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Ripley (2024)
Hitchcock
The Netflix adaptation has style, I'll give them that, but it lacks a cohesive storyline.
Its almost as if the makers of the series expects their audience to have seen the original or at least know the plot, so as to fill in the narrative gaps themselves.
Most of the characters choices, makes no sense without additional context from the original film which is massive letdown.
Johnny Flynn and Dakota Fanning were fantastic as Dickie and Marge. However I didn't quite like the direction the showrunners went with Ripely's character.
In the adaptation, he's portrayed as emotionally sterile, and his actions are those of a psychopath. The original plot depicts a complex character driven by self-preservation.
The both will make an excellent double feature.
The Favourite (2018)
A Deconstruction of human's Self Preservation.
In 'The Favourite' Yorgos Lanthimos manages to pull off one of the best character studies I've seen in a film.
One, desperate to make a mark, desperate to be seen and acknowledged, clouded by their thirst for power, turns to manipulation and deception to gain control.
One, who have been stripped of all dignity, in a Last-ditch effort at self preservation, employs every possible strategy, often acting in "ways that meet the edges of their morality" to guarantee their survival.
One with so much repressed guilt, surrounded by human leeches, and slowly given in to their emotional emptiness.
Three impeccable performance and a masterful direction from Yorgos Lanthimos, with georgous wide long takes, and you have one of the best films I've ever seen.
Past Lives (2023)
A Short Film Masquerading as a Feature.
There's a phenomenon that i've come to notice in recent years. Critics and highbrow movie-goers tend to overhype foreign language films.
Mundane artsy high-concept indie films that've been rehashed for God knows how long in Hollywood, most of them often critiqued for being pretentious are now met with overwhelming critical acclaim, and the only observable catalyst is that the characters speak a foreign language.
There are certainly positives in Past Lives. The Cinematography and production design is the obvious standout. Long lingering shots that are sometimes overused, captures certain scenes perfectly.
The Plot and direction however is lackluster. Perhaps if Past lives was a 40 minutes Short Film, it would've been perfect, but it wasn't.
It was long, full of irrelevant montages, severely underdeveloped lead characters and a surprising competent 3rd act.
Sanctuary (2022)
Sanctuary
There are varing interpretations of the plot of Sanctuary. Some have dubbed it an "Up and down ride of domination and submission", others calling it "too obtrusive and pretentious"
But I think it is a love story, however strange that might sound, I believe it is.
A character study of two people, one who is not able to live up to family and societal expectations, harbouring repressed feelings of incompetence, and one who feels small and insignificant yerning for dominance and control.
The perfect pair.
Margaret Qualley is definitely a standout. Her range of emotions from scene to scene will be sure to keep you fixated on trying to decipher her motivations.
Holding the piece together is director Zachary Wigon. To keep your audience engaged for 96mins in one location is a tough ask, and he handled it expertly.
Bones and All (2022)
Left me with more questions than it had answers.
We follow Taylor Russell's character Maren as she explores the not-so-hidden world of cannibals.
Throughout the film, I saw glimpses of director Luca Guadagnino's vision, but I don't think it was executed expertly.
I'm inclined to blame the lack of on-screen chemistry between Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet on poor direction, and I know how absurd that might sound. Luca Guadagnino directed "Call Me By Your Name," but in "Bones and All," the romance felt mechanical, which made the ending fall flat even though it was trying to make me feel something.
The plot and world are severely underdeveloped. Why don't they feed on livestock? Why is there no raised eyebrows about the tons of dead bodies they left in their wake?
The overblown gory scenes didn't pack a punch like I hoped. It was just gory for the sake of it. No tension. Much superior films like "Raw" and even "The Neon Demon" had scenes that stuck with me till today.
"Bones and All" leaves the viewer with more questions than answers and fails to fully explore the themes it sets out to address.
The Menu (2022)
Anya Taylor-Joy
Who would've thought Anya Taylor-Joy would be my favorite final girl in a year of excellent horror movies and performances.
The Menu easily rises to my favorite list, a charming, intriguing original take on the horror genre.
