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Challengers (2024)
Artful Representation of Human Condition
Luca Guadagnino is the star of the show, managing to balance a world of tennis, dance music, romance, and how we choose to live. Zendaya is a very close second.
Thoroughly engaging sequences of tennis intermingled with stories of our actors raise the stakes, all leading up to our climax at the very end of the film.
You may know hot moments await in Challengers, but surprising is the whipping emotional journey where you're never clear about whose decisions you support.
However, the flashy flashbacks and time jumps force us to make assumptions about the character's thoughts, their actions walking a fine line of untruth. But I suppose our trio is also walking a line.
Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Suspenseful and Quite Good - For the Most Part
Once again, Shyamalan proves his films are now entirely hit or miss. Knock at the Cabin is a solid hit. The film quite effectively wraps the audience in its tension and suspense, leaving the rest of the story behind along the way. In particular, this is very linear storytelling, which actually works quite well given the script's simple premise. In what seems like an attempt to elevate this film, social commentary about being homosexual is sprinkled throughout. While effective at connecting the audience to our protagonists, the story eventually abandons certain plot points that leave you wondering as to their inclusion.
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Empire Strikes Back of Avatar - Kind of
As far as sequels go, this is pretty darn good. It manages to further the lore of the Avatar franchise and setup further movies that, if done correctly, could be quite good. An absolute technical achievement - nothing has looked quite as good or been as immersive as The Way of Water. The story is absolutely derivative in nature, but what story isn't? Looking past this allows the audience to take in the messages of the film, in particular, its environmental call for humanity to reflect on. A story of fathers, sons, and family, it does what Empire Strikes Back did for Star Wars: it builds a future for the franchise.
Babylon (2022)
Magical Moments - Bizarre Rest of the Movie
For about the first twenty minutes before the title card appears, I felt I may have been watching something magical - even through some questionable sequences. On the big screen, the entire film pops, although never as much as it does here. However, as we continue through this arduous journey, I never found the necessary reason for this film to be as absolutely vulgar as it is. There was no commentary on why the film was presenting what it was in that particular manner, especially after constantly shifting gears in the second half. It seems as though Chazelle had multiple stories he wanted to tell and glued them all together, with an unnecessary final 30 minutes and a gratuitous closing montage that feels like Chazelle sneaking into the editing room right before the digital copies of the film made it to movie theaters. As much as I would love to continue to express my negativity towards Babylon - it just isn't worth it.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Parts of it sing, others fail to impress
Overall, a very fun watch. The impact on Wakanda revealing itself to the world has is powerful. Every single performer gives in to the darkness of the film's situation, and there is masterful direction throughout. Namor is incredible. As the story unfolds from his perspective, the time spent on Talokan itself isn't enough for to connect with, especially not when time is spent on other characters I had very little interest in (Ironheart I'm looking at you). As usual in an MCU film, the third act devolves into a CGI fest, with a smaller scale than one might hope when the most powerful nations on Earth are coming head to head.
Nope (2022)
A Beautiful Spectacle Without the Fun
Jordan Peele shows once again that he is a brilliant director. 'The Shot' is one of many gorgeous moments in this film. Yet, this was somehow neither as fun or scary as his previous work. Unfortunately, the multiple messages Peele gets across just aren't all that interesting. At the end of the day, Jordan Peele might be a better filmmaker than a screenwriter. A standout cast.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021)
This should not work, yet it works beautifully
Marcel the shell is cute and delivers a very satisfying story. I suspect this would not have worked as well with human characters with it's such simple messages and its particular way of presenting them. It works better with characters like Grandma Connie anyway. Tissues recommended.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Crazy, Funny, and Heartwarming
What makes this film exciting is not its premise, but its execution. Each scene demonstrates the creativity and silliness of the filmmakers, as well as the talent of the actors to pull off such caricatures. The cherry on top is the beautiful message of the film; it somehow grabs you and doesn't let go.
Don't Look Up (2021)
Beautiful and Heartbreaking
A funny and poignant look at humanity today without taking sides. An all-star cast carries the film, with Leonardo DiCaprio taking the lead. Unlike most movies, Don't Look up doesn't fall apart in the third act; in fact, the final third is the strongest part of the film.
Eternals (2021)
Sad and Dissapointing
Chloe Zhao promised the grandest MCU film to date, and what was delivered was exposition that never delivered on its visuals or its story. The film tried its best to ask questions about morality and human nature without enough time to explore them deeply enough.
Last Night in Soho (2021)
Great Concept, Good Execution
The first half of Last Night in Soho is perfect and unique with its drama and glamorous acting. At some point, however, the mystery is not enough to stop the film from turning into a crazed cartoon.
