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Love the Coopers (2015)
One star for Anthony Mackie and one star for the few punchlines that were actually funny.
Almost two hours - way too long - of people arguing, a guy who doesn't believe in evolution (seriously, wtf is up with that?), Timothée Chalamet badly making out with a girl, John Goodman who just wants to go on his freaking Africa trip, and a dog narrator (Steve Martin!). It made me think "what the hell am I watching?" multiple times throughout the movie. I genuinely don't know how they managed to get all these actors to play in this. Also, Diane Keaton and Marisa Tomei being sisters is absolutely ridiculous.
Merry Christmas, woof.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Probably the most visually pleasing movie I have ever watched.
The visuals, the animations and the colours are so good and well mixed together.
Miles is a bit cooler than the Peter we see in other movies, and it's a breath of fresh air. I was completely thrown off by his uncle being the Prowler - can you tell I haven't read the comics?
I love the whole concept of the Spider-Verse and seeing so many Spider-people (creatures?) together was very exciting. Gwen and Peter obviously steal the spotlight, while Penny and Peter Porker sometimes feel a bit too much. After rewatching it a few times, though, I've come to love them all.
The characterisation of the villains is nothing short of great. And can we talk about Doctor Olivia Octavius?! Mind blowing.
The plot is pretty much the basic superhero origin story, it's everything else that makes it absolutely fantastic. And the soundtrack, oh man!
Love Hard (2021)
A cheesy and predictable Christmas rom-com full of clichés and tropes, yet somehow it manages to entertain.
Nina Dobrev fits her role really well, and Josh might be my favourite out of all the characters. Tag, on the other hand, is pretty bland. He's not the stereotypical jerk, but he's not perfect either.
I liked the diversity and some of the jokes were pretty funny.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
I had to wait almost a whole day to process what I saw last night.
Let's start with the spoiler free comments. This movie feels very different from the first two with Tom Holland. It's more mature, darker and the stakes are high. The comedy is reduced compared to the previous movies - which is a plus for me - and the jokes that are actually present are well-balanced with the rest of the dialogue and actually funny. Another plus is that Peter is not as reliant on technology as before. Yes, his suit is the same and it's high tech, but the viewer can focus more on the actual stunts.
Now for the performances. Everyone did amazingly, but the spotlight goes to Tom Holland. He really outdid himself. I always knew he was a great actor, but this role never gave him much chance to show it - until now. Willem Defoe and Alfred Molina reprised their old roles effortlessly, though I did notice some slight changes but I think they are due to the whole feel of the movie rather than the single performances. Jamie Fox as Electro is much better in this movie, but it almost feels like a completely different version of Electro. He's way more confident. Sandman and Lizard are definitely secondary villains, even though they have their dedicated sequences.
Some very spoiler-y comments from now on!
I went to the theatre with very low expectations regarding Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's appearances cause I didn't want to be disappointed. I was hoping for a cameo of both, but I was convinced they would have 5 minutes of screen time tops. My mind was blown when they actually showed up around the middle of the film and stuck around until the very end! Seeing all three Spider-Men together was exciting, incredible, funny, moving - any positive feeling you can think of! The room was shaking, everyone was screaming and clapping when Andrew and Tobey passed through the portals. Being a part of something like this felt extraordinary.
Nice cameo of Matt Murdock, but I was surprised to see that it didn't amount to anything. It was kind of left there.
I was so happy to see that we were right about Andrew catching MJ and Andrew hitting the Lizard. A lot of the fan theories turned out to be true, but I was still surprised! The whole movie is packed of Easter eggs and references, and I love it.
I would have loved to see a Miles Morales post credit scene, but I was glad they at least addressed him. I'm hoping the new trilogy will revolve around him.
I was also surprised to see that Tom Hardy returned to his universe. I didn't expect they'd choose another actor to play Venom in future movies.
At last, that ending left a bittersweet taste in my mouth and, yet again, I was shocked. The movie took a dark turn that threw me off guard. It feels like the end for Tom Holland's Spider-Man, but I guess everything is possible.
There are probably more things I'd have to say, but I think this is a good review for now.
Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)
Definitely an improvement to the previous MCU movie, but it still carries some of its flaws.
The most prominent one is that there are way too many jokes. I absolutely love that Peter is a funny guy and cracks jokes as Spider-Man, but here everyone is trying to be funny and half the time they fail to be. This is also the main reason why it feels like a kid's movie, which is fine but it lacks some emotional depth. Another weakness that doesn't allow the viewer to fully connect with this Spider-Man is how reliant on technology everything is.