I honestly believe this film will be miles better if we had more insight on the characters. Lack thereof made the supporting characters uninteresting and one-dimesional, and I couldn't care less who lived or died.
The menu is a film I'll wholeheartedly recommend to have a padded runtime.
Save for Anya Taylor Joy, I wouldn't have enjoyed this film as i did. She's absolutely mesmerizing.
Tár (2022)
Technical Masterpiece
Out of all the films I've seen this year, Tár is the only movie worth a perfect rating.
When a film lingers in your thoughts for days, it definitely made it's mark.
Tár is an exceptional film. A brilliant execution of subtle technical film making and acting that is almost totally unseen in today's barrage of films.
Most "Oscar bait" films cinematography tend to be too on the nose, which often eclipses the work of the actor with spectacle (eg. 1917).
In Tár however, the reverse is the case. Perfect example can be found in the now infamous Bach scene. On first viewing i didn't notice that the entire scene was shot in one take cuz the acting and excellent dialogue was in the fore·front.
I really love Cate Blanchett's performance in Aviator, and before now, it was my favorite. But I'm torn, it might just be recency bias, but Tár takes the spot.
No matter how apt the direction or slick the cinematography, She is the Star. Without her incredible ability to retain your attention, the entire film falls apart.
I'm glad tár was made.
The Sandman (2022)
Went Downhill Very Fast
Not me thinking this is it, Netflix finally made a good adaptation. The first 30mins was all i hoped for, then the rest of the series happened.
It's like they made the Pilot great, got the series gree-lit then opted for mediocrity. The obvious drop in quality of the script and acting can be felt from the second episode onwards.
This is just sad because this show had potential, if they just stuck with the pace and quality of the first episode.
The Gray Man (2022)
Bonkers
Netflix really said, give me a mixture of Jason Borne, Mission Impossible, Fast and Furious and James Bond, while making the Gray man.
And i actually had fun which was surprising. It was absolute bonkers but in a good way.
Hollywood should give Ana de Armas a Solo Action movie, cuz after James Bond and now the Gray Man, her badassery needs to be experienced in all it's glory.
It's your standard action movie Plot, but the gorgeous shots and engaging fight scenes made the Gray Man memorable.
Ah-ga-ssi (2016)
Subpar
My guess on why this film is critically acclaimed is because it's a foreign language film.
It was recommended to me by someone with an exquisite taste in films so i went in with high expectations.
After the rather bloated 3hr runtime i was neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed. I spent the next few hours pondering what the craze was all about, if there was a deeper meaning to the plot that i missed.
Well it appears i missed nothing, rather some folks were over analyzing the flims monotonous plot.
Lastly the director should've stuck with conventional story telling, it's obvious that he isn't well versed in constructing a cohesive Non-linear storyline.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Take a peak at the Bagel
Finally saw this film after a long wait, firstly Michelle Yeoh should be nominated for an Oscar and Stephanie Hsu for best supporting role.
Maybe i've consumed too many sci-fi films and it take something utterly strange to peak my interest, however, despite the films plot having a sense of familiarity, there's a ton of originality to scratch the itch of a long-time sci-fi fan.
It's not all action tho, a good chunk of the film is a touching story of family and acceptance of one's reality and choices.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Inconsistent
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is one film that's difficult to summarize my experience, because at some times it's the best film in the MCU and at another it's among the least.
The CGI is the most culprit, it feels grossly unpolished in some scenes and at the next it's breath taking.
The horror themes that was injected by director Sam Raimi helps to provide some level of uniqueness but occasionally suffers from the clichés of the genre
Marvel definitely wanted to try a different ingredient to their working formula and i'm here for it.
Severance (2022)
Absolute Masterpiece
A term that's often attributed to this series, I guess in some way it is a masterpiece, that's if this film is your first introduction to the Science fiction Genre.
If you're like me that've seen quite a ton of Sci-fi then this series is mediocre at best.
Poorly paced with a plot that feels like a concoction of every known Sci-fi cliche.
Kajillionaire (2020)
Old Dolio
Evan Rachel Wood's performance in kajillionaire reminds me why I love movies. Her portrayal of Old dolio is nothing short of exceptional.
