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All Ratings and Reviews are my opinion.
NOTE: I have seen lots of movies before I made this account on August 2020.
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Reviews
Back to Black (2024)
Amy Winehouse deserves so much Better
Jesus, you can't make this nonsense up can you? Sam Taylor-Johnson "I have no talent but look! I'm able to exploit Amy Winehouse to show I actually can make something and I'm not just a creep", Mitch Winehouse, involved in a dull, yet, generic piece made for naive audiences, to demonstrate that he isn't a greedy sack of garbage and society needs to know he is innocent. Try to make another unnecessary biopic story that really is just disrespectful. After all, we are not just exploiting someone's legacy, we're changing lives and showing the good parts? I guess that's the lesson of this movie?
Bull****
I feel bad for all the actors. Marisa Abela, Jack O'Connell, Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville deserve so much better. Anyways, ,watch "Amy (2015)", it's a great emotional documentary.
The Fall Guy (2024)
This really is just the most average movie
I'm just going to get this out. Clearly I am not big on David Leitch as a filmmaker but a stuntman, he is excellent with stunt work. Leitch is wonderful with his stunt works but having seen Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Bullet Train, and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, it's clear his direction on the action is great but writing, humor, and chemistry is bad.
Throughout, there are some pretty good action thrills and stunt work used to create tension and excitement. The production costumes and designs look nice and the perofmrnaues from Ryan Gosling and the rest of the cast are pretty good. But that's about it really.
Storywise, it's just the typical average action movie Hollywood make. Something ChatGPT would write honestly. But at least it seemed there was some care and thought put into it. The humor is pretty bad and the characters, surprisingly, I didn't buy into their chemistry. Blunt and Gosling are actors I like but the chemistry between one another felt pretty lacking.
Thus, I find myself feeling bored half of the time.
Challengers (2024)
Luca Guadagnino strikes again
This movie isn't afraid to explore intimate, exotic, and conflicting dynamics in the sports genre and with Luca Guadagnino's wonderful direction, the writing, the performances, the characters, and atmospheres are wonderful and well-executed. The exploration of the characters, their dynamics, and dialogue are great with every single moment feeling tense, engaging, and quite raw. Tennis isn't something I like but man was I invested with this movie.
All of the performances are great including strong chemistry, the soundtrack is wonderful, and many of the sport moments, editing, and style is so gritty, it's wonderful. Stellar camerawork as well! As mentioned, the characters are interesting and while they aren't really relatable, their dynamics and personalities have made them become an interesting character study of a movie. The soundtrack is awesome. I have heard others complaining about the soundtrack but I personally think the soundtrack fits and worked well with the scenes.
It's edging, hot, steamy, tense, and out there. The only issue I have with the movie is that certain sound designs were a little too mute to hear. But otherwise, Guadagnino does it again.
Une nuit (2023)
Watchable French romance that takes way too much influence of Richard Linklater
Previously Alex Lutz created "Guy" which I thought was solid with some good concepts and dialogue. Strangers by Night is a typical romance French story but with some solid moments of good dialogue and direction.
Lutz direction on the dialogue, setting and tone is pretty good as it felt focused. The performances are good, while nothing amazing, they were mainly pretty good on emotions. However, the narrative really isn't special as it was pretty predictable, including a twist that was predictable miles away. Some of the dialogue is a little rough, some pacing could be better, and it's clear Lutz has taken too much influence on Richard Linklater's The Before Trilogy which ends up making it feel stale at the end.
Overall, not bad but it's watchable for one time.
Mambar Pierrette (2023)
A good neorealist tale of a woman's struggle
Filmed in Cameroon, filmmaker Rosine Mbakam presents a neorealist approach on the life of the main character, Pierrette Abohe, and her struggles to care for her family in the poor and troubling environment. With good camerawork and sound designs, Abohe offers an emotional, slow-burn, but sensitive narrative of Abohe's struggles with interesting dynamics, atmosphere, and realistic dialogue and emotions explored within the character.
