Reviews

A piano teacher suppressed of her sexual desires is desperate to scratch these painful itches she has been experiencing for years. It's a sinful itch, a shameful one, But the more it's repressed the worst it gets. A story as old as time, but Hanake makes sure to present it in such a visceral and profound way. It's a mystery of the human condition rather than one of crime. Decisions that can only make sense to the person making them rather than one observing, but even then they don't really know what they are doing. It's chilling what even a mannered, clean, and withdrawn person like Erika could be driven to do.

The direction is clean, cold, calculated, and complementing to the themes at hand. In spite of a couple nitpicky things the vast majority of the decisions made by Michael Haneke are ones of pure genius. There's no dramatic music, no crazy cuts, or flashy camera tricks just the subjects, and their misery. Even in the climax of this movie doesn't do anything. Its still, feels quiet, its subtlety traumatizing in a way that is frustratingly intimate, and real.

There are scenes, images, and performances that will stick with me forever. This is one of my personal favorite dramas ever conceived in any medium of story telling. The script is one of the best ever made, and never has any story made me this emotionally distraught.

10/10.

One of the best character study's I've seen. Beautifully put together, a tight; concise, and subtle film with so much food for thought. This movie walks the morally grey line in such fashion and style, and has scenes that are brilliant in its commentary and ideas. So many layers are woven in creating such a perfect canvass for the disheartening colors. The performances feel real and grounded, the best performance of cate Blanchetts career, an already acclaimed actor.

Once it hits the fan the movie starts getting manic and increasingly surreal. The immense pressure feels real and heavy and starts peeling at the seams. Tension is quiet but palpable. Its terrifying and intense combined with the real and grounded feel to the movie and you have one of the most satisfactory 3rd acts of all time. The ending is one of the most perfect resolutions ive ever seen in a movie.

The movie goes on for another few minutes after the climax as it goes you wonder when the credits are going to role and why this act is going on for so long. Moment after moment, scene after scene you don't know where this is going until... that final shot. One of the most perfect reveals in cinema, a historical moment, a shot that is covered in intentions, ideas and greys.

10/10.

To Preface: Roman Polanski, a disturbed, sickening human being who is essentially the poster child for Hollywood's corrupted blindness of children's welfare. Once began as an empowering and invigorating story of holocaust survivor, to an influential powerful artist, then became "The one director who shall not be named". I need this out of the way due the Immense aroma surrounding his works. So just to Preface, The artwork is not the artist.

The Formal Review: An ungodly, superficial, project on the raging phenomenon of Satan In the Christian dominated, cold war era, America. It Capitalizes on the fear of occult's and, in turn Refuses the "Thou shalt love thy neighbor" argument. If anything being too open to the neighbor might just let the infamous fallen angel in. The age of this movie might've been a problem, as we have grown, and no longer have a reigning suspicion of our neighbors being occultist. But the the idea isn't completely gone, if anything the paranoia has become Deeper, subtler within our subconscious. I think that's why this movie stuck with me. As Rosemary submits herself into this middle class, predictable housewife, position, the consequences start ripping the seams. Her body, soul, and mind have all been compromised by everyone around her. Her body to her husband, her soul to her neighbors, and her mind... well that's to be determined. She is used, abused, and manipulated. Every aspect of how she talks all the way to how she cuts her hair is controlled to appease the sick. The frantic pacing helps this increasingly stressful tone. Simple gestures are quick, and sharp tapping into your already paranoid subconscious... Something is wrong, but you don't know what it is. The movie tackles the one thing considered sacred in our culture, children. It abuses you with ideas of a corrupted child, and unsettles you with a seemingly familiar scenario, family. Its slow and painful. Angers you in a hopeless vegetative state. You are to sit there and watch her lose the only thing anyone wants in this world control. Horror movies that force you to think are all indebted to this landmark film...

10/10.

In this new cut of justice league there is even more unnecessary, and tedious slow-motion.

When it comes to the DCEU I'm not necessarily a huge fan. Their movies are all just as dull, and cookie cutter as the last, and are not at all as fun as DCs contemporary, Marvel. When I decided watch the original justice league before this one, I had no idea how 2 more hours of this movie would save it. Now that I've watched both, those 2 extra hours of the movie made it such a tedious watch. while I will admit the movie is better, it still feels like a somewhat consistent justice league with a more boring, uninspired backstory.