The emotionally gripping plot, keen directing and great performances across the board easily makes this one of my favorite films ever.
Upload (2020)
Recommend
Upload manages to excel where most series fall short, have a second season that maintains the same level as the first.
Still funny and intriguing, I hope the third season doesn't take as much time as the second.
Turning Red (2022)
Subpar
Not amongst Pixar's best in terms of the character design, plot and animation, however Turning Red is entertaining and funny for the most part.
I don't think I've ever seen an underdeveloped character in animation as Mei's dad. He felt like an after thought. Everything about him from the voice acting to the character design is mediocre.
Something felt disconcerting about Mei's age, I think this plot would've best suited a 15+ year old character.
The Batman (2022)
I might need a second viewing
While not my favorite take on gotham's orphan vigilante, I feel that this version of Batman needed to be told.
Very dark, wet and gritty but I didn't find it as menacing as reviews suggested.
Seemed to drag a bit during the first act, but by the second act, the film is sure to have your undivided attention.
I really hope this universe continues, i feel that Robert Pattinson's Batman will be fleshed out, and more members of the Bat family gets introduced.
Nightmare Alley (2021)
Incoherent
Nightmare Alley left me rather unsatisfied.
Two and a half hours to keep an audience engaged is a tough ask for any picture and Nightmare Alley sure demanded a lot.
Tho the production design is stellar, might just be me but I don't think it had the feels of the 1940's the film was set in.
The 2nd act was where the film found its footing with suspense and intrigue but gradually derailed in the rather underwhelming 3rd act.
Performances was okay across the board and it might be my favorite part of the film.
Ryû to sobakasu no hime (2021)
Stark Contrast
Admist the colorful animation lies a mediocre plot and poor direction.
Highly forgettable, and its a shame because there were so many ways this film could've been better.
Acclaimed Anime feature films like "Your Name" complemented an intriguing plot with stunning visuals, "Belle" however banked on the visuals to do the heavy lifting.
The Green Knight (2021)
Dev Patel
A beautifuly shot film marred by an extremely unlikable lead.
Contrary to popular opinion, i think Dev Patel is miscast in this role, or the screenwriter and director did an awful Job to give his character a personality.
It's Plot filled with vague innuendos succeeds in alienating a vast majority of it's audience that is not versed with the source material.
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
Electricity.
Was never a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch, but having seen The power of the Dog and this, he sure have won me over.
His performance alongside co-star Claire foy, is nothing short of exceptional.
Every frame feels like your staring at a work of art, the stunning cinematography Erik Wilson is brilliant.
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is emotional, colorful, extremely well-acted and expertly directed and I can't recommend it enough.
Titane (2021)
I Should've Listened
I was cautioned by folks who saw this film about it absurdity, but having seen my fair share of absurd and grotesque over the years, I thought i could stomach whatever this film has to offer, o boy was i wrong.
Amidst the craziness, the films highlight is definitely the stellar performance of Agathe Rousselle.
Titane is undoubtedly amongst the most bizarre films i've seen, and I loved it, I think, I'm not yet sure. Will never forget it tho. That's for sure.
Saint Maud (2019)
Slow Paced to a Fault
Is this what passes as "horror" this days?
I'm still not sure if Saint Maud was going for scary, cause it fell flat at that, or disturbing as so many people suggested, cuz it sure wasn't.
So you're left with a rather boring attempt at a Psychological horror with a plot that have been rehashed for God knows how long.
Benedetta (2021)
Felt All Too Familiar
Having seen 1971 "The Devils" every second of this film was rather painful to watch.
Not because the movie was that bad, at least it had decent cinematography, but for an obvious similarity to the Plot of The Devils.
Tho based off a book that was released in 1986, I'm inclined to suggest that the source material was somewhat inspired by the 1952 non-fiction book The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley.
However, Benedetta in it's first and second act is intriguing but the payoff is nonexistent.
Don't Look Up (2021)
What is this Movie
Longest running Hollywood cliche, the world revolving around the United States.
Satire or not, it doesn't bring anything new to the narrative we've seen in countless "world ending" films that came before it, unless you count the needless ensemble.