really didn't like or get to know any of the new characters. There were quite a few funny moments, but too little banter for a movie with this many Spider-Mans.
Probably the biggest complaint is the complete lack of an ending or even a warning ahead of time that this was just a part one. that probably explains why it felt like the latter two-thirds of the movie dragged so much. there were a lot of action scenes mixed in, but it just felt like standard web slinging chases, nothing really interesting happening most of the time.
The sex comedy genre, which dominated cinemas in the early 2000s, has unfortunately mostly disappeared from the big screen in recent years. With "No Hard Feelings", it now celebrates a small comeback, and I have to admit that I missed it a bit. Even though the plot isn't surprising at any point, for the most part, this movie worked pretty well for me, primarily due to lead actress Jennifer Lawrence. She's proven time and again in the past that she's an excellent actress in the dramatic realm, but with "Don't Look Up" and now "No Hard Feelings", she also demonstrated her very good comedic timing.
And Lawrence really gives it her all in this film, whether it's through sharp dialogue or full-on physical comedy. I actually laughed numerous times, even if not every joke worked. Also, it should be clear to everyone that the film would not work at all if gender roles were reversed. As it is, however, this comedy is highly entertaining and funny throughout. Lawrence's chemistry with her co-star, Andrew Barth Feldman, is also strong, which is important given their numerous scenes together. Meanwhile, the plot is predictable, but the script thankfully avoids a few clichés.
"No Hard Feelings" is certainly not a masterpiece, but not every film has to be. Just being good should be enough sometimes. I would certainly be happy to see more films of this genre in theaters again in the future.
Ok, so far I have four 5 star films out of my first six in my blu ray collection. I guess I sort of buy movies I love. Maybe you should take most of what I own as my recommendation. This is one of the best war films ever made. It blows my mind how large scale and realistic the fight scenes are. Sometimes I can't understand how the actors were willing to be in such dangerous conditions, shots coming right at them, nearby explosions, etc.
But, most importantly there are two perfect things to point out. Acting is phenomenal by everyone. Obviously though, Brando and Martin Sheen are the peaks. Both know how to convey a lot in subtile ways. Robert Duvall plays a great dick lieutenant so well too. I love when he tells people how much he respects someone dying, and starts to give him water out of his canteen... until he's distracted by something he finds entertaining and just lets water fall.
The other perfection is the overall tone. It isn't just an action movie about the war. You see the way this stuff can effect soldiers. Some good things, a lot of bad, and others that just get depressing. It gets into your head and makes you really think about this all in a deep psychological way. Check it out for sure.
Side note: I watched the original version. I've seen Redux, but I think I prefer the original. Redux doesn't add bad scenes, but I feel like the movie works better at the more standard pace. Worth checking out both for sure, and I think either way this is a great film.
I loved this movie on so many levels. One of the things that I really enjoy about watching movies made in other countries is that there is such a different approach when it comes to how a story is told. For example, in this movie you aren't even necessarily sure what the main conflict is. It isn't assumed that the male lead and the female lead are going to be romantically linked. There isn't a music bed to tell us when something dramatic is happening. With this movie I just fell into a nice groove with it and let it take me away for three hours. I swear that the movie felt shorter than many of the ninety minute movies that I've seen recently.
Of course, this means that the movie isn't for everyone. The acting is fantastic but the pacing is.... deliberate? I laughed out loud when the opening credits started rolling forty minutes into the movie. It's been twenty four hours since I watched it and I am still pondering the central themes of the movie. I've seen some people say that they didn't like the movie because they believed the central theme to be grief. It may have been for some of the movie but clearly not for all of it. Also, the movie is beautiful to look at and it provides an excellent backdrop to ponder what is happening in the film.
Anyway, I would easily put this up with Licorice Pizza and Coda as the best movies of 2021.
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A sweaty, gritty, horny, sapphic thrill ride that, if not for it's divisive and dreamlike fizzle of a finale, would be a personal modern classic. Rose Glass absolutely blew me away with her debut in Saint Maud, and her penchant for blurring the lines between fantasy and reality only continues with more fervour in her sophmore outing. A departure from her horror roots, Love Lies Bleeding is part lesbian romance, part crime thriller with a dash of body horror. I absolutely loved everything this movie was putting down for about 90% of the runtime, even down to its manic escalation towards the back half, but I can't help but feel shortchanged by the haste with which concludes things right before the credits roll. Lovely visuals, everything looks so caked in sweat and dirt and humidity; Kristen is quietly hilarious and the perfect fit for the awkward, sprialing-in-love lesbian she's asked to play opposite larger than life Katy O'Brian, who absolutely steals the show with her troubled, muscular, steroid junkie Jackie. I have a feeling that subsequent viewings will only aid this one, as well as musing on the signivicance of a lot of the imagery in play here. Really great stuff, I look forward to now reading explanation posts and watching video essays until I fully understand every part of this movie, and there is no greater praise I can give it than that.
