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princessofpillows
Reviews
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
very traditional, very hollywood, very pretentious
I understand why this is a highly renowned movie; it certainly has the elements that successful filmmaking demands
however, i had considerable difficulty connecting with the story, due in part to how 'perfect' the movie tries to be
i'm not the target audience, and that's okay, i can enjoy consuming media outside my peripherals
yet in this case, they are so intentionally targeting critics and awards that it detracts from the viewing experience
my god, this is one dramatic movie
the lighting, angles and depth of field are all over the top, to the point where i was laughing at how artificial it all is
obviously, all films are artificial, but the intention should be to create an experience that feels organic to the viewer, which the shawshank redemption fails to do
another prominent example is how every scene needs to be important to move the plot forward, such that there isn't room for the characters or story to breathe. The narration multiplies this effect, robbing the viewer of the ability to just think for themselves
with the absence of error comes a departure of the human component, which is ultimately where my discontent lies.
Castlevania: Nocturne (2023)
dramatic fanboys love to hate
This was a compelling show from start to finish that touched on themes unusual for the genre. The character development was good, the animation superb, and pacing excellent, with the stakes building throughout the season (pun intended).
It's pathetic that fanboys are review bombing this. I've never played the games, but i did watch all four seasons of the prior animation. This incarnation improved on the original in every way. As a standalone show, it's competent, and i never felt like i was missing any context.
The highlights of the show for me were the diverse cast, specifically the origins of Annette and Edouard, two of the protagonists. I won't spoil anything, but their story is by far the strongest aspect of this show. Tragically, this seems to be the area that fanboys have the most issue with, as can be seen through the thinly coated racism in their reviews.
Overall, I'd recommend trying the show out for yourself to decide if it's for you. I went in skeptical, but it quickly won me over.