On to the good things, Jake Gyllenhaal's performance is great. He really sells the whole scheming bad guy vibe and I was completely mind-blown cause I didn't expect it.
The story is engaging, the soundtrack is very good and everyone's acting is on point.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
The first MCU Spider-Man movie introduces an awkward Peter Parker who is a perfect mix of Maguire and Garfield's performances.
Peter's inexperience in being Spider-Man clearly shows throughout the movie, and it was fine up to a point. His freshness doesn't mix well with a villain like the Vulture, resulting in rushed action sequences. Michael Keaton is a very good Vulture though.
Tom Holland manages to capture the essence of both Peter and Spider-Man, but his nerdiness could have been shown a little more and his jokes as Spidey are mostly good. One thing that did bother me throughout the movie was the screaming. He does not need to scream so much.
I'm kind of bummed I didn't get to see how Peter became Spider-Man, him finding out about his powers, creating a suit from scratch. The death of Uncle Ben also doesn't seem to be defining for his character. It's good that they're trying to give Tom Holland his own storyline, but maybe they removed too much of what's familiar to the viewers.
Pretty good soundtrack, Zendaya deserves more screen time and that plot twist caught me off guard the first time I watched the movie.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
An improvement to the first instalment with Andrew Garfield. He portrays a great Spider-Man and a jittery Peter Parker, which doesn't feel very Parker-y to me but I don't hate
The soundtrack is pretty awesome, especially the Electro song. Speaking of which, the fight scenes with him are dope and well-choreographed. Electro is a great villain if you can look past his blueness and shininess.
The storyline of the Green Goblin could have been avoided, as well as Rhino's, but I understand they were trying to set up the basis for future movies featuring a multitude of villains. I didn't hate Deehan's portrayal of the Green Goblin, but I found it didn't live up to the original trilogy's emotional involvement. On that note, Willem Defoe will always be the only Norman Osborn to me, sorry. Also, his costume and look after the transformation really didn't work for me. It seems that the general vibe I get from this movie's villains is grotesque. The new Spidey suit, on the other hand, is definitely better than the one in the first film!
Now on to the scene that left everyone heartbroken and is still talked about to this day: Gwen's death. I remember watching it for the first time in the theatre. The room was so quiet during her fall, everyone was holding their breath - can we talk about when Peter's web looks like a small hand? - and then everyone let out a strangled gasp when she knocked her head against the floor. It's always hard to watch that scene.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
A drastic change from the Raimi trilogy - it's impossible not to make comparisons - but it's not necessarily bad.
Andrew Garfield is an amazing actor and does his best with what he's given, however his Peter Parker is not soft. He's athletic enough to ride a skateboard, he stands up to bullies and he's charming enough to get the girl. Talking about Gwen, their romance is so well done that I feel it's on the same level as MJ and Peter's from the original trilogy.
This movie's biggest flaw is its pacing in my opinion, it's slow and they could have cut a good 30 minutes. The first half is focused more on Peter's journey to becoming Spider-Man, while the second is set on stopping the Lizard.
I don't have much to say about the villain, I like how they designed him and his backstory is pretty standard. He lacks the charm of other Spider-Man villains though. The fight scenes are pretty good and I really liked some details like Peter using a web to detect where the Lizard is.
I'm not a fan of the suit, sorry. The dark eyes make him look creepy.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
One of my favourite Burton movies. Give me weird powers, time manipulation and funny villains and I'm sold.
It's not a perfect movie, but I really don't get all the criticism it gets. I remember watching it the first time and being pretty surprised and amazed. Definitely entertained.
I have to point out that I see a lot of potential when it comes to world-building, but it just wasn't tapped. I'm guessing they were betting everything on a sequel that was never made.
I'm definitely going to read the books this film was based off!
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Definitely the weakest movie of the Raimi trilogy, but entertaining nonetheless.
I think the main difference with the first two movies is that there's even more focus on the romance side of the story. I feel like the mood is darker and the story is more emotionally charged than the first two. I especially feel so bad for Peter when he tries to propose to MJ and fails, or for Flint Marko's whole storyline - which never gets an ending by the way. Tobey Maguire did an outstanding job of portraying a completely out of control Peter Parker dominated by his darkest thoughts. Is it cheesy and memeable? Absolutely, but that's why it's funny as hell. Another flaw is that the villains don't have an origin story as strong as the Green Goblin and Doc Ock's. Sandman is not even a villain if we think about it, Venom only becomes a physical villain in the second half of the movie, and Harry just wants revenge for his father's death - and also ends up not being a villain. Overall, the real challenge for Peter was confronting his own dark side through Venom, which makes it a more introspective movie. Additionally, Venom was not creepy and witty enough to be a likeable villain. The soundtrack was as great as in the first two movies - the second one still has the best one in my opinion. I realised only today that Willem Defoe appears in all three movies, even if only for a minute, and I love that.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
A sequel that is just as good as the first movie, if not better.