My four (few months shy of 5) year old and I loved this movie! She usually won’t sit through a whole movie without wanting to play or colour partway through unless it’s something she really loves (i.e. Frozen lol) but this movie held her attention start to finish. She told me she loves the fire girl the best haha. The animation was wonderful in 3D and she even let out some little gasps of awe and excitement which was adorable :’) This was her first movie in a movie theatre and she loved the experience! As the adult, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie as well. While it may not always have the most original storyline, I personally felt it stands alone and is unique in its own beautiful ways. The story this movie tells is so touching and it opened my eyes to a new perspective and lived experience. I honestly could relate to different aspects of it as a white woman who knows nothing of the struggles BIPOC face. I believe the message of love and following your passions while trying to balance the want/need to respect and honour those who have made it possible for you to chase those dreams is a universal one. No matter your race, sexuality, economic background - we all dream, we all love, we all hurt, we all experience loss and we all have fears holding us back. I personally lost track of how often I cried and my four year old even shed a few tears as well! If you can manage to keep an open mind through this, I highly recommend it. One of my new favs from this year for sure!
[7.4/10] I would classify this as a “good not great” finale. That’s a little bit of a disappointment, but considering how many other long running shows have ended with a thud in recent years, I will take “good”! The thing is that I don’t have any major problems with the episode, I just think I wanted a little bit more. I also think that some of it stems from the fact that the show essentially did its big series finale at the end of season 5, so this was all a bit of a bonus to start with.
The one problem I did have is that the solution to the big major problem is a little too convoluted and confusing. I’ll admit that my memories of the end of season 6 are a little hazy, and I typically enjoy stable time loop solutions to problems. But time travel plots can get really messy, and this was no exception. The episode basically stopped dead shortly after it started so that Fitz could deliver ten minutes of exposition.
I’m sure if you break it down, it makes enough sense, but Fitz and Simmons plan, not to mention the rest of the team’s plan for defeating the Chronicoms in the main timeline, was so cryptic and shrouded in mystery and wrapped up in timey wimey craziness that there wasn’t necessarily the clarity of intention or character that I like from my TV shows.
To the point, I really like Kora turning and using her powers to help the good guys, as the culmination of her journey and learning that family can be a positive thing, as represented by Daisy and her experiences, versus a negative thing, as represented by Nathaniel Mallick and his experiences. I like the idea of May using her empathy powers to help save the day, as the culmination of her journey this season. And I like how the team’s experience with Enoch influenced their plot to turn the rest of the Chronicoms good, replete with a nice echoing line of “As I have always been.” But the combination of the three works much better on a symbolic level than on a plot level. Frankly, the plot mechanics of the whole episode are a little wonky.
I also didn’t have much of a response to the showdown between Daisy and Mallick. It was pretty much a fait accompli, and the two leaping around the giant inflatable balls didn’t do much for me visually, even with the show’s best director on board for this one. Daisy's attempt at self-sacrifice might have made more of an impact if I had any belief the show might actually go through with it. Instead, it mostly played like an obvious fake out. That said, I appreciate that Kora again used her nebulous powers for good, this time managing to channel them to revive her sister, in a vindication of ehr journey and the season’s themes.
And that’s pretty much that, in terms of the plot. The day is saved. We jump one year later. And what’s left is all character moments and beats, some of which were great, and a lot of which were fine.
Let’s start with my favorite of them. I love that Deke decides to stay in the 1980s so that he can send our heroes back to the main timeline. (This is also where I’ll say that the decision to bring the Chronicoms to the main timeline was pretty odd.) It shows great nobility from Deke. He’s very funny about it, but it’s also a sacrifice that he undertakes without complaint, even blessing the Daisy/Sousa pairing despite his prior crush. It even feels like a happy ending for him, potentially being both a rock god and the head of what’s left of Shield. I’m not sure any character has grown or become more endearing over the last couple of seasons than him, and I’m glad to see him get what I’d consider the best ending of the bunch.
Mack is still director, getting to close out on the helicarrier. Yo-Yo is still leading missions. And my favorite touch of the still-in-Shield crew is that Piper’s one wish for helping FitzSimmons was to get an LMD of Davis! Honestly, it may have been my favorite small touch in the finale.