Using a docudrama approached, the style, sound designs, and character interactions felt real, touching, and depressing to observe as watching a mother trying to do her best despite the hardships was pretty emotional. The conflicts of the country, the environment, and struggles are well-explored throughout and focusing our main lead was interesting.
Some may call this misery porn but I disagree because misery porn would be considered a film that has a messaged that is forced or purposefully depressing to create shock value, rather then telling a message or so forth.
Overall, I really engaged with this movie.
Sasquatch Sunset (2024)
The best s**tpost movie ever
If you want to see four people dressed up as bigfoot making grunting noises, eating, throwing poop, acting horny, aggressively grunting and a movie that is weird, gross, and bizarre, this is the movie for you.
The Zellner brothers literally made a movie that is just feels like a troll or something of a s**tpost made on youtube, but you know what, I love it.
The humor is gross, weird, and bizarre but I found myself laughing quite a bit for just how out there the movie is. Including it's wonderful soundtrack, gorgeous camerawork, strange performances and surprising, social commentaries explored (if you think of the movie too deeply).
The fact this movie was released in over 800 theaters is wild. Truth be told, people will hate this movie and there were quite a bit of audiences in my theater who walked out
Realistically I don't know what to properly rate this movie but screw it, it's a 10/10 for me.
Hundreds of Beavers (2022)
So goofy, I love it
Imagine you make a Looney Tunes cartoon but turn it into real life, this is what you are going to get. The amusement and the insanity this movie takes it purely amazing with each single moment being extremely entertaining, hilarious and wild for it's stake of time.
The visual gags, presentation, and style is low budget but it greatly captures the humor, essence and insanity of what is Looney Tunes and the old classic slapstick humor from the silent era was. With great visual gags, hilarious banters, and intentional weird costume choices, this movie achieves what makes everything funny, hilarious and wild.
I don't think I have ever seen a movie like this in my life but here we are.
Riddle of Fire (2023)
A fun children's adventure tale that reminds me of the old live action Disney adventure stories
This movie reminds me a lot of the early children adventures movies I have grown up watching as a kid. A story about adventures, fantasy, friendship, and the journey to find something. Using 16mm film, the filmmaker perfectly captures the essence of children fairytale adventures with gorgeous looking production, camerawork, soundtrack, and really good child performances from the cast members.
The writing and the themes explored fits very well with the setting and direction. Many of the choices made feel childish and strange but it is intentional as it helps add the child-like adventures and craziness that we kids would go through to seek an adventure. With the characters being pretty fun to observe, many of the child performances are really good with each feeling nature and realistic of what how children really act and speak.
Although, it isn't a perfect movie. For a runtime of 114 minutes, it does feel tedious and some of the pacing really did drag the movie that made me zone out a little during the second act. But as a whole, I appreciate the filmmaker being able to capture the tone and atmosphere very well and it's definitely a project that he is passionate about.
But I definitely will be keeping an eye on this director.
Lost Country (2023)
A quality movie hidden somewhere in this, yet, fails to fully achieve it's goal
Beautiful camerawork, production, and the filmmaker Vladimir Perisic is providing interesting themes of politics and the time period of Serbia. Unfortunately, it fails to fully achieve it's success with an narrative that feels too lost to focus on it's message.
Serbian culture and it's politics isn't something I am familiar with and to make movies from their perspectives is interesting. As mentioned the camerawork, production designs and some of the concepts explored are pretty interesting and helps to establish it's time period and setting. Unfortunately, the narrative, while does offer some interesting concepts, fails because it doesn't fully grasp well with it's themes and proceeds to feel aimless and flying around like nothing. Including characters that felt too-staged that it loses it's sense of realism and purpose.
The performances weren't the greatest. Jasna Djuricic gives the best performance in the movie but the main lead, Jovan Ginic, tries but it just wasn't good enough to fully develop the role's emotions and their strengths. The worse aspect is the dialogue. Man, the dialogue clearly feels like it was written by someone who doesn't understand human communication and it feels like something ChatGPT would have written down.