The fight scene on the train is without a doubt one of the best action sequences ever made.
Alfred Molina's Doc Ock is simply sublime: his backstory makes him one of the best villains and his wit makes him one of the most likeable.
Loved the Dr. Strange reference, I had never noticed until today but then again I haven't watched this film in a few years!
Spider-Man (2002)
I'm surely biased by my own feelings of nostalgia, but Spider-Man belongs to my favourites list - where it has been for the past 20 years.
I have started a Spider-Man rewatch in occasion of the release of NWH and I'm amazed at how little I actually remembered about this movie. I was 6 years old - almost 7 - when it came out and I was so awestruck by it. Today I had the same feeling after so many years, despite the outdated CGI and VFX which were actually pretty impressive for the time.
Tobey Maguire's acting is pretty impressive in spite of his meme status. Willem Defoe is as astounding as ever.
The story, the soundtrack, the dialogues make this the perfect superhero film.
Big Eyes (2014)
This was one of the few Tim Burton movies I had never seen, and boy have I missed out so far!
It's probably the less Tim Burton-y film by Tim Burton - please understand what I'm trying to say.
Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz are simply extraordinary. Any more words spent on their performances would fall short.
The landscapes/environment looked like living paintings - I'm sure there is some post-production magic at work - and left me mesmerised.
The mood and the genre of the movie shift a couple of times, creating a dynamic flow of storytelling.
The story is based on true events, which makes it even more engaging and shocking, although I somehow missed the text at the beginning of the film and was completely flabbergasted when I saw the pictures of the real Walter Keane and Margaret Keane.
Dark Shadows (2012)
A nice comedy fantasy involving vampires, witches and magic.
It feels different from other Tim Burton movies, but it's not necessarily bad. The over sexualisation of Chloë Grace Moretz didn't sit very well with me, yet she did good with what she was given. There are a few random scenes and dynamics that are specifically designed to shock the viewer - if you know you know - but they don't add anything to the plot and they feel flat pretty early on in the film. A shame that Michelle Pfeiffer's character gradually had less screen time in the second half.
The soundtrack is great and Helena Bonham Carter is the best.
El silencio del pantano (2019)
What started off as a nice thriller about a psychopath quickly turned into a confusing mess about the corrupt politics of Valencia.
Pedro Alonso is completely wasted, he's supposed to be the main character but his screen time is so short. There are a couple of good fighting scenes, but they don't make up for the slow pacing of the film or the anticlimactic storyline. The whole mystery about the main character being an author or a killer or both is completely lost in the confusion of everything else. I gave it two stars because of the soundtrack and Pedro Alonso's acting - impeccable as always.
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
A visually stunning story about what humans can accomplish when they come together.
The main character is very likeable and, to be honest, a total badass. I was thrown off by Sisu's personality at first - way too cheery and humorous for my taste - but I got used to it pretty soon. Some lines made me scrunch up my eyebrows - the "super nerd" thing felt way too modern for the film's setting - but overall every character is captivating.
The graphics are insane, there were certain scenes in which I would have forgotten it's an animated movie if not for the cartoonish characters.
The chemistry between Raya and Namaari is so obvious, but I should have known Disney was not going to go for a queer relationship, or even a queer main character. Hopefully they'll get there, but this movie is the definition of invisible representation.
I expected at least one plot twist - I would have loved for the Druun to be some misunderstood creatures - but I didn't get any, so the story could have been a tiny bit more exciting and surprising. Nevertheless I enjoyed this film very much, it's probably one of my favourites among the new ones.
The Queen's Gambit (2020)
A pleasure to watch, even for someone who doesn't know anything about chess.
I was hesitant to start watching this because I knew very little about chess and I have rarely ever played. Needless to say, the story and the characters immediately engage the viewer. The main character's chess journey entwines perfectly with her struggle with addiction. Anya Taylor-Joy is simply amazing, her range in acting is impressive. By the end of this miniseries I was interested in learning more about chess!
The Princess Diaries (2001)
It feels like a 90s movie, weird to know that it came out in 2001!
A very funny comedy mainly aimed at young kids, but entertaining to adults nonetheless. I really liked the soundtrack and some lines are pure comedy gold.
Anne Hathaway is impeccable as always, her interactions with Julie Andrew's character are some of the best ones in the film.
The Theory of Everything (2014)
Easily one of my favourite films.
