Reviews

MY OPINION

• The acting

1917 was filmed to look like a continuous shot. To that end, it was essential for Mendes' actors to be as prepared as possible for each take, as the longest one was about 8 minutes long! The movie must have been a tremendous challenge for the crew.

• The score

1917's OST has been composed by Thomas Newman, an old-time veteran when it comes to movie soundtracks. Although not the same, Newman's score could be somewhat similar to that of Hans Zimmer, in its attempt to get an air of solemnity, sadness, and despair. We can point that Newman's piece entitled "Tripwire" is very similar to Hans Zimmer's "Why So Serious?" from The Dark Knight.

• The direction/cinematographic qualities?

Mendes didn't just want to make a beautiful film; he wanted it to be as detailed as possible. He wanted the film to look as if it took place in WWI trenches-dead bodies, rats, and anything that comes with it. He wanted spectators to feel like they've been side to side with the soldiers in the trenches; not like watching the film from a third-person perspective. Sam Mendes' technical and visual triumph was thus rewarded with the Best Achievement in Cinematography Oscar.

• The sound/visual effects/general aesthetic/atmosphere?

The Academy Award-winning Visual Effects and Sound Mixing represents the brilliant attention to detail to keep the story tense and alive. The resulting atmosphere grasps the audience's from the very beginning till the end of the movie to live a real cinematographic experience.

• The story?

The story is pretty much a one-liner: deliver this message as fast as possible or people will die. In many ways, 1917 reminds of Saving Private Ryan, throughout a "one-mission movie". I believe Sam Mendes' goal wasn't to deeply develop the story nor the characters but rather more on the making of a technical masterpiece.

• The effect on the audience?

Immersively accomplished, 1917 draws one into the absolute insanity of the terrifying moments of WWI. Here you will feel like you're walking along with these guys.

REVIEW

Even though I had fulfilled the Academy-Award winning 1917 with high expectations, mainly because of the "one-take" feeling watching the movie. Still, that's the very reason that kept me from watching the movie, as I thought it could turn it into a '70s movie. Poor me, I was so wrong...

Listed as a cinematographic masterpiece, 1917 is a rather thrilling journey, with even greater intensity than most recent horror movies. Sam Mendes slowly escalates the stressful atmosphere until uncovering everything in the last 20 minutes. We follow the fortunes of these two British soldiers for 110 minutes with a smooth, good-looking "continuous shot". The slick strategy with which Mendes tries to fool us is brilliant. This one-take feeling intensifies the tension and urgency of the British Soldiers' mission, as we experience the events mostly in real-time, from the characters' perspectives. Moreover, this technique gives the movie an unblinking stance towards the horrors of WWI, since the audience can't avoid the macabre chaos from this non-stop take. 1917's cinematography is captivating. There are so many significant close-ups picturing a thousand words from those two soldiers about both their background and psychological impact from WWI. While the film is mostly grisly and sinister, there are moments of beauty and humanity, the best thing is that Mendes knows when to return from those close-ups to show the shocking nature of the battlefield. (SPOILERS) The scene taking place at the French bombed village with the woman and its baby act as a poignant moment of grace and magic that shines through the darkness. This moment of benefits both the rhythm of the movie while developing the character's feelings. (END OF SPOILERS) Both George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman are amazing, as they are the roots of 1917 and also had the tedious task of carrying the movie mainly from their acting skills. (SPOILERS)MacKay's sprinting in the dark within the bombed village is one of the most incredible and widening pictures I've seen in a long time!(END OF SPOILERS) An aspect I didn't expect to be that great from 1917 is Newman's score. Indeed, Newman's music is often more pronounced whereas, in 1917, it acts more as an ambiance, pretty much inspiring from Hans Zimmer's style. Therefore, the soundtrack enhances the atmosphere of each scene and its intensity.