Speaking of May, her teaching at the “Phil Coulson Shield Academy”, replete with good ol’ Flint(!) as a student, is a nice ending for her. I don’t know if it really completes the character’s journey for me, but it’s nice. She’s one of the major characters who kind of got her ending in S5, so it works as a grace note.
The same goes for FitzSimmons. The show gave away the game a bit when Simmons said “two become one then three become one” in her previous incoherent ramblings. The show got more juice out of her remembering Fitz than her reuniting with their child, but it’s still a nice beat. The fact that they got their happy ending with the life they made together up in space is a pleasant thought, and the bucolic tones of the two playing with Aliyah is sweet. Again, it’s all very nice, but just doesn’t carry the same emotional catharsis and impact their wedding did.
That said, I kind of like how understated Daisy’s ending is. There’s no “Me and Sousa are getting married” or “Kora is a whole new person”! It’s just “things are going well with both.” She’s built another new family and after feeling so lost in terms of romance and family when she started the series, having her end in a good but not “happily ever after” place is pretty darn good. It didn’t move me, but that’s okay.
Coulson’s ending is the one that threw me off the most. He, more than anyone, got his real ending in S5. But him getting his switch and his car is, again, at least nice, with a bit of a throwback to the show’s early episodes to boot, so I’ll take it.
At the end of the day, I’m not sure what more specifically I wanted. None of this material is bad. All of it is solid. I guess I just expected to have more of an emotional response after seven seasons and scads of adventures with these characters. It’s kind of a “life goes on” ending, which is bold in its own way. Still, it’s sweet and nice enough to pass muster, which I’ll count as a win given some of the series finales we’ve seen of late.
So farewell to Agents of Shield! A show that built its own unique and entertaining corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and used the freedom it found there for everything it was worth!
Well, I for once, enjoyed the episode. I don't know if it's because it was action-packed or what, but I definitely enjoyed it. I'm sad the prison scenes are gone. I'm definitely gonna miss them, but I'm happy Oliver got out. I knew that friend in there was a rotten apple, although I was expecting him to be the Demon.
The whole plot with Diaz was plain horrible. I swear I loved the character last season (at least when he started doing something) but the writers dragged that story a lot, at least for my taste and in this episode, it looks like they wrote themselves into a corner and didn't know what to do with him next. That doesn't change the fact that Kirk Acevedo rocks every minute he's on screen. That scene when he was talking to Oliver via phone was great.
Diggle! Only he can appear for just one second, do absolutely nothing and still make me laugh so hard. Where the hell did he go? Is he training for Elseworlds and doing a The Flash impression? I laughed so damn hard. And if you look closely, there's a building out there that also disappears. I'm sure those skills will come in handy at the end of the season. Go for it Diggle!
That said, I'm so looking forward to seeing Oliver and the New Green Arrow together, who I still think it's a girl. And I need more Fkashforward scenes and Roy all suited up.
I saw this movie way back when, and the first thing I’ll tell you is that the concept is memorable, but not so much the plot. I remembered the switching of the faces, the faceless Nic Cage, but I remember little else. I couldn’t remember how they got away explaining the voice change or really – how putting a face on another man even works. I mean, the bone structure, jaw line, hair line, body weight, chest hair, hair length, etc…differed on both bodies. A simple face switch wasn’t going to work – and not even an “it’s just a movie, relax” explanation was going to cut it…thankfully, there’s not only an explanation, but it shows us everything. It might not be an exact science, but the movie did a good job making it reasonably believable and that’s all that matters.
The story, on the other hand, could use some work. It’s really a very basic cat and mouse tale with generally bland characters. The two leads are different enough from each other in order for them to need to impersonate one another throughout the movie (which was kind of cool), but as far as a colorful background, the characters are simply linked to a family member, but you know little else about them. Instead, it focuses a bit too much on the action and violence side of things. If that’s why you’re watching, you won’t have a bad time. The action, as well as the violence, were both done rather well, and it was mostly fun kicking back and watching the things that happen unfold. If you want to see something meaningful and memorable, I’m afraid a different body switching film may be the opportune choice there.
All in all, Face/Off delivers an unforgettable concept along with all the action and violence a man’s man could ask for, but it leaves out a meaningful plot and offers only half-developed characters. It’s fun, but a bit incomplete. Another year in pre-production could have made this movie a winner.
We all have unique reasons for loving a film. That's what makes cinema so magical. It's personal. You can love the meat of the movie, or you can love the trimmings.
There's a bunch of good stuff here. Most people my age will refer to "Superman" as THE definitive superhero film. None will ever take it's place. A position no doubt dictated by the age we were when first viewing it. As with films like "Star Wars" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark", WHEN you experience them is just as important as HOW you experience them.