It's unfortunate cause this movie does have something hidden somewhere that could be amazing and great but fails because of the lifeless writing, undeveloped characters, and it's repetitive nature. Failing to become a good art-house movie.
Civil War (2024)
Great character study of war journalism and society
I really love the interesting perspective and takes of this movie. From the uses of journalists perspectives during a war between nations, filmmaker Alex Garland captures what journalism, tension, and war can be with strong directing, tension, effects, writing, and atmosphere throughout.
The narrative offers some themes and dynamics which creates some interesting characters, action moments, effects, and tension throughout. I am not a political person at all but I found myself enjoying many of the creative concepts and dystopian aspects explored. The performances from the cast members are great especially Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Cailee Spaeny as many of the performances were great. Including the characters being interesting and some pretty good dialogue.
The atmosphere and themes are well-explored, the sound designs and many of the practical effects are wonderful and having seen it in IMAX, it really helps add the environment and tension. Alongside with it's political themes and chaos that helps to add the atmosphere and setting. I do say the only biggest issue I have with the movie is that there is one character moment towards the third act that is a bit strange.
But overall, I can see people might hate this one especially for political people or crazed commenters but I really loved this movie. If this really is Alex Garland's last movie, then he will be missed.
La chimera (2023)
Interesting dreamy-like comedic Italian story
Italian cinema is pretty interesting as Italy has crafted some of the most genuine and masterful works of art in the past history of cinema. While modern Italian works haven't been big for me, La Chimera is an interesting story with interesting choices of direction from Alice Rohrwacher, beautiful camerawork, writing and performances from the cast members. It's universe the movie settles itself is dream-like, bizarre, and quite engaging with the direction and camerawork guiding the narrative throughout.
Including some interesting music choices and performances that are wonderful. Since it is a slow-burn setting, there are some pacing issues that made me feel a bit disconnected with it's characters and certain aspects that could have been explored a bit more. It's undeniably an creative approach of modern Italian cinema and Rohrwacher has the potential to craft some amazing potential masterpieces for Italian cinema in the near future.
Girls State (2024)
Good companion piece to Boys State
The question comes around of What would the United States look like if it was in the hands of the modern generation and youths? Having enjoyed Boys State, Girls State is a good companion piece that offers an interesting insight to the American politics from the perspectives of Gen-Z with some interesting discussions, bright personalities from the main participants and throughout-provoking themes that fit emotional, interesting and insightful.
While the documentary does have some lacking features such as some of the presentation quality and odd sound designs, Girls State achieves of what the America system could be seen and handled in the Gen-Z generation. Filmmaker Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine are able to capture the realistic and nature perspectives of youth and politics mixed together without biases nor messes.
Anselm - Das Rauschen der Zeit (2023)
An interesting poetic examination of Anslem and his craft
What makes Anslem interesting? Is it the art he crafts? His thought-provoking nature, or the brilliance of his mind and ways? With beautiful camerawork, musical score and interesting observations, this documentary navigates an well-executed poetic documentary story about Anslem's work. Diving deep into his work, the poetic nature, and style, Filmmaker Wim Wenders crafts one of his best documentary works in quite some time with absolutely great direction and atmospheres approached throughout within the setting.
That goes without some flaws as with the documentary being more focused on the works rather then Anselm, I wished Wenders applied a little more examination about Anselm himself which would have helped crafted a more personal examination of Anselm and understanding of his works.
But overall, with Perfect Days, I am glad to see Wenders is back again.
Menus-plaisirs - Les Troisgros (2023)
Wiseman Strikes Again
What makes Frederick Wiseman special, to me, is that Wiseman is able to craft documentaries and stories that examines through the perspectives of Cinéma vérité and is able to center and craft things with realism, heart, and soul of it's subject. This newest documentary is another banger. For a man who is in his 90s, still crafting well-crafted documentaries is quite the accomplishment and success.