Mendes' 1917 is, in conclusion, one of the best movies I've seen in months. It's an extremely nervous experience with perfect performances and some of the most stunningly beautiful cinematography I've ever seen. It left me completely aware of the futility of war. Not to have seen this movie in the theater as I did is a real mistake, as the experience it provokes must be even more powerful. I rate this film 8/10 as I think it's one of the best War movies I've seen, still, he's no match for The Last Samurai, and equivalent in intensity to Hacksaw Ridge, The Hurt Locker or Fury.

MY OPINION

• The acting

Interstellar can rely on strong acting from first-class actors to livens up the struggle facing humanity against the blight and famine plaguing the Earth.

• The score

Hans Zimmer does such a great job at projecting emotions through his music and could alone tell a whole story. This soundtrack captures the vastness of space so well. He caressed the face of God with this soundtrack. Why this score didn't win an Oscar for Best Original Score back in 2015 is the question of the decade.

• The direction/cinematographic qualities?

Christopher Nolan worked closely with the theoretical physicist Kip Thorne, to nail down the scientific accuracy of Interstellar. As a result, Nolan's genuine sense of creativity matched perfectly with Thorne's scientific background to make such a realistic movie. What's more, we can recognize Nolan's touch for establishing a strong connection between a character's decision and his emotional background, as he did so well in The Dark Knight. Nolan is probably the best director in the industry today and that is why producers trust him enough to fulfill his vision.

• The sound/visual effects/general aesthetic?

The Academy Award-winning Visual Effects represents the brilliant attention to detail to keep the story alive. Interstellar's representation of a black hole was so outstandingly accurate that eventually, it allowed the release of two scientific papers.

• The atmosphere?

The atmosphere of Interstellar is mainly dramatic and serious, at times even somber and mind-bending. The beginning of the movie is the only time we can experience a cheerful scene, through the chase of the Indian drone.

• The story?

From the concept of time to the sense of humanity we experience through love, Nolan covered thought-provoking, at times philosophical concepts quite impressively. Despite the complexity and greatness of themes covered, Nolan's skills once again showed off to pull them all together.

• The effect on the audience?

Interstellar is, in my opinion, what we call a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This kind of experience makes you walk away from the theater tweaking something in the core of your soul.

REVIEW

When I walked to the theater back in November 2014, I was completely clueless about what to expect. As soon as the credits started scrolling and people in the theater clapping into a standing ovation, I know I had watched a masterpiece.

Interstellar is the kind of blow-away experience I wish I could see more often in the theater; the one which embodies a different world, making you walk out with your spirit still locked in it, a majesty you will always carry with you. Christopher Nolan and Hans Zimmer are virtuoso. Absolute perfection is nothing less than the accurate depiction of the best soundtrack of Zimmer's career. Zimmer's score is in total symbiosis with the growing intensity of the movie. This gripping score manages to thrills and to represent the quiet beauty of music as strongly and heart-wrenchingly as the story it goes along. Nothing less than a spectacular masterpiece could spark from the gathering of such masters. This long and epic journey into the vastness of space keeps us engaged through the whole film. Each moment of Interstellar unraveled against such a beauty, that I felt sucked into it. Rarely have I been moved that much by a movie; tear-jerking and emotional throughout (My goosebumps had goosebumps). (SPOILERS) The scene when Cooper, returning from miller's planet, is watching 23 years of messages, is in my opinion of the saddest and intense scene in the history of cinema (END OF SPOILERS). Special mention must also be made to the ending scenes of The Last Samurai, LOTR: The Return of The King, The Dark Knight, The Green Mile, Gladiator, and Endgame.

At first, I didn't grasp everything about the movie. I was so amazed by what I had just seen, still, it was raising a question in me: Where are we going? (About Zimmer's piece: Where We're Going). With Interstellar, Nolan is revolutionizing the Sci-Fi genre, as Kubrick did 2 decades before, proving once again what can be done with modern technologies. Nolan is one of these geniuses living among us we will speak for generations. Interstellar is, without a doubt, the best movie ever made and truly unique experience. My rating for this masterpiece can't be something else than a 10 out of 10. I wish I could live again a first-time experience watching this movie.