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All the Light We Cannot See (2023)
A disappointment
A truly remarkable book of nuance and humanity turned hammy blockbuster.
I'm a fan of director Shawn Levy's work on Stranger Things but he was the wrong choice for All the Light We Cannot See. The subject matter needed a director capable of capturing the truth of a scene but Levy's skills lie elsewhere. It's impressive in its scale but it ultimately leaves the viewer cold.
The script is stuffed with on the nose metaphors and misses the deeper context to the story. It dumps the more interesting aspects of the story for a the more suspenseful elements of the books and it is weaker for it.
A talented cast but for whatever reason, the acting is pantomime. The Nazi's in particular feel like something ripped out of an Indiana Jones film. And again, maybe that's Levy? His talents lie in the Spielberg-esque joy of filmmaking. That's why his work on Stranger Things is so brilliant. But All the Light We Cannot See required a director who understood that the story is about human connection in the face of suffering and not about explosions, villains and impressive crane and tracking shots.
So, so disappointing.
Babylon (2022)
Big ideas that ultimately feel small.
A bit of a mess of film, sadly. The enormous scope is thrillingly ambitious but it's large scale so often feels small. Sacrificing any nuanced character study (you could argue that Pitt's 'Jack Conrad, loosely based on John Gilbert, is the most developed) for bombastic sequences has ultimately left the film feeling hollow and unsatisfying.
Chazelle's big opening attempts to capture the hedonism of roaring-twenties-Hollywood through large, one shot sequences. But these sequences are directed and choreographed within an inch of their lives rendering the "hedonism" rather squeaky clean and cold. You got the sense that they must have done take after take after take by which time the cast of hundreds were empty of any real joy and spontaneity. Sadly, this feeling continued throughout the film.
Most of the actors do a good job but it's hard not to feel like they were being pushed by a Chazelle to go bigger and bigger. You could even feel Hollywood heavyweights Pitt and Robbie at times were trying to give Chazelle the size of the performance he wanted but were uncomfortable. I never felt like I could relax and disappear into the world being created.
Too often the strong hand of the director would pull me back out to show me another big and bold idea. A scene where we enter the pits of hell of the underbelly of Hollywood was, I presume, to feel scary. It had reminiscent feelings of the opening club scene in Irreversible but again, Chazelle's cramming of ideas meant that it was impossible to be immersed and ultimately found it gratuitous.
You cannot fault is Chazelle's bravery and ambition but it is through forgetting the smaller nuances that make watching human characters so engaging that this film falls short.
(It's also minimum forty minutes too long)
Welcome to Wrexham: Wide World of Wales (2022)
As a Welshman this Episode meant a lot
To caveat this, I'm not a Wrexham fan but I'm loving this documentary series. To my great surprise, Rob and Ryan are clearly invested in this club and Wales. They understand that culture is important but more importantly, that Welsh culture is different to that of England. I greatly appreciated their efforts to help the audience understand in greater context the club and the people who support it. I found it incredibly moving.
Wales is a somewhat insular county. We haven't forged ourself onto the world map like our cousins Ireland and Scotland. We are smaller and self deprecating. It is quiet incredible to witness an American and a Canadian with no prior attachment to Wales put this beautiful country country on the map with such pride. Thanks lads.
Chemi bednieri ojakhi (2017)
Elegant film making with very fine performances
A beautifully observed, character driven film. A delicate and subtle film that's strength lies in its simplicity. Long takes give great freedom to the actors who embody their roles with a raw honesty. The script is lean but carries an deep emotional undercurrent. Can not recommend enough.
Ad Astra (2019)
A masterpiece. One of the best films about masculinity I've ever seen
An emotionally stunted man must face his estranged father in order to deal with his failures as a man and learn to be open enough to love. It's simple and beautifully executed. A masterpiece. People will be watching this for decades, no doubt about it.
Wine Country (2019)
Lacks Depth
A great opportunity to make a film with humour and depth about female friendship. It has a great cast but the writing is thin on the ground and the directing is simple. A few nice laughs but ultimately fails to pack a punch.
Krisha (2015)
I needed to write this review...
First time IMDB reviewer here but felt compelled to write in contrast to some of the less favourable user reviews.
Firstly, this was shot in 9 days. 9 days! I'm not sure if you've ever been anywhere near a film set, but to shoot something in 9 days is an unbelievable achievement. To shoot something this good? Impossible.
Second, some people have struggled with the stylised nature of this film and others seem to object to its content. Well, film is an art form and film doesn't always have to be some hemogenized, easily digestible, happy-ever-after product. The storytelling in Krisha can be bumpy but at times exquisite. As someone who has grown up around addiction the handling of this sensitive subject made me feel heard and seen. What is art if not to shine a light on what makes us human? Warts and all.
Lastly, hats off to Shults, his cast and crew. This film is filled with brave work. Taking risks both filmically and emotionally. It is no small feat to make a film so raw. The strength of this film lies in its rough corners and uncomfortable moments. When watching don't fight against those rough edges, embrace them and allow the film to take you into the mind of Krisha. Rarely will you experience a narrative so uniquely inside one persons perspective.
Superb filmmaking.