As we age, youth's eyes fade. Cynicism creeps in. Experience leads us to see the many injustices this life offers and we become more critical... less likely to accept that which we would rather believe. After all, an adult who clings to the youthful ideals of wonder is simply naive... right?
To this day, the opening title sequence for "Superman" fills me with the same magical joy it did over twenty years ago. Never was a score so perfectly crafted around a film. John Williams and Richard Donner created such an indelible experience that over 25 yrs later, Bryan Synger will use the same music and theme to bring the magic to a new generation of wondrous eyes.
As for me though, this will always remain the best.
It’s Citizen Kane. What can I say? The thing is, a movie like Psycho was just as influential, but with its twists exposed, it’s tricks copied, and our understanding of mental illness progressed, much of it doesn’t stand up. It’s more interesting as a case study than as a film in its own right. Citizen Kane has the same legacy and influence, but still stands tall.
It’s no wonder Hearst hated this movie. It’s no petty, lazy hit piece. It’s an incisive critique of an American megalomania that Hearst was just one symptom of. It looks at Hearst and men like him as men: sad, lonely, empty men wanting something they can never give themselves or truly accept from others. Welles kills the role. The clapping scene has been oft parodied, and yet it’s lost none of its power. Welles tries to bend the room to his will with his will alone, defiant and petulant in equal measure. His violent meltdown is a scene that’s been followed by many like it, and it’s still enthralling. Even at his youngest and most charming, Welles never loses sight of that unsettling hollowness at Kane’s core. And the rest of the cast follow his lead.
The fade ins and outs are subtle and graceful. The lighting is breathtaking; the room darkening around Susan as she looks off into old memories was one moment that stood out. The set design is immaculate; Kane’s collection at the end feels like an eerie mirror of the city he tried to control from above. It’s sprawling and yet so sparse, so empty. The film breathes ambition and excels confidence, an assurance in what it’s trying to do. It’s a jigsaw puzzle that fits so perfectly, and it doesn’t matter if you already know what Rosebud is. As Thompson says, it’s just one piece of one man. But the whole picture is one you can’t miss.
I've just finished watching 'Carnvial of Souls' for the very first time and I've already made up my mind that it's an absolute masterpiece. This movie manages to be incredibly atmospheric on a shoestring budget of just a couple thousand dollars and achieves something that most of today's movies don't even manage on a multi-million dollar budget: To completely draw the viewer in and mesmerize them.
This movie proves that you don't necessarily need tons of practical and special effects, big action sequences or an overly complex plot to make a good movie, but merely a group of dedicated people with a vision and the expertise to realize it. Herk Harvey, John Clifford, Candace Hilligoss and their colleagues probably didn't realize what exactly they were creating at the time, but they all had lots of talent and expertise as is evident in the final movie. It's a piece of art.
The cinematography and direction of 'Carnival of Souls' are phenomenal, Gene Moore's organ score is haunting, and the acting is surprisingly captivating, especially Candace Hilligoss in the lead role. Her facial expressions in the scene where she's playing the organ as if possessed are chilling. The grand finale at Saltair is something that is burnt into my mind now. Such beautiful and haunting images. A brilliant movie!
'Carnival of Souls' is an exceptionally moody motion picture that absolutely deserves its cult following.
I've read some things about Under the Skin last year when it was premiered in some film festivals but it was when I saw the trailer at the movie theater that I really get the interest to see it. Under the Skin trailer totally hypnotized me and it kinda made me reminded me of Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey even though the theme was not the same. If the trailer did that to me I was almost sure that I was going to love it but after reading a lot of five star reviews here I thought that I was going to be blown away and that did not happened.
Under the Skin is definitely an hypnotizing film. I felt that the film absorbed me into some of its creepy and weird scenes. I also felt disturbed a lot of times but I guess that those times were exactly the ones where the director wanted to pass some of the meanings. It is a very visual film and is terrifying soundtrack helps to create the creepy mood.
Scarlett Johansson's performance is great! She was able to be bizarre and show not a single emotion at the beginning but then her performance is transformed into something more powerful and touching and we might think.
I have to confess that I am little bit confused about the interpretation of the story but I think I am not far from what the story wanted to deliver me. I think is film wants to criticize society especially when it comes to women and it is a really interesting aspect to put an alien into the skin of a woman because afterall the synopsis does not really tells the significance of what we are about to see. It's another kind of film where each of us must fill the blanks.
Under the Skin is definitely a very original film. I liked it but I did not loved it as I expected.