With every minute detailed explored within this four hour piece, each component felt genuine, interesting, and quite tasty to observe. Observing the nature landscapes and environment of a French restaurant with delicious food and items are a massive eye-catcher indeed.
The Truth vs. Alex Jones (2024)
An interesting and frustrating documentary about how misinformation and lies can cause damage
I tried to stay away from political discussions and concepts because I am not comfortable with being in that environment but Alex Jones really is one absolute egocentric and self-centered a person. The Truth vs. Alex Jones is a pretty good documentary about how Jones misinformation about the Sandy Hook shootings have damaged the victim's families and the insanity and craziness of Jones himself.
With interesting discussions explored, the documentary offers interesting and sometimes, frustrating discussions and scenarios that helped bring forth the information and the situations to light. Including some good uses of music and emotional atmospheres throughout. Filmmaker Dan Reed, previously made Leaving Neverland which I didn't like due to it's poor structure and annoying pacing, improves his direction with how he handles the materials and the standards of not being too exploitative nor offensive to it's subject and victims.
There are some moments that are pretty terrifying regarding some subjects, certain individuals and Jones himself as they perfectly capture how America has become fundamentally broken and damaged. While the structure is the typical HBO style of documentaries and there are some topics I kinda of wish they would explore a little more, I think this documentary does a good job on exploring it's subject.
Not easy to watch for some but I recommend it.
Asphalt City (2023)
A poor and cynical portrait of paramedics workers
Asphalt City is the type of movie that endlessly forces the heavy message onto the audiences face with it's overbearing emotions and cynical approaches which ends up creating an poor, messy and comedically unserious story about a serious subject of paramedic workers and the trauma they experience.
The writing and direction is trying to be like Bringing Out the Dead with the themes of the dark sides and struggles of paramedic workers but this movie fails to capture the trauma and tone properly due to it's forced message that is shoved right into your face, bland direction, unlikeable characters and unengaging structure that makes the movie difficult to observe. With bland direction, the performances were the best parts as Tye Sheridan and Sean Penn are giving solid performances throughout the movie and there are some nice camerawork throughout. Unfortunately, they are overshadowed with poor dialogue, poor editing and really uninteresting character developments.
As someone who had worked in the medical field and known a feel friends who worked as paramedics, the movie really does a disservice to real paramedic works and fails to really give them the respect it thinks it does. Because this movie is cynical with it's portrait and fails to deliver.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
At this point, no new Godzilla movie can be topped after Godzilla Minus One.
Sure, the special effects, sound designs, camerawork, and thrills are there and there are some good visual spectacles and fights that are well-executed. The performances from the cast members are solid as well. However, I found myself just feeling that the story, action, concepts and the characters not being interesting or as creativity as it thinks and just like the American Godzilla movies (except 2014 one), they really miss the point of what makes Godzilla special.
Adam Wingard is a talented director but his direction just continues to disappoint and disappoint, the characters are dull including some really laughably dialogue, and the pacing is pretty off. Some of the action moments are okay but that's about it and at times, it was a bit boring. Making a Godzilla movie boring should be a crime against humanity.
Problemista (2023)
Eggcellent
Julio Torres, for his first debut, manages to create one of the weirdest, chaotic, and unapologetically narrative that is really great with it's electrifying atmosphere, writing, direction, and approach. Torres writing delivers one of the most activating, surrealist, intentional cringe-like and hilarious stories with interesting satirical themes of art, immigration, companies, and the world we live inside. With beautiful camerawork, production designs, framing, and structure pacing.
All of the performances are great and Tilda Swinton, my god, she gave one of the absolute best and insane performances of her entire career as she is chaotic, insane, yet, so engaging to observe. Many of the chaotic tones, humor, and characters were hilarious and surreal to observe. It's one strange debut of a movie that I can't think anyone else could ever do. Overall, it's amazing. It's a shame that the marketing of this movie wasn't great cause it deserves more attention!