Positives: I do believe there is a some amount to respect and appreciate about this movie. Zack Snyder getting to create what he set out to make is pretty admirable, especially to how ambitious this movie is. It really felt like Zach wanted to maintain some artistic integrity. This movie definitely felt epic and grand in scale And had a lot more emotion and weight than the original. now does that mean I cared about anything, no, But it definitely had more of a foundation and story than most DCEU films do.

Everything Else: This movie is a HUGE Mess. The color palette was almost just as stale and as Nauseating as Batman V Superman, and paired with the horrendous CGI it made for a visually repelling experience. It felt like was watching an unfinished movie that was just starting to Implement computer graphics. Amy Adams has to be one of my favorite actresses working today and the way her character was treated felt like they really could've remove 90% of her scenes and nothing would've change. There is a whole lot of fat to trim that was torture to sit through. From the overabundance of slow-motion to the unnecessary exposition. 25% of this movie really could've been cut out. Cyborg was such a boring character and his backstory just felt like a parody of the traditional superhero backstory, And now that I mention it, all of the character were incredibly dull and boring. Steppenwolf could've been replaced with a toaster and nothing would change. His motives where so basic and forgettable that I wondered if they just used a script generator to write this story. The end was just a huge CGI fight that was just so hollow in its emotions and feeling, and the epilogue just felt like a commercial for their upcoming movies.

In Summary: I guess in the end this movie was made for the fans, and if you like I don't blame you really. I guess personally I would like more talent and competency in the helms of the writer and director. I can still very much respect Zack for what he decided to do for the fans, and based on the audience ratings he did well.

3/10

I really appreciate the ideas this movie portrays. I believe this movie is commentary on nihilism. How nihilism can be very contagious, and can be easily spread like a disease. It was an interesting, and very important topic that not a lot of films explore. However I was just so bothered how needlessly repetitive and annoying the presentation was. there were so many scenes that attempted an experimental artistic style that came across as cringe-worthy. there was Nothing that was emotionally deserved in this movie, and I wished Amy Seimetz would've just develop the ideas and story more. Instead this movie just feels so static and lifeless, and when it was finished I wasn't at all satisfied.

There were definitely decent ideas and concepts going into this movie, like I said the subject matter and the topic was really interesting. Although I was just disappointed at this attempted artistic expression that in the end came across as pretentious.

5/10

It is very rare that is find a film like this to be genuinely enjoyable and engaging, However this films tone and style won me over. While I wasn't a huge fan of "The Breadwinner" I was still interested enough to have an eye out for Cartoon Saloon's newest films. Low and behold this was the film that I was waiting for.

When watching this film I looked at what separated this from its contemporary's, And one of the most outstanding feature of this movie is its style. You would think 2D animated movies would often use its genre as an excuse for a more creative presentation, and when it comes to most movies that is not the case. "Wolfwalkers" on the other hand utilizes its style to the best of its ability's. in someway this movie often feels like a story being told to a child while we're looking into that childs imagination. The foreground is much more detailed and specific than the background, as if in a childs mind that is how it would look.

The story was also very "tale" like but it had a much more mature and descriptive world. It was so refreshing to watch a film that deeply cares about its worldbuilding. The voice acting to its originality, this was an improvement from the breadwinner on all fronts This is the best animated movie I have seen in a while (let alone this year), and I hope this movie gets its recognition it deserves. This is definitely in the competition for the best movie of the year.

9/10

Just recently I was studying and analyzing art pieces from all mediums. music, films, miniseries, ETC: Anime was a medium of art I'm not at all too fond of. I thought the genre had an overabundance of clichés, and i was very turned off by the lack of original writing anime had to offer. "Perfect Blue" was anime that I loved when I initially watched it around 5 months ago. It had everything I wanted an anime to be, and It quickly became one of my favorite anime art pieces of all time. I decided to come back to this movie recently because it was one of the art pieces i put on my list to analyze, And everything just started to hit me with waves of intense euphoria.