Dune (2021)
Visually Impeccable & Extraordinary
Dune is world-building on the highest level, fulfilling every possible expectation. Accompanied by an incredible score, the cinematography and vision of this film keep you exhilarated and consistently immersed in the story. However, Dune's biggest flaw is the promise to complete its unfinished story.
Titane (2021)
Beautifully Crafted, Yet Not Beautiful
Watching Titane is an incredible experience (one of the most bizarre), and the passion put into the project radiates off the screen. The social commentary shows up so often, but only if you're really paying attention and never in your face. However, Titane's biggest flaw is that there are too many layers to the film, making it difficult to connect emotionally.
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
Bizarre, Uncomfortable, and So Intriguing
Throughout the entirety of this film I kept wondering what the point of it was - moreso in a curious way than anything else. By the end, I knew exactly why this film should exist and enjoyed every part of the ride PTA took me on. Adam Sandler fits the character so perfectly, as does Emily Watson. The final act is very inspired, romantic, playful, and funny.
Blue Bayou (2021)
Beautiful Story, but Lacking in Script Quality and Direction
Blue Bayou is devastating throughout, depicting not only the main struggle of the film but of other social issues. Everyone in the cast does a great job, and Sydney Kowalske is often the star of the show. However, at times the script feels unpolished, and the amount of close-ups of an actor's face became nearly unbearable by the end.
Moonlight (2016)
Incredibly Real, but Too Disjointed
Moonlight's realness is devastating, and the first two chapters are just incredible. Mahershala Ali is truly the star of the film, and unfortunately it seems that as he disappears from the film so does the story. The chapters are just barely connected, seemingly a depiction of real life. However, the exploration of our protagonist's character is quickly abandoned in the third chapter, almost as abruptly as the film ends.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
A Timeless Classic
This is a wonderful, classically made film that inevitably touches you. Certain elements may be a little outdated for a modern audience, but the core of the film remains universal. James Stewart has unmatched charisma, and It's a Wonderful Life has unmatched heart.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Tarantino's masterpiece
The opening scene is all you need to adore Pulp Fiction. As each scene takes its time, the payoffs are worthwhile and the dialogue is second to none. The soundtrack is perfect, much like the pacing of the entire film. Perhaps the best part: you never know what comes next, but you will never be disappointed.
Candyman (2021)
Intensely Creepy & Very Well Made
Although the entire cast is phenomenal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II steals the show. Certain shots are incredibly tasteful, and the pacing of the supernatural elements of the film is perfect. The final scene starts off weak, but builds to a fantastic final line that elevates the film's politics. Even still, Candyman's biggest problem is its inability to decide whether it should lean more into fantasy or the social commentary.
Free Guy (2021)
A Fun Time
Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer are fantastic, as is most of the cast. The first half of the movie is like playing a really fun video game with great comedic elements and chemistry among the characters. By the end, it does loses a bit of focus, especially with the introduction of Taika Waititi.
Nine Days (2020)
We Live With the Choices We Make When Scared
Edson Oda delivers something spectacular with Nine Days. From profound joy to deep sadness, not a single minute of this film is dispassionate. The cinematography and the main theme beautifully complement every scene. Winston Duke is the heart of the movie, yet the entire cast manages to captivate you with their time on screen. Right as the film leads you to believe it can't get any better, the finale entrances you right before cutting to black.
The Suicide Squad (2021)
Beautifully Thought-Out and Executed, but Not Perfect
James Gunn delivers certain incredible ideas that are unfortunately not enough to overshadow the lame jokes included for the sake of having jokes, much like many of the scenes in the film. Stylistic choices throughout are in incredible taste, but the superficiality can be noticed by the end of the film even with plenty of superstar performances.
Jungle Cruise (2021)
Blunt and Johnson Are Great
The movie certainly borrows from classic films and franchises, perhaps most notably Indiana Jones. However, Jungle Cruise loses sight of itself in the third act with certain big reveals. While its runtime is excessive, being drawn into the world of the movie is not hard.
Old (2021)
Shyamalan Still Can't Turn Back the Clock
Old is a high-budget, well-acted mess in the most crucial way: the script. Clichés plague the film, as do unlikeable characters. Only in the last 30 minutes do the characters and the film partially recover. While the twist was unexpected and the finale was satisfying, perhaps a bolder move from Shyamalan would have been to end the film 5-10 minutes earlier.
Pig (2021)
Beautiful, and Not at All What I Expected
Pig has a subtle message to get across, one that can be easily missed. Two storylines encompass the entire film; the most basic one is satisfactorily concluded and the other is meant for personal interpretation. At 90 minutes it moves almost perfectly, with it's only flaw being the slow start about 20 minutes in.