Vincent doit mourir (2023)
While uneven with it's themes, great premise and lead performance holds the movie well
I really loved the first the 50 minutes of this movie as filmmaker Stéphan Castang provides an interesting premise that includes some interesting satirical, comedic, and apocalypse themes within the narrative. Unfortunately, the movie does overstays its welcome a bit.
Throughout, the narrative offers some funny and weird concepts that are interesting and outrageous. I appreciate the direction, the tone and good performance from the main lead actor. However, the issue is that the narrative doesn't live up with it's premise as after the 50 minute mark, the themes and tone feels lost with some unnecessary subplots and ideas that never took full advantage of it's creative setting. Regarding the pacing, structure, and style, the movie has a solid atmosphere and never once was I bored observing the movie.
I do wish the writing could be stronger but as a whole, it was an decent movie that I appreciated.
Road House (2024)
What's the point?
Was remaking Roadhouse necessary? Because this one was pretty dreadful. Sure, the original Roadhouse wasn't a perfect movie but its non-serious tone, charm between the cast, and the intentional over-the-top action worked well to create a charming 80s flick. However, this remake fails to understand what makes the original pretty good as this remake provides an uneven script, terrible dialogue, weak performances, and a tone that takes itself way too seriously.
Doug Liman's direction is bland and uninteresting and some of the dialogue really feels like something written by ChatGBT. I love Jake Gyllenhaal but unfortunately, despite Gyllenhaal having a solid performance, he wasn't able to save the movie from falling down. Including some casting choices that are really off-putting.
The non-serious and over-the-top charm has disappeared and it makes this remake boring and bland to observe. In the end, this remake stinks.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
This new Ghostbusters movie, it's not good.
Ghostbusters is strange for me because I liked the original Ghostbusters growing up as a kid as the concept, characters and thrills were really good. However, the sequel, the female reboot version, and the previous installment "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" I didn't care for. With this new one, the problems I have with the previous one are still here.
Throughout, the production, costumes, and the special effects are pretty good as the colorful effects were well-executed. Admittledy, including some really interesting camerawork moments. The direction from Gil Kenan, while at times a bit messy, was solid on approaching some of the tone. Seeing Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts again was fun as they still have great chemistry, charm, and dialogue dynamics between one another. Unfortunately, the new characters, bland humor, and weak narrative didn't do it for me.
The characters of the original cast members are still likable and entertaining to observe but none of the new characters were interesting nor likable really. The performances from them were solid but the new characters didn't have much charm and didn't really care for them. Kumail Nanjiani's performance was kind of annoying and Paul Rudd is just being Paul Rudd, again. The dialogue is pretty rough and some of the soundtrack choices are pretty annoying. The creature and ghost designs are solid as they have some decent designs and colors, although mixed with some noticeable poor CGI. The narrative really feels like a rehash of some of the ideas from the previous movies but just with different monsters and scenes.
I found myself feeling a bit bored at times. Overall, I can see Ghostbusters fans loving this but I rather stick with the first one.
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
Bloody, gritty, weird, queerly, sexy and violent, I love it!
It's a great queer thriller with great directing and approaches from Rose Glass, interesting writing and characters, and good performances from the cast. Ever since Saint Maud, I have been keeping up with Rose Glass because she has the potential of becoming a modern master filmmaker and this movie really rocks!
Glass' direction, writing and approach on the atmosphere, themes and tone are perfect as the 80s vibe, tension, and charm is well-executed. I appreciate how Glass doesn't follow the traditional writing structure and provides some ideas that just breaks all the rules and has fun with it's violent, weird style and tone. The writing also explores some interesting concepts, characters and dynamics being explored with lots of fun dark, bloody, sexy, and wild moments that are purely entertaining. The performances are great as Kristen Stewart is really good but Katy O'Brian really steals the show here and each provided great chemistry dynamics together. Good soundtrack and pacing as well.