"Perfect blue" Has some of the most intense feelings of dread, anguish, and anxiety. the story I felt was incredibly important critiquing things like fandom, the idle industry, selling out, and men expectations of women being sexually exploited. I was enamored by the detail and precision of the writing and filmmaking. I initially thought the style and presentation of the film felt a bit dated, but after a rewatch it felt as if it worked for the piece itself making for a more authentic and desperate feel.

This film today is incredibly relevant and refreshing. the topics and the style exhibit some of the most progressive and forward-thinking ideas for animes at the time. Satoshi Kon is one of my favorite anime writers/director and this I believe to be his magnum opus.

10/10

This has to be one of the most driest, stalest scripts I have ever seen put on screen. Saying that this film is underwhelming is an understatement. The story is incredibly dull, and redundant, the acting was really pale, The filmmaking aspects were nonexistent and/or unspecial. All of these elements combing to make the most dullest, watered down films of the 2010s let alone 2018. The fact this won best picture was astounding, but this being an incredibly boring, insignificant film about racism its not too surprising the academy would pick this as the most "important film of 2018".

I doubt this film will ever be talked about again other than "what not to do with your script". I know This review itself is probably insignificant but, really I'm appalled and impressed by the relentless bore this film brings on. I just needed to get my thoughts out before I start burning buildings, and worshipping Satan.

2/10

Once again I am incredibly underwhelmed by the lack of originality this year, and a drama that is incredibly ordinary in its presentation is just the cherry on top. This film was relentless, checking off all the boxes in the bland, colorless, melodrama catalog.

Dryness is perfect word to describe the screenplay. There wasn't a single point where I was genuinely engaged or interested in the story, And all the characters just played the same. I always wonder the audacity of a person when writing these types of scripts. As if they're completely detached from the emotional potential of a good script. However The script isn't the only thing I have problems with.

I legitimately don't know whether to blame the director for what happened on screen 'cause, he was probably asleep the whole production. There are so many scenes where I was laughing at a supposed emotionally tense scene. Emotions are so poorly conveyed that I was surprised on how emotionally detached I was. Really this films existence really wasn't necessary. do yourself a favor and never watch it.

I honestly don't know whether this review was worth writing. I guess this is Just some exercise on my writing abilities. I also think this is pretty therapeutic after watching an infuriating film.

3/10

This film is an Exposé of not just corrupt stock brokers, but of human nature in general. A study on Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. All of these qualities deep within our human crevices. It is foolish to view these qualities by the seven deadly sins. Instead these are our animalistic flaws within our blood.

The quick manic pacing, the cocaine infused script, The raw blood-pumping performances all create an intense exciting story of our own intrinsic nature. The cold, lifeless treatment of women, children, relationships, and friendships are put on blast as to further the power of these money-hungry men. You can smell the piss, sweat, and semen in the air from the attempted attainment of adrenaline.

When we view stories like these its easy to determine what is good and what is wrong. We all like to think that we know who we are, and how we would act within a scenario. however sometimes our animalistic nature can take over, and rewrite how we view ourselves.

This has to be one of my favorite dark comedy's of all time. I keep finding new things to appreciate in every watch. I know this movie isn't perfect. there are some editing mistakes that ruin the flow of some scenes, certain technical mistakes that could've been fixed relatively easily, however this this is just a really important film with an amazing commentary on human impulses

9/10

The way the naturalistic flow of this movie encapsulates you, was quite impressive. I absolutely loved the shot composition, and combined with the dense sets, and the impressive blocking made for such an eye popping movie. The authenticity and genuine emotions that the movie attempted to communicate, was really a cathartic moment for me. I was also just holy impressed by the sound design, and the purposeful lack of music was just genius. the only music that was audible was within the movies reality, and considering how important music was with the main character it made absolute sense. At this point I could very much tell that this is a director that I want to keep my eye on.

Now this movies isn't without its flaws. i noticed some of the supporting actors were weak and somewhat underwhelming. I was never really super engaged with the story and in some cases the movies lost me. I understand that this movie is more of a movie that you can vibe with. in which I absolutely think this does its job. Despite its flaws I was genuinely impressed with tons of aspects to this film, and I would absolutely be genuinely interested in the next movie that this director would make.

7/10