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dominiclearwood
Reviews
The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
This is not the rabbit hole I wanted to go down
I was so hopefull of this new addition to the Matrix series that I willed myself way longer than was strictly necesary to like this film. After the film had finished I struggled to piece together what was wrong exactly. Was it the plot? Was the actors? The special effects were in a way arguably better than the earlier trilogy, but then you would hope that with the advances of technology. What i've worked out is that whulst the plot follows on in a very logical way, its almost so logical that it fails to have the heart and essence of the trilogy. I think its great how they continued the young actors from the earlier tirlogy now adults playing main roles in this latest addition. I think that continuity stands up to the rigours of logic, but ehre just something about this absolute flop that was incredibly dissapointing. For me it all comes down to the story, and our investmenet in the characters. In the first Matrix I was emotionally invested in the characters more, their deaths were tragic and its triumph good vs evil was stoic and Tolkein esque. But in this you don't bond with the characters, and they barely seem to bond with each other, I couldn't care less if they all suddenly died because there seems to be little love between them. Instead they seem to be a tribe of followers of Neo who do anything for their newly rescued supreme being. Its a film that seems to even mock the audience, even the lighting seems comedic and lacks the gritty urban textures and moulding of tech world. It cuts out a lot of the peril from the origional too, now seemingly in the updated matrix logically speaking we can safely and easily move away from danger through handy little portals. Fair enough maybe, but it was like passing boringly from one boring fight scence to the next, one tedicous level to another in a never ending boring computer game that had no sign of ending, and when it did finally end with its almost fairytale sparkly ending it ends with a few poorly written lines. Well done for reversing gender roles further than trilogy could at the time I guess, but when the ending was this tragically banal who even cares? Laurence Fishburne was right to stay out of this one, but his replacement seems to be a comic rendering of morpheus that lacks sincerity and integrity. It lacks integrity and is more flat comedy, than edgy action packed heroic sci-fi tale that made serious groundbreaking phillosophical constructs of the trilogy. Don't bother, it will only break your heart.
West Side Story (2021)
Defies all expectations - amazing above and beyond!
There are no spoilers in this review as I urge you to go and see this film! I have loved the orgional my whole life ever since I was a young child. I love the music and have the older West Side Story LP, I love the stage show too. This film has not only captured the the essence of the orgional film version of West Side Story but it has hammered home the origional message of the story in a way that does not disrespect or cheapen the plot of the orgional. This film has far exceeded my expectations as it goes above and beyond a meer remake of a classic. Rachel Zegler knocked her debut film out of the park (like many of the new and young actors in this film) and caputres the character of Maria beautifully. Zeglers voice, acting and charisma is the real thing thrilling to see, something which I feel is a historic moment in itself not often seen since the golden era of big holywood musicals . The choreography is stunning, the action will leave you in suspense I was sweating and on the edge of my seat not leaving to go to the toilet, from start until the end and neither did my fmaily! This film will leave you feeling like you're seeing the orgional for the first time ever, your heart will race. It is truly the most stunning and iconic peice of cinema made in recent years, it is a history defining spectacle. It is in inventive and creative with added thump, and true spielbergesque lighting truly beautfiul cinematography in ways recent films rarely go. I love love love this film, thankyou ! Thankyou! For a really lovely evening I will be grateful for the rest of my life when I rewatch this over and over hopefully with my grandchildren, just like the first one. GO GO GO GO. VAMOS AHORA!
Cosmos (2019)
Great!
A great British film with excellent cinematography. An epic from start to end with comic moments. Not overly complicated and exciting. The film has suspense intrigue, and the power of friendship.
Don't Look Up (2021)
Political satire at its longest
As the scientists fail to convince an uninterested white house they are forced to trawl through a media circus to get the word out to the world that yes it really is ending. There are many fantastic and darkly hilarious moments where this is demonstrated, you will feel uncomfortable in the best possible way at the sheer ridiculousness. You squirm because you can see us looking at the end of the world with such passive idioacy, tied up in our monkey brain frenzy of our daily lives. Because we already are. The acting is great too. Its expertly delivered satire for Hollywood people to gush over. But after the fact that the star studded prestigious Hollywood actors have paid their mortgages, the film itself fails. Its a high brow satire spectacle that made its point in the first hour and for that reason it could have been a hell of a lot shorter. One hour of straight satire later and it stops being hilarious, stops being satire and you're left wondering can a comet actually come now and put me out of my drawn out misery. Once you're aware of the purpose of the film it all gets a bit boringly predictable. Critics, arty filmy people and Hollywood folks are all patting each other and you're going to be rubbished or told your not clever enough to understand the amazing intricacies of this long drawn out film. Its extended length was seemingly to make this film seem more important, and give plenty of screen time fluff for the great and good of Hollywood, thus ruining what would otherwise be a great film. Too long, start cutting. Is it the greatest satire ever written? Meh.
IMDbrief: Holiday Movie or Not? (2021)
And I still disagree
Its played every christmas late night on TV. Yuletide bonding with dad. Wholesome because he beat the bad guys. Yippee kai ai Die Hard 2 is the only Christmas movie worth remembering in detail!
Cowboy Bebop (2021)
Not bad but origional is best
Well I didnt expect much of any live action adaptation of an animé or similar, but this was pretty good. There were some comments on the casting however I think they lived up to their roles. I really like how Faye valentine is portrayed she certainly has that bad ass bounty hunter vibe in a way that you'd expect. I like that they've taken some liberties with the characterisation like with Faye Vallentine and also given Ana more of a role instead of juat being the liquor store owner.