I appreciate how Glass is able to provide some really bold moments and the way she approaches the 80s romance thriller without feeling messy or all over the place. Everything felt perfect of what I wanted from an 80s vibe thriller. One small issue is that I felt one certain character development could have been explored just a bit.
But overall, it was a blast. I am looking forward to seeing what Rose Glass brings next.
Arthur the King (2024)
Oh it's ruff
It's just the typical dog and man friendship movie with very little creative ideas, boring characters and dull style. Based on Mikael Lindnord, the movie really doesn't offer much besides being the most standard and basic dog movie with little charm between the characters and boring dynamics. Throughout, the production and camerawork is solid as there were some solid camerawork choices and production designs. But that's really about it.
The performances were just fine but none of the characters were really funny, engaging nor interesting to connect. At least the dog wasn't CGI. The dialouge is pretty rough, the structure is pretty boring, and realistically, it almost made me fall asleep.
Dog lovers will like this movie but everything else, that's all.
The American Society of Magical Negroes (2024)
Interesting concept but fails to deliver it uniquely and creatively
Watched this at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
This is the kind of movie where it has an interesting premise and it could have explored interesting satirical themes and ideas but instead, the filmmaker doesn't really offer much with any creative outlooks and follows cliched and uninteresting tropes.
Kobi Libii has a concept that could have been interesting but his bland direction and the unambitious tones really create a hollow and investing story with dull cliche tropes, uninteresting characters and weak performances from the cast members. I like Justice Smith and Smith is trying his best but unfortunately his dull character and the poor dialogue really lacks his performance. Throughout, I found myself feeling bored and thinking that this movie could have been at least interesting if the filmmaker had thought about actually trying to add something that feels weird or unique. But that's not what I got. Instead, what I got was more of a dull and uninspired narrative that really wastes the talented cast and concepts.
What a shame.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
Unfortunately, it was REALLY underwhelming.
Man, I really wanted to love this one.
The Kung Fu Panda franchise is interesting because I really love the first two Kung Fu Panda movies as the stories, characters and thrills were really great. I found the characters to be engaging and are some of Dreamworks best movies. However, I thought the third one was okay and I have never seen the television series so I can't comment on that. With this sequel coming out after some time, there are some good aspects I like but even though I knew it might not be perfect, I still was left underwhelmed.
Think of Kung Fu Panda 4 like this. You hired writers who create new ideas and concepts that could have been good but ends up being uneven and at times, uninteresting. Write a story that lacks the uniqueness and charm of what made the previous ones amazing. Have new but uninteresting and annoying characters be given screen time and be provided with some really annoying voice performances. Explore some really really good concepts but not utilizing them well. Hire the filmmaker who is known for making Shrek Forever After, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked be in control. Then, bringing back previous characters that were beloved, yet felt more like nostalgia bait. That is Kung Fu Panda 4 for you.
It is simply really disappointing because the animation, designs, musical score, and Jack Black's performance are really good. Many of the animation models, colors and designs are unique and the voice performances from Jack Black and some of the other cast members are pretty good. Alongside with some of the fight and action sequences that are pretty well done, especially the scene where Po and shapeshifter Po were fighting which had some great visuals and editing.
It's obvious there is talent and passion behind this movie but the uninteresting narrative and missing charm and energy really fails to make it good. The humor isn't strong and the characters, while the character of PO is still fun, the new characters and the villain were really uninteresting, annoying and lacked chemistry. Alongside provided with some bad dialogue which made it difficult to really believe a single word from them.
Some of the lighting and presentation feels cheap, the direction is odd, the atmosphere is solid, and some of the pacing moments were a bit uneven.
I might sound cynical but I really wanted to like this one since I adore the first two Kung Fu Panda movies, but this was disappointing. I was hoping to be surprised like how Puss in Boot: The Last Wish did. But it didn't happen. Overall, it's not terrible and there are some strong moments that I did like. But this shows the golden age of this franchise is no longer the same.
EDIT: Having found out about the behind the scenes of the production, what a shame.