I remember being blown away by this film the first time I saw it in high school, and I was blown away this second time as well.
It's a movie about love: Stephen's relationship with Jane, his passion for the universe and black holes, Stephen and Jane's kids, Jane's relationship with Jonathan, Elaine's infatuation for Stephen. Everything about this film radiated love, and it warmed and moved me.
Eddie Redmayne deserved the Oscar he got as he is a formidable actor. I'd say everyone in the cast is simply brilliant.
I particularly noticed the gorgeous cinematography and the soundtrack, which helped in making me a crying mess towards the end.
Eternals (2021)
I had high expectations for this film and they were met!
The visual effects are definitely the most awe-inducing factor of the movie, along with the cinematography. I loved everything about the fight scenes, from the choreographies to the technology and powers. The soundtrack is a bit confusing sometimes, it alternates beautiful pieces of music to melodies that sound disconnected. I don't know how to feel about it. The characters are likeable and diverse. The jokes are sometimes a bit too much. The LGBTQ+ representation is a breath of fresh air in a franchise such as Marvel. I liked that the main character is not one of the big names in the cast. Still, I feel like they could have used Angelina Jolie more. I was also a bit disappointed that Kit Harington didn't have as much screen time as one might deduce from the trailer. Overall I think the story was very clear despite the multiple flashbacks, and I'm relieved that I didn't leave the theatre feeling like I missed something or had questions left unanswered. I would have liked the film to be just a little shorter with some adjustments to the pacing. The two post-credit scenes are very exciting!
Good Bye Lenin! (2003)
A good concept and a great cast
A good concept and a great cast, but it gets repetitive and a bit infuriating after the first hour. There are some funny lines and situations - specifically the main character's co-worker who wants to be a director. Definitely too long!
A Classic Horror Story (2021)
it's a classic horror story!
I watched this knowing nothing about it - without even watching the trailer - and I have to say the title perfectly sums up the film: it's a classic horror story!
It kept me on the edge of my seat for the first half simply by creating the right atmosphere, not by using multiple jump-scares (the easiest way to scare viewers imo). If you have watched your fair share of horror movies, you'll probably deduce there's a mole in the group pretty early on.
The soundtrack, the acting and the cinematography are all great. It's not too long or too short, the ending was satisfying and the explanation clever.
Happy to have watched an Italian horror film so well done!
Where the Devil Hides (2014)
I'm very torn about this.
I'm very torn about this. The idea and the beginning are pretty good, but I expected more mystery and action throughout the film. The poster spoils the ending, and it could be the reason why I was expecting the big reveal to happen earlier in the story rather than in the last 5 minutes.
The hooded figure that goes around killing people is simply too goofy to be scary, and in general the atmosphere is not tense enough. Plus, I'm no expert but I don't think it's a good representation of an Amish community.
I think the acting - I'm looking at you Alycia Debnam-Carey and Jennifer Carpenter - and the ending are what carry this film. I ended up sympathising for the devil!
Side note: weird seeing Alycia Debnam-Carey and Thomas McDonell on screen together again, hehe.
American Psycho (2000)
Blown away by Bale's performance!
Blown away by Bale's performance! The film wouldn't have been as good if not for his chilling acting. Very gory scenes that seem so surreal they actually made me laugh out loud. I loved the bit about the business cards, it shows how obsessed Patrick is with anything that concerns his image and what others think of him.
I would have given this 5 starts had the ending been a little less ambiguous. I get that that is the whole point - not knowing what is real and what isn't - but I would have loved for everything to have been a sick fantasy of Bateman's.
One of the few movies I've watched in which Willem Defoe doesn't play a villain/someone creepy!
Us (2019)
I wanted to love this movie, I really did.
I wanted to love this movie, I really did. I was very intrigued by the idea of creepy killer doubles, and until they surrounded the house I was thrilled. From that point on it was a slow descent for me, all the tension I previously felt slowly started to dissipate. The noises the doubles made were rather funny and the few jokes completely killed the creepy mood - I only liked when Kitty tries calling the police via the voice assistant.
I enjoyed the action sequence inside Josh and Kitty's house, the acting was brilliant (especially Lupita Nyong'o's) throughout the film, the plot twist at the end could have been predicted but I was pleasantly caught off guard.
There are too many plot holes and unresolved mysteries for me to rate it higher, though. I get that it's got deeper layers than just being a horror movie, but the surface can't be overlooked this much, otherwise the viewer is not entertained. I found myself confused, bored and waiting for answers for the most part, and I still don't have some of them. Had the movie been a bit shorter, I probably would have enjoyed it more.